Loving Lately: Mom of 3/Holiday Edition

1. Christopher & Banks Pull On Denim Jegging

These jeans are the ideal combination of comfort, style, and reasonable price point. They look and fit great, especially for this post-partum mom bod, and they are super comfortable with the elastic waistband. I've been a convert to high-waisted jeans in the last year or so (although, you won't see me tucking my shirts in) and these jeggings come up to just below my belly button. Best of all, they don't sag or stretch out, even after wearing a few days in a row! Which, obviously, is my modus operandi right now.

2. A Windham Hill Christmas

Christmas music is playing constantly in my house or car during this time of year. I love hearing seasonal tunes in the background throughout my day, and the collections by Windham Hill are lovely renderings of traditional favorites. Also, see below... I've been listening to this album on my Amazon Music account!

3. Technology, in general

And Amazon, specifically. I've ordered pretty much all of my Christmas presents here, as well as some new mom/baby essentials -- from diapers and wipes to nursing tanks and compression leggings. And you can't beat Prime 2-day shipping. We also use the Amazon Firestick with our television, and this means plenty of catching up on shows while I'm on "maternity leave"! My favorite shows lately have been Outlander, Poldark and Fixer Upper. I also love the Kindle app on my iPhone, since I enjoy reading during those late-night nursing sessions, and also the BabyHub app for tracking feedings.

4. All the coffee

Caffeine is a necessity when running on 2-3 hours of sleep at a time, and my older children are early risers, so dragging myself out of bed by 6am requires coffee ready in an instant. Pop a pod in the Keurig and we're ready to go! Once again, ordering through Amazon makes it super easy to keep these on hand!

5. Diaper Purse Organizer

I have all kinds of bag, purses, wallets, satchels and other carrying accessories (what woman doesn't!), but not all of them are "diaper friendly". This little organizer tote makes all the difference. Slide it into a regular purse or satchel, and suddenly it becomes a diaper bag! It also makes for much easier transition between purses -- mom's gotta stay stylish, you know. ;)

6. Scents of the season

I enjoy lighting scented candles year-round, but something about the smell of a Christmas tree, gingerbread or peppermint permeating the house really gets me in the holiday mood. These cute little tins by Paddywax also make great gifts or stocking stuffers!

What are your favorites this time of year?

Maternity Capsule Wardrobe: Weeks 1 & 2

I'm a little over a week in to my 30-day Capsule Wardrobe Challenge, and wanted to share how it's going! The true challenge here is all about fit -- I've already had to trade in/out a couple pieces that I thought would work for the next few weeks. But the funny thing about pregnancy (especially the latter stages) is that your shape changes almost daily! Shirts that fit two weeks ago are suddenly not quite as flattering (or covering).  For example, the black and white plaid flannel that was so comfy and worked great over leggings during my second trimester is now a tad too snug/short to really work. Same with the gray/maroon striped tee. It's important to note that neither of these are maternity items, so it would make sense that the fit is not quite right at this stage of the game. At least that's what I tell myself.

So, I had no choice but to go shopping, right? ;) Although the point of the capsule wardrobe was to work with what I already had in my closet, I tried to find new pieces that would work both before and after baby arrives. What I ended up purchasing were two tops that work as tunics now and will fit more like dresses later (hopefully). As it turns out, stripes are totally acceptable (even with over a large pregnant belly) and not quite as unflattering as one would think.

I love the contrasting pockets on this top -- it coordinates perfectly with my cognac boots. These black fleece-lined leggings were a steal from Ross ($6!) and have been a staple in my maternity wardrobe this winter. Ideal for cold snowy days, especially when I don't leave the house. ;) The other piece I purchased is this super soft striped sweater dress (Jules Boutique) that also looks great with leggings or skinny jeans.

This black v-neck top by CaBi (not maternity) has been an ideal piece for the capsule wardrobe. Not only is it a longer length with plenty of stretch, but the cross v-neck will work perfectly for my post-baby/nursing wardrobe. The vest was a $20 find at Ross, although I have since discovered (via a local thrift store) that Loft sold the exact same piece a couple seasons ago (for $75!). It is definitely an ideal topper piece, and I'm wearing it again today over the long-sleeve gray maternity tee (from Old Navy). Paired with maternity bootcut jeans from Gap (an eBay purchase from my first pregnancy) and my fav suede booties (a birthday $$ purchase).

The black v-neck made another appearance for church, paired with the marled gray (maternity) skirt and a wine/burgundy open cardigan that was not in the initial line-up but I think is a worthwhile addition for layering over solid tees. So, with the "exchange" of the two new tops and the addition of that cardigan, I'm up to 21 pieces for 30 outfits. Still not a bad equation and I'm having fun figuring out different ways to pair these pieces. It's extremely helpful to have free reign over my shoes and accessories, as these can really make an outfit feel different.

So, are you inspired to try a capsule wardrobe yet?