{Baby Jasper}: Nine Months on the Inside.

Now that Ruthie is here, it is fun to look back on her 40 weeks on the "inside." I'm very fortunate because I actually really enjoyed being pregnant! I did have morning sickness for about 16 weeks but luckily Zofran worked wonders and made it tolerable. I went through a period from about 8 weeks to 14 weeks where I didn't have an appetite really except for Mexican food and pizza and I definitely couldn't stomach eating chicken at all! Overall, I craved beef the whole time (I'm not normally a big beef eater) and oddly, Taco Bell's nacho cheese was the yummiest thing I had ever encountered in life during pregnancy.

I loved documenting the pregnancy and ended up making an entire photo book for Ruthie about her time "on the inside." Included in that are my series of bump pictures:

We're going to continue documenting Ruthie's growth over her first months and I can't wait to do an update a year from now!

In chalkboards and babies,

{Baby Jasper} Madeleine Ruth Jasper

Ruthie arrived in the world January 2nd, 2015 at 6:43pm, 5 days after her due date. We just celebrated her 2 week birthday and words cannot even express how in love we are with this little girl.

Jake took off work starting December 29th, so we had a good few days together just the two of us. We did a lot of waiting and spent time with friends, as well as getting some last minute things done.

Ruthie's due date came and went:

After a lack of progress towards labor, we finally reached our induction date and prepared to check into the hospital. We ate one last date dinner as a couple with no kids and then checked in to the hospital the night of January 1st.

Getting ready to go to dinner and the hospital:

The whole experience at the hospital was really great- the nurses and other staff were amazing, my doctor was on call and was there for me, Jake was able to stay with me the whole time we were there, and our family was ready and waiting when she was born.

When we arrived Thursday night, they were concerned about Ruthie's heart rate and so I was put on oxygen and given fluids, which led to a pretty ridiculous selfie:

After trying labor for the majority of January 2nd, we ended up going in for a c-section because of Ruthie's response to the pitocin.

While the c-section was an interesting experience, the end result meant I got to meet Ruthie!

Our family all came to our room on the recovery floor to meet Ruthie:

We stayed until Monday, January 5th and were able to spend a lot of time snuggling and loving on Ruthie in the hospital, adjusting to life as parents before venturing out into the real world:

It was bittersweet to leave our little cocoon and go home - we were glad to get back to our house but would miss the helpful nurses and all the visitors.

The introduction to the brothers and sister at home went well - they haven't really been too interested in her.

She had her first pediatrician visit the next day, Tuesday January 6th.

And we settled in for a lifetime of snuggles:

While in the hospital, we were able to get a few pictures of her to use for her birth announcements:

As I said... we are so in love. And learning constantly. Welcome to the world, Madeleine Ruth!

In diapers and feedings,

{Baby Jasper}: Welcome to the world, Ruthie!

On the 9th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

Introducing Madeleine Ruth Jasper

Born 1.2.15

A little late but worth the wait. 

I've got a lot to catch up around here, including her baby shower, the holidays, nursery prep, and more.. and of course, tons of adorable pictures. But in the meantime, here she is! We are so very in love with Ruthie.

In babies and learning curves,

{Baby Jasper}: Checking in and Progress...

Hello there! Things have been the best kind of crazy around here. So much to update... Thought before I broke off into some specific blog posts, I'd do a general update on life with Ruthie on board in the belly.

Pregnancy has been pretty good since the initial morning sickness, which was manageable as long as I had the Zofran my doctor prescribed (miracle worker).

We have continued to make progress in the den - found these mismatched dressers to use as side tables for the couch. I thought I wanted matching dressers and looked everywhere but now love the look of these two.

We got invited to a Labor Day cookout, which was the perfect excuse to make the buffalo chicken dip - ridiculous.

Doctors appointments have come and gone - passed my glucose screening!

Gave in to my caffeine craving and let myself have the allotted 200 msg of caffeine a day. Life has been better ever since.

The parentals went to St. Louis to see family and brought back the family christening dress - here it is from when I wore it:

Ruthie's closet has been getting clothes added with each week that passes...

We got Ruthie's rug in the mail (Rugs USA, waited for an 80% off sale, highly recommend it) and Tyson just had to try it out:

Went to my cousin's gender reveal for baby #2:

It's another girl! Ruthie and Elloree are going to be so close in age and they'll have big sister Layla to boss them around!

Went to our favorite birthday tradition, the Cooper Young Festival, where I got this art for Ruthie's room:

Jake threw a surprise birthday party for me at our favorite, Garibaldi's. We had all our family and friends gathered for pizza, cake, and fun. It was really wonderful.

I started to get baby things in the nursery, including a whole bunch of hand me down clothes, and started sorting through them - with supervision, of course:

I officially had to ditch the wedding ring for a Target version because of preggo fingers:

Elise + Chandler threw the most wonderful baby shower for Ruthie in September:

After bringing Ruthie's goodies home, Beamer had to adjust to all of these new things in his room:

I had a small fall up the stairs (yes, up) at work which resulted in a quick hospital visit, as one can never been too careful. Great news was Ruthie was fine, kicking like crazy, heartbeat was fine.

We finally got some art on the walls in the den:

I took a chance in the great weather to spray paint some things for Ruthie's room:

More baby items were procured, which required expert assembly. Beer was used as bribery for the expert.

Ruthie in her 27 week ultrasound:

A lovely stroll in October at Beale Street Landing:

After piling the clothes by category and size, Tyson decided it was the perfect napping place and reversed all my work:

Fall break brought a quick trip to the beach:

Someone was glad to see us come home:

Jacob and Lydia got a sweet new puppy, Mabel:

Tyson has been very interested in Ruthie:

A family fishing weekend in Arkansas:

More Tyson and the bump:

Ruthie got her own pumpkin this year:

And Halloween - had to play up the bump. I went as a "celebrity baby bump".

That about catches us up - been living life big over here!

In preparing for Ruthie,