Week 51

Size: ??

New things: Ruth can say “E-I-E-I-O”…you can't pick out every letter, but you can tell she’s trying to say it. It’s really cute. She had done this before, but  she did it again this week to confirm she can!

Ruth knows what coloring means, now! She can move the crayon across the paper! It was super cute to watch. It’s amazing to me how one day they don’t or can’t do something, and the next day, they can!

Ruth blew bubbles on her own this week…her 1^st time! I held the wand, and she blew, and she was able to do it! Super fun and cute!!!

Ruth started playing with the toilet paper in the bathroom this week…Yay for new stages!

Ruth and I played with a balloon this week (her 1^st time). I mean, she has seen and touched balloons before, but I realized we had never just played with a balloon, so we tried all sorts of new tricks with it. I blew one up and then let it go flying across the room. I blew it up and made annoying noises with it. I blew it up and tied it, and we hit it around. It was fun! Who knew a balloon could be so entertaining. Wish I would have thought of it sooner.

We started weaning Ruth at night this week. She responded quite well. The first night was probably the hardest, but she adjusted pretty quickly. Daddy puts her in bed now (after we all 3 share in her bedtime routine), and it gives them some nice time together. She’s down to just one feeding in the morning now.

Ruth had some popcorn this week. I think it’s the first time she’s had regular popcorn for a snack. She’s tried kettle corn before but not plain old popcorn. She LOVED it!

Ruth is saying “yee-hah” in a different way than she used to, and it’s super cute!

Fun things: Tom had to pick up something from one farm and run it to the other after he got home one evening, so Ruth and I went with him. On our way, we stopped by DQ for blizzards!! It was a fun little spontaneous family outing!

We went to McDonald’s this week for a date so that Ruth could play while we chatted. Ruth was quite the social butterfly that night. She walked right up to more than one adult, talked to them, and let them hold her (don’t worry, we were right there!). She also had fun making friends with the other kids there.

A lady at church this week mentioned that Ruth’s name means friend and how fitting it is for such a “friendly” little girl! I know the meaning of her name, but it had never dawned on me the connection between the meaning and her personality thus far. I LOVED that she pointed it out. How special!

This week was fire safety week at the library’s story hour. Two volunteer firefighters came and passed out all sorts of goodies for the kids (helmets, coloring book and crayons, stickers, and a safety booklet). One of them put on gear while the other one talked about it. Ruth gave him a high five! (he resorted to high fives because, if I’m remembering correctly, none of the kids wanted to try the hat on or anything; I think they thought he was cool, but they were a little hesitant to get too close!!).

Ruth and I got to see our friends (our old neighbors) this week when we headed up north to the grocery store. It’s always fun to visit and see them.

I had the idea of cutting out some of Ruth’s favorite foods out of magazines for her to “play with”, so we cut out pictures of donuts, cupcakes, cookies, candy, crackers, cheese, and hummus! We pretend ate them, categorized them, etc. It was fun!

Ruth loves: Her musical piggy bank and putting money in it!

Looking around her high chair and on the foot rest of her high chair for food that has fallen or she has dropped for an “after meal” snack! Ha!

Helping Daddy collect/carry around the trash. I’m thinking this usually doesn’t follow children into their teenage years, but we’ll see!!

Sleep: Ruth’s napping is off. I can’t figure out if she’s needing one or two naps nowadays….which probably means she at the in between stage. It just makes it hard to a) go anywhere or plan anything and b) give her what she needs. Time will tell…just have to keep working at it.

Tom and I: We revisited a church we had been to once already now that we were able to visit all the ones we had hoped to. They had “snack” afterward, so we got to do some visiting!

Thank you, Lord for: My wonderful, strong husband who had been understanding and supportive and so helpful during the weaning process…which has proven unexpectedly emotional for me. He has been the encouragement and the “push” that I need.