Tie Not?

Getting more mileage out of non-maternity clothes continues......

 

While I have already tied my button up shirts in a similar fashion, and was inspired by a few other pregnant bloggers to do the same with tees! I have to admit, I am not new to this tied tee look. I remember it well from the early 90's, when then we had actual plastic things to loop your shirt through! Do you recall those too?

 

When I bought this giraffe tee at Kohl's, I also got this camel one (because camel prints are one of the many animals I like to collect in clothing). I had to layer a tank under it for enough belly coverage and it wasn't a look I loved too much. Tying the tee like this I like much better.

 

My only concern with all of this tying is mis-shaping the clothes and/or them needing ironing when I am ready to wear them untied again. Oh well, mis-shapen body + mis-shaped clothes should go well together. I will have an adorable bundle to keep my mind off of those minor issues!

Croft & Barrow Camel Tee - Kohl's

Apt 9 Aviator Sunglasses - Kohl's (similar)

Restricted Deity Sandals - TJ Maxx

Necklace - Anthropologie

J. Crew Dress - local consignment shop

Summer Lunches (by the pool).........

So this post dates back to the Saturday pre-vacation. The same Saturday I did this post. We had a little time to enjoy the pool before I left for my massage, and I thought I would share a quick and easy summer lunch that we often do. We all know in the heat of the season, no one wants to be cooking or eating heavy meals. Ever since Jon and I feel in love with tapas a few years ago, we often adopt a similar idea at home. Just a bunch of small things that we can quickly throw together (ours are usually cold, not cooked). Not really an antipasti either, since it is not strictly Italian. It's usually a mix of fruits, bread, cheese, meat, etc..... Olives, nuts, crackers have been used too. On this day we had turkey bites, cheeses (one of which is a rosemary asiago), kiwi, cherries, grapes, strawberries, bread (from Panera) and dipping oil. It's great for kids too - Richard really likes it.

 

I mentioned in that same post how Jon made me a faux sangria with sparkling grape juice and fresh fruit. Here is another great summer drink idea: strawberry lemonade with muddled basil leaves. This is something we also tried at our favorite tapas place. Try it, you'll thank me later.

 

I apologize for sharing the following story with a food post, so you can stop reading now if you wish.

So at the end of that same post, I mentioned that Richard filled his pants. Jon gave me a smirk as he bolted out the door to go get his workout in before my appointment. If you are a parent, you know that if a child takes care of business before you go do XYZ, you are pretty happy. Whew, thank goodness that's out of the way. Even though we weren't all leaving the house together that day, it was still a relief.

 

We were done eating and enjoying the pool. Richard was more content to run around and around, purposely getting close to the edge so we could catch him and dunk him before placing him back on the patio. All of a sudden, my nose picked up a smell. Referring back to the same post yet again, I first thought it was the dogs or else the source of whatever they rolled in (outside of the pool fence) several days prior. I should probably clarify at this point too, that we have 2 chihuahuas. Based on some of my stories, you might assume we have larger dogs. But no, chihuahuas wreck as much havoc as I have described. Our male can, in fact, wolf down a plate of food that weighs more than him in mere seconds. Jon kept trying to convince me the smell was a flowering bush, whose flowers were stinky. No, no, my maternal instincts were not buying it.

 

All of sudden, I saw a brown color creeping up the sides of Richard's swimmer. I politely informed Jon I had located the source of the smell. Pool time was over - it was close to when I had to leave anyway. Someone had to take care of the toddler, and someone had to take care of bringing all of the plates in. I gave Jon a look. He knew it was HIS turn. A turn which required a bath AND a shared shower. I had flashbacks of the night we stayed at a Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park this past Winter...... water and #2's do not mix well. Yep, that's right, yet another story. Jon was conveniently off meeting a guy to pick up some car parts - after all, the entire trip was planned around him buying a new rally car in Ohio (the same car whose engine is now being rebuilt). Imagine that happening and you have to carry your child across the park to retrieve your room key off the table, and then your room is all the way at the end of one of the hallways. All the while trying not to alert anyone else to what has just happened. Because when kids are having fun, they do not give you a warning. Yeah, not fun.

 

This is why they chlorinate those places people! To the point of headache inducing chemicals the second you walk in!

 

I am sorry for over sharing, but these are the things people do not tell you about having kids.

 

Anyway, my massage was amazing! I enjoyed it very much. It was just what I needed and I hope to go back to the same lady again.

 

Our vacation was wonderful as well. There was a lot of swimming involved, but luckily we did not have any of the incidents described above. In fact, just the opposite. The last step of potty training does in fact seem to revolve around #2 and getting him to want to go in the toilet. Our bribe is suckers. He will randomly say, "I get a sucker for going poop.......... and for haircuts!"

 

Oh, to be 3 again.

 

I did not think it would happen while we were away, so I did not pack any suckers. He ended up going twice! Luckily, the resort store had suckers and while checking out, he proudly announced to the cashier, "These are for going poop!"

 

My last funny related to all of this is while running errands this week he pulled the elastic of his shorts down a few inches to announce to yet another cashier, "I'm wearing big boy underwear!"

 

I am sure there will be more, but I will spare you for a while. You're welcome.

The Kellogg House

Yesterday, my friend Lisa suggested we take a walk to The Kellogg House to take some photos. Just a short walk from our downtown headquarters offices, W.K. Kellogg's home was relocated to these grounds in 1990. The park surrounding the home is perfection right now, with all of the flowers in bloom. It was a gorgeous day!

 These silky lounge pants were a dream to wear! I can't take all of the credit for my maternity style, as I remember another Anthro lover wearing these for her pregnancy a few years ago. Off to eBay I went to track them down when I found out I was expecting again. I just love the fact that I can wear these, pregnant or not. The loose elastic band is very forgiving.

 Since I am trying to showcase how to wear non-maternity clothes during your pregnancy, I must say there are a few maternity staples I rely on. This tank is no exception. It's from Motherhood Maternity and it is reversible so you can wear the scoop neck side or the vneck side. I stocked up in basic colors: black, white, cream and grey. There were on sale buy 3, get 1 free. I really needed to refresh my basic tank collection anyway, as all of mine were looking quite grungy. I know I will wear these tanks after baby too. You can wear them tucked in or untucked. They offer great belly coverage and are so comfy! But I know the way they are designed they will look great without a belly too.

 I wore the necklace I made from this post. I thought the fun textures really went well with the print on the bottom of the pants. I love that they are black and white with a pop of color!

Pinkerton Dream in Color Loungers - Anthropologie

Gap Jean Jacket - local consignment shop

Necklace - made by me

Reversible Tank - Motherhood Maternity

Klogs Kravings Sandals - Zulily

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy

Halfway

I am halfway through this pregnancy. The time has gone fast..... as well as slow. Isn't it funny how that is? With my first pregnancy, I read like crazy! I was up to date with every little thing that could (or could not) possibly happen to me and my baby. This time? If I scan through my weekly email telling me how far along I am that is good enough. It's nice to have that comfort level. Of course, if something odd does come up, I will look it up. For instance, I certainly felt a huge change as I moved into the second trimester. So much pressure in my lower abdomen. Lots of discomfort. And even one night where I thought I was having contractions! At my last doctor appointment I found out this was all completely normal. Obviously, once you've been pregnant, all of your insides are already stretched out so every baby after will sit lower and cause more pressure. And since the uterus is a muscle, it does contract (more and more in subsequent pregnancies). I was told that as the baby grows, he will move up and hopefully lessen the pain. I will believe it when it happens.

 

Of course, this time too I am 4 years older and I have a toddler to chase around. Lower back pain and sciatic nerve tinges are really sucky right now, but I remember that with Richard too. For the most part, I have been able to keep up with our summer activities and thus far we have had a pretty mild summer so I haven't felt too terribly hot.

 

Last time, I kept a journal where I wrote down food cravings, weight gain, etc.... and also put together a scrapbook with pictures as I progressed. I do plan to do a scrapbook this time too, but I want to try the maternity design on Shutterfly instead of doing it manually. I have way more pictures this time since I've been more into blogging fashion this time around. But as for the other stuff, let's just say the scale in our house doesn't even work right now and I don't ask the doctor what I weigh at my checkups. For the most part I seem to be doing the same as I did previously. Cravings (and aversions) are all about the same as last time too.

 

With this outfit, I once again adapted non-maternity clothes.

 

Peacock Feather Maxi Skirt - Macy's (see previously here)

Apt 9 Black Sweater - Kohl's

Statement Necklace - TJ Maxx

Mossimo Patricia Wedges - Target



Sunglasses - Zulily

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy

Red, White, and Zoo

I am getting back into the swing of things, after a week long vacation, and I thought I would share an outfit post before I get into the posts I had planned before vaca. And also, because it is a holiday themed outfit and I didn't want to become too out of date - because I am so weird and I think my readers would be like, "Girl, a 4th of July post? That is so last week! Get back to the poop stories."

 

*Because trust me, there are more poop stories.*

 

*You can stop following my blog now if you like, I won't blame you.*

 

*No, the next post title will not be "Red, White, and Poo" although that would be pretty funny.*

 

Okay, back to the 4th. I thought our day would be parade in a nearby small town, air show, fireworks. Instead, we decided to go to the air show the following day and go to the zoo. I was partly sad that I didn't have on my usual quirky animal print attire, but then again, you have to wear red, white and blue on the fourth, right? Well, except for my husband who wore camo and orange. I guess the camo is considered patriotic.

 

I got this dress at the end of last season at Macy's for $6 (American Rag brand). It came with the belt. The fabric of the skirt is sewn up in random places, which, when shopping with my friend for wedding dresses last year I learned that detail is called "pick ups". I layered it over a lacy tank and threw on some red sandals.

 Kissing baby brother.....

 You know how you get skeptical about wearing sandals for the first time, especially on a day when you know you will do a lot of walking? Well, these babies were like clouds all day!

My outfit details:
American Rag Dress - Macy's

M. Rena Lace Bralette - Cottonseed Apparel (from our trip)

Kravings by Klogs Sandals - I got mine on Zulily for a steal

Earrings - Francesca's Collections

Apt 9 Gladiator Sunglasses - Kohl's



Richard's Outfit Details:

Circo Shorts - Target

Hat - $1 bin at Target

Uncle Sam Tee - Children's Place Outlet

Light Up Shark Sandals - Carter's



The Magic of it All

My week is ending on a very high note! But let me tell ya, getting through it was tough.

 *disclaimer* I bribed him with Playdoh because he did not want to go outside and take pictures at this point in his day.

I always strive to be a positive when it comes to social media. But, there are moments when you need to be brutally honest. And in those moments, you hope that people can nod their head and think, "OMG, I can so relate to that!" I know I do with many of the blogs I read.

 

For the most part, our household runs like a well oiled machine. For the past 12 years, there has been an unspoken agreement regarding what chores each of us take on. I take care of dishes, laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, etc..... Jon takes care of the yard, pool, vehicles, home maintenance, etc..... But by no means are we a gender specific couple. I have been known to hop on the John Deere and mow the grass. Jon is a much better cook than I am, and I don't mind turning the kitchen over to him. You get the idea.

 

That being said, there are periods of time when the tasks of one spouse outweigh those of the other. Especially when they are seasonal. Or, when your husband commutes 3 hours a day and you seem to be in charge of EVERYTHING.

 

Please remember, that I am hormonal.

 

Like I said before, my online personality would make it seem like I just breeze through my days, taking pictures of outfits and such. And, sometimes it is like that. The days are so busy, they blend into each other and you are so caught up in what needs to be done at that moment that you forget about the bigger things. Those stresses that are always looming in the back of your mind.

 

But, they are bound to surface from time to time. And that's what happened this week.

 

Our lives have been in this sort of limbo since this time last year, when Jon was first interviewing for a different job. Planning a move. But then a twist gets thrown in with my job. Now that is settled. Are we going forward with a move or not? With a baby on the way?

 

I don't think it has fully sunk in yet that I will be leaving the company I have been with for 10 years, so that is part of it. Along with increasing office life irritants that I try not to get too worked up about because in 5 months, none of it will matter anyway. Jon was later than usual this week, and it seems like toddlers and dogs can sense that. We are in the final stages of potty training, and Richard has been wearing real underwear all week which has caused extra laundry. The last detail I should add is that Jon is rebuilding the engine in his rally car. Anyone who has a husband with passionate hobbies knows that they can be consumed by them.  

 

One night in particular, both dogs rolled in something as soon as I got home. (Our wooded yard with bunnies, deer, raccoons, turkeys, etc... provide plenty of fun things for them to find). They both required a bath and while doing that, Richard filled his pants. Once I got that all cleaned up we settle down to dinner where Richard's requests were never ending. When I finally got him into bed, I collapsed on the couch. Jon got home and was fussing in the kitchen. He had no idea how my night had been yet. I thought, "If he starts yapping about his engine, I might clobber him."

 

What was he doing? He had stopped at the store and bought sparkling grape juice and was mixing fruit into it since I can't have my favorite summer drink : sangria. Upon handing me a glass of "fauxgria", he said that he booked me a prenatal massage on Saturday. I started crying. I told him about my day and he just comforted me. The next morning, he took Richard to daycare (dropoffs and pickups have mostly been on me with his commute).

 

So there you have it. That magic when you need it most. Just when you think your significant other has no idea what you have to deal with..... they do. I feel bad for thinking "all he has to do is go to work and back" and I often forget how stressful his job is and how I wouldn't want to drive so much every day! By no means am I complaining about parenting or marriage - because I truly love my life - but we all need to vent now and again. And I like to reread these stories later to remember and realize how lucky I am. Maybe someday I will share a story from 2011 when Jon was away on a business trip.... in a nutshell, Richard was a baby and was filling his pants so much - in his bouncy seat - that he and the bouncy seat needed a bath. While bathing him, one of the dogs tried to roll in the poopy laundry pile and then later, that same dog ate my pizza right off my plate when I wasn't looking. Two pieces of pizza and 2 breadsticks, gone in seconds! We love to laugh about that story now.

 

So much of my life for the past 3 years has revolved around poop. And I don't see it ended anytime soon.

 

So let's get to the good stuff! Friday morning was our ultrasound appointment, and I was very nostalgic remembering the same moment with my first pregnancy. It seems just like yesterday! I treasure these special moments that Jon and I share..... holding hands in the darkened room, the tears, the joy. Coming up with a special way to show Richard he was going to have a baby brother!

 

My massage is later today.

 

Tomorrow, we are going to look at houses again. I really hope our move is finally happening this time, because I know so many of these little problems will be solved when Jon is closer to work and we are settled.

 

We have a wonderful family vacation planned this week, with 4th of July plans to end it.

 

This summer feels like a second babymoon - we are doing so many fun things with Richard before the new baby comes. We've gone to the zoo 3 times, a Steam Train fair, sprint car races. And it seems like it is just beginning.

 

Oh, I hope this massage is good today. I'd better start getting ready..... uh, hang on, someone just informed me they pooped in their pants.



Peacock Nails

 When I was in grade school, I used to obsess about having long nails. Mine never were. I remember my friends and I using the Lee Press on Nails, which, never stayed on. Right after high school, I worked at a salon where I could get all of my services for free! So, I had artificial nail tips at that time. Now, I am content with my nails and I rarely EVER paint them or have a manicure. My toes on the other hand? Those HAVE to be done during sandal season!

A few years ago, I discovered nail wraps. The first company I saw come out with them was Avon and they were solid colors. I skeptically ordered them from a lady at work. And they were pretty great! No drying time and they lasted a really long time. Since then, more and more brands are coming out with them and of course I have gathered all of the peacock patterns I have found thus far. I should add that I have not been endorsed by any of these companies, and my opinions are my own.

 

From left to right, the imPRESS ones are actually like the old press on nails. I have not tried them yet. The Kiss ones I have tried, and even put one on my big toe and then painted all of my other toes white. Last are two color schemes from Jamberry, which you have to order from a consultant.

The other night I decided to go with the Jamberry ones in the blue tones. The difference with these, versus other ones I have tried, is they say to warm them up with a hair dryer first to help the adhesive. Here is what the wrap looks like when you first put it on.

I take my nail file and start filing where my nail ends to get rid of the excess material.

The Jamberry ones are so long (again, different from the other ones I have tried) that I think I will be able to get 2 uses out of one strip. They are rounded on both ends and that is probably how they were designed with that in mind.

That's it! Pretty easy. Sometimes, I put a clear coat over for extra protection, but it is not necessary. I wasn't in the mood for anything too fancy the other night, so I just went with putting them on all of my nails. It does get a little busy though, so like I mentioned with my toe example I might just put it on one nail (probably my ring finger) and then paint the others a coordinating color. You can even cut shapes out of them if you want to get really creative!