A spring walk in January

Andrew, Ryder, and I have taken advantage of the unseasonably warm weather this past week by going for walks around our neighborhood every afternoon. Ryder absolutely loves being outside, and he now insists that he walk up and down the steps by himself--holding one of our hands, of course-- instead of being carried. He's becoming quite independent!
Instead of an official "chair picture", here are some shots of my favorite 13-month old enjoying the fresh air. :)

"The plane! The plane!"

(He was actually watching a flock of birds just above the treetops).

Grandma and Grandpa come to play!

My parents came to see Ryder (and I suppose Andrew and me too) for the week. They couldn't believe how much he has changed since they saw him over the summer, and he loved all of the one-on-one attention! Reading books, playing peek-a-boo, and making Grandma and Grandpa "fetch" anything he dropped and/or rolled across the floor were some of his favorites. I honestly don't know who had more fun-Ryder or my parents! Andrew and I were even able to go out for dinner one night--just the two of us--which was a real treat. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for a great week!

Getting ready to watch the Packers play--unfortunately, Ryder was not their lucky charm.

the Packer fans

"Wheew! Reading is exhausting!"

playing peek-a-boo

building a tower with Grandpa

feeding Grandma some Kix

resting with his brown bear pillow

sporting a winged hairstyle

Ryder: 12 month stats

Today I took Ryder for his official 12 month check-up. He entertained the other people in the waiting room by toddling around and shaking his container full of Kix like a rattle. Once we got called back and were waiting for the doctor, he walked in little circles wearing nothing but his diaper. He had a big grin on his face like he was proud of his circular walking in such a small space. He even showed off for the doctor, and she commented once again on what a "remarkable little guy" he is. He had to get three "ouchies" (the nurse's term for shots) but only cried for a minute or so.

Ryder's down to only one 8 oz. bottle of formula each morning and eats regular food the rest of the day. He loves drinking water from his sippy cup, but he is not a fan of whole milk. Since he loves yogurt and cheese, I feel like he's getting enough dairy, but I did ask the doctor what I should do to increase his milk intake. I was surprised when she said he really doesn't need to drink milk at all, as long as he's getting his calcium in other ways. She told us we could try soy milk instead; Andrew was pleased with this answer because he can't stand cow's milk but loves soy milk. Like father, like son I guess! We gave Ryder some soy milk at dinner, and he practically chugged it! Regular milk would have been tossed aside after one sip. Looks like we found a solution! :)

Likes: walking everywhere, playing peek-a-boo, emptying the pantry, reading books, taking his bath, eating "real people" food

Dislikes: not getting his way, getting his diaper changed, being wiped off after a meal

height: 30 1/2 inches
weight: 22.02 lbs.
head circumference: 46 1/2 cm.
clothing size: 12-month shirts, 18-month pants (for length)

Toddler with a Temper

Walking has become Ryder's favorite activity, and he's definitely getting better at it every day! Another new "skill" he has developed is his temper. This is really no surprise since it runs in the family--on both sides, I might add. His little tantrums usually involve whining or screaming and/or the "limp noodle" effect. (See videos below for walking and screaming). :)

(Notice the container of baking soda he carries around in the next video. He had just been raiding the pantry!)

Ryder has also discovered a hiding place. Andrew and I bought a new recliner right after Christmas for our family room so that we could move the one we had been using up here back downstairs where the matching couch resides. Well this recliner is quite a bit narrower, which allows Ryder to fit between it and the wall. He thinks it's quite funny to sneak behind the chair and pull on the end table beside it. I think he is also entertained by my attempts to reach him and lift him out of his cozy little space.

"Catch me if you can!"

Happy New Year!

I couldn't resist this little tuxedo shirt during our Black Friday shopping. So today Ryder is all dressed up with no place to go. :)

A little overdressed for a basketball game, don't you think?

"Hmmmm..."

I thought this picture was funny. Ryder was being silly and had laid down on the floor, so I snapped a picture from above.

watching T.V in his chair

For some reason, Ryder likes to hide the farm animals in the silo. I learned this after looking through all of his toy bins trying to find them.

My Birthday Boy!

What a difference a year makes! Not only does our house now look like a baby-proofed toy store, but our little baby is toddling all over the house. He had been taking some steps over the past week, but yesterday I think he decided that since he's officially "1" he should be walking a whole lot more. How strange to see him just walk across the room without something to hold on to! He had a great birthday (even without an afternoon nap), and absolutely loved eating a cupcake for the first time. :)

"Mom, aren't I getting too old for these posed chair pictures?"

"Can I go now?"

"I'm outta here!"

"Ok, one good smile!"

"Can I get seconds?"

Ryder discovered that his new chair makes a great step stool!

"I love my orange chair!"

Can you tell he's been teething? :)