I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Father's Day weekend with your family! It's been a while since I shared a pregnancy progress update here on the blog and as of this past Saturday I'm now 30 weeks along with just 10 more weeks to go! I honestly don't know where the past 7.5 months have gone. I hope things slow down because we haven't even started painting baby girl's nursery yet although I have made some progress by selecting a paint color, purchasing some accessory items for her room and my favorite part-I ordered a beautiful crib bedding set (for the crib I purchased a couple months ago) which I'll be sure to share in the nursery design reveal once she arrives.
I'm a couple weeks behind in the update but I'm about the same size as I was when the photos were taken at 28 weeks. Below is also a 25 week photo from my 1st Unofficial Mother's Day last month!
I highly recommend taking maternity photos at the beach, they turn out lovely! Just one week after Mother's Day we headed to the beach on a quiet weekday and were able to capture some beautiful summery photos in the water where I was able to wear my favorite black bikini one last time before having to upgrade to a size larger that will take me through the rest of the summer. So far I've had no luck with full piece or tankini style maternity swimsuits but did find a cute non-maternity eyelet fabric tankini in coral on sale at Target which I can wear now, until the end of my pregnancy as well as after baby arrives.
{In front of our big oak tree before heading to brunch on Mother's Day}
{I'm still in many of my own clothes, I found this non-maternity dress on the clearance rack
for just $8 at Old Navy! HERE is a similar style of striped dress on sale for just $15}
What surprised me the most this month: The amount of strangers who have asked about my pregnancy or commented on my belly was at an all time high this past month as my bump grew larger. While we just discussed this topic in our last Manners Monday post, and others 'comments can be inappropriate at times, I'm mostly enjoying the kindness that others have have bestowed upon me, offering to help me carry heavier items, speaking positively about my pregnant appearance and offering well wishes for myself and baby, the way all pregnant women should be treated!
Weight gain from 24-28 weeks: 6 lbs, total gained at 28 weeks is 17 lbs. and I'm still feeling good!
What I spent the most time researching this month: Since I covered many of the important details early on, I've had fun with the more playful aspects. I've been reviewing crib bedding, gliders and rugs for the nursery as well as Maternity Photographers. I'm still yet to find the right rug and am debating on whether I want to hire a Photographer for belly photos, have a family friend take some at the beach or have hubby use our camera to take some on our own. I am having a hard time finding a reasonably priced photographer who provides quality photos and has a studio. I've been trying to avoid doing outdoors photos because it's so darn hot here in FL already and studio photos allow for more control of the elements and intimate/romantic shots.
New Development this month: The not-so-lovely side of pregnancy, swollen ankles and feet! Thankfully it hasn't gotten too bad (and I can still fit into all of my shoes although they are tighter) but it began early as we endure 90 degree weather almost daily here. Although, I've found the time it hits me the worst isn't always while standing or walking, it's while sitting at my desk working with my feet on the floor. I've tried a footstool but it hasn't really helped. One thing that did help was increasing my amount of protein which is supposed to keep water retention in check since I already keep my water up and sodium in check. Of course, I'm trying to keep my feet up and rest at night.
Speaking of photos, how did you choose to capture your maternity photos? Did you hire a professional photographer or have your hubby or a family friend take the pics? Did you have a special location to document this time such as a park or the baby's nursery? I'd love to hear about it!
XO
