Maternity Style :: Dressing for the Last Trimester & Giveaway!

Nothing is trickier than dressing during those last few months of pregnancy.  But no matter how big you get, life still goes on.  For me that means, I'm still working full-time, running around with my toddler and even have a few special events to attend like maternity photos, lunch with the girls and dinners out.  It's hard to find maternity clothes that fit right when you are 8 and 9 months pregnant, especially trendy maternity clothes that still fit your personal style!

Just a few weeks ago, I was dreading having to go to dinner with my husband and his coworkers because I just didn't feel pretty or like myself.  As vain as it sounds, sometimes finding the right clothing - something new that actually fits - can lift your spirits and give you that boost you need!

After a failed Stitch Fix Maternity box, I finally got that boost I needed from Pink Blush Maternity!  I'm kicking myself for not trying this online maternity boutique earlier in my pregnancy, but doing a happy dance that at least I found them now!  I'm confident that I can now happily make it through both this last trimester looking good, but also those awkward first few post-partum months when you have tons of people visiting and want to look nice, but you also need to be functional with nursing-friendly pieces that are forgiving too!

I recently tried three maternity clothing pieces from Pink Blush that I'm now so in love with.  They carry everything from maternity dresses to tops, tunics, cardigans, basics and even nursing friendly pieces - all at an affordable price.  Who knows if this will be my last pregnancy, so one of my goals when buying clothing right now is that I can wear it after pregnancy too!  All three pieces work great now and will look great after baby Colin arrives....bam!  Double score!

 Navy & Cream Cross-Hatch Maternity Top, $28 {also comes in black}

This is my favorite piece since it's so versatile.  I can dress it up for work and dinner and dress it down with shorts or jeans for hanging out at home.  It's super comfy and will 100% work after baby arrives.  The busy print is very forgiving too.  Love, love, love and you can't beat the price.  

Rust Open Crochet Accent Short Sleeve Maternity Cardigan, $32
{my version is sold-out, but similar here} 

This outfit is Jason's favorite.  Cardigans are great to buy during the last trimester because they give you the coverage you want, but don't scream maternity and can be worn for months afterwards!  I also love the fall vibe of the rust color.

Black Maternity/Nursing Maxi Dress, $49 {also comes in blue}

I've been on the lookout for nursing friendly dresses lately since I will be having a c-section.  Dresses are much more comfortable those first few weeks so you don't have to worry about rubbing your incision.  This maternity maxi dress is perfect!  I was a little worried about the quality of this dress when I ordered it, but was pleasantly surprised.  It's light, comfortable, but also has great lining so you feel supported and covered!  And the length is perfect...no hemming required for this shorty!  For fall, it's looks great with a cardigan or denim vest or jacket added to it. 

If you are interested in any of these pieces, for size references, I'm currently a 10/12 in maternity clothes and purchased a Large in all of the above pieces.  I would say everything was true to size.  

Clothes are also available in Plus Size Maternity too AND regular sizing!  

 :: Giveaway Time ::

Now bonus for you...Pink Blush is giving away one $25 Gift Certificate to a Perfect Catch Blog reader!  Enter below to win.  The winner will be announced next week.  And double bonus...you do not have to be pregnant to enter and use this $25 credit!  Pink Blush also has a non-maternity online boutique! 


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Disclaimer :: Clothing from Pink Blush Maternity featured in this post was given to me by Pink Blush Maternity in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions and statements above are my very own and I will 100% be purchasing from Pink Blush in the future.  
 

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 I'm linking up today with Annie and Natalie today for Thoughts for Thursday. 

Houston Area Peeps :: Giveaway for Cirque du Soleil Tickets!

Cirque du Soleil's AMALUNA is coming to Houston February 12-March 22 at Sam Houston Race Park.

I've never been disappointed by a Cirque show and this one sounds really awesome.  You can read more about it here, but one thing that I think is amazing about the show is that it is that the cast is comprised of 70% women, with a 100% female band.  This women's studies gal is super supportive of that!

This would make a unique date night for Valentine's Day or a fun {and I'm sure much-needed} girls-only night!

They are giving me a pair of tickets to give to YOU for Wednesday, February 18th at 8pm.

Enter below if you'd like to attend OR if you aren't feeling lucky, you can purchase tickets here.  The giveaway closes on Tuesday at the end of the day.  I will announce the winner on next week's Weight Watchers Wednesday post!

{And after you enter to win here you can increase your chances of winning by jumping over to Houston Moms Blog and Pineapples & Pickles - both blogs are giving away tickets too!}

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Coffee Talk: Guest Post + Giveaway!

Happy Monday everyone!  Hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Today we have a special guest post written by the most important lady in my life...my mom, Shelley.  She is discussing the "mommy wars" and how stay at home moms get compared to working moms.  We often make comments that end up putting the other choice down even when unintended.  I try to say that I "work outside the home" rather than saying I'm a working mom when asked since we all are working moms.  Anyway, enjoy the post from Shelley and please share your thoughts in the comments section!

Shelley also graciously donated a $25 Starbucks giftcard for a little giveaway today!  Who doesn't love a little Starbucks boost on a Monday for our coffee talk discussion?  Enter below at the end of the post.  The giveaway ends at 11:59pm on Friday, the 13th.. our favorite day since I was born on a Friday the 13th {it explains so much}.  Enjoy!

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A Personal Apology

I want to apologize for something that I have said for years about myself and the choice I made to leave the corporate workforce and stay home with my children.  Before you get all huffy, thinking I’m about to throw another punch in the “mommy wars,” you are mistaken. I still think the decision to work outside the home, vs staying home….and everything in between…is a very personal choice.  A choice that was hard fought for today’s women. I am grateful that I had a choice. Some don’t.

But I digress. The thing I cringe about every time I hear it said today or see it written on Facebook, and every time I remember saying it is this:  “I’m a full time Mom.”  This is usually in response to being asked “And what do you do?”  I get it, there is no easy answer.  It used to be my least favorite question to answer, along with “But don’t you get bored?” 

But now, having a grown daughter who has made a different decision than mine,  I can see clearly that all mothers, working or otherwise, are always FULL TIME MOMS.  Geography makes no difference.  Whether you are in an office miles away, or at home changing a diaper, you NEVER stop being a mom.  Just as it is not right to say “I am a working mom,” thereby implying that a woman who chooses to stay home is not working. I can testify strongly that this is not an accurate depiction. 

Chelsea {9 months pregnant} & Shelley

The truth is, whatever choice one makes, has consequences – good, bad, and everything in between. I loved staying at home with my children. But I paid a heavy price when I needed to earn a living. The regrets, the loss of respect….the unexpected consequences of any choice are not absent from this choice.  And of course, the stresses/guilt of mothers employed outside the home.  I won’t try to describe that since I did not experience it. But I do know that mothers who stay home also can feel guilty, wondering if they are setting the right example for their children. Certainly a case of damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

"Mimi" and Jack

So, there it is. My confession that I contributed to the war against women, by women. When are we going to stop? That’s an answer for another time.  For now, I salute ALL mothers, whose work, worry, anxiety NEVER stops….even when your children are grown.

 Shelley

 

 

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Five Things That Surprised Me Most About Parenthood + Giveaway!

We are just about to celebrate Jack's 3 Month Birthday so I think this is a great time to reflect upon what parenthood has been like thus far.  Jason asked me the other night if being a mom is what I thought it would be.  For the most part, yes.  It is amazing and wonderful just like I thought.  There are aspects that are easier than I thought -- like balancing work and baby time -- and there are aspects that are harder than I thought -- like breastfeeding. 

Here are five things that surprised me most about parenthood:

1.  The emotional roller coaster the first few weeks
I was a total basket case the first two weeks of Jack's life.  I cried at the drop of a hat.  Not out of sadness, but out of overwhelming love, stress, fear, worry, and happiness.  I loved this little baby so much that I couldn't stand it.  Everything just pulled at my heartstrings and made me cry.  I remember that I could not watch the news those first few weeks because it would make me too emotional.  I even broke out into tears when my mom surprised me with a cake from my favorite bakery for my 30th birthday (10 days postpartum)! 

My baby boy and I on my 30th birthday.  He was the best present ever!

 

2.   Breastfeeding is hard work and will take up most of your time at first
I wrote about this topic here, but in summary I was just ignorant about the amount of work and dedication it takes to breastfeed.  It's 100% worth it in the end (and I actually LOVE it now), but I really thought something was wrong with me in the beginning because it wasn't easy.  

3.  Staring at your baby is the most fun thing to do
What do Jason and I find ourselves doing for fun these days?  Staring at Jack.  We can watch him for hours on end...smiling, sleeping, playing, even fussing.  Forget Netflix.   Our baby boy is all the entertainment we need these days!

4.  There is no standard answer to your baby problems
Being a first time mom, I asked a lot of questions at the hospital when Jack was born.  I was so surprised at how many different answers I was given to the same question from the hospital staff.  One nurse would say to feed our baby anytime he cried and for as long as he would eat.  The next nurse advised us to watch the clock and stop his feedings after a certain amount of time.  I got so frustrated, but quickly learned to listen to all the advice I was given, but then rely on my instincts and trust that I knew what was best for my baby. 

5.  How sensitive baby's skin is
The first few days of Jack's life we used the hospital provided wipes during diaper changes (the kind you wet with water first).  No problems.  When we went home we started using the traditional wet wipes and Jack immediately developed the worst diaper rash.  It looked horrible and I felt like a terrible mom!  I tried several different brands of wipes, but nothing seemed to make it better.  At Jack's 2 week check-up we showed the pediatrician who told us to stop using wipes altogether and start using water and washcloths to wipe him at every diaper change.  She said lots of newborn's skin is too sensitive for wipes.  No one tells you these things! 

So we basically moved all of the cute changing table items into the bathroom, nixed the wipes and wipe warmers (what a waste) and bought a ton of cheap wash cloths for each diaper change.  We are still doing all diaper changes in the bathroom to be next to the sink and he does well.  We also religiously use Dr. Smith's Diaper Rash Ointment now at every diaper change to keep the red away.  I picked it up after reading other bloggers rave about it.  This is the only creme that has worked for us (even compared to a prescription creme we tried). 

Dr. Smith's is now available nationwide at Walgreen's as of last week! You can find your closest retailer by visiting doctorsmiths.com.

To celebrate their nationwide launch, Dr. Smith's is doing a giveaway for the readers of The Perfect Catch!  They are generously giving away one $50 Walgreens gift card and a supply of diaper rash ointment to one lucky reader.  Enter below, good luck and now tell me...

What surprised YOU most about about parenthood? 

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