Currently.

It's almost the weekend, can I get a big, fat amen!?

 A few of my 100 Happy Days. 

 (Clockwise from top left: my bump at 31 weeks--only two more months to go!, my Dad on his first day home, tiny gnomes all around our yard, and tons of health food)

I am currently...

....eating, um, constantly. That's all there is to it. Every morning I make a giant smoothie with an entire bag of spinach, almond milk, two bananas, a heap of coconut oil, and a sprinkle of cinnamon as my pre-breakfast. Then I have fruit and yogurt. Then I have a giant lunch. Then I have a giant snack. You get the picture. I'm enjoying it while I can since I know once babe is here, it's back to Jillian Michaels and watching calories.

...making ROOM! We're still working on deep cleaning the house (I have officially learned that doing things while very pregnant takes 5468435135 times longer than usual). We've made room in the kitchen cabinets for baby bottles and there is now space in the linen closet for extra boxes of diapers. This long weekend's big project is our bedroom. We have a bit of re-arranging to do to make room for the pack and play/bassinet and we are in dire need of winterizing our closet (fall-erizing?) to make more room now that we share a closet for the first time in YEARS.

...listening to Car Radio by twenty one pilots. I want to stop. I just can't...and also, I don't want to.

...reading all the baby books I should have read back in my first trimester. 

...watching Desperate Housewives, still. Even Rhyno is watching it. Now that he's on an earlier schedule and I've been feeling pretty tuckered out lately we've been crawling into bed around 8:30pm (party animals) on weeknights to watch an episode or twenty before we go to sleep. We're on season 3 and DANG, I love Wisteria Lane. 

...loving leggings. And stretchy t-shirts. And anything that makes me feel less fat and more comfy. Remember when I used to wear tights and dresses every single day? Yeah, now it's black leggings and a long, stretchy t-shirt (with flip flops because my feet are large and in charge). 

 

 ...looking forward to this nice, long weekend! I'm totally in the mood for a three-day weekend and I'm hoping to pack it full of fun and productivity.

 

Have a great weekend!

 

If you also partake in Currently posts, please link up in the comments!

Pin-Spirational: Microfiber Couch Deodorizer.

The Pin: Microfiber Couch Deodorizer

The Reason: In our front room we have a huge microfiber couch with tons of pillows, a chair and a half, and an ottoman.You may have noticed that I am most certainly a dog person. My pup Violet is basically treated like royalty in our house and is allowed on all the furniture. While this makes for some quality puppy snuggles, it also makes for some smelly couch cushions. Our couches don't have slipcovers and no amount of homemade air freshener could cover the dog stink (isn't that so sexy to walk into a house that reeks of pets?) so I decided to find a way to wash down the whole dang piece of furniture without using a ton of chemicals or damaging the fabric.

 

The Process:

 

Gather your supplies which will be easy because it's just water, vinegar, a white towel, a sponge, and a bowl.Also, take a minute or forty to vacuum your furniture really well to get rid of crumbs, dog hair, and the like. This was my least favorite part.

 Mix equal parts warm water and white vinegar--1 cup of each or so depending on the size of your fabric.

Dunk and wring your sponge in the vinegar mixture. Warning: your sponge will get GROSS (unless my home is just disgusting and this was a me-only exception). Rinse it often and change your water as often as needed, I changed it about 6 times to do all the furniture, cushions, and pillows.

Wipe down the surface with the damp sponge. Easy peasy. Wiping down the furniture will also help lift all the stubborn dog hair that the vacuum didn't pick up. Man, dogs shed like crazy.

Blot dry with a white towel. Easier peasier. I left it a little damp so the mixture could air dry. Let all the fans in your room dry that madness, why waste the time blotting like a cuckoo pants?

 

 This is optional but you can slip some fresh dryer sheets under your cushions to boost the fresh scent. We typically don't use dryer sheets but we got a sample in the mail so I figured I'd give it a shot.

 

The Verdict: Not too shabby! I won't lie, this was more time consuming than I thought it would be (mostly because we have eighty bajillion pillows) and Rhyno wasn't a huge fan of the vinegar smell but I thought it disappeared after a couple of hours with the ceiling fan on. I totally think I will work this into my regular seasonal deep cleaning routine. I noticed a big difference when I came in from outside that the house didn't have that Violet stank (HUGE PLUS!). I don't know that with a baby and multiple pets around that we'll keep replenishing the dryer sheets under the cushions and I haven't really noticed a big difference there anyhow.

Have you tried any great pins lately?

 

Budget Tips: Shopping at Target.

It's no secret I like to save a buck. Until I make my mega-millions, I don't see the point in wasting money when I could be saving (though I'm trying to be better about spending on things like home renovations and vacations but more on that later). When we moved out to the country we quickly realized our grocery shopping options were limited. Coming from a condo right outside of Chicago with a Trader Joe's, Costco, and Super Target within 15 minutes I had my grocery routine down to an art. Once we moved we realized a (not so super) Target and Sam's Club were about it. 

Now I'm no couponing expert, though I'm learning. Since our Target doesn't have a great produce section and we fly through fruit & veggies, I shop for most of my produce at Sam's. For everything else? Tar-jay is where I'm usually at. 

My Simple Tips for Saving at Target

1.) Coupons & Planning Ahead

I'm a happy coupon clipper though not at all extreme. I find the best printable coupons at Target.com and Coupons.com. I also try to sign up for as many free coupon e-newsletters as possible. Also, REDcard holders often get Target coupons in the mail every so often. I clip them all and keep them organized in a mini-accordian file folder. I plan our meals out one week at a time and make sure that I stick tightly to my grocery list--this way I know exactly what coupons to bring with me and I can usually avoid impulse purchases since I know exactly what I need for every meal.

2.) Mobile Offers

I'm still figuring this one out but I do use Cartwheel and find that it helps boost my savings if the deal is right. I'm still trying to figure out other great money-saving apps--any great suggestions there?

3.) REDcard

Don't get me wrong, I hate credit cards and try not to use them if it isn't an emergency. I got my REDcard back when I was a dopey college student and now I'm pretty happy I did. Don't tell corporate but treat it more as a debit card than anything. I use my REDcard weekly and then pay it off right after I put the groceries away. I have no interest in owing Target thousands of dollars. I get my 5% off and my balance stays at zero. Win-win!

4.) Be Green

A lot of people don't realize that Target rewards you for bringing your own cloth bags instead of using their plastic ones. You get five cents off for every reusable bag you use. It may not seem like much but during a big grocery trip you can save a dollar or so and every little bit helps.On the green note, you always save money by making your own cleaning supplies and investing in reusable paper towels...just saying!

5.) In-Store Offers & Generics

Since I plan ahead, as mentioned, I always check the weekly ad online to see what's on sale while I make my grocery list. Also, don't be afraid of generics...well most of the generics. Though we've had a couple bad experiences with the Market Pantry cereals (the Cinnamon Toast Crunch knock off is rough), Rhyno and I typically don't notice a huge difference when we buy store brand staples (plus Target.com usually has a lot of coupons for their generics). Don't fall for pre-packaged gimmicks either. For Rhyno's lunches we could spend a bunch of money on 150 calorie pre-packaged bags of chips....OR we could be smart and buy the generic big bag of chips with a coupon and divvy them into 150 portions at home. We typically choose the latter.

My receipt from Sunday's grocery trip--not too shabby and this wasn't even one of my best trips!

Though clipping coupons and making grocery lists and planning meals ahead of time can be totally time-consuming, I think it's beyond worth it.The receipt above if from my most recent trip, where I needed more than usual (do you feel like you also run out of all your staples like garbage bags, tin foil, toilet paper, etc. all at once?) and I didn't have the usual amount of coupons. Most weeks I save between $35-45, even if I only saved $24.72 every week that still totals up to $1,285.44 every year. That pays for a vacation!

How do you save big at Target?

Nursery Peeks.

Only 62-ish more days to go until we meet our little bundle! Though there are still tons of things to be done like maternity leave prep at work and freezer meal cooking and general organization, I am happy to say the nursery is one place where I feel like things are really almost totally together. We haven't had our "big" baby shower yet so there are definitely things missing but overall, it's nearly done. 

The crib is up, the dresser is full of cloth diapers and tiny onesies, the glider has been ordered and will be here soon, and we have our old toys sprinkled around the room. Also, how magical is it to dig up toys and stuffed animals you played with as a toddler knowing that your baby is going to play with them too? My mom gave me so many of my old treasures and I get so teary eyed unpacking them all. 

A peek at our nursery details...

 How whimsical and adorable are these little statues? These were two of the first items we bought for our nursery (I think I was about 3 seconds pregnant when we picked them up at Earthbound Trading Company).  They were originally black and gray but knowing I wanted pops of color around the room, I spray painted them with some leftover colors I had in the garage (wearing a mask and in a ventilated area, of course).

I have a few of these dino air-planters around the room in different colors. I absolutely love them. The arrow nightlight was an impulse purchase in the clearance section at Target (it was $4!). 

Rhyno and I both love to read so we've been reading to Babysaurus since he or she was the size of a peapod. I can't wait to hold babe in my lap and read some of these. The bookshelf was another Target purchase, I read some iffy reviews but we have plans for a built-in bookshelf in the coming years so this will do for now.

 Just a treasure from my childhood, that Disney castle. 

Baby's closet is still coming together but how impossibly cute is that laundry hamper and toy box from 3 Sprouts? I stumbled upon the company while searching Amazon for the perfect toy box and I am in LOVE. So many cute items, so little time. 

 A little chair from my childhood and the first thing Rhyno ever bought baby. We went to Babies R Us to register for our stroller and as I went to walk out of the store I realized he was waiting in line at the register with this sweet little stuffed animal in his hands. Heart = melted.

 I love this mobile. It was my pet project on Sunday night and even though it took 5 minutes and three steps to put together, I was so proud of myself.

 A tiny bucket for rattles, a teeny bucket for pacifiers, and some unbelievably adorable softies from Aleks Slocum. A surprise delivery from baby's Auntie Mantha and cousins Charlie and Jackie!

More trinkets from my own toddler days (I was really into Disney World).

Just over two more months, I can't wait!

A(nother) New Motto.

I love a good motto, a little something to propel me forward in a positive way. While perusing Instagram (when I probably should have been sleeping or doing something else) I stumbled upon this beaut:

 

via

I love the idea of throwing a shit ton of kindness out there (to put it in basic terms, I suppose). I feel like there is so much negativity out there anyway with terrible stories on the news and grumps on social media that it doesn't hurt to smile at strangers, send care packages for no reason, or text people just to ask how they are. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has made me so happy because, despite an overwhelming amount of critics and nonsense complaints, people are doing something silly and ultimately so kind. 

I'm trying to challenge myself to do something kind at least once a day--whether it's leaving a sweet treat like cookies in my mailbox for our neighborhood's postal worker or donating a few cans of food to our local food pantry or just texting a friend to see how they are. No kindness is too big or too small, right?

What kind things will you do today?

Happy Weekend!

Happy (almost) weekend!

via

This week has been a busy one! I spent most of the week working from the hospital and, as my dad would joke, "holding vigil." His surgery went well and he's in incredible spirits. I can't express how proud of my dad I am and so happy that things are going so well in his recovery. It has been a long 9 months since his initial cancer diagnosis and our family is so grateful and happy to have him nearly back at fighting strength. I can't wait til he's released from the hospital and back at home--things are a changin'!

I hope your weekend is filled with fun--we'll be visiting my dad, hopefully working on the last baby room details, going to a beer tasting/music fest, and I have a baby shower for another mama-to-be.

What are your weekend plans?

A Letter to Babysaurus.

Dear Babysaurus,

At 30 weeks pregnant, I can feel you move and wiggle at all hours of the day. It is the most joyous, exciting feeling. I think about what you look like in there--are you sucking on your hands? Are you being rocked to sleep when I move around? Are you a baby boy or a baby girl?

I'm so excited for October 27th. I think about you all the time (I'm sure you know that given that I talk to you incessantly throughout the day). Little chores and ordinary moments are made magical because I explain them to you and I'm so excited to show you when you get here. In the mornings I love explaining to you where Violet's dog food is and how many vitamins she gets with her breakfast. I can't wait until you can walk and you can feed her in the morning. I love getting the mail because I picture having you snuggled close when I walk down our driveway to the box. 

Your daddy and I went to a baby prep class last week and I realized how calm I feel about all the changes about to take place. Lots of people have asked if I am scared or nervous, but so far I am only anxious about meeting you--I want to see your little face and if you have curly hair and I want to rub that little baby belly. But when it comes to having our lives change, I'm too happy to be afraid. I wanted and waited and wished for you for so long. I know there will be turbulent moments and when the nurses hand you off to me to bring you home I'm sure there will be that panicked moment of "Oh gosh, I don't know what I'm doing!" But rest assured, I'm trying to learn as much as possible about how to keep you clean and feed you and make your brain grow and how to make your transition from my belly to my arms as easy for you as possible. I've been practicing swaddling and diapering on your stuffed animals. I've been planning little diaper and feeding and napping stations around the house. I've been making room for your bottles and blankets.

I try to make mental notes of all the things I want to do with you and show you. If you're born before Halloween I already have it on my mental calendar to watch Hocus Pocus with you. And even though you'll be teeny tiny still, I have lots of ideas to make your first Christmas really magical. I dance around to the Muppet songs and hope you'll love them as much as I do. I think about the first time you'll eat avocados and if you'll like them as much as I do (or if you'll hate them like Daddy does). I wonder how long it'll take Violet to get used to you and if we'll have to tell her to cool it with the kisses on your face (she loves a little too much sometimes). I think about your first giggle and first smile and first steps and first word (I think you should lean toward "Mama" but we have time to decide on that). 

Everyone in my life (our lives, actually) is crazy excited to meet you--I'm pretty sure your grandma is going to have to clear out grandpa's office to make room for all the toys and clothes she's bought you and grandpa is already planning the fun things you'll do together. Daddy felt you kick for the first time and is now a belly junkie, he constantly reaches over to see if you are wiggling or kicking (he thinks you're going to be a soccer player but by the way you move I am 99% positive that you are prepping for the hockey rink). Your aunties are already planning to spoil you and steal you away for sleep overs. One of your future BFFs (who is two and a half) has been asking what you look like and if she can hold you since you were the size of a walnut. Everyone is wondering if you are a boy or girl and what your name is.

Only a little over two months until I get to see your tiny fingers and kiss your baby cheeks and snuggle you close to me. It'll be the longest two months ever but feel free to take your time in there getting big and strong and (I'm sure) cuter every single day.

 

XOXO I love you most, 

Mommy

 

A Place for Everything.

I don't know if you know this but I'm obsessed with organization and tidiness...

You knew that, right?

Over the next few weeks, in prep mode for our bouncing babe, I am overhauling our home trying to get things as organized as possible and in the best possible order for when things are chaotic after Babysaurus is born. I originally planned to get this all done over the weekend and then realizing that the third trimester means you can work on one tiny bathroom and then it's time for a nap. After learning this I've decided to take things a bit slower and work on one room at a time, getting every inch organized and clean. 

When I'm not scrubbing every tile with a toothbrush and cruelty-free soap, I've been searching the interwebz for ideas to keep things organized long after babe is born. See, I do this cute thing where I organize things and then don't keep them that way. I get lazy and start just throwing things around and this time I'm hoping to avoid that. 

Some great spaces and corners I'm using as inspiration: 

 

via

This is one of those spaces that is constantly unorganized for me, I just throw things in there willy nilly and then whine that I can't find what I'm looking for. 

 via

I've been planning this for some time--a little space in the kitchen to hang recipes and keep my running grocery list. 

via

Our garage is an eye sore, it's almost embarrassing to leave the door open for any neighbors to see. Rhyno has been put on garage duty (he needs to make room for my car!). 

via

Do you have any organization tips?

Currently.

Happy Friday! This week felt like a marathon, is it just me? Maybe it's the third trimester talking but I have been totally exhausted all week and I'm looking forward to the weekend to get things done around the house and (hopefully, maybe, please please please) relax a bit. 

 Some shots from my 100 Happy Days: a big, ol lunch, my two favorite roomies, the cutest baby clothes, and evening frisbee with Violet.

Until that clock strikes 5pm and this glorious weekend hits, I am currently...

....eating all the things, all the time. I consider myself lucky that I've been mostly craving really healthy things like egg salad with organic eggs and Greek yogurt or fresh fruit or broccoli with hot sauce or cucumbers with really garlicky hummus. Then again I also have days where I am 99% positive I will die if someone doesn't get this heifer a giant bag of peanut M&Ms and a giant tub of movie theater popcorn....

...making sense of this house once and for all! I am finding it rough to get a whole day to just work on the house (dang you, popularity and busy life) so I made a list (of course I did) of all the projects I want to get done within the next month. I'm planning to take the house one room at a time--decluttering, deep cleaning, and re-organizing--before Babysaurus comes.

...listening to Jenny Lewis, of course. Have you bought The Voyager yet? It's so beautiful and amazing and perfect dance music. I am pretty sure the baby is going to come out of the womb knowing every word and chord because I listen to the album at least once a day. I stumbled upon this video of Jenny performing The Voyager live with just an acoustic guitar. My heart grew three sizes that day.

...reading a giant stack of magazines. I wish I could say I was diving head first into Gone Girl or some other popular book but this ho is tired. Plus when you work in PR/media relations reading magazines counts as work research....right? So when I sit down with a stack of Star Magazine and Real Simple, I'm actually just being really great at my job.

...watching Desperate Housewives whenever I have a chance! I've seen up to season 3ish in the past but decided to re-watch it from the beginning. It's totally one of those shows where you can't just pick up where you left off. I tried to jump back in to season 3 and had no idea what was going on! I missed Wisteria Lane.

...loving my husband...corny, right? He starts a new job on Monday and recently signed up to coach 4-6 year olds in soccer for our local park district. I'm so proud of him and I think he's just the cutest. 

 

 ...looking forward to checking some big things off our to-do list: getting the house in order, my dad's surgery, and the like. I think I'll feel much more zen in the next few weeks, this week I have mostly felt like a crazy person. 

 

Have the coolest weekend, you hot babe!

 

If you also partake in Currently posts, please link up in the comments!

Pin-Spirational: Drain Cleaner.

The Pin: Homemade Drain Cleaner

The Reason: I've mentioned before that I prefer to make our cleaning supplies at home to avoid chemicals, animal testing, and indoor air pollution. I used to use Drain-o whenever I would deep clean the house in an effort to get every single nook and cranny of the place clean but that stuff is literal poison so when I stumbled on this pin, I knew I had to try it. One downside of country living is also that we have well water. We do have a softener which helps a ton but I like to deodorize the drains when I clean too.

The Process:

 

Gather up all your supplies which, in this case, include only baking soda and white vinegar. I buy baking soda in bulk at Sam's Club. This huge bag cost me $9.99 and will last for at least two months. 

 

 

Put your baking soda (I use a little less than 1/3 of a cup) in your drain. I usually walk around the house and throw soda in all the sinks, tubs, showers, and toilet all at once. 

 

 

Add your white vinegar, just a splash or five.

Let the mixture bubble up a bit and wait for it to settle. I remember once in fourth grade our teacher made a huge volcano with this mixture of vinegar and baking soda. 

Scrub the remaining baking soda in the drain and rinse with warm water. 

The Verdict: I LOVE this pin! It's inexpensive, quick, easy, and effective. I do it once or twice a month and we rarely have clogs or stinky water.

Have you tried any great pins lately?

Zoo Brewin' & Veggie Festin'.

Summer weekends are the craziest, am I right? The last month or so I've been waiting for a weekend where we had zero plans so that we could use all those hours to be productive around the house but every weekend has been pretty jam packed in the best sorts of ways. 

This past weekend was one of those packed-to-the-gills-with-fun-things weekends. 

Saturday we hit up Zoo Brew at the Brookfield Zoo with Rhyno's brother and his girlfriend. We'd never been but Rhyno and his brother are total beer nerds and I love animals so it seemed like a natural fit. It's a great event with live music (an insanely good 90's cover band called According to Sarah), tons of beers to sample, and drunk people watching galore. Rhyno and the gang took to the beer tent while I took to a picnic table outside, off my feet and away from the loud thumping music with unlimited lemonade (a perk of being registered as the group DD)! Earlier in the day, I joked with Rhyno about how drunk he was going to be by the night's end.

His famous last words? "Oh, I'm not getting drunk tonight."

 

After close to an hour at the picnic table, my group caught up to me and my husband was having a blast. You can decide from the photo above whether or not he was feeling the buzz of beer tasting...The night turned out to be a ton of fun for my group of beer tasters and Rhyno is already planning on attending next year. 

I am officially gigantic. Like, for real, gigantic. Was this a pregnant lady's event? Not so much but I still had a bit of fun checking out animals before the Brew and people watching all the crazy drunkards who were dancing around and whooping it up. 2015 Zoo Brew, I'll be coming for you!

On Sunday my mom, Rhyno, and I headed out to Veggie Fest for our second year in a row (you can see all about last year here). I absolutely love Veggie Fest--I get to revel in my vegetarian glory and eat to my heart's content. Though the day was H-O-T we had such a blast and found some great new products.

We couldn't resist an awkward family photo with the smiling pig in the kids' tent--I can't wait to bring Babysaurus here next year! 

 

Rhyno was a sucker for the vegan Chinese food while my mom and I loved the Carribbean "chicken."

 

Even though it doesn't look super appetizing, I love me some Indian food. Those spicy chick peas? To die for (figuratively, of course). 

 

The vegan sushi was the only bit of disappointment of the day, we all agreed it was a bit bland-o. Poor some wasabi on that madness and it'd be delicious.

 

Have I ever mentioned that even though being a vegetarian can mean being totally misunderstood, I love how open-minded my husband is about it? He is by no means a vegetarian but he's a dude that loves tofu and was happy to try all sorts of animal-free goodies.

After walking in the hot sun (have I mentioned it was hot? it was really hot) for a couple of hours, we ended the Fest with vegan ice cream--cookie dough with Oreos for me and chocolate with candy pieces for my mom. SO GOOD. 

Beer and vegetarian food? We also picked up our crib and dresser for the baby's room, kind of a great weekend!

Pregnancy Tuesdays: Products I Love.

Welcome to Pregnancy Tuesdays!

 Getting rounder and rounder all the time...

I don't pretend to be some expert on being knocked up--I'm learning as I go that everyone's experience is so different and not every product is perfect for every mama-to-be. I'm now in week 29 and officially in my third trimester which is insane to me! Time has flown by and I have been lucky to have a great pregnancy so far--a bit of morning sickness and some aches and pains but nothing too major. 

Now that baby is getting bigger, I am experiencing a lot more of pregnancy joys and woes. I get lots of booming baby kicks (seeing Rhyno's face light up when he felt his very first baby move for the very first time was a highlight in my life) but I also get lots of restless nights. I get closer every day to meeting my baby and with that comes BIG changes in my body (and my mood...just ask Rhyno about my Godzilla-esque temper tantrum when he left a single dirty fork in the sink). When it comes to taking good care of myself, I love to check out what works for other pregnant ladies and I've also found a few of my own secret weapons in the last few months.

Some of my favorite products this pregnancy?

 (clockwise from top left corner)

 Yes to Coconut Head-to-Toe Restoring Balm ($9.99)

From the get-go, I wasn't super worried about getting stretchmarks (I guess my vanity lies elsewhere). I used cocoa butter every night as a part of my usual skin care routine anyway and didn't want to spend a huge chunk of money on expensive belly creams. Near the end of my second trimester when my belly really started to pop I got some deep stretch marks and a few more have popped up since (am I totally turning you on? do you wish you could see this hot, chubby bod naked?). Though the appearance doesn't bother me (it's all part of makin' a baby to me!) they ITCH. A big fan of the Yes To line already, I bought this Coconut Restoring Balm and use it on my belly twice a day after dry brushing. It makes my skin so soft and is super rich and smells so, so delicious. No more itchy belly and I smell like the beach. When my fingers get nice and swollen after a long, hot day and my wedding ring (which is stuck on my ring finger with no hope of coming off) starts to feel uncomfortable, I also swab a bit of this stuff under my ring and it's instant relief.

Trader Joe's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil ($5.99)

I've been using TJ's coconut oil for my daily oil pull for a long time but pregnancy has upped my coconut oil game. After reading the benefits of this wonder-oil for expecting and breastfeeding mothers, I started using it for more than just a pull a day. I throw a spoonful into my morning spinach smoothie, use it on my dried out hair, and after getting my first sunburn I slathered it on my red arms and nose for a bit of relief.

IKEA Body Pillow ($12)

No link available but I picked this up in-store

As I get bigger and bigger, sleeping on my side is becoming a quite a task. I wake up at all hours with aching hips or a numb hand. My doctor told me early on that sleeping on my side was best so I had been rigging a series of pillows to surround me (one between my knees, two under my head, one behind me) but things would shift throughout the night and I'd get frustrated trying to get myself re-situated at 4am. After seeing that some of those pregnancy wonder pillows cost upwards of $80 (for a pillow!) I snagged a cheap body pillow at IKEA on a Saturday trip. I am in love. It works like a charm to keep me comfy and supported throughout the night. My only complaint? I have to fight off both Rhyno AND Violet all night since they both try to use it too.

Traditional Medicinals Pregnancy Tea ($4.99)

The day I found out I was pregnant I decided to cut out all caffeine cold turkey. I traded my morning coffee for morning tea. A tea fiend already, I drink three cups of this stuff per day.Though I did have some big caffeine cravings in the beginning, this tea helped since it was a warm morning drink and became ingrained into my morning routine pretty easily.

A tip for barfy preggos: when I was still battling morning sickness I would steep the pregnancy tea for a few minutes and when it was still hot I would drop in 1-2 Trader Joe's Ginger Chews and let them melt a bit before chugging. It definitely helped my nausea.

RealFood Organics Prenatal Vitamins  ($31.99)

 I am a totally vita-head as is and I took finding a great prenatal pretty seriously. After doing some research, I knew I wanted one that was both organic and made from real food. After a bit of searching I stumbled on this brand and I have not been disappointed. They were approved by my doctor and I have NEVER gotten sick after taking them (even when I would take them and then forgot to eat breakfast for an hour).

Also, to note, when it comes to products like toiletries or vitamins I am a huge fan of Drugstore.com. The prices are great and shipping is quick, like I ordered something on Sunday with free shipping and it was at my house early Tuesday morning quick. I typically buy in bulk since shipping is usually free when your order is $50 or more. 

What are your favorite pregnancy products?

Disclaimer: No one paid me to say this stuff, these are products I really love.