Wordless Wednesday: Sisterly Love

(absolutely LOVE this photo... already printed it off in a 11x14 to hang on the wall)

So I am incapable of being wordless today....

These photos make me SOOOOO excited to see how their relationship develops over the years. I hope Leah continues to love her sister to pieces and Emily grows to adore her big sis.

Body After Baby: Week 2

Week 2 seemed to go pretty well. 

I did not attempt any walks since my incision was hurting from my attempts the prior week. 

So instead, I focused on what I COULD do rather than what I CANNOT do.  (Thanks for the suggestion Kaylene!) 

I ate well. 

For our anniversary my mom had Jack Stack BBQ delivered from Kansas City (we live in St. Louis!)   and I enjoyed the ribs, burnt ends, beans, cheesy corn, and asparagus (I added it) but I only ate the appropriate portions.  

I was very proud of myself.  And I ended full and content! 

Then Saturday night Brian and I headed out for our anniversary where we used an Applebee's giftcard from his parents.  Lucky me, Applebee's has weightwatcher meals so the night was easy... 

And I enjoyed a few adult beverages. 

Weightwatchers is so very doable for me... 

Because last week I lost another 4.8 pounds. 

That makes 17.6 total in 2 weeks. (Thanks alot to just having a baby)

The success is a total confidence booster and encourages me to keep going strong this week. 

Em and I already enjoyed a morning walk and it felt great!  

My one struggle from this past week.... 

Silly me decided to give up soda... 

How I miss that bubbly, cold goodness! 

My mouth is watering right now just thinking of a Diet Coke! 

I know its horrible timing with having a newborn and being a bit sleep deprived... 

I have only been having 1 or 2 cups of coffee a day so honestly I am not sure how I am not falling over from the sleepiness... 

But I decided to give it up not only for the health benefits, but because I knew being home on leave all day, every time I am thirsty I would go for a Diet Coke.  Not good.   

I know I need to drink  more water. 

Leah was even getting to a point where she was requesting soda to drink... 

I NEEDED to stop that. 

I am not saying I will never have a soda again... 

I just do not want to buy it and have it in the house. 

It will be a treat... when out to dinner or something. 

But not for a little while... 

I need to fully break this addiction first. 

And I am already on day 8...and my mouth is still watering. 

Hopefully that will go away soon... as will these last unwanted pounds! 

Last week, 1.5 weeks postpardum

2.5 weeks postpartum, freshly sweaty from our walk

By the way, I do not think I mentioned it last week, but I am linking up with Exploits of a Military Mama, and her weekly attempt to get back to her pre-babies self. 

First Fight

Emily was laying on the floor, awaiting a diaper change.

Leah leaned over her to give her a kiss.

Her hair fell over Emily.

Emily grabbed hold of it.

Leah sits up and yells "She pulled my hair!"

Then reaches down and pulls Emily's hair!

I was shocked.

All I could think was "It's too soon for this!!"

Some Interesting Info

Yesterday was Em's 2 week check up...

(Don't get me started on how fast time is going... )

It was definitely an interesting visit. 

First a reminder... 

At birth, Emily was 8lb 6 oz and 20.5 inches long.  

When we left the hospital she had dropped down to 8lb 1oz. 

At 2 weeks Emily is coming in at 9lb 5 oz and 22 inches long!!! 

I knew she was going thru a growth spurt but 1.5 inches in 2 weeks?! 

Turns out, the Dr. thinks they measured her incorrectly at the hospital.  

She says they are not always the best at pulling their legs straight when they measure them. 

She thinks Emily grew, but not 1.5 inches...

So... how long was she really at birth!? 

My guess she would be atleast 21 inches... maybe more like the 21.25 like her sister... 

Em is just a tad skinnier... and I think its all in the cheeks/face!  

Leah had CHEEKS... but she also had multiple chins. :)  

I remember having a hard time wiping out the milk that would fall down into her rolls... 

Em does not have that problem. 

As the the actual percentile stats... because we all know I love me some standard normal distribution! 

Length: 94.94%

Weight: 80.14%

Head: 25.05%

Yes... my children have small heads.... a trait that is definitely from the Gilmore side because have you seen the Kozlen heads?!  Leah was always around 50%.  Maybe that is also where her extra pound was!

Other interesting facts from the appointment... 

Emily might not actually be our dark hair beauty... 

The Dr. is predicting another blond haired, blue eyed, girl. 

She is sprouting blond hairs under all those dark strands.. and even the dark hairs are starting to grow out more as blonde at the base.  

All babies eyes are blue when they are first born, but Emily's eyes have already started to turn to a much lighter blue.   I had made this comment to Brian a few days ago, but he thought I was crazy... but the doctor has reassured me that I am right.

So it looks like Emily might resemble her sister a bit more than originally thought! 

On a more serious note... 

Em has a spot under her lip.  

It looks like a scar...

The Dr. is unsure at the moment what exactly it is, maybe a birth mark or just a cluster of cells that will go away. 

Within the next month to 6 weeks it should get better or worst... 

We are of course hoping for the better, but the doctor commented that "If it gets bigger and bother some, the good thing is that dermatologist and plastic surgeons are awesome now a days and could definitely take care of it!"

Scary to think that we might need those options down the road, but thank goodness it is nothing serious for my perfect #2.

4 years

"But love, I've come to understand, is more than three words mumbled before bedtime. Love is sustained by action, a pattern of devotion in the things we do for each other every day." - The Wedding, by Nicholas Sparks

This has always been one of my favorite quotes.

Words can just be mumbled and said without meaning at times... but true love can be seen thru the things we do for each other.

My other lover, John Mayer, gets it and says it perfectly with his new song "Love is a Verb".



In our 4 years of marriage Brian and I's love has built our dream life.

I couldn't imagine being in a more perfect place in life right now and none of it would be possible without my amazing husband's love and support.

I am excited to continue to put our love to work and build our future.

Happy 4 years of marriage hubby!  Looking forward to many, many more!

Wordless Wednesday

 

Body After Baby

I had forgotten how horrific the immediate post baby body could look...and what it can do to your self confidence.

I know... I just had a baby 12 days ago. It will take time to get back to normal...

But I seem to have absolutely zero patience this time around.

Maybe its the time of the year.

With Leah it was winter. Too cold to get out. I could hide in my sweats for a few months.

But this time... Its HOT. I want to get into my shorts and tank tops and swimsuit and not have to think about how my body is looking in it.

With a c-section I am unable to exercise for 4 weeks. I figured if I felt OK, I could go for walks and be fine... but Ive been starting to hurt...

I havent been taking it too easy ... I kind of feel like I have ADD since coming home and I am just anxious to get moving.

The other day I took Emily for a 15 minute walk and my incision was HURTING afterwards.

And then I took Leah grocery shopping with me... and pushing the cart, food and 38.5 lb toddler around really took a toll as well.

So I have to take it easy physically for the next few weeks.

I am trying to focus more on my eating...

I am back on weight watchers. ... as in I signed up 4 days after having a baby.

My work will reimburse me for it all as long as I lose 5% and keep it off for 6 months on the program.

I might be cheating a little with using my 4 day, postpartum weight as my starting weight, and then losing my 5% in the first week...

I really want to try and clean up our whole family's diet...

I hope I can consistently buy more fresh food and ditch the frozen, premade, box crap...

So far, even with a 12 day old, I have actually cooked most of our meals and they have been EASY. Definitely something I think we can keep up when I return to work... I just need to make sure I am buying the right things to fill the fridge to do so.

I am really hoping I can only be about 5-10 lbs away from my beginning weight at my 4 week postpartum check up... and once I am OK to exercise again, I can be sure to be at my pre-pregnancy weight or less when I return to work with a 10 week old.

I can do this.

Now for the visual aids...

The morning of becoming a mom of 2. 

12 days postpartum ... pretty much just woke up and feeling/looking a little sleep deprived

Little Sisterhood

I should start off this post with knocking on some wood.

I do not want to jinx anything.

Emily is an amazingly easy baby... so far.

Maybe it refers back to the starting with bottle feeding and not being a first time mom again...

But from the get go Emily has eaten well, burped almost immediately, making tons of dirty diapers (yeah, it really is something to be excited about sadly) and slept like a champ.

Even the nurses commented on how she was a quiet little girl.

In the hospital she was going 4 hours between feedings of 2 oz and 3 oz on the last night/day..

Once we got home ... She started going 5 hours between feedings at night!!!

At 5 DAYS old!

And that was only because I was waking her up at 5 hours because I thought she was way too little to be sleeping like that!

I asked the doctor at her 1 week check up.  She agreed that we should not let her go longer than 6 hours right now just because she still is so young...

I have such hopes of this child sleeping through the night by the time I head back to work!

I hope hope hope!

Now if only we could get Miss Leah to consistently sleep through the night too...

I am being serious.

The 2.5 year old that does not sleep thru the night is a story for another day...

But first, some pictures of the amazing little one.

Big Sisterhood

Leah is loving being a big sister!

Minutes after the initial meeting Leah came back into the recovery room with her aunts, anxious to see her baby sister again.

I think she had to see the excitement from everyone else before she could be excited.

(We had Leah be the first to come and meet Emily.)

Then she had the chance to hold her for the first time...

And her obsession began. 

Leah constantly wants to hold her, hug her, kiss her, touch her, poke at her, tickle her, and love on her. 

Its awesome to see her excitement and love... 

The first thing she says now when she wakes up in the mornings and comes to the top of the steps is now "Is Emi up!?" 

showing off her blue tongue from her snow cone. 

poking Emily in the eye

But when Emily is trying to sleep, and we are looking for a break, I find myself constantly telling Leah "No. Let her sleep. Leave her alone. Lets have mommy and Leah time instead."

We were also warned that the first few weeks Leah might act out a bit...

And we have seen our fair share of tantrums lately.

They all seem to revolve around Leah's lack of listening.

She is usually taken kicking and screaming to time out, where once she calms down she usually opens the door and says "I am ready to listen now."

Brian has stepped up alot taking care of Leah while I handle Emily.

I have been surprised how easily Leah has gone to him which she is usually a huge momma's girl.

It warms my heart to see them together though.  (I would love to have 100s of pictures of them together but Brian yells at me as soon as I pick up the camera. stinker.)

Yesterday he took her to Six Flags alone... she came home needing a nap and clinging to Brian.  She would not let him put her down and wanted nothing to do with me.

It kind of broke my heart and I may have shed a few post pregnancy emotional tears.

I am trying to make more of an effort to spend time with her.

Having her sit on my lap more.  Help me make dinner. Help me take care of Emily.

She is already an amazing big sister and I want to make sure she knows it!