This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #NudgeThemBack #CollectiveBias

Ryan bought me my first puppy for our first Christmas together. We had talked about getting a small dog and found a breeder who had just had a liter of Maltipoos the day before we were married. Ryan contacted her and surprised me with her on Christmas eve. I instantly named her “Pippa.” Why? Because I love the royals and thought that Pippa was the perfect name for this spunky little ball of fur.

Pippa has always been a very loyal and loving dog. She is extremely cuddly and has bad anxiety when we leave her at home. During my pregnancy with Hampton, she laid beside me all the time. This pregnancy has been no different. She is always by my side, even when I go to the bathroom, she follows. Yes, she has prepared me well for parenthood.

Because of her loyal nature, I am always trying to give back to her when I can. Whether it be through a tummy rub, a snuggle or the perfect treat, she deserves the very best. When I was at Walmart the other day, I happened to pick up a few of the new Nudges® Grillers and Sizzlers dog treats. With the new baby on the way, I know she will be going through a lot of changes and adjustments over the next couple of weeks. I did not want to leave her out by not doing anything special for her. These delicious treats are made in the USA with real meat as the #1 ingredient. They offer great nutrition for our sweet girl and they are very flavorful. She loves them so much that I just may have to go get her some of the new jerky cuts! 

Be sure to check out all the new flavors at nudgesdogtreats.com and check them out on Facebook!

Do you have a dog? What do you do to give back to your loyal friend?

Check out the Huggies contest here!

Growing up, our city was pretty safe and very family friendly. While it still is in some parts of our town, our downtown area became pretty rough for a few years. Luckily, our government leaders have been trying to revamp our downtown area and make it more “family friendly.” We now have a minor league baseball stadium downtown, and a splash pad for children to play however, we still have a long way to go. While our community has made leaps and bounds to revitalize our city, there is still a lot of work to be done.

This weekend, we spent some time downtown walking around a.k.a. trying to walk out this baby. We enjoyed time at the Farmer’s Market and stocked up on veggies and enjoyed lots of conversation with some of our local farmers. They are seriously the sweetest people. I love supporting them by buying as many of our groceries from them as possible. Needless to say, it was a great way to spend our last weekend as a family of three.

Shirts: Jumping Jack 

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LongLastingScent #CollectiveBias

I have an eighteen month old child and a second one due any day now. Becoming a “new mom” all over again can be a bit intimidating. This time around, I know what is coming. I know pretty much what to expect, although every child is very different. I have been very busy preparing for her arrival these last couple of weeks. In doing so, I’ve compiled a list of all the new mom essentials I found that I needed the first time around. 

Nutrition Essentials:
Healthy Snacks – Fruit, granola bars, yogurt, etc.
Water Bottle – It’s so important to stay very hydrated while breastfeeding. Make sure you are drinking enough with a water bottle that has fl. oz. marked on the side.

Health Essentials:
Maxi Pads
Tucks
Dermoplast
Peri Bottle
Nursing Pads
Supportive Nursing Bra
Lanolin
Hand Sanitizer


I think these are all pretty self explanatory. The hospital may give you some of these things, but probably not enough. You will definitely want to have these on hand when you arrive home from the hospital.

Home Essentials:
Tissues
Suavitel® Fragrance Pearls™ – You will be doing loads and loads of laundry with a new baby. Picture your normal weekly loads times 5. It is important to be prepared for this before you bring your bundle of joy home from the hospital. I ran to Walmart the other day to purchase some Suavitel® Fragrance Pearls™.  These are in wash scent boosters that hold 5x longer lasting fragrance. You will be thankful for fresh smelling laundry after dealing with all of that poop every day. These come in two scents – Lavender and Field Flowers. I also purchased the  Suavitel® liquid fabric conditioner in Field Flowers and have really enjoyed it. There will be Suavitel® Fragrance Pearls™ samples and select Suavitel® liquid fabric conditioners in your Walmart store!

Disinfectant Wipes – These are so convenient for a quick clean-up.

Beauty Essentials:
Face Wipes – It is important to take care of your skin and wash your face really well, but sometimes we just don’t have time. Face wipes are really convenient and make you feel fresh even when you’re running on little sleep.
Concealer – to hide those dark circles.
Eye Cream – also, to help with dark circles and puffiness.
Lip Balm
Dry Shampoo – because who has time to wash their hair these days?

Entertainment:
Magazine
Book
Netflix and a Remote
Coffee

I made a list of items that I found out very quickly after my first baby that I needed. Unfortunately, I was not as prepared the first time. This time, I have made up a little basket that is sitting in my bathroom ready to go for whenever this baby decides to come on!

What are some of your new mom essentials? Were you prepared for all of the extra laundry that comes along with a new baby?

This week has been crazy. The weather has been all of the place, but I’ve still managed to walk every day. Operation Have This Baby is underway. I am so ready. I cleaned the entire house over the weekend, went on a date with my husband and I might have made a few purchases. Oops. What can I say? These Spring 2015 fashion trends are killing me! I am sort of ready to not be pregnant any more so that I can enjoy them. Although, I will miss wearing this baby bump. 🙂

Here are some of the latest fashion trends I am Ooo-ing and Ahh-ing over:

Rompers – I just bought this striped romper at Old Navy and I am in love! It’s so comfortable AND has pockets which is a huge plus in my book. I have been obsessing over so any rompers. I will definitely be in them pretty often this summer!

Colored Suede – These moccasins in Seas Mist in particular are on my wish list. I am loving all of this colored suede that is super popular right now.

Gingham – I purchased this gingham dress from Gap via ThredUp and It has been great! I was able to wear it one time while pregnant, but my almost 39 weeks bump can no longer squeeze in it without looking ridiculous. I am really looking forward to wearing it a lot more this season.

Kimonos – This paisley kimono is from Walk Trendy. I saw it and had to have it! It is no secret that I love wearing kimonos, but during pregnancy, they are even more wonderful. I have loved styling tanks with kimonos and these linen shorts (from Old Navy for $10!) pair perfectly with this one!


Linen Shorts – Again, I felt like I stole these from Old Navy. I mean, $10? I have even been able to wear them during my pregnancy thanks to the forgiving elastic waist. They have been wonderful.

Denim Vests – I showed off my new denim vest a couple of weeks ago, but I am seriously obsessed with it. I have worn it so much already! It goes great with everything!

Birkenstocks – I can’t believe Birks are back “in.” I used to wear Birkenstocks every day for years when I was growing up. They were always my favorite because they are comfortable and go with nearly everything! They have made a comeback and I am really hoping to splurge on a pair in the near future!

What fashion trends are you loving this season?

I’ve talked so much about how different this pregnancy has been compared to my first. Could it be because the genders are different? I don’t think so. I’ll be dead honest with you. I was not in a good place when I got pregnant with my first. I was depressed because we had been trying for 9 months with no luck, and the doctor was talking about putting me through all of these tests/treatments etc. It was not a happy time. Then, when I got pregnant, I jut wasn’t in the mood to workout. I didn’t care to eat super healthy. I literally let myself go. I was scared to barely move because I thought something would happen to H. Now that I was pregnant, I wasn’t going to do anything to mess it up. He was staying put. So, I sat. I didn’t walk or lift anything. It was kind of funny…in a sad way.

This time around, I have been very active. Even today, I am still exercising daily. Some days it may just be a walk around the block, but I’m moving every day. I’ve eaten more healthy. Definitely not clean by any means, but I have done a better job (aka no chocolate chip cookies every night) and the differences in my pregnancies have been incredible. I can still get in the floor and play with my toddler. I can still chase him around, exercise and cook dinner without feeling overwhelmingly tired or miserable. I feel so much better. So, here are some of my tips on how you can have a healthier pregnancy:

-Stay Active. Don’t ever overdo it. Talk to your doctor about what exercises you should and should not be doing. Walking is so so good for you, but no laying on your back to do those crunches after 12 weeks. You CAN, however do standing crunches. 🙂 I have really enjoyed yoga during this pregnancy. The stretching and strength training has kept me feeling a lot better. My hips and back haven’t hurt as much and haven’t been so tight.

-Stay Mentally Healthy. Don’t worry yourself to death. Stay calm. Pray. Pregnancy comes with a lot of uncertainties. With my son, I thought if I walked too much he would fall out. That’s just not going to happen. Sure, some women have miscarriages and it is awful, but it’s not because of anything YOU have done. The best thing you can do is not stress, take deep breaths and take care of yourself mentally.

-Eat Right Most Of The Time. I say most of the time because it is always good to eat right. Pregnant or not. However, I do think that life is way too short to not indulge every once in a while. Hello, my name is Logan and I’m a chocoholic! I’m not giving it up, but I will moderate. There is a huge difference. I believe by telling yourself you can’t ever have Mexican food or sugar, you are setting yourself up for failure. Just eat those things in moderation.

-Go To Your Regular Check-ups. It is so important to go to your doctor regularly. Do not skip appointments. Go to every single one.

-Rest. Listen to your body. If you are super tired, lay down and take a nap or rest for a while. Don’t overdo it. If you are really tired, your body is telling you to rest. Kick those feet up. It’s okay to give yourself a break.

-Drink Lots of Water. If you need encouragement on this one, read about my pregnancy scare that was a direct effect of not drinking enough water. Drink up! Water is not only good for you and your energy, it’s really important for you baby.

What tips do you have for having a healthy pregnancy?

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O N E.
I will be 38 weeks pregnant tomorrow! We are officially in the home stretch! I had a great check-up this week! Baby SR is already 7lbs. and has lots of hair just like her brother! She also has little rolls on her thighs! Ah, I died! She is head down and ready to go! My Doctor told me it could literally be any day.I wouldn’t hate it if she came on.  I’m still feeling pretty good, just large and getting to that uncomfortable point. Although, I feel a million times better this time than I did with H. I’m thankful for that. Be sure to follow me on Instagram for baby updates!

T W O.
I have had a couple of giveaways on my blog this week! Did you see them? Enter this giveaway to win $15 Paypal Cash and if you are a new mom, expecting, or know someone who is, enter this giveaway to win an adorable onesie (of your choice) from TuTu Sweet in Pink Boutique!

T H R E E.
My awesome MIL texted me this week and offered to keep H for us tonight so that Ryan and I can go on a date and enjoy a night to ourselves before SR arrives! I am SO excited! Ryan has been super busy this past month and I feel like I’ve hardly seen him. We definitely could use this time alone right about now. I’m also excited to hopefully get a little bit of uninterrupted cleaning done. It’s going to be a great weekend!

F O U R.
Last weekend, we took Hampton to see Thomas the Train. We rode him and met Sir Topham Hatt! It was a huge deal to my little boy who is absolutely in love with Thomas. I almost cried when he saw him for the first time. His little face lit up and he was so happy! Later that day, Hampton started looking awful. His eyes were swollen and he broke out in a rash. I thought he was having an allergic reaction to something, but it turns out he had Roseola virus. He has also been battling a double ear infection. I ran him to the Doctor and we found out the antibiotic he had been on was not even working. It was pitiful. Needless to say, we have spent most of our week inside resting. My little man is finally acting better and his rash has cleared up. I’m so ready to have my crazy little toddler back! 🙁

F I V E.
Weekly Round Up:

Check out these delicious Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles I made last weekend! They are so delicious and perfect for a warm day out in the sun!

Tuesday, I shared My Morning Routine with you and my new favorite yogurt flavor!

I showed off a little bit of my nerdy side with my new glasses.

Yesterday, I shared my new diaper bag with a checklist of what to put in it for the new baby! Also, don’t forget to enter to win a onesie from TuTu Sweet in Pink Boutique! They are SO cute!

What are you up to this weekend?

If you didn’t already know, I’m a little bit of a nerd. I have always preferred to stay in and read a good book versus going out or to the movies, etc. Speaking of, you should check out my bookshelf if you’re into that sort of thing. 😉 I was always that girl in class who actually liked to learn new things. Annoying, I know. I just can’t help it!

Since I was 5 years old, I have worn glasses. I’ve always kind of had that nerdy look about me I
suppose. I like to think I’ve grown out of it a little bit, I mean I did get contacts and all…

Every once in a while, the nerd comes back out in me. I’m lucky, because stylish eyeglasses are in style right now (Yay!!). I have worn the same glasses for a while now and decided it was time for a new pair. I went to Firmoo’s website and picked out these babies! What do you think? I’m kind of in love. It made me feel extra good when my husband told me he thought I looked “cute” in them! Thanks, Ry!

Speaking of stylish, I just scored this adorable striped dress on Eleventh Avenue (formally Groupdealz) for less than $20! Stripes are very in this year if you couldn’t tell by every store window in America. Also, I bought this denim vest at Old Navy when I was out baby shopping the other day (don’t you love how that happens?). I am kind of obsessed with it and will be wearing it for the rest of the year. For sure.

New customers to Firmoo can now receive 50% off their first pair of glasses!

What is your favorite current trend? Were you a little nerdy growing up? Or one of those “popular” types? 😉

My mornings are about to drastically change around here. Soon, I won’t know my mornings from nights again, but for the last few months, this has been my morning routine:

Wake up
Make Coffee
Read my bible/pray
Check emails
Eat breakfast
Shower (if I have time before Hamp wakes up)
Promote Blog Posts
Go on a walk/exercise

Pretty simple, right? It doesn’t always go in that order and some days I don’t have time to shower until lunch or even right before bed, but hey, that’s part of motherhood! Last time I tried to take a shower with Hampton in there with me, he shattered our (glass) scale, threw all of our toilet paper rolls in the toilet and basically destroyed our bathroom. Not doing that again any time soon.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote on the benefits of eating breakfast and how I am trying to improve my habits. Some mornings, all I crave is coffee. I don’t even want to think about eating. That’s where Liberte Mediterranee cappuccino saved me. A cappuccino flavored yogurt! And, it is delicious! I’m seriously addicted. So much so, that I noticed Publix was having a deal on them (10 for $10) and so guess how many I bought? Yeah.

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