My Chihuahua Bites!

Pregnancy Update: Week 22

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:41:00 +0000

Have I seriously not updated since week 12? Wow. I guess it is true what they say about 2nd babies. I’m sorry, Baby #2, but your mom is a complete and total slacker.

21 weeks

How I’m Feeling:

My energy level has increased somewhat and overall, I’ve been sleeping much better. I no longer wake up randomly at night and am up for hours. However, I am just really uncomfortable while attempting to sleep. My back hurts and I can’t seem to get comfortable lying on either side. I currently use a body pillow, wedge pillow, and a pillow between my legs. I’m thinking about getting a pregnancy pillow – any recommendations, yay or nay?

The nausea subsided around 16 weeks. I’m still taking a prescription medication to control my acid reflux, but as long as I take it daily everything is fine.

I am having sporadic episodes of sciatic pain. It starts in my back and shoots down my hip and leg and can be quite excruciating. I notice it most when I’m doing hard labor: extensive cleaning, bending over, lifting something heavy.

Overall, the word I’d use to describe myself is uncomfortable. I think I’m carrying him pretty low and I just feel a lot of pressure constantly. It isn’t even super hot yet here in Georgia and I already don’t want to leave air conditioning. I never had back pain with Cooper but it is a constant presence with this pregnancy.

I have no idea if this is a “second pregnancy thing” or an “Andrea is 34 years old thing.”

Doctor Appointments:

I had my “big” ultrasound at 20 weeks, but my doctor got called out for a delivery so I wasn’t able to go over the results with her, which was upsetting. After our big scare I just wanted to hear that developmentally the baby looked fine. I returned the next week and was told that everything looked good; however, they could not get a good picture of his heart so I will be doing another ultrasound at 28 weeks. These little scares seem to be par for the course this pregnancy so instead of worrying I’ve just put my trust in God that everything will be alright.

Baby seems to be doing well…. however, Mama is already showing signs up pre-eclampsia. At my last appointment, my blood pressure was elevated, my liver enzymes were elevated, and I had protein in my urine. I honestly expected this to happen again this go round but not so early! I had to do a 24 hour urine screen (of which I have not received the results) and more labs last week. My doctor also started me on a blood pressure medication as a precaution. We are taking a “wait and see” approach but my doctor said that if I continue along this course she will likely deliver me at 35 weeks. I am just hoping to make it through this pregnancy with no bed rest! We shall see!

Gender:

We know… and I will be doing a post about the gender reveal party this week!

Size:

Baby is the size of a papaya.

Mommy is the size of a spare tire… literally. I do not have a “baby belly” at all. It just looks like a have a large roll of fat around my middle. NICE. I’ve gained 4 pounds this pregnancy (I lost 10 and have gained back 4 of those pounds). I’m predicting this pregnancy will be much like Cooper’s. I never really looked pregnant with him, and I packed on about 30 pounds in the last 2-3 weeks of pregnancy due to water retention.

Cravings:

I have much more of a sweet tooth this time around. I like to end my day with some sort of treat (those grocery store chocolate covered doughnuts are divine). I am also loving Jolly Rancher soft chews – like Starbursts, but better!

Husband:

Jason continues to be a rock star. He’s been super helpful in cleaning the house. He’s also taken on lots of little projects throughout the house. Since I got pregnant he’s painted Cooper’s big boy room, the downstairs bathroom, and the dining room.

Big Brother:

Cooper is a terror lately. I love him to pieces, but he is so defiant! I spend most days just repeating the same request over and over, and finally loosing my temper and sanity in an epic meltdown. I’ve talked to many moms of 2 and it seems like this may be a jealously thing – but honestly, I have no idea how to deal with it. He does not respond to discipline. Spanking, no. Time out, no. Taking things away, no. I’m just at a loss.

He has also regressed in sleeping. In late April, we went to Edisto on vacation and he slept in a bed with me for the week. (Prior to the trip he was still in his crib.) When we got back we attempted to move him to his big boy bed and it did not go well. At first he flat out refused to sleep alone so he would either sleep with Jason in our bed (and I would sleep in his bed – our bed does not fit three) or I would sleep with him in his bed. Then last week we finally got him to sleep in his bed alone but he wakes up in the middle of the night and crawls in bed with us. This is another area where I have no idea how to address this.

Stay tuned for the gender reveal post, coming later this week!

Cooper's Big Boy Room

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:06:00 +0000

I know what you are thinking. You saw this post pop up in your Google Reader, and you’re all like “how is Andrea going to play this? Is she going to apologize? Or will she act like it hasn’t been forever and a day since she’s blogged?”

A little of both.

I apologize, friends. Motherhood (to be) X2 is kicking my butt. My work responsibilities have picked up, my husband has recently been prescribed a medication that makes him manic as all get out (resulting in a need on his part to do all the projects, all at one time), my son is currently in what I like to describe to people I don’t know well as a “difficult phase” (to people I know well I say HE IS A BRAT), and I’m the girl sitting in a closet, trying to hide from all the chaos.

And I know I was all like “Week of Disney!” and then disappeared after 2 days. Ha. I do intend to finish the series…. at some point. Hope you aren’t visiting the park until 2014!

In the midst of my husband’s Red Bull-ish energy burst, we managed to finish one major project a few weeks ago. We’ve been working on Cooper’s big boy room on and off since February, and it is finally done.

First off, let me tell you about my inspiration. I based the room off two items:

The top picture is a print I had made when Jason served on the USS Nebraska. It’s been hanging around in our closet because I didn’t have anywhere designated to put it. The flag he received from the state of Nebraska when he reenlisted in 2004. It was flown at the state capitol in 2003.

Anyway, I knew I wanted three elements: the print, the flag, and I also wanted to incorporate a rugby striped wall. It ended up being a sort of nautical/patriotic themed room, and we love it!

The first step was to find furniture. We had a bed (in what was the guest bedroom) that Jason purchased before we got married. However, it was in rough shape so I started scouring Craigslist for a set. I lucked out one day and snapped up the set you see below (bed, nightstands, and chest of drawers) for the low price of $500! It had been in the couple’s guest bedroom and was barely used. We saved our old mattress and we were in business.

Next step was painting. The original plain was to the paint the rugby stripes and leave the rest of the room the existing wall color khaki. I will say several of my IG peeps advised against it but I was like “no way, Jose, no extra painting for me!” I should have listened.

Jason is a rock star painter, by the way. I barely helped (I taped the bottom half of the room and then whined a lot about how the paint wasn’t good for the baby) and he knocked out the one wall in a weekend.

Horrid picture, but this shows the khaki walls. Once I got everything in the room (I used khaki accents and curtains) I realized it was just too much khaki.

So I decided the khaki had to go, and announced to Jason that the room needed to be re-painted… oh, and the ceiling would have to be painted too since it was khaki as well. Then I went and hid while he calmed down.

We settled on a lovely light gray for the walls and white for the ceiling. Jason made the executive decision to paint part of the ceiling tray navy… I almost had a heart attack when he started doing it, but it turned out amazing.

Seriously, rock star.

We’re replacing the light fixture with a very cool ceiling fan. Ceiling fans are necessary in Georgia, and we found one that is very nautical looking. I’ll share once Jason gets it installed!

On to the room! {details below}

Vinyl – A Hint of Chic {etsy}

Comforter/sheets – Pottery Barn Kids

Navy pillow – Target

Curtains (blackout) – Lowe's

Print – Modern Rosie {etsy}

Bench and baskets – Lowe's

Burlap bed skirt – made by my mom

Lantern – Lowe's

(Chihuahua butt – free to a good home)

Cooper print – Modern Rosie {etsy}

Tin patriotic art – Hobby Lobby

Shelves – Hobby Lobby

Bookshelf and baskets – Target, old

Flag display case, ship wheel, knot art, 5T bookends – Hobby Lobby

Bench – mine from when I was a child

I had so much fun putting together this room for Cooper! We have made a few small changes (I moved the pledge art to his dresser and framed the certificate of authenticity for the flag). We also installed bed rails since Cooper fell out of the bed twice.

I hope you love it as much as we do!

The Call That Stopped My Heart

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Tue, 07 May 2013 21:07:00 +0000

This may well be a controversial post. It's ok if you disagree with me. It's ok if your reaction would have differed from mine. I debated about whether or not to discuss this on my blog, but in the end I decided it might help someone going through something similar. I strive for being open and honest on my blog, and this is my truth.

On Tuesday, April 2nd my family of three piled in the car, full of excitement and anticipation. We were on our way to have an elective ultrasound to find out the sex of Baby House #2. Cooper was full of pride and wore blue in honor of the occasion; he was positive he was going to have a baby brother. We would find out soon!

There is nothing quite like seeing your child for the first time. I mean, I knew I was pregnant, but this made it real. Hearing the heartbeat, seeing the child move, hearing the sex... it's all so incredible and precious. Jason and I left that appointment on a high - a high that lasted approximately one week.

The following Tuesday I received a phone call from my doctor's office - my AFP testing had come back showing markers for Down's Syndrome.

AFP testing is typcially done around 16 weeks. It's also known as the quad screening. The mother's blood is screened for alpha-fetoprotein, which can often be linked to spina bifida, anencephaly, and Trisomy 18 or 21. AFP takes into account several factors: race, age, weight of the mother and fetal age of the baby. These factors are translated into a number; for example a 1 in ___ chance of your child having Down's Syndrome.

The nurse was very short (but polite) with me. She was sure it was nothing, but she wanted me to come back in and do a more accurate, in-depth test to investigate this further. I was honestly in shock; I agree to come in immediately and headed there as soon as I could get office coverage.

I fell apart when I got into the car. I called Jason, sobbing. I was absolutely terrified. Jason, of course, could do absolutely nothing for me. He works a hour away and he just did his best to calm me down and assure me it would all be ok. I called my mom next - and it was the same. She just tried to calm me down and told me it would all work out.

At my doctor's office, I submitted blood for the MaterniT21 PLUS test. This is a newer test on the market and it is being advertised as 99% accurate and a less invasive option to amnios. The test pulls DNA from the maternal sample and determines Trisomy 21, 18, and 13. This test would definitely tell me whether the baby had DS or any other chromosomal disorder.

I cried the entire time I was at the doctor's office. My doctor was out on a delivery and could not see me, but I did speak with her nurse. She gave me all the reassurances in the world, but honestly? All I could hear was that there was something wrong with my baby.

My doctor did call me later - and she went further and told me that according to the AFP test, I had a 1 in 146 chance of having a child with DS. The baseline for a woman my age is 1 in 350. I was told it could take up to 2 weeks to receive results, and if positive I would be referred to a high risk OB for a level 2 ultrasound and an amnio.

So I waited. I prayed. I worried. I cried. I spent time on my knees in prayer, and finally, I found peace in God's perfect plan for both me and my little one.

I know there are many who would have handled it differently. Some of you probably would have shrugged it off and decided that you wouldn't worry until you got your second round of test results back. Some of you may have decided to decline the AFP test entirely. Some of you might have been completely at peace with the thought of having a child with special needs.

Well, that just wasn't me. Honestly? I probably would have been one of the above if I wasn't in the field I am in.

For those of you just now reading, I am a social worker. I work for a foster care agency that provides housing to children and adults with disability. My entire caseload is diagnsosed with Mental Retardation. I have several healthy, high functioning individuals and I also have several individuals who are complete and total care. I know individuals who cannot walk, talk, or communicate in any way. Imagine being wheelchair and bed bound. What if you had to be fed by a g-tube? What if the only part of your body you could move was your head? What if you were institutionalized as a child because your care was too much for your parents to handle? What if the only family you knew was the nurses and staff who were paid to care for you?

These were the thoughts that kept going through my head. I had someone tell me "well, even if the baby does have Down's, maybe they will be very high functioning and will be able to lead a normal life!" Well, yes, maybe. But DS - as well as other genetic and other chromosomal disorders - is often teamed with other health problems, some of which are life threatening. No mother ever wants to hear her child may suffer in any way, shape, or form. No mother every wants to think of their child's health being threatened.

Of course that wasn't what I wanted for my child. Did being scared mean I wanted to abort my baby? No, absolutely not. Did it mean I wouldn't love my child? NO! I would love my baby no matter what. I wasn't upset because it necessarily was... I was upset because I didn't know how bad it could possibly be.

Jason spent a lot of time on various baby boards, reading about other people's experiences with this test. He read posts from lot of people who said "it didn't matter to me because I'd love my baby no matter what" or "I declined further testing because I love my baby, DS or no." A lot of people who get similar results decline an amnio, stating that is it risky and unnecessary. I would have absolutely have an amnio, simply because I'm the type of person who wants to prepare and be informed.

A lot of people told me not to worry. They told me false positives were common and mine would probably be a false positive as well. My mom would forward me endless posts from Baby Center talking about "my test was a false positive!" She wanted me to talk to a friend of a friend who had a similar experience that turned out to be a false positive. Jason bombarded me with statistics and studies.

None of that helped me.

I didn't want to hear that it could be a false positive. Sure, I knew that, and I absolutely 100% prayed it would be so. But you know what? False positives are just one flip of the coin. For every false positive there is a true positive. And regardless of what someone else's experience was - I could be the true positive. I am very much a black and white person. I deal best with bottom lines. I wanted to come to peace with the possibility that there could be something wrong, because I needed to know that no matter what happened we would all be ok. Most of all, I wanted to feel what I was feeling, without having someone else tell me I was wrong.

God really worked on me in that week and a half. I finally realized that no matter the result, I would be ok. My baby would be ok. Even if he/she was total care... it was part of God's plan, and God does not give us more than we can handle. God is good, all the time. Even in the darkest times, He is there to be our strength and shield.

One thing I've realized in the past few weeks is that our health is a precious gift. We are not promised tomorrow. As mothers, we are not promised healthy babies. Even if this test came back negative, something else could be wrong. My baby could have a heart defect... leukemia.... SIDS.... or something else. You just never know. Whether we have warning or it happens suddenly, the end result is the same. You endure. You pray. And you trust in God.

Jason sent me a bible verse the night before we got the call with the test results. 1 Samuel 1:27 "For this child I have prayed, and the Lord granted what I asked of Him." Thank you God! You granted my prayer, and you made me no promises except that this baby was part of your plan. You did not promise me a baby with perfect health... you promised me a child. And that you have granted.

I'm happy to report that my second test, the MaterniT21 test, came back showing no signs of Down's. That does not mean that something else could be wrong; it just means that my baby does not have Trisomy 21, 13, or 18. I had an ultrasound last week to look for other abnormalities, but unfortunately my doctor got called out to a delivery and I wasn't able to go over the results with her. I have an appointment to do that on Thursday.

No matter what, I am at peace. I am grateful for God's provision and His plan. He is good, all the time.

Week of Disney, Day 3: Magic Kingdom

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:14:00 +0000

Welcome back to Day 3 of The Week of Disney! Today we’re talking about the Magic Kingdom.

If you are traveling to Disney and can only pick one park to go to, Magic Kingdom should be your first choice. Magic Kingdom has the most rides of any park and it is really tailored towards the younger crowd. This is the park where you’ll find the most rides for the 2-6 year old age group.

IMO, it takes 2 days to do the Magic Kingdom right. We went in December, which is the least busiest time at the parks, and we spent 2.5 days at the Magic Kingdom. There is so much to do and if it is crowded you will spend much of your day waiting in line.

When you enter the park, I recommend you head immediately to Fantasyland. This is by far the busiest/most crowded area. Fantasyland was recently expanded and most people will head directly towards Under The Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid and Enchanted Tales with Belle. Hop over to the new Fantasyland and pick up a Fast Pass for Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid first thing.

I’m going to break this post down into sections of the park, and talk about rides/food/character greetings for each section. Check your park map for detailed information about height guidelines and restrictions for all rides.

Main Street USA

This is where you enter the park. The majority of shopping can be found at Main Street USA. This is also the best viewing spot for the parade and is where the parade ends.

Rides:

Main Street USA Railroad: If you are headed to Frontierland or Fantasyland, you can hop on the train to beat some of the crowds.

Character Greeting:

The Town Square Theatre houses Mickey and the Princesses. The lines tend to be long for these character greetings, so be prepared.
Goofy and Pluto are just beyond the entrance to the park.

Food:

The Plaza Restaurant – table service for lunch and dinner. The menu features soup, salad, sandwiches, and hamburgers.
Crystal Palace – sit down restaurant which requires reservations. This is a buffet (breakfast, lunch, dinner) that features Pooh characters.
Tony’s Town Square Restaurant – Italian restaurant themed after The Lady & The Tramp. It requires reservations. The food is good and the portions are large. When you make your reservation, schedule your meal during the parade and ask to sit on the porch.
Casey’s Corner – counter service for hot dogs and fries.
Main Street Confectionary – all kinds of sweets. Croissants, muffins, cupcakes, etc.
Plaza Ice Cream Parlor – ice cream, of course.

Fantasyland

You pass through Cinderella’s castle to enter Fantasyland. Cinderella’s Royal Table is located in the castle as is the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, which is where the princess makeovers take place.

Fantasyland has three parts: the “old” Fantasyland, Storybook Circus, and the Enchanted Forest. The “old” Fantasyland has the classic rides, such as Peter Pan’s Flight, the carousel, Winnie the Pooh, and It’s a Small World. The Storybook Circus is formally Toon Town, where you were able to tour Mickey and friends’ homes. Storybook Circus now includes Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Barnstormer, and a really cool splash pad area. The Enchanted Forest contains Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid, Enchanted Tales with Belle, Gaston’s Tavern, and Be Our Guest restaurant.

Rides

Peter Pan’s Flight – this is an actual ride. You get into a flying pirate ship and are taken through the story of Peter Pan. This is a very mild ride and is appropriate for all ages.
Prince Charming Regal Carousel – a typical carousel, appropriate for all ages.
Winnie The Pooh – another ride. You sit in a honey pot and are taken through scenes from a book. There are some mild dips and dark areas in the ride, but Cooper was not scared at all.
Mickey’s Philharmagic - this is a 3D show.
It’s a Small World – this is a boat ride that featuring dolls that sing “It’s a Small World.” The dolls are dressed and perform to make the countries to which they are assigned.
Mad Tea Party – spinning tea cups. I can’t ride this because it makes me sick, but Cooper loved it.
Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid – LOVE. It takes you through scenes of the movie, and each area plays songs from the movie.
Enchanted Tales with Belle – My family did not want to wait in line for this, but I’m so glad we did. It’s an interactive story time with Belle. They pick kids from the audience to be characters from the movie and act out the story. At the end, you get to take pictures with Belle.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant – this is a flying ride.
Barnstormer – a very mild roller coaster. Cooper loved this!

If you have a toddler, I’d come immediately to Fantasyland and ride each of the rides there.

Character Greetings

In Storybook Circus, you can meet Goofy, Donald, and Minnie dressed as circus characters at Pete’s Silly Sideshow.
Ariel is located in Ariel’s Grotto.
Belle is part of Enchanted Tales with Belle and children have an opportunity to take their picture with Belle at the end of the performance.
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger are located outside of the Winnie the Pooh ride.
The Mad Hatter can often be found outside of the Mad Tea Party.

Food: (if there is no comment, I haven’t personally tried it nor heard anything about it)

Be Our Guest Restaurant – you MUST book this right at 180 days in advance of your trip. I’m being told even then it is super difficult to get a reservation.
Cinderella’s Royal Table – this is where you dine with the princesses, and again, you must book 180 days in advance to get a reservation. This is by far the most expensive meal at the park!
Gaston’s Tavern
Pinocchio Village Haus – we ate lunch here one day. I had a flatbread pizza and a Caesar salad. It was good!

Other:

You can schedule a princess makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. My niece has done this on our last 2 visits. Depending upon the package you choose, your child will have her nails painted, hair done, makeup applied, and can will have her picture taken. They also have dresses available for purchase. Make sure you make your reservations well in advance!

Adventureland

Rides

Enchanted Tiki Room – this is a 20 minute show… and that’s all I know about it. In all the years I’ve been to Disney, I’ve never seen this!
Jungle Cruise – fun short cruise on the water. Your “tour guide” tells jokes as you navigate the waters, where you encounter cannibals and crocodiles.
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin – very similar to the Dumbo ride, but it is flying carpets.
Pirates of the Caribbean – another classic Disney ride! It is a water ride featuring scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean. It has been updated to include Captain Jack Sparrow.
Swiss Family Treehouse – I didn’t let Cooper go through the tree house. It is a lot of climbing and while there are ropes and rails, I just didn’t feel comfortable going through it with a toddler.

Character Greeting

Jasmine & Aladdin are located right outside the Magic Carpets of Aladdin. This was probably the best character experience we had. Only the princesses are allowed to talk (nothing is a costume can talk) and they really spent a good amount of time interacting with Cooper.
Captain Hook, Peter Pan, Wendy, Tinker Belle, Timon, and Rafiki can often be found wandering around. I don’t think they have a set schedule as to when they greet.

Food:

Tortuga Tavern – counter service featuring mexican food. I’ve never eaten there but it always smells good!
Aloha Isle – DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND STOP HERE FOR A DOLE WHIP. YES, I AM SPEAKING IN ALL CAPS. IT IS THAT GOOD.

Other:

The Pirates League is located right outside the Pirates of the Caribbean and this is where you little man can get a pirate makeover. We did this with Cooper and he had so much fun. The package we chose included makeup, a bandanna, an earring, an eye patch, and a sword. You get sworn in as a pirate and get a certificate and a picture.

Frontierland

There isn’t a lot here for younger kids. I’ll list the rides but the only thing appropriate for young children is Country Bear Jamboree and Tom Sawyer Island.

Rides:

Big Thunder Mountain – bigger roller coaster. My 6 year old niece was able to ride.
Country Bear Jamboree – singing and dancing show featuring animatronic bears. This is another one I’ve never had the desire to experience.
Splash Mountain – water ride. You will get wet!
Tom Sawyer Island – you have to ride a raft to get to this playground. It’s a good place for parents to sit and take a break while the kids run off some steam.

Character Greeting:

Woody and Jesse can be found outside of Big Thunder Mountain.

Food:

Pecos Bill Café: chicken fingers, hamburgers, and taco salads. We always end up eating here for lunch when we visit the Magic Kingdom.

Liberty Square

I usually pass through this area, stopping only for the Haunted Mansion.

Rides:

Hall of Presidents – show featuring past Presidents. I believe they have added President Obama.
Liberty Square Riverboat – the riverboat offers a tour of the River of America. It’s a nice break on a hot day. At times it features performances from Princess Tiana.
Haunted Mansion – this is my favorite ride at the Magic Kingdom. You ride throughout the mansion and see the ghosts. Small kids might be scared as it is dark, but Cooper did fine.

Character Greeting:

Princess Tiana performs on the Liberty Square Riverboat.
At Christmas, Santa and Mrs. Claus are available for pictures outside of the Hall of Presidents.

Food:

Liberty Tavern – sit down restaurant which requires reservation. It’s a family style meal that you pay one price per person. I’ve never eaten here, but the menu looked promising!
Columbia Harbor House – counter service for fish and chicken.

Tomorrowland

This is the area where we spend the most time, aside from Fantasyland.

Rides:

Astro Orbiter – flying spaceships. Appropriate for small kids.
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin – best ride in this area for toddler. You ride in a space ship and a tasked with shooting aliens with a stun gun. You earn points for each target you hit.
Carousel of Progress – animatronic “ride” through the 20th century. Snooze. Only do this if you need a break and want to get out of the heat.
Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor – interactive show. Mike from Monster’s Inc. tells jokes and measures the audience laughter.
Space Mountain – roller coaster. This is very fast and dark! My 6 year old niece met the height requirements.
Stitch’s Great Escape – this is a show that is probably not appropriate for under 4 years old. It’s very dark and can be very scary.
Tomorrowland Speedway – ride a race car around the Speedway. Anyone can ride with an adult.
Tomorrowland Transit Authority – tour of Tomorrowland. This is another ride that’s good to do when you are hot and tired.

Character Greeting:

Buzz Lightyear is located right outside of the Buzz Lightyear ride.

Food:

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café – counter service for hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs. This is another place we almost always end up eating lunch.

Parades/Fireworks

Make sure to check your park map for times and locations, which can vary based on park hours and the time of year.

WISHES Nighttime Spectacular – this is is firework show narrated by Jiminy Cricket and the Blue Fairy.
Main Street Electrical Parade – the floats are lit up and the parade features many old and new characters.
Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It – dancers sing as they make their way down Main Street. This happens several times during the day.
Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade – small parade that takes place during the day. It features Disney characters on floats.

I always plan to stay at the park to see the WISHES Nighttime Spectacular and the Main Street Electrical Parade. You’ll want to find a seat about an hour before the show. The best viewing spot, IMO, is at the entrance to the park. That way you can pick up and leave as soon as it is over. Keep in mind everyone else will be leaving at the same time so you will encounter long wait times for transportation.

That’s it for the Magic Kingdom! Got questions or feedback? Leave them in the comments!

Week of Disney, Day 2: Saving Money, Using the Fast Pass to Your Advantage, & Making Memories with a Photo Pass

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:09:00 +0000

Longest post title ever, huh?

If this is the first day you are reading, make sure to check out Week of Disney, Day 1: Setting Dates, Making Plans, and Packing.

Again, I am NOT claiming to be a Disney expert. I’m just a girl who has been to Disney six times and planned 3 Disney vacations, sharing what I learned in the process.

Let’s dive right in!

Saving Money

I always laugh a little when I see the multitude of pins that discuss how to save money at Disney. Let’s get one thing straight: it is Disney. There is one Disney in this world, and for that very reason they do not have to have sales, run discounts, or give away freebies. I think you should know and understand that going in. This will not be an inexpensive vacation! If you think you want to plan a Disney vacation, sit down and work up a budget. Price a few hotels. Look at the ticket prices. Decide on a meal plan or price out your meals. Get an idea before you commit to reservations so that you won’t have total sticker shock once you arrive.

Lodging

One way to save money is to stay off resort. I have friends who rent condos for super cheap – much cheaper than resort prices. However, keep in mind that you will have to drive to the park and pay for parking if you stay off resort. Resort guests park for free and can drive to the parks at no extra cost.

Talk to a Disney Vacation Planner about different promotions Disney may be offering. If you are a Military Member, Reservist, or are Retired you are eligible for 40% off (less for a value resort) your stay at a Disney resort through the Armed Forces Salute. This is one big way we saved money during our trip! We were able to upgrade from a value resort to a moderate resort at no extra charge with this discount.

Meals

I highly recommend you check out the Disney dining plan if you are staying on resort. I cannot recommend this personally as I have not used it. However, friends and family have and rave about it. Disney frequently runs specials for their resorts where if you book during a specific time frame, you get free dining! Can’t beat that! That really makes staying on resort worth it, in my opinion. You must stay in a Disney resort (Shades of Green is not included) to be able to use a purchase a dining plan.

I’m not going to get into too much detail about this because as I said – we did not use the dining plan. Here is a great resource that gives you a little more detail.

I know some of you are probably thinking – “why didn’t you use the dining plan?” Well, we stayed on resort for 7 days but only visited the parks for 5 days. When you use the dining plan, it is for the length of your resort stay. There would have been 2 days we were eligible to dine in the park but wouldn’t have tickets for those days. It just wasn’t worth it for us, personally.

One thing my family did to save money is to eat breakfast in the hotel and to pack snacks for during the day. Breakfast was cereal and fruit. Snacks included popcorn, pretzels, fruit, goldfish, fruit snacks, and fruit pouches for Cooper. I packed a cooler for each day and filled it with frozen water bottles, juice boxes, and fruit.

I highly recommend purchasing your snacks and groceries outside of Orlando. We hit up a Harris Teeter and I about died at the prices. I spent about $80 for $45 worth of groceries. RIDICULOUS.

Another way Jason and I saved it to share meals. At dinner, we always split an entrée and got an appetizer or salad. We always felt full and we saved on average about $20 per meal.

I do have to say that the kids meals at Disney are fabulous, particularly at the sit down restaurants. You get an entrée, side, snack (like carrots and dip), and a dessert. I could have eaten off the kids menu!

Tickets

There is no way to score Disney tickets on the cheap. It just doesn’t exist. Beware of sites that claim they sell discounted tickets because it is probably a scam. Disney’s prices are set and you pay what you pay. Again, it is Disney, and it is what it is.

One big way we personally saved is the Armed Forces Salute. This is Disney’s way of paying tribute to Military Members, Reservists, and Retired and it is such a huge blessing to military families. Armed Forces Salute tickets are available at Shades of Green and ITT ticket offices only.

I will say that I heard someone (who was not military) say that they were going to get a military member to purchase their tickets at discount and would use them at the gate. This makes me furious! The discount is for military and is for family traveling with the military member. It is not for Jane Doe who has no military affiliation and just wants to save a buck. You must activate your tickets when you arrive at the park, and to do so you must have an ID – so this wouldn’t even work. Again, you MUST have at least 1 person with a military ID with you to activate the Armed Forces Salute ticket. Yes, they check. You will stand in line at guest relations for about an hour before you enter the park to activate your ticket. You have to give them your ID, name, SSN, and your guests’ names to be able to activate your ticket. So good luck, person who cheated the system. You are going to be mighty disappointed when you drive all the way to the park and have to purchase new tickets.

If you are military, buy your tickets at Shades of Green! They sell other park tickets as well at a discount. You can go to Shades of Green to purchase tickets even if you are not staying there as long as you show your ID.

Souvenirs

Buy your souvenirs before you go. Older kids will pester you to death for Disney merchandise that you can buy at home for a fraction of the price. Bring your own bubbles, glow sticks, and stickers. For the love of pete, don’t get sucked into the $15 balloons that you can’t take home or the light up twirly magigs that will annoy the bejesus out of you 15 seconds after you buy them.

I think it would be a great idea to start a Disney piggy bank for your child when you make your reservations. Let them earn money or sock away their allowance, and then they can buy whatever they want with that money at Disney.

Using the Fast Pass to Your Advantage

Disney recently changed the way they issue and you use a Fast Pass. Back in the day, you used your park ticket to get a Fast Pass, you came back during the time on the pass, and you rode right away. You were eligible to get another Fast Pass right away. You could pretty much enter the park, get Fast Passes for every single ride, and ride all the rides right away. It’s slightly different now.

What is a Fast Pass? Well, for rides that get a lot of traffic Disney issues what they call Fast Passes. You go up to a machine, scan your park ticket, and are issued a paper Fast Pass. The Fast Pass tells you a time frame where you can return to the ride. When you return, you enter the Fast Pass line and in theory should be able to bypass the wait time completely and walk right onto the ride. The major difference I saw at our last visit was that your Fast Pass ticket now tells you a time at which you are eligible to get another Fast Pass.

Your park map will tell you which rides offer Fast Passes. There is NO COST for a Fast Pass.

I just read that Disney is rolling out a new program called Fast Pass+ in 2013. With the Fast Pass+ you can access your Fast Pass online and make reservations for rides, parade viewing spots, shows, and character greetings. I think this sounds awesome! Definitely check this out if you are visiting in 2013.

Here are the rides which IMO you absolutely must have a Fast Pass:

Magic Kingdom

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Peter Pan’s Flight
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
Winnie the Pooh

Epcot

Soarin’
Mission Space

Hollywood Studios

Rock N’ Roller Coaster
Star Tours
Tower of Terror
Toy Story Midway Mania

Animal Kingdom

Expedition Everest
Kilimanjaro Safari

Making Memories with a Photo Pass

Disney has characters at character greeting spots spread throughout each park. (Your park map will tell you where characters can be located.) You can also take pictures with characters at character dining, select rides (like Enchanted Tales with Belle), at spots throughout the park (like in front of Cinderella’s castle), and some resorts. In addition, there are several rides (Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin) that take pictures of you as you experience in the ride.

At any character greeting spot or ride that offers photos, you will find a Disney photographer. They will take your picture and offer you a card, on which they load the picture they have taken. You can use this card over and over and at the end of your visit, you can look online and have the option to purchase any picture you would like. Warning: purchasing individual pictures is expensive. The Disney Photo Pass itself is FREE and you only pay if you want to purchase pictures found on the pass.

I highly recommend purchasing the Disney Photo Pass +. You pay one price for the Photo Pass + and you use it at character dining, rides, and any character greeting spot. At the end of your visit, you are sent a CD with all of your images which you can print at your leisure. This is so much cheaper than purchasing individual pictures!

If you think this is something you want to do, purchase it beforehand. You must purchase it here at least 14 days before your trip. If you do, your cost is $149. If you wait and are less than 14 days out, your price is $200.

Why purchase the Photo Pass +? Well, you do have the option of taking pictures yourself, of course. But then I’d have to either trust someone else with my camera or take the picture myself. I am never in my family’s pictures for this very reason. This way I could be in as many shots as I wanted. I also have the rights to all of my pictures and can print them at home super cheap.

If you purchase the Photo Pass +, make sure you take advantage of it. Visit each character that you can. Load up all your ride photos on your card. Every time you see a photographer, take a picture! It is only worth it if you really use it.

Tip: Check your pictures online each day. I did not have this experience but a friend told me they loaded someone else’s pictures on her card and because she did not notice right away, it was a nightmare to find her family’s photos.

This post was supposed to include Dressing Your Tot but as this has gotten quite long I have decided to make that day 7 of the series. Check out the schedule below, and be sure to come back tomorrow!

Week of Disney, Day 1: Setting Dates, Making Plans, & Packing
Week of Disney, Day 2: Saving Money, Using the Fast Passes to Your Advantage, Making Memories with the Photo Pass
Week of Disney, Day 3: Magic Kingdom
Week of Disney, Day 4: Epcot & Downtown Disney
Week of Disney, Day 5: Hollywood Studios
Week of Disney, Day 5: Animal Kingdom
Week of Disney, Day 6: Sea World & Universal Studios
Week of Disney, Day 7: Dressing Your Tot

Week of Disney, Day 1: Setting Dates, Making Plans, & Packing

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:34:00 +0000

Hey friends! I am really excited about the series I have planned for this week. As some of you know, we went to Disney back in December. We had such a blast, so I thought I would write up a post about what I’ve learned about Disney & my experience of visiting Disney with a toddler. I am by no means a Disney expert! However, I have been to Disney 6 times, 3 of which took place in the past 5 years. I’ve planned the past 3 trips for my entire family, so I’ve learned a bit in the process. I thought it would be fun to share what I’ve learned with you!

Please, please, please ask me if you have questions about anything! If I don’t know I will find out for you.

About to meet Goofy – he was excited, if you can’t tell!

My family (mom, dad, my family, & my brother’s family – 9 people) go to Disney every 3 years in December. It’s a tradition my dad started several years ago. We go for 9 days (including 2 travel days) the first week in December. We spend 5 days at Disney, one day at Universal, and one day at Sea World. Our trip is absolutely packed and by the time we get home, I need a vacation from my vacation. Ha!

Setting Dates

When you want to visit Disney is pretty much something you’ll have to decide as a family. I know most people have to plan their vacations around school and work schedules. As I said before, we go in December. My brother does take his children out of school for a week when we go, but that is a personal decision every family will have to make.

I will say December is a great month to visit! The parks are decorated for Christmas, the characters are in Santa costumes, the weather is mild, and the crowds are the lowest you’ll find of any month at Disney. This past visit I thought was the busiest it has ever been, but I found out later school was out several days in Florida.

I have been four times in the summer months and I will tell you it is miserable. You spend hours waiting in line for every single line, it is miserably hot, and it is so crowded you feel claustrophobic. I, personally, would not choose to go back during the summer months.

This chart is a great resource to see when the busiest months are at the parks.

Making Plans

Every other trip I’ve made our vacation plans myself but this visit I used a Disney Vacation Planner. Dulcie from Pixie Vacations did a great job of helping me determine a budget, decide where I wanted to stay, and make reservations and plans for my visit. Your Disney Vacation Planner also will search for deals to make your trip cheaper. For example, if you book in January using a AAA discount and Disney comes out with something better (free dining, for example) your vacation planner can automatically make changes to save you money!

I made our hotel reservations in March, and our trip was in December. Every other trip we have stayed at Shades of Green, which is a military owned resort located on Disney property. It’s right across the street from the Polynesian, actually. Shades of Green is open to active duty, reservists, retired, and DOD employees. It is very affordable but you MUST have a military ID and any guest must be escorted by someone with an ID. The price you pay is dependent upon your rank. Because SOG is not Disney owned, you cannot ride Disney transportation to and from the hotel. They do have their own transportation, however! You can also take a 10 minute walk to the Polynesian and use the monorail or Disney buses. We absolutely LOVE Shades of Green and I would highly recommend it to anyone who qualifies to stay there.

This year we decided we wanted to stay in a Disney resort. We originally made reservations for Pop Century but when Disney released their Armed Forces Salute we upgraded to Caribbean Beach. I have to be honest and say I was not impressed with Caribbean Beach. The hotel room was tiny and cramped and the décor was very outdated. (I’m told they have updated other parts of the hotel, but hadn’t gotten to the area we stayed in.) We actually decided we’ll go back to Shades of Green on our next visit – the hotel is nicer and has much more room.

There are four tiers of Disney hotels – value, moderate, deluxe, and deluxe villa. The difference in the tiers is the price, the size and appearance of the room, and the number of buses/times the buses run. My cousin also went in December and stayed at Art of Animation (value resort). She said the hotel itself was beautiful but the rooms were so tiny it was hard to fit the luggage and their family of four into one room. The biggest drawback for them is that there was one bus stop for the whole hotel and the bus picked up every hour. The buses were packed and sometimes you would wait and miss the bus because there were too many people to fit. They actually ended up paying to move to Port Orleans (moderate), where the rooms are larger, there are more buses, and the buses run more frequently.

Once your hotel reservations are made, you will need to think about your dining reservations. I highly recommend you make your reservations as early as possible – which is 180 days in advance of your visit. I waited until 2 months out and I had a hard time getting into the restaurants that were our first choice. If you find yourself in the same situation, I recommend calling back and checking the Disney online reservations to see if there are any openings. If you are wanting to make reservations for character dining, especially Chef Mickey or Cinderella’s Royal Table, you should be on the phone right at day 180. Those reservations go fast, as does Be Our Guest.

We’ve done character dining three times. I’ve eaten at The Crystal Place at Magic Kingdom (Pooh character dining), Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at Epcot(Disney princesses), and Cape May Café at The Beach Club Resort (Mickey characters minus Mickey). To save money, I recommend eating breakfast with the characters. It’s by far the cheapest option. We always do brunch and then skip lunch.

Here’s the way I planned our trip: I assigned a day to each park, and I then decided where I wanted to eat each night. We did breakfast in our hotel room, counter service at lunch, and we dined at a restaurant for dinner. I used the Disney online reservations to see what was available, and I ended up having to switch around days at the parks to make everything work. For example, dining at Biergarten at Epcot is not negotiable during our visits and I could only find one day available. I had to switch our planned at day Hollywood Studios with Epcot to make that work.

I’ll talk about dining a little more as I discuss each park… what restaurants I recommend and which I would skip.

Packing

Oh, packing for Disney. It’s both super fun and super stressful. I used this chart to help me create a master packing list.

My absolute must haves include:

Ponchos. Buy them before you go.
Plastic zip lock bags. I use them to organize my stuff and to protect my camera/phone if it rains in the park.
Backpack. I use a backpack in lieu of a purse and can fit everything I need for Jason, myself, and Cooper
Stroller. A MUST if you have a child younger than 5.
Laundry bags. You don’t want to have to mix your dirty clothes with your clean clothes when you repack your suitcase.
Trash bags to cover your stroller if it rains – you can also use a $1 shower curtain
Medicine kit/medicine: Tylenol, band-aids, Tums, etc.
Sunscreen and bug repellant
Stain remover
Dish soap
Fat pen for character autographs (I used a Sharpie)
Antibacterial hand gel and antibacterial wipes

As I said, I took both a stroller and an adult backpack into the park. I also took a small cooler. In the bottom of the stroller I packed the cooler filled with frozen water bottles, juice packs for Cooper, and some fresh fruit. I also packed our ponchos and jackets in the bottom of the stroller. I have a hanging bag on the back of our stroller and I filled it with sunscreen, medicine, bug repellant, and a first aid kit.

In the backpack I had my camera, zip lock bags, a change of clothes for Cooper, my wallet, a few toiletries, and some snacks. I hooked the backpack on to the stroller. I left the backpack on my stroller – with the camera in it (my DSLR) – on the stroller when I went into rides. I, personally, did not worry about theft while riding rides. I’ve been to Disney many times and have never worried about it. I would not leave a purse on the stroller but I never worry about leaving a backpack (maybe that seems strange, but to me a purse screams “money is in here!”). I do take my wallet out when I ride and put it in my pocket.

I packed the following snacks: pretzels, goldfish, fruit snacks, Lara bars, fruit, popcorn, and fruit pouches for Cooper. I’d love to hear your ideas for snacks!

I purchased the Disney Junior Encyclopedia of Animated Characters to use as an autograph book. I really love this book!It contains every Disney character, and I made a game of trying to find as many characters as possible and have them sign their page.

I also made a little “surprise” for Cooper from Mickey and gave it to him the day that we left. It kept him entertained in the car and was just a really fun present to put together. I purchased the bucket and water bottle from Grimes Graphics and filled it up with goodies from Target. I included a coloring book, stickers, a Jake stuffed doll and a Jake camera. The camera was the biggest hit!

This is the conclusion of the first day of my Disney series! Take a look below for what to expect for the rest of the week. I’m going to be covering each individual park and highlighting the best rides, what areas of the park to visit first, special activities, what to skip, where to eat, and more!

Week of Disney, Day 2: Saving Money, Using the Fast Passes to Your Advantage, Photo Pass, and Dressing Your Tot
Week of Disney, Day 3: Magic Kingdom
Week of Disney, Day 4: Epcot & Downtown Disney
Week of Disney, Day 5: Hollywood Studios
Week of Disney, Day 5: Animal Kingdom
Week of Disney, Day 6: Sea World & Universal Studios

I would LOVE to hear your feedback on this series!

Beauty Buys: The One Thing

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I know I talk on here a lot about new products I try and love, but I do have some staples I come back to over and over again. Some items are "holy grails" and if I only had enough money to buy one thing, I'd definitely repurchase these items. I know not everyone is like me and wants to/can afford to purchase more than the makeup essentials. That's ok - here are my recommendations for girls who need to stock their cosmetic bags.

Foundation:

In terms of coverage, affordability (for a high end brand), and ease of application MAC Studio Fix is the definite winner. I love that when I'm in a hurry I can put it on in seconds. You can apply wet (for more coverage) or dry (for a sheerer look).

Concealer:

I've repurchased Benefit Erase Paste 3 times, and that is unheard of for me. It completely covers your undereye circles. I do not recommend for all over concealer, however. Hard Candy Glamoflauge is a great buy for other areas of the face!

Blush:

I wear Cargo blu_ray Blush/Highlighter every single day. It just lights up your whole face and really makes you look luminous.

Eyeshadow:

I've been experiencing horrendous MS lately, and I just don't have the time or energy in the morning to do multiple colors of shadow. I am loving the Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Birthday Suit for a pop of color on my lids. I swipe it on with my finger, and it lasts all day. (Maybelline Color Tattoo is practically the same thing but is way cheaper!)

Eyeliner:

For a quick, polished look most days I grab my MAC Technakohl liner and line my upper waterline. It lasts all day and doesn't smudge at all.

Mascara:

I am a long-time user of Loreal Voluminous. I've tried its various offspring and my favorite of the bunch is Loreal Voluminous Million Lashes.

Lipgloss:

If I had to just use and purchase one lipstick or gloss, it would be Benefit Dandelion. It is the perfect natural pink and is super moisturizing.

What are some staples in your makeup bag?

Picture Dump

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:16:00 +0000

Hey friends! I felt like a little photo dump on this rainy Tuesday morning. Shall we?

Hello, belated birthday present! (The lighting is terrible, I know.) I had this blank space in my living room and I told Jason I wanted to look for furniture as a birthday present. (Which was January 29th.) I had been looking on and off but couldn't really find anything I was crazy about. Last week I was stalking our local antique shop on Facebook and they posted this beauty. I asked them to hold it for me and then picked it up on Monday. It blends perfectly with our existing furniture and really polishes up our living room.

The sconces are coming down. They were up before I got the new bookcase.

One thing about Jason - he doesn't bat an eye when I get it in my head that I want to buy furniture. I'm really particular about what I buy. I don't like furniture chain stores, I always look for real wood pieces, and I prefer to buy antiques when possible. Luckily my husband supports my bad habit. (Well, that bad habit. He does not care for my Sephora bad habit.)

I love good mail days. Yesterday we got My ABC Bible Verses: Hiding God's Word in Little Hearts, The Jesus Storybook Bible, 1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12, and The One Year Devotions for Preschoolers.

The 1-2-3 Magic book was recommended by our pediatrician so I'm excited to try that out.

We currently own Bible Stories for Preschoolers and I love it, but it is a little advanced for Cooper. I think it would be good for ages 4 & up. What I really love about it is that it comes with discussion questions and activities for every story. Twitter is all about The Jesus Storybook Bible, so I thought I would try it out.

The ABC Bible Verses book is great, but again, it is a little old for Cooper. We read one story last night and it went over his head. I think I'll pull it back out when he is 4. I love the idea behind it though! It takes one bible verse and includes a story to help make it understandable for children. It also comes with discussion questions.

I do love The One Year Devotion for Preschoolers, however! It truly is written to the 3-5 year old age range.

Cooper is such a mess! This boy really lights up my life. I took the bottom picture of him and told him that he looked like his Uncle Chad (my brother, who is obsessed with all things Under Armour). He was so stinking proud of himself that day! Every since he's walked around saying "Uncle Chad is my favorite!" and "I look like Uncle Chad!" I sent the picture to my brother and he said Cooper needed to work on his arms if he really wanted to look like Uncle Chad. (My brother has been doing P90X for 3 years now...)

This morning was a crazy morning. I had an early morning meeting and Cooper was cranky because I had woken him up early. I couldn't get him to get going and I snapped at him when he wouldn't let me brush his teeth. When we finally hit the road I told him I was sorry I had yelled at him. He was quiet for a minute and then said "Mom, I don't like it when you yell at me. It makes me feel bad." OH GEEZ. Major mom guilt!

Every day he teaches me something new. I'm such a work in progress, and all because I want to be an example for my boy. I am by no means perfect, but I want him to know that I make mistakes and when I do, I am responsible for them. I'm not afraid to tell Cooper that I'm wrong and ask for forgiveness. I pray everyday that God help me be a shining example.

I took a wreath making class a few weekends ago and I learned to make mesh wreaths! Honestly, I find mesh so hard to work with. I couldn't get it to work on my Christmas tree... I actually had to get my mom to come over and put it on for me. Seeing someone else do it made all the difference, though. I'm pretty proud of the final product!

Well, that's about it for today. What's on the agenda for your Tuesday?

Pregnancy Update: Week 12

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:32:00 +0000

12 weeks 2 days

This will pretty much be an update of weeks 6-12 since I've been a little MIA on the blog. I can't promise I'll be doing these weekly (no one wants to see weekly picture of my "is she fat or or she pregnant? oh, she's both!" belly) but I'll update as often as I can and as I feel up to it.

TTC/How We Found Out:

I had my IUD removed in May and we had been trying ever since. We weren't hardcore about it (I wasn't charting or tracking my temps like I did with C) and had just kind of decided to go with the flow. It had reached the point where I had decided I would starting charting and temping in January.

We found out very early. I am almost positive I conceived right around Christmas, and we found out the first week in January. Jason and I had a date night, and I was so full after dinner that I told him I would just rather go straight home and rent a movie. When we got home we went upstairs to change into pjs and I made the comment "man, my stomach is so hard right now! It is just like when I was pregnant with Cooper!" Jason told me he had a feeling I was pregnant (he swears he knew the instant it happened with Cooper and with this baby *eye roll*) and told me to test. I did, and it had the faintest line you have ever seen. I was convinced it was a bad test, but Mr. Know It All declared I was pregnant.

I tested again the following day, and again there was a (slightly darker) faint line. I brushed it off again but my husband strutted around the house like he had won a Nobel Prize.

The next day I took a digital test and it said "pregnant." I decided then it was ok to accept that yes, I was pregnant.

How We Told Our Families

We told Cooper right away. At first he was like "yeah, ok, I have a baby in my belly, too!" but as the weeks have gone by it has sunk in more and more.

We told our my mom, dad, & brother's family right around week 7. I wanted to wait, but I was not feeling great and Jason thought it would be best to share so they could help with Cooper if we needed. My parents were coming over for dinner so I dressed Cooper in the outfit you see below. It took my mom about 15 minutes to notice what his shirt said. We had to tell my dad. I sent my brother the picture and he got it right away.

I told everyone else on Valentine's Day with the announcement you see here.

How I'm Feeling:
This pregnancy is so different from Cooper. It's like night and day! With Cooper, I was sick 5-8 times a day. However, as soon as I would vomit, I would feel much better and could go about my day. I also lost a lot of weight (20 pounds) in my first trimester because I threw up almost everything I ate. I was exhausted and I slept amazingly. The MS lasted until about 20 weeks and the exhaustion went away after the first trimester.

This baby is kicking my butt. I don't know if it is because I'm older (34 versus 30) or what, but I feel awful. I feel sick all the time. I rarely vomit, but I just feel nauseous 24/7. I can't sleep. I'm so tired and I fall asleep around 10pm each night, but I end up waking up around 2am and being awake for several hours. I've also started experiencing sciatic pain. It's a sharp shooting pain that starts in my back and travels down into my hip. I have had acid reflux from the get go (but I have it when I'm not pregnant so....). I started a new medicine and it keeps it in check as long as I take it daily. I also have horrible allergies this go round. With Cooper I was able to stop taking my allergy meds throughout my pregnancy but I am a mucus machine this go round. I honestly think that contributes to my 24/7 nausea.

Doctor Appointments:
I saw my doctor at 7 weeks and received my first ultrasound. I've been very paranoid this go round, so it was good to see the heartbeat. I did text a friend right after because at 7 weeks the baby looks like a giant blob. I didn't remember that from Cooper.

I had my 12 week appointment last week and it was fine. It did take my OB about 5 minutes to find the heartbeat and during that time I thought I would stroke out on the table. But they did find it!

Gender:
No idea! My mom did make me do the Drano test, which says it is a girl. (I guess this was the gender prediction method in the late 70s and it worked for her and her friends. It was also accurate with C.) I also took the baking soda gender prediction test, which said it was a girl. If I had to guess, I would guess it was a girl. The only reason I say that is because this pregnancy is so different from Cooper.

Honestly, I'm ok with either. Jason wants to have a girl because this is a our final child and he'd ideally like to have one of each. I'm ok either way! I just want a healthy baby!

Size:
Baby is currently the size of a peach.

Mommy's size: I initially lost about 10 pounds, but I've gained about 2 pounds back. (This may be the only time I speak about weight - haha!)

Cravings:
I don't really have any true cravings, but I am really into water lately. It has to be loaded with ice cubes and be ice cold. I am starvin marvin all the time, but I only eat little bits and am full... until a few hours later when it starts all over again.

Husband:
Jason is a rock star. Really! He's been so helpful. I haven't felt well at all and he's really taking up the slack around the house. The only reason the house has been cleaned at all in the past 2 month is because he has done it. He cooks, cleans, does laundry, goes to the store when I need it... I could not ask for a better baby daddy.

Big Brother:
Cooper has really caught on to the fact that I'm pregnant. He talks about the baby a lot. A few weeks ago we went shopping and walked through the baby section. He kept saying "The baby needs that, Mom!" He kisses my belly, and he's convinced it is a boy.

We have started the transition to the big boy room. We've got the furniture, have painted (well.... we got the accent wall painted, and then I decided the rest of the walls needed to be a different color so it is in progress), and have the bedding and wall art. We need to finish painting, put the bedding on, and get the art on the walls. Cooper is very excited about moving but I'm having a hard time letting go of the crib. I know it might be ridiculous, but to me it is the last bit of "baby" left.

Maternity Clothes:
The picture you see at the top is of me, trying on clothes at Motherhood Maternity this past weekend. Shoot me now.

I wore mostly regular clothes throughout my pregnancy with Cooper. I added in about 5 pairs of maternity pants towards week 25. However, my maternity clothes with Cooper are all winter clothes, so I ordered a few pairs of pants from JC Penney (which is one of the few stores that carries plus size maternity). Um, no bueno. I ended up returning them all.

Motherhood Maternity does carry plus size clothing, but their selection is horrid. The pants you see me wearing above are supposed to be skinny jeans. HA! I did purchase one pair of skinny jeans (um, not so much - they fit like slim leg jeans but whatever), leggings, and two tops. I think I can get by with wearing dresses I already own but I may need to pick up a few more pairs of leggings. We'll see.

I do have to say this pregnancy has been much harder on my looks. I felt like with Cooper I had the so-called "pregnancy glow" but my skin is terrible this go round. I have lots of breakouts and my skin is just dull. My hair is blah and I feel like my body is just gross. I can already tell you there will be few pictures of me this go round.

Well, this has turned into a novel. Thanks for reading and keep posted for more updates!

A Message From Cooper

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:22:00 +0000

The card was designed by my lovely friend, Sarah, from Life Sweet Life.

Well hey there…

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 21:14:00 +0000

Hey friends! Long time no talk, huh? Life has been a little crazy lately. I won’t offer apologies for disappearing because life happens, especially at this time of year, and I know you understand. Thanks so much for reading even when my posts are sporadic.

So what’s new? Well, I’m working full time at my day job, and I’m doing some freelance writing part time. I’ve written several posts for Curvy Girl Guide… check me out there! I’m writing beauty posts there and I’m so excited about being a part of such an amazing group of ladies.

Holiday Makeup Tips: Go For The Gold

To Bang or Not to Bang: A Question for You

Fall Beauty Trends We Love: Makeup

I didn’t win the Yes To Stylista contest. Yes, I was a little bummed. But I’m so thrilled I was picked to be a finalist and I was part of a talented group of ladies. I actually went and watched everyone else’s video submissions and they picked the right girl as a brand representative. She blew me out of the water! Clearly I have a lot to learn about vlogging and editing my vlogs. A huge THANK YOU to Holly who helped me put together my video!

Cooper is a mess. Really! I love his age right now. He has a wonderful vocabulary and I can carry on actual conversations with him right now. He will be 3 in January and I can’t believe how the time has flown. He is such a big boy! I’ll do a more in depth post soon but here is a little snippet that lets you know how mischievous he truly is…

Back at the end of September, he came down with what I thought was a cold. I didn’t think anything of it until his breath became very smelly, almost rancid. I turned to Twitter for help and was told by several mommies that it could be a sign of an infection. I took him to Urgent Care and they diagnosed him with a sinus infection. He was prescribed amoxicillin and prednisone. He finished the medicine and did not improve. He was still stopped up terribly and his breath got steadily worse.

I took him to his pediatrician, who honestly didn’t even examine him. He did not look up his nose at all. He listened to his symptoms and told me to give him OTC Claritin daily.

I gave it another week and still nothing improved. I made an appointment with a different pediatrician. That pediatrician gave him a complete exam, including looking up his nose. At first he just thought it was boogies, but then he saw COTTON stuck up Cooper’s nose! Jason and I had to pin Cooper down while they used long handled tweezers to pull the cotton out. It was so much, and it had been in his nose for 3 weeks! They actually couldn’t get it out of the left nostril so we had to take him to the ENT the next day.

He improved immediately when the cotton was removed. He could breathe and his breath was better overnight. I can’t believe it took 3 doctors and 3 weeks to figure out what was wrong. If your child is stuffed up and develops bad breath, ask a doctor to look up their nose to see if they’ve stuffed something up there.

We did finally figure out – it was the stuffing from one of his animals! After nap one day I went in and there was stuffing on the ground. I asked Cooper where it came from and he told me his monkey. I took monkey away but I never thought to ask if he had stuffed anything up his nose!

So yeah. That’s my kid. Love him so!

I leave you with some family pictures. If we’re friends on FB, the whole album is on there…

Happy Wednesday!

Looks of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 14:36:00 +0000

I’ve been trying to be better about dragging out the big girl camera (i.e. my Canon Rebel – something with a bit more quality than my iPhone) to take pics on the days I actually make an effort and do my makeup. I want to try to share pictures with you and give you tips on how to recreate the looks.

I wrote a guest post for Curvy Girl Guide on how I created these looks. Read that post here. My red lips look crazy – I definitely need to wear liner in the future. I have a very uneven lip line and clearly I cannot go without liner.

I know my bangs look crazy, right? Three day old hair = greasy bangs. Apparently greasy bangs = strange middle part.

Foundation: Makeup Forever HD & Duo Mat Powder Foundation
Cheeks: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Exposed
Eyes: Too Faced Shadow Bon Bons palette, Lorac Front of the Line Pro black liquid liner, Too Faced Lashgasm mascara
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Strumpet

If you have any questions about anything, ask! Thanks for reading.

Shutterfly Thanks the Troops

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 02:20:00 +0000

Hey y’all. Happy Veteran’s Day!

Y’all know my husband is a veteran – he served 10 years in the US Navy and is now a member of the Navy Reserves. I want to take a minute and thank him for his service, as well as every other member of the Armed Services – past, present, and future. Freedom is NOT free, and these great men and women sacrifice so much so that we can live the lives that we do.

Shutterfly has come up with a great, FREE way to say thank you to the troops. You can go here to create a free personalized card. Shutterfly will print your card and send it to a deployed service member.

This is so easy to do and is such a nice gesture to show our appreciation to our service members! Please take 5 minutes to create a FREE card!

HAPPY VETERAN’S DAY!

Halloween 2012

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 09:18:00 +0000

I feel like I haven’t written an actual post – a post that isn’t beauty related – in ages! I have so much to catch you up on! Let’s get started with Halloween!

Cooper had two costumes this year… a cowboy (Woody) and a superhero. We had several parties and events to go to this year, and we couldn’t all agree on a costume. He wanted to be Woody and I wanted to get him this super cute superhero costume I saw in the Pottery Barn Kids catalog. I thought all the Woody costumes I saw looked plastic and cheap, so I ended up getting him a cowboy costume & hat at Crazy 8 when they were having a sale. I got the sheriff badge you see on his hat from our local police department.

He dressed as a cowboy at his request for the first party we went to. The company my dad works for, SCE&G, throws parties for the kids on the major holidays. The feed you, have games and bounces houses, hay rides, the whole works! It really is so much fun.

I know this will upset some… but every self-respecting sheriff needs his guns! (In my defense, he hasn’t played with guns before and has been paying them no attention since.)

The next night my cousin threw a Halloween party for the kiddos. This is Jason and Cooper, posing before we got into the car for the 40 minute drive. We never even made it there! Less than 10 minutes from the house, I heard a gagging sound and whipped around in my seat to see Cooper vomit all over his costume. Oh, my. He only threw up that one but ran a 101 fever for the rest of the night. He woke up feeling fine and fever free the next day, but I kept him home from church and from our neighborhood Halloween party.

Oh, and let’s talk about this superhero costume, shall we? It’s from Pottery Barn Kids and was pretty pricy. I wanted to get him this because I figured it could be dress up for years to come. Well…. it didn’t come with pants! I about had a conniption when I opened the package because it sure does show matching pants on the website. I ran to my computer and sure enough… it says in the description that it doesn’t include the pants. You can’t even order matching pants! WHAT THE HECK POTTERY BARN. So I then spent 3 weeks trying to find matching pants. I finally ending up buying him red skinnies at Old Navy.

I let him wear his cowboy costume to daycare on Halloween. They had a little party and went trick or treating to each classroom.

Here we are on Halloween night. We went to our church’s Fall Festival and had a blast!

I’m such a bad mom – we ran out of time and didn’t go to a pumpkin patch. We also didn’t carve pumpkins. I took the lazy route and got these kits you just stick into the pumpkins. Easy and safe for the kids!

We also took “spooky” baths (Cooper’s words) this month. I’d turn off the lights in the bathroom, light candles, and I’d tell (PG) ghost stories. Cooper LOVED it. I told him about Casper, Beetlejuice, the Great Pumpkin, etc. I even let him watch a very short clip of Bettlejuice on Youtube (the one where they dance on the stairs).

I am absolutely loving this fall with my boy! He’s at the perfect age to really get into the holidays. I can’t WAIT for Christmas!

Day 31 of 31 Days of Beauty on a Budget

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:03:00 +0000

Well, y'all, we have done this thang. :)

I really can't believe today is the last day of my 31 Days of Beauty on a Budget series! I'm really proud of myself for sticking with it for the whole 31 days. I tried my best to bring you guys good, quality posts that would give you ideas of products you wanted to try, tips to apply your makeup, or even just food for thought. I hope I succeeded and that you are taking something away from these 31 posts!

This has been such a labor of love and I truly have had such a blast putting these posts together. I think it is true what they say - when you enjoy what you do, it isn't work!

You're probably wondering where I plan to go from here. Well, you can expect to see at least 2 beauty posts per week from me. My goal is to film one tutorial per week so you will continue to see vlogs from me as well. I will not continue to blog on weekends - I plan to post Monday-Friday. The other days will be posts about my family, snark, my life, Cooper, recipes, crafts... just other things of interest to me and hopefully to you!

I hope those of you who are new to this blog will stick around. I thank you for reading this month! My faithfuls - you are truly the reason I blog. I wouldn't continue to write if no one was reading.

I've been praying hard about the direction of my blog in the future. I've been asking God to open doors and he has! I hope this blog does nothing but grow and reach more people. I've never put much stock in page views or follow numbers... I just want to know something I wrote meant something to someone. I hope my writing touches you!

Please let me know if you have any tutorial requests or ideas for future posts. If there are questions you have, leave them in the comments and I will either email you or address them in a post!

As always, thank you for reading!

October Winners & Losers

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 10:22:00 +0000

I can’t believe it is almost October’s end. Where has the month gone? I’ve had such a blast with this series and I hope you have learned something from me.

The end of October means it is time to recap some of my favorite items from the month, and some items that did not work for me at all. Hopefully you’ll find some things to add to your wish list, and some items to stay away from!

WINNERS

I’ve been wearing the Too Faced Shadow Bon Bons Set ($42) since I got it. LOVE. It is a great combination of colors, and every shadow is super pigmented. You also get an eyeshadow primer and a mascara. So far, this is one of the stand out holidays palettes in my opinion.

I’ve had the Too Faced LashGasm Mascara ($21) for quite some time. I used it for months during spring and them stepped away from it during the summer. I got a full sized mascara with the palette above, and I fell in love all over again. It creates the longest, most defined lashes ever. The one drawback is that it isn’t waterproof. It doesn’t smudge on me, but if I cry, I get raccoon eyes.

The Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick ($28) seriously stays put all day. You can even wipe it off and the color remains on your lips. I have Muse and Empress, and I want to add Icon to my collection soon.

I have been using the Lorac Front of the Line Pro ($23) black liquid liner since February. I love that the felt tips allows me to control the line I draw, and the color flows out without tugging at my eyes. It does not run or smudge on my lids, yet I can still remove mistakes with a q-tip dipped in water.

I’m continuing to love the Yes To Carrots Anti Frizz Serum ($7.99). I think I’ve finally found a product that will allow me to accept my natural waves!

LOSERS

I’m normally such a fan of Too Faced’s products, but the Love Sweet Love Set ($46) did not live up to my expectations. My Shadow Insurance primer was completely runny and oily, and the shadows did not blend well. I’m very disappointed in this set.

I had heard such good things about the Kat Von D Lock It Tattoo Foundation ($34), and I rushed out to Sephora to get a sample. I’m glad I tried it before I purchased! It’s supposed to be a very matte and full coverage foundation, leaving a finish reminiscent of the 60’s. I found it to be very heavy and difficult to apply.

The Milani Haute Flash Lip Gloss ($7.49) feels terrible on your lips. Seriously, it’s like applying sand. What is up with companies thinking we want to wear glitter on our lips? No, Milani, NO.

What are you loving and hating this month?

Splurge Vs. Steal: Blushes

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 11:02:00 +0000

Blushes are sort of an underrated makeup item, I think. They add so much color to your face, and can wake up your complexion. Think about it – you don’t necessarily notice someone’s blush when they are wearing it, but if they aren’t you sure do!

Overall, in this category, I think high end blushes are worth the extra money. Speaking broadly, drugstore blushes tend to last long and impart more color with just one swipe of your blush brush. Here are my favorites!

SPULRGE

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush ($25) really does what it advertises. When I wear this, it lasts all day! I’m not crazy about the color selection, however. I think some of the colors are a little washed out, for lack of a better word. My favorite colors are Adored, Frisky, Exposed, and Blissful.

Every girl should have a NARS blush in their makeup collection ($28). Nobody does blushes quite like NARS. The blushes are super pigmented and the names are, well, naughty and fun. Try Orgasm, Deep Throat, and Angelika.

I’ve been wearing Benefit blushes ($28) forever. Seriously, I’ve had Dandelion since 2007. You will never get to the bottom of this little box. I use and love Coralista, Dandelion, Sugar Bomb, and Bella Bamba. Dallas is great for those with darker skin tones. Hoola makes a great bronzer!

If I had to pick my absolute favorite blush, it would be Bobbi Brown’s blush in Pale Pink ($25). The color is intimidating in the package, but it looks amazing on everyone.

STEAL

Drugstore blushes as a whole tend to frustrate me. Either they are extremely chalky or they leave little to no color on your face. Frustrating! I have found a few that impress me.

NYX Powder Blush is very pigmented, and a steal at $5.99. Try Pinched, Rose Garden, Summer Peach, and Mauve. I actually think Pinched is very similar to NARS Orgasm!

I’ve shared my love of ELF blushes before. I mean, $3 for a blush? Yes please! Tickled Pink, Pink Passion, and Peachy Keen are dupes of more expensive blushes.

TIP OF THE DAY

Besides lipstick, I think blush is the one makeup item that wears off pretty quickly. Through trial and error, I’ve come up with a method to extend the lasting power of my blush.

Tip: Layer powder blush over cream blush. The cream causes the powder to “stick” and really makes your blush last all day. I like to use the Sigma F84 Angled Kabuki Blush.

Here are some of my favorite cream blushes!

NYX Cream Blushes ($6.99) are fab. I love the color selection and they apply like a dream. Try Tickled, Hot Pink, and Boho Chic.

My friend Susan recommended the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blushes ($7.99) to me and I really like them! The texture of the blush is a little drier so I think for beginnings they are easier to apply.

I picked up the Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush ($12.99) one day on a whim and I’m so glad I did. The quality is superb. I love Coral Reef, Flushed, and Pink.

Lastly, I love Sephora’s Double Contouring Cream Blushes ($14). A little goes a long way because these cream blushes are super pigmented. I have Poppy, a bright pinkish coral color.

What are your favorite blushes? Will you be trying out any of the products I’ve recommended?

Learn With Me: How To Apply False Lashes

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 14:46:00 +0000

Hello friends!

I have a confession to make: I don’t wear false lashes. I know; this is one of those things every (self titled) beauty maven is supposed to know how to do. Well, I have decent lashes on my own, so I’ve just never seen the need. Plus, it find it quite intimidating. Something about the glue, the tweezers, the lash strips just sends me running in the other direction.

As with highlighter, this is not an everyday look. It’s for special occasions, holidays, nights out, parties, photo sessions, etc. Don’t walk into work with a full strip of lashes. You will look ridiculous.

My mom has alopecia and doesn’t grow eyelashes, so she actually does wear lash strips every day. There are exceptions to that rule, obviously.

Back to my confession: I think I’ve only applied false lashes twice. We’re going to work through this thing together, friends. Watch (with me) and learn (with me).

I consulted two sources before I attempted this myself. The lovely ladies at Pixiwoo are always spot on with their tutorials, and The Beauty Department provided an alternative method of application that they say takes the guesswork out of the equation.

Source: Pixiwoo YouTube Channel

Source: The Beauty Department – Quick Tips For Lash Strips

Now, if all the above it too much for you, you can always go to the MAC counter and ask them to apply lashes. I think they charge $10, which is completely reasonable.

So. I had planned to film a tutorial for you guys of me putting on lashes…. but after 30 minutes of doing nothing but gluing my own lashes together and saying bad words, I gave it up. I think I could apply lashes just fine to someone else, but myself – not so much.

Do you wear false lashes? Do you have any tips for application?

Beautorial: Highlighter

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 14:39:00 +0000

Happy Saturday friends!

I promised you two new tutorials this week and this one is your second. I think highlighting is one of the easiest, most impactful things you can do (makeup wise) to really perfect your skin and make you look radiant. Any age, any skin type, any skin color can benefit from highlighting.

For the record, you may hear the word “luminizer” when talking about highlighting. It’s a fancier way to say highlighter. Ha!

I don’t usually care for Kimmy, but this is a great example of where you should apply highlighter: cheekbones, center of forehead, center of nose, bow of the upper lip, and chin.

I don’t wear highlighter every single day, but it is great for days when you are feeling tired or blah. Mix a tiny amount of liquid highlighter into your foundation for extra glow. When I have a date night or other special night out, I will go to town with highlighter for a “glowy” look.

Check out my video for more tips and tricks!

Highlighters that I love and recommend:

Thank you for reading and watching!

Beautorial: How To Tightline Your Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 00:59:00 +0000

Tightlining is one of those hidden gems that I think not enough people utilize, either because they don’t know what it is, they think it is too hard to do, or they just don’t know how to do it. Well, today’s the day, ladies. Today is the day you learn to tightline.

Tightlining is a method of lining your eyes. When most people think of lining their eyes, they think of lining above their lashes. You may have heard of “lining your waterline” which is not tightlining. The waterline is the area in between your lashes and eyeball. Let’s consult a picture, shall we?

When you are instructed to “line your waterline” that simply means to line the inner rims of your eyes with a waterproof liner.

Today we’re talking about tightlining – which is coming from underneath your lashes with liner to line your eyes. I know it sounds confusing if you’re never heard of it or seen it done. I promise the video explains exactly how to do this technique.

Why tightline?

It provides a natural look. You don’t appear to be wearing liner, which can be harsh looking on some people.
It really makes your lashes look fuller.
If provides an extra “oomph” when worn with a smoky eye.

What should you use to tightline your eyes?

I use a waterproof pencil. If using a pencil, I recommend one that is both waterproof and firm, such as MAC Technakohl. That’s what I’m using in the vlog.
You can use a cream liner, such as MAC Fluidline. Use a flat top eyeliner brush to apply and “push” the cream liner into the base of your lashes.
When removing your liner, you’ll need to use a waterproof eye makeup remover. I recommend an oil based makeup remover, such as Clinique Take The Day Off. Saturate a pad with remover and let it rest on your eye for a few seconds. Then wipe off your mascara and liner. The liner will collect under your eyes… press the pad to that area and gently wipe. You’ll have to do this again the morning.

A few thoughts before you watch this video…

This is my first actual tutorial, so think kind thoughts. I hope I only get better from here. I had my husband in the bathroom with me while I was filming, and he was supposed to tell me if I went out of the frame. Um, he didn’t, and there are several times you see me pop out of view when I’m looking in the mirror. I also have a bit of the crazy eye as I apply my liner. Oops. Lastly, that swatch has been on the wall for over a year. HA!

Will you try tightlining?

Say Yes to Great Hair!

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:12:00 +0000

Hey friends!

I’m so excited to share some big news with you guys. If you’ve been reading the blog, you know that a few weeks ago I asked you to please vote for me to become the next Yes To Stylista.

I know some of you are wondering… what is Yes To Stylista? Well, one of my favorite skincare companies, Yes To Carrots, has created a contest to find their next Stylista – a beauty maven who will work with the company as a brand representative.

When I found out about the contest, I knew immediately I wanted to enter. I use and love the Yes To Carrots products. Y’all know I have professed my love of the Yes To Cucumbers Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes, and I bathe Cooper with the Yes To Baby Carrots line.

Well, thanks to you guys, I made it into the Top 10 and the next round of the contest! Thank you so much for voting for me, readers! It really means so much to me.

Yes To Carrots sent me a great big box filled with samples of their new hair care line, and I was tasked with trying the products and sharing my thoughts. I was asked to film a 2 minute vlog to share why I think I should be the next Yes To Stylista and what I think of Yes To Carrot’s new hair care line. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Now 2 minutes simply wasn’t enough time to share all my thoughts about this amazing new line of products, so I wanted to share more of my initial thoughts with you guys. I will be updating you as I use the products long term!

There are three sets of shampoos and conditioners, a leave in conditioner, and an anti-frizz serum.

I was most excited to try the Yes To Cucumbers Color Protection shampoo and conditioner. This is a sulfate free shampoo and conditioner that is free of parabens, petroleum, and SLS. I do color my hair, and I’m always on the search for a shampoo and conditioner that won’t strip my hair. There is nothing worse than paying big bucks at the hair salon and seeing your color fade weeks before it should.

Now, I am only on the first week of use of these products, but I feel pretty positive about it! I will be sure to update as to what the long term impact is on my hair color, but my initial thoughts are extremely positive. I love that although this shampoo is sulfate free, it still suds up pretty well. I’m just the type of person who wants that feeling of suds in my hair to know it is getting clean. The conditioner was lightweight but did not leave my hair tangled.

Next is the Yes To Blueberries Healthy Hair Repair shampoo and conditioner. Now, I have only used this shampoo and conditioner once because right now the Color Protection line is the most appropriate product to meet my hair cleansing needs. However, I really love this shampoo and conditioner! I can see myself switching back and forth between the two lines.

The Healthy Hair Repair set is perfect for those of us who heat style our hair or who might have damage to or breakage of our strands. The blueberries contain antioxidants that protect hair, clover flower heals damage, and sunflower provides fatty acids that will restore shine.

One shampoo left my hair feeling very soft and moisturized. After air drying, my hair was very shiny. Plus, the scent is amazing and lingered all day!

I had my husband try out the Yes To Carrots Scalp Relief shampoo and conditioner. Jason has a very dry scalp (he said I wasn’t allowed to use the “D” word). His scalp feels dry, so he scratches his head often during the day… which just further accelerates the problem. I thought this set would be perfect for his needs.

This shampoo and conditioner is meant for those with dry scalps. Tea tree and lemon protect against irritation, and salicylic acid reduces flakes. Cypress oils moisturize while organic carrots heal the scalp and stimulate the growth of healthy hair. Yes To Carrots Scalp Relief shampoo and conditioner advertises that it will '”soothe dry, flaky scalps in 7 days.”

In 10 years of marriage, Jason has never commented on any shampoo I’ve ever purchased for him. I buy the shampoo, stick it in the shower, and he uses it. I replaced his shampoo with the Yes To Carrots Scalp Relief set, and he commented on how his scalp didn’t feel as dry the first day of use. He’s continued to use it daily, and has said that his hair feels soft, his scalp doesn’t itch, and he hasn’t seen any flakes since he first started using it. I call that a win!

I think the next two products work best in conjunction with one another. The Yes To Carrots Leave In Conditioner is great for those of us who need a little extra moisture in our hair. The mixture of protein and argan oil both heals and protects your hair. I love that this product contains argan oil! I normally apply argan oil before styling, but with this leave in conditioner I can skip that step. After using this product, my hair dried faster, was shinier, and felt super soft to the touch.

The Yes To Carrots Anti Frizz Serum is so amazing. I really don’t have words to express how much I love this serum. I have naturally wavy hair (which is a nice way of saying my hair is super frizzy and coarse). I haven’t yet found a anti frizz serum that will allow me to feel comfortable wearing my hair natural. When I air dry my hair, I always end up either flat ironing or pulling my hair back into a ponytail or bun. This serum eliminates my frizz and leaves me with soft, shiny hair! I use it both when I wear my hair wavy and when I heat style.

My favorite way to use these two products is to combine equal amounts in my palm and run through towel dried hair. This leaves me with the most soft, shiny, perfect hair of my life!

Need proof? Check out these good hair days!

To summarize, here are my favorite things about the new Yes To Carrots hair care line of products:

The three sets of shampoos and conditioners can meet pretty much anyone’s hair care needs.
The Color Protection line does not contain sulfates.
All shampoos and conditioners are free of parabens, petroleum, and SLS.
The products are very affordable. You can get both a shampoo and conditioner for less than $16.00.
The products are easy to find at your local drugstore or Target.
The products smell pleasant but are not overbearing.
All the products left my hair soft, tangle free, and shiny.
Because Yes To Carrots products are natural, I feel good about using them on both myself and my child.

So friends – will you be trying out any of these products? Do you feel I’d be a good brand representative for Yes To Carrots?

Leave your thoughts in the comments, please!

Whip It Up: Homemade Lip Exfoliator

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 10:45:00 +0000

Now that we’re moving into the cooler months, it is even more important to make sure we are exfoliating both our bodies and faces to get rid of dry, scaly skin. One area that can sometimes be overlooked is our lips! Dry lips are no one’s friend. Try this scrub and be amazed at how soft your lips feel. Your gloss and lipstick will apply like a dream!

You can also make up larger amounts of this scrub and keep it in your shower for use as a body scrub.

You probably have all these ingredients at home!

This would keep for about a week in your fridge. Store it in tupperware, canning jars, or even (clean) baby food containers!

Whip it up!

How To Get a Professional Manicure at Home

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 01:58:00 +0000

I’ve had quite a few people ask me if I’d be willing to talk about how I do my nails at home. I haven’t paid for a manicure in quite some time. (My toes are a different story!) I actually prefer doing my nails at home – I think I do a better job than some of the manis I’ve gotten at nail salons!

I paint my nails at least once a week, sometimes twice. I find it really relaxing. It’s something I enjoy doing while watching TV as a way to wind down from my day.

For specific steps on how to prepare your nails for polish, please check out this guest post by my friend Holly, a certified nail tech. Since Holly’s already discussed the steps you should take to get a great looking manicure at home, I’m going to focus on the products I use and some tips I have to make the process easier on you.

Remove polish. I prefer to use pure Acetone remover, although it can dry out your cuticles. I’d rather moisturize my cuticles than spend 15 minutes trying to get off my polish with a non-Acetone remover.

Next I apply Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover to my cuticles. I let it sit about 30 seconds and then start to push back my cuticles with an orange wood stick. I lightly scrape the surface of my nail and go underneath the tips of my nails to clean out any dirt as well.

Next I wash my hands and if my hands are feeling rough, I use a homemade scrub consisting of white sugar and olive oil.

Next I apply CND Solar Oil to my cuticles – I spend about 5 minutes really working the oil into my cuticles and the surface of my nails. I really believe this helps my nails grow strong. I top it all off with a thick hand cream.

I usually do all this while Cooper is playing in the bathtub, and then polish my nails once he has gone to bed.

Tip: before you polish, soak a cotton pad in rubbing alcohol and wipe down the surface of your nail. This removes any oils from your nail, which can cause your polish to wear or chip sooner.

Now it’s time to polish your nails!

Step one is the Orly Bonder base coat. This is my current favorite base coat.

The next step is to polish your nails. Now, the pros will tell you to apply thin coats. Whenever I try to apply thin coats my polish looks streaky. So I just load up my polish brush and go to town. I usually apply two coats of polish unless the polish I’m using needs extra coats.

Tip: Here’s my secret for cleaning polish off my cuticles. While my nails are still wet, I run the tip of the orange wood stick around my cuticles, removing excess polish. It really cleans up my nails and makes them look sharp!

My favorite top coat is INM Out The Door. It’s a dupe of Seche Vite, minus all the nasty chemicals. My nails are hard and dry to the touch within 10 minutes.

I’ve seen quite a few pins lately on Pinterest talking about how you should apply Vaseline or Aquaphor to your cuticles as a way to “get a perfect manicure!” No. Don’t do this. There is no way to apply Vaseline or the like to the cuticle without getting it on your nail bed. Any oil whatsoever will keep the polish from adhering to your nail.

The last step in any manicure is to clean up your cuticles. Y’all, please take 5 seconds and clean up your cuticles. I’d rather see bare nails any day than girls who polish their nails yet leave polish smudges all over their cuticles and fingers.

There are 2 ways to do this… if you have time, polish at night and go to bed afterwards. When you wake up, scrub your cuticles in the shower with a washcloth. This will remove most of the polish from your cuticles. I know that in the mornings I will be too rushed to remember to do that, so I clean up my cuticles at night.

I love pointed q-tips for this purpose. They really get around your nail without accidentally removing the polish on your nail. These q-tips are from Amazon, but I get mine from CVS.

What are your tips for awesome looking manicures at home?

My Makeup Icons

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 09:29:00 +0000

A few months ago, I was browsing through the channels on a Saturday while Cooper was napping, and I happened upon the movie Sucker Punch. Now, normally this isn’t the kind of movie I’d ever sit down and watch, but I was immediately drawn in by the makeup. Hands down, I think this is the best makeup artistry of any movie I’ve seen.

I found the blog of the makeup artist and read up on the products she used on the actresses. The best part of the look is the shimmer on the cheekbones, which I was disappointed to find was a custom mixture she created. BOO. I would have whipped out my credit card in a snap if it had been sold in stores. She also layered false lashes to get the major wow factor on the eyes.

I love Adele’s look. It’s so classic and old Hollywood. I love that she never really changes it up – even if she makes small tweaks, it is always thick black liner, flawless foundation, and major lashes. For performances, she wears 2-3 pairs of false lashes at one time.

Oh Lauren. Me love you long time. She also has a very classic look – bronzed skin and cat eye liner. She is flawless!

I appreciate Katy Perry’s outrageous sense of style. She always does it up. I really want her makeup artist to show me how he applies her foundation, because in her documentary she went makeup-less and she does not have the flawless skin you think she does.

Hayden Panettiere always has the most incredible shimmer to her face. Obviously I’m obsessed with shimmer.

Who are your celebrity makeup icons?

Favorite This: Hair Tutorials

noreply@blogger.com (AndreaLeigh) — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 09:22:00 +0000

I shared with y’all last week my love for all things YouTube. I swear, you can go on there and learn to do just about anything. These days, I spend more of my time on YouTube watching hair tutorials. Here are some of my favorites!

If you are a Southern girl, you need to know how to “poof” your hair. I confess, I’m all thumbs when it comes to poofing. Pink Lou Lou came to the rescue!

I also cannot for the life of me figure out how to get a poofy ponytail. I’m 100% serious when I say that I watch Kate’s video at least once a week. I’m getting there, but my pony still isn’t poofy enough for me.

Jason teases me mercilessly for watching this video, but it is the only video that taught me how to rope braid. I am embarrassed that a teenager taught me to braid. Ha!

This is a great video on how to blow dry your hair with a round brush.

If you have short hair and/or bangs, you need to watch this video. This gives you so many examples on how to style your bangs.

What’s your source for hair tutorials?