New Trick!

Someone has a new trick!

Alright...who taught Ruby how to shake her head no? In my experience (with my other 3 kids), the words "no" and "why" have been the two words that kids abuse the most :) She thinks it is the funniest thing in the world to shake her head back and forth...especially when I am trying to get a spoonful of food into her mouth or scrape some food off her face that she has let slide out of her mouth!

Sure Ruby, it's hilarious missing your mouth 3 out of the 5 times I try to get the spoon in it! Even funnier when you have mashed bananas and sweet potatoes covering your face from ear to ear and nose to neck :p

I particularly enjoy it when she gets her hands and feet into the action. She'll either put her fingers in her mouth or try to grab the spoon with the food on it OR she likes to pull her toes up to her mouth and suck on her big toe...with a mouth full of food...yuck. So she literally becomes covered head to toe in food...what a mess :)

Max, Abby, and Lucy were having a great time at dinner the other night asking Ruby if she liked her food so she would shake her head "no". They were cracking up and she was LOVING all the attention and the laughs she was getting...the little ham! She's pretty good at answering correctly so far too, I ask her if she loves mama and she doesn't shake her head, I ask her if she's a stinker and she does shake her head (I have a 7 month old genius on my hands I tell ya!)

I got a little video of her doing her new trick yesterday at lunch...remember to pause the music at the top of the sidebar first...

Isn't she a cutie?

Lucy...the Goofball!

Lucy just cracks me up! This child has huge nasty fits of temper but then she also does and says some of the goofiest things.

Had a mouthful of food and trying to make a goofy face for the camera.

Last Saturday, Lucy unfortunately experienced her first real nose bleed. True to form she freaked out a little but I didn't realize how freaked out she was until she refused to remove the tissue from her nose...for 8 hours!!!!! Yes, I sat with her and held the tissue to her nose for a few minutes. When I went to check to see if her nose had stopped bleeding she about lost her mind. I told her she could keep it on for a few more minutes. Well, I think the sight of her own blood worried her so she kept it on...

while I changed her clothes...

while she used the bathroom...

while I put her in her carseat to go to Charlotte...

while she ate a snack in the car...

while she slept in the car...

once we got to Charlotte...

while eating dinner...

and getting ready for bed...

At one point in the car she got tired of holding the tissue herself so she figured out how to keep it up to her nose...hands free!

Yep, she used her passy to hold the tissue up to her face.

Lucy has also started doing this thing with her mouth where she makes her top lip go to one side and her bottom lip go to the other side. That in itself looks funny when she does it, but then she will roll her eyes (another favorite trick of hers) when she does the lip thing and I can't help but laugh. Watch the video...she wouldn't do it while facing the camera but you can see her do it...

Now if I can only get her to use her powers for good instead of rotten :)

Happy Birthday Abby!

A Letter to Abby on her 5th Birthday... (kind of rambles but it was how I thought of it all)

Happy 5th Birthday to our firstborn GIRL! I can't believe it has been 5 years since the day you came screaming and speeding into this world...I can't believe you are still screaming :) HA!



Abby, your birth was high drama. If only daddy and I had known that it was a sign of things to come! You are such a cuddly sweetie, full of hugs and kisses and as helpful as can be (when you want to be). The next minute you are screaming and jumping up and down in a fit of hysterics. The thing is, by the time you calm down, you can't even remember what started the fit in the first place.

Life is never boring with you around. You have got THE CRAZIEST LAUGH! Daddy and I could be at our wits end and you start your cackling and snorting and it cracks us up...I'm laughing now just thinking about it. You are a nice combination of girly girl and tomboy (which daddy is very grateful for). For some reason, you could be all dressed up and looking so pretty and take one step outside and dirt will find you! You can't stand still outside...if you are out for more than a minute you are playing in rocks, dirt, sand, mud, water...whatever happens to be available. You get dirt EVERYWHERE and you get some of your clothes to the point where they are beyond help from ANY stain fighter :) I should know...I've tried just about all of them! You do love your clothes and your shoes though...you change both at least three times a day and leave the discarded clothes/shoes all over the house!


These days you are doing somersaults every third step. Step, step, tumble, step, step, tumble...maybe you'll be an olympic gymnast. You LOVE to sing! Oh my goodness child, you would learn a song at school and sing it...non-stop...at home...in the car...in the bathtub...in the store...on the back porch...you get my point. You sang them so much that Lucy learned them too and would chiime in with you or sing them for me when you weren't home. I was SO ready to ask your teachers to hurry up and teach the class a new patriotic song. I'm all for being patriotic but a person can only handle so much of "America the Beautiful" in one day :)

I can't believe you'll be starting Kindergarten next month. I cried when I had to leave Max in his Kindergarten class...I'm sure I'll do the same for you. I know you'll do great. You pick up on things VERY quickly and you have inherited mommy's "spelling" gene.

You are still sucking your thumb and you laugh at me when I tell you to take it out of your mouth. You also still sleep with your Bobbies at night.

You attempted your first sleepover last week at Tess's house but her mom called me at 11:00 that night saying you wanted your mommy. I was excited for you to have this first but I was secretly glad you were still "little" enough to want to come home to me :)


As far as eating is concerned you are finally trying some new things. When I saw you actually eat a piece of broccoli one day I about fell on the floor! You are still mostly a snacker/grazer though. You asked for "chicken bowls" for your birthday dinner...you love mommy's homemade chicken nuggets.

From the time you were about a year old you were little Miss Independent...even more so now. You always wanted to dress yourself and would REFUSE...loudly...any offers of help. Then you'd get mad when you couldn't do it right but would still refuse help. You'd scream about it until you got it on yourself or daddy or I had to hold you down to help you...don't know where you get that stubborn streak :)

Abby, I loved you from the moment I knew you were growing inside me. When I found out you were a girl I couldn't wait to start buying pink. I was so excited that you would have a big brother to look out for you (I always wanted one). You are an amazing little girl who was meant to be mine.

Happy Birthday Stinkerbelle! I love you so much :)

Love,
Mommy

Slow Down July!

I mean really, what's the big hurry? Just yesterday I was enjoying some delicious BBQ at a 4th of July picnic and now today I am staring someone's 5th birthday in the face.

Yep, SOMEONE around here is going to be 5 years old tomorrow...

We just got back (LATE last night) from a trip to the mountains. We found out that Ruby is NOT a mountain girl either (farm girl was scratched off the list in Indiana). Her allergies are driving her nuts and keeping her (AND ME) awake.

Since I was out of town on Monday I missed posting about my "little" sister's birthday on Monday. Happy Birthday Shea-Shea! We love ya :)

Also, last Thursday (also a busy day and I didn't get to post), was a momentous occassion...

John's mom and dad, Jack and Charlotte, celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on July 15th! Happy Anniversary!!!!!!!!! Jack said the other day they are starting on the next 50 years now :)

They had a wonderful day and are the reason we went to the mountains this past weekend. They are still up there celebrating with one of John's brothers, "Uncle Stewart". "Uncle Hugh" will be getting there tomorrow...we are sad that we couldn't be there at the same time...also, that "Aunt Caroline" wasn't able to come.

More to come (and pictures too)...

My Baby's Gotta Eat!

Ruby and I headed out to the new Harris Teeter this morning to buy some fruits and veggies. Why? My baby's gotta eat...that's why!

Since Max started eating solids I have enjoyed making baby food for my little ones. Shopping, chopping, peeling, steaming, baking, mashing, blending, freezing, bagging. I have given them some store bought baby food when I am in a crunch but for the most part I make their food. Store bought stuff just doesn't taste like "the real thing" to me and I want Ruby to know what sweet potatoes are really supposed to taste like so maybe she'll eta them when she gets bigger.

Today's menu is peas, baked sweet potatoes, bananas, and pears. I am also going to be making some squash, carrots, green beans, and applesauce (later). Now that she has finally gotten the hang of the spoon and figured out how to swallow what's in her mouth she is enjoying eating!

At least she isn't giving me THIS face anymore :)

Out of the Mouth of Max...

Seven has been a bit of an adjustment for Max...and therefore for John and I as well. He has been moody(ier)?, and has developed a big case of attitude...which needs to be adjusted if you ask me :) Anyway, John and I have been sort of walking on pins and needles around him lately because he has also been extremely sensitive. If we tell him "no" for something he will break down into tears without hearing our explanation of why.

So last night we had compnay for dinner and after they left Max wanted to stay up later and see if anyone else was doing fireworks (New Years and 4th of July fireworks tend to be dragged out around here). We told him no because he had been up REALLY late the night before. I asked him 3 times to get upstairs and in the shower and he LOST IT!!!!!!!!!

It was very dramatic and I figured he was pretty ticked off at me. He got his shower and was dressed and when it was time for him to head off for bed he came and gave me a big hug...then he said something that brought ME to tears and reminded me that these moments make all the bad ones worth it.

He told me that I was the best mom.

I said something to the effect that I thought he was still mad at me.

He looked up at me (the boy is so tall he'll be able to look me straight on in a couple of years ;p )and said, "Mom, every second of my life you will be the best mom in the world".

Yeah...I cried...the little turkey.

Then later I was sitting on his bed talking to him and I told him I had to go fold some laundry. I asked him when he gets older if he would design and build a clothes dryer that would dry AND fold the laundry for you. He had a "better" idea...

He said, "Hey mom, instead of that we could do that thing, you know the old fashioned thing with the clothes pins and the rope?"

Uh, excuse me kid? It's called a clothesline and now I FEEL old fashioned :)

He was even talking about the kind that you see on tv that are on the pulley system between apartment buildings! Then he realized it wouldn't work if you didn't have windows in the right place.

Sometimes this kid just stumps me with the ideas he gets in his head.

Max and Nana (my mom) next to a hay bale at my Grandpa's farm in Indiana.

Vacation part 1...

Last week we embarked on our family trip to southern Indiana. My parents were born and raised there and we have family still there...including my sweet Granny!

In the past we have always stayed at my Granny's house but a couple of years ago she messed up her back pretty bad and is now living with my aunt and her family. So, needless to say, her house has been sold. It was so strange not staying there but the convent that my aunt Mary Jo was a member of owns a house in the town where my dad grew up and they use it for when people come into town for various reasons. They were so kind to let us stay there for a few days.

So, Friday the 18th, Max and Abby both had a ball game at 6:45 and John and I didn't want them to miss too many games so we decided to leave afterwards. I had cleaned and packed all day so the van was loaded and ready to go.

By the time the games were over and we came home to let the kids change into their pj's it was 9:00 when we finally got on the road. our plan was to go to Charlotte and spend the night at John's parents' house then leave in the morning to make the "supposed" 9 hour trip to Indiana.

It took the kids awhile to conk out but they finally did (thankfully) and we made it to Charlotte sometime after midnight.

A funny story...when we got out of the van to go in the house, Max happened to look at the house next door. He saw the neighbor lady looking out the window. Apparently she must not have been at her best at 1am because it scared Max to death! He could not go to sleep because he was afraid that she saw us and was going to come get us. We tried to reassure him that she probably just couldn't sleep and was worried when she saw a car drive up the neighbor's driveway so late at night. She wanted to make sure we weren't strangers.

Max could not be convinced that she was harmless and therefore John ended up having to lay on the floor in the room and leave the light on. It took Max about 30 minutes of worry, crying, and nail biting before he finally crashed.

Needless to say, Jack and Charlotte got a good laugh out of it :)

Dermatologist Update...

Well, we had our visit to the dermatologist for Ruby the other day. She agreed with the pediatrician's diagnosis of atopic dermatitis (eczema)...ummmm...okay...I didn't think she wouldn't...

Anyway, we have a laundry list of things to do for our itchy girl...one of which is laundry...lots and lots of laundry (as if I don't need mountain climbing gear to get to the top of my laundry pile already)...

I have to switch her detergent to Dreft (we had been using All Free and Clear but they said that wasn't good enough for her). I have to wash ALL of her stuff in Dreft and rinse it twice (there goes the water bill!).

She has to have not 1 but 2 - 20 minute soak baths a day. Within 3 minutes of getting out of the bath I have to apply one prescription cream to any rash on her face and in her folds. I have to apply a different prescription ointment to any rash any where else. Then we have to cover her in a thick cream. Once the rashes clear up we can start backing off the prescription creams and go down to one bath a day. I'm also only supposed to wash her face and diaper area with Dove Sensitive Skin soap and just use water on the rest for now.

I'll take Ruby back for a follow up in 3 months.

When we were in Indiana last week she had the hardest time with whatever allergies she has. After getting there on Saturday we all headed out to my Grandpa Hedinger's farm and within 10 minutes of getting there her eyes were red and puffy and watery and her face, neck, and legs were all rashy. Poor thing :(

On a different note...


Yesterday I gave Ruby her first taste of actual, real food (besides rice cereal/oatmeal). I gave her bananas. My other 3 LOVED them (although they don't eat them now...go figure) so I thought I'd give it a shot. Well, if the crying, thrashing, and spitting them out were any indication...I don't think she cared for them too much...hmmmmmm.



We tried again today and it was a little better...she may have actually swallowed some :) I think I'll try avocado next.



Here's a picture of Ruby today after lunch. I think she got more on her face and bib than in her belly. I'm not worried, she's one of my kids, she'll get the hang of eating REALLY fast :) If not there are people here who will eat it for her!

She looks like she's in shock doesn't she? :)