Plank It Up! Before and After!

I don't think anyone knows how painful it is for me to post this. I cannot stand the thought of anyone seeing my ugly, flabby, post-baby body online.   The only reason I am doing this is to hopefully help someone else out.  I have never had to really exercise or diet in my life.  After baby life is a different story! 

 

I started the December plank challenge on December 2nd.  I could barely make it 20 seconds.  My whole body would shake and I would nearly collapse on the floor.  I stuck with the program and am still going strong today.  I still can only get to a minute and a half, but that's much better than when I started.  I am watching my diet, counting calories and trying to make healthier choices.  I am not saying that planks are some magical get rid of belly flab in an instant fad.  I am saying that these pictures speak for themselves.  I still have a LONG way to go, but I think I'm on the right track!  I was amazed at the difference just in one week.   

 

I pretty much plank any time I have an extra minute or two.  It's not easy, but it's quick and obviously shows results.  I also do other exercises; mostly ones I have found on Pinterest that can be done in 15 minutes or less.  I'm a mom to a 7 month old that is crawling and pulling up on everything!  I don't have very much time for anything else!

 

Anyone else have any suggestions to get rid of lower belly flab?  That seems to be my trouble area. 

 

 

 

7 Months!

Happy 7 months to my sweet angel, Eli!  It has been the best 7 months of my life! 

Eli,
     You are such a sweet baby...seriously.  Your smile can melt even the coldest heart.  You have had so many firsts from 6 months until now.  I'm not even sad about how much you are growing because you get more and more fun each and every day! 

On December 17th, you started scooting across the living room floor chasing your monkey teething toy. I knew at this point that it would not be long until you would be crawling.  Also on this date, you ate peas for the first time and you loved them!  You like any foods that are green.  You are not crazy about carrots. 

On December 24th, you started crawling!  We were at your Nana's house and you had your eyes on the presents under the tree.  You picked up your arms really high and crawled over to get the present that you had been eyeing!  We were so proud of you! 

On Christmas Day, you started pulling up on everything!  Your Daddy, the couch, your Mommy, toys...whatever you could get your hands on! 

On January 6th, you started doing this squinting thing with your eyes when you smile.  It is SO CUTE!  You look like your handsome Daddy when you do that.  Warms my heart.  You also started "mouthing" Dada!  You move your mouth like you are saying it but no sound comes out!  It is hilarious!  We managed to catch that on video. 

On January 7th, you got to watch part of Alabama's 15th National Championship Game!  They won!  Roll Tide :)  You started this squealing thing you do to get attention...works every time :)

It was such a fun Christmas with you!  Your Gaga got you a racetrack with little toy cars, a wagon, clothes, and pajamas.  Nana got you a peek a boo sock monkey, wagon, and lots of clothes.  You loved all your gifts.  Santa brought you an activity table, stackable rings, books and an elephant that shoots plastic balls out of his trunk!  It's so fun watching you play.  You will actually sit and entertain yourself now. 

Eli, Mommy loves you more than you will ever know.  You and your Daddy complete me and make me so happy.  I love to see how your face lights up when you see your Daddy come in after a long day at work.  (I love seeing your Daddy's face as well) 

Here's to many more months of fun!  Mommy is already thinking and planning for your first birthday party!  Can't believe it's almost time!  Love you so, sweet Eli!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Let me start by saying that Eli is normally a very happy baby.  On a normal day he will smile at anyone and loves to laugh.  Not the case on the day we decided to go and see Santa...

He had already started acting up at the end of church.  Josh had to get up and take him out of the service.  He screamed like we were taking his bottle away until I got back out to the car.  We had planned to go and see Santa after church since next weekend was our only other option and I didn't want to wait any longer.  Let me just say it...Eli was ill.  Not himself.  We pushed on and went to the Bass Pro Shop for a glimpse Santa.  Eli gave us some of the same looks I gave my Mom when I was going through those awkward teenage years. 

We finally got up to see Santa.  Eli looked very stunned.  He would look at us and then look at Santa.  He grabbed a nice wad of Santa's beard (glad it was a real) and got right up in his face.  He was studying him.  He then realized that we were several feet from him and he started to cry just after they snapped his picture!  Bless his heart.  Normally he would have been grinning from ear to ear.  Oh well.  It's a funny memory of a very ill baby and his first trip to see Santa.

Eli was staring us down because he had just realized we weren't holding him

He was checking Santa out.  Had a nice chunk of his beard as well.  Poor Santa.

Right before he started crying. 

This is the sad look that we got ALL. DAY. LONG.

He did like looking at the "fishies"

This was the happiest face we caught all morning!

Had to really beg for this smile!  It's funny the things you will do in public to get your child to smile for a picture!

So...we get home and Eli magically turns into the happiest baby alive.

  Go figure!  Oh well.  There's always next year.  Hopefully it will be one of those hilarious crying Santa pics ;)

Fall Photo Session with Talita

We had a wonderful fall photo session.  It was our first time taking professional pictures and I was a little nervous about it!  Talita (photographer) made us feel very comfortable and at ease.  Eli was a complete angel- he didn't fuss a bit!  Here are our pics.  I am so pleased with them.

6 Months

I cannot believe I am writing this post!  How can you already be 6 months old?  Eli, you are the sweetest boy I have ever seen.  You are such a blessing in our lives.  Everyone comments on how well behaved you are and you smile at anyone and everyone!  I love coming to get you out of your crib in the mornings and seeing that sweet smile! 

You are sleeping so great in your big boy room!  You sleep anywhere from 9-12 hours at night.  Your usual bedtime is around 8 or 8:30.  You take a 3 to 3 and a half hour nap during the day.  Mommy uses this time to do chores and exercise (sometimes!)

On November 19th, you started holding your own bottle.  On November 21st, you sat up in your bedroom floor for several minutes with no help!  We were so proud of you!  You are still working on sitting up.  You hold yourself up straighter and for longer periods of time.  Now when I leave you at daycare, I sit you in the floor with toys.  You are such a big boy!

November 22nd was your first Thanksgiving!  You were the life of the party.  You showed out in your jumparoo!  You wanted to make sure everyone watched you!

November 29th you started trying to crawl!  You get up on your hands and knees and rock back and forth!  It is the funniest thing.  You want to move forward so bad!  I know you will figure it out soon enough and we will be chasing you all around this house!

December 7th, I came into your room to get you up for the day and I was so surprised at how I found you!  You had pulled up on the side of the crib.  You weren't on your feet but you were up on your knees.  I was very shocked and you were just smiling that adorable toothless smile! 

There was one day that your Daddy was not feeling well.  His blood sugar dropped really low and I was scurrying around to get him food and drink to bring it back up.  Eli, you didn't take your eyes off of your daddy.  You watched him like a hawk.  It's like you knew that something was wrong.  You watched him until he was feeling better and then you started jumping in your jumparoo again.  I know you are going to be very protective over us! 

We love you so much!  We don't remember our lives before you!  I'm so excited for your first Christmas!  Even more excited about the next 6 months! 

It's a hard life...

Eli got to vote for the first time :)

The smile that can brighten even the darkest day!

"Aunt" Tiffany :)

My sweet angel!

 

Finally Getting Back to Me!!

I am 5 months and 11 days post-partum.  At around 4 months post-partum, I decided that I could not be ok with my chunky self.  I was not overweight, I was just a chunkier version of me.  I decided to actually go on a "diet" AKA major calorie restriction.  You don't realize how many calories you consume on a daily basis.  I was probably consuming at least 2000-2300 calories a day with NO exercise.  This, my friends, is recipe for disaster!

 I have limited myself to 1200 calories a day.  Doesn't sound like a lot but I usually always feel satisfied (especially after I did this for about a week- my body got used to it)  If I go over my calories by 100- SO WHAT!  I don't beat myself up over it.  I just jump right back in :)  If my body is telling me I'm truly hungry, I eat.  My problem in the past was that I ate because of boredom.  These days, I get busy doing something around the house or focus on a project and guess what...the "hunger" I was feeling was not hunger at all!  I know that exercise is so important but if you are consuming thousands of calories, it will never work!

When I stepped on the scale this morning, I was 6 POUNDS lighter than I was 3 and a half weeks ago!  I am so proud!  I still have about 14 pounds to go but I know I can do this!  My blog friends inspire me every day to stick with it!

A very good friend, my best friend, reminded me of a photo I took while on a cruise to the Bahamas.  I couldn't even remember that girl in the picture.  I am getting back to that girl!  I want to feel good about myself.  I want to look forward to shopping instead of wanting to puke at the thought.  I am the one in the middle.  This photo was taken in May of 2009.  I was approximately 125-130 pounds.

This picture below was taken early August when I was 8 weeks post-partum.  This is probably my heaviest time.  Sad thing is, this was at my 10 year high school reunion.  I looked horrible and didn't even realize it.  Oh well.  Maybe I will look better at my 20 year :)

 

 

I'm on my way back!  I am determined!  I find myself turning down foods that I know will set me back.  This is huge for me!  Everyone please pray for me during this journey! 

 

Anyone have any diet tips?  How do you all find time to exercise when you have little ones?

If Walls Could Talk

If walls could talk, they would tell you that this home is full of weirdos.  Seriously.  I wish you could see the look on Eli's face when we sing (at the top of our lungs and SO not on key) our Brady Bunch song.  You know, the song.  "Well, I think I'll go for a walk outside now, the sunshine is calling my name..."  We complete our song with a corny dance that we have made up as well.  Lord help us...and our child.  He just doesn't know the weirdness that we have inside of us :)

Totally off subject- I cannot seem to keep my whole house clean at the same time.  I make more of a mess trying to clean than I started out with.  I love a clean house.  It is just so much harder these days with Eli.  I feel like I constantly start a project, get interrupted and then never finish.  Am I the only one???

Another random thought- We are celebrating Thanksgiving ALONE this year :(  Our family is 12 hours away and my husband has to work at midnight after Thanksgiving.  I am so bummed.  This will be the first Thanksgiving we have ever spent alone.  I have no clue how to make dressing and lets be honest, I cannot miss out on that.  I'm gonna suck it up and make the best meal that I can.  My poor husband. 

I started decorating for Christmas.  Ridiculous, I know.  I used to refuse until after Thanksgiving.  The last couple of years I have been jumping the gun.  Anyone else being eager beavers and decorating early??

I haven't been exercising like I'm supposed to.  I broke my toe a little over a month ago and I couldn't do much of anything.  It hurt to put a shoe on.  That kind of got me out of the swing of things.  My husband works out of town a lot and that makes it really hard to find time.  I would love to just take off running but that is very difficult with a stroller.  On the bright side, I have lost 5 pounds.  I am stuck on that number.  I need some serious motivation.