Life

Starting the weekend early & a request

Paul and I are about to head down south to see family and to celebrate Paul’s birthday and our baby shower! We are just so excited to see our families. 

HELP! To all the moms {and dads} out there, I would absolutely love it and be entirely grateful if you would be willing to guest post for my blog. I am due in less than four weeks and I would love to have some posts lined up for those first few, chaotic weeks. 

I am soliciting topics such as: 

What it’s like the first few weeks

What you learned with baby #1

Surprising things about motherhood

Advice! 

Juggling life with baby

Or anything your heart desires

You can be a mommy blogger or just someone who has some wisdom to share. I would really appreciate anything. Please email me if you are interested at substanceandsoul@gmail.com

See you next week!

BLOGLOVIN | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

The golden gate bridge

Last weekend was another sunny one in San Francisco. Paul and I spent a wonderful day with our friends Natalie and Josh in the Marina neighborhood, the Marin Headlands, and Sausalito. We had a picnic and enjoyed the sunshine and company. It was truly a Sunday for the books.

Alcatraz Island

What a spread.

My built-in backrest.

The view of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands. 

That huge belly makes the bridge look small. 

The boys.

The girls. 

We do love sight-seeing. 

The best ice cream in Sausalito.

We had a wonderful Sunday Fun Day! It was nice to get out of the apartment and explore a little of my own backyard.

BLOGLOVIN | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

Life 365 | Week 12

This morning, I was actually able to sleep in a bit {just until 8 am, but still}. I have one more day in school for my Pediatric dentistry rotation this Wednesday, then I’m officially on maternity leave! I’ve been quite uncomfortable {aka, miserable} so I am looking forward to resting and getting the rest of the baby stuff ready. I did have my first round of intense Braxton Hicks contractions on Friday night, so I my body is definitely getting ready for baby’s arrival.

Any who, here are last week’s Life 365 photos.

17 :: St. Patrick’s day means wearing green and drinking beer {this year, I only got to wear green}! Of course, I look like a watermelon, but a cute watermelon? My friend Grace made some yummy corned beef and cabbage, it was delicious! 

18 :: 8 months pregnant! My doc says my weight gain is finally on track so yay! Starting tomorrow I’ll be doing weekly non-stress tests to make sure baby is growing strong. 

19 :: There is this darling cake store I love called Nothing Bundt Cakes and Paul picked me up a little lemon cake. Maybe this is where all the weight gain is coming from… 

20 :: Paul and I made one heck of a pizza the other night. The key is goat cheese. 

21 :: The Whole Foods salad bar has some truly yummy stuff {just gloss over the fact that my salad is half cheese}. 

22 :: I woke up CRAVING a McDonald’s McGriddle. You just can’t deny it when those cravings strike. 

23 :: Paul and I spent a wonderful Sunday with our friends Natalie and Josh. I’ll be posting more photos tomorrow.

We are heading down to Southern California at the end of the week to see our families and for my baby shower. I’m so excited to see my family and friends! 

BLOGLOVIN | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

Welcome Spring

Happy Spring! Woo hoo! I absolutely love this time of year!

Here are a few of my favorite things about Spring.  

:: Babies - both the animal and human varieties.

:: Blooming flowers.

:: Green grass.

:: Sunshine with cool breezes.

:: Picnics and farmer’s markets.

:: Easter.

:: The feelings of growth and rebirth.

What are your favorite things about Spring?

BLOGLOVIN | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

A day in the life of the husband / Part 2

Today, in his second post, my husband is sharing a few of his thoughts. Check out his first post here.

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Being A Supportive Husband

Each relationship requires different levels and elements of support from the husband. Over the years of our relationship, I have discovered some of the most important ways I can be a supporting hand to Samantha in her personal and professional life. Here are the ways I do this!

Make sure she is fed! Samantha is a workaholic and doesn’t always find time or remember that she needs to eat. Seems silly but this happens to me too! During the week, when I know she is busy studying or has had a long day in the clinic, I know I need to be prepared to either make us a meal at home or get us some take out. It is always recommended to make the decisions on meals before she even asks. Having a plan to make sure she is fed always goes a long way in making a happy relationship!

Keep things cleanly. One of the interesting things I have picked up over the years is that even when I think things are clean, they probably aren’t. Guys, including myself, do not usually see the dirt and grime around the apartment or house. I have learned to always take a second look or just clean over a surface even though I do not see anything. Make sure things are tidy and cleanly around the house is something she will truly appreciate.

Take time out of the day/week to hear what she is feeling. It obviously is important to know how your significant other is feeling emotionally but this isn’t always clear in every relationship. Whether you are extremely consumed by work or anything else personally, it always is necessary to regularly check-in with her on how she doing emotionally. In all relationships, communication is key. The man should show maturity in making sure his wife’s feelings are heard which will make her know she is loved and cared for. This should happen regularly and even if you are unable to provide answers to issues she is having, it is always important for her to have a listening ear.

Surprises! I like to try and keep Samantha on her toes and sometimes this can be a huge challenge for me. One reason for this is my lack of creativity but I cannot let this hold me back in planning regular surprises for her. Whether it is a spontaneous weekend trip up to Lake Tahoe or picking up flowers in downtown on my bike ride home, I believe it is essential to surprise your woman. Make sure you really think about what makes her happy before you surprise her with something. It doesn’t always have to be something expensive but it must be thoughtful! Some of the best surprises I have given to Samantha have been the small thoughtful things.

Like I said in the beginning of this post, these are things I do to be supportive and present in my relationship with Samantha. Each relationship will have their own set of needs and you will need to figure it out and stick to them. It is always important for each person in a relationship to discover what support they need. Your significant other should want to help you in these areas!

Hope this personal insight can be of help to anyone out there.

Paulie

BLOGLOVIN | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM