earlier today i tweeted about being 8 months pregnant and finding some great non-maternity clothes at j.crew and old navy that fit really well. better than maternity clothes actually. i got quite a few responses and questions wondering if j.crew made maternity clothes [i don't think they do, but wouldn't that be great?!] and what i was able to find specifically. so, i wanted to share with you the goodies i went home with.

first, i must say that i didn’t go to the regular j.crew store since i live really close to a j.crew outlet. so, what i pulled from their site is as close to what i bought as i could find. however, earlier in my pregnancy, i did go to the regular j.crew store and scooped up a few things including these cords. and they still fit. i wore them today with my tummy tube.

but, back to my most recent finds. the v-neck gray shirt is similar to this. the pink shirt i bought has a higher scooped neck and has less rosettes, but it’s similar to this shirt from j.crew.

the black skirt is this one from old navy. i also bought it in white and brown since it’s so comfortable. much more so than restrictive maternity jeans. my tummy can breathe! the cardigan is also from old navy and can be found here.

it was actually on a whim that i found out j.crew fits my baby bump. i realized that most maternity clothes are super long and a bit more loose in order to accommodate an expanding belly. after many frustrating trips to maternity stores only to figure out most maternity clothes fit me like tents, i thought about j.crew. i love their clothes. however, i’m really short and prior to pregnancy, i always had problems fitting into them mainly because their clothes are too long and loose for my short torso. so i thought hum, maybe, just maybe j.crew would work for me now. and they do.

i realized regular old navy may work because i tried on a non-maternity short tiered skirt that i already owned. it has a stretchy waist so it fits. i just wear it below my belly. i went online to see if they happened to carry something similar this year and sure enough they do! and they are on sale! so, i went to the store to check them out. and like the j.crew shirts, the old navy cardigan fits because it’s also long. instead of tying the belt around my belly, i just tie it behind my back. this gives me a nicely defined waist. bonus!

so, there you go. my little guide to non-maternity maternity clothes. happy shopping!

another baby book recommendation that i’m considering. this one is a bit more than i want to spend, but it’s beautiful. it’s screen-printed and comes in a keepsake box. definitely an heirloom piece.

if you have any other baby book suggestions, i’m all ears!

if you follow us on twitter or facebook, you know that i put out a call for pretty baby book recommendations. for quite a while now i’ve been looking for one that’s a little unique and not too cutesy.

these are two options that i’m considering. the first is from ruby love designs. the second, from edna mae baby.

if you have any other suggestions, please let me know. i’d love to see what you’ve purchased or found and love!

thanks to my sister-in-law and my good friend who both had baby girls about the same time ours will be born, we’ve been given lots of super cute hand me downs. we’re so fortunate, and our little one is pretty much set. and even though we haven’t bought a lick of clothes so far, i’ve done lots of window shopping and online browsing. i can’t help it. i mean, there’s just so many cute things out there like these dresses from olive juice. classic + darling!

how cute is this summer getup from janie and jack? super cute. i was so tempted to buy at least the swimsuit yesterday. i could just picture our little girl in this ruched rosette beauty splashing in the water at the lake house.

whew, what a weekend! our good friends threw us a couples baby shower saturday and it was so lovely! see those cupcakes? those are handmade little fondant booties on top. so cute. this weekend was also filled with mardi gras celebration and fun + valentine’s day.

how was your weekend? do anything fun and exciting? or simply romantic and love filled?

want to see what’s been poking + jabbing me these last few weeks? these little hands + feet. plus knees and elbows, i’m sure. she’s quite an active little girl!

do you have any fun weekend plans? kacey and i plan to clear out our guest bedroom to make room for a new crib for baby duet. plus we’re visiting his parents. and probably watching some football. or make that they’ll watch football while i occupy myself in some other way. who’s not a football fan? that would be me.

hope you have a fabulous weekend!

in the baby world, this and this have both caught my eye.

first, the puj tub. it’s a soft + flexible tub that hangs flat to dry or store. it’s anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, non-toxic, hypoallergenic, pvc-free + bpa-free. it fits in small sinks. and bathing a baby in the sink seems much more convenient than bending over the bathtub.

second, the joyababy diaper clutch. it’s an eco-friendly clutch that holds a few diaper and wipes. plus, there’s a machine washable changing mat inside. seems perfect to throw inside a diaper bag or carry independently. and it’s cute.

lately, we’ve been thinking about what colors we would like to go with for the baby’s nursery. we’ve toyed around with pinks, salmons + yellows. and blush pinks + dark pinks. then we thought about pinks + whites, until we remembered that we registered for lots of organic items which meant creams would be in the mix, too.

then, i saw this image on jordan’s blog. it represents the latest color palette i picture in my head for the nursery. ballet pink. oyster. putty. chocolate. right now this is our front running color combo. this could all change tomorrow though!

have you seen these alphabet blocks from house industries? they’re printed with non-toxic, lead-free child-safe inks so they would make excellent wooden blocks for a child’s room. especially when the child’s parents love typography as much as i do!

forgive me for posting more nursery pictures. we’re in the midst of cleaning out our guest room and converting it to our little girl’s nursery. i’m looking for all the inspiration i can find! i bookmarked these three nurseries while browsing spearmint baby, a wonderful place for nursery + children’s room inspiration. there are so many, many beautiful baby rooms too look through.

i love the soft colors and scalloped crib in the room below. and the pom poms! and the ribbon hanging!

in the room below, i adore the color palate, striped window treatments + vintage feel. oh, and be sure to check out the adorable lighting above the changing table. you can see them here. love.

below, i love the refined look, dark wood [which we'll have] + simple color scheme.

in the photo collages above, i’ve linked them to their sources.

i stumbled upon these cute gingerbread cookies that alice made for her son’s birthday. too bad i found them after i told my family that we’re having a girl, because i think these would have been so cute to give as a way for them to find out the gender. oh, their cute pink tummies! you can find the recipe here.