2 months of motherhood

   

Becoming a mother has changed my views on everything! It's made me aware that society doesn't keep mothers in mind. I say that, because the moment I decided to leave the house with Grayson, I realized a lot of places are not equipped for mothers. For example, I'm not able to fit my cart everywhere, so I can't imagine how the disabled feel. Not every restroom has a changing table, so where am I expected to change his diaper? And why is public breastfeeding not a norm yet? Everyone should be kept in mind when creating an establishment and people should be rooting for mothers who breastfeed because it isn't easy! I just feel as though society is still holding on to the notion that mothers should stay at home.

Continuing on being real here, let me share my time so far as a new mom. Being a mother is like studying for a test, but the material is completely different once you got it down pact. What I mean is, each day is completely different and makes caring for a newborn that much harder. The first week was easy. I kept telling people how lucky I was because he was sleeping so much. But that was a facade! Between being fussy for a reason I couldn't figure out and getting peed on every day, the days felt long. But, like any mother, you overcome and conquer with patience.

I chose to exclusively breastfeed and went in completely nonchalant about it. I knew it was the only form of milk I wanted to provide and was going to do it no matter what. But with that, I didn't know the first thing about breastfeeding. I was lucky that Grayson took to my breast, but only by wearing a nipple shield. You ask what's that? It's a tool for those who have small nipples. Who knew they made such a thing? I'm grateful for the nipple shield as I am resentful. First, I hate that I need it and secondly, when it comes to feeding a HANGRY Grayson, his arms go crazy that he knocks it off. Imagine trying to feed him at night! I need to turn on the lights to guide him and hold his arms down. Breastfeeding is hard as it is. 

My real tough days are when Grayson has gas and can't poop. I seriously pray for poops because seeing him miserable is the worst. When he has gas, that means a very fussy baby, late nights and no real sleep. Another thing, that might seem minuscule, is having to cut his nails. I haven't been able to successfully file or cut them. The second time I went to cut his nails I made him bleed! It scared the crap out of me and was a total mom fail. Now I just file them. Even though, at this moment only one of his hands has been successfully filed down. The other hand I'm just hoping his nails don't grow. Not a real solution, but it's better than bleeding.

Overall I think trying to be the best mom, wife, and employee is what makes motherhood hard. Finding balance and time to do everything has been hard for me. I had to start working from home a week after giving birth. I had no real time to adjust with a newborn, let alone how I was going to manage to clean the house and get any work done. I have managed to breastfeed while doing Photoshop, which I find pretty impressive ; ) What I do know, is that I want to do everything I can for Grayson. What I'm still learning is to give myself some slack. I'm a type A person and strive for perfection, so I can't live in a chaos. But, a little chaos can't kill me, right?

Maternity Uniform

During this pregnancy, my wardrobe has felt very much like being back in high school and having to wear a uniform. This time, I've traded in my khakis and polos for oversized dresses and shirts and over-belly bottoms. The majority of my maternity basics come from Madewell and Forever 21 and I did buy a few maternity jeans. My favorite jeans have to be the Jessica Simpson ones I added to my collage below. With the Courier Madewell shirts, they've been a God sent! I can totally wear them after the pregnancy and I've been able to use the ones I already owned.

The way I spruced up my basics were through accessorizing, which is the most cost effective way to change a look. Statement earrings are an easy go to for me and J.crew and Madewell always have great options. Overall, I just didn't want to go overboard on maternity clothes because I like to invest in pieces I can wear multiple times.

Coincidently, this collage came out very 4th of July themed, so my fellow preggo's here are some pieces for you to wear!

SHOP THESE

Grayson's Nursery

We are finally tackling Grayson's room this weekend! I'm so excited to get his room ready for his arrival. We decided, well more like I decided for a safari theme ; ) The idea sprung from the sheets we got him at pottery barn and the rest is history. I can't wait to show you how this inspiration board becomes his room! 

Top 5 tips on buying a house

I can't believe we bought a house! I've been waiting for this moment for what seems like forever. It couldn't have worked out better since the baby will be here by the end of June. Which gives us plenty of time to set up his new home. It really is the cutest and I cannot wait to share updated projects.

As exciting as buying a house is, the overall home buying process is anything but easy. I knew going in it wasn't going to be, but I'm sharing a few things I wish I knew prior to jumping in.

1. Know what you want from a house: Make your list of needs and things that you can't live without.

2. You need great credit: You need close to no credit card debt. That means your debt to income ratio needs to be low: meaning how much you owe vs how much you make is very little. Credit determines your interest rate and budget, so credit is everything!

3. Interview Realtors: A big thing I wish I did was interview realtors. We chose a family friend and felt that they would have our best interest, but it wasn't the case. Interview realtors knowledgeable about the location you're interested in and then make a list of things you don't want to compromise. Make sure they are comfortable making offers to your liking even if they're the "expert". And lastly, make sure they have patience for you to find your dream home.

4. Don't be closed minded on appearance: You need to look out for the important things of a home. The foundation, sprinklers, storage, working appliances- things that would generally cost you a lot $$$$ if you have to replace.

5. Take your time! As simple as that statement is, just take your time. It's really easy to fall for a house based on looks, but don't be fooled. 

Skin Care During Pregancy

Did you know during pregnancy you're limited to what skin care products you can use? I didn't.

Since my pregnancy, I have started breaking out like a teenager. And in my late 20's, I'm not looking for that. I've read a lot about the increase of hormones being the culprit of acne, and that you can't use over the counter medicine to help. Being limited and wanting to do what's right for the baby, I figured natural products are the way to go. That's where Lush comes in.

I'm sure I'm the last to join the Lush bandwagon, but better late than never; am I right?! I just never felt the need to go into Lush since I had my skin care products down pact. Also, I always saw it as the supplier of bath bombs that were too pretty to use. But a last, I have found a skincare regimen that has been working so well for me during this time.

A little bit about my skin, other than the fact I was breaking out, is it's very sensitive and considered combination.

    

1. Angels on Bare Skin: This is the first exfoliator that I can use daily and leaves my skin so soft. I recommend using it in your night routine and that you clean your face prior with a magic eraser cloth or with a cleansing oil if you're wearing make-up. This product is not for taking your makeup off.

2. Eau Roma Water: Lush's version of a toner & I love it! One thing I've learned over the years is that you don't have to always cleanse your face in the morning. It can dry out your skin. I use the Roma water as my way to tone and prep my skin for moisturizer. I even love it when I'm traveling and I feel like my face needs moisture.

3. Imperialis: I'm not sure if it has to do with my pregnancy, but this is the first moisturizer that keeps my face moisturized without having an oil-slicked face by the end of the day. I'm thinking my old moisturizer wasn't doing its job and produced oil to keep my face from drying up. But, with this moisturizer, I'm shine free. It's lightweight and absorbs quickly.

4. Tea tree oil: The last product is non-lush, but I recommend tea tree oil as a spot treatment for pimples. They say it's just as effective as benzoyl peroxide, without the negative side effects. It reduces the size and redness of my pimples.

Pros:

• All natural ingredients, so it's safe during pregnancy 
• They have a great app that shares reviews, ingredients & instructions on how to use
• You can get a free mask by bringing back 5 clean Lush pots

Cons:

• Certain products can only be purchased in store (Masks in particular)
• Some products have a shelf life of 3 months- CHECK the date prior to purchasing
• Some products need to be refrigerated (Masks in particular)
• And I have yet to try a mask because they're always sold out! (more like a personal problem)

Did your skin change when you got pregnant? Let me know in the comments. 

Is there such thing as a plan?

Where do I start!? Do I tell you about my original plan or jump into my first trimester? I'll start from the beginning. 

I got engaged last June, and right after everyone was asking when's the wedding. After much thought, we chose to get married in 2 years. But, speed up to October 29th and BAM! I found out I was pregnant; nonetheless days before my favorite holiday. My first reaction wasn't a good one. Of course being a mother was always on my list, but I'm a planner! And this was for sure something planned after marriage. 

I cried when the pregnancy test came out positive. I mean as women, we have our freak attacks and think were pregnant, even if were not. So, I thought when I took the test, it was going to be one of those thoughts again. But, behold it was NOT! 

We went to the doctors to confirm, and sure enough, they said: "Congrats Adrianna, you're pregnant!." Alex was with me and excited even from the beginning. It was hard for him to register why I wasn't as excited, and the main reason was fear! I mean becoming responsible for another life is no joke. And the other reason was because I've been raised with the notion that kids come after marriage, so I felt ashamed. 

After I told my parents and a few friends, I felt immensely better. They were so supportive; my shame faded. I couldn't say the same about fear because that comes and goes. But, the more real things became, the more excited I would get. 

We live in a new day and age, and we shouldn't have to feel ashamed about getting pregnant out of wedlock. It's just something embedded in our brains since childhood. I especially shouldn't, being in my late 20's and all, but old habits die hard. 

Today, I'm 24 weeks, and this baby boy is all I think about! My excitement grows every day. 

What was your experience when you found out you were pregnant? Leave me a comment. : )