YES!

I am DONE with my bachelors degree at Utah State University!

I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Psychology with minors in both Biology and Chemistry.

Commencement was December 12th and probably the best day since Ryker was born! My whole family was there and I so appreciate their support. I couldn't have done it without ALL of them! Ryker was such a champ- he walked with me when I received my diploma! He slept through the whole thing but it was great to carry him knowing that he is the reason I do everything I do.

My grandma Joyce wrote a beautiful poem and I honored her and my grandpa with a stoll of gratitude. What a truly perfect day! (minus the snow!)

So what now? I am going to find a part-time job and am qualified for quite a few different positions. With the economy, I will pretty much take what I can get. Really, I am a mommy first but with a new house an extra income will help.

Failure...

I will get to the failure part but I thought I would throw in a little bit of the craziness in our lives lately.
I am still trying to finish up with school (only 2 more weeks!) I have tests, assignments, papers, discussions...something due everyday. I will be so glad when this is all over! If you hear a loud "WAHOO!" on December 12th, don't worry, it's just me letting everyone know that I am free!
I have also been super busy with AVON. I had two boutiques this weekend and they both went well. I also now have 7 people working under me so that keeps me busy but I am really enjoying it!
On to the not so fun stuff that isn't looking like we'll have answers soon.... As you know if you read my blog, Ryker has acid reflux. We don't know what has happened in the last few weeks but it has gotten much worse. He is now on a fairly restricted diet and on the maximum medication that his little body will allow. Good news- he has increased in height quite a bit and is at the 57th percentile for height. He has not gained weight for three months and hadn't gained for the previous three months either. I think he is maybe a pound heavier than he was at 6 months.
Anyhow, the doctors up here can't do anything so we are scheduled at Primary Children's on December 21st. What a long wait when my little guy is in pain! I have an appointment with Dr. Armstrong up here next week because I hear he's the best.
I think this may be the hardest thing I have ever been through. I can't do anything for my sick baby and his cry is so sad because he is in pain. The constant wiggling to try to get comfortable, gulping swallows to try to keep the acid down and inability to sleep is all really getting to me because I can't do anything! Perhaps the worst is when I called the doctor last week and they repeated his notes to me. Included was the diagnosis of "failure to thrive". I can't think of a worse term. To a mother (or at least me) it sounds like "well, you don't do enough or feed him enough or take care of him well enough!" I know I know, it's a term to describe his poor weight gain but come on- FAILURE to THRIVE?!?!
Hopefully next week holds the answers we are looking for.
PS- happy post below about birthdays.

Chicken without a head

That is what I feel like today, and yesterday. The worst of it all? I don't have ANY motivation to do ANYTHING productive. Crafting? I have all the energy but zero talent. I got out my dusty sewing machine to "hurry" and "whip together" a cover for Ryker's highchair. It HAD to be done yesterday because the poor guy sits with his legs up because it is cracked and scratches him. So, I fought with the bobbin (who invented THOSE?!?), couldn't unscrew the needle to replace it, failed at sewing the ribbon on...then gave up.
Meanwhile, my homework is also collecting dust and I have a bazillion things to do around the house...
Ever have those days? I feel so...unsuccessful. I need a vacation, good thing I am getting one in 2 days! YAY! But also :( I will miss the little one so much it hurts.
PS- this too shall pass and I know that he said it wouldn't be easy, just worth it.

Random Babbling

I figure I better get at least one post a week done. We've been pretty busy this week- but nothing fun has happened!
It is finals week and I am pretty stressed. I have 10 essays to turn in tomorrow and a final exam and then I am FREE! Well, til September at least :)
Ryker is changing a lot. We have stopped swaddling and it is taking some getting used to for him. He is just so active that he thinks that since he can move now, bed time is play time :) Speaking of moving, he is CRAWLING! Well, taking a few little "crawls" forward. He's getting the hang of it now, but at first he would get up on his tippy toes or leap frog forward. I LOVE IT! But, now I am in for it!
We got a bath seat for him and he acts like such a big boy! He's growing like a weed and I go to put an outfit on and it is WAY too small...where did time go?
Ryker also has a little cold, this weather is really not fun!
Here is a picture to break up the monotony of me babbling:

Dustin and his brother Colby practicing with the blowdart gun.What are they going to shoot? Squirrells, or so they say :) I took the picture because man, they look and act EXACTALLY the same!

The snakes are GONE! YAY! My house still faintly smells of liquid ginger which they spray to kill the snakes (weird, I know). We are getting a new neighbor upstairs, my cousin is moving in in the next couple of weeks.
Ryker took his first long ride down to Riverton yesterday. We went to see my....umm we'll just say we're related...Michelle and Bendy. They adopted Skylar and we are so happy to have him in our family. I didn't get a picture, dangit, but he's such a cute kid!
Ryker did well with the ride but man was he sick of the car! 5 hours almost straight is not fun for anyone!
Speaking of cars, funny story...I went outside of my grandparent's house the other day and this is what I saw:Which one is my car? My cousin got the EXACT same car as me! (Mine's the closer one incase you're wondering :)

This became quite a long post, but I just want to capture everything!
Ashley

Cute Boy

Hey everyone,
I just had to share these cute pictures of my cute boy with you. He is getting so big and is getting lots of hair (well in my opinion). It sticks up all over the place but it's so light you can't really see it.

He is going to be crawling soon. He scoots and gets up on his knees and turns in circles.
He is sleeping better and just has his nights. His naps have settled into a routine so that is so nice!
I didn't get the job that I applied for, but that's okay. I am pretty much done with school and I just have to keep going to one class per week for another month. I can't wait till I'm done and I get to be just a mom!
Hope everyone is doing well and hopefully spring is on its way!
Dustin, Ashley and Ryker

Our Little Screamer

Hey everyone, We have had a busy few weeks! I finally have pictures back from the blessing but now my scanner is having issues...I'll post them soon because he is so dang cute in his little tux! Ryker now knows that he has lungs and boy is he using them! He squeals and screeches all day long. At first I thought he was upset but nope, just happy and exploring his many talents. He is also grabbing everything with both hands and it all goes directly to his mouth. He can make his toys sing by pulling them and really enjoys that. He is quite the little flirt too, becoming so much fun. On the not so fun side of things, he has an ear infection. It's going on about a week and we took him to the doctor. It seems to bug him but I really don't want to give him antibiotics if I don't have to so we are sticking with the tylenol. He has been a momma's boy though (that's okay, I enjoy knowing I'm his favorite :) His sleep just keeps improving. He is sleeping longer and sounder. Must just come with age. I am feeling rested and actually slept in on Saturday! YAY!!! Dustin hurt his foot playing basketball. We are thinking it is broken because it's just getting worse. Of course he won't go to the doctor...men... I am trying to keep up with school and I think I am succeeding. I cannot wait for summer for about a million reasons, but the top of my list is that I won't have to go to school so I can spend my time with Ryker and being a mom and wife. My daily mantra is "May will be here soon enough!" That's all for now, Ryker is screeching and kicking at the desk...too fun! Ashley, Dustin and Ryker

Snoozin'

Hey Everyone,
Long time no post! I have been so busy with school and Ryker that I haven't even had time to think, let alone post. I finally got a chance because all Ryker has been doing yesterday and today is snoozin' and eating! He must be going through a growth spurt because he is usually going a million miles an hour.

We are blessing him next week, finally. We waited for better weather and for him to get a little older because he seems to get sick easily. I can't wait to see all of my family, especially my Grandma in St. George! Ryker has started batting at his toys a ton lately and today when we were reading books, he was grabbing at all the pages. SO CUTE! He squeals and talks and smiles all the time when he is awake, but when he gets tired- forget it! He has an attitude! He'll scream and whine at me for about 2 minutes and then he finally gives up. Still doesn't want to miss a thing. Ryker's picture was in the Sunday Herald Journal in the Babes of 2008. He was definately one of the cutest babies (but I am a little biased being his mom and all). Ashlee- I think that Ryker and Rylee should have won cutest babies because man are they both cute! Dustin got a brand new snowmobile. It's an '08 Arctic Cat M8- white and orange- I love how it looks. He was so excited to have something that hasn't been ridden by anyone else. Well, the first ride out he took it easy to break in the engine and then on the ride back he got going about 90 mph and then the engine just cutout and wouldn't start again. They had to tow his sled back and in the process they ruined his dad's sled. His engine basically blew up! Luckily, since it is brand new, we have a warranty and it is now good as new! As for me, school is so busy. I think it is worse than having a job because I have to try to spend time with Ryker AND work at the same time. I feel like I am neglecting him all the time because I don't spend every minute with him- we go to my grandparent's house and they help watch him while I work. He loves them and my grandma can't get enough of him, so I guess it is okay. I just can't resist that cute little voice and smile though, so it's hard to get things done.
That's all for now,
Ashley, Dustin and Ryker

2 months old!

Hey everyone,
Ryker was two months old yesterday. I can hardly believe that I have kept a human alive for two whole months and made him relatively happy. He has changed so much since we have brought him home and especially in the last few weeks. He now smiles, tells tons of stories and only wakes up once per night. We are still working on daytime naps- the kid just doesn't want to miss anything so it's a fight to get him to nap!

Look how he has changed!

What this look is, I do not know!

There have been ups and downs but now the ups are more frequent. He is getting to be so fun and such a big boy. We went to the doctor and he weighs 10 pounds 7 ounces- 4 pounds more than when he was born! He got his shots and man it was so sad!
I started school yesterday also. I only have to be gone for like 6 hours a week but it is hard because I have other classes online that I have to do work for. It'll all work out because I have lots of babysitters. That's it for now, hope you are all staying out of the cold and snow- unless you like that kind of thing :)
Love,
Ashley, Dustin and Ryker