A Tea Set and an Egg Hunt

We got a tea set for Ruth, and I love it! Even better, she loves it too, and has played with it for HOURS already. It is SO much fun to see her actually playing with her toys now. Dressing up her teddy bears (notice the bunny ears....poor Norman, he is destined to be dressed femininely), dressing up herself, and mixing things and taking imaginary drinks. She used to just carry toys around, so I have just really, really been enjoying this stage of PLAY. 

Our air conditioner wasn't working in our house yesterday, so I had all the doors to the outside open, because it was cooler outside. (They fixed our air for the weekend, but I guess they have to come back Monday to REALLY fix it. I'm just happy its working.) Ruth carried ALL her toys onto the deck and was loving it. Definitely a princess. Our next door neighbor gave her that necklace and crown when Will was born so that SHE would have something special, and actually, someone in our ward gave her those bracelets for the same reason. Kinda fun, even though it's a little annoying to have so many extra tiny toys underfoot. Ruth obviously enjoys them, and since we didn't really have anything for her to dress up in, it's fun.

Sterling volunteered with an easter egg hunt at 6am this morning with his pre-med club. He came home and brought us back with him at 8:30. Ruth enjoyed it, and she understood to run and grab the eggs! I was a little nervous bringing Will out, but I wore him in the wrap and had a quilt covering him entirely so no one else touched him but me.

And a post would not be complete without pictures of the most handsome little man there ever was. He is so kissable and perfect! Love him.

PS Taking those pictures of Will made me cry. Look how big he is!!! I want my baby to last forever. Sigh.

Pajamas and a Kindle

Ruth's smile is a little forced...because it was. Haahaa. But this is the best picture I think I've ever been able to get of both of them!

Sweet kisses.

Staring, much?

And a smile from the little man.

Yup. We got a kindle. Rather, Sterling got ME a kindle for my birthday/anniversary/Valentine's that kinda got overtaken by having Will and being in the hospital. I didn't mind...but he did. Plus, I think he secretly really wanted one. I've been surprised by how much I really like it. Ruth, on the other hand, LOVES it-and does really well with it. 

Love the saggy cheeks. Love my chubby man.

Trying to elbow her brother away.

"Mom! Baby!" (Translate: The baby is leaning on me and I really don't like it!) But he looks adorable, so I left him there and took another picture.

Lots o' Will

This is the cutest picture of all time. He is so incredibly handsome I just want to kiss him and love him and squeeze him! 

Ruth has got the squeezing part down. 

He's almost as big as she is, haaha!

I know its a blurry picture, but I love Ruth's smile! 

HAAHAAHAAHAA! K, so the angle of this picture is AWESOME-although prob not the most flattering- because LOOK at those cheeks!!! HAAHAAAA! On a tiny little wobbly neck. Oh babies are so funny. 

It's official. He smiles. And I LOVE it. 

More smiles.

I had to take LOTS of pictures in this outfit because the pants are getting too tight and I love this outfit. Thanks Ands!

Look at that fist! Ruth always had really petite arms and wrists and hands, but this little dude has big ol' chubby fists and I love it! 

I wrote this a bit ago, so I might as well post it:

I have two kids. It still is surprising. You'd think after carrying them for nine months each, that I'd be used to the idea. But no, some things still make me stop and think "wow. I have TWO kids!" I gave them both a bath, together, for the first time. Most of the time I was trying to save Will from Ruth's attempts to wash him--by dropping the soaking wet wash cloth on top of his entire face--and again, I was thinking "I really have TWO of these!"

I love it. I love them. I love our family. I love being home and enjoying every single minute of their tiny, little lives. There's still not a lot of sleep around these parts (We're going to try to fix that...I'm not a co-sleeping kind of a person, and neither is Sterling. He gets jealous.). I blame the continued tiredness on the hospital stay, but it is getting better and with that comes more patience from me. Which makes Ruth's days go a little better, and we are all much happier.

It is also still a little crazy. If I have to shower and give both kids a bath in the morning, then it feels like we are just getting ready and it is time for lunch and nap time. I'm learning to adjust my schedule and habits so that the days are getting much smoother and I feel more relaxed again. I am incredibly grateful for a three month maternity leave. When I arranged that it was so I didn't have to go back to work until Sterling was finished with the semester, but with the fourth week being back at the hospital, I can't imagine having to go back already. Blessings upon blessings.

Really though, babies are the best. I love their wrinkles and their dimples, their soft, sweet skin, their noises and squeaks, their tiny little fist clutching your thumb. His sweet-smelling breath and his heaviness and warmth against you, it is just so perfect. And toddlers are an entirely different type of amazing. Trying to figure out what she wants, what she's saying, and how to get a giggle out of her. I love her triumphant smile when she gets something right, her excited run to go and look at something, her tug on my hand to come with her, her constant jabber and her quick return to happiness.

Also, I love spring. I love being outside and breathing in the warm air smells, and Ruthie smelling like dust and sweat and 'outside' when we come back. I love the flowers poking out and the beautiful big expanse of blue sky. Mostly I love all those lovely warm rays of sunshine. Warms up the farthest reaches of my soul.

I told Sterling that either I am not righteous enough to get trials, or there's a big one lurking up ahead somewhere, because I feel much too blessed right now. It would be nice if Sterling didn't have to work two jobs and go to school full time, but he still manages to have dinner with us at least three times a week and its only for the rest of this semester. I am one lucky girl. With two beautiful babies, and a wonderful husband. And I am so, so thankful.

$3 Find

The other day at Kid to Kid I picked up that bluejean jumper she has on. I love it so much more on, than I did at the store, and I'm so happy I spent the three bucks on it! What a cutie pants. (She's wearing my headband around her neck, its her latest fashion trend.)

Other than that, life is wet and sometimes snowy and I am so excited for this "warm spring" that they keep predicting. Even more excited that in a couple weeks I'll have the ok to take Will out in public and I can start making good use of the awesome present my in-laws gave me for my birthday---a pass to the Treehouse Museum, can't wait!!! Will seems so big and chubby these days I have to keep reminding myself how tiny he is. Also excited for Will to stop eating so often. He's a boy that loves his food. And the instant he wakes up is the same instant he should be fed or he will definitely make his presence known. Will is also a super snuggly baby and loves to be cuddled and held. So much fun.Yesterday I declared a 'snow day'--we had some snow, in the morning--and I basically cuddled with him and Ruthie all day long. Best ever.

Also excited for Christmas. There's this dump truck on sale and I want to get it SO BAD for Will's Christmas present. Sterling hasn't let me get it yet, cause he thinks I won't be able to wait. But Will won't even be playing with toys by Christmas anyway, so I don't know why I'd pull it out early. Plus, then all we'd have to worry about is Ruth's present, and unless something major changes between then and now (like I decide to get it for her birthday instead) then I already know what I'm getting for her too. I get so excited about kids toys. Gotta enjoy this as much as possible because I am not a great present person, but kids and toys are the best.

And that pretty much sums our little life.

Comparisons

We probably should have named him Sterling Jr. haha! Here are pictures of Sterling, Will, Ruth and me. I had a hard time trying to find similar pictures at similar ages, but here you go! (Older pics first and then really newborn pics--oh and Ruth and I are wearing the same blessing dress from Aunt LaVerle. She made Ruthie a new, similar one, but I also took pictures of her in my old one.)

When you give a husband a camera...

  Things like this begin to happen:

So then I had to retaliate with a few pictures like this (Sterling is trying to look like Will, but really, you have to have the cheeks for it.):

 This is what Will thought of all our shenanigans:

They're just so squishy, you HAVE to kiss them!