Ruby Tuby (like Tooby)

Written by Shannon Leigh

When I started hanging around Matt's family many years ago I was super excited that they liked to go boating. I grew up boating and I always thoroughly enjoyed it.

However, I was informed very early on that the Anderson family (all boys mind you) doesn't go "boating" they go "skiing." My bad. They take their skiing very seriously.

They didn't even OWN a tube!

That is until now...

There's something about this little girl of ours that get's her pop to do crazy things.

And just to prove how h-o-t my lover was back in 2004...

{Matt barefooting June 19, 2004}

Back off ladies he's all mine:)

Lessons in Chalk

Written by Shannon Leigh

So there was this glorious time in my life when Ruby was a baby.

She slept all day and all night. She didn't move at all. She didn't pull all of my tampons and q-tips out of the bathroom cabinet and scatter them throughout the house.

She didn't even play in the dog bowls 1700 times a day.

I didn't have to fight her when I changed her diaper and she didn't tug on my pants and scratch up my legs while I made dinner.

She would sit in her bouncy seat and coo and I would sit and rock her and nurse her because that's all she needed. Like I said, it was glorious!

I used to get lots of work down during the day. Being a photographer is serious business and I take it very seriously. I take pride in my timeliness and customer service ;)

Now Ruby is a toddler (17 months to be exact). She's really more like a woman-child (AHHH, stop growing so fast).

She requires ALOT attention.

She takes one (glorious) nap a day and gets into EVERYTHING.

She is getting her top molars (already has her bottom ones- 12 teeth in all) which hasn't been fun.

She likes to run around naked and knows how to take her diaper off if she doesn't have pants on.

She gives kisses like it's going out of style, she says a bajillion words and sentences, and dances like it's her last day on earth.

She climbs into the tub on her own. She climbs on ALL of the furniture. She leaves handprints and snot marks on everything, especially the glass doors and windows.

She stands at the back door and says "outside" all day long.

It really is glorious in a completely different way.

I don't get nearly as much done but I am thoroughly enjoying ever minute with our little girl.

Someday she will want nothing to do with me so I better soak it up while it lasts.

I am constantly trying to find fun things to do with her. The weather has FINALLY been cooperating and I don't feel suffocated the second I walk out.

So Ruby and I have been playing outside a LOT! Sidewalk chalk is one our favorites.

We practice the alphabet and our numbers (she likes to repeat 2, 3, 2, 3).

We even practice our shapes and colors. I can ask which one is the circle and she will point right to it.

Oh Ruby I hope you know how much I love you and your little tanned arms.

Here's to hoping we have lots more side walk chalk parties in our future.

Love you,

Mama

A Girl & Her Pop

Written by Shannon Leigh

Our girl has 3 BFFs.

One is Bunny (or Buddy as she calls it).

Another is Izzy.

&

3rd is her Pop.

{On the River, July 16, 2011}

We believe that the feeling is mutual.

Consider the Lilies

Written by Shannon Leigh

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:25-34

Lately

Written by Shannon Leigh

{June 5, 2011}

Yesterday morning I was awoken by a sweet little 15 month old screaming "hi mama" over and over again.

She was toddling along carrying a tube of disinfecting wipes (don't worry, the lid was closed tightly-I think).

She was so proud.

She handed them to me in bed as if she were handing me the crown jewels.

She then said "tank oooo (thank you)." She gets confused on when to use that.

She is changing SO FAST.

She says like a bazillion words. No really, like there are too many to list. We wrote them in her baby book and they filled up an entire page.

See?

She currently looks like she has been in a bar fight. She keeps falling down and scratching/bruising her face. It's pitiful. I guess that's just what happens when you're a toddler. This is new territory for all of us. Miss independent want to do it all herself.

She loves to get on and off of her radio flyer. I'm glad that she is finally figuring it out. Most of times she sits on it backwards.

She also LOVES the water. Like REALLY loves the water.

{June 30, 2011}

I haven't been taking a lot of pictures this month. I am smack dab in the middle of wedding season and life around here is crazy. Good but crazy.

Even though we are busy I feel like the Lord has been multiplying my time. Hallelujah.

{June 5, 2011}

I need to give a shout out to my man. Oh how I adore him.

He is so helpful and steady. He lets me sleep in in the morning and he takes Ruby duty until he leaves for work.

The other night I locked myself in the office to edit for a few hours. He even made dinner and brought it to me. It was like room service! I know he's not perfect but he sure is good to me (most of the time). ;)

{June 5, 2011}

Ruby is also obsessed with trains. We live close to 2 different tacks so when she hears a train during the day she stops what she's doing and says "CHOOO CHOOO" at the top of her lungs. It's hilarious.

{saying choo choo- June 5, 2011}

Written by Shannon Leigh

I was completely unprepared when this sweet little gift came into our lives.

I mean I knew that I would love her but...

No one told me that I'd fall in love.

For real.

The more I get to know her the more I love her.

I'm head over heels I tell ya.

Especially when she wears a romper.

Amen.

Ain't Too Proud Monday

Written by Shannon Leigh

Ruby had ravioli for lunch a few weeks ago.

Here's the evidence.

And just in case you were confused.

Some Kind of Wonderful

Written by Shannon Leigh

That is all.

Hey there stair climber!

Written by Shannon Leigh

We spent last weekend at my parents house since I shot a wedding in Springfield.

We don't have stairs in our house.

My parents have lots.

Now that Ruby is fully walking she is off on new/bolder adventures like stair climbing.

Oh how she loved climbing those stairs.

And she looked mighty cute figuring them out.

Babies don't keep

Written by Shannon Leigh

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,

for children grow up,

as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs.

Dust go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby.

Babies don't keep.

Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Pigtails

Written by Shannon Leigh

YEP!

We've got pigtails and I am loving it.

In other news, Ruby turned 18 over night.

Yeah.

We walked to the library today and she looked like a teenager walking around the shelves of books with her pigtails.

I think I officially have a toddler.

And how I love her so.