With my third trimester now in full swing, I’m finally jumping back into sharing more about my second trimester (the past few weeks have kicked my butt, so please accept my apologies for the crickets around here!). Like part one of this series — I not only wanted to document my thoughts and feelings for each week for myself, but to also share for others who may be coming into a similar stage in their own pregnancy. I just know that one day I’ll love looking back on these photos and notes that were a part of such an important time in our life. It’s hard to believe this stage is almost over and another will begin soon — baby boy in tow! <3
Anyways, looking back — I’ll still say that my second trimester was my best of them all (I’m currently four weeks into my third and I definitely can attest to this!). I had lots of energy, was able to stick to a weekly prenatal yoga routine (love my Modern Milk family!) and just felt overall great every day. During these weeks, we watched my small belly grow a little bit bigger by the day, got to see our sweet little baby on the big screen once again AND found out that we would be welcoming a little man int our life! WOW! These few weeks felt so big in our book and were full of love, excitement and joy for all that was to come in this journey with our baby boy!
This post is sponsored by Kohl’s. I was paid for this post and received the included home goods as compensation.
With the unofficial end to summer near, Scott and I have working hard on wrapping up a few home projects — sprucing up our front entryway, organizing closets and cupboards and most importantly, updating our bedding (especially with the pending arrival of our little guy this fall). Knowing that Labor Day is right around the corner, we decided to check out Kohl’s for all of our bedding needs! Kohl’s has a huge selection of quality home essentials, so we knew we would be in good hands there! They’re also having their big White Sale on home furnishings right now, running from August 22nd through September 3rd — so we were able to shop great brands like Serta, Colombia, The Big One and Mohawk for amazing prices!
Hello there! Sorry for the crickets around here, I’ve just been busy finishing up my second trimester of pregnancy — and experiencing the tiredness that has come along with it! I truly didn’t mean to go dark on ya’ll, but when baby just wants you to rest instead of blog — you do what baby says, haha! But with all that said, life has been rolling along as usual around here! Baby boy has been growing by the day, I hit my third trimester and Scott and I are prepping for his arrival! It’s all coming together, though, and every day things feel more and more real — we’re going to be parents SO soon, ya’ll!
Now that I’m in the ending weeks of my second trimester, I’ve been thinking more and more about what I want to share in my second trimester of pregnancy post (catch part 1 and part 2 of my first trimester edition here). While diving into more of what I want to share all about these past weeks and months that have truly been the sweet spot of my pregnancy, I realized there were a few things that have truly helped me throughout my entire pregnancy thus far — three in particular that I wanted to share in case any of you mommas-to-be were in need of a few items to help you make your pregnancy that much easier and enjoyable! Without further ado —
And just like that, July is nearly over! I’m not gonna lie, but July has been on HOT month around here and I’m just fine with bidding it ado. However, July has brought us some sweet moments — our baby boy continues to grow and grow (and kick more each day)! We bought his crib and it’s already set up in what will be his nursery (can’t wait to share his space once it’s more complete). My best friend, Courtney, has officially moved back home (I am SO happy to have her here for baby boy’s arrival), and I’m already planning for all the coffee and brunch dates that are ahead for us! And last, but certainly not least, today we’re celebrating SEVEN years of our small business, Citizen Home Decor! Anyways, ready for a few recent peeks into our home + thoughts during the month of July? Without further ado —
Hello there! I’m officially 24 weeks and can’t believe I’m sharing my first outfit in months! In all honesty, I had fully intended on keeping up with sharing my daily wears — but with a growing bump and being in that in-between state for quite a few weeks [ya know, where you sort of look like you just ate a big lunch 😉 ], taking a little break just felt right! However, I have been documenting my baby bump each week and recently shared my first batch of photos + thoughts on weeks 14-18 of pregnancy! Anyways, here I am at 21 Weeks, rocking my favorite maternity jeans and a flowy top (my go-to lately)! Read More
As I’m nearing the end of my second trimester of pregnancy (I’m currently 24 weeks!), I wanted to make sure I shared thoughts on my second trimester here so far, not only to document it for myself but to also share for those who may be coming into a similar stage in their own pregnancy. During my first trimester (which I shared all about here and here!), I LOVED reading what others experienced during those early days and I truly believe they gave me peace of mind knowing that I wasn’t the only one feeling those emotions or experiencing those body changes during those weeks that seemed to take forever and ever. Knowing how I felt then, my hope is that some of what I share here can resonate with you guys too — whether you’re going through pregnancy yourself or have a loved one in the same boat!
Anyways, I will just say that overall the second trimester has been a dream — I’ve had much more energy than during my first (those early zombie-like days were tough!), and have really loved seeing my bump grow and grow each week! The second trimester is also so fun because you get to share more of what you’re going through with your friends and family, and you’re overall feeling pretty good (the aches and pains I had in my first trimester started to subside early on into my second). Oh, and you’ve probably had at least one ultrasound at this point — which are SO excited (albeit a bit nerve wracking at times, if I’m being honest), and hearing your baby’s heart beat for the first time is one of the most special sounds EVER! Ok, onto those second trimester weeks —
Week 14:
At 14 weeks we had just announced that we’re expecting and in all honesty — the amount of love and joy we felt those first few days is something that we’ll never forget! At this point, two weeks into the second trimester, baby bird was the size of a peach and weighed about 1.5 ounces — which was double from the week before! During this week I was feeling very bumpin’, but mostly just in the evenings when I swear my belly would double in size! During this week I also decided maternity jeans felt like a must and went on an ordering spree (which you can read more about here), and was just truly SO happy to have everyone know our big news! Keeping this secret from ya’ll was one of THE hardest things to do, so it just felt SO good to finally talk about our baby bird openly!
Week 15:
We celebrated 15 weeks with our baby bird in NYC! Baby was officially the size of a navel orange and at 2.5 ounces, was starting to make their appearance more and more each day! We also ate REAL well in NYC, so that might have added to my bumpin’ bump! 😉 On this day, the first of week 15, we went to the ever so chic La Mercerie Cafe for breakfast and then headed to The Museum of Modern Art to see the Picassos, Monets and Matisses! After a late lunch, we wandered to Central Park and did some people watching while thinking about how grateful we are to be here before baby arrives! Chelsea Market and Katz’s Deli finished off our day — and then I was SO wiped out that I decided to head to bed early in the city that never sleeps! NYC was the perfect place to celebrate our 30th birthdays and have an early babymoon in — I would definitely recommend it, especially in those early weeks of your second trimester where you still feel like walking and walking like you need to do in NYC!
Week 16:
At 16 weeks pregnant, baby bird was the size of an avocado and weighed 3.50 ounces! Oh, and their taste buds were starting to develop and they could officially hear my voice — which felt like music to my ears, as I’ve loved checking in and talking to baby throughout the day! At this point, I was also all into dressy comfy and cozy to accommodate my growing bump! I found myself really into Dwell and Slumber dresses and event attempted to wear a belly band over my regular jeans one day — a decision that went terrible wrong when I found myself trying to rip it off in the car after a long day at work. At week 16, I also remember waiting ever so not patiently until we could find out the sex of our baby at 20 weeks — the wait felt like forever, but looking back — those weeks went by so fast.
Week 17:
At 17 weeks pregnant, baby was the size of a pomegranate and weighed 5.90 ounces! Since it was the end of May in Arizona, the weather was starting to get hot, hot, hot, so Scott and I tried to be outside a little more this week and decided to head to the Queen Creek Olive Mill to have lunch under the olive trees over the Memorial Day weekend! We played corn hole (we’re both terrible), listened to the band and talked about bringing our baby bird back there in the fall! At this point, we were getting closer and closer to 20 weeks and the thought of being almost half way there seemed wild! As always, we were feeling SO grateful and excited — we even looked at strollers and cribs around this time, which made things feel even more surreal! Oh, and speaking of things feeling more real — at this point I was also starting to have more cravings — up until then I was just really into my cheese, olives and lemon flavored La Croixs (cravings that have followed me throughout my whole pregnancy so far), but during this week I REALLY wanted potato salad and since I’ve been avoiding mayonnaise throughout my pregnancy — having some over the holiday weekend felt not likely. BUT, Scott surprised me with my very own batch of potato salad made with eggless mayonnaise — THE literal dream, ya’ll haha! I was SO stoked on this and truly appreciated Scott’s super sweet gesture. He has been my rock throughout my entire pregnancy, and I couldn’t be more thankful for the love that he shows baby bird and I each and every day!
Week 18:
At 18 weeks pregnant, baby bird was the size of an artichoke and weighed 6.70 ounces! On Sunday, June 3rd, just two days into my 18th week, I felt the baby move for the first time! Up until then I had had moments where I thought I could have felt them, but nothing felt as distinct as it did on this day. I even jumped on Instagram Stories and shared what I was feeling to see if I could get a general consensus that this was indeed the baby and not just gas (it happens, haha), but by 7:45pm that evening I knew that what I was feeling was our baby bird — wiggling all around and giving me those real flutter feelings — it was MAGICAL and SO surreal to finally feel our baby who had been growing inside of me for the past 18 weeks! Cue the tears — what a special day this was!
Ok, that’s it for now but I’ll be back soon to share all about weeks 19 through 22! Until then I hope ya’ll enjoyed this bumpdate! 😉 I’ve been making a list of a few other pregnancy related posts to share, but if you have anything you specifically want to see on the ol’ blog — let me know! The nursery is definitely high up there on my list to share — possible what our plan is and then the actual nursery tour closer to baby boy’s arrival. We actually just made our first nursery purchase tonight — baby boy’s crib! ECK! It’s perfect and I can’t wait to get it in his room later this week! Promise to share a few sneak peeks on Instagram when it comes in! In the meantime, have a great week, friends!
With the hustle and bustle, and let’s be real — the tiredness that has come along with my pregnancy, I haven’t been spending much time on updating our home. However, lately I have been up to my old ways here and there with that second trimester energy kicking in along the way — and one of the most simple ways I’ve found to switch up our home that comes with very minimal work — styling up our decorative trays! Truthfully, I can’t count the the trays we have in our home on one hand — although, I will say most of them are vintage or handmade by Scott — but trays really are such a great way to bring character and charm to an otherwise lackluster space in your home!
Here are my favorite ways to style up decorative trays —
Three of a kind // Three seems to be that magical number that makes all home goods come together — whether it be three brass candlestick holders (a personal fave), or three trinkets from your travels — three is the perfect number of items to bring together to tell a story in your space!
Varying Heights // While three is the magic number, don’t forget that it’s important to keep the heights of each item varied!
Plants are your friends // A little greenery does wonders for a space! Among my favorites that will fit onto a small tray — succulents, dwarf palms and single monstera leaves.
When all else fails, flowers to the rescue // Fresh flowers have a way of bringing a space to life! Some of my favorite florals to decorate with are — peonies (of course!), baby’s breathe, ranunculus, eucalyptus with white roses and more!
Here is also a few of my favorite bits and pieces to style up our decorative trays with —
Standard Wax Candles – A local favorite that can be found all throughout our house!
Crystals – Quartz is my favorite, as it’s meant to regulate the energy in a space!
Jewelry holders – My sweet friend, Krista, makes the most darling ring holders (pictured above), and I love having her beautiful ceramic pieces all around our house!
Pretty AND informative books like –
Tales From A Forager’s Kitchen – A new addition to my collective, but one that is beautiful, creative and oh so thoughtful for that!
The Little Book of Hygge – A little book that offers advice and ideas on incorporating hygge into your everyday life!
Are you into decorative trays? What are your favorite ways to decorate your space? I’m always on the hunt for new ways to add some beauty and interest to our home and would love any tips or tricks you have! Anyways, I hope you guys are having an amazing start to your week and I’ll be back soon!
I’m just going to cut to the chase — ya’ll know I’m a jeans girl at heart! While I love wearing (and let’s be real — buying dresses), I could wear jeans every day for the rest of my life and be totally happy. I know that’s a big statement, but I really LOVE my jeans. With all that said, though, pregnancy has thrown a bit of a wrench into my jean wearing days.
In the beginning, my high-waisted Madewell jeans were just feeling bit snug (that first trimester bloat is REAL), and then eventually I had to use the old rubber band trick to give myself a little extra room on top. A fews week later, and right into the beginning of my second trimester, maternity jeans became a must! I will admit, though, that I had been researching maternity jeans from pretty early on knowing that my high-waist favs probably wouldn’t last long! I must have ordered 15+ pairs from all different price points and stores, including different styles and sizes. Ultimately, I found two pairs that have my go-to’s since about 12 weeks on and I’m stoked to share them them with you. To keep things fair, though, I also wanted to share all the jeans I did order and why they did or didn’t work for me! Without further ado —
During our four and a half years of marriage, Scott and I have gone through many different morning routines — from opposite work schedules to intense grad school semesters, same work schedules and now to a few days a week at home working together. Throughout them all, though, one thing has remained the same — we always have coffee together. We’ve learned to cherish these quiet moments before the work day begins and have found a real groove that works for us — up early, dressed and ready for the day and coffee together before we get to work.
Being from Arizona, iced coffee has always been our drink of choice and lately we’ve really been enjoying trying out the Cuisinart Cold Brew Coffee Machine. We’ve actually made our own cold brew over the years, a process that was never that successful for us, and most recently we’ve been buying cold brew filled growlers from our favorite coffee shop. With the help of our latest cold brew addition, though, we’ve been making our own in a mere 25 minutes!
While my own coffee consumption has been slim to none during the past few months, I have been enjoying making Scott a carafe of cold brew every few days — although, you can leave the cold brew in the carafe in the fridge for up to two weeks! You can make three, five or seven cups depending on what you’re in the mood for, and also pick your own brew setting — mild, medium or bold. Scott’s favorite combo seems to be seven cups on the bold setting! We’ve also been using our favorite locally roasted beans and grinding them in our at-home grinder before we put them into the machine. The smell of coffee is seriously one of the best smells ever, and this process tends to fill our whole home with that heavenly smell.
With the bold setting on, the machine takes an extra 20 minutes (45 minutes in total) to really soak in all that smooth, cold brew goodness. However, with all the hustle and bustle that goes on during the mornings around here, the coffee seems to be ready before we know it. With the 25-minute setting on, this machine is also the fastest cold brew machine on the market — which is a huge bonus for us and our busy lifestyle.
Once the cold brew is poured, we tend to sit at the kitchen counter or at our dining table and write out our goals and tasks for the day. Meetings, emails, projects to finish, orders to fulfill — there’s so much that goes into being a small business owner, but I feel truly so lucky to be going through this process together. Coffee has always been so deeply integrated into our love story, and it’s so nice to still see it as a part of every day today — especially during such an exciting chapter in our life!
If you’re cold brew lovers like we are, this machine is a must-have in your kitchen! It’s quick, easy to use and clean and even helps us to stay on track with our coffee budget because we’re making all of our coffee at home. Oh, and in case you’re wondering — we’re black coffee drinkers (always have been), but this machine makes the smoothest, non-acid cold brew — one that even sweet coffee drinkers will like drinking this straight out of the carafe (plus, it’s much healthier for you too)!
-Chelsea xo
Thank you so much to Cuisinart for sponsoring this post!
