Farmers Market

 I don't know why this look makes me think of the farmers market, but it does. 

We actually have a cute little farmers market close by that opens on Sunday mornings that I have been wanting to check out. A few of our friends have gone and say it's amazing. They have some food trucks, local produce, meats, and other stuff.  

I was hoping to check it out a few weeks ago and never got around to it. I'm thinking we will definitely make it a family outing in the next couple weeks. And when we do, I will probably wear this exact outfit. 

I specifically bought this dress the last couple weeks of pregnancy because I knew it would be great wear now and later option. I got to wear it a few times while pregnant and I've worn it a few times since I've given birth as well. I can vouch that it definitely works for both.

I can also tell you that I've dressed this look up a bit with heeled sandals for dinner, but decided to keep things more casual here. 

I think the hat and flats give it an effortless/cool vibe. And of course I had to pair it with my go-to tote bag as of late. 

J actually got this bag for me on my birthday last year. I need to do a full review on it because it's such a great bag. (Adding that to my list now!) 

Dress: Old Navy (Same dress different color here. Similar option here & here) | Shoes: Shein | Bag: Marc Jacobs | Hat: Lack of Color | Sunnies: Quay Australia | Necklace: Etsy | Earrings: Target | Lips: Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner in Pillow Talk with Buxom Full-on-Plumping Lip Cream in Creamsicle on top

Pregnancy Skincare Routine

 Now that I am well into my third trimester and have perfected my "pregnancy skincare routine",  I thought I would share it with y'all. 

Before I begin, I do want to share a few things. 

First of all, I am not a doctor so definitely check all products you are not sure about with your doctor. 

I ran all these by my doctors and they were totally ok with it. (Some doctors are more lax than others so keep that in mind as well.) 

The second thing I wanted to share is a website that I found useful to figure out what is and is not safe in skincare during pregnancy. 15 Minute Beauty (She also covers what's safe for breastfeeding and what shouldn't be used while pregnant of breastfeeding.) 

15 Minute Beauty is a great resource in my opinion.

She has ALLLLL the popular skincare brands and breaks it down by product what's safe pregnancy, breastfeeding and what you should avoid while pregnant & breastfeeding. 

I use this page which has each skincare/makeup brand broken out in alphabetical order. 

I will say there were 2 of my products on her list that she said aren't safe during pregnancy, but after talking with my doctor, she said they were fine. 

**A big one she says to stay away from is a lot of sunscreens. Living in Florida that is just not possible. This is something you should discuss personally with your doctor though IMO.** 

My morning routine pretty much stayed the same as before. I recently switched up my sugar scrub though and OMG!! What a game changer.

Step 1: Cleanse with Tula Cleanser

This has been my ride or die cleanser for YEARS! I literally cannot switch to anything else. 

Step 2: Exfoliate with Skin Script Refining Scrub

This is the new scrub I've been using and I LOVE it. Prior to this one I was using Tula Sugar Scrub. I also like that one a lot as well. 

*I only do this step on Monday, Wednesday & Friday. My facialist told me I don't need to do this every day. It would be way to harsh on my skin. 

Step 3: Olehenriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum

I love a good vitamin C serum. If you do not currently use one, you should definitely add one to your routine. I've tried a few different ones and always end up going back to this one. 

Step 4: Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid

You always need a hyaluronic acid serum in your routine. I feel like pregnancy can really change your skin. If you're feeling extra dry, then this is for you! I just started using this one and I really like it. It's also super affordable. I also use this one & this one. They all work great! 

Step 5: Moisturize & SPF with Supergoop Daily Moisturizer

I love how lightweight this moisturizer feels. It's also a huge plus that it has SPF 40. Definitely need the SPF every day living in Florida. 

Step 6: Tula Rose Glow and Get It Eye Balm to help me look more awake.

This is great for helping to make me look like I got a good night's sleep, which is not always the case when you're growing a tiny human. I also really love the cooling effect it has. 

Step 7: Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

This is really an all day thing. haha I started using their daytime lip balm, but it just doesn't compare to this. It's the only thing that makes my lips stay hydrated. I have like 5 tubs of this at all times.

My evening routine did change a little. The main thing I had to steer clear of here was retinol and acids. 

My facialist gave me some other products to replace those for the time being. You should also talk to your doctor (OB or derm) about some things to replace these items with. My OB was also able to suggest some acids that are pregnancy safe. 

Step 1: Clinique Cleansing Balm to help get all the dirt and grim off my face from the day. This also helps to easily remove all my makeup. I recently bought this cleansing balm to try out and I can't wait to break it open.

Step 2: Cleanse with my Tula cleanser. I told y'all this is my ride of die.

Step 3: Skin Script Renewal Serum this kind of takes the place of my glycolic acid and retinol I used pre-pregnancy. My facialist recommended this as soon as I told her I was pregnant. 

*I only use this on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday. That's all I really need. 

Step 4: Hyaluronic Acid I told y'all I love hyaluronic acid. I feel like it really does help your moisturizer absorb in.

Step 5: Shiseido Eye Cream I'm honestly a HUGE skeptic when it comes to eye creams. I feel like they all promise a lot of things and most don't deliver. I bought this during the Ulta Beauty Love your Skin Event just to try it out and I am so freaking glad I did. I've used a lot of eye creams just because and this is one of the first I've actually seen a difference. I feel like it's helped the texture I have under my eyes and made my dark circles a little less noticeable. I also think it's helped with my crows feet a little. Absolutely LOVEEEEEE this product. 

Step 6: Moisturize with Tula Day and Night Cream This had been my nighttime moisturizer for years. It's thick, but not too thick. I feel like it really absorbs in and doesn't just sit on your skin. I also used to use it in the morning, but I like that the Supergoop has SPF in it. One less step. 

Step 7: Herbivore Phoenix Oil I go back and forth on using this and not. Every time I start using it after not using it for a while I question why I ever stopped in the first place. (Honestly, it's the cost. It's probably the most expensive product in my skincare routine.) This stuff is amazing and makes your skin literally GLOW! I started using it because it's pregnancy safe and helps with anti-aging. Not being able to use retinol I definitely felt like I needed to add this back. I'm vowing this time that I will not stop using it because I seriously notice such a difference when I use it. 

Tanning is one of those things I feel like some people are fine with during pregnancy and some steer clear. I felt ok continuing to use self tanner based on talking with my doctor and all the research I did. I personally would steer clear of spray tans however, because you can inhale some of the spray and the research on that is a little iffy. 

I will say I have tried to keep the self tanning limited to special occasions or if I was just feeling EXTREMELY pale! 

St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Mousse

I bought this at the beginning of pregnancy because it seemed a little cleaner ingredient wise. I didn't love it for a few reasons. 1. You can't really see where you're applying. 2. It didn't give me enough color. I still have it and use it from time to time. Those are just 2 complaints I have.

St. Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mousse

This has been the self tanner I've used forever. It's definitely my favorite and still love it during pregnancy. 

St. Tropez Double Sided Applicator Mitt

Love this mitt and have used it forever! 

Tan Luxe The Butter

This is a gradual self tanning lotion. I feel like this is great because my skin has felt so dry during pregnancy. I will say the scent of this usually doesn't bother me, but it has definitely gotten to me a little more since being pregnant. 

Tan-Luxe The Face

I use this more on my chest than my face. I honestly don't tan my face that often. I always feel like it looks so unnatural. This is another gradual tanner that you mix with your moisturizer. I use this more on my chest because my skin is super sensitive there and even more so since being pregnant. 

I feel like a big thing all women start to worry/think about when they are pregnant is stretch marks. 

I honestly didn't really start thinking about them until the second trimester. While there's no real way to prevent them (it's all about genetics), you can keep your skin super hydrated and moisturized which should help a little. 

Bio-Oil

I started using this because it was cheap and so many people swear by it. Definitely a great way to keep your skin super hydrated.

Hatch Belly Oil

Being a blogger I obviously had to try more than one thing for stretch marks. I started seeing this oil everywhere and thought I would give it a try. It uses grape-seed oil, which in one article I read a dermatologist said using grape-seed oil is one of the best to help prevent stretch marks if you can really truly prevent them at all. (Again, genetics plays a huge part.) 

This oil is a bit expensive, but the bottle is huge and could probably last you your entire pregnancy. I like that it dries fast so you can use it in the morning and not have to worry about feeling oily all day or it getting on your clothes. 

Mustela Maternity Stretch Marks Cream

Another cream I saw in a lot of articles and blogs so I thought I would give it a shot. I currently use this in tandem with the Hatch Oil and no stretch marks yet. (Knock on wood.)

I'll have to update y'all after birth to let you know if they truly worked. 

Hopefully you have found this helpful if you're expecting and wondering what skincare products you can still use. I know I really used blogs as resources on what to use and not use. As I stated in the beginning, you really should talk to your doctor and get info straight from them. They are truly the experts. 

Spanx Leather Leggings... Maternity

 Y'all know I love the Spanx leather leggings.

I think I bought them about 3 or 4 years ago during the Nordstrom sale and they are probably my most worn bottoms during the winter. 

Naturally, since I'm pregnant, I had to try out the maternity version.

I've worn them a handful of times now so I thought I would give you a little review in case you too are pregnant and debating on whether or not to get them. 

Let's start with price. I don't love that they are $12 more than the regular version. However, you will quickly learn that pregnancy is like planning a wedding... people jack the price up on everything. That being said, $12 isn't a lot at the end of the day. I just feel like most women who are purchasing the maternity pair already own the regular pair. I was lucky enough to snag mine during Black Friday for 20% off too. 

Sizing

I heard a lot of different things when it came to sizing. 

Some said to stick with you regular size and some said to go up one. One of my friends said her girlfriend even went up 2 or 3 sizes. 

Ultimately, I decided to go up 1 size. (I'm normally a medium and opted for the large.)

The main reason I did this is because when I'm not pregnant I like my Spanx leggings to be TIGHT! That's kinda what they are meant for. I like that they really suck me in and slim my hips. 

Being pregnant I definitely don't like anything being overly tight. I figured opting for one size up would be the perfect fit and I was right. 

If you already take the advice of most and size up in the regular Spanx leather leggings I think you would be fine getting your "normal" size.

I hope all that makes sense. 

Styling

These are so easy to style! You can dress them up or keep things a bit more casual. I clearly opted for casual here with my oversize sweatshirt and sneakers. 

You'll quickly learn the major key with a lot of maternity bottoms is a longer top. Because the fabric can be different from the hips up, you want to ensure that it is covered. 

That brings me to my only con. The material they use to go over your belly is very thin. It reminds me of panty hose. You obviously want something stretchy, but I feel like because it's so thin I am constantly pulling them up. I wish they had gone with a thicker legging like material. Obviously not faux leather, but just regular spandex legging material.

Top: Abercrombie *currently 20% off* | Leggings:Spanx | Shoes: Nike | Socks: Nike | Sunnies: Quay Australia | Lips: NYX Lip Liner in Nude Suede Shoes with Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick  & Lip Lustre Lip Gloss in Pillow Talk

Since that's my only complaint, I would still highly recommend them. 

I can promise you that if I was working in my office still I would probably own 2 pairs of these because I would be wearing them almost every day. 

Hopefully this helps if you have been debating. 

Feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment if you have any other questions about these. 

First Trimester Recap

 Now that I am well into my second trimester, (close to my third) I thought I would do a recap of my first trimester. 

I'll go through how I found out, symptoms, things I bought and a few other things.

I want to try to do this for all of my trimesters for a few reasons.

1. I think it will be really fun to go back and read each one later on. 

2. I love reading other people's trimester recaps. I'm also finding them extremely helpful now that I'm pregnant. 

How we found out:

When we got home from Mexico and I had not started my period, I became suspcious. I am very regular, but every once in a while I can be a couple days late. When it had been about 4 days I decided to buy a pregnancy test, but told myself I would wait a couple more days. 

Finally on day 7 I decided it was time. 

I woke up that Sunday morning and took one of the tests I had bought. It turned positive pretty quickly. I feel like in the movies there is always a suspenseful 5 minute wait. No waiting for me. That thing was positive ASAP! 

Sadly, J was out of town for work when I took the test. I wanted to wait and tell him in a really cute way when he got home, but there was no way I could keep this to myself for a week and half. 

I immediately FaceTimed him to tell him before he went into work. 

He knew something was up because I had tears in my eyes. (He honestly thought something was wrong with Ramsey.) 

When I told him I was pregnant he was completely SHOCKED! We both had been traveling a lot the previous month so we weren't really trying. They always say it happens when you stop trying. haha

Symptoms:

One of the first things that tipped me off before I got a positive test was how tired I was. 

I'm normally kinda tired, but I don't require a lot of sleep. When we got home from Mexico though I would instantly fall asleep for a little nap around 5pm every day. I thought maybe I was just recovering from back to back vacations, but still seemed a little weird. 

My boobs were also EXTREMELY sore. I know that can be a period symptom for a lot of gals, but not for me. 

Shortly after the positive test, I started getting nauseous almost every day. Some days were worse than others, but luckily I never actually got sick. I know every girl says this, but they really shouldn't call it morning sickness. It lasted all day for me and my friends said the same thing. 

Who do we talk to about changing that name? haha

The nausea and tiredness continued until about week 12-13. Finally the nausea went away completely and the fatigue went away for the most part.

Pregnancy tired is like no other though. 

There were so many days I told J that I didn't think I would ever feel normal again because I had completely forgotten what normal felt like. 

Telling Family & Friends:

Since J was out of town when I found out we didn't tell anyone for about 2 weeks. I really wanted to see him and be able to celebrate just the 2 of us before telling anyone else. 

When he finally got home I convinced him we should tell our parents. It was killing me not to tell my mom and even though J wanted to wait until our first appointment, he finally agreed we could tell our parents. 

We got Ramsey a bandana that said "Soon to be Big Brother" and both our parents thought we were getting a puppy at first. 

We also told a majority of our friends after our 8-week appointment. I know a lot of people chose to wait until 12 weeks, but it was really hard for us to hide it. I'm a very social person and definitely drink in social settings. Saying no to everything all of a sudden would have been a HUGE red flag. I actually turned down 1 party and posted a photo of ice cream and had a few friends start to "investigate" if I was pregnant. Our friend group is also EXTREMELY close so even if something happened, I knew they would all be there to support us. 

I actually have a bunch of videos from us telling people that I need to edit together and post on IG.

Purchases:

I honestly didn't make too many purchases in the first trimester. Most of your clothes fit the whole time and there's not much else you would need. 

I did purchase a pregnancy pillow when I was super uncomfortable one night and I can honestly say it's one of the best $75 I have ever spent. 

I probably won't give it up even after I give birth.

I'll link it here in case you are looking for one. 

Vitamins:

I started out taking the Ritual Prenatal Vitamins. I had heard so many good things about them and loved that they had a subscription service so you would never run out. 

I took them to my first OB appointment and she also really liked them. 

However, I am not the best pill taker. Add in the all day nausea and I was starting to gag when I would just think about having to take them.

Since I'm not good at taking pills and so many prenatal are huge I decided to go with a gummy.

These are the ones I take and I really like them.

One thing to note is that no prenatal gummy has iron in it. I take an additional iron gummy to supplement that and all my levels have been perfect so far. 

If you can take pills I definitely recommend trying the Ritual prenatal.

Books:

I actually bought 2 books in the first trimester, but have only made it halfway through one of them. (This goes back to the tiredness. If I was on the couch or in bed I was sleeping. There was no time to read.)

I started with Expecting Better and I cannot recommend it enough. 

I honestly forgot where I saw this, but I'm so glad I did.

This is a great read whether this is your first or fifth child. 

There's so many "rules" in pregnancy and many of them are not really explained. 

This book breaks everything down and in my opinion really helps you make informed decisions. 

A lot of people on the mommy message boards will slam this book and say she isn't a doctor (which she isn't, but she also never claims to be) and that you shouldn't read this BS book. 

I'll let you make the decision for yourself, but I personally have found it very interesting & helpful. 

The other book I bought was Bringing Up Bebe. I haven't started it, but I'm excited to read it when I finish Expecting Better. My friends that have read it really liked it. It's more about raising the baby, so it's ok if I don't have time to read it until the third trimester. 

So that's pretty much it for the First Trimester. 

Let me know if you have any questions or there's something you want me to cover in my second trimester recap. Hopefully I'm able to get that one up quicker than 3/4 of the way through my third trimester. haha