Important Message

Ruth had an appointment today with a pediatric ophthalmologists and was given a rather grave diagnosis. The doctor said that she has ocular albinism which means that she lacks pigment in her retina. She will have blurry vision that cannot be corrected with glasses or contacts or surgery. Currently there is no cure. To the extent of her blurry vision will have to wait until she is old enough to tell us. Many who suffer from this genetic disorder are unable to pass a vision test to obtain a driver's license. The doctor said that often people who have this are more intelligent than the average person. He noted that her hair color and skin pigment is normal so he said that she does not have oculocutaneous albinism. However, Brian and I have done research most of the evening and have decided that we do indeed need the genetic testing that the doctor recommends and that we want a second opinion. Here is what we have learned:

Ocular albinism is an X linked genetic disorder (XLOA). We have learned that it affects 1 in 60,000 males and that females are most often carriers only. For Ruth to have this, both Brian and I would have to be carriers and Brian would in fact have to be albinistic or there is another genetic issue involved.

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is typically what people think of when you think of someone as being albino. This is not X-Linked. However, in our research we saw that someone can be OCA and still have normal to near normal hair color and skin pigment. Ruth is faired haired and seems to have more my coloring (fair). Since Brian and I were both blond at birth, we have thought nothing of her beautiful hair being fair. The eyesight problems can be the same for both XLOA and OCA.

We go back next week to the same doctor again, will see a genetic counselor soon and are being referred to a group called BEGIN (I have yet to research this) for families of children with low vision. We will seek another medical opinion when this first phase of information gathering is complete.

My sweet husband reminded me that this is a rare disease and even rarer for a female. He has reminded me that God knew Ruth would have this and must have GREAT plans for her. I will say that she did amazingly well today during the exam. She fussed a little when they put the eye drops in her eyes to dilate them and a little while waiting because she missed a nap. But during the actual exam she was still and attentive and when the doctor was speaking to us so gravely, Ruth talked the entire time, looking at the doctor trying to get him to talk back to her. She has been the perfect baby tonight giving her mommy and daddy a much needed rest. It is almost as if she is trying to tell us that it is okay and that she knows God will be her eyes if needed.

Of course we ask that you remember little sweet Ruth in your prayers. Brian and I are so thankful for her (by the way, she has two teeth that have broken through the gums and hurt a little when she chews on our fingers). She is such a happy baby and seems to take everything with such grace and determination. Her acid reflux seems to be under control. We have learned that she enjoys sweet potatoes and will eat bananas even though she will make a face. Brian has said that we now have a new normal. We will become experts on these genetic issues and will learn how to teach our daughter using all of her senses and will learn how to teach her to survive being a low vision person if needed. We know she can see her toys, tracks well and smiles back at us.

You can find more information on the websites located in the left hand column beneath her photo.

Thank you for taking the time to read all of this and for thinking of Ruthie Ru.

Naptime Mayheim

I know some of you may wonder how I have the time to post so often. I post, usually, when I am trying to get Ruth down for a nap. I put her in the crib in the nursery next door and come to the office. I let her cry a little, go check on her, and come back to the office. This cycle may go on for two minutes or for twenty, depending on Ruth and her mood. This morning, it only went on for five, but since I have started the blog, I need to finish. While the videos upload I can brush my teeth or fold laundry or whatever. If you are a mom (Quinn's mommy), you should consider doing a blog too. I have a couple of blogs I check every day during said nap time events as described above.

When I started it was the morning nap. Now, as I finish, it is the afternoon nap. We don't have these videos labeled so when I upload them, I never know what I will get. I spend the time uploading video and most often have to delete it and try again several times before I get one that is interesting enough to post. This is Ms. Lillian. She and Brother Bill are Sidney natives and longtime Sidney Baptist church members. Brother Bill passed on a few years ago but Ms. Lillian is still going strong and sharp as a tact. She even remembers Brian's name every time!!! (Now, considering that my little sister is married to someone named Byron and half the time our pastor would get their names confused, this is quite a feat!)

Let me know either by commenting or e-mailing me what you think of the videos, or, if anyone even watches them. We started this post so the grandparents would have something to follow Ruth's growth, but I don't know if they even check it!!!

Vacation Video

This is footage from Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The original home of the Grand Ole Opry - The mother church of country music. Like all vacation videos, this one is pretty funny. Ruth was smiling as we dance, but alas, you can't see it.

A Pampered Life

First, Brian quit voting for yourself. You know she looks like me. And, no, I have not voted.

Here is some footage of Ruth swimming for the first time. Enjoy!

Do We Look Alike?

I couldn't resist us dressing alike for a recent friend's birthday party. Brian's shirt and Ruth's dress matched exactly. I am a different hue but all are the same fabric. We are down to five feedings a day, and while she does eat more at eat feeding, the total amount has gone down some. We are also feeding her twice a day with oatmeal cereal by spoon and will add sweet potatoes next Monday. She is happy most of the time now, except when she gets really tired. We had a great time today and I got most of the things on my list done!!!

You're A Grand Ole Flag

Here is little Ruth before the big 4th of July parade in downtown Woodstock. Did I mention that there was not one float in this never ending parade of scouts walking and politicians riding in cars. Very disappointing. I was expecting the old time parade with floats and candy being thrown. Apparently not during an election year. Oh well, Ruth is too young for candy. I need to wait until she is old enough to get it for Brian and me.




Here Ruth is with the "parade" behind her. Nothing scared her, not even the police blaring their sirens. She did seem to like the horses, though.

This parade lasted for over 90 minutes. Ruth fell asleep about 45 minutes into it. I don't blame her. It was a boring parade. Don't worry, we don't have video of it.

Back at Tara

We got back from our trip today around 5pm (EST) and with the hustle of moving things in and unpacking and laundry and feeding Ruth (bottle and spoon) and nap time and visitors and bedtime, etc, I forgot to call my mother to tell her I arrived. Sorry, Mom. Will call on Wednesday if I remember among feeding, bathing, and going to music camp. That is right, Ruth has a one day music camp at church tomorrow. It was actually a three day camp but we will only go one day since we have been out of town.

We left my parents on Sunday and went to my sister Kelly's in Cabot that afternoon. Ruth got to met her cousins Brooke (18) and Robby (13 years and 364 days older - he is 14 and his birthday is one day after Ruth's). Ruth got to swim in the pool for the first time ever. She seemed to really enjoy it although she couldn't figure out why water kept hitting her in the face. She would stop hitting the water with her hand long enough to spit some water out and blink and then hit the water again.

We spent the night at my little sister's house where Ruth got to met her dog cousins. Then on Monday we visited my friend Munns (actually, her name is Kim Munns Johnson but to everyone who was a Tri Delt between 1993 and 1997, she will always be Munns). Then it was back to Nashville. We stayed in a 4 star hotel (thanks for the great rate Priceline.com) next to Vanderbilt campus. As we were walking on campus this morning before driving back to Georgia I noted that in Ruth's four and a half month's she has been on three college campuses (can you name them?) and Brian pointed out that Ruth has been to seven states (can you name those?).

After all our travel, it is good to be home.




Here are the answers to the college and state list
Colleges: Middle Tennessee State University, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt
States: Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas.

Punk Rock Bath Time

There's an old wives tail that a pregnant mom with heartburn will have a baby with hair. Well Natalie lived up to that one completely. She had heartburn so bad we could light the grill if she burped. Everything gave her heartburn...even breathing. So when Ruth was born it came as no surprise that she had a head full of blond locks. Don't get me wrong, Ruth also has a lot of face (like her Daddy) but there is a lot of hair on top to play with.

We are in the transition stage where Ruth doesn't have enough hair to put anything in (like braids, ribbons, or bows) but it is long enough to comb and mess up. So we have a girl who looks like a boy and can get bedhead. However, I have begun to enjoy bath time because I have learned that shampoo makes a decent styling mousse without the commitment required for your child to 'go out in public looking like that'. So now when I give her a bath I start by molding her hair into some great creation that I find hilarious (of course) and then my laughing makes her laugh and by the end she is splashing all around and I am laughing - a good time is had by all (at Ruth's expense of course). I have done devil horns, bangs, front duck tail, swirly, the up and under (don't ask) and my personal favorite the punk rock do. I call it the Sid Vicious special. She seems to like it. If you have any suggestions please send them my way. I am running out of good ideas. Note: if your idea must be accompanied by a picture to be done correctly, I am too lazy to use it, so please refrain from posting it.

From the picture you can tell I have skills...I am thinking a salon in Hollywood in 2009. We may only get a carnival show for October but a man can dream.

A Brand New Day

"Every time I open my eyes, these people have me somewhere new." That must be what Ruth is thinking on this trip. We are in Arkansas on the farm. We left Wednesday and drove to downtown Nashville and stayed the night there. Ruth was a great traveler. We had some trouble finding a hotel but once we got one, we then took Ruth on a walk...down Music Row. I had no idea that Nashville was seedy. Well, not really seedy just full of people trying to make it in the music business and all that comes with that. There were live shows at 2pm in the afternoon at every restaurant/bar on the strip. I felt a little silly walking with a stroller at 9pm at night but then, Ruth slept through it and it was a Wednesday night so it was pretty calm.

On Thursday we toured the Ryman Auditorium or, as it is also called, The Mother Church of Country Music. Very interesting. Ruth both danced and drooled on the stage. Then we went to the Country Music Hall of Fame. After spending some time in the first aid office (for me to pump, no one was hurt), we walked a very tired and fussy Ruth around the flashy outfits and gold records. She fell asleep somewhere around the Hee Haw exhibit (much like I used to fall asleep during that show as a kid.) It was funny thinking back to how I used to hate to watch that show as a kid but loved reminiscing when at the museum.

After lunch at a BBQ place (Jack's BBQ) that apparently Ron White really likes and will be visiting this next week before his show, we got in the car and on the road to Memphis. We stayed outside Memphis in Germantown and drove the rest of the way to Memommy's and Granddaddy's on Friday.

So far Ruth has played with Tippy, my mother's dog, but has yet to see the cows up close. I think her talking and screaming have scared them away. We had breakfast in the new Sidney Cafe (that's right, you can actually eat and buy a pack of gum in town now.) She has been a great baby, even though we took her in the heat of the day to visit people. Everyone has enjoyed seeing her.

Tomorrow is church and then off to the aunt's (Ruth's, not mine) to visit.

Off to see the Wizards....

I wasn't going to post but since my other friends (Kara and Susan) posted today on their blogs, I thought I would too. I must say that I am disappointed more of you (or maybe only 3 people read this) have not voted yet. And yesterday was election day here in Georgia.

We are leaving in an hour (or less, hopefully) to go to Nashville tonight. We are taking a mini Berry family vacation and spending the night there and visiting the sites tomorrow. Then we will drive a little further down the road after Ruth's evening feeding. We will spend the night in some never heard of town in Tennessee between Nashville and Memphis. On Friday we are driving to my parents where we will spend time on the farm until after church on Sunday (I have to show off my little sweetie pie at Sidney Baptist Church). Then the plan is to go to my sister's in Cabot, swim at her pool and then spend the night at my other sister's house and then on the road again on Monday arriving back home on Tuesday. We used to make the 10 hour drive in one day but with a baby, 10 hours easily becomes 14 or more with feeding and such.

Ruth started eating oatmeal cereal yesterday with a spoon. She seems to like it. We don't have a high chair yet and she still can't sit up on her own yet so feeding her is a little of a challenge and a back breaker for me leaning over so much. We plan to buy a high chair on our return. Thanks to Candace for the Graco recommendation. If any other moms have a brand they like, please e-mail me or comment on this blog as to why you like that brand.

So we are off to Arkansas. And as the fight song says.."so it is A-R-K-A-N-SAS for Arkansas. Fight, Fight, Fight."

The Clothes Shopping Story (from one month ago)

I was reading through some old posts when I saw that I referenced the funny clothes shopping story and promised to publish it. Well, almost a month later, here it is:

Ruth and I had lunch with two of my co-workers and then decided to go shopping. I had a gift card to Old Navy and was looking for some clothes that fit me. I wound up spending it all on Ruth but then went to Dress Barn with my friend and tried on some dresses. I had Ruth in the stroller in the dressing room with me. She would look away while I changed and would look at me as soon as I got dressed (I am not making that up) and when I would ask her how I looked, she would laugh out loud. I thought she was laughing because I looked so absurd in the dress. It was not until later that I realized all the dresses I was trying on were black and white graphic print dresses. It was probably the loudness of the dress that was making her laugh, not how horrible I looked in them.

At any rate, I think she will be a good shopper and I am looking forward to taking her shopping when she is older.

Ruth and The Hat

Ruthie with Papa in Virginia

These are older videos. Maybe newer ones to come....

Check out my TV show - Test

Let's see if we can add some Ruth video to this one frame page.
I don't know what this video is...but if it works then more mobile Ruth will be had for all.




Disclaimer: Please do not watch this while eating...or reading....or sitting still.

July 3...My Other Birthday

On July third last year our doctor told us that we were going to have a baby. If you think about it, this time last year (which seems so long ago) everything about Ruth was already there, just a lot smaller. The genes existed for her arms, personality and eye color. She already had a heartbeat, even though we couldn't hear it. Now, she lets everyone know she is in the room either by laughing, talking or screaming her head off. (I hear that is a trait she got from her father.)