Maternity clothes

I am found myself in this in-between stage right now.  I am too big for most of my regular clothes (mostly my pants) but I am not yet big enough for maternity clothes.  My baby bump isn't even close to filling out the cute maternity dresses and tops.  Of course this doesn't stop me from trolling the online maternity sections from my favorite stores.  I've found that the Gap and Old Navy seems to have the best selection of basic and not too expensive maternity clothes... I may have placed 3 separate Gap orders in the last couple weeks... 

Then there are the stores that I can only dream about shopping at because they are so far out of my price-range it isn't even funny.  Case in point... Hatch.  Hatch has some of the most beautiful maternity clothes.  The one item I have been eyeing for years (seriously) is the jumper.

How cute is that?!?  You can add a colorful belt to accentuate the top of your bump too.  I can't decide between the black, capri green, navy or poppy... I guess I would lean towards navy... oh to dream.  The awesome part is that these clothes can be worn post-pregnancy as well which it nice considering the hefty price-tag.  I am a little skeptical of this though because I don't think most of the super drapey silhouettes will be terribly flattering on my regular body.

Dressing this new and ever-changing body of mine is certianly a challenge.  Though I am definitely not complaining about letting my stomach stick out... so liberating.  A few of the staples in my closet at the moment are:
1. Stretchy tanks (these Gap ones are amazing and definitely have lots of stretch in them)
2. Skirts with stretchy tops
3. Maternity shorts or pants with a demi panel (good for the just growing bump, I imagine a full panel would feel better on a bigger belly)

(tank, shorts, skirt)

Let's not forget about dresses either.  I see a lot of dresses of the short and maxi variety in my future!  Dresses seem to be the best article of clothing to transition seamlessly between regular body and bump body.  Anything with a empire waist will last a long long time.

To be honest it isn't easy to spend money on clothes you will only need for a short amount of time.  I am trying to focus on pieces that can be worn post-pregnancy and that aren't too expensive.  Seriously though the maternity shorts I just bought... I might wear these for the rest of my life.  They are like wearing real pants on the bottom and sweatpants on top, heaven!

Anyone have any maternity clothes wisdom they would like to share?

Dear Baby (18 weeks, 5 days)

Dear Baby,

I think I am feeling you move right now!  I am sitting at my desk at work and I swear I feel you moving.  Eek, is this it?  Am I finally starting to feel you?  This is so exciting!

We have been having a pretty exhausting time lately, haven't we?  Or maybe it's just me.  You must be going through a growth spurt and zapping all my energy.  I don't think the 90 degree heat wave we just had helped my energy levels at all either.  I am working on getting better at listening to my body and resting when I need to.  It is a hard adjustment though.  As your dad will say I am a "futzer."  I constantly move around the apartment cleaning things and putting things away.  For some reason I can't seem to sit still.  You are definitely making me slow down which is a good thing.  I've gotta be a little bit more respectful of my body's need to rest and relaxation... maybe I'll just make your dad do all the chores...

Only a week and a half till we find out if you are a he or a she and we can't wait!

I love you so much.

Love,
Mom

P.S.  Check out the new bed your dad and I just got... it's kinda awesome in all its king-sized glory.

Friday Flashback

I found a couple photos on my phone that I wanted to post so that they aren't forgotten.  A little Friday Flashback if you will.

 (pregnancy confirmed!)

 (a picture of the amniotic sac at our first dr. visit.... there is a teeny tiny baby in there!)

 (10 weeks old)

(10 weeks on in 3D... mind-blowing)

Pregnancy Update (18 weeks)

 (17 weeks, 6 days)

How far along: 18 weeks today!

Baby's size: Baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and weighs almost 7 ounces.

Boy or girl: We find out in just 2 weeks.

How am I feeling: Baby is definitely growing in there because I have been more tired than usual.  I had to take a nap last Sunday because I could hardly keep my eyes open (I never take naps).  Other than that I am feeling really good these days.

Maternity clothes: The time has come to retire all my pants.  I can still wear my jeans with the zipper unzipped and held together with a hair elastic but that still isn't very comfortable.  I have one pair of dress pants I can still squeeze in but I fear they are squishing baby too much.  I officially need to shop for maternity pants.  

Sleep: I have been sleeping pretty well until last night.  I am going to order myself a pregnancy pillow to sleep with because my tummy definitely needs the extra support.

Baby movement: I've thought I felt some movement the past couple nights while lying in bed but I can't be sure if it was the baby or just my imagination.  I think I will be feeling more definite movement really soon.

Food cravings: None. 

Food aversions: None.

What I miss: Wine... wine... wine.  I did have a small glass a couple weeks ago and while it was nice I didn't feel too sad about not being able to drink more of it (thank goodness).

Best moment: Feeling possible baby movement and having my belly pop out a little bit more.  Also checking out baby gear with Kev... shopping for baby stuff is really fun!

What I am looking forward to: Finding out if little Baby Fournie is a boy or a girl.

(17 weeks, 6 days)

For a New Mama... Skincare

During pregnancy and after your skin has to be a lot of stretching and shrinking.  As our tummies (and other more unfortunate body parts) expand I think it is extremely important to take care of your skin.  While a healthy/nutrient-dense pregnancy diet can seriously increase the elasticity of your skin (I'll do a post on this at some point) there are also plenty on skincare products out there to pamper yourself with.  Even before getting pregnant I made it a priority to use skincare products that were free of all the nasty chemicals such as phthalates, parabens and synthetic fragrances.  I will admit I am not always the best at dissecting ingredient lists but I do my best.  Now that I am pregnant it has become even more critical to watch what I put on my skin.  I really want to keep my chemical exposure to a minimum especially when it comes to something I slather all over myself every day.

(Pregnancy Essentials)

So, have you ever heard of Mama Mio?  This incredible company creates rich skincare products free from all nasty chemicals.  So far I have been using the Boob Tube and the Tummy Rub Butter.  The Boob Tube helps fight the affects of gravity on the girls and the Tummy Rub Butter increases the elasticity and suppleness of your skin to help prevent the dreaded stretch marks.  I am completely in love with both products. I also have the Pregnancy Essentials pictured above to take along traveling with me.  While these products are a little pricier than I would like I think they are worth the investment (you also don't have to use them every day).  I would highly recommend these product to any woman, pregnant or not.

 

(Left, Right) 

Another company that has caught my eye is Earth Mama Angel Baby.  I am very interested in trying out their postpartum products.  Wouldn't this Postpartum Recovery Essentials Bundle make the perfect gift for a new mama?  You could also go ahead and get this Birth & Baby Kit to cover all the essentials for the new mama and baby.  

(Bee Essentials Take Me Home Striped Basket - also comes in blue)

I have to mention Burt's Bees because I have been using their products for years.  I was just looking through the Burt's Bees Baby website and spotted many items I think would be lovely to use on this new baby of mine.  The lovely thing about Burt's Bees products is that they are available in most drugstores so there is no need to order them online, convenience is key. 

Lastly... coconut oil... the nectar of the gods, haha.  I use it as makeup remover and face moisturizer in the evenings.  It can be slathered all over your skin.  With its moisturizing and antimicrobial properties it truly has endless uses.  I would highly recommend that everyone have some in their bathroom and kitchen.  Just check out these 101 used for coconut oil and try and tell me it isn't the greatest thing ever.  Here is a great link breaking down how to choose what kind of coconut oil to buy.

The Most Precious Sound

At my midwife appointment on Monday I recorded the heartbeat so that Kevin could hear it when I got home.  Little Baby Fournie was doing quite a lot of back flips so it took us a little while to nail down a consistent heartbeat to record.  We definitely have an acrobat in there which the midwife says is a very good thing.  I just wish I could feel all the movement.... soon though, it will happen soon.  The big "flub" noise at the end of the video is baby acrobatics.   

Finally a Bump Photo!

(16 weeks, 2 days)

This photo was taken at Aubrey and Rob's wedding in Cleveland, OH this past weekend.  There is definitely some baby in that bump but it's also possible that it is mostly bread rolls and wedding cake.