Weekend Re-cap: Busy Toddler= Happy Toddler

We just wrapped up one of the busiest weekends in recent history, and it was good for the soul.  The only teeny tiny regret I have is that it was so busy that I forgot to take as many pictures as I would have liked.

Our weekend kicked off in the best way possible, with Ken making breakfast for dinner when he got home from work on Friday.  This was especially exciting because it meant I didn't have to cook!  He whipped up some pancakes from scratch and bacon, and all was right with the world.  About a year ago, he discovered baking the bacon, instead of cooking it in a frying pan.  I want to pass on the word about this phenomenon.  It's a game changer.

After dinner, we retreated to the living room to let MK run and play for a little bit before bedtime.  Once she was down for the night, Ken and I settled in on the couch to finish season 2 of Orange is the New Black.  I didn't want it to be over, but now that we've seen the finale, I can finally say that it was one of the most satisfying season finales I've ever seen.  I was nervous from hearing a lot of other people say they didn't like it, but when the big thing happened at the very end, we both yelled out, "YEEEEEESSSS!!" because it was THAT good.

I had big plans for us on Saturday.  Ken plays in an athletic club that was having a tournament in Forest Park, and a high of 98 was predicted for the day.  Yikes.  I didn't let that stop me from cramming as much fun into the day as possible.  I got up with MK, whisked her off to The Zoo, and we powered through it in less than 3 hours.  She had an amazing time, and I LOVE that she is at the age where she can really enjoy doing stuff like this.

 

We left The Zoo at around noon, and headed over to the fields where Ken was playing.  MK was pretty tired at this point, but I figured letting her run around for a little bit longer would be okay.  She usually goes down for her nap at 1:30ish, so I knew we had a little extra time before the meltdown would happen.  We got to sit with some friends and see some of the tournament for a little bit, while MK played with a Nalgene bottle full of ice cubes.  She was pretty happy to be doing that. 

 

After Ken's game, it was nap time, so MK and I headed back home for some R&R.  After she woke up and Ken got home, we headed over to hang out with some friends and their kids.  We had dinner, watched Frozen, and ate mind-blowing ice cream from a local shop.  A good time was had by all.

 

We were pretty lazy for the majority of Sunday.  I woke up and made these cinnamon rolls, which are a big favorite at our house.  Ken went to his softball games in the afternoon, while MK took a very good nap.  I tried taking a nap, too, but at 34 weeks pregnant, I'm having a really hard time getting comfortable and getting good sleep.  After MK woke up, we headed over to a BBQ with some more friends and their kids.  She got to run around outside, climb on things, blow bubbles, swing a baby golf club, and see baby kittens while I got to hang out with fun friends and eat good food.  It was great!

 

We crashed HARD on Sunday night when we got home.  I am pretty sure the rate at which I put on my yoga pants must have set some kind of world record. 

 

It was a great weekend, and I'm glad we're able to get out and do so much before this next baby comes.  The weather is supposed to be beautiful all week long, so I'm sure that a few trips to the playground are awaiting us!

 

Happy Monday, everyone!

 

 



So What...

So what if...

I cooked an amazingly healthy stir fry and cous cous dinner, and then immediately followed it up with a handful or two of chocolate chip and peanut butter chips.

There's a pile of dishes in my sink, ready to topple over if one more drop of water hits them.

I barely had the energy to clean my house today, but I'm making time to go outlet shopping with my mom and MK tomorrow.

I am too tired and sore to do anything.  I'm 33 weeks pregnant and need to learn how to cut myself a break, don't I?

I have to pep talk myself into waiting until Ken gets home and we put MK to bed for the night before watching Orange is the New Black every night.

I don't know what I'm going to do once we actually finish this season of OITNB, in a mere two more episodes. 

It's 9:45 and I'm pretty much ready to go to bed right now.

Then vs. Now

Today marks the beginning of week 33 of this pregnancy.  I find myself constantly comparing and contrasting this one with my pregnancy with MK.  The differences are greater than I could have imagined, and I'm pretty proud of that.

 

First, I'll tell you about the similarities.  I'd say that I had the about the same level of exhaustion and nausea during my first trimester.  The nausea has not bothered me as much as it seems to bother other girls, but the exhaustion kicks my butt well into roughly week 20.  Ugh, it's awful. 

 

This baby sits very high, just like MK did.  I'm always getting something nudging me in the ribs.  I don't really believe in a lot of Old Wives' Tales, so I doubt this is a sure sign that we're having a girl.  I think it could just be how I carry my babies. 

 

I have discovered that I am truly one of those girls who loves being pregnant.  I have heard many veteran moms say things like, "Women who claim to love being pregnant are full of crap!"  But I'm here to tell you that even though it has its challenges, it's wonderful and amazing, and I know exactly how lucky I am to be able to have children. 

 

Just like last time, I feel pretty strongly that this baby is a girl.  Every now and then, I get a "boy" feeling, but almost all of the time, I think we're having a girl.  Now, if we could only decide on a girl name...

 

And, just like last time, some of my major cravings have been cold cereal for breakfast, and a cold blended beverage in the afternoon.  I loved Frappuccinos and smoothies last time, and they are staples of my diet this time, too!

 

Other than the above, these two pregnancies have been pretty different.  

 

Last time, I was so excited to finally be pregnant that I indulged in every single craving that came across my mind.  I was also terrified of losing the baby and quit working out completely.  I was lazy and gluttonous, and as a result, gained over 70 pounds.  It was awful.

 

My ankles and feet swelled up to something unrecognizable.  They looked like memory foam.  In fact, Ken would push onto spots on my feet, and that's exactly what it looked like: memory foam.  It was horrendous.  I couldn't put my own shoes on past month 6. 

 

I did not care about the weight gain, though, for two reasons:

1.)  I was finally pregnant!  Everyone looks cute with a pregnant belly!

2.)  Everyone always said that girls who breastfeed lose tons of weight. 

 

I was dead set on breastfeeding, so naturally this excess weight was just going to fall off of me.  (HA!  I'll write more about that malicious lie some other time.)

 

After learning the hard lesson that breastfeeding does not always equal excessive weight loss, I swore up and down that this time around would be different.  I would take better care of myself, and discussed a plan for staying healthier with my doctor this time. 

 

For as long as I could, I continued regularly working out.  This included running, yoga, weight training, and even spin class.  I was still carrying around over 20 pounds of baby weight from last time when I got pregnant this time, and I was not about to get huger than huge again.  (Again, I will stress that all of this was cleared by my doctor.)  I am now at a point where walking, stretching, and light weight lifting are pretty much all I can do, but I feel so good about it.  The best part is knowing that I won't have another 70+ pounds to lose once this baby is born. 

 

32 weeks pregnant in 2012 on the left

32 weeks pregnant in 2014 on the right

(I'm wearing the same clothes, but I weigh about 30 pounds less on the right)

 

I've discovered plenty of other benefits to having a healthy pregnancy.  I can put on my own shoes.  I don't have memory foam ankles.  I don't have bad heartburn.  I'm sleeping better.  I can keep up with my very busy toddler.  I don't constantly feel like I've been hit by a truck.  Trust me, folks, when you're barely in control of your own body, these little things feel like small miracles.  I'm pretty proud of them, anyway.

 

I had a C-section with MK, and even though I didn't think the recovery was bad, I will admit that getting back into working out after she was born was horrendous.  I will never forget the first time I went running after I was cleared.  Ohhhhhh, it was just awful.  I've been told that recovery from delivering after a healthier pregnancy is easier, so I'm really looking forward to that, too!

 

So that's the scoop on my healthy pregnancy vs. my unhealthy pregnancy.  I'm really proud of how well I've done this time, even if it was just to prove to myself that I don't have to be one of those women who gains a ton of weight with each pregnancy.  I think the future looks really bright for once I have this baby and can get back into a shape that makes me feel better than I have in the last few years.

 

Any other healthy pregnant girls out there?  Care to share any tips or recipes?  Let's all help spread the love!