Ruby Hope McKee Starling

As an added and not really wanted Christmas gift Ruby got her helmet.  We picked it up Christmas Eve.  It was ready earlier than expected.  We figured the sooner she starts wearing it the sooner she can get rid of it.  The first two days we took it off for an hour every three hours to check for red spots caused by it rubbing.  Luckily it seems to be fitting perfectly.  Ruby doesn't really notice it.  As with everything she just takes in stride.

Ruby didn't know which toy to play with first.

Just in case Chris missed the free shasta in the Connely Center at CHOP.

Putting out cookies for Santa.

High Fives in front of the tree.

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

We've had a really good eating week so far this week.  On Sunday Ruby took 18 ounces by mouth!  Plus she only lost half an ounce over the weekend while the tube was out.  Then today Ruby had her first Vital Stim session.  While she was hooked up to the vital stim she took 6 ounces in 45 minutes!  That's just amazing. 

When checked in with her pediatrician on Monday the nurse said we might be able to pull the tube at her next check-up.  That would be wonderful!

I almost forgot, Ruby got her first tooth.  It has just barely broken the skin, but it's there.   I'll try to get a picture of it.

I need to go finish up the cinnamom rolls for Christmas morning.  We everyone is having fun getting ready the holidays.

We have been so busy this week.  This is the first chance I've gotten to sit down and write a post.  We've been so busy getting ready for the holidays.  Which basically means I've been baking up a storm. 

We are also starting to plan a family vacation to Oregon in May.  Instead of running the Austin Marathon in February I'm going to run the Eugene Marathon in May.  That way we can go as family for a much needed vacation. 

Ruby is doing so well.  We are continuing to introduce new foods and work on weaning her off the NG tube.  She is also getting closer and to crawling everyday.  She is VERY determined to get the cats or toys that are out of her reach.  Most of the time she ends up just rolling to get what she wants.  She also loves to stand and bounce.  She can't do it unsupported, but that's OK for now.

Ruby is learning some words, too.  They don't sound like much, but she says things again and again at the appropriate times.  She says Mama or Ma.  She attempts to say Ella, but really it's just the same two syllable squeal regardless which cat just walked by.  She's say Da sometimes.  She will also say Hi.  Her signs are getting better.  She definitely understands eat, drink, more, all done, milk, play, bye, and outside.  The only one she really does for us is milk.  Her version of all done involves throwing the spoon or bottle on the floor and giving us the stink eye look.  She's also had to start learning some tough life lessons, like you can't always have everything you want.  She will cry if we take something away from her before she's done with it.  She loves to suck on the end of her nose sucker thingy.  Which is really disgusting if you ask me.

We did find out that Ruby recieved one of the recalled H1N1 vaccinations.  It was her second shot.  According to her pulmonologist, it's not that big of a deal.  Tests are showing that the vaccine is still works, just not as well.  We keep her pretty isolated and we feel can't do much more than we are already doing.  Her doctors agree.  So, we're just going to continue on the way we have been.  Regaurdless it wasn't a phone call that I wanted to get.

Here are some pictures from this week.

We spent the afternoon decorating our tree.  It was so much fun showing Ruby all the ornaments and lights.  She was still more interested in the ceiling fan, but it was fun none the less.

Ruby also took a solid 16 ounces by mouth today!  That's the most ever.   For breakfast she had apples with cinnamon and oatmeal.  For lunch avocado, egg yolk, and veggie straws. At dinner she gobbled up half an egg yolk, a few kidney beans, and some avocado for dinner.  She also had a couple snacks of o's through out the day.  All in all it was a good unplugged day.  She didn't do so well yesterday and we were afraid today wouldn't be much better.  She showed us.  She did however loose almost 6 ounces over the weekend.  Which is expected.  My friend loaned me a baby scale.  So now we don't have to go to the pediatrician's office twice a week. 

Here's Ruby enjoying some avocado, veggie straws, and bok choy last night.

We hope everyone had a good weekend!

Ruby turned 8 Months old yesterday!  She shared the day with her Grandpa.  Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Ruby's 8 month stats are:

Weight 14lbs 15.59 oz (9%)

Height 25.5 inches (10%)

We are on the CHARTS! YAY!

Ruby has started rolling her tongue and giving raspberries.  She loves to laugh and once you get her going it's really hard to get her to stop.  She rolls all over to get what she wants.  She is really really close to crawling.  She can also sit unassisted for long periods of time.  When she gets tired she will actually use her arms to lay down most of the time.

The list of foods she eats is growing longer and longer.  We've been given the go ahead to start some finger foods.  In the coming days we are also going to try egg yolks, cheerios, cheese, and yogurt.  Rightn ow her diet consists off avocado, apples, pears, mango, turkey, chicken, rice, pasta, peas, carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatos, bananas, black beans, pinto beans, idli, and tastes from Mom's plate. 

She got her second and final H1N1 shot this week.  She got it at the same time as her synagis.  Those two shots made her cranky for a couple days.  We gave her tylenol  and held her for the most of Wednesday and Thursday.  She didn't take much by mouth either.  Today though she was back to her normal self and was eating again. We only have to get two more synagis shots this year!   Unless it's determeined she needs one in March. 

As for the eating.  On weekends when we let her get hungry she will take about 15 ounces per day.  During the week when the tube is in she only takes about 10 ounces by mouth.  I'm hoping that she'll take a bit more solids now that she'll be able to feed herself a little easier.  For Ruby it's all about controlling what goes into her mouth.

We go in Monday for another helmet fitting.  We've been told her helmet will be ready for pick-up December 28.

That's about it in Ruby's world this week.  Hopefully we'll have some Christmas tree pictures to share this weekend.

We've had a good weekend, busy but good.  We pulled the tube out Friday night after her 8pm feed.  On Saturday she took a total of  14.9 ounces of formula from the bottle and 3 ounces of food on Saturday.  Then today she took  15.2 oz and 2 oz of food today.  The tube has been put back in and we'll give her a couple feeds overnight tonight to try to catch her up.  She needs to take a minimum of  26 oz to get off the tube.  We are really proud of our little eating machine!

Ruby LOVES to play with wooden spoons.  Most evenings while I cook dinner I put her on floor in the kitchen with me.  She will chew on wooden spoons and bag on pots while I cook. 

Ella and Ruby are becoming snuggle buddies.  Tonight after ner bedtime story and bottle Ells decided she needed to help put Ruby to sleep.

We hope everyone is having a good week.  It's an OK one at our house.  Ruby has started refusing more and more solids.  Of course this is after I told her Doctors that she's eating solids really really well.  I should learn to not say anything.  We are still going unplugged every Friday night and Saturday.  Our mini goal is to get to go the whole weekend.   I'm having a hard time dealing with feeding her this week. It's frustrating and sometimes it gets to me more than others.  We'll be fine, it just takes a lot of deep breaths on my part.

Ruby is such a happy go lucky baby.  She loves to laugh and play.  Her personality is really wonderful.  She's really really close to crawling.  We've been sprinkling cat nip around her on the floor.  That way the cats will hangout for a long period of time just out of her reach.  She squeals with excitement and tries so hard to crawl to them.  I think a couple weeks of this she'll be moving.  I'm sure putting the Christmas tree up this weekend will ensure she becomes more mobile.  She is now rolling around to get from one point to another.  She is also willingly playing on her tummy, which is a new thing this week.

Here are a couple pictures from yesterday.  Ruby is finally big enough to wear the out fit Gabby's Mom gave me.