All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!

Look who popped up to say hello...

Ryder's first two teeth!

These hard months of teething have started to pay off!  Ryder got his first tooth on November 1st.  About two weeks later, on November 13th, the second bottom tooth cut through.  He has not enjoyed the process!  Poor little bud has been waking up at night screaming sometimes because it hurts.  I hate teething because i feel so helpless to take away the pain.  He really has been such a trooper and done pretty well overall.  Let's hope he at least has a little break before the next ones come.

It's kind of hard to see them, but they are definitely there!

Ryder will be six months old this week!  I can't even believe we have had this sweet little boy with us for half a year already!  The time is slipping away so fast; too fast sometimes...  I seriously fall more and more in love with Ryder everyday.  Sometimes it's hard and he stretches me to my limits and pushes me to be a better mom.  I can't imagine life without him now.  Life before Ryder seems like a dream.  It feels like he has always been with us!  Kevin and I were talking the other day about how Ryder feels like one of his best friends and i definitely agree.  It's an overwhelming responsibility to be in charge of another human being.  To provide them with everything they need, protect them, teach them, and most of all love them!  I would not trade being a mom for anything.   I sometimes get so scared thinking about the world today and how it is going to only get worse when Ryder is older.  I just want to teach him the gospel and everything he will need to stay on the right path.  I hope i can be the kind of example he needs from a mommy.  I am so thankful to have an amazing, hardworking, smart, loving, funny, righteous priesthood holder as a husband and a father for Ryder.  I know Ryder has the perfect Dad to help him through this life.  Still, sometimes I just want to keep him my sweet little baby forever!

-Ryder has almost tripled his birth weight, yay!!  He had a hard start being so small, but he's slowly making up for it!

-He refuses to take a bottle or binkie.  He loves nursing so much, I'm hoping it wont be too hard to wean him when the time comes (we're shooting for a year) 

-His hair is finally starting to grow!  Just these past two weeks or so i have been noticing a difference.

-We introduced solids at 5 months, and his favorites so far are sweet potatoes, a strawberry/apple/banana mix. yummy!

-He LOVES standing up!  so much that he will cry if you set him down in a sitting position.  He wants to walk so bad!

-He hates when you take a toy away from him, especially when it's time to get out of the bath.  Watch out!

-He is the sweetest/silliest boy.  He is constantly giving huge smiles and giggles to mommy and daddy.

-He loves grabbing his feet/toes

-He loves grabbing ANYTHING within range of his little hands!

-He blows raspberries when he's mad, and when he cries he sounds like this, "beh-beh-beh-beh-beh!" haha, he likes the "b" sound.

-He hates taking naps!  Unless it is on Mommy's lap, then he could sleep all day haha.

-He loves to grunt himself to sleep :)

-He has conversations with himself in the car.

He is the most precious baby i could ever imagine.  I feel sooooo blessed and lucky to be his mom!  I don't know what i ever did to deserve such an amazing husband and son! 

Laughing during a diaper change

He has such a silly personality

Always chomping on something

I love his smile and I'll do anything to get one!