Jamba Juice Junkie!

Yes, Riley is a Jamba Juice Junkie! She absolutely loves Jamba juice, particularly the Berry-fulfilling! It's rare to find a food that Riley really enjoys, so it's pretty funny to us to see her actually enjoying a food item sooo much. Yesterday I ordered a 16 oz. for me. Jamba Juice does something so cool, and that is they take some of mine from the 16 oz. and put it in a little cup with a little straw for the kids. This makes Riley feel like such a big girl and I don't have to listen to her saying, "Mine, mine, mine!" (Her favorite new word) Riley wraps her lips around the straw and drinks it down. It reminds me of the old Nestle Quick commercials where they drink the glass of chocolate milk down with one suck of the straw! I actually had to give her the rest of mine because she finished hers and was very persistent in saying more. Oh, well, it's a good way to cut down on calories for me!

Jamba Jitters

Riley and I, yet again, went to Jamba Juice today. We put in our order then I turned around and headed towards the door as the place was fairly busy and I wanted to get out of the way while we waited for our drink. Riley had a meltdown at this moment. I finally realized it was due to the fact she thought we were leaving without her drink. I made my way to where they were preparing the drinks and showed her how they were making the drinks. She immediately calmed down and began very anxiously waiting for her drink.
 

Jason just starting homework
















Jason in the middle of homework
















Jason at the end of homework!!!
(Enjoy this while you can because Jason will probably make me take this off when he sees it!) 

Gift of Gab

Riley is quite a talker! Here are some of the new words and phrases that we get a chuckle out of (and that we can actually understand):

I dit: (I did it!)

Ino, Ino, Ino (Riley uses this phrase when she is upset. Why?
Riley hates diaper changes and cries and has huge
fits. I always console her by saying, "I know, I know,
I know, Riley..." This now has become her favorite
phrase whenever she is frustrated. When I use the
term, you can bet she repeats it after me which is
pretty funny. Reminds me of a thirteen year old
with an attitude.)

Hi, Hi, Hi (Riley LOVES to tell people Hi. Nothing unusual
about this except....She only says "hi" when they
have their backs to her. As soon as they turn
around she gets a case of serious "shyness". So as
we are leaving stores all she is saying is "hi, hi, hi,"
or "bye, bye, bye.")

Baby (We just got Riley her first baby doll, July 23rd,
2006, and she loves this baby doll. If you try to
even touch her baby she says, "Mine, mine, mine!"
We also got her a stroller that she loves pushing
around the house.)

Ba, ba, ba (Ball. She calls everything round "ball."
EVERYTHING!)

Apple (Riley will eat ANYTHING if you tell her it's an
apple!)

Mine (Her favorite word of all time!)

Oh, no!

Pee-boo (Peek-a-boo!)

Bie (Since we started taking Riley for bike rides,
everytime she sees a bike she will point and
say "bike" and become very excited!

Voom (car)

"Pee-pee" or "poo-poo" (Since we bought Riley her potty chair she has
gone "pee-pee" four times in her potty chair,
about six times on the carpet and poo-poo one
time on the porch!)

Vwa (Duh! This means she wants to breastfeed! You
couldn't figure that out?)

Bu (Bird)

Wawa (water)

Shit (This is how she says "shirt." Really! She is not
able to pronounce her "R". )

Fee (Feet)

but (belly button)

Ka (car)

Ki E (kitty)

*Riley repeats EVERYTHING right now. We are really minding our Ps and Qs. It's pretty frightening what little kids will say!*

Our other baby

Before Riley was born I had no idea how Chloe would handle having Riley around. Chloe is a Persian and she has quite a tendency to feel superior and not see a need to put up with anything more than what needs be. She likes things her way and has never been a cat to let anything, anyone, or any other cat (no matter what the size) to get in her way. That said, Chloe has turned out to be the best cat ever. Riley L-O-V-E-S this cat. In the morning Riley looks for Chloe and greets it like she does any person. A very bright and sunny "Hello!" When Chloe is eating, Riley will go up to her and hug her. When Chloe comes in from outside, Riley will bend down and hug her again. Does Chloe like this? NO WAY! I believe she actually hates it. She does, however, tolerate it. No matter how many times Riley has pulled her hair, squished her by laying on her, screamed in Chloe's ears, ate her cat food (yes, she has), woke Chloe up from a dead sleep, Chloe just tolerates it and finds a good hiding spot for a while.
There are times when Chloe is feeling very affectionate and she will actually try to get Riley to pet her. I keep saying to Riley, "Gentle!" I am pretty sure Chloe knows the patience she has been exhibiting is going to pay off as Riley get older and that she will get all the "gentle" petting she wants as long as she waits this out a little. All said, Chloe has been such a patient, sweet kitty!
 

Put your hat on!

I wonder how many times a day I say, "Riley, put your hat back on!"

Caught red-handed!

As many parents, I am sure, we never seem to know what could possibly be going out in the dumpster. Jason and I were working on the computer when it dawned on me that Riley had been making several trips to the garbage in the kitchen. This money is what she was throwing away which she had retrieved from my purse!  

This is Riley enjoying the Zoomazium. She loved this place! Whenever Riley gets excited she does a little tap dance, and as soon as we put her down in this place she did her little tap dance.
This handsome monkey was so fun to watch.

Riley took a little nap at the zoo.  

Yummy Strawberries

Riley loves strawberries, which I found out the hard way. After grocery shopping one day with Riley, I came home, and with a relief, dropped all the grocery bags on the floor in the living room. It's hard unloading the car with Riley as I am having to carry her and about four grocery bags and then making the trip again to get the rest of the groceries. I then ran into the restroom as I had been having to go to the bathroom for a while. When I came out of the restroom Riley had found the strawberries and was eating it like an apple. Strawberry juice was everywhere and it was a huge mess! Riley was even making the "mmmmm" sound that she always makes when she "really" likes a particular food! The extent of her vocabulary is normally just one syllable words, however, she can say "strawberry" very well!  

What a difference a year makes!

I couldn't help today to think about the last time Riley was in this back pack.
 

The Grand Finale

I bought this toilet for Riley because she always shows so much interest in Jason and I going to the bathroom. I won't say anything more on that! Anyway, tonight when we got home from Deception Pass, Riley and I were getting ready to take a bath and I asked her if she had to go potty. As usual, she ran and sat on the toilet. Nothing new. The difference tonight? She actually went to the bathroom!! I was so excited and started yelling, and she was so pleased at my excitement and began getting excited too, although I am not sure if she knew what the big deal was all about!  

Deception Pass

This was such a fun trip. The hiking trails and views are unbelievable, along with the great history to read about along the way. This was the first hiking trip we took with Riley and it was a great first. I don't think Riley quit smiling the whole day (That is until lunch when she turned into a monster in the restaurant!).


 

Good Times

We had such a fun day. Riley loved the back pack ride and kept patting Jason's head in affection! Another part of the trip Riley enjoyed was being on the beach where she was throwing rocks into the water.


 

Hot Summer Days

Riley and mom enjoying a watermelon on a hot summer day (might I mention we have no air conditioning and the temps have been in the 90s!). 

uh-oh!

Riley worked very hard for quite a while trying to get these keys to work to open the door.  

Nightly Rituals

Riley and I end our evenings by gathering several books and laying on the bed reading. It's such a fun way to end the day.  

Our Little Picasso!

This was Riley's first art project she brought home from daycare dated 6/21/06. The bigger fingerprint marks are Ginger's (Riley's daycare provider) helping Riley do her painting.