the best maternity leggings ever

I have probably heard the statement "every pregnancy is different" one thousand times, maybe even more.  This pregnancy has been the same as mine with Norah when it comes to how long I was sick for but everything else is SO different.  The pains, the pressures, oh my! and I'm just six months...I'm honestly a little terrified at what the eighth and ninth months will bring.

Back to the pains and pressure.. I didn't feel anything like that until my eighth or ninth month with Norah but this time around I was feeling them at about four months.  I showed way sooner which is an obvious sign that my muscles just aren't holding up as well which I'm pretty sure this goes for most women.  I got to where I couldn't even walk to the park, which is less than 1/4 of a mile from our townhouse, without feeling pains.  Luckily that pain comes and goes but I have a constant pain as if I have worked my inner thighs out to the max all day every day!  Ugh!  I know I know, the sweet baby I'm growing and get to snuggle with in a few months is TOTALLY worth it.  Of course, my doctor told me at more than one appointment that getting some belly support garments would help and that I should really look into it. 

I have followed Blanqi for quite some time now, even before I was pregnant with this little love.  Blanqi creates high performance, stylish and practical support garments for pregnancy and beyond & their products are also made in the USA!  I was SO excited to try out their BODYSTYLER Maternity Belly Support Leggings!  "The official maternity legging game changer you will love to live in!  Perfectly balanced, breathable fabric - not too think and not too thin.  Seamless for a smooth and fashionable fit and all with our patented built-in belly lift and support band.  Dress up or down, these are your go-with-everything leggings!"  Yep, all that and so much more!

When I first felt the leggings right out of the package I noticed how soft and smooth they were but it wasn't until I slipped them on that my mind was blown!  It seriously felt like I got an instant belly lift and maybe even a booty lift! ;)

I have to say even though I'm on the short side, I'm not petite, I have curves & I'm constantly learning to love them!  But since I have curves it is so hard to find leggings (jeans too!) that do not ride down my hips as I go throughout my day and I was SO surprised at how well these leggings stayed put and more importantly my belly feels so supported when wearing them!  These really are the best maternity leggings ever & I'm contemplating on getting another pair because I know I am going to be wearing the heck out of this one.

You can shop Blanqi here and follow them on Facebook & Instagram. 

#blanqigirls

Do you have any must haves when it comes to clothing or support during pregnancy?  I'd love to hear about them below or feel free to share them over on my Instagram.  As always, thank you for reading!

blanqi baby bundle

My friends over at BLANQI have created the sweetest Baby Bundle consisting of some of the best baby brands around & I'm so excited to introduce it to you!  I seriously gasped when I opened the box..its THAT good!

The Baby Bundle is available for purchase starting November 21st & it is limited edition so if you love what you see, which I know you will, don't wait.. AND you can use my code 'katiefreeship' for free shipping on your purchase!

If you know of someone expecting or a loved one who just had a baby this is THE PERFECT gift!  As a mom myself I would have LOVED this and I seriously can't wait to try out everything on our newest love come March.

First up are these ADORABLE illustrated Milestone Baby Cards.  This set comes with thirty photo cards to capture your baby's first year.  Things like "today I sat up for the first time" or "today I am 8 weeks old" or "today I said ma-ma for the first time"... SO sweet!

Next, is the SollyBaby "Carrying Baby" board book.  This book is so beautifully written and illustrated & the peek a boo flaps are sure to keep your little one intrigued while telling the story of how different animals carry their babies.  Obviously my little bookworm Norah has already claimed this as her own!

Also in the bundle is a new baby set by the incredible June & January including a basic blanket, knotted beanie and onesie romper with the sweetest gender neutral design..and yes, they are as soft as they look, maybe even softer! ;)

Last, but definitely not the least is a Wash With Water Shampoo and Body Bar & A Star is Born lotion. These smell amazingly fresh and are free of that long list of things that you hope to not see in the products you use on your sweet baby!  Hallelujah! 

Do you agree?!  Isn't this Baby Bundle amazing?!  I told you!  

So, I suggest you set your alarms, mark your calendar because I have no doubt this Baby Bundle is going to go FAST!  & don't forget to use my code 'katiefreeship' for free shipping and follow Blanqi on Instagram for more updates!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

BLOGiversary Celebration

Hi friends!  I seriously can't believe October is already over and we are in the first week of November.  I swear time flies ever faster once babies are in your life!

October was a fun and special month because I celebrated my first *BLOGiversary* for A Mrs & A Mama.  I had so many amazing shops join me in a month full of giveaways for my readers!  I wouldn't have been able to do this celebration without each of them and I'm SO incredibly thankful for their generosity.  I wanted to share them here with you and encourage you to check out the amazing things they create whether you are looking for something for yourself, your littles or a gift I now you will love these shops as much as I do!  The shop names and links with all be listed below.

Willow Crowns

"hair accessories for stylish ladies of all ages"

Shop

Instagram

Facebook

Sheady Baby & Co.

''apparel and home wood accessories''

Shop

Instagram

Little Big Dreamers

"making basics look bold"

Shop

Instagram

Twitter

Pinterest

Facebook

Mommy Wish List Box

"monthly curated box of handmade and handpicked products"

Shop

Instagram

Facebook

Free Babes

"bows for your little free spirit"

Shop

Instagram

Kelly Allen Design

"sweet, bold, colorful art to add some lovely to your life and home"

Etsy

Instagram

Facebook

Violet Boutique

"handmade crocheted hair accessories for you and your little"

Shop

Instagram

Haddie Cakes Handmade

"all kinds of adorable accessories for you little lady"

Etsy

Instagram

Mama Said Tees

"tees with a meaningful message"

Shop

Instagram

Facebook

Kozy & Co

"crocheted accessories for your littles"

Instagram

Facebook

Blog

Kate Kaleigh Boutique

"handmade shop for mamas and their babies"

Etsy

Instagram

To all of the shops above, thank you from the bottom of my heart!!

We're pregnant!

I'm writing this post knowing I'm not going to publish it right now but I knew that whenever I got pregnant again I wanted to document the experience via my blog and well, here we are!  Yaaaaaayyyy!! ;)  In this post I'm going to share moments up until we announce the news and then I will share oocasional updates.  I always love reading other "bumpdate" posts so I figured it would be fun sharing mine!

Here's a little back story.. Our first pregnancy devastatingly ended in a miscarriage at 11 weeks.  My due date was my birthday and the day we lost the baby ended up being around the same time Norah (our second pregnancy) was born.  Those two dates now are definitely bittersweet!  I've briefly shared a bit about our loss here and here, but if you've ever experienced a miscarriage you know what we went through and if you haven't, imagine being on a magic carpet ride with so much joy and happiness you don't know what to do with and then the rug being ripped out from underneath you in an instant and you go crashing down to a very lonely, sad & heartbreaking place.

We were so blessed to go on and become pregnant again a few months later and then eventually give birth to a healthy little girl.

...

[5 weeks pregnant]

I found out I was pregnant on July 27th.  As soon as the two pink lines showed up a huge smile came across my face and I whispered the words "thank you God".  I was SO excited and thankful and joyful and happy but then almost immediately the worry and fear set in.  The fear I experienced through my second pregnancy.  The worry of letting myself love a baby not knowing if I was going to lose it.  The worry I was going to have to endure another heartbreak.  With my second pregnancy I lived for the next doctor appointment or ultrasound just for reassurance and I hated to say it but I feel like it's going to be the same way this time around.  I know I have no control and I constantly have to remind myself of that but it's just hard!

So, here is something I will be leaning on in the months to come!  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds Jesus Christ."  Philippians 4:6-7

Now to the fun part, telling my husband!  I'll just leave you with this video & I'm not going to apologize for my annoying mom voice. ;)

...

[6 weeks]

Oh boy, here comes the nausea!

I was very nauseous with Norah from six weeks until sixteen weeks and I feel the exact same way this time around. (another girl?!)  I'm not vomiting, but all day I feel like I need to vomit nausea, I'm not sure which is worse but I wouldn't wish this several month long feeling of the worst hangover ever on anyone!  Our first ultrasound is in less than ten days and I cannot wait.

Fast forward a few days past my six week update and here I am lying in bed so anxious for tomorrow.  Yesterday I started showing signs of miscarriage.  I'm scared and sad but yet I'm calmed by knowing there is nothing I can do besides hope and have faith.  I'm calling my doctor first thing tomorrow morning.

After an anxious morning and a few ultrasounds, we have a HEARTBEAT!  Thank you God!  So what is happening?  To simplify it, a small part of my placenta detached from my uterus which was causing the bleeding.  And what did I do as soon as I got home??  I googled "detached placenta''.. duh! and then had a slight freak out.

Doctors orders were to take it easy... let me remind you this is when we were about to move and close on our home.  Take it easy with a toddler and home you have lived in for almost five years that needs to be packed up?!  Thank goodness for my AMAZING parents and sister who were so kind to help my husband and I pack our entire house.


[8 weeks]

After a follow up ultrasound and check up things look great and the bleeding is completely gone.   I feel so blessed to be able to keep growing this little blessing.


[14 weeks]

 The past six weeks have seriously flown by and I didn't have much to write about them because they have consisted of me being exhausted and nauseous all day long every single day.  Like I said above, the worst hangover feeling that never goes away.  When I sneeze or cough I feel like I have to hold back from puking all over myself.. and brushing my teeth is interesting..  And as bad as it sounds it's so comforting at the same time.  My doctor offers prescriptions to help with the nausea at every appointment and I just kindly say I'm alright.  It's awful and tiring feeling this way, especially when having to care for a toddler but it gives me reaasurance that this little babe is still growing and reassurance is exactly what I need right now.

To those who are struggling with infertility or dealing with a loss, I know how hard it is to hear someone else's happy news, I've been there.. your heart sinks a little, and you get a feeling in the pit of your stomach but I just wanted you to know that I'm praying for you and your journey. 

easy breakfast recipe: kolaches

This recipe I'm sharing today is far from fancy and probably the most basic of them all but I love it.  It's so easy that you could probably figure it out by just me showing you a picture of the finished product but I'm still going to explain, lucky you! ;)  

These are semi-homemade sausage & cheese kolaches.  Yummy, easy & only four ingredients... yes, please!

[what you need]

-2 cans of biscuits (I use original, I don't think the flaky or layered type would work)

-1 package of mini sausages

-grated cheese

-jalapenos (this brand is my favorite because they are crunchy and have the perfect amount of heat)

**I made ten kolaches and lots of pigs in the blanket**

I have found that it's easiest to set all of your ingredients out before building the kolaches.

Lay a biscuit out on a plate and press it flat while spreading it out a bit.  Two sausages per biscuit is what I did but you can customize to your liking.

Next, add jalapeños & cheese.

When you close the kolache, be sure to pinch the top very well where it comes together so that when they bake it doesn't come apart.  I feel like I do this very well but I always have at least one that opens up.

I always bake these slower than the biscuit wrapper says.  Usually at 300/315 degrees until golden brown.  I always cut into one to make sure the center is cooked through.

That's it!  So easy and these are always a crowd pleaser.  

If you make this recipe & post it to instagram feel free to tag me so I can see it!  I hope you've had a wonderful Wednesday & thanks for reading.

Fall Bucket List | 2015

The first day of Fall happened a few days ago but here in Texas it still feels like the heat of Summer.  So, in hopes that Fall like weather is around the corner I put together a Fall Bucket List filled with things I want to do, make, create with my sweet little family.  

2015 Fall Bucket List

visit a pumpkin patch

make chocolate pumpkin muffins

take fall pictures of norah

go on a nature walk

do a craft with leaves

carve a pumpkin

go on a hay ride

make some hot cocoa

attend a fall festival

wear dark nail polish

make a big pot of chili

go to an aggie game

crunch leaves

buy a new scarf

snuggle by a fire

make s'mores, duh!

celebrate Thanksgiving

donate clothes and blankets

& patiently wait for cooler temperatures!

There it is!  I would love to hear what your bucket list items for Fall are!  Please share them below or find me on Instagram and tell me there.  As always, thanks for reading!

Review: Nuby Bath Toy

Norah hated baths as an infant and has really never been a fan of them until very recently.  It was like one day she told herself "bath time is so much fun" because for the past month or so she asks to take a bath and gets so excited when the time comes!  Adding new toys every once in a while has been fun for her and for us to watch her explore and learn.  Some of her favorite bath toys are foam toys or letters that stick to the wall and any kind of cup that she can fill up and pour water out of.  We recently added the Nuby Octopus Floating Bath toy and it has definitely been added to her list of favorites.

[what it does]

floats in the water

includes three colorful rings to place onto the arms

for the older ones the rings can be tossed on to the arms for a fun game

helps develop hand-eye coordination

BPA Free

Norah loves to count the Octopus' arms & enjoys finding and placing the rings onto the arms.

look of determination vs. look of success! 

[where to buy]

Amazon, Walmart or Bed Bath & Beyond 

You can follow Nuby USA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Pinterest.

Have you discovered any new bath toys that you and your little love?!

*I received this product for review but all opinions are my own*

Where Have I Been?

Hi friends!  I just wanted to get on here and explain my absence because my blog has obviously been neglected this past month and a half.  At the beginning of July we lost two dear family members, then my hubby found out he got a new job so we put our house immediately on the market.  With showings after showings, searching for a new place, selling our house, now packing and moving I'm not finding any time or energy to put here in this space but I hope to as soon as we get settled in the next couple of weeks!! 

In the meantime feel free to follow me on Instagram to stay in touch! 

eShakti: Summer Favorites

Back in February, I was able to work with eShakti on a review of my shopping experience which you can read here.  Spoiler alert: I had nothing but good things to say!  I'm excited to share with you that they have revamped their site to make it an even more enjoyable experience for their buyers.

Some of their new additions to their already simple and shopper friendly website are new search categories like jumpsuits as well as thematic lines such as Bohemian & Contemporary.  I also love that they have a list of trend categories that are always current and this list makes them easily searchable!  As I said in my previous review, their customizable options are so awesome that anyone could find a perfect fit.  I could go on to say more but I think you will just have to check it out for yourself!

eShakti was so kind to give my readers a $35 gift coupon to use to try out their new and revamped site!   Please use the code CHARMINGHEART35 at checkout on any minimum order of $30.  This is such a good coupon code y'all!  The code is good until 6/30/2015.  Lastly, I wanted to share some of my summer favorites with you which are all linked below!

flamingo | kimono | pink dress
tunic | shorts | white dress

Now, can we talk about how much FUN that flamingo dress is!!??  I know one of you can pull it off!

You can find eShakti on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter.

If you decide to shop with eShakti, I'd love to know what you find!  You can share with me in the comments, shoot me an email or tag me on Instagram.  Have a lovely day!

deal alert: toys

Hi loves!  This post is going to be really short but I was shopping earlier today on Amazon for some gifts and came across two of our favorite toys ever & saw that they were on major sale!  The flashcards are only $6 right now and most of the books are under $5 one is even just $2!  This is such a great deal that I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share with you all & all of the items are Amazon Prime.  To make it easy I linked everything at the bottom of the post.  You're welcome! ;)

If you aren't familiar with Indestructibles books they are books that are drool, chew & tear proof.  I wash ours with soap and water and lay out to dry.  

 The flash cards are awesome because they have bright colors and awesome textures.  

N has played with these both of these things from baby stage and is still entertained by them now!  

flashcards

book | book | book

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

review: Nuby No Spill Flip It Cup

I'm just going to go ahead and say that this is the best sippy cup ever!  We have loved this style of cup and used it for months even before collaborating with Nuby.  It was THE sippy cup, after trying many others on the market, that helped Norah easily transition from bottle to sippy cup right before her first birthday.  

After shopping around for sippy cup after sippy cup, trying soft spouts, hard spouts, straw and traditional ones, I noticed the shape of this straw just looked different than all of the others and that the way it tapered towards the top resembled more of the nipple on a bottle.  I just knew that this was the one and lo and behold Norah was off of the bottle completely within a day or two! 

[about the product]

soft silicone straw

BPA free

easy to use flip top cap keeps things sanitary (my fav!!!)

lid clicks when secure - no leaks or spills

easy to grip shape

All of the above things are true especially when it comes to the spills or leaks.  It's the only cup I can trust Norah to walk around the house, climb on the couch and play upstairs with.  I cannot say enough good things about this product and I highly recommend this sippy cup!

You can purchase this cup here (designer series), here (3 pack) & here (single).  You can follow Nuby USA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Pinterest.

As always, I would love to hear what products made transitions for you and your little one smooth and easy.  Thanks so much for reading!

[I received this product for review but all opinion are always my own.]

product review: Bambo Nature Diapers

I'm always interested in finding and trying out "clean" products to replace things I use on a daily basis in all areas of my life.  Whether it be skincare, makeup, bath, household products and most importantly baby items.  I'll be honest though, we've always used Pampers and we have never really thought to try a more natural route I think because the conventional diaper is already so expensive and N has never had a reaction to them.  But, I will say I was so excited when Bambo Nature reached out to me to see if I wanted to try out their diapers for review because I know I might have some readers who might be on the hunt for the best "green" diaper.

 [a little about Bambo Nature]

-25 years of certified safe and eco friendly

-no animal testing

-free of gluten and all harmful chemicals

-maximum absorbency

-ultra soft

-no allergens, no perfumes 

-and so much more!

We've put these diapers to the test for about two weeks, well N did most of the testing! ;)  These diapers feel just as soft to the touch as our Pampers and they have a cute tiger design on the front. They stayed put even on my busy, always on the go little one and we never once had a leak or blow out!  Lastly, there was absolutely no skin irritation or diaper rash.

I would say that these diapers are very comparable to my trusty Pampers and would highly recommend them to anyone looking to go the more eco friendly and clean diaper route!

You can find Bambo Nature here or on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.  You can also purchase the diapers on Amazon! [nb/size 1, size2, size 3, size 4]

Do you have any favorite green or eco friendly baby products that you use and love?  I'd love to hear about them!