We Love Ruby!

Sean's introduction to week-old Ruby.  He was a little shy at first...

But then warmed right up....in this picture he's giving her his soft-touch with the back of his hand over her cheek.  It was adorable.

And now he's kissing her straight on the mouth.  I wouldn't be worried except he listed Ruby as one of his girlfriends the other day, and then asked me why he couldn't marry his cousin. 

Ruby's cousins Sean (3.5) and Kate (5), playing the role of proud parents very well.  Kate's not really your cousin, Sean. 

Sean contemplating Ruby.

And another kiss on the lips.

And another soft touch.

Here we are a few weeks later and Ruby can hold her own a little more. Sean is just as enamored.

And this time Jamesie gets into it! 

Precious.  This was followed by Sean asking "Mommy, will you get me her paci?  She needs it."  And then when I held her a minute later, "Mommy, you need to sit her up, she might spit up."  Thanks, Sean.

And now Jamesie is really into it.  He has become a baby-hunter in his own right.

Got her!

This is by far my favorite picture.  Jamesie walked around all weekend either kissing Ruby or if she was sleeping or nursing, walking around looking for her, doing the baby sign.  Once he figured out where she went under the nursing tent every three hours, he felt free to go find her himself. 

Friends

Jamesie turned 2! A month ago!

That's how behind we are over here!  Yes, we did actually celebrate his birthday on April 13 (and April 14), but I am just now getting around to looking at the pictures. 

Here are some of Jamesie's feats and accomplishments at the age of 2:

-Height: 36" (although I think the nurse shorted him on the measurement)
-Weight: 27 lb
-Words: he said "Mama" for the first time right after his 2nd birthday!  Melts my heart :).  He also says car, GG, DaDa, and Jesus. 
-Skills: Drawing on walls, doors and floors. 
-Favorite Foods: Pasta, cookies, milk, broccoli (I ate a lot of broccoli when I was pregnant with him and he always gobbles it up at dinner), anything with ketchup.
-Favorite Toys: Anything that rolls, e.g., a rolling suitcase/bag, a toy lawnmower, another toy lawnmower.  Also loves playing with empty bottles out of the recycling-- its not unusual to find empty beer bottles, or even the odd tequila bottle laying around our house.  Or maybe Cody left them there.  
-Accomplishments: transferring to a big-boy bed in Seannie's room.  He only gets out of bed to get in Sean's bed a few times a week now, which is a big improvement over 3x a night when we first started!
-Bad Habits: Thumb-sucking outside of his bed!  We are really frustrated at the amount of thumbsucking our two-year-old is indulging in.  No matter how many times we take it out or tell him to stop it ends up right back in there.  Ideas?

 Jamesie had to wear this shirt all weekend because if you ask him if he is 2 he shakes his head out of fear you are trying to get him to verbally say the word "two."  So he chose to announce his age on his shirt (thanks to Denise).

 New shoes from Neece to match the new shirt-- so styling.

 We could not be more in love with this child. 

 Yes, you are special today Jamesie :)

Happy with his very own lawnmower from Auntie Karyn.  Now he doesn't have to practice sharing with that older brother who also has a lawnmower. 

When you hit survival mode, lower your standards

It's 4:30.  I am trying to cook dinner.  My back pain is slamming, Jamesie had a blow-out diarrhea (tmi?) instead of taking his nap, and Sean is waking up, which is very rarely a nice event.  I usually try to avoid TV for Sean when he is in a bad mood and we try not to let J suck his thumb downstairs.  We usually make them wear clothes.  Today I was struggling against all these bad habits, trying to be disciplined and get through making dinner, but then I thought-- I'm 30 weeks pregnant, the baby is (probably) sick, everyone is crying and I need to make dinner.  Why am I doing this to myself?  So, in went a Thomas DVD, I sat and rocked with Jamesie while he sucked his thumb (and stopped crying),  let him stay in a diaper and sean in his jammie pants, and let the dirty dishes stay in the sink.  It was peaceful.  All I had to do was lower my standards for the day. I might do this more often.