tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83715184440785663022024-03-13T10:41:54.304-05:00Our Little FamilyKristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-15036939489281277552013-12-31T13:29:00.000-06:002013-12-31T13:46:46.631-06:002014: The Year of Kristin<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have decided that 2014 will be my year. My year to focus on me, and my little family of 4. My year to make me happy, and healthy. I will focus on what makes me happy, and make an effort to be happy every day. I will focus on what's important in my life, and make those things a bigger part of my daily life. I will simplify my life and teach myself and my children that we don't need things to be happy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm done with excuses from myself and others. I'm done with people and things that drag me down. I'm the only one that can control my attitude and outlook on life. I've learned that I can't rely on others for my own happiness. I'm done wasting time and energy on others that repeatedly bring me down. I need positive energy in my life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm ready to feel good about myself again, to feel happy, to be a better wife, mother, and friend. I'm ready for a brighter, fuller life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2014 will be my year. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">#TheYearOfKristin</span>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-19185050798615402182013-03-23T22:32:00.000-05:002013-03-24T10:10:11.996-05:00So Many Victories!<div>
If you've come here to find updates on the girls, it's not happening in this post. This one's all about me, and there's lots of pictures. It's been a long time in between blog posts, but I've had a whirlwind of victories lately, so I decided it's time for a post! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
First up, I realized that I have lost 100 pounds since I first started trying to lose weight back in 2008! 100 pounds!! A few months after Kara was born I reached my highest weight ever, I was miserable, and decided it was time for a change. I lost about 80 pounds, and maintained that until I got pregnant with Macy. While I was pregnant with Macy I gained 51 pounds, and felt like I was starting the weight loss journey all over again after she was born. I only lost 18 pounds between the time Macy was born and when she was 6 weeks old - I've since lost all 51 pounds that I had gained with her, along with another 30 pounds! All together, I'm down over 100 pounds since 2008 - that's pretty incredible if you ask me - more pics of my whole journey at the end of this post!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rxGDHzQaXwo/UU43YJk9hTI/AAAAAAAAnmc/_heALn87t2M/s1600/100pounds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rxGDHzQaXwo/UU43YJk9hTI/AAAAAAAAnmc/_heALn87t2M/s320/100pounds.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Next victory, I ran my first half marathon!!! Yes, I ran a half marathon. After I had Macy I started running again in March of 2012. It was a very slow start after taking almost a year off to get back into running! I ran about 5 5ks in the past year, and was wanting to challenge myself a bit more, thought I'd go for a 10k, but got talked into running a half marathon. I tried following a half marathon training plan, but I didn't really stick to it too much, I got sick in January and took 3 weeks off from running! I was trying to run a few times during the week and then do a long run on the weekends, my long runs varied from 5 miles to 9.5 miles, and I was really starting to enjoy them - yes, even with the freeeeeeeeeezing cold temps, ice, freezing rain, snow, puddles, I was really enjoying my running time on the weekend. As the date of the half marathon started to get closer, I started freaking out, I'd get super nauseous just thinking about running 13.1 miles. I was starting to dread it! My last few training runs were at an average pace of about 11:30/mile, when I had been down to about 10:30/mile, so I was scared that it was going to take me forever. I had decided that I wanted to finish under 2 hours and 30 mins, but wasn't sure if that was going to be an attainable goal with my crappy training runs I had been having.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here I am waiting in line for the port-a-potty before the race :) It was cold!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fzJXtUIo4b8/UU43YjiKI1I/AAAAAAAAnmo/5AVmjzTi3oU/s1600/half2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fzJXtUIo4b8/UU43YjiKI1I/AAAAAAAAnmo/5AVmjzTi3oU/s320/half2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I had decided that I was going to run the half solo. I seemed to do better on my training runs when I was by myself - I could go my own pace, I could get lost in my music and just focus on the running, so that's what I did. I honestly don't remember most of the details of the half marathon. I remember seeing all the mile markers, and as I would approach each one I'd think "ok, you've got to at least run to mile X" I'd get past the mile marker, feel good, and keep on going. The course was out and back, so around 6.6 miles we turned around - at that point I was still running without any walk breaks (other than water stops), my time was about 1 hour and 8 minutes, so I knew I could make my 2 hour and 30 min goal if I kept up my pace. The course sucked cause it seemed like there were constant hills - I managed them all up until about mile 7, at that point, I'd run up as much of the hills as I could, and then stop to take walk breaks as needed. Most walk breaks were under a minute, as every time that I stopped I realized that it hurt so much more to walk than it did to run, so I just kept on going. I think it was around mile 9 or 9.5 that I realized how bad my body hurt - my hips were killing me, my knees were killing me, but I just pushed through it and kept on going, because, really, I had no other choice but to keep on going. Mile 10-11 was the hardest for me. I was at a breaking point and I wanted to be done so bad. Once I got to mile 11 I just kept telling myself "only 2 more miles, only 2 more miles" and I was trying to imagine 2 miles of the route that I run at work all the time and tried to convince myself that 2 more miles was nothing. Once I hit the 13 mile marker I just about burst into tears - I'm not sure if it was cause I was so proud of myself for being so close to finishing my first half marathon, cause my body hurt so bad, or cause I was on the verge of death. At the same time I also got this huge burst of energy and hauled ass for the last 10th of a mile - there were 3 people ahead of me and I decided that I had to cross the finish line ahead of them, and I did. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My official time for my first half marathon was 2 hours, 20 minutes, and 5 seconds - 10 minutes faster than I had hoped to finish, and an average pace of 10:42/mile!! The fact that I was able to maintain that pace for 13.1 miles totally blows my mind, but the fact that I can say that I'm a half marathoner blows my mind even more!!!! The girl, who at one point, had well over 100 pounds to lose had finished a half marathon. Totally blows my mind. I'm SO proud of myself and my friends that ran it too - there were quite a few of us who did this as our first half marathon - way to go, friends! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Done!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LHz50-n-KdI/UU43ZfD_QjI/AAAAAAAAnnE/fO2lp-wo4PQ/s1600/half5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LHz50-n-KdI/UU43ZfD_QjI/AAAAAAAAnnE/fO2lp-wo4PQ/s320/half5.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Runkeeper Report:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4j5bcGYz6pw/UU5iNSlekdI/AAAAAAAAnno/V-SFHNVbVuI/s1600/runkeeper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4j5bcGYz6pw/UU5iNSlekdI/AAAAAAAAnno/V-SFHNVbVuI/s320/runkeeper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here's Kathy and I after the race!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iR-LHq93WYc/UU43YfCUJEI/AAAAAAAAnms/c6NdlpN0bO0/s1600/half1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iR-LHq93WYc/UU43YfCUJEI/AAAAAAAAnms/c6NdlpN0bO0/s320/half1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Ya gotta stretch....</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQ6uFPR_WUc/UU43Y_0bhUI/AAAAAAAAnmw/atdYK6A4iQI/s1600/half3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQ6uFPR_WUc/UU43Y_0bhUI/AAAAAAAAnmw/atdYK6A4iQI/s320/half3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
My medal and race bib that I will cherish forever!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YznstndQub4/UU43YOGvw8I/AAAAAAAAnmg/3U-QIvr6-gg/s1600/half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YznstndQub4/UU43YOGvw8I/AAAAAAAAnmg/3U-QIvr6-gg/s320/half.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Other things to note: I joined a diet bet online - it's basically an online weight loss game to lose weight - you throw in $20 (or whatever the bet is) and you have 4 weeks to lose 4% of your body weight. I was kind of reluctant to join cause I've basically been on a plateau since November, and I didn't want to lose my $20 bet! But then I thought that it might be just the motivation that I needed to get back on track, and start shedding the pounds again, and the fact that I could potentially be at my goal weight by the time I turn 30, so I decided to accept the challenge! I'm just over 3 weeks into the challenge and I have lost about 10#, which is over my 4%, so now I need to make sure to keep it off until the 28th so I can get some of that money that's on the line! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
With the weight that I have lost on the diet bet, I am now at a "normal" weight on the BMI charts, NORMAL? ME? Yes!!! I have never, ever, in my entire life been considered a normal weight! I really don't care for the BMI charts since they don't take body fat % into account, but one of my goals that I had set for myself was to have a normal BMI, and I honestly never thought I'd get there. I'm going to be 30 in 2 weeks, and I am at the lowest weight I have been at since about 15.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Another non-scale victory - I had to get my driver's license renewed in April of last year. I did what most (all) women do and put the weight that I had hoped to be at on my license instead of my actual weight - I mean, everyone does that, right? So, the weight that I put on there was probably about 40# less than I really weighed at that time, but you also have to remember that I had just had a baby, so I was still carrying lots of the baby weight ;) Anyway, I am now 35 pounds LESS than the weight listed on my driver's license - I'm tempted to go get it updated, otherwise I have to wait another 3 years for the next renewal.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I've been sporadically taking measurements over the last year. I happened to come across my measurements I had recorded in March of 2012, it was only a hip and waist measurement, but I compared those two numbers to my current numbers.... I've lost over 10 inches from my hips and over 8 from my waist! Now is one of those moments that I had wished I would have taken all my measurements back in March of 2012.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One of my favorites - I bought a new dress. The sizing of the dress was not S-M-L, but actual sizes, so I grabbed a 10 and a 12 to try on, tried on the 10 first and it was too big, ended up buying a size 8!!!!!!!!! Sorry for the horrible, blurry pic in my dirty mirror... </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FOMQddwMW4E/UU5iNj-RX3I/AAAAAAAAnns/un-_8PkpnWE/s1600/dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FOMQddwMW4E/UU5iNj-RX3I/AAAAAAAAnns/un-_8PkpnWE/s320/dress.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here's where this post gets very pic heavy - pictures from my whole journey. This is where I am going to come now when I'm having a bad day, or feel fat. It's really hard for me to look at some of these pics, and to try to figure out how I ever let myself get so out of control. All I can say is that I'm happy I finally decided to improve my life and live healthier! I'm still not comfortable with my current weight - I think cause it's still new to me. I honestly had more self esteem after I lost weight after I had Kara, and the lowest weight I ever got was about 185 - seeing this pics now compared to how I am today, I can really see a difference from then to now - it's never been so apparent to me before!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
January 2008 - just a few weeks after I found out I was pregnant with Kara. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iEyX67N5W-g/UU5uKiGs-0I/AAAAAAAAnn4/JOk6LRVe8x0/s1600/jan2009-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iEyX67N5W-g/UU5uKiGs-0I/AAAAAAAAnn4/JOk6LRVe8x0/s320/jan2009-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
January 2009 - my highest weight, and my lowest point.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_U4fJKp_W_8/UU5uLN1jXaI/AAAAAAAAnoM/yBm9cI6uPQk/s1600/jan2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_U4fJKp_W_8/UU5uLN1jXaI/AAAAAAAAnoM/yBm9cI6uPQk/s320/jan2009.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
May 2009</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KK2w5X_tAS4/UU5uLk2H5nI/AAAAAAAAnpA/z4uHH0cNPWo/s1600/may2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KK2w5X_tAS4/UU5uLk2H5nI/AAAAAAAAnpA/z4uHH0cNPWo/s320/may2009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
About 50# lost after having Kara</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2yP4ExzGdBc/UU5uKIg1d2I/AAAAAAAAnoA/-QXIHVd1JZw/s1600/2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2yP4ExzGdBc/UU5uKIg1d2I/AAAAAAAAnoA/-QXIHVd1JZw/s320/2009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
October 2009</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NVJVB_EZRcY/UU5uMJavChI/AAAAAAAAnow/slm38UWCtbk/s1600/oct2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NVJVB_EZRcY/UU5uMJavChI/AAAAAAAAnow/slm38UWCtbk/s320/oct2009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
May 2010 - I felt REALLY good at this point, and this is what I had hoped to get back to after Macy... I've gotten WAY past this now!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a4ehZ4GtKIs/UU5uLz-BEWI/AAAAAAAAnok/oVOihwq6Bcs/s1600/may2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a4ehZ4GtKIs/UU5uLz-BEWI/AAAAAAAAnok/oVOihwq6Bcs/s320/may2010.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
June 2010</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XBg84gliWLA/UU5uLJfbyZI/AAAAAAAAnoQ/KpDj8GowwCk/s1600/june2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XBg84gliWLA/UU5uLJfbyZI/AAAAAAAAnoQ/KpDj8GowwCk/s320/june2010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
December 2010</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mnQcYyXYtvQ/UU5uKSOrfaI/AAAAAAAAnpE/SZvJCLydN1E/s1600/december2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mnQcYyXYtvQ/UU5uKSOrfaI/AAAAAAAAnpE/SZvJCLydN1E/s320/december2010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
March 2011</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3dnVo5z249A/UU5uLDCvCoI/AAAAAAAAnpQ/TCUrccDtnas/s1600/march2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3dnVo5z249A/UU5uLDCvCoI/AAAAAAAAnpQ/TCUrccDtnas/s320/march2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
August 2011 (pregnant)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dm9dfLal0oc/UU5w9Po8KSI/AAAAAAAAnpo/LUqoGmboPs0/s1600/august+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dm9dfLal0oc/UU5w9Po8KSI/AAAAAAAAnpo/LUqoGmboPs0/s320/august+2011.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
October 2011 (pregnant)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2fSlqZqWTD4/UU5w9nndK8I/AAAAAAAAnpw/9bseu8yRf74/s1600/october2011+%2528pregnant%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2fSlqZqWTD4/UU5w9nndK8I/AAAAAAAAnpw/9bseu8yRf74/s320/october2011+%2528pregnant%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
December 2011 </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tXzCi_3Uo2w/UU5w9DQlT9I/AAAAAAAAnps/hs6KCYdgVBQ/s1600/dec2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tXzCi_3Uo2w/UU5w9DQlT9I/AAAAAAAAnps/hs6KCYdgVBQ/s320/dec2011.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
April 2012</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1V9PJ--bDF0/UU5uKaNmICI/AAAAAAAAnpI/3PJcfqsnXFw/s1600/april2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1V9PJ--bDF0/UU5uKaNmICI/AAAAAAAAnpI/3PJcfqsnXFw/s320/april2012.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
May 2012</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MYL9fK34wQY/UU5uMeTmcaI/AAAAAAAAno0/4F-zza-6_N0/s1600/spring2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MYL9fK34wQY/UU5uMeTmcaI/AAAAAAAAno0/4F-zza-6_N0/s320/spring2012.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
August 2012 </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2HMCicNn1vM/UU5uMSa43cI/AAAAAAAAno8/09IkKhKyK8I/s1600/summer+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2HMCicNn1vM/UU5uMSa43cI/AAAAAAAAno8/09IkKhKyK8I/s320/summer+2012.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
December 2012</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lDoXqkt1Bo4/UU5xxqA6MCI/AAAAAAAAnp0/6JwE52TkjKc/s1600/december+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lDoXqkt1Bo4/UU5xxqA6MCI/AAAAAAAAnp0/6JwE52TkjKc/s320/december+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
March 2013</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vrg618rXLcQ/UU5uLhiLQkI/AAAAAAAAno4/4zc8wmlUBfQ/s1600/masquerade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vrg618rXLcQ/UU5uLhiLQkI/AAAAAAAAno4/4zc8wmlUBfQ/s320/masquerade.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
aaaaaannnnnnndddddd yesterday.... I might have bought a pair of hot pink skinny jeans to celebrate being in the 150's, cause I NEVER EVER thought I'd get there. My ass looks pretty good in them, huh?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fyGRlPVQRF4/UU5iNbY_RpI/AAAAAAAAnng/b3NgMR18wwc/s1600/jeans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fyGRlPVQRF4/UU5iNbY_RpI/AAAAAAAAnng/b3NgMR18wwc/s320/jeans.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At this point I want to continue running and find a second half marathon to run, but probably not until fall. I also want to work on toning up a bit for my sister's wedding this summer! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-6282797938996155722012-11-14T19:22:00.000-06:002012-11-14T19:22:32.757-06:00The Results Are In!I survived my 8 week strength training program and the final results are in! The fact that I am getting pretty close to my goal weight and the pounds are coming off slower and slower, I am very happy with these results!<br />
<br />
Starting Weight: 175.3<br />
Ending Weight: 168.1<br />
Total Loss: 7.2 pounds<br />
<br />
Starting Body Fat %: 28.6%<br />
Ending Body Fat %: 25.1%<br />
Total Loss: 3.5%<br />
<br />
Starting Fat Mass: 50.1 pounds<br />
Ending Fat Mass: 42.1 pounds<br />
Total Loss: 8 pounds<br />
<br />
Starting Fat Free Mass: 125.2 pounds<br />
Ending Fat Free Mass: 125.9 pounds<br />
Total Gain: 0.7 pounds (this one it's good to have a gain)<br />
<br />
Strength Results:<br />
<br />
Starting Pushups: 25<br />
Ending Pushups: 35<br />
<br />
Starting Curlup: 15<br />
Ending Curlup: 25<br />
<br />
Starting Chest Press: 117# (one time max)<br />
Ending Chest Press: 124# (one time max)<br />
<br />
Starting Leg Press: 350# (one time max)<br />
Ending Leg Press: 404# (I maxed out the weight on the machine, so rather than a 1x max, the trainer had me do as many reps as I could at the max weight - I did 6 reps!)<br />
<br />
Starting Flexibility: 27cm<br />
Ending Flexability: 31.5cm<br />
<br />
I'm pretty much in the 90th percentile for females of my age for all the strength results - pretty excited about that! For body fat % I am in the 'moderately lean' category, which is defined as: Fat level is generally acceptable for good health - next goal is to drop another 3.1% body fat and I will be in the 'lean' category!! Doesn't that sound pretty excellent?<br />
<br />
Now to keep moving in the right direction....I'm running the Turkey Day 5k on Thanksgiving and thanks to some pretty amazing/inspiring friends of mine I am going to register for my first half marathon on 3/16/13. AHHH!!! The furthest I have EVER ran before was 4.3 miles, so I have a long way to go to get to 13.1 miles. Luckily I have 122 days to prepare myself. I plan on following the Hal Higdon Novice Half-Marathon training plan. A typical week on this training plan includes 3-4 days of running, 1-2 days of cross training, 1-2 day of strength and stretching and 1 rest day... so that should keep me pretty busy for the next 12 weeks!<br />
<br />
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! To all of my crazy friends who have inspired me, motivated me, pressured me, etc... I couldn't keep going without you guys!<br />
<br />
<br />Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-29605946826417812382012-10-22T16:59:00.000-05:002012-10-22T16:59:59.976-05:00Non-Scale VictoriesI think it's time I take my weight-loss focus away from pounds and start focusing on non-scale victories, inches lost, goals accomplished, etc... I am 15 pounds away from what my ultimate goal was back in February when I started this journey, and the pounds are coming off slower and slower these days. Granted my beer consumption has gone up these days, but I'm sure that has no affect on my weight loss ;) I am one of those people that weighs myself daily - I know some people are 100% against this, but it totally keeps me in check! I only take my loss from Monday - Monday as my 'official weigh-ins' but I like to see where I am at each day. I know weight can fluctuate a huge amount from day to day, so I try not to get too discouraged when the scale creeps up a couple of pounds. I feel like I have been losing and gaining the same 5 pounds over and over and over for the past 6-8 weeks, but I go back and look at my weigh-in chart (I track my weight everyday in an app on my phone called 'Simple Weigh-in') I realize that I have lost about 8 pounds in the last 2 months. This is just another reason that I like to track my weight daily, I love having all the data, seeing the graphs, seeing the progress I've made.<br />
<br />
While I try not to get discouraged with what the scale says, I would be lying to you if I said I didn't get discouraged with what the scale says. I know that there is so much more to this than what the number on the scale says. Back in September when I did the BodPod I found out that my body fat percentage was 28.6%, which is in the 'moderately lean' category - which was a GIANT shock to me!! I can only imagine that that number has improved during this class - I can't wait to see what my percentage is after 8 weeks of the class, maybe that will be motivation to keep up strength training on my own.<br />
<br />
During the last 6 weeks that I have been doing my strength training class through work I have only lost about 4 pounds, but I know that the inches are falling off! I wore a newer pair of jeans today that have fit me pretty snug in the past, but they are falling off of me today! They feel huge in the waist, thighs and butt - that's pretty concrete evidence that I'm losing inches! And while I LOVE that my newer jeans are falling off of me, I can't afford to keep buying new clothes! Maybe I need to switch my whole wardrobe to spandex? Yeah? That would be pretty awesome, right? And if everything I wore were spandex I'm sure that I would get more than a couple of months use out of them.. seems pretty genius to me. <br />
<br />
With all of that said, here are some things that I am going to try to shift my focus on:<br />
<br />
Inches lost - I know that I have some measurements from back in April - I am going to compare my current data with these old measurements and see how many inches I have lost and then continue tracking.<br />
<br />
Strength - I am going to start tracking how many push-ups and crunches I can do, as well as try to do a plank a day and time myself and keep a log of it. <br />
<br />
Running - my running has improved SO MUCH in the past 6 or 7 weeks. I have been very consistent with running 3-4 times a week, and I can totally tell that it's paying off! My average pace has gone from 12:30/mile to right around 10:00/mile - that's a huge improvement! Current goal is to be able to run a full 5k without walking - this has been a goal of mine for, well, I don't know, 3 years... haha, time to get this one crossed off the list! The next 5k is the Turkey Day 5k - exactly one month from today. If I can keep up on my training, I've got this!<br />
<br />
Clothes - seeing how differently my clothes fit from week to week is a huge motivator! Granted I hate losing a favorite pair of jeans, but if that means I can buy a new pair in a smaller size, so be it! <br />
<br />
Weight - while I am going to try to not focus on this number... I have it in the back of my mind that I am 12 pounds away from a "normal" weight by BMI standards. I know that BMI is not really the most accurate thing to go by, but that fact that I am this close to being NORMAL is huge to me - I have never, ever, ever been in a "normal" weight range - so this will be a huge accomplishment for me!<br />
<br />
This is where I am going to put my focus - expect lots of charts and graphs from me in the future...they're coming!Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-60521236004780021622012-10-10T21:50:00.001-05:002012-10-10T21:50:28.795-05:00Back At It...<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again - <b>I NEED TO START BLOGGING MORE!!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I need to use this as a place to keep you updated on what is going on in Kara and Macy's life. Ok, I'll be honest - I use it as my scrapbook/baby book/memory log for the girls, so I need to keep it updated so that in 10 years I can remember the first food Macy ate, her first words, when she took her first steps, how Kara's first day of preschool went, when Kara lost her first tooth. Am I the only parent out there that doesn't have scrapbooks or memory books for my kids? Please say no so that I don't feel like such a horrible parent!! :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let's start with the girls - Kara has started going to preschool at Sonshine Preschool at Rose of Sharon Lutheran church. We are lucky enough that our daycare provider will drive Kara to and from preschool. If we didn't have that option, Kara wouldn't be going! I don't know how any working parents can work around preschool and half-day kindergarten schedules, it's ridiculous! Anyway, she is absolutely loving preschool and is learning so much! Pretty soon she will be smarter than Joe and I combined. They are starting the year off by learning colors and in the next week or two they will start learning numbers, and then move on to learning letters. They practice writing their names everyday and Kara can now write her name all by herself, granted the letters aren't in the correct order, but she's getting there! :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l74R8GPXzRA/UHX-IxDoILI/AAAAAAAAmWY/TSEuVG1XpQM/s1600/kara+preschool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l74R8GPXzRA/UHX-IxDoILI/AAAAAAAAmWY/TSEuVG1XpQM/s320/kara+preschool.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kara also had a birthday back in August that we haven't talked about yet. In true Kara fashion, she wanted a Lightning McQueen (the red car from the movie Cars) birthday party, and the only thing she asked for was a Lightning McQueen Power Wheel. Let's just say that she got what she wanted!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hra_3WFjtMc/UHYB4NsOsMI/AAAAAAAAmW0/j62NcMCh2vA/s1600/kara's+birthdayh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hra_3WFjtMc/UHYB4NsOsMI/AAAAAAAAmW0/j62NcMCh2vA/s320/kara's+birthdayh.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L5r3hColnBs/UHYB4whK6LI/AAAAAAAAmW8/uHPQqDrZ-9Q/s1600/karabirthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L5r3hColnBs/UHYB4whK6LI/AAAAAAAAmW8/uHPQqDrZ-9Q/s320/karabirthday.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Macy is our happy little chunker! She started crawling just after 7 months and quickly learned how to pull herself up onto everything. We have to constantly keep an eye on her to prevent her from eating everything off the floor or hurting herself! She is quite a handful at times! She has started waving, blowing kisses, clapping and giving high fives in the last month or so. I still cannot believe that she will be 1 in just 2 months!! She says bye-bye, momma, dadda, tries to say clap - I'm still waiting for her first real word, Kara's was pinetree - I'm hoping Macy has a good first word like that! She has taken a few steps in the last week and I think she will be walking very soon, and then we are really in trouble! She also has this new obsession with licking things, particularly the floors, but she'll lick pretty much anything. At her 9 month appt she weighed in at 20 pounds 6 ounces and was 28.5 inches - she's about the same size at 9 months as Kara was at 1 year! She's got 2 cute lil teeth so far, but with the way she's been acting lately I'm guessing that a few more are working their way through.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jws5beyIiAo/UHYCyKxnECI/AAAAAAAAmXE/K3qMLU0Lrws/s1600/crazy+macy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jws5beyIiAo/UHYCyKxnECI/AAAAAAAAmXE/K3qMLU0Lrws/s320/crazy+macy.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fn1U4V3KRKk/UHYCyvHucII/AAAAAAAAmXM/8VKjo87Ti70/s1600/macy+7+months.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fn1U4V3KRKk/UHYCyvHucII/AAAAAAAAmXM/8VKjo87Ti70/s320/macy+7+months.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n32x6728BzU/UHYCzmQV6tI/AAAAAAAAmXU/FLrMgLLXr9U/s1600/macy+9+months.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n32x6728BzU/UHYCzmQV6tI/AAAAAAAAmXU/FLrMgLLXr9U/s320/macy+9+months.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YHTNFgzKPUQ/UHYC0dCZCTI/AAAAAAAAmXc/wnz-Z0Dv_Q4/s1600/macy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YHTNFgzKPUQ/UHYC0dCZCTI/AAAAAAAAmXc/wnz-Z0Dv_Q4/s320/macy2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Joe and I ran (I'm using the term ran VERY loosely here) Joe's first 5k on July 15th. We did The Color Run - they throw this powdered color on you at each kilometer and by the end you are covered in color, it was a great time! The running part was not so great. It was about 98 degrees out that morning, I felt super dehydrated and just couldn't run. Every time we reached one of the color stations things came to a complete halt. Overall I think our time was about 41 minutes, but that's not important, all that matters is that we had fun! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A shot from afar of one of the color throws that happened every 15 minutes at the finish line.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNFB1Bj6MGw/UHYEj0kCWLI/AAAAAAAAmXk/pAlFkvQ0zP4/s1600/color+run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNFB1Bj6MGw/UHYEj0kCWLI/AAAAAAAAmXk/pAlFkvQ0zP4/s320/color+run.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you love the hand print I left on Joe's back?</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uV5GsuaCuqk/UHYEkFa0jFI/AAAAAAAAmXs/apNf0jBwoYA/s1600/color+run1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uV5GsuaCuqk/UHYEkFa0jFI/AAAAAAAAmXs/apNf0jBwoYA/s320/color+run1.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most of the crew - Me, Joe, Meghan, Emily and Christina - not pictured Roger, Riana, Megan and Ian</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-66u8BOqhVxI/UHYEk7fQxeI/AAAAAAAAmX0/YXxc0tNTxdo/s1600/colorrun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-66u8BOqhVxI/UHYEk7fQxeI/AAAAAAAAmX0/YXxc0tNTxdo/s320/colorrun.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After our first, and hopefully not last, 5k together</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fKrW0zbAHLs/UHYElu4w8NI/AAAAAAAAmX8/ja4XgExmzPU/s1600/colorrun1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fKrW0zbAHLs/UHYElu4w8NI/AAAAAAAAmX8/ja4XgExmzPU/s320/colorrun1.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Back in June when I last blogged, I was at 38.4 pounds lost - since then I have lost another 17.6 pounds for a total loss of 56 pounds, total of 73 since Macy was born!! The last 6 weeks or so I have been fluctuating up and down the same 5 pounds. Which I mostly blame on my beer consumption on the weekends :) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's what 73 pounds lost in less than 10 months looks like - and trust me, if I can do it you can too!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kM6iZscoLmg/UHYyfvs38RI/AAAAAAAAmYY/YwPgd4pb1NQ/s1600/before+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kM6iZscoLmg/UHYyfvs38RI/AAAAAAAAmYY/YwPgd4pb1NQ/s320/before+after.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just finished week 4 of an 8 week group strength training class that is offered through work. If I go to at least 13 of the 16 classes I get fully reimbursed. Here is the structure of the class:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First 20-25 minutes is a circuit of 12 exercises. 8 of the exercises are weight machines - chest press, shoulder press, tricep extensions, lat pulldown, leg press, leg curl, bicep curls and calf raises - the other 4 in the circuit are considered 'the line' these are cardio exercises that change up every week, but have included things like burpees, jumping squats, jump onto a bosu, things like that...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The next 15 minutes we do different exercises each week, which include - planks, up and down planks, planks on a bosu, push ups, crunches, squats with shoulder press, supermans, and all sorts of core work, but I don't know what those exercises are called.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then the last 5 minutes we do stretches and use foam rollers to roll out our tight, sore muscles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am really enjoying this class, and I will be so sad when it's over! Another cool thing about this class is we did a pre-fitness assessment and bod pod assessment and will get to do them again at the end of the 8 weeks to measure our progress. The fitness assessment includes doing as many push ups and crunches as you can, one time maximum leg press, one time maximum chest press and a flexibility test. The bod pod uses air displacement to accurately measure muscle mass vs. fat mass - it was pretty cool! My body fat was measured at 28.6% which is in the 'moderately lean' category - this totally blew me away!! I for sure thought I would be in the 'excess fat' category! I'm super excited to do it again at the end of the 8 weeks and see how much progress I have made!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Things I'm happy about with my weight loss:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I weigh 20 pounds less than I did BEFORE I was pregnant with Macy (and remember that I gained 51 pounds while pregnant and she is not even 10 months old)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The weight on my driver's license is more than 20 pounds higher than my current weight!!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm 10 pounds less than the lowest weight I ever got after I had Kara (and I was only at that weight for about 1 week!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wear a size smaller pants than I did before I got pregnant with Macy - since February I have gone from a size 20 to a size 11!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I feel like I am finally making progress with running</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Speaking of running - I ran two other 5ks since my last post - the Big Gay Race to support Minnesota United For All Families - VOTE NO!!! - and the MMRF 5k to support Joe's aunt who has Multiple Myleoma. Both of these 5ks were in the same weekend, and both were PRs for me. The Big Gay Race I finished in about 35:30 and the MMRF 5k was just over 33 mins! Wooohoo!! I track all my running on dailymile and runkeeper - be my friend if you are on either of those sites!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alright, I must go to bed now. Thanks for reading, I promise to update more frequently :) </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-9939593520309976622012-06-22T11:48:00.001-05:002012-06-22T11:48:38.676-05:00A Little Bit Of Everything...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Back in February when I started this whole life transformation, I had put weight loss goals on my calendar every 4 weeks. This Sunday I am coming up to week 21 and my goal for this week was to be down 42 pounds, I am not quite there, but I am at 38.4, pretty damn close! I am so glad that I am staying on track! Kara has recently told me that I have wiggly arms and has asked if I'm having another baby cause my tummy is so big... thanks kid! But, it has encouraged me to work on my wiggly arms and pregnant belly...hopefully soon I will be able to say that I no longer have wiggly arms or look pregnant! <br />
<br />
Here's some pics from along the way:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hugely Pregnant: </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lumYI5iG5NI/T-SbM5ppE8I/AAAAAAAAlKw/dYADZPhO1tA/s1600/hugely+pregnant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lumYI5iG5NI/T-SbM5ppE8I/AAAAAAAAlKw/dYADZPhO1tA/s320/hugely+pregnant.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Right After Macy was Born:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oA77hiuDFKY/T-SbNnWRwfI/AAAAAAAAlLA/Yv44L6CdG9E/s1600/me+December.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oA77hiuDFKY/T-SbNnWRwfI/AAAAAAAAlLA/Yv44L6CdG9E/s320/me+December.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
January 2012: </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k6wOE-rqPSs/T-SbOTLEC0I/AAAAAAAAlLQ/6ydWED8Pc24/s1600/me+January.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k6wOE-rqPSs/T-SbOTLEC0I/AAAAAAAAlLQ/6ydWED8Pc24/s320/me+January.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
April 2012:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lBQb0PTQXZU/T-SbNFGp_CI/AAAAAAAAlK4/gqn1HDCFtzs/s1600/me+April.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lBQb0PTQXZU/T-SbNFGp_CI/AAAAAAAAlK4/gqn1HDCFtzs/s320/me+April.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
End of April 2012:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0PkE2-2N6JU/T-SbPPs5cII/AAAAAAAAlLc/nI2BTfMQaig/s1600/me+end+of+April.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0PkE2-2N6JU/T-SbPPs5cII/AAAAAAAAlLc/nI2BTfMQaig/s320/me+end+of+April.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mother's Day 2012:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LPi0eBAvm38/T-SbPj9LRoI/AAAAAAAAlLk/MXYiQR2m6BM/s1600/me+mother%2527s+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LPi0eBAvm38/T-SbPj9LRoI/AAAAAAAAlLk/MXYiQR2m6BM/s320/me+mother%2527s+day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
June 2012 (back down to pre-pregnancy weight, 6 months post-baby!):</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ2-ohA6nXw/T-Sb9UJ4OSI/AAAAAAAAlLw/mJ0vTI8NFzc/s1600/Picture+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ2-ohA6nXw/T-Sb9UJ4OSI/AAAAAAAAlLw/mJ0vTI8NFzc/s320/Picture+006.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
My ultimate goal is to lose about 30 more pounds... we'll see if that changes as I get closer to my goal!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Now let's talk about Joe... Joe turned 30 on June 3rd, and of course I planned a fantastic birthday celebration for him! Joe and I both love beer, so we had a day full of beer. We started off at 11:00 in the morning and went to Steel Toe Brewing in St. Louis Park - they only sell growlers right now, but they also had samples - we both really liked their beers! Next stop was Flat Earth Brewing in St. Paul.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here we are enjoying some samples at Flat Earth: </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qZc9P0fhPAU/T-Scvt33I4I/AAAAAAAAlL4/e1x-WFFw93Q/s1600/Picture+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qZc9P0fhPAU/T-Scvt33I4I/AAAAAAAAlL4/e1x-WFFw93Q/s320/Picture+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KYxBwpxYIx8/T-SdGdYrFOI/AAAAAAAAlMo/uNcix1qRjMU/s1600/flat+earth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KYxBwpxYIx8/T-SdGdYrFOI/AAAAAAAAlMo/uNcix1qRjMU/s320/flat+earth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Next stop was Liftbridge in Stillwater, they have a tap room here, so we hung out for a bit and enjoyed some pints of beer.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5XRWZ247rAI/T-ScwjV0owI/AAAAAAAAlMA/u0Sk4UGgxIo/s1600/Picture+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5XRWZ247rAI/T-ScwjV0owI/AAAAAAAAlMA/u0Sk4UGgxIo/s320/Picture+004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
Back in the car again (thanks to Jerry and Becky for being out DDs!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pottOCbMn_Q/T-SeNuSuKjI/AAAAAAAAlM4/JAw4waf8fLE/s1600/Picture+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pottOCbMn_Q/T-SeNuSuKjI/AAAAAAAAlM4/JAw4waf8fLE/s320/Picture+007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Next we went to Fulton Brewing in Minneapolis, they also have a tap room, we hung out here for quite a while. Their beers were delicicous!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6tMh7zJPTw4/T-SePTgxq2I/AAAAAAAAlNA/VK4oXM_sQjs/s1600/Picture+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6tMh7zJPTw4/T-SePTgxq2I/AAAAAAAAlNA/VK4oXM_sQjs/s320/Picture+008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BgqZikqwRh8/T-SeQcNbTVI/AAAAAAAAlNI/-yjknBM-Rw0/s1600/Picture+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BgqZikqwRh8/T-SeQcNbTVI/AAAAAAAAlNI/-yjknBM-Rw0/s320/Picture+009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
After Fulton we headed to Republic Bar in Minneapolis. They have a huge selection of craft beers on tap. A bunch of our friends also met us at the restaurant to celebrate Joe's birthday.. we had a great time there!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2nw4zLboyzM/T-SeRlV-3EI/AAAAAAAAlNQ/5Hnwgz-UTKU/s1600/Picture+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2nw4zLboyzM/T-SeRlV-3EI/AAAAAAAAlNQ/5Hnwgz-UTKU/s320/Picture+011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9cfi2R4n_XY/T-SeTFEMBHI/AAAAAAAAlNY/FxYNl7gyGEY/s1600/Picture+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9cfi2R4n_XY/T-SeTFEMBHI/AAAAAAAAlNY/FxYNl7gyGEY/s320/Picture+015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9k_ukI2WyK4/T-SeT4eWaPI/AAAAAAAAlNg/rGLNX8X5zAc/s1600/Picture+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9k_ukI2WyK4/T-SeT4eWaPI/AAAAAAAAlNg/rGLNX8X5zAc/s320/Picture+016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NhL1BK81e2M/T-SeVOa0G3I/AAAAAAAAlNo/WsHAI5FC12g/s1600/Picture+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NhL1BK81e2M/T-SeVOa0G3I/AAAAAAAAlNo/WsHAI5FC12g/s320/Picture+017.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dMW5qr76ZnA/T-SeWeeemVI/AAAAAAAAlNw/uP2_6ryo1QY/s1600/Picture+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dMW5qr76ZnA/T-SeWeeemVI/AAAAAAAAlNw/uP2_6ryo1QY/s320/Picture+022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And I of course ordered him a Surly Coffee Bender Cheesecake, it was AMAZING!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ls_oMPeN5I/T-Se8Bxq9iI/AAAAAAAAlN4/H7-_tIuSKco/s1600/surly+cheesecake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ls_oMPeN5I/T-Se8Bxq9iI/AAAAAAAAlN4/H7-_tIuSKco/s320/surly+cheesecake.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<br />
After Republic we went to Harriet Brewing, which is also in Minneapolis. We hung out at Harriet until about 11:30 - they have a tap room and also had a band playing.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
I think I did a pretty good job of making Joe's 30th birthday a memorable one.... I turn 30 next April, he better have something amazing planned for me :) </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Now let's talk about the girls a bit. My little Macy-kins is 6 months old! At her 6 month appt she weight 17 pounds 7 ounces and was 27.5 inches long.. she is a big girl! She is wearing 9 month clothes and size 3 diapers. Kara was always a little peanut, so it's kinda fun having a little chunker! She has finally figured out how to roll over and is sitting almost completely by herself. She is such a little joy, so cheerful and smiley all the time! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It's so hard to believe that she has gone from this: </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vSGKOFiBWUw/T-SgILEcFVI/AAAAAAAAlOQ/JxkVVY-cQnc/s1600/macy3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vSGKOFiBWUw/T-SgILEcFVI/AAAAAAAAlOQ/JxkVVY-cQnc/s320/macy3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
To this:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SRSw2gnYq-E/T-SgHrvk_TI/AAAAAAAAlOA/iFnhMh4G9es/s1600/macy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SRSw2gnYq-E/T-SgHrvk_TI/AAAAAAAAlOA/iFnhMh4G9es/s320/macy1.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XdkK01QO77w/T-SgH5BXrpI/AAAAAAAAlOI/xL8Cxacpe7U/s1600/macy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XdkK01QO77w/T-SgH5BXrpI/AAAAAAAAlOI/xL8Cxacpe7U/s320/macy2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And last but not least, Kara... at about 7:00 this morning I got a text from Joe with this picture:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vyOwOjcPuZo/T-SgaiypSCI/AAAAAAAAlOY/Z89cMSuB_ik/s1600/karaspiderman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vyOwOjcPuZo/T-SgaiypSCI/AAAAAAAAlOY/Z89cMSuB_ik/s320/karaspiderman.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And I was laughing hysterically!! Apparently last night Kara decided she wanted to be Spiderman! When I was putting her to bed last night she kept looking for her red marker, I said, Kara it's bedtime, go to sleep, we will find your marker in the morning, well, she obviously found it... haha! She also said that she didn't want Macy to sleep in her room last night, she obviously had this all planned out! Never a dull moment in our house :) </div>
</div>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-15314544856198854362012-04-29T16:33:00.000-05:002012-04-29T16:35:17.580-05:00Week 12: Proud of Myself<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After taking a year off from running while pregnant, I completed my first 5k</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ran for 25 mins and 2 miles without a walk break - this is huge because on the Couch 2 5k plan I got stuck on the week that I had to run 20 mins straight</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not once during the race did I think - this sucks, why am I doing this, I hate running - I think this is my biggest accomplishment, cause I <b>ALWAYS</b> think those things while running</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was my first 5k running solo - and I managed to keep myself motivated</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I finished in 38:22, which is right in line with what I was running 1-2 years ago (goal was to finish in under 40)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wanted to be down 25# by race day - I met that goal!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since the beginning of February (12.5 weeks) I have lost 25 pounds</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since I had Macy in December I have lost 42 of the 51 pounds that I gained during pregnancy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My pre-pregnancy clothes are slowly starting to fit me again, I am guessing that in about 1 more month they will all fit!!</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's a very unflattering picture of me in January right before I started counting calories and exercising:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KcQk1Y_D37g/T52yThZmGeI/AAAAAAAAhlc/H-AudmXxn8c/s1600/me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KcQk1Y_D37g/T52yThZmGeI/AAAAAAAAhlc/H-AudmXxn8c/s320/me.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And a picture from April 21st - 12 weeks after the previous picture (look how big Macy has gotten!)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b_ziyce9Uog/T52yTwW8gpI/AAAAAAAAhlk/kFs4HoLnu7o/s1600/menow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b_ziyce9Uog/T52yTwW8gpI/AAAAAAAAhlk/kFs4HoLnu7o/s320/menow.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I still have a long way to go, but I'm very pleased with how far I have come in 12 weeks! Hoping to be down a total of 50 pounds in about 13 more weeks!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-69268445573762227912012-03-26T11:30:00.000-05:002012-03-26T11:30:01.105-05:00Week 8I have started blog posts the last 2 weeks, but never got them completed, so this will have to serve as a recap for the past two weeks. Today is the start of week 8 and I am down 15 pounds, a total of 33 from my pregnancy weight! Back in February I had made a goal to be down 20 pounds by my birthday, my birthday is 2 weeks away and I have 5 pounds left to lose... I can do it!! <br />
<br />
I had some issues the beginning of March with horrible shin and calf pain, so I took a few days off from running to rest. On the 7th I went to the Running Room to get fitted for new running shoes and I found out I need stability shoes. It was amazing how much different walking around the store felt in these shoes compared to my old running shoes. The following Friday morning I tried out my running shoes and quickly realized they were way too narrow and short for my feet! My feet felt completely squished and my toes were hitting the front of the shoe as I tried to run, and again my shins and calves were killing me, so this wasn't exactly a successful trip to the gym. Over the weekend I went back to the running room hoping to exchange for a size up and a wide width. They had either a wide width in the same size, or a size up but not wide... so I opted to go for the size up.<br />
<br />
I read a lot about shin splints and one thing I kept reading over and over was to slower your pace if you are new to running. With the combination of my new shoes and a slower pace, I am happy to report that my shins have no longer been causing me pain. I slowed my walking pace to a 3.0 and my running pace to 5.0. With these slower paces I have been able to run all my intervals of the C25K program without wanting to die. Speaking of C25K, I have completed week 5, day 2. Every time the running intervals get longer I think that I won't be able to do it, but every time I have completed every single interval without stopping!! The real test will be tomorrow when I have to run 20 mins straight! I know it's all in my mind, so if I think I can do it, I will be able to do it! <br />
<br />
Joe went back to work last Monday, which means that Macy had her first day of daycare, and both girls are in daycare full-time now. The reality of how broke we are is going to be setting in pretty quick. Macy has just started crying, more like screaming bloody murder, when anyone other than Mom or Dad are holding her, so we were a little nervous about how she would do at daycare. But she did great, didn't have too many crying episodes, and even smiled for them a bit! Kara also had a great week at daycare last week. She is normally full of meltdowns - meltdowns over anything and everything. She had one rough day, other than that she did great - was even pretty great at home! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Macy wiped out after her first day of daycare:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PlmwopopnHo/T3CYaa84u1I/AAAAAAAAgkY/THqufEb2pss/s1600/macy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PlmwopopnHo/T3CYaa84u1I/AAAAAAAAgkY/THqufEb2pss/s320/macy1.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><br />
This week was a big week for Kara too, we went and looked at a preschool for her to start at next fall. The preschool is through Beth's (our daycare provider) church. Beth will transport the kids to and from preschool, so it's really our only option as most preschool schedules are not accommodating to working parent's schedules. Kara was very excited, and loved the room she would be in. We have signed her up for a 4-day a week class that is a kindergarten readiness program. It's hard to believe that she will be old enough for preschool this fall and kindergarten next fall!! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">And a shot of Kara riding her bike, her favorite thing to do:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0-kCxOMr-eI/T3CYwD0LsdI/AAAAAAAAgkg/zoi3wzi1VSY/s1600/kara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0-kCxOMr-eI/T3CYwD0LsdI/AAAAAAAAgkg/zoi3wzi1VSY/s320/kara.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>We have also been working on re-decorating our bedroom. We have had the same red and grey walls, comforter, everything for about 7 years. It was time for a change. I really wanted to brighten up our room, and I think I accomplished it!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Here is a before shot: </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wxGgrE49LHI/T3B_8g52j0I/AAAAAAAAgjQ/pAXXpAR_tZ8/s1600/bedroom1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wxGgrE49LHI/T3B_8g52j0I/AAAAAAAAgjQ/pAXXpAR_tZ8/s320/bedroom1.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Primer on the walls:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yyg10U_w5H8/T3B_93H6tHI/AAAAAAAAgjo/Nfe7JyO3fBg/s1600/bedroom4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yyg10U_w5H8/T3B_93H6tHI/AAAAAAAAgjo/Nfe7JyO3fBg/s320/bedroom4.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
And a couple of after shots - the color we chose is called Extra Virgin Olive Oil - it's really hard to capture the color accurately in a photo:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cvYUiLW_EvE/T3B_9D9pAQI/AAAAAAAAgjY/MERJc8X1vzo/s1600/bedroom2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cvYUiLW_EvE/T3B_9D9pAQI/AAAAAAAAgjY/MERJc8X1vzo/s320/bedroom2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0c0KbKhR3nA/T3B_9TTDVuI/AAAAAAAAgjg/OSd6XFx7nBA/s1600/bedroom3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0c0KbKhR3nA/T3B_9TTDVuI/AAAAAAAAgjg/OSd6XFx7nBA/s320/bedroom3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And here is our amazing new bedding in our room:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y449upWvQYA/T3CYJ_uXMpI/AAAAAAAAgkI/S0QjxcvfA9s/s1600/bedroom5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y449upWvQYA/T3CYJ_uXMpI/AAAAAAAAgkI/S0QjxcvfA9s/s320/bedroom5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We also bought a funky little Ikea chair to put in the corner to have a little reading nook. I don't have any pics of that yet though. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">That's all for now, I better post this before it never gets posted! Hopefully I'll be back soon with an update on how I do with my 20 minute run!</div>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-14430086113712961012012-03-06T17:17:00.000-06:002012-03-06T17:17:34.098-06:00Week 5: Getting FrustratedI wish the results of all my hard work were reflected immediately on the scale and in the way my clothes fit me. I have been busting my ass these last two weeks and the scale has barely moved. I seem to be losing and then gaining the same 2-3 pounds over and over and over...ugh! It's so much easier to keep motivated when you are seeing results, not so much when you get stuck and in a rut.<br />
<br />
These past two weeks I have not gone over my daily calories, except for the day we had a brownie mountain for Jayla's birthday. I have been doing the C25K running program, which is 3 workouts a week, today I finished week 3 day 2 of the program - this is the longest I have ever stuck with the program! Unfortunately my shins and calves are killing me, which I blame 100% on my running shoes. I am going to allow myself to invest in a good pair of running shoes - I plan on going to a running store nearby to get fitted for shoes in the near future, I'm hoping new shoes will help with my shin/calf pain. Along with the C25K program I have also been doing 2-3 workout at home - all are by The Biggest Loser, I alternate between CardioMax, Power Sculpt and Last Chance Workout - yesterday I remembered how much I HATE the Last Chance Workout, it's serious business. I'm hoping that one of these weeks my body will catch up to me and I'll have a big loss.<br />
<br />
I will leave this post with a positive note. I had to go buy smaller jeans today!! The jeans that I just bought 4 weeks ago, right before I went back to work, were falling off of me!! So I guess even if I am not seeing the pounds fall off, I do know that I am losing inches! Overall, I am done 11 pounds in 5 weeks and am very happy with that! Here's to another week of exercise and eating healthy!Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-52423511763398863852012-02-21T18:39:00.000-06:002012-02-21T18:39:10.323-06:00Oh, poop!On my way home from work on Friday I got a text from Joe saying that Kara had pooped on the toilet and we were going to have a special dinner that night!! Kara has been wearing underwear for a year and a half, but would not poop in the toilet. At one point she was only pooping at daycare during naptime when she had a diaper on, once she wasn't wearing diapers at daycare anymore she would ask us for a diaper every time she had to go. We have offered everything we could think of as a reward/incentive to get her to go on the toilet, but she didn't care, she wanted to poop in a diaper... so her pooping on the toilet was HUGE!! After she pooped on the toilet Friday night Joe and I decided that we would not give her anymore diapers anymore, she would have to go on the toilet. The rest of the weekend she didn't go. Anytime she had to she would throw a royal fit and scream and yell for a diaper, but we didn't cave. Finally on Monday she was pacing all over the house, we could very clearly tell that she HAD to go. I told her she was either going to go in the toilet or she would have an accident. She tried to convince us to put her in a diaper any way that she could think of, but she wasn't going to poop in the diaper.. yeah right! Finally Joe brought her in the bathroom, set her on the toilet and she went!! WOOHOOO!! We told her again that there were no more diapers and she would have to go on the toilet every time that she needed to go. After she went she asked to get her camera from grandma and grandpa's house, this is a reward they have had waiting at their house for her for months!! Joe and Kara drove out in the snow to get her camera, and she was so excited! So today, Tuesday, she has gone poop on the toilet <strike>nine</strike>10 times, yes, you read that right...<strike>9 TIMES </strike>and now 10 TIMES and now we are up to 11 Times!!, and it's only 6:00 pm!! haha, Joe said she needs to find a new hobby. I am so proud of her, and so, so, so glad that we seem to be over the fear of pooping on the toilet!<br />
<br />
On to me... Last week was pretty rough on my diet and exercise. In the end I gained 2 pounds, but I am still down 6 overall... so that's a plus, and much better than what I was expecting. I am working hard this week at counting calories and I started the Couch 2 5K program on Sunday, so I am hoping that will help motivate me to get to the gym at least 3 times a week. The Couch 2 5K is a 9 week program, 3 workouts a week, in the end you are supposed to be able to run a full 5K.. wouldn't that be nice? You can check out the program <a href="http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml" target="_blank">here.</a> There is also a nice free app for the android phone, you can listen to your own music and there is a beep every time you are supposed to switch from walking to running, it worked great for me on Sunday when I tried it out! Hoping to get to the gym tonight for day 2!<br />
<br />
I have also become rather obsessed with crocheting lately. I learned how to crochet about 3.5 years ago, but I was taught wrong, so nothing ever turned out right for me. I took some time to read my crochet book and look up stuff online and I think I finally have it figured out. I am currently making infinity scarves.. I have made 8 so far, only 2 for me! I also made super cute hats for the girls, a couple of headbands for Macy, a hat for Joe and a Valentine's hat for Macy.<br />
<br />
Here are a few of the things I have made:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qqRsLbGykZI/T0Q47fHRn_I/AAAAAAAAgFY/QdzKEFfblfc/s1600/joehat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qqRsLbGykZI/T0Q47fHRn_I/AAAAAAAAgFY/QdzKEFfblfc/s320/joehat.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rmByPSey9AY/T0Q473_jLlI/AAAAAAAAgFg/5nvWeMwSNRs/s1600/karahat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rmByPSey9AY/T0Q473_jLlI/AAAAAAAAgFg/5nvWeMwSNRs/s320/karahat.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m-XSq3jG6YE/T0Q48Vm_dWI/AAAAAAAAgFo/hVD-VxvbmK0/s1600/kristinscarf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m-XSq3jG6YE/T0Q48Vm_dWI/AAAAAAAAgFo/hVD-VxvbmK0/s320/kristinscarf.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WVYyhkHI8eY/T0Q48kN83-I/AAAAAAAAgFw/Vy7y7hkAa_w/s1600/macyhat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WVYyhkHI8eY/T0Q48kN83-I/AAAAAAAAgFw/Vy7y7hkAa_w/s320/macyhat.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d5JC3CQX0L8/T0Q49YkFlCI/AAAAAAAAgF4/TT6wDhOUP1A/s1600/macyheadband.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d5JC3CQX0L8/T0Q49YkFlCI/AAAAAAAAgF4/TT6wDhOUP1A/s320/macyheadband.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><br />
<br />
On to Macy, she is an eating machine!! She eats 4 ounces just about every 2 hours on the dot! She still sleeps through the night, which is awesome, so I guess she's just making up for all the ounces she isn't eating overnight. She has found her hands and is constantly trying to get them into her mouth. She has also starting reaching and grabbing for toys on her play mat. I just love her!Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-71325582411579120412012-02-16T12:22:00.000-06:002012-02-16T12:22:56.670-06:00Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things...Today is my 4th day back to work, and I finally feel like I am getting the hang of this again (other than waking up to my alarm at 5am!!) Sadly, my calorie counting and exercising has taken a back seat this week. We had a catered lunch at work on Tuesday, ordered a heart-shaped pizza for dinner that night for Valentine's Day and then I went out to lunch yesterday... ugh! But today I am committed to getting back to calorie counting and hopefully we can get a schedule down soon so that I can find some time for the gym or working out at home. <br />
<br />
Tuesday was Valentine's Day - it was pretty much perfect, other than the killer headache that I had! Joe and I had both bought each other a 6 pack of Bell's Hopslam, which is a very rare seasonal beer, he turned it into a beer heart....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KCKztPcGDE4/Tz1C9bBmn_I/AAAAAAAAgFE/S8izSFBeNqs/s1600/beer+heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KCKztPcGDE4/Tz1C9bBmn_I/AAAAAAAAgFE/S8izSFBeNqs/s320/beer+heart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />
He also bought me these beautiful roses<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bNeMCv8JYmc/Tz1C9-dfDSI/AAAAAAAAgFM/_5ZufSqgWGE/s1600/flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bNeMCv8JYmc/Tz1C9-dfDSI/AAAAAAAAgFM/_5ZufSqgWGE/s320/flowers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">We ordered a heart-shaped pizza for dinner, and it was delicious! Our Valentine's was not fancy and extravagant by any means, but it was absolutely perfect! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Last night we had Macy's 2 month appointment, she is 11 lbs 3 oz, which is the 56th percentile and 22 3/4 inches which is the 63rd percentile! She is growing so quickly! The whole time I had her at her appointment she was smiling and talking to the doctor, well, up until the point where she had to get her shots... She did so good though, and is such a happy baby! We have gotten so lucky with our babies, both Macy and Kara were sleeping through the night by 6 weeks and both were content babies! I don't know how we got so lucky, but I'm fine with it!! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Joe is doing great with his current role of stay at home dad! He had both girls home with him yesterday and sent me multiple pictures of them sleeping, and when I came home they were both asleep!! That's pretty impressive to get them both to sleep, let alone at the same time! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">That's all for now. Hopefully I'll have some good news to report soon about weight loss and exercising! </div>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-6981882968795397732012-02-13T17:21:00.000-06:002012-02-13T17:21:31.783-06:00Busy Monday!Today was a big day! I returned to work after having 9 weeks of maternity leave, Macy is 9 weeks old today and I weighed in this morning.<br />
<br />
After spending the last 9 weeks home with Macy, and a big part of that time home with Kara and Joe too, it was hard to go back to work today. Especially because I got sick this weekend and am feeling pretty miserable. My co-workers were kind enough to fill my cube with latex balloons. I should probably mention that I have a strong fear of latex balloons... <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_M9zIyrqdPs/TzmVShJyK-I/AAAAAAAAgEE/PL-iw-h-WSU/s1600/balloons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_M9zIyrqdPs/TzmVShJyK-I/AAAAAAAAgEE/PL-iw-h-WSU/s320/balloons.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And of course we had to deflate all the balloons, I wouldn't allow them to pop the balloons, cause I'm scared of that! So we very carefully deflated them. I was told there were about 300 balloons!!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sWaKfeVLU8o/TzmVS6LKQiI/AAAAAAAAgEM/1kP4Lp2g5c4/s1600/balloons1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sWaKfeVLU8o/TzmVS6LKQiI/AAAAAAAAgEM/1kP4Lp2g5c4/s320/balloons1.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So I survived my first day, although, I don't really remember how to do my job yet, so I should probably figure that out in the next few days.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My little baby girl is 9 weeks old today! Joe sent me some cute pictures of her while I was at work, but I can't seem to download them from my text messages... Macy is such a good baby! She is sleeping through the night, usually from about midnight to 9am! I don't know how we got so lucky to have 2 good babies, but I'm not going to complain about it! Over the last few weeks she has started to smile and coo a ton. She loves her big sister, whenever she sees her she starts smiling and talking, it's so cute! We bring her in on Wednesday for her 2 month appointment, I can't wait to see how big she has gotten! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Monday is my official weigh-in day. I am down 2.5 pounds from last week and a total of 8 pounds so far! Woohoo! I like those numbers! I have now lost 25 pounds of the 50 that I gained while I was pregnant.. hopefully those next 25 will be gone within a few months! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last weekend we had some pictures taken with Auntie Em, here are a few for you to enjoy :) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kf2Ip_W_6QI/TzmagCEMUTI/AAAAAAAAgEU/6L1cH-3uQVk/s1600/macy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kf2Ip_W_6QI/TzmagCEMUTI/AAAAAAAAgEU/6L1cH-3uQVk/s320/macy.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VYYj5PSU38o/TzmagWTA4XI/AAAAAAAAgEc/QuXt3n4OXuw/s1600/macy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VYYj5PSU38o/TzmagWTA4XI/AAAAAAAAgEc/QuXt3n4OXuw/s320/macy1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O0ERj-jGIsY/Tzmag7K6T5I/AAAAAAAAgEk/rQqVTYY4c_4/s1600/macy3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O0ERj-jGIsY/Tzmag7K6T5I/AAAAAAAAgEk/rQqVTYY4c_4/s320/macy3.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lPSsYC0du_Q/TzmahBd3KiI/AAAAAAAAgEs/TNyqecuTSUw/s1600/macy4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lPSsYC0du_Q/TzmahBd3KiI/AAAAAAAAgEs/TNyqecuTSUw/s320/macy4.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GuSRYMywPfA/TzmahdwDezI/AAAAAAAAgE0/27_T0NrP7Fk/s1600/macy5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GuSRYMywPfA/TzmahdwDezI/AAAAAAAAgE0/27_T0NrP7Fk/s320/macy5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--jQPFeH2dwo/TzmahuWHzEI/AAAAAAAAgE8/ThDrKTBxcRE/s1600/macy6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--jQPFeH2dwo/TzmahuWHzEI/AAAAAAAAgE8/ThDrKTBxcRE/s320/macy6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-6596978300111407812012-02-03T21:23:00.000-06:002012-02-03T21:23:31.275-06:00Day 3!Today is day 3 and I am still going strong with calorie counting! It's ridiculous how quickly the calories add up once you start counting them! I am trying to get back into the swing of this and trying to remember old foods I used to eat that were healthy, low in calories and kept me full. Once I get used to eating healthy and smaller portions it's not so hard.<br />
<br />
Tonight I went to the grocery store and loaded up on fresh produce and some healthy snacks. When I got home I made some chicken stir fry with broccoli, red pepper, onion, carrots, pineapple and brown rice, it was pretty good, but the recipe for the sauce included quite a bit of soy sauce - I'd definitely use a different sauce if we make this again!<br />
<br />
After dinner I made a bunch of pre-packed snack bags - I think snacks are always the killer to me counting calories, I think I'm hungry and end up eating something I shouldn't have, I'm trying to avoid that by planning in advance! For my snack bags I counted out pieces to the correct serving size and wrote the # of calories on the outside of the baggie, so rather than sitting down with a bag of potato straws, I can quickly and easily grab a pre-packed bag and know that it is 130 calories. I also did some dry-roasted peanuts, dark chocolate almonds (not the kind dipped in chocolate), pretzels, celery and broccoli. I only have one more week of maternity leave - so I hope I can get in some good habits before I go back to work!<br />
<br />
I haven't worked out in the last two days. Yesterday I was too sore from my walk/run the day before and today I really did plan on going to the gym or working out at home, but it's 9:00 and I am just sitting down! I started cleaning closets in our bedroom today - I cleared out so much stuff and have so many bags ready to donate, it's ridiculous how much stuff we have! After cleaning I went to the grocery store, brought the groceries in and put them away, made dinner, cleaned up dinner and made my pre-packaged foods... all while helping Joe take care of Kara and Macy... I think I had enough packed in to today!<br />
<br />
Alright, that's all for now! Hoping to get some exercise in tomorrow!Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-41179354109083647282012-02-02T10:38:00.001-06:002012-02-02T10:41:17.356-06:00Day 1.Yesterday was day 1 of my life transformation. I'm not calling it a diet, because it's not. I want to make healthy changes to have a healthy life, but obviously the goal of this life transformation is to lose weight, feel better and be healthy. <br />
<br />
I am still holding on to about 30 pounds of pregnancy weight. I have lost this weight before, so it's kind of frustrating having to lose it again, but I know that if I don't make changes that this weight will never go away. And I know that I have done this before so I can do it again! It's also hard starting to workout again. I quit exercising while I was pregnant, so I am pretty much starting all over with that too. It's frustrating having to start from square one with things that I used to do on a daily basis, they are harder to do now both because I am out of shape and I am 30 pounds heavier than when I was doing them before. But, I started somewhere before and made it to the level that I was at, so I know that I can do this and get back to where I was.<br />
<br />
To make these changes I am back on the calorie counting train. I lost about 80 pounds counting calories before, so I know this is an effective way to lose weight for me. I have been messing around with the apps My Fitness Pal and Lose It to track my daily caloric intake. I think I am leaning towards My Fitness Pal to be the one for me. With My Fitness Pal it is so much easier to find foods in their library, I can easily find homemade foods, store bought foods and easily add my own creations. With Lose It I have found it very difficult to find foods - I can't just type in 'peaches and cream oatmeal' and find it, everything is categorized funny. It is easy to find things by using the barcode scanner, but you don't always have a barcode to scan, and My Fitness Pal also has this feature. And the deal breaker... My Fitness Pal has beer in their food library, even Surly! I know I shouldn't be drinking beer while I am trying to lose weight, but you better believe if I have calories left at the end of the day, I will be drinking them! You can have 'friends' on My Fitness Pal, so if you're using it too, find me kristinlien04.<br />
<br />
I also joined the gym again! They had a deal to join for $14.99/month and if I go 8 times a month I will get reimbursed $20/month by my health insurance, so I'll be making $5/month. Can't go wrong with that! Yesterday was my first attempt at running on a treadmill. It was slow, but it was a start! When I first tried running 2 years ago I couldn't run for 60 seconds straight. After nearly a year off of running I am pretty much back to where I started at. I did manage to have a couple of 2 minute and 2.5 minute stretches, which I consider a success! I did 3 miles in 45 minutes, extremely slow, I know... but I did it! The treadmill that I was on was acting kinda funny, so it made it hard to run... every time I increased the speed the belt would slip. I have to make sure not to get that treadmill again! I am using dailymile.com to log my miles, if you use it, be my friend! <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/KristinL6#ref=tophd" target="_blank">My DailyMile profile</a><br />
<br />
I will be doing my official weigh in every Monday. But I am a freak and like to weight myself daily. I know some people say not to do this, but it keeps me in check with where I am at, so I do it!<br />
<br />
My first goal is to run the Get in Gear 5k on April 28th, and to be down about 20 pounds by then. The run is 12 weeks away, so that should be plenty of time to drop 20 pounds and to get myself prepared to run.. wish me luck!<br />
<br />
My overall goal is to fit into all of my pre-pregnancy clothes, and for them eventually to be too big for me!! <br />
<br />
I know this will be a daily struggle, but I need to remind myself that it's worth it. I am ready to enjoy clothes again, to feel confident, to enjoy exercising. Every day is a struggle, but I feel so much better at the end of the day when I know I stuck with my plan! <br />
<br />
This about sums it all up for me:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RG9UTw7c9dc/Tyq6uiNU35I/AAAAAAAAgDw/rOidgm9uUY4/s1600/success.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RG9UTw7c9dc/Tyq6uiNU35I/AAAAAAAAgDw/rOidgm9uUY4/s320/success.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also have a pinterest board for all these lovely motivational and inspirational quotes to keep me going.. feel free to follow it! <a href="http://pinterest.com/kristinlien04/post-pregnancy-body/" target="_blank">Post Pregnancy Body board</a></div>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-70358417685546056432012-01-23T01:18:00.000-06:002012-01-23T01:18:18.275-06:00Quick Post...Huge MilestoneI just need to document a huge milestone! Last night Macy slept from about 10:30pm to 7:00am!! Woohoo! Let's hope this will be a regular thing. I'll be going back to work before long and I would love if she could keep this up and let momma get some sleep. And on that note, I am off to bed. Sweet dreams!Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-58567212376915101492012-01-15T23:17:00.000-06:002012-01-15T23:17:44.582-06:00Where has the time gone?I thought my maternity leave was going to be a nice, relaxing time at home with my baby girl. I thought I would be able to catch up on housework, get things organized, keep my blog updated, keep up on pictures...boy was I wrong! Macy will be 5 weeks old tomorrow, I have had 5 weeks off work and I feel like I have been off about a week! Christmas is a complete blur, did it really happen?? We have been so busy and I feel like we are just getting into a routine, barely... So here is a little update of what I remember from the past 5 weeks!<br />
<br />
When Macy was 4 days old we had to bring her to Children's Hospital Heart Center to have an EKG and an ultrasound of her heart. While I was pregnant with her her heartrate was always very high and after she was born she had a murmur, so her doctor wanted to be sure that it was a normal murmur and nothing to be worried about. Macy did really well hooked up to all those machines and in the end it was found that she had 2 small holes in her heart, but they are nothing to be worried about. It's possible that one of the holes will close over time. We go back when she is 2 months old to have her checked again. Another thing that happened while we were here - they measured Macy and found that she was 18", but she was measured 21" at birth... so yeah, pretty sure that her length listed on her birth certificate is wrong. At 3.5 weeks she is only 19.5 inches, oh well... <br />
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div>While we were at Children's we also had to go to the lab area to have her blood drawn to check her bilirubin levels since they had been elevated. The results came back very high! Her numbers went something like this from the day she was born 8.5 - 13 - 16.4, so they were rising, and rising pretty quickly. It was determined at this point that she needed to have a biliblanket to help break down the bilirubin in her system, so a biliblanket was delivered to our house that night. We hooked her up to the blanket and had to go back to the hospital on Saturday (the following day) to have her blood drawn again. Let me tell you this - having blood drawn from your tiny little newborn baby is the hardest thing to watch! And she had to have it done day after day. So we stopped at the hospital on Saturday hoping for a real quick in and out visit. First of all, we couldn't get to floor 3 where the Children's lab was. No one mentioned to us that the Children's lab was closed on Saturdays. After wandering around trying multiple elevators and not being able to get to the third floor we finally found some people to ask and found out that we had to go to the lab downstairs.. ugh! Why do things have to be so difficult? Her levels from this day were up to 17.8 - so she got to stay on the biliblanket for at least another day. She ended up being on the blanket for almost a full week. Finally on the following Wednesday her levels were starting to go down, so the doctor decided that she could come off the blanket. Saturday was also the day of the Adams' Family Christmas - so after our adventure at the hospital we drove out to Ramsey to celebrate Christmas and let Macy meet the Adams' Family. Christmas was a lot of fun and both Macy and Kara did great - thank goodness for Aunty Em keeping an eye on Kara for us!! :)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Macy in her biliblanket</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K9ucrL88BCM/TxOtUGxjU5I/AAAAAAAAgCo/gn01d_GVcz0/s1600/IMAG1517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K9ucrL88BCM/TxOtUGxjU5I/AAAAAAAAgCo/gn01d_GVcz0/s320/IMAG1517.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
At 6 days old Auntie Emily came out to our house to do Macy's first photo shoot. Of course this is the day that Macy decided she didn't want to sleep, because we wanted a sleeping baby in pictures. It's ok though, cause Emily got amazing pictures as always!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite shots from the photo shoot</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fhZAHAgnsFs/TxOuyE-kyjI/AAAAAAAAgCw/gLkzgRvuRL8/s1600/_MG_2474_retro+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fhZAHAgnsFs/TxOuyE-kyjI/AAAAAAAAgCw/gLkzgRvuRL8/s320/_MG_2474_retro+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can view all the images <a href="http://emilylienphotography.zenfolio.com/p1000119636" target="_blank">here</a></div><br />
At 8 days old I had commented to Joe that I was so proud that we hadn't had to supplement any formula for Macy, she was 100% breastfed - which was huge cause I had some serious troubles breastfeeding Kara. I was really proud of the fact that breastfeeding was going so well. Yes, it was hard when she wanted to clusterfeed and be attached to me for hours at a time, but I knew that that was an important part of supply and demand, and I knew that breastfed babies should be fed on demand, so I dealt with it. Then day 9 rolled around. I had horrible chills to the point that I was shaking uncontrollably, my whole body ached, I felt completely miserable. I would go from having the chills to being incredibly hot and sweaty, it was horrible. After the second day of feeling like this I knew that I had mastitis. Mastitis is what made me quit breastfeeding with Kara. I got it when she was about 4 weeks old and it killed my supply, I tried for 2 weeks to build my supply back up, but it wasn't happening, so I gave up. I was able to continue breastfeeding and pumping with Macy and made it through the 10 days of antibiotics and was still breastfeeding. We did have to start supplementing with 1 or 2 bottles of formula a day, but for the most part she was getting breastmilk. And then 1 week after finishing the antibiotics I started feeling really sick again, it came out of nowhere, but I knew instantly that it was mastitis AGAIN! UGH! This happened on a Friday night, I figured I would just call the on call Dr the next morning and get an antibiotic, well guess what, apparently the answering service for my doctor's office doesn't take messages on the weekend for prescriptions.. WTF? They wouldn't let me leave a message, they told me I could go to the ER or wait until Monday. I am still a little pissed about this and plan on talking to my doctor and the clinic manager, but I haven't had time for that yet. I am almost done with my second round of antibiotics, and I'm really scared to be done with them, I just have this feeling that I am going to get sick again right when I come off them...<br />
<br />
Other than all of the above, life has been great with two girls. Macy is a great baby. She really only cries when she needs a diaper change or needs to be fed, she sleeps good at night, she is just a good baby! I really love the newborn stage, they are so cute and snugly, I could snuggle her all day long! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EegMT2dXIpo/TxOvz5imeKI/AAAAAAAAgC4/cjApqxLseUQ/s1600/Macy1Month.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EegMT2dXIpo/TxOvz5imeKI/AAAAAAAAgC4/cjApqxLseUQ/s320/Macy1Month.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Kara is an amazing big sister. When she came to the hospital to meet Macy she couldn't get in the room quick enough - she couldn't wait to hold her, it was adorable! She loves to hold Macy, help me wash bottles, she brings Macy toys, blankets, pacifiers, etc.. She calls her 'her baby' and you can't just say that Kara is her sister, you have to say 'big sister'. She does great with Macy, but has been acting out towards Joe and I.. for the most part she is good, but she definitely has her bad moments, which is to be expected I guess. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0LdsPHSeauQ/TxOwDs-qC1I/AAAAAAAAgDA/-VTQWs11GQ8/s1600/IMAG1503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0LdsPHSeauQ/TxOwDs-qC1I/AAAAAAAAgDA/-VTQWs11GQ8/s320/IMAG1503.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><br />
<br />
At 5 weeks post partum I have lost about 18 of the 50 pounds that I gained. So now I get to try to lose 30 pounds, that should be fun! I want to try to get into running again, I'm thinking I'll start the couch to 5k program as soon as I can. I don't have a gym membership anymore, so I will have to run outside, and that's no fun when it's cold and icy. Eventually I will get back into all my pre-pregnancy clothes, until then I will continue to wear the one pair of jeans that fit me every single day :)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Me and my lil babe</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tOctqY8BH_w/TxOwrlyIjeI/AAAAAAAAgDI/J99GN7to4j0/s1600/IMAG1727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tOctqY8BH_w/TxOwrlyIjeI/AAAAAAAAgDI/J99GN7to4j0/s320/IMAG1727.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
Joe will be laid off as of Tuesday. It will be nice having him home more, but it will be hard living off two limited incomes. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Joe with Macy on her first visit to Surly Brewing Co. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zYvfdEvXslI/TxOyf2-BchI/AAAAAAAAgDQ/2eTo82_kPp0/s1600/joemacy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zYvfdEvXslI/TxOyf2-BchI/AAAAAAAAgDQ/2eTo82_kPp0/s320/joemacy.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Macy in her Surly shirt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hi4tYqju9Rg/TxOyq-MlGnI/AAAAAAAAgDY/J4v3CcQ7oNc/s1600/Macysurly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hi4tYqju9Rg/TxOyq-MlGnI/AAAAAAAAgDY/J4v3CcQ7oNc/s320/Macysurly.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-831014074454154942011-12-22T18:04:00.000-06:002011-12-22T18:04:49.481-06:00{Macy Amelia 12.12.11}Monday, December 12th was my first day of maternity leave and I was 39 weeks 2 days pregnant. I woke up early so that I could make it to the hospital by 7:30 am for a BPP and NST. Before I left the house I was sitting at the kitchen table eating some cereal when I heard Kara open her bedroom door and she came and joined me for breakfast. I told her that as soon as I was done eating she would have to go snuggle up in bed with daddy cause I had to go to the hospital to check on baby. At that point Kara told me that the baby was going to be born today and asked who would pick her up from daycare. I told her that grandma would pick her up, but only if the baby was born, if the baby wasn't born mommy would be picking her up... she told me that grandma would be there to pick her up, she also told Beth, our daycare provider, that grandma would be picking her up today cause the baby was going to be born. I think she has some psychic abilities.<br />
<br />
7:30 am - Arrived at hospital. Started with the BPP, which is the ultrasound that they do to check on the baby. I told the ultrasound tech that my 3 year old had predicted that the baby would be born today, she said she didn't like to hear that. During the ultrasound she found barely any amniotic fluid, in the end the total measurement was just under 2cm, but the baby also had a full bladder and belly, so there was some additional fluid. Then I had to move on to the NST where they monitor the baby's heart rate and my contractions, while I was having this done the doctor was reviewing the ultrasound and determined that today was the day! So I had to call Joe and let him know not to start working cause he had to come to the hospital! I didn't get to leave to go home and get my things, I got to go straight to labor and delivery. Of course my doctor was on vacation, so the nurse had to try to figure out who was on call and let them know that I was being admitted.<br />
<br />
9:00 am - admitted to labor and delivery. I was brought straight back to a delivery room to have an induction started. The plan was to get me on cervidil which softens your cervix and makes it more favorable for an induction. I was about 2 cm dilated at this point, and when the nurse hooked me up to the monitors she discovered that I was contracting every 1-2 minutes, and I wasn't feeling anything! This changed the plan, because they won't use cervidil if you are having regular contractions, so I got to wait while they figured out what they were going to do with me.<br />
<br />
10:30 am - An IV and pitocin were started, and Joe finally arrived at the hospital. He had to do lots of running around and pick up all of our hospital bags, get Kara's stuff packed up, etc... but he was finally at the hospital with me.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rVwqsxLD5FA/TvNcb1QpcSI/AAAAAAAAgAg/jXtLUnLXa-w/s1600/IMG_9784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rVwqsxLD5FA/TvNcb1QpcSI/AAAAAAAAgAg/jXtLUnLXa-w/s320/IMG_9784.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
11:30 am - The only thing in the world that I could think about at this point was food. I had only had a small bowl of cereal before I went in for my appointment, and I wasn't allowed to eat anything. I could drink water up until I decided to have an epidural, but that was it. I wanted a Davanni's hoagie incredibly bad. I tweeted "I sure hope my baby is born before Davanni's closes. I want a hoagie after I give birth." and guess what.. they responded and ended up sending me out 2 coupons for free hoagies and a Davanni's baby bib!! Oh the power of social media!<br />
<br />
1:30 pm - A doctor came in and broke my water and they inserted an internal monitor to better monitor the contractions, this gives a much more accurate reading of the strength of the contractions. It was around this point that I started getting really uncomfortable and the contractions were getting pretty painful, but I wasn't sure that I was ready for an epidural yet.<br />
<br />
2:45pm - 3 cm dilated and ready for my epidural! Getting the epidural hurt like hell - I don't remember feeling pain when I had an epidural with Kara, but this was baaaaad. I don't know if it was cause I was having contractions while I was getting the epidural or what, but it was a burning, stinging, sharp pain... I don't ever want to deal with that again! I did learn that when men get epidurals they get morphine prior to the epidural to help with the pain, women just get a small bit of numbing medicine.. WTF, not fair! Anyway, the epidural hurt like hell, but of course ended up being a life saver!<br />
<br />
4:00 pm - 4 cm dilated, feeling much happier now that the epidural is working like a charm. Between checks from the nurse I was trying to sleep. It had already been a long day, and I was feeling pretty worn out.<br />
<br />
6:00 pm - 5 cm dilated. Not much else to report at this time.... other than I was getting sick of only progressing 1 cm every two hours, I really thought things would move quicker. Thank God they had cable in the hospital.. I got to watch all the crappy reality tv shows that I no longer get to watch at home!<br />
<br />
8:00 pm - STILL 5 cm dilated. At this point I was pretty sure that I was not going to be having my baby on 12/12. The doctor who was going to be delivering Macy came in at this point and decided to stop the pitocin for a while and see what my body would do on it's own. She also decided to have me sit up in bed for a while to hopefully help the baby move down, as she was still quite high. The doctor decided to head home because she didn't think that I would be ready to push anytime soon.<br />
<br />
8:30 pm - Extreme nausea. Joe was trying to find something for me to puke in, and trying to call the nurse. The nurse came in and I told her that I felt really sick so she had me lay back down on my side. She said sometimes sitting up with all those meds can make you feel like that, so back to laying down I went.<br />
<br />
9:00 pm - The contractions started to become extremely painful again, it almost felt like the epidural wasn't working at all. I called the nurse again, she came in and I told her what was going on, so she checked me and guess what... I was fully dilated and effaced and ready to push! So in one hour I went from 5cm with the baby still high to completely dilated and ready to push, no wonder I felt to sick! The nurse called the doctor and told her to head back to the hospital cause it was time!<br />
<br />
9:43 pm - I started pushing. With Kara I pushed for 3.5 hours, so I was hoping for a much shorter time this time around! At this point in the day I was so worn out and didn't want to push at all, let alone for 3 hours! I pushed and pushed and pushed... it felt like I wasn't doing anything, even though the doctor and nurse said I was. It was a lot harder to push this time around and I think it was cause I could feel the pain, I have no idea how or why women decide to give birth without pain meds... maybe I just have a super low tolerance for pain, but man, I couldn't imagine going all that time without any pain meds.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>10:09 pm - 26 minutes of pushing and Macy made her screaming entrance into the world! She looked so tiny to me, and exactly like her big sister! She was very covered in vernix (the white slimy stuff), she was so covered cause my amniotic fluid was so low, but she was my tiny, slimy, beautiful, perfect baby girl! She weighed 7 pounds 1 ounce and was 21 inches long. This may be TMI, but it's a part of the birth story... so I had an episiotomy (if you don't know what that is, don't google it - you don't want to know) anyway - I am glad that they allow you to hold your new baby and ooh and aah over the baby while they stitch you back up, it's a good distraction from the pain...and that's all I'm going to say about that. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Holding my sweet new baby girl.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jIY-rWkVZdM/TvNcSA70sLI/AAAAAAAAgAU/5aiV_NZ9HZk/s1600/IMG_9796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jIY-rWkVZdM/TvNcSA70sLI/AAAAAAAAgAU/5aiV_NZ9HZk/s320/IMG_9796.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Screaming baby on the scale </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NE6ZB19x8SQ/TvO8euZ8nJI/AAAAAAAAgA4/lfYcRjmbrDU/s1600/IMG_9797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NE6ZB19x8SQ/TvO8euZ8nJI/AAAAAAAAgA4/lfYcRjmbrDU/s320/IMG_9797.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Proud Daddy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-if_Iwpt7Rcs/TvO_2fK93eI/AAAAAAAAgBk/5dYIDA-RJEU/s1600/IMG_9800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-if_Iwpt7Rcs/TvO_2fK93eI/AAAAAAAAgBk/5dYIDA-RJEU/s320/IMG_9800.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> Proud Mommy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t4bPP_fpg1s/TvPAJs9O60I/AAAAAAAAgBw/EU0k85ya-wI/s1600/IMG_9813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t4bPP_fpg1s/TvPAJs9O60I/AAAAAAAAgBw/EU0k85ya-wI/s320/IMG_9813.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Big sister Kara meeting Macy for the first time</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_-Za2fyWcp0/TvPAcKhd5-I/AAAAAAAAgB8/XTVns7gEM54/s1600/IMG_9819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_-Za2fyWcp0/TvPAcKhd5-I/AAAAAAAAgB8/XTVns7gEM54/s320/IMG_9819.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our first family picture</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YVW6Ntsr21E/TvPAoyQkL4I/AAAAAAAAgCI/dYR8eme25cQ/s1600/IMG_9820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YVW6Ntsr21E/TvPAoyQkL4I/AAAAAAAAgCI/dYR8eme25cQ/s320/IMG_9820.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And another of the proud big sister</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N-ErgF-fIdM/TvPA76xTqvI/AAAAAAAAgCU/KyyvsSQVBkI/s1600/IMG_9826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N-ErgF-fIdM/TvPA76xTqvI/AAAAAAAAgCU/KyyvsSQVBkI/s320/IMG_9826.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So there is the birth story and a few pictures for ya. Macy is now 10 days old.. so I will start a new post on how the last week and a half has gone, it's been pretty hectic and the time is just flying by! We are loving our sweet little Macy and trying to settle in to what it's like to be a family of four! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1684677914"></span><span id="goog_1684677915"></span> </div>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-39504743399530135472011-12-11T17:58:00.000-06:002011-12-11T17:58:29.796-06:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I'm try</span>ing so hard to enjoy these last few (hopefully) days of pregnancy, but it's just so hard. This last 2 weeks have been insanely stressful, so on top of all of the third trimester discomforts of pregnancy, I am also completely stressed out.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It all started the weekend after Thanksgiving, I could barely stay out of bed on Saturday and Sunday, I chalked this up to being 37 weeks pregnant and exhausted. I was literally out of bed for 2 hours, in bed for 2 hours all weekend long. I woke up Sunday night/Monday morning with a bit of a scratchy throat, went to work on Monday and felt like crap the whole day. I ended up going to After Hours care after work and found out that I had strep throat - so I stayed home Tuesday to take meds, be non-contagious and try to get some rest. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Wednesday I had my weekly Dr. appointment to check on baby. At the checkup Macy's heart rate was 175 and going as high as 195 - my doctor had been concerned with her fast heart rate the previous few visits, but it was always within the normal range, so she didn't take any further action, but 175-195 was definitely fast. My doctor said "I am going to make a few phone calls, you are going to go to the hospital tonight to have the baby monitored. Bring your bags with, if things aren't looking good you will be induced tonight. If things are ok you will be going in for a Biophysical profile and Non-Stress Test tomorrow. Either way you are not going to work tomorrow." So now I had Thursday off work too. I sent Joe a text while I was waiting for the doctor to make calls - I said pack a bag for Kara, we are going to the hospital tonight. Once I got home I frantically threw together a bag for me and a bag for Macy, luckily I had started to accumulate piles of things for our hospital bags, so I at least had a general idea of what to pack and where it was. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We sat at the hospital to be monitored for about 2 - 2.5 hours. Macy's heart rate was fast the whole time, it got up to about 210 for a period of time. While I was hooked up to the monitors they also did some labs, I'm not 100% sure what they were checking for with the labs, but they all came back negative.. so that's good... They also gave me a liter of fluid, I think mostly in preparation of possibly inducing me. In the end we were sent home and the constant appointments began. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Thursday, December 1st I had my first Biophysical Profile and Non-Stress Test, which I had to go back to the hospital for, because of course there were no appointments available at the clinic down the road from my house (with free parking). At the BPP it was discovered that my amniotic fluid level was low (more stress...). My level was at 5.9cm - I later discovered that 5cm to 25cm is considered normal, and if you get to 5cm they will induce you immediately. Other than the low fluid the BPP went perfectly, they have 30 mins to do the ultrasound and check for certain things, they saw everything they needed within the first 3 mins, so baby seemed fine! The NST went fine as well. Baby's heart rate was still high, but they were seeing the accelerations and decelerations that they wanted to see and everything else seemed perfectly fine, and I got sent home once again.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Over the weekend I developed this horrible itch all over my body, no rash or anything, just insanely itchy. It got worse overnight, to the point that I couldn't sleep - the palms of my hands and the bottoms of my feet itched like crazy, it was not cool, and of course nothing that I tried did anything to help. Put in a call to the on-call doctor, and they suggested I see my doctor first thing Monday morning. So I rescheduled my Wednesday evening appt for an early morning appt on Monday. On Monday I went in, my blood pressure was high, baby's heart rate was still high, I was still itchy, but the doctor explained that they were not concerned with the BPP and NSTs other than the low fluid.. so they would now be monitoring my fluid levels very closely. My doctor also told me she wanted me to be done working, mostly cause of the stress level I was feeling, but I told her I couldn't be off work until I was closer to my due date. I couldn't afford to take off two weeks before my due date and have the possibility of going overdue. At that time she told me that she can't see me making it to my due date, that she thought that I would have to be induced within the next week and a half due to the fluid levels, but of course she couldn't make any guarantees... Oh yeah, and she also told me that she would be out of state from Thursday thru Tuesday.... She missed Kara's birth because she was on vacation!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Tuesday, December 6th I got to go back to the hospital for another BPP and NST. Fluid level was at 7.4 and the NST was fine again, so once again, I was sent home. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Thursday, December 8th I was back to the hospital again. During the BPP they couldn't find much fluid at first, like 3.5cm at most. The lady doing the ultrasound asked if I had brought my bags with me and said that it wasn't looking very promising that I would be leaving the hospital. Well, guess what, she found another pocket of fluid that measured about 3.5cm, so that put me at 7cm...ugh! The NST went fine, baby did what they needed her to do right away, and once again I was sent home. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">As you can imagine all of these extra appointments have been very draining on me, psychically, mentally, they have me very stressed out. It's very hard to try to work full time and manage these appointments in the middle of the day. I ended up having to use quite a bit of sick time, which also stressed me out cause it was cutting into my paid time that I would get for maternity leave. But I decided that Friday, December 9th would be my last day of work - I needed to take something off my plate. I am hoping that Macy decides to arrive in the next week so that I don't have to take more than a week off work before she's here. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I get to go back to the hospital bright and early tomorrow morning for another BPP and NST - I am SO hoping that they will just keep me this time and let me have my dang baby! If things are fine, I see my doctor on Wednesday evening... at which point I will beg, cry, do whatever I need to do to make her induce me!!!! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">When I was pregnant with Kara I didn't mind being overdue, I worked past my due date, and I was for the most part pretty happy - at least approachable ;) This time around things are very, very different. I cannot wait to be done, and hopefully we don't have to wait too much longer! </span><br />
<br />
And a few pictures...<br />
<br />
I finally got around to adding Macy's name to the quilt that I made for her (and I also recently discovered that my husband doesn't care for Mae as a middle name...so yeah, we are trying to find a new middle name!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2FsDF0fviGY/TuU9AJRQw7I/AAAAAAAAf88/EVwkvwhUTVs/s1600/quilt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2FsDF0fviGY/TuU9AJRQw7I/AAAAAAAAf88/EVwkvwhUTVs/s320/quilt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kara went to see Santa yesterday! I was pretty shocked when she decided that she wanted to wear her dress and picked out a cute little clip to put in her hair! When we got to the mall to see Santa we had to wait in line for about 45 mins. Of course the two kids in front of us threw huge fits and were screaming and crying, so I thought we were doomed... but Kara still sat on Santa's lap and even told him that she wanted a firetruck with glitter on it! She let us take a few different pictures, sat there and talked to him, it was adorable!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qggaL3jxvU4/TuU8_7bp9VI/AAAAAAAAf80/79SslQ95y3E/s1600/kara+santa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qggaL3jxvU4/TuU8_7bp9VI/AAAAAAAAf80/79SslQ95y3E/s320/kara+santa.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>One last thing - my amazing sister in law took some maternity pics for us when I was 36 weeks along. I wasn't sure that I wanted maternity pics, but I figure this will be my last time being pregnant, and at some point in my life I will miss it and I should probably have some pics. Here is the <a href="http://emilylienphotography.zenfolio.com/p791590465">link</a> to the full album, and below are a few of my favs!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5YkQVbnzTwg/TuVAMvP7H7I/AAAAAAAAf9M/rnGuK9J5YGQ/s1600/_MG_0887_b%2526w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5YkQVbnzTwg/TuVAMvP7H7I/AAAAAAAAf9M/rnGuK9J5YGQ/s320/_MG_0887_b%2526w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hVzEP5poPNs/TuVATts-gDI/AAAAAAAAf9U/PWmUTUKrvZ0/s1600/_MG_0898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hVzEP5poPNs/TuVATts-gDI/AAAAAAAAf9U/PWmUTUKrvZ0/s320/_MG_0898.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c3zNJaObjb0/TuVBlKX0JBI/AAAAAAAAf98/34NOukjDuMQ/s1600/_MG_1037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c3zNJaObjb0/TuVBlKX0JBI/AAAAAAAAf98/34NOukjDuMQ/s320/_MG_1037.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-maK-SuePE54/TuVBuoW2r1I/AAAAAAAAf-E/k84gv7-YHXQ/s1600/_MG_1140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-maK-SuePE54/TuVBuoW2r1I/AAAAAAAAf-E/k84gv7-YHXQ/s320/_MG_1140.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-29376033071837032132011-11-18T12:31:00.000-06:002011-11-18T12:31:37.528-06:00The Countdown Has Begun!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>29 days and counting until baby Macy is due!! These last <strike>fifteen</strike> seven months feel like they have gone by really fast, but it also feels like I have been pregnant FOREVER! Only 4 more weeks to go though.. I can do it!<br />
<br />
This pregnancy has been pretty non-eventful. My last couple of visits Macy's heart rate has been kind of fast, but it's still within the normal range, so nothing to worry about. I have started to prepare Kara's room to be a room for two. Kara wants to play with everything that we get or take out though - she likes to be a mommy to all her little stuffed animals, so all the tiny stuff for Macy has become accessories for Kara's babies. Which is totally ok with me at this point, I just hope we don't have a struggle when Macy is born and we need to take all these things back from Kara... <br />
<br />
Like we don't have enough on our plates trying to get ready for a new baby in our house right around the busiest time of year.... we now get to do a total remodel of our downstairs bathroom! Joe had noticed that the toilet was leaking water, he thought it just needed a new seal at the base of the toilet - well guess what, he was wrong... water had leaked under the tiles, so he had to pull up all the tiles and take out the vanity. Our bathroom looks a little like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jGFM5Zrh0Xo/TsaiJXFo_ZI/AAAAAAAAf8Y/LeqLb9YEZXk/s1600/bathroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jGFM5Zrh0Xo/TsaiJXFo_ZI/AAAAAAAAf8Y/LeqLb9YEZXk/s320/bathroom.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>Pretty, huh? Joe took the day off work today to deal with this.. lucky him! He bought new tile last night, so hopefully we will have a nice, new, unleaky bathroom soon!<br />
<br />
A few other random thoughts:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Kara was Scooby Doo for Halloween - isn't she adorable??</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5xda2eMMSTI/TsaiITaU5ZI/AAAAAAAAf8Q/9wEAQ9g45oI/s1600/scoobydoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5xda2eMMSTI/TsaiITaU5ZI/AAAAAAAAf8Q/9wEAQ9g45oI/s320/scoobydoo.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">MY child picked out a DRESS to wear for pictures.... willingly.. it was actually her idea!!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Now the challenge is to get her to wear it for pictures and have her cooperate</div><div style="text-align: center;">for pictures. I think she can do it!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bcoLtueCb_c/TsaiJxjvDWI/AAAAAAAAf8g/bBxKkloAPac/s1600/kara+dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bcoLtueCb_c/TsaiJxjvDWI/AAAAAAAAf8g/bBxKkloAPac/s320/kara+dress.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">And, how cute are these matching I <3 Santa shirts I got for the girls??</div><div style="text-align: center;">I have to hope that Macy doesn't come too late, otherwise she may not be here in time for Christmas, but I'm still planning on having her early, so it's all good.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFFBs2Ve88A/TsaiKDqRNbI/AAAAAAAAf8o/ZAD7dbAgg8k/s1600/matching+outfits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFFBs2Ve88A/TsaiKDqRNbI/AAAAAAAAf8o/ZAD7dbAgg8k/s320/matching+outfits.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I really truly cannot wait to be done being pregnant. I can't wait to stop having crazy cravings, I'm totally over the hip and sciatic nerve pain, I want to see Macy, I want to start running again, I want to do the 30 day Shred again, and I want to have a dang beer already!! </div>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-23622741876978357132011-10-24T12:48:00.000-05:002011-10-24T12:48:09.029-05:00Oh My Growing Belly! continued...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have all these pictures on my phone that I never do anything with, so how bout a quick blog post! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">First is this collage that I already shared weeks 10 - 20...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="147" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-69seEDGCb2I/TkWD_-ry23I/AAAAAAAAf3Y/3c9v6ZJQjK8/s320/bellyphotos.jpg" width="320" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And now weeks 25 - 31... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-coOJ3LSAXnU/TqWUSHVx7kI/AAAAAAAAf7o/lzXkK-FtV0U/s1600/25+-+31+weeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-coOJ3LSAXnU/TqWUSHVx7kI/AAAAAAAAf7o/lzXkK-FtV0U/s320/25+-+31+weeks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As of Saturday, October 22nd I am 32 weeks pregnant! How crazy is that? Can't believe little Macy will be here in approximately 54 days! Which also means that Christmas is in 62 days - are you ready?? <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">One more pic... here is Macy from an ultrasound that my sister gave me last Friday. She is getting so big! Look at her cute lil profile! <3 her</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J7FnhFfV3DM/TqWWcpsLzTI/AAAAAAAAf7w/FsK4tGCADhg/s1600/Macy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J7FnhFfV3DM/TqWWcpsLzTI/AAAAAAAAf7w/FsK4tGCADhg/s320/Macy.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I have reached the point in my pregnancy where I CANNOT sleep. no. matter. what. I'm not a fan of this, as I really enjoy sleeping. The other day I had a new record of non-sleep - I slept a whole 3 hours and then was wide awake. Really? 3 hours? What person, pregnant or not, can function off 3 hours of sleep? I'm also pretty much exhausted all day every day. I try cleaning or organizing the house and after a few hours I am just too sore to do anything else. I'm ready to get my non-pregnant body back. I keep thinking I want to go exercise or go for a run or something, and then I walk a block, or up a flight of stairs and I am reminded why I haven't been exercising.. I am out of breath and tired instantly! So yeah, I'm over this being pregnant thing!<br />
<br />
<br />
Kara loves her baby sister and is ready for her to be born any day now. She keeps saying things like "the baby told me she wants to come out and play now". It's pretty cute, I hope Kara is this enthusiastic about her sister once she is actually born :)Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-67272797945063847092011-10-14T10:50:00.000-05:002011-10-14T10:50:58.840-05:00A Big Week In The Lien Household This past week has been pretty serious business in our house, but all good, positive things.<br />
<br />
1st - Kara has been sucky (pacifier) free for 3 full days/nights now! So freakin proud of her - this has been a huge, huge, huge battle in our house! We have been working at getting rid of it since she was about 18 months old, but we've never been successful. <br />
<br />
Finally on Tuesday she threw a major fit over wanting her sucky right after dinner, and when I say major fit, I mean MAJOR fit. She got put on time out and after 10 minutes of her still kicking, screaming, etc I set my timer for 2 minutes and told her that she had 2 minutes to calm down or her sucky was going away forever. During the 2 minutes I reminded her a few times that she was making a choice, and if she didn't calm down her sucky was going away.... The 2 minutes passed and she was still throwing a massive fit, so I brought her to her room to put her to bed, even though it was at least an hour before bedtime. Once we got to her room the tantrum got even worse. She started throwing everything she could find, hitting, pushing, screaming, you get the picture.... We left her room for awhile and let her just do her thing, once she started kicking her door incredibly hard I decided it was time to go back in. I went in and tried talking to her, all she wanted to do was leave her room. So, I set the timer again and told her she had 2 minutes to calm down and then she could go out in the living room with us. I finally got her to settle down a bit and give Joe and I hugs and tell us that she was sorry for behaving that way, so I let her come out in the living room with us. <br />
<br />
While we were out there I reminded her that she had made a choice and her sucky was gone, she did the little thing where her bottom lip sticks out and kind of quivers, but she seemed to understand that the sucky was gone and was not coming back.. It broke my heart a little, but I knew that we needed to stay strong and NOT GIVE IT BACK (and we had also lost 2 suckys that night somehow, so even if we wanted to give her one, we couldn't have... ) Kara asked if the Sucky Fairy had come to take her sucky - The Sucky Fairy is someone we made up awhile ago while talking about the Tooth Fairy. I told Kara that the Sucky Fairy comes to visit when she has decided that you are a big girl and don't need your sucky any longer, she then takes the suckys and brings them to babies who need them. Kara seemed to really buy into this idea, so I told her that the Sucky Fairy did come to take her suckys. <br />
<br />
We sat up and read some books and then we were off to bed. I got Kara ready for bed, read her a couple more books and layed her down. She didn't once ask for her sucky! She did so good that first night, I was so, so proud! To encourage her to continue to do well on the second night, I stopped at Target and bought her a little gift from the Sucky Fairy - this is also something that we had previously talked about, the Sucky Fairy leaves a gift in exchange for your suckys. I left the gift hanging on her door knob to her room with a little card from the Sucky Fairy congratulating her on being such a big girl. Night #2 was also a success with no crying or asking for the sucky. We have now made it 3 full nights without ANY crying or asking for her sucky - THIS IS HUGE!! Granted bedtime has been extended by about 2.5 hours of stall tactics, but ya know, I will deal with this for a few weeks as long as the sucky is gone! <br />
<br />
Now that I wrote a novel about that, lets move on to thing #2...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Thing #2 - At 3 years, 2 months and 12 days old Kara got her first haircut!! I started talking to her about getting her hair cut about a week before we actually got it done. I told her all about the hair salon and how they would have cool chairs, and she got to wear a cape and they had a tv for her to watch while she got her haircut. I tried to psych her up for it as much as I could. I told her that we would only get a few inches cut off, so that it wouldn't be that different, and she told me that she wanted to have short hair like daddy... of course, that's what she wants! Too bad I'm the mommy and I decide how much hair will be cut off :) I was really scared that if we got too much cut off that we would lose all of her curls, and I don't think I could handle that. So it was just a little trim and some long layers to help keep the curls. Kara did so good, she cried when we first got there, but after a couple of minutes she was smiling and really enjoying herself. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Here is a before pic: Look how long her hair was!!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E96RoluidAA/TphQwYQumUI/AAAAAAAAf7U/jEN5Cl58rLo/s1600/before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E96RoluidAA/TphQwYQumUI/AAAAAAAAf7U/jEN5Cl58rLo/s320/before.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And a during pic - once she finally started to enjoy herself!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-diTgTTZtfzU/TphQw3hTutI/AAAAAAAAf7c/2JXYKSnxJuw/s1600/during.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-diTgTTZtfzU/TphQw3hTutI/AAAAAAAAf7c/2JXYKSnxJuw/s320/during.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Here is the after pic - not very good since you can't see the length in the back, I'll work on getting a better pic!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vy15fxT6Y-A/TphQv3PupWI/AAAAAAAAf7M/sOmhNm8Dt64/s1600/after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vy15fxT6Y-A/TphQv3PupWI/AAAAAAAAf7M/sOmhNm8Dt64/s320/after.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
Thing #3 - I had my monthly doctor visit on Wednesday night. Everything looks good and little Macy seems to be growing right on track. This appointment marks my last monthly appointment. I will now go in every 2 weeks! AHHH!! How did that happen? Even though I found out I was pregnant at 4 weeks along, time really seems to be moving fast! Before I know it the weekly appointments will start and then Macy will be here and it will be Christmas - this is your reminder that Christmas is just over 2 months away! <br />
<br />
I really hope time can slow down a bit so that we can have some time to prepare our house for the new baby... we still have a long way to go! Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-74991142922707203952011-10-03T13:06:00.000-05:002011-10-03T13:06:28.800-05:00Getting My Sh*t TogetherPinterest has inspired me to organize my house. If you don't know what Pinterest is, I highly suggest you check it out, if you like being inspired then Pinterest is for you! Let me know if you need an invite!<br />
<br />
Our house is so cluttered with crap that it is never clean. Everywhere you look there is a pile of clothes, toys, mail, craft supplies, tools, you name it - we probably have a pile for it, and I'm not proud of this. We don't have a big house by any means, but we do have lots of closet space. Closet space that is currently not used very wisely. But Pinterest has shown me smart ways to organize my closets, like using an over the door shoe holder to store things like gloves, umbrellas, hats, etc... use a clear one so that you can easily see what's in each pouch. <br />
<br />
I think that Kara and Macy's room will be the first to get the organization overhaul. We just moved a twin sized bed into their room, which basically took away all floor space...the dresser is now in the closet. <br />
<br />
I'll be sure to post some before and after pics of what I am doing. And I AM COMMITTED TO DOING THIS!!! I'm hoping my crazy need for nesting kicks in soon, then I'll be really motivated!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/kristinlien04/">My Pinterest - Follow Me!</a>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-3102148093425866412011-09-29T14:22:00.000-05:002011-09-29T14:22:57.239-05:00Three Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
#1 - Pumpkin season is my favorite season of the year. Ya know, the one where you can find pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin lattes everywhere you look? Being pregnant this time of year has intensified my need for pumpkin flavored products! I finally found one of my favorite pumpkin products yesterday, now if I only had a nice slice of pumpkin pie to go along with it... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7eglOwHff08/ToSwk5h8y_I/AAAAAAAAf7A/R8qP6e3EDPM/s1600/IMAG1312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7eglOwHff08/ToSwk5h8y_I/AAAAAAAAf7A/R8qP6e3EDPM/s320/IMAG1312.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">#2 - We have been trying to decide if we want to move Kara into a toddler bed or just make the jump to a twin bed. We figure if we put her in a toddler bed that she will outgrow it in a year or so, so we have started looking for a twin bed. I happened to come across this twin sized quilt in the clearance aisle of Target, originally $64 marked down to $16!! Score! </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MBzbEZLNF3k/ToSwrQk9CII/AAAAAAAAf7E/fMuRUwblNWI/s1600/IMAG1309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MBzbEZLNF3k/ToSwrQk9CII/AAAAAAAAf7E/fMuRUwblNWI/s320/IMAG1309.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
#3 - I am the world's best mom. Why? Because Kara has been asking for light-up Dora shoes for weeks and weeks, and I found some last night! I forgot to snap a picture of them, but I still wanted to let you all know that I am the world's best mom. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-50277458810874305382011-09-19T19:42:00.000-05:002011-09-19T19:42:02.446-05:00The Naming DilemmaMany, many moons before Joe and I had really even talked about having kids we decided on the names Kara and Cameron for our future children. Yet, while I was pregnant with Kara we couldn't agree on a name and finally decided on her name a month before my due date.<br />
<br />
FF to the present day. Pregnant with baby girl #2 and our girl name has already been taken. I always preferred Cameron for a girl though, so that has been a top contender for baby girl #2's name. This whole pregnancy I have been trying to find different ways to spell Cameron so it's more feminine (I didn't want her to grow up and start a job and get emails addressed to Mr. Cameron)...there's Kameryn, Kamryn, Camryn, Cameryn...but I really couldn't fall in love with any of these spellings, and we couldn't find a middle name that we loved. <br />
<br />
I LOVED the name Macy while I was pregnant with Kara, but Joe wasn't so fond of it. I don't want to say that I have been harassing Joe with the name Macy over the past few months, but I have kind of been harassing him with the name Macy over the past few months. I just love it so much. If I saw other people were going to use that name for their baby, or just saw it online or written somewhere I got a little sad that I would never be able to name my child Macy. I'm not sure what happened, but something changed in Joe and he was coming around to the name Macy. Now that Joe was coming around to Macy, I was set on Cameron... afterall, we had had the names Kara and Cameron picked for years and years, and they just sounded perfect together, so it was hard to think of using any other name to go with Kara.<br />
<br />
I am happy to announce that we no longer need to refer to baby girl #2 as baby girl #2, she has a name!!! And it's......drumroll, please......<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Macy Mae!!!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
Yay!! So glad that we have finally picked a name, and we can start calling her Macy instead of baby girl #2!!Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8371518444078566302.post-62921826157149989512011-09-12T12:45:00.000-05:002011-09-12T12:45:37.502-05:00Summer Wrap UpWe have had record high temps this summer. I'm pretty sure that spring never happened. We went from -32 and 15 feet of snow to 106 degrees overnight, it's true, that's how it happened. After a weekend of highs in the 90s again we are finally headed back down in temperature with a high of 65-70 tomorrow and a high of 55-60 on Wednesday! FINALLY!!! This pregnant lady can't handle anymore 90 - 100 degree days. I want to have the windows open and not have it be hot and sticky in our house, I want to wear sweatshirts, I want to be coooooooooold and have a nice cup of hot chocolate(with whipped cream, of course!)! I'm hoping that we have a nice long fall and we don't go straight into winter, I know Kara still wants to spend a lot of time playing outside and at the park! <br />
<br />
It is kind of sad to think that summer is over now though. I never went to the zoo this summer, or the pool (obviously I am not about to get into a swimsuit right now), only went fishing once. I think summer seems a lot longer and less enjoyable when you can't enjoy a nice cold beer.. can't wait for next summer! <br />
<br />
Things we did do: Joe turned 29, Kara turned 3, weekend at the lake, weekend in Bemidji, lots of time spent swimming at Grandma Julie's house, Rock the Garden, parades, Minnehaha Falls, went to Woodbury Days where I won a sweet bike, celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary, went to the state fair (watch for a full post on that with all the food we ate!). We made 4 or 5 trips to the Surly brewery this spring/summer, which was horribly difficult for me... have you ever been in a brewery and smelled the delicious aroma of hops and other people's full pints of beer and not been able to have on for yourself? It's not easy, and it's not fun. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Kara at the lake:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H8QA2xDcLxk/Tm5ArWr6m_I/AAAAAAAAf6s/9dNqNtVm_ZY/s1600/karaatthelake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H8QA2xDcLxk/Tm5ArWr6m_I/AAAAAAAAf6s/9dNqNtVm_ZY/s320/karaatthelake.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I brought Kara to her first rap show, and we got to take our pic with Sims! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oSUx7RCHqXA/Tm5Aq1TznaI/AAAAAAAAf6o/VVRACbysCGw/s1600/karamesims.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oSUx7RCHqXA/Tm5Aq1TznaI/AAAAAAAAf6o/VVRACbysCGw/s320/karamesims.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Kara's birthday party</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B6kGi4m-iaQ/Tm5AsDJsbPI/AAAAAAAAf60/l2JlMRvWTnM/s1600/karabday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B6kGi4m-iaQ/Tm5AsDJsbPI/AAAAAAAAf60/l2JlMRvWTnM/s320/karabday.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YcVl8q5c1Po/Tm5Ars4VNAI/AAAAAAAAf6w/I6j-nxT9N0U/s1600/karabday1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YcVl8q5c1Po/Tm5Ars4VNAI/AAAAAAAAf6w/I6j-nxT9N0U/s320/karabday1.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
Things I am excited for in the fall: Having the windows open, going to the apple orchard, carving pumpkins, eating pumpkins, <strike>drinking pumpkin beer</strike>, the leaves changing colors, fall colors, fall smells, apple cider, Grey's Anatomy! I love fall, it's one of my favorite times of the year. <br />
<br />
As far as my pregnancy goes...I finally felt the baby move from the outside at 23 weeks. Now I'm feeling her and seeing her move on a daily basis, but I would still like to say that having an anterior placenta sucks!!! Kara will snuggle with me and lay her head on my belly and say "oh, the baby is kicking my head".. haha, I'm pretty sure that Kara has never really felt the baby kick, but it's pretty funny. Baby name = Penelope! Not really, but I'm about 98% sure that we have a first name picked out.. but I'm not going to tell you what it is! :) As of today I have 96 days until <strike>I can have a beer</strike> my due date, not that I'm counting or anything. I am totally set on not going past my due date this time around, so I really hope this baby doesn't have her own plans... We have been majorly slacking on preparing our house for the arrival of baby girl #2. With only 3 months to go, we should really start working on that. We have to find a way to fit both girls, a crib and a bed, and 2 full wardrobes into one rather small room. Joe, Kara and I also brewed up some beer that should be ready right around my due date. It's an Imperial Espresso Stout that we plan on calling Up All Night Stout! I can't wait for it to be ready and to try it, it smelled ridiculously good while we were brewing! After we were done brewing Kara said "The baby is going to be sooooo happy that you made her beer!" haha, how cute is that?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Ooooh... I found the most amazing onesie at Target, how perfect is this!? And it was on clearance for $1.12!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ej7qvYj1gSU/Tm41brxWy6I/AAAAAAAAf6U/OVMeqYV1SqM/s1600/IMAG1276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ej7qvYj1gSU/Tm41brxWy6I/AAAAAAAAf6U/OVMeqYV1SqM/s320/IMAG1276.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I sewed this blanket/quilt for the baby, I love it and I want one for myself! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-66IQOzbcS6w/Tm441zbD_zI/AAAAAAAAf6c/hn6fVv6sEhc/s1600/IMAG1233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-66IQOzbcS6w/Tm441zbD_zI/AAAAAAAAf6c/hn6fVv6sEhc/s320/IMAG1233.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Hopefully Joe and I can get motivated to get the house ready for the baby soon. We did switch our computer room into a toy room, that should help keep the clutter of toys around the rest of the house to a minimum, I hope! Next I think I need to go through all of Kara's old clothes and decide what we can reuse and what we need to get rid of! <br />
<br />
One last thing.. we have tickets to go see Yo Gabba Gabba live on Thursday night! I think it will be lots of fun and Kara will absolutely love it! I'll be sure to take lots of pictures! Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12537145635234518173noreply@blogger.com0