23 Week Bump Date

23 WEEK BUMP DATE 

Baby is the size of a: bunch of grapes  {approximately 12 inches long and 1.25 pounds}

Gender: Still a girl! 

Names: Keeping it a secret. We’re having some friends over this week, so I have to remember to hide her personalized baby blanket and monogrammed nursery pillow! 

What I’m Wearing: I’ve been wearing the same items I talked about in previous Bump Dates, but one item I can’t get enough of recently are these backless loafers from Target. They are $22 and look really expensive and really pull together an outfit. They look great with skinny black work pants and a white button down, but also with jeans and an oversized sweater. I’m actually planning on wearing them today, because they are effortless chic.  

Since my office has jeans day on Mondays and Fridays, I’ve been able to dress a bit more casually than I’ve had to do in the past. This has been a huge lifesaver being pregnant. On those days, I typically wear my maternity jeans with a Target tank top and a long cardigan. When I need to be more dressed up, I wear my favorite Motherhood Maternity ankle pants and a long blouse.

I’m not sure if I mentioned this before… but maternity pants, especially the full over-the-belly panel ones, are the most unflattering things out there. {If you know of a brand that’s flattering, please enlighten me!} The booty area is typically saggy because there’s no structure to the waist band. I’ve tried so many different brands and I’ve come to the conclusion that it just is what it is. I get around this nuisance by wearing extra long tops. Aside from a few blouses and tanks, I haven’t been buying maternity-specific tops. I’ve been stocking up on regular long cardigans that I can throw on top of a base layer. That way, I can keep these pieces in my closet even after baby is here. 

Sickness/Pain: No sickness or pain this week. 

Cravings: Lots and lots of fruits and veggies, including honey crisp apples with almond butter, bananas, cucumber slices with ranch dressing, and large green salads with grilled fish. I’m also still craving Tropicana lemonade, which I buy in bulk. I somewhat freak out if there’s none in our fridge.  

Aversions: None.

Favorite Products: 

• Eminence clear skin probiotic cleanser: you guys know how much I love this product. I’ve talked about it numerous times. Recently, I’ve been loving it a LOT since my skin decided to go crazy a few days ago. It’s a gentle cleanser, but gives my skin a really deep clean without stripping any oils. 
• L’Oreal clay mask: I’ve been putting a dot of this clay mask on top of any pesky breakouts overnight, and by the morning they are much smaller and less red. Huge lifesaver.
• Snoogle: My pregnancy pillow has certainly helped me get comfortable this week as I fall asleep. I’ve gotten some questions about this – but right now my belly is still small enough that I can sleep facing towards the pillow. As the bump gets larger, I’ll have to turn and face away from it, and have the length of the pillow running against my back. 
• Target maternity leggings: I’m OBSESSED with these Ingrid and Isabel maternity active leggings that I bought from Target. They were one of my first maternity clothing purchases and they were worth every single penny. I wear them to yoga, around the house, and even to work sometimes with a long blouse on top. They are super versatile and comfy!

Best Moment this Week: Our crib came in and it looks so great in our nursery. I plan on sharing a nursery inspiration post soon, and maybe even show you guys what pieces we already have in there. There’s a lot that needs to be done still {including decor!}, but all of the big furniture is here and assembled. Check out my Pinterest board for my inspiration for the nursery. It’s a lot of cream, gray, white and very light blush. Basically, I’m obsessed with the nurseries featured on the Restoration Hardware Baby & Child website, but don’t love the price tag… so I’m doing my best to DIY and find cheaper alternatives. 

Sleeping: No real problems falling asleep this week, however I’ve found that I’m much more picky about where I sleep. In previous weeks, I’d be able to fall asleep in the car or on the couch. This week, that was definitely not the case. I tried taking a nap on the couch last Friday and I must have groaned a dozen times as I tried to get comfortable before I gave up and went to sleep in my bed. 

Rings: Still on. As usual, my hands swell up at night, so I make sure to take them off before I go to sleep. 

Baby Movement: I can feel her usually a few times each day – in the early afternoons after lunch, on my car ride home from work, and as I’m lying in bed to go to sleep. It still feels like bubbles popping, but I’ve heard from friends that pretty soon these movements will get stronger and turn into sharp jabs. 

Labor Signs: None. 

Looking Forward To: My baby shower next month! I’m not really keen on events with a crazy theme, but I still want it to look like a baby shower if that makes any sense at all. I’m thinking lots of white baby’s breath, fuchsia and blush colored flowers, a onesie garland strand, and photos of me and Bryan as babies for a personalized touch. My MIL is hosting the shower at her house so I’m leaving it up to her, but I have faith that it will turn out beautifully. 

// I’ve been sharing a lot more behind the scenes recently on Instastories, so make sure you’re following along. Talk to you soon! 

SIMPLY NICOLE IS A PART OF SEVERAL AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAMS.
THIS MEANS THAT IF YOU CLICK AND/OR MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH CERTAIN LINKS IN THIS POST,
I MAY MAKE A COMMISSION FROM THAT CLICK AND/OR PURCHASE.