Week 48: I can drive!

Well, I've been awake since 4 am this morning so the creative part of my brain is still in limbo. Hence the title of this blog. But never mind me, what about Rayler? Well, he's been awake since 4 am too. See, brain totally uncreative.

Let's see, last weeks big news included Rayler's second tooth. He is now working on #3. I can't decide if it's a top or bottom tooth, but I do know that it's on the right.

One day I was cleaning the master bathroom and Rayler found me. I put him in the big garden tub to play so he wouldn't be underfoot. A few minutes later I glanced over and saw the monkey clinging to the top edge of the tub with one arm and one leg on either side. That booger climbed out of the tub on his own! His favorite perch is on top of the couch. He's taken several spills off of it too, but so far I've either been able to break his fall, or there has been a pillow in the floor for him to land on. It's not going to be fun the first time he gets hurt.

Bugs is a bottomless pit, most days. When his teeth are bothering him sometimes he'll barely eat at all. This week he made the switch from 5 to 4 meals a day. He's been doing well so far. He tried out his first soft taco.

And he can eat two pancakes now!

He absolutely approved of my deer steak and potatoes.

I decided to give him a little bit of peanut butter this week. I spread it thin between two whole wheat Ritz crackers.

I was trying to get a clear shot of his messy face but he wouldn't stop trying to grab the camera

He rubbed it into his eyes, eyelashes and hair

I ended up with peanut butter smeared into my camera strap

That was a fun mess to clean up. He had it in his ears, hair, eyelashes....everywhere.

One day I was eating a breakfast burrito and Rayler kept begging me for a bite. I figured that he was close enough to a year to give him whole eggs so I gave in and fed him a bite. I wasn't sure if he would like it because I had put hot sauce on it. I should have known, he loved it. He ended up eating half of my lunch! Maybe that's why I lost 5 lbs this week. He eats all of my food!

Saturday Bugs and I went to my Aunt Susan's house for the Southard side 4th of July. (Tyler had to work) We had a luau this year. So much fun! Rayler wore his little Hawaiian shirt and my cousin Tisha made me a flower for my hair. Aunt Gayla and Tisha made everyone Hawaiian name tags. Rayler totally  pigged out. Before we left the house he had applesauce and squash, and then we we got there he had a hotdog, cantaloupe, pasta salad, potato salad and a slice of apple! Then Auntie M gave him a little bit of her grape popsicle, he wasn't sure about that because it was so cold. And before we left I tried to give him a taste of great-Grandma Roonie's from-scratch homemade ice cream, YUM!!!! (homemade from-scratch is the BEST!) He didn't like it though, because it was cold. And he was probably super full from eating so much.

He did not want his picture taken, he wanted to get down and go outside

Uncle Charlie. Isn't he beeeyoooootiful?

Wearing Aunt Poey's head piece, it didn't last long.

Rayler and Aunt Poey. Aunt Beth is sitting in the background.

Rayler's great-great Aunt Ilene. We adore her tiny orneriness.

Rayler's Auntie Lyle. 

Cousin Tisha

Rayler's great-Grandpa Lonnie. He's such a turkey bird.

He was making terrible faces while he ate Auntie M's popsicle.

The big kids played volleyball/shaving cream/silly string/water balloon fights

The little kids played in their pools

Grandpa Gary filling up Rayler's pool.

Rayler great-uncles Charlie and Michael. These two are the orneriest! They always out prank/scare/joke the kids. Every. Single. Year.

They shaving creamed/silly stringed the volleyball players and then washed them down with a water balloon launcher.

My sister was a "tattoo artist" for the afternoon. I liked my foot "tattoo"!

Rayler can stand up on his own now, he doesn't have to pull up on anything. I haven't gotten a video of it yet, he just started doing that really well in the last couple of days.

Now that Rayler has two teeth I broke out the real toothbrush.

Brush the side...

...and the back...

...and the other side...

Here is the rest of our weekly photo shoot.

Spinning the train wheels. He LOVES things that spin.

He likes to climb in and out of his pool

Picking grass

I wanna take some pictures Mama!

I was making my bed and he discovered my body pillow

I think I need a pillow in my bed Mama!

Going to pick up Auntie M so we can go swimming. I let him ride in the front seat because she just lives a few trailers up from us.

I turned on the ac full blast and he couldn't keep his eyes open.

He ended up crawling over into my lap so he could "drive"

Swimming wore him out!

He took a good nap that afternoon!

Trying on Mama's headband

We also did Rayler's one year photo shoot this week. I realize that it's a whole month early, but I need to get his birthday invites done. I'll probably do another shoot closer to his birthday. Maybe that one will go a little better than this one did. We did get some cute pictures, but it was pretty early and he just wanted to drink his bottle and not have to be chipper and smiley. Of course, you'll have to wait to see his pictures. Heehee, but here is a hint of what is to come.

That was a gorgeous view so early in the morning.

And I have a request for you this time. I am very curious if anyone even reads this blog. So, if you are reading this right now, please either leave a comment, or like the link on fb. Thanks!