Simone's Six Things
MOU Boots during the day...The Bachelor by night...and Charley Horses at 3am.
Catching up
This week I released my newsletter with an introductory post — Welcome to From Pumps to Pumps. It took a lot of fine-tuning to get it to a point where it felt ‘ready’ and I still find myself making small tweaks. With time, I hope this can become extremely free flowing and unmanicured. That is ultimately my vision and intent for getting away from the algorithm (platforms that have metrics)— I find that its hard to be expressive on platforms like Instagram. You need to condense things to a photo or caption and I think it stifles creativity. Lots of same same on there at times, and literally followers rather than trend setters! One thing I know for sure is that I am very excited to have a dedicated space to write and connect with you on all sorts of topics.
Sunday commences my third trimester (the final stretch!) and honestly the birth of this newsletter could not have come at a better time. It’s allowing me to focus on something besides the physical discomforts of a growing belly and middle of the night Charley horses (muscle spasms) which favor my left leg. Anyone with tips on relief for these, please advise. I have found that immediately drinking water is the the only thing that helps and intentional breathing through the discomfort makes them pass quicker.
Teddy’s sweet personality shines through brighter every single day. He is in his explorer phase right now and constantly invents new play patterns and tricks! Teddy’s favorite thing this week is initiating peek a boo with me. Not too long ago, it was me doing all the peek a boos! I joke with my husband that I feel like I am Teddy’s bodyguard right now preventing him from injuries on cabinets and corners — but that just comes with the territory. Baby proofing once they start walking is SO essential and I find that having functional but easy to use baby gates makes a huge difference. Around 17 months is when toddlers start to learn how communicate more than just basic needs. It is a fun stage!
What’s in my cart
I have my eye on a second pair of MOU boots. I discovered them over a decade ago and have been wearing the same pair ever since. They are basically an alternative to UGGS that come in super cute color-ways and have exposed stitching. They are by far my most worn shoe in sub 50 degree weather and when maternity leggings seem to be my daily uniform. They are durable, and unbelievably comfy. Mine have seen six moves, a marriage, a birth, schleps to my office, and walks in the park. Of all shoes, definitely my most complimented.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the maternity leggings that I have been living in. At this point, I don’t know what I would do without them…they have become my daily uniform along with this long sleeve top and a good pair of fuzzy socks to scrunch.
Here I am in my daily maternity uniform. It truly makes my life so easy not having to piece together wardrobe items that don’t button or generally feel uncomfortable. That is the last thing you want when you’re really starting to show and chasing a toddler around.
If I am not in my ‘daily uniform’ then this is by far the best bump dress—
I have been more selective with what I add to my wardrobe and home. Here are my February Favorites — items that I use on more or less a daily basis.
Toddler Tip
When you take your toddler out to dinner, you HAVE GOT to bring food scissors. It is such a game changer. Whether you’re cutting up spaghetti or some steak, it is so handy. It gets the food to cool down quicker and no need to use your hands or a fork and knife and waste time. Just chop chop chop and your little one is all set! Every time I’m at a restaurant and someone sees me cutting Teddy’s meal up with these scissors, they think its the best thing since sliced bread. They come with a great case so they stay clean in your diaper bag or purse. Once you try it, you will see what I mean… this is a tried and true toddler hack that I swear by.
What I am watching
The Bachelor🌹. I am all in on Maria getting the final rose although Reality Steve has some spoilers that have me concerned. Who do you think will get the final rose? My top three are Maria, Kelsey A, and Daisy.
Maria is so spicy, sexy, and bold. She has that ‘it’ factor that makes both men and women drawn to her or at least intrigued. She definitely intimidated many of the women in the house with her strong sense of self, style, and voice. I am not surprised that she shares that she was bullied in the past. A bully is first and foremost personally insecure and I can see how other girls could feel that way around her. I say girls intentionally because it’s such a middle school/high school behavior. When an insecure girl sees someone (like Maria) who is not trying to conform but rather is a true taste maker and unique, they want to tear that down. There were several girls that tried to diminish Maria’s light and make her feel small, and they failed! It bothered me to see the deliberate attempts by several of the women to fabricate narratives against Maria. Obviously we are getting an edited version of the events that took place but this is just the overall sense that I got.
I think Maria brings out a very fun and playful side of Joey and I love their chemistry. The only thing that may deter Joey from choosing Maria is that she doesn’t seem very submissive. She is definitely a more dominant gal, a total force to be reckoned with. And like Joey said, an “enigma.” You never know what to expect next from Maria but you know it’s not going to boring. On the other hand, there is Daisy— still playful but has that submissive and more demure energy that Joey may be looking for long term. Daisy and Maria alike have been through traumatic experiences and both just bring so much positivity to their environments. Daisy openly speaks about her hearing loss/cochlear implant due to undetected Lyme disease and it is clear that she is resilient and has perspective. And then there is Kelsey (grew up on a military base in Germany) who exudes a warmth and calmness to her while being spirited and grounded. In my opinion, she is very naturally beautiful. Her hair is full, her eyes are bright, and her smile is sincere. I think Joey and Kelsey have something real building between them. Either way, I have really enjoyed this season. Joey does a fantastic job as the Bachelor — he navigates the role so well, makes the women around him feel seen and heard, and clearly has fun with it. This season gets an A+.
Sharing a little schedule for you:
Monday, Feb. 26: Season 28, Episode 7 – Week 7.
Monday, March 4: Season 28, Episode 8 – Week 8 (“Hometown Dates”).
Monday, March 11: Season 28, Episode 9 – Week 9 (“The Women Tell All”).
Monday, March 18: Season 28, Episode 10 – Week 10 (Finale).
Photo of the week
I am drawn to this classical victorian oil painting because of the composition and mood. The earth tones are soothing and timeless. The muse is a decadent victorian woman who has surrendered to chilling on an inviting monochrome green couch. She has just returned from the ball. She looks like she’s done for the night, conflicted, or still has the music ringing in her ears. I would love to know what’s going through her head but either way, it looks like she’s resting her feet after dancing.
It’s available as a giclee print, stretched canvas, or wooden framed art piece here: ‘After the Ball’ by Ramon Casas
Quote of the week
‘Embrace the suck’
This is actually a pretty iconic military mantra. They came up with this colloquialism for making the best of any situation.
My husband shared this quote with me and it basically implies that when you know something is going to be really tough or painful, try to lean into it and take it in stride. Obviously this is easier said than done but I love the resilience it encourages. I have felt very fortunate throughout my pregnancy but have had severe varicose veins and I find that having this mantra precludes me from dwelling about ailments that come along. It ultimately comes with the territory. Most everything in life is about our mindset.
What ‘suck’ did you have to embrace during your pregnancy?
Parting words
Hope you enjoyed this week’s six things! Thinking I will pull the trigger on a new pair of MOU boots today and hoping for no Charley Horses tonight...
Links
February Favorites: Amazon Storefront
Boots: MOU boots
Maternity Leggings: 3-pack Amazon Maternity Leggings
Best Bump Dress: SKIMS Dress
Long Sleeve Top: Alo Yoga Long Sleeve Top
Toddler Food Scissors: Food Scissors
Art piece: ‘After the Ball’ by Ramon Casas