Would you believe that today marks one whole year that I decided to make the change to my little ole blog, popcorn and pandas? I know, I can’t believe it either. It’s been a crazy year full of adventures and travel, fashion and fun, pregnancy and now a new baby. It’s been wonderful and therapeutic to have this creative outlet to share with you all, and I am completely grateful that you all have chosen to follow along for this past year.
Below I have reflected a bit on some of your favorite posts this past year:
My first two outfit posts with the amazing photographer Marisa
It’s been such a great year, and I am hopeful that this year will bring even greater joy. Thank you so much for following my adventures. Would love to hear any feedback that you have of things you want to see from me in the coming year. What you like/don’t like. What you want to see more or less of (outfit posts, lately posts, shopping posts, personal stories, photography, baby stuff, etc…) I have less free time on my hands, but hopefully I can make things happen!
You may remember this Free People number from last fall when I styled it with a military flair. These days, flowy dresses are the most comfortable thing to wear, and I love that this dress is so versatile and adaptable from season to season. I paired it with a sari bag and handmade bracelets from Uncommon Goods as well as a beaded headpiece for a summery bohemian look. These photos were taken at 36.5 weeks pregnant on my trip to the Hester Street Fair last weekend, and I cannot believe I only have a few more weeks of outfit photos left with this baby bump!
I’m so happy I finally made it down to the Hester Street Fair this past Saturday to see my favorite ladies from Guilty Jean Jewelry. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I certainly liked what I found. A small, highly curated, outdoor market, the Hester Street Fair, located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, is full of unique jewelry, vintage clothing, pop up shops, and delicious food. I browsed each artist’s collection and sampled a few of the different dining options. I scored fabulous bracelets from both Guilty Jean as well as Stella and Sparkle Jewelry that I have already donned this week. I enjoyed the margarita pizza from Ludlow, and a Red Velvet Cream Cheese Ice Cream Sandwich (I’m not joking; this actually exists) from Melt Bakery. I’m drooling just thinking back to how amazing it tasted. Overall, I would say this was a trip worth making! Their summertime night market runs every Saturday through the end of August from 12pm-10pm and features live music and fabulous DJs…because who doesn’t love dancing while shopping? If you don’t make it there before the end of August, the fair will still be running through the end of October every Saturday with daytime hours. I definitely recommend checking it out!
Proud owners, designers, and hand-crafters of Guilty Jean
It’s been a bit of a crazy week here…personally, I heard some horrible news about an old high school friend and hometown neighbor of mine, so that has been a bit rough. Work has been crazy as our new employee started yesterday, and I’ve been busy training while still trying to get my work done. We met our third and final pediatrician yesterday, and I think we have come to a conclusion about a doc for our little guy. I hit the 37 week mark (FULL TERM!) yesterday which is a major milestone! We completed the nursery over the weekend, my hospital bag is packed, and we are ready to go when Little Monkey is! So things have been a bit nuts, and my head is spinning a little, but trying to keep my sanity as much as possible.
reading Just finished The Sh!t No One Tells You: A Guide to Surviving Your Baby’s First Yearby Dawn Dais. I’m not sure whether or not it was a good idea or a bad idea to read this book. It was quite terrifying, although I suppose I am grateful for the dose of reality and preparations. Just started reading Maineby J. Courtney Sullivan. Stumbled across it last week while browsing at Barnes and Noble and figured I would read it since I went to Maine this summer. It’s more of a beach read about family summer drama.
writing Well technically, I haven’t started yet, because my apartment has been a disaster zone since the baby shower, and I haven’t even been able to sit on the couch. HOWEVER, I plan on starting to write out some thank you notes this weekend for all of the lovely gifts we received from our family and friends.
listeningI think I am late on this song, but I heard it a few weeks ago, and honestly it reminds me of my grandfather who always used to say, “You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone.” Ain’t that the truth, Grandpa. The song is Cups by Anna Kendrick from the movie Pitch Perfect.
thinking That every time I think my belly can’t possibly get any bigger…I wake up, and it’s bigger.
watchingThe Challenge: Rivals II. I know it’s ridiculous that I still follow these shows, but I just can’t get enough of the drama that unfolds with every new season of a challenge. I also constantly wonder how I would measure up in these challenges. Something tells me I would give those girls a run for their money.
wishingThat I could fly out to Missouri to celebrate my friend’s Cris and Kate’s big day this weekend! This is the second big wedding we have missed this year, and it’s definitely a bummer to not be there, even though I know it’s for a good reason. Wishing Cris and Kate a magical day and lots of love!
hoping To make a lot of progress on our little boy’s room this weekend. I’m really excited for my vision of how it will look when it’s finished, but it’s a long process to get there! I’m hoping we can get a good chunk done this weekend. Am I in nesting mode perhaps?
wearing Mint green shorts and a gray and orange striped top (different color here), both from Motherhood Maternity.
loving The maternity session photos that Misa*Me Photography took for us! She gave us a little sneak peek, and I am so excited to share them with you all in the next couple of weeks. She did a wonderful job, as always. Stay tuned!
laughing At this rendition of Ice Ice Baby that my co-worker shared with me earlier this week. Props to the editor for stringing together 280 movies worth of clips to create this.
needing Water, water, water. Hydration is key for this prego mama.
feeling Alien-like movements coming from my belly. He’s kicking and squirming more and more every day. I swear, it’s the weirdest feeling ever that something is alive and moving inside of you! But it’s also pretty cool.
craving Watermelon. Nothing like this delicious fresh fruit on a hot summer day.
clicking Through resume after resume. Trying to find someone to fill in for me at work while I’m away. I think we are getting close to making a decision!
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What have you been up to lately?
Happy Friday! Hope you all have a great weekend!
Love,
Gina
***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.
I was able to snag this Ella Moss beauty on sale via Gilt, and I couldn’t be happier (again, not maternity)! I wore this gown on a beautiful night out to dinner in Maine. I love the ease and flow of this dress as I walk, and the jersey material makes it super comfortable as well. In these photos, I am 30 weeks pregnant, and this week, I just hit 32. Little Monkey will be here before I can blink.
Oh, how I miss this little lake house already! Wishing I had the lake to jump into and cool off this week; it’s been brutal! Trying to stay hydrated and enjoy the AC indoors.
And it’s back to my uniform this summer…the maxi dress! I scored this one at a discount price from a local spot near my office. Again, it’s not maternity, which makes me happy because I know I will be able to wear it post-pregnancy. I love the rainbow of colors on this dress, and it was perfect for a beautiful sunny Saturday family reunion with my Dad’s side of the fam.
Girl’s night went off with a hitch last night. Mucho thanks to my girl Ailie for graciously painting my toes (I can no longer reach them). I am not a big fan of feet, and not sure I would have jumped at this opportunity had the roles been reversed, so this task was very much appreciated! We had a great night of nail painting, mud-masking, movie watching, and festival chicken.
This morning I rose early to meet my cousin Seamus for breakfast in the city. He is in town from Cali to surprise his sister today as she is giving birth to another little baby tomorrow. So sweet! The last time I saw him was on his wedding day to my cousin Alex, so it was great to catch up! So glad we were able to make a little get-together happen this morning.
You may remember this top from earlier this spring when the weather was still a bit on the chilly side. I decided to break it out again for summertime while it still covers my baby bump. I paired it with some mint short shorts and some comfy sneaks for a fun filled family day in Maryland. We had our belated Father’s Day celebration this past Sunday with both my family and my husband’s, complete with crab cakes (because that’s what Maryland’s all about right?), brisket, chicken, corn on the cob, pasta salad, strawberry salad, beans, homemade tortillas, rolls, ice cream, cake, a musical performance, a little rain, a little sunshine, and a lot of fun.
Last night, we went to our final child birth class and learned a lot about breastfeeding and newborn care. I’m really glad we decided to take the class, and now we feel a lot more confident going into the whole birthing experience. Tonight, I am joining the ladies for a spa night in complete with manicures, pedicures, and facials! Whoo! Nothing like a little mid-week pampering. The rest of the week, I plan on relaxing, and getting ready to travel back down to Maryland again for my friends Kurt and Tiffany’s wedding on the Eastern Shore! Shortly after returning from that trip, we head off to Maine for our last mini vacay of the summer. Fun times ahead!
I wore this outfit to my soccer team’s BBQ over the weekend. So proud of them for winning the championship this past season! This dress is super comfy, and I’m still thinking flowy dresses are going to be a staple throughout the rest of the summer and my pregnancy. I scored these neon sandals on sale at Saks, and I love the pop of color they bring to this look. It just so happens my nails also match!
Tonight, I am attending the AICP Next Awards for work, which honors marketing campaigns in categories such as integrated, viral/web film, website/microsite, product integration, social media, mobile, cause marketing, and experiential. Looking forward to hearing some of the presentations from the winners. Other than tonight, this should be a pretty laid back week.
These photos are from Memorial Day Weekend before our ride down to Philly. There’s nothing like bright colors to shake you out of your rainy day gloom. Luckily, the weather got nicer later in the day, and we were able to enjoy an awesome cookout with friends.
This past weekend, I was on my own as the hubby went on a biking/camping excursion. I spent the weekend doing a little housework, celebrating my neighbor’s 1st birthday, had dinner with a close friend, went to a 90’s themed birthday celebration, and lounged at a soccer team BBQ. Last night when the hubby got home, we chilled outside enjoying our amazing garden on what was a gorgeous night, and just caught each other up with our weekend stories. I have to say, I’m super happy it’s summertime!
Here are some images from our second day enjoying Sedona, Arizona. Oh, how I love those red rocks! The views were absolutely stunning, and it’s tough to really capture it in a photo alone. I hadn’t been feeling that great in the middle of our trip, but this day, I was feeling much better and able to explore. We drove around making stops at different locations for photos, and then walked a little on the West Fork at Oak Creek trail which was a lot of fun. I really hope to go back to Sedona when I’m back to my athletic self and can really take it all in!
Floral Pants: Motherhood – similar here, here, and here (in non-maternity) / Chambray Top: GAP – similar (runs big FYI!) / Tank: American Eagle / Shoes: Nordstrom Rack / Shades: c/o Waveborn / Earrings: Baublebar – similar / Ring: Banana Republic / Necklace: Family Heirloom / Watch: Michael Kors / Beaded Skull Bracelets: c/o Guilty Jean / Spike Bracelet: ASOS / Bow Bracelet: Baublebar / Lip: MAC Impassioned
Tonight I’m headed out with the girls for a little mani/pedi action. I usually do my own nails, but the belly is starting to get in the way making it impossible to paint my toes these days. Oh darn, I guess I have to pamper myself! Looking forward to hanging with the ladies.
Tomorrow I am participating in the Wall Street Heart Walk with my Alpha Phi sorority Alums in NYC. Did you know that heart disease is the leading killer in America? There’s one more day to donate, so if you are able to contribute, I would really appreciate it!
