Tummy Butter, Decaf Coffee, and Fall Out Boy.

It's been about a month since I found out that my little one is a BOY. :) I'm planning to name him Everett, which means "strong and brave," two character traits every man should have. 

He's been kicking for awhile, but those little kicks keep getting stronger everyday. 16 weeks to go! Getting VERY excited to meet him.

No weird pregnancy cravings lately. The weirdest one was ranch dressing and popsicles... not together, just in the same meal. My belly button is almost an outie now and sleeping has become quite a challenge. Thank God for body pillows! And Palmer's Tummy Butter. I go through that stuff like water. Trying to avoid stretch marks.

Drinking decaf coffee has been interesting. I'm trying to find one I like. Anyone who says there's no difference in the taste of decaf and caffeinated coffee has damaged taste buds. I think my favorites so far have been the K-cups by Donut House and Green Mountain's Hazelnut flavor. I was addicted to Starbucks' iced coffee, so I've modified by getting an iced americano with decaf espresso and adding a lot of extra ice. 

They say prenatal vitamins help your hair and nails. I can definitely say that they have not helped my nails. Maybe I'm the exception. :/ I have been using Kerastase's Nutritive Masquintense, which I LOVE, so it's hard to tell if the prenatals help my hair.

I've still been running, only about 2 miles a day. I've read several different theories on running while you are pregnant. I think the key is not to over do it. Exercise is important, but a healthy baby is a bigger priority than keeping your mile pace. There will be plenty of time for that after baby is born. :) In fact, one of my goals is to run a marathon later this year. Should be an interesting experience! If you are a runner, I highly recommend checking out the new Fall Out Boy album, Save Rock And Roll, which drops April 16th.

Back to work I go! Have a happy Wednesday! ;)

Ramblings of a Hormonal Pregnant Woman.

Ever since I found out that I'm pregnant, I keep having this recurring dream in which I experience an emotion I can only refer to as claustrophobia. Apparently, I'm anxious that the human being growing inside of me will get enormous and I'll feel like I can't escape. For months. Has anyone else ever experienced this?

Of course, it's not all bad. I have daydreams, too. Everybody seems to think I'm having a girl, even though I'm still at least 5 weeks out from knowing the gender. I keep picturing this little girl playing on the beach, running in and out of the water, with a smile on her face so big she looks like she could burst from being overwhelmingly overjoyed. Because of this daydream, I keep thinking about the name "Felicity," which means "intense happiness."I say all of this and it could be a boy. ;)

And I have thought about adoption. The problem is that it feels incredibly impossible to find a couple I could trust wholeheartedly within the next 7 and a half months. It's my baby, not a house.

I once read a quote that suggested we read to know we're not alone. While I certainly don't feel alone in this journey (I have amazing friends and family with loads of valuable advice - my favorite being "don't read What to Expect When You're Expecting"), I do feel that I need to write about this experience. It's tough. I never saw myself having kids. But once you see a little foot with five little toes kicking on an ultrasound screen and the strong, little flutter of its heartbeat, you become a different person. You realize that you have become responsible for another life and it's simultaneously the most terrifying and exciting thing you've ever felt.

My own mom is amazing. I can't really tell you what her emotions were when she was carrying me because I've never asked. But I know our circumstances are very different. She had my dad, who loves her very much. To be honest, at the moment, I feel like all I've got is a lot of anger and doubt.

These are just emotions, maybe heightened by hormones. And I will overcome them. This little person will know that his/her mommy loved him/her enough to climb out from underneath the weight of this cowardice and anger. He or she will know that mommy did her best to bravely make the right decisions about his/her future.

Because whether these kicking feet belong to a boy or a girl, I LOVE this baby.

Turtle is to Turkey as Traffic is to Holiday Shopper.

I hope your Thanksgiving was stuffed with turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and laughter!

Mine was. I learned that turtles enjoy turkey carcasses (gross!). Since Thanksgiving is a happy holiday, I did make an effort to wear some color instead of looking like I was going to a funeral, as per usual. Speaking of which...

Black Friday was yesterday, but since it's almost 2013, I bet most Black Friday-ers went shopping online. Why not? No traffic, no crowds, no long lines, AND most of the same sales you see in the store can be found online. Many stores even offer free shipping.

Here's why I love online shopping: my current favorite hair product, called Weather Girl Climate Neutralizing Complex with Pure Protein Blend, created by Blow, The New York Blow Dry Bar, is usually $22 for a 2oz. bottle, but it's on Amazon.com right now for $11.35. Check out the link over here!  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Where do YOU go for great holiday shopping finds?

If Not For Not-So-Honest Abe Lincoln...

It has been a long time since a movie has made me teary-eyed.

Lincoln made it perfectly clear that Abe wasn't as honest as we were all led to believe in our junior high American History classes. Without ruining the movie for you, all I will say is that he made some moral compromises, obviously trusting that the end would indeed justify the means.

As I sat in that theatre, thinking about each of the men who voted to pass the 13th Amendment and the personal struggles they overcame, I felt tears welling up in my eyes. If that bill hadn't passed, our country wouldn't be the same. I would never have met some of my closest childhood friends because we wouldn't have had the opportunity to go to school together. 

I thought about the obstacles that equality has yet to conquer in the present-day, mainly the issue of gay marriage. Friends have confided in me about how difficult it was to muster up the courage to come out to their loved ones. Some of them have since been accepted fully for who they are; others have been excommunicated from their families and churches. 

Regardless of the "Nature vs. Nurture" argument and its statistics, they are NOT numbers. They're REAL men and women who have the same needs and wants that I have - to be loved and accepted freely. 

Doesn't an adult who is in a loving, committed relationship with another adult have the same rights as I do? If they go to work, pay their taxes, vote, etc., why should the fact that their marriage is to an individual of the same-sex even matter?

I'd LOVE to hear YOUR thoughts, so share them in the comment box below. :) 

Paint It Black.

My hair color is BLACK now!  

As one of my besties reminded me this week, the second your hair color changes, so does your wardrobe. While I am used to wearing black from head to toe, I have come to realize that it's time to put some COLOR into my life. Otherwise, I am going to look like a black crayon. #NOTcool 

I always thought that black was the one hair color I would never be willing to try. I thought I couldn't pull it off... 

I think I was scared.

Which is part of why I did it.

Life is FULL of so many incredible opportunities, amazing people, and breathtaking adventures. Although my loved ones tell me that I have accomplished a lot in such a short amount of time, there are still SO many things I want to do with this ONE life I've been given! 

So, I don't have time to be afraid of things. I only have time to be bold, to be brave.

What about you?

What is it that's preventing you from fulfilling your dreams? What are you afraid of?

Whatever IT is, paint it black. And ROCK it. I triple-dog-dare you. ;)

"...Sign the wire with love."

My new favorite quote about love comes from Hemmingway's The Sun Also Rises.

There is a depleting number attached to each one of us; the days, hours, minutes, and seconds that we have left here are already determined. With every new sunrise, we face new challenges and those challenges poke and prod at us, coaxing out our true character. While we cannot control our circumstances or the actions of others around us, we can control our reactions. Regret, hatred, and revenge are costly; by investing in negativity, you are robbing yourself of a return on your time. Ask yourself: how much time have you wasted by tearing someone else down in an attempt to build yourself up?

Professing love for someone who has never wronged you is as useful as hauling an empty trash bag around. The trash bag is pointless until you have something that belongs in the dumpster. In the context of Hemmingway's story, the meaning of "Sign the wire with love" stretches far beyond forgiveness - it's a reminder that love not only covers a multitude of sins, but blinks away the transgressions, regarding the sinner rather as a saint.

When my hair dyes, does it go to Sephora?

If you're bored with your summery-blonde balayage or ombre, try a few rich chocolate or caramel lowlights. This time of year, I recommend a color gloss for my clients to restore shine and add a hint of dimension to their highlights. 

My NEW favorite hair oil - Use sparingly, focusing first on your ends, working your way up to your mid-lengths. Avoid putting oil on your roots. It smells incredible! Order yours from the tab over here >>>