Body After Baby: Week 7

With Emily I gained just over 40 lbs.

At 7.5 weeks postpartum, I am officially at my pre-baby weight!

That is after my 2 lb lost this past week.

Whoohoo!

With Leah it took me 4 months I think to get back to my starting weight.

I am proud of my 7.5 weeks!

I am feeling great and super motivated right now.

Although I am at my pre-baby weight now, it actually is 10 lbs more than my pre-baby weight with Leah...

So that is my new goal.

C25K is going awesome.

I am at the 20 minute runs...

I am eager to run each day and look forward to it.

Yesterday when we woke up it was raining...

And I still went!

I guess I am tired of running in 90+ degree weather...

And in the morning, before the girls are fully awake, is just the best time for me to run.

Running at night keeps me up...

And we all know I need any sleep I can get right now!

I just did not want to waste the quiet morning.

My brother brought up doing a 5k together when he comes to town at Christmas...

And I am super excited to do it with him and Sarah!

Running 5ks is something I have done before...

But nothing I ever prepared for.

I have come to realize that it is a little strange...

In the past I just showed up, ran it without running anything prior to train, and completed it somewhere in the 35 minute mark...

I had no idea it was something people worked towards and made a goal for.

This time I am anxious to see what I can do it in when I actually work towards it!

I've been thinking that I am doing so well with this because I am currently not studying for an exam.

As silly as that sounds, I like to have something personal to work towards.

To concentrate on.

To put my effort towards.

To obsess over.

I have not taken an exam since Nov 2011, but I was busy growing a baby.

Now that I am working on modules and will not be sitting for an exam until October 2013 I will welcome this new challenge.

And you know how I hate to fail!! 

Ideally my new goals are:

• Lose 10 lbs to get to Pre-Leah weight. 
• Lose another 10 lbs to get to Wedding/High School size. 
• Be able to run 5+ miles at a time.  I honestly do not think I have ever ran much more over 3 miles at once time.  I would love to be able to say "Oh I just ran 5 miles this morning!" ;) 
• Maybe run a half marathon some day... My brother and his wife have done it a few times and I think it would just be an amazing goal to work towards. 

But lets just focus on one goal at a time!

Body After Baby: Week 6
Body After Baby: Week 5
Body After Baby: Week 4
Body After Baby: Week 3
Body After Baby: Week 2
Body After Baby: Week 1

New Normal

I have been meaning to write about my new life as a mom of 2 but every attempt has failed.

In general... It's not as overwhelming as I expected.

Maybe that is because I have yet to return to work and a normal schedule...

But for now, it really is manageable.

Sure Leah seems to be naked A LOT more often.

Sure we relaxed on Leah's bedtime because we focus more on getting Em down and me getting some Mommy alone time ( a run/walk) in before we get her down.

Sure Leah is still not potty trained and I feel extremely frustrated after each poopy diaper I change and new box of size 6 diapers I buy.

I feel mommy guilt after each time I yell at Leah to leave her sister alone because at times I feel like that is all I ever say to her anymore.

But Leah and Brian are spending a lot more time together in the evenings.

Leah absolutely loves her little sister and wants to be with her 24/7.

I can handle taking them both out in public alone, but notice that I often try to plan accordingly or forego my desire to go somewhere in particular because its not worth the hassle.

Grocery shopping often takes 2 carts if Leah wants to ride rather than walk.

I usually forget atleast 1 semi-important thing anytime we go anywhere.

With 1 child I had a memory, with 2 children my brain is shot.

(hopefully it returns some in time for my next exam!)

And I have had only a handful of overwhelmed, anxiety filled moments.

I am completely, 100% happy being the mom of 2 beautiful little girls.

I just feel in control of life right now rather than life being in control of me.

And for me, that is a HUGE thing.

Wordless Wednesday

6 Week Bumbo

Lets compare...

Leah... a phone pic... 

Emily...Fancy camera pic...

In person I feel like they really look alike...

But not so much in pictures.

Obviously Emily has a bit more hair, much darker, and darker skin coloring as well.

Leah's eyes are a little more round...

But same nose and lips.

Emily has definitely grown some cheeks lately!

Definitely thinking Leah is more of Mommy while Emily is a little Brian...

I am incapable of catching a smile on camera yet but I swear she looks JUST LIKE HIM when she does!

The strange thing though is that Leah has/had dark eyebrows but blonder hair while Emily is the opposite with blonde eyebrows and eyelashes and dark hair.

Oh how I wonder what they will look like in a few years....

Beautiful I am sure!

Body After Baby: Week 6

Another 1.8 lbs down.

This week seemed to be a test.

I ran to Lions Choice to pick up lunch for Brian and his dad one day while they worked on the basement.

The smell of the fries in the car actually grossed me out rather than enticed me!

I went out with a friend one night...

Yes I had half a bottle of wine....

But when it came to dinner at a pub, I passed up the loaded fries, fish and chips, or amazing burgers for an awesome summer salad.

(And by awesome I mean I want to go back and eat it again right this second!)

Saturday night I was exhausted and Brian offered to BBQ and "just pick up some potato salad or something."

I told him no and instead cooked us a healthy side of oven fries to go along with the burgers. (turkey for me)

Side note: I have a new found love for turkey everything.  Turkey burgers, hot dogs, bacon, and ground turkey!

I ate ONE slice of cheese pizza...

I remember noticing the greasiness.

An hour later I felt HORRIBLE!

I feel like I have turned a corner and can proudly make smart food choices more willingly.

I don't have the feeling of "Oh I SHOULD eat this."

Its more of a "I WANT to eat this."

C25K is still going great as well.

I have reached the point were the runs are 8+ minutes long.

Although I am nervous at the start of each run I realized that although my legs get tired I can mentally tell myself to just keep going.

A friend of mine from college just finished the  Ironman competition this past weekend

That's 140 miles!!

In one day!!

Swimming 2 miles.

Bike ride 112 miles.

Then run a MARATHON!

If Greg can do it, I can totally run 3 miles!

I really am at a point right now where I feel like this is not just a diet but a real life change.

Lets hope it continues!

Body After Baby: Week 5

Is it really week 5?!

The week went well...

I C25K-ed all but 1 day.

I ate well.

Only used 1 of my extra, weekly, bonus points ...on beer when we had a family play-date Friday night .

I saw a loss of 3.2 lbs.

Yeah!

I am starting to feel stronger, leaner, taller...

More like my old self.

Last night I started on Week 4, Day 1...

A 3 minute run, some walking, 4 minute run and walking (2 times) and then another 3 minute run.

It is the longest run so far and I was nervous about it...

But you know what... it wasn't so bad at all.

Progress!

Next up is a 3 minute run, some walking, 5 minute run and walking (2 times) and then another 3 minute run...


I am not scared at all!


Excited to do it actually.


Although I am feeling great, there is still a lack of clothing that fits!


Frustrating!


Maybe its just my body's shape changing...


Or the stomach that will just NOT go away...


I really do not want to buy any new clothes...

So work out clothes is what I will wear for the next 4 weeks until I actually have to wear normal clothing on the regular again.

(Only 4 more weeks till I return to work!? I admit I kind of miss work and am excited to return...I am ridiculous I know. I will save this for another post soon)

June 6th

July 17

That darn belly is why I cant get my shorts to button!   I hate ab workouts though... :(

Happy Birthday America (a week late)

( I am allowed to be late...I have a newborn! ;) )

The holiday was spent doing a couple of the most classic summer activities...

Swimming at my Uncles... and then BBQing at my parents.

Although I was not yet released to swim, (darn dissolve-able stitches) I spent the morning with just my legs in the water, Leah was a little fish and Emily, at 4 weeks old, had her first experience in the pool.

Leah used to be scared of the waterfall.. her mean daddy held her near it... and she soon came over her fear... 

her itty bitty swimsuit was the cutest thing ever! 

My cousin Kelly introduced her to the water.... and we forgot her hat so she has a towel over head... I have come to realize that with leaving the house with 2 kids I always forget something... 

starting to relax a bit.... 

just hanging out in the water... escaping the 100+ heat. 

This years holiday was not all traditional and was a little off... 

We did not see or hear a single firework.

Yes, we did all fall sleep by 9:30 pm that night, but that was not why...

The lack of rain and extreme heat had almost all of the area's fireworks cancelled.

We had been looking forward to sitting on our deck and enjoying Six Flag's show but they too were cancelled... it was a bummer because we had talked about it since we started to build this house last year!

And when it comes to personal fireworks, they not only are illegal in the county, but I am not a fan in general.  The kind of scare the crap out of me.... I like to leave it to the professionals.

So the holiday was mostly enjoyed in the company of family and being happy to live in such an awesome country.

Body After Baby: Week 4

(I am writing this one handed... Emmie is sleeping too nicely and I am comfortable.  The life of a new mom huh?)

This week was OK.

I lost another 1.8 lbs.

A much more normal number.

I did not eat the best... Holidays are hard! ... and having the hubby home with me.

But I did try to atleast stop when I was full and keep the beers to a minimum.

I did continue with the C25K program and headed out 4 times this week.

I find myself wanting to go out more this week.

It really is just relaxing for me right now.

My alone time.  Me time.

I did have my 4 week postpardum appointment yesterday and came in 7 lbs above my prepregnancy weight!!

Goal met!!

This weeks goal is to just drink more water.  

I am still soda free.

I noticed that since I am not drinking soda all the time, I pretty much replaced it with drinking nothing!

uhh... not good.

So this week I am making water my bff.

And now baby girl is waking up so I must return to mommyhood...

Till next week.


Body After Baby: Week 1
Body After Baby: Week 2
Body After Baby: Week 3

My Oh My

How time flies!

Miss Emily is already 1 month old.

She still seems brand new ....

But I feel like she has been part of our family forever.

She is still an amazing little thing...

Growing right on track and doing the typical, boring, 1 month old things.

Length: 22.5 inches, 92.88th percentile
Weight: 10 lb 11 oz, 88. 23th percentile
Head: 36 cm, 24.83th percentile

Yes, she grew over 2 lbs in a month!

Leah was 23 inches and 10 lb 10oz at 1 month.  

I am sure 2 months will be here in a blink of an eye as well.

And for comparisons sake...

Leah at 1 month...

Body After Baby: Week 3

Another successful week...

5 lbs lost this week.

I was nervous it would be a big fat zero after how the week began.

Last Sunday Brian had family in town so we BBQed at our house, which meant I was left with all the leftovers...

Brauts, kabobs, potato salad, pasta salad, cheese cake.. Oh my!

I think I went thru all of my extra points for the week in the first 2 days...

But then the food was gone and I cleaned up my act.

I am still soda free... The mouth watering when I think about it is still there...

And I made sure to get some good 30 minute walks in with Em in the mornings, or family walks in the evening... before the extreme heat hit.

Right now I think I am about 10 lbs away from my pre pregnancy weight...

1 week until my follow up appointment to see if I reached my first goal.

I doubt I can keep up the 5 lbs+ a week weight loss anymore as I am getting closer to my starting weight... Hopefully adding a little more exercise will keep things going.

Although I am not yet at 4 weeks post pardom, I am a very impatient person...

I started the Couch to 5K program yesterday...

On a solo walk/run, early in the morning, after feeding Em and getting her back to bed...

It was MARVELOUS!

It felt so nice to get moving again.

I loved how sweaty I was afterwards.

I have missed being active.

I miss the athlete I once was.

Today, I tried it again.

With the jogging stroller and Emmie coming along...

Running with a stroller is hard!

And exhausting!

I survived though, although I was oh so happy when that voice told me it was time to cool down...

Wednesday we will hit the streets again...

And hopefully for more good numbers and getting back to my old self.