The Easiest Way is to Jump Back in with Both Feet!

Wow...I've been on a major blogging hiatus. I'm not sure why it's been so hard for me to get on here and blog...but the break has been kind of nice. Hopefully I'll go back and fill in some of the highlights of the past 9 months or so.

We are heading into another season of change for our family in the next weeks and months. After a wonderful summer together as a family, Isaac and Gracie will be starting school next week. I can't believe that Isaac will be in 2nd grade and my baby girl, Gracie, will be headed to Kindergarten. I'll post more on that next week :) I am looking forward to the time I'll have alone with my Ruthie. This will be the first time that I'll have time with Ruthie alone. Even when Gracie was in preschool last year, she went in the afternoon while Ruthie was napping. I can't wait to see what fun things Ruth and I will find to fill our days.

(Isaac, Grace, and Ruth)

Beyond the big ones starting school next week, we are also looking forward to the arrival of BG4! Our newest addition will arrive around Thanksgiving. We are all excited to meet the new baby and find out if we will have a little brother or sister joining us. It has been a long and interesting pregnancy...one we will be glad to see the end of... but not anytime soon :)

(BG4)

So, that's the quick update on our family. I do plan to try and fill in more of what we've seen and done and experienced the last months. If anyone is still popping in say hi! :)

Fall Fun

The kids had a lot of fun dressing up for different events this fall. They all love to play dress up, so we have lots of clothes to choose from. It was neat to see what they picked each time. Our first adventure was to the Zoo. Isaac was a race car driver, Grace was a bride, and Ruthie was an elephant. It's always so much fun to go to the zoo. Going in the fall is a much different experience then in the summer when we usually go, because it isn't as hot so the animals are much more active and engaging.

Our second fun night was held at the high school. Isaac went as a fire fighter, Gracie was a cheerleader, and Ruthie was a ballerina. They got candy, watched a movie, and had a snack. Isaac loved seeing the fire truck and ambulance that were outside the school :)

Finally, we took the kids trick or treating with some friends on Sunday night. They had such a great time despite the cold and snow that started to fall. We had Optimus Prime (a transformer), Little Mermaid, and of course... a Baby Ruth. :)

Bad Blogger...

I'm not sure what is wrong with me and why I have such a hard time keeping this updated. I've missed putting up so many "important" and special events. I'm great at taking pictures and jotting quick notes down on our family calender when things happen...but I'm not so good at sitting down and sharing them. My free time is few and far between. In fact, it's taken me almost 5 hours to write the few sentences I have and edit the pictures to follow. *sigh* So, for tonight this is all I'll be writing. I hope it won't be as long until my next post. Thanks for checking in with us.

(Well I decided to just post this picture for now. The others I edited deserve a post/posts of their own...hopefully soon!)

Happy 4th of July!!!

(I know I'm a bad blogger lately...but I'll try to be better!!! It's been a crazy couple of months, so I have lots to catch up on!!)

10 months...

Ruthie is 10 months old! We had quite the time getting her pic done...she is just so squirrely now and is in constent motion. But after 3 "photo sessions" we were able to get a few nice ones :)

See my TWO teeth???

Such a big girl...

First (bad) Boo Boo

Ruthie had her first bad fall the other day. She has taken lots of tumbles since she decided she can stand a couple of weeks ago...but most of the time she lands on the back of her head. This time she was standing at the coffee table and didn't feel the need to hang on anymore and fell right into the corner of our couch...with her face. She cried so hard...but was feeling better not long after. Her face however looked pretty rough...

and the next day...
and even for church on Sunday...

Finally, now it is fading and probably isn't even noticed by most people. Just another 1st of many that she will have! :)

Ruthie- 8 months old!!!

Wow...8 months. This last month has been full of firsts! She has pulled to standing...taken "cruising" steps...says "ah goo"...plays "uh oh"...and got her 1st tooth! She is growing like crazy and changing everyday. We are still working on the sleeping...but she does spend the first part of her night in her crib...so we are making progress. Happy 8 months baby girl! :)

She's Walking???

Well...almost! She is just trying to keep up with Isaac and Grace :)

First Tooth!

Ruthie has her 1st tooth!!! She's been working hard on it and we knew it was coming. We checked last night before bed and we could see it was close..but not through. This morning when she got up I tapped in her mouth with her metal baby spoon and heard the familiar tink tink tink. Isaac and Grace were in the room with us and got SO excited. They ran downstairs yelling to daddy that she had her 1st tooth!!! Another 1st of MANY! :)

My Girls...3 years apart...

This is a picture I took of Grace on August 28, 2006:

I just took this picture of Ruth on December 28, 2009:

It's fun finding pictures of my babies that are alike and seeing their differences and similiarities. Hopefully I'll stumble upon some more and put them up. :)

Ruth is 1/2 a year old!!!

Where does the time go? She is growing and changing so quickly. Ruth has started on rice cereal, which we found out she is allergic to and has now moved on to oatmeal. She LOVES to eat! She doesn't have very much, but she gobbles down what we make for her. :) She is also very mobile now. She isn't full out crawling, but she can get where she wants to and can do it pretty quickly. She was weighed about a week and a half ago and she is 17lb 10oz! She can sit by herself now for fairly long periods of time and is able to get to the floor without crashing. :) She also started saying ah-goo instead of just ahh. She still isn't the greatest sleeper, but is taking more consistent naps during the day. We just need to work on bedtime and the overnight! I know she will get there...just for now I am one exhausted momma! :) But it is all worth it...all too soon she will be all grown up like Isaac and Grace and I will miss my baby girl! :)