Yesterday I took Ruth over to my friend Tammy's pool. Ruth loves the water. She had a great time splashing around the pool even though she was shivering most of the time.
Our day today started with a stop at a yard sale where we got Ruth a Raggedy Anne doll. After a quick stop at the bank, we then ate at the new Chick-fil-A and saw the big cow and got a balloon for Ruth. We then took Ruth to a miniature animal petting zoo at a local farm. Ruth loved this!! She was all about petting the goats and sheep and rabbits. She did a great job at feeding them too. Brian instructed her how to do it one time, and Ruth was off and running. She fed the rabbits inside the fence but fed the goats through the fence. It was funny to watch her reach in the pail and get a piece of bread and then put the bread to the goats' mouths and watch their tongues lick her fingers. She did this again and again.
The best part of the trip was the pony ride. Ruth sat on the pony and held onto the pommel just like a big kid. (Don't worry, Mom, Brian held onto to Ruth and walked beside her). Ruth just giggled and giggled.
Our day ended with a stop at Target to buy Ruth a little pool for the back deck. Since we don't have access to a pool, we thought this would be a good solution for those hot evenings when Ruth gets fussy. It was a great day.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Our Trip to Arkansas
No pictures yet.
Ruth and I flew to Memphis on Saturday. My parents drove over to pick us up and took us back on Wednesday. We had a good trip. Ruth learned to say "kitty" and did so in a very high voice. She loved my mother's cat, and anytime we were outside she would call for the cat to come to her. Ruth also enjoyed seeing the cows in the field. I didn't get any pictures of her with the cows but she laughed when they mooed. I still can't get her to say moo though.
Everything was so green due to the rain they have had. The weather reminded me of when Brian and I were in Maine on our honeymoon. Cool mornings turning into warm afternoons surrounded by sunlight. I let Ruth run around in the yard smelling flowers and chasing the cat. The first thing Brian said about Ruth when he picked us up was that she looked older - probably due to the sun exposure she received. She was certainly spoiled by my parents.
After surviving eleven weeks of pregnancy without getting sick, this morning I lost my breakfast. I have been queasy for almost two weeks but this morning it got the better of me. Ruth and I happened to be in the kitchen when it happened. Thank goodness for garbage disposals. The event scared Ruth. I don't know who made more noise, Ruth crying or me.
One last thing about Ruth. For the past six weeks or so Ruth has a new way to show someone she cares: she rubs noses. She does this frequently. When we were in Arkansas Ruth and I had to sleep together. She would toss and turn and get up and rub noses with me for 30 to 45 minutes each night. I guess she was so happy she wasn't sleeping alone.
Ruth and I flew to Memphis on Saturday. My parents drove over to pick us up and took us back on Wednesday. We had a good trip. Ruth learned to say "kitty" and did so in a very high voice. She loved my mother's cat, and anytime we were outside she would call for the cat to come to her. Ruth also enjoyed seeing the cows in the field. I didn't get any pictures of her with the cows but she laughed when they mooed. I still can't get her to say moo though.
Everything was so green due to the rain they have had. The weather reminded me of when Brian and I were in Maine on our honeymoon. Cool mornings turning into warm afternoons surrounded by sunlight. I let Ruth run around in the yard smelling flowers and chasing the cat. The first thing Brian said about Ruth when he picked us up was that she looked older - probably due to the sun exposure she received. She was certainly spoiled by my parents.
After surviving eleven weeks of pregnancy without getting sick, this morning I lost my breakfast. I have been queasy for almost two weeks but this morning it got the better of me. Ruth and I happened to be in the kitchen when it happened. Thank goodness for garbage disposals. The event scared Ruth. I don't know who made more noise, Ruth crying or me.
One last thing about Ruth. For the past six weeks or so Ruth has a new way to show someone she cares: she rubs noses. She does this frequently. When we were in Arkansas Ruth and I had to sleep together. She would toss and turn and get up and rub noses with me for 30 to 45 minutes each night. I guess she was so happy she wasn't sleeping alone.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Quick Story
First, I am done with naming every blog after a song. It was good while it lasted.
The other day while Ruth and I had our afternoon snack, I was watching a baby story show on TV. Now, I don't normally watch these shows but nothing else was on and the woman was having triplets. As she talked about how she was worried about her one year old (yes, a one year old with triplets being born in a week), she started to cry. This go around I have been more hungry and more emotional. I started to cry as well. Ruth had finished her snack and had put the paci she brought from the crib in her mouth. As my crying continued, Ruth removed the paci from her mouth and tried to put it in my mouth. After all, a good paci can cure anything.
This is not the first time she has done this. It just amazes me how these little kids can process information and be so compassionate. If only we could all be this way. I guess that is why Jesus said that we should all be like children. (paraphrase)
The other day while Ruth and I had our afternoon snack, I was watching a baby story show on TV. Now, I don't normally watch these shows but nothing else was on and the woman was having triplets. As she talked about how she was worried about her one year old (yes, a one year old with triplets being born in a week), she started to cry. This go around I have been more hungry and more emotional. I started to cry as well. Ruth had finished her snack and had put the paci she brought from the crib in her mouth. As my crying continued, Ruth removed the paci from her mouth and tried to put it in my mouth. After all, a good paci can cure anything.
This is not the first time she has done this. It just amazes me how these little kids can process information and be so compassionate. If only we could all be this way. I guess that is why Jesus said that we should all be like children. (paraphrase)
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Sweet Home Alabama
Alabama is not my home. It has never been my home. It has never been Brian's home. However, every time I go to Alabama I am struck by how pretty it is and how country the people sound.
We just got back from Montgomery, Alabama. I attended the South East Regional Dance America festival (SERBA). The last festival I attended was in 1998 in Little Rock of the South West region. As much has changed that has stayed the same. Beautiful teenage dancers with ballet bodies you seen on professional stages. Great classes and performances that ranged from okay to amazing.
I wanted to attend the festival this year for two reasons. One, I would like to guest teach and/or choreograph for ballet schools and festival is a great time to make contacts. The second reason is that I wanted to be renewed. And renewed I was. I watched five different teachers teach, and they all said the very same things I said. There was one teacher I watched that faced some of the same problems I have had to face for the past five years: a jazz class next door that was playing its "music" so loud that the ballet kids could barely hear the pianist. The teachers emphasized the same things I do and gave many of the same corrections I do. It made me realize that I really do know my stuff!!! After being told so many times that how I teach is not right, it was so refreshing to see what I teach and HOW I teach get results. The students listened and responded to this teaching. These dancers clearly came from schools that wanted to train dancers and not just collect a paycheck.
I also took notes. I have felt that I have been teaching in a rut lately and the classes I took reminded me of things that I just to teach three, four and five years ago. I also got some great ideas for new combinations.
And now about Ruth: Ruth and Brian went with and played in the hotel most of the time. Brian is truly a great, supportive husband. He took care of Ruth and met me for food whenever it was it. I skipped the last class and performance Friday night to have a family night. On one of our lunch time walks we found this little park by the river and next door to the minor league baseball stadium that had a fountain made for kids to run around in and get wet. So we put Ruth in it. She LOVED it. It was hot outside and although we had a swimming suit in the hotel room, we just let her play in her clothes. (Boy, was that diaper full!!!) When it was time to go back, we changed her diaper and put Brian's outer tee shirt on her. We also learned that she loves the pool.
Although the trip was great, I am so happy to be home. I have been hungry quite often and feel sick after I eat almost every time. Yes, we are expecting with a due date of December 11. The first date we were give was December 17 but the computer was measuring earlier so they changed it. I guess this means a scan tron final for my class at KSU this fall!
Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there.
We just got back from Montgomery, Alabama. I attended the South East Regional Dance America festival (SERBA). The last festival I attended was in 1998 in Little Rock of the South West region. As much has changed that has stayed the same. Beautiful teenage dancers with ballet bodies you seen on professional stages. Great classes and performances that ranged from okay to amazing.
I wanted to attend the festival this year for two reasons. One, I would like to guest teach and/or choreograph for ballet schools and festival is a great time to make contacts. The second reason is that I wanted to be renewed. And renewed I was. I watched five different teachers teach, and they all said the very same things I said. There was one teacher I watched that faced some of the same problems I have had to face for the past five years: a jazz class next door that was playing its "music" so loud that the ballet kids could barely hear the pianist. The teachers emphasized the same things I do and gave many of the same corrections I do. It made me realize that I really do know my stuff!!! After being told so many times that how I teach is not right, it was so refreshing to see what I teach and HOW I teach get results. The students listened and responded to this teaching. These dancers clearly came from schools that wanted to train dancers and not just collect a paycheck.
I also took notes. I have felt that I have been teaching in a rut lately and the classes I took reminded me of things that I just to teach three, four and five years ago. I also got some great ideas for new combinations.
And now about Ruth: Ruth and Brian went with and played in the hotel most of the time. Brian is truly a great, supportive husband. He took care of Ruth and met me for food whenever it was it. I skipped the last class and performance Friday night to have a family night. On one of our lunch time walks we found this little park by the river and next door to the minor league baseball stadium that had a fountain made for kids to run around in and get wet. So we put Ruth in it. She LOVED it. It was hot outside and although we had a swimming suit in the hotel room, we just let her play in her clothes. (Boy, was that diaper full!!!) When it was time to go back, we changed her diaper and put Brian's outer tee shirt on her. We also learned that she loves the pool.
Although the trip was great, I am so happy to be home. I have been hungry quite often and feel sick after I eat almost every time. Yes, we are expecting with a due date of December 11. The first date we were give was December 17 but the computer was measuring earlier so they changed it. I guess this means a scan tron final for my class at KSU this fall!
Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
I'm Walkin', Yes Indeed I'm Talkin'
Sorry for the long delay. KSU (my place of employment) semester is ending and with that comes finals and papers and math (to figure out the grades). In addition, my mother and sister Malory came over to visit this weekend. Malory really came to the home show in Atlanta but most of her time was spent spoiling Ruth.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Ruth is walking and walking quite well. I will post videos and pictures soon but I wanted to log on so faithful readers wouldn't think we had left the country or contracted swine flu. Here is a cute story to tide you over:
Wednesday was Ruth's last day at school. Since my semester is ending I can't really justify sending her to school if I am at home. But we are reconsidering since she seemed to really enjoy it and is such a big girl at school. Wednesday afternoon she kept hold up a number one with her hand and twisting her wrist so the finger looks like it is saying "no, no, no". I finally realized what song she must be singing in her head: No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. When Brian and I pieced together the song - it took us both to remember all the words- Ruth just beamed from ear to ear and would twist that little finger at the line "momma called the doctor and the doctor said....." Very, very cute.
In other news, my tenure at the studio where I have worked for the past five years is finally over. If you remember, I resigned in September but wanted to honor my contract and finish out the year. The studio decided that with only one week left that they could handle the last week. This comes as a great relief since I am so busy with KSU and our little family is preparing to go out of town to attend the South East Regional Dance America conference. This is a wonderful ballet festival for serious pre-professional ballet studios. I attended when I danced with Ballet Arkansas and am very excited to go and watch classes and performances of ballet. Just ballet. I hope to be revived and remember why I fell in love with ballet in the first place. I feel that my studio days have taken away my edge in the profession. It certainly took me a few weeks to get back into teaching a serious ballet class for KSU this semester. The dancers there seem to really want to improve and listen to each other respectfully and listen to instructors. It has been a pleasant experience.
I am taking Ruth back to the doctor again for her ear infection. She has been on three rounds of medicine and she doesn't seem to be getting better.
Hope all is well. Keep your eye on the sky this week. (That was the Berry family safety officer speaking)
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Ruth is walking and walking quite well. I will post videos and pictures soon but I wanted to log on so faithful readers wouldn't think we had left the country or contracted swine flu. Here is a cute story to tide you over:
Wednesday was Ruth's last day at school. Since my semester is ending I can't really justify sending her to school if I am at home. But we are reconsidering since she seemed to really enjoy it and is such a big girl at school. Wednesday afternoon she kept hold up a number one with her hand and twisting her wrist so the finger looks like it is saying "no, no, no". I finally realized what song she must be singing in her head: No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. When Brian and I pieced together the song - it took us both to remember all the words- Ruth just beamed from ear to ear and would twist that little finger at the line "momma called the doctor and the doctor said....." Very, very cute.
In other news, my tenure at the studio where I have worked for the past five years is finally over. If you remember, I resigned in September but wanted to honor my contract and finish out the year. The studio decided that with only one week left that they could handle the last week. This comes as a great relief since I am so busy with KSU and our little family is preparing to go out of town to attend the South East Regional Dance America conference. This is a wonderful ballet festival for serious pre-professional ballet studios. I attended when I danced with Ballet Arkansas and am very excited to go and watch classes and performances of ballet. Just ballet. I hope to be revived and remember why I fell in love with ballet in the first place. I feel that my studio days have taken away my edge in the profession. It certainly took me a few weeks to get back into teaching a serious ballet class for KSU this semester. The dancers there seem to really want to improve and listen to each other respectfully and listen to instructors. It has been a pleasant experience.
I am taking Ruth back to the doctor again for her ear infection. She has been on three rounds of medicine and she doesn't seem to be getting better.
Hope all is well. Keep your eye on the sky this week. (That was the Berry family safety officer speaking)
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