Friday, April 29, 2011

Ruby D at Nine Months

At nine months you:

-Are pulling up to stand all of the time.
-Crawl (pull forward on your belly) everywhere.
-Love to eat (all the time)! You really like chicken, cheese, and crackers. You also like cake like Mommy and sister.
-Still do not have any teeth.
-Are transitioning from co-sleeping to sleeping in your crib. Your crib is currently in our bedroom. You start the night in it and then move to our bed after your first wake up. You do not need wrapped anymore, but you still fling your arms around a lot. When you are in your crib you usually get one arm hooked on a slat. It doesn't seem to bug you though (until you wake up).
-Take one morning nap and one long afternoon nap.
-Have a orange tint to your hair (peach fuzz). You have enough to stick a clip in it, and you look so adorable.
-Were not very happy about moving and having your schedule messed up. You did not sleep well at all and were rather cranky.
-Can wave and occasionally will say hi to people.
-Are a complete and total Mama's girl. You want to be held and carried ALL the time and start whining when I have been gone and you see me and I'm not picking you up.
-Can wear some twelve month clothes-you are still mostly in 6-9 months.
-Love Sissy, your sister, and phones.
-Are still babbling all of the time.
-Love to play hide and seek with Daddy.
-Are not the best car rider. You will take an evening nap (short) if we are out and about in the car. You actually prefer this, because you like to stay up and be a night owl.
-Your nicknames: Ruby D, Rubers Dubesers, Ruby D Willakeers, Rube, Ruby Rube

Ruby D you are the funniest cutest little girl! You are so silly and make me laugh all of the time. I just want to squeeze you and eat you up. You are so smart and mischievous. You already keep me on my toes! You just keep getting more fun as you grow up. I love you to pieces.






Thursday, April 28, 2011

Distractions (in Picture Form)

Yesterday our neighbors came by with cookies. I was wearing my "I heart intercourse (PA)" sweatshirt. Awesome. I hadn't washed or combed my hair all day. Even more awesome. We have one carload of boxes from the old apartment. I keep getting distracted while unpacking boxes. I framed some of the prints that are going in the girl's rooms yesterday. I am trying to pick which portraits to frame. I get pictures taken every six months or year at Portrait Innovations. Although I spend a bundle (and then some) I am not very good at actually displaying the pictures. Some of my favorite pictures throughout the past few years:

Gracie's One Year Photo Shoot. She wanted to crawl everywhere (Gracie did not walk until she was almost sixteen months old). She was such a sweet baby.

Gracie's nickname (one of them) is Monkey (shortened from Monkey Moo).

She has the prettiest eyes. A friend of mine commented on how it looked like she was eating finger paint in her cake pictures. I had so much fun watching her eat her cake. She was only interested in the frosting at both her pictures and her birthday party. She also ate very very slowly.

Gracie's Two Year Photo Shoot. She wore the same outfit when she met Mickey (and Minnie) Mouse. Our girly girl.

My baby girls. Ruby was only three weeks old. Gracie only tried to drop her once. ;) This picture will be in Ruby's room next to a print that reads, "Sister Make the Best of Friends."

Quite possibly my favorite picture of Gracie. Her personality in picture form.

Oh Ruby D you are just a cutie!
Ruby D's Six Month Photo Shoot. I was worried that she would cry, but she did such a good  job! She squints her nose when she smiles (like her Mommy).
This Mommy likes props. I thought the peach fairy wings were so pretty with her coloring. Gracie was a pink baby, but Ruby looks better in different/brighter colors (especially shades of orange and green).

Gracie's Three Year Photo Shoot. We actually had these pictures taken by a local photographer at an outdoor location. I will make a separate post at some point with other shots. I have a stack of pictures that need scrapbooked from this day. Gracie was BUSY, and the pictures we have of her show so much of her personality at three.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Blither Blatther

My husband is not a good mover. Somehow he manages to bang into every doorway possible, scratch furniture, and forget everything. Usually I have everything set up and ready to go before we move, but it just didn't happen this time. Big mistake. I don't know how many van loads we have left until the old apartment is empty. I want it done before Friday, because we still have to clean and repaint (one room). We'll see. We did get a pretty big load of stuff yesterday and are going back today. Ruby has had a morning nap the past two days and is in much better humor. Just don't ask me when I'm going to be motivated enough to start moving her to her crib. Even Sissy has adjusted and is out and about. Apparently she missed having carpet. Who knew? I took a bath in my new bathtub last night. Gracie taking a bath for the first time in our new house, "I like my new tub. It's not yellow." Me too Gracie, me too.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Trucking Along

We are in the new house. Kind of. Mostly. We slept here last night. And we have cable/internet. Our apartment is still full of odds and ends, but we have the rest of the week to move everything/clean. Although this weekend was crazy and hectic the Easter Bunny visited.

Ruby D's basket on the left, Gracie's basket on the right. Ruby refused to go to sleep and helped the Easter Bunny.

Good morning Gracie!

Cutie girl!

Gracie wearing an entire package of Silly Bandz. Her favorite goodie from the Easter Bunny.

Family picture after Easter Sunday Mass.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Busy Busy Bee

Moving in on Easter Weekend is not a good idea. Somehow in between painting Gracie's room, hanging light fixtures, and moving boxes we need to dye Easter eggs (they are hard boiled-that's something, right?), help the Easter Bunny put together baskets, and find white bobby socks for Gracie (because Wal-Mart no longer sells them, what the?!). It will all get done eventually. Maybe. Someday.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Boxes

My kitchen is completely full of boxes. I love kitchen items. Especially dishware and holiday serving pieces. And Temptations (I own both the multicolor polka dot and yellow Old World, but I love the pink and yellow polka dot pieces also). Every time I move-this will be the seventh time in the past nine years (!) I am amazed by how much I have. I haven't even started moving my china from the hall closet yet. My mom came over this morning so that I could get some packing done without Gracie interrupting me every two seconds and without Ruby ever stuffing things she shouldn't eat in her mouth or screaming for attention. I got a lot packed, but I ran out of bubble wrap. One of the big huge rolls. What we really need to do is finish is painting a lot of our furniture so that we don't need to work on it after we move. Andrew finished the crib last night, and the dresser would be done, but Sissy (our cat) jumped on it sometime during the night and got paw prints all over it. Sigh. I also have a mirror that I need to paint yellow and a coffee table that needs some major work (but found for free on the side of the road). Eventually everything will get done, and at least this time I am not looking at moving again in two years (my max time limit at any apartment I have lived at).

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Closing

Our official closing date is Friday at 9:30 am. If we had wanted to drive to Indy on Thursday we could have completed the paperwork then, but with the price of gas we decided to wait. Andrew is planning on installing our light fixtures and hopefully taping Gracie's room Friday afternoon/evening. Gracie's room is the only one we currently have plans on painting (pink). Pictures of our house prior to moving in:

The great room. Mommy thinks that Gracie will not be happy about the new "no food except for in the kitchen" policy. I would prefer a darker colored carpet, but that is something I can eventually change that was not worth the initial cost.
The flooring in the laundry room, kitchen, and breakfast nook. I actually looked through the book of samples and picked the darkest sample available. My mom hated her linoleum when we were growing up, but she always commented on how well it hid stains (it was dark brown). I currently have white linoleum in the apartment I am renting, and I hate it. I am really pleased with how this flooring turned out. I also don't think I will have to sweep it numerous times a day in an attempt to make it look decent.
Gracie in the dining room (prior to carpet). I really like those two windows, but I am not sure on window treatments yet. I would eventually like to have a hanging stained glass piece in the window on the right (with butterflies).  
I love my white kitchen sink. I really like that the window has a shelf. I think it will be fun to decorate for each season/holiday. I have no idea on hardware for the cabinets. Considering how much hardware can cost that is probably something that can wait for awhile. I love bin pulls, but they are not cheap. The molding on the door also will play a part in how large the hardware can be/what will look right.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Ten on Tuesday

1. I am completely behind on packing. Our house closes on Friday (supposedly), and I am nowhere near being ready to move. I plan on just taking a lot of car loads, but there are things I need to pack (like the kitchen).
2. I am completely ready to be in my new house. As soon as the weather started to get nice again the mice returned. I hate mice more than anything. I also can not wait to have a pantry to put my food in instead of cramming it into any available cabinet.
3. Ruby just recently learned how to wave. Cutest thing ever.
4. I went to Lowes this weekend to look at their magnolia trees, and they were completely out. I have no idea when they will even get the landscaping done at our house, but I need to find out what variety of magnolia I need to buy. I plan on having a pink magnolia in the front yard, peonies on one side of the house, and hydrangeas on the other.
5. I ordered new summer pajamas from Carters.com for the girls yesterday. I love that you can buy clothes at their website, but I hate paying shipping. Why must the nearest Carter's store be an hour away?
6. Gracie and I made blueberry muffins this morning.
7. The Easter Bunny found it a little difficult to shop for Ruby's Easter basket. I still have some odds and ends to pick up before Sunday, but the girls baskets are 95% done. Gracie made out like a bandit.
8. I am never giving up chocolate for Lent again.
9. Although I love the look of our crib I would not recommend purchasing a similar one if you plan on using bumpers. The back has no rungs to tie the bumpers on to so we used velcro. Guess what happened when we took the velcro off? Andrew has been repainting, but it is taking a ton of coats. Gracie had the bumpers in with her until she was over a year old (we used tape with her-it didn't stick as well but also kept the paint on). Ruby thinks tearing the bumpers off is a great game.
10. Because Ruby's crib is currently taken apart, and because she will no longer sleep in her bassinette she is currently co-sleeping. Apparently that is all it took to break her from swaddling. I am not looking forward to transitioning her to the crib.

Our front yard (3/30)

Monday, April 18, 2011

Gracie at 3 and 1/2

Is a non stop talker. Goes around the house singing all the time. Loves Mickey Mouse, Barney, and Dinosaur Train. Has to sleep with Bun Bun, Elly, Strawberry, and Alice. Has started to ask questions about everything. Asks, "Are you happy?" and if you answer no responds, "What can I do to help?" Wears a size 3T but has to have a pin in almost all of her pants to keep them from falling off her nonexistent bottom. Still loves shoes (and has a ton). "Reads" her books to me before naptime. Has a mind like a trap and can recite most of her favorite boooks. Her favorite books are: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Bunny Book, Grandmama book (made by Mary Ann), and Ten in the Bed. She also can remember things that happened months ago. She does not use her memory for her numbers (1,2,3,6,7) or letters though. Adores her baby sister (almost too much). Has to take a bath with Ruby every night. Has a sweet tooth like her Mommy and aks for dessert whenever we go out to eat. Her favorite foods are: bologna, peanut butter crackers, cheese, raspberries, noodles, and frosting. Loves to go outside and to the mall. Wants to be a doctor or a scientist when she grows up. Is not very good at being quiet at church. Is working on being a better listener but tends to get easily distracted. Loves to color, play with her puzzles, and dress up. Makes us laugh every day. Is growing up way too fast.



Sunday, April 17, 2011

Hello

My name is Shari. My husband and I have been married for seven years. We have two little girls, Grace Louise (10.20.07) and Ruby Diana (7.29.10). We are currently in the process of building and moving into a new house. I love to antique, scrapbook, read, and decorate. My younger sister is my best friend. I have read Harry Potter (the entire series) ten times and counting. My favorite color is yellow. I like to bake more than I like to cook. I have been blogging on and off for the past eight years. Enjoy your visit but please remember to wipe your feet at the door.