Happy Holidays everyone! I had lots of family in town and many moments to enjoy that I wanted to stay present and decided to put my computer and bloggin on hold. I apologize for the delay, but I hope that all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got to make memories with friends and family dear to you. The holidays can be so hectic at times, but it is such a special time of year where we are reminded of our life’s blessings and I just love soaking up every moment. Many of you took the time to participate in my gender survey and I am so excited to reveal the gender of our sweet Baby Dow! 65.85% of you thought that Baby Dow was a Boy, and 34.15% of you thought that Baby Dow was a Girl! Last week our families received these adorable bird nests on their doorsteps. Inside was this cute quail egg that they needed to crack in order to reveal a nursery rhyme that stated the gender of the new family member! Huge shout out to TheQuailCottage for creating these for our families, they were exactly what we wanted and the customer service was amazing. Here is a picture of what they looked like: Then on Thanksgiving we did a gender reveal with Hawkins. Check out the video below for an inside look at how we told him, it was awesome!
So there you have it! We are having a BOY and we are over the moon excited to bring this little man into the world. Here is how mama has been feeling at week 24:
Size: Our baby boy is the size of a large grapefruit measuring at about 12 inches long and weighing about 1.30 lbs.! The baby’s face is fully formed now and he just needs some fat now to fill him out. Weight Gain: Considering Thanksgiving AND being pregnant I would say I am doing pretty well weighing in with a + 11 lbs. Symptoms: Still nothing new to report here… I am still dealing with terrible congestion that comes and goes randomly throughout the day, but I would say it’s the worst at night and when I am trying to sleep. My lumbar spine is still bothering me. As my belly continues to grow I can feel my body compensating in my lower back as it tries to adjust to carrying this belly that it has never had to deal with before. Also, as hormone production is taking place full stop, I can feel the difference in my joints. My joints feel less stable which is totally normal, the body does this in order to allow the pelvis to spread and make room for the baby to grow. I have incorporated the following exercises to my routine more regularly to continue work on strengthening my abdominal, gluteus and back muscles.
Favorite wardrobe piece to wear right now: My cozy Pranayama Wrap from Athleta. I love this piece because it is super soft, can be worn with yoga tights or jeans and boots and looks great with a scarf. I am a sucker for comfortable wraps and cardigans these days. This one is definitely a favorite. Boy or Girl: Boy! Boy! Boy! Nursery Update: Over the last week or so Hawkins was visiting so not many updates have taken place. I am currently looking for the perfect carpet, but I have not find it yet. I want something neutral and super soft for baby and Hawkins to crawl around on and play. Hawkins absolutely loved his new space and thought his new bed was awesome! The bins under the bed filled with toys that we added two weeks ago were a hit and worked really well. Pregnancy related item I have loved this week: My Bambeego which has allowed us to listen to his heart beat whenever we wish! Its such a wonderful way for Timmy to stay connected to baby. 1 thing I am currently having trouble with: Finding a comfortable position for sleeping. I have a body pillow, I have my diffuser going with lavender oil and I am exhausted by the time I get to bed, but for some reason I can not seem to find a comfortable position with my pillows and spend most of the night flip flopping from one side to another. 1 moment I loved about this past week: Sharing our surprise with family. It was so fun to get the responses to our reveals and to talk with Hawkins about his little brother. It all is becoming more real every single day. Hawkins is very excited to teach his little brother how to play with Thomas the train and to bring him along on our visit to Edaville next year. 1 thing I plan to do for myself this week: Schedule a prenatal massage!!! Food cravings: Cheese. My body has been craving cheese this week and not a huge amount, but just enough to get a healthy dose of protein and fats and some added calcium in my diet! Pregnancy has taught me so much already. One thing is that preexisting “rules” of what my body tolerated well and what it didn’t have gone out the window. Prior to pregnancy dairy products was one of those items that I felt didn’t work well for my body, but since I have been pregnant and have just listened to what my body is craving I have found that high quality dairy products have actually made me feel very satisfied and provided a nice energy boost between meals when mixed with nuts or fruit. Currently working on: My Christmas shopping list! I have been very mindful this year with setting realistic expectations for this holiday season and so far I feel like I am doing really well with the shopping to do's list. The last thing I wanted was to be in a position of last minute shopping that creates unnecessary stress. So I made my shopping list at the beginning of November and have been tackling it bit by bit leaving me almost done and we have 4 weeks till Christmas! Yippie! There you have it friends! Week 23/24 Bump Update, Stay tuned for continued updates xoxo
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Safer Skincare Holiday Gifts For Everyone on Your Holiday Shopping List this Season! I have put together a user-friendly list of safer skincare holiday gifts for everyone on your list this year. Gifts starting from $28, there is something to fit every budget and list. After all… we have four weeks between thanksgiving and Christmas, its time to start thinking about our shopping lists! Beautycounter is the one stop shop for all of the women in your life and now we have a product line exclusive to men: Counterman, which is super exciting! The product hit the shelves Thursday morning and sold out in 9 hours…seriously. But they are looking to restock and have the product available again by November 27th, phew. This year my holiday shopping is relying heavily on the incredible Holiday Gift Sets that Beautycounter has to offer. Whether you're looking for a lip gloss stocking stuffer for your daughters/nieces, fabulous eye color palette for Mom or Mother-in-law, baby care set (with the absolute cutest stuffed raccoon) for that dear family with a new baby, or maybe a contouring trio for your best friend, bold + nourishing lip sticks for your sister, and some holiday soaps + hand lotions for your colleagues at work, you're covered with the list below. I am choosing Beautycounter this year for my one-stop shop because they are the only company that can offer such high-performing products, but still keep their skincare and beauty care products safe. These gifts not only perform, but they are a safer alternative to anything that you can find on the shelf in your stores. The way that I see it, I am not just giving the gift of fabulous skincare, but I am giving the gift of health. That my friends… is a win/win and makes my love of helping others and giving the gift of health heart explode! Also I want to note that if Beautycounter is a brand that you have wanted to try or get a hold of some products in the past, but haven’t because of cost etc. NOW is an awesome time to take advantage of our holiday gift sets that offer many of our top selling products in smaller sizes for a lower price.
Black Friday, 11.24
Shop this Holiday weekend @ my Beautycounter. Okay… Now lets get to my holiday shopping list! #1 The Ultimate Nudes Eyeshadow Palette I have been using Beautycounter eye shadows since I first discovered Beautycounter almost two years ago now and I have to say that it puts my old eye shadow products to shame. The colors of this palette are beautiful and creamy, rather than dusty, and they stay on really well. At the end of my day my eyelids don’t look oily and greasy like some products have done in the past. This palette has 18 colors that are organized into 3 finishes: satin, metallic and matte and can support any daytime or nighttime look you are going for. The palette also comes with a double-end brush and a removable mirror. What is most impressive about this product is Beautycounter puts all eye shadow products through a third-party test for heavy metal contaminants. Meaning this product is tested by three different rigorous tests to make sure there are no heavy metals. Who is this gift for? Mom, Mother-in-law, Sister, Sister-in-law, Wife, Girlfriend Cost: $88 (Value: $116) #2 Multi-Masker Set This set is probably my favorite. It is such a treat! This gift set includes one of each of the three masks by Beautycounter. There is a brightening mask (my favorite), the plumping mask (firms and tones) and the balancing mask (uses charcoal to balance aggravated skin). This set also comes with an awesome reusable tin and a brush to apply the mask. This gift is great for any person in your life that loves to treat themselves and try new skincare products. Who is this gift for? Mom, Mother-in-law, Sister, Sister-in-law, Wife, Girlfriend Cost: $68 (Value: $105) #3 “Perfect Pout” Lip Glosses (Nudes & Pinks) This set of three glosses comes in two color options: Nudes & Pinks. These make a great stand-alone, under $50 gift OR you can grab a few sets and divide them up! They make great stocking stuffers or bonus gifts to attach to something handmade. These, like the lipsticks, have a wonderful limited-time peppermint flavor. Who is this gift for? Stocking stuffer, colleagues, friends, Wife, Girlfriend, Mom, Mother-in-Law, Sister, Gift Exchange with a $50 Price Limit. Cost: $48 (Value: $87) #4 Holiday Soap Trio I really love this gift set, especially because it is so easily divided up. You can buy the Holiday Soap Trio and Perfect Pout Lip Gloss gifts set and divide and conquer… creating little gifts with multiple products, which I think is just awesome. Another great idea is to break this set up, tie each soap with a holiday ribbon and pair it with a nice bottle of wine that you bring to your holiday party this year. Who is this gift for? Hostess Gift, Mom, colleagues, friends, gift swap, neighbors, stocking stuffers Cost: $30 (Value: $45) #5 Glow and Go Mini Oils This gift set is dynamite because it is an incredibly low price and it allows you or your loved ones to sample the famous lipid layer replenishing oils from Beautycounter collection with minimal investment. My face oil is honestly the STAPLE of my skincare routine. It is my absolute favorite product by far. This is such a great gift for the beauty and health conscious a like. Who is this gift for? Stocking stuffers, Mom, sister, YOU, mother-in-law, daughter Cost: $28 (Value: $51) #6 Color Intense Lip Set This formula is amazing! Beautycounter took their original lip sheer formula and upped the pigment. These lip colors provide intense, beautiful color in just one swipe. This set comes in one of the awesome reusable tins too! The set includes 5 fabulous colors and is great for anyone looking to add some bold lip color to their Fall/Winter look. They all come with a nice peppermint finish that is just so lovely too. Who is this gift for? Mom, Mother-in-law, Sisters, Girlfriend, Wife, Best friend, Yankee swap Cost: $88 (Value: $150) #7 Better Baby Care Set This adorable gift set is perfect for the health-conscious expecting or new parent in your life this holiday season. This set includes Gentle All-Over Baby Wash, Baby Soothing Oil, Baby Daily Protective Balm, and an adorable cotton “Remy the Raccoon” from Finn + Emma toys. Who is this gift for? Friends, family or colleagues with a baby or a baby on the way! Cost: $58 #8 Illuminating Trio This trio is great for anyone that is looking to figure out how to contour their makeup or for any makeup lover on your list. It comes with a cream blush, bronzer and highlighter. Bonus: The blush can also be used as a lip color! Who is this gift for? Mom, Mother-in-law, sister, friend, YOU Cost: $55 (Value: $111) #9 Eye Trios (Nude & Smokey) These two sets of eye shadows are awesome. You have two color options: Nude or Smokey, and each set comes with a silk cream eye shadow, a volumizing mascara and their NEW liquid eyeliner. I am a huge fan of liquid eyeliner and absolutely love this one. Finally, safer alternatives to one of my favorite make up staples. Who is this gift for? Stocking stuffer, friends, YOU, Wife, Mom, Sisters, Girlfriend Cost: $38 (Value: $71) #10 CounterMAN Shave Set A matte-black, travel-friendly tin contains everything he needs to prep, shave, and soothe—including a Shaving Brush made with soft, animal hair-free taklon bristles. Start Fresh Exfoliating Face Wash gently exfoliates with biodegradable jojoba beads to ready skin for shaving. Clean Shave Shaving Cream conditions without harsh ingredients for a smooth, close crop. About Face Moisture Lotion calms and soothes to help keep razor burn at bay. Soft Touch Beard Oil softens and conditions facial hair and helps prevent skin irritation. Each product is formulated with sustainably harvested sequoia stem cells to help firm skin and protect against free radicals. Who is this gift for? That special man in your life! Husband, Boyfriend, Brother, Son, Grandfather… you name it! Cost: $68 Shop these and many more holiday gift sets at Beautycounter and give the gift that means the most. The gift of safer beauty. The gifts that last this holiday season! & Please feel free to comment below or email me with any questions, comments or if you need help finding the perfect gift for someone on your list! xoxo https://www.beautycounter.com/katherineperkins/holiday Categories
More than half way as we get close to the end of the second trimester and this mama is feeling awesome! I had a doctors appointment today to check in and listen to our little ones heart beat. Today we experienced the elation of hearing our child’s heartbeat for the first time. Brings tears to our eyes. As I listen to our babys heartbeat as I look into Timmys eyes, an overwhelming feeling of gratitude comes over me. After an awesome appointment with our doctor the big take away was that I am right on track, the baby is measuring out great and all looks good with mama and baby.
Size: The Baby is the size of a banana measuring at about 8-9 inches long! Weight Gain: Today I weighed in and I have gained 9 lbs. since conception. Needless to say the doctor was thrilled… as was I! If I can eat as often as I am and virtually be gaining no weight… I love this program! Symptoms: Nasal Congestion and sneezes … seems to be the worst every morning and every night. There isn’t much I can do for relief because I can’t take a nasal decongestant so I have been wearing a breathe right strip every night, which helps a bit. I also have noticed a little bit of a shift in my energy over the last 5 days or so. I fall asleep almost every night on the couch and I am still tired 9 hours later when I wake up. Getting outdoors and exercising has helped with that, but it’s definitely at a different pace. My lumbar spine pain is catching up to me! As my belly grows and my back and hips adjust to make room for baby the lumbar spine shifts and that’s causing some overall discomfort. I have a body pillow and that honestly isn’t helping much at night, so if any mamas out there have any advice on easing back pain and finding more comfort when sleeping I would love to hear from you! Favorite wardrobe piece to wear right now: CARDIGANS. I have decided that my go to outfit this winter will be jeans or leggings with boots, a tank top (because the hot flashes are legit) and a cardigan. I will mix it up with different blanket scarves because I am obsessed and call it a day! Its cute, its comfortable and I will be able to wear the cardigans post baby, which makes it easier for me to spend money on some new clothes. I have a hard time justifying expensive maternity clothes that I will only be wearing for a short time. Boy or Girl: Next week I promise to report! Nursery Update: This week we added under the bed storage baskets that fit nicely under Hawkins bed. This is going to be one of the ways that we keep the nursery neat and all the toys organized. We found some awesome bins at the container store for a great price! They also match the overall décor and are super cute. Pregnancy related item I have loved this week: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Lotion. I have been using this as well for keeping my skin hydrated and it smells awesome. 1 thing I am currently having trouble with: Breathing at night. Thank goodness for breathe right strips. 1 moment I loved about this past week: Having my hubby home!!! As many of you know he has been traveling for work sense Labor Day, which is very different than our past routine together. It has made for some challenging moments during my pregnancy, but he returned home this week and will be staying here for a bit. It has been so awesome to cook dinners together, watch our favorite shows and continue doing some renovation and planning around our home together. 1 thing I plan to do for myself this week: Buy a pair of comfortable gym sneakers. I stand on my feet most of the day and I need some more comfort under foot. Food cravings: Watermelon! My body is craving all kinds of fruit during this pregnancy. Currently working on: Breathing. This week I have found myself at times getting really overwhelmed by unrealistic expectations I set for my “to-do” list. Luckily I have been able to return to the tools of mindfulness and just taking a deep breathe or two has helped a lot! Stay tuned for Bump Update next week! xoxo Yesterday we were welcomed back into our local cyclocross family at the Coonamessett Eco Cross Race hosted by International Cycling and Event Services and Corner Cycle Cape Cod Inc. It was so awesome to see our fellow teammates from Cape Cod Sea Sports and friends of C4. This year was a little bit of a different experience for me. Rather than lining up to race with the Category 4 Women, I took the side line to watch, and enjoyed taking on the cyclocross experience from a different angle. As the men raced I ran all over the course in an effort to snap some great shots of Timmy and our friends. It was fun to see Timmy jump on his bike off the couch and have a great race! Cyclocross is such a tough sport that you cant really understand unless you have tried it, but essentially its 40-50 mins of riding (or carrying) your bike through mud, sand, woods and over barriers all while working at a max heart rate. I think many of us would agree that we have such a love-hate relationship with the sport. You line up for your race with the thought "Why the hell do I do this to myself every weekend?!" and finish with the sweet satisfaction of..."I am such a badass, that was fun!" For obvious reasons I have had to take a very different approach to my usual rigorous race and training schedule. I have had to learn to adapt with the my ever changing bump and really listen to my bodies needs. Around week 16 or so, my cyclocross bike was getting uncomfortable because of the position it put me in. The small bump was creating this feeling of ALWAYS needing to pee while I rode and the bent over stance caused pain in my lumbar spine. While some may have suggested I just take the season off from riding, that wasn't an option in my eyes. Getting outside and riding my bike is more than just a workout- It's a form of meditation for me. There is something about just getting outside and riding whatever direction I decide and for however long, that just does my body & my mind so much good! So, when Timmy and I decided that my cyclocross and road bikes were going to have to take a long winter nap, we looked into a few different entry level mountain bikes that I could cruise around on and would allow for me to have more room for my growing bump! After liquidating one of our older CX bikes, we went with the Specialized Rockhopper and I couldn't be happier with it. We have so much fun just heading out and riding around the bike path and trails that are offered around the Cape. Its definitely a ride at a different pace, but it is still so much fun and allows for me to stay active during my pregnancy, which for me is a priority. Staying active during this pregnancy has always been a priority of mine since the beginning. What exercise looks like for me has been a constant shift as my belly grows and my energy levels shift from week to week. But what is most important to me is that I continue to listen to my body and adjust my workouts accordingly so that I can remain active. At 22 weeks pregnant, my body has been craving lots of restorative yoga, bike rides and walks with our dog. My energy has shifted slightly, and I think some of that could be that I am still taking on my usual client schedule and on my feet for most of the day. One of the most important things I could suggest to any mama to be is to listen to your doctor, but your body is ultimately boss. My doctor had told me that I could continue my pre-pregnancy exercise as usual, but before I got pregnant I was training like an athlete, and that just became uncomfortable once I was pregnant. My advice to all mama's-to-be-You’ve got to trust your body. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. I honestly spent my entire first trimester lying on the couch, watching TV, napping in my car between clients and I ended up losing some of my hard earned muscle... and thats okay. I wasn't going to do anything that didn't make my body feel good. I try not to dwell on my limitations at this point in my life... I am building a human being, a beautiful life force, and that ultimately is more important than any race won or personal record made in the gym. Rather than dwell on my limitations I focus on the movements that I can do and that make me feel good. I seriously can’t walk up a flight of stairs without puffing. It feels as if I’ve just run sprints while holding weights. When I get to the top of a staircase practically out of breath, I can not help but laugh at myself. When I am in the gym now, I do the exercises that feel comfortable for me: dead lifts, squats, kettle bell swings, and resistance bands. Nothing intense, and I use very light weights, with higher reps and more rest in between. And if there are days when I don’t exercise, I know it’s not the end of the world. This has been an absolute beautiful ride and I have enjoyed the constant lessons of slowing down and listening to what my body needs. I will continue to enjoy and share with you guys what exercise looks like for me, and I also look forward to bringing Baby Dow along to Coonamessett Eco Cross next year! xoxo What types of exercise did you do when you were pregnant? What does movement look like for you mama's to be out there? I would love to hear from my readers! Is it a Boy or Girl???
Okay… so there are SO many Old Wive's Tales about whether or not you could be carrying a boy or a girl… If you had terrible morning sickness, it’s a girl! – I literally didn’t have a single day spent nauseated If your skin is breaking out, it’s a girl! – I have had little breakouts under my chin, but that’s about it… so what does that mean? If you are carrying “cute” and just in the belly, it’s a boy! – I don’t know if I can say I am carrying cute, but many have told me you wouldn’t even know I was pregnant from behind… If your craving salty, it’s a boy- if you are craving sweet, well... then it’s a girl!- well my cravings started out with gherkin pickles dipped in peanut butter, but after dinner I certainly have a sweet tooth! If you are able to eat lots of garlic, but you just cant smell it, it’s a girl!- I loved garlic, but I literally cant stand the taste or smell of it during this pregnancy. If you look in the mirror for one minute and your pupils are dilating, you’re having a boy! - Honestly, I am not even going to waste my time with this one… seriously!? So now it is your turn! Click here and cast your vote :) Let me know what you think we are having… a boy or a girl?? |
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