month 24

Ryder,

I cannot believe you are two!! This is a day I have been looking forward to since you were born. You are taking us to new places as you grow and age. Very bittersweet.

Your birthday was a blast! We had a family party at home which included an awesome tractor cake, a pinata, balloons, food, cousins and lots of gifts. You are a spoiled little thing! Daddy and I took you to the aquarium that morning and then to lunch. We spent the whole day together and it was wonderful. Your dad asked you every hour who's birthday it was and we sang happy birthday probably ten times throughout the day. You most definitely knew it was your day.

You have changed so much since your last post! It amazes me how much of a difference four months can make. You are acting so grown up for just turning two. One of the biggest changes is how much you talk. You are now talking in full sentences and repeat everything me and your dad say. You talk very clearly and you talk A LOT. It is so fun to be able to carry on conversations with you and talk about your day and the things that you enjoy. You ask me a million times a day, "Mommy, what doing? What's that? What doing? What's that?" You are very curious about everything.

 A few days before your birthday we moved you into a twin bed! We were hesitant to make the switch because you never tried to climb out of your crib, but you also seemed way too old to be in a crib. The day we took your crib down you were very concerned and kept putting your pillows and blankets back onto the frame and again kept asking over and over "What doing? What doing?" But as soon as we got your bed together you LOVED it! You have been a champ with your "big boy" bed and have only gotten out one time! You love when it's bed time and run and climb in by yourself. You like to do everything by yourself these days. You are still a great sleeper, sleeping ten to twelve hours a night and napping two to three hours a day. I have been very blessed with kids that sleep well, something I do not take for granted since I love my sleep.

You are a good boy Ryder. You are most definitely curious and love to explore and push your limits but you are learning to listen and obey and often ask before you do things. You are going through a hitting stage and are sometimes a little rough with other kids but we are continuously learning how to "be nice". You are at a stage where you are taking everything in and I can see you really trying to be good and obey. You are a tenderhearted, silly, happy, strong willed little boy. Like I said before, you keep your dad and I on our toes.

You love love love love cars! You have tons and you love them all. Right now you like to drive them onto any kind of "car hauler". You have a ferry boat and a car hauler truck that you drive cars up and down the ramps over and over and over again. You pretty much love anything with a motor. You love dumb trucks, tractors, motorcycles, and four wheelers. You have a Power Wheels four wheeler that you are great at riding! We are very impressed how well you maneuver it when you can barely push the pedal. You love to swing, play in the sand, swim and ride your bike. You love to be outside whenever you can.

 Ryder, you are such a blessing to your dad and I. You have carried us through the depths of our grief and kept us alive and happy. You are a ray of sunshine. You are my lil buddy and I love being able to watch you grow. Your peaceful happy spirit is so contagious, you have literally changed our lives. You are everything buddy. We live every day for you.

Love you lots.