25 weeks!

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His or her weight – a pound and a half – isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but your baby is beginning to exchange that long, lean look for some baby fat. As this happens, wrinkled skin will smooth out and your baby will start to look more and more like a newborn. Your baby is also growing more hair – and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture! http://www.babycenter.com/my-pregnancy-today-app

Girl Time

Today was mine & Violet's first date.  She has been craving TEX-MEX, so I treated her to a little Chipotle.  After that, she was moving like never before. (Did I mention that her kicks are getting MUCH stronger) That girl is going to love Mexican food just like her mama. 

Lipstick Lovers

Hey girls!  Why is it that so many of us are scared to wear RED lipstick?  I know that the 1980's scared us away from wearing BLUE eyeshadow, but the classiness of lipstick and oh-so-glamorous-feel is something we should all be running toward.  For me, I'm a lipstick lover...reds, pinks, neon colors, orange, pales, nudes...I would sport them all, depending on my mood, of course.  But for you girlfriends out there who love the look and are a little skeptical to try, here are some tips I picked up from REAL SIMPLE Magazine to help ease you into the world of lipstick.

 Wearing Brave Red by M.A.C., showing off

 my baby bump :)

Consider the lighting. "If you're going to be outdoors, pick a softer or sheerer shade," says Rachel Lockhart, owner of Rachel's Makeup Studio, in Boston. "For evening, go bolder, so your features stand out."

Avoid deep reds if you have thin lips. They tend to make lips look smaller (this one is very true...let those pouts shine girls! )

Experiment with intense shades if you have strong coloring. "Natural contrast gives you more options," says Jill Morton, head of ColorCom, a consultation agency in Honolulu, says of those with exaggerated natural coloring (for example, paper-white skin, black hair, and blue eyes).

Don't play up your eyes. "Pair red lipstick with the lightest possible eye makeup," says lipstick designer Poppy King. A little mascara and beige shadow will do.

Don't toss a red lipstick in a shade that doesn't work. "Top it with a gold gloss to warm and soften it, or add a pink gloss to take it to the bluer side," says makeup artist Maria Verel.

Be precise. That means whether you're using a brush or applying lipstick straight from the tube. "Red lipstick should never be applied casually in the back of a taxi," says Verel.

*As a MAC Artist, this one is HUGE!  Lip brushes are very inexpensive and are fabulous to carry with you for touch ups!  

Prevent "bleeding." Apply a little concealer around the border of your mouth.

Avoid getting lipstick on your teeth. After applying, put your finger in your mouth, purse your lips around it, then slowly pull it out to remove excess color.

Chicken Noodle Soup & Some Rest

Being sick is, of course, no fun.  I usually always combat a cold or bacteria fighting bug with LOTS of Vitamin C and just push through it.  That's the Super Woman in me...however, this time, being sick with a babe inside, different story.  After a long New Years weekend of having the Flu, I finally got in to see a doctor and was put on a Z-pak.  I should start to feel the zing of this stuff working soon.  With lots of naps scheduled and time off from school, I should be back to myself in no time! 

Violet seems to be doing good though..my little super baby!  We checked her heart rate and all is normal...just a little stress due to her mama being sicko.  Once Ky is healed, our little family will be back in baby prepping mode.  Here's to a chug of orange juice...cheers!  To good health!

For any mommies out there who are in the same boat, here is a link that may help nurse you back to normal. 

Tiny Movements

Making progress...pregnancy is wonderful, and I'm loving it.  I have been feeling tired, but I do enjoy taking naps, so it's not too bad.  It is crazy to think that in a few short months, our little one will be here!  

Yesterday, day 1 of 16 weeks I felt the FIRST tiny movements :)  I was sitting in Theory Class, taking notes, and felt a little jitter and didn't really think too much about it until it continued happening for the next 10 minutes...I can't help but smile when I feel him/her jumping for joy inside of it's mama.  It's the coolest feeling to know that my body is nurturing a little one....so even if my back does hurt, and ankles swell, it's ALL worth it :)  

BTW- Baby is 5 inches from crown to rump, plus the legs.  So, probably around 6-6 1/2 inches...grow baby grow!!! 

A Blissful Autumn

Ready for the BIG news?!  It's been a month and a half for me to get around to putting anything to paper, but I found a free moment...sooo...here goes.  We found out on September 1, 2011 that I'M PREGNANT!!!!!  We are going to have a baby!!  

I remember that Thursday morning very vividly, and a day that would mark a change in the rest of our lives.  Once I told Kyle, he didn't believe it (of course).  I think that's a man reaction lol.  Then I decided to go to the doctor and confirm and sure enough, the Doc. greeted me with a sturdy handshake and a "congratulations! You are going to be a mom."  Words cannot even express my emotions of that day, but I had to remember to ask the doctor to write it down on paper so that I could show the bf (so he would believe me haha).  As I walked out of the office to my car, I called him, as he was on his way to work to share the news.  He instantly started crying and told me how happy he was and that this was the biggest day of our lives.  Wow....am I a lucky girl or what.  I started tearing up too, and it was an absolutely magical moment. 


Now, I'm 11 1/2 weeks along and in my last week of my first trimester.  So far, it has been good except for the constant headaches (bleh) and nausea every now and then.  My stress levels will hopefully go down now due to my release from work and such a stressful job.  Thank Goodness.  Also, my cravings thus far have been for carbs, breakfast food, and apples.  I wish some sort of protein sounded good, but this baby wants nothing to do with that lol.  So, for now, it's cereal and bagels :) 

Here is the beginning of many more photos to come...the first ultrasound was taken at 7 1/2 weeks...and we saw the healthy heartbeat!!!  The one of me is @ 6 weeks...getting ready for baby bump. 

This time, I'm no beauty queen...just beautiful me

After all the preparation, long nights rhinestoning, making sure my wardrobe was perfect & practicing interview the day has come & gone.  I decided to come out of retirement from pageantry...my last title was Miss San Francisco Bay Area and it was a great way to end my pageant career, but after moving to San Diego I decided to compete one last time, and I was going for the title of Miss San Diego USA 2012.  Besides, what better way to make friends and meet some girls with the same thoughts I do and who ACTUALLY want world peace!!! 

The result of the night was I didn't walk away with a crown on my head, but I did meet some great women, had a fabulous time competing again, and had an experience of a lifetime.  I ended up placing TOP 5 for the night, which is good, and got to wear my favorite gold gown :)   ahhhhh  if I could sleep in that dress, I totally would haha. 

 See what I mean!  Gorgeous huh?!

I have to send a HUGE thank you to A Robert Cromeans Salon & Mary Cuomo for sponsoring me for the pageant.  They sponsored me in FULL & Mary did the most beautiful cut and color for me & ROBERT CROMEANS also helped!  Ahhh when he touched my hair, I was speechless.  He is a legend and I look up to him so incredibly much.  The Paul Mitchell Family is SO amazing & I cannot wait until I am actually working along side these amazing men and women.  (totally starstruck)  I start school one week from today and will finish up my program @ San Diego Paul Mitchell School....yippee!  I will stay on board at M.A.C. Cosmetics and go to school part time, so should be done in about a year or so.  Here's to another great adventure in my life....