Christmas Eve

We started the day out at Ryan's parents house. Some people think it is crazy splitting the holidays and going to all the family houses we go to. But I look at it as... this way everyone is happy and everyone gets to celebrate!

After Ryan's parents house we headed up to Manchester for the CRAZY and LOUD Diminico family.
At first Riley didn't know what to take of the yelling (Thats how we have to talk when we are there to be heard... or to make your opinion stronger then the rest. Politics is always brought up at the dinner table! And when it isn't we argue over is All Spice... all spices or a spice called all spice... Hey we are Italian we have opinions and we like to eat and drink. Ha!).
After a while Riley fit right in to all the loud commotion. Clapping and singing in Italian didn't confuse Riley. She went right along with it! Besides Nauni has her own Italian... half English and half Italian... How do you say!?!


Riley's first Christmas Eve was full of excitement! Everyone packed in the living room to exchange gifts. It was great having the kids running back in forth from the presents to the dinning room waiting to open the presents. Julia was soooo excited. Auntie Laura was trying to tell her to be patient... Auntie Laura forgot that she was always the MOST excited about present time!

Even though we cut back this year among each other... we didn't hold back on the kids. Riley and Julia had a blast opening all the presents!
Luckily for Riley her cousin Julia was right there to help her open all her presents.
But as we predicted... THE BOX really was the best part! We really need to remember this next year when we are shopping for all the presents.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Santa Baby

We were supposed to meet Santa a few times this Holiday Season... but between getting sick and the snow they all were getting canceled. The night before Christmas Eve the Cuneos called us and asked us to meet up at the mall with them. We have avoided the mall this Holiday season, so it was a tough time convincing us to go BUT Riley HAD to meet Santa! (or did she)



Riley only cries like this for a few people... We joke and say she has a hard time with OLD people... because it takes a while for her to warm up to her Naunis (my grandmothers) and now Santa.
So You know how I know you are OLD? If Riley cries like this for you! lol
Maybe next year she will love you Santa. :) (Well at least Dante liked Santa!)

Sooo BIG!

How big is Riley? SOOOO BIG!

Anytime you say it you get this reaction! It is great. When we got her flu shot and she was hysterically crying... I asked... How big is Riley? And with tears in her eyes she still lifted her arms up and tried to crack her big smile. 

Newsflash: Riley finally hit the 15 pound marker... finally! :) She really is SOOO BIG now!

I love to WALK!

We are getting ready for Christmas. Riley is reading all of the Christmas books and we are talking all about Santa... the big day is coming real soon! I can't believe it is Christmas already! This year has flown by. I know we say that every year bit there is something different about this year. I don't know if it is having Riley here but ahh!! Christmas is just around the corner. We can't wait! 

Christmas is the best! Getting together with all of the family! COOKIES!! The great decorations... our tree is in the dinning room this year away from walking Riley! The energy this time of the year is unlike any other. Did we mention all the Christmas movies at night? This is such an exciting time of the year. We are so excited and Riley has no idea what is coming. But she is enjoying all of her Christmas books and decorations around the house. AND singing our favorite... Dominick the Donkey everyday around the house!

Party Tricks

Riley is so smart. It is so much fun teaching Riley different ways to communicate. When we say key words or phrases to her she really reacts. This is the beginning forms of communication. AND We LOVE our party tricks and she does too!

Wave Hi! and Bye! 

AHH!! When she makes sounds and you mimic her... you can go back and forth like this having a conversation with her. Such a fun dinner conversation!
And our favorite... If you happy and you know it what do you do? CLAP CLAP CLAP! Riley is such a happy kid! :)
Riley also gives and blows kisses, dances by bouncing up and down and waving her hands and plays peek-a-boo. It is so cool to watch her communicate with us with all of these fun tricks. We are so proud of her!

p.s. Today she reached a new milestone... she can now bring herself to stand and walk in the middle of the room with no help! Go RIley Go!

day 2: SNOW DAY

Attempt 2 in the snow. This time Daddy did NOT wear a hat and we had a GREAT time in the snow! :) Riley loved it!


We love SNOW DAYS! We don't care that we will work until the end of JUNE...well remind us of all the fun we had in the snow when we are melting away in the non-AC classrooms! :)

1st attempt in the SNOW

SNOW DAY!!! Don't you love being a teacher?!? :)
We took Riley out to play in the snow on the 1st Snow Day of the year. She LOVED it at first. She was falling in the snow, eating the snow and trying to walk around in the snow... that was all until Daddy came out.

As soon as Riley saw Daddy with his winter hat on it was all over. She FREAKED out! She was so afraid of him. He had to take off his hat and then we had to go inside just to calm her down. Daddy felt so bad that he scared Riley so much. Next time we go out NO HAT for Daddy!

I love to Read!

If you are happy and you know it... CLAP YOUR HANDS! Riley loves to clap! She claps to songs, when you are happy and when she reads her books. She loves turning the page and clapping at the characters in the books. She is really such a happy baby!

GG has taught her to close her hands when she says "Say your prayers." She is praying that she can read another story before nap time! Don't worry Riley we can read a few more books before nap time. :) Happy Baby!!

warm WINTER day

Warm Winter Day! Who would guess it is supposed to be a BIG snow storm tomorrow. But that won't stop us from enjoying a nice day outside. It felt like it has been forever since we were outside in the grass. Riley had so much fun re-exploring the prickly stuff on the ground. AND running up and down the driveway! She is getting FAST! I am not sure what is going to happen this summer when she really takes off!

Cookies... SICK

DON'T EAT THE COOKIES!!

We thought it would be a fun afternoon to invite Pike and his family over and bake some Christmas cookies... little did we know what the day would bring.



After attempting to bake cookies... Leah and I took turns in the bathroom getting sick. Soo sick that I ended up in the hospital from what we thought was food poisoning from a play group the day before. But we later found out that it was a TERRIBLE stomach bug and Keri did not make us all sick at the play group. The stomach bug was such a strong bug that it infected everyone in the group and most of their families. Ryan and both of my parents got really sick from it. We were all home sick most of the week. We ended up quarantining ourselves because we were afraid to get anyone else sick as well as having a relapse like some the others moms in the group experienced. But on a positive spin from being sooo sick... I lost 5 pounds in 2 days and it looks like I am keeping it off. lol :) Hey you have to find the good in everything don't you!

find the phone

Peek-a-Boo!
Riley learned to do Peek-a-Boo with her hands! HaHa! It is so funny when she misses her eyes and hits her head and then start hysterically laughing. She will do anything for the reaction. She loves attention!

She will also do anything for her phone! Especially when you clap and go crazy when she finds it. Yeah Riley!!

The Ragans have been ELFed!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Indian Jones meet Riley Roo

Where is Riley??

Our living room is constantly being transformed now into caves and tunnel to create obstacle courses for Riley. She LOVES her phone... so putting her phone at one end of the room then using the pillows, couches, blankets and whatever else we can find to have her climb over, under and through just to find her phone has been one of our new favorite afternoon games!




Peek a Boo! There is Riley Roo!! :)