Raya Catherine Hemmah : I need more time

There's so many reason why I need more time. I need more time so that I can update this blog more frequently. I have been really terrible at dedicating time to this blog. I am sorry to the 25 year old Raya (that's when I'm guessing you'll be appreciative of having this blog book to look back on). :) I need more time so that I can be with my kids more. I need more time so that I can spend more quality time with my Husband - ya know - more than the every day rushed morning routine of getting ourselves ready and our kids ready and out the door on time and all we say to each other is "Bye, love you, have a good day." And then we see each other 10.5 hours later only to be rushed to get dinner done, quick playtime, bath and bedtime. Then when the kids are sleeping - we're just too exhausted to even have a conversation. Someday I'll get to know who the 33 (I think that's how old we are...we've officially reached the age where you forget how old you are and need to count from your birth year. ugh.) year old Jake is. Well, I guess by the time this happens you may be the 40 year old Jake. I need more time to work out. I need more time to look for a job closer to home. I need more time to paint the hideous seafoam green paint in our new house. I need more time to soak in Raya and Easton while they're young, little, sweet and innocent! :)

Raya is just growing up so quick. She's talking so much and is talking more and more in sentences! It's so fun! Here most frequent phrases are probably:

Easton stop
Easton no
MOM! (she loves to yell for me)
Charlie come'on
sit here (while she pats on the couch) Dora. Mote (remote) -- letting us know she wants to watch Dora
What's that?

She is getting her 2 final teeth (well other than her 2 year molars) - so we're back to crying at bedtime and not wanting to sleep. Poor girl is in so much pain - shoves her hand in her mouth and cries. :( Her hair is starting to fill in a bit. Poor girl has a mullet though ... brings me back to my childhood days. Full on mullet for years! She's still a little blondie! It'll be interesting if she says blond or turns more brunette like Easton is.

Raya loves:

Dora - she will sing (shout) the theme song and would watch the show all day every day if we'd let her. She can also name every character in the show.
Babies - she loves the baby at daycare
Coloring - she will color for the longest time
Stickers
Jumping - she loves to jump on (and off) the couch, her trampoline and run and jump on the ground
Loves to be outside - when the weather cooperates
Sucking her thumb
Wearing pretty dresses
Having her toenails painted "pretty"
Reading books
Asking "what's that?"
Singing
Counting - she can count to 10 all by herself
ABC's - she doesn't' know all the letters yet but she's getting there
Play dough
Puzzles
Waffles
Fruit snacks
Horsey rides on our backs and getting thrown in the air
Papa (Grandpa)

Raya doesn't love:

Going to school in the morning. She will yell "no" and run away. She likes it when she's there but I think she'd prefer to stay home and color and watch Dora.
Sharing attention with Easton. For example, if Easton is sitting on our lap reading a book she will cry and crawl on our lap and push him off until she gets all the attention. Stinker.

She's slowly learning her shapes and colors - occasionally she'll get them right.

Raya has the best laugh. It makes me smile for days! She is the sweetest person on the planet. Seriously.

When we give her kisses she immediately "wipes them off" with a huge smile on her face. Who taught her this??

Raya can eat with a spoon and fork like she's 20! She's got some awesome fine motor skills. She can also hold a crayon like a pro ;)

She is super spoiled and Jake and I own up to that. She's too cute and sweet not to spoil. I do realize this will get us in trouble someday. But for now - why not?

I am finally going to order Raya's 1st blog book after this post. About time! I really hope I can get better at keeping up with this.