Bluum Box: January Review

I know it's already February, but I finally received my January Bluum Box this week! You can see my review of my box from December here.

1- This Soy Nut Mix is the only thing in this box for Mama (or Dad, for that matter). The trial packet is full of nuts, raisins, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips and sunflower seeds and it is delicious. I just wish the sample was larger ;)

2- I've seen Ella's Kitchen Smoothies at Target and other retail stores, but figured that we'd have to wait a long while for our baby girl to be able to eat them. I was right. The expiration date on this is August 2013, and she'll only be 3 months old and unable to eat this (the recommended age is 6 months+). Hubs decided he was going to take one for the team and try it out. I'll let you know how that one goes...

3- At first I thought that babybug was a book, but after researching further, it's actually a magazine subscription for babies! You can order 9 issues for $33.95 on Amazon. The January 2013 edition is what we received, and it has short stories, songs, and nursery rhymes all wrapped up in 20+ pages.

4- The Raz Pacifier is great in concept, and when I dropped it from our dining room table, the shield closed right on up! It also will be great to toss in my purse or diaper bag since it acts as a cover for the nipple. Plus, the bear on the front of the pacifier is super adorable.

5- The Sippi Grip comes in a 2-pack; one orange and one green, orange and purple. I've seen DIY cup holders on Pinterest, but I think these are really cute and functional. You can also use them on toys, teethers, and other baby items that are likely to end up on the ground. :)

All-in-all, I really liked that last month's box included 3 items for Mama, and 3 for Baby. I'll have to wait to test most of these out, but it's also such a nice and fun thing to open each month, especially the way that baby items seem to change daily. 

I'll say that 4/5 of the items are for baby, not Mama. It's hard to review most of those since our baby girl isn't here yet, but I will do what I can!

Second Trimester Must Haves: Part 2

Since we're wrapping up the second trimester this week, I thought I'd share some more must haves for the second trimester! You can see Part 1 here, which I did at 19 weeks...

1-2-3-4-5-6-7

1- I ran out of my Mama Mio Tummy Rub, and purchased this beauty instead. I received a sample in my Bluum box last month, and loved how I could feel it on my skin the entire day. 

2- I recently purchased the Belli Facial Wash. It smells like citrus and is the perfect pregnancy swap to my Neutrogena face wash.

3- Saline Spray has been a life saver when it comes to helping me sleep. 

4- This is the actual body pillow that I have, and I must say it is to die for. My only issue with any body pillow is the size, since it's hard to store or hide, if you're OCD like me :)

5- Mama Mio Lucky Legs cream does wonders for restless, tired legs. I got this in a sample kit from a friend, and started using it a few weeks ago. It tingles and makes you do a diddy for the relief it gives you! 

6- I bought this Erin Condren planner last summer, and it's really come in handy now that pregnancy brain has taken over. Every week I make a list of my goals and to-do's, and I get a glimpse of the month ahead which helps avoid feeling overwhelmed!

7- I would've paid $100 for my iron supplements, that's how awesome they make me feel! Instead, I think I paid $1.50, but they would've been worth every penny if the pharmacist told me the total was anything but! 

27 Weeks!

Holy case of the Monday's. This weekend flew by way to quickly for my liking, and I sadly finished it off with a crappy night of sleep and a Raven's Super Bowl win. I can't believe we're 3 months (and 1 day) away from D-Day. I feel like just yesterday we were sitting in the ultrasound room and the technician said our little one was due May 5. Cinco De Mayo. Now we're hopefully wrapping up winter and are beginning to prep for our little one's debut. 

Last week the invitations to my baby shower were mailed out. I can't wait for this day to come, and if you know my family, you can expect it to be over the top and fabulous! We're so lucky we have so many wonderful people in our lives that are going to spoil our princess rotten! 

Here is this week's bumpdate, 27 weeks! 

How far along?: 27 weeks

Weight gained?: 14ish pounds

Showing yet?: Yep! 

Clothes?: Maternity clothes all the way- living in leggings at night and on the weekends

Cravings?: Sweets. After my first trimester aversions I never thought I'd want a piece of cake, cookie, or ice cream. But alas, the stereotypical craving wins again.

Aversions?: Nothing...

Sleep?:  Pretty good, except for last night!

Gender?:  Girl

Movement?: Yes...mornings and evenings are her favorite and during the day sometimes I see my belly shake.

Symptoms?: Stuffy nose is going away, but I can't get comfortable on the couch lately, unless I'm laying down on my side. The linea nigra appeared late last week. It's very faint but I think it's weird looking. 

Miss Anything?: Being able to get up off the ground without grunting, wine....

Wedding Rings on or off?: On

Belly Button in or out?: In, getting more and more shallow

We definitely have some big events coming up this month. In 2 weeks, we spend an entire Saturday at the hospital, starting off with a breastfeeding class, followed by a baby preparation class. I think it'll be a long day, but Hubs and I both thought we'd rather "waste" our Saturday all at once. 

We have our first Lamaze class at the end of the month, and the second one a week later. I'm really excited to start feeling more prepared about giving birth. 

Now that our basement demolition is complete, I get my husband back. I'm hoping we can knock out the rest of the items on our nursery list (sans anything on the registry) so that once we have the shower, we know what else needs purchased! 

Hello, February!

I love the month of February. It always seems like it's the last month of winter here in the 'Burgh. Ya, I know, we get snow in April, but I think that the chances of warmer weather are near and that alone makes me happy. I also am one of those crazy people who love Valentine's Day. Any day where it's acceptable to wear oodles of pink and red is my kind of day. 

Etsy Inspired Garland

Hubs and I stopped doing a big Valentine's Day outing about three years ago, right before we bought our house. We had one too many over-crowded dinner's out on the town, spending way too much money for overcooked food and not enough wine, so we decided to start a tradition of making dinner together. 

Back when we started dating, we used to cook together all the time. I was in college and Hubs was working shifts, so we had less of a routine. Once I started my job and took over the kitchen got home earlier than him, I became the one who made dinner. I love to cook, and I try to make dinner every night of the week. I nix the weekend dinners since we always have a big breakfast on Saturday's and Sunday's. I think that's fair enough :) 

Pottery Barn Table Runner

Anyway, the year we started cooking together, we went down to the Strip District and bought steak and lobster tails to make our own Surf 'N Turf. We had lots of glorious homemade wine, homemade dessert and obviously a romantical night just the two of us. 

3D Heart Garland

Last year was our first married Valentine's Day, and we were able to use our wedding china, flatware and wine glasses to set the table. It's one of my favorite things to do for a special dinner at home. This year, we've decided to do the same, except we're going to be heading to the Strip this weekend since our next two weekends are booked solid. 

I have a couple of DIY projects (inspiration above) that I'm going to work on this weekend, probably while watching the Super Bowl at my parents house. Something about having to watch the Ravens in the Championship Game is extremely unsettling. I'll post some pictures and maybe a tutorial for the DIY table runner!

Oh and P.S.- Check out Smashing Magazine for some fabulous free desktop calendars. I picked to two owls sitting in a tree.  I love that I have a new image every month! 

Nursery Update: Prints & Wall Inspiration

Two weeks ago, I decided that I wanted some chic and classy art for the nursery. I wanted something that we could keep in her room as she grew up. Something that I could tell her I bought for her back when she was still so tiny, in my belly, as I sat and thought about who she'd be, what she'd look like, and what name we'd be calling her. 

When Hubs and I talk about her, we always envision her as a toddler. Bright blue eyes (I want her to have his color blue, he wants her to have mine...), a sprinkle or two of freckles when she has a slight tan, and light brown or blonde hair. By this point, she's talking, and like her parents, is full of whit and spunk. We assume we'll have frequent moments of looking at one another mouthing "Did she really just say that?!" I want her to grow up smiling & happy, knowing that her dad and I love her, and want the most perfect life for her. 

But one of the traits that I want her to have more than anything, is confidence. I've struggled with confidence for a lot of my life. I've been blessed to have a large, loving family and an amazing best friend who I've known since the day I was born. I imagine that without them, I wouldn't be as confident as a I am today. But there are still some things that I struggle with that I hope to change. And then there's Hubs. Dude can literally talk to anyone. He will try anything once and is not afraid of failure. He used to eat at a restaurant by himself when he traveled (and I'd cry when I got off the phone with him because I felt so bad that he was alone). It's probably why after throwing him to the wolves (aka my entire extended family) at my sisters engagement party nearly 6 years ago, he's still around. 

I love that man and his confidence, and want nothing more than for our baby girl to acquire all of that positive energy from him. 

Anyway, pregnant hormonal rant over. I bought the following prints for her nursery and can't wait to see them in person. They're from SSPrintShop and I think we'll end up doing the three over her crib or by the glider/rocking chair. We'll likely frame them in white, to make them pop next to the pink walls. 

Since I'm loving the gold accents, I think I'm going to start adding gold details throughout the room. 

I'm not sure if these decals will go with the room or not, so we'll have to see, but it's a little inspiration for the  gold accents if not. Either way, love Land of Nod and I can't believe they're only $25!

Lottie Dots Decals 

Lastly, I want a round, gold mirror to put over either the changing table or dresser. I like the crisp lines of this one, and the darker gold color. In my opinion, I think it looks richer! 

Howard Elliott Grisham Round Framed Mirror

Baby Brine Style: Swimwear Edition!

I know, I know. It's way too early to think about swimsuits and summertime, but yesterday, my Godmother and I were out shopping and stopped by Janie and Jack to see their adorable spring and summer lines. They have THE cutest swimwear for babies. I've poked around Target and only could find bigger sizes. I figure our little one will be in 0-3 months come summer vacation, so that just won't work! 

Here are some of my favorite swimsuits and matching cover-ups (sun safety, people!).

Don't the terrycloth cover-ups just make your heart melt?? Also, I wouldn't ever put the swim cap on our little one, but I think it's hysterical that they offer one at all! All styles found at Janie & Jack.

Gap and Gymboree also have some really cute, and more affordable, swimwear for babies. These are some of my favorites, but I love the cheetah one the most. If you know me, this doesn't come as a surprise! 

26 weeks!

Oh what a weekend we had at the Brine household. Friday afternoon we had a really bad snow storm hit, so I left work early and after 2.5 hours, arrived home. Hubs and I went out to dinner, and everyone must have been at home because the place was pretty empty! 

On Saturday, Hubs, my dad and our contractor neighbor continued the demolition in the basement. Around 3:30, I was upstairs napping, and the power went off. Someone (who was apparently texting and driving) knocked down a telephone pole on our street. Needless to say, the guys couldn't do much work in the basement without electricity. We headed to my parents for pizza and then came home around 9:30 and the power company must have JUST finished putting up the new pole (or heard be whining about wanting to sleeping my own bed....) because we had electricity! 

Sunday morning we woke up to no internet or cable. We went to church, had breakfast, and then visited a car show where my father-in-law's car was being showcased. We came back home, and Hubs decided to start back at the basement. Power-tools and all, I managed to squeeze in a small nap. We were still without power, so when I got up, I put on a fire, had some roasted marshmallows for dinner, and laid on the floor and read a book. Not going to lie, I felt like I was back in the olden days!

Verizon Fios was scheduled to come to the house yesterday morning between 8-12. Well, 12 rolls around, and I was told the technician was still on his first job of the day and would be running late. Apparently he was working his way down our street and we were the 7th house on the block that needed help since the accident. 

Long story short, don't text and drive, kids!! You will create a very bored, unhappy neighborhood if you do :)

And now for this weeks bumpdate- last week in the 2nd trimester! 

How far along?: 26 weeks

Weight gained?: 12+ pounds

Showing yet?: Yep! 

Clothes?: Maternity pants, mostly maternity tops, loving my leggings more and more...

Cravings?: I've been wanting a donut like it's nobodies business. Last night I wanted a milkshake. Weird.

Adversions?: Nothing...

Sleep?:  Much, much better! 

Gender?:  Girly girl

Movement?: Yes. I'm convinced she's going to be a piggy because every time I eat, she kicks and moves and my belly shakes from (what I assume is) her excitement! Baby girl is part Italian, after all!

Symptoms?: Stuffy nose and back pain when I lay the wrong way

Miss Anything?: My simple bedtime routine. What used to be a 5 minute event now takes much, much longer. 

Wedding Rings on or off?: On

Belly Button in or out?: In