The Flu and Halloween 2016

Based on how we were all feeling a few days ago I wasn't sure we'd be celebrating Halloween this year!

It started about a week ago with Ryan. He developed a fever, headache, congestion, cough and upset tummy. Jenna had a couple days of an upset tummy but it didn't seem too bad. Then on Wednesday Adam got hit hard with it. He basically stayed in bed for a day and a half and slept. I had what seemed like a minor cold but it wasn't so bad that I couldn't handle the kids. Adam stayed home from work on Thursday and I still thought I was okay. Then I took the kids to Target and started feeling really woozy halfway through the store. By that evening I had the same flu virus. For the next couple days I couldn't do anything. I don't think I've ever felt so fatigued in my life. Getting up to use the bathroom absolutely drained me. At one point I remember rolling over in bed and deciding "Nope. That required way too much effort. Not doing that again.". By Saturday I was feeling awful from not eating or drinking much, but finally started feeling better once I kept liquids down. On Sunday Lucas started complaining of a headache, sore throat, and the same upset tummy as the rest of us.

I was convinced Halloween would be cancelled this year for the Nullmeyers, but thankfully we all recovered in time to stuff ourselves with candy.

 We had Darth Vader:

 

 
A Ninja Turtle:



And Minnie Mouse:

The boys had a blast trick-or-treating. And Jenna caught on really quickly this year. Basically she ran after the big kids from door to door and begged me for candy all night.

The kids sorted out their loot and shared some with the adults.

Happy Halloween!

Update On My Picky Eaters

I think most of you know by now that I've got a couple of picky eaters on my hands. But it's been a while since I've updated on Ryan and Lucas' eating habits. In a nutshell, they are driving me crazy!! I'm not necessarily looking for advice, but I just need to vent.

Ryan has been a fussy picky eater since birth. He even endured feeding therapy as a young toddler because he had such a difficult time eating solids. Lucas started out better, but grew extremely picky as a toddler and never improved. Since then I have read countless books and articles, and talked to many other Moms about feeding picky eaters. I have also consulted the boys' pediatrician and he always has the same exact advice. Time and again, I get the advice "Don't turn food into a struggle. You are in charge of what you serve them.  Serve them a variety of healthy foods. They are in charge of what and how much they eat".

Sounds like very logical, sound advice. And this is mostly what we've been sticking to for the past 5+ years. I don't make my kids a separate meal at dinner. I do try to make something they may like. But in general I plan healthy meals and serve them small portions and then encourage them to at least try each food.

And each and night I vow to never cook dinner again.

People told me they would outgrow the pickiness. Much like they told me Ryan would outgrow his awful sleeping habits. Surely he will sleep through the night when he's in school. Ha! He still struggles with bedtime and never sleeps through the night in his bed. And much like his sleep struggles, his eating struggles are not improving. In my opinion, over the past few years both boys' pickiness has gotten much much worse. It is becoming clear to Adam and I that our approach isn't working.

Imagine if you were a teacher and your child HATED school and dropped out. Wouldn't you kind of feel like a failure? Yep, that's how I feel. I'm quite informed about nutrition and I LOVE cooking. And yet I can't get 2 of my kids to eat a darned healthy thing. To me healthy eating habits are an important part of life, so I really struggle with this.

Most nights my boys eat nothing. I'd say 90% of the time Lucas leaves the dinner table without eating anything. He would rather starve than try a bite of anything. Ryan is more like 80%.  On the rare occasion that Ryan tries a bite of something, he will often gag. Not turning food in to a battle sounds like an excellent idea in theory. And yet I've found we can't avoid the battles! Ryan will eat nothing for dinner and then ask for nachos. Obviously I have to say no, and then a huge battle ensues. Or he sneaks off to eat chocolate chips out of the pantry when I'm not looking. The battles are unavoidable because the boys are never happy with the answer given to them.

And it's not just dinner. Almost every day Ryan comes home from school with his entire lunch and snack untouched. And breakfast? Forget about it. Lucas rarely eats lunch either because I honestly can't think of a single thing to serve him.

I see other Moms who have kids who eat a variety of foods. Or who at least try a bite or two of less-than-preferred foods. And I AM SO JEALOUS. I dream about my boys enjoying the food I prepare for them. Last night I made homemade macaroni and cheese. Chicken sausage. And a simple romaine salad with cucumbers. Both boys went to bed without even a crumb in their tummies. I want to give up.

Here is a complete list of every single food Lucas will eat:

Peeled Apple Slices
Kale Chips
Strawberries
Yogurt Tubes
Milk
Orange Juice
Apple Juice
Bacon
Smoothies made with milk, peanut butter, spinach, banana
Ground beef
Triscuits
Tortilla chips
Popcorn
Fig Newton type granola bars
Plain Cheerios
Breading on Chicken strips (no actual chicken unless it's a McDonald's nugget)

As you can see, unless I cook ground beef every single night, Lucas is going to bed hungry. I am happy that there are some healthy foods on Lucas' list. Ryan's list of foods is a bit longer, because he will eat foods like plain hamburgers, french fries, tacos, nachos, and cheese pizza. He will not eat the more nutritious foods like smoothies, yogurt, kale chips or strawberries. What is concerning to me is that over the past couple years, I've seen these lists get shorter, rather than longer. I believe as they get older the variety of foods they are willing to try should be expanding! To me, that would be a good way to measure their improvement. But in fact, Ryan has gotten so picky that he would only eat 1 specific brand of peanut butter. When I ran out of it for a few weeks, he decided he didn't like peanut butter at all, even his preferred brand. So now that's off the list.

So that's where we're at. I'm ready to try a different approach. Bribing? Complete starvation? Just kidding. All I know is that our approach is not showing any tangible results. And I'm completely frustrated by the pickiness, the fighting, the sneaking treats, the daily question of whether my kids will eat anything nutritious. Do you battle with your kids over food?

Dinners #5 - The Unglamorous Edition

I wasn't going to share what we ate for dinner last week. I didn't get a chance to do a full grocery-shopping because Adam worked 2 weekends in a row and the kids weren't cooperating. And money is always a little bit tight this time of year as we start to shop for Christmas. So as I planned our meals for the coming week, they didn't sound too creative or photogenic. But this blog is about my real life, right? And I always try to be transparent and honest on here. So here is what our recent week of dinners looked like....the unglamorous, unscripted edition!

I hauled the 3 kids to Target to get a few essentials on Saturday, when Adam was working. I spent a whopping $24 on food for the week, and said a prayer that it would last us until Friday. For that amount of money I bought whole and 1% milk, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, salami, eggs, frozen broccoli, 3 russet potatoes, carrots and bananas. And then I got home and got creative.

Our freezer already contained a small amount of homemade shredded salsa chicken, 2 packages of ground turkey, 1 lb of stew meat, 1 lb of chicken thighs, 2 salmon fillets, 3 balls of homemade pizza dough and sauce. In terms of fresh produce I had a spaghetti squash, a sugar pie pumpkin, half a head of cabbage, celery, radishes, mandarins, apples, bananas and 1/2 a bell pepper.

I decided it would be a clean-out-the-fridge, freezer and pantry week. I tend to do this every year in the Fall and it's a great way to use up foods that otherwise just kind of sit there. You can read about my previous experiences here: http://nullybabyblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/november-food-challenge.html and here: http://nullybabyblog.blogspot.com/2014/08/clearing-out-my-freezer.html and here: http://nullybabyblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/grocery-shopping-challenge.html

It's also a great lesson for my kids to teach them that we don't always have their favorite foods on hand. I told the boys we didn't have the money to buy their favorites this week. Then a few days later Lucas said to our neighbor "We don't have any money so we don't have food". Talk about embarrassing!

Saturday: Bean, Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas, Assorted Veggies
(Picture file was corrupt, so couldn't upload. Sorry!)
We had 4 large tortillas, a little cheddar, a little shredded salsa chicken, and 1 last can of refried beans. So I made 2 large quesadillas and it served Adam, Ryan and Jenna. We also had some brussels sprouts, a little kale, and a little lettuce. So Jenna and I ate the brussels, Lucas and Ryan ate kale chips, and Adam has a salad. I knew there wouldn't be enough food for me, so I made a big batch of split pea soup earlier in the day, and had that for dinner. I had that pound of split peas sitting in the pantry for a while, since nobody but me loves them. So I was happy to eat split pea soup for dinner and for subsequent lunches during the week.

Sunday: Leftovers!!


I had salmon planned for dinner but realized we had plenty of leftovers we could eat. Having a leftover night is so unlike me. The array of food included split pea soup, spaghetti from a couple nights ago, salsa chicken and refried beans, and a sad pitiful salad. We were out of tortillas so I made some from scratch. They do take a little time but they are SO good.



Monday: Asian ground turkey, brown rice, sautéed red cabbage

I've been making this recipe for Asian Turkey lettuce wraps for years, but I can't share it because it's just a clipping I have in my homemade recipe book with no source. Basically I saute ground turkey and then add a combination of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, chile garlic sauce, and cilantro. The flavor is amazing! Ryan took a bite and said "Oh yea I love this meat Mommy!" Sometimes we eat it in butter lettuce. Tonight I just made brown rice to eat with it and soak up the sauce. I also sautéed the half of a red cabbage I had in the fridge, just cooking in butter and salt until it was tender. We also had a bag of veggie potstickers that had been in the freezer for quite a while, so I made some of those.

Tuesday: Homemade Pizza, Canned Green Beans


I had 3 balls of homemade pizza dough in my freezer, so I defrosted 2 to make pizza! This is always a favorite with my family (except for Lucas, who hates pizza). I also had a little homemade pizza sauce in the freezer, so I used that up. I also used up the last of our cheese that I had bought over the weekend. I made one cheese pizza (mainly for Ryan. He easily eats 6 slices of my homemade pizza). And I made a second pizza for Adam and I, topped with spicy pizza seasoning and our last sad half of a bell pepper. On the side I just microwaved some canned green beans. I don't remember eating these as a child but Adam loves them so I buy them sometimes. Jenna loved them! She kept asking for "more meat".

Wednesday: BBQ Chicken Thighs, Rice, "Kale Broccoli"

This dinner was quick and yummy. Ryan had a performance at school this night so I knew I'd need a dinner I could easily get on the table by 5pm. I cooked the last of our boneless skinless chicken thighs in the oven on low heat for 4 hours. I topped them with BBQ sauce before baking and they turned out SO good! I used this Kentucky BBQ sauce from Trader Joe's that we love.

On the side Jenna and I ate leftover brown rice, and I cooked white rice for the 3 boys. My freezer and produce were practically empty by this night, so I pulled a bag of frozen broccoli florets out of the freezer. I defrosted them completely and then sautéed in a pan with olive oil and salt until they were slightly charred. We call this dish "kale broccoli" because it has a roasted flavor like kale chips. Ryan loved the chicken and only ate that. Lucas loved his rice and only ate that. And Jenna loved the broccoli and only ate that. Between my 3 kids they ate a well-balanced dinner!

Thursday: Turkey stuffed Spaghetti Squash, Apple Pie

I had one last pound of ground turkey, and a spaghetti squash. So I made a repeat recipe from a couple weeks ago. I roasted the spaghetti squash and shredded it into "spaghetti noodles". Then I sautéed most of the ground turkey with diced onion, basil, oregano, garlic powder, and diced tomatoes.. Baked it another 10 minutes and then dug in! Cheese would have been great on top but we were all out. The remaining ground turkey that I didn't add to the mixture was served to the boys, along with leftover white rice from the previous night.

At Mops this week we made homemade apple pies. I was so thankful to have a homemade pie in our empty fridge! So I baked that and we enjoyed it after dinner. Too bad we didn't have vanilla ice cream to go with it! A free pie is always a blessing. But when your fridge is empty? Awesome!


Friday: Beef Stew, Beer Bread



By the end of the week our fridge and freezer were bare. But I had saved the pound of stew meat to enjoy beef stew on Friday. I used up all our potatoes, onions and carrots. I typically use a can of condensed tomato soup when I make my stew, but I had none. So I got creative and used up some canned tomato sauce and thickened it with cornstarch and a little sugar. The result was just as good! Our pantry was also pretty darn bare, but I had a box of beer bread mix from Trader Joe's that I had been saving. So I baked it to go along with the stew and it was delicious. The kids didn't care for this dinner, but Adam and I enjoyed it. Recipe for my Mom's Beef Stew is in this post: http://nullybabyblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/clever-title.html

By Friday night our refrigerator was bare. All that was left in our freezer was 2 salmon fillets, 1 ball of pizza dough, and the leftover split pea soup. I did get out over the weekend to go grocery shopping, but now I've got 2 sick kids. So our meals this week will likely be pretty unglamorous again! Once everyone is healthy I'd like to have a little fun and make some recipes I keep seeing on Pinterest. Any favorite Pinterest recipes you care to share?

Gender Ultrasound and 21 Week Appt

I had my big ultrasound earlier this week! Adam and I took Ryan along with us so he could see the baby on the screen. We are very thankful that everything about the baby looks totally healthy. And he's still a BOY! The technician was absolutely positive. He is weighing about 1 pound now and has the cutest little profile. He would not stop wiggling and kicking the entire time. Another active baby I guess! Yikes. Because he was so active, the technician wasn't able to get a great picture of his spine, so I may need to go back to redo those images. During the ultrasound he kept opening and closing his mouth, like he was trying to drink or eat. It was fun to see a real live baby on the screen. It makes things a lot more real.

Then yesterday I had my 21-week appointment with my doctor. Here are my stats from that appointment:

Blood Presure: 105/44
Total Weight Gain: 13 pounds

We discussed my heart/chest pain, and she didn't really have any new suggestions, other than to go to my EKG stress test at the end of the month to make sure everything is okay. I brought up the idea of needing extra magnesium, since a few people suggested that to me. I had my blood drawn to check my magnesium levels (and once again my blood would NOT come out). My results came back in the normal range, although barely. So I may start taking a magnesium supplement to see if it at least helps with my nighttime leg cramps.

Other than that, the appointment was quick and easy. Baby and I are measuring right on track!

Pumpkin Patching

Lucas had a field trip to Bishops Pumpkin Farm this month, so of course Jenna and I joined him. We rode the train, watched a play, rode the carousel, bought a pumpkin pie, and of course rode a tractor to pick pumpkins!

Jenna was very excited about the train!

 Out in the pumpkin field Lucas and Jenna selected their pumpkins to bring home. The only problem is that Ryan was in school, so he didn't get to experience Bishops.

The next weekend I went with my sister to Loomis Flower Farm, where they also have a little pumpkin patch.

 We had a lot of fun, but unfortunately Ryan chose to stay behind at home with one of his cousins. So he missed out on getting a pumpkin again! I told him we could walk down to the local grocery store and buy one, but that's just not going to cut it.

Ryan keeps asking me if we can go to the Bay Area to go to our old pumpkin patch. It's a great idea, but I'm not sure it's going to happen before Halloween. Today Ryan has a field trip to a local farm, so I'm hoping he gets to bring home a pumpkin. Then I think our pumpkin patching will be complete for the year!

20 Week Pregnancy Update

I'm officially halfway through this pregnancy, and this was an interesting week! Next week is my big ultrasound so I'm really excited for that, and anxious to see if they confirm we are having a boy.

I'll start with the boring stuff. I began having the dreaded middle-of-the-night leg cramps. I get them with every pregnancy and they are excruciating. Mine last a long time so I will often be pacing the room in the middle of the night, trying not to yell out in pain while I wait for them to pass.

I'm still pretty tired. I have normal energy in the morning but by afternoon my body just wants to rest. After I walk to school with the double stroller to pick up Ryan and then walk back home....I am tired! I feel like such an out of shape old lady, huffing and puffing.

On Saturday night I started having chest pains. They began pretty infrequently, and they would only last a few seconds. I noticed them again on Sunday, but couldn't pinpoint what was triggering them. The pain is right where I think my heart is, which is obviously a little worrisome. I have never experienced chest pains before. On Monday they were happening much more frequently, along with these strange "adrenaline rushes" across my chest. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? You know how when you are startled, sometimes you get a wave of warm tingling across your chest? I started having that feeling a lot on Monday. I'm not sure if the pain was making me anxious and causing this fight-or-flight reaction, or if the warm tingling is related to the chest pain. But then on Tuesday I noticed the pain got worse when I went on a walk with the kids, and almost nonexistent when I sat and relaxed.

I saw my doctor late in the day on Tuesday and they did a short EKG, which looked good. Everything checked out fine but they couldn't figure out what was causing the chest pain. My lungs sounded good, and it didn't appear to be a pulled muscle. The pain was feeling like a sharp zing across my heart. I knew that with my history of anxiety, that would be an easy explanation for all of this. But the doctor didn't think that was the cause, so she sent me across town to Labor and Delivery to be monitored. I was there for a couple hours.

They tried to draw some blood to check for a blood clot, but had a heart time getting any blood out of me. After many pricks to find a vein large enough, they finally got a few drops of blood out of my hand and then it just stopped flowing. Ha! The nurse said she has never seen such slow moving blood or small veins. When they finally got enough, the test came back fine. At this point the L&D doctor came in and talked to me, and said he suspects stress or anxiety is in fact causing the pain. I don't logically understand how being stressed can cause chest pain, but he said it is quite common. Nevertheless, he is a little concerned that physical activity seems to trigger more frequent pain in my chest. So I am being referred to cardiology for a treadmill stress test. The doctor joked that they should bring my kids in during the test and see how that affects my heart.

So that was my week in a nutshell. The baby's heart sounded great at the doctor and I am feeling him move a lot now. Now we just wait for the stress test and the ultrasound to confirm everything is perfect.

Glimpses

I've had this post about Lucas written in my head for the past month or so. You see, for about a month at the beginning of the school year, I was seeing a big change in Lucas.

He was being gentler with his sister, and getting along better with his big brother.

He was having fewer tantrums. And when Lucas did get in trouble, he would actually STAY in his timeout. Seriously, this never used to happen. I noticed he was calming down more easily and apologizing much more readily.

Lucas was also becoming more responsible. He started putting his shoes and backpack away without being asked. Waking up and getting dressed before even coming downstairs.

He was becoming more gentle. Not nearly as much hitting and aggressive or destructive behavior. He was happy and agreeable and I no longer lived in fear of taking him out in to public.

Adam noticed the change as well. We talked excitedly about how Lucas was finally outgrowing his terrible 2's and 3's, and maturing into a calmer 4 yr old. We even questioned the potential diagnosis of ADHD given to us by his behavior specialist.

And then the last two weeks happened.

It was like we were right back in the throes of the last two years. Back to the never-ending rages. Back to the aggression. The hitting, kicking, biting, throwing, destroying. Back to zero impulse control. Back to the violent mood swings and inability to handle being told NO. Back to me living in fear of leaving my kids alone together for more than a couple minutes.

Back to the utter exhaustion at the end of the day, followed by the internal monologue of "What am I doing wrong here?"

It reminded me of when a baby first sleeps through the night and you think FINALLY. We are past that difficult stage! Then a few nights later they start waking up every hour, and you feel like you're back to square one. Fooled you Mommy! Just kidding!

But oh you guys. I saw a glimpse of what Lucas is going to be like when he matures. And it was amazing. Life was easier. More fun. More calm. All the things we love about Lucas without all the angst. I know he has better behavior in him, so I am encouraged by this last month of behavior. It was just the glimpse I needed. I am confident that our efforts are not all in vain. Slowly but surely he will mature and grow up to be an even more amazing person.

Stitch Fix Review #25

I'm back with my 25th Stitch Fix box! I haven't received a "fix" in 5 whole months, (read my last review here) so I was really excited to dig in to this box. After assessing my maternity wardrobe I realized I had a few gaps to fill in. Although I hate to invest in maternity clothes, the fact remains that I will be dressing my expanding body in maternity clothes for approximately the next 6 plus months. (I'm already halfway through this pregnancy...yikes!)

For this box I requested the following items: maternity skinny jeans, a plaid top, Fall colors, a non-maternity cardigan to wear now as well as post-baby, a dolman-style stretchy top/tunic, and dark colored sneakers. I stressed that I like to be really comfortable during my pregnancy, but that I'd also like clothes that make me feel pretty and stylish. I told her I wouldn't mind receiving mostly non-maternity items, as long as I can layer and wear them now, as well as in the future. Like I said, I hate spending money on maternity clothes. It seems like such a waste, and yet such a necessity.

Here is my personalized note from my new stylist. (My previous stylist retired, so I'm kind of starting over with a new stylist who is trying to get to know me.)

"Congratulations on expecting your fourth tiny human, Stephanie! I am thrilled to be styling you at such a special time in your life and in your Stitch Fix journey. I sure hope you are feeling well and have skipped any morning sickness (knock on wood!). The sea sickness bands worked wonders for me. Unfortunately, I had no non-maternity dolman style tops in stock for this Fix, but I think the Laila Jayde maternity dolman will still work fine for postpartum. Wear this top with the yummy deep purple skinny jeans and don't forget the plaid scarf. I picked out the scarf since no plaid tops were in stock, but I will keep my eyes peeled for a plaid top! I went adventurous with my vest choice and chose the boho-inspired Blank NYC to layer your fall colored tops. The cardigan I've included is machine washable, score! Happy styling, lovely. Blake <3 i="">

Well my new stylist sounds nice, right? I think she did a great job listening to my requests, given the fact that she doesn't really "know" my style yet. Here is what I received in my very first Maternity fix:

Chassin Faux Leather and Faux Fur Drape Vest by Blank NYC

Ok I'm just going to say it. This vest scared me when I pulled it out of the box. I'm not really a fur kind of girl. Then I tried it on and thought "maybe??". The faux fur is SO SO soft. And I actually really love the way the rest of the vest looks, where it is a faux leather. I do love wearing vests as a layering piece. I think they can really add interest to an outfit. I own a blue puffer vest as well as a green military vest, and wear both quite often in the cold weather. But the fur lapels on this vest are just not me. It's too fussy for my lifestyle, and although I'd love to be brave enough to wear this, I'm just not. Maybe when my kids are a little older! Status: Returning

Macki Space Dye Maternity Knit Top by Laila Jayde

 Once I decided against the vest I knew I wouldn't be buying all 5 items and taking advantage of the 25% discount. Therefore, I started to look at the other items with a more critical eye. I liked this top just fine. It was comfy and stretchy and potentially long enough to wear over leggings, especially once I'm not pregnant. But once I tried it on I just didn't love the color on me. It was sort of a blah cross between blue and grey and Adam agreed that it didn't do anything for me at all. I tend to shy away from more form-fitting clothes when I'm pregnant because I'm self-conscious about my increasing weight. Although now that I look at these photos I think it looks pretty nice. Status: Returning

Sammie Plaid Infinity Scarf by Look by M

I love this scarf! The colors are just perfect for Fall, and I do love plaid. The fact that it contains many colors means it would go with a variety of tops I own. However, this scarf is $34. I just feel like I could find a similar scarf for half this price, and be just as happy with it. I have been wearing scarves more often the past couple of years. They are especially nice in the morning when walking to school in 30-degree weather. So I think I'm on the hunt now for an inexpensive plaid scarf. I've got my eye on this one. I hope I don't regret returning the Stitch Fix scarf. Status: Returning

Adorra Maternity Skinny Jean by Just Black

When I asked for maternity skinny jeans, I had basic blue denim in mind. These burgundy jeans were a surprise, but a really nice one! At first glance they looked a little small, but they fit perfectly. They are so soft. Have you ever heard people describe jeans as feeling like butter? Well these jeans feel like butter. They almost feel like leggings because they are so stretchy and soft. Normally I hate overly stretchy jeans because they sag off of me, but the full maternity panel on the stomach of these jeans means they stay in place nicely. I looked in my closet and found 6 long-sleeve tops or sweaters that would look cute with these jeans, so I think they will be very versatile! And if I don't find a basic pair of blue maternity skinny jeans, I guess I can tuck my bootcut blue jeans into my tall boots and get the skinny jean effect that way. Status: Keeping

Odesza Graphic Print Cardigan by Market and Spruce

I went back and forth about this sweater! It is exactly what I asked for. A non-maternity cardigan that I can wrap myself up in and feel comfy and cozy. It looks great with the burgundy jeans I'm keeping, and it would look great over many different colored tops. The one thing that bothers me about it is the chest/lapel area. I don't like how it draws attention to that area of my body. While I want a warm thick cardigan, I also want it to drape nicely and compliment my figure. When I look at these photos I can see that the sweater isn't incredibly flattering, both in color and fit. (if you want to see what your clothes really look like, take pictures of yourself in them! It's very enlightening.) It was a tough choice but I think I'm going to return this one and request a cardigan in a slightly different cut. Status: Returning

I found a fabulous new pair of jeans in this fix, and I am very happy with my purchase! There are still a few holes in my wardrobe, though. Like some warmer items to bundle up in as temperatures drop. My plan is to immediately request another fix, and then stop them for the rest of my pregnancy. I want to get the most wear out of my maternity clothes, so I want to get them in my closet and start wearing them now. I'll halt all my shopping after my next fix and then take a look at my wardrobe again once I'm losing the baby weight in the Spring.

Have you updated your Fall wardrobe yet? You should really try Stitch Fix! It is SO fun, convenient, and helpful for those of us who need a little style boost. Feel free to ask me any questions about the service, or schedule your first fix here: stitchfix.com/referral/3168832