15 WEEKS

This week, Ryder went to the zoo for the first time. He slept through most of the visit, but I got to see elephants, the new baby giraffe, Jengo, and the hippos! We ate lunch in the sunshine with some friends at a picnic table by the elephants and we bought a season's pass.

He woke up as we were leaving. This photo is taken at the gate as we left the zoo...

Ryder also got to see his Grandmas and his Grandpa.

Ryder on the deck with Grandpa

Grandma T got to bath Ryder

Ryder got to snuggle with Grandma J

Check out that bald head...Ryder's not mom's LOL

Ryder got to see his first cowboy hats as the boys got ready for Stampede!

And he got babysat by his Auntie Dic and Uncle Farn. This was a HUGE deal..for me, not so much for Ryder. I was attending a photography workshop with mom. We were going to learn to take pictures of horses. I was excited for the clinic, but a very nervous mom. I have not left Ryder for any length of time at all and I have not left him with anyone but Marty for more than an hour. I had pumped milk, showed Nic and Troy how to use the baby bjorn, the car seat, where the soothers, diapers and wipes were and made them PROMISE to answer all of my crazy "how's it going?" texts. Still, I had troubles walking out the door. Turns out, they couldn't wait for me to leave so they could have fun with their nephew. Once at the clinic, during introductions, I made sure everyone knew I was a new mom, leaving my son with babysitters for the first time and that if I was distracted or checking my phone I was not intentionally being rude, I was just being a new mom. I got several texts over the four hours each one accompanied by a photo of the fun the Farns were having wiht their nephew....gotta admit, the pics made me laugh. I was actually able to enjoy the photo clinic, knowing Ryder was in fun hands!