My Week in Pictures #9

Sunday - Caprese sandwich for lunch!

This is one of my go-to meals for lunchtime...the Food Doctor pita bread with mozzarella, tomatoes, rocket, olive oil and a little sea salt.  Delicious! :)  I make them for Jofus now too and he loves them!

Monday - Maybelline Pink Porcelain Nail Polish

Painted my nails before we left for Dublin to pick up my mom & sisters from the airport...this is one of my all-time favourite polishes, it's so opaque and pretty plus it lasts forever!  I'm actually still wearing it this evening and it hasn't chipped.  

Monday - 4D Ultrasound of Emilia!

While we were in Dublin we went to ultrasound.ie in the Blackrock Clinic and got an amazing 4D ultrasound...it was so cool!  It's just so bizarre that you can actually see what your baby will look like before they are born, right?!  I already think she looks beautiful :)

Tuesday - Waiting at the OB's office!

We had our OB appointment Tuesday evening and there was a 45 minute delay...what better way to pass the time than to Instagram your knees?!  Ha ha ha!

Thursday - Wearing my new mother-of-pearl earrings!

As I said in my last outfit post my mom brought me back these earrings from Naples and I love them!  I want to wear them with everything!

I'm sorry I hadn't done one of these posts in ages...I feel like things have been crazy busy since we got back from Italy but now we're finally getting back to our regular schedule.  I did also snap a pic of my lunch today but I think Instagram was having some issues so it didn't post! :(  Anyway if you have an account too you can follow me here!  

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!  We plan on relaxing and having a Breaking Bad marathon, it's our new favourite show!  I really didn't think I'd like it and we had put off watching it for so long because we thought the cancer story would be too upsetting...well I'm not going to lie, certain episodes in season 1 were hard to watch but now that we're onto season 2 it's gotten a lot better!  I definitely recommend it if you haven't seen the show already!

Stay Stylish!

Mother of Pearl Earrings!

Cardigan/Soaked in Luxury, Tank top/InWear, Maternity jeans/Topshop, Flip flops/Saint Tropez, Earrings/La Terza Luna, Bracelet/I can't remember (sorry!)

Although the weather in Ireland this summer has been dire, that didn't stop me from wearing flip flops yesterday - ha ha ha!  Keeping in mind there has been a ton of flooding in Cork and most people were walking around in either wellies or boots...smart of me, I know ;)  But I refuse to let this crappy weather bring me down!  It definitely makes things more difficult outfit-wise because I felt like when we were in Italy dressing the bump was so much easier...*sigh*  I do only have three real pairs of maternity pants (the fourth pair needs a bump band so it doesn't really count) and with it being too cool to wear dresses/skirts I apologise in advance if my outfits get repetitive over the next few weeks!

My mom brought me back these beautiful mother-of-pearl earrings from Naples and as soon as I opened the box I got the urge to pair them with grey & blue...which led to this outfit being born!  They are from a shop called La Terza Luna Argenti, if that helps those of you who are interested -- I couldn't find a website or anything!

I matched them up with this metal bracelet which is one of my favourites but unfortunately I can't remember where I got it.  I have a feeling this was a gift from my mom as well!

The bump is getting soooo big!  She's really growing in there! ;)  I am so excited to meet her yet apprehensive at the same time of course because I've never been a mom before, well except to Albi & Sina and the puppies...ha ha ha!  I have a few more things I want to buy and get done before Emilia's arrival but all in all I'd say we're pretty ready.  She was measuring right on track at my last OB appointment on Tuesday which means she grew a great deal since 2 weeks ago whenever she was measuring small.  I also discovered that although my iron levels were perfect, my iron store was low so I've been put on an iron supplement in addition to the prenatals I'm already taking.  I was actually happy to hear this because I'd been feeling unnaturally exhausted lately so hopefully this will help!

Stay Stylish!

My Diaper Bag! | Yummy Mummy Diaper Bag Review

I have gotten quite a few requests to do a review of my Pink Lining Yummy Mummy Changing Bag which I LOVE and am so eager to use as it's so cute and has a pink cupcake on it -- yay! :)  I do plan on making a "what's in my changing bag" post later on when I've actually started using it so for now this is just a little review of the features, what the bag looks like, where you can buy it, etc.  

The brand is Pink Lining which is a UK company but they do have an American website as well.  This particular design is actually last Spring/Summer's stock and I believe it's also available in blue & green.  It took me a long time to find it in pink but I persisted and eventually found it at the Pregnancy & Baby Fair (after being told countless times that it was sold out, we spotted it by chance at one of the smaller stalls!).  I paid €79 for it but this was a special deal they were doing at the fair -- in all other boutiques and online it was €89.  I'm not sure how much they go for now being that they're last season's stock but I would definitely recommend checking out some different boutiques or maybe even baby fairs if they're in your area before paying full price on the website.

If you're not a total cupcake nerd like me, Pink Lining actually have a ton of other really cute designs too as well as changing bags for twins which I think is so cool!

Okay so onto the bag itself -- it has a big pocket on the front with a cupcake on it as well as two side pockets for water bottles/your baby's bottles/anything else you can fit in there.  The outside material is also covered in a clear plastic so that you can wipe it clean and it won't stain or get ruined if it gets wet (very smart IMO!) 

 

There are two shorter straps on either side which do clip together as well as a longer strap that you can clip onto your stroller (I've actually seen a lot of moms using the bag in this way).  It comes with a mirror attached to the inside as well as a key fob so you don't lose your keys and there's a space for your pen and iPhone/Blackberry.

Another very cool feature of the bag is that you get a changing mat which folds up as well as a clear plastic pocket for wet wipes/soiled clothes/nappies etc.  Both of these have a cute cupcake design on them and the changing mat is plastic so it's easy to wipe down or clean.

Here's a look into the inside of the bag which is hot pink!  There is actually plenty of room in there as well as two insulated pockets for bottles, two sections for storing nappies and a zipper pocket for valuables.

And that's my mini-review of the Yummy Mummy Changing Bag!  Obviously I am 30 weeks pregnant so haven't actually gotten a chance to use it yet but once I do I will do an update and share my thoughts on its practicality and how I'm liking it!  Also if you are a mom and have any favourite diaper/changing bags you'd like to share please let me know! :)

Stay Stylish!

Week 30 Bump Update!

Watch my 30 Week Pregnancy Vlog here! 

How far along?  30 weeks 1 day.  

Total weight gain/measurements: 18lbs total!  I am now officially at my old teenage weight, which is so weird!  I weighed 135 all through my teens till I lost my "puppy fat" at age 18 :)  It feels a bit different this time around with a big bump though, ha ha ha!  I also gained an inch around my tummy so it's measuring at 37" now.  My waist is still the same at 31".  

Maternity clothes: Nope!  We did purchase all of Emilia's big things this week though - her crib, stroller, mattress, bedding and carseat.  

Stretch marks: Still none to report!  And no varicose veins yet either...so far! 

Sleep: Sleep has been pretty good.  Jofus has taken over the "early morning shift" as we call it, ha ha ha!  So now he gets up at 7 to let the puppies out and I get up at 9 for their second one and to make everybody breakfast.  He's such a sweetie letting me sleep in :)  

Best moment this week: We got a 4D ultrasound yesterday from ultrasound.ie in Blackrock, Dublin and it was amazing!  I was so surprised to see how clear Emilia's face was and she is sooo cute!  I normally don't think babies are that cute, I know that sounds awful but it's true...so when I saw her face I didn't expect to react the way I did!  Maybe that's just because she's our baby and every parent thinks theirs is the cutest...ha ha :)  Who do you guys think she looks more like, me or Jofus?!  

Miss anything? I honestly don't...although things have definitely become more uncomfortable I still love being pregnant :)

Movement: Yes, tons...all the time!  Lots of big kicks and rolls!

Food cravings: No cravings this week!  Ate really badly last week though so am trying to eat a lot healthier this week!

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!  Still dislike tea though.

Gender:  Girl!  (We even had the ultrasound technician check, ha ha :)

Labour signs: Nope!

Symptoms: Heartburn & fatigue are definitely still there...also acid reflux has been pretty bad and I never get that normally :(  At one point I actually thought I was going to throw up in the car on the way to Dublin yesterday, yuck!!  Thank goodness I didn't but it was still gross.

Belly button in or out? Hmm...I would say it's leaning towards an outie!!  So weird!!!

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to: Getting Emilia's bedding (comes in this week) and also our OB appointment which we are leaving for right now! :)

Stay Stylish!

Beach Ball Smuggler!

Sweatshirt/LoveClothing, Maternity Pants/H&M, Ballet flats/LoveClothing, Earrings/Topshop, Bracelet/Trisha's Treasure Chest, Bag/ASOS

I don't know what it is about these sweatshirts but for some reason I feel like they really make me look like I'm smuggling a beach ball under my top...ha ha ha!  More so with this pink one than the blue & white, I don't know why!  They are super comfy and I love how soft the material is!  They definitely have a good lounge-y feel to them yet can also be dressed up and worn out (like I did yesterday!).    

This is my new bracelet from Trisha Paytas (blndsundoll4mj on YouTube -- check her out she's so sweet, entertaining and not to mention hilarious!).  She sent me this as a gift but before she contacted me I was going to buy one anyway because I think they are so pretty!  It's pink, sparkly and adjustable...everytime I wear it I get so many compliments, so thank you Trisha! :)  Her etsy shop is Trisha's Treasure Chest which is currently down but if you message her or tweet her she will definitely reply to you!  I believe she sells them for $24.99 and shipping is free (international too).  

I recorded a random vlog-style video for my Style Diet channel today which will be up later this evening but I felt like I needed to just "touch base" with you guys and answer some questions I've been getting a lot lately as well as let you know what's happening with my channel.  I hope you guys understand everything I had to say...I do try to be as open & honest with you as possible because you mean a lot to me and I truly feel that my blog & YouTube channel are a two-way street.  My viewers & readers are very important to me because without you guys I couldn't do what I do!  So I hope we can always be honest with one another and that I can continue to provide you with content you want to see/read :)  I explain this in more detail in my video though so stay tuned for that!  And in the meantime thank you for your continued support on my blog, I really appreciate it!  I still can't believe I've reached over 5 and 1/2 million views...thank you so much to each & everyone of you! 

Stay Stylish!

Setting Up the Nursery!

Sweatshirt/LoveClothing, Maternity jeans/Topshop, Ballet pumps/LoveClothing, Gehry cuff/Jewelmint, Earrings/Accessorize

Yesterday was a pretty exciting day for us because...*drumroll please*...we began our set-up of Emilia's nursery!  Yay! :)  This part is so much fun!  And here's what I wore on this momentous day, ha ha ha!  Even though the weather in Ireland has been crap this summer, yesterday was actually nice and sunny so no bulky jackets, scarves, boots & umbrellas were necessary!  I hadn't realised how well these jeans matched the stripes in the top -- don't you just love it when that happens?!  I also forgot to include my bag in these shots...I carried my beige Chloe.  My nail polish is Ali by Zoya and my makeup is all from the Naked 2 palette!

We had been looking at different cribs, strollers, accessories etc. over the last couple of months...researching them and trying to decide on which styles to go for.  I will admit that it's a little difficult to plan a nursery when we know that it's only going to be for the first 2 months of Emilia's life (our lease is up in December & we are moving into our new house).  So we had to try and think separately from the furniture & set-up in this house knowing that at the end of this year we'll be buying all of our own stuff.  A lot of the "big" furniture items in this house belong to our landlady...for example, the bed, couches & kitchen table/chairs.  At first I was worried about matching Emilia's nursery furniture to the things in our room being that this is where she'll be for the first two months but then I realised that was pointless...so we ended up matching it all to what we will be purchasing in our new home.  I hope that makes sense!

Here is the crib that we finally decided on!  I absolutely LOVE it :)  We were between this one, which we had spotted a few months ago at the Pregnancy & Baby Fair and fell in love with...and also another cream & brown one which matched the wood on our current bed.  Like I said though, not our bed so...we just had to overlook that.  Plus keeping in mind that Emilia will have her own room when we move too.  But for now, this space suits us fine...we were actually very lucky to have a big master bedroom with plenty of extra room (there is another area for a changing table/dresser if we want).  

The crib comes with two different height settings -- clearly this is the highest one!  The lower one is very low so that will be for when she's older.  It also comes with a bottom drawer which is great for storing all of her clothes for the meantime, and this crib is available in dark brown (coco) or white.  This was our favourite -- I think it's very classic and we love the sleigh bed look!  It also transforms into a big girl's bed for when she's a toddler (up to 3 years) and then if you like, can be used as a couch.  

We also got all of her bedding which doesn't arrive till Thursday, her stroller and carseat!  I really can't wait to set up her nursery area, make her bed and decorate further!  For now I just put her elephant and dolly in there along with the fabric "E" we got from Meadows & Byrne but that will eventually hang over the crib along with another piece of art I need to get framed which will go on the other adjacent wall.  I'm also thinking of a rug and of course the dresser/changing table in the matching furniture set, but that will probably come later.  We have to decide whether it's necessary in this house or not!

Jofus wants to get her a Maltese mobile with four white doggies on it, ha ha ha!  I think that would be really cute actually so if you know where we might find one please do let us know! :)  Hope you like the nursery set-up so far!  

Stay Stylish! 

Week 29 Bump Update!

Watch my 29 week pregnancy vlog here!

How far along?  29 weeks!  

Total weight gain/measurements: No change from last week -- 16lbs total and my  waist/tummy measurements are the same: about 31"-32" and 36"-37" (it depends on the time of day!)

Maternity clothes: No new maternity clothes but we did get some baby buys including Emilia's going home outfit! :)  I Instagramed a picture of them yesterday (check it out here).

Stretch marks: Still none to report!  I've been using the same products as always...Fairhaven Health Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream and belly butter as well as Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula all over my body.

Sleep: Sleep has been okay...I'm certainly doing a lot of it!  It's been quite broken during the night because I tend to take naps during the day so that kind of messes up my sleeping pattern. Also it's pretty annoying when the pups wake me up each morning at 7am and I've only just gotten to sleep at 4...but I guess that's good preparation for the baby, ha ha ha! 

Best moment this week: Ordering our crib & stroller today, yay! 

Miss anything? I honestly don't...I love being pregnant :)

Movement: Lots!  We've started counting the kicks as apparently that's important to count at least 10 movements in every sitting...so we usually count once in the morning and once again at night.  So far she's been doing lots more than just 10 in one go, so that's good!  

Food cravings: Fruit!  Not all week long but I did start craving fruit randomly at one stage in the evening...went to Tesco and bought canned peaches (yum), orange juice, mango smoothie & Humzingers.  Jofus had to stop me at the frozen fruit section, ha ha!  

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

Gender:  Girl!

Labour signs: Nope!

Symptoms: Hearburn & fatigue are the main ones this week!  I really hope the fatigue wears off but my midwife did tell me that it's normal and to expect it.  The heartburn is annoying but I don't really mind it too much, things could be a lot worse!

Belly button in or out? In!

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Happy or moody most of the time: Definitely moodier this week due to being tired all the time!

Looking forward to: Getting Emilia's crib & stroller, the crib will probably arrive this week and the stroller in a week's time.

Stay Stylish!

How I Do My Makeup!

A little bit of makeup goes a long way!  And what a difference it makes!  I love wearing makeup everyday, not to hide under a mask but rather to enhance my features, bring out the best and conceal the worst!  Ha ha ha :)  Here's my everyday makeup routine which is perfect for summer, sunbathing and the beach.  It will protect your skin from the sun and lasts all day without melting off.  You can watch the makeup tutorial here, but here is a list of the products used: (I didn't take pictures because it's the exact same stuff as what's in my travel makeup bag.)

FACE

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream

Maybelline SuperStay 24h Concealer 

Rimmel Clear Complexion Clarifying Powder in Transparent

Sarah G Cosmetics Face Kit Bronzer

P2 Sun Love Sunny Moments Blush in Summer Flirt

EYES

HD Brows Kit Ash Brown

Urban Decay Naked Palette (Sin, Virgin, Buck, Naked & Smog)

Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner Pen

Impala Waterproof Eyeliner 

Maybelline Illegal Length Mascara

LIPS

Revlon Lip Butter in Sugar Frosting

I hope you like the look!  It's really simple, natural and perfect for daytime :)  

Stay Stylish!

Sorrento Haul | Baby Buys!

As promised, here are all the items I got on holiday in Sorrento, including lots of presents & baby buys for Emilia! :)  The first thing I bought was this little mini Barbie or "Evi" as she's called here!  I couldn't resist this as she's walking four puppies...how perfect is that?!  Granted they're not all Maltese, but I still think this would look very cute on Emilia's dresser even if she can't play with it till she's a little older :)  The set was €7 and I bought it at a toy shop stall in one of the main side streets.

I also bought Emilia this adorable white & navy blue polka dot dress aged 9 months for my sister-in-law's wedding which is in May.  She will be about 8 months then.  Jofus & I picked this out together as we both love the sailor look, it's just so cute!  I will probably add more items to make the whole outfit like shoes, hat, cardigan, etc. but I think I'll wait till after she's born.  I purchased this in Coin and I think it was about €34.99.

One of our favourite things we bought Emilia were these handmade wooden letters from the Pinocchio store.  They have little animals on them and you can get them with wooden blocks at the back so that they stand up on a dresser or bookcase in her nursery!  I love that the "A" has a doggy on it :)  We got the medium size letters and I think they were €3 each.

On our last day we got this sweet little handmade ballerina doll -- they came in white, blue and pink...of course I got the pink one :)  I honestly can't remember how much she was...but I don't think we paid more than €15.  My dad once brought back one of these for my youngest sister when he was visiting Italy so I thought it would be nice to carry on the tradition!

Onto what I bought for myself (which isn't a lot, because shopping for Emilia was much more exciting :)  This is the black lace camisole that I got from a little boutique near our hotel for only €10 instead of €15 because the owner of the shop was so sweet.  It's very pretty and light-weight but it definitely needs to be worn with something under as Jofus pointed out it looks like a sexy night-dress or lingerie without...ha ha ha!

I hadn't planned on buying any makeup while in Sorrento but when I saw a sign for Zoya polishes in a pharmacy window one night I got excited!  I had heard so many great things about the brand from other YouTube gurus plus I really hated the polish I was wearing early on in our trip (NYC's Central Park).  I finally found a big Zoya stand in a really fancy profumeria and I got Barbie (paler pink) and Ali (a super bright hot pink).  Both are so gorgeous and I ended up wearing Barbie to my cousin's wedding to match my dress!  I applied it on Friday night (3 coats plus a top coat of course) and it's still going strong, no chipping or anything...yay!  These are pretty pricey, I paid €14.50 for each.

Technically not a haul item as I didn't buy this myself (it was a gift from my aunt & uncle) but I just wanted to show you guys because it's so pretty!  It's a little two-piece set from a brand called Pimpapu...the material is a soft baby pink velour and I absolutely love the little footsies :)

Hope you enjoyed my mini haul...let me know what your favourite item is! 

Stay Stylish!

Week 27 & 28 Bump Update!

How far along?  28 weeks & 1 day!  Emilia is now about 17 inches long and 2.9 lbs.  The size of a small cabbage, apparently.  Ha ha ha! :)

Total weight gain/measurements: 16lbs total!  My waist is 32" and my tummy is 37", which means I gained an inch in both places :)

Maternity clothes: Didn't buy any new maternity clothes this week or the last...but I did end up wearing my H&M maternity shorts a lot in Sorrento and they were super comfortable -- I definitely recommend them!  I also found it sooo easy to dress the bump in the hotter weather because I didn't have to wear so many layers.  

Stretch marks: Still none to report!  Phewsers!  I took the Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream with me to Sorrento and used it everyday...so far so good!

Sleep: Sleep was amazing, especially in Sorrento.  For some reason I didn't even need an app, nothing bothered me at all not even Jofus' breathing...ha ha ha!  Probably because I was a lot less stressed on holiday!

Best moment this week: The whole of last week was just a whirlwind of happiness for me, I loved being in Italy, seeing my family, spending time with loved ones, eating good food and relaxing in the sunshine...I can't really pick just one moment in particular!  

Miss anything? While we were in Italy of course I missed Albi & Sina & the puppies...but now that we're back it's fine :)

Movement: Apparently movement is super important from now on!  And Emilia has definitely been doing a lot of it...she has gotten much bigger & stronger as I can definitely feel her a lot more and some of the kicks are so strong that you can see the movements from the outside of my belly!  Freaky!  Jofus actually got really scared one night when he was tapping my tummy (he plays this game with her where he says hello & she kicks back :) and she did a HUGE roll or somersault...Jonathan was so freaked out that he hid under the covers!  Ha ha ha!

Food cravings: Nope, not that I can remember.  I did eat a ploughman's cheese bagel today and it reminded me of that craving I had earlier on in the pregnancy...although I did really enjoy it I wouldn't say it's a craving anymore!  

Anything making you queasy or sick? This is so weird, but I actually completely did a 180 on the seafood aversion when I was in Italy!  I probably ate seafood every single day...and enjoyed every bit of it!  So strange! 

Gender:  Girl!

Labour signs: At one point on the plane coming home to Ireland I did think I was experiencing a Braxton Hicks contraction but I think it was just Emilia kicking and moving a lot...she really didn't like the pressure of taking off and landing, she would get super active and actually press hard on my belly, it was awful...I don't recommend flying to anyone who's pregnant...especially in the 3rd trimester!  It's way too uncomfortable :(  

Symptoms: I definitely have been feeling more tired lately now that we're coming to the end of my pregnancy.  The evenings are generally when I start feeling like an old grandma and all I want to do is go to bed!  I had a little heartburn (also in the evenings) after dinner some nights but nothing major.  My linea nigra has gotten darker and more noticeable I think!  Another thing I noticed just this week was that my weight gain seems to be all in one area now as opposed to before, when I think it used to be all around my belly & hips...I actually feel like my hips have gotten smaller and my belly has gotten bigger, is that weird?!  I'm leaking a little more colostrum too which always makes me feel like a cow ready to be milked, ha ha ha!  And pregnancy seems to have stopped two things -- hayfever (which I normally suffer from every summer) and the growth of my leg hair!  I haven't shaved my legs in weeks and they are practically bare.  Definitely a plus!   

Belly button in or out? In!

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy! :)

Looking forward to: Buying the stroller...we are doing that this month because the model we want is a new one and didn't come out till June.  I've finally decided on the colour and I can't wait!! :)

Stay Stylish!

Sorrento Day 5!

Breakfast on the solarium :)

Jofus is amazed by all the plants, ha ha ha! 

Jofus & Emma in the garden at my mom's apartment!

Love this pic :)

Jofus & Erika 

My sister Emma & the bump! ;)

We're stripey shorts twins...ha ha ha! 

Maxi dress/French Connection, Cuff/Jewelmint, Sandals/New Look, Clutch/ASOS, Earrings/Talullah Tu

Jofus' outfit of the evening -- he got the shirt here :)

Today was our last day in Sorrento...boo! :(  But we are really excited and happy to be going to my cousin's wedding in Naples and my uncle & aunt have kindly booked us into a beautiful B&B which we can't wait to see tomorrow!  We started out our morning by visiting the tiny roof garden at my mom's apartment...it's so cute!  Jofus was amazed by all the veggies & fruit growing -- his zucchini plants can't really compete, ha ha ha!

My mom and sisters left for Naples this morning so we skipped the beach as Jofus said he'd be bored without Erika to go swimming with, humph!!  He thinks I'm boring as all I want to do is sunbathe!  But to make up for it we went shopping instead :)  We ate lunch at the same as yesterday which is actually called INN Bufalito, not "il".  Jofus got the treccine and I got a capri salad.  We also got some takeaway fruit salad cups from the juice stall next door to our hotel -- they are only €4 and you get a TON of different fruits!  

We didn't get a crazy amount while shopping because it was so hot and we were moving pretty slow, like two sweaty slugs ha ha ha!  But Jofus got two cotton shirts and two pairs of shoes and we bought Emilia a ballerina doll :)  She's so cute!  For dinner tonight we went back to the Parrucchiano place with the magical garden and both ordered the exact same thing as last time since we loved it so much!  I did get lemon profiteroles for dessert instead of ice-cream and I'm sooo happy I did because they were amazing!  I'm not usually a profiterole fan only because of the chocolate, but these ones are white so I was in heaven!

Stay Stylish!