Ryan...almost 3 years old

Ryan thinks Melissa's headbands are one-size fits all!

 It never fails: you bring home a new baby and all of a sudden, that sweet little boy who snuggled on your lap and liked to be rocked to sleep, grew into a big boy!  Overnight.

These past seven weeks, since Melissa has joined the family, it seems like Ryan has aged at least a couple years.

He is turning into a big boy who loves being with his brothers...and every now and then likes to be with his little sister:) 

•  Ryan wasn't sleeping so well in his "baby bed" (according to him), and kept getting into bed with us in the middle of the night.  Not okay.  A big-boy bed was in order.  Its done the trick!  Ryan hasn't visited us in the middle of the night since he got a big bed like his brothers.

•  It's a full bedroom with these growing boys.  It does provide some challenges getting all of them to sleep when they'd rather just "chat."  
• It is fun to have the brothers together and listen to how they talk and play together.  

 

•  Ryan hasn't taken a nap in a while now.  When he was napping he would take a good long nap usually until 3:30 in the afternoon.  But, then he would be up until 9:00 or so at night.  I needed my evenings back without children.  So, away went the naps and bedtime bumped up to 6:30-7pm for all the boys.  
• It is heavenly to have all the kiddos in bed early and enjoy a few hours in the evening child-free.
• Ever since school started for Tate and Blake, Ryan has been wiped out!  He never has fallen asleep sitting up, playing a computer game!  I guess it is exhausting trying to be a big-brother.
• Every now and then Ryan gets a nap and I get a nice and quiet afternoon.  It's worth a long evening every now and then.

 

• Ryan is quick to pass Melissa back to me when she starts crying.

•  This is how Ryan enjoys watching soccer games...a great view up top.

 

• He thinks it is fun to wake Melissa up when she's napping.  I don't think it is so funny.

 

• Mr. Destructor.  He keeps picking apart my garland and using the pieces as things to flick across the carpet.

 

• Good Big-Brother feeding Melissa!
• Ryan has Tate's love of "helping" in the kitchen.  Whenever I start getting ingredients out, he quickly comes into the kitchen and asks me what I'm going to make.  Then he climbs up on the counter to help.
• I've caught him a couple times in the pantry mixing "potions" with the flour and sugar.  Those containers have now found a higher shelf.

Ryan makes the. funniest. faces.

Love him.