Week 25: Over the Hump

You are looking at one tired mama, just trying to get through the mid-week.

Jacket: thrifted
Sweater: Gap Maternity, hand-me-down (similar)
Pants: H&M Mama (similar)
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban
Diaper bag: Timi & Leslie Charlie bag
Loafers: Coach

First, the outfit. I debated even putting it on the blog because I'm feeling nothing short of blah. But, my aim with this blog is to show reality, not glossy Photoshop of the best moments. What I can wear in my closet is diminishing and my desire to buy new maternity clothes is fading. Doing my hair is a chore and putting on makeup is a necessity only so people don't think they are being approached by a zombie. A sweater and pants combo is the best I can come up with when my energy level is on zero point zero on the dial.

Second, I don't remember being this tired at 25 weeks during my first pregnancy. I'm sure chasing after a toddler when I'm not at work contributes to the cause, but even that doesn't seem like enough to drive me into bed at 7:30 PM each night. I feel like I barely received the effects of a second trimester energy spurt and the minute I hit the third trimester, I've begun to drag myself through the day. Other second time moms - did you experience this?

The Best of the 3rd Trimester

 

OK, so I'm kind of cheating.  This post starts at 24 weeks, which isn't technically the third trimester, but since I included part of my first trimester in my last post, I figured this would even things out a bit.  I think what I'm most proud of for the third tri is that I didn't give up.  I kept searching for ways to dress for my shape, regardless of the occasion, and I didn't spend hardly any money to do so.  I worked my closet hard and ultimately, stayed true to who I am and how I want to represent myself.  Sure, I slipped into Uggs and yoga pants just like the best of us, but I did so on the days where I wanted to represent myself as "I'm pregnant and I'm comfortable. Deal with it."

If you are new to Expecting Chic, or newly pregnant, please feel free to click through the links below to review each post.

Week 24:

Humidity on High 

Week 25:

Spring Forward, Fall Back  *  All Laced Up

Week 26:

Snap Snap

Week 27:

Return of the Poncho  *  Long and Leans  *  Investing in the Right Maternity Dress

Week 28:

Stripes and Swings

Week 29:

Bride (and Son) of Frankenstein  *  Sweet Child O'Mine  *  Layer Upon Layer

Week 30: 

Old Navy Maternity Long Wool Blend Coat  *  The Things I Swore I Wouldn't Do - The Uggs Edition 

Week 31: 

Chunky Sweater *  Seeing Red

Week 32:

Let It Snow  *  Fair Isle Friend 

Week 33:

Living In Flat Boots  *  Just Loving It  

Week 34:

On the Go 

Week 35:

Make It Happen  

Week 36:

Bohemian Mama 

Week 37:

All Up Front

Week 38: 

The Cavernous Closet

Week 39: Last Dance

These might be the last pregnant pictures you see of me for a while.

Sweater: H&M

Blouse: H&M

Jeggings: H&M

Earrings: H&M

Boots: Steven by Steve Madden

I figured I'd close my maternity time out with some of my most tried and true staples from the past few months.  I will shout my love for this poncho from the mountain tops.  Expect to see it and the boots in many future posts.  They will live long past my belly busting days.  The jeggings, however, may quickly go into retirement.  They get a thumbs up for pregnancy, but beyond that, I can't commit to jeggings when I have so many great skinny jeans waiting for me to wiggle my butt back into.

I'm off to the hospital tomorrow to get an evaluation from my doctor on whether it is time to induce or not.  My money is on "it's time".  Since my labor and delivery room has wifi, I'm sure Expecting Chic will be updated once my little guy arrives.  In the mean time, I have lined up some "Best of" posts and some terrific and lovely guest posts from some fellow fashion and mama bloggers in the coming weeks.  When I return, I tackle a whole new challenge: finding time to dress my post-maternity self in the midst of all that comes with a newborn. For the delivery, fingers crossed for me, my husband, baby and of course, Turbo.  He's super excited to be a big brother.

Week 38: The Cavernous Closet

Hey there, dress!  Where have you been for the past nine months?

Dress: Forever 21

Cardigan: Forever 21

Leggings: Target

Necklace: H&M

Boots: Target

Oh, that's right.  You were buried in my train wreck of a closet.  

I did a massive closet clean-up last week and found this dress crammed between a jacket and another dress that I haven't even been able to think about for the past few months.  I quickly sized it up as something that could still work for maternity and chastised myself for my sloppy, disheveled ways.  And here I am - nine plus months pregnant and still finding gems in my closet from my pre-pregnancy days.  I'm almost as proud of that as I am of the fact that I actually did my hair and makeup today.

And why am I looking downward in two of the three pictures above?  It's because doing your hair and makeup at nine months pregnant is exhausting. I can barely keep my eyes open.

Week 38: Hormone Overdrive

There are certain things that can make me cry uncontrollably.  Specific movies push me over the edge: The Color Purple, Beaches, anything Pixar, to name a few.  I lose it at any sight, thought or notion of animal cruelty.  Thoughts of my departed, beloved cat can make me weepy, and she passed over ten years ago.  But overall, I'm a pretty stoic, tough gal.

However, pregnancy hormones know no limits.  On a brief walk with Turbo this morning, I discovered a black leather glove sitting forlornly on a concrete step.  It looked vaguely familiar, so I picked it up to inspect it.

It was extremely damaged and shrunken from the rain and frost.  It was cashmere lined.  It was a size 7.  My jaw dropped and my mind raced.  Did I lose my leather gloves in the past couple of weeks?  I couldn't remember!  Frantically searching the nearby bushes for its match, I tried to think of which purse I last placed the gloves in and any subsequent walks where they might have fallen out.  I deduced that this must be my glove - how many black, cashmere lined gloves in size 7 were there on my block?

Crestfallen, I started crying.  I repeat: I started crying over a lost and ruined glove.

Wiping my tears when I got home, I ran upstairs to dig through purses to see if I could confirm that a glove had been lost.  I found one black glove in my brown hobo bag...and then found the other.  Oh.  I had both gloves.  I hadn't lost anything.  I cried in the middle of the street over someone else's lost glove.

I am a mess.

Reunited, and it feels so good.  I bought these on Gilt Groupe a year ago and I don't know how I would replace them at the price I bought them at.  In hindsight, wouldn't you cry if you lost these beauties, too? No? Just me? Sigh...I'm really ready to have my brain and my hormones back to normal.

Week 38: A Half Effort

I'm not gonna lie.  This is the most dressed up I've been in days.  And that isn't saying much.

Cardigan: H&M

Tee: H&M

Leggings: Victoria's Secret

Scarf: Target

Boots: Target

There are only so many days I can go feeling like a frumpy mess and today I hit my wall.  After laying on the couch for four straight days in a plush robe, a hoodie, flannel pajama pants and my Restoration Hardware foot duvets (which are sold out online, but check your local store for seasonal leftovers. I will recommend them to anyone in a heartbeat - they are heaven), I couldn't stand myself anymore.  I woke up and used all my energy to shower, dry my hair, throw on these clothes and take these pictures.  This was followed by a triumphant flop back onto the couch for the remainder of the day.

Bed rest does have its advantages.  I was able to put these boots on over my feet and ankles since the swelling has gone down due to lack of use.  Hurray for slothful behavior!

Week 37: Slow Down

Guess who is officially on bedrest?

Coat: Ambiance, San Francisco

Sweater: Old Navy

Leggings: Target

Necklace: Anthropologie, gift

Earrings: Forever 21

Sunglasses: H&M

Boots: Steve Madden

Before my opening statement causes any thoughts of concern, I should state up front that all is well.  I'm good, baby is fine, and I just need to slow down.  My doctor saw that I have low fluids and she thinks the downtime that comes with bedrest is necessary to bring the levels back up a bit.  I'm not worried and I'm not complaining.  I'll still be working from home on my laptop, only this time in a robe and elevated, slippered feet.  My posts might become a bit more sporadic over the next couple of weeks since bedrest is not really conducive to dressing up each day.  But I'll try.

Oh, and I should also point out that this is what I wore to the doctor's office.  I was surrounded by a waiting room full of women, a lot less pregnant than me, wearing sweatpants and oversized puffer jackets.  One woman was actually wearing flannel pajamas, though it was a combination of two different sets of pajamas - the top was bright red with blue cartoon characters and the bottoms were purple with green streaks.  Yet I'm the one who got looked at by others in the room like I was out of place.  Ladies, I beg of you.  Don't give up on yourselves just because you are pregnant.  Save the mismatched pajamas for home and at least put on a sweater and jeans.  You are still adorable and lovely, no matter how gross you may feel.

Week 37: Statement Piece

The main thing I have going for me today is this coat.

Coat: gift

Shirt: Old Navy Maternity

Pants: Gap Maternity

Necklace: gift

Earrings: Forever 21

Bag: H&M

Let's face it.  I'm wearing a boring outfit.  Black shirt.  Black pants.  Black shoes.  I'm not breaking any fashion boundaries down today.  Toss a bold patterned coat on top and voila!  I'm making a statement.  Granted, that statement might be "I love houndstooth," but I think that is a stronger and better statement than "I'm 37 weeks pregnant and can't be bothered."

I considered posting a picture of the lovely necklace my sweet husband got me for Christmas.  It's a sterling silver chain with three circles, each holding an initial from our baby's name.  But then I thought that would open the door to a guessing game around his name that I'm not ready to play.  All will be revealed in due time.  But I played and fidgeted with the necklace all day long, happily daydreaming about the pending weeks.  That much, I can share.

And finally, you may have noticed that Expecting Chic has a new look!  I think it may be my form of online nesting, but I felt the overwhelming need to clean house and tidy up the site's look.  You like?

Week 37: Colorful Tights

Tights - my way of mixing things up among limited options.

Sweater: Zara

Dress: Motherhood Maternity

Scarf: H&M

Tights: Target

Boots: Steven by Steve Madden

After I took these pictures, I realized I'd worn a very similar version of this outfit a few weeks prior.  I didn't mind.  It gave me an excuse to wear these purple-pink tights.  I've always been a bit of a flip-flopper when it comes to bold colored tights.  I'll see them hanging on the rack in the store and think, "Ooh!  Pretty!  Colors!" and pick them up joyfully.  Then I get home, put them on and I think, "Wow.  My legs are really...purple." I will doubt whether or not they are working for me since they are out of my comfort zone of black, brown and gray.  I will end on a note of, "Meh. Whatever," since it will have taken me ten minutes just to bend over and contort myself to get the darn things on.

I read on one of my daily What To Expect emails that to have your hair high and swept off your face is very flattering at this point in pregnancy, when a swollen pudge has really taken control of your features. Combine that with the fact that my carpal tunnel hand can barely hold a hairbrush and soak it in: I have a feeling this is going to be my look for a while now.

Week 37: All Up Front

There is nothing like a great pair of maternity jeans to keep you feeling great through the day.

Jacket: The Limited
Tee: H&M
Jeans: Paige Maternity
Necklace: H&M
Earrings: Arden B.
Purse: H&M
Flats: Kenneth Cole

Pregnant ladies blow up in different ways.  Some people have their weight hang on their hips and thighs.  Others see it in their arms.  Me?  I'm all belly, chest, feet, hands and face.  Its all right there in front of me: chins, sausage fingers and all.  I consider myself lucky and very grateful that I still fit into my favorite maternity jeans.  True, they fit a bit more snug than they did in weeks prior, but I can still slide them on and convince myself that I've got my toehold on some sort of fashion in these final weeks.  I can also delight in the fact that these will be my go-to jeans in the months after the baby is born.  And yes, I recognize that not everyone can shell out the cash for designer jeans.  I'm one of those people who can't at this time - these were given to me by a friend before I even got pregnant.  If you can find a consignment shop or want to dive into the search functions on eBay, I guarantee you can get a pair of your own designer denim at a reasonable price that you will love for 40 weeks and beyond.  It's worth it.

Back to my fat fingers - I cannot bend my middle and ring fingers on my left hand due to pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel.  I've tried heat, ice, wrist guards in two different sizes, and so on, but nothing has worked.  Ladies, if you have any swelling going on now, even if it is only slight to moderate, I highly recommend removing your rings.  If I hadn't done so at about 30 weeks, I know they would have had to have been cut off.  And the idea of that is a kind of pain I simply could not bear!

Week 36: Holiday Feeling

In elementary school, I was in a play where I sang a song called "Holiday Feeling."  I believe that is also the last time I wore red tights.

Dress: Forever 21
Hat: H&M
Tights: H&M
Shoes: Nine West

Singing songs and wearing clothes that probably should have been long forgotten makes me feel joyous and giggly.  You know what else makes me giggle?  Our completely failed attempt at a Christmas card photo.

Thanks, Turbo.  Our Christmas card is now going to be delayed into more of a Happy New Year card instead.

After this quick photo session, we headed out onto the town for some last minute shopping.  I didn't take pictures, but I did pair this outfit with this coat.  It wasn't until someone on the street pointed out to me that they liked "the houndstooth on houndstooth" combo of the coat and the tights that I realized I'd gone super matchy for the day.  I might have to think about pairing patterns more often.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!  Since I'm in the no-flying zone from now until birth, I'll be laying low, kicking up my feet and sipping on hot chocolate during a Christmas movie marathon.  My favorites include Scrooged, Christmas Vacation, Elf and Trading Places (not exactly a Christmas movie, but set during the holidays and timelessly funny).  What are your favorite holiday movies and traditions?