Crazy 8 Month Old Baby!

Riley turned eight months old today and is loving every minute of the movement that 8 months has brought her...she crawling on hands and knees (and getting quite quick at it!), standing at any opportunity where support within her reach, babbling and babbaling at everything she finds interesting (just about everything), she is figuring out how to clap (which was quite funny to watch her learn...her hands hit her face, her stomach...only about 50% of the time do her hands actually hit each other). She even started sleeping in her crib in her room...mom and dad love that as we can actually go to bed without tip toeing around the room!

She started her new childcare today at the Lincoln Learning Center...we already love it! They even provide formula and pureed fruits/veggies...so wonderful! The room is so bright with tons of natural light and even has an "infant" playground with little toys and a padded ground. I think we have finally found the right school for Riley!

Riley also started childcare at church...on the first day every teacher in the room was in love with her! Strangers are always mesmerized by her bright blue eyes...hopefully we won't say the same about boys when she gets older :)

Mt. Humphrey's Hike (Flagstaff)

On July 12th, we joined a group of Evergreener's and hiked the tallest Mountain in Arizona...Mt. Humphrey's Peak (part of the San Francisco Peaks) in Flagstaff. Cody and I are not "avid" hikers but fairly active and thought this would be only slightly challenging...we thought wrong! We carried Riley in a Kelty-Kids backpack (30+ pounds- Cody carried her 80% of the time) and made it all the way to the top after a difficult 4.5 miles up the winding trail. At the top, we were delighted by the amazing views....however, the weather on the peak is very unpredictable. Within five minutes of our hike down, it started hailing and then raining! Poor Riley was shivering...I ended up taking off my socks to cover her legs, my sweater to wrap around her body and Cody RAN 4.5 miles down the mountain (with a sinus infection and twisted ankle) until he reached the lodge at the bottom. With no socks, I got blisters and had to stop running...meeting Cody and Riley 15 minutes later at the bottom. Cody says he isn't soar today but I think he lies...I can barely move and I didn't carry Riley for more than 20 minutes of our 5 hour hike!

Riley was such a great baby on our Flagstaff trip...she had to deal with a 5 hour car ride to Flagstaff because of an overturned tractor trailer and a 5 hour hike confined to a backpack.

My favorite picture at the moment...

Just because I LOVE this picture...I thought I would share it!

Full of giggles!

Riley laughs at any sort of peek-a-boo game...especially if dad is involved!

Bear Crawling!

We have reached a fun milestone with Riley...movement! She can't sit still anymore...and each day her skills improve more and more, which means she is getting into more and more. Yesterday I found that she had pulled herself up (standing) against a bookshelf in her room (not anchored to a wall!) and that she had gotten into a wicker basket and was in the process of pulling slivers of wood from the woven branches. I think I need to hire a company to come and baby proof the house.