TEN MONTHS OLD

I can't believe in just a few short months my baby will be a toddler that I will be chasing around this summer! She is walking more & more and is taking 2-6 steps at a time. For the past couple months I have been trying to teach her sign language (I don't do it as much as I should). She can make the sign for "more" and "all done", both used while eating. This girl loves to eat and shovels several pieces of food in her mouth at a time. While we were in Florida she finally started to say mama to me. She has been saying dada for several months now, so needless to say, I was so excited to hear her call me by name!! There are a few other words she tries to say like ball, book, & quack quack but they are only understandable to me and I could be hearing things! Riley has started to really enjoy playing and her favorite toys are ones that light up & sing and her books. She has also become an animal lover with dogs being her favorite. I will put this in writing now: No matter how much she wants a dog as she gets older WE WILL NOT BE GETTING ONE! I don't have a problem with dogs but do not have the energy/desire to clean up after them and would rather spend the money on my children.  Riley truly is a blessing and a joy to us and I find myself asking (like every other parent) what we did before her? Oh yeah...sleep!!

Family Time

Really the main purpose of our trip to Florida was to spend quality time with both mine & Thomas' family. We really cherish our time with them since we only get to see them a couple times a year. Now that Riley is around it makes it even harder to be away. 

Here are some random family moments.

With the grandparents (minus Gramps, I don't know why I don't have a picture with you Dad?)

                           My brothers & me         Uncle Ryan & Nana         Riley with Uncle Cory

Riley with her GG (Great Granny)

                                      With my sister-in-laws     The Whited men babysitting

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

It has just recently started warming up in NC where you can outside without turning to icicles. While we were in FL enjoying 70 degree weather it was in the 40's in NC. I am so ready to pack up the jackets & sweaters and break out the tank tops & skirts! So a trip to FL was just what I needed. It was so great to be outside in the sunshine!

          

          

              We got to lay by the pool in March!

           

           Outside at Uncle Tyler's soccer games 

 

But like the sand, she dislikes touching grass too!

THANK GOD FOR WINTER IN FLORIDA!!

KISSING COUSINS

Riley got to spend time with all four of her cousins while we were in Florida. There is Savana (8), Aleah (6), Elijah (4), & Cara (3). Both of Thomas' sisters are expecting so she will soon be the BIG cousin! Riley had a ball playing with the big kids. She loved to watch them and followed them everywhere. They are all really great with her and love her a lot!

Beach Bums...or maybe not!

While we were in Florida, we took a trip to the beach to watch the sunset. It had been years (yes years!) since I have been to a beach in Florida. I am not much of a beach girl, I would rather sit by the pool. We went to Wiggins Pass in Naples. It is a state park so they have bathrooms, showers, picnic tables & grills. We went later in the day and the weather was great! I would of actually preferred it to be a little sunnier so I could of got a tan on my 

white winter skin!

This was Riley's 2nd time to the beach. We took her back in August when she was 3 months old. This was her 1st real experience with the elements of the beach (ie: sand, water & wind) though. She hated the sand, when we put her feet down in it she would stand on one foot. It was funny & smart of her:) I don't think she liked the wind either. She curled up in my lap and put her head down most of time we were there. All she wanted was her mommy, her paci and to go home. She was quite miserable as you can see from most of the photos. That night she was running a slight fever, probably from teething, so it may not of just been the beach that made 

her miserable.

Thomas' mom (Mamaw) has five grandchildren (& two on the way) and the first four grandchildren's birthdays are within 6-7 weeks (Jan-Mar) of each other. Riley's is in May so she kinda broke the mold but since we were all together we celebrated all the birthdays. So Riley got to have a cupcake with a "One" candle even though she was still shy of ten months and open some of her birthday presents.

Despite Riley's fussiness, the sun did set and it was beautiful! The sunset sets everyday but how many times in the last year have I sat back and watched it? Not once! What a great reminder that God is Everlasting, when things in life are uncertain we always know the sun will set and sometimes we need to slow down and watch it. 

What a great ending to the day!

Lakes Park

The Powell Siblings

My brothers were both off the first Sunday we were there and my Granny & cousin were in town so we decided to do a cook-out at Lakes Park. When I was younger my family went to Lakes Park often but I had been back for years until this Christmas when we went to take Riley on the Christmas lights train ride. They have re-done the park & it is really nice. It has lots of pavillions for cook-outs, they have boat rentals, a kiddie water play-area, and a nice big train-themed playground.

Riley with Nana on the swings

My piggy eating her Cherrios

On our walk we discovered the water play area and decided to see how Riley liked it. She didn't mind putting her feet in the water but the water in the face she could of done with out.

While we were at the water park my dad rented a Sulley. It was quite a sight seeing 5 grown men & my granny drive up on one of these! 

   

A few days later we went back to the park with all of Riley's cousins. We were a little more prepared and packed Riley's bathing suit. I let her get down and crawl around in the water, it was a great way to cool down. We will have to come back when Riley is walking so she can run around and splash!