Happy Birthday Ruby!!!

I can not believe a year has already gone by. You are a wonderful little girl and we are so very fortunate that you are in our lives forever! I have been so very lucky to have been at home with you this year to watch you grow, learn and change so much! You are so very loved sweet Ruby. Happy 1st birthday!

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Kruse business

Stella and I always have a freezer pop together when I get back from my run in the morning!  This particular day she was dressed up!  I just love it when she gets all fancy.  And she sure does look great in a hat!  Stella got a great note sent home in her back pack  from school Tuesday.  Mrs. Cahill said that Stella needed no help today at the cutting station or with the peel and stick foam shapes for the project.  "She is so good at those fine motor skills" 

 We went to a small festival last weekend and the girls had fun walking around, listening to the music and watching the people.  Stella got a big kick out of the people dressed up in costumes, like the Geico lizard and such.  We have got to get this girl to Disney World soon!  She would love it there. 

Face painted like a kitty cat (upon request)

She went down this big slide several times!

Video of two sisters playing together.  Ruby has got some funny dance moves that, of course, weren't captured in this video.  I'll keep working on trying to catch her!  But also you can see the very beginnings of little sister pestering the big sister! 

Ruby continues to do a really great job entertaining herself and playing with her sister.  Stella does a great job playing with her right back (most of the time).  I love to watch Ruby playing with toys and turning them over and over in her hands to figure it out.  It's funny though, occassionally Ruby has to fill up her 'love tank' it seems and will come to me for a snuggle.  She'll sit on my lap for a few minutes, suck her thumb and lay on my shoulder, get a hug and then she's ready to rock-n-roll again.  She's definitely the more cuddly of the two. 

Ruby really likes to look at books.  She sits on my lap and will help me turn the pages.  Some of her favorite books are the ones with different fabric and textures in them.  She loves to touch all the different things...the fur of a cat, a soft pig's nose, a bumpy frog etc. 

Ruby has a disturbingly cute pouty face!  She juts out her bottom lip, but it's crooked and off to the side and her mouth is open, so all of her little teeth and the big gaps between them show!  She's got to work on another pouty face fast otherwise all pouty faces will be met with a laugh and a big hug from mom. 

Ruby will be one on Sept. 27th and I can not believe it!  Has a year really come and gone so fast?  I'm so excited to be able to spend time with family for this milestone! 

Our trip to Alabama

We spent last week in Gulf Shores, Alabama and had a great time. We stayed in an awesome condo thanks to Dad and Julie! Luckily we were able to spend the entire week on the beach and in the pool and loved it. We left on Friday just as the tropical storm was headed our way. There were too many pictures and video clips I wanted to share so I made a little video for you.

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Stella goes to school

Playing in the backyard

We went out shopping one day and this is how Stella went out plus some black sandals wtih rhinestones on them!  And I loved every moment of the looks we got!

Sweet little Ruby as a witch.  Now if only she had the magic wand to clean up the mess behind her!

Ruby is getting to be so funny!  When she has something she thinks is special in her hand I'll say, "Ruby what you got?"  And she holds out her special thing, tucks her head into her arm and smiles so goofy. 

Stella started pre-school Thursday.  Here she is with her new backpack on and all ready to go!!  I have to admit I was very excited for all this school business to start!  I love everything about scholastic book orders, signing up to help for classroom parties, doing little assignments with Stella, getting art projects sent home in her book bag, buying new school shoes etc!  Oh, and getting 'first day of school' photos!

YAY for sis!!!

Alas, Stella got tired of me taking photos!  :)  Off we went to school. 

Randy, Ruby and I all went to pick Stella up after her first morning of school and went out for lunch to celebrate.  She hopped in the car and her teacher, Mrs. Cahill, said she did a great job and was very 'busy'.  Um, that was no suprise to me!  Stella immediately started showing me everything she had in her book bag and said she LOVED school!  I knew she would and I'm thrilled for her!

Photos...get your photos!

We got family pictures taken by a photography place here that was running a great deal for patients of parkside pediatrics, which we are.  The deal was great on the front end; the photo session was free and we got 1 free print.  However, when you try to order multiple prints the deal goes sour and it gets VERY expensive making it hard to order for relatives.  So I've been waiting for a morning that it was at least under 90 degrees to go try to and re-create the moment for some Photos by Kelly, and we've had a couple of 'cooler' days recently.   As it turns out I needed two different mornings.  I went to the park with the girls on Friday and Sunday to do a 'photo shoot'.   It was so hard to get the girls to pose at the same time, look pleasant and both look at the camera.  Ruby kept trying to eat the grass and the flowers (I call her my little billy goat) and she also was very put upon to stay seated in one spot for too long.  Stella kept giving me  fake, wierd smiles and I had to bribe her with promises of great treats when we got home to get her to stick around for photo after photo while maintaining a nice attitude.  Despite all of this I got what I think are some great shots; too many really to be able to narrow it down to just 1 of both girls and 1 of each girl seperately to order prints of and send to everyone. 

 To my family, my idea is this ...I'll put all the good pictures here and label them with a number (on top of photo), you tell me what you would like to have (example:  1 5X7 of photo #3) and I will order them for you and bring them with me in Sept. or mail them.  Just reply to this e-mail message (if you're interested).  I thought this was the best way to do it.

 Photo #1

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Photo #11

A full moon...

Tonight, just before bed, Stella was at our back door and excitedly said, "Mom, you gotta come look at this."   I went over and she was pointing up at the moon.  (She always loves spotting the moon)  I said, "Oh,  the moon is pretty full tonight."  To which Stella asked, "Full with water?"   :) 

from the week

This is Ruby's funny little grin.  We sure do love her smile.  She's 10 months old and is doing so well.  Among other things she is babbling and imitating us, playing peek-a-boo, clapping, complaining when we take something from her, taking two great naps a day, drinking from a sippy cup, eating EVERYTHIING we put on her tray (any fruit is definitely her favorite), saying "nigh, nigh" to Stella before bed, putting everything in her mouth, into feeling different textures, and is the ultimate destroyer of all things paper! 

 

 Ruby loves to snack.  Some of her favorites are yogurt melts, graham crackers, goldfish and cheerios

 Oh and she also loooooves pudding

 Ruby is a full time walker now!  And she's so pleased with herself. 

 We drvoe up to Wake Forest, NC to visit Uncle Matt and his family last Wed. thru Sun.  On the way up we stopped in to visit an old friend of mine from high school (in Charlotte). My friend, Kristen, has two little girls as well.  Here Stella is playing with Sophia who is a year older than here.  Sophia's little sister's name is Stella.  It was very fun to watch my Stella try to understand that there was another 'Stella'.

 We made it to Uncle Matt and Aunt Kandi's and had a very good week.  Reagan was very motherly toward Ruby, reading to her, and playing with her and telling her 'no'  :)

 Stella had a blast hoola-hooping with her cousin Maggie.  And I tried to join in.  Apparently hoola-hooping is NOT like riding a bicycle. 

 Ruby with her favorite things: thumb, blankie and heading toward Mom.