Life List

I started a word document named "Life List" my freshman year of college. I was going through some pretty dramatic changes in my life (as most people do their first year of college), and wanted to write down some of my dreams, goals, and hopes for the rest of my life. Since making that list I have opened it a few times to mark things off and maybe add a few more things. It's funny, because I have changed SO much since then, but I have never taken one thing off the list, just added things to it.
I'm sharing it for fun, because I like thinking about the possibility of all of these things happening.
I smile when I read this list, because I would have never guessed the direction my life would go when I wrote it almost 6 years ago. I don't think I EVER dreamt of crossing of "meet and marry my best friend" and "become a mom" so early in life. Even though this list contains many, many things that might never happen for me; it teaches me to not even think about that they might never happen, because heck, they COULD! I love that.

Swim with dolphins in the ocean

Become a mom

Eat pizza in Italy                                                                                                                  Graduate College

Become foster parents

Adopt a child from foster-care

Dance in a flash-mob

Zip-line through a rainforest

Pay off my student loans as quick as possible

Go on a last minute cruise

Take my kids to concerts

Travel cheaply, and stay in hostels

Adopt a puppy/dog from a shelter

Read the bible cover to cover multiple times

Go to Wrigley Field with my husband

Meet and marry my best friend.

Get backstage passes to a concert

See the Grand Canyon

Have a kitchen with big black and white tile (and teal black-splash…)

Tile a black-splash in our kitchen myself

Go to Hawaii

Teach my dog to play frisbee

Teach my dog to be a therapy dog, and take him/her to hospitals and nursing homes

Stand under the Eiffel tower

Go back to Big Bend with my cousins (my cousins and I went every summer with my grandparents when we were kids)

Have a garden in our backyard and grow our own food

Backpack Europe with our future kids

Whale watch

Have family traditions that our kids love and look forward to

Drive a VW van (this has been a dream of mine since I was in elementary school)

Find the Emmylou Harris Wreaking Ball album on vinyl and give it to Andrew as a present

Have an open shower with more than one showerhead

Make clothes for my kids

Go to a floating lanterns festival

Go skiing with my husband

Find a job that I love AND get to help people at every single day

Live somewhere outside the US for a year, or more

Run a marathon, or a half marathon. I would be happy with either (so, realistically, half.)

See Over the Rhine live

Go to Africa and work in a clinic

Be a stay at home mom when my kids are little ones

Learn Spanish

Meet Oprah

Live close to an ocean

Pay for my kids’ college

Visit my cousins in Boston

Give someone a scholarship for college

Don’t eat sugar for a month

Live on enough land to have a horse or two

Try to surf

Actually learn to surf

Read all the books on our bookshelf (quite a task, I assure you)

Feel confident in a swimsuit

Dye my hair

Learn how to deliver babies and become a midwife

Deliver babies in a third world country

Go to New York and find Central Perk (the coffee shop from Friends) (not sure if it actually exists so this one might be impossible)

Cook dinner every night for a month

Be a mom my kids want to stay in contact with

Have a picnic at the park in Belton where my husband proposed

Learn to salsa dance/ballroom dance

Watch our Bunny Friend boys graduate high school. 

Get a Masters Degree

Own a house with a big front porch

Sit on said front porch rocking on our babies in rocking chairs

Host a foreign exchange student

Learn to play the piano

Get a tattoo

Train for a triathlon

Raise chickens for fresh eggs 

Half a Year

Half a year ago around 2am, just two short hours after meeting your beautiful self for the first time, I got wheeled into a cold and tiny postpartum hospital room. 

Exhausted from the journey we just took together, your dad fell asleep quickly on the fold out chair contraption that was his bed for the next 2 nights. 

I laid in the bed cold and hurting, longing to hold you again. 

The nurse brought you in, you were swaddled tightly and were warm when she handed you to me. She told me how beautiful you were and that you were strong and healthy. We shared a little laugh about how the nursery was crowded and all the babies were crying. The nurse said that when she looked over at you in your bassinet you were just laying there with your eyes big and open, blinking slowly, taking it all in. My girl. 

She left and turned the lights off saying "please call when you decide you want some rest, I'll come back and get her from you....congratulations." 

I smiled and nodded, sat up in bed and undid your tight swaddle so I could study your sweet, tiny body. 

Your skin was still wrinkly from swimming around in my belly for almost 10 months, your lips pink and soft, and your hair still a little wet from the bath the nurse gave you in the nursery. 

You let out a soft, squeaky cry, probably slightly perturbed that I just released you from your tight, comfy cocoon. I unbuttoned my hospital gown at the top and slipped you in to be closer to where you came from. I felt you relax, all 6 pounds of you on my chest. I took a deep breath and relaxed my body just like you had just done. 

You were here. My girl. 

My heart would never be the same. 

I held you that way for over an hour, staring down at your beautiful profile. I don't really remember what I was thinking about during these precious moments. I mostly just remember being silent, breathing you in and stroking your fuzzy hair and soft skin. 

Once you started to stir, I fed you, and you quickly went back to sleep. We cuddled until the sun came up. I don't think I took my eyes off of you once. 

The doctor came in early and your dad woke up. I handed you over to him and you drew him in just like you had done to me. 

You have a way of doing that to us, Ruby. A way of stealing our hearts and making us feel like we have loved you all our lives, whether it's been 6 hours or 6 months. It feels like you have always been right here in our hearts. 

I'm thankful for those quiet, still moments we got to spend together 6 months ago. I will never forget those first moments of getting to know you, my darling girl. 

You are so very precious to us. 

Happy Half Birthday, Ruby. 

I love you, 

Mama

Favorite February Faces

My girl turns half a year old tomorrow. 

Lets take some time to enjoy some of my favorite pictures of 5 month old Ruby-girl. 

Life Lately

I have kind of gotten into the habit of just blogging at Ruby's monthly birthday. With all that goes on in our lives I usually have time to come home, enjoy the short amount of time I get with Ruby before bedtime and then go to bed myself. Today I have the day off though, and baby girl is taking a nap. BLOGGING! 

Here are some pictures/videos of our life lately. We've been having so much fun with Ruby. She's changing and becoming more of a little person each and every day. 

First oatmeal experience

more went on her than in her

Just hangin' 

Here's a video of her adorable laugh, this was around Christmastime.

Helping mama with laundry

Ruby LOVES bathtime

Sweet potatoes!

YUMMY!

frozen peach pop! 

Banjo enjoyed his mardi gras toy

Trying to get Daddy's hat 

Family picture on Mardi Gras day

Just enjoying her paci

I cannot believe this girl is getting ready to crawl!

Valentines day loot

Maybe someday I'll do a post that has a little more depth and words, and a little less pictures. Probably not though. I will say that we are having a great time, are very happy, and might have some exciting things to share in the next few months. (No, I'm not pregnant. Just in case your mind went there). 

We're loving watching our girl grow, and glad we can share it with all 13 of you that read this blog! :)

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