check out my back dated post..."3 months" below

hi my name is mandy...

...and i have the "itis."

MASTITIS that is.

and it's NO fun.

i thought i was coming down w/the flu, so i guess i'm thankful it's not that and i'm not contagious, but it sucks. it feels like someone punched me in my boob, made a knot, and bruised it. oh, and the body aches/headache are like none i've ever felt before. then there's the 101 degree fever that makes you think you have the flu, until you look down and realize your boob is red, and possibly swollen on one side. fun, right?!

i thought the body aches were over after i recovered from pregnancy and labor, so this one hit me by surprise.

BUT, i LOVE her and am feeling mostly better just 36 hours after coming down w/the "itis."

isn't she cute?!?

3 months

She's 3 months now and here are

some of Ruby Belle's favorite things...

my mommy

(in my "snow suit")

my daddy

my playmat

my hands in my mouth

making faces

and smiling!

a first!!!

she rolled over!!! 4 days before her 3 month birthday (i don't really think it's called a birthday, but whatever) she rolled over!!! i didn't see it the first time. we were in Branson for a Christmas celebration and my in-laws were watching her while Justin and I shopped when she first decided to show off her skills. but she decided to give it one more whirl the next day for Justin and I. it's not a daily thing yet, but twice is good enough for me to celebrate and document!!

and she's laughing now, too! Justin is really good at getting her to laugh! it's SOOOOO cute!! i just love my little girl!

more pictures

monkey legs

bath time

12 weeks old and all smiles

practicing sitting up

my time at home, sweet, home and everything else

it's been a while. i know. i've been a little busy! and kinda lazy! so, a recap of the last month or so.
2 months old and lovin' life!!

Ruby Belle is officially sleeping through the night (from 10 or 11 to 7am!!!), smiling lots and i really think there has been a laugh or 2 recently! she's not rolling over and still hates tummy time, but she's really great at the "airplane-type" tummy time and she holds her head up well! she loves to "talk" to us and loves to smile!! and it melts my heart like nothing else in the world!!

we headed to Branson to visit my in-laws for a weekend in November. justin's aunt, uncle and (pregnant) cousin, Bonnie and her husband, Brad, came to town to visit so we went up there to meet them and to stay w/his parents. it was really a good weekend. we haven't seen Bonnie and Brad since their wedding 2 years ago and now they are pregnant with their first baby...a girl!!! we can't wait until sweet Ruby Belle has a new little cousin!

Smiling at her Grandparent Smith's

Ruby Belle and Grandpa

Then, Ruby Belle and I went down to spend 10 days in Shreveport visiting my parents and family and celebrating Thanksgiving. it was GREAT! i really miss home and really, really wish i could move back...but that won't be happening in the near future. (a girl can dream, though, right?!) i just want to be back close to my family. it's beautiful here in NW Ark, but family is family, and home is home (and much warmer than here!)

anyway, while i was home my mom's friends threw Ruby Belle and I a "Sip 'n See." it was a true southern celebration! (see smocked dress my sweet daughter wore!! Thanks, Mom!!) while i wasn't looking/hoping for presents, i got a lot of great stuff (see really cool canvas painting below....Thanks Stephanie!!), including many monogrammed items, gold bracelets, pewter cups, and, of course, another smocked dress!! It was mostly "my mom's friends," but all ladies I have grown up around and it was so good to see them all! and SO nice that they all wanted to come see Ruby Belle! Ruby Belle was good for the "sip 'n see," but she had just gotten her 2 month shots a few days before. those made her really tired so she didn't eat much for a few days and was really making up for it the day of the "sip 'n see"...which makes for a somewhat fussy baby! All in all, it was a great time!

(Gotta love smocked dresses!)

Justin came down to Shreveport just in time to celebrate Thanksgiving with us. we had a great time at my grandparents house. All of my cousins were there which doesn't happen often! it was SO good to see them all! and my Memaw and Papaw really loved seeing Ruby Belle for the first time! Memaw lit up brighter than i've seen in 5 years when she held Ruby Belle!!! (her first girl great-granddaughter) it was wonderful!

RB w/her great grandparents
RB & memaw (great grandmother)

While we were in Shreveport i also ran 2 5K races and did much better than i anticipated. we also got to spend a few nights with my brother and his girlfriend, Stephanie and some of their friends. it's always great to spend time with them!

me and RB at her first 5K run

after returning home, i had to go to a class for work for 2 days, so my in-laws came down to babysit for us. boy, am i not ready to go back to work!!! those 2 days were hard!

Trying to talk :)

and Ruby Belle is now officially spoiled again! after spending 10 days w/my family and then having my in-laws here for 2 days, she's missing the attention she got for 12 days!!! and boy does that make my "mommy job" a lot harder...but SO worth every minute, especially since i know that i'll be missing these days with her after the new year when i return to work.