Tag Archives: Maternity

Nesting: The Nursery Project

Nesting: The Nursery Project

Truth be told, I’ve probably been nesting for quite some time now – probably, some would argue, well before I even thought about getting pregnant. But once the hormones kicked in, I went into overdrive hitting up HomeGoods in an embarrassingly cliched way.

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The Garden Themed Baby Shower

Garden-Themed-Baby-Shower

Tony and I are recovering from Baby Shower #2, which involved the loud chatter of my very enthusiastic Cuban family (who have actually begun to rub off on his Peruvian side) and copious amounts of the very best homemade ethnic food any pregnant woman could want.

For this one, we went with a garden theme, since it was hosted in the beautiful backyard of my aunt & uncle’s home. We enjoyed one of those rare cool and clear Miami afternoons that I usually just pray and/or daydream about. Gotta say, we are both feeling very blessed indeed.

Here are some of our favorite details, including the Polaroid sign-in book, Milk Jar Mimosas, and everyone’s favorite Pomeranian, Romeo.

Mason--JarsMilk-Jar-with-Paper-StrawMilk-BottlesLollipopsPorcelain-BirdCenterpiecesCupcakesBelly-ShotAbuelo-with-CameraRomeo

Event Details:

Cupcakes: Not Just Cakes by Patty, Milk Jars with Straws: Beau-Coup.com, Dress: ASOS Maternity, Flowers: Berkeley Florist Supply arranged in Mason Jars, Favorite Red Lipstick: MAC Ruby Woo.

All photos taken by dad-to-be Tony Espinoza.

Maternity Chic: 4 Tips to Dressing the Belly

Header - Bubbles & Ink - Dressing the Belly Post

Week 32 is here and with it the slow waddle befitting one whose rotund nature is weighing heavily on their self esteem. In need of motivation, I started looking back through old pictures on my phone and came across a few shots of me dressing a belly that’s clearly got a plan of its own.

If you’re busy growing a small person of your own, I’m sure you can relate. It’s difficult to feel good about yourself when you barely recognize that person in the mirror. But take comfort in the fact that everyone else will tell you you’re glowing even if you’re sure that’s just a thin sheen of sweat breaking across your forehead from going up what used to be a short flight of stairs. Take heart. It’s only temporary. And your handbags will still fit, no matter what kinds of shenanigans your belly gets into.

Below, I give you four easy tips to dressing that belly that I discovered over the past months after making a serious effort to avoid the maternity shops. So far, mission accomplished. How’d I do? Any tips of your own you can share with us first-timers?

1) BELT THAT BUMP

Going through the first few months was tricky because all my regular clothes still fit but just made me look overweight, not pregnant. I quickly discovered that belting the baby bump would bring attention to my growing belly and clear up for everyone the fact that I was creating a person in there and not just really enjoying those Buffalo wings at Sports Grill (though I really DID enjoy all those Buffalo wings at Sports Grill…). To clear up any confusion and proudly show off your new curves, grab a skinny belt and wear it just above the belly. Something with embellishments adds a really nice touch and makes you look pulled together. Belted dresses or wrap dresses also grow with you.

Belted Shirt Dress from Kirna Zabete for TargetBelted Sweater & Layers

2) LOOK FOR LARGER SIZES

I was hesitant to dive into the maternity shops when I knew this would only be temporary. The truth is, you can easily fit into larger sizes and avoid the pregnancy tent phenomenon for quite a long while if you shop for larger sizes. Knowing I could find inexpensive pieces and still be on trend, I hit up shops like Forever 21 for loose-fitting items. I also shopped my own closet for comfortable stretch fabrics (maxi skirts, soft tees) that have worked for me even until today, at week 32. Maxi dresses with empire waists have also been an essential wardrobe stable that need not come from a maternity store.

Large Graphic Sweater - Forever 21

Outfit - Budding-Bump

3) THE POWER OF BLACK TIGHTS

When my jeans and pants stopped fitting against all better efforts, I discovered my new wardrobe staple: black tights. Sure, there are belly bands and such to make your existing pieces work. But the truth is that I didn’t want to bother with any of it. I wanted to pull something on and be done with it. So came the black tight uniform I’ve been shamelessly reinventing for several months now. Dress up or down by adding a basic tee or sweater, or even your husband’s favorite shirt. The very best part is that they’re fairly cheap and easy to replace if you outgrow them (I shopped Old Navy and Target).

Outfit - Sweater & Tights

4) ACCESSORIES ALWAYS FIT

When all else fails, the great thing is that no matter how big your baby bump gets, accessories will ALWAYS fit. Pile on your favorites or wear one standout piece. The choice is yours. But a little glitz always makes me feel much better when my clothing options begin to look like glorified tents. Remember it’s just temporary and you’ll be looking like yourself in a short while. I hear running after a little one just makes the pounds melt off.

Brighthouse Baubles BraceletEnvelope Clutch from ASOS

POST DETAILS: 

Pink ASOS Clutch, Pave Link Bracelet from Brighthouse Baubles, Lucite Bangles from H&M, Studded Black Clutch from Rebi’s Closet, Gold & Wood Bead Bracelet from Stephanie Lian’s Closet, Gold Link & Pave Link Bracelet from Gigglosophy, Graphic Print Sweater from Forever 21, Belted Shirt Dress from Target

The Preggo Burger Tour of South Florida

Burger Tour of South Florida

I won’t pretend I didn’t have an overwhelming love affair with food prior to my expectant status. But I will say that what champagne used to do for me pre-baby, cuisine has temporarily filled in for quite nicely. And without any of the guilt, which is essentially priceless. Hence, the Great Pregnancy Craving Tour of Miami.

I have shamelessly paraded this bump around town and (mostly unknowingly) dripped all sorts of toppings upon it to put together a list of my favorite (and not-so-favorite) crave-inducing establishments. I’m starting with my longest-running obsession, burgers. Check out my picks. Did I miss any? What should I try next? Let me know your favorites.

Definition of Lokal

THE FAVORITES:

Elevation Burger – Simple, sustainable, organic, grass-fed, and free-range. If you’re a carnivore with a conscience (and a budget), there’s nothing better. Add a healthy list of toppings and a soda machine to blend any concoction to your whim and you’ve got the kind of place that’s made me go through a slew of frequent visitor cards. Slew!

Blue Collar – There isn’t enough I can tell you about this burger. I was newly pregnant at the time and discovering I’d developed the kind of appetite that would impress a wrestler. Enter the Real Juicy Cheeseburger Prime dry-aged New York strip on a Portuguese muffin with your choice of lettuce, tomato, and onions. I don’t think I spoke two words during that meal.

Crave – This is the kind of refined establishment where most (non-pregnant) people would enjoy a nice sushi lunch or a delicately balanced salad. But I had absolutely no shame in devouring their Crave Burger and licking my fingers while doing so. I’m happy to do it again, even in the finest company. With smoked cheddar, onion, and house-made pickles, this is definitely a winner.

Lokal – I’ve never strayed from the 50/50 (Fidy Fidy) burger. And I don’t think I’ll ever want to. Equal parts Florida ground beef and Florida ground bacon combine to make super amazing burger babies in your mouth. Served with mayo, Monterrey jack cheese, and a sweet onion marmalade, you also get a side of 50% sweet potato fries, 50% french fries with honey mustard dipping sauce that gives you quite possibly the most beautiful combination of ingredients a belly could want.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Latin House Grill – This little gem on Sunset has a menu full of crave-able items (Sneaky Nachos!). But if you’re having one of those days when you can’t really figure out what flavor you’re after, I recommend the Intl Muffin Tops. Two of those little guys have a big fill factor.

Red Robin – I had no idea what to expect from Red Robin. And then I learned about their Bottomless Steak Fries (that I, of course, dipped in ranch dressing). It was absolute kismet. I paired that with the Whiskey River BBQ Burger and happily groaned my full belly out the door.

Shake Shack – While I genuinely enjoyed their Angus burger (I had the SmokeShack), my heart was really much more set on their Flat-Top Dogs. I made a mess of that Shack-cago Dog and enjoyed every last bit of relish. Bring your pooch along to dine on the terrace and buy him his own treats for a small price.

NOT WORTH THE WADDLE:

Le Tub Saloon – This waterfront joint has a serious following thanks to being voted best hamburger by GQ Magazine as well as being placed on Oprah’s radar as one of her favorites. The burger itself was simple, tasty, and juicy but the downside for any preggo is that there will likely be a minimum wait time of 1.5 hours before you see any meat on your plate. My vote? Try it when you’re not as likely to dig into the person next to you with a fork & knife. Or sit at a safe distance from others and bring a snack for the wait.

CG Burgers – You only get one shot at dinner. You can deal with “ok” food for lunch because you still have a chance to make it up throughout the rest of the day. But when you have the kind of dinner that leaves you wondering what was missing, you just end up with a grouchy preggo that’s likely suffering from heartburn and an unfulfilled appetite. In this case, what was missing was a decent brioche and some basic seasoning. I wanted so much to like this place but two strikes is enough for me to know not to go for the third.

SmashBurger – This place just made me angry. I first take issue with their logo, a blatant rip-off of GameStop’s font and coloring. But bad branding aside, with a name like SmashBurger, you should really be making a sensational impression. Rather, the result of quite literally smashing your burger patties into submission before squeezing all the juice out of the poor things is what my Cuban grandmother often refers to as “suela de zapato”, or the leathery bottom of one’s shoe, for those not fluent in Cuban slang. But I retain that it’s more accurately articulated in Spanish. No need to stop here.

Note: Rok Brgr didn’t make the list because I only visited once and wasn’t too impressed but felt that maybe it was an off night. I think it deserves another shot before I pass judgement.

Maternity Chic: The Diaper Bag Dilemma

So, the diaper bag. That vinyl thing we’re all supposed to carry around with some sort of overzealous duck print just because we’ve recently bred a munchkin who’ll likely adore that sort of stuff. And that’s just fine for him/her. But why would a 32-year-old woman voluntarily tote one of those things around? I mean, if that’s your thing and you’ve been secretly dying to find an excuse to sport some nursery rhyme-type fashion, then go ahead and rock that duck unapologetically. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I’d be cringing for you just a little on the inside.

I’ve both been dreading and anticipating the hunt for a more fashion-forward solution to this diaper bag dilemma. Before getting pregnant, I wasn’t really the type of gal who’d linger around the kinds of shops that would impart this sort of information. But here I am and my search has led me to some admittedly chic options. Bags with nary a nursery print in sight.

Though I’ll admit that two of the six bags in this post are not officially diaper bags per se, my search did lead me to the “diaper bag insert” solution that can pretty much turn any good-sized  tote into a baby-suitable carry-all. Hence, the L.A.M.B. and See by Chloe are still perfectly legitimate choices (insert silly grin on mom-to-be here). The other four are by Timi and Leslie, my new mommy-friendly favorites.

But I’d love to hear from other chic moms out there. What did you wear as a diaper bag? Any designers I overlooked? Please share your wisdom with me! If you know me, you don’t even want to think about the perma-scowl I’d be rocking with a duck print bag.

Click on the pics to visit the retailer’s site.