Ryleigh is One Year Old!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ryleigh at One Year (October 15, 2011)

O.M.G.


This day is not here already! Twelve explanation marks (even though I know it says one year, not twelve months up there). I know I'm a day late with my post, but give me a break, we had the party of the year yesterday on her actual birthday!


Now...I'm not going to get all nostalgic and mushy and say things like "October 15, 2010 at 6:50 p.m. my life changed", I'll save that for the letter I plan to write her and for her to read at a later date (which I'm sure she'll sigh dramatically and tell me that I'm a huge loser, but then later secretly really appreciate the sentiment). If you'd like to get all nostalgic, feel free to go back and read all my monthly posts about how amazing my child is and all her accomplishments in her first year starting with this one. But I will tell you that this past month has been amazing. I feel like she is growing into such a smart, silly little girl. Her personality is really starting to take shape and I can tell she is going to be a feisty little handful from here on out. But I guess I'd rather her test boundaries than sit on the sidelines and miss out.


I guess the best way to describe what I mean is to go ahead with the pictures and videos from this past month, so enjoy.  The pictures and videos from her big birthday bash will be up soon as well : )   Also be sure to check out the sneak peaks from Ryleigh's One Year photo shoot with the amazing Alisha Schwanke.


We love you Ryleighkin...you mean the world to us and we cherish every moment we get to watch you grow and learn. Here's to many more exciting and I'm sure exhausting years to come : )

so cute in my jeans and long sleeves

play session with Lucy

more Lucy harassment

crawled up into Mommy & Daddy's bed to watch cartoons

NOT happy with Mommy

Ryleigh finds the button on her Sing-A-Ma-Jig

spaghetti night before

spaghetti night after

enjoying the car seat much more when it's out of the car

lazy baby

Ipad fun

more Ipad fun

just a typical Saturday morning

The Price is Right with GGpa

more fun with Lucy (please don't mind the direct shot down my torso)

"Nom Nom Nom Nom"

Lucy & Ryleigh find the fun in Mommy's closet

ready for the Dixie Classic Fair

love the Frosty the Snowman GGpa and GGma got me

Ryleigh is a genius

more playtime with Lucy

Couponing: A Few Successful Trips

Check out this awesomeness from yesterday's couponing trips to CVS & Harris Teeter.  Between the 2 stores, I spent $73 for $250 worth of product.  That's 71% savings.

Here's how I did it:

CVS

Transaction 1:

3 Dove Conditioners, 2/$6 + (3) .75/1 = $6.75

3 Dove Shampoos, 2/$6 + (3) B1G1 = FREE

Total = $6.75 + $7.00 CVS ExtraBucks from purchase last week = $1.32 (tax + I had to buy a .33 piece of candy to use up the extra .25 for my $7.00) + I received $5 CVS ExtraBucks for my next purchase

Transaction 2:

2 Oral B Floss, 2/$6 + (2) $2/1 = $1 each

1 Bengay Pain Reliever, $9.99 + $5/1 = $4.99

Total = $6.99 - $5 CVS ExtraBucks from Transaction 1 = $1.99 + tax = $3.07 + I received $2 CVS ExtraBucks from the Floss & $2 ExtraBucks from the Bengay for my next purchase

Transaction 3:

2 Edge Shaving Creams, $1.99 + (2) .75/1 = $1.25 each

1 Pampers Wipes, $5.99

Total = $8.48 - $4 CVS ExtraBucks from Transaction 2- .50 CVS Coupon from In-Store Coupon Machine = $3.97 + tax = $4.61

By working out my transactions before I got to the store, I was able to use all the CVS ExtraBucks that I received to my advantage in my following transactions.  I spent $9 total at CVS for all this product.  That's 90% savings!! : )

Harris Teeter

I wasn't as successful at H.T. because I had to buy soda which NEVER has a coupon, but it was at least on sale (4/$10) and I bought some meat which can be tricky to get a deal on, but it was buy one get one free.  I also had to buy some cake mixes for Ryleigh's up-coming birthday celebration and I didn't have a coupon for those either, but they were also on sale 4/$5 at least.  I won't bore you with the whole list, but I'll point out some of the highlights.

Gillette Body Wash, $2.99 + $2/1 = .99 each

Suave Professionals Shampoo, $1.69 + B1G1 = .85 each

Suave Kids Shampoo, $1.69 + B1G1 = .85 each

Dawn Dish Soap, .99 + .25/1 (doubled) = .49 each

Sobe Lifewater, 5/$5 + $1/5 = .80 each

This was a good stockpiling trip for my shampoo & conditioner, which is nice because I was down to my last bottle.  During this trip I spent $64 for $187 worth of product.  That's 71% savings.  Not too shabby considering I didn't even have coupons for some of my items!!

**Also a heads up for anyone that can shop at Food Lion, they have Propel Water for .79 each and there was a coupon in this past paper for $1/5, which makes them .59 each!!  A great stock-up price!

Happy Saving!!

Perfect Little Saturday

This past Saturday would have to be my version of the perfect way to spend a day off. 

First of all, we were soooo excited to have Daddy back after he spent a week away from us in Copenhagen, Denmark for work.  He has been to Sweden a few times this year, so I guess why not add another Scandinavian country to the list, right?  At least this time while he was away, Mommy & Ryleigh had visitors to occupy our time.  GGma & GGpa stopped by for a few days on their way back home to Florida from Michigan.  They haven't seen Ryleigh since we were all together in California for Easter.  That was almost 6 months ago!  Lets see, at that time Ryleigh was just learning how to sit up on her own and her only means of getting around was rolling over.  I'd say a lot has changed since then! 

We mostly hung out around the house so that Ryleigh could show GGma & GGpa all the new cool things she has learned.  GGma & Mommy did venture out one afternoon while Ryleigh was napping...Mommy still had to get in some coupon trips even though visitors were in town (a successful one too, paid $16 for $80 worth of product).  Much to GGpa's dismay, Ryleigh awoke while we were gone and needed some immediate diaper attention.  But GGpa stepped up to the plate and hit a home run with his diaper changing abilities : )  We were also able to get out of the house and purchase Ryleigh a new toy (of course), a dancing and singing Frosty the Snowman, which she now loves to play with.  She can't figure out how to turn him on, so she will sit and point at him until someone comes over and squeezes his hand so she can dance around with him.   I tried to snag as many photos as possible while GGma & GGpa were visting, but sadly GGma came down with a really bad cold and they had to leave after only a few days with us : (  After much worrying, she will be happy to know that she did not give Ryleigh or Mommy that cold : )

We enjoyed our time with GGma & GGpa and look forward to hopefully being able to see them again at Christmastime!

 

Lucy & Ryleigh are both very interested in the singing/dancing Frosty that GGma & GGpa bought Ryleigh.

  

GGpa teaching Ryleigh the art of relaxing..and probably the rules of The Price is Right



Ryleigh teaches GGpa how relaxing is meant to happen



After GGma & GGpa headed home, Ryleigh & Mommy had one day to spend together until Daddy came home.  He didn't get home on Friday until 6 p.m. (midnight Denmark time), so he was pretty sleepy and ready for bed.  Both Daddy & Ryleigh went to sleep for the night at 7:45 p.m.

Our Perfect Little Saturday began with sleeping in.  Ryleigh must have known that Daddy needed lots of rest in order to play with her because she slept in, thus allowing Mommy & Daddy to sleep in until 9 a.m.!!  All 4 of us (don't forget about Lucy!) lounged in Mommy & Daddy's bed watching cartoons until we decided it was time for lunch.  Off we went to one of our favorite locals spots, The Village Tavern.  After enjoying a delicious lunch (Daddy had a burger and Mommy had fish 'n chips), we headed home so our little munchkin could catch some afternoon zzzz's. 

While Ryleigh, Daddy & Lucy all attempted to take naps, Mommy was able to plant her fall flowers...

backyard patio (please don't pay attention to our sad, dead grass, we're working on it)

Mums : )  I can't wait until these are fully bloomed!

Front porch Mums 

She was also able to decorate for Halloween a little bit....

baby Mums with Pumpkins

gord & berry wreath

the whole shebang

the "spooky" mailbox...I plan to add more spiderwebs to the bushes around the house

After a few hours, we realized Ryleigh wasn't going to nap like we had hoped she would, so we decided it was time to do something.  The Dixie Classic Fair opened in Winston-Salem that weekend, so we bundled up (because it was about 60 degrees this weekend) and headed off to the fair....

  

all bundled up and ready to go...like my Winnie-the-Pooh hat?!

 

waiting patiently in line for my tickets 



Ryleigh checks out the chickens

  

"Wow, that is one big chicken!"



Ryleigh in the chicken coop

 

"hey kid!  Let me outta here!" 



Ryleigh has deep conversations with the sheep

  

Largest Pumpkin...contestants...I guess?



taking in...all...the...sights....yeah, thats it...sights.

I mean, we can't leave without getting some Deep Fried Butter, right?

Daddy enjoys some elephant ear topped with cinnamon apples 



Ryleigh snags a couple bites of elephant ear for herself 



oooooohhhhh the candy apples 



too much fun for one little Ryleigh to handle

Once we arrived home, Ryleigh stayed awake long enough to change into her PJ's, have a bottle and then she was down for the count leaving the rest of the evening for Mommy & Daddy to enjoy a movie snuggled up on the sofa.

Perfect brisk fall weather + decorating for the holidays + eating delicious food + spending time with the people I love most = The Perfect Little Saturday : )

Ryleigh is Eleven Months!!!!!!!!!!!

Ryleigh at 11 months (September 15, 2011)

So I'm not even going to mention the fact that my little baby is one month away from being One Year old.  We'll just skip right over that because Mommy isn't ready.  We will just continue on and discuss what an amazing month this past one has been...

Oh my!  What an amazing month this has been!!  It hasn't really been too busy, which was nice after last month's hectic schedule.  We spent a lot of time at home and even had some people from church over for dinner.  Ryleigh enjoyed having someone to play with, even though I think he enjoyed playing with Lucy a little more. 

This month we did take quite the trip and drove up to Michigan to spend a week visiting family and friends.  This was our first big driving trip since last December when we drove up to Michigan last time.  It was much different with a 10 month old than it was with a 2 month old.  I couldn't really tell you which one was better or worse though.  You can read all about it HERE.

We also discovered this past month that Ryleigh will be sporting a new "birthmark" on her face for a little while.  She has a hemangioma on her cheek right under her left eye.  It started out tiny and flat, but grew and became raised after about 2 weeks.  We went to the doctor to have it checked out and they told us it is fairly common for children to develop them.  It's basically tangled and twisted capillaries that have no place to go other than up and they develop a little red bump.  The doctor also told us that it can get bigger and if it becomes an issue we can go see a dermatologist, but if it stays small it should go away.  75% go away by age 2 and 90% are gone by age 3.  Ryleigh's has gotten a little bigger since we saw the doctor, but for right now we're just keeping an eye on it and treating it like a freckle. 

We haven't learned any new words since last month, we're just perfecting the ones we know now.  Ryleigh has started putting Mommy's cell phone (or pretty much anything else) up to her ear when you say "Ryleigh, say hello".  It's pretty cute, especially when she does it with some sort of stuffed animal or a book.  She likes to point at things and babble now and I never know what she wants because obviously she can't say "hey Ma, give me that book, can't you see I'm pointing at it?!"  But I try and ask "what do you want? Is this what you want? Are you pointing at this?"  in hopes that she'll maybe catch on.  And I know we discovered last month that Ryleigh is a biter, but thinking that she had learned her lesson and was over that stage was a mistake.  I learned that Ryleigh deliberately bites when she is mad...and she will chomp down right on your jawbone if she has to to make her point.  Let's just say, we're working on it.

Buuuutttt...the most exciting thing about this past month is....Ryleigh started walking!!  After months of walking around the furniture and a couple weeks of taking 2-3 steps here and there, our little mover and shaker is venturing away from the furniture!  She's been going strong for 2 weeks now.  She's still a little wobbly and is working on her balance, but man can she cruise through the house now!  Good thing Mommy put all those baby gates up last month.  It's so much fun to watch her walk around and look at things and run to Lucy to give her a toy and be able to take her out of her car seat, put her on the ground and hold her hand as we both walk into the grocery store.  But the best part about her walking?  Watching her run to you to give you a big 'ol hug : )

Sigh...

One month to go?  Really?  She'll be a toddler in 30 days.  A walking, talking, drinking out of a sippy cup, eating solid foods like I do, not using a binkie toddler.  No more baby in this house.  I guess that means I need to get started on another one, huh?  

typical Ryleigh play session on Mommy & Daddy's bed

so cute in her overalls

so many Ryleighs!

how can you not want to just kiss that face?!

mooooooo!

Ryleigh loves watching Olivia on her car DVD player

big yawn

Ryleighs first time wearing actual shoes

playing with Will

With Ms. Steph, Mr. Bruce and Daddy at the Greensboro Grasshoppers game

big blue eyes

Ryleigh attempts walking

at the Detroit Zoo...by the fountain were Yaya and Poppi got engaged

Ryleigh "makes a phone call"

so intrigued by the television

caught playing in Mommy's closet

Since our little booger is walking around now, it sure is hard to get her to sit still for a picture.  Here are Mommy's attempts to capture her on camera during our little photo session today

get this headband off of me!

just want to munch those chubby little legs!

playing peek-a-boo

mid-kiss

Ryleigh's version of giving kisses