Pregnancy

Fairyland Maternity Photoshoot

The past two weeks have been full of sleepless nights, crying temper tantrums, diaper changes and lots and lots of feedings. This morning baby Carlota was in her monster phase…which means she is finally fast asleep for a couple of hours and I have a few minutes to finally get a blog post in. I wouldn’t change it for the world!! We have so much love for our little munchkin and its all worth it.

These amazing magical fairy-esque photos are from my Maternity photoshoot with Shawna at Bleudog Fotography. For weeks prior to the shoot, I was debating whether to take maternity photos. I was looking online for photographers in the area and I think I contacted over 20 photographers/studios before finding this gem. Many had photo libraries of shoots that were not the vision I had in mind. The ones that had photos I liked cost a fortune, or weren’t located close to me. I started to get discouraged and thought about possibly not taking maternity photos. I was already feeling huge and not very glamorous. Did I really want to pay for photos that I’m just going to be disappointed with? Looking back at these pictures I am so happy I did them. Finding a photographer that has a similar vision or style is key to a successful photoshoot. Pregnancy is such a magical time in your life and I’m so thrilled Shawna was able to capture it so well for me. I will forever cherish my time having baby girl so close to my heart, feeling her kick and hiccup.

Dress: Asos on sale (Similar here, here and here) //

Love me!!

Today I am a little over 39 weeks pregnant!! WHAT?? How did the time fly so quickly? How is it that baby girl is going to be here in less than a week? I don’t think I’ve wrapped my mind around that completely!! She is due March 28th, but really she’ll come whenever she decides she’s ready to make her appearance into the world.

I’m starting to find that dressing is more of a challenge. These photos were taken a couple weeks ago and I don’t think that this shirt would fit over my current bump situation. Lately wearing a maternity t-shirt and jeans or a dress are my go-to-looks. Note to all my pregnant readers: Invest in maternity T-shirts from the beginning. I bought a couple of them when I first went maternity shopping. At that point I really didn’t need them but still wore them. They have been my savior these past few weeks. Many other shirts are just not long enough to cover the bump, or wearing really large loose things makes me feel huge with all the swelling and weight gain. Its nice to have something that accentuates your curves while providing proper coverage. I will link the ones I have at the end of my post.

Pregnant or not, boyfriend jeans are always a good idea. So comfortable and chic. I added a white button down shirt and sweater to dress them up a little. Since I have stuck with simple versatile pregnancy items, I transform my look with my accessories. I added some cobalt blue for a pop of color.

Shirt: Rosie pope maternity //

Cardigan: Aritzia (Similar longer version here) //

Jeans: Motherhood Maternity //

Glasses: Ray-ban //

Necklace: Aqua Bloomingdales old (Similar here and here) //

Maternity T-Shirts: A pea in the pod similar here and here //

Isabella Oliver Maternity

My bump style has evolved over the past nine months of pregnancy. Starting out as a jeans and button down kinda girl, I’m moving towards favoring dresses especially now that I’m approaching the end of my third trimester. There is nothing like a figure hugging dress while pregnant. I must say that I feel my sexiest when I’m wearing one.

In the past, when I was having a “fat” day I would avoid horizontal stripes and tight clothing like the plague. It almost seems like a contradiction…wearing a tight dress when you’re at your largest. When you’re pregnant all those rules go out the window. This is a time when a woman should embrace her curves because its such a beautiful time in her life.

This Isabella Oliver dress is perfect. It fits in all the the right places and has the perfect length. I find that when I am trying to squeeze into some of my non-maternity dresses they start to ride up and become a little too risqué. What used to be an appropriate length is now a mini skirt that may not be suitable for a mama-to-be running errands. The best part is that this dress can totally be worn postpartum as well. How perfect is that.

I love the neutral colors and simple striped pattern of the dress. I kept the look chic and casual by adding a hat and Converse and keeping my jewelry minimal. Lately I have been living in my sneakers since my feet and ankles have decided to swell like crazy!! One of those pregnancy side effects that has come to haunt me.

You can see my swollen ankles pretty clearly here!! hehe Not my most flattering photo. What has been your worst pregnancy side effect?

Dress: Isabella Oliver //

Hat: Revolve //

Shoes: Converse //

Baby Shower for the little princess!!

My past few weekends have been so frantic getting all the final touches ready for the arrival of baby girl, that I’ve been very behind with my blog posts. I think after baby girl arrives I will still have a bunch of maternity pictures to post.

I am so excited to share with you the pictures from my gorgeous baby shower. I am very thankful that I have such wonderful people in my life, who care so much about me and helped me put together such a beautiful day. I’m the type of person that is always keeping busy. Most days I am so busy that I almost forget I live so far away from my family and many of my best friends. When life moments happen, such as having your first child, it really hits you hard. Many important people in your life are not there to share each step along the way. These moments also make me realize the new family and friends I have made here in LA and how thankful I am to have them. My sister-in-law Raquel and bff Nora stepped right in to take charge and throw me the most magical baby shower. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

The party was filled with friends and loved ones who came for mimosas and brunch. We had a make your own mimosa bar and a virgin cocktail bar for those of us not drinking or expecting. There was a desert table filled with chocolates, doughnuts, cupcakes and a beautiful strawberry cake.

Two of the pregnant ladies in front of the desert table….how fitting!!!

The table setting was perfect. It made me think of Alice in Wonderland meets rustic glam. I loved that we all sat together on the long table. My sister-in-law Raquel made these wonderful Lavender Vanilla Sugar Scrubs for all the guests as party favors for attending the shower. All natural ingredients and they smell amazing!!

Games and activities are a must during a baby shower. One of the games was to wear one of the pink necklaces below and try to collect them from the other guests. Whenever anyone mentioned the word “baby” they had to give away their necklace to the guest that caught them in the act. The lady with the most at the end of the shower won a prize.

The ladies competed in changing a diaper blindfolded game. This is much harder than it sounds. Veteran mom Jen was obviously the expert at this and blew everyone else under the water.

My favorite activity was having everyone decorate a onesie for baby girl. How cool is this idea! Now we have many onesies that are made with love specifically for her.

I wore this beautiful dress that I received from my BUMPstyle box!! You can read all about them in one of my previous blog posts!! It is such a great asset for pregnant women because you get a personal stylist that selects maternity pieces specifically for you. Dressing the bump is not an easy task, and there are limited options. This takes away all the hard work and frustration. You just have to decide if you like the pieces selected for you or if you want to return them and wait for your next box.

Dress: BUMPstyle box Tees by Tina //

Kimono: Lottie and Holly old (Similar here and here) //

Necklace: Bauble Bar //

Denim dress on repeat!!

While the East Coast is still in full fledge winter mode, its been quite the opposite here in LA LA land. All I want to wear is something easy and breezy. I’m thankful that baby girl is coming in 4 weeks because I don’t know how pregnant ladies handle their 3rd trimester during the summer. I’m already constantly hot and sweaty and the weather has been pretty perfect. It’s a weird feeling for me because normally I’m always cold. I’m constantly in need of layers when I go out….now I can’t get enough of the AC!!

This denim dress was one of my first pregnancy purchases back in my first trimester. It’s on the verge of no longer fitting over my growing bump, but lasting through 8 months of pregnancy is pretty good. Not to mention, it will be a perfect addition to my wardrobe postpartum.

Many fashionistas and bloggers wear or photograph stand out pieces once and then you never see them again. This could be possible if you had a limitless budget, but for the rest of us this is not an option. Finding basic pieces that suit your style can and should be worn multiple times. All you have to do is change your accessories, shoes and handbag and voila you have a new transformed look. Here is a link of how I styled this dress in the fall during the earlier stages of my pregnancy.

Dress: Gap old (Similar here, here and here) //

Necklace: Bauble Bar //

Shoes: Jimmy Choo old (Similar here, here and here) //

Glasses: Ray Ban //

Bracelets: Rabat //

Purse: Goyard //

Thank you for visiting my blog and embarking on this journey with me!!

Winter layers

The best part of dressing for winter is layering. You can add so much to your look by adding multiple layers. California winters do not allow us to wear chunky knits and thick coats so wearing a cool scarf, hat and pattern mixing can add the same effect.

Lately I have been all about a good hat. It can add so much personality to a casual outfit and is perfect for those days where your hair is just not cooperating. I love this Lack of Color fedora. It is so versatile, and if you are more adventurous than myself they come in multiple funky colors.

Pattern mixing has been in full effect this season. Things that you would have never paired together a few years ago are becoming trendy. Adding multiple patterns to a look is another way to add layers and volume to your outfit. This Scalpers scarf is a statement in itself with its bold colors and scull and cross bone pattern. Pairing it with my stripped shirt and Louis Vuitton bag tames it down. When I’m pattern mixing I try to have a basic pattern mixed with a bolder pattern. Having more than one loud pattern can be a little overwhelming for my taste. Some of the simple patterns I tend to use are stripes, leopard, and polka dots. These can all be paired with any other print.

Shirt: BCBG generation (Similar here and here maternity here) //

Jacket: Zara //

Hat: Lack of Color //

Scarf: Scalpers old (Similar here and here) //

Jeans: A pea in the Pod Maternity (Non-Maternity here) //

Boots: Sergio Rossi old (Similar here ) //

Working with what you already have!!

How many times have you walked into your closet in the morning trying to decide what your outfit of the day will be and think “I have nothing to wear!!” I feel like this is the story of my life. I am constantly aimlessly staring at my hanging clothes thinking I need a new wardrobe because nothing is right and there is nothing for me to wear.

This is becoming worse now that majority of my clothes are either too tight or too short to cover the belly. I have a limited amount to work with, and it has forced me to get creative and think outside my comfort zone. It has also pushed me to look deeper in my closet and pull out those items that have been there for years and I have forgotten about. I have obviously bought maternity clothing….I think there are multiple items that are essential, especially jeans (as stated in my previous post). I also don’t want to splurge too much on an abundance of maternity items since I will hopefully get back to my pre-pregnancy shape in a few months. (This is my goal….lets see how that works!)

All items in this post are at least 2-4 years old, other than my sunglasses!! I tend to lean towards classic pieces rather than trendy ones. This works to my advantage because I can still wear them years later.

Take a peek into your closet and pull out a piece you haven’t worn in a few years. You may be surprised and a whole new look may come out of it without breaking your bank account.

Cardigan: Aritzia old (Similar here, here and here) //

Dress: Twin Set Simona Barbieri old (Similar here, here, here and here) //

Boots: Sergio Rossi old (Similar here and here) //

Clutch: L.A.M.B old (Similar here and here) //

Sunglasses: Karen Walker //

All about the accessories

You wouldn’t think I was a California girl with all the black I wear. I can’t get enough of a sleek all black look. To add a little glam, I paired my outfit with bright red lips and intricate accessories.

I will gladly invest in classic items, but have a hard time spending a lot money on trendy or statement pieces. This is why when I found both my Bauble Bar earrings and Zara clutch I knew they were must haves. Both are very affordable but look pretty pricey. (At least I like to think so!!)

I love all the bead work on this clutch. It gives me an Alexander McQueen, or Judith Leiber vibe without the price tag that accompanies their purses.

Dress: Vince (Similar here and here) //

Earrings: Bauble Bar (Similar here and here) //

Clutch: Zara Spain (Similar here, here , here and here) //

Boots: Sergio Rossi old (Similar here and here) //

Jacket: Zara //

I can’t get enough of the sweater dress!! Pregnant or not, a sweater dress is so simple yet super chic. While I’m outgrowing the majority of my clothes, I turn to pieces such as this one. Knitwear stretches perfectly to fit over my changing figure. This dress can be worn all throughout my pregnancy and once I go back to my pre-pregnancy shape. I have been trying to purchase items that I will be able to use post-pregnancy as well.

My 30 weeks of pregnancy!!

I haven’t really written a blog post about my pregnancy, other than my fashion choices. I constantly look to other pregnant bloggers to see weekly updates of how they are feeling and what changes they are going through. I decided it was time to share with you all my journey thus far!!

I am pretty thankful as I have had a fairly easy pregnancy. During the first trimester I felt nauseous a handful of times but nothing that made me run to the washroom. I was constantly tired, but was still functioning at work without a hitch. The funniest part of my first trimester was that I developed an aversion to coffee. The thought and smell of it made me sick. This was actually perfect because it kicked my morning coffee habit in the butt.

Throughout the entire pregnancy I have been able to continue with crossfit. My husband and I have been going to SpeedX for about 2 years now and I was determined to keep up with my fitness. As the pregnancy progresses, I am modifying the workouts to suit my comfort level and growing bump. I am also trying to take walks with my little pup as much as I can.

As I entered in my second trimester I was so excited. This was the point where I could share the news with all my friends and family and was when the pregnancy felt more “real”. I started to develop my little bump. It was so exciting to finally start seeing and feeling the little being that was growing inside me. They say the second trimester is the best out of them all….I would agree only slightly. Around week 15 I started breaking out. Having suffered from Acne previously and finally getting things under control this was hard for me to endure knowing there was really nothing I could do or use to make it better. Thankfully as the weeks progressed and my hormones regulated I have noticed a significant improvement. I began going for facials regularly, and I believe this played a large factor in the improvement.

During these months I have also started to gain a significant amount of weight. I guess I had always envisoned myself as one of those pregnant ladies that is all bump….thats not happening. I have already gained 30 lbs at 30 weeks. This is the recommended weight gain for the entire pregnancy and I still have 10 weeks to go. As long as I’m providing a good, healthy nurturing home for baby girl I have to stop being selfish and get over it.

I cant believe I’m in the final lap of pregnancy. These past couple of weekends have been all about getting all the necessities for baby girls arrival. So much to do and only a few more weeks left. We finally decided on pieces for the nursery. I can’t wait to start putting it all together!! I know we are kind of late….but I guess the third trimester just kind of snuck up on us. I am counting down the weeks until I get to meet her, but am also trying to enjoy the last few weeks of quality alone time with my husband.

Barcelona for the day!!

This holiday season my husband and I decided to visit both of our families. I am quickly approaching the point where traveling is off limits so it was time to make the most of it and share our pregnancy with our loved ones. Family is so important and it really meant the world to us being able have them witness this little miracle growing inside. Our first stop was Barcelona. I love this city. The food, atmosphere, architecture and shopping are always on point. I may be slightly biased though since this magical city is where my husband and I got married over 2 years ago.

We only had 4 days and it was jam packed with family lunches and dinners. I wish we had more time, but I know we will be back soon enough.

I kept my look comfortable for our hectic day running around the city. As mentioned in a previous post…I am such a fan of the poncho. It’s an ideal layering piece and works perfectly during pregnancy. I love mixing maternity and non-maternity items.

I have noticed that when I go shopping I’m automatically drawn to items that are pregnancy friendly. I no longer stop to admire crop tops, skirts, jumpsuits etc… I tend to veer towards the flowing dress or oversized sweater. I guess I’m figuring out how to dress for my changing figure even on a subconscious level.

Don’t get me wrong….I can’t wait for the days when I can go back to endless fashion possibilities!! In the meantime, I’m exploring different ways to wear similar items while keeping my daily looks exciting!!