19 months

R.A. had her 18 month appointment last week.  She is 80% percentile on weight.  She speaks more words than I can count.  Her favorite things are books and being outside.  She loves accessories: hats, backpacks, gloves, oven mitts, her mom's scarves.  She loves giving hugs and kisses.  She sleeps like a champ still, sleeping from around 7pm to 6 or 6:30 every morning, though sometimes she'll sleep in till 8 or goes to bed at 6pm, depending on the exhaustion level of the day.  She takes a nice nap each morning, for around 2 hours, and then has a quiet hour in the afternoon, reading books.  She also spends time reading books in her crib each morning, so I can try to catch a few more Zs before facing my wildly hectic days.  She spends the morning with her dad, her lunch with me and then goes to her friend Carolina's in the afternoon, who's mother is so kind to make time for Squeaks each day from 1:30-4:30.  My dear friend Kristin is still so kind to watch Squeaks each Tuesday, where they go for walks, sew and cook together.  It is so comforting to know Squeaks is so lovingly cared for each day. Aaron joins us for most evenings as we enjoy ourselves and our sweet family.  Moments seem to have more meaning and more value as we make memories and share laughter together as a family.

Squeaks adores the outdoors and requests early each day to go "side" bringing her "shoes" and "jacket" to me to prepare for our departure.

She is still dear friends with Puffin who has unofficially been named "dog sister of the year," as she puts up with sharing her dog bed, ball and favorite spot on the couch with Squeaks.

Weekends consist of family hikes, swims, reading books and turning our house inside out as Squeaks makes discoveries and explores.

She shows nearly no attachment to any particular item or thing in our house and spends time equally with all stuffed animals, books and toys.  She also shows no real interest in vegetables.  In general she is almost too busy to enjoy stopping to eat at all.  She often finds herself "all done" with her meal a few seconds after siting down.  Aaron and I are trying to come up with ways for her to stop and eat.  We've tried books, having her eat on our laps, music, but nearly always the outcome is the same "all done" which translated means I am still hungry but I would rather be free to play on my own.

Her favorite word is "ma" which translated means I want something, you can figure it out, and I will continue to say "ma" over and over until you do.  And if/ when you do figure it out I will soon be interested in something else and say "ma" again.

She also loves going to Edgecumbe each day for lunch as dozens of children often rush to play with "Squeaks!".  One of my students for a Spanish project did a lovely life size replica of her for a class project.  Now each day when she walks by her poster hanging on the wall (which actually looks shockingly similar to her), she stops, points and says "me" giving a big grin.  Here are some pics from this past month showing some of her aforementioned favorite things and activities:

"I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory." Ps. 63:2

life these days

So the Routon's have entered into a new stage including new kinds of fun...  Our days are mostly full of survival training.  Do we have food in our pantry? Veggies in the fridge? Clean clothes in our closets? Gas in our cars? Sleep?  Forget luxuries like naps, free time, activities after 7 pm, we have a 15 month old.

And although life is full, I can say with 100% honesty, it has never been better.  Aaron and I never seem to lack enthusiam or excitement for our days ahead and we don't take them for granted either. Squeaks is now on the move.  1 1/2 weeks ago in the gym in front of a stadium full of admirers she officially started walking.  I missed it, but my students made sure to let me know it happened.  It occurred right when I passed her onto her dad so I could head back to my classroom for Spanish 2.  When the bell rang my students piled in eager voices shouting "Mrs. Routon, Mrs. Routon you missed it, Squeakers started walking!" "Don't worry Mrs. Routon Aaron got a video."  "No, he only got a few seconds Mrs. Routon, it took him awhile to get out his phone." Well Aaron didn't even get a few seconds recorded on video b/c he hadn't really pressed record.  I was heartbroken to miss this monumental occasion, her first substantial trek.  Since then she hasn't looked back.  She is walking, and she also now has her first tooth. 

Other news is less exciting, I had a birthday and got a year older.  Below is a picture of the outing.  We were supposed to go up a hill, but because of soggy and windier weather than normal and a crew of sick folks we took a leisurely river hike.  We left Squeaks behind with a baby sitter, something we are becoming more and more familiar with.  

Also, just recently we have sadly had to said goodbye to a dear friend.  We had a nice send off for him, and then put him on the ferry the next day.  Patrick, a.k.a. Fowler (his last name) has moved to Petersburg.  Petersburg is a neighboring community in southeast Alaska, but for us to visit it requires an Alaskan Airline flight and then a ferry or another flight into Petersburg.

We are also already more than 1/2 way finished with the 1st semester.  My students are absolutely incredible.  I enjoy each moment with them.  Friday morning Young Life breakfasts have been up and running this past month, and we have a regular crew of girls that come for breakfast each week.  Squeaks LOVES attending because she is smothered with love and affection!

Also below is an disproportionately large number of pictures of Squeaks, angel baby of the universe (like any smitten momma would say).  Thanks for taking time out of your busy life to read what is going on in ours...

Squeaks does cry after all, rarely but it happens, here she is right after giving her teething meds, she's better now.

But mainly all smiles for this happy easy-going baby!

Squeaks LOVES music and you'll often see her tapping her foot or shaking her head to the music.

She also enjoys books and loves her most favorite very tolerant puppy dog...

Fowler is featured on the far left.

Us putting Fowler on the ferry.

YL girls breakfast!

busy season

Squeaks giving her "dadda" kisses!

Things haven't slowed down AT ALL in the Routon household this last month.  My first day back at work officially began on the 14th of Aug., the students appeared 1 1/2 weeks later, putting 2 weeks of classes already behind me.

In the meanwhile every Routon (even Puff dog), on a happy note, joined the MEHS Cross Country team (70 kids!) and then, on an unfortunate note, continue to come down with illnesses.  For Ruthann and I its been colds that keep appearing.  For Aaron it was a long week of temperature and chills ending in with prescription for giardia. Squeaks has been adjusting to life again with papa in the morning and at Sydneys and Braydon (our neighbors) in the afternoon.  The transition has been much harder this time for her momma.  Squeaks is endless fun and laughter.  Even when sick she is ALL SMILES ALL THE TIME.  At 13 months she's never gone though a clingy to mom stage and she knows that all people are her best friend.  If we laugh at something she does, she just does it again and again squealing with delight.  She is a charmer to the inth degree.

Recent Milestones:
* She knows 4 words: baby, momma, dadda, and hi
* "Hiiiiii" is her favorite and she always ends it on an up beat, often moving her head up too as she says her hellos
* She is a sassy crawler, moving her hips and smacking her hands as she goes at a quick clip, hello Olympics 2024
* She LOVES standing and can "walk" unassisted if holding onto cabinets and walls
* This girl can sleep!  She went to bed last night at 8pm and is still sleeping now (9:01am), though her napping has been less dependable
* She's also a serious chatterbox, she loves reading to herself, humming as she crawls and makes noise essentially all day long
* She still has no teeth and has started drinking some cow milk during the weekdays
* She is a ferocious eater and likes everything under the sun, especially if it is sweet like roasted carrots and sweet potatoes

Aaron is also working more this year (3/4 time) so our house looks like one with a busy infant all the time.  We are still trying to figure out how to maintain optimal health and to stay active.  Anyone with any advice on the matter?  .... We'll take it!  Time seems as if it has grown wings! No blinking during this busy season.

photo session

naked time

A mostly clean face, it's a miracle!

Puffin lick attack, these happen all the time at our house, fortunately RA LOVES it!

Another one of RAs loves, MUSIC, here she's on the xylophone...

...now the jembe... (though my favorite thing about this photo is the thunder thighs)

... and last but not least the shaker egg.

Now it's time to walk around the house in my wheely cart.

Got to love these gummy smiles!

Here's another.

Here you see her wave good-bye right before she takes off around the corner.

I get this smirk all the time. 

Moving on to books.  Here she is reading one of her favorites. 

a full heart

Aaron often says he wants our house to be full of praise.

He wants us to wake each morning with a song in our heart.

Aaron seems to have come by this ability to see the positive so naturally.  I've always admired it.

Frequently, either out of the blue, or when I have worked myself up, he asks me to say three things that I am grateful for right now, in this exact moment.  And ridiculously enough, sometimes I actually find this activity to be hard, I have blinders on, instead my mind is full of frustrations.  It seems easier to focus on my longings and desires.

But this past year, a bit, I do hear my heart praising more.  Often even, I feel an overflow, finding myself in a place of overwhelming gratitude.  My heart is more full, more content, love pours out from an excess. 

Aaron and I just celebrated our 4 year anniversary on Wednesday.  It was one of those days.  Aaron voiced his wealth and abundance all day.  My heart listened and smiled.  The words didn't flow out like his, but they were there. 

What three things are you grateful for, right now, it this moment?

blowout birthday bash

"Oh, great I've just been invited to a 1 year old birthday party!  I hope I'll have a legit excuse of why I can't attend."

The only people that would really want to attend a one year olds birthday, other than the parents, are the grandparents.  I thought about not having a party for RA, but it was out of the question!  Aaron and I had survived year 1, and we NEEDED to celebrate.  If not to celebrate her life, to celebrate us still being alive through it all plus celebrate all the SUPPORT we'd had weathering the storms and celebrating the joys!  We had to have a party!  My thought was if we had delicious snacks and cocktails then there was no way people couldn't have fun.  For those who felt like they were stuck in their worst nightmare they could have a martini and forget there were dozens of wild hipped up on sugar children running around in a way too small house because you can't throw an outdoor party in Sitka because it WILL rain.  Then Aaron asked if we could make the party alcohol free, we had a wide variety of friends coming with different alcohol backgrounds and he thought it would be more respectful of them to just serve punch.  Ok, no drinking your blues away. 

Somehow, because I have GREAT friends that are willing to give this 1st birthday party thing a shot, I think the party might have been a success.  Sadly we had no blood family there, but it felt like everyone there loved us in the gracious way family does, even when your house is too small and the kids are too loud and the cake isn't gluten free. 

Ruthann was such a joy to watch at her party.  By looking at her trucking around on all fours, it is as if she knew the party was for her, she knew she was the host.  She was so kind making her way to greet everyone that entered, smiling and cooing and sitting in the middle of the room clapping her hands and watching the bigger kids zipping around doing cool bigger kids things.

However, when it came time for her candle to be lit and the birthday song to be sung she did look like she wanted to hide in the other room, decided she didn't want to blow out her candle after all, decided Puffin was way cooler, so were her friends and this socializing was WAY better than cake!  Plus, candles are dangerous and will singe your eyebrows (that is what happened while practicing blowing out candles, oops).

 I enjoyed looking around the room and feeling love.  I truly FELT it. 

Ruthann did too.

So to those of you who came, thanks.  For those of you who couldn't, well if you're reading this blog I know if you would have if you had had a telaporter. 

And you can still participate in our one fun party game!  So grab your uncomfortable party hat, blow your party favor and get ready to play....

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW RUTHANN?
(Answers to follow... they will not be upside down though)

Q1:What would have been RAs name if she were a boy?
Q2: What is RAs nickname?
Q3: Where was RAs first trip?
Q4: What mnts. in Sitka has RA climbed?
Q5: Name 3 places outside of Sitka that RA has visited?
Q6: What was RAs first solid food?
Q7: What is RAs most prized possession?
Q8: How many teeth does RA have?
Q9: When did RA begin crawling?
Q10: What percentile, for weight, is Ruthann?

A1: Isaac Rutherford, Aaron liked Isaac, Rutherford was my grandfathers name
A2: Squeaks or Squeakers, she received this nickname week 1
A3: Juneau, Aaron had a YL conference, RA was 6 weeks old.  We ferried over
A4: She's climbed 2 mnts.: Verstovia was her first at 10 weeks, she's climbed that twice and Gaven several times!
A5: Juneau (month 2 and a month ago), Anchorage (month 2), Oregon (month3),  SC (month 4 and month 10), Brazil (month 10)
A6: Avocado, the only food she doesn't like now.  Her second food was sweet potatoes.
A7: Her water bottle, yes, weird.
A8: 0, this was a trick question sorry.
A9: month 11, she scooted for a week before she began crawling and still crawls happily today.
A10: Her parents had no idea on this one either!  But RA is in the 75th percentile at 23.0 pounds on her actual birthday.  Until recently she has been above the 90th percentile.

Pre party festivities... Thanks Grandma Oregon for the clothes!

Thanks SC abuelita for the books!

Braydon I'm so glad you're my neighbor!

Here is the food spread!

The sunshine cake for our sunshine baby!