Songs and Prayers

We have been renovating our kitchen and Ryder seems to think it's the coolest "game" he's ever played.  He's right behind John Michael every step of the way.   

Therefore, he is very into his own tools right now. He has been playing with his tool shed extra lately.  And he knows all his tools:  his screwdriver, hammer, wrench and he calls the pliers his scissors. 

He'll say "Ryder fix it" then he'll say "Mama turn".  Everything he does, everybody else in the room has to have a turn too.

Lindsey and Levi came by for a visit last week.  Ryder loved reading to him and teaching him all the shapes and animals on his puzzles!

I let Ryder hold the banana by himself for the first time.  He took this job very seriously and gobbled the thing down before I could even stop him.  

When I noticed his cheeks looking full it worried me and I told him to open his mouth.  He can mind when he wants to.

My cousin Micki took a road trip and on the way stopped by the Jersey Shore.  And brought this back for Ryder.  Hilarious!

Ryder is back on the shoe fetish.  Any and every shoe he sees he has to try it on.

He found these all by himself and put them on.  They were even up in a little shoe holder in my closet.  He was quite determind to try on the perfect pair!

I heard some clonking around.

Ryder's bite mark.  When I picked him up from school he had an accident report that he got bit but they can't tell you who did it.  Well since Ryder doesn't forget a thing, as soon as I picked him up he was saying "child's name bite my back!" over and over.  Ha ha!  Sure enough he had a big mark on his back.

We were getting ready to go to the MSU Summer Extravaganza and I wanted to take Ryder's picture in his get up.  After nearly 20 tries, this is all he would give me.  He basically looked everywhere BUT at the camera.  He does this on purpose, he hates the camera with a passion.

Still won't look at me.

It was a pretty bad experience.  They had a jumpy there and he was going bisserk when we took him out of it because it was time to go.  He screamed the whole way out all through the crowd, everyone was staring at us.  Since we were already downtown we wanted Keifer's and hoped he would calm down.  He did ok but still wouldn't sit in his chair.  At one point he fell out crying on that nasty floor.  He cried himself to exaustion and here we are as soon as we walked in the door to the house.

Don't you worry.  He wasn't about to go to bed without a bath after rolling around on the Keifer's floor.  All clean and comfy.  This towel is HUGE and I love it.  It's actually from the resort we stayed at in Jamaica.  Oops, I really didn't bring it home on purpose.  I saw it when I was unpacking my bags.

Maybe I'll return it when we go back in January.  That's right!  I (think) we are going to be able to go for Mandy's wedding in January.  I'm crossing my fingers...

Ryder was seriously enjoying his Mexican "See-Food"

And don't try to take Ryder's drink from him.  Even when he's asleep.  He was out like a light and when I tried to pry this cup from his fingers he held on for dear life, never opening an eye.

Sunday after church we ate at Mazzio's.  Ryder enjoyed mostly the fruit from the salad bar.  Watermelon to be exact.  He was pretty bummed about messing up his shirt.

I soaked it in dawn and oxiclean and washed it in bleach 3 times before it all came out.  But it's out.  Lesson learned too...  No child under the age of ten needs to wear a white shirt.

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OMG Ryder has been sooooo extra sweet lately!  This morning he was laying on my bed and I was putting his shoes on.  I said "We've got to get your shoes on so you can go to school" and he sat up and put his arms around my neck and said "I stay here mama".  Broke my heart :(

But as long as he's got his animals things seem to be okay.  He has to see all of his "animal friends" before he goes to sleep and as soon as he wakes up.  He instantly asks for the following: Cow, giraffe, monkey, scout, moose and rabbit.  This particular morning he was a little upset so we carried rabbit and moose to the car and then into school.  I was able to take them back home because as soon as we got there he dropped them and picked up something more interesting in the classroom.

It was so cute, when he walked in the door at school all his human friends were going "Hi Ryder, Hey Ryder!"  And then after he told them hey back, he turned around to me and waved real big and said "Byeee mama!"  It was just sweet :)

More sweets:  At bedtime he requests songs.  His favorites are Deep and Wide, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Joy Joy Joy Down in my Heart (Nanni taught him these).  He also likes to sing Jesus Loves Me, He's Got the Whole World in His Hands and the ABC's.  Melts my heart!  And even better, when he wakes up in the mornings, instead of screaming the moment he opens his eyes like he did when he was a baby, he wakes up and starts singing and talking to his animals.

John Michael usually puts him down and they have started the routine of praying for family members and Ryder has gotten to where JM will ask him who he wants to pray for and he starts listing all his grandparents and aunts names, and even friends in his class.  But he always starts it off saying "I pray for Ryder, and baby Ryder" every.single.time.  So funny.

Trip to NOLA

First of all, today is the birthday of someone very very very special to me, my MOM!!!  I love my mom soooo much and am so happy I live close to her and was able to see her on her birthday today!  Her only wish was that she got to see Ryder, well that wasn't too hard.  Happy Birthday mama! 

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Last weekend John Michael and I took a weekend getaway to New Orleans.  JM enjoyed the famous BBQ Shrimp from Pascal's Manale.

Waiting for the cab

JM reunited with his wacko college friends.  I have to say this is the most rambunctious group I know.  But these guys are full blooded Cajuns, I guess I have to give it to them. 

We went to Lucy's, more of a "local's" spot, and there I met Ben C. from this season of the Bachelorette!

The next day we met up with the rest of the group. 

By the way, here we are on this same trip three summers ago!

Group shot 2011

And group shot 2008:

Alot has changed since we took this same group trip 3 years ago  We now have an almost two year old, Jan and Payton have almost two year twins, and Kristin and Craig have an almost two year old and a little baby girl.  All of our boys are only a couple weeks a part, so fun!

Out to dinner at EAT

Ole MC football gang

As soon as we got home we picked up right where we left off.  Crazy child carried his 4 wheeler all the way to his pool, threw it in, hopped on and started jumping up and down while on the seat yelling "Ride the hawsie, Ride the hawsie" over and over and over and over.

Just a reminder: Use your swim diaper.

And don't set crayons down on your child's table that is located against a wall.

After his little "love pat", he told the wall he was sorry and gave it kisses, seriously.

Then he heard the garage open (daddy's home).  If he hears an unexpected noise he'll put that hand up to his ear and say "isten" (listen).

Ryder's beloved Chick-fil-A cow head.  It's constantly, "MY TOW, MY TOW" (cow)

Coloring time.

Ryder does love a backpack.

 He's literally running from the camera - HATES IT.  He's now stuck between the chair and the brick wall trying to hide.  I said I'll give you a cookie and that's how I got him to look my way.  He didn't forget it either.

I picked up these handy number magnets from Target the other day along with alphabet magnets, which I haven't opened yet after I saw the disaster that the numbers make.  Ryder very much surprised me when he was putting up each number and stating what they were, from 1 to 9.  He's been counting for a while (to twenty!) but I had no clue that visually he knew what the numbers were.

By the way, this will hopefully be the last time you see our oldie appliances in the background of pictures.  Our dishwasher broke and we said what the heck, time for a full update.  The appliances do all have to match, right?  I thought so too.

Ryder was quite patient while we browsed.

I wasn't too keen on him laying on that nappy bed that who knows who has tested out, but all you parents know, you just gotta do what you just gotta do...

He let us have it when we got home though!

Look at that bruise.

And I'll leave you with this... I wonder how my child picks up on the things he does.  Everyday when I picked him up from school he has the same routine.  He comes zooming up to me yelling "MY TUBBY, MY TUBBY" (his cubby).  Then after we walk over to his cubby to get his stuff he reminds me to get "MY MILT, MY MILT (can't pronouce k's), so we walk over to the fridge.  I was just playing with him and pulled out someone else's cup and said "Is this your cup?"  Of course he said NO.  But then he goes, "It's _____'s cup (won't share name).  I looked and sure enough it was.  Then he started pointing and telling me who each cup belonged to.  His teacher saw him doing it and said that yes, he knows who each cup belongs to in his class.  Then, we were leaving and he looked back to his friends and said "BYE (firstname lastname)"  I was like what??  His teacher said, yep, he knows all the friends in his class' first and last names.  That child doesn't forget anything, I'm telling you.  He blows my mind sometimes.

The Past Couple Weeks

WARNING:  Photo Overload

So much has happened since I last blogged.  Nothing big, just lots of events.  We've had father's day, a wedding, our anniversary, my trip to GA, and 4th of July festivities.

This picture is so cute to me.

Mrs. Lisa had a suprise 50th birthday party and Ryder wanted to help blow out her candles.  I've never seen him eat so much cake.  Literally thought he was going to blow chunks all in his bed.  He did not.

The next day was Father's Day.  We had lunch at Lula's.

Ryder showing us the trees and the sky.

Father's Day dinner at my dad's. 

He got Ryder some fingerpaint, he loved it.

 And an apron to keep clean.

Ryder and Papa

Our dad with his girls.

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John Michael and I celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary on June 23.  We had a great dinner at one of our favorite spots, Amerigo.

Killing time while we were waiting for our babysitter Kayla.

He got busted in the closet and didn't know we saw him.

I think he was afraid to move for fear of getting caught... or tipping over.

 

He loves those boots, always saying "I got muh boots on" or "I want muh boots on"

Then, the next night we headed to Oxford because John Michael's cousin Brooke was getting married. Unfortunately, we could only go to the rehearsal dinner because I was leaving early Sunday morning for Athens.

JM was sweet and gave a speech.

Then we had a family outing to the infamous Library.

Early Sunday morning I boarded a plane and spent a week in Athens, GA completing my IOM.  After one week each summer at UGA over the past four years, I've been working toward this goal.  And I am now certified in Organization Management in the Chamber world.  I must say I am glad to be done.  It's not easy leaving for a week, and I know it wasn't easy on JM keeping Ryder by himself.

Receiving my certification.

The three of us from Mississippi, DeAnna, Scott and myself.

My whole class, I've been with them for four summers!

As soon as I got back home on July 1, the Fourth of July festivities began.  Each day was packed.  Friday night our friends Melanie and Steven came over with Gaines.  He and Ryder had a big time.

They started to get a little crazy.

We calmed them down with milk.

 And put them in the tub.

On the way to bed, Ryder re-discovered his pillow pet cow that Nanni got him for Christmas and refused to go to bed without it.  I had to remember to check on him once he was asleep so I could remove the cow from his crib.   

Good thing I did.

Note: Do you see his foot going through the bars? When I went in his room at 9:00 - yes, 9:00 the next morning since he still hadn't woken up, his foot had not moved. Needless to say he needs to have friends over more often...

Saturday night we went to Clinton's annual fireworks.

Ryder and his canteloupe.  He could win a canteloupe eating contest.  Every time he sits down to eat he asks for his "cayope"

He also had his first sip of coke.  It was like he was addicted.  Everytime he took a sip and pulled away from the straw, he hurried in to get another sip. 

Sunday we went to West Point to meet baby Rip, the newest addition to the Ketchum's.  We did a little swimming while we were there.  I've said it before, Ryder is not scared of the water.  JM was in the pool on the shallow side and set Ryder up on the edge to jump in to him.  Ryder took off to the other side of the pool, climbed up on the diving board and started running.  Thank God he stopped before he jumped in and I had time to run over there.  He has no fear.  Here is Will throwing Ryder off the diving board.

Sweet Reese sharing her raft and giving Ryder kisses.

Later that day we drove over to Starkville for Walker's 4th birthday party.  But on the way there we had some time to kill and stopped by to check out the new Grill. 

Walker and Courtney at his party at the Starkville Country Club.

Walker and Poppy

Ryder and CC.  You can see she's got his outfit in her hand.  Before we knew it he had already jumped right in wearing his clothes.

That boy loves some cake.

And finally on Monday, the actual 4th, we had a little family get together at my aunt's house.

And if it's even possible, we did even more swimming.  It has been like torture to Ryder to put his green float on (he calls it his frog). I looked over and he had practically put it on himself, all but snapped it in the back. He was loving this small part of the pool. Jumping in and swimming back and forth all by himself.

Ryder and his sweet cousins, Hayes and Ava.

After we got home, JM got ready for a run.  Ryder said "where my hat?"

And this wild and crazy weekend of ours ended tonight with Ryder conking out on his beloved cow.