Four Months Postpartum

It looks like I am finally starting to fit comfortably into my pre-pregnancy jeans. I am so excited because I didn't want to have to buy new pants. I have to be honest, I haven't been eating the best, but I try to get nutrients in as much as possible along with some junk that I shouldn't be eating. Hey, I'm only human! I do work my butt off exercising though. As I have said, I am training for a half marathon, so there's that…and I also go to a boot camp that our trainer puts on a few times a week. He is so intense, and it really has been making such a difference. I see the tone and definition throughout my body from training and boot camp. If I ate well, I know I could look MUCH better. Eating really is the majority of it, but it is also the most difficult (in my opinion).

When it comes to what is left, I have A GREAT DEAL of skin that needs firming. I think this will probably come with time. I know there isn't too much you can do with the excess skin, which saddens me.

Since I don't weigh myself, I can't tell you if I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I did have to weigh myself at the doctor a little over a month ago, and I was seven pounds away from my starting weight! I must have dropped a few more pounds, surely.  I used to weigh myself and it psyched me out too much. I would workout and eat better than ever, but I would gain weight instead of losing…so I decided I wouldn't let my weight define me, and I wouldn't let it mess with my head! I am crazy enough without having to look at a number all of the time.

Anyway, my long runs are up to 8 1/2 miles! I am very proud. Of course, I am not as quick as I used to be. I am still proud of my 9 1/2 min/mi average pace. A "goal" that I made for myself for the half next month is to finish averaging 9 min/mi. We will see though. I don't know why I always have to give myself a time limit. I guess it is just what I do. This will be my third half marathon, with my quickest average pace being 8:09 min/mi.

If you are trying to get back into shape, you have to push yourself! If you want results, you have to push it…you have to go over your limit…you have to be sore the next day. You have to feel it! If you aren't feeling it, you won't see the results as quickly. Some people also have to eat very well. I am lucky, so I can slip up a little. I do think my definition of not eating "well" is better than a lot of people's diets. I don't drink sugary drinks, or too much caffeine (I do love Starbucks a couple of times a week, but I order tall and I make it Skinny.) I drink A LOT of water because I am breastfeeding, and I make sure to get my fruits and vegetables in AT LEAST every morning in my smoothie. I think everyone deserves a cheat meal once a day ;) Okay, so obviously don't listen to me when it comes to diet and nutrition. I just love food too much.

Chris Powell was on Dr. Oz and he did say that you should sneak breads and pastas in every other day, in ONE of your meals. This way you aren't craving the carbs so much when you are trying to have a healthy diet. I like this idea, and look at Chris! I think he knows what he is talking about.

I hope all is well with you all…

This is a couple weeks shy of fourth months postpartum. As you can see, I still have my good ole love handles! I am happy with my progress though! 

2 months & things are good

I think I am starting to get used to this whole mom thing. I know just as I get used to things, and become more confident, something will occur to change all of that. 

Micah had his two month checkup yesterday, and along with that his first round of vaccinations. I know there is a big debate, especially right now with measles going around, but I think we have a responsibility to our children and to other people's children to vaccinate. What the heck is wrong with these people who are deciding not to vaccinate? 

Anyway, my poor little baby was in so much pain last night and silly me forgot to buy Tylenol, so there I was driving to Walmart at midnight to buy some because he was running a fever. It was a long night for my little partner and I. 

Then Conrad is sick, so I made sure to ask the doctor what to do if Micah got sick. I learned that there is nothing I can do, really. Great!

Micah has hit the two month mark, everybody!! It is absolutely amazing to watch how quickly he is growing! 

I eliminated dairy for two weeks, to no avail. Micah still has gas pains, but I am not so uptight about them anymore. The doctor said he may just be a gassy baby, and he will grow out of it.

I do block feeding where I nurse only on one breast a feeding. I have been managing my supply this way. I decided to start building a supply by pumping my other breast when Micah goes five hours without eating, this is the first feeding of the night, from 8 p.m.-1 a.m. I haven't been producing much yet, but I hope that will change soon! 

On Saturday, Conrad introduced the bottle and Micah took it without a problem!

I need to start working harder on my relationship with God. I have been Catholic for almost two years, and I have not been the best Christian. How do I expect my son to be faith-filled if I am not living this way? I want Conrad and I to be Godly role models for our children. I know it is a work in progress, but I need to try harder! Hopefully we will be better! A baby is no excuse to be distracted this much from the reason we are able to be here in the first place! Thank God for baby Micah Avery! 

#abqstrollermoms has been going well! We have been meeting pretty consistently. We even got our first picture of the Osuna twins and Micah!

Half marathon training has also been going well. I ran four miles last weekend, which is my longest distance so far. I am not as fast as I hope to be one day, but I am so proud of my progress! Stroller running isn't easy, and neither is running with this new body of mine, but I am happy! 

Gas pains? And more...

Hello everyone! 

We have been having gas issues lately, and I am shocked to know that it is a common thing. It keeps him (and me) up all night! Well at least from one onward. It is pretty rough to listen to him grunt and strain all night! The nurse at our Pediatrician's office said it was a common thing and to wait until his two month appointment to talk to our doctor about it. I hope she is right because it is hard at night for the both of us. If anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears! I've been changing the position I feed him so that he is elevated, I have tried gas drops and bliss water, I burp him frequently, and I keep him elevated after feedings. I think because I am overproducing, he is catching more air than normal, and choking and pulling off frequently. Well block feeding helped, but I was afraid of losing you supply. I may go back to it, but it has helped a little bit when I went back to not skipping a boob twice (only once).

I know it could be allergies, but the nurse said it most likely wasn't, and I shouldn't go through all that to figure it out.

Anyway, I don't know, but the nighttime grunting is so hard to endure. He was making progress at nighttime, and now he goes three hours instead four like he was starting to do. Oh well! 

Anyway, I had my six week appointment and the nurse practitioner said all was well! She said I could do the half in April, and resume exercise as normal. I am up 10 pounds from my starting weight. 

Steph and I have been enjoying our boot camp class, and we really like our trainer! 

I've also been walking and jogging with my BOB and Micah, but the last two days have been snowy, so I took those off. 

I sure have been enjoying our baby boy! Even when I am worrying myself sick. Why do moms do that? Why can't they just enjoy it instead of worrying about everything!? 

If anyone reads this that knows about gas pains, please give me some advice...preferably advice I haven't heard yet!! 

Week 34!

It has been quite a while since I last posted. A MONTH! I don't know what is wrong with me; I hope you can forgive me. I have driven to Tucson and flown to Denver, since the last time I wrote. I have attended my sister-in-law's baby shower in Santa Fe, and have driven up to the Pecos Wilderness while my husband went elk hunting. I guess I have a few excuses as to why I haven't updated my blog. 
So, although the last month has been hectic, I have still been finding ways to exercise for myself, and for baby M. I feel so huge! I still have six weeks to go, but those weeks are flying by right before my eyes. 
I have really wanted to stay in my black workout pants that stretch and stretch and stretch. However, there have been many different occasions in which I have had to dress up. First, we went to Tucson to attend my cousin, Jed's wedding. The bride and groom looked absolutely fantastic on their big day, and their decorations were beautiful! I enjoyed seeing my family, and my cousin, who is also pregnant with a little boy named Cade :) She is only a couple of weeks ahead of me. I said we would get a picture together, but we never did! The picture below is of me and my AMAZING husband at their wedding.

The week after that, one of best friends came to Albuquerque with her little one, Aiden, and boyfriend, Adrian. Christy wanted to come to the balloon fiesta, and she wanted to take her boys for their first time. Stephanie also joined us, and we had a lot of fun looking at the amazing balloons against a New Mexican sky. The one of us not ready is one of my favorite pictures!

That weekend, Conrad headed up to the Pecos Wilderness to shoot a nice bull elk. He was gone from Friday-Tuesday. While he was up there, I was able to spend quality time with his family. Virtie, Conrad's grandmother, came up for Brandy's (my sister-in-law) baby shower, and she stayed with me in Albuquerque on Friday night. Saturday morning we headed up to Santa Fe to help with the shower, which turned out beautifully. As I have said in a previous blog, she is due in February, but we are expecting them (twins) a little sooner. Our children will be very close in age. Saturday evening we headed up to Pecos, and that is where we pretty much stayed until Conrad came out of the wilderness on Tuesday.  We did go on a couple of nice drives to see the fall leaves.

Conrad packing out his big elk.

My sister-in-law and I, looking at the fall colors.

The very next weekend, I was able to fly up to Denver to help one of my other best friends plan her wedding. She is getting married in July, and has selected me to be her Matron of Honor, so I told her that we should get as much done before Micah comes because once he is here I am not sure how much I can really do! We really did get a lot done, which made me feel good! Her wedding will be beautiful, and I cannot wait!

I have decided to call it quits with Body Pump because I just don't feel right about doing it anymore. I know women do this or that throughout their pregnancy, but I think, for me, I just need to listen to my body. Of course, I always want to do more because that is what I am used to, but I am headed towards the end of my pregnancy, and I want to make sure Micah has a great environment to grow in. I am still swimming, walking, doing the elliptical, and trying to get some hikes in, but those are also getting to be few and far between. 

Conrad and I have been attending birthing classes for five weeks. They are very informative, and have helped me to relax a little bit. I don't think I will ever be prepared for the pain of childbirth, but the classes help me mentally prepare, so I am gaining more confidence. Conrad will be a great coach! 

How far along? 34 weeks

Total weight gain/loss? 25 lbs so far…it seems like I may reach the max of weight I am supposed to gain…maybe! Oh well! 
Maternity clothes? Yes.
Stretch marks? Not yet! Should I keep praying, or am I safe? 
Sleep? Not the best. It’s hard to get comfortable . Also having to wake up and pee 3-4 times a night is a drag. And the heartburn. Oh the heartburn!
Best moment this week? I don't know if I have had a best moment, but I have had lots of great moments when my friends and husband are able to see/feel Micah moving! I am trying to really enjoy his kicks in there, because I know that I will miss it!
Miss Anything? Running and wine. Movement? Yes. Very active child we got up in here.Food cravings? Pancakes!Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope, but we did go on a tour of our hospital, and I got nauseated when she was talking about all that we would deal with. Haha…great!Have you started to show yet? Yes, duh.Gender? Boy!Labor Signs? NopeBelly Button in or out? Out!Wedding rings on or off? OnHappy or Moody most of the time? I feel like I am not as moody as I was. Yay!Looking forward to? Week 37, when I am in the "safe zone"

We found out what baby Ley will be!

What a lovely couple of weeks it has been. We went on a family trip to Nebraska, which is always so special because we have a hell of a good family there! They feel more like my first cousins than my second and third cousins. 

We were able to walk around a beautiful lake every day that we were there. It was a great way to exercise, and talk with our family :) I never thought that I would have said that walking is exercise for me, but it really is!

I think last week was a great workout week, but not so great eating week (as usual). I have been feeling better about everything, especially after figuring out the sex of our little one. My parents, Conrad, and I, put on a gender reveal party that was a lot of work, but a lot of fun!

It was so much fun to get together with many of our family and friends. It was also a great way to share this special moment with them.

And then we found out...

It is a boy! We are welcoming Micah Avery Ley into our family! I am so excited because back before I was pregnant, we painted our nursery blue for a  Dr. Seuss theme. I thought that it could have been unisex, but the more I thought about it the more I knew it was a boy room. Well...it worked out perfectly! I always wanted an older brother, and look...I get to give my next child one!

And none of this would have been possible without the kindness and generosity of my wonderful parents. I know I've said it before, but God has blessed me with them! 

Anyway it was a perfect couple of weeks! And I wanted to share the news with you!!!