Quality Time with Dad

Where's Cosmos, you ask? He normally takes a shortcut. Some may call him lazy. I think he's just smart.

Dad's Home!

Seth got in at midnight on Sunday. Ryker went to bed in these PJ's so he'd be ready when he saw his Dad. He slept all the way to the airport and back, but woke up when we got home to stare at his Dad a bit before going back to his crib.

Oh Dad, isn't it enough that I can crawl? Do I really need to do stairs?

Ryker found a new favorite game. Who knew that when you grabbed Seth's nose, he made a big honking sound?

Seth and Ryker got to drop in on an Aqua Babies swim class for Ryker's first swim. They were the only dudes.

Ryker did really well and seemed to enjoy it....especially the splashing part.

Showing off his spashing skills that he's perfected in the bathtub. The teacher was impressed that he didn't mind getting his face wet.

Dogs eat grass?

Ryker found himself a nice blade of grass to play with. He was pretty delighted with it.

He held it out, as if he were showing his great find to Cosmos and Cosmos quickly snatched it up and started chewing on it.

Ryker thought that was pretty funny.

He picked some more, fed it to him and the game was on. He fed him grass for 5 minutes, one blade at a time until Chacon joined in and the dogs started a wresling match on Ryker's blanket.

Cosmos thanking Ryker for all the great grass. We don't normally let the dogs lick his face, but I was too busy taking pictures to stop this one.

By the end, Cosmos had pretty much taken over the blanket and shoved Ryker on to the grass.

Good Dog.

Baby food? He's over it.

Don't get me wrong, Ryker will still pack away some pureed veggies if that is all that's available, but he's delighted with the ability to feed himself. He's eating less at dinner now, partially because he takes an hour to eat when I let him do it himself. Usually every other night (bath night), I let him fully take control. The other nights I feed him the messy stuff, because for some reason just wiping him down with a washcloth doesn't get him clean. I always end up finding sweet potatoes behind his ear or peas down his sleeve.

Spaghetti noodles are a favorite. He likes to whirl them around and then toss them accross the room. Then he looks around like he's surprised he cannot locate it. I think it's all an act. He knows what he's done, especially when he sees me cleaning up after he's eaten.

The peas are a little hard to get ahold of but he gets it done. I thought I could just give him a whole pea, but I was informed by someone older and wiser when it comes to babies that peas are a choking hazard unless you remove the hull. Take off that little shell and they are a perfect finger food.

Great with his sippy cup, but this one will take a little practice. He's usually soaked.

He gets the spoon in his mouth, but there's not much food on it by the time it gets there.

Attack of the slobbery Ryker

Memorial Day weekend Asa unsuspectingly sat down with Ryker to play.
Soon Ryker was all over him. Grabbing at the toys and trying to crawl up on him.

Asa though it was pretty funny and was laughing and talking to him the whole time.

Ryker goes in for the big slobbery kiss.

Asa returns the hug.

Happy Birthday Chacon!

It's hard to believe he was ever this cute little puppy by looking at him now. He's a monster of a lab with a giant blocky head. He's still as sweet as the day we got him though. I couldn't ask for a better dog. I can't believe it's been four years already.

Chacon doing what he loves to do best....out for a hunt in his native Montana.

Future donut maker? Let's hope not.

Ryker got this hat at Kid's Day. For those of you from good ol' Wibaux, remind you of anyone? Coincidentally, today is even Erbin's birthday. There's a lot I miss about Erbin and the good ol' days at the Tastee Hut. I hope that Ryker is lucky enough to have a job in high school that he can look back on as fondly. All this talk about the Tastee hut makes me want a mushroom cheeseburger with two kinds of cheese, mozzarella nuggets, and a cherry 7 up right now.

Checking out his sweet trophy his great, great aunt Joyce made him. Yes, she's twice as great!

Aidan, Ryker, and Vanessa at Kids Day at the fairgrounds.

McGruff the Crime Dog telling Ryker to stay out of trouble.

Sweet Crocs

These are the first shoes I've attempted to put him in. They didn't stay on long. He had them off and was chewing on them as soon as he sat down.