Monday Randoms

Hi, girls! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend as much as I did!

-My parents came up for the weekend to celebrate my mom's birthday, and yesterday, Sarah hosted a baby shower for Caroline and me : ) I've got lots of photos to share with you all later this week, but I had to show you a pic of the beautiful cake. It was an ombre color scheme with pink, light pink and white, and featured little rosebuds (for Caroline Rose) all over it. Gorgeous!

-She also had every detail perfected, right down to the food. She had sweet tea from McAlister's (my FAV), Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets, which I craved throughout this pregnancy, fresh fruit, spinach dip and more. All my very, very favorite foods!

-Caroline got a ton of amazing gifts, but I was extra fond of this set that Sarah got for her, crafted by SheShe Made. I cannot WAIT to put those little monogrammed bloomers on Cee-baby for her newborn pics!

-Since my mom is up here staying the week with me while Stephen is in NYC for work, we're going to be putting all the finishing touches on the nursery. I hope to be able to share photos of our completed girly masterpiece very soon!

-I'm seriously obsessed with the Aden + Anais brand of swaddles and was OVER THE MOON that baby girl received lots of them yesterday. Apparently, Duchess Kate loves them for her little George, and now I see why. I really wish they came in adult sizes ; )

-Since Stephen is gone for the week and the grandmas are around, I'm taking my mom and my mom-in-law to the doc with me on Thursday where they'll get to see a 4D ultrasound of our babe! I'm so excited to be able to share this very special appointment with Caroline's "Nana" (my mom) and "Hamaw" (Stephen's mom).

-When I got home from the baby shower yesterday, our entire house was cleaned, all laundry was done and there was a juicy pot roast in the oven - all courtesy of Stephen. Have I mentioned that I really love my husband? A good egg, that man.

-Lately, I cannot eat enough green apples. I've been craving crunchy apples like nobody's biz. And when paired with peanut butter or Nutella? I die. Soooooo good.

What did y'all do this weekend?

Bumpdate: {31 Weeks}

This last trimester is flying by at warp speed, so these weekly Bumpdate posts may get a little longwinded. I want to remember every detail of this coolest time of pregnancy, (it's SO neat!) 

Weight Loss/Gain?  ??? Good question. I go back to the doctor next week, so we'll see then. 

Cravings:  Still eating lots of fresh Arkansas peaches, tomatoes and bell peppers. We also made a pot of white chicken chili this week and it was so delicious! (Can you believe it's cool enough in AR in August to make and eat chili? It's a true story.)

How I'm Feeling: So, so good! I sound like a broken record, but I LOVE this trimester so much. I know it will get a lot harder in those final weeks, but honestly, this is great. I've had no swelling at all, tons of energy and enjoying the process of seeing my bump grow. 

My nausea/heaving started up again this week, so that hasn't been fun. I've heard it's pretty common for emesis (i.e. puking) to return in the final tri, though. 

Movement: Tons and tons of movement. This girl is busy! Now, we can actually recognize where her certain body parts are located. For instance, she'll stick out her elbow or rear end and we'll see a sharp(ish) point or curve jut out from my bump. It's a strange mixture of feeling like I'm watching a Sci-Fi movie, mixed with awe that my body is housing a human being. 

A lot of times in the mornings, she sticks her fanny waaaaaaay out and then popping it back in, haha! When she does this, it literally makes my bump come to a point, (not unlike a torpedo), for a second. And just as quickly, it will pop back in as she "pops" her fanny back in.  Endlessly entertaining, y'all. (Above pic taken Tuesday morning, so you can really see how she's growing!)

Favorite Moment this Week:  I went into her room to hang up some clothes and ended up going through her whole closet. I took each piece out and just stared at them - touched them - amazed that in seven weeks, there will be a little person wearing them. 

Sleeping: Sleep is scarce, but I still have plenty of energy, so I'm not sweating over it. I honestly do think it's my body's way of preparing me for Caroline's arrival and the lack of sleep that will accompany her.

Clothes: For expectant mommas, here are some of the maternity clothes that I purchased last week that I like, in case you're also in the market:

• I LOVE these skinny pants and white tee top from Zulily, which I'm actually wearing in the "torpedo baby" pic above! They fit like a glove. I really wish I had purchased a couple pair of both the pants and the top because they are that awesome.

• The below skinny jeans by Indigo Blue from Destination Maternity are a hit! I ordered the extra small in these and was pleased at how comfy they were. If you're looking to order, here are my stats: I'm 5'4", usually a size 0/2 and ordered the small, if you need a reference point. 

• This striped peplum top (sold out, but similar style here), striped long-sleeved tee (here), and pair of oxblood-colored Mavi cords (right here), from Destination Maternity will also get lots of use as the weather cools off. So comfortable and all the items are fitted enough that I can wear them after Caroline's arrival, too.

• Not a maternity shirt but I love this top from Forever 21, (sold out online, but very similar here.) It flows well over the baby bump and I love the accordion back.

• I saw this top on Impressions' online store and knew I needed it. It's long enough to cover the bump, so I just went up a size (to a medium) to ensure there was enough room for my, um, growing "girls". Get one now because they'll go fast!

Most looking forward to: Two things: 1) My mom (a.k.a. Caroline's Nanna) is coming up this weekend to stay all weekend and ALL next week while Stephen is in NYC for work! 2) My baby shower that Stephen's sister Sarah is hosting this weekend!

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Don't forget - there will be no Confessional Friday tomorrow, per our schedule. New fall schedule of topics will be announced at the end of the month, so stay tuned for that!

The "Loving Lately" List

Jamie from This Kind of Love always does this really fun link-up on Wednesdays where she tells about things she's loving - so fun! I thought I'd play along today with a few of my favorite things that I'm loving lately.

Behold, a little round-up of my favorite products of the moment! Some are wearable, some are shiny and sparkly, and some are guaranteed to make those undereye bags go away ; )

bareminerals® Well-Rested® Face & Eye Brightener  - here 

I am LOVING this miracle product from our friends at bareminerals! As most of y'all know, sleep isn't coming so easily lately. I've got a trick up my sleeve - err, rather, on my face - to help combat those pesky undereye bags and dark circles, and I think you'll love this stuff, too. Just a little dab under the eye and around the tops of the cheekbones and I look like I've gotten my eight hours.

Forever 21 Geometric Bib Necklace - here

This was a cheapy find from Forever 21, but I think it has a higher end look to it. I saw a similar style at a well-known online outlet for $200! This one is only $10. I call that smart. 

c.Booth Honey and Almond Body Butter - here

I'll be honest; I haven't spent a lot of money on special creams and oils for stretch marks, only because my OB said that if stretch marks are gonna happen, they're gonna happen. Instead, I've been slathering this stuff on after my shower and it makes my skin feel amazing! I also apply it to the bump twice daily and I've yet to see a stretch mark. See girls, cheap stuff works, too!

OCJ Collegiate Shorts - here

I've got an outfit post coming on these next week - and shot at a very special location - but in the mean time, I wanted to clue you in on these fun collegiate shorts from our friends at OCJ. There are tons of schools posted already, including those outside of the SEC, so be sure to check 'em out.

Maybelline Color Whisper lipstick in Mad for Magenta - here

This lipstick provides just enough color to wake up my face without being garish. It works well on a lot of different skin tones and is a lot more sheer than most lipsticks I've ever tried. You might like it, too!

What are you loving this week?

Pregnancy Observations: {3rd Trimester Edition}

With each milestone of this pregnancy comes a brand new batch of realizations. Here are some of my latest observations. 

Morning sickness isn’t exclusive to the a.m.

I guess I naively assumed that morning sickness would amount to heaving once a day in the a.m. When all-day sickness began rearing it’s ugly head around the five week mark, I quickly poo-poo’d my earlier theory. Nothing, I repeat, nothing could have prepared me for the sheer misery of pregnancy sickness. I was sick until about week 24, and it seems to have returned (though not as severely) during the past weekend…lovely. (I’ve heard that sometimes happens once the final stretch rolls around due to your stomach being so crowded??)

Is it worth it anyway? Of course. And I really would do it again in a heartbeat because I’m SO excited to see our babe! But don’t think these post-traumatic "sickness" memories won’t resurface the next time we conceive. I’ll be armed with my Zofran beforehand.

You will sort of go all emo.

Pregnancy hormones are real. And in that first trimester, I got to be well acquainted with my emo side. Y’all, it was like a hormonal 15-year-old at a Paramore concert. I cried at: sad TV shows, funny TV shows, the Weather Channel, Hallmark cards, the Banana Republic semi-annual clearance sale, when Ruby outgrew her first collar last March…you name it, it made me bawl.

You won’t have all those weird cravings.

I was prepared to have all kinds of obscure cravings during pregnancy, but honestly, my tastes didn’t change at all. Not saying it’s that way for every woman, but personally, I didn’t have affinities for any specific foods.  Sidenote: I’ve never been huge on sweets, but being with child made me loathe them for a bit. That was the only noticeable change.

You will feel a kindred, almost spiritual connection to other moms.

I can’t explain it, but it feels like you’re a member of a very cool club…the mom club. Moms are tough cookies. They’re also smart cookies, (i.e. they know a LOT of stuff about a lot of stuff.)

Big or small, petty or earth-shattering, I can ask my mom friends anything. For the times I needed to know where to get cute hair bows, (the trivial), or whenever my boobs started doing strange things (the bizarre), or when I had questions about finding a daycare for the babe (the serious), I could consult my mom friends on Twitter, FB and here.

I feel like the Karate Kid consulting my Sensei. “Teach me thy ways, master. I, too, want to learn this art you call motherhood.”

You will nest.
Nesting, ladies, is a real thing. And not only has it struck me, but it has also spread to Stephen. I've been cleaning and sorting like a mad woman lately, which I can only attribute to the babe's impending arrival. Whatever the case, I don't think our house has ever been as spotless as it is right now.

Any other mommas out there experience similar things?
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Sheaffer, the fabulous lady behind one of my favorite recent finds, Pinterest Told Me To, is having an amazing $365 Nordstrom giveaway to celebrate her blog's birthday. Be sure to check it out and read all the details here!

Citronic: {Outfit Pics feat. Maude}

Dress c/o Maude Boutique, bracelets via Groopdealz, belt via Target (very similar here), shoes by Sam & Libby for Target, purse by Louis Vuitton

Citron: the color of summer 2013. I had my reservations about wearing such a vibrant color, (especially since I'm fair skinned and blonde headed), but now I'm hooked. I recently wore this little citron number from Maude to my brother's wedding and loved how it looked in photos!

The color helps to make you look even more tan, (if you're like me and can use all the help you can get in that department), and the cut of the dress works so well with my nearly 31-week baby bump - bonus!

Don't forget that Maude also has a full line of baby and kids' clothing (Mini Maude) and a great home and gift store, which you can also purchase from online.

I have a sneaking feeling *hint, hint...wink, wink* that they'll be debuting some fun new pieces very soon for fall, so stay tuned to their website and Facebook page for the latest.

Also, if you have a sec, I'd appreciate your vote for a little color contest inspired by Dasani Drops! Vote here!