A year has passed!

It's been so long, a year since I've posted! Ruth is now 20 months and J.R. is 6 years old! So many things have happened. We now live in Phoenix and Tony is going to Midwestern Medical School. Tony just finished his first year and J.R. completed Kindergarten this year! Here are some recent pictures.

J.R. and Ruth arguing. I'm sure there will be many more fights to come!

Uncle Scott and J.R. making pancakes together at Grandpa's house.

This is one of my favorite pictures. Ruth loves her daddy.

Ruth drinking out of a straw for the first time.

Priceless!

Ugh, it's summer time which means heat! This was our first of many trips this summer to Wet and Wild.

Ruth at the Ice Den in Chandler AZ. She was patiently waiting on J.R. to finish playing hockey.

J.R. at swim lessons.

J.R.'s new haircut! He loves it! We now use gel!

This was when Ruth decided she didn't want to sit in her highchair anymore. This is J.R.'s little table that he used.

J.R.'s dentist appointment, no cavities!

This is my childhood home, Chariton has 40 mile per hour winds and a huge old tree in our yard gave way. It's sooo sad, I remember mowing around this tree many summers.

Ruth at Ralph and Mary Lou's.

J.R. with his best buddy Elizar!

We spent the 4th of July in Vegas with friends.

J.R. and friends at the Boulder City 4th of July parade.

Ruth's teacher put her first pig tails in her hair. I think she needs a little more hair before we try this at home!

Ruth is 6 months old!

Well Easter was a hit! J.R. said he got so much candy that he must have been a "really good boy" this year! The night before Easter I had a revaluation, J.R. is a smart little boy now and I have to be more "sly" when it comes to the holidays. J.R.'s room overlooks our yard where we hide the Easter eggs and candy so we had to somehow hide and place the candy and eggs before he woke up in the morning. J.R. wakes up such random times, it could be 7am or noon, you never know! Operation Easter begins: I got Sandi to hide the eggs and candy while I held Ruth at 7:15am praying that J.R. would not wake up, look out the window and see Sandi hiding the eggs. As I was holding Ruth outside she starts talking the only problem is when Ruth "talks" it's actually a scream! I ran inside with Ruth praying she didn't wake up her brother! After Sandi hid everything we went upstairs to see if J.R. was awake and found him sleeping soundly. Operation Easter was a success, thank you god for not ruining Easter for J.R.!

We've finally made it back to church, we haven't been in so long. I love the church I found when we moved to the northwest, even better than that is J.R. loves Sunday school! He looks forward to it every Sunday. We scheduled a playdate for this last Sunday and when I told J.R. he said, "Mom, why would you do that, you know we have church!" I responded, "Well little guy, we are going to church then we'll have your playdate after church.". I had to chuckle that he was scolding me thinking I didn't plan for church! 

After church we went to Bucca De Beppo, we couldn't believe how empty the place was, we had our own section. Ruth sat in a highchair and did so good during the entire lunch! Ruth is so interested in our food! She's eating her baby food really well except for the fact that her tongue gets int he way. She recently found her tongue and is not sure what to do with it.. yet! 

Later we went to Ralph and Mary Lou's, they had some Easter goodies for the kids. We had Ralph hold Ruth to see what she would do and once she was in Ralph's arms she looked at him and cried! So it may be that Ruth does not like men to hold her, she may have a grudge against men and not just her daddy! We are going to Ruth's pediatrician for her 6 month shots on Friday. Please say a little prayer for us, this is always a rough day after her shots! It will be interesting to see how much she grew. She's so big, my arms are getting a workout carrying her around and holding her while she bounces. Bouncing is her favorite thing to do this week, I hold her while I'm sitting, she stands on my legs facing me and then she jumps! She gives me the biggest smiles and I try to hold out as long as my arms can take it!

Here are some more pictures from the last few weeks!

J.R. with his Pipers Easter Egg from Chariton Iowa!

Ruth holding her Easter basket tight!

Cheese!

J.R. entertaining Ruth!

J.R. with ONE of his Easter baskets.

J.R. and Ruth can finally sit next to each other. Great job Ruth!

J.R. LOVES to hold his sister, she's only half the size of him, haha!

From Tootsie's view point!

This is the only thing that Ruth will let us put her in and she won't cry. She'll stay there for 20 minutes if we are lucky!

Ruth trying to EAT her Easter basket. Everything she touches goes into her mouth.

Notice the shoe on J.R.'s right foot.

Ruth jumping, mommies arm workout!

Ruth constantly tries to eat her feet. 

Happy Easter

Easter is in 2 days and J.R. is very excited for the Easter bunny! He and Sandi decorated Easter eggs last night, almost 2 dozen eggs! We will be having deviled eggs and potato salad for a week!

Ruth is doing better, I lover her tons but man, she is work or maybe I'm just too old, haha! She is sitting up by herself, sometimes she will fall over but if you spread her legs far apart she's a "sitter"! I have to say, time is going by so fast! I remember when J.R. sat up by himself and it seemed like it took FOREVER but with Ruth she was sitting up before we knew it! Ruth has the biggest smiles and she tires to flirt with that big smile to get you to pick her up!

J.R. is such a great big brother, he LOVES Ruth. He likes spending time with Ruth and playing with her. He says he can't wait until she can crawl or walk (me too buddy!). I wonder if he will really like Ruth following him everywhere once it happens?

So, I have another J.R. story to tell.. I either have the sweetest little boy in the world or a brilliant little guy who knows how to play his parents. It's spring break this week and Amy is watching Ruth for us at home. I told J.R. not to ask Amy for anything period, she is here to watch Ruth not play with him. The next morning J.R. came upstairs to my office and said, "Amy said when Ruth wakes up from her nap we can go in the pool." Knowing that going in the pool is one of J.R.'s favorite things to do.. I asked J.R. if Amy offered to take him in the pool or if he asked Amy to take him in the pool? J.R. responded, "I don't remember.". (ugh).. so after 5 minutes of badgering J.R. he came clean and told me he asked Amy to take him in the pool. I made J.R. follow me to where Tony was and together we told Tony the details of how J.R. disobeyed the rule. In the midst of the conversation, I told J.R. he would have to be punished but he could pick the punishment. J.R. stood there with his big watery eyes and said, "I don't get to play all day." Tony chuckled and told J.R. that it didn't have to be that bad of a punishment. Tony told J.R. that he was going to go into the pool with him now but the punishment could be that J.R. had to wait until later in the day. J.R. still had big tears in his eyes and said, "no, I don't get to play." and he went into our loft and laid there on the carpet. Tony and I looked at each other and said, "Wow, this kid just won that battle and now he's making us feel bad for punishing him!"  J.R. sat there for an hour while I worked in my office. I had to leave for an appointment and as I left I told J.R. that he could get up whenever he wanted, this wasn't the punishment I suggested, he did this to himself. Tony told me that he sat up in the loft in the corner doing nothing for another hour! So this kid has my tenacity and both Tony and my hardheadedness... I think we are in for quite a ride! OMGOSH.. help!

Here are some more pictures from the last few weeks!

Ruth falling asleep during our dinner feeding.

Ruth and J.R. with Auntie Lori's Easter gift!

J.R. at Bacon Bar for lunch!

ruth's chubby little feet!

Sleeping Ruth, this is the only time she's quite.

One of the few times Ruth has let her daddy hold her.

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Ruth finally figured out how to jump in her jumper. She's a jumping queen!

Ruth wearing her 12 month White Sox's dress at 5 months old. The dress is tight we will only be able to wear this a few m more times!

After dropping J.R. off at school one morning I found this in his room. He laid out his clothes he wanted to put on after school... notice the underwear!

Ruth in her jumper!

This is a rare occasion and only lasts a few minutes without crying.

J.R. still loves hockey!

Pictures from the last few months since Ruth arrived!



After I hit the pool for the first time!



Before I hit the pool for the first time.

"I wear my sunglasses at night"

J.R. and Ruth playing together.

Ruth laying with her dog, Toots!

Ruth and mommy by ourselves after Nana and Papa left.

Auntie Lori Christmas 2013.

I love to lay on my big bro!

We are now sucking our thumb!

Uncle Scott holding Ruth falling alseep and J.R. photo bombing!

J.R. with Audrey sharing a noodle!

J.R. LOVES his baby sister.

Valentine's Day 2014 in the Vodka Room.

Cute picture of Ruth!

J.R. at Hulk Hogan's hotel/resturant in Tampa!

J.R. playing hockey!

First time eating solid food. You did not like carrots and at 5 months you are still trying to figure out how your tounge works when you eat. This picture was taken at 4 months old!

Ruth sleeping and thinking!

This is Ruth when she was a few weeks old.