This is 30

A couple of months ago, my husband and parents began asking me what I wanted to do for my 30th birthday. And even up until last weekend, I had no clue what I wanted to do. For one thing, I'm not too big on my birthday; in addition, it's the middle of August, and I'm 8 months pregnant. So really, all I wanted to do was spend time with loved ones, eat good food, and stay in an air-conditioned place. And that's EXACTLY what I got.

In the morning, Ralph and I were able to sleep in until 7:30am (we're usually awake by 6:30am, even on weekends); and we probably could have slept more, but we were awakened by our son's "angelic" singing voice through his baby monitor, hahaha. So I got up, got Owen from his room, and he cuddled with us for a bit before we headed downstairs to have a light breakfast.

Roses from my boys. Thank you, guys!

I said "light" breakfast because we had reservations for brunch at Plums Café just a few hours later. It was our first time there, but we'll definitely be back for more. Everything was delicious, especially their Oregon pepper bacon.

Afterwards, we headed home for Owen's (and Ralph's, haha) nap. And a little while later, my parents came over for dinner and surprised me with good ol' Filipino food, something that I haven't had for a very long time and, oddly, craving for the last week. Thanks, Mom, Dad, and Matthew!

And then, it was time for cake! Within the last week, my mom and Ralph kept asking if I wanted a special cake, but I told them that I wanted to make my own. They didn't really like that answer and asked, "Are you sure?" "Do you want me to order a tres leches cake?" "What about from Heidelberg?" "Can I make the cake for you?"

Honestly, cake is cake to me. Costco cake? Great. Albertson's cake? Great. Insert-fancy-bakery-cake? Great. Box cake? GREAT.

So you know what I did? I spent $2.62 on boxed cake mix and pre-made cream cheese frosting, and made a simple layered cake.

I think Owen was excited for cake. I'm not sure. ;)

It was a great day. My only gripe is that I did not get a picture with my parents and brother...NOR did I get a picture with Ralph AND Owen. :( Oh well. We made memories, and that's all that matters.

Also, thanks to everyone who took a quick moment to greet me - it means a lot, really.

Here's to 30!

Cold Shoulder Floral Maternity Top from PinkBlush.
Exact top can be found HERE.

P.S. PinkBlush is having a MAJOR sale today - additional 40% off clearance! They have maternity tops/dresses/bottoms and delivery robes. Not pregnant? They also have regular women's clothing and accessories (even shoes). Go now! Happy shopping!

Click --> ShopPinkBlush

**Disclaimer: The clothing showcased above was gifted to me by PinkBlush in exchange for a review/social media post.**

33-Week Bumpdate

Yikes...take a look at those stretch marks from my pregnancy with Owen!

How far along?: 33 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: +14 lbs

Sleep: I must wake up 3 or 4 times at night to change which side I'm lying on. And more than half the time, my lower back cracks, and it feels sooo goood.
Best moment this week: Honestly, it was yesterday morning when Owen woke up (he asked to sleep in our bed the night before, and we let him because he almost NEVER asks to sleep with us anymore), and the first thing he did was reach for my belly.
Movement: Baby Boy is running out of room. He has been kicking towards my bladder and my back area...and I'm afraid I just might spontaneously pee my pants or fart, hahaha.
Symptoms: Back/hip/right buttock pain, fatigue (I take a nap every chance I get, usually when Owen naps), Braxton-Hicks contractions, and, weirdly enough, nausea! Some mornings, I'll be eating breakfast, and I'll just lose my appetite.
Symptoms I DON'T have: GERD, swollen feet/legs, nocturia.
Food cravings: Cinnamon anything. The other day, I ate 3 (SMALL...ish) churros. 

Food aversions: Nothing at the moment.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button in or out?: Poking out a little bit.
What I miss: Being comfortable.
What I am looking forward to: Eating very well on Sunday. :)

Until next time!

Wish I Knew Wednesday + 32-Week Bumpdate

We are 50 days away from meeting Little Bro! I know I've said it before, but I seriously cannot believe how fast this pregnancy flew by - next month is already birth month!

You can see a couple of new additions to the boys' room!
Crib: IKEA
Bear head wall decoration: Target

Today, I had my 32-week check-up, and the doctor said everything was looking great. Little Bro is head down and weighing at 3lbs 13oz - doc says the baby will be about the same weight as Owen's birth weight, which was almost 8lbs. "Another little chunky guy!" is what my husband said. Can't wait to get my hands on some chubby baby rolls again. Owen has grown significantly, and all the chunkiness has gone. *Tear*

So, I noticed this growing trend on Instagram where mothers post (on Wednesdays) what they "wish they knew" about pregnancy and motherhood. This could be about baby items they wish they purchased, things they wish they did prior to baby's arrival, how they wish they dealt with their emotions, etc.

While the mothers in my life gave me a heads up on the usual things (mostly centered around the baby, naturally, and which I am forever grateful for), I wish I had known how important it was to prepare my body for, not just pregnancy and delivery, but for postpartum as well.

• During pregnancy: I wish I ate healthier. During my first pregnancy, I ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, and I gained a whopping 30lbs...and I was already overweight at the start of the pregnancy. As a result, I had debilitating back pain, edema in my lower extremities, and I was on restricted work duties by 28 weeks.

• During labor/delivery: I wish I didn't eat HEAVY meals leading up to labor. When you're pregnant, your digestive system slows down...and I'm already not a "regular" person. Top that off with an epidural, and guess what I got? An HOUR on the toilet a week later, praying to God to end my misery.

• Postpartum: I wish I had comfy clothes. Since I wasn't planning for a C-section, I didn't have any loose pants to wear. Sure, I had my yoga pants, but the elastic would sit RIGHT ON the incision site. Ow. But since I know I'll be having a repeat C-section, I'll be prepared. Guess where I got these sweet maternity pants from? Yep, PinkBlush!

Maternity pajama pants from PinkBlush - these exact pants can be found here.

Please keep in mind that these "wish I knew"s are based on my own personal experiences from my first pregnancy and may not necessarily apply to all pregnant women. If you can eat a burger a day and not have any issues with your bowel movements, then, by all means, chow down! I wish I had that ability, hahaha.

Now, time for a bumpdate!

How far along?: 32 weeks (tomorrow)

Total weight gain/loss: +14 lbs

Sleep: Not too bad, but I wish I could sleep until my alarm goes off. I'm always wide awake by 5:30am, and I can usually afford to sleep for another hour.
Best moment this week: Spending time with Ralph's mom and sister last Saturday. Owen missed his "Nana" and "Au-TEE" so much that he spent most of the morning looking out the window and waiting for them.
Movement: All the time.
Symptoms: Low back pain. 
Symptoms I DON'T have: Reflux hasn't been too bad the last week or so.
Food cravings: Sandwiches of any kind. I eat a homemade version of an Egg McMuffin every day.

Food aversions: Nothing at the moment.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button in or out?: Poking out a little bit.
What I miss: Lying on my belly.
What I am looking forward to: Finishing up the boys' room. I have a couple of DIY projects to do, so I better get started soon!

Until next time!

**Disclaimer: The clothing showcased above was gifted to me by PinkBlush in exchange for a review. All opinions in this post are my own.**