Boomsday Fireworks!

The fireworks were really neat.

Tonight we took Ruby to see the Boomsday fireworks in Knoxville. The Boomsday Festival is the nation's largest Labor Day fireworks display -- so we decided to go check it out. The whole show is choreographed to music (which is broadcast by the local radio stations). It was really neat to check out and Ruby did really well with it all -- especially considering the fireworks didn't start until 9:30 p.m. (an hour and a half after her normal bedtime!)

Ruby loved all of the bright colors!

But, we had a blast. She couldn't take her eyes off of all of the lights and the noise did not really bother her at all.

Ruby and Daddy watching fireworks

We also took Ruby to the Knoxville Zoo again on Saturday, so we have some new pictures of her in the petting zoo and children's area. So, enjoy all of the new photos! (And look for even more on flickr ... make sure to check for new photo sets on flickr!)

Ruby as an owl :)

Goat eating Ruby's toes!

Three Month Doctor's Visit

No new pictures with this post, but I'll update you on Ruby's stats. Today she weighed in at 13 pounds, 13 ounces (82nd percentile) and 25 inches long (94th percentile)! She's definitely getting big and the doctor said she is growing like a champ. Other than that, the doctor declared her to be a healthy baby and said he would see us for her four month appointment, when she will need more shots.

The doctor is never fun, so we're just having a lazy day around home today. I'll get more pictures this weekend. We plan on taking Ruby back to the zoo to see the other half and possibly go to the Boomsday Festival (a fireworks celebration here in Knoxville). All of these plans though are contingent on us not getting any more rain from the hurricanes that are hitting south of here!

Progress!

Today Ruby is three months old ... she has her doctor's appointment tomorrow, so I will update more then. But, I had to give everyone an update on her sleeping milestones ...

Rub's also getting really good at sitting ... but she wanted the toy that was on the floor and couldn't reach!

Ruby is such a good baby, but we've been trying to break the habit of her only wanting to sleep in someone's arms during the day. At night, she loves her crib and will sleep for (most nights) 8 straight hours. It would be so much easier to get things done if she would nap somewhere else during the day! So, we've had a stressful couple of days and a baby who doesn't want to sleep during the day (because I would put her down when she fell asleep) ... but today we made progress!

Ruby passed out in the middle of the living room floor ... with her pacifier!

Ruby always wants to nurse to fall asleep and also refuses a pacifier. But today, she took a pacifier all day ... and used the pacifier to soothe herself to sleep for three naps! I'm so happy :)

First Trip to the Zoo

Today we took Ruby to the zoo for the first time. We ended up getting a membership so that we can go more often -- it really is a neat, and big, zoo. We had a lot of fun and I think Ruby enjoyed it (when she was awake). We only got to see about half of the zoo because it got really warm here. But, here are some pictures from our day! (More pictures are on our flickr site.)

I can flip!

The bib says it all.

Today Ruby hit a fun developmental milestone. She decided to roll onto her side and flip herself over ... from her back to her belly. I'm not sure she will do it again any time soon -- when she rolled, she went onto her arm and she really did not like that! She still has no desire to roll from her belly to her back, though.

I can hold the rattle with no problems!

Other than that, Grammy is in town and we are going to the zoo tomorrow (weather permitting). Today we spent a lot of time playing and laughing and talking. Ruby better have lots of fun now because next week she goes back to the doctor for her three month checkup! Can you believe she's that old already???

Daddy's favorite shirt of mine (even though I look like a boy in it!) TCP/IP ... but mostly IP

We're home!

Ruby at the airport on the way to Omaha.

Well, we made it back to Tennessee. Ruby is an amazing flier -- she slept through the entire flight from Omaha to Memphis. Then she was awake for about 2 hours in the airport and slept the entire flight from Memphis to Knoxville. We did have a minor fussy period when we had to wait on the runway for about a half hour on a plane that had no air conditioning ... but I was getting fussy too. It was hot!

Ruby with Grandpa (not pictured) during lunch.

We had a ton of fun visiting with everyone, but I think we were both happy to be back in our own beds. Ruby went down about 10 p.m. and didn't get up until after 5 a.m. Then she went back to bed at 5:15 a.m. and didn't get up for the day until 10 a.m. We were both exhausted.

In other good news, I am updating flickr as I type. So there will be pictures of our trip up for all to see.

We have a fun week ahead of us too. Jason will be really busy with a huge project at work, but Grandma (Jason's mom) is coming to visit with us for a few days. And we're getting Ruby's 3 month pictures taken next weekend. So, let me know if you would like a copy.

Heading back to Tennessee

Jason, Ruby and I had a fun few days visiting family and friends in Iowa and Nebraska. Jason left Tuesday and Ruby and I head home tomorrow. We managed to see a lot of family and a few friends and coworkers. I am going to post pictures on the flickr site *hopefully* tomorrow night after I get back to Tennessee. But we had a blast and there are some great pictures of Ruby with her grandparents and aunts. So, look forward to an update!

Children's Museum of Oak Ridge

Since her shots last Monday, Ruby had a few rough days. I think it was more that her legs were a little sore ... But, by Friday she was back to being her happy baby self. So, on Friday she and I ventured out to the mommy day at the Children's Museum of Oak Ridge. There we met up with a family that we are getting to know through some of the mommy events in Oak Ridge. Ruby made friends with their daughter who is just a few weeks older than Ruby.

This picture is Ruby sitting in a chair in the play house -- she likes sitting like a "real" person ...

The children's museum was very fun and cute. There was a two story play house for the kids, a train room, a rain forest room and a water room. And, there was a lot for parents to see as well. The first Friday of every month the Children's Museum is half price for adults (and free for kids) if you belong to the mommy group.