Pregnancy Favorites: Fitness Edition

I posted last week about staying healthy and fit during pregnancy and I want to focus on the fit part by itself. As I mentioned, while I feel like I'm kind of slacking in the nutrition department (not so much lacking as overindulging in extras in addition to healthy meals), I'm still kicking ass and taking names when it comes to exercising. In the spirit of positivity, today I want to talk about what how I'm keeping up with a moderate-high level of physical activity as I near my third trimester. Yes, I'm totally giving myself a pat on the back. No, I'm not sorry about it. #sorrynotsorry

 

As a former athlete, that intense mental and physical type of workout is my comfort zone. Just for the record, I have pushed myself outside the box and tried several forms of Yoga, Pilates and Barre. But I always come right back to HIIT cardio and strength training. It's just what works for me so why fight it? Walking the dogs isn't exactly HIIT (high intensity interval training) but our walks are done at a FAST pace for several miles with varying terrain including points with steep hills. So it's not your average low impact cardio and that's just our style.

 

 

 

A little background on me is that I was a child athlete involved in soccer, volleyball and gymnastics. In college I gained the all too popular Freshman 15 and was kind of disgusted with my lack of exercise and horrible eating habits by Sophomore year. I joined a gym and got myself back into shape pretty quickly referring back to my athletic training past. Old habits die hard and muscle memory is a real thing. Google it. But eventually it became too much of a chore to go to the gym. There's the monthly payments whether you go or not, the drive time there and back, and the fact that it can be difficult to do your thing when you have to go at peak hours. So I ended up here, working out at home on my own time. I LOVE that YouTube has free full length workout videos and there are tons of great options no matter what floats your boat. I set up shop in my living room after work with my laptop, yoga mat and big tumbler full of ice water. Occasionally I will use a set of 5lb weights but these days since it's usually all about using my own body weight against me. Because now I'm working with a lot more of it! On a normal week I workout Monday-Thursday + Saturday and take off Sunday and Friday. Friday is usually a true rest day but Sunday I tend to get a lot of exercise I don't even count just going up and down stairs to clean/do laundry or whatever else we are doing around the house or out and about. I get bored with a workout routine easily so I switch it up every day and never do the same one twice in a row. There are my current favorites:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2PKsIVIsz8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oudLZLcA3Gs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F55SNOI8Wyc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9TSbIrp8qQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcN37TxBE_s

 

None of these are prenatal workouts or geared toward pregnancy in any way. So that means these are not all suitable for every pregnant woman at every stage of pregnancy. ALWAYS ask your doctor about this stuff. Safety is the most important thing for you and your little one. Since I continue to get the okay from my doctor and feel strong enough to keep up with these routines, it's what I'm sticking with. Keep in mind it's almost a given that you'll have to modify some of the moves in any regular workout to tailor it to your level during pregnancy.

 

 

Even though I'm usually in the privacy of my own house while working out, I still need appropriate clothing to stay cool and comfortable and have the ability to move around properly. I am still wearing my regular workout pants/capris since they are stretchy and can be worn underneath my growing belly. But at this point in my pregnancy I am partial to my GAP gear. I have several pairs of non-maternity pants and capris like these and these that I love because they sit low on the hips. I also have these that can certainly be worn post pregnancy. The top half of my body has spurred on a few more recent purchases out of sheer necessity. I completely outgrew my sports bras so I bought this, this and this from Target. I also grabbed some of these non-maternity tanks a size up from what I would normally wear and they are perfect to cover the bump plus I can continue to wear them as layering pieces after baby arrives. I didn't really think I would need any maternity tops just for working out but I went ahead and added this one onto my GAP order a few weeks back during a sale, ya know, just to try. Well, I LOVE it! I will probably order it another color as well since I'm getting bigger as the weather is getting warmer and these are perfect for keeping cool and covering the bump. Lastly, I work out in the house barefoot but for walks I wear my 2 year old Nikes. These and these are the same style and are so great for long walks outside because they are so light and airy but with plenty of cushion.

 

I'm striving to keep all this up but am also very aware the whole pregnancy thing might just catch up with me at any time. I'm all for pushing yourself but baby comes first so I'm listening to my body and making sure I'm not overdoing it. Hopefully something in this post was helpful to you but if not, maybe you'll better enjoy another topic on another day.

 

Happy Hump Day!

25 Weeks

 

It's not unique, but we are calling the baby "monkey" lately because that's what it feels like I have inside me. I told my mom I had little feet in my ribs and she said not to be surprised if I get a "hanging from my ribs by its toes" feeling and yea, that pretty much describes it. It's funny because I've been told baby P's birthday will fall in the year of the monkey according to the Chinese Zodiac Calendar. My belly is definitely getting bigger but I still have a peek-a-bump. I can pretty much hide it or at least significantly minimize it with loose and flowy tops or dresses but it also looks loud and proud when I show it off. I'm still not used to, nor do I think I ever will be, all the attention that comes with having a pregnant belly. But that's okay because as soon as this little monkey is born he or she will be the main attraction and I will be just the mom in the background.

 

 

Symptoms: Mood swings and nesting are in full force. Sunday morning I was getting ready for Easter brunch and having a fit about what to wear. I had it in my mind that since it was Easter and such a nice, warm day I was going to wear a pretty Spring dress. While I still have plenty of things in my closet that fit me, being hell bent on this particular category severely limited my options. In my mind I had a few choices but once I started putting them on, it became very clear that several parts of my body were just no longer going to be accommodated (at least not appropriately) by most of my non-maternity dresses. I settled on a chambray baby doll dress from last summer eventually but that was after throwing a mini tantrum about being stuffed in a fat suit and flinging dresses and hangers all over the bedroom. Ya know, like a grown woman. Now let's talk about this whole nesting thing. It started with going through the bedroom closets but then progressed to the kitchen cabinets and pantry and by the time I was organizing medications by what they are for I realized that's exactly what I was doing. While I am usually fairly organized, this is not my typical behavior so I'm chalking it up to the common pregnancy side effect they call nesting. Yup, that's me, mama bird over here preparing the nest.

Blueberry Lemon Crumble

 

Hopefully you all had a wonderful Easter weekend and either have the day off or are making it through the dreaded Monday after a holiday. Chris and I celebrated with family both Saturday and Sunday and the weather was just perfect. Saturday afternoon we headed out to lunch and a big egg hunt for the kids at Chris's aunt and uncle's house. I made popcorn mix with Easter egg M&Ms Friday night and hoped Chris wouldn't eat it all before we made it to lunch. That stuff can be quite addicting! I also thought it would be fun to jazz up some Peeps for the kids so I bought the bunny shaped variety in pretty pastels. I had sprinkles on hand and Candiquik in the fridge so I just stuck them on cake pop sticks and coated the ears then rolled them in chocolate or colored sprinkles. So simple but so fun.

 

 

Sunday morning I got up early and made the recipe I posted a link to last week. Since I still am eating/drinking my way through all things blueberry I had to go with a blueberry crumble. I mostly followed this recipe but made some minor changes. Instead of an 8x8 pan I used a 10 inch round pie dish. Why? Well because it was prettier. Seriously. I used fresh blueberries and didn't measure them but I'm pretty sure I used more than the recipe called for. Oops. I just can't get enough. I had one fresh lemon so I zested (is that a word?) it and added that to the blueberry mixture plus I just juiced the whole thing instead of measuring. Do you see a pattern here? I avoid measuring where possible. Finally, I used slightly more crumble on top than the recipe called for. I didn't make extra, just used less for the bottom layer and left a bit more than a cup for the top. It took the full bake time listed even though my blueberries weren't frozen. I watched for the edges to set and top to brown but it took the entire 55 minutes at 350 degrees. The turn out was juicy and delicious but more of a pie result than bars. There is a tiny bit left and I was so full yesterday I couldn't eat it but if you would bet money that tonight I'll have it for dessert with vanilla ice cream, you would win.

 

Have a great week!

Lilac Love

 

Easter is already this weekend and I'm excited to see our families and show them how big this little bunny in my belly has grown! I'm loving bright lilac for the season and have probably already hit my limit on the amount of items I own in this color so I may gotten a bit carried away. But it's the perfect color for Easter and early spring. It all started with a bra, actually. Don't worry, I won't get too personal. Let's just say I quickly realized that pregnancy doesn't just cause your belly to get bigger. My friend Kristina used to work at Aerie and recommended this style. I don't see that they currently have the color I bought but it was so pretty I couldn't pass it up! And I also second the recommendation. Seriously, you can sleep in it. Then I saw this beautiful maternity dress and my mom bought it for me. It fits me now and has room for a growing bump so it will be perfect for wearing to some of the events I have coming up. I found this comfy t-shirt at Target and snatched it right up in a larger size since it's non-maternity. I can wear it to workout in, to sleep in, under a jacket or with a fun necklace to work or just to run errands or hang out on the weekends with jeans. It's so soft and has some stretch to it which are definitely of qualities I want in a t-shirt. The other day I was perusing the Essie selection of nail colors and my eyes were drawn right to this shade. Of course. It's so lovely on! These Hunter boots are super cute too, although I don’t know that they would be neutral enough for me. I'm not the biggest fan of Peeps but I might have to eat one just because they are so pretty!

Happy Easter friends!

Green Eggs & Hands

I fondly remember dying hard boiled eggs before Easter as a kid. It's easy to forget how something so simple can be so much fun. Well, simple and messy. Okay, so you're SUPPOSED to use the little egg picker upper thingy that comes with the kit to fish the eggs out of the dye cups, or at least a spoon. But why go to the trouble when you can use your hands? Just ask my niece. Over this past weekend we had a family lunch and colored a bunch of Easter eggs. By the time we were finished miss Miyah had more colors on her hands than her eggs...and her eggs were pretty colorful. No amount of hand washing was going to get them clean right away and Chris told her that they might stay stained like that forever. She wasn't too concerned. Strawberry shortcake with whipped cream was much more important.
 

 

While I certainly love Dr. Seuss, the inspiration for the name of the post will not be in my future. Well, at least no ham, but I'm not opposed to green eggs! I think I'll go the blue route instead though. I mentioned I'll be making a treat for Easter brunch and I came across this recipe with blueberries to satisfy my continuing craving. I'm betting it pairs very well with some blueberry coffee and vanilla almond creamer. And it sound a lot better than green eggs and hands, er, ham.

24 Weeks

 

6 months, whoa baby! Chris and I have chosen not to have most of the optional prenatal testing done so far but one thing we did decide to go ahead with is the Cystic Fibrosis carrier screening. In case you aren't aware, both parents have to carry the gene for the baby to even have a chance of getting it. The test is a simple blood draw where mom is tested first and if it comes back positive, then dad gets tested. If mom's sample is negative then dad doesn't have to be tested since both parents need to be carriers for the chance of CF to be possible. Something else you may or may not know is that I'm the worst patient for a blood draw. It's kind of odd because blood by itself and needles don't especially freak me out. I mean I don't take any joy from being pricked and certainly am not fascinated with blood, but I'm not the type to go green around the gills about them either. Unless of course you put them together and apply the combo to me. That is to say, if blood is being taken from me, I tend to get woozy and fast. I always warn whoever is taking my blood but usually they don't take me seriously until I'm pale faced or flopping over. So I was especially proud of myself for barely feeling some passing nausea when I had the draw for the CF screening. I was told the lab would call with the results within a week so the following week when it came in, I was relieved to know the result. Except the call wasn't about the result, it was to inform me that THEY LOST MY BLOOD. Yes, my sample apparently was sent to the wrong testing facility. So, I had to go back for another draw and am currently awaiting the results.

Amidst the blood drama, there is a positive this week. I can actually feel baby P from the outside even when he/she isn't moving. Hard lumps are now ever present when I press on my belly. I'm learning to distinguish little feet from the booty and it's pretty awesome! There is definitely an emerging pattern in which baby P curls up, butt sticking out, on my left side following karate practice right after I eat. I wonder if he/she will sleep that way on the outside. It's pretty funny because if I lay down my belly looks lopsided and basically deformed. Which brings me to my next point, my belly button. I've had a super innie my whole life and a belly ring since I was 16. I finally took the ring out last week when the skin around it started to itch something fierce. Not only does it look odd to me with its missing jewelry but the top part is sort of popped out where the piercing was while the rest is still in, but looking flatter.

Symptoms: The lower back pain comes and goes but stretching definitely helps as well as massages from the hubs! Pins & needles in my hands and feet as well as heartburn continue to be on and off but I'm pretty much sleeping well still. The blueberry cravings are still hanging around so I'm on the hunt for a recipe that includes them to make for Easter brunch. There is yet to be any signs of the linea nigra on my belly or stretch marks but my veins are looking kind of funny on my chest and sides. Let's just say I'm glad to leave the bikinis to the rest of the female population for now. Ah, pregnancy.

Fit for 2

Lately I’ve had a lot of questions about working out during pregnancy and really the general topic of a healthy lifestyle. I’ve posted before about finding the balance between putting in the work and the good nutrients but also taking the time to chill out and eat the crap. But now that I have the perspective of being pregnant, I’m going to revisit this subject.

 

I found out I was pregnant just a few weeks before we moved into our new house and Chris started school. Typically I would walk the dogs about 3.5 miles 5-6 days a week and do some type of exercise routine 3-4 days a week. Most often I was doing short circuit work outs, rotating the muscle group focus, that took me anywhere from 10-20 minutes to complete. Sometimes I’d throw in a longer workout but dog walking took up so much time and energy that I counted that as the bulk of my daily exercise. Without a fenced in yard for the dogs and without the training knowledge that Chris now has, walks were always the priority because we thought they were needed as often as possible. On the nutrition side of things, I stayed on a healthy eating plan all week, barring the occasional indulgence in a treat for someone’s birthday at work and my Friday Starbucks runs. And by healthy eating plan I mean breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks all consisting of whole grains, fruits/veggies and plain or sparkling water to drink. Weekends were a free for all if I wanted them to be, but honestly when you choose a healthy lifestyle you tend to still make those choices even when you give yourself the option not to. If I went out to eat I’d get anything that sounded good and typically Sunday breakfast was the big “cheat meal” of the week. I’m thankful for pretty great genes but I definitely credit a lot of my ability to maintain my weight and overall inside health to sticking with a healthy lifestyle.

 

When we moved, we moved farther away from my job and I quickly figured out the added time it takes to get home cuts into my regular evening activities. But a fenced in yard provided the option for the dogs to run around rather than be taken on long daily walks. And we learned something very important through Chris’s training, that dogs drain tons of physical and mental energy through training and therefore long walks all the time are definitely not necessary. I was very lucky to have a fairly uneventful first trimester where I wasn’t spending time with my head in the toilet or so exhausted workouts were off the table in favor of naps. When I discovered that pushing myself to be active after car rides home feeling sick actually kicked that nausea to the curb, that in itself was a huge motivation to keep working out. Of course I also wanted to continue the healthiest habits possible for myself and my growing baby. But I know that’s much more difficult for many women.

Without the pressure of eating up a large chunk of my evening with long dog walks in favor of training and romps in the yard, I started trying new work out routines. I started exercising right after work Monday-Thursday and Saturday mornings for anywhere from 25-40 minutes. This has become my new norm. YouTube and Pinterest have been my free workout routine sources and I especially love the Fitness Blender workouts via YouTube. I’ve tried most of the available routines and love that there are enough to keep rotating without getting bored or overworking certain muscle groups. I can do any one of the workouts at home in my living room since most of them don’t require any equipment at all and the rest just a set of dumb bells, which I have. I’ve continued to check in with my doctor at each visit to ensure it is still safe for me to continue with these routines and she has, so far, given me the green light. I make modifications when necessary, but none of the workouts I am currently doing are designed for pregnancy. It’s just that now, well into my second trimester, I’ve gained weight. During my last prenatal appointment my doctor reminded me that getting tired more easily or feeling sore after workouts when I hadn’t before is completely normal because I’m basically doing them with 13 lbs strapped to me. I really hadn’t even thought of that! I am careful to listen to my body and switch out a move if it doesn’t feel right for something that does or give myself extra breaks, even if the routine doesn’t call for them. I also still swap in a long doggie walk here and there for bonding purposes as well as switching up the exercise. We have 2 long, fairly steep hills in our neighborhood that are perfect for working those legs. So far I’m still feeling pretty strong in the fitness department.

 

About the nutrition….this is where I’m struggling a bit more with pregnancy. I had first trimester aversions that were causing me to physically not be able to eat a lot of healthy foods that I used to. I was mindful not to fill the void with empty calories all the time but I was still eating things I wouldn’t normally eat like grilled cheese and egg McMuffins on the regular. Second trimester has brought the death of the aversions, thank goodness, but also unhealthy cravings. I find myself indulging more than normal because I find myself wanting to more often! There are days when I swear I could just eat donuts all day and nothing else. I don’t though. Honestly, my nutrition could be better. I joke about Pop-Tarts, donuts and French Toast but it’s really not okay to eat all that stuff and blame the pregnancy. I promise you I do eat healthy meals and snacks the majority of the time, but I also do eat treats in between that I really shouldn’t. I am trying to be much more mindful though, especially with my upcoming glucose test!

So  basically I’m kicking ass with exercise but slacking with some of my food choices. I’m still on track for healthy weight gain and my blood work so far hasn’t thrown up any red flags. It’s up to me now to keep up the fitness level and ditch a few of the donuts. All for a good cause…RIGHT?!

#damnthegirlscoutcookies

Friday I'm in Love

 

Spring officially starts this weekend but I guess Mother Nature didn’t get the memo. After a couple weeks of having very Spring-like weather, we are now supposed to be dipping back down into the 40s. Wah. Of course that’s not stopping me from ogling all the pastels and florals popping up everywhere for the season. I’m a sucker for a pretty flowy dress and especially being pregnant this year, I’ll probably be wearing them often. I mean how gorgeous is this floral number?  

I also cannot get enough of knotted baby hats. I have been seeing them everywhere and finally had to break down and grab a few of these for this little one on the way. I’m pretty sure the mama is allowed to buy a few things before the baby shower just for fun.

I’m really excited to finally put together the gallery wall I’ve slowly been accumulating pieces for in our living room. Chris and I both love the look of reclaimed barn wood and it’s so neutral, the possibilities are endless. I found this window frame and couldn’t pass it up for the price.

 I’ve always been plagued with dry skin but this year my lips seem to be worse than usual so I was glad to find a sample of this balm I hadn’t yet tried in my makeup box. I slathered it on overnight and in the morning my lips were hydrated and butter soft so I’ve been using it every night!

Warmer weather will mean long evening and weekend walks so that calls for some new doggie treats. We like to reward the pups for good behavior with treats that are both delicious and healthy. While anything with liver in it doesn’t sound appetizing in the least to me, it’s typically a big hit with our dogs.

Happy Weekend!

St. Patty's Day

When I was a kid I couldn’t say Leprechaun so instead it came out Lebekin. In similar fashion, my sister called her beloved Lucky Charms “Luppy” Charms. My maiden name is Irish so as you can tell, the whiskey drunken heritage is going strong. I wore my green jacket today, painted my nails green, even put a green straw in my water jug. I brought homemade Luppy Charms treats for my work team and got a Starbucks green tea latte (with coconut milk) at lunch. Because OF COURSE I did. It’s St. Patty’s Day people, get with the program. My festive loving heart had to take it one step further and purchase a shamrock t-shirt, which I’ll sleep in. Duh.  Actually Chris has a matching one but you will never catch us wearing them at the same time. We’re just not into all the cuteness. Since I’m missing out on all the traditional festivities centered around bars and drinking, I hope that y’all are participating for me. Kegs n’ eggs, green beer, Jameson, whatever your poison, have one for me. If you are pregnant or otherwise just not drinking, here are some other ways you can celebrate the feast of Patrick all the way into the weekend.

Veggie Casserole

Green Smoothies

Chocolate Mint Shamrock Cupcakes

Lucky Charms Pancakes

23 Weeks

Jacket / Jeans / Booties
 

Sometimes it’s still a difficult concept to grasp that there’s actually a tiny human growing inside me. I figured by 23 weeks the reality that a real live baby will be in my arms in mere months would have hit me but there’s still a bit of suspended disbelief. The test (all the tests) was positive, the blood work confirmed the tests, the ultrasounds have shown pictures of this baby and I’ve been feeling movement for over 2 months. But it’s still a bit surreal. Is that weird? I’m excited as hell but I still sometimes find myself thinking how strange it is that I’m just walking around with a baby inside me. Well cue the next “okay this is real” moment because it happened this week. Or at least I noticed it for the first time this week. Visible baby kicks. Chris and our friends and family have been able to feel movement from the outside for a while now but as I was laying on the couch the other night feeling the karate kid at work, it happened. I was wearing a fitted tank top and noticed that I could actually see the kicks as they happened. It’s just little lumps at this point but I’ve been told as baby P gets bigger we will be probably be able to see exactly which body parts are doing the damage. So crazy is this whole pregnancy thing. And so much fun.

I’m STILL in limbo land where I don’t quite fit into maternity yet. I have been wearing my jeans but I spend an annoying amount of time tugging them up and smoothing out the band over my belly. I’m pretty excited to wear springy dresses and maxi skirts. No waistbands to worry about! I’m also still getting a lot of unwanted attention and comments about my belly (and sometimes other body parts) and struggling with it. I wear something fitted over the bump and people want to stare at it, point at it, talk about the way it looks. I wear something loose that hides it and they make a show of looking for it and then asking where’s that bump? or saying show me the bump. Ugh. I actually really do enjoy being pregnant but I’d enjoy it a lot more if everyone would just tell me how awesome my hair is looking (thank you hormones!) discuss the weather or ask about my furballs. Such is life. Get over it, right?

 

 

Symptoms: My lower back and hip pain have substantially subsided for now. I don’t know if I can attribute it to all the extra stretching I’ve been doing or not but I’m certainly going to continue. I did have one wake me up case of heartburn over the weekend but have felt great other than that. The blueberry train is still full steam ahead but of course I managed to find one of the least healthy options I could last Friday: a Dunkin’ Donuts blueberry cake donut. I was beyond excited to find a few Green Mountain Wild Mountain Blueberry k-cups from last year and that coffee totally hit the spot. I’ll have to take a break and go for something green for St. Patty’s this week. Overall, feeling pretty awesome and excited for Spring!

Meet Trinity

I’m sure you puppy lovers have been waiting for me to finally introduce the 4^th member of our dog pack so I apologize it’s taken this long. Trinity is our 6(ish) year old American Bulldog with one of the wildest happy tails I’ve ever seen. Every single time I go upstairs while she’s crated I instantly hear the thump, thump, thump of it hitting the hard plastic. When she’s laying on her nylon bed it’s a swish, swish, swish and when she’s standing you can hear the faint woosh, woosh, woosh as it cuts through the air. She has tons of energy and is always ready to play but is quite the submissive girl. Her hair stands up and she gets pretty spooked if the dogs next door come out barking at her through the fence. And the teensiest training correction or raise of your voice will have her ducking and crouching like she’s bracing for impact. I can assure you she’s never had a hand laid on her in that way but she’s a pretty convincing actress.

Trinity gets along with all the other animals in the house but she’s always the first one to be distracted by the kitties when she’s supposed to be laying in her place. Seeing O especially weaving around all the dog beds gets her so excited to play she often finds herself in trouble when she forgets to stay put. She’s making great strides with training though and always quick to recover from a slip up. Trinity and Tigger were together just the 2 of them for so long that Trinity has some separation anxiety when she’s not with her BFF. Girlfriend likes her food but gets distracted and doesn’t always finish her meal if Tigger is not in the room with her. The poor thing cried a lot when Tigger had to leave for her surgery. But the good thing about living with a dog trainer is that steps have already been taken to ween the dependency. And thankfully it wasn’t too bad to begin with, she just needs a little more time to adjust.

Don't mind all the ugly dead grass from where the dogs pee and kill it #doglife

I wore a black and white outfit last weekend and thought it would be cute to snap a few pictures of us girls matching, but I ended up hating the way I looked in them. Girl problems. Saturday evening playtime allowed me to get some really cute shots of our smiley girl so I was happy to finally have them to go with her much overdue introduction. But looking at my camera reel yesterday I was swayed to go ahead and toss in one of the photos I didn’t like as well. It’s not Trinity’s fault I’m being all vain and dramatic when she looks pretty as can be. So, now you’re all acquainted with our 4 dog household. Sure, 4 dogs is a huge responsibility, brings a higher financial requirement and takes more time and effort on a daily basis. But Chris and I are pet people. Our animals are our family and the love and companionship they bring far outweighs everything else.

Hunter Boots

Today is a rainy day. Even though it’s not officially Spring yet, it sure has felt like it this week. With many more rainy days on the horizon it seemed like a good time for a post about rain boots. Specifically Hunter Wellies. I’m betting the majority of you know exactly what I’m talking about. If not well, Hunter is a brand that makes rains boots known as Wellies. Someone decided these boots were not only for keeping feet dry in the rain but also as a staple in any fashionista’s closet. Popularity has soared and now you’re probably hard pressed to be out in public on a rainy day without seeing these boots walking the streets. There are tons of styles and colors to choose from but at $100 + a pair, there’s a lot of people wondering if it’s worth it for rubber rain boots. If you’re one of these people, I’ve got you covered.

 

 

My sister has had a pair of these boots for several years now, the original hunter green color. When I saw them for the first time I thought they were ugly and wouldn’t be caught dead in them. And then all of a sudden I started to see other girls wearing them, in a variety of colors. I couldn’t get on Pinterest without seeing them and all the fashion bloggers were wearing them. I had a pair of cheap rain boots I had been wearing for quite a while that seemed just fine, especially compared to the price tag these Hunter Wellies came with. But eventually they won me over. Maybe it was all the cute outfits I was seeing, maybe it was the desire to follow the trend, or maybe it was the pretty, shiny colors. In any case, I put them on my Christmas list in 2014 and have loved the dusty blue pair I received as a gift ever since. Last year I had my eyes on the glossy red color and entered a contest on IG to win a pair. I was pretty surprised when I was actually one of the winners and a few days later the brand new pair showed up at my door, just in time for our rainy Christmas.

 

Even though I haven’t actually purchased a pair myself, I think as the proud owner of 2, I can fairly give my opinion. In short, they are beyond worth it. If you own a pair you’ll agree they are extremely high quality. This isn’t cheap rubber we’re talking about, it’s heavy duty stuff. You could probably hurt someone if you threw one of these bad boys hard enough. Even though these boots have become a fashion statement, they truly do fulfill the original purpose of keeping your tootsies clean and dry in the rain. The soles have amazing grips for traction in slick parking lots and driveways (great for those with a penchant for sliding). They’re incredibly easy to clean either with the brand’s product or with a little olive oil and a towel. These are not boots you’ll have to replace after a season or two of consistent wear. They’re made to last so it’s an investment. On the vain side of things, they come in both neutral and fun colors to fit all personalities and tastes. You can pair them with just about any outfit and still look put together while being appropriately dressed for the weather. While I don’t recommend them so much for playing in the snow or trudging around in deep drifts, they’re great for flurries and that icky snow/rain/sleet whatever it is. There is some insulation but without the fleece inserts and thick socks your feet will probably get cold walking around in lots of the white stuff, especially for an extended period of time. I stick with my Sorel or Bean boots for those situations. The only other thing I would add is I’m normally a women’s US size 7 ½ and I wear the size 7 Wellies comfortably. They are snug with thick socks but not too tight and also aren’t too big with thin socks. I plan to keep wearing mine all year round and I might even go for a brightly colored short version for Spring. You can find the boots above and many others online here:

 

Hunter / Zappos / Nordstrom / Shopbop / Neiman Marcus

 

P.S. My friend Amanda started a new blog about life as a new mama. Go check her out here. Now I’m off to rain dance in my boots! Just kidding

22 Weeks

Top (AE last year) / Jeans / Shoes

 

I’ve finally started to wear some tighter fitting tops since at 22 weeks, I think I look more pregnant than chubby. It’s fun to show off the bump, but at the same time, I now feel like a walking billboard. Since I’m now advertising the fact that I’m pregnant, everyone is sort of pouncing on the belly. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to answer how far along I am, when I’m due, how I’m feeling ect. But having the big to do over my stomach isn’t exactly my cup of tea. Today I actually went back to wearing something that hides the bump because the past week has been kind of exhausting to be honest. I sound like a horrible person I’m sure but I don’t mean to come across as a whiney, ungrateful something that starts with a b and ends with an itch. It’s just that I much prefer people looking at my face when they see me as opposed to my belly. I’d be happier with a greeting along the lines of “hey, you look great!” than “look at your belly!”. Y’all, I see this belly every day and while I certainly think pregnancy is a beautiful thing, drawing attention to it in such a big way can really make a girl feel self-conscious. I’d like to think the bump won’t be such a big deal in the coming months now that I’ve put it out there, but I suspect as it gets bigger it will just garner more attention. That’s just something I’ll have to learn to deal with.  Any of you currently pregnant girls feel this way or do I just sound grumpy?

I’m still in limbo as far as regular clothes/maternity clothes go. I can still zip and button several pairs of skinny pants/jeans that have some stretch but it would be uncomfortable to wear them like that all day. I opt for the belly band, forgoing the button most days or just wear leggings or a dress. I can still wear regular tops, although the bump can now been seen under most of them. I will soon need some maternity or at least longer length tees/tanks as the weather warms, especially for working out. But I’ll get there. I am looking forward to dressing the bump this Spring and Summer. It will be my best semi-permanent accessory yet!

Symptoms: The past few nights I’ve woken up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night feeling absolutely terrified but couldn’t tell you why. As soon as I realize I’m in my room, in my bed I can fall back to sleep fairly easily. But let me tell you this is getting old fast and definitely my least favorite pregnancy side effect. I’ve had increased lower back pain but found some stretches to try specifically for pregnancy that hopefully will help. Fetal movement is often throughout the day and I have a feeling we’ve got a wild child on our hands. At my last prenatal check-up baby P kicked the Doppler when my doctor was trying to hear the heartbeat. It was so strong and spot on the probe hopped up off my belly. My doctor and I both laughed, because what else are you going to do? My kid is a bit ornery apparently. Definitely gets that from daddy! I’ve been on a blueberry kick lately in case you missed Monday’s post. I could eat blueberry everything. I’m up about 13 lbs now from my pre-pregnancy weight, all gained between 13.5 and 22.5 weeks. Thankfully, that’s normal and I’m right on track. I was a bit worried with the extra treats I’ve been sneaking but my doctor says I’m doing just great and congratulated me on keeping up with my workouts so I’m feeling pretty good.

 P.S. We are SO painting the front door this Spring. It looks even worse in person.

Bananas for Blueberries

My kick for the past week has been blueberries. I typically buy them on my weekly grocery trip but last week they tasted especially delicious and I was hooked. My daily brown sugar cinnamon Pop-tart was no longer going to cut it so I ventured out to find some of the blueberry variety. OF COURSE all 3 places I checked were out, except for the original kind. Who wants frostingless Pop-Tarts? Not this girl. They don’t even look right, like they’re naked or something. I finally got my fix on Friday when I stopped at Walgreens and to my surprise a man was literally stocking the shelves with blueberry Pop-Tarts in all their frosted glory. I nearly gave the poor man a heart attack when I squealed with delight and asked him for the box in his hand. 

Saturday morning I made a parfait for breakfast with layers of Greek yogurt, organic blueberry cereal and of course, blueberries. Thinking back to the raspberry French toast I made a few weeks ago, my mouth nearly started watering as I imaged blueberry French toast. So I grabbed more blueberries and a loaf of French bread on my grocery run and made that little dream come true Sunday morning. I don’t have an exact recipe for French toast but I am a huge fan of using fresh French bread and fruit and the rest goes something like this:

1 egg

½ tsp cinnamon (I probably use more)

½ tsp nutmeg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Whisk it all together and then dip your slices of buttered French bread in and cook with olive oil over medium heat. I use Earth Balance original buttery spread. Chris is a cow milk, cow butter kind of guy but he doesn’t even notice that I use almond milk and vegan butter instead. The amount of bread slices you’ll get out of this mixture will vary depending on how thick you want them but I coated 8 fairly thick slices. I topped ours with blueberries and a bit of powdered sugar and I could have eaten 3 platefuls I’m sure. I’m thinking blueberry overnight oats are in tomorrow’s future. At least there are lots of healthy options when you’re craving blueberries!

Ice, Ice Coffee

Probably you have noticed the ever present iced coffee in most of my recent pictures. I was beyond sad when I developed a coffee aversion in my first trimester and elated when the ban was finally lifted around 15 weeks. Thanks for the concern for my babe y’all but I am well aware of the effects of caffeine on a growing fetus. My doctor is of the 300 mg or less per day camp and I stay well within in those limits. I don’t even drink any caffeine at all most of the week! My favorite order at Starbucks right now is a grande vanilla (one pump) iced coffee with coconut milk. Hot coffee or tea doesn’t sound terrible by any means but iced always sounds better, so I’m not fighting it. Even though I don’t make daily coffee runs, Friday afternoon and/or weekend trips certainly still add up. I’ve seen the jugs of Starbucks brand coffee in the refrigerated section at Kroger but was worried about wasting the whole thing if I didn’t like it. I finally went for it this past weekend on my grocery run after reasoning that I like iced coffee when I buy it at Starbucks and it’s really a big money saver and highly convenient if I have it in my own refrigerator. Plus, if I happened not to like it, I was sure I could find a home for it. But it turns out, I LOVE it. I’m generally all about the flavored lattes and vanilla has always been my jam, but since being pregnant, I’ve noticed I’m also totally cool with unflavored and unsweetened so I bought the unsweetened. I made my tester by simply pouring it over ice and adding unsweetened vanilla almond milk. It was delicious. Of course there are about a million combinations you could come up with to suit your taste, and I’m sure I’ll do some experimenting, but I’m certainly impressed with my first try. Absolutely I will still stop at Starbucks, Mickey D’s or Dunkin’ Donuts for an overpriced coffee that someone else makes and serves to me, but less so than I do now. If I wake up Sunday morning and want iced coffee like NOW, I can have it! So yea, this post is all just about iced coffee and there is no other point to it. Just thought I’d share in case any of you have been debating trying the grocery store bottle like me.

P.S. My Keurig is on the fritz since we moved and that’s another reason I went for the premade stuff. I certainly would still make iced coffee the way I used to (brewing it into a mason jar and putting it in the freezer) using all the fun k-cups but until it’s fixed, I’m happy to pour and go straight out of the fridge.