5 Tips on Maternity Wear

I'm really excited about this posting today. It is completely for the preggos out there. Not just for first time moms, but even for second and third timers like me. I still find myself confused, frustrated, and not all that excited getting dressed sometimes. Maternity wear can be so challenging. None your favorite pieces fit right anymore, even clothes you just bought! This post is not [yet] about fashion finds. But it's for those that just don't know where to start. Some have probably just saw that positive test or have just starting noticing a bump - Now what? Here are a few tips to get you started in this fun adventure of maternity wear.

1. Maternity Band. Not ready to buy stretchy maternity pants? These bands are great to slip right over the opening of your jeans, pants or shorts and allow you some time before you have to buy maternity wear. This is a great budget friendly alternative to redoing your whole before-pregnancy wardrobe.

2. Buy what you'll need first. Sometimes we get excited and want to buy the latest Maternity wear trend we saw in a magazine. It's important to buy what you need first, then all the jazzy pieces. 

I think the most important pieces are:

• Work and casual maternity pants
• yoga pants
• maternity or larger camisoles
• Loose maxi or short dresses

These pieces are a must have in your wardrobe to help you get through the pre-belly weeks and those lazy days you just don't want to think too hard on what to wear. As you get further along your pregnancy, you'll get a feel for what works and what doesn't. Call it a Woman's Intuition.

3. Shop within your trimester. This is an important one. Sometimes we tend to over buy and say to ourselves, "I can wear this towards the end of my pregnancy." Before you get too ahead of yourself, remember, you are going to see 3 weather seasons within the year of your pregnancy. Buying clothes during the summer when you'll be at your largest in winter would be a bad situation in those Daisy Dukes. The pregnancy body changes so much that there is no telling what will "grow" and what will stay the same. My best advise is to shop within your trimester. Buy staple weather friendly pieces and add a summer hat or winter scarf with it. If you can wear a piece of clothing for about 3 months, you get an award! 

4. Invest in supportive shoes. Weekend Shopping Sprees and Therapeutic Shop Til You Drop Days will be all for nothing if you don't pay attention to the dogs, I mean feet you're on all day. They take the most beating if you're up and about during the day. There are plenty of brands and shops that will have what your looking for. Supportive, archy, and comfy. Your feet might get swollen or may even get bigger. Sometimes buying shoes or sandals a half size bigger towards the end will do wonders. 

5. Don't always rummage the maternity section. There are plenty of styles trending right now that are made loose and flowy that can be bought at any size. Buying clothes slightly larger than your current size can be a fashion life saver. Clothes stretches. Showing off that belly bump is the whole point of pregnancy. There is nothing wrong with a pregnant chick in Forever21 or even Forever21 plus. If you can do it, rock it! My bathroom selfie below is a regular dress, H&M, $7. Where's my Cape?

Note: WEAR HEELS! While your not waddling, achy or swollen. Rock the stilettos, the platforms, the wedges. It's such a great boost of confidence and shows how awesome you are creating a baby in 4 inch heels. Do it while you can. Before you know it, all you'll only want to wear are Old Navy Flip flops in every color.

I really hope this was helpful. if you have any questions or comments, please leave a message after the beep...

Fun in the [Smoldering] Sun

The best days are the unplanned days. I decided to take a Tuesday off and since Gaby is starting up his business, he's home a lot more. It was the perfect recipe. I had about an hour before Isabella would wake up so I did what no mom has done before: I sat in bed (indian style), with GMA on TV, my mac on my lap, and a big bowl of cereal in my hands. For a whole hour, it was.. blissful! We decided to take advantage of the weekday and go to the Zoo.

If you ever find yourself pregnant, with a toddler, at a zoo or park, just before noon, in June, in Sunny South Florida, please rent a bike. We rented those cute suburban-life family bikes, sat her in front of us and it was a wrap. Best day ever.

Isabella has a thing about gasping at everything. Every animal we rode by, she would gasp and point and jibber jabber. I would name the animal (as best I could) and TRY to describe the sound it made. Gaby would be right behind me repeating it in Spanish for her (us) to learn. However, I'm pretty sure she was more excited by the squirrels crossing the walk way than the half zebra, half deer looking animal.

The rest of our visit was fun-filled, water-drenched, tired out and eventful. Down to the last sprinkle on my ice-cream. 

 

We got home early enough to sneak an hour at the thrift store with the munchkin. Gotta start 'em young. Not really. All she wanted were her pretzel sticks.

But dude! I walked away, with Gap and Express tops, a $3 huge (batteries included) toy and this pretty awesome tribal blanket for the future double nursery. Now that fun-filled for mama dukes.

Who I am..

Well, this is my first post. So what can I say about myself. Raising Faith and Grace is and will hopefully be an inside look into my very simple but soon to be very busy life with my 17 month old daughter, Isabella Grace and my on-the-way daughter, Zoey Faith.

Ok so let's see, I'm not great at any one thing, but I can dabble in a ton. I love thrifting and spray painting (that kinda goes hand in hand) DIY projects, the less sowing involved the better. Bargain Fashion Finds are always a goal. But pregnant fashion finds is my mission impossible - challenge accepted. I graduated from a culinary school, tried it for a few years and realized it wasn't for me (nights and weekends anyone?). So all things food and eating will always have a special place in my heart. You'll see posts of projects and dishes and outfits.. go ahead, get excited.

So real quick.. I met my amazing husband Gabriel at a church camp in Buffalo, NY when I was about 15. We dated and got engaged when I was 18. We were married 2 years later on a fall afternoon on November 7, 2009 (5 years approaching!). Not knowing how funny life would pan out in just a few short years. Took us about 3 years to finally have our Isabella Grace. Just entering toddlerhood, she's got a personality like no other. She's spunky and bold and well, fierce. "Bella Fierce". A few months after her 1st birthday we found out I'm pregnant again (let's just say, it was a special valentines day ;] ) This pregnancy was totally unplanned and is such a welcomed surprise. Recently we found out that we are having another girl, we knew right away she will be called Zoey Faith. With a second due in November, it'll be nice knowing she will be around for all the holidays coming up (which the thought is mind blowing). So much to do in little time; room renovating, baby trend hunting, showers and registries, feet swelling and back aches: oh the pregnancy bliss.

Sssooo I kinda don't know what I'm in for with 2 girls under the age of 2. But that's the most exciting part. The unknown. A lot of friends around me are having their first, they don't know what to do or buy or wear or try. So as a veteran (yea right) in this topic, I decided to try my knack at this blogging adventure and share what I know, what I don't, what I will succeed in, and what I will make mistakes in. Bring it on motherhood.