The Thanksgiving holiday has come and gone, and our family of three had a very relaxing and quiet holiday weekend. I think the best part was putting up the Christmas decorations. Jason knew that I had a hard time spending Thanksgiving by ourselves, but he knows I LOVE to decorate, so he suggested "Christmastizing" on Thursday. We put the tree together before Rylan's nap and he kept wanting to hang the ornaments before it was even complete. Then we started stringing the lights right before he went down for his nap. During his nap, we finished the lights and I prepared dinner. When Rylan woke up, I took him right to the table and he did not have a chance to see the tree. Well, let me tell you when he saw the tree after dinner he was SOOOO excited! It was priceless. He went on and on saying oooh Dadda, oooh Dadda, tree Dadda... It was great! He did help me put up a few ornaments after that and has enjoyed all the decor since.
Jason also has is old train from when he was a little boy. J thought it would be a good idea to set it up for Rylan and upon mentioning it, I think we heard choo choo Dadda, choo choo Dadda, about 500 times :)! He loves watching it go around the track a couple of times a day! We can't wait to see if Santa will bring Rylan a train this year!
We also took out "Elf on the Shelf" on Thanksgiving and Elf has been watching over Rylan each day and flying to report to Santa every night. Rylan has to find Elf when he wakes up the following morning because Elf always seems to land someplace different. We have enjoyed watching Rylan get very excited over the life-long Christmas traditions that will always remain in our hearts.
Lastly, we played our first board game with Rylan yesterday...Candyland! He did really well, amazingly enough. He had no problem waiting his turn and enjoyed finding the matching colors on the board from the card he drew. My favorite part of the experience occurred when he was kicking our butts and way in front of us. Jason and I were right next to each other near the beginning, and when it was Rylan's turn, he moved back to where we were and said, me, Mama, Dadda, because he wanted to be near us. So sweet!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
It has been an interesting year, but there is still so much to be thankful for. First and foremost, thank you God for my family's health and happiness. I love my husband and little boy so much and appreciate the opportunity you have given me to be a wife and mother. Thank you also for the health of the rest of our family, for we love and cherish every moment that we get to spend with them. Last, but certainly not least, I am thankful for the faith that I have in you to guide me down the path that has been chosen for me. I know I may not always understand it nor realize what I may be asking for, but I trust that you will always help me along the way.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Simple Things
I read a very simple quote today in my MOPS newsletter that struck me..."Dishes, laundry, and even showering can usually wait, but every second of being a mom can be life-changing." I love being a mom and feel so lucky and blessed to be able to stay at home...the greatest opportunity in the world!
Monday, November 16, 2009
November fun!
It has been a very busy last few weeks! From surgeries to sickness, and several doctor's appointments later, I think we are finally on the mend. The day before Halloween, Jason had an elective foot surgery on an issue that has been bothering his left foot for the past five years or so. The surgery went well, but with over a three inch screw inserted through his heel, the recovery time is long. The doctor is hoping that J will be able to begin to put weight on it in about three weeks. He is managing to get around pretty well on his crutches and scooter. Yes, I said scooter. I do need to get pictures of that! Rylan and Daddy had a pretty good time racing around the house the other day. Rylan ran with his shopping cart while Daddy zoomed around on the scooter...nice!
I cannot forget about Halloween even though it was kind of surreal through all of the chaos. Rylan was the cutest little turtle I have ever seen, if I do say so myself! He really enjoyed trick-or-treating with Andrew and Casey and quickly got the hang of it, even though luckily he did not realize that he was receiving candy each time! It was a perfect Texas Halloween night and we all had a blast. Missi was able to enjoy it also because she was here helping me out with Rylan and the patient. I would not have been able to make it through those first several days without her. On top of all of that, my birthday was during this time as well, and it was nice to have Missi here; it gave me a little time to take a break for the day!
Rylan and I are finally getting over our little illnesses, ear and throat infections respectively. My poor little guy had been cooped up in the house since last Wednesday because his fever would just not break. Today we were finally able to leave. Yeah! We ventured out to a great little place called Dewberry Farms. We had so much fun running around, riding the corn train, jumping around, hay ride, playground, goat feeding, and so much more. It was a very enjoyable and much needed day!
I cannot forget about Halloween even though it was kind of surreal through all of the chaos. Rylan was the cutest little turtle I have ever seen, if I do say so myself! He really enjoyed trick-or-treating with Andrew and Casey and quickly got the hang of it, even though luckily he did not realize that he was receiving candy each time! It was a perfect Texas Halloween night and we all had a blast. Missi was able to enjoy it also because she was here helping me out with Rylan and the patient. I would not have been able to make it through those first several days without her. On top of all of that, my birthday was during this time as well, and it was nice to have Missi here; it gave me a little time to take a break for the day!
Rylan and I are finally getting over our little illnesses, ear and throat infections respectively. My poor little guy had been cooped up in the house since last Wednesday because his fever would just not break. Today we were finally able to leave. Yeah! We ventured out to a great little place called Dewberry Farms. We had so much fun running around, riding the corn train, jumping around, hay ride, playground, goat feeding, and so much more. It was a very enjoyable and much needed day!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Which one is Rylan's?
You guessed it! I had to go back in and ask his teacher about this because I noticed it on our way out. Ms. Georgia said that each child was given two circles and a triangle and Rylan created this masterpiece with his :). Uh-oh, what have I created?
Life...
Life seems to finally be turning around. In the past week, I have finally felt that I am “learning to dance in the rain.” It comes with a lot of new doors opening for me. There is an email that often gets passed around discussing how people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Over the past couple months, I really feel like that is so true. I have been introduced to two different amazing groups of women through MOPS and St. Peter’s. The fellowship and spirituality of these women is amazing and infectious. This last week has brought me to a good place. With the help from these women, a refreshing double date with Kristen and Greg, watching Rylan really enjoying life and play with his friends, an awesome new Bible Study class, rekindling some old friendships, and continuing to enjoy and love the bond between my two very best friends, I am at peace. Thank you to all of you that have gotten me here.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Fall is here!
Where is the time going? I can't believe we are getting close to the end of October already. Things are moving right along as usual! Here are a few of my favorite Rylan moments over the past few weeks.
Rylan has been something else lately. He is just cracking me up! His new favorite thing over the past couple of weeks is to say "bye" to everything. I thought the cutest "bye" was said to a dog in a car that was parked in front of us in the Target parking lot. As I was backing out, he said, "bye dog." I had no idea that there was even a dog around so it kind of took me by surpise. Another cute one is "bye pee" after he flushes the toilet :)!
Rylan has finally mastered opening and closing all of the interior doors in our house. He is constantly walking around opening and closing, opening and closing. The childproof knobs will definitely be coming in handy. During Rylan's independent play time last week, I caught him playing with his old baby play mat (that was packed away in a plastic bag in the closed closet). It was cute to see him play and remember what he spent months staring at. That same day he also put on sunglasses upside down and was walking around his room talking away and "reading" anything that had words on it. Now of course you would think he was reading Chinese, but at least he is trying :). He is big into trying to say all of the letters names as well, which seems to be part of his "reading" technique.
When I picked Rylan up from school last week, his teachers asked me if he ever got upset about anything. I said not really (although good thing they did not ask me after this weekend...bad napping the last few days). They proceeded to tell me that they think he is just so well-natured and so smart, not only intelligence but his common sense. "He is just a really smart 2-year-old." They further said that he is always happy, understands everything they say, and is a great observer. Of course I walked out of there beaming. I hope those kind of reports continue for years to come! His note that day also stated that he used the potty there. Not sure how that scenario all went down, but I will definitely be asking this week! Rylan is really enjoying school now and Ms. Georgia said that he just loves art. He has painted a pig, made a spider web, fall leaves, and hand cut outs. He is all smiles when I come to get him every Thursday! I am so glad he is having a blast!
Rylan has been something else lately. He is just cracking me up! His new favorite thing over the past couple of weeks is to say "bye" to everything. I thought the cutest "bye" was said to a dog in a car that was parked in front of us in the Target parking lot. As I was backing out, he said, "bye dog." I had no idea that there was even a dog around so it kind of took me by surpise. Another cute one is "bye pee" after he flushes the toilet :)!
Rylan has finally mastered opening and closing all of the interior doors in our house. He is constantly walking around opening and closing, opening and closing. The childproof knobs will definitely be coming in handy. During Rylan's independent play time last week, I caught him playing with his old baby play mat (that was packed away in a plastic bag in the closed closet). It was cute to see him play and remember what he spent months staring at. That same day he also put on sunglasses upside down and was walking around his room talking away and "reading" anything that had words on it. Now of course you would think he was reading Chinese, but at least he is trying :). He is big into trying to say all of the letters names as well, which seems to be part of his "reading" technique.
When I picked Rylan up from school last week, his teachers asked me if he ever got upset about anything. I said not really (although good thing they did not ask me after this weekend...bad napping the last few days). They proceeded to tell me that they think he is just so well-natured and so smart, not only intelligence but his common sense. "He is just a really smart 2-year-old." They further said that he is always happy, understands everything they say, and is a great observer. Of course I walked out of there beaming. I hope those kind of reports continue for years to come! His note that day also stated that he used the potty there. Not sure how that scenario all went down, but I will definitely be asking this week! Rylan is really enjoying school now and Ms. Georgia said that he just loves art. He has painted a pig, made a spider web, fall leaves, and hand cut outs. He is all smiles when I come to get him every Thursday! I am so glad he is having a blast!
Rylan's vocabulary is really picking up the last few weeks. He "talks" all the time now, even if you can't understand him, but there are many new words that he says everyday. He officially put his first sentence together yesterday at the dinner table: "Daddy jump pool." I thought that was pretty darn good. I love hearing his thoughts verbalized...it is a whole new exciting phase!
Today we had a playdate up in The Woodlands at Stephanie's and baby Cassie's house. Rylan had a blast running around outside with the bigger kids. It was really cute to see them all so happy together. Some of the pics are posted in the album, but they were transferred a few times, so if you want to see better clarity, visit Cata's dropshots at http://www.dropshots.com/anacatalinaf
Happy Fall!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
St. Peter's Fall Festival
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Yesterday we had a busy but super fun day! Rylan's school had their annual Fall Festival so we all headed over there. Rylan had a blast! I cannot tell you how fun it was to watch him actually understand and participate in the various activities. There were games, a petting farm, pumpkin patch, train ride, fire truck, inflatables, cake walk, silent auction...the list goes on. What a great event for little kids...and parents!
After the festival, we went over to Megan, Matt, and Mason's house for a pre-Halloween and birthday celebration for Matt. He is currently on his last visit home from China before he gets to come home permanently in 6 weeks! Rylan had a so much fun with Mason and another little boy Carter. Megan had a Halloween egg hunt and pin the eye on the monster games for the boys. Rylan did not mind at all being blindfolded and participating. It was super cute! She also had this noise activated broom that made crazy Halloween noises and moved by itself which Rylan thought was awesome. Everyone got a kick out of his reactions. Of course there was the normal car and train playing as well.
Thanks to my two favorite boys for the great Fall Saturday!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Happy Birthday Rylan!
September 25, 2009 brought happiness and tears. By that date, Rylan had already celebrated his birthday several times so he had it down. Excitement radiated from him upon seeing more presents, dessert, and the already burned number 2 candle. Tears streaked down Mommy's face as she realized how quickly time passes with the blink of an eye. I am so fortunate to be a mom and have the opportunity to stay at home and cherish every moment.
Oh how times have changed in two years. Life before Rylan was good, but now life is a word that I have yet to be able to come up with. It is hard to describe what a child brings into your world. Everything from days filled with an overflowing heart to moments of panic because you worry about something happening to the angel that was brought into your life. Rylan is an amazing little being that I could sit and watch every second of my day. His love of life, curiosity, expressions, and personality, are all things that put a constant smile on my face.
Thank you Grandma and Papa, Missi and Pop, for being here to celebrate Rylan's life with us. I am glad he was able to entertain you all during your visits :). He definitely knows how to wrap people around his little finger. I am glad you were able to experience his enjoyment, well obsession, with cars, his lovable "yeahs" and "uh ohs," his imagination, but most of all his love. It was a fabulous week and one that we will never forget.
Oh how times have changed in two years. Life before Rylan was good, but now life is a word that I have yet to be able to come up with. It is hard to describe what a child brings into your world. Everything from days filled with an overflowing heart to moments of panic because you worry about something happening to the angel that was brought into your life. Rylan is an amazing little being that I could sit and watch every second of my day. His love of life, curiosity, expressions, and personality, are all things that put a constant smile on my face.
Thank you Grandma and Papa, Missi and Pop, for being here to celebrate Rylan's life with us. I am glad he was able to entertain you all during your visits :). He definitely knows how to wrap people around his little finger. I am glad you were able to experience his enjoyment, well obsession, with cars, his lovable "yeahs" and "uh ohs," his imagination, but most of all his love. It was a fabulous week and one that we will never forget.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
My big boy!
First, a huge apology for not updating the blog in over a month! We have had a busy and difficult last several weeks so I really am sorry!
The last time I updated the site we had just returned from Northern Michigan and were getting ready to endure the long drive to Atlanta. The drive did indeed prove to be long, but Rylan was of course a trooper. He did absolutely amazing in the car, sleeping in hotel rooms, and changing locations several times. Jason's cousin Meg's wedding was beautiful and Rylan enjoyed being the center of attention. He danced the night away and stayed up until 11:00 that evening. It was absolutely a blast and we enjoyed every minute of watching our little man steal every one's hearts. After the wedding, we headed up to Lake Nottely and enjoyed a few days of relaxation and boating. Rylan enjoyed his first tubing experience and loved being on the boat. Every time that someone fell off of the wake board, skis, or knee board, he would let the captain know with his ever famous "uh-oh." We ended up driving home from the lake in one day. That was a very long trip, especially when your toddler only decides to sleep a total of 3 hours during a 14 hour trip. Thank God for the movie "Cars." I think Rylan watched it three times!
This past week has been super exciting, so much so that I don't know what to tell you first! I think the biggest event is that Rylan pooped on the potty tonight! Yeah!!!! The last few days he has been telling me he pooped. When he tells me, I check, but there is nothing there. Then, a few minutes later he goes. Well, I finally got the clue that he has been telling me that he has to go, not that he already went. Tonight before bed, he told me, I put him on the potty, and then he went! I think he is ready to be potty trained, but we have lots of visitors coming in the next few weeks, so I think I will wait until everyone leaves and have a go at it. If it works, great, if not, we will try again down the road.
Ry also started preschool this week! He attends every Thursday from 9-2:30. He had a great first day and did not cry at all. I think that almost upset me more. I feel very confident about this program and am really excited to have Rylan be involved in something so wonderful. It will be a great place for him to be for the next four years before kindergarten begins. The program is located in the church where Rylan was baptized. I am excited about the opportunities that are available to become more involved myself!
I also joined a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group that meets every other Friday. This also gives Rylan another opportunity to play with other children for a few hours a couple of times a month without his Mommy. We attended our first meeting on Friday and it went very well for both of us. These past few weeks have definitely opened my eyes to some things that have been missing in my life that I did not even realize. Things definitely happen for reasons that we may never understand, but I am thankful for more than I can even begin to express.
The Eckel family is doing really well. We are so blessed each and every day of our lives. Thank you God for...well just everything...
The last time I updated the site we had just returned from Northern Michigan and were getting ready to endure the long drive to Atlanta. The drive did indeed prove to be long, but Rylan was of course a trooper. He did absolutely amazing in the car, sleeping in hotel rooms, and changing locations several times. Jason's cousin Meg's wedding was beautiful and Rylan enjoyed being the center of attention. He danced the night away and stayed up until 11:00 that evening. It was absolutely a blast and we enjoyed every minute of watching our little man steal every one's hearts. After the wedding, we headed up to Lake Nottely and enjoyed a few days of relaxation and boating. Rylan enjoyed his first tubing experience and loved being on the boat. Every time that someone fell off of the wake board, skis, or knee board, he would let the captain know with his ever famous "uh-oh." We ended up driving home from the lake in one day. That was a very long trip, especially when your toddler only decides to sleep a total of 3 hours during a 14 hour trip. Thank God for the movie "Cars." I think Rylan watched it three times!
This past week has been super exciting, so much so that I don't know what to tell you first! I think the biggest event is that Rylan pooped on the potty tonight! Yeah!!!! The last few days he has been telling me he pooped. When he tells me, I check, but there is nothing there. Then, a few minutes later he goes. Well, I finally got the clue that he has been telling me that he has to go, not that he already went. Tonight before bed, he told me, I put him on the potty, and then he went! I think he is ready to be potty trained, but we have lots of visitors coming in the next few weeks, so I think I will wait until everyone leaves and have a go at it. If it works, great, if not, we will try again down the road.
Ry also started preschool this week! He attends every Thursday from 9-2:30. He had a great first day and did not cry at all. I think that almost upset me more. I feel very confident about this program and am really excited to have Rylan be involved in something so wonderful. It will be a great place for him to be for the next four years before kindergarten begins. The program is located in the church where Rylan was baptized. I am excited about the opportunities that are available to become more involved myself!
I also joined a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group that meets every other Friday. This also gives Rylan another opportunity to play with other children for a few hours a couple of times a month without his Mommy. We attended our first meeting on Friday and it went very well for both of us. These past few weeks have definitely opened my eyes to some things that have been missing in my life that I did not even realize. Things definitely happen for reasons that we may never understand, but I am thankful for more than I can even begin to express.
The Eckel family is doing really well. We are so blessed each and every day of our lives. Thank you God for...well just everything...
Friday, July 31, 2009
Northern Michigan
We are back from our week long adventure Up North in Michigan. Besides traveling to and from Traverse City, the remainder of the trip went well.
It was so fun to take Rylan to some of our favorite places now that he can appreciate them more. It is going to be fun to see him through the years enjoy each of these spots in different ways. I remember how much fun I had when I was a little girl! I think my favorite thing growing up and even on this trip was our visit to the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Who doesn't love a huge hill of sand? It was a blast watching Rylan walking up the hill, running around, and rolling around. He was a tough little guy, because climbing the hill is not easy!
We also had fun visiting our favorite restaurants, going to the beach, hanging out and taking walks near the cottage, attending Glen Arbor's Fire Department Kids' day, miniature golf, and spending time with the family.
Jason and I were able to get away for a couple of days to Mackinac Island for our anniversary. It was very nice to have that time to ourselves. We stayed at the Grand Hotel and were spoiled with a fabulous dinner and fancy accommodations! We toured the island on bikes and enjoyed walking around the town and eating fudge :)!
Thanks Papa and Grandma for the great visit and free babysitting!
...off to Atlanta on Thursday for Meg's wedding and Lake Nottely...then home for good...whew, what a whirlwind summer!!!!
It was so fun to take Rylan to some of our favorite places now that he can appreciate them more. It is going to be fun to see him through the years enjoy each of these spots in different ways. I remember how much fun I had when I was a little girl! I think my favorite thing growing up and even on this trip was our visit to the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Who doesn't love a huge hill of sand? It was a blast watching Rylan walking up the hill, running around, and rolling around. He was a tough little guy, because climbing the hill is not easy!
We also had fun visiting our favorite restaurants, going to the beach, hanging out and taking walks near the cottage, attending Glen Arbor's Fire Department Kids' day, miniature golf, and spending time with the family.
Jason and I were able to get away for a couple of days to Mackinac Island for our anniversary. It was very nice to have that time to ourselves. We stayed at the Grand Hotel and were spoiled with a fabulous dinner and fancy accommodations! We toured the island on bikes and enjoyed walking around the town and eating fudge :)!
Thanks Papa and Grandma for the great visit and free babysitting!
...off to Atlanta on Thursday for Meg's wedding and Lake Nottely...then home for good...whew, what a whirlwind summer!!!!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Oh Boy!
Now here is one for the record books. Jason went to get Rylan out of his room from his playtime today and found our 21 month old with the baby powder. Apparently he thought it would be a good idea to retrieve the powder from his changing table and give the room a fresh makeover. There was powder everywhere! All over the floor, his chair, toys, stuffed animals. It was one of those moments that you could not help but laugh. Oh the joys of toddler hood!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Hot Summer Days!
Time keeps ticking away so quickly. It feels like it should still be June and we are in mid-July already...and closer to 2!
Rylan keeps us very busy and on our toes! He is beginning to finally say new words almost every day. I think he is finally "finding his voice" to put it mildly. It seems like each night he gets this wild streak in him and either runs laps around the house, or tumbles over his large blocks in the game room upstairs. The energy is accompanied by yelling and silliness of course. I wish my energy could double every time that his does :)! The past few days he has increased the use of the words pool, water, bowl, balloon, digger, and dirty, to name a few. Mommy is very happy to finally hear more words coming out of his mouth. He is also really into his letters right now. Each day he plays with his Leap Frog magnetic letter machine (that is my name for it). He can very easily pick out the letters R, O, M, and D. He mimics the sounds that the letters make by either listening to me, Leap Frog, or "Super Why." It is cute to hear him beginning to make sense of it all.
We continue to enjoy our pool almost daily. It really seems to be our only source of outdoor entertainment with this heat. Sometimes boredom sets in when we are indoors for a couple days in a row. It almost feels like winter months up north, so I am glad that we at least have the pool to keep us entertained outside.
We are looking forward to some "Up North" weather next week. The three of us will be in Northern Michigan at my parents place for a week. Jason and I are also going to get away on our anniversary and go to Mackinac Island overnight. It will be our first couple trip and night away from Rylan. I am really looking forward to some hubby time and our stay at the luxurious Grand Hotel! Grandma and Papa are looking forward to watching Rylan. Works out perfectly!
Rylan keeps us very busy and on our toes! He is beginning to finally say new words almost every day. I think he is finally "finding his voice" to put it mildly. It seems like each night he gets this wild streak in him and either runs laps around the house, or tumbles over his large blocks in the game room upstairs. The energy is accompanied by yelling and silliness of course. I wish my energy could double every time that his does :)! The past few days he has increased the use of the words pool, water, bowl, balloon, digger, and dirty, to name a few. Mommy is very happy to finally hear more words coming out of his mouth. He is also really into his letters right now. Each day he plays with his Leap Frog magnetic letter machine (that is my name for it). He can very easily pick out the letters R, O, M, and D. He mimics the sounds that the letters make by either listening to me, Leap Frog, or "Super Why." It is cute to hear him beginning to make sense of it all.
We continue to enjoy our pool almost daily. It really seems to be our only source of outdoor entertainment with this heat. Sometimes boredom sets in when we are indoors for a couple days in a row. It almost feels like winter months up north, so I am glad that we at least have the pool to keep us entertained outside.
We are looking forward to some "Up North" weather next week. The three of us will be in Northern Michigan at my parents place for a week. Jason and I are also going to get away on our anniversary and go to Mackinac Island overnight. It will be our first couple trip and night away from Rylan. I am really looking forward to some hubby time and our stay at the luxurious Grand Hotel! Grandma and Papa are looking forward to watching Rylan. Works out perfectly!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
We're back!
Thursday night we returned from a fabulous trip up to Ohio. We were gone for 12 days and each day was filled with something new, fun, and exciting. I think Rylan averaged about 2.5 hour naps each day because he was so exhausted from all of the activity. He did an amazing job considering how long we were gone and I could not have asked for it to go any better.
There is something to be said for visiting family and friends NOT surrounding a holiday event. It is nice to not have a schedule that revolves around major gatherings and food :). We did not plan on doing anything major (well one thing ;-)), and just took it day by day. I can honestly say that it was probably the nicest family vacation we have had yet!
The first part of the week consisted of projects around the house, family time, EnterTRAINment Junction, and the zoo. Rylan is big into trains right now and EnterTRAINment Junction was the perfect place to take a little boy that loves trains. Not only did they have a huge train display that he loved to look at, but they also had a couple of little train rides that he really loved. He also really enjoyed playing with the wooden Thomas the Train sets that were displayed. We also went of the Cinci Zoo with Jason's buddy Chris, his wife Kim, and their 2 year old daughter Ava. As you will see in the pics and videos, it was a big hit! The highlights included feeding nectar to birds that landed all over you, feeding the giraffe, and holding hands with Ava.
The later part of the week Jason and I were able to go on a little date and we also had family pictures taken. They should be ready pretty soon and I will post a link to them once I get them. I am pretty sure that they will be very cute...can't wait to see them! The one big event that was scheduled was Jason's birthday. I threw a little surprise party for Jason's 30th with the help of J's family and Chris. It turned out really well and he had absolutely no idea. We celebrated at the Eckel house with family and close friends and then ended up at a local bar toward the end of the evening. The little kids had a blast and it was just a great day! Jason said, "it was the best birthday I have ever had." That made me feel really good and I am so happy that I was able to pull it off. I could have never accomplished it without everyone's help, so thank you!
The last few days of our stay were spent with the Wood family in Massillon, OH. Rylan and I took Missi's van and made the 3.5 hour trip on Monday morning. He is a great little traveler. We had so much fun visiting Ashlyn, Katie, and Mike. We went to music class, gym class, and played in the baby pool. Rylan also got a good lesson about feeding baby dolls, having a tea party, and playing "kitchen." I really enjoyed my time with Katie and we miss them already.
Thank you to Missi and Pop, Aunt Jenny, and Katie and Mike for the great vacation. We had a great time and appreciate your thoughtfulness and hospitality. We hope you enjoy the new pics and videos!
There is something to be said for visiting family and friends NOT surrounding a holiday event. It is nice to not have a schedule that revolves around major gatherings and food :). We did not plan on doing anything major (well one thing ;-)), and just took it day by day. I can honestly say that it was probably the nicest family vacation we have had yet!
The first part of the week consisted of projects around the house, family time, EnterTRAINment Junction, and the zoo. Rylan is big into trains right now and EnterTRAINment Junction was the perfect place to take a little boy that loves trains. Not only did they have a huge train display that he loved to look at, but they also had a couple of little train rides that he really loved. He also really enjoyed playing with the wooden Thomas the Train sets that were displayed. We also went of the Cinci Zoo with Jason's buddy Chris, his wife Kim, and their 2 year old daughter Ava. As you will see in the pics and videos, it was a big hit! The highlights included feeding nectar to birds that landed all over you, feeding the giraffe, and holding hands with Ava.
The later part of the week Jason and I were able to go on a little date and we also had family pictures taken. They should be ready pretty soon and I will post a link to them once I get them. I am pretty sure that they will be very cute...can't wait to see them! The one big event that was scheduled was Jason's birthday. I threw a little surprise party for Jason's 30th with the help of J's family and Chris. It turned out really well and he had absolutely no idea. We celebrated at the Eckel house with family and close friends and then ended up at a local bar toward the end of the evening. The little kids had a blast and it was just a great day! Jason said, "it was the best birthday I have ever had." That made me feel really good and I am so happy that I was able to pull it off. I could have never accomplished it without everyone's help, so thank you!
The last few days of our stay were spent with the Wood family in Massillon, OH. Rylan and I took Missi's van and made the 3.5 hour trip on Monday morning. He is a great little traveler. We had so much fun visiting Ashlyn, Katie, and Mike. We went to music class, gym class, and played in the baby pool. Rylan also got a good lesson about feeding baby dolls, having a tea party, and playing "kitchen." I really enjoyed my time with Katie and we miss them already.
Thank you to Missi and Pop, Aunt Jenny, and Katie and Mike for the great vacation. We had a great time and appreciate your thoughtfulness and hospitality. We hope you enjoy the new pics and videos!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
My day...
What a day I had today! My Mama came and got me out of bed around 8 this morning. I had my normal milk, pancake, and 1/2 of a banana while watching "Super Why" and "Clifford." I am really learning a lot about letters and the sounds that they make with that "Super Why" show. I keep showing off to my Mama every now and then by picking up a letter and making its' sound :). I really like to keep as much as I can from her to drive her crazy!
Anyways, it was time for gym and she kept giving me this lecture about how I better listen to her and Coach Kerri today or we would leave gym. I think I heard the darn thing about three times and we had not even made it there yet! I got it already! I guess I will try to be a good boy today.
I always get super excited when we pull in the parking lot at gym. There are construction trucks next door working on a new building. I love to see the cement trucks and diggers and listen to them back up and push things around.
When I got to gym, I was happy to see Coach Kerri and my friends, especially Madeline. I have come to really like her. She always gives me a nice big smile and we like to have fun! Gym class went on as usual as we crawled through mats, jumped in the pit, bounced on the trampolines, played on the mountain, and walked on the balance beams. The best part of class is the end though when we get to do bubbles and sing the "Bye Bye" song. I love to chase those things around and pop 'em. They are so little and fun! I also love to get the stamps on my toes, hands, and belly at the very end of class.
My Mama did her usual "give hugs and kisses" as we were getting up to leave. I usually don't listen and give out high fives to everyone instead. I always make sure not to miss anyone either. It is important to be nice to everyone. Today I decided to be different though. I marched right up to Coach Kerri and gave her a big kiss right on the lips. I also walked over to Madeline's mom to kiss her. She tried to turn her cheek, but I followed her lips and made her kiss me right on the lips. I don't know why everyone was laughing so hard. Then they all told me to kiss Madeline. I wasn't so sure about that. She followed me over to the wall and we stood shoulder to shoulder thinking about it. We kept giving each other this weird look. She ended up walking away first, and I followed. Then, you know what happened? She turned around, put her hands on my shoulders, and kissed me. I decided that to be nice, I should kiss her back. What is so funny? You told me I should listen to you today!
What a great day....and it was only 10:15!
Mama posted videos and pictures. Make sure you look at all FIVE on the top row!
Anyways, it was time for gym and she kept giving me this lecture about how I better listen to her and Coach Kerri today or we would leave gym. I think I heard the darn thing about three times and we had not even made it there yet! I got it already! I guess I will try to be a good boy today.
I always get super excited when we pull in the parking lot at gym. There are construction trucks next door working on a new building. I love to see the cement trucks and diggers and listen to them back up and push things around.
When I got to gym, I was happy to see Coach Kerri and my friends, especially Madeline. I have come to really like her. She always gives me a nice big smile and we like to have fun! Gym class went on as usual as we crawled through mats, jumped in the pit, bounced on the trampolines, played on the mountain, and walked on the balance beams. The best part of class is the end though when we get to do bubbles and sing the "Bye Bye" song. I love to chase those things around and pop 'em. They are so little and fun! I also love to get the stamps on my toes, hands, and belly at the very end of class.
My Mama did her usual "give hugs and kisses" as we were getting up to leave. I usually don't listen and give out high fives to everyone instead. I always make sure not to miss anyone either. It is important to be nice to everyone. Today I decided to be different though. I marched right up to Coach Kerri and gave her a big kiss right on the lips. I also walked over to Madeline's mom to kiss her. She tried to turn her cheek, but I followed her lips and made her kiss me right on the lips. I don't know why everyone was laughing so hard. Then they all told me to kiss Madeline. I wasn't so sure about that. She followed me over to the wall and we stood shoulder to shoulder thinking about it. We kept giving each other this weird look. She ended up walking away first, and I followed. Then, you know what happened? She turned around, put her hands on my shoulders, and kissed me. I decided that to be nice, I should kiss her back. What is so funny? You told me I should listen to you today!
What a great day....and it was only 10:15!
Mama posted videos and pictures. Make sure you look at all FIVE on the top row!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
This will take some time...
It has been a little over a week since I last wrote and oh what a time it has been. I don't even know where to begin. Last week, my heart broke. One day, I woke up, and all of sudden, my sweet baby boy was no where to be found. It was almost as if someone had replaced him with someone else. My precious, carefree, happy, boy was this constant whiny, tempered, mean little thing. I have NEVER felt ill feelings towards my child, but I tell you what, last week was very frustrating. I perused my baby books, looked for excuses, and prayed that this was all just a little phase that he was going through. Jason and I discussed parenting options daily, progress reports were given each night, and we kept our fingers crossed that this would all go away.
I learned a few things about being a parent last week. First, don't take anything for granted. Rylan is an awesome little boy and we have never really had to "parent" him. I have totally taken the fact that he is so well-mannered for granted. I have definitely not given him enough praise during good, or normal times, and I really had no reason to ever discipline him. Secondly, it is so important to be consistent. I truly believe our consistency in the past has gotten us to where we are today. I thank God that I did not have to face this challenge for twenty months. We are so lucky to have made it to this point. Finally, actual parenting is extremely exhausting. I have "parented" for the past week and a half. That sounds so horrible and I am almost embarrassed to admit it, but my job has been pretty easy up until this point. I now feel like I am constantly having to think on my feet to keep Rylan from getting to the point of being whiny or throwing a tantrum. There is a lot of talking that goes on around here to keep him happy, distractions are given from things that might cause problems, activities created to keep him entertained, and so on. I used to get quite a bit done around here during the day, but not so much anymore. I am exhausted by nap time and I take advantage of that time to get some zzzz's in myself.
With all of that said, I feel like our consistent work over the past week has paid off. Jason and I are a great team and our open communication about Rylan has worked. It felt really good to be away with friends the other night and come home to hear that J had given Rylan a time out as I would have done for a similar situation. The last few days are much better and I think Rylan realizes that the little tests he was throwing at us last week are not going to work. I know we have a long road ahead of us, as any parents do, but I think this was our first real challenge and we made it through with flying colors...thank God!
Through all of that madness, we have also been extremely busy. I have recently taken up jogging as a little "me time" activity in the mornings prior to Jason and Rylan awakening. I have never enjoyed running, but there is something about it at this point in my life that I really like. It could be as simple as getting out to do something for myself, but it pushes me and I look forward to doing it. Last weekend, I ran my first official 5K with my neighbors. It went very well and I look forward to running some more throughout the summer. The icing on the cake was when I saw my wonderful husband and Rylan at the finish line. J had told me not to expect to see them because of projects going on at the house, but there they were. It really meant a lot to me. Love him to pieces.
Speaking of projects, we had a roof extended over part of our patio. We hired a crew to do the framing and shingling. Jason is in the process of completing the electrical and underside. J and I agree that the roof and the pool were the best upgrades that we have made to this house. We love it! It will make Texas summer so much more bearable. Memorial Day brought with it our first real pool party after a hard day of work by the guys. We are going to have so much fun this summer with friends! What a great lifestyle the pool has created for us.
Rylan attended two birthday gatherings this past weekend for his two, two-year-old buddies, Casey and Carter. He had a blast playing at a water park, racing to the car with a storm threatening to ruin the festivities, eating snacks, clapping after "Happy Birthday" was sung, interacting with new people, and doing what toddlers do.
Then there was today: Bayou Wildlife Park in Alvin, TX. Kristen and the boys, Andrew and Casey, picked us up at 9:00. We arrived at the park around 10:15 and almost passed it up because it is literally in the middle of nowhere. We paid our entrance fee at the shack, received two buckets of food, and were given honky tonk directions to the parking lot. After waiting about five minutes for an ostrich to get the heck out of the way we arrived in the parking lot, which consisted of about eight other cars and two school buses. We took the 40 minute tram ride through the 84 acres of wildlife with our two buckets of food. The animals literally come right up to the tram and attack your food buckets. The "tour guide" if you will, instructs you to "hold on with two hands because they will rip the buckets right out of 'em." Absolutely comical! Rylan stood on his seat almost the entire time, except when instructed by the "tour guide" to "hold on tight cause we are going down a hill." Weee... several bumps and jolts later, our tour continued. It kinda felt like a roller coaster. Again, very comical. After the tram ride came the walk to the barn, watching baby kangaroos hop around like crazy, pony rides, petting goats in the petting farm, prying goats' jaws off of Rylan's clothes in the petting farm, lunch, dodging animals to exit the park, and a ride home. What a blast!!!
Hope you all have a wonderful end to your May!
I learned a few things about being a parent last week. First, don't take anything for granted. Rylan is an awesome little boy and we have never really had to "parent" him. I have totally taken the fact that he is so well-mannered for granted. I have definitely not given him enough praise during good, or normal times, and I really had no reason to ever discipline him. Secondly, it is so important to be consistent. I truly believe our consistency in the past has gotten us to where we are today. I thank God that I did not have to face this challenge for twenty months. We are so lucky to have made it to this point. Finally, actual parenting is extremely exhausting. I have "parented" for the past week and a half. That sounds so horrible and I am almost embarrassed to admit it, but my job has been pretty easy up until this point. I now feel like I am constantly having to think on my feet to keep Rylan from getting to the point of being whiny or throwing a tantrum. There is a lot of talking that goes on around here to keep him happy, distractions are given from things that might cause problems, activities created to keep him entertained, and so on. I used to get quite a bit done around here during the day, but not so much anymore. I am exhausted by nap time and I take advantage of that time to get some zzzz's in myself.
With all of that said, I feel like our consistent work over the past week has paid off. Jason and I are a great team and our open communication about Rylan has worked. It felt really good to be away with friends the other night and come home to hear that J had given Rylan a time out as I would have done for a similar situation. The last few days are much better and I think Rylan realizes that the little tests he was throwing at us last week are not going to work. I know we have a long road ahead of us, as any parents do, but I think this was our first real challenge and we made it through with flying colors...thank God!
Through all of that madness, we have also been extremely busy. I have recently taken up jogging as a little "me time" activity in the mornings prior to Jason and Rylan awakening. I have never enjoyed running, but there is something about it at this point in my life that I really like. It could be as simple as getting out to do something for myself, but it pushes me and I look forward to doing it. Last weekend, I ran my first official 5K with my neighbors. It went very well and I look forward to running some more throughout the summer. The icing on the cake was when I saw my wonderful husband and Rylan at the finish line. J had told me not to expect to see them because of projects going on at the house, but there they were. It really meant a lot to me. Love him to pieces.
Speaking of projects, we had a roof extended over part of our patio. We hired a crew to do the framing and shingling. Jason is in the process of completing the electrical and underside. J and I agree that the roof and the pool were the best upgrades that we have made to this house. We love it! It will make Texas summer so much more bearable. Memorial Day brought with it our first real pool party after a hard day of work by the guys. We are going to have so much fun this summer with friends! What a great lifestyle the pool has created for us.
Rylan attended two birthday gatherings this past weekend for his two, two-year-old buddies, Casey and Carter. He had a blast playing at a water park, racing to the car with a storm threatening to ruin the festivities, eating snacks, clapping after "Happy Birthday" was sung, interacting with new people, and doing what toddlers do.
Then there was today: Bayou Wildlife Park in Alvin, TX. Kristen and the boys, Andrew and Casey, picked us up at 9:00. We arrived at the park around 10:15 and almost passed it up because it is literally in the middle of nowhere. We paid our entrance fee at the shack, received two buckets of food, and were given honky tonk directions to the parking lot. After waiting about five minutes for an ostrich to get the heck out of the way we arrived in the parking lot, which consisted of about eight other cars and two school buses. We took the 40 minute tram ride through the 84 acres of wildlife with our two buckets of food. The animals literally come right up to the tram and attack your food buckets. The "tour guide" if you will, instructs you to "hold on with two hands because they will rip the buckets right out of 'em." Absolutely comical! Rylan stood on his seat almost the entire time, except when instructed by the "tour guide" to "hold on tight cause we are going down a hill." Weee... several bumps and jolts later, our tour continued. It kinda felt like a roller coaster. Again, very comical. After the tram ride came the walk to the barn, watching baby kangaroos hop around like crazy, pony rides, petting goats in the petting farm, prying goats' jaws off of Rylan's clothes in the petting farm, lunch, dodging animals to exit the park, and a ride home. What a blast!!!
Hope you all have a wonderful end to your May!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
So Sweet!
Check out our new videos on Dropshots. There are five new ones...make sure you look at the last one on the top row (you can't see it so you have to click on "View all five.") I tried to capture us praying on video. It is one of the sweetest moments of my day. Rylan tries to say our friends and families names before I even do :). This was not perfect, but it was close :)
Thursday, May 14, 2009
These are Days...
As I was jogging yesterday morning and listening to my iPod, I came across a song that I have always liked. I started to sing along like I always do, and it struck me...and put tears in my eyes. It describes my life PERFECTLY. I have never felt so much love and happiness, laughed on a daily basis, or have experienced pure joy as frequently. Thank you God for the opportunity to be a mother and wife to my amazing family.
These are the days
These are days you’ll remember
Never before and never since, I promise
Will the whole world be warm as this
And as you feel it,
You’ll know it’s true
That you are blessed and lucky
It’s true, that you are touched by something
That will grow and bloom in you
These are days that you’ll remember
When May is rushing over you with desire
To be part of the miracles you see in every hour
You’ll know it’s true
That you are blessed and lucky
It’s true that you are touched
By something that will grow and bloom in you
These are days
These are the days you might fill with laughter until you break
These days you might feel a shaft of light
Make its way across your face, and when you do
Then you’ll know how it was meant to be
See the signs and know their meaning
It's true, then you’ll know how it was meant to be
Hear the signs and know they’re speaking
To you, to you
10,000 Maniacs
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