Holiday Work Party

I've always been a skirt and dress kinda girl. Not necessarily fancy, but I especially find dresses to be an easy way to look put together and only have to worry about shoes to match instead of multiple pieces. Plus, if you add tights to the look, it works for all seasons!

Skirts are basically the same with just a tad more effort. In my wardrobe, that basically means tucking in a black or white top and calling it a day. I clearly spend a lot of time getting ready ;)

On Friday we had a celebratory Mass and Christmas luncheon for work. M and I had gone Christmas shopping the night before and I kept my eyes pealed for a potentially party outfit as we browsed, but I didn't see anything that caught my interest and decided to just work with something I had at home.

As I sifted through my winter clothes, which are still in a bin because much of it doesn't work with the new baby bump, I noticed the plaid skirt I wore last year for Christmas and decided to give it a try.

I had to wear it at my ribs instead of my hips, but it zipped! And it didn't look half bad with a plain black sweater I also had from before pregnancy! Adding my Blanqi leggings (I told you I wear them non-stop) and some black booties made it work appropriate and festive too!

I will say, stretchy skirts are a lot easier to work into maternity options (I don't see this skirt fitting past New Years lol). But it is fun going through the clothes that I have and seeing what new outfits I can create with as few new pieces as possible. (All pants and leggings are maternity at this point with the exception of one pair of jeans that I can still do the hair-tie trick with.)

Peace,
Sarah

PS - here's the skirt worn non-maternity for reference. This was only last year and we both look like babies!

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26 Weeks and Getting Ready for Christmas

 

I get weekly pregnancy updates emailed to me that usually include some reference to the size of a baby at each week and what symptoms might be included. Today it said something about week 26 being the last week of the second trimester! It also acknowledged that some consider week 27 the last, but either way you spin it, this baby is coming.

And while I am eager with anticipation to meet this little peanut (and find out if it's a boy or girl!), I am acutely aware that there are roughly a million things left to do to prepare for his or her arrival. Construction planned for the house has placed nursery nesting on hold as it will make some changes to that space. We have a solid name for a boy chosen and two first name options for a girl but can't decide on a middle name. And don't even get me started on choosing godparents. . . 

But even with our long to-do list and feelings of not being quite ready, I know that what needs to get done will and all the pieces will slowly fall into place. 

Are you ever really "ready", anyway?

  

Lately Christmas preparations and Advent practices have been at the front of my mind. I'm still trying to decide if I'm using them as a distraction from the speed at which this babe is growing. The intentionally slow pace of the Advent season doesn't seem to be slowing down my expanding belly and I'm still trying to fathom how it can possibly get any bigger. But with each kick and stretch this tiny person does inside of me, I am filled with awe and wonder and joyful hope.

Tis the season, I suppose.

Being pregnant this time of year naturally has me reflecting on Mary being pregnant with Jesus. (And how in the world she rode on a donkey while being that far along in her pregnancy. No thank you.) I'm working on a post to share some of that reflection and hope to have it ready soon. 

(It's about being pregnant during Advent, not riding a donkey.) 

Sweater | Skirt | Booties | Hair Clip | Bracelet | Rosary Bracelet

(Linking to similar items)

I'm still working on embracing this new body of mine and figuring out how to dress it outside of the leggings and sweatshirts I've been wearing around the house. For workdays, I've been trying to stay semi-stylish without breaking the bank in buying a whole new wardrobe. 

I have gotten a few pieces of maternity gear over these 26 weeks (my Blanqi leggings are probably my favorite), but I've also been able to adapt clothes that I already had hanging in my closet. Thank goodness for oversized sweaters and stretch skirts, amiright?

I bought this skirt over two years ago from the Loft outlet and wear it all the time. In the summer I add a tank or blouse and sandals and in the fall or winter tights, sweaters and booties make it work. It's near the top of my list for Christmas Mass options this year - partly because I don't have many options that fit and partly because I love it so much ;)

Do you know what you're wearing for Christmas yet? Any mamas out there with clever ideas for inexpensive maternity looks? I'm all ears.

Peace,

Sarah

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23 Weeks Pregnant - Trying to Embrace Change

I had Mike take these pictures of me last week in efforts to better document this growing babe of ours. Those 5ish photos previously shared on Instagram are just about the only ones I've had taken during these 23 (well now about 24) weeks of pregnancy.

Overall, my pregnancy has been relatively easy. I've had all the "normal" symptoms at all the "typical" times and thankfully they have been very mild. Some morning sickness the first trimester, but never any vomiting. Some heartburn the past few weeks, but rarely bad enough to grab the antacids.

I've been incredibly lucky.

Poncho | Sweater | Leggings | Shoes | Earrings

What has been the hardest part, is something I've struggled with since I was little: body-image.

Changes to my body while pregnant were obviously to be expected, but I don't think I realized how quickly old wounds and warped mindsets would return as soon as things began to look and feel different.

It's been a wild ride.

But as I'm adjusting and getting over the shock of those initial negative feelings, I'm finding myself wishing I had been documenting this process from the beginning.

There are about 20 weeks of this pregnancy that I all but refused to document and I can never have that time back or look through images that articulate how amazing my body and the changes it had made to grow a human are.

And with that in mind, and also knowing how much blogging (aka forcibly sharing photos of myself) in the past helped with my self-esteem (as weird as that might seem), I plan to start sharing outfit posts again.

I'm not yet sure how frequently. And let's be real, the wardrobe has been drastically reduced as the bump has grown. But forcing myself in front of the camera, instead of my preferred placement behind it, helps me to see the difference between a photo of me being bad and the way I look being bad.

(I don't know if that makes sense to anyone but me, but I also don't know that it has to.)

All of this is not to say that I snapped my fingers and am suddenly feeling amazing about how I look 5 months pregnant. Or that I don't have bouts of fear knowing that there's still about 16 weeks of changes and growth to go.

It's something I am wrestling with daily and something I have an amazing community of friends and prayer warriors helping to carry me through. (You ladies know who you are <3 )

But I don't want to look back at this experience and be upset that I let fear and negativity have the upper hand. I cannot wait to hold this sweet little babe of ours, but I don't want to wish away this time either.

There's a balance waiting to be found and I'm hopeful that with some intentionality, I can come close to finding it.

I suppose we'll see.

(On a lighter note, having M means I don't necessarily have to be that weird girl posing for photos with her tripod. . . ah, marriage.)

--

If you've made it to the end of this post, thanks for sticking with me. I will forever be grateful for this little corner of the internet where I can share my heart, whether there's someone on the other end reading or not.

(Though sometimes I would prefer not lol. Being vulnerable is hard.)

Peace,
Sarah

PS here's a blooper for posterity's sake

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