A week of firsts

So last week I started Ezra on solids. I waited to start Ryan on solids until she was six months and continued nursing her until she was almost a year.
It worked out well so I figured I would do the same with Ezra; but lo, Ezra is a strapping, HUNGRY
boy and although I am still nursing, I have to supplement with solids earlier than planned because he is bigger and now eats more often. I wasn't sure what he thought of them at first, but he seems to enjoy them now. What a grown-up boy!

As for Ryan, her "first" was a little less ta-da but I was proud.
I took her to a new play place with some girlfriends and their kids, and after only an hour of coaxing she actually went off on her own and played ...
on her own!
Now this may not seem like a big deal but it most definitely is. Ryan is painfully shy in public
and has a hard time venturing out by herself. We try not to push her, but we want her
to learn to be somewhat independent; then nursery won't appear to be a form of torture and Scott and I can go on more dates ... alone. Anyway, she had such a great time at the play place that Scott and I promptly took her back there two days later. This time, however, it was packed so Scott ended up as her playmate. Oh well. As I watched them it was hard to tell who was having more fun!

Getting prepared for his first solid meal. Nice pink highchair!

Not really sure about all of this. Since then we have become more enthusiastic.

Part of the structure at the "Out of this world" play place. Scott took Ryan into the far reaches of this exciting tunnel system and then convinced her to go with him down this large red slide. However, the girth of Scott's large, muscular shoulders prevented them from making it all the way down. They got lodged halfway down and had to do some creative maneuvering to squeeze out. Scott said it was also scary and dark.

Scott is the only parent using the race track (with Ryan right next to him), but none of the other kids seemed to notice.

So cute!!

My little muffins

These kids definitely keep me on my toes. Ezra is becoming a lot more aware and therefore becoming louder. He is also becoming more clingy and insists on being held all the time. This is very sweet except when I need to do anything such as laundry, cook dinner, one-on-one time with Ryan, use the bathroom, etc. ... so needless to say I am feeling a bit ragged at the end of each day. Ryan is also 2 going on ten and must do everything herself. She is quite grown up. And she talks up a storm; she is always saying, "I feed myself. I put shoes on myself." But she is also so patient and loving with Ezra, which in turn keeps me wracked with guilt for having to divide my time between them the way I do. With two kids I find myself conscientiously trying to keep everything fair and balanced; but I am proud of them both and love being their mommy.
I love my little muffins.

She just woke up. Her hair is awesome.

A lull in the crying ... just kidding.

This old house

So my "New Years resolution" isn't really a resolution as much as is it is an excuse to do something I love to do, sadly: reorganize my house. Pathetic, I know, but I got my latest issue of Better Homes and Gardens and got fresh inspiration. I love to throw things away and purge my house of anything and everything that we don't use constantly. So I have been tearing my house apart for a week and piling our laundry basket full of Goodwill donations.
I can't help myself.

Park & Ride

Yesterday was the first really sunny, warmish day in eons and Ryan insisted that we go to the park. Scott was home from school so it was a family affair. Ryan finally got to practice with her tricycle outside, since she has been scooting around the house for two months trying to ride on the carpet. We had the whole park to ourselves (so maybe it wasn't as warm as we thought).

She loves to climb up to the slide but doesn't usually go down it.

Ezzy is having a super fun time, too.

Riding like the wind, using the pedals and everything!! What a big girl.

Her favorite activity at the park. We could be here for hours!

And it comes to an end ...

Our Christmas break has sadly reached an end, and it is only now that I have had the time to catch up our blog (that and my brother Bryce got us a sweet new camera and I had to get Scott to set up the new software so I could upload our pictures). I still struggle with remembering to take pictures so this collection is a pathetic attempt to document our Christmas. We stayed at home for the majority of the three and a half week vacation. Britney and her family came to visit before Christmas. We were snowed in and didn't get to do everything we had planned but it didn't matter. I always have fun when we spend time together even if it is spent indoors. We hung out and just enjoyed each others company and families. Then after they went home we spent an intimate Christmas together with Bobby and Rosette. We just ate and watched movies and watched Ryan tear open a few presents. It was relaxing and very nice. Then my parents came to see us and again we hung out. We also went to mecca (IKEA ... hehehe) and to an art gallery in the city; they also spoiled us with lots of presents ... thank you thank you! They stayed for New Years and we played wii, watched the ball drop and ate some more. Following their visit we headed to Seattle to see Scott's parents. We also went to visit my only friend in Kent, Rachael, and spent a little time with her fam. All in all, a nice holiday. Thanks to everyone that spent time with us. We will miss you Bobby and Rosette.

My cute friend Rachael and her babies.

Scott, Bobby, Dad and Rosette playing wii. I think that they are playing Mario cart. They were mesmerized and I thought that it was funny.

One pair of Christmas jammies (thank you Nanny).

Another set of Christmas jammies (Ryan calls them her "Auntie Jackie jammies") in a picture without the flash ... oops.