School Rules!!

Just thought I'd update everyone on how Ruby's adapting to school. She LOVES it!!! I am so relieved that she still wants to go back every time, I was worried that the novelty would wear off but she just can't get enough. Her first day went really smoothly and there were no tears for Mommy or Ruby. She always asks what I'm going to do while she's in school and as long as it's boring enough (cleaning, grocery shopping, going to the gym), she thinks it's OK that I'm leaving. She loves Fridays because it's water day and they get to wear their bathing suits to school and play in the sprinklers. I asked Ruby if she likes to run and jump in the sprinklers and she said, "no, I like to pee in the grass". OK. Well, I haven't gotten a note home from her teacher yet so I'll just leave that one alone. School has been heavenly for me too. Just to be able to grocery shop without a toddler is like a dream and it gives us more quality time together when I don't have to take her with me to run all my errands. It's a win-win!

Ruby had a few firsts this month. Last weekend she went bowling for the first time! She went with a bunch of her little friends and she really loved it. We will be going again for sure! Another first for Ruby was a true sleepover with her BFFs, Ben and Lucy which included matching PJs, popcorn, movies and lots more fun stuff. She had her bags packed the day before, she was excited to say the least. She had a sleepover because our wonderful friends, Gail and Todd offered to take Ruby for the weekend so Doug and I could get away for a "Baby Moon" before the new baby comes. We ended up going to a resort about 5 miles down the road where we lounged, read, ate, got massages and just totally relaxed. It was so nice and exactly what we needed. Ruby didn't miss us at all!

Ruby is still cracking us up daily. She has questions about everything and then questions about those questions. A lot of times she'll ask me a question about something I didn't even think she would think about. Like our conversation we had tonight while she was in the bath. It went like this:

Ruby: "Mommy, when you and Daddy got your massages, was it a man or a lady?"
Me: "Mommy had a man and Daddy had a lady."
Ruby: "NOOOO."
Me: "What?"
Ruby: "I wanted you to have a lady and Daddy to have a man!"
Me: "Why?"
Ruby: "Because you're a Mommy and Daddy is a Daddy."

The things she thinks about and is concerned about are pretty hysterical sometimes. Check out the video I added at the end of the pictures. Our little fish swims under water now!

Hugs for Big Bird at one of our charity events.

Yeah, I think she liked him.

First day of school!!

Ruby and Bella can't get to school fast enough!

We found their classroom, nerves start to set in.

Ruby settles right in. Goofball.

Bella: "Mommy don't leave!" Ruby: "Bye Mom!!"

Love this picture!

Excited for water day!

Can you say ham???

Daddy and Ruby doing their silly dancing.

Ruby got to bring Daddy to school for breakfast for Father's Day.

Bowling!!

The girls.

This is fun!

Wow, the ball is rolling really slow.

That took FOREVER!!

Ruby and Lucy cracking up. Probably talking about poop.

The girls and their Daddies.

Father's Day breakfast - our little family and 6 1/2 months along with #2!

Ruby and Big Baby in the adorable matching dresses Gamma made them!

She LOVED them!

Ta-da!

The view from our room on our "Baby Moon."

Time is just flying by! We've had a great month; we took Ruby camping for the first time, got her a new big girl bed, had an FUN visit from Auntie Em and much more!



We went camping for one night with a group of friends and Ruby had a blast!! She absolutely loved every minute of it. She especially liked jumping on the air mattresses in the tents and roasting marshmallows. It went pretty smoothly for the first time camping and it didn't hurt that we slept on air mattresses and had fans in our tents. That's my kind of camping. :)



On the way back from camping, we ordered Ruby's new big girl bed and had it delivered the next day. It took her about a week to adjust to a new room and bed but now she loves it. I can't believe how grown up she looks in it. My baby's not a baby anymore!



The definite highlight of our month was Auntie Em's visit. We were so excited to see her and Ruby barely left her side the whole time. Em brought lots of fun books and games and to Ruby's delight played with her and chased her endlessly. I'm still getting used to sharing my "Em time" but seeing the love between those two makes me so happy.



We've made the decision to enroll Ruby in pre-school/summer camp starting Monday. EEK!! She'll be going Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9-noon and then in August move to 9-2:30. She is so excited and I know she's going to love it and thrive. We definitely don't want to make it a new thing for her right around the time the new baby arrives so we thought starting quite a bit earlier would be best for all. Which reminds me, we have a c-section date! Baby girl Vogt #2 will arrive on Wednesday, September 15th! I'm 6 months along now and feeling pretty good. I definitely feel much larger this time around and get tired a lot easier but my health is great, so we're very happy for that. If the heat doesn't kill me, I should make it to September. :) The heat index showed that it felt like 106 today. Sooo hot!!



We were at a birthday party today and Ruby was in the pool with Daddy and she said "look Mommy" and she made Doug drop her into the water, she let herself sink and then she SWAM back up to the top and over to Doug. She learned how to swim...today!!! It was so exciting! She's a little fish and could stay in the water all day.



Ruby is amazing. Every day I look at her and just am so proud and happy that she's my daughter. I mean, don't get me wrong, there are days I want to throw her out the window too but she really is an amazing little person. She has so much love and is really starting to develop empathy. She is strong willed but has a soft heart; she's bossy but confident; she's smart and loves to learn; she's emotional and dramatic but compassionate. She's a little spit fire and stands up for what she believes in.

Bad ass with her biking gloves from Auntie Em.

The little campers.

The whole gang.


Doug reading Abiyoyo to the kids.

Ruby reading Abiyoyo to the kids!

She's really cracking herself up here.

First night in her new big girl bed!

Silly faces with Ellie!

Feeding yogurt to her babies.

Not sure where these faces come from??

Building a sand castle with Em.

Awww.

Ruby and Chris making pizzas.

Finished product!

She has a rough life. Watching a show on the computer while eating breakfast.

I just can't get over how big she looks here!

Reading Rolling Stones magazine. Sorry Rubes, it was too funny.

6 months!