Fashion Diva!

I think we have a girly girl on our hands. Riley is extremely fascinated by all of my high heals, bangle bracelets, sunglasses, purses and even my bras...she tries to put them on every morning and night when I am dressing. Riley will come into my closet with her little leather peri ped mary janes, locate my patent leather high heals, rip off her shoes, set my heals up perfect on the tile, step into them and stroll around the house. When she was dressed up below, I asked her to shake her booty and SHE DID! It was so funny...she now knows where her "booty" is and how you shake it to the music.

Also, whenever we get into the car, she has to have her pink sparkly shades on...she keeps them on the entire time we are in the car. As much as Cody likes to teach her farting noises, how to throw balls and pick her nose (yes, she know what and where her buggers are), she still likes to be a girly girl!

Quick funny story- Riley has been eating like a horse the last few days (she must be going through a growing spurt), so her belly was HUGE tonight when I gave her a bath. I always asked her where all her body parts are when we are in the bath and tonight when I asked her where her belly button was so she looked down at her belly and starting feeling around her belly to find it but couldn't because her belly was soooo big, she tried several times and then after no success, looked up at me and said "uh oh". It was pretty funny. I love how she is understanding so much now.

Riley's First Haircut- By Mom

On Riley's 16 month birthday, she got her first haircut...courtesy of mom. I decided that the tub would be the best place to try and cut her hair (this hair cut really only consisted of a few hairs but it wasn't easy!). Since Riley says "hi" and "bye" to everything right now, I told her to say "bye, bye hair" and she did. Here she is waving goodbye to her hair.

Riley was starting to grow a mullet...I just wanted it to grow long enough to put it in a pony but decided that the current hair growth pattern wasn't going to accomplish that goal quite yet...so we cut the mullet hairs off. Maybe it will grow faster now?

I had to get some snap shots of Riley before the mullet hair disappeared...she loves to show her teeth so her she is showcasing her talent (it actually makes for a cute picture)...

And then there were her crazy bangs...they were cute when pulled back in a clip but since we can never keep that in her hair...her bangs kind of looked like a Mohawk...so a mullet and Mohawk had to go.

After unsuccesfully attempting to cut her wet hair with the kitchen scissors in the bath tub (she thought it was pretty awful; not sure why but she hated me trying to cut her hair), I tried to towel dry her hair and cut it that way. Once Riley decides that she doesn't like something, she let's you know it. So half way through cutting the mullet, we had to get out of the tub. THe next ten minutes consisted of me chasing a naked baby around the house with scissors. As a result, the hair cut didn't turn out perfect...the bangs got a bit short. I guess it would be worse...

We have heard that rubbing tomato sauce in her hair may stimulate the roots and shaving her head will make it grow in thicker (although Ashley, our local expert hair friend, has rejected these myths). We haven't decided to resort to the shaving of the head (yet) but are starting to consider the tomato sauce. Grow hair...grow! My new goal- a pony tail by her second birthday...that should be achievable, right?!?!

Beware..Naked Baby Ahead!

Yes...this is Riley, every night before bed. I was serious when I said she must have a secret stash of redbull that she drinks...

Here she is running from me, she doesn't want to put on her lotion or diaper...

The other night she found a Trader Joes paperbag and put it on her head; she walked around the house cracking up becasue she couldn't see anything and kept running into stuff. Ever since that night, everything that she can balance goes on her head, the vegetable strainer is no exception...

Her belly is soooo big, Cody and I were dying laughing when we noticed how big it was, it looks like a tumor. Cody asked if we should get her checked out :) The angle of this picture doesn't give her belly much justice but cute none the less...

Backyard Fun!!

Riley LOVES to play outside! While we acknowledge that every 15 month old has quite a bit of energy (at least more than their parents)...we truly think that Riley has ten times more energy than any child we have met. It is a constant go, go, go! People who don't see her often ask if she is always on the move, the answer is Yes! Riley is either full of energy or sleeping, there is no in between. Literally before she goes to bed she is running around like she just drank a Red Bull. (see the next blog- Naked Riley)..we have to convince her that it is time to go to sleep. Once we convince her of such, we take her in her room, give her a bottle and read her a bead time book (One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss...her fav this month), before the book is over, she pushes away the bottle and the book, reaches out to give us a kiss and then waves us goodbye...within seconds she is sleeping :)

On this adventure in the Rounds' backyard, Riley discovered the hose and as she does with everything, she put it in her mouth and started walking around.

One of her favorite things to play in (well, for about 15 seconds and then boredom sets in and she wants to explore something else)...the backyard swing!

Do you think she has an attitude?

And then there is the hammock...while Riley is very busy, she is also very caring and thoughtful...here she is taking a break with her baby doll Sophie. She loves to giver her dolls hugs and kisses! Notice her arm around the doll :)

Happy Valentines Day!

Riley got all dressed up for Valentine's Day...we went shopping at Nordstrom's for new mattresses and then had lunch at the Vig with Grandma and Uncle Pat (dad was working)...Valentine's day is also Uncle Pat's B-day. By the end of the day, Riley had so many holes in her stockings, we had to throw them away and the hair bows...somewhere on the floor of Scottsdale Fashion Square!

Christmas Eve Pictures

Riley's Second Christmas

We spent Christmas Eve and Grannie Annie's house as usual. The entire family came over and we had a great time. We had ham/roast/pork and many sides for dinner, hot apple cidar and a wine punch to drink and homemade toffee, peanut butter brownies, lemon pie and coffee for dessert. After dinner we played the gift exchange game...Cody ended up with a zip-lock bag sealer (to prevent freezer burn, I guess?) and I ended up with a scarf, mittens and Dunkin Donuts gift certificate. Riley of course received tons of gifts....a poodle purse from her Cousin Grace, an adorable shirt that says "Smiley Riley", gold slippers and a hair bow from Arianna Colosimo and plenty, plenty more! Riley had so much fun (full of energy as usual) and crashed by 8:00pm...she was so tired she ended up staying the night at Grannie Annie's house.

The next morning (Christmas morning) we woke up early, went on a walk to see the sheep and horses down the street then we went to Grandma Sue and Grandpa Gary's house for breakfast...we had pancakes with blueberries and hot syrup...Riley opened even more gifts and enjoyed spending some time with Uncle Charlie, Aunt Amy and Cousin Siena.

Here are some of our pictures of Riley's second Christmas...


Riley's Christmas Attire...sparkley tutu, vest and shoes...

Dad with Riley and Siena Bug (Riley 13 months, Siena 7 months)


















Riley with her cousin Grace and Madison Riley (Riley loves these girls so much!)
Siena and her Aunt Gina (Amy's sister)














Riley giving Cousin Siena kisses on Christmas morning...

The "mini" Christmas tree at Granny Annie's house...

Riley knows what she wants and when she can't do it herself (i.e. opening the door below) she gets a bit frustrated...


Christmas Bells...Riley loved to shake them and hear the noise that they made...

Riley in her swing and ringing bells with Uncle Patrick Christmas day...it was very cold out but Riley really wanted to play in the swing (she sings "help" and that is how we know what she wants)




















Riley and her family...





























Some random snapshots of Riley...
















Siena Marie Rounds...