Month 20

Oh Ruby Red Dress,
What a firecracker you are! Oh my goodness little one, I believe we are getting a solid taste of what you are going to be as a two year old. Your facial expressions nearly say it all. You have the funniest scowl, and then the happiest buck tooth smile. You can go from one extreme to the other in a moments notice, in fact it happens so quickly that I never seem to have my camera on my fast enough to capture it all. You are dramatic like your sister in that the world is always ending when you've been wronged, but you are a lot sneakier than most. You drift out of the picture and I will find you knee deep in the clean laundry or texting to the masses. I gotta keep my eye on you.  You still have the worst hair possible and I am hoping it adds to your charm. I try and make it presentable, but you hate the hair elastics. Regardless of type, size, color, brand or amount of hair I'm pulling up. You hate them all. Gangster.

 You want to be so much like your sister. You mimic nearly everything she is doing. If Stella cries when she get's her hair brushed then you cry, even if I don't actually brush your hair and you just see me nearing with the brush. If Stella is going to the bathroom then you try and strip down and use the bathroom. If Stella is drinking out of a real cup then your sippy cup is no where near good enough. If Stella has the purple toy and you have the pink one, then we have a problem on our hands. What complicates this the most is your inability to communicate fully in a language we understand. And it quite possibly could be that Stella talks for you. I can't decide if you are getting better at putting words together or if we are getting better at understanding the jibberish. We are getting there I suppose. You love to read books, and curling up with you and your giant cardboard book has helped a lot with the words you say. You will flip the pages of the books over and over again pointing and jibbering nearly English words. It's about the only time you are calm. We try to keep books in every nook and cranny of the house, as it just minimizes the screeching.

 You have decided that you hate nursery at church now. I'm not sure if it's the time of day that makes you hate it or the people. But I do know that you hate it. You will cry and cry and cry the entire time. Even when I sit in there with you, you cling to my lap refusing to even look at anyone else. It's a little dramatic, but a secret part of me enjoys that you just want me. Selfish, yes I know. That's why we decided that it was easier to go home for a Sunday School nap and come back for the third hour. You love day care and don't usually have any sort of stranger danger or separation anxiety. You do however have favorites. If Grandpa Trace, Kevin, Myself and Stella were all lined up you wouldn't hesitate who to go to. It would be Kevin every time. He went out of town for a sales symposium for a week and you struggled more than anyone else. Every time the door would open you pranced over to the back door yelling "Dad! Dad! Dad!". Then when he wasn't there, your giant eyes would well up with tears and you'd mumble "Daddy, BuhBye, BuhBye Daddy" After about 3 days I was exhausted. When he finally came home you only had eyes for him. It's like you tolerate me most of the time, but you live for him. For him to get you out of bed in the morning, read a story, get dressed or to throw you in the air, it's always better with him. Watching the two of you bond and play makes me giggle inside. You are so cute together.

Ruby, you are so busy and going so much that the moments you sit down and snuggle with me are the ones that I live for. The ones that I catch myself day dreaming about. Someday's when I come home from work and you are so excited to see me and want to tell me all about your day in your awesome version of English, I have to stop and soak it all in. This are the moments of a 19 month old that are the best. When you drag me around looking for things or bring your blankets and a book to me for a story. They are the rewards of motherhood that make you want 4 more, because it is honestly just so much fun. As you transition out of being a baby into a full fledged toddler I'm in awe that you can even be this old. That you can pick up the toys on your own and take off your clothes when you don't want them anymore. You are growing so fast, please just stop, just snuggle with me some more.
I love you Miss Ruby. You are always exactly what I need at the end of the day.
love love
Mom