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Fashion Friday: Mommy & Toddler Style

February 7, 2014, 3:34 pm
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Today's outfit features one of my new jumpers from ASOS Maternity. I've been wearing this a lot since I got it - I love the pattern & although it is warm and snuggly for the winter, I still feel like I can breathe in it. The sleeves have "holes" in them (the correct term is probably wide stitching or something but I don't know anything about knitting - sorry!) so when worn with a tank top it actually feels quite light & airy. This is important when pregnant as sometimes you can feel like an oven...ha ha ha!

My jeans are also by ASOS Maternity but as you guys probably already know, I don't recommend them as they faded pretty badly after only one wash! :( The boots are by Dune from about 4 years ago, and ever since I've had to stop wearing heels I've been living in either these or my UGGs. 


Emilia's outfit was a birthday present from Marks & Spencer, she is wearing a light pink headband & lavender bow from Layniebug Designs and her shoes are Twinkletoes by Skechers (they light up!)


I also picked up a new maternity coat from ASOS in the sale which was a total steal, reduced from €112 to €33! The best thing about this style is that it can easily be worn when not pregnant and you wouldn't even know it's maternity!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 

xoxo
Anna

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Mommy Monday: 33 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2!

February 10, 2014, 2:49 pm
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(Don't mind my Christmas socks...he he ;) 

How far along? 33 weeks!
Total weight gain/measurements: 27lbs, stayed the same again.
Maternity clothes: My jumper is from New Look Maternity (bought from ASOS but no longer on the site, sorry!) My maternity jeans are also from ASOS. 
Stretch marks? Still no new ones.
Sleep: Good - although we have had a few rough nights with Emilia which definitely doesn't help :( But aside from that she's generally a great little sleeper.
Best moment this week: We visited PAWS Animal Rescue on Saturday to donate food & check out the kennels we sponsored over Christmas and although it was an emotional experience, it felt good to do something nice for the doggy friends. (More on that here.)
Miss anything? I do miss not being out of breath all the time...and being able to put on socks/boots easily! 
Movement: Tons.
Food cravings: We got a toastie machine last week and ever since I've been craving toasties! Especially ham & cheese...mmm!
Anything making you queasy or sick? No.
Gender: BOY!
Labour signs: Lots of pressure, Braxton Hicks, lightening crotch!
Symptoms: Aside from the ones above, heartburn, shortness of breath, back pain (this is probably due to bending over picking up toys & lifting Emilia) and fatigue.     
Belly button in or out? Out!
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or moody most of the time? Happy!
Looking forward to: Seeing the baby on our next scan (tomorrow)!

Watch my 33 week pregnancy vlog below:



Want to compare bumps? Check out my 33 week update from my first pregnancy here!

xoxo
Anna

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What's in My Changing Bag!

February 13, 2014, 4:33 pm
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Here is my new baby...well, not really but it's my new changing bag and I love her! She is the Storksak Caroline in leather black. I knew I would be needing something a little bigger now that we're about to have "two under two" which means two sets of nappies along with changes of clothes, snacks for Emilia and everything else that goes along with babies and toddlers. Not to mention room for all my stuff as well! This bag is certainly bigger and more spacious than my other one, the Storksak Elizabeth. It has double the nappy space and a lot more room in the main part of the bag. It comes with two zipped pockets in the front (which I currently do not use), two handles and a stroller strap. 


There is also a large compartment with a button at the back of the bag in which I always carry my phone & camera so that I can reach for them quickly. The Elizabeth has two smaller pockets like this front & back.


Here is a look inside my bag. The Storksak interior has the same design and just like with the Elizabeth you get a changing mat, little pouch (which can hook onto a leather strap inside the bag - I use this for my keys instead) and an insulated bottle holder. I use the pouch for storing wet wipes or used bibs if they're messy. We always use the changing mat when we're out - it's so handy for restaurants or any other public places where you need to change your baby & want to guarantee it's sanitary! I never got any use out of the bottle holder before as I breastfed Emilia but now I use it for her "big girl" cup! It fits perfectly and keeps her drinks cool. 

On one side of the bag there are two huge nappy compartments where I currently keep three in each one but there is plenty of room for more so I will probably make one side Emilia's and the other the new baby's when he arrives. On the other side of the bag are three smaller compartments along with a zipped pocket where I keep my makeup/beauty items such as lipsticks & makeup mirrors.


Inside the main part of the bag I keep my wallet, sunnies, WaterWipes, Emilia's Tommee Tippee plastic bib and a spare shopping bag. In the smaller compartments at the side I store tissues, hand cream and chewing gum. On my key-chain strap I have hand sanitisers, my car key, house key and Tesco clubcard.

To get a better look at everything I carry in my changing bag, check out my video below! Link to my last What's In My Changing Bag post featuring the Elizabeth is here!



xoxo
Anna

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Fashion Friday: Happy Valentine's Day!

February 14, 2014, 3:07 pm
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Happy Valentine's Day! 
This year we are staying at the Westbury Hotel in Dublin for Jonathan's birthday (Feb.13th). I apologise for the fact that I am wearing pretty much the exact same outfit as last week's except for the jumper, but what can I say...third trimester outfit choices are always a bit limited!! The knit jumper is one of my favourites from New Look Maternity, I wore it to my driving test because I wanted to be as comfortable as possible! I love the zips in the front which also mean you can adjust the size to fit your growing bump! My jeans are from ASOS Maternity and the boots are from Dune. 


The hoop earrings are from Silver Apple Designs, my necklace is Swarovski and the two bracelets are by Dyrberg Kern and Tiffany's. I carried my Storksak Caroline changing bag (not that you can really see it in these pictures!).


Emilia wore this adorable cream top from H&M which has a gold necklace design on it...this was a present from a viewer in Sweden and I love it! Her pink leggings are from Nevada/MD (Sears) and her shoes are Skechers Twinkletoes. And of course we topped it all off with a bow & headband from Layniebug Designs. 


I kept telling her to say cheese, but all she wanted to do was the pouty duck-face...oh well :) 

I hope you all had an amazing Valentine's Day!  

xoxo
Anna

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34/35 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2!

February 18, 2014, 2:50 pm
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How far along? 35 weeks! Yes, I skipped a week...but not really, as my original due date according to my last period was March 24th. In the first trimester my due date changed to a week later according to baby's measurements. For the past couple of weeks now the baby has been measuring 1 week ahead so I'm just back to my original due date! 
Total weight gain/measurements: 27lbs, stayed at 142 again!
Maternity clothes: My t-shirt is just a relaxed, oversized one I got from GAP around the time I first got pregnant. It's non-maternity but very comfortable. It's just a pity the weather isn't nice enough to wear it without a big cardigan! My leggings are very much maternity (they actually are worn all the way over the bump, hence all the crease marks!) and I got them from ASOS.
Stretch marks? Still no new ones.
Sleep: Okay, when I'm not attacked by heartburn! 
Best moment this week: Our mini break to the Westbury in Dublin for Jonathan's birthday...take me back!
Movement: Lots & lots!
Food cravings: Ham & cheese toasties (same as last week!)
Anything making you queasy or sick? No.
Gender: BOY!
Labour signs: Tons of pressure, Braxton Hicks, lightening crotch (same as last week!)
Symptoms: Fatigue, heartburn, lots of false labour signs like mini irregular contractions (Braxton Hicks). Shortness of breath...oh and I'm well & truly waddling now!     
Belly button in or out? Out!
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or moody most of the time? Happy!
Looking forward to: Meeting this baby boy! I'm getting to the stage where I'm very much over being pregnant...

In the meantime, here are some adorable baby buys I picked up from DPAM in Dublin last week! They were having a 70% off sale :)




Baby boys' velour set (navy blue)




Monster jumper and baby boys' trousers (medium grey) size 3m


Teddy bear cardigan, baby boys' trousers and tee-shirt (turquoise) size 3m


Baby boys' monster dungarees (size 3m) 


Grey striped vest & soft baby blanket

Check out my 34/35 week pregnancy vlog below!



To compare this pregnancy with my first one, check out my 35 week update here! 

xoxo
Anna

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What I Ate Wednesday {19.2.14}

February 19, 2014, 3:34 pm
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Here's what I ate today!


Breakfast
Breakfast was eaten at Costa, after my doctor's appointment this morning. I have always wanted to try their wholemeal porridge which is new on the menu and I'm happy to report it was really yummy and very filling! Super convenient for breakfast on the go too, or if you skipped it that morning and need something healthy to fill you up. I also had a decaf medium americano. 


Lunch
Toasted ham & cheese panino made with our new toastie machine (which I am obsessed with!). I like this multiseed ciabatta bread, we use extra mature cheddar and crumbed ham. And you know I can't be without my cherry tomatoes :) I also had a big pint of water with Spatone.


Dinner
Don't judge me! But ever since we went to Dublin last week I've been craving Diet Coke...sometimes it's the only thing that hits the spot! I only allow myself one can a day...I know, I know - it's terrible for you. But save me the lectures, I'm not a saint :) For dinner Jonathan made black bean beef stir fry with noodles and (ugh) peas & corn. I am sooooo sick of peas & corn!!! But Jonathan and Emilia like them, and Jonathan is chief dinner maker so I can't really complain! But personally I would have preferred stir fry veggies...


Dessert
These remind me of my last pregnancy...I think I actually was craving them in my third trimester too! They are Cadbury's Choc' Full of Pretzels and I saw them while grocery shopping today and couldn't resist! They're the perfect mix of sweet & salty. Yummy!

Aside from this I had more water, another Spatone and about 3 Rennie tablets for heartburn. You can also check out my What I Ate Wednesday video below:



What did you eat today?

xoxo
Anna

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My Week in Pictures - Feb.16th-23rd

February 23, 2014, 2:38 pm
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Here's a look at my last week through my Instagram pictures!


Sunday 
Sometimes you just need some Sunday croissants :) This was the day after we got back from our mini break to Dublin and we weren't quite ready to let go of the hotel breakfasts...


Thursday
I literally cannot look at this picture without laughing!! Emilia loves her bathtime and Jonathan used to be a swimming teacher (he actually used to teach babies to swim) so he has always been wonderful at getting her used to the water. It's amazing to see how comfortable she is in it! Here I think she looks like a little moon peeking out from all the suds, ha ha ha! 


Friday
Last week I received the prettiest stationery from Charm & Gumption. The owner of the site is actually a dedicated viewer of our vlogs & wanted to send me some of her products as a gift. I love the Remember detailed to-do list notepad and Get Fit notepad. I also got some gold foil prints which I'm excited to frame & hang in the babies' nurseries!


Saturday
Albi got neutered on Wednesday. The poor guy was very out of sorts after his check-up on Friday as he had to wear the cone of shame (he was being bold & licking his wound). Lucky for him, Emilia sensed he was feeling down and decided to comfort him by reading him a story...upside down. It's the only way, really!

Hope you enjoyed this post - I will try and do these every week from now on!

xoxo
Anna

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Mommy Monday: 36 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2!

February 24, 2014, 1:55 pm
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Wearing cupcake socks in the cupcake room...he he he ;)

How far along?  36 weeks! 
Total weight gain/measurements: 29lbs! I gained 2lbs this week putting me at 144. This is the heaviest I've ever been and I can definitely feel it! It's getting so difficult to find clothes to wear that are actually comfortable and/or fit. I know some people disagree but based on experience I think being pregnant in the summer is much easier in terms of what you can wear...maxi dresses, ballet flats, tank tops and t-shirts are so much more comfortable than loads of layers, knits and bulky coats - at least in my opinion! 
Maternity clothes: Both items in this picture are maternity...the New Look jumper makes me look huge but it's comfortable so that's all that matters right now! And the ASOS jeans are one of the only 2 pairs that fit anymore :( 
Stretch marks: Still no new ones.
Sleep: It's been good overall. I need to take a nap once a day though, usually I do it during Emilia's naptime (she still naps 2 hrs which is amazing!). 
Best moment this week: We got our strollers...the Jané Twone in blue for our double stroller and another lighterweight Cosatto Giggle 3 in 1 travel system for single use (although you can use the Jané for that too). I think Jonathan just wanted to get another carseat for his car! 
Miss anything? Lots of things at the moment! Feeling like myself, being able to mount stairs without getting out of breath, or have enough energy to do everything I want to do! 
Movement: Lots - he is really strong too...I keep getting poked by elbows or knees which can feel so weird!
Food cravings: Last week it was Diet Coke. Thankfully I seem to have been able to cut that habit out quickly! 
Anything making you queasy or sick? Still off coffee/tea.
Gender: Boy 
Labour signs: Braxton Hicks contractions now and then. Pelvic pressure & lightening crotch! 
Symptoms: Heartburn (I live on Rennie tablets), fatigue, shortness of breath, back-ache...and generally feeling huge! 
Belly button in or out? Out
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to: Meeting the baby...getting my hospital bag completely ready (we're almost there).

Check out my 36 week pregnancy vlog below!



To compare this pregnancy to my first one, check out my 36 week update here!

xoxo
Anna

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What I Ate Wednesday {26.2.14}

February 26, 2014, 1:56 pm
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Breakfast
Organic porridge with light soy milk, almonds & cinnamon. Lately I've actually been having it with almond milk and almonds which is sooo good! But Jonathan made it for me this morning :) 


Lunch
This was the most amazing lunch I've had in a long time!! And best of all, it was home-made! We are so proud of our newest creation using our toastie machine! It's basically a caprese sandwich toasted in a sandwich maker so the mozzarella goes all gooey and melted...oh my God. I could have eaten this for breakfast, lunch and dinner! To make this we used Italian bread, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, rocket, salt and a little olive oil.


Dinner
Dr. Oetker Vegetale pizza - I eat 3/4 and Emilia eats the other 1/4 :) This is our favourite brand of frozen pizzas - the bases are thin, the ingredients always taste fresh & they're probably the one of the healthier pizza options in the frozen food section! I like the pizza vegetale, Jonathan likes the pollo.


Dessert
A mix of Maltesers & Peanut M&Ms...yum! I mixed up two funsize packs of each :) 

I also had 8 glasses of water along with my iron supplements & about 4 Rennie tablets! What did you eat today? Feel free to link your What I Ate posts in the comments below!

xoxo
Anna

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Fashion Friday: Almost Spring

February 28, 2014, 10:14 am
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As the days get brighter and less gloomy, we are celebrating what looks like the beginning of spring with some pastel colours & lighter hues! These maternity jeans from ASOS and leggings are pretty much the only pants that fit me anymore. The pink & cream heart jumper is by New Look Maternity and when I first purchased it I thought it looked awfully bell-shaped and didn't love the way it fit. Now in the last month of pregnancy I am grateful for that extra fabric! I can't remember where my scarf is from...I think it was a gift. The brown leather shearling boots are from LoveClothing (about 2 years ago) and up until recently I had been seriously considering donating they were gathering dust at the back of my closet. But now I am so glad I didn't! I guess I've rediscovered my love for them and have been wearing them quite a lot lately as I'm limited to the flats department. The pearl bracelet was part of a wedding gift from my mom that she bought me in Sorrento.
  

Emilia's peachy pink leggings are from Zara and her "Cuddle Me Quick" top was a gift from Target (I think!). She is also wearing a light pink headband & mint bow from Layniebug Designs and her Clark's shoes. And yes, those are her Ugg cleaning products she's hugging in the pictures above...ha ha ha! 

We hope you're having a fabulous Friday! 

xoxo
Anna

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Style Saturday: Happy March!

March 1, 2014, 1:17 pm
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Happy March! I can't believe this is the month of my due date!! 

So I realise that leggings worn as pants aren't the most flattering of looks, but let me tell you something about comfort in the last month of pregnancy...it's pretty important. Along with daily naps and eating whatever the hell you want (*cough cough*...in moderation of course...)! These maternity leggings are some of my favourites from ASOS as they are super soft, wash well and fit right up onto your bump which hugs and holds it in. They are so comfortable! Lately I've been just wearing leggings as pants with a super long tank top underneath whatever other top I'm wearing to cover the bum area :) Ah the tricks you learn in pregnancy! The t-shirt is just a regular oversized one from GAP that I purchased last summer and I'm wearing a plain white tank underneath from Heatons. My boots are the same as in yesterday's post (told ya I'd been loving them lately!) - from LoveClothing about 2 years ago. The sequined cardigan is from Soaked in Luxury. My bracelets are all from Alex & Ani (November birthstone bangle & set of three bangle set in yellow gold).


This little madam was a bit out of sorts today...we think she might be teething (back teeth :( poor thing) so it was nearly impossible to get a good picture of her - let alone one of her making eye contact with the camera! This diva was just not having it! But I wanted to show her outfit because I think it's so cute! She is wearing turquoise jeggings (they have the most adorable little pockets on the back!) and a polka-dot doggy top with a tulle detail are from The Children's Place. Her shoes are Twinkletoes by Skechers and the hot pink headband is by Layniebug Designs. I'm not sure where the turquoise bow is from (sorry!) - it was a gift! 

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

xoxo
Anna

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My Week in Pictures - Feb.24th - March 2nd

March 2, 2014, 2:47 pm
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Tuesday
Emilia sporting her big girl clothes (size 18-24m...waaah!). Jeggings are from The Children's Place, top is from Target and headband is Layniebug Designs.


Tuesday
Here I am in all my prego glory (ha ha) officially at 9 months pregnant! Maternity dress is from Benetton (bought last pregnancy), maternity tights are ASOS (totally recommend these by the way!), flats are by New Look.


Wednesday
Another Emilia OOTD I couldn't resist sharing...in this one she reminds me of a little teddy bear! Her gilet & leggings are from Next. The cream top is from H&M and she is wearing her baby Uggs! Her bow & headband are from Layniebug Designs. 


Saturday
Yesterday was (kind of) our 2 year wedding anniversary for our legal marriage in Ireland. We actually chose to go to the registry office on the leap year so it's technically not even our anniversary till 2016! ;) But of course we still celebrated with some tasty Wagamama's since that was where we ate after the ceremony! I ordered the seafood ramen. It was really good but soooo filling! 


Sunday
Emilia baked her first cupcakes today! She got this Peppa Pig Muddy Puddles Cupcake baking set as a gift and we had tons of sprinkles/cake decorations to use up so I thought it would be a fun afternoon activity for her to do! Okay, so I did end up doing most of the actual baking (she lost interest pretty quickly after stirring the mixture a few times!) but she did get pretty excited about the decorating and eating part! Well...the eating part mostly. :) But I think she had a lot of fun!

Those were my Instagram snaps for the week! Happy Sunday!

xoxo
Anna

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What I Ate Wednesday {5.3.14}

March 5, 2014, 12:37 pm
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Breakfast
Natural porridge with almond milk, 1/2 banana and cinnamon. Emilia has apple cinnamon & raisin porridge with honey, the other half of my banana and orange juice! I also had a big pint of water with 2 Spatone (liquid iron supplement).


Brunch
I don't really know if you would call this brunch...it was more like mid-morning coffee but it came in between breakfast & lunch! I took Emilia with me to my friend's house for a playdate and had a frothy latte and hot cross bun with strawberry jam :)


Lunch
When I came home it was lunch time and Jonathan brought me a toasted panino in bed as I was exhausted! He made this one with chicken, cheddar cheese, rocket & black pepper. I also had another pint of water and he was even kind enough to remember my Rennie, ha ha ha! 


Dinner
Tonight we had penne with a bolognese sauce - this was made with steak mince and organic cherry tomato & parmesan sauce (so good), sweet peppers and some grated parmesan on top. I also caved and had the devil's drink with my dinner (Diet Coke - no judging!) but made up for it by drinking lots of water afterwards ;)

And that's it! I was pretty full after dinner so I'm done for the day. What did you eat today? Feel free to link your own What I Ate Wednesday below!

xoxo
Anna

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Fashion Friday: Living in Leggings

March 7, 2014, 2:40 pm
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I think this outfit would have probably looked better with black leggings but I'm just so sick of wearing black! Especially when spring seems to have sprung (well...for today anyway!). I also tried on about 70 different outfits before finally settling on this one. Everything is either too small or uncomfortable :( It's hard being full-term and still trying to dress "warm"! What I wouldn't give to break out some flats and tank tops. Yeah, I know I repeat myself in every blog post...*whinge, whinge, whinge*! Just give me a month and I'll stop...promise ;)

Onto the outfit at hand - I'm wearing a Boob nursing top which isn't maternity but the fabric is so long & stretchy that it works! The cardigan and leggings are from ASOS Maternity. My boots are from Dune and my earrings are by Silver Apple Designs. I painted my nails "Ceramic Blue" from Maybelline's Forever Strong Porcelains collection in preparation for our baby boy's arrival. Wishful thinking maybe?! 


Emilia was glued to Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom when I took these pictures which is why she wouldn't face me! Her top is huge on her...it looks more like a tunic or a dress but I actually think it's supposed to be quite long because of the pretty tulle detail at the bottom. Her top & leggings are from Next, she is wearing her baby Uggs and a sage green bow/headband from Layniebug Designs. 

I've finally packed my hospital bag (both for mommy & baby) so I will be sharing what's inside very soon (probably next Monday in my next prego update) so watch out for that! In the meantime have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo
Anna 
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Style Saturday: Nesting Mode

March 8, 2014, 11:01 am
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Unfortunately yesterday's "spring" was short-lived as today was back to the dreary, overcast, grey weather we're so accustomed to. Boo! :( However here is another one of my go-to outfits for cold days - black leggings from Heatons (non maternity, but they've always been too big for me), black maternity tank top from Kate Thomas, striped grey jumper from ASOS Maternity and my Uggs! My bracelet is from Tiffany's, the earrings are by Orelia and my necklace is from Swarovski. 


Look at this little messer! I can't remember what I said to her that caused her to make this face! I think I was getting her to say different family members' names. I STILL need to get Emilia's wardrobe organised - the clothes that are in her closet now are pretty much all too small for her as she is into 18-24 month clothing which is currently all laid out in the spare room so I am traipsing back & forth trying to find things for her to wear. I know I need to get organised and put all her small things away but I have just been so busy with the hospital bag and washing "Junior's" baby grows etc. that I haven't had a chance to do tackle her stuff yet. Our poor baby boy doesn't have a closet right now as we're moving so his whole wardrobe is confined to a big box I'm afraid!  

Emilia's sporting lots of pink & grey in her outfit today - the grey leopard print top with pink bows is from Cherokee (Target) and her pink knit leggings are from H&M. Her shoes are Twinkletoes by Skechers and her headband & bow are by Layniebug Designs! 

I hope you are all having a relaxing weekend! I am currently in full-on nesting mode and even though I'm generally a bit of a neat freak anyway I always tend to get even more extreme in the last weeks of pregnancy. I've already cleared out Jonathan's closet, organised the laundry room, cleaned out all "junk cupboards" and thrown away/donated three big black bags full of stuff! By the time the baby comes this house will be empty...ha ha ha!

xoxo
Anna 

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Mommy Monday: What's in My Hospital Bag + 37 Week Update!

March 10, 2014, 1:00 pm
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It's finally here! The long-awaited hospital bag post...round 2! If you'd like to see what I packed in my hospital bag for my first pregnancy you can read that blog post here. But this is the 2014/baby boy version!  


So last time I packed two separate bags, one for me and one for baby. This time I was lucky enough to find a bag that fits everything together without looking ridiculously oversized. My bag is the Pink Lining Cream Bows on Navy Holdall and I love it so much! It comes with double handles as well as a longer shoulder strap and one side pocket (where I store breast/nursing pads for when my milk comes in). This would be a wonderful weekend or mini-break bag as it holds a surprising amount of stuff - I was really impressed with how much I could fit in here!


Let's start with what I have packed for baby.

1 pack of newborn nappies (this holds 23 but I will probably need more!)
Baby Kind Cotton Wool Pads 
Receiving blanket from DPAM
4 babygrows (Debenhams, Jasper Conran, Ted Baker & Carters)
2 spare Gerber babygrows (just in case!)
5 pairs of newborn socks from Next
4 sleeveless cotton vests from Next
4 cotton vests also from Next
3 Aden & Anais muslin cloths
Baby Be Mine Nicole romper set
Knitted grey hat (not pictured) from Zara Baby


And here's what I packed for mommy (me!):

2 packs of maternity pads
Soap & Glory shower puff
Venus razor
Wash bag full of toiletries
Babyliss Travel Hairdryer 
Makeup brushes
Makeup bag
7 pairs maternity underwear
3 pairs socks
2 nursing bras from Motherhood
Labour socks
Baby Be Mine Nicole Gownie & Matching Pillowcase
Baby Be Mine Nicole Dressing Gown
Baby Be Mine Nicole Maternity/Nursing Nightdress
Beach towel
Laundry bag
Baby Be Mine Maternity Nursing Pyjamas
FemFresh Intimate Wipes


And here is what's in my wash bag!

Pack of 3 toothbrushes (in case Jonathan has to stay overnight too)
Estée Lauder Perfectly Clean cleanser
Estée Lauder sample size Daywear moisturiser 
Estée Lauder sample size Advanced Night Repair Eye serum
Travel size Simple Wipes (x2)
Nivea Pearl & Beauty deodorant - travel size
Batiste Dry Shampoo - travel size
Elemis Spa @ Home Tea Tree SOS Spray
Soap & Glory Clean On Me travel size shower gels (x2)
Aussie Miracle Moist shampoo & 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor (travel size)
Keep Calm & Have A Baby lip balm
Extra White Gum
Oral B 3D White Brilliance toothpaste
Bloom & Blossom Anti Stretch Mark Cream
Tangle Teazer


And here I am at 37 weeks pregnant (full term)!

How far along?  37 weeks! 
Total weight gain/measurements: 30lbs! 
Maternity clothes: I'm wearing my ASOS maternity jeans and a Mamalicious maternity t-shirt I got during my last pregnancy. The shirt is not maternity and from Heatons.
Stretch marks: Still no new ones.
Sleep: It's getting pretty uncomfortable now...I wake up several times a night and can really only sleep on my left side which gets annoying!
Best moment this week: Um...next question!
Miss anything? Not being pregnant!! This last month is killer!
Movement: Tons :)
Food cravings: Salty things...like crackers and cheese!
Anything making you queasy or sick? Not usually but the other day Jonathan made sausages and the smell made me gag/want to vomit. I felt so nauseous I had to get out of the kitchen/living room!
Gender: Boy 
Labour signs: Lots and lots of Braxton Hicks. Feeling tons of pressure too...and lightening crotch!
Symptoms: Heartburn, fatigue (definitely need my naps!), back ache, shortness of breath, Braxton Hicks contractions. 
Belly button in or out? Out
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or moody most of the time: Hormones are raging...it's not always good!!
Looking forward to: Not being pregnant anymore! Sorry but it's true - especially after having two so close together I feel like I've been pregnant forever!

Check out my 37 week update from my first pregnancy here! And watch my hospital bag video & 37 week belly shot below :)



xoxo
Anna

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Beauty Tuesday: February Favourites 2014!

March 11, 2014, 1:02 pm
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I didn't have a lot of favourites for the month of February but the ones I picked are definitely worth mentioning! So here they are:

Vivienne Westwood Mon Boudoir Perfume
My main beauty purchase last month was the Vivienne Westwood fragrance. I had been looking for a new "signature scent" for a while, ever since I stopped using Vera Wang Princess. I still love that perfume but wanted something more grown up. I'm a big fan of sweet, girly, floral scents and after shopping around for about an hour, smelling all different types of perfumes I finally settled on Mon Boudoir. If you have the same taste in scents as me you'll probably like this one...but what really sealed the deal was the pretty pink bottle :) I love how it looks on my dresser!

GHD Eclipse Professional Styler
I didn't buy my GHD in February but hadn't done a proper review or update on it yet...so here it is. I love this thing! The Eclipse is the fancier, updated version of my 6 year old version that finally gave up & died last December. It looks sleeker, more elegant and heats up in seconds. I only need to straighten my hair twice a week and on the other days it still looks straight & doesn't need to be touched up!

Revlon Primrose Lipstick
It's not that often that I change my lipsticks or veer away from my 1 or 2 favourite shades but I received this as a gift last month and have been reaching for it quite a lot. It's a pretty, cool-toned, matte, Brigitte Bardot pink. 
  
Zoya Vanessa Nail Polish
This is in between a red and a pink - it's not too vampy for spring but still has a deep berry hue to it. I love Zoya polishes anyway...they're safe for pregnancy, super good quality and long lasting.

Oral B 3D White Brilliance Toothpaste
It probably seems a bit weird to put a toothpaste as a beauty favourite but I felt this deserved a mention. I've been using & repurchasing it for over a year now and it is the only toothpaste I'll ever use! The reason being it keeps my teeth looking really white without any whitening treatments. So many toothpastes claim to do this but don't work - this one does! It is quite expensive (almost €5 a tube!) but you can get them on offer from time to time and in my opinion, it's worth the price!

Aveda Shampure
Aveda Calming Body Cleanser
Aveda Replenishing Body Moisturiser
The Aveda products are not strictly my favourites - they're actually Emilia's! My skin (on my body) has always been normal. I can use pretty much any product under the sun and it won't have any effect on me...Emilia on the other hand seems to have the same skin as her dad - both are very sensitive and quite dry. She started breaking out in a rash last month and has always had dry patches so I knew it was time to change up her skincare. I started using these Aveda products which are all-natural and smell amazing! So far I can see a huge difference in her skin. It cleared up completely and the body moisturiser has gotten rid of all her dry patches. I don't even need to use it every night and her skin still remains soft! I'm so impressed - so if any of you suffer from similar issues you might be interested in this range. They're not cheap but they do work. I will add that we don't use all of them every night, we usually alternate every other day between using these and bathing Emilia in just water.

Watch my February Favourites video here!

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xoxo
Anna

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What I Ate Wednesday {11.3.14}

March 12, 2014, 1:00 pm
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Here's what I ate yesterday (I am super organised with my videos/blog posts this week, ha ha!).


Breakfast
Natural porridge with light soy milk, 1/2 banana and cinnamon. I also drank a pint of water with two Spatone!


Lunch
I know I'm being really boring with the toasties lately but we're just going through a panini obsession since we got that sandwich press! It's actually been good for our budget as we hardly ever eat out for lunch anymore - these are so good! Yesterday I had a ham & cheese toastie with rocket & cherry tomatoes on Panelto bread.


Afternoon Coffee
After we got home from my doctor's appointment I needed a little pick-me-up so I had a vanilla Nespresso (black).


Dinner
For dinner I was craving smoked salmon pasta with cream cheese...I don't know why! So we finally made use of our Valentine's heart shaped pasta that we got from my mom (some of them are pink - you can't really tell the shapes from this picture though!). Jonathan made this with smoked salmon, some lemon juice, garlic & herbs Philadelphia & cherry tomatoes. It was amazing...totally hit the spot!


Dessert/Snack
I usually have quite a sweet tooth but lately I've been craving the salty stuff. So for my "dessert" or late snack I had Tucs crackers with cheddar cheese!

I also drank some more water - probably about 6 cups throughout the whole day! You can watch my What I Ate Wednesday video below:

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What did you eat today? Feel free to link your What I Ate posts in the comments below!

xoxo
Anna 

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Emilia's 18 Month Update!

March 13, 2014, 1:00 pm
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It has been a long time since I did an Emilia update! You can read her last one (at 12 months) here, where I promised to do another at 18 months so here it is! I can't believe she's 1 and 1/2 already! 

Routine: Emilia's routine has changed quite a lot since the last update as she now takes her naps after lunch instead of before. I found that as she grew older and was able to stay awake for longer, this just suited our whole family's routine better. She still wakes up about 9am, sometimes a little before then - in which case she plays by herself in her cot until I come in and get her at 9. She eats breakfast at 10am and lunch at 2pm. Her nap time is now from 3-5pm. I'm lucky that she still seems to want/need to sleep at least 2 hours a day (sometimes a little more!) which has been amazing in this late stage of pregnancy being that I can take a nap then too! Dinner is usually around 7-8pm and then bedtime is 9pm.

Sleeping: As I mentioned above Emilia is still taking 2 hour naps in the afternoon. She takes this nap in the same place she goes to sleep at night - in her cot in her own room with the door closed. We still use the AngelCare monitor but not the sensor mat. Her bedtime routine hasn't changed, except for the fact that obviously she's not breastfeeding anymore! I think she stopped a little after 12 months...she dropped her bedtime feed surprisingly easily and I just replaced it with a bedtime story. She always gets a bath after dinner, then lotion & pj's, storytime with Mommy and her dad rocks her for a little bit before putting her down. (I used to do this but can't anymore because of my back :( ) 

Eating: As she's gotten older, I've noticed Emilia has definitely become pickier about food. It doesn't bother me too much as she always drinks lots of milk throughout the day but sometimes it can get a little frustrating. I've found that she eats a lot better when she gets 3 square meals rather than having snacks in between (she's not a snacky toddler) and her appetite is quite small so I'd rather she didn't get full up on snacks! She normally eats porridge with whole milk & 1/2 banana for breakfast with orange juice, a little sandwich (usually ham & cheese) for lunch followed by a yoghurt/maybe some fruit and then eats whatever we're having for dinner (her favourite thing is pasta though!) followed by fruit like grapes/apple/raisins and maybe another yoghurt. She does get treats now & then but it depends on her mood - sometimes she doesn't want any! She drinks whole milk with lunch & dinner and after her nap. I've noticed her favourite foods are red grapes, raisins, sweetcorn, pasta, peas, banana and ham & cheese toasties! She also likes those Rice Krispies Shapes but I give them to her more as a treat because they're quite sugary.

Sizes: Emilia is wearing 18-24 month and some 24 month clothing and size 5 nappies (Pampers Active Fit). I just swapped out her wardrobe and got so emotional...she's so big now!

Milestones

  • The biggest milestone I can think of is her speech/vocabulary. The amount of words she comes out with on a daily basis is amazing! I think a lot of this has to do with her love of books & reading. I've always read to her since she was a tiny baby and she learns so many words that way!
  • She can recognise people she knows from pictures and photographs, like my mom & her aunties. She will also relate people in her life to certain experiences...for example we ate a restaurant about a week ago where we had only ever been with my mom before. All of a sudden she started saying "Oma...Oma" even though my mom wasn't there. Then she said "Erika" who had been with us for lunch that time too!  
  • I mentioned in my last update that Emilia had started walking. Since then she has become so confident on her feet and races around everywhere! She loves going for walks and picking up sticks/flowers, pointing out birds/doggies etc. It's nice to be able to do more outside activities with her now that the weather is getting better! 

Personality: One of the most interesting things I've seen in Emilia's development has been her personality. As a baby she was always very smiley, content and happy which she thankfully never lost as a toddler. But now that she's older I can see much more of a personality forming...she is pretty feisty sometimes, will perform on cue if she knows she's in the centre of attention, she is very confident and not afraid of strangers or different situations...yet at the same time she is also very kind, loving, affectionate and gentle - especially towards animals, other children and babies (woo hoo!). I'm really curious to see how she develops as a big sister and I know this month has a lot of changes in store for her! (Hopefully positive ones!)

That's all I could think of for now - feel free to ask me any questions below! And don't forget to watch our 18 month update video we filmed together here!

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xoxo
Anna
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Fashion Friday: On A Roll!

March 14, 2014, 1:00 pm
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Happy Friday! I hope you've all had a wonderful week. Mine has been super productive as my sister Erika has been babysitting Emilia every morning from 10am till 1pm. This enables me to get so much done before the usual slump of exhaustion I normally get in the late afternoon! By freeing up my mornings I've been on a roll filming videos, editing blog posts, doing laundry & sorting little people's wardrobes, ha ha ha! I am so grateful to have some sort of help at this late stage of pregnancy because I know things will be crazy when the new baby gets here! 

Onto my outfit of the day - I realise that it looks a whole lot like this outfit but what can I say, my wardrobe is limited right now! I am wearing a nursing/maternity top from Boob which I got last spring with a plain white tank top from Heatons underneath. My leggings are from ASOS Maternity and the boots are by the brand Blink (I got them from LoveClothing almost 2 years ago). I don't remember where I got the scarf...I think it was a gift! But it is super soft & cosy. My bracelets are the set of 3 and my birthstone from Alex & Ani. The earrings are from Orelia and my gold Scorpio necklace used to be my dad's. On my lips is Rimmel Kate lipstick in 03 (my favourite nude) and on my nails is Essie's Mint Candy Apple. I went to the Maryborough Spa on Wednesday for a pre-labour pampering session and got a prenatal massage (my last one!) and a mani/pedi. I wanted something bright & cheery for spring and to welcome our baby boy! :)  


I am so in love with Emilia's outfit of the day! It's such a pretty spring outfit with the pastel pinks & creams but of course when we went to the park the leggings & cardigan got destroyed! :-/ Her cardigan and the tunic dress are both from Carters and the leggings are from Baby Gap. Her shoes are by StartRite and have little cupcakes on them! (Found a similar style here.) She is wearing the baby pink bow & matching headband from Layniebug Designs. Jonathan said her cardigan made it look like she was making her Holy Communion, ha ha ha! He was actually right - when she wore it closed that's exactly what she looked like!



Here is the video we made together of our outfits of the day, if you're interested! :)
Have a fabulous Friday!

xoxo
Anna
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