She Turned TWO

Oh My Oh My, My little girl is already two years old. This is an awesome time. We had an awesome party for here. I know this post is a week late, see all the rest of my posts? Get used to it  ;).

We had her party on her Birthday, which was a day I normally work So awesome Day Off!
My awesome wife themed it Dr Seuss which turned out to be pretty neat I think. We had it at my awesome Parents house, Thanks for letting us use the place (Our house is way to small).  There was a Bounce house with dueling slides, took a pool and filled it with Balls for her to small to bounce Friends and we had the swing set as well. With a bubble machine going I think the kids all had a great time.

The Adults got to have some fun as well with Green Deviled eggs and the bounce house :-) Melissa knows I enjoyed the Bounce house and actually it was very exciting. Never had one for my Birthdays :-). Mom, Next year??????

I think the pictures will do more justice than my typing so take a look at a few....

 

  

 

Many more on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/houzvicka

Almost 2

Well the little girl is almost two now. Does that make me old? Doubtful. She has changed so much in the last year. It's truly amazing, and wonderful how she is growing. You can see the little girl getting smarter and understanding more and more. You can see her frustration when her daddy can't understand what shes trying to say because while she may think she saying something specific, my ears are incapable of understanding the words. Like every other woman it's the mans fault they can't understand.

 

Thanks to my wonderful sister we have some great 2 year old pictures. Well technically shes 1 and 9/10 but whatever, right? Here are a couple for your enjoyment:

 

As you can plainly see she is awesome. Mommy is planning her Birthday bash, and it is going to be an awesome one. Thanks again to the awesome sisters connections there shall be a bounce house within budget. Cool stuff there. Benefit of being an outgoing freely communicating person.

 

Now onto the life report. I'm well into school now. Only 2 classes so the workload while heavy in my mind in reality isn't that bad at all. A good start to the return to the education wheel. I may even attempt 3 classes next session. Dropping back into the school world is a little different. They say we are preparing you for the real world, but being in the real world already, they are wrong. Out of all the places I've worked Not a single one has been even closely similar to academia.

 

Academia is truly a world of its own. Other things going on, some plans didn't end up working out as I had hoped, but life is what life is. So other routes I am pursuing. We will see when, where and how life's road is paved. As of now it is the same but with the focus on this great little girl and school. I don't mind those at all. so now to come to an abrupt end with this blog as I have work to do that is calling. Enjoy your day and life.



 

Christmas Letter 2012

2012, what a year it was, you will be thought of, missed and forgotten. This little letter here is being written later than I normally would write it. It’s Odd I’m normally right on top of stuff like this. ;-)

The year of 30, 31 & 1 respectively started out as most years do with anticipation forward thought and hope. The year provided many things and took away a few at the same time. Starting out Melissa and I celebrated a birthday in our 30’s, the beginning of the end the end of the beginning however you feel about it, it was exciting. A new year a new child, Melissa a gallbladder short. We had Riley’s 1st birthday to look forward too, Derek’s 1st Birthday the birth of close friends 1st children, blue skies and butterflies all around (Its Florida we have those in the winter).

March arrived it was time to get Riley’s birthday in gear, We had many things to do, our daughters 1st birthday would have to be a day not forgotten. We decided to have it in a local park not too far from our house, invite everyone we knew. Made kick butt image invites and used a Ladybug theme. Lady bug cake, table cloths everything. Its only March so the days not too hot and definitely not cold. We had a great time everyone came, almost.  Riley’s Grandfather John (Melissa’s dad) was ill. Little did we know the birthday party wouldn’t be the only thing he would miss. He went downhill very fast what was supposed to be a long term Hospice rehab stay almost overnight turned into a short term placement. It was his time to walk with the angels, to the shock of his family and friends on March 27th we sadly said until we meet again John.

Time moves, never sits still, Riley is walking fully before her birthday which makes for interesting moments of her falling flat on her face as she tries to run. (Babies out there slow down enjoy life). July we celebrate Derek’s 1st Birthday. Outside at a nice park as well, Florida warmth filling the air. Derek had an awesome day turning one. Heathers blog rings with words to describe it.  Family trips to local places this year, aquarium, parks and a couple small city events.  Pictures to enjoy below.

This September also contained another sad day. Melissa’s Grandfather (Don Johnson) joined his son in the task of watching family from afar. Adding to the list of great people watching Riley and others to make sure we are well and ready to be welcomed in the years to come.

In October Riley cleaned her own pumpkin and went as a Cheerleader for halloween. She enjoyed the candy (I enjoyed it more) and the trick or treating with her friends for their first time. While she showed them the ropes and came home with pictures and memories for mommy and daddy. November she was a flower girl in Uncle Trevor’s and Aunt Cassandra's wedding. Congratulation to the two of them, while Riley & Derek took the trophy for cuteness you two looked pretty styling yourself.  As I reach the end of the page I reflect on the year with joy and sadness. I can never fit everything into this letter both not to bore you and to leave some mystery in life. I can not wait to see what the new year brings, hopefully more happiness than sadness, but as long as there is laughter and family it will be another great year in the journey we call life. Merry Christmas and any other holiday you celebrate and Happy New year. (I rescind the last comment if the world ends before new years or christmas, I have a feeling another one of these will be sent next year. Sorry)

Love Josh, Melissa & Riley - 2012

“Here is the world.  Beautiful and terrible things will happen.  Don't be afraid. “ -Frederick Buechner

A little behind on the posts

I've been very bad at keeping this up to date. Busy lately with all kinds of stuff. It seems like its only going to get even more busy but I'll try harder. Riley is now down for a nap. Hopefully I have enough time to complete this while shes sleeping. She is a busy little girl My god makes me feel old how much more energy she has to run around. Wish I had that too. Need to start exercising again. I find it odd how a few hours after you finish exercising you feel like you have more energy, (This is after the first couple weeks).

Anyway, we had Riley's One year old pictures taken. My sister did them shes pretty dang gone good with the camera. A little photo shop by me trying to reduce the bruise she got the day before while climbing them falling from the table. Oh yeah she climbs on everything now. I need to bubble wrap the floors. Ill post a few picture on this blog post but most of you will want to click the link to photos on my site.

She saying a few more words  my favorite is still tank you  which is now sounding more like Thank you :(...
She wants to do everything by herself. Using spoons is still the hard one. Forks shes almost got down. Getting her to realize you cant flip the spoon upside down while bringing it to her mouth is the issue. She will get it soon.

She is getting a lot better at those box puzzles where you place the shape in the cube. Starting to get a few right consistently but some she really tries to force in the wrong spot. Her new thing is to pull every last toy our of the toy tub and play in the tub. But while shes doing that half the toys are being thrown around the living room. Lucky when they are not slammed in your lap while your not looking.

She loves being read to. I have read more book in the last 6 months than I have in my life. Yes some of then I've read 16 times in the same day but all in all she loves bringing us books to read her. Just got her a new one yesterday. Giraffes Can't Dance I recommend it to anyone. Its cute and has a great rhythm.

We don't have the one with the CD but that looks interesting.

In other news our TV has given out and we put in place an old 19". Every wonder why kids sat so close to the TV? I think its because they were just so small and they want to see the details. Now when we had the 50" there she would on occasion run up to the TV and put her fingers all over it, I assume thinking that she could touch whatever was there, but now she is constantly at the TV. I sound like my mother used to " Stand back Josh" except I'm saying Riley and Melissa is saying Josh these days. ;)


Ohh she waking.. I'm gone before she adds her own track to this blog. I'll be back sooner than last time.. Promise.

First Words

Riley is speaking better and better everyday. This post is mostly so I can remember some of her first words.
She is using many frequently and now that I'm trying to type this out my mind is going blank, but without doubt some will come to me.
Tato = Potato
Tank you = Thank you
No = Its her favorite
ball
phish= fish
shoe
up
down - this also means up most of the time
ow = ouch
go
yeah
juice
milk = in sign only
da = dad
ma = mama
I had to cheat a little and call the wife. Make sure I had at least most of them. So above is the basic list of what she says often. I wont include Shi* well because she uses it too well and I have no idea where she got it from. Thankfully she isn't using it like she was before. At least I think its developed into one of the other above words.

Looking forward to the next few words.....

The journey

We recently got back from a little "vacation" of visiting family. Regretfully the cost of flight and associated needs of flying prevented us from doing that. So we drove. For Melissa and I this would be a 16-20 hour non stop drive. Well no more is it Melissa and I alone. I had in the plans that we would likely take longer. I figured we would stop at near every rest stop on the way for about half to a full hour for stretch and play time. Well we ended up stomping about that and once for the night each way. The hotels were unplanned but well needed, the one on the way up especially (I did not get enough sleep that day to continue and followed the arrive alive not early policy). Now for the part your all waiting for, how the 7+ month old did on a 2 day drive; well to maintain here status as the most awesome child in the world she would have to be awesome and she was. The ride up was the best. She was so excited at the first rest stop, "what is all of this". I would look back and she would be starring out the window at the trees or playing with her toys. She enjoyed her time when we arrived, similar to being in the at home routine just different and new people around. The drive back went good too. She was done with the car with about 5 or 6 hours left. You could tell she didn't want to do this anymore. I can't blame her, I didn't either. Even after the stop for the night (I didn't want to stop, would of been more than able to finish the drive), but she needed to or it would of been crying all the rest of the way. We made it home on Friday after leaving Thursday, hit a 5 minute flurry of snow specks in Kentucky, and had sunshine the whole way. Love driving and would do it again...... Riley you are awesome.....

She's Here

WakingHours (49)
Originally uploaded by Houzvicka

Well she has arrived. 19 hours of labor (me sitting), and 2 1/2 pushes a new beautiful little girl has arrived into the world. Could I even try to describe how or what I feel. Not in a million years. There are no words I know that can do it justice. Love is the closest word I know but it in itself does not describe the feelings or the emotions that run through your mind. Among those feeling are worry, excitement,  optimism and wonder. Worry everyday with hows shes doing, excitement in what is to come , optimistic about what she can become and wonder at the path life will take from here on. Now for the facts, shes was born at 12:21 pm 6 lbs 15 oz at 20 inches long. The picture to the right was taken her first week home. As of today she is an infant because her cord has fallen off 2 days ago and every day she gets more amazing. It may be the sleep deprivation that makes the simplest things seem so neat and cool, but I don't think so. I think it is the amazement that 43 weeks ago she was microscopic with only 2 cells total that divided perfectly to create a living breathing human. A little girl that is half of me and half of her mother. One hopes the best half of both. Time will tell and everyday the future we look forward to her will change every so slightly into the person she decides to become, the human with all the rest of the world changing around her that she choose or it helps create her to be. I look forward to watching every moment optimistic towards the world and the ability and determination she decides to put towards it.