Family Photos

If anything was keeping this babe from showing up, were our family photos. I've been a huge procrastinator this time around, waiting until I was 39+ weeks pregnant to do a belly family shoot. Honestly, I'm glad we finally got that done and she can come any minute. Please say a prayer for this mama who's more than ready to get the show on the road. Have a great Monday and the rest of your week!

32 Week Bumpdate

top: Land's End (similar)

shorts: Pink Blush Maternity c/o (similar non maternity)

flats: J.Crew (similar)

bag: Amazon (similar, also love this one)

watch: Kate Spade 
sunglasses: Tory Burch

I can't believe I'm already so far along but it's here! So for those interested in how things are going, here's a little update.

How Far Along: (almost) 32 weeks

Total Weight Gain: 14 lbs

Gender: it's a girl (for sure!)

Maternity Clothes: whoever invented jeans with stretchy waist band should be awarded a Nobel peace prize. Nobel because it's freaking genius and peace because it keeps the peace in our house as I actually have something to wear.  

Sleep: It's getting uncomfortable! I don't like the body pillow for some reason - it's huge and I feel like it takes up more space than helps me. I constantly wake up and have to go tinkle. Yay for the beginning of sleepless nights!

Miss Anything: a glass of wine, fitting into normal clothes and not feeling like an elephant

Cravings: my first pregnancy I wasn't really craving anything but this time around it's two things - apple juice and smoked salmon. I could drink apple juice all day long if it didn't have so much sugar in it and eat salmon for breakfast lunch and dinner. 

Symptoms: I'm carrying much lower this time, by how my clothes fit and not sure if that's a second baby or post C-section thing. Definitely feel more tired and back to napping every day. Also I have a ton of Braxton-Hicks contractions (at least 5-10 a day) and hope that's a good thing

Belly Button/Body Changes:  Belly button popped and that's something new. My butt hasn't gained any weight as I can fit into my normal size 6 for the bottoms - yay me!   

Mood: I think I'm doing OK with mood swings but anything sweet or touchy gets me emotional. I almost teared up when hubby washed the floors without me asking. Yeah, hormones are going nuts!

Best Moment This Week:  My favorite is when Jonathan kisses the baby as we lounge in bed in the morning - he is so sweet about it!

Looking Forward to: enjoying the next few weeks as a mom of one and spending some quality time with Jonathan. I will definitely miss it when she arrives but I'm sure it will be a good kind of different.

Exercise: I picked up walking three times a week (about 2 miles). It's getting harder and harder to push the stroller up the hill but I'm determined to stick to it. No pain, no gain right? Especially because I do not want to be late again, although I'm praying God will give me patience either way.

On My Mind:  during my last pregnancy I gained the most weight last couple of weeks. At this point I'm super cautious about what I eat and try not to give myself any excuses to indulge. Also, I have a lot of weddings and events to go to so that keeps me motivated to look good. Oh and you know, putting pictures of yourself on the internet kind of helps the matter as well. ha!

I'm praying for an easy delivery that's on time and no C-section. I know Lord has it in His hands but I also know that I need courage. I've been back and forth with the VBAC thing and I'm kind of scared to go for it. Besides having that worry, I think this pregnancy has been going extremely smooth and I'm so thankful for it.

Shop My Look

Pink Pleats

dress: vintage  (here and here)
pumps: Jessica Simpson
clutch: DIY (similar)
necklace: old (similar)
watch: Fossil

I think at this point my style posts will have to slow way down. One I don't have much to show as I'm wearing the same things over and over again. Two, I don't want to buy more clothes that will only fit for a few weeks. Three, we have hit the 32 week mark and it's becoming increasingly hard to find something to wear beside my maternity shorts and tee. Hope you are enjoying the short week! Thank you for stopping by

Shop Pink Midi Dresses

Mint Floral Bump

dress: Pink Blush Maternity (non maternity options here and for plus size here )

shoes: BCBG (similar here /on sale/ and here)

bag: Ivanka Trump 

I hope you had a great weekend and enjoyed the holiday festivities. We had a few family gatherings, ate too much food and finally confirmed that it is a GIRL we are expecting with second ultrasound. I don't know how it is I'm having exactly the same pregnancy as last time but the baby is different gender. I'm excited about all the pink coming our way though! Here is to two more months until we meet our baby girl!

As soon as Pink Blush Maternity put this mint floral dress up on their website, I wanted it. It's so perfect for spring and summer! The dress is light and airy, has a nice slip layer and looks good with lot of different shoe and bag options (see my first look with this dress here). I think it will be great even after I have the baby!

Link Up: The Mummy Chronicles 

Shop Mint Floral Dresses

Black x Gold

Look who decided to join mama in photo shoot. Isn't he handsome though? I think so!  

dress: Walmart I know! (similar here, here, here and here)

necklace: Target

belt: old (similar)

clutch: DIY (similar)

wedges: Kate Spade (similar here, here and here)

watch: Fossil

bracelet: Kate Spade

Some glam for your hump day morning with this outfit. If you have been following me any amount of time, you may have noticed that I'm obsessed with everything Kate Spade. Yes, I would totally wear Kate Spade head to toe if I could. So, as a loyal customer, I'm letting you know that they are having a HUGE Surprise Sale (75% off!!!) which is going to last only another 2 days. Get your shopping on ladies because it looks like a good one! I want a bright red bag and can't decided between this one or this one. Help a girl out please.

Shop My Look

Favorite Espadrilles

5 Tips For Staying in Shape During Pregnancy

tank: Target

cardigan: Target

jeans: Pink Blush Maternity c/o 

sneakers: New Balance

sunglasses: Tory Burch

When it comes to pregnancy, our society has given a no-limit, all-excuses fly, don't-tell-her-what-to-eat pass to women. For some reason, when a woman is growing a human being, it's OK for her to give in to every single craving, over indulge and watch her body become a shapeless mess. Yes, I know, trust me! I've been there. I ate way too many chicken sandwiches and crepes during my first pregnancy and gained too much weight (while doctors said nothing). This time around it's very different - I diligently watch what I eat, exercise, don't give into cravings and keep on top of my fluid intake . Here are some of my tips for keeping the weight gain under control.

1. Drink Water. Drinking plenty of water (not juice, not smoothies or lattes, just plain old water) will keep all those extra calories away from you. A few calories here, another there and drinks can add up to a hefty amount of your daily calorie intake. Stick to water. If you can't do plain, infuse it with fruits and citrus, which is a great way to detox your body of all the unhealthy stuff, without causing damage to the baby.

2. Cut Back on Salt. When people think pregnancy cravings, they imagine ice cream and cupcakes. I'll take smoked salmon and clam chowder any day over the cakes and pastries. It's my weakness. Salt retains fluid and makes you thirsty, causes edema and unnecessary weight gain. I have cut back significantly on amount of salt I put into my food (husband always complains that everything is under salted - good for me though). I don't salt my scrambled eggs if I know I'll be putting ketchup over them and avoid overly salty snacks like chips, salted nuts and cheese.

3. Skip One Complex Carb a Day. I love my bread as much as the next girl and can't live without potatoes but I have been trying to go one meal without any kind of complex carbohydrates (fruits don't count). If I know I will be having mashed potatoes for dinner, I won't have toast with my breakfast. If have croissant for lunch, I will skip starch during dinner time and load up on salad and protein.

4. Eat Healthy Snacks. I fall off the wagon plenty of times, but my day to day go-to snack is plain yogurt loaded with fruits, or simple granola (not the one drenched in chocolate or peanut butter). Also, I'm a big lover of fruits so I load up on those whenever I feel hungry. The key here is not to treat fruits as free pass, they still have calories and sugar. Have just a little bit to satisfy your craving and make sure to drink plenty again.

5. Do Some Kind of Moderate Exercise. When I say moderate, I mean, get up and walk, park further away from the store and take stairs instead of elevator. Every time an opportunity to move arrives, take it and welcome it instead of complaining about having to get off the couch. Either it's palates or simply taking a walk around the neighborhood, move that booty more rather than less. You will thank me later. 

I don't deprive myself of any certain food group but eat everything in moderation. If I have a pistachio cupcake, I have just one and don't add sugar/honey to my tea. If I buy smoked salmon, I don't salt the eggs and have only 1/2 of the toast. It's all about portion control. Every day, every time you sit down to eat or open your cupboard think how is it going to benefit your body and what exactly are you putting inside. Trust me, it's a lot easier to keep the weight off than try to loose it when the baby arrives and you have absolutely no time for yourself. I learned it the hard way so take it from me, instead

Link Up: DC in Style

Shop My Look

Metallic

skirt: NY&Co (similar), tank: Pink Blush Matenity c/o, jacket: thrifted (similar here and here), pumps: Target, bag: Amazon

If you think about how many changes a woman's body goes through while she's pregnant, it's simply amazing. From the expanding abdomen that's capable of accommodating a baby of any size (or a few) to how her bones shift to give way for the baby. The baby is getting everything he or she needs through mother without mother's knowledge or help. It's so fascinating! Every time I feel the baby move I'm simply amazed at the fact that I'm carrying a life inside of me. A brand new life that was created and given to me to bring into this world. How amazing is that? It is truly a miracle and I cannot wait to see our little baby girl!

Current Sales

LOFT - extra 40% OFF sale items 

Ann Taylor - 40% OFF dresses and skirts 

J.Crew - 40% OFF all sale items

Nordstrom - up to 40% OFF handbags

Shopbop - up to 70% OFF designer sample sale

Neiman Marcus - spend $200 get $50 OFF, spend $400 get $100 OFF.

Piperlime - 50% OFF everything until 4/30 

Target - save 15% OFF $75 or more on all baby blankets, bedding and decor

up to 20% OFF carseats, strollers and travel systems

up to 25% OFF indoor and outdoor furniture 

Kate Spade NY - 50% OFF or more on select items

Link Ups: The Book of Leisure, The Pleated Poppy,
Thank you for stopping by and have a great day!