Letter to Ruby

This week, during a rare frenzy of cleaning and organizing, I found a letter I wrote to Ruby before she was born. We still hadn't found out what her diagnosis was at the time...but we knew something was wrong and were quite worried. It was kind of emotional to read it exactly 6 months later while staring at our beautiful and healthy baby.

Here's what the letter said:

February 24th, 2010

Dear Ruby,
Right now you are in my belly sleeping. Your Dad and I are on vacation in Key West, FL. We are enjoying sleeping in and being lazy because we know that as soon as you come out and join us, we will be very busy loving you and taking care of you. Over the past few days we have been walking and bicycling around town, people watching, reading, and eating good food. Well... your Dad has been doing most of the eating really. Since you took up residence in my belly I haven't been much of an eater. I have some very amusing "barf stories" that I'll share with you sometime. Don't feel bad though... you are worth it :) The only things I really like to eat are (in this order): ice cream, baked goods, key lime pie, lemonade, and hot chocolate. We worry that you'll be made of sugar but I know you will be sweet. We have already started to get your room ready at home and your Dad will be painting it soon. Only 3 more months until you arrive and we have a lot of preparing to do!! We have been going to the doctor every week to see you on the ultrasound screen. Every week you get bigger and more active and we are hoping you are healthy and happy in there. In fact, I think we should make a deal Ruby. I will gladly accept all the kicking, barfing, purple feet, and other joys of pregnancy if you promise to arrive in this world healthy; announcing yourself with a big wail :) We are so excited to meet you and your Dad and I have a million hugs and kisses to give you.
Elephant shoe,
your Mom
xoxoxo

Turns out Ruby kept up her end of the bargain!

There's little Ruby in my belly! This pic is taken after we went snorkeling. What was I thinking getting on a boat when I had been sick due to pregnancy for the first five months?? Needless to say, I fed the fish a little something over the back of the boat. mmmmm.

Enjoying Key West on our baby moon last February...

Stay tuned- 3 month photos with Horton coming up soon!!!

Say cheese!

Ruby has been putting her smiles to work- charming friends, family, and even strangers! Here are a few of the latest photos:

awwwwwww.....

Having fun with Daddy...

Chilling out with Auntie Kimberly...

....and our favorite baby invention- the swing! It has allowed us to eat meals together in peace!!

Mommy also had a noteworthy event this week... her first glass of wine in almost a year! Well... I really only drank half because I didn't want to get tipsy (!) but it was nice anyway. Here are the book club girls enjoying some wine. We even talked about the book (for five minutes) ;)

The Baby B&B

My apologies for the tardy update - we are doing aok. We arrived home from the hospital safe and sound on Thursday afternoon after Ruby spent 3 days there for an infection. It was a random infection that had no relationship to her other health issues- just a stroke of bad luck! We weren't expecting a hospital stay when we trekked off to the ER Monday night but they take these things pretty seriously in babies- especially under 3 months. Let's just say the hospital routine felt a little bit too familiar (it actually made me miss our nurses and doctors from San Francisco) but we'll be happy if we don't see the ER or hospital for a loooong time. The only unfortunate thing about getting discharged is that the docs temporarily added two more medications to Ruby's routine- one of which smells distinctly like rotting garbage. Getting her to swallow her medications without spitting them out or setting off a fountain of vomit has become a fine art.

We arrived home from the hospital just in time for Grampa and Bubby Ingram to arrive! This was a special visit as the last time they saw Ruby in California she was swollen and on paralytic medication. An entirely new, smiley, happy baby was waiting to greet them!
Needless to say, we didn't leave the house much during their visit but we entertained ourselves by cooing at the baby and singing her the "family lullaby" (All the Pretty Little Horses). If we had the talent to harmonize it, we would have.

If July was the "Marathon of McVeighs," with visits from:

Gramma
Grandpa ,
Auntie Rosie,
Uncle Jason, Aunt Jen, cousin Kennedy,
great uncle Rich, and "Atlanta grandparents" Pat and Larry) then August is the "Influx of Ingrams" with visits from Grampa and Bubby, Auntie Courty, and, soon, Auntie Kimberly).

Interestingly enough, this B&B is under new management by the name of R.U.B.Y. New rules: make your own bed, wash your own sheets, and breakfast is serve yourself!

We continue to walk that line between being super cautious about germs and preventing insanity by isolation. Since Scott is back to work full time now, that means we need to get more creative (i.e., I can't just ask him to watch her and escape for an hour or two). Today we took a big step- we went shopping! Armed with a boatload of hand sanitizer and prepared to fend off any overly familiar stranger who attempted to poke at or coo to closely to Ruby, the girls (Adie, Courty, and Ruby) ventured to the mall in search of shoes. Ruby was very well behaved and enjoyed her first shopping experience, sitting happily in her stroller the entire time.

This is over a week late but here is the 2 month photo of lil' miss Ruby with Horton. This is the day she went to the hospital- she's not looking her best!

2 month birthday!!

1 month birthday!! (see the difference?)

The lil' chunker (said affectionately) is now 11 lb 7 oz! yay Ruby!!!!

That's all for now folks!

Ruby's 2 month birthday celebration is a dud

Lil' miss Ruby turned 2 months old today! She decided to celebrate by getting grumpy, running a fever, and getting an infection in her chest tissue. Silly Ruby, her mom and dad clearly did not provide adequate instruction on how to party!

So here we are 5 hours after arriving at the ER and Ruby is now fast asleep in her hospital room hooked up to monitors and getting some IV antibiotics. Feels like home (not!). At least this time we're only 10 minutes from home and not a 5 hour plane ride away!!!

Part of me feels some relief that the first trip to the ER comes under these circumstances- an infection that seems innocent enough and is hopefully easy to cure. It's still scary for such a wee baby but it's nothing compared to what she (and we) have already overcome. I guess we ARE stronger as a result of this adventure we've been on!

We should be here a day or two I think. This time Scott and I both get to sleep on the crinkly plastic bed- yay!

We'll make sure that, by her 3 month birthday, we have taught Ruby how to celebrate properly. Hopefully she won't need a remedial course ;)

Sweet dreams Atlanta.