Elaine's Baby Shower

Some girlfriends and I threw our dear friend, Elaine, a baby shower this past Saturday.  Elaine and Brad are expecting baby boy Lucas Ralph in late September.  Elaine looks great and is growing a healthy little one!  We are so excited to meet Lucas and for Ryder to have another buddy!

Baby Lucas is hiding behind me!

Welcome Elsa Maxine Larson

With joy and excitement we share the news of Ryder's new cousin, Elsa Maxine Larson.  Proud parents Liz and Brian (Eric's brother) welcomed their daughter into the world on Wednesday, July 20, at 2:16 PM.  Elsa was 8 lb 6 oz and 20.5 inches.  She is a healthy and beautiful baby girl!  Eric and I are excited to meet our niece in September when Brian and Liz bring her for a visit.  Here are a couple pictures. 

The hospital pictures



 

Meine beste Freundin!

My good friend (and travel partner pre-Eric), Allison, was in town this weekend from Raleigh.  We met for lunch and caught up.  Chatting about old times reminded me of how simple life was in college and how lucky I was to experience so many great places, cultures and people.  Allison and I shared two study abroad experiences in 2002 and 2003- both to Germany.  I look forward to Ryder studying in Europe and to him having a life long friend, like I have in Allison, with whom he can share the experience! 

Speaking of Germany, I think I have Eric convinced we can take Ryder over the pond next May.  Are we crazy to think we can take Ryder to meet his family in Germany!?!  Here we come Claudia and Bernhard!!

Me, Allison and our classmate in Florence, Italy in August 2002

Allison meets Ryder-- July 2011 (we look the same 9 years later, right!?)

Ryder's 6 Month Pictures, Dancing Queen & Chamblee Fireworks

Here are a handful of the great shots that Lindsey Turner took of Ryder (http://www.lindsey-turner.com/) over 4th of July weekend.  You may have seen these on Lindsey's blog, but I agree with her that they were some of the best shots. 

Just learning to sit up!

 

This boy LOVES his daddy!

 

What's cuter than a baby in a bucket!?!

 Ryder is doing great!  He is happy as can be, but he is in no hurry to move much.  He rolls over with help and sitting is still touch and go, but he'll get there.  Ryder started "real food" this weekend with his first meal of sweet potatoes.  I started making his food this evening...steaming potatoes, cooking apples, etc... I'll post about my food making adventures soon.

We had a "date night" Friday night with the Sprinkle/Shaver crew (Chastain Park- Abba cover band with Atlanta Symphony Orch.), and Grandma and Grandpa Larson watched Ryder.  Abba's music is so timeless- Dancing Queen was the highlight of the show!  We also enjoyed the Chamblee Fireworks on Saturday night (postponed from 4th of July) after a great dinner with our neighbors/friends, the Spallas.

Lindsey, Jeff, Heather & Eric (Allie took the picture!)

Super cool iphone app called Instagram retouches the pic

I love this chalk board conversation bubble (etsy.com)

Sneak Peak @ Ryder's 6 Month Pictures

Check out pictures of Ryder from this weekend: http://lindsey-turnerblog.com. I will post the actual pictures after I receive them from the photographer, Lindsey Turner. I love the one of him laughing with Eric!

God Bless America!

Happy 4th of July to everyone.  We enjoyed our long weekend and extra time with Ryder.  Eric and I ran the Peachtree Road Race yesterday in just over an hour.  It is a 10K, for all of my non-Atlanta followers.  The weather was super hot!  We did not make it to any firework shows this year due to the bad weather and a sleeping baby.  Maybe next year!  Here's my happy little all-American boy!

Proud to be an American (but can't wait to travel the world)!

Atlanta Zoo & Six Month Photos

Happy 4th of July weekend!!  I started the weekend off right by taking Friday off and spoiling my Godchildren, Charlie and Angelina, with a trip to the zoo for a VIP experience with the elephants.  We fed Kelly the elephant, watched the father-to-be tiger play in his pool (mommy tiger due with a cub in a couple weeks), enjoyed the pandas and gave lots of "yucks" at the reptile house.  Here are a few pictures:

Charlie knew so much about each animal!  He's so smart!

Kelly the ele' loved apples, watermelon and peaches! Charlie fed her many times.

Angelina was all girl... one feeding and she was done.

That's a face of someone having fun!? It was quite hairy!

 

Ryder was along for the ride.  He loves his cousins!

Ryder turned 6 months old on Monday, June 27th.  To say the past 6 months have gone by quickly would be a gross understatement.  Our world has changed in the most unimaginable way, and we could not be happier.  Ryder Louis is a great baby, and Eric and I are so proud to be his parents.  Here are some candid pictures and a couple from his photo shoot.  The photographer's pictures will be posted in about a week.

Lots of smiles until the photo session! Then he was Mr serious!

"Help mom- I can't sit that well yet!"

Great beverage tin from the Schreiber's!

Hopefully the photographer got the few smiles Ryder gave.