just nap already!

Unfortunately Molly has not been a baby that has taken to any type of schedule. She has her own way of doing things and it changes almost daily. The only two things that really stick are bedtime at 8:15/8:30 and wake up around 7:45/8. Everything in between is up for interpretation.



So when a couple of weeks ago we started getting a semi nap schedule going I was pumped! She would take a morning nap that lasted about 1-1.5, a long afternoon nap lasting anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 hrs (around 3 usually) and a short evening catnap lasting about 30 minutes. They didn't always happen at the exact same time but in general her morning nap was at 9:30, afternoon nap at 2 and evening catnap at 7.

Since she was getting good naps in she was a happy baby for most of the awake time (especially after we figured out she has a milk allergy and switched her formula - more on that later). And she was easy to put down, as soon as she started displaying sleepy cues - rubbing eyes, yawning etc. - you could put her on her tummy and pat her back a few times and bam! out. It was wonderful.


Well times they are a changing. For the past two days she refuses to nap! If she just wanted to stay up and play that is one thing but she doesn't. She is tired but won't go to sleep and that equals a very cranky baby. What is the deal...just nap already!


I have a few theories as to what is going on:

1. Teething. I really think she has started to teeth and its bothering her. She is drooling a tremendous amount and is constantly putting things in her mouth and gnawing on them. I know it seems really early but the more Moms I talk to the more say it was around 4 months when it started.

2. Rolling over. Now that she has mastered rolling over when you put her on her tummy she will stick her but up in the air and then push herself over onto her back. And she absolutely will not nap on her back.

3. Growth spurt- For the past few days she has seemed to want to eat all the time. Hopefully it means she is growing because she is still so tiny!

Let's just hope its a phase that will only last a few more days. I want my excellent napper back!

My Network

When we moved to Dallas a little over 2 years ago (Wow! Has it been that long) I left behind lots of great friends and all of our family. And since I work from home my access to new friends was pretty limited. Fortunately we made friends with several of our neighbors and I connected with a few college friends that live in Dallas. But none of them have kids. And when I became pregnant it didn't really hit me how important other Mom friends were going to be.



Now that I am 3 1/2 months into this whole Mom thing I have found a new network of people to lean on in a few places.

1. Social Networks- thank god for technology. If it hadn't been for the forums, Facebook, Twitter and the countless blogs I read I would be a complete mess and totally lost. I quickly changed my blog feed from all the wedding blogs I was reading to my new list of Mommy blogs. Sharing stories, tips and venting through all of these channels has been a blessing.

2. Google- if you come to my house, log-on to my computer and open up Google search it will immediately auto fill with any sort of baby related topic. Color of baby poop, normal sleeping amounts, the best swaddling blankets, how to get your baby to take a pacifier and countless other baby questions. If it weren't for Google Molly would probably have gone to the doctor unnecessarily a million times by now.

3. MOPS- Mothers of Preschoolers (or any age kid really). This organization was recommended to me by my doctor when I voiced my lack of Mom friends and the desperate need to get out of the house with my fussy baby. It has been a lifesaver! I have met some absolutely wonderful women and their adorable kids. And am learning a wealth of information through my new network of Mom friends and the speakers they bring in to the bi-weekly meetings. Plus, nobody bats an eye at a wailing baby.

4. Church- This is the newest of the networks. We actually just went to church for the first time with Molly this past Sunday. Church hasn't always been a part of our lives but now more than ever I feel like its important. And its a great place to socialize with other parents.


I never imagined this would be my new "inner circle" this time last year. But boy would I be a miserable excuse for a functioning person right now without them.

And I still lean on my friends and family...they have helped keep me sane and feel normal when I get a little lost in this new parenting world.

Happy Weekend

Everyone have big weekend plans? I am going to Ada, Oklahoma for a funeral so Chase is on baby duty all day Saturday (for the first time). Hopefully they will both survive each other for an entire day.

Then spending the rest of the weekend hanging out with my girl and my hubby.



Have a wonderful weekend.

Night Out

It was Valentine's Day and Chase and I needed a night out. We left Molly with a non-relative for the first time (our friend Laura who is great with her). It was a perfect evening of drinks, sushi, fun conversation and that "like the good ol' days" feeling.

Can you tell we were having some fun?!

Tummy Time

Our pediatrician told us from day 1 that Molly needed 30 minutes of tummy time a day. Woh! That is a lot. Especially when she HATES it.

As soon as we would put her on her stomach she would start crying. And not a little cute newborn cry...we are talking wailing! So 30 minutes, impossible. But we knew how important it was for her development so we made sure to do it for a little bit everyday.

And now she likes it. She doesn't love it. But she likes it. And she also likes to nap on her tummy. With her thumb in her mouth and her hand on the back of her head. Adorable.

 

A Love Story

This time last year I was freshly married, working at a different job, living a completely different life than I do now. Why is my life completely different? Because someone romanced me last year. : )

Yep, that's right. Last year on Valentine's Day Chase and I celebrated our love in the highest form possible, we made a baby.

I guess it was the surprising me at work with champagne, the hand-made card, the pre-dinner drinks at a local bar, the fancy 3 course dinner and how damn sexy my husband looked.















All I know is I love him. And now I have a new Valentine in my life. And I love her too.


Happy Valentine's Day!

Molly: Three Months

Its official, Molly is no longer a newborn. She is now an infant. Getting to be such a big girl (not literally, she is still so tiny!).

Time continues to move faster and faster and our little girl is changing everyday. It seems like she is doing something new and different all the time. Her little brain is working so hard!

We had some big firsts recently. The biggest is that she started sleeping in her crib! I am going to post more about sleeping arrangements soon but this was a big milestone and she is doing great with it. She also found her thumb and loves it. This has been a blessing for us as well since she wasn't good with the pacifier. She can now quickly soothe herself by sticking her thumb (or sometimes her entire hand) in her mouth. She continues to recognize us and her face lights up when we make eye contact with her. She also rolled over from her stomach to her back which was so fun to watch. I managed to catch it on video and will share that soon.

Each day is a new and exciting adventure with its own set of ups and downs but we are having so much fun! Can't wait to see what the next month brings as our baby girl discovers more and more about the world around her.

Stats: 10 lbs
No length or head since we don't have a doctor visit at 3 months

Likes:
Sucking her thumb
Holding on to her lovie
Sitting up in your lap
Dance parties

Dislikes:
Getting her nose sucked out (Nosefrida)
Wiping her face off
Taking the bottle away to burp
Unfortunately the car seat still : (

A Dad and his Little Girl

I realized I needed to take a minute and write a post about my husband and his new role as a Dad. Our role as parents came as a bit of a surprise and we were still newlyweds when I got pregnant so it took us both some time to adjust to the idea. But once Chase wrapped his head around it (which was before I did btw) he has been an amazing husband and father.

From the first days of our relationship I knew Chase would be a great dad. He is fun loving, caring and giving...all traits that make for a perfect father. Whenever he would hold a baby I got all fuzzy inside and when I found out we were expecting I couldn't wait to see him wrap his arms around our baby.


For 9 months he stood by my side, told me I looked beautiful, rubbed my feet, took care of my every need when I got really sick for a couple weeks and supported me at every turn of my pregnancy. He talked to Molly when we laid in bed in the evenings and got excited when he could feel her kick. He told me I was doing great and I could do it during labor when I was moaning so loud the neighbors down the street could hear. And he didn't even flinch when I puked all over the driveway in-between contractions.

And then I saw him. I saw him hold our little girl for the first time. And my heart melted.



He continues to be my rock day in and day out. He has been able to stay calm and patient when I lose it. And he has been cooking dinner! But most of all he has been falling in love with Molly and she with him.



There is nothing more special than a Daddy and his little girl.

Newborn Photos

I was not 100% sure I wanted to fork over the money to have newborn photos taken but my Facebook wall kept filling up with all these super cute pictures of my friends babies from their newborn photo sessions. All that cuteness finally won me over and I decided we needed to do it. That was when I was about 8 1/2 months pregnant. That was before I met Molly.

So fast forward a month or so ahead and Molly is here. And super cute. But not really a typical sleep like a log you can move me and do whatever and I will not wake up. But we thought we would try it anyways.

The photographer came to our house to do the shoot which was nice. And he was great. His wife had a baby just days before Molly so he was extremely understanding. Understanding of what you might ask? The screaming, inconsolable, pooping and peeing everywhere non sleeping baby.

We fed her, we rocked her, we got her to sleep, then we laid her down and wide-eyed she became! We went through this routine for 3 hours why we tried to get some good shots. And she pooped on every single blanket we had in the house! It is pretty comical as we look back on it now but in the moment it was very stressful. I just wanted some really cute shots of our new baby. And in the end we got some great ones...











I loved this hat and wanted some cute ones with it but she HATED it.

No true "sleeping baby" shots but that wouldn't be a good representation of our Molly. She is a feisty one that loves to look at the world around her and I think we captured that.

Big shout out to Good Afternoon Photography and Steve...he was great and we look forward to doing another session as she gets a little older.

12 Weeks...already

I can hardly believe it but its been 12 Weeks since baby Molly came into this world. Wow. I know I have said this before but time feels like its moving so slow but so fast at the same time. Strange.

For the 12 Weeks post I thought I would just share a little bit about what Molly is up to these days. It seems as though everyday she is doing something different and changing her likes and dislikes. Those crazy babies!



We are enjoying our days together for the most part and doing our best to get through the hard ones. Her personality is really starting to come out and her smiles are breathtaking.

Recently she has started to really get a kick out of watching us eat. She will just stare at you bringing the food to your mouth and then when you start chewing she gets all smiley and giggly. Its hilarious. It also helps us actually be able to eat without a crying baby in the background which is nice.

She constantly tries to sit up so we have been propping her up in the boppy pillow which she really likes. She is SO good at holding her head up. She likes the bumpo chair but its still a bit unstable for her so she only sits in it for a few minutes with us helping.



TV. She loves it. She will sit and stare at the TV for hours. Chase thinks we are already starting a bad habit but I know she just sees the all the colors and movement. Its fine. She really enjoyed part of the movie Marmaduke yesterday.

Naps are still a challenge. She gets overtired so fast so catching that magical window where she is tired and ready for sleep but not overtired is almost impossible. In the mornings she either takes a power nap in my arms or a tummy nap on the floor in the living room. In the afternoons we try to swaddle her up and put her in her swing for a 2-3 hour nap. She has had some trouble going down the past couple of days, hopefully just a short lived thing.



She is still a tiny baby. She did hit double digits weighing in at 10lbs even on Wednesday but she is very lean and mean. Still wearing newborn clothes for the most part, most of the 0-3 stuff is still too big. We did switch her to size 1 diapers but they are a tad big, apparently she is in-between sizes.

All in all she is perfect. Absolutely adorable in every way (except for maybe when she is screaming).



As for me? I am doing pretty good. I have good days and bad days. The adjustment to my new life is still taking some time for me to settle into. So much is different. There are definitely moments when I miss my pre baby life and wish Chase and I had the same freedom we had before. But there are always trade-offs and I love my little Molly so much. Being a Mom is hard work but I am doing my very best to embrace it.



What is that I hear...yep, its Molly waking up. Gotta go!

My Manny

Yes, that is right. I said "Manny." I have a male nanny (manny) of sorts. My dad.

Since I work from home I have the privilege of not having to pay for daycare...which is insanely expensive by the way! But, to be honest, I didn't really think through how hard it was going to be to work from home with a newborn. And it turns out Molly is a bit, shall we say, high needs (though what baby isn't?). So, in short, I needed some help so I could actually get work done.

Enter my manny. My dad volunteered himself to come to town every Monday and Tuesday to watch Molly while I closed myself in the home office and got down to business. And I can't be more thankful!

Plus he loves getting to spend that time with his new (and first) granddaughter so its a win-win.

How we would have survived without all the help we have received from our amazing friends and family...well let's just say I would be a complete and total wreck who hadn't showered in months and had lost all control.

We are so lucky.