SIX MONTH FAVORITES

Y'all... Sutton is now S I X months old. Half a Y E A R old. This is such a fun age, and I wish I could just go ahead and make her stop growing. 

Here are some of this months favorites!

Munchkin Baby Food Feeder // We started playing around with solid foods at five months. Now that she is six months, it's apart of our everyday routine. We're only giving her vegetables, fruits, and yogurt. Our pediatrician doesn't suggest giving her any cereal/grains yet, and we agree! We give her yogurt in the morning and she isn't completely sold on it yet. I picked up this baby food feeder at the grocery store hoping it would help her get more food in her mouth rather than every crevice of her body. It has helped SO much, and she isn't completely covered in her food.

Banana Teething Toothbrush // We have tried about every teether on the market. This is the only one she will hold by herself for a long period of time. She can move it around very easily and it brings her relief.

Joovy Walker // I have a thing for neutral colors. My whole house is neutral, and all these colorful bulky baby toys are driving me a little crazy. Silly I know, but I love that this walker isn't every color in the rainbow. Sutton loves standing and hates being on her back, belly, or anywhere she can't see. I like that it also has a large tray that you put toys or snacks on.

Chicco High Chair // This is the high chair we ended up getting. It is super soft and everything wipes right off without leaving a stain. It leans back so she can hold her bottle and feed herself. The pink is so light that it blends right in with our house.

Pottery Barn Lamb Blanket // We got this blanket as a gift from Zach's Aunt. It came personalized with Sutton's name on it (I like anything with a monogram) It is seriously so soft and adorable. It's our go-to blanket and we take it everywhere with us.

JJ Cole BundleMe // This is a must have for the cold months. Putting a jacket on a baby and then putting her in a car seat is complicated and looks uncomfortable. Then if you try to put a blanket over her, she kicks it off in about five seconds. This blanket is like a little cocoon for a carseat, and you can attach it to your stroller. It keeps our babe nice and toasty without having to put her in something bulky.

EATS | Tomato Mozzarella Garlic Bread Dippers

Zach and I pretty much hang out and eat all weekend.. I came across this recipe and thought it would be a great weekend snack. aaaaand it's super easy and quick!

INGREDIENTS

+ 1 loaf of bread (preferably ciabatta)

+ 3 cloves of garlic, minced

+ 4 Tbsp. butter

+ 12 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced

+ 2 large tomatoes, sliced

+ 1/4 cup basil, chopped

+ salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cut the loaf of bread in half lengthwise. 
Soften the butter and mix it with the minced garlic. Spread on the bread. 

Top with mozzarella, and bake at 400° for 15 minutes. 

Top with tomatoes and basil, sprinkle on salt and pepper, and slice into strips.

 For the dipping sauce, mix equal parts of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. 

Enjoy!

BABY HOLIDAY LIST

I can't believe it is already December.. and that my tiny baby has grown leaps and bounds within the last four and a half months.

I know our babe will only be five months old and will have no clue what is going on Christmas morning, but it will still be fun! I'm such a minimalist and don't want a house filled with tons of toys.

Here is what we came up with for her first Christmas! 

Graco Highchair // When I was pregnant I bought the sweetest vintage high chair with a new custom paint job. Once Sutton got here I realized it wasn't very practical. She hasn't started solid foods just yet (she had a little taste taste at four months) but I know I will need one very soon. Plus she like sitting up so I could see us using this for more than just feeding time!

Sassy developmental bumpy ball // Sutton loves grabbing anything and everything so I thought this fun ball would be a great stocking stuffer. The brand "sassy" uses fun prints and colors, i'm a huge fan of the ones we have already!

Baby Einstein DVDs // Sutton l o v e s the TV so I feel a little better letting her watch something educational. I remember these DVDs as a kid but i'm not sure about any others for babies, so feel free to share ;)

Pajama sets // I have a weird obsession with buying sutton pajamas and headbands... So I couldn't wait till she could fit into the cute two piece sets. As always Old Navy has a great selection. I snagged some during the Black Friday sale but they constantly have sales going on.

Fisher-Price bright beats smart touch play space // I have seen this thing everywhere lately and I like the sleek design. Sutton loves lights and music.. so there we go! We have plenty of bulky baby gear I wish would disappear out of the living room, but I figured she needed one bigger fun toy to enjoy and grow into. 

Four month favorites

Our Sutton girl hit the four month mark ten days ago. I didn't get to blog about her four month update because lets be real... When sutton naps or goes to sleep for the night, I just want to relax and catch up on my reality shows. I do enjoy blogging and have been trying out so many new recipes to share with you guys!

FOUR MONTH FAVORITES

Feel and learn soft book // Sutton loves holding and playing with this soft crinkly book. The texture and colors keep her interested, and it's easy to hold on to. This girl grabs e v e r y t h i n g.

Ring O links // These rings are great by themselves, but I love using them to attach toys to. I use them to hang toys in her car seat, her jumper, her floor seat. These have come in handy every single day! That way you're not picking up toys all day and washing them every 5 minutes, because she sticks anything in her mouth these days.

Sophie the giraffe teether // This girl is chewing on everything and soaking her tops in drool. Hello teething! She loves gnawing on Sophie!

Old navy one-pieces // I love these plain, cheap, soft sleepers. I ordered Sutton three different colors and she is always wearing them. When she goes up to the next size these will be the only one pieces I buy (in about five different colors probably) 

Dock-A-Tot // Well we went through a phase where mama had to lay down with Sutton every single nap so she would actually sleep. I didn't mind the rest, but I needed to break that cycle. I started following Dock A Tot on Instagram and kept seeing so many success stories! I finally decided one day to invest in one, and i'm sure glad I did! I don't even have to rock her to sleep. She lays down in her Dock and instantly puts herself to sleep. She is taking three naps a day 1-2 hours long. 

Doorway jumper // This girl is constantly moving, and this $19 door jumper lets her get some energy out! She loves bouncing in this and the baby Einstein jumper from my last favorites post. 

I'm going to try and post more, because blogging is a fun hobby of mine! I hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving! XO

Sutton Mckenzie // 3 months

THREE.

I've been meaning to do this for every month, but things have been a little crazy and time has FLOWN by. I literally blinked and Sutton was three months older. It's been 13 weeks since we saw this sweet girl for the first time. Motherhood is the hardest, most amazing, and rewarding experience. I now understand why moms post silly things on Facebook, because it is truly amazing watching your child do everything for the first time. 

I couldn't imagine our life without Sutton girl. Zach and I are absolutely in love with this tiny girl. She has brought so much meaning to our lives, and I feel so blessed to spend every day with her.

She is finally being less stingy with her smiles. She smiles in response when we say hi or talk in high pitch voices. She is also all smiles in the morning or when she's sees us after a nap. She is starting to show us her personality, and it is so fun!

LOVES

Baths - she would probably lay in the bath all day if we let her. She doesn't make a peep or even show any emotion in tub. She just sits there and relaxes.

Her bedtime routine - She loves the bath, but she also loves getting ready for bed. Rubbing her down with lotion, brushing back her hair, reading two books, and drinking her milk in a dark quiet room. 

Her carseat / the car / going out to run errands - she loves it all. As soon as I put her in the car seat she is quiet and content. The car puts her to sleep and she is usually perfectly quiet back there.  When we get to the grocery store or wherever we're going that day, she just looks around the whole time taking everything in, Unless she gets hungry.. that's another story!

HATES

Tummy time - She literally cries the second I put her on her little belly. When I lay her on my chest, she instantly rolls over. She hasn't mastered rolling over on the flat floor just yet. 

Her crib - She has been sleeping in her rock-and-play in our room since she came home from the hospital. We have been trying to transition her into her own room. Which is actually a little hard for me. I love having her close and feeding her in bed with me, but I know it's time for her to sleep in her own room. She can be dead asleep as I lay her in her crib, and she will instantly wake up. If any mamas have any recommendations on how to make the crib more cozy, I would love to hear them!

PLAY / DEVELOPMENT

She has changed so much this month! I feel like she is doing something new every s i n g l e day.  She  is doing great with eye contact and following anything around the room. She is so aware of everything around her. She has also gotten more vocal. She isn't super vocal just yet but some days she'll talk your ear off with her sweet coos. She responds the most when she's lying on her back, looking you in the eye, and listening to you talk in a high pitch voice. We're still patiently waiting on a sweet giggle!

Drool... she is soaking her tops in it and blowing spit bubbles. 

She picked up her first toy. The Oball rattle I mentioned in my month three favorites.  She will pick that ball up and throw it around. I was picking it up so much, I had to attach it to her pacifier clip. She also banged on the piano attached to her jumper a few times (i'm not sure if this was on purpose but it was exciting)

SLEEP

She has always been a great sleeper.. Thank the Lord! She has let me sleep every single night since we brought her home. She sleeps 7-9 hours every night - wakes up - drinks some milk - then goes back to sleep for 1-3 more hours. She'll be up for about an hour or two in the morning then take another nap - usually an hour or so long. Around lunch time she usually takes a long nap 2-3 hours. and then sometimes an evening nap before daddy gets home from work. I love a schedule and she has done pretty well with it! 

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Sutton girl, you are our world. We l o v e you so much sweet babe.

EATS // King ranch chicken

Yes, another chicken casserole recipe. It's Fall, it's convenient, and always tasty! Lets be Honest, cooking dinner with a three month old can be very unpredictable. I love putting together a casserole when I get a chance, and then popping it in the oven when Zach is on his way home from work!

{How cute are they? When he gets home from work, he doesn't put her down}

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups cooked, shredded chicken

6 tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

2 cups chicken broth or stock, divided

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

Salt & freshly ground pepper

12 corn tortillas, quartered

8 ounces grated cheddar or Colby Jack cheese

1 (10-ounce) can Rotel, drained

1 jalapeño, seeds & membranes removed and finely diced, optional

1. Adjust rack to center position of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Make the white sauce by melting butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic to the pot and saute until fragrant and light golden brown, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and whisk continuously for 1 minute. Slowly and gradually whisk in milk and 1 cup chicken stock. Increase heat to medium and stir continuously for several minutes until sauce is smooth and thickened. Remove pot from the heat and stir in cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
3. Evenly scatter half of the shredded chicken in the bottom of the baking dish. Dollop half of the sauce on top of the chicken and use the back of a spoon to spread it in an even layer. Arrange half of the corn tortilla quarters on top, overlapping slightly and tearing in half to fill in any gaps, if necessary. Sprinkle half of the grated cheese on top. Drizzle the entire surface with 1/2 cup of the remaining chicken broth, including corners and edges. Repeat layers of chicken, sauce, tortillas, cheese, and final 1/2 cup broth. Evenly sprinkle Rotel and diced jalapeños (if using) over top of the casserole.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

FALL l o v e LIST

This tiny military style jacket is everything. I couldn't find it online to attach the link but, I picked it up at Old Navy.


I basically love everything about the next few months. I couldn't wait to pull out the Halloween pajamas and fur vests, even though it's still getting up into the 90's here. Here's some of our favorites so far!

It's no secret I love neutrals and these are all basically from Old Navy!


1. Faux fur vest // This is my favorite so far. I mean how cute is a tiny baby in a fur vest?!

2. Leather headband // I have a couple of headbands from this shop and love them! Her Etsy shop is on "vacation" right now but you can follow her on Instagram and keep up. I love shopping small!

3. Knit beanie // I picked up an ivory slouchy beanie last time I was in Old navy and couldn't find it online, but this one is just as cute!

4. Boo-tiful onesie // I'm not big on buying things that will only last for about 30 days but when they're cute and affordable I don't mind! You have to get a little festive!

5. Floral print one-piece // Like i've mentioned before, I hate when they slap animal faces on baby clothes. I love the floral print and this set also. Sutton wears them around the house all the time. I'm definitely getting my use out of them!