I just got home from a long run, always the place I find solitude and do my best thinking.  Today I was thinking that I’m having anxiety…over my blog.  And anyone who gets anxiety about something that silly has issues.  My issue is that in trying out the honest and open approach, I gained readers, but lost sleep.

I do better with fashion tips and there will be a day that I come back to blogging to offer my personal favorite maternity fashions, tips and tricks.  Of course I hope this will be sooner rather than later.

Until then, I’m still not sure if this will be our month, but if not I just know 2010 will be our year.  I wish you a wonderful new year filled with new beginnings!

xo, S

Guest post from RACS RANTS…

If you have a child, you have watched Sesame Street, deny it… fine, silent admission is ok with me.  I am not sure if I am the only one to notice, but I really relate to Oscar the Grouch.  I mean he’s consistent, never trying to be someone else, like  trying to learn to read like Big Bird or count like Count Dracula.  He is consistently an asshole who lives in a trash can,  that is why I love the guy at 7 am.  He is this small fury figure we watched as children with the same rat face that our children identify with through the television.  He is not happy go lucky or unnerving, like that small puppet Elmo, who refers to himself constantly in the third person (and we wonder why children speak so horribly nowadays?).

Speaking of Elmo, has anyone noticed Mr. and Mrs. Noodle on Elmo lately?   I don’t know about you, but I am checking the sexual offender database to see if Mr. Noodle’s name shows up there and if he lives anywhere close to me.  With that mustache he looks as if he drives a large gray molester van and trolls county fairs and elementary schools. 

But I think I am most bothered by Mrs. Noodle who is at least 20 years younger and chipper at 7 am.  As I was sipping my coffee the other day,  I noticed she was wearing knee high boots, hair in pigtails and swinging (yes on a swing) with a smile on her face.  What are we teaching these youngsters?  I know I have not looked that good at that hour in some time (and I certainly was not sober and it was definitely PG, pre Gavin).  But I figured it out, why Mrs. Noodle was attracted to Mr. Noodle, he doesn’t speak – ever…so that explains a lot even at 7 am.

The most common question I hear is when should I start buying maternity clothes.  First, stop it, just stop talking and thinking in absolutes.  It does not matter how much weight your neighbor gained, how long your sister took to lose her baby weight, when your best friend started showing or how far along the lady sitting next to you at the doctor’s office is.  And, pay close attention; nobody will give you a medal for saying I did not have to wear maternity clothes until I was six months pregnant.  Maybe you will, maybe you won’t, but if we are being honest here, you could go an entire pregnancy in size large sweats and your husband’s t-shirts, then you could one up the last girl and say, yeah well I NEVER needed maternity clothes.  That game is silly, it creates wedgies and muffin tops and potential what not to wear moments.

You should buy maternity clothes as you need them, and if you have a store conveniently located or can find a great website with free shipping, then only buy as you need them.  You can assume that you that you will need maternity jeans before you need maternity tops.  Most Pregnant Girl’s jeans stop feeling comfy quickly, these days tops run longer so we can often wear them for the first few months.  Definitely buy maternity pants before you have camel toe and lose all sense of pride and buy maternity tops long before your non-maternity tees are belly baring shirts that as far as I’m concerned should be illegal.  On the flip side, avoid buying too early.  As I just pointed out, absolutes are gone and you really don’t know what your body will do throughout your pregnancy.  This is not the time to add pressure by feeling like you have to stay a certain size.  You just need to stay healthy, comfortable and happy.

Luckily we live in a time when maternity clothes are amazingly stylish and, while the task of buying a new wardrobe is somewhat daunting and can be expensive, there is no need to feel overwhelmed or to break the bank.  Sit down, create a realistic budget (sometimes it’s easiest to decide on how much per month or per trimester so you save some cash for later) and then make a plan.  I cannot speak in complete generalities here because I am not sure what your lifestyle entails, but if you want specific suggestions please post or email me your budget and lifestyle needs and I will make suggestions (no, they won’t all be from my boutique). 

Happy shopping!