It’s A…. BOY!

So much for my theory on having two girls in tutus! We had our ultrasound and appointment on Monday and got the big news that baby number two is a BOY! Of course we are so happy and excited! It was a bit of a shock to me, only because for so long I envisioned another little lady joining us. I am getting used to the idea of a little gentleman though. I am hoping with the warmer weather coming soon (fingers crossed!) that some cute boy outfits start presenting themselves in stores. Right now it’s a little lacking. It is probably better that way though, one can get carried away shopping for newborn baby clothes! I started going through Hallie’s clothes to sell consignment or give to goodwill. What an emotional process! I have definitely shed some tears over her tiny onesies and adorable outfits. It is hard to believe my little girl was once so small! Where does the time go?! I blame a lot of the tears on pregnancy hormones too. Hubby has allowed me to keep TWO storage bins worth of my favourite baby girl clothes – I think he just felt so bad when he saw me on the living room floor over tiny pink Minimocs. So I have kept all my faves for baby number three…… yes I just said that! But for now, eye on the prize. Little man is joining us in four months! How quickly did that time pass?! We have had some real sunny days lately so all I can seem to think about is summertime, baby boy’s due date and how much fun we are going to have as a family this summer. With Hallie, I spent so much time planning her room and making sure we were getting everything we need. This baby doesn’t even have a room yet I am not too worried. I know there are a couple things I want to upgrade or get for this time round with a newborn. I just know that even if I don’t have everything or his ‘space’ (no room of his own so he get s space in my room hah) isn’t ready, we will be fine. We will be overwhelmed and it will be crazy for a little while but really, we will all be fine. We will all be loved. There happens to be a lot of love in this house!

Just for fun, I thought it would be fun to share some highlights and lowlights of this current stage in my pregnancy. I am a little over five months pregnant so well into the second trimester.

Cravings: Granny Smith Apples, Strawberries (actually any berry will do), Pepsi – all the time! So bad for you I know. Eggs with avocado and fresh ground pepper. WINE. Not that I indulge. But as soon as it’s sunny, I am salivating over thoughts of a chardonnay. As soon as it’s nighttime and I am sitting down to dinner, OR completely overwhelmed by the day with my cray cray toddler, I can’t help but envision a large glass of red wine. Overall I am really quite hungry all the time with this baby. Now that all of the morning sickness has passed!

Feeling: Good! Again, now that the grossness of the 1st trimester has subsided, I am feeling quite good. Some daily exercise and stretching has proven to be a key factor in feeling good but so far that has been pretty easy to achieve chasing Hallie around. Oh and lots of water! I have been drinking a TON of water and I believe that is playing a huge part.

Daily Challenges: Sleep. Pregnancy insomnia seems to settle in every few days. Which is the worst when you are exhausted. I seem to wake up at three in the morning and think about EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN! It’s not necessarily worry or stress but that hamster sure is running on his treadmill at the worst possible moments. How I long to sleep. All the time. I guess I will when the kids are like 18 years old.

Skin/Hair/Nails/Etc. : All women that I know have had exceptional luck during their pregnancies with hair growth. I am not in that circle of the lucky ones. My hair does not grow. In fact since my first baby, my hair seems to have thinned drastically at the sides. Hellion postpartum hair loss, lovely to meet you. You can piss off anytime! Nails seem to be doing okay. Skin is doing AMAZING! Though I do not thank pregnancy for that – I thank my daily regimen from Rodan + Fields with the weekly microdermabrasion facial for that. Oh and my eye cream! The results have been amazing so far and I have only been using the products since Christmas. LOVE! Thank goodness I sell it and get a good discount. So overall, looking like a glowing pregnant woman I suppose. Chubby middle and all! The downfall is this time round, I really have to make an effort to dress nice and not wear leggings EVERYDAY. With Hallie, I was managing a store, Anthropologie, and looking stylish was mandatory on a daily basis. Now I am working as a mom and there is no one here to raise an eye brow if I am still in my pjs at noon. I do try to dress up for most of the week. Not saying the ‘mom bun’ doesn’t present itself almost daily! Can’t win em’ all.

Looking Forward To: More baby kicks! He has really started moving in there and each time I feel kicks I get a huge smile on my face. I am also SO EXCITED for sunshine and warmer weather. I have some very cute dresses that will show off this bump perfectly but I am gonna need that warmer weather to wear them. Not to mention a bit of a tan!

Next week I am excited to share some Friday Favourites that will be entirely tailored to baby boys so be sure to check back. Have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones and don’t forget to count those blessings. XO

IT’S A BOY!

We are early but we broke out the Easter Decor!

 

Postpartum Favourites

Okay new mamas! Existing mamas! Mamas everywhere! I have learnt a few things in my first couple weeks as the new girl in town (mama town that is). Everyday I feel like I am getting used to this new job, finding my way through the haze. Of course, there are many set backs that reduce me to tears. I went to meet my dad for lunch and burst into tears when I could not figure out how to bring the stroller back up from it’s folded position. I also sobbed hysterically for no reason at all in the shower on a few occasions during the first few days. I am pretty sure I did not do anything in there like wash my hair or use the valuable time wisely. Just cry! I just think your hormones are ALL OVER the place in that first week (and maybe still are a tiny bit) so you can’t be held accountable for such outbreaks. That is the justification I am sticking to anyways.

I did however discover a few valuable tie bits of information during this crazy time. The main thing I am learning is if it is easy, do it. For example, my converse sneakers that slip on and do not require laces, on my feet any time I leave the house. They are just that easy. Sleepers and onesies that do not go over the infants head, my go-to outfit for Hallie lately. Sure they are all adorable. But the fuss she makes when I try to pull a onesie over her head and get her squirmy arms into the armholes, well no thank you at 3am at least! Learning some of these little valuable lessons made me want to share some of personal favourites with you. These are certain items I would say are essential during those first couple weeks, when adjusting to motherhood.

 

1.) Size LARGE BKR Water Bottle. I picked up mine from a local boutique in Vancouver however you can order them directly from the website, or from one of the many retailers that carry them. I LOVE these water bottles. They come in all sorts or awesome colours and the handle is great for hanging from the stroller even with a mommy hook. We have a lot of stairs in our house too so this size works perfectly for when I head upstairs with Hallie and want a good supply of ice cold water on hand.

2.) The Bobbi pillow! This pillow as been a huge support for feeding time (no pun intended haha!). You can purchase cases for them in so many different cute prints too. Just don’t let the Hubs steal it for bedtime like mine has. He insists it is more comfortable than our pillows on our bed, which I am sure it is. But still…..

3.) My brother gave me this swing for my baby shower and I am so happy with it! I have it in a slightly different colour scheme but I highly recommend it. It is the Graco Duo 2-in-1 Swing and Bouncer. Also known as the magic chair, the lifesaver and the ultimate babysitter while mum manages to brush her hair and teeth sometime throughout the day. I love this as a swing and as a chair. So does Hallie!

4.) Nurser bottles – when I first went out to buy these, I was overwhelmed by the selection and had no idea what to chose. I was told, wait and see if your baby likes the brand. This seemed a little crazy to me so I committed to the Tommy Tippee set. They seemed like a great size and were affordable. Hallie seems to do quite well with them as long as they are slow flow – any faster and she gets the hiccups. I also love the Avent brand. I only have one that I received as a sample but must get more. They are exceptionally slow which also means a smooth night for mama (less gas for Miss Fussy here). Either way I think both are great options.

5.) Alright, lets get comfy ladies. Look good while we are doing it too. I will admit, there are days where 3pm rolls around and I am still in my pi’s. Not sure how this came about but it did! For those slow moving, chaotic days, I have settled on some trusty pieces from Target. All of their pyjamas and lounge wear are so comfy, affordable, and super cute. I stocked up before I had Hallie and am so thankful for it. I have many options I can just slip into and do not feel ashamed when the postman knocks on the door and I am in my housecoat still. Hallie ain’t the only comfy one round here!

6.) I mentioned above that my little one happens to get rather gassy. It is probably her adjusting to formula. My doctor recommended Gripe Water and I finally got around to trying it out. Wow did I have one happy baby! Did I mention that I was happy too? We slept! 3.5 hours solid for the first stretch and another 3.5 following that feed. It was glorious. I felt like an entirely new woman at the 6am feeding this morning.  Gripe Water, you are my new best friend.

7.) Along with the late nights, early mornings, and all things in-between, it is only normal for the bags to start appearing under our eyes and for the normally glowing skin to look rather drab. Mine was for sure! My mum is notorious for bringing over samples from beauty counters at Sears. When she gave me a handful of Clarins products, I fell in love with this particular Face Gel. It is a cooling gel and makes your skin feel incredible. The dark circles seem to have subsided as well. I will still be a Lancome girl however this is a fantastic contender!

8.) I mentioned above the easiness of sleepers… these ones are amazing! They are by Emma & Jack – again another Sears special from my mum. They are so great though that I stocked up on about ten of them. Hallie doesn’t seem to mind spending the whole day in them sometimes either. Pretty cute too – birdie and elephant prints are our favourite!

9.) Henry could not understand why I registered for so many of these. I think he is beginning to understand. Carter’s blankets are perfect for anything. Whether we are feeding, swaddling, cuddling or changing, you need like five on hand. Because the other five are in the laundry covered in pee and other special substances brought to you by Miss Hallie Marie. These are my preference because they are affordable, super handy, and come in all sorts of fantastic prints. You can never have enough!

I hope you enjoyed reading up on my favourite products that I have discovered on this bumpy road to being a new mommy. Again, these are just my preferences that I have personally found to make life easier at times. No matter how big the mess, I just gotta look down at this tiny bundle of joy and none of the mess matters. Have a great afternoon everyone! XO

 

Baby Shower Time!

Hey Ya’ll! Time is flying by with this pregnancy. Only 2-3 weeks to go!

Favourites From The Kitchen In My 29th Week

Before I got pregnant I always thought it would be the same for me as it is in the movies – craving odd combinations like pickles and peanut butter, weird flavoured ice cream in the middle of the night, and all the other baffling snack demands you hear about from preggo ladies.