Oh Motherhood!

We are 6 weeks in, "how is motherhood you ask?" Well it's taken me nearly 5 weeks to find the time to write this if that says anything HAHAHA. I started writing this on Monday, finished on Tuesday, and forgot to publish it until today! Time doesn't flow quite as freely as it use to :)

However, every time I look at this face, all the stress, frustration, and exhaustion just disappears.

Here is what I have learned so far:

1. They aren't kidding when they say all a newborn does is eat, sleep, and poop. It is a constant cycle that only changes as the hours between each action grow slightly longer.

2. Breastfeeding is NOT easy. Thus far Jordan has not had any formula, but it's been a struggle. I feel like a walking vending machine and I leak at the sound of her cry, my breasts pulsate just from thinking about her, and if I dare go more than 3 hours without feeding or pumping I am in for 24-48 hours of painful engorgement. The kind that makes you want to cry when you lift your arms.

There is the constant worry that she's not getting enough milk, the fear that I didn't wait long enough after drinking that DELICIOUS glass of wine to feed her. And the feeling of being secluded because I don't have enough pumped milk stored to have a night out.

But then I look at this cute little belly that she's growing and I let out a deep sigh. She's a perfectly healthy, happy, growing baby and I am just your average worry wart of a mom.

So for all of you moms out there that want to give up, DON'T. It's not easy, but you're not alone. Find a support team and keep up the good work! You're giving  your child an amazing gift.


3. Ask for help! Josh as been a HUGE help but he's at work all day and has started traveling again. I've tried to be a superhero and run on the broken 5 or so hours of sleep a night while breastfeeding, doing laundry, cooking, grocery shopping,etc. Well, as everyone eventually warned me of, I hit my breaking point. I walked into my parents house this past weekend with Jordan, and while she slept, I cried. Not for any reason in particular, just hormones and sleep deprivation working their way out.

Jordan was fed, changed, and sleeping peacefully so I took the opportunity to immerse myself in an hour long yoga session. She started crying half way through but I continued my yoga knowing she had two perfectly capable grandparents taking care of her.

Find that time for yourself. Even if it's only 20 minutes. Lock yourself away, take a deep breath, cry if you need to, and ask for help.

4. Don't plan a vacation with a 5 week old, there will be nothing fun or relaxing about it.

Josh and I went to Asheville last weekend for our 2 year wedding anniversary. Jordan pooped through one outfit on the way down there, and another while we were at the Biltmore. It took 2 hours to get her fed and asleep so we could go out to dinner, and by 9 pm, after dinner and 2 beers, we were so exhausted we basically slept walked back to the hotel.

We returned from Asheville on Sunday and left for Nashville early Tuesday morning. Josh had to go for work and I thought it would be great for Jordan and I to tag along. I had this perfect vision in my head of me laying by pool for an hour or so each day, spending an hour in the hotel gym, and strolling her through the city.Well the hotel pool wasn't open, the gym had nothing but a treadmill, it rained half the time we were there, and Jordan picked that week to stop napping. Instead we spent the ENTIRE week in the hotel venturing out only for dinner; and even then she spent most of the time on the boob to keep her from screaming in the restaurant while she fought sleep.

5. Bath time fixes the worst of moods. Once her belly button scab finally fell off, at about 3 weeks, we discovered that JoJo LOVES bath time. The warm water instantly calms her and has been a life saver this past week.

6. I have become a pro at completing tasks with one hand. When you have a fussy or hungry baby in one arm (or on the boob) and things you have to do, you simply make it work with the one hand you have left. Feeding the dog, making breakfast, getting dressed. You name it, I've mastered it!

7. Number 7 is the most important. I have never loved something so much in my entire life. Who knew that something so little, could make you feel something so big. I find myself thinking about her when I'm not with her, and looking at pictures of her on my phone when she is napping in the next room. She's my reason for getting up each and every day.

So here we are 6 weeks postpartum and I've lost all but 2 pounds of my pregnancy weight. The owners and trainer of my gym refused to let me in the gym without a doctors note from my postpartum check up so I had been doing yoga and walking/running outside. I am happy to say I had my postpartum check up yesterday and marched directly into gym with a smile on face, and note in hand! To say it felt AMAZING to get back in there is an understatement!

Here are a few of the healthy foods I've turned to postpartum.

Overnight Oats
These are GREAT for new mommy's who don't have time to make breakfast. I found that there were too many days when I would look at the clock that read 11 am and realize I had yet to eat. This recipe is super easy and makes for a healthy, hearty breakfast.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup of milk ( I use light vanilla soy, but you can use whatever kind of milk you want)
toppings of your choice( suggestions: pecans, honey, raisins, cinnamon, berries- I suggest waiting until morning to add berries and nuts)

Simply mix your oats, milk, and added ingredients of your choice and let sit the refrigerator over night. Take out the next morning and enjoy

My favorite combo is honey, cinnamon, pecans, and slice banana

Protein packed breakfasts are key to starting your day off right, especially if a certain little one leaves very little time for snacks and lunch.

One of my favorite go to breakfast combos in an english muffin topped with an egg white, turkey sausage, and avacado. It's the perfect combination of healthy fat, protein and carbs. Add some fruit on the side and you've go an nutritious breakfast that will satisfy you for hours.

I've had a pretty heavy sweet tooth for the last few months, but I've been trying to keep it in check with a piece of dark chocolate here and there, a serving of sugar free Jello topped with low-fat Cool Whip, or this new little gem that my sister found. Non-dairy ice, made from bananas!

Non-dairy ice-cream

Ingredients

2-3 frozen bananas, sliced
flavors of your choice (vanilla extract, cocoa powder, peanut butter, honey, etc)

Method:

Slice you bananas and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour. Remove bananas from the freezer and puree in a food processor until the smooth, ice cream like texture is reached. It will take awhile for the bananas to reach the desired texture. It will start as a grainy, beady texture, but as you push it down and continue to blend it you will reach the texture you desire. Then simply add whatever flavors you like!

I added a tablespoon of peanut butter and a few teaspoons of cocoa powder. Topped with a few dark chocolate chips and PRESTO. A healthy, dairy free, alternative to your favorite dessert!

The recipe makes 2-3 servings. You can freeze the left overs but you will need to let it thaw for a few minutes before eating.

HOPE YOU'VE BEEN GETTING YOUR REST ! BABY J SURE DID!




STAY STRONG, STAY FOCUSED, STAY POSITIVE! GET OUT THERE AND GET MOVING!

Jordan Willow Thomas

Jordan,
          It was 4:30 pm on a rainy Monday evening. Your dad and I packed up the car, dropped your 4-legged brother, Chance, off at Nana and Poppy's and drove the 20 mile trip to the hospital to await your arrival; It was a VERY long wait.
The doctors worried that you  weren't gaining enough weight inside of my tummy so they induced me 2 days before your due date. Daddy and I went in Monday evening, April 7, 2014 to begin the process. You kept us anxiously waiting until 3:24 am Wednesday, April 9, 2014. You entered the world alert as can be. You opened your big blue eyes and looked up at your daddy and me as if you had known us forever. It was love at first sight for all three of us.Weighing in at 6 lbs 11 oz and 18 1/2 inches long, you were the epitome of perfection.

          I was in labor for nearly 17 hours, which was exhausting for me and you both. You were quite the sleepy little girl during your first hours of life, we couldn't even wake you to get you to eat. Your blood sugar dropped and the doctors put you in the NICU for 24 hours. It broke both mommy and daddy's heart, but being the little fighter that you are, you quickly caught up on sleep and began eating like a champ! Within 24 hours your levels were back to normal and you were able to come home with mommy and daddy on Friday, April 11, 2014.

          We've spent the last 13 days watching you grow and discover the world around you. You are such a good little girl. You sleep for 3 hours at a time, you are breastfeeding perfectly,  you love to kick and stretch out your legs, you can stare at your daddy and me for hours, and not a day has gone by since we brought you home that you haven't had visitors.
           We feel like the luckiest people in the world to have you in our lives sweet girl. You already impress us each and every day and we know you will continue to do so. We can't wait to watch you develop and grow!

Chance watching over his little sister

I could watch you sleep for hours

Daddy's girl already

So how am I doing postpartum??? I'm doing GREAT! I'm getting about 5-6 hours of broken sleep a night, but so far it's been enough to keep me going!  I had A LOT of swelling during my first few days postpartum from the pitocin used to induce labor, but I'm pleased to say I can now see my ankles and feet again :)

My final weight gain was 28 pounds and at 13 days postpartum I have lost 23 of the 28 pounds. I attribute most of that weight loss to  gaining the proper amount of weight throughout my pregnancy by maintaining a proper diet and exercise routine. Another factor that is likely playing a role in my weight loss is breastfeeding. Jordan is exclusively breastfeeding which causes my body to burn a lot of calories, up to 500 extra calories a day!
Some women complain that breastfeeding causes an increase in appetite. This has not been the case for myself, but if this happens to you, don't fret; listen to your body and eat, but opt for healthy, low-fat options.

Before Josh and I headed to the hospital we loaded up on healthy, easy to prepare foods for our first few weeks at home.I made a large batch of both chicken salad and tuna salad, stocked up on smoothie ingredients, fruit, veggies, and lean meats. My first few days at home my appetite was fairly low, but I made sure to eat at least 3 nutritious meals daily to keep up my energy level.

Everyone says "Eat when baby eats, and sleep when baby sleeps". Well let me tell you that is MUCH easier said than done, especially when your baby is eating on you for 30-45 minutes at a time! I highly recommend smoothies for days when you just can't find the time to sit down and eat.

Now as far as exercise goes, I was told by my Dr. to wait 4-6 weeks before working out, however,  he encourages walking once I feel up to it. I think this all depends on your personal delivery. Luckily I had a fairly easy delivery and required only 4 stitches. Josh and I went for a 1 mile walk at 5 days postpartum and I was a little sore around my stiches afterwords so I decided to wait another week before trying again. It is KILLING me not being in the gym daily, but I know that if I don't listen to my body now, it will affect my recovery and prolong my time away from the gym. Ask your doctor before returning to your old workout routine. I plan on starting back  slowly with some light strength yoga and walking.

Relaxing on Aunt Pril

A VERY HAPPY TUESDAY FROM

BABY JOJO!!!!

38 WEEK FOOD DUMP!

After traveling Monday through Thursday for nearly 3 months , Josh is finally back to working from home as we await the arrival of Jordan. ONLY 2 MORE WEEKS!!! To say I am ready is an understatement! Physically, I feel great! And things are still pretty easy. But, I'm ready to hold my sweet girl; and to see my ankle bones again!!  I have had what I like to call "perma-cankles" for the last 2 weeks. Some days they are smaller than others, but I can't figure out what keeps the swelling down. Some days working out decreases the swelling and other days it puffs them up like balloons. So I guess I'll just keep on keeping on!

Now that Josh is home I have been trying to cook dinner at least 4 nights a week. I figure while the house is still quite and my energy level is high, I'll enjoy some time in the kitchen.

Here are 2 of my favorites from last week. I found them on cookinglight.com under the heading "Eating Healthy on a Budget" This is a GREAT place to find wonderful recipes to feed the  family for very little money!


GREEK STYLE PORK CHOPS

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (4 oz) boneless center-cut loin pork chops
3/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp fresh dill
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups diced plum tomatoes
1 /2 cup diced seeded cucumber
1/2 cup diced red onion
cooking spray

Preparation:

1. In a large Ziploc bag combine 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar, oregano, 1 tsp olive oil, and garlic. Add pork chops to bag and marinate for 20 minutes turning bag over after 10 minutes.

2. Combine remaining vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, dill, and 1/8 tsp salt in a small bowl, stir well with a whisk. Cover and chill until pork is ready to serve.

3. Combine tomatoes, onion, and cucumber, sprinkle with 1/8 tsp salt and set aside until ready to serve.

4. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove pork from marinade bag and sprinkle each piece with remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Add pork to the pan and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until desired doneness is reached.

5. On each of four plates place 3/4 cup of tomato mixture and top with 1 pork chop and a dollop of  yogurt mixture.

*** I chose to bake my pork chops on 350 for about 20 minutes rather than using a grill pan.  I served this dish with a side of pita bread and hummus.

MUSHROOM AND SAUSAGE RAGU WITH POLENTA
**I forgot to buy polenta on my shopping trip so I used grits instead and it was wonderful

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
8 oz hot turkey Italian Sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced ( I used baby bellas instead)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt, divided
1 (14.5 oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, un-drained
2 1/2 cup no salt added, fat-free chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked polenta (or in my case grits)
4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1 Tbsp butter

1. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Remove sausage from casings and add to pan, sauté for 3-5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain fat and remove sausage from the pan.

2. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat, add onion, sauté 3 minutes. Add mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in sausage, 1/8 tsp salt, and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium; simmer gently for 15 minutes.

3.While sausage mixture is simmering, bring broth and water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Add polenta (or grits) stirring well. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes or until thickened. Stir in remaining salt, cream cheese, and butter. Serve with sausage mixture.

HAPPY HEALTHY EATING!

Someone has been soaking up all the attention he can get before his little sister arrives.

 

Booty Burning

The trainer at my gym asked me to take some photos of myself in a bathing suit this past weekend for before, during, and after photos of my pregnancy; talk about getting out of my comfort zone!!! I have never been hesitant to put on a two piece until now. However, rather than looking at those photos with embarrassment and shame, I actually looked at them and thought "not so bad, at least I can still fit my rear into it!" Not to mention I now have even more motivation to continue hitting the gym until I go into labor.

I'm sure all of you ladies out there, pregnant or not, are starting your crash dieting and amping up your workout routines to get ready for summer. Looking for some new exercises to shape your thighs and get that round, firm booty to fill out your new bikini? Try these squat variations!


Squats are great way to tone your thighs, hips, glutes, and hamstrings. Add 3 sets of 15 reps to your leg workout each week and you'll have a toned tushy  in no time!


Regular Squat:

Stand with feet shoulder width apart, chest up, lower back slightly arched, and butt out. Squat down until your hamstrings are parallel to the ground, if possible,  and rise back up to starting position. You can increase the difficulty by holding a weight plate or bar with weight plates on each side.

If you are sporting a belly like me you may need to put your feet farther than hip width apart to get low enough in your squat.

Side lunge Squats:
These target your glutes as well as your adductor muscles, or inner thighs

Start standing feet together, toes facing forward. Step your right leg out to the side, lunging with your right leg. Your left leg strays straight. Return to standing position and step and lunge sideways with your left leg. Left and right count as 1 rep. Maintain the same position as if doing a regular squat: chest up, butt out and knees over ankle.

To increase difficulty hold a dumbbell in each hand.





Squat with leg lift:

Perform a regular squat, however, when coming back up to starting position lift one leg parallel to the floor, keeping your turn forward. This will work your abductor muscles, or outer thighs.

Don't wait until you are fully standing to kick your leg to the side, you should be lifting it as you are rising from the squat.

I did these three exercises along with: hamstring curls, quad extensions, lunges and the adductor/abductor machine and my rear and legs were feeling the burn!!!

LUNCH MEAT MADE EASY!

Store bought lunch meat is full of chemicals, dyes, and preservatives, not to mention it's extremely expensive!!

Here's a quick and easy way to make homemade deli meat! All you need is a pack of boneless skinless chicken breast and your favorite marinade or dry rub!

Marinade or rub your meat down with you favorite ingredients, bake in the oven at 350 for 35-40 minutes and thinly slice your meat with a knife or mandolin as they would in the deli!

PRESTO! Cheaper, more natural, and flavored to your own liking, lunch meat.