Tuesday, July 24, 2012

2 Years



Two years today was our wedding day. But it was much more than a day. It was an EVENT. Like, a two week long event. So much has happened since that day, and it feels like much more time has passed, but I still vividly remember details of the weeks leading up to our big day. Like the day our fam arrived from Scotland. A big group of them. 8 of them arrived singing wedding songs and dancing and laughing. I can't describe what it's like to have this group of people all in one place at one time. You really just have to experience it yourself. People in Scotland are SO different from people here. I don't laugh with others like I do with them. We had talked about this day since I was a little girl. It would be the only time that many of my family members from overseas would all be in the states at the same time. And they all came. The party started the night they arrived. It felt like summer vacation did when I was a kid. Every day was a party. Swimming, pool volleyball tournaments, bbqs, late night wine drinking. Every. Single. Day/Night. For two weeks! The day before our wedding day, we headed down to San Diego to Paradise Point Resort (our venue!). We caravaned down as a group-girls in set of cars and boys in another. We blasted Megan's wedding play list and snuck a cocktail or two in the car-for the passengers of course ; )
We arrived in SD, and the giant group of us had lunch outside overlooking Mission Bay. Gorgeous. Rehearsal dinner followed. 60 people at the rehearsal. It was like a wedding warm up. All of our best friends and fam in one place. The wedding day came, and it went flawlessly. Weather was amazing, location was amazing, friends and fam were amazing. Yes, this day was about John and I, but really, for us, it was so much more than that. We wanted it to be a day that wasn't just focused on us, but on our friends and fam as well. The friends that without whom J and I would not have met. The fam who supported our relationship (and um, financed the wedding). We wanted this day to be a celebration that our friends would enjoy as much as we did. I think we pulled that off. We shut the place down at 2 am, then headed back to our ocean front suit. The next day was capped off with a brunch with the wedding party and those who stayed at the resort. J and I, my parents, and the Scotland group stayed one more night before heading home to begin our life as Mr and Mrs Hall. I never really spent time daydreaming about my wedding, but when I did think about getting married, I pictured it going exactly like it did. I wanted a venue by the ocean. I wanted a resort of some sort so everyone could stay the weekend. I wanted all my friends and family there. And I wanted the guy up there with me to be loving, funny, handsome, and awesome. I think I nailed it.






























Tuesday, July 17, 2012

5 Months!

Is it possible that my baby is almost half a year old?! It seems like we just brought her home from the hospital, but in many ways I can't really remember what life was like without her. I even forget what it's like to eat a meal uninterrupted!

At 5 months, my precious girl

-Talks and squeals up a storm

-Has learned how to scream...not in a mad, crying way, but in a "look what I can do" way. Her favorite place to practice this new skill is in a restaurant. I think our dining out days are numbered!

-Can *almost* sit up on her own

-Can *almost* escape from her Rock n Play. I got out of the shower to find her completely turned around in it-like her head where her feet should be. This morning I caught her sitting up and dangling her arms over the side of it like she was trying to escape. Time to start using the buckle!

-Grabs EVERYTHING in sight and tries to eat it.

-Gets really frustrated by her toys. She tries to grab and eat them, and not all of them fit in her mouth, and this angers her greatly

-Loves her exersaucer, but gets angry that the toys are attached to it, and therefore cannot be eaten!

-Loves to pull clumps of fur out of her kitties. Payback for the cat scratch they gave her at 4 weeks old!

-Smiles at EVERY stranger that stops by to pay her a compliment. I have a social butterfly on my hands!

-Had her first solid food! Yay! We tested out rice cereal a couple of times. She loved it the first time, but was not too interested the 2nd time. The first time I used pumped milk to make it, and she gobbled it up. The second time I used formula since that was all I had on hand, and she wanted no part in it. This chick is picky and knows the difference btwn BM and formula. She seriously won't take a bottle unless it has breast milk! Girl knows what she likes!

-Loves water-bath, pool, water bottles (to play with, not drink)-she loves it in all forms!

-LOVES LOVES LOVES her daddy! She saves her biggest smiles for him.

-Stopped sleeping through the night! Yikes! I think she may be teething...

-Looks really close to crawling. She gets in position, and tries really hard. She can drag herself a few inches to get to whatever toy she's trying to reach. Our world is about to change when this chick gets on the move!

Here are some pics and vids of my big girl!











Summer Fun

It's summertime...although you wouldn't know it by looking at me. I'm pale like a vampire. I don't think I've spent more than 5 minutes in the sun all summer thanks to my baby girl. She has to be shaded, and since she is attached to my hip, that means no sunshine for mama.

We have had a great summer so far. My family from Scotland came to visit and spent about three weeks with my parents. We swam, bbq'd, and enjoyed their company.

For the 4th of July, we headed up to my parent's house in Lake Arrowhead to break in my dad's new "Grandpa" boat. He traded in his ski boat for a more baby-friendly pontoon boat. It's amazing! It's so big and roomy compared to his last boat, and is perfect for a little kidlet. My wakeboarding days are behind me, so this new boat is perfect for lounging and cruising the lake. The only downside to being on the lake with a baby was that she had to wear a life vest the entire time we were on the boat. Obviously safety comes first, but the little lady wasn't too thrilled about her newest accessory. We bought the smallest life vest we could find (0-30 lbs), and it was still pretty huge on her. She hated it, but literally the second the boat started moving, she'd go from crying to sleeping. Every time. Without fail. I've been joking that I need to invent a rocker/bassinet that mimics the movements of a boat on water. Parents everywhere would love me and I'd make a small fortune. The movement must have been womb like b/c the kid was instantly knocked out. Lake Arrowhead Village puts on the most incredible fire works show on the 4th. They launch the fireworks from a barge in the middle of the lake, and people can just hop on their boats and enjoy the show. We opted to dock the boat at the village for the show in case Ry didn't take too kindly to the fireworks. Also, it would give her a break from the life vest. The show was amazing-really the best fireworks I've seen, and little Ryleigh did fantastic! She was mesmerized by the fireworks, and the sound didn't seem to phase her. She even fell asleep during the finale-the absolute loudest part of the show!

Here are some pics of our summer so far. Tomorrow marks the beginning of my LAST year in my 20's. EEEEEK! I've just been informed that John is taking me shopping for the day, and Ry is going to hang with grandma, so that means it's time to pump, pump, pump!

Bass Pro Shop
 
Meeting future boyfriend Hudson

Pool Day With My Girl

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini!

Buried Alive in her Life Vest

Conked Out!



Sporting 1 of her Many 4th Outfits


Driving Papa's Boat

Taking a Break From the Life Vest

Familia

Watching the Fireworks

Can you spot the baby?


First trip to the beach

Silly Mommy forgot to pack a hat!


Sandy Feet

Story Time with Daddy


Love my silly girl

Story Time


Catching a sox game with Daddy