Castle In The Sky

I'm not going to lie, it's been quite some time since I've put on makeup AND curled my hair.  I don't even want to admit when the last time I put lipstick on was.  I feel like laziness has gotten the best of me which I would never consider a good thing.  So I finally peeled myself off the couch and did myself up.  I don't know why I get into these ruts because it actually feels really nice!  Hopefully this will be my motivation to keep it up...

Pregnancy: Week 24

Is it just me or is this pregnancy taking forever?  I'm six months in and I'm already feeling antsy.  Don't get me wrong, I still feel great, but I'm getting bigger which just makes me feel so uncomfortable.  Turning from one side to the other in bed is starting to get difficult and you don't want to see me try and get out of my car.  It's insane how much a few extra pounds can change your daily routine.

While I still haven't had many terrible pregnancy symptoms, there is a definite difference in my body.  Cellulite made it's debut over the last few weeks, as well as varicose veins.  Thankfully tights weather is around the corner!  This month has also given me the joy of lower back pain.  A friend of mine gave me a pregnancy support brace which really helps when I'm on my feet all day.  So far I don't see any stretch marks which makes me happy (for now)!  I feel like things could be so much worse but I like to remind myself that this is all for the greater good of my baby.

Speaking of my baby, my little girl is doing great!  She's kind of a crazy one, moving around at all times of the day and night.  It's such a wonderful feeling to have her inside of me but sometimes she can kick me a little too hard.  My doctor finally confirmed she's a girl which makes me feel a million times better than last month.  Her heart looks great and we were able to see some 4D images of her.  So far she's looking a lot like Kevin with my nose and lips.  I just can't wait to see her in person!

In exactly one month I'm having my "friend" baby shower.  We decided to split our showers between our friends and family, mostly because the friend shower is also a housewarming party.  Since the showers will be coed (it's not all about me!), Kevin and I went together to register for our gifts.  We decided to go to Buy Buy Baby, which if one doesn't exist in your area, it's a Bed Bath & Beyond for baby stuff.  No really, they're owned by the same company.  It was completely overwhelming at first!  We ended up forgetting about a hundred different things.  I feel lucky to have so many friends with newborns who have guided me through this process and I eventually finished the list.  You never realize how much you'll need (and how much it costs) until you're already pregnant!

Well, this is the last update of my second trimester!  While it feels like baking this baby is taking forever, I'm also amazed that the end of the year is right around the corner.  Hopefully it's nothing but smooth sailing from here!

xoxo

Ashley

Flock Together: Florals in Fall

I'm blogging over at Flock Together today, so make sure to check out my take on Elana's floral print dress.  It's actually quite easy to take spring and summer prints into fall and I'm excited it was cool enough to layer this dress!  Click HERE to see my take and how the other ladies styled it too :)

xoxo

Ashley

Pregnancy: Maternity Staples

I've been meaning to do a post like this for quite some time.  I feel like most women go a little overboard when it comes to purchasing maternity clothing.  In my first trimester I bought three maternity dresses and at 25 weeks I've bought little else.  The reality is that most of my dresses still fit, and if you dress smart, you don't need to spend much for just a few months of wardrobe.  Here are a few of my maternity staples and all of them are for a woman on a budget!

Bodycon dresses:

Tight dresses was never a staple in my closet until after I was pregnant.  When your body changes so much you have a hard time feeling like yourself.  I realized that accentuating my new pregnant body actually made me feel much better than trying to hide my bump in drapes and layers.  This dress from ASOS is perfect for fall and it comes in many different lengths and colors.

Cute flat shoes:

As much as I love heels (and I really, really, do) I've pretty much retired them all.  Not only do your feet get swollen, but having to shove them into a narrow pump hurts them about ten times more than it used to.  That doesn't mean you have to break out the horribly ugly flip flops and Uggs though.  Ruche has a wonderful selection of cute and comfortable flats.  I picked these ones because I love the ankle strap and the price (30 bucks!).

Maternity jeans:

I'll admit, I don't wear jeans or even pants on a regular basis.  Or ever.  But my style has changed with my growing belly and I'm actually looking into a great pair of maternity jeans.  Since I'm due in January I figured one pair wouldn't set me back too much.  These jeans from ASOS are my pick because they sit low on the waist and they're a great "skinny" cut.

Belly band:

To those ladies who don't want to invest in maternity jeans and can still fit into their regular ones, a belly band is the perfect solution.  It allows you to keep your jeans unbuttoned and unzipped without exposing any unwanted areas.  I bought this exact belly band from Target, but I use it at work.  I had to up a size on my scrub bottoms but they're still much too large on my waist.  I put the belly band over my scrub pants and they fit perfectly!  Plus, it offers some support which is great when I'm standing all day.

Maternity tights:

I'm a huge tights person but I realize that all my tights won't be fitting me comfortably once I'm in the later stages of pregnancy.  These pregnancy tights from Old Navy are wonderful because they have an extra stretchy waistband and tummy area for that growing belly.

Every item that I've mentioned here is under fifty dollars and perfect small additions to your already fabulous pre pregnancy wardrobe.  You can still look gorgeous and feel comfortable as a pregnant woman on a budget!  Have any maternity staples that I haven't shared?  I'd love to know :)

xoxo

Ashley

Sail to the Moon

This has to be one of my favorite dresses, ever.  It's one of the only pre-pregnancy dresses that still feels completely comfortable with my baby bump.  I have it in both black and pink and I'm showing off Jessica's version in blue.  For a piece that's under fifty dollars, I'm surprised that the fabric is so heavy.  It works just fine in summer but it's nice and thick for the cooler months.  I just wish it came in even more colors, I would probably buy them all!