Ferrara's in Florida

At 9 months 1 week, Joel is officially walking.  He is consistenly walking 4 steps in a row over and over as of today.  His 9 month appointment yesterday showed him at 18lbs13oz (25%) 29 inches (75%).  The boy is cute as pie, he is delightful walking.  Sable & I cheer him on so not only is he walking but he is walking with a double-wide toothy grin.  Exploring the Kitchen Cabinets

While putting the girls in for a nap, Ruby asked me a question and the following conversation took place: Ruby:  Mommy, Are there spanking sticks in heaven? Mommy: I don't think so. Ruby:  Well, are you going to bring spanking sticks with you to heaven? Sable: No, Ruby, she's not.  Pastor George says you can't bring anything with you.

Nana & Emma momentarily posing on our jog/bike ride The girls love their Aunt Marlene...and helping her bake   Joel enjoying his cousin Emma

Ruby: "I'm working.  I'm at a meeting and I don't want to work.  I want to be working out instead.  But I have to work for my dad (read: husband). And I need to pray.  I need to pray for my kids so they don't whine on the plane." LOLOLOLOLOLOL

Ruby honestly can't keep her hands off our nativity set.  Maw-Maw gave it to us as a wedding gift so it's been with us for 11 Christmases with hopes it will make it several decades more.  So last Christmas I added a children's nativity set.  I put out the colorful wooden set in my girls' reach while the traditional one from MMG we placed high on the wine mantle. Last night after the girls went to bed I found the wooden set so I put it out for them to see this morning.  When I came down for breakfast, Ruby was playing with it.  She said, "Mommy, what is Baby Jesus' middle name?"  Mommy, "I don't know."  Ruby replied, "When I see Mary in heaven I'm going to ask her."  Sable said, "Mommy, I just love the Jesus farm you put out."  Mommy, "What?"  Sable, "Look, the Jesus farm.  It has sheep and a camel and wise men."

In the past week I received at least three emails asking for children's gift ideas for Christmas.  Since you're asking, let's start at the oldest and work our way down-- My big boy (Daddy-O)--He needs a waffle maker.  After 11.5 years, one of our favorite wedding gifts went ka-put.  And he makes us waffles every Sunday morning.  The girls will be ready to trade in their orange cinnamon rolls for homemade waffles, so bring it on.  And by the way, Daddy-O doesn't check the blog so it will be a nice surprise. Sable--Oh boy.  She checks the mail daily before naps for American Girl catalogs.  And because she rarely takes naps, she passionately peruses each page and would you believe that every page has a baby doll or stroller she has always wanted? Ruby--Spend nada.  $0. Zilch.  Please wrap your old high heels, purses, costume jewelry, chap stick and body glitter.  Actually, don't send the body glitter, she experiments on...

Today is a regular ole Wednesday with our 3 year old in full imagination.  Out of Ruby Simone's mouth: "Today is my birf-day.  I'm Mary and Joel is baby Jesus.  Daddy is Big Jesus. I'm going to marry daddy so I can have a baby girl.  Today.  Cuz it's my birf-day. My birf-day dinner is chicken, chicken hands, and for dessert protein bars." Daddy: "Do you mean chicken fingers?" Ruby: "No I mean chicken hands." Sable: "Daddy, where was Joseph when Jesus was dying on the cross?" Daddy: "I'm not sure." Ruby: "Joesph was probably working at home on his computer."