The other kids...

When there was one kid…I just blogged about him.
When there were two kids…I tried to blog about them both
Now there will be three and I need a calendar to tell people how old Tate is and a couple minutes to remember what year Riley was born.  I couldn't even remember my age the other day (I'm still not sure)    Maybe it's the lack of sleep, or the "on the go" nature of our lives, but I'm pretty sure most moms can relate.

So before this third kid comes and she consumes my blogs…I am going to blog about the other kids.

Let's start with Tate R:

He is almost 16 months and he talks…really he does!  He says a variety of words and some two word phrases; dog, deer, fish, duck, boat, outside, ball, RILEY, DADDY, bye, hi, up, baba, bath, ucky, movie, truck, car, book, night night, bye daddy…and so on.  He just recently started walking and holding hands, so I don't have to carry him everywhere, but you have to keep it exciting or he wants to run off.  We started (very mildly) disciplining with a little corner time.  Definitely not like we did with Riley.  Tate is a little ornery, when he doesn't listen, I just take his hand and sit him down in the corner for 20 seconds.  He doesn't seem to mind it and he sits there.  I think of it more as a listening exercise.  He still take 2- 2 hour naps a day and sleep from 8pm-7am and doesn't stop when he is awake.  He is not interested in TV or movies…but loves books and we now hate books.  I think I read 50 books a day.  He eats whatever we eat, some of his favorite foods are: baked beans, watermelon, sweet potato fries, grapes, mac n cheese, and mixed veggies (corn, peas, carrots)  He gives hugs often, he is NOT stranger shy and doesn't seem to be scared of anything.  If he doesn't like something he just stays away.  Rarely fusses, except when he is teething or tired.  Pretty easy to please.  He picks on his brother and tries to start fights, but loves him and always wants to be around Riley.

And now onto Riley:

Riley is almost 4 years (only 1 month away)  And what a kid…you truly have to take the good with the bad, when it comes to Riley.  He has so much personality and spunk…and at the same time, he can make you scratch your head and wonder.  He has come quite a ways in this last year.  He has gone from despising Tate, to knowing what Tate wants before I do.  "Tater's thirsty" "Tater's tired" "Tater dropped his blankey" We still have the occasional bop to the head or out of no where tackle…but Tate hardly seems to mind, so I assume it's normal brotherly "love".  Riley writes his letters now and randomly "spells" words on the chalk board and claims they spell real words…we just go with it.  He can spell his name and Tate's name correctly though.   He has become a bottomless pit in these last couple months, eating all the time. (he wears size 6/7 clothes and 11 shoe)  He can eat a whole box of mac and cheese, but we don't let him (anymore) His favorite foods are: mac and cheese, hot diggity dogs (corn dogs) strawberries, green beans (he dips them in apple sauce?)  grapes, pizza, pineapple, corn on the cob and peanut butter.  He is getting out of his throwing fits but sometimes reverts back to "acting like a baby" simply because he sees Tate getting attention.  but he is very animate about acting like a big boy when we remind him that.. "Big boys get to eat pizza!"  It's nice that he is so independent, sometimes too independent…changing the batteries in the flash light (how in the world does he know how to do that!?)  and figuring out the fence gate and acting like a repairman and moving the bar stools across the kitchen to eat the rest of the cookies.  He loves to make up stories, so don't believe anything he says…like ryan did not shoot the turkey on Riley's turkey sandwich and the bacon in our fridge is not gator that grandpa wrestled and caught.  Although he has figured out how to lie…but we (for the most part) catch him.  And just explain "you won't ever get in trouble for telling the truth"
Riley LOVES Hillbilly Hand Fishing and Swamp People…Grandpa Phil's redneck influences have really stuck.  He loves fishing and pretending to hunt for deer.  He is a true outdoorsman…he definitely has the peeing outdoors thing down.  He loves snakes and hates bugs.

Recently, Riley had a fun day with Dad at Adventureland.  We were really unsure of how Riley would react to the rides (it really could have gone either way, he has never been to an amusement park)  But apparently he loved the rides and the pool park.   And he had so much fun with Ryan.

It was a hot hot day….

and he got to ride on a captain america plane

Riley is super excited for his birthday, we have been planning since Tate's birthday party.  I asked him who he was inviting to his birthday and he responded "Hambone, reese, caleigh, jesse, grandpa nile, grandpa phil, grandpa steve, tater and daddy…"  I said "is that it?!"  Riley said "YEAH!"  I said"That's just boys and reese and caleigh, don't I get to come?"  Riley said "no"  I responded "but I am planning the party and made your invites!"  Riley laughed and said "Oh right…mommy, you can come"