Little Ruby is TWO!!

I just can't believe it! Little Ruby is TWO!!! The time has gone by so fast, and has been so great. I love this picture of her, because it will always remind me of this phase of her life. This is when she is in her "zone." Packing around a baby (or Elmo in this case), usually a diaper and a wipe, usually my dish towel, and for some reason on this day she is wearing Ella's tap skirt around her neck and sitting next to lined up Tupperware! I love it! So here are a few MORE things that Ruby is doing at age two...she is starting to have some real opinions! Right now she is on a real Elmo kick, and Cookie Monster kick, and she will only wear a diaper that has "Cookie" on it. (Not sure what we'll do when we run out of those...). She will only eat out of her Elmo bowl or her "hubba" bowl (Simba). And lately, I'm so afraid to report, she has started to care what she wears and how I do her hair. I can't have another one of those!!!! Not this young any way! She is starting to fight for what she wants, in the form of screeching usually, and it is usually aimed at either Ella or Tyler. And it is loud! When she cries, she will often times cry for Ella. In fact, when we were camping last week she cried out in the night - once for mom, and twice for Ella! And for good reason, too. Ella actually does take care of her at night if she cries. I haven't had to walk up those stairs at night in a long time! She and Ella are just the best sisters. They mesh perfectly! Most often. I call Ella her second mom, because Ella takes care of her very very well. She will get her out of her crib in the morning, change her diaper, get her completely dressed (to include tights and shoes), and show up in my bedroom ready for breakfast. The other morning she even climbed up and poured her some cereal and milk! Ruby doesn't even need me! But Ruby loves her sister, and they love sharing their room together. Remember last summer, when you were all thinking I might have been crazy to have them bunk up so young? Well...it has paid off wonderfully! They are happy and protected all night long.

OK, so back to Ruby's birthday. We had a full house that night, with my mom, my sister Mary, Bryan's mom, Bryan's sister Jani, and Jani's two girls Mya and Sydney, all here for the festivities. (Tyler's baptism was the next morning, thus the reasons for the visits). It was great to have them all here!

We made these darling animal cupcakes, and with 6 of us in the kitchen decorating...they were done in minutes! The kids actually did most of them. I just supervised! And Ruby loved them. She loved the attention, and if you could have only seen her smile while she stood next to her cupcake tower while we all sang. Ahhhh...it would have melted your heart! It did mine!! She loved her presents - some Elmo garb, a little scooter, and a yellow Plasma Car. You should see her cook it around this house in that car! She is good!! Well anyway, I could go on and on about Ruby. We just love her.