seven + eight month favorites

two more months. (HOW?)
another handful of changes. (STOP GROWING!)
and another list of new favorite things. (SO MANY THINGS) ;)

babies don't stop growing and changing. not even as hard as we mamas try to make them stay just itty bitty forever. every month brings so much newness and also so much fun! (for the most part. like not the teething part.)

in addition to many things from previous months that we are also still using (ONE, TWO, THREE + FOUR, FIVE + SIX), here are a few of our favorite things over these last couple months:

bibs // with solids comes mess. I've tried a number of bibs and I want something that doesn't stain from food, can withstand the washer + dryer, and is cute of course :) these bumkin bibs are the best.

nosefrida // this one has actually been something we've been using for a few months. since back when tanner had bronchiolitis. it really grossed me out at first, but this thing is AMAZING! SO effective in getting that 'yuck' out ;) all mamas of babies need to have this on hand. Tanner has been hard core teething and this was a lifesaver in cleaning out his little nose :)

sippy cup // tanner is just slowly used to his sippy cup, but nuby sippy cups are the best when it comes to finding one that doesn't leak! having a leaky sippy cup is one annoying thing that I just don't have the patience for. we tried a number of brands when harper was a baby and nuby was and still is where we found success!

exersaucer // we pulled this out from the closet under the stairs and it's been great for keeping tanner entertained (and contained) ;) even though he fairly recently just started truly crawling, he had been army crawling, scooting, and pushing himself allll around prior.

ergo // now this we've been using for quite some time (in addition to our solly wrap), but with how big tanner is, the ergo feels a bit more solid when I'm throwing him in it as we run into a store. unless we're at costco, tanner gets strapped into the ergo while harper gets the shopping cart. maybe once he's a little older and can hold his own better ;) I'll let them both cozy up and ride together in the regular sized shopping carts.

wean green containers // we have these from when harper was a baby (yet another handmedown). they are still in like new condition. i love them! they're small and a good size for tanner who doesn't eat a large amount of foods and the lids are great for storing uneaten foods in the fridge for later. another favorite thing- they don't stain and get dingy looking like their plastic competitors.


happy friday friends!! OH! and it's st. patty's day, so a double happy friday to ya!!

xoxo

-Brittney

follow along on instagram @brittneyhjelseth

Tanner Ross || 8 months

TANNER ROSS.

you're eight whole months old!! i say this nearly every month, but I can't believe we're here already!! you are so fun, so sweet, give the best cuddles, all with a side of feistiness (particularly during meal time). 

already (in your mama's eyes) becoming quite daring. just started full on crawling a little over a week ago, but within a few days' time you were trying to climb and pull up on everything. I just know you're going to give me a about a hundred heart attacks in the future. and I also know you're going to fall and fall and fall again.

♡♡ but I pray you will always get up and try again ♡♡

as much as my heart misses those dear newborn days and each previous month that has passed, you are just becoming so darn fun and we all love it so much! your personality is growing + growing and your daddy, sister, and I are just falling deeper in love with you.

age: 8 months

stats:

8 months: 23 lbs  --  (from the scale at home)

birth: 8lbs 2oz  --  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: 18lbs 13oz  --  27 inches

5 months:  20.4 lbs  --  (from the scale at home)

6 months: 21lbs 2oz  --  28 inches
7 months: 22.8 lbs  --  (from the scale at home)

clothes: 12 month

diapers: 3

Tanner name sign // Quincyjeanart

banner // hooray everyday

newness/milestones:

-- teeth 3 + 4! (3/2 & 3/3). so thankful once these finally came through, because teething is not easy with this guy! though we now think number 5 + 6 are trying to make their way.. teething nonstop!

-- boy is C R A W L I N G!! (3/5) and though it makes for him being even busier, we are loving it. he's so happy to be able to get himself where he wants to go, and playing is now even that much more fun :)

-- clapping! if he likes it, he claps about it. another new way for him to express himself and let me just say it's cuter than CUTE.

8 month things:

-- take anything out of this boy's hands and he will be sure to let out quite the protest.

-- with the new changes that come each month and the little changes in our day's schedule, we're finding ourselves a new rhythm and new 'normal' each month. we're almost completely transitioned to two naps a day.

-- little guy was getting so upset at meal time with vegetable purees and rice cereal. I really want to keep a positive relationship for him with food and meal time so we've expanded what tanner is eating and opened the door to more options for him. like he's had LOTS of new foods this month! still trying to keep it to simple, whole foods. veggies. fruit. cheese. whole wheat bread + pasta. he is SO much happier with this!!

P H O T O  D U M P:

tanner boy!! we all love you so, so much!! how we've had eight months of you already, I'll never know. but i'd never change it. you bring us all so much joy and the way you and your sister love each other... I just can't get enough of it!
LOVE YOU, SWEET BOY!!!

7 months

6 months

5 months

4 months

3 months

2 months

1 month

birth

xoxo

-Brittney

follow along on instagram @brittneyhjelseth

OUR TABLE || trader joe's

I know I'm SO far behind the game when it comes to trader joe's.

like everyone and their dog seem to know all about the wonderfullness they have to offer and all the right things to buy and look for. except me. well with the exception of cookie butter. which is ah-maze-ing. but that's all I've known to equate trader joes to!

I've always been a fred meyer + costco gal and that's where we've done (and still do) all our major grocery shopping. and of course the couple things we pick up at target when we're there. 

I've never felt a need to shop at 'specialty' grocery stores when the others meet all our needs in what we're looking for. however, I have a few friends who shop trader joe's and I'm always intrigued at what they buy. so I gave it a whirl and have some good finds! (half of which were recommended by friends) :)  I'd still say they're 'extra' things that we don't really need, but it's fun to try new things and find new options.

here are a handful of things that I'd call a 'win' at trader joe's!

*disclaimer: my dietitian self is not proud of a single one of these items. BUT. I AM HUMAN, TOO ;)

pictures help, so there's your visual!

mini croissants // take out the night before to let rise, bake in the morning. 

turkey corn dogs // for the times when i'm just 'stuck' on what to feed my toddler/feeling lazy about it

mini ice cream cones // a small little after-dinner sweet treat

cookie butter // enough said

cookie butter cookies // well if you like cookie butter, what are you waiting for. these are double the good!

refrigerated pizza dough // for making "homemade" pizza, this dough was so good. made for a super quick + easy dinner too

--I have also been very impressed with their produce! this time of year there's just not much you can do about good, fresh produce. the strawberries this winter have been so horrible! their's however have been the best we've had in awhile.

let me know what it is you love from trader joe's so I can add it to my list for next time! I love finding new things, so please share!

xoxo

-Brittney

follow along on instagram @brittneyhjelseth