Shedding Season

Shedding season. I joke that it's the most wonderful time of the year. It's not. When you share your home with 4 dogs and 2 cats life can get hairy, literally. Piper used to be the worst culprit with her long, fluffy white fur. Of course we had dark wood furniture and dark wood flooring so even a few strands would be noticeable. Now it's not so not bad because her trail is mostly only visible on the kitchen table and floating off her body itself if you pet her. Little O, Chaos and Ares shed much more minimally, although Ares's little wiry hairs aren't the easiest to remove since they kind of weave through fabric. Somehow one always makes it's way into my bra and then I'm frantically trying to find it and remove it when I get poked while attempting to remain appropriate at work.

This is the first year we've had Tigger and Trinity so we had no idea how out of control the shedding situation was going to get. Trinity is an American Bulldog with technically short fur, but her thick undercoat has proven to rival Piper's floating white furballs. Tigger by far and away wins first prize for shedder of the year. The shepherd in her makes its appearance in her fluffy coat, which has shed so much lately it looks like she's lost weight. This is the life we have chosen to live but it comes with a lot of hard work if we want to keep our home from being overtaken with fur. In order to keep things, well, in order, all the kiddos are regularly brushed outside. You can find tufts of fur in our backyard on any given day. Feel free to stop by and collect it if you'd like to spin it into a blanket. I guarantee it would be the warmest one you've ever had. Our vacuum is used daily on floors, dog beds and in dog crates. If they would let us we would vacuum the fur right off the biggest offenders. Baths are also frequent and it's a good thing we have an extra bathroom just for the dogs. It looks like a disaster area afterward with fur EVERYWHERE. Dogs shake when wet, it's just a fact.

 

We do our very best to keep the evidence of the massive shedding epidemic that happens this time of year under wraps, but there is only so much we can do. If you visit our home, you'll probably leave with a few souvenirs on your clothes. Deal with it. Do I occasionally find a stray cat hair in my oatmeal? Yup. I pick it out and keep eating. It's just part of being a furbaby mama. #momlife #doglife #catlife #truelife. My best suggestions are to invest in quality essentials like brushes, shampoo and a vacuum and make sure you never run out of lint rollers.

Coffee Talk

I don't remember the first time I tried coffee, but I didn't really come to LOVE it until really the last few years. Pictures with Starbucks cups in hand or of just the drink itself have become ever present and cliché at this point on social media, but I totally follow the trend. And you know what I always wonder as I scroll through my feed and see them? What's in that cup! I'll probably notice most everything else in the post secondary to the coffee. Am I the only one?

 

 

I've posted before about Starbucks cold brew but today I'm sharing my favorite orders straight from the source and some other go-to combos I make myself at home. Since I've been pregnant I've been on a coffee roller coaster. Around week 7 or so I developed a major coffee aversion. I was pretty bummed watching everyone else sipping their holiday lattes in their red cups but luckily I hadn't missed out on PSL season. The ban was lifted around week 15 and things really took a turn for the better on the coffee front. Previously I could drink coffee sparingly due to my bladder condition, but pregnancy has somehow lessened the effect on my body to the point that I can have it every single day. I'm not even going to question it.

 

During the week I make coffee at home and save Starbucks trips for special occasions or the weekend. I love brewing Green Mountain coffee in my Kurig straight into a mason jar and letting it sit in the fridge to get cold overnight. In the morning I transfer it to a go cup, add creamer and/or milk and ice and I'm all set. I do not drink dairy milk for various reasons so you will always find unsweetened vanilla almond milk in my fridge. I recently discovered almond creamer on a trip to Kroger and couldn't get it in my cart fast enough. A few of my favorite combos are Green Mountain Brown Sugar Crumble Donut with Silk Caramel Almond Creamer and a splash of Simple Truth Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk, Green Mountain Wild Mountain Blueberry with Silk Vanilla Almond Creamer or Green Mountain Breakfast Blend with Silk Hazelnut Almond Creamer and almond milk.

 

Vanilla lattes, usually of the skinny variety, used to be my jam at Starbucks, but pregnancy has also changed my taste a bit. Even though I still love a good latte, I have discovered I also really like a stronger coffee flavor to my drink. My typical order these days is a grande iced coffee with coconut milk and a pump (or 2) or vanilla. Of course I do like to switch it up sometimes and go for a green or cinnamon chai tea latte or caramel machiato. Always iced, always with non dairy milk.

 

How do you take your coffee?

29 Weeks

 

Turning 29 and being 29 weeks pregnant was one of those neat little things I'll always remember and never be able to say again. I had another doctor's appointment but I was the last patient of the day and the scale needed to be recalibrated so I won't know how much more weight I've put on until next week. Not that I love watching the numbers go up on the scale, but I do like to know where I stand. We have a cheap scale at home we used to weigh the dogs as puppies but since I was told there would probably be a difference between the numbers it would show and the scale at the doctor's office I didn't even bother. I have been trying to eat smaller meals more frequently or lighter options like salads so I don't get too full and bring on the dreaded heartburn. Here's the funny thing. It was back with a vengeance when I got a tip from a kind older man at Target to try dissolving a teaspoon of baking soda into an 8oz glass of water and chugging it down. It just so happened that was the say of my last doctor's appointment so I asked her about it. She said she hadn't had any patients mention it, but it was perfectly safe to try and to let her know if it worked. If you follow me on Snapchat @rufflifeky you know I asked if anyone has ever tried this as a heartburn cure. Several people had, with good results, so I was all set to try it, but I've only had a few bouts of low grade heartburn barely worth mentioning. I'm sure that now I've said this it will be back to visit and then I'll let you all know if the baking soda trick works.

 

I'm still mixing regular clothes with maternity, but I am fortunate that the office I work in has a very casual dress code and is even still pretty lax on it. The warmer weather has been great for maxi dresses and skirts with my maternity tanks and a denim vest or jacket over top. I can also still wear some of my short dresses as is or with leggings underneath to turn them into tunics. I rock leggings with tees or tanks and open shirts or jackets too. I have these in both colors and just ordered a second pair of these because I also sleep and workout in them. I'm not thrilled to be super pregnant when it starts to get really hot, but at the same time it seems to be much easier to dress for the third trimester in the Spring/Summer than Winter.

 

Symptoms: This kid moves all the time but right before I go to bed is by far the height of activity. Sometimes it looks like little P is just going to bust right out of my belly and break free. It looks SO WEIRD to see my body contort with the rolls, elbow jabs and punches. Rib pain and back pain, same old, same old. Still feeling good enough to keep up with 5 day a week regular workouts. I have been asked about the modifications I've been doing so I'll have to do a separate post on that. No sign of that dark line on my belly or stretch marks...yet. Sleep is fine, just waking up to pee once a night. I had a slice of homemade blueberry pie for my birthday and it was heaven. Yup, the blueberry cravings are still hanging around.

29 & Feelin' Fine

Tank / Shorts - purchased in store @ Target

 

Over the weekend we celebrated my 29th birthday. Hello last year of my 20s! I'm not usually someone who enjoys being the center of attention but I have always loved being the birthday girl. 29 may not be a typical milestone birthday, but I was happy about it none the less. It just so happens that I'm 29 weeks pregnant the week I turned 29, which I think is pretty cool. Some people have asked if I'm sad that I'll turn 30 next year. Sad? Why would I be sad? Not to be all morbid or anything but in this world, not everyone makes it until that next birthday. I'm sure you know someone or maybe it's even you that would give anything to celebrate another birthday with someone who has seen their last. So if you ask me, every year you get to have another birthday is cause for celebration and appreciation of life.

 

Shoes

 

My birthday is April 24th so it was actually on Sunday, but the celebration began Friday when my dad sent me a beautiful spring flower bouquet at work. Saturday I made candles with my mom and some of my girlfriends and had lunch outside. Sunday morning my hubby let me sleep in and only woke me up to give me breakfast in bed made up of my favorites from different places. He also threw in a new pair of Nikes I've had in one my various online shopping carts waiting to go on sale. We spent the afternoon enjoying the nice weather and playing with the dogs in the yard and then had dinner on the patio of a local restaurant. I gifted my sister one the gorgeous Nena & Co. bags for her birthday this winter and have been wanting one for myself ever since. My parents surprised me with one of my own and I am pretty sure it can double as a super stylish diaper bag when the babe comes.

 

 

29 and feelin' fine is my motto this year. I am incredibly grateful for so many things in my life and excited for all that is yet to come. Life continues to get better and I can't wait to see what else is in store for me.

Registering with BabyList Baby Registry

Back in my first trimester I began reading reviews about baby registries. All the baby gear that one is supposed to consist of seemed pretty overwhelming for a first time mom, but I thought I could handle going to a store and picking things from a list. I know that it's a bit uncommon for a pregnant woman to begin this process so early on, but we had just bought the new house and I knew we would be very busy with projects come third trimester. Add in everything else going on in the last couple months of pregnancy and my registry was something I just didn't want to be concerned with at that point. So as I was trying to decide which store/s would be the best fit for us, I kept coming across ads and posts for this website called BabyList Baby Registry. I finally checked into it and was surprised that I actually found it to be a great match for someone like me.

 

mamaRoo / Playard / Booties / Jumper / Nursing Pads / Car Seat / Rattle / Bottles

 

The concept is pretty simple, you create a web-based registry by adding anything and everything you want that has a web link. This includes all of those Etsy shops and other small companies that the big baby stores do not carry. As a big supporter of shopping small, this alone was a huge pro for me. I also really liked that Baby List provides a general check-list of items you should include on your registry but also gives you a more personalized version once you sign up. Adding items to your registry is literally as easy as clicking a button that you very simply install on the tool bar of your internet browser plus there are apps for iPhone and Android. You can even categorize the items with preset listings or create your own. When it comes time for shower invitations all your hosts have to include is the custom link to your registry, which you can see as the administrator of your account, and your guests are free to start purchasing. Now that my first round of shower invites has gone out, I can confidently share that those on the gift buying end are also finding the registry to be very easy to navigate. Top sites to purchase gifts from as well as the current price are listed underneath items with clickable links but each person is also free to purchase the gift from any other website or store. Gifts can be reserved for purchase and then confirmed after the purchase is made.

 

Although all the pros might make this registry choice seem like an obvious one, it's definitely not for everyone. The fact that every style and brand of baby gear is an option as opposed to picking from just the ones a store offers can be very intimidating to some. You aren't on your own completely since Baby List has review links and features certain products, but when you have everything out there at your disposal, it's easy to get lost. I began my registry in my 2nd trimester by asking my mommy friends to name their top 5 favorite baby items and tell me why. Then I went down my personalized check-list and just started researching reviews online on baby websites, mommy websites, blogs and unbiased sources like Consumer Reports. Yes, it was a lot of work and yes it was quite time consuming. But ultimately I felt very sure of all my choices and loved that I wasn't limited to only certain brands. I am by no means an expert, but I feel like after this experience I am qualified to answer questions some of you expecting mamas might have about registering via Baby List. And I also want to say that I am definitely not being compensated for this post, I simply I am sharing my personal review and opinion hoping some of you will find it helpful.

Beach Hair, Don't Care

I am a casual kind of girl through and through. Give me jeans and a t-shirt over a cocktail dress every day of the week. So it's not surprising that I never rock any fancy hairdos or even attempt any style I think will take longer than about 5 minutes. I have always loved those beautiful beachy waves the bikini models seem to rock so effortlessly and have been trying to perfect that look for years. Really. Probably if I bothered to spend more time it wouldn't have taken so long. But, I FINALLY feel like I have it down. And of course my favorite part about this style is that it's easy and doesn't take long. I realize that different types of hair require different styling techniques, so this might not quite work for everyone. But it can't hurt to give it a try right? My hair is pretty fine but I actually have a lot of it, and it does have a bit of a natural wave if left to air dry. I only wash my hair twice a week and just use dry shampoo in between, but I have found that this method yields the same results whether I just washed my hair the night before or 2 days ago.

Start with dry hair, clean or dirty, your choice. If I haven't just washed my hair the night before I spray in this dry shampoo to add a bit of volume. I love that it sprays on clear, leaves no residue and definitely gives my hair some life since it can tend to look limp. My only complaint is that it doesn't smell amazing. I really love hair products that have an awesome scent. Moving on. Spritz this sea salt spray, yes it's the same brand, all over your hair from about an inch from your roots all the way around and to the ends. Don't overdue it so that your hair actually becomes wet, just make it ever so slightly damp. Make sense? This isn't an exact science. While you're doing this part have a large barrel curling iron heating up. I use this one and it gets hot fast. Once your hair is coated in the spray get to work scrunching it with your hands in large clumps. Next take the curling iron and wrap large sections of hair around the barrel starting about 2 inches from your crown. Hold for 5 seconds and release. Once you have finished your whole head, let the curls cool to the touch and then tousle your hair with your hands. I slide my fingers underneath and lightly shake everything out. And that's it, you're done. No hairspray, just loose, I totally just came from the beach waves. My hair stays like this all day and I love that it's a very imperfect look already so I don't have to keep messing with it. Again, I realize this won't work for everyone, but I just wanted to share in case you've been looking for a new way to achieve this style.

Weekending

I feel like lately all of our weekends are rather eventful without a whole lot of downtime. I'm not complaining though because it's not all work and no play. That's not the way we roll around here. Friday night my mom and I went out to shop for a super fun wall art project we have planned for baby Pfeff's room. A bunch of individual pieces will come together for a cute decorative feature and I'm pretty excited about it.

 

Saturday I was up early, as usual, but instead of my typical make breakfast, workout, clean/do laundry routine, I took the morning to get myself ready. It's not every day you have a maternity photo shoot so I wanted to look my best. If you missed Monday's post about this, check it out and enter the contest here. I seriously considered wearing my outfit the rest of the day but it just wasn't practical for running around town. We ended up going out in the evening for drinks, well for everyone but me, and dinner so I changed again for a total of 3 times in one day. That's a lot of work when you're 7 months pregnant and trying to make a basketball belly look cute. But the gorgeous weather was calling to be enjoyed.

Sunday morning I made Chris sausage, egg and cheese sandwiches and scrambled some eggs and veggies with iced coffee, of course, for me. I also made a strawberry peach pastry that was pretty awesome. The strawberries are just so good right now I cannot help but buy them up to make things with. I even opted for a double dip strawberry cheesecake cone after running errands later in the day. A sunny 80 degree Sunday absolutely called for shorts, new sandals and ice cream. My dad painted the baby's room and I played around with the wall art pieces imagining what everything will look like as it all comes together. We spent the evening hanging in the backyard and then catching up on shows on the couch, windows open. I look forward to every weekend but I'm especially excited about this one coming up because I celebrate 29 years during my 29th week of pregnancy. Kind of cool, right?!

 

28 Weeks

T-shirt

 

There's debate over which week marks the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy but no matter what you read or who you talk to, 28 weeks is the cut off. Officially no one can argue with me about being in the last leg of this journey. Don't get me wrong, I have surprised myself by rather enjoying pregnancy so far. But when I think about how fast my due date is approaching it gets harder to wait to meet this little munchkin I've been growing. I still have moments when I feel the baby move that have me all OMG I'M HAVING A BABY. Get with the program already girlfriend, you've been pregnant for 7 months. I continue to have my mind blown.

 

I've grown into the few maternity pieces of clothing I have now but can still make a lot of my regular clothes work. My belly button is looking weirder by the day but the bottom part is still in. I'm not sure if moodiness is creeping back in for this last trimester or what but several comments regarding my changing body recently have made me want to run my head through a wall. Y'all, no woman ever wants you to point out that something on her body is bigger, pregnant or not. Yes, I realize my belly is SUPPOSED to grow. That's par for the course. But I really, really, really could go at least a day where someone didn't mention it. And that's why the older woman who approached me at the post office yesterday just brightened my whole week. I was wearing a dress and trying out a new foam sunless tanner. She walked up to me and said, "Honey, I am not a gay person but you have the most beautiful legs". I'm almost sure rainbows shot out of my cheeks I was beaming so hard as I smiled and thanked her.

 

Symptoms: Lower back pain is making it difficult to stay comfortable but I'm still sleeping well, just getting up once a night to pee. Rib pain hasn't been so bad and I'm sure the kicks to my side instead of higher up have something to do with that. The biggest thing I've noticed is that it is difficult to eat a normal sized meal all at once anymore. I get full much faster and have to space out my food throughout the day so that I'm eating less at once but more frequently. It's just more of an annoyance than anything because my brain is saying hey lady, I'm still hungry but my stomach is saying sorry we're at capacity down here. On the positive side, if I'm eating something I shouldn't I can't eat nearly as much of it and have time to reconsider my choices before eating more. I still ate 2 donuts on Monday. It was a MONDAY.

PinkBlush Maternity Giveaway

We had the most beautiful weather this weekend and Saturday morning was perfect for a little maternity photo shoot. I have several events coming up including weddings and of course my baby showers so I was on the hunt for something cute to wear. That's not the easiest thing to do when you're in the third trimester and have no idea exactly how big the bump will get. So I was really excited to receive a gorgeous maxi dress from PinkBlush Maternity.

 

There are so many reasons why I love this Black Lace Pleated Floral Chiffon Maternity Maxi Dress. First of all, it doesn't look maternity. I don't know exactly what I thought a maternity dress would look like, but I didn't expect it to appear to be just like the regular dresses hanging in my closet. My regular size fits perfectly now and I have room to grow right through the end of this pregnancy. I'm confident that even if I do end up looking like I swallowed a watermelon, this dress will still not only work, but be flattering. The black lace top with the watercolor flowing shirt is feminine and pretty without being over the top. It would be easy to go casual and comfy with flats or even flip flops or dress it up with jewelry and wedges like I did.

 

Photos by Sherry Mlinarik

So here's the good news, PinkBlush has generously decided to team up with me to give away a $75 shop credit to one lucky reader. Mamas to be, if you think you need this dress, don't waste any time entering below. Maybe this dress isn't quite your style? No worries, PinkBlush has soooo many other gorgeous options to dress your bump from super casual to big event and everything in between. Not pregnant? You're still in luck because PinkBlush also has an entire selection of non-maternity clothing to suit any wardrobe. Entering to win is easy, just follow the steps below. The giveaway will run through this Sunday, April 24th (my birthday!) and the winner will be announced Monday the 25th. Follow me on IG @hkpfeff523 for a chance at additional entries all week long.

 

 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is sponsored by PinkBlush Maternity but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Friday I'm in Love

It is such a beautiful, sunny spring day that I wish I could just go lay outside on a blanket and daydream. Or sleep. But I figured while I count down to the weekend I'd share some fun Friday finds with you.

 

 

It's officially sandal season and I'm wearing these for the first time today. I have loved the look of lace up flats popping up everywhere but they seemed like they would be so uncomfortable. Nope. Unless I develop kankles I'll be rocking these all through summer.

 

Our master bedroom is getting some finishing touches slowly but surely and these curtains I snagged on sale just came in. I think they will be the perfect addition of some pattern and texture.

 

I may have one too many graphic tees/sweatshirts in my closet but then again, is that even possible? When I saw this one on sale last week I had to order it for my collection. I imagine it will be covered with fur, spit up and peanut butter by this summer, but that's kind of the point.

 

I'm hosting a bachelorette party for my BFF next month and I think I probably need one of these to display some of the treats I plan to serve. Her wedding has a modern rustic vibe that I want to bring to the party, plus it's totally my style anyway.

 

I really like Alex & Ani bracelets and wear mine all the time. This one is so fun and adds a little something extra to a stack.

 

So I've been eyeing this outdoor lantern for weeks. Our tax refund just hit our bank account today so we are going to order deck furniture and I think that means it's also time to pull the trigger on one (or two!) of these guys.

 

I've spent a lot of my first and second trimesters reading about pregnancy, birth and babies but there is only so much you can learn from words. Lately I've been loving reading blog posts about motherhood and how it's so unique yet so universal at the same time. I especially love this one because it just goes to show, you have to gain a lot of your knowledge through your own personal experience.

 

Happy Friday peeps!

Baker, Messmaker

I really like to eat food, but I'm not the best cook. I have a few dishes that I feel like I've mastered but anything new, I read through the recipe several times contemplating whether or not it's worth the effort in case it doesn't turn out. For years I didn't do much in the way of baking, even though I totally have a sweet tooth, because I was sure that if I wasn't a great cook I definitely wouldn't make a great baker. But once I really got into the whole Pinterest craze, I couldn't help but start trying my hand at baked goods. And shockingly, I'm pretty good at it! I think the most perplexing part about it is that, in general, cooking is a lot more "a little of this, a little of that" whereas baking tends to be precise and requires exact measurements to achieve the correct results. I typically lean toward the cooking perspective on life aka I'm right brained. Math and science make me cringe but words are my jam. Funny how a girl who gets through life with a calculator is able to follow equations if they involve butter and sugar.

I know that for several weeks now I've been all blueberries, all the time, so you're probably assuming that's what I'm tossing in my batter these days. Wrong-o. My 2 latest creations were made with fruits of the red variety. Chris is not much of a cake person but for his birthday he requested cheesecake. He wasn't expecting me to make it but I decided that's just what I was going to do. I had never made a real cheesecake before, just cheesecake type treats. I found this recipe for raspberry cheesecake and picked up lots of cream cheese, fresh raspberries and a fancy little jar of raspberry currant for the topping. The recipe seemed fairly easy, and it was, but I should have read through the end. I started making this on Saturday evening for the party on Sunday thinking I would have plenty of time to finish it and have it in the fridge to set up overnight. Well after I put it in the oven I realized there was an entire cooling process. Oops. Chris told me to scrap it and just get a cake from the store, but I was determined to tackle the challenge. So yea, I set my alarm and got up in the middle of the night to finish the job. I told everyone they would eat it and like it, even if it wasn't good. Luckily, it turned out pretty delicious if I do say so myself.

This past Sunday while grocery shopping the strawberries looked so red and juicy and were on sale. I grabbed 2 cartons and found this recipe I had saved on Pinterest forever ago and whipped up a batch of strawberry muffins. They are basically like biscuits alone and only sweetened by the berries, which is fine if you ask me. But when you add the glaze on top, total yumminess. I love making sweet treats and enjoying the end result but I think what is the most fun about baking is the MESS MAKING.

27 Weeks

Does this bump make me look fat? That pretty much sums up how I feel when getting dressed every day now. My maternity clothes finally fit but I have a lot of room to grow, which is great because I'm sure I'll need it! I can still wear a lot of my regular clothes but they sure fit a lot differently. Some days I so wish I had X-ray vision so I could see exactly what this child is doing inside me. Although this is my first pregnancy, I know this is one active kiddo. My doctor thinks it's hilarious. I had my 27 week check up last week and once again, this little wild thing ninja kicked the Doppler off my belly and then did a full on roll across it when I was being measured, effectively wrinkling the tape so we had to start over. I took the infamous glucose tolerance test last Friday and I have to say, I don't know what all the fuss was about. My doctor sent me home with the drink and instruction sheet after my appointment and told me to do it at my convenience sometime in the next week. When I read I only had to "fast" for 2 hours, drink the sugar and then hit the lab for the blood draw in the following hour, it didn't seem like a big deal at all. I took the drink to work with me and refrigerated it and ate what I normally eat throughout the day (breakfast, snack, lunch). I downed the orange drink within the allotted 5 minute time period and looked at the clock, then headed to the lab on my way home. Personally I thought the drink tasted like the orange stuff we used to get at good ol' Mickey D's. It was super duper sweet but didn't make me want to gag or anything. I was a bit jittery driving to the lab but otherwise felt fine. I gave my blood like a champ (I guess I'm getting used it) and then slammed some Reese's Oreos I had bought at the store as my reward and headed home to kill a workout. No nausea, no headache, no sugar crash. I was told no news is good news and I haven't received a phone call so that means I passed! Bring on the sugar. On a side note, can we talk about this whole belly button thing? When I wear a tight fitting shirt it looks like it has popped out, but really it's just the top part. My bare belly reveals that the rest of the little button is still definitely in but looking flatter while just the area where my ring was is sticking out. It actually doesn't look as strange as it sounds but it's definitely interesting to say the least.

 

Symptoms: Rib pain and hip pain got me like OUCH. Sometimes it takes my breath away. Too bad, so sad, it's not going away until the munchkin arrives. Braxton-Hicks contractions have visited as well. I was stretching after a workout and felt my belly tighten for maybe 5-10 seconds and then release. It happened twice more and that was it. I assumed they would hurt at least a little bit but it was just an odd sensation of something happening I couldn't control but definitely didn't interfere with what I was doing. About those blueberries...I didn't even buy any this week. I am forcing myself to give more attention to other fruits so it's strawberries, blackberries, oranges, bananas and peaches instead. But I still want the blueberries. Ssshhh

The Furbaby Mama

When you find yourself in the company of people with kids but haven't had any yourself yet you will most likely hear a lot of sentences that begin with, "just wait...". Of course they are all talking about what you have to look forward to, or fear, when the day comes that you have human children. It suggests that you will enter into completely uncharted territory and nothing will prepare you. This is undoubtedly true in many respects, but not across the board if you already have furbabies. I've said it before and I'll say it a thousand more times I'm sure, having this baby I'm still cookin' won't make Chris and I parents. We already are. Now I'm also under no delusions that our dogs and cats are little kids stuffed inside furry 4 legged bodies. Humans and pets are different species and come with their own unique set of needs and wants. I get it. Having 4 dogs and 2 cats certainly is not a direct comparison to having a baby. But, while I totally understand parenting a little being of our same species is going to rock our world, parenthood isn't a totally new adventure for us. There's a few reasons I already know a little something about being a mom.
 

 

1. I worry - My goodness do I worry. I worry about their health, their well-being, their happiness. Am I giving them enough attention, enough love, enough freedom, enough structure? Are they eating the best diet, are they getting enough exercise, are they comfortable in their environment? I worry that I'm doing it all wrong or while I'm doing it right for one I'm not doing enough for another. And OMG what is that spot on someone's belly? Skin tag, cancer, some type of flesh eating bacteria that no one has ever heard of?! Oh wait, it's just a leaf.

 

2. I'm protective - I am mama bear, hear me roar. Most people think I'm a nice girl, but do not cross me when it comes to my kiddos. If you're slamming Pit Bulls I'm going to tell you what's up. If you ask me if I'll get rid of any of them when the baby comes, I'll probably ask you if you'll get rid of your first born when you have another. If you even dare try to hurt any of them I will come at you like a bull charging red. Don't let the fact that I'm little fool you, I'm scrappy and relentless and no one brings harm to my babies.

3. I schedule - We are very conscious of the fact that dogs and cats thrive on some type of daily routine. The goal is to keep it consistent without being too rigid so that if it has to change a bit here and there, shit isn't going to hit the fan. So yes, we get up early on weekends to keep up with this and we often schedule around events and activities. There's no need for alarms really because crying outside the door and orange paws underneath it will alert us if we've delayed waking up for too long. And of course there's keeping track of who needs to go to the vet and when, medications and Revolution applications.

 

4. I know - I have 4 dogs and 2 cats and I probably have a 99% accuracy rate on who is "talking" when I can't see them. I know their voices and I also usually know what they want/need by the particular sound they are making. Hungry cries, I gotta go potty chirps, give me attention wails and alert barks (which scare the crap out of me) are all distinct and unique to each kid. Of course it took me a bit to learn, but has been something that has come more easily with each addition to the family.
 

 

5. I hurt - Their pain is my pain. If somebody doesn't feel good I want to take it on myself so they don't have to. I never want them to be scared or lonely or sad and would rather it be me than them any day of the week. I hate that I often have to make them do things they don't want to do because I know it's for their own good. It's always worse for me than it is for them but when it's for the best, that's just the way it has to be.

 

I am still on the "just wait.." side of things for many aspects of parenting a human baby. But as a mother already, I think my experiences have taught me a thing or two in preparation. I may not be truly ready for the shit show coming this summer, but I'm as ready as I'll ever be.

Second Trimester Favorites

I had another prenatal check-up yesterday and when my doctor said the words third trimester it hit me hard enough to stop my daydreaming about blueberry cheesecake. Third = 3 and there's only 3, right? So this is it, the home stretch. While I can't even put into words how freaking excited I am to be less than 100 days away from my due date, how quickly it's approaching is also nerve racking. And terrifying. And OMG I'm going to have a baby. As a first time mom to a human baby I have really felt less like a totally incompetent, unprepared idiot as I've read through other blogs and talked to other moms. That's also one of the main reasons I decided to share my pregnancy via this blog. If there is anything at all helpful I can pass on to future women in my position, then it's totally worth it. So as I say sayonara to the second trimester and enter the final countdown, I'm sharing my second trimester favorites.

 

My very first, and also my biggest splurge so far, happened when I was just 5 weeks pregnant. I had no idea at the time that it would be many, many weeks before I was wearing maternity jeans but I bought them anyway. I've been a distressed denim lover forever and these were on sale so I ordered a pair. I can't wear them to jeans day at work but I wear them on weekends and they will be an even bigger staple in my wardrobe this summer. I realize I won't be back into my old jeans right after having this babe so I love light distressed jeans for summer.

 

I love shopping at Target but I didn't foresee it being a nearly one stop shop for maternity products. I was wrong. One of my first trimester favorites was the Zoe Organics belly butter but when you are slather that stuff on like crazy after a shower it doesn't last forever. My belly started to itch further into the second trimester and several people suggested switching to an oil, which seems to calm irritation from stretching a bit better. I nabbed the Zoe Organics belly oil on sale and I am really, really loving it. It doesn't smell, comes in the cutest little bottle (yea, I'm a sucker for packaging) and so far it has definitely helped with the itching. The same day I picked it up I grabbed some Liz Lange maternity tanks that actually don't even look maternity at all. They are the softest material with stretch and so, so comfy. I went back for more and wear them ALL. THE. TIME. The other maternity item I wear fairly often is the Bellaband, which also came from Target. I love that it allows me to continue wearing my regular pants comfortably if I want to and just looks like a cami underneath my shirt. And of course y'all probably know by now how often I paint my nails. Essie is my go to brand, it's safe to wear during pregnancy, and...they sell it at Target. #targetdoesitagain

 

Gap has become one of my favorite places to shop lately and they did not disappoint in the maternity department. Typically I order online and take advantage of their nearly every day coupon codes. You can get 40% off all the time! I got these cropped leggings for Christmas and they are my favorite. Next time I place an order I'm snagging another pair. They are designed to sit underneath the belly and this is the most comfortable for me when working out or sleeping. I pretty much could live in their Pure Body line so it's not surprising that I also love the pink tee I ordered a few weeks ago. Soft, stretchy and flattering through the midsection are a pregnant woman's magic words and these tees/tanks have all of those qualities.

 

Finally, this will come as no surprise, blueberries. I have been craving all things made with this little blue fruit for weeks and there is no sign of that changing. If it's blueberry and edible, I probably want it. That is all.

26 Weeks

I am so used to a flurry of activity going on in my belly now that I notice when it stops rather than when it starts. I find myself poking around like hello in there, what are you doing now? This week I experienced the first bout of hiccups. Just to be clear, I'm talking about the baby, not me. I knew that babies get hiccups in the womb from other people talking about it but I guess it just did not feel like I thought it would. Like I said, continuous movement is the norm anymore so I didn't realize this was different right away. But as the quick, repetitive sort of buzzing continued it finally caught my attention as something new. Every time I have a what was that? moment and I'm at work or alone, I turn to Google. I described the feeling in so many words and immediately the search came back with baby hiccups. Of course! It has now happened a few times since and I have to giggle because hello, baby hiccups, so cute. I did read that these tend to be more commonly felt a bit further into the 3rd trimester, especially by first time moms, but we've been a bit early on everything else so far so I'm not too surprised.

 

Tomorrow we go back for another check-up and will find out how many more pounds I've packed on in the last month. As of 22.5 weeks I was up about 13. I'm sure the homemade cheesecake I made for Chris's birthday won't help the cause. I am definitely taking off my shoes though. I'll take the pounds I've earned but not an ounce more!

 

Symptoms: Rib pain, heartburn and hiccups. I could swear my kid is swinging from my ribs like a tiny monkey, having the time of it's life in there. It's always on my right side and it HURTS. But at the same time I kind of love it. So weird. Heartburn is back full strength but it's during the day rather than at night. I'm not sure if sleeping with my ever so faithful Dottie Cane (pregnancy pillow) has been keeping it at bay or if it really is just happening during the day, but it's not the most fun. It doesn't seem to matter what I eat, it just happens. I'm counting on this baby coming out with a sweet hairdo. Baby hiccups are hilarious. Oh, and the blueberry saga CONTINUES....