sonnet james

Last week when I was browsing blogs, I came across Taza's post about the line Sonnet James.  I usually click right past giveaway posts to be totally honest, especially on a blog that popular.  What are my odds of winning, right?  But her pictures are always so beautiful, and once I saw how cute the dresses were I had to click through.  Imagine my surprise when I got to the site and realized that they aren't just dresses - they're double duty stretchy maternity & non-maternity dresses for MOMS.  I am totally smitten.  The bright colors & modest cuts are perfect for hanging out with children because they don't inhibit any of your activities, and I love how comfortable they all look.  I basically want one of each.  None of the dresses for spring will be available until April, but you'd better believe I'll be scooping a few up for my transitional pregnancy-to-new-mama wardrobe.  The best part is that the line isn't insanely expensive - most of the dresses are around the $100 mark, and several can even be worn for nursing.  Win!  

You can check out Sonnet James here.  

friday link love

So I hate to say it, but winter is kind of killing us around here.  Usually a midwestern February involves temps in the 40s and a mix of gray and sunny skies, but this year we seem to have fallen into a permanent polar vortex.  There's another deluge of snow every other day, and it doesn't seem to get much warmer than 20 degrees, ever.  

I know spring will come, and I shouldn't wish this precious time away - especially being pregnant - but it's hard not to think about sunnier & warmer days ahead.  Luckily this weekend we have some celebrating to do for our friends' birthdays, and that should generate some much needed cheer.  Also, it gives me an excuse to wear something besides yoga pants and a t shirt (yay!)  

I hope you have a weekend planned that will put a little spring into your heart, at least until the real thing arrives in 40 days!!

My favorite links from this week: 

The questions that will save a relationship.  

Especially on winter Mondays, it's good to adopt this attitude.  

Target's shoes are buy one get one half off, and these are so cute, especially in the stripe!  

I loved this hilarious take on how today will be viewed from the future, written by Olivia Wilde.  

My latest pregnancy craving is anything strawberry - did you have any family members who made this deliciousness during the holidays?  My aunt always brings it, but I may whip a batch up just because.  

24 reasons to date a girl who does yoga.  

Jewelry is everything to a pregnant woman's wardrobe, and J.Crew Factory has a really exceptional selection right now - the necklaces are a fun way to inject a little spring into your wardrobe.  

baby hayes' name

So baby girl's name will be Claire!  We had firmly decided on Claire before we knew.....well before we knew we were even pregnant really.  Claire was my great-grandmother's name, and my parents considered it for my name as well.  I've been told many times "you look more like a Claire" when I've shared that, and although I'm perfectly happy being Mary I'm thrilled to pass that name onto my daughter.  We thought it was a good balance between a pretty name for a child and a sophisticated name for an adult.  I've always loved it, and I don't know anyone named Claire that I don't like (um, this is really true).  Her middle name will be Olivia, which is just a name we liked that we pulled out of nowhere!  

The photo is a little sneak peek at her nursery - I painted the trim that pretty mint green color, the walls are white, the gold polka dot curtains are from Pottery Barn Teen's Emily & Merritt collection, and the name banner is from Rifle Paper Company!  

the name game + maternity style 09

wearing: jacket & tunic (runs small) - old navy, leggings - isabella oliver, sneakers - new balance, scarf - crazy old, wal-mart maybe?  

These are not iPhone photos, these were actually taken with my fancy camera's self timer....which I'm obviously not good at, but I was determined to get in an outfit post this week despite my time constraints and it happened!  So I'm going to call that a win.  Photos taken in my parents lovely apartment - I intend to purloin that baby grand piano someday for our future little piano players, once we upgrade to something larger than 700 square feet.  

Speaking of babies (when am I NOT on here lately, really?), since we already know the baby's gender, you may be wondering what we'll name her.  

Well, we had names chosen from before we knew I was even pregnant.  Darrell and I are both really decisive and we both completely agreed on our favorites.  How lucky am I, right?  

But just for fun I thought I would ask: any suggestions?  Any favorite names right now?  

To give you an idea, here were some of the others we considered that didn't make the cut (but maybe for a future baby!)  We both tended to favor really classic names that haven't been super popular recently.  

For a Girl

Eloise

Ophelia

Noelle

Elizabeth

Sloan

Clara

For a Boy

Aiden

James

Gideon

Leopold

John

Henry

awkward and awesome tuesday

Awkward: 

Okay, the photo that was previously here.  I really hated it.  And it's my blog, so I am exercising my rights to take it down.  I had yoga training all weekend (literally, 7:30 am to 5 pm both days) so it was a "yeah I just got out of the shower but we really need to snap this photo" kind of thing.  Outfit post coming tomorrow!  

My bedtime routine.  We eat dinner at 6:30, go to bed maybe two hours later, and by the time I've been laying down for half an hour I've probably gotten up to pee twice and gone to the kitchen for a bowl of cereal.  

Husband spies the cookies that I made...all three of them that are left.  Doesn't eat them though.  Then 2 hours later asks "where did the cookies go?"  Um yes, yes I did.  You really need to be faster if you want to beat a pregnant woman to cookies.  

I thought I would be totally calm and collected when people reach out to touch the belly and WOW that is not the case.  With certain people it doesn't matter much to me at all (Darrell, my girlfriends, and a handful of people who just have good energy) but with some people I just do this really startled "WHOA PLEASE DON'T DO THAT."  So bottom line, ask or maybe just don't?  

Realizing how far I'm going to have to stretch this maternity wardrobe.  I'm totally unmotivated to buy any more than what I've already bought, and what I have is great!  But it's going to get worn, and reworn, and by the end of this pregnancy you all may just be viewing re-posts of old outfit posts.  

Awesome: 

The Superbowl!  It's the best ever "drinking holiday" for pregnancy women because food.  

Darrell can feel the baby move now, IF we sit stone still and wait for an unspecified amount of time.  I am so excited for her to get bigger and stronger so he can feel her all the time.  

Easter candy is out!  I know, it's ridiculous seeing as it's only January, but Easter candy is my very favorite.  Cadbury eggs!  (Side note: all these awesomes COULD be food related.  But I'll stop here.  You're welcome.)  

Women who DON'T give me unsolicited advice.  You all are awesome.  I will totally ask for help when I need it (and have!), but until then I would appreciate you just keeping it all to yourself please and thank you.  

I have acclimated to our new bed positioning!  I didn't fall out once this week : )