Cooking for a Cause

Dear friends and family,

A year ago, when I was overjoyed and hopeful about bringing a new baby into the world, I had no idea what CDH (Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia) was.

I had no idea that 1 in 2500 babies are affected by it (as common as Spina Bifida and Cystic Fibrosis). I had no idea that only 50% of babies that are diagnosed with CDH survive... and many of those survivors have life long struggles including mild learning problems or difficulties with breathing, feeding, hearing, and growth. I had no idea that the cause of CDH is unknown. I had no idea what parents go through when they are scared to death their baby might not make it.


I had no idea that would be me.


Ever since Scott and I spent those long days and nights in the hospital watching over our Superbaby I have wanted to do something to raise awareness and support for CDH. I want people to know what it is and I want researchers to find out more about what causes it and how we can prevent and treat it. I've never really had a "cause" before. I've always wondered when something would strike me close enough to the heart to make me really step up.

I think this is it.

I have never felt comfortable asking for money directly so I came up with a different way to raise support and awareness for CDH. I am creating a cookbook of recipes that I will be selling for the holidays with all proceeds going to support research about the cause and treatment of CDH. Please please help me by contributing your favorite recipes!!! You can send them to CDHcookbook@gmail.com Any and all recipes and contributions are appreciated! Feel free to submit your recipes in whatever format is easiest for you... email them, scan them, photocopy them, send them... I'll take them any way they come.

Ruby has been so incredibly lucky to have done as well as she has given her diagnosis. Many babies with CDH have not been as lucky. Please help us spread the word and support CDH research so we can learn more about preventing and treating CDH.

I am looking forward to receiving LOTS of recipes!!!

Thank you,
Adie

The Nanny is my BFF

Well.... we did it!
The nanny had her first day last week and Ruby did great. Who am I kidding... nobody was really worried about Ruby... Mom and Dad were the concern! We did fine too ;) The nanny (Jane) was AWESOME and sent us texts and pictures throughout the day to update us on their adventures and how Ruby was doing. Maybe my 10 page nanny interview, multiple reference checks, criminal background check and nanny competency model was effective? Ha ha (no really- not kidding). I think we have a keeper.

To be honest, it was harder to stay home and train the nanny than it was to leave Ruby alone in her care. Watching Ruby cry as the nanny figured out how best to hold her, feed her, etc. was not easy. Don't get me wrong... I didn't just sit on the sidelines and bite my nails while she struggled... I gave plenty of instruction but at a certain point I had to hold back and just let them find their groove. I reminded myself that it took Scott and I months to get the hang of Ruby and her quirks.. it would be silly to expect the nanny to figure it out in less than a day. (insert deep breath here). When that positive self-talk didn't work I decided a trip to Target would make me feel better. When in doubt, go shopping (and don't tell Scott I said that).

Here's a little video of Ruby telling me about her day with the nanny...or.... maybe it's a video of me asking Ruby in a silly babytalk voice how her day went... you decide.


We have some important appointments coming up this week!
Ruby had an x-ray done on Friday and we are meeting with the surgeon Wednesday to hear about the results and compare the size of Ruby's lungs to her x-ray from 3 months ago. We are crossing our fingers that her lungs have expanded a LOT and that there is no need for additional surgeries. Ruby also has her 4 month check-up this week and we are excited for her weigh-in!!!

I'll post updates later this week.
Cheers,
Adie

Farts are Funny

Here we are on a wild Saturday night! It's almost 10 pm, Ruby has been asleep for 90 minutes and I'm thinking of following her lead- getting a little shuteye sounds like a great idea.

It's been a few weeks since the last post. In that time Ruby has been smiling a lot, drooling, making cute noises, and gave us her first real giggles. In fact, her first real "giggle fest" was in response to Scott making simulated fart noises and raspberries. Potty humor at 3 months?? She must be a McVeigh!
She's always a bit shy for the camera but here's a video with a little giggle.


Ruby has also been discovering her fingers- both by putting them into her mouth and by grabbing things. Here she is having a little conversation with her rattle.


In other news, Scott and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary last week (and almost 10 years together)!! What a wonderful hubby I have. We are hoping to get out for a baby-free date night sometime soon. In honor of this special occasion, I made a cake. Well... sort of a cake... but really more of a chocolate icing receptacle. I like how it has a hole in the middle to store extra icing. mmmmmmm...

I am starting back to work part time which means that Scott will be playing SuperDad on Mondays and our new nanny will be taking over Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting next week. My first day back was fine- knowing that Ruby was hanging out with Dad all day. I have a feeling that leaving Ruby at home with the nanny for the first time will be a little harder...

Wish me luck!
Adie

We blinked... and Ruby's 3 months old!

It's that time again! Ruby turned 3 months old today. You can see the progression in her pics below with Horton. We haven't quite figured out how to take the pictures from the same distance away so it doesn't look like she's that much bigger... but she is- really!

Here's Ruby at:
1 month...

2 months...

and 3 months!...

She did a much better job of celebrating this month's "birthday." No hospital trips this time (yay!). Instead, she gave Mom and Dad a little present by sleeping 7.5 hours straight!!

Here's our first video on the blog. Ruby has been talking a LOT and it's pretty fun to have conversations with her. She gets pretty shy in front of the camera so I start off this video trying to hide the camera from her.



and one of Ruby's favorite things- bath time!!

Until next time,
xo Adie