Daughter

Sweet Ruby Girl,

You're 9 weeks old and already we feel like you've been with us forever. I love that we already have a bit of a routine and it includes you smiling all the time now. You are such a joy-- happy and content most of the time. Even if I can't hold you, as long as we're in the same room and I am talking to you or you can hear Emery playing, you're calm and peaceful. You're already wearing 6 month clothes and eat about 4 oz. at every feeding. Over the last two weeks or so, you've started to consistently burp afterwards, and you like to do it in a sitting position with your neck and chest resting on my hand while I pat your back with my other hand. You smile and coo a ton and really like to rock and sit with me. Your hair sticks up in a mohawk without any help and I usually have a bow in the front of your hair. You have long eyelashes like your brother. You bring a sense of calm to me that I can't explain. I feel like I'm a better mother to you and Emery because of the spirit you have added to our home. You really like baths and sometimes in the middle of a feeding, you stop eating to grin at me. It's very rewarding being your mommy. You're sleeping most of the night now. At 4 weeks, you slept several nights in a row for 9 hour stretches. In the early morning when you wake up, I feed you in bed and then we cuddle until Emery wakes us all up. You sleep through the morning and on and off in the afternoons. If we have to run errands or go somewhere, you'll usually sleep through all that too! You're awake a lot in the evenings and that's the time for you and I to sit and play. It's quiet while Emery is in bed and I love taking advantage of the time for just the two of us. You slept in your swing for the first month or so because I was worried about your breathing and bronchiolitist, but now you are in your crib and do just fine. You don't like to be swaddled and you sleep with your arms in little L shapes by your head. As crazy as it sounds, I feel like you know when I am having a hard time and am being stretched, and you don't ask for much. I worry that you don't get all the attention and cuddles that you need, but I do my best to make sure you know how much we love you. The first thing Emery talks about when he wakes up is you-- BABY is what he asks for and we come down and check on you before he does anything else. He doesn't like to hear you cry and he runs to me the second he senses you're not happy. Lately, he's been asking to hold you by saying "hug" and "baby". It's the most fulfilling thing as a mother to see you two together. You are very patient with his rough love!

Thank you for being such a sweet, tender little girl. You add so much to our family and we are so grateful for you!

Big hugs,

Mommy