Keeping It Cool

I've been loving flow-y dresses lately. I usually gravitate toward fitted clothing when pregnant because I feel like loose things can just make you look bigger! But ... anything to stay cool in the blazing heat! This bump of mine sure is getting big. But I'm starting to realize that it'll be gone soon and I'm going to miss all her kicks and movement in there.

This dress is not maternity and I love that I will be able to wear it again after this big bump of mine is gone. I have a hard time spending money on clothes at this point in pregnancy because I know they won't get a ton of use. So buying things that I will be able to wear for now and again after the baby is here is always a bonus. I've also been loving this bag. It matches everything and when I don't have to take my diaper bag somewhere, I just grab this and go. 

Dress // Same bag, different color here

Shoes are old, similar here // Necklace

        

Date Night

This outfit is so comfy and easy to wear while chasing around a crazy toddler. I wore this for a date night with Tooth, otherwise I would have had flip flops on! :) These H&M khakis are really stretchy and I love that I can run errands and be busy without getting the "grandma knee" look. HA! 

I also LOVE this new clutch. It also has a chain attached to it, which is so convenient. I love having the option and I also love being hands free (even without a toddler around). My wedges look really high, but still really comfortable because the platform is making them look taller than they actually are. I love platforms for that reason! I also love that my hubby is 6'5", so I can get away with any shoe height. 

Quick thank you to all who have reached out to me about going into the hospital yesterday. My contractions haven't completely gone away, but they are much better! I should probably be taking it easy but I have SO much to do before this baby girl gets here. We have gotten a lot done today and I'm starting to feel a little more prepared for her arrival. Next up: packing hospital bag! 

Clutch // Pants // Basic T

Shoes are old, but similar here

       

Fears of Having Two

Becoming a new mom changes everything. You have no idea what you’re in for. It just happens. When I had Ryder I was amazed at how much I loved him... Instantly! It’s a love that I cannot explain. But I also had no idea that I would ever struggle as much as I did with anxiety after Ryder was born. It was pretty bad for about 5 months. There are so many pressures to being a new mom. So many fears. I was so worried every decision I made wasn’t going to be PERFECT. I had a lot to learn as a new mom! We were trying to figure out what our family of four meant and that was a struggle for all of us. Trying to find a balance with our new baby was difficult.

And now I’m having a daughter at the end of July. So, I will have a toddler AND a newborn to love and care for and worry about! I want this to be a good experience for Ryder, so I’ve been reading up on how to make this a smooth transition (well, as smooth as possible!).

I read on a parenting site that it’s a good idea to let your oldest (toddler) come visit in the hospital. Let him visit, get hugs, chat, etc., before even seeing or holding the baby. The author suggested that you put the newborn in the nursery at hospital right before your toddler comes to visit. This way, the focus is on the toddler. Once you chat and get some time alone with the toddler, then the dad and the toddler go together to the nursery to get the new baby. Let the toddler see the baby and help push the baby’s bassinet to the room. If the toddler walks into a room where the mom or dad is already holding the infant, it makes the toddler feel overwhelmed and concerned like, “why is that baby in my mommy’s arms?! She’s mine!” It makes sense that it could be scary and confusing for a toddler. LOL

We are planning to do this. We’ll let Ryder sit on the bed with me and he can hold the baby before he even sees Tim and me snuggled up with our new baby girl. The author said this gives the toddler an idea of how to be helpful, ownership in their new sibling and a sense of, “I’m ok. I’m not replaced.” I’m sure there is no way around having some feelings about not being the center of the universe. I know it won’t always be smooth and perfect. We’ll have to take one day at a time. And I would SO love any advice you have about how to help create a close bond between your babies from the beginning?

I’m sad I won’t get as much alone time with Ryder and I’m also sad I won’t get anywhere NEAR as much alone time with our baby girl as I did with Ryder. Duh. The thought of not being able to just lay on the couch in pj’s snuggling her all day (like I was able to do with Ryder for the first month or so) sometimes breaks my heart. I’m hoping I can learn to balance how to squeeze in a LOT of snuggles with both my babies.

I am wondering how I am going to feel the second time around. I do feel better about the fact that I’ll have more confidence. I think I’ll worry a little less. You have to, right?! I am concerned about being able to balance Ryder and a newborn. I know it will take a while for him to adjust. He doesn’t get what’s going on and BAM his world will be rocked. I want him to always feel loved and cared for. I still want to have the energy and time to play with him. And I’ve gotta say, I’m so worried that I won’t!

Nursing the baby is one area where I’m just wondering how I’ll have time to do that and take care of Ryder. Newborns eat around the clock and I really want to breast feed again. It was a great experience with Ryder (once I got the hang of it!) and I’m so glad I was able to nurse him. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to feed almost 24-7 while also taking care of a demanding toddler? Anyone out there have any tips?! I don’t know why, but this is my biggest fear!

 This kid is such a goofball and gets so upset the second the fun is over. He loves rough housing and being thrown across the room onto the bed or couch. He's getting harder and harder for me to carry these days... Let alone wrestle with! How am I going to explain to my barely 2-year-old that Mommy can't play rough after my c-section?!

Baby girl is coming, and SOON! I’m hoping to make the transition (for everyone!) as smooth as possible. I’d love your advice on what worked for your growing families! As nervous as I am about the changes ahead... We can't wait to meet this little girl!! 4 more weeks! Eek! :)

            

Casual in Denim

I’ve been struggling with the heat this past week! It makes a HUGE difference when you’re in the last months of pregnancy! Yikes. I’ve been pulling my hair up into a messy bun or ballerina bun almost every day just to stay cool. I love these leggings and chambray top because they are so cool. And I can easily take off the chambray top and just wear my tank underneath if I get too hot. This is an easy outfit for me to wear while chasing a very busy toddler!

I was laughing so hard when I saw these pics becase sometimes I forget JUST how big this bump is. LOL I swear I don’t think I can get any bigger and then – BAM! This belly gets bigger! I’m loving feeling her move and now Tim can easily SEE her moving around in there and I love that. I really can’t believe she’s going to be here so soon!! AHHHH… I’m so excited but also having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that I will be a mom to TWO little ones. And a GIRL. I still can’t believe it! I can’t wait to see Tooth with her and just the thought melts me. I don’t think he realizes how much she’s going to have him wrapped around her finger ☺ 

Leggings // Tank Top // Chambray Top - old, but similar Here

Sandals - old, but crushing on these

        

Chunky Upside Down French Braid

I've had some questions about how I do my chunky side braids and what i'm doing to get them so full. I am still learning how to video, edit and post videos onto my blog, but I'm working on it! For now, here is a quick video showing how I do my braid and how I pull it out at the end to make it look really full. Hope this helps for now! 

         

Diaper Bags I Love

I remember when Ryder was a newborn and wondering which bag was the best? I LOVE bags and knew I'd end up with more than one. I just didn't know I'd end up with this many. Ha! So maybe these tips can help you? I guess I am some what of a bag hoarder. I love bags of all shapes and sizes! When I don't want to use a diaper bag I tend to gravitate toward big totes that I can just throw my things in. But here is my experience so far with the diaper bags I've purchased over the years...

Pottery Barn - Here
This bag is large with lots of pockets. With just one baby, it felt like too many pockets for me, but I love the classic look of it. If I need a larger bag because we’re going somewhere where I need to pack more things than normal (extra outfit, lunch, etc.), I’ll grab this bag. Sometimes having too many pockets (like this bag) can make me feel LESS organized. This bag is so big, it’s kind of a pain to even fit into the basket on my stroller! But it’s so cute/classic and I still grab it from time to time. Because it’s bigger, I can pack a lot of stuff in it! I won’t be surprised if this is my go-to once I have two babies to pack for.

Marc Jacobs - Here
This is also a larger bag and has lots of pockets. This bag is not stiff or structured and sometimes that drives me crazy unless it’s really full because it just folds down on itself and makes it hard to see inside. All the big, extra pockets can make it hard for me to feel organized and makes it harder on me to know which side of the bag and which pocket things are in. But I love this bag while traveling because I can pack SO much in it! When it’s really full, it doesn’t fold down on itself. I love the look of this bag and think the fun patterns are SO cute. This bag is also a little too big to fit perfectly in the basket in my stroller.

Ju Ju Be - Here
This is the bag I am currently using. It’s a little smaller than some of my others, but still plenty big! I LOVE this bag. You can wear it over your shoulder, cross body or as a backpack. Having the backpack option is so handy. Especially when traveling. Sometimes the shoulder strap bags are tough because every time you bend down, they swing down and get in the way. There are a lot of pockets in this bag, but not too many. I feel very organized with this bag and love the patterns they offer! Added bonus: this bag fits perfectly in the basket of my stroller!

Lassig Green Label Neckline Bag - Here
I loved that I could get this bag over my shoulder easily. That is a MUST for all my bags. Again, this had a lot of pockets. Which is something I may prefer when I am packing a diaper bag for two little ones instead of one. This bag is more structured than the PB and MJ bags, which I liked. Because this bag is a little smaller and structured, it fit into my stroller basket easier.

Diaper Dude - Here
My hubby has this bag and just has it ready to go for nights he might take Ryder out without me. He prefers this to using my “girlie” bags. He leaves diapers and wipes in it and will just throw in a snack and a sippy cup when he takes off.

Skip Hop Pronto Changing Station - Here
This is so convenient. Especially if you’re a minimalist. I always wish I was a minimalist, but I can’t do it! I always feel like I “might” need 100 other things. LOL But this changing pad station can store wipes, diapers and small creams in it. So if you have this in your diaper bag and need to leave the room to go change the baby, you just grab this bag and have everything you need right there. My hubby loved when I had this in my diaper bag when Ryder was little and needed diaper changes more often because he wouldn’t have to go digging around in my bag for the wipes, diapers and cream. It was just all right there. He’d just grab this and change him for me, which I always appreciated! Anything to make diaper changes easier/quicker!

Here is a picture (via Pinterest) of my Ju Ju Be bag that I love. 

What is your go-to bag? Did you need a bigger bag with two kids vs one?

Hues of Blues

Hey guys! Just trying to keep cool over here in this 95+ degree heat! 

These white capris are pretty comfy and this outfit is so easy to throw on when you have 5 minutes to get ready in the morning. This is my new MK watch I got for my birthday. Been loving that it’s so over sized! I fell in love with these earrings the second I walked into the store and love that they are so lightweight. 

Staying in the shade (or better yet, AC!) is a must these days. If I do go out wearing heels I always throw a pair of flipflops in my car juuuust in case ;-) My feet and back get achy quicker than usual these days. 

This past week our AC unit stopped working! Oh. My. Gosh. You guys. It’s 80+ degress in my house and beyond miserable. The thought of having 5 more weeks makes me want to cry in pain and also relieved that I still have time to get things organized around here. It’s a very confusing mix of emotions! LOL Hopefully we’ll have someone out to fix this problem ASAP. Until then, we have 6 fans in the house and I may or may not fall asleep with an ice pack on my neck!

Tank // Capris // Earrings // MK Watch

Shoes are old but similar Here

Wish me luck in surviving this heat while making a human. NBD ;-)

            

Surprise 30th Birthday Trip to Chicago!

Two days before my birthday my hubby took Ryder and I out to dinner to start my 30th birthday celebration. We ate at the Rio (Mexican has been a pregnancy craving of mine!) and he told me after dinner we were gonna go pick out a new camera/lens for my birthday present from the kids! I was so excited! I have been wanting a new lens and couldn’t wait to get it home to try it out.

On the way home I got to open my birthday cards where one informed me that Tooth would be taking me to Chicago the next day for my birthday! I was in shock! I couldn’t even respond! I had NO IDEA that he had this planned and was completely convinced that we were done traveling before the baby gets here this July. I was so excited but of course had a million questions for him. “When did you plan this?”, “Who is watching Ryder?”, etc.

By the time we got home two of my best friends and their hubby’s were there with cake and (non-alcoholic wine – I didn’t even know that existed!) to celebrate my birthday with us! I was so surprised and felt so lucky to have such a thoughtful hubby and wonderful friends to set all this up for little ol’ me.

Of course after cake I immediately started packing, showering, doing laundry, etc., to get ready to leave the next day. It was such a whirlwind but SO much fun. My hubby is always surprising me and has always been SO beyond thoughtful for my birthdays!

We stayed at the Trump Hotel and got in late Friday night. Tooth went all out and got us a suite and OMG it was amazing! We had a great experience at the hotel and enjoyed a lot of time relaxing in the great room with room service, movies, naps, etc.

We shopped ‘til we dropped (which didn’t take long because OMG, my pregnant feet!) and explored the city. SO much fun. I’m so lucky that I married my best friend! The night of my birthday we ate at Spiaggia. The restaurant was so beautiful and the food was AH-mazing. They surprised us with birthday dessert and it was a really fun dinner.

We also spent one afternoon exploring the Navy Pier (which was so cute and fun) and then went over to the Willis Tower (previously named Sears Tower). Tim really wanted to go there because he hadn’t been since he was a little kid and it was cool! Heights kinda freak both of us out but you guys… the views. SO BEAUTIFUL! I mean. I could not stop taking pictures. Such a beautiful view of the city and lake. I felt like such a tourist with the camera wrapped around my neck the entire time saying “look! It’s so pretty!” LOL There is also a spot where you can step out onto glass and look at the city to see how high up you are. It’s really freaky! Tim wanted to get my picture out there and because there was a huge line behind us, he was being kinda pushy saying “go!” but it seriously freaked me out! Once it was his turn to come out into the glass box to stand with me, he understood! LOL He was just as freaked out as I was and it’s like you want to take baby steps and hold onto something even though there is no reason to. HA!

The last night of our stay in Chicago we ate on the Terrace at the Trump Hotel where we were staying. We got lucky that the rain never came that night like we were told it was supposed to and got to sit outside in the perfect, cool weather. This view… so beautiful! Amazing service and an amazing view. Does it get better than this?

We had so much fun on the trip and I wouldn’t have wished to spend my 30th birthday with anyone else. But we did miss our baby boy and couldn’t wait to get home to him.

I am forever grateful for these opportunities to travel and hang with my hubby. Time alone is never taken for granted. He really is the most thoughtful person I’ve ever met and is always making holidays so special. But specifically on my birthday, he makes me feel so special, celebrated and wonderful. I just love him so much!

The quickest I have ever packed my bags! 

But no plane ride baby-free is complete without my Us Weekly

First day off exploring the city and shopping

At the Willis Tower

These views though!

At the Navy Pier

Birthday Dinner at Spiaggio's

Last night in Chicago. We ate dinner on the Trump Terrace 

where the view was outstanding!

       

Queen of Hearts

Hey guys! This dress is from ASOS and it’s so comfy! It’s soft and stretchy and the pattern is so fun. The weather here has been so rainy and cool (considering it's summer) and this long sleeve dress has been perfect. 

I have been getting so hot lately – thanks hormones! UGH! So dresses are a go-to for me lately. Wearing tight leggings or denim just seems to trap in the heat even more. This long sleeve dress wouldn’t be good for a hot summer day, but for these cooler days or a date night, it’s great. 

When I’m pregnant, sometimes wearing jewelry makes me feel claustrophobic. So weird. So keeping my hair off my neck and my jewelry to a minimum helps me stay cool and feeling comfortable. 

35 week bump :)

ASOS Dress