39. Danielle’s Summer Edit
Summer beauty, my pregnancy wardrobe essentials for summer, snack & drink recipes, summer plans, and the growing pains of motherhood.
Wow, where do I begin? Before I get into sharing all of my summer favorites wishes and plans, I think it’s appropriate to give a quick update as to why I haven’t been consistently writing my weekly newsletter after a year of being here on Substack every week.
First of all, I’m pregnant! As most mothers might know, the first few months of pregnancy can be quite challenging with fatigue, nausea and other discomforts. Any moment of reprieve was spent on caring for my daughter, caring for our [old] home, and also on another big change that recently happened in our family…
See our pregnancy announcement ⬇️
We moved! Right in the middle of all my first trimester woes, we unexpectedly moved! I shared more about it in the post below.
I hope that as we settle in to our new home and as I navigate pregnancy while chasing after a toddler, that I can get back into the swing of things again here on Substack. Thank you to those of you who have stuck around during my unplanned hiatus.
Without further ado, let’s get into my summer edit!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…and I’m not talking about Christmas. Summer is the most wonderful time of the year for me. The sun, the long days, the warm weather, the beach, the pool… I can live in a perpetual state of summer if I could.
With the first official day of summer just around the corner, I’m celebrating by sharing a few of my favorite summer favorites- from beauty, pregnancy, to drinks and snacks.
Summer Beauty
Agent Nateur Holi Sun SPF 50 Dewy, Tinted Sunscreen Drops- My absolute favorite facial sunscreen! Made with a mineral sunscreen and ingredients that I can trust, a bottle of this sunscreen is my yearly splurge to have an effortless, makeup free, summer glow during the hot months.
ColourPop Hydrating Blush Stix- I use the color Under Pressure, since this bright salmon shade compliments my tan skin tone and gives me that summery, sun-kissed look that I love.
Waterproof Mascara: L’Oreal Telescopic Lift- I’ve been using L’Oréal’s waterproof mascaras since I was a teenager because they’ve stood the test of time when it comes to staying on and not smudging- whether I’m at the pool, the beach or sightseeing in the summer heat.
Rituals, The Ritual Of Karma Body Scrub: I fell in love with the scent of this line a few summers ago when I stopped by a Rituals store and walked out with this body scrub. It smells like summer, but not in an obnoxious way. I like to use a body scrub once a week, especially in the summer when I’m wearing sundresses, short sleeves, and shorts. It leaves my skin silky smooth and the scent makes my bathing experience feel like I’m at a spa while on a luxury, summer vacation.
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Toilette- My absolute summer staple! I’ve been wearing this fragrance almost every summer for nearly a decade. I know it sounds cheesy, but it both smells like and reminds me of when I visited Italy for the first time, and swam in the beautiful, turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. It happened to be the same summer I started using this fragrance. It’s crazy how much fragrance is connected to memory.
Pregnancy Summer Essentials
Cupshe One Piece Maternity Swimsuit- I’m so glad maternity swimsuits are a thing. There’s no way I could fit into my regular, one piece bathing suit while pregnant. Fortunately, I found the maternity version of my favorite one piece bathing suit that I wear when I’m not pregnant. It’s classy, flattering, grows with me, and provides me with just the right amount of coverage.
H&M MAMA Before & After Tie Belt Dress- I’ll be honest, I’m not one to invest in buying an entire new wardrobe just for pregnancy. Maternity clothes are expensive and can literally only be worn with a giant belly. I recently got out the one pair of pregnancy shorts I bought when I was pregnant with my daughter, and they literally fell off. I forgot that this particular pair doesn’t fit me until I’m well into latter half of the second trimester when my belly is much bigger. But something that I’ll invest in are functional dresses that are designed specifically for both pregnancy and breastfeeding. So far, the only place I can find that makes such an item is at H&M. I recently bought a beautiful, white and blue, button up dress that I can wear all pregnancy long, and I can also wear it months after birth when I’m breastfeeding. I only discovered this type of dress after my daughter was born and was looking for breastfeeding friendly dresses to wear that weren’t the typical smocked bodice kind.
Seamless Maternity Supportive Shapewear- With all the dresses that I wear during pregnancy, I couldn’t go out with some supportive shape wear to support my pregnant belly. Something that I think is worth investing in when it comes to pregnancy clothes is shape wear if you’re like me and enjoy wearing dresses and skirts. They come in handy when wearing more flowy, shear dresses and also when wearing more fitted dresses that could show possible seam lines. Another bonus is eliminating chaffing during the hot summer months.
Snacks & Drinks
Sparkling water made at home- Our family loves some sparkling water, especially in the summer months. But buying sparkling water every week can get a little expensive after a while. That’s why a few years ago, we invested in a Soda Stream set so that we can make our own sparkling water at home instead of paying more for sparkling water from the store. What’s great about it is that we can adjust the carbonation levels to our liking and even add optional flavors of we’d want.
Watermelon, mint & feta salad- One of my favorite summer snacks is a bowl of watermelon, mind & feta salad. It also makes for a refreshing side for a summer party or get-together! See the recipe in the post below ⬇️
Hydrating Smoothie- Originally called the mama smoothie for pregnancy and breastfeeding, my go to hydrating smoothie not only served me well when I was pregnant and breastfeeding, but also after I had weaned my baby. Now that I’m pregnant again, my need for hydration and staying cool during the hot summer days has never been more important. Whether you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or just looking for a refreshing summer breakfast or snack, check out my hydrating smoothie recipe below ⬇️
Summer plans and motherhood growing pains
Last summer, we went big with our trip to Japan, thanks to my husband’s job.