Babies Everywhere

       I've heard that there is another baby boom taking place. I guess with the down economy everyone's staying home and entertaining themselves (if you get my drift). Based on our circle of friends, I would say this is definitely true. At work, I was one of seven women pregnant. I watched (and am watching) as one girl after another left work on maternity leave and delivered their little bundles. We also kept stumbling upon friend after friend telling us they were expecting- my cousin, Emos, my sister-in-law, Church friends, etc., etc. We're happy that this means lots of little baby friends for Nolan to play with. 
       A couple of weeks ago, friends of ours (Thanks Merri and Justin!) had a little baby get-together. Yes, we've officially gone from bar hoppers to baby partiers. Who knew that talking about diapers, sleep patterns, and colic could be sooo much fun? I hate to admit it, but it was. Going to a party where there's a nursery where you can conveniently change a diaper and nurse your kiddo is definitely a plus. Oh, how things have changed. Until this, Jon was pretty sure that Nolan was the only baby on earth that cried. He was relieved to see that other babies cry too. 

Nolan was the only boy in the gang, and the youngest.

He loved all the female company. 

Here's us mommy's with our kiddos.

There were 8 adults there, 

but at any given time there were only 4 or 5 at the table, 

because a baby or two always needed something.

We can't wait for our remaining pregnant 

friends to pop out their kiddos. 

We're praying for lots of healthy babies!

Project: Loose the Baby Weight. Wish Me Luck!

       I'm undertaking my next big project. Unfortunately, this one doesn't involve any decorating, sewing projects or painting. This one is far less fun, but hopefully equally as rewarding. This one involves getting moving and back into my pre-baby clothes and this will serve as my accountability diary of sorts. While priority #1 is Nolan and our fam, I believe that a happy mommy leads to a happier baby, so we all win in the end.  

       

The Goal: 
       To be back in fighting form when I go back to work in 6 weeks. My number one weight frustration since meeting little Nolan has been looking in my closet at lots of pants, and fitting into just a few of them. And when I say "fitting", I mean tight and uncomfortable. Slipping on jeans that are snug and hug in all the wrong places, actually makes me angry. Fuming really. Fall and Winter are just round the corner for us and unless I want to splurge on  a new wardrobe, I need to slim down a bit. Not to mention I have some lovely little gift cards just burning a whole in my wallet and I'm eager to spend them on some gear.  At the moment I'm not sure what size I should be shopping for (insert frown here). Oh, and there's a high likelihood that my gym time will be even more limited and less of a priority once a 40 hour work week gets thrown into the mix, so I'm hoping to lose it while I can. 

The Challenge: 
       To loose about 8lbs. and firm up. And raise a baby. And manage a house. And get some sleep every now and then. On that note, I had intended on beginning this project series last Monday, but a baby and life got in the way. I just couldn't find a free half hour or the creativity to sit down and write this up, so my 7 week project is now a 6 week project.         
       We don't own a scale at our house and in the past few years I've never used numbers to manage my weight, I've just gone by how I felt. However, the doctors office makes you creep onto the scale whenever you visit post delivery, and that ugly little contraption has revealed that I'm about 8 lbs. over my pre-baby weight.
       I forgot to mention that I currently have a very busy husband. As in, he's working lots of hours, volunteering, going to school, and interning. So, I can't always count on him to be at home so that I can head out and burn some calories. 

So, let the games begin. 
Here's the play by play on my big undertaking.

The Strategy:

1) Move Everyday 
       This means long walks, running, or hitting the gym. I use to love my regimented workouts between 5:30 and 7:00 each morning, but that's a thing of the past. The me that use to pop out of bed at 5:00am now finds myself at that hour praying that Nolan will fall back asleep so that I can grab another hour or two of sleep. In my new life sleep trumps gym. So now I have to move when I can. That means if I can grab a half hour after Jon gets home from work or if I can sneak in an extra walk, then that's what I have to do. Unfortunately you can't run with a little buckeroo until 6 months of age (something about their head bobbing along in the stroller), so thats on the back burner for a little while. 

2) Drink Lots of Water
       I can already tell you that I'm currently failing at this. Fail. Fail. Fail. We've all heard that you should drink lots of water (64 oz. to be exact....I think) each day. Its a way to fill up your tummy with good stuff, so that you don't consume extra unneeded calories. 

3) Nix the junk
       For the most part, I enjoy healthy food and I eat healthy about 90% of the time. At home with Nolan all day my daily staples are whole wheat toast with natural peanut butter and banana, Greek yogurt with lots of fruit, wheat germ and flax seed, egg white sandwiches with avocado and tomato, and tuna hummus veggie wraps.  Previously, I've exercised so frequently, that I have for the most part been able to eat what I want. If I wanted a cheese burger, no problem. If a bagel was looking good, go right ahead. With my exercise time much more limited now, I need to counter balance with being more conscious of the food and portions that I'm consuming. 
       The other 10% of my diet can get a little bit messy. Unfortunately, my alter ego loves sweets and I rarely turn down a dessert. Jon and I are guilty at indulging in a bowl (or two) of Moose Tracks ice cream every night religiously. I mean, we can't wait to finish dinner because we know we get to have our favorite frozen treat afterwards. Well, this has been nixed. Ice cream no more. I've got jeans to fit into people. 
       Oh, and I don't know if you've met my husband, but the kid can eat absolutely anything he wants and loose weight while doing it. This means that while we have some delicious treats in the house for him, I need to make sure that I don't indulge. Oh, temptations. 
My Progress:
       I've started sneaking in runs here and there. I'm running for 25-40 minutes when I can. But I can tell you, this body is moving a lot slower then I was pre-baby. Apparently there's a lot of catching up to do after not hitting the pavement for 9 months. The 8-12 mile runs that I was doing last Summer are a distant memory, and I've got a long way to go before I'm back there. I've got my eyes on the San Francisco Marathon next Summer, so I'm using that as an additional motivator. I've also been walking daily for 1-2 hours. I love Tahoe City, but at this point I have walked up and down these streets and paths more times than I wish to count. Luckily Nolan and Blue both make great walking companions.
       I've also made it down to the gym a few times in the past two weeks. Getting to the gym is my biggest challenge. Burning calories is a big priority so I often choose a thirty minute run over lifting weights. I've been tinkering with the idea of bringing Nolan along in his car seat to watch his mama work out, I've just yet to do it. Weight training is extremely important to my plan. Firming up my arms, chest, abs, legs and derriere will make me feel better and look better in my clothes. The few sessions that I've had have definitely made a difference, so I must persist on this one. 
       I've cut out a lot of junk food and I've cut back on putting calorie rich foods like avocado and cheese on my dishes. Breastfeeding gives you a ravenous appetite but luckily that has plateaued so I'm able to keep my hunger in check now. Instead of reaching for some chocolate when I have a sweet craving, I'm now making myself a cup of green tea or eating some fruit. They say that when getting in shape 80% of the magic depends on your nutrition and diet, and only 20% is your work out. So, I'll continue to pay lots of attention to what I'm consuming. 

I've got to go get ready for a walking date with a friend. 
Maybe you have a little weight loss goal of your own? 

If that's the case, maybe this little project will be motivation to you too. 

If so, share your progress and goals people! 

I'll share some tips and my progress along the way. 

3rd Barkday

       This Saturday marked Blue's 3rd Barkday. We've failed to celebrate his birthday in years past, it just always snuck up on us. This year the poor guy deserved a little recognition. The past 7 weeks have been a jolt to his reality. With Nolan running the show now, sometimes he doesn't get his breakfast until 3:00pm and there have been a time or two where he will stalk me in the house in order to tell me that he is out of water. Seriously. He stares me down until I get the hint.

He's the best pooch we could ever ask for. 

And the hardest thing about putting this post together 
was selecting photos. 

We have taken a few hundred too many in his lifetime.

So Bark Jo, Bug, Bugle T Dog, here's to you!

The day that we picked him out.

Okay, Blue picked Jon. 

The day we got to bring him home. 
All wrapped up in a bow.

His first car ride to the beach.

It was love at first sight when his paws hit the sand.

Blue's first day at work with Jon.

He has always loved him some snow.

We have threatened to contact a dog modeling agency 

many a time. I mean, come on, he's a good looking pup. 

 I have dreams of seeing him on a TV commercial, 

eating a bowl of kibble.

We enjoyed some doggie cupcakes to commemorate the occasion. 

Blue even got himself a few frosting-less ones. 

He's had us wrapped around his paws from day one. 

Happy 3rd Barkday Blue!

6 Weeks

       This week we celebrated Nolan's 6 week birthday and it's already been a week full of exciting milestones (well, exciting for new parents).  On the night of his birthday, the little champ slept through the night for the first time. That means this mama had uninterrupted sleep from 10:15pm to 5:00am. Praise. The. Lord. Just as I had guessed,  it was more of a fluke than anything, as the feat has yet to be repeated. But it's progress people. PROGRESS. He's also made the connection between hand and mouth and is so close to figuring out how to suck on his thumb. We're also getting lots of eye contact and smiles out of him now.
       Week 5 was a bumpy one for us; Jon described it as humbling. While we had family in town and got to do so many fun things together, colic also reared its ugly head and our peaceful little baby showed us that he's got lungs. And the strength to cry for hours. I think we're past the worst of it (knock on wood), but he's still challenging us each evening. I'm keeping my fingers crossed thats its just a phase... we"ll see

Here's some shots from our 6 week photo shoot.

Thanks so much to Aunt Sue, who handmade this awesome little hat of his. 

Babs & Rebecca Take Tahoe, Part II

       And so the week continued...

Nothing says summer in Tahoe better than lunch 

on the deck at Sunnyside.

Gorgeous right?

We made the drive down to Emerald Bay for some photo ops too. 

Just slightly wind blown.

And we discovered a new favorite beach. 

Not sure how this spot eluded us for three years, 

but we've found it and love it. 

Unfortunately, little Nolan isn't yet allowed to bask in the sun, 

so we kept him buried in his stroller.

Soon kiddo, you can enjoy the Tahoe beaches too.

On their last night in town Jon's mom treated us to an 

amazing farewell dinner on the lake.

It was a great week and we can't wait until their next visit.

Got to run...there's a baby crying.