Ruby's Sip N See

My sweet life group hosted a Sip N See for our little Ruby a few weeks after she was born!  They showered us with so many wipes and baby goodies, and also collected diapers for the local pregnancy resource center!  I am blessed to do life with such wonderful women!

Is it baseball season yet?

We have been blessed with great weather on and off for a few weeks and John Thomas LOVES to be outside.  He also loves to play "ball" which up until now had consisted of hitting the ball off of our ottoman, not the safest, or most practical way to play!  That being said, Kris got out his baseball tees that he used for Koen's team to see if John Thomas could hit off of it.  To put it lightly, he was great!  He made contact almost every time, and batted both left, and right-handed!  He was so funny and said, "touchdown" when he would hit it!  We are working on "homerun!" He would also say, "I missed it, Daddy!" even when he would actually hit it.  Koen is such a good sport and ran after many, many balls in the yard - also putting himself in grave danger near his little brother and swinging distance of his bat!

 Daddy showing him how to hold his bat!

 A very dedicated big brother!

 Touchdown!

We are looking forward to spring and lots more backyard baseball!

Ruby Caroline - Month ONE

I cannot believe one month has already passed with Miss Ruby as part of our family! A few things she has been doing this month!

• Rolled over (first time at 5 days!) belly to back
• few smiles, mainly while you are sleeping
• eating every 2-2.5 hours during the day and every 3-4 at night, lots of times during the first two weeks I had to wake you to eat!
• sleeping in the Rock N Play sleeper at night, and love it! 
• love to be held and snuggle
• first dr appt was a success, you weighed 7 lbs and 9 oz, and had a small rash on your back and legs, but Dr. Pascoe assured us it was normal
•  you are an excellent nurser!  No problems, usually eating 10-15 minutes on each side, cluster feeding in the evenings from 5:00 until around 9:00
• your cord fell off at 8 days and you were able to have your first real bath, you screamed the entire time!  Since then, you love bath time and immediately relax when you get in the water
• you've been on multiple outings, to eat, went to your first design appointment to help select finishes for Daddy's new office, school to drop off brother, lots of errands with mama, two birthday parties! You have been an angel on every trip!
• on your two week check up you weighed 8 lbs and 7.5 ounces and Dr. Pascoe said we could let you sleep for as long as you like at night!  She also told us you were perfectly healthy!
• Wearing newborn clothes and newborn diapers until we ran out, we started putting you in size 1! 
• You have had lots of visitors and enjoy the extra snuggle time!
• most nights Daddy takes your from me after you eat and holds you until he is ready to go to sleep, he is crazy about you!
• we joke that you are never going to smile when you are awake because you are SO serious all the time!

 

A few funnies from having a two year old brother:

• John Thomas was convinced the first few days that you were "biting" mama while you eat
•  he also gets frustrated that you won't give him high fives, so he settles for giving you knuckles
• he checks on "Ruee" frequently and wants to know, "What Rueee doing?"
• several times, he has stolen my pump parts and tried to "pump" like mama
• he gives you your paci and will use your burp rag to clean up your spit up!
• Daddy often calls you "baby girl" and John Thomas mimicks him calling you the same!

 

Our typical day - 

Morning

Wake up and eat

Nap while mama feeds John Thomas and eats breakfast herself

Lay in the floor while we play with brother

Eat

 

Midday

Nap while brother and mama eat lunch

Eat, again! 

Playmat, or go with mama to pick up brother on school days

 

Afternoon

Nap

Eat, again

Playtime with Daddy when he gets home from work

 

Evening

Nap (or not :)) while we eat, or we take shifts during your fussy time

Eat, again

Bath with Daddy while Mama gives brother a bath and takes a shower

 

Late Evening

Eat around 9:00 pm or 9:30

Bedtime

Ruby, 

We cannot imagine what our life was like before you!  You have come into our family and molded perfectly.  We all love you and cannot wait to see God's plan for your life.  We often talk about what you will be like and what your little personality will be!  You are the best baby, and we are blessed by that!  We love you more than words, sweet baby girl!

Love, 

Daddy and Mama 

Miss Ruby Caroline Goggans' Debut!

The night before my induction, my parents graciously offered to watch the kiddos so Kris and I could spend one last date night.  We were gone all of 45 minutes, and everyone commented on how quickly we returned!  We wanted to spend some time with the kids before all our lives made the new, and welcome change of a newborn baby! 

Last preggo pics with everyone!

 We got up at 4:30 on the 27th to get to the hospital by 5:30 am, Kris gave me a hard time because we were late and he told me I wouldn't be late to anything but our daughter's birth!  We checked in and I was able to change and get my IV, which wasn't terrible, but I wanted to know when I would be able to get it out! We had an awesome nurse named Amber who was super helpful and knowledgeable and kept giving us little things to do to move things along faster!  At 7:30 am, I was 4 cm dilated and 80% thinned out.  My doctor ordered that they start pitocin and by 10:00 am I had dilated to a 5, still 80% thinned out.  My nurse had me rotating from side to side every 30 minutes to keep Ruby moving down!

 The board said Thursday, but it was actually Friday, I didn't have the heart to tell her she had the wrong day :)

 I made candy bags for the nurses, just like I did when John Thomas was born and the nurse who helped deliver him came in and remembered us!  I am sure it was the candy!

 We took the signs my running girls made us, and had so many people comment on how great they were!

 At 11:15 am my doctor came by (on her day OFF!) and broke my water.  After that, things moved pretty quickly.  I dilated to a 6, and Dr. Potter told us we would have a baby around 2:00 pm! 

 My contractions were getting stronger, but nothing unbearable.  Amber asked if I was ready for my epidural and I told her I would wait a little longer, she informed me quickly that if I didn't get it now, I may not get one!  So, I agreed, and they brought in the anesthesiologist and around 11:35 am I got the epidural!  After we got the epidural we decided it was time to call our families and let them know she would be here soon!  They started arriving and we had several visitors before she was born.  I felt great the whole time!

By 12:45 pm, I had dilated to 7 cm and was 100% thinned out, and then at 1:50pm, I was completely dilated and effaced and it was time to start pushing!  The hospital was so busy, I only had my doctor and two nurses, along with Kris in the delivery room.  It was so different from everything about John Thomas' birth.  At 2:11 pm, after 8 pushes total, Ruby Caroline was born, weighing 8lbs and 4oz, and 19.5" long! Everything went perfectly and I had a smooth, painless delivery!  They immediately placed her on my chest and we were in love from the moment we laid eyes on her.

 She looked identical to John Thomas, with darker hair!

 Our first family photo!

 Proud, proud, Daddy!

 After spending some time together and letting her nurse, our families started to come in and meet her!

 She nursed so perfectly and eased my mind knowing that would be one hurdle we may not have this time!

 My parents brought John Thomas and Koen to meet her later that evening and John Thomas immediately wanted to hold her, but only for a few seconds.  After that, he wanted to explore my room, only to push the emergency button on the wall and every nurse in labor and delivery came running to our room!

 We were blessed with many visitors and had a great first night!  Nana brought everyone back to the hospital the next morning to see us again! 

 We asked to be released on Saturday, and 24 hours after delivery, we were able to go home!  She passed all the necessary tests - no jaundice and her blood sugar was stable for 24 hours! We left the hospital at 3:20 pm, and brought our newest blessing home!

 We received beautiful flowers in the hospital!  The red roses are actually, "Ruby" roses, sent by my friend, Lisa and her family!

We are so blessed to have had a healthy pregnancy and delivery!  We serve an amazing God, who blesses us far beyond what we deserve! Our family has grown by a new baby girl, and we cannot wait to see what He has in store for her life.