Happy First!

Riley and Dad relaxing after the party! She was tuckered.

The Birthday Girl in her Birthday hat!

Halloween

Riley with Sleeping Beauty and Dorathy

Riley in her Halloween outfit

Big Weekend for the Ketterhagens!

It was a big weekend for Riley. It was her first Halloween and her first birthday. My pumpkin was a pumpkin. She even kept her hat on her head. On a sad note, Paul was in Wisconsin to say goodbye to Riley's namesake, Great Grandma Riley who passed away last week. Grandma Riley will be missed dearly. I am so thankful that Paul was able to be with his Mother and family on Friday and Saturday. On a happy Grandmother note, Grandma Betty came from Ohio for Riley's birhtday. It was so nice of Aunt Georgeann and Tom to bring her to Charlotte for the festivities. Paul made it back home for Riley's party on Sunday. Thanks John and Janetta for hosting her party. It was a great time. The biggest news of the weekend was that Riley is offically walking! She is getting really good at holding her balance and taking off. I can't believe she is one year old already. This year has gone by fast.

Wisconsin

Gramy & Grampy & Porche & Riley in Lake Geneva




















Four Generations of Rileys

Operation Cry-Out

Riley has been continuing to wake up during the night. We have decided to break the cycle. The preparation for 'Operation Cry-Out' started last week. The preparation really was getting myself mentally ready to hear my baby cry it out for a few nights. I know I should have done this a few months ago. It just has been so easy to give her the boob in the middle of the night. That is until a few nights ago when it happened three times and I got another night of no sleep. So, after Paul and many others reassured me that it must been done and Riley and I would survive, 'Operation Cry-Out' started last night. I am happy to report that it went very, very well. I am prepared that the next few nights may be rough. I went into Riley's room this morning and she gave me her happy squeal when she saw me. I now have the strength to get through it. I can't believe that a full nights sleep is actually in my future!

Riley and Parker chillin' in the in the pool. These girls love the water.

Moving All Around

Riley is crawling with great speed these days. She also is pulling up on furniture and in her crib. She wants to stand most of the time. You can't leave the room or she is into something. Riley can say DaDa and MaMa. Her newest trick is waving hello and bye bye. She spotted Dad outside watering the garden yesterday and she put up her little hand and waved to him. So cute! Swim lessons are going well. Paul is taking her twice a week for 30 minutes a time. She is a natural. Riley LOVES the water. We are so happy to have Grammy Ketterhagen in town. She joined Paul and Riley at the swim lesson yesterday and was very impressed. I will be attending classes next week and I will post pictures of our little waterbaby!

July 4th in Cashiers

Mom and Riley playing around.

On a bridge over the Chattatoga River.

Riley loved hanging out under the tree with Mom and Dad. She can't wait to come back next year to enjoy the jump castles.

Riley LOVED watching the fireworks!

Dad and Riley on a hike.

Hello Timmy!

Riley has a new cousin, Timmy Morris. My cousin, Kevin and Brandy, have a baby boy. He is a cutie! This is the first for Kevin and Brandy. They will be great parents. We are very, very happy for them. We can't wait to meet Timmy.

Big Week

Last week was a big week for us Ketterhagens'. Paul and I are home owners. We are very excited to own a small piece of America. Riley had a busy week too. She has started to crawl! Not a lot of speed yet, but we have had to rearrange the furniture once again. She even pulls herself up on the furniture. I can't believe it is time to baby proof the house. The other big news to report is that Riley said "Da Da". Someone asked me if I was sad that she said Da Da before Ma Ma. I am not. It seems very natural since Paul and Riley have a close bond already. I think she is going to be a Daddy's girl. She is becoming a big talker these days. She is a Mover and a Shaker.

We had a great Sunday at the Lake with the family. Riley enjoyed 'playing' with all of her cousins. It is nice to have Grandma and Grandpa home safely.

Riley in her party dress with Dad after Father's Day brunch at Carpe Diem with Pepe. We should have named her Paula.

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the Fathers in my life! I would like to especially thank my husband for being a great Daddy to Riley. He is so good with her. He is with her every morning. He takes her to the park, dances and sings with her, feeds her, changes her, picks out her outfit for the day, he is her personal jungle gym. You name it and Paul does it. He never complains or gets upset. He even handles the pooppy diapers without throwing up (so far!). A lot of men love their children, but I am blessed to have a husband who cares for his child, and me too! He is a good, good man. Thanks Honey!

safety is no fun

Riley did not like her life vest at first, but she got used to it quickly. This pictures makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time.

Quick Weekend

It was another quick weekend. Grammy and Grampy almost made it into town for a visit. Darn those summer showers. I was sick all weekend and Paul worked. Riley was pretty happy except for when she had to wear her life vest on Gram and Pepe's boat yesterday. After awhile the boat rocked her to sleep. When she woke up, she was much happier and enjoyed the day on the water. She is defiantly going to be a water baby. We are signing her up for swimming lessons at the YMCA next month. Paul will be the one taking her to class. I can not be the one to dunk our baby in the water. We'll let you know how it goes.

Grammy K and Riley

Grammy K came to visit last week. She could not stay long, but it sure was great to see her.

A little taste of freedom

Paul had to work on Sunday so Riley and I decided to try out our new shopping cart blanket at Target. I found a great cart blanket (those padded blankets that cover the seat of a shopping cart for the kid to sit in instead of sitting right on the seat like we all did growing up) in a consignment store for $10. I received satisfaction with my purchase when I put Riley in it and she instantly spit up. The reward for protecting her from the germs of all the other kids that spit up in the cart before her was priceless. Our Target trip was a huge success. Riley was a big girl sitting in the cart independently. She loved the freedom to look around and touch EVERYTHING. I almost peed myself when I pushed her past a mirror and she screamed with laughter from looking at herself. She enjoyed it so much that she slumped over and napped half the time. And I enjoyed not having a little human strapped to the front of me while I researched the best deal on sunscreen.

Trip to Cape Hatteras

Riley is napping while we wait for Janetta and John to come down from the top of Cape Hatteras lighthouse. Parker took this picture.

Here is Dad and Riley in the pool. She loved being in the water.

Riley first beach trip to Hatteras

Another boy!

We are so happy to hear that we will be having another nephew! Joe and Tammy found out yesterday that Joe Jr will be getting a brother. Baby K.5 should be here in October. Mommy and Baby K.5 are doing well. Baby K.5 will be the fourth baby born in our family in one year (Riley, Carter, Payton, and Baby K.5). I wonder who will be the next pregnant lady in the family. NOT IT!

Getting Started

The Ketterhagens are joining the blogging world. Grandma and Grandpa Lambert have started a blog so we can all track them on their trip to the Abacos. We figured if they can do it, then we can too. We also get a kick out of following Riley's cousin Quinn's blog. It will be a great way to show off Riley and how she is growing so fast. So here it goes... We hope you enjoy!