I haven't had the chance to put up a Casual Friday in a couple weeks due to traveling and projects, and there's so much I am excited to chat about today, including a little pregnancy update later in the post. While I don't share a ton about my pregnancies generally, I thought it would be fun to check in periodically and 24 weeks felt like a good milestone to do so.
But first!
• The prettiest growth chart I ever did see.
• "The Irish exit is not rude. It's a sign of emotional intelligence -- of candor, of self-assuredness. It means you know where you stand with everyone else, that you have some semblance of awareness." Yes, Yes, Yessss.
• World Market is killing the outdoor pillow game this year. This Kilim one , this Macrame and Wood Bead one, and this Jali Macrame one are already impeccably priced, but you can take an extra 20% off this weekend with code SUNFUN.
Also! They have a 9ft black and white striped umbrella canopy (very similar to ours) on super sale, our outdoor sofas and these strappy accent chairs...geez. Drool. Heart eyes. All 20% off with SUNFUN!
• We celebrated Faye's birthday last week. She turned 3! We keep birthdays pretty low key around here and just try to focus all of our energy and attention on the birthday girl, instead of juggling a party theme. She wanted two things: to go swimming and have a Minnie Mouse microwave. We did both. And you would not believe how many times a three year old can open and close a toy microwave!
• There are over 200 guest participants in this seasons' One Room Challenge and in my spare time, I'm making it a point to go through all of them! Not only am I getting introduced to so many cool new-to-me blogs, but the projects they are tackling are fun and inspiring. (I am obsessed with the color Ashley painted her walls!)
• Pottery Barn, PB teen and pottery barn kids are having their big friends and family sale this weekend! 20% off everything (including furniture and clearance!) plus free shipping with code FRIENDS. I might pick up some more of my favorite gray curtains (they are thick, blackout and heathered) that we used in the guest room. Our dark leather chairs in the living room are already on sale, so you can stack the 20%! And if you haven't checked out the new Emily & Merritt collection in the kids' department...I may have bought them out accessorizing the nursery. Too sweet!
You may have caught an instagram campaign we did with The Container Store last week promoting their Closet Essentials sale going on until May 14th. Our closet has always been a big thorn in my side. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense layout wise and part of me was just waiting until we renovated our bathroom and closet to really do something about it. Although it isn't the biggest before and after, I can't tell you how amazing it feels to inject some organization in there! You can watch the video here and I put together a little round-up of everything we used--all 15% off right now, no code needed. 
1. Clear shelf divider 2. Drawer Dividers 3. Motorized Tie Rack 4. Clear Stackable Drawers 5. Gunmetal Shoe Rack 6. Gray Storage Box 7. Lotus pant and skirt hangers 8. White Storage Box 9. Lotus Wood Hangers
How far along: 24 weeks
Gender: Girl
Weight gain: 17 lbs. (eek!)
Maternity clothes: I bought a few maternity pants, including
these gray jeans I'm wearing here, but I tend to stick to normal, non-maternity loose shirts (love
this navy linen striped tee I'm wearing--on sale!). I'm excited for the weather to get warmer so I can live in casual dresses!
Sleep: I finally pulled out
my pregnancy pillow from storage and I don't know why I waited so long! I'm sleeping like a baby again.
Best moment this month: Getting started on the nursery and talking baby names endlessly with Chris.
Worst moment this month: I mentioned this in our podcast, but Baltimore did me in. Normally I have endless energy when it comes to getting a project done, but 20 hours on my feet a day had me swollen to the brim and in so much pain. Once we got home and I was able to rest, the swelling went down and I felt a lot better.
Miss anything: I miss my jawline--does that count? Haha. But to be honest, I really do miss feeling active and fit and healthy. It's always been a big part of my life and pregnancy puts a big halt on that for me. Of course babies are 100% worth it, but I think it's okay to miss, too.
Movement: She's kicking and moving all over the place but Chris, nor the girls have caught it yet.
Cravings: Chips and salsa forever, and cereal in the coldest milk I can find.
Queasy or sick: For the most part, the nausea is gone, finally! However, I have to take special prenatal vitamins to combat Bell's Palsy, which I got after delivering Greta, and am now prone to in pregnancy. They make me feel so queasy! I have started taking them right before bed, but I still dread it, especially if I have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Hope you all have a fun Easter weekend! We're hosting dinner and an egg hunt at our home with family, which means putting the reno projects and just enjoying the weekend.
(questionnaire inspired by my girl, Jessica, who also has three little girls. <3)
I love these Friday faves and the pregnancy updates! Julia, I knew you were tall but I didn't realize you were 6'. So awesome! I'm 5' 11 1/2" :-)
Prior to pregnancy, what time of the day did you work out?
5am! It's the only time of day that seemed to consistently work for me.
Is the grey couch from Crate & Barrel?
Yes!
Sorry, one more question is this the Lounge?
Yes.
I'm also 24 weeks with a baby girl (my first baby), so I'm enjoying following along! My bump is slightly bigger, but I'm going to blame the fact that I'm 4" shorter than you :P Enjoy Maui!
You look great and I'm not sure where you're hiding those 17 pounds! Glad you're feeling better!
I took special prenatal vitamins with methylfolate during pregnancy, too, and the only way I could avoid nausea from them was to take them mid-meal. You are glowing! :-)
You're such a pretty preggo. Maybe a little yogurt chaser with the vitamin? That's the only thing that ever took the edge off the vitamin induced queasiness for me. Be well ;) Oh, the Irish exit. That was fabulous.
Oh and the white chair at your dining table and the pouf! Are these all outdoor items? LOVE. YOUR. BLOG!
White chair, yes. Pouf, no. :)
I've been on the hunt for a nice outdoor rug for our deck. Can you share where yours is from?
You can find where everything in our home is from right here: Shop Our House
I have scrolled up and down the Shop Our House section many times and do not see anything for the patio? I'm sorry to bug you. But I cannot figure out what I'm missing.....
Thanks for bringing that to my attention! It had been sitting in the added drafts and I didn't push it through. It should be at the very bottom of Shop Our House now.
I take my supplements during the day and right after a meal, so that it will have enough time during the day to process... perhaps will lessen the queasy feeling and the need to go to the bathroom... Loved listening to the podcast... the Baltimore kitchen transformation is jaw dropping beautiful!
I appreciate the baby update! This is my first pregnancy and I am just a few days behind you so its fun to see your progress. Also, I have to say your bump is so tiny and cute! That was me at like 20 weeks @_@ . I wish I were still that tiny!
I'm very tall (6'!) so I tend to hold babies a little closer as there is more room to spread out? Haha.
Those swim suits!!!!! I need them both.
Maui!! I wish we could join you guys, it would be amazing! (But would it defeat the purpose of a Babymoon? ????
Love your baby update and I need that stripe shirt now!
IDK your jawline still looks plenty in tact to me! Also - love the article about the Irish exit! Saying goodbye to everyone is so draining (and I hate hugging lol).
Casual Friday! Love these posts. Baby update!!! I'm so beyond happy for you guys.
24 weeks is looking great on you, Julia! Thanks for the shoutout about my ORC paint and for validating my habit of the Irish exit!
I'm so excited that you're going to Maui!!! We were there last April for a second honeymoon and it was such a treat. For home stuff, I LOVED Wings and Indigo in Paia, and Fleur De Lei in Makawao. The Whaler in Lahaina was also great for vintage finds. I bought my husband a koa wood wedding band for only $20. Mama's Fish House and Flatbread Company were amazing for lunch or dinner. I recommend Mama's for lunch because you can see more of the ocean during the day, and the menu is slightly less. Have fun!!
Hello! I am 27 weeks pregnant, and I too am probe to Bells Palsy. What Prenatal vitamins help prevent it? I am going to also ask my obgyn.
It has Methylfolate in it. Definitely talk to your doctor!
Ah, you're going to have the best time in Maui. We JUST came back from our babymoon there – and it was far better than we could've ever imagined. I highly, highly recommend the Andaz Maui at Wailea – even if only for a few nights at the end of your trip (that's what we did). It's a splurge, sure, but the experience is so worth it. Will be happy to share more recommendations if you're curious! We did quite a bit of adventuring around the island – hiking, snorkeling, road tripping, etc. – which I was surprised about (for myself), considering that although I'm 26 weeks along, my baby bump is HUUUUGE. I'm working on a series of Hawaii recap articles for the blog but doubt I'll get done with those soon, in light of the ORC project... Anyway, if you need any tips, ask away!
For the coldest milk, the best bet is to pre-freeze your glass, well in this case your cereal bowl?