RUBY

Here is my sweet Ruby in all her cute-ness. Bill and I can see so much of baby Kristin in this little reproduction. I recently found some photos of Kristin that my mother had and gave them to Kristin for her birthday. She was delighted and loved seeing how much Ruby looks like her. But Kristin said "Ruby is cuter!" (I wasn't quite sure how to respond.......)

She may be all dressed up in girly-pink, but she loves her brother's truck. She sits on it and bounces up and down and even tried to give it some girl-power (not horse power).

Finally, Ruby is starting to crawl. She was getting frustrated at not being able to get places like her bro. We were beginning to think she would go straight to walking and by-pass crawling.

Ruby loves her Grandpa Ray, and vice versa!

WOW - 9 months old!

Hard to imagine they are 9 months old. Carson is crawling like a big boy -- not the military ground pull along. And he is FAST! He pulls himself up on everything, and cruises furniture. Won't be long now for him to take off and walk. Ruby is still thinking about crawling, and I can see it in her face that she might like to reach that toy that is over there, or she might like to get over to where her brother is having so much fun. I guess it takes thinking about it before she can actually try to do it.

Ruby loves books, and not just to eat them like her bro. She will look at pictures and give attention to the story.

8 Months Old

I had not been down to take care of the twins for almost 3 weeks due to the unforeseen trip to Calif. that I made. Gosh, they just keep on growing. What really surprised me was how much hair they both have and how much Ruby looks like Kristin with more hair (Kristin had tons of hair). And I was surprised by how fast Carson scoots around the house and how he can pull himself up on just about anything -- especially me. I felt like I was his own personal jungle-gym! Ruby no longer just sits in her saucer toy -- she jumps and bounces like a wild-child and has so much fun. Both of them scoot all over the house in the walker. Carson is very fast. I caught him in the laundry room trying to shut the front-loading washing machine. They both continue to get more teeth (or trying to get more). He got his 3rd. tooth while I was there and she is working on it real hard (and real fussy!). Both are loving the homemade baby food that Kristin and I make for them and they are great eaters. However, we learned that Carson HATES egg yokes and Ruby can't get enough of them. I didn't realize babies can have such a strong dislike of something at this young age!

Guess Who Got A Wii?

Kristin and Casey got a Wii. Here is Kristin bowling with Carson's help. He was loving being on her back. (Now that's some fancy footwork! She must watch the bowling channel.) I will have to admit -- I tried it and it was fun! But I don't think I would do it with 20 lbs. of baby on my back.

Swim Team

When Kristin was 9 mos. old we enrolled her in a "water-babies" swimming experience at the local pool. That must have worked, because she grew up with a total love of the water. I used to say she was part mermaid! She wanted to give her babies that same exposure at an early age, so several weeks ago at 7 mos. of age, she and Casey took them to their first class. They have LOVED it! Here are some photos taken over several weeks with Kristin and Casey and Kristin and Grandma Carrie in the water with the twins. One week I even got in the water and held Rubes, but none of the photos turned out because the setting had accidentally gotten changed. It was such a kick to be there with the twins and recall when I did it so many years ago with KJ. (I love that Kristin calls it "swim team"). She must have very high hopes for their swimming careers! The instructor told her that Carson is very advanced for his age -- he is doing the flutter kick and not the polly-wog kick that most babies do.

Of course Ruby needed to make a fashion statement!

Aren't They Cute?

Carson and Ruby are getting bigger every time I see them. She is almost 20 lbs, and he is right behind her. Here they are all ready for a play-date with a friend. Aren't they cute? Ruby is such a "Gerber Baby"! "Grandpa Bill, can I wear your new Puerto Vallarta cap?"

Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Bill and I enjoyed 10 days in Puerto Vallarta (Jan 17-26). He had a conference to attend and I got to tag along. It was the first time we had been that far down into Mexico, and loved it. We enjoyed 80 degrees each day, plenty of blue sky and sunshine and ate enough Mexican food to last a life-time. We even slept with our slider open most nights and listened to the waves.

This photo of the sunset was taken from our balcony the first night. We stayed at the Fiesta America and highly recommend it. We are already planning a trip back when we can take the twins (and of course their parents and auntie!)

This was the view from our hotel room. I spent a lot of time in the pool while Bill was at meetings. Bill went scuba diving one day and I snorkeled. Here is Pancho, the dive master, helping Bill with his gear. Bill said Pancho was a great dive master.

On Sunday we enjoyed the flea market in Old Town. We ate lunch at the River Cafe -- which was right next to the river and mostly an outdoor cafe. I was sitting next to the wall and as I looked over the wall, I noticed we were not alone. I could see 4 iguanas in trees, ground and roof -- (click on the photo below for a good look at what I saw!). I guess I was having lunch in their territory. Kind of a strange experience, but I was in Mexico!

My friend, Gretchen has been to PV numerous times and this is one of her favorite spots to shop. Gretchen (and both married daughters) have hand painted dinner plates that Gretchen has picked out and brought home from PV. This store is 2 stories of the most beautiful hand painted pottery. I bought small plates for Kristin and a serving bowl for Kat. Here on the wall you can see hand painted sinks. We could watch the artists painting them right there on the second floor. It was fascinating and definitely worth the trip.

One night the conference had a party in town at a private home. It is a very large home that overlooks downtown PV. Lots of fun food, drinks and a mariachi band!

This is one of the Catholic churches in PV. We had walked through it the day before. This was taken from the boat that we took out to dive and snorkel.

It's Been Another Fun Day With R&C

Miss Ruby has mastered sitting. She will sit for the longest time and just watch her brother, who is scooting/crawling all around her. Today she reached

out and grabbed his head -- and it hurt. He cried and she smiled. I told him it was the first of many tweaks from his sister. But if he continues to be fast, he can

definitely out crawl/run her.

Carson usually takes shorter naps than Ru.

He had just gotten up

from his nap and helped his Grammy

fold the laundry. I think he loved that the clothes were still warm!

I love the way Ruby has discovered her toes -- 10 toys that God gave her to play with! I have almost the exact photo of Kristin at this age, but she is sucking on her big toe!I'm glad she broke that habit.

Fun With The Kids!

In the next two photos the twins were chilling out in the same crib before we put them down for the night. They were just laying there so sweetly. Ruby was rubbing Carson's ear and he seemed to enjoy it. I think she was soothing him to sleep.

He is so ready to crawl. Here he wanted to take off, but didn't want to leave his toy.

He put it in his own month!

Ruby Finally Learns To Jump!

Carson has been going wild in this jump-r-roo for months, but Ruby just sat in it and smiled. Today she got the idea and started jumping and laughing and really enjoying herself.

Random Fun Photos

Love the Santa Cruz sweatshirt!

These twins sisters are the daughters of one of Kristin's co-workers (hence the Adidas shirt!). They came to visit and wanted to hold Carson and Rubes. There are actual many sets of multiples born to Adidas workers, including a set of triplets born several weeks after our twins.

Maybe Kristin should take her own water to work......

Kristin and Casey's neighborhood during Christmas.

Their deck was buried under about 12-14 inches of snow.