Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Christmas Holiday Fun List

I've always been the "no Christmas until after Thanksgiving" kind of person. I know, I know... some think I'm all bahumbagh because of it. well.... having kids is changing me. just a little.
the christmas decorations were brought in from the garage this last weekend, I'm already writing a christmas bucket list for us this year, and as I'm sitting here typing, I've turned on the classic rudolph show for harper.
...and I'm actually loving it!!

having kids (especially now of age to understand more of the excitement) makes this holiday even that much more fun! I can't wait for us to do all these fun holiday things together and to see harper light up and enjoy it all with us!

here's one of our pictures from last christmas season. I was just barley pregnant with tanner :)
so excited to take our family pictures this weekend!

2016 Christmas holiday fun list:

--decorate the tree as a family with christmas music playing in the background and sipping on hot apple cider

--bake + decorate sugar cookies. I"m on the lookout for the softest sugar cookie recipe. I've yet to find one that I've fallen in love with.

--ZOO lights at our local zoo. we've been before, but I just know harper is going to LOVE it this year! she already loves when we go to the zoo and this will be magical for her.

--drive around neighborhoods looking at christmas lights with some hot cocoa :)
--watch christmas movies in our christmas jammies while eating stove popped popcorn

--make, cut, and wrap our annual homemade caramels

--deliver christmas goodies to our neighbors. we did this last year and it was so fun to quickly see each of our neighbors. we all live on the same street, yet sadly, we rarely get to see each other unless it's in passing while going to get the mail.


...and tonight we're breaking out matching christmas jammies!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!!
we always something to be thankful for.


Xoxo
-Brittney

Friday, November 18, 2016

Friday Favorites

...and another friday already!?
this was Tanner's first week into being a four month old and it zipped by so so quickly. we just went in for his four month well baby check yesterday and he is growing like a champ!
his stats put him about the size of your average 7 month old. big boy we have here!!
18 lbs 13 oz + 27 inches long. 
yes, really... twenty SEVEN. 
this boy is already taking after his tall (and handsome) ;) 6'6" daddy!
...we also found out while at his appt that sweet little boy has bronchiolitis. this hurts my mama heart so badly! the coughing and struggle of getting that icky mucus out is so hard to watch. I broke down to tears from his struggle after his first breathing treatment during the appt. but our amazing pediatrician is so great and gave me all the tools and advice we need to get this sucker gone!
"it'll get worse, before it gets better".
ok, now I'm ready for it to get better!!
with that... it's still a happy friday over here! Brandon's 32nd (!!!) birthday is on sunday. we're celebrating with some friends this evening, doing some family celebrating with us four on saturday, and then on his actual birthday (sunday) we have friendsgiving with our supper club group. it's going to be a busy, but ever so fun weekend over here!

we had a very similar week last year too, but we've added one more family member this year :) I had just found out I was pregnant with tanner the week before Brandon's birthday last year. best birthday gift I could give, right?? how can this year even compete ;)

to kick it off...
---a few of my favorites lately!---

slippers. I treated myself with these during one of nordstrom's sales. there's nothing like a pair of cozy slippers by the fire when it's cold and rainy out. it's one of my favorite things about the fall and winter months. I'm dying to get Harper a pair of slippers for christmas. if you've seen any cute ones to suggest- please let me know!

hard cider (these are my absolute favorite- so good!). I have one nearly every night after the babes are in bed :) brandon and I head up to the bonus room, hang out on our new sectional, and enjoy a relaxing hour together. I look forward to it each day. it's our nightly getaway :)

this is us. if you haven't been watching, you NEED TO. it is so so good. I feel like I know each character personally and they're my friends/family. the only downfall is having to wait a whole week for the next episode ;)

that's it!
Happy Friday, all!!
and send some prayers our way (if ya think of it) for little tanner to get better quickly!


Xoxo
-Brittney

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Tanner Ross || 4 months

oh tanner boy! how fun and full this last month has been!
so much growth, development, and changes too.
the cuddliest little boy who gives the best snuggles.
we have our four month well baby check on thrusday and I'm so anxious to see where his stats are!
if I could, I'd go every  month just to do a stats check. it feels so good as a mama to see that confirmation that your baby is growing and thriving well. I am beyond thankful for healthy, growing children.
one of my favorite parts of our days is when my sweet baby boy wakes (whether it's in the morning or from a nap) he is so smiley and happy. no doubt that sweet smile can pick up my mood and bring so much light to the day. this boy is heaven sent. and his mama is ever so grateful for him.
four months later and I'm finally starting to make the bed again. boy does it make a difference in my day. if I get the bed made, I feel so much more put together, and I at least accomplished one thing that day ;) I've also been meal planning our dinners again and these two things are making life feel like we're getting a hang of things and back to 'normal' or more so figuring out our new 'normal'.

age: 4 months

stats:
               birth: 8lbs 2 oz  --  21 inches
 2 days: 7lbs 11oz
 12 days: 9lbs 1oz
                                1 month: 12lbs 4oz  --  23 1/2 inches
                     2 months: 15lbs  --  24 inches
                                                 3 months: 17.4 lbs  --  (from the scale at home)
                        --4 months: we'll find out on thrusday!!

clothes6/6-9 month
diapers: size 2

Tanner name sign // Quincyjeanart
banner // hooray everyday
jesus saves bro shirt // imperishable clothing co

F I R S T S
10/15- rolled from front to back.
10/19- first flight! to palm desert and he did so so good. so content like it was nothing. the drive home from the airport after a long week away was another story ;)
10/25- first swim! at nana and papa's condo in palm desert. he did so well in the water and seemed to like it. he lasted in the water (until being over it) longer than we had expected.
10/28- first trip to the pumpkin patch! hung out in the ergo with daddy the whole time while sister and I enjoyed all they had to offer :)
10/31- first Halloween! we went with the most simple of costumes- a baby bear. mom did not soar high with halloween costumes this year and we went with quick and simple.
11/8- (election day!) started rolling back to tummy too. no more leaving him on the bed/changing table!

E A T
still exclusively breastfeeding. and going strong! my goal is to breastfeed for at least one year. I went 13 months with harper and wouldn't be opposed to going a little longer with tanner if he and I are both happy with it.
he tends to nurse about every 2-4 hours.
he had been taking a bottle quite well. but we only make it happen 1-2 times a week, if that. and about a week ago he was no longer interested and made it clear he preferred his milk right from the source :) but with some practice this last week, we've had some improvement and he's taking it again.
it can be a hard thing for me because I love nursing and hate keeping it from myself and my baby. but I also know I need to be able to give myself the break that I need when it's needed. and the hubs and I need some kid free date nights. we''ll get there.
I've noticed this little guy eye my food a couple of times- but we still have a couple of months until that door is opened!

S L E E P
overall I still can't complain, but strong little man started breaking his way out of his swaddle. because of that (and that he's rolling over) we've done away with the swaddle during night time sleep. with harper, after the swaddle we transitioned her to the zippee and it worked out great. we've done the same with tanner now. because of having more freedom and also all of his developmental changes this last month, night time sleep is a little less solid than it used to be. and will be until he gets used to the freedom of his arms being able to move around. since then the norm has been 1-2 wake ups.  but not bad! we're transitioning and working on it.
he's still sleeping in our room in the pack 'n play at night (which we're thinking we might change here soon! but to be across the hall just seems so far away!).
naps are in his crib in the nursery.
2-3 naps a day. in the morning after being awake about 1.5-2 hours he's ready for one. then another nap later in the afternoon for a couple of hours. this afternoon one usually overlaps harper's 1-4pm nap. yay! #momwin :) and then there's sometimes a quick later afternoon/early evening nap. kinda depends on how long the previous two naps went for.

P L A Y
playing playing playing!!
just last week he started reaching and grabbing for toys and it's so much fun. I love watching him take it all in and hold a toy in front of his face in amazement. I can just see his little mind working and learning.

---things I want to remember---
--oh he started making the sweetest little noises when being rocked down for sleep.
--overall he does great in his car seat in the car. UNLESS he's gotten super tired and might be a tad hungry. then he is MAD at me! not a fun ride home like that... the good news is Harper just deals with it and doesn't follow her little brother's lead.
--oh drool. it comes and it goes. but so much chewing on fingers and teething toys. the teeth seem to just cause discomfort here and there, but not constant.
--on 'typical' days we have a routine, but not a schedule. wake, eat, play, sleep, repeat.
--harper caught a cold this last week and shockingly tanner has not got it. I'm praying he won't! both babes have been loaded with essential oils and the humidifiers.


P H O T O  D U M P

I'm loving this age right now and I know each month is just going to get that more fun. I'm loving learning his personality. I'm loving the chunky thighs. and I'm most certainly loving being a boy mom! and though brandon's starting to disagree with me, he's still definitely a mama's boy! ;)


xoxo
-Brittney

follow along on instagram @brittneyhjelseth

Friday, November 11, 2016

Friday Favorites

it's friday (YAY) and it's already the s e c o n d week of November!
can't.believe.it.  I mean really, Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away. and Christmas... I don't even want to think about how close that is yet. I told myself I was going to get a headstart on my Christmas shopping this year and not wait until after thanksgiving to get going... and well, I haven't even bought a single gift yet. nor even thought about what gifts to be getting. maybe I'll make myself feel better and order a gift for someone tomorrow ;)

---a few of my favorites lately!---

mint chocolate chip cookies
I used to make these cookies allll the time. and then I got pregnant with tanner and I just didn't have the energy. and that's probably a good thing cause I would've eaten ten a day while I was pregnant. I found this recipe awhile back and it's the best cookie recipe I've found! (when I'm making cookies it's either these or my no bakes - they're my two go-to's) :) we love the mint/chocolate chips. I've also replaced the chocolate with white chocolate before and I might actually like that even more... but really you could use any type of chips with this dough. it's the best cookie dough! I eat probably two cookies worth of dough before I even get them baked.

essie gel nail polish
love it! I love going to the salon to get my nails done (with gel), but the downfall for me is getting back when I'm in need of them again. and I hate the hassle of trying to peel them off. this essie gel polish is great. it of course doesn't last quite as long as the real gel polish, but you don't need a light and it definitely lasts longer than regular nail polish. I'm kinda rough on my nails and I've found that I can have these a good 7-8 days before I notice and chips. and then I drag it out about another 7 days until I get to painting them again...

bonus room
we have a 'bonus room' in our house and the year and a half that we've lived here, it's been a catch all room. just recently we finally decided to actually do something with it! we've been working on cleaning it out and refurnishing it. it's a work in progress still, but every night brandon and I can't wait to get up there and relax together once the babes are in bed :) it's like our nightly getaway.

this stuff!! hashtag praise hands!! I was making a order from ulta and needed a little bit more to reach free shipping. (the dollar amount to free shipping always gets me! anyone else???) so quick saw this lipgloss and thought I'd throw it in my cart and give it a shot. I love it. best lipgloss I've had. and so I ordered two more.

my baby boy turns f o u r months old this weekend!! how??!

well, cheers to the weekend!! :)

Xoxo
-Brittney

Monday, November 7, 2016

weekend | flying solo

it was a weekend that I thought was going to draggg by. but it didn't. it actually flew by! 
Brandon went on a guys trip with his dad and brother to Louisiana for the LSU vs. Alabama game. #bucketlist for them all.
meanwhile.... angela and I were back home in WA caring for our babes. we decided to spend the nights together, which was the greatest decision.
we didn't do or plan much beyond our mama duties, but it was better doing it together than alone.
it was all about having dinner delivered, feeding + bathing babes, bedtime routine, and an hour or two of relaxed hanging out before rolling ourselves into bed.
we survived, got a weekend full of sister (in-law) time, and even made it through a costco run on the rainiest day we've had yet.
memories were made and though we're quite exhausted, it was a good time!

and later this week we will all be road tripping home to Idaho together. be praying for us!

Xoxo
-Brittney