3 2 weeks pregnancy update

okay sooo, once again a post that's been long overdue.  i'm gonna just go ahead and blame it on the weather since it's been so crazy lately.... after all we did get home from our trip to Galveston literally a day before Harvey hit!  on that note-- a huge thank you to all of you that reached out to make sure we were safe, offered a place to stay, and prayed for us non-stop.  we are so blessed to live in a neighborhood that has good drainage and the only thing we can even "complain" about was the cabin fever.  after seeing what so many other people are going through, i will take cabin fever 1,000 times over again.  please keep those prayers coming for everyone that was greatly effected by the storm(s), i know they are appreciated 100%.

okay, on to our little, or not so little, updates!  at 32 weeks pregnant i'm feeling all the feels and so ready to be done.  but i also know i am so blessed to be able to carry this little life inside of me so i have to try my best to not complain (which is super difficult 🙈) about the temporary pains i'm going through...  let's just say compression socks are my accessory of umm, "choice" these days?  but really- the vein situation in my legs is just ridiculous and i'm super ready to feel normal again.  whatever that means.  also, when the doctor says she thinks you're measuring small you take that as a sign to eat alllll the chips & queso.  i mean, i'm doing it to help the baby bulk up, right?  at least that's what i'm telling myself.  and i'll just keep ignoring the fact that the scale IS going up despite the size of my stomach, which honestly seems huge to me and i'm willing to bet baby girl is gonna be right up there with her siblings weighing over 8lbs. and hardly even able to fit into newborn clothes. but i'll take any excuse i can get, someone pass me the chips....

-A

dress: similar || button down: similar

24 weeks pregnant & learning to relax

chambray button down: similar || denim maternity shorts: similar ASOS (shout out to awesome friends who loan you cute & perfect summer maternity clothes!:) || tank top: target || glasses: Oliver Peoples

well i am now 24 weeks along with this little pumpkin and she has really made an appearance this past week!  talkin' helloooww baby bump!  still no complaints over here excluding my bulging veins (which i briefly mentioned in my last post) in my legs which sometimes hurt quite a bit after being on my feet all day. so i've been trying to make more of an effort to sit down and prop my feet up, while wearing my ultra chic compression socks(!), a few times a day but i'm not gonna lie, it's hard.  and it's not just because of the two kids who come over immediately once they see me sit down demanding i hold one of them, play with the other and then continue to climb/kick all over me... this is how i imagine it goes in their heads-- "look! mom's sitting down! hey from this angle she looks like she'd make the perfect playground!  quick, lets go climb/beat up all over her!" thanks kids.. it's no biggie, really haha.

but honestly, i think too often i end up feeling guilty for taking just 5 minutes to myself sitting down and resting when i know there are SO many other things i need to/should get done instead.  and it doesn't help that once i'm actually sitting on the couch it makes me realize just how tired i actually feel, which then makes me realize i should make a coffee to get through the rest of the day and as i've mentioned before, it's a whole family affair when it comes to making mom's coffee... Sooo long story short, i'm working on letting myself rest more and telling myself that it's just as important as cleaning the kitchen, putting away the laundry and fetching individual snacks 1,000 times a day.  i think  i'm making some pretty big strides!  the other night i went to Aldi and got a large frozen pizza that we all had for dinner and didn't allow myself to feel one ounce of guilt about it.  i mean- i did steam some broccoli as a side so it wasn't totally unhealthy ;) but still-- little to no clean up, full bellies and time to relax/play after dinner with the kids was pretty perfect.  #itsthelittlethingsinlife

congratulations everyone, we made it through monday!  thank goodness for afternoon target trips which include coffee, cake pops & strolling the toy aisles with friends :) 

-A


*this post contains affiliate links which means by clicking these links i may receive a small commission on some items at no extra cost to you :) 

20 weeks pregnant & my daily fuel

helllooo 20 week baby bump! and woah, already half way done!!

dress (non-maternity): target

so i thought i'd start sharing some maternity style posts in the event that it inspires any other pregnant ladies out there that are struggling with dressing this new little (or not so little!) baby bump.  something i've learned since being pregnant now 3 times over: you do not have to sacrifice personal style when it comes to being pregnant.  it's all about what YOU like and what makes YOU feel beautiful.  after all, your body is doing something absolutely incredible--making a tiny little human life! but, i obviously know the shock of seeing the changes that happen to your body while this awesome process is going on.  it can be uncomfortable (if you're not there yet just wait, it'll happen ;) and sometimes even the teeny tiniest bit saddening (thanks hormones!) to see the way your new body looks.  but one thing to remember is that the whole process is SO worth it.  like 1,000 times over worth it.  or in my case, 3 times haha.  in the end, the only thing that matters is a healthy baby & a healthy mama. So on that note, lets get down to business!
("to defeat, the Huns!"--Mulan reference, i couldn't resist)

this sleeveless shirt dress is the perfect summer time maternity staple piece!  it's so lightweight & flowy, which is what I'm loving and basically living in right now (excluding my everyday morning/afternoon ensemble of workout shorts & tanks;)  due to scorching outdoor temps.  and I just love the simplicity of it, its one of those dresses that doesn't really need anything added to make it look complete.

mug: world market || heart pendant: similar

well, that's not totally true...  my only add-on would be a mug of espresso, or three, to make it 

through the rest of the day ;) 

happy weekend all! 

-A

life updates & new little personalities

oh my, it's been a while since my last post. A lonnngg while... I have plenty of excuses but will just chalk it up to everyday life around here-- keeping up with a 14month old, a 3 year old (how?!) and being 5months pregnant keeps me extra busy & extra tired!

so here's just a few life updates before I get on to doing regular posting:

-first & most importantly: we are SO excited to be welcoming another little life into our family come November!  Baby's due date is november 7th but will be a scheduled c-section so unless they come early it'll either be October 31st (boo!) or November 1st :) we still don't know the gender as of yet and I was leaning towards boy but now I'm feeling girl... which would be perfect cause we have plenty of girl clothes to pass down but Peter has basically destroyed all of his clothes already. #allboy.  really though, so far this has been an extremely easy pregnancy, which im so thankful for, and it would be awesome if it stayed that way!  now our next big decision is deciding what kind of car to upgrade to since my car will no longer be big enough for our little crew once baby comes.  Currently stuck between a mini van and a suburban... please feel free to recommend away haha!

⁃ Zo turned 3 years old on May 22nd and I'm kinda in denial about it.  we threw her a real birthday party this year cause she is birthday obsessed, so much so that she plays birthday party with herself all the time haha. it was such a fun day for all of us and she had an absolute blast!  will be posting
about it soon :)  it's so hard to believe how quickly she's growing up!  But honestly, we are loving this
stage of her life (so far haha)!  she's almost fully potty trained (which turned out to be waaay easier than we thought it would be!) she talks allll day long, loves singing & dancing, has taken a big interest in puzzles, the solar system and is obsessed with all things garden, floral & nature related.
and since the talking is basically 24/7 I've started keeping little notes of things she says cause they can be pretty hilarious sometimes, and I also want to have proof of these sassy little remakes to show her when she grows up ;) one of my all time faves (so far) was when my sister was visiting and we were chatting it up, like sisters do after not seeing each other for a while, and Zo apparently had enough of us and finally just blurts out "alright alright that's enough talking!" hahaha!  the girl is sassy but adorable, such a great combo ;)

the boy in his natural habitat

⁃ Peter Man (as his sister likes to call him) has developed quite the little personality too and he's not afraid to show it... Now, he's almost always smiling and just has the cutest little grin ever--unless you go outside without him, then he losses his little mind. no really, he screams and throws himself on the
floor cause he wants to get out so badly.  he'll stand by our back windows banging on them and yelling to go outside (in his own little language) and if you don't listen to him he'll go find some shoes to bring to you, even if they aren't yours or don't match, and repeatedly hold them up to you saying "dis (this) dis!" until you finally give in and take him outside even though it's already 90 degrees and humid as a rain forest.  I swear he'd live outside if he could. Like I said #allboy.  oh, and he still hasn't said "mama" yet. *eye roll*

That's about it for the "fun" life updates! we're over here bracing ourselves for the hot season that's already upon us and preparing to spend a lot of time playing in the pool, water table & sprinkler.  So bring on the heat, cause I've already stocked the freezer with multiple kinds of ice pops. Summer 2017, we're ready for you.

love,
amy

buy the rainboots

shopping for flowers.  as soon as she saw these she got so excited and yelled "tulips mommy!"

it's all clouds, rain & storms here these past couple of days.  but i honesty don't mind too much, it's been clearing up by late afternoon so we still manage to get out and enjoy the rest of the day.  Our rain boots are in constant rotation and zo couldn't be happier about that given all of the puddle splashing she's been able to do.  i think every toddler ( okay adults too) needs a pair of rain boots just for the sake of getting to splash in puddles.  Seriously- it's free (excluding the purchase of said rain boots), it tires them out and it's adorable to watch.  try to ignore how messy they get, just remember all of the mud and dirt will wash off, but the memories won't.  days like this make it so easy to give in to negativity, anger and impatience (raising my hand cause I am so guilty of this!).  that's when i watch the weather like a hawk, waiting for the clouds to part so we can throw on our boots and get to splashing all those feelings away.  so in the midst of any gloom or funk you might be in, i just want to encourage you to do the hard thing and try to find the brightness and light in your life that's being overcast or hidden by the clouds, metaphorically & physically.  and if you're in need of a stress reliever i highly recommend buying the rain boots and doing some hardcore puddle jumping, cause getting messy & dirty isn't just fun for kids ;)

and now-- some photos from this past week to add some sunshine to your day!

one of her fave puddles to date!

watercolor painting is one of our new go-to indoor activities that happens multiple times a day.  it 

keeps zo entertained for quite a while and i forgot how therapeutic it can be.  you'll never guess which side is mine ;)

look at those wrangler baby jeans!  this kid is growing up waaaay top fast, i can't believe he'll be a year old in a month!

like I said, adults need rain boots too.  These super cute lace up ones are from target!

I don't know where she gets her Starbucks addiction from... 

home goods was killing me with their beautiful pastel spring inspired displays all over the store, how gorgeous are those floral plates?! 

like I said, splashing in puddles is therapeutic....

I told you, the rain boots are on serious repeat over here.  also--is it okay that i'm ridiculously jealous of her natural highlights?... 

i mean, i had to get her the tulips after i saw how excited she was to see them! :) 

happy tuesday all!  hope you have a wonderful start to the new week, here's to making the best of it!

~Amy

early to bed early to rise

top: Francesca's similar, similar, similar, similar|| jeans: Francesca's || moccasins: Minnetonka || bracelet: Bela bracelets

fun little story to go with this weeks fashion post:  the other day i took my car in to get the oil changed.  took both kids with me and got there around 3:30, didn't end up leaving till about 4:45... yikes.  but, this car shop is nice y'all.  it has a cute little coffee station set up, iPads you can play on while you wait and the absolute best part?  they have a whole separate toy room that's closed off from the rest of the shop!  genius, right?!  why doesn't every store have one of those?? the kids LOVED it!  who ever thought that going to the auto shop would be fun for anyone, especially with kids?!  zo loved it so much she actually didn't want to leave once the car was finally done...  but back to my story-- as we're waiting one of the mechanics came in just to chat and as we got to talking about the kids he starts telling a story that has to do with his children.  he started it off with "so my wife and i are getting ready for bed it's like 10:30ish, oh and this is what happens by the way, you turn into an old person who can't stay up late anymore due to kids."  that's when i stopped him and was like "um don't wanna brag or anything but i was in bed by 9:30 last night..."  sooo basically if we were having a competition for who feels older/is in bed the earliest, clearly I won ;) #whatshappenedtome  #upallnight #notbychoice 

so anyways, enough bragging about my early bedtimes--On to this outfit!  i've clearly been on a Francesca's kick lately cause i feel like the only outfits i post these days are pieces from there...  

i love these grey washed destroyed jeans and guess what?  They're on sale for $14.99 right now!  highly recommend them.  i bought this top pretty recently but it must've been a hot seller cause it's unavailable now, I've linked a few similar options though. all of them would be perfect for valentines outfits, just sayin ;)  and these deerskin moccasins are seriously the most comfortable shoes ever.  i bought them years ago (like pre-kid, pre-married years ago) and they are still in great shape!  if you've been on the hunt for stylish & comfy moccasins i highly recommend this brand.  

happy Friday y'all!  Hope everyone has had a good week so far!  don't forget to subscribe (in the upper right hand corner!) to stay up to date on all of our recent posts & happenings! 

glasses: oliver peoples

I think the kids will happily go back to the car shop at any moment now....

~amy 

a lesson on staying humble

shirt: francesca's|| tank: target|| leggings: target|| shoes: keds

the day after thanksgiving we broke out the Christmas boxes and began the task of decking the halls, helllooo all things Christmassy!!  we have almost all of our decor up excluding the outside lights, we'll see if those ever make it up...  and it has actually been chilly this week! Our high tomorrow is only 56!  oh yes, we're gonna freeze ;) i did make it out black friday shopping with my sister and scored some pretty sweet deals, this shirt being one of my favorite items.  but first a little back story to give you a laugh-- 

the conversation I had with my sister thanksgiving night:

me- "so i'm thinking we'll get up around 6am and then leave shortly after we're done getting ready." 

sis- "okay sounds good!"

me- "sooo, are you gonna need me to wake you up or will you set an alarm?" 

sis- "oh no, i think i'll be fine just using my alarm.  no need to wake me up"

me-  "are you sure?..."

Sis- "haha yeah, i think i'll be okay"

Me- (thinking to myself, she wont be up that early;) "alright if you say so..."

fast forward to friday morning-- most of the night was spent dealing with both kids horrible sleep schedules (or lack thereof), woke up at one point and realized my phone was on my chest.  odd, put it on the nightstand and fell back asleep.  woke up a few hours later and checked my phone thinking it was super early-- nope, almost 7:00am!  kinda freaked out but then thought "eh, no big deal, sis probably isn't awake anyways." got up to go check, made it out to the living room and there she was-- almost 9 month pregnant woman all dressed and ready to go, passed out asleep on the couch.  i felt horrible.  especially because i was giving her such a hard time about getting up on time the night before.  it suddenly made sense why i woke up with my phone on my chest that night, i fell asleep as i was setting an alarm... sigh.  thanks for keeping me humble, Lord. ;)   

so, there's your daily dose of humor for the day.  on to better/comfier things! 

this shirt!  it is sooo soft and comfortable!  i could live in it, and i totally would if i didn't get food, drool and other such lovely things on my clothes on a daily basis (those are due to my kiddos, by the way, just wanted to clarify that.).  my absolute favorite part about this shirt is that it's totally nursing appropriate!  I love when i find normal & cute pieces that'll work for all of the different stages in my life.  my only complaint is that i couldn't find any other colors in my size, if i had i probably would've bought one of each... 

 i got these stirrup leggings from target a couple weeks ago and they're so fun!  my husband says it looks like i'm wearing two pairs of pants or leg warmers over my leggings but i don't care, i still like them!  they fit really well, have a fold down option around the waist and are perfect for working out or just everyday use.  

the shoes: I scored these keds for around $17.00 at our Stridrite due to the store closing, everything was 60% off!  i'm not sure if it's a nationwide thing or if it was just ours but if you have one near you it's worth checking out for sure!   i got zo some of the cutest litte Sperry duck boots, I figured with how much it rains out here she'll (hopefully!) get some good use out of them.  back to my shoes though-- these are super comfy and i wear them basically all day every day.  obvious moral of this post, the comfier the better.  

i hope everyone had a wonderful start to their December & the holiday season!  it's time for me to go change into pjs, make myself a Moscow mule and get to work on Christmas crafts/gifts. 

cheers! 

~amy

p.s
don't forget to subscribe (in the upper right hand corner) to stay up to date on all of our latest posts & happenings! 

what i'm thankful for

•quietish weekend mornings alone with peter while zo sleeps in with daddy.

•almond milk lattes with a splash of mocha kahlua.  why haven't i been starting my day like this every day?! #justkidding #orami 

•chilly fall like weather 

•sweaters, cardigans & layering.  but not for the reason you think.  peter's latest way to fall asleep is by gnawing on my shoulder with his newly debuted top & bottom teeth, all while yelling at the same time.  so i'm thankful for the protection the layers offer cause let me tell you, those teeth are sharp and they hurt! it also means i always have wet/stained spots on my shoulder sleeves too.  oh well, at least he's sleeping! 

•at home date nights.  sushi delivery & wine, while watching a movie (or the office for the 9th-ish time) is our go-to.  a new sushi place just opened up down the street from our neighborhood and we're big fans.  like gone 2 times in the span of 3 days fans. 

•wine 

•tissues.  cause both kiddos are sick and the runny noses are in full swing over here.  

•seeing the kids start to actually play together.  it's one of my new favorite things, catching these sweet moments of them bonding and starting a friendship together are memories i'll always treasure and be thankful for. 

•coffee.  lots of it. 

•getting a morning workout in while peter, surprisingly, slept in.  also-getting to eat a slow breakfast with just zo since he was still sleeping. 

•my sweet sister who took these adorable photos for us.

•all of our family members & friends.  we are so thankful for each and every one of you.

•my amazing husband who shows me every day how much he loves and cares for all of us.  i can't imagine this life without him, i'm so thankful i married my best friend.

•peter & zoey and the love i never knew was possible until i became their mother. 

•. i am so thankful for all that we have been blessed with in our lives, especially the mundane and every day moments that i all too often take for granted.  

•all of the above wouldn't be possible without my faith.  i am most thankful to Our Lord for His ever lasting love and for showing me that love on earth every day, especially through my little family. 

wishing you all the most wonderful thanksgiving. i pray that it is full of family, love, friends, togetherness and, of course, delicious food.  

happy thanksgiving!

~amy

parking it up

getting some outside time with the kids every day is a huge priority for me.  the sunshine & fresh air just do wonders for us.  we've been trying to hit up a lot of our local parks lately and we've found some pretty cool ones.  watching your kids explore & discover new things is so neat. we like to try and head to a park in the early morning, before it gets too warm later in the day.  

this is usually how i survive staying awake for playing ;)

watching a toddler play is like seeing the world in a different way.  they are discovering so much!  things you never really thought were a big deal are suddenly so amazing.  you find yourself being your child's own personal cheerleader when they (finally!) go down the slide by themselves, crawl through a tunnel or bring you a handful of random crap items they've found. 

if she can't find acorns, wood chips will do

 half of the time we go to a park Zo doesn't even play on the equipment--she collects acorns & rocks like they're going out of style.  she gets that from her dad for sure, haha.  We now have a jar in the guest bathroom (since that's where she goes to wash up after getting home) that holds all of her acorns; someday I'll get around to doing some nifty DIY craft with them... 

baby peter is also a huge fan of being outside.  as long as the weather isn't too warm, it's a win-win for all of us! i can't wait to see if he'll be the one with no fears or if he'll end up just like zo and want to spend the whole time finding "treasures" as she likes to call them.  he had his first swing ride a few weeks ago and absolutely loved it!  we're hoping the park that's near our house will someday put in swings.  until then he'll just hang out in the stroller with his personal fan, what's not to love about that?!   

 we can't wait for it to finally cool off around here so we can spend more time outside in the fresh air.  for now, we'll stick with mornings and just hope that it doesn't reach 90 degrees by 11am. 

 having to walk home is the hardest part for all of us.

i hope you're all having a wonderful week.  if not, step outside for just a few minutes and breathe in the fresh air.  its a real game changer.

~amy 

from playground to date night

after having kids your style is bound to change (unless you were all about leggings & t-shirts before. if so, good on you for always being comfortable).  i didn't realize how much mine would change till my daughter hit toddlerhood.  suddenly i went from strappy heels & cute dresses to tennis shoes & yoga pants as my daily go-to outfit.  not that i'm complaining, 'cause one style just so happens to be waaaaay more comfortable than the other and practicality is key for me nowadays.  trying to chase after my 2yr old while holding my 6 month old & wearing heels is like begging for a trip to the ER.  i can just imagine tripping and breaking my ankle.  although i'd probably be given orders to lay down & rest if that actually happened... hmmm.. #mamastired 

where was i going with all of this?  Oh yeah.  even though my style has changed i still try to keep my daily outfits to more than just a t-shit & leggings (who am i kidding, that's my usual look).  oh and in my opinion, as long as my top covers my bum, leggings count as pants.  so for this post i thought i'd share a simple way i took this outfit from "mom mode" to "date night mode" without having to change too much about it.  cause trying to pick out a whole new outfit at the end of the day is just too exhausting #mamastiredforreal 

i started with a casual look--black leggings, a summer sweater (cause it's still waaaay too hot for actual sweaters around here) over a gray tank & vans. this is a perfect playground outfit (where we spend most of our days) but also still stylish. 

sweater, loft(similar)  | tank top, target| leggings, target| shoes (well used haha), vans|

for our "family date night" (meaning we went to dinner with both kids in tow, which is still lots of fun!) i simply rolled my leggings a bit, changed my shoes from vans to cute ankle boots, teased & pinned my hair and added a wrap around watch to dress it up just a bit.  (I would've added a necklace as well but who am i kidding, peter would've ripped it off within a matter of seconds).  and that's it!  isn't it crazy how changing just a few small things can make such a difference?!  now i know that these booties do have a heel but since we were spending the majority of our time sitting in a restaurant i wasn't too worried about the possibility of an ER trip...  also, i'm really trying to pretend it's cold enough to wear boots around here!  

boots, top moda (similar) | watch, La Mer|

do you have any tips for taking your look from "mom mode" to "date mode"?  be sure to comment if you do & don't forget to subscribe by email to stay up to date on all of our recent happenings! 

happy friday!

~amy