Ruthie is Six Months Old

Half a year, already? Time surely flies when we’re having fun... and we ARE having fun! This time last year, still throwing up and barely managing with two other babies, I questioned the Lord’s timing for our third child. I was fearful and anxious, wondering how on earth we would make it. Now, I can’t even conceive of a life without our little Ruthie. The Lord knew what a precious gift this little one would be, and I’m so thankful that he saw fit to bless us with her when he did.

Although I still am convinced that six months old is practically a newborn, I’m reminded often of how big she’s really getting! Just the other day at the pediatrician, the mama behind me in the checkout line held a sweet newborn (just two weeks old!) in her arms. I could scarcely believe how tiny that baby was...and how enormous our little Ruthie looked in comparison! I suppose I have no choice but to admit that she’s growing up, just a little bit, every single day!


At six months old, Ruthie is...
• 14 pounds, 11 ounces (25%ile) and 26.5 inches long (80%ile). Amazingly, she is the smallest of the three girls at six months!
• sleeping from 7:30am to 7:30pm most nights, occasionally waking at around 5:00 but going right back to sleep with a Mousie and a pacifier. She also typically takes two two-hour naps each day, followed by a shorter 45-minute nap in the late afternoon.
• taking four six-ounce bottles each day, and eating solid foods at her first three meals. Ruthie has liked everything she’s tried (and gerber has made it all), and she particularly loves her fruit. Like her sisters, bananas are her least favorite food. In her bedtime bottle, Ruthie also gets a tablespoon of cereal. I’m not sure if it makes a difference in her sleeping, but apparently she could use a few extra calories.
• still spitting up like a champ, and still unbothered by it. (I finally accepted that the spit up was here to stay, solids or not, and I got a friend to make me some precious bibs.)
• delighted by her sisters, especially Nora. She loves to be held by Phoebe, but there’s something about Nora that really makes Ruthie crack up. Honestly, she can just be sitting across from Nora and will burst into laughter. Nobody, not even Daddy, can make Ruthie laugh like Nora does.
• wearing mostly 3-6 month clothing with the occasional 3 month onesie thrown in for good measure. She also wears a size two diaper.
• rolling all over the place, and enjoys being on her tummy for extended periods of time. I’ll occasionally find her on her tummy in her crib, and she uses her rolls to get around. She likes to work her way into a new spot in the crib!
• starting to become sad when she’s separated from the rest of us. Ruthie has become increasingly social, and she no longer enjoys extended “alone” stretches in the pack and play. She did, however, do great in the nursery at church for the first time this month.
• able to climb out of the Bumbo, a first for our girls. (She never really was a fan of that thing...)
• not the owner of a tooth, as we might have suspected. The hard, white spot on her gums turned out to be a cyst, which went away on its own.
• in love with her Mousie. We’ve managed to get one more little one addicted to a lovey, and she rubs the tail over her face just like the other girls do with their critters’ ears.
• a fan of sitting in the red chair and playing with the baby in the mirror. She bounces, giggles, and loves to try and touch that sweet baby.


We’ve had such a blast with our sweet little Ruthie! I’m so thankful that the Lord has given us this sweet little Mouse to kiss on all the time! Happy Half Birthday, Roo!

Breathing Room

For the first time in several weeks, I feel like I have a little bit of breathing room. Life with three little ones is beautifully full. Everyday life isn't busy - we're home all day, almost every day - but the necessary routines of life fill our days to the brim. When we add anything to the usual pace of life, I find that we're overflowing.

In order to keep my teaching certificate active (something I've been counseled to do by a few older homeschooling moms), I am taking an online, graduate level literacy class. I've shopped for time and found expensive slots in the early morning hours, and I'm falling asleep with a highlighter in hand. It has been precious to see God's hand of faithfulness in this difficult time, as I'm completing the readings and assignments on time without sacrificing my primary duties. He's also provided perfect help at the perfect times. Daily, I'm having to trust the Lord to show me how to order my day; he is truly "establishing my steps". I'm particularly thankful that my professor is in France this next week and we have a bit of a "catch up" week. I'm hoping to get a little ahead in anticipation of a July 4th weekend.

Needless to say, the energy to blog is almost nonexistent. Life is stripped to the necessities right now, and I'm scratching out bits of our days and establishing notes of gratitude in a book I keep open on my kitchen counter. I'm planning to return to the blog in August, when the class is completed and we can settle back in to our normal, full routines.

Nora is 20 Months Old

Oh, our passionate, wild Nora... how is it that you are already 20 months old? Wasn’t it just yesterday that you were Ruthie’s size? A few days ago, I was looking at some pictures from Christmas and I couldn’t believe the change; and yet, all of the changes happened imperceptibly. Nora morphed from baby to toddler in a twinkling, although, I suppose that is just the way it happens.

At twenty months old, Nora is...

• speaking in full, three and four word sentences. She communicates really well, and I’m astounded at how much we actually understand.
• finally getting those teeth! Three molars are about halfway in, and I imagine they’ll completely move in by the time she’s three.
• in love with both of her sisters. On the off chance that Phoebe wakes up before she does and we scoot her out of the room so Nora can get a little more sleep, the first word out of Nora’s mouth is, “Phoebe?” And Nora loves to take care of her little sister, designating herself as official paci-put-er-in-er.
• so passionate, riding an emotional roller coaster throughout the day. I’m trying to be more cognisant of times that she might need a break, and she’s trying to learn how to manage some of the outbursts. Bunny and nay-nay are often sweet, sweet comforts.
• pretty much fearless, and can do just about anything Phoebe does. She loves to climb, twirl, dance, and swim...just to name a few.
• singing her ABCs with pretty decent accuracy, counting to five (with help), and answering the first three questions in the children’s catechism.
• in love with all things water - the swimming pool, watering cans, washing dishes, and generally, the bath.
• happier with books than just about any other toy.
• starting to play dress-up with her sister, though she seems to prefer fancy hats to fancy dresses.
• a budding chef, as she plays at the little pink kitchen several times throughout the day.
• a sweet helper. She loves to help load and unload the dishwasher, sweep the floor, wipe spots off the floor, load the dryer, and put away laundry. Strangely, picking up toys is low on her priority list, although she’s beginning to enjoy putting things in their baskets, especially at the end of blanket time.
• particularly receptive to one-on-one time, and seems energized after some time on the counter talking to Mommy.

Nora is a precious, exuberant delight. Her dimply smile seems to beget smiles from anyone in its beam, and her requests for “hold you me” are irresistible. Oh, how thankful I am for this little person -- and what a delight it is to watch her grow!

Ruthie is 3 Months Old

Seriously? Three months? I can hardly stand it. My tiny baby is officially no longer a newborn; even the clothes and diapers declare it, as she is officially way too big for either. After three months, it seems like she's been here forever. We are still just falling in love with this precious little bug, and I'm so thankful that God saw fit to give us this sweet girl.

At three months old, Ruthie is...

• consistently sleeping all night, generally from about 7:30pm to 6:30am. She occasionally wakes in the early morning hours, but will take a paci and go right back to sleep. She also still likes to sleep swaddled, though I'm thinking it might soon be time to start the weaning process here.
• eating every three hours, 4 ounces at every meal. She'd probably go longer, but I'm not willing to let go of our schedule yet. Ruthie also still eats one last bottle at 10:00 every night, but she usually only takes about 2 ounces at this feeding.
• spitting up... a lot. Some days, we go through three or four outfits. (And by we, I mean we; I'm having to change, too!) We're learning how to manage this a little better, but she's happy when she spits, and doesn't seem to be uncomfortable. This may be reflux, but since it's not causing any apparent discomfort, I don't plan to seek out any medical help with this.
  
• napping pretty predictably, falling asleep with only a few minutes of fussing about an hour and fifteen minutes after she eats. The 45-minute-intruder still likes to visit at many of her naps, but many times she will go back to sleep for another sleep cycle. I have to wake her to eat for at least a few of her meals each day. Ruthie also likes to sleep with a loud fan in her room, which hopefully drowns out some of the ruckus in the rest of the house.
• so easy-going and happy! She seldom "squeaks", and she's content just about anywhere, anytime.
  
• in love with her sisters, especially Nora. (The feeling is mutual on all counts.) Nora was the first to make her giggle, and Phoebe loves to hold Ruthie and snuggle on the bed. Nora is the nay-nay specialist, and Phoebe loves to play peek-a-boo and tickle her toes.
• showing her excitement by kicking and flapping her arms. I love this "flying" on the bed when we change her!
  
• desperately trying to suck her thumb, it appears, to no avail.
• talking and squealing with fervor, and "blooming" into a smile whenever she sees a sweet, happy face.
  
• wearing 3 month clothes and a size 1 diaper.
  

I am so loving Ruthie, and just enjoying every little moment with her. I'm in denial about her no longer being a newborn, so I m going to hang onto her while she's tiny as long as I can!

Mother's Day

If you had told me on my wedding day that, before our fifth anniversary, I would have three little girls... well, I would have thrown my blue wedding flip-flops at you. I still can hardly believe it when I look in the rearview mirror and see three little car seats. When I check on them before heading to bed and I see those sweaty little curls and hear the deep nighttime breathing, I can't help but praise God for his abundant blessings and thank Him for not giving me what I thought I wanted.


This Mother's Day, it was a delight to braid hair, change diapers, rock babies, and sterilize bottles. It wasn't a particularly extraordinary day (although Michael made certain to make me feel adored), but my heart rejoiced in the everyday tasks of motherhood. I am so thankful for the contentment God has placed in my heart as a mommy. This job is unbelievably hard, but the benefits are incredible!

Nora is 19 Months Old

When every waking moment of our days is packed to the brim, it feels nearly impossible to jot down a few thoughts here and there. I've taken to keeping a book open on my counter where I record some of the minutia of our days, as it's easier to scribble down thoughts than to boot up the computer and peck out real, complete sentences. Uploading pictures is another thing entirely. (My most recent upload included eight hundred pictures. Seriously.) My days are full of hard work, and sometimes it's just hard. Yet it's a delight to come back here and see what we've been up to, so peck out the sentences I must -- even if it's only every now and again.


Our sweet, passionate little Nora is now nineteen months old. I'm constantly amazed at her uniqueness, and at how she is a perfect fit for our little family. God knows our needs and desires so intimately! She is a delight and a blessing. At nineteen months, Nora...

• weighs 23 pounds, 7 ounces (30%ile) and is 32.5 inches tall (90%ile)
  
• is finally cutting those molars. And is she ever! Three are coming in at once, and they're giving her - and us - all sorts of grief. This all happened just in time for a Tylenol and Motrin recall, but Daddy came to the rescue with Walgreen's brand. She's pretty miserable, but I'm encouraged just knowing that teething eventually ends.
• istalking all the time, of course, and now stringing many two and three word phrases together. We hear "hold you me" pretty often, but she'll also make requests followed by "please" (as in "bunny please"). I'm also sad to report that she's calling her bunny "bunny" (instead of "nimee"). She also jabber-reads books aloud, and sings along to many of our favorite songs.
• Speaking of songs, Nora loves to request "Howy Howy Howy", which is the overwhelming bedtime favorite. She also loves 5 Little Speckled Frogs, the ABC song, and the Miss PattyCake Hullabaloo Song. But she'll pretty much sing anything!
• ends books with a hearty "Amen".
• now requests tutus when she hears music, and loves to dance and twirl in the kitchen. (I'm pretty sure this is old news.)
• is a hearty eater, and is my partner in crime for weird food. Today, Nora sat on the counter while I prepared a greek pasta salad and I had to cut her off the olives and tomatoes. She was also sad to discover that the noodles were noodles, and not beans. She also licks hummus right out of the bowl.
• can identify some of her letters accurately, and she always surprises me when she does. I can take zero credit for this; I'm pretty sure everything she knows, she's learned from Phoebe or Fridge Phonics.
• identifies every color as blue, unless she's talking about pink... her sister has schooled her in pink!
  
• is intensely passionate, and we're working with her on not thrashing. It's amazing how different children require such vastly different things in terms of discipline and training! Nora is also really sensitive, and her feelings are easily hurt.
  
• is a Daddy's girl. She loves her mommy when it's just mommy...but once Daddy gets home, it's all over. She LOVES to be with her daddy, and can't stand to have him out of her sight!

Oh, how we love our little Norabelle! Happy 19 Months, Belly!

Ruthie is 2 Months Old

Two months have come and gone with our little Ruthie! Sometimes I forget that she's only two months old... and sometimes, I can't believe that she's already two months old. Our days are a whirlwind, and we're busy right now with spring planting. We've also had a touch of a tummy bug in the house, Nora's cutting teeth, and I'm in the process of renewing my teaching certificate, so I'm squeezing this in so my very forgetful brain can hang onto what it's like to have a sweet little two-month-old Ruthie in the house.


At two months old, Ruthie...

• Weighs 9 pounds, 5.5 ounces and is 23 inches long. (This was at her eight week checkup on April 27.)
  
• Eats every three hours during the day, usually taking between two and four ounces at a meal. We have recently transitioned to faster flow nipples for her bottles, and we're hoping she'll start taking a little more at her meals. At night, Ruthie usually wakes once to eat between four and five, and then goes back to sleep. [At around six weeks, she was sleeping through the night, going from 10-6. She kept this up for about a week and a half, but she has started needing to eat again. Growth spurt, maybe?]
• Takes a nap after each meal that lasts anywhere from an hour to two hours. It generally takes a fair amount of grumping to settle herself down, but she does settle herself for her naps.
• Enjoys being swaddled, but is perhaps getting a little irritated with the Miracle Blanket. She seems to prefer a less restrictive - but still tight - swaddle when she sleeps.
  
• Smiles oh-so-sweetly! It started as a small grin, but it's getting a little bigger and easier to coax out.
• Coos when she is very, very happy.
  
• Loves her bath! Our bathroom has become a little bit of a spa retreat, with all three girls getting sudsed up on a nearly-nightly basis. I can't wait until she's big enough to sit in the tub with her big sisters!
• Is content just about anywhere! She's been an easy-going little sister, and she loves to just be where we are. She particularly loves to lay on her back and watch a fan; this usually gets her kicking and smiling. She also loves the swing, the Moby, and her bouncy seat. Her sisters provide plenty of stimulation; consequently, she spends very little time on the floor!

I was so fearful about the transition to three, and yet, God has allowed us to have a smooth and easy transition in which I feel like I'm really delighting in all three of these sweet little girls. The days are flying by, and before we know it, Ruthie will be running around wild with her big sisters. It's so hard to believe!