Month: March 2015

Ruby is 14 months. Yes, it is going by shockingly fast. I’m so, so, so excited for the summer. For us to be free from school obligations, for Ruby to get to enjoy the great outdoors and for us to just have some sun and warmth. I don’t like to wish away time when it seems to go by so quickly, but right now, I’m kinda hoping for time to speed up just a touch.

Ruby is great. She is now pointing at everything. It’s very cute and helpful because she can show me what she wants! A big step in the right direction. The pointing does typically come along with some sort of grunt, shriek, moan, etc. Girl knows what she wants.

Ruby really understands a lot of what we are saying and I simply can’t believe it! I don’t remember when humans develop these abilities, and I haven’t bothered to look back at when Theo did, but I just didn’t expect that so quickly she would be so with the program, ya know? She showed me where my phone was the other day shoved along the side of the couch. I was floored. She shows me where Theo is hiding during hide and seek, and if I say, “where is the doggy?” she will go and grab the dog from the fire station. Genius, I tell you! 😉

Besides her head, she also knows where her ears are located. Ruby still only has four teeth! She is walking all around now and it’s fun, fun, fun. She still stumbles, but a walking baby she is.

Ruby also has developed her connection to her sweet little lovey, “foxy”. It’s a fox, just like Theo’s monkey. I always have it with us when nursing her before bedtime and nap, and around the time she turned one, she started laying on our shoulder with it and snuggling with it in bed. Now, when I’m rocking her before putting her in the crib, she lays on it on my shoulder, and when she’s ready, she sits up, grabs foxy and lunges for the crib. I lay her down on her belly with foxy under her face all snuggled up and cute. And when I get her up from nap time, she will point and grunt towards foxy so I know she still wants him close by. Very sweet.

Ruby loves clothes. I’m serious. It’s starts young, I guess. She picks out a sweater and stretches out her arm for us to put in on her. She means business.

She like to eat a lot, though she’s not shy to throw food on the floor when she is not in the mood. This changes from day to day. Generally, though, she’s eating pretty well. She loves seaweed.

Still nursing 1 – 2 times per night and several times during the day.

Speaking of which, she is basically onto one nap these days. I was hesitant to believe it but it seems that is the deal these days. She takes a long one in the late morning, but then not again until bedtime at 6:30.

Ruby will be back for her 15-month well visit next month. Stay tuned!

She was thrilled to have some playground play time last week when we had a warm day! Poor thing doesn’t know much about playgrounds, yet. 🙂

Somebody needs to be strapped in her highchair every time!

Give her a comb or a brush and she knows how to use it.

How beautiful is this boy?

Theo will be the first to tell you, “I’m officially 4 1/2.” He’s very proud. He feels like quite the big kid these days. Except of course the other 75% of the time that he still needs Mama and Daddy very much. 😉

I took him for a train ride and doughnuts to celebrate and we had a special date, just the two of us. We are working really hard to ensure we have at least one date like that per week. We have slacked on it a bit lately, as many weekends when Daddy is home I run off to do home study meetings or to the coffee shop to work on writing said home study. And Theo has ice skating with Daddy on Saturdays, so the rest of the time is usually all of us together. Anyhow, we are back on track and I think it has really improved our connection and our dispositions overall. It’s easy to forget how important that is when we are so busy all the time, and also during this brutal winter when we don’t leave the house for days. Spring is just around the corner and there will be much more fun to be had.

Theo is doing amazing at 4 1/2. He is hilarious, smart and very self-sufficient in many ways. He now enjoys showering on his own, instead of a bath. I check in on him and he’s all, “I already washed my hair and body!”. After going to the bathroom and washing his hands in the morning, I check in on him and he’s busy brushing his teeth. We still have a “race” before bedtime as that is usually the key motivator to get teeth brushing done before bed. He is amazing at getting himself dressed, and has been for quite some time. He loves to help around the house with many tasks, like helping Daddy with the recycling, watering the plants and feeding his new fish!.

Theo says funny things such as… at the store yesterday I offered him the chance to pick out some chips for a snack.

Theo: (eyeing the chip options)

Me: “Oh, how about that white cheddar popcorn. Your favorite!”

Theo: “I was actually suggesting something else… Cheetos!”

Then him in the backseat as we’re driving to the car wash… “I’m killin’ these Cheetos!”

Our conversations are non-stop, and honestly, I learn so much from him and have to really think to answer his deep, thoughtful questions so that I’m giving him the best (and correct!) answer.

Theo still loves all things space, electricity and he just plain likes to figure out how things work and why. We plan to really feed these interests. This summer he will attend a hands-on construction building camp for a short time. I hope he really loves it. It will be an interesting test to see how he lasts all day for 5 days in a row. It’s fascinating to watch his interests develop. I think I have this kid figured out, but who knows!

We should be hearing about Kindergarten placement in early April. I’m anxious to hear, of course. I think he’s excited, too. School is going pretty well. I’m sure he could have used much more of a challenge this year, but he has grown a lot, and after all he is only 4. This is our last time together before he is in school all day, 5 days a week. We have another parent/teacher conference next week so I’ll hear more about how he is doing.

Overall, though, he has achieved so much this past year. Intellectually, but also on the socio-emotional end. We continue to work on handling our frustration, but he is leaps and bounds from where he was last year with regards to adjusting to transitions and using words to express his emotions, even when they are super big.

I love kid so much and can’t believe he is 4 1/2. We love you, goose!