6 Summer Accessories: Affordable way to look trendy this summer

Hey guys! I wanted to do a post on some really cute accessories for the remaining summer. These are easy ways to dress up your existing spring and summer pieces to make them a little more on-trend! If you are like me and love basics, this will help dress them up. Trendy things are hard for me to invest in, so it makes me feel better when I can spend a little less on things like this! Hope you enjoy :)

1 Dress: 5 Different Ways

Sorry for the lack of fashion-related posts lately! I think since I have been pregnant it's been so much harder for me to get creative because a lot of my clothes haven't been really fitting and I honestly don't really want to buy tons of maternity clothes that I am only going to wear temporarily (you guys know I am all about trying to have a more capsule/minimal base wardrobe and the fact that I will only wear maternity stuff for a few months is hard for me to justify!). However, I am at the point now where nothing really fits, but LUCKILY it is starting to get nice and warm out and I have recently picked up a couple of comfy jersey-knit dresses that are non-maternity and I know I can wear after I have the baby as well. I wanted to show you how you can take a simple, plain black dress and wear it with clothing pieces you probably already have in your wardrobe! I didn't have to purchase anything new to make this post, which is really great. The dress itself is a midi-dress I got from Ross for $9.99! I can't find it online, but I linked some really similar dresses that are super affordable. The midi-length is great because it shows a little bit of leg so you can see your shoes, but a lot more comfortable and flattering for me than a short dress since I am pregnant. I also am all about comfort, especially now that I am pregnant and already feel uncomfortable at this point. I wanted to keep these outfits nice and comfy! I hope you enjoy!

Pregnancy Update: Weeks 31-33

Baby month is next month! I have a doctor's appointment this week with my doctor (last one was with a midwife) and I want to confirm this, but the midwife told me because of my gestational diabetes they usually don't let you go past your due date. So, since my due date is June 30th, I won't be having a July baby. I had an appointment at 32 weeks and then I will have another at 34 and 36, then every week until the baby comes! That's what he had told me before I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and since I haven't seen my actual OB since then, I am not sure if that is going to change. The midwife said we will talk about that at my next appointment. At my 32 week appointment it was pretty quick and easy, I had to bring my log of all the food I have been eating and what my blood sugar has been over the past few weeks and they scan that in for their records. She said I have been doing great and there is no need for further intervention at this point! Which is really great to hear because I have been working really hard to keep my blood sugar low and have been passing up all of the delicious foods that I have been wanting! They checked the baby's heart rate, which is always so relieving to hear. It usually is around 140 or so. They measured me to make sure baby was growing correctly (I still don't get how this really tells you lol) and just asked if I had any questions. Another exciting thing that we did over the past few weeks is get another 3D/4D Ultrasound! We went and did this at an imaging place at week 14 to find out what we were having and she told us it is really cool to come back around weeks 28-32 (when the baby is looking close to what it does at birth, but still has enough room to move around so you can actually see everything). So, we went last weekend and it was honestly the coolest thing! We got to see our baby boy and his chubby cheeks and HAIR. She said she was actually surprised at how much hair he already has considering I still had 8 weeks left at the time. So weird, I never would have imagined us to have a baby with lots of hair hah! I wonder what color it will be!

As far as symptoms go, nothing really new. Honestly, I have been so blessed to have a pretty great pregnancy and still have been enjoying it for the most part. There are hard parts about it, but I just feel so lucky to even be able to become pregnant that I try not to focus on the bad so much. Seeing your body change and get bigger is always a hard thing for a woman, I think, but it's only temporary and you get the greatest gift out of it. It's definitely getting a lot harder to workout (OMG the motivation is really lacking here), move around and pick up things off of the ground. I have been taking a nap almost every day when I get home from work, and then after that I go straight to working out because it seems to be the only thing that gives me a boost of energy so I can actually get stuff done around the house. Shaving my legs or putting any kind lotion or anything on them is really awkward. My stomach feels like it can't stretch anymore and is as hard as a rock. It changes shape all the time when I move around and stuff and I can really feel different limbs and body parts of the baby! I woke up yesterday from my nap and it looked so weird I had this giant bulge on one side and not on the other. I was slacking with any kind of stretch mark butter or lotion over the past few months, but I have started to ramp it up because of how much I can feel it stretching. My belly button officially looks weird, too. I am wondering if it will ever go back to it's original state haha. I can see the linea negra now when I look in the mirror (no way I can see anything below my belly button without a mirror at this point), but I think it looks extra visible because I am so dang white! I haven't had any near-fainting experiences since I have been tracking my blood sugar, which is awesome! I have pretty much nailed down what I can and can't eat and eat mainly the same thing every day just to keep everything in check. I am really running out of things to wear as before I could get away with all of my tops, now they just look stupid because they stick out at the bottom. I bought a couple of maternity basic tees and tanks to layer underneath stuff and that seems to be the best! I like the stuff that doesn't have ruching (that looks so weird, but I googled it and it said that's how you spell it lol) on the sides because I know I can wear it postpartum as well; and I think it just looks more seamless. Also, since it is starting to get nice outside I can start to wear dresses, which are so much more comfortable than jeans! I went to Ross recently and found a bunch of really simple, soft, non-maternity dresses that I LOVE and were so inexpensive (like $9-13). I really like the midi and maxi lengths, I find them the most flattering! Again, I know I can wear them after the baby too, so I don't mind buying them. I'll link a couple of cute and affordable ones below! Also, I had my first two strangers mention that I was pregnant! I know this sounds stupid, but I was so excited. I was in my work uniform and the shirt is skin tight so it's kind of hard not to notice haha. They were both so sweet and cute though, it made it seem really real!

I also had my baby shower and maternity photos at week 31! My sisters and Mom threw me a shower over in my hometown and it was soooo perfect! I will do a blogpost with pictures and details about it after my sister gets done editing them. Also, if you need a photographer my sister is seriously amazing! Not just saying that! Check out her photography instagram @jennifernoellephotography . She has the best style and makes awkward people (me) feel really comfortable and basically tells you what to do! I only have a few things left to purchase for the baby and would love if anyone has any last recommendations :)

Pregnancy Update: Weeks 29-30, Gestational Diabetes?

Hey guys! Less than ten weeks left! I wanted to update you guys on whats been going on and how I have been feeling the past few weeks. First, as you can tell by the title, I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. I never thought I would get it. I have been being cautious of what I have been eating for the most part throughout my pregnancy, with some crackers or a treat here and there and I have been exercising at least 5 times a week throughout my entire 2nd trimester and into my third! So, I was really bummed when I failed the 3-hour glucose test. Last time I updated you guys I was waiting to go back for the 3-hour. I went this last week and honestly it was really bad. Not the drink or anything, but I felt TERRIBLE throughout it and almost threw up and passed out multiple times because I felt so awful. I kind of had a feeling I wasn't reacting well to it and might not pass just based on how I felt the whole time. I mentioned before too, I have had multiple times at work where I just feel really light-headed and weak and then all of the sudden will get really nauseous, sweaty and my brain just can't focus on anything. They called me the day after the test and told me my levels were elevated for 2 out of the 4 blood draws (they draw your blood fasted, then an hour after the drink, then another hour after the drink, then another hour later). So, because it was elevated for more than one, they consider me to have Gestational Diabetes. The good thing is that at least now I KNOW what was going on with me recently and have an answer as to why I have been feeling so bad, plus I only have 10 weeks left so I know I can do it! They scheduled me with a registered dietician a few days ago and she taught me how to change my diet and check my blood glucose levels 4 times a day (just like a diabetic...prick your finger, log your food, the whole 9-yards) and I have to bring my log into all of my appointments so they can check to see if my levels were okay. I have my next appointment in a little less than 2 weeks and I think they start monitoring with ultrasounds at that point. I honestly felt like a failure finding all of this out, but after talking to the dietician, she explained it to me that sometimes you really just can't control having it. She was explaining that your placenta produces all of these extra hormones and they can attack your insulin, leaving extra sugar in your blood stream. I didn't really think I was eating that many carbs, but after a full day of tracking I realized there are certain foods that just spike my blood sugar so at least this way I am monitoring and trying to not make that happen! As far as my bump goes, I feel like it is getting bigger everyday! I still have yet to have a stranger ask if I am pregnant though, which is so hard for me to believe! But, maybe people are just scared to say the wrong thing :) It's getting a lot more uncomfortable to sit straight up in a chair, that is probably the worst position for me to be in, which makes me get kind of antsy at work. Sleeping is going well, no complaints besides my dog waking me up at 4-5 am every morning. I still make my pillow fort with pillows on either side of me to make sure I don't sleep on my stomach and that really seems to help and be comfortable! Still feeling the baby move around mostly at night and in the morning when I am laying down in bed. The movements are seriously the best feelings ever and make it seem so real! I need to make a checklist this week of all of things I need to get done before the baby comes, just because it is really coming up quickly! I wasn't going to do a birth class, but after really thinking about it and looking into it I think it would be a really good idea and I know they teach you more than just birthing. I am going to look into that and a hospital tour the next few weeks. I also have my baby shower this next weekend, which I am so excited about seeing all of my friends and family. That is one of the hardest things is living so far away from all of them, so I am really looking forward to it. The baby's room is really coming along and I will post pictures once it is finished! We got our rocker this last week so now all we really need is an ottoman, some wall decor and a few baskets to organize some stuff and we will be set! It is sooo cute I can't wait to post pictures of what it looks like done :) I LOVE home decor and furnishing rooms so this has been so fun for me to have an excuse to do so! That's pretty much it as far as an update goes! Talk to you guys soon :)

Spring Transitional Must-Have: Sheer duster

Hey guys! I wanted to share one of my most favorite recent wardrobe purchases: the sheer duster. It's still pretty cold here where I live, so I pretty much freeze outside with just this on, but I know I am going to get so much use this spring and even summer and fall with these two pieces. I picked up mine from Forever 21 in black and taupe (exact linked below, but taupe is sold out online right now so check in stores). I have a pretty monochromatic wardrobe, so I knew these two would be able to mix and match with almost everything I own. Since I am currently 29 weeks pregnant, I also knew that these would be awesome with dresses in the spring before I have the baby! I think one of the cutest outfits for spring is a tight, body con dress with one of these over the top! I also think it would look super cute with denim cutoffs and booties for more of a boho look. Check out some of the ones I linked below :)

Pregnancy Update: Weeks 26-28

 Hey guys! So, I started to actually feel "pregnant" over the past few weeks. My bump is definitely stretching and growing bigger and I am feeling all of the lovely side effects of that :) I started to feel baby move all the time and can definitely see the movements from the outside too now, which is really cool! I am currently 28 weeks right now and I actually think the movements have decreased a little since last week, which I read is normal because there isn't as much room right now. At 26 weeks I swear I could actually feel a limb or hand/foot once when I put my hand on my lower stomach, which was really cool/weird! I feel most of the movements pretty low still and I feel some pressure like I can feel him turning around below my belly button too. At 26 weeks he was the size of a butternut squash and now at 28 weeks a coconut (according to my personal favorite app, Ovia pregnancy). I can't believe he's that big, so crazy! It also says at 28 weeks he is about 16 inches long and weighs about 2.5 lbs!! How exciting! Little tasks like putting on my shoes, bending over to pick up things off the floor, shaving my legs, etc. have all become so much harder over the past few weeks, but I know I am just in the beginning for that! Still have a ways to go! Last week (27 weeks) was Easter and I think I overdid it with the Easter candy. I have actually been really good at not eating too many sweets until the last month or so, which is weird for me because I always have such a sweet tooth. I went to work on Tuesday of last week and felt really off. I got really light-headed and dizzy and started to get the sweats and feel like I was going to throw up so I had to lay down & ended up having my husband come pick me up. I called my OBGYN office and they said I should come in. I went in and they checked the baby's heart beat and everything looked fine, but they said they were worried I was maybe not getting enough protein and that it was possibly my blood sugar being off. I was supposed to come back two days later for my 28 week appointment and glucose test and they said I should wait until then to do the glucose test since it does tend to make people feel a little off anyways. That morning I had eaten a breakfast of literally all carbs, and the midwife said your body metabolizes carbs so much faster during pregnancy so to make sure I am getting protein in with every meal. I went home and coincidently think I got the flu because I was in bed for the rest of the day, plus the day after with the chills, nausea and a fever. I forgot to mention too, the night before I kept waking up every hour or so with the worst back pain and could not get comfortable for the life of me! They said this was probably just because my back is arching more with my belly growing and to try stretching and pre-natal yoga (I have yet to try it because it actually went away, but I want to start adding that into my workouts for sure!). I went in 2 days later for my glucose test and 28 week appointment with my doctor and the appointment went great, it was super short and easy. He said he will see me for one more monthly appointment at 32 weeks then 2x a week until 36 weeks, then once a week until the baby comes! So exciting :) The glucose test: definitely tasted way better than I expected; I picked orange and it tasted like flat orange crush to me! It was really cold and also really tiny. I didn't feel sick or shaky or anything after I drank it and just waited the hour before I got my blood drawn. For anyone that doesn't know what I am talking about: they have you drink a high-sugary drink quickly and then after an hour they draw your blood to test for gestational diabetes, as well as a few other tests I think. They called me the next day and said I failed the test (I was super bummed and felt a little defeated, but I know that it doesn't mean I for sure have it, I just have to go back in a week to do a 3 hour test and then they will let me know). I am hoping that I just overdid it with the Easter candy the previous days. They also told me I am anemic and need to up my iron intake, which I have read is pretty common for pregnancy as well. I will keep you guys updated on this in my next post! As far as working out: I have kept up about 5 times a week doing a workout in my basement (nothing crazy, but 20 minutes on my elliptical and some light weights and it really makes me feel so much more energized and keeps my endorphins up for sure :)) My mom came this weekend and totally cleaned out the nursery so it actually looks like a baby's room now! I was so thankful she came and helped with that because it was making me a little stressed out. It still isn't done, but the dresser and crib are the only pieces of furniture in there now (before it was a dressing room kind of for myself) and we purchased a super cute rug at Home Goods for $59 yesterday and it fits perfectly! Now, we just need the rocker and some few other little pieces and we will be good to go! I also started working on my registry since my shower is coming up in a few weeks. That has been a little overwhelming because there are sooo many things! I don't know where to start, but if you have any recommendations please let me know :) Another thing, any stroller or carseat recommendations are totally welcomed! We are wanting to buy ours next month. I am linking some of my favorite affordable baby clothes that I have recently picked up because I have had a few messages asking where I have found everything! That's pretty much it for the past few weeks, though. Thanks for reading! ;)

Pregnancy Update: Weeks 22-25

Sorry for the delay! I feel like not much has been changing over 2 weeks so I went out an extra week and I am now 25 weeks pregnant! I'll update you guys on how I have been feeling between 22 weeks until now. At exactly 22 weeks my husband felt the baby kick for the first time!! Soooo exciting. It was so cool seeing how excited he was. I think it must be hard for guys because they don't get to experience any of the symptoms (both good and bad) so they don't get as much of that connection, so this was really exciting for him and made it seem so much more real! Now he feels him all the time. I have noticed some patterns in when I feel him move around: he goes crazy when I use my BabyPlus (see last post to see what I am talking about), after I eat, and whenever I am sitting or laying down still. When I am moving around and super busy I don't really feel him and I read that it can be because they are almost getting rocked to sleep by your movement. Makes sense if that's true! I also started about a week ago to see his kicks from the outside of my stomach. I hear people talk about their babies having hiccups...how do you know if your baby does? One of my apps told me to be on the lookout, but I have no idea what to look for haha. It took me long enough to even realize he was kicking :) I also had my 6 month appointment, which was super quick and easy. They did the normal pee in a cup, weight, blood pressure, asked if I had any questions, listened to the heart beat and measured my fundal height (it supposedly measures to see if baby is growing normally in size since they don't do ultrasounds). Everything went great, so I felt very thankful! Every appointment I seriously get so thankful to be at this point, it's unreal! I finally started to feel tired and have been lacking motivation for sure. The only thing that gives me energy is surprisingly working out, so I have been working out at night actually and it seems to give me the motivation after to do laundry and clean the kitchen, even pack my lunch sometimes (shocker for me haha). I started to feel like my belly is getting big finally too (I know this is just the beginning and haven't seen anything yet). I finally bought some maternity work pants after I ripped a hole in the butt of my regular ones haha! I looked everywhere and was so sad they had absolutely no maternity sections at all at so many stores! I ended up getting them at Motherhood Maternity and they feel like pajamas they were so worth it! Probably over the past 2 weeks I have gotten an EXTREMELY huge appetite and mostly for sweets! This is brand new as I had a major sweet tooth before I was pregnant, but since about 6 weeks I haven't craved chocolate or anything sweet (besides fruit). I also had a couple of decaf coffees from the coffee stand/Starbucks, which I wasn't craving before at all either, but I shortly regretted those after my face broke out terribly! Before I was pregnant I stopped drinking coffee because it was making my skin break out so bad and I don't know why I thought it would be different now, but it's been about 2 weeks and they are still there! We got our crib and dresser for the baby's room! So exciting! I now need to fully clean out everything in that room. I am lucky enough that my parents got the crib and dresser for us (so thankful for them!) and I couldn't be more happy at how pretty they are, I can't wait to share! We are pretty set on a name, but I think we will probably wait until he's here to finalize it...I don't know though maybe not because we don't have any backups (boy names are soooo hard!). I am sharing my favorite maternity jeans below, I have been wearing them nonstop! Get a size down from your regular size and I highly recommend the crossover panel compared to the stretchy sides. I have one pair with just the stretchy sides and I honestly can't stand them I can pull them on without unbuttoning the and I feel like I always have my underwear hanging out and I feel like I have a 24/7 muffin top (way too big in the waist and I got the smallest size). The over the belly panel just kind of holds everything in! Plus, I always preferred high-waisted pants prior to being pregnant.