My Holiday Survival Kit

Holiday season is in full effect! Today, I want to share a few of my must haves for the holidays. First and foremost, you want to look good AND feel comfortable, right? I keep my legs warm and keep my belly in check with  Hanes firm control Power Shapers. This way, I can indulge in all the holiday goodies and not appear bloated.

I love to keep my lips festive with a deep berry color. My favorite at the moment is Kat Von D liquid lipstick in BAUHAU5, matched with LA Girl lipliner in Rose. This pair is sure to last through the night, even after eating and drinking.
Speaking of eating and drinking, another must for me is red wine; a favorite being Stella Rosa Red. You just can't go wrong with Stella Rosa. A great bottle of wine is a great gift to bring to a party. If wine isn't your thing, another fail safe party gift would have to be a box of yummy assorted chocolates. My favorite have always been Sees Candy chocolates. And if you have somehow forgotten to buy anything as a gift, Christmas cards are great to stuff cash or quickly scoop up a gift card. I always keep extra Christmas cards on hand.
So the bottom line is: show up looking great, and bearing sweets for your hosts, or guests, and all will be merry!

Happy Holidays! :)

Thank you to Hanes for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.

Zane is two months old

As we entered the second month, Zane was gradually beginning to realize that he was here to stay, and that wasn't a bad prospect. I was still dealing with major nipple pain from feeding my barracuda of a baby, but once I recovered from my mastitis (breast infection) the pain faded away. Zane slept for longer stretches through the night, and I when I was too tired to move him back into his co-sleeper, I'd keep him in bed with me. I noticed that he always slept longer when he was in bed with me, so he gradually skipped the co-sleeper altogether, and we have not looked back. The best part of the second month was getting to see his first smile! He had been smiling in his sleep from day one, but to see him smile on his own because he was actually happy was the best feeling in the world! The 8 week mark also meant I'd completed my c-section recovery (yay!) and could work out and no longer needed to wear a girdle.
Zane had his first job: modeling for Ergo Baby. this was pretty exciting. We brought Zane to the studio and he was placed in a swaddle and photographed, laying over a furry blanket. Zane did an amazing job at his photoshoot, and we are so proud of him! I'm still waiting on the photos and will post as soon as we get them!

8 Months Pregnant

I thought this pregnancy would feel like a lifetime, but to my surprise, it has flown by. I am now 32 weeks, which makes me a whopping 8 months pregnant! I can now finally say, "I'm due next month" and with that, my nesting instincts have definitely kicked in. I wake up at the crack of dawn to empty my smashed bladder, and then can't shut my mind off. All these thoughts of preparing for baby's arrival consume my brain. I need to pack my hospital bag, diaper bag, I need to get a diaper bag, oh, baby has the hiccups, yet again. He gets the hiccups multiple times a day, and though everyone says I will soon get annoyed with them, I just see them as a loving reminder that he is always with me and doing well. Pre-pregnancy, I weighed in at 110 lbs., and now, 20 pounds later, I look like I'm hiding a basketball under my shirt. I still get shocked when I walk past a mirror and catch a glimpse of my big ol' belly. It's amazing! This pregnancy has been so smooth that I actually think I will truly miss being pregnant. I had a good week or two of heartburn that would make sleeping a bit difficult, but I stopped eating hours before bed, and if I felt it coming on, I'd prop myself up on a bunch of pillows and sleep a bit upright. Other than that, the only other symptom I have really experienced is the fatigue from the first trimester, making it's way into this final trimester.

My baby shower is next weekend, and I couldn't be more excited to see all my family, especially my sister from New York, who is flying out for this special occasion. I was with her when she delivered her second baby, and now, she gets to see me pregnant! The only thing missing will be my sister in Hawaii, but with four kids of her own, it's very difficult to get away. I will be sure to post tons of photos of my baby shower for everyone to see!