Keeping our family and friends updated!

Well, after an over two year silence, it is time to start posting again to keep everyone more updated on us!!! Many, many exciting things are going on in our life and I SO look forward to keeping everyone abreast on all of the fun! Too many updates to really remember for one post, but I will just start now and update as often as necessary! Here goes:

This month of August 2010 has been SUCH an eventful time in our family! Unfortunately, Matthew has been gone for all of it!!

-Layla started her ballet/tap dance class on 18 August, and what fun she is having!! She is only the most beautiful little ballerina I have ever seen! When she put the tap shoes on, she stomped around for 5 minutes just SO thrilled at the sound her little shoes made! I had a blast watching her and look forward to her recital in June 2011!

-Layla turned 3 years old on Sunday, August 22nd! We had a huge, fun party at Aunt Kristin's house with a princess cake and tons of presents for the little princess!

-Layla went to her first movie theater movie! We saw Shrek and she LOVED it!!! Although a little restless and with only one potty break, she watched the whole thing. She had a token popcorn tray with a half-water red powerade to drink! Yum!!

-Layla started school on 24 August and LOVES every minute of it! I cannot believe my baby girl is in school and learning SO much! What a joy and wonderful addition she is to her class. However, she is almost too advanced for her class as she has been spelling her name and saying The Pledge for nearly 6 months already! Such a smart cookie, way advanced!

-We have been traveling for weeks now with just a brief break at home for 3 days of school last week!

-Ryan is 3.5 months old and is just the absolute easiest baby I could have ever imagined! He is SO laid back and just never complains about anything!

-Ryan had his first long car trip and on the way home, he did great!! He finally was used to being in the car and has truly become an easy car rider now!!!

-Ryan is rolling over both ways (although front to back is still easier). He also pushes up and scoots during tummy time! His legs are constantly moving, I think he is going to be a runner like his Papas!!

-He holds his head up and watches everything going on around him about like that of a 6 months old!

-Ryan is VERY vocal as well with TONS to say and smile about all the time! Although, he loves, loves nursing and is happiest just after he eats!

-He stands up with his strong, skinny little legs and is almost ready for an exersaucer! Can't wait, he will have SUCH fun! It is not far out for that now, maybe a couple of weeks.

-He LOVES the smell of food and watches every bite that anyone takes, HILARIOUS!! Poor guy, too bad its only milk for another 2.5 months!! He even brings things to his mouth already to try and taste everything so he is getting VERY excited and ready to eat real food!

-Ryan's favorite sound is a womans voice, makes him smile like crazy! He giggles and laughs so easily and rarely cries!

-He sleeps through the night from 8:30 until about 5:30 when he wakes up, eats and sleeps again until around 10! He is such a lazy baby, so easy going!!

-Most importantly, Ryan is a SPITTING image of his daddy!! I can't get enough of the little Matthew mini-me! I love my boys!!!

-Layla is wrapped sooooo tightly around daddy's finger. About the sweetest thing I have ever seen. What a beautiful picture of a father and daughter so infatuatingly in love with each other. They have such googly eyes towards each other. Ryan is that way with his mama though so I have mine too!!

The best part is that Layla is truly such a good girl and has no problems when daddy is gone. She is the perfect military child as she is very adaptable and knows mommy is always there, but daddy will always return as well!

Phew- LOTS of updates!! Matthew returns home next week after his 3.5 week TDY to do some training up in the Rockies!! We cannot WAIT to have him home!!!

Come home soon and safely, daddy!! Love you!!

I will update our picture tabs to the left once I get home tomorrow! I will also update on many more exciting things going on with us in the next couple of weeks!!

The long road to California...

Hello again to everyone!

Looks like we are getting this site up and running again since we have to keep a certain daddy in Iraq updated. It appears that he will have limited internet and phone access, but is able to check this site for pictures! So, it looks like everyone is going to reap the benefits of me putting up pictures often of Layla as she changes and grows so rapidly!

I have many things to keep us busy while we are here so I am looking forward to this deployment going by very quickly and getting my honey home!!! This is certainly a HUGE new chapter in our lives, right darling? So we are truly looking forward to the end of the deployment for countless reasons.

Without further jibber jabber as I know everyone that checks this site is just interested in seeing Layla.....here are several different pictures from the drive out to California from North Carolina...a 5 day, 4 night event!

Love to all and to Matthew, kisses from your girls.