Ring Around the Rosy

Around and around I go. I feel sometimes like Ruth is on a cycle that I can't break. First, please know that I love my child. But she is slowing stealing our life.

Ruth wakes up every morning around 6:15am. We tried doing what a friend whose baby sleeps until 8am and is content said to do: let her cry and eventually she will get the hint. We tried that for almost two weeks. We would go in, pat her back, put the paci in her mouth and let her cry. She would calm down when we were in the room but as soon as we left, she would throw the paci out of her mouth and cry her head off until 7am when we would pick her up. The only thing that it accomplished was to make Brian and me very mad in the morning and start our day out mad at her, each other and the world and to teach us that Ruth wins again. So now we get up at 6:15am every day and just try to make it through the day not thinking about sleep.

Second, Ruth is currently refusing to eat with the spoon. Now for followers of this blog you know this is a reoccurring theme for us. Every since we couldn't breast feed and she lost weight, feeding has been a source of stress and pressure. In fact, when we went to the doctor this week for her year check up we were told that she doesn't weigh enough to sit forward facing yet. So even though she is long enough and almost too long for the chair, she doesn't weigh enough so she has to continue in the infant care seat.

Ruth also is not really caring for the bottle. At the doctor's office they were very stern with us when they said that by 15 months she needed to be off the bottle. How the heck am I supposed to get that to happen? She will drink out of a sippy but not enough, she is not eating food and most of the self feeding food she is throwing on the ground. Now, she used to love to feed herself and would eat all kinds of things but now it is a fight to get her to eat anything!!! Both my mother and Brian's mother basically said the same thing: don't force her. If we don't, she will not eat!!!! My mother said she will eat when she's hungry. Brian and I do not want to create a child who eats whenever she feels like it. We want her to eat three meals a day (AT MEAL TIME) and two to three snacks a day. In fact, you would think that waking up at 6:15am would mean she is hungry. Nope, she usually doesn't want the bottle then either other than to have a sip.

I am losing my mind. And, I can clean a room and one hour later it looks like a tornado has hit it. Ruth is now screaming because I will not let her play in the trash behind the desk. In fact, she is literally throwing toys around pitching a fit.

Thank goodness I have sewing class today to get a little creative break from this madness. Does anyone child act like this because everyone at church talks about how great their child is sleeping HOURS a day and giving them no problem. Ruth can't be the only kid with a mind of her own.

Happy Birthday (And Many More!)

I love what Ruth does when Daddy tries to offer her a taste of icing. I can't write anymore right now. I have to run and pick up Ruth from "school" and then we are off to shop for fabric for my sewing class on Friday. I have learned I love to sew. It is a great way to be creative and a nice break from ballet at the moment.

It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To

Here is Ruth "blowing out the candle on her cake" at her birthday party.
Ruth and her smash cake.




I started this post this afternoon around 4:30pm and here it is 11pm, and I am finally finishing it. Brian has instituted movie night every other Tuesday so after Ruth goes to bed we buy a movie on Comcast On Demand. Tonight we watched Ghost Town, a funny movie that actually is more sad than happy, I think. So if this post is a little sappy, that is why.

We had homemade cake on Friday, just Brian, Ruth and I and she really seemed to like it. However, as this video shows, her store bought cake wasn't such a big hit. Actually, I think it was the crowd and the mess on her hand (I am so proud) that caused more trouble for her. We put her on the floor to let her smash her smash cake. Ruth gingerly touched the cake (not shown in the video) and left a beautiful little hand print on her cake as if she were creating a tile for the Hollywood sidewalk. Then, she proceed to cry. She did not like the cake on her hand. Usually she would put anything and everything in her mouth, but not this time. You can see that even after I wipe it off she is still upset and looks at the hand.

So many of you have asked about Ruth and if I can believe she is one. The answer is no. She changes daily in front of my eyes. I find myself becoming quite emotional at times when I realize that this stage will pass and it won't be long before I forget her baby/toddler antics and sounds. I so wish each of you could experience the Ruth more often. She is really becoming such a fun kid to play with, not just around. The games that she plays with us, often beginning the games herself, seem very mature to us. She loves to offer us something (today it was a coupon while in the shopping cart and a birthday card later while sitting in her new chair) and then as we reach for it, take it away very quickly. She also loves to tilt her head back so we can "get her neck" and then giggle as we get close. She is bouncing as Elmo sings his song. She has long enjoyed Cademon's Call (a band) but has recently started to enjoy the jams of the Dave Matthews Band. I didn't want a dancer, but I have a child that loves music and loves to move. Maybe I can get her to play the piano although the drums seem more likely at this point.

I guess I should go to bed. I am having my hair colored for the first time tomorrow and I can't be late.

Happy Birthday to Ruth!!!

I will try to post some pictures later today. Right now I just wanted to announced to the world (or blog readers, at least) that today is my little girl's birthday.

She will have a piece of cake today when Daddy gets home from Nashville. Yeah!!!!

Attention Mr. and Mrs. Chapski

Philip and Carolyn,

I sent an e-mail to Philip at work but Carolyn I have lost your e-mail address. Please contact me via natalieianne@hotmail.com for directions.


Thanks!!!!!

I like to Giggle (do do)

If you go to Johnson Ferry Tiny Tots and Tunes, you know the above song. If not, enjoy Ruth's giggle anyway. I am still sitting in the office while Ruth sleeps hoping that the snow outside will stick. It was sticking in Marietta (big time) when we left but up here the snow is mocking me.

I can't remember if this video has been posted before. But even if it has, it is good enough to see twice.

Snow! Snow! Snow! Snow!

Today's song title comes to us from the movie White Christmas. Yes, on March 1st it is snowing here in Georgia. When we left church down in Marietta, it was a wintery mix. But by the time we got Ruth into the car and loaded up our breakfast stuff (we made pancakes for the class today), it had turned to a full out snow. As we drove north to go home we watched the beautiful snow fall and accumulate on the ground. But as we got closer to home the snow turned more to rain until finally it was all rain only a few miles from our house. But now, as I sit at the desk looking out the window I see snow falling here. It is not as much or as heavy as in Marietta, but one can hope.

I was supposed to have rehearsal this afternoon but now it is cancelled. I hate to miss rehearsal with the girls but how nice to have a snowy day at home with my family.

And my throbbing tooth.

I went to the dentist on Wednesday to have a crown taken off because of a suspious x-ray. The tooth was fine with no decay underneath but of course I had to have a temporary put on while I wait for the new crown. My tooth has been hurting since Wednesday and is getting worse. Today is the worst!!! It is actually throbbing eventhough I keep putting orajel on it. And the worse is my dentist keeps very limited hours and probably will not be able to see me tomorrow, or if he can, Brian has to work. Did I mention my tooth is actually throbbing. I keep thinking this must be how Tom Hanks character felt in Cast Away.

Here is a video of Ruth just for fun. This video, by the way, is from December 26. Hard to believe her birthday is Friday.