Some sun and lunchtime with Nana.

I was able to get some great photos with Rylee in the kitchen with the sun coming through, it was so nice to have some natural light for some photos.

After I got lunch made and set downstairs I went to let my parent's dog outside and when I came back downstairs this is what I found.

My grandma said Rylee got up in the chair then asked for a bite of of sandwhich, so she gave her a peice on a plate and Rylee could not have been happier. Days like today couldnt be replaced by anything, my grandmother and Rylee are so close and she just loves her. With Rylee getting older and being able to enjoy her great-grandmother is an experience I want to make sure I can show her years from now.

This is by far my favorite picture from this afternoon, whenever I tell Rylee that we are going to go she runs to my grandma and says "Nana, bye-bye!" and it is followed by the sweetest kiss! Rylee gets on her tiptoes and holds onto the side of the wheel-chair and tips her head up to reach her.

Table dancer...

OK not so much table 'dancing' as in table 'surfing'. Today was Monday so I was taking care of my grandma and I always start by making her tea while Rylee looks for the cat and the dog. She likes to find them then run away... which I don't understand but it is funny to watch.

So today my grandma was in the kitchen with me, but right next to the doorway to the dining room by the kitchen table. Rylee has had this fascination to sit at the kitchen table ever since we did it for Easter. We eat at the table at home, but Easter had more people and she loved it.

So Rylee was sitting in her seat yelling at my moms dad, then my grandma looks over and goes "Oh Rylee, NO!!" so when I just peeked over the kitchen bar into the dining room, I was beyond grateful that I had left my camera right next to the teapot the day before. I got to take a picture of this...

and then when she saw she was caught, I got a picture of this next face.

I did feel a 'tad' guilty that she was upset and I was taking a picture of her, but she is got over it quickly.

Rylee and her dog...

We have been working a lot on Rylee and our dog Duke. Duke is a good boy, but can tend to be a bit pushy and gets a little possessive with Bill and I. So I have been having Rylee walk Duke around in the house on his leash to get Duke used to the idea that Rylee is calling the shots. They have been doing so well, Rylee throws the ball to him everyday and gives him loves and kisses without him jumping away. Duke comes with us on our walks when Bill is home, I cant handle both by myself yet, Duke is a good boy but can pull sometimes- though his new 'no pull' lead is working SO well.

They are really becoming buds, which is what we have always wanted for them. I am so thankful Rylee has not remembered her dog bite when she was 12 months old and loves dogs. She knows to stay away when they are eating and not to put her hands in their mouth for the most part. Though this weekend Rylee become fascinated by Dukes tongue, since it was warmer Duke was panting a bit and she would try and grab his tongue as it moved, Duke didn't care at all, it was so funny to watch her little face scrunch up trying to figure it out.

Here are some pictures from this weekend when Dukes ball went over the couch, Duke just jumped on the couch and looked over the back, too funny is the view I had. This is the reason I keep my camera close!

The slide master!

Rylee has officially mastered climbing up the baby slide all by herself!! I am so proud of her.

Nana Dunbar

As some know, Rylee and I take care of my grandmother three says a week. She is 89 years old and just had her leg amputated in September from some hardware issues after she broke her leg a couple years ago. She is one of the toughest ladies I know, she didn't even shed a tear when she found out she had to have a leg removed, she just takes everything in stride. My mom and dad definitely have a hand in that though, my mom makes sure all her appointments are attended, her medications given, and makes sure she is eating right. I am so thankful that my parents have been so involved, my grandmothers worst fear has been having to go to a nursing home, and my parents have promised her she will never have to go to one.

Last week at one of her regular monthly check-ups her Dr. noticed her eyes were not tracking together and that one of her cheeks was swollen, which had been attributed prior to some teeth she had pulled the month prior. The Dr. ordered a CT scan and wanted to get a check to see what might be going on. My mom, Rylee, and I were in Yakima for a memorial and received a call from my dad stating the CT scan had found a mass, most likely a tumor under her eye that has spread around one eye, this causing the swelling and pressure. She has an appointment tomorrow to see a specialist and we are hoping to find out more. We are having to be ready for anything really, we just love her dearly and enjoy our days with her. So please keep her in your thoughts as we find out more on whats going on.

Here are some pictures from the last couple weeks, Rylee loves her Nana so much. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday they enjoy a little tea-time and lunch together. Nana is always given a kiss when we leave and Rylee yells "Bye-Bye"from the stairs every-time. I am so glad Rylee has been able to be so close to her, she may not remember it all when she is older, but I sure will.

Here are some pictures sharing Nana's tea, Rylee loves the Chai tea and gets to enjoy some spoonfuls when it cools down. :) And she is a big fan of the wheel chair, she has to sit in it if Nana isn't, and has even found out how to work her stair elevator all by herself!

Easter!!

We had a very nice Easter weekend, Bills parents and sister Shelby were able to make it up to our house for a afternoon visit. Rylee loves Aunt Shelby and Grandma and Grandpa Fritz, and even more that they brought a very cute Easter bunny for her Easter basket! Later that day we dyed Easter eggs for the first-time since Rylee was born, it was great, we stripped Rylee down to her diaper and dove right in to getting the eggs dyed. She did really well and I actually came out with more dye stains on me than she did.

The next morning for Easter Bill and I couldn't wait for Rylee to wake up so she could get her Easter basket we set out for her. So when we heard her start talking, which is how she wakes up, we got her up right away and brought her to the living room.

We had Easter dinner with my parents, brother, and my grandmother. We had a really great time and Rylee ate so much! I loved Rylee's Easter dress this year, she loves wearing dresses too which is so nice.

The weather was rainy so when we got back to our house we did an indoor egg hunt, this was Rylee's first year to really get into the point of the egg finding and was so funny once she got it. At first she would find an egg then sat right down to open it, so when she found out she put them in her basket she was unstoppable. We actually had to re-hide eggs when she started saying "again-again". When she was done she was one tired girl!

Puddle Jumper

Last week Rylee had been trying her hardest to play in this huge puddle in our driveway, running for it when I was trying to get her in the car and then crying when I caught her just before she jumped in it.

So last week we went to get the mail and Rylee slipped and got the knees of her jeans dirty (OK barely dirty but gave me an excuse) since Rylee was going to be taking a nap I decided to just let her go for it! I walked her to the puddle and let go of her hand, it took her a little bit to understand I was in fact letting her play in the puddle!! It only took a few minutes to have one soaking wet toddler! She jumped in the puddle and then figured out to put her hands in the water and splash that way, she had water dripping down her face and off of her jacket when I picked her up.

I have never seen this girl more happy then when she is slapping tons on water on herself, she just loves it. It definitely makes you understand that sometimes a bit more dirt can be much more fulfilling than a clean house all the time.

Here is a video, I know it is sideways.... I cant get it to rotate.