Ruthie is 19 months old!

Pretty girl!

 Busted Lip

 eating a banana like a big girl

 wearing Momma's old overall shorts

 Daddy and Ruthie

Ruthie on the John Deere

 eating spaghetti at Deep Creek

 Banana again

 Wearing Daddy's hat

 Licking the router...she's kinda weird sometimes

 kissing Yoda

 Rocking at Nana and Papa's

 painting her rock

 ready to go to the pool at Nana and Papa's

My sweet girl turned 19 months old on August 18th! She had a busy month! 

She went on her first camping trip to Deep Creek NC. She painted rocks, played a lot outside, played in the creek, and just enjoyed making new friends!

Ruthie spent 6 days away from momma and daddy. She got to go to Nana and Papa's for almost a whole week. She also got to spend some time with Aunt Sarah and (soon to be) Uncle AJ. 

Ruthie got her first busted lip. We were at her 18 month appointment at our new dr. (whom we love!) and Ruthie was playing and fell on her sippy cup. It was very sad!

Ruthie has gotten very good at putting on her own clothes and shoes. She needs help, but she can do a lot on her own. 

She also has become even more independent. She wants to eat her food like a big kid. She likes to eat her banana in the peeling, her fruit not cut up, her bread whole, and so on! She wants to be treated like a big girl, but she is still momma's little baby! 

Ruthie got to also ride a tractor at Nana and Papa's. Ok she didn't ride it, she just sat on it, but it made for a cute pic! 

She is now 23 lbs and over 2 feet tall! She is in the 10th percentile for height, but 30th for weight and 50th for head circumference. She just has such a great appetite! She isn't that picky and really makes for easy feeding!

She really loves chicken, green peas, and bananas. 

We just really love you little kid. You are so weird sometimes, but we would expect nothing less since you have parents are weird as us! We love you kid!

A week later...

my dad returned home. He called my siblings and told them he was just taking some time to "think".  He has returned but is upset that the missing persons report was filed and doesn't understand why any one is upset/mad that he was gone for a week to the hr that he left! Anyway, my family has a lot to deal with over the next few weeks, months, maybe even years with him. He is either in denial of his current mental status or just really doesn't think he has a mental disorder that needs attention. Prayers are appreciated for everyone. Matt and I along with our girls will continue to keep our distance for now.
Thanks everyone!

Dear Friends,

This is by far the hardest and scariest week of my life. Well, a few years ago I had a very hard week when my parents separated. However, I think we surpassed that this past week.
A few weeks ago, Matt's granddad got very sick. Last Sunday (6 days ago), his granddad died. On Tuesday around 2pm we headed to TN. It was already going to be a hard week. The car ride was Ruthie's best road trip to date. She did so great. She was happy, ate her food, slept a good bit, and went straight to sleep that night when we arrived around 10:30pm.
On Wednesday morning, Ruthie woke with a 102.6 degree fever at 5:30. I thought "I need to find that tylenol". It was no where to be found. Around 7 Matt headed to Walmart to get some meds. He was gone for less than 30 minutes. In the mean time, I got her some food and drink and Matt's mom got her a luke warm bath prepared. At 7:30ish, I see Matt pull in and I unbuckle Ruthie high chair and take her shirt off to put her in the bath. As Matt walks in the door and I pick Ruthie up she starts seizing! People, I have never, ever, ever been so afraid that I was going to loose someone in my life. We put Ruthie in the car and I called 911 as we sped away to the hospital.
The trip to the hospital should take 15 minutes and we made in there in less than 8! Ruthie stopped seizing in 3.5 minutes, but this momma was very very worried. We pulled into the hospital and rushed her into the ER. She was taken back within 30 seconds (even though that seemed like 5 minutes). She was given some sleeping/seizure meds and laying with no movement on the bed. Matt and I were a wreck! By 9:30, we were being transported to Knoxville's Children's Hospital. They took great care of us at both hospitals.
By 2pm we were headed home from the hospital. Well, headed back to Matt's parents' house. After xrays, urinalysis, and blood work they said she just had a virus and seized b/c her temp went so high so fast that her brain could not take it. Turns out that when we got to the hospital her temp had rose over 1 degree in less than an hr. Also, 1 in 20 kids between the ages of newborn and 5 years old will seize from a high temp/a temp that rises too fast. Ruthie is one of those kids!
So we dealt with Ruthie. I stayed home with her while Matt and his family went to his granddad's funeral. I was sad to not be there to support Matt and to say goodbye to such a great man. That man will be missed so so so much! He was such a wonderful man and godly man! He was so wonderful and welcomed me into the family as one of his own! I'm sad that he is gone, but I know where he will spend eternity so we are all ok!
Well, you would think that was it, but no! My dad has been in a manic stage of bipolar disorder for a few months now. On Friday, he left home and hasn't been seen since. We are estranged at the moment due to some different things, but boy is it still hard on our little family.
Then today, my mom just told me that her sweet little dachshund, Puppy, died tonight. I am just so heart broken. I just want this week to be over.
Ruthie is still sick with a sore throat now from a virus that our dr. here in Brunswick says is going around. My dad is still missing. Granddad Stout is still gone and now so is Puppy. It is just a sad time. Please pray for Matt, Ruthie, me, and sweet Olivia who I'm sure has been stressed since her momma has been. Matt and I have really been able to lean on each other during this time. I am so blessed that we have each other and God during this time. We also have great family, churches (College Place and GCF), and friends that have been so supportive. Hopefully, all will be ok very soon, but until then God is our strength and peace.
I just needed to get this out so thanks for reading. It was helpful to me to be able to just put it out there.

Questions for Parents...

I have 3 questions that I am trying to figure out before Olivia arrives.
1. Is Ruthie too young to move to a big girl bed at 23 months old? We don't want to have to buy a new crib but we also don't want to have Ruthie up all night playing in her room when she should be sleeping. Suggestions please!
2. How old is too old to be taking 2 naps? Ruthie is almost 19 months old and still takes 2 naps except for on Sundays when she goes to sleep at 11:30 and wakes around 2:30 or 3. I think she only stays awake at church because there is so much stimuli that she doesn't want to sleep. When we are at home though just the 2 of us, she gets very tired around 10am and can't seem to stay awake. She just cries and is very fussy. Suggestions on this one too, please!
3. I know a few children who potty trained around Ruthie's age (Kennedy comes to mind, Lindsy). However, I am not sure Ruthie is ready. How do you know when the kid is ready?

Any suggestions and thoughts are welcomed. And thanks!

Ruthie turns the big 18 Months!

Better late than never right? Ruthie turned 18 months old on July 18th! Crazy how the last year has just flown by. Our sweet girl had a really fun and crazy 18 month! 

We had fun times in St. Simons for the 4th!

 Eating her huge piece of watermelon which is her favorite summer friut! She still loves her bananas and is enjoying tomatoes also these days!

Daddy and Ruthie

Momma and Ruthie

Cute girl drinking from her juice box at Cow Appreciation Day!

 Dressing up in Daddy's shirt

 Cow Appreciation Day with Ruthie, the cow, Momma, and Olivia!

This month Ruthie found out that she was going to have a baby sister in December! I know she doesn't understand it now, but soon they will be the best of friends!

Ruthie learned more words such as "night night" and "puppy". We are working on lots of other words and she has lots of words she uses, we just don't understand her personal vocab sometimes! ha

Ruthie is just getting so big these days! She loves balls, playing in the water, loving on her puppy dogs, and getting into EVERYTHING! 

She had her first ER trip when she cut her finger on a piece of glass that she found far under the fridge that momma somehow missed. Luckily, it wasn't serious, but there was a lot of blood and her momma and daddy were very worried.
**This month Ruthie had her car seat turned forward facing on the day before she turned 18 months old. She loves being able to see everything and seems to travel better. 

Ruthie loves being naked these days. She will strip down to nothing and just run around the house. 

She has become an escape artist! She can get out of her jumperoo all by herself. It is very funny and yet very sad. We can't just leave her in the jumperoo any longer to get things done. It is pretty great though! 

She is just so joyful and independent. She has found her voice this month! She is learning though that you can't just scream to get your way. However, she is still one of the most well behaved and happy babies I have ever met! She is just so curious and adventurous. She is living up to her name which means "companion/friend" and is always making friends! it is amazing! 

Ruthie Roo we love you very much! We are so happy you are our baby and can't wait until your baby sister gets here b/c I know she will be your best friend and the 2 of you will explore and play together all the time!