Much Ado About Ruby

I've had so much to say over the last couple of weeks and next to no time to actually say them.  On top of the words I wanted to share, I also have PICTURES!, but those PICTURES! are on my camera and my camera is not my computer and that whole lack of time thing to figure out how to transfer the pictures to my computer is just too much to handle right now.  You know, being that that would require hooking up one electronic device to another electronic device and going about transferring the long way because Jeremy isn't here to show me a short cut and, damn it, I hate technology.  Unless it's totally working for me. 

So, some things... mostly all Ruby things, being that she's the one growing, changing and doing the most whatnot as of late...

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Ruby, happily, did not fall ill to the creeping crud the rest of the house hold managed to fall prey.  I held and held and held my breath until last Wednesday night before I said, Thank you Lord for keeping her healthy. 

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The Rube'ster is [thisclose] to crawling.  She's become a pro at clambering onto her hands and knees and rock-rock-rocking in place.  She's even started, in the last few days, to do that little frog jump where she springs off from her knees as if to go somewhere but her hands never got the memo which results in a face plant.  Eventually, her hands will get the memo and while I'll be happily cheering her on, I'll also be a little sad. 

I love love love this stage.  And by this stage, I mean from the time you first notice that hamster must be running pretty hard on it's wheel to figure out how to accomplish everyday tasks like... rolling over, grabbing your nose, squealing in delight over the sound of their own voice.... to every new introduction into their tiny little brains.  I love the awe and surprise they get with each new milestone.  My favorite stage actually lasts for years.  And I love every minute of it. 

Along with almost crawling, she's also working on mastering the sitting up.  She's not very good.  The times she's rocked backward and thunked her head on the lovely government issue peel-n-stick tile over cement is horrifying to listen to but she seems rather unfazed for the most part, only crying on occasion.

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The Rubies has her first tooth(!) and is also eating solids, now!  Her favorites are butternut squash bisque, mashed potatoes, bananas and any type of rice I can conjure up (jasmine, wild, pilaf; she likes them all).  She's also had avocado, peas, green beans, broccoli, carrots and apple sauce. 

The peas and green beans I don't bother to mash up.  And for the most part, she rarely gets them to her mouth but drops them on the floor.  Soon.  Her coordination will get there, soon.

The applesauce she seems to hate, along with the carrots.  I've even tried to season the apples with cinnamon but still she's a no-go. 

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I'm currently working on sleep training with Ruby during the day, too.  I remember writing to Jeremy at the beginning of this deployment about how well Ruby sleeps. How she was the best sleeper out of all our children, so far. 

HA! HA! HARDY-HAR!, wasn't I stupid for saying such things OUT LOUD and IN WRITING.

She is, currently, the worst sleeper out of all our children, so far, as long as you don't hold Lydia's belly issues against her.  (As much as that child loves to sleep, now, I'm certain all those 3,000 midnight waking's weren't because she liked to see what I look like at 2AM.) 

I've kinda-sorta got her sleeping through the night.  Mostly.  She'll still wake up anywhere between 2-4 times a night, but at least she's cries for only a few minutes before piping down.  Though, with that has also come the lovely change in where she thinks 6AM is an appropriate time to start her day. 

Hasn't she heard?  We homeschool.  There is no bus to catch and, thus, no reason the whole house needs to be awake by the ass-crack of dawn.

I'm also working on sleep training her during the day, too, since her naps are a whole lot of bullshit.  She'll sleep for a half hour, maaaybe fourty-five minutes, twice a day.  And then proceeds to blame you because she's SO TIRED and WOE IS THE BABY! 

Clearly this is somehow all my fault.  And since it is all my fault, I've taken to putting up with her antics in the morning, but after lunch its TO BED, TO BED, TO BED I SAID!  And when she feels the need to scream for me much sooner than her sleep clock actually wants, I rub her back for a few moments and leave her to cry it out, again.  Sometimes she'll go back to sleep for another fourty-five, sometimes she'll run through this routine with me for fourty-five before I give in and save her from the fiery pits of lava that are her crib. 

Still.  What gives?  Anyone who knows anything knows that naps are the Holy Grail for this family.  You get a nap until you no longer need one and for some children, who are 7 1/2, they still have to lay down and take naps every-so-often because, for the love of Pete, when you are crying for no reason other than  your pencil lead broke that is a sign your brain needs. to. rest. 

So...

Dear Ruby, 

Go. To. Sleep.  And stay that way for a half decent amount of time.  I promise, there is no partying going on without your presence. 

Love,
Mama

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We are head long into Stranger Danger territory.  This phase could have waited a couple more weeks.  At least long enough for Jeremy to get home and get acquainted with her before she decided she hates for the general public at large to try and hold her. 

She has been, since the day Jeremy left, the baby who is passed around church for all to adore.  The amount of people clambering to look stupid in the name of making a baby smile seems to have come to a screeching halt last week.  It seems Ruby has turned that corner from happy, cheerful, "I don't care who holds me as long as you're making silly faces and sounds," to, "Who the FUCK gave YOU permission to snatch me from my mother?"  And then she cries.  Loudly.  And the number of grown adults willing to look stupid in the name of Baby! has severely dwindled. 

Once again, couldn't she have waited a couple more weeks? 

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I had more to write about the other girls but, apparently, The Ruby has taken over this post.  Another day.  Hopefully not two weeks in the making, either.