Rya's First Birthday August 7th 2006

Wow already one year old! what an amazing 12 months. It hasn't all been "cake" but when it is... it is so sweet.
Rya had all her local boyfriends over.. sadly mom (me) didn't get any pictures of the boys... Joseph, Mathew, and Nicholas all from our pre-natal class, Owen, Aaron, from Terps and Tots (aka Susi and Jeannie's boys), and Oden, Rya's new neighbour friend (My new neighbour friend Sasha). I feel like I am forgeting someone... ugh... I should have taken pictures... sorry Rya... will get nice shots for your second Birthday. This was just a nice gathering, a "playdate"... We have years to have big time parties!! this was an attempt to get some folks together... mostly for My benefit.

Looking very proud of herself with her little angelfood cupcake.
She picked at, poked, examined it....

And finally decided to eat it. This clip is really of Rya just eating her cake. Nothing exciting happens... although it was exciting for the parents ( her first cake!!!)

These are some snaps on the deck in her sand box... note the fine powdery dust of sand around the lips... that is imported sand.... but a pain to clean up.

Seriously she pulled that face all on her own. She is going through a stick the tongue out phase... all good, super cute... and certainly nothing like her mother.

Tofino July 30-August 3rd 2006

Our first trip to Tofino as a family!
We were really lucky with the weather as it was supose to rain... a lot. We only got a little of the rain, but the men made such a great tarp covering that it didn't cause too much damage. Camping with a little was is hard enough... everything wet... ugh!
My brother Malcolm and his soon to be some day future wife Jen were with us too. It was such a great time to spend together.
Our first morning however there was a bear in the campsite across from us. I saved the day and banged pots and pans together and he lumbered off. The day we left though... Jen and Mal had a not so great experience... they went to the beach mid day adn when they came back a bear had been in the stuff and ate all their food! A near by camper got a picture of it and will send it the Mal and Jen... I will try to add it to this when I get. YIKES!!!

Rya loved the beach, she was so happy to be just cruising around the beach. Once we put her down in the sand she happily crawled, and crawled and crawled away... only looked back a few times.

Poor old Buffy... the beach just isn't the same anymore with Rya following you around. He just can't seem to shake her.

We were pretty lucky that Rya was happy to talk to herself adn read while we were preparing dinner and things at camp. I don't think that will happen next time we go.

Just hanging out back at camp. We couldn't resist this one.

The water is freezing cold... even mid summer but Rya didn't seem to mind too much... She nearly crawled out to sea!

Rya loved the sand and luckily for us... she didn't love eating it. She did however love lying down on it and put her face right in it. Cute but messy.
On the last night Richard and I "aquired" some sand to bring home for Rya's new sand box. None of the store bought stuff for her... she has the finest qualtiy, floury, fine Tofino sand (shhhhh don't tell)

It was such a great trip with Malcolm and Jen with us... We were blessed with great weather and great times together. Rya got to know her Uncle Mal and (some day soon to be) Aunt Jen much better and also great for them to practice their signing skills too! better keep practising because Rya is catching up!

Trip to Victoria July 2-8 (vids)

We went to see Grandma and Grandpa in Victoria. Grandpa is retired now so we had some more time with him... this is a very good thing... it seems Rya is a little afraid of Grandpa... he is rather tall and scarey. Grandpa tried so hard to show Rya that he isn't scarey. By the end of the visit she was warming up to him... especially if that funny dog "Doogie" was around.



We visited with Lyn and her youngest Anna. Her oldest Eden was sick and at this point I just didn't want to risk Rya getting sick. She has been sick enough. I never thought I would be one of those moms who doesn't let her kid play with other kids who are sick... but having a sick kid SUCKS!
Then we went to Camp Thunderbird where our friends Luke and Libby live while Luke is Camp director. Ben was being a camper that week so Rya and Max had a lot of time to hang out together. Here is a video of their kiss... but it wasn't their first kiss. We missed the first one with the camera... it was too cute! Max knocked Rya over onto the floor and had one hand on her check and went in for a big kiss on the lips. So cute... but no more.. not until they get married!




Libby and I joked a lot about Rya and Max getting married... I think they were listening... they played so well together and couldn't keep their hands off eachother... this could become a problem in the future. No more talk of marriage!

Daddy's little girl

There it is.... Rya can now sign "Daddy". Richard has been working pretty hard on that one... but it paid off. Rya has also become a lot more huggy, finally hugging Richard and giving him big, slobbery, kisses.

Now that Rya is crawling she has found her favorite area of the house... any area where the dogs are. Toby just sits there and takes the poking and pulling and nose picking...too lazy to get up and move. Buffy gets up just as Rya gets close.. this is quite upsetting for Rya. All that effort to crawl over to Buffy and he gets up and leaves. This picture Richard "trapped" Buffy under the table and was subject to all the Love Rya could give. Buffy usually photographs quite well... looking proud and noble... not so much in this shot. Poor Buffy. Rya can also sign "dog".