Mini Stripe Shift

Devaki Maxi Dress

Shivali Dolman

Parvati Maxi Dress 

Santee Maxi Dress 

Maternity look 21 weeks/pull a skirt over it!

Well, I'm 21 weeks today and I'm starting to feel B-I-GGG.

I decided (for the moment, anyway) to embrace the bump and just go for it. I was inspired by some other lovely expectant mothers  and have been experimenting with pulling a skirt over the bump and belting high. (I have a Pinterest board on fab pregnant looks, if ya wanna take a peek.)

And I haven't given up my heels entirely... we'll see how long that lasts.

Skirt - Thrifted silk

Top - Calypso St. Barth

Military Coat - Vintage

Necklace, belt & wooden bangles - all thrifted
Heels - Stuart Weitzman 

Snaps from our Staycation

As promised, some snaps from our mini staycation. It went by way too quickly, but I savored every moment.

Poolside... it was kinda gloomy and cold that day, (shakes fist at sky) but we made the most of it. And really, there's nothing better than taking a swim in a gorgeously heated pool, then having a yummy lunch delivered to your lap, is there?

Except maybe waking up to a quiet room, in a plush bed, and getting to read a fashion magazine without interruption (with eggs benedict waiting bedside...)

Even though I couldn't really partake in the champagne on ice, the strawberries and chocolate dipping sauce, and the sleepy but rested face of the man I adore, got my full attention.

Hope you find a moment to pause and take some rest very soon. xx

A perfect evening

Please excuse the iPhone snaps, there's an issue with my Nikon and it's going into repair (hopefully not for long!) But I couldn't wait to share this amazing dress I wore to dinner over our mini staycation. Since it's a non-maternity dress, the elastic draw string is meant to be worn mid waist, but I pulled it up over my bump, and it worked like a charm!  

I think the back is my favorite part. 

Because I pulled the dress up higher than usual, I didn't need to hem it either! It was the perfect length for embellished flat sandals. If you're pregs like me, try it - it totally works. I love that I can keep this beauty post pregnancy and wear the hell out of it with my highest wedges later. (How I miss you, wedges...)

I also discovered the easiest way to do this tiny knot bun, when I just didn't have the energy to wash and set my hair. (We were after all, on vacation!)

1. Spray a bit of dry shampoo 2. Lift the roots with fingers 3. Secure hair half up with a mini claw clip (like these here) 4. Wrap a piece of hair around the clip to hide it 5. Secure with bobby pin 

Dinner at Fig (yum!) and that one-on-one hubs time I'd been longing for, made for the perfect evening... 

Now if only we could go back!

Dress - Calypso St. Barth (use code inthefampc12 for 20% off thru 4/28!)

Earrings - Forever21

Bracelet - JewelMint (use code la111 for 50% off!)

Sandals - Report

*20 weeks pregnant

What I need right now

I've been lusting after this Calypso Nora Pleated Dress in "Tropics" hot pink, ever since I tried it on.  It's just what I need to jump start my wardrobe with brights! And the loose a line shape will be perfect during and after pregnancy! 
A summer straw tote, some cat-eyes, and dressy leather sandals will have me on my way to warm weather bliss... as long as I'm eating well, that is.

Calypso St Barth a line dress

Lanvin ankle cuff sandals

Old Navy striped tote

Elizabeth and James cat eye sunglasses

This is what happy looks like

Or more clearly, this is what "relaxed" looks like. After just one night away in a hotel, our mini (mini) staycation did wonders for the soul. We missed our little love something terrible (isn't parenthood funny that way?) but we desperately needed a moment (and evening) to ourselves.  I'll be sure to post my favorite snaps of our stay...

In the mean time, a look from the morning after. xx

Green top - boutique on Main St (similar here)

Harem Pants - H&M MAMA 

(No longer avail, but get these from H&M here. They were the best purchase ever. I had to steal them back from my NON-pregnant sister!)

Random boutique baubles - (similar)

*20 weeks pregnant

Charging my batteries

Friends, I'm so excited! The hubs and I are going to take a mini (mini, mini) weekend hotel vacation. Just the two of us. Truth be told, we'll be staying just minutes from our own house, but why go far when you live in sunny southern cali where the food is good and the hotels are better, and the weather is expected to be blissfully warm and sunshine-y bright?

We're going to sit by the pool, catch up on reading, take naps, eat, talk, and lord-have-mercy SLEEP.

I also booked a prenatal massage, painted my toes, and have a pretty dress to wear to dinner. 

It will likely be the last time we'll have the chance for this kind of relaxing before the baby comes. And I'm going to SOAK. IT. IN. Charge those batteries. Breathe...

See you back here next week with a smile in my heart.

T xx

{Photo via}

Snaps

Back to work this week and it feels so good...

{Express + Jewelmint bracelets + OPI in Strawberry Margarita + Calypso Tunic + Old Navy Maternity Jeggings}

Visited my favorite hairdresser, favorite thrift store, and favorite beach...

{Classic Aviators + Hubs H&M Cardigan + Covergirl Outlast Double Lipshine (it really does last all day!) + Chain link silver necklace via thrift for $2}

Cuties and a cutie. Serious fruit addiction happening in this house. We ate a huge bag of these in less than a week! 

Lots of love for a little dude who hasn't arrived yet, and grateful for all your comments and support here.

Love, T xx

Smoothie me!

I've been seriously into homemade smoothies lately. It started because I was fighting off a nasty sinus infection/cold, on top of the normal pregnancy woes, (insert sympathy here) and it's become a daily ritual that I've been having a lot of fun experimenting with!

Just keep some frozen berries in your freezer. You probably already have apple juice, orange juice, and a banana or two in your house, right? Who needs Jamba?

Some fave combos:

Oj, ice, fresh strawberries & blackberries

Oj, ice, blackberries, banana, frozen yogurt pop (stolen from daughter's stash)

Equal parts oj & apple juice, frozen strawberries, blueberries, banana

5 months pregnant - same dress

I thought it would be fun to show the same dress worn before and during pregnancy.

It's French Connection (found you a similar idea here) and I've gotten so much wear out of it over the past few years. The easiest pregnancy fix I've discovered, is taking loose dresses and wearing them as tunics over leggings. It's a good thing I'm a fan of the boho look. I'm excited to get some new Calypso stuff when I get back to work this week. Their line is perfect for this.


PS - After seeing these pics, I'm so glad I nixed the highlight idea and decided to stay dark. It's just me.

It's always fun to match a mini munchkin to your look too!

Have a fabulous week! xx

Tough stuff (pregnancy, motherhood and that girl I used to be)

Being pregnant with a toddler is the most challenging thing I have ever done. It takes an incredible amount of energy to keep up with a tiny tot, run a household, and keep a steady hand on personal endeavors, projects or any kind of work. And my pregnancies are not easy. After finally making it through the first several months of this, most days I feel as though I could quite literally fall asleep standing up. Friendships, hobbies, and fun things like fashion fabulousness tend to get pushed aside for more immediate needs. (And if I have a free moment, can I please spend an evening reconnecting with my husband over a quiet, uninterrupted dinner?)
I remember when I was young, my own mother used to say that being a parent was sacrifice. It has never resonated as much as it does now. I love my life. I love my daughter, she's my dreams and my happiness, and my heart wrapped up in a tiny, adorable, miniature form. I love this little man growing inside my belly, who will someday be bigger than me, who with any luck will turn out a lot like the man I married and devoted my life to... 
But how do you quiet the need to continue being that girl you used to be? That girl who wrote for hours and painted paintings and pitched TV shows in (vintage) power suits, and made movies and killer music mixes and small but significant waves in massively overcrowded ponds?
I think the answer lies somewhere between patience, balance and priorities... and because I have never been the kind of girl to give up, I refuse to give up on the belief that we as women can indeed have it all. 

I just need to find a way to do it first.

And I'm working on that. 

Somebody That I Used To Know

You know the song, but have you seen the video? Genius. (It reminds me of somebody that I used to know...)

Closet Case

Someday I'll have a closet that looks a little something like this:

{Visit my Pinterest board on closets here}

In the mean time, the only way to keep any fashion sanity is to stay super organized. And it feels like that is a constant mission in my life. While our tiny bungalow can only house so much, and my actual closet looks a little more like this, (it's an Ikea wardrobe hidden as a wall unit in our living room!) it unfortunately doesn't hold nearly what I need it to. So I've gotten into the habit of rotating per season and packing away what I'm not currently wearing.


But what to do when you're pregnant and only about a quarter of your closet is actually working? Organize again. I'm committing a small section of my wardrobe to only those items that are fitting, and trying to create complete looks (jewelry and all) to hang together with ease.

This way I can actually be clear about what I need to buy as well! And I finally found a reason for all of those vintage button downs!

1. Blue polyester with black leggings, Forever 21 necklace

2. Vintage Ann Taylor (last worn here) Gray silk pants, plastic clear baubles.

3. Red Silk, Bleached men's jeans, Forever21 & thrifted jewelry

4. Vintage bow-tie top (thanks, Noa!) H&M Maternity Sweater, studded earrings & bangles

Flashback Florals

One of the best parts about having a blog is being able to keep stock of my wardrobe. It's easy to get bored or forget about what you already have, and rush off to get the newest trend. But since fashion is so cyclical, chances are (if you're a collector like me) you have a little something in your closet that will suffice. 
In this case, I was eager for florals and happy to be reminded of what I already have! 

Pump up old items with new statement jewelry 

(Try Jewelmint and get 50% your first purchase w/ code la111)

Keep a well organized closet and always rotate what you don't wear

(Host a clothing exchange and up-sale by resale! 

My dear friend and vintage prodigy did a fantastic post on the subject here!)

Be aware of trends, but don't be a slave

(Invest where it counts. Remember, if it's classic, it will always come around!)

Deviled (Easter) Eggs

Need something to do with all those colored Easter eggs? How 'bout some traditional deviled eggs? I made these yesterday as a mid-day snack before dinner, and after an obscene amount of chocolate in our bellies.

Deviled Eggs

12 boiled eggs

2 Tbs mayo

1 tsp mustard

1 1/2 worcestershire sauce

(how funny is the word worcestershire?)

3/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp paprika

1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

sweet relish to taste (optional)

 Remove shells from boiled eggs. Cool eggs. Halve eggs length wise. Pop out yolks, being careful not to break the whites. Mix ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Add more mayo if too dry. 

 Spoon yolk mixture into whites and sprinkle with paprika. 

Enjoy! 

Happy Easter!