Before the Bump

I am really happy to be having greens in my smoothies again. I feel like it really helps my system move the food around more efficiently. The greens added to the hydrating power of coconut milk seems to be a great combination. I had a little smoothie this morning with my breakfast and didn't actually eat any greens with the meal. I am also definitely slowing down on my use of Cholula. For some reason it just doesn't taste as amazing as it used to, whether it's because my tastes have changed or because I've overdone it. I still love my eggs though.

Before the Bump
As I am just about to enter the second trimester, I am anticipating and watching for the bump to appear. One of the things about ignoring the rule of waiting till 36 weeks to tell people I am pregnant is that people keep looking at me and saying I look great (not that I'm opposed to that). Its their slightly surprised look when they glance down to my non-existent belly that makes me feel a little like Sigourney Weaver's character in Baby Momma (she is supposedly pregnant but Tina Fey is confused because she has no belly and she's seems to old then says she feels a kick). I feel a little like people think I'm playing a joke.
Now is the time! Now there will be a bump happening and with that excitement comes my thoughts about maternity clothes and stretch mark inhibiting products.
Stretch marks
I have been looking into a couple of products:

Bio-Oil

The reviews on this stuff are great! One I read came from a woman who started using this product at the beginning of the second trimester and never had stretch marks despite them being a problem for her during teenage weight-gain. It seems to be made from natural ingredients and the price is worth the try. I am definitely getting a bottle. They sell it on amazon for a reasonable price.

Mountain Ocean
Skin Trip

I have used this lotion before for sunburns and it was extremely effective in reversing the burn after one application. They also make a soap bar I would be interested in. I received this as a gift a while ago but didn't use it often since I'm not really a lotion toting person. However, I knew that coconut oil has a naturally soothing effect on burns and grabbed this because it is the second ingredient. Unfortunately I tried to take the bottle with me to Las Vegas and they took it away from me, with it half-full. Bummer. I think this will probably be a big help with a growing belly and it smells like the beach. My best friend actually bought it for me because I used to wear coconut fragrant oil as a perfume in high-school. That was my "thing."

Also made by Mountain Ocean
Mother's Special Blend

These products seemed worth giving a shot because they are from a company I like and are geared specifically toward pregnant women. They have an oil and soap bar. I will probably get both when I get the cash. The cost is reasonable and they contain cocoa butter which is the usual "go-to" remedy for stretching skin. I have heard that it doesn't work as well as people think but it certainly could be helpful in a mixture of several effective ingredients.

I never thought I would be so excited to rub lotion or oil on myself, but I am looking forward to an easier way to accomodate the oncoming stretching and want to have a picture perfect, smooth, firm belly.... but who doesn't?

Clothing
It is always exciting thinking about a new wardrobe. I remember my best-friend and I walking past the maternity sections of stores and talking about how we couldn't wait to be pregnant and have a reason to dress in these really cute clothes. Thinking back on it, it seems a little strange that we thought the maternity clothes were so cute but that may be because biologically and historically we were already at prime pregnancy age. Luckily, we both were smarter than the girls on "Teen-mom."
Looking through my closet and my wallet, I realize that I could probably stretch the wardrobe I have to accomodate my changing body for quite some time, as I have never really worn tight clothing. I think it was the picture below that got me all revved up to start thinking about how I will dress as a pregnant woman. I will really be dressing for fall and winter pregnancy, which is a little bit of a bummer because I like the idea of sundresses so much. I will just have to find a way to use them in layers.

What I really love most about this look from the Hatch Collection is the belt below the belly. I feel like many women wear things that have an empire waist and fall over the belly and straight down from there, resembling a sort of tent. Now, I really don't know how this will look on me because I don't have this woman's body to begin with, so I may not even be able to pull it off. However, I certainly don't want to look like I am wearing a tent. It seems as though the trick is to put a hand on your belly to show that you are carrying something other than some extra weight. It looks a little funny to me in photos, so why not just get an accessory to do it for you?
Here are some fall/winter maternity looks:

 I am really drawn to the dress with leggings and layers looks. I love the cropped leather jacket, mens-style shirt and very tailored wool coat and predict a great amount of chunky sweaters/sweater dresses with leggings for myself. My reality is probably a bit more like the last two looks that have a bit of Colorado mountain style mixed with California (another place I live and where I am from). These would be the casual and fancy versions of my usual pants and t-shirt look. This is why I am also excited about the fact that H&M also has maternity clothes since that is right up my alley for budget and convenience. All I need is an influx of money and I am off for new clothes and bras/underwear (those are a whole different story I don't even want to get into).

Diaper Bags
This purchase is so far in the future, but I still wanted to post a couple of looks that I really like. Mind you, these are regular purses that are just oversized and perhaps I am naive to think that this will work just the same as an overpriced diaper bag. These are all right around $50 or less.

The first one is a medical type bag with a structured bottom that would make it easier to see inside the bag when I need to dig for something, however it doesn't have many pockets. The second one has more  compartments and can be carried by a longer strap like a messenger bag, which may be easier when a baby is being carried in the front. The last one is the hobo-style bag that I am always drawn to and seems like something that will stay closed and be comfortable on the side to back part of my body. I am not sure which is the most practical, but the third one is probably the least. Once I get a better idea of what kind of daily maintenance products I will need, I will be able to make a better decision. 

For lunch today I had a tuna wedge salad with homemade ranch dressing. For dinner I made fish tacos and shrimp tacos. The pepper and onion mix I made to act as a filling was really spicy and I may have used too much lime because it started to make me a little nauseous. Other than that, I would definitely make it again with a different filling.