11 months

Once again...I can't believe it!! another month has flown by and Ruby Belle is 11 months old!!! She's such a good baby, and getting so big and fun! I just pinch myself everyday!!

Here's what she's been up to:

• still trying to "walk" - walks well with push toys...practically running through the house! (yes, i mean it!)
• stands on her own pretty often
• moves SO fast!!
• starting to open drawers and cabinets (thank goodness for safety latches!)
• LOVES her baths - could stay there all day!
• LOVES playing in the kiddie pool in our yard
• just learned how to clap sometimes on command
• loves to wave...sometimes at the appropriate time :)
• will give kisses...when she feels like it!
• enjoys going on walk/runs w/Mommy
• has 4 teeth now!! 2 bottom almost all the way in and 2 top ones - 1 half way and the other barely there
• still wearing #3 and #4 diapers, BUT still doing cloth diapers at home
• wearing 9-12 month clothes
• naps 2 times a day for a total of 2-3 hours
• eats last bottle at 7:30 and then goes down to bed
• gets up around 7am
• eating more of a variety of foods, some still pureed - not pureed: broccoli, beans (black and baked), watermelon, canteloupe, grapes, blueberries, carrots, noodles, hard boiled egg, green beans, yogurt, Cheerios, and various Gerber baby foods (these are so expensive we don't buy them often)
• drinks about 22-28oz/day
• i'm still pumping...just went down to 3 times a week last week and will soon taper that to 2 times a day in the next few days - plan to be done by the time I leave for Shreveport to go to Ty's wedding
  

(the only way i could keep her confined to take the pics this month!)

Adult Vacation

Justin and I recently (last week in July) went on an "adult" vacation...yes, we left our sweet girl behind! I thought it may be on of the hardest things for me to do...and it was. Handing her off to my parents was the hardest part (they LOVED baby sitting for a week!!!), even though I knew she would be in good hands...and probably wouldn't miss me a bit! Thank goodness we were headed to sunny and beautiful San Diego with some friends! We stayed in a great condo right on the beach and it was SO nice!!

(The view from our room)

we hung out, layed on the beach, shopped, ate, drank, and enjoyed the scenery. Justin and I even went to the "famous" San Diego zoo also, one day!

Overall we had a great time!! Though I didn't miss changing diapers or washing bottles, we were so ready to get back to Ruby Belle!! (as you can see, she had a great time with Mimi and Pops!!)

she is SO talented ALREADY!!

She rides,

She swims,

And she plays the piano!!!

I think she's going to be well-rounded :)...not that I'm partial or anything!!

CRaZy HaiR!!!

It'S wILd!!!

10 months

once again, time is flying!! (and i'm a little late on this post because we went on vacation!! - will post about that later)

Ruby Belle is now 10 months old and growing SO fast. she continues to delight us more and more each day!

• she is BUSY!!
• loves to laugh and giggle
• understands "no" (yep, she's mischievous! and likes to play with wires and outlets - thank goodness for outlet covers!)
• still not saying anything i'll call her 1st words, but babbles and "talks" all the time!
• still not very good at clapping or waving "hi/bye" on command
• has reverted and will only sometimes give "kisses"
• loves to crawl up on everything
• crawling like crazy
• walking with assistance (push toys) - she LOVES to do this!!! and gets SO mad when she gets stuck on something, but is quickly learning to maneuver around furniture better
• got another tooth...her first one on top so now she has 3 teeth
• is becoming much more of a pickier eater...but not terribly picky. (see previous post "feedin' time"
• i think her picky eating habits are really a result of wanting to be more independent. she is really liking self feeding
• likes watermelon, canteloupe (both take forever to eat...it's like she sucks the juice then leaves the rest in her mouth)
• will take some bites of stuff we're eating, but nothing consistent
• wearing 3 and 4 Pampers diapers...but she poops out both sizes - this is kind of new
• still wearing cloth diapers! NOT pooping out of these!
• have not mastered or even doing really well at the sippy cup....think i'm gonna try straws next (i read where they are better for babies anyway...we'll see how that goes!)
• eating 4-5 times a day still (usually 4 bottles of 6-7 oz and then maybe one of about 3-6oz, eats fruits, veggies, cereal and some bites of whatever we can find that she'll try that day)
• LOVES Cheerios and any kind of puffs always!
• wearing 9-12 month clothes
• taking 2 naps a day
• still sleeping great through the night! goes down around 8pm and gets up around 6:30-7
• i'm pumping 4 times a day still...thinking of going to 3 times...and will quit at the beginning of September!!! (i can't wait!!)
• does not want to sit still for pics!! (excuse the quality...taken w/my iPhone this month)

feedin' time

about a month ago, i attempted to make my first baby food. i have been meaning to do it for about 3 months now, but just now got around to it. (i had to go buy a food processor first...i didn't have one or even a blender) i made green peas and sweet potatoes. i was SO proud. however, Ruby Belle is less impressed. it's like force feeding at it's finest...and that doesn't go so well with a 9 month old! i think i probably should have tried this a month or 2 ago!! why Gerber sweet peas and water is better than mine??? who knows!?! guess i'll keep trying since i have a lot in my freezer!! until then we've moved on to finger foods. MUCH more fun for her and hours of entertainment!! easy, confined entertainment...messy, though! i think she's just becoming more independent and wants to do it herself. unless it's Gerber #2 baby food (nope, she won't eat #3's on most days either!) then she puts her hand up and shoves the spoon away!!
so, it's mostly play time these days when it comes to trying new foods but that leads to bath time!!! that girl could play in the bath for hours!! she LOVES the water!!! maybe she'll end up a swimmer!!! (i don't think she has a choice, right?!)

WonderLOVE

I have never felt something so amazing before. i just LOVE her more than anything i could have ever dreamed of. today we had just gotten to church and were in the middle of the opening singing and i just lost it. i couldnt' stop crying! i just pictured her beautiful, fun, sweet smile and i couldn't imagine life without her. or anything bad happening to her. so, i prayed and prayed that she would just have the most fruiful and wonderful life...and cried and cried just because i love her so much! really...it hits me at least once a day how much i wish i could hold her, cuddle w/her, kiss her, squeeze her, just love her! it really makes my heart melt more than any other thing has before, and i love it. and i love her more and more everyday! along w/that comes the wonder...

• what will she look like when she's 5, 10, 18, 25, 30??


• what will her interests be?


• will we get along?


• will i ever get any sleep once she starts driving?


• will she love me as much as i love her?


• will she like to hang out w/me as much as i love to hang w/my mom?

I just love her so much and am SO excited to have a lifetime of learning about her and loving her!! I am SO blessed!

(trying on our new shorts...shirtless redneck style!)