Bohemian Pink Dress (+ a Giveaway with Pink Blush Maternity!)

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Outfit Details:
Pink Blush Maternity Dress (c/o) (on sale now!), Lizard Thicket Booties (sold out, similar styles here, here and here), mix of bangles, head band (perhaps stolen from my sister's bathroom?)

I needed my go-to dress.

A dress that made me feel good, with colors that popped, with details that perhaps distracted from other details, like cellulite and bulge and the other joys associated with this pregnant body of mine.

This Pink Blush Maternity Tribal Embroidered dress nailed it.

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Yes, this dress is loud, it's got fringe, and it looks like something you might see if you peeked inside of a kaleidoscope. But that's kind of the fun of it. And even better, the fit is like butter. This material (a blend of polyester and spandex) skims over my body in just the right way, without clinging, and leaves me feeling confident and actually, really pretty. I guess pink has a way of doing that, but this material really has a way of doing that.

For all of you ladies, do you know about Pink Blush Maternity?? They have an enormous selection of styles (both pregnancy and non-pregnancy!), and I am especially addicted to their maternity dresses, which have me in the dangerous practice of filling my online shopping cart to the brim. Don't tell Stevie :)

I love the bell sleeves, the off-the-shoulder detail and the easy way this dress dances a bit as I walk. It's the kind that can be dressed up for a dinner date with heels and a clutch or dressed down with flats and a topknot. The possibilities are endless. Which is really necessary when I'm working from a small pool of maternity clothes in my closet!

I am overjoyed to be partnering with Pink Blush Maternity today to give one lucky Oy! reader a $75 gift card! Follow the prompts in the Rafflecopter below to enter - and good luck!

Also, I've linked below to a few of my favorite Pink Blush Maternity picks for fall - as the seasons change (and this bump continues to grow!), my wardrobe has to adapt, right?

Many thanks to Pink Blush Maternity for sponsoring this post and sending me the product. All opinions expressed are my own.

A Sari on Queen's Gate Road.

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I can't believe it was only 10 days ago that we were in London, celebrating at our friend's lovely wedding. One of the events was the traditional Indian Mendhi & Pithi, where the bride's family welcomes the groom's family into their home. We were shuttled as a group out to the bride's family home in picturesque Surrey where we danced, ate and drank the night away. The mocktails were flowing my friends. It was my kind of party :)

Sometimes I feel so sheltered by not knowing enough about other cultures and religions. This was the most enriching experience, seeing the gorgeous Indian culture up close, in all its vibrancy and spice and tradition. The bride and groom were so elegant, draped in their crystal and white outfits and performing the traditions of this ceremony. It was amazing to watch. My dear friend Nabihah arranged a sari for me to wear (in the most stunning shade of fuchsia!), and made sure that I had help getting assembled and dressed by her husband's sweet aunt Laila. I would have been lost in the folds of this sari - I had no idea that it's just one continuous piece of fabric that has to be draped, looped and wrapped a zillion times.

If you look closely enough, you will see that the material is sheer. My pregnant belly was more exposed than I thought it would be! I was slightly self-conscious about this, but at the same time, I just wanted to immerse myself and embrace the experience. Pregnant sari and all :) Besides, most Indian saris show some belly and back, so I guess I was fitting in?

We took these photos in about 30 seconds (we were rushed, didn't want to be late to the first event!), but I wanted to share them with you because it's not everyday that an American girl gets to attend an Indian wedding in London. Documentation had to be made.

Outfit Details:
Fuchia Sari (gifted, I've linked a few similar styles below), Stella & Dot Alila Lace Chandeliers, Stella & Dot Alila Cuff, Steve Madden Heels, Sephora Lip Stain in Mulberry, Banana Republic Clutch (gifted, I've linked a a few similar styles below)

I'm so grateful that Stevie and I got to have this experience together. It was like going on a surprise date, where neither of us quite knew what was going to happen next, but what happened next was always fun and wonderful. We feasted on the most delicious of Indian foods (I'm addicted to naan now), learned to dance with dandiyas (well, sort of, Stevie broke his pair), savored the coconut ice cream and wandered through the family's rose garden after dark. If it sounds magical to you, then you're getting my drift, because it pretty much was.

And this was only the beginning of our trip!

Have you ever been to an Indian wedding? What was your favorite part? After this experience, I would love to hear about yours!

Our 5 Favorite Toddler Reads (Lately).

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One of my favorite things in the world is reading books with Everett before we put him to bed at night. He gets so snuggly and focused on the story - it's just the sweetest. I know that every parent must feel like this, but still, the whole parenthood thing somehow feels like a one-of-a-kind wonder when it happens to you. Most people read books with their kids at night, right? But it still feels like our own little ritual and I am just so grateful to have this meaningful experience with him, especially since my days as a mom of just 1 are numbered. I'm really trying to soak up our time together, just the two of us. Sharing my love for books with Everett has been a really special process, because I was a child who absolutely loved to read. It's been amazing to see how his appreciation for reading has grown as he's gotten older and his understanding for stories has expanded. Lately when we're reading, he points to the characters and laughs at the funny parts and imitates the sounds of the animals/cars/trains in the story. He's just the best.

I wanted to share a few of our favorite reads lately. I am always on the hunt for more story books, especially good ones that actually make me laugh, too. Because let's be honest, some kid's books are LAME. The following aren't. :)

1. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
This is such a great book for little boys. It goes through the process of each tractor on a job site, what they do and how they work, and then how they get ready for bed in the evening. It's so cute. Everett got this as a gift from his girl "friend" Finley and he has really gotten into it in the past few weeks. He even says, "goodnight, tractor!", "goodnight, dump truck!," and "goodnight, crane!" as each one goes to sleep in the story. It's sort of long though, so it took him a few months to actually finish the book. He would usually get bored halfway through, but not anymore!

2. Knuffle Bunny
This book legitimately makes me laugh out loud. Something about the illustrations of how the parents are depicted in the book is just so spot-on. This is a great one, especially for kids who have a special animal, doll or blanket that they carry around. This story has helped us teach Everett why it's important to take care of our "babies" (that's what he calls his stuffed animals) so that we don't lose them in public places. This was also a gift from his friend Evie - his friends really know how to pick cool books!

3. Dragons Love Tacos
I can't help it - every time I read this book to Everett, it just comes out in a Boston accent. And I do a terrible Boston accent, but still! Something about the main character of the story is just so Massachusetts to me. Bahahah so I end up reading this book and laughing through most of it because I'm a dweeb with a terrible accent and then Everett laughs at me and then we get hungry for tacos. Aside from all of that, the book itself is adorable.

4. Paddington at the Rainbow's End
Another gift! We just brought this one back for him from across the pond from his London pals Ella & Milo, and he's already asked for it every single night since then. He absolutely loves how Paddy walks through the village in his rain boots and coat, finding items that are different colors of the rainbow. It's such a sweet story, and he has a Paddington Bear that he clutches the whole time we read this one. So so good.

5. Peep!
This is an interesting book, because almost the only words used in the entire story are "peep!" It's about a baby duck growing up and how he goes from saying "peep!" to "quack!" But the thing about this book, is that Everett giggles so hard every time I say "peep!", which is obviously a lot in this one. It's not even a funny story, but by the end we are both practically on the floor from laughing and such silliness. It's really wonderful. But then we usually have to read another book to calm down, so it's not a closer, if you know what I mean.

There you have it! Just a few of our favorites lately. Like I mentioned before, I am always on the hunt for great books - any you can recommend? Leave in the comments below please, I know other parents out there would love to know, too!

Wandering through Kensington Garden & Notting Hill.

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London, I love you.

This is the loveliest of towns. Stevie and I spent last week in this polite, prestigious hamlet for a good friends' wedding and it was nothing short of exciting, invigorating and so, so inspiring. It's just the most attractive city - so clean and historic and well-maintained. There were enormous planters of cascading flowers everywhere - hanging from lanterns, peeking out from enclosed gardens, and pristinely lining the sidewalks in the most polite fashion. I've never seen such gorgeous maintenance, city-wide. The British really care about orderly fashion, and I kind of love it. Of course, I don't know any American girls who aren't fascinated with British culture, those Disney movies really did us in.

Though we were busy for most of this trip, celebrating the 3-day wedding, we managed to do a bit of exploring in between events. One of my favorite parts of the city is Notting Hill, and the last time we were there it was a bit rushed, so this time we wanted to take our time and enjoy the colorful homes (and vibrant doors!) that line these quaint streets. We took the long walk from our hotel in Chelsea, The Doubletree Kensington, through Kensington Garden, past the Kensington Palace (where I'm certain I lost my phone, RIP) up into Notting Hill.

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Side note - these maternity overalls are going to be on constant rotation these next few months. They are so comfortable and actually fit incredibly well. Have I mentioned how much I love ASOS maternity? More on that later.

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Kensington Palace! Where Diana lived and where Prince William and Princess Kate reside where they're in London.

I have no reason to believe that London is a soggy, cloudy town because it was like 70 degrees and sunny the entire time we were there. Also, he's cute.

A botonist's dream.

I read about Farm Girl Cafe on Portobello Road here and wanted so badly to try the famed rose latte. When we arrived, the little place was packed and the waiter warned us that the drink of our choice was "a little girly" - so of course Stevie chose something else. MISTAKE. My rose latte tasted like a floral coffee wondertreat with crispy bits of rose to munch on (the tastiest of surprises, I assure you) and Stevie kept asking for sips. I was a bit stingy though.

The beauty of this area of London is found in the wandering, and perhaps getting a bit lost along the cobbled side streets. Peeking through the wrought-iron gates into the private gardens and imagining what it would be like to have afternoon tea on the terrace and pulling open the brightly-colored front doors - the dreaming is all part of the fun. We spent the morning talking about which house would be ours (I kept changing my mind, because they're all just too pretty to choose), and what life would really be like, living in London. Does anyone else do this when they travel? We do this everywhere we go, whether it's on a road trip to the beach or a quick trip to London. We like to imagine our life and our family living in different places, just for the fun of it. I guess you could call that grown-up make believe. This fun was only the beginning, I'm excited to share more about this trip in the coming weeks!

Pregnancy Presents + a Giveaway with That Glow Co.!

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Today I'm teaming up with That Glow Co. to share some pregnancy gift ideas and to giveaway a 1st, 2nd or 3rd Trimester Gift Box to one lucky reader! Details below :)

Pregnancy is such a special, insane whirlwind of a time. Especially in the first few months, when you might feel sick (really sick), but you're not really telling people yet. I shared the news with my family and best friends early on, but chose to wait until 14ish weeks to really start telling others.

A few of my dear friends were really thoughtful during those early days of this particular pregnancy. My friend Liz hand delivered some 1st-trimester-friendly snacks right to my door, including her favorite popcorn snack and organic ginger ale. Just a few things that she had grown to love along the way of having her own children. My sweet friend Natalie mailed me a slew of Preggie Pops, because someone had told her those help with early nausea. These little gestures made me feel so loved during a time when I could barely move or take good care of myself. I am so grateful to these sweethearts for taking the extra time to think of me and make me feel special. We all need that during pregnancy!

That Glow Co. curates gift boxes especially with the pregnant mama in mind. Based on which stage you are in your pregnancy, the boxes are tailored for the needs and desires of that particular trimester. They kindly sent me a 2nd-Trimester box, which was stocked with pregnancy essentials, including snack goodies, beauty treats, survival must-haves, even a mocktail! It is packaged so pretty and really would make the perfect gift for that friend, sister, cousin or loved one who is going through the exciting and sometimes challenging season of pregnancy.

A few photos below of our own unboxing situation. P.S. Lately, when anything comes in the mail for me, suddenly my toddler thinks it's a gift for him, too. Repercussions from birthday month. Kid ate all my treats!

This was THE BEST tasting cookie. And it was loaded with folic acid and a slew of other vitamins and minerals, making it a "healthy" cookie?!

For some reason the nail file and nail polish aren't pictured here, but it looked the same shade as what's already on my nails :) Meaning, I love it.

This one made me laugh. A little compact mirror that says, "Objects in mirror are sexier than they appear".

Wine!!! Okay, it's fake wine. But it tasted delish and it was at least from wine country.

See? Kid totally consumed all my treats. It's a good thing I like him so much.

Now for a giveaway! One lucky reader will win a That Glow pregnancy box, in the trimester of your choice. You can choose to send it to yourself (if you're pregnant!) or you can have it mailed as a gift to a loved one who is expectant! Enter using the Rafflecopter below. Please note, you must leave a comment on this post in order to be entered for the giveaway :)

Many thanks to That Glow Co. for sending me this gift and sponsoring this giveaway. You can find That Glow Co. on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.