We just arrived back home to NYC from our family holiday to The Dominican Republic and this pregnant mama is achy, exhausted, and deliriously happy. My heart is content and I have a tan to boot. I mean, what could be better than that?
Ivan’s father retired to the DR about two years ago after working for over 40 years in New York. This trip was a special one because he was turning 70 and we wanted to share in the festivities. Not only that but Ivan’s birthday falls on the exact same day with his brother’s happening only days before. It was a Vargas birthday extravaganza if you will.
19/52: “A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015.”
Lucas: Living that farm life in the Dominican Republic.
Bebe: Growing big and strong on the Island (and loving all of the food ;).
20/52: “A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015.”
Lucas: Quiet moments with you are just so sweet (though very rare). Here you are taking a moment to relax and eat your favorite cereal – fruit loops.
Bebe: When I checked my pregnancy app this week I couldn’t believe that it said you are approximately 15 inches! Lucas was 19.5 inches when he was born and it hit me just how soon you will actually be here.
A few weeks ago a friend looked at Lucas and dubbed him “Mowgli”. In that exact moment he was climbing a wall, jumping, and bouncing around. With his his new summer tan, sweet round face, and black, messy hair I thought the nickname was perfection and it’s kind of stuck around since then. My little Mowgli bear!
Oh my..PINK! The sweetest packages have started to arrive for bebe girl and seriously, how adorable are these teeny teeny beauties? Although I love color and brights, I just think a little babe is scrumptious in creams and whites. Throw in a touch of the perfect pink and now I’m swooning. That gorgeous baby bracelet is from the amazing Scosha jewelry collection – her baby collection just launched and it’s absolutely divine. The bracelet even has her birthstone and it’s incredible – a gift I will always treasure.
With Mother’s Day coming up, I’ve been reflecting on not just mama-hood but how I feel about myself as woman. Everything happened faster this pregnancy and I have found myself on more than one occasion complaining about my body more than I care to admit. I’ve finally realized how freaking amazing my body is. I get to nurture and carry a beautiful being for a second time and how amazing is THAT? My breasts are growing, I have a little more junk in the trunk, and there’s certainly more of me to love and that’s OKAY. We are women. We are mamas. We are miraculous. There’s nothing more freeing than learning to love our bodies and feeling proud, beautiful, and even sensual (yep!) during this time in our lives that only we were built to do.
Thank you Calvin Klein for creating a scent that empowers me as a woman. This post is in partnership with Refinery 29 and Calvin Klein, two companies I love. All opinions are my own.
“A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015.”
Lucas: We had a busy week – park dates, events, and lots of one on one time. Seriously kid, I couldn’t have asked for a better side kick. You make everything louder, sillier, and just plain better.
Bebe: 26 weeks..26 WEEKS! We are exactly three months away from having you in our arms. We all love you so very much already.
Baby girl will be here in 3 months. We are still working on a middle name and Lucas is still asking for a brother. I know his world is going to be rocked when she arrives and everyone assures me he will be head over heels for his little sister. I get all giddy and emotional when I think of how protective he will be over her and the bond they will share. We are leaving to the Dominican Republic for a family vacation/baby moon and when we get back we will start to get the crib and all her essentials ready. My mama friends weren’t kidding me – the time really does fly the second time around.
A lot of things start happening skin wise when you’re pregnant. Weird red patches and outbreaks, sensitivity, itching…I could go on. With both my pregnancies I’ve tried a few different brands and products, most of which bothered me smell wise and just didn’t feel good on my skin – too greasy, too light.
The moment I entered my second trimester I started a skin care routine that I’ve been pretty religious with. One of my favorite companies that I have been using is Basq. All of their products are made in the USA and are allergy and sensitive free (which is so important to me since pregnant mama skin can be so wonky). Below I’ve listed some of my favorite products and how/when I use them..
+ Citrus Scrub: I can’t even begin to describe the relief I feel when I use this stuff. Magic I tell you! I usually scrub my entire body down – focussing on my belly and breasts – twice a week. Not only does it leave my skin feeling silky smooth, it’s also a relief from that tight feeling you can sometimes experience.
+ Resilient Body Oil: The eucalyptus scent is my jam and I haven’t gotten sick of it which is huge. I use this every night before bed. It’s the perfect consistency and not too “oily” (make sense?). A few pumps go a long way.
+ Facial Cleanser: My face reacted very differently this time around. A few breakouts and blotchy patches appeared. I wanted to make sure I used a gentle cleanser and this scrub is perfect. I use 2-3x a week and it leaves me with the prettiest glow and is extremely gentle.
I truly believe in taking great of your skin and with a few minor tweaks in your pre-pregnancy routine, your regimen can be easily customized and leave you feeling good and pampered (yes!). This post is partnership with Basq, a company I love. All opinion are my own.
The weather was amazing this past weekend (although jackets were still required for part of the day..I’m trying not to complain here..). We celebrated a friends birthday in Central Park and after the festivities we strolled around, ate ice cream, and enjoyed the blossoms showing off everywhere.
I’m so fortunate to have been able to work with A Pea in the Pod and Destination Maternity this pregnancy. I popped rather quickly and having staples that I can throw on and feel amazing in have really helped when dressing my growing bump. I have been living in these jeans and I swear I can wear them at least 5 times without washing (tmi?) because the stretch is just that good. This soul mates tee is pretty amazing – it’s so so soooftttt and $5 from every purchase is donated to Baby Buggy. Wins. PS – I couldn’t resist adding that adorable toddler face up there!
Jacket (old) from UO | Tee | AG Jeans | Sneakers from UO (similar here)
We just arrived back home to NYC from our family holiday to The Dominican Republic and this pregnant mama is achy, exhausted, and deliriously happy. My heart is content and I have a tan to boot. I mean, what could be better than that?
