Hailey’s Happy Half- A Confetti Carnival Half Birthday Party

On March 28, Hailey officially became 6 months old! I truly cannot believe how quickly time flew by, but it’s true! I love a good party (surprise surprise!) so I decided to throw Hailey a small (but adorable) half birthday party to mark the occasion. I knew the party had to be cheap, because our budget is a little tight these days. I also knew it had to be simple so my husband wouldn’t get annoyed at me for having an unnecessary party. And I knew it had to be cute, because IT’S ME and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The result was an adorable little party on a budget that any mom can throw for their baby!

Picking a Half Birthday Party Theme 

The first thing I had to do was pick a theme for the party. I was a bit stumped at first, but I knew I wanted something colorful and maybe with confetti. I browsed Pinterest for ideas, then I looked up the silly holidays and found that March 28 is food on a stick day. My mind instantly went to carnival food like corn dogs, and that’s how the confetti carnival theme came about! I created a mood board for the party (more on that coming to the blog soon!) and I began planning my purchases and menu. 

One of my goals for this party was to not generate a ton of trash afterwards. So, I purchased reusable supplies like the honeycombs instead of balloons. I decided not to use cute patterned paper/plastic plates because we had enough everyday plates for the guests. I also used our turquoise footed glass goblets that we never get to use with company and regular silverware. The only plates I got where these half circle plates because they just fit with the theme wayyyy too well, and I knew there was no way I’d find that affordably for a reusable set. I skipped paper straws altogether because no one really uses them anyway. 

Carnival Party Crafts 

The good news is that all the fun DIYs that I did will be coming to the blog soon! I wanted to get this party post up before Hailey turned 9 months (or 9 years!) old. Like I said, I kept it simple and only did a few diy projects. I made Hailey a crown to wear with a 1/2 on it which at first seemed a little big but looked pretty cute overall. She wore it comfortably for most of the party! Then, I made a 1/2 cake topper. I had big plans for it with hanging ribbons but it looked funny, and 9pm the night before means you just gotta move on. I kept it simple with just glitter paper and a skewer stick. And lastly, I really wanted to display the photos I’ve been taking of Hailey each month so I made some picture holders! I picked my favorite photo from each month plus one from when she was first born.  It was really amazing being able to capture her growth each month because I can’t believe how big she’s gotten already and it hasn’t even been a year yet! I think I’m going to look back at these with such appreciation.

Psst- I made a baby photography course so that you can learn how to take better baby photos too! Learn more about Dreamy Baby Photography here.

Carnival Party Decor

I knew I wanted to make a tent (even though it’s more circus than carnival) so I raided my fabric stash and found some tulle that I had bought for my veil, but it was too narrow. I would have preferred something bolder but hey, sometimes you just gotta move on! I also knew I wanted to have balloon animals, so I used these figures I had and put them around the house. Finally, I wanted to add some pizzazz to the party area so I purchased a set of tassel garlands and a pack of honeycombs and lanterns. I made some of the garland tassels thicker and some thinner (2 pieces of tissue paper vs 4) so I was able to make a ton of tassels and hang them up around the party area. I also used the tassels and the honeycombs to decorate the tent and give it more of a carnival feel. I also added my DIY cotton candy garland which is so fun and complimented the theme!

Carnival Party Menu

You can’t have a party without food! Well, you can but it wouldn’t be as good haha. We decided to keep the menu really simple (and cheap!) with traditional carnival fare. 

Popcorn chicken
Corn dogs
Mexican street corn (elote)
Loaded tot kabobs (recipe here)
Cotton candy
Cake pops
Popcorn
Buffalo wings (brought by family)
Spinach pies (common at Greek fairs!)

Rainbow Layer Cake 

I decided that I wanted to do a layer cake and make it rainbow. I’ve never made a layer cake before nor a rainbow cake so I was a little worried. But it came out soooo cute! Since it was her half birthday I cut the cake in half, which left the layers out for everyone to see. The cake was actually really easy to make but in case you want a “tutorial”, here’s what I did. I used 2 white cake mix boxes and dyed them using neon McCormick dye. I sprayed the pans with flour spray which helped the cake not to stick to the pan. After they baked and cooled, I took them out of the pans and cut them flat using a long sharp knife. Then, I cut them in half and assembled the cake with a layer of frosting in between. Hailey was too young to eat the cake, but we took some pretty cute photos of her with the cake!

I mean…. look at that rainbow gorgeous goodness! Not bad for my first attempt at rainbow cake and a layer cake. I served the cake on the half circle plates, because what better to eat half a cake on than half a plate?! Once the cake and dessert was served, Hailey opened a few gifts from my mom. We requested no gifts but she said she had purchased the items months ago and since my parents were moving, she didn’t want to lose them. Fair enough! Most of those toys ended up being some of her favorites.

Such a fun and simple way to celebrate Hailey’s Half Birthday! Most of those decorations are still up, 2 months later. I love how festive the honeycomb balls and lanterns are! Even the circus tent is still up, although that’s probably due to laziness more than anything else. It’s hard to believe that in less than 4 months, we’ll be celebrating her first birthday. Seriously, where has the time gone and how do I stop it?!

Well, that’s all folks! I’ve got the individual DIY projects for this party (including the crown and photo holders!) coming to the blog soon, as well as Hailey’s monthly updates. It’s been a little busy around here and sadly I’m slacking on those! Part of me was thinking maybe I shouldn’t bother with them anymore but I think someday I’m going to look back at them longingly so I’m going to keep going! Keep an eye out for the DIY projects and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes plus reminders for new posts!

Hailey's 5 & 6 Months Updates

Time has flown by (again!) and I missed an update so here’s a 2 in 1 for ya ;) A lot has happened in the past few months and overall Hailey is a much more alert, vibrant baby than she was before! Let’s see what happened, shall we? 

Got a Puppy

Perhaps the biggest thing that happened in the last 2 months is that we got a puppy! Lexie joined our family and it’s been madness ever since. But, she and Hailey LOVE each other so it makes it worth it. I’ve got a post about having a puppy AND a baby coming soon, so let me know any specific questions you have about it! It’s funny though, because a few days before we adopted Lexie, we saw another puppy that was a small poodle mix. As soon as Hailey saw me with the puppy, she started to cry! Luckily she got over it really quickly and soon enough she was loving Lexie. 

Touch your Toes

At 5 months, Hailey started holding her feet and toes which made changing her much easier! Eventually she started eating her toes too, which was pretty funny to watch. She could basically be found with a foot in her mouth at all times!

Rolling over in secret

This kid- mind of her own I tell ya! John and I would lay her down to try and encourage her to roll over. She came close but never really did it. Then a few times that we left her laying on her back and moved away (like on her play mat in her room and went to grab something, or in her crib) she’d secretly roll over on her own! Now she won’t stop rolling at all. On the floor, your lap, the changing pad... this little lady’s flipping over all day long!

Crib

We transitioned Hailey into her crib and I mayyyy have cried. We tried to have her sleep in her room but she kept waking up, so we brought her back into our room where she stayed for 2 months! After she started rolling over, she insisted on sleeping on her tummy but then she couldn’t turn back and would cry to get turned.

6 months

Loves tummy time

In an interesting turn of events, Hailey now loves being on her tummy! She’s always flopping over from her back to her tummy so that she can play with stuff. She also loves being laid down on her tummy and looking around the room or trying to move around. She hast quite mastered it yet, but she’s determined!

(Sorta) Sitting up

Hailey’s starting to get the hang of sitting up, but she doesn’t want to do it on her own. She prefers to flip over onto her tummy instead! It’s frustrating because at 3 or 4 months old she was starting to sit up, but then she completed regressed once we got the puppy!

Playing with the pets

Hailey’s favorite pastime is playing with Lexie. Which is great, because Lexie loves her too! They spend the day making out (I try to separate them but it’s so difficult), and Hailey loves to stick her hand in the puppy’s mouth to get nibbled. If Lexie’s sleeping, Hailey will touch her paws and call to her. It’s the cutest thing. She’s not very gentle but Lexie doesn’t mind at all! I had Hailey and Lexie laying next to each other and Hailey was excited and kicking Lexie in the ribs and face. I made Lexie move to the other side of me so she was safe. She laid down for a minute and decided she wanted to be near Hailey, kicks and all! Hailey’s also trying to get attention from the cats but they’re not quite as interested as Lexie is. Well, except that one time.

Waking Up Again

Well, I guess the honeymoon had to end sometime. Hailey went from sleeping 12-14 hours in her bassinet to waking up at night in her crib. I had hoped she was just crying because it was new, but she ended up waking up once or sometimes twice a night. It’s made this momma tired! It doesn’t help that it’s also totally random. Some nights she wakes up at 2-4 am hungry. Other nights it’s 4-6:30 am. She usually has a quick snack and goes back to bed so I can’t complain too much!

Mirror games

Hailey loves to look at herself in the mirror! We like to play “who’s that baby?” I take her over to a mirror and point her out and she gives me a big smile. She also loves selfie mode and it’s resulted in lots of fun smiling pictures of us for daddy while he’s at work. She also loves when I dance with her in front of a mirror!  I either put on a Pandora station, or sing my rendition of “who’s that lady” by the Isley brothers. And it goes “who’s that baby? (Who’s that baby?) Cutesy baby (who’s that baby?). She loves it!

Singing

Hailey’s been singing a lot more lately and making a ton of noises. She has a wider range of sounds and loves trying to go high pitch and shouting. Then, she looks around for our reactions to make sure we are paying attention to her. It’s really cute!

I can’t believe how quickly she’s growing. I know I say that every month, but wow is it flying by! She’s becoming such an amazing little person.

Hailey's 4 Month Update

I need to get better about posting these updates on time, but on January 28th Hailey turned 4 months old! Time flies and we’re about to do her 5 month update in just over a week and I’m wondering where the time went. Let’s see what this cute little cabbage patch has been up to!

At four months old, Hailey is 13 lbs and 23.5 inches tall. She’s wearing size 3-6 months clothes. She’s outgrowing her second set of clothes, the 0-3 month ones and getting better and smarter each day!

Crawling/swimming

Hailey’s fun party trick is swimming on her belly from dad to mom. She’ll be on Johns lap and decide she wants me. So she tips herself forward, goes onto her belly and wildly kicks and flails around to get over to me (I’m usually right next to John). He’s put his hand behind her feet to give her something to push off of and she ventures over to me, slobbering on John’s arm the entire way. 

Found her foot

Hailey found her foot! I had her on my lap and she looked down and saw a fox foot on her pjs. She was interested in it (step 1 of finding her foot) and then was wiggling it around and seemed shocked she made it move! (Step 2 of finding her foot). It was actually the cutest thing to witness as she pieced it all together. 

Throw up monster

Ugh this month Hailey’s been spitting up like crazyyyy and it’s been super fun. We’re going through burp cloths like crazy. One day, she burped and kinda threw up but it was literally across the entire back of the couch cushion, all over the burp cloth and all down my back too! That was fun to clean up but lucky I had spot and stain upholstery cleaner so it didn’t even leave a stain!

Great sleeper

This month was a shocker since Hailey has been sleeping at night more than most babies her age- 10, 12 sometimes even 14 hours! It was hugely helpful since I got to do work at night (hallelujah!) but also still get a full night’s rest. She also started going to sleep more easily since she’s found her thumb, and instead of 2+ hours nighttime routine, it only takes about 30 minutes. 

Bouncer/Jumper

I think part of the reason she’s going to bed so easily is that we set up her bouncer and she jumps all day long! She’s pretty much sitting in there if she’s not eating or napping and she loves it. At first she just hung there but after teaching her to bounce and putting a book under her feet so she could reach the ground, she go the hang of it and hasn’t stopped bouncing since. We have the Finding Nemo jumper because I figured if it had to be technicolor, it may as well be something I liked. But, my friend has this one from Skip Hop which also turns into a table and chalkboard when they get bigger and I loveeeee how simple and clean it looks! I wish I had found it first because I definitely would have picked that one.

Laughing

Ugh be still my heart. Hailey finally started laughing and it’s the cutest thing everrrr. She really doesn’t laugh that often but I spend all my time trying to get her to giggle. I think she takes after her father- he doesn’t laugh all that much, while I laugh at everything. While it can be frustrating to try and make her laugh but only having her stare at me in return, it makes those few giggles I do get extra-precious. 

Crying at strangers

I used to be able to hand Hailey off to anyone and everyone, but not anymore! Now when people come over and try to hold her, she freaks out. She’s always looking to me for comfort and to assess if the person is a friend or foe. I still can’t believe that she’s my baby and I’m her mom. I feel like theres got be someone else who’s really in charge of her! I’ll take all the extra snuggles though, and I’m trying to slowly re-introduce people in a way she’s comfortable with so she doesn’t cry as much around them (like grandmas, aunties… not true “strangers”). It usually involves putting her in her bouncer (safe zone) while they play with her and she gets comfortable with them.

Brown eyes

It seems like Hailey’s eye color is finally starting to come through and it’s a greyish brown! They seem dark so she may have my eye shape but Johns eye color. Only time will tell!

One extra long curly hair

Hailey has one single extra long, curly strand of hair! It sits straight up on the middle of the crown of her head. We were fairly certain she’d have curly hair since both of us do, and this confirmed it! We’re still unsure about hair color, since the back of her head is super dark but the top is sorta light and blond-ish in the sun. 

Nicknames

Cheese Foot is still hanging in there from her stinky Owlet foot, along with Love Dove, Love Bug, and of course still calling her my best friend! She’s stopped making her bird sounds which makes me sad, so I don’t call her Little Bird anymore. But I foresee many new nicknames coming about!

Well, thats all about Hailey at 4 months old! She’s the cutest baby I ever laid eyes on and I love her sooooo much. I’m so appreciative of the fact that I get to stay home with her daily.

Hailey's 3 Month Update

Little Hailey is now 3 months old! She changes so much week to week, and I am loving the tiny person she’s becoming. I feel so lucky to be her momma, and to still be on maternity leave soaking up every second with her. It’s a dream. Let’s take a look at all the ways Hailey has changed this month, shall we?!

At three months old, Hailey is 13 lbs 2 oz and 23 inches tall. She’s wearing size 3 months clothes. She’s been quite the fashionista lately, letting me dress her up in fun clothes every day!

Watching TV

OK, Hailey’s been watching tv for a while now, but lately she’s REALLY into the TV! She whines when she’s not facing it and we are, haha. I guess she’s becoming a zombie like us. She doesn’t get much screen time besides when we’re watching tv, and we only watch adult shows so I think she just likes the lights. Either way, it’s really stinking cute when she “watches” Disney or Christmas movies!

Singing songs

Hailey loves our little sing-alongs. I have the worst singing voice ever (and a pretty annoying normal voice, some would argue!) so I find it hilarious that she likes when I sing. She’s been loving Christmas songs, especially the slow soulful ones like my acapella rendition of Please Come Home For Christmas by the Eagles. I can’t hit any of the notes, but for some reason she loves it haha. 

Faces

Hailey is noticing faces more and more, and loves when you smile at her! She smiles back and likes to study people. She also hates when she can’t see you nowadays, so I tend to keep her in the kitchen with me when I’m cooking so she doesn’t start wailing. 

Smiling more

Hailey is such a happy, smiley girl! She loves singing, light fixtures, faces… pretty much everything except toys, haha. Everything makes her smile, and I am LOVING it. I spend all day trying to get those smiles and I can’t seem to get enough.

Singing and sounds

Hailey is making so many sounds these days! She’s even been singing little songs to me, and I die every time. We also have “conversations” and she loves to tell me about her poops as I change her diaper, haha! She knows John reacts when she does a little high pitched squeal, so she does that when he’s around. It’s pretty insane how smart she is.

Sitting upright

So, little miss Hailey is a big girl. She loves to sit upright and whines now when you hold her like a little baby. She also does “sit ups” on her boppy pillow, where she holds my thumbs and pulls herself up. She sticks out her little tongue and smiles at me as I cheer her on. Then when she’s upright, she bobbles around trying to get her balance. She’s getting really good on it, and she’ll probably be sitting up on her own soon!

First Christmas 

That’s right, this Little Miss had her first Christmas! I couldn’t handle it, we wore Christmas pajamas every day for the 2 weeks before, and I sang her Christmas Carols all month long. I was super bummed on Christmas when I realized I forgot to take a photo of us together. My hubby (and tripod) came to the rescue though, because we took some great shots of us in front of the tree and Hailey even smiled in the one with me! It took some of the blues away. 

Baby Fists

Hailey learned how to make a fist and chew on it this month, so she spends a lot of time sucking on her hand. Then, she also discovered her thumb and started sucking that too! It’s mostly when she’s hungry or feels uncomfortable, but it’s pretty funny for some reason. She also grabbed her toe the other day when doing her sit-ups and I thought that was pretty great too. I had to snap a photo for memories, even though I’m sure she’ll be grabbing her foot all day long soon enough.

I can’t believe another month came and went, but luckily we seem to be getting into a rhythm lately. Hoping I can get more blog posts done in 2019- we may have the grandmas coming to babysit while I work! Until then, I’m a naptime hustler trying to enjoy every second she’s awake.

PS- Can we talk about how she’s not only getting cuter every month, but my photos are improving too? I’m gonna be a pro by 12 months!

Hailey's 2 Month Update

I can’t believe another month has gone by! My little girl is getting so big and while I’m loving all the new parts of her personality, I’m missing my teeny baby. However, I wouldn’t change these new smiles I’m getting for anything!

At two months old, Hailey is 10 lbs 6 oz and 22 3/4 inches tall. She’s wearing size 0-3 months clothes. She hates onesies going over her head, so we’re mostly wearing sleepers and dressing up occasionally when she goes out. She’s officially my new best friend, and I ain’t even mad that she poops her pants. 

Wonder Week Nightmare

The first week I spent home alone was ROUGH. Hailey was up all night, eating every hour and not letting me sleep at all. Every night was like a slumber party I didn’t agree to attend. I’d catch up on sleep in the morning, when she usually slept from about 6am to 10am or so. Luckily, by the end of the month Hailey was sleeping through the night. This momma is super happy about that! 

Smiles

I’m so happy to say that we’re getting more and more smiles from Hailey! Lately she’s been smiling because we are smiling. She loves being held, talked to, or even having her diaper changed if you smile at her while doing so! She also does this almost-laugh where she smiles big and makes a cooing sound. I’m pretty much in love with it and will do almost anything to make her laugh! 

Look Who’s Talking

Ok, so they’re not actual words but Hailey just started making sounds and “responding” to us when we talk to her. Whether it’s with some noises or a smile, conversations don’t seem so one-sided anymore! She also discovered her tongue this month. She would stick it out and play with it, lick things (like a blanket touching her lips) and even would copy me when I’d stick my tongue out!

Songs

Hailey’s getting into the holiday spirit! She loves when I play Christmas songs for her, and loves it even more when I sing them to her! She even seems to anticipate it and immediately calms down when she hears the music start up. Then she starts to smile and breaks into a big grin when I start full on singing to her! She melts my heart, I swear. I’m like Olaf near the fireplace. Some people are worth melting for, and she’s definitely one of them!

My Favorite Things

Still a big fan of the boobie. Hailey also loves attention/smiling, Christmas songs, and playing Mommy Watch Me Poop. She loves sleeping and lounging on the boppy, and hearing me sing “head and shoulders, knees and toes” plus the Winnie the Pooh song. 

Nicknames

I’m still calling Hailey Little Bird and Little Chirp Chirp (from her cooking sounds she makes when she stretches). I call her an animal when she’s trying to find the boobie and cheese foot, because her owlet makes her foot kinda sweaty and stinky haha! 

Fitness Star

Hailey is a master at pulling things. She loves my hair, John’s chest hair, and my mom’s cross. She’s also starting to do sit-ups! She’ll grab my thumbs with her entire tiny fist and use them to pull herself up into a sitting position. 

I’m amazed by how much Hailey is growing and changing everyday. She’s my little BFF and I love every day and every minute I spend with her! Even diaper changes make me happy, mostly because she’s smiling the ENTIRE time!