30 weeks. It’s insane how quickly time has flown by this time around.

Two seasons have passed since we got our news, and we already a week into summer with this bump of mine. Only a few short months before our due date, and we are ready for it over here! As we enter the final ten week stretch of pregnancy, here are a few updates on baby number two:

You may have noticed there have been a lot of flowy dresses on the feed the past few months. I’m always a sucker for a breezy maxi; but when it comes to dressing my bump it’s pretty much all I wear.

This pregnancy, I’ve invested in a few “maternity” pieces , which I love- here and here. But I struggle with spending money on pieces that I’m unlikely to wear post-pregnancy.

People said a lot of strange things to me during that year struggling to conceive; most of which I chalked up to the the fact that most people just didn't know what to say. I've been that person, too, at times- one really wanting to comfort or encourage, but at a loss as to how to do so.

In that year most people cheered us on; many asked questions; others said nothing at all. But all of them cried happy tears when they heard our good news. So I believe all of it came from a good place.

If I've learned anything about motherhood in the last year it's that just when you start to get comfortable it will throw you a curveball that will set you right in your place.

I caught one of those curveballs in the early months when my little one first tried rolling over during a routine diaper change. That day I quickly learned that the changing table was no longer a safe place, and, from that moment on, would forever required the upmost attention {and very quick hands}.

Yesterday was one of those learning days.

Hello, my name is Morgan, and I bottled feed my baby. And, what's more: I'm not ashamed of it.

My milk never came, so I can't say this was much of a choice. The decision not to torture myself with lactation consultants, pumping, and triple feeding on the other hand, was.

I tried a week. That's right- just one week, before I threw in the towel, and decided to stop forcing my body to try to do something it might not ever do. The decision was difficult- gut wrenching, in fact, for a person who didn't buy a single bottle before her baby arrived; confident she would breast feed for months, or maybe even a year.

Seven month ago, just two and a half months into motherhood, I wrote about the ten things that had made my transition into life as a mom as smooth as it could be.

I stressed the importance of laughter; of taking pictures and asking for help. I encouraged myself and other new moms to take time for ourselves; and to sweat as soon, and as often, as possible. And I made a pact to be patient- not only with myself, but with my husband and child as well.

Now, almost ten months a mom, I look back on this list and I still firmly believe in all of these mantras. 

Sports have been a part of my life since the day I was born.  

My mother and grandmother were stellar tennis players. My grandfather was the Varsity football coach at Homestead High School- Alma mater of one Steve Jobs. And my father was an incredible baseball player; just like his father before him. So it's fair to say athletic prowess runs in the family. 

I have always been a fairly decent athlete. I swam and played tennis since the moment I could walk. I made it to Counties in breaststroke, and won the coaches award for synchronize swimming- laugh if you will, but that sport takes coordination. I played lacrosse and field hockey in high school, and was club tennis champion at the age of fourteen. I've always been athletically decent; I've never been athletically AMAZING. 

My relationship with infertility is a tumultuous one.

Difficult as my road to motherhood was, in the scheme of things it was relatively short. Six months of trying on our own, seven months of IUIs and success after one round of IVF.

Throughout this struggle to conceive, I, sadly, encountered people that dismissed my struggles because of this brevity- comparing my "short" journey to their own, unfortunately, longer ones.

But I don't believe in ranking people's challenges- particularly when it comes to creating a family. Whether you struggle with infertility for seven months or seven years is irrelevant in my mind- it is an impossible pain to want to create a life and, for whatever reason, struggle to do so.

But boy, the fight is so worth it. 

We decided to marry in a church. The Catholic Church we both grew up attending; the one my husband's parents were so involved with; where we were both baptized, and then our daughter after us. A beautiful, sentimental location for both of us; but it came at a few creative costs...

Before Maddie Mae was born, I stood up on my soap box and denounced the color pink. I was very adamant about the idea that MM shouldn't be forced to like the color, or bows, or hearts or anything too "girly" simply because she was a girl.

The transition into life as a First Time Mom {FTM} is the greatest one I've experienced in the last thirty years- the polarity between my new life and my former being so vast, I couldn't possibly have anticipated the reality of the changes that would take place.

The past few weeks have been a learning experience for everyone in this household; with the biggest student, perhaps, being yours truly.  I've learned so much since the birth of my daughter, much of which has completely redefined words I once thought I had understood. 

In my pre-pregnancy life, I was an avid Soul Cyclist. I rode at least five times a week- particularly in the year leading up to my pregnancy, during which fertility treatments wreaked havoc on my mind and body.  Riding was my therapy, keeping me strong both mentally and physically for the journey ahead.

It became part of my every day routine, and I had so badly wanted to be one of those little pregnant women that happily pedaled all the way into their third trimester.  So when complications kept me from riding throughout my pregnancy, it was challenging. I was frustrated with my body, now so foreign to me; and struggled to find an alternative outlet to ease my anxieties. I walked and practiced yoga, but it just wasn't the same.

Hello, hello! After a very long hiatus, I've decided to leave my former blog, mvsees, behind and begin anew- new site, new look, new year, new perspective.  I'm looking forward to posting about the things I've always loved- recipes, decor, fashion... our bulldog.  And now sporting a growing baby bump, I'm thrilled to incorporate glimpses into the big changes going on around here- maternity style, nursery inspo, teeny tiny baby clothes, lullabies + little lambs. Check back for daily posts, and be sure to follow my IG account @lilies_and_lambs for more pics!