That time I Caught the Flu, then Lost My (Snooki Style) Pregnant Mind

Wow. Last week was a whopper. The husband was away on a business trip in Virginia, and it was the busiest work week of the year (my family is in the Irish Pub/Restaurant business). On Thursday night I started feeling a little sick and very achy. At first I thought I must have accidentally eaten something I was allergic to, as these are the same exact symptoms I have when I make an food allergy mistake. If only I had been so lucky. By Friday morning I had the full blown stomach flu (not the respiratory influenza you can be vaccinated for). Having the stomach flu sucks, but having it while pregnant is adds an element of fear to all the other awful feelings. Luckily my aunt is a midwife at the birth center I go to, so she made sure to cheek on me throughout the whole ordeal (I also was staying at my parent's house which was nice...nothing makes going through the flu better than having your mom around to take care of you). The main goal was to make sure that I was getting enough fluids, and I don't think there was a second I was awake when I didn't have a straw of water or gatorade connected to me. I really, really, really didn't want to go to the hospital if at all possible. The thought of waiting in triage while constantly throwing up + the whole fact that I was infectious was enough to make me the most determined person ever to stay hydrated. The worst part lasted about 50 hours, and even after that it probably took another 3 days to start feeling like I could function like a normal human being. Phew, I really hope it stays far, far away from you all because it was no fun!

Later in the week my mom decided that I would heal better at the shore (really, she needed to get away after 14 straight days of insane work), so off to the shore house we went. I must say, that if you have to recover from the remnants of the stomach flu, the shore is a pretty good place to do it. But after a few days of laying around, I started to get stir crazy. So we went to my mom's other favorite place...Marshalls (the one in Cape May if you are wondering). I was hoping to find some loose tops and dresses since summer seems to have come a bit early this year. My mom piled a bunch of stuff into the dressing room that she either thought I would like, or would fit over the bump. That's how I stumbled upon this gem. At first I thought it was just a teal dress, but oh no, in true Jersey Shore style, it has a huge leopard belt. (1) I can't believe I even tried this on and took a picture of it and (2) I can't believe I'm actually going to post this. You can thank my pregnant flu-recovering brain.

 Now I just have to work on teaching the baby to fist pump. 

I hope that picture made your Friday afternoon. Here are some other pictures in some of my more regular clothes: 

 25 Weeks

Almost 28 weeks 

I'm officially a few days away from the last and final trimester. Whoohooo! I figured I would share a few of the things I am loving lately: 

- Spanx Power Mama  

I'm on my feet all day at work, and these help so much. Just having that little bit of support when you are constantly bending over or going up and down stairs a thousand times is a blessing. Plus, I like that they make me feel less lumpy and bumpy when I wear a nice outfit.

- Burt's Bees Replenishing Cocoa & Cupuacu Butters Lotion

My skin gets pretty itchy, and I love this lotion. It seriously lasts all day and doesn't feel greasy or oily. Plus the smell makes me think of the beach. 

-These Tank Tops

I've tried tank tops from Old Navy, Gap and Target, but these are by far my favorites. The material is nicer than the other options, and not see through (like some of the lighter colored Old Navy options). I got them on sale for $12.00 when you buy two (I believe they are probably on sale often). I plan on living in these most of the summer.  

Hope you all have a great weekend!