Nakey

These are a few of my favorite recent pictures.
Messy hair, drool on my shoulder, and a dimply baby booty. Simply the best.

I love this chunky girl SO much.

Ruby--Three Months

3 months old (plus 10 days)! Here I go again saying that time is just flying by way too quickly. 

Ruby gets more and more fun every single day. She is truly full of sunshine and happiness and makes our lives so much sweeter than we ever could have imagined! 

I really have a lot that I am excited to blog about (Ruby's first trip to Texas, Thanksgiving, other fun events), but just have not had the time or energy to get around to it. Hopefully I can soon! I'm feeling accomplished enough just getting this post up, though! 

We definitely have a little chatterbox on our hands! I have told Andrew several times that once Ruby decides to start talking (like with actual words) our ears are going to be worn out, because this baby LOVES to hear herself talk. She is quite vain, actually, and loves to look at herself in a mirror while talking to herself. It's adorable and makes me smile like nothing else. 

We've been to the doctor twice since her two month visit. Once to check out her head and torticollis, and a second time to check out a little cold she had. Both times she has surprised us with her weight gain. The first time (which was right around her 3 month birthday) she weight 13 lbs. Needless to say, the girl isn't going hungry. She is our happy little chunk. 

Speaking of her torticollis (mentioned in 2 month post if you're wondering what the heck I'm talking about), she is getting MUCH better at looking left (see below pic)! We have tried to be very diligent about doing her neck stretches, even though it's a horrible feeling to make your baby cry. I can definitely see a difference. She looks to the left without even being prompted by a toy or voice. I'm so proud of her. We were getting a little bit concerned this month about the right side of her head getting pretty flat. I had read a lot about positional plagiocephaly (basically flat head syndrome), and just wanted to make sure we were doing the right thing for her. Our doctor confirmed that she does have mild positional plagiocephaly, but he didn't recommend any type of correctional device, like a helmet. Since then she has started sleeping on her belly because she sleeps remarkably better that way, and I can see a difference in her head shape already. We're encouraged by her progress and know that this is something I'll look back on and probably not even remember how much it stressed me out a few years down the road. I am grateful for a great, understanding pediatrician who is conservative and not to hasty to jump to unneeded interventions.

A couple of nights ago Ruby slept for a whole EIGHT hours straight. Pretty amazing! I woke up to my alarm, jumped out of bed, and ran into her room to make sure she was still breathing because it freaked me out so bad that she hadn't woken me up at 3am! She was still breathing, and even slept for another hour to let me shower and get ready for work. Boy, did I enjoy that! Good thing, because it ended the next night. I didn't change anything about her schedule, feedings, ANYTHING, but she was back to waking up once a night the next night. It's really not a big deal to me, I honestly really enjoy the time I get with her at our 3am feeding. I definitely wouldn't mind a few more 8 hour stretches of sleep, though! Whenever you're ready Rubes, I am too, until then I'll soak up our middle of the night cuddles. 

She seriously is the most happy go lucky baby I have ever known. I can't get over how much she doesn't cry. She gets annoyed if she has to wait for a meal (but who doesn't?!), and gets REALLY angry if you pick her up from her crib after a nap or bedtime and then go straight to the changing table. She's all "UMMM, HELLO! I just got done laying by myself for over an hour and now you're wanting to set me down AGAIN?! No thank you....I wanna cuddle!" So generally (unless poo is involved), we let her get a few minutes of hold time before changing her diaper after a nap. Easy-peasy. 

Ruby is still in size 1 diapers, but I think after this pack we might try out some size twos because she has had several blow outs this week. She fits into almost all of her 0-3 month clothes still and is comfortably wearing most of her 3 month clothing. She wears a couple of 3-6 month onesies that I bought at Old Navy, but they are still too big. I busted out the 3-6 month box of clothes that we have, but decided it was too early since she still fits into all of her 0-3 month stuff...I get too excited about all the "new" clothes we have waiting for us! 

I think we are going to have a little blondie on our hands. She has recently sprouted some very long hairs on the top of her head (you can kinda see them in the above picture), and they are all blonde. She still has her dark brown swirl in the back, but is starting to loose some of it from laying on her back. It's going to be fun to see what color/type of hair she ends up with. Either way, it'll be beautiful! 

Ruby is the girl of many nicknames. Poor thing might not know what her name is we call her so many different things. Ruby, Rue, Rubes, Rue Rue, Boo, Chick, Chicken, Turtle, Birdie, Baby girl, Punkin, Sweetie, doll, and the list goes on and on. Don't ask me why she gets called so many animal names...it just happened...and I like it!

 

She's hanging onto the baby blues for now...we'll see if they change. Her doctor mentioned randomly to me that most of the time when babies eyes are as blue as hers are, they generally stay blue (or a like color). This is surprising to me...for some reason I always figured my babies would have brown/hazel eyes like their daddy...but it's looking like Ruby has got her mama's eyes. 

We are SO blessed by this girl! So very thankful to have her in our lives!

Darling girl, 

Oh my goodness, we love you SO much! The other day when we were riding in the car to church, you were just singing and chatting to yourself in the backseat and your dad and I just smiled at each other. Daddy said that he can't imagine our lives without you, that you're apart of us and it's so perfect and wonderful. It's true, we really cannot imagine not having you with us. It's such a blessing to get to be your parents. It's definitely the best thing we've ever done! You make us laugh, smile, and light up our world every single day. I hope you grow to know how much you are loved by us, and that eventually that translates into you being able to understand the love of Jesus who loves you so much more perfectly and endlessly than we ever could. 

Happy three months, Ruby girl. 

Love you to the moon and back, 

Mama

"Alright guys, enough pictures!"

Month Three of Ruby

Ruby's third month was an exciting one! She had lots of firsts and got to meet a lot of people who love and care about her.  

This post is extremely picture heavy, but we just had so much fun...

First hoodie...she rocked it. 

First time in the Ergo. Definitely a favorite baby product!

Lots of snuggles with Banjo

First Creole Creamery experience

Another fave baby product....wubbanub!

First time in the bumbo...not a fan. 

celebrating homecoming from afar

First visit to Texas: 

Met lots of friends!!

First Christmas jams

first time to meet Sarah!!

First Halloween!

First sunglasses

Fun at Dano & DDs

First time to the farm

First Thanksgiving

And that rounds up month 3! 

It's amazing how much fun can be packed into a short period of time. We're blessed and grateful!

Thankful

We're wrapping up a very special season in my life, my maternity leave.
As we go into the Thanksgiving holiday I am trying to be very intentional about keeping a happy heart and a grateful spirit even though I have a lot of sadness about the upcoming transition. I am constantly reminding myself that I am so blessed to have had 12 weeks at home with my girl. It has been such an incredible time to get to know her and enjoy her sweet, perfect, delicious babyness. I wish so badly that I could stay at home with her full time and get to witness every smile and coo. I feel guilty leaving her in a daycare where she wont be the center of attention. I feel envious of the mamas who get to stay home with their babies. I feel sad that for the first couple of weeks, when she cries her teachers aren't going to know what's wrong and how to soothe her like I do. It's HARD to leave your baby. Period.
However, with all of these hard emotions there are also feelings of thankfulness for a job that can provide for our family, a job where I get to help people and make a difference every day. I know that by going back to work we are going to be able to save money so that someday we can pay for Ruby to go to college and hopefully make it so she won't have to have thousands upon thousands of dollars in loans like I do. I know that me going back to work is 100% the best option, it's just not the easiest. I am thankful for a husband that has been able to provide for us during these 12 weeks and has been so gracious and flexible with me wanting to take so much time off. I'm thankful for a job that has allowed me 12 weeks off. I'm thankful for the wonderful daycare where Ruby will spend her days. The ladies there are SO excited for her to be there and I know she will be well loved, cared for, and SPOILED (she is going to daycare at the church where Andrew works, so daddy will be available to check on our girl during the day, too...another thing to be thankful for!). I'm thankful for an easygoing baby who I'm sure will handle this transition ten times better than I will. I'm thankful for the fact that I get to come home to family that I love.

As I sit watching football with my sweet husband with my cuddly, sleepy, adorable baby laying on my chest, I cannot help but be completely overwhelmed with thankfulness. I'm soaking up these moments knowing that just because I'm not going to get every second of every day with my girl, doesn't mean every second I do get can't be just as special...dare I say it will make it even more special?

No matter what, I have a crazy amount of love in my heart and it makes me insanely happy...

...and thankful. 

Happy Thanksgiving. 

Halloween Fun

We had a blast celebrating Halloween this year.
We had a few of the boys and some of our friends over for grilling out, trick-or-treating, and s'mores. It was so great. We are very thankful for a great community of friends that love us. We have such a great time together.

Ruby was a baby skeleton. I searched and searched for a cute halloween costume for her and everything was just way too big for our girl. So, we went with a skeleton carters sleeper from Andrew's mom. It ended up being perfect because we also found a skeleton costume for Banjo that was on clearance at Target. Our little skeleton babies were just plain adorable!

Ruby slept pretty much the entire time trick-or-treating, which really ended up being chasing the boys from house to house making sure they didn't get run over or steal too much candy from those people that put the bowl on their front porch with a "please take one" note.

Someone told me once that holidays are so much more fun and exciting when you have children, and it's true!! This year was so different than last year when our group of friends met up at our place near the French Quarter and walked down to Bourbon Street, but it was also so much sweeter. I know it's just going to get more fun from here on out, too!

Family photo attempt #1

Attempt #2...and it's a wrap. 

The babies trick-or-treating. Next year will be more fun and less confusing, babies! 

J'shawn showing off his loot

The Crew...our sweet New Orleans Family

CJ drinking mountain dew on his mountain of candy

More attempts at a family photo...this was the best we got. 

Nolan roasting his first marshmallow 

Some of the guys 

Ruby snuggling with Rachel

Next Holiday...Thanksgiving! Can't wait.

Dear Daylight Savings Time,

You have taken my baby who was sleeping from 11:30-5:30 (yes...SIX hours), and turned her back into the baby that wakes up every 1.5-2 hours.
I find it particularly rude that you just waltz on in and mess up the perfectly good schedule we had going for us.
My poor girl can't catch a break. First the shots, then the trip to Texas, and now YOU.
The whole "gaining an hour" thing just doesn't work when you have a baby. It's actually like loosing about 4 hours if you ask Ruby.
If it was up to me, I would have you fired daylight savings!
You are mean, and I don't like you.

Sincerely,

A sleepy mom

Ruby-Two Months

The love of our lives is TWO months old! I will say it again (and probably every month from here on out), how in the world does time fly by so very quickly? 

Although it's definitely a little bittersweet to see her getting so big, Ruby is getting more and more fun every day. She is FULL of personality. This girl loves to smile and talk. I love having "conversations" with her. I'll say something and she will say "ah-goo" "coo" back. It's pretty heart-meltingly sweet. 

We had her two month doctor appointment last Friday. She is a whopping 11 pounds 4 oz, and 22 inches long. That puts her in the 60th percentile for weight and 50th percentile for height. Our chunky little chick. 

I did mention to the doctor that I had noticed she favors the right side of her head. She always sleeps, plays, and prefers laying on the right side of her head. I had tried to encourage her to look the other way by putting toys on her left side, or laying on the ground beside her, but she wouldn't budge. After examining her he said that she had what is called "torticollis". It's basically a shortening and tightening of the neck muscles on one side. He taught us how to do exercises for her neck and said it should improve if we do them 3-4 times a day. If it has not improved by her 4 month appointment we will have to get her some physical therapy. 

Although this is something that can be fixed with time, it's still a little scary and sad for her to get "diagnosed" with something wrong with her. I know there are much worse things that could happen, and I am so grateful for our healthy girl, but as a mama you just want everything to be wonderful and easy for your little love. The exercises hurt her and it makes me so sad to have to do them with her 4 times a day. Knowing that it's helping her does make it easier, but hearing your baby cry is never easy. I cannot wait for her to get better!

The two month vaccines threw a big ole wrench into what little schedule we did have. She handled the shots like a champ while we were in the doctor's office and fell asleep right after. However, after a verrrrry long 5 hour nap (she missed a meal, which this child NEVER does) she woke up on the wrong side of the bassinet. She was genuinely PISSED about the fact that we let that mean nurse stab her and didn't get over it for about 2 and a half days. She cried more in those two days than she has cried in her entire life. It was miserable (for her and us). I'm already dreading those 4 month shots. 

The whole shot debacle did teach me how thankful I am for my happy baby. She is most always content and sweet, only crying when she is hungry, tired, or angry about how fast (or slow) the milk is coming out of the boob. Pretty easy to please and I'm pleased about that. 

We moved from newborn diapers to size one about two weeks ago. We have a few boxes of size ones that were given to us and it has been so refreshing not to have to buy diapers for a couple of weeks. I've packed up most of her newborn clothes (tear). She still fits into 4 of her cute little newborn outfits so I'm hanging onto those for a while and putting them on her as many times as possible. I never thought packing away her tiny little outfits would be so sad...I got attached to her teeny clothes. However, we have lots of cute bigger clothes on the horizon so that helps! :) 

We have a little bit more consistent sleep schedule than we had last month. Like I mentioned before, the shots royally messed up the sleep schedule we did have for about 3 nights, but things have pretty much returned to normal now. What is normal exactly? Well, around 8:30-9:00 we bathe her in warm water (we only actually wash her every 3-4 nights to keep her skin from drying out) because she absolutely LOVES getting in the bath, after her bath she gets all lotioned up and we put on her jams. She usually takes a little cat nap and wakes up to eat again around 10:30-11:00. I feed her one more time, swaddle, and put her to bed (and hopefully go to bed myself). She usually sleeps until around 3:30am, which is pretty good. I of course wouldn't mind if she decided to extend that a few hours. After her 3 o'clock feeding she usually sleeps until 6:30-7:00 and Andrew usually feeds her a bottle at this time and lets me sleep. I'm going to have to change some things about her schedule before I go back to work. I'm hoping to get her to go down for her long stretch a little sooner, and hopefully she will start extending that stretch even longer. We'll see. Either way, waking up isn't all too bad when I lean over her bassinet and catch some of the biggest, happiest grins possible (like above photos). 

Her hair is growing more, except it's all mostly in the back :). She has an adorable, thick hair swirl going on back there and it makes me smile so big. It gets super tight and curled up after her hair gets washed and I absolutely love it. I am looking forward for her hair to start growing more in the front so we can play with clips and bows, but for now I'm definitely enjoying this funky hairdo that she has. 

It is amazing how much she continues to change in such short amounts of time. Looking back at month one  makes my jaw drop at how much she has grown and developed. It's such a fun journey! 

My sweet Ruby, 

You beautiful soul, you. I love seeing you grow and shine. Your smile brightens the world and I know it's never going to stop doing so. You light up our lives with joy and happiness. This month has had its challenges (shots, your neck diagnosis), but it just showed dad and I how much we love you and want to protect you from any pain and sadness. I know that's impossible and I'll maybe come to terms with that eventually, but either way, we will always hold your hand through it all.  Your dad and I love you so much and are so glad you came into our lives and changed them for the better two months ago. You are so beautifully, wonderfully you and I can't wait to see you continue to grow into yourself. 

We love you so much, sweetheart. 

Mama