Ruby usually falls back asleep pretty quickly, and voila! Time to blog. And drink chai, and wait for my husband to wake up. (I have to clarify the "voila" - it was a little bit tongue in cheek. Also because I love words that sound different than they look). Once Matt wakes up, we usually watch the past week's episode of "Parks and Rec", and I get to hear my husband laugh which he loves to do, and I love to hear. (If you have not watched Parks and Rec before, go to nbc.com, and pull up Season Three. Or if you are blessed with Netflix, I would recommend starting with Season Two, better character development).
I just put Ruby back to bed - another "first" this week, Ruby's first cold. Here's the thing about you, Ruby - you're congested, and coughing, and wake yourself up because you can't breathe very well, and there's mucus everywhere. But you have been happy (for the most part, except when we use the dreaded nose-suction-blue-bulb-what-do-I-call-it-thing on you). So that would make me believe that you must not be too sick. But the part of me that is beginning to feel like I know you really well thinks that you have been blessed with your daddy's optimistic disposition, and that cold or no cold, it's a new day, and you've got things to put in your mouth and bottles to drink and both your parents home and what's not to love about all of that? (I am also realizing that many of the pictures that I post of Ruby are of her in her Bumbo seat.... I will come back to this).
The other thing that I am learning about you Ruby is that you, my love, are a fighter - let me explain. When I do put that dreaded blue-bulb-suctiony thing (in my mind, I am being reminded of the scene in Elf where Buddy calls the mail room delivery tube "very sucky", so I am laughing to myself and thinking that would be a good word to use too). OK - when I put that up to your nose to try to get it clear (sorry for the description if this is gross to hear about my daughter's runny nose), you arch back and complain and make it oh so clear that you want nothing to do with that. And when your daddy has the task of cleaning your nose, or when he is observing me do it, either way, he cheers you on and says, "Yeah, fight it, Ruby" - which is odd that he would say this when it is his turn, but still.... I think he's on to something. I am not sure that I can pin point it, but I think that God has given you a spirit that is not going to be easily squelched. Also something you have inherited from your daddy. I can't wait to get to know this side of you better.
I am learning things too. Or maybe rediscovering them. That I love language and words, and sometimes wish I had been a linguistics major in college. That I love using parentheses to clarify what I am saying, which might make reading some of my paragraphs a little more challenging, but at least you know what I am trying to say. That I love telling you why the pictures I post turn out the way they do - that I want to learn how to take better pictures, or edit them or something. (See Robin in previous post. See dark picture of Ruby up above). Getting back to my Bumbo pictures, it's because when I try to take pictures of Ruby sitting anywhere else, it gets tricky holding her with one hand, and trying to take the picture with the other. Here is Ruby playing
with some of the presents my thoughtful college friends sent her/me - yes, there is a peppermint patty in the picture but no I did not let her eat it. Or smoosh it even since I want to eat it. Picture taken with me trying to prop her up with one hand while she leans forward to try to put her mouth on these cherished objects. And I am still thinking about the last six weeks since the accident. And not ready to think about me returning to work on Monday. And you have woken up, I can hear you in your room, and I can't wait to go get you.
