I can't believe Ruby's off to preschool (actually, she started the first of September, little late in posting, as usual). Yep, she's 3 (and 9 months) now. I missed the opportunity to salute her on this blog when she turned 3 in January, so I think now's a good time to update you all on what she's about these days. While she still watches the usual kids programs and movies she has moved on to bigger and better things. First, it was Mary Poppins (or Mary
and Poppins, as she calls it) and just about two months ago she settled in to watch The Sound of Music with me one night (Yo-de-le-i-yo-de-le-i-yo, as she calls it for her favorite scene with the puppets). She loves it! Nothing makes me happier than hearing her in the other room singing These Are a Few of My Favorite Things or Do-Re-Mi! Seriously, not exaggerating when I say it has brought tears to my eyes, I just love that movie so much and have such fond memories of watching it with my family when I was little or hearing my dad play any number of the songs on the piano while we got ready for church on Sunday morning. Speaking of church, she loves it and sits through the whole service like a big girl. She is more than fawned over at our RUF bible studies and is so spoiled by them all. The other day at supper with the grad students I am told she had a number of the male med students singing the little mermaid (the part where she is singing the scale as she gives the witch her voice, you know- ah ah ah, ah ah ah) just to get her to sing it! What a sight!
She has adjusted exceptionally well to no longer being the only child and absolutely adores her little brother. She is his biggest cheerleader, literally- we made up a cheer to get him to roll over and I hear her chanting it to him as they lay on the floor together. She talks up a storm and says so many hilarious things. Yesterday, she was hugging Lincoln and said "you're such a sweet boy, I wish I had a brother like you!" She is a foodie, definitely. She eats all manner of things, is a lover of cucumbers, salmon, and mushrooms, and the only thing I can think of she won't eat is tomatoes. She loves to cook with me, do "crafts," pet animals, and do pretty much anything I can convince her is exciting (I don't know what I'm going to do when she discovers some things aren't as exciting as I make them out to be). She is sweet and crazy, both at the same time. I feel so privileged to call her mine and feel both excited over and saddened by the fact that she's such a big girl now.
We have dressed Ruby up for Halloween for the past two years, but have never taken her trick-or-treating. This is due, in part, to the fact that our town doesn't do it on the night of Halloween (don't ask why, I don't know) and I didn't catch on to this in the past. We have always had a party for RUF at our house, so she just dressed up for this. My plans for costuming this year have been in the works for a long time. I really think I should re-title my blog to something clever having to do with how many posts have the common theme of my plans vs. what actually happens. I am truly embarrassed by this, and yet, press on blogging in my humiliation. Anyhoo... back to my plans. Ruby got this wonderful red cape from grammy as part of many gorgeous dress up clothes she made for her last Christmas. She also got a collection of old children's stories with illustrations by Mary Engelbreit. I decided that she would be little red riding hood and it would be too cute to have baby brother as the wolf. As you can tell by the tell by the title and absence of pictures of Lincoln, only half the plan came about. I did get to make her dress and basket lining, but no wolf costume could be made or found. The poor second child was reduced to a shirt with pumpkins on it! Nonetheless, much fun was had going house to house! She must've said after every other house "this is the best trick or treat day ever!" The pictures aren't even that great because she couldn't focus with the kids walking down the street and begging to just go already! The thought of people just waiting to give her free candy was just too much! Can you blame her! I sure do love being a mom and experiencing the sheer joy of such events, even the sugar high is worth it!
