Push It

Today Lily is four weeks old (I am working on another video slide show to document her first month of life) and I got my push present from Danny! I don't know who came up with the idea of a push present, but I am a major fan! When I brought it up to Danny months and months ago he of course thought it was ridiculous, but I used my powers of persuasion and pregnant lady status to get him on board.

Danny isn't great at coming up with gift ideas on his own (probably because I don't give him the chance) so I told him what I thought would be really special and he delivered!

He got me a ring that matches my wedding band but has alternating diamonds and rubys (Lily's birth stone).

 

  

 

I love that I can wear it alone or stack it with my wedding band or wear it with both my wedding band and ring. So many options! I also love that it is something timeless that I can give to Lily one day.

Belly on a Budget

Saturday - Baby Shower
Dress: TJ Maxx, $39.99, regular size S

June 16, 2012

This is hands down my favorite purchase since I have been pregnant. Way back in March I was home in Brownsville and decided to go to TJMaxx. I love just going in and looking at everything because you never really know what you are going to find. I saw this dress and loved it! It is one of my favorite colors, looked cute on, was a great price and I just knew it would be perfect for later in my pregnancy/a baby shower. Original price of the dress was $118, TJMaxx price was $39.99. Total bargain!!! To top it all off, it was soooo comfortable!

Here is how I looked when I first tried it on and sent the picture to some girlfriends asking about hemming it. The belly has really grown in the last three months!

March 25, 2012

Monday - Work
Top: Forever 21, $7, regular size S
Skirt: Target, $10, regular size S



I hated this outfit. I felt like a frumpy lady but we had a busy weekend and I didn't do laundry or brainstorm an outfit the night before.

Tuesday - Work
Dress: TJMaxx, $29.99, regular size 4



Same dress I posted a few weeks ago. Still fits, its comfy and I look put together. That is all I can ask for these days!

Wednesday - Work & Dr's Appt
Top: Forever 21, don't remember the price, regular size S
Pants: Macy's, Destination Maternity, maternity size XS

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Same pants that I whip out about once a week. The top is old and from Forever 21. It was nice and breezy since it is sheer and it still fit my belly in it (barely)!

Thursday - Work
Dress: Dillards, BGBGeneration, don't remember the price, regular size XS



This dress has some history! The first time I ever wore it was to my bridal shower back in April of 2010 (my mom and I color coordinated, great minds think alike)!



I wore it for the second time this Easter when my belly wasn't all that big yet. I loved it and thought "why have I not worn this dress in 2 years?"  Then in desperation this morning I pulled it out and hoped it would still fit and it did! The attached slip thing underneath was pretty short in the front so I think this is the last time I can wear it while preggo.

Friday - Work & Rangers Game

I forgot to take a picture this morning but I am wearing denim maternity shorts, a red tank and royal blue cardigan over it. Nothing special.

Belly on a Budget

Saturday - Baby CPR/Baby Care Basics Class
Top: Target, $5.80, regular size M
Skirt: Target, $10, regular size XS


We had a full day of baby prep classes today so comfort was key!

Sunday - Breastfeeding Class and Errands
Dress: Old Navy, $19.94, regular size XS


More baby prep!

Monday - Work
Dress: Nordstrom Rack, $29, regular size S



I got this dress when I was newly pregnant because it looked like something that I would be able to wear for a while with a growing belly. So far it is still working for me but it is getting a bit short in the front.

Tuesday - Work and Annivesary Dinner
Dress: Wal Mart, $18, maternity size S



This is a black maxi dress that I randomly ordered online from Wal Mart a few months back. It was too big for me when I first got it but it works now and is really comfy. An added bonus is that I didn't have to get it hemmed. I threw it in the washer and dryer to shrink it a little bit and I was able to wear it with flat sandals.

Wednesday - Work
Top: Nordstrom Rack, about $20, regular size S
Bottoms: Joe's Jeans Stretch Leggings (pre preggo)



I got this top back in January because I loved the color! It is sheer so it is nice and breezy with a tank top underneath. The pants are Joes Jeans brand and they are just a thick black legging that I had before I was pregnant. These aren't just like pull on totally elastic leggings though (I think those are too see through most of the time) these are more like stretchy black pants (they have a button, zipper and pockets). These pants do not zip at all anymore and I had a hard time getting them over my hips! I wiggled into them and then used my black Bella Band to hide the fact that my pants were wide open.

Thursday - Work
Top: Jcrew, not sure of the price, regular size S
Bottoms: Macy's, Destination Maternity, $24, maternity size XS



I got this shirt with a gift card after Christmas this year. I was already pregnant but I didn't have a bump yet. I decided to get it in a S instead of an XS so it would have some extra length and I am so glad I did because it is still a good length on me 6 months later! The pants are the same old Destination Maternity pants. I tried to put on some other non maternity pants this morning with a different top but I didn't like it so I changed into this and the minute I put these pants on I felt 100% more comfortable. I still have some room to grow in these pants so I think they may last me all the way to the end!

Friday - Work
Top: TJ Maxx, $9, regular size S
Tank: Old Navy, $10, maternity XS
Bottoms: Old Navy, Maternity Smooth Panel Jeans, $39.94, maternity size 1 short

 

Belly on a Budget

Saturday - Dinner at a Friend's House
Top: Old Navy, $8 (when you buy 2 or more they are $8 instead of $10), regular size S
Skirt: Target, about $10, regular size XS



After a long day of getting stuff done around the house we went to an impromptu fish fry at a friend's house for dinner. I took a quick shower and threw on the most comfortable outfit I had! This is my favorite type of tank from Old Navy (I think I have it in about 6 different colors) so I wear them pretty often. The skirt I picked up at Target a few months ago and even though it is a regular size XS it was too big on me for a long time so I just started wearing it recently. It is nice and soft and stretchy so I throw it on a lot on the weekends to run errands.

Sunday - Church and Errands
Top: Old Navy, $8 (when you buy 2 or more they are $8 instead of $10, regular size S
Bottoms: Old Navy, $22.94, maternity size XS


This is basically the same outfit I wore a couple of weeks ago just with a navy tank instead of a black tank. I am obviously still loving my knock of JCrew necklace because it can dress up even the most plain tank top! I decided to take a side view picture so I could see just how far my belly is sticking out these days in clothes other than the green dress I take my weekly pictures in.

Monday - Work
Dress: Nordstrom Rack, regular size XS



I got this dress over 2 years ago so I am not sure how much it cost. I think I wore this dress to work about 6 weeks ago so I wasn't sure it was going to fit when I put it on this morning but it did and I think I can get at least one more wear out of this dress in the next 8 weeks.

Tuesday - Work
Dress: Old Navy, about $9, regular size S


This is one of the 2 wrap dresses I picked up when Old Navy was having the 30% off clearance price sale a couple of months ago (the other one is orangey red and I wore it a few weeks ago).

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



Another Old Navy clearance dress! I really like this dress because I don't have to wear a tank under it or a cardigan over it and it is still a good length on me even with my belly popping out. Some of my other dresses are starting to get a little too short in the front so they will have to be retired soon.

Thursday - Work and Dr. Appt.
Top: Nordstrom Rack, regular size S
Bottoms: Macy's, Destination Maternity Black Capri Pants, $19.99, maternity size S



I bought this shirt before I was pregnant so I am not really sure how much it was. I used to wear it with a belt up around my ribs since it is a pretty loose top but as you can see, I am filling it out these days. The pants are the same maternity capris that I wear just about every other week.

Friday - Work
Top: Old Navy, about $5, regular size S
Bottoms: Paige Jeans (pre preggo) w/ Bella Band



I think this is the last item I have in my closet from the Old Navy additional 30% off clearance day. It is just a flowy, lightweight top. I think the sizing on this is totally off because it is still pretty big on me. I don't know how this would fit a person who isn't pregnant and wears a size small. The jeans are my regular jeans that are being held up by my Bella Band. They are a pretty stretchy denim so they are still really comfortable for me to wear.

Fun with Fiber

Today we are going to talk about poo, brace yourself.

Since about the beginning of my second trimester I noticed that I was not near as "regular" as I was before I got pregnant. I was only going to the bathroom once every few days which is so unlike me. My lack of bathroom action wasn't making me feel yucky or anything but I knew it wasn't normal for me. I did some research and bathroom issues are totally normal for pregnant people. Then, when I was 27 weeks along, the doctor said I was slightly anemic and needed to start taking an iron pill everyday. I did more research and extra iron makes it even harder for you to go to the bathroom! I took action immediately!

The first thing I tried was drinking prune juice. I like juice and for some reason I thought prune juice would taste like grape juice but it didn't. It was soooo gross. I had to throw it away.

The next thing I tried was having a green smoothie for breakfast. There are so many great recipes for green smoothies out there. I normally do ice, a little milk, a whole banana, a handful of spinach, some frozen fruit (I like mango and pineapple) and a little agave nectar to sweeten it up. I figured getting spinach in first thing in the morning would give me fiber and iron. I was right! The green smoothie started working for me on day one.

I eat the same thing for breakfast for about 2 weeks straight before I get tired of it so once I got tired of the smoothies I started eating Raisin Bran Crunch for breakfast. This morning I was over the Raisin Bran so I started eating Eggo Waffles Fiber Plus, yummy.

In addition to making sure I have fiber in my breakfast I also eat a fiber bar as a snack once a day. I have tried a few different brands and flavors, all of which have surprisingly been really good, but my favorite is the Kellogg's Coconut Fudge. So yummy!

I am happy to report that my problem was fixed from day one of adding in a little fiber in my breakfast and a delicious fiber bar for a snack and I don't have to eat or drink anything that tastes disgusting. Yay for fiber!

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.

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!

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.

Maternity Wear

My friend Andrea at work is so sweet and always tells me that I look cute even though I have a basketball sticking out of my stomach.  She also suggested that I blog about what I am wearing these days. I thought that was a really good idea since the truth is I still only own 8 pieces of maternity clothing and I am trying to get through this pregnancy on a budget so it has been like a game to me when I go shopping or scrounge around in my closet for an outfit in the morning.

I am not going back to work after Lily makes her debut, so in a few short months life as I know it is really going to change. New Baby + One Income = No Careless Shopping for Mitzi. So, in order to prepare me for my soon to come life style change, I decided I would try and dress my pregnant self on the cheap!I love a self imposed challenge!

Here is what I currently own that is actually maternity (I have still never worn items 5-8):

1. Black Pants - Destination Maternity Brand from Macy's $24.99
2. Black Capri Pants - Destination Maternity Brand from Macy's $19.99
3. Maternity Smooth Panel Skinny Jeans - Old Navy $39.94 (more than I like to spend but a necessity)
4. Denim Shorts - Liz Lange from Target 24.99
5. Black Maxi Dress - Wal Mart $18.00
6. Black Foldover Skirt - Old Navy $19.94
7. White Tank - Old Navy $10.00 (normally $12 but I had a coupon or something)
8. White Linen Pants - Old Navy $32.94 (actually paid $22.94 since I had a $10 off coupon)

The rules I follow when I go out looking for new clothes are:

1. I don't think that just because I am pregnant I have to wear maternity clothes so I rarely even look at them. I am pretty lucky because so far I have really only gained weight in my belly and boobs and a lot of the current cuts of clothes work great for a growing belly so I am still be able to buy clothes in my regular size or up one size (XS-S). I also really like wearing dresses and a lot of my pre pregnancy dresses still work for me. If I wore pants more often or if I was pregnant during the winter and had to wear pants I would have had to invest in more maternity pants for sure. Regular pants with a Bella Band just don't cut it after a while.

2. Unless it is super cute and I love it/convince myself that I NEED it, I never spend full price on anything. I normally shop the clearance racks at Old Navy and Target and find great deals. Most things I buy at those two places cost me less than $10. TJMaxx and Nordstrom Rack are my other go to shopping spots, especially for dresses.

3. I try not to buy anything that I don't think I will wear after I am done being pregnant. Since I am mostly buying clothes in my regular size, I am fully expecting that I will wear them when I done being pregnant also. I figure I will get more bang for my buck this way since I will get more than just a few months of use out of them. I am fully aware that as I near the end of this pregnancy I will probably have to bite the bullet and get a few more maternity items in order to keep my belly covered and stay comfortable.

It really has been a fun challenge to try and dress my ever growing and changing body on a budget! I am going to try to take daily pictures from here on out of what I am wearing to make it through this last trimester!