38 weeks. THIRTY.EIGHT.WEEKS.

38 is reeeeally close to 40, in case you didn't know. So let's squeeze one last update in here before this little girl arrives.

Due date: Drumroll please.....brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.....August 11! Surprised? Although I gotta tell you, I am crossing my fingers, toes, and especially legs that this baby does not come on August 11. My dear firstborn starts Kindergarten (wipe a tear!) on the 12th, so there's all kinds of Meet-the-Teacher/Orientation/First Day nonsense on the 10th-12th. And don't even make me think about the crazy emotions that would be involved if these two very emotional events happened within a day or two of each other. Shudder. 

Weight gain: Blegh. Right around 37 pounds. I'm definitely on track to gain more with this baby than any other. The good (?) news is I've been swelling a lot more this time than with my others, so let's chalk it up to swelling and say that it'll go away soon after delivery, mmmmkay? 

Baby size: Come on, baby tracker app! Don't let me down! Baby is the size of a....spaghetti squash! Yay for a food I've actually eaten! Even if I don't like it! Huzzah!

Sleep: Sleep has been kinda bad lately. Remember our old friend SPD? Well he is back with a vengeance and this time he's attacking in the night. It's weird to think that something like laying down could actually make something worse, but...wow. Rolling over in bed is pretty much equivalent to torture. It hurts something fierce. And it's just one of those super fun pregnancy things that you can't really do much about! So....awesome!

Aches/pains: See above. But also, my back has finally decided to join the party. And it hurts when I sit or stand for more than three minutes at a time. So, if you do the math, you'll notice that I can't stand, sit, or lie down without being in a good amount of pain. Seriously, though -- am I being punk'd?

Cravings: Not really much of anything. I'm trying to drown myself in water and it honestly takes away my appetite. I haven't really had any "Dallin jump out of bed and go get this NOW" sort of craving, but maybe I need to make that happen in the next few days because really, when else are you allowed to do that?

Baby prep: A new category for this last update, mostly because it's all I can think about nowadays. I've been able to get quite a bit done but it seems like there's always more to do. Mostly, though, I'd say we're ready to go. She certainly has enough clothes! And holycowguys, they're all so cute and little! 

Random: I'm still on that emotional roller coaster. I go from super excited and "I can do this!" to super freaked out and "WOW I CAN'T DO THIS" more often than I care to admit. 

Also, if I haven't mentioned this before, I've got the BEST teammate I could ask for in Dallin. He has been amazingly helpful with housework and kid stuff when he gets home. He lets me cry at him and he tells me I'm beautiful. He encourages me to eat ice cream on bad days and he reminds me to drink water and exercise because he knows how much I want to want to do those things. He's a superhero. For reals. I don't know what I'd do without him in my corner.

And I'd say that's a wrap! Stay tuned for a possibly sappy post about pregnancy, because I just have all the feelings lately. 

Thank you for being a friend!

Ever have one of those days...

...when you have the ambition but not the focus?

...when you have the to-do list that you just can't seem to get done?

...when all you can think about is getting your house ready for a new baby (#nesting) but you've been contracting every 5 minutes for a while now and it's just sucking the energy out of you?

...when your three-year-old tells you your bum is probably too big for the toilet?

...when you simultaneously feel ravenously hungry but also sick to your stomach (just enough that you can't think of anything that you actually want to eat)?

...when your feet and your hands are still swelling despite all the water you've been forcing yourself to drink (reminder: you hate drinking water)?

...when your kids yell for you until you waddle painfully come downstairs and all they wanted was for you to move the box of Cheerios? Like, just move it to the other side of the table?

...when you cry actual, streaming down your cheeks tears for all of the following reasons:

• you ate the last piece of chocolate -- the LAST PIECE OF CHOCOLATE (other than the chocolate chips, but the chocolate chips just aren't cutting it lately)
• you're too hot to wear a sweatshirt and a sweatshirt sounds incredibly comfortable
• you finally settle on wearing a comfy Mickey Mouse shirt and it just makes you miss Disneyland so freaking much
• you read "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" to your kids at bedtime and the line "Will there be enough room?" makes you think about how there can't possibly be enough room in your home, heart, or washing machine for another baby, and yet here she comes!
• you have to pee. Again.
• no reason at all. Seriously.

(Side confession: I have no idea how to punctuate any of the above. It's all one big question...but where does the question mark go? Let's put it here: ?. There.)

...when you see an Instagram post by a complete stranger whom you totally admire, and even though she's talking about hard stuff she's going through, it makes you feel like you could never possibly be that cool/successful/impactful?

...when the above sends you into a "What am I doing with my life?" sort of downward spiral, and the answer you come up with is "I'm having kids. I'm being a mom." and you know that that should make you feel better, but right now it just kind of doesn't? And then that makes you feel guilty?

This all sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? These are reasons to laugh/plan/rest/think/grow, not dissolve into a hopeless puddle with a nose that's too stuffed up to even blow properly.

Add to all this the fact that my big goal right now is positivity, and the whole thing becomes particularly laughable, because #fail. Or, to be slightly more positive about it, #failfortoday. 

I guess the thing is, some days are just like this. Some days just send your common sense packing and your hormones to the Tower of Terror and your kids to bed as early as possible.

But that day is over. That day was yesterday. Today, I had a cupcake for breakfast (bless you, Jenna). Today, I'm going to wear a dress and get my hair colored. And I'm buying some chocolate. And I'm going to try my hardest to drink a blasted gallon of water (20 oz down as I'm writing this!). And I'm going to exercise. And I'm going to hug my babies when they wake up, and plan on saying "I love you" to each of them, maybe more than once. And hopefully I'm going to take a minute to just sit and rest my hand on this beautiful belly and think about my little girl in there and about how, if I just calm down and think about it, there really is enough room for her everywhere. 

Yes, today will be one of those days.

Stitch Fix Maternity - July 2015

Whoa, another Stitch Fix already?!

I'm sure you know all about Stitch Fix by now. But here's a quick rundown of how it works:

{about stitch fix}

Stitch Fix is an online styling/shopping service. For a $20 fee, they send you five clothing or accessory pieces that a personal stylist has chosen just for you, based on your style profile, special notes to your stylist, and even your Pinterest boards. When you receive your box, you can choose to buy as many of the items as you want, and then return what you don't want in your return bag (postage is prepaid!). Your $20 styling fee applies to anything you purchase, and if you love everything, you get a 25% discount on your entire box!

So basically, it's a ton of fun. You can choose to receive just one box (no subscription required!), or you can subscribe to receive boxes every 2-3 weeks, monthly, every other month, or quarterly. Basically, when you need a fix, you can get one. That sounds weird, but whatever.

Stitch Fix also offers petite and maternity options now, and if you haven't heard, I'm pregnant. So yay!


{my maternity stitch fix - july 2015}

This is my fifth maternity Stitch Fix! (read about my others here, here, here, and here if you want. Quite the trip down memory lane! P.S. I ended up keeping the blue dolman top from last month, even though popular opinion favored the green. Sorry guys; I trust you...I just had to go with my gut!).

I was apprehensive about this box for a couple reasons. The first is that the arrival of this box kind of snuck up on me, and by the time I went to the Stitch Fix site to put in a monthly note for my stylist, the box was already in the works! So I didn't get to make any special requests. The other reason I was nervous is that I'm so close to the end of this pregnancy (5 WEEKS, PEOPLE. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.) and I'm hesitant to buy any new clothes at this point, whether maternity or not. The exception is good nursing tops...but I didn't get to put that in my note to my stylist (see point 1). So I feel like this box may be doomed to failure before it's even opened!

But let's decide that together, shall we? Without further ado, my July box:

Loveappella Maternity Augusta Maternity Dress ($68)

first impressions: Well, I'm a sucker for a striped dress! The biggest question marks here are (1) length and (2) how maternity-ish it looks (since the end is so near!)

on me:

thoughts: Well...that didn't go so well. It's not horrible...it's super soft and comfortable, and it's not terribly clingy. I don't think it looks too blatantly maternity, either. But...it's too short! If it was a couple inches longer, this would probably be a keeper. As it is, I can't walk around without showing too much leg (for my LDS garments, that is). RETURN. 

Mavi Freida Maternity Regular Length Jean ($98)

first impressions: Womp womp. Sorry, but the time to buy maternity jeans has passed. I needed these three boxes ago, but I don't need them now! 

thoughts: I tried on the pants anyway (no pics though, obviously), and I've gotta say: I might be in trouble with Stitch Fix when I actually need to buy jeans. Both of the pairs they've sent me -- even though I've returned both of them -- have fit well and have been high quality. Biggest complaint about these jeans in particular (in case any of you are looking for maternity jeans to request in a box), is that the panel was ridiculously big. I mean, my belly ain't no small thing nowadays, and I think this panel would have stretched over all three of my girls if I had wanted it to (if you know what I mean...). RETURN. 

Loveappella Maternity Shanna Lace Detail Maternity Knit Top ($48)

first impressions: Oh, hello shirt that is everything I love in life. Casual comfort with a touch of class? Navy blue? Sign me the heck up.

on me:

thoughts: Okay, this one might be a heartbreaker. I love love heart-eye emoji love the style of this shirt. But remember those garments I mentioned above? Well, this (unlined) lace would show off those things pretty darn obviously without an undershirt. (Side note: it would definitely show off anything other than a strapless bra, too, so keep that in mind). So I threw on an undershirt to see how that would look, and there's quite the gap there (see bottom pic), so it looks a little silly. And yeah, I tried an ivory undershirt also. It still looked silly. Also, this is technically a maternity shirt, complete with the tell-tale ruching at the bottom. But gosh dang it, I'd probably wear it anyway! It's the lace problem that is really holding me up here. UNDECIDED. 

Daniel Rainn Minal V-Neck 3/4 Sleeve Solid Blouse ($68)

first impressions: 3/4 sleeve is good: even though it's warm outside (#understatement), I'd still feel okay about wearing this on date nights or to church, and obviously once it cools down a bit. Buttons on front could be good for nursing! Also, pricey. 

on me:

thoughts: I feel like this shirt looks good from afar, and then you get up close and all you can see are the wrinkles and the occasional peek-a-boo inside my shirt from the buttons being just slightly too loose. Oh, and those buttons are NOT nursing friendly. They are little metal cone-shaped buttons, and they are very hard to unfasten and fasten. No bueno. But pretty color, eh? RETURN. 

Daniel Rainn Bilson Pleated Blouse ($68)

first impressions: The print is one of those vintage-y prints that you can't decide if it belongs in your grandma's closet (to stay) or on a wannabe-stylin' momma. Other than that, it looks cute!

on me:

thoughts: Yes, my biggest question mark here is the print. This top would actually work very well for nursing, since it has normal buttons down the front. It's also NOT a maternity top, so yay for that. The fabric is lightweight, but not super breathable, so it's probably either strictly a "night out" shirt or a "wait until Fall" shirt, both of which I'm okay with. So what do you think about the print? UNDECIDED.


{verdict}

I'm struggling a bit with this box. I think it was very much "my style." I mean, a comfy dress, dat navy/lace top, a pretty colored top with a little edge, comfy jeans, and a little femininity to balance it all out. That sounds like my wardrobe in a nutshell. But obviously, each piece had something holding me back from really falling in love. I think of all the pieces, the floral top is most likely to get good wear, but can I pull off the print?

And thus ends my relationship with Stitch Fix maternity! I'm thinking I'll request all non-maternity pieces for my next fix, since you know, the baby will probably get here before the box does! Think they have anything that's spit-up repellant? Or maybe scented, to cover up the fact that I won't have showered in 3-5 days, but who's counting?

Scented clothing. Brilliant. You heard it here first, folks!

Disclosure: Links to Stitch Fix are referral links that reward me if someone happens to sign up through them! Yay!

Trying new things: June 2015

Every time I write one of these, I want to start the post by saying "It's that time of the month again!"

And then I'm like..."Nope, can't say that. I'm pregnant!"

And then I'm like..."Dude, even if you weren't pregnant, you couldn't say that."

And then I'm like..."True."

And thus was born the most awkward blog post opening of all time.

But seriously, I do this every month. I have this weird love of trying new products, and I love talking about them! Especially if I end up loving them -- but also if I don't end up loving them, because then it'll save you a bad buy, right? Of course right.

So take a look at the things I tried in June. Hopefully my thoughts are helpful to someone out there!

(Oh, and just so you know, I'm not nearly cool enough to use affiliate links or receive free products to review. We're just friends here, talking about some cool shtuff!)


OxiClean White Revive Laundry Stain Remover 

We can get some pretty intense clothing stains around these parts. Parker alone has a tendency to get anything and everything on his clothes. 

I've tried a few different stain removing products, and most of them were pretty meh. They made some difference, but nothing huge, and the stains were usually still there. I also tried the dawn/baking soda/hydrogen peroxide concoction that so many people seem to swear by, and it faded the shirt terribly.

I originally tried this OxiClean product to use with my exclusively white loads to keep them from getting dingy (or, you know, dingy-er). And I'm happy with how it does that, honest. It also has a super clean, fresh smell that I kind of love (and most smells aren't my friends nowadays). But I decided to really put this to the test with this shirt of Parker's:

Guys, I don't even know what was on there. There's the obvious giant red splotches, but there's also brown smears at the bottom, and some weird bluish-black substance near the top. Oh, and did I mention that the shirt sat like this for literally weeks in my laundry room, waiting for me to tackle its stains? Yeah, this was a toughie. 

Except...it wasn't! Wanting to give the OxiClean its best chance, I soaked the shirt in it for about 4 hours. I used quite a bit of it (I threw some cleaning rags and towels in there so it wasn't a total waste of product and water), but I kept it in cold water since I didn't want the shirt to shrink. (Oh and I threw in one of these in case the red on the shirt decided to get rebellious). Well, after soaking and then washing normally...

  

Stains be gone! I honestly couldn't believe how well this worked. I got right up to the shirt and seriously cannot see a single trace of any of the various stains that plagued it previously. Not only that, but the red sleeves weren't faded at all. At all!

So obviously, I recommend this stuff. I got it at Walmart but have seen it at Target also. I'm sure it's pretty much everywhere. 

Next, let's talk about LUSH foot products -- Volcano foot mask, Stepping Stone foot scrub, and Fair Trade foot lotion.

My feet have been in baaaad shape lately. Tired, dry, rough, blegh. I don't get pedicures very often (ain't no-mama got time for that) and adding pregnancy into the mix certainly didn't help matters.

LUSH is kind of a love-hate thing for me. There are a couple products that I can't live without -- this shampoo and this face mask are regular buys -- but I've also tried a few things that I've found overpriced and not super effective. I also can't use their ever-popular bath bombs or bath melts because they tend to irritate my usually-not-sensitive skin.

The last time I went into a LUSH store to get a new face mask, I brought up my foot concerns to an employee and was immediately led to this line (their workers are super passionate about pretty much every product in the store. They will try like heck to upsell you and their passion actually makes them annoyingly good at it, darn them. Don't say I didn't warn you!). I ended up buying the smaller size of the Volcano foot mask ($13.50) and a Stepping Stone ($4.50), and I got a generous sample of the Fair Trade lotion (they are usually great about giving out samples, especially if you're buying something else!).

The verdicts:

 

The foot mask wasn't exactly easy or convenient to use (although my big belly might have had something to do with that). You're supposed to wrap your feet in plastic wrap immediately after applying to keep it from drying out super fast. Then you sit for several minutes while it works its magic. I'll also say that this is not a "a little goes a long way" type thing. It has a super thick, clay-like consistency that doesn't spread well. The small jar only last me for two uses. Despite the downsides, though, I'd definitely say it's an effective product. My feet felt tingly in the best way possible, and much smoother and more "refreshed." I also felt the effects for a while; much longer than even with a good pedicure.

I had high hopes for this little scrubber, especially since it was the cheapest of the bunch and potentially the best buy. But I'd say I was ultimately disappointed. It was difficult to use; it essentially dissolved the second you tried to use it. And it wasn't super "scrubby" once it dissolved, so it really didn't do much beyond leaving my bathtub looking like Elphaba had melted in there. Maybe if you used a brush or something to scrub this in, it would work better. I will say that I used some on my elbows and it left them actually feeling smoother. So maybe it will work on feet that aren't in as bad of shape as mine.

Go figure that my favorite of the three products would be the one that I didn't actually buy! I've got to go back for more of this stuff. It's cooling, softening, and has a nice consistency that is kind of whipped and light, although it sinks in well. You don't need very much; I'd imagine that the jar will last a while. It also smells yummy -- pepperminty with a tiny hint of chocolate. This is a good one, folks. My flip flop feet approve!

So if your feet need a little TLC, drop in to a LUSH store and try out a product or two. They will actually do in-store foot treatments, which might help you decide which products work best for you!

Lastly, for something a little different, is a podcast: Spawned.

I started listening to podcasts in earnest when I was pregnant with Parker, and I kind of love them now. Is it just an adult thing to love to listen to talk radio-esque things? I remember giving my dad a hard time about listening to talk radio, but podcasts are kind of the bomb. And they're totally different from lame talk radio, right? (crickets) I love that I can listen to them whenever (cleaning, working, driving, etc.) and that it feels like I'm doing something productive while I'm doing something else productive. #winwin

I have a few podcasts I listen to regularly, including this Disneyland podcast, this happiness podcast, and this motherhood podcast. This particular one, Spawned, is newer -- they're only about 4 episodes in -- but it's so fun and I already get excited when a new episode is released. 

The two hosts have a good energy and chemistry, and their attitude toward parenting is positive, but also just a little bit irreverent, which is totally my jam. They also talk about interesting topics that are a little more universally appealing than many of the other parenting podcasts I've listened to. 

I give this one two thumbs up. Give it a listen, eh?

So there are a few things that I discovered in June! Any of them spark your interest? Anything you've tried lately that you'd recommend? Thanks for reading!