In the home stretch! {Bumpdate: 36 weeks.}
Introducing With Candor Wellness.
It occurred to me this morning, as I sat down to write a blog post for my other website, that I have not even mentioned my new nutrition biz on this blog! Which, if you ask me, is a crying shame—because With Candor is my bread and butter, my first baby, the digital space where I made my foray into blogging a whole TEN years ago as a junior in high school. (We've come a long way, people.)
Boy or girl?! {Bumpdate: 24 weeks.}
Why we loved Mykonos the most.
^^^ A snapshot of Little Venice. ^^^
Unpopular opinion: Scott and I enjoyed Mykonos even more than Santorini. *Gasp!* I know, it's blasphemy. But Mykonos in May is drop dead gorgeous, and we were seriously mesmerized just walking around the main town known as Hora.
Babymoonin' in Santorini.
The rumors are true: Santorini really is the most romantic place in the world—at least, that I've visited so far. Scott and I were incredibly lucky to be able to make it to this Greek island for our babymoon, as it was the perfect getaway for two. We stayed for a total of four nights in Oia, a coastal town on the northwestern tip that is famous for the whitewashed houses and lovely blue domes you'll see in a lot of our pictures.
A quick tour of Athens.
After our 10-day jaunt in breathtaking Switzerland back in 2014, Scott and I started saving up and counting down the months until our return trip to Europe. The location of our next escape was a toss-up between Croatia, Italy, the UK, and Greece—but Greece eventually won out, beckoning us with its warm Mediterranean climate, famous sunsets, interesting history, and fresh seafood (we're suckers for the stuff).
We're pregnant! {Bumpdate: 16 weeks.}
For those of you who missed my Instagram announcement, Baby Blasik is on the way!
And, honestly, we couldn't be more excited/nervous/in over our heads (in the best way possible) to welcome a third member to the small but sweet Blasik clan this November—which means the 2019 holiday season will no doubt be our best yet.
Today marks 16 weeks, and now that my secret is out, I'm looking forward to devoting more blog space to pregnancy (and all that entails) as well as our journey preparing for a little one. Luckily, I have a few friends that have paved/are paving the way for me in this new life phase, so I won't be completely in the dark. But if you're up for it, I'm always appreciative of advice—give me your best pregnancy/birth/new parenting tips, please! (But leave the horror stories for your non-pregnant friends.)
Here's a little "bumpdate," courtesy of For the Love of Fancy.
How far along: 16 weeks! Baby is the size of an avocado [4.6 inches and 3.5 ounces].
Due date: November 7th.
Sickness: I'm officially over the morning sickness! I had it a lot easier than some people I know, but the first trimester came with daily nausea (especially on an empty stomach), lots of food aversions (I couldn't eat chocolate for a month!), and major digestive slowdown. That's all seemed to have passed, though, fortunately—so now I'm just enjoying the "honeymoon" phase.
Cravings: I didn't have the biggest appetite in the first 10 weeks (for reasons explained above), but once I turned the corner, it came back full force. My biggest cravings currently are fresh, crunchy salads (especially Caesar salads, which is new for me), pineapple and watermelon, cereal with cold milk, fried chicken (so random!), and hamburgers. Not the healthiest stuff, but life is all about balance.
Aversions: Chocolate was the main one for a while, but no longer as much (thank God). I also didn't want anything homemade for a stretch of time, which is strange, but I think I was just turned off by the thought of cooking. ;-) Scott and I ate out/ordered in several nights in a row at one point.
Physical changes: The bump is growing! I can still fit in regular clothes but I prefer to wear maternity jeans, leggings, and comfy dresses. My weight has fluctuated about 5 pounds since I found out I was pregnant (mostly from bloat/indigestion), but I'm back to where I started. Figure the weight gain will happen soon, now that I'm out of the first trimester! On the downside, my skin has been very dry and pretty problematic from all the changing hormones. BUT my hair is getting real thick and growing like a weed—I desperately need a haircut.
Girl or boy: We find out in a week! Our second ultrasound is next Thursday, and we're dying to know. As far as guesses go, the general consensus from friends/family has overwhelmingly been a boy, but I keep going back and forth. No preferences here, just an eagerness to find out and start shopping accordingly. However, we'll be keeping it a secret until our Gender Reveal party for family in July (so expect another blog post around then). So much to look forward to, guys!
The day in the life of a freelance writer.
Left to my own devices, however, staying productive and on-task was a challenge I had anticipated. For a few months into my new freelancing gig, I definitely spent more time browsing the internet than actually writing (and trying to justify my procrastination by calling it "research"). Which, of course, made me feel secretly guilty and embarrassed when friends and family would pose the dreaded question, "What exactly do you do all day?" First of all, ain't none of yo' business. Ahem, what?
But at some point during the last 2-3 years of working from home (on and off), I've figured out a simple schedule that suits me as a freelancer, a student, and a wife—so that my career stays a priority even though I never step foot in an office, and I fall into bed every night feeling accomplished rather than ashamed.
Emily's Typical Day in the Life
(For all you nosy people who've asked what it is I do all day.)
Kidding! Let's hop to it.
7:00am — This is about the time I wake up. Sometimes it's earlier, sometimes it's later. I used to be a super early riser (5:30am!), but I'm definitely enjoying my ZZZs waaay more nowadays. And since I'm no longer a huge coffee drinker, I don't jump out of bed ready to take on the world. Mornings are slow AF, and I'm okay with that.
7:30am — It's into yoga pants and out the door for my morning jog/walk. I've found a little sun and exercise to be the perfect way to start my day, and Frisco's cool springtime air doesn't hurt. Soon the Texas weather will be intolerable, so I've got to get outside while I can!
8:30am — By this time, I'm sitting down for breakfast (this morning it was a couple slices of homemade paleo banana bread, topped with peanut butter and raspberries). I check my emails and read my favorite blogs while I eat. If Scott hasn't left for work yet, we eat together sans technology.
9:00am — My workday begins! Regardless of what tasks I have on my plate, I'll usually log a few hours before lunch. (This is when my mind is sharpest, even without caffeine.) What does my work look like, exactly? Lots of social media management and scheduling for different accounts, client blog post writing/editing, copywriting assignments, any scheduled meetings I may have on the calendar, the occasional article to write (if I have a looming deadline), or reaching out to brands/publications for potential writing opportunities.
Every so often, I'll spend this time nestled in one of my favorite coffee shops around town to help me focus, but for financial reasons, this is only maybe once or twice a week. (Those cups of Joe add up!)
Every so often, I'll spend this time nestled in one of my favorite coffee shops around town to help me focus, but for financial reasons, this is only maybe once or twice a week. (Those cups of Joe add up!)
11:00am — I can't stand to sit still for more than a few hours at a time, so I like to incorporate some sort of movement before lunch. Lately, this has been a 20-minute full body workout from Diary of a Fit Mommy's website. (Whether you're a mom or not, her guides are amazing!)
11:30am — If I'm not yet starving, I'll take a hot shower or bath and change into some fresh clothes. I.e., old jeans and a tee or, as of more recently, black leggings and a long sweater. Unless I plan on going out in the evening, I skip the makeup and rock SPF moisturizer instead. A perk of working alone!
12:00pm — Lunch break. To keep it simple, I tend to heat up the previous night's leftovers. If that's not an option, I'll throw together a salad with any raw veggies we have in the fridge and top it with canned sardines in EVOO (mmm, omega-3s!) and tortilla chips. Don't knock it 'til you try it.
12:30pm — It's back to work, finishing up whatever I didn't have time for in the AM. But, to be perfectly honest, I usually only get through an hour or so of writing before...
1:30pm — I can barely keep my eyes open. This is where working from home is the holy grail: It's my schedule, and I can nap if I want to. The post-lunch slump is real for this lady, and my butt is usually on the couch between 1:30pm and 2:30pm—sometimes resting, sometimes scrolling through Instagram on my phone. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ If by some miracle I don't feel sleepy, I'll run errands or do some chores. (Grocery shopping, folding laundry, emptying the dishwasher, etc.)
3:00pm — To boost my energy, I'll have a snack (like a protein bar or fresh fruit) and continue any work I have left. Nutrition school projects and homework also take precedence here—but that'll be a thing of the past come May!
4:30pm — Scott walks in the door around 5pm most nights, and I like to at least have dinner in mind before then. If I'm planning on cooking, I'll begin preparing my ingredients right about now. If it's his night on kitchen duty, I'll make sure to have the kitchen clean and everything put away so he can work his magic.
6:00pm — Dinner is on the table. We're early eaters!
12:30pm — It's back to work, finishing up whatever I didn't have time for in the AM. But, to be perfectly honest, I usually only get through an hour or so of writing before...
1:30pm — I can barely keep my eyes open. This is where working from home is the holy grail: It's my schedule, and I can nap if I want to. The post-lunch slump is real for this lady, and my butt is usually on the couch between 1:30pm and 2:30pm—sometimes resting, sometimes scrolling through Instagram on my phone. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ If by some miracle I don't feel sleepy, I'll run errands or do some chores. (Grocery shopping, folding laundry, emptying the dishwasher, etc.)
3:00pm — To boost my energy, I'll have a snack (like a protein bar or fresh fruit) and continue any work I have left. Nutrition school projects and homework also take precedence here—but that'll be a thing of the past come May!
4:30pm — Scott walks in the door around 5pm most nights, and I like to at least have dinner in mind before then. If I'm planning on cooking, I'll begin preparing my ingredients right about now. If it's his night on kitchen duty, I'll make sure to have the kitchen clean and everything put away so he can work his magic.
6:00pm — Dinner is on the table. We're early eaters!
6:30pm — I'm in my pajamas and wrapping up any last-minute to-dos. This could look like extra work (if it was a particularly work-heavy day), school assignments, chores, or researching prospective clients. Most of the time, however, I'm blogging for fun (like tonight), watching one of my go-to shows, or hanging out with the hubster.
Ta-da! Nothing much to it, eh?
Obviously, this is just rough sketch; no two days look exactly alike for me. (Every other Friday, for example, I'm either teaching a nutrition class downtown or counseling at Birth Choice for half of the day.) But that's honestly what I love about freelancing: the flexibility! I tire of monotonous routines really quickly, and I remember being constantly restless with a normal 9-to-5 office job. That said, I definitely miss the camaraderie that comes with working with a team. Freelancing can get awfully lonely at times, but when that happens, I just make sure to prioritize my relationships or make new friends in other aspects of my life. Everything in balance, you know?
Phew, that was long! Thanks for reading!
I'd love to know, is this pretty much what you expected from a part-time freelancer? Does it sound like something you'd love or hate?
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