Making Merry

I know that the blog has been even quieter than normal lately and I apologize for that, but I have been out living instead of just writing about it. Christmas is my favorite holiday and we have been busy celebrating our first Christmas with Baby E.

The holiday season started the Saturday after Thanksgiving with a trip to see Santa. We got up early to beat the lines for Santa at the Mall at Millennia and I would say it was a success. There were just a couple of families in front of us, so we waited about a half hour for Santa to come and then only a few minutes after he was there. For years I have seen photos and heard about how awesome this guy was and I can say that I was not disappointed. Baby E did well with Santa and we got some cute photos.

We also picked up a reusable Advent calendar. Thanks Starbucks. This year we enjoyed the caramels and coffee, but next year I will fill it with small toys, bows and other treats for Baby E. It is something that can grow with her and nicer than the ones that are filled with chocolate that doesn't taste very good.

A few days later is was off to Epcot for the Candlelight Processional. This is one of my favorite Christmas traditions and I have been pretty much every year since I first saw it in 2001. We opted for lunch at Morocco and the early show since Baby E goes to bed pretty early. She loved the show and was an amazingly good girl through the whole thing.

Guest narrator Neil Patrick Harris

Waiting for the show to begin

While at Epcot we also stopped by the Germany pavilion and got a custom blown glass ornament to commemorate Baby E's first Christmas. The husband and I got one of these the first Christmas we were living together, so it was only fitting that we got one for her first Christmas with our family. It is really neat because you can see the ornaments being blown right in front of you.

Next up was St. Nicholas day. This was a tradition I grew up with and I wanted to pass on to Baby E. She put her shoe out and the next morning it was filled with a book and a toy. St. Nicholas just brings small treats and is a nice lead up to Santa.

Tiny shoes waiting for St. Nicholas to visit

Baby E was so good her presents don't fit in her shoes

A few weeks later it was time for Tuba Christmas in Winter Park. My husband played the Tuba for years and this is a fun and slightly silly concert that takes place in Central Park. Baby E liked the music and hung out on our laps for the concert.

Nothing says Florida Christmas like a ski hat and a sundress

Then the weekend before Christmas it was party time. Saturday afternoon we went to a children's Christmas party where baby E got to visit with both Santa and Mrs. Clause. She also got to open her first Christmas present.

No smile for Santa this time

Mrs. Clause is intriguing

I really just want to eat the paper

Sunday was an adult Christmas party and our first night out since having Baby E. We ate and drank, gambled and got gfted. It was a lot of fun and we picked Baby E up with a sweet souvenir. My sister-in-law's first Pinterest craft. It is so cute and I almost cried when she gave it to me.

 

Getting crazy on our night out

This was a super fun surprise!
I am very thankful someone in the family is crafty.

Christmas eve we went to mass and then home for a quiet dinner. Baby E put cookies and milk out for Santa. We hung out by the tree and took in our first Christmas as a family of three.

Cookies and milk for Santa; Carrots for his reindeer

Christmas morning we opened presents and made breakfast. Baby E enjoyed playing with some of her new toys. 

So many presents for such a little person

This year we hosted Christmas dinner because it was easier than leaving the house. We spatchcoked a turkey and it turned out amazing. I don't think I will cook turkey any other way from now on. I also found a recipe for the most amazing gingerbread bars. These will be a new Christmas tradition.

Best turkey I have ever made

I love Christmas, but having Baby E made it that much more special. I am excited to continue to share these traditions with her as she gets older. What are some of your family traditions? Have they changed since your family grew?

4 Months with Baby E

Baby E is now 4 months (and a little bit)...how did that happen? It seems like I was just putting together her 3 month update. I know this is something that all parents say, but it is crazy how fast time goes. It seems like she just got here, but also that she has been here forever.

Baby E is now about 15 and a half pounds and 24.5 inches long. She is in pretty much all 6 month clothes, but some of them are starting to get small. It seems like she grows out of clothes length wise before growing out of them weight wise.

Baby E at 4 Months

Baby E's first Thanksgiving

We finally finished the nursery and Baby E has been sleeping in there for a couple of weeks. She is still sleeping in the rock and play, but we plan to transition her soon. We also need to work on getting her to fall asleep on her own. Naps are still really hit or miss both at home and at daycare, so that doesn't help the situation.

Baby E's Nursery

Thanksgiving week she had a couple of uncaracteristic nights of rough sleep. Because of this we put off any changes to sleeping location or attire we were planning on making. My parents also came to visit and that threw off her schedule a bit. Now that I write this, I realize I am really just making excuses. Oh well, she is getting sleep and that is what really matters.

She has played in the crib...that is getting closer to sleeping there.

Baby E still likes her playmat and Bumbo seat. She normally sits in the Bumbo next to us when we are eating dinner. We bought a jumper a few weeks ago because she likes standing, but she doesn't seem to love it. I think it may still be a little big for her.

Baby E is working on rolling over. She rolled from her back to her tummy a few times and then stopped. I think she realized that when she rolled over, she ended up on her tummy and she doesn't love being there. Rolling from tummy to back doesn't appear to be happening any time soon, but we shall see.

I started on my back

From the amount of drool and chewing Baby E is doing, I am thinking that teeth will be coming soon. Anything that comes close to her mouth is fair game for chomping and she is doing more chewing on her fingers than sucking. Sophie the giraffe is one of her favorite things. She loves to chew on Sophie's face.

Chewing Sophie's face off...whatever makes her happy.

So far breastfeeding is still going well. I want to do a whole post on that. It is written in my head, just not on the blog yet. We are not planning on starting solids until about 6 months when she has an interest in food.

I am doing pretty well. Still trying to find my groove with work and a new house and working out and baby E. The past two weeks my running has been pretty inconsistent, but I need to get my act together since I have a half marathon in 3 months. Sleeping has been winning the battle between running and sleeping for too many mornings. The goal for this week is to try and get to bed a little earlier and see if that helps.

We are still trying to figure out what to get her for Christmas. We have some clothes and a few small toys, but I feel like we should get her something bigger. Then again, maybe that should wait until she understands Christmas a little more before worrying if what I got her was enough.

Any ideas on Christmas gifts for a baby? 

Thanks and Gratitude

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It is all about warm kitchens, delicious food and most importantly time with those we love. Today we will go to my sister-in-laws house and celebrate with my husband's family. Tomorrow my parents will come to visit for the weekend.

Throughout November people have been posting the things they are thankful for on various social media platforms. While I was invited and tempted to join in on the posts, I can't commit to doing anything every day right now, but it did make me reflect on everything in my life I am thankful for. There are too many things to list, but here are just a few.

I am thankful for:

• An amazing husband who is a wonderful father
• A beautiful baby girl with a smile that can melt my heart
• A wonderful family that is filled with love
• My health
• Those who I love being healthy
• Being able to run
• A job that I truly love and a group of amazing coworkers
• The ability to purchase a house in the neighborhood I have loved for years
• Being able to nurse my daughter
• A daycare with a loving staff that take good care of my daughter
• Coffee
• Christmas lights
• Living close to family
• Adorable baby clothes
• The sunshine and warm weather of Florida

It is amazing how much can change in a year. Last year at Thanksgiving I had just found out I was pregnant and I was scared that things would go wrong again. My Dad was also battling some health issues that had me really worried. This year I have a healthy baby girl and my Dad's prognosis is good.

Words cannot really express how grateful I am to have my life. I am very blessed and I thank God for the gifts he has given me. 

What are you thankful for this year?

Running After Baby

Now that Baby Marron is here, I have to say it was a good thing I didn't actually register for the races I had planned. To say that I was overambitious in my post baby running goals would be an understatement. It is funny to think about where I am compared to where I thought I would be. Both recovery from childbirth and the transition to being a mother were harder than I anticipated.

I was cleared for exercise the middle of September and was super excited to get out running agin. In fact I came home from the doctors office, fed Baby E and headed out the door for my first run. It was about 2 in the afternoon, in September, in Florida. Not really ideal running time, but I was so excited. It was hard, but felt so good to run again.

After that first day, I got a few runs in here and there, but didn't really get into a groove until after we moved at the end of September. Since then I have been getting about 3 runs in each week. Some weeks are better than others and my strength training is not where I want it to be, but all in due time.

I feel guilty leaving Baby E so I get get a run or other workout in, but I feel much more sane and less anxious on the days I do. Running helps me feel a little more like myself again. I am often up well before the sun, but I am trying to set a healthy example for my daughter without taking too much time away from her.

As far as races go, I am still deciding exactly what I want to do. We did the Run Nona 5k a couple of weeks ago and it felt good to race again. I am also doing the Best Dam Race Orlando half marathon in the spring. It is about the same time and far less expensive than the Princess Half Marathon I had originally had my eye on.

There are several other races tentatively on the calendar. Life with baby E changes so quickly that it is hard to commit to much. That said, 2014 will be about running and racing. There are several shorter local races I am planning for the first part of the year (Lady Track Shack 5k, the Winter Park Road Race, the Watermelon 5k). Breastfeeding and baby care make it hard to do anything real long or travel for races, but she is so worth it.

After that I am still up in the air between running another marathon (I have my eye on Marine Corps) or getting back into triathlons. If I am going to do another triathlon, I should really look at getting a new bike, which may be a little too spendy for this year.

What do you think...a tri or a marathon for the fall? Any good Orlando races I should add to my calendar?

3 Months with Baby E

This post is only about a week late, but Baby E is now 3 months old. In some ways the time has flown and in others it seems like it has taken forever. It has definitely been memorable and we managed to survive the third trimester.

Baby E is doing great and growing a ton. She now smiles a lot and will giggle at you. I think my heart melts every time she giggles because it is so cute! 

Smiling and Laughing

She has also found her thumb and has started sucking it. I am glad she has figured out some self soothing, but I wish she would take one of the 7 different pacifiers we have given her. She likes to hug her wubanub while sucking her thumb...sigh.

Sucking her thumb is more and more common.

When I weighed her about 2 weeks ago she was at 13 lbs 1 oz. I don't know how long she is, but she is starting to grow out her 3 month clothes. A couple of days ago I dug out and washed some bigger clothes, but I am not quite ready for her to start wearing them yet.

She is rolling onto her side more and more and I think she is going to go all the way over one of these days. Baby E also has really good head control and likes sitting in her Bumbo seat and looking around. Thankfully she also still enjoys being in the Ergo carrier because that is my favorite way to carry her when we are out.

Loving the Bumbo

In the Ergo at the Halloween Party

Baby E's first Halloween was a lot of fun. We went to her youngest cousin's preschool Halloween party and then trick or treating with all her cousins. She didn't actually trick or treat, but we walked around and showed her off. Her Eeyore costume was ridiculously cute.

Costumes with ears are so cute.

Sleep at night is still going well and naps are still hit or miss. She has been doing better with naps since going to daycare. I know we need to transition her from being swaddled in the rock and play to sleeping without a swaddle in her crib, but I am not ready for that yet. The nursery is still a work in progress and her crib is still in a box. The goal is to have it together by Thanksgiving and then start the transition her to the room and eventually the crib.

There have been a couple of big milestones the past few weeks. I started back to work and Baby E started in daycare. Those first few days were rough....on me. Baby E has done really well. Daycare is close to work, so I go at lunch to visit and nurse her. I have also figured out my groove for pumping at work. 

Baby E also had her first cold last week week. The funny thing is that I can't even blame it on daycare. My husband brought it home from work, then passed it to me and we passed it to the baby. She has been a trouper through the whole thing. (The Nose Frida is also the best thing ever invented).

As for me, I am doing alright. Some days I feel like I have it together and others I feel like I am not doing anything very well. My brain is still a little foggy at work, but the fog seems to be clearing a little more each day. The transition back to work has been hard. I enjoy what I am doing, but I don't feel like I have enough time for anything. I think that is the fun of being a mom.

I am back running pretty consistently with 3 runs a week. My husband and I take turns in the morning with one of us running and the other staying home with the baby. I even did my first postpartum race. I have dreams of other work outs, but those have yet to happen. I am down to my pre-baby weight, but nothing seems to fit quite right and overall I feel pretty frumpy. I have managed to dry my hair a couple of times this week and that helps me feel a little more put together.

I am also still dealing with some pain in my wrists that is left over from pregnancy. Later today I go to an orthopedic doctor for further evaluation. Hopefully he will have some answers, because this really is not fun.

Any tips for transitioning a little one to sleeping in a crib? Any advice for postpartum wrist pain?

Run Nona 5K Race Recap

Yesterday was a big day...my first race since Baby E joined our family and Baby E's first race.  My husband, Baby E and I all did the Run Nona 5k. We ran this race last year and had a good time, so figured we would do it again. This year's race was that it started at night which was a fun change.

I wan't sure what running with a baby would be like, but we didn't really have a babysitter, so figured we would give it a try. The night race time also helped with this because we didn't have to get Baby E up early to go. We headed down early and got to Lake Nona about an hour before the race. This was a good thing, because parking was a little difficult. Once we found a parking spot we unloaded the car, set up the stroller and grabbed a crash kit diaper bag. (It turns out the diaper bag was critically important.)

The race started and ended at Laureate Park. Once we got there, we took a look at some of the sponsor booths and then found a place to feed the baby. This served two purposes. First, I wanted to make sure that she was fed and content and second, I knew it would make the race a whole lot more comfortable for me. Whenever possible I prefer the baby to the pump.

Pre-race family photo.

About 15 minutes before the start, we headed over to the start line and lined up with the rest of the strollers. We joked that Baby E would poop on the course, and we were close in our prediction. About 3 minutes before the race start, something smelled funny and Baby E started squirming. We pulled over to the side and tag teamed the diaper change. This was probably the quickest diaper change we ever pulled off. Just as we were wrapping up we heard the horn that started the race. She had perfect timing and I was happy it happened before we started running.

Just before the pre-race diaper incident.

This is a pretty fun 5k course. It takes you past cow pastures, Nemours Children's Hospital and through the UCF Med School Campus. We also enjoyed a beautiful sunset. Between the course and the company, the miles really flew by. Baby E fell asleep about three quarters of a mile in and took a nice nap until we were back and the finish line party. We were lucky that the rain held of through most of the race.

I should have stopped to take this photo.
The sunset was pretty amazing.

I think the best part of this race was the finish line party that was catered by 4 Rivers. They have some of the best barbecue I have ever had. We grabbed our pulled chicken sandwiches and beers and found a place to eat. The lines for food were long, but they moved fast. As we were finishing up eating the rain picked up and we headed to the car to go home.

My official time was 39:59. Super slow, but only 50 seconds slower than last year's time. Since this year I am 3 months postpartum, I have only been back running for about 4 weeks and I was pushing a stroller, I am happy with that time. This also gives me a good starting place for my future race plans. I will have more on that soon. Given my time constraints and the challenge of traveling with a little one I think I may be doing more shorter local races than I have in the past. Running is good for me both mentally and physically and a race on the calendar helps keep me motivated.

What are some of your favorite Orlando area races?

Things Lately

Things have been crazy the past few weeks, and they seem to have passed in a blur. Unfortunately, it also means that my last few weeks of maternity leave went way too quickly. Baby E is growing so quickly and has changed so much in the past couple of weeks.

Her new trick is rolling on her side.

About two weeks ago we closed on and moved into our new house. This is our first house and moving with a baby has been a whole new experience. Baby E has been a trouper through all the craziness. I am so blessed to have a baby who pretty much goes with the flow. We also tried to keep as much the same for her as possible, but there were some days she spent a lot of time in the carseat going back and forth between the old and new places.

I am also realizing it takes a lot longer to get settled when a place is going to be your forever house. After moving about once a year since 2001, the permanence of home ownership  is something different. For the first time ever, we are not planning on moving in a year or so.

We ended up buying new construction, which is great because it is a blank slate. The down side is that we have a lot of off white walls and the house needs some personality. I am trying to channel my inner decorator. We will see how that turns out. You also don't realize how little furniture you have until you move into a new place. This house has an extra bedroom and about 600 more square feet than our rental house. Needless to say, it looks a bit sparse right now.

First on the house project list was the nursery. Mostly because I would like to move Baby E out of our bedroom at some point in the relatively near future. At this point she is still sleeping in the Rock and Play in our room. We thought we could finish it in a weekend, but it took us almost that long to get a base coat of paint down and figure out how to paint the stripes I wanted. Lesson learned. Maybe we can have it done by the end of the month.

We got some paint on the walls, but that is about all.

In addition to moving with a 10 week old, her baptism was this past weekend. My good friends came and brought my godchildren with them. This was their first trip to Orlando and that meant a trip to Magic Kingdom was pretty much required. Especially since my 5 year old goddaughter has been talking about going to see the princess castle for years. 

This past Friday we packed up their Suburban with all of the items needed to take 4 adults, a 5 year old, a 2 year old and a 10 week old to Magic Kingdom for the day. We almost needed a bigger vehicle. I have to say that going to Disney with a baby was much easier than I anticipated. Baby E even got to ride some of the rides and met her first princess.

Baby E was so excited!

She loved the colors on It's a Small World.

Meeting her first princess.

Sunday was Baby E's baptism and she did great. She fussed a little bit when they poured the water on her head, but that was about it. Surprisingly, the baby that doesn't nap slept through most of the service. Not really the the best habit to start, but I will take it over screaming. We can work on her paying attention when she gets a bit older. 

That wasn't so bad.

After the service we had about 25 people over to the house for lunch. Hosting a party two weeks after moving was not one of my better ideas, but we made it work.

In other news, I started running again. I am using intervals and have been getting about 3.25 miles in a couple times a week. Nothing to write home about, but it is a start. Right now almost every run is with the stroller, so I will take what I can get. We have a car seat adaptor for the running stroller so Baby E is well supported. My post baby running plans have been revised and I will have more on those soon. I have also gotten in a couple of Mommy and Me yoga classes. They are pretty fun, but almost a little long for her right now.

This week I go back to work and Baby E starts daycare. I know I will miss her, but I am looking forward to adult interaction and being able to pee without worrying if she will start screaming. It will be interesting to see how the transition goes. I just hope she stays the relatively happy baby she has been the past 4 weeks or so.

Not that we have made it through the move and her baptism, I am going to try and post more regularly again.

Have you ever decorated a house from scratch? I am looking for inspiration. Any tips for making the transition to daycare? 

Thoughts from 2 Months of Motherhood

Baby E is 2 months old today. Time has been going so quickly and she has changed so much. Motherhood has been incredibly rewarding, but also incredibly hard. I have come to realize a number of things about myself and motherhood over the past couple of months.

If I can do it one handed, on my phone, while nursing, it will get done. 

If not, there is only about a 50% chance it will get done. Don't get me wrong, when I am nursing her, that is the first priority, but I have also realized that I need to multitask at points. Things like sending a brief email or making a doctors appointment can be done while nursing. 

Naps are a mythical thing. 

I love that baby E is always interested in what is going on and trying to take in everything she sees. The downside of this is that she does not want to miss anything. She fights naps with everything she has, and this can make for some pretty rough afternoons. We are getting better at figuring out how to get her to at least take some short naps here and there. Some days it takes 45 minutes of shenanigans for a 30 minute nap.

There will be tears. 

Before I had baby E, I knew that even the happiest of babies cried at times. I do my best to get her what she needs before she starts crying, but it does happen. What I completely underestimated was how many tears I would shed through this process. There have been tears of joy, pain, frustration, fear and  just simply being overwhelmed. 

Guilt your ever present friend. 

For years I had heard about Mommy guilt from friends and family with kids, but man is it real. Guilt about not doing enough, guilt about doing too much, guilt for no real good reason at all...I feel them all and almost daily. For my own sanity, I need a little time away from the baby now and again, but it always comes with a tinge of guilt.

Just because the baby sleeps through the night, does not mean you get to sleep through the night. 

Most nights baby E sleeps from about 8:30 until 5:30 or 6, which is amazing. However, because of concerns about supply and for my comfort, I am up at least once and sometimes twice to pump. The good part about this is that we have a nice stash of milk in the freezer.

Being needed is a double edged sword. 

I love that I can provide little E with food and comfort. She also uses me as a pacifier when she is upset and doesn't know what else she wants. My husband is an amazing father and always there to help, but there are times when she only wants. Most times I do not mind this, but there are days, when I wish she would take a pacifier and some time with Daddy. (These feelings also normally cause guilt...see above).

Milk is a precious commodity. 

I grew up in Wisconsin and never really thought much about milk. It was always around and there was always more. Now that I spend a portion of my day hooked up to a pump like a dairy cow, I realize how valuable milk is and how hard it is to get. And yes, I have cried over split milk.

Smiles make everything worthwhile.

Overall, baby E is a happy baby and her smiles make my day. There have been times when the day has been long and she has been fussy or difficult, but will then give me a smile and it takes the frustration away. I completely underestimated how amazing a little smile could be.

Baby snuggles are the best thing ever. 

When little E snuggles up on my shoulder or chest, it is one of the best things ever. Those are the moments I savor and want to hold onto forever. One of the best things about her late night/early morning feedings was snuggling with her when she fell asleep.

I know I am still really new at this whole motherhood thing, and there will be new lessons and struggles as baby E grows, but the whole thing is pretty amazing.

Overwhelmed

That is the only word that can describe how I am feeling right now. I am still figuring out this whole mom thing and we are moving at the end of the month. Oh, and little E's baptism is 2 weeks after we move. Why did I think doing all this at the same time was a good idea?

Baby E is about 6 weeks old and really doing well. Most days I almost feel like I know what I am doing. She is eating well, gaining weight like she should and sleeping amazingly well at night. Naps are still pretty rare, but we are working on it. On days when she gets enough sleep, she is a really happy baby.

Sweet baby smiles.

As far as the move goes, the movers are hired. Other than that, our house is a complete disaster and we don't have a ton packed. Before she came I figured I would be able to pack when the baby napped. The flaw in that plan is that baby E doesn't really Oops.

Additionally, we have a list of about a hundred things to do to the new house to help make it a home. I know they do not all need to be done at once, but it does need to look presentable for her baptism since we will be hosting people.

Oh yeah, and I would like to be in good enough shape to fit into my work clothes when I go back the middle of October. Right now I am back to the same weight, but nothing fits properly. Packing and lugging boxes is a workout, right?

Sorry for all the whining and I am amazed you got this far. Sometimes it helps to just put it all out there. Needless to say, the blog may be a bit neglected in the next few weeks. 

I just keep reminding myself that this is all so we can build a home for this sweet girl.

Love this little one!

Pregnancy Things to Remember

I know that the first time you do something is always the hardest and while I had a great pregnancy, there are so many things I learned. I don't know if we will have another child and I know that each pregnancy is different, but I wanted to share some of the things that kept me sane this time and I would want to keep in mind for next time.

Strength Train Before Getting Pregnant

In all honesty, strength training is not my favorite activity. I know it is good for me, but I would much rather run or spin than. Prior to getting pregnant, I was seriously slacking on the strength training. I would do it a couple times a month...not the best way to stay strong. I think that is part of why my back couldn't take running by 17 weeks. It wasn't strong enough to support my growing belly and bust. Lesson learned and strength training is a big part of my post partim plans. I also lost a lot of my muscle tone and want to get that back.

Prenatal Yoga Rocks

I didn't start prenatal yoga until well into my second trimester because I didn't feel like I was pregnant enough. In hindsight, I wish I would have started almost immediately. The prenatal yoga class at Full Circle Yoga is so much more than just a workout. The practice gives you a time to focus on both your mind and body. The class I went to is taught by a doula and you can often get insight and advice on all the discomforts of pregnancy. Additionally, you meet a great group of other moms and moms to be. I know that this may not be an option everywhere, but I highly recommend finding a class that works for you.

First Trimester During the Holidays Sucks

I want to preface this by saying that I completely understand you only have so much control over when you get pregnant. This time we were eager to try as soon as we could after we lost the our first pregnancy. That said, if possible I would like to avoid being in my first trimester during November and December because it pretty much sucked. 

I felt terrible from right after Thanksgiving until the middle of January. It felt like worst hangover ever without the fun of drinking the night before. It was also difficult because we didn't want to tell anyone we were pregnant until we were out of the first trimester, so I had to pretend like I felt normal. I also didn't get to really celebrate at the various holiday parties and other festivities. We left my holiday party and 9 p.m. and I almost puked during Christmas Eve mass. Not a good time. We will see what happens, but I would like to avoid being in my first trimester during the holidays if at all possible.

Prenatal Massages are Amazing

These really helped me turing the last few months of pregnancy. I went about once a month for the last four months. The massages loosened up my muscles and helped with aches and pains. I think that this is a big part of why my back didn't hurt more than it did. They also helped me relax and clear my mind. Something that is often hard to do while pregnant. I got a couple of them as a birthday gift from my husband and a prenatal massage is one of the best gifts you can give a pregnant lady.

These are just a few of the things I want to remember from being pregnant. What did you learn when you were pregnant?

4 Weeks with Little E

It has been 4 weeks since little E was born. Like other parents all over the world, I am really wondering where the time has gone. In most ways it seems like the has just evaporated, except for between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. most days, those hours last forever.

Little E is doing well. She is eating like a champ and when I weighted her at our mommy group on Friday, she was 10 lbs 5 oz. We go in for her next check up in about a week, so it will be interesting to see what her official stats are. I think that she has gotten longer too. Her car seat seems like it fits better now than when she was first born.

She is starting to smile and there are things that will capture her attention. Most times we can't quite figure out what she is captivated by, but we know she loves shadows and the ceiling fans. She also chills out  and is captivated during car rides. Bath time is becoming less traumatic, but naps are still very hit or miss.

I Love My Mickey

Stay still...I don't think so

We try to get out of the house at least once a day. Most times it is for boring things like going to the grocery store or Target, but it is out of the house and that keeps me from going batty. We have also been out to lunch a couple of times with Daddy. I think I have figured out a way to keep little E cool in the stroller, so I am hoping that more walks are in our future.

My sister and her husband came to visit this past weekend and it was nice to have some company. The husband and I even got a baby free date to the grocery store while they were here. We have a wild life, I know.

Auntie's Girl

I am beginning to feel more and more like myself. Emotionally, I am working on processing both her birth and the challenges of becoming a Mom. For the most part, each day gets better. Since I am breastfeeding the days that all she wants to do is eat are a little tough, because I can't get anything else done and don't really get a break at all. We started giving her a bottle last week, so that has helped when I need just a few baby free minutes. I feel a little guilty about those minutes, but sometimes I need them.

I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but my body composition has changed quite a bit. Most of my muscle tone is gone and I have a pouchy tummy. I am itching to run, but I still have at least 3 weeks before I am released for exercise. Until then there is not much I can do except walk and eat reasonably. I am trying to figure out how I want to approach training. I know I need to make sure I do more strength training to avoid hurting myself as I get back into running.

Any tips for getting back into running after a long break? 

Thoughts on Mommyhood 2 Weeks In

So little E has been a part of our family for 2.5 weeks now and this journey into Mommyhood has been both incredibly amazing and really hard. It is often that the hours are long, but the days are short. I am really blessed to have an amazing husband and partner and we have tackled the challenges as a team.

Little E is doing really well. At her 2 week check in on Monday, she was back up past her birth weight. She is sleeping pretty well at night, but not napping as much as she should be during the day. This leads to some very fussy afternoons and evenings, but overall, I really can't complain. She is also so stinking cute. (I may be a bit biased.)

Both physically and emotionally, I am doing better each day. For once in my life, I am actually taking the time I need to heal. I have been getting out for walks when the weather and the baby let me. Summer in Florida is not the easiest to take the baby out in. I should be released from my doctor for exercise mid-September and can't wait for that. Because of how little E was delivered, I don't want to push things and risk a longer recovery.

She really does like walks
even if her face doesn't show it.

Any tips for getting a new baby to sleep? Any ideas for staying cool and walking?

I also apologize for any typos/other errors in this post. Most of it was written with one hand on my phone with a baby in the other hand. My brain is also not operating at full capacity right now.

Baby Marron is Here

Baby Marron is here and it's a girl. Eleanor Jeanne was born July 29, 2013 at 3:40 p.m. She was 9lbs 6 oz and 21.5 inches long.

Her arrival was a bit rough for me both physically and emotionally, so I am not sure when or if I am going to write about it, but for now, here are some photos. We thinks she is pretty amazing and cute.

The first week of being a Mom has been the most amazing and hardest thing I have ever done. Like most new parents, I am sleep deprived and trying to heal from the delivery, but I am more in awe of the process every day. I can't wait to watch this beautiful little girl grow and learn.