Christmas with PinkBlush

Being a mommy to an almost 3-year old and a 3-month old during the holidays has been so much fun but also very overwhelming. Other than the typical hustle and bustle that comes with this time of year, I've had so much other stuff going on the last few weeks that I've had no time to think about what to wear for Christmas Day.

I didn't want to wear anything super fancy (I never do), but I also didn't want to wear anything too plain...AND I wanted to make sure it was super comfortable and covered all my problem areas (which have been even BIGGER problems with all the Christmas baked goods going around...into my mouth, that is).

This ruffle trim sweater from PinkBlush was the perfect top to wear this Christmas. It is unbelievably soft and comfortable, and I just love the rust color - truly gives off a warm vibe.

True story: During Christmas lunch at my husband's aunt's house, Henry barfed/spit-up all over the bottom half of my sweater after I finished nursing him. I was totally regretting not packing extra clothes for myself and was nearly about to ask if I could borrow a shirt, but I decided to do my very best to clean the stain off first. After a few minutes of scrubbing with a kitchen rag and good ol' dish soap, I rinsed out the sweater, squeezed out all the excess water, and spent no more than 15 minutes airing it out before it was completely dry. It was a Christmas miracle.

You can find the same exact sweater here --> CLICK ME!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I'll be spending the next few days negotiating with my firstborn on what toys we should keep in the house and what we should put away in storage - I am up to my armpits in toy cars and train sets over here!

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.**

Sweater Weather

It only took until the beginning of November for the "cold" weather to hit Southern California; BUT it's here, and I am so excited about it!

I truly love "Sweater Weather" and could honestly live in sweaters all year long if I could. (I guess I'm living in the wrong state, huh? ) So once it hit the 60's/70's, I busted out my sweaters from storage and got this super comfy sweater from PinkBlush.

Being 5'0" and a little on the chubby side, I opted for a larger size for a looser fit; however, the sweater was rather long for my stature, so I took it in for alterations (I asked them to hem it just below the booty).

And what I love most about this sweater is the floral accent on the arms - it totally brings a feminine look to this boy mom's daily attire of the usual blacks and grays. A sweater, jeans, and sneakers are my usual go-to outfit when I'm out and about, so I'm sure this sweater will be used often...as long as SoCal permits it!

You can find the same exact sweater HERE. Also, today only, you can take 40% off CLEARANCE items and shipping within the U.S. is always free. If you're not buying anything for yourself, you can always go gift-shopping. It's never too early to start!

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

Postpartum Clothes with PinkBlush

Remember when I did a "Wish I Knew Wednesday" post about pregnancy and postpartum self-care? Particularly about wishing that I had comfy postpartum clothes the first time around? Well, I have practically been living in oversized tops and baggy pants the last few weeks, including my hospital robe and pajama pants from PinkBlush.

However...there does come a time during postpartum when you want NEED to doll yourself up, but it can be difficult to hide that little belly pooch...unless you're one of those lucky ladies who has a six-pack right after giving birth, NYEH! Luckily, a lot of PinkBlush's maternity clothes can be worn postpartum AND are nursing friendly.

This maternity/nursing top from PinkBlush is great to wear anytime anywhere, and the material is super stretchy and breathable. You can easily pair it with solid/patterned leggings or skinny jeans and finish off the look with strappy booties and a flat-brimmed hat. But today, I just stuck with my good ol' black leggings and brown sandals. I'm not up for skinny jeans and boots juuust yet; but the holidays are coming up, so you can bet that I'll be wearing this top again with some sweet accessories.

This little guy is my best accessory anyway. ;)

This maternity/nursing top can be found HERE.

(Also available in a variety of colors!)

It's always nice to look decent every once in a while. And now, I'm back in my pajama pants and spit-up stained shirt, with my hair up in the ugliest bun ever. Can't wait to have the energy, time, and motivation to look half decent again!

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.**

36-Week Bumpdate (Drama Included)

Yesterday morning started off like any other Thursday morning - I woke up, got ready for work, and then got Owen ready and dropped him off at my parents' house. I even stopped by Starbucks to get coffee because I knew we had a busy schedule. Within 10 minutes of clocking in at work, I started having painful contractions. I kind of ignored them because I had similar contractions a few days ago, and they went away after a couple of hours. And no, these weren't the regular Braxton Hicks contractions that I've been feeling for the last month or so - these were painful to the point that I couldn't move or talk.

Still, my stubborn ass (pardon my French) was determined to push through and continue working. After two hours of consistent contractions, I finally had one that was a 7/10 on the pain scale; I couldn't even breathe. At that moment, I snuck into one of the patient rooms and called Ralph to come and get me. At the same time, I called the hospital to let them know what was going on - the triage nurse on the line instructed me to drink a bunch of water and check in at the hospital.

(Honestly, if it wasn't at the urging of my fellow nurses, doctors, and managers, I probably would've stayed just a liiittle bit longer...but that painful contraction worried me, and I wanted to make sure the baby was okay.)

Within an hour, I was hooked up to a fetal monitor, and a nurse was checking the frequency of my contractions. At first, they were every 5 to 6 minutes, and I rated them being low in pain (they were so much worse when I was standing up and walking around). The on-call doctor came in a little later and examined me and said I was only about 1 cm dilated. 

He fell asleep to the cool room and soothing sounds of the baby's heartbeat LOL!

I was monitored for an additional hour then had a repeat exam - my contractions weren't getting worse/more frequent, and I wasn't dilating any further. So, just as I had suspected and hoped, the doctor said the baby isn't coming just yet, and Ralph and I were sent home.

Currently, I'm still having contractions (about 4 an hour), but I was told that this is my new "baseline". If it starts to get worse, then I need to drink a bunch of cold water, lie on my left side, and wait...and if the symptoms don't go away, then I give the hospital a call.

Needless to say, this was a huge wake-up call for me and Ralph. I went to the hospital without a hospital bag. Our infant carseat is not yet installed. The baby's clothes still need to be washed. I need a pedicure (lol, I'm kidding...sort of). I could go on and on. This baby is coming in 20 days IF I can make it to my c-section date. At this point, I'm really just hoping to make it to 37 weeks.

Hang in there, Rerun. Just wait 6 more days...pretty please!

Here's my 36-week bumpdate:

Dress is from PinkBlush - exact dress can be found here!

How far along?: 36 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: +16 lbs

Sleep: Waking up more frequently to use the restroom.
Best moment this week: Having breakfast at Off Street Cafe where my buddy Jacqueline works...best cinnamon roll I ever had.
Movement: All the time. In fact, I had my 35-week check-up this past Monday, and the doctor said the baby flipped and is breech again...which explains why I'm constantly feeling the baby kick my bladder, haha.
Symptoms: Back pain, BHC, fatigue, frequent urination (day and night)...the usual.
Symptoms I DON'T have: GERD, swollen feet/legs.
Food cravings: Cinnamon anything. Also, I really wanted chocolate cake while I was at the hospital. 

Food aversions: Nothing at the moment.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: Read story above.
Belly Button in or out?: Out.
What I miss: Sushi.
What I am looking forward to: My "Sprinkle" tomorrow that Ralph's aunts and cousins were veeerrry determined to throw. :) 

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

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.**

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.**

30-Week Bumpdate

You guys! We are 63 days AWAY from meeting Baby Boy! Ahhh! It's unbelievable how fast this pregnancy has flown by, but we've still got a ways to go. Also, I haven't done a bumpdate in 5 weeks? Oops. Well...here's my 30-week preggo bump in all its glory.

Maternity/Nursing robe is from ShopPinkBlush.com.

You can find this exact robe here.

How far along?: 30 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: +14 lbs

Sleep: Surprisingly, pretty good! Been sleeping soundly this week.
Best moment this week: Owen sleeping in his new bed for the first time. 
Movement: All the time.
Symptoms: The typical back pain that comes with pregnancy, but I've been having sharp lower back pain when I change positions - usually from a sitting to standing position - but only sometimes. I'm also having GERD (yuck), and I'm getting nocturia again. 
Symptoms I DON'T have: I don't know...I feel like I have them all, hahaha.
Food cravings: It varies from day to day, but they're never SERIOUS cravings where I'd have to leave my house to go get it at that exact moment. But if I'm being totally honest right now, I could eat a whole plate of Hawaiian macaroni salad. Or a classic roast beef and cheddar sandwich from Arby's. Ugh.

Food aversions: Nothing at the moment.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button in or out?: Flat.
What I miss: Being comfortable. Heh.
What I am looking forward to: Going to IKEA (yes, AGAIN) this weekend to get more stuff for the boys' room!


And in honor of Throwback Thursday, here was my 30-week bump picture when I was pregnant with Owen!

Eeek! I was a whopping 21 pounds heavier in this photo!!! I definitely learned a thing or two from my first pregnancy.

Until next time!

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

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.**