Hope you are having a great week! Can you believe it, it’s almost February? Time is flying by! Today I thought I would share some bump friendly Valentines outfits that is non maternity. I love finding pieces I can wear during and after pregnancy. I actually bought these pieces before I was pregnant and they worked perfectly with my growing bump. Check them out below!
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One of my favorite looks because it is such an easy outfit to put together. I had this blazer for awhile and it’s so easy to throw with a midi dress and heels.
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For this next look I paired this $30 maxi dress with one of my favorite pink coats. You can see how I styled it here in this previous Valentine’s look. The next look is one of my favorite cross back midi dress for $25. I paired it with this pink duster that I also styled in this previous post.
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I love a good midi dress for the bump and adding subtle pinks and blush tones are a great way to get into the Valentine’s spirit. Which bump friendly Valentines outfits is your favorite?
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Hope you are having a great week! We are officially back from Hawaii! It was such an amazing trip and I can’t wait to share more. But today I wanted to share this two piece set I got for under $30 for my growing bump and how I styled it two different ways. Check it out and let me know which is your favorite look!
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For this first look I paired this set with an oversized blazer for a dressier work wear look. I love this blazer because it’s a great layering piece that never goes out of style. These croc pattern boots are one of my favorites for winter. I love the block heel so they are very comfortable. As you can see I have them in both black and white.
For the second look, I switched out my boots, hat, and bag for a more day time look. I love how this two piece set can easily transition from dressy to casual.
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I hope you enjoyed these looks and how I styled this cute $25 two piece set two ways. Which style is your favorite?
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Jayden is officially seven years old. Every year around this time I get extra emotional. As a parents it’s crazy how you can be happy and sad all at the same time. Happy for another year with my little guy, and sad that he is getting bigger and more independent. I still remember when I was blogging about his one month birthday almost seven years ago! Where does the time go? Seven years old and so much has changed. Sharing more of Jayden’s big milestones including becoming a big brother this year!
In five months Jayden will officially be a big brother. He has been wanting a sibling for some time now and I am so happy we can finally give that to him. I don’t doubt one bit he’s going to be an amazing big brother. He’s already so loving and attentive it makes me cry a little.
I remember when I was pregnant with him and I hoped for a boy first so he could love his mommy the most. It’s selfish to think, but I just wanted that undeniable mother and son bond. I prayed to God he would be funny, kind, athletic, handsome, and loving like his daddy. Smart, confident, and always cheerful like his momma, and boy did God not only deliver all of those things in one little package and so much more. I can’t even describe how amazing this little guy is, and he continues to amaze us as the years go on.
He is so smart, reads at a high school level, and is in the Gifted and Talented program in school. I thought I was smart but this kid is beyond me. He reads history books for fun. Like a walking encyclopedia of facts. He loves everything World War II at the moment. So for his birthday we are taking him to Hawaii so he can visit Pearl Harbor. He said next place he wants to visit is Normandy, France!
He played little League Baseball last year and was the team MVP. Learned how to do back flips in the pool, and also played flag football. He is definitely taking after his daddy in the sports department. But most of all I love his little personality. He is a born leader, not afraid to take command, or even be by himself. I love that he is so confident in himself he doesn’t need other children’s approval. Children naturally gravitate to him. He is unapologetically himself. Kind, funny, imaginative, and inclusive.
He is the apple of our eyes, and his grandparents too. Spoiled rotten with all the love a child could ever want. I am thankful for our family and how supportive they are. They literally are there at everyone of his games or events. He really has the best relationship with his grandparents. I hope one day to have that too with our future grand kids.
Jayden with his Lola (my mom) and his Honey D0 (Josh’s grandma). So thankful for them and all they do for Jayden.
I could go on and on about our little man. One day when I am gone I hope my son reads his mother’s old blog, and is reminded of how much we love him and how thankful we are God blessed us with a son like him. Having him just makes me so excited to have even more little ones. He is my greatest joy in life, and there’s nothing I could want more than to watch him grow up to be the young man God wants him to be. So excited for this next chapter in his life as a future Big Brother!
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Hope you are doing well! Today I wanted to share some bump friendly winter outfits with ya’ll. Currently in my second trimester so I can still wear non maternity clothes. I love clothes that I can wear during and after pregnancy, and these are all non maternity dresses for under $30. Check out these outfits below!
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This crossed back midi ribbed dress can be work in the winter and the summer. I paired it up with this pink satin trench for a work or date night look. I am wearing my normal size small.
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I tucked in this two piece set and added the belt and blazer for another work wear look.
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This classic look is one of my favorites. A midi dress with a light blazer and heels is perfect for brunch our meetings outfit.
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This two piece set is so versatile. I styled it a little different for a fun date night look.
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Looking for an outfit for Valentine’s? This pink coat is the perfect layer for any Valentine styled outfit. I styled this coat in a similar non pregnancy outfit here.
I will be sharing more details of these outfits in a future blog post, but I wanted to give you a sneak peak first before these pieces sell out. Hope you enjoyed these bump friendly winter outfits. Thanks for stopping by!
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Hope you are having a great week! This week has gotten off to a more productive start that last week. I organized my vanity desk with these amazing clear organizers from The Home Edit at Walmart. I honestly wish I had known about this sooner because it is a game changer when it comes to keeping my desk clean and organized. It makes it so much easier to do my makeup now that I have everything in it’s designated area. Check out my newly organized makeup vanity and how to organize your makeup vanity for under $25!
For my desk I bought The Home Edit 10 Piece Plastic Bath Edit, Plastic Modular Storage System to organize my makeup and beauty items. This set comes with different size organizers so you can have separate sections for your small and large items. I also bought this deep plastic organizer to put my headbands in. I love how it keeps everything so nice and tidy, yet beautifully displayed so I can see everything I have. These plastic organizers are so easy to clean and interchangeable so you can use them in different drawers in your house.
To organize my drawers I separated my beauty items by categories. From lip, eyes, hair, foundation, brushes, and hair every category had their own space. From there I started with the largest categories first and worked my way to the smallest. I also organized my most used items front to back, so I had the easiest access to the items I used most.
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The Home Edit Organization section at Walmart makes it so easy to organize your makeup vanity for under $25. It’s honestly a game changer. They have different products that can get every room in your home organized for the New Year. I’ve linked some below. What room would you start with first? I hope you found this post helpful. Thanks for stopping by!
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This post is sponsored by Walmart. All thoughts and opinions are all mine.
Hope you are doing well! It’s been quite a week adjusting to the New Year after having a two week holiday. To be honest I haven’t really left the house much or my bed for the matter. But all that down time has given me time to get inspiration for our baby girl’s nursery now that we know what we are having. I’ve always knew I wanted to have a girl and have dreamed of what her nursery would be like. And just like my gender reveal it will not be pink. Now don’t get me wrong I am sure there will be pink accessories and toys but for the most part the primary colors will be yellow and gold which happens to be my favorite colors. Check out my baby girl’s nursery inspiration below!
Baby Girl’s Nursery Inspiration
For the nursery I wanted to go with a french inspired glam theme. Since baby girl will be born in the summer it would be fitting that her nursery be bright and colorful. I love florals, chinoiserie wall paper, and gold accents. Since we are currently in a rent home, while we build our dream home, I have this fun idea to do a chinoiserie wall paper panel DIY that won’t ruin the walls. Something I can easily remove and transfer into our new home. I can’t wait to share when we’ve completed it. What do you think of this beautiful chinoiserie wall paper mural I found?
WALL PAPER:
I love a traditional gold metal crib and found this one from Pottery Barn. I feel like this crib could be used for a boy’s nursery as well in the future. Check out one of my favorite blogger’s nursery reveal for her son and daughter using a metal yellow crib. I also found this gender neutral glider with storage ottoman for under $500 at Walmart that would work for any nursery. We definitely wanted to get some gender neutral pieces that we could reuse again for our next baby.
FURNITURE:
For the lighting I couldn’t choose between these two so I put both inspirations up. I am leaning towards the gold and shorter profile chandelier since our ceilings are shorter in our rent house. I also love this coordinating lamp from Target for under $70.
LIGHTS:
As far as accessories I found this beautiful yellow velvet curtains that I think would really make the room pop. Best part is they are black out curtains and very functional for nap times. I also found this huge 36″ round gold mirror from Target, and pretty tulle crib canopy from Amazon. For the bedding I found this gorgeous set on Etsy. It’s feminine and goes with my french glam inspired theme.
ACCESSORIES:
I am so excited now that we have a plan in place for our nursery. Josh is open to whatever I want which makes this mama happy. We probably won’t get started on the nursery until next month after our family trip to Hawaii. But I thought it would be fun to share with ya’ll my ideas, especially if you are like me and looking for other options than pink for a girl’s nursery. I hope you enjoyed my french glam baby girl’s nursery inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!
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Can’t believe its 2022! This New Years Eve we had a fun Sips, Sweets, and Sequins Gender Reveal party with our close family and found out what Baby Darnell #2 is! Scroll down to see what we are having plus details of our New Years Eve Sips, Sweets & Sequins Gender Reveal.
We had our gender reveal at my friend’s beautiful studio Sweenshots Studio in Houston. It was the perfect space for our party and had everything we needed, from the backdrop, to the kitchen, to the natural lighting. It was a great space for our small gathering.
For our gender reveal, we decided to do a sequin theme New Years Eve party. I am not a fan of the tradition pink and blue gender reveal parties. To be honest I am not even a fan of pink! So we went for more greens, golds, and peaches for our balloons. I found these balloon garlands (pink and green) on Amazon and combined them to create this look. We did our own balloon garland using this handy balloon pump and hired Alpha Lit Houston for the OH BABY letters. How pretty did these turn out! We also bought the 2022 Happy New Year balloons for $12 and bought a helium tank to blow them up ourselves. It saved us money doing it this way.
Since this was a smaller event for just close family we decided just to do sips and sweets for the food and beverages. We had our Gender reveal cake, cupcakes, and cake cones done by a local bakery The Butter Baby Bakery. It was so good! We got these gold and white cake stands for under $15 at Target! For party favors we gave away little mini champagne bottles and put these adorable thank you tags on them. The acrylic brother or sister sign is another Amazon find for $8! You can find our NYE themed paper plates and champagne glasses here.
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How adorable is this baby stackable balloon boxes? We will definitely use these again for our baby shower! Also I can’t get over Jayden’s little suit. We got him a size seven since he will be seven in a couple of weeks. It was a bit bigger but came with adjustable pants so it worked out for our gender reveal. At least I know he will get plenty of wear since he can grow into it.
Still can’t believe I bought this sequin gown for $60 online! I wasn’t sure how the fit or the quality would be, but when it came in I was pleasantly surprised. The quality is amazing and the dress has plenty of stretch. It fit like a glove. However if I wasn’t pregnant I think I would have gotten an XS instead of a small for size reference.
This gold confetti gender balloon was a steal for $6 on Etsy. We blew it up ourselves and added these metallic tinsel for the garland. It was such a hit!
IT’S A GIRL!!!! Josh already guessed it! Jayden thought it was a boy. Everyone else thought it was a boy but my mom and my cousin Allyson. I knew it was girl because it was very different from my pregnancy with Jayden. I craved sweets this time instead of red meat, and my first trimester was definitely worse with morning sickness than with Jayden. Check out the cutest Gender Reveal video we made of the event!
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We are so excited to add a baby girl to our family. We know she is so loved already. Thankful for our family who could join us in this fun Sips, Sweets & Sequins NYE gender reveal. We have so much to be thankful for the New Year and the last. God has blessed our family in so many ways but nothing tops welcoming a new addition to the family. We hope you had a wonderful New Year and thank you for continue following along in our journey.
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Hope you are doing well! In light of it being my hubby’s birthday on the 23rd, I wanted to share a recap of his birthday trip to Park City, Utah. This was our first time going, normally we go to Colorado, but we loved it and will definitely be back. We love the family atmosphere. It’s less crowded and so much more convenient when it comes to the drive. Everything is literally a walk a way. It was hard to leave our resort we stayed at.
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WHERE WE STAYED:
We stayed at the Westgate Park City Resort which is located ten minutes from Park City in Canyon Village. I was pleasantly surprised how accommodating and convenient everything was. We stayed in a Luxury One-Bedroom Villacomplete with it’s own living room, a fully stocked kitchen, dining, and a hot tub in our bedroom. Plus we had our own balcony to sit out and view the mountains. We also had our own washer and dryer and extra closet space for our snowboard and other snow gear. Honestly everything we needed was in our room.
We ended up going to the Walmart which was ten minuted down the road and stocking up on some food and drinks so we could eat in our room. They also have a very convenient Market in the resort that had everything else you might have forgotten or needed including alcohol. It was so convenient and perfect for our five day stay.
Another plus is the amazing Serenity resort spa where I spent a day enjoying a relaxing massage while Josh was out on the slopes. The ski lift was literally walking distance from the resort so Josh could easily come back and forth from our room to the slopes.
They also have several restaurants and bars at the resort so you literally never had to drive anywhere if you didn’t need to. I took Josh to their award winning 4 star steak house Edge for an early birthday dinner. He loved it! Everything was so convenient, all the food at the restaurants were so good, and they had the best hot chocolate in Canyon Square.
It’s great for couples but also for families. They have a kids club, and indoor/outdoor pool, arcade room, and a ski school right at the resort and Canyon Village. Canyon Village is its own little resort town separate from the busy hustle and bustle of Park City which we loved, since we prefer less crowded touristy places when we travel. We also loved the more conservative drug free atmosphere unlike certain parts of Colorado so will definitely be back with our family.
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WHERE TO EAT:
Honestly we didn’t venture away from our resort. They had burgers, steak, Raman, pizza, and tons of other options from their restaurants. But if you did want to go somewhere else there are tons of restaurants to choose from in downtown Park City which is less than 15 minute drive from the resort.
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WHAT TO DO:
At the resort aside from hitting the slopes they also have a spa, jacuzzis, and pools. Outside of the resort you can go tubing, visit Olympic city in Park City, and also check out all the cool shops and boutiques downtown. We even drove to the Fox Shop outside of Salt Lake to do a little shopping. Another cute place we visited was Park City Gardens just down the road from our resort. It has the cutest shop, cafe, and Christmas trees every where! It was like something you would see in a Hallmark movie.
I honestly laid around our hotel room most of the times and just relaxed. When you are pregnant doing nothing is always a great choice. Pregnant or not there is something to do for everyone in Park City. Whether you are there for an adventure or just to relax you can find it in Park City.
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We really enjoyed our time in Park City and will definitely be back with family. I would highly recommend our resort we stayed at because of the service, the convenience, and the location. It had everything we need and more. I hope this post was helpful in planning your next trip to Park City, Utah. Thanks for stopping by!
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Hope you are doing well! Today I am finally sharing a recap of our family trip to Grand Tetons. We took this trip in October when I was in my first trimester of my second pregnancy. It was really tough because I was so tired and felt nauseous most of the time, but being outdoors and the fresh air helped with my nausea. I’m finally posting now that I am in my second trimester and feel so much better. Check out more details of our trip below!
Grand Tetons & Jackson Hole
Where to Stay
We stayed at the Heart 6 Ranch in Wyoming right outside of Grand Teton Park and 30 minute drive to Jackson Hole. It is a dude ranch so if the smell of horse urine or feces gets to you then I wouldn’t stay here. But we didn’t mind it because we couldn’t smell it in our room, but it is what you smell when you are near the barn. I was pregnant at the time when we went so my smells were extra heightened.
Aside from the smell of the ranch which is very typical if you live on a farm or ranch, we loved our stay! It had the best views of the valley and the Grand Tetons. The restaurant served hearty meals, and there’s animals every where. I love being around horses, dogs, cats, chickens, you name it and so did my family. So we enjoyed having them everywhere. We even invited a few of the cats to hang out with us in our cabin. Another highlight is the scenic trail rides. It’s absolutely beautiful and the guides are so knowledgable. Great for little kids and inexperienced riders.
Where to Eat
Aside from the one restaurant at the dude ranch, if you are looking for restaurants you have to drive to Jackson Hole. We ate at several different places and they did not disappoint, but one of our favorite places was Local in Jackson Hole. We tried the local Elk and Bison for the first time and it was delicious. I would definitely recommend.
Things to Do
Aside from all the fun activities we did at the dude ranch we also visited the Grand Tetons. There are so many hiking trails, but since I was in my first trimester of pregnancy I only had energy for one 5 mile hike around Jenny lake and it was breathtaking. It was definitely worth it. The mountains are just beautiful and the weather was perfect. We even took Jayden’s “Jason” Halloween photos at the lake. It was quite entertaining for all the hikers out there.
Another thing we did was visit Jackson Hole. Since we came during Halloween they had this fun trick or treating event for the kiddos. Basically all the stores participated in handing out treats to the trick or treaters. It was very fun and a huge turn out for families. We really enjoyed walking around Jackson Hole. It’s a cute town and tons of cute shops!
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We really enjoyed our time in Wyoming visiting Jackson Hole, and Grand Tetons National Park. The place was beautiful and just so serene. I would highly recommend if you are looking for a nature oriented, non crowded, family trip. It’s a great trip for those who love a little adventure! I hope you enjoyed this post. Thanks for stopping by!
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Hope you are having a great week! Today I wanted to recap some of my favorite holiday party looks I’ve worn these past couple weeks as inspiration for any upcoming parties or event you might have coming up whether it be for Christmas or New Years. Check them out below!
I wore the cutest sequin romper to my friend’s holiday party. I loved it because it was perfect for my little baby bump. I wore my regular size small and had room to grow because of the adjustable tie front. This was such a fun party with my girl friends!
How cute is this sequin blazer dress(similar style here) with my new favorite embellished pumps I found on sale! I wore this to our annual holiday brunch with my girl friends. We recreated our own Sex And The City for the premier of Just like that. Love them!
Wore this sequin dress in my recent try on session. I absolutely love the fit and how it can grow with my bump! Below is a velvet dress I wore last year’s Christmas shoot. It came back in stock and still works perfectly with my bump!
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I hope you enjoyed this post of my favorite holiday party looks this year. Which outfit is your favorite? Thanks for stopping by!
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Hope you are doing well! I wanted to share our fun holiday tea I had with my girl friends at the Post Oak Hotel. They always have the best holiday events. Last year we went to the gingerbread making event with my family so this year I thought of doing something fun with my girl friends. Post Oak hosted us at Bouchée Patisserie for their holiday tea, and it was the best time. The food was amazing and we loved all the different types of teas that was available. Check out the beautiful set up below!
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How cute is this pink tweed set I wore to the event. It gave me all the Clueless/Gossip Girl vibes. It’s perfect for a girls brunch with these cream knee high boots.
If you are looking for a fun event to do with your girl friends for the holidays I would highly recommend tea time at Bouchée Patisserie. I hope you enjoyed this post. Thanks for stopping by.
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Hope you are doing well! I can’t believe I am officially out of my first trimester. It’s been a whirlwind full of joy and anxiety especially after going through the losses we had with our previous miscarriage.
PREGNANCY Q&A
How did you found out you were pregnant?
I was getting really tired during the day. I thought it was because I was working out and pushing myself. But one day we had a family photo shoot and after we got home from lunch I was so tired I took a nap. I decided after I woke up I should probably take a pregnancy test, while the boys went to the park. Sure enough to my surprise it was positive. I was so in shock I called Josh and then took two more pregnancy test to confirm.
How long had you been trying before you got pregnant and did you conceive naturally?
We had been trying for over two years before we took a break and ended up conceiving naturally. We tried tracking ovulation and even used a fertility specialist, before we decided to take a break after being unsuccessful after our first miscarriage. We did find out it was because of my thinned uterine lining from my IUD I had been using for four years that was causing my miscarriage and infertility. There’s more to this story of how I conceived “naturally” and overcoming infertility, but it will require a different post to get into more details.
Did you have any symptoms before your positive pregnancy test?
I was extremely exhausted was my first symptom. I knew something was off when I couldn’t shake the exhaustion for days.
Pregnancy symptoms you’ve experienced thus far?
I had horrible morning sickness and exhaustion. It was worse than when I was pregnant with Jayden. I wasn’t sick in the mornings. I was sick from lunch to night and could never get a good night sleep. I remember everything I ate made me want to throw up. I slept all day. I was miserable from 5 weeks to 12 weeks. But now I definitely feel so much better! It’s like night and day!
Have you had food cravings or aversions?
I love sweets and carbs, and can’t stand spicy or meat which was exact opposite with Jayden. Josh has been making this meat alternative meals called Beyond Meat and I love it.
What are you eating now?
I’m back to eating normal meals like before my pregnancy. Lots of salads for lunch and Starbucks bacon gudas for breakfast. I’m trying to make up for the past trimester where I ate junk because it’s all I could stomach.
Are you going to find out the gender? Will you be doing a gender reveal?
Yes. We just did our NIPT test for genetic testing and gender. We should know in a couple weeks, and we plan to do a fun gender reveal with close family and friends on New Years Eve!
Are you exercising like normal?
My first trimester I was on my last week of 4 Week Focus on Open Fit, but I could barely finish the program because of how sick and tired I was. Now I feel better I am slowly getting back into my normal workout schedule. I try to workout while I can throughout the pregnancy because it helps my body stay strong through the pregnancy and also helps with getting back in shape after the pregnancy.
How did you deal with anxiety between first trimester appointments?
It was so hard to not have anxiety especially after having two miscarriages in the first trimester. I had to have some deep conversations with God to get me through the first trimester. Even now I still have anxiety, but working out and keeping busy has helped keep my mind off of the “what ifs”. Also I bought me this baby doppler to listen to baby’s heart beat, and it has helped me calm my nerves in between appointments.
How many children do you want to have?
As many as we can afford lol. We’ve always planned to have a big family so whatever God blesses us whether it’s through birth, fostering, or adoption we will be very thankful.
Are you still Fostering?
Yes. Currently we are in limbo waiting for our house to be built. We have done all the training, but not the home study. We want to wait till we are in our permanent home to do a home study. Currently we are renting so it isn’t the ideal situation for us. We are foster mentors which is a nice alternative to being foster parents at the moment and still get some hands on experience. Currently mentoring a sibling group, and it’s been the best experience so far. You learn so much about yourself as well as the foster care system and how you can make a difference in it.
This was our most recent ultrasound at almost 13 weeks. Look at baby waving hello in the second picture. It’s the cutest thing!
Cuddling with our newest addition Cheeto. He is the sweetest cuddly kitten and loves laying next to baby belly at night.
We are so thankful to share this journey with ya’ll, and I hope you enjoyed this little Q&A. I will be sharing more about our secondary infertility journey soon as I had tons of questions about that. I will probably do a Youtube video because it will probably be a long post if I don’t. So stay tuned! Thanks for stopping by!
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