pregnant

California Cool!!

Bitter sweet feelings right now posting one of my last maternity looks on the blog. It’s so crazy for me to look at these photos with baby girl in my belly as she is currently in my arms gazing into my eyes. It’s been 3 wonderful and crazy weeks. I’m sorry I’ve been a little MIA on the blog as I’m trying to embrace all the time I have with my baby girl while she is still this tiny little thing. There are moments I want to pull my hair out, and then there are others I want to bottle up and cherish forever. Motherhood is such an amazing experience and I’m trying to soak up every second I have. Thankfully I still had some pregnancy photos to post, since most days I’m wearing nursing tanks and leggings. I try to get out of the house for a walk or running errands, but with Carlota feeding what seems to be every 30 minutes I need to be dressed appropriately.

I think this is one of my favorite maternity looks. All pieces are non-maternity and were found in the back of my closet. I wore a classic little black dress but made it daytime appropriate by adding this Zara shirt. Accessorizing with oversized shades, a hat, and ankle boots make this look perfect for a stroll around the streets of Silverlake.

Dress: Alice and Olivia old (Similar here and here) //

Shirt: Zara old //

Hat: Lack of Colors //

Boots: Anine Bing //

Family Portrait

Baby girl has finally graced us with her presence this Thursday March 26th at 10:48pm, weighing 7 lbs and 1 ounce and 20 1/4 inches long. Carlota Pi-Henderson. I am so overjoyed with emotions and lack of sleep!! hehe We have so much love for her already and she’s only 3 days old. I can’t imagine my life without her and I’m already sad that time is going by so quickly. I want to keep my little princess as this little tiny bundle of joy but I’m also excited to share all of her life experiences with her. So many mixed emotions….I guess that could also be due to all the changing hormones. I can’t wait to share photos and my birth story with you in an upcoming blog post.

Here are a few more of my maternity shoot photos from Bleudog photography. Shawna is amazing and I’m so happy I found her to get photos of this special time. I’m thrilled I can finally hold my baby girl, but a part of me still misses feeling her little kicks inside my belly. I miss having her so close to me 24/7.

I love this photo of my first child Pinxo. Shows the love we have for each other. He has been so good with little Charlie and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I think he’s still a little confused of what’s happening in our house and who this new addition is, but he’s so gentle with her. He is her little body guard. He needs to be close to her, but doesn’t get too close. He also occasionally likes to smell and kiss her. I think he’s a little jealous now that our attention is shared between the two of them. He was an only child for 7 years so that’s totally understandable!!

Dress: Felicity and Coco non-maternity I just went up a size //

Spring is in the air!!

I’m in my last month of pregnancy and it’s starting to really hit home that baby girl could be here any day now!! I have such mixed feelings. I’m so excited for her arrival and to finally meet our little angel. I’m eager to finally start getting back to my pre-pregnancy figure and wear regular clothes. I’m thrilled that our life will be full of love and excitement, but also scared of all the changes. A part of me will be sad to no longer have my baby bump and my little girl so close to my heart. I am one of those people that is petrified of change!!

In less than a few short weeks it will no longer be just my husband and I. It’s been just the two of us (and Pinxo, our Boston Terrier) for 7 years. We have our routine, and it’s about to be shaken-up. I don’t know what to expect, but I do know it will be one of the greatest changes of my life. I know that as soon as I hold our baby girl in my arms, all my fears will go out the window.

These photos were a part of my Maternity photo shoot. I can’t wait to finally start sharing all those photos with you. Throughout my pregnancy I have been such an advocate of maternity jeans as a wardrobe staple. They are so comfortable and let you feel “normal” when all you want to wear are sweats or leggings. This is especially true in your 3rd Trimester. Having a pair of colored jeans, especially in the spring and summer is my favorite. Its a great way to spruce up a look. These mint Jeans from Motherhood Maternity have been a great piece in my maternity wardrobe. I love the color, fit and not to mention they are super comfortable!

Shirt: Wendy Bellissimo (Non-maternity here and here) //

Denim: Motherhood Maternity (Non-maternity here and here) //

Espadrilles: Chanel (Similar here and here ) //

Bag: Celine //

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 //

Nine Naturals beauty

Over the past few years I have become more conscious of what I was putting into my body. I started to want to eat more natural and organic foods and developed an awareness of all the toxins and health risks of GMO and heavily processed foods. This has become amplified since becoming pregnant. I want to make sure that my baby girl gets all the necessary nutrients without all the added hormones. I am no saint and have a major sweet tooth…so I still do indulge in chocolates and cupcakes. I am just trying my best to nourish my body and babys’ to the best of my ability. Somedays are harder than others, depending on my cravings!! 🙂

It has only been since being pregnant that I came to the realization that toxins and chemicals can also be absorbed through the skin and affect your growing baby. I have had to change my daily skin routine, as my facial acne creams were not pregnancy safe. This made me think about all the other products we use…how safe are they?? Daily body washes, shampoos and creams, can all be absorbed by my developing baby and I don’t even know half the ingredients listed on the side of the bottles.

I discovered Nine naturals and haven’t looked back. Their mission is to “make beauty simple, smart and safe for moms and moms-to-be”. The company was developed for this purpose, so all the research on health and safety has been done for you. Their formulas are 100% plant-based, with no added Sulfates, Parabens, Phthalates, Petrochemicals, DEA, Synthetic Fragrances, or Artificial Preservatives. I have no questions on the products I am using and know that I am doing my best to provide a good home for baby girl.

They have a range of products from shampoo and conditioner, to belly butter and stretch mark creams. Everything an expecting mother could want, they have.

Nine Naturals Nourishing Conditioner //

Nine Naturals Nourishing Shampoo //

Nine Naturals Soothing Body Wash //

Nine Naturals Natural Belly Oil //

From the start of my pregnancy I was concerned about stretch marks and what I can do to prevent them. My OB stated that there wasn’t anything I could do. She mentioned that it depends on your skins elasticity but moisturizing the best you can may help. Even before I had a belly I was constantly putting on creams. Prior to finding Nine Naturals, I started with other natural belly balms, but both my husband and I weren’t too keen on the fragrances. This made me not want to use them very often….and was not going to be good in my attempt to keep things as moist as possible to stop those stretch marks. The creams from Nine Naturals have a minimal non-invasive fragrance so I love putting them on!! My husband has not complained since!!

Nine Naturals Belly Butter vanilla + geranium //

Nine Naturals Moisterizing Body Cream //

Nine Naturals Belly Oil //

Nine Naturals Repairing Body Balm //

Nine Naturals Lip Balm //

The Poncho….this seasons staple!!

Christmas is quickly approaching….where did the time go!!!! I feel like this holiday season has just flown by. This is bitter sweet for me because its my favorite time of year but that also means I’m closer to meeting baby girl. After the holidays my husband and I have to kick it into high gear and start preparing for her arrival. So much to start figuring out!

I’m sure most have finished or at least almost conquered their holiday shopping. If you haven’t and need an idea, I propose a poncho!! They are that perfect throw to pull together any look. I love the one I’m wearing from Choices because it adds color to my usual neutral looks.

Poncho: Choices very similar (I also love these: here, here and here) //

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

Shoes: Converse (Also love the classic canvas) //

Bag: Louis Vuitton //

Its almost Christmas in LA and I’m wearing converse!! Definitely different than the freezing cold and snow that I will be encountering when I go home to Toronto for the Holidays. I must say I am looking forward to snuggling by the fireplace with a hot chocolate after a long day in the cold.