A Very Busy Bee

Well, despite Mommy's best efforts to hit the pause button, Rylee is officially 8 months old! There is no scheduled pediatrician appointment this month, so we aren't sure of her exact stats, but we can tell you with 100% certainty that she is discovering new things every day, growing like a weed, and getting into anything and everything she can possibly get into. Here is a look at what she's been up to: Checking Daddy for ticks

(Not really) giving peas a chance

Dressing up like a snuggly, little bear

Monkeying around

Trying new foods

Getting stuck in some very tight spots

Learning how to do her own hair

Cheering on the Cats

Making sure Daddy's mask complies with all current safety standards

Doing some light reading

Teething...seriously teething...

A Charleston Kind of New Year

Once she went mobile, it didn't take Rylee long to figure out she could pull up on things, stand, and bonk her head on any and everything. Never a dull moment for sure.

A few days after Christmas, we headed to Charleston, SC to ring in the New Year with the Millers and the Steiners. What a way to say goodbye to the year of Rylee's birth and hello to the year of her first birthday (scary!)

Having all 3 Steiner babies under one roof was quite an experience. Rylee had a great time hanging with her cousins Mason and Avery and getting spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa. She learned some new tricks and had fun showing off her new skills. She also got to go down her first slide, swing on her first swing, and see her first fireworks! Avery teaching Rylee how to use the big kid toys

By the end of the week Avery had finally gotten used to sharing with not one but two babies. Said sharing is pictured here, as she generously piled every toy she owns in front of Rylee, who didn't quite know where to start

Pulling up and standing are all the rage

Steiner cousins! Woop, woop!

Grandma didn't quite want to let us go home

Soundtrack brought to you by the musical genius of Avery and Grandpa

Inspecting Mason... she gave him the seal of approval

Mason outweighs and outlengths Rylee already and he is 7 weeks younger. Here is Uncle Sean, building up his biceps.

This supercool toy made Rylee want to take up permanent residence in the Palmetto State. She has already requested one for her first birthday.

Weeeeeee!

Swinging with Mommy

Fortunately, she is still young enough to appreciate Grandpa's jokes

Crawlin' Around the Christmas Tree

Rylee officially started crawling about 10 days before her first Christmas, so the holiday season was a lot of fun for everyone, including Mommy, who spends a lot of her time chasing her around now. It didn't take long for us to realize we needed baby gates and we needed them like yesterday. The tree only lasted about 24 hours before we installed a fortress around it to protect not only Rylee, but the tree and ornaments as well.

We stayed in Louisville this year and spent Christmas with the Hobens. We were very happy to have all 3 kiddos at home with us for this very special first Christmas. Here are some of our merriest moments for you to share: Getting the hang of this unwrapping thing

Before the fortress went up around the tree..

Santa brought Rylee her very first kitchen, so she can start training to be Mommy's sous chef

Christmas sprouts

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Our 3 favorite gifts

Waiting in line to see Santa... and waiting... and waiting...

All bundled up and on the hunt for the perfect tree!!