awkward and awesome tuesday

wearing: pink blush maternity dress c/o

Awkward: 

I went to buy some air plants Saturday morning, and the man at the garden store began to educate me on their care.  I had had them before, so I stopped him and told him I just needed new ones because I had accidentally forgotten about them.  I'm assuming he didn't see the bump behind the tall checkout counter, because he asked me if I had kids and then just said "think about it."  Um, okay......and for the record, I do plan to pay more attention to Claire's well-being than that of a plant.  

The "Wolf of Wall Street" - holy ridiculous.  I'm not sure I picked up my jaw once through the entire movie.  

Any temperature above 65, currently.  I am like a living sauna - no covers when I sleep, and I can hardly enjoy the spring weather we're having because I must have the house shut up and A/C blasting at all times.  Also kind of sad is that I can't cuddle with Darrell when we sleep because I am just.  too.  freaking.  hot.  

Almost dying on an approximately 1 mile walk - and I mean I felt like I was not gonna make it back to the house and Darrell might have to go get the car to pick me up.  It was akin to the feeling of finishing a half marathon, minus the accomplished superwoman factor.  Also, I was sadly reminded that I once ran a half marathon, and now I can barely walk a mile.  

Awesome: 

This dress!  So comfy, I know I'll be getting a ton of wear out of it for the rest of this pregnancy and beyond.  Pink Blush maternity's clothes have a lifesaver since month 3 - they're the only brand that makes their tops truly long enough to wear with leggings.  This was the first time I had tried out one of their dresses, and while it looks polished it feels like pajamas, which is basically my ideal in any maternity wear.  

Painted my nails in the car successfully on our way home for Mother's Day brunch, despite Darrell's insistence that I was going to get peach polish all over the entire car.  Take that, ya doubter.  

Chocolate malts from Potbelly sandwich shop.  It'll be a miracle if I don't go all the way to Clayton to get another one this week.  

Even though people have started asking about when the baby will be arriving, no one is yet to say "any day now, huh!?"  Which makes me ridiculously happy.  Thanks for not telling me I look 40 weeks pregnant yet, everyone.  Much appreciated.  

the weekender

So, Friday was a rough day last week.  The previous night I was woken up by dripping at 3 am.  Our ceiling was leaking (again) because of our upstairs neighbor’s broken A/C.  So there was the 3 am moving of the bookshelf that had a home against that wall, and laying a towel down, and then we got to try to sleep through the drips for the rest of the night which is….impossible.  So Friday, even though it’s FRIDAY, and we're all supposed to be cheerful and happy, I was just not.  I was tired.  And whiny.  I was mad about the bookshelf hanging out in the middle of my living room and that I hadn’t slept.  But I figured, I could either let the whole day be ruined - no fun - or I could try to turn it around.  So, I wrote down everything that made me smile for the next few hours that morning, and here's what I came up with: 

A robin with a worm landed on our porch around 10 am, looking like the king of the castle.  I think he just wanted to show off to the dogs.

A few new dresses came in the mail.  Superficial I know, but those things make me happy.  And thank you Pink Blush, for cheering me up!

There was just one bagel left from our last run to Panera, it was the best kind of bagel (cinnamon crunch), and it was all mine.

This video of a fox with his head stuck in a can.  

And then of course our evening improved from there with a trip to Food Truck Friday, where there were cupcakes, sooooooo many babies and puppies, and the most perfect spring evening weather there ever was.  

Despite my best efforts, the day was determined to end as it began, and we BARELY made it home because on the way back because the bump suddenly just got REALLLLLLLLY heavy and tried to keep me from walking.  In fact, we had to stop and take a break on a stoop about 3 blocks from our house, and I felt fairly pathetic.  So even though there were cupcakes and new dresses, I conceded defeat and resolved to do better Saturday & Sunday, and I think we did!  

Sometimes, when you're 9 months pregnant, it's better to just give in to doing a whole lot of sitting around.  It's always better if you can do it outside in your garden full of blooming roses though, and then throw in a pedicure and have your husband clean the house as well (Darrell's first mother's day gift to me, and it was exactly what I wanted.)   

After a wholly relaxing Saturday, a gorgeous Mother's Day was had - the backyard roses made their way inside, and we had brunch & then lunch with our beautiful mamas, grandmas, and aunts. Also, there was Dairy Queen ice cream cake at some point, and there's really nothing better than that.  

I hope you all had a beautiful weekend as well!  I wouldn't mind doing it all over again....perhaps even Friday.  

friday link love

This photo is basically my weekend in a nutshell.  I'm going to make a real effort to relax, enjoy the weather, and settle into that pattern for the last 5 weeks of this pregnancy.  There will be pedicures, cupcakes, and brunch.  How much better could it get? 

I also have to congratulate my beautiful & accomplished friend (practically my sister) Bridget on her graduation from nursing school this weekend.  She has worked her tail off for years to accomplish this goal, and me & Darrell are fairly devastated that my being almost 9 months pregnant is keeping us from making the journey up to watch her walk.  We will be thinking of you all day tomorrow, B!  

And this week's favorite links: 

I made boxed brownies this week, which reminded me why I usually put in the effort to make these instead.  

Such a pretty, easy hairstyle!

The best sentences of all time.  

Made me laugh.  

These state facts are so interesting!  

Inside the fridges of 11 New York chefs.  

Hilarious and completely true graphs.  Number 4 is annoyingly true.  

This is a bit long, but absolutely worth watching.  A very smart argument.  

for all the mothers

I never really remembered each Mother’s Day for much other than where we went to family brunch, until last year.  Last year’s holiday is as fresh in my mind as it was the Monday after.  

Last year was the first mother’s day I really wanted to be a mother.  The holiday itself happened to be in a day when the timing would be just right for me to take an accurate pregnancy test, and I had counted down until that time thinking that it would be fate - surely I’d find out I was to be a mother on Mother’s Day.  It would be too perfect.  

Except it wasn’t.  I woke up that morning and took it first thing, and the test came up negative.  I was quietly devastated, as you are every time you see the words “not pregnant” when you just want that little “not” to go to hell.  Of course, there was no reason for me to be upset - we hadn’t been trying for all that long. Maybe two months?  Other couples try for years, I knew that.  But I still remember feeling a sulky all day, not being in the club of women who were being celebrated.  In my head, I wanted to just say “but I am a mother this year!  Or at least, I’m trying to be!”  But you can’t say that out loud, and like so many women before me have said, being a parent kind of makes you part of a club that no one else without children can belong to.  

Which, personally, I think is unfair.  Last year on Mother’s Day I didn’t know what it felt like to have a baby hiccup inside my womb, I didn’t know the joy of the word “pregnant” (minus the ‘not’) on a drugstore stick, and I hadn’t decorated a nursery with a name I chose for my daughter.  I still don’t know what it feels like to nurse a child, to be woken by her cry, to watch my husband carry her around like a football while he cooks dinner.  

But, in spite of all that, looking back I realize that I was no less a mother.  I was Claire’s mother from the moment I decided I wanted her, the day I started praying for her.  I am no less a mother this year for her arrival date having not come to pass.  Neither is any woman who wants to be a mother, even if her future children are still written into her “someday plans.”  

I’m not suggesting you insist on being celebrated with your mothers, aunts, and grandmothers at brunch this Sunday if you aren’t with or have had a child.  I would have felt ridiculous doing that, and I’m sure you would too. I am suggesting this:  if on Sunday someone says to you “Happy Mother’s Day,” maybe just say thank you and smile.  Take one of the pink flowers on your way out of Sunday services, and maybe take yourself to get a pedicure after brunch to say “Happy Mother’s Day” to yourself, knowing that your intentions already make you part of the club.  

maternity style 20

t shirt - jojo maman bebe (similar), shorts - pea in the pod, wedges - target, sunglasses - ray ban

This is definitely one of the more comfortable outfits I've worn this week - I have a feeling these shorts and the pair I have in blue denim are going to be real heroes through the end of this pregnancy.  Also awesome?  These J.Crew lookalike wedges.  I am a big believer in stocking up on things you love (probably why I have three pairs of Saltwaters, three of this dress, two pairs of these shorts.....basically my entire wardrobe is a collection of duplicate items.)  I bought these in the black & chambray, and I have a feeling I'll wear them to pieces this summer, which is well and good since they were a whopping $17/pair!