Ryder 3 Month Pictures

Carly Urbach with Carly Urbach Photography took Ryder's pictures all the way from newborn until one year.  She does amazing work!  Here is Ryder at 3 Months Old...

 

I went back to work on March 9th when Ryder was 3 months old.  All I can remember him doing at this point was rolling over.  He was a chunky and happy little boy.  We had a period where he wouldn't take a bottle, but we kept at it and he eventually took one.  He didn't eat much the first 2 weeks at daycare until he adjusted being away from mom.  Ryder started daycare at 3 months old.  He continues to go 2-3 days a week with his sister, Avery.  Ryder would occasionally sleep through the night at this age.  His blue eyes could light up a room!

Ryder Jay is ONE!

Our little Ryder Jay turned one on December 16th.  What a fun year we have had with him!  He is my blonde haired, blue eyed little love bug.  We didn't have a great big party for him, due to the hectic holiday schedules.  I always said that his birthday would not get combined with Christmas, but it did.  It is too much to expect out of town family to be able to travel the weekend before Christmas, and we were going to visit for Christmas anyways.  As I sit here and type this, I just realized that we never even sang Happy Birthday to him with Jason's family over Christmas as we had planned.  I promise...he is not my forgotten child! 

 

On the night of his first birthday, we took him out to dinner at our family favorite...ROMEO's.  I ordered him a baseball smash cake and we sang Happy Birthday to him after dinner.  He was not a fan of his cake.  He wouldn't eat it and he actually screamed and cried.  Oh well!  He got a new drum set and a new remote control for gifts from mom and dad.  On Friday, we had a mini celebration with my family.  My mom and dad and brother and sisters families came over for dinner and cake.  Poor buddy didn't get great big parties like his big sisters did.  Everyone says that he will never know, and I know this is true, but I know.  I also hope he doesn't look back at pictures someday and say, "HEY!"

 

A little bit about Ryder at ONE YEAR:

 

* Weight 22lbs 10oz

* Length 31 inches

* rolling is main form of transportation

* just started to think about crawling

* today (December 28th) started crawling up the stairs

* pulls himself up on furniture and scoots around it

* takes 2 naps a day and wakes 2-3 times in the night (tired mommy)

* pretty good eater (eats at meal times with us and a snack)

* still breastfed (losing interest in daytime feedings)

* size 4 diapers

* size 18 month clothing

* loves to bug his sissies

* says mama, dada, HOT, what's that

* waves hi and bye, blows kisses, dances, gives kisses

* likes to snuggle in the rocking chair at bedtime

* likes cars, trucks, little people

* moved into the big boy car seat (rear facing still)

* throws his food on the floor when he is done

 

My New Year's Resolution...

I have a third kiddo, but you wouldn't know it if you read my blog.  He IS ALL over Facebook thought, so not completely ignored. :) 

My New Year's Resolution is to get back to Blogging.  Poor Ryder has no documentation of his first year.  I will do my best to back track...

️Ryder Jay

Ryder's Newborn Pictures

Ryder was just seven days old when he had his newborn pictures taken.  They were done by the fabulous Carly Urbach Photography.  She got some really great shots of him...and then he woke up.  He woke up just when it was time to get some pics with his big sisters.  They were all dressed up and ready to SMILE, and all Ryder wanted to do was scream!  Oh well...we got a couple of good ones with them all!  When you have a newborn, you learn that you are on THEIR schedule and you do what THEY want to do when THEY want to do it...:)

 

I think it is important to note that the antlers used in the "hunting" pic were Jason's dads...very special.

 

Ryder Jay Kneifl

On December 16th at 9:37 a.m., we welcomed Ryder Jay Kneifl into our family and into our hearts.  He entered this world weighing 10 pounds 9 ounces and he measured 21 inches long.  We fell instantly in love with our little (BIG) boy!

 

Westwood Church Christmas Program

Yesterday was the girls' Church Christmas program.  I knew that the baby would be born sometime this week and with a good chance of coming early.  The only thing I asked of baby boy was to wait until after the Christmas Program...he is a good little baby already and he listened!  Lily had a speaking part this year, so I would have been so sad if I would have missed the program. 

 

I couldn't have been more proud of Lily and Avery.  Avery is so animated up on stage.  Her preschool teacher told me that she should be a performer because she loves to sing and dance.  Lily said her verse perfectly...without a flaw.  I even held back the tears...so proud!  They performed in all three services and we treated them to lunch with Aunt Kylie and Uncle Brian and cousins Maddie and Presley afterwards. Presley was in the program too...her and Avery next to each other was a hoot to watch! 

 

Lily's Verse...

 

When the Angels had left them and gone into Heaven, the Shepherds said to one another...

 

Holiday Happenings at the Kneifls'

We've done a lot of things with the girls this holiday season, and so I'm lumping the pics all into one post!  This is what happens when you get so far behind...I can't remember everything, so these posts become mostly pictures and less "blogging."

We took the girls to the Santa Parade at Village Pointe.  It is held every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  We met my brother, Mindy, Bubba, my sister, Brian, Presley and my parents there.  They have an Elf band that plays music while everyone waits for Santa to come.  This year Elsa and Olaf were there too!  We couldn't see the parade, but we did see Santa and Mrs. Claus when they arrived up on stage.  The big thing here is the lighting of the giant Christmas Tree in the center of Village Pointe.

The following Friday night, Lily had the "Jingle Jam" at her school.  This is a fundraiser for the PTO and another chance for the kids to see Santa and get their picture taken with him. There were games for the kids to play...Avery wanted no part of the games...imagine that.  We ate at Pizza Hut beforehand to use another one of Lily's hard earned Book It certificates.

 

 Lily's class Christmas Tree

 

And...we went to see Big Hero 6...super cute movie!  I didn't want to go, and Jason said nobody was going if Mom didn't go.  I gave in and said only if I could wear my blue sweatpants and Husker hoodie...they agreed!  Lily is very particular about what I wear...she does not like me to pick her up from school in my PJ's...doesn't she understand her mom works the night shift?!?

 

 

This past weekend was the Daycare Christmas Party.  Avery is the only one that currently goes to Daycare, but the providers invite kids from the past every year to this event.  Stephanie and Becci's mom and dad dress up like Santa and Mrs. Claus and give each kiddo a present.  It is held at Sam and Louie's Pizza and it is always packed!  It is so nice that they invite ALL of the kids they have cared for and they give them ALL a gift...and gifts for mom and dad too!

 

 

The next morning we took the girls to see Santa and a live Reindeer out at The Shoppes of Lakeside.  They had free juice and donuts and a chance to spin a wheel to win a prize.  It was no big deal, but the girls did like seeing the Reindeer.  Santa told them this year he brought Vixen with him.  Santa also told Lily that she better ask for her two front teeth this year...she thought that was pretty silly!

 

 

And here are just a few more pics of the holiday season around our house...