Mother Daughter Style at 38 Weeks

Soon, we will have another girl to join our pictures. Since we have no idea when Vincenza will actually make her appearance, I decided I wanted some pictures with Mom before she went home yesterday. Plus, I love this first picture so much that it might have to be framed and placed in Vincenza's room. Jeff took it with the new camera he got for me. Fancy in our pants over here.

Mom's Outfit:

 Dress: Boscov's

Necklace/earrings: A La Mode Boutique

Cardigan: Kohl's (she thinks)

My Outfit:  

Cardigan: NY & Co.

Dress (not maternity): Old Navy

Elephant Necklace (from mom!): Bass & Co.

How far along? 38 weeks as of yesterday, and I will turn 31 years young tomorrow. Wow.

Size? I've gained about 25 pounds, and she is somewhere around 6 pounds (they guess.)

Nursery? Finished (except for whatever else we end up hanging on the walls after she arrives). Feel free to check out a tour of her nursery here. So far, both my mom and I have fallen asleep in that nursery chair, so it was a good choice.

Maternity Clothes? The only thing I can wear with any sort of comfort is a dress, especially a maxi dress. See my tips for shopping and styling in the third trimester here.

Stretch Marks? Not yet, but I am really waiting for my body to surprise me with this one.

Sleep? I try to keep myself from napping so that I sleep more soundly at night, and this strategy has worked relatively well for two weeks. I still use my pregnancy wedge and pillow to make it through the night despite the fact that I have to fight with these things when I rouse sleepily three times minimum to use the bathroom. See what's helped me survive here.

Contractions? I have pretty strong Braxton Hicks contractions, and Vincenza does not appear to like them. She wiggles around when they happen. Contractions + Wiggling Baby = Lots of discomfort for Momma.
 
Celebrations? We have reached "term" as of 37 weeks, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Now I just need to see her sweet face and hear her healthy screams so that I can breathe the last, biggest sigh of relief. All we need to celebrate is her health. I have remained so hyper-focused on her well being that everything else pales in comparison to my prayers for her health.

Cravings? For four days, I have wanted a cupcake. I don't know why. I have yet to eat one. However, tomorrow is my birthday, and I intend to eat a cupcake for my birthday. Cupcake and crabs.

Symptoms? Mainly growing pains. My body is struggling to support the both of us, but I'm powering through pretty well. I even forced myself to go on a walk with Jeff yesterday.

Movement? Despite her lack of space, this kid loves to move. She moves frequently throughout the day, but her movements are relatively relaxed. As soon as Daddy comes home around 2-3, her witching hour starts. I say witching "hour," but she gears up until at least 8 at night. However, once I settle into bed, not to be confused with the couch, she's good about calming down again. I tell her to move even if it hurts me because her movements let me know she is thriving in there.

Anticipating? Obviously, we are all anticipating her arrival. I am also really looking forward to my mom staying with us for like two weeks because Jeff cannot take off after having recently started a new job. The consistent support from someone who makes me feel relaxed and better eases a lot of my pre-motherhood anxiety. 

 

Unexpected Inspiration: Hair & Toes

At first, I considered not writing a post about the outfit that I already posted on Instagram this morning, and then I realized how often I see outfies (outfit selfies, it'll eventually catch on) that I wish I could see as something other than an itty, bitty Instagram shot. Had I not loved today's outfit so much, I would've left you to your own Insta-devices, but this color combination and print have me rather smitten. Plus, maybe, like me, you want to see larger shots of Instagram outfies. 

Let's talk about that post title up there for a moment. This morning, I did not want to shower. (Oh, please, don't act like you shower every day. I will wash my feet before yoga tonight; don't worry.) First, I washed my face, which required this headband because my bangs do this let's-play-octopus-tentacles thing. I decided that my hair looked halfway decent pulled back and strapped in with this headband, so I began to hunt for something in my closet that went with it. (My head is oddly shaped, so headbands usually fly off my head within five minutes. Since my brain cooperated with me this morning, I thought of a genius idea: bobby pin the bottom of the headband to my hair. IT WORKED. Where has this brilliance been all of my life?) Anyway, enter Maxi Dress Monday, the best idea if I ever did hear of one (better than a bobby pin strapping a headband to my head). This dress has been taunting me for awhile now, and I finally gave in to it. It's pretty perfect with the headband, no?

Originally, I threw on a white cardigan because the dress would otherwise be inappropriate for work. And then I looked at my feet. I realized that the lovely pink color I painted on my toes yesterday served as a fun pairing with the yellow. "Aha!" I said to myself. "Let's put on the pink cardigan." I knew I made a good choice when my husband declared how much he liked my "sundress" (we'll let him have it--God love him for trying), a colleague called me a "Grecian goddess," and my co-teacher commented, "I never would've thought to put those colors together, but I love it." All before 7:30 in the morning. Way to make a girl who didn't shower this morning feel awesome about her hygienic neglect. 

Riddle me this: what are some of the odd places you've found sartorial inspiration?

The Look:

Sandals: Enzo Angiolini via Marshall's

Cardigan: Banana Republic via thredUP

Dress: LOFT outlet (last year for $20!)

Necklace: Boutique 

Headband: Walmart

Earrings: Old Navy

The nail polish is from my aunt, and it's by Ulta. My Mom loved it so much that she found an Essie look-alike called bachelorette bash (I think that was the name). 

Black Maxi Comfort

This week, prepare for a lot of talk about the wedding we attended this weekend.

It.was.beautiful.

We made the 4-5 hour trek to New York for our friends' wedding, and we couldn't have had more fun!

Everyone introduced themselves, so we felt incredibly welcome as "the Marylanders" at the New York wedding. The food was delicious, and they even accommodated my cantankerous digestive system. I ate steak, asparagus, carrots, sushi, gelato, strawberries, honeydew, and pineapple. 

During our past two visits to NY, our friends took us to this Italian restaurant with gluten-free pizza that makes me want to smack a dolphin it's so scrumptious. 

The Look:

Sleeveless Cardigan: Gap (last year)

Maxi Dress: Boscov's (last year)

Sandals: J.Lo via Kohl's

Belt: Target

The Details:

Occasion: What I wore to breakfast (mmmm...broccoli and cheese egg white omelet) with a big group of people from the wedding. (We walked to the diner from our hotel, so no crazy stilettos...as if I'd wear them anywhere.)  I also needed to play passenger for 4-5 hours in the car, so comfort was paramount. And everyone knows maxi dresses/skirts are glorified pajamas. 

When: 10:30a.m.-bedtime

Where: A little bit of indoors and a little bit of outdoors

Comfort Rating: 9 (only because I had to loosen the belt during the car ride)

Comments: I needed the belt for two reasons. One, it gave me some shape. Two, it added a bit of color. I finally learned how to knot a belt. I have arrived, ladies and gents. 

Restyling Options: For work, I'd throw on a printed scarf and solid color cardigan with sleeves because I don't like going sleeveless at work. If it were a bit cooler, I think a jean jacket is the perfect addition. As always, if my hair weren't in a high bun, I'd try a fedora. With the high bun, I could tie a bandana around my head :)

Pinspiration:

(source)

My (Recent) Life in Clothes

I cleaned out my closet.

By that, I mean I threw (only) half of the things I won't actually wear into paper bags. 

A week ago.

They're still sitting in front of my window seat.

The other half hang in my closet, pretending I'll wear them. 

I trudge through this process at least once a month.

Eventually, I think I'll actually purge my closet of the unwanteds.

Until then, my closet harbors the land of misfit clothes.

And some very cute, well fitting ones.

I feel so Lilly Pulitzer in this color scheme. 

Dad turned 61. We celebrated. 

I'm eating pickles to prevent myself from eating the rest of the cake Mom gave to me.

I have a feeling I'll have an acid stomach and liquid bowels before this night ends.

Wish me luck.

I wore this dress to celebrate Daddy dukes.

Meet my second-day hair. I woke up at 5 and watched Law and Order SVU until I had to leave for work. I poked my hair in a "thanks for being awesome this morning" kind of way. 

Not sure I'll ever master the downward shot. Someone please tell me how you make it happen before I Google that ish. Google is already judging me because I asked it who invented the maxi skirt. 

Bows and leopard print. That's about as spicy as I get. 

You will not see me in stripes on stripes (despite my love for them)

or stripes on polka dots. 

Speaking of maxi skirts, I'm married, but I'll kiss the inventor of maxi skirts on the lips

to thank them for creating a sartorial masterpiece that allows me to look presentable while being comfortable enough to take a nap. On public transportation. During peak hours. In NYC. 

Meet my newest maxi skirt. I bought it today, and I'm showing it to you before I even ripped off the tags. I think the cashier was *this* close to making me pay for it while simultaneously shoving it under the counter to save for later. I'm pretty sure she pet it. I would too. I plan to. 

Stiiiiill suck at downward shots. 

Seriously, someone feed me the secret. 

Enjoy your lovely evening.

I'm going to go eat pickles.