Picture Update

We took Ryk sledding. He is bundled up like the little boy off of A Christmas Story!!!

Trev was the hard worker and pulled him around

Me and Ryk making a run...And this is me trying really hard to keep my eyes open!

Trev and Rykers turn

Walkin up the hill

There was this little girl going down the same time as ryk and I just thought she was so cute!

Ryker's first experience with eating snow

He wasn't sure what to think

Cry it out method=sleeping baby sitting down. haha...sooo funny!

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Ryker loves this caterpillar off of Baby Einstein

Last week was crazy! So glad it is over! Trevor and Ryker were both sick! Ryker didn't really get sick til Thursday...it was AWFUL!!! We decided to go with Daddy to school since it was half day. Ryker threw up all over himself so I changed his outfit...20 minutes later he EXPLODED. (Sorry I know you probably don't want to hear about this part so you can skip it) But we had to pull over to change his clothes again and Trev and I were so grossed out! Oh man, Ryker, poor little guy, was obvisouly not feeling well, so was screaming as I am trying to clean him up. Trevor and I were dry heaving because of the smell. We probably looked so pitiful and looking back would have been funny to be a bystander, but wow. I think this so far was the worst experience! And THEN, not even ten minutes later, he erupts again! I was out of clothes and so we headed home...he sat in his seat with only a diaper because I didn't plan for a sick day! YIKES! of course it is the day that we decide to go with Trev! What an experience.

A sum of last week: Miserable Monday! Terrible TUES...day!!!! (I think it is because we had a play date planned) Wonderful Wednesday. (Ryker was so happy and slept well and just was a great kid) ThrowUp Thursday! NotSoFun Friday...Sick Saturday and Sunday!  If i needed to break it down...that was it! UGH...glad we can look forward to a new week!

Well, so far we are not off to a great start! Ryker is SOOO fussy still..poor guy! Hopefully by the end of this week our family will be Recovered!

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Picky Eater!

I think Ryker is going through a phase of being picky.  I think he likes to spit food out of his mouth more than he likes to swallow...I admit, it would be fun seeing if I could hit someone in the face with my food...but I do enjoy eating it also! This little stinker wants what I am eating...and when I let him try it, he'll spit it out! Today I spent a good portion of the day trying new foods for Little Man and looking up recipes to get him to eat! Luckily, he's still taking his bottle which I know gives him the nutrients he needs...but I get so FRUSTRATED when everything I make he spits back at me.  I know I haven't tried everything and it could just be a phase, but I don't want to give up trying and have him want the food. So day after day, I try to serve him some solids, only to be rejected.  I can't get mad because he doesn't understand, and he always smiles at me and melts my heart. But I do get frustrated that my efforts seem like they're in vain!

Oh well, I guess. If any of you have some tasty recipes you'd like to share, or helpful hints on how to get a picky eater to eat...feel free to leave a comment! :)

As for the sleeping thing...I was out late last night making some cute blocks w/my Sis in law...so I didn't get Ryker to bed til about 11...and at that point he was OVERTIRED...so he woke up at 1 and 5 and cried longer than the last two nights. We got him in bed early tonight though cause he was fallin asleep at the table...so we'll see how tonight goes.

My pictures FINALLY uploaded...it only took 14 hours! Anyway, here are some fun pics I wanted to share!

I had to take this picture, may seem heartless of a mommy to snap a pic instead of picking up baby, but I want to remember this sweet, sad moment.  He took a tumble and I just thought a priceless picture. haha...still make me smile!

We picked himself up and went back to walking!

Daddy thought it would be fun to sled down the stairs in a diaper box...Ryker looks stoked huh!

But he wasn't sure once it started to descend.

We also had a fun play date with Sawyer...they were holding hands!

Sharing toys...They even gave kisses but I wasn't fast enough to snap the pic. SOOO cute!

And even fought over some toys! haha...again, had to snap the pic. unfortunately Ryk moved, but it was classic. Both were SCREAMING!

My Valentines shelf! Rosette ball took an hour! and those block are the ones I made w/ Sis in law.

Thanks to Cut It Out, I was able to get some fun letters for Ryker's room...I have so many projects for that room!

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Day 2

I really have nothing to report except that last night was great!!! We put Ryker to bed awake...he was pretty comfy though cause he was snuggling with Trev. He cried for a minute and then was out like a light! I didn't hear him fuss til 4:30!! And then out of habit I lept to my feet and made a bottle without thinking. He didn't really drink it though, maybe 3 oz (cause I didn't want the bottle to be a waste)...and then woke up at 9! And then we played this morning and I laid him back down for a nap about 12:30...he's still asleep! I think I could get used to this sleeping thing!

I really thought it was going to be worse than it has turned out...(knock on wood). Hopefully I'll be able to sleep through the night again...that'll be fabulous!

Thats my report! Shout out to Amy for your advice and help! I appreciate ya girl! :)

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Cry It Out...Day 1.

Since my last post I've really pondered over our little sleep issue. After Trev and I talked we decided to start the Cry it Out method last night...so for anyone that would like to know how it went, I decided to post about it.

Ryker fell asleep around 10:30 while Trevor was holding him. So we didn't get to start off the bat with it. But then he woke up as usual around 11:30 screaming at the side of his crib.  We let him cry for about five minutes...then I went in and laid him back down in his crib, gave him his binkie, gave some encouraging words, and left. He was still crying when I walked out which was still really heartbreaking for me! I was going to go back in at about ten minutes but I felt that he was ok and to let him keep crying. A couple minutes later he stopped crying! That was it! He was out. I went in to check on him a little later and he was out! Fabulous! He woke up again at 2:30 just starting to fuss. So I went in gave him his binkie again and left. He fussed for a couple minutes and fell back asleep.  I woke up I think more than he did! I was nervous!  I think I am going to have to learn how to sleep again! haha. Anyway he woke up at 6:30 and I wasns't ready for that! Sooo...I let him cry a little bit and fell back asleep! haha.

All in all it was good. I am glad we started! I hope that tonight was the worst of it! Hopefully it'll just get better! Like I said...it really wasns't as bad as I anticipated!

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I hate BAD customer service! AND to you moms out there!?!

***Warning***I am going to vent!


OOOOO nothing boils my skin more than bad customer service! It is one thing that just urks me like no other! I really just want to reach over the counter and SLAP the service rep in the face! I have been in customer service for many years and one thing I've learned is that it doesn't matter if you were just yelled at by the last customer, you give the next customer waiting in line a new start and happy attitude!
I just walked into a business to inquire some help and the girl who was helping the line from the get go was R-U-D-E!! But I tried to find something to compliment her on so she'd maybe get a smile but before I could say anything nice she just eminated annoyance. I thought I was pleasant! I really don't know what I did to make her have an awful day! But seriously, get me someone that wants to work with people.
What frustrates me even more is that, sure she may have some qualifications...but how in the WORLD did she get past the interview! "OOO girl, if I was yo boss, I wouldn't even toloraaate!" Seriously!!! I even told her at the end, "Thanks for your help! Have a good day!" And she just stared at me like "You a fool!" AHHH...really! I just can't stand how people can be so beligerant and inconsiderate. What makes it worse is that it put me in a bad mood! UGH! I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but I am more annoyed than anything! Hence why I writing here...
I just have to go back to this place tomorrow and I really dread having to see this girl again. Maybe she just found out her BF was cheating on her or something, I don't know...but she really needs a slap to the CABEZA! Preferably a nice punch would do...yep that would make me happy to see!

So talk about being Christlike and all...haha. I guess that Thinnes blood still runs through me occasionally and I really have tried to be nicer as a person since high  school but I guess if you want to get me mad...then be a bad customer service rep or say something rude about my family! Those are about the two things that boils my blood.  Well fair warning, most of my friends know this already so sorry for the repeat...just needed to vent!

Oh and I did have something else to ask...to you moms out there...Ryker still doesn't sleep through the night and it feels like it is just getting worse. So as much as I love that little stinker, I have thought about the "Cry it Out" method. Which to me feels inhumane, but I haven't had a FULL nights sleep for over a year!!! And I think it is starting to really wear me down!

So, moms, my question...what would you recommend? If I do the cry it out method, even though he can pull himself up in his crib do I just let him scream at the edge of the bed until he passes out? And how through the night when he wakes up SCREAMING...do I still just let him scream? Even if it rips my hearts to shreds?  And is there a better way to get this boy to sleep through the night? I really feel like I've tried everything! But obviously I haven't. Do any of you other moms remember having kids that didn't sleep at night? How did you cope?  My thoughts have been, eventually he will get to the point of sleeping and I will miss the little night crawler and then I will wish he still wanted me. AHH, I just don't know. I am just really torn.

So thats my post. A little scatter brained but thats me anyday of the week.

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Chocolate Grahams and Dirty Hands

So Ryker is getting to the age where he can entertain himself for a few minutes, which is so nice because this gives me a couple minutes to get ready or do some other stuff I need to get done. I let him play with his toys while I was getting ready and every couple minutes I would come in and check on him.When I came in to check on him he had found my chocolate graham crackers...so I let him savor the moment and he LOVED it!

When I first walked in the room...

Me giving the approval to eat it...

Loving it...

Still loving it...

enjoying himself....

I was laughing so hard it stopped him in his devour.

Yep...LOVED it!

Check out those chubby little fingers!



Now he wants the camera.



We always love when my parents come over and hang out with us. I know they enjoy playing with Ryker and my dad enjoys "picking on" Ryk. Its so fun to see because he really enjoys being a grandpa! He was trying to get this car on Ryker's head for awhile and it finally stayed!

 He then stuck the little car in his onesie and Ryker was getting frustrated trying to get it out. You can tell he wants to know why mommy is laughing so hard. But this picture makes me sad because he is getting SOO big!

Another thing that Ryker enjoys is playing guitar with daddy.  I know that Trev really hopes Ryk is musically inclined so I guess we need to start now! Trev is always tapping on him or the table hoping Rykee will pick up on beats. I guess time will tell but Ryker loves Trevor's attention!

Well I guess it is 2011 and that means a new year and new experiences for the Atkinson family.  Trev and I taught the 12-13 yr olds in Sunday School and Trev was released to go to Young Men's. He will be working with the priests as the scout leader. I am really excited for him!! As for me, I am still with the Sunday School class...and I LOVE IT! I love working with the youth and I feel honored that I get to teach the scriptures to them and hopefully get them excited. I know times have changed, but I remember going into jr. high and trying to make the right friends was hard! (I luckily had a few great ones already) but there was a lot of pressure to "fit in". I look back and I am really grateful for my teachers and what they taught me because I know they helped me build a "shield of righteousness" and I hope I can provide the same for these kids. I am really grateful for my class and all that I get to learn along with them! I am really excited for this years manual to teach The Presidents of the Church. I love the gospel and I love teaching about it almost as much! I have a lot to look forward to and enjoy this year! We are getting a new nephew and lots and lots of new babies of close friends.

We had a baby shower for my sister in law on Saturday and it was fabulous! We had a lot of great people come and support her and she got TONS of gifts.  Once I get some pictures I will post them because it just turned out really cute! I made her a carseat cover and a diaper clutch and I am really proud of them because I've never made them before! They were a lot of fun and I am also looking forward to this year to make many new and exciting projects!

Happy 2011!

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