First Bam-Bam Ponytail

This week, as expected, was long and had very little Sterling. He left every morning before we were awake and did not eat dinner at our house once this entire week and only made it home once to kiss the kids goodnight before they went to bed. We are all ready for Sunday and no studying tomorrow! Sterling did, however, amidst all of his studying, find time to shadow an interventional radiologist (three, actually) and LOVED it. They say med students change their minds several times, so right now this is what we're talking about at our house, haha!

Here is Ruthie looking MUCH too grown-up!

These kids got the easy end of the deal.

And here it is, the first pony tail! My dad would say that I am putting in six pictures when only one is necessary. That may be so, but each one is SOOOO adorable I just love them all!

I love those cheeks and those lashes.

She is starting to walk around in this walker--all over the place! Into the kitchen and pulling the garbage can over, kind of walking, and I just think that she needs to slow down! 

She has also been a MUCH happier girl since her top tooth came through. The right one is through, the left one is almost there, but she has been so much happier--it was a rough day on Wednesday and we pretty much just stuck around the tv and tried to keep everyone occupied and happy, haha.

Again, why is Ruthie looking so much like a GIRL instead of a TODDLER? She is the cutest thing around though, I just love her! She is SOOO helpful, too, I am just loving this stage and her stories and her personality. I was thinking this morning that I am going to be one sad mama when she can say "horse" instead of "wharsie". Haha. Also--today she ate 5 and a half pieces of bacon for lunch. She is my MEAT LOVER, but bacon is her fav. Then we watched Charlotte's Web for movie night (or save mom's sanity night at the end of a long week, haha) and she had no problem loving "such a nice pig" and bacon at the same time. Haha. 

This week I had one of those moments where it just really hits ya how deeply I love my kids. Oh my goodness they are the best and most awesome kids around! But also, they are going to get big and get married and make choices without me and stop being little. I had a nice little meltdown about it, while nursing Molly late at night. I decided life is just really not fair. When you want to enjoy your kids they are doing crazy things like not ever sleeping and you can hardly keep your eyes awake and focus on them during the day, and then they grow up on you! I am just so lucky that I get to be a mom and so, so grateful for the opportunity.

Update on sleeping at our house: We attempted, for a little more than three weeks, to put our kids to bed later to see if they would get up later. It was miserable. Ruthie was all whiny and pouty in the afternoons and needed a nap, Will needed multiple naps, neither of them would take them since they normally don't, and they continued getting up at the same time. So. I have started putting them back to bed at 7pm. They still get up early, and we spent about a week with them still waking up multiple times a night, but just the past few days it has gotten so much better. We have actually been locking them in their room (after they're asleep, since Ruthie has to have the door open) and they will just play for thirty minutes or so in the morning before knocking loud enough for me to get up and open their door for them. Even that extra half hour has been blissful--plus Molly's tooth is through so she is sleeping much better as well! Locking them in their room took some readjustment (the only thing they could get into was their clothes, which were dumped on the floor every morning) so we just crammed their dresser into our bedroom and now they have a nice little playroom. They don't seem upset at all about the door being shut when they wake up, so I don't think they mind, and if they do still get up at night, I don't hear them and they seem happy enough in the morning. So I guess this was all just a 'this too shall pass' type of thing. I hope it doesn't revisit any time soon, because a mama needs more sleep than I got those past two months. Huzzah.

HOT!

After a brief stint at 60 degrees, Miami ended winter and went straight to August. Okay, not a Miami August, but it felt like August outside! 84 degrees and the sun was just beating down! We headed to the zoo bright and early and had such a great time! They started Dinosaurs Live at the zoo and it is really fun! They have a bunch of life-size animatronic (I think thats what the sign called it) dinosaurs that moved their heads and blinked their eyes and made big roaring sounds. Ruth was a little nervous at first, luckily little Caroline was there and she was squealing with joy, and Ruth couldn't help but enjoy them, too!

It seems like we tend to go to the zoo for more 'play' time now than actual animal sights. The animals are fun, but there are so many other fun things to do as well!

Breakfast! Our favorite turtles all in one spot!

That was about as far as we made it before deciding that the splash pad would be preferable in the heat. It really wasn't too bad, we just aren't used to it already!

Those eyes are just so adorable! I love it!

I love this, too. The way you can see the perfect baby curve of her cheeks! Love her.

Oooh I just LOVE this little string bean of mine! Photo Cred: Beth

Will and Caroline were just hilarious together for a while there! And see the bag of fishy crackers she was carrying around? Haha, she wanted a real pet!

Want a wet and soggy fishy? Haha.

Oh the weather felt so great. Can't wait to get back and see more of the dinosaurs! 

Little Shenanigans

We traded babysitting with one of our favorite families. We went out last weekend and they went out this weekend so we got to spend some time with their kids. I LOVE it---it makes me homesick for my favorite Barney family. Ruth loves hanging out with all of them, but especially Claire, and when they left she said "I just love Claire, she needs to come right back." haha.

There was SO MUCH dress-up going on. Love it.

Will is SO IN LOVE with Kaden. Whenever he comes over for piano or sees him at church he instantly lights up and squeals and races towards him. Kaden is from a house full of girls so they have a special brother-bond going on.

Sterling was concerned the other night when he saw Molly almost disappearing under the couch. It happens all the time and it doesn't matter where you put her, she rolls and scoots backwards until she is lodged under the couch, funny girl!

We had stake conference on Sunday so we had an entire day to spend together! Yay! We went on a nice relaxing bike ride. So relaxing that the girls slept the entire way!

We started out like this, but ended up with Ruth in the trailer and Will on my bike.

Our trailer is useable! The part actually came last week, right as all of our crazy busy-ness started, so this was the first real ride!

And two sleeping girlies. And yes, Molly's straps needed to be readjusted, but we hadn't anticipated her sitting there. It can fit much better.

Our entourage.

My bike!!!!!!

It was such a beautiful ride around our neighborhood. It felt great to spend some time as a family since we have been all over the place this past week!

Then we had some crazy fun times at home. Actually, I laid on the couch and called "where are you Ruthie? where are you Will?" and they came running out and laughing hysterically. I love it when so much fun is so easy!

She is always wanting to hold Molly.

Sorry, I just couldn't cut any of those out, they were such big happy smiley pictures!!!

On to our big news for Molly--she can sit up! I didn't even know, she is always on such hard surfaces I just lay her down, but last night Sterling was reading stories so I sat her up and she totally can! haha. (for a minute or so at a time anyway)

Awww, more happy grins! Love my kids! 

Glad we had such a great Sunday because Sterling has a test in a week that is supposedly really hard and is basically going to be gone the entire week. But I've filled it up with lots of play groups, story time, visiting teaching appointments, etc. so hopefully it goes fast!