Happy Friday, friends. To be honest the days all kind of blur together around here lately and the main thing helping me keep track of time is how many weeks pregnant I am (25 this week!). It’s crazy to think I’m nearing the end of my second trimester and we’ll have a new addition in three and a half months! I hope you’re all finding things (big or small) to be excited about right now — wishing you all a peaceful and pleasant weekend. xx

1. How has your pregnancy experience been during COVID?

Outside of wearing a mask and not traveling anywhere, it hasn’t been super remarkable. I feel so much better this pregnancy than I did battling hyperemesis while pregnant with Teddy and I’m also just less nervous about everything this time around. I still go to all my OBGYN appointments in person so I imagine the biggest difference will be not having my mom in the delivery room with us and not having family members visit us in the hospital after I give birth. Really trying to take things one day at a time and focus on the things I can control!

2. What are you most excited, nervous, and scared for with baby #2?

I’m most excited about having more perspective the second time around — understanding how temporary labor and postpartum pain are and really soaking up the newborn stage with less fear about my own recovery. I’m nervous about Teddy’s initial reaction to having a sibling all of a sudden but I know in the long run it’s the best gift we could give him! And I wouldn’t say I’m scared exactly, but I’m anxious/eager/hopeful to have a more positive delivery experience than I did with Teddy. I feel really good about my new OBGYN practice and the conversations I’ve had with doctors there so I’m truly excited to get to have another chance at it!

3. Do you have a name picked out for baby #2? I remember you said you had a girl name ready!

I don’t know why I find boy names so much harder than girl names! We went back and forth for months and finally landed on a family name that I know we’ll never regret. I won’t be sharing the name before he’s born, but I just stitched it onto a needlepoint canvas for his first Christmas ornament so there’s no turning back now, ha!

4. Where’s your favorite place to shop for maternity clothes?

I have a couple tops from Hatch and a few pairs of maternity jeans I swear by (both from this brand; more reviews in this post!) but other than that I just wear roomier non-maternity pieces! I order a size up in things I wear all the time like these button-downs and these striped shirts. My two pregnancies have been at completely opposite times of year — with Teddy, my third trimester was over the summer when I could live in flowy dresses and with baby #2, my third trimester will be late winter and early spring so I plan to borrow lots of my husband’s sweaters. 🙂

5. What’s the best thing about being a boy mom?

I obviously have nothing else to compare it to (and I’d still love to have a girl someday!), but I love that Teddy is busy, fearless, outgoing, and playful, but will still snuggle up with me and read books or watch a show. He is just the love of my life (though I’m certain I’d feel that way about either sex!).

6. Did you start taking prenatal vitamins before you started trying to conceive for baby #2?

I continued taking my prenatal vitamins from my pregnancy with Teddy while I was breastfeeding and got pregnant again while still breastfeeding so I’ve been taking prenatals for a little over two years now. This past summer before I got pregnant with baby #2, I switched to Ritual prenatals and they make me SO much less nauseous which was a huge win.

7. Will you get the COVID vaccine?

When it’s offered to me, 100%! I can’t wait for all my family and friends to be vaccinated and will decide with my doctor what’s best while I’m pregnant/breastfeeding.

8. What are some of your favorite vegetarian things to cook at home? Trying to eat less meat!

We love this cauliflower piccata, these teriyaki quinoa bowls, and these warm grain bowls with farro instead of quinoa. Basically always trying to recreate a favorite restaurant dish! I also eat a lot of roasted veggies (asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower) with pasta or rice. Home Chef might also be a fun way for you to experiment with finding plant-based recipes you like — I have a code MACKENZIE90 for $90 off if you’re interested!

9. Do you have any suggestions for pretty mirrors for bathrooms?

We have this one from Ballard Designs, this one from One Kings Lane, and this one from Serena & Lily throughout our house and I think all of them would be pretty on their own or doubled up in a bathroom!

10. What is Teddy into lately as far as toys and activities?

He is constantly on the move and it’s hard to find a toy or activity that keeps him busy for more than a couple minutes at a time. A few current favorites are this airplane, this mixing bowl, this xylophone bench, spoons and whisks from our kitchen, and reading books in his playhouse!