Bumpdate || Week 25

25w4d

How far along: 25 weeks!

Due Date: November 7, 2015

Baby is the size of: a Rutabaga or Cauliflower. She's between 13.5 and 14.5 inches long and weighing around 2 to 2.5 lbs. Baby girl now knows which way is up and which way is down and she's growing more fat and hair every day! Her nostrils are also starting to open up and her vocal cords are getting ready for that first cry! 

Symptoms: I had a hard time getting comfortable in the car on the way down to the beach and back due to some aches and pains in my back and hips. I was also experiencing some nasty heartburn on the way down, which didn't make the ride any easier. While we were at the beach I noticed much more swelling, probably due to the heat and humidity in the air. I had to take my rings off for a bit, but now that we are home the swelling seems to have subsided.

Gender: Our sweet baby GIRL!

Name: Charlie Elizabeth

Movement: I had a bit of a mommy freak out moment last week before leaving for the beach. Baby girl went two full days without me feeling hardly any movement. I finally gave the doctor a call Thursday afternoon and was told to drink a Mountain Dew and then count kicks for an hour. I did what she asked, but CB was still being stubborn. I felt a few kicks after my kick counting, but it was still way below normal. We agreed that I would come in the next morning for a non-stress test if baby didn't pick up movement overnight. Of course, my crazy lady pregnancy hormones had me in tears all afternoon on Thursday. Thankfully, I woke up on Friday and she was back to her normal self moving and grooving in my belly! She's been very active since that little scare, so I think she's doing her best to reassure me that she's doing just fine in there!

Nursery: Nothing new to report in this department. We are planning to bring the glider and armoire home from the lake this coming weekend, so the only furniture left to purchase is the changing table. You can see her nursery inspiration here. 

Maternity Clothes: Yep. I'm basically just rotating maternity tanks with kimonos and leggings or shorts right now. I'm really trying to get through the rest of summer without making any more purchases. 

Sleep: Sleep has been a struggle this past week. The bigger the belly gets the harder it is to flip over from one side to the other in the middle of the night. I woke up several times throughout the night at the beach because I just couldn't get comfortable. I'm hoping that now I'm home in my own bed things will get a little better.

Best moment this week: Our Babymoon to the beach! It was a fabulous last getaway as a family of two before Charlie Beth arrives in a few months!

Missing anything: Not going to lie, I missed sipping on cocktails at the beach! I also miss laying flat on my back in bed.

Cravings/Aversions: After dinner ice cream was a must while we were at the beach! Other than that, I'm still enjoying popsicles and blue gatorade. Chicken is still hit or miss and I have yet to be able to stomach hot green veggies.

Mood: Feeling so relaxed after our beach getaway! 

Looking forward to: Spending the weekend at the lake with family. August is going to be such a busy month for us. We already have plans for every single weekend for the next month! 

Husband is: Already so protective of his little girl! It just melts my heart how much he loves her already. I can't wait to see him hold her in his arms for the first time. 

New mommy question: Nothing that I can think of this week.

Guilt Free Summer Snacking with Yoplait {{Plus A Giveaway}}

The information, products and giveaway included in this post were provided by General Mills through Linqia, but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. 

It's no secret that this baby girl I'm carrying in my belly loves her sweet treats! I've been craving sweets since before I even found out I was pregnant, and that craving hasn't let up yet. Of course, as much as I would like to indulge in ice cream and cookies, I do my best to limit the amount of sugar I'm eating on a daily basis. And since scheduling my glucose screening, I've been even more conscious of my sugar and carb intake. Still though, I definitely have my moments where I just need something sweet to indulge in. When I hit those moments of weakness, my go-to snack as of late has been Yoplait® Original Yogurt. Yoplait® now has 25% less sugar, so it is a guilt free snack that satisfies both, my hunger and my sweet tooth!

My favorite way to indulge in this sweet treat is to pop a container in the freezer before cooking dinner. That way it's perfectly cold and refreshing for an after dinner yogurt dessert. Yum! It's the perfect indulgence for these hot summer days. My favorite flavors are the strawberry, blueberry, and peach, but in all, Yoplait® carries 25 flavors that now contain 25% less sugar.

Are you looking for your own way to indulge in your sweet tooth this summer? Make sure you click here to download free printable coupons to Publix, then head out and stock up on your favorite Yoplait® Original Yogurt snacks! But before you go, I have another special treat for you to indulge in. We're giving one lucky reader the chance to win $15 in paypal cash! All you have to do is enter via the Rafflecopter below. Good luck!

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Snapshots From Our Beach Babymoon

 I had great intentions of getting home last night from vacation and writing my 25 week bumpdate in time to post today, but instead I got home and camped out on the couch until bedtime. I'll get my bumdate posted tomorrow, but in the meantime I wanted to share a few snapshots from our fabulous beach getaway! Steven and I arrived at in Seagrove, Florida late Friday night. Traffic was terrible getting down to the beach, but we finally made it! We woke up Saturday morning to the most gorgeous view and proceeded to camp out on the beach for the next few days following. We seriously couldn't have asked for better weather. It was beautiful! The water was also a sight to see. The waves were calm the entire trip and the water was as clear as I've ever seen the gulf. It looked like we were in the Bahamas! We were definitely sad to leave yesterday, but we were excited to get home to our fur-children who we missed desperately. It was truly an amazing Babymoon and a vacation that we will cherish forever knowing that it was the last one we will take before our little one arrives in a few months. I spent far too much time over the last few days people watching the families on the beach and telling Steven that would be us next year. We can't wait to bring Charlie Beth back to the beach with us next trip! 

Babymoon

Today, Steven and I are heading South to spend a long weekend on the Gulf Coast. I can't tell you just how excited I am! Steven and I haven't had a getaway, just the two of us, since our honeymoon to Jamaica last April, so to say this trip is overdue would be an understatement! This will also more than likely be the last vacation we take as a family of two, so we are planning to soak in every last moment together. I still can't believe that in just a few short months we will have a little one in tow! I'll be back next week just in time to post my 25 week bumpdate. Until then, feel free to follow along on Instagram!

Bumpdate || Week 24

24w3d

How far along: 24 weeks!

Due Date: November 7, 2015

Baby is the size of: a cantaloupe! Shes around 10.5 and 11.8 inches long and weighing in somewhere between 1.5 and 2 pounds. Most importantly, we have hit what the medical field refers to as the age of viability! Her lungs and organs and now strong enough that she would have a chance of surviving outside of the womb if she had to (but we definitely still wouldn't want her to be born anytime soon!!).

Symptoms: Nothing noteworthy. My hands and feet have started swelling mildly at night (I think it's due to the extreme heat more than anything), so I've started taking my rings off before bed. Some morning they slide back on without problems and other morning they still feel a little snug.

Gender: Our sweet baby GIRL!

Name: Charlie Elizabeth

Movement: She moving and grooving in there! I can tell she is growing because her kicks are definitely getting stronger. However, I think she is still sitting breach because her kicks are pretty low.

Nursery: The walls are painted, the crib is installed, the monogram to go above her crib arrived over the weekend, and her bedding has been ordered! We also have her glider and an armoire to go in her nursery. The only piece of furniture still needed is a changing table. Once we get all the furniture in the room I will start on the fun part - decorating! You can see her nursery inspiration here. 

Maternity Clothes: Yep. I was hoping that I could get through the rest of the summer without making anymore purchases, but I don't think that's going to happen. I'm currently rotating the same outfits over and over again.

Sleep: Still sleeping great! I'm waking up throughout the night to flip from one side to the other, but I am able to fall back to sleep immediately. 

Best moment this week: Spending the weekend in Georgia watching our friends get married at a beautiful wedding! I also had a doctor appointment yesterday that went great! Baby girl's heartbeat was strong, my blood pressure was great, my blood count was great, my weight gain is perfect, and my belly is measuring right on track! Yay! I scheduled my next appointment and glucose test for four weeks out, and after that appointment I will start going every two weeks. She'll be here before we know it!

Missing anything: Nothing that can't wait 107(ish) days.

Cravings/Aversions: Still hating chicken and hot green vegetables, but I have been enjoying Popsicles after dinner - so refreshing and yummy!

Mood: As happy as I can possibly be! :)

Looking forward to: A long weekend at the beach! We are heading to Seagrove Friday after work and will be there until Tuesday. It's a much needed vacation/babymoon! 

Husband is: Working so hard for me and his baby girl. I am so proud of him! There is no one else I would want to be on this journey with. 

New mommy question: Baby classes - are they worth it?!

Satisfying The Pregnancy Sweet Tooth With Healthy Options {{Plus A Giveaway!}}

The information, products and PayPal Cash included in this post were provided by General Mills through Linqia, but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. 

I've always had a bit of a sweet tooth, but the moment I found out I was pregnant that sweet tooth of mine went into overdrive. I craved sweets like I never have before! Ice cream? Cupcakes? Cookies? I wanted it all! Of course, as much as I wanted to indulge in all the sugar and chocolate my heart desired, I resisted the temptation more times than not. After all, I knew that sugar wasn't good for me or the sweet baby I'm carrying inside my belly. Thankfully, as my pregnancy has progressed I've been able to tame those sweet cravings, but every now and then I really just want to indulge in something rich and delicious! 

The other day during my weekly grocery store trip to Publix, I noticed a new product on the shelf that was calling my name. Have you tried the new Fiber One Cheesecake Bars? Well let me just tell you, they are every bit as good as they sound! Each cheesecake bar has irresistible layers of graham cracker-y goodness and rich cream cheesecake. After six months of pregnancy, I finally found an treat that satisfies my pregnancy sweet tooth without leaving me with the guilt of indulging in something unhealthy. The new Fiber One Cheesecake Bars have only 150 calories and 5 grams of fiber per serving, so it's an after dinner treat that I don't feel ashamed to snack on. Not only that, but they are every bit as delicious as they sound! The hardest part is limiting myself to just one bar!

My new favorite thing to do after cleaning up the kitchen from dinner is to pour a pick glass of milk, open up a Fiber One Cheesecake Bar, and curl up in the living room watching tv while indulging in my low calorie dessert. It's the perfect way to wind down the busy day and relax a bit before heading off to bed. My favorite flavor is the Fiber One Cheesecake strawberry bar, but they also carry a Fiber One Cheesecake Salted Caramel Bar that looks just as delicious! 

Head to Publix today and pick up your favorite flavor of Fiber One Cheesecake bars to satisfy your #CheesecakeInstincts, but make sure you click here to download printable coupons before rushing out to the store! Before you go, I have one more treat for you to indulge in. Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win $15.00 in PayPal cash. After all, who doesn't like free cash?! 

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Crossing Over To The Dark Side

So, I have a hair appointment today (much needed!) and I'm thinking about going dark! Keep in mind, "dark" to me really means a honey blonde or very, very light brown, but it's still way outside of my comfort zone. Believe it or not, this blonde hair doesn't come naturally (shocking, I know), and pregnancy has made it hard to keep up with root touch ups and such. I also think once Charlie Beth arrives I'll want something easy and low maintenance. My husband saw a picture not too long ago of me with brown hair when I got a wild streak in college and colored it. Ever since seeing the picture he's been asking me if I would ever consider going dark again, so he's totally on board with this change! I'm still pretty nervous, however, so naturally I'm coming to you all. What do you think? Should I cross over to the dark side? Here are some inspiration shots that I'm planning to show my stylist this afternoon, if I don't chicken out before then...

|| TOP LEFT || TOP RIGHT || BOTTOM LEFT || BOTTOM RIGHT ||

Bumpdate || Week 23

23w0d

How far along: 23 weeks!

Due Date: November 7, 2015

Baby is the size of: a grapefruit! She's about 10.5-11.8 inches long and weighing in around 1.2 pounds. I think she is probably a bit bigger since she was exactly a pound at my ultrasound a few weeks ago.She can hear voices, mama's heartbeat, and will even react to loud sounds like a horn honking or the dogs barking.

Symptoms: Same as last week - pregnancy breakouts (not fun!), aching hips and legs when I first wake up in the morning, and heartburn. All things to be expected and nothing to complain about!

Gender: Our sweet baby GIRL!

Name: Charlie Elizabeth

Movement: Yes and lots of it! She still only likes to put on a show for me and stops moving when her daddy comes over to feel her. She's definitely a stubborn little one!  

Nursery: I purchased the bedding for her crib and the monogram to hang over the crib yesterday! You can see her nursery inspiration here. 

Maternity Clothes: It's pretty much all that's fitting over the belly these days. However, I can still make a few of my old dresses and maxi skirts work.

Sleep: Sleeping much better this week than I was last week. I'm still waking up and turning positions a few times a night due to aching hips and legs, but as soon as I turn over I can easily fall right back to sleep. 

Best moment this week: Spending a relaxing Saturday on the lake with friends.

Missing anything: Nothing to note here, however, a glass of wine would be nice.

Cravings/Aversions: I am slowly trying to add chicken back into my diet. Some days I can handle it, but other days it still makes me want to gag. I also still can't stomach the thought of hot green vegetables. I have been craving fruit more these days, which is always nice to snack on when it's so hot outside!

Mood: I find myself getting irritated easier these days, but otherwise I'm happy as can be! 

Looking forward to: Our beach trip in a couple of weeks and my doctor appointment next Tuesday! 

Husband is: Still waiting to feel those first kicks from his baby girl. She was kicking hard the other night in bed, but every time Steven placed his hand on my stomach she stopped. 

New mommy question: Nothing new this week.