Pregnancy

Loving Boys

February 11, 2020

This week is one of my favorites of the whole entire year! Valentine’s Day and our wedding anniversary are two very special holidays to me, and I can’t wait to spend time with my boys to celebrate how much I love them. Knox and I will go on a lunch date together, pending this awful sinus infection and remnants of RSV go away, to a very romantic… Chick Fil A date, most likely. 😉 And the entire weekend will be mommy and daddy time, baby-free! After the weeks of sickness we have had around here, we said all we wanted for our anniversary was sleep in our own bed without a baby for a couple days. Growing up, y’all. It changes everything. LOL.

As a boy mommy and a wife, I feel more than ever a weight to raise up and encourage men to be leaders. My husband is only as empowered to lead our family as I encourage and allow him to be. At his core, he is a great human with or without me. That’s not a question. But the cool part about marriage is that I get to be part of calling out in him an even greater version of himself, a closer version to the man designed him to be. It’s why the wife is called “helper.” I can’t do that by squashing his leadership in our home. We are equals, but he plays such an important role as the head of our household. The greatest lesson I have learned in six years is that I don’t have to be right. I really don’t. I want to be known in my marriage as an encourager, not a fighter. And as Knox grows into a little boy and Baby R’s arrival inches closer, I just want to be a mom who shows how much I love my boys by empowering them to be… themselves. To be boys. To lead. To jump. To play. To make messes. I have had to so intentionally lay down my need for a clean home, organization, and “routine” to allow my son to thrive most. Those things are all important to me, don’t get me wrong. But, they come second to my child’s need to explore. I want him to be curious and playful. My home can be “put together” all the time again one day. But that day is not now.

I never knew having so many men in my life could be so fun. 😉 But truly, it’s the best. I never thought I had space in my heart for so many, but here we are. God just keeps expanding my space for more love. I can’t wait for mommy son dates in a couple years where Knox picks where and “leads” the date. I can’t wait. I cannot wait to raise up young men who love women and value their worth. I am forever grateful that God chose me to be a boy mom, even in my ache to have a girl one day, too. I know he chose me for a time like this and for boys like these. I don’t take that lightly.

Today’s shoot was a sweet Mommy & Me mini session with Cottonwood Road Photography a couple weeks ago at the Lumen Room in Plano. It’s my easiest and best shoot with Knox to date. We shot in 25 minutes and he didn’t even have time to be “over it.” He loved the props and didn’t want to leave yet when it was time for the next person! If you want a shoot capturing your baby’s personality, this is the way to do it. A mini session was perfect! And, of course, with Hannah H. is the BEST of all. She is SO GOOD at getting your kid to smile and at capturing their personality. Knox is curious, fun, and independent. I love that these photos show that!

I am fully convinced a toddler in Ralph Lauren chinos is the most delicious thing in the world. Far surpassing cinnamon rolls and donuts. 😉 This is actually the exact same outfit Knoxy wore for our Christmas photos, but without a velvet jacket this time. I wanted it to seem simple and a little chill. He had suspenders on, which he insisted on, yet when we got to the shoot he took them off within minutes… lol.

My pants are from PinkBlush, and are featured both in the maternity and non-maternity section. They just picture them differently for the different sections, one with a bump and the other without. I linked my clips and make-up, too!

My Most Recent & LOVED Purchases

February 5, 2020

Hey girl, hey! I hope you are well and feeling fab today. You guys know I am all about sharing my favorite purchases as well as honest reviews about the not so great ones, and I wanted to give a round-up here for y’all of my most recent purchases I am L O V I N G. My goal in sharing my recent purchases is to help YOU spend your money wisely on items you might need. I don’t think you NEED all of these, but I hope it helps you make purchases you love and feel great about for pieces or items you DO need or are in the market for.

Shoes:

Black Combat Boots: I wanted a new bootie I can wear, particularly on Sundays from stage when I lead worship, that didn’t have a heel… Because, pregnant. I was a little nervous these would look cheap, but I am actually really impressed with the look of them! They look like they could be Jeffrey Campbell or Sam Edelman. I can’t speak to long-lasting quality yet, but as far as a cute boot for under $6o, these are a great buy!
Spotted Calf-Hair Sneaker: I needed a new fashionable sneaker to pair with jeans, dresses, or skirts. These are so dang cute, and they will transition perfectly into spring! I love the pop of coral on the side, and the spotted dalmatian look is so in right now.
Blush Pink Loafers: I love these & the price is AAAAMAZING. There are a lot of colors on the site, but the blush is my favorite. Surprise, surprise. 😉 These look fantastic with a great pair of skinny jeans or a tailored dress.

Non-maternity Clothes:

Oversized Tee Shirt Dress: This paired with the combat boots or spotted sneakers is going to be THE cutest for spring! I wanted some more pieces that can work for pregnancy but will work when I am post-maternity as well. Plus, this is $29 so you just can’t go wrong!

Maternity Clothes:

Boyfriend Tee Shirt: I am all about some good basics, y’all. This is just a great gray tee with space for that belly to grow. And… $19, holla!
Pocket Utility Pants: These cute joggers! I LOVE THEM. I will for sure be pairing these with the spotted sneakers and a tee. Throwing on a denim jacket is an easy way to make it a little less lounge, and you could definitely pair them with some heels if you wanted to really go for it!
Square Neck Tee: This is so great for the classic jeans and a white tee look, and just great to have on hand for any time I just need something to pair with a jacket of any kind. I bought it to pair with the Utility Pants above for sure as well!
Acid Wash Legging: I freaking love these. ALL THE HEART EYES. I can’t wait to wear these with the combat boots and an over-sized tee + only $26!
Floral Blouse: I have had this blouse in my cart since I found out I was pregnant… not kidding hehe. It’s so perfect for spring + a baby bump, and I can’t wait to wear it!
Moto Workout Legging: These are what I have on in these pics! I am so obsessed with this brand, and these can pass for a cute workout outfit and/or paired with a sweater and booties. I love a good athleisure outfit!

Skincare:

Protini Polypeptide Moisturizer: I love this stuff. I like to use it at night with a serum. I tend to use my Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Oil with it for the best results.
Virgin Marula Oil: I use this a few times a week and rotate it with wrinkle serums (currently without retinol). It makes my skin GLOW. I love it!!
Renew & Rewind Eye Cream: I love Tula Products. I particularly love using Tula and Drunk Elephant during pregnancy, because they’re clean and the ingredients are ones you can actually read and pronounce. 99.9% of their products are pregnancy safe. If I recall correctly, I think Drunk Elephant has only ONE you cannot use *their Retinol product* and all Tula products are pregnancy safe!
CEO Vitamin C Hydration + CEO Glow Oil: This is the best combo to kickstart your day with! Vitamin C is great for dark spots and refreshing your skin.
Neutrogena Bright Boost Gel Cream + Serum: This combo is like an affordable version of Protini & Marula Oil! I was so freaking impressed with this Gel Cream after two uses, and am suggesting it to everybody now as an affordable moisturizer!

Makeup:

Clinique Even Better: This is a great foundation! It’s great coverage, lightweight and it doesn’t cake at all.
Watts Up Highlighter: I bought this, because Cara Loren said to… haha. I do really like it, though, and it’s the last touch I put on before I am done with my face!
Too Faced Bronzer: This stuff is so great and it smells yummy, too. It goes on great with a big brush, and then I top it with a pink blush using a smaller brush.
Gimme Brow Gel: Okay y’all, I never thought I would be a brow filler kinda gal… but here we are. I love this stuff and it is way easier to use than I expected.
Loose Setting Powder: This translucent powder goes on after my foundation/concealer/bronzer.

What’s On My Registry

January 27, 2020

EEEP! It’s done, it’s done! I feel incredibly on top of things this time around, because my registry is completely done. Well, I think. Who knows, I may add to it. But I am excited to share with y’all new items I am registering for with Baby R. For the most part, these are items that I either didn’t know about with Knox or they legit didn’t exist even just two years ago. I have different big ticket items this time around, too, since I have my stroller and MamaRoo. I hope this helps all you mommies-to-be as you navigate all things baby!

Big Ticket Items:

The Snoo: Y’all, every review I have read or person I know who has this says “Get it!” They say it’s worth every penny. Knox was such an incredible sleeper from practically day 1, and I have hopes Baby R will be also. But, with a toddler around… I honestly just don’t want to even risk it. I want everybody rested so I can be the best mom to Knox and Baby R. The Snoo is essentially like having an extra set of hands to help baby sleep. Sign me up!
The Willow Pump: Pricey, but worth it for the hands-free ability this gives mommas. Whether you’re a mommy of 2+ OR a work from home mommy… This pump sounds like a dream. I pumped the whole first year, and exclusively the last 6 months before weaning off breast milk. I legit got PP arthritis from how much work my fingers had to do with my regular Evenflo and Ameda Pumps. Not to mention how stressful it was to try to care for my baby, run a business, and pump all at the same time. I’m really hoping this lives up to the hype and helps me a lot this time!
Crib and Changing Table: We will need a new set, particularly since Knox still is in his. This time, I am going for more modern and sleek. Bring on the darker tones and mid-century accents! It’s a total contrast to Knox’s all white and airy room with a sweet shiplap wall. Baby R’s room will have jewel tones and feel completely different. A fun part about having babies is you can practice all of your different decor tastes on them. 😉 I love BabyLetto and their quality is great. We had a cheaper set for Knox, and you just can tell. Pieces delivered to us broken two times, and the paint is peeling off of his crib from where he stands in the morning waiting for us to come get him. Because we don’t need as many high ticket price items this baby, I am looking to get better furniture.

Puppy Nursery :

We are doing a puppy theme for Baby R! It’s been so fun finding different pieces for his cute little room. Bring me all doggies (maybe even another real one…) Kidding… I don’t need that + 2 babies hehe.

Pumps:

Hakka Pump: So many people on a recent IG post said get this no matter what. I had never even heard of it! But, while you pump on one side, you place this on the other. Apparently it helps manually pump/suck while you pump the other side. Sign me up for faster pumpings!
EvenFlo Portable: This was a life-saver my first time around. The con is that they die fast if you use them too often. We went through 3 with Knox because I ended up using it for every single pump session. It’s called an “occasional pump” for a reason, I guess. It’s great to take with you to work or anywhere you need something portable and on the go with automatic storage!
Brezza Baby Formula Dispenser: Look, this isn’t a necessity… but it seems too good to be true. A formula Keurig?! Because we used formula from so early on to supplement Knox for calories, I am ready to do the same with this one. Having this ready to go every day to mix with my breast milk sounds… SO FREAKING NICE.

Clothing/Other

We have a ton from Knox still, obviously, so we don’t need a ton of outfits (though I am all about cute new outfits!). But as far as things go for what we need, I have registered for tons of newborn onesies and sleep-n-plays. These are LIFE those first 6 months. We lived in onesies and sleep-n-plays because they really do make life easier, and they’re so cheap. You will ruin every single one by the time they are grown out of them, so stick to the cheap, easy onesies!
Tula Carrier: I never had a carrier for Knox, but I always wanted one. We just never prioritized getting one, though I really did need it. Sundays at church/on stage for practice would have been a lot easier with one. I tried all the fancy wraps and hated them. It seems stupid to me to having a million foot long wrap thing when you can have something simple like Tula that you just snap on. Sign me up for easy, please.
MAM Pacis: We tried a ton of different ones, and Knox loved these. Every baby is different, so we will see. We really only used these until Knox was about 6 months and he just naturally phased out of them. We never had to go through the whole paci transition, but only because Knox just stopped wanting them. These were life savers the first months, though.
High Chair: I picked this one because of reviews and it’s pretty. We had a different one for Knox that was top rated and highly spoken of… It was one that attaches onto the table. I personally hated it. Like, I am mind blown people love it. It was cloth, which I thought was odd. And it was as awful as I secretly thought it might be, but registered for against my better judgement because of reviews. No matter how much you scrubbed or washed… it smelled. Avocado never came out all the way, and I gave up on it. Knox just sat in a normal chair at our table from less than a year old. It worked fine for us, but I want to start with a normal high chair with this baby.
SleepSacks/Love to Dream: These two were the most successful for us with Knox, and we figured out a system we loved with them! There are obviously tons of swaddle options, but these are our favorite. This style of sleep sack is what we used from the hospital to home as a newborn. We switched to the Love to Dream Swaddle Up around 3 months, and it was amazing! He transitioned great to them! Then, once they start rolling, you switch them to the arms-out version of the Love to Dream.

I have everything above linked, along with all the other items on our list, below!

Getting in the Kitchen with HelloFresh!

January 22, 2020

Phew, how has this month already come and gone so quickly? January is always so weird to me, because it feels like Christmas was ages ago… You know, like so last year… 😉 But in reality, it’s only been a few weeks. Anybody else feel so off the first couple weeks of a new year? To kick off our year right, we have made sure that our meal plans are back on track after all the craziness that ensues during the month of December. We ate out so much over the last 6 or so weeks that I am pretty sure it was more than the rest of the year combined.

I am so pumped to partner with HelloFresh to kick off 2020 and share why it’s so important to me to get into the kitchen this year! I believe so wholeheartedly in family time, cooking together, and eating at the dinner table together every night. I mean, truly, we eat at our table almost every single night, other than nights we have family or friend outings for church, etc. I grew up eating a home cooked meal at the table with all 5 of us every night, so I honestly don’t know any different. All I have ever known is you come home after work and start dinner so that your family can be together and eat well. It is just something of importance I carried into my own little family. But, whether you grew up that way or not, I really believe cooking together and eating healthy meals as a family is so important. Knox has also shown interest in the kitchen, too, which has made trying to include him in making the meal fun for us! He gets a kick out of just standing on a chair by the island and watching me, if anything.

I love HelloFresh, because their recipes are fool proof and also something I probably wouldn’t pick on my own. Not because it doesn’t sound good… but because if I was just scrolling through Pinterest, I would feel intimidated by ingredients in a lot of the recipes and just count it out. But, HelloFresh makes it so easy to try new recipes, challenging you to try something new with EASY to follow steps + ingredients all included so you don’t have to worry about a thing. After I finish a HelloFresh meal (in usually about 30 minutes, mind you!!!), I feel empowered and like I should earn a degree in cooking. I also have a stack of about 30 recipes now that I keep on-hand from HelloFresh for when I meal plan for those nights that we don’t have a HelloFresh meal to cook. So one way or another, we cook HelloFresh in our home a lot! Either their recipes or their full meal delivery. To date, our absolute favorite meal we’ve made was the Poblano Enchiladas… OH MY WORD. Y’all, it was so good. Paul took one bite and said, “Whoa, best one yet!”

With our food allergies (Paul is allergic to dairy and I am allergic to gluten/yeast), HelloFresh is really easy to navigate for us because every ingredient is individually wrapped with its own individual nutrition facts. I never have to guess what I can or can’t have! Plus, I like to feed Knox as “normal” of a diet as possible until we know otherwise. But I have been praying he has no food allergies, and so far so good! So, for example, our Poblano tacos required 3 different versions: Dairy-free with corn tortillas, dairy-filled with corn tortillas, and then the normal recipe as it was sent for Knox. The filling was the same for all of us as well as the red sauce they sent ingredients for! You can do this for pretty much any HelloFresh recipe, if you pick wisely. Obviously, you don’t want to pick a breaded chicken recipe if you have a gluten allergy. But for the most part, I would say 90% of the meals can be modified for people in your home with allergies. If you don’t have food allergies… GO HAM! They’re all so amazing. Each week has different options to pick from, so you never will grow tired of their meals!

If you want to challenge yourself to new recipes and family time in the kitchen in 2020, click here to get 10 free meals off your first month of HelloFresh! (Purchase Required)

SURPRISE! Baby #2 is coming!

January 13, 2020

EEEP! I told you we’ve been working hard on a lot of stuff over here on The Cake that’s kept me a little MIA… Growing a second human is HARD WORK, y’all. But, praises, I am in the second trimester now and feel so much better.

We are expecting a baby boy in July of 2020!

I will be sharing a lot more about this pregnancy and all that it’s entailed, emotionally and physically, but -in short- we are truly so excited to be having a healthy little boy! I really didn’t expect another little boy, let alone know if I could handle being pregnant again after all that happened during Knox’s pregnancy and birth, but here we are. And, man, God is so faithful. For months before I felt it was time to try again, I prayed… okay, begged… that if God wanted me to have another baby then I couldn’t be sick like I was last time. I was terrified. No way I could do this again with a toddler and zero family around to help me during the day. My first trimester with Knox, from weeks 6-13 I was on my back literally all day and slept for about 5 of those every afternoon. I was so sick and even LOST 10 pounds my first trimester, because I just couldn’t eat (well, except for egg drop soup from PF Changs, hehe.) If this pregnancy had been my first, I would be saying, “Ohh I was so sick!” But, thank God for perspective, because this pregnancy has been a BREEZE compared to Knox’s. I have been able to function at about 80% most days, though tired and nauseous pretty consistently, never unable to do what I needed to do and without feeling like I completely couldn’t care for Knox on my own. Most days, I got sick around 2-5 PM, which worked for us. Paul could be home in the afternoons most days so I could sleep it off or try to get work done. There were other days I was too sick or really needed help because pregnancy tired is like NO OTHER tired, but we just adjusted our schedule those days. I am so thankful for a husband who loves to help and who has a job that cares about family first. He’s been so great.

Aversions? A couple, but not near as debilitating as Knox’s long list of foods not allowed in our home during the first trimester. I had two, and actually sitting here having to think about them is making me want to vomit. So moving on.

Name? We have it. But it’s a secret. 😉 We will tease it and play games like we did with Knox before he was born, but people are crazy. And they have opinions about things they shouldn’t even care to have. So, for now, my baby’s names will remain secret until they’re here in the world. But, his name is truly special and I believe will mark him for his purpose, just as Knox’s has. Knox’s name means light maker on a hill. It makes me cry every time I think about how I already see that being lived out by him through his gentle yet fierce spirit and desire to include everybody. He cares deeply for people. I pray and declare over Knox that he will be a light maker for all to see. (Matthew 5: 14-16)

Baby R will be a conquerer. Paul and I both just knew when we said his name as an option that it was the one. That’s all I am giving you for now. 😉

Finding Out:

So I don’t know if I am like “Spidey Senses” when it comes to my hormones and body? But, both times now that I have been pregnant, I literally wake up and know I am pregnant and then have the daunting two-ish weeks of knowing I am pregnant but not REALLY knowing. I couldn’t stand it, so we bought pregnancy tests about 5 days too early, but I just hoped my hormones would be crazy high enough to miraculously show the two lines. Well, womp. It didn’t work… shocker. We giggled about it, but I was like “But, just you wait. I am pregnant. I know I am. I feel it.” The days passed and I continued to anxiously pray for the baby I was pretty certain was in my belly. I was getting so uneasy and frustrated that I couldn’t take a test yet. I was pretty irritable because I hated not knowing. Then, one night during the week, I went to a prayer night at my worship pastors’ house, and they prayed over me. One of them looked at me and said, “Hey God wants you to know that whatever it is you’re praying so hard for, you already have it. It’s yours.” I wept. Like WEPT. I knew without a shadow of doubt I was pregnant. I didn’t even need a test, really, at that moment. I knew.

Two nights later, I took a test and knew it could maybe show now for the early detection test. It was still slightly early (a day before it should show according to the “Six Days Before” test.) But, I was confident … and desperate. I took the test and then closed my eyes, half in fear and half too excited to look. I opened my eyes, though, and to my shock it said negative. I literally said out loud on the floor of my bathroom, “No, I know that isn’t true. You promised me.” So I closed my eyes again and began praying out loud that I know God is the God of promises fulfilled and that I was pregnant, and to please just show the positive early so I could feel at peace and not question it anymore. I opened my eyes and stared at the test on the floor in front of me and WATCHED the second line appear right before my eyes. What. Won’t. God. Do.

He didn’t have to show me early. And, of course, I didn’t have to be pregnant. Sometimes we believe in faith for things that won’t come to pass. I know that as truth in a very real and raw and fresh way. But, here, I was a day early for science to make sense of my test. But, He cared for my anxious heart. I watched Him show me the second line that I knew should be there. Faith can move mountains. Or, in this case, pink lines before they’re “supposed” to.

To be honest, it feels weird sharing such sweet news in the middle of crazy times. The brink of war in our nation, dearest friends who have lost babies, and others who haven’t conceived yet. Utter disappointment seems to be around every corner as of late. But, I hope that somehow this story of joy and God’s gentle care for us shines through. He cares for you, too. He cares just as much for your joy as he does for your hurting heart, your frustrations, and your fears. I have learned a lot about disappointment lately. Maybe I will share about some of it one day, but maybe not. But, regardless, I do understand feeling disappointment. I understand frustration. I understand confusion. I understand feeling devastated by circumstances.

But, God is good. He is faithful. He will show you that in His time however He chooses to in your specific situation. It will look different than mine. It will look different than your friend’s. It will be specific to you. But, I know He is good and He will show up. I eagerly wait with you, just as I did on my bathroom floor declaring truth and begging for a miracle to still my anxious heart. I hope the same for you today.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for loving my little (growing!) family. We are so grateful for each and every one of you. Truly, just so grateful.

xoxo,

Hannah, Paul, Knox, and Baby R

Photos by the always freaking talented Cottonwood Road Photography for The Cake by Hannah

Location: The Lumen Room-Plano