Growing

Riley recently had her six month appointment. She is now 14 pounds and 26 inches long. She is also sitting on her own with very minimal tipping. She has had her first tooth come in (on the bottom). She loves to eat food and likes everything she'd had so far. I can't believe how much and how fast she changes and learns.

The video is a "trick" that Wilder has been practicing with Riley. She loves doing it. You can see the determination on her face. You can also see how proud she is, she knows that she is doing something special. My favorite part is when she is doing it around other people, after she has focused, she looks around at everyone to make sure they are all noticing what she is doing.

He is Risen!

Riley's first Easter has come and gone. She had her first Easter dress, found an Easter egg and had an Easter basket to put it in. She's had so many firsts already and there are many more to come but I think I'm looking forward to her seconds and thirds and so on more. For her seconds of things she'll be able to be involved. Next year she might care about open presents or finding Easter eggs. More importantly for her thirds (and so on) she'll start to understand what some of it means. I can't wait to explain to her that we celebrate Christmas because that's when Jesus was born and Easter is amazing because Jesus rose from the dead. It will be so great when she has her first understanding of what this means.

So, I'll stop ranting now so you can see pictures of Riley.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Christmas seems to sneak up on me most years and this year is no exception. I can’t believe that there is just a week left now. I find myself having too much to do this year before it arrives. Presents to buy, presents to wrap, a house to clean, goodies to make… I need to stop and take a step back and remember that all of this is not what Christmas is about. It is about the birth of Christ. I should be able to remember that this year of all years. With Riley being so small still she should be my constant reminder of God’s love for us and the way he was willing to send his son to us. It’s amazing to watch Riley this Christmas season and think about how Jesus did so many of the same things. To be able to look at her smile and know that our Savior had the same tiny, toothless, smiley face so many years ago. I hope that I will take the time to enjoy the true meaning for the season. (Thanks to my little girl for the reminders.)

Away in a Manger...

So the other night Riley Starred in her first play, as the Baby Jesus in Redeemer's Children's Musical. Mommy was Mary, and Daddy was Joseph. And while the crowd was absolutely enchanted with such a cute little baby Jesus, what they didn't see was little Riley entertaining herself while in the manger. She started sucking on the side of her hand, and slowly began to work towards working her entire fist into her mouth. We thought for sure she was going to choke. What a cute little girl.

One Month

Today Riley is a month old. That's hard to believe. In some ways it seems like she was born just a few days ago and in other ways it seems as though she has always been a part of our lives. People have been asking me how being a mother is and I'm never quite sure how to respond. I figured out why this is yesterday. Even though I've only been a mother for a month it seems like that is how life has always been. It's hard even to remember what life what like before parenthood.
Here's a few pictures from the last month:

Babyhood

So the newest member of our team is integrating into this big new world, and contributing dirty diapers and a dislike of naps. But her daddy can't help but love her. Riley's new clothes have been a topic of interest on April's part, and I can't help but wonder whether she is having fun dressing Riley in different outfits the way she might've had fun dressing dolls as a child, if she had had any dolls. As April takes care of Riley I'm continually in Awe of the strength deep inside of her, and the love she has for this little one. She's a mom. This is her child. And I have a front row seat to learn what this whole dynamic relationship is all about.

As a new father, I think I'm learning a little more as I go, where as it seems like April has been doing this all her life. Riley is so funny. Our friends ask us what sports she's going to be good at, knowing full well that athletics will probably be a common influence in her upbringing. Part of me is hoping she'll be a little speedster at church when she's four or five, running through the halls laughing, with one plume of a pony tail sticking straight up on the top of her head. I may regret it as it happens, but I pray she has the energy to exhaust everyone around her.
The Un-containable Riley Jean Freed. I haven't told her mother this, but I don't think April will be very suprised. I think we know what we are, and we want to pass on our gifts. Mommy was a Tomboy, and Daddy was a Dreamer. Hopefully Riley will get all our good stuff and none of our bad. I bet that's what all parents want. And now, that includes us. Weird. We're parents.

Welcome Riley!

Riley Jean Freed was born on Friday October 3rd at 2:21 pm. She was seven pounds and twenty inches long.

Daddy got to feed Riley while Mommy was still recovering.

Mom finally got to meet Riley after having to wait way too long.

That's our Baby. The newest member of Team Freed.

Countdown to a Different World

Our bags are packed, our schedules are cleared, and we have a 1:30pm appointment tomorrow at Methodist Hospital to have a baby. We have done so much to prepare for this in the last nine months, and yet somehow, I doubt that "Ready" is a word that applies to me. April is ready. She has been mentally and emotionally ready for months, and has been busily preparing this child's new world of diapers, cribs and car seats. I've pretty much been freaking out inside for the last five weeks.

I mean, what's going to happen next? What uncharted territory are we getting into? What is this child going to be like? Is it a boy or a girl? And who's going to take care of this kid?
And even with all my questions and uncertainty, I'm more excited than I've been in a long time. I'm anxious, I'm nervous, I'm happy, I'm scared, and I'm relatively certain that if the baby doesn't come soon I'm going to pop like a balloon filled with volatile emotions.

Baby Freed's room has been ready for a while now. We painted the walls green when we painted the rest of, what was at the time, our new house. And ever since we found out last winter that April had a person in her uterus, we've been adding things from Ikea, talking about color schemes, and preying on not-so-unsuspecting family and friends for baby hand-me-downs. We have been so blessed in receiving so many things we needed for this baby from people who care about us. Thank you so much to everyone who has given in our time of need, I hope that we may someday return the favor.

What will you be like, Baby? Will you look like Mom and Dad? Are you going to be all wrinkly at first? I can't wait to meet you, watch you grow, and take care of you.

That's enough freaking out for one day.

-Wilder