yes, i’m gonna do it. i’m going to post something about this deep freeze today like everyone else.
[my favorite part? the windchill]
[the start of the snow…]
yowza, was it cold! the only way I know this was:
1. sitting by the windows, i could feel the cold, cold air penetrating through…yuck. so uncomfortable, i can’t imagine actually being outside!
2. the endless posts by my friends on fb about the weather being so extreme!
3. hubby charming layering up like we live in antarctica.
4. wondering how anyone would recognize their car? if you forgot where you’re parked, you might be screwed. let alone, you might not even make it out of your parking spot {the endless wheels a spinning that i keep on hearing from our place}.
[hc…it that you?! rockin’ his winter gear from head to toe. scary serial killer look]
[the peanut sleeping after a full belly on this cold winter day]
it was a very low key day for us, although it totally flew by for me and olive {the way this bebe spits up, projectile vomits, poops and pees everywhere keeps this momma busy!}. before we knew it, the evening snuck up on us and daddy was home! yay!
it was my birthday this past 17.12! my, what a difference a year makes. last year’s celebration was non-stop. this year’s celebration was non-stop with the babes! it was low key and cozy.
obviously, this post if very delayed but nevertheless an occasion. i had some other vip things to talk about that superceded this post. don’t get me wrong…i love my birthday! ever since i have been with hc, he’s always made it important and that means a lot to me. here’s a blast from the past…some photos from last year’s celebration:
we had dinner at an italian restaurant, la luce, set up by my darling friend andrea and hc. i was blessed to have some wonderful friends {matt, johann, danielle, dana, andrea, frank, & kip} and family {kim, thuy, dan, & terry} celebrate with me on that special occasion!
hc commissioned a cake from alliance bakery in the form of a lv gift box! how adorbs! i loved the cake…and it was sooo delish.
[birthday bash from 2012 – coat, vintage burberry]
***
here’s to my wonderful birthday celebration with our newest, adorable addition – baby olive!
[this is my current look at home nowadays]
i definitely wanted to break out my tiara but it was buried downstairs in the basement 🙁 {i mean, pj’s aren’t quite the tiara ensemble but i’ll rock one for any occasion!}. oh well, it can always make it’s appearance next year. a girl’s birthday always deserves a tiara!
we celebrated at home with just the three of us. hc made a delicious dinner [it’s called order out at mana…so delish] and i made my wish when i blew out my birthday cake candles! shhh…wishes are always kept secret so they can come true! hubby charming so thoughtfully gave me a gift from jcrew {a fav store o mine}! a buffalo check coat…loves! so outdoorsy chic!
[mana… a modge podge of goodness]
[happy beurffday!!!]
[make a wish]
[jcrew boxes are always filled with wonderful surprises]
here’s to an amazing year past. 2013 was full of joy, laughter, love, family, friends, and many blessings! the most joyous event of the year? our baby girl olive! finding out i was pregnant since february and being on this journey almost this entire past year has been eye opening, life changing, and miraculous.
i love seeing the glass half full all the time, so any bumps in the road this past year has truly been for the better…learning from your mistakes, forgiving others or yourself, do something better for anyone, and try, try again.
thank you for my family, thank you to my family. my greatest support system. through trials and turbulence, family will always be there no matter what. i am blessed to have this through the doan’s and the heintz’s. two wonderful families, truly special people…hc and i are so fortunate to be surrounded by such strong foundations.
thank you to my friends who always stand by me. they are the most amazing people and i am lucky to be surrounded by such good people. as life goes on, it’s good to have some solid peeps in there.
///
we spent our new year’s eve with friends and family. we trekked our way out in this crazy weather to have dinner at rpm. i loved the ambience and the food was delicious! so freakin’ yummy.
[don’t mind me a glass of presecco]
[our artsy, dramatic attempt]
we settled in at the bar, waiting for the rest of our party to arrive. it’s great when you live 10 minutes away and no one is really on the road! we ordered drinks and conversed our time away. since everyone was running a bit behind {holy snow!}, we decided to order apps. we had the smoked salmon crostini, prime beef meatballs, gnocchi alla romana, and the crispy ravioli. small bites that were way too small ’cause every morsel was so yummy, i wanted more!
[the ladies bedazzled for the evening…obviously i don’t know which direction to look at]
anyhoo, our party finally got there {phew! safe and sound!}, and we were seated! yay! and away we went with our over consumption of food for the evening!
we ordered a whole bunch of plates to share. i loved tasting all the different flavors. we then moved onto desserts…i had the tartufo, so decadent!
[our pasta course // my yummy tartufo]
it was a snowy, wintery night for a new years’s eve celebration.
After dinner, we headed back home to ring in the new year with olive and hc’s family.
[midnight kiss]
on new year’s day, we celebrated with a fun breakfast. Complete with sparkles, mimosas, and lots o coffee! it was a perfect beginning to a fabulous new year!
[our new year’s table spread!]
[starting off the new year right…family and a super yummy breakfast by hc]
[olive’s one month birthday cake]
papa insisted on having cake for olive’s one month. ask and you shall receive. i love a good ol’ home baked cake!
i can’t believe she’s already a month in age. her cheeks are chubbier. her awareness is more acute. she smiles. she gurgles. she hollers like a pterodactyl when she sleeps. she loves to lay around and absorb her surroundings with her wide eyes. it’s so amazing to watch her grow!
she is so adorable. she is growing by the minute and it’s so cool to see her personality and reactions to us. happy one month baby girl! we love you so much!
i just wanted to post for everyone some cute baby tootsies! who doesn’t love little bebe feet?! those feet that kicked me non-stop in the womb. i could always feel her little heels poking against my skin or my ribs {ouch!}! it’s so surreal to feel her sharp little heels in the flesh. to see those adorable little toes.
hc likes to call her a kick boxer/swimmer. she has strong little legs when she’s a hollering and she flails her arms like she’s a swimmer. future career goals?! 🙂
everyone who comes to meet little olive love to touch and look at her little footsies. i think it’s the only time people really, really love feet. after that, it’s all down hill from there isn’t it?!
here she is curling her toes and footsies all up on her diapy, under her sleeper. quite adorable. that’s all.
figuring out the diaper bag essentials, every mom has told me different things and there were a lot of common threads {different moms are loyal to different products, or quite a few suggested the same!}. after assessing all the input, i have decided upon my most favorite items for the first year…
the bag: my beloved louis vuitton
the essentials
1. portable changing station – perfect for the places that don’t have a changing station in their restroom. it’s a great one stop shop piece {thanks carol!}!
3. paci wipes – for the oops it dropped on the floor of the market
4. stain remover – it’s when she’s wearing her cute outfit and pictures haven’t been taken yet occasions {or those poopy stains that don’t seem to come out!}
5. baby nail files – when you don’t get the clean cut while she’s asleep and need to smooth out some ragged edges
6. snot catcher – for those cold days or when she is snot 😉 feeling so great
of course, if you are breastfeeding or not, you’ll need some more essentials…breast pump, nipple cream, storage bottles, baby bottles, formula, etc. you can also add in a brush/comb for some stylin’ hairdo’s or maybe lack thereof ’cause she has no hair! as the tot gets older, you’ll need to throw in teethers, a toothbrush, some snacks, spoons, & sippy cups!
i know it seems like a lot but better safe than sorry! packing for this little bebe is like packing for a long vacation! i’ll probably slowly eliminate as i go, learn what i need and don’t need. otherwise, i am ready! 🙂
there have been some final touches to the bebe’s room! you can see the room coming together here. also, some very sweet friends have sent the cutest packages to us! so kind!
baby h is so spoiled already!
a little bundle! such a cute package sent to us from b! thank you so much, it contained so many fun items…i love how the contents are for mommy and baby! high quality, hand crafted, functional, organic pieces! so stinkin’ adorbs!
we are so excited for our bookcase! it’s the perfect addition to the room. it houses all the random stuff perfectly…it helps organize some of the chaos!
unwrapping a cute door delivery from o! thank you so much for the personalized print, so cute and perfect for her room. we love it…such a sweet gift.
what an awesome gift from olivia! how great does that look?!
jonathan adler lion night light from johann and matt. we absolutely love it…i know i keep saying this but it’s so perfect for the room! thank you so much guys!
we love the sequin pillow from kar and kt…and i love the ruffled crib skirt! perfect final touches to the nursery.
i love the changing table and the rattan diaper/essential holder, from tracy! we have the wipes, diapers, butt paste, and all the other necessities for keeping her bum clean!
we also have the white rattan hamper {for all those dirty clothes, sheets, and changing mats that she will spit on, pee on, and poop on…oh, baby!} and the storage box from pbk. embroidered personally for miss olive with grey floss and trimmings!
the bebe’s room is ready to go! it’s a small but mighty room. so many cute, adorable, and fun decor…all suited for this little lady’s style {or perhaps, more so her momma’s style!}.
thanks so much to everyone for contributing to little olive’s abode!
wow! i obviously took a small hiatus on blogging {i have a few posts to publish that are a bit behind but never the less worth a current post!} to spend time with my family. it’s been such a roller coaster of a ride!
as crazy as it sounds, i published my last blog post while i was in labor! i know that sounds crazy but it was already written {it was legit and i did want to share, since i really did make it to my 40 week mark!} and all i could do was sit at home, through my contractions, with nothing to do!
i’m going to write olive’s birthing story soon {can’t wait to share}, i definitely found giving birth a totally amazing experience. i have this new found lens of women, women being pregnant, and women being able to give birth to a life that changes everything.
this baby girl came into our world and it just makes life such a happier place. she’s so sweet and we love her so much!!!
i am sooo excited to share her baby photos! thank you, thank you to tricia from patricia anderson photography! she was absolutely amazing. her photos are so sweet and beautifully shot. of course, having the cutest little subject does help!
[a sneak peek at tricia’s studio]
[love this, it makes me cry]
[tired mom hanging out while the babes is getting her first photos done // i love the backdrop]
little olive was not being cooperative, even though we kept her awake before the photo shoot, fed her right before, and did all we could to tire her out…yet, little baby girl had her own agenda {just like her mom}. she was not having it. she was fussy and not falling asleep! she wouldn’t feed and momma was sweating up a storm we wouldn’t get her photos done. oy, it was so stressful! i had been looking forward to this photo shoot and it was not starting off well.
olive finally gave in to a feeding {her belly was full!} and snore away she did! thank the Lord! i was so nervous she would never settle down so tricia could capture the sweet photos she does.
here are a few of the lovely, sweet, beautiful photos {she is 6 days new}…enjoy!
welcome little olive harper, she has changed our world and makes her momma cry happy tears! her cute munchkin face is so precious. we love her so much and can’t wait to have her meet everyone!
