Bumpdate: 18 Weeks.

Almost halfway, people! This pregnancy has been drastically different than my first with our daughter, Bonnie. I am showing much sooner, yet have gained almost no weight (hooray). I am STILL plagued by "morning" sickness, aka a constant threat of gagging caused by nothing. This baby is much more chill than B was, he or she only moves every once in a while - unless my midwife tried to check his or her heart beat with the Doppler, in which case the kicking is ridiculous. 

I like to keep up with what is the baby is developing each week, so according to my BabyCenter app...

"Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long, and he weighs almost 7 ounces (about the size of a bell pepper). He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, (I have no idea what we are having at this point!) his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound."

Overall, I think that the added stress of chasing a toddler around has been the main factor that has made this pregnancy a little more challenging than my first. Hopefully, I will stop getting sick so frequently soon, so I can keep up a healthy diet and gain the weight that #BabyDos needs! I am looking forward to my ultrasound in the next few weeks - it's going to be in 3D so that is really exciting! - to make sure that our baby is growing healthy and strong!

Check in next week for my next bumpdate!

Stay sweet,

5 Things New Mommies Really Want for Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day is around the corner - like this weekend y'all - and I have been reading so many great posts with gift ideas (like the goodies over at Mrs. On the Move), and ideas for a fun day with your littlest Valentine (go check out Wife Mommy Me for some great suggestions).

Seeing all of these pretty, sparkly, and aesthetically appealing posts have 1. Given me serious a serious shopping urge, and 2. inspired me to write about the Top 5 things that I wanted for Valentine's Day as a *new* mommy. If you have a new mommy in your life, pay attention!

1. A Free Babysitter Who Will Listen to All of Your Frantic Ramblings Before you Leave the House for an Hour Tops.

New mommies want to go out. They miss the outside world. But when you have a newborn, the fear of germs, and implosion, and alien invasions, etc., keeps you housebound for a few weeks (months if you are like me). Something that was AMAZING for me, was my mom coming up and letting the Hubby and I go to Starbucks or Sonic for an hour while she got to snuggle the baby. If you have a new mommy in your life - postpartum is tough, and they may not ask for your help, even if they really need it. So instead of waiting for them to ask for help, just send them a text or give them a call and say "this is what I would like to do for you, when would you like this to happen?" And then, she will spend 4234903735097 hours telling you all the details you need to know before leaving the house, then will text you every 2 minutes for proof of life. Just go along with it!

This is a photo I ordered my mother to send me while having a panic attack at BJ's. 

2. A Free Housecleaning Free of Judgement.

I am a Type A, Anal Retentive person. When Bonnie was born, all of my cleanliness and organization went out of the window for about a month straight. This lack of organization and order in my little world, combined with some postpartum anxiety, made me feel very distraught and cause me to panic-clean my house until the wee hours of the morning. Thankfully my parents both took turns coming to my aid (thanks Mom and Dad), and when they each came to visit they would help me tidy up and let me SLEEP. Again, new mommies aren't all alike, but a clean house has always been something that helps me feel more in control of my life. Maybe one day this week, you could ask to come over for a little while and just tidy a few things up, or do some laundry! Let that beautiful new mommy know that you're there to help and give her a break!

3. Food, Glorious Food. 

I was so unprepared for when B was born. My smarter friends all had freezer meal stockpiles for the first few weeks after their babies were born, but I totally dropped the ball on that. We ate junkfood ALOT and I felt like I had failed in yet another arena already. I had a few sweet friends cook us casseroles and bring us take out from one of our favorite restaurants, and even though I felt so undeserving of their generosity, I was so incredibly thankful. Whenever my Dad came and visited, he and Christopher would go to a restaurant of my choosing and pick something up to-go; giving me something that I truly wanted to eat/that wasn't a greasy bag of junkfood. These things might seem small to someone who hasn't been there, but trust me - a smile and a hot food delivery is one of the best gifts that you cold possibly give to the new mommy (and daddy!) in your life!

4. A Friend Who She Doesn't Need to Put on a Bra or Makeup For.

That freshly postpartum period can be extremely isolating and lonely for many new moms; they still want to be social and have friends - but their house is a mess, they're terrified of germs, and they don't have the desire or the energy to get dolled up for company. When I was feeling lonely and cabin-feverish, it always made me feel a million times better when a good friend would come over to watch trashy daytime TV with my Starbucks order in hand. Seriously, bring the coffee.

5. Something to "Pamper" Her With.

Whether she loves a soft robe, fuzzy socks, chocolates, or a good book... all ladies like to feel spoiled once in a while. New moms spend every single second worrying about someone else, and they often forget to do something for themselves! This Valentine's Day (or any day really), bring the new mommy in your life a little treat, and remind them that they are rocking this motherhood thing! She will really appreciate it, I promise!

My best friend sent me these adorable Kendra Scott earrings.

So there you have it, five things that every new mommy would genuinely like to receive for Valentine's Day (or any day). It doesn't take expensive gifts or fancy dinners to please us, although those are never bad options; all of these suggestions are affordable and will be greatly appreciated!

If you have any suggestions for other great gift ideas for new mommies, or you are a new mommy and you want to add to the list, please let me know in the comments below! 

Happy Valentine's Day y'all! 

Stay Sweet,

Making Mommy Friends.

Hello lovelies,

If you're anything like me, making friends is something that hasn't come easy since becoming a mommy. When I was in school, making friends was easy - being around the same people every day in class, living in the dorm with a ton of new faces who were just as excited as I was to be at university, etc. - all you had to do was be friendly and find someone with a common interest and BAM, friends!

As a mommy, making friends organically has proven to be a little bit more difficult. We just moved to a new town a few months ago; the combination of being new to the area and being a SAHM has led me to feel isolated at times. I often feel like I am almost hitting on other moms in an attempt to make a new friend. Awkward...

Thankfully, I have finally started making a few friends and feel more like my less-creepy self again!

In an effort to help out other mommies going through the same or similar scenarios, I have come up with a few ways to help y'all make some new mommy friends too!

1. Join a MOPS Group (or something similar)

MOPS or Mothers of Preschoolers is a great program that is normally put on by a local church or community organization. You can go and do activities and meet other women who are mothers with children close in age to your baby! If your community doesn't have a MOPS group, I would suggest talking to a leader in your church or community center about bringing one to your area!

2. Get involved in a homechurch with an active Parent's Group or Preschool Ministry

Along the same lines as MOPS, a homechurch with other parents of young children is a great place to find mommy friends! Our church has been a great source of community for us because of an active Parents of Preschooler's bible study class and the ability to grow together in a group.

3. Mother's Day Out

Bonnie goes to MDO a couple times a week for a few hours; it's a nice break and change of pace for me, as well as an opportunity to catch up on housework/errands.I suggest this as a way to make friends because when the program starts, there is always a meet and greet with the teachers and other parents. I took advantage of the meet and greet and other class functions to put myself out there and try to find other moms who were looking for friends!

Those are all of the tips that I have so far; I hope that they help you build up your mommy squad! Above all else, you just have to put yourself out there and not worry about seeming creepy. It might take some time, but just be patient and consistent - you can do it!

If you are a mommy friend making guru, or just have killer pick up skills, let me know if you have any other tips for being the friendliest mom on the block in the comments below!

Stay sweet,