tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67045423608814719092024-02-21T04:08:29.806-05:00Life as a Stay at Home WifeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.comBlogger596125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-33803234406269376132015-06-25T06:00:00.000-04:002015-06-25T06:00:00.265-04:00Why We Stopped TVFor quite a while now we were giving Matthew one show per day...mainly out of necessity so I could take a bath and get dressed while knowing he was safe and engrossed in one of his favorite shows. We tried to limit it to one show per day, but depending on how I felt or what needed to be done, that number would slowly increase.<br />
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I noticed a change in behavior when he would watch his shows. He would be more clingy, whiny, and throw temper-tantrums when he wanted a show. He would constantly bring us remotes and cry for a show or go pat the tv and start fussing. If he watched one show, he wanted more and would cry. No one else could watch anything else unless we wanted him to try to take the remotes, cry, and throw a fit. It was not awesome.<br />
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We had a particularly busy Saturday a couple of weeks ago and noticed that he hadn't had a show all day and he was being really good. I was so impressed with his behavior that we did the same thing Sunday and continued it into Monday. Once we made it past a few days (with hiding the remotes so he wasn't tempted to ask for a show) I noticed that not only was <em>he </em>happier, but he was also more interested in his toys and was able to entertain himself much more. Our clingy boy who was throwing tantrums had calmed down and he was less "high needs."<br />
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Obviously, this change has continued and we're two and a half weeks out. His skills have improved immensely and so has his speech! He now brings books or toys into the bathroom when I need to get ready for the day instead and he is doing so well. I honestly can't believe what not watching tv has done for him!<br />
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Personally, I have no issues with him watching a show every now and then, but I'm a little apprehensive about putting one on right now. I'm sure we'll re-introduce it at some point, but for right now, I'm loving his behavior and how well he's doing. We still have our tablet with apps and a couple of shows for emergencies while out, but have yet to need it and I'm hoping that continues for a while.<br />
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Has anyone else cut back on shows and noticed an improvement?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-42230897173888049122015-06-23T15:34:00.002-04:002015-06-23T15:34:39.142-04:00Matthew 22 Months!It's been so long since I've updated about my favorite little guy...here's what he's up to lately:<br />
<ul>
<li>Saying all sorts of new words...bubbles, car, crackers, snack, milk, ball...so many more, but his speech is really picking up and he's getting new words all the time!</li>
<li>Still super cautious. He's kind of funny with new things, but as long as he has one of his "people" with him he usually warms up.</li>
<li>Getting more social. We've been taking him to story time for the past five weeks and it's making a huge difference! He's still not a fan of people he doesn't know, but he's doing better at tolerating new faces.</li>
<li>Loves playing with stickers! I've been waiting for this time where we can start arts and crafts, but he hates certain textures and sensations so it took him a while to get used to it and now he gets so excited to play with them.</li>
<li>He also has taking a liking to books which I'm thrilled about. Often times I'll find him going into his room to get his books out to look at them.</li>
<li>He still has no idea that he's going to be a big brother, but that will come soon enough when the baby gets here. He can say her name and we talk to him about the baby, but he's still rocking being an only child.</li>
<li>His favorite person lately is his Dee-Dee. My mil graciously comes over more and helps with him so he gets some extra special time. My hips have been killing me so being on the floor and outside in the heat is not happening. Dee-Dee takes him outside to his swing and does a ton of fun things with him.</li>
<li>Since we finally got his swing set finished that's where he wants to be all day every day. Phil will try to take him out a few times per week after work (weather-permitting) and they have so much fun!</li>
<li>He loves bubbles and says it almost constantly. It's so cute and we got a bubble machine from Walmart that was definitely a good idea. Now I don't have to sit there blowing bubbles forever while he gets impatient to try and pop them.</li>
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That's just a snippet into what he's doing and into lately. We're really blessed that he's doing so well considering I'm usually down for the count. We're cycling his toys so he doesn't get bored and we try to get out of the house in the mornings before it gets too hot so he gets a change of scenery. He's learning a lot and really doing so well!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-79061974299792469652015-06-08T08:04:00.000-04:002015-06-08T08:04:06.022-04:0029 Weeks Baby #2I am SO excited to be getting closer and closer to meeting this little girl. This pregnancy has definitely been an emotional rollercoaster and I'm so thankful that we've only got 10 weeks left or less!<br />
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I saw my MFM and OB last week for our appointments and we got some good news! Baby girl is still measuring small, however, since the MFM was able to see the records from the pregnancy with my son, he said that it looks like genetically I have small babies. The placenta and blood flow look good, so we're not longer concerned and talking about inducing next month! As much as we'd love to meet her, we also would like to make it to full term and have a healthy baby who gets to go home with us.<br />
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She's currently measuring in the 28th% and we have a diagnosis of asymmetrical IUGR. Basically, her legs are growing longer than her stomach and head (which are really small), but as long as she continues growing and everything looks good, we're good to go! We were thrilled to hear that wonderful news. The doctor was actually happy with her stomach growth and I'm still on supplemental protein twice daily.<br />
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As far as the gestational diabetes goes, my numbers are definitely better. I take insulin 4x/day which can be a little overwhelming (especially when my stomach gets itchy at the injection site), but we're making it work for our little girl. My fastings are a little sporadic, but they're still in the safe range so that's good. Every day is a little bit different.<br />
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We have tried to get a 3D ultrasound twice now and she has made it super difficult. We're going in for a rescan on Friday and we're really hoping to see her sweet face! As of right now, I'm still loving feeling her movements even though some of them can be super uncomfortable depending on her position, but at least I know she's doing well. <br />
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My friend is hosting a low-key BBQ sprinkle for me this Saturday and I'm really looking forward to it! We've been working on getting her room finished in case people want to see it when they're here and we've made a lot of progress! Just a few more things to do and one big load of laundry to fold and it will be right where it needs to be for now.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-37874812381775991752015-05-26T08:49:00.000-04:002015-05-26T08:49:00.180-04:00Baby Reese #2 UpdateAh, the third trimester, finally! I've been looking forward to being here for so long! I can feel baby kicks throughout the day and know that we'll get to meet our sweet baby girl soon enough! Of course, the rush of hormones, emotions, and lack of sleep make for some fun times around here, but I wouldn't change it at all.<br />
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I've been a little quiet here for a week or so because I've been trying my best to process everything. Of course, we all know that I'm considered high-risk and I've been seeing the MFM since the beginning. I was recently diagnosed with gestational diabetes again and I'm on insulin four times per day. In addition to that news, we went in for a regular cervical check and to see if they could get all of the pictures of our baby that they weren't able to get the last time. As the tech was measuring, we noticed that she was still measuring a little behind. No big deal, right?<br />
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When the doctor came in they explained that not only is she measuring small (25th%), but her abdominal circumference has dropped in the last three weeks. Umm, what?! We knew it was measuring smaller than the rest of her so I upped my protein and we prayed. He told us it went from being 9th% three weeks ago to <5th baby="" better="" concerning.="" get="" growing="" i="" is="" need="" p="" this="" time...which="" to="" told.="" was="" we="" what=""><br />
Basically it comes down to a few possibilities with the first being since my GD numbers were a little high, maybe that's the cause for lack of growth. Simple fix...up the insulin and monitor my numbers carefully. It could also be placental failure in general that may or may not be related to GD. It happens sometimes and you're monitored closely until delivery. The third option is that because I had a previous pregnancy where he measured small, it could be genetic. In this case, they still monitor, but they're less concerned overall since we have seen a healthy baby as a result. <br />
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In addition to the small baby news, we were told that my cervix is measuring short and funneling when stressed which is not good at this point. They have me taking progesterone suppositories as well as doing FFN tests for preterm labor at every appointment to see if I'm going to need steroid shots to boost her lungs in case she does come too early.<br />
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As you can see, it's been a heck of a week! We've been trying to process all of it the best we can knowing that we can deliver early if she's not picking up her growth or I go into preterm labor. I know the goal is 34-37 weeks right now, but we won't have more answers until our next appointment on June 5th. <br />
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It's been exhausting on my end and I'm now having to add in 60g of protein every day to try to get her growth up. Fortunately, he has me drink two protein shakes per day for that, but it's all been a little crazy over here!<br />
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Praying that our little girl makes it to full term and is healthy with no complications. We're doing everything we can over here so it's up to God at this point.<br />
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</5th>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-74834076438543613052015-05-11T08:20:00.002-04:002015-05-11T08:20:22.202-04:00Weekly To-Do ListHere's my list (one day late) for this week and last week's list and how I did.<br /><br /><u>Last Week</u><br /><strike> -Clean the floors.</strike> <em>Pretty sure I did this Monday of last week. I also vacuumed and swept another day as well, but didn't get around to mopping again.</em><br /> -Clean the bathrooms. <em>I did the tub, shower, mirrors in both bathrooms and the vanity in another as well. Toilets still need to be done.</em><br /> -<strike>Wipe kitchen countertops and dining room table.</strike> <em>Monday!</em><br /> -<strike>Put away the clean laundry.</strike> <em>My mil and husband helped with this, but it's all put away except for one towel load and one blanket load which I plan on doing this morning.</em><br /> -<strike>Make the bed at least 2 times.</strike><em> I think I made the bed almost every day last week! My husband does weekend duty, but I know I did more than 2 days!</em><br /> -<strike>Do 1 load of laundry start to finish each day.</strike> <em>Since we were SO behind on laundry, I enlisted my mil to help get us caught up so last Thursday we tackled everything except for a load of clothes, towels, and blankets (which we did this weekend)! And yesterday we started the 1 load of laundry start to finish so we shouldn't get so far behind.</em><br /><u></u><br />
<u>This Week</u><br />
-Keep up with laundry.<br />
-Clean floors.<br />
-Start prepping baby girl's clothes. (I want to have everything done by mid-June)<br />
-Call insurance company (Ugh. I hate doing that, but it has to be done and I've been calling them a lot lately).<br />
-Work on puzzles with Matthew.<br />
<br /><br /><br /> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-8221594286895148722015-05-08T08:40:00.002-04:002015-05-08T08:40:51.986-04:00Gestational Diabetes Take 2!Last pregnancy, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GD) at the end of my second trimester. I wasn't really all that shock, but I was in denial. After all, I have PCOS which causes some insulin resistance so I was already at a higher risk. Then add in the fact that I am heavier than ideal and you have a recipe for GD.<br />
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With my history of GD from the last pregnancy, they were super cautious this time around. My A1c was "borderline" and just .1 above normal range! I had brought it down through diet and exercise quite a few points right before we found out we were pregnant so I was thrilled! They immediately sent me over to the MFM and had me talk to the diabetic educator. I was told to check my numbers 4x/day for two weeks and email them weekly to her. She would go over it and see how they looked.<br />
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At first I was super disappointed. Seriously? I'm not even out of my first trimester and I'm already having to count carbs/protein and do finger pricks all day...WHY?! I can be <em>slightly</em> dramatic at times, but it is what it is. I ordered a new meter through my insurance company and started testing. I was a little upset to learn that their values are even more strict than my last MFM. Don't they know it's hard enough to control your blood sugars if you have an issue? Oh well, I tested and my numbers came back well in range!<br />
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Since I had been doing so well, they decided to let me check just twice per day! When those numbers continued to be in range, they had me just check my fastings every other day until they determined I no longer needed to be monitored. I was SO excited! I stopped checking and was told my OB would do a 1 hour glucose test at the normal time and we'd go from there.<br />
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I decided to do some "spot checks" with my fasting numbers along the way. Every few weeks I would check just to see what they were. I could see a steady increase in the numbers, but didn't think too much of it just yet. Then, yesterday I decided to do another check and was not happy to see a 104. I knew I had a problem at this point and that was so discouraging. I decided to go ahead and test after 1 hour to see if it was just a problem with my fasting number or overall. My after breakfast number was 23 points higher than what they wanted! So, I made the decision to check after lunch and the same thing happened again. I called in to the educator and my OB so we could get started and get an official diagnosis before the glucose test.<br />
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I now have an official diagnosis and have been monitoring for just over a day. I know it's not the end of the world, but GD has a way of messing with your emotions. Numbers can be deceiving and you can eat the exact same thing one day and be well in range and the next it can be high! I'm trying not to get discouraged and just deal with it. <br />
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There is a little bit of silver lining though! Now that I have GD and will likely be on insulin based on my fastings alone if nothing else, we know that our little girl will be here no later than mid-August! They won't let me go past 39 weeks with medication and that means that my mom and sister will get to meet our baby and get to spend time with her! For this, I am really grateful even if that means 14 weeks of checking numbers and watching everything I eat all day, every day.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-52144363647415927462015-05-05T11:05:00.001-04:002015-05-05T11:05:31.986-04:00Weekly To Do ListHere's my list (one day late) for this week and last week's list and how I did.<br />
<br />
<u>Last Week</u><br />
-<strike>Finish pressing and sewing baby girl's quilt blocks (at least to the half-way pinwheel part</strike>). <em>Not only did I do this much, but I finished ALL of the blocks, laid them out, and have them stacked in rows to be sewn together!</em><br /> -Keep up with cloth diaper laundry (mainly putting it away after it's dried). <em>This was better than previous weeks, but I still have to work on it.</em><br /> <strike>-Make a meal plan and use it.</strike> <em>We stuck with every day except for one when we forgot to take meat out of the freezer!</em><br /> -Make the bed at least two days this week (seriously, I don't make the bed EVER unless I change the sheets). <em>I made the bed twice in one day...does that count?</em><br /> -Eat more protein. (I've slacked the past couple of days and need to really get on it per the doctor's request). <em>This was 50/50 depending on the day, but I'm still working on it.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<u>This Week</u><br />
-Clean the floors. Seriously, it's been too long and I can't handle it.<br />
-Clean the bathrooms.<br />
-Wipe kitchen countertops and dining room table.<br />
-Put away the clean laundry...is this never-ending for anyone else?<br />
-Make the bed at least 2 times.<br />
-Do 1 load of laundry start to finish each day.<br />
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Yes, this week has a lot of cleaning on my list, but honestly, it needs to be done and if I don't get to it, usually my husband doesn't have time either.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-89711079348316443732015-04-27T07:30:00.000-04:002015-04-27T07:30:02.194-04:00Weekly To-Do ListI've been inspired by my friend, <a href="http://yourwishcake.com/">Kerri,</a> to write down and see what my weekly goals are. It's something that I often want to do, but really don't actually get done. So, without further adieu...<br />
<br />
<u>This Week</u><br />
-Finish pressing and sewing baby girl's quilt blocks (at least to the half-way pinwheel part).<br />
-Keep up with cloth diaper laundry (mainly putting it away after it's dried).<br />
-Make a meal plan and use it.<br />
-Make the bed at least two days this week (seriously, I don't make the bed EVER unless I change the sheets).<br />
-Eat more protein. (I've slacked the past couple of days and need to really get on it per the doctor's request).<br />
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It's not much, but I want to start with something small and not overwhelm myself. I'm pretty excited to actually have a to-do list and try to get some things done!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-37130588999265071442015-04-21T13:48:00.000-04:002015-04-21T13:48:06.357-04:0022 Weeks with Baby #2Wow, we are more than half-way through this pregnancy and it seriously blows my mind. We've had two anatomy scans so far and everything is looking good! She's a little stubborn though and they can't seem to get all of the pictures they would like at one time so we get to check on her again at our next appointment with the specialist!<br />
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I've been receiving weekly progesterone shots now for the past month and only have about fourteen left! They're definitely not fun or exciting, but whatever helps baby girl make it to full term is what we're working on. I also get regular checks to make sure I'm not dilating and so far everything looks good which I'm super happy with!<br />
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My hips have been killing me a lot lately and the lower back pain has started with occasional pelvic pain. I've been seeing my chiropractor weekly and that's been helpful as well as I'm going to start getting a prenatal massage monthly (?) as long as things continue to be so uncomfortable.<br />
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I don't have gestational diabetes yet, but I suspect when the check me next time I will. I have a higher risk for it and with PCOS you have some insulin resistance so it's just a recipe to have it happen at some point. I'm definitely not looking forward to the diet and possible insulin, but whatever it takes is what we'll do!<br />
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I have been told I do need to up my protein since her stomach is measuring smaller than the rest of her body. They're not concerned and said that it could just be that I have small babies, but they would like to see if we can get her to put on a little bit of weight in the next few weeks either way. Protein drinks will be my friend for a while. <br />
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Other than that, we've finally decided on a name and I'm just so excited to not have to think about it or worry about it anymore. It was so stressful to not have a name and nothing just felt right for the longest time so that's been a huge relief! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-80593209710113617122015-03-30T16:21:00.000-04:002015-03-30T16:21:03.045-04:00It's a GIRL!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know I haven't written a lot about this pregnancy (mainly because I haven't been sitting down to blog a ton lately), but we are just about halfway through and I thought it was time for an update!</div>
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Baby Reese #2 has been confirmed now (multiple times) to be a GIRL! We are beyond excited to be able to experience all of the wonderful differences between our little guy and this little lady. My husband is really hoping for a daddy's girl and I'm looking forward to all things girly! Matthew still has no idea what's going on and that's ok. We figure that he'll get it in time.</div>
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Our little girl is doing well and there hasn't been any drama this time around which we are SO thankful for. We have some extra precautions that the doctors are taking due to having a late pre-term last time, but I'll go into that in another post. Today we had our anatomy scan and every thing looks good, but they were unable to get a good picture of a couple of things so we get to repeat it in a month! I'm definitely not sad to get to see her again.</div>
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I've been feeling a lot of movements the past couple of days consistently and that's been great. The movements certainly can't be felt from the outside yet, but I can't wait to be able to have Phil and Matthew feel the baby move too. Our cat just loves snuggling with me even more now and is very insistent on being on or next to my belly.</div>
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I'm showing quite a bit already and I definitely don't mind it. The hip pain comes and goes, but that's to be expected. I tend to get pretty uncomfortable carrying and holding our little guy so he's just going to have to work with me for a while and we'll be working on his patience.</div>
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We are definitely still praying for a healthy baby and mom this time around and would love to have as many prayers as we can get! We're doing well and we pray it continues.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-26804080985839285182015-02-17T16:43:00.001-05:002015-02-17T16:43:10.952-05:00Being a HomemakerOther than teaching, I always knew I wanted to stay at home with our children one day. I had it in my head that I would absolutely love it, my house would be picked up, kids happy, and I would have dinner ready around the time my husband came home. After all, I love to cook, have tons of experience with kids, and like schedules and routines. Then life happened.<br />
<br />
Matthew was six months old when we moved into this house. He was super fussy all day long and I was exhausted. Our house still has unpacked boxes and making dinner has been hit or miss. Let's not talk about a cleaning schedule at this point.<br />
<br />
My husband has been great at helping to pick up the slack, but it's still not enough. I get overwhelmed and nothing gets done. I've been told to just start with one room, but that's not working. I've been told to read my Bible and it will help. Everyone has a way to "help" without actually coming over and actually helping. <br />
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Now that Matthew is older, I'm working on doing more little things that will make a difference over time. Today, I moved the toys we have saved for his birthday into one room and put all of our extra paper goods away so they're not just sitting in the middle of the basement. I still have a lot to do, but I'm doing something.<br />
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I want to say that I absolutely love being a homemaker and some days I do, but most days I'm struggling and that's ok too. I don't have to be perfect, I just have to keep going and moving forward. One day, I will look back and it laugh. One day the boxes will be unpacked and I'll have other stressors to worry about, but right now that's where I am.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-64422865439634063352015-02-03T10:43:00.002-05:002015-02-03T10:43:47.041-05:00I'm BackIt's been a while since I last wrote on this blog and there's a good reason. The holidays were so busy and filled with tons of sewing for craft shows and custom orders, travelling to visit family, Christmas, and keeping up with our little man!<br />
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Now that the holidays are over, I'm trying to focus on organize our home more and get over this cold that I can't seem to shake. <br />
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Matthew is doing well and really developing his personality. He's sensitive, independent, sassy, and sweet. He still refuses to walk and he's a week shy of being a year and a half old! He's very persistent and likes to do things on his own time frame so we'll just have to see when he decides to walk.<br />
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He also has decided that he needs a morning rest or nap again and I'm not upset about it! I love that he needs his down time just like his momma. He just sleeps so much better when it's split into two naps. <br />
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We have started cloth diapering at home again and I really like it. We use disposables when we're out and that works for us. I'm excited to try a couple of new diapers out soon that I've purchased and see what fits him the best, but honestly, with the right "fit" all of them work just fine.<br />
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The winter here has been a little cold with not much snow which is kind of sad. I love seeing the snow and don't mind the cold with the snow, but without it? Eh. It just causes me to freeze and cough. At least it could be pretty!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-90555656131771620172014-11-10T08:39:00.000-05:002014-11-10T08:39:38.810-05:0021 Day Fix Round 1 ResultsI'm a week late in posting this, but I'm happy that I'm done with the first round and 1/3 of the way done with the second round! <br />
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In 21 days I lost 5 pounds and I am down 10.75" overall with 4 of those inches down in my waist!<br />
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I'd love to say that I have more energy, but I'm just not there yet, but I really do love this program. It's an easy to follow program that gives flexibility with the diet, but great structure and clear guidelines. I am able to eat food I actually like (hello turkey burgers and chili) and still lose weight. I did have to give up my beloved condiments and sauces, except mustard, but I'm really loving the results and I really don't miss them too much.<br />
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I am already in my second round and the only change is that I'm using the 21 day fix eating plan with the focusT25 workouts. I like HIIT workouts and it's less pressure on my wrist so that's what I'm trying out this round!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-88567023059628487752014-10-27T06:00:00.000-04:002014-10-27T06:00:11.103-04:0021 Day Fix Week 2The second week of the 21 Day Fix is done and I have already seen some awesome results! Not only am I already stronger this week than last week, but I fit into pants that wouldn't even button before I started this challenge!<br />
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I am pretty strict with my diet and making sure that I exercise every day like the program states, but that doesn't mean that I eat grilled chicken and steamed broccoli all day every day. In fact, I love to eat chili, quesadillas, and turkey burgers on my diet! Of course, I add those in to my daily allowance and I'm seeing great results!<br />
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I have shakeology every day after I exercise and honestly thought how crazy it was that people were seriously spending so much money each month on this shake when you can just eat right and use protein powder, but I have to admit how wrong I was. The other drinks used to make me sick after a while and I didn't feel any better after drinking them. With shakeology I actually have a good spurt of energy for a while and my sensitive stomach isn't bothered by it at all. Plus, the chocolate flavor isn't gross like so many other protein drinks!<br />
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I can't wait to officially weigh in and measure in a week and see what my results are! I've been working hard and it's paying off. I even signed up for the next challenge group that starts the day after this one ends so no break for me! <br />
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I really love how I'm eating and the focus I have on this diet/exercise plan. It's really been such a positive change for me!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-14733473202945224442014-10-24T09:52:00.002-04:002014-10-24T09:52:42.844-04:00WeekendsThis was a really rough week, but in spite of it all, I'm really thankful that it's Friday and we can look forward to the weekend! I love what weekends have in store for us as a family and getting to spend that extra time with my husband always makes my heart happy.<br />
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Weekends for us usually means...<br />
-Meal Planning for the week, especially now that we're doing the 21 day fix!<br />
-Grocery shopping. We like to do this as a family so that we can spend more time together and my husband can pick his snacks for work in case he forgot something.<br />
-Chores. Mowing the lawn, laundry, and general clean up.<br />
-Church. Sunday mornings we always go to church and if I'm really lucky, I get to see one of my best friends there.<br />
-Family time. This is by far my favorite thing about the weekend. Knowing that I get to spend as much time as possible with my two favorite guys is just what I need at the end of a long week.<br />
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What do you usually do on the weekends?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-29243212294517192992014-10-20T08:46:00.001-04:002014-10-20T08:46:41.148-04:0021 Day Fix Week 1Let's start this off by saying I am SO glad to have started this program. Seriously, it has already done so much in a week and is definitely doable! <br />
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Here's how the program works...Basically, you workout every day to a 30 minute video. There are 7 different videos and you do one each day of the week. As for the diet, you are allotted so many "containers" to eat each day and your goal is to eat all of the food that corresponds with the containers each day and drink half of your body weight in water! Of course, you want to try to eat 5-6 "meals" per day.<br />
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For example, I get 5 Green, 5 Red, 4 Yellow, 3 Purple, 1 Blue, 1 Orange, and 5 teaspoons.<br />
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Green: Non-starchy veggies<br />
Red: Lean proteins<br />
Yellow: Carbs and starchy veggies<br />
Purple: Fruit<br />
Blue: Healthy Fats<br />
Orange: Seeds/Healthy dressings<br />
Teaspoons: Nut butters/oils<br />
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As you can see, I don't starve and eat a balanced diet. The focus is on less-processed foods and portion control along with exercise which is a proven method of weight loss. I am using Shakeology as part of the program once per day and it took a while to get used to, but I have to say I really enjoy having it after my workout as my "snack."<br />
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<img alt="Got my Pilates fix on! #21dayfix #workout" class="scaledImageFitWidth img" height="487" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/p526x296/10646893_10204889028205913_768125623538340023_n.jpg?oh=0a41421f7185b3de30737eaa6fb8e3c4&oe=54B67D5C&__gda__=1424673892_67f50cf384920d60f559efb43bc402f3" width="487" /></div>
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This was one day after my Pilates Fix workout. </div>
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The workouts have modifications that are really helpful and are still pretty challenging. I was pretty sore the first few days and my hamstrings are pretty sore today after Yoga Fix yesterday.</div>
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In Week 1...</div>
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I am already down a pant size! Last week I wore a size 18 jeans with the "hairband trick" to church and this week, I wore size 16 jeans with no hairband!</div>
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I can also feel more muscles in my arms and legs which is really exciting. </div>
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I'm still pretty tired, but I don't feel like I need a nap every day anymore! I'm really hoping my energy kicks in soon.</div>
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I can't wait to see what the next 2 weeks have in store for me on this program! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-76276474049176101222014-10-14T14:39:00.002-04:002014-10-14T14:39:56.245-04:0021 Day Fix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've kept it kind of quiet about this lately, but yesterday I started the 21 Day Fix! I've been counting my carbs for about a month or so and the scale wasn't budging. After being frustrated over and over again, my mom saw this program on tv and asked if I was interested in trying it. After reading a lot about it and asking some questions, I decided to give it a go!<br />
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The premise is to eat well (lots of veggies and less processed foods) and exercise. It's nutritionally sound and doesn't have a lot of gimmicks to it. Just what I was looking for. I joined a challenge group hosted by one of the sweetest girls I knew in high school and we're already on day 2 of the challenge!<br />
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It is a lot of prep work with planning and portioning out meals, but it's worth it to not have to wonder what I'm eating next and just shoving my face with whatever is around the house. Plus, I get to workout at home during naptime which is super helpful since my little guy won't let me leave him with people he doesn't know well.<br />
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I'm really looking forward to seeing the results and can't wait to see how it affects my blood sugar and A1c. I am drinking a shake once per day since it's part of the challenge group, but honestly, I was drinking a protein shake many days before so this isn't much different.<br />
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Right now I'm sore and tired, but I know it will get better soon enough. I'm pushing myself through one day at a time.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-86936422926461222662014-09-24T07:00:00.000-04:002014-09-24T07:00:03.483-04:00Wake Up CallWhen I was pregnant with Matthew, I had Gestational Diabetes. To be honest, it sucked. I hated counting carbs, always eating a protein with everything, and checking my blood sugar four times per day along with my dreaded night time insulin shot. After Matthew was born, my blood sugars returned to normal and I had a normal A1c reading at my follow-up appointment in October. Everything looked good and I promised to start exercising and eating better. <br />
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Then life happened.<br />
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My baby was fussy and had a lot going on for the first year. Every time he would seem to get better, he would start crying again and it was enough to drive you batty. I was constantly asked what was wrong with him and it was rough. We had plenty of good moments and he grew out of it and finally started sleeping through the night consistently after his first birthday, but it was a rough time.<br />
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During that time, I decided that I was too tired and overwhelmed to watch what I ate and really exercise. It's sad and such a bad decision looking back, but as they say, hindsight is 20/20.<br />
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I went in for a physical a few weeks ago because I needed to get my A1c checked and everything checked out well! Then, I got the dreaded phone call that my number had gone up and they needed me to make some changes. <br />
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Metformin ::check::</div>
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Eat Less Carbs ::check:: </div>
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Cut Back on Sugar ::check:: </div>
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Exercise ::check::</div>
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I have to admit that it was a rough call to get. How on earth could my number be that high? It's not in the diabetic range, but it's close enough for comfort and the good old internet would tell me that it's considered "prediabetic" {shudder}.<br />
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So, I've been counting my carbs, eating balanced meals and snacks (carbs:protein) and just doing my best. I haven't started working out yet and I plan to get on that when my foot is back to normal, but let's just say this sucks, but I made my choice and this is what happens.<br />
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It took a few days for me to not feel sorry for myself and I've been doing better with this transition. It's been a few weeks and I've already lost a little bit of weight so that's definitely positive, but it's still hard. I'm working on the right decisions one day at a time and know that this has to be taken care of now so it doesn't develop into diabetes. It's reversible at this point and that's the plan...to reverse the effects and get my A1c down.<br />
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If anyone has any suggestions, encouragement, advice, or anything, please feel free to share!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-66839421565409367852014-09-21T07:00:00.000-04:002014-09-21T07:00:04.507-04:00LatelyI haven't really sat down in a while to write out what's been going on in our lives lately, so this will have to count as a catch-up.<br />
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Here's what's been going on...<br />
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<li>My husband has been in a walking boot for the past few weeks from breaking his foot. At first, they thought it was a couple of toes and a possible foot fracture, but it is actually just the top of his foot. It's healing well and we're praying he'll be boot-free this next week.</li>
<li>I have joined him on getting to wear a walking boot. Apparently wearing flip-flops 99% of the time with no arch support coupled with over pronation caused an inflamed tendon in my foot and I woke up in pain and with lots of swelling last week. Good news, it's manageable and I'll just need good arch support from here on out, but I'm still booted for at least a couple of weeks.</li>
<li>Matthew is getting so close to walking! He's been crawling for a while now and can easily pull to stand, cruise, and has started trying to climb certain things. He's also now letting go and balancing for a few seconds and can almost stand without holding on, but not quite yet. We're hoping he's walking by Halloween so that his raccoon tail won't be squished!</li>
<li>I've signed up for a craft show with a friend for the end of November and I'm thrilled! I'm going to bring a lot of embroidered and sewn Christmas items so we're looking forward to that. I've been considering getting back into the swing of things since sewing seems to be good for my soul.</li>
<li>Matthew has been recovering from hand, foot, and mouth and I am looking forward to getting out of the house more! He's had a really mild case and we're thankful for that.</li>
<li>I've been container gardening on my deck. We have tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, broccoli, and I just planted sugar snap peas. I can't wait to harvest all of the yummy veggies!</li>
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What have you been up to lately?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-55308735479861643902014-09-04T06:00:00.000-04:002014-09-04T06:00:06.897-04:00Finding MyselfIn the midst of moving in with my in-laws, getting pregnant, and being a mom to an active little boy the past year I really felt like I had lost myself. There wasn't a lot of time to do things for myself or just because. Someone always needed something and when I did have some time to myself all I wanted to do was lie around and relax. I didn't like feeling like I didn't know who I was becoming so I decided to change that.<br />
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This past week I've taken up one of my hobbies again...sewing. Before Matthew was in the picture, I sewed and sometimes I sewed a lot. I went to craft shows and was a vendor, I did custom orders, and was always thinking of the next project that could be done. I loved it, but once we were living with my in-laws and our space was limited, all of that changed. I had a couple of orders to complete, but for the most part, I haven't done much sewing in over a year.<br />
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I have a whole large bookshelf filled with fabric in the sewing room and it's just there. I decided that I need to start working on projects again and I've already finished a few projects this weekend! I'm currently working on Matthew's Halloween costume that will be done this week and finished some "unpaper towels" to make kitchen clean up faster and more cost-effective. <br />
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Since sewing, I've noticed my mood has increased and I've been much more productive in general. Matthew usually plays while I sew and will come over for a hug and I can keep an eye on him from the dining room where I set up the machine. He loves playing independently and this way we both get what we want and are happier.<br />
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I'm really happy that I took this step and decided to do something for me. Having something for myself has been such a good thing and the whole family is benefitting from it. <br />
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What do you when you want to feel more like yourself?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-4553271596228250052014-09-02T06:30:00.000-04:002014-09-02T06:30:00.156-04:00Weekend Wrap-UpThis holiday weekend was amazing for our little family. We had the best Saturday we have had in months and it felt good to just hang out and not have too many stressors.<br />
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Friday night Phil and I had a date night! We hired a sitter to come over for a couple of hours while Matthew was in bed for the night and we went out for a casual dinner and to Joann's to get some fabric for a project I wanted to work on. It was nice to get out just the two of us and we didn't have to worry about our little guy not liking the sitter!<br />
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Saturday we hung out around the house. Matthew played and did his own little thing, Phil got some chores done, and I mowed the lawn and made some unpaper towels. Did I mention that we got a tractor?! That made mowing the lawn so much easier and saved a lot of time. <br />
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Sunday morning Matthew decided he would not nap at all so we stayed home until it was time to visit Phil's parents at the campground they went to for the weekend. We had lunch, tried to take a cranky baby swimming, did a Target run, and came home for the night where Matthew slept through the night!<br />
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Since it's a holiday weekend, Monday we were able to get some things done and just spend some time around the house mostly. <br />
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I love that we are becoming homebodies and not feeling the need to leave the house and be out just because. I want to start incorporating fun things as a family once a month or so where we go out and do something new, but for now, I'm loving where we're at. I've got bread rising and waiting to be put in the oven, the baby is sleeping, and my husband is cleaning up the kitchen. Life is good.<br />
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<span lang="EN"></span><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-small;"></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-63489240825227403442014-08-18T07:52:00.000-04:002014-08-18T07:52:00.644-04:00Weekly To-Do/Goal ListNow that things have settled down around here a bit, I think it's time to set up a weekly to-do/goal list. My friend <a href="http://yourwishcake.com/">Kerri</a> does the same sort of thing each week and it's nice to see what other people's goals are and what they were actually able to get accomplished.<br />
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<u>This Week's Goals</u></div>
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- Be more active. <em>Go for a walk, workout, just do something that gets me moving more.</em></div>
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- Keep the living room picked up.</div>
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-Sweep and mop the living room/kitchen/dining room daily.</div>
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- Cut back on sweets. <em>The past two weeks have been crazy and I've had more than I should.</em></div>
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- Read my Bible three times this week. <em>This is always super hard for me and I have no idea why.</em></div>
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Some of these goals are easier than others, but these are some of the things I want to start working on right now and expand on them. I'm starting with a few and working my way up. </div>
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Are there any specific goals you have in mind for the week?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-82197446513294984322014-08-04T08:14:00.000-04:002014-08-04T08:14:04.655-04:00Helicopter Parent?I always thought I would be one of those parents who hovered over their children. You know the ones that are right there next to their child making sure that they are constantly happy and safe. Sure, they want their children to succeed, but they want to be part of that process and it can be a little overwhelming for everyone. <br />
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I'm not sure why I thought this because as a former nanny and teacher, I didn't hover. I was there when I was needed, but I also took a step back to let them try and figure it out for themselves while still being available. Maybe it's because my parents hovered to a certain extent that I thought I would helicopter over my children?<br />
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The reality, however, is totally different and I love it. My little boy is an independent player. He likes to crawl away from me, explore, figure out new things, and come back for the occasional snuggle or "good job!" He's a ball of energy most days and still needs me for a lot (see: still doesn't like to feed himself, but he's getting better). He's a pretty good listener with sayings like "no touch!" and "let's go!" and that makes me super happy.<br />
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I love that I am his safe person when he's not feeling well or when we're out and he's overwhelmed with new people. Stranger danger is real, people and my little man is in full swing with not liking to be around crowds or people he doesn't know. I'm thinking his party this weekend will be super fun! <br />
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Either way, when I look at how we are parenting and the little boy we are molding and shaping with our decisions, I think we're doing ok. He's learning and thriving and that's what matters most of all.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-81878841548994100082014-08-03T21:17:00.001-04:002014-08-03T21:17:33.954-04:00Time FliesTonight as I sat with my little boy in the rocking chair of his room, I realized how fast this past year has gone by. Many people say that they want their babies to stay little forever and I'm just not one of those people, but today was different. Today I looked at my little boy who was snuggling with me and realized that he won't always want to cuddle up with his mom. One day he'll grow up, get married, and have a life of his own and he will want to snuggle up with a different woman and that's ok. That's how God designed it, but tonight, he's my little boy and I don't have to give him up for a long time. I'm going to cherish the rare snuggles and extra hugs I get from him and know that for a while at least, I'm the #1 woman in his life. I love my little boy even on the hard days and I'm so thankful that he's mine. It's been a great almost year and I'm soaking up every last minute before he turns 1 year old this Saturday.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704542360881471909.post-84396940480172951482014-08-01T09:06:00.000-04:002014-08-01T09:06:08.820-04:00Fit Fridays {Week 1}It's that time again! Time to really work on being fit and healthy. I can't believe it's been almost two years since I was really dedicated to working out and eating right. Gosh, that sounds horrible, but here I am ready and willing to work hard.<br />
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I'm not going to lie. I've been lazy and super lax on my diet. I've eaten what I want, when I've wanted and have had to talk myself off of the ledge from eating ice cream all day long on more than one occasion, but that's all going to stop. I can still have ice cream, just in moderation and proper portion sizes. I would like to try to not count calories this time around, but we'll see how that goes.<br />
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My motivation is simple: I need to lose weight and get healthy so that my blood sugar doesn't end up too high. Yes, I've been checking my fasting numbers lately and they've been higher than I like which puts me in the *gulp* pre-diabetic category. That's about all the motivation I need since having gestational diabetes so here I am ready and willing to work hard and see where this gets me.<br />
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I've ordered a few crucial things (namely, a scale that works) and I've been working out for about a week already so it's mainly continuing that and changing my diet hard-core. I'm big into moderation and not giving up on any given food unless I have to. I guess we'll just jump on the bandwagon and see how this goes!<br />
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Here are my starting stats:</div>
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Weight: 214.6</div>
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Waist: TBD*</div>
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Hips: TBD*</div>
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*I'll be measuring tomorrow morning.</div>
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I would honestly love any and all encouragement along the way that I can get. Realizing that I'm at this starting place with my weight and fasting blood sugar is very sobering. I need to get healthy for myself and to set a good example for my family. Any tips?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826022408805464030noreply@blogger.com1