Third Trimester Tips || Second Pregnancy

Physically || 4 Ideas That Are Helping

||  1  || 

New sleep routine

Going to bed 30-45 mins earlier and getting up 30-45 minutes later has really helped my energy level this pregnancy! That’s almost 2 extra hours of sleep at night with just a minor adjustment. This and of course, my body pillow really help’s.   

||  2  ||

Slip on

It’s raining just about every day here in the PNW and yet I’m sliding into sandals and slip-on already simply because my toes are getting that wonderful pregnant lady puff (and feel!). I got these slip-on sandals on major sale the other day and LOVE THEM!

||  3  ||

Clothing

Leggings are a given, although wearing a maxi dress or anything that is loose and flows around the belly or below is all I reach for now a day’s. having the flexibility to let the bump be while feeling comfortable as I move around to take care of Abby is a high priority. 

||  4  ||

Exercise

We all roll eyes at this one, however I do truly notice a difference (especially in my second pregnancy). I've been making an effort to do something 3x a week up until birth, whether that be yoga, Pilates, a walk, brisk jog (yes, I still jog twice a week and it’s a challenge!) as being active I hear helps make labor easier. I stopped everything at 34 weeks with Abby and wish I went a bit longer before giving birth. Especially since the recovering from labor can take up to 6 weeks before you get that "ok" to exercise again. 

Emotionally || 4 Ideas That Are Helping

||  1  ||

Mom-to-Mom

Being able to talk to a handful of other moms who are pregnant right now (with other little ones around) has been extremely helpful this second time around! They just get it! I can’t stress enough how wonderful and amazing it is to connect with moms in the same stage as you either online and or off. Love those women like your own. Open up to them, let yourself fall around them, and then… love them hard!!

||  2  ||

Appreciation

I know we all married, “The Best Guy In The World!” because of course we all did. : ) Though for Steve and I, it’s amazing what a little appreciation and positive encouragement can do for one another. By speaking up to Steve and telling him, “I just need someone to listen” and or ask him, “Can you massage my lower back?” followed with a, ‘Thank you!” lets my main squeeze know I see him, value him, and vice versa. I also remind him that yes,” I’m crying because I’m pregnant right now, not because you did anything wrong” (that helps too!).

||  3  ||

Details / Worry

When I shared a sneak peak of nursery the other day on Instagram, all of you know how stressed I was about getting started on our nursery so late. I would have started sooner this pregnancy as I've had extremely hormonal.  However to make up for lost time, we've order things we needed online and I'm now putting smaller items like newborn diapers into my shopping cart. These changes have really help calm my nerves!

||  4  ||

Sabbath yoga

If yoga and church is your thing, I think you’ll love this idea! Last week at mom’s group we had one of the moms teach us a yoga class called Sabbath yoga which is 95% yoga and the other 5% having the mental space to connect with God (Abby was in the nursery). It completely relaxed my body, mind and heart. Truly an amazing experience if those two things are you! I would just google, “sabbath yoga” to see if your area offers any.

Mentally  ||  2 Ideas That Are Helping

(Pregnancy brain)

I shared a few weeks back on how I plan blog content each week here, and it’s all due to writing things down! I sometimes have 4-5 list going. This has become a necessity for me while pregnant with severe “mom brain.” Otherwise I wouldn’t get things done, like remembering anything at the grocery store.

Exercise/time for myself

Yes, this one is mentioned again because I truly feel (for me) it helps each category. I do my exercise in the AM before Abby wakes up and once in awhile during nap time if my schedule doesn't allow the early hours to myself. 

These are just a few ideas that have helped me while taking care of a toddler. I hope you found something new and different!

Warmly, Steph


If you liked this post, you might also like:

First Trimester || Second Pregnancy
Second Trimester || Second Pregnancy
Tips For Flying While Pregnant
One Maternity Dress || Three Way

Mommy & Me Outfits || Dresses

All options below are nursing friendly! And I even added in my  maternity polkadot dress from instagram this past week that a lot of you asked about, It's SO comfy on and I love that it covers my shoulders while also being the right price!! 

I just purchased these  espadrilles  and I'm obsessively IN LOVE with them! They are now the most comfortable pair of sandals I own and I get tons of compliments on them (so thought I'd share). Truly had so much fun putting together these spring-summer outfits for you, I hope you enjoy!

Mommy

Blush pink cardigan  ||  Eyelet Wedge  ||  Chambray wrap dress

Little Girl

Chambray button up dress ||  Pink ruffle shirt  ||  tan sandal

Mommy

Beige cardigan  || Tan eyelet wedge  || White off the shoulder dress

Little Girl

Pink and white floral dress  ||  White cardigan  ||  Tan eyelet sandal

Mommy

Polkadot blue dress  || closed toe pump

Little Girl

Chambray short sleeve dress  ||  Rose pink bows  ||  Navy blue sweater  || Tan clogs

Mommy

Round straw over the shoulder bag   ||  Pink midi dress  ||  Brown flat sandal

Little Girl

Blush pink ruffle hem dress  ||  Girls round straw bag  || Tan & pink sandal

I hope these Mommy and Me outfits for spring to summer help you think of all things bright and warm as I for one am feeling SO ready to start wearing sandals (hello puffy pregnant lady toes) and light breezy dresses (hello to you too growing baby bump!)  ; ) 

And Happy Easter weekend to you and your family!!

Warmly, Steph

Mommy & Me Swimsuits

 Women's pink ruffle one piece  ||  Women's sun hat  || Girls pink eyelet swimsuit  || Girls sun hat

Women's deep v neck one piece ||  Women's white frame sun glasses  || Girls ruffle side one piece  || Girls white flower sun glasses

Women's two piece eyelet top || Women's two piece eyelet bottom ||  Women's blue strip swimsuit  ||  Girls blue ruffle swimsuit 

Women's blue ruffle one piece (Maternity version here)  ||  Girls floral ruffle one piece || Baby girl matching sister set 

I hope these "Mommy & Me" coordinating swimsuit ideas help inspire you for this spring-summer season! And that you enjoyed them as much as I did putting them together. Truly! This kind of stuff is SO fun for me! I've been secretly (which you now know) coordinating swimwear with Abby since she was born and I CAN NOT WAIT to add baby sis into the coordinating game soon!!

You ladies are awesome, never forget that.  : )

Warmly, Steph

5 Toddler Travel Tips || Hawaii Vacation

Ok, after 11 trips (6 flights and 5 road trips) with Abby since she's been born, today I'm happy to share our 5 best toddler travel tips fresh off from our last trip to Hawaii! These ideas can also very well could be used for a long car ride too! And of course, at the bottom is a photo dump of our vacation because well... I LOVE photos and I always love it when others share! : )

5 Toddler Travel Tips

||  1  ||

A Time to Travel

When Abby is full of energy (yet calm) and happy, early in the morning has been our best time to leave when traveling long distances.  We’ve tried afternoon trips when she was 9 months and 1.5 years old and those just didn’t seem to go as smooth as when we left early in the morning around 7 or 8am. 

||  2  ||

Adjusting to Time Change

We’ve done 3 trips in the last three years where Abby has needed to adjust to a 2-3 hour time difference and by making it a priority to achieve a new bedtime on travel day, she’s been able to adjust in 24 hours will a little bit of effort. We let her take a very short nap (30-45 nap max) as late as possible to push bedtime.

For example, on this trip we left at 8am and arrived 6.5 hours later to Hawaii, making it 11:30am there time. So, first thing we did was eat lunch! And then get out in the sunshine. We then played at home and let her go down for a nap Hawaii time at 2:30pm (6:30pm PNW time). So this helped her adjust to staying up a bit later to go to bed at 7:30pm Hawaii time (10:30am PNW). Abby adjusted just fine the following day, and the rest of the trip and I believe it’s because we made that first day of getting her on a new schedule, a high priority.

||  3  ||

Comfort Items

Making it feel like home, really helps! Abby’s relaxed and feels comforted without having to hang on me the entire trip! This was especially important to us when Abby flew for the very first time at 6 months old (new sounds and smells are scary for little ones!) I truly believe this tip helps!

||  4  ||

Snacks

Bring tons of them! I’m always amazed on how much she eats while traveling though I’ve heard this same thing from other moms and it's true, snacks keep them happy. We brought gold fish, raisins, bunny cheese crackers, dum-dum suckers (for her ears during takeoff) fruit snacks and some chocolate chip cookies. 

||  5  ||

New Entertainment

I think I spent $15 total on new play dough, coloring books, water wow, and activity books for Abby this round and it was $15 well spent! Even though they have a movie screen setup on the plane, Abby can only watch maybe 20-30 minutes at a time. So, I rotate between eating snacks and keeping her hands busy. Abby did great! She even enjoyed just looking out the window. You can find some great fun things for little ones to do at the dollar spot in Target and load up a diaper bag full of them!

Ok, and now....



A photo dump.

 

 

 

 

Links || Resources

Abby's white flower sun glasses ||  Abby's blue ruffle swimsuit  ||  Abby's rash guard pink and white strip swimsuit  || My blue and white strip swimsuit || My black and white ruffle top swimsuit  ||  

As always, let me know if you have any questions, and thanks for your readership! 

Warmly, Steph

If you liked this post, you might also like:

Tips On Flying With Babies & Toddlers

Tips On Traveling (In A Car) With A Toddler

What I've Learned About Toddlerhood