The Zoo with the Thorleys

We went with the Thorleys to the zoo today, and it was beautiful - 70 degrees in October! Rylee was very excited to show off all the babies at the zoo, and her favorite today was the baby giraffe. The best part of the day was the Amur Tiger. The tiger walked right up to the glass, nose to nose with Rylee, and licked at her face. She was quite taken back at first, but the rest of the day she kept telling me the tiger gave her a kiss. After the zoo we met up with our Daddy for lunch, all-in-all a great morning!

Nolan Loving The Zoo

Rylee and Her Buddy James

Mommy and Baby Zuri

Rylee Posing By The Elephants

The Three Kiddo's

The Tiger Just After Licking Rylee

"Swimming"

Rylee had a great time in the pool at the hotel this weekend. The pool was incredible. It was built around an aquarium that was full of fish and sharks. Rylee thought it was so cool that the sharks were in the pool with her. There was a little lounging area in the pool and she enjoyed "swimming like a mermaid." When I started filming she stopped doing it and then starts back up a little bit into the movie. The boys were having a great time in the water too, but it was so breezy they were freezing so the moms took them back to the room for a warm bath. Rylee and Daddy stayed and practiced jumping in all over the pool.

The Faces of Nolan

All I can say is I love this kid!

Lounging At The Pool

When we got to the pool I thought it would be a cute picture to get the kids all lounging on beach chairs, but the boys had other ideas. I managed to snap one shot before they started to climb and lean over the edge of the chairs.

Lolli-Pop Time

Lauren was the fun mom who had treats for the kids. Prior to going swimming she gave the kids Tootsie Roll Pops, and Rylee was a little bothered that I did not let Nolan have one, so she shared. He did not know what to think at first, but he quickly realized he liked it and was happy his sister shared with him.

Best Buddies

This is a snap shot of what much of the weekend looked like. Rylee would go somewhere, James would follow, and then Nolan would follow. The three of them were all fascinated by each other, but it was really cute to watch these two little boys interact.

My Attempt at Getting All 3

Rylee was trying so hard to help me get a picture of all three of the kids, but the boys would not stop moving. She would move with them, try to hold them in place, and even instruct them where to go and look, but even with all her help we couldn't get one. This is the best we got, and it is funny because the boys look perfect and my helper is still trying to get settled.
After attempting to chase these boys around, Matt helped me by holding them still! We got all of them looking.


We managed to get the boys smiling by playing peek-a-boo with them, but Rylee was too into playing peek-a-boo and not looking at the camera.

Baby James Turns 1

Baby James celebrated his first birthday in style, in Las Vegas! We brought him down some new clothes, because we had heard they are hard to come by back home. Rylee helped him unwrap the present, but of course he was way more excited about the tissue paper than the present -- like a 1 year old should be.

Rylee's Suitcase's First Trip

This weekend Rylee's Suitcase made it's first trip. We were trying to pack really light and take just one suitcase for our family, but there was no way I was making out the door without her suitcase, so I packed it with toys! When we got to Las Vegas she was so great about wheeling her own suitcase throughout the entire hotel, and she was very adamant about doing it "all by my telf!" She attracted quite the crowd of on-lookers as she would walk on by with her suitcase, we even had people taking pictures of her. Sadly, I didn't get a great picture myself, but I think our friend did so this one will have to do until I get it.

Rylee's First Field Trip

Yesterday Rylee's preschool went to a local fruit farm to learn about how fruit and vegetables are grown. They started the trip by meeting the farmer and then listening to all the rules, I was surprised at how well all 24 kids did. Nolan and I came along to help the teacher with the two classes and it was really neat to watch Rylee follow directions from her teacher and walk with her friends. They learned how to make apple cider and they even got to taste some. At the end of the field trip they got to go pick apples from the apple trees and eat them. The farmer taught them to not pick apples with holes in them, because they would have worms!

The Group (can you find our little Rye Rye)

Nolan trying to stay warm

Honey for sale

Picking her apple

Making sure it's a good one

Showing off her apple

Sick, Not Me?

It is true, Nolan is sick. He has had a runny nose that I kept putting off as teething, because I did not want to go back to the pediatrician again, but it kept getting worse. This morning he had a goopy eyes, a cough and lots of ear rubbing to go along with that runny nose, so I knew what that meant - Ear Infection. So, off we went to the pediatrician and I was right, he has an ear infection. Don't worry Dan and Lauren he will be happy and well by Saturday to play with James in Vegas!!

Cute Girl

Rylee has been such a sweet girl lately I just had to post about it. She is an amazing big sister. Whenever Nolan is sad she tells him, "Nolan, it is okay I am right here!" Rye loves to play with him and help him with everything. Rylee has lately been the best helper and listener for me. She helps me unload the dishwasher every day, make dinner, vacuum the house, fold laundry, you name it she is helping. She and Matt are as close as ever. She loves to play with Daddy and snuggle him every night. She loves to talk on the phone and call her grandparents, every day! Thank you to them for talking and listening to her.
Lately her imagination has been taking off. She loves to just play with her babies and talk to them. She makes sure the are happy, if they want a bottle or a blankie, and she routinely takes them on walks. At bedtime Matt and I are serenaded every night for about 40 minutes by Rye singing songs upstairs to herself, we love it!
I am loving her new found independence and watching her develop!

"Nolan Swobbery Kisses"

Nolan has been giving kisses for about a month now and no one loves getting kisses from him more than Rylee; however, she quickly informs me after every kiss that he slobbered all over her. Baby kisses are the only time that drooly, slobbery, open mouth kisses are cute! I love holding Nolan and having him just lean in and kiss my cheek, it is such a sweet feeling.

"Fixing the Window"

I was feeding Nolan some lunch when I heard the curtains in the entry way rattling, so I went to see what was going on. I found Rylee standing on a pack of toilet paper that she had gotten out of the bathroom and playing with the blinds. I asked her what she was doing and she replied, "I am fixing the window, Mommy!" Well, Excuse me! Man, how did I not realize her pulling on my blinds was her fixing them, so I investigated a little further. I asked her what she meant, and she told me, "I am fixing them so I can see out!" What a silly and creative little monster.