4th of July!!!

After the July 3rd debacle at Tybee, we decided to stick close to home! We started out going to the water park and the more and more we go, the more and more Ryan falls in love with it. She is really starting to exhibit no fear and just runs and jumps and dives in-to my dismay! It is one thing to be fearless in my living room, and another around water! But she has so much fun, the chase and vigilance is worth it. After a few hours, we went home to a much needed nap, then head to dinner. There are not many things about Statesboro worth mentioning, but they do have a wonderful park. It is a sports complex really, with a water park inside that is really nice for the kids! We went there for their 4th activities and fireworks. We got there and realized that once again, we forgot bug spray (a MUST in south Georgia) so Jamey had to walk to the store (sorry again Jamey). They had big inflatable bouncers for the kids and even though she wasnt big enough to jump in them, she had fun running around on the playground. Sadly our stupidity reigns again, we put our stuff and blanket down on/near an ant hill...so needless to say we got eaten alive again (those hurt). My main fear was how Ryan was going to handle the noise of the fireworks, especially once they got started and I realized we were very close (closest i have ever been). But she seemed fascinated and just walked from person to person to have us hold her to watch them. Actually one of the best firework displays I have seen! Ryan crashed on the way home and all in all a pretty successful 4th!

Comedy of Errors-3rd of July @ Tybee Island

So I should have known this day was going to be a comedy of errors from the get go! It started out with mom bringing fireworks for us. Which sounds fun, until they are in Jamey's hands. At about 2:00pm on a day that was 102 degrees outside Jamey decided he wanted to "test" one of the firecrackers. Ok...seems reasonable enough. A little background info to help put this bad idea into better context; it has been unusually hot and dry lately, and the grass was just mowed a week prior with the cuttings not being swept up-so essentially hay was left. Thinking he was going to do this in the driveway, I told him where the lighter is (my fault I know). So instead of doing this experiment in the driveway, he goes out back, lights the firecracker and tosses it into the yard, where you guessed it it set the lawn on fire! In typical Jamey fashion, he comes in all casual, no sense of urgency and says to me and my mom, "I think I may need some help, the grass is on fire." We jump up to run into the kitchen to find him slowly filling up a pan with water. We all make it outside to find a 4 ft by 4ft square of grass on fire..which he did get out with the pan of water...my first thought should have been, "Why did you throw it in the yard?" but instead I could only think, "Why didnt you grab the hose right over there?" Either way, we look like 4th of July amateurs and it is only the 3rd!

The lack of brains and preparation continues as we head to Tybee Island for beach fireworks. We eat dinner in Savannah, which was nice, it was a glorious night outside and the town was hopin! After dinner we headed to Tybee where the debacle begins. I did a little researchwhere I find out if we headed to the north side of the island we could see both Tybee's show and Hilton Heads-this was not true (or it is possible we left before Hilton Head's started). We walked down the boardwalk to the beach and Ryan is already in full steam. It should be said that I am the worst mother-I didnt bring several staple items if one is going to the beach-bathing suit, extra outfit, swimmers, towels, bug spray..etc..Now in my defense, I hadnt planned on going into the ocean-AT ALL; maybe our feet, but thats it. I did not anticipate our Ryanbug being a waterbug. You can see the series of events from the pictures above. Here is how it went (in literally minutes):

Walk to ocean (more of a tippy tumbles into the ocean).

Feet in, pants get wet.

Roll up pants, she walks in further, mom, grandma and Jamey are now soaked as well.

Strip down to diaper and let her sit in the water (sand covering everything)

This isnt good enough, now Jamey fully dressed takes her way out-waist level...DONE

Now even though we all had to suffer through getting eaten alive by bugs, sit in wet clothes watching fireworks we could barely see, poorly attempting to keep bottles out of the sand, we all had a fairly good time watching Ryan have a blast!

Now here is where things get really miserable-there were no showers to rinse her off, we had to change her in a dirty sink and put her in the car seat in a diaper only. Meanwhile Jamey and I changed into bathing suits we happen to have in the car just to get home...if it sounds backwards you are right. All of us are exhausted, dirty, itchy and still have 1 1/2 hour drive! Happy 3rd!

Fathers Day!

Poor daddy had to share his Fathers Day with his Birthday this year-neither of which was anything spectacular! We did however decide to go out to dinner to celebrate, but in usual Jamey fashion, he did most of the work anyway-they really should come up with a day to honor the amazing dads who...wait...what....oh...that is what this weekend was supposed to be...oooppppss. Sorry daddy-we'll get you next year!

As you can see from above, Ryan has gotten into a pretty clear routine when getting ready. She gets dressed (which BTW, how adorable is that dress Aunt Judy got her?) then she immediately knows to put on her shoes next. Usually she backs into me and sits on my lap for me to put them on, but on this day she wanted to make daddy proud by putting them on herself...futile..but I loved the effort. Then once she is ready (VERY much like me) she is ready to go and everyone in house better be ready too! Sadly, even though it was supposed to be Jamey's night, Ryan was irritated that he wasnt ready yet-see her looking upstairs for him?! Once he came down, she ran to the window as if showing us she wants to go outside, then ran to daddy to pick her up to go...I guess it is now Ryans world and we just live in it....not only that, but I got a small glimpse of what it feels to have someone rush you to leave...hey-I only asked to picked up that once...but there is no excuse for yelling up the stairs and running to the window...sorry Jamey!

Great Grandmas house!

As a kid I always adored going to Grandmas House. Maybe it was because it was usually for Christmas, or the fact that I got to see snow, but my memories of this house are very fond ones!

So despite the circumstances surrounding this visit, I was fairly excited to take Ryan to visit her Great grandma. I think it is important to note that my grandmas house looks like an antique store, one you normally would NOT take a year old child into for fear of them grabbing and breaking everything in sight. I think Ryan had a blast, but for us it hours of running after her saying no and taking stuff out of her hands. After the first day we just about got everything out of sight, only to have my poor restless grandma put everything back in its place after we left, so we had repeat the routine every visit. Then on top of that we had Uncle Scott playing the instigator, bring her old antique chairs, toys and dolls (I swear the ugliest and scariest doll I have ever seen).

Also, on this visit she finally got to meet Aunt Judy (yes, the phantom aunt who sends her the best presents!), Uncle Jeb and Cousin Jamie. Jamie at one point had Ryan in stitches...I'm not sure what she did to get her to laugh, but it was the sweetest moment of the trip. She just loved Jamie!

Then she got to meet dads sisters, Fran and Sue, Frans son Michael, his wife Jessica, and their children Ellie and Ben. Ryan was a little skeptical at first (Ellie is her age) but once they broke out the toys-she was fine. Although I had to remind her more than once that that was NOT daycare and those toys are Ellie's-I hope she learns sharing soon-that was embarrassing. The funny part was, Ryan and Ellie had identical whines, so anytime either one of them pitched a fit, Jessica and I would look around to make sure it wasn't ours!

I think now Ryan has met her entire family at least once. Whew-that only took a year!