3 Weeks Old

Dear Ruthie,

Not only are you now three weeks old, but today is Christmas! But first, let's recap last night's Christmas Eve service:

You wore an adorable red, green, and pink plaid dress and a knit sweater I made you last week. People kept saying you looked like a little doll - we think you looked so beautiful. Your daddy sang in the Christmas choir and you did a great job sleeping and listening... until the very last song, when you realized how hungry you were! I took you back to the cry room to feed you. Your daddy and I were supposed to light candles as part of the service, but since I was nursing you, he snagged Charlie and they did it together. We went to Memaw and Papa's after the Christmas Eve service and ate dinner with them... but you got really tired and fussy. Your daddy and I realized (too late) that we should have just taken you home. Oh well. Live and learn, right baby girl?!

Your daddy and I celebrated Christ's birth with you this morning at our apartment. We opened stockings and presents, ate some yummy cinnamon rolls from Fred and Betty, and read the Christmas story from the Bible. You didn't get any presents (hey, you're only three weeks old!) but you did have some treasures in your stocking, a lot of which were handmade by me: knit leg warmers, sewn "chain" toys, a knit hat, two books, and some hair bows.

After our family Christmas, we went to Memaw and Papa's. Uncle Brad, Aunt Paige, and Blaire were there, too. We opened stockings, watched "Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2", and opened presents. Presents took a while: between you and Blaire, we had to keep pausing to nurse, change diapers, and comfort alligator tears. We also read the Christmas story from the Bible and stayed the rest of the day to eat food, hang out, visit, and do a puzzle.

Our first Christmas with you was such a blessing: low key, but full of family and the knowledge that Christ has come to save us. Hallelujah! We are so looking forward to keeping family Christmas traditions alive with you as you grow and teaching you that Christ is the reason we celebrate - not presents and new toys. It's all for Him.

We love you,
Mama

2 Weeks and 6 Days Old

Dear Ruthie,

We just spent a few days at Alyeska! Uncle Brad, Aunt Paige, and cousin Blaire are in town from California, so we spent two nights at Alyeska with them, Memaw, and Papa. Together, we:

• Ate pizza for dinner in the hotel
• Slept in between your crying fits
• You hung out with Papa while your daddy and I played cards
• We rode the tram to the top of the mountain
• We snuggled together in the cold weather
• Your daddy and I bought the largest coffees made in the hotel cafe (after a sleepless night with you!)
• Took family photos by the fireplace and moose head
• Celebrated Papa's birthday 
• Watched people dressed as Santa walk through the hotel on their way to hit the ski slopes
• Waited to see Santa Claus

It was a fun mini-vacation away with you, Ruth! You did not sleep as well as we'd hoped you would, but your daddy and I sure enjoyed spending those days with you in the mountains! 

Alyeska is a special place for us - we hiked there one fall (we experienced rain, snow, and sunshine during the hike!), spent our honeymoon there, picked blueberries there, and now we've been there with you!

Here's to many more adventures.

Love,

Mama

2 Weeks Old

Dear Ruthie,

We had a busy day today - your two-week birthday!

You had a doctor's appointment this afternoon. When they weighed and measured you, you clocked in at OVER EIGHT POUNDS. Oh my manta, little lady. I knew you were feeding well, but to gain 14 ounces in two weeks?! Yikes. You are also 21 inches long now. Your daddy and I think you are about to have a growth spurt: getting some chunk on you so you can grow taller.

You no longer fit into newborn clothes. A sleeper we had you in earlier this week was way too small when we tried to put it on you last night. We're moving into the 0-3 month clothes now. Crazy!

Tonight, our College & Career group came over (well, just Juliet and Caleb) for our Christmas party! We went to Walmart to buy $5 presents for a white elephant gift exchange, then came back home to exchange them, eat some dinner, decorate sugar cookies, and rerax. You, however, got fussy! So I spent a large chunk of the party feeding you in our bedroom. That's okay. I like the baby snuggles.

Your Christmas party outfit, complete with baby Sorrel boots.

I can't believe that two  weeks ago, we were welcoming you into our family at Mat-Su Regional. You were in my arms, outside of my tummy, and oh-so-perfect. Now you weigh 8 pounds and are becoming a chunky little thing.... and to us, you are still perfect.

We love seeing your personality emerge. You make the most exaggerated sad faces - complete with a frown that takes up your whole face. You get colicky every night from 9:00pm to midnight. When you lay on someone's chest, you push your body up until your head is resting under their chin. You prefer sleeping on your side rather than your back and you do NOT like to be swaddled. You wiggle out of a swaddling as soon as we get you in one. You like your cradle the most when it is rocking, but most nights you still like to sleep on our chests in the living room. When you are really sleeping deeply, your mouth drops open. Your arms flail out when you are moved suddenly. When you nurse, you rest one hand, open and relaxed, on my bare chest, as if to make sure I'm not going anywhere, that I'm still there while you receive your nourishment.

I'm not going anywhere, little girl. I'm your mama. I'll always be there for you.

I love you.
- Mama

1 Week and 3 Days Old

Dear Ruth,

Today your daddy and I adventured with you into Anchorage to take some family photos at Sears, thanks to Betty. Here are some highlights of the day:

• You had an explosive diaper in the car. The contents of the diaper got all over your outfit and my outfit.
• We changed, fed, and burped you in the car for the first time.
• You screamed through the first few minutes of your photo shoot.
• I fed you in JC Penney for the first time.
• You screamed through the last few minutes of the family photo shoot.
• I fed you in JC Penney for the second time.

Your pictures turned out beautiful though. We ordered some to send to grandparents and got a family photo printed on canvas. 

Some of our favorites:

Family photo, printed on canvas.

Mermaid Baby 

Those eyes! That bow! Swoon.

Wrinkly forehead. Like always.

Eating your hand.

I know we'll treasure these pictures forever. We love you, baby girl.

Love,
Mama

1 Week and 2 Days Old

Dear Ruthie,

Today was your first Sunday in church! You were a blue and white dress that Grandma Linda gave you, some white tights, and white knit shoes. Everyone was so excited to meet you and you did great during the service: you slept like a charm! Your daddy and I were so proud of you. We were tempted to take you up front for the children's message... then decided against it. Soon and very soon, you'll be toddling up there on your own, so for now, I want to keep you near to us.

We pray that going to church never becomes something you do just because you're expected to do so. We pray that your heart is captivated by the Lord, that you desire to go to His house and worship with His people out of love and reverence for Him. He alone is worthy of our praise, Ruth. I pray you grow to know that, that your daddy and I can teach you that well.

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Love,
Mama