The Girls

The girls.  That's what we call our kids.  It still sounds weird to me.  We had a lot of time with just one kid.  Then we had another baby.  Now she's turning into a kid too.  They are fantastic and exhausting all at the same time but I can't imagine my life any other way.  Want to know the best part about the girls?  They love each other to death.  My mom is best friends with her sister.  I'm best friends with my sister. It warms my heart that Ruby and Ella adore each other too.

Ruby is "four and three quarters" which she thinks is weird since three is smaller than four.  She talks from the minute she wakes up until the minute she goes to bed (and even after we leave the room).  Her current loves include: Ella, Taylor Swift, singing, dance parties, school, her friends, books, coloring, Scooby Doo, her shows, movies, Dora, Dora, Dora the Explorer, Plants vs Zombies, her family, mac 'n cheese, treats, being outside, her two wheeled scooter, tape, Facetime and Norah.  Her current dislikes include: soap, getting a clip on her chore chart, the end of playtime with her friends and quiet time.

Ella is almost 17 months but thinks she's also four and three quarters.  She smiles and laughs from the minute she wakes up until the minute she goes to bed (and even after we leave the room).  Her current loves include:  Ruby, eating, playing, baths, books, her bike helmet, playing outside, shoes (any size), swimming, balls, walks, parks and dogs. Her current dislikes include: not being able to do everything Ruby can do.

We love the girls.  The girls love each other.  Life doesn't get much better.

March 2013

Train - We made a last minute decision to ride the train to Burlingame one afternoon.  It wasn't the most relaxing trip but we made it back in one piece.  Ella looks terrified but she actually like the train ride.

Bites - Did I say our kids were healthy?  First, Ruby had to go to the ER.  Then everyone but me puked over the holiday.  Now, Ruby keeps getting mysterious bites all over her body.  We aren't sure what they are.  The doctor doesn't know either.  All we do know is that they are huge and itch a lot.  It's been a few weeks since the last set so maybe we're in the clear now.

Early Spring - While I read posts about the snow back home in Ohio, we've been enjoying pretty warm weather since last month.

Movie Theater - Ruby went on another field trip.  She went to see a movie.  It was in a movie theater.  The movie theater was in her classmates house.  Must be nice =)

Uncle Zach (again) - Uncle Zach came back to visit on his way back to Washington.  Ruby loved every minute of the visit.  Word on the street is that he is moving to California.  Hopefully that means we'll get to see him more often.

Easter - For the second year in a row, we had a big Easter dinner at our house.  The girls wake up to Easter baskets and an egg hunt, Adam makes homemade pizza and a main dish and the rest of the gang brings food for dinner.  It's good food and good company.  I hope we can do it again next year.

Instead of more stuff, we decided to buy the girls a sand table and toddler-ize our back patio.  The sand has yet to arrive but the girls played outside for a few hours before dinner tonight.  Success!

Texas - We bought tickets to Texas again.  This time Aileen and Lucas are joining us.  Can't wait!

February 2013

Kindergarten Registration - It's so, so weird that my worlds are colliding this year.

Sharks - Adam takes Ruby to a Sharks game every year.  She falls asleep every time...even though it's the day game.  Go Sharks!

15 Months - We do the alternative vaccination schedule so R needs to get shots when we take E to her well  baby appointments.  E = easy to hold for vaccines.  R = not so much.  I bribe her with ice cream afterward.

I went back to look R's weight and height at 15 months.  She was always tall but very skinny (that's what happens when you don't eat).  E was always tall but had meat on her bones (that's what happens when you eat).  At 15 months, they are nearly the same height and weight.

Ski Week - I've been trying to take Ruby to Tahoe for a few years.  With pregnancies, newborns, snowstorms and schedules, it just hasn't worked out.  This year we started planning early for my February break.  Auntie Caitlin, Ruby and I went up to meet Uncle Kevin.  Ruby went to ski school the first day.  She was super excited and didn't even know what it was.  I checked her in at 9 AM and picked her up at 3 PM.  I wouldn't call what she did skiing but she was happy at the end of the day and wants to go again.

While she was in ski school, I went snowboarding for the first time since before Ruby was born.  It was like riding a bike.  I was pretty excited.

 
The second day we stopped at Granlibakken for sled riding.  Ruby went down once with me, once with Auntie and the rest of the time by herself.  Think she liked it?

Remember how excited I was about snowboarding?  Sled riding...not so much.  My first time down the hill, I wanted to be in control so I didn't hit anyone.  I naturally put my hands back to slow down.  Bad choice.  I can't remember the exact moment but as soon as I stood up I could tell my thumb hurt.  I drove home and spent a week using my thumb and saying "ouch" every time it bent the wrong way.  When the swelling went down and it still hurt, I decided to give in and see a doctor.  Lucky me.  I tore a ligament.  I could either have surgery to correct it immediately or wear a cast for 4-6 weeks to see if it would heal itself.  I mentioned I had a baby and taught Kindergarten so the doctor recommended a splint instead.  I have to wear it 24 hours a day but can take it off if it accidentally gets dirty.  The splint holds my thumb still but I can use most of my hand.  It hasn't been too bad.  The two things I find the hardest to do are opening sippy cups and turning pages on books.  I actually do both a lot but have figured out how to use my fingers instead.  Ruby summed up the whole thing by saying, "I'm sorry you hurt your thumb.  Next time I'll choose Auntie to go with me.  She must be a better sled rider."

January 2013

Happy New Year!

Speech - Ruby "graduated" from speech therapy.  She was supposed to celebrate with Teacher Pat after the holiday.  Unfortunately, Teacher Pat fell, broke 12 bones and wasn't going to be back at work for a few months.  We had our own celebration and will visit Teacher Pat when she's feeling better again.

Didn't even know Ruby was in speech?  That's because I'm a bad blogger. She started last summer.  Ruby got her first words at the developmentally appropriate time and hasn't stopped talking since.  We started to notice a "slushy" /s/ sound when she was three (think "mushdash" for mustache).  We could still understand her, the pediatrician wasn't worried and my speech therapist friend at school said she was no where near qualifying for early intervention.  As a Kindergarten teacher, I know 1) how difficult it is to qualify for services in public schools and 2) the earlier the intervention the better.  Additionally, I could tell that kids at her pre school were having trouble understanding her so I decided to pay for a private assessment.  We found a great speech therapist who confirmed she had a lateral lisp and started working with her once a week.  There was a little concern that since she was only four, she might not cooperate, therefore making it a waste of time and money.  On the contrary, Ruby loved her speech teacher and speech class and we started noticing an immediate difference.  The best part was that Teacher Pat gave us specific instructions to remind Ruby how to self correct her sounds so she didn't get frustrated.  After six months, she was able to produce all the sounds correctly in isolation so she no longer needed to weekly speech therapy.  I've been in many conferences where our speech therapist says the same thing to parents.  The parents are always a little hesitant because the sounds aren't always 100% in normal conversation.  I get it now.  I was hesitant too.  But, Teacher Pat is the expert and will check in with us in a few months...after the 12 bones heal and she can walk again.

Ella - I'm using my camera roll to catch up on the blog.  While Ella isn't in school shows, taking field trips, playing with her friends, etc., she is enjoying life to the fullest.

Soccer - Ruby has been going to swimming lessons since she was 1.5 years old.  Other than that, we let her pick one activity at a time.  She's tried all the girlie activities...ballet, tap and gymnastics.  She told us she wanted to take basketball and soccer next.  A friend was going to sign Ruby's friend up for soccer so we joined her.  About five minutes into the first session, it was clear Ruby didn't love soccer.  She couldn't quite articulate it but we think it's because all the kids are chasing after balls and the natural instinct is to push and shove when you're in a group.  She would do the drills and play the fun games but when it was time to actually play soccer, she would steer clear of the group.  We don't care.  If she likes it, she likes it.  If she doesn't, she doesn't.  We told her she had to finish what she started.  Soccer ended last month and she hasn't asked about it since =)

I think Ella liked soccer more than Ruby.  She especially loved running the opposite way of the soccer field and never coming back.

Goodnight Moon - Ruby's been on a few field trips this year.  Since I work part time, her teacher asked me in advance if I wanted to drive to Goodnight Moon at the Palo Alto Children's Theater.  After the show, the kids had snack and played at the local park.

P.S. I sent the field trip picture to my baby BFFs.  The first thing they noticed was Ruby in a booster seat.  Yes.  She's in a booster seat.  No.  I didn't switch her to a booster.  That's her five point harness car seat on the right.  I was always annoyed when my field trip drivers didn't want to install extra car seats.  Again, I now get it.  I don't even think I can install a third car seat but I don't feel like it's my choice to make for other kids.  We were just driving down Middlefield Road so I put Ruby in the built in booster and her classmate in the car seat.  Ruby thought she was the bees' knees.