the goose.

No, we didn't get a new pet.  "Goose" is our new favorite nickname for Ruthe.  

It sort of evolved during her emergency-room-marathon, when John and I couldn't think of anything else to call her but a silly goose while the doctors were in the room. (When it was just the three of us we opted for a few more serious words, like crazy and mean and dramatic, to describe her. Those don't make very cute nicknames.)

So now it's pretty much all Goose all the time.  She likes it.  

She likes it more than she likes her new nebulizer...

Meet Clawdia Kitty.  Freaky, huh?!  When we went to the pediatrician for Ruthe's six-month check-up and shots, the doctor thought she sounded a little bronchitis-y and prescribed some breathing treatments to help.  So not only do I have to sleep with that weird cat staring at me all night, but I also have to suppress the images of my baby turning into Bane from the batman movie.  See the resemblance?!

In other news... Her weight is starting to come back up after her all the nonsense with being sick.  She's still in the 50th percentile for weight and height.  But her funny head (that seems ginormous!!) is only in the 10th percentile.  

She's getting so strong, and can hold her head up with minimal support while we hold her and walk around.  She even pretends to sit on her own sometimes!!  Recently she found her feet, and will grab onto her right one any chance she gets.  (It makes diaper changes especially difficult!). 

We started introducing different tastes the last few weeks, too.  Since she doesn't swallow anything we just let her lick stuff, or we put little bits of food in those mesh-pocket things.  So far she's gnawed on a carrot, cucumber, celery, and (of course) a clementine!!  She does get a little bit of banana every now and then... She loves the flavor, but hates having it in her mouth, so it usually ends up all over her face and she just licks her lips over and over and over.  Such a weirdo.

Ruthe has also started to reach for things and grab them!  It's so fun to dangle her toys in front of her and watch her figure out how to get them into her hands, and from there into her mouth!  She can even find her pacifier in the middle of the night and get it back into her mouth all by herself!  It so fun to watch her discover new things, and I'm pretty excited for our next visit with the physical therapist to show off all her new tricks!!