Thursday

Attire:
BOOB Maternity - Black jersey dress
Banana Republic - Black knit camisole
? - Black tights (found them in the attic and was so glad since all retailers think it's 90 degrees out and I can't find tights anywhere)
B.P. for Nordstrom - Silver necklace with black stone pendant
MD Ren Fest - Silver necklace
Silver hoops and cuff
Sofft - Black suede Mary Janes (found the black version of the brown ones that saved me during pregnancy at Marshalls for like 1/4 the price at Nordstrom!)

Hair:
Washed and conditioned with Pureology Volumizing
Redken - Satinwear 02 applied while damp
Dried with round brush to smooth
Matrix - Sleek.Look Water Lockout Spray

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Supernatural foundation in Beige
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Laura Mercier - The concealers from the Flawless Face Kit
Pop Beauty - Shadow palette for brown eye - celadon and khaki blended on lid, black in crease and along lash lines
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive
Avon - Eye Liner in Black

So funny how the bod keeps changing every day. I wore this dress at five weeks to the hair salon with these shoes and bare legs and though I looked cute as a button. Now the dress looks too long and loose and dumpy. Problem is the one pair of black pants are dirty... The gray dress I wore like crazy pre-Emerson I tried on and it would look cute... if I cut off 4" from the hem. I think I may just do that because that dress is phenomenal - can be washed and dried and is good for work (would wear bike shorts underneath so when I pump I won't be completely nekkid in my office) or play, winter or spring. I went up in the attic and found a few more sweaters I can wear to work... so tempted to purchase a pair of non-black pants but really want to "shop from my closet (and attic)" until the next season at least.

By the way, the photo doesn't show it but I am having a FANTASTIC hair day. It takes about two weeks post-cut for it to really come into its own; also the Redken product really made blow drying easy - really held the shape I made with the brush while looking and feeling soft and healthy. I will use it a few more times before I post an official review of it.

And for those breast feeding moms I bet you can relate... Emerson woke up a bit before 5am for a feeding and the alarm was set for 5:00 (guestimating her next feeding from how she is usually around three hours between each one). She decided this morning was a good time for a multi-course gourmet feast and fed for almost an hour. This made me run late (had a meeting at 8:45 and would have to pump beforehand), so I dashed through a shower and getting dressed and dashed out the door. Got all the way to the Metro and realized I left the cooler bag of pumping bottles in the freezer. Had to go all the way home to get them. Go back to the Metro, get on and three stops in I feel something wet on my shirt... yeppers forgot the nursing pads. Glad I am wearing two layers of black knit and that I had my ivory pashmina on as a scarf. Got to work, made do with a few carefully folded Kleenex and have left the pashmina on all day (and got a compliment on how well I wear scarves). Happy Thursday! :)

Wednesday

Happy Wednesday!

You get to see Emerson instead of me because I am working from home today. Face is washed, teeth are brushed, but that's about it. I don't think anyone needs to see me in my Bravado nursing tank, capri yoga pants from old Navy and Gap hoodie... oh yes, and green chenille grippy socks that I got for Christmas a few years ago. Nothing sexier than puffy green socks with capri pants...

My mom's next door neighbor got her these Days of the Week bibs and I thought it was fitting for this picture!

See you tomorrow!

Tuesday

Attire:
Banana Republic - Teal merino sweater
Liz Lange for Target - Black ponte trousers (get used to them, it's pretty much all that fits right now)
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Limited - Silver chain with charms
Silver hoops and cuff

Hair:
Washed and conditioned
Redken - Satinwear 02 applied while damp
Dried while twisting
Jonathan Silky Dirt to smooth and finish

Beauty:
Laura Mercier - Flawless Face Kit in Sand: the concealers and powder
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Clinique - Longwear Lipstick in Beauty
Pop Beauty - Shadow palette for brown eyes: khaki and celadon blended on lid, black in crease and along lash line
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black

Okay, today being away from Emerson really has hit me. Last night I came home and I felt as though I had to reintroduce myself to her. She was very fussy and also clingy. This morning I was late because she slept longer between feedings last night (hello 5.5 hours in one session!) and it was either feed her and be late or have my husband feed her from a bottle as soon as he got back from taking me to the Metro. I wanted that last chance to do something for her that no one else can do. I work for an amazing company, like what I do and who I work with, but if I won the lottery... I would be home with Emerson. Yes, I would still care about what I was wearing, but it would be with her. Too bad I can't bring her to work, put her in a sling, have her swing next to my desk, a Pack and Play next to the file cabinet... ;)

In Allie Fashion news... I am so not my old size or shape. I was going to wear a dress today, but realized I don't own black tights. So I tried plum, which made me and my dress look like middle-aged goth wannabe. So I thought... I used to wear my plum tights with my brown suede tall boots and my dark red merino dress from Banana Republic... I put on the boots and they fit - the swollen legs are gone! I go and put on the dress... and that which used to be a shift is now a skintight tube dress and NOT cute. Husband said, "are you really going to wear that to work?" Yeah, that was my attempt at some sassy fashion this early on... need to work out some before I can attempt the cute clothes in the back of the closet...

Monday

Attire:
Philosophy - Blackberry cashmere low v-neck sweater
Banana Republic - Black cotton cami
Liz Lange for Target - Black ponte trousers
David Tate - Black city boots
Express - Purple bead necklace

Hair:
Second day, straightened with round brush and dryer

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Present, The Supernatural foundation in Beige
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Avon - Eye Liner in Eggplant, Pro-to-Go Lipstick in Warm Pink
Clinique - Shadow duo in Like Mink

Today may not have been my first day back, but it's the beginning of my first actual week. I drove myself to the Metro versus my husband driving me to the office on Thursday. Carried that heavy pump and laptop bag, building some muscles!

I had lunch with a dear friend which made the day easier, and I also took a picture of Emerson asleep in her Daddy's arm just before I headed out the door... (sorry so dark but I didn't want to turn on the light and wake them)

Oh those baby CHEEKS!!! :)

Sunday

Attire:
Old Navy Maternity - White wrap tee
Liz Lange for Target - Black ponte pants
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Silver hoops

Hair:
Washed and let air dry, nothing else except fluffed a bit

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Supernatural foundation in Beige
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Clinique - Shadow duo in Like Mink
Avon - Pro-To-Go Lipstick in Warm Pink

Today was errand day and Emerson handled it like a champ. We visited Target, Marshalls, Starbucks, a local restaurant for lunch and then a quick stop at the market!

I also see with this picture that I need to retire the maternity tops. This top (have it in olive, black and white) was an awesome staple through all trimesters of my pregnancy and the first month postpartum since it works as an awesome nursing top. However these tops have been laundered far too often and are a little too big now in the belly. Will add them to the maternity clothes in the attic because though they are kinda faded, they are still a great go-to top. Old Navy are you reading this? Bring these tops back. You had them short sleeved and long sleeved and they are AWESOME! Consider also making them in matte jersey or a dressier (yet still easily laundered) fabric. These and your also discontinued maternity ponte pants were lifesavers for MONTHS!!!

I finally replaced my Nars blush in Orgasm.

I have mentioned before how I feel this product is worth every dime. Well four years later I finally retired the original compact. Here's the old one (actually could have kept it longer since there was still product), and the newbie. Sometimes department store cosmetics are worth the money - this is after wearing this blush almost every day since my 30th birthday.

Pretty awesome, Nars!

Friday

Attire:
Lands End - Black fine gauge cotton v-neck
Gap Maternity - Long & Lean jeans (regular jeans don't work yet)
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Silver hoops & cuff

Hair:
Second day
Straightened dry with round brush and dryer

Beauty:
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Nars - Blush in Orgasm
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Rich Black
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive (though applied a couple hours before this picture)

Today I worked from home and had my six-week post partum appointment. They say I am healing just fine and I have the green light for exercise and what got me pregnant in the first place. ;) I wanted to weight myself (I don't own a scale) but completely forgot so not sure how much I have lost. That's Life reminding me it's only a number and what is important is feeling good, being healthy!

I haven't lost a ton - I do not fit in any of my old pants and don't really fit in a size above except in some forgiving cuts. However my arms and shoulders and lower legs do feel as though they are back to normal. I haven't been exercising other than 11 lb. Baby Curls each time I pick up and put down my daughter (and breast feeding burns 400 calories a day). However since her birth, I have had French fries once (last night to celebrate my first day of work), pizza once, and that is the only fast food.

Other than an occasional veggie, carrot or orange juice with breakfast or a random glass of wine immediately after Emerson's feeding I have only consumed water as a beverage, and tons of it (at least 60 oz. a day). I really think it is being stuck at home - portion control, no fast food, not really any alcohol, fresh foods (and yes, you can find time to cook with a newborn - you just have to know how to cook fast and fresh beforehand). I hope to continue this when back to work by being good about bringing my lunch and having breakfast at home before I leave.

Success Foods The Past Two Months:
Pre-made Quinoa for Breakfast - Quinoa is awesome for fiber and protein as well as many other things. I cooked up a whole bag of Bob's Red Mill quinoa and stuck it in the fridge. I took a bag of frozen blueberries and dumped it in a food storage container, and with it added brown sugar and raisins. For breakfast I would take a cup of quinoa and pour some blueberry mixture on top, drizzle some water on top and heat it up in the microwave for a minute. Super fast and delish. The first couple of weeks I would add some of that no-flavor fiber stuff to help with... well you read about it in the post about Emerson's birth.

Stir-fry Dinners - Uncle Ben's 90 second brown rice packets, and then in a frying pan I would toss some frozen or fresh veggies, occasionally mixed with a can of water chestnuts or bamboo shoots. There are tons of pre-made sauces on the market - teriyaki, chili sauce, etc. A bit of that and in a couple of minutes you have a really great, healthy, and speedy meal.

Chik'n Sandwich Lunches - We throw the faux breaded chicken patties (I love the spicy ones) in the toaster - two times on the highest setting gets them crispy (foil under the toaster to catch drips). Multigrain bread, horseradish mustard, half a smashed avocado, a slice of cheese, and various veggies (field greens, tomato, thinly sliced carrot, cucumber, red onion, whatever is on hand). I add mayo or hummus on occasion to switch it up. Can be made in under five minutes and it tastes super yum and fun. These are great ot be made ahead of time, toast the bread, then wrap in foil and take to work. All the stuff melds together and it's a delish bag lunch.

Not Your Average Spaghetti Sauce - We use regular or whole grain pasta, and the sauce is a random mix. Can of crushed tomatoes, leftover spinach, two leftover mushrooms, can of black olives, some faux beef, crushed red pepper, shredded carrot, a bit of salsa, cream of mushroom soup, the drips of red wine at the bottom of the bottle, feta cheese... not all at once, but a combo that makes sense and cleans out the fridge. At least as much sauce as pasta so you're filling up on veggies and protein, not carbs. We do this like once a week before we go to market to gut out the last of the crap in the fridge.

Well the day is done so I am off to hang out with the family! Have a wonderful weekend!

Thursday

Attire:
Lands End - Orange fine gauge scoop sweater, black ponte trousers
David Tate - Black leather city boots
Silver cuff and hoops
Tags-n-Stones - Silver "Emerson" necklace

Hair:
Washed and conditioned night prior; let air dry sans product
Curled random pieces this morning and used curler to straighten bangs
Jonathan Silky Dirt to smooth and separate

Beauty:
Philosophy - The Present Clear Makeup
Laura Mercier - Flawless Face Kit in Sand
Cargo - Matte Beach Blush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Benefit - Lipstick in Bouquet Dive
Cover Girl - LashBlast waterproof mascara in Black (in case I cried when leaving the baby.... which I did)

I love my new necklace from Tags-n-Stones. Since I am still not able to comfortably fit my wedding set on my finger, I have it around my neck and then have this necklace. It's as though all I love is together near my heart! Feel free to click on the image to see it in detail...

Well as you see I am back to work! And as you can see by the bags under my eyes, I am going on very little sleep. However I am still functioning and have yet to consume any caffeine!

It was hard going back, but I feel good now that I am here and using my brain. I just called my husband - he and Emerson are doing well. She was a bit fussy this morning but was napping when I called. Instead of taking the Metro, my husband drove me into work so I could use the commute time to hang out with my baby. Tomorrow I will be working from home; not sure if I will be able to post a picture.

I know the photo is dark - it was still dark out when I took it and it is in a different room from where I used to post (one with green instead of bright white walls). The old room is now Behr's "Cornsilk" and is Emerson's nursery. This room used to be our old bedroom and is now a pile of stuff waiting to become the office. The door in the background is the door to our new bedroom.

My original plan for 2009 was to start using a tripod for better pictures. I just haven't had the time (I wonder why?). I eventually will upgrade to that when I get the chance and the proper space to do so. So hang in there! :)

Baby Announcements

I just received the proof for our cool baby announcements and just HAD to share with you guys!

This is the picture I sent in...



And this is the announcement...



How utterly cool is that? I love how the baby announcement looks like a concert poster. The announcements are from Rattle-N-Roll; each order comes with two 11x14" posters of this announcement. Rattle-N-Roll creates unique and custom announcements. Communication and service with this company has been awesome and I cannot wait to send these to all our loved ones!

In other news, I go back to work on Thursday and I am not looking forward to it. Well, in some ways I am. I miss my coworkers a lot, I miss the camaraderie, and I miss the brain stimulation and the daily challenge. However I will miss Emerson even more. I was emailing with my supervisor and he joked about how I will spend half of Thursday balled up in a corner sobbing, and then most of Friday (which I will be working from home) latched onto Emerson feeling guilt for abandoning her the day prior. My husband is also nervous about having the "food provider" being gone all day, though I have already started a milk stash in the freezer and plan to pump at work.

Emerson went to the pediatrician this week for her one-month appointment. She's a big baby - 90th percentile for head circumference and length (she is 22 1/2"); 97th percentile for weight (11 lbs., 4 oz.). Today our neighbor came over to see the baby. She recently moved from China and is still becoming comfortable with the language. She looked at Emerson and said, "she got tall from your husband and she got fat from you!" The doctor says Emerson isn't fat, she is just proportionally larger than most babies at this age. I think she is utterly adorable. Oh, for those into the baby fashion, you may like this onesie...



And yes, she had matching black Trumpette socks with that onesie! ;) Too bad the onesie is Newborn size, it barely fits her any more. She has outgrown almost all of her newborn diapers and all of the newborn diaper covers. We put a Newborn sleeper on her the other day and it fit like a unitard. I swear, she grows so fast we can practically see it right before our eyes. She is also gaining so many skills - she is doing far more eye contact, more responsive facial expressions (and I swear it's not all gas, she does smile!), and she has realized that she has a tongue (likes to play with it and stick it out) and a voice (she makes all sorts of squeals and sounds). She sleeps 3-4 hours at a time and at night she USUALLY passes out immediately after feedings (of course last night she was fussy much of the time), and as you can see by her size we have both learned the fine art of breast feeding.

Fashion has been tough. The body is so... saggy in the middle. My maternity pants don't fit, yet normal clothing is binding. I am still living in the ponte maternity pants from Old Navy, but they are starting to look dumpy and too large. I have a pair of Gap's Long & Lean jeans in maternity version and they are okay but not great. Yesterday I wore the black jersey dress from Boob Maternity that I sported most of my pregnancy. The surplice neckline makes it good for breast feeding, and the cut doesn't look super maternity. I am too small for an XL top, but a L top is too tight in the bust. Size 16 pants look a bit dumpy, but 14 can't fit over my thighs. I just ordered some basics from Lands End and hope something works. I have a few new knits from Old Navy, but due to them being too large (XL), they are better for being at home instead of going to work. I fear I will be living in my blackberry cashmere sweater, those old ponte pants and the one black maternity dress for WEEKS. Oh well, I have my six week appointment next Friday; if they say I am healed I will be starting up yoga two times a week and that along with walking should hopefully tone me up a tiny bit so I can actually fit in "real" pants again (don't care about the size, just need some clothes that fit).

Hope everyone has a lovely Valentine's Day on Saturday!!!