garlic overload? NO!

NO! On Friday night we had company over and I went to old faithful - Ina Garten - for inspiration. I saw this Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic recipe and thought - why not?? I KNOW you're not supposed to try new recipes on guests, but Adam and Mel are so chill and we figured Garrett's pizza is close if worse case scenario. But it was so good! Super creamy, really flavorful, and not too garlicy! It was lovely. Served with couscous, a baguette, good company, and some wine and you got yourself a delicious good time!

mother of pearl

A day for the memory books... Ruby got her first tooth yesterday! In the morning - no tooth. By 4PM - tooth! Before we know it that toothless grin will have pearly whites...

sunday best...

Ruby got dressed up for church this week... when she had the complete outfit on I yelled, "THIS IS WHY WE HAD A GIRL!" ... girls' clothes are freaking adorable when they're this small. LOOK AT HER!








She had on white tights with Mary Jane's this morning when it was chillier - it was almost too much to handle.

start of the season

It's the start of rugby season and Ruby and I made it to a practice game yesterday. It was 70, sunny, and GORGEOUS!

the monkey off his back

Josh has been working on our media unit for a couple months now during his spare time - and he's THRILLED to say - it's FINISHED!

before:




it's up:





it's finished:



Can you believe it??!! He MADE it! From beginning to end, Josh MADE this! Last night, after it was up I told Josh "I feel like such an adult - we have real furniture!" It's fantastic! I love it and am SO proud of Josh and his crazy mad skillz. Yep. With a "z". He's THAT good. Good work, hubby!

when it rains...

...it pours! So far, in the 19 days of January, we have had the following happen:

• My car overheated. It now has a new radiator, thermostat, timing belt, and water pump. Cha-ching!
• Josh's phone has gone onto a better place... my phone is on the fritz... we need to upgrade or switch providers.
• Our laptop's battery is kaputz. It will only work if it is plugged in. So much for being mobile.
• I may need a crown on one of my teeth. Sensitive teeth are the pits.
• Irregardless of my potential crown (fingers crossed that it's just sensitivity and no adornment on my tooth is necessary!), I need a night guard because I clinch my teeth while sleeping (just the thought of it SCREAMS "sexy", no??)
  

Man! 2011! You're bringing on some wild cards, huh??

sleepy lady

Ruby has been quite adventurous in her sleep lately... she used to only sleep on her back with her arms in a field goal position. Every night and every nap. But lately it's a guessing game as to what position she'll be in when we sneak in to take a peak. Lately she's been a side sleeper... it's just the most precious thing ever (but always too dark to take pictures, or trust me - I would!). But the other day during nap time we slipped into her room to check on her and saw this:



On her tummy, in the complete opposite direction in her crib from where we put her, wedged into the corner. Prior to this she was making a few cute growls and squeaks and then it went quiet. Of course I had to make sure everything was okay and walked in to see this cutie. She just got all tuckered out with her noises and couldn't do it any longer... Oh Ruby. Too precious.

observations...

I should rename the blog "the WEEKLY Dunlop" because daily just ain't happening...

I wanted to just document a few observations we have made of our little monkey over the past couple days...

She's a cautious one, that bird. She goes to daycare a few days a week and there is a boy there, Levi, that is 1.5 months older than her. Currently he is pulling himself up and walking around, holding onto furniture. Watching him makes me nervous yet excited. Nervous that our lives will soon be changing once Ruby gets to that point yet excited for her to explore and adventure just that much more. Levi has been crawling for a good few months now and he'll be walking in no time. He's all impulse. He wants it, he'll try it. Ruby is an observer. She watches, processes, takes it all in, comes up with an assessment, and THEN she will act on it. Crawling, in theory, she knows how to do (I'm sure of it), but she hasn't committed to the idea yet - I mean, would you if you had 2 servants to pick you up whenever you wanted to go anywhere? She's brilliant...

Her hands fascinate me. I could stare at her picking up and touching things all day. The way she moves in slow motion because her focus is just that intense. She will hold a stuffed monkey in one hand and with the other hand, ever so slowly and with such precision, she will move her fingers to the very very tip of the tail and lightly touch it, pinch it, then whip it around and throw it behind her... she's so focused!

She's recognizing signs and words - when we sign or say "milk" she LIGHTS up, pumps her legs, and reaches up for you. When you say "up?" to her, she raises her hands in anticipation of being picked up. When you say "more?" when eating, she opens her mouth like a little bird. She's getting to the point when you ask "where's mama?" she'll look at me and the same with "where's daddy?"- she'll look at Josh.

She's adorable... (but we already knew that!)

shake it up...

Apparently on my drive home from work there was an earthquake. I didn't even know it happened but it was a 4.1 - so definitely noticeable. I came in the door and Josh is sitting on the couch and the little one is asleep. Josh told me about the earthquake and then told me the sweetest thing. He said that when he first realized it was happening he immediately jumped up, ran into Ruby's room, and picked the sleeping baby up from her crib because he was so nervous! I mean, it's just amazing how instincts kick in when you're in that kind of situation. I just thought that was the sweetest thing and the look on his face as he was telling me was just priceless. He's just the best dad ever....

EIGHT months!

Month seven was a month of changes which leads to a very different baby this month eight! Ruby is borderline teething (I think) and crawling. As you saw, she's able to drink from a cup and she's eating 3 meals a day now. In December she had a bout with bronchitis, but like a champ, she overcame it. It seems like everyday she's changing and learning some new trick. Lately it's been self-feeding. These pre-Cheerio puff things are her latest quest - she can pick them up and get them to her mouth but letting go is what we're working on. She's a genius I'm telling you!

that hair!

Uncle Peter and Aunt Nicole

... just love that Rubybird!

bag o tricks...

Happy New Year! Look at my new trick!!