October Favourites

It’s been a little while since I’ve done a Monthly Faves post, but it seemed like a nice and concise way to recap October: our last month as a family of 3! November is going to be a crazy one over here, so I’ve tried to enjoy October to its fullest, in particular the amazing weather we’ve been having as of late. It’s definitely my favourite time of year in Queensland.

Breakfast

Despite eating a snack pretty much every night before bed, I have been waking up starving every morning. You know what happens when this is the case. Shove something down the hatch as quickly as possible! My go-to this month has been Be Natural Nuts, Flakes & Clusters cereal and skim milk, topped with some strawberries or blueberries (I really haven’t been in the mood for protein-rich breakfasts lately). I was happy to finally find a cereal that tastes doesn’t taste like cardboard AND has 4g sugar or less per serving; these requirements have been hard to meet within the Australian grocery store cereal aisle! 

Dinner Item

Taco Salad. Well, my own version of it (minus the typical heavy sauces/dips). I’ve made it once a week for the past month for dinner; Adam has also requested it a few times! It’s quick and easy, super filling, and as healthy as a Mexican-inspired dish can be. Plus, it completely fulfils my comfort-food cravings. I haven’t taken a photo of it, but my usual ingredients are as follows: lettuce, avocado, corn, black beans, tomatoes, organic ground beef with taco seasoning, crumbled tortilla chips, a bit of grated cheddar, and a dollop of ranch dressing. 

Snack

Smoothies (shocker, I know). Especially with the warm weather we’ve been having in Brisbane lately. If I could just drink a variety of smoothies all day, I would. Thomas has also been obsessed. This morning, I picked one up on the way to the park and he drank ¾ of it!

Workout

Up until now, I’ve still been working out 4-5 times a week. Body Attack (1 class), Body Pump (sometimes 2 classes), and 1-2 light cardio sessions on the treadmill or elliptical. I’ve also been walking everywhere in the neighbourhood with Thomas throughout the week and we’ve been trying to get out and do something active as a family every weekend. I’ve felt really great right up until this past weekend. I am definitely feeling super heavy and exhausted this week, so have decided to just take exercise day to day from here on out. Whatever I feel like doing/not doing, that’s how it’s going to be.

Beverage

Does sniffing people’s wine count? It’s been a loooong 9 months, people. Looking forward to a nice glass of sauvingnon blanc when all is said and done. Besides fantasizing about wine (don’t judge), I’ve been guzzling water like a demon to offset the crazy pre-labour contractions I’ve been getting almost every day over the past couple of weeks.

Baby Related

Thomas is 20 months now. He’s very much a “little boy”. He loves trains, planes, and running around like a wild man. My favourite thing about this month is his massive increase in vocabulary. New words are coming every day, which is so much fun! This morning he actually counted from 1-9 (missed #7) by himself, which caught me off guard. I knew he could point out specific numbers and letters, but didn’t realize he could actually count off the top of his head. Moments like this are pretty fulfilling as a parent; you don’t realize the extent of what they are learning and soaking in sometimes!

I’m now 39 weeks pregnant with Baby Girl. I could have sworn I was going into labour this past weekend, but it ended up being a false alarm. People keep asking me if I’m “ready”. I don’t know if you are ever truly ready for a new baby, even if it’s your second, third, or tenth. However, I am certainly excited for the waiting game to be over and meet our new addition. I’ve been really trying to soak up my last days with just Thomas and I, though. I worry about sharing my time and love between the two of them, but I know that it’ll all make sense once she is here.

Clothing Item

My fave recent purchase is this long sleeved romper from Spell boutique in Byron Bay a few weeks ago. It obviously doesn’t fit right now thanks to my temporary roommate, but I’ve had my eye on their rompers for some time and needed to pick this up while I was there. Can’t wait to wear it (although not as hiked up as the store’s photo)!

Blog/Instagram of the Month

I’ve been pretty slack with both blogging and blog reading over the past few months; both definitely come in waves for me. However, I’ve still been spending too much some time lately perusing Instagram whenever I’m on the couch feeling particularly flat lined. I fell in love with Cara Loren’s account when she was pregnant a few months ago and now I am generally obsessed with her (and her sons’ ) style. She has a fabulous blog as well! Besides her impeccable taste, I like the fact that I can relate to her as a mother of (almost) two little ones, and encourages me to perhaps stray from the comfort of my Lululemon tights every once in awhile.

Beauty Product

I have two! First is Origins VitaZing SPF15 tinted moisturizer. I’m now on my second tube of it. Even though the package is relatively small, a little goes a long way with this stuff. I don’t feel like I look ‘alive’ until I apply this in the morning. Actually, there have been many days when I go makeup free, because this has actually been enough. Plus, I love how Origins products (I use their other nighttime moisturizers as well) are all free from harsh chemicals.

The second product is Yves St. Laurent Babydoll volume effect mascara. I was sent a sample of this with a past Sephora order and it’s actually the first “expensive” mascara I’ve purchased in years. I’ve been a L’Oreal girl in the mascara department for awhile now, as I feel like many drug store brands are just as great as the pricier ones. However, after going through my tiny sample in July/August, I knew I couldn’t part with it! 

Music

I used to be the queen of new music. My ipod/phone was always up to date with the newest tunes. Sadly, I don’t think I’ve listened to anything besides the Baby Einstein Pandora station for a month now. Save me!

Guilty Pleasure

Up until a few weeks ago, it was definitely the Bachelor Australia. So bad, but sooo good! 

Wish List

I’ll be in the market for a new pair of running shoes in the next month or two. I’ve beaten my Nike Lunar Glides to death and will likely look to purchase another pair (Lunarglides or Pegasus Zooms), as they’ve been good to my feet. Some post-baby workout motivation, perhaps?

What I’m Proud of this Month

Maintaining a consistent exercise regime, despite feeling like the size of a house. I really hope it all pays off for labour & delivery, as well as in postpartum recovery.

Areas for Improvement this Month

– Responding to emails in a timely manner. I’ve been terrible. Sorry, friends.

– Complaining. I’d like to blame it on the crazy hormones that have taken over my body, but I’ll be making a conscious effort to scale back the complaints in November. It never makes anything better.

Things I am Looking Forward To (in the next 30 days)

The arrival of our Baby Girl and everything that comes with it. Stay tuned!

Waiting for his girl.