Belly on a Budget

Sunday - Church, Errands, & a Cookout
Dress: TJMaxx, $12.99, regular size M



I picked this dress up at TJMaxx about a month ago.I really liked all the colors for summer and it was a great price. I grabbed a medium instead of the small because the small looked like it was pretty short. It is nice and light weight so I didn't get hot running around all day in it. I also think it will make a great swim suit cover up in the future if it is too big for me to wear once I am not pregnant anymore!

Monday - Memorial Day

I spent the majority of my day in a swimsuit but I am not about to post that on the internet! For this summer I decided I needed a tankini top. I have a linea negra on my belly and am afraid that if I tan my belly the line won't go away so I am keeping it covered! I grabbed this swimsuit top in a medium at target a couple of months ago and just wear a black pair of swim suit bottoms I already had.

Tuesday - Work
Dress: Old Navy, $19.94, regular size XS



Just another little cotton dress that I picked up on a recent Old Navy excursion. I really need to stop going there because I always end up walking out with something that I don't necessarily need. I talked myself into this dress because you can always use another black dress in your closet and I would totally wear it after the baby comes.

Wednesday - Work and Rangers Game
Dress: Nordstrom Rack, about $20, regular size S



I got this dress at Nordstrom Rack last year for the 4th of July (it has navy and white stripes). It has a tie around the waist so I can make it much more form fitting when I am not pregnant but I always just tie it in the back so you can't see it in this picture. Danny picked me up right after work today so we could head out to the Rangers game so I tried to wear something that would be both work and baseball game appropriate and in the team colors. Luckily my office is pretty casual, especially during the summer, so this dress worked.

Thursday - Work
Dress: Nordstrom Rack, $39.97(original price $118), regular size S
Cardigan: Really old



I got this dress at Nordstrom Rack about a month ago to wear to a rehearsal dinner. I didn't get to go to that rehearsal dinner or wedding because of my grandfathers funeral so I decided to wear it to work today since I am having a baby shower! The dress looks so much cuter without a cardigan over it but I think it shows a little to much shoulder and back for work so I went ahead and put a cardi on.

Friday - Work
Tank: Old Navy, $8.50, regular size S
Cardigan: TJMaxx, about $8, regular size S
Bottoms: Target, Liz Lange Maternity, $24.99, maternity size XS



Shorts to work? Yup, we can wear shorts to work on Fridays during the summer. These shorts are the only maternity shorts I have and I love them. They are a good length, the denim is nice and soft and the band that goes over the belly is really comfy. The tank is just something I picked up at Old Navy a couple of months ago because my old favorite white tank was starting to get yucky. I have about 5 white tank tops but this is one of my favorites because it is thin, lightweight and stretchy. The cardigan is similar to one I wore last week from TJMaxx but this one is a little thinner and has shorter sleeves. The picture totally changed the color of the cardi. It is actually coral pink with tan stripes. I like having these kinds of  cardigans in my closet because they make me feel a little more dressed up than just putting on a plain t shirt would but it is still just as comfortable and easy.

Oh Baby Baby - Week 31

How Far Along? 31 weeks…only 9 weeks to go (63 days). I can’t believe we are in single digit weeks now!

Size of Baby?  Baby is the size of a pineapple and now weighs about 2.5 to 3.8 pounds and is about 15.2 to 16.7 inches long.

Maternity Clothes?  Still just using the few  maternity pants I have but mostly wearing dresses.  

Weight Gain? 18 lbs. I can’t believe I am getting close to the 20 lb mark! I don’t feel like I have that much extra weight on me so I guess that is a good thing!

Gender? Girl! Liliana Adele.

Sleep? Still great!

Food Cravings? The other day at the grocery store I really wanted to get some of those little white powdered donuts but I resisted the urge. I feel like I have done really well not eating junk food this whole time so I am trying my best to finish strong!

What I Miss? Being able to get up easily after sitting on the floor. When I was working on those sewing projects this weekend I was sitting on the floor a lot to cut and pin my fabrics and it was quite a workout getting myself up and down!

Symptoms?  Nothing new this week.

Belly Button? Totally out. The poor little guy is getting stretched to the max and is starting to get a little bit flat at the bottom.

Best Moment of the Week? Getting to hear Lily’s strong heartbeat at my appointment and feeling her in my belly. Sometimes when she is flipping around in there I can put my hand on my stomach and actually feel her little body parts! One morning this weekend I woke up and I felt either her head or her bottom pushing out against my belly up by my ribs. It is just crazy to be able to feel her little body from the outside!

Weekend Sewing

This weekend I caught the sewing bug and knocked out 2 projects that I had been wanting to do for Lily.

The first thing I made was a car seat canopy. I have to say, I was pretty impressed with how it turned out. I am not known for my patience, but I took it slow and actually measured things instead of just eyeballing it and it turned out just how I envisioned it! I used this easy to follow tutorial.



The first thing Danny said when he saw it was, " That's nice, but can you make one that is not so girly?" I don't think he has come to terms with the fact that his life is going to be full of pink from now on!

The next project was a little harder and I had to break out my math skills. I made this ottoman to go in front of the chair in Lily's room.



I used this tutorial but adjusted the dimensions a little bit to make it taller and wider. I stuffed the ottoman with the stuffing from three old pillows so I still need to work out some of the lumps. This project required lots of pinning and was a little more difficult because of the trim detail but I think it turned out all right and the ottoman serves its purpose (Danny thought it was going to be too squishy and not hold my feet up) so I am happy with it!



 I am so happy that I got two big projects knocked off my to do list this weekend. Only 9 more weeks to go and so much to do!

Belly on a Budget

Sunday - Dinner Date
Top: Forever 21, about $5, regular size S
Bottoms: Old Navy, $22.94 (I had a $10 off coupon code and got free shipping), maternity size XS



I picked up this tank top at Forever 21 really early on in my pregnancy. I figured I would need a black tank and this one is nice and long. I just ordered the pants so this was my first time wearing them and I really liked them. They are super comfy. They could obvi be hemmed a little bit (I already had my wedges on in this pic and they were still a little bit long but I am super short so that is always to be expected). My favorite part of the whole outfit which has nothing to do with being pregnant was my necklace. It is this necklace at JCrew but I was not about to spend $150 on it. I got this one off ebay for $14.50! It says JCrew by the clasp but it came from China so I am pretty positive it is just a good knock off. The ebay seller I ordered from has other colors too so I am thinking of getting another one soon!

Monday - Work
Dress: Old Navy, about $7, regular size S
Cardigan: J Crew (pre preggo), size XS



This dress is another thing I picked up of the clearance rack at Old Navy. It is really soft and comfortable but after taking this picture I think it makes me look like a whale! Oh well, I probably look pretty plump from all angles now a days! This dress has spaghetti straps so I threw on a cardigan for work.

Tuesday - Work
Dress: Pre preggo, size S



I can't remember where this dress is from but it is one of my favorites when I am not pregnant. I think this may be the last time I wear it because it is starting to pull at the pockets so I am obvi getting too big for it!

Wednesday - Work
Top: Old Navy, got it on sale for $10, maternity tank size XS
Cardigan: TJ Maxx, $12.99, regular size S
Bottoms: Paige Jeans (pre preggo) w/ Bella Band



Today was a random jeans day at work which is why I am not wearing my typical dress or work pants. This cardigan thingy is one of my favorite items I have purchased in the past couple of months. It is nice and lightweight and I love the colors and the stripes. It is great to throw over a tank top for work even on a hot Texas day and I think it will also be great in the fall with some skinny jeans and boots (and no belly). The jeans are my normal jeans but they button pretty low so my belly doesn't really get in the way. I am still able to zip them most of the way up but there is no way they will button so my Bella Band has to hold them up.

Thursday - Work & Dr.'s Appointment
Top: Nordstrom Rack, about $12, regular size S
Bottoms: Macy's, Destination Maternity brand, $24.99, maternity size XS



Today I had my 30 week appointment with my doctor. When ever I am going to the doctor I try and wear the most light weight clothing I have so I can weigh less when they make me get on the scale, haha. I normally weigh myself naked at my house in the mornings but the doctor won't weigh me naked so I have to do my part and wear minimal clothing and jewelry (I totally took that necklace off before they weighed me). The top is a soft, thin, pink shirt I picked up at Nordstrom Rack before I was pregnant. I don't remember the exact price but most of the tops I get there are $12.99 or less. The pants are from Macy's and are Destination Maternity brand. They were on sale at Macy's when I picked them up (I think they are always on sale at Macy's) so they were actually less than $24.99 but I cant remember the exact price I paid for them. I really do like these pants. They have not shrunk or faded after multiple times in the washer and dryer and the elastic band that goes over the belly is thin and soft so it doesn't make me hot or itchy.

Friday - Work
Top: Zara, don't remember the price, regular size M
Bottoms: Old Navy, $39.94, maternity size 1 short



I picked up this top at Zara back in February. I didn't have a belly then but I did already have a huge chest so I grabbed the medium so it would be be sure to fit later in my pregnancy. The top is nice and long and is also lightweight. The jeans are probably one of my favorite purchases. All the fancy jean designers make maternity jeans that I am sure make you look super amazing but I was not about to spend over $150 on maternity jeans. I had read a couple of other blogs that said the Old Navy skinny maternity jeans were great so I figured I would try them out. I normally like to try things on before I buy them but none of the Old Navy stores around me have a really big maternity section so I just ordered them in the same size that I normally wear at Old Navy and hoped for the best. They ended up fitting perfectly! I ordered the short size since I am super short and they are the perfect length. They are cuffed in today's picture because of the shoes I am wearing but I normally don't cuff them up and I wear them with flip flops. I have not noticed that they have shrunk at all even though I put them in dryer after every wash and the color hasn't faded after repeated washes either. I would for sure say that these jeans have been a staple in my maternity wardrobe!

Oh Baby Baby - Week 30

My photographer was unavailable  so i had to figure it out by myself but I could not figure out how to add the date so that will have to wait until Danny can do it for me!

How Far Along? 30 weeks…only 10 weeks to go (70 days)!

Size of Baby?  Baby is the size of a cucumber and now weighs about 2.5 to 3.8 pounds and is about 15.2 to 16.7 inches long.

Maternity Clothes?  I got my white linen maternity pants from Old Navy in and I love them! They will be in my next Belly on a Budget post. I am still just using the few pairs of maternity bottoms I have and the rest is all dresses.

Weight Gain? I think I am back up to 14 pounds. I go to the doctor on Thursday so I will have a more accurate number next week. 14 pounds doesn’t sound like that much, but sometimes I see my belly and it scares me, haha. I can’t imagine it getter bigger but I know it will!

Gender? Girl! Liliana Adele. She has quite the bow collection going!

Sleep? Still great! 

Food Cravings? No food cravings but I have been really thirsty lately.

What I Miss? Being able to slouch. My belly is in my way and it is kind of painful to slouch when I am sitting down. At least my posture is improving!

Symptoms?  Nothing new this week. Still just have a little bit of heartburn every now and then, the occasional leg cramp and a growing belly.  

Belly Button? Totally out

Best Moment of the Week? Getting to spend some time with my family this weekend. It wasn't under the best of circumstances but it is always good to see everyone. I am not supposed to be traveling after I am 31 weeks so the next time I see everyone I will get to introduce them to Lily!

Belly on a Budget

Here is my first Belly on a Budget post! 

Friday - Work
Top: Target, $5 clearance price, regular size XS
Jeans: Joes Jeans (pre preggo) w/ my Bella Band



This is the perfect example of not knocking something until you have tried it. I was looking in the clearance rack at Target the other day and pulled this shirt out because I liked the color and the price. The only size on the rack I was looking in was XS which I thought would for sure be too small but I decided to grab it since it looked like a great top for a pregnant girl. It has rouching on the sides and the cut of the top of the shirt would be great for nursing. Turns out the top fit and was nice and long so it should be able to grow with me a little while longer. The online link to this shirt does show that it is on clearance so it really does pay to just dig around a little bit in the store! The jeans I have had since before I was pregnant but they have always been a size too big for me in the waist and they have a lot of stretch to them so they are still working for now.

Saturday - Running Errands
Top: Old Navy, $8, regular size S
Bottoms: Lululemon (pre preggo) yoga pants



Hahaha, well, that is my husband behind me looking at himself in the mirror while dancing topless (at least he had pants on) and singing. He is nuts. Anyway, this was just a day of running errands and taking the dogs to the vet so there is nothing great about this outfit. I love these tshirts from Old Navy because they are so soft and comfy, they are long and they come in a bunch of colors. If you buy 2 or more at one time they are $8 each. I used to wear a size XS in these shirts, but I am getting S now for the extra length and belly room. The pants only fit me becuause they are totally spandex. I love spandex.

Sunday -  Outfit #1 (Church)
Dress: TJMaxx, Calvin Klien, $29, regular size 4



This is one of my favorite new dresses. It is soooo soft and comfortable and it is in my favorite color! I have actually worn it three times (baby shower, work and church) in the past 2 weeks because it is so comfy. TJMaxx is such a great place to find dresses at discounted prices. I think the orginal price of the dress was $50.

Sunday - Outfit #2 (Ranger Game)
Top: Target, $6.30 clearance price, regular size S
Skirt: Old Navy, $19.94, maternity size XS



I had to do a wardrobe change before we headed out to the Ranger game. I picked up this tank in the clearance section at Target since it looked nice and long and tank tops are going to be a necessity for the hot Texas summer. The skirt is a maternity skirt from Old Navy that I was wearing for the first time and it was made from the most comfy material ever.

Monday - Work
Dress: Old Navy, about $20, regular size XS
Cardigan: J Crew (pre preggo)



This dress was another thing that I did not think would actually fit me when I picked it up since it is a regular size XS. It was on sale so I decided I would give it a try. Plus, you never really can trust the sizing at Old Navy so I always try everything on. I was really shocked that it fit and that it was a great length even with a protruding belly. An added bonus is that black is slimming (right?) and it is a nice light weight material for summer! The dress has spaghetti straps so I threw a cardigan over it since I was going to work.

Tuesday - Work
Dress: Old Navy, about $7, regular size S



This dress was a bargain and perfect for a growing belly! I went to Old Navy one day and they were having a sale where you could get an additional 30% off the clearance price. I really think the price on the dress was marked incorrectly when I bought it since the price online is currently $27 but I took advantage and snatched up the dress in this color and in a black and white pattern. The wrap style is perfect for my growing belly!

Wednesday - Work
Top: Old Navy, about $5, regular size S
Capri Pants: Macys, Destination Maternity Brand, $19.99, maternity size S



This shirt is actually hot pink but looks way red in this picture. This was another thing I grabbed at Old Navy when they were having the additional 30% of clearance price sale a couple of months ago. It is is just a sheer pink top that still has plenty of room for my growing belly and for $5 I couldn't pass it up. I got the pants at Macy's back in March and love them. They are machine washable, don't shrink, pretty comfy and have done a great job growing with me. When I bought them I didnt really have much of a belly so I was unsure how much use I would get out of them but they still work great. I probabaly wear them to work at least once every other week if not once a week. Since I only have two pairs of maternity pants for work they pop up quite a bit in the rotation!

Thursday - Travel Day
Top: Target, $5.80, regular size M
Bottoms: American Eagle Skinny Jeans (pre preggo) w/ my Bella Band



 

This is another tank that I found on the clearance rack at Target. I loved that the tank is nice and long so it should last me through the majority of my pregnancy. The jeans I have had since right before I got pregnant. They do not zip or button at all but my trusty Bella Band held those things up for me all day. I am hoping I can get at least one more wear out of them because I love the color.

Another Angel in Heaven

Yesterday we buried my granddaddy.

He was the greatest grand father ever. He was so laid back and easy going with his grand kids. I think all of my cousins and I have memories of sitting with granddaddy in his recliner and taking sips of his beer. He was also the one we would go to when we wanted to get in the swimming pool at his house but none of our moms wanted to go outside and watch us. He would come out to sit on the patio to watch us swim (I am pretty sure he fell asleep most of the time) as long as we wanted him to. He used to take my brother "fishing" in the swimming the pool and he would take us on trips in his RV. I remember going to Gardner State Park one year in the RV and my granddaddy and I went on an errand in the car and he let me stand up and stick my head out of the sunroof (totally unsafe and my mom would have been mortified) while he blasted a tape of Alvin and the Chipmunks singing Christmas carols and we sang along. I have no idea why my grandparents had that tape in their car or why we decided to play Christmas songs in the middle of the summer, but I loved it and I love that I have that memory.

The past few months had been a struggle. He got sick right after Christmas and had been in and out of the hospital frequently since then. We knew the doctors could not do anything else for him and that the end was coming but I don't think you are ever really prepared for someone you love to pass away. My grandma and aunts did an amazing job taking care of him.

As sad as I was to see him go, it made me feel so much better to know that my mom was already in Heaven waiting for him. I prayed all time for him to have no pain or fear when the time came and I just know my mom was waiting right there to hold his hand and take away his fear as he walked into Heaven. It also makes me smile to think that she has her daddy there with her now even though we are missing him down here.