sweater, short sleeve sweater, jeans, boots

A sweet reader expecting a babe this December emailed me regarding dressing a bump in the colder months as that was something I had to tackle last year as well. Well, I'll be honest with you it ain't easy. I was incredibly envious of people who were huge in the summer as they could throw on a maxi dress and some flip flops and call it a day. Layering is not your friend when you are six months plus and sweating like a hog at all hours of the day. However, by November of that year I kind of think I started to get a hang of things. I finally invested in a good pair of maternity jeans (lifesaver!!!) and figured out what worked. On that note here is a shopping list of sorts of items that are musts when sporting a bump in the fall and winter:

a good comfortable pair of flat boots

maternity leggings (trust me you will live in these)

a robe/wrap style coat or a cape

lots of loose tops (this style is "in" right now so it's not too hard to find)

long, loose sweaters to wear with leggings

scarves are definitely your friend

jackets (these don't even have to be maternity, just don't button them)

layer cropped sweaters over longer blouses

maternity tanks, lots of them

a pair of uggs or the like, you're pregnant, your feet are swollen - you're allowed

Now as far as where to shop I would say this:

For pants get over it and go to an actual maternity store and revel in the joy that is a stretchy waistband.

For sweaters and the like I stuck to Old Navy or Target since you can get them for cheap in the event that you'll be getting rid of them after your pregnancy.

Zara is fantastic when it comes to coat options that aren't terribly expensive.

Brands like More of Me Maternity and Isabella Oliver made me feel pretty. However, the price tags will make you cry. I would scour sites like Gilt that almost always had them on sale (50% off or more).*

ASOS also makes fantastic, stylish, affordable maternity clothes.

Other maternity items like tank tops, leggings, bras (yes, I was in fact wearing a nursing bra towards the end of my pregnancy as nothing else felt comfortable) and t-shirts I almost always purchased at Target. They were good quality and the prices were reasonable. 

All of the items I talked about are links so feel free to click on them and you will be navigated to the site in case you're interested in purchasing.

*The Gilt link is a referral link. It would be real swell if you chose to use it! Kisses to you!!

Last week I had the pleasure of driving my brother up to New York City and helping him move into his dorm. It had been about six years since I had been to the city and almost just as much time had passed since the last time my brother and I had spent that much time together. Both of those things are sad, sad facts. I've loved New York since the first time I laid my eyes on it ten years ago. We were there for a week and my parents cut my brother and me loose. We walked and walked until there weren't enough band aids to cover our battered feet. We tasted food cart upon food cart until we found the best gyro in all of Manhattan (I still have dreams about it). We did every touristy thing on our list - Empire State Building, Lady Liberty, Ellis Island, the Met and Central Park. It was probably the most fun our teenage selves had ever had. 

And so we found ourselves in that great city again, a little older and possibly a little wiser. And yet it was as if the city hadn't changed at all - it was just as magnetizing, beautiful and ALIVE. We grabbed his bags and made our way up to his room to discover the most incredible views out of two french windows. It was perfect. And soon enough it was as if we were teenagers all over again trekking around the city tasting bagels (I had the best salmon bagel at Absolute Bagel on Broadway) and making memories. We went to Chelsea Market (so fun!!) and somehow found ourselves in Times Square (one word: yikes!!) and eventually gave our feet a break in a cab on our way to Central Park. 

We split a creme brulee at Pastis and reminisced about days of yore and dreamed of my brother's new life here in the city. I told him I was jealous and he told me he was scared. We laughed and shared until late into the night and walked the streets packed with clubbers arm in arm back to our hotel. The next morning we strolled through a sleepy West Village where we passed bald babies in strollers and little dogs out for their morning walk. We got breakfast at Magnolia Bakery, which by the way I will give the banana pudding five starts but Sprinkles still has my heart when it comes to cupcakes. 

We hugged and parted ways at Gansevoort and 9th Avenue and my brother went on to brave the subway while I made one last stop at Chelsea Market before heading home. As noon hovered on the horizon the streets started to come alive, chairs were being unloaded onto the street to house al fresco diners, there was a sudden proliferation of bikers and drool worthy scents snaked their way through doorways and windows. The sun was high and hot by this time and I let out a sigh as I felt a slight pinch in my heart from the idea of leaving my little brother here. I worried about him but I also knew he would be just fine and another part of me was oh so envious. 

By 12:30 I was heading for the Lincoln Tunnel feeling grateful for this time we got to spend together in such an amazing city and looking forward to squeezing that chubby baby of mine that I had been missing like crazy and planting a big one on that smoking husband of mine. 

New York you were positively lovely and trust me I'll be back!!

Well folks these are pretty much the holy grail of cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes are already the perfect dessert (in my humble opinion) but then when you add Nutella it just totally ups the ante. They're all gone now and papa bear and I both shed a tear for them. 

chocolate cupcakes

1 cup water

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Line 14 muffin cups with liners.

2. Over high heat, boil the water in a small saucepan. Pour the unsweetened cocoa powder into a medium sized bowl and mix with boiling water until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature by placing in the refrigerator or freezer as you prepare the other ingredients.

3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, using an electric hand or stand mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat only until just combined. In a steady stream, add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

5. Fill each muffin tin 3/4 of the way full with batter. Bake for 16-19 minutes, keeping an eye on them to avoid even the slightest burning. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool before frosting.

nutella frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup Nutella

1-2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

salt to taste

Beat softened butter on medium speed with an electric or stand mixer. Beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and continue to beat on medium speed. The mixture will be fairly thick. Add the Nutella and continue to beat on medium speed. Add 3 tablespoons of heavy cream and the vanilla extract. If the frosting is too thick, add more heavy cream. Taste the frosting and add salt to cut the sweetness. Frost cooled cupcakes with frosting and decorate with candies as desired.

*recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction with some slight changes (I don't like terribly sweet frosting)

The county fair was this past weekend and my, oh, my were we excited! We started our Saturday off in it's usual fashion - trip to the farmer's market followed by a late breakfast at our favorite cafe. Then we headed home because a certain little person needs their nap in order to remain jovial (it worked out well for us to since we needed to change for the fair - namely into boots). 

So clad in boots and a good mood bestowed upon us all we headed out. On the drive there papa bear and I reminisced about how last year it was just the two of us, well sort of, I was very pregnant with the sweet babe that was now babbling away in her car seat. It somehow didn't feel as strange or odd as I thought it would. Birdie fits in so well with us that it feels like she's always been with us, our much better looking and very happy third wheel. 

So! Onto all things fair related! I can proudly report that we had the pleasure of observing and petting some of the most gorgeous cows I have ever laid eyes on. Folks the photos don't even do them justice!! Now mind you these are no "regular" cows, these are blue ribbon winners and the like and man did it show. I swear I could have sat in those pens with them all day. Birdie eventually warmed up to them too. There were also some incredible rabbits, hens and roosters and the pheasants... The pheasants were phenomenal!! Actually I don't think I've ever even seen a pheasant until that day and why anyone would be possessed to shoot something that gorgeous is beyond me but... (I always thought pheasants and shooting parties went together, but what do I know, maybe that's just a Downton Abbey thing?? British thing??? Rich people thing???)

Then, then we found a litter of tiny pigs cuddling. Yep, you read that right but just for kicks I'll write it again: TINY PIGS CUDDLING!!! I stood in front of that pen frozen, not taking a breath for a good ten minutes. It's definitely one of the top ten moments of my life. Yeah, photos are cool, gifs are pretty awesome and there's always the youtube video but y'all when you witness something like this in the flesh... Well you're just never the same. It was like that scene at the end of How The Grinch Stole Christmas when the Grinch's heart grows three or four sizes. Yep, that happened to me that day. Priceless.

Alright, I'm rambling, time to wrap this up. There was also amazing roasted corn, french fries, the best lemonade I've ever had (I remembered their stand from last year and couldn't wait to get more!) and I'm sad embarrassed to say we missed out on the funnel cake. Baby got cranky and sleepy and we had to call it a day. But we had a blast and there's always next year! 

Lesson learned - if you're anywhere near a county fair go!!