Groopdealz Review!

I have been a long time shopper from Groopdealz, so when they reached out to me to do a review on their products, of course I was so excited! If you aren't familiar with the site, it's a place where a bunch of vendors are able to sell all in one place. Each company is vetted and not everyone is able to become a seller or able to all at once. There are daily deals, and the deals expire, so it's an "act quickly if you want that darling dress" type of scenario! Haha! Here's a little roundup of some of the things I have bought from them! There is pretty much always something for everyone! Another thing that I have noticed about their site is that shipping is usually really reasonable, and when you order a second item, the shipping price is almost always discounted. Right on! Also, they now have an app! Hooray! Find it on the App Store! Here are a few of my favorite finds!
XO
Sarah


Groopdealz

This robe:

I saved it for when we had our baby, and I was so glad that I remembered to pack it in our Hospital bag! Haha! I have seen robes like this come up fairly often, so it's always worth watching for them!




This Dress:
I eyed this dress for a long time from a lot of Boutiques, and when it came up cheaper on Groopdealz than others, I snagged it! It's bump friendly, too!:)


This Backpack:



Super roomy and love the leather look and color! It came in lots of other colors too, and shipping was reasonable!:)







This Dress:



This one was a while ago, but I held onto it for my next pregnancy! I ordered a size up, and it fit the bump like a glove! Also, welcome to one of our Sunday pictures, where everyone was clearly excited. Hahaha!








If you're looking for a good deal, or just want to browse, check them out!:) BONUS: You can also see the code: DAINTYPEAR10 for 10% off your first order!

XO
Sarah

Pear's 4th Birthday Party

Pink everywhere, family, and chocolate cake. I think this girl had a fun family party today! Thanks so much for the birthday wishes for her yesterday!:) Also, I've linked the party decorations/food on the below if anyone is interested! Buying everything ahead made this tired Mama's day WAY easier! Hahaha! Happy Sunday, friends, and Happy 4th, Pear Bear!

XO

Sarah

Number Balloon: HERE

Confetti Balloons: HERE

Pink Backdrop: HERE

Sparkly Table Runner: HERE

FOOOOD: We did pre-made Chicken Salad from Costco on their Pretzel Rolls, a sliced watermelon, the Costco Kale Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing, Spinach Artichoke Dip {Costco again!,} and a Costco Cake! Between the easy decorations and the food, it was an easy peasy party! My cute Mom also brought some side salads {Frog Eye, Tabouleh,} and homemade salsas, which was super helpful! 





Pom Pom Shirt

Yesterday I had some questions about this shirt on my Instagram stories!:) So, here is the link to the same one! And it's like 12 bucks! Score! Happy a Friday, friends!:)
XO
Sarah

Pom Pom Shirt: HERE



The break down of postpartum recovery.

               


I wrote this a couple of years ago, after our 3rd baby. Even though it's a little bit old, I'm coming up on 2 weeks postpartum today, and...yep, it still rings true! The days might be different, and this time I was out and about sooner and feeling pretty good, but the feelings are similar and I'm hoping it relates to someone.:) Haha! Here's to you Mama's in the postpartum recovery party!
XO
Sarah

Let's be honest, having a baby isn't known to be the most glamorous thing in the universe, and let me be blunt: neither is the recovery. When you feel like something is leaking from every part of your body, and you are forced to be a functioning human being to take care of other kids all while being sleep-deprived and sore...here is a breakdown of those first couple of weeks. So, if you don't like graphic and gross [and, believe me, I spared many, many details. Promise.] then DON'T.SCROLL.DOWN. Otherwise, read on, my brave friend. There is your disclaimer. None of this phases me anymore, it's like once you have a baby all sense of dignity blows right out that hospital window. From the moment they check your cervix the first time, to the moment your legs are in those stirrups for the world to see, to the times they push on your stomach and check your pad to see how much you are bleeding and make sure everything looks normal...like I said. Dignity: bye bye! :) [HOWEVER, I can't think of anything cooler to loose your dignity to than pushing out a human being...[A HUMAN BEING!] from your body, so there are absolutely no complaints about that here. :)



Day one: Pain and BLISS. SO many endorphins and it doesn't even phase you that you have to use a squirt bottle to clean after using the bathroom or that you have a frozen glove in your pants to keep the swelling down!




Day two: Pain and BLISS




Day three: Pain and BLISS. Boobs start swelling.




Day four: Crying because you miss being pregnant [no matter how miserable it was at times] and wondering when the next one is coming! Crying because your older kids look so big. Crying because you miss your nurses and doctor. Crying because you are overwhelmed. Crying because you're happy. Crying because you're tired. Crying when your husband says the goodnight prayer with the kids...Let's just call this a cry day, shall we?




Day five: Afterpains [what they call the pains that happen after birth when your uterus is contracting down to normal size...and it feels like labor again...minus the baby coming out part] worsen and you realize you still haven't *ahem* gone numero dos. [And that in and of itself is a scary thought. Have you ever heard of hemorrhoids!? They're almost worse than childbirth. Exaggeration? Only slightly.] Have a short Cry Sesh for no reason. Boobs start leaking and are more painful and lumpy with milk than before. You quickly realize that you could feed a small village with all the milk that is somehow managing to fit inside of your sore, sore boobies before it regulates.




Day six: Afterpains make you curl over. Ouch. Shovel chocolate in your mouth like you're on the craziest period of your life. Have a short Cry Sesh for no reason. Again. Cold flashes [more like full on body shivers like you're standing in the snow in the middle of January] and hot flashes [more like you are running a marathon in the Sahara desert...in sweatpants.]




Day seven: Every muscle hurts. [You think: Could I really still be sore from labor!?!? Yes. The answer is yes.] Boobs hurt. But you decide maybe it's time to get ready and go somewhere...........Nah.




Days 8-14: You're not supposed to drive much or lift much, depending on your recovery...so the sentiment these days is...GET ME OUT OF THIS HOUSE OR I'M GOING TO GO CRAAAAAZY! ;) Less sore. Starting to get the itch to actually be social and see what's going on in the world outside of your house. Get a ride to Target with your awesome Sister-in-Law with all the kids on a maiden voyage sans husband. Get dressed up because you can [kind of] fit into some clothes that aren't made for a giant belly! Decide to wear white pants because your sleep-deprived brain cells are malfunctioning. Get back to the car after shopping and realize that you just wore white pants a week and a half after having a baby. And it shows. [Yep, I'm sure you can guess the next part.] Sister-in-Law takes a picture of your rear end and sends it to your husband as you sit there laughing half because you are mortified that you just walked through Target with a stain on your bottom and half because it's hilarious. [COMPLETELY hypothetical, of course! ;)] And then, just like that, two weeks has come and gone, and despite your fears that you might drown in children and will never get used to this whole Motherhood thing... the "new normal" starts to feel...well, normal. And you love these kids more than ever. And then as insane, completely baffling, and unnatural it may seem...you forget [the majority of] the pain, and you realize: You'd do it all over again.
XO

Sarah

Unmedicated Labor & Delivery Vlog: Baby #5

Our baby girl is 13 days old! My cute hubby and I filmed throughout the labor process, and I'm glad we did, because sometimes it feels silly doing it if you don't know if you're going to be having baby soon or not! That rollercoaster of "will I be admitted" or not is a rough mental game at that stage of pregnancy! Haha! If you notice on the date stamps, we started filming on the 10th and she was born the 12th! Love my hilarious hubby and the fact that he's the best birth partner ever!<3
Also, not pictured: Lots of puking. And then a moment of sobbing because the pelvic pain got to be so bad. I was so worried that I would struggle to cope with the pain during labor because it was hard to walk around, but it worked out! More on that later in her birth video/birth story! Also, we ate so frequently because 1: We like food. And 2: Any time I threw up or we were about to go in to get checked, I wanted to be sure to replenish and get some energy for the more intense parts of labor! The whole video I'm beyond exhausted, but I'm grateful for a hubby who can keep me laughing!:)
We love this little one!<3

XO
Sarah











Due Date + Pioneer Day!

Happy Due Date to this little Nugget + Happy Pioneer Day!:) I'm in the no-makeup, tired Mama grind, but there really is nothing better than a newborn!<3
As fun as it would have been to have a baby born on a day where they get their own fireworks, I'm so glad we got to snuggle her 12 days sooner! P.S. I ordered this Milan clutch from Coco + Kiwi on pre-order a couple of months ago, and it came this weekend! And it's soo pretty! Use DAINTY15 for 15% off!


Dress: HERE

Bow: Ris and Bre

Bag: Coco+Kiwi {Use DAINTY15 for 15% off!}









The Questions We Should be Asking New Moms.



Last night, I went to a church activity for the women with our week-old baby in tow. It was so fun to go with one of my besties and to see friends. I almost didn’t go because I was so tired, but since said bestie picked me up, and with urging from the Hubby; I knew it would be good for me and I got on my best Hawaiian dress and we went to the Luau. Haha. While we were there, I had one friend ask, “How are you doing?” I said, “Good! It feels so good not to be throwing up!” And she said, “But how are you doing emotionally?”

I was so grateful to her asking that, because I have been in a place before where had I been asked that, they would have quickly known the truth. And maybe I would have received some encouragement to get help.

I flashed back to right after we had our first daughter. She came 17 months after our first son. You probably wouldn’t have found me at an event like that after having her, but in the off chance that I did go, hearing that question would have put me over the edge. I know that I avoided places where I might have to see people or would have to talk about my feelings. I was an irritated, emotional mess that would stare at the wall for hours and cry for "no reason." I had anxiety and a heaviness around me for what felt like no reason. {It's almost hard to think and write about because it really was one of those trials that you are grateful to have gone through but don't want to re-live.}




Her birth had gone exactly how I wanted {induced, incredibly intense, but unmedicated,} and I had great support in my husband. But, of course looking back, there were reasons. Aside from the adjusting hormones and physical recovery of having a baby, my hubby was about to quit a lucrative job to start a company, and found himself having to deal with the transition and was tying up loose ends on the phone for work even while we were still in the recovery room. My grandpa who was also one of my best friends was sick and didn’t have long after she was born to live. My hormones were in fact in a postpartum rollercoaster. Nursing was a mess and painful. I went in to the ER 5 days after she was born with extreme pain that was more than afterpains. They did an ultrasound {the kind that goes inside,} while stitches were fresh from an episiotomy and they also did a catheter. Then, baby got sick. Starting at two weeks, she was in and out of Primary Children’s Hospital with severe infections. We were unsure if she would have to have surgery to fix the issue, and we spent sleepless nights cuddled up on the small couch in the room while she was taken care of by the kind nurses and doctors. She had IV’s and spinal taps. She was so brave and rarely cried even as they poked, prodded, and changed IV locations countless times.
There were reasons.







I was exhausted. I had two babies and even though I loved her with all my heart and knew she was supposed to be here and to come to our family, I was struggling. I didn't understand how I could be so happy and love her so much, but also feel so sad. I was afraid it would affect bonding with her. On top of the anxiety, I also had an anxiety that the feelings would never go away and that they would turn from what I thought were “baby blues” into a spiraling, full-blown postpartum depression. I was terrified of that for some reason, but I didn’t want to talk to my doctor; because as scared as I was of depression, I was more scared of medication, which made it a viscious and difficult mental cycle.




My phone was having problems that I didn’t care to fix because that would mean I would have to talk to people. Then one day when she was less than a couple of weeks old, we went out for a drive, the two kids and I. I was overwhelmed. I was praying for relief—or for something or someone who would understand. I drove down the street, and on the way home and my neighbor waved me down. She asked “How are you doing?” And then the waterworks let loose like the freakin’ Beaver Dam had broken. I didn’t know where it was coming from, but I couldn’t stop. She just looked at me and said something along the lines of, “Those hormones will do that,” and went on to say how she felt more messed up after having her girl than her boys. It helped. I was in such a dark place that any light was welcomed and needed, whether I knew it or not. All I could muster up was, “Thank you,” and drove home.


There were still to be several more weeks of it, {7 to be exact, which in reality is short, but in the moment feels like an eternity} and I feel lucky that it started to lift on its own. Although I HAD a support system, I didn’t involve them. I was masking ev-er-y-thing because I was “strong.” I was so strong that I could do it all alone. I was “strong” but I was also numb. I started to feel void. I was the one who would decline meals from well-meaning neighbors because I could handle it. Maybe I was “strong,” but was it smart? Nope.


3 babies after that experience, I have come to embrace the realities of having a new baby. I believe that there is power and beauty in being vulnerable, and although this particular postpartum period has seemed lighter, easier, after such a difficult pregnancy, {more on that later,} I have had the support of a rockstar hubby and so many sweet friends who I have actually “let in.” I have cried in the arms of a dear friend in a crowded room when the weight of the pregnancy was too much that day. The throwing up to the point of IV’s, the testing, the unknown of the way she would be born or what special needs she would have and the extent of them; if any. I was fully prepared to be dealing with intense baby blues or postpartum depression after the effects of a stressful pregnancy, in fact, at 30 something weeks I told my doctor that I was feeling anxious and overwhelmed. She offered the sweetest support and said that it was my decision, and that there was a medication that she could put me on that was safe for pregnancy. My heart and mind were open to it, and I told her I would let her know.

The intense anxiety was a stage, but talking about it and being open to medicine was a big step for me. I was nervous but ready for the emotions after delivery, but by some tender mercy, it almost felt lighter. My burden that I was carrying was lifted when she was born, and not only born but also born as the most perfect little thing. We would have loved her however she came, because we already adored her the first time we took a pregnancy test and it grew when we saw her bouncing and flipping around in the ultrasound. But the fact that she was here and the sickness was over, and not only that; she came in perfect form… somehow made the weight lighter and the overwhelmingness and exhaustion of having a newborn a joy to bear. {Also more on that later!} That may sound crazy to say with 5 kids 5 and under, but my heart is full of gratitude.



Another friend on the way out of the party last night asked me, “Do you ever get Postpartum Depression or anything like that?” I loved the boldness of asking that, because not only does it bring a stigma surrounding something so common to light, but it shows such real and raw concern. I appreciate it {even more now} when others are able to be bold and are vulnerable enough to share their own experiences, and I think there should be more of that all around!


The ones supporting new Moms: Be bold and kind. Be vulnerable. Ask questions. And new moms: Be willing to accept support. Be willing to say, “I’m struggling.” Be open to the fact that sometimes support is what you need and sometimes medication or formal counseling is what may help.


I’m grateful to have my amazing support system, and also this community of such wonderful ladies! I have learned more through starting The Dainty Pear than I could have even imagined, and I’m so thankful for that! Also, I'd love to add that if you feel like you're experiencing PPD or serious anxiety, please reach out to someone and especially your doctor! There is so much courage that goes into that, and you're not the only one to have walked the path! We're all in this stuff together, so we've got this, ladies!<3


XO

Sarah


Copper Pearl

One of my favorite baby items is a good nursing cover! Everyone has their own take on nursing, and for me, sometimes I feel like I can be more modest without one in all my uncoordinated glory with covers! Hahaha! But, I love these 360 ones because they're easy peasy, and I have bought a new one with each baby! So when I saw this print from Copper Pearl, I loved it and thought it would be so cute for this baby! I reached out to them and they were sweet enough to to give a coupon code for anyone who would like to order their products! They have darling items, so be sure to check them out!:) Use DAINTYPEAR for 15% off!:)
XO
Sarah











Maternity Photos

Last week, my cousin Val of Valory Jean Photography took maternity pictures for us, and I'm so grateful! I've been frantically trying to document this bump since I wasn't the greatest at it early on, and she did an amazing job! {As always!} Thanks, Val!
Dress: HERE
Flower Crown: HERE
XO
Sarah







37 1/2 Weeks

Today was our 37 week appointment! It was kind of our day to get things done before baby comes, and after our appointment, I got a fresh set of lashes and we went to get pedicures! These puffy feet were in need of some TLC! Haha! My hubby is the greatest sport! Also, I didn't get a full length picture of this dress, but it's nice and long and comfy, and fits over the bump! And it's less than $20. Score! {Find it HERE!} {I'm wearing an X-Small for a size reference if you're looking at the dress! I also knotted the bottom to make it a little bit shorter since I'm 5 feet! Haha!};)
XO
Sarah













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