Fredericksburg

I am obviously WAY behind on blogging. I have not written about our trip that happened 5 weeks ago!  So here we go...

We love Fredericksburg.  We wish we could move there...if only we had jobs there!  We took off a week and enjoyed getting to relax there.  We left on a Friday after work and spent the night a couple hours away to space out the driving a little.  We got up Saturday morning and headed down the road....and ran out of gas! 

This was a first for all of us...never ran out of gas before.  We were trying to make it to Buc-ee's and according to the thing on my car that tells you how far you can go, we should have made it.  Apparently, that doesn't take into account if you are pulling a trailer :)  We called AAA and they sent someone with some gas.  He asked Michael "trying to make it to Buc-ee's?" Guess we weren't the first one that it's happened to :) 

After about 1-1/2 hours, we were on the way to Buc-ee's again.  We filled up, got our lunch and were back on the road again...cheeto face and all.

Ryan all of a sudden started to want to hold our hand some.  I loved it!

My parents came to meet us on Sunday and we enjoyed the week together.  And since they were there, we got more rest than we would have had it been just the 3 of us!  4 adults and 1 two year old are pretty good odds :)

There was a retired police officer group from Houston that was staying in the same camp ground as we were and on Saturday evening, a few of them were giving a little concert.  They sounded really good!

We love the Wildseed Farms there. I have to look at everything and it is just beautiful!

We went to Luchenbach just to see it again....not much to look at :)

Ryan liked the roosters.

Even at noon on Monday, there was a man outside playing his guitar and singing.

We went to San Antonio and visited the Alamo...it is the 175th anniversary this year of the battle at the Alamo.

This tree was amazing to me!  It is behind the Alamo (I think..or maybe beside it).  I wish I knew how old it was.

We ate lunch at the Alamo Cafe and Ryan ate his first Alamo Cafe tortilla :) (they are the best, if you were wondering :)

We did a lot of driving around seeing all the beautiful country around there.  And looking at the amazing homes there...and dreaming about buying one.  I am serious.  I was a little obsessed this trip!

This was up on the hill where you can see the bats. We didn't stay to see them that night mostly because it was chilly and we weren't prepared for being outside.

Another day, we spent a lot of time at all the shops on Main Street.  It is just the cutest town.  Another day, Dad and Michael spent a few hours in the World War II museum they have there.  They were super impressed and enjoyed it a lot.  Mom, Ryan and me visited a CUTE herb farm that has little cottages you can rent....and of course, we drove around looking at homes :)

It was warm at the beginning of the week but a cool front came through on Thursday and dropped the temps a lot.

One very cool thing about staying at Ladybird Johnson State Park is there is a small airport right beside it and there are small planes in and out of there all the time. Ryan really enjoyed seeing all of that.  He would wave and say "bye bye plane".

They also have a very cool hotel at the airport and a diner.  We had been there before and were looking forward to taking Ryan. 

When we were sitting at our table, the airplanes were right outside the window.

We had such a great week!  Mom and dad kept Ryan for an evening and Michael and I went to eat and listen to a band we saw playing at another restaurant.  

I can't imagine actually moving and leaving everyone and everything behind...but I always day dream about it when we go there...

P.S. I have to say how AMAZING Ryan did on the drive home!  He was so good!  He was happy and playful almost the whole way home...we were amazed!

HE DID IT!!!!!

Ryan started walking today!!!! PRAISE GOD!!!  

He has been making big progress lately but even yesterday I noticed how shaky he was at times.  Well, he apparently figured it out today!! His Grandpa took him to physical therapy today and they were happy with the progress he made this week. He went home with his Grandpa and spent the afternoon playing with his cousin, Laura, and grandparents.  Mike called to tell me that Ryan was walking across their living room and down their hall!  He sent me a video and he was taking 16-18 steps!!!  This evening when we got home, Ryan and Michael played in the back yard and when they came in, we started practicing walking...and we were BLOWN AWAY!  HE GOT IT TODAY!!!  The balance, strength and confidence came together!  First he walked from the living room into the kitchen to see me. Then he walked back to Michael.  This video is of him walking from the dish washer in the kitchen to our bed room!!  He then proceeded to walk around the house all night.  At one point, Michael counted 83 steps in a row!  

We could tell how proud Ryan was of himself.  He would walk to me, then turn around and say "daddy...2" and be ready to walk back into the living room to daddy.  (Ryan's way to count right now is saying "2". When we practice walking, I say "1, 2, 3-go!" and Ryan says "2-go". :) As soon as he would get to daddy, he would say "momma...2".  Back and forth.  Or he would walk into our bed room, completely out of our sight and we weren't even in there, and go over to our bed.  We were in shock!

It feels a little surreal. I was sure I would cry my eye balls out when he started walking but all I have done is smile!!  I am so happy!  

What a way to start our Thanksgiving holiday :)  We are SO THANKFUL!!! 

Happy Second Birthday Ryan!!

Ryan, 

I cannot believe it has been two years since you were born!  (I am sure I will say something similar to that your whole life :)  You are such a joy to us and you make us laugh every day!  

I would say that this past year has been challenging.  It was not picture perfect and smooth sailing.  We had a lot of doctor visits, therapy sessions, blood drawn (YUCK), try this and try that.  But you, Ryan, are a trooper!  You are almost always a happy boy who smiles and laughs and shares your sweetness with everyone you come in contact with. You make the world a happier place!!  

11.10.09

 11.10.10

 11.10.11

You are such a little boy now that loves to play with your cars. If I am sitting on the floor with you while you are playing, you will run your car all over my head, spit flying from your car noises! You LOVE to be outside and cry almost every time we come inside.  Your favorite thing in the world are big trucks. 

You LOVE all of your grandparents!  And they LOVE you too!  You are getting a lot of special time with all of them right now and you love it. You also love your aunts, uncles and cousins.  I love it when you say their names...too cute! You still enjoy going to school and will blow kisses at me and tell me "bye bye" when I bring you into your classroom.  They love you at your school too and I am very thankful for that.  

You are so sweet to your daddy and me.  You have started wanting to hold our hands sometimes and it makes us happy :) Sometimes when we are all playing together you will look at us and say "momma" "daddy" and you will give us un-asked for kisses. There is nothing sweeter than that!  You like it when we pray together and always say "amen!" when we are done :) 

You have changed so much in the past few months.  I am so thankful for how much you are talking now and how independent you are in some ways. It is so amazing to watch you learn new things and get excited about them.  

I know this next year will bring it's own set of challenges....but there will also be unspeakable joy because of you!  You are doing great Ryan!  We couldn't be happier to get to be your parents.  You are our greatest blessing!  

We love you beyond words!

Your momma and daddy

Mr. Personality

I love Ryan's personality!  It is getting bigger and bigger :) 

He has never been a paci baby but lately he likes to play with his paci. He thinks it's funny.

Ryan has wanted to put his Yoda ears on a couple of times lately. They will barely snap under his chin.  He has grown so much this year!

Michael had the bright idea to get on top of our coffee table and dancing to make Ryan and our neighbor's kids laugh.  Now Ryan thinks he should climb on the coffee table.  See how innocent he looks.

I love this picture of Ryan playing with Michael's old boots on :)

Ryan thinks it's super fun to put his daddy's or momma's socks on.

This picture isn't clear but you can see the spit bubbles on Ryan's chin from making "car noises" while playing with his trucks and cars:)

This is the picture I put on Ryan's birthday party invitation.  He is a train conductor for his train party :)

Ryan has been cracking us up with his laughing!  He loves for us to laugh and he has this hilarious fake laugh he does if he is not laughing with us for real.  This is a picture of him during the crazy laugh :)

I just think this picture is cute! He looks way too grown up!

We play a game we call 1-2-3-Walk!  He will back up to the coffee table, we count 1-2-3 and he walks to us.  He usually goes SUPER fast and takes 5 or so steps.  He goes so fast that he usually doen't work on getting his balance.  We try to teach him to slow down but he usually is going wide open.  He also likes to back up into the corner of the couch and walk on the couch cushins to us.

Ryan has been wanting to sit in the BOTTOM of his stroller lately.  No idea why.  It does not look comfortable!

The other morning, I was putting my phone in my purse and Ryan kept saying "cheese!!!"  He wanted me to take his picture :)

I love him.

10.31.11

This October 31st was fun, mosquito infested, cool in the evening and enjoyable :) Ryan was a "future fisherman".  Too cute! (I loved both of these pictures so I had to put both of them!)

 This one you can see the fishing pole a little better.

 Auntie and Chris, Grandpa and Nana and Sheah all came over to hang out with us!

 Ryan says "eat" but he also does the sign for "eat" (which is bringing all of our fingers together and touching your lips).  This was Ryan's VERY EXAGGERATED sign for more M&Ms please!!!! I think that was the first time he had them and I think they were a hit!

We sat outside, fought the mosquitos and handed out candy.  There were SO many kids and adults! We had a lot of candy but still ran out about 7:30.  

I have heard about KSBJ's "Light the Night" where they encourage Christians to...well, light the night on Halloween!  I need to make sure we do that next year...give them something along with their candy that shares Jesus.  I also loved this carved pumpkin!