Reverse Culture Shock

I don't know how to really describe what it has been like since we moved back.  On one hand it feels like we never left Texas... Almost like we just woke up from a really long daydream and are back to reality.  Life has not really changed since we left 2 years ago... except that most of our friends now have babies! But as far as DALLAS goes... it feels like home.  And I don't know how to explain it, but France seems like a blur... like... Did we really do that?!??! 

I have also switched straight back into social butterfly mode.  It is hilarious because I tell people that ever since we landed, I haven't SHUT UP! I've been making up for the fact that I've been quiet and haven't spoken much over the past 2 years because of the language barrier... Now I'm making friends with the checkout lady at Target and the person in line next to me at Kroger.  It is hilarious. I thought that chatty part of me had died out a little bit, but she's back and more talkative than ever! 

A surprise... I miss France.  My heart misses it.  I miss the beauty. I miss the people.  I miss the simplicity of life and the pace of life.  I will strive my hardest to try and strike a balance between the 2 extremes of tiny town France and BIG city Dallas.  I still haven't found the balance because we've been going 100 mph since we arrived.  I need to draw social boundaries as to how many times per week we go out, spend money, or meet up with friends.  I think once the novelty of us being back wears off, life should start to slow down. 

Something amazing... CHURCH.  I haven't been to church in 2 years (Aside from watching podcasts on our TV in France).  I was at Gateway on Sunday, the sermon was incredible, and I don't know why but I just cried and cried all through worship.  It just felt SO RIGHT to be back, worshipping, and surrounded by such amazing fellowship.   I was craving this for 2 full years and this was a huge reason we wanted to move back... We want Stella to grow up experiencing THIS kind of church.  

So those are my ramblings about the transition back to the US so far.  Logan is still looking for jobs and I have now finished launching my Rodan + Fields business and even signed on 2 business partners! We are SO blessed to already have a paycheck coming in every month through this gig... It takes off so much pressure for Logan to find a job right away.  Now he can find the RIGHT job and not just take the FIRST job offered to him.  

Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers.  Feels good to be home. 

Stella does Paris!

The day before we moved back to the USA, we made a day trip into our favorite city on Earth... PARIS!!! It was really important to me that we got some pictures of Little Miss Frenchy in Paris because next time we are here she will most likely be a walking, talking, toddler!

Here are some pictures from our day :)

We started off walking around Montmartre (our favorite Parisian neighborhood), eating lunch in a cafe, and doing a bit of shopping. 







We then strolled over to the Eiffel Tower for some photo opps! 












And we ended our day trip with Notre Dame.  

Our girl is STILL sleeping through church ;) haha! 

It was a wonderful way to top off the past 2 years... That Eiffel Tower is so symbolic in our relationship... we have pictures of us there when we were dating, newly married, pregnant with Stella, and now WITH Stella.  Is this really my life?!?!? I am so blessed. 

WE MADE IT!!!

So sorry for the silence on my blog the past few weeks... It has been CHAOS...  BUT WE MADE IT ACROSS THE POND!!!! 

Just wanted to pop in and let you know that I have LOTS of updates coming your way NEXT WEEK!!! :) 

A few things we have managed to do in 10 days:
- move across the world with 12 suitcases, a stroller, carseat, and 3 month old baby (Stella did AMAZING for 10 out of the 11 hours... pretty commendable!) 
- attend a family wedding in Austin
- introduce Stella to my extended family
- introduce Stella to my best girlfriends
- launch my Rodan + Fields business
- plan and throw a baby shower for my friend Nicki
- attend my friend Annie's birthday party
- get over jet lag and have Stella sleeping through the night again
- unpack (well ... we are still working on this) 
- put together a temporary nursery for Stella at my Mom's house
- start the job hunt for Logan

I would say its been a pretty productive and BUSY past 2 weeks! I look forward to sharing pictures and stories with you all once I have a spare moment to sit down and write :) 

Bisous!
Abby 

Here is the video my Dad shot when we finally came out of customs/ the very first time Aunt Katy got to meet and hold Stella :) (All I talk about is how bad we smell because Stella had just projectile vomited all over the baggage claim haha! Oh well- The Misegades, unfiltered!) 

Au Revior France, Howdy Texas!

Well .... this is my last post written from France.  We are heading up to PARIS today to spend the weekend with our good friends Lorenzo and Marie Alice Monge.  They have started a church and we have been wanting to go visit ever since we moved here... Nothing like checking things off the bucket list 3 days before you leave! 

We are also going to go into Paris one day to take pictures of Little Miss Frenchy in all her French glory.  Next time we are in France she will probably be a toddler, so we wanted to make sure to have pictures of her at the Eiffel Tower when she will still a tiny baby since she was, indeed, born in France. We are crossing our fingers for gorgeous spring weather! 

We leave for Dallas on Tuesday morning and should arrive around 3:45pm Texas time :) I have so much anxiety about the flight over that I've had nightmares.  It will either go great and Stella will sleep like a baby (pun intended) OR we will be buying drinks for all the passengers to help them endure the 10 hour flight.  Either way, we will probably never see these people again, so we've got that going for us right? 

Who knows what the jet lag mixed with the unpredictability of a 3 month old baby will have to offer us once we touch down...but I know we will get through it! BIG LIFE CHANGES coming Stella's way and she is clueless! 

See you all stateside! We are finally coming... HOME. 

XO,

Mrs Frenchy 

Stella Rose: 3 Months Old!!!

Stella Rose is 3 months old and this has been my favorite month BY FAR!!! (And hooray for us making it through the "Fourth trimiester!") 

Now that we have switched to full on formula, our girl is HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY! She no longer has her "Happy Hours" at night, she sleeps 10 hours every night consitently, and when she is awake she is just smiling, cooing, and discovering the world around her.  I also finally feel like she really does acknowledge me, knows my voice, and knows that I am her Mom. There is not a more rewarding feeling in the world!

This month you have discovered your HANDS and you suck on them all the time.  Many times you try to fit your entire fist into your mouth and then settle for your thumb :) I much prefer this to the pacifier because you are able to "self soothe" in your crib without Mommy or Daddy coming upstairs to put your paci back in your mouth. 

Because our girl has gained weight RAPIDLY this month (we think she was playing catch up from being hungry and tiny the first 2 months of her life) she no longer knows how to roll over! Haha! I think she doesn't know what to do with all these extra pounds.  She still despises tummy time and the only way we can make her do it is to lay her on the Boppy instead of flat on her tummy.  

This month Stella went sightseeing, to various birthday parties, out to eat, and to a basketball game and did GREAT!!! This has given me the confidence to take her out more often... and the improving weather helps as well :) 

You have your very first French friend Annabella :) 

You were sad when they had to leave... haha (I LOVE this picture!!!) 

She is on the VERGE of laughing... I just know it! I do a "choo choo" train on our soft fur blanket and she gives me the wildest grin the entire time.  She just loves how soft it is and the funny noises I make! I think the baby laugh could happen at any moment and I can't wait! I love that she is now smiling as a reaction to something in her environment rather than as a reflex, it just makes me feel like we are doing okay as parents and that she truly is happy and content. 

She's eating 5 ounces every 3 hours during the day around 8am, 11am, 2pm, 5pm, 8pm with a dream feed around 10:30 to help her get through the night.  Not sure when you are supposed to drop that last feeding...we are too scared to at this point because we gotten spoiled with her sleeping until 8am each morning!  You are SO SO happy in the mornings and Dad & I sometimes fight over who gets to come get you up ...but whichever one of us stays downstairs still watches you on the monitor because you give the wildest grin and "I'm so happy to see you, good morning!" face.  I melt every single time.  

You are a MOVER!!! You love to kick your arms around and your legs go CRAZY sometimes when you are lying on your back.  It is so cute because you raise your eyebrows and breathe really heavy because you are SO concentrated!

You now prefer to be held facing forward... the only time you snuggle on our shoulders is if you are REALLY sleepy or right after eating.  You want to see everything going on around you and it is so fun to see you take it all in.  

We still have our best conversations on her changing table! She finally outgrew her newborn clothes at about 9 weeks and is now fitting perfectly into her 3 month clothes and a few 3-6 month outfits but those are still a bit big on her.  

Nicknames: I call you Stella Bug, Lil Pumpkin, and Sweetheart ... those are the 3 that are sticking so far! 

You are babbling ALL THE TIME.  It is hilarious to watch you talk... Dad will sometimes pretend to know what you are saying and talk back to you.  Evidence is below:

Here are your official 3 month stats:

Length-  24 inches  (72.6 percentile) - You grew 2 inches! 

Weight-  13 pounds 2 oz (57.9 percentile- WAY TO GO GIRL!!! You gained almost 4 lbs in a month! Way to play catch up! Formula: It does a body good! ) 

Head Circumference - 16 inches (81.6 percentile) 

We love you so much little BUG!!! Month 4 has some HUGE life changes in store for you, but I know you will conquer them like a champ! I can't wait for you to meet Aunt Katy next week and all of my girlfriends and extended family.  It is going to be such a sweet reunion.