35 & 36 Weeks Pregnant | 9 Months Pregnant - Baby is in the Birth Position!

It's hard to realize that nine months have already gone by and Welles will be coming into our lives very soon! Some parts of those months went by a lot slower or a lot faster, which was mostly dependent upon any symptoms I was feeling.  However, I feel extremely thankful to have had such a healthy and normal pregnancy.  Now we are in the home stretch!

It was intensely hot in Portland this past weekend - triple digits!  This update vlog is much more informal than all of my other pregnancy vlogs; it was too hot to film in the upstairs of our house (our AC was on the lower level) and I couldn't find the cord to my regular camera so I ended up having to use our vlogging camera.

Welles feels very ready to be born!  Check out the vlog below for a full update on the last couple of weeks.  Mama's - let me know how your pregnancy is going or how you felt during your pregnancy during its last few weeks!

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First Time Mom! Mother's Day at 7 Months Pregnant | Random Act of Kindness

As a first time expecting mom-to-be this was the first year I was able to celebrate Mother's Day for myself.  As supportive and loving as always, Brandon made it a memorable day for me.  He knows the way to my heart right now is food (pregnancy cravings!) and made me a delicious pre-Mother's Day dinner, gave me my favorite chocolate strawberries, and then took me out to brunch.  We also did a little baby shopping and took in some phenomenal Mexican food for dinner.

While we were at brunch I witnessed a random act of kindness for another mother, who appeared quite lonely.  It only served to strengthen my love and appreciation for everything my gentle giant does for me every single day.

Next year I'm excited to see what Brandon does with baby Welles to celebrate this holiday.  Check out the vlog below for a play by play of our amazing day!

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NEWBORN BABY CLOTHING HAUL! | Carter's, Old Navy & More!

The very first item we purchased after learning that we were having a baby boy was an adorable Batman onesie.  It was about an hour after my 20-week ultrasound appointment and we had stopped at Target to grab something for dinner.  While I had thought for sure I'd be browsing the racks of cuteness-overload in the little girls' section, trying to decide between which infant flower dress I wanted more, I was still in a state of shock that I'd be spending the next months picking out overalls and shirts with cars on them.

After the initial shock, I set out to find little boys clothes that I actually liked.  I do not favor anything with cartoon characters or childish drawings, and have instead gravitated towards the "little vintage man" types of clothing.  This included suspenders, henleys, rough button-downs, bow-ties, and anything with a nautical or "vintage" look to it.  

This newborn baby clothing haul includes all of the clothes we have purchased ourselves.  We have thankfully received many, many secondhand clothes; if I were to go through them all it would be an hour long video!

I hope you enjoy my picks!  Leave in the comments your favorite places to shop for baby.

Want MORE pregnancy videos?  Check out my YouTube!

    

SNAP ME! @AshleyEBeauty

5K at 5 MONTHS PREGNANT Vlog! | PORTLAND'S SHAMROCK RUN

I'd never participated in a 5K before, and was signed up for Portland's annual Shamrock Run just several weeks into my first trimester by my fiancé.  At this point the back aches and extra weight of a large balloon-sized belly hadn't set in and, desiring to be as active as possible during my pregnancy, agreed to my first 5K.

Portland's annual Shamrock Run attracts thousands of people every year, from half-marathon runners, 5K runners, power-walkers, and walking families with strollers alike (we fit into this last group).  It was a crisp early Spring morning that faded into a warm day, perfect weather for some prenatal exercise!  

I would be lying if my back wasn't aching by the end of it, or uncomfortable at points when my bladder (which remains ever full these days) felt like a water balloon jiggling in my stomach, but was it worth it in the end?  Hell yes.

Interested in MORE pregnancy vlogs?  Check out my YouTube!

    

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21 & 22 Weeks Pregnant | SEEING THE BABY'S FACE!

Here I am at 22 weeks pregnant and I cannot believe how fast the time is flying by.  It felt like just yesterday I found out I was pregnant, and it seemed as if we had all the time in the world to get ready.  Now, the second trimester is winding down, and the home stretch of the 3rd trimester feels like it is coming up so fast!

The past two weeks have been intensely busy with us moving into a new house and having two doctor visits.  The first was our routine midwife visit and the second was a follow-up anatomy ultrasound.  Everything went great and we were even able to get some very clear and accurate 3D pics of little Welles' face!  It's crazy how fast he's growing and how human-like he now looks.

In this vlog I go into more detail on our doctor visits, share some of ultrasounds pics, and let you know the goods on what it feels like to be 22 weeks pregnant!  Make sure you check it out, as well as all of my other pregnancy vlogs.

Interested in MORE pregnancy vlogs?  Check out my YouTube!

    

SNAP ME! @AshleyEBeauty

What I Ate Today! | 5 Months Pregnant Vegetarian

From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I have been determined to make the healthiest choices possible for my body and my baby.  Do I cave in to not-so-healthy cravings occasionally?  Of course!  At least once a week you can find me munching down on strawberry Twizzlers or my favorite YumEarth sour beans.  However, a majority of the time I am dedicated to consuming as much vegetables, fruit and plant-based proteins as possible.

Being a vegetarian while pregnant has actually been very easy.  I am fortunate enough to live in Portland, Oregon where being vegetarian/vegan is common and as a result there are endless choices at stores and restaurants for plant-based protein.  Protein is essential during pregnancy, and there is the misconception that vegetarians/vegans do not get enough to sustain proper nutrition.  But this couldn't be further from the truth.

I can obtain just as many grams of protein consuming plant-based protein as someone who eats meat-based protein, I just need to make a conscious effort on a daily basis to make sure I am including that protein in every meal.

In this vlog I show you a random average day of what I eat.  My food preferences change all the time, and when I do my 6 months pregnant "What I Ate Today" update vlog it will most likely be all new foods!  But hey, I'm pregnant, and I'm allowed to change my preferences...because, well, I just can ; )

Interested in MORE pregnancy vlogs?  Check out my YouTube!

    
SNAP ME! @AshleyEBeauty