Ruth's ballet recital

Ruth has been taking ballet for just a few months and she seems to have a ton of fun. She loves learning and can not wait to go to class and is the teachers number one helper.



We never get to see ballet class as it is always off limits for parents. We have no idea what goes on behind closed doors except what our little ballerina tells us! Seeing what she has learned today was so much fun!

Sitting as her teacher asked getting ready to start

Stretching as all good ballerinas must do.

Notice that None of the other kids are sitting still and doing what they were supposed to! Just Ruth and a few others actually listen.

Ruth with Brianna (left) and Sophia (right). Ruth goes to school and ballet with these two little girls and they are wonderful kids. They are the most well behaved alongside Ruth and so the three of them have formed their own click!

I am so unbelievably proud of the way she listened and followed directions and looked so darn cute!

I have a few videos but the internet is being slow so we will try tomorrow!

Baby giggles!

For some reason I can't get videos to load on my blogger lately but I have many to show you!

Check this video out of Russell's cute laugh. The slightest touch of his collar bone area gets him gigglng and also whenever his sister plays rough with him!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Im6ZU0Di6I

Holidays are here

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We certainly did and now it just means we are one step closer to the best holiday! Christmas is almost here and with that Ruth has met santa and put up our christmas tree!

Things are getting better slowly...

She loves him....she really does...its just that she still craves more attention. She still acts out toward us but she is as loving as ever with him. She constantly talks to him when he is sad, holds him when hes happy, and feeds him when hes hungry.

The new kitchen island

Unique to Sicily and oh so beautiful and perfect. We ordered a kitchen island with a lava rock table top. The picture painted on the top was hand painted with the town we live. Motta with its hills, villas, and castle. The mountain with the snow and steam.... we couldn't ask for anything better. We designed it ourselves and a wonderful man, Mario, made it by hand. It took twice as long as it was supposed to but Mario kept building it to spite two broken arms. The view we have everyday right outside of our home we can now carry with us where ever the navy takes us.

With limited kitchen space the extra shelves and baskets are wonderful...

The hand made iron work is wonderful... Mario knows what he is doing...

"Per La Famiglia Haueisen Sicilia 09" For the Haueisen Family. Sicily 09

Its Perfecto! Thank you to our Moms who helped pitch in and make it a wonderful christmas gift. We have wanted one for so long but never had the money to invest in it and now... we have it and are so excited!

ALL SMILES!

His smiles get bigger and bigger each day and we can tell those cute little giggles will be here anyday!

Halloween!

We hope all had a wonderful Halloween and are currently sugared up! We sure are in this house. We had a great time despite the bad day that started. With Robert as high school football coach in an invinsible season undefeated...the day had a poor start when the team lost the playoff game. It got to a better start when all of our friends came over for pizza and then trick or treating the neighborhood. The kids were adorable!

My little snowflake princess finally got her costume in the mail

Tootsie roll slept again...

Madison was a witch but her daddy wore the hat because she didn't want it anymore...

Baby Xavier was a greaser with his hair gel, black leather jacket, jeans rolled at the ankles and of course the patten leather shoes...

Joseph was ben ten..

We had a few more friends with us as well and people probably felt overwhelmed with 8 kids screaming trick or treat at once!

the fun run

A few weeks ago Ruth entered into a race. A friend of mine had a daughter in the race as well and snapped a few pictures of her racing. He emailed the pictures to me today and I had to share. Number 1209 didn't win the race but she sure tried her hardest!

I should not have put these pants on her... they wouldn't stay up.

I was proud of her for doing the run around the base. I believe she was the youngest racer that went by herself. Most of the kids of her age were getting getting pushed in a stroller by their mom or dad because the run was long. My little runner was the last one to cross the finish line but she tried her hardest!

Russell loves his mobiles

Whether it is his pack and play, his swing with mobile, or his crib... he is constantly happy watching his mobile. Although he has been smiling for a couple of weeks now they are becoming very prominant and more often in the past few days. I wish I could have caught some bigger smiles on camera of video but my timing has been a bit off...

trick or treating at fall fest

On the base the kids get to go trick or treating every year and there is a festival with lots of italian vendors, more food than you can even bear to look at, and rides for the little and big kids. Ruths costume didn't come in the mail in time for this event last weekend but we picked up a dorothy costume and after needing a coat, not finding her red shoes, and losing one red pigtail.... she didn't look so dressed up but hey... she was happy she got the candy!

While Ruth had fun getting her treats, our little tootsie roll was out...

halloween is coming!

and we are preparing for it with pumpkin carving!

Oh and yes Ruth colored the pumpkin with black permanent marker after I carved it... with her GREAT artisitic abilities. All that matters is that she is so darn proud of herself.

6 weeks old

Many have asked for pictures of Russell lately. I finally found the time to sit down and post some. Sorry for the wait. We are all good around here. Ruth went through a period where she hated school but that is getting much better. She is in ballet now and loves it! Russell is now 12 lbs 8 oz's and is currently struggling with a chest cold that Ruth just got over. I hate listening to him congested... I hope he gets better soon.

So here are pictures of Russell and Ruth... enjoy!

She loves kissing her brother. He thinks she is nuts most of the time but he tolerates her well. Hence why he now has Ruth's chest cold. Oh and yes this rainbow color teddy bear is Russells favorite and always keeps him happy! *biting nails*

Listening intently to what she is telling him.

There is the close up of chubby cheeks.

Ruth's Swim Lessons

About a month ago Ruth finished up swim lessons. She went all summer and did such a good job. The first 4 weeks of swim lessons she was scared of the water. She was in the basic level 1 that consisted mostly of 3 and 4 year olds. She wouldn't put her face in the water no matter how much her teachers tried. She wouldn't swim on her own... only with a life vest or clung to a teacher. This is video from the last week of swim lessons in which she is in a class mostly of 4 and 5 year olds who can touch (she is the only one that can't touch but that doesn't stop her!) She left the younger ones behind and jumped right up to level 2! Watch how she holds her breath and swims to miss lisa. Here they are practicing their kicking and are told "rocket ship arms" to glide through the water.

I also want to mention that the swim instructors were great! They came from all over the world to come teach these children swim lessons as well as work as a summer camp counselor. They made absolutely NO money for this and were stuck working endless hours 5 or 6 days a week. They taught Ruth so much and changed her into a new girl in the water... I am so grateful for that. Miss Lisa (in the video) as well as Miss Che Che are greatly missed by Ruth. Not only did she see them every day Tuesday through Friday all summer for swim lessons but they often came over for dinner or went out to dinner with us and we enjoyed their company all summer. Che Che and Lisa.... I sure hope you come back to visit next summer! You are missed greatly by us!!! Have a good semester!

Ruth's first day at pre-school

Ruth started preschool this week. She goes tuesdays and thursdays and seems to love it. I am not so sure about all the kids in her class (or their parents) but she has fun anyhow and the teachers reassure me that she is the best one in the class everytime I see them. Of course that makes me feel good yet I just can't figure out why she isn't such a sweetheart at home.... I guess that is the way kids work???

Before school we went into the front yard for pictures and of course she needed to pose in front of her rinky lemon tree she is so darn proud of!

She was so excited to walk into the school she had such a little strut so proud to pull her backpack behind her!

She found her cubby for her backpack in the hallway and is all ready to start the first day!

As soon as the teachers said "ok you can play" she found toys and was so happy I could barely get her to turn around for a quick picture before I left.

Russell James is here!

Russell James is here!!!! He weighed in at an entire 10 lbs 3 ounces and 21 inches long!!!! I had an all natural labor as I had planned. My doula was great and I had a large support group behind her with Robert, my mom, and my mother in law.

I sat in my recliner after all morning of running errands when I heard a pop-pop. I didn't think anything of it and a second later the door bell rang. Well I got up to answer the door with Robert and sure enough that sound was my water breaking. When I stood up I felt my water but wasn't quite sure. I answered the door and there was my doula, coincidentally. So I asked her "what are you doing right now?" She figured I was going to invite them in for dinner and said "Well we are busy right now as we are about to take a bike ride as a family up through motta." Change of plans for all of us as we got around and got to the hospital. When my water broke it was 3:15 and after struggling through contractions to get a shower and my bags packed I got to the hospital at 4:30. I was just 4 cms dilated so I got monitored for a bit as well as the baby. Around 5:30 I was checked again and had gotten to 5 cms. Since the baby was fine and not in distress they allowed me off of the monitors and up for a walk. This created my contractions to be very close together and very strong. After just a few minutes of walking I was 8 cm's and then just 10 minutes later I hit 10 cm's. A few pushes and Russell was born at 7:26...just 3 hours after getting to the hospital. Because of his "hefty little body and broad shoulders" he got stuck for a bit at the shoulders and my wonderful doctor

worked at turning twisting and pulling while I finished the last push and luckily he came out with no complications.

We are so happy to have the little guy here in the world!

Beating the heat in Citta

Every year we go to Citta Del Mare and with the heat as extreme as it is we decided to get away for the weekend and enjoy the pools and beaches at our favorite resort. It was our 3rd visit and just as wonderful as usual. The beach was very wavy and windy so we spent most of our time at the pools and playgrounds and such but it was fun just the same.

Right before we left for vacation we found this outfit at a new mall. She had been dying to wear it and for dinner one night at the resort I put it on her. She immediately went to our balcony and begged to get pictures taken of her in her pretty outfit. I'm in trouble...


When it comes to ice cream she is constantly in need of it. She begs for it all of the time and we frequently have to tell her NO...YOUVE HAD ENOUGH! So mommy promised her that every single day on vacation she could have ice cream. She certainly enjoyed the fact that Mommy wasn't going to say no!

One Italian game that Robert and I love to play is Bocce Ball. I can remember playing it a few times when I was little with my friend Sara but since we have gotten here we have learned to play as well as bought our own bocce set. The balls for Bocce are very heavy so we bought her own light weight rubber balls and we went out to the court and taught her how to play. She had a blast playing bocce and mini golf over the weekend!

This night it was mommy's birthday (Sunday) and I really wanted a cannoli style cake for my birthday. We went in treck of it after my birthday dinner and after a mile of walking in the dark we came across exactly what I wanted!! It was delicious. Ruth had no complaints trecking for desserts especially on her daddy's shoulders!

The breathtaking view from our hotel room. I wouldn't trade seeing this every morning when I wake up for anything and is what keeps us coming back every year. Next year Russell will be almost 1... the exact age Ruth was her first time here.

She is 3

June 4th was Ruths 3rd birthday. Just 5 days after getting back from Paris. Mom and Dad got her a 12 inch bike for her birthday. We were sure that she wouldn't get the bicycle since she struggled with the tricycle even still. Little did we know that she would be riding like the wind in just two days of teaching her. Since then almost every night we go on a walk which consists of her riding her bike and Ruby and I running to keep up with her. She has already asked for her "baby wheels" off but... maybe next summer.


The weekend after her birthday we had a birthday party for her. It was a place called funny island which was full of fun. We had almost 2 hours of free play with all of her 15 friends.

She loves doing the rock climbing wall! Everytime she went to go the man running the wall would sing her buon compleanno (happy birthday) in Italian. She loved the attention!

After two hours of play the workers gathered everyone wearing a red jersey (all of the party guests) and put them all in this very special birthday room just for Ruths party. When I say they gathered them I am saying that they all climbed into the equipment, tunnels, slides, ball pits, etc and made sure they found 15 children with red jerseys. The workers here were amazing!

While waiting for the pizza and fries to be served we munched on chips and popcorn they served us and Ruth openned all of her birthday gifts from her friends. Then the pizza was served and the kids ate faster than ever before so they could go back out to the play equipment.

We struggled to get them all to say for the cake. Have you ever seen 15 children all complain about having to eat cake??

The cakes were absolutely delicious and it is certainly an understatement to say that American desserts do not compare to an italian dessert. They know what they are doing!

Buon Compleanno Ruth! You certainly are special to be able to celebrate all of your birthdays in Italy! We moved here when you were 11 months old and have gotten to celebrate your birthday in a unique and wonderful place!

Paris in May

Paris in May. What a blast. It truely was fun and my mom and my niece Hailey got to come and meet us there so it was special vacation with them there. I do have to say though that Paris had highly overpriced and not so good food, children are to be seen and not heard, the sicilians are much more friendly and helpful than the Parisians, BUT the city is breathtaking in many ways.

We chose to rent an apartment for the week rather than getting a hotel and we really did enjoy it. We stayed in the attic of an old apartment building. It had everything we needed. The living room was all cieling to floor with this incredible view of the eiffel tower. Most nights we would pull out the pull out couch, everyone would lay on it and we would watch the amazing light show done every night at 10 pm.


The first stop was the extremely large Palace of Versailles. It was breathtaking but exhausting. It was extremely hot this day for Paris in May so it was exhausting. The gardens were gorgeous with many fountains like the one behind Hailey and Ruth.

The next couple of days was full of the usual site seeing. Going up in the eiffel tower, touring notre dame, taking a boat down the river, and shopping.

After all of that site seeing Ruth needed a couple of Ruth days. Two days of Eurodisney was a blast and she constantly had a huge smile on her face. Everything those two days were about her and she couldn't have been more spoiled.

We ran into all of the characters the first day. We needed a potty break so we all went into the bathroom and when we came out all of the characters were standing right there... literally a dozen characters to take pictures with, kiss and hug, and of course get their autograph.

The next day we did lunch with the characters as well and she got to dine with mickey and minnie and their friends!

Its been busy!

Everyone has been waiting for pictures! I am sorry it has taken so long. I need to get back on the ball before the new one arrives so that you guys can see pictures of the baby when he is born and much more.

Many have requested a new belly picture. Here is a recent side view of me. I was 33 weeks here and I feel like I am carrying an overfilled basketball that is getting ready to burst at the seems!!
The heat is killing me... giving me kankles, making me exhausted by the end of the day, and I don't think there is a moment in the day that I am not ALL sweat! Yes this is our car temperature gage. NO that is not a mistake made by our car...it was actually 111 outside.... and that wasn't the hottest part of the day!

Robert gets the weather forecast every night while he is at work and they call when it reaches 100 and when it drops back below 100. Yesterday morning, before he left work, he got a call at 7:47 am saying that it was 100 degrees. THEN at 10:56 pm he got a call saying it had just dropped below 100. So from the time we wake up in the morning until the time we go to bed it is over 100. Why oh why did I plan to be pregnant in the summer?