happy six months!

Posted on May 28, 2014 by tandem in love

happy six months olive!

[photos taken on 5.27]

height: 26 1/4″

weight: 15 lbs 12 oz

wow…olive is six months old! ahh!

omg, time flies! i can’t believe she is six months old! she has become such a strong little lady! sitting up is her new thing. olive started to sit up at the end of her four month mark but was wobbly and needed to be watched at all times. as her fifth month progressed, the super strong little lady was good on her own. she loves sitting by herself and playing. she’ll sit there on her tummy time mat and play with her toys. i sure do take advantage of that. i run around the house doing as much as i can…until she realizes she is by herself, then she starts to cry! she is really great by my side. we can sit side by side {like when i’m blogging or pinning} and she’s quite content.

big milestone for little miss olive? eating solids for the first time! yes, it’s been a big step for her. i started her two weeks out from her six month birthdate and it’s been wonderful. she started with bananas…yum. she loved noshing on the sweet banana and milk concoction. the avocado took a few days to get use to, she didn’t take to it the first few days but the last two days she was quite keen on eating it. she loved eating sweet potatoes + papaya! hc fed her on the first day of introduction {sweet potatoes} and she gobbled it all down! no allergies for the wee one yet, just goodness, enjoyment, and messiness!

she loves to play with her daddy…he always makes her giggle. in olive’s first few months, only being in her momma’s arms comforted her but now she loves, loves her daddy time. she loves to snuggle with him, she loves to be in his arms, and she can so easily fall asleep on his shoulder. it’s seriously the cutest moments ever.

you are such a great sleeper! i dreaded the ‘growth’ stages i read about…ya know, the ones where they say the babes will wake up multiple times a night to eat because they are going through a growth spurt? well, not this babes so far…she is a solid sleeper through the night! she goes down around 9-10pm and wakes up around 6-7am! i only wish i could sleep through the night like her {darn that middle of the night pumping!}!

something that is really sweet? she loves to get her cheeks brushed. so cute. when i sweep my finger from the top of your cheek to your chin, it totally calms you down! you have the most serene, calm look on your adorable face.

another fun thing to watch? when she is grabbing her tootsies. you love to stretch your legs all the up and shove your toes into you mouth. when i change your diaper, you grab both your feet and toes and hold onto them for dear life! i love it.

you are an amazing little girl. we love watching you grow. little miss olive, we love you so.

xoxo

olive’s eating solids!

Posted on May 27, 2014 by tandem in love

it was quite a momentous occasion here in the heintz household. olive’s first time eating solids!

when we went in for olive’s four month appointment, her sweet pediatrician, dr. perlman okay’d us to start feeding olive solids. so, i inquired other moms about the subject. most people started out their babies with cereal. i was wary of the idea because baby cereal was not very nutritious and they were all fortified with vitamins, which made me skeptical.

i am also into reading olive’s cues on when something feels right. i love, love breastfeeding her. it’s time so fabulously spent together and such a wonderful bond you build with your baby. i felt that she was always full after each feeding; she was growing and gaining weight, so i did not want to start her with solids until she was closer to her six month mark.

i looked into what foods you can first give your baby and how to make it. i loved the idea and option of creating your own baby food with whole, fresh, organic products. why not serve your child simple, whole foods that give her all the nutrients she needs than a bland product such as white cereal that is not naturally nutritious?

i noticed right around her five month mark, she started to get very curious when i was eating or drinking anything. she would watch and stare as i picked up food and put it into my mouth. she stared intently as i chewed my food. she would follow my hand as i pulled my drink towards my mouth and watch in awe as i sipped my beverage. that’s when i knew it was about that time to introduce some solid foods into her diet.

[daddy affixing the chair cover to our tripp trapp with a smiley olive]

[first foods – a whole avocado]

***

so, at 5 1/2 months, i fed olive her first solid food!

i looked at several books on baby food. i debated on whether i should just google simple recipes on the web versus buying a book. i decided to buy this book called top 100 baby purees. i love it, it has awesome recipes that are so easy to make. i then went to the grocery store and purchased a bunch of organic ingredients to make olive’s baby food.

[here we go…ready to nosh on some solids!]

making baby food is absolutely easy! the recipes are very simple, some require just one or a few ingredients, some mashing, or just throwing it in the food processor. i love using oxo freezer trays and their square containers. they are bpa free and perfect for freezing and storing all the food you pre-make.

olive’s first food were bananas. i just sliced off two inches of a banana, warmed up a small amount of breast milk and mixed it all together. the consistency is on the soupy side but still like a thick paste. i also used a silicone covered spoon from oxo to protect her sensitive gums. i love the spoons, they are ergonomically made and they also come in travel cases for when you are on the go!

[organic bananas + breast milk]

[nom, slurp, nom, slurp, nom…she likes it!]

[yummy!]

[she loved it so much, she was ready to feed herself!]

the verdict? feeding olive her first solid food was a hit! she absolutely loved her bananas and milk! the first time she ate, she consumed maybe a few teaspoons but her second time eating her banana milkshake…she ate the whole thing! that was probably at least two tablespoons or more. what an eater!

what an exciting time! i can’t wait to explore new foods with her and broaden her palate. oh, i love my baby olive!

xoxo

olive’s day with olivia

Posted on May 24, 2014 by tandem in love

we were so excited to have olivia watch over olive one day this past week!

it was so kind of olivia to spend her day with little miss olive. it was an early morning for all of us, olivia came bright and early so she could see our new house. hc did a quick walk through with her while i got ready for work. we chitchatted for a bit and i walked olivia through olive’s routine – her eating schedule, her naps, her behaviors, likes, dislikes, etc. then off i went!

i was excited they were spending the day together! when we were in florida, olive was so overwhelmed by her environment that olivia didn’t get to spend a lot time holding her and playing together. so this was their catch up time!

[olive and olivia about to start their day!]

[a selfie sent to me while i was at work!]

midday, olivia sent me a snapshot of themselves and a recap of their day so far. awwww, they are so cute together! everything was going well and they were having a great time playing.

when i arrived home from work, hc had just gotten there prior to me; so olive, olivia, and hc went for a walk to the liquor store. right?! the liquor store…olive’s first trip to buy alcohol! when they arrived home, olive was wearing her hand knit cap {from my friend kristin, who’s friend actually did the knitting!} and it was so adorable on her! what a cutie.

[returning from a walk outside]

[returning from work to find these two cuties]

olivia stayed for dinner and hung out for a bit longer. i am so glad this gal is back in chicago! we now can have our girly lunches and time back!

thanks so much olivia for taking care of olive. we love you!

xoxo

olive’s 5 month loves

Posted on May 8, 2014 by tandem in love

month five.

vulli sophie natural soother // pbk bunny thumbie // feel and learn book // hair flower clips from etsy // angel dear muslin swaddle // easter bunny softie rabbit from etsy

everyone who sees olive tells me she must be teething. annddd she might be. i felt her gums the other day and no teeth yet but they could be slicing in. she’s drooling, jamming her fist in her mouth, and gnawing like a crazy baby on anything sophie right now! i love all the products this line offers and the rubber soother is a must right now for little o to chomp her gums on to ease her discomfort! we initially received ours from buybuybaby but they are sold out right now, so i found a site that offers it there!

olive is a bit young right now to really love her thumbie but she is starting to like the softness. she pulls it up against her face and rubs the plush fabric on her skin. we have both the rattle and the thumbie, olive loves them both! the rattle keeps her occupied and the thumbie soothes her.

she absolutely loves her crinkle book! she is so into noises and textures right now. she loves to feel the softness of materials and loves, loves the sound of crinkly plastic. she likes to touch the book and explores each page you show her. she is so very curious.

now the flower clips are more so my love but olive truly doesn’t mind! she is totally fine having little flower clips and headbands on her beautiful head of hair! i love how it totally dresses up a boring outfit and adds total pizazz to her do. i have the flower hair clips {the ones you see olive wearing in previous pictures} from buybuybaby, they aren’t available right now, but found these cute ones from a seller on etsy!

i found this angel dear swaddle at a boutique while we were on vacation in florida. i fell in love with the print. it’s so stinkin’ cute! it’s perfect right now for olive because it’s so large, breathable, and muti-functional for anything. i like to wrap her in it at night, i like to use it as a blanket for her cold tootsies, i like to cover her stroller with it, i like to use it as soft pad for her head. the uses go on and on with this one! i am a fan of the different lines of products they have for this brand.

this last love is all me…i absolutely love this stuffed bunny! it was perfect for easter and it will be a great toy for her year round. it is so darling and unique. a beautiful hand made doll that will be cherished for years. it is on the pricey side but so worth it. i hope olive grows to love this little bunny toy as much as i do!

xoxo

happy five months!

Posted on April 28, 2014 by tandem in love

happy five months olive!

[photos taken on 4.27]

height: 25 3/4″

weight: 15lbs 13 oz.

well, well, well. baby olive has had an eventful month! so many wonderful changes in her behavior! she loves to babble…oh boy, she loves to gurgle, screech, make noises like she’s having a full conversation with you. it was so much more consistent and clear this past month than before. it’s so endearing to listen to her sounds! i love ‘talking’ to her.

this past month, she has really latched onto objects with her eyes and hands. she really focuses her eyes onto things and looks very perplexed or intrigued by them. her grasp has gotten even stronger; she loves to hold onto her toys or reach for her playthings, touching or feeling the texture. she loves anything crinkly! that sound and texture just delights her. her favorite objects to grab right now? grabbing her toes…so adorbs! i love seeing her awareness and attention to details become so much more acute.

she’s still sleeping through the night {thank the Lord!}. she had graduated into 8-10 hours a night! yowza! sometimes she hits it at 7 1/2 hours but we’re not complaining! she does go to bed kinda late {typically around 9-10pm at night}, she gets a little cranky around 8pm and then she’s out.

she’s a sometimes napper, we try to keep a regular nap time schedule for her but there are times olive has her own agenda. even though her schedule isn’t always on track, she typically pulls in three to four hours of nap time a day. I feel so lucky to have a solid sleeping baby at night.

she is still a breastfed babes! we are almost on the verge of solid foods! she is so interested in me or anyone around her when they are eating! she loves watching me eat or even drink water, it’s like the most fascinating thing to her! she gazes in wonderment and i love watching her curious facial expressions as i’m eating.

the next event to happen is the best yet! olive can sit up on her own! yes, she did it the other day while in my lap. we were enjoying a very, very inexpensive breakfast at ikea when little miss olive decided to sit up by herself! we watched in joy as she confidently sat upright! it was amazing! i was so excited for her…what a strong little lady! now, she does need us to watch her while in act because she is still wobbly but she can most definitely sit there on her own for sometime! how cool is that?!

now the next fabulous event can be argued by hc and myself, although we have jane {my mother in law} as a witness. on a thursday evening, as i was carrying olive in the kitchen, she cried out mama! i swear she said it! jane believes she said it too! now whether olive realizes she said it or not, it definitely was distinct! hc is adamant she just made a noise that sounds like mama 😉 i beg to differ. she has done it a few more times since! so…we’ll see how she progresses next month!

onward to six months of goodness! i can’t wait to share all the wonderful milestones olive hits next month!

xoxo

olive’s 4 month loves

Posted on April 3, 2014 by tandem in love

month four.

infantino gogo trio toys // sophie the giraffe // skip hop portable changer // aden and anais swaddling blankets // baby bjorn // mustela stelatopia

we kept these toys off of her carseat for the first few months. she actually hated her carseat, she cried non-stop while she was in it and nothing seemed to console her. she was also too young to have her eyes focused on anything for too long. but nowwwww, she loves looking at anything and gazes curiously at everything. so, we finally attached the gogo trio toys to the handle of the carseat to entertain her! although hc says she can only see their butts, i think the bright colors and sounds amuse her!

olive loves sophie the giraffe. it draws her attention away from her grumpiness, she loves to gnaw on it, she loves to nibble on it, and she loves to hold onto it and put it in her mouth. the squeaky noise distracts her and she loves to grip sophie’s legs or neck and nibble on the giraffe’s nose.

the skip hop changer is so essential! olive doesn’t mind the material against her skin. she knows it’s diaper changing time when she’s on it and it is so easy to clean up if any accidents happen! i love how chic it looks {love the grey chevron print} and it stores everything you need for a quick diaper change anywhere. you know it’s a clean and sterile surface you trust if there is a baby changing table available or not.

as olive is getting bigger, these swaddle blankets are perfect! they are oversized and give enough material to tightly wrap your bebe into a deep sleep. they are also versatile as a stroller cover, blanket, or nursing wrap {if needed!}. i love the prints that it comes in {so whimsical and pretty} and i love how soft, lightweight, and organic the material is. such a perfect blanket to transition into from the winter flannel swaddles we were using.

the baby bjorn didn’t serve much of a purpose when olive was born because 1. it was so darn cold, we didn’t casually walk anywhere 2. she loved the moby wrap better because it was more of a snug fit. well, now we all love it! it’s perfect for hubby charming because it’s 1. black {it’s more manly…grrrr} 2. it’s very easy 3. olive loves it! we have used it around the house casually, we have used it for walks on the beach, we have used it when we have decided to not use the stroller for random events and need to walk around with her.

during this past harsh, harsh winter, olive’s skin had gotten sooooo dry. poor thing. it was rough and a bit scaly. i was using the mustela hydra bebe lotion {which would and will be perfect for her skin in warmer climate…helloooo summer!} but it wasn’t doing her skin any justice during this cold season. so, i bought the mustela stelatopia lotion, which was a lifesaver for her beautiful skin! it instantly smoothed out her skin and made it all so baby soft! it’s very moisturizing and her skin just drinks it up. it smells great and is great for her skin. i highly recommend this wonderful product to any moms out there who’s baby skin needs a little tlc.

bonus love: truly it’s my love for olive – our bebe au lait nursing cover.

[i have the navy quatrefoil print…very nautical, neutral, and modern]

i had been breastfeeding olive and it was going so well. during my maternity leave, since i was trapped inside almost all the time and she was brand spanking new, i didn’t venture out much. so, it was easy to feed olive in the comfort of our home or my parent’s house. as olive became more active and we became more active with her, i realized i needed a feeding cover!

i looked into a few covers and totally fell in love with this print from bebe au lait! i honestly felt a lot of these types of covers were very unattractive! ugh. not the prettiest prints out there. i love simple, modern, clean prints and a lot of them were wild and fussy.

this cover is perfectly sized and sturdy. it has a flexible top wire so it’s ventilated and you can easily see your baby while she is feeding. you feel completely covered and safe to feed your baby anywhere. it has little terry cloth corner pockets, where you can store small necessities. it folds and wraps up very compact to fit inside our diaper bag. a definite must have for any nursing moms out there!! we love it!

well, there are olive’s four month loves! we are loving our stuff for her, loving life, loving our little olive!

xoxo

a little bit of olive

Posted on April 1, 2014 by tandem in love

just a few of my favorite photos from the past month. capturing bits and pieces of miss olive in action. she’s such a cutie pie. love her!

[go cubs go! getting her ready for the season!]

[in her vera bradley footies…i love this outfit!]

[pppfffffttttt]

[getting her hair did by daddy after her bath]

[pouting at target…we love shopping!]

[mommy…i hate tummy time! stop taking crazy photos of me!]

[sweet baby girl]

[getting ready for easter. watch out easter bunny, i’m stealing your cuteness!]

[church’s best sunday dress]

[last morning of my maternity leave…*sigh*]

[mmmm, do i look fabulous in my john deere trapper hat?!]

top 10 reasons olive is so cool

1. i love, love, love her…just a beautiful creation

2. i always want to bite her chunky, chubby cheeks

3. it’s amazing to see her grow

4. she brings joy to everyone who sees her

5. she is most cute when she’s in her birthday suit and a diapy

6. her smile just melts our hearts

7. i love watching her sleep

8. i love her hair

9. snuggle time

10. her giggles are so precious

there she is, my little babes. in all her glorious cuteness.

xoxo

children’s book bebe shower idea

Posted on March 30, 2014 by tandem in love

i love throwing parties and i love hosting people {we need more space!}. it’s so fun for me!

i’m always thinking of creative ideas for future fêtes. ya never know when you will need to whip up some fun decor!

what has got me thinking of baby showers lately, is the fact that i will be attending several showers in the next few months {whoa}! i’m so excited for my friends, who are having babies, and i love going to a good party!

here are some of my favorite themed showers i have seen of late. watch out! some great inspirations headed your way {aaaaannd, it’s not just for baby showers, these ideas are great for any party!}…it will fill your head with awesome creative ideas!

a children’s book shower:

[source: katrina louise photography]

i absolutely love the onesie clothes string! what a colorful, fun idea. a very creative touch. you can buy inexpensive onesie and have each guest personalize it by decorating each one making it unique and a perfect gift for the mom to be!

the table spread is just darling with the colored glass {i love colored glass…hobnail, milk glass, green, pink…}, you can visit vintage shops, ebay, or etsy to collect fun glassware. or to add to the eclectic look, have your friends, who are helping out with the shower, bring their own collections!

how cool is the book garland?! it’s made out of old children’s books. just cut up the pages and cover each ‘mini’ book with colored construction paper and hang it up with clothes string/twine/fishing wire and clothes pins. pepper in little paper poms and voila! a themed decor to elevate the ambiance.

what a yummy table spread! since most showers are mainly during lunch time, make it light bites. whether you are a cook or you will get it catered, make sure you have something sweet and savory. i love a hearty salad, a meat dish, a fresh side of pasta, and some good ‘ol carbs to top it off! depending on where you place the food table, you can easily create an inexpensive backdrop to the table. rummage through your stash and find color coordinating streamers or purchase some at a dollar store, to create a whimsical background. of course, flowers always, always add a perfect finishing touch to any table spread!

get creative with favors by sticking close to the theme of the party or representing the mom to be by giving away something that is so ‘her’! i love these onesie sugar cookies as favors, perfectly tied into the baby shower decor.

the lower right hand corner photo is the invite to the party. how lucky was this lady to have a friend hand draw the invites {like myself, who had a dear friend, darling olivia, create our wedding invites…you can see it here}. if you do have an artistic friend to recreate classic children’s book characters or just print them out, it will make for a unique invitation. bind the pictures accordion style {washi tape would be a perfect accent} with the right wording and font, you will have such a cute invite everyone will rave about [and something special the mom to be can save}!

[beautiful!]

what a wonderful party, non? i have a few more favorites i will sporadically share soon!

xoxo

happy four months!

Posted on March 27, 2014 by tandem in love

happy four months olive!

[honestly, i had the sticker with us on vacation but got so excited once she was dressed, i forgot to put it on! the pictures were too cute to redo!]

[photos taken on 3.27]

length: 24 3/4″

weight: 13lbs 14 oz.

i love that you like to lay around. i love that you like to giggle. i love that you smile in the morning. i love that you like to sit in my arms and watch what i do. i love that you can grab onto objets and pull it towards your mouth. i love that you sleep 6-8 hours through the night. i love that you know at your last feeding for the evening, you instantly fall asleep. i love that you have learned to fall asleep on your own. i love that you like to stand up on your chubby little legs as much as possible. i love that you are so strong. i love your extremely chubby cheeks. i love that you like bath time. i love that you have little curly hairs on your head and i can easily clip a barrette in it. i love how curious you have gotten. i love that you can make fun noises. i love that i can dress you up in cute clothes {not just sleepers anymore!}. i love that you wildly kick your legs and flail your arms like you are trying to get somewhere. i love that everywhere we go, everyone stops us so they can coo over you. i love that you are our baby girl and we love you so much.

xoxo

baby laughs

Posted on March 19, 2014 by tandem in love

so, baby olive laughed out loud before her third month birthday. it was quite a special moment we all shared together. since then, her lol’s have been far and few in-between. she laughs when she feels like it and you never know what will make her giggle.

the other day, sister grace spent the weekend with us. while i was away, daddy and grace played away the day. grace has become quite fond and comfortable with little miss olive. grace was sitting on the couch, holding her, saying funny things, and it was making olive giggle a lot!! the adorbs moment was captured by grace herself! what a precious moment between them two! i love this!

i love the very end of the vimeo, where olive is just dunzo. her look is too precious…she’s like ‘ok, grace…i’m done. like now’.

what a cute vimeo of these two wonderful kids! sisters are the best!

xoxo

tandem in love

{life is truly beautiful and it should be celebrated + shared.}

Category Archives: bebe

happy six months!

olive’s eating solids!

olive’s day with olivia

olive’s 5 month loves

happy five months!

olive’s 4 month loves

a little bit of olive

children’s book bebe shower idea

happy four months!

baby laughs