You Can't Put A Price On Looking Good While Growing A Human...

Hang tight, Loyals. Today's post is going to be quite a doozy. Be prepared to read a little bit about a lot of things such as hot colored denim, amazing nude flats on the cheap, marginal cord insertion, anatomy scans and outdoor fun. How's that for Tuesday Tids and Bits, eh?

Loyals, I am in love. Obsessed, really, with these jeans. It's no secret that I've been jonesing for a pair of colored denim for months now, however never came across a pair that would fit my ever-expanding, ahem, midsection. Until, however, the day that I wandered into the ridiculously overpriced but so incredible A Pea in the Pod. And stumbled upon no less than 6 different colored pairs of Awesomesauce.

For the record, I will likely have to promise another baby to The Husband the second he finds out how much I paid for these pants. But can you put a price on looking hot and feeling good while growing a human? Right, I didn't think so either. So, Loyals. Thanks to these pants, it looks like we'll be trying to Baby Number Three sometime in 2014. If you feel so inclined to jump on the Colored Denim Maternity Skinny bandwagon, you can find these pants here. You can find the awesomely soft top that I'm wearing there as well. I mean, I had to. Don't judge.

Moving on, let me share another reason why I should not be allowed near a mall without a Toddler:  

The most incredible pair of $8.99 nude flats you will ever find. From, gag me, Payless. It's true. Due to quality issues, I had not bought a pair of shoes from Payless since 1999, much less wandered into one. But when a stir-crazy 19 week pregnant Mama ventures into the mall sans toddler for the first time in godknowshowlong, everything is fair game. I believe these flats are normally priced at $16.99 but due to a favorable mis-pricing, an entire shelf of these beauties were marked down to $8.99. Score one for Mama. C'mon. You know you want a pair. You can find them here. Let the record show that I am not above a good deal or an adorable patent leather nude flat. 

In my semi-weekly bumpdates, you may recall that for the last couple of weeks we've been "looking forward to" M2's anatomy scan on the 30th. Well, sweet Loyals, let me re-introduce to you a one beautifully perfect and healthy little M2! Who, thankfully, is still a boy. Yes, in fact, there is a tiny weenie floating around in my belly. (That one's for you, Meredith!)

Once again, I am in awe of Creation. Truly. As the sonographer scanned over my belly and pointed out each chamber of his heart, each ventricle of his brain, his tiny perfect vertebrae, his little button nose, his long bony fingers, his handsome femurs, I couldn't help but praise Him for such a wonderfully made little miracle. I mean, this stuff is just wild. WILD, LOYALS! And I am so, so thankful. M2 was incredibly cooperative for the technician and was quick to stretch and tumble and wiggle in between scans. 

One thing we did learn was that I have something known as "marginal cord insertion" this pregnancy. Basically what this means is that M2's umbilical cord enters the placenta at its edge rather than in the middle where it's supposed to attach. I've been reassured that it's nothing to worry about at the moment, but one of the major risks involved with such cord placement is often low birth weight babies. When the Maternal Fetal Medicine attending sat down with me after the scan, she half-joked that with my history of large babies (let's not forget the 9lb 10oz toddler I birthed in June 2010) a smaller baby may not necessarily be a terrible thing. 

This does mean that I've earned myself (and M2) a few extra ultrasounds down the road to monitor both his growth and the cord blood flow. As of yesterday, M2 was measuring at a little over 12 ounces which is right on target for his gestational age! 

Can we take a second to talk about those bony fingers? That's my boy! He's got his Mama's fingers for sure! 

Speaking of The Toddler, I just had to share these pictures from our playtime in the yard yesterday.

With all of the excitement surrounding M2's scan, C was Mr. Anti-Naps as soon as we walked in the door from the doctor's office. With nothing but a beautiful sunny and unseasonably warm day ahead of us, I could only think of one thing to do: Run around outside like total and utter nut jobs. And run around we did, Loyals.

C's new favorite thing to do is "gick! gick!" a ball around the backyard. It looks like we're going to have to invest in a soccer ball as to not confuse him any further. He also refused to wear his hat for most of the time because he has this crazy obsession with feeling the wind in his hair. 

Loyals, I kid you not. This kid is hysterical. All in all? It was a pretty awesome Monday, if I do say so myself. I hope your week started off not too shabby as well. We all know how much Mondays can suck around here. Don't forget to enter my latest giveaway here for the chance to win one of TWO $50 gift certificates to my FAVORITE paper company, Minted!

Happy Tuesday, Loyals!

Sharing The {Minted} Love :: TWO {$50 Gift Certificates} Giveaway!

It's no secret around these parts that I love love. It's not very often that I talk about the love thang here on this blog but today I'm here to tell you all just how much I love you and how much I love Minted, the freshest designs on paper and my absolute favorite of favorite paper companies. In fact, you may remember my first declaration of love for them here. Needless to say, I have been an avid fan of Minted and their awesome, amazing and beautiful paper products ever since I first laid eyes on their incredible designs. Since then, I've worked with them on a number of projects including but not limited to Christmas cards, business cards, mommy calling cards and most recently, Valentines. You see, Loyals. I am smitten. And I'm all about sharing the love, especially when it comes to pretty paper, impeccable work and quality customer service.   

Now, I know I can't be the only proud Mama sending out Valentine's Day cards this year, right? I'm sure I speak for many of you out there when I say that I love a great excuse to dress The Toddler up in an outfit, drag him out back and take 472 pictures of him to plaster all over a beautiful piece of pearlescent or 100% quality recycled card stock. Granted, I know some of you out there are sans child at the moment, but that doesn't mean that I'm not expecting to receive quite a few cards this February from some special furbabies/fur-nieces and fur-nephews in my life!

Not to mention those of you moms out there who are responsible for the dreaded Classroom Valentine's Day cards. Gone are the days of buying those flimsy, perforated tear-offs from the local drugstore! Does the thought alone of having to address valentines for every single member of your child's classroom cause you to break out into a cold sweat? Don't sweat it. Let Minted show your kids and all of their classroom friends just how much they mean to him! With a ridiculously cute plethora of options to choose from that are fun, whimsical, colorful and most importantly appropriate, Minted has the perfect card to stick in that construction paper mailbox. I know you know exactly what I'm talking about... Here are just a few of my favorites and you can't beat their price! Fun classroom valentines starting at $16 for 15!

little monster classroom valentine

roarin wishes classroom valentine

handmade heart classroom valentine

Be sure to note these classroom valentines are specifically made to be handed out. They are too small to be sent through the US Postal Service. Printed on luxe paper and 100% customizable, these classroom valentine's day cards are the perfect way for your child to celebrate with his and her classmates!

I cannot wait to share with you all this year's Minted Valentine from the M Family but until our cards go out, it must be kept a great secret. Instead, I'll share with you some of my other favorite designs! You know, just in case you need help choosing which Minted valentine you'll be sending out. I mean, isn't that what I'm here for?

doodle words valentine

all you need is valentine

cupid's arrow valentine

Okay, fine. So maybe valentines aren't your thing. Perhaps you prefer to be a bit more private when it comes to sharing the love. If so, then you must consider indulging in one of Minted's beautiful journals. Specifically their Valentine's/Love journals. 

Once again, completely customizable, you can add a custom interior to include photos and a detailed message inside each of their journals.  Each journal also comes with your choice of 40 lined or unlined pages. It's truly the perfect little place to jot down a quick love note, perhaps a sketch or even a list of qualities you're seeking in that perfect mate!

So, Loyals. Have you decided which Minted valentine you'll be personalizing this February? Better yet, have I told you lately just how much I love you? 

Let's just say I love you enough to partner with the fine and fabulous folks at Minted and give away not one but TWO $50 gift certificates to their amazing store. Yes, you read that correctly! Come Friday morning I will be choosing TWO, yes TWO lucky Loyals and presenting them with the awesome prize at hand. 

All you need to do? Use the Rafflecopter Widget below to enter. And don't forget to tell someone (heck, even me) just how much you love them this Valentine's Day! I certainly can't think of a better way to do so than by sending a Minted valentine! ;)

Just Ducky Originals {C's Awesome Pirate Shortall Details}

Let me start off by saying have you ever seen anything cuter? And for once, Loyals, I am not talking about the child. I am talking about the Just Ducky Originals Reversible Shortall he's sporting. I am so in love with Carter's new shortall that I could go on and on and on about just how much I love and adore it. And that's exactly what I'm about to do. Mostly because it's only fair that I share with you the amazing company that's responsible for the cuteness. 

When Just Ducky Originals reached out to me inquiring as to whether or not I would be interested in reviewing a piece of their incredible children's clothing, I pretty much had to stifle my excitement with every fiber of my being as I immediately responded to the Asheville, North Carolina email.

With just a quick glance through their Spring '12 preview I was smitten. The pages of their Spring catalog are chock full of classic children's clothing, preppy fabrics, coastal colors, adorable kid prints and most importantly? Quality product. 

It is evident that Just Ducky Originals is all about timeless, quality, classic and custom children's clothing. Exactly what I look for when dressing my handsome little toddler boy. 

I had the pleasure of working with a few members of their incredible customer service team and I have to admit that once I finally decided upon an item, a custom item at that, (believe me, there are way too many cute things to choose from), everyone was so easy to work with. Patient, friendly and always willing to go out of their way to make sure both Carter and I were satisfied with the result of our order!

One of the great things that I immediately loved about Just Ducky Originals is the ability to create a one-of-a-kind custom piece of clothing. This means that not only do you get to pick the style of the item, but also the fabric, the colors, the patterns and any specific applique or personalization that may tickle your fancy. You literally get to design your child's clothing down to every last little detail. We're talking right down to even the ricrac and buttons! It's almost as if you're working with your extremely talented Granny who's making each of your child's custom clothing pieces with the utmost love and care. 

And let's not even talk about how ridiculously cute and amazing their Just Ducky Originals designs are! I could be here all day. I cannot encourage you enough to visit their website and check out their catalog. With so many styles to choose from, I can guarantee you'll want one of everything! From Capris, Dresses, Bubbles, Bloomers, Overall to Swimsuits, and more!

I was dying to show you a picture of the reversible side of Carter's shortall, but when I politely asked him if I could turn his shortall inside out, this was the face I was met with. You'll have to believe me when I tell you that the inner navy madras fabric is just as cute as the outer seersucker! Two outfits for the price of one. You just can't beat that, Loyals!

Before I share even more adorable pictures of Carter in his new shortall, I also need to tell you about an incredible opportunity with Just Ducky Originals, one that I am eager to get involved with. Just Ducky Originals offers us Moms an incredible opportunity to get involved with the selling of Just Ducky Originals products in the form of their Home Shows Program.

Moms are offered the chance to hold trunk shows comfortably in their homes and receive discounts and rewards to use towards their very own sweet Just Ducky Original purchases. 

Some of the incredible benefits of joining the Home Shows Program include the following:  

1.  Earn cash commission and a 40% discount on your clothing purchase.
2.  Just Ducky Collections include affordable cotton knit Essentials lines from sizes 6 months to 7/8 so every child in your house and their friends can look just as adorable!
3.  Easy-to-use training materials will help you make your Just Ducky Home Shows successful as ever!
4.  Consultants have access to an online design page where you can show your customers what specific garments will look like in different fabrics.
5.  Last but not least, if you become an Area Consultant and manage other consultants you can earn both cash commission on all parties and a 40% discount on your clothing purchase.

Too busy to be a consultant but want a little “bonus?” You can simply host a home show and earn 10% clothing credit based on your sales!

Interested? Click here to check out their Home Shows Program information page and read information on how to become a Consultant, Area Consultant and even find local shows in your area! 

Don't let his face fool you, Loyals. Carter is just as in love with his brand new Just Ducky Originals shortall as I am. In fact, we've already sat down and picked out the next few pieces that we plan to welcome into our Spring and Summer wardrobe. Want a sneak peek? Here's what you'll soon find in Carter's closet: 

Be sure to like Just Ducky Originals on Facebook and stay up to date with their latest and greatest children's wear! Not to mention if you're extra lucky, you may even catch a fantastic flash sale or two! 

Thank you so much for your adorable, incredible, affordable and classic children's clothes, Just Ducky Originals! We cannot wait to add to our collection! 

Happy Shopping, Loyals!

It's Time For Sass and Open Letters.

Dear People Who Insist On Proclaiming, "Wow, And You're Already So Big!" 
  
  I get it. I have a belly. I am nearly 19 weeks pregnant. Yes, there is a child in there. No, I will never be one of those mothers who winds up on TLC's "I Didn't Even Know I Was Pregnant," because the second I peed on that stick? I got a belly. Do you not remember the 9lbs. 10oz. man-child that I gave birth to in 2010? I get it. Please. Now shut your face before I tell you how big I think YOU look. 


         Love and Hugs, 
                  AP





Dear Toddler, 


  Remember that day (Monday) where you climbed out of your crib and walked down an entire flight (12) and a half (6) stairs to surprise Mommy while she worked on the computer? Please don't do that again. Mommy doesn't need to know what it feels like to have a heart attack at twenty-eight. I sure hope you weren't playing in the toilet either. 


          Your Big Boy Bed Arrives Next Week, 
                  Your Mother






Dear Husband, 


  If you'd ever like to sleep with a sane woman again (I'm speaking about myself, your wife here, so to avoid any confusion), our child will be sleeping in a Big Boy Bed by next week. Don't worry, I already ordered the bedding off of Pottery Barn Kids. And yes, it already arrived. I'm about to pull the trigger on the bed, too. 


           Pregnancy, Heart Attacks and Grey Hair Do Not Suit Me, 
                  Your Loving Wife






Dear Victoria's Secret, 


  Please replenish your stock of adorable cotton pajama sets. Blissdom is coming up and I'm pretty sure my roommates don't need to see me wearing my husband's ratty (and inappropriate) fraternity t-shirts to bed. Remember, I need to make a good impression on these folks and a T-shirt bearing the phrase "We (picture of a screw), We (picture of a nut), We (picture of a bolt) does not scream, "nice little girl from Maryland."


            Jennifer and Whit Will Love Me More, 
                  AP






Dear Makers of Heath Toffee Bits, 

  Please don't ever discontinue these delicious bits of toffee-heaven. Perhaps, however, you may want to include a large straw with your bags as to facilitate their movement more quickly from the bag to my mouth. 


             Your Loyal Devour-er of Bits, 
                   Pregnant AP 

So, What's Carter Thinking? Caption Contest.

For those of you who are new to these parts, this past June I launched a little passion of mine. It's called little joys. photography and it allows me to do more of what I love. Capture your life's little joys. Recently, little joys. and I have been partnering with various retail companies for vendor shoots. This means companies will send me (ahem, Carter) clothes and accessories in exchange for professionally edited pictures for them to use for marketing/sales. Really, it's a win-win and I'm so happy to have connected with so many amazing companies in doing so.

Yesterday's session was a little different. An incredible smocking company from Asheville, North Carolina reached out me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing a children's garment on my blog. Was The Toddler born a man-child? Heck yes, I'll review your  adorable children's clothing! And as soon as the garment arrived, I set out to capture Carter wearing his new threads. 

I attempted to capture these photos after a morning FULL of "modeling" various t-shirts and shorts for an upcoming vendor's Facebook auction. Needless to say, I may or may not have pushed my limits. What do you think?

You tell me. What's Carter thinking?

The Husband and I can't wait to read your thoughts. I have a feeling I may even pee my pants a little from laughing so hard. Who knows, we may or may not even gift the funniest commentor a little something, something for their efforts!
Happy Wednesday, Loyals!

Because We All Love A Good Party.... Showering The Bride!

I adore my future SIL. In fact, we're kind of the same person, albeit she is the blonder, slightly younger and way more athletic version of my former non-mom self. In fact, we even went to the same all-girls high school together back in Hometown, New Jersey. And now? She's about to marry my youngest brother-in-law. I mean, do we have great taste in men or what? 

I am so honored to be standing with her as her Matron of Honor in her upcoming New Jersey nuptials and as her MOH, I fulfilled one of my matronly duties this past weekend as I planned and hosted the first of her two bridal showers. It wouldn't have been possible without this girl, my other SIL and fellow New Jersey-ite. As a matter of fact, she even acted as my very own sister-wife, staying over the night before the shower to help with last minute details, prep and set-up. 

So, how did it go? Just fabulous, if you ask me. I had such a blast planning the small details- everything from the decor to the favors to the food. And thanks to Pinterest, it was fairly easy and tons of fun!

From colorful pennant banners to beautiful fresh carnations and a personalized burlap wreath... 

... to the delicious French Butter cake ordered from a nearby bakery, adorable mason jar cupcake favors (my favorite!) and delicious chocolate-dipped pretzel rods...

... and even personal self-serve crudites... 

...the bride was thrilled and so incredibly thankful that so many of us came together to shower her that day. Isn't she gorgeous?

The bride also happens to be C's godmother and he absolutely adores her. Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited for her to marry my little brother-in-law but I cannot WAIT for them to start having babies of their own! And word has it that my BIL wants quite the gaggle of little kiddies in future! 

As hectic as it was to plan and pull together an event at my home while 4.5 months pregnant, wrangling The Toddler and during a weekend where The Husband was off galavanting with The Bachelor and his friends, I'm so glad that it came together the way that it did and I can only hope the Bride could feel how loved and adored she is! 
Between C's Carnival Themed First Birthday and KL's Bridal Shower, perhaps a touch of Party Planning is in my future? 
HA... How about I just have this second baby, first... 

Monday, Monday. You Kind Of Stink. So? Here's A Bumpdate! 18 Weeks.

{ 18 Weeks, Baby #2! }

Wearing: JCrew striped ruffle top and Paige Premium Denim Maternity Jeans

Total Weight Gained?: Somewhere around 8lbs. Hoping for a nice, healthy gain of about 30lbs this time. Did you hear that? Not 48lbs. NOT FORTY-EIGHT POUNDS, BABY!!

Maternity Clothes: These weekly questions are getting a little redundant. And if I can't stand to fill them out? I'm imagining you can't stand to read them. I mean, if I was in maternity clothes at weeks 8 and 9, as well as last week, I'm fairly certain I'm still in them this week. Managing to get by with a few non-maternity tops but even now they're few and far between mostly because they just aren't long enough! I did buy a new pair of jeans this week (off eBay, don't worry Husband)  to add to the rotation. Paige Premium Denim. Not too shabby. So they're now among my Mavi Skinnies and 7 bootcut jeans. Invest in a great pair of jeans. Believe me, they're worth the money when your pregnant tush looks that good!

Sleep: Not waking up nearly as much overnight as I have been the last few weeks, but still waking up with the most awful hip-pain ever. An arthritic hip at 28? Awesome. 

Best Moment of the Week? Showering my future SIL at her bridal shower over the weekend! I planned and hosted around 18 guests and it was perfect. Except for everyone remarking, "wow, you're so big already!" I could have done without that. 

Movement? More and more each day now! M2 is most active in the evenings. Still feels like little inside-pokes and the occasional roll. The Husband is jealous that he can't feel baby yet.     

Food Craving? Candy. Sour candy. Sweet candy. Chewy candy. Candy, candy, candy.  Yogurt with granola. Chipotle/Qdoba burritos. Spicy sushi. Milkshakes. 

Food aversions: Whatever sounds good at the moment works for me. No real aversions this time around. 

Morning sickness? The nausea is waning! Praise the morning sickness gods. It's still there if I'm not eating throughout the day- but as long as I nosh on a few crackers or a chocolate covered pretzel rod here and there? I'm golden. 

Gender? C's going to have a little BROTHER! 

Labor Signs? No thank you.

Belly Button? Out. Like way, way out. Already.

What I miss? Non-pregnant clothes. Being able to bend over and get up from the floor without a shooting pain or ache. I can't believe I feel like this already and I'm only 18 weeks. 

What I'm looking forward to: Our anatomy scan on the 30th!

Okay, Baby M2. You Clearly Need A Room Of Your Own.

I'm so thankful to have Pinterest while planning M2's nursery. Just like I wished I would have had it while planning my wedding four and a half years ago and C's nursery two years ago. 
Better late than never, right? 
I've been posting a few hints to Twitter here and there, offering up subtle sneaks at the whole shebang and figured, "ah, what the heck. I might as well throw it all together in a post." So, Loyals? Here's the sneak into planning M2's nursh.  
As you can see, there is no "theme" to this room which is pretty much all that I'm going for. I'm planning to use a variety of textures as well as bright colors, specifically blues and greens with pops of orange and grey, to decorate the room. 
The crib will be C's current Espresso crib. The wall color? Behr's Porpoise. Throw in a shag rug, the above bedding and curtain panels from Carousel Designs and I'd say we've got ourselves a pretty good place to start, no?
Thankfully, there isn't a whole lot to do for M2's nursh. Aside from the major things like clear out the current jumbled office space, completely revamp the closet, install the chair rail on one wall and re-paint the entire room. But I mean, other than that? I'd say it's coming along swimmingly. 
As in, I haven't done anything else other than order fabric swatches and create this inspiration collage. 
Good thing I'm only 18 weeks pregnant and have a few months to go. Oh and did I mention I'm also planning C's Big Boy room at the same time? Because clearly, I love a good challenge. 
And the Husband wants to talk about a No-Spend month coming up. Oh, boy. Is that even possible when planning two rooms and having a baby? I'm going to go with... negative, ghost rider. 
Happy Thursday, Loyals!

Can You Guess What I Do...

...Standing up? 


...In the kitchen?


...On the couch? 


...In the car?


...Faster than I should?


...And sometimes even in the bathroom?

C'mon, guess! 

*

*

*

*

*

Give up? 

Okay, fine. The answer is... 

*

*

*

*

*

*

I EAT! 

I came to this sickening realization yesterday, while I was literally inhaling my breakfast while seated on the couch watching Curious George for the 4,786th time. All while turning back to the kitchen to make sure that Houdini hadn't yet Houdini'd himself out his high chair. 
By the way, in case there was ever any doubt, you know you're a Mom when 37% of your DVR space is taken up by Curious George episodes. 
I know, shameless really. Like I was saying, yesterday, as I was literally breathing in my breakfast (I'm actually not quite certain that I even chewed it) I got to thinking about the last time I actually ate a meal, seated at the dining room table, during The Toddler's waking hours. And to be honest? I'm not sure that's ever happened. 
By the time I've made Carter his breakfast, gotten him situated in his high chair, finished throwing together my own and am finally really to pour a cup of coffee and sit my tush on the couch to enjoy the fruits of my labor, a chorus of "awwwwwl DUN, Mo!" awwwwwl DUN, Mo!" is literally ringing in my ears. 
All the while, The Toddler is starting to shimmy out of his high chair harness. You know, the five point one that is supposedly Toddler-proof? Ha. I laugh at the phrase "toddler-proof." Whoever coined it clearly does not know my child. 
So, what's a Mom to do? Eat while standing of course. Selfishly sneak into the bathroom with a bowl of yogurt and granola. Perhaps even grab that bag of apple crisps and take to the car for a little "field trip" around the block- just so she doesn't have to share with The Toddler. 
Now, Loyals. Don't fret. The Toddler is an eating machine. There is rarely a minute when the child is starving let alone a second when he isn't eating. Forget saving for college, I always say to The Husband. We might as well start saving for his pubescent hunger years. 
You think I'm kidding? For breakfast this morning, Carter ate the following: 
3 cheesy scrambled eggs2 pieces of raisin bread french toast with the crust cut off, smeared with jelly1 ENTIRE orange
And? four heaping spoonfuls of my yogurt with granola. 
And that's just breakfast. 
I hate sharing, Loyals. Especially when it comes to food. So can you blame me for hiding in the bathroom with that bag of Cheetos? Please tell me I'm not alone.. 
Happy Wednesday, Loyals! 

$50 Scentsy Gift Certificate Giveaway And Jane Warmer Review!

When the fabulous Scentsy Consultant, Sharon, emailed me last week about reviewing one of her full-size Scentsy warming products and scent bars, it was as if Christmas up and decided to come to my house all over again. 

I can't even begin to tell you how long I've been dying to hop on the ol' Scentsy bandwagon and Loyals? I am SO glad that I did. Shame on me for not buying into Scentsy earlier! It's amazing!


Scentsy began with a simple idea—a safe, wickless alternative to scented candles—and quickly grew into one of the most successful direct selling companies. This wickless concept was born when two stay-at-home moms began selling decorative warmers designed to melt scented wax with the heat of a light bulb instead of a traditional wick and flame.


As a SAHM, becoming a Scentsy consultant would not only be a great way to earn a little extra income, but it's an ideal job for a SAHM like me because you can work as much or as little as you want to, depending on your goals for your business. Click here to read about how to become a Scentsy Consultant. It only costs $99 and during the month of February, new consultants will receive both Fall and Spring testers and catalogs in their start up kit- that's a huge advantage for joining during this particular month.


With a wide variety of warmers to choose from, I knew I had some decisions to make! Perusing Sharon's online catalog, it was so difficult to narrow down my choices! Full-size warmers, mid-size warmers and plug-ins, Oh My! And such a variety of designs and finishes. I could have easily picked a warmer for every single room in my house that would have matched the decor perfectly! Finally, I ended up choosing the Jane full-size warmer. Isn't she beautiful?

With a rambunctious toddler and another baby on the way, we're all about safety here in Casa de Carrots and I'm so happy to be making the transition from traditional flame candles to the Scentsy warmers that use a 25 watt bulb to heat, melt and distribute delicious scents throughout the house. 

Speaking of delicious scents, I was lucky enough to bring home 3 of Scentsy's yummy fragrances. Choosing scent bars was a whole other affair. It literally took me over an hour (and a multitude of Twitter advice from other Scentsy-lovers) to narrow down my options. From delicious Corner Cafe flavors to fragrant Fall and Winter flavors to even Romance and Spa flavors, Scentsy offers fragrances for every palette. 

I ended up choosing Welcome Home, Cucumber Lime and Sunkissed Citrus and as soon as that package arrived on my doorstep I didn't waste a minute tearing into it and setting it up. Within minutes I had my warmer assembled and was reading the easy-to-decipher directions on how to break off a small cube of the scent bar and toss it in the top tray of the warmer. 

Before I knew it, my entire first floor smelled deliciously of warm cinnamon and spices. If you must know, I chose to melt Welcome Home first and I am so glad that I did. When my sister-in-law stopped by the house later that afternoon, she was immediately struck by the yummy scent and wondered what I had spent all morning baking! Ha! 

As for long-lasting durability? I have been burning the same two tiny cubes of scent bar for more than four days now and there isn't an end in sight! To change scents, all you need to do is heat the wax, pour it back into the container is arrived in and store in a cool, dry place! Then you'll be able to burn those same cubes at a later time! Incredible. 

Lastly, one of the other great things about Scentsy that both Sharon and I like is that twice a year, Scentsy comes out with a special warmer or Buddy and net proceeds from the sale of that product go to a charity. For example, right now Sharon is offering Sasha the Bear. Proceeds from Sasha sales go to Ronald McDonald House Charities. As consultants, Sharon writes, "we are encouraged to give more than we take. I am proud to be a part of such a company."

Here's where it gets even better, Loyals. Sharon is graciously offering one of my readers a $50 gift certificate to shop her Scentsy Catalog. Be sure to use the Rafflecopter Giveaway Entry system below to log your entries for the giveaway! Good luck! And many, many thanks to Sharon for reaching out to me and making me a major Scentsy Fan!

It's Time For Pictures Of Carter Because Well, It's Been A While.

I love that the natural light that comes pouring into our front living room between the hours of 3pm and 4pm is absolutely as perfect as perfect natural light can get. I love that I continue to drag Carter into that room to take his picture day in and day out since he was only a few months old.  
I love that the Crazy Toddler Wildebeest will only sit still enough for a picture for approximately .27 seconds and only if I'm balancing a blue rubber fishy bathtub toy on my head and singing "John Jacob Jingle-Heimer-Schmidt" at the top of my lungs.  
I love that my Dad specifically requests an "off center picture with Carter to the right" for his personal computer's desktop image. As you can see, that's the reasoning behind these pictures. 
I love how there is practically not a single ounce of baby left on that boy's face. 
I love how the curl's above his ears fan out into little "wings." 
I love how I never have to edit or "brighten" his eyes. What you see is what you get with him. Amazing, isn't it?
I love how you can still see the crusties from this morning's bowl of oatmeal hanging out above his eyebrow.
It's Monday and I'm so in love. Happy Monday, Loyals! 

Bumpdate :: 17 Weeks and Growing!

Top: A Pea In The Pod, Bottoms: Black (Beneath The Belly Band) Slacks, Old Navy


{17 Weeks!}

Total Weight Gained/Loss? I've gained 5lbs since my first weigh-in at 8 weeks. I've said it before and I'll say it again- I cannot gain another 48lbs. with this pregnancy. At least I could blame 10lbs of it on baby the first time around, but still. I just. can't. do. it. 

Maternity Clothes: I've been in maternity jeans since 9 weeks. I'm still managing to squeak by in some of my pre-pregnancy tops from JCrew but let's face it- maternity is just more comfortable. My favorite jeans are my Mavi Maternity Skinnies and a few of my favorite tops are from Isabella Oliver, A Pea in the Pod and trusty Old Navy. 

Sleep: Kind of shoddy. Since I'm relegated to sleeping only on my side now, I've been waking up throughout the night with the most awful hip pain ever. Since I've had C, my right hip tends to ache and feel stiff a lot, but I've easily attributed that to carrying around a nearly 10lb. child. With C, my hip pain didn't start until much later in pregnancy- it's nice to know it's rearing it's ugly head already.  

Best Moment of the Week? Last week, we found out M2 is going to be another sweet baby BOY! Does that count?

Movement? Definitely. I know I said I started feeling it much earlier this time around- closer to 12 weeks rather than the 18 week mark with C. I definitely feel him in there and I can tell he likes to stay curled up on my left side. Lot's of little pokes and the occasional "roll" feeling. So incredibly awesome. 

Food Craving? Candy. Sour candy. Sweet candy. Chewy candy. Candy, candy, candy.  Yogurt with granola. Chipotle/Qdoba burritos. Spicy sushi. 

Food aversions: Sadly? None. I'm pretty much game for anything and everything this time around. Nom. Nom. Nom. 

Morning sickness? For the love of all things holy, WHY am I still nauseous? It was not like this with C. 17 weeks and going strong. Woof. 

Gender? C's going to have a little BROTHER! 

Labor Signs? No thank you.

Belly Button? Out. Like way, way out. Already.

What I miss? With all of the burrito-eating I've been doing lately, I could REALLY go for a margarita. I even asked The Husband to whip up a batch of virgin margs the other day. Shameless, really.

What I'm looking forward to: Hosting my future Sister-in-Love's Bridal Shower on the 21st of this month and our anatomy scan on the 30th!

Happy Friday, Loyals! Have a great weekend!