Ruby Dooby Danders

Two.

Where did ONE go? 

This last year has been a blur.  An absolute up and down, whirl wind blur.

I've hardly chronicled Ruby's life at all.  Here I am, two years in and I feel like when I look back at this blog I'm going to wonder what in the hell happened after Ruby was born. 

Here's a brief glimpse of what I haven't written about:

Ruby is ALL. GIRL.  The child loves having her hair brushed and wearing copious amounts of shoes in a single day- whether they're hers or not makes no difference.  She still cherishes her bunny, loves her babies and fully insists on pampering them with her hand-me-down cloth diapers, swaddling them in her baby blankets and bouncing them in the infant bouncer all while laying on top of them, full weight, to shower them with kisses. 

Ruby is an absolute spit-fire through and through.  She reserves the right to stand her ground, no matter how shoddy the platform.  She also reserves the right to change her mind... and change it again...  and no, she is not going to tell you why she's changed her mind, just that she doesn't want whatever she had just pleaded for and you'd better get that shit out of her sight post haste!

I can't say where she gets this last character trait from...

The sweet, darling child is constantly complemented on about her beauty and cuteness.  A trait that, on some of her more difficult days, is her saving grace. 

She has no problems bossing around her older sisters and then rearing her hand back to smack the snot out of her unassuming victim when she doesn't get what she wants.  After a round of timeout and a stern correction, she whimpers the most sincerely pathetic apology before getting back to business as usual-- directing the world to circle around Ruby and Ruby alone.

Ruby sees Kyra as a means to help get things accomplished.  Kind, patient Kyra, who sits to play babies, reads a book or forty, lifts her up to reach objects on upper shelves or grabs her by the hands only to swing her around in a circle, feet lifting off the ground, broad smiles across both faces.  Kyra is attentive and sweet, and Ruby knows this.

Ruby sees Lydia as a partner in crime.  The two of them are often found in the throws of uproarious laughter, high energy games and are frequently found in the midst of trouble.  Lydia, who's mission in life is to make sure everyone around her is having a good time, is the perfect person to have around if you want to thoroughly enjoy life.  Lydia is our very own Patch Adams, and Ruby knows this, too.

As demanding and insistent as Ruby is, she's also observant and sweet.  She'll do anything for you to hold her and love her.  She sees the good people for who they are and shies away from those she hasn't had a chance to figure out, yet.

She loves animals of all shapes and sizes.  Ducks and birds are by far her favorite, but cats and dogs come in a very close second.

Animal loving, free spirited and a girl who knows how to use what she has on hand to get what she wants.  This is my Ruby.  My 2 year old Ruby.

Happy Birthday, Danders.

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Something of note for me to remember when I'm 80 and forgetful:

Ruby Dooby Danders where shall I wander,
Upstairs, downstairs and in my lady's chamber
There I met an old man who wouldn't say his prayers,
I took him by the left leg and threw him down the stairs.

As a baby, and even today, I frequently sing this to Ruby while rocking her vigorously back in forth like a baby before tossing my giggling girl on a couch or bed.  It's the nursery rhyme Goosey, Goosey Gander made just for my girl.  This is where her nickname "Danders" comes from.