Peanut Butter and Jimmy Jam

Bedtime Prayers

2011-07-10T06:51:00.001-07:00

A conversation between me and James last night:

Me: What 3 things should we thank God for in our prayers tonight?
James: Maria, Christina, Gillian.
Me: Good one. What else?
James: Ben, Aunt Amy, Bill and Jane.
Me: Ok, one more thing.
James: Poop.
Me: Did you say food?
James: No, poop.

I love that kid.

Must Read

2011-06-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

This is a really good book! I wasn't sure if I'd get into it since it's a far cry from my usual choice of chick-lit or Harry Potter/Twilight, but I gave it a try and loved it. The really amazing thing is Tom "I've never finished a book in my life" Ruden not only read it from cover-to-cover, but he started reading it on Friday night and finished Saturday morning. Yeah, it's that good!

Farmer's Market

2011-05-21T13:27:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and along with summer comes farmer's markets. Tom and I aren't really the traditional farmer's market customers considering Tom doesn't eat anything green so our experience usually goes something like this: purchase breakfast burritos, eat breakfast burritos, wander aimlessly through the rest of the stands, leave. However, this year we are finding all sorts of kid-friendly booths that keep us there longer. When Jamesie's happy, everyone's happy!

Jamesie was really excited about this dragon. He growled at everyone that walked by and tried to get them with the dragon. Picture the monster voice with props. Other people probably think we're so weird, but I think he's hilarious.

Flying the airplane. The army man put him in there and Jamesie was just thrilled that he got to drive the plane like the "meme."

Speaking of farmer's markets, check out this post for a blast from the past.

One Month (AKA Logan's Post)

2011-05-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

Ooops! Sorry! Wrong Baby. Let's try this again...

I can't believe our little LoganBear is so big already, can you? His first month flew by, and in typical second child fashion, he's almost two months already and I'm just now writing this blog! Sorry Buddy! But...if I had to describe Logan in one word I would say "nice". He is just the sweetest, nicest little guy in the world. With such a crazy big brother I guess you have to be pretty easy-going. So he probably doesn't mind if his one month blog is three weeks late.

Hey Shorty, It's Your Birthday

2011-05-21T12:08:00.000-07:00

We're gonna party like it's your birthday...

With bubbles, ice cream, cake, and big wheels of course!

Love.

Catch 'em!

Here comes the big wheel gang!

LoganBear really wanted to enjoy the party but he just got too tired.

James leading the pack (He only made it half way before he had to turn around or get run over).

Cheeseburger!

Cake-notice the color?

Good thing James has his cousins to help him open those presents.

Helping cook for the party.

That ice cream is supposed to be for him and Grandpa, but I don't think Jamesie's sharing.

"Uncle Dennis, will you show me how to party?"

Love my new cousin.

"A new bike? Awesome! Now I can keep up with those girls!"

The morning after the party-enjoying his new toys inside before mean old mom put them outside.

Cool Dude!

2 years old!

2011-04-30T12:20:00.000-07:00

Millions of people were glued to their televisions April 29, 2011 to watch the royal wedding; but we know that was a big day for a much more important reason: our little guy turned 2!!! I can not believe my little buddy is already two-years-old. How is that even possible? Here are some things you should know about James now that he is officially a big boy:

James is still very very silly. He loves to pretend an alligator is coming and he is going to eat all of us all gone. Jamesie also loves to pretend he is a monster and he is going to get all of us. The monster speaks in a very deep voice and runs around on his tiptoes.
If it moves, James loves it. He's really into big trucks, garbage trucks, school buses, airplanes, and trains. The "meme" drives all of these things. I think "meme" came from the word mailman but I'm not really sure. All I know is, according to James, he drives everything.
Jamesie is still very much an outside boy. He thinks lawnmowers are super cool from a distance or when they're parked safely inside a garage, but when Tom is mowing James stays safe up on the deck. Inside, James feels the same way about vacuums. His favorite thing to say about these is "owie, don't touch it."
I've accidentally convinced James that bugs, butterflies, and caterpillars are yucky. He won't even go down his slide if there is a bug anywhere near it. We're trying to work on this since little boys are supposed to love bugs.
Likes: macaroni and cheese, pizza, ranch dressing on anything, his binky, riding his bike, Dora the Explorer (they watch it a daycare), asking "why?", fruit snacks, people, jumping on his bed, Foxy, dancing, bubble baths, talking (the boy takes after his Grandpa Craig), running around with no clothes on, and cuddling.
Dislikes: hot dogs, naps and bedtime, and having his diaper changed.

As you can see, he doesn't have many dislikes. Jamesie is just a happy guy who has fun everywhere he goes. He's such a little peanut, and we are so blessed to have him! The world is a much better place with Jamesie in it.

Very patiently waiting for Daddy to finish putting his birthday present together.

Ready to play!

Enjoying his birthday present from mom and dad while also playing his new drum from Grandma and Grandpa. Looks like someone else is also enjoying the music set. Who knew Tom could play the trumpet?

So stinkin' cute!

Big brother's birthdays really make a guy tired.

Sweet.

"Ready for my cake!"

Yes, he had a pink cake. I was thinking cherry frosting would be delicious. I did not think it would be so pink. I have taken a lot of grief about it, and it was very embarrassing when Dr. Sayeed asked what kind of cake he had and Jamesie replied, "pink." I will not make this mistake again.

It may be pink, but it sure is good.

Everybody knows you don't have to wear pants on your birthday.

Maybe he has all the musical talent we don't have.

"I'm in the band too."

Easter Fail

2011-04-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

I was pretty excited for Easter this year because it was going to be the first holiday Jamesie is old enough to understand and appreciate. (Actually, that's not entirely true. When I told him the Easter Bunny was going to come on Easter he said "Why?" so I told him because it's a special day that we celebrate and he said "Why?" so then I figured I should mention Jesus since He is the real reason for Easter and then James said "Why?" again, and then I was really stumped. Why does the Easter Bunny come?) Anyway, back to Easter. I went to the store and stocked up on some Easter Bunny goodies. We all know James has way too many toys and is a junk-food junkie, so I tried to get things that would make a fun Easter basket without going overboard. I thought I did a really good job and spent the days leading up to Easter looking forward to Sunday morning. That is, until the Easter Bunny was totally outdone. As Tom mentioned here my awesome coworkers brought over a big brother basket for James on the Friday before Easter. It was very nice of them; however, everything they included in their basket was similar to what I was planning to include in Jamesie's Easter basket except much cooler. Examples: The Easter Bunny got a bubble wand, coworkers got a bubble sword and an awesome electric bubble blower; The Easter Bunny got a 4-pack of Wal-Mart brand sidewalk chalk, coworkers got a deluxe Crayola brand sidewalk chalk set; The Easter Bunny got a yellow kickball (the kind in the big racks in the stores that only cost $1), coworkers got a sweet Nerf kickball. Not to mention the school bus, dump trucks, puzzles, and books that were also in the basket. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed because I obviously couldn't give him my junkie stuff anymore, but I rallied and decided to focus my efforts on the candy side of Easter. I decided the Easter Bunny could bring an empty basket and hide eggs all over the house. Jamesie could fill his own basket with a good old-fashioned Easter egg hunt. The night before Easter I stayed up late and lovingly filled plastic Easter eggs with candy. I wanted him to have a lot of eggs and not much candy so I put 2 M&Ms in each egg. I was very pleased with my plan as I hid eggs all over the house and anxiously awaited the next morning. James woke up Sunday morning and had a great time searching for eggs. Tom's mom had brought James an Easter basket also, so Tom put the eggs from that basket in with the Easter Bunny's eggs, and we sat back to watch him open his eggs and enjoy his M&Ms. Trying to be a good mom, I told him he could open and eat 3 eggs before breakfast. The first egg James chose was from his Grandma Ruden and imagine his excitement (and my dismay) when 30 M&Ms came pouring out. James REALLY enjoyed his candy, and was not interested at all in the eggs with only 2 M&Ms. I decided maybe 3 eggs was too many and we should just call it quits. Sorry Easter Bunny, there's always next year.

We bought this brand new swing for Logan because James loved swinging so much. It almost killed me to buy something at Target rather than a garage sale, but look how much Logan is enjoying it!

Kyle & Julie Visit

2011-04-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

Kelly works with the best people.....James received as many "big brother" gifts as Logan from her school. So much so that James replied "Ho Ho Ho" when asked who gave him all his gifts. I've heard of Christmas in July, but April?

Think I'll wear my hair back today.

So little

"Cheeseburger!"

That's a big nose mister......err lady

Can't you see I'm trying to cry here

Uncle Kyle is the best because he jumps with me!!!!

Loungin' in style with Grandma

Aunt Julie is a natural.....so comfortable I think I'll spend the afternoon here.

Uncle Kyle....hard to believe he's not a Bear fan

These guys have enough energy they could give us a run for our money.

What a difference a week makes!!!!

2011-04-20T04:32:00.000-07:00

"Logan Bear" (as we affectionately refer to him) has been sleeping through the night with only a couple feedings. Those 4 or 5 hour stretches seem like half day sleeping marathons. We're keeping our fingers crossed this continues. The pictures speak for themselves:

One week ago:

This week!!!

New favorite activity for James is jumping on the couch.

Playing with my cousins

2011-04-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

Who's Who? Logan or James.....Let me think about it.

Watering flowers at Grandma & Grandpa's

Showing cousin Gillian my outdoor chores

Gillian showing me how to throw

Now we both throw and race

Anyone up for a game?

Logan getting checked by outdoor security

Little snuggle bug

Love my trips to Grandma's

This is cozy

What up homie?

My cousin sure is fast!

Double the trouble!

Don't worry I got this!

Introducing: Logan Lynn

2011-04-09T06:33:00.000-07:00

Ready to go!!!

Show off!

My Elton look.....Yeah they're girls ones, but I can still rock'em

Logan: Only minutes old!

Finally face to face

Alert and ready to love

Sheriff meet your deputy

Chocolate ice cream to ease the nerves

Lora & Logan

Ready to head home to my castle

Checkin' out my baby bro

Explaining to Mommy everything he knows about babies

Let me fix that hairdo for ya...PS mullets were cool in the 80s

No teeth? We'll work on that

Pretty easy to entertain.....he's a keeper

2011-03-29T18:09:00.000-07:00

James loves music and dancing. His new favorite song is "Hello" By Martin Solveig & Dragonette

2011-03-29T17:43:00.000-07:00

Can't wait for more nice weather to enjoy the outdoors

James loves playing at the park

Baby Dexter!

James likes to take his pants off and run around.....I think he's singing the abcs. Notice foxy in the background has given up after being covered in two blankets. Typical night at the Ruden household and the entertainment is free.

2011-02-07T07:41:00.000-08:00

James loves apples and it is the best way to keep him occupied at the grocery store.
James is slightly spoiled and usually demands a blanket covering him during these cold days.
Among James' favorite toys are his little characters. His newest trend is to make his characters hit each other so I can yell "No No" and send them to timeout. No fighting in the house.
James' super train......one engine on both sides. Simply amazing!
The stairs present many choices- walk down like a big boy, scootch down, or the latest is slide down backwards on your belly. Daddy's rule is there is no playing on the stairs.
Who says slides are for summer!
Loves to jump anywhere!
Cool tower now watch me knock it down
Yum!
Multitasking.
"Truck" is always yelled in a deep voice.
Cousins

The tunnel is James' nemesis and usually results in parts of track being torn apart.
James loves his 4 wheeler!!!

The longer the train the better!
Hide n go seek.....James likes to hide. It's usually not hard to find him as he is still perfecting this skill. Kelly and I like to hide from each other when the other arrives back home. James rarely keeps it together long enough for it to be a surprise.
James' baby

Stylin'
Box Head......James loves to put lots of things on his head as a "cool hat dude!" the more it obstructs his vision the better.

Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet!

2010-10-31T09:41:00.000-07:00

Superman!

He really was having fun...I'm not sure what the grouchy face is all about.

Nerds+a Rice Krispy treat=two happy trick or treaters!

"Just one piece, please!"

Let's do this!

Getting dressed and ready to head out for trick or treating.

Giddy-up Lion!

The slowest tornado slide ever.

This bridge is a little scary.

Teaching him some sweet dance moves.

Go Hawks!

Superman jammas-it's a dress rehearsal for trick or treating.

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-28T12:11:00.000-07:00

Okoboji.......It was a while ago

2010-10-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

Tom's Post (Not authorized by Big Mama)

2010-10-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

Fun @ Toys R Us aka the only place Tom is not allowed on days off

Chillin' with my homie

Throwing yet another item down the laundry shoot......just doin my job it seems endless!

Mirrors......check

Talking on my golf club....in the future everything will be a phone, just practicing

Mom says my new ride isn't welcome in the house, but Daddy doesn't always listen to Mommy

My new ride.....only has one door but I like to get in and out a lot so it works for me

Built my firewood rack, now I just have to water it

Shirt was imported from Greece.....yeah I know I look good....and fast

Big gulps ehhh?

I thought this was for me?

Mmmmmm......Scetti

I can't believe all these little kids here.......where are their parents?

Moose ears.......hello?!? Gets a laugh everytime

How do I get down?

Chillaxin in my chair

Making my daily rounds

Ofcourse I'm the Head Chef.....

I didn't do it
The train at the zoo

Super fun until the tunnel

Love my animals......not sure why Fox Fox didn't come seems like her type of people

Haircut

2010-07-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

Before.
(Not a good picture of either of us.)

What does it take to cut Jamesie's hair?

Lots of cookies...

And A LOT of combs!

Pretty tasty.

I was a little sad when I got my first look at my grown-up boy.

Grandma worked really hard to provide entertainment.

Cool Dude!

Cheese!

After.

Aunt Hannah does great work!

Beach Bum

2010-07-02T19:37:00.001-07:00

We've been spending a lot of time underwater recently. Our favorite swimming holes include the backyard, Ashby Park, and some park near Dennis and Amy's house. Jamesie doesn't really like to swim as much as he likes to stand and pour water on himself. Whatever floats your boat...

Baptism

2010-07-02T19:19:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday was Jamesie's Baptism. I was a little nervous because instead of our usual Sunday routine of 9:15 church, food, nap we were doing 11:00 church, Baptism, lunch with family. My fear was that Little Boy would be a huge grouch, and it turned out I was right to be scared! Jamesie decided that he was not going to sit for church at all. Tom and I spent the entire service walking around and trying to calm crank-boy down. He didn't want snacks, he didn't want to play in the family room, he didn't want to be held, he didn't want us to put him down. I hope our family members enjoyed the sermon because I don't think I heard a word of it! Finally we settled on the old stand-by and took him outside to play. Any other day we would have just left but it was not an option this Sunday. The Baptism Ceremony was pretty much the same...Jamesie sat for about 10 minutes and in that short time he managed to hit the pastor in the foot with his wipes container and throw his binky all the way across the aisle. Luckily, he was one of the first kids to be Baptized because I don't think we would have made it until the end of the service. He looked shocked when Pastor Richard sprinkled water on his head, and Joe suggested that I sprinkle water on his head everytime he misbehaves in church because it did seem to slow him down for a minute. I was sure he was going to reach his hand right into the bowl of water. Thankfully, he didn't and he and I enjoyed the rest of the service from the back of the chapel. Grouchy behavior aside, it was great to have our family at church and we had a very nice lunch afterwards. To paraphrase Pastor Richard-The water is not important, the church is not important, and having a grouchy boy who won't sit still and is throwing a fit is not important. What is important is that God showed up and Jamesie began his relationship with Him.

Sous Chef

2010-06-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

Since I have a little extra time on my hands these days, my mom asked me to bake brownies for a retirement party at work. Of course, Jamesie was a great helper.

What should I measure first?

I'll just crack some eggs.

Helping clean the beaters.

Yum!

I love baking.

"Park"ing

2010-06-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

Last time James went to the park, he looked like this:

Riding in style, huh?

I have a feeling this summer we'll be spending a lot more time there. Now that he's all grown up, here's what Jamesie thinks about the park:

It is not safe to walk on something blue that is made of holes. In order to keep from falling through the holes, it is very important to take teeny tiny steps and not pick up your feet EVER.
Slides are super fun, but why can't you just walk back up them when you're done? It's no fun to go around to the steps. Also, I'm big so my mom doesn't need to go with me, hold onto me, or catch me at the bottom. I can do it myself, thank you!
Swings are bo-ring!
The best thing at the park is the drinking fountain. If you press the button the ground around it gets all wet and you can lay down in the water. It's almost like swimming.
Going to the park can sure make a guy tired!

Memorial Day Visit and Sickies

2010-06-14T09:04:00.000-07:00

James finally got to meet his Aunt Julie and Uncle Kyle! They were in Muscatine for Memorial Day weekend so Jamesie and I loaded up the car and headed over for a very relaxing, nice weekend. Tom didn't get to come with us because he was in Las Vegas. Too bad for him, he missed out!

Saturday we rolled into town around noon, and spent the day playing, taking the dogs for a walk, sitting on the deck, and just enjoying the perfect weather. Jamesie thought Julie and Kyle were AWESOME! He was thrilled with his two new playmates. The three of them were about as silly as it gets.

Sunday Billie, Andy, and Gillian came over along with the newest addition to their family, Winston the Golden Retriever mix. Unfortunately, we couldn't stay and play for very long. Jamesie woke up from his nap with a fever and was being very clingy. He sat on my lap and watched Gillian play-so not like him! I thought I better take advantage of his fever and Tylenol-induced haze so I threw him in his carseat and we cruised on back to Des Moines. I expected him to be his old self again when we got back, but he still had a fever and just didn't feel good. He wanted to be held all afternoon on Sunday and went to bed early Sunday night.

Monday morning James was as healthy as could be, but I was up at 5:00 with the stomach flu! Cathy, Julie, and Kyle all had the same thing in Muscatine. Little Mister must have passed on some germs to us. I joked that I deserved an extra day for my 3-day weekend since I had to waste one in the bathroom being sick (ewww!). The joke turned into reality on Tuesday morning when babysitter Julie called to say she was sick. Jamesie and I got a bonus day off and we both felt good enough to enjoy it.

I was so glad to see Tom when he got home on Tuesday evening. An out of town visit, sick James, sick me, and sick babysitter is a lot to happen when you're a single parent for the weekend!

Trailer Park James and BFFs

2010-06-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves...

Finally!

2010-06-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

Better late than never, that's what I always say. Thanks to Mediacom (boo!) we have been without internet for most of May, so even though it happened a month ago, here are pictures from Little Boy's birthday party.

Cheeseburger!

Someone's all dressed up for the party.

"Who? Me? I'm not doing anything..."

"I'll just have this wagon now. I'm pretty sure it's mine."

Not sure about this whole thing.

"Ewww! Yuck! Can't I just have a pickle?"

Jamesie doesn't stand a chance with all those girl cousins. I've never seen anyone open presents so fast!

I love this picture for so many reasons. I can't decide what I like best: Christina the poser, Gillian pausing in the middle of a very important cell phone convo to say "cheese", Maria holding on tight to the airplane she got for James while trying to convince everyone that James really doesn't like it, or Mr. Muscle in his diaper.

The party was a lot of fun. We got to break in our new deck with our favorite people and celebrate our little boy. What could be better?

A Year Ago Today...

2010-04-28T18:30:00.001-07:00

I didn't know James. In fact, I didn't even know if my little guy was going to be a boy or a girl. 365 days ago right now Tom and I were on our way to the hospital with Little Stewie in my tummy and a bag packed with a boy's outfit and a girl's outfit. Crazy right? On the eve of Jamesie's birthday I'm feeling a little nostalgic, so take a trip down memory lane with me as I relive those days leading up to Jamesie Day.

It really all started on Saturday, April 25. The entire day stretched ahead of us, and somehow Tom convinced me to go to Nebraska Furniture Mart to look at big screens. I must have already been in a weakened state because after years of negotiating, Tom ended up with the tv he's always wanted. We called Rod Fitch and set up an appointment to have it installed later in the week-little did we know, the day he was coming we would be in the hospital with a newborn. That night Tom and I watched Slumdog Millionaire, and I stayed awake (this is a huge accomplishment for me). What kept me up? I was having contractions! As soon as they started, I knew we would be meeting our little guy very soon.

The next day (Sunday, April 26), Tom's parents came to visit. I spent all afternoon writing lesson plans. I had to have two weeks of plans for my sub, and I knew the time to procrastinate was through. That night I only slept for a few hours because I was having contractions and I was just so excited/nervous/impatient for Stewie to just get here already!

I spent all day at work Monday running around like a crazy person tying up loose ends. I forgot a container from my lunch in the fridge, and instead of leaving it like I ordinarily would, I went all the way back for it because I just knew I wouldn't be back at school for a very long time. I went to a doctor's appointment Monday afternoon and the doctor told me he would be seeing me again very soon. That night Tom and I had Buffalo Wild Wings with my mom, even though neither of them thought I was very smart for eating wings when I was about to have a baby. I stand by my decision-they were delicious!

I was up most of the night Monday, and Tom convinced me to stay home from work Tuesday. I knew that I would have to write another day of sub plans for every day I went to work, so I agreed that I should just stay home. Around 3:00 Tom and my mom made me call the doctor to tell him about my contractions. The doctor said we should go to the hospital, and even though I really didn't want to, I went. We stopped at Babies 'R' Us on the way to get a mattress for the cradle. Note to self: If you can stop and shop on the way to the hospital, you really don't need to be going to the hospital. They sent us right back home.

I was so mad and disappointed that I would have to go back to work the next day and I basically decided this baby was never going to come...until I went home and took a nap. I woke up from the nap and realized that this was it! Tom and I ordered Happy Joe's pizza (I didn't eat any...biggest regret ever) and watched American Idol. After American Idol my mom came and got Foxy, and we left for the hospital (again). This ride to the hospital was much different. There were no pit stops and Tom drove FAST.

We got to the hospital around 9:00 and I thought April 28 would be a great birthday. Boy, was I wrong! April 28 probably is a great birthday, but not for our little guy. In typical Jamesie fashion, he wanted to do things his way and on April 29 at 1:21 our Little Mister entered the world. He came in with a bang and hasn't really stopped since. I can't believe a year ago I didn't even know him, and now I can't remember life without him. Happy Birthday Buddy!

Easter Weekend

2010-04-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

We loaded up and headed over to Muscatine for Easter. The weather was beautiful, the company was good, and it was just a very nice weekend.

Cousins

Gillian is so funny!

Taking a break from the Easter Egg Hunt

Got my 2 eggs, that's all I need!

Duh Mom! Why would I want to put my eggs in that basket when it's so fun to bang them together?

Look at that tired boy. Did I mention Easter means "no naps" if your name is James?

These pictures may be the only time you'll see Jamesie outside without a stick in his hands.

The Easter Bunny brought bubbles-Let's try these babies out!

What are these things?

You may think he's looking at the spider, but he's actually thinking, "How can I get those glasses?"

"She's my best friend!"

Check out these cool shoes! Who needs an Easter basket?

So big!

I need a truck for all my stuff.

Outside boy.

This is right before head bump #1. It was a rough weekend for Jamesie. He came home with a forehead full of bruises.

The Best of Friends

2010-04-07T17:34:00.000-07:00

**Listen carefully to the way James talks to Foxy near the end of this video. He has a dog voice now...he makes his voice super high-pitched when he's talking to the dogs. I've taught him well :).

Report Cards

2010-04-06T18:26:00.001-07:00

Here are some recent comments from Jamesie's daycare sheets:

Pushed tractors down the slide
James is always trying to engage the older kids-he also has been pulling hair :).
Spring fever! Lots of crying at the door.
Loved being outside-cried when we came in.
James brought lots of book to me
James had a great day, I was a basket case

These comments pretty much sum up my Little Guy at 11 months. He is all boy, he loves playing with other kids, he likes trucks, tractors, balls, and sticks, and he goes nonstop. Jamesie also loves books and the only time he sits still these days is when he is being read to. You may be wondering about that last comment. Little Mister is giving poor Julie (his babysitter) gray hair. Everyday when I pick him up he has a new bump or bruise and she is a nervous wreck after chasing him around all day. We are very lucky to have her!

Spring Fever

2010-04-06T17:37:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung, and in the Ruden household that means 3 things:

We have been without cable and internet for a week because they cut our cable line while digging holes for our deck.
They cut our cable line while digging holes for our deck! That's right, our deck is finally being built. The posts are in, the frame is done, and the boards are across the top! Tom and I just got finished walking on it, and it was love at first step.
Little Mister has fallen in love with the great outdoors. He wasn't big enough to appreciate being outside in the Fall, but now he is an outside boy. Since we've been having this nice weather we have spent every minute outside and still Jamesie cries when we come in at bedtime. What's James's favorite part of being outside? He really likes eating rocks, but the very best thing? The sticks, duh!

What a week!

2010-03-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

This has been such a fun week! When we got back from Muscatine on Thursday we were only at home for a few hours when we loaded up the car and headed downtown to Legends to support our Panthers. James got to come to cheer on the team with his pal Ben and UNI won-what more could a guy ask for?

On Friday, Andrew and Annie got a room at the Adventureland Inn and invited us to come swim. Jamesie had never actually been swimming before (remember this?), but he loves taking baths and playing in the sink so I was super excited to see him in action in a swimming pool. We got to the hotel and changed the little guys into their trunks (so cute!), then headed over to the baby pool. We walked into the water and James immediately burst into tears. He hated it! I think the pool was just a little too loud and scary for him. Fortunately after a few minutes in the water he loosened up and decided he loved it. Little Mister was all over the place, he was trying to put his face down to drink the water, splashing up a storm, and jumping off the side. Well, ok, the jumping was more like purposely falling, but still, it was fun.

Last night Jamesie got to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa Dorman while Tom and I made our way downtown to watch the UNI/Kansas game. Victory for UNI! UNI fight! UNI fight!

Three days in a row is a lot for us homebodies to be out on the town. I'm definitely looking forward to a nice quiet night at home tonight!

It's really hard to get pictures of 2 little boys in a pool! We tried to get Ben and James to sit by each other so we could get a picture, but Little Crazy Boy just couldn't sit still for that long!

Then and Now

2010-03-19T11:24:00.000-07:00

Then...

Now...

Jungle Gym

2010-03-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

Tom and I will never have to spend money on a jungle gym for James as long as we have our fireplace. James climbs all over it, crawls along it, throws his toys inside it, and rolls his balls around it. I know it's not the safest toy, and I tried really hard to keep James away for a long time, but now we've decided if you can't beat him, join him!

St. Patty's Day

2010-03-19T10:58:00.001-07:00

Since Tom and I both have the week off, we decided to venture over to Muscatine for St. Patrick's Day. Tom's parents always make corn beef and cabbage and have their friends over to celebrate (grasshoppers, yum!). Little social butterfly boy thought it was great to show off his new walking skills. Jamesie is such a ham, he loves being around people and he just talks and talks and talks when there are people around! Tom thinks it must be the Dorman in him that makes James so chatty, and I think he may be right. Little Boy must take after his Grandpa, Great-Grandpa, and Uncle Kevin.

What was Jamesie's favorite part of Muscatine??? His cousin Gillian, of course! James and Gillian ran around and played nonstop. Her reward for sharing her toys with him? Crazy Man sat still long enough for her to hold him. She better enjoy that while it lasts because he's about the same size as her already!

Super Silly

2010-03-15T17:53:00.000-07:00

This is Lucy. She's Jamesie's bff. Actually, he doesn't really care about Lucy, but I thought he needed a buddy to take with him everywhere so I started bringing her everywhere we go. I'll let you know if she catches on with Little Boy.

Too Big

2010-03-14T12:17:00.000-07:00

Little Boy is walking!

Busy Boy

2010-03-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

Jamesie has been busier than ever this week. He is walking like a pro (unless he's in a hurry, then he goes back to crawling), eating like a champ (real food only please, not that junky baby food), getting into everything, and just being a sweet little guy.

Gone Sledding

2010-03-09T17:54:00.000-08:00

It was finally warm enough on Sunday to try out Jamesie's new sled!

So after a few indoor test runs...

We got bundled up and strapped in...

And off we went!

The verdict? Sledding is ok, but watching Foxy run around the backyard like a crazy person is HILARIOUS!

Little Ham

2010-02-27T12:17:00.000-08:00

Here are some new pictures of Little Crazy Man.

Hey Hollywood!

Roar!

I want that one! The one on the bottom!

Check out the canoe...it's a hand-me-down from Uncle Dennis and Jamesie's favorite bath toy.

Two cute boys up way past their bedtime.

Cool hat!

They look ornery.

Who us? We're not doing anything...

Showing off.

This hammer is Jamesie's new fave. He likes it so much he threw it in the toilet.

It kind of looks like he's in time-out.

Running away from those crazy cousins!

Slipper shoes.

Say cheeseburger!

Yikes!

Such a cute boy!

Singing and dancing-I hope he doesn't have his mother's voice.

This ice cream scoop was the favorite toy until James banged it into the dishwasher so hard that it broke.

Not too big to cuddle.

Daycare Phone Call Part 2

2010-02-21T10:27:00.000-08:00

Thursday afternoon I was in the middle of my 2nd reading group when my phone rang (deja vu anyone?). I answered and it was Jamesie's babysitter (is this starting to sound familiar now?). Unfortunately, today's message was no simple wardrobe malfunction. Jamesie had been sleeping all morning (he doesn't nap), he just wanted to be held (he's much too busy for that kind of thing), he was crying (he never cries), and his temperature was 101. Little Boy was sick! I went and got him and we were off to the doctor. The doctor checked him out and announced that he had his first ear infection. We got a prescription for some medicine and home we went. My busy little boy sat on my lap and cuddled for an hour, then he slept the rest of the day. He woke up at 6:30, ate, and was back in bed by 7:30. Poor little stinker! Friday he stayed home with Tom and was feeling much better, but was moving in slow motion. Now he's as good as new. It was nice to borrow a cuddly little guy for a day, but I'm really glad to have my Jamesie back!

Bruiser

2010-02-21T10:09:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday, in the middle of my 2nd reading group, I heard my cell phone ringing in my purse. A few minutes later my classroom phone rang, and I thought, "Oh, shoot." There's only one reason for my cell phone and classroom phone to ring within minutes of each other, and I knew it was not a good one. Of course, it was Jamesie's babysitter, and of course, she didn't have good news to deliver. Instead, she had a very puzzling message for me. She asked if James had fallen down at home this morning or done anything else to hurt his legs. I told her I couldn't think of anything, and she responded by telling me his knees were turning a very ugly purplish color. She said the bruises were getting steadily worse and were much darker than they had been this morning. Immediately, all kinds of horrible thoughts started going through my head. I was picturing my little buddy in terrible pain and racking my brain trying to remember something that may have happened to cause his knees to bruise. When I couldn't think of anything I started imagining all of these ridiculous scenarios: is there something wrong with him to make him bruise easily? is he being abused at daycare and this call is a cover up? I told his babysitter I would call back if I thought of anything, and to call me back if they got worse. 15 minutes later the phone rang again (in this 15 minutes the kids in my class had assured me that the babysitter thinks I'm beating James and she's going to call "the people" on me), when I answered it was the babysitter again, and she opened the conversation with, "I'm so sorry, I'm such an idiot." She went on to explain that his legs were indeed turning purple, but it was because the jeans he had on were rubbing on his legs, and the color from the denim was staining them. We both breathed a huge sigh of relief, and I assured her that I would much rather have her call than not call. Better safe than sorry. As for me, maybe I'll start listening when tags recommend washing before wearing :).

This outfit is the culprit. Doesn't he look cute though?

These pictures really don't do it justice. He was PURPLE!

Video a la Tom

2010-02-13T07:57:00.000-08:00

Here's a flashback movie from Jamesie's first 9 months...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEgIczKpbHw&feature=channel

(Just click on the writing above to watch it.)

Hard Headed

2010-02-06T06:40:00.000-08:00

We were eating dinner last weekend when Dennis said, "I swear James just crawled over to the heater vent, looked at it, and then banged his head against it." He sounded very concerned, but Tom and I just looked at each other and said "Yeah, that sounds about right." Our little guy loves to bang his head on things. He headbutts the heater vents, the floor, the dogs, furniture...just about everything. So, if you're ever holding James and he gets a really intense look on his face, watch out!

Here are some pictures of little stinker boy. The first and last really show off that serious look you should beware of:

P.S. Just as I was typing this I heard a loud noise and turned around to see James headbutting the fireplace.

Mama's Little Helper

2010-02-01T17:47:00.000-08:00

How did I ever get anything done without my little assistant?

The January Report

2010-01-30T12:15:00.001-08:00

January has been a very fun month. Two weekends ago we made the trek over to Muscatine and Jamesie got to spend time with his Grandma and Grandpa Ruden and his cousin Gillian, as well as his Great-Grandma Fifi. James and Gillian played like crazy, and Jamesie really enjoyed riding Gillian's bike. Can you guess what we had to buy as soon as we got home? I tried to point out that James couldn't even play with all of his toys because he has too many, but Tom wasn't hearing that and a trip to Toys "R" Us yielded James a brand new circus train to drive around the house.

Another purchase made in January was a new lamp for our family room. We had a really nice one until Jamesie shook it so hard it tipped over. Luckily it didn't hurt him when he fell, but the lamp was a goner. It worked for a few more days, but it was never quite the same. Instead of touching it to turn it on and off it had to be plugged in and unplugged. Eventually it just wouldn't turn on at all. Mr. James isn't allowed to shake the new lamp so instead he shakes his highchair, the fireplace, the barstools, Foxy, his leapfrog table, Poncho, and the computer.

Jamesie also had his 9-month check up this month. He now weighs in at a hefty 18 pounds (between the 10th and 25th percentile) and measures a big 28 inches (50th percentile). He had to have his finger pricked which didn't seem to bother him too much, but he wasn't sure about the Spongebob band-aid on his finger. At first he tried really hard to yank it off and then he just stared at it for a long time.

There have been 4 snow days this month, and right now school is scheduled to be out June 16th. I think it's crazy to go to school in the middle of June, but I really really love snow days. I keep checking the news in the morning hoping that there might be a power outage or something that will keep us from going to school. I'm sure I'll be grumbling later, but this extra time at home with my little boy (James) and my widdle girl (Foxy) have been awesome!

Fire Fire!

2010-01-06T18:59:00.000-08:00

These are some of my very favorite pictures...especially the one where James and Tom are looking at each other. So sweet!

Crazy James

2010-01-06T18:09:00.000-08:00

Monday morning brought the end of winter break and the return to daycare, school, and work. James has been back at daycare for 3 days and each day when I've picked him up his babysitter has gone on and on about how different he is now than before break. I agree that during the 2 weeks of winter break Jamesie seems to have really grown up! Tom uses the word hyper to describe him and I would definitely agree with that. Among Jamesie's favorite things right now are:

Standing up...it doesn't matter what or where, if he can grab it, James will use it to pull himself up.
The dogs, but they don't love him quite as much now that he's mobile. He makes a mad dash for their food and bones every chance he gets, and it really hurts when he grabs a fistful of their hair to help himself stand up (see above). Fortunately, when they go the opposite direction each time they see him coming he thinks it's a fun chasing game they're playing with him.
James has a girlfriend at daycare and she kisses him and he likes it!
Cuddling with his mama-he always comes over for quick hug breaks in between standing up and terrorizing the dogs.
Playing "bumphead" with Grandpa Dorman.
Whispering, talking, and shouting...Jamesie has a lot to say and he makes sure we know it!
The little boy in the mirror. Every time he sees a mirror James lights up because he's so happy to see his friend.
Drinking water and "eating" Cheerios. Usually Foxy eats the Cheerios because James can't quite get them to his mouth, but he still thinks it's really fun. Jamesie loves to drink out of his sippy cups but he really loves to drink out of grown up cups...if you are getting a drink and he sees you, be prepared to share or face his wrath.
Playing with anything that's not a toy, especially spoons, bowls, and plates.
Playing with his cousins (even when they don't like to play with him, it's kind of like the dogs).

Christmas (part 1)

2009-12-28T09:42:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were a little crazy...in a good way of course! The weather forecast called for a huge storm and travel was not advisable for Christmas Day, so the entire Ruden clan did a quick change of plans and ended up coming Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day as originally planned. Tom and I were really worried that we were going to have to spend Christmas by ourselves so we were really relieved that our company could still make it, and I think the extra day was really the way to go. Everyone could just relax and kickback knowing they wouldn't have to worry about traveling again for awhile. Paul, Cathy, Grandma, Andy, Billie, and Gillian (or for those of you who don't know the Rudens-Tom's dad, mom, grandma, brother, sister-in-law, and our 3 year-old niece) all made the trek to Des Moines. We had a nice afternoon on Christmas Eve, went to Hope's awesome Christmas Eve service, and then Tom and I headed over to my parents' house to fondue. It amazes me every year that we can fondue without burning the house down, but this year it really seemed smoother than usual. I don't even think there were any minor burns, and if you know the crew that was there (Craig, Karla, Dennis, Amy, Hannah, Joe, Bill, Jane, and of course me, Tom, and James), you know that's saying a lot because we don't always follow safety instructions!
Christmas Eve also brought the excitement of me and Tom traipsing through the neighborhood looking for Foxy. Tom and my dad had the bright idea to let her run home from my parents' house without a leash on. I realize they just live down the street, but Foxy isn't the most reliable dog. She tries to be good, but if there's a squirrel she just can't control herself. Sure enough, as soon as Tom let her go, she took off. So Tom and I spent a very scary 30 minutes following her tracks in the snow and yelling for her. I'm sure people in the neighborhood loved having weird people right outside their windows at 1:00 in the morning, but I'll do anything for my Foxy. Thank goodness we left James asleep with my parents otherwise I'm not sure how we would have chased Foxy for so long.
Christmas Day was a really nice, laidback day. We opened presents, watched Gillian and James play with their new stuff (Gillian really liked Jamesie's toys and James was really impressed with her stuff-neither seemed very interested in their own presents), talked, ate, and just had a really nice day.
The bad news is I kept misplacing my camera so I don't have very good pictures of Christmas morning. I'm hoping people will take pity on me and e-mail the pictures they took and then I can post a Christmas (part 2) blog. So here are a few Christmas pictures (and some others that are cute too)...

I'm so big with my sippy cup...

I can even take it with me when I'm on the move.

Enjoying his new tub toys...this is Jamesie's first time in the real bathtub and this picture was taken about 10 seconds before he burst into tears. Poor little guy screamed until we got him out, I guess maybe he's not ready for a real bath but he's getting too big for the sink. He might have to be the smelly kid for awhile :).

Don't let this picture fool you...he was not having fun!

These 2 had fun!!! James thought Gillian was pretty cool and he really loved having someone crawl around with him.

James "The Situation" Ruden

Yeah, I stood up all by myself-no big deal.

Helping wrap presents...I don't know how I would have gotten it all done without him.

Jamesie with his stick (it's his very favorite thing).

Can't catch me!

Presents? Who needs presents? I have my stick.

He's really ripping into those presents now!

Having a very important discussion with Great Grandma Wrobel

Opening presents makes a guy really hungry!

This one is a keeper!

Back by Popular Demand...

2009-12-22T13:01:00.000-08:00

I've had several people ask me about this video. Here it is for those of you who missed it on Facebook. If you aren't sure what I'm talking about just click the blue writing below and it will take you to a video of Jamesie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bujEeZX4bg&feature=channel

And we're off!

2009-12-22T12:36:00.000-08:00

It's official! James is crawling. Well actually he's been crawling for over a week, but it's very difficult to get pictures of a moving target :). Life is very different now that James is mobile, but nobody has been affected by this change quite like Foxy. She's still trying to figure out why her food is hidden away behind a table in the dining room and why she has to share her bones all of a sudden. Jamesie just seems to prefer her food and toys to his, what's wrong with that? Simple household chores have become much more complicated in the last week as well. Now when we vacuum we have to deal with Foxy running away from the vacuum and James chasing it. It's a major feat not to run over anyone's fingers, toes, or paws while making sure the cord doesn't wrap around anyone either. While I'm sure someday soon I'm going to long for the days when I set James on the floor and he stayed there, right now I'm loving this stage! It's so interesting to see which toys he chooses now that he finally gets a choice and it's great when he decides to come see me for a little hug before he gets back to the major work of playing.

Notice the white door in the background? The one that is always open? Not anymore! James would love to get through that door to explore the bathroom, but so far he hasn't had a chance.

New teeth and a runny nose are keeping slobber at an all time high.

Too bad the poor guy doesn't have any toys...

Watch out Fox! He's coming to getcha!

Say Cheese!

2009-12-13T10:39:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Tom and I took James to have his 6 month picture taken. He's 7 1/2 months now so we're a little late, but better late than never. I wasn't as thrilled with these pictures as I was with his 3 month ones but that's probably because he wasn't the best model this time. There was a red dot on the carpet he was supposed to sit on, but sitting just isn't in his vocabulary these days. He wanted to MOVE! I think the photographer was happy to see us leave. Here is a sneak peak at some of the pictures.

Cabin Fever

2009-12-10T11:57:00.000-08:00

After being stuck inside all day yesterday I decided to venture out this morning. Tom gave me the job of moving firewood from the edge of our yard to our garage because he didn't think I could handle the more strenous job of clearing the mountain the snowplow left at the end of our driveway. Foxy and I set out to tackle the firewood project, but we got bored pretty quickly. Foxy is a wimp and can't handle the cold weather and since there is only one path in our backyard she kept plowing into me as she hot-rodded around. I decided Tom didn't know what he was talking about and I would clear the edge of the driveway just to prove a point. 15 minutes later I was sure I was having a heart attack and I went inside to admit my defeat. Tom and James were at the window watching and laughing the entire time. I guess that's what I get for trying to prove a point.

I'm sad to say it but I think we'll all be back at work and school tomorrow. The snowplow has been through and the blizzard of 2009 is officially over. I've really enjoyed being snowed in, and so have Tom and James, but I think Foxy is ready for everyone to leave her alone for awhile. She's been upstairs sleeping in the guest bedroom ever since our snow adventure this morning.

James has become very mobile during our little break. He can't crawl forward yet, but he can go backwards really fast! He even found Foxy's food bowl this morning. Foxy was not happy.

Snow days are so funny!

This poor Bert and Ernie doll was a casualty of the Blizzard of '09. Yesterday when I saw that school was canceled again today I did a celebratory dance that made Foxy so excited she took off with this ball in her mouth. Bert and Ernie used to laugh and vibrate, that is no longer the case.

Cute boy.

Love it!

I <3 Snow Days!

2009-12-09T14:05:00.001-08:00

In celebration of James's 1st snow day we stayed in our pajamas and played all day. Tom even got a halfway snow day because Bed Bath and Beyond opened at 12 and closed at 4. It was too cold to play outside, but I can tell James is itching to get out and play in the snow. Ok, maybe I'm just itching to see James try out his sled, but I'm sure once he tries it he'll like it.

My snow day bums.

So close to crawling.

I like my little friend. Thanks Lora and Josh!

Foxy's funny, Mom with the camera-not so funny.

Fallen Soldier

2009-12-06T10:48:00.001-08:00

Poor Foxy has taken ill. She ripped off her toenail last night when she was running outside. It's still kind of attached but it's upside down and stuck in the bottom of her foot. Tom is taking her to the vet in the morning, but until then we've fashioned a homemade cast to keep her from chewing on it. She is limping all over the house and I feel so bad for her, but James thinks she's even more hilarious!Notice how the sock is looped through her collar. This is the new and improved cast. Her first one included a t-shirt and duct tape.

Marshmallow Boy and "Tis The Season

2009-12-06T10:29:00.001-08:00

This weekend was the first truly cold weekend of the year. James doesn't really have a warm winter coat so we had to bundle him in his snowsuit when we ventured out Friday night. He didn't really mind at first, but when he tried to sit down and fell right over he got pretty crabby.

Humpty Dumpty getting ready for his great fall. He's definitely wobbling right now.

And he's down!

Saturday Tom and I went to get our Christmas tree. We had planned on taking James and pulling him through the snow on his sled, but since there was no snow and it was super cold he had to stay home with Grandma instead. Foxy got to come though and we had a good time tromping around the tree lot looking for the perfect tree. Tom and I were both trying really hard to pick a tree that wasn't too big, but somehow we ended up with the HUGEST Christmas tree ever.

Jamesie in front of the giant tree.

Tom working hard on the lights.

Foxy and James were not much help.

Still missing ornaments, but very pretty lights.

I guess my sweatshirt string was much more interesting than the tree.

A Hodge Podge of Pictures

2009-11-29T17:49:00.000-08:00

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Welcome back! I was ready to throw in the towel on this whole blog thing but I've received so many guilt trips from faithful readers in the past week I've decided to give it another shot. I was sure you all had given up on me, but Connie and Robin-this is for you! No more Pepsi cup when you check.

It's been a really busy week...casserole night, Thanksgiving #1, James's 1st fever, Thanksgiving #2, 3 new teeth popping through, a flying leap from the Bumbo chair (James has to eat in his high chair now), and a birthday party.

Here are somethings James thinks you should know about him now that he's 7 months old:

Foxy is his very best friend. They are always together and James thinks everything Foxy does is HILARIOUS. James likes to grab Foxy's hair and tail and Foxy is very patient about letting him. Lately James has decided he should chew on Foxy's bones because they're much more fun than his toys.
James REALLY wants to walk. He loves standing and jumping and is thinking about skipping crawling and going straight to walking.
Veggies are this boy's fave. He will gobble down green beans, peas, squash, and sweet potatoes but don't even think about giving him fruit. He really hates bananas and will only eats pears if he has to.
Napping=no thanks! There are way more important things to do than take a nap so don't even try.
Jamesie is social and likes to be around a lot of people-as long as his mom and dad are nearby! He's starting to get a little nervous around new people and even cried at daycare a few times when I leave.
Yes, that is a picture with pink pajamas. James did sleep in pink jammies one night when he was at his grandma's house and desperate! It's really hard being the only boy in the family and desperate times call for desperate measures.
Glasses? Earrings? Necklace? Hair? Watch out, if you have it, he'll grab it!

Jamesie's Favorite Toy

2009-09-06T07:50:00.000-07:00

James just can't function without his Diet Pepsi. Actually he doesn't care about what's inside, he just loves the outside of this cup! One look at it makes him crack up. He's loved this cup ever since we got it at the fair and he never gets tired of looking at it.

Guess what he's staring at.

Looking at his cup.

All Worn Out

2009-09-06T07:48:00.001-07:00

Brrrr

2009-09-06T07:43:00.000-07:00

Can you believe how cold it is already? I never thought James would be this bundled up in August.

4 Months!

2009-09-05T09:17:00.000-07:00

Look how much he's changed...

Back To School

2009-08-23T14:58:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is my first day back at work. I'm really sad to leave James, but it's definitely time for me to go to work. I am a lot more productive when I am working and these past couple weeks I've started going a little crazy with boredom. James will be going to an in-home daycare. His teacher's name is Julie. Last week James went there in the afternoons while I worked in my classroom for a few hours. He seemed to like Julie but he was an AWFUL napper while he was there. I'm hoping he can learn to take good naps while he's there, otherwise he will be a very tired and cranky little boy. I think the transition is going to be hardest on me (I cried the whole way to school each day when I dropped him off) and Foxy. Fox Fox has gotten very spoiled this summer so she's going to have a hard time readjusting to days by herself.
Today the whole circus went to school to help me get my classroom ready. Tom was very helpful-he hooked up my computers and hung some high posters for me. Foxy and James slept most of the time, but I think they had fun seeing their mom's work.

Fair 2.0

2009-08-23T14:52:00.001-07:00

Doctor Doctor

2009-08-20T13:41:00.000-07:00

James had his 4 month check up today. 4 months, can you believe it?!? Here are his vitals:

He weighs 13 lbs 8 oz which puts him in the 25th percentile for weight (at his 2 month he was 10 lbs 9 oz and in the 10th percentile).
He is 25 inches long and in the 50th percentile for length (at 2 months he was 22 inches and 25th percentile).
He has a small head-40.4 cm which is in the 1oth percentile. Oh well though, you know what they say, "small head, big brain." Actually I might be the only one that says that, but I think I read it in a magazine once :).

Poor Jamesie also had to have 3 shots today. Ouch! But the really exciting news is that the doctor gave him the go ahead to start eating cereal. Foxy is really going to love this new phase in Jamesie's life because I'm sure my little bossy boy will want to help hold the spoon and I foresee a lot of cereal landing on the floor.

Check out those band-aids.

That grape Tylenol is delicious!

The 3 shots don't seem to be slowing him down at all.

Naked Boy

2009-08-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

James is rolling over A LOT now! He is really good at rolling from his back to his stomach but not so much from his stomach to his back. He knows how to do it, and he's done it quite a few times, but most of the time he gets on his stomach and waits for someone to roll him back over. Little Jamesie does his best rolling when he's naked so he's been spending a lot of time lately lounging around in his birthday suit.

Go Cubs Go!

2009-08-19T07:41:00.001-07:00

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree...

Our State Fair is a Great State Fair...

2009-08-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

Don't miss it, don't even be late! Well we didn't miss it, but we were late. Sunday morning at 8:00 sharp Tom and I were packed up and ready to go. Too bad Jamesie, Uncle Kevin, and Grandma and Grandpa Dorman weren't ready until 9:00. Once the sleepyheads were finally up and ready we headed off to the fair. Joe and Hannah joined us and our little group saw and ate almost everything the fair had to offer. All together we consumed 2 pineapples on a stick, 2 cheese curds, a cheese on a stick, 2 giant pickles, 2 chicken lips, 2 footlong hot dogs, 2 chili dogs, a pork sandwich, a tenderloin, greater taters, french fries, a funnel cake, and a pickle dog. Yum!
What did James think about the fair? He loved it! He especially loved the giant ceiling fans and the cup filled with ice that made a rattling sound when Tom shook it. Ok, so maybe those aren't the traditional fair attractions, but when you're only 3 months old you just can't really appreciate a cow made out of butter or a 4,000 pound bull!

Smiley boy!

So much to look at!

The fair is so fun!

So Tired!

Keeping the tradition alive!

Standin' Around

2009-08-18T10:06:00.001-07:00

Apparently nobody told James that he is a little baby and little babies are supposed to lay down to play. He is only happy when he's standing, whether it's on your lap, in his exersaucer, or in his jumperoo. He's way too small for his exersaucer and his jumperoo, but jam a few blankets around him and he's a happy camper!

Go Bananas

2009-08-05T05:04:00.000-07:00

I've always been more of a salty girl than a sweet girl. Unfortunately while I was pregnant I developed a sweet tooth that just won't go away. My mom doesn't help matters because she is a horrible influence on me. Check out this banana split she made us order, it's as big as James!

Can I PLEASE have a bite Mom?

Fine, I don't need ice cream anyway, I have my fingers!

Just so you know, we ate the side with the hot fudge and the side with the caramel sauce. The part that was left over had strawberries on it. I guess if you're going to eat junk you might as well go all out.

Friday Fun

2009-08-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

My mom took the day off on Friday so we decided to pack up Maria, Christina, and James for a picnic and James's first trip to the pool.

Our day got off to a slow start. Mr. James decided to take a very long nap and the girls were hungry so we moved our picnic to my living room floor. Maria and Christina were excited to get to the park, but once we gave them each a can of orange pop they were pretty happy campers.

Does he look like he's ready for a crazy day at the pool?

At the pool. Yes, James is sleeping in there.

Smile Grandma!

Finally awake and ready to swim!

This little boy is "shark attacking" James. Meanwhile we had two very tired girls that NEEDED to get home for a nap. Sorry Jamesie! You slept for a little too long and missed your chance to go swimming.

Happy Maria watering the flowers after her nap.

Christina working hard after her nap. She just didn't want to take her swimming suit off yet.

James finally got to meet his Great-Uncle Kevin. Don't they look alike?

Totally worn out after a busy day!

That's How I Roll...

2009-07-31T09:24:00.000-07:00

This is what James looked like before I ran upstairs to change clothes this morning:

This is what he looked like afterwards:

Any Questions?

*Yes, this is a reenactment. That's not even my house and although James is very talented he can not make a blanket disappear. I don't have any pictures from the actual event because the little sneak decided to roll over for the very first time when he was alone.

Holy cow, where did the time go?!?

2009-07-29T05:48:00.000-07:00

James is 3 months old today. My cousin Brooke had the idea to take a picture every month and I thought it was a good one, so I stole it. Here are pictures of James at 1 month, 2 months, and today. I can't believe how big he is!

James the Model

2009-07-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

My mom and I took James to get his pictures taken yesterday. I think he has a modeling career in his future. He definitely hammed it up for the camera. I definitely went a little overboard ordering pictures so everyone can expect to see lots of pictures heading your way in the near future. In 48 hours you can check out all of his pictures online (look for an email from me with the link) but until then, here's a preview of what's to come.

James was kind of over having his pictures taken by the time we got to his red outfit. Can you tell?

On the road again

2009-07-24T08:32:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we packed up the car and headed to Muscatine. And when I say packed I mean PACKED! Tom's car was filled to the brim with enough stuff to last us a month including a very irritated Pepper. She just couldn't understand why she had to be stuck in the very back of the Trailblazer instead of sitting in the front seat like usual. As soon as we got on the interstate Pepper decided she didn't belong in the way back and tried to jump over the seat right into James's carseat. Tom and I both yelled but it just scared her and then she was dangling between the seats shaking with fear. Finally I crawled into the backseat and gave her a push. After that eventful beginning the trip was really smooth. James slept the whole way which was a relief because he usually screams in his carseat and Pepper pouted in the back.

Once we got to Muscatine we had a really nice relaxing day. The weather was beautiful so we spent most of our time there sitting on the deck. Billie and Andy came over from Iowa City for the day so James got to play with his cousin Gillian. We got to see pictures from Julie's wedding in the Virgin Islands and it looked beautiful. We were very jealous! James slept really well Saturday night (must be all that fresh air) and after a huge pancake breakfast Sunday we headed back home.

Check out that sweatshirt! It felt more like fall than July.

James and Gillian with their Great Grandma.

Gillian didn't mind sharing her mom as long as she was the one holding James.

James got in trouble with his Grandma Ruden so she spanked his bottom.

Technical Difficulties

2009-07-22T07:26:00.000-07:00

Don't worry faithful readers (all 3 of you), I'm still here. Unfortunately Tom broke our camera so I can't post any new pictures. The good news is that I've ordered the cord I need from Ebay and it should be here soon. Here are some cute pictures to hold you over until it arrives.

Valley Junction farmer's market

So big in his jean shorts!

Smile James! Tom and I definitely like the Bumbo chair more than James does. We just keep putting him in it, but he's just not that into it. Maybe one of these days...

Cracking himself up

P.S. Tom didn't really break our camera-it's just fun to blame that sort of thing on him :).

The Many Names of James

2009-07-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

Things we call James:

Jimmy Jam
Monkey Man
Binkmaster Junior
Toot Ruden
Little Boy Blue (Go Blow Your Horn)
Monkman Millionaire
JT Moneymaker
Little (not to be confused with Widdle-that's Foxy)
Burrito Boy
Jamesie Baby
Mr. James
Little Malochos/Balochos (Tom is bilingual, didn't you know?)

The poor kid must be very confused!

Rub A Dub Dub James in the Tub

2009-07-17T08:53:00.001-07:00

Sorry Jamesie! Not only does your mom take bathtub pictures, she also posts them on the internet for everyone to see. How embarrassing!

Love my baths!

Give me that washcloth Mom! I can do it myself!

That washcloth didn't taste very good!

Mom thought she wouldn't have to wash my mouth out with soap until I was a teenager.

Big stretch!

So clean and handsome in my Bumbo chair.

Going to the Zoo Zoo Zoo

2009-07-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

James made his first trip to the zoo this week. We were just hanging out when one of my coworkers called to invite us. She called at 9:15 to say she was meeting two of my other coworkers at the zoo at 10:00 and she was sorry for the short notice. I told her it was no problem and that we could definitely make it by 10:00-I lied! I totally forgot how much time it takes to get anywhere these days. I changed my clothes, took James out of his pajamas, fed James, packed the diaper bag, forced Foxy outside, let Foxy back in, gave Foxy a peanut butter bone (she gets sad when we leave), put sunscreen on James, sat on the tube of sunscreen while it was open, changed my shorts, went to Target ($58 for an umbrella stroller??? I don't think so!), went to Wal-Mart, assembled an umbrella stroller in the Wal-Mart parking lot, missed my exit and went all the way to Bevington on the interstate, and finally pulled into the zoo at 10:50.

Once we got to the zoo it was a very fun day. The last time I was at the zoo was with Maria and Christina when they were little and the time before that was with a big group of middle schoolers. Maria and Christina were just a little too young to enjoy the zoo when we went, and the middle schoolers were not impressed because middle schoolers are too cool to be impressed with anything. This time our little group included a 5th grader, 1st grader, five year old, three year old, one year old, and little Jimmy Jam. The kids were really excited about the animals, and since it was a cool day the animals were really active and fun to watch. James slept through most of the zoo, but he did wake up at lunch time (he never misses an opportunity to eat-he definitely takes after his mother!).

James ready to do the zoo.

So excited for his first train ride!

Getting a little nervous...does this ride go fast?

The zoo is really exhausting.

And we're off...

2009-07-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

Ok I did it. I finally took the plunge and started a blog. I'm a little nervous because I've never been very good at keeping things like this updated, but I'm really hoping this time will be different. My hope comes from a very special motivation: my sweet baby James. He's growing up so fast and changing so much I feel like I need a way to keep everyone informed on what's happening in his life (and maybe what's happening with me and Tom too, but let's face it most people are only interested in James). So, here goes nothin'!

I, Kelly Lynn Ruden, do solemnly swear to try my best to keep this blog current. If I go too long without updating I am prepared to accept complaints and hostility from friends and family members. I acknowledge the frustration that comes from checking an outdated blog and I vow not to become one of those sites.