BABY A'S BABY SHOWER

We were blessed with a beautiful baby shower for baby A. Our family took the reins in organizing and designing a wonderful baby animal themed, COVID safe, baby shower. I can’t speak on the deets of prepping it, but I can boast about the outcome- it was one of the best baby showers and not just saying that because it was ours. Here are 3 things that made it fantastic- and of course great photos to share.

1. The People- our gust list was kept to a minimum and also the RSVP list was slim, understandably we are experiencing a pandemic and social gatherings are not encouraged. We appreciated everyone who did show from friends to family. Masks were required, hand sanitizer was abundant and tables were comfortably spaced out. I even loved the “sweethearts table” that was created for Joe and I to sit at and feel like a King and Queen. I was grateful for my best friend who traveled from San Diego and of course my parents to be apart of the day. Especially thankful for Joe’s fam who worked so hard on every detail and the amazing venue- Francesca’s Place.

2. The Games- these baby shower games were outside the norm and entertained everyone. We had guess how many animal cookies are in the jar, Bingo, charades, and my favorite guess the items that spell out “Baby Shower.” The stage had bags with a letter on the front spelling out B-A-B-Y-S-H-O-W-E-R. Who ever guessed the most correct products, won! The activities entertained young, old, male and female and some of the answers had us all laughing.

3. The timing- with our due date at the end of January, thinking of planning a shower was far fetched. Holidays, new year, pandemic- we didn’t know if anyone would show or when would be the right time. The beginning of January ended up being perfect. We received some amazing gifts from our registry and this gave us a weekend to finish up the baby’s room and analyze any last minute things we would need before baby A’s arrival. Little did we know, 4 days later he would be joining us. What perfect timing.

Yes, baby A is here and we can’t wait to share more details on his Birthday, Traditional Hopi Naming Ceremony and many more memories of our little one- oh and his name too!

XoXo Britt

HOLIDAY BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas; Santa brought you what you wanted and you ate all the delicious things. I’ve been holding my Christmas present for the last 9 months now so I definitely indulged this holiday on all things delicious. I wanted to share my 3 favorite eats from the season. Just because it’s not December 25th doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them all year long too.

Caprese Wreath: I saw this recipe on the Food Network’s The Kitchen and my Italian heart melted. Deliciousness mixes with art- I knew i had to make for our Christmas Eve dinner. The ingredients were easy to source and didn’t require a trip to a fancy Italian market. The baking time was quick. But most importantly, the finish was scrumptious. You can find the recipe here. I recommend getting a baguette the day of, use Costco’s Pesto sauce and top each piece with fresh basil. Don’t fill up on these apps too much - it was hard to make sure I left room for actual dinner. In fact, I’m craving this dish right now.

Stephanie’s Sugar Cookies: Jose and I have been watching Christmas Cookie Challenge and Holiday Baking Championship like our lives depended on it. We were so inspired by the techniques and flair that we decided to have our own bake-off. One Saturday morning we woke up and watched a quick Youtube video on icing and felt most inspired by this recipe by Stephanie from the This Is Bingham Blog. Not only were her cookies perfect, but her tips on royal icing was mind blowing. After a quick trip to Hobby Lobby for Merengue Powder and food colors we spent the afternoon at Jose’s parent’s house putting our skills to work. We look forward to practicing it again and again for all the holidays: Valentine’s Day, Easter, summertime, fall events and more.

Cranberry Orange Muffins: I got a Costco size bag of cranberries for a mocktail recipe and found myself wondering what to do with the remaining 6 cups of cranberries. I didn’t use them all yet, but I did whip up a double batch of Cranberry Orange Muffins. The key to these muffins is the first 5 min you bake on a higher heat, the, the remaining 13 min you turn the temp down. Also, not mentioned the the recipe, is sprinkling them with powdered sugar on top- this help sweeten up the tartness from the cranberries and looks like it came out of a magazine. You can get the recipe for the muffins here.

If you had any recipes you tried this year and loved, please share them. I love getting in the the kitchen and trying out new things. I am so happy my third trimester was not like my first- I am craving all the delicious foods, inspired to cook everyday and I know my baby and husband are enjoying it too. I should start paying it forward and sharing my dishes more so when the baby comes I get homemade dishes right back to us for the nights we can’t find the time to even warm up a hotpocket.

XoXo

Britt

THANKSGIVING IN SAN DIEGO

Okay, before you go judging my Thanksgiving travel plans, know that I tested negative before and after, practiced social distancing, wore a mask in public and packed tons of hand sanitizer. Now we can get to sharing the love- which is much needed in this pandemic. I had not been home since January of 2020, my baby bump and puppy needed vitamin SEA, and I had to check on my 90 year old grandpa’s sharpness. All of it, plus seeing my new baby second cousin was well worth it. We ate good, looked good and relaxed good- it was a much needed recharge before heading into December.

First, lets talk food. Thanksgiving was delicious. I can almost guarantee my turkey was better than yours. My parents used this recipe which included brining and smoking. The sides were simple and perfect and the deserts were decadent. I brought green olive cheese balls and dark chocolate peppermint cremes. Very few leftovers of turkey which meant not as many after Thanksgiving turkey sammies, but I was the fullest I had ever been- a baby + stuffing = stuffed.

We brought our adorable puppy with us- Winter and took her to 3 different beaches. She loves the beach. She chases the birds, loves the sand in her paws and wades in the water. It was our first time going to OB Dog Beach and the combo of the bay and ocean was breath taking. There were plenty of other dogs for her to interact with and the mini tide pools were so fun for her to jump around. Next, Coronado Dog Beach brought a large stretch of ocean and plenty of birds to chase. Finally, our backyard, Imperial Beach, made us keep her on a leash, but with it being so close we had to take her there.

Finally, there was plenty of relaxing. We got our matching Christmas PJ’s early and stayed lounging all day in them. We watched a few movies- Free Birds (didn’t finish because stream was having issues), Doolittle (the new one with RDJ was so good) and Get Santa (British Christmas movie wouldn’t recommend). We also binged holiday baking shows and put us in the mood for baking sweets back home. In San Diego it feels like time slows down- no clock watching and no where to be, but with the ones you love.

Before we hit the road we wanted to take our holiday card photos on the beach. Each year we send out holiday cards sharing our highlights from the year- from adding a puppy, tying the knot to now expecting a little one. We saved a few fave photos on social media and had my dad play photog. We showed him angle, subject, frame and said we will stand here you point and click. They turned out amazing and I cant wait to get them in the mail and on the fridges our our loved ones to see.

Now that we are back home, more restrictions are in place, and I approach the 9th month of pregnancy, Christmas will be spent in Phoenix. We have started decorating for Santa and discussing the traditions we hope to start with our little one in the future. I hope you all had a safe and happy Thanksgiving and plan for your Christmas to be the same. Happy Holidays and I will chat with you all soon.

XoXo

Britt

NUSERY REVEAL

The highly anticipated nursery reveal is here! Baby Acevedo surrounded by baby animals and a hint of what his name is is somewhere in the room. A little old and little new and lots of love makes up this beautiful room. Fresh white painted walls and a fun zebra print accent wall feels fresh and bright as soon as you walk in. Its a room you want to spend all day in and hopefully he will love it too.

I fell in love with a crib from Buy Buy Baby and watched it sit in a box for over a month. We had to first change out the fan. We wanted to turn the light on separate from the fan and found a perfectly chic one on Amazon. We waited for my helpful parents to come out to install the fan and put together the crib, but didn’t know they would also be bringing in my new favorite furniture piece. While in the Navy, my dad picked up a stunning rattan rocking chair that was used in my nursery as a baby and many moons later I will be rocking my baby in it. We had a few Ikea pieces for storage and thanks to the wonderful community of offer up, we got a changing table for next to nothing.

Next came accessories. I found this amazing site with the cutest baby animal wall decor and a rug for a great price. It is called TYC Home; check it out here. It does ship from China - so be prepared to wait weeks to months for your order. Speaking of waiting weeks for orders, a few things came from Wish like our prints. I joined this amazing facebook community, started by Lauren Garcia, called What Baby Likes. It is not just for locals but nationwide mamas. Ask to join here if you are a mom in need of assistance from advice to accessories. A few deals from Goodwill completed the decor, like this amazing palm tree I scored for 5 bucks and a vintage trunk were utilizing as a toy chest.

Now it is time to fill it with all the baby necessities: diapers, wipes, health and beauty and of course sheets for the crib. We finalized our baby registry with only the essentials and looking forward to see what else our baby lion gets blessed with. You can view it here. He is loved so much and isn’t even out in the world; I cant wait to show him his space and spend sleepless nights in there reading to him, rocking him, and staring at his handsome face.

Any moms have any advice on what we are missing, please be sure to let us know. Everyday is a learning experience and as much as we are reading the baby books and observing from others we definitely appreciate all the outside suggestions on what is essential. With 8 weeks to go we are in the final count down!

XoXo Britt

PREGNANCY AND COVID

One of my worst pregnancy fears happened. The middle of a pandemic, second wave beginning and what happens? I tested positive for COVID. I was taking extra precautions all the time- wearing a mask at family and friend’s gatherings, social distancing, wiping down light switches and door handles. But, working in a nursing home, I guess, it was only a matter of time.

First, the symptoms didn’t present themselves. The weather started cooling down, so I attributed my dry throat to it. My achy body, I thought, was because I was growing a human inside. But, once I couldn’t sleep from my sinuses burning, I went to work that Monday morning and asked for a rapid test. I waited 15 minutes for my results and when I heard the word, “positive,” I thought it was a joke. Then I started crying- scared of the unknown.

I called my husband to alert his work and to get a test ASAP, then my parents on my way home to quarantine. The first 3 days were the worst. My nose wouldn’t stop running, my body had zero energy and by head was aching. By day 3 I lost my sense of taste. Sleep was nonexistent, it was hard to breathe and there was a heaviness felt in my chest. I called my doctor and they recommended vitamin C. Being pregnant there isn’t much I could take or do- just rest, relax and take care of my mental health as much as my physical.

For the next 10 days I tried to make sure we were nourishing our bodies with smoothies, grilled chicken, salads and plenty of water and juices for fluids. Staying home was hard and we masked up to take our dog for a walk. The in laws dropped off a dinner on our porch one night and waiving to them through a window was very surreal.

Halloween was different for everyone this year so turning our porch light off and not inviting trick or treaters wasn’t too hard as most of the neighborhood did the same.

My work guidelines allowed me to return back on the 11th day from my positive test as long as I had no signs and symptoms and no fever. I was so happy to return and be social again. The 12th day we spent cleaning and disinfecting our entire house. We washed all the linens, bleached and cleaned out the fridge, wiped the walls and baseboards and all the high touch areas. Our house felt brand new again. I even wiped down my car.

Our facility is administering weekly testing so 17 days after my original test date I was set to get swiped again. Fifteen minutes later I came back negative! I am so proud I not only made it through COVID-19, but built up antibodies all while growing a tiny superhuman inside of me. Once he is born I would love to test to see if the antibodies were passed along to him.

I know we are all figuring this virus out together and new developments come up every day, but I would like to remain optimistic. Although not everyone has the same experience or outcome as I, it was a learning experience and I am glad to come out on top. Opinions are a dime a dozen for not only the virus, but the vaccine too. This is just my opinion; I’m not a doctor so please see yours if you have questions or are experiencing signs or symptoms.

Thanks for following along my journey. Mask up, wash your hands and be safe out there.

XoXo Britt

BABY MOON + 1ST YEAR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY TRIP

Jose and I were set to celebrate our first year wedding anniversary, but I am also 26 weeks pregnant. So we decided to take a baby moon and a wedding anniversary trip at the same time. For those that don’t know- a baby moon is a trip where new parents take a vacay together to enjoy their time together before the baby comes. We did however take our fur baby, Winter and we were so glad we did. 

During the pandemic we didn't want to travel too far, or require a location that we would have to get on a plane, so I pitched the Central Coast of California. It is where I went to college and where time “SLO”s down. San Luis Obispo and the surrounding area is filled with breathtaking beaches, vineyards, green landscape and of course amazing beef. 

We started off in Pismo Beach, then up to San Luis Obispo and finally ended up in Morro Bay. I’ll be sharing where we stayed, what we did and most importantly what we ate. You have to visit this gorgeous area and be sure to check out some of the recommendations we have. Can’t wait to go back in another 10 years, but with our growing family. 

PISMO BEACH

Where to Stay

We picked the Ocean Palms Motel. It is pet friendly and walking distance to the beach, shops and restaurants. They have beautiful, spacious rooms, a comfortable bed and upon arrival the room was sanitized. They have a pool, but we spent most of the time at the beach. Its a 2-3 block walk to anything.

What to do? 

The beach is right there! Tourists were lining up early for parking spots on the same street of our hotel, but we were lucky enough to just be able to walk . A lot has changed in the last 10 years I was there. The pier is filled with outdoor entertainments from jungle gyms, a slide, cornhole, and plenty of outdoor tables for seating. Restaurants and bars popped up and beautiful street art fills the alleyways. There are plenty of photo ops and a huge stretch of beach to be able to enjoy, but still keep socially distanced. 

Where to eat? 

Splash Cafe- where else would you dine when in Pismo? I don’t eat seafood, but I do eat clam chowda. Crowds line up day and night for this award winning dish and it didn't disappoint. Joe got the fish and chips and loved every crunch. Plenty of places feature oysters on the half shell - which are caught locally in the area. For breakfast though, you have to check out Surfside Donuts. The menu changes daily with specialty donuts like animal cookies, maple bacon and cookies cream. Don't forget the fritters- so delicious. There will be a line and they do sell out so line up early. 

SAN LUIS OBISPO

Where to Stay

This college town sIts inland from the touristy beaches and is a short drive from Pismo to the South or Morro to the North. We chose to stay at the beach and travel to SLO- Most of the hotels in the area accommodate prospective students or parents of attending students. If you want a special stay, the Madonna Inn is a short drive from SLO and has amazing decor and themed rooms. They are not pet friendly so we opted for an AirBnb a little north of SLO and instead just spent the day exploring the downtown area and campus.

What to do? 

Starting off in downtown, you can park anywhere and explore the streets. Shopping is plenty- from mom and pop shops ( sadly, a lot are now closed down from the pandemic) to your well-known brand stores you can find everything you need within 3 blocks. The food is great and restaurants, for the most part, have accommodated to outdoor seating. Tucked behind the streets you can find the San Luis Obispo Creek which is very peaceful and gives you a break from the “city life.” Don’t forget about Bubblegum Alley. Tucked away in the heart of downtown, decades of gum is stuck to the walls of a narrow alleyway. It is nostalgic for those that have attended school in the area and a sight to see for tourists. 

Next, we explored the college campus. Cal Poly got some major upgrades since I attended. Beautiful buildings, fancy student living and dining centers and new roadblocks to accommodate pedestrians. We explored Orfalea College of Business, where I spent many days and nights and then north of the campus took a hike to the Architectural Graveyard. This hidden gem is a nice long hike through Poly Canyon. You reach a large field filled with horses and amazing lifesize structures built by students them selves. We got some incredible drone shots and hiked back. The downtown streets, campus and the Poly Canyon hike was all dog friendly and wore us, and Winter out. 

Where to eat? 

For breakfast I highly recommend Louisa’s Place. We didn't go this time, but from what I remember and smelled as I passed by it is an incredible home cooked breakfast and brunch. The line was around the block for tables, but well worth the wait. We build up an appetite for Firestone Grill- the best tri-tip sandwiches in the area. The burgers and chicken tenders are good too, but when in Rome… We also opted in for some onion rings and they were delicious. Half for now and half for the later- the meat is so tender and juicy and the BBQ sauce is the perfect combo of sweet and tangy. I would also recommend Woodstock Pizza if you have a craving for pizza or are accommodating a large party. Also, if you didn't get to go to Pismo for chowda, there is another Splash Cafe location in SLO where you can get your fix. 

MORRO BAY

Where to Stay 

AirBnbs are the way to go. You get the privacy and amenities of your own place, plenty of parking and you can accommodate small to large travelers. Check in and communication was easy with the app to our host and the place was beautiful, spacious, well decorated and had a comfortable bed and couch. We did have to drive to get to the beach, but it was under 3 miles. 

What to do?

To the south is the marina featuring the famous Morro Bay Rock. To the north you can find miles of sandy beaches including where Winter had her most fun, a dog beach. This off-leash beach allowed her to chase waves and birds, run in the sand, and interact with other four legged friends like her. The fog was heavy and dense most of the trip and when I was hoping it was would burn off by morning, it actually stayed and cooled down the whole trip. One morning we took a drive to Montano De Oro- a state park featuring sand dunes, beaches and plenty of hiking and biking trails. We saw tons of wildlife - turkeys, deer, horse and cattle. Aside from more amazing drone shots, we took some spectacular maternity photos that we can treasure forever. 

Where to eat?

For breakfast/brunch we found this amazing place- Carla’s Country Kitchen. Call ahead to get your name on the list to cut back on the wait time. They have plenty of outdoor seating to accommodate parties of all sizes and are dog friendly. Their food was to die for. Delicious scrambles, hash and home fries was what we indulged in, but their pancakes, waffles and muffins looked just as good too. We are definitely returning back here on our next trip. For dinner we wanted to try a local pizza favorite- Pizza Port. We ordered to go and enjoyed a fire in our AirBnb, but the restaurant was beachy and stylish and accommodated outdoor seating too. The cheese was fresh mozzarella and you could taste it came from some happy cows. 

BONUS- STOP IN SOLVANG

The drive home allowed us to pass through one of my other favorite little towns- Solvang. Known for its Danish-style architecture, this amazing town features some great food and sightseeing. We stopped for breakfast at Mortensen’s Danish Bakery and had a cream cheese and chocolate almond danish. So buttery, light and flavorful- it was the best danish I have ever had. The entire city is also pet friendly with plenty of water bowls and treats given out by many business owners. After driving a few blocks to take in the architecture, it was back on the 101 to head home. 

I know this was a lengthy breakdown, and I still probably missed out on a few details, but we at least have these amazing photos and memories to look back on and share with our baby boy to come. He was there with us from the 8 hour car drive to the 8 hours of carb eating. I know he is going to love the beach, like his mom and his furry big sister. I can’t wait for family vacations just like I was blessed to take with my family growing up and the photos and stories that will come from them.

Once the Vlog is done, I will post it here.

Thanks for following along.

XoXo

Britt

MISSION CLOSET REORGANIZATION

They say one of the keys to a successful marriage is not sharing a closet- well we went 1 year following that rule, but now with the nursery taking over, my closet room, I am learning to share. Wish us luck as we come up on our first year wedding anniversary.

Jose was blessed with a walk in closet since we moved into the house and took to sharing very nicely. Our key elements going into the reorganization are we wanted to stay organized, size down and make sure it was esthetically pleasing. After a few weekends of work and binging the entire season of Get Organized with the Home Edit on Netflix we now have a success husband and wife closet. Here are a few tricks we followed to smooth out the process. Whether you are sharing or not here is how to live your best closet life.

1.       Eliminate- Whether you follow Marie Kondo’s “does it spark Joy?” rule or not, we went through our entire closet and asked ourselves: When is the last time you wore it? Does it fit? Is it practical? As a new mom I need to make sure I am updating my wardrobe getting rid of the trendy sweaters and graphic T’s and making full use of a wardrobe I can wear. After compiling several boxes and trash bags of donations we were able to eliminate quite a bit.

2.       Categorize- Once we had what we were keeping, we started organizing by style- shirts with shirts, pants with pants, jackets with jackets, etc. Even accessories matter too- hats, belts, shoes. It not only makes it easier to find things but also organizes for seasonal wear and an added plus, it is esthetically pleasing.

3.       Make it look good- If your closet looks good, it is a place you will enjoy being in; picking out something to wear or folding laundry wont feel like a chore when it is a place that bring you happiness. You don’t have to break the bank by hiring a third party closet organization company- instead #DIY. Two biggest tips are matching hangers and bins. The velvet hangers fit more and look great, we picked ours up from Costco, but Amazon has a great deal too, check it out here. Storage bins allow you to not have the perfect fold or throw things you don’t normally fold in like socks or ties. We picked up these from Walmart- V budget friendly.

Hope this brings some inspiration to your closet. I would love to see some before and afters in your house. As we prepare the baby room, these tips will definitely carryover and we hope to continue to keep the peace in our shared closet.

XoXo

Britt

ITS A BOY!

I recieve the best birthday present last week- knowing that we are having a baby boy come January 2021. Once people find out you’re pregnant, they immediately ask girl or boy and what I am hoping it is. Honestly, I would respond, and still wish for just a healthy baby. With my first, and now second trimester being so rough- dealing with so much nausea uncomfortableness and I can pray for is my baby is healthy and growing strong. After several ultra sounds we were being reassured that, but last Wednesday, for my (31st) Birthday we had another anatomy scan and were given the news about the gender, it’s a boy!

We scheduled an anatomy ultra sound for the first thing in the morning. After about 45 minutes of measuring heart, brain, lungs, kidneys, and more, we got down to the legs. And the tech goes “this is the right leg, this is the left leg, and this is a boy.” Jose was ecstatic! We quickly had another appointment with the midwife right after and we were happy to share the news with her too. Also the 20 photos the tech printed for us, she was amazing.

After the appointments we rushed home, safely, to finish icing the gender reveal cupcakes for my office meeting. The night before i baked 48 funfetti cupcakes. Once cooled, I scooped out a small section from the center, food colored vanilla icing in pink and blue and filled 24 each. I covered the tops with swirled white vanilla icing and packed the blue ones in Tupperware to share with my work team.

Calling the parents was probably one of my favorite things about the experience. We called the Acevedo’s separately as they were at work. Then we faced timed my parents who were costing my uncles at the time. My mom said “I knew it.” And assured my dad we have another little cubs fan joining the team soon.

An episode of our VLOG was dedicated to this announcement and you can check it out here. make sure to subscribe to catch all of them.

Every day after I have felt little flutters/ bubbles where our little boy is at knowing that he is just as excited as we are to meet us. Few more months of cooking to go and now it’s time to focus on the nursery. Excited to share more as we begin this next project.

XoXo

Britt

PREGNANCY SNACKS

Snack time! It seems to be the only thing helping me in between the nausea. Having a little something every 3 hours instead of big meals you would think would be easy to remember, but working 10 hour days, I sometimes forget or can’t pack enough to eat. These are some the yummies I have been loving, and I think they would be great for your back to school kiddos too, whether in the house or on the campus it is worth the share!

Perfect Bar Bites! Peanut butter is the only flavor I love. Even though I do not like peanut better, these bites are heavenly. In stead of a full bar- which I could only eat half of, you get a container full of bites. Have a few, close the lid, and save for later. They last well beyond the best by date (whoops) and can stay out of the fridge, but can go right back in.

Apple Sauce Squeeze Pouches! These are not just for toddlers, but as an adult don’t you love apple sauce too? Stick it in the fridge or freezer and by the time you are ready for it, it is still cold. Its a little sweet and a little sour and one sometimes isn’t enough, but it is the perfect snack to satisfy all your cravings. We picked up the Costco size pack and even though it is just the two/three of us, we will be going through it!

Fruit Leather! There is such thing as a healthy fruit roll up. Fruit leather is packed with five plus fruits and all 100% fruit ingredients into one delicious strip. You get help getting your daily does and a little sweet treat at the same time. The apple cinnamon ones taste like an apple pie and the tropical ones taste like a vacation.

Cheese its! We can’t keep these long enough in our house. Whenever I start to feel sick I reach for something bubbly- Ginger ale and Cheese its! I am all saltined out and I love cheese so this satisfies both my cracker and cheese craving. Pair it with some green olives and pumpkin seeds and I have my own charcuterie board in 2 seconds.

Pumpkin Seeds! It doesn’t have to be Halloween to enjoy these salty yummies. No shell and a pinch of salt; you can get hem by the sack full at Costco, or fill your own bag at a health-food store. Not to mention they are packed with vitamins you cant get in other salty snacks.

Finishing this post means it is time for a snack, you too! You deserve it. Also with these cravings what do you think it means? Boy or girl? We will soon find out.

XoXo

Britt

EXPECTING AMY (AND BRITT)

Amy Schumer and her husband share a raw mini-series on HBO on the ups and downs of her pregnancy journey and their adventure to parenthood. I was not a fan of hers in the past- you either love that she always talks bout her vagina or you don’t. But, now that I am relating and finding more of an interest in everything about pregnancy this was a must watch.

Broken up into three parts, part one called “Conception” is all about her first 15 weeks of pregnancy and this episode in not for the weak stomaches. As someone suffering from all day sickness I had to leave the room a few times and visit the toilet bowl myself during this episode. Although it was rough to watch, I loved the way she outlines the unglamorous phase of pregnancy. All my life I have seen from movies and the highlights of social media ladies puke once, find out they’re pregnant then live their best, glowing nine months. But Amy shares the opposite- and I can relate. Feeling sick all the time, no energy, losing weight, throwing up multiple times a day, that is my first trimester and the start of my second.

Part two is called, “Gestation” and this part focused more on her and her husband, Chris’ personal life as he is diagnosed late in life with Aspergers. Not only are they experiencing her first pregnancy, but she is also touring and prepping to film her Netflix special. The entire series is directed by Alexander Hammer- who also brought us Beyonce’s Homecoming documentary. And between the hand-cam cinematography and the professionalism once we were halfway into episode two, we were committed to finishing the third. Amy is unfortunately diagnosed with hyperemesis: excessive vomiting through out your entire pregnancy. She finds little relief in suppositories and I can relate.

The final episode, “Birth” everything comes to a close. The special gets filmed, the diagnosis are more manageable and little baby, Gene, makes his way into this world. Although, the complicated C section scene left me- and Amy scarred, it was beautiful to see all the pain and suffering was worth a beautiful health baby boy. That is all I keep telling myself- when everyone else says- it will go away, you will feel great soon, I am tired of hearing it and just look forward to the day I can hold my little one and say, it was all worth it.