my baby is 11 months...

i can't believe how much my life has changed in the last 11 months. for the better!

Ryker is now
- crawling/bum scooting everywhere he is so fast
-walking along to couch, ottoman, coffee table, anything
-climbing the stairs
- his favorite foods are yougurt, cottage cheese, cheese, bananas and prunes
-he weened himself from a bottle to a sippy cup
- he gives the best smiles
-he doesn't like to be held upside down
-he loves dogs, he thinks they are hilarious
-he still loves swimming
- recieved his dads stubborness. you really can't make him do something he doesn't want to. especially open his mouth to see what he just found on the floor and put in there.
-still sleeping all night usually 12+ hours
-babbles about anything to anyone who will listen ( usually sounds like he is speaking german)
- has started to play stranger and no longer smiles at the old ladies who come up to him at walmart
- loves to have his neck tickled
-he thinks shoes are toys that tie to his feet
- has hair that sticks straight up, and is red ( which i get complimented on often)
- weighs 18 pounds 8 ounces ( nearly triple his birth weight)
-i can no longer carry him around in the carseat, he has moved to a big boy carseat still facing backwards, which makes him falling asleep in the car a pain because you can't just bring in the whole carseat.
-loves to watch people and cars
-smiles when blake gets home from work
-loves to be outside, even when its cold
- we are trying to work on signs- he seems to make up his own but i get what hes saying so that is good. for example - when he is done eating, he touches his head, even if the food is still in his hands. he pats the table when he wants more. he puts his hand on his eye when he is sleepy. he grabs at his diaper when he wants it changed. whatever works i guess!

we are so excited for him to start walking and talking and turn 1 next month! We are so excited for him to be a big brother as well. he loves babies and i'm hoping the next baby will be great just like him :)

post christmas picture overload!

This post is going to be mainly pictures, as my new christmas camera (that i got a month early due to a sweet deal) got put to good use!

Ryker thinks Lizzie is the best and Lizzie is so good with Ryker

the best pajamas ever, thanks grandma!

all of us in our new pjs

Christmas Morning

Blake got spoiled, and i thought i had him fooled but he was sneaky and checked my credit card records, next year i guess its cash!

best reaction for a homemade gift:)

Blake got really spoiled this christmas, unfortunetly he has no garage to store all his new tools he got

he loves to read books, especially with auntie April

the cutues toothy smile around :) and of course the classic Ryker Alfafa spike

heres me at 15 weeks... crazy how must faster this little one is growing, this shirt wasn't the best, it makes me look alot more pregnant that i really am.

Christmas was fun, Blake was able to have 2 weeks off from work and we spent a couple days at my parents before christmas and christmas morning and then we headed to Blakes parents . We left Ryker at my moms and came back to medicine hat for an adult new years eve party, it was fun and nice to be out with other adults. we then went back to magrath after teaching my lesson on sunday and picked up Ryker and came back monday morning to medicine hat. We had Todd and Becky, Kelly and Kevin and April come for new years eve. It was fun we did fondue and appetizers and played games. It was so nice to actually have the space to accommodate 7 adults under 1 roof without people sleeping in hallways. 

We have a vacation booked for February in Canmore, a whole week which i'm excited for as Blake will be really busy here in the next month(or 2) trying to get the project in Oyen completed as they have run into some complications. We have an ultrasound booked for Rykers 1st birthday to find out the gender, we rare super excited ,i  have begun to feel the baby moving around, especially when i'm holding Ryker, which is fun to think about. They still aren't  strong enough for Blake to feel but probably in the next couple of weeks!

Ryker is 11 months old in 3 days... he is doing so many fun and exciting things- 11 month post soon to follow :)

baby #2

itsa real baby! and we couldnt be more excited!

i was debating putting anything on facebook or my blog because of all the negative comments i got from the people i told by mouth. next time you go and ask someone if their pregnancy was planned, just shut your mouth and dont bother. its rude, and makes me not like you. also none of your buisness, but for the record i wanted this baby, and the peace of mind that i survived cancer and can continue to watch my children grow and be with my huaband.
but on the other hand we are very excited for this new addition and that the cancer and losing my ovary didnt cause problems with future pregnancies, although we have had a few scares im now almost 14 weeks and feeling more like myself now the morning sickness is done and gone, it got better once i found a schedule for eating ..its crazy how different this pregnancy has been, maybe that means its a girl?..still not fully decided on if we are going to find out, i would love the surprise , i have until february to make my decision.

rykers first christmas was great, pictures to follow later :)

stay tuned

christmas dinner food baby , or actual baby?

stay tuned to find out...

joy or just wait

As a new mom this story hit me hard and i found myself balling as i tried to read it to Blake. It is so true.. how many times have i said that or have had that said to me? "oh yeah you think that is bad.. just you wait..." in a negative way. I now realize the joy that i have to look forward to is way greater then the bad, i've always known that but at times of hardship it is hard to sometimes see the good. I enjoy every minute with my baby, but i so look forward to the joy they will bring as they grow and mature. Ryker has already brought so much joy into my life in just a short 9 months, Parenting is one of the most challenging but rewarding things i've ever done and i love it!

As I wait at Target, a young couple pushes a stroller in the line behind me. The stroller, brand new, appears to be on its maiden voyage. I peer at the tiny sleeping newborn, his fingers curled up near his ruddy face.

“You guys do good work!” I comment. The parents beam with pride, but the weariness in their eyes lets me know that they are all still in the process of getting to know each other. The lady behind the couple glances at the stroller as well, and asks. “Is this your first?” They nod proudly.  ”Just wait…” she snorts, and then follows with a comment about unruly teenagers.

Inwardly, I wince. We seem to live in a country overrun by a great lot of negative naysayers when it comes to parenting. I remember hearing comments like that when I was a new (and overwhelmed!) mom.  It seemed that many parents were suffering from a chronic case of disappointment and dissatisfaction called ”Just-Wait-itis,” characterized by the inflammation of impending doom in parenthood…. I felt trapped in a swirl of know-it-alls who were warning me that the worst was yet to come.

Of course, now that my kids are teenagers, I know the truth. Parenting is complicated; it’s wonderful and challenging; exhausting and gut wrenching; heartwarming and heart breaking.

And, at the outset, parenting can be utterly daunting. It just doesn’t help when others douse young parents with stories leading to doubt and despair.

Instead, we seasoned moms could infuse joy into our “just waits…”. As I regard this weary pair, I think of so many things I could say…

Just wait until your preschool son sees you in the hallway at pick up time and covertly grins and waves to you. (It’s the best flirting in the world.)

Just wait until you watch your kindergartener jump off the bus after that first day, triumphant and tired, melting into your arms.

Just wait until your son is up to bat, and strikes out, holding it together despite disappointment. And just wait until the crack of the bat meeting the ball surprises him and he races to first base…safe.

Just wait until your daughter stands up for a classmate who is struggling, and her peers, humbled, apologize.

Just wait until your child, painfully tethered to tubes and machines in the hospital, whispers, “I just want my mommy.” (And you are suddenly aware that your presence is more powerful than any prescription.)

Just wait until your son gets his very first summer job and he is, unmistakably, walking taller and more confidently as a result.

Just wait until your child’s quick sense of humor makes you double over with laughter.

Just wait until you hear your son invite a friend to church.

Just wait until your daughter receives her first college acceptance and you find yourself overcome with tears…not because she’s leaving, but because she’s ready.

The baby in the stroller whimpers, breaking my reverie.

I smile at the couple and look them straight in the eye.

“You have so much joy ahead of you…” I remark.

“Just wait.”

all i have to say...

7 months old!

summer flew by way too quickly, i can't believe its already the middle of September and my baby boy is 7 months old.
he is now sitting in the cart like a big boy

 Loves to play peek a boo and look in mirrors

he is sitting up on his own and rolling like crazy. he never stays where i put him.
he loves to giggle; especially at Blake
he decided to wean himself; which im not entirely excited about but it does give me some freedom and he is sleeping all through the night which is great!
he is getting quite the personality which is fun for everyone. he is no where near shy and is quite the old lady magnet when we are out.
He also thinks coughing and feet are especially funny.








Blake is working up in Oyen on a pipeline project which about 2 hours away from medicine hat. He has to stay over night, which is hard but this week he has got to come home every night as they had some complications and it was delayed so he didn't need to be there. hopefully the project will pick up and be completed before Christmas. Blake recieved a new calling in our ward. He is now the Elders Quorum president- which was a chanllenge for us both as he doesn't know anyone and so it was difficult to choose councellors so he relied on the bishops advice as well as in the Lord to make his decision. It's also hard for me- just another thing i have to share him with. That may sound selfish but moving to medicine hat was supposed to be good he was only supposed to be gone mon-fri 8-5 and he could have his evenings and weekends to spend with his family instead of studying like he had to while going to school. It's a challenge for Blake as work takes him away and he doesn't always have weekends off. He didn't want to refuse the calling as he thinks it will give him the chance to grow and get to know people here which is good.. it will just be a hard couple of months of trying to balance and relying on his coucellors to help him out.

Nothing is new with me. i'm currently teaching the primary kids ages 9-12. which is a challenge as they are mostly 11-12 year olds and done with  being in Primary and just want to move up so its very hard to get their attention at times and to stay on track. it will be difficult now to have to take care of Ryker at the same time as Blake won't always have sundays off. I've been loving the warm weather and going out for walks with Ryker. He loves to be outside so i'm not looking forward to it getting colder. He loves bike rides and being able to see out the side of the bike trailer. funny how when i talk about me it always refers back to Ryker. He has become my life and its funny how he's pretty much all i talk about.
 My friend Hawna recently moved into Medicine Hat from bowisland and she has a little boy as well. We have gone out for lunch and taken them to the park which has been fun and nice to get out of the house!

We were able to go out to Taber and visit Todd and Krista and their new bundle of joy Wyatt. its only been 7 months but its hard to believe my little man was once that tiny. We went down to Great Falls for the long weekend and did some shopping as well as tried out Cafe Rio for the first time.Ryker isn't enjoying the car rides as much as he used to but i think that will change once he is in a forward facing car seat. We went down across the Wild Horse border crossing and it was quick and no wait but when we came back up we went through couttes and it was closer to an hour long wait. Todd and Becky came to visit and we went to check out the tepee, get sushi and go swimming. it was fun to have them here. We found a frozen yogurt place called Tutti Frutti we love it! its an expensive treat though!