11 Months and Walking!

Hey Everyone,

Ruby is 11 months old, although I don't have a pic to show for it. I think I will blame the Christmas hoopla on that. Ruby starting taking some steps on her own around 10.5 months. I think it is safe to say that she has mastered walking. For awhile she would see her target and basically lunge towards her target. Now, she has realized she can take her time and take many steps and get there without any bumps on her head or knees. I just can't believe how fast she is growing and changing. Let me also say, that homegirl has also developed a bit of an attitude. She knows what she wants and has taken to the screaming approach in order to tell me that. This usually revolves around more food. We are working hard on signing more and please. Ben and I have not been consistent with this, but now with the screaming...ooofta...signing it is. Ruby has also started laughing this big belly laugh, which we LOVE. Seriously, nothing is better. Ruby got a couple off dolls for Christmas and I was very interested in how Ruby would treat these dolls. I've showed her rocking and being really gentle with the babies, but so far she has just tried chewing on the babies hands and feet. Hope this isn't a sign of things to come! Speaking of, I'm 24 weeks pregnant. When did that happen?

With Ruby, I knew the exact week and day if someone were to ask how far along I was. Now, I went into my calendar on my phone and have reminders of how far along I am. I've had a really simple pregnancy so far. No morning sickness. I was tired as all get out the first trimester, but now I feel great and more myself. I'm starting to feel the baby (Stella Louise) more consistently. I'm 99% sure that Ben and I are done having babies after Stella, so I'm trying to appreciate and hold onto all of these feelings while being pregnant. Now, I say we are 99% sure we are done now, but keep in mind that we haven't left the baby stage yet. We won't for another two or so years, so there is a good chance that percentage might go down in a couple of years. We shall see. Usually whenever we set plans for ourselves, God changes them. I have had some mommy guilt of having another baby so close in age to Ruby. I say this in the way that I love Ruby SO much and it almost breaks my heart having to love another child. I don't think it is possible to love another as much as I do Ruby. Is this normal? I'm not sure, but I'm praying this guilt goes away. I'm sure it will. I'm not a fan of New Years Resolutions because they usually don't keep, but my "New Years Resolution" is to stay off of my phone/computer while Ruby is awake. The only time I can check social media will be when she is napping or has gone to bed. I'm usually pretty good at this, but I think this resolution might help me keep a little more accountable. I would like to keep this as Stella comes into the world, which means I will probably never be on social media. So, if you wonder if I've gone missing...just know that I"m busy trying to be a mom who is present.

2015 was the best year for having Ruby, but the worst year for losing my dad. Not going to lie, that completely sucked. It still sucks and it always will. I don't know that we will ever understand why here on earth, but we need to just trust that God's plan is perfect. I'm still at a point that I don't like thinking about what happened, I don't like thinking about my dad if I don't have to. I know that sounds awful, but it is still just doesn't seem real. Its hard for me to see pictures of my dad or to see his name pop up on my friends list on Facebook. I know that it will get easier or maybe a little more normal I don't know. I know that as time goes on, I will remember my dad for the good memories I have and the hilarious things he did and said. I'm excited for a fresh start in 2016. I'm excited that my mom is living in Maple Grove. I love that I can call her and go over to her house any time I want instead of it just being a phone call. I love that we often have "pizza" night at my moms where my siblings meet up at my moms. Last night my mom came out to Maple Lake and stayed over night so that Ben and I could have a date night. I'm excited for baby number 2 to arrive! I'm excited that I have made so many great friends through MOMS club and MOPS and I look forward to continuing that. I'm excited to see how Ruby grows and changes in 2016. Speaking of. Ruby turns 1 next month. As in 29 days.

I'm throwing a "Minnie Mouse" themed birthday party for Ruby. We went on a disney cruise in November and so I just decided...year of disney..Minnie Mouse it is. When Ben and I were in St. Cloud we stopped by Party City and I filled up on Minnie Mouse stuff. They only turn 1 once right? I'm also going to try and make my own Minnie Mouse cake with fondant frosting. Anyone out there tried this? Any tips? I've watched several youtube videos and they make it look so easy. I'm going to practice before hand. We will see how my practice sessions go. Maybe, just maybe I will document this endeavor. So, that is where we are at. Thanks for reading, thanks for praying, and thanks for being you and awesome!

This is the look that Ruby gives us when she is waiting for us to get her or she is about to do a belly laugh. We love this little girl SO much! 

My dear friend Erin McBurney came over for the day today. She brought me some sparkling grape juice to bring in the new year. 

Ruby's Gets A Sister!

Hey Everyone,

If you are my friend on Facebook, you know that two big things happened this week. We found out that we are having a baby girl in April and Ruby started walking. Ben and I both were hoping/praying for a girl. Some may disagree and that is completely fine, but I just think that every girl needs a sister. My sister and I were 4 years apart and I don't know that we really became good friends until she went off to college. Until then, I was the annoying little sister who wore all of her clothes behind her back and secretly did everything just like her. :) There are things that I feel like I can tell and do around my sister that I can't do around anyone else. It is a bond that you can't really explain. I'm SO excited that Ruby will get to have that same bond and that her and her sister will be so close in age. I was asking Ben if every boy needs a brother and he said no, which is kind of funny to me because he grew up with four brothers. Ben and I actually made a bet on if the baby would be a boy or a girl. I had a feeling that it was a boy and Ben said girl. I feel like since I wanted another girl, that we were for sure going to have a boy. Anyway, we bet $100. Ben won. The funny thing is that I don't make any money. So, really...this just means he gets to spend $100 without ANY judgement or "Are you serious?" looks from me. :)

We plan on naming baby number 2, Stella Louise Harvey. Stella has multiple meanings for us. Ben goes on a mission trip every summer to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and one year there was this girl named Stella that Ben and the team was helping out. Ben later went on to name his beloved mustang, "Stella." I didn't know this when I offered the name Stella to Ben, but apparently Ben's Grandma Ruby's mothers name was Stella. Isn't that crazy? We have Ruby and Stella. Mother and daughter. Louise was my middle name growing up. When I got married, I legally changed my name to Anne Kennedy Harvey. This is a way to bring Louise back. I think it sounds great with Stella! So, we will have a Ruby and a Stella. It is my prayer that they grow up as best friends and encourage one another to follow the Lord.

I feel like I've been a little more paranoid this pregnancy for some reason. Maybe it is because it's my second go around and I know what to expect a little bit. Maybe I've read too much online of what could happen during pregnancy and labor. I was a little nervous to go to our ultrasound. Those nerves went away the second I saw our baby with a flickering heartbeat. I'm just in awe at technology along with God's creation. My due date remains April 19th.

The other big news is that Ruby has been walking. Now, when I say she's been walking, I don't mean she walks all over the place. I mean she takes a few steps here and there. It was kind of bittersweet watching her take those first steps by herself. I was so happy for her and seeing the joy in her eyes, but I was also a little sad seeing her walk knowing that she's getting bigger and older. It makes me SO thankful that I'm able to stay at home with Ruby. It is not easy living on a one teacher income, but to us it is SO worth it.

Again, thanks for reading! Please continue to pray for a healthy pregnancy and that I would be able to soak in as much time with Ruby as an only child as I can!

10 Months, Cruises, Christmas!

Hey Everyone,

I feel like life has not slowed down one bit since having Ruby 10 months and 2 days ago. That's ok. I would rather be busy than idle. I can't believe that Ruby is 10 months old. I feel like even more now than before she changes. Her personality comes out more and more each day and let me tell you. She is such a goof ball and I love it! She is honestly the happiest baby! I can't say that she has always been so happy. Remember the time that I was basically starving her? Yeah, she wasn't as happy then. :) She has been standing on her own for a couple of weeks now. Each time gets a little bit longer and longer. Her smirk keeps getting a little bit bigger while doing it. She's getting more and more confident and I don't think it will be long before she is taking the heel toe express. She did take one step the other day. I think on accident, but a step nonetheless. I feel like the hemangioma on her head keeps getting a little bit bigger. The hemangioma is really soft, but doesn't bother her any. Thankfully she is blissfully unaware. Some of you may know, but I had one on my forehead until I was about 4. Apparently they grow and grow until around age 1 and then gradually start decreasing in size until gone. You can have them surgically removed, but it isn't necessary. I didn't have mine removed. I still have a little bit of an indent actually on my forehead from it. At least Ruby's is on her head and will easily be covered by her hair. And if it isn't, I shall call it her beauty mark. ;)

Our cruise was a lot of fun. I was pretty nervous about it actually. I didn't know how Ruby would do on the plane, on the ship, how she would nap, how she would sleep at night, etc. Let me just tell you though, she was AMAZING! I honestly don't think she could have traveled any better. She had a nasty cold and ear infection the week and a half leading up to the cruise. It made me so sad to see her sick like that. I was worried that her ears would hurt her on the airplane. Well, God is good and prayers were definitely heard because her cold cleared up completely the day before we left and her ears didn't bother her one bit on the airplane or anytime for that matter. I was so happy to not have to use the nose sucker on vacation! Ben didn't fly with us on the way to Miami unfortunately. He wanted to put in one more day of work as he doesn't have a whole lot of leave. 2 babies in 2 years doesn't leave a lot of extra time I guess. haha. Waoooops. Anyway, I flew out in the morning with my mom, Jon and his family, Sarah and her family, and my first nephew Jaz. Ruby and I had a window seat. I broke the ice immediately with the kid (maybe in his early 20's) and told him that if Ruby got unruly that I was handing her off to him. He laughed and kept talking to me, so I didn't scare him off. Ruby fell asleep in my boba carrier about 20 minutes before boarding. Of course she woke up right before taking off. I panicked when she started crying and tried getting her bottle ready super fast so she would have it during takeoff. Well, I ended up pouring half of the bottle of water down my shirt. Oops. We got it worked out and she drank her bottle while we took off. She then played and was very curious. She fell asleep with about an hour left in the flight and woke up just in time for our landing. She was able to have another bottle to help with her ears. The cruise itself was a lot of fun as well. Not as easy having to work around a 2 naps a day little girl, but it was still fun. Ruby got to meet the disney characters and load up on some great food. The only bummer part was when we had our sailing day, we were traveling through rain and wind. This made for a pretty rocky boat ride. Who knew a giant ship could rock that much. Well, it did and it left Ben feeling a little green all day. He hung out in bed for most of the day trying to catch some relief. I think there was one member from each family who was sick. We went to a show that night and I kept waiting for one of the dancers to fall. It didn't happen. They must be used to it. haha. Anyway, our flight back went well too. This time I had Ben next to me, which was a big help He is a great entertainer and Ruby sure loves her dad!

Christmas! For those of you that know me well, you know that winter and Christmas time is my absolute favorite. Honestly, living in Alaska for 3 years made me love and appreciate winter more than I ever did before. I think the snow is absolutely gorgeous and such a great reminder that our sins are washed clean. Christmas is a great time of togetherness and it just seems like everyone around you is a little more cheerful. It seems like this year with everything going on around us in the world, we all need a little more cheer and most of all we all need a little more Jesus. I'm thankful for Jesus' birth and it is my prayer that He is the reason for this season. It is so easy to become wrapped up in the lights, the trees, the presents, and great family time and forget why we celebrate in the first place. I'm excited for Ruby to witness Christmas for the first time (outside the womb) So far she is more into the lights plugged into our outlet cover instead of the tree itself. I'm ok with that. I'm not sure that will stick, but here is some wishful thinking. I put up our little Charlie Brown tree in Ruby's room. It is fun praying with Ruby. She witnesses Ben and I praying and honestly whether we are praying at dinner or whatever, she silently just watches. Ruby is not that silent. It is just really cool to see her notice something a little different. I also sing to her every morning when I go get her in the morning This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it......She gets the biggest grin and dances away in her crib. It's my favorite. Anyway, this just goes back to my prayer of teaching Ruby about God and praying that she will grow up to follow Him. I think Christmas is such a great time to step back and focus on God and be thankful. Thanks for reading this long post! I appreciate all of you! Merry Christmas!!

Thankful!

Hey Everyone,

Ruby is 9 months old. Seriously? When did that happen? Well, it actually happened on October 29th, but you get my drift. I may be biased, but I think she is the happiest baby on the planet. That could be because she has that wonderful feeling of being full once again. She is still doing well with formula along with table food. Right now she is totally digging peas and carrots. Can't complain with that. I wish her mom loved them just as much. Yep, I still force myself to have my veggies every day. Some days are better than others.

We had Ruby's 9 month check up and all seems well. She 17 lbs 7 oz and 2' 2.5" She is a petite little thing, but definitely has some lovable thigh's. She has her two bottom teeth and JUST cut a tooth on the top. This tooth was much less painful than her bottom teeth. Let's hope that's how teething goes from here on out. Ah, wishful thinking. She crawls all over the place. She pulls herself up onto anything and everything, including Moose. Poor Moose. He is so tolerant of Ruby and her ways. I think if I could read his mind he would just be saying, "WHYYYYYY?" All day. She has started babbling a lot more and I'm pretty sure I heard a mama mamma in there. The best part of our day every day is when Ben gets home. I thought that I got excited when Ben got home. Ruby is starting to show me up. I think we are going to have to start racing to Ben to get the first kiss. Seeing Ruby smile when he walks through the door though is so heartwarming! Ruby has also starting waving at anyone as soon as they say hi or you say hi to someone. She also has started clapping and bouncing up and down. In a couple of weeks we will be taking off to Miami to board a wonderful Disney cruise  with the rest of my family. We are SO excited, but I'm freaking out a little on the inside when I think about flying with Ruby.

Did you guys forget that I'm 16 weeks pregnant? Me too. I mean? Uh. When I was pregnant Ruby I knew how many weeks and how many days I was pregnant. I followed all of the pregnancy apps and knew exactly what was going on with my growing baby. With this pregnancy when people ask, I have to first remember that I'm pregnant and 2 have to think really hard about how far along I am. I know that sounds really sad and that I don't care, but I do. I'm just starting to get a pregnancy belly. My pants fit, but my shirts are getting a little snug. I feel absolutely wonderful and I can't wait to start feeling the baby move. When I went to my doctors appointment today I was so relieved to hear the heartbeat. It took a little while because the baby kept moving. My gut still says boy, but who knows....that could change. We will have the ultrasound in a month. I can now say this officially, but my sister is pregnant as well. She is due a couple of weeks after me. We are still trying to get them to move from Fargo to the Minneapolis area. I don't think it is working though.

We had a great Halloween weekend in Fargo. Ruby dressed up as a pirate. It was fun watching my niece and nephew trick or treat. They were at the perfect age where they would just run door to door giggling all the while and were just so excited. We had a blast! Thanks Sarah for hosting us all!

I just started going to MOPS and it has been a huge blessing for me. Ruby goes to a nursery for two hours and I get to be with other moms talking about a variety of things that has to do with being a mom and just a woman of God in general. Ruby and I also had our first "play date" at my friend Jen's house. Let me tell you, this woman is incredible! She has two adorable twin boys who are 6 months ( I think) and a little girl who is 2 years old. Anyways, Jen...if you are reading this, I think you are great and you are a blessing in my life! I met her and Donna (another wonderful momma in our play date group) through MOMS club. If you are a stay at home momma, I definitely recommend getting involved with other moms. You need to get out of the house and have adult interaction. It is good for you! :)

Anyway, life is so good right now and God has truly blessed me. It has been one of the hardest years with my dad passing a way only months ago, but it has made me cherish my relationships that much more. God is faithful and I honestly don't know how I could do life without my relationship with the Lord. I'm also thankful for all of you!

On Number 2

Two under two? Many are probably thinking we are crazy. We might agree. Some are probably wondering if we meant to do that. Some are looking back to see just how old Ruby is. :) Here are some answers for our sweet news.

Yes, this baby was planned. Kind of. We didn't realize it would happen so soon though. Either way, we are thrilled! Ruby is 8 months old right now. Born January 29th. The new baby is due on April 19th. They will be just about 15 months apart. We had our first initial OB appointment last Friday. Ruby was sitting on Ben's lap while my Doctor was trying to get the heartbeat. Ruby in the meantime was talking away and being her silly self. As soon as she got the heartbeat, Ruby was silent and looked over at me. It was the sweetest thing! I will never get sick of hearing the heartbeat. I have a gut feeling that this baby is going to be a boy. Who knows though. We WILL be finding out. :)

The first trimester was rough in the way that I was SO tired! Whether it was because of pregnancy or because Ruby was waking up every 2-3 hours. I was walking around like a zombie. I could also only drink a cup of coffee. That is all I allow myself when I'm pregnant. I have not had any morning sickness, which is nice. I think God probably knew I couldn't handle being a zombie and throwing up.  
I keep telling people that we are two and done.....until we decide to try for number 3. Ha! I can tell you that number 3 won't be coming when number 2 is 8 months old. ;) Ben and I are super excited to be expecting again. We are excited that these two will (Lord willing) be super close. I definitely had the thought of feeling sorry for Ruby that she won't get very long to be the only child. However, I quickly realized that she won't know any different, so it is definitely ok. I also am still wondering how on earth I will love this second child as much as Ruby. I know all of you with multiple kids will say it is indeed possible, but I won't believe you until I experience it. It's just how I roll. Trial and error kind of thing. When baby number 2 comes along, Ruby will be walking and climbing and into everything. Yikes! With Ruby, I would literally hold her while she slept for 3 hours at a time. I would not move. I soaked everything in. Things with number 2 are definitely going to look different. Any tips will be welcomed!

As many of you know, Ruby and I have been struggling with sleep issues for about the last 3 months. Interesting, I'm 13 weeks pregnant! Hmm. Well, Ruby started getting fussy during the day quite a bit and was still waking up every 2-3 hours. So, one day (wish I would have done this earlier) I decided to pump and see how much I was getting. I only pumped about 2 ounces after going for about 4 hours! Meaning, I was basically starving Ruby and she was getting all she could and it would satisfy her for only about 2 hours. Well, Ben and I decided to introduce Ruby to formula. My first thought was that I failed. I failed Ruby, it was somehow my fault. I'm SO over that embarrassed/shameful feeling now. Ruby took to the bottle really well. She took to formula really well. Poor girl was just super hungry! The first night of being on formula she went down at 7:00 and woke up at 11. My first thought was OH NO! It isn't working! I sent Ben in and he was able to rub her back and she went back to sleep. Side note: he is an incredible daddy! She then slept until 5:00 in the morning. Did you read that? Read it again! She slept until 5 in the morning! That was pretty much 10 hours of sleep! I fed her a bottle at 5 and she continued to sleep until 8:30. I was beside myself. The shame went away as soon as I realized that was exactly what Ruby needed! Last night, Ruby slept from 7-4 and then 4-7:30. This mama is happy to be getting some sleep again too! Ruby has also been significantly more happy during the day as well! Her personality comes out more and more each day. I absolutely love it and love her so much!

Well, our little family is heading up north to Ely to visit our friends John and Katie Townsend. We are excited to see some fall colors and of course see our dear friends! Thanks for reading and please continue to pray for our growing family! We appreciate all y'all!

Pulling herself up onto everything. 

This is one of my favorite pictures. She is such a cheeseball! 

Ruby at 8 Months

Hey All,

So, today Ruby turned 8 months. I really don't know how that is possible! My sister in law just had an adorable little girl and when I held her I couldn't believe that Ruby was once that small. I'm sure that feeling never goes away when you see or hold a baby younger than yours. Ruby continues to bring Ben and I so much joy. I thank God every day that he allowed Ben and I to be parents. It is definitely the hardest thing I have done to date, but also the most rewarding thing I've done. There are definitely days that are harder than others and I often find that on those days, I try and do it on my own. I don't even acknowledge God. Yikes! The first thing I do every morning is read my bible. (I'm reading the bible in a year currently.) I start the day off in the word and in prayer. Then...well, then Ruby wakes up and the day gets going. It is my prayer to remember to choose God throughout the whole day. I can't do it on my own.

Ruby has been SUPER busy. She is crawling all over the place. She has started pulling herself up on things. She has an exersaucer that she has started climbing onto the bottom portion of. Her favorite hang out spot is our entry way. I've had to start putting up all the shoes and sweeping on a daily basis in there. She loves getting her hands on paper when I'm not looking. She knows when she is doing something that she shouldn't be. For example, she starts crawling towards Moose or shoes and is all I have to say is, "What do you think you're doing?" She immediately starts booking it until I run and grab her. She has this big smile on her face the whole time. Right now I think it is adorable. I'm not sure I will always think that. ;) She has been eating pureed food twice a day. Not a whole lot at a time, but some. Ruby reminds me so much of her dad it isn't even funny. She looks like him and a lot of the things she does is just like him. She is one determined and curious little girl. She is always discovering the world around her and always figuring things out. She will watch you do something and then try and copy you.

Last week we were driving and I looked back and saw that she was tugging at her ears. UH oh! I knew I needed to take her in and get her checked out. A part of me was relieved when I found out she had an ear infection because she has been sleeping so horribly. Ah hah! The culprit to bad sleeping was an ear infection. Oh, but just kidding. She's been on antibiotics for about a week now, so her ears should be better and she is STILL sleeping horribly. Booooo! A couple of nights ago she went 5 hours and it was wonderful. Last night, she woke up every two hours. Not cool Ruby, not cool! I know what I'm doing is probably wrong. I do go in and I nurse her back to sleep. Here is the thing though people. When I nurse her back to sleep it takes a total of maybe 10 minutes. When I go in and rub her back and assure her I'm there she usually screams louder and an hour later she is still not back asleep and I end up nursing her anyway. I keep making excuses like maybe she is getting another tooth and that is why she keeps waking up. I don't know what to do. What I do know, is that she is super happy during the day. We have to get her ears re-checked on Friday, so maybe I will see what the doc says. I was telling Ben that I honestly don't know how I could teach Kindergarten and have a little girl who wakes up every two hours at night. So, Lauren...if you're reading this. I give you all the kudos in the world. You are such a great Mommy and teacher!

Ruby is 8 months, smiles all the time, has two bottom teeth, is extremely ambitious, and loves life. We love our little girl!

She loves reading! 

Ruby Lately

Hey Everyone,

It's been awhile since I've blogged. Maybe it is because Ruby has been busy crawling and getting into everything she shouldn't be. She has a plethora of toys, yet she goes for outlet covers, the rug with all our shoes, and best of all...she goes after Moose. I'm thinking this is only the start. Am I right, Mamas? She has also cut two bottom teeth. Let me tell you, that was not fun. She was fussy almost all of the time. She wanted to be held all the time. Now, most of the time I don't mind holding her, but she is getting heavy AND she always wants to face out. I wish sometimes she could be that sweet cuddly melt into you cuddly. Oh well, I can't complain. I think she is so curious about the world around her and she has a serious case of FOMO. (Fear of missing out.)

Over Labor Day weekend our family took off to Big Stone Lake and went camping in the RV. We met up with my mom, Sarah, and Liam. We took a nice swim. Ruby LOVES the water. She splashes away and always ends up drinking some of the water. Yuck! Ben, Ruby, and I stayed in the RV that night. Ruby's pack n play fit nicely and Ben and I were able to sleep on the bed. Ruby slept better than she has EVER slept. Mama, not so much. I woke up around 3 wondering if Ruby was ok. I never got out of bed, but I basically stayed awake until she woke up around 5:30 to feed. We spent the rest of the weekend in Watertown.

Now, on the topic of sleep. Maybe some of you Mama's can help me out. Ruby's sleep schedule is SO inconsistent. During the day is just fine. She usually takes a nap about every 3 hours. At night however, ought. Sometimes she will sleep for 11 straight hours. Ok, she did that once. But sometimes she will sleep for nice long stretches. Other nights she wakes up 2-3 times a night. What gives? Here is what her typical schedule looks like. She usually goes to bed around 6:00. (Maybe that is too early, but that is when she appears to be tired.) On a bad night of sleeping she will usually wake up around 11:30, 4:30, and then up for the day around 7:30. Lately I have been going in and feeding her when she wakes up. Even though, I know she isn't waking out of hunger. I think she is comfort nursing to fall back asleep. Last night I sent Ben in at 4:30 and he held her and rubbed her back and she went back to sleep. Hurray! I think I'm going to stop feeding her in the middle of the night and see if that helps anything. I also know she is capable of falling asleep without nursing. When I lay her down for naps during the day, I always lay her down awake. When we put her to bed at night I will feed her in the living room, we will go read some books, and we lay her down awake. She also sleeps for about 12-14 hours total each night. I'm definitely NOT a fan of the crying it out method. I know this has worked for many, but I can't do it. I do let Ruby cry for about 10 minutes before going in. I guess, for you seasoned mothers out there. Any tips? Is this normal for a 7 month old? I read in a lot of places that they should be able to sleep through the night.

I haven't been able to go to many MOMS club events lately because they are usually scheduled in the morning when Ruby is sleeping. Big time bummer, but when we can go, we do. It does get kind of lonely during the day without Ben home. We try to get out on as many walks as we can or just sit outside and enjoy the nice weather while we can. Anyway, that's all I have for now. I hope all is well with all of you!

My brown eyed girl. If you look close enough you can see those two teeth on the bottom. 

Duluth!

Hey Everyone,

Ben, Ruby, and I just got back from a great trip to Duluth. I have so much to say, but don't know where to start. Sorry if I'm a bit all over the place. Ben and his brothers are obsessed with looking for (agate) rocks. I'm not the biggest fan, but I go along with his passion and somewhat (haha) support this obsession. The real reason why we went to Duluth was to get some sort of rock buffer? I don't know. Ben was originally going to go up himself and pick it up and just come back until we decided to make a little trip out of it. I'm SO happy that we did. It was been way too long that Ben (and Ruby and I have spent quality time together outside of our home. In fact, I think it is the first time we have done anything like this. We have of course gotten out, but it almost always includes our families or friends. This was just the best and just what I needed.

We woke up early on Thursday and took off. Ruby still isn't the best about riding in the car. She did pretty good on the way up however. The thing with Ruby is she is almost like clockwork. She eats every three hours and sleeps every three hours. Her schedule goes something like this....Eat at 1:00, be up for about an hour and then nap at around 2:00 for about half an hour to an hour and then be up until she eats again. Ruby sleeps the best in her crib. When we know she is tired we can lay her down awake and she will fall asleep. It's beautiful. When we were out and about or in the car it is almost always a disaster. She will put up a really good fight before going down. We got to Duluth and went to check into our hotel. Our hotel was Canal Street Lodge or something like that. It is a beautiful hotel that is right on Lake Superior. In the morning they brew Caribou coffee. How could you not be impressed? Anyway, Ruby and I took a nap and when she woke up we got ready to go swimming. We mostly went swimming so I could see Ruby in her ADORABLE swimsuit. (Thank you Carley's if you're reading this!) Ruby loved the water. She was splashing around like a maniac and trying to drink some in the meantime. Yuck! After we were done swimming, we got cleaned up and went out for dinner. It was super hot outside, but it was still fun to walk to the restaurant. After dinner we walked along the boardwalk. It was so exciting that Ruby fell asleep! :) Please don't call CPS on us, but we put Ruby's pack and play in the bathroom where it was super dark and away from where we were sleeping and the TV. Let me tell you people....she slept from 7:30 P.M. until 6:45 in the morning. It was AMAZING! The funny thing was that at home Ben NEVER hears Ruby wake up. However, in the hotel he said he went and checked on her several times because she wasn't making a peep. I didn't wake up at all either. It was wonderful!

We had a good night's rest, ate breakfast, and went for another walk. We also dipped Ruby's toes into Lake Superior. It was COLD, but she didn't mind too much. It's kind of funny, the majority of the pictures we took, it looks like Ruby was not too happy. I assure you though she was very happy! I think one of the best parts of the trip for me was turning my phone off. I didn't get on Facebook, I didn't check my email. Well, I lied....I did get on my phone to read my devotional, but that was it! It was so nice to disconnect and pay close attention to my husband and daughter. If you haven't done this in awhile, I highly recommend it. I think I might try to do this once a week. Pick a day and turn it off. We drove up the north shore a little ways, ate some lunch, and headed back home. It was a great trip and SO so good for the soul.

Walking on the boardwalk.

I love my little family!

She is such a happy girl!

First dip in Lake Superior.

Our little fish. 

This is the only time in her life that she will be able to sit like this. :)

6 Months Y'all!

That is half a year, folks! Ruby is half way to her first birthday. Can someone please slow down time? I say this, but I have been trying really hard to be present with Ruby. I know that our future kids won't get the amount of one on one time I get with Ruby. I try not to think or wish for her to be older and I try not to wish she was itty bitty again. Ben and I are so in love with our little girl. Even in this season of grief, she keeps me so happy and puts life into perspective. She doesn't know yet the amount of joy she brings me. Not to say that being her momma has been a cake walk. It hasn't. When I think I truly understand her, her eating habits, her sleeping habits...it changes. She changes. Here are some facts about Ruby:

1. She has gone back to her gremlin/grunting ways. It is a little creepy, but a whole lot adorable.

2. She has not been sleeping as well. Last night she woke up at 12:00, 2:00, 6:00, and then up at 8:00. I would love it if she slept through the night, but I also don't mind getting up with her.

3. Nobody told me how demanding nursing would be. It's SO convenient, but it is also all on me. Nursing Ruby at any time is still my favorite though.

4. She is trying SO hard to crawl. It makes her pretty mad actually. She will get up on her hands and feet. (She can plank with the best of them.) She will rock back and forth and then kind of belly flop the floor. You'll get it soon, baby girl! I actually think that part of her sleeping issues stems from this. I think she is practicing when she wakes up at night and then gets mad. I often come into her room finding her in the plank position. #determined

5. She hasn't had stranger danger as much lately, which makes her Grandparents happy! :)

6. She has a hemangioma on the top of her head. I had this same thing on my forehead until I was about 4. Hers is in a much better location. Last night I had a dream that they kept popping up all over her body. Yikes!

7. She is sitting up and can sit unassisted until she reaches for a toy.

8. She still loves taking baths!

9. She is getting a little better about her carseat. I've realized that timing is everything! It is best if I feed her and then wait for about 10 minutes.

10. She only sleeps well for naps if she is in her crib OR if we are in the car for a long time. The second the car stops she wakes up and she usually won't go back to sleep.

11. Her favorite toy is Sophie the giraffe.

12. No teeth yet, although she puts EVERYTHING she can get her hands on in her mouth.

Well, there you have it. Ruby is quite lovable and has rolls on her thighs that make you swoon. We are having so much fun with her!

                           A rare smile from her carseat.                                      Typical reaction to her carseat.

On this day she was up until about 10:30. Getting kisses from Daddy!

No food yet, but she loves her highchair. 

                                                               All day every day.

2015 = Best/Worst Year Ever

Hey All,

I haven't blogged in awhile. Apologies. 2015 has been the best and worst year of my life. It has been the best because we had Ruby January 29th. She has been the biggest blessing of our lives so far. She brings us such joy. Her smiles, giggles, and even cries signifies LIFE. I will share more about Ruby in a moment. 2015 has also been the worst year because we lost my dad. It still doesn't feel real to me. I still feel like my dad is going to come walking through the house and be 100% healthy. I miss him, but I'm SO thankful that I was able to have good and important conversations with him before he died. I was able to tell him how much I loved him. I was able to share some of my favorite memories with him. He was able to do the same. He shared with me how he wasn't afraid of death. Not everyone gets the chance to have those conversations with people before they pass away. I'm thankful that my dad knew the Lord and that he will spend eternity in heaven. All that said, it doesn't mean that I don't miss him, or that it makes it any easier. I have good moments of remembering him and I have moments where I'm a sobbing mess. I spent some time today listening to old voicemails from my dad. Cue the sobbing mess. ;) I have also spent time just going over fun memories and just smiling. In the end folks, God is still so good. I'm thankful that I can rely and find comfort in Him. I have to say the amount of support that my family has received over the last three months but even more the last couple of weeks has been incredible. People that we haven't seen in ages stopped over and brought food and goodies. It is evident that my dad was truly loved by everyone he came in contact with.

Now, about Ruby. She is such a chunk. She is rolling from point A to point B. She is on the verge of crawling and quite possibly getting some teeth. She has a case of stranger danger, but if you ease your way in, she will be happy to give you smiles instead of cries. She also went through this hilarious phase of grunting. She wouldn't really coo, she would just grunt. When we would go get her in the morning, instead of smiling first she would grunt first. It was almost like a gremlin. Sadly, that has passed, but thankfully she has started talking a lot more. Sometimes it is hard to get a word in. Typical girl. ;) We have spent the last 2 weeks in Watertown, so all sleeping habits that she had before kind of went out the window. Some nights she was in bed by 6 and some nights she was up until 9:30. I'm hoping being back in her crib will provide longer stretches of sleep instead of the 3 hour stretches she was having in her pack and play. Again, Ruby gives Ben and I SO much joy. It is hard to describe or put into words. I think other mommas understand what I'm trying to talk about. Oh yeah, Ben and I are also the proud owners of a mini van. Yep, you read that correctly...MINI VAN! I've always wanted one, but I felt like we had to have a kid first. Lord willing one day that mini van will be filled with little Ben and Anne Harvey's.

Thank you everyone for all the love and support that my family has received over the last three months. When you are done reading this and if you are able, I want you to call your dad and tell him how much you love him. In fact, try to do that with all of the people in your life that you love and are so thankful for. You won't regret it!

My dad and I on my wedding day. He was the most incredible father. I honestly wouldn't change a single thing from him as my dad.  

Ruby and I in Watertown. 

Ruby with her cousin Liam. He just turned 3. I'm surprised that Ruby didn't squish the poor guy.

Ruby had her first in car blowout on the way to Watertown. 

Four Months!

Hey Everyone,

Life has been a little crazy lately. What I have learned in the last month or two is that you should make the very most out of your relationships. Nobody is guaranteed a tomorrow. With God, that reality is ok and comforting.

Ruby is four months old. I'm absolutely loving every. single. day. of being her mom. She brings me such joy through her smiles, giggles, roll overs, intent staring, finger sucking, head bobbling, and so much more. She has been rolling over for about a week now. This is great, however sometimes in the middle of the night she likes to practice this new trick and can't roll back over, therefore crying for momma to come flip her. Ruby will be getting her four month shots on Monday. I HATE seeing her cry. The only time that she really cries is when she is in her car seat, fighting her sleep, or getting her shots. Last go around wasn't horrible. She ran a slight fever for a couple days and that is it. I think it is much harder on us mommas. I know plenty of anti-vexers out there and I respect whatever choice you make for your child, because in the end we are all doing what we think is best for them. For Ben and I, we are pro vaccinations.

Did I mention that Ruby is sleeping in her crib? She is and it is GREAT! Ben is not the quietest person in planet. I love you babe, but you are kind of clumsy. He would bang into the wall going into the bathroom, shut and open the door as loud as one possibly can, not shower until right before bed when Ruby is already sleeping. Now, I get that we are supposed to have noise and have her be a little used to that kind of thing, and she would generally do really well. BUUUT, sometimes when you are super tired and you worked really hard to get your dear one down and sleeping...it's a bit frustrating when she would wake up from the toilet flushing. Ha, end of rant, she is now in her crib in her own room and rocking it! I think it was much harder on me, but now that she is in there it is great. She sleeps well and we sleep well. One of the biggest perks is that I get to stay up late and read. I just finished the book, Orphan Train. My sister just told me about Kindle Fire's and how you can read E-Books from your local library. How cool is that? Well, I ordered one last night! I can't wait to get my reading on! Any book recommendations? I don't like sad or suspenseful books.

Today I went to my first MOMS club meeting. It will be so good to get to know other moms in my surrounding community. I even met a mom who had her baby on the same exact day as me in the same hospital! How cool is that? I'm also going to be joining MOPS through my church in the fall.

Well, that is life lately. If you think of it, would you lift my Dad and family in your prayers? My dad started the chemo pill about a week ago. He has been feeling as well as he can be I think. Most of his pain right now is coming from the hip that he broke a couple of weeks ago. Like I mentioned that nobody's life is guaranteed. I pray that you all will/know Jesus and can trust His plan and know that whatever happens in this world is temporary and that eternity is what matters most. If you have any questions (not that I have all the answers) about that please email me at anne.harvey7@gmail.com or message me on Facebook. I would love to chat about it!

Ruby at 1 hour old and Ruby at 4 Months. Time sure flies when you're having fun! :)

What Makes My Heart Melt

Hey everyone,

Life has been a little crazy lately filled with plenty of ups and downs. I thought I would share some things that make my heart melt.

1. The way Ben looks at Ruby.
2. When I'm feeding Ruby she always holds onto my thumb.
3.  When I can get her to giggle. She definitely makes me work for it.
4. The way she stares so intently at you and then breaks out with a smile.
5. When Ruby wakes up she is ALWAYS happy. The minute you talk to her she smiles from ear to ear.
6. The way she will hang on me almost like a kangaroo. She is always so content when held like that.
7. The way she smells, especially after a bath.
8. The way she talks to her friends. (I call her play mat with hanging birds her friends.)
9. The secon I lay her down for a nap or to sleep at night she immediately turns and sucks on her thumb.
10. Her big brown eyes. Yep, I'm almost positive I have a brown eyed girl. It's kind of funny. I always wondered when I would transition to saying Ruby is so and so weeks to so an so months. Someone asked at the grocery store and I couldn't remember what week we are on, but I did know she was 3 1/2 ish months. I counted when we got home and she is 15 weeks today. We are getting very excited to Daddy home this summer. We also are buying a computer and getting internet again. I can't wait to blog from an actual laptop. :)

Confession

I was born in Springfield, Virginia. We lived there until I was 4 before moving to South Dakota. My moms best friend in Virginia was Sharon Hewitt. We always called her Fluto. My mom and Fluto called each other Mun. I soon became little Mun. I then termed Ruby-Mini Mun. Anyways, In November, Fluto found out she had cancer and it spread throughout her body. I don't want to say that she lost her battle because she didn't. Fluto knew God and now gets to spend eternity in Heaven. That my friends is a great victory....not a lost battle. 

I started this blog when I was pregnant because Fluto said my updates on Facebook gave her great joy and sometimes got her through the day. I'm SO happy that Fluto lived to see Ruby (in pictures.) I would send her pictures every day of Ruby and send her updates and keep this blog going. 

Fluto truly is a very special person. She was absolutely hilarious and cared about people to no end. Her and her husband came out to Ben and i's wedding and I feel so fortunate! She brought decorations, she helped decorate the venues, and she was there to provide comedic relief. I'm so happy that our last memories in person were at the wedding. Fluto would always get my mom to be more spontaneous. She would would make my mom laugh harder than I've ever seen her laugh. That's just the kind of person Fluto was. 

I sent Fluto a picture of Ben holding Ruby and her response was, "We all have something in common-no hair!" Even through cancer, Sharon kept her humor. She will definitely be missed, but our memories of her will always be happy memories that will bring smiles to our faces. That is her legacy. Love you Fluto!

Ruby's Life at 3 Months

Hey Everyone,

Life has been pretty busy since Easter. Time is a funny thing. Given that we get the same amount each day, time can seem to go really fast or really slow. Last month went super fast. I can't believe Ruby is 3 months. She changes every single day and I'm so happy tha I get to witness this! The love we have for our little girl is unreal. I don't think you can possibly know what this love feels like until you become a parent. Here are some fun facts about Ruby.

1. She hates her car seat. If she isn't asleep in it she cries. In fact, the only time she really cries is when in her car seat. Any tips are welcome!

2. She continues to roll over from tummy to back, but it is very sporadic.

3. I heard her giggle twice and my heart melted. I then proceeded to act like a fool in order to get more. It didn't work.

4. She sleeps from 7 at night until 3. I feed her and she sleeps again until 7ish. It's wonderful!

5. She still loves baths.

6. She has discovered how to "yell." I always put her in her pack and play as soon as she shows any signs of being tired. She sometimes will yell at me before falling asleep. It's kind of funny.

7. She has started sucking her thumb and it is adorable! If only she would comfort herself in the car seat.

8. At church last Sunday I accidentally shocked Ruby on the nose and she went ballistic and cried until I picked her up. Oops. Lesson learned there.

9. We are going to start transitioning Ruby to her crib. I'm quite sad about it actually.

10.  She is roughly around 12 1/2 pounds.

Ruby has a doctors appointment on June 1st. She will get her second round of shots then and get weighed and all that fun stuff. Ruby is generally a happy and content baby, but she is not a fan of going to the Doctor. Our Doctor is GREAT, but she is very popular. Therefore the nurse will usually do all of Ruby's vitals and then it takes a long time for her Doctor to come in, so she gets a little fussy.

I have grown to love breastfeeding and become more comfortable about it. It is very convenient. Two weeks ago we were coming home from church and there is a train track near our house. Well, Ruby was hungry and screaming. All of a sudden the train got slower and slower and eventually stopped. Having no idea when it would start again I crawled in the back, took her out of her car seat and fed her. About a minute later the train started moving again. I won't say whether or not Ben just drove home while I continued to feed her. (We only live a couple of blocks away)

Ben hast just over a month left of school before summer break. We are SO excited about this. It will be so great to have him home more during the day.

Fear

I fear the day Ruby falls and breaks a bone. I fear for the times she will get her feelings hurt. I fear for when she gets her heart broken for the first time. I fear when I turn around and can't find her at the store. I fear the world that Ruby will grow up in. As a mom I want to protect Ruby and shield her from all things that will hurt her in some way. I know this is impossible and actually not good for her. God actually tells us to not have fear. So, as Ben and I parent Ruby and Lord willing other kids we may have, I pray that we don't parent in fear, but we parent resting in the Peace that God gives us. Ben and I can and will do the best we can each day to raise children who walk with the Lord and know that their protection comes from God. He is in control. On the days that parenting is really hard and we may try to do it on our own, I pray that we continually seek Him for answers, peace, understanding, and forgiveness. I also pray that we always give thanks for what He has given us.

Swaddling....duh!

I remember the first week when I would have to wake Ruby to eat every 2-3 hours per Doctors request. It was exhausting, but when you become a mom life is no longer about you. You would do absolutely anything to make sure your baby gets what she needs. After Ruby gained past her birth weight we were able to let her sleep as long as she wanted an feed her when she woke up. Well, our little girl would grunt through the night moving her head back and forth. I thought she was nuts. I would go over to her to feed her, but she was "sleep grunting." It was so strange. That's when we introduced the pacifier. The pacifier works off and on. Sometimes when she is fighting her sleep you just PPP that sucker in and she is out like a light. It comes in pretty handy.

Well, we always thought Ruby liked having her hands out of her swaddling sleep sack, until I realized she would startle and wake herself up by hitting her face with her hands. At around 7 weeks she was still waking up every two or so hours grunting. I posted something on Facebook about trying to figure out Rubys sleeping and sweet Meredith sent me a message about a book called Babywise. Now, I didn't read it, but I did Google Babywise tips. One of the first things I read was to swaddle your babies arms in. Duh! That is just common sense. So, Ben an I went back to swaddling her arms in and sure enough, Ruby slept through the night. At one point Ben woke up and had to make sure she was breathing. Since last Thursday, (knock on wood) Ruby has been sleeping mostly through the night. We will put her down around 8 and then she wakes up around 4 to eat and then again around 8. Seriously. It's fantastic!! I hope I don't eat my words by typing up this blog.

So, all you soon to be mommas or mommas with babies who aren't sleepig too well.....try swaddling them! If that doesn't work, go to Barnes and Noble and buy Babywise!

Back to work?

Hey Everyone,

For the last 9 years I have worked with children. I worked at a daycare all through college and I have taught Kindergarten for the last 5 years. I love working with children! As you may or may not know, Ben and I knew when we got married that I would eventually stay home when we had kids. It was hard to make that decision and I went back and forth on whether or not that would be best. After having Ruby, God definitely confirmed that decision. As I sit here an look at my 9 week old daughter sleeping in her swing I simply can NOT imagine leaving her for 9-10 hours a day at a daycare. Please know that I do not judge those who chose this option. I know incredible moms who do.

I'm reading a book right now called Bringing Up Girls by Dr. James Dobson. I'm only a couple chapters in, but the more I read the more I learn about how horrible our culture is and how important Ben and i's role is in raising Ruby. Ben and I are both teachers. I can tell you after our first day of school which children are loved well at home, which children play a lot of video games, which children who are neglected. Ben and I have also noticed from Kindergarten to High School the amount of disrespect that children show. They do not fear consequences, they do not respect adults, and they just don't care. I feel like it has gotten worse over the last couple of years. I think a lot of it comes from parenting. When I have been hit by Kindergarners, cussed at by Kindergartners, and flat out disrespected by Kindergartners, that doesn't just happen. I had a little girl call me a fag when I wouldn't let her jump on the chairs. Where did she learn that word? She clearly did not know the meaning. What I'm trying to say is if you don't raise your children than the world will. If you don't teach yor children about Jesus who will? We can't take our children to church on Sunday's and leave it at that. We need to practice faith at home. I've been reading through Proverbs lately and have been convicted on wisdom. Wisdom comes from the Lord and if we don't seek Him we lack wisdom. If we are in His word we find wisdom. Simple as that. Ooofta...I think I'm getting on a rabbit trail here.

Ben and I were talking the other night about how nice it is to have the weekends not spent cleaning and running errands. I'm able to get the cooking done, laundry finished, cleaning done. By doing this during the day, Ruby and i's time is maximized with Ben. Same goes for the weekends. Ben and I also discussed how if I was back at work, it would probably be harmful to our marriage. Again PLEASE understand that I'm talking about Ben and I specifically and not judging anyone.

I love teaching, but I truly think that God used teaching to teach me what is important. What is important for Ben and I is for me to stay at home with our kids. It is a job that we find so important and I can tell you with 100% confidence that I have never been happier in my entire life.

Two Months!!

I simply can't believe that Ruby was born two months ago. January 29th was by far one of the greatest days of our lives. I have LOVED being able to watch everything that Ruby does! She changes every day. Right when I think I have her figured out she changes. Here is a little more about Ruby at two months.

•I rolled over three times in a row one day, but haven't rolled since that day. It made me kind of dizzy and mom just kept putting me back on my tummy anyway.

•I went on my first road trip to Fargo to see my Auntie Sarah, Uncle Jason, and cousin Liam. The bonus was Grandma and Grandpa came up from Watertown, SD. I slept the whole way to Fargo, even with Moose wining the whole way. I wasn't a fan of Hobby Lobby like my mom, so I definitely let her know that. Fargo sure has a lot of stop lights. I didn't like those either. I slept the whole way home , even with Daddy raving about what great gas mileage we were getting.

•I love to smile, especially when Mommy and Daddy come say good morning.

•I typically sleep for 5 hour stretches at night. I like to keep mom on her toes though, so sometimes I wake up every 3 hours.

•I love bath time. It's like I'm at my own baby spa. It's divine!

•I have rolls on my thighs and I have baby acne.

•I have my 2 month well visit tomorrow. Mommy keeps talking about shots. I will let you know how they go!

Well, I'm anxious to see how Rubys doctor appointment tomorrow. We will find out how much she weighs and how long she is. Oh yeah, and the dreadful shots. I'm looking forward to bein done with them. Poor girl. Thank goodness Ben will be there too because I'm probably going to be crying more than Ruby.

Anyway, that is what Ruby has been up to. Please continue to pray for Ben and I. Pray that we would get better at studying Gods word daily. We pray that Ruby will walk with the Lord one day! This week is Bens spring break, so also pray that he would be able to rest before he finishes the year out. We can't wait for summer!!

Sleep

Ruby is 8 weeks old today. Crazy. She is getting so big.

Now, on the topic of sleep. When Ruby sleeps for 5 or 6 hours at a time, I feel like super woman the next day. When she wakes every 3 I feel ok, but not great. Even worse is if she sleeps for three hours, but grunts and makes a lot of noise, I just might be a wreck the next day. Thankfully the third sleeping style has happened a couple of times. Last night Ruby slept from 9:30-3:15, 3:30-6:30, and 6:45-9:00. Holla! Because of this we have been to Target, I have a load of laundry in, I've vacuumed, and i have intentions of making banana bread.....and it is only noon! Am I bragging? Absolutely! Let me tell you that on those other days where she wakes up every 3 hours, I spend most of the next day on the couch wishing so badly that she would take a nap and not insist on walking around the house facing out. God created sleep...and it is very good. With it we can conquer. Without it we can crumble. Yesterday was a crumble and today is a conquer kind of day.

I used to get a little annoyed when people would tell me when I was pregnant to sleep now because when the baby comes you won't. I get it. All you mommies out there.  I get it. My mom is probably worried about me at this point in the post. I have a feeling that she is about to call me and tell me that I need to get more sleep and that I should figure out how to do that. With that said I wouldn't change anything. In time I will get more sleep. She will hopefully one day sleep all the way through the night. And then...well, it will be time for baby number two. Haha!

I realize that this post may seem like I'm sleep deprived. I assure you im not. Ruby just fell asleep, and she just pooped big time. Duty calls people, duty calls. Until next time.

Babies Galore!

One of my favorite topics to talk about these days is babies. I can't get enough of my own baby. I don't even remember what life was like before Ruby nor do I want to. Ruby has been the biggest blessing to Ben and I. We thought we were happy before? Nothing in the world compares to this. It's kind of like in high school when you got a new boyfriend and you would just gush to your girlfriends about how amazing your new boyfriend was and it was quite annoying. That is kind of how I feel although I don't care who I'm gushing to about Ruby. I will gush to random people in Target about how wonderful she is.

I remember when it seemed like all my friends were getting married around the same time about 3-6 years ago. I think there was a summer where we attended 8 weddings. It was such a fun time and everyone was starting a new chapter in their life. Now, it's the season of babies. When I'm trolling facebook I see on a daily basis that someone just had a baby or they are pregnant. I absolutely love it! I love talking "baby talk" with friends who are either pregnant, going to start trying to have kids, or who are already mommies.

Ruby is 7 weeks and I can't believe it. She goes in for her two month shots on the 30th. I'm not looking forward to it at all. When we are driving in the car and she is screaming because she is hungry I just want to take her out of her car seat right there and feed her going down the road. Ben reminds me how unwise that would be. Haha. Ok, I wouldn't actually do that. My point is that a part of me wants to cry right along side of her. Thankfully Ben will be coming along too to get her shots. I also know that it is much harder on the parents than it is their child. Either way, I'm not looking forward to it.

This next weekend will be the start of Ben's spring break. We are going to be going to Florida. I'm totally kidding. As nice as that would be we are actually taking Ruby on her first road trip to Fargo, North Dakota for the weekend. It may not be filled with Mickey Mouse and Palm trees, but it will be filled with unbeatable company. Fargo, North Dakota....home of the Swiers AKA my sister and her family. Speaking of my sister. I'm not sure there is ever a time spent with her where at least once we are laughing hysterically with tears running down our eyes often leavi our husbands looking at us in confusion. I think that's just what sisters do, right? Hopefully one day Ruby will have a sister of her own to laugh uncontrollably with. ;) One day.

Anyway, another random blog post. :) thanks for reading!

The Time I left Ruby with Daddy

Happy Friday everyone!!

Today Ben got home from work a little earlier than normal because it is Friday. Yahoo!! I thought man I would love to go get groceries. Ruby has been rather unpredictable these days. Sometimes she will scream in her car seat and refuses her pacifier. So, I decided I would feed Ruby and head off to the grocery store without worrying about a screaming baby. This has been the first time leaving her. Keep in mind I was leaving her in GREAT hands. As I was driving out of the alley I felt incomplete. Haha. I know one day I will cherish these little breaks, but not quite yet.

From the title you may suspect that I came home to a screaming baby, but that isn't the case. I came home to the worlds best husband and daddy who was looking at Ruby with adoration. Ruby was not screaming. She was making the most adorable cooing sounds. As hard as it was to leave it was SO good to get groceries and actually cook. This is probably only the third time I've cooked since Ruby being born. Please don't do the math. Not only did I get groceries, but I also picked up some of Ben and I's favorite cider beer. Ruby should sleep good tonight. Haha I'm joking. They say you can have a drink without it entering your milk. :)

So, I left Ruby with daddy for the first time and everything went well! Maybe it will be a new Friday tradition. Ah, let's not get carried away.

Growth Spurt!

Hey Everyone,
I feel like it has been awhile since I last blogged. We have been busy with visitors and I have been busy feeding my daughter. I've read several places that babies go through a growth spurt around 6 weeks. Well, Ruby is two days away from being six weeks and boy has she been wanting to eat. Today I feel like I've been feeding her every hour. I love my growing baby!

Today it is 56 degrees and sunny. I took Ruby out on our first of many walks together. She was very content looking at the new scenery. It was so nice for us to get out. I think tomorrow we might take on Albertville outlet mall. Although, who knows if she is wanting to feed all the time. Speaking of. I've been kind of disappointed with how many big establishments don't accomadate to breast feeding mothers. They will have family restrooms that includes a changing table, but that's it. So, I will either feed in the car, in a dressing room, or wherever and use a cover. If yall have any tips I would be glad to hear them!!

Ruby has been lucky to spend the last two weekends with her grandma and great grandma. We also attended another shower where Ruby received some more fabulous things. Let me just tell you that Ruby will be one stylish girl! I also took Ruby to school on Friday to meet my coworkers. It was SO good to see them!

IDITAROD! Agh, you know this baby has changed me when I haven't been paying as close attention to the Iditarod. Thankfully it just started so I will start checking in more. Buuuut, when it comes to snuggling my sweet girl, the IDITAROD will take a back seat.

I don't want to jinx it, but Ruby has been sleeping wonderfully at night. Last night for example I put her down around 10. She woke up around 3 and then again at 7:15. Hopefully she keeps it up. She has also started smiling when you look at her. It is my absolute favorite. She makes the cutest gurgling sound and gives the biggest toothless grin. I could just eat her right up.

I had my 6 week post partum appointment yesterday. It was good to see my pre natal doctor again. Everything went well and "everything" is healed up nicely. Haha. TMI? Bah, who cares. :)

Ok, so I'm realizing that this post was super all over the place. My apologies. That's just how my brain seems to be working these days! Ben and I continue to love our daughter more and more each day. Speaking of love. I have never been so in love with Ben. I've gotten to see a totally different side of Ben since Ruby has come along and It is just awesome an unexplainable.

Please continue to pray for Ben and I that we would set good examples for Ruby. That we would make time daily to spend in prayer and devotion. Thanks everyone. I haven't tried too hard to figure out how to upload pictures on here, but if you check out facebook you will find there is no shortage of pictures even though I swore I wouldn't be hat mom. Oh well, sorry peeps. I won't be offended if you block me for the next...well....lifetime. Haha.

One Month!

I'm sorry what? One month already? I can not believe it. Time has gone by so fast, yet I feel like I have enjoyed every moment with her. The big moments, the small moments, the scary moments. The first week lets be honest. I was scared out of my mind. Take sleep deprevation mixed with Ruby not having wet diapers the first day home, to Ben going back to work. Well, you had a hot mess. I don't even know if I showered or brushed my teeth that first week. I know, gross! I also had all sorts of moms giving me advice and telling me what their child was doing at Rubys age. I so appreciate advice, but I need to learn to not compare Ruby to their child and what they were doing. I have a good friend who blogged about not googling things when it comes to your baby. Boy is she right.

I'm glad to have the first weeks under my belt. I can't say that I have Ruby figured out because as soon as I think I do it changes. I do feel so much more confident as a mom. I don't think I have ever been so happy in my entire life. Now, enough about me. Let's move onto Ruby and what she has been up to.

1. She has started to smile socially. Not just when she has gas or is about to poop. Daddy gets the best smiles out of her. She sure does love him.

2. Since her umbilical cord fell off she loves soaking in her bath. Just like her momma.

3. She is in the 75th percentile for head circumference, but has a very strong neck. She doesn't mind tummy time.

4. She is wearing 0-3 month clothes and some 3 month clothes. They are a little big on her.

5. She is in the 87th percentile for length and 55th percentile for weight weighing in around 9 lbs.

6. She loves trying to suck on her hands. I think she will be a thumb sucker.

7. The last two nights she has slept for five hour stretches.

8.  She is starting to coo and look at you for longer periods of time.

9. She is getting better about riding in her car seat.

10.  She grunts in her sleep.

My mom and grandma were here over the weekend and today we took Ruby to the mall for the first time. I also nursed her in public (with a cover) for the first time. It wasn't as scary as I thought.

Anyway, Thanks for reading! We are so thankful for all the prayers and support we have received from friends and family. It really means a lot!!

My Mom

Today is a pretty special day. Today the hardest working mother I know is retiring. Last night when I was on the phone with her I asked her if she was excited and she said, "Yes, but I love my job."

I hope and pray that I can be half the mom that my mom has been. Growing up she would go to work while we were at school and always come home and make dinner (not processed) always home cooked meals for us. She would also do all the laundry and cleaning. She should have made us kids help her, but she didn't. She did it all and never complained. It has taken my into my adult life to realize how hard she worked and how much she did and still does for her family. When I get home from teachin I'm so spent that laundry waits until the weekend, floors don't get vacuumed, bed doesn't get made. She is amazing!

My mom has always worked with older people. She spent many years working in home health care and the past year or two as an activities coordinator at an assisted living place. I've had the pleasure going with her to work or just visiting her at work through the years and you can tell that these old ladies love her. They light up when talking about her. She has made a huge impact.

My mom would do absolutely anything for her family. She also knows me sometimes better than I know myself. She will mention something about me and I will deny it over and over again, but then usually a week later I will think...my mom was right. She is always right.

I could go on and on about how wonderful she is! Thank you for all you do mom an I'm excited to see you more in your retired years! Thanks for showing me how to be a mom. I pray I can be half the mom that you were to me. Happy retirement!

What I've Learned

Hey all,

Ruby will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. She is growing like a weed. She is almost 9lbs already. She had a great well check up on Monday. I have learned so much about being a mom and about myself through this journey so far. I will list some things I have learned.

1. I need Jesus daily. I need him to help be be an uplifting and loving wife. I need him in the moments where I can't quite figure out what Ruby needs. I need to spend time in His word daily.

2. When Ruby sleeps well at night I'm one happy camper the next day. It's amazing what a good nights sleep can do.

3. I've learned that you can't hold or spoil your baby enough, yet tummy time is very important.

4. I've learned that when burping, you best have a burp rag because chances are you will end up with milk down your chest if you don't.

5. I've learned that the love you have for your child is so deep an unlike any other love.

6. I've learned that it is ok to put Ruby down and even let her fuss if I need to go to the bathroom or unload the dishwasher.

7. I've learned that you always, let me repeat ALWAYS have the next diaper ready.

8. I've learned that my husband is an incredible daddy and brings me such calmness.

9. I've learned that I feel better every day if I get out o my pajamas each day.

10. I've learned that nursing Ruby is by far my favorite time spent with her. May sound weird, but it's true.

On Monday Ruby will be one month old. I will post then more about her and what she's been up to in her first month of life.

Faces

Ruby is 3 weeks old. She definitely looks bigger to me and has already changed so much. This last weekend was nice because Ben had a three day weekend. We took Ruby to church for the first time and also took her down to Ben's parents house. She was a big hit with her Harvey cousins. It's kind of funny though. I'm not used to sharing her quite yet. Everyone else was holding her all day and so when we got home I told her I missed her and I soaked her up. Haha. Obsessed? Yep, I am.

This morning after I was done feeding Ruby I got some of the best faces. When awake she is very alert and will focus in on you. Today I was being silly and she gave me the same exact look that Ben gives me often. I would like to call it the puzzled yet amazed look. Haha. I've never seen Ben in her so much than in her puzzles amazement look. :) Speaking of Ben...he is amazing! He has been such a good daddy and an amazing husband.

My sisters family is coming this weekend which I'm so excited about. I can't wait to show Ruby off. They haven't seen her since she was born. Ruby also has her second well visit on Monday. I love Rubys doctor and can't wait to see how Ruby is doing from a medical stand point.

That's all I have. It's been a quiet week. It has been so cold that we haven't really made it out of the house much. Please keep our family in your prayers. We are loving this parenthood adventure, but couldn't do it without God.

Two Weeks Old!

Ruby Ann is officially 2 weeks old. In some ways it seems like time has gone super fast and in other ways it seems like she was born a year ago. Either way, with another week under our belts I'm feeling a bit more confident as a mom. Her one week appointment went very well. She had no signs of jaundice and weighed in past her birth weight! Healthy baby makes for one happy mama! I think we have also gotten on some kind of night routine. She has been sleeping in three hour stretches, sometimes more. She has been sleeping in the pack n play in our bedroom and when she needs to feed I just bring her into bed with me and then lay her back down. It is so nice. I had worried that Ben would lose sleep and get crabby. Haha. Last night he told me that whenever I'm up with her an feeding her he gets really happy and just smiles. Sure enough, last night he had his eyes closed with a smile on his face. I'm loving seeing Ben melt over this little girl!

I have felt a lot more comfortable as well. Yesterday we went to Target and Bible Study and I wasn't paranoid with feeding and all that. Today we went to a Target in a different town and I bought the boba wrap. We will see how that goes. Everyone has told me how wonderful baby wearing is. I also took a bath today without Ben home while Ruby was sleeping.

Moose is handling Ruby very well. In fact, he usually just acts as if she isn't around. Moose is a pretty dramatic dog and so it is a relief that he hasn't been super needy. Ruby is a pretty calm baby. She doesn't really cry often. She grunts when she needs to poop and she squeaks sometimes when she is feeding. She also makes the most adorable sighs when feeding. Nursing is one of my favorite moments with Ruby. Sometimes she looks at me and it is such a cute adoration type look....or so I think, but then she will go into a wrinkled forehead/frown. Ha! She enjoys baths, being held, and looking at the world around her. She is just wonderful! Our new family is in a good place. We are so blessed to have this precious little girl with us!

Please pray for Ben and his job. He enjoys teaching, but isn't quite sure if that is what he wants to do forever. Teachers work so hard! Pray that Ruby and I would continue to figure out life at home together. Also pray that I would continue to live without fear. This week has gone SO much better! Thank you all for your support, gifts, and for all who have come to visit! We appreciate you!!

Target

Hey Everyone,

So, today I woke up with this new attitude or take on Parenting. I decided I was going to stop being so paranoid about everything that could possibly happen to my daughter and be brave. Today, I took Ruby to Target. Just Ruby and I. It felt liberating. I felt more like myself and I'm not going to lie...Ruby kind of loved it. I kept her in her car seat and put it in the cart. By the way, how are you supposed to shop when the car seat takes up the whole cart basket? Anyway, Ruby was alert the whole time taking in the new sites. I probably only spent about 10 minutes in the store, but that is besides the point. The point is that I took Ruby out of the house. She cried for half the way home because I think the sun was blinding her. Oops. I can't wait for spring and summer and really be able to take her out.

First week with Ruby

Hey All,

So far so good in the Harvey household. So, today Ruby is one week old. It has in one way gone so fast and in another way seemed like the longest week of my life. Nobody tells you about the stressful parts of being a first time mom. When we first came home from the hospital all of our families were here. Ruby got quite the homecoming. :) The hospital gave us a chart to document how many times Ruby has pooped and peed. Well, Ben and I noticed that after about 24 hours of being home, Ruby wasn't doing either. We called the hospital and told me to pump and feed ER what I pump an see if she pees or poops. It was very stressful. Well, it worked and she had a wet diaper followed by a dirty diaper. Ben and I both laughed and said we have never been so excited to see a dirty diaper. I have a feeling my milk just hadn't come yet. Boy has it now though. I feel like is all this girl does is eat. I might as well walk around without a shirt. Haha. Not joking. Since that scary moment, things have gone really well. I say that it is stressful because all of a sudden you are given this miracle and it is your job to keep her alive. You question everything your doing along with every little thing she is doing. For example, she jolted as if she was startled and I questione if that was normal. Little things like that.

However, here comes the amazing part. I'm so obsessed with this little girl. I look at her in awe and just stare all day long. Now I'm not really an emotional person. I would say I'm sensitive, but not overly emotional. This girl combined with crazy hormones have made me one big sap. I seriously will look at her and just get tears in my eyes. I will be looking at her and praying for her and just start crying because im so amazed by Gods creation. I'm tearing up as I write this and hold her in my arms. Then there is Ben. He has been SO amazing. I didn't think I could love him more, but throw a kid into the equation and you can. Watching him hold her or hearing him gently ask me if he can hold her for a bit. Haha I think I am a baby hog. This little girl has changed him as well. We are forever changed.

Since I have to write these posts from my phone I haven't figured out how to upload pictures. If you are my facebook friend there has been no shortage there. Oh yeah, we had a home health nurse come check up on Ruby on Monday and she said that Ruby looked great and had even gained 4 oz. already! We have her one week wellness visit tomorrow and I'm excited to see how she is doing.

Please continue to pray for our new family. Pray for rest and that we wouldn't be so anxious with little things and just enjoy her.

Ruby Ann Harvey

But you spell your name with an e. Ha ha. The name Ann comes from my mom and grandmas middle names being Ann without and e. I know, kind of confusing. Anyways, as you all know, Ruby made her grand entrance on Thursday, January 29, 2015. I thought I would share her birth story with you.

Starting on Monday after my doctors appointment...yeah the one where I found out zero progress had been made since the week before. Anyway, I got home and started to feel a little crampy, but didn't look into it too far. That evening when Ben got home I started to have some very mild contractions. I didn't realize it at the time. Ben kept asking if that's what they were and I just laughed saying your guess is as good as mine. We went to bed that night and I would wake up about every hour with a contraction. Again, I still didn't quite know that they were contractions. The same thing happened on Tuesday, but they were very spread out. Same thing on Tuesday night, but with a little more intensity and a little closer together. Wednesday morning they were more sporadic, so I told Ben to go ahead and head to school. He got home and the contractions started to pick up again starting in my lower back and moving to the front they were getting a lot more intense to the point where I couldn't talk through them and I had to use some breathing techniques. The night went on and they were about 6-8 minutes apart so Ben called the hospital and they told us to wait until either my water broke or they were 3-5 minutes apart. Ohhhh they were painful. At about 4:00 we took off because they were coming every 3-5 minutes. We didn't head straight to the hospital though, we went to Ben's school because he had to get sub plans and materials set out. He is lucky I too am a teacher and understand that you can't just say I won't be there. So, Ben went in and I stayed in the car and dealt with the contractions. Finally, we get to the hospital and first got checked out by a nurse named Monica. She was great! I was skeptical thinkin maybe they would send us home or my cervix would still be closed. Well, I was wrong bi was dilated to a 4. We got checked in to our labor room and got introduced to our new labor nurse, Ashley. She was awesome! They hooked me up to some fluids and  the fetal heart rate maching along with a machine that said when I was having a contraction, which was pretty much constant. I could no longer talk, just breathe in and out. They checked my cervix again and I wS at a 7. Yahoo! I asked fo an epidural. I know there are many anti epidural people out there, but can I just say that it was a God send for me and in the end, still got Ruby. Well, as soon as I got the epidural I had instant relief. I just giggled because I couldn't believe it. My doctor was in a different town but would be at the hospital by 11:30. By about 11:00 I was at 10 cm. and we basically just waited around for my doctor to get there. She got there and I started pushing. The nurse would tell me when I was having a contraction and then I would push. We did this for about an hour before Ruby came. It was kind of awkward in between contractions. We would all just kind of wait. So, what does Anne do? Breaks into song of course. Yep, I started singing Push it.  Push it real good. Then, the labor nurse Ashley starts singing oh baby baby ba baby baby. It was hilarious and fun. At 12:44 Ruby came into the world. It was the most amazing feeling when she came and they sat her on my tummy. I heard her cry and Ben and I also were in tears. Ben then cut the cord. I will spare some of the other details from delivery for your own good. :) I will share more about life with Ruby in the next post.

Thank you soooo much for praying for Ben and I. It was such an amazing day and I wouldn't change a thing about it. 2 days of home labor and 8ish hrs in hospital to get out perfect daughter, Ruby.

February Baby?

Hey Everyone,

Well, I just got back from my 40 week appointment. 40 weeks people. That is a long time to be pregnant. Well, not long enough according to Ms. Ruby. Turns out she is not ready yet as I'm still only a fingertip dilated and my cervix is still high and not softened. I just had to kind of laugh as I was lying there. I will say that I often read these pregnancy blogs and pregnancy message boards of other people who are due around the same time as me. They keep talking about how miserable they feel physically. I'm incredibly blessed in the way I feel. Besides wanting to meet my dear daughter so badly, I feel great.

What happens next? Well, I will have another appointment a week from today and if she hasn't decided to come on her own I will go in on Tuesday evening to start the induction process. On Tuesday night they will insert something near my cervix to try and soften it. Then the next day they will start me on Pitocin. Hopefully none of that has to happen and she comes on her own. Ben and I are just so excited to meet her! I think Moose is ready too. He follows me around everywhere and will often just stare at my stomach. As for me, I'm going to head over to Pinterest to find a DIY project to keep myself busy. :)

Please pray for Ben and I this week that we would just be patient and truly cherish our time together before Ruby comes. We hear that life isn't quite the same after kids. ;)