Training for My First Post Pregnancy Race and a Workout Update

I really like the running programs off About.com. I've been using this website the last two or three years since I discovered it. This is my plan for the Lady Tutu 5k on March 29th at Easton.

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
1	CT or Rest	3 x 400 IW	2 m run	30 min tempo	Rest	5 m run	30 min EZ
2	CT or Rest	4 x 400 IW	2 m run	30 min tempo	Rest	5 m run	35 min EZ
3	CT or Rest	4 x 400 IW	3 m run	30 min tempo	Rest	6 m run	35 min EZ
4	CT or Rest	5 x 400 IW	3 m run	35 min tempo	Rest	6 m run	40 min EZ
5	CT or Rest	5 x 400 IW	3 m run	35 min tempo	Rest	7 m run	35 min EZ
6	CT or Rest	6 x 400 IW	3 m run	40 min tempo	Rest	6 m run	40 min EZ
7	CT or Rest	6 x 400 IW	3 m run	40 min tempo	Rest	7 m run	45 min EZ
8	CT or Rest	3 m run	30 min tempo run	2 m run	Rest	Rest	5K Race!

I have the luxury of having a husband that loves feeding James with a bottle so he doesn't mind watching him so that I can go workout! Thank you so much, Boo...one of the many reasons I love you so much. I've been able to do my weekly Hip Hop along with trips to the gym to run on the treadmill or indoor track (which I'm not a fan of but I'd rather not run in this crap weather!). The days that I know we have something at night, I find time to do it at home during the day. This can be challenging because my workout is typically broken up into various time increments because James may wake up and need me or the pups think I'm trying to play with them (what about a plank screams "I want to play tug-of-war?!).

Even though I worked out during my entire pregnancy, it amazes me how creating, growing, and giving birth to a human messes up your body! I feel so weak...especially in my core. Almost every workout I do makes my core sore. I did P90X chest/back workout yesterday (which consists of various push ups, pull ups, and row exercises), and it kicked my butt! I am so sore today! I look forward to keeping you all posted on my training. I'm looking at the program above and thinking "I haven't done that many miles since the first trimester of my pregnancy!" Wish me luck!

5 Unique Ways to Burn Calories While on Maternity Leave During Hibernation Periods

Did you guys enjoy my extra long title?

Sure, I'm still getting to the gym or Hip Hop Fitness but what about when I'm home alone with Jamesy and the girls? Here are a few ways:

1. Play with the girls (which is usually just Izzie because Angel just chills all day long). This could be anything from throwing Izzie's favorite toy, "Gopher" (who is actually a hedgehog), to playing tug-of-war with "Bunny."

2. Participate in a James Milkshake

3. Sprint as fast as you can to and from the mailbox or trash can because it's so stinkin' cold outside (taking trash out is preferred because the bag of trash or diapers adds extra weight).

4. Practice shimmying with your new-found boobies (no video provided here).

5. Lean back away from James while changing his diaper to avoid being peed on (works core).

What not to do:



Baby James: Week 6...Fun With Hibernation and Farts

I have been challenged this week. I'm really struggling with this cold weather. Who wants to get a baby ready to get out in this crap?! I envisioned my maternity leave being adventurous, going places with my baby boy. I have absolutely no motivation to get out of the house when it's this cold out. O.k...enough negativity.

This week:


-We went to Cooper's 1st birthday party (James' cousin)

-I'm getting a little more comfortable with taking James out to eat. We met our friends Dan and Becca (who just had Charlotte) at Planks. I think James likes all of the noise in the place.


-James started sleeping longer stretches this week! Hopefully this is a trend that doesn't end! He has slept as long as 6 1/2 hours. He typically does this after his last feeding of the evening (anywhere from 8-10 p.m.). He then wakes every 2 1/2-3 hours. I think he had a growth spurt one day because he was eating every hour!


-I'm really excited that James gets to watch Peyton Manning play in the Superbowl next weekend!

-James performed his first Hip Hop routine which I posted on Instagram and Facebook if you want to check it out!


-My little man has outgrown most of his newborn sleepers (his legs are too long to straighten out all the way)! We put him in 0-3 month size sleepers but they are too big! I guess I need to do 0-3 month clothing inventory to make sure he has what he needs...looks like I'll be packing up the newborn clothes soon :(


-With the help of Mr. Boo and Dr.Brown's bottles, I have managed to be able to workout regularly since my appointment last week. I can't say I have a routine but I'm making it happen!

Milk hangover?

-I won the "Mommy of the Year" award this week when I accidentally hit James' head on the TV stand and left a red spot for an entire day. I made my baby cry for a whole 5 seconds :(


-I had a huge reality check this week: I go back to work in a month. I seriously cannot think about that right now. I know it's what I need to do but I can't begin to imagine leaving my boy. If someone could just pay off mine and Mr. Boo's student loans, I might be able to stay at home with my boy. I need to go to a support group for moms who have to work...do they have that?!

-James is officially NOT a frequent pooper but he farts A LOT!! A direct quote from my journal on 1/23: "James hasn't pooped in 5 days, coffee makes me poop...give James coffee?!" In case you are wondering, I did not give my baby coffee :) FYI: He did FINALLY have a blowout after 6 days! It was massive but I managed to clean it up without getting it on anything! (maybe this accomplishment cancels out the hitting him on the head thing?).


-I got my carrier in the mail yesterday. I was excited and put him in it but he was a little fussy so I probably should have waited until he was happier but I couldn't contain my excitement about it. I'll try again this weekend :)

James' firsts this week:


-He is "talking" now...he makes the cutest "goo/coo" noise


-He is showing more emotion and response on his face.

-He's starting to grab at things like my hair and my shirt :)

-Boppy pillow naps (under supervision of mommy and daddy)


Baby James: Week 5...This Experience Has Been Excellent!

He looks happy :)

Five weeks in and I'm still having fun. The good times definitely outweigh the stressful times. James, Mr. Boo and I had another week of fun adventures we want to share with y'all:

-We picked a babysitter for James! Her name is Jane and we really liked her. She has a lot of experience and loves kids so much. It's definitely a relief to have this task accomplished.

-We seemed to have conquered the bottle feeding mountain. I went to a hair appointment last weekend and left James with Mr. Boo (sort of a cold turkey situation). Boo said that he fussed for about 45 minutes and eventually drank the milk. We figured out we weren't letting the milk warm up enough. When we started warming it up more, he took the bottle without a fuss! Good job, dad! Now I'm a little less stressed when I leave James home with daddy. He currently drinks 1.5-2 ounces at a time before he needs a break. I've been told he should be drinking around 3 ounces at this point. Hopefully he'll build up to that amount soon :)

-I was dying to know how much weight James has gained. So, we went to Walmart and I stepped on the scale, picked him up and reweighed myself. I think he's about 8 lbs. now!

-I put together James' floor gym and put him on it for the first time. He loved all of the new stimulation and even tried reaching for some of the toys! I posted a video on Facebook of him hitting the toy for the first time. We also use this for tummy time (which we officially started this week).

-James went 4 days without pooping! I know that an infant can go a few days without a BM but I was still slightly concerned. He just seemed uncomfortably gassy and had the stinkiest farts! He finally pooped late on Monday and then early on Tuesday then again on  Friday. I bought "Little Remedies for Tummys" at CVS today in hopes that it will relieve his gas and make him seem more comfortable.

-James turned 1 month this week which I posted about HERE. You may notice two different outfits...that's because he barfed two different times while I was trying to take the pictures!

-Cousin Tami and Aunt Patty visited us this week! They brought us Cane's for dinner and some delicious cookies. It was good to visit with them and share stories :)

-James and I went  to Baby Laptime in Gahanna on Wednesday. Although he slept the entire time, I sang to him anyway. Hopefully he'll stay awake for one of the visits in the future.

-James met my co-workers.

-We gave James his first "real" bath (thanks for the inspiration, Sarah K.!)

-Spent some time with Becca (my pregnancy twin) and her girl, Charlotte (only 10 days younger than James).

-Finally, I went to my first dinner with some girlfriends without James. It was fun but difficult. I missed my boy (at least our entire conversation centered around our babies). I cried almost the whole way home because I felt guilty for leaving him :(



Inspire: My Attempt To Get Back My Pre-Pregnancy Body

I have no idea how my body will change in the next week, month, year...you get the idea...but I'm certainly interested to see what will happen to it now that I can exercise again. As you all may know, I went to my OB-Gyn on Tuesday and received the official word that I can start my workout routine again. My first workout? Hip Hop, naturally! I went yesterday and it felt amazing!

I know that women can be super self conscious about their bodies, weight, etc. Not gonna lie, I wasn't looking forward to stepping on the scale at Dr. P's yesterday. My goal, as hard as it may be, is to be totally honest and transparent when it comes to my quest to attempt to get my pre-pregnancy body. In a way, I want a different body.

 I felt like I was getting a little too skinny towards the end of my running season the year before (I got as low as 113 lbs. and I'm about 5'8"). When I found out I was pregnant, I weighed 117 lbs. and gained 30 lbs. during my pregnancy. At the doctor's office yesterday, the scale read "130 lbs." I wasn't totally shocked. It's about what I expected...but that doesn't mean I have to like it! It's so weird to see those numbers even though I know in my head that I just assisted in forming a human being.

I'm hoping if I pray hard enough, I can keep my new boobs and hips and just get rid of my new pudgy belly :) I can't believe I'm about to show y'all this picture but here is a front and side view of my pudgy belly that I took yesterday before Hip Hop:

P.S. My stomach has NEVER looked like this. I wonder if I'll ever have this one again:

James Turns 1 Month!

Random:

We sing a song to our little man to the tune of "Baby" by the has-no-form-of-discipline-and-commits-crimes Beiber...we say "Jamesy, Jamesy, Jamesy, OHHH! Jamesy, Jamesy, Jamesy, OHHH!"....you get the idea.

The first month of his life has been so amazingly awesome! I love this little man SO MUCH and can't believe how much fun we are having together (despite the craziness)!  Since I give weekly updates to all of you about his progress and our adventures, I thought that for each month of his life I would write him a letter. I've seen other mothers do this and thought it was a really cute idea.

Dear James (a.k.a. Jamesy, little man, son, Baby Boo),

You have a very schedule oriented mother. I'm obsessed with planners...I buy them whenever I have a good enough reason to do so. Ever since December 14, 2013, my planner revolves around you (and this is not a complaint)! I love you so much, little man, and nothing brings me greater joy than to hang out with you, daddy, Izzie, and Angel.

I went from being clueless when you were born to feeling more confident about providing all of your needs. I used to think it was rubbish but it's so true what they say about motherly instincts. I've read a lot of books and articles on the internet but you are alive and that's what counts ;).

You made my transition into motherhood a lot easier than I could have ever imagined. You consistently eat every 2 to 2 1/2 hours during the day and you go a little longer at night so that mommy can get a little sleep. Bless you child. I remember the first time you slept 4 1/2 hours without waking me. I felt so guilty but quickly learned that it was ok.

After visiting Walmart today, we figured out that you probably weigh around 8 lbs which means you have gained 1 lb and 8 oz since birth! You still seem so tiny but I can tell you have grown. You have long arms and legs and big ole feet...you must be an athlete of some kind.

I love that you are more alert because I have so much fun talking to you. I read you books and passages from the Bible and I know you recognize my voice. I sing to you sometimes but I don't want you to think that's how singing is supposed to sound.

I know you're still too young for toys but I put your jungle gym together today and I could tell you were enjoying all of the new things to look at...I even have a video of you hitting one of the toys with your hand. I could have played with that all day long if you wanted to. I think my fingers are you favorite toy. You love to hold them (which is ok with me because it puts the biggest smile on my face).

This past week, you are making funny noises and you love to move your long arms and legs around. You're my little wiggle worm. When you grow up, I hope you love me as much as I love you. You are such a blessing and I've seriously enjoyed every single moment with you...whether it's been easy or challenging. You make me a better person.

I love you, James,

Mommy



Baby James: Week 4...Dang, My Boy's Dope

I know my post title is kind of stupid but I've been trying to go with an alphabet theme and this week is "D." I guess I'm not feeling creative today!

James has really been growing and I just had to take a naked pic at bath time! I have no clue how much he weighs and I'm tempted to take him by the pediatrician office to find out :)





James' week 4 firsts:



-Watched his first Colts playoff game (Thanks to our friends, Adam and Jackie, we have a Colts paci!)

-Tried his first bottle...DISASTER! I know it's going to be tough but, after this experience, we decided to wait another week before we try again...it was THAT bad.

-James went to church for the first time (His lips are saying the "lujah" part of "hallelujah.")

-I noticed James sucking his fingers for the first time

-First restaurant outing to Chili's...I was so nervous because it was 2 hours since he last ate and I thought for sure he'd freak out at the restaurant. He didn't make a peep!

-First time at Life Group...he was alert the whole time and was being a good boy.

-Went to our first Baby Laptime at the library. He slept almost the entire time but I participated anyway :)

Other adventures include listening to lots of John Mayer, spending time with daddy, going to Target, and eating at the mall with daddy, Aunt Amy, Uncle Chris, Molly, and Cooper. 

I did have a couple of adventures at home this week. Monday, James was very restless and a little fussy. At one point, I opened a delicious popsicle and started to eat it when James became fussy. SO..I was trying to soothe him while eating my already opened popsicle before it melted all while my beagle, Angel, was barfing on my favorite blanket that was on the couch. Whew! Somehow, I managed to stay calm during this entire incident...not sure how that happened!

On Wednesday, I thought James was sick when he woke up. He was sneezing and crying and spitting up a lot. I felt his head and knew he didn't have a fever so that made me less worried. He was so upset that he wouldn't even latch to eat. I took the syringe to get all of the extra spit out of his mouth. He calmed down 15 or so minutes later and was ready to eat. Guess he wasn't sick after all!

Spread out or curl up?! This boy can't make up his mind! P.S. I'm sure he'll appreciate the top pic when he's a senior in high school.

Mr. Boo and I started a very important process this week. We began our search for a caregiver for when I go back to work. I was so nervous about this. I emailed 15 people from various Craigslist ads and heard back from 5 of them. We've met with three of them so far and they are all great in different ways. No crazies yet! Mr. Boo and I definitely agree on our favorite so far and have discussed the pros and cons of the other two women. Two of them had to cancel their original appointments so we are hoping to see them at the beginning of the week so we can make a decision by Wednesday or Thursday. I feel a lot less nervous after meeting them and know that James will be taken care of when I return to work. 

A gift from Uncle Kevin and Aunt Stephanie...a personalized name book.

I look forward to a special "James turns 1 month" post next week and also plan to post something from Mr. Boo's perspective regarding bottle training :)

5 Yoga Poses for Flat Abs- A Review

This is a post-pregnancy workout from FitPregnancy.com. As I looked at this workout, I noticed they are all exercises that I've done before so I thought "Piece of cake!" (You can click the "post pregnancy workout" link and follow along)

Exercise #1: Plank Vinyasa

I think I mentioned in this post that I wasn't going to try a real plank because I didn't think my post partum core was ready for it. I think I was right! Well, sort of. I was able to perform all the reps of this exercise but I REALLY felt it in the lowest part of my core/abdomen.

Exercise #2: Locust Pose

This reminded me of the Superman exercise from P90X. Pretty straight forward. Slightly challenging but didn't hurt.

Exercise #3: Pelvic Tilts

Being a PT, I'm very familiar with this exercise. They call it a pelvic tilt but really it's a pelvic tilt with bridging (the part of the exercise in which you lift your butt off the floor). I've always been a fan of this one.

Exercise #4: Legs Wide Pose

Mr. Boo said he likes watching me do this one :) I felt this one but it wasn't painful.

Exercise #5: Scissors

I've always liked this exercise as well but, for my post-partum body, it was more difficult. I really felt it in the lowest part of my core/abdomen (just like with the first exercise).

Overall, I enjoyed this workout but #1 and #5 might be ones to be cautious about if you are very weak in that area of your abdomen. You may want to wait a few more weeks for these two or just modify them.

Post Pregnancy "Pop Up Workout"

Here is the workout I mentioned on Facebook:

POP UP WORKOUT

The first exercise, a modified plank of sorts, was much harder than I expected. I did 45 second reps with 45 seconds rest between each. I didn't even attempt a normal plank...I was afraid I'd be disappointed!

The next two exercises are straight forward. I took minimal rest between sets since I felt they were a little easy...good sign, maybe?!

The 4th exercise, knee dancing, was like YOWZA! I really felt it in my thighs! I did 30 second holds with 30 second rest between.

The last exercise just reminded me about how much I want to increase my cardio so that I can get rid of the pregnancy pudge. When I go to the doctor next week, I'll weigh myself for the first time post pregnancy so I'll know how much of a pudge I actually need to get rid of (no, I have not weighed myself since delivering James...I don't want that number to control my life and I knew I would be paranoid about it BUT I'll be happy to report it to you all next week...no matter the number, I want to be transparent with my experience).



My Cardio Return, T minus ONE Week...Where Do I Even Begin?!

This is no joke: The first thing I did when I found out I was pregnant was go to the library to check out THIS BOOK. This book had a workout guide titled "6 Weeks to Running Again." Hopefully you can see these pics enough to get the idea (click on them, maybe?):

 

 

My initial reaction was "That's it?! Are you serious?!" But then I remembered what my body did 3 LONG weeks ago. I'm a sucker for following programs EXACTLY how they are stated...and, after Dr. P releases me to work out next week, I'm going to start this program and do exactly what is says (DESPITE MY SKEPTICISM). If the workouts seem too easy, I'll skip a few weeks (the program says I can, I promise!).

 

I'm just going to follow the "listen-to-your-body" rule. Fortunately, I'm very good at that rule and not too stubborn. I'm very anxious about my first session back to Hip Hop. I'm so used to shakin' it with a belly that I'm afraid I'll be so uncoordinated! Maybe I should practice at home first! LOL.

 

For the next two days, I'm going to avoid taking my babe out in this cold (he is currently farting on my as I type this) and I'll try this workout from FitPregnancy called the Pop Up Workout ("ballet-Pilates mash-up"). I may even try some lunges and squats while carrying baby James...that should get me ready for all of those Hip Hop squats!



Baby James: Week 3...I Can't Stand The Cuteness

I'm still referring to Thebump.com for fun weekly updates. This week they said "You are baby's world." Tear :*). Hearing that pretty much makes my day. I feel like I've been insanely blessed by this baby so far. He has been such a pleasure. He has some fussy moments but they are easily taken care of by changing a diaper, feeding, or holding. Yes, it's more challenging at night when I'm sleepy but I still love every moment once I get passed the fact that I'm half asleep!

 

James is either being fussy or pooping...can't remember which it is :) P.S. This is tired mommy.

 

This week, The Bump also mentions alertness and tummy time. James has been much more alert during the day so I get to enjoy my precious boy and interact with him. I guess I need to officially introduce tummy time. He gets on his tummy while laying on our chest but I'm not quite sure if that counts as his tummy time. He does a really good job of lifting his head up when he's on our chests so I think that is the point of tummy time :) (How many times can I say "tummy time" in one paragraph?! Geez.).

 

Chest time with Grandma Joan

Chest time with daddy

 

James had many adventures this week and I didn't have any freak out moments when taking him out and about. I wasn't even nervous driving alone with him in the car! We went to Meijer with daddy, met Erika, David and Rosie at Polaris (where we also saw Grandma Deb, Aunt Vicki, Wendy, Erin, and Jay!), met Grandma Deb at Tuttle, went to see daddy at work, and ran some Polaris errands with Grandpa Steve!

 

Speaking of Grandpa Steve, he was able to visit this week to meet James! He made this awesome video of my pregnancy bump photos and James' first days of life. It is so sweet and makes me cry every time!

(Sorry if the video doesn't work on here but I tried posting it)

 

James and Grandpa Steve

 

In addition to Grandpa Steve, Seann and Jenny came over on NYE and brought us taco casserole! YUMMY!

 

I think I mentioned in the last post that I was concerned with pumping. It has been much better this week and I think Mr. Boo's going to try feeding him his first bottle this weekend to see how he does! I think I also mentioned in the last post that Dr. D said he might start a fussy stage at night time. He had a couple of evenings that he was fussy but, after that, he was fine. He's continuing to sleep well enough at night that I'm getting decent sleep. It's still challenging to get up at night because I don't function well being half asleep but I'm adjusting!

 

New this week:

 

-James is noticeably growing...it's scary for mommy.

 

-I went on Craigslist to look at childcare options. I emailed 15 different people and have heard back from 5 of them so far. I plan to call them all back this weekend to set up interview times for next week. I connected with some more than others and can't wait to start the process so I can hopefully feel at ease about it by the time I return to work. It's going to be tough.

 

-I'm starting to introduce James to his crib (slowly cuz mommy's not ready to commit). I had him take a nap in it yesterday and he seemed to love it.

 

-James "watched" his first Buckeye football game...we all know how that ended :( None of his Buckeye stuff fits him at the moment so this is as close as I was able to get:

P.S. He loves his little bouncer/vibrating chair.

 

Because I know my family will love it, I'll leave you with a couple more pics:

 

 

Right now (literally, right now) we are listening to mommy's favorite John Mayer songs...gotta introduce him early :) I'm pretty sure he loves it.

 

 



5 Goals for 2014 (Inspired by the "She Reads Truth" Blog)

She Reads Truth is a daily devotional blog that I follow (when I'm actually being obedient to reading God's word). I did not follow the Advent series but looked back at a post from December 28th. The scripture was Titus 2:11-3:7 of which I took away the following (some of these are from her blog post list and some from my own list):

 

-Salvation is for ALL people, not just certain people groups (2:11)

-If we are "saved," we should desire self control and live upright and godly lives, eager to do good (2:12-14)

-These are the things I should teach to James (2:15)

-I need to be gentle, obedient, and kind (3:1-2)

-God saved us through Jesus...we didn't earn this...He did it despite our lives and goof-ups (3:4-7)

 

 

The blog writer then encouraged us to set five goals for 2014. I meditated on this passage and really thought about what I wanted to accomplish...so here goes:

 

1- To be a better person...not just in general but for Baby James. I want to be a good example for him when he gets old enough to learn and understand...which means I need to change myself NOW. It's amazing how having a child makes you want to be a better person. One of my biggest mother fears is that I won't be able to teach him morals/values/godliness.

 

2- Inspire and stay positive through my adjustment to being a mom (if you follow my blog, you know about this one).

 

3- Run at least one half marathon. You all know I have to make a running goal! I would like to run the Columbus Half in October. Once I start training, you will hear all about it :)

 

4- Soak in EVERY SINGLE MOMENT with Jimmy, James, Angel, and Izzie. You just never know what will happen and I don't want to let any experience, good or bad, pass me by.

 

5- Be a better wife. My husband deserves it. Nuff said.

 

 

As I read through this blog to edit it, I can't help but think, "Man, I'm a freakin' adult know! So weird!"