Friday Favorites

Happy Friday everyone!! I'm linking up again with Andrea over at Momfessionals and Erika at A Little Bit of Everything to recap our Friday Favorites!

ONE

If were being honest, one of the perks of becoming a mom, in my mind, may or may not have been the few fleeting years when Hadley will let me dress her up in all kinds of adorableness for Halloween! Yea sure there's the whole unconditional love, mother/daughter bond, but also....COSTUMES!!! You better believe I have been spending countless productive hours combing over the costume options at Potterybarn Kids. So far the skunk is really catching my eye, but I'm also having a hard time passing up this cute little owl costume: 

 What do you think...skunk or owl?!?! How's a mom supposed to choose?

TWO

Postpartum weight loss. You are my nemesis. Listen...to all you would be mothers out there I have a bit of a bad news disclaimer: breastfeeding does not just "take the weight right off." Erroneous. Does it help? Sure. Can you still eat the entire bowl of fettuccine and wash it down with cheesecake like you may have been known to do while pregnant? Negative. I know...I was depressed to find this out as well. Also, breastfeeding makes you insanely hungry, so that myth that you also tell yourself about not eating as much after you have the baby is also total lies. The first two months after I had Hadley I was starving and exhausted and the last thing I wanted to do was diet and hit the gym. However, when Hadley was about 10 weeks old, and I was still about 25-30lbs over my pre-baby weight (I gained about 45lbs total...yikes!)  I realized something must be done! So I sucked it up and started dieting. Nothing crazy, just no fettuccine and cheeseburger binges, and I also did an overall cutback on carbs, especially for dinner. I still don't get to the gym as much as I should, but Hadley is six and a half months and I'm within three pounds of my pre-baby weight. While I will say that your body does change in irreversible ways after a baby (not all bad), I do promise that you will eventually get back to a size you are proud of  can live with, and all the physical changes will be totally worth it. :)

THREE

  

Johnathon and I have never been big on sitting down and the table and having formal, sit down dinners. When we were both working we would get home and both be pretty tired, and I think we both just liked to relax and eat together while we watched one of our favorite shows. We would always follow dinner up with taking our dog for a walk, and that was when we would talk about our day, and catch up with each other. We both agree that once Hadley is old enough to sit with us at the table, we will turn the t.v. off and sit down together as a family. For now though, we really enjoy our nightly, family bike ride. We take Hadley and the dog with us, and we bike around to all the beautiful spots Kwajalein has to offer. Here are some of the sights from our ride last night:

  

View of Oceanside

Hadster always comes along for the ride!

The softball fields and the outdoor movie theater

Part of "downtown" Kwaj

FOUR

I know I mentioned this earlier in the week, but I could not be more excited about college football starting back up. I went to TCU and our season last year was incredible and heartbreaking all at the same time. Nobody thought we were going to do as well as we did, and (in my opinion) we totally deserved to be in the playoffs. TCU got left out of the playoffs, but totally dominated against Ole Miss in the bowl game, and it sounds like TCU has a lot of returning talent this year! I'm so excited that my Saturdays will now be filled with cheering TCU on to (hopefully) a playoff bid, or at the very least a Big 12 Title that we don't have to share! :)

FIVE

I posted this video on Facebook awhile back, but I just have to share it again. Whenever I need a pick me up I watch this video of Johnathon making Hadley laugh! 

   

I hope Miss Hadley Kate's laugh puts a smile on your face today! Have a great weekend! 

Weekend Recap

Rain, Rain Go Away! That has been our anthem for the last 7 days. Seriously...this is what we've been dealing with: 

Yea...we are that tiny spec in the middle of all the orange and yellow...good times

I really tried to think of exciting things to blog about last week, but there is really only so many ways you can try and make tummy time and Mickey Mouse Club House exciting before you realize it's just not. It was kind of fun for the first day or so. The only weather we have out here is sunny or rainy, so when it does rain I like to pretend like its cold outside, bundle up indoors, and make something cheesy/creamy/soupy in the crockpot. But by day three we all had a serious case of cabin fever. Johnathon and I were sick of eating stew and Hadley decided she was completely over all her toys and was constantly staring at me with a very clear message..."Outside. Now!"

We did eventually venture outside, and Hadley was a little unsure about this "rain" thing we kept speaking of:

She would touch the water then pull her hand back really fast!

After inspecting the rain water, Hadley opted to watch the rain from a safe and dry position on the back porch.

Sadly the rain kept up all week, and even the weekend was overcast and humid. We didn't let that keep us indoors all weekend though. We eventually made it out to ocean side to explore the reef at low tide. 

Exploring with daddy

exposed reef and the Colonel's house in the background

Sea Urchin

Tons of hermit crabs that Sadie was very interested in

little tide pools filled with sea cucumbers

Exploring with Mommy

Rounding out our beach trip with a little ride on Sadie bear

Hadley woke up really early from her nap Saturday afternoon, and was SUPER cranky. I didn't think much of it because that usually happens when she doesn't nap well, but she woke up the next morning with super red, puffy eyes and a low grade fever. She never had any other symptom except a low grade fever and crankiness for most of the weekend which thankfully went away Monday morning. I kept waiting to see a little tooth pop out, but so far I can't blame it on teething! So Hadley's mystery illness coupled with bad weather led to a pretty low key weekend in the McClellan household. There was lots of cuddling and watching of Sofia the First in our bed:

At least baby girl was feeling well enough on Monday to pose for some pics and to play on her play mat!

Hope y'all had a great weekend, and a good Monday! 

P.S.- 17 days until my Saturday's are once again filled with glorious football...college football! This is TCU's year I can feel it! GO FROGS!!
 

Friday Favorites

It's Friday!! TGIF!!!!

I'm linking up with Erika at A Little Bit of Everything and Andrea over at Momfessionals to share our favorite things from the week!

ONE

 

Hadley' s last nap in her swaddle :)

 

We are finally a completely swaddle free household!!! Hadley has been sleeping unswaddled at night for quite awhile now, but naps....those were a different story. I tried to ease her out of her swaddle slowly by taking one arm out at a time, and this worked  really well, but every time I took both arms out she would roll around, play with her binky, and not sleep. However, we had noticed that over the last couple of weeks she was breaking her arm out of her swaddle anyway, so on Tuesday...I bit the bullet and put her down in her crib with nothing but her binky and a prayer for sleep! Thankfully, she acted like she had been napping unswaddled all along, which made me feel like the silliest mom of all time for dragging the unswaddling process out for so long. But...you live and learn, and we are proudly swaddle free! Boom!

TWO 

I found Sugarplum Lane Boutique through a friend on Instagram, and I'm not quite sure how I haven't discovered this store until now. It's full of pink, glitter, bows, and all things girly!!! Pretty much all things Hadley Kate needs wants...really badly :)! I'm eyeballing the plaid bloomers for our family Christmas card photos!  

THREE

 

 It's the doldrums out here on Kwaj which means it is hot, hot, hot with no wind and the flies are everywhere! Sounds great, right?! Who wants to fly halfway around the world to come visit??!! The trade off for the not so great weather is the sunsets. Because there is no wind the water is so calm, and it really seems like the sun tries to make up for how hot it's making things with beautiful sunsets.

Thanks Sarah for letting me steal more photos :)

 FOUR

I've been reading Out of the Spin Cycle by Jen Hatmaker as a little morning devotional in the mornings, and as a way of starting my day in the right frame of mind. This is my first Jen Hatmaker book, and I really love her. Each chapter is a short story that is both funny and thought provoking, and each story ends with something for you to think about or work on. There is a quote in there that has stuck with me and I re-read it often when I'm having a challenging day with Hadley:

"You will never have this day with your children again.  Tomorrow, they'll be a little older than they were today.  This day is a gift.  Breathe and notice.  Smell and touch them; study their little faces and little feet and pay attention.  Relish the charms of the present.

Enjoy today, mama.  It will be over before you know it." 

-Jen Hatmaker from Out of the Spin Cycle

 

FIVE

 

 

Johnathon and my three year wedding anniversary is coming up next month, and while I know three years isn't exactly a huge milestone, I feel like we have done so much together in the last three years and have had such a great time so far. We got married, got a dog, and moved to a tropical island halfway around the world all in the first eleven months we were married. We found out I was pregnant at two and a half years married. And now we are coming up on three years, we have a 6 month old that has official made us a family of three (+ Sadie) and I keep thinking of all the fun we have still in store. A move back to the states in the not so distant future, God willing more children, new jobs, and all sorts of other adventures I can't even imagine. I'm so fortunate that God picked such a patient, strong, loving partner for me to experience life with!

 

 

 

And that's what's been on my mind this week! Happy Friday friends! 

Hadley Kate-6 month edition

In case I haven't said it enough times already..where is this year going?? I feel like we were just in the delivery room getting handed an incredibly precious and incredibly tiny 6lb 2oz baby girl for the first time. And now...Miss Hadley is eating solids like a champ, rolling all over the place, sitting up almost by herself...what's next...driving??? Go on a date?? College?? Somebody stop time please!

Even though Hadley's first 6 months have flown by, it has been so much fun watching her grow and change every day, and I love seeing her own little self start to emerge. When she was born, EVERYONE said she looked like Johnathon and I would have to agree. Exhibit A:

Lets be honest...I find myself constantly trying to find something about her that is from "me." I have settled on her ears and lips...I'll take what I can get. Also...how handsome is my husband?? :)

However, Johnathon and I agree...lately she has really started to not look like either one of us, but more of her own person which has been fun to see as well. Here is Hadley now at 6 months:

I feel like her eyes get bigger and bigger every day! Love!

In addition to her changing looks, Hadley has really changed as far as interests and likes. And let me tell ya....Miss Hadley Kate is definitely a girl who knows what she likes, and more importantly what she doesn't like! I have no idea where she gets that from! ;)

So in honor of Hadley Kate's 6 month birthday (it was August 1st), here is a recap of all things Hadley:

FOOD: I feel like I should start with food because there really isn't a food Hadley doesn't like (apart from peas, but I'm not counting that because...PEAS!). Her all time favorite is definitely apples, but she's also a fan of sweet potato, carrots, avocado, green beans, and chicken puree! She gets so excited when its time to eat that she kicks her feet and shakes her hands until that spoon is in her mouth! 

Nom, Nom, Nom

WEIGHT: You'd think with all this eating that's going on she would be a chunky little thing, but she's only in the 10% for weight. Oops. I prefer calling her petite as opposed to small, but everyone who sees her likes to point out HOW SMALL SHE IS!! IS SHE REALLY 6 MONTHS??? Yes she is small. We know. No there is nothing wrong. She is a perfectly healthy, perfectly petite 13lbs 7oz as of her checkup on the 1st. We did get the go ahead to give her solids twice a day, so we are hoping that might add an extra roll here and there just for good measure! 

TOYS: I could really just call this section " Don't throw your plastic water bottles away if you plan on having kids because they will single handedly be your teething child's favorite toy!"  I feel like writing a thank you note to Nestle PureLife water to let them know of a whole untapped age bracket they could be marketing to. Hadley loves nothing more than to crinkle the water bottle and chew on the ribbed top portion. When she isn't playing with our rejected recycling, Hadley really loves anything that rattles, makes noise, or that she can shove in her mouth. I keep checking for teeth, and so far nothing, but she has to be chewing on something at all times. She's also finally big enough for her exersaucer, which I think has really helped her practice her head, neck, and back control! Here are Hadley's top toys for 6 months:
 

Clockwise from top left: 
1. LeapFrog My Pal Violet
2. Vullie Sophie the Giraffe Rubber Teether
3. Evenflo Beach Baby Exersaucer
4. Lamaze Play and Grow, Freddie the Firefly

 SLEEP: Hadley continues to amaze me in the sleep department. We have loosely followed the Baby Wise philosophy on getting your babies to be good sleepers. I feel like people either swear by Baby Wise or despise it with a passion, but all I can say is it has worked wonders for us. We generally followed the Baby Wise book from birth, and Hadley slept through the night (12hrs) at 14 weeks and consistently takes two, 2.5 hour naps a day, so I'm a pretty big believer in it. Like I said, some people are very strict about creating a schedule for their child, and following all the Baby Wise rules religiously...we pretty much stick to a Eat, Wake, Sleep pattern for Hadley, and that seems to be a good enough routine for her. I do try and have her down for her naps and bedtime close to the same time everyday, and I really think that consistency has helped make Hadley a great sleeper. I know it was a game changer for Johnathon and I as well when she started sleeping through the night, so we were very grateful that Hadley has proven to love her some sleep. For any mamas out there that want to learn more about Baby Wise, I found this blog to be extremely helpful!

OTHER LIKES: Hadley loves walks in her stroller, playing airplane, peek a boo, talking to her mobile in her crib, "talking" in general, kisses, her paci/binky, Mickie Mouse Club House, and Sadie- She loves touching Sadie, and watches her all the time:

OTHER DISLIKES: Tummy time, getting strapped into her carseat, peas, and not getting your undivided attention 100% of the time. :) I'm sure toddlerhood with this one is gonna be a breeze...

It has truly been the best, hardest, most fun 6 months of our lives, and we are so grateful that God chose us to be Hadley Kate's parents. I can't wait to see what the next 6 months bring! To round out Hadley's 6 month post, here is a recap of her other monthly photos plus her 6 month photos!!

 

....and finally...6 MONTHS!

We love you so much baby girl!! xoxo- Mommy & Daddy