Losing the Baby Weight

I gave myself six weeks to chill before getting serious about losing this baby weight. So today marks the day where I start actually trying to lose the baby weight.

It shouldn't be hard...I mean, I only have 4.5 lbs to go before I hit pre-pregnancy weight, but I was trying to lose 15 lbs before I got pregnant. So the total weight loss goal is 20 lbs. I'm gonna need all the support I can get. Eating well is really hard for me, and I always find an excuse to not work out and I imagine with a newborn those excuses will come even easier. 

I'm wanting to be able to wear a bikini confidently this summer when we go to the beach (and we better be going to the beach for at least one weekend!).

So anybody got any hints on how I should start? What should I do? I've already fallen in love with green smoothies and will definitely be keeping those in the diet, but what else? I'm such a bad dieter and it's hard with a picky husband (not to mention my gluten-free diet). 

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Now let me add that I'm not doing this because I think I'm ugly. I love my post-pregnancy body because it's a symbol of what I've been through, but I believe I would feel better and be a better me if I was healthier and lost a little bit of weight...

Blessed

I've only got a few minutes before Baby Girl gets up from her nap to eat. It's in this silence, while my little love bug is sleeping peacefully that I realize just how blessed I am. It's in these moments that I just sit and look at her and am just consumed with love.

 

Well, she's starting to wake up. Now for cuddles while she eats and then bedtime routines. I just love this time with my love bug!

Favorite Things: 1 Month Edition

It's hard to believe my baby is already a month old! You can check out her one month update here.

1. Fisher Price My Little Snugabunny Cradle 'n Swing - This has been a lifesaver. It sits in between our living room and kitchen, so that when I'm working I can just put Baby Girl in there to swing and I can see her no matter what room I'm in. She absolutely loves her swing. The speed is adjustable, it plays music, and has a bird mobile that she just loves to look at. And the best part is that it is not battery operated! It has a plug in! I just love this swing!

2. Moby Wrap - No matter what, I recommend getting a wrap or sling to carry your baby! I just love being able to carry my baby hands free. Plus, she still likes to be close to me.

3. Fisher Price My Little Snugabunny Rock 'n Play - My all-time favorite gift (thanks guys!). This has been a lifesaver. It's what she sleeps in and the best part is that it's light weight and compact so we can take it with us wherever we go! I love how it cradles her. It's kind of like a hammock, so it makes her feel more secure as she's sleeping. I like that we can take it with us right now. It's a lot less bulky than a pack 'n play so it's easier to transport. Eventually we'll have to upgrade, but for now we're sticking with the Rock 'n Play.

4. Baby Jogger City Mini Stroller - I love this stroller!! We've only taken her out in this once, but I love it! It's such a smooth ride and really easy to operate. I love how easy it is to fold and store. And I think Baby Girl liked it. At least, she fell to sleep immediately.

5. Aden + Anais Swaddle Blankets - These have been great. Though Baby Girl isn't a fan of being swaddled, these blankets have been great to cover her when she's in her swing or her car seat. They also make a great cover-up for breast feeding in public. I love them because they're not too hot so they don't smother her.

6. Safety 1st Infant Car Seat - I love our car seat. It's easy to install and to put her in it. The one thing I read about them when we were buying car seats was that it was heavy, but I haven't had a problem with the weight at all (I see it as a way to build muscles).

I'm excited to see what toys will make their way onto the list next month as Baby Girl grows. It's fun watching her develop and grow and discover new things!

1 Month!

Dear Baby Girl,

It's hard to believe you're already a month old! I'm loving every minute of this stage of your life! You're such a precious gift and I fall more in love with you every day (if that's even possible). You love to cuddle and be held. In fact, one night this past week you woke up screaming, but the instant I had you in my arms you went straight back to sleep. So you joined us in bed for a few hours. It was so sweet to have you cuddled up next to me. I just love it! 

You went through your first growth spurt and through us all for a loop. We had you on such a great schedule, and then you up and decided to change it on us. Oh well. You're definitely keeping us on our toes. I love discovering life with you. Your coos and "talking" are just precious! You're really developing those lungs. 

We started you off on tummy time, and I don't think you know what to do with yourself. You'll stay there for a minute just as happy as can be talking up a storm, and then the next minute you're done. It's precious.

Things you love:

Mommy

Daddy

Eating

Your swing

Your Rock n Play

Your mat

Eating

Daddy

Mommy

Daddy and I just love you, Baby Girl and we're so excited about watching you grow up and learn new things! Just don't grow up too fast okay?

Love, Mommy

My Week in Instagram

Baby Girl sleeping on Monday was a rare thing.

Sock Monkey Tuesday

Beautiful Girl, Beautiful World by Tyrone Wells was the only thing that would calm Baby Girl down.

Happy Valentine's Day and Baby Girl is 4 weeks old! Baby Girl was not a fan of that tutu. 

She loved her gift from her Bibi and Papi!

We went for her first walk in the stroller and she loved it! It was such a beautiful day, I just couldn't resist getting her outside!

Feel free to follow me on instagram @awood009

You mean I get to keep her?!

This whole being a mom thing is surreal. You start preparing for mommyhood when you start talking about getting pregnant. Then the instant you get pregnant, preparation kicks in hardcore. You have nine months to really get it in your head that you are going to be a mom! It should sink in then...that in nine months (give or take a few days/weeks) you are going to be responsible for a little person.

At least that's supposed to be how it is...right? You're given nine months to prepare for the change...

But how do you prepare for the change? 

I knew it was coming. I had nine months to prepare. So why does it all still seem so surreal. Ever since we brought Baby Girl home, I feel like it's only temporary. I feel like I'm babysitting someone else's child and that eventually I'm going to have to give her back. This feeling seems to be the strongest at night. Whenever we both wake up for a feeding, I feel like I'm in some sort of dream. That the little girl in my arms that I love so much isn't mine. 

Of course, I know this isn't true. There's no denying this little one. She's definitely mine, and I'll always claim her. I guess I'm still adjusting to this little person being here. And you know what, I think this feeling is okay. I think it's normal. At least that's what I'm telling myself to make me feel better...

Do any of you other first time mommies feel the same way? Or those that remember being a first time mommy, did you ever feel like this?

 

See, there's no denying this sweet face...she has my eyes and the hubs's everything else. I mean, she is our child! And I'm happy to keep her ever day ending in "y"!

(the first picture is of me as a newborn and the second is of the hubs)

A Birth Story

January 14th came and went. Baby Girl's due date. I woke up like every other morning, got dressed, and went to work. It's a good thing I did too, because there was a lot that I needed to get done. Of course, going to work on your due date comes with a lot of comments. I kept getting "You're still here?" and "When's your due date?" I just laughed at it all and walked around a lot. I was determined to get this baby here ASAP. I got home and had contractions here and there, but every time I thought something was getting started they just died down and disappeared. I was a little disappointed, I didn't really want to go to work the next day. But of course, that's what was in the cards.

January 15th comes around. I had a doctor's appointment at the end of the day. So I left work early, yes I was still at work, and went in for a check up. I finally let them check me and I was at 3 centimeters dilated. Progress! They also hooked me up to a monitor to check to see how Baby Girl was handling things. Everything seemed perfect. I was having contractions, and Baby Girl was doing just fine. They decided to strip my membranes in order to hopefully get something started, they also scheduled me an ultrasound for the 17th. You see, I was measuring 43 weeks at 40 weeks. A little big. So we scheduled it for Thursday morning so the hubs could go with me. Mom met me at the doctor's office and we decided to head to the mall to get things going even more. Still nothing happened...

January 16th was pretty much the same...I went to work, walked around, and told everyone "Hopefully I won't see y'all tomorrow." I had taken a half day already for the doctor's appointment, and I was kinda hoping they'd just tell me to head straight to the hospital.

The morning of January 17th comes and the hubs and I get ready to go and see the doctor. I suggest grabbing the bag just in case they send us on ahead, but the hubs said no. His logic was we can always stop by the house on the way to the hospital. So I agree and we head to go and see how our baby girl is fairing. We get there and I'm starting to get nervous. I just want to go to the hospital and have this baby! We get called back to the ultrasound room and get ready to see how big this baby girl really is. Turns out, she's perfect size, nothing to worry about in that sense...but we had another problem, her fluids were really low. The lowest fluids can get is 7, and that's where they were. The ultrasound tech said we would most likely be induced today...Okay, we say and we're walked to go meet with the doctor. She walks in and immediately says those magic words, "Head to the hospital." She didn't even check me, all she said was "I'll see you again in a little bit." I wasn't planning on being induced, but that's what baby needed and that was okay. I was ready to get baby girl here.

So the hubs and I head home to pick up the hospital bag and I grabbed something quick to eat. I knew I probably wouldn't get anything to eat once I got to the hospital. I called my mom to tell her the news. She then sent out the word to family. Next was to call work and tell them I wouldn't be coming in that day, or for the next 12 weeks for that matter.

We get to the hospital and check in. Mom beat us there and had already been up to the room to pray over it.  It was perfect and I'm very thankful she got there before us to pray. There was a certain peace when we got there. They started me off on the lowest level of pitocin and my doctor came in to break my water (such a weird feeling!) and check me. I had already progressed to a 4 from when they last checked me. Progress! This was around 12:30.

Contractions started to pick up. It was kind of fun to watch them peak. Is that weird? We passed time by watching TV. I can't really remember what we watched. I do remember that the hubs tried to show me a youtube video during the middle of a contraction. I didn't really appreciate it at the moment.

Here's the video, to give him credit, it is actually quite hilarious...I just had to watch it again after the  contractions were over.

Soon the contractions got really intense. I asked for some Demerol to help me out. I was able to take a little "nap". I say nap, really I just laid there with my eyes closed and breathed deeply. When I woke up I called the hubs over to talk about an epidural. I said I would go as long as I could without one and I felt that I had reached that point. Not only was I having contractions, but I was throwing up. I couldn't handle both. Epidural it was. So the anesthesiologist came and got me some medicine. But it didn't take fully. I felt everything on my left side.

Before I knew it, I was at 10 centimeters and it was time to start pushing.My little girl was here at 8:31pm. I was in labor for 7 hours and pushed for 1 hour. Clearly my little girl was ready to be here, she just needed a little push. I do feel like if we had waited one more day she would have decided to come on her own, but we did what was needed and I wouldn't change a thing! My baby girl is here and she's perfect. 

I did tear, and there was a little meconium in the water, so it was another hour before I got to hold her. That about killed me. I wanted my little girl in my arms! But I had to get stitched up and she needed to be cleaned up and checked. After we were both deemed presentable, she was in my arms and nursing. It was perfect.

Bibi and Papi (my parents) and Grammy and Dedu (the hubs's parents) all came in to meet our little angel. It was such a sweet moment.

I'm just so happy to have my little girl here and I'm loving every moment with her!