My 5 month peanut

I can't believe she is already 5 months (tomorrow), I just can't get enough of her. She is getting up onto her hands and knees as of the last few days! She is growing and thriving every day. Won't be long before she is crawling I'm sure.  I love my love bugs to the moon and back and treasure every day them.

Rubys first food!

My baby girl was so funny tonight trying peas for the first time. She is such a sweet and easy going baby we are so blessed! She is almost 5 months old now. Every day is better and better. Wyatt has started to pay more attention to her now that she is laughing and cooing more each day. Life is so good!

Ruby 4 months.

On our way to meet Hughes Elizabeth Whitaker born Sept 30th 2013. Just Ruby and me making the trip this time while the boys stayed home. Ruby had as great time visiting with her cousins.

First few months with our Princess!

I may not have selected this picture to be at the top of this post, but that is just how it happened as I was uploading photos...now I"m thinking it is just perfect haha.  This guy has been a rock star (stressed and ridiculous at times, but who isn't with two children under the age of 2 in our house), but he has just lifted me up in so many ways in caring for this family.  To start, we've made "pizza night" (almost) a weekly tradition...some weekends are crazy so it doesn't get done, but every other week or so we've been showing Wyatt how to make his own pizza and it is such a fun, sweet, mess!  I'm pretty sure Nick was dancing to the "Hot dog song."  If you have a toddler, you know what that is. 

It's amazing how just a pile of flour can keep this almost-2 year old busy for a solid half hour...it's bliss.

Ever since Ruby entered the world, Nick and Wyatt have made an even stronger bond, and largely because my time is more divided now as they both have immediate needs still at these ages.  They get up in the morning and snuggle on the couch while I get breakfast ready and feed Ruby.  We are working towards the "well-oiled machine" status again...I like things that way. 

Ruby at 3 months, so strong! Eyes are still blue...hoping they stay that way!!  Can't believe I will have had 2 children with blue eyes, cool. 

I have been told, "The bigger the bow, the better the mama!" - I am up for that challenge. 

This portion is mainly for me...because I will FORGET, those little important things as far as daytime scheduling and routine goes...so in the event we ever have a 3rd child, this is for my future self..first of all, 

1. Re-read all the babywise books

2. Set up the play pen from day one and get baby used to doing play pen/blanket time

3. Use the kitchen timer during baby's waketime activities...when time is up, mommy shows up.  (This is to prevent the baby from constantly crying/whining to get what she wants.)  I didn't do this with Wyatt because I hadn't gotten far enough in the books yet....(Refer back to number 1.)

Enough of the boring stuff..Here's my baby girl just chilling.  She is so easy going, such a blessing.  Any of you who know or remember, Wyatt was tough as an infant, simply because of his feeding issues, colic, reflux, MASSIVE spit up everywhere 24/7, etc.  He is my prince, no doubt about that, but he was definitely more stressful at this age...so miss Ruby-cool-as-a-cucumber-Kate Hulling is the perfect little princess.

She smiles with her whole body it seems.  She just delights in everyone!

Having play pen time.

Having blanket time.

This was their first bath together....Wouldn't be a big brother without dumping water on Ruby's head...haha.  We aren't bathing them together too much yet simply because Ruby really enjoys her baths and so does Wyatt and until she can sit up on her own with him we will probably keep them separate.  

Ruby is 4.5 months old now, has been sleeping like a champ, we've worked through her gas issues the last month or so and she is doing great.  I am so thankful for my 2 precious peanuts.  There is so much more to update on but this is at least a good start...more to come.  

Love,

Megs

Ruby 4 months

Baby girl's first time in the swing. Finally a beautiful day at the park in late Sept. We are waiting for the news of baby Hughes to be born any day now!

Ruby's First Month

I'm going to jump right in, as time is limited for this mama right now!!  I need to update while some of this is still fresh...So from the beginning...Scheduled, repeat, C-section, same hospital, same anesthesiologist, same Dr., all at my request...went MUCH more smoothly this time, as my first was Emergency/Distress situation.  That does not mean I am in love with the whole process but I am thankful for protection over me and Ruby during the surgery.  Here's a few pics...We look awesome by the way.  That's the closest thing to a smile I could probably have mustered up while knowing that my uterus was "outside my body and flipped upside down lying on my abdomen" so they could stitch me up...(literally almost passed out after that.)  But the end result..VOILA!  Beautiful 7lb 9oz baby girl, 20 inches long.  That's exactly how much I weighed and I was a scheduled C-section too, cool huh?  So the pic of her is kinda gooey, but literally that is the first glimpse I had of her- so I wanted Nick to capture it.  

Her first cry :)  Tear....already can't believe it's been 5 weeks. 

This picture was taken once I was wheeled into recovery and they let me start nursing her.  I was still jacked up on morphine at this point.  (this is a good thing.) Once it wears off the nurses describe the recovery as feeling like you were "hit by a Mack truck."  They are right.  

Our first few moments once we made it into our Maternity suite at St. Josephs Women's Hospital.  Wyatt was a little uneasy about seeing mama laid up in bed like that and who is this person?!  

 But since we've been home he has evolved into such a fun-loving big brother and loves helping mommy change Ruby's diapers and get her dressed.  He is such a special boy and I am so looking forward to the bond we will all have as a family of 4!

So blessed with this man, he is a great husband and father. (And he looks good in seafoam blue apparently?!?!) I say yes.  

Here she is all cleaned up with her little hat on.  What a darling.

We made it home!  Snuggling in mama's bed.  She pretty much slept ALL DAY other than feedings the first two weeks and seemed so calm and restful.  From about 6-9 pm she is pretty alert and hangs out with us just like this!

I cannot believe what I accomplished in her first month of life, I guess having a 19 month old to love on and entertain as well pushes us to our limits.  This pic below was taken by the pool one day when Daddy and Wyatt were swimming.  Ruby was 10 days old.  This was Memorial Day weekend, hence the red, white, and blue!

Love my little fishy boy.

kick kick kick!!

This is what she looked like for about two weeks, haha.

Christening the double stroller at Busch Gardens, Ruby 2 weeks old.  I had Nick drop me off at the front and we hobbled to the Sesame Street area of the park, which is closer to the front, thank-you-God, and let Wyatt run around!

Mr. Giraffe in tow, naturally.  

Having fun trying on her little hair bows. Beautiful girl.

Daddy making sure Ruby is well covered by the sun, as it is June in Tampa.

Love this one!  One of the beauties of living so close to Busch Gardens is the ability to go when it's not so crowded...and jump right in for a photo with Big Bird and Elmo without having to wait!

At home, just chilling while we eat dinner.  Wyatt found Miss Lady Bug for Ruby and he brings it to her.  I have a feeling Miss Lady Bug might be the future Mr. Giraffe for Ruby.  We will see!

We were so blessed that our good friends set up a meal chain for us- for just about 3 weeks we had a hot meal delivered to us by a close friend and what a life saver that has been!  Wyatt was a HUGE fan of Corrie's baked beans...oh yeah! Went through about 3 bowls of those.  Glad Dad's been on diaper duty since I couldn't pick Wyatt up yet. 

Tummy Time!  This little girl I think is going to be a tummy sleeper.  

Thank you Grandma Pat for embroidering some cutie patootie things for Ruby!

Above- Ruby 1 month old, Below- Wyatt 19.5 months old.

We are so thankful for the support and love of our friends and of course, our super helper Miss Kiara who has been a God send!  She's a sweetie pie helping me with Wyatt and with house hold chores.  Wyatt LOVES her :) 

Nursing Ruby has been immensely easier than it was with Wyatt.  Very little pain, she spits up a little but seems to really be doing well with breast milk.  For those of you who recall, I had a really difficult time with Wyatt, he was intolerant to dairy in my diet and spit up constantly/and was medicated for acid reflux at 4 weeks old because he'd refuse to eat.  So after much prayer and healthy diet changes, I was able to nurse him for 8 months but it was really a struggle.  I am very thankful that it is coming more naturally this go around.  Ruby is just easy going.  She's also sleeping a ton better than he ever did.  At this point she's sleeping from about 10-3 or 4, every night.  Praise God for that!!  Then she goes back down until about 7:30.  We are getting in a groove, and I am so thankful for my husband who has really begun evolving as a more well rounded dad and learning some "mom-isms"...for example...holding a toddler and scrambling eggs at the same time...sneakily getting Wyatt dressed for preschool while he is mesmerized by Mickey Mouse...doing push ups on the floor in the living room with Wyatt on his back and taking the dog for a walk instead of stressing about the "perfect" time to get to the gym...Making Wyatt breakfast every morning and getting used to what he likes/dislikes/and working with him on our daily routine.  The list goes on...but it is rewarding to be parents, truly.  Not a day goes by I don't look around and think, this is as it should be and we are so blessed.  Thanks for taking the time to check in.  

Love,

Megs