Daniella Murphy is a wife, boy mama and Los Angeles native recently transplanted to the mountains of Northern Arizona. A former Hollywood Assistant, she traded rolling calls and fetching latte's for rolling strollers and fetching sippy-cups. She loves Jesus, her morning coffee (still warm!) and a luxurious solo trip to Target.
Weight: We find out today at his 9 month check up! I think we’re just used to how heavy he is – but when other people hold him they always comment on how “solid” he is. Long and lean, but solid. We moved him up into his convertible car seat, he was still under the 35lb limit of the infant seat, but since we’ve been carrying him to/from the car anyway and he’s so tall we decided to make the switch. I think he’s happier that he can sit upright too.
Health: Major health news this month! We solved his digestive issues. Ok – so, baby poop talk time…he’s been having issues for a few months. Almost everything you read online tells you it’s “normal” for babies to go several (10-15 days) without going poo. Well, he would go several days, if not a week+ if we didn’t “help” him. Ah, yea. I don’t share all of this to embarrass him someday when he’s older – BUT, I share because we found something that REALLY works. Kelly and I were doing some online research one day (one of our constant topics of online searching) and Kelly found a comment about digestive issues being associated with alignment of the spine/nervous system. We personally believe in Chiropractics, I know some people don’t – totally cool. Do whatever you feel comfortable with. We decided to take him for an adjustment. And the response I received from the Dr when I told her why we came to see her…”ah, yea – Chiropractors are poo doctors.” Oh. So I won’t get all technical, but she said your nervous system is connected to your intestines, and trauma to the system is like pinching a garden hose. His pelvis was SO tight, which isn’t normal. A few months back he fell on his bottom and she thinks that was the source of the trauma…which is when all of the issues really started. So, she gently wiggled his hips, and rubbed his back and checked his neck. When the pelvis is out the neck will overcompensate…and that’s often associated with an Ear Infection. Crazy, huh?! The adjustment was very gentle and he laughed and giggled through most of it. Less than 24 hours after seeing the Chiropractor and we had movement! We also cut back on wheat/dairy and switched up his probiotic. Wheat/Dairy are “drying.” I cannot tell you how happy I am that we found a gentle and permanent solution. He’s been regular every day since, and his overall disposition is happier. He’s even kicking in swim class now – he never kicked before and alway kept his hips tucked under. So – I’ll hop off my soapbox now, but if you are having similar issues with your baby I know a wonderful Chiropractor :) We are both going for an adjustment next week.
Sleep:He’s “rising” with the sun anytime from 5am – 6:00am, feeds and then goes back down for another few hours. I usually go back to bed too and get up around 7am. Naps are like 45-1hr in the morning, and then a longer 1.5-2 hr nap in the afternoon. He’s dropped the catnap for the most part, so we moved bedtime up to 6:30pm/7pm. He’s teething again…I know, 8 teeth and counting, so that’s messing with sleep too. I’m feeling like his molars are shifting – he’s jamming his hand way back in the his mouth on one side and generally irritable. I’m so ready to get a break from teething….
Nursing: Yep. Aiming to hit that 12 month mark. He’s feeding for a long time first thing in the morning, then for shorter periods throughout the day. We’re doing more solids and he’s finally getting into it. He’s been playing with food for a few months, but in the last few days he’s really figured it out. He’ll eat a whole small banana, tons of applesauce, yogurt and his current favorite is cheerios. Also LOVES corn on the cob. He gets so excited when we give him some. His hands shake and he giggles.
What Riley is up to: Officially crawling. And fast! Our living area isn’t super big, and I’m thankful since I can see him from any corner of the kitchen/living room. He puts on the gas whenever the front door opens or when he sees Dad come into the room. His favorite new toy is our sliding trash can drawer. He’ll open and close it a hundred times. He hasn’t mastered the pull up to stand. But he can put his feel flat on the ground and do a plank/down dog. He’ll pull up and balance on his knees too. He also loved crawling over and “petting” the dogs and grabbing chunks of fur. Swim lessons are going great and he’s kicking and putting his head under.
He’s GIANT and so mature lookingEaster Basket from Grandma and Grandpa MurphyEaster goodies from Grandma Cheryl and Grandpa TomHe loves unwrappingFirst life vest – all set for a river trip!
This would be our child tipping over backwards in a life jacket. Don’t worry – he was thoroughly padded.Frist swing
PostPartum: I started working out with a trainer, she comes to the house after Riley’s in bed for the night. It’s helping me commit to exercising. I do that 2 days a week, and yoga the other days during naps. On the weekends we go for a walk or a bike ride. It’s so crazy all the changes your go through physically and mentally after having a baby. I’m so thankful for my little group of Mom friends that I can share #momprobs with. I’m also thankful that all my non-mom friends “get it” and are super cool about the whole “hey, we have a baby” thing. It changes your life – just like everyone said. But it’s awesome. Sure, some days are hard. And others are a breeze. It’s a daily challenge to find balance, and a constant struggle to remember that I need to be selfish and make myself a priority sometimes.
Baby Gear: All the kitchen tools! Ha. Books are a new favorite. He loves turning the pages and opening/closing them.
So, I’m gonna get a little Christian here. In the past few weeks I’ve felt a little off. Happy and thankful, but still a little off. Every morning it would cross my mind that I should probably read my Bible. We should probably plan to go to Church this weekend. Did I pray today?
Our lives are a little crazy – come on, who’s life isn’t these days? I’m really trying to focus and be intentional with my time, our money, and how I parent. So this week I decided that I’m going to make a clear goal – to read my Bible for 100 days. It’s day 4 and I already feel more at peace. Funny how that works.
Friday’s is when the SRT community shares their own writings on the study for the day.
Today is Joshua 1: 8-9.
Now, full and total honesty. I am NOT a Bible scholar, I don’t have a theology degree. The only Bible classes I took in college were of the “religion” type. I’m not super well-read, I don’t know how to pull in analogies to break down scripture. I’m ill-equipped in the truest sense. But, that’s not the point. It’s about learning. Moving forward from the point I’m at. You might be at a different point. Cool? Cool.
So. Here I go.
Old Testament style. Book of the Law. Heavy, no? A lot of people get ruffled when you bring up the Bible. It’s just a bunch of stories about things you should and shouldn’t do. The 10 Commandments is just a boring list of “no.” Sure. I get it. I’m a rule-follower. Blame my Type A personality. I like to color in the lines and obey traffic laws. I patiently wait in line for my turn because I know that I’ll eventually make my way to the front – because that’s how following the rules works. If you follow them, everyone gets a turn.
Meditate. Hm. Do my prayers still count if I’m constantly falling down rabbit holes about laundry and bills and work emails? Day AND Night? Hm. I will admit that some of my strongest prayers have come in the deepest of night. When Riley wakes up at 3am and is fighting his teeth. I’ll fumble down the stairs and into his room and hold him and pray. Sometimes out loud. Sometimes to myself. I’ll pray for him, over his room, for the safety of our home. When Kelly kisses me goodbye before leaving for work at all hours of the morning I’ll pray. Mostly for his safety as he’s driving into the early morning when the bars are letting out and the roads are unsafe. I’ll wake in the middle of the night when I hear the baby monitor crack and I’ll lay there counting my blessings. How thankful I am for this life.
To do according to all that is written in it. Big ask there. I can’t just pick the fluffy parts? You mean I have to be good to my neighbor and sell all my stuff and take care of the poor? I’ve been wrestling with that one lately. Stuff. How we have so much, and others have so little. I’m trying to be careful to do. I really am. I’m sort of a mess in my heart these days. I blame the books I’ve been reading…oh, the books. Reading makes you think. I’ll have to share my reading stack soon.
Commanded to be strong and courageous. Oh. Commanded. Like – that’s a serious order. None of this frightened and wishy-washy business. STRONG and COURAGEOUS. That’s boldness and confidence. That’s stepping out in faith knowing that no matter what you won’t fall because you’ve got a safety net. Still. It’s SO hard. Why is that the biggest hold back – the first step out? In my heart I’m all “yea, let’s do this – let’s live life fully and crazy and totally dedicated to passion” but my little Type A brain is going “excuse me, you’re doing what now? you have to think this through. weigh the pros and cons.” The never ending battle between head and heart will continue on. But I hope as I grow the heart voice gets louder and stronger and more courageous. Wherever I go. Wherever you go. I don’t think life’s pointless and random, but I do think we have to be intentional. We’re given unique situations and special opportunities to do life where we are. That’s been on my mind the past few days. Blooming where I’m planted. I’m in this moment of my life only once. I’ll never get to be in this season again. I need to be strong and courageous. I have to. Come on heart voice – speak up! I’m trying to hear you over my head.
Weight: 20 lbs? Not sure since we haven’t been to the doctor since his 6 month check up. He’s heavier and longer for sure. Wearing 18 – 24 month outfits. We’ve switched to t-shirts and bottoms since most onesie/rompers are too short. I’ve started just carrying him to and from the car to put him into his carseat since it’s so awkward to carry. I think we’ll be switching to the convertible seat soon. On our past few longer car rides he’s not super happy, I’m thinking he might be uncomfortable in the chair but he’s still under the weight limit – closer to outgrowing it height wise soon though.
Health: Healthy! We’ve still had some digestive issues, but I think we’re on the downside. We’ve done lots of reading – Dr Sears is my go-to…and we’ve talked to several friends and apparently it’s not uncommon for babies to have trouble with poo. Especially when starting solids. It’s a repetitive cycle: it hurts to go, so baby doesn’t want to go, the longer baby waits the harder it is to go – and it hurts. Over and over. We’ve tried it all: pears, peaches, prunes, apples, water, long baths, tummy rubs, q-tips and glycerin. Finally we shared our frustrations with some friends who’ve had similar issues with their baby – and they found an all natural herbal tea (blue lavender leaves and alfalfa) that helps!!! So I drink the tea, and things get rolling. Whooo! Seriously – most of this month has been spent talking about poo. But, that’s like the deal with parenting, right? How much, how often, color, consistency, frequency…Overall though, he’s super healthy and happy. I totally get that he’s fussy when his tummy is bothering him, wouldn’t you be fussy too?
Sleep:This month was a little all over the place for sleep – not his fault, ours. We took a family trip to Vegas as the last second and all 3 of us shared a room. That was tough. He was too big for the little bassinet the hotel provided so I made him a little nest/bed thing on the floor. We ended up nursing to sleep just to help him settle and stay quiet. We would all be in bed at 8:30pm to avoid him waking up hearing us. Naps were on the go in the car/stroller/Ergo or 40min tops in the hotel room while we huddled in the corner. We had a fun time, but for our future trips we need to make sure to get a separate area/room for him to sleep. We’re all much happier that way. He’s woken up a few times in the middle of the night in the past few weeks,
Nursing: Yep! He does get distracted. Especially when Daddy’s around. He LOVES to see Daddy. So if he’s not really hungry it’s hard to keep his focus. Typically, if he’s eaten for 5 min that’s enough to take the edge off and he’s all about seeing what everyone else is into. I’m still nursing him before he has his solid meals. This helps make sure he’s not starving and frustrated that the food on his tray isn’t making it’s way into his mouth and filling him up. I’ve relaxed on the 4 hour schedule. Since he went through a BIG growth spurt (holy hangy mama – seriously, give me alllll the foods) and started nursing more often and for MUCH longer periods…going from 20min to 45min+ was major!! Now, with teething he’s wanting to nurse every 2.5 – 3.5hr. I’m not worried. I know he’ll get back on track in a little while. On a related note – when he was on the 4 hour schedule we’d feed at 7am, 11am, 3pm and 7pm. Only 4 feedings a day. I asked my OB and she suggested I pump before bed at 10pm. Can I say how thankful I am that I’m with my baby daily and I don’t have to pump often? Major huge props for Mamas that pump regularly, or exclusively. Heroes. Oh – and on another related, related note – on Instagram I read a comment from a women that’s been nursing for 10 years. A DECADE of nursing. Can you imagine?! She said it was 4 kids, overlapping. Whoa.
What Riley is up to: This kid wants to crawl – look out! He’s rolling around, scooting backwards, getting his legs stuck under the couch, playing with his toys and laughing like crazy at the dogs. Even if he wakes up cranky from a nap, as soon as he sees one of the dogs he starts giggling and laughing. He’s sitting in the stroller and shopping cart like a big boy, and trying out highchairs and sitting up on his own.
Swim!Current Favorite Picture – all the things I love together in one place.First Desert TripWait – is that Riley or ME?!
He is looking more like a little boy and less like a baby. Whawww!
PostPartum: I made working out a priority this month and I’m starting to feel stronger. I tried some new recipes to add in more fruit and veggies in my diet. My eating is pretty good, 80/20 probably most days and 60/40 on others. I do weigh more than I did before I was pregnant but that doesn’t bother me. It’s more about feeling good in a bathing suit. I’m almost there. My stretch marks are fading and my Mommy Tummy is flattening out – I’ll probably never look like pre-baby me again, but that’s not a bad thing. I just want to feel like the best version of myself now. Emotionally, I’m good. I did have some funny feelings at the 6 month mark but I’m thankful that passed quickly. I didn’t realize that you’re still susceptible to PP Depression until 12 months. I think at 6 months he went through a huge growth spurt and it was taking a toll on me physically which then affected my mood.
Baby Gear: Kitchen tools are the best toys ever. Spatula, measuring cups, bowls. So much cooler than “real” toys. I’m trying to gather more books too. I bought him a 50th anniversary edition of the Giving Tree. Probably my favorite book from childhood. It still makes me tear up.
Thoughts: Oh man. SO many thoughts. I’ve been working on simplifying life, and I’m really trying to make that happen. I don’t want to be a crazy, stressed out Mom. I don’t want people to start a conversation with me by saying “I know you’re SO busy, but….” No way. I have time for my people. I want to soak up this brief time in our lives. Now. When our baby is about to crawl and still thinks we’re the coolest and funniest people ever. People tell you having a baby goes by fast – it does. But so does life. Having a baby just gives you something to measure it by with milestones and passing monthly celebrations. Sure I have a busy life, and there are lots of things about my job I can’t control. There are also lots of things I can control. And those are the ones I’m working on. Less stuff, less clutter, less stress. More space, more room to breathe, more time to soak up life. I really think that less is so much more.
The Merfett 
