24 Weeks: {Baby GIRL Sisti #2}

I had originally planned to post my pics of my Riffraff Gameday outfit, but my camera isn't letting me dump photos or videos onto my Macbook : ( I'm going to let one of the tech gurus I work with work on it today and see if we can't get those up tomorrow!  

So, in lieu of that, here's an impromptu baby bump update post! I was 20 weeks the last time I posted, so it seemed about time for one. 

Weeks: 24 (as of tomorrow)

Trimester: Second

Gender: GIRL! (Woohoooooo!!)

Name: Ainsley Catherine

Baby's Size: According to the What to Expect website, Ainsley should weight about a pound and be approximately 11.8 inches long. 

Cravings: Where to start? Anything salty. Steak and chicken and fried shrimp...oh, my! And cheese. Preferably in the melty, queso-y form. We eat really healthfully during the week, but I won't lie - I've been indulging a little bit more on the weekends!

How I'm Feeling: Lots of energy, which comes in handy with chasing a 10-month-old. I still get sick in the afternoons most every day, but that's just how this pregnant momma rolls. Me + HCG= Yack fest. 

Lots of round ligament pain, which if you've never been pregnant, is a little bit like a tiny knife stabbing you on each side of your lower abdomen when you get up from a seated or laying position. (Fun stuff!) I'm hoping that will go away soon, because OUCH. 

No swelling or shortness of breath, so I'm a happy camper. Just trucking right along! 

Movement: Caroline moved constantly. I mean constantly. Sleeping just didn't happen with that kid. Now Ainsley? Ainsley moves a lot, but at very specific times of day: early morning and late, late at night. And when she moves, she MOVES. Backflips, round-off back handsprings, ballet, tap, jazz, tae kwon do...girlfriend does it all in there. 

Birth plan: See Week 20 : )

Momma thoughts: I am amazed at how quickly this pregnancy has gone by. I can't believe that on Wednesday, 24 weeks will have arrived. And in just four more weeks, we'll be staring the third trimester in the face! We have NOTHING done for this baby. She has a lovely and big nursery, but so far, I haven't had a spare minute to devote to it. Right now, it's serving as a storage place for our empty moving boxes, ha!

Someone asked me the other day if I ever expected to have two this close in age. And my answer was, of course, no. But, I see the beauty in the unexpected. I see it now more than ever before. Someone told me that they'd be "terrified" to be in our position. 

I don't like that word. 

My fears for having two babies 14 months apart are existent, yes, but few. I don't fear how I'll do it. I look forward to figuring it out. I look forward to the messes, the laughs, the tears, the frustrations (yes, those too), the hugs, the kisses, the long nights...for that's the stuff that real life is made of. That's the stuff we will remember when these two girls are heading off to college some day. 

Until sometime next month, friends --

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We had a TON of demand for the Younique mascara (my review of this amazing stuff is here), and I got some emails from girls asking if we could extend the order deadline until payday arrived, so we extended it for a few more days! Be sure and place yours now if you want some for yourself. You'll love it, I promise!

Order HERE 

I may or may not have recorded a tutorial showing you how I apply the mascara coming this Thursday, (barring anymore problems uploading video from my camera!)

Confessional Friday: {Link Up}

Well, helloooooooo there, you beautiful faces of the interwebs. So glad to see you all here today. Let's do some confessin'!

1) I confess that I did a happy dance last night as we sat down to watch the SEC Network. I am so excited that our conference has its own dedicated space on cable now. Bring on college football!

2) I confess that I'll never eat spaghetti again. Stephen got home from his work trip last night and we were both starving, so we decided to have a big dinner. We cooked and devoured a huge pot of spaghetti and sauce, and y'all? I have never experienced pregnancy heartburn like that in my life. Ever. If I never see red sauce and pasta again, it'll be too soon.

3) I confess that it dawned on me last night that I should probably start designing Ainsley's nursery. Now that the move is complete and we're (for the most part) settled in, it's time to get down to brass tacks and start brainstorming. And buying!

4) I confess that spending my very first nights in the new house without Stephen freaked me out completely. Such a strange feeling to be alone in a new house. A bigger house. A house with brand new weird noises and things that go "bump" in the night. Apparently, Caroline was a little on edge, too, because she woke up at midnight and didn't fall back to sleep until 3 a.m. Needless to say, this place is going to take some getting used to when I'm here alone.

5) I confess that I'm going to the bakery tomorrow to order Caroline's FIRST birthday cake and it is so surreal. I can't believe our girl will turn one year old in just eight weeks. HOW? WHEN? ALREADY?

Okay, ladies. What'cha got for me today?

   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

Caroline Rose: {Ten Months}

Weight/Length: 18 lbs., 8 oz. and 26.75 inches tall 

Hair: Hair is  honey blonde now and so thick. I’ve enjoyed having a baby with lots of fun hair to fix : )

Diapers: Size 3 Pampers Swaddlers.

Clothing: All 9-12 month clothing.

Favorite Things: Prima, (her Zubels ballerina doll), her rubber ducky, mommy’s jewelry, mommy’s fedora hat, her striped Pickles Farm Fresh blanket, her Fisher Price Activity/Music table.

Likes: Right now, our petite princess loves: bath time, swimming, eating, playing fetch with Ruby (well, watching mommy play fetch with Ruby), going for stroller walks, grocery shopping, going to restaurants, listening to the church choir, watching Doc McStuffins and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Dislikes: Being hot (she loathes the heat just like her momma), strangers touching her face (and I can’t blame her…everyone wants to pinch her cheeks!), Sesame Street (hates it…dunno why), getting buckled into her car seat (but is cool as a cucumber once she's strapped in), and cats (more about that later, but it’s clear she inherited this phobia from her momma and her daddy, ha!)

Favorite Foods: Green beans, yams, turkey, carrots, applesauce, pears, kiwi, squash, graham crackers, mashed potatoes and plain Greek yogurt (we really like the Fage brand.)

Milestones: She is cruising around and using the furniture to keep her balance. She is starting to stand up from a seated position on her own without having to hold onto anything for support. She recently began clapping for people and it’s so cute. She has added “bye bye” to her word bank, too. She also began this thing where she pretends to cough, then waits for our reaction where we go, “Oh, Caroline! You must be so sick!” It’s hilarious.

Mama Thoughts: 

Nine months went by in a gosh-darn blink. I am so, so sad that these past two months have passed so quickly, but I know that it’s mostly due to the move and also planning for another child.

She is SUPER mobile, crawling and standing and cruising everywhere, and I’m usually wiped out by the end of the day on my days home with her. I am really thankful that I’m able to be there to witness so many of her milestones and funny moments, though. But, my days at the office are a welcomed break, too. 

She is such an inquisitive little thing, constantly watching other people and mimicking what they do. She is fiercely independent, almost to a fault, which I’ve heard is more common in little girls at this age. I wish she wasn’t so much that way; I want her to need me. (Oh gosh, I sound like my own momma now.)

I’m happy to report that she is a momma’s girl through and through. She associates Stephen with playing and laughing and big, rowdy fun, but when it comes to needing comfort or snuggles, she wants only her momma. She is having major separation anxiety when we leave her with sitters at home now. She will stay with a total of three people without fussing: Stephen, my mom and me. She still doesn't really mind daycare though, and will easily let me leave her on the days I work. 

Also? I may be crazy, but I think we are starting to favor a bit more. For a while, she looked a lot more like Stephen, (and still does), but I see more similarities between the two of us for sure now. (Please don’t tell me otherwise; I like fibbing to myself, ha!)

She is the light of my life, that Caroline Rose.

Until month 11… 

Digging Out: We're Alive!

So, we survived the move.

(Golf claps all around.)

I never want to do that again for eleventy hundred years. But, despite the couple weeks of packing, two days of shuffling boxes back and forth, and a very long day last Friday of entertaining a nine-month-old during the process of closing on one home and finalizing the sale of another...I'm unbelievably excited for the new place. WE LOVE IT!

We are in the new casa and the new owners of our previous home are settled, too. They were such a sweet couple and I know that they'll make so many fun memories in that house, just like we did.

I am over-the-moon thrilled to do a complete and detailed home tour this fall once all of our furniture and decor is up. I'm not going to rush that process, though. I had a really specific vision in mind and I want to take my time and fill this home with meaningful pieces.

Our new furniture should arrive some next time week, but until then, a few quick pics of the bare bones. Honestly, I just wanted to document a few photos before all the clutter inevitably takes over ; )

Also? (And I feel it important to put this out there.) Don't worry. I will now shut up about the house. It's kind of like a new toy to us, but I promise not to be that annoying blogger that's all, "Have you SEEN my canister set this week? It was handmade by Tibetan monks over the course of four months." 

Nope. Won't be venturing into that territory. We are happy to be here and happy to be settled. 

I'll save the upstairs and the rest of the downstairs for another day because, well, I just wanted to plant myself on the couch with my husband last night : )

A couple things:

• I'll be sharing my gameday outfit picks from my favorite boutiques NEXT MONDAY. This is by far my most favorite annual post, so come stop in, shop and get pumped up for football season in the a.m. on August 18th!

• My daughter turns 10 months old tomorrow. I'm already sad that she's in the double digits...where did my baby go?

• Don't forget to order your Younique mascara if you think you might want some. You can read my full review in this post.

See y'all tomorrow!

Confessional Friday: {Link-Up}

WE OWN OUR NEW HOME! Next to getting engaged, married and giving birth to Caroline, this day surely qualifies as one of our our best days ever. We hope to raise our girls -- girls, plural, still can't get over that -- in this house for a long time, which means lots and lots of memories. Good gracious, I am so thankful for the ease with which this process unfolded.

1) I confess that my friend Taylor mentioned Catfish Hole, a local (you guessed it) catfish restaurant Tuesday and now, I can only think about hushpuppies, fried pickles and delicious fried fish. In fact, I have been craving it so badly, I nearly gave in and went to get some at 9:00 p.m. last night. Does that ever happen to you? You get a craving in your head and it's like I must have this now! I'd attribute it to pregnancy, but I crave Catfish Hole when I'm pregnant or not.

2) I confess that I'm pretty ecstatic that pre-season football has started. This means that college football isn't far behind, right? Yessssssss.

3) I confess that I completely forgot to add my cleanser to the list of must-have products for keeping skin wrinkle-free. I have been using Obagi-C and would highly recommend it for any woman of any age, especially if you have combination skin like mine. I usually purchase from Amazon, so I would check there first before spending twice the amount at a dermatologist's office for the same thing!

4) I confess that Wednesday was the first time in about two months that Ruby, our mini doxie, has had a bath. I'm sure it didn't bother her any, though. That dog loathes anything to do with water.

5) I confess that I'm toying with the idea of getting a few lengthening extensions for fall. (I'm sure my girls at The Crown will be able to talk me into it!) I freaking love having long hair, and I think I might get a few extensions to make it that much longer for the cooler months. #longhairDOcare

   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

Some Tools You Need

I know...the title. What? You were expecting a post about hammers and power drills? Phffft (!!)

This is A Blonde Ambition. And I have no plans to start doing drywall tutorials any time soon.

This week has inadvertently become beauty week, I suppose. But hey, who doesn't love to talk about make-up and skincare and amazing mascara, right?

Today, I wanted to show you the tools that I really use. I don't have a ton of brushes or applicators for my make-up. In fact, I own only three brushes and an eyelash curler. (And a cool sponge thingy for foundation blending.) I find that if I invest a little more into a good brush, it's worth the price of ten crappy ones. Below, you'll find exactly the tools I use.

Beautyblender Sponge  // Tarte Airbuki Bamboo Powder Brush // Sephora Pro Angled Contour Brush // Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow Brush // 

Shiseido Eyelash Curler // Orla Kiely Garden Double Zip Train Case // Arched Multi Purpose Cosmetic Organizer Caddy in Lucite

What you DON'T need to invest in? Eyebrow/lash de-clumping brushes, oil-blotting papers and eyeliner smudge sticks. Instead, look for these handy dandy items in the dollar aisle of your drugstore.

1) Coffee filters | These puppies work great as an alternative to those oil-blotting papers you find in the make-up aisle. And for about a buck, you can get 150.

2) Cheapie toothbrushes | Those free toothbrushes you get at the dentist? Don't toss 'em just yet. They make the perfect little brushes for combing unruly brows into place and de-clumping mascara for flawless eye fringe.

3) Q-tips | Use these instead of those foam smudge tools to soften eyeliner and apply eye brightener to the tear ducts.

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I'm curious, if you could only keep ONE make-up brush or applicator, which one would it be? Tell me below in the comments; I want to know the type and the brand! Who knows? Maybe one of you will turn me on to my next favorite.

Younique Mascara: {An Eye-Opening Review}

Recently, my good friend Hannah passed along some 3D Fiber mascara by Younique for me to try out and give her my thoughts. I had purchased some back in January and could never quite master the application technique, (i.e. I looked like a hot mess), which I completely blame on having a newborn and just not having any time to play with the mascara and learn how to apply it. But, I knew if I could figure out how to apply it that I'd love it.

Well, Younique reformulated their now-famous mascara AND I finally took a moment and watched a couple of YouTube tutorials on how to put the stuff on. (I liked this tutorial.)

Let me tell you...amazing results.

I have pretty decent eyelashes on my own, but this stuff gave me major lash volume and length that far surpassed any of the lengthening mascaras I've tried in the past. I did a little comparison down below so that you can see what a difference just one application of the fibers made.

And, because I like to be 100% transparent in my opinions for reviews, I made a comparison chart for ya. I wanted you to see what I thought were the major perks and the tiny drawbacks...as you'll see, the pluses were numerous.

*I did get some oil-based eye make-up remover last night, (brand is Almay, I think), and it took the 3D Fiberlash off in a snap! So really, it's only a little challenging to get off if you use just regular water.

For a very reasonable price and the results it produces, I deem this product Ambition Approved. Get some 3D Fiber Mascara for yourself here from Hannah! You will not regret it, I promise.

How I Keep Wrinkles Away: {My Fav Products}

Raise your hand if you love fine lines and wrinkles (!!)

Nobody? Anybody? Bueller??... Bueller??

Yeah, those suck. Unfortunately, they're comin' for all of us. (Or, if you're like me, are already creeping up.) In the past couple years, I've really started to avoid the sun, put more time into skin maintenance and invest more money in skincare products vs. make-up. Below are a few of the products that I really do use to keep fine lines and wrinkles at bay.

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel (Extra Strength) - 5 treatments for $15 // Korres Black Pine Firming, Lifting & Anti-wrinkle Night Cream

All About Eyes Rich Eye Cream by Clinque // Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 (2.4 oz.)

Now, I'll say that my preference for sunless tanning is the Versa booth, (read more about that here), but when I can't get to the spray tanning booth, I keep these products in my make-up drawer as back-up OR to take on vacay when I travel. Both are excellent and give you a healthy glow without the orange, Cheeto-like side effect.

360 Face Self Tanning Pads by Kate Somerville // Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Glow Pads (For Body) 

Our Inspired Home

I'll be the first to admit, I have to enlist a ton of help from my more design-savvy friends when it comes to decorating a home. I always see things I like in magazines and on blogs, but I'm terrible when it comes down to executing it within my own four walls. I get overwhelmed and begin second-guessing my choices almost immediately.

My friend Shannon is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to creating a well-appointed home. (I'm going to see if she'll let me do a home tour of her place on this blog...y'all would die. Amazing.) With her help, I've been able to choose and purchase pieces that I'm so excited to put in our new house!

I thought I'd show you what we've bought so far, as well as the paint colors used in the house and an inspiration board to give you an idea of accent pieces I'll be pulling in to create a finished look.

I've posted a few sneak peek photos on my Instagram account throughout the previous month (username is ablondeambition), so check it out if you want to see a snip-it of our home!

We get to occupy next week and I couldn't be more ready.

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What about you? What's your approach to decorating? Where are your go-to places for affordable and chic home decor?

Monday Musings

Update on the house - WE'RE FINALLY MOVED...almost...

This week and most of next are going to be crazytown around our place, so bear with me as blogging may be a little scarce. We moved the majority of our stuff over to the garage of the new house this past weekend. My parents drove up from Heber Springs on Friday night and very generously spent all day Saturday helping move our stuff and watch Caroline. (When I say we couldn't have done it without them, I mean it.) Mom and Dad, if you're reading this, thank you again! 

We officially close on the new place next week, (we had to delay closing until next week because of Stephen's work travel schedule), and the movers will take our bigger stuff that day. So exciting! It's here and I'm more than ready.

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Fall will eventually show up. Of that much, we can be sure. Bath and Body Works says so.

Saw this ad for $3 hand soaps and ceramic owls and stuff on my browser this morning and nearly did a happy dance. Not necessarily because of the hand soap, (though I do appreciate good hygiene), but mainly because fall is around the corner. One more month of this summer nonsense and we'll be there. (Okay, maybe I'm just impatient because I'm ready for football and chili and trick-or-treating. And my third trimester.)

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I ordered Caroline's outfit for her one-year photos this weekend. I sort of can't stand how cute it is. And it may or may not include a gigantic party hat hair fascinator and turban. 

Epic. I believe that is the word I'm looking for.

My friend Katie, the genius designer/seamstress behind August Lou Designs, is re-creating the above number (a sample she put up on her page Sunday) for Caroline. (And no, I did not purchase Dior sunglasses for my 9-month-old baby. Even I have my limits.)

I also bought a matching #1 cake topper from Etsy (like the below) for her smash cake pics. Because, duh. (I will say, it came in the mail Saturday and I was a little bit surprised at how small it was. My fault, though. I should have read the product description more carefully.) I'm going to see if I can make one myself that's larger for her actual birthday cake.

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That'd be all she wrote today. I have a little brown-haired nugget of a baby pulling at my leg to come play. And I cannot pass that up.

Thursday Randoms

Lots of nonsense today, friends. My morning started at 5:30 and has been going 90-to-nothing since. Don't you just love those days when organization and planning take a flying leap into a black hole? That would be my day. So, randomness shall prevail.

Her profile is identical to Caroline's at the 20 week mark. Exact same bone structure, shape of nose, etc. So cool!

1) I was SO excited for little Ainsley Catherine's anatomy scan ultrasound yesterday! We headed to our high-risk OB yesterday morning to see our girl up close and personal. (High risk doc is a precaution due to medical history. Baby and I are great!) She is most definitely a SHE, as she showed us all of her, um, parts, (or lack-thereof, ha!) Most importantly, her heart, brain, spine, organs, all of it, looked perfect. She's 1,000% healthy and thriving away. Yay for being at the halfway point in this pregnancy!

2) It's strange having such a seamless pregnancy after the one I experienced with Caroline. (Don't get me wrong, we were very fortunate to have gotten such a healthy baby out of the whole thing, but girlfriend made me sicker than a dog.) Other than the 4 p.m. daily puke-fests, I feel peachy-keen. Large, but peachy-keen ; )

3) I swear this wasn't supposed to be a baby post. See? Here I go. Steering this train toward BuyBuyBaby, yet again. Sorry, y'all.

4) On to greener, less impregnated pastures...

5) I have to say, I'm not a huge fan of the palazzo pant trend. They actually do look really cute on a few gals with some major height, but at 5'4",  I'm not one of them. Sorry, palazzo pants. I'll be sticking to trouser cuts and skinnies.

6) Has anyone out there watched Hemlock Grove? Caroline went to bed a little earlier one night, so Stephen and I got sucked into the first episode on Netflix. It's kinda hokey, but who doesn't love hokey? We've also just started watching HBO's new show called The Leftovers. Really, really depressing, but such an interesting concept to me.

Yup, that's all I've got. I'm off to finish packing up the last of our house. We will be moving our stuff over to it this weekend, then we officially move in and close on August 7th. I cannot believe the time has finally come - woohoo for more space!

Buy This - Not That

Okay, here's a little truth for your Tuesday, (though it will come as no surprise to those who know me best.) In my entire 29 years, I've owned only one "designer" label item. That's it. And even that, I got on sale. (My wedding shoes. A pair of 6" Badgley Mischka stilettos. They looked like heaven and felt like hell.)

Yochi Design Turquoise Necklace ($76) // Shine On Necklace in blue from Riffraff ($28)

Call me cheap. Call me thrifty. Call me an assortment of other words. (It wouldn't be the first time.)

I gives no craps.

Yep, girls. Even my "Louis V" bag is a faux , albeit a pretty convincing one. At the time I bought it in 2010, I lived on a single gal's budget that was tighter than the lid on a pickle jar. Ergo, a faux LV for $250, it was. And, do you know what? I still carry the darn thing.

So, what is this post all about? To teach you how to be cheap resourceful like me?

"Why yes, Dorothy!! It is!!"

Here are a few of my recent picks for summer that look pretty doggone similar to their more expensive counterparts:

Kate Spade Saturday Tassel Heels in black ($195) // GMD High-Heeled Sandals in black ($49)

Aurelie Bidermann Esteban Ring from Barney's ($325) // Vertebrae Quad Ring ($28)

Alice D. Perforated White Leather Tote ($371) // Genuine Leather Shopper Tote ($129)

Diane von Furstenburg Tiffany Shorts  ($112) // Gap Sunkissed Striped Shorts ($49.95)

Anthropologie Cartonnier High-Rise Trousers ($98) // Clinton Greylin Pant from Maude Boutique ($39)

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So how 'bout you? Are you a bargain hunter like me? Where's your favorite affordable place to shop?

A Must-Read for New or Expectant Moms

Y'all. My word.

If you've had kids or are expecting a baby, (or maybe in nursing school yourself), you NEED to read this post by my friend Rachel. She's a Labor & Delivery nurse and today, she's sharing the details and emotions of her job with the blog world.

She's one of my all-time favorite bloggers and internet friends and one of these days, I'm going to meet her in person. (Seriously Rachel, this needs to happen. It's been like six years.)

Read up, gals.

Confessional Friday: {Link-Up}

‘Tis time once again, fair ladies of the interwebs. It’s time to confess (!!)

-I confess that I haven’t been sucked into a book like I am with Gone Girl right now. Holy plot twists and cagey characters! I know I’m two years late to the hoopla, but I’m glad I’m finally reading it. Can’t wait for the film in October now.

-I confess that I enjoyed a delicious bowl of piping hot chicken noodle soup last night because it was 60 degrees here yesterday. Yes, folks; in Arkansas, that qualifies as cold weather.

-I confess that, even though it is quite possible confirmed our Razorbacks will be awful again this year, I am so excited for college football to begin! I’ll admit, mostly because of tailgating food and cooler weather, but I love the energy of SEC football season. Bring. It. On.

-I confess that a very well known Northwest Arkansas boutique is doing a killer college gameday look book (seriously, it is the look book to end all look books) that will launch in August. Yours truly cannot WAIT to share it will y’all!

-I also confess that once again, I’ll be putting up my own gameday outfit picks in a post in August. Already surfing the online stores for the items I want to show ya. And just like always, I’ll post apparel in all color schemes so that, no matter what alma mater you cheer on, there’ll be something for you.

Finally, I confess that I was so caught up in telling you guys about Ainsley earlier this month that I forgot to say THANKS FOR FIVE YEARS OF BLOGGING! A Blonde Ambition turned FIVE on July 9. I never envisioned blogging this long and not sure how much longer I'll keep it up, but hey – I'm elated that you've allowed me to fill your computer screens every morning for the last five years. Thanks for tuning in. You guys have been great friends and I can’t wait to see where we all go from here.

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

The "Second Baby" Body: The Good, the Bad and the Bloated

Alright one-time mamas, I'm going to let you in on a little secret truth: you WILL show a lot faster when you become "with child" for the second time. It is inevitable. You can't outsmart the bump. And it won't creep up silently...oh no, girls. It will come like an atomic bomb in the dead of night.

(Can I get an ayyyyyyyyy-men from my Choir of Moms?)

And you'll be all like, "Hey doc, are you sure there's just one in there?"
And he'll nod his head and, with a smile, remind you that "your uterus is larger and more roomy now."

Wow, dude. Thanks for making me feel like the friggin' Holiday Inn Deluxe Suite.

For real though, somewhere around week 15, I went into the bathroom one morning and BAM! The bump had made itself very present. Don't get me wrong, if I'm going to be pregnant, I want to look pregnant. I just didn't know one could go from a flat(ish) tummy to a full-fledged bump quite literally overnight.

My feelings toward this can best be expressed with everybody's favorite Emoji, Bulgy Eyes:

In addition to my stomach shooting out like WOAH, there are some really fun (no seriously, I'm not being sarcastic) second-baby-body perks. Like, I actually am getting to enjoy a bumpier bump this time. With Caroline, I always had this weird torpedo shape to my baby belly, but Miss Ainsley has brought mama a rounder and more basketball-like (err, at least dome-shaped) baby bump, which I kind of love.

Taken this morning at work. Here we are!

And gosh, did I ever miss pregnancy hair and fingernails. (For the whole five months I was not pregnant, anyway.) I mean, who needs extensions when you've got B-complex vitamins surging through your veins, amIright?

However, with a rapidly expanding bump comes a rapidly expanding need for maternity clothes. With Caroline, I got away nearly to the bitter end with just regular tops and a single pair of maternity pants. ONE PAIR.

I had to gently explain to Stephen why mama may need to purchase a few more maternity items with this bambina. And by "gently explained", I mean I hormonally sobbed in our bathroom one morning while tossing pants around left and right and exclaiming, "I'm a beast!!"

To which he lied to me hugged me and said I was "very pretty and slim", and told me to order whatever my pregnant heart desired.

Thank you Lawd for giving me a kind and understanding man. A man who is equal parts sympathetic and terrified of my raging hormones. 

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All HCG and the unceasing need to pee aside, I freaking love seeing my body support another life. It's beautiful and scary and humbling to think that the human body can sustain and grow another being. It's like the coolest science project ever.

Last night after a glorious round of barfing, I was perched on the couch eating a bowl of pretzels with a ginger ale, and Ainsley kicked. It wasn't terribly hard kick, but more of a little shuffle-ball-change, (tap dancers say what?!) It was like, "Hey mom. I'm here. Thanks for being a pal and bringing me into this world."

And I rested my hand on top of my tummy and thanked the good Lord for letting me do this again.

Because honestly, it's awesome.

My Answer to the Birkenstock Trend

My answer to the Birkenstock trend is a hard and fast NO.

Forget it.

Happened in the nineties.

Not gonna happen again.

Ever.

My philosophy toward trends that resurge from my pre-teen years is that they should never, not ever be repeated. This includes, but is not limited to the following:

-Rope sandals
-Tie dye anything
-Butterfly clips
-Schoolgirl skirts (see collage for reference below)
-Utilization of feather pens (a 'la Cher Horowitz...youknowwhichmovie)
-Anklets

But not all of the nineties were bad...oh no, they had their good parts, too...

However, I know some of you are all, "But they're so comfy, Leslie! Give a girl a break!"

I understand and, as a mom who's on her feet 90 hours a day, even sympathize. But y'all, for the love...just don't with the Birks. Yuck. And yes, I'm aware that they come in metallics (!!) and, at least to me, that doesn't boost their appeal enough for me to schlep around in those boats.

For what it's worth, I do understand that doctors and nurses may wear them for comfort. They're saving lives. They get a pass.

If you're in the market for a comfy, easy-on/easy-off sandal with oodles more appeal AND for less moo-lah, check these out.

Bodhi sandals in Honey Leather from Riffraff

Neary Sandal by Dolce Vita from Riffraff

Seychelles 'So Far Away' Calf Hair Sandals in Leopard

Sam Edelman 'Carnie' in Natural

Splendid Congo Sandal in Midnight

Splendid Congo Sandal in Light Tan