Countdown To Our First Christmas

We got our first Christmas tree last week! (I know, pretty early but I was in such a hurry to get everything in the house set up for Riley's first Christmas!) Jeremy and I took Riley to an actual tree farm, where you could cut down your own tree and they had little rides and things like that for older kids to enjoy. We opted to buy a tree we didn't have to cut down, but still had just as much fun :) It was freezing cold that day so we had to make it a short experience, but nonetheless a memorable one :)

We came home and decorated it nice and pretty, and had a little practice photoshoot. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that the settings on my camera were way off, and the lighting sucked so most of the pictures didn't even come out. Oh well, hopefully we can get some good ones before the tree dies! Lol.

"Yup, this is definitely the one Mom. This is mine. I found it, and it shall be mine."

TA-DA!!

Catching Up

Okay, okay.. so it's been FOREVER since I've blogged.. literally. We've been super busy with everything that has been going on recently and with the holidays around so on and so forth blah blah I haven't had time to go through pictures, edit, post, etc. Actually, believe it or not I really haven't even had time to snap many pics. Crazy, huh? Well, basic updates are:
* we're still not crawling. (hoping that she's just one of those babies who decided to skip it)
* we haven't cut our first tooth yet, though we are very very close
* our first word was "dadda" and she babbles on and on now.. I'm pretty sure I got a quick "mama" out of her today.. we're working on it...
* she is finally standing while holding onto the couch (well, more like leaning over onto it mostly)
* we recently said bye bye to the bottle and she's only using sippy cups now for everything
* her hair is finally long enough for a ponytail! (I'll have to snap a pic later)
* New stats at her 9 month wellness checkup- 18 lbs 5 oz, 28.5 inches and her head as usual is way big lol.

Here's just a few pics of the recent months. She's getting so big! (I guess I did it kind of backwards, the older pics are at the bottom)

My little Snow White for Halloween (these were phone pics so they're pretty blurry)

Our second costume option :)

Oh The Places You'll Go....

Last weekend Jeremy and I took Riley to the LA County Fair to walk around. Now that she's upgraded to a big girl stroller she loves to be pushed around to look at all her surroundings. I wanted to take her to the petting zoo (not to touch, just look!) and other exhibits they had for kids there, but it was soo hot we had to stay inside all of the air conditioned shopping buildings the whole day. She still had fun though, she had a smile plastered on her face pretty much all day (since Jeremy bought her a little stroller air conditioner that keeps freezing cold air blowing into her stroller to cool her off) and didn't take one nap the entire day we were there! She didn't want to miss a thing! I didn't get to take too many pictures since we were inside the exhibits pretty much all day but I did manage to snap a few.

Then, a few days later we all took a trip to see Traci, Tamlyn and Torri again since they were home from the hospital and we were able to get ALL the cousins together!

Enjoy your weekend!

Everyone kept walking past our stroller pointing and smiling and I couldn't figure out why.. then I walked around to look at Riley and she had her sippy cup hanging from her mouth and wasn't even holding it. Hilarious.

So happy once she got her air conditioner :)

Cousins

These are from the second day we went to visit Traci, Troy and Torri in the hospital. We had 3 out of the 4 cousins (minus Tamlyn) and seeing how Jayden was acting towards his two baby girl cousins was too adorable! He's so gentle and nurturing!

Updates

For some reason I still can't get Riley to hold her own bottle. Well, I know why.. she's the laziest baby ever! So I started to give her sippy cups hoping that would help her grasp the idea of feeding herself somewhat. It worked in the sense that she gets she can feed herself except she hates drinking out of it because she's so used to the nipple on her bottles. She usually just chews on it and all her juice or water runs down her chin and onto her clothes. :) Oh well, back to the drawing table for ideas I guess!

She is sitting up a lot more now, but I still can't get her to fully do it on her own. I guess that will all come in time, although I have to admit that I was sure 7 month olds could do this by now!

Trying out new bangs

Please excuse my naked child.. what can I say it was hot and she LOVES to be lounging in just her diaper for some reason!

She may not know how to sit up or crawl, but this girl can text! :)

My Beautiful New Niece

My beautiful niece Torri Yoshida was born yesterday at Hoag Hospital! She was 4 weeks early, but still a solid 7 lbs 9 oz and a head full of hair. She looks just like my other niece, her big sister Tamlyn when she was born. Holding her was so crazy even though she is a pound heavier than Riley was when she was born, I seriously do NOT remember her being that small... and that was only 7 months ago! Although she was super cranky because it was past her bedtime, Riley was really interested in the baby and everytime she would cry Riley would just stare at her in confusion. So cute. She tried to grab her a few times, but Riley is going through a little "hitting" phase I like to call it.. she's just a little too rough so I couldn't let her touch the baby. Another girl in the family.. hard to believe Riley has a little cousin! Time flies!

Congratulations Traci and Troy!

TORRI YOSHIDA

September 21, 2009

7 lbs 9 oz.

"It's my baby cousin!!"

Visiting Auntie Traci

Uncle Troy

Happy Birthday Torri!