Simply Causal

Hi Loves!

 I hope you had a great week and are ready for the weekend. It has been a long week for me being sick and all, so happy to finally see the weekend is here.
Here's a look I wore last week, easy and comfortable. I absolutely love this top from Loft. I've been finding lots of great stuff there lately.  You can shop my finds on the “Shop my Closet” session to the right. I love that this top is so soft and comfortable and I can see it accommodating my growing belly as I progress in my pregnancy and the best part is that I bought it in my regular size and it is not maternity. With my last pregnancy, I bought quit a few regular pieces but went up a size and I find all those clothes too big post pregnancy and a little awkward. That’s because they are not designed to be a loose fit. With this pregnancy, I'm going to try to stick to my regular size and just find pieces that either has great stretch to it or is designed to fit loosely just like this top; keeping sizing up pieces to a minimal so I can actually get some wear out of them post pregnancy.

Wish you a splendid weekend.

Talk to you soon!

 

Top: Loft

Jeans: H&M (old, similar here)  

 Shoes: Aldo (old, love this here) 

Watch: Movado 

Baby2 Pregnancy Survival Kit

Hi loves!
Hope you're having a great week so far.  

Coming off a 4-day-long weekend, I'm breezing through this short work week and looking forward to the weekend already. 

Today I'm sharing my must haves, sort of like my survival kit for this pregnancy. Most of these items I used during my first pregnancy and since they worked so well for me the first time around, it only makes sense to stick with it the second time around, so here we go.

BellyBelt

I cannot rave enough about this thing. I absolutely love it! I'm not a fan of maternity clothes or pants with all that extra fabric/elastic on the waist. I tried some on during my first pregnancy and it just felt weird. All I can say is I'm glad I found this Bellybelt. Not sure how I came about it because there is a lot of variation or version or belly belt or belly band out there. Same set that lasted me through my first pregnancy is going to last me through pregnancy #2 and more if need be, so definitely worth the money. I haven't/usually don't use the cover up pieces that comes with it, just the button and hook-and-eye extenders works perfectly well on their own, paired with a top that hits below the waist of a regular tank top to covers the waistline. It is definitely a life saver for all my work pants and jeans.

Bio Oil

No one wants more or any stretch mark at all during pregnancy. I thankfully made it through my first pregnancy without any new stretch marks on or around my belly, just some lighter spot around my belly button, so I'm giving the Bio Oil a go this time around also. I use it twice a day, morning and evening before going to bed. What I love the most about it is that it doesn't leave you feeling oily, it absorbs in quick and well. 

Flats

I think the body definitely adjusts to your most natural physical states before pregnancy during pregnancy, if that makes sense. During my first pregnancy, I lived in heels and I felt most comfortable in it, from weekdays to weekends. At that time, wearing flats gave more back pains. Complete opposite this time; since my new job pretty much frowns upon heels, I've become accustomed to wearing and living in flats. Wearing heels now feels a little weird and sometimes uncomfortable depending on what type of heels I'm wearing. So, now I mostly go with my wedges and block/thick heels when I do wear them.
My everyday go-to comfortable black work flats with covered toes and heels (required for work) literally crapped out on me at work. That's how much I wore it and how much walking around I've been doing in them lately. So, I'm definitely looking to replace it and I'm eyeing these two pairs here and here.

Wireless Bra

I cannot stress how essential this is for me. My fellow mommies out there can probably testify to the fact that it is not only your belly that grows during pregnancy; believe it or not, your boobs grow during the process as well. What this means for me is wired bra out and new wireless ones in. New comfortable, no underwire, just pure comfort and support. Since I know it's just for a time period and size is ever changing, I usually don't splurge.  These ones here and here from Target serve me well. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Talk to you soon!

Baby2 :: First Trimester

Yap, that's how I felt...lol

All I can say is ….I'm glad it's over. Thank God!

I knew Baby2 was on board when I couldn’t keep my eyes open pass 7:30pm. On a usual day, I don’t even start thinking about getting ready for bed until 10:00pm, now all of sudden, I’m too tried to even get ready and just leave whatever I was doing and jump right into bed. We were planning for it so I knew this has got be it. Had to wait a couple more days to take the test and of course it came back positive. Just like that, life is about to change again.

On cravings, the first half of it, all I wanted was restaurant food and fast food, both the good and the bad. As long as it was not cooked in my kitchen, I’ll take it.

Second half was complete opposite. For the better, thank God; because I was starting to scare myself with what I was eating and the rate at which I was eating out. I see how some dads easily get the sympathy belly too now when their wife is pregnant. Every time I want to eat out, "we" eat out. If had continued at that rate, well I could easily see hubby progressing right along in the growing belly business with me. 

So, for the second half of the first trimester, all I wanted was some good Nigerian, home cooked meal and I kicked off that craving’s satisfaction at my sister’s wedding. Even my sisters eyes got big when she saw my plate and on top of that, I was complaining about how I couldn't taste or eat everything. Well, when we got back home, let’s just say any small energy I had I spent it all on cooking. This was the time I really wished there is a Nigeria restaurant somewhere close to us in NC. So far don't think there's any. Someone needs to fix this.

I’ve been cravings a lot of okra soup. We barely eat okra on a regular day just because hubby doesn't eat it and I don't feel like making two kinds of soup every time, although okra is relatively easy to make. Well now I do. I have to eat my swallows with okra now, and maybe mix with vegetable stew or whatever else there is. Fish stew is my next fixing. I've always complained I don’t know where to buy whole fish that's where I don't make it. Now I’ve been lucky enough to find some at my local Walmart and even though I’ve found some store that might sell produce I’m looking for, I’m yet to drive my lazy bum down there to see because it's like 30 minutes away and in my book, that's far. So on rotation for now, as long as I keep hitting the jackpot is fried fish / fish stew and lots of okra. Rice is a given. Give me some good, preferably party jollof, which doesn't happen often but I’ll settle for the ones I make or white rice with fish stew and I’m happy.

Morning sickness; this wasn’t even in my vocabulary with Eliana, but with Baby2, I experienced all of it. From the nausea, to the vomiting, to the headache, to the tiredness, to the metallic taste that makes everything taste awful and just feeling completely drained both physically and emotionally. Some days, I don’t even know how I made it through the whole day at work. My ultimate goal was staying awake the whole day and as soon as I enter a room for a meeting,  I was looking for the closet trash can and sitting strategically close to it. Thankfully, I didn’t put on a show in front of everyone, although I came close a couple of times. 

Now in my second trimester, I feel much better and like myself again. Looking forward to enjoying the rest of this pregnancy and maybe resolve this mommy guilt I’m having about not documenting Baby2 pregnancy as much as I did for Eliana.

Talk to you soon and have a great weekend!

Off - Shoulder

Hi Loves!
Happy New Month!!!

Staring off the second half of the year packing boxes and on the move yet again. This time though, it's even more exciting; moving into our first home. That's not to say I won't find some time to kick up my legs and enjoy the much needed long weekend break.

It's been months since I've had the interest or energy to do anything on weekends. Finally feeling like myself again, I joined in the fun with hubby and Eliana this past weekend instead of  staying home as usual.  We grabbed brunch, then to the park, a quick visit to our home and some shopping and I was ready to call it a day.

I hope you're enjoying your day and have a great and safe weekend!

Top: Loft

Jeans: F21 (old, similar here)

Shoes: VS (old, similar here)

Bracelet: The Limited

Watch: Skagen