Floral Ruffle Cold Shoulder


Hi Loves!

Hope your week is off to a great start. Mine is officially starting today.

So over the weekend, we visited Rhode Island for a friend's wedding. We decided to drive down there for one reason or the other, don't ask. Let's just say we won't be embarking on another road trip for a long time. 

We stayed in downtown Providence and ventured into Jamestown for the ceremony and Warwick for the reception so we got to see different parts. From the little we were able to see and experience in our short time there, It is a beautiful place that will definitely be worth making a trip back to explore and relax. Downtown Providence was fun and the area has lots of great food spot. For some nice ocean view and beach experience, Jamestown, which is just a short drive away looked like it had everything. I'm sure there are more cool spot in Rhode Island, so this is definitely a place to return to with or without the kids. 

For the wedding, I opted for this floral dress. Like many others, it has been sitting in my closet waiting for the right occasion. It is easy to see why I love this dress. Most obvious is the unique ruffle sleeves / cold shoulder combination. For comfort, I paired it with my brocade block heels and accessorize with a gold clutch.

The wedding was fun, the kids had a great time and apart from the long drive, it was nice to get away from home for the weekend. 

Hope you had a nice weekend.






Dress: Asos
Shoes Heels: Asos
Shoes Sliders: Asos
Bag: Old (try this here, here & here)

Hot Pink & Wild Wedge

  
Hi Loves!

I hope you are having a good week so far.

I decided to stop being lazy and do something new with my hair. So, last friday, I made an impromptu visit to the beauty supply store and gave myself a new hairstyle. 

I know summer days are drawing to an end, and before we start seeing fall colors and fashion, I am sharing the last bit or more like lots of summer outfits I've been wearing lately.

I can actually see this top getting styled for fall just by layering it on top of a black or solid colored t-shirt, a pair of jeans and some thigh high boot. With that said, I might just have to re-style this top as described. 

Lots of love.


 

Top: Zara (try this here & here)
Jeans: H&M (similar here & here)
Shoes: VS (old, try this here, here & here)
Watch: Movado

 

Emmanuel :: Seven Months Letter


So after what seems like an endless round of medications and doctor’s visit we finally got a break and was able to have some fun.
Boy, time is flying by and I seriously need to start thinking about what I’m doing for your first birthday. That’s a side note.
So, What were you up to in month 7…
 

You started crawling or more appropriately, dragging yourself across the floor.

You started saying mama. Hello, I’m here for that! You are definitely a mama’s boy.

With that said, you are getting more attached to mama.

You visited the children museum for the first time with your sister, cousin and some friends.

You developed this determined fake cry / scream when you want something or something gets taken away from you
 

You went on your first plane ride, while still in recovery and you did awesome. Granted it was a short plane ride, but we got delayed and spent an extra 5 hours in the airport and the ride back was delayed as well and extra bumpy but none of that seemed to fazed you as you ate, slept, laughed and played through it all.

 
  Month 7 was fun with no sick doctor's visit. 

We laughed, spent time with auntie, tried some new food and got bigger.
My dear sweet baby boy, I pray with all my heart that the grace of God upon your life will never cease. And, just like this day and every single day since you came into our llives, the joy you bring will never end.

Lots of love.
Mommy
 

Ruffle One Shoulder

Hi Loves!

Happy Friday!

This week felt like the longest week ever. So glad it is finally coming to an end.

To wrap up the week on the blog, I am sharing the casual dressy look, I opted for, for a Sunday afternoon family outing.

I have to say nursing did kind of put a restriction on what I wear when I'm out with Emmanuel, unless I take a bottle with me, which is rarely the case. I tend to wear outfits that are easy to nurse in on the go.  Usually tops I can easily pull up or down and if I'm wearing a dress, it has to be a button down in the front. In addition, I pretty much stayed clear of strapless or sleeveless tops, due to straps issues. But, now as we're nearing the end with almost nine months in, I am slowly expanding my wardrobe options. One major contributor to this is the fact that apart from my body returning to its regular, well, so are my boobs. With that, I now have the freedom of wearing nursing or regular bra and the perks of that is wearing tops like this and still be able to nurse on the go. I am looking forward to the day I will stop pumping all together as I still do once a day on weekdays when I'm at work. No pumping on weekends as he nurses throughout the day. 

So, here's to slowly lifting the nursing restriction dress code I've been on. 

Enjoy your weekend!
 

Top: Zara (similar here, here  & here)
Jeans: H&M (old, similar here, here & here)
Bag: Asos (old, similar here, here & here)
Shoes: Asos
Watch: Skagen
 

White Shirt Dress

Hi Loves!
Happy Monday!  
Like I mentioned in my last post wearing a white dress that I have a thing for white dress at the moment. So here I am today sharing another one of my white dress finds. 

Shirt dress is a wardrobe staple and I've actually been looking for a new one to refresh my wardrobe as the only one I currently own is really old. When I came upon this dress, there was no doubt in my mind It will fit perfectly in my closet. I love the details of the frill across. It added something fun and unique to an otherwise basic shirt dress. I love this dress so much, I couldn't resist and had to have the stripe version as well. And, the price point leaves no room for debate.

Playing on the ruffles details, and another one of my current obsession, block heels, I paired it with this pink mules. 

Have a lovely day!

Dress: Closet London via Asos (also in Stripe)
Shoes: Asos  (similar here, here & here)
Bag: old (similar try this here & here)
Watch: Movado

Frill Shoulder White Dress

 
Hi loves!
I do hope your week is going well. This week went by fast. I can't believe it is almost Friday, you already know how I feel about the weekend.

Today's look features the dress I bought while pregnant in my regular size, hoping some day I will fit into it. Well, that day as come!
I unconsciously tend to buy items with similar features repeatedly and I usually don't notice the trend until three or four items into it. That is the story for my current obsession / collection of yellow pants, white dresses and block heels.  
Well, my block heels has a good rationale. I got tired of wearing flat to work everyday, it just felt so casual and boring, and I felt like I was loosing my sense of style for a moment. Since I can't wear high heels to work, low block heels seems to be the happy medium. I have fallen in love with block heels to the point that I'm not getting them in high heels. They are just so comfortable. Perfect example is the one I'm wearing here. And, I think I got so used to wearing flats for such a long time and all through my pregnancy that I need to re-train my body on wearing regular high heels again. I find them extra uncomfortable these days. 

No one can argue with the fact that white dresses and summer are a perfect match. I styled this one with a brocade block heel and this beautifully colorful and delicate embellished bag that Eliana was 100% convinced it was her bag. I did let her carry it. I would give it to her but all the embellishment will disappear in five minutes so I think it's best I keep it for her till she get a little older. 

Enjoy your day!




 Dress: Asos (try this here)
Shoes: Asos
Bag: Asos (sold out, very similar here, here & here )
Watch: Movado

Ruffle Cami Jumpsuit

Hi Loves!
Happy Monday!
I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was quit productive, as I achieved lots on my to-do list. Hoping to take that vibe into this new week.

Starting off the week with this look. Absolutely look this jumpsuit. It's linen, so it is very light weight. I would have loved to wear it as is, but, as you can see lots of cleavage left out; hence the top underneath, which I end up loving. I love the contrast the black top added to  the blush color of the jumpsuit. The ruffles added a playful touch which I love as well. The jumpsuit is also available in Red and I'm keeping my eye on it hoping it goes on sales. Till then, I'll be rocking this blush piece switching up my choice of top underneath.

Have a great day!



Jumpsuit: Asos (red here)
Top: Forever21 (old, similar here, here )
Shoes: Asos (Back here, Silver here)


Gingham Style

 Hello loves!
Happy Friday. I hope you had a great week.
This weekend is here and I'm ready. Well, that's how I feel about every weekend. 
No plans, just some much needed rest and the usual weekend chores and cooking. 

I can't say red is a color I gravitate towards, but this dress sure caught my attention. 
It's the kind of dress that I love lately, loose fit and fuss free. 
I styled it two ways, with heels and flats just to show the versatility of the dress. I actually wore it to work with the flat pairing, only difference is I added a long black tight given the strict dress code of my job. 

Enjoy the weekend and stay blessed.







Dress: Asos
Red Heels: VS (old, similar here & here)
Flats: Asos
Bag: Forever21 (old, similar here & here)
Watch: Movado

Mommy Tips & Essentials For First Year

Hi Loves!
No, I did not forget about the mommy series. It is a lengthy post but it covers all I have to share on that topic for now.

So with this post, I’ll be rounding up the mommy series. I hope you they have helpful and insightful and just enjoyed reading about my experience in general.
To me, one year  post-partum, which I am getting close to seems like the magic point at which things starts to return to "normal"  both physically with the body changes and gaining some sense of normalization and consistency in the flow of activities in general. 

By this point, I most certainly have a routine down and that is also when I aim for to stop or at least start to the process to stop nursing/pumping.  Physically, weight wise, it is close to returning to pre-pregnancy and that's without doing any major consistent work-outs or making a drastic change in eating habits for me. 

Mentally and emotionally, I most certainly have made it past all the emotional roller coasters that comes with having a new baby and all the hormonal changes and imbalance that leaves you so vulnerable. I start to feel like a complete me again!
Putting all that aside, no doubt the day I welcome both of my babies will forever be one of the best days ever. With that comes a new name, role and job you are automatically signed up for, for the rest of your life.
It a great privileged to be called mommy, and it's not a title that I hold lightly. So In my short time being a mommy, here are some of what have I learned along the way.


  • Everyone is different and parents differently.
  • Not everyone is good at everything and different things are important to different people. Making homemade food is important to some while some will rather spend that time making a mess with their kids. Not to say you can't find a balance.
  • Try not to judge other moms. It is hard enough assuming this role and even on some days feeling like you’re not doing enough. So, the last thing you need is an outsider’s or even another mom's judging eye.  Everyone has a story and every mom wants and has the best intentions for their kids. We moms can be each other biggest critic but at the same time, we can be great at being each other's biggest motivator.
  •   Having friends in the same stage of life going through what you’re going through is helpful when it comes to random questions, venting session, needing advice, or just someone to talk to that you don’t have to feel bad or conscious when somehow every topic of conversation leads back to your kids.
  
To wrap thing up, I am also sharing some essentials that I used almost on a daily basis that have made my life easier as a mom both in the early stages and beyond.

Mini crib - Portable and takes up less space than a full-size crib. If space is a constraint for you, this is a great alternative. It was for us when we had Eliana.  And it can be converted into a twin size bed in the future.
Bassinet - Great for newborn to about 6 months to have in the master bedroom. At just about 6 months with a somewhat active baby I feel like this dude could find his way out. One other cool thing I love about the one we have is the generous space on the bottom to store supplies like diapers and wipes and it stays covered. My exact one(pic below) is no longer available, but I linked one very similar below.
Changing pad liners - I bought a specific type which i believe is Carters brand the first time that I absolutely love but I cannot find them online anymore. I guess they were discontinued. They make having an accident or cleaning up a mess easier. I don't have to worry about getting stains out of the changing pad cover with this. They are leak proof and washable. A few sprays of stain removal and a quick wash and it's good as new. I have definitely gotten my monies worth at this point with mine. I linked similar as well.

Ergo baby carrier - I haven't tried many carriers, but I love my ergo. From newborn with the insert to baby and toddler years without the insert. The design is great for the baby as they are actually full bottom sitting and not being string up in the crouch and also great for mom or dad as far as adjustability and comfort. The only thing I might consider a downfall is the bulkiness as it makes storing it securely when you don't during outing a bit difficult. Only option is to just drop it next to the rest of your stuff.

 Wrap carrier - I wanted to try something new with Emmanuel so I bought a Boba wrap. I think it works great for newborn to a few months. Not sure I like it for when baby becomes active and weighs a decent amount. They are very restrictive for the baby as far as movement and being tied so close and tight to you and you can't do much maneuvering either which is why it’s great for those non-active stages.

Nose Fridal & Little remedies - This combination is a life saver. Forget the little suction bulb that never worked for me. This in combination with a little saline spray makes getting all those pesky nasal junk out.

Medela Pump (Electric and Manual) – I have not tried any other pump brand and I don't think I want to. My experience with Medela have been superb. No complaints here. I've had one of my unit for almost 4 years now and still going strong.  I have two since I get them for free with my insurance with each baby.  Decided to get a new one with baby #2 just in case my first one craps out since it has been so long but it never did. One of my unit is currently loaned out since I don’t need both.
The other best part is the manual pump. This has been a life saver when it comes to traveling and being on the road. I can easily pump on the go and with very few and small size part needed, it doesn’t take up much space. I stopped traveling with my electric pump ever since I got this. It gets the job done just as well, maybe even faster in my case than the electric pump.

Hands Free Pumping bra - I pump during my lunch break at work so this allows not only hands-free pumping but also allows me to multi task as well, eat, text, and do whatever else I need to do.

Nipple cream – Don’t make the mistake of leaving this at home while packing your hospital bag If you’re planning on nursing. I made that mistake the first time. Let’s just say that didn't happen again. I started using this from day one and it made a world of difference for me. While I used this during the entirety of nursing / pumping experience with my first, I only used it for about the first 3 to 4 weeks with my second and didn’t really feel the need for it anymore. Starting to use it earlier than later is a key factor to those nipple cracks which you're almost guaranteed to get during the first few days/weeks healing faster.

 Car seat cover – There are a lot of options out there today but I especially love this one. It’s easily goes one and off but I leave mine one permanently during he colder months and we don't use it during the summer months. The zipper makes it easy to get baby in and out.

Portable Potty – I shared about our potty training experience and essential here. This again has come in very handy when on the road and has helped us avoid a few accidents.