I've come to the conclusion that Ryland absolutely LOVES smiling!
Ryland just keeps amazing us with her cute little voice! We could listen to her talk all day, and never get bored. She has been spending a lot of time with other babies, so we are thinking that she is picking up on the noises they are making. Its pretty adorable to watch her as she rambles on.
On a side note- Ryland isn't feeling very well today. She has a fever, and a cough! One good thing is that her mommy is a nurse, so she will be VERY well taken care of! We will keep you updated on how she is feeling.
Ryland went to her 4 month appointment today! She had to get some vaccinations again, which was no fun. She screamed her head off, and made mommy and daddy very sad for her! However, by the time we got home, she was smiling, talking, and laughing :) So, our chubby little girl weighs 15 lbs 7 oz, and she is 25 inches long! She has definitely grown since birth. We just wish we could hold her again when she was first born, so we could remember just how small she was, but I'm sure all parents feel that way forever!Ryland has been talking up a storm again, and of course...we filmed it! Enjoy :)
Earlier today Ryland was laying down playing with toys when she got distracted by the tv (a common occurence). Let me tell you, the girl LOVES tv. I think she just likes the lights and sounds coming from it. Anyways, I looked down at her, and she was sucking her thumb. She seemed to be very happy just laying there. Every time she has done this before, her thumb is always in an awkward position, as are the rest of her fingers, but this time...she looked like a professional :)
Just playin' with my toys
This girl never stops smiling
look at that chubby baby, such a sweetheart!
Ok, here are the facts: Ryland loves to fall asleep while eating, and she hates to fall asleep on her own. There have been several times where she has dozed off without nursing, but the majority of the time this is not the case. We have been trying to work on this, but have not been very successful. Listening to her cry and cry is not my idea of a good time. So, we decided to buy a little Peter Rabbit (PR) stuffed animal that winds up and plays "Brahms Lullaby". This is the same little tune that her mobile plays, and she loves it. So, I have started laying this with us while I nurse her before bed, to help relax her. We are hoping that with time, this little PR will help her to calm down, and maybe fall asleep on her own. However, no one is placing any bets on it! 
Ryland is now 4 months old! We can't even believe our eyes when we look at pictures of her when she was first born. She was so very small, and now she looks like such a big girl. You always hear that they grow fast, but it is so amazing to watch your own child grow. She has been standing up a lot lately, of course with our help! We go to her 4 month check up next week, and that's when we will find out how much she has truly grown! Ryland has been talking up a storm lately. Yesterday, she talked and talked and talked! It was so very cute. Not sure what she was trying to communicate to us, but she sure was trying!
As little kids, both Champ and I really enjoyed listening to Raffi. I remember dancing and singing all around the house to his wonderful tunes :) The other day we looked up Raffi online, and found a concert of his from many years ago. We decided to play this for Ryland, and it turns out that she LOVES it! She watched the whole thing, and we sang along to it. She even did a little dancing :)
Just recently it seems that Ryland has become very aware that I am her mom. When someone else picks her up or is sitting with her, she is constantly scanning the room to see where I am. If I have left the room, watch out...that little girl has a set of lungs on her :) It definitely makes me happy to see that she wants to be near me. It's such a great feeling to be needed so much by such a beautiful little girl! 
One of our friends who also has a baby let us, or should I say Ryland, try out their 'Johnny Jump up' toy. If you haven't seen one of these before, it hangs from a doorway, and bounces up and down. Ryland, pretty much turned around in circles on her tippy toes the whole time, as if she where practicing for the Nutcracker :) She seemed a little confused to be standing in this all alone, but she really did enjoy it!
It's true, our little RP smiles a whole lot. Yes, she has her unhappy moments, but when she's in a good mood, she sure is nothing but smile after smile. People tell us all the time that she is such a smiley baby. She has come to the point where she gets upset if you put her in her swing, and leave the room. So when she does this, I come back into the room, and she gives me a HUGE smile :) Apparently, she just needs attention 24 hours a day, and believe us...we want to give that to her! We love our smiling baby girl :)
Ryland received this little bunny rabbit security blanket from Champ's aunt Karen, and she LOVES it! She always wraps her little hand around it, and tries to bring its ears up to her mouth. I'm sure this will be one of those blankets that she will never let go of in a few years...It will be with us wherever we go!
