Ryder is a memory expert!
Christmas has come and gone this year. The kids had a great time and got to have 2 Christmases; 1 at home and 1 at Grandmas house.

Santa got the kids the classic game "Operation" and he also got them a game of "Memory".

So, we played memory as a family yesterday morning. The game comes with 72 cards, but because the kids (Ryder in particular) are so young, we only played with 20 or so cards.

So, we start playing and Kia and I can't get any matches. Zoe is doing OK... but Ryder was like a Memory expert! He got the most matches and he literally only needed to see a card once to remember its location! It was truly amazing. There were a few occassions where he wouldn't wait and just barged in on another persons turn to flip the correct matching card.

It was funny and also a pleasant surprise to discover a hidden talent in our little man.

Sleep

This morning, both kids slept until 8am. 1st time that has ever happened.




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Location:Phyllis Ln,Alexandria,United States

Going to work

For the past 2.5 years, just about every morning, this is how Zoe and Ryder saw me off to work. They'd watch me walk down the hill to my bus waving and blowing kisses. There were a few times where I forgot to look back and wave and they'd get all bent out of shape.








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Location:Phyllis Ln,Alexandria,United States

Zoe v Ryder

Tonight before bed, Ryder was playing with a stuffed bear that was given to Zoe by Grandma. At bedtime, Zoe, seeing Ryder's interest in the bear, decided to take it to bed. Well... Ryder got mad and went to grab it back. Zoe wouldn't let go and a tug of war broke out. We, realizing Zoe only cared because Ryder expressed interest, ruled in Ryder's favor and forced Zoe to relinquish control of the bear. She was pissed! As Ryder went off happily to bed, I stayed with Zoe to attempt to reason with her. She wasn't having it.

Zoe, crying and livid: "Ryder is a stealer!!!". I wish some people would come arrest him!!!"

Shortly after, Kia was trying to console her and from downstairs I hear: "I'm gonna tell Grandma on Ryder! She bought ME that bear!"

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Location:Phyllis Ln,Alexandria,United States

Pinkalicious

We sold Zoe's 1at bike a few days ago. She has outgrown it. So long Pinkalicious, thanks for the memories.




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Location:Phyllis Ln,Alexandria,United States

Ryder can now button his own shirt! Last night he buttoned up his pajamas all by himself. I offered to help him with the top button but he insisted he could do it and he did.

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Location:Phyllis Ln,Alexandria,United States

Parent teacher meetings

Last week, we had Parent / Teacher meetings at their school. Both Zoe and Ryder had great reports. The teachers (mrs Diamond and mrs. Didavi) had nothing but great things to report.

Zoe is great at reading and helping the younger kids,

Ryder is great at listening, interacting with the other kids and he does really well at circle time (unusual for his age).

So Kia and i are patting ourselves on the back for being such great parents... we are wrapping it up, getting the kids together to leave, saying goodbyes to the teachers when Ryder says out loud: "when I grow up, I get to say bad words".

Oh well... It was good while it lasted.



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Zoe, the artist

Good news, bad news:
Good news, Zoe copied a picture from one of her books. She must get her artistic talent from her Mom.





Bad news, Ryder has a fever. He must get his immune system from his Mom.

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Location:Phyllis Ln,Alexandria,United States

Ryder had his first visit to the dentist. He was a trooper! Even better, no cavities.




We took the kids on a daylong trip to the DC mall. Specifically the Martin Luther King monument.





Last week we visited the White House. Our tour (self guided) started at 7am. We froze our butts off waiting to go in.



Here we are!





We didn't see Barack... But we did see the next best thing; Bo, the Obamas dog!




We did Halloween with friends in Del Ray. Ryder was "optimus crime" (that's how he says it, and Zoe was a mermaid. Ryder was a madman! It was as if he was an old pro. He ran from house to house, dodging the big kids and getting in the mix to get his candy. The people in the house kept saying "just 3 pieces please" Ryder wasn't hearing that. I had to keep pulling him off the porches! He'd say "are we going to nother house?".
Zoe started off mad because she couldn't "see her feet" because of her costume. When we tried to pacify her by moving the fins, she got mad because now she didn't "look like a real mermaid". So, we couldn't win. Fortunately, after a while she got over it, loosened up and had a great time.






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Ryder Anecdote from Kia

Zoe was mad at Ryder for rearranging the Halloween sticky letters on the window. So she kicked him. Ryder ratted her out. I made Zoe go do a time-out in her room. When it was time to come down, I made her hug him and apologize. So she hugs him and says she's sorry. Ryder squeezes her back, with his cute little hands around her middle, and says in all sincerity "I love you, Zoe. Thank you for kicking me." .........


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Location:Phyllis Ln,Alexandria,United States

Ryder counts to "17"

Ryder says "Galapagos"

We recorded a show on the nature channel called "Galapagos". The kids like it. This is how Ryder says it:

Yesterday after work, we went to our community pool. Zoes swimming continues to improve and Ryder was able t put his whole head under water.

Zoe can swim!!!!

Yesterday after Nicolas Rodas' Baptism (where both Ryder and Zoe were well behaved; for the most part) they (the Rodas') threw a pool party at their local community pool.

Since we joined our community pool and went to the beach, Zoe has slowly but surely been working up the confidence and skill to put her head under water...

Well, yesterday Zoe did it! Initially she was working with Kia to practice. Then, we took them to the "baby pool" and she began putting her head in the water and swimming forward! At her best, she probably stayed submerged for about 5 seconds and did 2 strokes forward.

She was so proud of herself.

The following is Kias version of the story, and I quote:
"Zoe saw that her BFF Sophia Rodas knew how to swim already. I saw that look of determination in Zoe's eyes, like, "Well I can do this too!" So far, we'd just been trying to get her to feel comfortable to put her head under water, but she tended to be hesitant. When I saw that look in her eyes, I seized the opportunity. I said, "Zoe, want to put your head under water? You see Sophia did it, and I know you can do it too." Without missing a beat she started to just go under, but I told her to get her breath first. She took a big breath, held her nose and put her head under without rushing to the top, when she popped up all smiles. So we did that several times, and she was going waaay under, all fearless now. So I told her to let me pull her in the water by her hand (the other hand held her nose) when she went under, and we did it and she got the feel of what swimming was and was all smiles, because she was kicking and swimming, I was just dragging her along in the water. She stayed completely under and I was so proud of her and excited for her because I knew how proud and excited she was for herself! Then we did it where I held her lightly under her tummy so she could see how that felt. So finally when we went to the kiddie pool, it was just deep enough that she could do it all herself and push herself up when she was ready to come up for air. There was one segment, where suddenly she just kept kicking and moving both hands completely underwater----SWIMMING!! She came up and her smile was so great, and she suddenly looked like such a big girl, and I got to be there for that and it was one of the greatest moments of my life. This morning she told me she was dreaming of swimming. We snuggled and she told me the whole dream. I am so happy for her and proud of her. A great, great moment. I feel so lucky.
What is really sweet about this moment is that Zoe and I learned at the same exact time, the summer we were 5 years old."

A few anecdotes:

Zoe
Last week, while Zoe was asleep, I went into her room and "stole" her Pillow Pet pillow (i like them, what can I say???).

So, I wake up in the morning and Zoe comes up to me and says: "You stole my Pillow Pet last night, but I took it back". And low and behold, at some point during the evening, she had snuck up on me and taken he pillow back!

Now, the past few mornings she comes down and says: "You didn't get my Pillow Pet last night"

Ryder
This morning, after I had left for work and Kia was taking a shower, Ryder took it upon himself to go into the refrigerator and get some water. The problem is, we buy one of those gallon containers of "spring water" that has a nozzle you pull out to get water and push in to stop the flow... So, Ryder succeeded in pulling the nozzle out, but didnt bother pushing it back in to stop the flow. As a result, the entire gallon flowed out into the refrigerator and onto the kitchen floor.

We took the kids to Ocean City, MD 2weeks ago. We stayed at the condo of a relative of Carlos and Sabrina Rodas. It was both kids first times being at the beach (with the exception of Zoe going to Costa Rica when she was 6 months old). They had a blast!

Getting ready to hit the beach:


1st Pic @ the beach:


Kia helped Zoe make her 1st sand castle:

Ryder playing in the sand:

Zoe and Kia made a sand sculpture... guess what it is:

We hit the "boardwalk" one evening:


There was a park right near our condo... Here is a cool pic I took of Ryder:


Bonus video... While walking along the boardwalk, we passed a store that was blaring a rap song, so Ryder did what he does in those cases:


Overall, it was a great trip. They both loved playing in the sand and playing at the pool. As far as actually going in the ocean, we'll just say, "baby steps". Zoe eventually allowed me to carry her into the ocean. Ryder tended to just stand on the shoreline crying while we went in the water. The sound of the waves crashing scared him and he'd yell: "Shut up waves!"

For most of Ryders life, he has required a bottle of milk before bed. The past 3 or 4 nights, he has not asked for a bottle! We may be coming to the end of an era.

On the flip side, he has been putting up a major fight lately to get his butt in bed. Last night he was crying and yelling: "I want my Zoe!!!". Because he likes to sleep in her bed

SMH...

So the other day, Ryder woke up at his standard 5:30 to 6:00 AM time slot and proceeded to harass me incessantly to wake up. I tried desperately to ignore him and fall back to sleep. He continued to mess with me. Eventually I gave up and in exasperation said: "Ryder, you're f'n crazy". Only I said the actual word. Ryder smiled and said back to me "no daddy, you're f'n crazy and I'm gonna tell momma you said that bad word".

Test

Test post from Blogsy

This weekend, we took the kids to Ocean City, MD for their first ever trip to the beach. We have had an amazing time. They love playing at the beach. As I type this, Zoe has her back to her food and Ryder is stealing her grapes. They are not so fond of going in the ocean, but they love playing in the sand. Zoe did eventually allow me to carry her out into the ocean. She looked at me and said: "I'm ready Daddy". She grabbed onto me and held on tight and we went into the water.

Ryder allowed Kia to dip his legs in the water. He didn't like the noise the waves were making so he told the waves: "Shut up waves!!! Or i'll punch you in the face!". He said the same thing to the thunder during a thunder storm we had while here.

We also hung out at the complexs' pool. Zoe put her entire head in the water for the 1st time! She was so proud of herself.

Last night we took them to the boardwalk and just walked up and down taking in all of the sights. They both had a blast. We got them funnel cake and cotton candy. They weren't big on the funnel cake, but Ryder couldn't get the cotton candy into his mouth fast enough. Last night, as I'm talking to Zoe she asks for more cotton candy and I tell her that cotton candy is not good for you. She says: "Why did God give us cotton candy if its not good for us?".

We have video of Ryder "rockin out" outside of one of the shops that had music playing. I'll try to upload the video asap.