Wow! What a month it's been. It's been so full, lively, energetic, and fun that I'm soooo ready for a nap. However I have a little over a week until Ry's FIRST birthday, so I must pull through and nap in September. Where do I begin? I'll start with a little shout out to my hubby because I didn't mention in my last post that we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary this year. Year three=leather which means I officially ditched my giant diaper bag and got a new small leather cross body and my dear got a new leather computer bag. We fancy.
Okay, so G's birthday was week two of this month. And what did I get him? I crossed a "to do" off our bucket list and we went... (drumroll please) SKYDIVING!! We had a blast!! It's funny because the first thing people ask me is, "Were you scared?" The answer is: no. I really wasn't scared. I didn't think I was going to die nor even get hurt. Things like that don't scare me anymore. What scares me the most these days is losing Ryan. Comparatively, sky diving was a piece of cake. It was fun and exhilarating. I know G had an amazing time and I would do it again if we had the opportunity.
After birthday festivities, I packed and prepared to leave for Orlando later that week. My mom came down to help out with Ry while G was at work, and I drove myself down that Wednesday-Sunday for the Zumba Convention! It was 4 days of nonstop Zumba and dancing. It was a single community of instructors from all over the world with one passion. It was inspiring. It was motivating. It was beyond words can describe. To me, it was a bigger rush than skydiving and I can't imagine not going back every year. It was incredible. The hardest part is trying to remember anything I learned. I wish I had a class to apply new choreo, but once we get to Colorado, I should be back in the grind of teaching.
Two days after I got home from ZinCon, I drove back with my mom and Ryan to go home for my cousin's Bat Mitzvah. We stopped in Tennessee for the night at stayed at Opryland resort after touring the Grand Old Opry. That resort was fantastic! It was huge and even had waterfalls inside which generated the ecosystem growing inside the hotel. There were trees indoors which grew a multitude of fruits and the entire atmosphere was quant yet extravagant at the same time. Then we left the following day to head for Chicago.
Ry did really well considering his life was scrambled up for over a week. We drove during his nap hours and then I'd sit in back and feed/play with him in between. Our life saver was a CD of three single songs: Uptown Funk, Part of Your World (Little Mermaid) and Let It Go (Frozen). These three songs are miracle workers. Ry will stop mid-cry and listen to these songs. My mom and I may have heard these songs over a hundred times, but it was so worth it. And somehow, I'm not even sick of these songs yet, which is a double win. Another thing I discovered he loves: Clifford the Big Red Dog books. Those came on my trip as well.
Anyway, we made it home and got to spend a little time with my two nephews who had a blast seeing their cousin and then came the family parties. I got to see cousins I hadn't seen in years and I didn't even realize how few people on my mom's side had actually met Ryan. I guess we'd only been home a couple times, so it makes sense, but I keep forgetting we are so remote from everyone. But the weekend was awesome. All the kids played so sweetly together and they mostly wanted to include Ryan. I was like he was one of the kids and not just a little baby. He was social (except for the fact that he missed out on some naps and nighttime and got a little cranky at times) and bonded with the kiddos. It was so amazing to see him be included with family members. I sometimes feel so forgotten because we spent so much time in the remoteness of Alaska, but being back with everyone felt so good.
These last two weeks, being away from home and then visiting family was exactly what Ry and I needed. He had been super clingy to me during those predecessing weeks-he wouldn't even let Daddy hold him some days. But giving us space and bonding time with Grandma then going on a trip with the three of us then having a ton of new family to meet allowed us to bond in a new way-one where he wasn't just attached to my hip. We danced together at the reception, we played with cousins, we even got to go for a walk at the end of the week in a wagon just the two of us and played at the park and he loved it. Not gonna lie, "cold" weather made a huge difference! Georgia is so hot that 79 degrees and windy was freezing. We forgot to pack any clothes for something other than humid and sweltering. Luckily we had some long sleeves to borrow. But the fact that at the end of the day, we could just be OUTSIDE without wanting to melt in a ball made it a lot more fun. I'm so excited for fall weather! It's already cooling down into the humid 80s out here this week, so that's good.. I guess.
This month has really shown how much Ry has matured. He started walking yesterday!!! Oy! I have my mom to thank for that. She started walking him around holding just one of his hands instead of two and that helped with his balance. Other than that, he's just so much smarter. He's now coordinating his toys by putting rings back on the holder, cars into the "car wash" to make noise, cooking food on his toy grill and closing the lid, cups in the bigger cups, etc. He's understanding more words and if I tell him to give me something, he gives it to me. He's got such a personality and he's so silly. On the plane ride home, I was feeding him crackers and had the next pieces in my fist. When he was ready, he'd take the piece from my palm and eat it. After a while, he kept putting the food back in my hand and then taking it back again and laughing. He'd do that with each piece giggling away until finally I closed my hand and put it back. So then, he'd grab my fist, turn it over, and open it and put his food back in there and giggle again. So grown! I can't trick him anymore.
Speaking of... he did really well on the plane rides! I came equipped with lots of snacks, Clifford books, toys, songs, and of course, nipples. The first flight I nursed him at take off and he slept the whole time, but the second time didn't work so we played for our 40 min flight into Augusta. I am so thankful for such a good little boy. I think we both understand each other enough to get through stressful situations.
Now I'm finally home and prepping for his first birthday party in a week and a half!! I'm getting so excited. I'm doing a lot of DIY things so we'll see house this ends up. I'll be sure to post pics on my next post!!! Time to enjoy the rest of Ry's nap--I think I'm coming down with a cold so maybe I'll get a little nap in there too. xoxoxo (Not edited for typos.)
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