Weekend with the cousins

Recently, Cam needed to spend the weekend in Portland on business. So, Ruth and I flew with him as far as KC where we stayed for 2 days with Kim and Doug and crew. My folks drove over to join in the fun, as well. While I had a great time spending stolen moments with Kim over the weekend, the main event was Ruth being able to spend some good quality time with Will and Ella. All of the kids are at the age where they play well and hard together, and at least for us: Ruth learned her fair share of new ideas and expressions. I think she actually made some short term memory connection with the kids, because the first two days we were home, she would say clear as a bell, "Where Ella?" It didn't last much longer than a couple days, but it made me smile none less.

Our favorite by far is finally grasping the word "please" or "peas" as she says. We had been working with her on this, but hearing Will and Ella say it only cemented it all the more. Also, we had always referred to special treats by name (chocolate, M & M, etc) But after just two days of hearing Will and Ella say the word "dee" for their candy treats, Ruth of her own accord now calls those treats "dee."

Inevitably, the weekend left both Ruth and myself grateful for the time together but sorry that it doesn't happen more often.

Waiting for our flight to KC
(right now Ruth is slightly obsessed with "cheesing" for the camera)

We spent one day at the Deanna Rose Farm


(for more pictures from the weekend, click on the link for my folks' blog)

Our Backyard

We have probably told most of you, but we'll say it again... "we love our backyard!" Really and truly it was the one feature of this house that completely hooked us. The rest of the place is nice, but nothing extraordinary. However, living and Florida, and loving the heat, we could not imagine a nicer backyard than the one that we have now. We have a 450 square foot lanai (screened porch) and then the fenced yard beyond that with one orange tree, one gardenia, a beautiful palm, and now some bougainvillea and hibiscus plants as well (thanks Lou!)

The yard looks out over a large pond which backs up to nothing but woods. It is absolutely beautiful and quiet and tranquil. We have yet to eat a meal in our dining room, as the view form the lanai is just too inviting. We have birds of all colors and sizes who make such beautiful music, at least two large turtles who like to sun on the banks in the afternoon sun, and a stray black and white cat who roams around looking for friends.

This particular afternoon Cameron and Ruth were trying to feed the ducks who weren't terribly interested, so they fed the fish instead :)

BIG Girl

We admit it, we've failed... with all of the moving and the company, we completely forgot about Ruth's 18 month check up. Thankfully, our doctor is gracious and got us in today with last minute notice, a mere two weeks late...

No shots, just a well-visit check up and nothing but good reports on Ruth's health. For the first 6 months or more of her life she was below the 50th percentile in her weight, and just above the 50th in her height. However slow her start may have been she has more than made up for it in the last year. She has been growing and growing in both areas to the point where at this latest visit she is in the 80th percentile for her weight at 26.5 lbs, and in the 99th percentile for her height at 34.5 inches. Of course, the main thing is she is very healthy, and the doctor was very pleased with both her physical and mental development. So we got a clean bill of health and no more doctor visits until 2 years old!!


One funny story: Ruth did have to have a finger prick done to test her hemoglobin levels, which is routine between 12 and 18 months old. After the nurse stuck her finger, Ruth started to whimper and then buried her head in my chest. Then all of the sudden she pulled her head away, looked right at the nurse, and in a very loud and determined voice repeated "bye bye... bye bye... bye bye" and started waving frantically at the nurse. It was all her little mind could do to express her sincere desire the for the nurse to take her instruments and get out of there. I just smiled and tried not to laugh too loud.

Ruth, upon returning from the doctor today

Big Sister to Whom?

It's official Ruth will be a big sister to a little brother!!!

Very healthy and very very very active (to the point of starting to tick off the doctor who was trying to take vital organ pictures).

These were taken last week around 20 weeks. We are not just about 21 weeks.

(profile)

(spine)

(4-D image of face with hand curled up on chest)

(4-D image of foot)

Before the Game...

Hours before the big game...Ruth was in the spirit
(with a little help from daddy, or course)