Hard Work

shirt: Discount Fashion Warehouse (Victoria's Secret brand)

sweater: Target

pants: Kohl's

shoes: Target

Jacob and I had our first outing just the two of us on Sunday for one of my good friends' baby shower. I was really happy to have a reason to put on some real clothes and get out of the house for some girl time but let me just be real for a few minutes...

My hair is in a ponytail because 10 seconds into curling it Jacob started shrieking. Like to the point that my husband put him in the car and just kept driving around the block until I was ready to go to calm him down. I'm just happy I had the foresight to wash my hair on Saturday so that at a minimum I knew I'd be able to show up to the baby shower with clean hair.

I really love a good layered look, especially with colors being combined that complement each other like these. However, the sweater didn't last 5 minutes past walking into the baby shower because carrying a diaper bag, car seat with baby in it, and a gift is the closest think I've had to a workout in months and I didn't want to end up a sweaty mess. Baby holding can make you feel like you've got a little personal heater attached to you, so there's that too. 

Add to that the anxiety of being a new mom and worrying about whether or not your baby will be an angel baby during the baby shower or if he'll be an inconsolable crying mess and I won't know what to do with him. In case you were curious, he was perfect until most people had left and it was just a few of us close friends left. By the time I got him in the car seat and semi calmed down I was hot and frazzled enough that I didn't even try to put the sweater back on. So here you go - this complete outfit was worn for all of 20 minutes. I tried. It was exhausting. 

:)

Jacob: 1 Month

I thought it would be fun to do monthly updates to talk about how we're doing. I hope you enjoy it, but at the very least I think these posts will be a good way to capture the things I want to remember and will be a whole heck of a lot of fun to read back through as he gets older. My nostalgic self will love that!

Nicknames: Both my husband and I call him buddy, I also call him sweet pea and baby boy. A good friend of ours calls him The Jake. Any Cleveland Indians fans who get that reference?! :)

Height: 22 inches, up from 21 inches at birth.

Weight: 12 pounds 5 ounces. Our big boy is in the 95th percentile! 

Favorite moment: When I held him for the first time and he recognized my voice.

Favorite characteristic: He has the look he does when he's sleeping and needs to stretch where he'll raise his eyebrows while keeping his eyes closed and purse his lips. It's the cutest damn thing and I wish I was quick enough with my camera to catch it!

Things he likes: Sleeping sideways across my belly. The few times we've taken him out he also seems to really like car rides. Hoping that's still the case when we go for our first long car ride when we head back home for Christmas!

Things he dislikes: Baths. Man does he dislikes those and and screams his head off.

Things we couldn't live without: The rock n play is the only thing we could get him to sleep in when we came home. Our exhausted selves were so thankful for that thing when we first came home! The boppy...makes it so much easier to have him sleep across my belly like he loves to do and makes feeding time so much easier.

A Non-Maternity Outfit!

shirt: Target

jeggings: Target

boots: Target

Well here it is, the first real outfit I managed after having Jacob and all I can remember is that I threw these boots on in a rush to get out the door to his session for newborn pictures and when I stood up I got really excited because I realized that's the easiest I've put on a pair of shoes in months! :) But really, by the time I wore this outfit I was two and a half weeks postpartum and thankful for fitting into non maternity pants (although they're not buttoned and kept in place by one of those bands!) and for loose fitting shirts like this one. These kinds of shirts have been my favorite for quite awhile because I think loose fitting tops balance outfits with skinny leg pants and that's mostly what I wear, but think I'll love this combination even more now because it's pretty forgiving in the stomach area and who doesn't want that as they're recovering from having a baby?!

Time for a Change

Showing you what it looks like lately on the days I decide not to put on real clothes! :)

I've been going back and forth a bit, trying to decide if I want to switch things up around here and have decided to just go for it. So here you go - J's Style is now Jess Gets Dressed Sometimes! Why move away from J's Style? I've never really been a big fan of that blog title anyway. It was the best I came up with when I decided to give blogging a try back in January 2012. I've always been pretty terrified of people I know in real life finding out about my blog - something about that just makes me feel incredibly vulnerable but I'm hoping I overcome that feeling - and I just used my first initial because that fear had me questioning whether or not I even wanted to associate my name with this space. Ridiculous, I know. 

But Jess Gets Dressed Sometimes feels a little more fun, plus it's true! Sometimes I put in effort to get dressed and love to share that look and talk about it, then sometimes I really just want to throw on leggings or yoga pants and put my energy elsewhere, like snuggling up with my husband or now my baby boy. If I'm really lucky, maybe both! :) So here is where I'll  typically share my moments of having it together and probably some just for fun some life/weekend updates from time to time. Instagram is where it's at for sharing those in between moments, so if those interest you then you can find me here! 

Meet Jacob

Our baby boy is here! Meet Jacob, born Monday November 3rd after almost 17 hours of labor. He's a big boy, with a birth weight of 9 lbs 2 oz and 21 inches long. I still look at him and am just amazed that a week and a half ago he somehow fit in my belly. :) He gave us a bit of a scare by taking some fluid into his lungs, which caused him to spend the night in the NICU to get some help breathing for just a little bit (thankfully he was off of those machines later that night) and be monitored. 

I still can't believe we're actually parents and we created this little being. They let him lay on my chest for a minute or so before taking him to the NICU, but it was about 5 hours after he was born that I finally got to really hold him. As the nurse placed him in my arms he was crying like crazy, but the second I talked to him he just stopped crying, opened those eyes nice and wide and turned his head towards me and just stared. It's an amazing thing the first time your baby recognizes you. I'm in love!

It's been an exhausting week and a half, but both Jacob and us have learned so much about each other during that time that I'm slowly starting to feel like a functioning human again. Quick showers are hard enough to sneak in and of course I haven't managed anything other than either leggings or pajama pants with a t-shirt of some kind so content will be a little slow and sporadic around here until we get a little more settled and we figure this family of 3 thing out. In the meantime, if you want to sneak a peek at our life you can find me here on Instagram. Expect lots of baby cuteness. You've been warned. :)

"Capsule" Update

Time to link-up with Anne and Jacquelyn for a little "capsule" update. Read about how I downsized and developed my version of a fall capsule if you haven't seen that yet! So far the efforts made to clear out the closet clutter have paid off. Lots of items for this capsule period (September - November) are hanging out unused in my closet right now, but I expected that. Those items are the ones that because of their fit I expect them to be the first non-maternity pieces I'm able to reach for so I think I'll appreciate already having them at my fingertips rather than put away in another room because something tells me I'll be busy tending to other important business for awhile like snuggling a cute little baby. :)

Having less items taking up space has made it easier to find the items that still fit and are current favorites. Speaking of items that still fit, even some maternity items are no longer comfortable. I even caught my belly hanging out of a maternity t-shirt the other day. Ugh. But the end is near! So here's a highlight of what items I've been relying on to stay as comfortable as possible:

Black ponte pants - Right after I swore I was done buying maternity clothes, my black jeans and black dress pants stopped fitting. I tried to deal without them, but quickly realized how often I like to wear black pants. For something like $34, money well spent. I've worn them at least twice per week since getting them and let's be real - they'll be worn for a little while even post baby.

Olive skinnies - I had such a reliance on my non-maternity pair that I shouldn't be one bit surprised that I've had the same reliance on my maternity pair from Loft. I'm officially convinced that my closet always will need a pair of olive and a pair of black skinnies to turn to!

Maternity leggings - My mom bought these for me early on in my pregnancy. We randomly found them at Walmart and while they've gotten a decent amount of use this whole time, they're pretty much the only pants I wear on the weekend now.

Tunics - Best non-maternity purchases ever. My collection consists of two that were Target clearance purchases (gray short sleeve and orange short sleeve), a dark gray 3/4 sleeve one I've had for so long I can't even remember when I bought it, and a brown H&M one I thrifted that gets worn to work at least once a week. Most often though they've been perfect to pair with my leggings and I typically pick one, wear it both days on the weekend, then it hits the laundry. Extra bonus - since these are non-maternity I see them being long time favorites as long as I'm not so sick of them by the time I have this baby that I want to use them to start a bonfire in the backyard.

Over-sized cardigans - Maybe I lied and my over-sized cardigans have been my best non-maternity purchases. The black one was a Kohl's clearance find and I really wish I would've bought the navy one they had too. Perfect layering piece! The tan cardigan wasn't designed to be this much of an over-sized fit, it's just a Target sweater I thrifted that's a size XXL. I try not to let the size on a tag prevent me from trying something I think can work for me, especially when it's only $3.99! 

So there you have it - all the things I don't think I could live without this fall. A focus on comfort and mostly on neutrals with the exception of the orange tunic (but I have to admit that's worn more for the function of the fit than because I like the color!). I'll hopefully be joining in on the link-up next month, even if first time motherhood happening between now and then means I have nothing different to share! :)

Delayed Inspiration

tee: Target (maternity)

knit cardigan: Dollar General

scarf: World Market

pants: Target (maternity)

boots: Clothes Mentor

I have some vacation days that need to be used by the end of October or I lose them. At first I was really disappointed that my timing didn't work out to be able to use these days as paid days while out on maternity leave, but now I'm really thankful that I have to use them because it's given me a really good reason to take a bunch of random days off, making work a lot more manageable for these last few weeks! Monday was one of those days, and when I checked out Nora and Megan's Inspiration Monday post, I knew I had the perfect outfit to wear to work on Tuesday (because let's be real...I wore yoga pants to the grocery store and leggings to the thrift store on my day off!). My version included boots because it finally feels like fall, black pants to make my outfit just a little bit more work appropriate, and the scarf to pull in some color! 

Consumed

dress: Target

sweater: thrifted

shoes: Target

I can clearly tell this outfit is one that's from a few weeks ago that never got posted because I'm wearing shoes with a heel! My feet have been pretty sore lately and the little bit of puff has arrived sooooo heels probably aren't the best idea from here on out. So are you sick of me talking/complaining about being pregnant yet? I feel like it's all I talk about and it has consumed my every waking thought, but I suppose that's pretty normal for a first time mom being 3 weeks away from her due date.....right? :)

Effort

tee: H&M

sweater: Kohl's

pants: Target (maternity)

shoes: Target

The day I wore this outfit I had these pieces stuck in my head, then for some reason tried to talk myself into something different before I realized I was being ridiculous and should just wear what sounds comfortable for the day. There's not too many days recently that are super comfortable so I've decided to just not fight how I'm feeling on any particular day anymore. I've put in some effort to make some better dietary choices that I think are helping me feel the best that I can because pregnant or not, a lunch of easy mac, chips, and Coke Zero will make you feel awful - I know this but yet still try it anyway! Might as well make outfit choices that I know will make me feel my best too! 

Weekend Wrap Up

L to R top row: "cute as a button theme" banner to show off the theme with cupcakes and a diaper cake / close up of the delicious blue velvet  cupcakes / cute clothes for the little guy hung up and paper in the shape of onesies for guests to write and advice for me on and pin up

middle row: what my niece wrote on one of the cards they had at the shower for giving me advice / my nephew's message to me in the card that went with the present he and his mom gave me...this may have made me cry :)

L to R bottom row: with my momma and brother's girlfriend / with my niece who discovered her head is right at baby belly height and that he makes a great pillow when standing next to me / mad that I didn't snap a pictures before my other SIL had to leave for work, but with my SIL, niece, and MIL

So how's this for ridiculousness - this isn't my wrap up for this weekend we're just now finishing up...it's from last weekend. Whoops. Last weekend we headed up north for our baby shower and used it as a great opportunity to be home for the last time before having the baby (my husband and I aren't from the same town, but grew up in the same area). The baby shower theme was "cute as a button" and it felt like my sister-in-laws, mother-in-law, and mom put effort into every last detail. We headed back to Columbus that night with full hearts and a full car!

I have some vacation days that have to be used before the end of October or I lose them, so thankfully I had the foresight to take Monday off to rest a little bit. Good thing too, because Sunday mid-morning through about midnight that night with the exception of the time it took me to go to Walmart and drop my husband off at the airport for a work trip, I did nothing but write notes, put things in their place, and washed and folded all of his cute little clothes and blankets. It was almost an obsession, so even when I did take it easy on Monday my mind could only focus on my to-do list, leaving me with no focus for writing blog posts and then no energy for it the rest of the week! 

So hopefully I learned my lesson! It's time to slow down, try my best to enjoy these last weeks of pregnancy (very hard to do!) and rest up when I need to. Which is exactly what I did all afternoon after my husband convinced me that the living room needed re-arranged and re-organized. :)

The Gray Tee

tee: Dollar General

blazer: Target

pants: Old Navy (maternity)

shoes: thrifted

So here it is, the Dollar General gray tee I raved about in last Monday's post. It's a men's tee but with that super soft, vintage feel to it and it's $7 price tag, I couldn't resist. I thought it would be best for lounging around the house in, especially since my options for loose fitting tees is growing pretty limited, but I had one of those days that nothing else sounded comfortable so I threw a blazer over it, put on some pearls and black skinny jeans and called it a work outfit!

Linking up with Because Shanna Said So and The Pleated Poppy...

Fall Outfit Showcase

This fall I've decided to join in with Anne and Jacqueline to clear out the clutter and focus on creating a wardrobe with for each season with items that I truly enjoy. Read all about that process here. Today I'm linking up to highlight what outfits I've created since the big clean out!

So far my fall outfits have included lots of layers like I expected, just not quite the type of layers highlighted in my fall inspiration looks (seen here).This unseasonably warm weather we've been having this month plus having my own personal heather hanging out in my belly has meant layers including lightweight scarves, cardigans, or blazers that can be shed when leaving the air conditioned office at the end of the day, and still plenty of bare legs. Not to mention I've only worn booties once! I'm hoping next months' highlights include some of these same favorites with just a few adjustments to account for what I hope is some cooler weather!

Making a Skirt Work

dress: Target

sweater: thrifted

shoes: Target

When I heard that Andi and Inge were co-hosting a skirt themed link-up I knew it'd be fun to join in but had an issue - I've had a pretty seriously skirt aversion during pregnancy. I've worn a maxi skirt a few times (not documented on the blog though) and had one skirt that earlier on I could just roll under my belly but that hasn't worked comfortably for awhile (and I don't think that was ever documented either!). 

Dresses have been my go-to though, so I decided to give the tried and true blogger gem of an idea to wear a dress as a skirt a try - and I loved it! The dress I just posted about was perfect for layering. The bonus is that it made me feel better about spending more money on another dress because I figured out a way to make it more versatile. The downside is that I'm pretty sure my days of any pull-over sweaters fitting over my belly are likely very limited. :) 

White Pants & Tunic

tunic: Meijer

tee: Target

pants: Target (maternity)

boots: Target

It's pretty clear I think that most of us in the blogging community pretty much disregard the whole no white after Labor Day rule. I'm especially ignoring that rule this year since these white maternity pants have been a heavy favorite of mine and there is no way I'm giving up any pair of pants that actually fits me before I have this baby!

If you follow me on Instagram, you might've seen that this tunic paired with leggings and Converse was a new weekend favorite. Once you find a favorite, you just don't let it go so this was how I switched the look to be a little more work appropriate (we have a pretty laid back office and some days all my appointments are phone appointments anyway, so that helps!). Breaking out the booties was a good way to begin the shift into fall, but keeping the white pants to slow down that transition just enough. :) 

Linking up with Because Shanna Said So and The Pleated Poppy...

An Unexpected Find

tee: Target

cardigan: Dollar General

pants: Loft (maternity)

shoes: Target

I've always been one to browse through the clothes section of any store I find myself in - dollar stores included, which is where I surprisingly found this knit cardigan I guess we'll call it. The night before my husband's big race he realized he forgot a towel to throw in his swim to bike transition area so while he prepped the rest of his stuff, I ran across the street from our hotel to Dollar General to buy a cheap towel for him.

A half hour and one phone call from my husband wondering why I was taking so long later, I had bought the towel he needed, some candy corn, and a really comfortable men's t-shirt (I'll profess my love that that probably later this week!). That t-shirt was so perfect that my search for more of them once we were back in Columbus led to the find I'm highlighting in this post. Of course the quality isn't great, but it's a print that's different than anything else I own and it's a nice light layer. I have a feeling it will get plenty of use! Have you ever found an item you really like in someplace really unexpected?

Fall Favorite

dress: Target (maternity)

scarf: World Market

shoes: Old Navy

This week kicked my ass you guys. I think I can officially say that I'm past that glorious stage of pregnancy with energy and feeling the need to organize everything and I'm onto feeling tired, uncomfortable, and even felt sick a few times this week. Fun stuff around here. But I'm trying to feel grateful that this has been a very healthy pregnancy and to remember that it will be over soon and then a whole new challenge will be here to exhaust both of us...caring for a newborn! :) 

One item in my closet that's comfortable (so much stretch!) and still makes me feel pretty is this dress, so when I saw that Bri's Third Thursday Threads this month was all about your fall favorite, this is the first item that came to mind. It's essentially the 3/4 sleeve version of my favorite dress from this summer (I wrote about my love for that one here for Bri's link-up last month!) so I'm by no means surprised I already love it so much!

Feeling Good

dress: Target (maternity)

blazer: Target

belt: thrifted

shoes: Target

This may truly be my favorite maternity outfit so far. While I've been really drawn to flowy, layered looks, I also think pregnancy is the perfect time to flaunt a belly by wearing more fitted clothing. When else is it good to draw attention to some extra cushion in your mid-section? :)

But truly - stripes and a belt? I was seriously highlighting this baby and loving every compliment I received because when you feel really big and completely lacking control of what your body looks like, it definitely puts a smile on your face to hear some kind words about your appearance. Kind people make the world a happy place! :)

One Last Time

top: Target (maternity)

sweater: Kohl's

pants: Loft (maternity)

shoes: Famous Footwear (Lifestride brand)

With the forecast that look like they're finally dropping and will likely stay that way, I figured I'd take these summery coral wedges out for one last spin before making the switch to fall options. I'm really looking forward to bringing back the booties (they're my favorite!), but just might might miss these wedges a bit. They're a bright color! They're striped! They were only $20 (but apparently now they're on sale for only $15), and they're even comfortable! It may be a long winter without them. :)

That Dress Again

dress: Target

jean jacket: Old Navy (super old!)

booties: Target

bracelet: souvenir from Jamaica

Are you guys sick of this dress yet? Thankfully I'm not! This outfit was perfect for a baby shower that I went to last weekend - even my sister-in-law and niece had the same idea and showed up in dresses and jean jackets too. Great minds think alike! After the shower I headed to the expo for the race my husband was competing in the next day (read all about that here if you haven't already) and all I had to do was switch the booties out for my black converse sneakers and I was good to go to walk around. I may love those sneakers even more than I love this dress!

Weekend Wrap Up

L to R top row: checking out the water temperature the day before / checking out the roller coasters on the drive through Cedar Point

L to R middle row: full triathlon group preparing for the race to start / my momma and I catching up while watching for my husband to bike back by us / biking by the 100 mile marker

L to R bottom row: my niece and I enjoying our virgin daiquiris while taking a spectator break  / my niece learned how to spell my name over the weekend and also drew me this beautiful portrait :) / crossing the finish line!

This weekend was race weekend for my husband. It was the big one that he had been training for since January! I think I've referenced it here but never said too much about it, but the race trained for was a full triathlon - a 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike, ending with a 26.2 mile run. He's crazy. And I totally love it! :) My husband is competitive, incredibly dedicated to the physical training involved and is probably the most mentally tough person I know. Characteristics I hope he passes on to our son because he sure as hell won't pick any of that up from me! 

The race started and finished at Cedar Point, which is close to where my husband grew up. That made the logistics of it much easier, not to mention that because we were close to home he had plenty of people showing up to cheer for him along the way. His parents, sister, and our 5 year old niece were there all day (our niece is a trooper for lasting that long just watching a race!), one of his aunts camped out along the run route, my mom made the hour drive over to watch the bike with us, and even my brother and his girlfriend made that same drive later in the day to watch some of the run. 

With a time of 11 hours, 40 minutes, and 15.296 seconds it was a long day but he did great! It took until pretty far into the run for us to be able to tell that he was really being tested, but he survived and he's already talking about possibly doing another one in a couple of years. I'm feeling pretty thankful to get to be there and see him experience that huge accomplishment, especially after seeing the hours of training he put in each week! Also thankful for the extra days added to our weekend (Friday and Monday off was definitely necessary!) to spend some additional time together. So now that it's Tuesday, I guess bring on the work week!

August

Loft

gray cropped chinos $32.50
tan skinny jeans $37.50
olive cargo pants $40.00

Target

white tee (not pictured) $8.48
blush booties $10.48
black converse $17.48
black maternity tee $22.99
gray tee (not pictured, but seen here) $9.98
purple maternity tee (not pictured) $11.88
olive tee $8.98

Sam's Club

green blazer $19.99

Walmart

track pants (not pictured) $13.88

Another month with more dollars spent than probably should've been, but I feel like most purchases made his month were necessary for actually having options that fit me in the home stretch of my pregnancy. I'm very thankful to have had a very normal pregnancy so far with no issues, but even so I think it's been hard getting bigger and bigger and still trying to dress with a sense of personal style. It was easier when I could regularly still use some tops or dresses from my closet that are non-maternity to supplement my options, but my belly has gotten to a size where those non-maternity options are beginning to dwindle. 

Because of this, I expect that the battle of finding the balance between buying too much and maintaining enough options that I still look forward to getting dressed each day to be even harder these last two months. My excuse for the non-maternity purchases made this month? Basics with a forgiving fit that I'm hopeful will serve me well as I settle back into whatever my post baby body may be later this year. And the shoes - come on...would you have passed up those bargains?! :)

Linking up for Budgeting Bloggers...

Currently

Writing

In my new journal, random thoughts and ideas for the blog. Here's hoping I actually keep using it...I'm kind of notorious for buying a pretty journal with big ambitions for it, then letting it sit unused somewhere either at home or at work.

Anticipating

The arrival of our little nugget this fall of course. So much to learn, but slowly starting to feel like we'll actually be capable of being good parents. I'm starting to focus on the more practical preparations, but it sure has been fun to see his nursery begin to come together!

Missing

I'm thankful to say nothing really comes to mind - I'm feeling pretty content these days!

Wearing

The pretty limited amount of my wardrobe that still fits! This black dress has been a constant favorite though - did you catch my post highlighting two of my favorite ways I've worn it?

Craving

No specific type of food lately, actually it's been quite the opposite and nothing particular ever sounds all that great. But fall weather - that's what I'm currently craving! College football starting this past weekend felt like the kick off to fall, but just waiting for the weather to catch up. (A photo from tailgating last year with my brother - football season it going to be a much different experience this year!)

Linking up with Anne again today (and Jenna!), but this time for the "Currently" series...

Fall "Capsule"

In case you missed it, yesterday I detailed my closet clean out project. I hope that it's a continued effort, but I at least feel like I'm off to a great start! Today I'm linking up with Anne and  Jacquelyn to look ahead and talk about what will be included in my fall options (what pieces are the focus for September, October, and November), but before that I want to first highlight what made it's way out of closet and what I still have left to tackle...

The stats:

Number of pieces donated/pitched (if it was too worn) = 68

Number of pieces currently in my closet for this fall = 105 (ish) not including shoes, workout/lounging clothes, and sports team tees. 
*this is why the title of this post is "capsule" - a far cry from the more minimal approach implied by the word capsule, but hey - progress!

Remaining to-do list:

- Go through the 3 under the bed tubs I have of clothes that are stowed away for after pregnancy. Many of these items are pants and skirt, and since I'm nervous about changes to my body post-baby, I'll save that task for when I feel back to a size that feels realistic and manageable.

- Go through my dresser. We're sports fans and I have plenty of cute t-shirts and sweatshirts to support all our favorites (the Buckeyes, the Browns, and the Cavs). I've started it, but these need to move to the new-found space in my closet to allow space other than the bedroom floor for my collection of comfortable t-shirts I live in at home. You know, the t-shirts from junior high and high school that are going nowhere. I'm not looking to downsize that much! :)

- Go through all my denim. Jeans may be the hardest thing for me to get rid of. I have a few non-maternity options that are currently back in my closet that will be the most likely to fit first post-pregnancy. Again, I'll go through these after I've recovered from baby.

- Go through my shoes. Just plain not ready for it - this will be a process, so I don't feel the need to complete it all in one weekend. 

Now...on to some of my favorite looks from Pinterest!

top row left to right: 1 / 2 / 3
bottom row left to right: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

I am all about the neutrals apparently, which is pretty clear if you take a look at what made the cut for fall in the picture below! (minus the 3 rows of sweatshirts + all my sports tees). For your viewing pleasure, I provided the top 2 photos as an overview, then the bottom 3 photos as close-ups of each section. My tops and sweaters are organized by color, then within that section they're organized by sleeve length. My closet is about the only thing I maintain that level of organization with!

I started to get a little nervous about the heavy reliance on black, gray, and tan especially when it came to sweaters to layer since that's the look I'm currently drawn to so in a moment of weakness, I stopped by Target on my way home from work and picked up a few things. On clearance I found a teal maternity t-shirt and this cardigan in almost a bright teal color. This cardigan came home with me too - the color was one that I didn't have in my closet and it will contrast really well with all of the maternity pants I have (gray, khaki, olive, black, and white). I also couldn't say no to this dress because it's essentially the fall version of my favorite maternity dress, which is the one piece of maternity clothing I may actually be sad to have to stop wearing at some point. That's still a lot of items to have included, but I feel good about where I am right now especially because I don't remember the last time my closet had extra space in it, so let's see how this goes! 

Downsizing

When I read about Anne's idea of downsizing her current wardrobe and creating a capsule wardrobe for each season, I was intrigued. I've read a little bit about the concept specifically from the blog Anne recommended, Unfancy, but just don't think I could narrow each capsule down to 37 pieces. Since I don't work from home and instead spend 40 hours a week in a professional (although somewhat casual) environment I knew I would need more to accommodate weekday and weekend looks. So even though I've decided not to limit myself to a specific number of items, I used this as an opportunity to take a good look at the excess in my closet and to at least start to downsize! 

  Step 1 - Pull out the obvious choices for donation/hitting the trash. 

I knew this would be a project to really dig into over the weekend, but was getting a little antsy so I started this step last week. I decided to let go of the cardigans that were at the point where they were looking a little worn and aren't really my style anymore anyway and the t-shirts that were necessary at my old job because of the lack of air conditioning but haven't been worn much since, if at all (and I've been at my current job for 2 years now!).

Step 2 - Take everything out of your closet. 

During this stage I took everything into one of the spare bedrooms. It was a pain to go back and forth, but I knew this would be a multiple day project and if I kept it in our bedroom, then all organized piles would be shoved to the side the second they were in my way. I liked Jacquelyn's idea of tackling this section by section instead of pulling everything out of my closet all at once. My closet has tops/most sweaters organized by color, so I pulled out a few sections at a time. As I did this, I kept a pile of clothes I'll wear this fall (September, October, November) then hung the other keepers in the closet of that spare bedroom in the following 4 sections:

- winter items (December, January, February)

- spring items (March, April, May)

- summer items (June, July, August)

- fall items that I won't be able to wear until fall 2015 because there's no way they'll come close to fitting my pregnant body (September, October, November)

 

Step 3 - Do a bunch of laundry.

I'm kind of the worst about doing laundry during the week and we've had a few busy weekends so it piled up a bit. Actually catching up on it meant getting a realistic picture of what I have that's currently working for me.

Step 4 - Start to put clothes back in my closet...

...and maybe freak out a bit about how much less there is. :) 

Step 5 - Get the donations out of the house.

The longer they're here the more likely I am to second guess my decisions! I have to admit, I already let one t-shirt sneak back in because I had second thoughts about it.

Check back in tomorrow when I'll be linking up with Anne and Jacquelyn to see just how much I've gotten rid of so far, my remaining to-do list as part of this project, and details of what items made the cut for this fall!

A Friday Favorite

tee: Target

sweater: thrifted

jeans: Old Navy

shoes: Target

New Friday favorite right here. This was from last week, then yesterday I wore a different gray t-shirt, a black over-sized cardigan, and these same jeans and shoes. Even recreated the same "I don't care, it's almost the weekend, and I have no face-to-face appointments with students today" ponytail. I hope everyone is enjoying a nice long holiday weekend! So far we've had a slow Saturday watching the first Buckeyes game of the season with friends and now curled up on the couch after a dinner of mac & cheese and applesauce, watching The Lego Movie. This girl is totally ready for parenthood! :)

LBD

black dress: Target

white vest & tan blazer : Target

nude heels: Payless

striped wedges: Famous Footwear

Go figure that it took having a maternity version for me to finally have an appreciation for a little black dress! This dress from Target has been my favorite maternity purchase I’ve made. The material and style make it perfect for the weekend (easy to pair with sandals or my converse!), while the length of it and the fact that it has sleeves makes it really easy to be work appropriate too. For Bri’s ThirdThursday Threads link-up that of course it’s taking me until Saturday to post about, I decided to go with showing you two ways I’ve worn this look to work. For work, I think a layered look has been best – I just feel a little bit more professional that way!

Uniform

tee: Old Navy

sweater: thrifted

pants: Loft maternity

shoes: Target

This is the type of uniform I have in mind when I think of how I'll probably spend the end of my pregnancy - skinny leg pants, tee, long and loose fitting cardigan. Now if only the temperatures would allow this to start happening more often. I was so lucky with a mild summer so far and now the forecast is calling for highs around 90 degrees every day for the next week. Yuck!

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy and Because Shanna Said So...

Weekend Wrap Up

Another good weekend is in the books! One of my best friends I grew up with also lives in Columbus and we spent our Saturday meeting our moms and one of their good friends at a good halfway point between Columbus and where we grew up to to do some exploring of flea markets/antique stores. Such a fun trip, and pretty much everything bought was for baby boy. A fun little table that I thought would be perfect once he's a few years old, an airplane for his room (can you believe that it's actually an old cologne container from Avon?!), and the Little Golden Book class The Poky Little Puppy, with the "this book belongs to" section still blank so when we finally decide on his name I can add it for him. :) The table will need cleaned up and a fresh coat of paint on the legs, likely in a different color, but for $20 I just couldn't say no to it.

This weekend also marked week 28 of pregnancy - officially into the third trimester! Apparently a family friend of my husbands' just had her first baby 6 weeks early, so a bit of a panic attack happened when I realized that yes, that could indeed happen to me too and that although we hope it's another 12 weeks before we this little guy, our time to prepare could truly be much more limited than that. Thankfully I already had plans to finish painting the nursery on Sunday, then the reward for that task was completed was buying the crib. You know, totally cosmetic stuff that just made me feel better, but at least I also signed us up for a class to help with all the important things to know when you bring your baby home. Because if there's one thing that terrifies me more than childbirth about this experience, it's being in charge of that precious little life! 

In other good news, I passed my glucose test! Totally celebrated by having stuffed french toast for brunch on Sunday which felt like having dessert for lunch, then letting myself buy praline pecan ice cream and an excessive amount of lemon oreos at the grocery store. Hey, in my defense I hear a rumor that they're discontinuing them and actual tears may be shed if that's true. Side note - is it sad if I tried to do a Google search to check on that rumor, realized that Walmart has them listed online as a product you can actually purchase and have delivered to you. Good to know unless times get desperate around here! :)

Navy + Green

tank: Old Navy

blazer: Sam's Club

pants: Target

shoes: Target

I wore this outfit last week so I could link up with Andi and Kate for Navy Week and I'm just getting around to posting it. Story of my life! Anytime I head into Sam's Club, I use it as an excuse to look at clothes because I've found some really great deals in the past - see my $10 black blazer in this post and my $20 maxi dress in this one. Last weekend I ran some errands by myself while back at my in-laws and went to Sam's Club to pick up something my mother-in-law needed. I'm definitely a fan of different colored blazer, and the ponte material has been my favorite for a fitted but comfortable look so I couldn't resist this green one for only $20! It's sure to get lots of use, and in an effort to not just immediately go for pairing it with gray, black, or white like I usually do (although I'm sure you'll see plenty of that in the future), I'd give navy a try. Thanks for the inspiration Andi and Kate! :)

Gray on Gray

tee: exact

sweater: kind of similar - I look at this option every time 

I'm in Target and talk myself out of buying it b/c I have something so similar!

jeans: exact / similar (non-maternity)

shoes: similar

Do we ever consider gray a pastel? Because I went with this monochromatic look for something softer (I feel like I tend to either go for black or brighter colors lately, but maybe that's all in my head) and when I think of soft, I think of pastels. Either way, I liked it, it was perfect for surviving a Friday at work, and the shoes added a little something extra to the look. I bought these shoes as an option for cute flats for our wedding reception, but ended up going with a different pair during that "buy all the cute things that could possibly be worn to some wedding related event" phase I went through while planning our wedding. I could've returned them, but for only $12.99 from Target I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Over 3 years later, I'm still not regretting that decision!

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy and Because Shanna Said So...

Weekend Wrap Up

This weekend my husband and I headed up to his parents house and our time up there was just good for the soul. Although we stayed busier than we probably would've if we were at our house in Columbus for the weekend, the slower pace made it feel so much more relaxing. Although we both really enjoy living in the city (or pretty much the suburbs if you want to be exact), we grew up in the country in Northwest Ohio. Our families live about 40 minutes apart so while we never met until after we were both out of college and living in different cities, it's been nice to have that shared background. 

A bachelorette party and the drag races were the reason to head home, but while my husband spent about 8 hours between the two days doing insanely long workouts in preparation for his full triathlon he's doing in about a month (which will be 140.6 total miles between a swim, bike, and run - that's another whole post!) I enjoyed a slow start to the mornings. Enjoying my coffee outside, watching our niece and nephew show off their newly acquired bike riding skills, and picking sweet corn straight out of the field were the most important things on my agenda. I got a chance to enjoy a girls dinner to celebrate the bachelorette, then still got to head to the drag races that night with the guys. 

I'm sure it was pregnancy hormones kicking in, but found myself so many times over those two days just sitting back and truly being in that moment and loving it. The level of excitement our nephew expressed every time the "fire cars" did something cool. Seriously, I don't remember the last time I was that excited about anything! Helping teach our niece how to pick sweet corn, although I still have no idea how to really pick a good piece - we left that to grandpa, then watching her be so proud of herself when she figured out how to shuck it on her own. And maybe most importantly, letting the excitement of adding our own kid into those experiences outweigh the anxiety and feelings of cluelessness that's often associated with our impending parenthood. :)