Manzo Family- Maternity Session

I had the honor of photographing some of our dear friends as they wait for their baby to arrive.

They braved the cold (and a little icy snow!) and could not have been more beautiful!!

Emily & Joe,

I can't wait to meet your precious baby & watch you all grow as parents.

Here are a few of my favorites from the session...

If you are interested in booking a session, I would love to talk with you!

Shoot me an email for dates & pricing.

You can click the little email envelope tab in the right column.

Stitch Fix #10- Review

Oops- I missed Fix #9 which was so good! I wanted some pieces that I could wear halfway through my pregnancy, but also throughout the summer after having Bauer.  They picked two great shirts that were long enough to cover my belly (well until the last month or so!) and they weren't maternity so I can still wear them now!

After a successful Fix #9, I waited until Bauer was born & also for some referral credits!! so that I could get my next shipment.  There is nothing more awkward than post-baby clothing style & fit... you hate to buy something that will be too big even after a few weeks, but nothing fits just right! I updated my profile and left a message for my stylist with some details.  She sent the sweetest note & styling ideas in Fix #10 ...

I loved these Toms espadrille flats and I still am sad I sent them back :) The color was great & super comfy, just out of my prize range!

This next one was a thin sweater that was super long and had a hood.  It is really comfortable!  I kept this one because it provided good coverage for awkward fitting clothing post-pregnancy.  It will be perfect for traveling and thin enough for summer evenings.

 This next top was black and dark grey- the softest fabric ever!  I didn't love the fit but the back detailing was cute.

The top above was a great fit- I just didn't like the snakeskin pattern :)
The other top I chose was this pretty emerald one...

It is a cool lightweight fabric for summer, nursing-friendly and one of my favorite colors to wear!

Thanks Stitch Fix for another great shipment of clothes & for the great discount after referral credit! I'm ready to try out some summer sandals or a maxi dress in my next Fix!

Baby Essentials (Part 1)

 My favorite diapers from {Honest Company}

You have to check out all of their adorable patterns & prints- especially their new spring line!

 Simple Onesies- You can never have enough of these :) 

I love these from Target... and be sure to get a few side-snap outfits {here} for easy changing!

 Don't forget something pretty in your diaper bag for Mama!

I love my K.Slade Tip Pouch... and I've been eyeing this Ikat one in the sale section!

They are the perfect size to keep in a diaper bag to help organize all those little items.

 

Another Honest Company favorite- Healing Balm

Great for sensitive newborn skin and for mama as well!

  

And of course everyone needs an {Everyday Pitter Patter Necklace}!

Not only is it a pretty accessory, but perfect for busy hands that need distracting while nursing 

& for later on when teething starts :)  Tuggable, Chewable & Washable!

It's A Boy!!

 We had our first ultrasound & anatomy scan yesterday and found out we are having a baby BOY! 

 I thought for sure it was a girl and most of the family thought girl as well, I think because usually my intuition has been correct in the past :) but John Ryman sure thought it was a boy.  He did not stop smiling in the ultrasound room after the sweet lady said "It's a boy!"  Vera was just glad to get two blue suckers and extra cookies from the office staff!  They loved seeing five fingers as he waved to the screen, two feet crossed and kicking and a strong beating heart.  (and JR thought the spine was extra cool!) He is measuring 2 weeks bigger than my original April 12th due date- haha- so they will remeasure him around 28 weeks and see if maybe he just hit a growth spurt before these scans or if they need to bump up the due date. I'll try to post those precious photos soon- he was being super cooperative as he was photographed so I'm hoping that is an indication of his demeanor :)

 John Ryman is so happy to have a little brother and roommate. He already wants to buy him some trucks and trains!  Vera said yesterday that now she will have "two bubbas" but when asked today at her Mom's Morning Out class what mommy was having she said "little baby sister"... so she might still be confused.  And she told her teachers the name options are Ralphie and Fluffy! We don't have any ideas for names right now, but I'm pretty sure those two won't be on the list.

 Cheers to adding another precious boy to our family!

See John Ryman's Gender Reveal {here} and Vera's {here}

Stitch Fix #8: My First Maternity Box Review

 I was so excited for this Stitch Fix box to arrive!  This is my third pregnancy, so my belly is growing a little faster than the last two times :) I never purchased many nice "brand name" maternity clothes in the past and each time I say I want to spend more on a good pair of jeans! So that was my main hope for this box.  The majority of my maternity clothes are either from Target clearance or awesome hand-me-downs from my sweet sisters-in-law, but I did not have one pair of pants that fit!  I went to Target to see their options and they only had one style of maternity jeans in a light denim flare that were high waters on me - YIKES! So, with that being said...here are the 5 items I received in my box.  The styling fee is $20, but the $20 goes towards your purchase so you are only out that money if you do not keep at least one item.  I've never had that issue!

 Super cute statement necklace- I have a similar one, so I returned this one.

The jeans! I love that they have the belly band.  Some people prefer a low waist band, but as my belly grows I like having a little extra coverage ;) These jeans have lots of stretch and are extremely comfortable!  They are the perfect length for me, which is hard for me to find in maternity sizing. If I were keeping them for regular wear I might have sized down one size, but since I will be only getting bigger I didn't want to risk them getting too small.  And after washing they tighten back up a little bit.  I definitely kept these and have worn them every day since I received my box!  I was thankful to have lots of maternity shirts already from Patrick's sisters and now I can actually wear them with comfortable jeans.  The dark wash also makes them easy to dress up if needed.  These jeans were $78, double the price of the Target jeans, but no comparison in how they fit and feel!

 The other 3 items were the softest shirts I've ever felt! They were long-waisted with ruching on the sides to allow for growth all the way until my due date.  I didn't keep these three because I splurged on the jeans and I have enough maternity shirts right now.  I really wanted to keep the mustard and navy one though! 

I think my favorite thing about Stitch Fix during pregnancy- other than not trying on clothes in a dressing room!!- is that they provide style tips and ideas for each piece they send you.  (see the first photo in this post) So even though I didn't keep the three shirts below, my stylist gave me 6 outfit ideas and styling tips in her notes.  I definitely feel like I get stuck wearing the same comfy outfits every day, then add pregnancy and exhaustion... I'm even more that way! 

 And this is what happens when you try to take a photo of your new jeans and your 3 year old insists on being the photographer :)

 Have you tried Stitch Fix yet?  Any maternity clothes styling tips?  I'm still on the lookout for a great pair of leggings, so I don't have to wear my new jeans every day.  Any ideas?