Paisley shorts

These shorts were a favorite last summer, both before and after Mr. Baby was born.  I've already worn them a bunch again this summer.  But I've learned that when you are due in July, you need more shorts and tank tops than when you are due in May, so I've had to do some additional maternity shopping.  And I'm also much bigger this time around, so some of my maternity shorts are getting uncomfortable.  Not cool!  Luckily, these seem to have plenty of stretch, so I think they should last me through.  6 more weeks!!

Cardi: JCF
Tank: Kohl's maternity
Shorts: Loft maternity
Sandals: Target

Currently May

This was from a couple Sundays ago.  I had a little helper who was exploring the deck while I took outfit pictures.  Believe it or not, all the pictures where he isn't in the frame, I look ridiculous because I'm nervously watching him to make sure he doesn't do something dangerous!  I also love his rhino shirt sooooo much.  It's one of the few ridiculous clothing items I have purchased for him.  

It's also time for the Currently link up with In Residence and Dearest Love.

celebrating - so much!  I'm officially in the 3rd trimester with baby2.  My sister is getting married this weekend.  I get to celebrate my 2nd Mother's day (and my first when I'm not in the hospital!), and then Mr. Baby turns 1 in less than a week.  It's a wild and crazy time!  

reading - hopefully soon I can start The Nightingale.  I've been on hold for the ebook forever, and I'm next in line!  I've heard it is really good.  

pondering - how the past year has flown by.  May 4th was my due date last year, and then Mr. Baby showed up about a week later.  Some moments he seems so big and grown up, and the next he just seems so itty bitty still.  And baby2 will be here before I know it.  It keeps hitting me that I will have 2 babies soon and what will I even do with them??

Dress: Bellyssima via Bella Gravida
Cardigan: JCF
Shoes: Target
Mr. Baby's shirt and pants: Gap outlet

Labor Day

So, this is what I wore on Labor Day.  I was pretty excited to fit into these shorts!  I've hardly worn them in the last 2 years because they were a little too tight, but I tried them on just to see and they fit!  Hooray!  

We spent the day with the Smith side of the family, just eating good food, and hanging out.  We played Clue, which is so stressful (especially when I was only half paying attention due to the adorable baby I was also playing with).  My MIL found the game at an antique shop, I think, and it's missing several pieces, so the revolver is just a black bead, and Professor Plum is a marker lid.  It's pretty funny.  I did not win, but I was right about Mr. Green.  You can tell just by looking at him that he's likely to murder someone in the billiard room.  I already forgot what the weapon was.  

And we're trying to be good about taking family pictures, so I lured the boys outside while I had my camera set up.  I promise you our baby is quite happy most of the time.  He just looks hopeless in photos.   

Cardigan: JCF (exact)
Tank: Gap (option, option)
Shorts: Loft (navy option, )
Shoes: Sperry (similar)

Challenge Accepted

Here's an outfit I wore last Friday.  And a bunch of words not about outfits at all.

Spoiler alert:  having a baby kind of wrecks your body.  Especially if your body wasn't in the best condition before getting pregnant, like hypothetically if your immune system attacks you.  Anyway, I gained a bunch of weight in the year and a half or so before getting pregnant, because I was dealing with RA, and some of the medicine I was taking made it impossible to lost weight.  Plus, it's hard to exercise when your body hurts so bad (also, cookies made me feel better).  So fast forward to now, almost 4 months post-partum, I'm trying to figure out how to get as healthy as possible.  But like, I have this baby who needs me all the time, and my body still hurts, and I still like cookies.  

Since I'm working with a busted body and limited free time, my plan is to start small.  I hesitate to even blog about it, because I tend to be a quitter, and then it will be embarrassing, but you know, accountability and whatnot.    

In August, I started 2 of those 30-day challenges that I always see popping up on Pinterest.  Squats and planks.  I'm almost done with both of these (and doing more than 100 squats in a row is super hard!), so I'm trying to think of what to do next.  I'm might pick up this challenge on day 6, to continue working on holding planks for longer, and maybe try these variations on squats .  Or maybe try to get my arms all sculpted in time for winter when they are covered.  

I don't have a real specific goal (I mean, I'd love to lose about 50 lbs), but I'm hoping to build my core strength back up so I can start actually working out (true story: I tried doing this ab challenge and couldn't even do the first day, because I have absolutely no core at the moment. I'm hoping that we will have a couple months of cooler-but-not-freezing weather so I can go on more).  Also, my baby is heavy, and I want to get stronger so it's easier to haul him around.  Rumor has it he is going to get quite a bit bigger before he can walk everywhere himself!    

Anyway, that's my story.  Any advice on easy/fun workouts to try?  So many on pinterest are like "Beginner workout: do 10 pushups!" and I'm like "I can't even do 1 pushup, thanks!"  

*and now I need to go do 190 squats before I go to bed.  Who thought this challenge was a good idea??

Cardigan: JCF

Tee and Skirt: Gap

Shoes: Sperry

Maximum Danger

Here's another outfit that I liked until I saw the pictures and then blergh!  Not great.  It also wasn't great because I wore it to church and then had to go up and down stairs while holding a screaming baby.  It was sort of dangerous because I almost tripped on my skirt a few times.  Midi skirts might be the answer for a new mom.  Long enough to be decent but short enough to be safe.  

Cardi: JCF

Tank: Loft

Skirt: J.Crew

Sandals: target

Father's Day

I'm so behind on posts!  It's hard to find time to blog these days.  Anyway, these are from Father's Day.  We met up with John's family for lunch after church and then to our house for a bit.  Everyone tells John "it's your first Father's Day!" And since we are smart alecks, we explain that he's been alive for many Father's days.   But I suppose they mean his first time as a dad celebrating the day.

And I'm very happy to celebrate him, because just a few weeks in, he's a pretty awesome dad.

Top: Gap factory

Cardigan: JCF

Shorts: Loft maternity

Sandals: Santana 

Shorts Weather

Well, it's kind of chilly again today, but last week we had a few days where the temps were high enough for me to wear shorts!  And I was happy to do that, because I bought this maternity pair from Loft for about $5, and they are awesome.

So another Monday.  We are exactly 2 weeks out from my due date, so I am feeling like this kid could show up today, or in 3 weeks.   I'm hoping he's a little early, but not sure I'm ready just yet.  Maybe later this week would be good.  I think it would be fun if he's born on Friday, which is my half-birthday.  You hear that, baby?  Friday would be great!

Cardigan: JCF (Top 10 Remix item)
Top: Loft Maternity
Shorts: Loft Maternity
Shoes: Target

The Final Countdown

Happy Monday!  So much happened this weekend, but I'll be writing separate posts for my baby shower on Saturday and Easter on Sunday, so I'll just keep this short and sweet.

John and I did go on a little date Friday night.  I think I'm in "we will not get to see a movie in theaters for a long time" mode, so I really wanted to see a movie.  Unfortunately, there's nothing super exciting out at the moment.  But I did want to see Insurgent, because I can't help myself when books become movies.  The good thing is that I don't really remember what exactly happened in the 2nd book vs. the 3rd book (or really at all), so I wasn't comparing much.  The bad thing is that the movie was kind of lame.  I actually liked the first movie quite a bit, so this one was a disappointment.  But hey, it was something to do that we won't get to do as easily in the near future.

Speaking of...  my baby registry tells me how many days there are until my due date, and it completely freaks me out.  28.  That's barely any days!  4 weeks sounds longer than 28 days, so I'm sticking with that.

And in other news, my sister and nieces are coming to visit this week for their spring break!  So who knows what kind of shenanigans we will get up to!

Cardigan: JCF (top 10 item)
Top: Kohl's Maternity
Skirt: H&M
Shoes: Target

Something New

Well, after finishing the 30x30, I was pretty much just going to wear all new things.  Here's an outfit made almost entirely up of new purchases.  The outlet mall was good to me.  Or rather, I was good to it.  

This outfit doesn't follow the Like+Love+Bling formula.  It's more like Love+Love+Love and then put on some shoes.  I think it works.  

Also, if you haven't yet, please take my blog survey!   I'm going to call it finished on Sunday, and post about the results next week.  Spoiler alert - there are no big surprises.  

Cardigan: J.Crew factory (exact)

Tee: Loft outlet (similar)

Skirt: Gap factory (similar, similar)

Shoes: Seychelles (similar)