She is getting so big, and I am loving this age!! She is officially a "hip holding" baby which I am just more comfortable with. She had great head control, and she can be on my hip without flopping over. Of course she is super cuddly and so she isn't on my hip all that much, but I just mean this phase of her babyhood is more up my alley. Tiny babies make me nervous! Below are a few highlights about this month. It was a biggie!
-On 11/2, she rolled over twice from back to belly! She has done it lots of times since then, but that was the start of it. Then a few days later, she figured out how to go from her belly to her back. While on her play mat, she rotates all around and grabs her toys dangling above her. She is very active and a go-getter!
-On 11/21 she had her 4 month check up and was 26 inches and 98% in length, 14 pounds 12 ounces and 75% in weight. She got shots and was a trooper.
-She loves sitting in the Bumbo and it really opens up a new world to her. She can look all around and takes everything in. We also pulled out the exersaucer this month! She's slowly discovered more and more on it, and it is a nice little station for her to hang out in for a while.
- She is staying awake more and more during the day, so I think she will be at the 2 nap a day mark soon. She still doesn't sleep through the night, though!! She's up at least once, sometimes twice. Sheesh! I am ready for this to stop, so hopefully soon! She does want a full feeding, though, when she wakes up so I think she really is hungry. She is not using me for just a paci or anything. She is such a content, happy baby in the day, though, that I have a hard time being too upset about it. She will get there one of these days! We will start baby food soon so maybe that will help.
-She's a great eater and it so sweet looking at me and cooing while she eats. She has "busy hands" and is constantly moving them in the air or rubbing my shirt as she eats. She has found her arms in general and it is so funny to see her raise them slowly up in the air like she's praising God.
-10/20 on Thursday we had a very eventful day. Without going into too much detail, we were leaving school and Ruby was in her carrier in the stroller but not strapped in bc I was going to feed her as soon as got to the car. We were near the top of 4 steps with each of the big kids on either side of the stroller. Someone asked me a question, and I turned around to answer. When I turned back, Ruby's stroller had gone down the steps, and she was face down on the concrete. Uggg. I picked her up and she was crying, but I knew I needed to go have her checked out. We went to the HSV ped ER, and I was shocked when the scan showed a scull fracture. Talk about a parents' worst nightmare! Because the ped surgeon was not going to be available in HSV over the weekend, they had us go via ambulance to Bham Childrens in case she needed emergency surgery due to too much swelling. Once we arrived, the neurosurgeon checked her out and she was observed, but since she had not had any seizures or excessive swelling, they said we did not have to stay. She had been poked and prodded so much and I knew it would just continue if we chose to be admitted, so we drove home in the wee hours of the morning and took Friday to just be with her at home and let her rest and recover (big kids were with grandparents). Talk about a LONG day. I hope to keep all the emails and texts for Ruby to read someday from our family and friends who were praying for her. I can only point to God's faithfulness in this situation-it could have been so, so much worse. We went to her neurologist appt on 11/18 and he said she looked great and was totally healed. Praise God! That event helped us re-focus some and do our best to focus on the blessing of family. Life is precious and we really take it for granted so often.
We love you so much, Ruby Jane. You are precious to us, and we are so glad you are in our lives. Can't wait to see what next month holds.
