Workin' at the Car Wash

The other day when the weather was perfect I wanted to take a stroll.  I wanted Ryder to go too, and if I can be honest it's getting rather hard for me to push his 30-some-odd pounds in a stroller, especially up hills.  I get out of breath really quickly.  So I put on my sweet face and asked hubs to come along (and stroll Ryder).

Except Ryder refused to ride in the stroller

(Where's Ryder?)

He insisted on riding in the basket, or else he was not participating.

Saturday was a big day.  Last year, my office put together a group of young adults called Y.A.L.L. which stands for Young Adult Leadership League.  Our third event was Saturday and was a crawfish boil and YALL-lympic games.

Our crew

Here were two members of our team doing the 3 legged race.  John Michael participated in the egg toss, and out of 8 teams he won, and we got two zoo passes, yay!

The Fyke's

Ryder was organizing the Dizzy Bat Spin.

Cheesin before church

After church we had lunch.  This restaurant had a tree out front.  Ryder thinks when a tree is in sight that he must pee on it.  When I saw a car pull into the lot right next to the tree I ran inside and left him and JM out there to be embarrassed.  I wasn't having any part of this.

 Good mood after nap, getting ready to wash the car

He needed a reminder on how to get the popcicle to push up

"Look, I did it!"

(it's the little things)

Forget the $5 car wash

Our azalea's were looking sad, Ryder gave them a drink.

If you don't know, our house is for sale.  It's been for sale since January (I think).  Our plan is/was to let the house sale, find somthing to rent, and build on our land while we are renting, hopefully for 6 months or so.  We are not brave enough to start building with an unsold house.  I haven't been in a huge rush for it to get sold because of the new baby coming, but now I'm getting a little bit antsy.  I have decided if it doesn't sale by May 1 we are taking it off the market because I want to feel settled for those 2 months before the baby gets here.  JM says May 31, I said let's meet in the middle at May 15.  We will see. 

I have started washing clothes and getting them in drawers and hung up because I don't like them sitting in boxes and I'm just ready to be doing something for the baby since I'm not changing his nursery.  At least I don't think I am.  For now, I'm just sticking with Ryder's stuff.  If we were going to have already been in our new house, I would've gone with something new, but instead I decided to save that $$$ and keep it the same.  I think John Michael is pleasantly suprised with this decision of mine.

Now we have to settle on a name.  We've got something in mind, but we have to come to a 100% agreement because once I decide, I don't want to change.  I'll give you a hint, if we decide on this name, let's just say this baby will be getting Ryder's monogrammed hand-me-downs.  Yessssss!!!!!

I moved Ryder's diaper changing table/dresser to the new nursery and I took Ryder in there there to change his diaper the other day.  He pointed over to the crib and with a huge grin said, "That's not my crib, that's for my little brother!"  It totally melted my heart, it's really the first time he's acknowledged him without me saying something first.  And I've certainly never heard him call him "my little brother."  So so sweet.  Speaking of being a big brother, I decided big brothers deserve "push presents" too.  So I cracked...

I'd venture to say he is fired up about his new toy.

Spring Weekend, but not Spring Break

Ryder and some of his friends in their green, celebrating the holiday and playing on the playground at school

If you live in Mississippi, you were probably outside all weekend.  We were.  Friday night Ryder had a picnic with his buddy Gaines.

Saturday we made a last minute decision to brave the crazies of St. Patty's and took Ryder to the children's parade.  We called Todd and Lindsey to see if they were interested in taking Levi, they were.  So thirty minutes later we picked them up, strapped in Levi's carseat and us girls wanted to bring the wagon to drag the boys around in.  We were in the tahoe so since there were 6 of us, we had to use the back seats to sit in and there was no room for the wagon in the "trunk".  We did a little engineering and Todd really took one for the team.  He rode the whole way to and from the parade with this wagon handle in his face.

 Closeup.  Makes me chlostrophobic just looking at him!

During the pet parade.  Ryder was keeping a hard eye on those big dogs.

Still on high alert, he's making sure no dogs are getting here him.  Geez, we've got to get this boy a dog so he's not afraid of them like I was growing up.

This picture is telling of Ryder's mood that morning.  He was foul most of the time we were there because we wouldn't let him get on the slide (at first).

But here he is on the elephant ride.  I was quite terrified the whole time he was on it.  He was tiny compared to the other kids, and the seatbelt was loose as a goose, and the ride went way up high.

Levi and Ryder... Ryder is still begging to ride the slide.  It's not that we give a rip if he rides the slide, it's just that the line to get tickets was 15 minutes long.

Well what do you know, here are the dad's in line for the slide.

Yet, Ryder is still not pleased.

Mission complete.

Post parade lunch at Keifer's

Do you see Ryder's sandals?  I'm sorry, but Ryder is NOT too old to be wearing these sandals.  I have some friends and a husband who think he is, but he's not.  Well, I shot myself in the foot Sunday morning... Let me explain.

As I was getting him ready for church Sunday morning I put this outfit on him, but left his sandals off for the time being.  As I finished getting myself ready I heard JM in there putting Ryder's sandals on him.  Then I heard Ryder yell out, "OOOOH MAMA!!!  I got some new shoes just like Celie!"  (Celie would be a girl in his class).  Then JM yells out, "You hear that Brittany?"

Those sweet sandals are unisex, and I'm stickin' to it!

I've always felt this way when it comes to dressing Ryder - from day one.  I'm just not a fan of clothing my 5 month old in blue jeans, a button down polo, a sweater vest and loafers.  Just not gonna do it.  Ryder didn't do it and new baby won't do it either.  Bring on the smock and jon-jon's and I'm one happy mama.

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Sunday afternoon JM took the top off his jeep and this gave him every excuse to get out of the house and drive us anywhere and everywhere I would agree to go.  Ryder quite liked the windy ride.  Have you ever seen his hair so flat?

Then we went to the park

And swang

Ryder dunked all his crayons in this diaper box and they got stuck between the cardboard on the bottom of the box.

He tried very hard to get them all, but they wouldn't budge.

He gave it one last attempt, which worked.  Of course by the time he got them out of the box he was no longer interested in coloring.

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Back to the grind on Monday.  We didn't get off for spring break like lots of you, but you'da thought we did.  Ours could've been considered spring-weekend as much as we did.  Ryder was in tears when it was time to get dressed.  He cried and cried and screamed that he did NOT want to put on any clothes for school. He was much more content laying in my bed watching cartoons in his birthday suit and covered up in my robe.

Hooked

Last weekend we got to shower mama to be Kristen with lots of fun and gifts for baby Tate, who will be due in June... on her birthday!  The shower was at Brent's Drugs in Fondren and was cute as can be.  We had Brent's sliders and milkshakes, and the decorations were so cute!  My picture does not do it justice.

Kristen with her milkshake and super cute monogrammed straw!

The glowing pregs.

Our friends Trey and Jill came to visit since they were in town.  They brought their little man Ford who is just a few months older than Ryder, and they have never met before.  It's safe to say if they lived closer together they'd be the best of friends.  Ford informed us that they were in town visiting his daddy who was working at the Capitol in Jackson, smart little thing.  The boys had TOO much fun.  They were in their own little world chatting away. 

I think Ford was pleasantly surprised with Ryder's tractor inventory.  He was asking Ryder if he had a combine and also asked why Ryder's tractor didn't have a cab on it.  I had to ask him what a cab was.

Batter up

Enjoying a sausage and cheese appetizer before dinner.

Ryder calls it shawshige.

It felt so good out, we made them their very own picnic while we grilled hamburgers.

Ryder can't wait to play with Ford again.  When they were getting ready to leave Ryder asked if Ford could take a bath with him and spend the night, too cute!  Jill's having another little boy, too, in June, so hopefully there will be many more Wilson/Lamar boys get togethers in the future.

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I am trying to talk John Michael into an ipad for Ryder (well for all of us).  Crazy, I know.  But that's the world we live in today, unfortunately.  But they are full of learning games and and so much more.  Someone was showing me their's the other day and they clicked on Toy Story and the ipad read Toy Story page by page, that's right up Ryder's alley.  Plus, they are great entertainers when out to eat.  We just pop a movie in that sucker and Ryder's good to go through dinner.  Beats him whining and trying to play with knives and throwing food on the table throughout the meal.

I searched my computer for some free learning games and I think I got both of them hooked.

Speaking of being hooked... Usually on the nights that it's JM's turn to bathe Ryder, he just puts him in the shower with him.  When it's my turn, I give him the regular ole' bath in his tub.  It's becoming more difficult to bathe him with all the bending over and what not.  It was my turn the other night and I sweetly asked JM if he would take over.  He agreed because's he's great like that, and I heard the shower turn on (in Ryder's bathroom).  JM let Ryder stand up and take his own shower, with JM's supervision of course.  So now, Ryder will not let me bathe him, he insists on taking a shower instead.  There's something funny about a 2 year old taking a shower by himself, just doesn't seem right.  But whatever works.

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I need to share my about my proud civic duty moment.  I was driving down the highway and noticed a car full of people and a 6 month old being passed around the backseat, no carseat, no seatbelt, nothing.  I didn't know who to call so I called 911 and I heard them dispatch it to an officer so I know they were right behind them.  I was running late but I kind of wished I could've followed them until they got pulled over, this is NOT ACCEPTABLE PEOPLE!  I have to admit, I felt a little guilty at first because what if they were dirt poor and couldn't afford a carseat or something, but then I thought forget it, there is a place that I'm sure they know about in our area where you can get FREE carseats.  There is no excuse.  I will admit, there have been times in our neighborhood where I have let Ryder ride in JM's lap, but we are literally going 5 houses down.  We are not on a road where the speed limit is 45 and wrecks happen everyday.  It sort of gives me panic attacks.  This is probably because I was in a terrible car accident and I am just terrified of them, but people should know better.  I'm done, thanks for letting me vent.

By the way, Whoo Hoo! For sharing about Shutterfly's yearbook, they sent me a coupon for a free 8x8 photobook and free shipping. See, it does pay to be a blogger!

Shutterfly Yearbook

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Halfway to Three with a Gangsta Lean

Ryder is two and a half today!  Allow me to jot down his milestones so we can look back one day in the blog book:

• You can spell your name, and at a high speed too!  You will yell R-Y-D-E-R before I can even get to the Y!  And also spit out your full name.  You like to know what everyone else's middle name and last names are too.
• You know your address, and you say it with such enthusiasm that it's funny.
• You know your birthday, you say September Eight.
• You know which is your right hand and your left hand, right foot and left foot.
• You can sing many songs all the way through, such as Jesus Loves Me, Twinkle Twinkle, ABC's, Skinama-rink-a-dink-a-dink, and you have made up a few songs lately...
• You say your blessing before every meal, head bowed, hands in prayer, and eyes closed.  Well, eyes aren't always closed, they are usually scanning the room to make sure everyone else's eyes are closed.
• You can carry on an adult conversation with us, it makes it very easy for us to get things accomplished at home!
• 2 1/2 years was my goal to start getting you ready to be potty trained, but you are already almost fully there.  We've definitely had to throw away a couple pair of underwear though.  However, I won't deem you truly potty trained until you can actually tell us you have to poo poo before it comes out, not DURING....
• Every night for dinner when I ask what you want you say "chicken, french fries and ketchup", you're definitely your mama's baby.  But you have gotten into cereal and milk lately.  You love Raisin Bran, but you call it bacons - I think you think the raisins are called bacon.  (Ironically, last night he had cereal and milk for dinner, but we put some chicken and ketchup on another plate.  We looked over and Ryder was dipping his chicken into the milk in his cereal bowl.  We were cracking up!)
• You scream bloody murder when we turn the TV off. 
• You weigh 31 pounds and are 35 inches tall
• You are SO caring.  Sometimes when you accidentely bump into me or "hurt" me, I'll fake cry and you will run up to me and say, "Don't be sad mama, please don't cry!"
• You are the biggest blessing in our lives.  We love you soooooo much!

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Over in babyland we are trying to come up with some names that we like.  This is a difficult task.  Also, I am 20 weeks along today and already can't wear my wedding rings.  I have a middle ring and then 2 bands.  So I am currently wearing just one band.  This is not a good sign, I didn't have to drop the rings until a couple weeks before Ryder was born last time.  Ryder's not feeling too brotherly lately.  When I ask him questions about the baby he either quickly changes the subject or tells me that HE'S the baby.  I've started feeling little thumps in my stomach, you can't feel them on the outside yet.

Here's our first official pictures of our family of four

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Monday I got a call at 3:00 from Ryder's school that he had jumped 2 feet off the play equipment and must've landed funny, then before the teacher could get to him another kid jumped on top of him.  When he got up he was complaining that he couldn't walk, however, he could walk, but just with a pretty significant limp.  So I picked him up about 3:45 and we went home.  He said he wanted to ride his bike so I didn't know what to take of that. 

Off we went around the neighborhood on his bike.

When we passed by one house, there were two dogs yapping away.  Ryder couldn't stand it, he got off his bike and picked up a leaf and said he wanted to feed them.  Then he said he wasn't leaving until we let the puppies out.

Luckily he got distracted by the rocks behind him on the sidewalk.

He wanted to put as many as possible on his bike so we sat there for 20 minutes while he loaded them up.

This apparently caused him to become tired, so he sat down next to his bike and told me to drive his bike home and he was going to ride on the back with the rocks.

Clearly that wasn't going to happen, so since little limper couldn't walk a far distance, I had the great honor of carrying him on one hip and the bike in my other hand a pretty good ways down the neighborhood until we got home. 

So, he could ride his bike fine, but when it came to walking he just couldn't do it right.  I made him an appointment for Tuesday.  The doctor didn't think it was anything too serious.  He suggested I get an xray and I asked if it would be okay to wait until the next day, he said if I was going to do that then I might as well not get one.  I took his advice and as of today (Thursday) he's fine.  He's still got a little lean to his step, but overall, much better.