Mama said there'd be days like this...

Days!?! Try a week! Sorry that this post is so long in coming, but we've had a heck of a week in Ruby-land. Sometime Monday she got a bee in her bonnet and she still seems to be having problems. But, nevertheless, I'll attempt a recap of our week...

Monday was a big day for Jared as his enchanted year (27) came to a close and he turned 28! The biggest highlight for him, I think, was his birthday gift from Ruby and I, a new iPod Nano. The little bugger is tiny and has 4GB of memory which translates to over 1000 songs. Needless to say, Jared has been "plugged in" to it almost 24-7! Ruby and I also joined Jared down at work for a small birthday shin-dig. It was also an Italian girl's birthday so there were two treats to choose from and a nice crowd turned out. After our time there, our trouble began. The plan was to get cash and go grocery shopping so that I could make Jared's meal of choice, Cajun Chicken Pasta. Well, we caught our bus okay, but then got off one stop too late and had to walk a ways to the bank. Then we walked back past the bus stop to SuperBest (the grocery store) which I then discovered was closed for renovation. The whole time, Ruby was screaming/crying at the top of her lungs hungry, wet and harried by the whipping wind that was reaching tornado-like speeds! So, near tears, I was forced to nurse Ruby on a bench on the side of a busy road and call Jared for emergency help. Thankfully, after Ruby nursed she fell asleep in her stroller and we were able to get home. Jared, meanwhile, cycled home as fast as he could then had to go gracoery shopping. It wasn't exactly the evening we had hoped for, but at least Ruby went to sleep at a decent hour and let us relax!

The rest of the week went by in a fussy blur highlighted by a major clean-up around the house on Tuesday including putting up some of our Christmas decorations, and having my neighbor, Jane, over for coffee and Lime-Glazed Coconut Banana Bread (YUM!!) on Wednesday. Thursday is a total blank for me and then Friday we had another very fussy trip to the grocery store to get necessities for us and Jane (who was home with her sick daughter, Maja). What a week! Of course there are always happy moments in the midst of all the fussing, but sometimes the fussing threatens to put a dark shadow on the whole day. Hopefully whatever is bothering her will be put to rest soon and we'll have our sweet little girl back soon...

More good news! We got news this week that my sisters, Alyssa and Christina, are going to be coming for two weeks at the beginning of January! I've already started to plan where we should go and what we'll do while they're here. It should be a real blast--so all of you should come visit us too!!

Also, some people have inquired about what we'd like to recieve in packages... Cheap Christmas decorations would be a big hit with me! I wasn't able to bring any along, so we've just purchased a few so far. I'm getting into the Christmas spirit early this year and I love decorations!!

Mommy's Night Out

Friday night we had a ladies night out for church at the Lotus House Restaurant downtown. It was my first time out on my own to do something fun since Ruby was born! It sure was easy just being able to hop on the bus without shoving her stroller into half a dozen people! There were fourteen of us who attended from all over the globe. Everything about the evening was wonderful from the tasty food (seven courses!) to the company. I couldn't believe it when it was already 10pm!

While I was out, Jared took Ruby to a game night for the guys at our pastor's home. One of the ladies babysat Ruby and Carter while the guys played Mexican Cut-throat dominoes. Unfortunately, Ruby was a nightmare and cried from the time they left the house until she saw me after the dinner. Apparently she's getting extremely attached to me! In a way that made me feel good, but I was sorry that it made Jared's evening so unpleasant. I guess this is more motivation to leave her with a babysitter every now and then so that she gets used to being away from me.

Even though I was really anxious about breaking out on my own without Jared there as a Danish-speaking safety net, I'm so glad that I did. I think that it was really good for me and gave me a lot of confidence, even if it was just dinner...

P.S. November 12th was also my sister, Alyssa's, birthday! Happy birthday Alyssa!!

Christmas in Tivoli

Thursday evening we were able to go to the pre-opening of Tivoli! (They are closed for most of the winter but do open for almost two months around Christmas.) Anyhow, a guy at our church works at the Hard Rock Cafe next door to Tivoli and gave us the tickets for free, so we were able to go with our friends Danny, Claire, and Carter from church.





I have never been to Tivoli at any time of the year, but it was apparent that the whole place had been totally transformed into a winter wonderland with lights and decorations everywhere. They also have dozens of little shops full of ornaments, Christmas decorations, and typical Danish Christmas foods like sausage and glögg (a brew I call the European sangria). Several restaurants in the park were serving typical Danish Christmas dinner, which we all enjoyed! Since we weren't able to bring any of our Christmas decorations with us, we did buy several decorations including some nisser (little Norwegian elves that they are obsessed with!) and an ornament for Ruby's first Christmas. Another Christmas tradition here is to burn what I would call an advent candle. The candle is numbered 1-25 on the side and you burn just a little bit each day until Christmas. We also got one of these because I will be going to a party in a few weeks to decorate a special candle holder for it.

One of the highlights this year was Ruby's first photo with Santa. Santa isn't allowed to hold the children here, so Jared hopped into the shot too. It isn't exactly the best pic since it was pretty cold out and we had Ruby all bundled up with a plug in her mouth to quell the fussing, but it captures the experience! Here's one last picture from the evening--Danny and Carter with Jared and Ruby. We couldn't pass up a picture of babies wearing antlers!

The Good, Bad, and the Ugly

Well, things here have been buzzing along at a pretty frenzied rate...

Last Friday marked the beginning of the Christmas season here in Denmark. Without Thanksgiving, they plunge headlong into Christmas cheer beginning with Tuborg and Carlsberg releasing their holiday brews. Stores are decorated to the nines seemingly overnight and lights are starting so be strung up everywhere to greet the season. It's really quite cheery and helps off-set the shortening of the days.

When I returned home from my Friday shopping trip with our neighbor, Jane, I found that I had just missed a package being delivered. So, Saturday Jared, Ruby and I went out on our bicycles to collect the package from the post office. When we got there we were greeted with a huge, heavy box from Anne! Thankfully I was able to stay behind with Ruby while Jared carried the package home in Ruby's trailer. While we waited I got a new headset so we can make calls for free on the computer using Skype (which, incidentally, everyone should get so they can call us for free!). After that, disaster struck! On the way home I had my first bicycle wipe-out since... oh, middle school?!? Even though it didn't really cut, I think that adult knees aren't meant to hit the pavement that hard and it's still quite stiff. Back to the package... it was stuffed with all kinds of goodies including Cambells Cream of Mushroom, Celery, and Chicken soups!! They don't carry anything like it here and I have had to abandon several of our favorite meals because of it. It also included (drumroll please!) bakeware! Cookie sheets, brownie pans, muffin tins! I was sooo excited! We had been limping along with a cookie sheet that Kay sent us (thanks Momma K!!), but now we can actually make a whole batch of cookies in a reasonable amount of time. Now all I have to find is a cooling rack and my kitchen is stocked!

We have really been enjoying our new friends, the Danfords. Last Sunday they invited us to tag along to a real mall called Fields. We didn't get too much time to shop, but found that they have a Bilka there which is something like a Super Walmart... so I'm sure we'll be returning! It won't be anytime soon on my own though as someone broke the elevator to get down to the train and there's no way I can possibly get the stroller down 3 flights of stairs by myself! A guy from church who works at the Hard Rock Cafe by Tivoli also gave all four of us passes for the early opening of Tivoli this Thursday evening, so we're planning on meeting for that. I'm sure I'll have pictures to post from that. It's supposed to be quite beautiful at Christmas.

So, that's what we've been up to. The good, bad, and the ugly!

Ruby's Six Months Old!

I can hardly believe it, but our little girl is already six months old! It really seems like not long ago we were waiting for her arrival.

I thought I'd give a six-point Ruby update today in honor of her half birthday...
1. She has eaten: rice cereal, peas, carrots, bananas, sweet potatoes, and apple cereal.
2. She loves her jumper and exersaucer.
3. She puts EVERYTHING in her mouth.
4. She can push up on her hands and knees and can squirm half way across the room in a hurry.
5. She has two bottom teeth.
6. She has the most infectious laugh of anyone I know.
7. She's the light of our lives and we love her to death.
Okay, so that was 7, but I figure it's like the birthday spankings, you need one to grow on!

Here's a cute picture after her bath yesterday. She is starting to enjoy splashing in the sink and tries to pull the plug any chance she gets. As you can see from the top pic her hair is getting long and her bald spots are starting to fill in.

On a non-Ruby note, we went to the library by bicycle yesterday! I was somewhat disappointed with their section of English language books as I have already read many of them, but I did find a few good ones. Also, I made the most delicious Chicken and Wild Rice Soup yesterday from AllRecipes.com. It is a bit time intensive, but worth it.

Well, Ruby is howling for attention, so I better go! Have a grrreat day!