Payton family reunion & 9 month photo shoot!

so we had a family reunion last weekend in Branson. Justin's mother's side (we did his dad's side back in April). the reunion was fun...LOTS of people! there are 6 sisters on that side. they were all there, plus their kids and their kid's kids! there were 2 other babies to hang w/Ruby Belle, but plenty of 3-12 yr olds (and all the adults) that were always willing to give Ruby Belle plenty of attention! it was a hot weekend, so we spent one day at the pool and the rest of the days just hanging.

here are some photos

i was also able to sneak in a photo shoot with my sister-in-law. she's an awesome photographer! here are some shots!

exercise...where have you been?!

i've missed you SOO much!! i've just realized this week how much i miss you! i exerciseed all through my pregnancy and even after, but once i went back to work, it became a once or twice a week thing instead of a 4, 5, 6 day a week thing. now it's warm out and i LOVE it!! it's even better when it's 95 outside because i love to sweat! so, lately work has been more of a 40-50 hr/week instead of 45-55 hr/week. (yes, those 5 hours make a BIG difference when you're choosing b/t exercise and your child!) and i've been getting back into the swing of regular exercise. truly it hasn't been terribly important to me b/c i lost all of my baby weight plus some within 5 months (the plus some was probably muscle i lost since i wasn't really exercising much!) AND i wanted to spend the time i had with Ruby Belle. However, i do feel a bit guilty b/c i have lost most of my cardiovascular abilities. so, i'm trying to get a little back on the wagon, aiming for 3 days a week instead of my "before-baby" 5-7 days/week. besides, i've got to get back into the swing of things before we start thinking about trying for baby #2!

9 months

9 months...seems so significant since that's about the time it took to bring this little baby into the world (well, 40 weeks!!...that is NOT 9 months!) So, we had our 9 month doctor's appointment and everything still looks great!!

9 month stats:

weight: 17lbs 13oz (45th percentile)

height: 27 1/4th inches (50th percentile)

Ruby Belle is getting SO big. and SO much more fun and shows more and more personality every day! (right now she's playing by herself and i just looked up and she's chewing on a toy and spinning around in circles on her booty...something she just apparently learned how to do and thinks is fun b/c she's been doing it all morning!)

• smiles more than anything
• laughs/giggles at herself and when tickled
• loves to play peek-a-boo and giggles like crazy
• can wave..not exactly on command though
• just started giving kisses back when you get close and act like you're going to give her a kiss. she just leans in and puts her mouth on yours. (sometimes!) SO CUTE!
• puts everything in her mouth...caught her with a dead spider...YES, A DEAD SPIDER!! in her mouth a few days ago! SO gross!!!
• speaking of putting things in her mouth...i think we're going to really have to start watching her...she's a bit mischeivious!
• knows the word "NO" when you tell her, but it doesn't always stop her!!
• crawling everywhere
• pulling up on eveything...and when she does she often looks around to find you and then sort of waves and smiles
• busy, busy, busy!
• i think she may be a show off :)
• can take a few steps if you guide her
• still has only 2 teeth
• still wearing 6-9 months...can wear some 12 month
• still wearing #3 diapers and also cloth diapers
• eating 5 times a day - eats about 30-32 oz of breast milk and a fruit, a veggie and some cereal each day
• i'm pumping 4 times a day
• she takes 2 naps usually a day...one around 9 or 10 and the other around 1pm. sometimes falls asleep on the way home from daycare , too
  
  

a few new pics

traumatic events

yes, apparently they happen. and you feel like a terrible parent when they do. here they are:

1. Ruby Belle fell off the bed while i was watching her and ironing...a stroller she hit broke her fall and she was perfectly fine. still i felt like a terrible mom!


2. I was watching her last Saturday morning and she was playing in the living room while I pumped. I cleared the floor except for toys and let her play only to look up and see her make a funny face and realize that she had soemthing in her mouth. so, i quickly jumped up and did the finger scoop and pulled out a DEAD SPIDER!! SO gross, it shocked me and i slung it down and let go of her and she fell back and hit her head on the wood floor. She was fine, but again, i felt like a bad parent!


3. the VERY next day, Justin and I were getting ready for church, so we were all in the bathroom. justin in the shower, RB playing on the floor and me just getting ready. so, i walked in the closet, thought justin was watching her, and she quickly pulled my CHI down from the counter and burned her foot in 3 places!! this one was AWFULLY TERRIFYING! i felt SOO bad! SO bad. all day i was distraught. really, it was much more traumatic for me than her.

so, this is just the beginning i'm sure...of feeling like a bad parent! and trying to be a better one! i must say thanks to all my friends for all the "bad parent" moments they've shared w/me to make me feel not alone!! :)