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.

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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

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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 

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How To Shop Nordstrom Sale

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12

As any fashionista, I LOVE  good sale and Nordstrom has a great one going on right now. The Nordstrom Half Yearly sale is one of their biggest sales of the year if you don't count the holidays. And the discounts are pretty good, with Rebecca Minkoff bags under $100 (like this one 50% OFF) and Kate Spade sunglasses under $100.  I especially can't stop looking at the dresses and (might have) gotten one (which already sold out). Here are some of my tips for shopping this giant sale.

1. Shop Early. Don't wait until last minute to find that gorgeous bag because the chances are it will sell out very soon. With the prices that are 40-50% OFF regular retail, it's hard to hold off on buying something you've been wanting for a while.

2. Know What You Want/Need. There are over 50 pages of the sale and if you try to look through all of it, you will be wasting your time and won't be able to narrow things down. Be precise in what you want and look it. That will help you skim through the rest of the stuff.

3. Filter You Search. When you know exactly what you want, set the price, color and brand filters for the item of your choice. That way you can get more shopping done in shorter amount of time. If you want wedges, don't waste your time for looking at flats. They have very good search optimization filters which work for you when shopping for specific item.

4. Shop Smart. With free shipping and returns, if you aren't sure about exact sizing of something, just order both sizes. When it arrives try it on and send the unwanted, ill-fitting item bag. The same goes even for handbags and accessories. Not sure which color to get? Order both and decide later. After all, you don't want to miss out on a great deal.

5. Stock Up On Basics. Things like denim and basic white shirt will never go out of style so double up when getting your favorites. If you know the brand and have worn it (and LOVE it) get more than one. After all, you can always return it.

Shop Men's Sale

Blue Maxi Maternity Style

dress: TJMaxx  (similar)
sunglasses: Choies c/o
watch: Kate Spade
bag: Amazon
sandals: BCBG (similar)

After I post this dress on Instagram, I haven't had a chance to photograph it. I have been wearing it a lot and just can't stop. It's super comfortable, it hides the imperfections (hello expanding bottom) and keeps you cool at the same time. I couldn't find exact one so I linked up a lot of similar options. We HAD gorgeous weather all last week into the weekend and now it's looking like it's time to take out those winter boots. Hope you are enjoying the weather while it lasts!

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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.

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Favorite Espadrilles

Things He Says [Part II]

Jonathan is growing up to be such a character. He's sweet and very verbal at this point, talking up a storm from the moment he wakes up. Sometimes he says such grown up things that I wonder when and how did he come to that reasoning. These records are more for me than for anyone else but if you should take the time to read it, I hope they sound as funny to you as when he says them. You have to remember that he's barely two years old and can't say half the words so it's quite comical. Enjoy!

As we are driving through country side and we talk about what we pass on the way.
Jonathan: Papa, stop! Stop!
Daddy: Why? What's wrong?
Jonathan: It's cows.
Daddy: What about it?
Jonathan: Moty! (his word for milk)



After we went to the zoo, Jonathan was telling everyone about his adventures.
Anna: Jonathan, tell grandma what you saw in the zoo.
Jonathan: Choo-choo
Anna: Did you see giraffe?
Jonathan: Aha. Choo-choo!
Anna: Did you feed the giraffe?
Jonathan: Choo-choo.
Anna: So we went to the zoo and he rode the train. Yep, that's all!



I was running late one morning and was driving a little too fast. As I passed the cop, I grunted and was a little upset.
Jonathan: Wha happen' mama?
Anna: silence
Jonathan: Wha happen'?
Anna: Mama may get a ticket. That's what happened! Grrrrrrr
Jonathan: Ceaful mama! Ceaful!
Anna: Ok Jonathan, I'll be careful. Laughing



As we sat in the car, husband and I had a romantic moment and exchanged a kiss.
Jonathan: No kissin!
Anna: LAUGHING. What?
Jonathan: No kissin!
Sergey: LAUGHING (as he gives me another kiss)
Jonathan: No kissin boyz!
Anna: Why? LAUGHING
Jonathan: 'cause I said so. (in the most serious, mom-like tone ever)



Jonathan and I are lounging on the couch. He tries to get off the couch and accidentally punches me in the belly with his foot.
Anna: Ouch Jonathan. Please be careful with the baby. Baby hurts.
Jonathan: Baby hu't, mama?
Anna: Yes.
Jonathan: I sowwy mama. Kiss baby ok mama?
Anna; Sure.
Jonathan: Open baby mama (Means lift up my shirt) He kisses the baby
                  Baby moty mama? (moty = milk)
Anna: No baby is ok.
Jonathan: I gerit moty baby ok?
Anna: OK
Disappears for a few seconds and comes back with his sippy cup
Jonathan: Hea baby moty.
Anna: You are such a good big brother. Thank you



Jonathan is obsessed with his grandfather (deda in Russian). When we went for visit last weekend and one of grandpa's bees bit him. He was a trooper and by the time he came to me he wasn't even crying but he did tell me the story.
Jonathan: Chelki (Russian for bees) bite me mama. I cry (makes fake crying nose) and deda 'you ok, you fine'. I say chelki go away.
Anna: You poor baby, where did they bite.
Jonathan: Heut me, mama
Anna: mama will make it all better. Come here.
Jonathan: Aye fine mama. Aye fine. (remains firmly seated in deda's arms)

Thanks for stopping by! 

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

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