Month: October 2015

Peek – A BOO

Happy Halloween!! After our visit to the Pumpkin Patch we were in the festive spirit at the Pi-Henderson household. I knew we needed to get photos of Carlota in her first Halloween costume, and ended up having a full fledge festive photo shoot. Using the pumpkins we brought home from the patch, some festive candles and a smoke machine….we were all set. Pinxo (our Boston Terrier) didn’t want to be left out; so out came his pumpkin costume and the final puzzle piece was in place.

Carlota was so excited for these pictures. She was chatting away and sitting so still for the camera. As long as we had her chew bead necklace and the little pumpkins she was a happy little camper. Carlota is in the phase of putting everything in her mouth and chewing on it. The invention of “Chewllery” has been a lifesaver. We got ours from Two Brothers and Olivia and Carlota just loves it. Their necklaces are made using 100% food grade silicone beads, BPA free and FDA approved and organic juniper and apple wood. They have many different styles. (You can receive free shipping with Code ANDREA.)

Although Carlota was pretty festive in this outfit, it is not her Halloween costume. I can’t wait to get her all dressed for her first Halloween with her friends. What will you dress up as?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Photos by Audra Arbas Photography

Onsie: A gift (Similar and on sale here, here and here) //

Shoes: Old Navy //

Bow: Salt Cities

Chewllery: Two Brothers and Olivia // Free shipping with code ANDREA

Our first visit to the Pumpkin Patch

Holiday season is officially commencing…..first up, Halloween!! We were so excited to take Carlota to her first pumpkin patch. We went to Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch and if you’re in the LA area I recommend you go. Although she isn’t old enough to run around, get her face painted or play on the inflatable bouncy houses; she was pretty happy sitting by the pumpkins and eating hay. It’s the little things!!! Sharing these memories with her are priceless, and I know they are just going to get better as the years progress. Watching her experience things for the first time are some of the best joys of motherhood. She was wide eyed the entire time and soaking it all in. I hope this will be one family tradition we continue throughout the years.

We found Carlota’s jumper from the Gap (on sale) and knew this was the perfect outfit for the patch. I love finding cute seasonal outfits for the babe. Since she won’t get to wear them very much, I always wait until they are on sale…..because once it’s a few days away from the holiday they always go on sale.

We just had a cute Halloween shoot with Carlota and Pinxo and I can’t wait to share that with you later this week. I love getting in the spirit with her.

On Carlota:

Jumper: Gap (other seasonal here, here and here) //

On Me:

Tank: Banana Republic on sale (Similar here on sale) Use code BRSALE to receive an extra 50%off //

Jeans: 7 For All Mankind (Similar here) //

Hat: Anthropologie (I also love this and this) //

Boots: Anine Bing //

Shop the Mint – Giveaway

While a majority of you may be enjoying the crisp air and the warm charming colors of fall, here in LA we are embracing the beautiful sunshine on the beach. As much as I wish it was a little cooler, I really can’t complain. I love my days spent with the babe. Mondays are Mommy and Carlota time and they are my favorite. We run on our own schedule and always seem to be on the go. I cherish these little moments we have together.

I’m going to take full advantage of matching outfits while I still can. Before you know it, she’ll be dressing herself and matching with her mama will be the last thing she’ll want to do. Today was all about stripes. I love a good stripped tee, and think I own a handful in my closet. Such a perfect layering piece. When I saw this dress at Mint Julep Boutique I knew it would be a perfect staple in my closet. Chic yet simple….my style moto.

I’m excited to have teamed up with The Mint Julep Boutique to give one of my readers a $25 gift card to their store. If you subscribe to their mailing list you get an additional $10 off your purchase. They have really great pieces at reasonable prices. You can get my dress and the others I linked for less than $10 if you win.

On Carlota:

Dress: Batela (Similar here, here, here and here) //

Shoes: Freshly picked (love these) //

Dress: The Mint Julep Boutique (Similar here and here) //

Boots: Stuart Weitzman (Similar and less expensive here, here and here) //

Hat: Lack of Colors (Similar and on sale here) //

Rules to enter the Giveaway:

1) Comment below and let me know what is your favorite closet staple.

2) For an additional entry you can follow my blog by email or on bloglovin etc.. let me know in your comment that you have done that

3) For a 3rd entry follow me @withloveandrea and @shopthemint on Instagram and follow the instructions posted there.

Your chance to enter starts today October 24th and will close Wednesday October 28th at midnight PST.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE

Months 5 & 6 with Carlota

My baby girl is half a year old. Looking back at the days I first brought her home I can’t believe how much she’s grown. Every day I’m learning more and more about this little bundle of joy and I can’t get enough.

Month 5

This little girl is such a character and social butterfly. She is so happy when we are surrounded by other babies and children. At daycare, I’m told she’s always observing her classmates with curious eyes. When we pick her up at the end of the day, she always has the biggest smile that just melts our hearts.

Carlota has found her feet and is constantly playing with them and putting them in her mouth. Actually she’s putting just about anything she sees into her mouth. Exploring the world through tastes and textures. She’s started to want whatever her mama’s having. When I’m drinking my morning Soy lattes she’s desperately wanting a sip. Thankfully she hasn’t mastered the use of the straw yet, so I let her chew on the end and she’s very happy to be sharing with me.

Carlota has started squeeling and saying “bababa”. She’s exploring her voice. I’m looking forward to the day she starts to connect the sounds with words.

I’m so thankful to be so close to my little angel. No words can express the bond I feel with her. She is currently a mama’s girl and I’m going to cherish every second of this. I may even remind her of this in a few years (hehe). In the evenings when she’s starting to get tired from a long day nothing beats being in Mama’s arms.

Dress: Rock your baby (Similar here and here)

Teddy Bear: Bla Bla kids (others here, and here)

Month 6

This has been a big month of transitions for this little bean. She’s eating foods, starting to crawl, and taking swimming lessons. So many huge milestones in one short month. Carlota loves getting on her hands and knees and even almost into plank position. She is shimmying around and learning to use her arms and legs to get to that toy she’s eyeing. She’s almost in full fledge crawling mode, so its definitely time we baby proof the home. I think we’re in denial our little pumpkin is no longer a newborn.

This month we started Carlota on solid foods. The faces she makes when she tries a food for the first time is priceless. Most of the time she really isn’t a fan, and is sure to let us know. She spits out what she does’t like and will refuse to take more bites. Currently the two foods she likes and will happily eat, are avocados and yams. Let’s hope she gets over this phase and starts to like a wider variety of foods.

In September, Carlota officially started swim lessons. She’s such a water baby. She loves playing in the water with both her mom and dad and is a splashing machine. She plays with the toys in the water, kicks along, loves when we make bubbles and constantly splashing. It’s such a special time we get to have as a family.

Both of us are Dentists so its no wonder baby girl is already using her toothbrush. She’s still toothless but getting an early start to her oral hygiene. We couldn’t be more proud. At the moment her toothbrush is one of her favorite toys…..let’s hope we can keep it that way.

Bow: Janie and Jack (Similar here)

Jumper: Neck & Neck (Similar here, here and here)

I can’t believe its been half a year with this beautiful being by our side. I can’t wait to experience the next 6 months with her. Thank you for sharing this journey with us.

24 hours are just not enough

I’m starting this blog post on my sofa at 7 am, pumping and getting ready for my workday. It seems this may be the best or only time this week to work on a post. My days are slowly melting into weeks and before I know it, it’s a new month. Evenings of relaxing, watching TV, and catching up on blog posts are a thing of the past. Carlota has started a phase where all she wants is to be in mommy’s arms. Sitting beside me playing is not enough. As much as I long for some more “me time” , I’m going to cherish these precious moments. Before you know it, miss independent will want nothing to do with me and I will reminisce on these days.

This post is all about my favorite neutrals white and pink. I can’t get enough. With October being Breast Cancer awareness month, I can’t think of a more appropriate color. I have an obsession with white jeans lately and these J brands are my favorite. They are stretchy and soft and fit in all the right places. I love the knee rips and ankle cut off. Showing a little ankle can help add a little length to your legs. Just add a pair of rocking heels and you are set.

These rockstuds have been all the rage on Instagram the past couple of years and don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. With their gunmetal pyramid stud detailing they make a statement with any simple look. For 4 1/4 inch heels, they are surprisingly comfortable. They have quickly become my favorite heel.

Two pumping sessions later, I think I have finally finished my first blog post in October. When did 24 hours a day become not enough?