Dance as though no one is watching you..

After five lessons, River had her first performance with her dance class at the local mall.  Whether or not dance is something that River holds an interest in is not important.  For her it's all about fun. It's also a way of maintaining River's comfort level in public situations.  She rarely shows any sign of shyness now and we hope to keep it that way. 

Sadly, she has already eclipsed her father's dancing skills.

True story.

All wired up and ready to go!

Miss Katrina - River's Dance Instructor




Pre-Dance Pep Talk





FOUR!!

I expect a call from Dancing With The Stars at any time.

Where does the time go?  In the blink of an eye, 1,461 days have passed and my little wiggly baby burrito that was handed to me by a nurse on November 2, 2007 has turned four years old!  Everyday seems to go faster than the one before it.  Each with the blessings of a wonderful daughter. 

Thank you, River and happy birthday.

Getting big but still, for now, not much bigger than a smurf.  A little more than three apples high.

2010

2009

River's First Jack-O-Lantern

River designed her first Jack-O-Lantern.  She drew it and I carved it for her.  Thankfully, she kept it simple.  I love the traditional look. 

Trick-or-Treating for the First Time

She took to it like a fish to water.  Her expression when Jo explained it to her seemed to say "Free candy!!!  And all I have to do is put on a fun costume?  Wow!  I'm in!"  She was even more amazed when Jo told her that afterward, for one night only, she could eat all she wanted.

She started out strong but after five houses said "Daddy, I'm tired. Can I go home now and eat my candy?"

And that is exactly what we did.  The first year of trick-or-treating was over and done.  She was easy on me.. as she always is. 

Sleeping Big

In the blink of an eye..

.. from this..

 


.. and this..

 

.. to THIS!!



Where does all the time go?



Congratulations to my sweet daughter on graduating to her "Big Girl Bed". May she know nothing but sweet dreams ever after.

Virginia Beach

We took River on her first vacation last week away from home. It felt like our first vacation as well since it had been eleven years since we have taken one. Simply put; the wait was worth it. We all had a wonderful time.
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Naturally we were concerned how River would take the long ride in her car seat but she traveled the distance like a pro. On the way home we stopped only once in nine hours for River to enjoy a Happy Meal. Perhaps the next time I will ask her to drive.

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Don't let the Surfer Girl image fool you; River didn't really care for the ocean itself but she LOVED the beach. It was all about the sand as far as she was concerned. The boogie board saw more action in the hotel room with me dragging her back and forth on the carpet while she giggled uncontrollably.

. You don't always know at the time when you are making a cherished memory.. but sometimes you do. This is one of those times when we knew for certain.

. River was lucky enough to have her picture taken with a good lookin' lifeguard. Oh, wait a minute.. that's me.

. One of the many seagulls who either wanted you to give them food or just get the h#ll off of their beach.
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We kept hearing an odd thumping sound in the trunk for the first 200 miles but it eventually faded away. We had originally thought that the luggage was uneven but, much to our surprise, Memaw Marti popped out of the trunk at a rest stop in West Virginia. As it turned out, she was a godsend and a blast to vacation with. (She rode in the backseat on the way back home.)

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Jo: The Planner, The Budget Maker, The Navigator. The.. Everything. Thank you Sweetheart.

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She worked really hard to get those toes in the sand.
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River took her sand construction work very seriously.

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Naval vessels were always just offshore and military jets always overhead. Virginia Beach must be one of the safest stretches of American coastline. God Bless America.

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There is nothing more comfortable.

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Hurricane River destroys a beachfront town! News at Eleven!

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Sunrise on Virginia Beach, 09/09/10, 06:44am.

It is easy to forget how blessed we are to live in such a beautiful country. Remind yourself once in a while and just get in the car and drive. Our land is a treasure that I hope River never takes for granted.

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Ravioli AND Salad!

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It's the little things the progress over time that you miss if you don't pay attention. We went to Olive Garden today and River enjoyed some cheese ravioli. Although she wore a bib, she really didn't need it; she didn't spill a drop of sauce. I was amazed. Then (with the help of Jo) I noticed other milestones: she didn't require a high chair, she didn't need a sippy cup, she used full-sized utensils, she said "Please" and "Thank You" and (the most amazing part) she ate a salad!!
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A SALAD!! With Lettuce and tomato and other salady stuff!
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I know this isn't huge stuff. I'm not going to notify MENSA (yet) but when you consider her first experience with ravioli not too long ago, I cannot help but be a little proud.

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Wrapped Around Her Fingers.. and Toes

Now I hope what I am about to say doesn't offend anyone but I've never cared to see little girls (I mean little girls. I'm talking about toddlers to preschool age) with pierced ears, nail polish, etc. It is just my opinion and to each their own. I've just always felt that God made little girls perfect just the way they are. I've felt this way before River was born and Jo has always supported me. The closest thing to makeup I ever care to see on River was maybe a chocolate milk mustache or maybe some Play Doh or dirt under her nails.
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On this topic I would not be moved.
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Not an inch.
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I mean it.
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Really, I didn't intend to budge at all.
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Then she came to me one morning and looked me in the eye and said, "Daddy, can I please paint my toes?"
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I didn't stand a chance did I?
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The following day I purchased five tiny $1 bottles of "Bon Bons" nail polish in purple, glitter purple, mint green, pink, and Kentucky Wildcat Blue.

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She sat very still as Jo applied the pink first. I still don't care for it but, I suppose, it is all about picking your battles. Watching her walk around for hours while staring at nothing but her toes and giggling was worth it.

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But NO pierced ears! Seriously. No.

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March Photo Round-up

River graduated to a "big girl swing".

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Bruises and bumps are sure to follow. Such is childhood.

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It's true! Pets and their owners DO begin to resemble each other. Jo and Daisy have the same stare!

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Lunch with Granny Collier.

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Mmmm, chicken fingers and fries!

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Playtime!

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Daisy must endure the "cone of shame" after getting "fixed".

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Have you ever seen such pitiful face?

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River LOVES to Swiffer! (I added this one for Gretta.)

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Big Girl Potty

River has graduated to the "Big Girl Potty"! She is still not completely potty trained yet but she is getting closer and closer. I can see a diaper-free future from here!

River's Silver Screen Debut

Recently we took River to see her first movie at an actual theater. The timing was perfect since she LOVED the 2008 version of Alvin and the Chipmunks on DVD we decided to let the "Squeakquel" be her introduction to the big screen.
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We didn't expect much. Being only 2 we were counting on having to leave early due to a short attention span, or perhaps being scared of being in a big dark room with a bunch of strangers or.. any countless possibilities of a toddler melt-down.
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None of this happened.
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We arrived in time to get plenty of yummy treats and took our seats. To ease River's apprehension, we purchased River her first mixed drink; part cherry icy and part Sierra Mist (The Sierra Mist keeps the icy flowing in the sippy cup and thus avoids one potentional meltdown. Yea.. I'm smart.)
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River was glued to the screen from the trailers to the closing credits. She laughed at the funny parts and clapped at the end of each musical number. She really seemed to appreciate the experience. Several times during the movie she would reach over and grab either her mother's hand or my hand or pat our leg. Wow.. all the thanks we needed.
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All was not 100% perfect, however. River, it turns out, is a popcorn hog! When she was not actually eating it she would just let her hand rest in the bag, successfully blocking anyone else from enjoying the buttery, popcorny goodness. Lesson learned; next time she gets her own small bag.
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River watching the closing credits of her first "Big Movie".

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A few weeks later we tried our hand at movie #2; Walt Disney's The Princess and the Frog. Success once again, however she did fall asleep before the movie ended. She did enjoy what she watched and, this time, she DID have her own popcorn (yea.. I'm smart).

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Walt Disney's The Princess and the Frog - Best of the Princess Films.

The Princess and the Frog was, in my opinion, the best of the Disney Princess movies to date. Not only did it promote a message of self reliance, responsibility and the benefits of having goals and a strong work ethic but it also featured the city of New Orleans. One day River will know that that is the city were her mommy and daddy where married.

Already River is asking when she gets to see her next movie in a theater or as she puts it, "I WANNA BIG MOVIE AND BIG POPCORN!"

Soon baby, but you have bigger surprises on the way...