Sibling Books

You know those items that you never knew you wanted or needed but once you have them you are hooked!? Enter The Big Sibling Book: Baby's First Year According to ME. A Journal, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. I now know that I wanted and needed them! Fab friends gifted us with these treasures (Thank you Jamie, Aaron, and McKenna!) and picked up one for each new big sibling in the house, Rowan and Evangeline.  

What's so great about the book? A lot!

• Colorful cover art and journal pages.
• Places for the children to draw and express themselves through artwork.
• Check boxes for (funny options) quick responses and answers.
• Stickers to tell stories and express milestones. 
• Questions for the children to answer in short answer and sentence form.
• Interview pages where Mommy and Daddy can dig deeper into their minds to express their feelings and bigger concepts. 
• Documenting who Eva and Rowan are now.
• The smiles it bring to their faces whenever we work on their journal.
• The focus it brings to our Mommy and me time together as we prepare for the new baby.
• The focus it will bring to our Mommy and me time together through the beginning days and first year of having baby at home. 

I'm not a paid spokesperson for this product. But, I do recommend it! If you or someone you know is expecting and there are future big siblings in the picture this is a great addition to the family!

Where We Started

Alan started this blog 'back in the day'. It was before:

• twitter #'s were used,
• facebook groups were popular,
• instagram pics were posted.

Blogging then was some fancy stuff! Ruddys.blogspot's purpose was to get news and photos out all at once to friends and family:

• of where we were, 
• who our children were,
• and what we were all doing.  

We weren't Ballston Babes just yet but it did include All Things Rudnick Family. Have you been with us since then? Do you remember where we started? How we got here? And what's happened since?
Now it's our turn to wonder what's to come.... stay tuned for April 9th!

What a Year

What a year.  What a year - to not capture on the blog. How many moments I missed writing about. How many events that blessed our days, our months, our year have passed by.

My last post was almost a year ago.  Then, I shared about our days. They were cold, sunny, happy and sad. The same can be said for this past year...but are days also remained blessed.

We've had summer days,

work days,

play days,

traveling days,

first-day-of-school days,

spooky days,

thankful days,

anticipated days,

coffee-filled days,

New Year days,

winter days,

and now we are living in expectant days,


so, it's time dust off the dusty blogger.com site and let the blogging (re)begin!

Days

We've had snowy days,

Lead snow captain.

A walk in the state park...heading to the warming hut.

Snow painting.

Snow, it's finally here!

Always in tow.

We've had sunny days,

Sunny days of play in New Jersey.

Seriously sweet.

 We've had happy days,

Play weekend with Ellie and Violet (pictured).

Celebrating with friends!

Caution: Construction Ahead!

We've had sad days,

Rowan and Evangeline with their maternal 1st cousins on their Lolly's side at Great Pop Pop's funeral.

... We are continually blessed with all the days our Lord gives us.  

Captured

 You know that moment when your children are sleeping and all is right with the world? I chose to capture it.

Precious.

 

  

Priceless.

On the 15th Day of Christmas

Merry Christmas, The Rudnicks, 2012

Advent and Christmas are 'so last year' but they are still holding on here on Greenwood Drive.  It's not until after Epiphany that anything decorative comes down in our house.  And this year is no different.  I look over my shoulder now and the Christmas tree is still there.  Since Epiphany is over it's just a matter of getting it done now.  I waited all week for angels to come and take the ornaments off the tree, put away the nativity, and tuck the stockings in storage but no angels came.  So, in my last moments of a decorated home I think back on our joyous Christmas time.  Join me.

A book a night.  We ended each day with our advent reading and then picking a wrapped book under the tree.  A delight.

The children were VERY excited and engaged decorating the Christmas tree.

Rowan's gingerbread train.

Evangeline's gingerbread train. 

My lil'baker

At intermission at a local performance of The Nutcracker.  The children loved it!

Star of her pageant.  She'll always be my star but she actually was the Star of Bethlehem.

The wise guy man.

Poised to open their Christmas Eve pajamas, a Christmas tradition from their Aunt Jill.

Christmas morning, looking at each other's presents.

Testing out their presents

 

Eva and little Eva

This shot is timeless.

A white Christmas

Christmas love!

Ushering to Israel

We saw Daddy off this week for his big trip.  The children took his departure in stride and, to be honest, a lot better then Mommy did.  We love the airport. We happen to be there a lot.  The sights, sounds, and view of the runway are a joy.  This week's trip was no different with the addition that the children were eager to usher Daddy off on his important flight.  Both Rowan and Evangeline wanted to help carry the bags, check-in, and tag bags.

  And Evangeline, always ready for the camera, scooted in for a last snapshot with Daddy.

For more on Alan's adventures follow his Israel trip here.

Cousin Craziness!

Hiking at Saratoga Spa State Park

Visiting the springs

Tractor Ride at Great Country Farms in Virginia

Everyone loves a jumping pillow

Stomp rocket time!

Petting zoo at the farm

We were very blessed this fall to spend a lot of time with our Pinto cousins. Quantity and Quality! The children love being together and they also love to see what sorts of craziness they can get themselves into together!