Ruby-isms

Just wanted to jot down a few fun facts and cute stories about Ruby:

Rabbits are largely nocturnal, resting during the day and being more active in the evening, night, and early morning--and this includes Ruby. But Ruby is also a social little rabbit, so that means that she doesn't want to just play by herself, so twice (or more) a night, when she's ready for some company, she comes and scratches at our bedroom door so that I'll get up and play with her. She is very cute and usually wants to do lots of cuddling during these times. She has a routine all worked out--she'll lick my hand for a little bit, and then she nudges my hand with her head, nestling her head beneath my hand, indicating that it's my turn to pet her. So, I'll pet her and then after a little bit she'll lick me and then tell me it's my turn to pet her and so on. She also likes to put her nose against my nose and have me pet her--and then shows her love by licking my face. Then she puts her nose back against mine for a little bit and wants me to pet her, then she licks my face, and so on. I love her little routines--and I like that she's just as happy to give love as receive it. It makes me super happy to hear her little happy noise (a slight teeth-clicking, if you were wondering). She has also recently decided that sometimes she wants to sit in my lap and let me pet her, which is something she didn't used to do. All that sweetness makes it totally okay that she wakes me up in the middle of the night...twice.


Ruby is a smarty-pants...and she knows where the kitchen is and what the sound of the fridge opening and then water running means--that she's getting a treat. When Adam or I go into the kitchen, she is very attentive to what we are doing--and if I call her while I'm in the kitchen, she's more likely to come than if I call her while I'm in a different room. Also, with our little nighttime play sessions, I usually go back to bed once she starts munching on some hay...but sometimes, as soon as I turn off the light so I can go back in my room, she runs to my door because she knows I'm going to open it...and I think she knows she's not really allowed in there. Why, you ask? Well, she chews cords and I don't want to have to unplug the clock and stuff to keep it out of her way, and because she likes to hide under the bed and it's hard to get her out...especially when she finds a tear in the material under the box spring and hops up inside it and wanders around!

Ruby is very protective of her carrots. If we give her lettuce or cilantro, she's content to just eat it right there, but if we give her a piece of a carrot, she grabs it and and "hides" in her box to eat it. I'm not sure why she thinks we're going to take the carrots away--we haven't ever done that--but I think it's funny to see how consistent she is.


Ruby is way more popular than Adam and I are. Some proof:

I stopped by a friend's house to drop something off to her. She is my visiting teacher* from church, so she comes over once a month, and usually brings her youngest two kids with her. However, since I'm the Primary president*, I also see her kids every Sunday at church. Well, when I stopped by, her little boy said to me, "Hey, I know you! You're the girl from the bunny house!" Never mind the fact that he sees me every week at church; what's important is that once a month, he gets to see Ruby!

Our home teacher* brought his two-year-old son Paul over when he came for his monthly visit. A few days later, Paul was out for a walk with his mother and his friend, Jane. When they were walking past our house, Paul told Jane that it was "Ruby's house" and tried to bring her to the door to meet Ruby. (Unfortunately, we weren't home to accommodate his wish.) A week or so after that, Paul's mom made some strawberry jam and Paul and his dad came by to give us some. Paul's dad told him they were going to "Adam's house"; Paul informed him that that was "Ruby's house."

I taught a group of six-year-olds at church a couple weeks ago; the topic for the week was prayer, and in sharing an experience I've had with prayer, I talked about Ruby's illness a few months ago and the fervent prayers that Adam and I and our friends and family offered that she would get better. One of the girls (and actually the one I would have least expected to say something like that) said, "I wish I was your kid because then I could play with Ruby every day"!

Well, I can't say I blame the kids; Ruby is the cutest little rabbit ever. And even though they probably like her better than they like me, at least I get some coolness points for being Ruby's mom. :)

(*Visiting teachers are women who are assigned to each woman in the congregation and visit at least once a month to provide a spiritual thought, any needed assistance and just general watchcare. Home teachers are men who are assigned to each family and provide watchcare as well. Primary is essentially the children's Sunday school.)