Ryan Loves . . .

Hello again from Ryan Kennedy Stoeber! My 18 month birthday came and went and mom forgot to let me update the blog, so now it's my turn! Better late than never I guess. I decided to fill this posting with all things I love. Mom and dad say I've got quite the personality already and have lots of things I like. But putting my favorite thing to do on here wasn't possible. How do you photograph me doing the opposite of what I'm told? I like pushing on the screen door, getting into the entertainment center drawers, standing on the rocking chair, playing with the stove knobs, splashing in Gizmo's water bowl, playing with the tv remote control and cordless telephone, moving while I get my hair cut, unraveling toilet paper, pulling things off the kitchen table, and clicking on the computer keyboard and mouse - but those are all things I'm told not to do. Still they are my favorites . . .



On Thursday mornings mom and I go to a park district class called "Gettin' Down and Dirty". However, I do not like getting dirty. Mom has tried to get me to touch dirt, sand, playdoh, goop, birdseed, moonsand, fingerpaint, flour, shaving cream, and dried oats. I will have none of it. Thankfully there are plenty of cupboards, trash cans, and a bathroom (with toilet paper!) that I spend the 1.5 hours of class exploring. Below I'm doing one of the activities I enjoy most from class, uncapping the markers. They are easy to take off, but require more skill and patience than I have to put back on. Oh well, that's why mom's there, right?

Each week there are 2 art project tables, we've attended class now 5 times and I've only done 3 projects (okay, who am I kidding, Mom did the 3 projects). On the left I (I mean Mom) used a rubber worm to paint. In the middle mom put fingerpaint on me and forced me to spread it on the kite. And on the right she again forced my hands into puffy paint to paint the cloud. Maybe someday I'll grow into these type of messy projects, but for now - forget it!

Enough talk about things I don't like, this is supposed to be about things I love.

Playing Peek-a-Boo. Where's Ryan???

Peek-a-Boo!!!!

Daddy! This was on his birthday.

Reading. My current favorites are on the table. "Mr. Brown can Moo can you?", "Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb" (I can even recite along with that one), and "10 Little Dinosaurs"

Flipping on and off and on and off and on and off and on and off and on and off the light and fan switches. Mom says she hopes I never give an SOS signal while doing this.

Cuddling Gizmo. Every morning I now greet her in this manner when I come down the stairs. I'm starting to think she's pretty sweet on me too (don't tell her this though).

Oscar the Grouch may love trash, but I love trash cans. I can even say "trash". I have left playgrounds, a birthday party, and even a chocolate factory in order to come into contact with this beloved object of my affection. Yes I am kissing this, and no my mom didn't disinfect my mouth afterwards.

Finally mom and dad got me a grocery cart of my own. The cart I was pushing around was for babies just learning how to walk. I, however, am a big boy who runs!!! I need a cart that can keep up with me that I don't have to break my back leaning over in order to get it to go. Plus now I can haul all my groceries and bears around in it too.

Did I mention Peek-a-Boo?

I also love cheesin' it up for the camera.

Mom and dad say my grocery cart is an indoor push toy. Thankfully I have my John Deere tractor to push around outside. It's a stepping stone to the lawnmower that someday I'll get to push around the yard.

And because it's Mother's Day I can't forget my Mom!

There are definitely other things I love that mom and dad didn't get pictures of: Bubba Bear, Nana and Grandpa, Meema and Meepa, Gramma Pat and Papa Joe, Grandma Katie, all my aunts/uncles/cousins, my baby-sitter (and friend) Joanne, Mom's fitness instructor Vicki, stroller rides, me listening to my kid cds in the car, taking a bath, all my friends in the mom's group, chasing and being chased, getting tickled, climbing on the couch and stairs, singing songs, and dancing. Whew, it's quite a list the things I love. I'm not even sure if I covered everything. But as I grow and change, I'm sure this list will do the same. But until then I'm happy with everything on it. Next time you hear from me, I hope to be relaxed and tan after my vacation to Daytona Beach. Chao, peace baby!