The best thing I've ever done.

We've been going through a lot of growing pains in  our family the last few months.
All the changes have made me start thinking about what I value most, and what I have accomplished so far in life.



Being a mom is the hardest but greatest thing in my life. I feel defeated most days, and I only have 1 child which then in turn makes me feel inadequate a lot.

But as our little girl grows and I see so much hope and goodness in her. Goodness that came from my husband and I. I think to myself that we must be doing a little bit of something right when she is so worried about someone's owie she just really wants to kiss it better for them. That is the tell tale sign right? I'll go with it.

She is the embodiment of all that is good. She is so loving. She is so smart. She is hilarious. She has a laugh that is contagious. She has a smile that lightens up the room.

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Days with my munchkin.

A long day of repeatedly cleaning up messes, yelling no, and trying to keep my composure all at the same time. Then I catch my little standing at our front door and window yelling, "Hi!" to kids walking by.

And destroying playing in the curtains.

That's what I love most about being a mom, just when you think your day has gone to heck, and every moment inches you closer to your breaking point... right then your kid decides to be the cutest child on the planet for a second and all the bad from that day just doesn't exist anymore.

Once that monstrosity of a day makes it's exit, you can start appreciate little things again like your baby running to you with open arms, or playing peek-a-boo around a corner from the other room, or freshly painted matching sparkly toes.

Being a mom is a good kind of tough, and no matter what is always great.

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The best thing I can give.

Source: ow.ly via Jenna on Pinterest

Maybe it's because I've been up since super early. Maybe it's because my husband's long work hours. Maybe it's because I have a huge trip to prepare for. Maybe it's  because I fed my child a pop tart for breakfast and felt sooo guilty [minorly grossed out] by that. Maybe it's because my house never feels clean enough. Maybe it's because I folded 5 loads of laundry today and we all know how grouchy that can make me. Maybe it's because I've hopped on the crazy train.

BUT

I have felt like such a grump lately, and because of that I have a good dose of mom-guilt to go along with it.

Today as I was scrubbing my kitchen counters during nap time, being mad that I spend my free moments cleaning almost every. single. time. Right then it occurred to me that it's not so important if every crumb is off my floor. It's not so important if Grace decides to throw her meals [that I worked so hard to prepare for her] off her tray rather than eat them. What is more perhaps even most important is the attitude that I have everyday.

Source: tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com via Jenna on Pinterest

The thing that makes a house a home isn't tidiness, it's the laughter, the joy, the hugs, the peace that you feel when you are all there together. Those things are virtually nonexistent every time I am stressing over the chores or the crumbs or whatever is under my skin that day.

I don't really think that our kids will remember whether or not all the laundry was put away, if the floors were swept, or the counters were wiped down. What they will remember is if their mom radiated love & happiness to them. Or whether she was a positive force in their lives rather than a nagging one [I tend to stay more on the nagging side I think.]

The best thing that I can give my family is a smile when they're around, a hug when they walk in the door, and a kiss before they go to sleep. Maybe a meal  or two mixed in there. Sometimes I feel like it is an art form to stop worrying about all the little things, and start living in the sweet moments.

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Pregnant lady fashion.

I have been getting asked a lot for advice on what to wear during pregnancy/post baby.

Well... I will tell you that I don't really know. I'm not a seasoned expert. I've only done it once.

BUT I can tell you what I did. and I can tell you that I didn't buy a single maternity piece the entire pregnancy.

I think this all depends on how you carry. I didn't get wide sideways at all... so all this is extremely subjective but I think it might be a little helpful too.

Let's start with the basics and then we can spice things up at the end. Here we go.

First of all, I suggest a Belly Be Band.

They are $17 at Target. They allow you to wear your jeans or pre-baby pants throughout your pregnancy and you can wear them under your shirts to hide them away. I was wearing my designer jeans until I was like 8 months and everyone wondered how on earth I did it... well here is my secret.

Second, wear undershirts.

I favor ones from Downeast and I just got a size larger than usual and slipped it over my belly. It added so much support to my growing lady bumps and lumps and allowed me to always feel "tucked in" if ya know what I mean.

Third, wear lots of stretch pants.

I wore A LOT of leggings.  They aren't restrictive like denim and are so comfy. Not to mention they can sit right below your belly and don't need to be zipped or buttoned. These are a heaven send during pregnancy and for the few months after... heck, I am still addicted to them.

Those are the basics, so with that foundation it's time to make it cute.

Tunics.

Any shirt that is longer than normal will work perfectly for you. I wore a lot of similar shapes to this one here minus the belt. Basically anything that doesn't cling to you will be flattering on your momma figure.

I know it is hard to imagine that you will be able to fit into anything resembling fashionable so here is an example. I can't believe I'm sharing this-- here I am in all my huge glory.

I was about to pop at this point but you get the picture.

Accessorize. Accessorize. Accessorize.

Try to wear statement pieces with your outfits because they will make all the difference. They will turn that frump right around and make you look totally put together and glam. Not to mention they will distract from other parts of your body you'd rather not spotlight.

Big earrings. Big necklaces. Scarves. This helped me to remain feeling pretty and girly despite my balloon like figure.

This picture reminded me of the last thing I wanted to share which is wear cardigans. Drapey, comfy, and they make your belly sticking out look a lot less harsh. 

And that is a wrap. If you do all of these I guarantee it will help your style survive through those exciting but brutal [yes I just admitted out loud pregnancy's true nature] 9 months and on through the first few months of motherhood until your body is a little more normal. Even though we all know that things will NEVER be the same in that department.

I hope that helped a little.

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