Moving into November...

It's a little crazy how fast October flew by. I can't believe tomorrow is November already. I got quite a bit accomplished this month, and I'm looking forward to just getting better and better. I've weighed and measured myself, and here are the results:

October 31, 2011

Weight: 142 lbs (8 pounds? I'll take it!)

Waist: 29.5" (Half an inch awesomer!)

Bust: 36 

Upper Arm: 10.75" 

Butt: 38" (Ummm.... not sure what happened here. This better all be muscle)

Thigh: 23" (Sadly it didn't change.)

Calf: 14.5" (A little smaller)

I am pretty proud of myself for all that I've accomplished so far. Yesterday I ran 5 miles and it was a whole lot easier than I was expecting it to be. It's so exciting to watch myself improve. I'm not where I want to be yet though. Let's review my October goals and see how close I came. 

OCTOBER GOALS:

• Lose 5 pounds - Better yet: 8!
• Workout 5 days a week - Not quite. I've been doing about 4 days a week.
• Run 3 times a week - I didn't start out the month doing this, but I stepped it up!
• Train for a 10k - How about a half marathon!
• Lose atleast an inch off my thighs - Didn't accomplish this. 
• Tone up my stomach - Nope.
• 8 cups of water a day - Very sadly no.
• Only 1 cup of coffee a week - I'm a coffeeaholic. Definitely need to work on this.
• Read more/Watch less TV - Half done. I've been watching less TV, but not reading.
• Always go to bed with a clean house - Getting better at this, but not perfect yet!

And based on those, here are my current goals for this month:

NOVEMBER GOALS:

• Lose another 5 pounds
• Workout 5 days a week (running 3 of them)
• Sign up for a half marathon
• Lose an inch off my thighs
• Tone up my stomach
• 8 cups of water a day
• Always go to bed with a clean house
• Eat a good breakfast every morning
• Slowly cut out coffee by the end of the month
• Read one book this month

Do you have any specific goals you want to meet this month?

Keeping on keeping on...

I am pretty darn proud of myself! I have been doing so good at sticking to my running plan. I haven't missed a run yet. I know I'm only a week and a half into it, but still... It's been 3 months since I had a baby, and I'm feeling pretty good. I ran 4 miles on Sunday (a personal record).

My sweet husband has been running with me every step of the way.

Enough bragging on myself. :) I've decided to post some progress pictures so that I can see my improvement. I should have taken some pictures at the beginning of this month, but I didn't so I'm starting now. I plan on seeing some awesome improvements in the next year.

                                  

Check back in a couple days to see how well I did this month with my goals and how much I weigh now. And also stay posted for my goals for November. 

Slimmer by the minute

Well we are over half way through October and I have to say, I haven't been very good at keeping my goals so far. But I am not giving up on them.

To help me stay motivated to run, I've decided to run a half marathon in December. That is leaving me 8 weeks to train for it. Not ideal, but definitely doable. Hopefully it'll kick my butt into shape. :) I mean, if I'm running that much, I'll just have to drop the pounds, right? Maybe I'll be back to my pre-pregnancy weight by Christmas...

I still need to buy a scale so that I can do my weigh-in at the end of the month. Not sure how I'm doing, but hopefully I'm getting smaller by the minute. :) Going running after work today...

I want my body back...

After your belly stretches out to the size of a very large watermelon, you start to wonder if you will ever have a normal looking body again. It was honestly one of my biggest fears when I was getting into the home stretch of my pregnancy. I realize that I will never go back to exactly what I looked like, but I plan on getting pretty darn close. It's been about 2 months since I had a baby, and I'm ready to kick things into high gear to get my butt back in shape. I've been motivating myself by reading fitness blogs and I'm ready to stay accountable and hopefully inspire someone else to get into shape as well.

Pre-pregnancy weight: 135 lbs

 I took measurements of my body a week before I delivered so I could see just how fast I could shed this weight afterwards and get back to looking and feeling fabulous. Here it is:

July 21, 2011

Weight: 181 lbs (I ended up gaining about 45 lbs)

Waist: 42"

Bust: 38.5"

Upper Arm: 10.5"

Butt: 41.5"

Thigh: 23.5"

Calf: 15"

After 6 weeks, I weighed myself and I was down to 151. Thirty pounds in six weeks? I'll take it. Of course, most of that was baby weight, but I did have to work off some of it. For now, my goal is to get down to 130. That's 20 more pounds to go. I'm going to try and set monthly goals and keep you posted on my progress. It's going to be a fun and exhausting journey I'm sure and hopefully I'll see some results very soon. I've already run a 5k, which I am very proud of myself for.

October 1, 2011

Weight: 150 (sadly after I dropped the 30 pounds, I've kinda plateaued...) 

Waist: 30" (ha ha, 12 inches thinner... oh yeah!)

Bust: 36" (probably where some of my weight is chilling)

Upper Arm: 11" (i'm buffing up from carrying that baby everywhere)

Butt: 36" (5.5" smaller, I'll take it)

Thigh: 23" (this definitely needs alot of work)

Calf: 15" (same ol'....)

OCTOBER GOALS:

• Lose 5 pounds
• Workout 5 days a week
• Run 3 times a week
• Train for a 10k
• Lose atleast an inch off my thighs
• Tone up my stomach
• 8 cups of water a day
• Only 1 cup of coffee a week
• Read more/Watch less TV
• Always go to be with a clean house

What are your goals?
**Special thanks to my amazing older sisters who both have rocking bodies after having babies and made me believe it was possible! :)

Where have the last 7 weeks gone...

I absolutely cannot believe how fast the last 7 weeks have flown by. I have tried to get on here and write quite a few times and have gotten about a paragraph down until I have to do something else. Life with a baby is never boring. Somehow I never quite find the time to sit down long enough to write down my thoughts. But here it is... finally after 7 weeks of motherhood... I absolutely love it! Let me back up to where I left off though.

The last day of work before I delivered (41w 2d).

I had so badly wanted to just go into labor on my own, but as the days just kept dragging on and on, I finally caved and decided to get induced after being 10 days past due. I ended up working right up until the day I delivered, which really helped pass the time.

July 27 - We headed to the hospital around 6:30am. I was so excited...in only a few hours (ha) I'd be holding my sweet baby girl for the first time. The Doctor broke my water at about 9am and started me on pitocin. Only being 1cm dilated, the day seemed to drag on.

Around noon, my contractions were getting very strong and painful and I got my epidural shortly after. Best thing ever! I was able to relax (for the most part) the rest of the day and enjoy my visitors while I waited for my body to hurry up and get things rolling. I feel so incredibly blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life that love and care for me. With four baby showers, I received everything I could possibly need and more. Thanks to those of you who made this event so special for me and were there when I need you.

 After a very long and exhausting 13 hours, finally at 10:30pm Brynlee entered into this world weighing 8lb 5oz and measuring 20in. She was absolutely perfect!

It was the best feeling in the world to have her in my arms. She was so delicate and precious. It made the whole long, miserable pregnancy and labor sooo worth it.



The next few days is a blur. I guess it's what people call "survival mode". I slept when I could, tried to get used to the fact that Brynlee was no longer inside me and soaked up every minute.

Before I knew it, it was time to take Brynlee home. I was so ready to be leaving the hospital and be back in my own house, but at the same time, I was slightly overwhelmed at the thought that I wouldn't have a nurse to show up at my every call. On the way out of the hospital, our lovely nurse decided to cut off Brynlee's anklet before they disarmed the alarm and it locked down the entire labor and delivery. It was quite amusing watching the very large security guard come running up to check on things. If someone was really stealing a baby, I'm not sure he would've gotten there in time. It seemed that nobody knew the password to turn the alarm off. After about 10 minutes of waiting, they were finally able to turn it off and let us leave.

And what can I say... Is life with a baby everything it's cracked up to be? I think so, and maybe a little more. :) Yes, it can be challenging and exhausting at times, but so worth it. I've definitely had to adjust to alot of things, but we are figuring it out one day at a time. It definitely takes so much longer to do everything. I feel so blessed to have such a good baby. She hardly cries and loves to sleep, just like her mommy. :) Here is a real quick update on what we've been up to in the past 7 weeks...

1 week old

Our 3 year anniversary fell one week after I had Brynlee. My 2 wonderful sisters drove up from Chattanooga and hung out with me for the day, and then watched Brynlee for an hour so that I could go out to dinner with Brad. It was a little hard to leave her and I'm pretty sure I cried a little, but it was really nice to have an hour alone. 

2 weeks old

We went to Brynlee's cousin's 2nd birthday party and even managed to get a cousins picture with the grandparents.



3 weeks old



4 weeks old


 At 4 weeks, I packed up Brynlee and we headed down to Myrtle Beach for what was supposed to be a nice, relaxing vacation with my family. It turns out that vacations aren't as relaxing with kids. :) We still had a bunch of fun though! Brynlee got to meet her great-grandparents and learned that her great-grandpa is a complete nut. :)

5 weeks old

It was Brad's 26th birthday, and as the tradition has come about, we decided to go camping. Brynlee's first camping trip and she did great. We just chilled by the fire and whatnot.

6 weeks old


Despite the adorable distraction Brynlee can be, Brad has been working so hard and has gotten a promotion. Brynlee started to intentionally smile too. It's so cute!

7 weeks old

I'm back to work and trying to get used to that. It's nice to have a little break, but at the same time I miss her terribly and can't think about much else. That was a quick summary of the past 7 weeks in my life. Hopefully I will do better keeping up to date with all of the latest developments from a day in the life of a new mom. :)

Another week...

Well here's an update, even though there is not too much to report: The infamous "Due Date" has come and gone and still no baby in my arms. Talk about a test of patience... Not only am I unhappy to still be in this position, but everyone else is also quite disappointed when they see me with this big belly. "Oh, you're still here?" :) But at least the end is near, that I know for sure. If she doesn't come on her own before then, we plan on inducing next Wednesday. One more week.... but hopefully less.

I went to my Doctor's appointment yesterday and had her check my cervix and strip my membranes. I'm 1 cm dilated which is better than nothing, but I was hoping that I was farther along than that. Supposedly the stripping of the membranes can sometimes help jump-start labor. So last night I went for a long walk with some awesome friends and then got jiggy with my man. :) Still no contractions, but at least I had a fun night. Brad told me that today is the day. Not too sure if I believe him, but I'm hoping it is.

T minus 2...

Two days left in my big countdown to my due date. Nine months of counting, and it's almost done. Now if only Brynlee would get the message that she's supposed to arrive in 2 days. :) I have a sneaky little feeling though that she'll just keep chilling away in my belly. She's in no hurry.

We had another Dr's appointment yesterday, complete with an ultrasound. Good news is that Brynlee is head down and ready for departure. :) She looks healthy and happy as far as I could tell. Not only did I get to see her precious little fingers and toes, but I also got a glimpse of her sweet little face. She was even sucking her thumb. I just simply cannot wait to hold my little bundle of joy for the first time. It's the only thing that is getting me through all this waiting.

What if she does come late though? Well, I have been trying to make a list of distractions to keep me occupied for each day that she is late. I really hope that it doesn't come down to that though. I would really like to have a baby this weekend. :) So tomorrow, I am filling my day with lots of activities and hope to keep moving pretty much the entire day. Walking, swimming, biking, jumping jacks, really anything that keeps me going. :) And maybe we'll throw in some hot wings too. Ha ha.

By the way, tonight is a full moon, so I will be crossing my fingers that all those theories are true and maybe I will have a baby this weekend. :)

"The theory is that the moon’s gravitational pull effects the amniotic fluid in much the same way as it effects the water in the sea, rivers and even the water that’s otherwise found in our bodies. One midwife told me that when it comes to planning childbirth, full moons should always be looked for around the time of the expected delivery. If there’s one within a few days either side, the chances are your baby will be born on that day."

My fingers are crossed!

Date nights and ice cream parties...

Six days until my due date! I can't believe the end is finally in sight.

I had a pretty awesome weekend (maybe the last one without a baby). Friday night was date night. After dolling myself up more than I had in months, I felt ready for a night on the town... or at least dinner and a movie. :)

We ended up catching a matinee showing of Fast Five, which I might add was a excellent movie. Then we headed over to Red Robin for some bottomless root beer floats and absolutely delicious burgers.

Being our first time, we were very impressed with the food. It was soooooo delicious! All in all, it was a wonderful and relaxing date and I couldn't have asked for anything better!

On Saturday we headed down to Chattanooga for lunch with the family. My parents just put new floors in their house and they wanted to show them off. The floors look amazing, by the way! I had such a good time playing with my nephews, and getting to hang out with my family. I even enjoyed the 2.7 mile walk we took that afternoon, except that it didn't speed up my labor at all. :) I got to spend the night with my sisters and just relax, which is always nice.

Sunday involved some nice pool time. And then I had to get ready for our Ice cream party, which I might add turned out to be a wonderful success. So many flavors and toppings to choose from...

Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of the actual party, but it was wonderful. I ended my day and weekend with a relatively clean house, cuddled up on the couch with my love, watching some TV and just feeling so happy and content.

I hope this week is just as relaxing and fulfilling as this weekend was and hopefully Brynlee will decide to come soon.

The waiting game...

I've been playing the "what if" game quite a bit lately. "What would I do if I went into labor right now?" I guess I have a bit too much time on my hands since I am constantly mapping out my labor strategy for each situation every day. At least I'll be prepared for it when it finally does happen. :)

I was so anxious for my Dr's appointment yesterday. She was supposed to check my cervix and hopefully get a better idea if this baby was getting ready to come out or not. Well after waiting in the Dr's office for 2 hours, I finally got seen. The Dr had to go deliver a baby and I was too impatient to reschedule so I just sat there... Forever! And then when I finally did get seen, it was past 5pm and she was in a hurry to see all of her patients that had waited for her. No checking of the cervix. I was quite disappointed. Instead, she told me that she couldn't tell if the baby was heads down or not so that I should come in next week for an ultrasound. That's fine and all, but that will be 3 days before my due date. So pray I make it until then. Or actually don't. I'd be happy if she came sooner. Either way, we are still waiting... :)

I ended up walking home from the Dr's, seeing as we are down to one car while mine is getting the AC fixed and Brad had to leave before the Dr got back. No worries though, that's just how close we live to the Dr. It took me 20 minutes, and I was happy for the exercise.

I got to return some duplicate gifts and buy the last minute things that we still needed the other day. I'm feeling pretty good about where I'm at on my To Do list. I'm feeling pretty comfortable with everything if she were to come today. There is just some final cleaning and organizing of random stuff in my house that needs to be done still, but I am working on a little bit every day. By next week, I'm sure we'll be in tip-top shape.

Plans until then.... lay out and relax by the pool, finish reading my baby book, finish cleaning, get a massage, and try to stay busy to keep my mind off of how much longer I have to wait. :)

Two weeks too long...

As I round the corner into my last 2 weeks before my due date, all I can think about it how I can speed up this dreadfully uncomfortable time. Of course I have fallen into the trap that so many before me have.... old wives' tales. Mostly I don't believe in their validity, but why not give them a try. Here is what I've come up with so far:

Walking - It seems that I've done plenty of this during my pregnancy already, being a waitress and all. But now that I am finished serving, I need to keep up my daily walks. Walking uses the force of gravity to help the baby get down further into your pelvis. So really, with every step you take, you're one step closer to holding your baby. And even if walking doesn't do the trick, it'll at least keep you in shape. *Must try walking stairs too.

Sex - While it may feel impossible to pull this off with a huge belly, chances are my man won't pass up the chance to pitch in, so I may want to take advantage of this. Sperm contains hormones that can help thin and dilate the cervix, getting it ready for delivery. If nothing else, it may relieve some tension... probably from laughing as I attempt the deed. :) Who knows, maybe the same thing that got me into this mess will get me out of it.  

Evening Primrose Oil - Many midwives suggest evening primrose oil for their pregnant patients, since this herb can help the cervix thin and dilate and prep it for labor. You can take evening primrose oil capsules, or rub the oil onto your cervix during the last weeks of pregnancy.

Castor Oil - This is one way that I really don't plan on trying, even though it may be one of the most talked about ways to naturally induce. It's a laxative (and not a very tasty one, either). If you take a shot of it, it can stimulate your bowels (by causing spasms in the intestines) and, in turn, irritate your uterus and cause it to start contracting. The downside: If you're not already showing signs of labor, taking castor oil can just give you a bad case of diarrhea (something I probably want to avoid this close to childbirth). Doesn't sound appealing to me. I'll take my chances and skip this method.

Acupressure - This is another age-old practice that entails putting pressure on specific points on the body to stimulate uterine activity. It is easy to do since I can use fingertips (mine or my partner's). Some pressure points to try: The webbing between my thumb and index finger, the lower back (above my butt), the large muscle between my neck and shoulder, and the inside of my leg about four finger-widths above the ankle bone.

Massage - Studies show that a massage can raise your body's level of oxytocin, that hormone that can bring on contractions.  Meditation and even just cuddling with your partner can help relax you, which might get your oxytocin levels pumping (it's no coincidence that the majority of labors start late at night, when an expectant mom is warm and cozy in bed — a state that triggers the release of oxytocin). I plan on scheduling my massage for early next week.

Bouncing - This could be either in a car on a bumpy road, or bouncing on an exercise ball. The baby might just need to be jiggled into place. :) Or perhaps just try some squats.

Foods that could help -

• Spicy Food - Some people believe that spicy food, like castor oil, irritates your intestines (but more gently) and that can cause your uterus to contract. 
• Pineapple - This fruit doesn't induce labor, but instead possibly helps ripen the cervix.
• Chinese Food - Who knows why this is said to work.
• Eggplant Parmesan - The true inducer really might be in the basil and oregano that are in this dish, but worth a try. Will definitely be trying this recipe.
• Basil
• Oregano
• Raspberry Leaf Tea - Thought to strengthen your uterus.

Two weeks left, which means two weeks to test out all these theories. I will keep you posted on my progress and let you know if there is any validity in any of these theories. :)

Pregnant and miserable...

With 20 days until my due date, some days are definitely better than others. And some days I struggle to make it through. The other day just happened to be one of those days. I was having terrible neck pain. Not to mention that it never feels like I can get enough air these days. And then I started feeling light-headed. If only I would feel this way from the moment that I woke up, because then I would call into work and sleep it off for a couple more hours. But of course it never sets in until I’ve been at work for at least half an hour or more. Then I am stuck at my desk trying to keep my head up. Not so easy when all I feel like doing is laying down for a bit. But when I do try and lay down, I pinch nerves in my hips which cause more pain. I’ve really started to master “the waddle” too. Oh sweet baby, I know this is definitely all worth it for you, but would you please make your grand entrance soon. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.

Last week we preregistered at the hospital, so now when the time comes, it’s straight to labor and delivery. Yay! I was really impressed with the hospital. Everything is so new and clean. We can get complimentary valet parking when I come to deliver the baby. The rooms are nice and big with a pullout couch for Brad, free Wi-Fi, and a whirlpool tub that I get the luxury of enjoying after delivering. All in all, it should be a wonderful place to deliver.

My fourth and final baby shower with some of the ladies from the Brewery turned out perfectly. I was so very excited to be able to spend some time outside of work with them. It was such a wonderful and relaxing evening filled with laughter, awesome food, and great friends. I feel so blessed to have had so many wonderful showers from so many wonderful people. It’s nice to know that I’m loved.

Yesterday we ventured out to a water park with some friends. I wasn’t too sure what I would the whole time there since I can’t go on the slides. Luckily, despite the nasty weather in the morning, it cleared up to be a beautiful sunny day and I spend many hours floating on the lazy river. I have a very red belly to prove it too.

Tonight marks my last stretch of 3 days working at the Brewery. I’m looking forward to having my afternoons off to enjoy our recently opened pool, washing and sorting Brynlee’s clothes, and just getting everything in order before she gets here. Until next time, I will continue to try and get comfortable and get enough oxygen to my brain so I can function. J

Flying through June...

We are already a week into June and the time has just flown. This excites me so much, because I know the rest of the month is going to fly by too. I don't have a picture of my calendar, but it looks something like this:

I have something written on practically every day. Here are some of the things that I have planned for this month:

• A shopping day with my sister
• Volunteer work day at camp
• My cousin's wedding in Atlanta
• A 4 day Primerica convention in Atlanta
• Father's Day
• My friend's wedding
• Dr's appointments
• Helping out with VBS
• Another baby shower
• My friend's wedding shower
• Etc.

I think you get the picture. I have to squeeze everything in now so that I can relax all of July. :) Speaking of relaxing, I decided to take the night off from work and just relax a bit. Last night I think I pushed myself a little too hard and went home in a lot of pain. I woke up not fully recovered so I decided not to overdo it and take a little break. What would be a nicer way to relax than laying out by the pool. Unfortunately ours hasn't opened yet.

They were supposed to open it Memorial Day weekend, and apparently ran into some problems. A week and a half later, and it still isn't open, while I've been melting in our record-breaking high temperatures. Yes, it has been a fun summer so far. :) I've been staying cool by munching on ice (my new favorite thing). 

It has perhaps been my only real craving during this pregnancy. I've been stocking up on Sonic ice at home. You can buy a bag of it for less than $2. That has been my life saver. 

In other news.... yesterday for the first time, a stranger touched my belly. She was one of my customers at work. It really caught me off guard. It was a very uncomfortable moment for me. If she hadn't been so nice, I think I would've been far more bothered by the incident. Hopefully that doesn't happen again.

I feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family in my life. I have had 2 baby showers in the past week. The first one was a surprise thrown by my work. It was such a lovely little cookout and I received some wonderful gifts. The next one was thrown by all our friends at church. We had a lovely breakfast bar with pancakes and dozens of toppings. It was so nice. And I still have one more shower thrown by all my girls at the Brewery. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be surrounded by such love.

I'm having my maternity pictures taken this weekend. Stay tuned for the finished product. :) 

Saying goodbye to May...

Last night I had the most vivid dream that I had my baby. I was calling everyone and telling them that Brynlee was here. People were visiting me in the hospital. I got to hold my precious baby for the first time. It was so wonderful and real. Imagine my disappointment when I woke up and realized that it was all just a dream and I still had about 7 weeks until that becomes a reality. I've dreamed several times already that I have had Brynlee, but none of them were as real or emotional as this. It just made me more excited for when that moment actually arrives. I really can't wait to hold my baby for the first time, to kiss her perfect face and hold her close.

I've been telling myself that if I could just make it through the month of May, I would be set. May was a rather uneventful and drawn out month for me. I didn't have much going on or much to look forward to. June, however, is packed full of all sorts of weddings and showers and other events to keep me entirely too busy, and I absolutely can't wait for all the distractions. Because once June is over, then July is here, and with it comes my sweet Brynlee.

Pregnancy has been becoming slightly more uncomfortable and tiring with each passing day. I find myself out of breath all the time. It's quite an effort to climb the stairs to my apartment. I'm finding it more and more difficult to get comfortable when I sleep, probably because I have a honeydew melon inside me. And so on and so forth. But I just think of the day I get to hold my baby and somehow it's all worth it. 47 days and counting...

I would walk 500 miles...

I recently downloaded a pedometer app on my phone because I have been so curious as to how much I end up walking at work. Last night was a pretty busy night, but when I finally checked my pedometer at the end of it, I was happy to discover that I had walked 3.8 miles. That's pretty crazy. I'm not sure how accurate my pedometer is, but atleast it's a ballpark figure.

On to other news in my life.... I am now 29 weeks pregnant and getting bigger every day. My sweet little Brynlee is kicking and moving all the time. I can't believe that I'm on the last leg of this pregnancy. I really can't wait to meet her. I'm so excited about my baby shower this weekend. It is going to be awesome!

My new love is for this website called Pinterest. It has literally become my drug. I can't get enough of it. It has become my online dream/idea/motivation board. It is soooo awesome. You have to request an invite to join, but they'll send you an email in about a week. Let me just warn you, it's fantastic for wasting hours of time.... everyday. :)

I'm going to attempt to knit a baby hat very soon. I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday to buy the yarn, and was very disappointed to not find the kind I was looking for. Joann's is definitely the place to go. They have about 6 rows of yarn. It's incredible. I'm hoping to stop by there after work today and find something awesome.

That pretty much sums things up. Stay tuned for updates on my ever increasingly interesting life. :)

Oh yeah....                                                        HAPPY