Kitchenista: Quick & Easy Dinner

I am going to try not to sound sarcastic. Sometimes sarcasm reads a little hard and I don't want to sound like an irritable pregnant woman. However, when your husband tells you that you'll be having another family over for dinner and you're not in the mood to play Martha Stewart (or Barefoot Contessa, Rachel Ray or Giada - take your pick) that can make you a bit irritated.

What am I going to make? Who's going to clean this house? Those are always the first two thoughts that pop into my head when I hear that we're having company. You know. Because there are two levels of clean. There's level one which basically means your house is clean enough for the people that live in it to survive. And then there's level two. Level two is how clean your house is when you find out a family that you've never met before is coming to dinner. After all, a first impression is everything. Nothing says welcome to my home like clean base boards. Anyway. I digress.

The real thing I've been thinking about is what am I going to make. I always like to offer something that's family friendly and pleasing to most pallets. Since I haven't been really inspired by food lately I had to lean on Pinterest. I decided to go through my "Kitchenista" board to get some ideas. It's always a risk to serve something you've never made before but after checking out the ingredients and directions I feel pretty safe.

                                                                                        Source: kayotic.nl viaTia on Pinterest

My plan is to serve this pasta with a tossed salad. I'll probably substitute the spaghetti noodles for fettuccine. For desert I plan to make brownies. You can never go wrong with brownies. Ever. I won't be serving any wine since no one drinks. We'll be having sweet tea and lemonade. I would rather have a glass (or bottle) of wine. Maybe next year. At any rate this is what I'll be up to today and tomorrow. Cleaning and cooking. Fun. What's your favorite go to meal when you're having company? Am I the only one that dreads a last minute gathering?

Sleepless with Savannah

I shouldn't be calling this Sleepless with Savannah anymore. She's actually sleeping great now. But since I couldn't come up with a better name for this post I decided to stick with what I knew. So. As you might remember I was originally thinking about doing a shared nursery. I thought it would make it easier for me and I still believe that it will to some degree.

I'm starting to feel a little anxious about them sharing a room. Mainly because I don't want her waking up every time the baby does. She's pretty good about going back to sleep if she does wake up in the middle of the night but still...I just don't want to have to deal with that. I'll be nursing, changing diapers and doing too much for it to not bother her sleep. I think she'll sleep better in her own room. I think we'll all sleep better if she's in her own room.

Lately, I've been tossing around the idea of changing the guest room into her big girl room. The room isn't really that big. All of her toys and books would have to stay in the nursery. Which I like because it keeps all the toys in books in one place. She'll have plenty to keep her busy when I'm nursing. My plan is to decorate the guest room with her current room decor and decorate the current nursery for our baby boy. I could just be creating more work for myself but I'll do whatever it takes to keep getting some sleep. 

We'll see how things go. Right now I'm still in the brainstorming stage. If your toddler and newborn shared a room please share how that worked out for your family. I would love to hear about some of your experiences!

Maternity Style: What I Wore

Happy Friday!! I quickly wanted to share what I wore to an event last weekend. I was asked to be a speaker at the event so I wanted to look stylish and pulled together. Nothing is easier to pull together than a LBD. Pregnant or not it looks good on everybody. I kept my accessories simple with gold hoops, my watch and a gold bangle.

I pulled the belt off of another dress and gave myself a little empire waist. The belt is black and white polka dots with a gold buckle. Love it.

To finish off my look I wore some nude platform heels. They were a gift from my husband and I love them. I can not wait to wear them more after the baby is born. 

Dress - Target (old)

Belt- Express (it came with a dress)

Shoes- Chinese Laundry

Bangle- Express

Watch- My everyday Michael Kors Chronograph timepiece.

Not too bad for someone a few days shy of being six months pregnant, right?

iPhone Apps for Toddlers

Today I'm sharing some of Savannah's favorite apps on the iPhone. It's amazing to me that she can unlock my phone and navigate through the screens to find her folder. It's also very convenient. At first I was a little frustrated with her having my phone so much. Then I realized that as long as she was learning something and enjoying herself I was perfectly okay with not having my phone twenty four seven. She does have a Leapfrog Leap Pad but I really think she enjoys the apps on my phone more. 

I put all of her games in one folder so that they are easier for her to find. I have added and removed many apps and these seem to be her favorite. Her absolute favorite has to be "Endless ABC". It teaches spelling, definitions, letter recognition and phonetic sounds. The graphics are great and it makes learning very fun. "ABC Song" is probably her next fave. Of course it teaches the ABC song but it also covers letter recognition, memory matching, writing skills, puzzles and letter/word association. "Candy Count" is a counting game that also teaches colors, but the colors are limited to just a few. "Baby Cards" and "My First Apps" are flash card apps that contain all kinds of flash cards. They cover everything from animals, emotions, food and hundreds of objects. "Seek and Find" is a fun sound game. When you click on different parts of the scenes you reveal sounds. "Paint Sparkles" is a fun painting and coloring app. The piano app is another one she plays for fun. I had originally downloaded "Wheel of Fortune" for me, but she really likes playing it so I moved it to her folder.     She isn't solving puzzles yet but she does understand how the game is played and she likes spinning the wheel and picking letters. "Blast Monkeys" is another fun game. The goal is to aim the monkey at the bananas to advance to the different levels. She really loves this game and affectionately calls it "Monkey Jungle". All of these apps were free with the exception of Wheel of Fortune.  What are some of your toddler's favorite apps? Please share. I'm always looking to try new games with her.
- posted from my chic iPhone

Creating a Baby Registry for Baby Two

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! I had the pleasure of speaking at an event over the weekend. My topic covered shopping for your family on a budget. It was my first time speaking as a blogger and I really enjoyed it. Another activity I had the pleasure of doing was creating a baby registry for our baby boy. Initially I wasn't going to create a registry. Then after getting a couple calls from friends and family wanting to know about a registry I figured I should go ahead and do one.

I always thought that you weren't "suppose" to have a baby shower for your second baby. Especially if your two children are close in age. Then I realized that if people wanted to send some love to my baby who was I to keep him from being showered like his sister was. Even though I am not having a baby shower this time around I figured that a registry was still a good way to give our friends and family a guide to what we need if they wanted to send something.

We still have all of our baby gear from Sav so really the only thing that I registered for was diapers and wipes. You can never have too many of those in any size, right? I made it really simple and put all types of brands and sizes on there. Since some of you may need baby gear items for baby two here are the items we received at Savannah's shower that worked great. I would recommend these to my closest girl friend....

All three of these items are part of the Fisher Price Zen Collection. The high chair has some incredible features. It reclines, the tray is dishwasher safe and the soft cushion is machine washable. Loved this high chair!

 This swing was amazing. It plugs into the wall so you don't need batteries. The seat is removable so if baby falls asleep and you need to go to another room you can just pop the seat off and take the baby with you without touching the baby. Perfect.

 I have to be honest. Sav didn't care too much for this chair. I kept it because it was another seat that she could rest in while I was in the shower. It worked great for that. Hopefully her brother will like it a bit better than she did. I think there's only so much vibrations one can take. Whenever I get a pedicure I'm always trying to turn my chair off before they're finished, haha!

The travel system we went with was the Chicco Cortina Chic (which is a big coincidence. i wasn't even blogging back then.) I liked it okay. It performed its job fine. Sometimes I found it to be a bit large. Navigating through some tight spaces and aisles was a challenge. I did love the big storage basket and the cup holders on the handle. The snack tray on the front is removable so as your kid grows you can take the tray off if you'd like. Since my carseat hasn't expired we'll be using it again. Yes I know it has pink in it but it's pretty light. I honestly don't feel the need to purchase another travel system for such a temporary stage in his life. My husband doesn't care about me using it so I'm not going to worry about it either. Besides, he'll be getting worn in a carrier more than he'll be strolling. Sav will still be getting pushed in her "lite" stroller, and I am not even about that double stroller life so...

What were some of your favorite baby gear items? What was on your registry for baby two? For some reason I feel the need to state that this was not a sponsored post. These are actual items that we were gifted or purchased on our own. 

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Thought Bubbles...

I do not have a pregnancy glow. Concealer, blush and an Instagram filter helps me accomplish that look for pictures though...

I have been eating so many salt and peppered tomatoes that I feel more Southern than I ever have in my whole life. I'm pretty sure I'm going to give birth to a vine of tomatoes...

There is someone here fixing the leak in Sav's tub. It will leak again in two weeks and they'll have to come back out to fix it again...

I love living in this old "historical" house but I'm always calling maintenance for something...

The people on the yard sale page for my neighborhood have inspired me to do a Vlog. They are that ridiculous...

I have made seventy three dollars selling Savannah's clothes and shoes. I haven't even put a dent in her wardrobe yet. This could be lucrative...

My wedge sneakers are everything. I am so in love with them. They were worth the wait and the twenty-five dollars I spent on them...

My skin is finally starting to clear up again. Hopefully I won't look like a pubescent teenager until July...

Apparently, my daughter is allergic to the "air"(pollen) in San Antonio. I'm sure that's going to make for an amazing summer...

I need a pedicure. Like three months ago...

This pregnancy has been great for my hair. My afro has been looking phenomenal. That's seeing the glass half full...

I am very excited about meeting our baby boy. I bet he's going to look just like his Dad and sister...

I'm not a fan of the hiatus that Scandal has been on. I need my Scandal Thursdays...

All the kitchen stuff that Savannah got for Christmas is slowly starting to show up all over the house. Her Aunts got her all that food. When they have kids I'm getting them the largest tub of Leggos I can find. Or a 2000 piece puzzle. Whichever seems like the best revenge at the moment...

Prepping Baby One for Baby Two

Whew! That weekend flew by. It was a little too short for me. This weekend I was thinking a lot about Sav's reaction to her baby brother and what it's going to be like. She normally likes babies when we see them out but I'm not quite sure how she'll feel about one living here. I know that it's my job (along with my husband) to set the tone for how their relationship will be. 

I thought it would be a good idea to share some of my tips for preparing baby number one for baby number two today on the blog. Here we go.

We talk about the baby daily and call him by his name.

Soon after we decided on a name I made sure that we started using it. Kids love learning new things and it's been fun "teaching" her the baby's name. I just slide it into the name game we already play. "What's Mommy's name?" "What's Daddy's name?" "What's your brother's name?" "What's your name?" She gets a kick out of getting the names right everyday. I add new names daily too, like grandparents, uncles, aunts etc. 

Let them be "Big Helpers".

I'm all about teaching some responsibility. When I'm organizing the baby's things I let her help me. We fold his clothes together and talk about his little outfits. I tell her she's a great big sister for helping with her brother's things. She enjoys that feeling of accomplishment. I also think it get's her use to the idea that there really is a baby coming. Which brings me to my next tip....

Count baby kicks with baby number one.

If this doesn't freak you out let your toddler feel the baby moving. Savannah and I count kicks together. Sometimes it gives her the extreme giggles so we don't get that far, but at least she knows that there really is a baby in Mommy's growing belly. She knows it's not a game and I'm not making this baby up.

Celebrate becoming a sibling. 

All kids love a party. They all love cake so why not make up a reason to give them some. I plan to have a "Big Sister Party" for  Savannah. We'll have cake, ice cream and one gift from her baby brother. I also plan to give her one of the "Big Sister" certificates I've found on Pinterest. We'll have this party a day or two before I deliver so that she hasn't forgotten about her new role by the time the baby is here. Her Grandmother will be in town to watch her and I'll make sure she reminds Savannah after I've left for the hospital that she's a "Big Sister" now and that's a fun thing to be.

At the hospital...

Those moments in the hospital are so precious, but for a two year old I can imagine it will be a little overwhelming. It will be her first time seeing me in a hospital around all those machines. It will also be her first time meeting her brother. I plan to have my arms free and open for her when I see her. The baby can either lay in his bassinet or someone else can hold him while I greet her. I think it's important that when she sees me again after being apart that we can catch up a bit before introducing her to the baby. Slow and steady wins the race, right? 

At home...

This is where being a Big Sister is going to come in handy. Now the baby is on Savannah's turf. I'll be keeping her on her regular schedule with all her activities. He'll be along for the ride as we begin to get him adapted to his new routine. Sav can help with tummy time, baths and whatever else peaks her interest. If she's not feeling it one day I won't press her about it. The way I see it it takes nine (ten) months to get ready for a baby and it probably takes that long for a toddler to realize the baby is here to stay. Pretty soon she won't even remember what life was like before him. 

What are some of your tips for getting baby one ready for baby two?

Maternity Style: Spring Looks

It's almost Spring! Yes. Finally. Honestly it never really got cold here in Texas but I am looking forward to warmer temps on a consistent basis. Maxi dresses were my go to looks during the warm months of my pregnancy with Savannah. Now that we're in Texas I'll need to expand on that since it will most likely be hot until I deliver. Hot is actually an understatement. It will be that kind of "sweat dripping" hot. Just to put things into perspective for you.

Here are some looks that I think would be perfect during Spring for expecting ladies.

Yumi dress (see more tropical print dresses)

Springtime Maternity by stylesdice featuring vince

maternity by maryte-manzano featuring a nail lacquer

I actually wore a look similar to this one a few weeks ago. Minus the distressed jean and flats, but you get where I'm going...

And one more inspiration look...

Fresh Spring/ Summer Look by lindseystew85 featuring jessica simpson

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend! I'll be busy posting more things to eBay. Check out the "Sale" page in the top menu for a link to some of the things I've posted so far!

Military Momma Baby Shower

Hi everyone. Sorry I've been slacking this week. We've been busy with gymnastics (which was a disaster), dance and play dates. I've also been busy with eBay and the neighborhood yard sale page. It's not as easy as I thought it would be to sell my daughter's super cute wardrobe. Anyway. I did have the opportunity to attend a baby shower yesterday along with forty nine other expecting ladies. It was great!

I didn't take pictures during the shower, but I wish I had. This was an event for military members and their spouses so I left my blogger hat at home, kind of.  There were guest speakers who spoke briefly about finances, breastfeeding and resources available to military families. We played some pretty fun games and we had lunch. I really enjoyed myself. Operation Homefront did an amazing job with this event. If you are a military service member or spouse in your second or third trimester in Texas please check out the Operation Homefront site to find out about events and resources in your area.

All of the Moms went home with a thirty-one bag filled with spa goodies. Here is my bag and all of it's contents.

I can not wait to try out the mani and pedi set. I am long overdue for a little pampering session. The candle in the bag smells amazing too. I was very happy with what we received.

Of course if it's a baby shower you have to be showered with items for your baby too. So all of the Moms went home with a huge tote bag filled with everything from outfits and onesies to diapers and wipes. There was even an Aveeno bath kit in the bag. I was especially happy about that. 

Before we left they pulled names for door prizes. They gave away baby gear mainly. I was one of the six winners and I received a walker. I was beyond excited!

I was so lucky to be chosen as one of the fifty expecting Moms. I had a great time and am so thankful for everything we received. It's so weird being away from family and friends during a pregnancy. This was a great way to celebrate baby number two. Thanks again to Operation Homefront for giving all of us a little piece of home.

Stylish Saturday: Spring Haul & Baby Preparation

Alrighty. So here is a video of what I found during our first spring shopping trip. We went to a consignment store, Old Navy and TJ Maxx and Target. I'll include below of everything we got from TJ Maxx since it was mainly necessities for our baby boy. I feel like I've gotten a good start with both of them for Spring. I still have quite a bit of shopping to do. 

I also wanted to share everything that I found while going through Savannah's tubs. I was amazed at how much I'll be able to reuse. I'm very excited about passing these items down to him. Since I've been having some great luck selling Sav's things I plan to use that money to finish off both of their Spring and Summer wardrobe. My next plan of action is to do an inventory of what they have and then make a list of what I'd like them to have and anything else they need. 

half of the TJ Maxx finds

other half of TJ Maxx and his Old Navy finds

Onesies, PJs & Gowns hand me downs 

Jeans, Sweater & Denim jacket hand me downs