Quick Takes: Pink dresses, face make-up, and prego pillows...

 Linking up with Jen for some quick takes (and by the way, hers are hilarious this week).

1. This week started off with Sean and Catherine's wedding Sunday night, which my sisters and I have been counting down for months. It was interesting to say the least. I love that Sean and Catherine didn't live together before they were married and made it clear that they were waiting for the wedding night. Buuut anyone who watched the wedding knows that ABC made such a big deal out of them waiting that it was almost trashy (I know - sounds completely counter-intuitive...but trust me). Anyways, the live wedding made up for the pre-wedding banter (and awkward lingerie shopping). Sean's dad, a pastor, did the ceremony and I loved it when he said "Love God the most and you'll love each other more." Catherine's dress was a gorgeous lace and we have similar taste in bridesmaid dresses:

Ok, I like hers a little better...but same pale pink, wide straps, sweetheart neckline:

2. I still haven't had a chance to watch the Grammy's (actually just the E dress commentary that I recorded) since bachelor wedding > Grammy's but Taylor Swift's dress was oh so classy and beautiful:

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3. Hallie's post Love in the Time of Scarlet Fever had me laughing and crying and deeply appreciating my husband all at the same time.

4. The partly sleepless nights have continued as this baby gets bigger and after a week of them (and several of your suggestions to get a pregnancy pillow) I got this email in my inbox:

After confering with Stephen that $79 (!) was worth it for a pillow, it was on it's way to my doorstep. Crossing my fingers that it works (and gets here soon).

5. Grace suggested this acne system from Paula's Choice a while back, and I ordered the trial kit last week to try it out due to the havoc that pregnancy has wreaked on my skin (partly hormones, partly not being able to use my Retin-A). I'm honestly stunned by the difference it made in just a few days (and Stephen concurs). My skin is so much clearer, smoother, and even...it works almost as well or even better than my Retin-A did. 10 dolla off link here if you want to try it for yourself (the trial kit is only $13).

6. Has anyone tried this foundation? I've been using Clinique for years, but I've been looking for something with a little better/more even coverage. The Tarte Amazonian Clay one has great reviews, and apparently it's sold at Ulta so I'm planning to head there this weekend with a 20% off coupon plus a credit that I have been waiting to use.

 

7. This week marked the end of my Senior Surgery rotation and I was not not sad to scrub my last surgery as a medical student or to take my last oral exam of medical school. I can't believe that my M.D. is only three short months away.

Happy weekend!

24 Weeks

Well I'm not exactly sure what happened over the last couple of weeks, but hello baby! I really can't believe that 6 months has passed. His arrival seems more real every day.

Just when I think I'm getting used to this pregnancy thing, some new symptom appears. It was lower back pain this weekend, which I think is more from sleeping funny (can't, can't get used to the side-sleeping thing) than from the belly (but who knows). I did start doing this pilates video which seems to be helping.

And a mostly underwhelming What I Wore Sunday outfit:

Tunic: Splendid via 6pm.com

Pants: J. Crew 

Boots: Hunter

J. Crew sale picks

J. Crew sale by emarieh featuring J.Crew

Despite the fact that I can't wear most of this right now, I couldn't resist looking through the J. Crew sale section (all 40-50% off!) this morning. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Crinkle boy shirt in black check: I can think of so many ways to wear this...

2. Merino tippi cardigan: I own this cardi in a couple colors and it's a favorite.

3. Perfect-fit ballet button tee: Such a gorgeous shade of aqua.

4. Skinny calf hair belt: I own a similar one from Ann Taylor outlet and it's a closet staple.

5. Lace colorblock pencil skirt: I can't stop thinking about how classy this would look with a silky black tee and the black suede Etta heels. 

6. Toothpick jeans in dolphin grey: How awesome are these jeans?

7. Double cloth lady day coat: This coat has an Audrey Hepburn vibe and is lined with Thinsulate for extra warmth.

8. Suede Etta pumps: Black heels that are a little more than basic.

What are your picks?

Quick takes + life lately

Via

This past week was not my favorite week. It started off by an email saying that fourth year medical students don't have spring break this year (although first, second, and third year students do) which put a sad end to our well-planned and almost-booked babymoon to Florida in March. I'm embarrassed to say that I almost cried (preggo hormones? or not) and maturely proclaimed that I would probably never go on a vacation again (residency + babies + life). Next was an announcement that both senior surgery oral exams and our powerpoint presentation was moved up a week (with two days notice). And what followed was a lot of little things gone wrong, which don't really matter but weren't well-received by my already cruddy week (and I know that I shouldn't complain since nothing truly bad happened and there are people with so much worse things to worry about). Add to the mix some crazy pregnancy dreams and residency decisions that I'm not quite ready to make looming over my head.

Anyways, joining Jen for some Friday quick takes.

1. Possibly the highlight of my week (shows you what kind of week I had), these cookies. I found them by googling "chocolate chip cookie recipes with one egg" but they also come up under "best chocolate chip cookies ever." Anyways, they're so.good. Stephen even said they're the best he's ever tasted (high praise coming from him).

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2. Some good and not-so-good dinner attempts lately: Stephen and I made this honey pretzel chicken together and it's amazing (easy too!)

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And I made this meatloaf the other night. It was my first attempt at meatloaf, which seems easy enough to make, but it was absolutely terrible (just as bad as my attempt at pot roast). That's what I get for googling "easy meatloaf recipes."

3. I was deeply moved by this post by Dwiija. Absolutely beautiful and great food for thought for pregnant moms.  

4. I just love Princess Kate (I can't get enough of her classy outfits and gorgeous hair) and rather enjoyed this article entitled "Kate Middleton is just as awkward as the rest of us" (although looking at the pictures I kind of disagree).  

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5. Some super sweet reader nominated me for a Sheenazing Award (love that these are named for Fulton Sheen) for Coolest Blogger. You can vote (and check out a bunch of better bloggers) here. 

6. I am officially 24 weeks today, which is unbelievably exciting because it's widely considered the point of viability, so this little guy has a decent chance of survival outside the womb. Funny story this week, apparently my 11 year old sister Maria came home super upset when her friend from home school group claimed that one of the moms from our church (pregnant with her fourth) who is 9 weeks behind me is "waay bigger than your sister." Maria was apparently very defensive, but I took it as a compliment since I'm starting to feel pretty big (although I will admit that I went home and measured my uterus to make sure it was on target #medstudentissues).

7. How cute is this onesie that my sister Ilsa sent me? Stephen wants it.

Via

This is a big weekend: Sean and Catherine's wedding and the Grammy's (more dresses!). Who else will be watching?!

Five Favorites: Wearing lately

I'm in this awkward phase at 23 weeks/5 days where my noticeable bump isn't quite right for some maternity clothes but very little of my pre-pregnancy wardrobe looks or fits right (including my ultra-warm winter coat which is getting ridiculously tight over the belly but I refuse to give up in this arctic weather). Also a disclaimer that I didn't want to turn this blog into all things baby/maternity...but blogs follow the relevant things in our lives I guess. Before I was pregnant I *mostly* ignored blogs that went the baby/maternity way but now I've been eating them up and many of the blogs I followed religiously pre-pregnancy have gone unread for months...

Anyways, on to what I've been wearing lately:

1. J. Crew Maternity Minnie (non-maternity version): I purchased a pair of these at 30% off early in the pregnancy. They are definitely a splurge, but I think will end up being worth it because of how much I've worn them. The best part about these pants is that they worked for me in the first trimester before I gained any weight but my normal pants were uncomfortable against my sensitive stomach, and they still work now as I approach the end of the second trimester. I wore these to lots of pre-interview residency dinners and they're great for everyday too. I also think I'll be wearing them post-partum (thanks to the versatile side panels). The burgundy color is gorgeous.

2. J. Brand Mama J jeans: My other maternity splurge (and I don't plan to splurge on anything else...not worth it for clothes that can be worn only temporarily). These were worth it since I literally tried tons of other maternity jeans which either slipped right down (those darn over-belly panels), didn't fit right, or looked like mom jeans (no pun intended). These jeans are practically better than my pre-pregnancy jeans and the side panels are so much better for jeans than the over-belly ones (at least for me). These are also something that I should be able to wear the rest of the pregnancy and afterward.

3. J. C. Penney wide leg trousers: These were a Christmas gift from my mom and I love them. They fit perfectly, the panel is comfy and doesn't slip, and they look like my pre-pregnancy work pants. I wore them with my suit blazer to my last few residency interviews and I wear them to the clinic constantly. Actually, I wore them 6 days in a row last week (I did wash them in between) because they are just so darn comfortable.

4. Stretchy long sleeve tees: The striped one is from Gap (non-maternity version) and the solid is from Motherhood (I own four of them - buy one get one free). These tees are nice and long and have been a wardrobe staple for me. The Gap one is arguably my favorite maternity shirt and the solid ones prompted my sisters to ask if they were J. Crew (they are a maternity replica of the J. Crew gold button painter tee).

5. Non-maternity staples: I owned lots of open cardis before pregnancy which has definitely come in handy (I own and recommend these J. Crew Factory ones). The grey tunic sweater is from Vicky's and a great length for leggings with plenty of room for a preggo belly (these run huge - I originally ordered one size up and had to exchange since Stephen said they looked like a tent). 

I'm sure that as I grow some of my staples will change (one of my friends told me that to enjoy the 'cute belly' stage before it gets huge) but I'm happy for now that most of these are similar to what I wore pre-pregnancy and super versatile to mix and match.

Linking it up with Hallie on this frigid Wednesday morning.

23 weeks + what I wore Sunday

A few pregnancy updates: 23 weeks and he apparently is the size of a grapefruit or an eggplant and as long as a green onion. He moves around constantly, which I love (maybe I won't love it as much when he starts kicking me in the ribs). I've gained about 10-12 pounds and even though the baby was a small-ish 19th percentile on his 20 week scan, I'm positive he's had a growth spurt since then. I had a really easy second trimester until I ended up in the hospital with the flu at 19.5 weeks, and I feel like it's kind of been downhill from there. I still have sinus drainage and a sore throat (although whether the sore throat is from the sinus issues or the awful acid reflux I've been having is up in the air). I'm also overwhelmingly tired which I thought wasn't supposed to happen in the second trimester? But it started with the flu and hasn't gone away and now that I'm just a few weeks away from the third trimester, I guess I'm resigned to it just being part of the pregnancy.  Also sleeping has started to be difficult...I'm a diehard stomach sleeper which is not working out so well anymore. I'm contemplating getting one of those pregnancy pillows to keep me on my side...but enough complaining. 

We did have a little scare last week where I started having intermittent cramping. I gave it an hour and a half and then called my doctor, who sent me to the OB floor. They monitored the baby, who looked just fine, and monitored me for signs of labor progression. Fortunately the cramping stopped after about 3 hours...but I've kind of been ill-at-ease since then. Part of the problem is that I know too much (influenza A puts pregnant moms at a higher risk of pre-term labor). They did do another ultrasound at the hospital and got the most beautiful profile of our little babe:

In other news, I *think* I'm done with residency interviews (I still have one more scheduled but will probably cancel). I haven't written much about it partly because I was struggling internally with my decision and partly because I'm leery to put anything on the blog until my rank list is due at the end of next month (in the off chance that some program should stumble on my little corner of the internet). I definitely will share more about it when the time is right. I think that my decision (which is really just as much Stephen's decision - he's been so supportive) for my top four or five programs is pretty much made, which is exciting but frightening all at the same time. I also got my Step 2 boards score last week, which far exceeded any of my expectations and I'm just thanking God and St. Gianna because I know that I couldn't have done it on my own.

On to what I wore Sunday (linking up here). I probably changed my outfit three times yesterday, sigh. But neutrals are always a good decision, and tops that drape in the right places are a lifesaver while my body changes in ways I didn't know it could. This top was a deal of the week at veryjane.com, and even though it isn't maternity it's long enough to work right now. It does have dolman sleeves, which I didn't realize when I ordered it and have always thought look sort of like bat wings...but it was cheap enough and fits well enough that I'll accept the bat wings. Funny sidenote about mass yesterday that when I knelt I felt like I barely had enough room between the kneeler and the pew in front of me for my uterus (which apparently is almost the size of soccer ball). Even funnier since I know it's about to get much bigger....

 Infinity scarf: J. Crew (old)

Top: veryjane.com

Denim skirt: Noppies via Amazon (but I should have waited because I spotted a perfect maternity one on thredup.com)

Boots: Frye

5 Favorites: Golden Globes edition

Like many, I watch the Golden Globes for the dresses. I don't really care about the awards, since it's guaranteed that I haven't seen most of the TV shows or movies that are being awarded. Also, I'm clueless enough that Stephen and I had a conversation that went something like this:

Me: What are the Golden Globes for anyways?

Stephen (watching football): Not sure.

Me: What's the difference between them and the Grammys?

Stephen: The Grammy's are for music.

Me: No wait, I meant what's the difference between that and the Emmys?

Stephen: I think you mean the Oscars.

Me: Yeah that one.

Stephen: Not sure. Wiki it?

The only part that I really care about is the E News fashion commentary, and the football playoffs won over that this year (what can I say, I'm a good wife...and that's what the DVR is for). 

On to the dresses though! There were some really beautiful ones this year, and was it just me, or did they seem overall classier than usual? My favorites gravitated towards classic lines, shimmery neutrals, or pops of color:

1. Guiliana's was my absolute favorite: a beautiful shade of burgundy, A-line skirt, and classy sheer top instead of strapless. Loved it.

 2. I thought Zooey Deschanel looked fun and chic but still formal enough (and the shoes!):

3. I'm generally not a fan of strapless, but Taylor Swift pulled off her dress perfectly. It was just simple enough and the skirt is so, so pretty.

4. I had to google who this girl (Tatiana Maslany) was (apparently she played Mary in The Nativity and guest-starred on Parks and Recreation). Anyways, her dress was minimalistic and classy and I love the way it draped.

5. While I'm not a fan at all of the plunging neckline, the silhouette, cap sleeves, and perfectly placed gold pattern make Julianna Marguiles dress a favorite.

Two more that I personally liked but got mixed reviews: Julia Roberts and Clare Bowen. It was risky but I think that Julia Roberts pulled off the shirt/dress combo; I like that she modified a strapless dress and I also like the black/white combo and sparkly belt. Clare Bowen's dress was really unique with a fun color combo and flattering fit.

               

And since preggo looks are relevant to me right now, here you go. Kerry Washington looked beautiful but I thought her dress was too matronly (kind of looks like a mother-of-the-bride dress with the sleeves cut off?) Olivia Wilde is the clear winner of the three in her flattering, form-fitting dark green dress (also we are due around the same time). Drew Barrymore's dress was such a gorgeous pattern/fabric/color combo but the shape ruined it for me; I think that something to define her waist above her bump would have transformed it completely.

Linking up with Hallie. What were your favorites?

All images via huffingtonpost.com and latimes.com