6 months :)

Time has sure flew by! Lily just turned 6 months. She is growing so fast. I returned back to work 2 months ago, working 4 days a week. Its been an adjustment working, taking care of Lily and doing things around the house while still finding a little me time and the occasional date night.

Its's truly amazing how much Lily changes each week. Let's face it the first 2 and a half months were beyond challenging. She had a bad case of colic. The average nightly sleep that TJ and I would get was somewhere between three and five hours. We wouldn't dare leave the house past 5 o'clock. She would begin getting cranky around then. She would cry off and on till near 1 in the morning. She would drift off for a couple of hours. Wake up and cry till about 7 in the morning. Needless to say you get my drift we were pretty much zombies during this time.  Netflix was my best friend many nights. I truly have a new appreciation for parents that have had colicky babies.

It is just crazy to think how fast they are able to develop. At 6 months she can roll all around, sit and play with her toys. She loves to laugh and smile and is a much happier baby all around. She knows her Mom and Dad and loves her dog Loui. She eats her toes and does ab crunches. Shes eating solids her favorite foods are avocados and carrots. She sleeps through the night in her own room. However she does not take a nap longer then 30 mins durring the day. She absolutely loves being outside and is enjoying her stroller more and more.  We are still working on car rides shes still not a fan of the car and hates riding in it at night.

As for me I am loving the adventure of being a mom. Its getting easier each passing day and we have so much fun on our days together playing. Its been a rough few weeks I have had Mastitis twice in a month. I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. Work is good its getting busy again. Id love to stay at home but I'm thankful to only have to work part time. As for my me time I chose to spend it working on my fitness goals.  That has probably be the biggest adjustment to having Lily. I was an avid gym goer and I mean really really dedicated 5 to 6 times a week for at least an hour each day. Now well not so much but I do my best to make it 3 days a week for 45 mins. Lily is old enough to goto child care and the kids just love her. She has a couple baby buddies that are the same age as her. Call me a bad mom or whatever but I think every mom deserves 45 mins to an hour to do something for themselves a couple times a week. I just chose to spend my time doing this. I am happy with my post baby Bod I just aspire to be more tone and stonger its a work progress. I am up to 230 on the leg press. Pretty proud of that.

We are so very excited to see what the next few months bring our little family :)

Labor and Post baby!

Wow I'm a little behind! So baby Lily is here, she came 18 days early. I wanted her to come into this world early but I could have used another week to prepare :)  I started having those so called fake contractions but only at night and usually only 3 of them.

The morning of the 22nd I was woken up with those damn fake contractions, which by the way hurt! Again only about 3 of them and they stopped. TJ went to work and I was going to have lunch with a friend around 1230 and then going to hit the gym and finish up some house work. It was around 1130 I had another one of those fake contractions (so I thought). I was getting ready to goto lunch and I kept having them. They were about 10 mins apart and some a little more. So I called my lunch date who happens to be a nurse as well and she suggested I drink a big glass of water and walk. So I bundled up and took the dog out for a walk. (By now my contractions were about 6 minutes apart). I made it half a block and had to turn around. By now I was pretty sure Lily was going to come! Called TJ and told him I think that Lily was coming. Of course his response was are you sure! I wait for him to get home.

We head to the hospital around 230 pm by the time they check me in and hook me up to see if I was indeed in labor it was close to 330. They check me and I'm a tight 3 (deliver at a 10)  my contractions now were every couple mins. I get the epidural around 5, phew what an amazing thing! I wasn't getting a break between contractions so holding still during the process was hard since my contractions were about every minute.  The Dr came in and checked me and I was now a 4. She broke my water and told us she didn't think Lily would make an entrance tonight!  I was no longer feeling the contractions so I was all good and waiting for the Blazer game to start.

The nurse came in to check me around 930 (the game had just finished) thank goodness cuz I was now a 9 and ready to start pushing. The nurse started me out while we waited for the Dr. I had no idea that you push 3 times in one contraction. Push for 10sec breath and repeat 2 more times. I did 3 sets of those pushes before the dr comes in and says I have to wait because she has to deliver another baby before mine. (What are you kidding...I just want this baby out)  meanwhile I'm still not feeling a thing. I was able to push well enough I got to keep my epidural going :) thank you!  Dr came back and I pushed 2 more contractions and Lily was here! I was beyond lucky pushing for 20mins total not bad! I like to think it's because I stayed in such good shape during my pregnancy! She weighed 7lbs 2oz and was 20ins long. Born 1037pm. Less then 12 hrs from my very first contraction to giving birth to the beautiful Lily who I have so much love for it's crazy!

Being a mom is so challenging but very rewarding at the same time. I have not had more then 4 straight hours of sleep in the three weeks she's been here.  My mom stayed the first week! That was a lifesaver I'm so thankful for all her help. I would have probably gone crazy sitting in the house by myself with a newborn. Not knowing the first thing about a baby. Breastfeeding is a challenge but has its benefits. That pain it causes at first means my stomach is going down yay! So I'll take the pain if it has that outcome right... being a mom is a huge learning experience but each day we get better at it! I'm so thankful for a healthy baby girl even if she is super gassy at night and for TJ who is an amazing dad who keeps me sane and helps out so much!

6 Month babymoon

6 months down 3 more to go! This calls for an extended weekend getaway :-) just in time too! Work is wearing on me big time not having enough hours in the day to get what I need to done before I'm too tired to move lol! We decided to stay close to home this time which is unusual for us. A gal at work suggested we visit Yachats, Oregon. It's beautiful here. it is a little more south on the coast then we usually visit. There are no outlet malls, casinos or even a chain restaurant or grocery store. It's nice to be away from the hustle and busle of city life and the 1000s of tourists I see each week at work!

I haven't really noticed much of a change in cravings or that so called nesting thing that is supposed to happen. I do notice my belly getting BIGGER and all of the sudden too almost as if it popped out over night... It was bound to happen being 6 months. This is probably one of the only times in my life that I have had a stomach that sticks out! No way I can suck it in anymore lol. I'm learning to except it and work on rocking the prego belly look it's always cute on other people I'm sure it's an alright look for me.

Exercise exercise!! OK easier said then done lol. Does work count as cardio?? I'm saying YES and YES 1000 and 10 times :) see I happen to wait tables at the number tourist spot in Oregon, beautiful Multnomah Falls. The last month has been just short of insane for me. I was thinking maybe being pregnant has something to do with it. Deep down I think it has a big something to do with it but I don't want to be that crazy pregnant lady to work with lol! I'm going to say it's because we have been so busy instead. This is my sixth summer here and usually I would struggle to get 30 hours a week but this summer I am usually between 36 and 40. The money has been great (wait till you see Lily's nursery) but I have literally been running my butt of. My sales for my shifts usually run between 1000-1300 last Sunday I hit 2200 which is unheard of in a 6 hour shift for me. So I'm counting my shifts as cardio themselves haha. I'm still making it to the gym I shoot for 3 or 4 times a week it all depends on how I feel after a crazy day at work. I'm still lifting and doing a couple of cardio sessions. Getting my blood pumping gives me an added burst of energy and I look forward to my workout. Let's hope I can keep it up! Cheers to being a fit pregnant lady!!

Halfway There

Halfway There!

 

 

 

It's hard to believe that I am halfway done with my pregnancy! What a cake walk...Oh wait what am I talking about? I'm beyond tired and sore after a long day of waiting tables. Cake makes me sick still! Darn... Least I am avoiding the sweets still.  It's all about being creative with everything that has to do with this pregnancy.  Last week we learned that we are having a GIRL! My mom attended the ultrasound and before she was allowed to text anyone I had to come up with a quick way to announce what we were having and my phone was going off every five minutes from people trying to find out what it was.  I sent TJ on a wild goose chase to get the balloons for the picture that we would be taking.  Who would have thought that Party City would be out of air! Come on it is a party store and all, and they were unable to blow up balloons! Crazy huh?  Anyway turns out Safeway had the air and the balloons so we were able to get them from there! Meanwhile my mom was still with us. If you know anything about my mom she does not do city at all and I drug her all around getting things for this picture which she later found out she would be taking.  I think it turned out pretty good... What do you think?

Finding a empty field with nothing in the background was the hardest challenge.  We are very excited that it is a girl...Though TJ more so just so he didn't have to listen to how much I wanted a girl but none the less he is very excited too.  He has always known what he wanted to name his children I guess he got lucky that I really like the names he has had picked out for years.  We will call her Lily, the middle name was all my choice and I'm keeping it a secret :) So don't tell if you know!

20 weeks has treated me pretty good for the most part! I'm still attending the gym regularly and work is usually slamming most days so that's a workout in itself! I have to say I am loving how shiny my hair is :)

  

Fitness and pregnancy

Over the years of being a gym rat I have come to realize that motivation is everything. A person must have a strong will and desire to achieve goals in life. I believe the same goes for setting fitness goals. I was determined to get in the best shape of my life before I got pregnant for 2 reasons. One being so I knew that I was capable of completely transforming my body and cardiovascular shape into that of a fitness model. I know semi vain but why not set a crazy goal that for the most part was just silly. The second reason was so that it would help my pregnancy go smoother. I've always heard fit people have an easier time carrying a baby from start to delivery and post weight loss.

Diet- who on earth watches what they eat while they are pregnant? Someone who developed the habit before they became pregnant.  Being conscious about it helps maintain a healthy pregnancy. There is a great book my good friend Brittany suggested called Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven this book rocks not to mention it's hilarious and full of things I had no idea about. I can't tell you how many times I've heard Jacque you are eating for two now. Does that mean I get to eat two of everything? Sure why not have a second hamburger... typically a pregnant person needs about 300 extra calories a day. Now wait a can of soda is 250 calories sweet! Wrong! If you are eating 300 extra calories don't you think they should be good calories because it's what is nurturing the small human inside of you! SO GO CRAZY! Have some more fruit and veggies. Don't get me wrong it's ok to splurge and have the things you enjoy just do it in moderation. I have been beyond lucky with my pregnancy as far as morning sickness goes however I can not do sweet one bite and I'm sick to my stomach. I think this could have to do with how my diet was before I got knocked up. Whatever the reason is thank you pregnancy gods :) 

Gym- yes I'm still going! Why not? Though my work out routines have drastically changed to meet my changing body both physically and mentally. Man let me tell you the first couple of months were tough! I was so tired.... not to mention I serve for a living at the most visited tourist destination in the state of Oregon.  Between the hundreds of spring breakers and the last of the Groupons I thought I was going to die. I still made it to the gym for the most part 3 times a week which was a huge cut back for me. Many days I would go home and take a nap after my shift before dragging myself to do my cardio. I always felt better and had more energy once I was done. Over the years I have created a gym family! Talk about motivation! So I let a couple people in on my secret (I didn't even tell my parents till I was 14 weeks) so they would help motivate me and understand why I was so tired and slacking compared to normal.  My main squeeze Cindy has been my rock over the years when it comes to pushing my limits. We met each other at the gym she has taught me everything I know about weights. Just knowing that someone is there waiting on you to show up is motivation enough for me to get my butt there. Over the years we have become good friends outside of the gym I'm thankful to have such an inspirational person in my life. When I went for my first appt I was shocked to find out that I was able to continue my workout. She said because I was doing it before I could continue. its the people who don't work out and want to start when they find out they are expecting that have a hard time. Start before so much easier.

It’s That Time!

I’ve had so much time to think about how I wanted to announce that we are having a baby.  It has been eight and a half years to be exact.  Over the years I have come up with every excuse known to man to put off having a baby.  You name it I have said it. I had to finish my bachelor’s, then while I’m at it I might as well finish my masters, snowboarding season, becoming homeowners and countless trips over years.  I was slowly able to cross off accomplishments off my list and realized that there is NO perfect time to have a baby and I couldn’t think of anything else to add to my list.

I have had how I wanted to announce the pregnancy to family for years.  Me and my creative self well not really but I do think I did a pretty good job.  Growing up I lived off Jones Soda.  Well years back I realize that you could customize your own bottle.  I knew right away that was how I was going to do it.  Putting a picture on the bottle to tell the world I’m pregnant. 

This is baby Sudbrock! Taken at my 12 week appointment.  We are due December 9th, 2013.  Just a few short weeks and we will find out what we are having!