Half Birthday!

Half Birthday! Here we are. I remember looking at pictures of other babies celebrating their 6 months, and thinking, we have a long way before we are there. Here we are now....
Counting the weeks has stopped. I am definitely learning how to enjoy the now; and not be wishing for the next month, or next milestone, or when is something else going to happen.

So here is Olivia's 6 months update. She has now mastered sitting on her own. She started learning how to sit on her own when she has a little over 5 months. By now, she is a pro at it. She has also started to learn how to balance herself while standing. Of course, with the help of mom and dad. She can also hold herself up with the help of furniture.
No matter what toy is in front of her; her best entertainment are the dogs. We are teaching her how to interact with Collin and Ginger. The same thing goes for them. They are way more patient with her that she is with them.
She takes three naps a day. Goes to sleep around 7:30pm and sleeps thru the night until 7 or 8 in the morning.

Just went I thought, oh I now have this motherhood thing under control. I was reminded that this is a lifetime journey. A couple of weeks back, we got the visit from the horrible monster that starts with a "T" and ends with "eething'. We had 4 really rough days. Olivia was crying, mama was crying, the dogs were crying. Ok maybe the dogs weren't crying, they could care less; but the other two definitely happened.

At first I didn't know that we were dealing with that. I thought we were back from Florida and she was trying to get used to her old routine. Then, I started seeing all the signs, a lot of drooling, everything goes to the mouth, trying to bite everything. So, I went to Dr. Google,  and research all the teething signs and it sounded like that was the case.

Thank you thank you thank you to all my mom friends and dads that gave me so many things to try to alleviate some of the pain. I decided I was going to see how she felt the next day. Luckily she didn't wake up during the night. You know who sometimes new moms say they are afraid of the night time, well I was afraid of the day time.
Next day,  as soon as he woke up the crying would start so, I did what any mom/dad/person that wants their sanity back would do. I loaded the car with a screaming baby and went to Target to buy everything and anything that I had been recommended to try to help her. The cold blanket helped a lot but it would only last 10-15 minutes. Same thing for all the teething rings. Finally I gave in a tried Baby Orajel Naturals and it worked so well. I only had to use it twice that day. It was recommended by so many people and I called her pediatrician to make sure it was ok. After that day she has been back to normal and now we have 2 bottom baby teeth.

I was looking at newborn pictures of Olivia last night and cannot believe that the once tiny 6 pound 7 oz baby is now almost 17 pounds. I cannot wait to go to her checkup and see how much she is grown and the official weight.
6 months celebration is also for me, 6 months of  indescribable love. 6 months of giving my whole being to someone else, someone that depends on me 24/7; 6 months of putting her needs before my own. 6 months of thinking not on me first but on what would be the best for Olivia. Happy 6 months my beautiful daughter. Here is to a lifetime more!

We are back!

Ok....picking up where we left of. Well maybe not exactly..Things have been a little crazy around here. It seems like I blinked and  the holidays were over and now we are almost at the end of January. Time slow down please!!!!!
It is COLD here in Arkansas. I think I feel extra cold because we just got back from Florida. The weather in Florida was great.
What an amazing time that was. We were reunited with my family and some of them got to meet Olivia for the first time. Anytime I get to spend with my family is truly the best time for me. I miss them so much.
A few weeks, days before we flew to Florida; I was already freaking out about Olivia's first time in a plane. The night before I couldn't sleep, really that is just the way my brain functions. Let's review everything that could possibly go wrong, and let's find a solution to it. We were going to be "those people"...you know...the people with babies in planes.
A few weeks back, I had reached out to friends and family about advice for traveling with babies. Everyone gave me so much support, and talked about all the things that had worked for them. I am so grateful for the community of parents out there that help each other out.
We were taking two flights to Florida. When we were boarding, I did get some looks, and overheard someone saying: oh there is a baby on the plane. I took a deep breath, and said here we go. Olivia did great, I followed the main advice of making sure baby is either nursing, taking a bottle, or sucking on a paci for take-off and landing. That worked perfectly. Olivia ate and then feel asleep for the majority of the flight, she woke up and we had a few little toys ready for her (one a time of course) to entertain her and then went back to sleep.
All that stress for nothing. In reality, I think she is still young enough that she doesn't know what the heck is going on. As long as she is being held, which she was the whole time (I paid for that later when we got back home) she is fine with it.
Traveling with a baby is definitely a little stressful, you want to make sure you have everything you need. Anything that baby will need, travels for free. We took stroller with car seat, her portable bassinet for her to sleep in, and didn't have to pay the luggage fee. Try to stick somewhat to the schedule that baby has at home.
We had an amazing time and cannot wait until the next time we are all together. Being around my family makes me the happiest, and I am truly blessed to have all of them in my life and to be able to share so many things with them.

Thanks for stoping by, and I promise I will be more consistent with updates!