Mommy loves Riley!

This is what true love looks like!

What's the problem with the Baby?

The Baby has been a handful lately....and that's putting it mildly! She is really starting to show her stubborn side. She has been very fussy for about a week now. Everything makes her mad. When you tell her no she gets so mad. She'll find the closest thing she can lift and throw it on the floor while screaming at it. Most of the time we have to fight laughing at her, but it's starting to not be funny. She has quite the temper and it gets the best of her. If she tries to pick something up or move something and it's too heavy she freaks out! She'll pound on it and scream. I think it might have something to do with the 7 or 8 teeth she has coming right now. She sleeps great through the night so that makes me wonder if it's the teeth or not.
She has also learned how to hit. She hits Mommy and Daddy and gets really upset when we tell her no. She has learned what "nice touches" means and she will gently pet your face when you tell her to do that instead of hit. Dave and I have had to get pretty firm with her when she hits and that's a lot harder than you think it would be. I do NOT like scolding her and Daddy is pretty much worthless at it. He's a pushover when it comes to Riley. I am not the slightest bit surprised by that. Any of you that have seen his behavior with Charlie Brown know that his ability to be firm with his little girls is embarrassing.

Luckily, Riley is still the cutest, smartest (she says bye-bye now!) and sweetest (when she wants to be) baby in the world that we still wouldn't trade any of the harder times. Plus, she has some sweet new dance moves! Let's just say we are really earning our parenting badges right now!

Where's the Baby?

This is Riley's favorite game right now. Here is a short glimpse of her playing with Daddy. Anytime you ask "Where's the Baby/Riley?" she'll cover her face or hide. She thinks it's hilarious and so do we!

Men and their babies

Riley 15 months, Grady 6 months, Chris and Dave....really OLD!

Dave and his best friend, Chris, don't get to spend much time together, so it was nice to have them and their babies hang out. Riley warmed up to Chris and Emily very easily. Normally, she cries when anyone comes anywhere near her that isn't a close blood relative. Chris wouldn't take no for an answer and Riley had no choice but to be loved by him. I think it really helped her get past her fear of strangers. She has been pretty open to new people ever since.

Enjoy Grady while he's still this little, Chris and Em. You got a little taste of what a "toddler" is like. Consider yourselves warned!

Naples 2009

Here are a few more shots from our trip to Naples. Don't let these pictures deceive you.......Riley was quite the hand full while we were there. She was pretty good for a 15 month old, but it is no easy task controlling her. I do think she really enjoyed herself.

We have discovered a few more teeth since we got home. When it rains...it pours! She has a mouth full now. It's funny how we stressed for so many months because she would grow any teeth and now they are growing like a wild fire! I was afraid that she wouldn't be as cute with all those teeth. I loved her gummy smile! However, I couldn't have been more wrong. She is even cuter than I could have ever imagined!