A new video of Ryan

Ryan Sings from tracy roy on Vimeo.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Ryan!!!

Friday, February 8, 2008 5:15 p.m.
6 lbs 6 oz, 20 inches long


Monday, February 8, 2010
24 lbs, 33 inches long

Mommy's New Camera

For Ryan's upcoming birthday, we bought ourselves a new camera. I have been going a little nuts snapping pictures, but I am so excited about our purchase!

Days Away From 2!!

We are a few days away from Ryan's 2nd birthday. I can't help but get emotional with each passing birthday. What can I say, having a baby was emotional, and since that day I have not been the same. I am the proud mommy of a very smart almost 2 year old! Every day he amazes me with the things he says and does. He is very strong willed and opinionated, yet very loving, and sweet with an infectious laugh.

Some of Ryan's favorite things these days are his blanket, penguin, and froggy at naptime and bedtime. Cars and blocks are his favorite activities to play with Daddy. He loves being read to, but also loves to sit in his rocking chair and read all by himself. He is absolutely obsessed with Caillou, which drives me nuts, but I'm not 2 so I don't understand it. He will grab six Matchbox cars and carry them everywhere with him. He loves to eat pb and honey sandwiches for lunch, will devour peas and broccoli, and prefers rice and chicken for dinner, every night! He has a crazy thing about pants and socks. (He must get that from me.) His socks must be put on perfectly every time or he gasps like you have hurt him, his pants must be soft, comfy sweats. If I try to put pants on him that he doesn't want to wear, he cries and tells me, "Mommy, too big."

Ryan talks so much it amazes me. I find myself laughing when he says new things. Just the other day I was blocking his path when I was putting away laundry so he said, "Excuse me, Mommy," so I would move out of the way and let him pass. In the morning he usually says, "Mommy, hold you," which means he wants to be picked up. Some other funny things he has said to me lately are: "Mommy, look at me," when he wants my attention and his new answer for everything is, "I don't know." Me: "Ryan, where is Lucy?" Ryan: "I don't know, Mommy." He says this while shrugging. Sometimes I feel like he is an adult trapped in this tiny body. I have to constantly remind myself how young he really is.

When Sanjay walks through the door each evening, Ryan looks as if he has received the greatest gift ever! His face lights up and it really warms my heart, and definitely makes Sanjay's day. Ryan will not give his Daddy two seconds to do anything when he comes home. Ryan grabs his hand and says,"Daddy come, Daddy blocks, Daddy cars?" He is always so happy to play with Daddy. Sometimes Sanjay gives me "the look" like really I can't have 2 seconds to unwind, but secretly I know he loves the fact that Ryan absolutely adores him.

Ryan also loves laying in Mommy and Daddy's bed when he wakes up. He drinks his milk and MUST hold onto our blanket. Some things he will often say are, "Mommy, where are you?" when I am doing chores around the house, "Lucy, quiet!" when Lucy is barking and he love, love, loves to ask EVERY DAY, "Mommy, where Daddy go?" To which I reply, "Daddy's at work," (insert whiny voice) "Daddy!!" (followed by laughter) We have made a game out of this because he would ask 100 times a day repeatedly, "Mommy, where Daddy go?" At first I thought how sad he really misses his Daddy, so after he whines I laugh which in turn makes him laugh.

Ryan is so happy to help out around the house, whether it is picking up toys, helping with laundry or his new favorite thing; helping me put water bottles in the refrigerator.

I cannot believe how quickly this past year has gone by. I'm sure this year will bring a new set of parenting challenges, but also much joy as we watch our little guy grow. We were given the greatest gift when we had Ryan, and we feel blessed beyond words. Happy second Birthday to our big boy!! Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

Hurtful Hugs Update

We had music class yesterday and made it through without too many problems. I was all over my boy like flies on, well you get the point. Ryan ran toward baby girl twice and I intervened. He knew Mommy meant business. He did end up hugging baby boy one time, and I had to remove his hands. I figure it was less hugs than last week so we are making progress. Not to mention that since we have been repeatedly listening to the music cd at home, he was very attentive during class. He sat in my lap, wanted to dance with me, played instruments, and clapped. He got very sad when the teacher told the kids we were singing the goodbye song. I thought he was going to break down. I have never seen such a sad face complete with a lip quiver from my little guy. It nearly broke my heart. For the record, the two other moms thought it was so sad that he was upset about class being over. In a strange way, I think Ryan scored points with his pouty face. Needless to say after helping the teacher clean up and giving her hugs, he was ready to leave. I was happy to get out of there with no major incidents!

Hurtful Hugs

Ryan started a new music class. Today was his first day. For the majority of the class time he ran around, hung on a ballet bar, tried to pull the speakers down, and rarely paid any attention to the teacher. Since I am a control freak of a parent, this drove me crazy, not to mention the fact that I was completely embarrassed! The class was small, three kids total. The two other moms knew one another and their kids were the same age, just under a year old. Ryan is in a crazy hugging phase where he will hug anyone and everyone. Although it looks sweet at first, his hug turns into a crazy WWF takedown. The little girl was his first victim. She was sitting so sweetly. Ryan bent over to hug her... cute until he knocked her over backward down to the hard floor of the dance studio. Never fear because I was near! I saw this happening before it actually took place. I was able to rush over and place my hand beneath the little girl's head saving her from what would have been a hard hit. Then I just felt horrible, apologized profusely to the other mom, made Ryan apologize and told him to be very gentle with the baby. Finally class was over, not a moment too soon. But Ryan was not done! The other child in class was a little boy who had watched Ryan act up during class. He was trying to hang from the same ballet bar that Ryan was hanging from. Ryan saw this as his grand opportunity for a hug. He hugs the little boy, and I rush over in case it takes a bad turn, which it did. I was trying to pull Ryan off the little boy, which made him hold on tighter. Then my little wrestler wraps his legs around the waist of this poor little boy who is still holding onto the ballet bar! I don't know how he let go, but finally he did, or maybe I am blocking it out of my memory. I, then, apologized to that mom and had Ryan apologize to the boy. The poor boy looked like he did not know what just happened, but he was not happy. As I was gathering my belongings to leave, exhausted and thoroughly embarrassed, I overheard the two other moms talk about getting lunch together. Any guesses as to what their lunch conversation was about? To top it off, they asked the teacher if the class met at any other times. Ryan did not make a good first impression, guess those moms won't be asking us to lunch any time soon!

Mama, Mommy, Mom

I was so happy when Ryan started calling me mommy. I don't know why it means so much to me, probably because sometimes it feels surreal that I am somebody's mommy. When Ryan first started to call me anything it was mama. Shortly after I became mommy. It is always so sweet to hear him call for me, "Mommy!" Now he is very close to two years old and exhibiting 2 year old behavior. A few weeks ago I was at a mommy and me workout class, and Ryan was in the stroller waiting for me to finish stretching and let him out. He was getting impatient, which I understood. He started calling me, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy." I kept telling him hold on I'm almost done. Then my very sweet almost two year old yells, "Mommy, MOM, MOM, MOM!" I looked at him and said in my very serious mommy voice," I am mommy, call me mommy, I am not mom!" I mean seriously! I know one day I will be mom, and I accept that, but since he is still one I would like him to stay young and sweet and still call me mommy. I don't think this is too much to ask for. Apparently I made a huge deal out of him not calling me mom that one time, which he thinks is funny. Now if I don't answer him right away when he calls me mommy, then he yells MOM as loud as he can! Oh boy, the next year is going to be so much fun!