Happy 1st Birthday Sweet Violet!

It's 7:40 AM and The girls are asleep. I have so much to do to get ready for our celebration this afternoon, but the reality of the moment has made me slow down, sit down and write. Our little Violet is ONE year old today. A whole, entire year of letting your heart live outside your body to love not one, but 2 precious lives God entrusted to Josh and I. What a reality!

It has been a hard year for our family, probably the hardest, but God and our girls show us every day what is most important. It has kept us grounded.

One year Violet old Fun Facts:

• loves to play peek-a-boo with a blanket and will stay under the blanket until you say peek-a-boo. (yes, one time we forgot her for 5 minutes under that blanket!)
• loves balls and balloons (ba-boons)
• a non-stop runner of circles around our house
• calls Ruby...RRRRRRRRR
• Can say and point to a "light"
• sits forward facing like Ruby in the car
• loves The Music Playhouse CD's
• buzzes her lips at Grandpa
• loves cheerios
• points and waves at everyone
• dances to music by bending her knees
• also can dance while sitting down..very interesting
• will be not a flower girl, but a FLOWER BUD in Aunt Anna's January 10th wedding!
• loves reading and chewing on books
• Won't got to sleep at night until her Daddy tucks her in!

What a blessing it is to love a child. Happy Birthday, Violet!

Ruby Elise Update!

Ruby, Ruby, Ruby! Where to begin...

After a temper tantrum:

R: "Mom, Sorry I am so "movie" today...

(I think she meant MOODY! Ha HA!)

Ruby is finishing up her "School Year", 2 days per week at First Pres Early Preschool in Nashville. She loves her class and her teachers and has a best friend named Caroline. Mom's Kindergarten class is right down the hall from Ruby's so they get to wave at each other alot. That is quite a treat most grandkids don't get. After school, Ruby always wants a treat and a hug from Grandma.

Ruby also has started "Drum Lessons" with her drum teacher, whom she calls "Drum Teacher". And yes, it is her daddy. The lessons are at her request, last 10 minutes, and are more about which pink purse she should carry her drum sticks in then the actual lesson. She actual is pretty good and ends up teaching her teacher a thing or two by the end of the lesson. Ruby always wants her Mommy to pick her up at the end of the lesson, by knocking on her bedroom door and taking her back to the kitchen. She pays her drum teacher one penny for his time.
Josh loves his time with his girls.

Other Ruby Milestones:

• Wears her Pink princess (huge pink tu-tu) dress every day we are home.
• Takes Pink Bunny (favorite stuffed animal) on walks in the neighborhood with Mommy and Violet IN THE PINK PRINCESS DRESS. We are a sight...
• Brand new Big Girl Car Seat! She is very impressed that she has arm rests and can sit criss-cross applesuace in her seat.
• Loves Music Playhouse class every week! Knows every song.
• Writes her own songs about family members. We are working on recording these... HYSTERICAL!
• Loves her family: feeding the birds and getting mail with Grandpa, Seeing Grandma at school, Practicing flower girl with Aunt Anna, Painting with Aunt Laura, Reading with Oma, talking walks with Opa, Asking wildlife questions to Art and Katie, and talking to Uncle Mark on the computer all the way in Australia!
• Loves Shirley Temple and is currently planning her own "Shirley Temple, 4-year old birthday party....in October.
• Show Favs: Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, and Caillou. (not Daddy's favorite)
• Loves her bible stories and knows more details than her parents sometimes. "Mom, that's a temple NOT a Tabernacle!! (What?)

Most of all, what defines Ruby at this stage in her life is her love for Violet, hew new Sister and Friend, her love of being at home with her family, and her vivid imagination (pretend play!)

Violet Suzanne Update

It's been a long time since my last post. My excuses will bore you, so let's get on to the good stuff!

Vi started walking on my 29th birthday, March 18th. She was 9 1/2 months. She has been flying around the house ever since. (Wait a minute.. I think that's my excuse for not writing.) We have the baby gate up, doors shut, valuables hidden, and yet, Violet finds some "no-no" every five minutes. It is so cute watching someone so tiny run around. She is our little "Whirlwind". Ruby thinks it's hysterical. Their favorite game to play is "Run full -force into each other and fall down."

Other Violet Milestones:

• Baby dedication at Belmont Church on March 30th. So sweet. Mom and Dad hosted an after-church brunch for all of our church family and friends that helped Josh and I out during the tough, Violet Sickness days after her birth. We were so blessed. Josh' parents, Lynn and Bill, also flew in to be there for this sweet event.
• Big Girl Car seat- it was kind of sad, putting the baby carrier seat away, but Violet and my sore arms are relieved that we switched!
• Allergy testing came back negative, Which is good, but bizarre to V's doctors and her parents. We are still going to avoid all of the food she reacts to for 6 more months. We will try soy milk next week. We pray this goes well, as her prescription formula is so, ...well...gross.
• Weight 20 1/2 lbs.
• Birthday party. We are in the planning stages of V's first birthday party! May 28th! Can you believe it's almost been one year! Love every moment!