What We've Been Up To In 2011

• We started potty training NYE weekend.  Riley loved the potty chart, stickers, prizes, and potty for a few days...then reality set in.  It's been a slow process and she isn't close to being 100% trained.  She loves to wear her princess pull-ups, but still needs to work on telling us when she needs to go.  We'll keep pushing forward.  I'm bound and determined to get her out of diapers before the baby arrives!
• We've been exploring water colors. 

•  We took Riley to her first movie in the theatre.  Last Saturday night we were out shopping for some new rugs, and saw that Yogi Bear was playing at the discount theatre.  Randomly, we decided to quit shopping, grab dinner at Carlos O'Kelly's, and make it to the 7:20 showing.  Riley loved the movie and popcorn, hated the sprite, and did great.  She thinks we need to go back every night to "see that bear in the theatre."
• Riley went to her friend, Carter's, 3rd birthday party at Monkey Joe's.  She loved jumping "really, really high."  She went down two of the big slides, once without me!  Both times with a smile and yelling "do again, do again."  We had a small accident where she fell off of a blow-up chair and hit her head on a table.  The tough girl that she is didn't even cry.  She kept telling me that she was scared that the monkey was coming and that made her fall.  Really she walked off of the chair as my head was turned.  Surprisingly, the bump was barely visible by the time she went to bed that night, and pretty much gone by morning.
• We've been making preparations for Riley new big girl bed.  We decided to transition her crib into the full size bed.  It only makes sense.  We have a full size bed in our guest room, that will soon be the new nursery.  Rather than haul it down to the basement to be stored we are going to move it in to Riley's room.  This will also allow us to not have to purchase a mattress for baby's crib.  Riley has her new bedding and loves it!  Hopefully I'll get some pictures when it is all done.  She requested blue bedding, so we compromised with purple.
• We've been playing with a lot of play doh.  It's the new favorite toy these days.  It seems to keep Riley entertained for at least an hour every night, which allows me some time to read The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest - or cook dinner. :)
• Brett's been working on the basement finishing.  We are so close and I'm so excited to get it completed before the baby comes.  So far, we have all of the framing done, some dry wall up.  Next up, electrical - which should be run/installed in the next few weeks.  It will be nice to move toys down to the basement and to be able to have kids with me in the basement while I work out on maternity leave.



• We've been relaxing and remembering what it is like to have NOTHING to do!  All Christmas decorations are put away, and I've moved on to eating Valentine's candy.  Riley is still singing Frosty The Snowman nonstop.
• We helped Riley make snow angels...headless snow angels.  We dressed he up in last years snug snow pants, stretchy gloves, and boots that aren't made to be snow boots and she loved it!


• Now, I'm just waiting patiently for tomorrow morning at 8:30 for our ultrasound!!!! I'm super excited, to say the least!