You guys, the last two months have been a blur. I am so exhausted I can barely function but I’m overwhelmed with joy that my son will be here in literally less than a month. Since I was way less active in September and October, let me catch you up on everything you missed, including some tea I’m not sharing anywhere else…

Elective Ultrasounds

Let’s start with something precious and fun. We discovered elective ultrasounds, which are different from the ones you get at your doctor’s office, and you do have to pay for them. Our OB doesn’t allow pictures or videos during our appointments so we went to a place called Little Bellies for a keepsake ultrasound and it was worth every penny! We got to see our sweet baby’s face in 3D, which was so surreal. He even opened his eyes for us, and that’s a video I could watch 300 times a day.

Stretchmarks

I spoke too soon y’all, I really thought I would go unscathed! As soon as the third trimester hit, little stretch marks started showing up on my hips. I’m not too surprised as I’ve always been prone to getting them. I think they aren’t as bad as they could be and that might be thanks to the belly oil and bump butter I’ve always used. And truthfully, I have moments where I see the stretchmarks and actually feel joy. It’s incredible what my body has done over the last 9 months and I’m so grateful.

Viruses & Pregnancy

No one warned me that getting sick during pregnancy is like actual hell. I’ve had a cold or virus for 8 days now with no sign of recovery in sight. And unfortunately, almost all medicine is off limits for pregnant people. I’ve been advised lots of fluids and rest, but I work full time so no naps for me during the day, and the baby kicks, heartburn, constant need to pee, and congestion keep me up all night. The level of exhaustion I’m at has me like the walking dead.

The Nursery

Last month we turned one of our guest rooms into the baby’s room and it has very quickly filled with tons of things (I’ve been updating my Tiktok on the progress). There isn’t a theme to the nursery but the color scheme is natural wood and a very very light sage green, and it kind of reminds me of vintage farmhouse vibes. We have our crib, changing station and rocker fully set up, and this morning our closet wardrobe was delivered! Once we get everything unboxed, sanitized, and organized, we’ll have a better idea of what we still need- if anything. I’ve been logging everything I’ve purchased for our nursery in my Amazon storefront, and will continue to update it as we go. Despite the mess, sometimes I’ll go in there and daydream about holding my tiny baby and dancing with him in my arms. I just can’t wait for him to be here!

Household To Do’s

As you probably remember, we bought our home last December and there were a lot of things I wanted to upgrade within the first year of living there- like our half bathroom. All of those plans went out the window when we found out we were pregnant, mostly due to finances and my physical inability to demo and reno. But there are two things we are still actively trying to get done before the baby is here: plumbing in two bathrooms and electrical wiring in our garage. I know what you’re thinking, and yes our bank account hurts. But the shower in our primary bathroom is broken, the sink in our guest bathroom leaks, and we don’t have outlets in our garage for a door opener or for a freezer (which I really wanted for post-partum meal preps and breastmilk). Honestly guys, watch this space. I might become a plumber and an electrician just to save some money!

Body Dysmorphia & Pregnancy

Don’t worry- this isn’t as negative as it may seem. It’s no secret that I’ve struggled with BDD. When I got pregnant, I thought I would hate seeing my body change. But in fact the opposite is true. Pregnancy has worked wonders on my brain when it comes to how I think about my body. Sure, I still have those “pull my hair out” moments when yet another outfit won’t fit me. And I’ve definitely scream-cried a couple of times over having to wear the same 4 outfits to work. But I’ve also realized how normal it is to react that way. The frustration comes from the outfit not suiting me, whereas prior to pregnancy I would be upset that my body didn’t suit the outfit. I think it also comes from a place of “I can’t afford to buy an entire maternity wardrobe”, which is a whole different thing. But I’m so happy to have had a break from the ugly thoughts I used to have about my body. Now, at 9 months pregnant, I just marvel at it!

The Baby Shower

We had the most beautiful baby shower. Aesthetically, it went way beyond my expectations- all credit to my mom, MIL, sisters, SIL, and bff. I’m so grateful to everyone who showed up and showed out for us. Our son has more clothes, toys, blankets, and books than we even know what to do with. I got to see all of my sisters in one place, and lots of family traveled hours to come to see us, and I am just so grateful.

Something J and I were excited about was announcing our son’s name at the shower. We didn’t do a pregnancy announcement or gender reveal, so we wanted to do something special for our family since they were all in one place. Sticking to the storybook theme, we decided to write and narrate a story where the name was revealed at the end. We had so much fun putting it together and I’m so glad we did it! I’ll put a sneak peek in the gallery here.

The tea is that we had one person who was upset- about the name we chose, the way we went about it, or both. I’m not sure. But they made it very clear to me and everyone there that day that they were not happy. I’m not able to think back on the baby shower without thinking about consoling this person when I shouldn’t have, or that I left the venue in tears. If I’m being honest, both my husband and I still aren’t over it. It feels unfair that this person can apologize through text and move on with their life but we won’t ever get a redo of our baby shower. I hope that eventually, we’ll be able to see our sweet boy’s name written out and not immediately think about how a moment that should’ve been celebratory for us was made entirely about someone else.

I’ve been told by a few people who reached out after the shower that what happened is a lesson and good practice for what’s to come. Once our baby is here, a lot of dynamics will change: relationships with friends and family, our goals and ambitions, behaviors that we will and will not allow. J and I have always cared very much about what others think, but we just don’t have the space for it anymore. In a way, it’s kind of freeing! Having children, getting married, landing the new job, buying the house, taking the trip, reaching the fitness goal, having the money, and other major life events will teach you lessons like this. You don’t have to dull the sparkly moments in your life so that others feel like they shine too.

View our Registry

People showed OUT for us when it came to items we needed for our kiddo, we have all of the essentials! I wanted to share a copy of what we had on our registry for other soon-to-be parents out there because I know when I was putting mine together I stalked so many registries. Click here to see what we included!

What to Expect on the Blog

I promise promise promise this is not and will not be a mommy blog- it’s just what’s going on in my life right now! I’m so looking forward to all of the home renovations I’ll get to share with you guys, the upcoming tavels plans we have, career and school updates, in addition to becoming a mom. Expect lots of variety in what’s to come, but you better still be down for baby content.

I’ve drafted a few posts that are ready to go for when I give birth so I won’t go completely ghost. And I will still be active on social media as much as I can be, so be sure to keep up with me on Tiktok, IG, and Pinterest. My hope is that I’ll return to blogging a month or two after my son is here so that I have time to adjust but also be able to put out quality posts. I make no promises- it could be sooner!

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