here are a few of some of my favorite may moments…
i usually keep the pics separate {keep it fresh!} but i included some of my instagram ones from may…if you would like, please follow me on instagram here 🙂
of course my may loves revolve around food, desserts, hc, and olive. in no particular order 🙂
[olive flipping over in her crib for the first time]
[such a funny gal]
[olive being cute // trying out the thai place by our house on a beautiful sunny day]
[my lanky little girl and her sophie]
[eating some healthy stuff]
[my cutie, stylish nephews]
[yummy, fluffy, sweet cake]
[enjoying a cozy nap in my arms]
[mini burgers // playing peekaboo]
[baby girl really enjoying her daddy’s beer]
[just being too cute]
[olive’s fabulous godparents]
[morning cuteness]
[nice look, nice hair miss olive // cousin love]
it was a beautiful month. sunny, warm, and bright. we were fully settled in our home, i loved the warm weather we were experiencing, and i was so excited olive was baptized in our gorgeous church.
i’m so excited to celebrate this special day together with our presh daughter, olive! i know hc is a fantastic father to grace but it’s awesome to celebrate him being an amazing dad to our olive.
thank you for being a strong partner in raising her. you love her, play with her, dress her in cute outfits, and completely dote on her in so many ways. there are many, many moments you guys share that are too cute for words, i love watching you both interact! it makes my heart melt!
***
[photo by kate headley]
happy father’s day to my dad. the most amazing, loving father anyone could ever ask for. he has given so much to us as a family, i am forever grateful for all his sacrifices and all the love he has given. i am so fortunate to be surrounded by such terrific, kind, loving men!
happy father’s day to all the wonderful dads out there!
i’ve compiled a list of gifts {with the help of hc’s hints}, that are a possibility of giving for this upcoming dad’s day!
how cool is this driftwood dock? it’s woodsy {anything wood is a fan favorite of the hubs}, simple, and would look very nice out and about in your home. a wonderful way to charge your techy toys without it looking cumbersome or junky!
my hubs is a beer loving kind of guy. so, i think this lovely beerholder is a great gift to give because one: it’s really cool looking…loving the grey wood finish. two: it’s perfect to be able to tote several beers out to the back yard to your guests. three: it has the bottle opener right there! how convenient 😉
hc is a fabulous chef. he makes the greatest meals, i am a lucky gal! i found this awesome tandem bike cutting board that can be personalized. it would be a fun gift to give and a special reminder that he is an awesome dad every time we are in the kitchen together cooking {or i’m in the kitchen and he’s doing the cooking!}.
i die over these bbq sugar cookies from oh sugar events! i love the novelty and i think it’s a great add on, delicious, sweet treat to any father’s day gift you do end up giving. on a personal note, i think i’d be the one who ends up eating all these tasty cookies anyways!
what dad doesn’t want a really cool shaving set? years ago, i bought hc a set like this. he loves it. it looks awesome and is pretty cool looking sitting out on the sink. it’s classic, old fashioned, and practical.
a hc request. he hinted about this lovely tent to me a couple weeks ago. since he enjoys camping with grace and now we have a huge, spacious backyard…it’s the perfect gift to give to him! he needs to replace the old tent he has and whether they go to a camping ground or set up shop in our backyard, this is a great compact tent to tote around!
these watches are marvelous. hc was eyeing a watch like this at a men’s boutique we were shopping at on southport last summer. so, i am suggesting this as a gift to any dad out there who loves wood, watches, and a fun conversation piece!
well, there you go! a few ideas to help out or inspire you to get your dad or your husband a fantastic gift for this special day. hurry up, lovies…father’s day is coming up quick. get that hard working dad something wonderful to show him that you care and let him know he’s the greatest dad in the world!
we had olive’s six month photos taken right before her birthday!
oh boy, she was a bit better than her newborn photos but still a fussy little one! she wanted to be in her mama’s arms and that can’t happen when one is being solely photographed!
well, the hubs and me did a lot of dancing, noise making, funny faces, playing hide and seek, jiggling her toys…just to distract her and make her laugh! after all our efforts, we made it work and her session turned out so cute! i also loved that tricia had the cutest accessories and she works so well with the little one.
here are a few favorites from her photo shoot:
yes, she is in her birthday suit. it makes for the most adorable pictures. you definitely can’t get away with naked cuteness like this when you get older 😉
i was super duper excited when tricia emailed me to let me know that she had one of her vendors custom make a beautiful, delicate little outfit and matching headband for olive. how awesome is that?! i was so delighted that she was going to be photographed in such an adorbs, exquisite romper. so cool.
[burberry dress…a wonderful, generous gift from a former employee, serena // red flower headband from nordstrom]
the pictures turned out so perfect…i love how tricia captured olive’s cute chunky profile, those cheeks are to die for. i can’t get enough of that mug! every morning, i look forward to seeing her precious face!
i had a day off this past week and was excited to spend it all day with my little olive.
i had a doctor’s appointment downtown that morning, so i packed up olive’s things, got ourselves in the car and headed into awful traffic! i thought that making my appointment midmorning would be fine in avoiding traffic but since it was raining…it made for terrible traffic!
[ready for her outing // carters’s headband, little tots long sleeve onesie, gapkids pants, trumpette socks]
we finally got downtown and we scored a close parking spot! i put together the stroller and ran towards the office. i was already so late! i used to come to this place every month, multiple times a month, while pregnant with olive. so it was different coming back with a five month old…the babes that was in my belly for so long was now chillin’ by my side. so cool.
[hanging out downtown]
[on our way to wicker park]
after our appointment, olive and i went to wicker park to hang out. our old hood…*sigh*. it was a beautiful day out and perfect for a stroll around the neighborhood. we picked up some starbucks and we stopped into a few stores during our walk. on my agenda was to stop by sprout {a favorite store!} and pick up some organic cotton fox pajamas for little miss olive {they are so stinkin’ cute!}. our most favorite footie pj for olive had a fox on it {it was from carter’s} and hc loves to sing ‘what does the fox say?!’ to olive in her fox pj’s! alas, she outgrew them and needed a new one so we could continue our little song and dance with her that she loves!
[oooohhh, banh mi is open!]
[the pretty elementary school on division]
after our stroll around wicker park, we headed home but not without stopping a zillion places along the way!!! we had to go to target to exchange an item, we had to get stamps and drop off mail at the post office, we had to drop off donations, head to babies r us to do an exchange, and pick up some items at buybuybaby! oy! it was a long way before we got home but when we finally did, olive got to chill while i ran around putting things away we had purchased and cleaning things up!
i was finally able to relax a bit with the wee one and we had some quality time together. she’s so cute!
[i love, love this baby]
[capturing sweet moments]
[one photo at a time…she is so serious sometimes]
[since she was born…i love giving/getting baby kisses]
[muwah!]
i then prepped olive’s food {avocados!} and fed her. that is when hc came home! yay! all in all, it was a very busy, hectic day. olive was a trooper and was totally along for the ride the whole way. she was so chill the entire time i had her out {and that was a long time for my little babes}.
we had such a wonderful mommy/daughter day together!
what a wonderful, beautiful day it was! it was so exciting to have olive’s baptism finally here. i was filled with so much anticipation!
i was a bit nervous if olive would get fussy. she does get temperamental sometimes {duh…like her momma!} and can get cranky. we had a lot going on that morning too. getting olive up, feeding her, getting her dressed, getting grace ready, me and the hubs finalizing our outfits, packing up our stuff, getting out the door on time, and picking up some last minute items along the way!
[olive’s beautiful, handmade baptism dress by tashina // it’s made out of french chantilly lace, silk charmeuse, and silk chiffon]
well, hc sped his way to the city, he was nervous we were going to be late, {something he never really does} and we got there on time {phew!}. our party was already there waiting outside of the church, we quickly greeted them and scurried inside so we could get olive changed into her beautiful baptism gown.
[our beautiful moms]
[could they be any cuter??]
[peonies]
[grandpa and the boys]
we changed olive into her baptism gown in the brides room {how fitting!}, left our belongings there, and traipsed our way into the church. we met up with all our guests in the front two reserved pews. everyone oohh’d and ahh’d over how adorbs olive was!
[dressing her in the baptism gown in the bridal room]
[olive in her gorgeous dress]
[generations adoring each other]
[our pretty little girl]
[prim and proper]
mass began and we started out in the procession. up went the alter boys, the liturgical ministers, us, the godparents, and then father ken. we bowed before the alter and walked up to stand beside the font. father ken came up and asked us what name do we give her and what we were asking for of God’s church today. after that, we were dismissed and walked back to our pew to be seated.
[here we go! rite of passage]
then right after the homily, we were asked to come up again to go through the rites of baptism for olive. father ken anointed her with oil, referenced the white garment, lit the baptism candle, and recited the prayer over ears and mouth.
then came the dunking moment…i chose to have olive fully immersed into the holy water. to closely replicate and reference what john the batiste did, according to the bible. during the homily, we stripped olive down and draped her in a white towel. once fr. ken finished asking the questions to the parish and us {ya know…the do we reject satan, etc.}, he reached for olive and pulled her out from the towel and fully dunked her into the font three times…in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit.
[getting ready for the holy water]
[full immersion!]
olive was in good spirits! she came back safely into my arms and the cozy towel. fr. ken finished the rites, olive was announced as the newest member of the church, the parish applauded, and we were seated. it was awesome! it was such a wonderful, special moment…i was so happy to share it with our church, so excited fr. ken performed the rite, and so proud to have kim and terry as olive’s godparents.
after church, we walked our way to the restaurant. it was only two blocks away! it was such a beautiful day, i couldn’t have asked for better weather. the temperature was perfect and the sun was shining so brightly!
we rented out a private room at d.o.c wine bar. it was spectacular. it was such a large space, there were couches and chairs, and a fireplace. a perfect space for the kids to run around and hang out. they had set up long tables for everyone to sit and eat. the bartender was so accommodating and the food was absolutely delicious. the whole wait staff there was fantastic.
i had purchased a cake and had it redecorated to an all white buttercream frosting. i made fun toppers for olive’s cake and fashioned pretty, blooming peonies onto the top of the fluffy, yummy cake. i loved how it turned out…so whimsy and cute!
[baptism cake]
[love these kiddies]
[love these two!]
[noshing]
[family first // missy, aunt wendy, john, jane, and dick]
[my fair ladies]
[the ladies!]
after everyone downed their tasty libations, noshed on yummy eats, and filled their bellies with sweet treats…we slowly parted ways. it was such a great morning and afternoon. we had a truly wonderful time celebrating olive’s baptism with our friends and family.
we trekked our way home to get into comfy clothes and relax. after a bit, we headed on over to my parent’s for dinner and olive’s aunties showered her with more gifts! her first tiffany gifts…so spoiled! i am so thankful to everyone for all the generous gifts she received…olive is so blessed to be so loved!
[olive’s goodies]
[olive’s first tiffany gifts]
[cousin love // tiffany galore]
we seriously had the most delightful day. it was so perfect – olive’s custom made gown, the beautiful ceremony, the wonderful weather, the delicious brunch, and the best part? we were able to celebrate it with our loving friends and family. i am so thankful for both our families…we are truly, truly blessed.
it was quite a crazy, busy month for us. with it being holy week, easter, hc’s birthday, tax month, moving, baby showers, oh my! that is just a brief summary of the many, many events that happened in april!
olive had many milestones, my terrific husband was such a strong support system through all these major events, and we had such huge positive, life changes happening to us. it was such a great, overwhelming, amazing time.
life has been fascinating. i am intrigued by my own changes, whether it is through body, mind, or environment. i love watching olive grow. i love being married to my husband. i am in awe over how calm and laid back he can be at the hardest moments. i am so happy that the weather has been getting warmer and i can really enjoy taking olive out and about.
my love for my family has grown exponentially! everyday i appreciate and cherish them more and more. it’s been a lot dealing with a new house, a little baby, and all the updates we are making to our new abode. there are a lot of times i freak out but i come to realize, every time, that it’s all going to work out in the end. as usual patience is not my virtue…unfortunately. that’s why i am lucky to have my other half calm me down!
[baby olive’s crazy hairdo before her bath // hc winning the award for daddy of the year]
[pam’s baby shower]
[many faces of olive]
[ombre cake at jaime’s baby shower]
[cousin cool // sleepy time]
[olive’s easter basket]
[olive // dunkin’ donuts easter peeps]
[dunkin’ donuts cubbie donuts to support the cub’s charity]
[laughing in the early morning // learning how to sit]
[a sunny day shopping // vanilla buttercream cupcake]
there ya go…an april rewind in photos. some of my favorite moments and it always includes desserts! pretty, lovely, sweet desserts!
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.
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!
i am so excited to have our wedding featured on refinery29!
almost three years later and it’s pretty awesome to have our wedding still talked about. it was, seriously, the best day ever. without that wonderful, euphoric, romantic, amazing, whimsical, lively, dynamic, exciting day…there wouldn’t have been the next best day ever…giving birth to miss olive!
our wedding was like a dream come true. so cliche right?! but it was. everything was perfect. celebrating our union with our friends and family was a recipe for unparalleled goodness. hc and i had the best time reveling in the love and joy of our guests…how could it not be fabulous when everyone is celebrating, eating, and drinking? best combos ever.
from our rehearsal, to our rehearsal dinner, to the wedding day, the sunday brunch, and then onto an alfresco dinner at my parent’s with our family’s out of town guest, it was a whirlwind of delight. the next morning we sped off on our honeymoon floating on cloud nine, full of happiness.
i am always so thankful to everyone who helped make our day so magical, from our amazing, prompt, creative vendors to our friends and family who helped make this moment so special. i am forever grateful because i will always claim this day to be the best day ever!
