Check it out!

One of our steps to becoming a big girl was that we were not going to use sippy cups anymore and that we were going to move along to cups with straws only. Well yesterday I found out from Miss Miranda at daycare that Riley drinks from a big girl cup and then proceeded to watch her chug down some apple juice from a CUP!

So this morning when she requested Cheerios for breakfast I gladly gave her some with a cup of juice. Check out my big girl!!

Seriously, what's next - her driver's license???? I love that she is growing up - but does it have to be so quickly????

Just a good ol fashion B&E

Tonight was a night for the books! Everything went according to schedule: dinner, playtime, bath, snack and relax time. Dora the Explorer just ended, we shared our favorite part of the day with each other and marched to bed. We tucked Riley in, turned on the music and said "I love you." We then did what we do on any other typical night - we shut the door.

It isn't unusual for Riley to get up out of her bed, run to the door and stand at the door for one last plea to get out. Tonight after a few minutes of her being out of her bed, Jeremy walked down to her room only to find out that her door was LOCKED!!!! We stood there between laughter and panic and tried to get our 23-month-old daughter to follow instructions on how to unlock the door - she tried and tried and you could sense her frustration. Needless to say we had no other option but to bust down the door.

We yelled for Riley to get away from the door and I laid on the floor to watch her little feet run in the opposite direction of the door. Jeremy gave it 2 really good hits and the door was opened. Well Riley got her way - she is currently up on the couch watching The Backyardigans while mommy and daddy wonder how much fixing the damage is going to cost us!



I would have never imagined life with an almost 2-year-old to be so exciting, frightening and anxiety ridden and yet the happiest time of my life. Ahhhh - I totally love being Riley Paige's mommy!!

It's Riley's BIG GIRL room!

The transformation from baby room to toddler room is complete!! Check out Riley's new digs - which she is totally loving! What a difference from her old room.

Allow me to formally introduce...

Lizard and Froggy the newest members of the Clark family. Lizard (orange shell) and Froggy (Ladybug shell) were picked out and named by Riley while we were on vacation in OBX. Now Froggy and Lizard may have been bought as fun pets for Riley, but we all know that Jeremy is slightly obsessed with the care of both.


This is how Froggy and Lizard have been living for the past week, in a nice cozy tank that features lovely amenities like a pool, sponges and wood. They eat, sleep and poop here and seemed to be doing just fine. One would probably say that this is a more than humble abode for 2 darling hermit crabs.

However, for their owner (that would be Jeremy) this was NOT enough - it was not even close to enough. Jeremy spent the entire week after Froggy and Lizard made their long journey to Liverpool researching (yes I said researching) hermit crabs and all that is needed to be know about hermit crabs. Lo and behold - a decision was made that Froggy and Lizard were members of this family who deserved the best and nothing but the best. It appears that Froggy and Lizard have been upgraded from a cozy shack to a sprawling chateau. Jeremy researched some more and found all of the things that any spoiled hermit crabs could possibly need. Of course he did not leave Riley out of the trip (he probably didn't want to look weird at the pet shop), they came home and Riley and daddy put together the new home.






I am glad that it appears as though Froggy and Lizard are enjoying their new chateau and hope that the two get cozy because Jeremy - oops, I mean Riley loves her new "guys" and we wouldn't want anything to happen to them. Like it or not, Froggy and Lizard are stuck with us!!

Step 2 = CHECK, CHECK!

Crib - what crib???? Riley's crib is a crib no longer - now it's her big girl bed! And boy does she LOVE her big girl bed!! Riley helped us convert her crib into her awesome new big girl bed over the past 2 days. She is so proud of herself (and we are too).

Hey where did my crib go?

Helping mommy put sheets on the bed

The bed before the guardrail was put in. Riley actually slept in it without the guardrail on. Of course we placed pillows on the floor beside her and thank goodness we did because we woke up in the morning to her sleeping on the floor :)

Helping daddy put on the guardrail.

Riley is super excited about her big girl bed!

We are also changing some of the decor of her room - but this will all happen over the next few weekends, as we have a very busy July ahead of us. Two steps down to becoming a big girl, two more (and they'll be the hardest for sure) to go. Make sure you check back to check in on Riley's progress.

Step 1 = CHECK

Well that was easy (although this was the one transition I thought would be the easiest) - but Riley has made a more than smooth transition to using a straw cup. No more sippy cups for this toddler!

Steps to becoming a big girl

These next few weeks are going to be filled with so many changes for Riley Paige. Here are some of the steps we will be taking to becoming a big girl:

Step 1: No more sippy cups. Cups with straws only for this big girl.

Step 2: Start sleeping in a big girl bed.

Step 3: No more diapers!!!

Step 4: No more "Fier" (pacifier to those who don't know).

We're hoping that these transitions will happen by the time Riley turns 2 - it's ambitious for sure, but we've got 7 weeks to try our hardest. I am also very aware that some of these transitions will be much easier than others. As long as we all give an effort, I am sure we will be able to accomplish "big kid" things!!

Wish us luck!! And more importantly - keep checking back to see our progress!

The Outer Banks

This past week, I went on my very first family vacation to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Mommy and Daddy, Gramps and Juh-Juh, Aunt Jenny, Uncle D and Keira and Aunt Laurie and Uncle Adam all rented and shared a giant house together for a week of fun, fun, fun!

This trip was also my first stay in a hotel. We left on a Friday and only took half the trip and spent the night in Dover, Delaware. The next day we woke up and headed to Nags Head where our beach house was. The week was very busy and I was totally off my regular schedule - WHOO HOO!!!! Here are some of the highlights of my trip:

I did the smallest amount of beach time possible while living on an island, as I reminded my mommy and daddy "I don't wike the waves." The beach was not what I considered fun. Although I did see lots of crabs walking on the sand.


While I may not have liked the waves, I loved, loved, loved the pool that we had at our beach house. I got in lots and I mean LOTS of pool time.


I also got in TONS of cousin time. We watched TV together, went swimming together, played together and went to the aquarium together. She and I shared toys and snacks all week long. I loved how much time I got to spend with my cousin Keira.


I also spent lots of time with mommy and daddy enjoying the sights of the Outer Banks. We went to a place called the Elizabethan Gardens. It was beautiful and peaceful and I enjoyed stopping to smell the flowers.


We also visited the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. We spent the morning with the Decker Family and enjoyed the fish, turtles and SHARKS!!!!


On the one rainy day of the week, we made sure to get our shopping done!


I got to celebrate Keira's 3rd Birthday while there too! She had an AWESOME party (from what I hear, I did after all sleep through most of it). I woke up in enough time to eat the delicious cupcakes Aunt Jenny made. YUMMY!!! I also made a new friend - Kylie! She and her family made the trip out to OBX for Keira's birthday party!!


We took a trip to Jockey's Ridge. Daddy held me as he ran down the GIANT sand dune. I didn't mind the sand there, but it was windy and I don't really like the wind either. I had so much fun hanging out with Aunt Laurie, Uncle Adam, Gramps, Juh-Juh and Destine.


On our last full day, daddy had an idea to go see a lighthouse. We drove all the way to Corolla to the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. I had to wait in line to get to the top, but when I got up there I saw some beautiful sights.


I have to say I had a blast and it was one of the best times of my life. I even can't wait to do it again. But I would be lying if I didn't say that I was happy to see home!


I guess it's back to our regularly scheduled program!!!

If you want to see more pictures from my trip - take a look here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=226891&id=669006095&l=d0008e0645