Keeping Up With The Boys.

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This was the day that my two-year-old wrote in pen on my white bed spread.

This was also the day he lunged toward the garage door as it was closing. Thank God for motion sensors.

This was the day that I cleaned bedrooms and went through old baby clothes while my 2-year-old zoomed trucks around my piles for his soon-to-be-bro. This was the day I did a zillion loads of laundry and cooked some freezable meals while he built block towers around my ankles. This was the day we finally collapsed in exhaustion onto the couch, and decided to watch Christmas Mickey Mouse on Netlflix (his favorite) with our feet up (my favorite). We both ate graham crackers in silence. Mickey gave Minnie a necklace.

This was the day that the 31-week-along baby in my belly learned how to do somersaults. Nay, learned to master somersaults.

These kinds of days aren't for the faint of heart. Keeping up with these boys requires all my concentration and energy, and even then, sometimes it doesn't feel like enough to fuel me through the day. When someone asks a mom (especially a pregnant mom), "How was your day?" the answer is almost impossible to summon. My day was wonderful, hilarious, exhausting, infuriating, impossible, delightful, and then exhausting again. As a mom, you can't sum up your day in a few words. Each new hour ushers in a set of circumstances and emotions that unbutton my pride and reveal my weakness once again.

During this pregnancy I've been on my feet a lot. I'm trying to refrain from being on them too long, but let's be honest - a woman's gotta walk! A mama's gotta play trains! And this lady has to get the laundry done, beds made, and meals doled out. After being on my feet too much and an enlightening visit to the ER (which I shared about here), it was recommended that I find a really good belly support band to help alleviate the weight and pressure. I shared last week about my favorite 2nd Trimester essentials, and one of those was the Blanqi Support Band that I started wearing when I was about 27 weeks pregnant. The band has made such an enormous difference in my day-to-day, and when I reached out to the company to spill my praise about the amazing support I've received from it, the lovely ladies over at Blanqi sent me a few more support pieces to try. And I am almost undone about the quality and, for lack of a better word, magic of these clothes.

If you want to know what I've been wearing for the past two weeks (by themselves and layered under other pieces), you're looking at it. The Maternity Belly Support Tank Top offers insanely maximum lifting support - it literally lifts my belly up and take so much pressure off my lower back.  The Maternity Support Wear Leggings offer moderate support and keep everything smooth and taut underneath clothes. And I've been wearing these two items together since they came in the mail - imagine the double support I've been experiencing! I was actually really sad yesterday when I was laundering everything again, just because I was missing out on the inexplicably great lift of this shapewear. I'll admit that the only downside to this shapewear is feeling hot from time to time- if you're like me and feel hot all the time when you're pregnant, then wearing leggings in this 80-degree Georgia heat can present some challenges. But still - I wish I would have known about this game-changing gear during my last pregnancy. It would have really alleviated that last 6 weeks of back pain.

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I love sharing when I find things that really, really work for me. And these pieces are the real deal, a must for any maternity wardrobe. I am so grateful that I discovered this brand so that the final leg of my pregnancy doesn't have to be quite as miserable as the last time around. And it's just a bonus that the ladies who run Blanqi (which is based here in Atlanta - what are the chances?!) are the sweetest, kindest moms who just want to help other women have easier, more comfortable pregnancies. I love supporting U.S. businesses, women's businesses, and most importantly, businesses creating something that MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

These pieces might not be able to get the ink out of my bed spread, but they are allowing me to stay on my feet a bit longer to get all the home life chores done that need doing. So I can not only keep up with my boys, but keep myself well cared-for, too. Every pregnant mama's dream.

You can shop Blanqi with this link and receive 20% off your order, friends!

P.S. if you have a pregnant friend, this is the perfect gift to give her - seriously! She will thank you every single day for the remainder of allllll her pregnancies :)

Outfit Details:
Blanqi Support Tank (c/o), Blanqi Support Leggings (c/o), Wendy Bellissimo Maternity Poncho (on sale here!)


Many thanks to Blanqi for sending me the featured support wear. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Falling for Fringe.

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Outfit Details:
Forever 21 Floral Fringe Kimono, Kate Spade Charlotte Street Alek Crossbody Bag, Isabella Oliver Helston Maternity Top c/o, BDG Skinny Jeans (past season, similar here), Coach Lace Up Wedge Booties (past season, linked to a similar below)

I wore this lovely little fringe number last week on our date night. The date night where we toured the local hospital, formulated a birth plan, and ate Thai food. We know how to plan a wild night, right?

We are delivering at a different hospital this time around and we wanted to get the lay of the land, and honestly, hear about how much the hospital tends to intervene in birthing situations. It was really good to get the tour and ask questions (Stevie and I asked the most in the group, we are such dweebs), but then it was even better to drive away from the hospital and process everything that's coming up.

All the feelings that have been lying stealthily in wait from the last time I gave birth. All the hopes bubbling up in my heart. All the unanswered questions about how it's going to be this time around. We talked through the things we loved about Everett's birth, and the things that were different than we expected. The things we didn't like. The things that scared us. All the birth planning in the world can't really prepare anyone for actual birth, and we relived all the emotions involved with meeting our little boy for the first time.

And that was all before the dim sum arrived.

Have you guys had dim sum? I can't get enough in my life.

We ate our Thai food and laughed about the wonder of it all. This burgeoning season of Fall. The fact that we are going to have two boys by Christmas. The fact that we still really love each other (and like each other!) after 9+ years of marriage. The really cute kimono that I was wearing that my sisters gave me for my birthday (okay, it was just me going ga-ga over that one).

Life is so beautiful, friends. It's so beautiful and so fleeting and it's slipping away as quickly as it's brimming forth. Happiest weekend to you :)

My 8 Must-Haves for the 2nd Trimester.

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This pregnancy has been so weird. I oscillate between feeling really grateful and really over it. The good thing that I keep reminding myself is that I know what is on the other side of this experience - a sweet, delicious smelling newborn straight from Heaven. I am really looking forward to the newborn stage (don't quote me on that when I'm sleep deprived), because I know that I can look forward to it. I was so freaked out and on edge the first time around with my son, because he was colicky and cried all night long. And all day too. I felt like I had to be doing something wrong. But this time around, I feel like I will actually be able to enjoy those sweet, snuggling moments a whole lot more.

However, I am not there yet. I am currently in the home stretch of this pregnancy, but the items below were discovered and thoroughly enjoyed in my second trimester. Many of them have carried over into this third trimester, too.

1. Mason Jar of Water.
I'm treating hydration like it's my job these days. Because if I falter even a little bit, I am experiencing contractions a lot a bit. My goal is to drink four of these 32-oz. jars a day. It helps to add a bit of mint and lime, or lemon and cucumber. It also helps that it has a fun straw :)

2. Blanqi Support Belly Band.
I might cry a little while I talk about this one. After coming home from New York, I knew I had to do something about the insane pressure down under. I researched maternity belts and got scared. Those things look like they should be used in terrorist torture. Then I found the Blanqi site and drooled over all the support wear they offer - finally landing on the band for everyday wear. It has made SUCH a huge difference, I can actually walk around throughout the day and not feel like my baby is falling out.

3. Lavender Essential Oil (for diffusing).
I have been a long-time attempter of essential oils, and I have no answer in regards to which brand is best. But I do know that I feel a difference when I diffuse oils in my bedroom at night. This particular oil has been on rotation lately to help me sleep better. I also like to throw some eucalyptus in there from time to time, for funsies.

4. Deep Steep Chamomile Lavender Bubble Bath
My sisters gifted this decadence to me for my birthday and I am obsessed. I've started taking a warm bath every night at 9pm because it helps me sleep better. This stuff smells so good and is free of a lot of chemicals that other bubble baths have, so it's a big win in my book. My sisters are the sweetest.

5. Jarro-dophilus Probiotic.
Keeping things regular over here, with this handy dandy probiotic. Get you some.

6. Magnesium Spray.
This is probably a weird one, but with all the contractions I've been experiencing, I have been willing to try anything that will help. A few friends mentioned that I might need to take a magnesium supplement, and this is a spray-on version. It's like putting on lotion!

7. Nike Tennis Shoes.
All day, every day. These days I need support like you need air to breathe. In fact, I should probably get another pair of sneakers.

8. Bare Minerals Gel Nude Lip Color
Because when you're sweaty, hefty and hemorrhoid-laden, you need something in your life to remind you that you were once a cute girl. Lipstick is doing that for me these days, friends. Loving these nude matte shades from Bare Minerals.

Anything that helped you mamas out during the second and third trimesters? Because the need for support/input/encouragement these days is REAL. xox.

Baby #2 - 28-Week Bumpdate + Hey 3rd Trimester!

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How Far Along: 28 weeks. 7 months and entering the third trimester :)

Gender: Another boy. Oh my grocery bills.

Name: Yep! We've got a name!

Sleeping? So. Sort of. If I don't take a bath at night to unwind, then I can't sleep. There is something magical about the bath tub right now, so I'm not going to dare jinx it by not taking one every night. My sisters got me some really amazing bubble bath for my birthday this past weekend, and I am loving it so much. So I am really grateful for the tub these days :)

Eating: I'm actually trying to scale back the sugar in this final trimester. Apparently this is a big baby already (pray for me guys), so I don't want to add to the chunkiness by packing on the sugar pounds. If you have great healthy recipes for me, I am all ears. And perhaps some treats that feel indulgent but contain no sugar. It's going to be really hard to experience the holiday season without having a cookie here or there, but I really want to avoid giving birth to a 10-lb. baby if I can help it. So if I bake treats, I will immediately be giving them away this fall. You probably want to be my friend right about now, as I am currently littering my dining room table with fall recipes.

Emotional Check: Honestly, I'm officially a psycho. I don't really know another way to put it. I shared last week that I'm having to scale everything back for the remainder of this pregnancy, and I'm feeling frustrated about it. Sometimes I'm really positive and optimistic, but I definitely get hit with some feelings like "I just want to go run 5 miles right now!!!" and obviously I can't. I'm having to keep my feet up a lot and let other people do all my projects for me, which is just really grating. And then when I feel upset I get even more upset at myself for not remembering to be grateful for this baby and all the kindness and support I have around me and the short season that this is. Soon I know I will be cradling this little sweetheart in my arms and we will be back to figuring out how to exercise and meal plan and all that good stuff. So for now, I know I just need to chill. I'm just having some trouble with it. I can be honest with you, right? This pregnancy has really thrown me for a loop.

I do want to thank you guys for being so encouraging and supportive after last week's post. So many of you reached out on Facebook, Instagram, and the post and shared your experiences and it seriously brought so much hope to my heart. I loved all the suggestions of what to do from a resting position over the next few weeks - you guys are the best! I seriously cherish every comment, so thank you for taking the time to reach out. :)

Movement: Yes. I feel like I'm housing Thor up in here. He feels huge, he moves all the time, and if he keeps jabbing me in the you-know-what I'm going to have to discipline him in the first hours of his life.

I'm serious you guys. The movements aren't feeling like the sweet flutters of Heaven. They are a cross between feeling like contractions and a knife wound.

Looking Forward to: I was going to say ,"ending this pregnancy full-term!", but I want to be a little more positive than that. Obviously, everyone is excited for the changing of the season, and fall is such a dreamy time of year, so I am very much looking forward to cooler temperatures. We worked a lot in the back yard this weekend (by "we" I mean that I saw in my chair and told my husband where to plant everything), so now I have a special place to sip my coffee in the mornings and have prayer time, surrounded by herbs and vegetables and autumn flowers. I'm having to do a lot of self-encouraging these days, which is okay, it's good - it's just been a very unexpected month. That's just life sometimes though, right friends?

Here's to cooler temperatures and a full-term baby! What are you looking forward to for the fall season?

*The photo above is a bit of a lie. It was taken a few weeks ago so it's not an accurate portrayal of today's bump. I'll instagram one later today :)

Happening Lately: Scaling Back.

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This is a little bit of a hard one.

I've had a great pregnancy thus far, but about a month ago, things got a bit more challenging. Our month-long stint in New York was wildly adventurous and fun, but I think I might have pushed myself a little too hard. 4 weeks of being in a new place with an active toddler, without any helping hands, and walking miles everywhere might have been too much for me to handle. It's a little hard to admit, actually. It doesn't sound that hard, and I didn't feel like I was running ragged, but unfortunately towards the end of our time up there I had a few episodes of really intense Braxton Hicks and low pelvic pressure that was a little alarming. Like, I suddenly found myself in tears on the floor of Target with sharp pain that felt like labor. I've been in labor before, I remember that pain. These weren't your run-of-the-mill Braxton Hicks. Since I was only at the end of the second trimester, having a few of these episodes (which lasted for about 20 minutes each time) really scared me, and after a call to my midwife back home, I found myself at the White Plains ER. Not the kind of way we wanted to spend our Labor Day :( But the great news is that even though I was feeling crummy, the baby was completely fine (and still is!) and I had no signs of pre-term labor or dilation. Just an exhausted mama who needed to put the feet up. And keep them up.

I have always been told that walking during pregnancy is a good thing, one of the best forms of exercise. So I was really confused about how walking could have brought all of this on. Especially since I am in pretty good shape - I had been lifting light weights, doing Pure Barre, swimming and of course, walking. Apparently, I had just been walking too much, doing too much, pushing too hard for too many weeks. And I was dehydrated, which can bring on really intense Braxton Hicks. Who knew?


Honestly, I have spent the past few weeks reflecting on all of this. It's really hard to wrap my head around, because when I look around me, I see so many pregnant women who are active and doing well. Thriving, even. And you know what? Comparing myself to them doesn't help me feel better about myself. Even comparing myself to my own last pregnancy doesn't help. I've said it before and I'll say it again, comparison is the thief of joy. Okay, Teddy Roosevelt is the one who originally said that, but I really identify with it. I can't look to the right and left and let others' pregnancy experiences inform mine. It's true when they say that every pregnancy is completely different.

So there you have it, friends.

In an effort to ensure that this little man stays inside of me until he is full-term, Stevie and I have decided to scale everything back for the fall. No more travel, no more intensity. No more running on adrenaline for weeks at a time. Just lots of resting at home, snuggling up with blankets and baking and finishing house projects. Stevie's entire side of the family is on a special trip at Disney World this week, and we sadly had to pull out of the fun last minute. (When your midwife recommends that you should only be at the parks for 2 hours in the morning and avoid the heat and walking at all cost, then you re-think those expensive Disney passes :) Plus, walking for forty-five minutes at a time still has me feeling light-headed and brings on some seriously sharp pains, so I can't imagine that would have been super fun at the happiest place on Earth. I'm feeling a little blue today as I think about all the fun they are having together, but we will reschedule our trip for next year and then we will get to bring little man #2 with us, too!

I'm counting my blessings today. I have a healthy baby boy growing steadily inside of me. I just have to take some extra measures for the next few months to rest more than usual. That's not bad news, it's just not my normal. Have any other of you mamas experienced something like this before? Any tips for how to make the fall season festive close to home? I'd love to hear from you, friends. Thanks for letting me air and share this heart of mine. Now I'm gonna go drink my body weight in water and put my feet up. XOX