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.

Oh Baby Baby - Week 29

How Far Along? 29 weeks…77 days to go!

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

Maternity Clothes?  I ordered some white linen pants from Old Navy so I am excited for those to come in!

Weight Gain? 14lbs. Per my scale at home I have actually lost 2-3 pounds since last week but I am going to keep the official tally at 14 pounds until my doctors appointment next week. I think the weight loss is due to me changing up my diet a little bit to try and get my bathroom “issues” under control. The pipes are starting to work!

Gender? Girl! Liliana Adele.

Sleep? Still great!

Food Cravings? Nope

What I Miss? Can’t say that I really miss anything.

Symptoms?  I have started having more regular mild heartburn. I am pretty sure I am getting it daily because of the orange juice I drink in the morning. I am not normally an orange juice person but the internet told me that taking my iron pill with orange juice would help me absorb it better so that is what I am doing. It is nothing too painful so I am not taking anything for heartburn relief at this point. I am also still getting leg/foot cramps every now and then so I am really trying hard to drink tons of water.

Belly Button? Totally out

Best Moment of the Week? Celebrating my first Mother's Day!

Happy Mothers Day To Me!

Yesterday I celebrated my first Mother's Day! When I mentioned something about a Mother's Day gift to Danny about a month ago (I will use any excuse I can to get presents) he made some comment about me not really being a mother yet since the baby wasn't here. I gave him the death look and he quickly said he was kidding, haha. I mean, I have been growing a baby for over seven months so I think I meet the qualifications for a mother.



I woke up yesterday to one of my favorite breakfasts (french toast and bacon) and a present! Danny even sliced up some bananas and had the powdered sugar out to sprinkle on top! He is an awesome cook, so of course it tasted amazing.



And here is what my sweetie pie husband got me!



I sent him a subtle email (by subtle I mean the subject line of the email said "Mother's Day Gift for Mitzi" and then a week later I sent him a link about free shipping from Kendra Scott also just to refresh his memory) about loving this Kendra Scott ring last month and he got it for me! Yay!



After church we went over to see Danny's grandma who just turned 90 in April and recently moved into an independent living retirement community with her boyfriend. Yes, she has a live in boyfriend and has for years. She is so awesome. We took over some fried chicken and had a yummy lunch and visited for a while.



We got home, relaxed and napped for a little bit and then it was time to get ready to head out to the Rangers game. Yup, I went to a baseball game on Mothers Day. It probably would not have been my first choice activity if I got to choose, but I really do enjoy going to the games and we got some pretty awesome pink Rangers t-shirts for free and we won the game so it ended up being a pretty great night spent with my Ranger loving husband.



I can't wait until next year when our sweet little Lily will be here to help us celebrate Mother's Day!

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!

Oh Baby Baby - Week 28

How Far Along? 28 weeks…84 days to go! We are officially in the 3^rd trimester! Woooohooo!!!

Size of Baby?  Baby is the size of an eggplant and now weighs about 1.5 to 2.5 pounds and is about 13.6 to 14.8 inches long. I had an ultrasound yesterday morning and this little nugget actually weighs 2.6 pounds. 

Maternity Clothes?  Nothing new. Just wearing my pre preggo dresses and the couple of pairs of maternity pants I have for work. 

Weight Gain? 14lbs

Gender? Girl! Liliana Adele. At the ultrasound yesterday I made sure to double check with both the ultrasound tech and the doctor that Lily was in fact still a girl. I was getting a little nervous since we had not had an ultrasound since week 18 when we were first told she was a girl and sometimes they can be wrong about these things! It is such a relief to know that we don’t have to return all of our pretty pink things!

Sleep? Still great! I have been sleeping so hard that most nights I only get up to once to go potty and a couple of nights I have not gotten up at all. That was unheard of even before I got pregnant!

Food Cravings? I really wanted a cupcake on Sunday night but that may have just been because I had one on Saturday from Society Bakery and it was so yummy that I had myself convinced I needed more. 

What I Miss? This is totally strange and again probably TMI, but I miss the days when the skin on the underside of my boobs did not touch the top part of my belly. Those two parts of skin are not supposed to touch! When I get home and put on my pajamas and take off my bra boob skin touches tummy skin and it sweats and feels icky. The only way to stop this from happening is to either wear a bra all the time (no thanks) or to just stick your tshirt in the crease between boobs and belly. It may not be sexy, but it does the trick.

Symptoms?  Based on the blood work I had done last week, I don't have gestational diabetes but I am slightly anemic so I am now taking an iron pill everyday. I have also been having cramps in my feet and toes recently.

Belly Button? Totally out

Best Moment of the Week? Getting to see Lily at my ultrasound yesterday and hearing that everything looks perfect! The doctor even said  that  I had a beautiful cervix (he sure knows how to make a cervix feel special) so the risk of preterm labor looks very small at this point. I am just praying that the next 12 weeks continue to go smoothly.

Brownsville Baby Shower

Last weekend I flew down to Brownsville for a visit with family and so I would be home for my mom's birthday. Since I was coming home, my mom's friends threw Lily and I a little baby shower!

All the ladies at the shower had taught with my mom for years at Vela Middle School. That is where I went to middle school as well, so they have all known me for about 17 years and most of them were my teachers at some point during my junior high years. Isn't that crazy!??! One of them also happens to be the mom of my bestie, Alexis. Alexis and I actually became friends because our moms introduced us to each other on the first day of 6th grade (and she has been stuck with me ever since)!



For as long as I can remember these ladies have been getting together for what they call "Birthday Club". Whenever it is someones birthday, they all get together at a local restaurant to celebrate so that is what we did for the shower!





Let me just say, it was an explosion of PINK and Lily got some of the most adorable things I have ever seen! All things pink, ruffles, tutu, and girly are right up my alley so I just loved it!



I wasn't able to fit all of Lily's goodies in my suitcase so my dad will have to bring the rest to me when he comes for a visit but here is what I was able to bring home with me.




One of the gifts Lily got was so special that I get teary eyed just thinking about it. Every year for Christmas my mom would get me a doll. When I was younger they were mostly fancy barbies but as I got older she started to get me Madame Alexander dolls. I don't really collect things because I don't like clutter, but I am so glad my mom started doing this for me. It was a special thing just between the two of us that means so much more to me now than I ever knew it would. Anyway, the last present I opened was from my mom's friend Anne and it was Lily's first Madame Alexander doll! It is a huggable baby doll that I just know she will love for years to come. I know if my mom were here that is probably the first thing she would have gotten for Lily!



It was so nice to spend a few hours with my mom's friends. They are just such a fun, crazy and loving bunch and I am so thankful that we have them in our lives!