Little Mommy

Bath time is always a fun time here at our house. Brenden enjoys playing in the water and Riley loves to help. She can't wait until Brenden can sit up so they can take a bath together. This time Riley helped me by washing Brenden's hair. She took the shampoo and put into her hand and rubbed them together and then washed his hair.

Here she is still washing his hair. She made sure that he was really clean before we could rinse the shampoo out.
Look at that face. Sissy are you almost finished I am ready to play.
Look at this clean baby. He is so happy after a bath. He talks and smiles long after we are in our PJs.

GO BLUE!!!

The Ringman's support their team today. Riley and Brenden were dressed in their Michigan gear in hopes that Michigan would pull off a win against Ohio State. As we watched the game the kids cheered up their little voice were not heard. Michigan fell short and lost to Ohio State.

Riley in her cheerleader outfit.
Brenden in his Michigan gear.

We need a football jersery for him to go with Riley's cheerleader outfit.

Bed Time

Here we are sleeping so sound in our bed. Now that we are three months old, we are sleeping through the night. We are spitting up less and becoming more social with others around him. He has learned to giggle and smile when you talk to him. He enjoys school/day care and is growing use to the noise of the other children and learning to sleep with the noise around him. Brenden also likes to snuggle animals/blanket when he is sleeping. He has to hold something in his hands or he will hold his hands together and sometimes he squeezes hard that he leaves marks on his hands. That is why we hold an animal or blanket now.

Jump Jump Jumperoo

We are growing up way too fast. We put our swing away and are now jumping in our jumperoo. Not that Brenden is doing a whole lot of jumping our his own. Looking close at this first picture you can see Riley's little foot helping Brenden jump. The look on his face is priceless.

Here his is looking at the little toys in front of him trying to decide what he is going to do with them. Each time he jumps or moves the little kangaroo jumps and starts to play music and the lights dance around him. Once he learns that he can make the lights dance, there will be no stopping him.
And of course we could not pull out a "new" toy without Big Sister trying out too. She wanted to play in the jumperoo too. So we pulled it up to the tallest position and she got in and look at those smiles. She had a blast.
Look at that hair. She was jumping hard and she had pulled out her ponys just before she started to jump. I guess it was a good purchase since Riley still enjoys swinging and jumping.

Trick or Treat

Well me made it through out first holiday, Halloween.

Brenden enjoyed walking around with Riley while she went trick or treating. Mommy pulled the two of them in their wagon around our neighborhood.

Brenden in his "My first Halloween outfit"

Riley dressed as a pumkin. She did not want a costume so we dressed as a pumkin.

Brenden and Riley in their "costumes". Brenden's hat and bib look like a black cat. His hat had the little ears and cat face on it.
Here our my two little pumkins. Both dressed in their orange and black.

First Week of Day Care

Well we all made it through our first week of work/school and child care. Brenden is enjoying himself as he is growing more and more socially. He is smiling more and more and starting to use those little words too. Riley enjoys having her brother at school too. In facted she lets everyone know that he is in his classsroom. I have learned that she does like to help drop him off because her friends want to see her baby but she has to help go and pick him up. She likes to go and see Brenden's friends.

I made it through my first week back to work. It was difficult to leave Brenden at day care but we both made it through the day and then the week. We are all on a better schedule/routine now too. The kids both go to bed by 8:30 and sleep through most of the night. Brenden wakes up around 1:00 to eat but then goes right back to sleep. Riley will get up around 2:00 to use the bathroom but that is not every night. Its hard on me getting up back to back but we are making it. I am glad to be back to work after a 6 month break.

More pictures too come.

Life Lessons with Sissy

Lesson 1:
Riley is showing Brenden how to play with his piano. She wanted to lay down beside him and kick her feet to make the lights dance and the music to play. This lesson was learned just in a few minutes. Brenden enjoyed himself. His little legs would go a mile a minute.
Lesson 2:
Riley is sitting in her Boppy pillow eating cereal. She had a mouth full when I took this picture.

Brenden is laying in his boppy with his listening face.

Here is what he learned......
I can sit up just like Sissy.

Yes I know that he is not sitting up right but he is sitting and can hold himself up with the Boppy pillow there for support. Before he would just fall all the way forward or straight back. He is getting so strong and loves to play with Riley that he wants to do the same things that she is doing. No matter if its sitting or having a fit about something. I just thought is was cute that Riley wanted to teach Brenden the things he knew.

So Helpful

Riley what all about helping Brenden one morning that she started to climb into bed with him. I was worried that she would fall and hurt someone that I helped her into the crib. She had a great time. Brenden on the other hand was not too sure what she was doing in his space.

Riley is getting up-set at Brenden because he is still crying while she is trying to give him his binky. She does not like to hear him cry for very long before it up-sets her.

2 Month Check Up

Well we had our first well-baby visit and things are going well. Brenden is eating great and sleeping through the night. He loves to play and talk with his sister and will always give her a smile. Here are a few new things about Brenden: We weigh 10 lbs 6 ozs. We are 23 and 3/4 tall which is short for his age. Surprise, Surprise. He also is starting to talk more and more. He loves playing with Riley. He will smile and laugh at her regardless of his mood. He could be upset or mad and he will still find a smile to show his BIG sister. We also like playing with our buddy Reese. Here are a few pictures of Riley, Brenden, and Reese.

Here Riley is holding her little brother, Brenden.

Brenden with his buddy Reese. Brenden is older by 3 days.

Here is the gang. Riley, Brenden and Reese.

Look Who is 2 Months Old!!!!

Here we are at 2 months old. We will go to the doctors on Friday for our first round of shots. We will learn how much we have grown in the past two months. I have noticed lots of growth in him phyically and emotionally. Brenden has learned to many new things in the past two months including the following:

Smiling

Laughing

Choing/Talking

Sleeping through the night

Piggies

Here is Riley being her own human Piggie bank. She is having lots of fun placing her money between her toes. She did a nice job holding them in place. She loves to put things between her toes. Riley has lots of fun playing with money and saving our change in her piggie bank.

Say Cheese!!!!

Brenden is growing up way too fast. Here he is smiling and laughing at his BIG sister, Riley. Brenden is starting to do his social smiling and Riley loves to play with him and tell me when he is smiling at her. Riley will do anything to get him to smile. Let me tell you it does not take much for Brenden to smile at his sister. From the first day at home he smiled and laughed at Riley.

OUR SAD GOOD-BYE

Look at that cute smile.

Ben preparing to leave for his third tour in Iraq.

On Monday September 24, 2007, just 1 year after returning home, Ben left again for Iraq. This will be his third tour. We had a wonderful weekend but a very sad Monday. Our last weekend as a family of four we spent in Ohio at Dustin's parents' house. Dustin is a good friend who also left with Ben on Monday. We had a great time just being a family. We all got to visit with some good friends and relax before the craziness started. Here are some pictures of our good-bye with daddy.

Here are the three amigos; Dustin, Derek, and Ben. They have grown to be great friends and over the next 15 months they will learn more about each other and their families. They will be working together and spending lots of time with each other.

Riley had one final ride on daddy's shoulders while we were waiting/visiting with everyone who was leaving on Monday.

Brenden too had to have his small talk with daddy. Brenden was talking and smiling at daddy the whole day. Then just before this picture was taken daddy (Ben) was telling Brenden about growing up and playing with his sister. It was cute and sad all at once.Here is the final hug that the kids gave to daddy. It was so sad. I was strong all day until this picture was taken. To see Ben smile and put on a strong face was hard for me. I broke down. I knew it would not be easy but this was a lot harder then it was the past two times. I guess it will get easier once time goes by and we get back on a regular schedule.

WE LOVE YOU DADDY!! HUGS AND KISSES!!!

Growing too fast

Here is Riley on her new bike that Grandma and Grandpa Ringman bought her while they were here. She loves to ride her. She is now on a mission to buy a helmet so we can ride down our street and on post on the trails. Riley is very good at riding her bike and is very brave. Thank you again Grandma and Grandpa.

Brenden is growing up too fast too. He is now 8lbs. 8oz. and 22 inches long. He is filling out his 0-3 months clothes now. He still looks really small next to his little buddy Reese.

Here we are sleeping in our swing. He is filling out up his bouncy and swing too.

Relaxing at the house

Now that we are home we have had some time to just relax. Here are a couple of pictures of the kids relaxing in Mommy and Daddy's bedroom.

The Many Adventures of Brenden

Well now that its just the four us again. The adventures of Brenden began. Saturday after everyone headed back home, Brenden had a play date with his buddy Reese. Reese is just 3 days younger. We all went to Nashville to the mall. While we were there Brenden and Daddy and Reese and his Daddy went to Build-A-Bear to build a "Daddy Bear" with the guys voice in them to have while they are gone to work for 15 months. They did a nice job. During our trip I noticed that Brenden slept a lot and was only awake to eat. I did not think to much about because of the busy week had had with Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins.

Brenden with his "Daddy Bear"

Riley and Brenden's "Daddy Bear"

Then on Sunday Brenden's one month birthday I noticed that Brenden felt warm to the touch. I took his temp and it was 100.7. So off to the ER we went. The place was super busy. Most of the chairs were full and there were lots of people just standing around and waiting. I knew we would to there for most of the evening. We arrived around 4:15pm and waited for about an hour to see the nurse. Once we saw the nurse we were taken right back to talk to the doctor. Brenden's temp was now a 101.7. We waited for a little while and the doctor came to talk to me. He told the test he wanted to run and what would be happening. First he had a blood drawn. Then they went in and took a urine sample and that was all sent to the lab. Once that was done he head to x-ray to have a picture taken of Brenden's chest. Then we return to the ER and the doctor comes in to do a spinal tap on Brenden. A spinal tap is when the doctor draws spinal fluid from the base of the spin. This was painful for me to watch. Not only did I know the pain that this caused but the doctor was unsuccessful the first time and had to repeat the procedure. Still coming up empty handed. So he called for Dr. Rowe to come and try. Once she came I found out that we would not be going home Sunday night. Then she tried the spinal tap too. She tried and was unseccussful not just once but twice. I guess it was important that they get this because she tried again and on her third try and Brenden's five they got what they wanted. After being poked in the back 5 times we had to try and get an IV started. This too took many tries by a couple of different nurses before "Grandma" nurse came and had one seccussful go at his little arm. So then it was up to the fourth floor we went. This is were we stayed for the next 48 hours. We had lots of different test ran and everything came back negitive and Brenden went 24 hours without a fever. So the doctor sent us home today 11 September and we will go tomorrow to see Dr. Henry to be re-evaluated. Here is what the past 48 hours looked like for Brenden and I.

Trying to sleep

Finely asleep

Ringman Family Visit

The first time in two years Bill and Angela were able to have their whole family together in one place. Michael, Andi and the kids surprised Angela the Saturday after they arrived. It was nice to have us all together again. The last time this happened was when Riley was the size/age of Abigail. I am going to get you.

The hugs that never stopped.

Then came the kisses. Kissing cousins. Austin and Riley played well together the whole week they were together. She started missing everyone as soon as they left the drive way.