Harper's First Swim!

                                                                      Happy Monday!!

Is anyone else counting down the days to warmer, sunnier, non snow days? I know I am.

Cabin fever is such a bitch! I wish Harp's and I could go on walks or even just go outside without being frostbitten...

Well to cure our winter blues we went swimming for the first time! (Second time to a pool but she slept through the first time.) My Mom took us to Lifetime Fitness where she teaches yoga and they have a huge indoor pool. Harper loves bath time so I figured she would love the pool water too. Yup, she loved it. She actually loved watching all the other kids the most but it was very fun and I cant wait to go again hopefully this weekend. I also want to start swimming lessons but I might wait until the fall just to give us something to do once it gets chilly again. I am also obsessed with baby swimsuits! Harper got her first bikini before she was even born. Of course she had to wear it to the pool when she was about five weeks old but she just slept in the stroller the whole time and we only stayed for about an hour. She now has three swimsuits and one was a gift from our amazing friend Tara, who I met on Instagram. She sent Harper the cutest swimsuit and I cant wait for her to wear it!!

First time in my yellow polka dot bikini at 5 weeks old.

 First time swimming. Six months old.

Excuse my nastiness... I cant believe I went in public with a bikini on... but I'm glad I will have those pictures of us someday! I cant wait for Summer 2013. I will have a one year old!! omg...

Legging Tutorial!!

Who wants to learn how to create the cutest baby ever! Kidding, that would be disgusting and very inappropriate, I meant cutest baby leggings ever!! Silly me ;)

Welcome to my first tutorial! Don't judge my terrible skills but I tried, and I am actually very proud of myself. Go Me!

These baby legging are c/o Small Fry Blog. They posted THIS easy peasy DIY tutorial yesterday, and now i am obsessed. I want to run out to Forever 21 right now and pick up every body con skirt they sell in every print! Anyways I happened to have an old one that was stuffed in a tub under my bed and, Ta-Da, new leggings for Harper Girl! (It looks cuter on her anyways!) So here is my tutorial on it. Don't judge me... I tried my best and know I left out some parts but here goes nothing... I also made a headband out of the scrap material and a little flower to go on the hip to make them more girly. Thank You Small Fry Blog for my newest sewing obsession!

What You Need

-Old stretchy pencil skirt

-Leggings for pattern

-Scissors

-Sewing Machine

For Flower and Headband

-needle and thread

-extra material

The bodycon skirt I used. Its a size small from Forever 21.

These are the leggings I used as my pattern and are from Target and are size 6 months.

Step 1:

I placed the leggings on top of the skirt. If you have a fabric pencil you can trace your pattern out onto the skirt but I just decided to eyeball mine. I also pinned the leggings to the skirt before I cut so they would stay in place better. Make sure you are lining the leggings up with the cuff of the skirt down!!

Step 2:

Cut the outside and inside thighs like this. I would recommend cutting at least 1/4" more for room to sew your seam. These leggings are also getting a little small for Harper so I wanted these new ones to last longer, that's why I didn't cut exactly to size. Also, I'm not the most precise sewer so I need all the extra material I can get!

Step Three:

 Once you've finished cutting, un pin the pattern from the cut out skirt. Now you will have 2 pieces of the skirt. Place the 2 pieces together right sides out and pin around edges. You don't have to use the pins but I think pinning gives you more control, especially with those pesky stripes. I tried lining them up perfectly and it took me forever and then as soon as I started sewing, that perfect lining up went out the door!

Step Four:

Sew! Sew the seams down both outer thighs and the inner thighs. I left the bottom of the leggings raw because I suck at hemming but I didn't like how it looked so unfinished so I decided to add a cuff... 

If you decide not to add the cuff your done!! How frickin easy was that! I also thought of something when I was done. I wish I have not sewn the cuff of the skirt down, Instead I should have pinned it up (after cutting the leggings out of it down) so that I could adjust the cuff when shes wearing them. Does that make sense? But anyways, here's how I added the cuff. I used some scrap material that was laying around from when I make my baby legs and I used the same technique. 

Leftover scrap material from baby legs.

I fold these (individually) inside themselves so they look like this...

Then I line these cuffs up to the bottom of the legging leg so that all the raw edges are lined up. You will have to stretch the legging material to fit because the cuff width is a lot smaller.

I then sew around the edge of all the lined up raw edges and you have a perfect cuff! OK just kidding, its NEVER perfect, but after alot of practice it is almost perfect. I think the cuff adds a little more to the leggings. 

Finished Product!!

 With the matching headband and flower detail I added.

I'm in LOVE! The tutorial on Small Fry is a lot simpler, but I just thought I'd show the process of my first pair. I hope this made some sense and if anyone tries this tutorial let me know I want to see!!!

For the Headband, I just took two pieces of extra fabric and sewed them together to fit Harper's head size then I used THIS (the words are in a different language but I just followed along with the pictures, and its pretty self explanatory.) tutorial from Pinterest to create the little flower petals which i used as bows, Then just hand sewed the bow on to the headband with another piece of scrap fabric as the middle part. and the flower detail I did in the same way. Just made some petals from the tutorial and strung them all together on one thread and then cut tiny small strips and sewed them on top of the flower for the flower middle and then hand sewed the flower onto the pants. Pretty easy, just took pretty much my whole morning, (along with entertaining the princess) but I'm pretty proud of myself for using pretty much the whole skirt! 

Here's the star of the show in her new leggings. I think she likes them!

I don't know about this bow Mom...

Okay, never mind, I like it too!

Happy 6 Months Harper J!!!

My little Princess is officially half a year old!!! (On December 24th).

At my six month check up!

To put it simply, it has been the best 6 months of my life and I know your Daddy's too. You have filled our hearts with so much joy and happiness, we are bursting at the seams. I am literally so IN LOVE with you, I am obsessed. You are our pride and joy!

Leaving the hospital. Proud Mom and Dad.

You weigh 15.6 pounds. (46%) You are 25.7 inches tall. (42%)
My itty bitty dolly. You are still wearing carters size three month onsies and some pants. But mostly 3-6 month in everything else. You are about to transition to 6-9 months and all the pajamas you wear are six months. I love how you are a petite little girl. Except for you have a big head like Mama, and a lot of hats don't fit right. But that's okay. Its just because you are so smart!
Your eyes are still blue but with a hazel-y center if your looking into the light. I think you are going to have eyes like Me. You still don't have much hair... Harps, don't you know Mama does hair and I need you to have lots and lots of hair like me so we can play hair salon everyday? Its starting to get fuzzier towards your hairline, so i think its slowly coming in! You don't have any teeth yet but I am thinking you will be getting some in the next month or two. I am NOT ready for teeth. Ouch!

You are stunning Miss Harper!

Since you have been born you have only eaten from Mama besides the occasional pumped bottles which you are not a fan of. I am very proud of EBF'ing and I love that you need Me and only Me right now because I know someday you will not need me as much and I will be heartbroken. I always want the best for you and that includes food.   We got the go ahead to start solids at your four month check up, but Mom was a little reserved about that. Something inside Me wasn't ready for you to start eating like a "big girl". I was still enjoying our us time together and was not ready to give up your sweet newborn-essness go bye bye. I finally decided to let you try organic oatmeal at a little over 5 months. You loved it! We tried it two more times and every time was a hit. Until the third night when you became all of a sudden super fussy for no reason, had a nasty diaper, and a terrible rash. I knew you were having some sort of reaction and I was so mad at myself and everyone else that was somewhat pressuring me to "feed" you. So that stop instantly!! At your six month well check, Dr. Moore said your stomach might not handle the oatmeal well and to try fruits and veggies instead and then go back to the oatmeal's and rice. We still haven't tried, except for the occasional banana tastings off my finger. (which you love) I am being a wimp. But you love pretend drinking from "cups" and have been interested in empty sippy cups since you were four months old. I think you just like to chew on the spouts. I have recently been letting you drink water from a cup whenever we are drinking water and you are a pro. You are just so good at everything you do!!!

My first sippy cup!

First time eating solids!

You still sleep with me in bed every night. Poor Daddy will probably not be back in his own bed until your like two. (somewhat kidding, i know its bad). You have never been the best sleeper and always had intentions of you at least sleeping in the Rock N' Play but that only lasted about 2 weeks and you were up every thirty minutes unless I was holding you. Then Daddy got the boot, and you took his spot in bed with Mama. I haven't tried to break this habit yet because it is what works for ALL of us at the moment. I'm sure Dad doesn't mind sleeping through the night when he has to wake up at 5 a.m. And you my dear are not sleeping through the night. You are up at least 3 times to eat. You also still use your paci still but only when you are sleeping so I am okay with that. We start our bedtime routine at around 6 p.m. You take a bath, lotion, jammies, go lay in bed and eat and you are asleep! Then Mom watches her shows in bed and talks to Dad while he is usually on his computer. Its usually my only "Me" time of the day. You only take one or two naps during the day in your swing or on Me and they only last for 10 minutes to an hour. It doesn't help that someone is always in and out of the house or a dog is always barking! (Bella). Lets just say some days I really miss the newborn days when you slept all the time and wouldn't wake up to even the loudest noises!

Our usual sleeping arrangements.

Sleeping on Mom with a paci. Bella was sleepy too.

The only time you ever fell asleep by yourself in here. 

I really think you are the smartest baby on the planet ;)

You learn things so quickly its amazing. Grandma taught you the mouth trick and you guys use to do that together all the time until you decided you were too grown up for that. Aunt Tera taught you how to blow raspberries and you love that and as soon as someone does it, you immediately copy them. You can roll over, front to back, back to front, and are now rolling from one side of the room to the other. You have been sitting unassisted for almost a good month now and I could not be any prouder!!!! It makes playtime and picture taking and pretty much everything else so much more enjoyable. You sit in highchairs now and in the cart at Target. You also learned how to wave over Christmas and it is the cutest thing ever. So smart little one! You study your hands like crazy. You will be moving them and all of a sudden you will catch a glimpse of one and study it. It is one of the sweetest things Ive ever seen. I melt every time. And this week you started crossing your feet while your sitting. You are such a lady already! You are still somewhat frightened by strangers but not as bad as a couple months ago. If it wasn't Me, Dad, Grandma, or Grandpa, you were not a happy baby even if it was just a nice lady at the store telling you how pretty you were! You were even scared of your poor Aunt at first when she came to visit us. I hope this scared reaction lasts till your 30 with the boys! ;) I think you have also figured out what happens when we go visit Dr. Moore at the doctors office. This last time you pretty much cried the moment I took you out of your car seat. You cried when they weighed you, measured you, measured your head, everything! Then when Moore came in you smiled for a second then realized you didn't know him and it was a meltdown. He said it is uncommon for babies so young to have that stranger danger fear, but you might be just a little more advanced! (I know, I know). You always come down with a slight fever after your shots and I give you a little baby Motrin and your fine the next day. You have only had a little runny nose once and you have never had a fever above 102. You are so healthy and strong!

First time sitting by myself!! So proud of myself!

Crossing my feet like a lady!

You have so many toys they are taking over our house!!! I think every time Grandma comes home she has a new something for you. She got you Sophie when you were five weeks old and could care less about it. lol. Now you love her and she tastes so yummy! I think you have every pink toy out there. You also love all of Grandma and Grandpas pug stuffed animals. You also always find the tag on every toy and would rather play with that than the actual toy. But then when we buy you the "Taggies doll" you don't even notice her. Silly. You like your new jumperoo too and you can jump really well in it but I think you will like it more when you learn how to make the seat spin. You also still love watching Disney Jr. Specifically Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Octonauts, and the Chipette's Single Ladies video. Lol! I think bath time is also one of your favorite times of the day. Especially now that you can sit up in your princess tub and play with your rubber ducky and the wash cloths. Its so cute to watch you kick your legs in the water!

My pug friends!

I love bath time!

 

You are the best baby in the whole world and I love you so much it hurts! I love being your Mom and you make me so incredibly proud every single day. Every day I thank god for letting me spend the day with you and I cant wait to see you grow up into that sweet little dolly that I know you are (just not too fast). You really are my sunshine and my best friend and I cant even write these things about you without tearing up. Love, Mommy xoxo