Meet Ruby Lee and Ford Patrick

Well, I had an absolutely wonderful time on my annual family vacation. We had an entire Bed & Breakfast to ourselves, plus two really nice cabins that Bobby, Annie, Ruby, and Ford and Cheryl, Yul, Jeremy, and Angie stayed in. Unfortunately for me, Delta Airlines totally screwed my outgoing flight up, and I arrived a day late. Sorry it took me so long to post this blog, but I have a 2 gig memory card, and therefore I came home with about 1,000 pictures! This is not including the pictures Bobby and Ann took and loaded on to my computer. It is so hard to choose! If I could, I would just post all of the pictures!

My Princess, Astrid, and I want to introduce you all to our newest additions.

Hey, you! Yes, you! Pay attention! These are my baby cousins and there will be a quiz at the end of Auntie Christine and me telling you all about them.

I could not be more in love with my niece and nephew, Ruby Lee and Ford Patrick. They are such gorgeous babies; I hope the pictures that follow do them justice.

This addition of my Blog will be devoted to introducing Ruby and Ford to those of you who haven’t yet met them.

It all started last summer...

It was the annual Harker/Johnson/Mandala-Inn/Smith family trip in Encinitas, CA. We were roasting marshmellows for s'mores just like we used to do at Grandma & Grandpa's beach house in Oceanside when Ann and Bobby announced they were going to have a baby! There were tears and hugs all around.

I could hardly believe that both of my baby brothers were going to be parents!

What do you do after you relax at the beach? Well, the Johnson's hit Vegas!

Can you believe there are TWO babies in there?!

Ann hangs out in Astrid's Copa Cabana.

Bobby, Ann, and I were really excited to run into Iron Chef Bobby Flay, even if it was just his picture.

Of course we had to see the awesome fountain show at the Bellagio.


Yes, I have my little brother and Ann to thank for my introduction to the seedy side of Vegas they don't show on TV...Slots O' Fun. I am pretty sure it is B.Y.O.B. As repayment, I think I will take Ruby and Ford to Vegas for their 21st birthday! However, I digress.

All too soon it was time to say good bye to Ann, Astrid, and Christine Caroline and head down the Colorado River.

What can I say? We got wet. All of the Johnsons are at the front of the raft under the wall of water. The only three people visible are two guides and James who was sitting by the beverage coolers. You know, because when you are river rafting it is very important that someone is close enough to the coolers to pass out the drinks after you go through a rapid like this one!

On the fifth day of the raft trip, we arrived at Phantom Ranch, which has the distinction of having the only phone we saw while on the river and really good lemonade. I had two glasses.

Back to my story....
"Hi, Honey, just calling to see how you are. What?!!!????!!! Could you say that again? What???!!!???? Repeat that one more time..." (This went of for some time, as you might imagine)

It was on this day that Bobby got to call Ann and was told the amazing news...TWINS! And there was much rejoycing throughout the land...and maybe some beer.

Uncle Eddy and one of the twins' two Aunt Christines were present when Bobby received the awesome news. By the time Bobby had processed the news via telephone, Eddy and I were pretty sure Ann was either having twins or a baby elephant. I won't tell you which one thought baby elephant, but let me just say, if you have legal trouble you might want to call the sibling on the left, not the one on the right.

Parents of twins, meet your son whose wife is going to have twins! Mom and Dad were a little behind us on the trail to Phantom Ranch, so they had BIG news waiting for them when they caught up.

Fast forward to April 5, 2006 when Ann gave birth to Ruby Lee and Ford Patrick.

Now, you all know James and I do not have children yet, but I have to believe Ann was so ready to quit being pregnant and meet her miracles by this point. Our Cousin Cheryl, who has basically been a big sister to me, Bobby, and Eddy for our entire lives, was Ann's doula. I know Ann and Bobby were both so happy and thankful to have her involved in the twins' birthday!

The imminent father-to-be looks quite ready for the main event.

To anyone that knows Bobby, this picture says absolutely everything.

Ann gets some much deserved rest in the hospital. I would not like to have been present had anyone tried take Ruby and Ford away from their Mommy at this moment. She and Bobby waited so long, and I can't tell you how special this picture is to the entire family.

Bobby learns to swaddle. And by learning to swaddle I really mean it. I guess this is the first of many times Ruby and Ford will reap the benefits of having engineers for parents because they are five months old now and still get swaddled when they need it. I have never seen a baby who wasn't busting out of the swaddle after a few weeks. I am seriously considering contacting the Olympic Committee to get this turned into a professional sport. Or at the very least Ripley's Believe It Or Not.

Done!

Bobby already looks like a pro.

The Stimmlers and Johnsons had very similiar celebrations to welcome the twins!

The Grandparents Stimmler meet their very first Grandchildren!! I know they have cute grandparenty names, but they escape me right now. Hell, I still don't know if my Dad has approved being called "Grandpa", and he has had Astrid for almost two years now to get used to the idea!

Twice as nice! Nana (??I think, maybe??) looks so happy...such a beautiful picture. Margaret, you are going to have to email your grandparent name and Bill's grandparent name to me so my blogs can be accurate!

Let's get out of here! Bill kinda looks like he is going to make a run for it, doesn't he?! Who can blame him!

Now, on to the dialogue between Ruby and Ford during the first few months of their lives. Fortunately for all involved, I have the power to interpret Ruby and Ford’s thoughts.

In this exchange, Ruby tries to catch her brother up on everything a two and a half month old should know, lest he ends up in remedial “Mommy and Me” classes while Ruby is down the hall splitting atoms.

Ruby says:

“Now pay attention, Ford. Newton's first law of motion is an object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.”

Ford says:

“Yes, but which came first, the chicken or the egg?”

Ruby says:

“Do you all see what I am dealing with? Next thing you know he will be asking me if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it actually make a sound?"

Ford thinks:

“I can tell you are going to get on my last nerve, but I am still glad you are the only person who will know me my entire life. We are going to have fun, I can tell."

Ruby thinks: "Ford, you are already getting on my last nerve. Quit pulling my hair!" Uh oh, do I see a situation with a golf club coming?? Run, Ford, Run!

Our sweet twins sharing secrets; the first of many I am sure. (April 30, 2006)

The one thing they agree on is their Mommy is beautiful and as in love with them as they are with her!

Mommy has already become an expert in multi-tasking!

Isn't Ruby the picture of perfection?

As is Ford.

Our perfect twins, Ruby and Ford. Auntie Christine is pretty sure Ford is on the bottom and Ruby is on the top. You would think after growing up with the contant question of who is Bobby and who is Eddy, I would be better at this. However, I will give myself a pass since this picture is of the twins as newborns! I solemnly vow never to confuse my neice and nephew again! I am deeply thankful to my brother and sister for having one girl and one boy. It really takes the guesswork out of things! :)

Proud Papa!

The new parents are clearly over the moon! Who could possible blame them!

Who can resist?

I have never seen my brother so happy! Okay, he was this happy the day Ann married him.

Ford asks Ruby, "What do you want to do today?"

Hey! Move your hand! My big activity of the day was to pee on you!

There are ultrasound pictures to prove that we spent a lot of time in Mommy’s womb in this position.

Ford says:

“The better for Ruby Lee to kick me in the head! She didn’t plan well, however, because she has to smell my feet!”

Behold the power of Skype!

We all LOVE the computer program Skype! Mommy gets to show off my ten perfect toes!

The looks on the twins' faces are absolutely hysterical. I would really love to know what they are thinking. Quiz: Can you tell which is which? Auntie Christine is very proud that she can tell Ruby Lee and Ford Patrick apart. I think it is from all of the years people asked me how I could tell my brothers (who have never looked alike) apart. It is my twin-dar! Ruby is on the left and Ford is on the right.

"Hello, my little man!

Mommy clearly gives her son a thousand thumbs up! Who wouldn’t

The following pictures show the smitten Harker/Johnson family:

Grandma is in sheer heaven with Ford asleep on her!

Ruby with her Grandma.

Grandma is clearly in love!

Grandma kisses Ruby. Thank God, because clearly Ruby and Ford are lacking for love and attention...I was really starting to worry that they would grow up feeling unloved and end up in therapy.

Ruby loves her Grandma. She is certain that her Grandma will have every flavor of ice cream available when she comes to visit; exactly like Bobby, Eddy, and I could count on when we visited our Grandma!!
Grandma gives Ford more kisses, lest he forget he is loved! Ford is the most laid back baby I have ever met. To make an analogy to those who haven't met the twins, but know the Johnson clan, Ruby is the Christine and Ford is the Bobby. Ruby and Ford's Nana says Ann was just like Ruby when she was her age. Therefore, Ann and I are very similiar and no one in our family is as laid back as Bobby. Eddy, you ask? He is just his own kind of special. I guess Ann and Bobby really did have little a little Ann and a little Bobby. Speaking from experience, you really need that Bobby personality to balance out the Christine personality! But I suppose I am not telling any family members anything they don't already know!!

Uncle Eddy chills out with Ford. By the look in his eye, I would say he is pretty smitten. Do I sense a sibling for Princess Astrid??

Uncle Eddy attempt to swaddle Ford, but apparently has lost the touch!

I will now interrupt my narration with a montage to perfection.

Mommy and The Easter Eggs. Very closely related to Gladys Knight and the Pips.

Back to the vacation; GG and Ford. Fourth generation of Harkers!

We all remember the first time Bobby and Eddy beat Poppy at basketball. Well, Bobby, turnabout is fair play! Ruby Lee will shut you out one day!

Sooners-in-training. Ford's hat is hilariously too big. The onesies fit, though, so I am not a total baby idiot.

So, I think I am going to go to sleep now. It is daytime and Mommy and Daddy and the rest of the family who are at my beck and call for an entire week are already awake, so no point in me putting on a show now.

Still daytime...
......

Okay, I am awake. Amuse me. Now. Faster.

I love you, Mommy.

Wow, that was exhausting. Time for more sleep in the daytime.I could seriously get used to this.
Helping hands, Cheryl and Angie.
What do you think Ford is thinking? Hilarious!
Daddy gets a little food while hanging with Ford and the rest of the Harkers at breakfast.
I could be misinterpreting the signs, but I think Bobby might love his son.
Ford contemplates the mobile. How far can babies see at this age? See, this is why I take the pictures, and Bobby, Ann, Christine C, and Eddy actually have the children. Please take special note of the swaddle. I guarantee you Bobby or Ann did it. The rest of us never got it down, even the ones who have had children. Bobby and Ann are swaddling animals.
Take special note of the color coded bottles.

Okay, I have a confession to make. I really don't like my neice and nephew, Ruby and Ford. And I have proof.
Saying good-bye was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life...Alas, it had to end.
Bobby was starting to get a little worried I wasn't going to give the babies back to them. Honestly, I did think of making a run for it, but with Homeland Security and all I didn't figure I would get very far.
See ya, Sis!

Table for four, please! The Harker/Johnson/Stimmler clan waited a long time for these pictures! Congratulations, Bobby and Annie! You deserve your perfect Angels and we are all so happy they are finally here!

Ruby and Ford, I promise you we will have lots and lots of fun in the future. That's what I am here for! And to tell you stories about your Daddy when he was growing up. Remind me to tell you about his phase of wanting to be a chef. Or the fruit fly experiment gone horribly wrong. And, please, for all of our sake's, let Mommy teach you how to ride a bike...

Still want more? There are great pictures on Ann and Bobby's website.