STS-133 Launch

One thing I've really wanted to experience is a Space Shuttle Launch. Jason went down with my dad last year and really enjoyed it and I wanted to make it to a launch before the program is canceled. There was a launch scheduled in November that got postponed until February so since I was on maternity leave we decided to go.

We ended up taking two cars down to Florida because Carissa was in town and mom and dad came with their exchange students. We were especially excited that Carissa could come down because she left the day that Ruby was born so hadn't met her yet.

We drove down on Wednesday and stopped at Savannah, Georgia on the way. Ellie loved seeing the big boats going out of the port. Actually I have never seen bigger boats in my life....many of them were loaded with containers, it was pretty crazy!

Ellie especially liked looking at the train in the candy store and checking out all of the colorful treats.

We stayed in Daytona Beach and on Thursday morning we drove down to Titusville, Florida which is one of the best places to view the launch. We staked our spot on the shore and spent the day waiting for the big moment. We had fun---Lori, Bob and Grandma came over from their vacation spot in Florida, so it was great to visit with them. Ellie experienced her very first ice cream truck which was big excitement because it is featured in many of her books!

We waited and waited and waited but both girls did very well, in order to get a spot on the shore we had to get there about 9 AM for the 4:50 launch.

It was very nice out- around 80 degrees so we had to be careful about not getting to much sun. Ellie even took her nap under a lawn chair.

Very soon before the launch there was a problem with a safety display or something and it sounded like it might be a no-go. We were so disappointed, thinking we'd have to sit out there another long day. But...with 3 seconds to spare they got the problem figured out and we saw the launch. It was quite a sight.

During the launch Ellie said "mouse moon Mama!!" which is the name of one of her books about mice taking rocket to the moon. It was pretty cute to see her making that connection.

On Friday we went to the Kennedy Space Center. We had a great time learning about space.

I took Ellie to the 3D IMAX movie which was a little strange for her. She enjoyed most of it but got a little bored at the end...luckily we were close to the door! We got to go inside a space shuttle which was much smaller than I'd imagined.

Big excitement for the two year old was that we got to ride a bus over to see the launch pad.

Ellie even got to touch a piece of the moon!

Ruby Cake...

Ellie apparently thinks Ruby is pretty sweet as she has been calling her Ruby Cake! So cute! I guess she thought when we said Ruby Kate we were saying Ruby Cake....they are quite a pair!

Tea Party!

Ellie loves to have tea parties right now. She has a little plastic set that has a tea pot, cups, saucers, and even sugar and milk. She walks around asking everyone "tea party?" Then she brings you a cup of tea and often a cookie and watches closely to make sure you drink it. Then she grabs the cup up and excitedly asks "mower?" We have found that she isn't really asking when she says this....you must take more until she is done. I caught her the other day giving her baby a tea party.....

She Smiles!

Ruby smiles...and it is so cute! We have thought for a few days that she was starting to almost smile but not sure if it was real or not. Today it was for sure real...her whole face smiled, the corners of her eyes turned up. I love it.

Can't wait to get a picture!

1 Month Old!

Ruby Kate is one month old! I can't believe it goes even faster with the second one! At her doctor's appointment this morning she weighed 10 pounds, 6 ounces! That is between the 75th and 90th percentile! She was 21 inches long which means she shrunk 3/4 of an inch since birth...or I guess just that they measure differently at the pediatrician :) Her head circumference was 39 cm which is 90th percentile as well! So she is thriving as the doctor said, they are thrilled with her growth and said she looks perfect. We are loving our little chunker!


Ruby is doing really well. She is generally happy but has a little fussy time in the evening and sometimes in the afternoon. It usually just means she is super sleepy and I've been trying the 5 s's from the Happiest Baby on the Block and it seems to work magically on her. We are back to swaddling because she was waking herself up all the time and was hard to put down when she was asleep. I think the swaddle helps her startle less and also makes it so there is less change when we put her in the crib. The last few nights we have all been sleeping much better so I think we'll stick with the swaddle for now. Ruby usually sleeps around 4-5 hours which is pretty good I think and then eats and goes back to sleep.

Both the swing and the pacifier are starting to interest Ruby...finally! She took her afternoon nap in the swing yesterday and today. She is gagging on the pacifier much less often and when she gets going on it she seems to love it. She also has been enjoying the bouncy seat this week. She likes the vibration and is starting to just relax and look around from her little recliner! We just have to be careful with Ellie because there isn't really a good place to put a bouncy chair with a very helpful toddler in the house.


Ruby's eyes are starting to get lighter. Both she and Eleanor were born with very dark eyes. They were almost black, and you couldn't really see the pupils at all. Now Ruby's look grey so we'll watch and see how they change. I wonder if she'll have blue eyes like Ellie and I.


We're amazed at how well Ruby holds up her head. She really has a lot of control of that big 90th percentile head! We've been trying tummy time a little bit at a time although she isn't so thrilled with that. She is much more alert this week and is starting to really follow things with her eyes and spend a lot more time awake.


I've been joking that Ruby is still at the "annoyed with us" stage. She is carted here and there, we change her clothes and diaper multiple times a day, and give her baths when she is least expecting it....poor girl. She is very expressive with her eyebrows so lets us know how she feels about all of this commotion!