Goal 2: CONQUERED (well, mostly)

In my quest to start caring about how I look again, I first went shopping for some new {non-maternity} clothes for the first time in a year two years way too long. Then, it was time for a hair cut.

I've been notoriously lazy in cutting my hair due to a few rather unfortunate salon experiences, but I knew that I needed to get it done as it was taking me a good 10 minutes to simply brush it out and almost an hour to straighten. And nobody's got time for that! So despite loving wearing it straight, I only bothered to do it once every few months.

Last week I chopped a lot off. It might still look long, but they snipped almost 8 inches! It only takes about 2 minutes to brush out and more like 25 to straighten now, which means I've been doing it more often. I hate to admit it, but this little change makes for a happier and more confident me.

In retrospect I should have had the hairdresser cut layers or something to make it more interesting, but I was too nervous. Next time I vow to be brave ;)

Ack, blurry. Sorry.

I'm still not sure about the color. I keep on wanting to go blonder again, but then a lot of people tell me they think I should go back to my natural color. Thoughts?

Oh, and my necklace! I first met creator Chancie on The Bump message boards and she recently began making these adorable {and functional!} necklaces with her sister. My triple-strand necklace has two rows of blue beads on navy suede sandwiching a row of navy beads on white fabric. Around the neck, the suede and fabric is braided together. Aurelia loves to play with it while she nurses, and even Carina enjoys fiddling with it, too. I wear it all the time because the little miss has become quite a distracted nurser lately, every noise making her stop and look. But when she plays with the necklace, she is so enthralled she can't be disturbed by anything. WIN.

Tell me a little bit about your Etsy shop, boubeads (and by the way I see what you did there with your name, and I love it) --

Perfect nursing "toy"

My sister and I are both moms, she had a 6 month old at the time and was having a hard time nursing because he became so wiggly and squirmy. One day she decided to string wood beads on plastic cording so that he could play with something while he nursed. As we came up with prototypes we decided that we wanted them to be fashionable enough to wear outside of the house and wanted to make them something that would appeal to all women, not just nursing moms. We hand-dye our own natural beads so that we can control what colors we produce and they (as well as our suede) are manufactured in the USA. The suede is certified to be free of lead, AZO’s, PCP, mercury, formaldehyde, chromium VI, cadmium and other carcinogenic/hazardous chemicals.


Chancie and her sister Chandace are offering one of my readers a $36 credit to boubeads! Or if you'd like to shop yourself, code GEEKY10 will get you 10% off of your order through May 8th. Go quick, though, because they have been selling out almost immediately after posting many of their items!

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open worldwide and ends at 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, April 3rd. The first entry is mandatory - Visit boubeads and tell me what you'd spend the credit on! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

Time to start caring about what I look like again

I know Mike will cringe upon reading the title of this post, as he thinks I look great {and tells me so} every day, but I'm hoping that I can get to a point where I agree with him.

A year and a half ago I lamented that I didn't feel pretty anymore. But at the time, I wasn't particularly motivated to improve much about my appearance because we were already trying to get pregnant again. Why bother trying to clear up my skin and dye my hair regularly if pregnancy would throw a wrench in it all?

This time around, we'll be holding off on another baby for a while due to financial, space, and sanity reasons (not necessarily in that order). So...no excuses. It's time to feel good about the way I look again.

Let's go!

First up: Clothes. About a month ago, I didn't want to wear maternity jeans anymore so I tried on all of my other jeans but it didn't go so well. Side note: muffin top is not a good look for anyone. So I invested in a few new pairs of jeans and tops. I hadn't bought new {non-maternity} clothes since before I was pregnant with Carina so this felt awesome. Thank you tax return! ;) I think I'll be on the lookout for a couple more Spring/Summer things soon.

Next up: Hair. I confessed to you 2 years ago that I hadn't had my hair cut in a long time. Well, guess when my last haircut was? ::hides:: Okay so it's definitely time (if not way overdue) for a haircut. And I've decided to go blonder. The sort-of blonde from last June just didn't do it for me. Lastly, I need to find a straightener that can tame my frizzy, thick hair in a short amount of time. Recommend yours?

Later: Body. Another thing I haven't done since before I got pregnant with Carina is exercise. I still have more than 10 lbs. left to lose to get to my pre-pregnancy weight and quite a bit of the "bag of saggy jello" remains. But more importantly I'd just like to be healthy and active.


So there it is. Hold me to it? Don't let me go 2 years before getting another haircut again ;)

Steppin' Out Saturday - This might have contributed to the giant basketball belly

Because I'm pregnant and I live for food, we're going to start with that; fashion details can wait ;)

I devoured this Caprese at our favorite local Italian deli, Nica's, in less then 5 minutes.

Then? Gelato of course. Chocolate for me. Carina preferred a combination of vanilla and orange that her Aunt Ellen concocted.

But what Carina really wanted to eat was...Daddy's face? She had a ball trying to chew on his stubble. Sometimes I'm convinced we must have the strangest little girl ever ;)

Dueling tongues - Carina

Mike

Ellen's friend Jun, Ellen, me, and a {rather} pooped little one

Carina:

Top - Jumping Beans from Kohl's

Tutu skirt - Old Navy

Sandals - Angels NY, bought on Zulily

Me:

Top - Old Navy

Skirt - Express (non-maternity, woot!)

Sandals - BOC by Born

Whoa. I'm feeling like I have a basketball underneath my shirt today!

And:

Necklace - Teethease (more on this next week!)

Earrings - made by my aunt, who owns Totally Beaded

And since you can't see them in the photos above, I want to share that I actually have cute painted toenails! You might be thinking, "so what, Mama G?" seeing as how most women have their toenails painted all the time. Well? I'm lazy and this is a first for me...at least in a long time. So let me enjoy showing them off ;)

I had asked for your nail polish recs on Facebook and Twitter a month or so ago and settled on the Julep Maven box. You can get your first box for only one cent with code PENNYINTRO...so I figured what had I to lose? I love it; two polishes, pedi cream, and those little foam things you put in between your toes to paint them. I think I'll wait to see what comes in the next box before I cancel. You guys might have me hooked.

Linking up with Mandy at the Haps.

Teach your kids to love themselves by your example

I've alluded to the fact that I didn't have the best self-esteem while growing up {or even lately} a couple times now. I am trying to be conscious, however, of how I often I talk about this in front of Carina. While sure, I can be honest with all of you here and never worry whether it will have consequences, it's not quite the same when you have an impressionable tiny person running around.

She has already started to pick up on things we say, repeating almost everything she can. {Note to Mike: please stop cursing, as I don't think your Mother appreciated hearing Carina saying, "oh shit!" when she fell down at your family's home last weekend.} If she were to see me looking in the mirror and complaining about the way I look, or lamenting out loud how I don't feel pretty anymore, she may begin to think that that is normal and accepted behavior. That she should look in the mirror and find fault, rather than feel good about herself.

For her sake, so as not to bruise or confuse her developing sense of self-esteem, I need to get over these issues I have with my appearance. I'm never going to look the way I did at 21 - with perfect hair and skin (and the time to keep them that way!) My mission for the immediate future: to accept myself and the way I look, and not nitpick over imperfections that probably no one other than myself even notices.

Want to join me? Pay attention to how often you pick yourself apart or self-deprecate when it comes to your appearance, or even in general. Hopefully, loving ourselves will teach our children to love themselves, in turn.

Steppin' Out Saturday - 1st date night in AGES (and a giveaway!) CLOSED

It has been more months than I care to admit since Mike and I have been able to get out for longer than a couple of hours. Last night we went to a dear friend's wedding reception while Mike's parents watched Carina and it was FANTASTIC. I really enjoyed getting a little dressed up and straightening my stubborn hair for the 1st time in over a year. I felt pretty and relaxed and we had such a wonderful time. I may or may not have eaten four (yes, 4!) desserts. By the end of the night Aurelia was kicking like she was running out of space in there ;)

 Details:

Dress: Milan Maternity

Sandals: Kohl's

Arm Candy: That would be Mike, of course ;)

To be completely honest, at first I was a bit intimidated by this dress from Milan Maternity. I didn't think I would be able to pull it off due to my pasty, pasty whiteness (it seems to be physiologically impossible for me to tan, ha!) After some encouraging by Mike to step outside my comfort zone and try something different than my usual blue, purple, or white, I gave in and I'm so glad I did. I received compliment after compliment and felt so confident and cute wearing it. While the dress looked great all night, unfortunately the humidity got to my hair rather quickly...curse this 95 degree weather!

The Feliciana in Cerise Red is a faux wrap dress with ruffle detail and flutter sleeves.  The single side ruching makes the dress flattering during any stage of pregnancy and I think it will be perfect for slimming even after baby arrives. Before we left for the wedding I took advantage of the inner tank sheath, which allows for easy nursing; just pull the outer layer over and lift the inner sheath. Made of 70% polyester, 25% viscose, and 5% spandex, I love the way the dress feels: nice and comfy, and just a little stretchy.

28 weeks!

Other styles I love from Milan Maternity include the Aubriella, Carissa, and Elisabetta tops and Vittoria dress.

Milan Maternity's philosophy:

Pregnancy is a time to be celebrated and every woman deserves to have a great wardrobe during this special nine months! However, most of us don’t have $80 to slap down for a single designer maternity top, and also don’t want to settle for frumpy, unflattering styles either. Our mission is to provide designer style that flatters your new shape at prices you can be happy about.

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Milan Maternity offers stylish and affordable maternity, nursing, and transitional wear. What's transitional wear? Those perfect pieces that fit just like regular tops but have some extra length added for the baby bump. Great for before, during, and after pregnancy. Psst...peek at their homepage - you can get 10% off every order with coupon code 10MMOFF!

Win

Milan Maternity is generously offering one of my readers a top of their choice!

How to Enter:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends at 11:59 PM on Saturday, July 7th.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Milan Maternity and leave me a comment telling me which top you'd choose if you won! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Me and the ladies at the reception :)

I was not compensated for this review. I received the item(s) free of charge for reviewing purposes. All opinions are honest, and my own.

I went blonde again, but...

...I was in a hurry and picked the wrong color. UGH. Let's rewind. I was born with very {cute} light blonde hair that became darker and darker as I grew older.

I'm the adorable one on the left ;)

When I was 16, I started dyeing it blonde. That way it remained until I found out I was pregnant with Carina.

Younger, blonder Mama G

I think I waited until right before my baby shower and dyed it one more time. Then? I just let it go. When I posted my 14 week bumpdate a couple months ago I asked for your opinions on whether or not I should leave it be, or go back to blonde. Most of you said that I would make a hot brunette (haha thanks!) but for some reason I just got antsy, wanting to go back to the way it was. Honestly? I just felt prettier when I was blonde.

14 week photo: in desperate need of some hair help

Now on to my mistake. I'm cheap and have always used dye in a box from the drugstore. I know, I know...I've just never been able to afford getting it done professionally. I thought I remembered which shade I used, but I guess I was wrong, because it didn't come out looking like the light blonde pic above.

At least it's not 3 different colors (like in my bumpdate photo), though, right? I think I'll give it 4-6 weeks and then go for the lighter color. So for now, consider it a work in progress ;)

Or...I guess it's a possibility that I did buy the right color, and my hair is semi-rejecting it. I'm hoping that pregnancy didn't completely change my hair's ability to absorb dye. Has anyone had experience in this area?

Ha, sorry for such a superficial post! I think that even geeks deserve to feel pretty, too ;)

Pregnancy glow: Jules & Jim Maternity - Review & Giveaway! CLOSED

After having been pregnant in both the Fall/Winter and now in the late Spring/early Summer, I am confident in saying that Summer maternity clothes are so much more fun. Flowy dresses and comfy skirts win out over scratchy sweaters and tent-like turtlenecks, for sure. I honestly didn't care very much about the maternity clothes I wore when I was pregnant with Carina because there really wasn't ever an opportunity to go out and show them off during the frigid Wisconsin Fall. I think I just bought whatever was on last season's clearance rack at a few of the generic maternity stores I stumbled upon at the mall. (Sidenote: check with me towards the end of the Summer to see how I'm feeling with regards to being pregnant in the Fall/Winter vs. Summer on the whole, though!)

So, back to summery dresses. You might recognize this lovely one from Jules & Jim Maternity from my Mother's Day post. When I first received it, I prayed for nice weather on our Mother's Day outing because I knew it would be the perfect time to wear it.

At Sturbridge Village in my dress

The Darling Dress with Bow is made of 100% cotton, has an elastic waist, and an adorable bow at the left shoulder. Let me be completely honest: I feel pretty in this dress. From the adjustable bow, to the feminine print, to the flowy skirt - it makes me believe that I'm exuding that fabled pregnancy glow rather than stomping around like the cranky pregosaurus that I {really} am.

Mike loves it, too. Whenever I try on a new outfit for the first time and show him, I am always so eager to see his reaction. It's never bad {bless him}, but it can range from the lukewarm, "you look nice" to the enthusiastic "wow, you're gorgeous." This dress? Beyond gorgeous, in his opinion. Cue big toothy smile from me. And it's not just Mike; I've received a number of compliments on this dress! When most people comment on how freakishly huge your bump is (you must be having twins!) hearing that people think your dress is beautiful is a very much welcomed anomaly ;)

My other favorites in the Jules & Jim collection are the Classic Summer Knit Dress, Short Sleeve Dress, and Modal Cardi Wrap. I could live in any number of their dresses all summer...

More about Jules & Jim (this cracked me up, and had me sold within seconds of reading it):
Jules likes seeing his pregnant wife sexy. Jim prefers the classic, refined look. Together Jules & Jim make up a line of maternity clothing in tune with new trends, at once comfortable and urbane. All the clothes in the collection are entirely designed and produced by the Canadian fashion industry.

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Jules & Jim fashions can be found at a number of maternity stores, and also online!

Win
The fine folks at Jules & Jim offering one of my readers a maternity dress from their collection! Winner can choose from a number of their options, depending upon what is in stock for their size.

How to Enter:
This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada and ends at 11:59 PM on Saturday, June 2nd.

The first entry is mandatory - Check out the Jules & Jim collection and leave me a comment telling me which style you like best! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was not compensated for this review. I received the item free of charge for reviewing purposes. All opinions are honest, and my own.

Yep, me in a bathing suit: Annee Matthew - Review & Giveaway! CLOSED

Maternity bathing suits and I have never been friends. When I was pregnant with Carina, I ended up with a tankini top that was so tight it was uncomfortable - at 18 weeks. Since I really didn't appreciate that stuffed sausage feeling, I never attempted to wear it after that. And the bottoms? I tried on a size Small, Medium, AND Large and none of them fit; they were all too small. So I just used some of my old, rather stretched out non-maternity bottoms and they didn't match at all. Truth be told I looked pretty ridiculous.

Annee Matthew, designer of unique, stylish, and functional clothing for Moms and Moms-to-be, just sent me their new Twist Tankini Swimsuit. This two-piece tankini has room for use during pregnancy and easy access for discreet breastfeeding. It also has bra cups for added comfort and a low rise bottom. Fabric: 80% nylon and 20% elastane.

I am in love. Here's why:

1. It is super comfortable: no tightness or stuffed sausage feeling. There is even some room to grow which I, at just 21 weeks, really appreciate. I'll be able to wear this suit through the end of the summer for sure. Also, I much prefer the padded bra cups to the underwire of my previous maternity swimsuit.

2. There are openings for breastfeeding. So not only can Carina nurse now, but in those first few weeks postpartum when I'm still packing the extra "saggy bag of jello", as I affectionately refer to it as, I can easily breastfeed the new baby at the beach or pool. I think this swimsuit will be perfect for the whole body transition from early pregnancy to giant belly and then through the post-partum period and beyond.

3. Now, let me preface this last point by saying that I hope you know by now that I'm not a vain person. I think I look pretty awesome in this swimsuit; it really accentuates the bump nicely. I feel pretty and confident while wearing it, which are not common states of feeling for me lately.

Yikes, I'm almost translucent. Momma needs a spray tan or something ;)

These pictures come courtesy of Mike doing his best Austin Powers impression ("yeah baby, yeah!") replete with authentic chest hair. Please forgive the awkwardness - I'm clearly not a model. If I remember correctly I even said "arrrgggh I'm so awkward" before each and every photo he took.

Oh, and I didn't take a photo of the breastfeeding access, sorry. I figured that was probably more of Mama G than you wanted to see. The Annee Matthew model shows you here :)

More about the designer:
AnneeMatthew celebrates more than motherhood. We celebrate Womanhood because every mother is a woman. Not just any woman but a strong, happy, contented and independent woman. You are a woman who is totally inspired and takes pride in your appearance. All styles have discreet nursing access and most are designed to be worn while pregnant, for easy breastfeeding and beyond! The designs are innovative, fashionable and suitable for all phases of a mother's life!

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For the next 2 weeks, get 30% off of your entire order (excluding jewelery) from Annee Matthew with coupon code GGG30! Stock up on cute short sleeve tops, dresses, and swimsuits for the summer. Coupon code valid until May 31st, 2012.

Win
Annee Matthew is offering one of my readers the Twist Tankini Swimsuit!

How to Enter:
This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. All currents count! The giveaway is open to US and Canada residents and ends at 11:59 PM on Monday, May 21st.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Annee Matthew and tell me which style/garment is your favorite! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was not compensated for this review. I received the item free of charge for reviewing purposes. All opinions are honest, and my own.

I think I've become a frumpy Mom

Before I got pregnant, I made promises to my future self along the lines of...


I will not hang around in pajamas or sweat pants all day.

I will be sure to put makeup on and do my hair every day.

I will never let myself go.

Cringe.

Now, I'm not saying I think I've let myself go, but there certainly are days where I realize it's 11 AM and that smell isn't the baby, it's that I forgot to put on deodorant. Or it's 2 PM and I'm still in my pajamas. Or oh goodness it's 6 PM and M just got home from work and a brush never made it through my hair all day.

I hate these days. They make me feel like I'm letting my{old}self down. I don't want to let them get to me, but they do. I feel like all the other Moms I see out there are so fashionable and put together. And here I sit in my giant pregnant sweat pants and maternity shirt I last wore when I was still recovering from labor. Maybe it's time for a makeover or something...

Yep, wearing this shirt as I type

There have got to be some other sort of frumpy Moms out there, too? And/or could someone point me in the direction of some stylish maternity clothes?

I don't feel pretty anymore

My husband tells me that I'm beautiful all the time. I believe that he truly thinks I'm beautiful.

I wish that I felt as beautiful as I look in his eyes. I used to, years ago. When I had the time to straighten my hair and keep my roots touched up (I've been blonde since I was sixteen) and when my face didn't look like the Pizza Hut pepperoni pizza that I joyfully ate half of a few days ago.

On our honeymoon - I felt pretty then

I dyed my hair once during pregnancy - at the start of my 3rd Trimester, and I've touched it up twice since then. The same box of L'Oreal Feria that previously looked blonde, is now a brassy red. I'm pretty sure that pregnancy and nursing hormones are to blame here. AND, the few times I have tried to straighten my hair, it doesn't actually become straight anymore! It looks like I tried to crimp it, and that is not a good look for me {as a matter of fact I don't really think that's a good look for anyone...}

At a friend's wedding recently - my hair is not straight, nor blonde

And if that wasn't frustrating enough, it's actually falling out...in chunks. I have clogged our shower drain with gobs of my hair {not once, but twice} and maintenance has had to come to the rescue. The first time it was so bad they actually had to replace the drain mechanism (seriously??)
 

Sad lonely hairballs in the shower

So enough about my hair, let's talk skin. My complexion has almost always been a problem. My acne was so bad in Middle School that I was made fun of constantly. I tried so many different creams, medications, and home remedies, and nothing worked until Accutane. My skin looked great up until recently. Now I'm breakout central and I feel like I'm that awkward, insecure Middle Schooler all over again. I took a photo of this, too, but I just can't bring myself to post it.

I loved my straight blonde hair with just a little curl at the end and my clear, smooth skin, but now, I'm a brassy frizzy balding mess with a painful pimply face. Dwelling on this makes me feel so superficial. I have an amazing husband who thinks I am beautiful and an adorable baby, for which I could not be more thankful. Why am I so hung up on the way I look?

So now you know why I haven't wanted to go shopping; I don't even want to look at myself in the mirror. This is also why I post very few pictures of myself on my blog {if you haven't noticed}...

I want to be the Me that likes the way she looks again. Help?