5 months with ruby kay

 to our beloved ruby kay,

what a month it has been! you are growing so much each day- and are no longer our tiny, brand new baby. this past month you have discovered your toys. you move from your back to your tummy like a pro, and are always moving/wiggling. it is so fun to see you grow and develop- and it is all happening so quickly.

you are still a very sweet baby, but are becoming more work the older you get. you are awake for the majority of the day with a few naps (2-3) during the day time. you are the happiest in the morning, and occasionally fusy in the evenings. i keep thinking that you are teething- but so far no teeth yet, just lots of drool.

some sweet things to remember from your fifth month with you are:
-you love to grab our faces and pull our hair as if you are trying to hug our face. it is very sweet but a little painful. :)
-you always want to sit up, and will push back your elbows while laying down or in your bouncy chair.
-you now are scooting everywhere, but typically at angles. you can crawl on your back with your shoulders (a backwards army crawl) which makes us laugh.
-you are back to nursing in the night, but are officially sleeping in your crib in your own room. you are still only fed breastmilk, and we are trying to hold off cereal and solids until you are six months.
-you still are swaddled during the night and at nap times. you sleep so peacefully while swaddled, but soon we will need to transition to sleep sacks.
-you love your "lovie" and like it when we put it next to your check as you fall asleep.
-we are starting to use your binkie just for sleep, but it still soothes you any time of the day.
-you love standing up in your exersaucer and are content in it for a while. you like to find me in the room for affirmation ever so often.
-your favorite toys are sophie the giraffe (teething toy), your crinkle toys, and a plastic ball with holes.
-your personality is starting to show, and i love seeing your emotions. every now and then you make a face that looks like you are very proud of yourself.
-peek a boo is a favorite of yours, and your laughter is so fun for your daddy and i to hear.
-you saw snow for the first time this month, but didn't seem to phased by it. one day we went on a walk with daddy and your cheeks got quite rosy, even though you bundled up tight.

rubes, your daddy and i love you so much. we are so proud to be your parents, and both agree that you have made our lives so fun. we can't wait to see who you grow to be, but are treasuring each day we get to spend with you.

we love you ruby kay seiler!

{4 months}

{3 months}

{2 months}

{1 months}

4 months with ruby kay

 

to our dearest ruby kay,

happy four months of life! you are growing so big, and it makes my mama-heart so happy. you are such a joy, and your personality is starting to shine so bright. you are very lovable- and your happiness is contagious. you are starting to really giggle- and your daddy and i can't help but laugh when you do. you make the best noises, one second you sound like a creaky door and the next you are talking away. your daddy laughs at how you go from laughing to crying within seconds. you can't stay mad for long!

as you have grown, i have become more aware of the words that we use around you. i want you to grow to be humble and confident in who God created you to be. you are so special, and your daddy and i love you so much!

some sweet things to remember from our fourth month with you are:
-how you love to roll over & over & over. you prefer to roll onto your left side, but can roll over onto your right with encouragement. it started with us putting toys next to you, and now you loves to roll over just 'cause. (back to front)
-you enjoy doing push ups while on your tummy, trying to look around to see where the action is.
-you are starting to really recognize voices, especially mine and like to watch me walk around our apartment
-you are starting to laugh on demand really easily. you like it when we bounce you on the bed, tickle your belly and neck, and when we laugh at you. we are still working on peek-a-boo. so far, you are a tad confused by it.
-you still just have the one tooth, but drool all the time. we time your "going out" outfits very carefully. 
-you are nursing very well, and it is getting very quick and convenient. we tired a bottle again, but you didn't take it. you and i are good pals, and are never separated for more than three hours because of this.
-you typically take 2-3 good naps every day. you are still in our room with us but i hope to make the transition to your crib soon. 
-you still love your paci/binkie and we have started using the "mam" brands 0-6 months size. 
-you really enjoy reading and are starting to follow when i point to objects in the books. 
-red is your favorite color, and love watching anything with a red pattern.
-your second cousin, griffin, gave you a blue ball that you love to hold and chew on. you also are starting to play with the blocks from your stacking rings. you also are obsessed with your tails book and the crinkle noises.

 

ruby kay seiler- your daddy and i love you and are so thankful for you. thinking about last year at this time, you were still our secret, but we were so excited for you to come. now that you are here- you have exceeded our dreams. we love you.

{3 Months}

{2 Months}

{1 Month}

a visit from papa

my dad was in town visiting the grandbabies (and us) this past week. it was his first time to meet ruby kay's cousin ellanora- his 6th grandbaby. we had a great week together, taking turns hosting dinner, going on errands- and just spending time with papa. we laughed over how much over lives have changed with babies. the last time dad was here before the babies we would go nonstop eating out, going to movies, staying up late, etc. now we are bigger homebodies, and everything revolves around nursing every three hours.

on friday, we had a girls date with papa and visited a fayetteville favorite- loafin joes. 

thanks for visiting papa- you are welcome anytime!

ruby kay on instagram

 

pumkin patch festivities

we visited the pumpkin patch for the first time with our ruby kay. the weather was absolutely perfect- not too cold and not too hot. we enjoyed taking pictures with our little pumpkin (haha!) & tried our best to make her smile while she was sitting up without spitting up on her homemade pumpkin onesie. it was quite the experience.

my sister and her baby also went- but in the true nature of babies, we weren't even able to get a picture of them together due to fusy-ness and nursing at the pumpkin patch. yes-- i was that woman nursing her child at a pumpkin patch. 

the pumpkin patch was full of these beauties along with a few other types. i'm a fan of the warty ones, but took home a regular one in hopes of carving it soon.

daddy lovin'

mama lovin' 

this was our second time to dickey farms in tontitown, but our first with our baby. i think i like pumpkin patches with babies more than without. it will be even more fun next year when ruby kay is 15 months and toddling around!

ruby kay's birth announcement

i wanted to share Ruby Kay's birth announcement that we mailed out after she was a month old. i ended up taking her "newborn pictures" and used an etsy designer for the announcement. i love etsy  for announcements and christmas cards- the designers are quick and cheap, and then i take the finished design to a local printer (see our christmas card from last year). 

looking back at that sweet newborn chubby face makes me sentimental. even though ruby kay is just 3 months old- I can still see her changing so much each day. the picture was taken when ruby kay was still swaddled 90% of the day. 

we sure love this girl, and are proud to be her parents!

3 months with ruby kay

to our dear ruby kay,

happy three months old little one! what a joy this past month has been with you. as always, it seems that you grow so much right before you turn another month old. this past weekend, you seemed to be growing by the second. you are getting so interactive with us- and we love it! you have the brightest smile, and your coos melt our hearts.

you are still so chill, but are so happy whenever we talk to you. you already seem to be a people person. i am so curious to see who you grow to be. my prayer is that you grow to love Jesus so much that even strangers can see Jesus through you.

some sweet things to remember from our third month with you are:
-how you love to giggle whenever we laugh (aunt Bethany's laugh is what started it all!)
-you are such a kicker! we wear a lot of socks around here since your workout legs are always kicking blankets off
-you are starting to move around when we put you on your tummy- but you are still pretty content to stay in the same place when we lay you on your back
-you still sleep so well in your velcro swaddle- I love the consistency and comfort of a tight swaddle for you
-you have started mimicking our faces- so far we have seen you copy smiles, surprised, and scared faces.
-you & your (nameless as of now) giraffe are best buddies. it melts my heart how you cuddle with your giraffe and even slobber on him.
-you are grasping and pulling on toys with your hands! you also love to hold and play with my hand- especially when i sit next to you on long car rides.
-you sleep so well when a blanket or pillow is pressed softly against your face
-you now have a tooth! your daddy saw it first, and i didn't even believe him when he told me. sure enough you are an early teeth bloomer and have a tiny little tooth on your bottom right side.
-we are finally getting comfortable and good at this nursing game. i think it's just something that takes time. especially for first time mamas.
-we are now pretty consistent with your nursing schedule: 6am,9am,12pm,3pm,6pm,and 9pm. when you wake up in the night, i re-swaddle you and give you a paci to soothe you.
-especially the last week, you are baby-talking up a storm. we love it!
-you can hold up your head so well, and enjoy sitting in your bumbo and exersaucer for short periods of time

rubes, we sure love being your parents. we are so proud of you, and so thankful that God chose us to be your daddy & mama.

comparison & encouragement

since becoming a mama, i have read a few blog posts about the struggles of being a new mom. there are so many great blogs that highlight the pressures and struggles new moms face- especially regarding comparison. it's no secret that women struggle with comparison, and i love reading about women who put forth effort to not compare themselves with others. they always say that the first step in overcoming sin is recognizing it. us new mamas already have enough on our plate, why add worrying about how soon your baby is walking, how fast you are loosing the baby weight, or how clean your house is. and yet most of us fall prey to comparing ourselves daily with each other.

yesterday i took my weekly trip to get groceries and was shuffling around the store trying to get everything on my list while making sure ruby kay was content. a sweet lady working at the store interrupted me to tell me the two kindest things you can tell a new mom. first, she told me that ruby kay was an adorable baby, and the she told me that i didn't look like i just had a baby. for the rest of my trip i couldn't get our interaction off my mind. in the midst of her busy day, she took 10 seconds to encourage an overwhelmed stranger. how hard is that? her random act of encouragement was the highlight of my day and caused me to think about how i want to spend more time encouraging and less time comparing myself to others.

yes, i can't fit into all of my pre-pregnancy clothes. yes, i sometimes forget to shower some days. yes, my baby is almost three months old and still not on a consistent schedule. but rather than focusing on how i am "failing", i should think: did i spend time in the word today? did i spend time loving my husband and daughter today? did i find ways to encourage others today?

i have always loved the quote by theodore roosevelt, "comparison is the thief of joy". it is such a good reminder to not waste time comparing. here's to encouraging over comparing!

gold foil print found {here}.

2 months with ruby kay

to our sweet ruby kay,

can you really be two full months old? so much has changed in the two short months with you as our daughter. at first, our lives felt so chaotic and disorganized: from the lack of sleep, both of us learning how to breastfeed, allowing my body to heal from surgery, and overall adjusting to life as a family of three. we have created our 'new normal' with you, and wouldn't trade it for the world. your addition has been such a compliment to our family, and your daddy even said yesterday that we should have started having babies earlier. watch out for siblings! :)

at your two month checkup, you weighed a healthy 11pds 2oz, and were 22 inches long. your doctor told us that you are a healthy baby, and answered all of our questions with affirmation that everything is going perfectly. we have so much to be thankful for! 

this past month we went on a few out of town trips that have proved you are a great traveler. that must be your mama in you! our destinations included the lake of the ozarks, branson, mimi & papa's house, and eureka springs. luckily, you are a great sleeper in your car seat too making the car rides so enjoyable and stress free.

some sweet things to remember from our second month with you are:

-your cheeks & how they seem to grow each day 

-your sweet, long eyelashes

-how you still love your paci, and suck on it even when you are in a deep sleep

-your deep blue eyes that we can't get enough of

-how you smile & coo at us whenever we talk to you, you just light up whenever we engage with you

-your clenched fists that relax a few minutes into nursing

-how you have slept through the night a few times this past month giving your mama such good sleep

-how you are love contrasting colors- your mobile, the allens bookshelf, razorback parties where everyone wears red 

-how you love to kick & squirm, especially when watching your mobile

-how well you sleep on your tummy (supervised naps only)

-and lastly, how i was able to hold you while watching your sweet niece enter the world- such a sweet memory!

cutie patootie!

we can't get enough of your big blue eyes! (photo credit: my mom)

rubes, we sure love you. thank you for being such a great baby. we love you so much and yet our love grows more and more each day.

{1 month with Ruby Kay}

goodbye to nina

today is a sad day. today my mom left for thailand after being in america for the summer. goodbyes are normal for our family, but never get easy. we have been blessed to see our parents often on their visits back to america, but life still isn't the same when your parent's permanent residence is halfway around the world. 

for the month of august, my mom was here in northwest arkansas awaiting the birth of my sisters baby, and then stayed to help them adjust to life with their sweet ellanora. since my sister and i live in the same apartment complex, and in the same building as us, ruby kay's nina was still very close by. even though she has been here for my sister, i still got to enjoy my mama since we live so close. 

i wrote my mom a thank you note for all her help with becoming a mama myself, and found myself in tears when i thanked her for becoming my friend. it is such a sweet transition becoming a mama, because i think that is when your mom becomes more of a friend and encourager than a mom. i will forever treasure the week i went overdue with ruby kay, because it was such a great time with my mom. we had fun outings everyday alongwith long walks and overall great conversation. 

mom, i love you so much and am so thankful for you. you are such a sweet nina to ruby kay, and we already miss you like crazy. thank you for being so great and for spending so much time with us.

thoughts on being a mama

we just got home from ruby kay's two month doctor checkup. it was such a good checkup and we left so encouraged that ruby kay is a happy, healthy baby. we have so much to be thankful for. while we were waiting for the nurse to give ruby kay shots, ben and i were looking through all the instagrams i have taken of ruby kay. even though she is still a tiny baby, i can see her growing so much. it makes my mama heart so happy to be with her through all of these changes. even though is sounds cheesy, i really feel like this is what God created me to do. to be a mama. even with all of the challenges of being a mama and selflessly caring for this little girl, i wouldn't trade her for the world. 

i asked my mom to take a few pictures of me with ruby kay to remember what we looked like together at this phase. when i am at home all day long i typically don't dress up, so we took these after an outing a few weeks ago. my current wardrobe is typically running shorts, a tank top, and a messy bun. why get all ready when my hair will either be pulled out by baby fingers or pasted in spit up? :)

it's also fun to remember where we brought ruby kay home--- to our sweet, little apartment #7. i love our sweet humble life, and can't wait to look back on this season of life with fondness at our simplicity. 

ruby kay, i sure love being your mama. you are such a joy to be around, and my love for you grows more an more each day. thanks for letting me love you!

ruby kay & the arkansas razorbacks!

this past saturday we took ruby kay to her first razorback tailgate! it was sunny and hot, but we still enjoyed our quick visit. our secret to success with bringing a newborn tailgating were: parking at a friends house who lived close to the game, sonic drinks, bringing ruby kay's nina, only carrying a light diaper bag, and staying for only a bit over an hour. ruby kay's daddy sure loves football, so the best part was enjoying it alongside him.

family picture!

proud daddy with his girl

this little lady was such a trooper during our little visit. ben actually went to the game, and we went home and enjoyed nap in the nice, cold air conditioning. as the weather cools off, we may actually stay for a game! and just as a side note, does anyone notice a sweet little girl getting chubbier? i think we'll keep her! 

life with our sweet girl

time sure seems to be flying since ruby kay joined our world. flying in a good way. each day she grows more and more alert and interactive with us, and we are just loving it.

a good friend once described the first few months of parenting as a challenge because of the one-sided relationship you have with your new baby. your world revolves around their every need- nursing, burping, diaper changing, spit-up cleaning, bathing, dressing, bouncing, holding, soothing, kissing, and overall loving of your little one. in reply, you receive poopy diapers, spit-up stained clothes (theirs and yours), sleepless nights, and cries upon cries. basically, it's a one sided relationship. but, it's not all bad--- the older they grow the more they love you back. starting the beginning of ruby kay being a month old, she started intentionally smiling at us. and now that she is almost two months, the smiles come overflowing from her. it's such a joy to start to receive her love, even in the small form of smiles and baby-coo's. 

a peek into the nursery

since we are currently living in an apartment, ruby kay's nursery is shared with our guest bedroom. there are many pros to living in a small space- keeping all our baby supplies in one place (pacifiers, changing station, hair bows, etc), being able to hear her cry when i am in another room, and living like a minimalist. 

we had such a fun time putting ruby kay's room together before she came and tried to keep everything gender neutral. people often would ask what our nursery "theme" was- and my only answer was navy, yellow, gray, and red. i think ruby kay fits so well into her nursery now that she is here. some of my favorite parts of her nursery are:

-the pom pom cluster made by my baby shower hostesses originally for the shower, now on display for ruby kay to admire from her crib

-the books on the shelf from my work's "book shower" they threw for me. it was hard to choose from all the great books ruby kay has!

-the homemade quilt i made for "baby seiler" before i knew that she was ruby kay

-my diy elephant mobile

-the sweet print gifted to us right after ruby kay was born with all her birth details

and now to show the star of our show: miss ruby kay, herself! i love how tiny she looks in her big bed. she is such a sweet girl, and i'm so proud to be her mama.

1 month with Ruby Kay

to our sweet ruby kay,

you are officially one month old and have changed our lives. both your daddy & i can't imagine life without you. you are the sweetest baby, and have made our transition into parenthood so easy. you are such a good baby- sleeping 6+ hours through the night (the record has been 9pm-5am), rarely cry, and are almost always happy and content. our love for you grows deeper each day- so much that we can't imagine loving you more. one of the first nights with you was pretty sleepless due to many feedings, but i woke up with a stronger love for you because of sacrificing my sleep for you. it is so humbling to realize how dependent you are on me for food, warmth, and love. i am so thankful that God chose me to be your mama.

already over this short month, you have grown so much. especially in the last week you seem to be changing before our eyes. your growing is bittersweet- i love how interactive with us you are, but don't want you to grow up so fast. everyone says that their kids grow up too fast, so i'm trying to savor each moment i get to spend with you.

some sweet things to remember from our first month with you are:
-how you love to be swaddled, especially at night and how well you sleep when swaddled tight
-how well you sleep when you are close to mama's chest, and how you fall into a deep sleep every time you are in the beco carrier
-how you wiggle your arms and legs as soon as you are free from your swaddle
-your sleepy hints are when your eyes cross, then you smile and then you slowly drift off
-how you hold your head up while i burp you after nursing and our cheeks touch
-how often you have the hiccups and how much your tiny body shakes from them
-how much you love your pacifier
-how you fall asleep every time we put you in your carseat, and almost always stay asleep during our outings
-how well your eyes focus on us when we talk to you
-how you are beginning to smile when we speak to you

your daddy and i love you so much, ruby kay!