Five Favorites: Twice edition

A couple months ago, Twice contacted me and asked if I would share some outfits and an interview for their Top Twicer feature (you can read it here). I discovered Twice (link for $10 referral credit) a few years ago and since then have found some really great pieces from my favorite brands. For those of you who haven't heard of it, Twice sells gently used clothing from brands including J. Crew (!), Anthropologie, Gap, Banana Republic, and Nordstrom.

Here are five of my favorite Twice finds (and be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for a chance to win a Twice gift card courtesy of Twice!). 

1. I found this Anthropologie dress in one of the new arrivals emails that Twice sent me (they send emails with picks customized by your size and favorite brands). It's different than anything I had in my closet, and a great mustard color. I also love that it has the ease of a dress while giving the illusion of a skirt with a fun printed blouse.

2. I was pretty stoked to find this J. Crew white denim jacket in brand new condition. I found these green skinny cargos at Twice too, also J. Crew. Sidenote that Twice was a great place to find a couple pairs of pants and tops for transitioning back to my regular wardrobe in the postpartum period.

3. This Splendid cardi is so me, and the Anthropologie top underneath was another fun find at a great price.

4. Another great Splendid cardi in one of my favorite colors.

5. I found this Gap blazer brand new with tags from Twice! I had literally seen it only weeks before in the store so I was thrilled. Thrown over a basic dress, it makes a great work outfit.

Linking up with Jenna and The Pleated Poppy.

Want to try Twice for yourself? Already a loyal Twice shopper and want some store credit? Twice is generously offering a $25 gift card to a reader and you can enter below. And even if you don't win, you can get $10 off by using my referral link here (thanks in advance!)

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Truths...

Top: Golden Tote

Pants: J. Crew

Boots: Frye

Some truths about this outfit...

...I wore it last weekend, since the majority of my time now is spent in scrubs (I sense a blog/ebay sale coming soon - I just can't justify all the nice clothes still in boxes since we moved)

...The pants are these ones - yes, they're maternity pants. Not the over-belly third trimester kind but the end-of-first beginning-of-second trimester side panel kind. I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight but have a residual tummy pooch that will probably require a lot more crunches/less carbs and these pants are the epitomy of comfy. Unfortunately they're also saggy, and a mid-rise would be much more flattering since these are designed to sit below the bump. I requested a pair of black skinny pants in my next Stitch Fix so we shall see.

...The babe spit up on the pants...and I just wiped it off and still wore them. Gross, I know, but part of reality with a four month old. Another reason to have a blog sale, since I own a ridiculous number of dry-clean-only J. Crew tops that I will probably never dare to wear again.

...These boots are by far the most expensive wardrobe purchase I've ever made. They were almost 40% off on Amazon when I bought them last year, but still sooo expensive and I have a twinge of guilt every time that I wear them. But they're perfect.

...I'm still wearing my hair in a top knot every.day despite the hairstylist's advice at my last appointment to not wear my hair up so much to try to stilt my dreaded postpartum hair loss...and also despite Stephen informing me after two years of marriage and two more years of dating (a.k.a. 4 years of top knot-wearing) that he prefers my hair down.

...My style has done almost a 180 since having the babe...I'm all about long, drapey tops with fun patterns and stretchy, skinny pants...and no dry-clean only (I'm embarrassed to say that I never evah checked the care tags before now). 

...Do these qualify to link up with Jen? I think so. Also linking up with the Pleated Poppy and Tara.

It's fall again...

 Top: Corinna heathered dolman top from Stitch Fix

Jeans: J. Crew Factory

Boots: Steve Madden via Amazon Warehouse

1. I recently saw this quote on Pinterest:

It made me think about how much I love fall, but it also made me reflect on the excitement and anticipation that I felt at this time last year in early pregnancy. Life has changed very much for the better since then (harder, but better!), and I'm so grateful for all of it.

2. It's been hard lately to find time to keep this little space on the internet going. I have several half-written posts in my drafts about intern year, motherhood, medicine that I can't seem to finish. I'm having a hard time expressing my thoughts completely on it (and maybe even grasping how I really feel about it) so I guess I'll finish them in due time...or maybe not, and that's ok.

3. In the meantime here's a shot of what I've been doing at work lately on my EMS month:

Emergency medicine has it's perks.

4. I totally missed out on the opportunity to do a sappy, sweet anniversary post when we celebrated two years on August 31. My mom gave us the best gift ever and flew in for the weekend so she could help us around the house and watch the little man for some dates. We went out to dinner twice (!) and also went for a hike, which was totally therapeutic and some time that we really needed together.

 

5. Continuing on the fall note, it's my favorite time of year for outfits. I recently picked up a few things using a credit that I had from my Loft (everything is currently 40% off with the code fallstyle!) I definitely did not need another pencil skirt, but the mustard pattern was too good to pass up. The blouse is breastfeeding-friendly and both the skirt and the blouse will be great pieces for an emergency medicine conference that I have in Chicago next month. The cardi and top are great basics.

Links: Skirt // Cardi // Long-sleeve top // Printed blouse

 6. And another outfit that I planned to share last Sunday but didn't have time to post:

Skirt: J. Crew

Vest: J. Crew Factory, super similar here or here

The last time that I wore that utility vest was actually when I was very pregnant so it was nice to be able to zip it this time ha. I'm not sure that I love it how I wore it with the maxi skirt/tee but I think it'll look great over a striped top and skinny jeans/boots for fall.

7. You probably noticed from the pictures how big our little guy is getting...I feel like I can barely remember bringing him home as a teeny newborn on the cusp of being small for gestational age...now I'm guessing he's 60th percentile? We shall see at his 4 month (!) check up in a little over a week. We love him so very much and he is worth the sleepless nights a thousand times over (I can't imagine what it's like to have a baby that sleeps through the night but someday it'll come). He is getting to be more and more interactive and it's such a joy...

Linking up with Jen // The Pleated Poppy

On this outfit...and glorious weekends

Cardi: Loft

Top: Collective Concepts

Jeans: J Brand

Booties: Sam Edelman (thrifted last year)

 1. This outfit fits my postpartum criteria for long drapey tops, and also goes back to my girly roots (oh how I love pink...and a great drapey cardigan). The cardi also doubles as a nursing cover, and it's only $15 on sale right now at Loft. I saw the floral top originally on someone's Stitch Fix review and then found it on clearance at Off Saks (it's 40% off this weekend!).

2. My jeans (wearing them above...and in just about every other postpartum photo on my blog where I'm wearing jeans) are still on sale and I so wish that I could justify another pair, since I go into half-crisis mode whenever the little man spits on them (and I wash them way less than I really should).

3. My favorite pants of all time are 40% off sale price again this weekend (reviewed them here).

4. I have another Stitch Fix scheduled for next week and I'm pretty darn excited to see what the pretty little box brings this month. I'll be sure to share some reviews soon (in the meantime you can read last month's review here). I've been wearing the embroidered tank and the grey striped top they sent last month over and over again.

5. Due to some scheduling glitch (and the grace of God) I ended up with a three day weekend this month. Part of me wants to go somewhere and take advantage of what will be one of my very few long weekends over the next three years...but most of me just wants to stay at home and cuddle Stephen Gabriel.

6. I shared my birth story this past week (part one here, part two here) and I think it may have come off a little strong based on some of the comments...but at least I can say that it was honest? I wrote it a few weeks after his birth and when I re-read it before I posted it, it was almost like re-living it again. I feel like I understand the meaning of suffering in a much deeper way since his birth...both in the sense that it was unlike any suffering I've ever experienced before and because the gift that came of it in little Stephen was so much greater than anything I could have ever imagined.

7. Stephen and I are celebrating our second anniversary this weekend...any last minute anniversary gift ideas for him? Just call me uber prepared ha.

Have a glorious weekend. Linking with Jen.

On white jeans, and intern year...

Headband: Urban Outfitters

Chambray: J. Crew

Jeans: J. Crew

Sandals: Sam Edelman

 1. Yesterday was Stephen Gabriel's (a.k.a. Junior's) 3 month birthday. Of course every mom says this, but I just can't get over how adorable and sweet he is...he's brought an incredible amount of joy into our lives during his very short existence. It's been harder than I ever anticipated being away from him, but on the bright side it makes me cherish all the time that I get to spend with him while I'm at home. It also makes me want to do a better job at work - if I have to be away from him, I want to be the very best doctor that I can be while I'm gone.

2. Intern year as a resident is incredibly difficult. The first week was so powerfully overwhelming that it's hard to put it into words. It's an immense responsibility, making decisions that affect other people's lives. And the entire first week was also an internal struggle for me, being away from the baby and quite honestly wondering at times why I ever decided to go to medical school. The last couple weeks have been an uphill climb though...I'm learning a lot and feel grateful that I've been able to take care of some patients that really needed it and also that Stephen Sr. is doing such a good job at home.

3. Next a disclaimer that tucked under my shirt in these pictures is a holter monitor. I've had problems with heart palpitations in the past (although not until I started medical school and took board exams ha) and they've returned with a vengeance. I'm almost 100% certain that it's from fatigue (emergency medicine residency may be better than some, but we're constantly switching shifts and working all kinds of weird hours) and stress, but after Stephen felt my wildly irregular pulse for the upteenth time he convinced me to go see a doctor. They take palpitations seriously after pregnancy, so holter monitor and echo it is.

4. These jeans. I credit them to Gigi, because she shared that there was some kind of crazy pricing going on at J. Crew and they were marked down to $15 (now sadly back to $115). I own one other pair of white jeans that now happily button but unfortunately have no stretch and are pretty low rise...and stretch plus a higher rise are the keys to comfortable jeans postpartum I've discovered. These are the other jeans I've been living in (I'm probably wearing them in any recent pictures on the blog where I have jeans on)...I found them on sale at Nordstrom Rack while I was still pregnant and they've been a lifesaver.

5. I've discovered that postpartum hair loss is really a thing. I thought that I was exempt because my hair did just fine for the first couple months postpartum, but it turns out that the three month mark is about where it starts. Hence the headband which is covering up an embarrassingly thin area near the front of my head...and since this headband actually stays on my rather large head and my hair is probably not growing back any time soon, I'm about to order two more.

6. I feel like my style has gone through a major change since I had little Stephen. I'm not as attracted to the recent arrivals at J. Crew (also partially due to the fact that my closet already has an overabundance of J. Crew/J. Crew factory) and instead have been gravitating towards drapey tops with fun prints like the ones I got recently from Stitch Fix (post here) and also more boho pieces like this kimono from Anthro (if it would only go on sale....way on sale).

7. Last but not least, I shared the first part of little Stephen's birth story here, and part two will be up on Monday.

Happy weekend! I'll be working all weekend, but this week marks the end of my first month of intern year, which is pretty darn satisfying. Linking with Jen.

Sunday musings...

Top: Piperlime clearance, dress version here//3/4 sleeve version here

Skirt: J. Crew (old), current version here//similar here

Shoes: Sam Edelman

Lips: Nars

I spent the whole summer looking for a white peasant top with blue embroidery and finally find one just as the summer is lagging to a halt. I originally loved this one but it was too pricey and waaay too short when I tried it on...so I was pretty excited when I found this one on popback at Piperlime (I used a 40% off coupon). The length is perfect and it's nice and light for summertime.

If I look tired in this picture, it's because I worked until 4:30 a.m. The pediatric ER was crawling this weekend which didn't lend itself to getting home on time  (side note that I had some really interesting cases...including my first case of Kawasaki). And on the plus side, having a baby is probably the best way to train yourself to function on very little sleep.

We walked to mass this morning and when the priest saw Stephen Gabriel, he said "That's a new one!", which is funny because he seems so big to us now. I'll be spending the day with my little guy before I go back to work tomorrow. Have a lovely Sunday (linking up with FL&P).

Sunday blues

Dress: EShakti c/o

Shoes: Sole Society

Earrings: Stella and Dot

You guys, this dress! It's comfy, A-line (hello flattering - even two months post-baby), the brightest/prettiest shade of blue, aaaaand it has pockets! Could a girl ask for anything more?

EShakti contacted me when I was pushing 9 months preggo and asked if I would review one of their dresses. After confirming that they really did want me to review a dress in my soon-to-be postpartum state (ha), I happily obliged. I picked this dress because of the color, post-baby friendly cut, and because it looked breastfeeding compatible (it is!) which is excruciatingly hard to find. But there are so many lovely options like this one, this one, and this one. The best part? EShakti will customize a dress for your measurements. This is gold for a girl whose chest is consistently several sizes bigger than her dress size (and when you add in breastfeeding - almost impossible to find any dress that fits properly). You can also customize the sleeves, length, or neckline if that's your thing. 

This is the perfect Sunday dress and I'm linking it here.

Savoring it...

We packed Jr., as Stephen as started affectionally calling him despite my protests that it just might stick and I really prefer Stephen Gabriel, in the car last week for a spontaneous trip to visit my family in the town where I grew up, the place that I'm convinced is the best place in the world during summertime. Sadly it was a little cold but that didn't stop us from reveling in the green grass and fresh air and crystal clear lake views. We also were able to go out alone a couple times while my mom watched the baby, always briefly of course but I'm convinced that a little time with just the two of us is important before I go back to work.

It didn't really make sense to make the trip since we'll be going back next week for my brother's wedding, but little Stephen is more than used to long car trips by now (move to Minnesota at 2 weeks, wedding in Detroit at 3 weeks, and now two more trips to northern Michigan at 8 and 9 weeks) and he doesn't seem to mind (as long as we have his tunes). 

I'm really trying to ignore the fact that each day that passes brings me closer to the inevitable day in August that I go back to work (officially, since I've already been back for quite a few days of orientation and training) and instead savor each day that I get to spend with the little guy. It's hard though, because each moment seems so fleeting and every day he grows and changes...I just hate the thought of missing any of it.

One of the things that makes me feel the saddest is thinking of him waking up at night without me there. As an ER physician, I'll be doing lots and lots of late evening and night shifts (next month is a lighter month and 16 of my shifts are late evenings or nights). Last night when he woke up at 3 a.m. I snuggled him close, his head fitting perfectly in the crook of my neck, and tried not to think about the nights at 3 a.m. when I won't be home.

And he 'turned' two months this week! We go for his check up today and I'm waiting anxiously to here how much he's grown...he's definitely come a long, long way from the fragile 6 pound, 3 ouncer that we brought home (I'm pretty sure that he's jumped at least three curves on the growth chart). He's so interactive lately, looks right into our eyes and smiles, and I'm loving every bit of it.

I promised myself that I would never do posts on "mom" style (it just sounds so old) but the truth is, lots of things do change...one of which is gravitating toward more practical shoes that aren't too 'mom-ish' ha. These have been quintessential to my summer uniform.

And the top I'm wearing in this post is from J. Crew Factory, another great postpartum one. It's currently on clearance here.

That makes seven, so I'm linking up with Jen.

Wearing lately {+ my favorite pants}

Getting dressed postpartum is hard. I made the mistake of trying on a pair of pre-pregnancy jeans a week after giving birth (don't do it). Four weeks out, I had dropped 20 of the 28ish pounds that I put on while pregnant but my loose jeans pre-pregnancy still wouldn't cut it. And now, 6 weeks later, I can get them on and button them (barely) but they just don't fit like they did before. I started exercising again last week: so far I've tried zumba, hip hop aerobics, and cardio-boxing along with this dvd a couple times a week (funny story that this is the same dvd that I did with my mom after she gave birth to the youngest two of my 7 siblings). Still though, it's going to be awhile before my clothes fit like they used to, and that's ok.

So I decided to pick up a couple pairs of pants and tops that fit well now. It's good for my psyche and body image in this somewhat rocky time ha...

 

Pants: J. Crew 

Top: J. Crew

These are the J. Crew skinny zipper pants, which are on sale today for $25 (gasp). I first saw them in this picture:

 

Shirt: J. Crew bell floral tunic

Pants: J. Crew skinny zipper pant

I kind of fell in love with the whole ensemble, the gorgeous blue tunic (also on super sale today) and the perfect pants. I didn't think that they'd work for me now, but I ordered them in the larger of my two J. Crew pant sizes and hoped for the best. I was shocked when they arrived: they fit beautifully (I mean, as beautifully as pants can 6 weeks postpartum) with (almost) no muffin top, just enough stretch, flattering back pockets...aaaand I may have picked up another pair today (but seriously, $25!)

These Splendid tunics are part of the very few shirts that I owned pre-pregnancy that are flattering right now, and I've been wearing them nonstop:

On left:

Tunic: Splendid

Jeans: old, current version from J. Crew Factory

Sandals: Birkenstocks

On right: 

Tunic: Splendid

Sandals: Sam Edelman

These tunics definitely fit me differently than they did before I was pregnant, but they are drapey, which is always good post-partum, and they are long enough which has been an ongoing problem for me since I started breastfeeding. They're on sale right now here in lots of colors but they're still kinda pricey (I found mine on sale at 6pm.com and on Ebay).

I know it's been said before, but I'm trying to appreciate my body for the incredible feat that it's accomplished: birthing a human being (sans epidural, no less - although whether that was a good idea I'm still wrestling with in my mind ha). So I will forgive my stretch marks, soft belly, and "extra curves" and marvel in what my body has done. In the meantime, I'm trying to eat healthy, exercise and dress in a way that is flattering now. And at the end of the day, what really matters right now isn't worrying about my clothes or counting calories, it's reveling in this sweet little guy and relishing every moment with him...it's amazing how much joy a person so tiny can bring.

Last week, in our 4th of July best!

 

Linking up with the Pleated Poppy and Agi.

Polka dot skirts and sleepless nights

Tee: Loft

Skirt: J. Crew clearance last year; same available here from J. Crew Factory

Sandals: Sam Edelman

Being a mom means that you start to stop caring (or noticing) that your scarf is on lopsided, there's spit-up on your shirt, and that your hair hasn't been washed for 2+ days (thank God for dry shampoo). So if my outfit pictures seem different, that's why...and it's all worth it. Yesterday's mass outfit (linking up here) consisted of a postpartum friendly skirt (on wicked sale right now), one of my favorite tees (I had to buy a couple in a size bigger to accommodate the inevitable expansion from breastfeeding), and these sandals that were a postpartum pick-me-up (see Kayla's post for more).

There are so many things to figure out as a new parent and it often feels overwhelming. I'm the oldest of eight kids and a medical school graduate, but the fact that I really don't feel any more knowledgeable or prepared than the average new parent becomes more glaringly obvious each day. Our latest hurdle is sleeping. The only books that I read pre/early pregnancy were Ina May's birth book and the La Leche league breastfeeding book, so maybe I'm missing something glaringly obvious since I never read any books on new babies...but the last few nights have been rough. The funny thing is that it all started with his best night of sleep ever a few nights ago: two glorious 4 hour chunks with one feeding in between. Since the little guy has come a long ways from the fragile 6 pound 3 ounce that came home with us (I'm pretty sure he's pushing 10 pounds now, if not bigger) I thought maybe that night was the start of a new 'thing' but I was dead wrong.

I think I'm partially to blame for the sleep problems though...when we were packing our house to move, we noticed that little Stephen slept for much longer chunks during the day in his Rock n' Play sleeper than he did at night in his cosleeper. Fast forward to coming home from my brother-in-law's wedding when we got home late and decided to forego the cosleeper for a night...and it just never went up again since our little man seemed to love sleeping in his soft and comfy Rock n' Play. I had a nagging feeling though that it didn't really meet the standards that it should for safe sleep, and after a little googling last weekend found numerous pediatricians advice to NOT use it for overnight sleeping. So thus started the transition back to the cosleeper...and mostly sleepless nights.

So I'm off to the hospital now to do some mandatory prep before our central line certification tomorrow (being an intern on maternity leave means that I still have plenty of training and workshops to complete on my month off). I'm thankful today for strong coffee, and the little smiles that make the sleepless nights all worth it.