Long For The Flowers

I'm optimistic and excited to see what your future holds; you're a bright, beautiful child with an entire lifetime of love and happiness waiting in store. And if I could leave you with any piece of advice, it would be for you to always remember that I am here you. unconditionally. I will be your aunt, your friend, your sidekick or your confidant - anything that you need as you navigate this new and unfamiliar world. After all, I love you!! You are my youngest baby nephew, and you are precious to me.  Your dad is starting to bring you over more. We hang out for hours watching you crawl after Ryleigh. I guess you just wanted to explore Ryleigh's world. It showed me how much curiosity you have. 

You are the highlight of our guests. You are starting to get more comfortable at our house but with all the extra unfamiliar faces, you prefer my friend Shauna to hold you the whole time. I got some cuddles from you but then you wanted Shauna again. When uncle wasn't with Ryleigh he was keeping a close eye on you. We love you so much.

Ryleigh, it's your first year of life and I have to say is was perfect. I grow as a mommy, I experienced life in a whole new way. You gave me for the first time a love so deep, so unconditional.  Making this book was so incredible as we experience amazing things in your first year. You took your first plane ride with Nana to AZ, We went to Lake Powell and Crested Butte on family vacations.  Two very large albums for your first year. 

I have so many things to give thanks for this year, but there's one special blessing that stands out from the rest: my son. Here's what I want to say to the person I love most this Thanksgiving. Dear Ryleigh, Happy Thanksgiving, sweet boy! I can't believe how fast this year has past and we are now celebrating your first Thanksgiving. You're such a big boy now--you can almost walk and you are starting to say more and more words. You're such a bright, adventurous little guy. You are the greatest blessing in my life, and I am so very thankful for you! Being your mommy makes me the happiest I have ever been. I feel a love I never thought possible.  Thanksgiving and Christmas used to be so hard for me. I'd see families together that weren’t mine, and all the while my heart would ache. I managed to put on a happy face during the holidays, but when the holiday festivities were over, I would break down. I remember crying hot tears of sadness and jealo...

The traditions surrounding Oct. 31st conjure up many good memories for me. Over the past few months I thought about all the Halloween costumes I would dress you up in, pumpkin, ghost, baby vampire, scary, innocent, the options are endless. I have chosen 3 outfits and dad added one. You surprisingly enjoy dressing up in positive -themed costumes (Pumpkin, Tigger, and Winnie the Pooh) and going trick-or-treating around the neighborhood shopping center. You're favorite part of Halloween was handing our candy to the many trick-or-treaters. Dad and I held back from giving you too many pieces of candy but the one piece you had made a demon child out of you. After having a sugar melt down you cried for an for more candy. Lets just say sugar isn't the best for you. 

Winnie the Pooh To be honest I’m not a big fan of the Winnie the Pooh, I never watched it growing up. But it represents innocence and health family upbringing. It was warm and cozy. I just couldn’t resist, after all, it represented a health family upbringing and that is actually what I want for you.  I dressed you up and painted your face and surprisingly you tell me. You can walk with the help of you Hungry Hippo Toy, perfect for grabbing a picture of your full costume. But it didn’t take long before you wouldn’t wear the hood.   You are now at the age where you are starting to get what you want, 10 months is a little young now that. But I can't help but let you go outside and explore when you crawl to the front door, stand up and look out the window to see what is out there.  Bang on the door and look at me, because you don’t quite have the words, but I know. You are saying “Let me out”. We spent some time on the gr...

Yup, You have on a Julius Caesar outfit, Why?  Well, here's the story. Dad went to Las Vegas on a company trip and couldn't resist this outfit when he saw it. Not quite the traditional Halloween outfit but still the cutest little thing on you. It came with a cape and a helmet, and was more like a summer dress than a Halloween winter costume. So I guess it's just for pictures. The helmet was your favorite part, you would stick your head inside and ask 'candy' in your baby words that sounded nothing like candy. But I knew what you wanted... Candy. NO MORE CANDY

You are just 2 months away from turning one and like most parents, I wonder where the time went. You’ve went from a little baby, to a big toddler, happy, outgoing, and curious boy right before our eyes. Autumn comes just in time to feed your curiosity. The weather is cool, dry leaves to crush, and warm snuggles in front of the fireplace.