Life with a 3 month old, building a supply, and such...

Just as I am becoming confident in the way things are…things change!  

I like to go to a boot camp that one of the trainers at our gym puts together…it is separate from the gym itself, and a really great way to get into shape, or stay in shape. It is three days a week, and I am gone roughly an hour and a half. I also like to run a few times a week (with and without Micah)…being that I am training for a half marathon and all. Conrad said that when I am gone now that Micah gets really fussy. Last night he was crying the entire time that I was gone. Conrad asked if I fed him (THE NERVE!), well he knows that I did, but he was frustrated that he was behaving that way with him. I think it was because he is starting to get attached to me. At first though, I started worrying that my supply was diminishing because he wasn't content, and usually he only cries if he is hungry or tired. Next time Conrad will feed him if he needs to, this is why I pump once in a while…he just didn't want to mess up the schedule that he is on. 

Are you a stay-at-home-mom and want to build a supply, but are nervous about getting an oversupply? That is definitely something I was nervous about the first month! As I have said in previous posts, I am doing what they call "block feeding." I just feed on one breast each feeding because I produce a lot of milk. So now that Micah is sleeping 7-8 hours at night (YAY!), one breast is full, while the other is not. That's when my friend, Ashley, suggested that I pump the other breast while I nurse him. This has really helped me get a supply. I do not get a great deal of milk by any means, but I keep the milk I do get in the refrigerator, and I put two-three nights' worth of milk in one storage bag. Just today I have decided to start pumping at 7 a.m., with Micah's first morning feed. I produced double the amount of milk than I do at night! I think if I do this, I won't risk getting an oversupply because it is so spaced out. 

You see, my situation is different than most people's. Try not to read too many articles online that tell you, "Most people do this…" When it came to my situation, I wasn't like most people, and then it worried me because I thought there was something wrong. 

During #strollermomsABQ (Our own Stroller Mom's club, by invite only ;) ) Ashley and I were talking about how we try to get on such a strict schedule and if it goes off a little bit, we worry that it will mess everything up. Then we came to the realization that we are stay-at-home-moms…we are here for our kids, we should feed them when they are hungry, and who cares if things get thrown a bit off. 

Anyway, that is just my two cents for the day. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Let me know if you have any questions or comments!

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"

An easy-going pregnancy...

Good afternoon everyone!

I hope everyone has had a good week. I'm ready for the weekend to come! I always enjoy seeing Conrad more often.

So now that I am home, I have realized that people expect more of me. I am just now getting a taste of what it feels like to be a stay-at-home mom. Although I do like to help out, I just feel like people think I need things to do. Haha, that isn't to say that YOU shouldn't ask for help if you need it, and I know that I volunteer my help (which you should take me up on it if I do). I'm just saying that Conrad and I made the decision for me to stay home to take care of our new family. Being a stay-at-home mom means that I will take care of our baby, the house, and any errands that we need to do before the baby comes. I now received a glimpse of what some people think about stay-at-home-moms.

What have I done during summer break? I have prepared our registry, I have cleaned every week, grocery shopped, cooked dinner, baked, exercised, went on lunch dates, went on Starbucks dates, went on walks with friends, assisted in caring for some adorable twins, blogged, complained, had mood swings, watched Netflix and Hulu Plus, planned and threw our gender reveal party, and I am READY to start on our nursery (which will be quite the project). So there is plenty that I can do to keep myself busy, thank you very much!

Anyway, enough complaining, but I just wanted you all to know that I do well to keep myself plenty busy...and very soon I will not have any time for doing anything except caring for Micah, so I am enjoying my time of relaxation. I hear it is the only time I will be able to truly relax for a long long time.

My grandfather and I went up to the Pecos Wilderness to spend some quality time with Conrad's parents, and to go fishing. I wanted him to get away from home for a little while and he agreed to take a little mini-vacation. It was a fun trip and we made some memories.

I am excited to be starting a bible study pretty soon with a few moms from Annunciation (the school where I last worked). That will be a fun time for us to get together to talk about motherhood and God.

I am so glad that my beautiful BFF, Steph, is back in town. She and I have established a workout routine that has been going pretty well. This is what we have decided:
Mondays- Swimming
Tuesdays- Body Pump
Wednesdays- Hiking
Thursdays- Gym
Fridays- Body Pump
Weekends- What ever we want!
I am excited with the schedule and think that it will be good for us. She will also incorporate running into her routine, but I cannot keep up with that anymore.
We have also said that we should start volunteering once a week. I have been meaning to volunteer for a few years now!

The past two weeks I have been hiking with my friend, Cristina, and we have been taking our crazy pups! I bet you can't spot the baby bump!

How far along? 23.6 weeks!

Total weight gain: I've gained a total of 14 pounds at my last appointment, probably more now.

Maternity clothes?! Of course! They are my favorite (who would have thought!?) !

Stretch marks? No fresh ones to report. Just the same couple on my boobs!

Sleep: Not too great. They say good sleep is a thing of the past at this point. :/

Miss anything? I miss red wine and running.

Movement: OMG! He is going to be an Olympian! He does a lot of somersaults. When he hears Conrad's voice he gets very worked up (it is adorable)!

Food cravings: Not really.

Anything making you queasy or sick: No, thank goodness!

Gender: A little boy: Micah Avery!

Labor signs: Thankfully not!

Symptoms: EMOTIONAL!

Belly button in or out? Oh boy is it coming out...every day it seems like it is pushing further and further out.

Happy or moody most of the time: Moody moody, but like my mom said, I have always been moody so I can't expect that to change when I am pregnant!

Looking forward to: Meeting the little guy...I still have a long way to go.

I am growing everyone! In all directions...

I know I have waited too long since the last post! It has already been two weeks. I feel that my body really has changed a lot in the last two weeks. I am embracing this pregnancy the best I can, but it is difficult to accept all the new changes that are going on, although that is the only thing I can really do! I feel like I am gaining weight everywhere, not just in the middle. I am so excited and feel so blessed to be able to be pregnant, yet I am mental when it comes to the things that come with it. I am just going to pray for peace of mind, because I would rather take all that comes with this pregnancy, than to not get to have a little precious baby.
Well that was the venting for the week. Aren't you glad you stopped by? :)

This week, the baby is the size of a large mango. Wow, I have sure come a long way! We will find out the sex of our baby in two weeks. I cannot wait to know! Then we can really get a start on the nursery.

I have been working out as much as possible, although I haven't ran for the past two weeks. I just haven't felt good about it. I tried at the gym, and I immediately felt like I needed to pee! It feels like everything is pushing up and down, and all around (because it is!). So, I have been doing Body Pump, Elliptical, hiking, and walking. I am going to try swimming next week, hopefully.

I am excited to go to Omaha, Nebraska, a week from today! It will be very fun to see my family. I always enjoy them.

I have been hanging out with our friend, Alden and her twins. They are so adorable, and they just turned seven months old! I am trying to learn as much as I can before the baby comes, but I know my baby will be much different than her babies! What works for one just may not work for another.

My belly button has been trying to peek out of its hole. I wasn't prepared for it to come out this early!                                






Last week we got to go to Tererro, NM, and help Conrad's parents with their store. It was nice to get away, smell the fresh air, and hang out with my in-laws.

My great friend, Jen, just got engaged and asked me to be her MOH. I am so happy for her, and excited to help her. I just hope that I can be there as much as possible before our bundle of joy comes, because I
know that once the baby arrives, my life will change! Especially because we want to try and exclusively breast feed for at least three-four months (if we can). Oh Jen, you get to bare with me!!!!! What are friends for?

I am excited that a couple of my best friends in the world are getting married next year, and you know what that means ladies? You two will (God willing) get to share the joy of a baby with me! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage! Thank you in advance!

I didn't get too dressed up this week to do my weekly picture. In fact, I didn't even do my makeup! Sorry :( But you can see quite a change in me, nonetheless.

How far along: 19 weeks!

Total weight gain: 9 pounds, but that was my weight at the last appointment...I know I have gained more now.

Maternity clothes: Oh my...I have just discovered how nice it feels to wear maternity pants, after trying to squeeze into my jeans. Check out my new maternity shorts!

Stretch marks: I am using coconut oil to try to avoid getting them, but I know they are hereditary and if I am going to get them, I am going to get them! 

Sleep: Still getting up every night to go pee!

Best moment of this week: Conrad took the day off to spend with me, and we went for a nice walk in the Bosque. It was so fun!

Miss anything: Running, beer and wine. But the things I get to experience now completely outweigh those:)

Movement: I have felt a little fluttering! I think it helped that I used Mat's stethoscope, and I was listening to the baby's movements. It helped me to see that what I have been feeling for a while now was actually the baby and not gas!

Food cravings: Not too many cravings, but Conrad has them!

Anything making you queasy or sick: NO!

Have you started to show yet: OMG, I would say yes, a little bit!

Gender: We will know in two weeks.

Labor signs: Nope

Belly button in or out: The top half of my belly button is coming out, but the bottom is still hanging in there.

Wedding rings on or off: On!

Happy or moody most of the time: So moody! I am still getting used to it...I know it has already been 19 weeks...Sometimes I am ecstatic and sometimes I am a big grump!

Looking forward to: Our gender reveal party!

Busy week..I'm officially a DD...

Our little peanut is already a runner!

We were able to do a great deal last week, although Conrad doesn't like to have too many plans after work...but who can blame him for that? On Monday I cooked dinner for a couple of our good friends, and then on Tuesday those same friends took us out for my belated birthday dinner. I think it is good to do as much as we can now, because in no time flat we will be preoccupied with a baby :). Then we went to a going away party on Wednesday, for one of my coworkers. She is such an amazing person, and will be missed greatly. She is off to bigger and better things in the state of Texas. 

On Thursday we got to watch the NBA Finals...wohoooo! I enjoyed watching Mr. James ruin it for his team. Why was he the only player with severe cramps? Strange. 

Then on Friday Con and I went to lunch with some friends in Santa Fe, and they came back down to ABQ later in the evening to get SMOKED in bowling, by ME. Okay, normally I wouldn't brag, but I am not very good usually, and I almost scored a 150! 

I've agreed to be a permanent DD, but I never knew how much of a drag it was to watch other people drink and act like crazies. Actually, it isn't entirely unbearable because I get to make fun of everyone the next day, and it is actually entertaining to watch two tall white guys sing (or try to sing) Gangster's Paradise on karaoke! I just get so tired when it gets close to midnight. I think midnight is my limit. I don't know how some people do it. I had a friend who could go clubbing until closing time when she was pregnant. I don't think I am that much of a trooper though. No, I take that back. I am NOT that much of a trooper. 

We went hiking yesterday with some good friends, and we had a lot of fun. We went to the Sandias and hiked up for a little over an hour, and back down again. I am glad that I am able to still do normal things. I guess I am only 14 weeks along though! 

When it came to working out for the week this is what I did: walking, elliptical, jogging on the treadmill, Body Pump, and the hike. 
A thing that I added to the schedule this week was a long walk in the beautiful Bosque with my good friend, Ashley. She is expecting identical twin baby girls, so it is so nice to be able to walk and talk pregnancy with her. She is a wealth of knowledge. We will start taking weekly pics, and we are going to start our very own club: The Stroller Moms!  :) :) :) 
I would like to run a little more outside this week, and go to Body Pump twice, instead of just once. Another thing, my diet hasn't been the healthiest, although I have been cooking more. When friends are in town, or friends invite us out to eat I don't know how to order healthy. I mean, I do, but I have no self control. Mark my words, this will be my downfall. 

Ashley is also a great person to follow. Her blog URL is:

http://mrsosuna.wix.com/momma-o

I stole this from Ashley, and some other online bloggers:

How far along: 14 weeks, 2 days
Total Weight Gain/Loss: 7 pounds already! I think it is because I was training for a marathon, and then stopped. It has nothing to do with the food I've been consuming :D.
Maternity clothes: Not yet. I can still fit into my pants!
Stretch marks: Just little old ones...
Sleep: I have been getting up one time less each night to use the bathroom. So my sleep has started to get a little better the past couple of days. It was very interrupted though for a couple of weeks.
Best moment last week: When Conrad kissed my stomach...FINALLY! :D
Movement: Not yet.
Food cravings: Lemon with salt...I know, not the best thing.
Gender: Don't know yet, though I think it may be a boy. Actually, I go back and forth. I can't imagine having a boy for some strange reason, but I think that since a lot of my friends are having girls, then I must be having a boy!
Labor signs: Zilch, thank goodness.
Belly button - in or out? In...wait a minute, will it go out? WAAAA....
What I miss: Red red wine! And coffee...
What I am looking forward to: Finding out what we're having at our gender reveal party! :) 

Milestones: I made it to the second trimester! Yeee---haw!