There's a New Blog in Town

I got frustrated trying to reformat this beast so we've moved on. Check us out here: http://www.riversandrhodes.blogspot.com/

Ocho.

Eight months. 2/3 of a year completed. I can't believe it!

You started off this month very frustrated that you couldn't crawl.

Those were some trying times for your Dad and I because you wouldn't let us set you down whatsoever, you just wanted to be held.

I wanted you to crawl so badly because I saw how frustrated you were and it was heartbreaking!

Towards the middle of the month you became a little more content with your lack of mobility and only occassionally tried to crawl after that.

And then, on the very day of your 8th month birthday, you started crawling! Hooray!

You said your first word this month, "Mama". Music to my ears.

The other night you had a sleepover with Oma and when I went to say goodbye to you, you said "Mama" and then reached to give me a hug.

It is incredible how those little moments can make all frustration and tiredness dissapate immediately.

You went to Lake Tahoe for the 4th of July. You screamed for two whole hours in the car ride up there.

You didn't sleep very well over the 5 days and I could tell you were getting continually more exhausted.

To top things off you got sick for the first time and it was the flu!

Mom and Dad talked for a long time about having to drive the six hours home with you when you were sick and exhausted and decided it would be best if we flew home with you.

So you and I did our first solo flight together.

It was.....an adventure.
While we were in Tahoe you went boating for the first time and loved it! How cute you were in your little lifevest!
You were pretty subdued while on the boat and wouldn't really move much but for several hours after any boatride you were in a magically content and happy mood.

I know you weren't feeling well and you really were well behaved considering but I think I am done travelling in close quarters with other people around for a while.

It is stressful, especially when I'm nursing you and then realize ten minutes later that your legs are all over the very quite elderly man's lap next to me. Whoopsies.

You still love to eat and eat most everything I give you, except you have stopped eating bananas and aren't crazy about turkey.
We took you swimming at Grandma Mary's and Grandpa Greg's and the water was so cold that I really thought you would have a fit. So cold that I wouldn't even get in! But after ten seconds of adjusting you were in heaven! It was so fun to watch you scream and kick your legs in the water. I think you would have stayed in there all day if we had let you.
It is incredible to me how mobile you have become. I honestly see the babyness evaporating out of you and it pulls at my heartstrings and makes me excited all at the same time.
I know I will miss hodling your little body and feeling the weight of you against me but I can't wait to watch your personality develop and to continually explore the world with you.
I know you are really going to grow up over these next few months so I am trying so hard to savor this time now.
I love you so much, Little Ol Riversie Bunsin.

Becoming my mother.

I pulled on my stretchy skinny jeans today and watched myself in the mirror as I pulled them up as high as they would go to cover that area of my body that has not bounced back very quickly post baby and I suddenly realized that I had just made mom jeans.

Seven.

L-O-R-B (Little Ol' River Bunsin)

Poor thing, you have so many nicknames and must be so confused.

Each nickname has its own song and your Dad and I walk around the house together singing them.

This age has been so special for me.

You are trying to give kisses and are really showing your love.

You are extremely silly and blow more raspberries than any baby I have met.

This past month you even developed a rash on your chin from the drool produced by nonstop raspberry creation.

You are getting two more teeth on the bottom, on either side of the ones already there but still have no evidence of top teeth. You must know vampires are really hot right now.

You had a love affair with your pacifier one weekend and must have sucked it for 18 of the 24 hours in that day.

By the following Monday you refused the pacifier and screamed when we tried to give it to you.

We tried a few more times throughout the week until we realized your pacifier has been retired.

And we were so concerned about having a four year old walking around with a pacifier! Thank you for making it easy on us.

You make half hearted attempts to crawl but you have realized that rolling back and forth can sometimes get you where you want to go.

It is too funny to watch. You will roll from your tummy to your back and then back to your tummy and you will have scooted about half an inch in the process. You repeat until you get to your desired destination.

You are finally loosening up with your smiles! You are way less selective on what makes you smile and laugh - or maybe my stand up has dramatically improved.

Your face lights up when you see me and you track me wherever I move throughout a room.

You have set your own sleep schedule and go to bed around 9 and wake up around 6. I feed you and then I can usually put you down for another 45 minutes or so while I get ready for the day.

You are an eating machine!

You have tried rice cereal, pears, apples, sweet potatoes, avocado and peas. You like everything except avocado. You looked at me like I had betrayed you when I fed it to you.

You love your Ralpherson so much and think his barking and singing is hilarious.

We watched out the window as your Dad took the trash out the other morning and when I looked down you were smiling watching your Dad and it melted my heart.

You are pure joy in a little/big bundle.

Half a Year

I blinked.

Six months and you are so far from the little newborn I brought home from the hospital.

I am already kicking myself for not savoring the time more but I have learned my lesson for the future.

17 lbs 14 ounces and 28 inches of sweet baby goodness.

You are still above the 95th percentile for height, I wonder if this will continue.

I always measured large as a baby and height isn't really on my side anymore.

Everyday with you is so much fun as you are learning to explore your world.

You are grabbing anything within reach and if we give you the opportunity it goes directly into your mouth where your two teeth and gums munch on it.

You are really giggling and all Dad and I do is try to make you laugh.

Momma spent her first night away from you to go to a friend's birthday in San Diego.

It was awful for her but Daddy did such a great job with you.

I mastered pumping and driving. It was about as hilarious as you can picture it. You're welcome.

You fight sleep so badly now! If we even dare to venture near the rocker when you are drowsy you throw a serious fit.

Sometimes you are happier to just be laid down in your crib without rocking. 

That makes me so sad - you are growing up and getting independent!

We love to put our faces really close together and make each other laugh.

You think it's hilarious to try and put my nose in your mouth and it is actually pretty hard for Momma to get around it - maybe because you are tightly holding onto my hair on both sides.

You were fascinated by The Kentucky Derby and considering how much you love your pony rides on Daddy's shoulders, we are thinking you may be our little equestrian.

But truthfully, we hope not because it is expensive and dangerous.

You are sitting up and this seems to please you very much.

You are also sitting in highchairs at restaurants and this also makes you very happy.

We have had some close calls with you grabbing plates and threatening to toss them on the floor but up to this point we have managed to prevent them all.

You don't mind your car seat anymore and I think it's because you know you get to go somewhere.

I have never met a baby more well behaved in public.

You are truly our party girl and people watcher.

6 months? 6 MONTHS? 6 of the best months of my life.

Now please stop growing.

Thank you.

The Beast is Done

Three months ago I was inspired to sew a quilt for Rivers. I got the whole quilt top assembled and then stopped because as a novice quilter, I was unsure of the next steps. I read blogs online, I consulted books but something about the process still intimidated me and I just abandoned the project. The quilt top sat draped over the back of a chair in my sewing room, looking quite lovely, but forgotten. Then last week my friend Stephanie posted an entry about her quilting group and then Sherry from younghouselove posted her first quilt she had finished for her daughter and I thought to myself....it's time. I was off from work on Wednesday, so Rivers and I headed over to Beverly's looking for some fabric that would make a cute quilt back. We were uninspired in Beverly's so we bought some batting and then headed next door to Village Grill to eat some pancakes and say hello to my mom. After the grill, we decided to stop by Strawberry Patches on the way home. Even though their fabric is expensive, their selection is wonderful and we quickly found the polka dot fabric that would serve as our backing. Back at home, I trimmed the batting and backing to the size of my quilt top (which I should mention was not quite proportionate as I didn't use a pattern for my quilt and simply made things up as I went along).  I started to do some topstitching when I ran out of thread. I thought about abandoning the project for a few more months but instead I loaded up Puddin Buns and we went to the quilting store that I remembered existed about a mile from our house. From this point on, I was a machine! I was dedicated to my project and could focus on nothing else (thank goodness Rivers loves her jumper, bad momma!). I was working on the bias tape until late in the evening and was about to sew it on when the instructions no longer made sense to my tired self. I called it a night and went to bed already dreaming about Friday when I could finish my project. Which brings us to today, Friday. The quilt is done! It is far from perfect, in fact it's a hot mess in many locations, but it is complete and hopefully, like the quilt from my grandmother, Rivers will find it very special one day. For now, she seems content to lay on it and even expressed her approval with an ounce of spit up - which if you know her, is her marker of anything good - clean clothes, people's carpet, her Dad. And because you are riddled with suspense.......

Ralpherson can't be left out of the action. 

EASTER 2011

What a beautiful and busy Easter Sunday! We woke early and Dave went on his scavenger hunt for hidden giant eggs around the house. We made a simple breakfast and chatted with our houseguest Stefan, before he left for San Diego. We picked up Mom and Nick on our way to Easter Service at the park. There were 5,000 people there! What a beautiful day! After church we headed back home so I could finish my deviled eggs. I didn't realize how stinky of a project that was. We headed over to my mom's around 1 and enjoyed some Cheesy Chicken (thinking of you Stephanie). Around 3:15 we loaded up in the car and headed over to the Bynum celebration where we sat out of the meal because we were too full. We got home around 6:30 and were exhausted! Puddin and I fell asleep around 7:30. We just can't party like we used to!

Easter Morning Service at the Riverwalk Amphitheatre.

Rivers holding her own parasol during her nap.

With her best baby friend Audrey.

A little angel in her dress made by Oma.

I could smooch those cheeks all day.

Hanging out with Uncle Dude.