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Hello! Happy Thursday! I’m slowly emerging from the newborn fog over here and wanted to do a post today sharing what’s been getting me through the last few weeks. The newborn phase is challenging and it’s one you somehow forget about as soon as it ends. Your body re-adjusts to functioning on little sleep and it takes some time to recover and get back into normal clothes. There have been a few things I’ve found to be lifesavers that I wanted to share.

For Mom:

Nursing bras – these are my favorite.

Leggings – most days I just wear leggings. Love this pair.

Bellybandit BFF – I wore this after I had Crosby and swear it helped me shrink my stomach faster. I’ve been wearing it this time around too.

Silverettes – I was introduced to these right before I had Wilder and haven’t needed to use nipple cream yet! I started wearing them in the hospital and have pretty much been wearing them since. All natural and definitely worth the price.

Dry Shampoo – because washing my hair is not even close to a proiority these days.

Eye Cream – love this one right now.

Water bottle – I forgot how thirsty nursing makes you. I’ve been refilling my Takeya water bottle non-stop.

Pumping bra – I just started pumping and couldn’t survive without a hands-free bra.

For baby:

Zip up pajamas – especially for night time… because snaps are way too difficult when your eyes are barely open.

Hats – I like to keep their heads covered for the first few weeks at least.

DockATot – we’ve been using it a lot more this time. Great for him to lounge in on the couch when we’re in the living room. Obsessed with our cover too.

Mamaroo – loved this with Crosby too. Wilder will nap here during the day when I’m getting stuff done.

Snoo – full review coming after we use it for at least a month, but so far, so good.

Velcro swaddles – Jeff is the master swaddler, but I’m not as good. Been using these when he’s at work to keep Wilder comfy.

Burp cloths – newborns spit up a lot. We have them in every room.

Muslin swaddles – what Jeff prefers to swaddle him in. They stay put better than the bamboo ones and are super cozy.

I’m 38.5 weeks pregnant and every day I think it could be my last day before baby boy is born. Not that I’m feeling 100% ready… but do you ever? I’ve also officially made it longer in this pregnancy than I did in my pregnancy with Crosby, as she was born at 38 weeks and 3 days! So wild to think about. I’ll definitely be trying to take advantage of this weekend in case it’s our last weekend as a family of 3!

hat, dress, sweater, clutch c/o, sandals c/o

Now that it’s spring and the weather has been cooperating I’ve been living in dresses, just like I wanted this whole pregnancy. Pants are so uncomfortable at this point… even leggings. Luckily I stocked up on a bunch of dresses to get me through the end of this pregnancy. This blue one was a great addition and is less than $13! Such a great steal. It also comes in black for your basic LBD needs.

I got this hat about a month ago and have worn it so much ever since. It’s probably over-featured on my Instagram at this point. Oops! I just love everything about it… the color, shape, fit… it’s the perfect hat for spring and summer. Plus I do my hair as little as possible and it really helps me feel more put together.

I also want to talk about this clutch! I got it at the Gray Malin event I mentioned in my last post. I’m loving that it’s wearable art and if you look closely, you can see it’s a nude beach. So funny! He actually has a few different prints on clutches. You can see more here.

hat, dress, sweater, clutch c/o, sandals c/o

Hope you have a great weekend – thank you so much for reading and following!

Happy April! I can’t believe it’s baby month! I’m due exactly two weeks from today, so it could happen any minute now. Insane! I keep thinking how Crosby was born 11 days early and wondering if baby brother will follow suit. I’m fine with him taking another week or so. Anyway, we’ve been having the best spring weather. I went back for this dress in yellow and am so happy I did.

sunglasses, cardigan c/o, dress (also have it in blue), purse, similar wedges

We shot these photos last weekend at Lido Marina Village. I had no idea but was about to be surprised by my best friends with a little baby sprinkle day. We started with brunch, then pedicures and ended with facials… I was so spoiled and surprised, I’ll never forget it. I’d said from early on in this pregnancy that I didn’t want a shower. I just didn’t think it was necessary because we had everything from Crosby and are constantly getting new products in to test. But it was so nice having a day of pampering with my two best friends. It made the pregnancy feel more real having a little celebration.

You know I’ve loved tight stretchy non-maternity dresses this pregnancy… when the weather would cooperate. Here’s a little run down of what I’ve worn that’s still in stock.

• This striped tank dress is so fun for spring and it’s only $15! I’ve worn it a few times, most recently last week to take Crosby to the Easter Bunny.
• I got this short sleeve ribbed midi dress in gray, but now it’s only available in black. It’s a great basic and under $20.
• Loved wearing this blush/salmon midi dress. It’s a bit longer which was a nice change and looks so good with a cardigan or kimono worn over it. I wore it to a friends baby shower last month.
• This ruched bodycon dress was an early favorite. I have it in gray and black and loved wearing it early in my pregnancy. I actually wore them before I was pregnant so I didn’t size up and they ended up being too short to wear later with my big bump. If you’re pregnant, definitely size up.
• I wish I’d found this long sleeve ribbed dress earlier. I got it at the end of February but it would have been perfect to wear when it was cold this winter. It still works for spring and comes in a couple of colors!
• I loved this red belted sweater dress. It’s a bit dressier and perfect with a bump. It looks so much more expensive than it actually is at $25 and it’s super similar to the white one I wore the other day.
• This short sleeve dress is so cute and casual and only $13! I have it in periwinkle and it also comes in black. I was surprised by how soft it is.

sunglasses, cardigan c/o, dress (also have it in blue), purse, similar wedges

Hope you had a great weekend – thank you so much for reading and following!

I’ve been doing a lot of my “maternity” shopping at Forever 21. I posted about it here a few weeks ago but went back for more last week and thought I’d update you with my latest haul. It’s seriously the best place to buy bump and budget friendly dresses. I typically go a size up and they’re still fitting me at 37 weeks. Here’s a little rundown of what I’ve picked up recently.

dress, chambray shirt, bag

I actually got this cute striped dress in the blue color first (pictured below) and loved it so much I went back for yellow. It’s so flattering and can be worn lots of ways… as seen in these pics.

blue dress, hat, duster, bag, shoes

hair clip, dress

I tried this white dress on last month and had to go back for it. It’s so pretty and flattering… would be great for a baby shower!

hat, dress, sweater, clutch, sandals, Crosby’s outfit, shoes

Ok this periwinkle dress is the best steal at $13! It comes in black too and is super soft and comfortable.

Hope you had a great weekend – thank you for reading and following!

hat, sunglasses, dress, duster c/o, purse, shoes c/o

Well, I’ve officially made it to 36 weeks pregnant which is considered 9 months! I still have about three and a half weeks before my official due date and I’m not so secretly hoping he stays in as long as possible. Just not too much over, ok? It’s been awhile since I gave a pregnancy update… and with the days dwindling by, I figured it’s time!

First of all, it is absolutely wild seeing your body transform, basically overnight. Even though I’ve been through this before, I’m still amazed at what our bodies are capable of. I’ve been taking bump shots and put them all together below. So crazy!

from left 24 weeks, 27 weeks, 30 weeks, 35 weeks, 36 weeks

wearing a workout set via Beach Riot

The big reason I’m not hoping for him to make an appearance yet is that I just don’t feel ready at all! I know no one really ever feels ready, but I think I felt more prepared before I gave birth to Crosby. We’ve made a lot of progress on his nursery but it’s still not complete. We’re waiting on a backordered rug, mattress, and changing pad, and still need new curtains for the room. He won’t even be sleeping in his nursery for a few months but I want it to be ready before. There’s no way I’ll have the energy to finish it once he’s here.

I started packing my hospital bag last week and I’d say it’s about 75% packed. I’m planning to do a post on what I packed for the hospital and will share that during my mini “maternity leave.” That’s another thing I prepped for last time! I wrote out several weeks worth of blog posts so that I could have some down time. I really need to step it up!

Overall, I’ve been feeling fine but I am a little uncomfortable at this point. My belly is so big it feels like I’m carrying a 10 pound bowling ball around all day. By the night time, I’m exhausted but can’t get comfortable to sleep. And then, when I do fall asleep, I wake up pretty often to go to the bathroom. It totally sounds like I’m complaining a lot, but I am super grateful to have a healthy pregnancy.

Another crazy thing are the Braxton Hicks contractions. I think I had them a little with Crosby but really didn’t know what they were. I swear the second time around you feel everything stronger and more frequently. I get them pretty often at night and off and on throughout the day. They usually come on more when I’ve been active with Crosby (picking her up a lot, after ballet and gym class, etc).

hat, dress, sunglasses

That’s basically it for an update! As always, thank you for reading and following.

I’ve officially reached the point in this pregnancy where unless it’s absolutely necessary I’m not going to wear pants/jeans. Leggings or dresses from here on out. I was so excited to get this pretty blue floral maxi in from Gal Meets Glam that I wore it out to dinner Saturday night. What you can’t see from these photos is that is was maybe 59 degrees and super windy. I don’t know what was blowing around more, my hair or my pregnancy double chin. But I was committed to my dress only cause and tried to think warm thoughts.

sunglasses, jacket, dress c/o, purse, shoes c/o

This dress is even prettier in person. I wish I could have taken my jacket off to show you the sleeve detail, but my goose bumps might have been a bit distracting. I went with blue for my baby boy on the way, but it also comes in a really pretty pink floral print. I’m thinking it might be a good Easter dress option – that is, if I’m not in labor! For sizing, it’s not maternity and I sized up to a 2. Fits great!

There are some other really pretty dresses and jumpsuits from the March collection. This one would also be cute with a baby bump. I’m loving this jumpsuit and this one… can’t wait to wear them again!!

I was also so excited when I saw this jacket is back. I got it last spring and was obsessed with it – still am – and know I’ll be wearing it a ton this year. It’s one thing I can actually fit into now… as long as I don’t have to button it closed. It looks really cute with white denim too… a look I can’t wait to recreate soon.

sunglasses, jacket, dress c/o, purse, shoes c/o

Hope you have a great day – thank you so much for reading and following!