Funny Girl!

This morning we were all hanging out enjoying Jake's day off. Harper was on the ground playing with her stuffed animals and babies. Jake, Luke and I were watching You Tube videos, so I was only half watching Harper. =) We would turn around and laugh at her telling her animals, "sit down" and "no". Then I heard her once playing with her little Minnie saying, "Minnie, Poo Poo". I thought, how cute she is pretending to change Minnie's diaper and then, she came from down the hall with her Daisy laughing. I asked her what was so funny and she laughed and said, "Potty". It was then that I noticed that Daisy was dripping. She had taken both of her animals "potty". She is a funny girl. They are in the washing machine now and I hope they come out okay. My Pluto growing up was never the same after his stint in the toilet. =)

The newest little Rutenbar...

is going to be a BOY! Jake and I had our ultrasound yesterday and found out we are having a boy. He looks great and is measuring big so they are going to move my due date to the 31st of March. It is only a week earlier but whatever that is one less week I have to be pregnant. Jake and I were and are so excited but we were both super excited to tell Luke. He wanted a brother so bad! I was prepared to buy him a toy if we were having a girl. Luke was so sweet the night before the ultrasound he said, "I think it is a girl (in a sad tone) but, if it is a boy I am going to be so excited (in a super happy tone)". We waited until Jake got home last night to tell him. Jake's mom Connie had gotten a gift for a boy or a girl so we had him open the gift (a really cute blue stuffed doggy). I wish I had remembered to take a picture of his face. It was almost for a second that he didn't believe it. He pulled it out and said, "it's blue.....that means its for a boy!" His face was elated and he jumped on the couch yelling, "I am going to have a brother!". We are so excited for this baby boy and so thankful that he is doing so well. We don't have a name yet and if you have any suggestions feel free to leave them in the comments. =)

Lukey Update...

Luke is now 4 and 1/4. He is so big not just physically but big like a kid. A little update on what Luke is up to and into. He got a bike for his birthday. It has been really fun watching him learn how to ride it and gain confidence. In the beginning every time we would go to ride he wouldn't want to and he would be terrified of crashing. It took one day at the park with Dad and now he is a riding like a pro. (I mean it still has training wheels =)). Luke's way of learning to ride the bike is a characteristic of his personality. With many things in life we have to push Luke to try them the first time. After awhile he realizes that he can do something or that he really does like something and just beam. I love it. I love that he needs a little push and encouragement but once he has got it, look out!

Luke has a vivid imagination. With a built in imagination he needs little to entertain himself and he is also super fun to play with. He still loves music, star wars, and super heroes. But, most recently he has been into crafts, coloring, and learning to write. For a really long time he did not want to color or write letters because he would get frustrated that it wouldn't turn out how he wanted. Now that he has better motor skills he is LOVING it.

His newest kick has been wanting to learn to read. I told him that first he needs to learn his letters and the sounds they make and then we can work on reading. Wouldn't you know it that kid learned all of his capital letters in a matter of days. We are now working on the sounds they make and lower case letters. I love working with him simply because he wants to do it and gets so excited!

With his new 4 year old personality have come some changes and challenges. =) He has more attitude than ever before but Jake and I have been working to use all the attitude for teaching and rebuking. Luke thrives on clear set structure and consequences. For example I was having trouble with him at nap and bedtime. Jake and I came up with set rules with clear consequences and DID NOT (no matter how cute he was) waiver and he has been to sleep within 10 minutes the last week.

This is a long update sorry, one more thing. Lukey is more outgoing than he has ever been before and that has also been fun for Jake and I to see. He is introducing himself to kids and learning their names (big step). My little quiet rule follower is still there but there have been twice recently that I have caught him doing things he never would have before (i.e. cutting in line, not listening to his teacher at class). Each of those times Jake and I disciplined and talked to him but there was a part of me that loved seeing his independence and to make choices outside of the rules. My prayer and hope is that he will grow up to be independent but choose most of the time to make the right choice. I am not sure if that makes sense.

All I can say is that everyday I am so thankful for my little man. I am thankful that although we did not plan him God did and he is more than I could have ever asked or hoped for.

Here is a picture he drew this morning on a white board. It is him, and the circles at the top of his head is of course his brain. (I mean who would even have to ask that?) And then a bunch of letters just because he knows how. The image is reversed because that is how photo booth does it.

Halloween Night!

Halloween night was so fun!! We went over to a couple in our small groups house for dinner and Trick or Treating. Luke and Harper loved wearing their costumes and loved having dinner and playing with all of their friends. After dinner we went out to Trick or Treat. It is a really cool neighborhood that was super decorated. Harper didn't love the scary houses but she did love walking the whole time by herself and carrying her bucket. Luke patiently waited for his sister and his cousin Rae at the houses. We left there after awhile because Harper was freaking out and we wanted to trick or treat some back on Grammy and Grandpa's street. Harper loved that and Jake and I were very proud of her and Luke with how loud they would say trick or treat and thank you. At one point Harper ran in someone's house yelling "kitty". She of course was chasing their cat. It was a great night. And I, I mean the kids have been enjoying all of the Halloween treats. =)

All the kids.

If you are a Rutenbar look to your right.

Rae Rae the dinosaur, and Tigger and Piglet

I was taking so many pictures of the kids and Luke had enough and decided to slowly push the girls over. I actually was laughing too hard to discipline him and no one got hurt.

The Cousins

Bouncing Tigger!

Harper kept wanting to be next to her favorite Princess "Rella"

Piglet.

Trick or Treating

Picking out a candy. We had to watch Harper or she would put handfuls in her bucket.

Trick or Treating with Grammy!

Luke told us that this said, "Trick or Treating is all done" We didn't tell him what it really meant.

Tigger and his pumpkin.

These were taking the next morning when Mommy was making a coffee run. And yes I let them each have a sucker in the car in their pajamas.

Pumpkin Carving!

Here are some pictures of us carving pumpkins. Jake "helped" Luke carve his pumpkin. Luke wanted a scary faced pumpkin. He loved helping and designing it, he however did not love cleaning it out. I did one and let Harpy help some. Harper had the most fun playing in the bowl that had all the insides of the pumpkins. She would squish it around and then take a bite and then spit out and then do it all over again over and over. I love carving pumpkins!

Drawing the Face

Scary Face

She kept smelling it.

I love this picture. The flash didn't go off that is why the colors are a little odd.

Pumpkin Patch!

Early this week we went to the pumpkin patch. We have gone to the same one for the last couple of years. Each year it is so fun to see how much there personalities have changed from the previous year. Luke was so helpful with Harper. He would walk around tightly holding her hand trying to keep her from running all over of the place. Jake got some tickets for them to ride the rides and do the petting zoo. The kids loved the rides. I was a little nervous about Harper riding on the train by herself because she would be the kid to climb out but she held on tight. That night Luke was so protective of Harper. After the train ride he went to her car and lifted her out and weaved his way through the people holding her hand tight until he had them both back to Jake and I. We were so proud of him. Luke really enjoyed the bounce house with the slide and it was fun for Jake and I to watch what used to be our timid toddler bounce around with unleashed joy. Luke also was so good with the animals in the petting zoo. One of his favorite things was getting to pick out polished rocks from "Lucky Luke's Gem Stones", he is so proud of his little bag. We ended the night with me taking the kids on the LONGEST tea cup style ride. They had so much fun and my stomach was sore from laughing so hard on it. It was a great night at the Pumpkin City Pumpkin Patch!

Holding Hands

On the tractor.

An animal sneezed and Harper thought it was so funny! I thought her face was so funny that I had to put 2 pictures of it.

Cousin Rae came with Grammy

Luke waited an extra time so that he could ride at the front of the train and he LOVED it!

Feeding the pigs.

Crazy boy in the bounce house.

Showing Harper how to pet the animals.

It is serious business picking out your gems.

Crazy spinning ride.

The Girls.

The Boys

Disneyland!

A few weeks back now, we took a "mini-vacation" (Jake would say "minnie-vacation") to Disneyland. (see...Jake's joke makes much more sense now). We know that taking a 15 minute trip on the freeway isn't all that vacationy...but this is the joy of having 2 kids under the age of 5. We loved every minute of it. We got a great deal on a hotel which Lukey especially loved. He got to sleep in the fold out couch (which in his mind is the pinnacle of luxury) and Harper opted for the pack-n-play inside the tiny closet. The hotel was so fun. Ate tons of meals there. Stayed up late. Watched movies and fun shows. And really loved the pool. They also had a shuttle to Disneyland.

It was so great to enjoy the park for multiple days and be able to come home quick in the middle of the day for a nap and return later.

One lowlight/highlight: at one point we realized during the trip that we had lost our camera. It seemed that somewhere on our shuttle home from lunch we had misplaced it, and didn't realize it was gone till after naps. Mom and Dad were panicked. In the rushing of details and memories, we spent quite a bit of time asking Luke, "do you remember where you put that camera bag you were holding"? Luke calmly looked at each of us and stated "I guess that's why you don't leave a camera bag with a little guy..." He was right.

Oh yeah...good news...the camera was on the shuttle when we returned to the park that night.

Here's some pics of the awesomeness.

Harpy enjoying running in the hallways

No Harper! That's not a button we push.

Kids playing together

Harps was a little jealous of the big beds

2 Awesome Dudes on Dumbo (1 of 5 rides Dad doesn't get sick on at the park)

2 Awesome Girls on Dumbo!

They are learning to enjoy playing together more and more each day

Nothing brings peace to Luke's heart like taking a white steed for jaunt...aka the carousel

Daddy and Harpy (I have no idea what Luke's licking in the background)

Harpy is thrilled to meet her pal Minnie

Pure Greatness

In a later conversation, Jake began to explain to Harper that although we love Mickey...we do not agree with his connections to sorcery.

Luke loves Mickey...but could probably use a bit more "personal space"

Kissing Mickey's nose

Small World

Snugglin' with Dada

Giving babies Nyquil always makes the day a bit easier...

3 Troublemakers