NO MORE GROWING!

I received a text from a friend taking off to visit family in NC for the next 2 weeks requesting Ruthann not to grow while she was away!  I could not agree more, "Ruthann, NO MORE GROWING!"  I don't believe I have ever been so sappy and sentimental.  I look back a photos take just a week ago and say "look how much smaller she was."  Do they really grow this quickly? 

Another friend asked me today if she has grown out of any outfits yet?  The answer YES! Yes, yes and YES!

So I guess I need to take more photos.  I pulled out some outfits to take pictures of her in tomorrow, if they still fit!  I also am realizing more videos need to be taken!  I don't think it is possible to take too many.  Aaron just upload 175 more photos onto our computer (unfortunately not all of them were of Ruthann). 

So she is 8 weeks old.  Here are a few photos over the course of the last week.  They will have to do.  We need a photo editing program on our computer, so they aren't all the crème de la crème.  Even if we did have an editing program I don't know how people find any time between feedings to actually edit them.  Wow, babies take every moment and all your energy yet you just don't care.  We won't talk about my personal hygiene at this point, or anything else for that matter, I'm exhausted! 

Instead we'll look at adorable photos... here goes: Thanks for admiring her!

I just took this one right before uploading them... Ruthann says "Goodnight!"

lady in red

a red diaper that is...

This is a series of photos that I snapped this morning, worrying about the drought of photos I haven't taken these last few days (only 1 or 2 a day, not the usual 20). 

Ruthann thought that it was particularly embarrassing that I took these pictures, and she especially disliked the fact that I chose to post them on-line, especially now that she is a 90th percentile baby.  That is right our very own Ruthann on her 6th week check-in was dubbed in the 90th percentile for weight.  We were so excited to hear the news.  My doctor let me know that in fact I could slow down on the feedings if I wanted (Ruthann disagreed).  After all, she does have a figure to maintain! 

We also consistently have been wearing the cloth diapers.  Her trifolds are her current favorite, however this last few days we've been rotating in the fuzzibuns, (still a little to large for her buns) but we often run out of the trifolds between washings. 

Tune in again on Friday when we feature her 8th week photo... can you believe it!  They grow up so fast! 

Labor Day

Not much labor on this Labor Day.  We started the morning with a nice ferry ride back from Juneau.  We were in Juneau because Aaron had a training/ weekend retreat there.  It ended with some Lemonade and lounging in the sunshine.  We also said a temporary goodbye to Brandi, who is ferrying down to Ketchican to give away her car, flying home to Minnesota to get married and then moving to Louisiana where her bo is from. We had a nice time visiting in the sunshine.

Coach Smith (the Sitka High CC coach) and her girls with me and Ruthann!

The fam, minus the Puffin... she is off exploring!



Sweet Brandi... we sure do miss you already!

Aaron and his baby girl hangin' out in the front yard!

Ruthann with her daddy!

She isn't the best yet at smiling at the camera.  Here she is in her favorite sweater!

Her favorite booties, made by her soon to be Aunt Katie!

So the last few photos feature her sweater made by her little Grandmother Bradford, and the booties that her Aunt Katie knit.  You can also see how excited Ruthann is about going on a walk, so excited in fact that she decided to fall asleep.  She loves adventure, she just doesn't know it yet!  I put her in  her Baby Bjorn (given to us by Aunt Bird) so I could go on a walk with Annie, a pregnant friend of mine.  Ruthann also is excited about meeting Annie's little one in October and going on adventures of her very own with him/her!

1 month down thousands to go!

Happy 1 month birthday Ruthann!!!

 

AKA - squeakers, baby girl, baby doll, baby, checks, sweetie, cutie pa-too-tee, or sometimes Aaron's Freudian slip sweet pup or sweet puffin!!!

 

Here is proof that we've made it this far:

Hanging out with mom on my 1 month birthday



monkey face

Super Ruthann

I love my life!

Miraculously we seem to somehow love you more now than we did even just one month ago?!?! We don't quite know what this means 11 months from now but we're excited to find out!

naptime...

Have you ever tried to take a nap with a baby?  It is a lot like breastfeeding with mastitis, avoid it if at all possible! 

Yesterday, for Ruthann's 4th week birthday I thought I'd give it a try.  I did doze a bit but it was between squeaks and coos and hiccups and purrs.  She might make more noise than Puffin, our snoring dog, when she sleeps.  Though Aaron thought it was the perfect photo opportunity

...

Life as parents

Happy 3 weeks little Ruthann!  AKA-Squeakers

Ruthann loves to make faces of ALL kinds.  She also LOVES: squeaking, eating milkshake as frequently as she can, snuggling close, dancing to bluegrass music, her swing and bouncer, partying at night, long walks in her baby bjorn, movement of any kind, she loves to go to the bathroom right as you are putting on a new diaper, to be swaddled, her car seat, snuggling with quilts and blankets, being in the middle of the action, hanging out with her grandmas, and wear all the rockin' cool outfits people have given us, particularly her homemade items: baby booties made by her Aunt Katie, a cool sweater made by her Abula Bradford, and her hippy hat given by a friend Candice. 

Ruthann does not love: having her belly rubbed, belly time on her quilts, long breaks between feedings, falling asleep when she is not being feed, her crib or cradle, sitting still or being alone. 

Things we like about being parents: staring at Ruthann for countless hours, snuggling with her, dancing with her, dressing her up in adorable outfits, having people ooo and ahhh over her, watching her look all around, seeing our friends and families support, all the fun non bill mail we've received, the phone calls and delicious meals that have shown up, life slowing down a bit, all that we've already learned, the new responsibilities, seeing all the firsts,

Things that we don't like about being parents:  the sometimes overwhelming learning curve, crazy sleep schedule, mastitis, people not visiting because they think you are busy, missing social events, not being able to go out on dates(people say this will change), feeling more house bound (this already changing), having to time everything perfectly in order to do things, feeling exhausted, early bedtimes, feeling like you have no control,

I leave these last few paragraphs with commas because there is so much else that just isn't coming to mind at this exact moment.  For sure going to the hospital as 2 and coming home as 3 I know I'll never be able to fully wrap my head around.  I know that this has been the hardest and most wonderful experience we've ever had.  We are so overwhelmed by the support and love that we have been shown during these last few weeks.  Ruthann has such a strong support group here in Sitka, thousands of miles away from family, and it is good for our family to know that and it has been such and encouragement to us.  We could not have made it this far without it.  Our life has parents has begun, ready or not...

A beautiful quilt (unfinished due to too much sunshine) made by DEAR friends: Emily, Kristin and Shelley.  All the animals on the quilts have names.  Ex. Hallie the Halibut

Aaron and our neighbor and their newborn (born 8 days after Ruthann).

Ruthann are you hungry?

Snuggling with grandma and fuzzy bunny.

Big yawn in her monkey ballerina outfit... great belly too huh? She is NOT going hungry!

Good Australian Birth

When I woke up on July 25th the first words out of my mouth were "Aaron I know this sounds crazy, but I think we are going to have our baby in the next 48 hours!"  It was my due date and after watching, with the world, Princess Kate Middleton deliver 12 days late, how was I planning on actually going into labor on time? 

Sure enough walking down to the pool to go swimming with my friend and one of my favorite nurses, Annie right before noon she had me do an about face returning to the house and ultimately to her car and into the hospital.  "Your mucus plug has passed and you want to go swimming, are you sure your water hasn't broken?, Emily we need to call your doctor and head to the hospital!"  On the way to the hospital she also called Aaron telling him that he should plan on meeting us there, ASAP.  Sure enough in the hospital I was released 1 centimeter dilated, 80% effaced and Dr. Edwards said "see you tonight" as I walked out the door. 

At 8:30 pm, after 2 1/2 hours of active labor at home, I returned to the hospital with my other favorite nurse and birthing companion Shelley Adams and my precious husband.  This time 5 centimeters dilated and in active labor I was about to have a baby!  6 and 1/2 very emotional hours later I was holding baby girl Ruthann Sloan Routon in my arms. 

For me and Aaron it was the perfect delivery.  Everyone in the delivery room was a dream.  I would never want to relive any of it, but all the same it was a perfect miracle.

We delivered at 3:03 the next morning. Here are some of the endless photos we took.  We have more professional ones en route.    So hopefully my next post will include some of those! 

Classic post labor photo...

Ruthann Sloan is so perfect!

Day 1 with Ruthann

Happy grandma

Ready to leave the hospital

Nurse Bec and my amazing Dr., Valerie Edwards

Can you find Ruthann?

Ruthann's first trip outside

What we came home too... thank you Emily, Kristin and Shelley!

First moments at home...

The whole family in the nursery.

Aaron took this photo from our window right before we left for the hospital to labor and deliver sweet baby.

Grandma time in the hospital.

Big yawn with Kristin.

For Aaron's full account of the birth story click on link below: 
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SUigCMgTA2IamdNTmlD-XQtNqusA1CORO12glgbZQJY/edit?usp=sharing