Smooches

Ruby June has woken up frequently during the last few nights. We are guessing it's because two brand new teeth are working on making an appearance.

It seems that most nights. she ends up in bed, between Joe and I. Her bed is actually just a few feet from our bed (we haven't moved her yet to Kai's room), so really it's not a far stretch.

For the past few nights, she wakes up in between the two of us and she rolls over to kiss Joe and then rolls over to kiss me and back and forth she goes. Kiss after kiss after kiss...it's about the sweetest thing I've ever seen. She gives great big kisses smack on our lips.

It makes being up in the middle of the night not too bad at all.

When I grow up...

(At the MN Zoo- check out the alligator behind Kai)

Tonight, at bedtime, Kai asked me this:

"Mom, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

I said, "You mean what job do I have?" He said, "Yes." I told him then that I was a Mom.

He said, "No, I mean, what type of job. Do you want to be a doctor? A policeman?"

I said "No" to each of those. I told him I'm a Mom and I sometimes I help people plan their weddings.

I guess this wasn't the answer he was looking for. He said, "No, you know, like Daddy saves people's lives by giving them blood. What do you do?"

I then tried to explain my job working at the Minneapolis Public Schools as a volunteer coordinator before he was born. But, how I chose to leave that job to be a Mom who is at home more. But, he interrupted me and quite exasperated said:

"Do you want to be a princess or a ballerina?"

I quickly said, "Princess" (after all, it was an hour past his bedtime and I certainly have no coordination to even dream of being a dancer and I could tell being a Mom certainly didn't qualify for a "job" in his mind).

His response: "You are way too sloppy to be a princess. You better try again."

Oh, sweet, Kai. I'm so glad to be your Mom.

Down, Open, Out, Let Go

Grab a cup of tea, cozy up, and watch a slideshow of the 1st year of Ruby's life! Enjoy!

Slideshow: Down, Open, Out, Let Go

(By the way, "Down, Open, Out, Let Go," was the mantra I said during my whole labor with Ruby. It worked! One year ago, slight contractions began at 7 pm and by 11 pm we were at the hospital and RJ was born at 1:10 am. It was the beginning of such a life-changing year!)

Happy Birthday Ruby June!

Lights, Camera, Action!

Just like her big brother, Ruby made an appearance on the local TV station for their "On The Spot" Weather forecast. We asked our weather man what the weather will be like for her birthday tomorrow when we go to the MN Zoo. It's looking like a little rain, but that will not stop us from having fun. Joe is taking off the day from work (which is a rare treat) and we will be showing Ruby the zoo for the first time.

Here is the video!

I love you

Two stories, to continue on the theme of my sweet Kai-

#1

Kai: Hey Mom, do you think I could love you to space?

Me: I think so.

Kai: I could! I could love you past space and then past every single space alien and then past even God!

#2

Kai: Mama, I have to tell you something very, very, very important.

[Dramatic Pause]

Me: Tell me!

Kai: I've loved you for as long as the Little House on the Prairie Books were born.

(This second story is my favorite because Kai spends most of his day talking about knights, bows and arrows, Luke Skywalker, superheroes, and bad guys vs. good guys. He also begs me to wrestle with him every night (and he puts on his little wrestling outfit that our neighbor got for him from the thrift store). But, for 10 minutes each night, he nestles into my arms and we read one of the "My First Little House on the Prairie" books. For 10 minutes, he imagines life on the prairie and becomes a little more calm and a little less obsessed with swords. He becomes my half-pint).