My Second Fix

If you haven't heard about Stitch Fix, read about it {here} and sign up if you're interested! If you use my link to sign up, I get a $25 credit and once you sign up, you can share your link for $25 credits too! 

I just received my second fix and they really took my feedback into consideration when preparing this one! The prices were lower and the items were just what I asked for in the latest note to my stylist.

Starting back to work this week (beginning a new school year) and adjusting to taking my daughter to daycare, I didn't get the pretty photos I was hoping to post on the blog but it was packaged just like {my first fix}. This was the perfect pick me up during an exhausting week.

Let's get to the clothes!

#1 Renee C - Gabe Bold Striped Maxi Skirt - $48

Still a little over my normal price range for this type of skirt but if this had been a different color, I totally would've kept it anyway. It was the only thing keeping me from buying the whole fix this time (which by the way, you get a 25% discount if you keep it all). My stylist suggested pairing it with the blue top in my fix (I disagree, it looked terrible) or a heather gray or olive t-shirt. I do think it would've looked better with a grey top but this was all I had.

Status: Returned

#2 41Hawthorn - Mandi Colorblock Shift Dress - $38

I love this dress! It's fully lined and has a fun, chunky gold zipper in the back. My stylist suggested dressing it up with a bib necklace and heels or down with Keds (love that those are back in style) and a fun scarf. I can't wait to wear this to work and out on the town!

Status: Kept

#3 19 Cooper - Micah Ruffle Detail Sleeveless Blouse - $38

The only thing that stopped me from keeping this top was the maxi skirt. I couldn't justify $40 for such a simple top but if I'd kept the whole thing and gotten the discount...I could've handled $30 (the whole fix would've been $139.50, not bad). I'm hoping I can find something similar the next time I go shopping.

Status: Returned

#4 Kensie - Kormann Drape Front Open Cardigan - $38

I requested a go to cardigan for this fix and my stylist delivered! I love this cardigan and felt the price was pretty good for the quality. 

Status: Kept

#5 Renee C - Macklin Graphic Geo Print Keyhole Blouse - $38

This top had a gorgeous, slightly open back and although I was skeptical of the high-low hem, I ended up loving it on with some skinny jeans. If I'd received this in the spring I would've been all over it, I just couldn't be convinced to keep it and cover up the gorgeous back with a cardigan all fall.

Status: Returned

This fix left me with some tough decisions which means it was a good one! I also loved receiving a 5th clothing item instead of an accessory. I left my feedback and my next fix is scheduled to arrive 2 days before my birthday. I can't wait to see what comes next! 

P.S. I wasn't compensated for this post. I get $25 if you sign up through {my link} and you can get $25 too when you share your link!

My First Stitch Fix

If you haven't heard about Stitch Fix, read about it {here} and sign up if you're interested! If you use my link to sign up, I get a $25 credit and once you sign up, you can share your link for $25 credits too! 

You guys, I'm obsessed. Going out and trying on clothes is just a challenge for me as a new mommy so this is such an awesome solution. I'm rebuilding my wardrobe (after 10 months of maternity wear) and I get to try everything on in the comfort of my own home with the clothes I already own. Plus, someone else picks out the clothes and sizes for me. Don't get me wrong, I love shopping but I also love people shopping for me. I always gravitate towards the same styles and this gives me an opportunity to try on things I would've never considered. Obsessed.

So here was my first {Fix} experience:

My box arrived a day early and I couldn't wait to get it open.

When I opened the box, the envelope containing a note from my stylist, the style cards and price list was on top, along with the prepaid return bag and a nicely folded pile of tissue wrapped clothes.

Lots of patterns and fun fabrics and a gorgeous bubble necklace were inside.

The style card gives two different ways to wear each item - one dresses the item up and one dresses it down. I used the card to pull items I already owned to go with the new items. It's also given me great ideas for what to look for when I go shopping on my own.

Here are the clothes. Please pardon the hair, this was about a month ago when we were still in the newborn adjustment phase!

#1 Bay to Baubles - Christy Layered Bauble Necklace - $38

I adored this necklace but ultimately I just couldn't fork over $38 for a necklace I could find on Jane.com for under $10. 

Status: Returned

#2 Market and Spruce - Corinna Striped Heathered Dolman Top - $48

I didn't think I would like this top but I ended up loving it! It's so comfortable and can be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion. It's also a lightweight sweater material so it will work well for Texas winters. It looked so great with the bauble necklace they sent me too. At almost $50, that's more than I normally spend on tops but I decided to treat myself and send my stylist some feedback to keep it reasonable next time.

Status: Kept

#3 41Hawthorn - Montgomery Chevron Cross-Front Top - $48

If I'd seen this on the rack at a store I never would've picked it up but since it was in my Fix, I was forced to try it on. I was pleasantly surprised, it looked fabulous on and flattered my post-pregnancy body. (Although I've lost all my weight, trying clothes on has made me realize that things have shifted a little.) Again, more than I would normally pay but it's a nice top and I sent my stylist some feedback on the price.

Status: Kept

#4 Under Skies - Cheveyo Ikat Print Dress - $44

I so wanted to love this dress but the waist didn't fall in the right place on me and it was just a tad too short to feel comfortable. 

Status: Returned

#5 Loveappella - Kaci Abstract Chevron Swing Skirt - $58

This was WAY above my price range for a knit skirt so it was a good thing it didn't fit because I loved it. I found a similar skirt at Kohl's to wear with the cross-front top and it was much more reasonable.

Status: Returned

So I had some success with my first fix. I signed on to my account, left feedback on all of the items they had sent me (i.e. fit, style, price opinions) and checked out. It was easy to toss the returned clothes in the pre-paid mailer and drop them in the USPS mailbox in our neighborhood. I got hooked and signed up for monthly fixes! Who doesn't love new clothes showing up at their door?!

Give it a try - follow {this link} to check it out!

P.S. I wasn't compensated for this post. I get $25 if you sign up through {my link} and you can get $25 too when you share your link!

My 12 Must Have Baby Items

1. Fisher Price My Little Snuggabunny Swing 

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This has been my favorite item of Zoey's. It provides a safe, snuggly place to put her when I need to grab lunch or get something done. It will also put her to sleep about 9 out of 10 times.

The swing plugs in or runs on batteries which is fabulous because baby toys eat through batteries like you wouldn't believe!

2. Diaper Pail 

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I like the Munchkin Diaper Pail but they're all pretty much the same. The refills are expensive but we can have a stinky diaper in the house for a week and not smell it. Worth every penny.

3. Chicco Stroller Caddy 

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I didn't want to buy this but it's easily one of my favorite items. It's more secure than the car seat attachment on the city mini and it's lighter for those early postpartum days. It's a necessary evil.

4. Multi-Use Waterproof Pads 

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We haven't once changed Zoey on her actual changing pad upstairs. These awesome pads go anywhere and have saved our carpet and sheets MANY times from pee and poop mishaps.

5. Diaper Caddy

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This holds our waterproof pads, wipes, diapers and more. It keeps everything together and follows us around the house so we don't have to make the trip upstairs for her many diaper changes.

6. Activity Gym

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My sister was sweet enough to mail me the one her boys used because they're expensive! This gives Zoey something to stare at besides the ceiling and I feel like she really started enjoying it pretty early on.

7. Bouncer 

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This is how I'm able to shower when I'm on my own and another safe place to put Zoey when I need to do something around the house. It's more mobile than the swing so I can have her with me in whatever room I'm in.

8. NoseFrida 

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I swore up and down that this was the grossest thing ever and I would never ever buy one. Let me tell you, it's amazing. Still gross but it works every time and I'd do anything to help my baby breathe. Plus the snot never makes it past the entrance to the blue tube anyway. Get one.

9. My BrestFriend

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This is better than the Boppy for nursing. It provides a flat surface and buckles on for proper support while breastfeeding. I do still want the Boppy for general lounging though - the My Brestfriend isn't really made for anything other than breastfeeding.

10. Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets 

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These are great for swaddling, keeping a summer baby warm indoors, covering the car seat, or as a nursing cover. They're expensive but there is no substitution. They're so soft and beautiful. I love them.

11. Motorola Video Monitor

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This is completely necessary for me. Zoey is a very vocal baby so it's nice to see if she's distressed or just making noise without running up and down the stairs to her room. This one is secure since it's a closed system with it's own monitor. You can pan, tilt, zoom, talk through it, play lullabies and view the temp of the room.

12. Skip Hop Diaper Bag

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I love this diaper bag! It's lightweight, has lots of storage pockets and it clips to the stroller for added convenience. Plus it's pretty but not TOO pretty so Chris doesn't mine carrying it.

What are your must have baby items? 

Zoey's Birth

39 weeks

I had my weekly appointment that Wednesday - I was feeling great, no contractions and it was confirmed that there was no progress. My OB kind of chuckled at the fact that I was closed and high and said next week we'd talk about our induction date (likely June 3rd). I left work on Friday looking forward to one last relaxing 3-day weekend with Chris before baby. 

However, I woke up around 4 am and noticed a few "things" were happening. It was incredibly unnerving considering almost exactly a year ago, I woke up early to the start of a miscarriage. Needless to say, I didn't sleep after that. 

That morning as we were getting ready to have brunch with friends, I started feeling some unpleasant contractions but after eating they disappeared. We enjoyed brunch, ran some last minute baby errands and saw the much anticipated X-Men - Days of Futures Past. 

Chris had been anxiously awaiting this movie, unsure if we'd get to see it since it was released so close to Zoey's due date. I was having contractions off and on during the movie but managed to enjoy it thoroughly. We grabbed some groceries afterward and headed home. 

As soon as we laid down for bed Saturday night, my contractions came back. I walked around, did some stretches and bounced on the yoga ball but they didn't go away and seemed fairly regular. I decided to start timing them with the app on my phone. I was sure they'd timed out at the correct 5-1-1 so we made the call to head to the hospital around 3 AM.

3 hours later...we were sent home. My contractions stopped and I was only 1/2 cm.

Chris spent the next two days walking around the neighborhood with me, timing contractions as I laid in the tub, and distracting me with episodes of Warehouse 13 and Merlin on Netflix. That man deserves sainthood for being so amazing to me. 

Chris took these horrible photos of me in labor to show me later. This was Sunday.

This was Monday.

I slept on the couch Sunday night for about 10 minutes at a time. Contractions were non-stop but never consistently spaced. Monday night, we decided Chris had to go to work so after putting in a call to the hospital for sleep advice, Chris loaded me up with Benadryl so I could sleep and left me on the couch with old episodes of How I Met Your Mother. Around midnight, I realized my contractions were 4 minutes apart and I was so tired and in so much pain that I woke Chris up. After showing him the app, Chris insisted we head to the hospital. Although, in my sleep addled state, I was sure that we'd be sent home again.

This time the drive was painful and the contractions did not stop. The nurse's even reacted more seriously when we arrived. They led us straight to an L&D room and had me change into a gown. The nurse checked and told me "you're going to be so happy, you're a 3! I'll go call your doctor but I think you're going to stay and have a baby today." 

Another hour went by and a nurse came in to hook me up to the IV for fluids; that was our clue that we got to stay and have our baby on her due date!! Chris alerted the family and I progressed to a 4 during that hour. I had been loosely planning to go natural but after the weekend of no sleep, pain and the nurse telling me it gets "one million times worse", I ordered the epidural. 

Best decision I ever made. By 3:30 AM I was a 6, pain free and getting the most beautiful 2 hours of sleep ever. The epidural wasn't painful at all. I had full control of my legs and never had trouble walking afterward either.

After the epidural

When I woke up at 5 am, I had progressed to an 8 and the nurse broke my water. After teaching me how to push (only downside to the epi), the nurse and Chris were coaching me through pushing by 6 am. My contractions never regulated and despite upping the Pitocin, I'd push and have to wait 5-10 minutes for another contraction to push again. In between contractions we chatted about 19 Kids and Counting with the nurse and my OB. The whole delivery was an AMAZING experience, very relaxed and quiet the whole time and the epidural really allowed me to fully enjoy the experience.

The first thing I learned about my daughter was that she had hair and it was brunette. The nurse pulled the little alfalfa tuft (she still has it) out for Chris to see. I'm still kind of jealous about his vantage point of the whole deal. I never thought I'd want a mirror but maybe next time...or maybe it's better that I just imagine what's going on.

Finally, at 7:50 AM, she came out into the world and proceeded to poop all over my OB. I heard her cry and my world stopped for a moment. Then I had to make sure she was a girl...I'd been so worried about that for months! I had a few stitches which I didn't feel because my daughter was looking up at me as she lay on my chest. Best moment of my life.

I couldn't have asked for a better experience and as soon as I saw my girl's face, those 48 hours of painful early labor melted away. I'd do it all over again immediately. 

My Hospital Bag

I'll preface this post by saying, every hospital is different and usually provides a suggested list of items you need. I'd stick with that list - I nearly went insane reading all the lengthy lists on Pinterest. Does anyone actually think they NEED all that stuff?

We packed 2 bags, one for all three of us and one for the camera, chargers and devices. 

I also brought the My Brestfriend but left it in the car. The hospital pillows worked fine for breastfeeding. We did bring our own pillows. You just want that little familiar slice of home with you.

L&D Bag:

iPad (we didn't even use this but maybe if my labor had been longer)
iChargers (my battery was constantly drained from texts and photos)
Camera
Nurse Gifts (You want to do these - our nurses LOVED them, especially our L&D nurses who I'm pretty sure jumped up and down when I told them we had chocolate. Plus we adored our nurses and wanted to thank them on the spot.)

Overnight Bag:

Chris:
gym shorts
an extra t-shirt
undies 
a pull over (He was really glad to have the pull over - those rooms are chilly!)

Me:
undies (I ended up just using the mesh ones the hospital provided)
a nightgown
a robe
maternity yoga pants
a nursing bra
a nursing tank
a comfortable maternity dress for going home 
toiletries for both of us (for that first delicious shower)
lip balm (your lips will get dry!)

Zoey:
special going home onesie
a back-up onesie (in case she turned out to be a boy!)
socks
a blanket 
the car seat

The hospital provided everything else we needed.

We also brought an extra bag for the hospital "swag" - paperwork, booklets, postpartum stuff, extra diapers, wipes, etc. You'll come home with a lot more than you brought.

This is truly all you need and the less you have to unpack when you're exhausted and you've got a newborn at home, the better! 

Happy Packing!