Ruby-- Five Months

Wasn't I just here, like yesterday, writing about how my baby is 4 months old?? Well, guess what...yet another month has flown by and our darling girl is has now been in our lives for 5 months. I think this month has been the month that we have seen the most change in her growth and development. She's blossomed this month and it has been so fun to experience! 

She scoots too fast to keep her centered on the quilt! Stinker.

Our girl is on the move! While she's definitely not crawling yet, that doesn't keep her from moving around the living room when you lay her down and go wash dishes. She doesn't seem to do it when we're watching, but if we leave the room she some how gets off whatever blanket we have her on and gets into as much mischief as a 4 month old baby can (like chewing on Banjo's tail...GROSS!).

This girl is such a goofball! She already cracks us up on a daily basis with her funny faces, noises, and all around silliness. She has quite the personality! Ruby is charming, and she knows it. She flashes her gummy grin to anyone who talks to her, and quickly wraps every single person she meets around her chubby little finger. She loves everyone, especially if you let her chew on your finger! 

Ruby is definitely teething! Like I mentioned above, she's not shy about using anyone who will oblige as a teething ring. She has also made a habit out of soaking her onesies almost all the way to her belly button with slobber. If drooling were an olympic sport, this girl would win the gold.


One very exciting milestone Ruby reached this month was learning to sit up! I usually prop her up on the boppy in the morning while Andrew and I are getting ready, where she usually just eats her hands and chills. One morning I noticed she wasn't even leaning on it, I got all excited about it, and then promptly forgot about it. A couple of weeks ago we were over at Eric and Kristina's and Nolan was showing us all how he can take a few steps on his own now. Ruby thought it was the absolute best thing she has ever seen in her life and was cracking up like no body's business, all while sitting up by herself. I sat there behind her completely amazed that she could just sit there and laugh at him...my baby is growing up.

I never thought I would be one of those moms that gets so sappy about each and every little thing. And then I catch myself saying "oooohhhh LOOK! She's grabbing her toes!", and crying at the sound of her laugh. Being a mom has brought out this extra sappy, emotional part of me and I would not have it any other way. I can't help but be proud of her as I watch her develop and change. 

I think I can finally say that we've gotten is a semi-positive groove when it comes to sleep (knock on wood). We still have some nights where she just wants her mama, and I oblige because really, how many more times am I going to get to lay in bed and nurse her in the middle of the night? We've finally got her on more of a schedule though, which was my goal for the month. She has been going to bed around 8:30 the past few nights, waking up once to nurse around 2 or 3, and then wakes up again to eat around 7:30 (which works wonderfully because I get to feed her before I go to work). She had one night where she slept a full 9.5 hours without waking up, which was magical, but most nights...not so much. While I do hope she will sleep fully through the night eventually, I can say with all honesty that I do not mind waking up with her. Those early morning snuggles melt my heart no matter how groggy I am, they are precious moments that will be etched on my mind forever. 

We started solids! We got the go-ahead from Ruby's pediatrician at her 4 month appointment (which was 2 weeks late) and started her on oatmeal the next night. The first few times were quite amusing. She would quiver and make the most hilarious face when the oatmeal would touch her tongue. She's come around, though, and now gobbles it up and makes quite the mess! A bath is always necessary after Ruby's dinner! Ruby is eating less frequently during the day, but more milk. She's sometimes eating up to 7 oz out of her first bottle at daycare and then usually 5 oz after that. She is down to only eating 2 bottles at daycare most days because she nurses so late in the morning now before I go to work. It's still a lot to keep up with, and some days I wonder if I'll be able to pump enough for this girl's big appetite.

She was 16 pounds even, and 26 inches long (I think, I honestly can't remember) at her last doctors appointment (4 months, 2 weeks). That put her in the 80th percentile for weight and height. Our sweet girl sure has grown a lot from her scrawny 6 pound newborn frame. :)

I know this probably gets redundant month after month, but Ruby is the happiest baby ever. She is truly a delight to be around. I cannot get enough of her! We could not possibly love her more!

Cutest baby bulldog ever

Love-bug, 

These past five months have been the best months of your daddy and I's lives. You bring us an endless amount of joy and fill our hearts with happiness on a daily basis. When I think about how fast these five months have gone by, it makes me realize how it's true how people say "you just blink and they are graduating high school". I can't think about that right now though sweet girl, because I'm loving these moments way too much. I thank God for you. He has blessed us with your sweet, wonderful, beautiful self and there is no way we can say "thank you" enough for that. 

We love you more than you will ever know, beautiful girl.

Mama 

2012 in Pictures

It's become a tradition around these parts to do a recap of our year in pictures. It's fun for me to look back on all the years I've been doing this, and I'm glad to continue the tradition this year.
What a year it has been! I can say with 100% certainty that this has been the best year Andrew and I have ever had. We grew so much together, and then grew our family by 1 (2 if you count Banjo, which we totally do).
Without further adieu, 2012 in pictures:
(see 2009 here, 2010 here, and 2011 here)

January:
Juju visited and I thought that I was "showing". If only I would have known that my belly still wouldn't look that good 4 months postpartum...

February:

Our (wonderfully) weird friends dressed up and went to see Star Wars. We gladly babysat Nolan while they went. He's so little in these pictures! Sigh, they grow up so fast. 

Taylor's face looks so strange through that mask...

March:
Andrew got to pray at the Hornets game. They happened to be playing the Mavs that night which meant I got to watch Dirk warm up from the side of the court, oh and Jason Terry smiled and waved back at me when I said hi to him. This was also Nolan's first NBA game. What a night!

April:

Easter with our crew and Ruby's first concert (in-utero) at Jazz Fest. 

May:

We met this three crazy pups and chose our boy. 

June:
Celebrated one year of marriage with a baby in my belly, a pup on my hip, and my love by my side.

July:

The boys ended their most successful baseball season to date. We are so proud of the progress (not only in sports) that they have made this year. 

August:

Nothing important happened this month.

JK. We had a baby. Our beautiful, wonderful, sweet, precious, darling girl! 

September:
We spent a lot of time staring at Ruby in awe. Ruby mastered her famous "oh face".

October:

The only pictures I have from this month are random ones of Ruby and Halloween. Halloween was really fun.

November:

Ruby's (and Banjo's) first Thanksgiving and LOTS of sweet smiles. Mama also had her first day back at work and Ruby had her first day of school (saddest day EVER, for me at least). 

December:

Sweetest, most special Christmas ever. 

2012 was a year full of new adventures for us. We feel so very blessed and have full hearts reflecting back on such a special year for our family. We thank God for his faithfulness, provisions and unending love and are looking forward to what 2013 has in store for us. 

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The Lord if my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.' The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him." -Lamentations 3:22-26

Ruby-- Four Months

Our sweet, sweet girl turned 4 months old on Christmas Eve. It was warm enough outside to take these pictures with Rubes in her short-sleeved onesie. Ruby is getting to be such a fun little girl. She is gaining a little sassy personality that makes us laugh. I can't believe how fast time is flying by. 

Like I mentioned, her little personality is just blooming. She is a very happy baby like she always has been, but has grown a bit of a temper. She gets SO easily frustrated if she can't do something, like put a whole block in her mouth. It cracks us up, but most of the time we have to take away whatever the toy is that is frustrating her or she will just get herself way too worked up. 

Ruby's hair is SLOOWWLY growing. She still has a good amount of brown hair in the back, but as you can see in the picture above it's definitely growing in a little blonde. Her hair has started doing a little alfalfa curl on top and it is just the cutest thing I've ever seen.

We've been battling a nasty little cold since her 3 month post, and this month it unfortunately turned into more than just a little cold. Rubes was diagnosed with RSV and an ear infection. It was SO SAD to see our sweet, happy baby so miserable. She had a rough time breathing and had enough snot in her nose to fill up a cup (gross). We got her on some antibiotics for her ear infection and it cleared up pretty quickly. Happy Ruby was back in just a few days.

We had to deal with some sleep regression this month (I'm guessing because of her being so sick). She had a few nights where she'll wake up every 2 hours to nurse. This made getting up and going to work even more hard than it usually is. Thankfully, she *kinda* got back into the swing of things and is mostly only waking 1-2 times per night. She seems to be going to bed later and later though and I'm not really sure why, or how to change it. Part of me is grateful for it because it means I get lots of extra time with her after the day is over, and part of me would enjoy some time to wind down myself. At the end of the day, though, there really is nothing sweeter than Ruby cuddles.

The girl has an obsession with her hands. Well, really anything that she can get in her mouth (your hands, too if you let her!). She is constantly chewing on something, and hands are just SO convenient. She's not much of a thumb sucker, she prefers the first two fingers after her thumb.

You can almost always guarentee that Ruby has a hair stuck between her fingers. She is constantly grabbing hair. No matter how often I spread those chubby fingers apart and pry the hairs out, she somehow always ends up with more. I keep thinking about cutting my hair, but I'm not sure that would really make a difference. She pulls Andrew's hair and it's not even an inch long!

We've had a bit of a set back in the eating department (again, thanks to our friends RSV and ear infection). She had lost almost a pound the last time we took her to the doctor. It definitely doesn't show, and her double chin has not suffered one bit. Even with her feeling better, her appetite still hasn't returned. I had been pumping exclusively so that we could monitor how much she was taking in, and she had gone from eating 5 oz per feeding to 2 oz. The past couple of days she has eaten between 2-3oz, so I'm hoping this means her appetite is starting to come back. 

I'm pretty sure she is starting to teeth. Like I mentioned before she is constantly chewing on something, she is also drooling probably a gallon of slobber a day. She's slightly irritable and a lot more needy than usual. Last night I let her suck on a slice of frozen peach that I was snacking on and she absolutely loved it. It was so cute to see her little brain working thinking "this is NOT milk...but...mmmmm...it's GOOD!" We'll be taking her to her 4 month appointment sometime this week or next, and maybe get the clear to start trying some foods with her. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that step, mostly because it makes me sad to think about her growing up. We'll see. I might hold off until 6 months. 

I say it every month, but I feel so blessed to have such a happy girl! She is definitely easy to please, and smiles almost all day long. Her teachers at daycare rave about how darling and sweet she is and say to me all the time "she's such an easy baby". I'm thankful that the transition to daycare has gone so well for all of us. Andrew checks on her multiple times a day and sends me texts like "she's playing on the floor and smiling" or "she's napping in her crib all bundled up...i love her". It definitely makes my day go by faster knowing she is loved and cared for. SO very grateful for a loving place to take her while we work.

Ruby is a daddy's girl through and through. He gets the best smiles and cuddles from her. She has gotten to spend a lot of time with him recently with her being sick and Christmas break at daycare. Andrew had sick time that he could take, and had an end of the year break from work that thankfully coincided perfectly with hers. I love watching their relationship form and grow. They are a sweet pair.

Our Love, 

Happy four months! You are changing daily, and Mama & Daddy love to watch you grow. You are so sweet and happy. It warms our hearts to see you smile and her you laugh. Every little part of you is incredibly beautiful and you make me proud to be your mom on a daily basis. God has blessed us more than I could have ever imagined by you, darling girl. You're the best. 

We love you, Sunshine. 

Mama