I'm Gonna Get You!

These pictures are from a few weeks back, but they are too good not to share.  When little Maxo realized that he could move himself from point A to point B, he became very determined (and look at the concentration!)  He's still working on getting that belly off of the ground, but we'll take army crawling over no crawling!  On the bright side, he does a great job of cleaning our wood floors...first he drools, then he wipes it up with that gut of his!  Love this little boy.

  

Ventures {Wildlife Safari}

ad·ven·ture/adˈven(t)SHər/

(noun) An unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.

There's been a lot of adventure talk in our home lately.  Ask a certain 2 year old what we're going to do on any particular day, and you're bound to get "Going on a venture!" as a response.  

"I go venture!"

"We go ice cweam venture!"

"NamNam wikes ventures!"

Yes - NamNam likes adventures.  And PopPop too.  And Uncle "Babe."  They, as a matter of fact, were the spark that ignited this whole adventure kick.  A simple video text asking Harrison if he wanted to go on a Sunday adventure has opened up a whole new world of exploration for our sweet boy.  

The day started out with a quick lunch at McDonalds.  Crazy enough, this was his first time!  Adventure success.  (Can you tell it was Packer game day?)

After lunch our little explorer went on a Wildlife Safari.  He saw buffalo (which to this day he still tell us "the buffawo lays in the dirt!")

Did a little bird watching at Pelican Point.

Marveled at the bears.

Failed to cooperate with what could have been a very awesome antler picture :)

And got up close and personal with a whole host of other wildlife.

Such a GREAT day for an Adventure!

This little boy couldn't have been happier!

And of course there was ice cream.  

It isn't really an adventure without ice cream, now is it?

It's undeniable that Harrison loves his ventures.  You can see it in his eyes and hear it in his little voice.  He is at an age where the world around him is absolutely fascinating and he loves any opportunity to experience new things.  Seeing the excitement on his face reinforces my stance of "experiences over things."  The time that Harrison gets to spend with his grandparents on these special ventures is far greater than any other gift that they could give him.  We are so grateful for the memories that they are helping him create - for the things that they are teaching him - for the love of adventure that they are helping instill in his heart.

Maxwell Thane {8 months}

Another month here and gone.  Another month older.  Another month away from "baby" and closer to "big boy."  I try to deny it, to make time slow down a little bit, but its pretty obvious that there's no slowing down.  Here's a sneak peek into the world of our not-so-little 8 month old!

{Chubba-Wubba} You, Sir Maxo, are a bit of a tank.  Daddy took you into the pediatrician a last week for what turned out to be your very first ear infection, and they told us that you were 20lb 4oz.  TWENTY POUNDS at 8 months??!  Your big brother didn't hit that mark until he was almost a year old.  I'm glad that the weather has started to cool down because there's no way we were going to be able to keep squeezing you into summer clothes.  9-12 month gear is where its at!

{Mr. Personality} You have the sweetest, most laid back personality - always content unless you are hungry or tired.  You  play so well independently, in fact, that you sometimes get lost in the the shuffle!  You are curious and sensitive, serious, yet quick with a smile.  Our home is most definitely a better place with you in it!

{On the Move} I can finally say that you are a mover and a shaker!  You have perfected the art of dragging yourself across the floor, and while it might not look like the most graceful approach, it gets you where you need to be.  You've got the coordinated crawling movements down pat, now we just need you to lift that belly up off the ground!

{I Wanna Be He Is} Your new-found mobility is definitely rocking big brother's world - and not always in a good way.   "No, no, Maxo" and "Nooooo!  Its MY twuck" are commonly heard phrases around our home these days, and we've had lots of conversations about sharing.  I will say though, he always balances the yelling with extra love.  He gives you hugs and kisses, tells you that he "wuvs" you and knows all of the goofiest things that make you laugh.   

{Put Me In Coach} Month #8 kicked of a busy sports season.  We've been cheering on our Nebraska Cornhuskers, saying our farewells to our favorite Yankee, and learning all about what it means to be a Cheese Head.  I'm sure it won't be long before you're yelling "Go Pack Go" like your brother.

 {A Little Bit More} You have a soft spot for your mama, but are quickly learning that your dad is the more entertaining one.  You watch him like a hawk and grin from ear to ear when he sings "Row Row Row Your Boat."  Mommy is just a little bit jealous.  You are still sleeping like a rockstar and can often be found sucking your middle fingers and snuggling your gray blanket in the middle of the night.  So sweet.  Still no teeth...which is crazy considering the volume of drool you produce on a daily basis!  You've moved up to the "wobbler" room at school and get to spend your days with Miss Maria.  You're big brother loved her and I'm sure you will feel the same.  Oh little man, its all happening way to quickly for my liking.

It was a shirts optional kind of day at our house (for the kids anyway) on the day we took our 8 month pictures.  Maxo was all giggles and grins during our 2 minute session, making my job the easiest its been in quite some time.  

Maxwell Thane {8 months} 

Just look at that BELLY!!

 Sweet, sweet boy, you melt our hearts a little more each day.

Happy {belated} 8 month birthday!

When Life Hands You Lemons {2014}

I know that the seasons have “officially” shifted, but the temperatures here lately have felt more like Summer than Fall.  I’ll use the fact that its 82 degrees outside as good reason to post just one more (don’t hold me to that) memory of our summer.  It’s a good one, I promise, and I hope that it will be a repeating theme here on Little Miss Ritchie – the first in a series that I like to call “When Life Hands you Lemons.”

Matt and I have been back in Nebraska for over 2 years now, and while there are so many things that we miss about Sioux Falls, one that we miss the most is our next door neighbors.  Jesse and Kathryn Rickelman (aka “The Lemons”) bought the house next to ours in 2008(?), shortly after Matt hired Jesse to be a pharmacist with his company.   I wasn’t quite sure how the whole “co-workers and neighbors” thing was going to pan out – but I can say with 1000% certainty that it turned out to be one of life’s biggest blessings.  Even when they moved closer to home in 2010, we knew that that we weren't really saying good-bye.   

You might remember this picture that I shared back in 2010 – It's the only picture that we have of our first born kiddos together, snapped on the day that the Lemons loaded up their moving truck.

In 2011 the Jesse and Kathryn made plans for their 1^st trip back to Sioux Falls.  We were so excited to spend a week with them catching up and reintroducing our kiddos, James and Charlotte, to each other.  Sigh.  Plans changed last minute, however, and instead of a trip back to the old “hood,” they found themselves in Omaha, Nebraska helping us celebrate the life of our baby girl.  It wasn’t the happy reunion I had hoped for…not even close…but the fact that they made that trip was so good for our hearts. 

Since that less-than-ideal 1^st return visit, the Rickelman’s have continued to make the trek from Indiana to see us.  In 2012 there were 2 kiddos in tow as they traveled to our rental in Lincoln.  In 2013 we actually made the trip east as there was a new little (our godson!) in their lives.  And this year, 2014, we were BEYOND excited to open our doors to all FIVE of them (plus our old beagle friend Mac).  Holy moly it was a lot of kids/animals under one roof, but it was worth every bit of chaos to see our boys all playing together.

I like to call this picture "The Calm Before the Storm."  

Five boys under 5 getting to know each other over their first breakfast together.

We got an early start on our first day together and headed out to Omaha's incredible Henry Doorly Zoo.  5 kids, 4 adults, 3 strollers (1 double), 2 coolers, 1 perfect day!

We saw Ga-raffs...

and monkeys...

and our favorite, ChaCha's hippo!

We swung on vines.

We took in the sights from the stroller.

We rode lion cubs.

We acted our our own version of a "Wild Kingdom."

And of course we decided to try to get a family picture at the END of the day, when a certain little man had simply had enough!  

Day 2 was another day full of activity.  We talked about going to a local water park, but the weather didn't seem to be cooperating and we opted for an indoor play center instead.  Low and behold it ended up being a million degrees and sunny out.  Just our luck!  We still had a great time, though, and effectively wore out our little herd of boys.

The highlight of my day was watching Matt drag (literally) Harrison through this crazy mess of tunnels.  He wouldn't step foot on those net areas but they were a necessary evil to get up to the tallest slides.  Good old dad!

Day 3 consisted of an early morning tee time for the guys and a trip to a nearby park for the rest of us.  

Our days were full.  Our home was full.  But most importantly, our hearts were full.  

Thank you SO MUCH, Lemons, for making the long drive out to Nebraska.  We're looking forward to many more visits in the future and can't wait to witness the long distance friendships that develop between your crazy clan and ours.  We miss you dearly and are so thankful that you landed in our lives!

Summer 2014 {A Recap}

For the past few weeks Mother Nature has been treating us to a true Nebraska Fall.  The temperatures have dropped, our windows have been open, Soup Sundays have commenced and our house is full of the sounds of football on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays!  

Then came yesterday - 84 degrees and sunshine.  It almost felt like summer again and I started to reminisce on the season that seemed to come and go in the blink of an eye.  It was a perfect summer in the Ritchie house - low key "farm" living, lots of outdoor time, and the occasional trip to the swimming pool with cousins.  We never stray too far from home, but still manage to fill our days with fun and smiles.

Harrison Paul had an exceptionally good summer, his first as a full-blown toddler.  He discovered a love for all things outdoors - exploring our 3 acres, rolling down hills, playing with the hose, and even pulling weeds with mom and dad!

A totally normal summer evening.  Diapers, spray bottles and headbands sweatbands.

Cheese eatin' selfies.

First corn on the cob.  YUM!

Pool time!

Post-pool time.  This kiddo was D.O.N.E.

Swimming with cousin Benson.

Late night donuts with PopPop.

 "WHOA!  A CEMENT TWUCK!"

"I eat a carrot wit a TWEE on it!"

Not to be forgotten is little brother, Max.  He didn't get to eat corn on the cob or roll down the hill in our backyard, but that doesn't mean that he had any less fun this summer.  Its hard to believe how much he changed in the course of a season.  Once a squishy little babe who was content laying on a blanket in the shade, he's now driven by curiosity and always wants to be where the action is.  

 A leisurely ride through the zoo.

Fourth of July snuggles with Uncle Jay.

Sigh - those eyes...

These boys - I love them so.

Chillin' in the big boy chair.

Busy summer nights meant lots of quick sink baths before bed.  No complaints were heard from this silly guy!

Shhhh....don't tell big brother that we hijacked his sunnies.

Quality sun time with "Aunt" Hilde.

His first BLT party - I'm sure he would have rather had bacon.

Dinner with a view.  He loved looking out at Charley's Garden!

A master of the serious face.

Farewell, sweet summer.  We'll miss you and your long sunshine-filled days!