Something Borrowed

Happy Tuesday!!

I am sooo excited because I just switched from a doctor to a midwife (yes, at 29 weeks), and my first appointment is this morning. I'll do a blog post on why I decided to switch sometime this week (if I can remember).

ANYWAY. I'm also excited because it's the last Tuesday of the month, and you know what that means.... BOOK CLUB!!! Yes, I have been an extremely crappy blogger for the past couple months, so you probably had no idea that today was book club day. Oh, well. I'll get better about things as soon as this baby (and work) are no longer consuming my life.

The book for this month was Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin. Of course this review contains what could be considered spoilers. I have a big mouth, yo!

What I thought: 

I freakin' loved it. Really. I was a little shocked that I was sitting there cheering for a relationship that was borderline adulterous, but you know what? It was true love. I mean, the wedding did eventually get called off, so it's all good, right? Because if they end up together and no one was ever married it's not that bad, is it? At least in the world of literature, where nothing is really real, anyway? Okay, I'll stop trying to rationalize.

But seriously - I hated Darcy. I wanted to punch her in her self-absorbed, spoiled little face. What. A. Beep.  I was sooo happy when she ended up alone - she totally deserved it. But here is where I tell you that you need to read the sequel (Something Blue). You might hate her a little less after that.

The Verdict: 

I give this book an A. Sure, it got a little borderline with the whole almost-but-not-quite-adulterous relationship, but I loved it. Emily Giffin's writing style is pretty awesome, and while this was clearly a book written for women, it didn't feel like dumbed down chic lit. I'd read it again, I liked it enough to read the sequel (which I also love and whole-heartedly recommend), and I liked it enough to check out some of Emily Giffin's other work.

Did you/have you read it? What did you think? Link up your review below! 

Concerning book club for March: I believe we totally spaced this one - I'll get with Kaylee and Kim and see what the plan is and let you guys know ASAP! Oops!

Oops.

Soooo I forgot about Sunday Confessions this week. And it's 2:00 in the morning and I don't feel like writing any. Sorry guys! Promise I'll be back on track next week.


Growing babies makes you forget stuff.

I'm too Lazy to Title this Post

Happy Hump Day... only a few hours late!!! 

As previously stated... I'm doing this maternity "fashion" thing where I avoid wearing maternity clothing for as long as humanly possible. So far, so good. So... here we go - week two of this thing. You can see last week's feeble attempt at fashion here. 

Photos taken at 27.5 weeks: 

shirt target scarf f21 leggings gordmans boots gojane leg warmers german store

NOTE: These are maternity leggings. They are a staple in any pregnant woman's wardrobe, and probably one of the only items of maternity clothing I will ever tell you you have to have. They are $20, which is pricey in my books, but holy moly, they are soooo worth every penny. 

Now for the tip of the day - flowy shirts and tunics. Last week, it was all about flowy skirts hiked up to your boobs, but let's not underestimate the value of a cheapo shirt, okay? This shirt was $3 from Target on clearance, and no - not in the maternity section. When your belly is too big for all your "baggy" pre-pregnancy shirts, turn to your pre-pregnancy tunics and wear them as shirts. I'm willing to bet that this tunic will get me to about 35 weeks. I'll let you know. 

Pros: The leggings. And the tunic. And the scarf. And EVERYTHING! I honestly was so comfy in this outfit that I have no complaints. None. And I got tons of compliments on that cheapy shirt. Win/win/win. 

Linking up here. 

Sunday Confessions Link Up

Hola!! 

I'm sure by now you all know how this works - grab a button and link on up.
  <center> <a href="http://itsalyx.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6701442513_4c7153a301.jpg" width="200" height="200" /></a></center> 1. I've got nothin'. Honestly. This week has just been insane, and I am too tired to even attempt to think of something to blog about. How do people do it? Work full time, blog full time, and have time to respond to emails and everything without putting their husbands and family second? I mean, lately just work and other real world obligations have kept me from having any time at the computer. It's just too much. 

What do you have to confess this week?

Is that Leopard Print? Rawr.

Hey Guys!!! 

So I am working on composing a part 4 for my "What to Expect" series, but, because it's going to be all about dressing a huge prego belly, I figure I should get a little bit more experience with that before I share my infinite wisdom with you all (yes, that whole "infinite wisdom" thing was sarcastic).

While I'm off growing a huge belly and getting frustrated beyond belief trying to clothe myself, I wanted to document some of the maternity outfits that have (and have not) worked for me. Unless otherwise noted, I am not wearing maternity clothing. I have made it a goal to get through this pregnancy without buying an entire closetful of maternity clothing.

I'm doing this in the hopes that I can help myself and others find ways to still look halfway decent while feeling like a beached whale without spending hundreds of dollars on stretchy shirts and granny jeans.

If there's a piece that I've worn on the blog pre-pregnancy, I will have a link to that post to show how versatile different items in your closet can be.

So without further ado... Here's outfit numero uno (worn at 26 weeks, six days).

shirt TJ Maxx cardigan ?? skirt&belt F21 (also worn pre-pregnancy here) shoes four star bag Gordman's

It's pretty obvious that this is not an "I'm going to go run errands all day" outfit; instead, it's something nice to wear to work or church.

Pros: The fact that my skirt is pulled up above my bump hides the fact that my shirt is too small to cover my belly. If you have "flowy" skirts with elastic waistbands, use them to your advantage! Pull those puppies up to your boobs, slap on a belt, and call it good - it accentuates your bump and hides the fact that your normal clothes are too small. WIN.

Cons: After being on my feet for a couple of hours, I was done with those shoes. I wouldn't mind wearing them if I was just going to sit all day, but I would definitely take a pass on the four inch heels if you're going to be standing for more than an hour or two (can I get a DUH from all you ladies out there? thanks).

The Verdict: I'd wear this again... and again... and again. This outfit was extremely comfortable - I didn't feel restricted in my own movement at all and baby had plenty of room to move around. I felt a little less like a beached whale and a little more like a hot mama-to-be.

**linking up here.

Why You Shouldn't be Scared of Pregnancy (What to Expect Part 4)

Happy Monday!!! 

As I've been going through my "What to Expect..." series on this here blog, I find that these ... umm... beautiful... parts of pregnancy have made quite a few of you turn your heads in disgust and say things like, "I AM NEVER HAVING CHILDREN!!" While I understand that most of you are probably exaggerating and telling bold-faced lies, I thought I'd dedicate a post to all of the cool things about growing a little human inside your belly (because, yes... there are some things better than hemorrhoids and constant bloating).

So here we go... This is Part 4 of "What to Expect When You're Expecting (an extremely condensed and not at all accurate Representation of Pregnancy)," also known as: The totally awesome Things about Growing Aliens."

This post is not intended to make you all go grab your man friends and get busy, but by all means, if my little baby has some cute little bloggy buddies, I wouldn't be opposed. Heh.

5 Reasons Pregnancy is Pretty Cool

1. Watching your belly get bigger. Some women are not okay with this - some are even disgusted by it. I, for one, love it. If you follow me on instagram, you probably think I'm a little too into watching my belly grow (I have like, 4 belly photos a week... I can't help it). I just think it's so amazing to watch my body change into a baby house. Do I love the fact that I feel like a chunk some days? No, but I'm turning into a chunk so that my baby can be a chunk, and that's pretty freakin' sweet.

2. Hearing your baby's heartbeat. This is, by far, the most amazing thing about pregnancy. I still remember the first time I heard our little girl's heartbeat - I burst into tears. That thing inside of you? Yeah, it's got a heart, and the heart is thumping away, keeping your little one alive. I love hearing her heart at every doctor's appointment - it makes the whole growing a human thing seem a little more "real."

3. Getting kicked, punched, and jabbed. Again, some people probably think I'm crazy, but I love being ninja-jumped by my little girl. It shows me that she's in there preparing to kick some butt in this crazy world that she's about to enter.

4. Learning your baby's personality. Even in the womb, babies can be stubborn little things with their very own distinct personalities. My baby is a daddy's girl through and through - the second she hears her daddy's voice after I get home from work, she goes crazy. She loves music, but only certain kinds. If I do something she doesn't like, she gives me a swift kick to the uterus to let me know. It's crazy how you can have such a strong connection with a little thing you've never even met.

5. Creating a mini-me. You're spending nine months forming a perfect little human being. No one can tell me that this process is not a miracle. It's so amazing that this little baby is growing eyelashes, fingernails, and toenails... all while inside of you. Our bodies are made for this, and it's a perfect process - one that is worth every negative side effect of pregnancy. And I've heard that once you've got that little baby in your arms, you forget all of the pain. I, for one, cannot wait for that - not only now, but again in a few years... and a couple years after that.

Look at those long legs... she's obviously a mini-me. :)

It's your turn. If you're a mom/mom-to be, what was/is your favorite part of pregnancy? If not, is there any part of pregnancy that you are looking forward to? 

Sunday Confessions Link Up

Happy Sunday! 

I'm sure that, by now, you all know how this thing works - grab a button, write something juicy, and link up your post here. Be sure to check out some of the other posts and make new friends!
  <center> <a href="http://itsalyx.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6701442513_4c7153a301.jpg" width="200" height="200" /></a></center> 1. I have had a Sam's Club hot dog every Saturday for the past three weeks. Those things are freaking delicious, and we just can't resist - it's like they call our names as we are standing in the check-out line.

2. I have an unhealthy attachment to a lamp from college. I've had this lamp for the past six years, and even though it's a piece of crap and lightbulbs are constantly burning out, I can't bring myself to let Mike throw it away (and believe me, he's tried).

3. I bought three tubs of ice cream and a big bag of popsicles yesterday. 'Nuff said.

4. I hate bras. I think they are super uncomfortable and the person who came up with them should be punched in the face. I actually used to skip the bra about 50% of the time when I was in high school. Oh, to be flat-chested again.

5. I think the smell of marshmallows is absolutely disgusting. It could be because of my super awesome sniffing powers that have come to me because of pregnancy, but I almost puked when I walked down the marshmallow aisle at Wal-Mart. Ugh.

What do you have to confess? 

If I....

Planned a Midwest blogger weekend for this summer, would you come? I'm thinking Kansas City. Anyone? If you are in the Midwest or know another blogger who is, let me know if there is interest and we will get this thing planned!


Note how excited this makes me.

Sunday Confessions Link Up

Hey there, hi there, ho there! 

You all know how it goes - grab a button and link on up!
  <center> <a href="http://itsalyx.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6701442513_4c7153a301.jpg" width="200" height="200" /></a></center> 1. I didn't blog at all yesterday. Saturdays are usually my blogging day, but that totally went out the window (so obviously I haven't had the chance to read blogs... sorry!). Instead of sitting at my computer for three hours, I deep cleaned my kitchen, living room, and bedroom. Like, I even wiped down the top of my refrigerator and dusted the ceiling fan.

2. I normally don't care about the superbowl. But... this year the 49ers are playing, and my parents are huge 49ers fans, so I may watch.

3. I'm obsessed with bulk shopping. So much so that I bought a 3,000 ft roll of seran wrap. It will probably last us 20 years, so hopefully it's decent.

4. I didn't get to read at all this week! I think I was able to read maybe 200 pages of my book. This is no bueno, considering in a "normal" week I finish two or three!

5. I'm worried, terrified, anxious, and nervous about what's to come. I've thought a lot about what life will be like in a few months when we have our little girl at home. I am so nervous about all the additional expenses, and my job barely covers us now. The financial aspect of things is just really starting to worry me. I know deep down that, while it may be difficult, it will all be okay, but that doesn't mean I'm not worried now! It's a good thing we learned hardcore how to budget while we were in Germany.

What do you have to confess?