Mustache Bash: Party Recap

Warning: photo heavy post.


A couple weekends ago we threw a pretty decent size party at our house. The first once since Molly was born. It was stressful. Trying to coordinate a party and a 6 month olds schedule was tricky. But it all went really smooth and Molly was great!

Because party planning is no longer that easy for me to do I collaborated with our friends Laura and Wes. The party was for the boys birthdays (my husband Chase and Wes) and I had a co-planner. And when I say co-planner I mean planner. Laura basically did everything - everything crafty anyways. The end result was a fantastic themed Mustache Bash where everyone had a great time!

The invitation. We just emailed and texted these out to keep it simple.



We held the party in our backyard where we had lots of yard games including giant jenga, washers, Okie golf, and ping pong!





Lots of mustache decorations.







And people sporting mustaches...both real and fake!







And birthday cake.





We had an absolute blast and partied well into the early morning hours! We had so much fun we are even going to make this an annual party...look out for the 2nd Annual Mustache Bash next year.

On the Move

It finally happened, officially. She's on the move. On May 21st our tiny little baby girl started CRAWLING!

She had been working up to this for about a month or so and she finally put two and two together and took off. At first it was just a few feet and still wobbly and now she is making her way all over the house! Its amazing how even in a days time she gets better and faster.

And of course now she is on to her next feat, climbing and pulling up. Now that she figured out how to crawl she is starting to climb on me and her dad and trying to pull up on small things. What a little monkey! We are definitely going to have our hands full with this one but its so much fun to watch her narrow in on something across the room and then just take off for it.

What better way to celebrate her new milestone than with a video. This was taken on the 22nd or 23rd and she is already better than what the video shows. Enjoy!

 

 p.s. Yes that was a baby burp. And yes she loves Daddy's shoes.

Molly: 6 Months

6 months. Half a year old. As close to birth as she is to 1. Unbelievable really.

There hasn't been a tremendous amount of change in the last month. She is still working on those teeth. She is still working on crawling. Both things I thought would be well established by now but she is taking her time. I am in no rush.

As Molly gets older we feel more and more comfortable taking her out. And she really enjoys all the sights and sounds. We found out she is quite the party animal when we took her to her first outdoor night concert at the Dallas Arboretum and her first NBA game. She was out past 10 on both occasions and had a blast. She also had her first trip to Ikea which she thoroughly enjoyed.

We started down the path of solid foods again after our doc told us its time to try again. We are doing a combination of purees and finger food. Her attitude towards eating is hit or miss. Sometimes she is happy and enjoys eating and other times she fusses and hates it. Hopefully as we get established with food she will learn to like it more and more.

She isn't quite sitting yet. She is doing this half lean thing that is really close. Its only a matter of time.

Her personality comes out more and more each day. And let me tell you -- its feisty! {I think she gets that from me.} She has quite the laugh and squeal when she is excited. She coos and babbles a lot. And she also lets us know when she is not thrilled with her situation. Especially when she gets hungry.

The sleeping well comes and goes. I am attributing it to all the development she is doing right now. We were very spoiled when she was a newborn and while it could be much worse I want my 8 to 8 baby back. We'll get there. One day.

Every morning when I venture into her room and we make eye contact for the first time that day I melt. Her morning smiles are the best and I can feel how much she loves me. I am one lucky Mom.

Happy 6 Months Molly!

Stats:

Weight- 13 lbs 8oz  {10%}

Height- 25 1/2" {50%}

Head- 16" {10%}

Wearing 3-6mo or 6mo clothing and some 6-9mo and size 2 diapers.

Likes:

Playing on the floor

Going to events

Her box of toys

Being thrown in the air

The camera

Dislikes:

Being away from Mom and Dad

Not being able to reach a toy

Riding in the car (still!)

Sitting in her high chair

We Survived Colic One Bounce at a Time

It is only now, 2 1/2 months removed, that I am able to write this post. Mainly for fear of jinxing and also to keep those rough rough days as a memory...something that is far in the past.

But I also want to document it and share because its tough but it does get better.


While I was pregnant I had all these images of what life would be like with our baby girl. There was a lot of snuggling, playing, and smiles. Never did it cross my mind that my baby would be colicky. Never. So much in fact that I didn't even contemplate what life would be like with a crying baby. Because my baby wouldn't cry that much. Right.

As a first time mom I will admit I was not prepared for those first few months. Yes, I read books and blogs and everything in between but nothing prepares you for a new baby, let alone a new baby that I lovingly classified as high needs.

I had an amazing pregnancy, I actually really miss being pregnant sometimes. And I also had a great natural labor and birth experience. I was really lucky. And a part of me knew that it couldn't be all blue skies and rainbows. But I didn't know how hard it was really going to get.



From the beginning we had problems with breastfeeding that took a toll on my relationship with my daughter. I didn't get that loving bonding connection from nursing, instead it was screaming and lots of crying for both of us.

But I soon realized that the crying wasn't just tied to being hungry. She started to fight eating, like she was in pain. We found out she had silent reflux. So we put her on medicine. The feeding got better but the crying didn't.



It seemed like all she did was cry. Her happy moments were few and far between. And it was taxing. I was home alone, in my pajamas, not having showered in days with an inconsolable baby. Fun right! Everything I had imagined.

But it would get better. This is only a short time. Its just a phase. All things people would say to me. But I didn't want to hear it because I was in the thick of it. And tomorrow seemed like an eternity away.

I spent most of my evenings after Molly went to bed crying. Crying because I no longer had a life. Crying because I felt like a terrible mother. Crying because my baby wasn't happy. Crying because I was not having the first time mom experience I thought I would. Crying because this was so incredibly hard.



I was afraid to leave the house. Afraid to be that Mom with the screaming baby in a public place with everybody looking as she tried to calm her child. Molly didn't care much for the carseat. Or the stroller. Or the carriers/slings. I felt like I was stuck.

We found a few things that would calm Molly down. Bouncing on the exercise ball was her favorite. And I spent most of my days at home, on the ball, bouncing. Up and down. Up and down. Up and down. Should I stop for one little second her calm face would turn and the screaming would begin. (I hate the sight of that ball -- ab workouts on an exercise ball will never be the same)



But it would get better. It had to.

Countless emails to the doctor. Hours upon hours spent searching online for answers. Tons of money spent buying this and that hoping it would make her happy. Hoping it would flip the switch. All the while, bouncing. Bouncing to survive.

The 12 week mark came and went. The 3 month mark came and went. The colic stayed. Come on! Everything I read said it would magically go away by now. But it didn't. So we bounced.

And then finally. One day. A breakthrough! We switched her formula to a non-dairy specialty formula and voila! All of a sudden she was happy. Our 20 minutes of happy time turned into hours. She started playing with her toys and rolling around on the floor. A personality started to form that we hadn't seen. Our little girl was changing into a different baby. A fun baby. That was such an amazing transition. 




Day by day as she got older more and more of her playfulness and happiness would come out. The bouncing stopped. The exercise ball got put in another room because we didn't need it. Our baby girl was so happy.

They were right. It got better. It passed. We survived.


So for all those moms out there, new or experienced. Don't hate what I am about to say. IT DOES GET BETTER. So hang in there. Try and remember that you are a mother to that baby for a reason. God sent your specific baby to you, and only you because you are meant to raise that child. So hang in there.

Molly is unbelievable. She is more than we ever could have imagined. She makes us so incredibly happy and fulfilled each and every day. Its still hard. It will always be hard. But we are cherishing every moment because time is fleeting and even the good times are just phases.



------

Disclaimer: I am not saying that a formula switch works for all babies. I also want to make sure that this doesn't come across as though I did not love my daughter in those first months. I did, I loved her very much. It was just a hard time for both of us. One we can look back on as a journey we went through together and now we are on the other side.


If you have any questions please comment below or email me at chasinghallie@gmail.com

Daddy Daughter Friday: Sushi

No, we didn't really feed Molly sushi. But her Dad did let her gnaw on some edamame he had already "cleaned up" for her. She found it to be, uh, interesting.



I can already tell these two are going to get into lots of trouble together.

Happy Friday!

the next goal

After the getting the latest 5k under my belt and feeling and finishing a lot better than I thought I would, I am ready to set a new goal.

My first ever 10k.

I have never been a distance runner. I grew up playing basketball, a sprint and stop sport. I have always been fast (ish) and I ran track back in the day but it was always the 100m sprint and nothing longer than that. So, a 10k is a big deal for me.

I was able to squeak by in the 5k last month with absolutely no training. I know this isn't even remotely possible for a 10k so I am giving myself plenty of time to get my body back in shape.

I am setting my sights on the Tour de Fleurs 10k Dallas. The race isn't until September 15 so that gives me plenty of time to train and be ready.

Until then I plan on running a couple more 5ks this summer to stay motivated. I am also finally getting my BOB this weekend. I am really looking forward to running with Molly.

Training starts now!

Reflecting on Mother's Day

On Mother's Day...
























To my dearest Molly Jean. I could not have ever imagined how much my heart would swell with love for you. You are an amazing miracle, and one I thank Him for every day.

You showed me how strong of a woman I am. You have tested my patience, my willpower, my courage. And you have taught me what it is to truly love and nurture another human being.

We have had the toughest of times and we have the most beautiful of times. I have seen the worst in me and the best in me.

And from now and until the end of time I am different. I am changed. I am a mother. I am your mother.

Thank you.


xoxo - Mom

Daddy Daughter Friday: Birthday

This past Sunday was Chase's birthday. Molly got him his first Dad card. He loved it!



A proud Daddy Daughter moment.

Happy Friday!

Happy 6 Months

My baby girl is 6 months old today! I. cannot. believe. it.

A full 6 month post is coming in the next few days but in the meantime...



Happy half birthday Molly!

What's in my diaper bag?

Today I am doing a guest post over on Real Life Travels. I am revealing what is in my diaper bag, the necessities for a 6 month old. Go check it out and let me know if I missed anything crucial!

Our little party animal

Now that Molly is almost 6 months old (this Thursday!) we have started resuming more of our old activities and bringing her along. It has always been important to me to weave my child into my life instead of changing my life completely. There is no reason to give up the things you love after you have a baby and the experiences you share as a family will be fond memories to look back on.

So this week we took Molly along on two of the activities Chase and I love. Outdoor concerts and sporting events.

First up, summer outdoor concerts at the Dallas Arboretum. I have posted about our summer concert experiences in the past as its one of our favorite things to do. And now we are sharing it with Molly.



She had a blast dancing and watching all of the people. It was a sold out concert to see the Spazmatics (an 80s cover band) and we had so much fun. We went with a group of friends and enjoyed delicious picnic style food and wine.





Molly did great and was up until 10:30pm!

The next adventure we embarked on with Molly was a professional basketball game. We live in Dallas and the Mavericks are the city's home NBA team. However, we are from Oklahoma City and are huge OKC Thunder fans. As it turns out the Thunder played the Mavs here in Dallas for the NBA playoffs and we had to go.

We Craigslisted some great seats, packed plenty of milk and toys for Molly, dressed her in her Thunder gear and headed out to cheer our team on.

[funny side story: at the Thunder vs Mavs playoff game we went to last year we announced we were pregnant! This was technically Molly's second NBA game.]





Molly had so much fun watching the giant scoreboard, looking at all the people around us and watching the Mavs drum line. All of the people we were sitting next to had fun playing with her and she smiled and giggled at everyone around us.

We did make one mistake in that we didn't bring anything to plug her ears so when it got really loud we would give her kisses in one ear and cover the other one with our hand. The noise level was a bit much for her at first but she quickly adjusted (I had never realized how loud the games are).

At the end of both of our evenings out as soon as we put her in the car seat she crashed!



Our little party animal.

Daddy Daughter Friday: An Adjustment

Doing a little work on his baby girl. Everything is in alignment!

Spring Work

Over the past several weekends we have been getting our hands dirty and making over our yard for the Spring and Summer. Its never fun work but in the end its so satisfying to step back and look at what you have accomplished. I love some good curb appeal and we spend a lot of time hanging out in our backyard so getting everything whipped into shape was at the top of my to-do list.

In years past we were able to devote an entire day with no interruptions but this year came with a new set of challenges-keeping a baby entertained long enough to dive into a task without getting sidetracked. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. And boy did we make those nap times count.



I also recruited my brother, who owns his own landscaping company (Clean Cut Curbs), to help out. The extra set of hands and hard work was a life saver. We had a long list of things to do and he really came through-thanks bro!

Here is our yard work to-do list:

1. Clean out all the beds and remove the old mulch (we had about 25 bags full in the end!)
2. Till up the soil in the backyard and put down seed
3. Fertilize the front and back yard
4. Put down rock along the side of the driveway and a couple other spots
5. Re-plant all the beds (5 beds in all)
6. Put down all new mulch (about 25 bags worth)
7. Plant new Japanese Maple tree
8. Build vegetable garden border
9. Plant veggie garden

It might have taken a little more strategy, a little more time and a little more stop-and-go this year but in the end, we got to step back and admire our hard work as a family of three. Our little house is just a tiny bit more special this time around.



Anybody else busy getting their yards into shape? Other springtime work?