6 Months

Half way to a year! Avery is 6 months old. I imagined this age for months & months. Now it's here. Quite a special milestone... Just in time for Christmas. We are all very excited that she is finally here & we can celebrate it with her (last year at this time we were just announcing to friends & extended family our pregnancy).

We just had our 6 month checkup & Avery is healthy as can be! She weighed in at 18lbs 9oz., just over 27 inches long & she's in the 85th percentile for height, weight & head circumference. Her height seems to have tapered off since previous visits. She is now eating solids & can't get enough! Rice cereal, fruits & veggies are a hit (puréed of course). We have a big eater on our hands. Still not rolling but constantly working on her abs by planking & lots of tummy time.  Almost sitting on her own. Constantly saying "mom, mom, mom" while smacking her lips together. Loves to have her hands & toes kissed, giggles, gives us big gummy smiles non-stop. Finally growing her hair back. She does have an interest in the Christmas tree, she really enjoys staring at the lights & ornaments. Grabbing EVERYTHING & it all goes in her mouth. We did some festive photos for the 6 month update because it seemed fitting! Also photos are a lot harder than they used to be, arms & legs are moving everywhere. 

I can hardly wait to make memories on Christmas Day! 

Melissa xo 

Tis the Season

I've always loved decorating for the holidays. We actually have a rule in our house now... We are allowed to put up the tree & decorate as of November 12th. I love the feeling of the decor, so warm & cozy. Especially in these dark winter months! 

My Christmas decor style is  vintage mixed with modern. I love traditional colors such as red, green & silver. I also like to incorporate some natural elements too such as wood & burlap. 

5 Months

Leap & bounds! That pretty much describes the changes in Avery over the past month. It is truly incredible to see every single day the changes that take place. Baby girl you amaze us! 

Favorite things as of late:

- grabbing everything

- having her hands kissed

- baby Einstein (only the puppet show) 

- Finn (pays attention to him now) 

- smiling & laughing 

- playing in your jumparoo

- shopping (uh oh! we're in trouble) 

- seeing herself in the mirror 

- napping on her Mom

- Bathtime  

Started teething, frozen cloths & lots of chew toys seem to be doing the trick. Had the 4 month vaccinations done last week (yes, we are a month behind). Avery weighs 17 lbs 1 oz! Big girl. Almost time to start this little lady on solids! 

Love you so much Little A! 

Melissa xo 

Winter Snow Globes

After buying these a few years ago & loving them I realized I needed to make them at home. This is the easiest & quickest little craft! Perfect for gifts too. What you will need:

- Mason jars (or a jar of any type)

- Bottle brush trees (found at craft stores)

- Twine

- Bag of snow

- Hot glue gun/ glue

I've kept it simple by just putting trees inside but you can add other items. Such as cars (put the tree on top), bunting, reindeer, etc. I'm sure Pinterest has a million ideas! 

Wrap twine or string around tree. Cut the string, then glue it. Next, glue the tree to the bottom of the lid. Pour the snow into the mason jar about half an inch. Twist the lid with tree onto the jar. Then you have your snow globe! 

Melissa xo 

What's in My Brave Tote

I recently received another beautiful Brave Leather tote to add to my ever growing Brave collection. This bag is nothing short of amazing! With it's rich leather, perfect size & accessibility it's just right for me being a mama on the go! I love that Brave Leather is a Canadian based business that makes their handcrafted goods in Canadian factories. They specialize in fine leather handbags, belts & accessories. The attention to detail does not go unnoticed. The smell & the feel of this bag will make any handbag lover happy! 

I never found a diaper bag that suited my style. I decided that I could use a tote & that would act as a fully functioning diaper bag. It's a great size tote, as I'm not constantly digging to the bottom to find items, who has time for that? There's a pocket for a couple lip glosses & keys, the bag holds just the right amount of items as pictured. It's easy to overpack & get carried away with things for baby but I always like to keep it simple by packing just the necessities (diapers, wipes, change pad, change of clothes, Sophie the Giraffe, teething necklace, blanket). Of course some mama necessities as well (lipgloss, wallet, sunglasses, etc.). I'm already carting around a healthy baby every day I don't need a workout from my bag as well!  Overall I'm so pleased with this bag. Check out their large selection of handbags & other items at www.braveleather.com or follow them on Instagram (instagram.com/braveleather) 

Handbag "Orini" in black domino c/o Brave Leather 

Melissa xo 

Not So Little Anymore

Our baby is growing up so quickly! I know everybody says it goes by fast but you don't know it until you live it & it does! I still feel like it's June & we have just come home from the hospital (maybe that's because I'm on maternity leave & have loss sense of time). 

Avery is such a little joy! She is becoming more consistent with everything she does... Well, besides sleeping. Loves to play on her playmat, talk (cooing of course), bath time, daily adventures out with Mom, hikes with Dad & Finn, singing (I think we have pretty much wore out the lyrics to Baby Beluga & Wheels on the Bus) we do have to sing these songs as soon as we get in the car. Funny, we have become "that" family". She's great at napping on the go! Very responsive to her name & is always looking for Dad & Mom. Her looks have changed quite a bit. Her cheeks are getting chubbier, eyes are changing color, all of her hair is falling out & she is so tall. 

I never fully imagined what life would be like with a baby probably because it overwhelmed me for the longest time. I can truly say it's amazing (yes,you by all means you have some bad days) but those aside she makes our little house & family complete. I look forward to her smiling face every morning. We are so excited to have our first Christmas with her! Last Christmas is when we shared the news with our family & friends. 

Melissa xo 

4 Months

And then we hit 4 months! Time really is going by quickly! It's cliche to say but it's the truth. We had Avery's 4 month check up last week. She weighs 16lbs 5 oz, one healthy little babe. Her height is off the charts! Weight & head width are in the 85 percentile. Happy, happy girl (most days)! Now if only we could figure out this whole sleep thing.... Not a huge fan of the crib, loves to be rocked still & really just wants to be with us all the time. The changes in her personality are so apparent. Cannot stop chatting, chews on Sophie constantly (finally figured out how to hold her & bring her to her mouth), music is her favorite, enjoys reading too. Bath time has become something she now enjoys. She even discovered how to splash! Her right arm is constantly in motion. Started to giggle when she is kissed on the cheek, way too cute!! So smiley :) Still likes to be carried in the carriers for walks or around the house if it's nap time. 

She brings us a lot of joy! 

Melissa xo 

Tofino Vacay

This is the time of year we love to getaway to Tofino (tourist season is over). We love to visit Tofino during storm season. As pictured below we embraced the storm! 

We figured a 3 day getaway would be the perfect amount of time for our first trip. Hard not to pack the entire house when going away with a baby. The beauty of the resort is they have laundry in the units. I guess I could have left more than half the clothes I took. Between baby toys & accessories, luggage & our big lab we managed to squeeze everyone into the SUV quite comfortably. Only a short roadtrip of 2.5 hours to paradise. Avery slept the entire drive both ways! 

We have our favorite spots to visit in Tofino. It was so fun to introduce Avery to them even though she won't remember. Tofino is so special to us as we started going there when we first started dating, we got engaged on Long Beach, spent our honeymoon there & had many other wonderful trips throughout the years. We always go to Tacofino, it's always our first stop. Then to Tofino Brewing Co. to pick up our favorite beer. We always enjoy going to Shelter restaurant as well. It never disappoints! 

 Lots of walks on the beach & relaxing by the fire. Learned lots of traveling tips with a baby! So memorable showing Avery the beach for the first time, this will be one of many family vacations to Tofino. 

Melissa xo 

October To-Do's

Fall is definitely my favorite season. Something about the crisp air, changing leaves & coziness of it all. Even more excited this year that I have a little bundle to snuggle. We have planned a few exciting family things to-do this October. We are starting off by our first family vacation to Tofino (Cox Bay Beach Resort). Only a short but sweet 3 day stay. It will be just enough time away & a little practice for another trip perhaps in January. Very excited to show Avery our favorite place. We hope she enjoys the beach as much as we do. We also plan to go to the corn maze & pick out pumpkins. It's always something I've wanted to do. We might need to take a few photos in the pumpkin patch too. Last thing on our list is dressing up for Halloween. Can't wait to put Avery in her watermelon costume. I would be lying if I said I haven't been excited about this for months! Looking forward to among some family memories! 

Melissa xo 

Little Changes

I feel like I figure one thing out then next thing you know it's changed. Little A is still learning life on the outside & she's doing a great job. It's so easy to get frustrated & fed up but I often remind myself "she's new here, she's just learning & adjusting just like me". This helps me put things into perspective & I'm able to give her the attention that she needs from me. I think I've got her figured out then all of a sudden she's changed & onto something else. We have recently transitioned to the crib, I'm sure she's grateful for as she actually has room to stretch out her legs & arms. It was hard to make the move. To me it meant my baby was growing up (well she really is & I need to face reality!). Bath time routine before bed is also becoming the norm as well as going to bed. She has become quite the little chatterbox. Talking away & cooing, the expressions are way too adorable! She recently decided everything belongs in her mouth. Holding Sophie & putting her in her mouth has been the victory for the week (I think her gums are starting to get tender... Uh oh!) She may have discovered tv... We don't have it on very often but when we do she is completely mesmerized by it. Funny to see her focus on it. Still needs to be rocked or go for car rides to sleep for those short cat naps. 

You are such a joy! Thank you for making the small things in life so important Little A. 

Melissa xo