Category Archives: bebe

momfessions

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oh, toddler tales. toddler woes. toddler antics. baby olive is twenty-three months young and full of spunk.

a favorite statement i saw on fb recently was this:

toddler – emotionally unstable pint-sized dictator, with the uncanny ability to know exactly how far to push you towards utter insanity, before reverting to a lovable cuddle monster.

via tandeminlove.com

how accurate. my oh my. she is a trip. for the most part, she is so sweet, kind, cuddly, loving, funny, goofy, silly, and darling. then she has these moments where nothing makes sense. she is deliriously emotional and i can’t get any sort of reasoning across to her. i know she {obviously} does not communicate very well {yet} and when she gets upset, nothing soothes her, consoles her, or calms her down.

i must admit, it is extremely hard for me to deal with her outbursts. it pushes me to the edge. it makes me want to scream soooo loud. her tantrums drive me crazy and i react in {sometimes} a not so nice way. it gets the best of me and it makes me very, very sad when that happens. i feel like i have failed as a mom and failed as a teacher to my child.

my upbringing was very different and very unique. my anger issues stem from not being able to channel my emotions correctly and think straight. it’s easier for me to fly off the handle then it is to think calmly and channel my energy into a more positive light when i get upset. so, as you can tell…olive can get just as upset as her mommy, so it’s like i am staring at my mini me {staring in the mirror}…literally. oh, has it come full circle and it’s totally biting me in my ass! ugh.

the worst part about it is that i have to learn new ways and change my behavior and that is the hardest part. try living like your whole life the way you are and then bam! you have to change the way you operate. much easier said then done. so, with that…olive’s tantrums and nonsensical ways put me on edge. i get anxiety when we are out because i  worry about her having a meltdown or causing a scene. i do. i can’t stop it but i try to deflate it. i am very conscious of it and try my best to overcome it and realize that she is a toddler and that other people out there have kids too and they understand. again, easier said then done.

my emotions and ways are too deep rooted to change over night. my driving force is my baby. i try so hard to become more patient, more kind, more understanding, less angry and temperamental all for my girl. i don’t want her to learn my tart ways and i believe i can influence it if i step back and calm down before i react in a way that is not appropriate. again, easier said then done.

but i am learning. i am changing. i am s l o w l y getting better. i have my freak out moments when she gets cray cray but i am much more cognizant in the moment than i was in the past. olive’s mood swings and temperamental ways as a toddler has given me my biggest challenge to date. i only strive to be the best possible mom, example, role model, and foundation for her. i hope that i, in turn when she has a tantrum, love her, console her, hug her, kiss her, show her, and guide her how to channel her emotions, thoughts, and anger in the right direction and always have her come out in the end, feeling peace, happiness, and serenity.

xoxo

a giveaway from my beautiful little shop

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we absolutely love the moccs from my beautiful little shop. nailea creates the most amazing, soft, functional, yet pretty moccasins out there! the leather that she uses is so supple and buttery and the hidden elastic around the around the top line makes it so easy to slip the shoe on your babe and it s t a y s on your little’s feet!

we have always loved moccasins…baby olive received her first pair while she was still in mommy’s tummy! that is when the shoe obsession began…eep! i love buying her shoes. i love coordinating her outfits. nailea’s moccs are a perfect accessory every.single.time. olive always get so many compliments when she’s sporting a pair!

my little beautiful shop offers so many wonderful styles. she has your classic fringed moccs, which are probably the most popular. we have been a fan of her sandals, gladiators, and most recently i am loving her booties for fall! the booties have a higher ankle rise, they lace up, and look fabulous with leggings, leg warmers, and tights for the cooler weather!

she also specializes in unique styles such a ballet slippers with wrap around satin ribbons. those sandals are so romantic and perfect for your little dancer babe. my two favorite shoes to coordinate with most of olive’s outfits are her pink and gold moccs. the most versatile moccs in her closet. they are total opposites on how i want to impact olive’s outfit, one to add a punch of color or the other to add demure sparkle and shine to her ootd. those are my go to’s when in doubt.

to celebrate fall, my beautiful little shop and myself have partnered together to give away a pair of her gorgeous moccs {moccs of your choice!}! i am so excited to host this giveaway on my instagram account! please read the directions on how to enter the giveaway below! yay!

via tandeminlove.com

[pink moccs]

via tandeminlove.com

[black sequin moccs]

via tandeminlove.com

[gladiator lace up]

via tandeminlove.com

[romanos sandals]

via tandeminlove.com

[baby olive will be very disappointed if you don’t enter the giveaway!]

how to enter the giveaway –

 1. follow me {@tandeminlove} and @mybeautifulittleshop

2. like the instagram giveaway post

3. tag as many friends as you like on the giveaway post…one tag per comment, each tag is an entry!

4. for bonus entries…tag me @tandeminlove and my hubby @dickie_customs

the giveaway ends on friday, 10.2.15 at 10:00p {cst} and the winner will be announced on saturday, 10.3.15.

good luck everyone!

xoxo

happy twenty-two months!

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oh baby olive. she is officially twenty-two months old. oh my goodness, that means she is almost two years old!!! whaaaaaaaa?!

via tandeminlove.com

[photo taken on 9.27.15}

top by czarina’s project, bow by coco and lulu, shoes by mini melissa

wow…she’s become such a cute, little, opinionated, sweet, bossy babe. hahaha! she’s definitely hit the almost terrible two’s. it’s not been so terrible but totally taxing on my sanity and patience. i completely understand that she is unaware of how to channel her emotions. i get that she doesn’t know right from wrong. i do my best to guide her and be as compassionate as possible. she’s a funny one. i get her by now, though. yes. no. yes. no. yes. no. i get all freudian on her. so, in the end i win! muwahahaha!

she still loves to eat. she’s got some chunky legs but her arms are so itty bitty! i only say ‘still’ because ya know how kids can be…they can get picky! so far, so good with miss olive but yes, she is still little. we usually start her morning with yogurt, fruit, and/or cereal. for lunch, we go in for an all beef hotdog, fruit, and cheese. she will get a snack in the afternoon and that will typically consist of annie’s cheddar bunnies, fruit, dried cranberries, applesauce, or horizon peanut butter sandwich crackers. for dinner, she will eat whatever we eat but we will add in fruit or veggies if we lack in those areas.

baby olive is a trooper sleeper. such a good, great, awesome sleeper. she has the occasional interrupted sleep {mostly her afternoon naps}, where she cries out for a minute or less but other than that, she’s pretty solid. she is a night owl. yes, baby girl looooooooves to stay up late. where most kids her age go to bed at 7 or 8 o’clock, olive is all milk drunk partying it up at night. she won’t hit the sack until 9-10 o’clock and sometimes she will lay in her crib and hum or talk to herself for another 45 minutes or so.  but like clockwork, she will stir at 8 o’clock {give or take} every day. she will hum or talk to herself for a half hour or so before she starts to scream my name. “mom! mom! mom! mom!”, over and over again. even if i answer her she will keep screaming it until i go into her room. sometimes she will converse with me from across the hallway {and that is soooo adorbs!} but most of the time, she won’t stop until i make an appearance.

goofing off is her middle name. she loves to be so crazy {toddler life}. she loves to chase me, grab at my legs and say, “i got you! rawr!”. she loves to say that over and over as we chase each other and play ‘tag’. she loves to jump on the couch {bad habit we don’t stop! eep}. her current love? jumping everywhere. she doesn’t walk, she will jump, jump, jump to point a to point b. she loves it when we throw her in the air, she loves to play hide and seek, she loves to read and be read to. her favorite book of the moment is the little engine that could. she loves it when i read to her in the morning, that’s her routine.

words or phrases she says. “oh noooooooo, it’s sucks!” translated to, “oh nooooooo, it’s stuck!”. “i eat”. “peas” translated to “please”. “i bow, i boowwww, i bow!” translated to “i want my bow!”. “i want”. “phone”. “i wuvvv you” translated to “i love you”. “munny” translated to “bunny”. “i like it”. “mmmm, yummy”. “doggie”. “cat, meow”. “cookie”. “pop” translated to “lollipop”. “i sorry”. “pilwoah” translated to “pillow”. “book”. “bear”. “hat”. “elwafent” translated to “elephant”. “mouse”. “shoes”. “tv”. “i drink”. “back” translated to “put it back”. i could go on and on. her vocabulary grows by the day and everyday, we are teaching her new words to say and remember. she knows her name, she knows how old she is, she can count 1 – 10 guided and so forth. it’s so amazing to watch her grow and learn.

her snuggles are the best. i love that she is now so cuddly and sweet. she loves to sit in my lap, be in my arms when we are sitting on the couch watching a movie. she will lean her head on me. she loves to crawl into our bed and lay with us. she gives the best kisses and hugs. the kind of hugs where she will repeatedly tap you on your back, so stinkin’ cute. she will hold my hand, give me endless kisses, lean her face onto mine, put her arms around me…i love every second of it!

this girl loves her shoes. oh, and she had plenty of pairs to swap around! she is so good with putting on her shoes and taking them off. the other week, she put it on the wrong foot and said, “wrong foot!” and proceeded to take them off and put them on the right foot! such a smarty. if she sees her any of her shoes sitting around, she will always put them on. so far, she’s been great with letting me choose her clothes and shoes. i will be sad when the day comes and she won’t ‘let’ me dress her anymore!

well, that is oh baby olive in a nutshell. i could go on and on about all the wonderful changes and growth she has been through {typical mom talk, non?!} but i will give you the condensed version. hahaha!

she is the light of our lives. i pray every day that she will grow up to be a strong, loved, patient, kind, healthy, beautiful lady. olive, we love you so much and always want you to know how much we care, give, and do to make this world for you a better place.

xoxo

momfessions

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most of the time, olive and i are just simply hanging out. one thing with this kiddo is that she definitely needs one on one attention. sometimes it’s really hard, sometimes it’s really easy…honestly, it just depends on what i have going on.

i, as usual, take on too much all the time. i never, naturally, can never sit still…so the more i do, the better it feels for me. i don’t mind alway being on the go and sitting still to relax is hard for me to do. the only time i ever just sat around was when i was pregnant. i had no energy or motivation to get up to do anything. it was such an anomaly. everyday i would sit on the couch and watch t.v. something i never, ever do!

well, trying to get stuff done with a kid {as any parent would understand and know} is such a feat! i do my best to accomplish stuff while olive is napping or late at night when she goes down to bed {this is where i lose sleep and it’s a tough thing to swallow. i believe good sleep = good health and i am losing this battle!}. it’s hard though, because i can’t get everything done within a few hours in a day.

that’s where i struggle. i am thankful for hc because we will share olive and take turns doting on her, depending on what each of us has on our agenda. when i am with her, she wants all my attention and i want to give it to her. there are little blimps within our day, when she will be totally focused on her toys {her play corner in the living room} and i will take advantage of that and scurry around, getting stuff done in the house.

what cracks me up are kids concept of time {or lack thereof}. olive might be by herself for 10 minutes and she will have a freak out {she probably thinks she had been alone for ages} and will come find me, nervous that she was alone. i always chuckle at this because it’s so cute.

i don’t like turning on the t.v., either, to distract her. she is now at an age where she completely zones in and becomes obsessed with the telly, so that is something we put on late at night, maybe right before bedtime so she can just chill out.

i do believe in quality time with her than quantity. like, when we are together…i try really hard not to have my cell phone or computer going. i want to give her my attention when we are together versus having my head buried in technology and social media. although, it’s hard at times when i’m on the computer {blogging, etc.} and hc is chilling with her, she will come over to have me come play with her {in which case, i can’t say no!}.

i’ve come to terms on what i can or cannot do around her. it was hard at first, because it was about finding my balance and managing my time. when i can do something, when i can’t, and when was i going to get something done! when she was a wee one, it was easy to do anything because she was stationary. now that she is mobile and interactive, the whole game plan has changed. i had to pick and choose my battles but honestly, i haven’t lost one yet. 😉

via tandeminlove.com

via tandeminlove.com

yes, peeps, the struggle is real. i’ve learned to run like a well oiled machine despite the obstacles and challenges i’ve faced at being a first time mom who’s a bit of an overachiever. hahaha! this baby girl keeps me on my toes! sometimes i want to lock myself in a closet {yes, and i want no one to find me} and sometimes i want to just sit still for a moment and not be bothered {all deep wishes here} but the joys of parenthood does not allow that. i love, love my time with olive, every second {well maybe not the tantrums} and i’ve come to terms on how to manage it. although there are days i want to rip my hair out.

in the end, the struggle, the madness, the craziness, the insanity, is overshadowed by the love, the giggles, the hugs, the kisses, and the amazing child named olive. oh how i love her so.

xoxo

a new chapter

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on 6.24.15 is a day i will always remember. it’s the day baby olive decided to not nurse anymore! whaaaaat?! yes, it happened. i wasn’t sure when this day would arrive and i was not ready for it.

i remembered telling myself that i would do my best to hit six months with nursing olive, at minimum, as long as my body cooperated. my bold goal was one year. as the months rolled by, we hit six months! yipeeeee! it was a good milestone for us. alright, i told myself. a year it is. it felt like a million years away at that point. well honestly, i thought hitting six months was a long time but a year? we will see!

a year rolled around and i found myself not ready to give it up and olive wasn’t ready either. i, for sure, wanted olive to make that decision for herself because as a nursing mom, i think i was attached to it more than her! ha!

i knew i was going on a trip in january to celebrate my sister’s big birthday and i said to myself…this is it. i am going to stop nursing! this trip will help me out because i was going to be without my babe for four days. while i was in l.a., i decreased the number of times i pumped. well, as soon as i came back, olive and i fell back into our usual routine.

i wondered a lot about when was it going to be the right time? i talked with other moms and a lot of them said when it happens, it happens and it will all fall into place. i felt like olive would never want to stop nursing. for months, i would try to change up the routine. i would wake her up and walk her into the living room {she would cry and sign for milk}, i would stay in her bedroom and try to play {she would cry and sign for milk}, i would try to go into the kitchen to distract her {she would cry and sign for milk}.

don’t get me wrong. i loved, loved, loved nursing her. it has always been our time, our special moment, our wonderful quiet time together. i enjoyed almost every second of it {except for when i would experience the pain…now that is a whole ‘nother story}. i think i loved it more than olive did! no joke!

well, that wednesday morning, i got her out of her crib and distracted her. i changed her diapy and then put her on the floor of her room to see what she would do. she stood up and walked over to her toys and started playing! whaaaaaa??!!! omygoodness. she didn’t cry for milk! i was mildly excited {i ran into the room and hid the boppy!}! i was very watchful and curious. after she roamed around for a bit, i started getting ready. she came over to our bedroom {where she nursed every single morning} and walked up to the bed and just leaned her head against it, staring lovingly at me. i just stared at her, for what seemed liked forever but was probably on a few minutes, and my heart felt sad. i was soooo sad. it was a great big millstone for both of us and i was the one who was shattered. oh, that moment where it no longer is and it’s a fact and you have to except it.

my baby was moving into her big girl chapter and it was so stinkin’ bittersweet for me. so, yes, that is how the story goes. the day olive gave up nursing at nineteen months. i am so proud to have gone this long and never giving up even when, at times, it was so incredibly painful. i never would have thought i would be such a strong advocate for breastfeeding. i mean, even when i was pregnant with olive {up to the eight month}, i wasn’t going to nurse her. i then changed my mind {i figured why refuse something i have never even tried?} and i am so glad i did…what an amazing journey i would have been missing out on!

via tandeminlove.com

[twinning with the best of ’em! shirts by lemonteeshop and gold gladiators by mybeautifulittleshop]

each from that wednesday, we have changed her routine and every day, she has moved on happily without nursing. i am so happy to have let her choose what was best for her. any mom can make that decision for their babe, it’s easy, but to have your child make it for herself…it’s the best feeling in the world {besides, if it was left to me…i would probably nurse olive until she was eight…hahaha, just keeding}.

oh, i am still so sad over it but i now have a new found freedom! no more nursing, no more pumping, no more timelines and restrictions! hallelujah! i am free! i am free of it all! woot!

i am so happy to move onto the next wonderful chapter with my baby girl! cheers to that!

xoxo

slow yer roll olive

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my precious baby girl. she is so amazing. i am in awe over her sweetness every day. the love. the love. the love. it’s almost unbearable.

via tandeminlove.com

[20 months and growing]

since her eighteen month appointment, this girl has changed soooooo much.

she now says two word sentences! now that is a feat. she says, “i eat” or “bye, bye. see ya!” or “yes peas”. it’s so flippin’ adorable. i die every time she says something cute like that. i revel in every second of it. i know this is nothing new to anyone who is a parent but to a parent of their first child, it’s soooo novel and exciting and i will gush over every moment with no apologies.

her facial expressions are so distinct. she scrunches her face in disgust. she raises her eyebrows in surprise. she crinkles her nose in question. i love watching her react and seeing her face coincide with her emotions.

she understands exactly what you say. she might not be able to articulate her thoughts completely but i love that she understands what i say. it’s so cool. as soon as the words come out my mouth, she is on foot to do it or go there. i love it.

she has a major opinion. oh yes she does. when she doesn’t want to do something, eat something, or go somewhere, she expresses it. she infamous for throwing herself on the ground or anywhere for that matter. she’ll flip off a chair, she will tumble off a ledge, or she will simply bounce off the ground. if she doesn’t want to do it, she will let you know. when this happens, i usually just stand there and put my arms on my hips and she will get the message that i mean business {it’s usually accompanied with a very stern look and a very stern “olive”}…and hopefully she won’t throw another fit/tantrum. hopefully.

she is definitely intuitive. she can put on her own shoes, correctly. she can pull on her socks. she senses when something is wrong, or when you are sad, happy, or when something doesn’t feel right, she will know. she has always been very careful and cautious since she was a wee one and it has carried on. i love this sensitive, emotional, responsible side of her.

having particles in her shoes, bumps in her socks really bug her. she is so particular. hmmmmm, i wonder where she gets that from?!

man oh man is she neat. she must get that from her daddy! hahaha! she looks at bugs and say yucky. she gets food on her fingers and she says yucky and won’t eat until i wipe her hands or if you give her a wet nap, she’ll do it herself. eep. she puts her toys away. she loves washing her hands. i don’t mind the kiddo getting dirty, playing outside, falling to the ground at the supermarket and licking the floor…she does do all that, but in the end, she’s a bit of a neat/clean/tidy little lady.

this girl is a goofball. she’s so silly. she loves to giggle. she loves to play hide and seek. she loves to sit amongst all the pillow on our bed and laugh. i love her humor, sass, and cuteness. she is a toddler and she loves to play. she will pull out her books and read aloud and i melt. she will run like a crazy little person all around the house and i laugh at her energy. i cherish every moment of her silliness and wild actions. i want her to have fun, be carefree, and be young. this moment is going by too fast already and i want to savor every second.

olive is cuddly and she’s soooo loving! i love this about her. she loves to give kisses and hugs. she will always be in my arms, lean on me, snuggle her head on my neck/shoulder and i die over every moment. i know that these actions will eventually become less and less so i am taking advantage of every time olive wants to kiss, hug, and snuggle. sometimes i want to squeeze her so hard…i can’t get enough of her!

there ya go lovies. olive’s twenty month report card and it’s a+++.

xoxo

eighteen months

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my baby girl is a year and a half! waahhhhh! time is flying by. she’s losing her baby status and it is giving me anxiety! i look at her baby photos and i desperately want to cling onto those precious moments. but as they say, let your babies prosper and grow. hmph, i’ll hold onto her forever!

via tandeminlove.com

{photo taken on 5.28}

weight: 23 lbs 16 oz.

height: 33 inches

there are so many things miss olive is doing now. she surprises me everyday and i love, love watching her personality grow and her communication foster. she loves to repeat almost everything. so, that is now where hc and i need to watch what we say around her! i love teaching her words. it delights me when she correctly repeats what i say!

another adorable moment? one day, i was sitting in bed with her. she had just nursed and we were laying around. i sneezed and out of nowhere, while she was playing with her toys, she casually says, “bess gou”. i just about died. bless you?! she just said bless you?! i die. my heart almost exploded!!!! it, so far, has been the cutest moment to experience!

when i reprimand olive or she knows i am upset with her, she does this thing where she hyperventilates! yup. she looks right at me with sad puppy dog eyes and starts gasping for air. oh my goodness. she gets me every time. such a smarty pants. i can’t stay mad or upset with her! i give in and give her a hug or a back rub and start apologizing. yup, i am a sucker. she’s got me.

she loves to snuggle. period. need i say more?? she’s a snuggler, cuddler, and the best buddy to lay around with.

olive is still nursing. yes. who knew it would go on as long as it has?! we are throughly enjoying it. i keep telling myself that i am going to stop but every month, it’s the same story. i keep thinking it’s going to be next month, and then next month rolls by and i am still nursing! we are both happy and happy to be doing it so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. but seriously, i think next month will it! harharhar.

she does say a few vietnamese words! she says water, eat, oh no, dad…just a few. my parents love teaching her! it’s too cute. who knows? we will see how many more words she will learn and understand!

she’s obsessed with shoes. she has learned how to put on her shoes! she mostly gets the shoe on the wrong foot but of late, she’s nailing it. she’s putting the right shoe on the right foot. i get super proud and excited when she puts both shoes on the right foot! i let her know that every time she gets them on. what a fast learner!

another cute, cute thing?! the last few weeks, olive has learned how to say hug! i completely melted when i was sitting around one day and olive walked up to me and said, “hug?!”. wow. my heart did cartwheels. she proceeded to put her arms around me and squeezed me and patted my back. what a freakin’ doll!!!!!

olive’s eating habits have completely changed. natch. she used to be a trooper {eating everything given to her} but then she had to go and form an opinion! well, overall she is still a pretty open and good eater but it comes down to when she’s interested and not distracted {e.g. playing is usually the culprit}. we do our best to always eat with her or when she does eat, she eats with somebody {whether it’s grace or other kids}. another thing she is crazy about? spicy. this baby girl loves hot, spicy foods!! she craves it. she loves noshing on it. kung pao, spicy chips, peppery flavors, you name it, she will consume it! eeekkkkkk.

she is still an amazing sleeper. we have been so blessed with this. i can only imagine that our next child will be a terror with her sleeping habits!! yikes! olive sleeps through the night and hardly ever wakes up. she will, once in a blue moon, cry out at night where i just have to rub her back and tell her to go back to sleep and she always does. what a sweetie.

well, there ya go lovies. olive in all her glory at eighteen months! she is sooo wonderful, sweet, and loving. we love you so much and can’t wait to see your progress at your next big milestone…two years! oh my! {well, we might sneak in another update from now until then 😉 }

xoxo

typical day

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a typical day for me & olive starts with her getting me up. yup, i will sleep until i hear her shriek out loud. and yes, she does love to cry and yell in the morning. she will never just wake up and coo. or talk to herself {sometimes but rare} or lay around. nope. she will get up and scream and cry. so, i will get my sleepy self out of bed and sleep walk towards her room {sometimes i don’t think my eyes are open}. i will bust through her door and yell “good morning!!!” every time and usually i am greeted with a smile and her arm outstretched towards me. i beeline towards her nightlight and turn it off, then i walk on over to her and pick my little munchkin up and out of her crib and i will bring her into our room {she loves to tap our railing post in the hallway when i pass it every.time.}.

i nurse her and she typically rolls off my lap {and says “boom!”} and sits in bed with me or {lately} she will slide off the bed and go running for something to play with. now depending on how tired i am, i might lay in bed for a bit with her or while she plays around me or i will get up and get ready for the day. usually it’s the first part {oy…i am so tired of late} rather than the latter.

while i get ready for the day, she loves to sit on the toilet {cover} and watch me get ready. she likes to brush her teeth, or hair, and sit by my side and intently watch my every move. once i’m done, we will play together, read a book, take some photos, or she will play around the house while i get some things done {mostly cleaning, laundry, or organizing the place}.

about an hour or so after she nurses, that is when i will make her breakfast. sometimes it’s simple and easy – i will give her a yogurt pack {usually earth’s best} and wait for her to finish it. i will then slice up fruit {she’s on a roll with grapes lately} and crackers and let her eat it at her little play table. or i will make her a ham and cheese omelet. or she will eat cereal. it depends on what’s in the fridge or what we’re feeling in the moment.

after breakfast, our morning involves more playing and more cleaning. an hour or so after her ‘second’ breakfast, it’s time for another feeding and then her first nap. now, as of late, she has been very erratic with her sleeping schedule {i’m going to blame the molars} but she does go down pretty easy with her first nap. her second one is the more questionable one. she tends to sleep for an hour or two for her first nap. while she sleeps, i will blog, edit pictures, or do more chores around the house.

once she wakes up, i usually get her changed {ootd} and we will head out for the day. whether it’s to meet a friend for lunch, head to the mall, or head out to get some errands done, we try our best to get out. now that the weather is getting so much nicer, we might just go outside for a bit and play, or go for a walk.

lunch is usually around this time. if we meet friends for lunch, i will usually feed her then but if we are running out for errands, i will pack food on the go. sometimes it will be fruit, crackers, yogurt packs, or whatever is portable and easy. if we are at home, i will make her an organic hotdog, cheese slices, fruit, or a pasta with vegetables. i’ll just rummage through our fridge or cabinets to make something easy and healthy for her.

via tandeminlove.com

via tandeminlove.com

after our errands, lunch date, or playing together, i will then attempt for another nap. i’m pretty successful, even if she only sleeps for an hour or so. by this time, daddy is on his way home! yay!

so, this is a typical day for us in a nutshell! there are certain variables that will change but it is pretty much the same routine every time. i try my best to keep olive on a tight schedule; it’s important to me to maintain a consistent agenda to keep her on par with her sleep patterns. it really helps to keep her healthy and happy!

thanks for joining us for a day in the life of miss olive! not always exciting but always filled with love and laughter.

xoxo

olive

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so, since olive was born, i did a monthly post on her and stopped when she turned one. fair and fitting, since it’s quite common to document their first year of wonderful surprises. well, i felt it was time to do another report card on my beauty. she just had her fifteen month appointment and so much has changed since she turned one!

via tandeminlove.com

[headband by littlekutiesboutique]

weight: 23lbs height: 31″

she now fakes her cries. yes. she does. when i do something she doesn’t like or when i won’t give her something, she will fake her cries. i see right through her. she starts to shriek and pout and make crying noises but i see it in her eyes. she will stare right at me. almost smirking with her eyes! uh oh! trouble, trouble, trouble.

in the last month or so, she giggles out loud. it’s so adorbs. it’s the funniest noise. it’s almost like an “uhhuh uhhuh uhhuh”. it cracks me up when i hear her giggle like that. it’s so cute and endearing, watching her and hearing her make that sound makes me want to explode with happiness and love.

what does olive love to eat? she loves fruit and french fries. well, she really loves a whole lotta other stuff but she zones in on fruit and french fries like a dog to it’s treats. she is quite the eater. she loves food in general. she loves eating when we are eating and for some reason, whatever i have in my hand or plate is a lot more appetizing to her than what’s on her plate! aaaaannd, it’s typically the same thing…oh child, you so funny. 😉

it was and is such a blessing to have this babe sleep so well {since she was 4 weeks old}. she still is going strong with her nightly sleep. we have our usual routine every night. i sign bedtime {we teach her some sign language}, she might pout for a second, then i give her vitamin d, then i tell her to give daddy a kiss goodnight and a hug {which she happily complies}, and then i nurse her and put her down. she will sleep, typically, from 9:30 until 6.7.8 o’clock. it just depends. she is currently cutting her molars, so she hasn’t been in the best of spirits. but she does take her naps, typically twice a day {morning and afternoon} but it there is too much going on, she will clock in one really long nap.

her favorite toy is the etch a sketch and i think it’s my husband’s nightmare. he doesn’t get her with this toy because she typically cries and gets upset if you aren’t doing something for her, like draw or help her. i definitely get her with this toy…she loves to sit in my lap and draw and she loves it when i draw for her. she is typically a happy baby with this toy and me. of course, this will only last a few minutes before she beelines for the next ‘new’ toy!

she has nine teeth. she started teething when she was nine months old. she has her eight front teeth and her bottom left molar is coming in. so not nice. a mean molar it is. this is the first time olive actually showed signs of teething. her first eight were a breeze. this molar is a fighter! she cries, she drools, she jams her fingers into her mouth. she never did those actions prior with her other teeth coming in. ugh. to think there are plenty more where that one came from!

olive’s gramma loves to read her books, she has been reading to her since she was born. now olive loves to ‘read’ books herself now! it’s so sweet to watch and listen. she will grab a book out and sit down by herself and ‘read’ out loud. moments like these are the best. most of the time, though, she wants me to read to her. she will plop herself down in my lap and we will read books all day and night. of course, only once in awhile will she ever let me finish one!

olive’s vocab has expanded just a wee bit. she says a few words such as dada, mom, hi, bye, boppy, eat, down, up, on, done…hmmm, maybe a few more i might be forgetting. i love that she is able to communicate verbally as well as sign a few things. i try to reiterate and teach her everyday words that will her help her express herself. as others have said, pretty soon she just won’t be quiet!

she loves put on her shoes and tries to put on her socks. she has been doing this for a month or so. she will attempt to put on her shoes {she def needs help!} and pull on her socks. she is more successful with her shoes than she is with her socks. she will at least get her foot into the shoe but struggles with getting her foot in all the way. the socks…she does the motion but 0/0 as of right now.

she has this desire to always toss her diaper. she tosses her diaper across the room every time i change her! i’ll clean her up, wrap up the dirty diaper and put it next to her and she will grab it, wait for me to say 1, 2, 3 {with each number, she will swing her arm back and forth with the diaper in tow} and as soon as i hit three….whomp! she flings the diaper and it sails across the room. she’s got quite the arm!

as a newborn, olive would stare intently at everyone. almost if she was seeing right through you. she’s very interested in people but won’t go near anyone. nope. she does.not.like.strangers. but she is always curious. she loves looking at everyone and is intrigued by what they are doing or even how they look. i love that about children. always curious…until they can verbalize what they are thinking and then you are running around apologizing for your kid’s frankness and crazy talk!

alrightly, olive in a nutshell. a summary of her last three months! wow. she is so fun. it’s so amaze to see her grow. it’s just the best! i’m looking forward to see what my little girl will learn, do, and entertain us with in the next couple months!

xoxo

momfessions

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oh being a mommy. it’s surreal. i’m totally going to revel in it within this post. those with weak stomachs, please stop reading now, ’cause you might puke with my over the top rants on motherhood.

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[grumper mcgrumps]

it’s magical. yes it is. magical. looking at olive everyday overwhelms me with love and joy. she’s amazing. she is quirky, funny, and loving. i can’t hug her enough. i can’t kiss her enough. i can’t stare at her enough. it’s never enough. of course, unless she is having a tantrum 😉

she teaches me to be more calm and less angry. yes she does. and yes i do get angry {over the silliest things sometimes} but her sweet face always puts me in my {happy} place.

it still amazes me that i am a mom. it was a world that existed all around me and i, honestly, had no clue about it all. clueless, i tell ya. obvs, until little miss olive came into our lives. i always say to my friends without children {now being on the other side of the spectrum} that they will never truly know the joy of having a child until they are in the same shoes. people with kids always threw words or thoughts at me about the wonders of having kids and it never, never sunk in until i had miss olive. well, this next thought i’m about to type up will be a little rough & tough, a bit of a 180 from what i was just speaking about.

i used to roll my eyes {well, maybe not physically but at least mentally i did} at people who droned on and on about their children. in my head, i thought…isn’t there something else to talk about besides your kids? yes, i was that person. kids that screamed…eww. babies on planes…eeekkkkk! children in restaurants…ugh. annnddd strollers! strollers were like a nightmare coming at me…so big, bulky, and so in the way! yes, yes {chuckle} i was such a beeeeotch about it. it annoyed me. i never oooohhhh’d and ahhhhh’d over anyone’s kids {of course, unless they were my friend’s children…i could make do with their offsprings for a short moment}, i just didn’t find babies all that cute {do i sound like the devil yet??}. honestly, the only exception before olive were my nephews. now i love, love them to death! even then, i still didn’t change their diapies or do anything very motherly when they were babies.

well, well, well. my, look how much has changed. i’m a sucker for an angelic baby face. i coo over every child i see. i want to and will converse with the mom like she is my best friend! we will compare stories, milestones, notes, and ideas with one another and have a connection because we both feel like being a mom is the best.thing.ever. on this planet.

i see another mom with a baby on a plane and i want her to know that i support her, that i am there for her, and that i understand how overwhelming it can be to bring a little baby onto an airplane in hopes that he or she will remain quiet & calm during the plane ride. i hear a child scream and it actually softens my heart. my motherly instinct kicks in and i want to console the upset child and have them understand that they are loved. i walk into a restaurant with olive and i’m excited to see other moms out lunching with their babies too. i see a women coming with her stroller and i am the first to jump at the door to open it for her, so she can easily maneuver into the store.

i love being a mom. i love having a child. i love that i love it. i have now become that person. i jump at any opportunity to talk about my babes. i drone on and on about her cuteness, like when she giggles and how it rocks my world. or i will talk about her quirky nature and find it the most interesting story evah. or blab on about a story of how she dances and talk about it like it should be broadcasted on the nightly news because it’s that entertaining and important. extra, extra: olive shook her booty and mom almost exploded with love, tonight’s channel 5 top topic. 😉

anyhoo, and that is my momfessions of the moment. how i am now the dorky mom with the silly thoughts and goofy actions 😉 {although i still like to think i am still somewhat the stylish & sophisticated dame, non?}. being a mom is the best job any women can have. i am so fortunate and lucky to have been blessed with my beautiful, healthy, little, sweet olive.

xoxo