Dear Ruby,
Yesterday was your very first Christmas. We spent the weekend and Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's. We celebrated on Christmas Eve, as we usually do, with my parents, brothers, sisters-in-law, and nephews, niece, and, of course, you. Grandma made a huge delicious dinner and after we settled in to open gifts. It was getting late for you and Tesa, so we let you both open your gifts first in case one or both of you crashed and burned before we finished. As I expected, you were more interested in the bows and paper more than what was in the paper. Every time I turned around, you had stuffed another fistful of tissue or wrapping paper in your mouth. But you were surprisingly patient through the hours-long affair. You got so many nice gifts from our family! Clothes, jammies, and of course, plenty of toys and books. After everyone had opened their gifts, which was more hurried and hectic than it's been in many years (since Cody and Brett were little), I brought you to the kitchen for a snack. I didn't know if you would have any room left for actual food, after all the paper you ate (or attempted to eat). But you were chowing down on some crackers and entertaining my family, talking and making faces with LeeAnn. I think you surprised everyone, Ruby. When you were smaller, you were quiet and content just to observe and, seemingly, pass judgment. You were not interested in moving or talking too much. Just observing.
Now, you are constantly on the go, exploring and crawling as quickly as possible. You have lots to say and you have a handful of words you like to state, sometimes with correct meaning, sometimes not. When you feel you haven't made your point, you say the word over and over again, repeating it short and sharp, very stuccato, like this is going to make us understand your point. A few words you have said in the last few months: mama, papa, nana, bye, this, that, stop, yes. I love hearing each of these words, whether or not they are said in the right context. It's hilarious, though, because you have a little lisp, and everything with an 's' is pronounced 'sth'. Yes turns into 'yesth'. This turns into 'thisth'. One of my favorite moments was a couple weeks ago when I was getting you ready for daycare in the morning. You hate to be dressed and always try to crawl or roll away and at times we leave the house and I'm covered in sweat because I've spent the last 25 minutes wrestling you, my little alligator, trying to change you, dress you, get your snowsuit, boots, and hat on... This particular morning, maybe you were feeling a little tired and lazy, or maybe you just decided to try a new tactic. You were lying on my bed as I changed your diaper, and when I went to pull a clean onesie on over your head you raised your hands to me and very sternly said, "Shtop!" After I composed myself from laughing my tail off, the concern needled the back of my head and all I could think was, "UH. OH." You are very clever and extremely determined. There isn't much that will sway you from what you want. My creativity in disciplining is poorly matching your need to be disciplined (already) and I've decided that the next book I need to read is "Happiest Toddler on the Block." Happy toddler, happy mama? I hope so...
You have blossomed so much in the last two months that each morning when you wake up, I feel a curiosity of what new things will I learn from you today? What little glimpse of your personality will I see? Your personality is vibrant now, where when you were smaller it was reserved, subdued. With me, you are brave, confident, and comical. With people you don't know so well, you are smiley, but hesitant and reserved. Oddly, there is a wisdom about you. Your eyes seem to relay that you know things that no 11 month old child should know. It seems your hesitation with others has been learned, but I don't know how. I was delighted to see you open up to your Grandma and Grandpa this weekend. You lost your hesitation after spending four days with them and as happy as it made me, I think it made them even happier.
This Christmas was the best I have ever had, despite both of us fighting colds and you not sleeping well. (Recently you have been waking between 2 and 6 times per night. I am sure your inability to sleep soundly is because you have more teeth moving but it makes for a slow moving mama in the morning!) I can't think too much about how Christmas has come and gone because it makes me well aware of the time that is slipping away. Soon, it will be your first birthday and one part of me will celebrate with you - balloons, cake, and presents. But, honestly, one side of me will cry too. My baby is growing up and as much as I try to enjoy every moment I have with you, I already miss your teeny-tiny body snuggled on my chest, and your sweet sweet smiles at 3 a.m. when I woke you for yet another feeding. I miss the 0-3 month clothes and jammies and the (relative) ease of carrying you in your carseat. I miss all the tiny baby noises you made and the list goes on... Oh, Ruby, already there is a lifetime of moments to treasure and miss. But, I can't focus on those... and really I don't, except when I look through pictures and remember.
I am so excited for you and all the things you will learn and explore in the coming year.
When hearing the story of Jesus' birth this Christmas, I considered Mary more than I ever have. I think about how much she loved Jesus and how she must have thought about his future. I think about how she must have felt giving birth to him in a stable and laying him in the hay to sleep. How she maybe worried and was scared, but yet so happy and proud. How I felt when I met you and love you and worry and think about your future. Before you, I never realized... I thought about how, when becoming a mother, faith in God and His plan suddenly becomes the most important source of strength a mother can have. How it should have always been my most important source of stength and comfort, and somehow it took you for me to realize it. I thank you for that, Ruby. For making me see how much God loves me and you and for making me see how I need Him in my life.
Merry Christmas, baby girl.
All my love,
Mama
Yesterday was your very first Christmas. We spent the weekend and Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's. We celebrated on Christmas Eve, as we usually do, with my parents, brothers, sisters-in-law, and nephews, niece, and, of course, you. Grandma made a huge delicious dinner and after we settled in to open gifts. It was getting late for you and Tesa, so we let you both open your gifts first in case one or both of you crashed and burned before we finished. As I expected, you were more interested in the bows and paper more than what was in the paper. Every time I turned around, you had stuffed another fistful of tissue or wrapping paper in your mouth. But you were surprisingly patient through the hours-long affair. You got so many nice gifts from our family! Clothes, jammies, and of course, plenty of toys and books. After everyone had opened their gifts, which was more hurried and hectic than it's been in many years (since Cody and Brett were little), I brought you to the kitchen for a snack. I didn't know if you would have any room left for actual food, after all the paper you ate (or attempted to eat). But you were chowing down on some crackers and entertaining my family, talking and making faces with LeeAnn. I think you surprised everyone, Ruby. When you were smaller, you were quiet and content just to observe and, seemingly, pass judgment. You were not interested in moving or talking too much. Just observing.
Now, you are constantly on the go, exploring and crawling as quickly as possible. You have lots to say and you have a handful of words you like to state, sometimes with correct meaning, sometimes not. When you feel you haven't made your point, you say the word over and over again, repeating it short and sharp, very stuccato, like this is going to make us understand your point. A few words you have said in the last few months: mama, papa, nana, bye, this, that, stop, yes. I love hearing each of these words, whether or not they are said in the right context. It's hilarious, though, because you have a little lisp, and everything with an 's' is pronounced 'sth'. Yes turns into 'yesth'. This turns into 'thisth'. One of my favorite moments was a couple weeks ago when I was getting you ready for daycare in the morning. You hate to be dressed and always try to crawl or roll away and at times we leave the house and I'm covered in sweat because I've spent the last 25 minutes wrestling you, my little alligator, trying to change you, dress you, get your snowsuit, boots, and hat on... This particular morning, maybe you were feeling a little tired and lazy, or maybe you just decided to try a new tactic. You were lying on my bed as I changed your diaper, and when I went to pull a clean onesie on over your head you raised your hands to me and very sternly said, "Shtop!" After I composed myself from laughing my tail off, the concern needled the back of my head and all I could think was, "UH. OH." You are very clever and extremely determined. There isn't much that will sway you from what you want. My creativity in disciplining is poorly matching your need to be disciplined (already) and I've decided that the next book I need to read is "Happiest Toddler on the Block." Happy toddler, happy mama? I hope so...
You have blossomed so much in the last two months that each morning when you wake up, I feel a curiosity of what new things will I learn from you today? What little glimpse of your personality will I see? Your personality is vibrant now, where when you were smaller it was reserved, subdued. With me, you are brave, confident, and comical. With people you don't know so well, you are smiley, but hesitant and reserved. Oddly, there is a wisdom about you. Your eyes seem to relay that you know things that no 11 month old child should know. It seems your hesitation with others has been learned, but I don't know how. I was delighted to see you open up to your Grandma and Grandpa this weekend. You lost your hesitation after spending four days with them and as happy as it made me, I think it made them even happier.
This Christmas was the best I have ever had, despite both of us fighting colds and you not sleeping well. (Recently you have been waking between 2 and 6 times per night. I am sure your inability to sleep soundly is because you have more teeth moving but it makes for a slow moving mama in the morning!) I can't think too much about how Christmas has come and gone because it makes me well aware of the time that is slipping away. Soon, it will be your first birthday and one part of me will celebrate with you - balloons, cake, and presents. But, honestly, one side of me will cry too. My baby is growing up and as much as I try to enjoy every moment I have with you, I already miss your teeny-tiny body snuggled on my chest, and your sweet sweet smiles at 3 a.m. when I woke you for yet another feeding. I miss the 0-3 month clothes and jammies and the (relative) ease of carrying you in your carseat. I miss all the tiny baby noises you made and the list goes on... Oh, Ruby, already there is a lifetime of moments to treasure and miss. But, I can't focus on those... and really I don't, except when I look through pictures and remember.
I am so excited for you and all the things you will learn and explore in the coming year.
When hearing the story of Jesus' birth this Christmas, I considered Mary more than I ever have. I think about how much she loved Jesus and how she must have thought about his future. I think about how she must have felt giving birth to him in a stable and laying him in the hay to sleep. How she maybe worried and was scared, but yet so happy and proud. How I felt when I met you and love you and worry and think about your future. Before you, I never realized... I thought about how, when becoming a mother, faith in God and His plan suddenly becomes the most important source of strength a mother can have. How it should have always been my most important source of stength and comfort, and somehow it took you for me to realize it. I thank you for that, Ruby. For making me see how much God loves me and you and for making me see how I need Him in my life.
Merry Christmas, baby girl.
All my love,
Mama
