Maternity Session with Christina Cho Photography + PinkBlush

On Monday, we met up with Christina from Christina Cho Photography for our maternity photo shoot at Huntington Beach Central Park. This is the same place where Ralph and I had our engagement photos taken by - yes, the one and only! - Christina Cho!

Because I'm in my 3rd trimester and Southern California is going through a heat wave, I wanted to make sure that I was dressed comfortably and stylishly...and without showing my swollen pregnancy legs and farmer's tan on my arms...and without suffering from a heat stroke at the same time. Heh.

Fortunately, I found the perfect dress at PinkBlush, which is an online boutique shop that carries a variety of beautiful and trendy clothes for the modern day mama. While a lot of their clothes are designed for maternity, they also have an impressive collection of women's wear as well as accessories (including shoes, bags, scarves, and hats!).

Now, anyone who knows me knows that I dress pretty simply, sticking to the usual navy blues, blacks, and grays. But to tell you the truth, I was STUMPED at which dress/outfit I should get from PinkBlush. I must've spent an hour (or two...or three...) just looking at all their maxi dresses, but I decided on this beauty.

Dress can be found here (ivory).
BONUS: I can wear it post-pregnancy because it's nursing-friendly. Woo!!!

At first, I was worried about my outfit selection - "What if it's too hot that day? What if the material makes me sweat more, and all the make-up melts off my face? What if it's too tight?!" Well, let me tell you...ALL of my doubts and worries vanished as soon as I put that dress on. I cannot begin to tell you how light and breathable (and stretchy!) the material is. I honestly sweated more during our fall family session in the middle of November!

Huge thanks to PinkBlush for providing me with such a beautiful dress - I felt like a million bucks.

And, of course, many thanks to our friend Christina for these beautiful photos...not to mention you had them ready in less than 48 hours! You've outdone yourself once again, and I will say that THIS one is now my new favorite session SO FAR. ;)

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.**

November Updates!

*Whew*...it's been quite some time since I've blogged, but November has been a busy month for me and Ralph.

Moving

In the middle of November, we decided to move out of our cozy little one-bedroom apartment to a two-bedroom apartment (for obvious reasons). Fortunately for us, there was an apartment available within our complex, so we didn't have to worry about breaking our lease, and we didn't have to drive very far; the downside was that we had to move in 10 days. Moving is never easy, but being 6 months pregnant was truly a struggle. I couldn't carry anything heavy, and I got tired easily...so my poor husband had to deal with the majority of the packing. But with the help of our families and my buddy Farhan, moving day was a breeze. And after just a few days, we unpacked everything! I can't wait to start prepping the baby's room. This "nesting instinct" is no joke.

Baby Herrera Update

Because of the move, I didn't have much time to do my weekly chalkboard update and survey...but I did have my 26-week appointment. The doctor said the baby is healthy and looking really comfortable in my womb - here he is:

Don't get too comfortable, kid!

I also had my blood drawn (yes, again) to test for any abnormalities - thankfully, I'm only moderately anemic, which is pretty common in pregnancy. I just have to take an iron supplement twice a day.

Maternity Photo Session

Despite our busy work schedules, doctor's appointments, and moving, Ralph and I managed to squeeze in a maternity photo shoot with our favorite photographer - Christina Cho. (She took our engagement and wedding photos too!) We had our photos taken in Laguna Beach, and we couldn't have asked for a better day. Here are a few of our favorites:

It was so much fun, and I can't wait to get some of these photos as canvas prints for the baby's room. Thanks again, Christina! You're simply the best!

November was pretty crazy, but I don't think things will slow down from here. It's going to be Christmas, then New Year's, then Valentine's Day...and before I know it, the baby will be here. Can't wait!