Dear Blonde Girl

Just a little over four years ago my family was on their annual summer vacation up in Cape Cod, Masscahusetts (we all lived in Florida at the time). We went to a Chatham A's baseball game like we did every summer. My parents were enjoying the game, my sisters were off playing and trying to get their baseballs signed by the players, and my friend and I were of course checking out the new players on the team this summer. It was perfect... like always! After being at the game for a little while my sisters came running up with what appears to be part of a torn off Cheez-It box. They handed it to me and it read:

Dear Blonde Girl-

What's your age and status?

They pointed over to the bull-pen and said those guys had sent it over. I never in a million years would have guessed this letter came from a future groomsman in my wedding. We passed the note back and forth a little throughout the game. When the game ended my friend wrote her number on a baseball, got the guys atention, threw the ball to him, and said "Call Me!"

The guy who originally sent the note sent it over for Derrik because Derrik was warming up to go into the game. We all spent the summer hanging out having the time of our lives! The end had to come though and we headed back home to Florida. I was SO sure that this summer romance would surely pass in time, and i'd go on with my life. We still talked and talked and talked into the wee hours of the morning. It just didn't make since though! I was living in Florida, and he was going to school in Washington D.C. After this went on for a little while I convinced my roommate that I was buying her a ticket for her birthday and we were going to D.C. to have a fun weekend. I was too chicken to go up there by myself! After that I continued to take weekend trips up to visit Derrik. He was drafted that spring by the Cincinnati Reds, and I followed him for the summer where was was playing up in Dayton, Ohio. He moved in with me that off season, and we were engaged shortly before spring training the following year.

Now we have been happily married for two years and have the most precious 13 month old son we could ever ask for! I sometimes wonder how we went from being two people having fun on summer vacation to this... it's crazy how it all worked out, but I wouldn't change a thing!

Derrik:

Thank you for four wonderful years together and two amazing years as your wife. Thank you for being such an amazing father to our son. Our life might get crazy at times, but it's our life! As long as your by my side I know we'll make it through anything :)

I Love You!

Some Pictures

(unfortunately digital pictures weren't "the thing" when we first started dating. I have lots of them but they are on the old computer and in photo albums. Unfortunately we don't travel with all this stuff, but I did manage to find a few. AND I have no clue why some of these are so little!)

Our First Thanksgiving

2005

When we were just a family of three

Dorm Room at G.W. - Winter 2006

Spring 2006

Washington D.C. under the Cheery Blossom Trees

White Water Rafting

Pa. Summer 2006

Dayton Dragons

End of Summer 2006

Sarasota Reds

Playoffs 2007

Engagment Pictures - Wedding Rehearsal Night

Chatham A's Field

On the bull-pen bench where they sent the Cheez-It note :)

September 29, 2007

Best wedding photo I have... I need to upload my wedding photos onto this computer!

Winter 2007

First suspected I was pregnant, but couldn't get a pregnancy test because we were skiing in the middle of no where!!!

August 2008

August 2009

A Little Something to Make You Smile :)

Yesterday we finally got Ryder's one year old pictures done... yeah he was 13 months and 1 day, but he still looks the same and we moved so the twelve month ones just didn't happen! I so wish we had a home to order some of these prints and hang them on the walls, but they will be stored on my computer for the day that opportunity arises. You can bet when it does happen the walls will be covered in pictures of my little man :)

Ryder was SO well behaved for these pictures! I only brought this one outfit and his halloween costume because I really figured we would be lucky to get good pictures of even the one outfit! We probably could have taken pictures for hours he was loving it so much! The Halloween pictures are in hiding until... well... Halloween! Duh! They are SO precious though! So be excited!!

Note to Grandparents, Great Grandparents, and Great-Great Grandma:

This last picture has already been printed off and will be in the mail to you this week! YES... I got pictures printed off and you can have a real photo copy and not just pictures on the internet! I hope you all are very proud of me :)

My Hard Working Man

Ryder usually does a pretty good job of stealing all the attention on this blog so this one is completely dedicated to my wonderful husband! Since before we even got to Arizona he has made such a great effort to find some extra work to bring in a little extra income to our household. He always works in the offseason, but I just assumed with him having to do his rehab that it just wouldn't happen this year. After countless hours on the computer, phone calls, meetings, and more phone calls it seems to all really be coming together. Derrik seems to have been able to put together three part time jobs during our nine month stay here. This is on top of his rehab which he does Monday-Friday from around 8am until about 2pm.

Job #1: Starts today... Derrik found a place that does kids basketball from about 9am-9pm on Saturdays. They said they could get him games every Saturday when he was interested. Today is his sort of "trial day" to see what hes got. He is doing the 9, 10, and 11 o'clock game. Hopefully he will do a great job and be able to do this on Saturdays! This job and the second one are what allows him to wear that nice outfit from the picture up above! LOL

Job #2: November-February... This is for high school basketball. Derrik has to get AIA (I think that is the letters) certified to be able to do these games. It is a small fee and he has to pass a test. I think this job is Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at the JV level. If he can do a really good job then he will be able to do Varsity games too!

Job #3: Starts October 24th... We are most excited for this job because of the opportunity it could bring our way. Through Derrik's many e-mails a couple months back he somehow stumbled upon a guy who owns a non-profit organization called Athletes for Awareness. The founder is a stage IV cancer survivor and wants to bring awareness of health and disease to kids through sports. He is big into basketball but has been looking for a good candidate to branch out to other sports. He is using Derrik as his baseball spokes person, and we are so excited! He will be hosting a baseball clinic on October 24th and through that should get some good baseball lessons! The legistics of how he gets paid and what is non-profit and what isn't is very confusing, but it should be a great opportunity for Derrik!

You can check out the website at AthletesforAwareness.org

We miss Derrik a lot while he is gone during the day, but are use to him being gone when he is on the road for baseball. We are excited we at least get him at home for dinner at night, and he's never too far from home!

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Sean Henry!

Tomorrow, September 26th, some really great friends of ours are getting married! Sean got traded to the Reds I believe two years ago and has played on the same team as Derrik for two years. Through that I got to meet his amazing wife-to-be Lindsay. She is such a sweet girl, and I always looked forward to her weekend trips to visit Sean. I'm pretty sure we could sit in the stands and talk for hours.. actually we do! She is absolutely amazing with Ryder... even changed a blow out diaper for me this season so I could watch Derrik pitch! If that isn't true friendship right there then I don't know what is!

Lindsay and Sean-

We hope you guys have an amazing day tomorrow! We wish so badly that we could be there, but know you guys understand this crazy baseball world holds you back sometimes. Enjoy every second of it and be sure to get some pictures up ASAP! Lindsay we know you will be such a beautiful bride :)

Love Always,

Derrik, Danielle, and Ryder

P.S. Be sure to check out their blog... Link on the side of my page under the friends section... No longer "The Henry-Crider's"... just "The Henry's"

13 Months Old

At what point do I stop doing monthly updates? It is something i've done on the 25th for the past twelve months, and I feel a weird obligation to do it this month. Should it stop when they turn one? I pretty much update every little thing my little man does on here anyhow, but on the 25th of every month it really made me sit down and document all the little changes that have happened in the last thirty days. Every month I say it's been a big month, but this month our baby has really turned into a little boy... almost a toddler of sorts. I feel as though he looks the same (with the exception of that super cool haircut he got!), but he has changed so much as a person. Ryder seems to know things now. He has offically started calling me Mom instead of Mama (i'm trying to shoot for Mommy). Derrik is still Dada, but Ryder refers to him as dada now and doesn't just use it as random babble. He really can't wait to be Daddy to him, and we are working on this also. Ryder talks up a storm in his baby language with everything he does.

As I mentioned in an earlier post Ryder has found his nose. All we have to say is "Ryder where is your nose?" and he points right to it! I am beginning to think we should have chose a different thing to teach him because he seems to have realized that his nose has two holes in it. No nose picking yet, but it might not be far off YUCK! We are starting to really push the "Ryder where is your belly?" but it still needs work. He also can find his Dog and his Cats. Another word that Ryder has really learned this past month is NO! Ugh that faces he makes when we tell him this! I have tried to get it on video, but he doesn't seem to take me seriously when I have my phone in his face. I can't even explain it, but honestly we might have a little actor on our hands with the fake sad faces and fake tears. It's pretty comical!

We are working on him signaling things to us and telling him words instead of screaming. For instance he use to scream at me to get out of his high chair (I am usually working while he eats his breakfast and lunch so I get distrated at times), now instead of screaming at me and crying he says Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom until I look and says a babble version of "all done" and puts his arms up in the air so I can take his tray away. While he is eating he knows when I ask him if he wants his juice or water and gets SO excited! Speaking of which... he has really mastered the sippy cup this month. We had used it in the past but more as a toy then an actual cup. He can now suck his drink of choice like a champ out of those things now!

We have also introduced the fork into Ryder's meal time. He is really good at getting the food onto the fork and into his mouth. We got some little kid ones and they seemed to do the trick for his short little arms. For the most part Ryder eats our meals with us and eats most of what we are eating. We still are having no luck with the veggies in solid form, but he is getting his nutrients from them in his yogurts (yes veggie yogurt..yuck, but he loves them) and those squirt packaged baby food things.

So I think the bottle may be gone for good! We made the switch over from formula to whole milk after we got the go-ahead from the doctor, and it's gone great! We are doing water at meal times, juice if need be while we are out and about, and milk with his snack before his nap and right before bed all out of a sippy cup. He has been going down for bed and his naps with no problem. We have also been leaving his pacifier in his crib. When he wakes up I ask him for his "paci" and he puts it in my hand. We then throw it down into the crib and don't see it until we get back in there. The great thing is he gets SOOO excited to see it when he goes to bed that he falls right asleep! I know the pacifier needs to go also, but we need to do this in steps. So for now Ryder and I will pat ourselves on the back for riding ourselves of those bottles and that expensive formula!

Ryder has been working so hard on his standing and walking. He is still only standing when he is in unfamiliar territory or in the bathtub. So odd that he keeps opting to stand in the bathtub... It is almost like he knows I won't post videos from the bathtub anymore on the blog and he knows he can keep this whole standing thing in hiding if he only does it there! As far as walking, he is now walking really good with the help of one fingers. I don't even hold him.. he just holds my finger. I think we still have a long way to go, but hopefully soon :)I'll be sure to let you know!!!

Have I mentioned our little boy loves to dance? Gosh any music anywhere and he just breaks it down! It is so funny!

With all of this learning stuff comes the praise we give him to go along with it! We are constantly clapping and telling Ryder "good job". He loves it and as long as he has both our attention and we are praising him he's a happy baby!

I am sure I will publish this post and think of a thousand other things Ryder is up to these days. He is just growing up so fast! We are loving that he is becoming an active part of our family and involved in what we do. It makes things so much more fun when you can see them through the eye of your own child! We love you little man!!!

Pictures have been few and far between lately. Ryder is too active and not into smiling for the camera! The lighting in our new place is awful! And well... I just haven't been on the ball with it all lately! I did get a couple on Derrik's phone yesterday when we stopped by to check out the local horse track that opens back up next week. My husband is obsessed with this stuff... and tries to convince Ryder to be!

Checking out some of the horses

Kreativ Blogger Award

Sarah over at BabyGardella.blogspot.com has nominated me for my first blog award! Her blog is about her journey into the world of being a mom and is always featuring pictures of her cute little boy Caleb. Be sure to head on over to her page and check it out. Along with the award comes some rules....

1-Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

2-Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3-Link to the person who nominated you for this award.

4-Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know.

5-Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.

6-Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.

7-Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they've been nominated

7 Things you May Not Know About Me

1. I am a holiday fanatic!!! I can't wait for it to cool off here and it's taking everything I have not to buy stuff to decorate for halloween until it is actually October! I am absolutely crushed that I will be without all of my decorations for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, but am going to try my hardest to get some good buys to still decorate with :)

2. Derrik and I are both blessed to be one of four children on either side. We are both the oldest with brothers a few years younger. I have two sisters that are 9 and 11, and Derrik has two brothers that I believe are 3 and 5-6? We absolutely loveee having little siblings, but do not plan to be crazy like our mother's and follow in their footsteps!

3. I raced BMX for about 10 years growing up and travled all over the country! I have the grestest friends and childhood memories from these days and sometimes wish I could go back to it all.. for even just a little while!

4. I am still in denial we don't live in Florida and try to resort back to my hairdresser from there at any chance I can get! Sometimes I really want to look up a cheap ticket and just go to her! Short blonde hair is not the easier to maintain. Her fiance will be newly stationed with the Army two hours from where Derrik should be playing baseball next year, and I will so be making the drive if she moves there!!!

5. I LOVEEE watching Grey's Anatomy! Another baseball wife got me hook, and I got Derrik hooked once he started his rehab. We are currently about 1/4 into last season and i'd like to force him to sit down and watch the rest today so we can watch the season premiere tonight (since i've already seem them all)! Doesn't look like it's going to happen so it will be DVRed until I can force the rest of the episodes down his throat!

6. I work from home for a my parents credit card company that they have had for years, and also spend lots of time working for a new funding company my dad and I started up a few months back. It is nice to have a steady job that I can move around with. It is stressful at times, but I really appreciate being able to still work and also be with my hubby and little guy!

Ok... that came out wrong... I appreciate being able to work to bring in some income to our family, but i'd rather be shopping! I didn't want anyone to think I'm one of those girls who likes working!!! HAHA i'd rather just be wife and mommy :) BUT until that day comes (I hope it does) I enjoy being able to do what I do!

7. This life of moving around all the time sometimes gets to me more then I let off in my blog. It seems we are always looking forward to the next step or next place, but we are trying to learn to embrace where we are at the time because you live life once so you've got to enjoy it!

WOW! 7 things you might not know about me was super hard! I am way to open on this blog to be hiding seven secrets :) I hope you learned something about me though!

7 Blog Mommy's I Nominate for a Kreativ Blogger Award

1. Megan over @ MeganStevensandFamily.blogspot.com

2. Nicole over @ TheSmithsCCFL.blogspot.com

3. Heather over @ TheDenoves.blogspot.com

4. Abby over @ BabblingAbby.blogspot.com

5. Suz over @ MiracleBabyKincer.blogspot.com

6. Melissa over @ MelissaandLuke.blogspot.com

7. Brit over @ DaveandBritPlusOne.blogspot.com/

Ryder's 1 Year Old Check Up

Yesterday we finally made it to Ryder's twelve month check-up. It was a little more like his thirteen month check-up, but cut me some slack... we did move the day after his birthday! By the time we got out here, I looked up a pediatrician, and we had to wait for his appointment date to approach... well it had been a month! I always dread trips to the doctors because it seems every time Ryder is due for a check-up we are living in a different state. I never know if i'm getting the mean doctor who will make me feel like the most awful person in the world or a sweet doctor who will praise me for what I do with my son. It's a very stressful day for us all usually, and luckily yesterday went great! Derrik made it home in time from his rehab to go with us and we got to ask all sorts of questions to the doctor. I knew he was ready for milk, but was just waiting for the go ahead from the doc. We gave Ryder his first sippy cup of whole milk tonight before bed while we read his book. First night without the bottle or formula.. and he went right to sleep after! We are officially down to one bottle a day which comes int he middle of the night... we plan on being strong and not giving him this one either. We discussed lots of food habits. I think we were on the same page as the doctor and are doing a pretty good job. He just stressed to push the fruits and veggies, and he said anything else of top of that is just extra. He did tell me to try to start pushing more water instead of juice. Ryder will pretty much drink anything so we're going to start doing just water at home, and juice when we have to if we are out and about.

After our long talk with the doctor, the mean nurse came in to give those awful shots! Ryder got four yesterday and then was sent up to the third floor to get blood drawn!!! Poor guy! He cried only during the actual shots and during the actual blood being drawn, but calmed right down after both. We had no fever from the shots and his thighs appear to be fine. They said one can make his leg really sore. He has a little bruise on his one leg and on his arm from where they took the blood. We were sure to give him lots of extra loving yesterday afternoon!

All Done... Notice his arm bandage from his blood being drawn :(

Sporting his "I had a blood test" sticker
Four shots and blood drawn... One Tough Boy!

!!!UPDATE FROM ORIGINAL POST!!!!

I almost forgot the stats! Ryder was 31.75" tall (90th percentile), 24.1 pounds (50th percentile), and his head circumference was 19" (90th percentile). The doctor actually said he wouldn't mind seeing Ryder gain a little weight! He wasn't concerned about it by any means, but said because he is so tall he could use to put some weight on! So we'll be offering Ryder all the food he wants... too bad his Mommy isn't be told the same thing!

New Mailing Address

As most of you know our address is constantly changing. We always use the most current field Derrik is at simply because if we move again they can forward any mail on for us that happens to arrive. The most current address is:

Cincinnati Reds

Attn: Derrik Lutz

3125 S. Wood Blvd.

Goodyear, AZ 85338

Everyone PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE update that address in your address books. We will be using that address until around May when Derrik goes on to play with a team when he is cleared from rehab. That marks the longest well be at one address since we've been married! Nice huh? Anyhow... please update your address books because it is about that time of years.. and I simply LOVEEE receiving Christmas cards in the mail! Don't leave us out just because we move too much :) Thanks!

RIP Jake

I had been praying for the past week or so that I wouldn't have to write this post. That somehow Jake would rally and turn back into the pup that we all still thought he was. Jake is my childhood dog that we have had for fourteen years. He never had any issues and out of no where last week started just not eating. My mom called and told me, but I always thought once this "old age" thing set in that it lasted for a while. It at least seemed that way with all my friends childhood dogs. She went and got him some really good wet food (her dogs only eat dry food) this week and she said he chowed it down. I figured it was the cure to put some hop back in his step!

Early this morning she said she heard him making some noises from his dog bed next to her bed. She said she got up to take him down stairs to go to the bathroom and he fell at the bottom of the stairs. She called for my dad and they sat on the front porch where he passed away in my dads arms. I'm so glad it happened that way and we didn't have to take him to the vet.

We love you Jake!!! RIP up there in heaven and know that we will miss you very very much!

Someone is Sick... and This Momma Is Sad :(

My computer is very very sick! It has been acting funky for a little while now, but wasn't anything too important. A few days ago I realized my sound stopped working... appears to have erased itself from my computer. Now today all my Microsoft Office programs stopped working and I can't open any attachments from my e-mails. I am SO stressed as I have a serious addiction to my computer. I am a work-at-home mom, who also has a serious love for blogging and facebook! My computer is attached to my hands almost as much as my baby is attached to my hip. I am ashamed to have to admit the withdrawl I will go through without my laptop, but it is true! Luckily my husband bought me an external harddrive for mother's day so all my pictures and work are officially backed up as of this morning, but I am going to have to ship my computer to Florida where our office is so our computer guy can work on it. It should be a two-three day process... fingers-crossed! I am hoping that I can get most of my work done on the hubby's laptop, but it's just not the same. I don't know where everything is at and it doesn't have my stuff... it's like living in another house (which one would think I was use to!), but I still don't like it! PLUS... I am going to have to fight him for the laptop at night (which I won't win)! So that means no blog stalking at night... no facebooking... UGH I might have to actually read a book! I would watch t.v., but he has control of that too at night! I guess the third Twilight book, New Moon, will be finally dusted off my nightstand! Kind of excited... kind of :(

He's Standing!

I am such an excited Momma! I had really given up trying to even help Ryder with any of this standing/walking stuff because he just threw a fit when I would try to help him. He is very independent at times... funny how I say that yet he is SO clingy to me these days! Lets just say he is independent when it comes to helping him do stuff. Tonight we were at Peter Piper Pizza (like Chucky Cheese) and Ryder was so amazed by all of the stuff going on... voila... he stands! Quite a few times... one time he stood long enough that I squated down to talk to him... he took one woobly step towards me... stopped... and then took another and grabbed onto me! UGH SOOO PROUD! I looked like an idiot in the middle of all these crazy kids in an arcade on a Friday night trying to video tape my little man, but I didn't care! This is the only video we got because of all the little rugrats running around the place, but i'm sure there will be much more to come.

This has been such a big week of firsts!!! I know most of them involve poop, but still they are all important to me. Another first we did tonight was no bottle to put himself to sleep. I gave Ryder his bottle while we were reading his book instead. We finished the book, he drank for a few more seconds, told me "dun", gave Daddy a kiss, and went to bed. Not a peep! Not any sort of fight... it can't be this easy! I plan on getting rid of the bottle before nap time tomorrow because the past two days he has immediately stood up and thrown it out of the crib the second I walk away. I don't go back in and he falls asleep within a few minutes. I'll save him the time of having to get up and throw it out of the crib haha!

Ryder is also constantly telling us "oh!"... it stand for "uh oh!" and is so darn cute when he does it. He makes the cutest little circle, rounded lips and has this look in his eyes like "what did ya think of that?". He does it mainly when he drops and throws stuff or knocks over a tower of blocks. We got lots of oh's at bathtime. Every time he throws a toy out of the tub (new rule: when they are out... they stay out!) he says "oh!" and he loves to stand up and fall down against the wall and say "oh!". It is absolutely adorable! I have very cute video of it and an extremely hilarious video of him dancing in the tub last night, but I have issues with putting the little weiner on the internet the older he gets. I did it a little before, but just feel it is kind of wrong. If you are family and would like to enjoy these videos just shoot me your e-mail and i'll gladly send them!

I think I could ramble on about this little man forever tonight... he really won me over with that standing stuff tonight! BUT... i'm done for now :)

These super cool big boy jammies are from Ryder's buddy Dakota who also recently just started standing! We miss you Dakota... thanks for the cool jammies though :)

A Crib Explosion

This morning Derrik had to get up earlier then he has been (starts back to rehab on Monday woohoo!) to go meet up with someone for breakfast about a potential job opportunity. I told him to come into Ryder's room with me to get him up for the morning because he is always so cute and so excited to know he has finally gotten me out of bed and into his room. It is hard work for the little man since he is so good at playing in there and this momma hates getting up! We walk in and both sit on the bed to talk to him as he is dancing in his crib for us. I see what appears to be a cut on his forehead and say "Oh No Ryder! Did you cut your head?". It was still kind of dark in there with the shades drawn so I got up to examine closer... look down... and see it! Poop everywhere! Yes it was poop on his forehead!!! UGH YUCK! Derrik immediately says, "I gotta go shower or i'm gonna be late!" and ran out of the room like coward. I was stuck cleaning up the mess and actually didn't even gag once. How do I get the first poop in the tub and first crib poop all in one week? Lucky Momma right here!!!

And there has been a request from back home for a picture of Ryder in his tie-dye shirt we had made when I went to Cape Cod to pick him up a couple weeks ago. This is the best one out of like ten attempts on my phone... take it or leave it... this boy does not pose for pictures anymore!

The New Place

Yesterday while we were out driving... we do a lot of this these days in the afternoons for the whole famillies sanity until Derrik goes back to rehab... We decided to drive by where the Reds new spring training/rehab facilities are. Usually it just looks like a ghost town out there, but yesteday there were quite a few cars and stuff. We ran into a few staff that Derrik knew and got an amazing tour of the whole place! All the way down to the owner of the Reds office! Not too shabby huh?! This whole rehab thing kind of has some perks :)

The inside was amazing. I couldn't compare to the old one because I've only been through the front door once, but Derrik seemed to be VERY impressed! There are two minor league locker rooms and a HUGE major league locker room! The workout room and training room I think he was most impressed with. They even had hot and cold whirlpools... two of each! They had a swim in place swimming pool! There cafeteria was basically like a full restaurant. Flat screen tvs for days... literally boxes lining the halls of 60" tvs! A lot of the offices had their own showers... it was just craziness. The view from the deck up on the second level was so amazing! You could over look all of the fields. They had huge grills, super nice patio furniture... looks like a place to have a party instead of play baseball! And MOST importantly wives/fiances/girlfriends of the Reds.. they are waiting on the covered tents to go over the bleachers to the fields! Can I get an Amen!!!

P.S. - We started on Monday asking Ryder where his nose was and showing him. He officially knows where his nose is four days later! So proud :)

Oh So Many Titles....

It is crazy to me how days go by where I have nothing to take pictures of, nothing to blog about, and just nothing to say. Then times come where I constantly feel like I need to be documenting my little man's every move and feel like I could post three blogs a day. Well I'm tired of posting three blogs a day so I'll just sub-title inside of one blog :) First off though I leave you with a picture of both my boys with their new haircuts and spiky hair. Gosh they know how to make their Mommy/Wife happy!

I love you boys!

Sub-Title #1: Christmas for $5.99?!

Today we went on a hunt for a cheap second car seat. We want a car seat for Derrik's car so we can drive it every once in a while to try to watch our miles on the SUV. We have to use our leased SUV while we drive our long journeys between our many moves while our car that we own sits on a trailer being towed. So needless to say we'd love to drive around our car and let our SUV rest a little, but we are always too lazy to switch the car seat over. Anyhow... we went to a couples stores, Good Will and one like Good Will (not sure of the name), to try to find one. No such luck on the car seat, but we did find a truck that made Ryder go VROOM VROOM! It was love at first site for him! When we tried to put it back on the shelf, but he FREAKED out!!! It was only $5.99 so we decided to make the purchase. I told Derrik I wanted to disinfect it before he was allowed to play with it. When we walked through the door I put Ryder down and ran for the Clorox wipes. Ryder literally laid on the floor flailing himself around screaming while Derrik and I scrubbed this thing as quick as we could! Once we gave it to him it was incredible! He LOVESSS this thing! It is like Christmas or something to him! It's amazing to me how we look at all these expensive toys at the toy store and he could care less. His $5.99 truck from the thrift store works just fine!

"Hey blog world, what do you think of my new truck?!"

"Dad thinks it SOOO cool!"
"I am not sure whether to walk or crawl with this thing?!"

"Gosh it's just SOOO cool!"

Sub-Title #2: Spaghetti Dinner

Tonight was the first time I let Ryder feed himself spaghetti. He feeds himself lots, but we usually try to keep it to cleaner foods. We had lots of time to blow before bath/bedtime so we figured we'd let him have a little fun! He loved it and got great practice with his fork! He has been using his fork quite often now, and i'm so proud of him using it for it's real purpose. He has a hard time getting it on the fork, but lets me help. He then feeds it to himself very well.

Doing a great job with the fork

Concentrating SOOO hard to get the food on the fork

"Noodle where did you go?"

Sub-Title #3: A Poopy Mess!

It happened!!! We made it twelve and a half months before our first poop in the tub. It all came to an end tonight, but not after another HUGE first! Ryder was in the tub tonight and out of no where starts standing!!! He has only stood to this point when I would balance him, and it would only last maybe two seconds. Tonight he's just standing there... maybe lasted like ten seconds and then he sat down. He actually sat... didn't fall. I freaked out telling Derrik and figured it was a fluke... until he did it again! At this point of course I got Derrik in there and had the video on my phone ready to go as soon as he started doing it. Well... it didn't happen again :( I'm sure it will... when I don't have my camera again. While I had my phone ready to roll Ryder decided to take his first poop in the tub. Thanks for giving me something to record bud. I went back and forth on whether to put that video up and figured I probably have scared him enough with the stuff I put on here, and we'll save that video for our personal files. I did get a cute video of him being goofy before the big poop.

Enjoy :)

Twelve Weeks

Derrik is exactly twelve weeks post surgery, and I think he is more excited about what he is allowed to do as off today then he is to be able to pitch again sometime in May. Today is the day he is officially allowed to golf again! There is a really nice two story driving range right down the road from the condo and it's been calling Derrik's name since we've been here. Well so are all of the really nice golf courses around here, but I think he is trying to work his way back into it like a good boy :) We actually had a really good time there this afternoon. The sun was setting so the heat was sort of gone, and it was nice to be out of the house!

He's Back!!!

"When can I do that Dad?"

Derrik's other love

My boys

The gorgeous view at the driving range

I'm pretty sure Ryder loved the putting area WAYYY more then Derrik!

"I'll get it for you Dad"

Crazy crazy boy!

All done... time to head home

"Are my knees dirty?"

A Boy and His Ball

One of Ryder's favorite things to do with us is throw his basketball and play catch (thanks for the basketball Lisa and Chris). We have spent countless afternoons throwing the ball back and forth with him. This afternoon he was being silly so I got the camera out (since i've been pretty awful since we've be here) and got some cute pictures.

I've never seen him look more like Derrik then I do in this picture!

This is one of Ryder's silly new faces we get all the time.

He makes it when he's done something he's not thrilled about... pretty silly boy!

This is why there is nothing on these shelves in his room

"Ugh Oh! The basketball went under my bed! Can I reach it?!"

"What do I do Mom?"

"Ok yeah I think I can get it"

"Yup got it!!!"

"Found some blocks while I was under here too!"

"Listen here basketball... stay out from underneath there please!"