Ruby Slippers and Georgia Peaches

So the aspen tree that is wrapped around by our front deck lost a few leaves.

They are a little slick when stepping on them, so one evening Ruby and I decided to sweep them off before they get too thick.

Here’s what happened.

She had a great time.

Instantly, in her mind, she became Tigger.

There was jumping.

Hopping.

Throwing.

Piling.

She also watched her shadow as she jumped.

Clapping for herself when the leaves are especially delightful.

Basking in the leaves and their glory.

This was one day. We’ve kept the pile of leaves for other days.

She still enjoys every bit of them.

Round Two:

I love that little Tigger. She’s a fun one.

We haven’t entertained much in the last few years. However, that’s about to change too. For right now, all we are entertaining are the deer.

We are nestled back into a little spot between some hills, ridges and the Big Horn Mountains. We also have a large creek about 30 yards from our house.

Our grass/yard is irrigated, so it’s nice and lush.

The mule deer love our location…or we love their location. Either one.

We thought we heard some noise on the deck one night, but neither one of us went to look.

Yep…the deer.

(that one looked like it either slipped getting up on the deck or slipped getting off)

Now, when we hear a noise, we just assume it’s the deer. The deck is about four feet off the ground. They either jump or walk up the steps. Maybe they are civilized and use the steps.

At night, if we have to go outside to get something, we make sure we make a little bit of noise, so we both don’t scare each other.

While eating her snack in the afternoons, she likes to watch the deer. Ruby thinks they are her personal friends. She gets a little offended if they don’t come by in the afternoons.

(The “crik”, as locals call it, is at the little tree line in the background.)

Sometimes we are surrounded.

(My view while washing some dishes. We stared at each other for a little bit. The white pipe is an irrigation pipe for the pasture.)

Sometimes we have to stop and wait for the deer to make up their mind if they are gonna cross the road.

(Going north out of the town of Hyattville)

(after all the deer crossed. Looking east toward our ranch and the Big Horns. The ranch is six miles east of this spot.)

They are entertaining….or we are entertaining them. They are certainly fun to watch.

I kinda skipped over months five and six. We were pretty busy those two months.

Month five information:

Clara can roll over and she is talking more than ever. She can also sit up pretty well with support or in a nice tripod sitting position. Take the support away and she falls gracefully to one side. She is also rolling over like a champ. Her hair still gets a little wacky. Some days you can comb it down but it makes its way back up again. She really enjoys being on her tummy. She can grab many things that are in her radius. Sometimes she can swivel around and grab something out of reach. She still loves to look and observe. A favorite past time at night is chasing after Ruby. Papa Bear will hold her out in his arms and they zoom around the house. She’s also a pro at making spit bubbles. They are her “go to” if she doesn’t have anything else to do, talk about or look at.

Month Six:

15.7lbs

27 inches long

30% for weight

86.7% for length

She’s starting to even out a little bit. Also, they go down a little in percentages when they get to moving/holding themselves up more. She doesn’t just sit and let her calories soak in. She uses them. The moments are rare that she is not moving some body part.

She is as sweet as can be and always enjoys a good snuggle, especially with a good blanket and pacifier.

She’s a pro at sitting up unsupported now. She would rather sit up on the floor next to someone and play than sit in her bumbo seat. She’s also getting some turns sitting in her walker. Her feet barely touch. She also loves grabbing her feet and chewing on her toes.

Clara is also practicing her eye movements and LOVES to do a good eye roll. It’s comical, until I you start thinking that a six month old is making fun of you. J

She’s also really good at sneaking and grabbing something that interests her…mama’s water glass, Ruby’s brightly colored socks, your plate of food, etc. You have to make sure that things are out of her radius or she grabs them and tastes them.

Clara enjoys being outside. We get outside every day from 10:30am-noon. We also get a second time outside around 4:30 or near sunset. When the weather cooperates we all can sit and watch the sun go down over the Rockies in the west.

She is sleeping a solid 11 to 12 hours straight at night. She also takes two solid naps during the day. We stay pretty active during the day, so it helps with all the sleeping at night.

Her babbles are becoming more “word” like. She can bellow a good “mamamamamama” over and over again. It doesn’t mean anything to her yet, it’s just easy for her to say.

She also rakes right hand across her bottom gums. She makes a little sore/chapped spot that we keep lotion on at night.

As of Nov. 7^th, she has two teeth that have finally broken through. She was a little crabby about them, the move, or all the schedule changes but the past few days have been easy breezy.

And….that hair…it’s finally staying down.

(rubbing that hand across her gums)

(perfecting her eye roll…it’s cute now….)

And a little flashback so we can remember….

Bless her….you can’t help but smile at her.

(This post is mostly Kansas related…things are ‘achangin here in Wyoming…but it’s still my favorite time of the day)

Some people have the early morning as their favorite time of day. It’s alright. I used to see the early morning when I was working outside the home. Not now. Our “mornings” start around 10am-11am.

Shocking, I know. It’s because our evenings and nights don’t end until around 11pm to Midnight.

We, the girls of the family, live on what I call the “second shift”.

Wooster is at work by 6:30am six to seven days of the week. During the busier times of the year, he doesn’t come home until 10 or 11pm. During the sprinkler season, he could be home by 10pm, but then leave again by 12:30am, then leave again for the next work day by 6am. So, to sum it up, from the months of March to late October, he doesn’t get home until 10pm or later. If the girls were on a regular 8am-8pm or a 7am-7pm schedule, they would never see him, he would never get to do things with him and he wouldn’t be an authority in their lives.

We count down the hours to when he gets home. It’s our most favorite time of the day.

(Ruby, age 14 months, Feb. 2012…watching and waiting at the back door for Papa Bear to come home)

He does most of the baths, the final steps on the chore chart, and plays for a few minutes and most importantly, gets them ready for bed.

The birds can have the early mornings. The sun gazers can have the evening dusk. But, the midnight hour is the most peaceful and wonderful to me.