Living with your birth experiences

My friend Katie (otherwise known as mamapundit) is blogging over at Babble about her 3 day labor which resulted in a c-section. What a trooper! I am amazed that her doctors actually let her give it a go for that long.

I thought my 18 hour labor with Cakes, which did not result in my ideal birth, was tough. Makes me think that I should have tried harder with her, and at least gave the VBAC a try with Bubby.

Oh, lovely birth regret. At least Katie has come to terms with her experience. I wish I could say the same.

Praying For Stellan

Please take a moment to pray for 9-month old Stellan.

Stellan was diagnosed with heart failure, suffering from Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT), hydrops and heart block while in utero. At 24 weeks the doctors believed that he would die. He beat the odds and was born healthy! At 4 months he began to suffer from SVT again and was diagnosed with PFO, a hole in his heart. He had a partially successful heart procedure performed at 5 months. He is currently back in the hospital suffering from SVT again and awaiting transport to Boston Children's Hospital for heart surgery. You can read his amazing story here and leave some words of encouragement.

Wordless Wednesday - Getting Our Toes Wet

Getting Our Toes Wet - Summer 2009

Check out more picture posts at Wordless Wednesday!

Maaaa!

If a picture is worth a thousand words then this picture describes Bubby's last 6 days. Can you tell he's saying "Maaaaaa"?!

Thursday I noticed that he felt a little warm so I checked his temperature and he had a fever of 101. I wasn't too worried as the Hubs had a little cold so I figured the Boy had just caught the cold. He wasn't acting like he felt bad and showed no symptoms so I gave him his bath and got him ready for bed. I checked his temperature again before I nursed him and it had gone down a little. He went to bed with no problem and slept until morning. All day Friday he ran a temp of 102 so I called his pediatrician and talked to the nurse. Since he didn't have any symptoms, other than being a little more needy than usual, she told me to just keep an eye on him.

That evening his temp got up to 103, but again he wasn't showing any symptoms other than being a bit whiney. He slept through the night and Saturday morning he woke up without a fever. Phew! The nurse called to check on him and I told her that his fever broke. She told me not to be surprised if he broke out in a rash, and that if he did, not to be worried. It was likely that he had a very common illness, Roseola and that there was no treatment for it. Although his fever was gone, he was definitely not himself. He was cranky, tired, and didn't have his usual voracious appetite.

Sure enough, the Bubby broke out in a rash on his torso on Sunday. His appetite was still down and all he wanted was Mama. Monday his appetite began to return but you could tell he still didn't feel 100%.

Today (Tuesday) was better. His rash is now gone, his appetite is back full force, but he is still wanting mama to hold him. He will play and then realize he's not in my arms and crawl back to me and cry for me to hold him. Poor baby boy! He's had quite a week. It's tough being sick, especially when it's the first time you've ever been sick!

I hope he's back to his laid back, easy going self tomorrow! Mama's had quite a week too!

Fit by Labor Day Challenge - 2 weeks down, 6 to go

Week 2 has come and gone in a flash! It was another good week of fitness and weight loss. I ran 3 days and completed week 2 of the Couch to 5K running program, I have continued with the Bubby exercises and push ups, I swam/treaded water for at least 30 minutes on Saturday, and I've gone on several walks with the kiddos. I did not do any yoga with the wii fit, but I did run around and dance with Cakes while wearing the Bubby. As for my "diet", I think I did pretty good. I ate breakfast everyday, and watched portions, but I did snack some. So, what did all of this result in? A loss for the week of 2 pounds. Down to 124 pounds with a total loss in 2 weeks of 5 pounds! Woo hoo!

I'm really enjoying my runs which is pretty unexpected as I really had a hard time convincing myself to even start running again. Now I find myself wishing it was a running day. Those mere 30 minutes of alone time three days a week have been such a stress buster! I'm hooked! I'm also finding it very easy to get in lots of push ups throughout the day. I just drop and do 20. The exercises with the boy are instrumental in getting the Bubby to sleep for his naps, so they have become a mandatory part of my day, twice a day. Mandatory exercise. Perfect!

I feel like I'm in the swing of this Fit by Labor Day Challenge. I'm getting results and I'm feeling great! So, my goals for this week are to just keep it up and perhaps to wipe the dust off of the wii and do some yoga!

Comparing Apples and Oranges

Over a month ago I bought Bubby a Baltic amber teething necklace from a WAHM on Diaper Swappers. She was very friendly and shipped out a custom made necklace the very next day. I was impressed with her quick turnaround and friendly correspondence. This was my first amber necklace purchase so I didn't know what to expect, but it looked good to me.

I put it on the boy and realized it was pretty long. Too long. He could get the necklace in his mouth. So I measured it. It was 13" long, an inch longer than what I had ordered. I sent the lady a message explaining that I liked the necklace but it was longer than what I had ordered, but I would just keep it and order a shorter one (and possibly another) and what kind of deal would she be willing to give me. Her response stunned me. She said she was sure it was the length that I had requested but even if it was longer, at least she didn't charge me for the extra length and that no she couldn't give me a break on any additional purchases.

Well, needless to say, I didn't order any more necklaces from her. I ended up ordering from the lovely Dawn at Time Designs (also on Diaper Swappers) and I am so glad that I did. Two weeks later the new necklace arrived and what a difference! It was like comparing apples and oranges!

Since Bubby's original necklace was not being used, I decided to wear it the other day when I started to get a headache. I wore it for a few days and it broke! It broke on one end, it is coming untied on the other, and it has stretched out to over 14.5 inches. NICE NECKLACE LADY! I sent her a message letting her know that it broke and she said it was designed to do that, and she had never had anyone complain about her necklaces, but that she would fix it if I paid for the shipping to her and back. Uh, no. I don't think I'll waste my money on that piece of junk!

So now for the comparison pictures. Look at the difference in the thread, the magnetic clasp, the size of the chips. What do you think? Apples and oranges, right?

What's in Your Diaper Bag?

Samantha over at Mama Notes is asking, so I thought I'd play. Here we go!

The Coach Bag that is my diaper bag/purse.

And the contents...Cookie Magazine because you never know when you'll have a spare minute to read. Yeah right! I haven't even read the first page of it and it's been in there for at least a week! Lifestyles Savings Book saves us up to 50% off at a bunch of restaurants. My wallet. A clean Bum Genius diaper in a wet bag. Some antibacterial hand lotion. Generic Extra Strength Tylenol for my periodic headaches. Lipstick and a couple chapsticks. Too many toys for the kids. Somehow I end up with a few for the Bubby and several that Cakes decides she doesn't want to carry. A brush and hair bands for Cakes. One breast pad, although I need to add another. Damn leaky boobs! A microfiber diaper insert that I use to clean my glasses. Works better than anything to clean glasses! An extra shirt for the Bubby. A bib. Bubby's to-go plate and spoon. Yep, he has a pink plate! A teething biscuit. And lastly, a pen.

I was a little scared at first, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. No old food containers, or old food for that matter! Phew! Luckily the Hubs decided to clean it out not too long ago! Seriously, he cleaned out my bag. I told you he was a great hubby!

So, what's in your diaper bag? Link your blog here!

Mama's Boy

I just couldn't resist posting this picture!

Note: The Hubs dressed him today.

From the Mouth of Cakes

Bedtime is always filled with interesting conversation. Cakes will talk about anything and everything to postpone going to sleep. Tonight was no different. As we were cuddling and saying goodnight this exchange took place:

Cakes pats my chest and says: Mommy, why do you have mama milk?
Me: So I can feed Bubby.
Cakes: Hmmm. If my boobies were HUGE like yours, could I feed Bubby my mama milk?
Me: Well, when you have babies you can definitely feed them your mama milk.

Me (in my head): They're not that big! And honey, they probably won't ever be as big as mommy's. (Wink, wink)

Fit By Labor Day Challenge - 1 week down, 7 to go

One week down and seven to go in the Body After Baby Fit By Labor Day Challenge, and so far I've done very well. I followed my game plan pretty closely and I'm seeing some great results. It makes it easier to stick with it when you're seeing results!

My activities for the week included 3 days running, 4 hours walking around Dollywood, several walks with the kids, lots of squats and side lunges with Bubby, lots of push-ups, some crunches and I mowed the yard. I've also been fairly good with watching what I'm eating. I've eliminated any unnecessary calories by cutting out drinks with sugar and drinking water and no-calorie drinks instead. I've been eating healthier by adding more veggies and eating smaller portions. I'm not depriving myself of things that I enjoy though, as I have had a cupcake or two, some cake and some chips. I do need to make sure that I have enough calories to keep up my milk supply for the Bubby!

It's been a great week and I am very surprised how quickly my body is transforming. I'm down to 126 pounds and have lost 3 pounds already! Most importantly though, I'm feeling great! My goal was to lose 10 pounds during the challenge, with my ultimate goal to lose 15, but if I can keep this up I just might be able to lose the 15! That would be terrific!

My goals for Week 2 are to run 3 days, continue with the Bubby squats and lunges, keep doing lots of push-ups, do more crunches, dance with the kids, and do some yoga with the wii. It's going to be another great week! GO RED TEAM!

Runner's High?

Okay, after reading about Runner's High, maybe I haven't reached it, but I can say that I feel GREAT! Today was my day 3 of week 1 of the Couch to 5K program. I feel such a sense of accomplishment to have actually run 3 days, especially considering the changes that have occurred this week. I found made the time to run. I am amazed at the change in my mood and how much more patience I have had with the kids. Truly fantastic!

Thanks Fergie, for being my running partner! That's Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas! Their new album The E.N.D is full of upbeat, positive tunes that are perfect for running. As Fergie says..."Imma Be the flyest Chick"! Yeah. What she said!

Times are a changing

I am so ready for the weekend. In fact, I can't remember the last time I was so excited about the weekend. It has been quite a week. Full of changes and challenges.

Since we run an eBay business from home, the Hubs used to only work out of the house a few nights a week. It was great! He was home during the day, everyday, with the kids and me. We worked our eBay business together, I did my work doing the accounting for my family's business, and we both took care of the kids. We had the flexibility to do what we wanted, when we wanted. We played a lot, but we worked hard too. It was how we lived our life and it was comfortable. But times are a changing.

My family's business is expanding with the addition of a third pizza shop, so the Hubs and I are taking over one of them. It's a great thing, really, but it means that the Hubs will be working more hours, including some days. That means I will be on my own to take care of the kids, keep up with accounting for the business, and run an eBay business. It's quite a lot to handle and I'm not sure how this is going to work.

Three days this week alone with the kiddos was interesting. I handled it okay, but it was a challenge. Not only was I solely in charge of their care, but I had a couple deadlines to meet as well. Add to that, I am still nursing Bubby. And did I mention that a long nap for Bubby is about 45 minutes. Yeah. And that today he napped a total of about 45 minutes - 25 minutes for his morning nap and 20 minutes this afternoon. Yep. But I still got my work done and we all survived!

It may take us a bit to adjust, but change is good right?

From the Mouth of Cakes

"We don't want to have horse poop in our teeth. That's why we brush them."

Thank goodness for toothbrushes!

Time for a change

I was getting bored with the look of the blog, so I thought I'd do a major face lift. I'll be doing some more tweaking over the next few days to get it just right. What do you think?

Fit By Labor Day Challenge - Day 1

Today is the first day of the Fit By Labor Day Challenge; the day I begin my journey back to my pre-baby body. Starting weight - 129 pounds. Eight weeks from today I hope to weigh 10 pounds lighter and lot firmer. I took a few before pictures of myself in a bikini, and I will post them at the end of the challenge to show my progress. I hope there’s quite a difference!

Here are some of the things that I’m going to do to reach my goal:

• Run – I’m going to do the Couch to 5K program. 9 weeks to go from not running to being able to run a 5K.
• Go on more walks with the kids – Cakes usually runs the entire time, so I’ll wear Bubby and power walk.
• Dance with the kids - 15 minutes every day, either with Bubby watching, or while I wear him.
• Play with Cakes – By running around the yard with her, playing tag, cantering around pretending to be horses, or whatever.
• Exercise with Bubby – By doing squats, sideway lunges, and calf raises while holding him when I put him down for his naps. 50 reps for each exercise.
• Do Random exercise - Crunches and push-ups randomly throughout the day when I get a spare minute.
• Eat a healthier diet – By cutting out sweets, watching portions, eating more fruits and veggies, eating breakfast, and drinking more water.

If I can stay committed to doing most of these things, I believe I can reach my goal. I’m anxious to start. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s going to feel great to get fit!

Join me, I’d love some “Get Fit Buddies”.

Daredevil Girlie!

It's no secret that Cakes is very outgoing, loud, and crazy! She is a daredevil and enjoys being "extreme". She's an extreme sports girl in the making! As an infant, her daddy liked to toss her in the air and do "baby tricks". She loved it. At 15 months instead of riding her rocking horse she would stand on it and rock. She loves riding the motorcycle with her daddy and always asks to go faster. She digs roller coasters, go-carts, and the big water slides at the water park. And her latest trick is doing cannonballs!

Last summer she would jump off the back of the boat into the lake. At not yet 2.5, we thought this was pretty brave. Now this summer it's all about the cannonball! My 3-year old daughter does her cannonball off the side of the boat, over and over. The bigger the audience the better.

We went to the mountains at the beginning of the month and look at what Cakes did.
She saw the other kids jumping off the rocks and she wanted to do it too. It was quite a sight! She climbed up the rocks (with her daddy's help) and as she climbed she announced to everyone that she was brave. She jumped off without any hesitation. And the crowd erupted! Everyone was clapping and cheering for my little daredevil! That's my girl!

And now a little clip of Cakes doing her cannonball off the boat.

Bye-bye baby belly....

Throughout my life I have always been a very active and fit person. As a child, I rode and showed ponies competitively, riding up to 5 ponies a day. In high school and college, I ran track and cross country. I've taught aerobics. But the best shape I have ever been in was in my 20's, when I owned my own horse farm where I did the majority of the daily labor, as well as rode and showed horses. I didn't step foot in any gym to get my rock hard abs. I had not one bit of body fat. I was buff. Very buff. Probably too buff.

I softened up a little in my early 30's after moving to Colorado and not working on a farm or riding horses. I did not work out, but I did snowboard. A lot. Over 50 days our first winter. I think I actually looked better, as I had a little more meat on me (as my hubby likes to say), and I was at my highest weight ever - 110 pounds. I was a size 4 and perfectly content with my body. Actually, I thought I had quite a rockin' body!

Then I got pregnant with Cakes. I began to gain weight almost immediately. And it didn't stop. I gained 50 pounds. Me. 5'3" and 160 pounds. That's a lot of weight! Since I nursed, the pounds quickly came off, all but about 15 pounds. And that 6-pack that I was so proud of was nowhere in sight! Oh, how I wish I had taken a picture of my midsection as a memory, a very, very distant memory of what was. I had fleeting thoughts of getting back in shape. I wanted to lose the extra weight, but I knew there was a possibility that we would have another child. I didn't want to work my butt off (pun intended) just to gain the weight again with baby number 2. So, I didn't. And 21 months later I was pregnant with Bubby. I got up to about 160 pounds again. Now, 10 months postpartum, I am at my highest weight ever, 129 pounds, wearing a size 6.

I can't say that I am completely unhappy with my body now, but I am not satisfied either. I like the curves that I have now that I am a mother, a little more badunkadunk and bigger boobs, but I don't like the love handles, jiggly thighs, or the post baby belly. I need to actually do something to get my figure back because obviously the Banana Diet didn't work and doing nothing has gotten me absolutely nowhere.

I need to do it. I need to stop thinking about it and just do it. So, I am going to do it with the help of the Fit by Labor Day Challenge over at Mama Notes. It starts Monday and lasts 8 weeks. It's actually a challenge within a challenge. The main challenge is the Body after Baby Challenge with the goal being to get your body back after baby. My goal for the 8 week challenge is to lose 10 pounds, with my ultimate goal to lose 15. That will put me within 5 pounds of my pre-baby body and totally bikini ready!

This will be perfect for me because I'm the kind of person that likes a challenge. This will give me all the motivation I need to get my body before baby back. I believe that I can do anything I put my mind to, and I'm putting my mind to it. Watch out! I'm saying bye bye to the baby belly and hello to the hot mama!

Stay tuned!

Bubby's new and improved necklace

So, here is the new and improved Baltic amber teething necklace. It is a much better length (I believe) and is a much higher quality necklace. The amber nuggets are good quality, large and shiny, the silk thread is thick without being too bulky, and the magnetic clasp is nice and sturdy. I ordered this one from Time Designs, an online shop on Etsy. If you haven't checked out Etsy, you probably shouldn't or else you might end up doing a lot of shopping there! Dawn, the owner, was extremely professional and was very easy to work with. She shipped the necklace out the day after I ordered it! Since she is located in Canada, it took almost 2 weeks for it to get here, but it was definitely worth the wait. I have every intention of buying more from her in the future.

I am astounded at the difference in quality between this one and the first necklace that I bought. I thought the first one was nice initially, but compared to this one it looks like a cheap knockoff. I'm glad that she made it the wrong length and gave me very poor customer service because I wouldn't have discovered what a nice amber necklace is supposed to look like!

From the mouth of Cakes - Blabbing on the cell

Cakes got a Hannah Montana cell phone yesterday, and like any girl, she's been on it non-stop. She calls various family and friends, pretend ones included, and has full on conversations. The most notable went like this:

"Hey Micey. Yeah. Uh huh. I know. My dad is irritating because he's the boss."

The hubby and I couldn't control our laughter! I foresee many more of these conversations in our future. Girls.

Happy Birthday, America!

Today we started off our 4th of July celebration by going to our local parade. We made it on time and quickly realized that we probably would not stay for the entire parade. It was a scorcher, and we were HOT! Standing next to the road in full sunlight made it feel like 100 degrees, although it was probably only 80. Cakes got her fair share of candy and treats and saw enough in the 2 plus hours we were there that she was even ready to leave. I must admit though that parades are great entertainment, especially when you sit next to people that keep referring to the police as "the Po-Po" over and over, and one of the parade participant's is the Andy Griffith Rerun Club. Uh, yeah. We live in the south! LOL!

The kids are napping now, but when they get up we will be off to celebrate some more. After a quick trip to the fireworks store we're headed to a cookout with some dear friends. It's going to be a great evening. Family, friends, food, and fireworks, all make for a fun and fantastic freedom celebration!

Hope you have a fabulous Independence Day!