Catch up...

I have not been blogging much lately - posting some pictures here and there but not really telling any of the day to day stories that have Tim and I laughing out loud so I thought I'd catch up! Ryan woke up with a fever today that has only gone up as the day has gone on. I'm sure it's just one of those no name viruses with a fever and no other symptoms, as he is pretty much acting normal, but we will keep an eye on it and call his Dr tomorrow if the fever continues. So while he naps....I blog!

What has Ryan been up to lately? He is talking up a storm!! He has too many words to count and also attempts to repeat everything we say - both good and bad! We really have to start watching what we say when he is around! He also sings. He sings along with us to the ABCs, Take me out to the ballgame, Row, row, row your boat, Wheels on the bus, Elmo's song and Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani! Yes, you read that correct - Apparently at school they play a song of kids singing pop music, and he gets very excited when this song comes on and tries to sing along. It is hilarious! Sometimes he doesn't like my singing voice and has been known to cover my mouth and say "mama! mama! no mama!" when I am singing. I guess he also realizes I might be just a little tone deaf. Sometimes he breaks out into song on his own - his favorite song to start singing alone is "That's Elmo's World!!!" and he sings those same 3 words over and over at the top of his lungs. Fine if we are alone, not fine if it is 7 am and we are in a beach house with many other sleeping friends (this past weekend!) In addition to singing, he is counting to 10 (ok, so sometimes he skips a number here and there!) and stringing some words together like "Daddy work" and "mama glasses" when I have my glasses on. For some reason whenever anyone leaves the room he thinks they went to the bathroom or to take a shower and tells us so! Another fun thing he does is "talk" on the phone. He has always listened to voices on the other end but now is starting to respond to questions, and says Hi and Bye, sometimes ending with "love you!" - my personal favorite :)

Ryan is also starting to remember a lot! A few weeks ago we spent the day at the beach with my Auntie Sue. Since then, whenever we ask him if he wants to go to the beach, he says "Auntie Sue!" I guess he associates her with the beach. This past weekend, our friend Mike kept telling Ryan his feet were stinky to make him laugh. Last night I was getting him ready for bed and told him his feet were stinky (they really were!) and he said "Mike!" I guess he remembered Mike telling him that.

There really are too many hilarious stories to keep track of but he is a happy, fun loving and easy going kid. He definitely has my extreme personality and is a tad dramatic (yes I am admitting he takes after me) but he is generally laid back like his Dad and goes with the flow. We are having the best time with him and this is such a fun age! Saturday we will be heading to the beach again, for a week with the entire Doody family and we are looking forward to a lot of quality time with Ryan's cousins, aunts, uncles, Grandma and Papa. I'm sure the week will only bring more stories of his antics!

Avalon 09

This weekend we packed up the car and headed to Avalon, NJ. Our good friend Kim's family owns a house in Avalon, and Tim and I have spent many weekends there over the past 6 years, including both of our 30th birthday weekends back in 2005 (yes, I am giving you an idea of how old we are!) In 2006, we rented a house in Avalon with the entire Doody family and again last summer with 4 other families, all friends of Tim's from college. So Avalon has many many special memories for us and we always enjoy going there. It is a beautiful, quiet town with a gorgeous beach. This was our first time spending the weekend at Kim's with Ryan, but I was not too worried. Scott and Annette also joined us for the weekend and we had a wonderful time! Ryan was a great traveler and loved being one of the gang as always. Kim has a pool, and lives a block form the beach so we had the best of both worlds - Beach in the morning and then pool in the afternoon (after Ryan took a LONG nap). My favorite part was the early morning walks we took to the beach, when barely anyone else was there and we had the beach to ourselves for Ryan to run around, chase birds, and just have a blast. I love that our friends are so welcoming to Ryan and include him in everything we do. Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Shull for opening their home to us, we had a great time seeing them again! This was the perfect beach warmup weekend for us, we leave next Saturday again for one week at the Jersey shore with the Doody family. Ryan was really getting excited about the ocean by the time we left, and I know he will have a great time splashing around with all of his cousins. I can't wait to get Ryan back on the beach, and me too! There is just something about sitting in a beach chair, toes in the sand, listening to the waves crash...to me it is the most relaxing place in the world and the remedy for any bad mood or stress.

The next Lance Armstrong?

Sunday morning we were at the playground, and Ryan had a minor fit because there was a bike there he wanted to ride. Problem was - it wasn't his bike! We decided it was the perfect time to bring out the bike he had gotten for Christmas from his Grandma and Papa Doody. He liked riding on it up and down the street, but he especially liked pushing it around himself. Tonight, he decided he wanted to ride the bike again, this time inside. As soon as he hopped on, he said "Helmet!" He has seen his Daddy wear a helmet when riding his bike to work everyday and wanted to try it on...

Bye bye Nana and Ga Ga

Today we said bye bye to Ryan's Nana and Grandpa ("Ga Ga"). It was a challenging week for me as a parent - my normal champion sleeper was screaming and crying at every nap and bedtime, and my normal easy going kid was attached to me at all times and very cranky. I could not figure out why. I prepared myself that this might be the beginning of a tough behavioral phase for him, but it turned out he was very sick. He was sick almost the entire time we were away, and not himself at all - miserable at the beginning of the week and then running a very high fever towards the end. It turned out to be one of those lovely no name viruses that just leaves kids completely out of sorts. It was hard because Tim was back in Baltimore, and since Ryan wasn't feeling well, he was extra clingy and wanting his mama. Thankfully he loves his Nana and she was able to give me a break at times. He ended up feeling better for the weekend, allowing us to leave him with my mom while we went to the Red Sox game, and we were also able to take him to the beach. I was happy he had a few happy days on our vacation. As tough as he was, I know my parents loved having us there and wouldn't have traded the visit for anything. Thanks Mom and Dad for all of your moral support this week! A few pics of Ryan and his Nana and "Ga Ga."

The Beach

After a tough week, we spent Sunday at the beach visiting my Aunt Sue and her family. Ryan was (thankfully) feeling better and I was more than ready for some R&R! Ryan loved the beach and we are looking forward to spending a week at the NJ shore in August. "Airplane!"
The center of attention!

Ryan and Uncle Jim

Love that Dirty Water

Today we had the experience of a lifetime when we were able to step onto the field at Fenway Park during batting practice. We thought the excitement ended there, only to find out where our seats were - front row and center on the Green Monster - without a doubt the best seat in baseball! Thanks to one of my closest friends Katie for making this all possible for us and making my dad's dreams come true.

McGreevy's on Boylston Street - a great place to pre-game

Katie and I

I don't think my Dad could believe where we were...Yep, that's where we're sitting!
My brother, Jim and I

Me, My Dad and My brother Jim

Tim and I Like a kid on Christmas...

Ryan's arranged marriage

Ryan and his future wife, Cecelia...daughter of my best friend, Shelley and her husband John. Cecelia is the absolute cutest and I am so glad we got a chance for a quick visit with her!!

Ryan, Nana and "Big Nana"

Ryan, his Nana and his Great Nana - who we have affectionately nicknamed "Big Nana." He certainly entertained the residents at the nursing home this afternoon!

Playdate with Friends

Today we headed out to visit two of my college friends and play with their kids. Ryan has been feeling under the weather all week (ok, that is the biggest understatement of the year!) but I thought getting out of the house would do him some good. He had fun playing with Drew, Will, Henry, Jack and seeing baby Clara, who is only 2 weeks old! And I had a great time catching up with Lesley and Emily - well, as much as you can catch up with 6 kids underfoot!

Drew on the swing set

Hmm, can I climb this?

Up High, with help from Mommy

Don't worry, the baby was not in there...

...she was in here! Getting a push from Big Brother HenryHenry, Will and Ryan making themselves at home with Drew and Jack's cars

Visit with Melissa and Mason

After spending the weekend in Albany with Tim's family, Ryan and I traveled East to stay with my parents for a week. Today my oldest friend in the world, Melissa, came by for a visit with her 10 month old, Mason. Melissa and I met on the very first day of kindergarten and have been friends ever since. You may remember seeing Mason before on this blog, as we happened to be up here visiting last August when he was born, and met him when he was only 1 day old. We saw him again at Christmas this past December. Ryan wasn't too happy with Mason taking over his space (and his mommy's attention), but Mason enjoyed watching Ryan's antics. Sorry Melissa - hopefully Ryan isn't teaching Mason how to (not) behave!! Mommy and Mason
Ryan's embarassed look (he also makes this face when he knows he is in trouble!)

"Cheese!"

So precious!!