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.