Well - May was mostly spent getting back in the groove of things. Steve had to remember how to go back to work, I had to remember how to handle three children by myself again, and the kids had to remember there were rules, consequences, vegetables to be eaten, and naps to be taken again.
We got there eventually. :)
It rained and we got some puddle jumping in afterwards. :)
It was nice to break out the rain boots we had worn so much in Oregon.
Love these two pals
This guy has been working pretty hard on our yard that has needed some TLC. :)
I LOVE this coat and LOVE these boots. Very RUBY :)
We had Mother's Day, and I thoroughly enjoyed being with my family that day. I was treated to a lovely dinner and got a nice wooden rolling pin I had been wishing for! I especially love these three hoodlums that keep me busy as a bee. I'm so thankful for the mother's in my life - especially my mom, who have been and are great examples to me and have taught some of the most important principles I have needed for life. :)
Jammin' out for Rowland. :)
Ross is the far left :) He at least would walk around to where the ball was. :)
Ruby was entertained by a fun dog nearby. :)
The Fusion Soccer team!
Ross was pretty stoked about getting a medal. :) Love the look on his face. :)
He wasn't a fan of the big cheers though - a bit loud - which is hilarious because he's a pretty loud kid himself! :)
Ross loved having his dad be a coach!
OH - and have I mentioned I finally caved and we've been potty training Ruby?? Here are a few stories about our successes and fails...
The first day I kind of threw the
whole potty training idea together. Ross, we spent like a month just
introducing the idea with books, movies, practicing on the potty. Ruby
was more than ready for this, so I kind of just wung it...winged
it...whichever grammatically you wish to form that sentence. Anyway - I
was lacking in treats, but found marshmallows and thought that might
work...it went...okay. She didn't really end up caring about the
marshmallows. We had two accidents, no successes the first day, but she
was LOVING wearing underwear - so I counted that as a win. The
next few days were wins and misses with her kind of getting the idea of
going potty in her little potty was a good thing. Then one day, we had
a good handful of failures, and I left her in a pull-up with a
babysitter that night while Steve and I headed on a date. When I got
back, our sweet babysitter, Kimber, told me after she put Ruby to bed,
Ruby stood up and announced she had to go potty. Kimber took her out,
put her on the big toilet.....and she went. Of COURSE she went for the
babysitter, but forget mom!!
I
remembered finally at the store to get some different potty treats, and
I will tell you - jellybeans were a game changer in the world of potty
training. That - and Ruby wanted to just go directly on the big toilet -
forget this little kid stuff. No special chair or anything. I should
have known. This girl just wants to be so grown up. Stinker! Anyway -
jellybeans have been a great motivator - sometimes too great.
Ruby
has somewhat figured out going just a little bit and getting and treat,
and then going again 2 minutes later for another treat. And then other
times she tries to fake it - sitting on the potty and shouting "I did
it!" without any proof, yet still demanding jellybean payment. We've
had a couple mornings of frustrated tears that she's not rewarded for
every time she enters a bathroom. Other than that - it's been pretty
great.
I
did speak too soon though, when we met up with some friends at the park
and I was going on about how Ruby is pretty much potty trained. She
proved me right at first when she stopped playing and told me she needed
to go. We went and she did a #2 and I walked out of there patting
myself on the back with what a good job I've done. However - when we
were about to leave...the other kids informed me that Ruby pooped her
pants....sigh.
Our
recent issue has been her need to strip down completely when it's
naptime...and then ends up peeing her bed. BAH! She's been banned from
two piece pj's, and has to wear zip up, snapped pj's to prevent undressing. For the most part though - it is a success! Woot woot!
Sometimes music helps in the going potty department. :)
We did a big clothing swap with the MOPS group I'm a part of - it was really great and we'll do it again next year!
Ruby loves seeing herself on camera...or in mirrors. :)
Silly faces! Ross's go-to face for silliness. :)
This kid owns the playground - also he loves this shirt with a whale AND a shark on it. I actually had bought this shirt when he was only one year old and I went shopping with my friend Maren when we came to visit...I thought it would be a million years before he would fit it. My heart is breaking!
San Antonio souvenirs :)
The mini guitar wins in favorite new musical instrument.
A VERY sweet boy who I adore. :)
Ruby looks WAY too grown up in this picture, and her hair looks cute. :) Her eyes sparkle as usual. :)
We went to the park to play frisbee - and Ruby was trying to figure it out. :)
This boy is just my best buddy. This face of his says so much about him. He's pretty happy go lucky, chill, and wants to do what's right. :) LOVE him.
After two long months of earning stickers for his chart - he finally got to cash in for his Fred toy he wanted FOREVER, after paying his tithing and putting some away to save. He was SO happy!
This is Rowland's typical expression - very concerned about whats going on. :)
But if he catches your eye - this is what immediately happens. :)
Cutest baby ever!
He is growing up too fast too. Such a cutie.
Ross pulled me over to his chart one day soon after we came back from Utah and pointed to this airplane sticker, and tried to convince me that Grandpa Stan was going to fly over on that airplane to our house right then...I'm sure he wanted to though!
He thinks he's right and Grandpa will be strolling up any time. :)
We have had a TON of thunderstorms here in Southeast Colorado lately. This one actually turned in to a Tornado warning. Things are crazy over here in our neck of the woods.
Train time. Steve and I keep points for the best built train track. 5 points if you use all the tracks, 3 points for every time a track crosses, and 2 points for every hill. I got 27 in this picture - you can't see the rest of it, but there was another hill behind me. We like to keep things interesting in this family. :)
Yes Rowland DOES have a neck - which he rarely airs out, but when a fan is on above you, you just have to crane that thing to see. :) LOVE his cheeks.
Rowly is my dark eyed baby - I'm pretty certain he's going to get Steve's gorgeous browns!!! YES!!!!
Rowland has decided to make time go by WAY to fast. I cannot believe he is 4 months old!
He is a wonderful delight, and reminds me SO much of Ross when he was a baby - they will definitely look like brothers I think.
Rowland is now 14lbs. 10oz - 31st percentile, 24 inches long - 8th percentile!! And has a head circumference of 16.25 - 16th percentile. I'm going to have a couple of wrestlers and and then a Volleyball girl - we have the craziest genes!
He is a little sweetie and everyone thoroughly enjoys having him in our family. Ross wants to hold him NONSTOP and tells me he wants to have a pretend sleepover with Rowland which means laying him in Ross's bed with him and covering them up with blankets. It's the cutest thing.
Ruby loves to talk to him like I do, and changes her already little voice (when she's not throwing a tantrum) to an even small, high baby voice for Rowland saying, "Hey lil' guuuuyyy" while caressing his cheek and giving his forehead kisses. She gets quite put out if he's already been put down for a nap in the morning when she wakes up and doesn't get to see him immediately.
Rowland LOVES the attention. He's gotten in to the real belly laughs which just tickles me to death! I love it! He loves laughing at anyone who will give him attention.
He's been eating his hands like crazy, getting crazy drooly, and trying with all his heart to grab his toys that hang above him. He's getting the control down better. He also enjoys using his mouth to investigate whatever is in his hand.
Next to his newborn picture - crazy how they change!
Rowland has started noticing when he's left alone and is not happy about that concept one bit. He still enjoys tummy time as long as his neck holds up, and has decided to become a professional roller.
Eating habits have gone fairly well, but I can't do any nursing in public places, because he is a pretty finicky eater. Other than that - he is a dream. He's been a great sleeper, but that horrendous 45 minute intruder has recently been showing itself occasionally during naps, and we've been playing the sneak-in-don't-show-yourself-put-the-binky-in-and-ninja-roll-your-way-out-of-the-room-without-a-sound game lately - boo. That and Ross's swim lessons have been intruding during morning nap time as well.
Rowland loves to be bounce/tossed in the air, tickled under his chin and arms, being face out still while being held. He does NOT like surprises or getting stepped on by siblings. He still loves them though and gets over it quickly.
His schedule is roughly like this: 7AM eat, play, tummy time 8:30AM nap 11:30AM eat, play with bro and sis 1:00-1:30ish nap 4PM eat, play with toys, bro and sis 5:30:PM nap 6:30ish wake up and play 7:30 eat, play with dad 8:30 Bedtime 10:30 or right before I go to bed, eat and then back to bed
It's pretty nice - I have the hardest time dropping the late night feeding since I really don't want to play the game of waking up at 4 or 5 to eat again.
We are seriously loving our little Rowly - he is such a fun baby to have!
We were a family picture taking frenzy while in Utah! The kids were hanging by a thread, but we made it! :) Steve always gets stressed out taking pictures (I'm sure do to my insane perfectionism), so I've been trying to ease up and relax about where everyone sits, smiles, poses, and everything else that could possibly be controlled. Hopefully I haven't scarred Stephen for life in the family picture taking department...because we have a lot of family picture taking ahead of us still!
The more little persons we add to the family, the trickier getting everyone to look and smile gets!
Sibs
Weirdies!
Grandparents and the grandkids!
Alex has the best facial expressions! And need to not hold still. ;)
We all look pretty great here - if only Ruby would look!!!
We may have to do some photo shopping...
Love Tom the photo bomber!
Gotta Have Some Fun!
Also this boy posed himself and looked adorable. Love him. :)
