IMG_1355.HEIC

Our Floral Themed Baby Shower

When you first got pregnant, were you already dreaming about your baby shower or was that just me? Either way, a baby shower (especially your first baby shower) is such an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience (even if you have another baby shower for future babies, there’s something special about your FIRST ever baby shower).

I had the amazing pleasure of working with several amazing companies to help pull off our floral, garden baby shower! A massive thank you to A Splendid Afternoon (decor rentals), Sunrise Sapphires (resin stands/tray), Designs by Hilly (matching baby and mama resin earrings and jewelry tray), Cake Face Cutter Co (designer fondant cookies), and Kiwi Belle Nails (my nail art). Each of these business owners were easy to work with, generous, kind, and enthusiastic. It truly wouldn’t have been the same without these incredible women. All of the signs used throughout the event are also available on Etsy and linked in each photo! 

Custom resin earrings (click the image to follow Designs by Hilly)
Elephant nails (click image to follow Kiwi Belle)

Games and Signs!

Here’s the list of signs and games that you can purchase to print yourself from Etsy (that we used) – purchase here:

1. Don’t say baby (clothespin game)
2. Clothespin gender reveal game (we did this one at our gender reveal party not at our baby shower)
3. Late-night diapers game
4. Baby bottle with marshmallows game
5. Building a library for baby
6. Baby predictions & well wishes sign (not the actual game, that’s below)
7. Baby in bloom sign

We also had each guest fill out a baby predictions form with a “My Wish For You” section (which we are going to cut, laminate, and turn into a book for baby girl) which you purchase and read more about here. We did this instead of asking for advice (because honestly, new parents get enough unwanted advice as it is haha)! 

Click on the image to purchase on Etsy
Click on the image to purchase on Etsy

Opening gifts! One of my favorite parts about attending other people’s baby showers is watching them open gifts. Baby things are just SO cute! And it helped give me ideas of what to ask for. Blog coming soon with recommendations on what to add to your registry!

Food & Treats! We had a late morning/early afternoon baby shower and provided a delicious candy/sweets bar and a large grazing table! This worked really well because people could eat throughout the party, we didn’t need to cook or heat anything, and we didn’t even need plates (clean up was so much easier without needing to clean cutlery and dishes)! We also had a drinks bar with punch, iced tea, juice/soda, and hot drinks (tea and coffee). For the grazing board, I made cute little tea sandwiches which were a huge hit (there were a mix of flavors: ham & cheese, cheese & homemade chutney, and cucumber w/ chutney and cheese). We even used PINK bread!

Our treats table wouldn’t have been possible without A Splendid Afternoon! They provided everything we needed (jars, linen, stand, signs, boxes, tongs, etc) to create the most gorgeous setup. It also wouldn’t have been possible without Cake Face Cutter Co who provided the softest, most delicious, and cutest fondant cookies I have ever seen/tasted! And last but certainly not least, the dessert table wouldn’t have been the same without the gorgeous additions of Sunrise Sapphire’s resin cake and three-tiered cookie stand! It was so fun customizing these pieces to make them perfect for our event (each stand was different but had elements – either rose petals, gold flakes, or colored resin which matched among the three pieces)! 

A Splendid Afternoon also provided this beautiful photobooth, the buntings around the venue, and the cornhole game (which was a huge hit)! I highly recommend having an outdoor and indoor space so people can spread out and your event isn’t 100% weather dependent. We had time to play organized games and time for guests to mingle and play games/do activities on their own too. One game that we loved playing was having guests guess how big my belly was (by cutting a string as long as they thought would fit around me)! Top tip though: instead of having each person come around to measure their string around you, cut a piece that you’ve already measured around you and go to each guest to compare the two.

I couldn’t be more thankful to those that took the time out of their weekend to come to celebrate our little girl. And for all of the amazing gifts we received. It truly shows who is there for you and who wants to continue to be there for you as your life changes (of course we know that there were several people who wanted to be there to celebrate but couldn’t due to COVID as well)! 

If you enjoyed reading this and would like more information on home, lifestyle, advice, tips, tricks, and more, follow me on Instagram @Its.Mary.Taylor and on Facebook at Mary Taylor! I can’t wait to see you there!

Signing off,

Mary Taylor <3

8

Fertility Foods | What Food to Eat While Trying to Conceive

Are you patiently, or anxiously, awaiting those two pink lines? Do you feel like you’ve tried everything or haven’t even touched the surface on what you should be doing? Were you hoping to just “do the deed” and get pregnant?

Did you know that the majority of couples become pregnant within six months, says Kenan Omurtag, MD, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Washington University in St. Louis?

However, even past six months, there’s nothing to be worried about. But, regardless if you’ve been trying for only a couple months or many months, it’s completely natural and normal to feel anxious, nervous, upset, disappointed, or disheartened (or any range of emotions to be honest). I know that I personally started to get a bit anxious about it on the second month (obviously not knowing that we would be so lucky to conceive the following month). We know how blessed we are and yet several of our friends conceived their first time ever trying.

Whatever your story is, you’re here to learn more about what we did to conceive. PLEASE NOTE: I am NOT a doctor, midwife, or ANY kind of medical professional. Everything I am sharing is based on prior research and experiences I have had. Please seek medical advice from your doctor if you’re unsure about any of this information and to make sure you devise a plan that is right for you.

Here’s what I incorporated into my/our diet daily based on our research:

  • 2-3 eggs per day
  • A protein bar a day (or just protein in general but it was easier for me to have a protein bar)
  • Reduce sugar intake
  • Little to no “wasteful” carbs
  • 2-3 cups of spinach a day (cooked/raw)
  • 2 Brazil nuts (very important for guys) every day
  • We had already been taking prenatals (eEevit and Menevit) – you should start these at least 3 months before trying for optimal results (it takes about that long for your body to feel/experience the positive effects from the prenatals)
  • Other vitamins (fish oil, magnesium, etc).
  • At least half an avocado a day
  • Bean soups weekly
  • 2-3 fish a week (salmon)
  • A handful of nuts daily
  • 1 banana a day
  • 2-3 cups of herbal tea per day
  • Probioticsd aily
  • Tract basal temperature (more information below)
  • Raise those legs 🤣 iyky (if you know, you know. But if not, read below!)

Basal Temperature: What is it, why’s it important, and how do I track it?

As the Mayo Clinic says, “Your basal body temperature is your temperature when you’re fully at rest. Ovulation may cause a slight increase in basal body temperature. You’ll be most fertile during the two to three days before your temperature rises. By tracking your basal body temperature each day, you may be able to predict when you’ll ovulate.” 

How to test your basal temperature/tips to testing your basal temperature:

  • Keep a mouth thermometer on your bed side table
  • Test as soon as you wake up (do NOT stand up, eat, drink, etc).
  • Record your results right away so you remember and can track it over the coming days/months 

It’s best to track your basal temperature for a few months in advance to get a better understanding of your body. This is because some women can have more than one spike in basal temperature during their cycle. You can also use your basal temperature to avoid pregnancy by intentionally not “baby dancing” when your temperature spikes (it’s a great way of “natural family planning” e.i. not using birth control).

If you’ve tried ovulation tests or have heard about them, you may know that ovulation tests tell you when you are about to ovulate (usually within 24-48 hours of getting a positive ovulation test) but, your basal temperature will tell you after you have ovulated. This a great way to check that you have ovulated and that your ovulation tests were correct. If you are trying to conceive, you want to “baby dance” the day you get your positive ovulation test and the following few days until you get a spike in your basal temperature (remember you need to test your basal temperature EVERY day). 

What do you mean “raise those legs”?

First, a disclaimer: Although this theory is said to not be accurate by many, it has worked for a lot of people I know personally and stories I have read online. If you’re really trying to pregnant, you will want to do everything possible (even something like this that has mixed reviews – of course, when it comes to taking medication/etc. you should always consult your doctor. Do not just try everything you see on the internet).

When I say “raise your legs,” I mean elevate your pelvis area to make sure the sperm is staying within you after you baby dance. Based on what I read, it was suggested for a minimum of 20-30 minutes afterward. This is similar to the advice of not going to the bathroom (urinating) directly after (this has nothing to do with the actual urine because of course this comes from a different place but just gravity/wiping can cause his swimmers to escape). Some people have even used their period cup or disk (inserted it) afterward to make sure there was no leakage. Some even slept with it in overnight. Just be wary that you could get an infection afterward if you keep it in too long (every body is different). I even recently read a story of a woman who had been trying to conceive for over a year and didn’t get pregnant until she used the cup suggestion. So, ya never know! 

Remember, you can try ALL of this and more and still not be successfully conceiving. Then, one month, it happens and you think, “But, I didn’t do anything differently!” We have friends who conceived right away without needing to do any of this, friends who did all of this right away and conceived straight away, friends who gradually introduced these steps, friends who are still trying to conceive, etc. Everyone is different and our experiences are all unique. However you are feeling throughout this journey is validated. You’re allowed to be scared, mad, frustrated, excited, happy, unsure, etc. Whatever you’re going through, you’re not alone.

And again, I am not a doctor or medical professional in any way, shape or form so please take everything I have said today for what you want. Do more research. Talk to friends. Talk to a midwife. Consult a doctor.

 

I wish you ALL the luck in the world in your journey to conception and pregnancy! If you’d like to connect more on social media, I would love to see you there. You can follow me and contact me directly on Instagram @its.mary.taylor

 

Signing off,

Mary <3 

IMG_9385

My Pregnancy Journey (Up to 12 Weeks)

Let me know if this sounds familiar. You’ve been trying, hoping, and praying to become pregnant. You’ve done ovulation testing every month and basal temperature daily. Waiting to see those two pink lines.

And then, it happens. ➕

You’re pregnant and it’s time to get excited! But wait…

You’re told ‘The first 6 weeks are really fragile. Don’t tell anyone. Don’t get too excited.’ ‘Now that you’ve reached 6 weeks, 10 weeks is really fragile too.’ ‘The safe zone is really 12 weeks. Only tell a few close friends and family members.’ It’s almost like you’re supposed to hide. 🙅🏻‍♀️

Hi, I’m Mary (@its.mary.taylor) and I’m 8 weeks pregnant 🤗🤰🏻

I want to normalize spreading joy and excitement throughout pregnancy – especially in the first trimester. You’re not alone if you’re feeling unsupported because there are little to no resources early on. Because your first midwife appointment isn’t for 8+ weeks and you’re unsure what’s going on with your body. ‘Is this normal? Am I okay?’ Because you ‘aren’t supposed to tell anyone.’ Well mama, I say shout it from the rooftops. Throw positivity towards it. 😍

And of course, know that something could happen but regardless, you’re pregnant right now. You should not only be allowed to be but also encouraged to be excited!

I want to bring you on my journey of my first pregnancy. To tell you like is. Support you. Encourage you. And bring you JOY (and maybe sometimes tears, questions, and pain)!

Before we take it back to the beginning (fertility), let’s recap on the last month. I’m now 12 weeks ~ yay!! which means I have one more week until my second trimester. When they say pregnancy goes quickly, it really does (the minutes and days can feel long but the weeks feel short). Did you find pregnancy to go by quickly or slowly?

I told you it wouldn’t be alllll ups and excitement. This month has been rough and tough. Lots of nausea. Constant 24/7 to be exact. If you’re feeling like this for weeks on end and especially if you’re unable to keep food down, please see your doctor! I was prescribed a pregnancy safe medication to help with the nausea and vomiting and now I’m only slightly nauseous most of the day and severely nauseous rarely. And I keep food down – nearly all the time 🤣

Now that you know the most recent updates, I would love to touch on fertility. Again, as I stated last month, I am not a doctor or a specialist by any means. This is just based on the research I have done and my personal experience.

We are told that on average it takes a healthy couple six months of trying to get pregnant. And although even if we think we truly accept this, when you’re in that time of trying, it feels like forever. You may even see your friends, colleagues, acquaintances, or even random‘s online getting pregnant (planning or not) and feel a little (or a lot of bit) jealous. The first month is fun – it’s the hope and the want but not the need. It’s only been a month. Month two comes around and you’re thinking OK maybe we should be a bit more precise and start to do more research. By month three it no longer just feels like a want but a need. I need to get pregnant. I’m starting to worry. Again, even if we know it’s normal. This is when we started to really dive into research and change what we were doing. A lot of it had to do with diet! Check out this blog for more information on the fertility foods/supplements we started taking (before trying to conceive and during conception). 

The month that we made changes to our diet, we successfully conceived! Now, again, I’m not a doctor and I’m not 100% sure what made it “happen” for us but if you’re at the point of doing everything you can to make it happen, this is what I suggest. Feel free to DM me or comment below with any questions including ovulation testing and basal temperature readings etc 🤍

I am SO excited to take you on this journey with me! To see more frequent updates or chat to me, follow me on Instagram!

Signing off,

Mary Taylor <3

IMG_7575

How I Told My Husband I Was Pregnant

Hi there! Thanks for coming to my blog. I am SO excited to share the story about how I told my husband we were expecting. I haven’t shared this story with many people yet, besides a few close friends/family members maybe. It was a few months in the making because we had been trying to conceive for a little while before getting pregnant.

I had decided I wanted to announce that I was pregnant with something that my husband would resonate with. Hence why I did a beer pregnancy announcement!

The next step was to design and order custom pregnancy announcement t-shirts! Then, I had to plan how I would give my husband, Robbie, the t-shirts and show him mine! 

I decided to also create a custom beer bottle label (pictured below the video) which would be used for the real announcement. Then, I would give him the t-shirts.

Some background to the video: Robbie always fulfills all of my wants and needs.

Before lunch, while he was still in the other room, I placed the custom labelled beer bottle in the fridge and waited for the right timing to capture him opening our drinks drawer and seeing the bottle. However, things weren’t going quite to plan. I made lunch and we sat down directly across from the fridge at our “breakfast” bar/counter. Part way through lunch I sighed, “I am really thirsty!” thinking that Robbie would of course offer to get me something to drink. But he didn’t! I even said, “After all your hard work organizing this morning, you deserve a beer,” but he responded that he didn’t want one. A little later, I mentioned it again while he was in the kitchen. But, again, he took no notice to my “dire thirst!” 

We were supposed to be getting ready to leave but I refused to get up from my seat (as it was the PERFECT place to capture the moment and I didn’t want to miss him seeing the baby announcement beer bottle). So I asked if he could get my shoes for me and I put them on while still sitting at the counter. When he came back in the room, I asked if he could get me a kombucha while I put on my shoes. That’s when this happened….

“First came love. Then came marriage. Then came a baby in a baby carriage.”

SURPRISE! You’re going to be a dad Robbie! 

Robbie, you’re not the only one brewing anymore. Drink up because you’re drinking for two now.”

Thank you so much to everyone who has shared in our pregnancy announcement excitement! We are so grateful for the love and support. I cannot wait to continue to share my pregnancy journey on the blog and on my Instagram. You can follow me here to stay up-to-date!

Signing off,

Mary Taylor <3 

IMG_9338

The Big Surprise

After your first date with someone that you really hit it off with, the first question is, “When’s the second date?” Later comes, “When will he propose?” And then, “When’s the wedding,” and “When will you have kids?”

We’re all looking forward to the next part of life. For us, the answer was simple but the steps were more difficult. Although we love children and couldn’t wait to grow our family, we had a checklist of things we wanted to accomplish before having kids.

In July of last year, our finally checklist item was marked off: For my husband, Robbie, to work from home!

And so, the adventure began…

Not a trick, just a treat 🍭
Our family is growing by two little feet! 👣

Based on a true story!

A Burke Production Presents 2 Little Feet, starring Robbie, Mary, & Kona Burke. Introducing ‘Yet To Be Decided.’ Produced by nature & written by our hearts. Directed by “morning” sickness. Featuring lots of ginger & naps.

In select theaters June 2022. 

If you know me personally or even just follow me on Instagram, you may know that I like to do things big. Announcements. Parties. And just life in general. So, creating this pregnancy announcement was just my style! We even did a separate photo for our dog’s Instagram account to really highlight her “Big Sister” promotion (bandana). 

If you’re pregnant too and wondering how you can surprise your family with an announcement, we had tons of compliments on our movie theater poster pregnancy announcement. People had fun looking through all the little details and kept finding new and things to look at (the little kiwi onesie, bottle of ginger essential oil, jar of pickles, stretch mark cream, and ginger sweets were some of my favorite things! 

If you want to do your own movie poster announcement but don’t have photoshop or Canva pro, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to help!  

I know I have skipped around a bit and missed some very important details, but don’t worry, they’re coming soon! For now, let’s celebrate what is! 

With love. Signing off,

Mary Taylor <3