Welcome 2011!!!

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

She helped wrap...

and she helped unwrap.

She helped entertain!

She explored.

She watched her big cousins sing Christmas songs!

She blended right in!

She opened fun gifts from Santa,

and she looked for more!

Overall, I would say that Ruby's first Christmas was awesome!

Busy Girl

I wanted to share this first, I love this girl!

What a smile!

She's pretending to use the spatula as a backscratcher!

Ruby joined her big girl cousins for some tea at the American Girl store!  But first we stopped at Macy's to see the big beautiful tree!  Ruby even got her first American Girl doll...  just an itty bitty one (smaller than a barbie), but I couldn't let her walk out of that place with out one!

 Ah, yes...  Ruby trying to steal tea from a doll!

And...  Ruby trying to eat the cup!

Santa

Well, she didn't cry, and she didn't tug at Santa's beard.  I didn't see her whisper any Christmas wishes into his ear.  Ruby and cousin Tommy proved that Santa's lap wasn't such a scary place after all...  this year.

Snow Bum

As I've said before, this girl has no fear!  Her first real introduction to snow was fun.  We took her sledding in the backyard, two dumps later she was looking for more!  She is so much fun!  Of course Drake was having fun too!

Thanksgiving, and then some

It's been a busy week.  Ruby's first Thanksgiving was wonderful.  We spent the first half of the day at Grandma and Grandpa Wickman's home.  The second half at Aunt Ar and Uncle Den's.  Friday we skipped the early crazy shopping adventure but met family at a bowling alley, naturally Miss Ruby had to watch, no bowling just yet!  Saturday and Sunday night I worked.   zzz   zzz   zzz...  And Tuesday was Ruby's gym day.  She loves climbing through this tunnel, and her new fun thing is getting tossed in to the foam square pit!  She's a nut.

Thanksgiving with the Wickman's and Devers'

A packed dining room at the Kroeger's (this is about half of the group!)

Helping Auntie Arlene rearrange her storage containers!

A performance by the young Tommy!

Tuesday at the gym...

This girl has no fear!  She loves this tunnel, sometimes even turns around in the middle!  Watch this...

My Festivus

Some people, ehem - Tony, won't even discuss the holidays until after Thanksgiving...  My Festivus has officially begun.  My home smells of cranberries, praline pecans, cinnamon and sugar!  Tomorrow Ruby and I hit the mall for some pre-Thanksgiving shopping and fun.  We'll take a glance at Santa but wait for the official first screaming on Santa's lap picture, although I actually predict that Ruby may try pulling at his beard instead!  I may just do some more Christmas shopping.  Yes, Tony, MORE Christmas shopping!

Vote

Kevin and I were telling Ruby about her first night in the hospital, how we didn't sleep, and how she cried - all night long!  So this morning I was looking back at pictures of her first hours after birth - the hours before the cries came!  I came across this picture and thought we should have a vote.  Feel free to leave a comment or vote in the poll at the top right of this page! 

** The poll wasn't working so I took it out - please leave your vote in a comment!! **

What is Daddy saying to Ruby?
A. Awww, you're my little girl!
B. Ha ha, your head is pointy!
C. Woe, you are WAY more pale that me!

Blueberries

Oh bundle of blueberries

can you make up your mind,

for you stay whole on the griddle

but squash in my hand.

Oh colorful blueberries

can you make up your mind,

for you wash from my face

but stain our cutting board.

Oh sweet blueberries

can you make up your mind,

for you intrigue my taste buds

but are evil to my mother.

Oh sweet blueberries

you are my new friend!

The Gate

"Mom pus up this silly gate thinking she can keep me from the stairs."

 "I'll just go under... oh, maybe not."

 "Maybe over... nope."

 "Rats, she's won again...  but watch out next time!"

Ruby in Action

Ruby, this hilarious little girl...  is really good at letting us know when she does not want to be spoon fed.  These video clips show "the slam", "the fists", "the block", and the "if I wanted food I'd open my mouth" face!  The last one is a little fun play time.  She's a funny girl!

9 Months!!!

Miss Ruby is 9 Months now and can...

wave and say "bye bye"

says "up" 

claps

gives kisses (sometimes)
goes up stairs great
wants to go down stairs head first
doesn't take no for an answer

and still rules the roost

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween little butterfly Ruby!

(Check out the short video clip at the end)

 

Only Kevin...

Tommy Giraffe!

 

Gymnastics???

Ok, so it's not really gymnastics, but it's in a gym at any rate!  Ruby goes to "Come Play with Me" class, we've only been there once and she's taken to climbing a small set of stairs that leads to a large slanted mat - which she crawls down at an unusually fast pace, and stumbles a little on the way!  The other thing she loved was this large foam block that she kept climbing up and sitting on.  She has no fear! 

Home Sweet Home

Back home with her puppy Drake!  It's great to be home but we miss everyone in Colorado greatly!  It was so wonderful to spend so much time with Colin and Audrey and watch them interact with Ruby.  What great big cousins.  Audrey was a great to read to Ruby at bedtime.  Colin was loving stroller pushing responsibilities, and was especially careful at tucking Ruby in one night.  They both loved helping with bath time and also making sure her sleep area was ready for her.  We miss you already!

Our flight home was pretty uneventful, she slept for half the flight!  There was only one seat empty on the flight, and that was next to us!  I purposefully sat at the very poack of the plane in hopes this would happen!  It also helped that when the plane was loading this was one of the only times Ruby was at her fussiest for the flight!  Good girl, deter those passengers!!!  The man that sat in our row loved entertaining Ruby during her awake time and got a kick out of her huge smiles.

Things that have changed this past week...  a wave!  She can wave "hi" now!  You may not always get the wave, but she can!  She also makes this crazy cute scruntchy face where she wrinkles her nose and squeezes her eyes tight, she'll watch for you to do it then mimic it back.  Pretty cute!

Letters to Daddy, Part 6

Dear Daddy,
     This is the last letter I'm going to write you...  because I"M COMING HOME!!!  So...  Mommy says you better turn off that X-Box and finish your laundry!  :) 
     I had a really fun day playing with my cousins and my Auntie.  I gave my Uncle a few good chuckles when he got home from work too.  We stayed home for the majority of the day, only a trek to the grocery store.  Colin and Audrey drove me around in the mega cart, it was great fun!  Audrey is going to read to me for bedtime and Colin will finish by tucking me in!  I'm pretty sure I'll fight Mommy during bedtime a little but don't tell her, I just need to keep her on her toes! 
   Can't wait to see you tomorrow! 

 

Learning to Hula-hoop!

 Is this driver safe?

 I can handle this...

 This is serious stuff!

 Ready to blog!