Some Pressing Questions and Dressing the Bump

Of course I would choose the summer that crop tops and high waisted shorts are back in to get pregnant. I had a bunch of both just waiting for warm weather; I don’t know what I was thinking. Above photo was in the spring, wearing two crops I made from my sisters amazing fabric Emily Sanford Designs. They all sat dormant in my closet, poor things. And next year, I’m sure I’ll be faced with, ”Can a mother wear high waisted shorts? Have I crossed over the hill of fashion?” … Questions…I’ll deal with that when it comes.

In the meantime I have more pressing matters, like:

-When do I know the appropriate time to call in the towel and buy larger underwear, will I know that my hinder is bigger, or will it be so gradual that I’ll be suffering through day long
wedgies unnecessarily?

-How am I going to fit in a coat this winter?

-Will my boobs ever stop growing, bras are expensive? (please God, let them stop)

- Can I avoid pregnancy nose (you know what I’m talking about) and will I know if I get it?
(please don’t tell me if I do)

- Can I start a “gofundme” to pay for all this stuff a baby apparently needs? (Did you know they have a sleeping mat that tells you your baby is still breathing!!!! Why would my baby not be breathing? Now I’m scared)

-Is it possible to be addicted to YouTube video reviews on baby products? I hope not!

- Am I crazy for wanting to use cloth diapers? Seriously though! I’ve been researching them like an addict but I need feedback.

-Can dogs get depression? Because I think Oliver may become depressed after this child is born and I’ll need dog therapist references.

So many more pressing questions but there are a few

So, instead of Crop tops, here are a few outfits I’ve worn lately to compliment the bump.

Pregnancy Thoughts: 16 weeks

 

I’m currently 16 weeks pregnant which means I’m still in that in-between stage where I either have a food baby, a really impressive beer gut or maaaaybe I’m pregnant. It’s been a little awkward but I’m starting to feel like it’s more pregnant belly than beer belly. I feel huge but I am kindly reminded daily that I am not. I’ll gladly believe them because I know as soon as I am actually huge, people will have no problem telling how HUUUGE i am, and that I must be about to POP!

Here are a few things I’ve learned during my pregnancy so far:

1. The internet is a great thing! There have been so many questions about pains, worries, changes and most of them have been answered on the web.
2. If you are feeling any odd symptom, most likely it is pregnancy related, and completely normal. I had no idea so many weird changes would take place, many which seem completely unrelated to being pregnant, but they do and they are.
3. I am, in fact, not eating for two, as many times as people tell me I am. It’s more like eating for one and 1/6 of a person.
4. Everyone will tell you their old wives tales about how to predict the sex of the baby, one including your ass getting huge and your face blowing up=girl, or you carrying small =boy. The whole time I’m wondering who would dare predict a girl, and how could such smart people buy into such crap.
5. You will hear everyone’s delivery stories including their mother’s and their friend’s, friend's cousin who she knew from summer camp. Most of these will be terrifying and end at how close they were to dying.(Thanks for the pep talk!)
6. People will assume you must end all physical activity while pregnant, to only lounge around the house in very comfy maternity yoga pants. But for the record: Running during pregnancy is perfectly healthy and SAFE for the baby and Mother and YES I can and WILL continue to run….Now, I dare you go ask an Obese pregnant women if she plans on changing her diet while pregnant, and if she says “no” proclaim… “Is that SAFE?” yeah, I didn’t think so…
7. People really do want to touch your growing belly. So far, because I’m smaller and rando strangers wouldn’t dare assume I’m pregnant, only people I know have touched/rubbed it, and I actually don’t mind. I know they do it because they care and are interested in my pregnancy and as long as I know them well, I don’t mind… Although, ask me again in a few months and I may not be so understanding.

Summer Project

I have been completely MIA from the blog since July, but I was working on something pretty important…

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, that is giant photo of my uterus….and a baby. This baby literally sucked all the life out of me for a good couple months. I’m pretty sure if anyone saw me in those weeks they would attest that my eyes were always only half open at all times….I was exhausted. At one point, before she knew I was pregnant, my mom was so concerned about my demeanor that she actually asked me if I was depressed about something. I’m glad that part is over.

 

 

When Andrew and I decided to embark on this adventure to parenthood we had no idea it would start so quickly, but we are so excited. I’ve heard good things about this parenting thing, that it’s the hardest but also the most amazing thing ever.

 

 

I am in my 15^th week and just starting to really look pregnant. In a few more weeks we will find out the sex and then I think it will seem so much more real, and I can start sewing some cute baby clothes.

 

 

What a miracle this is, having this little soul growing inside me.

 

 

I will try to start blogging and sewing again now that my energy has returned, and I’ll keep you all update to date on my pregnancy, as I can tell already there will be many stories to share.

Greyhound Getaway

I traveled long distance for the first time by myself. I know, I’m 27 and apparently live under a rock. I took a Greyhound to NYC to visit my Sister. I pretty much did a,”Hey! You moved in last weekend! Hope you’re settled because I’m coming to town” move. I wouldn’t say sitting next to a stranger for 7 hours was my ideal way to travel, you inevitably learn the others sleeping habits(heavy breather), and was tempted to offer him a mint. But the bus got me there in a reasonable amount of time and it was really quite painless.

Emily and Clara showed me all the great parks near them which Clara has given very official names, such as “The Turtle Park”, “The Hippo Park” and “The Dinosaur Park”

We ate fruit.

And Em and Clara played while I laid and relaxed.

We went to the Museum.

We walked through their adorable neighborhood in the sun…

And the rain.

On the Fourth of July We sat down near the Hudson. We didn’t see many fireworks but it was beautifully peaceful.

Then we said goodbye.

It was such a great trip hanging out, seeing their favorite daily spots and exploring the city with my sister.

See You In The City

     This is my sister, my best friend, my confidant. As sister relationships go, ours has been pretty great. We went through our early, close years, found easily in childhood, drifting apart for those few awkward years when I was still a child in her eyes, while she, a thriving teen. But we ultimately found our way back to each other in high school, and even more so in college years. We have lived close and far and close again a few times, but mostly, we have been blessed to live near each other for the majority. We are crazy similar, minus her curly blonde beautiful locks. We think the same, our conversations are easy, we talk about mostly everything and sometimes nothing. There is no better friend than a sister; it is a friendship that can not be duplicated.

    

 

 

 

My sister and her family are moving tomorrow to New York City, no longer a short car ride away. It makes me sad, and yet I am so excited for her new adventure. It reminds me of a conversation we had when we were young. I was still very much a child at the time but I could see that Emily was on that precipice between childhood and adolescence, and I was afraid to lose her to something different and unknown. I started to cry as we sat on the swings and told her that I was afraid of her growing up because she would no longer want to play with me. I think she laughed at me a little and then said that that would never happen because we were sisters. It’s such a funny memory now, and yet it's such a great example of sister friendships. The truth is, we did naturally drift apart for a few years, but, we’re sisters, and we ended up eventually only growing closer the older we got. I thank god for her and her family. I’m thankful and excited for their new adventure…. and a free place in the city to stay and visit. I know eventually, we will find our way back to each other, whether it be just for holiday’s, or a short visit, or even a quick phone call. I love you Em!

Happy Birthday Clara Girl: Handmade Fabric Doll

 

 My sweet little niece Clara turned 3 a few weeks ago. She is one of the most charismatic, friendly, loving children I know. Sometimes I wonder how she got so silly, and then I look at the way me and my sister interact, and it all makes sense.

I wanted to get her something special for her birthday but couldn’t figure out what to buy. Nothing in the store excited me, but then I saw this Fabric Doll Tutorial on Pinterst and thought they were so cute. I made mine to be a “Clara Doll”, with a matching dress that I had made Clara and a shirt I made my sister.

I had most of the materials needed already except for a few odds and ends. I just printed out the doll pattern and followed the directions. It was easy and so fun to make. By easy I mean there were lots of small parts, details and corners to sew and it took longer than I expected, but it was still really fun and you need minimal sewing skills. I think if I make more they would take much less time.

They look so cute:)

New Life For Old Threads: Sunny Summer Sundress

I haven’t had much time or patience for any up-cycles lately. They can be tedious and take a lot of concentration, and I just couldn’t get in the right frame of mind to start one. But I found this dress for $2.00 at the Thrift store a few weeks ago and I dug down deep and decided it was time for a long over due, “New Life For Old Threads” post.

 

I really don’t mean to make my before photos so God-awful, but I will admit that this photo was taken right after a long hot run; I have a sports bra on, and crazy mental patient hair. All of this was not on purpose to make the dress look worse, I swear. I just take pictures when I have the time, and apparently my calendar was wide open directly after that run and I decided to do absolutely nothing to myself… because that’s just easier. I espceially like the tacky phone charger in the bottom corner, classyJ

This dress really wasn’t that bad, if it fit, it would be fine. Here is what I did to make the up-cycled dress:

-Brought in the side seams

-Put in a longer zipper

-Brought in the arm holes and made them smaller

-Added white bias tape to arm holes

-Brought up the hem.

 

 

 

 

 

New Life For Old Threads: 70s Flashback to Freshly Feminine

Ok, I’m not going to lie; I pulled this dress out from the rack twice before deciding it was worthy to buy. I initially saw the top and loved it but then immediately was scared away by the length. This dress is made out of heavier weight polyester and the length does not fit well with the fabric. I put it on and I immediately had a flashback to pictures of my Mother-in-laws bridesmaids. I can’t imagine someone wanting to wear a heavier maxi dress in summer, not to mention head to toe neon pink. It was all too much. But then I envisioned it as an above the knee dress and the flash backs went away.

 

 

This dress may not be for everyone, including me. I am much too busting to fit into it correctly, but I can totally imagine someone wearing this and rocking it, floral crown and all.

This dress is available for sale at Leelue Drew

Simple Summer Styles

 

I love all of these outfits, easy and fun for summer weather.

Some items available for sale on ebay: Leelue Drew

Thrifty Outfit Tuesday: Spring Instagram Giveaway

In honor of spring and Thrifty Outfit Tuesday, I am doing my first giveaway. The winner will win one thrifty outfit, handpicked by me. Go to my instagram page, Leeluedrew for more details on how to enter.

Complete outfit was thrifted.

Shoes, floral body suit and shorts are available for sale at Leelue Drew.

I Won an Instagram Contest: Thriftsperation

When I came home from DC I found a lovely package waiting for me. It was the outfit bag I had won from an Instagram contest. I was pretty excited since I never win anything. Seriously though, I’m that girl that almost got the role of Annie in the school play, but instead was her understudy (clearly not bitter or anything), or the girl who just passed the nicely wrapped gift to Lucky Lucy at the Shower, right as the irritatingly long story of, “Then Sally LEFT the car and RIGHT then the baby was born” ended( Again, not bitter at all, I didn’t even want that amazing smelling candle and accompanied body lotion).  But I beat the odds and won an outfit bag from the Thrifthersß follow.  

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They sent me this lightweight crop longsleeve.

 

 

 

This cropped sweater, perfect for summer nights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These awesome high waisted Express pants. You can’t see very well in the photo, but they are purple and polka dot. Love!

 

 

And lastly, because they know I sew, they sent me this dress to redo. I already have a vision for it, and when it’s finished I’ll be sure to do a post on it.

Thanks Thrifthers, you have broken my contest curse.

Check out their site-www.thrifthers.com