My MIL (Cookie) is back in town to spend time with Soybean and it’s glorious

Before I get in to today’s post, many thanks for your word’s of inspiration on my 4 weeks postpartum update.  I know I can be hard on myself, but also realize I am sabotaging myself hence the ‘harshness.’  Your words motivate me though and I plan to turn to them in times of feeling low

Now that my lil man is over 4 weeks old (1 month tomorrow!), we have actually settled into somewhat of a schedule.  Go figure!  This is what our typical day looks like:

900:  Wake-up.  Flip on coffee machine, sit downstairs with boppy and do first feeding

925: Set the bean in the boppy, grab cup of coffee, pump, watch Live with Kelly

1000: Eat oatmeal, read blogs, do ab work on the floor…maybe do tummy time for the bean (he hates it)

1045: Change bean into his outfit for the day (still wearing newborn clothes!!!)

1100: Bring vibrating chair into bathroom while I take a shower and get ready

1215: Feed the bean again (usually while eating protein bar)

1245: Leave for first excursion of the day (e.g. Target, Stanford Mall, grocery store, Starbucks, play date, etc)

330: Feed the bean (again)

400: Take Naava for a ~ 2mi walk (bean goes in Bjorn)

445: Vacuum, do laundry, dishes, emails (Sawyer is in the Bjorn or boppy during this time)

600: Feed the bean – he feeds more at night since he gets cranky

630: Start making some semblance of a dinner one-handed while drinking a glass of vino

645: Daddy comes home!  Try to eat dinner between handoffs, catch up on our day, watch tv, etc.

815: Feed the bean again

830: Daddy goes for walk with Sawyer and Naava (momma enjoys quiet time)

1000: Change bean into night-time onesie (maybe a bath beforehand)

1015: Feed the bean one last time

1030: Go upstairs to read while daddy swaddles and cuddles bean downstairs

1130: Bean goes into bassinet

145: Wake up for a diaper change and feeding

210: Back to sleep

530: Wake up for a diaper change and feeding

600: Back to sleep

900: REPEAT

Talk about living your life around feedings eh? 

He really is an amazingly good baby though.  The longest he’s ever cried is about 10 minutes, but normally we can soothe him in a much shorter time.

We only have small windows for our excursions but this weekend we’re going to attempt a hike as well as going out for a restaurant dinner.  Big steps for us, ha!

What rules your schedule? Oddly enough, it used to be my own ‘feedings’!

Big plans for the weekend? 

In a word that’s how I feel. 

Not about life.  That I feel pretty good about.

My postpartum body progress gets a big fat ugh. 

Nearly 2 weeks ago, I wrote how I was going to get back on track and going to rein in the eats and become more active.  Well I have become more active – in fact, I actually went to the gym (at my complex) on Monday for the first time in 5 weeks!   20 minutes on the elliptical and 10 minutes of light weights and abs was an easy way to get back into things.  It felt ah-maz-ing.  But that has not been enough.  Nor has my longer walks with the dog. 

Why?

Because I’m eating like a fat kid.  The lack of structure in my days, revolving door of houseguests, and Birthday treats (my birthday was yesterday) has really impinged my healthy eating. 

But hey, I own it.  I’m facing up to it.  I’ve been eating crap.  And too much of it.  I did hit the desired 2100 cals/day a few times, but more often than not, I was pushing 3000 I’m sure.

So with that being said, what measurements have changed since a week and a half ago? 

None.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada. 

I am the same weight and measurements.  And it’s my fault.  (But I’d also like to silently blame those that say if you’re breastfeeding you scorch calories and can’t eat enough…not true my friends).

Admittedly getting on the scale on Monday pretty much ruined my day.  Believe me, the gift of being a Mom is far superior than weight loss, but in that moment, that number owned me.  Rather than round out my pity party with binge eating, I vowed to get back on track then and there.

It was fairly easy during the day and I stuck to eats like I would as if it were a work day, but the night was much harder…luckily a glass of vino was able to satiate me (for the most part).  The evening workout also was key.  And so was a nice 4 mile walk yesterday.

Here’s a pic of me at 2.5 weeks and 4 weeks post partum:

It appears that my tummy is getting flatter and my face is thinning a bit, but I’m still aiming for more.

Let’s hope I can keep this time around I can keep my word…

It’s Tuesday Shoes-Day and I’m showing you a repeat wear of shoes.  Next week you’ll get a new pair, I promise

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting up with four lovely new mamas and their babies for a play date.  And really when babies are <3 months old, the ‘playing’ is nonexistent and it’s more of a chance for the moms to gab / vent / compare experiences.  And I loved every minute of it.

Despite my lil soybean being less than 3 weeks old at the time, I have been fortunate to get in daily showers and time to put a little effort into my appearance. 

The look includes grey foldover booties by BCBG (size 7.5), red Michael Kors short trench and a Kate Spade diaper bag. I call the look ‘mama chic.’

Here’s a close-up of the booties:

My outfits haven’t been the most exciting couture lately, but my belief is skinny jeans, cute boots/booties and a structured top are great for a go-to look.

I may touch more upon my ‘looks of late’ in my 4 weeks postpartum update tomorrow.

In the meantime, what is your easy go-to look?

This was a darn good weekend. Why?  Because my Dad was visiting and got to meet his Grandson

We had a blast just spending time with the soybean and relishing the time we have together since it’s no short jaunt from WI to Cali. 

And we may have just done some wine tasting this weekend too.  Oh vino, how I missed you so…

I also got an incredibly thoughtful gift from my friend Laury:

She also sent Sawyer these:

Her Mom made the hat and I just can’t get over how absolutely precious it is.  Laury you are so sweet – thank you a million times over

And with that short recap of the weekend, I’m makin’ Monday easy and finishing this post with the 20 Questions survey that’s been floatin’ around the blogworld. 

1) What is one of your favorite ways to spend a Saturday?

Starting the day off with a great workout, a trip to Peet’s for coffee, an afternoon at the beach or perhaps a winery, followed by a dinner party with friends.

2) List your top three favorite TV shows.

Vampire Diaries, Real Housewives, Top Chef

3) Would you rather be in pictures or take them?

Hmm, take I suppose, but I like to be able to capture moments with me and my loved ones.

4) Why do you blog?

I started blogging as a way to share some low-call but plentiful recipes and then somehow it evolved into a journal of my life and a way to share my daily experiences with my family and friends.

I continue to blog because I love the community and have made some amazing friends (you know who you are )

5) Share five websites that you visit regularly…

Gmail, Facebook, Google Reader, People, Twitter

6) If you could have lunch with one person from your Twitter list who would it be?

Snooki, yup I went there

7) List a few of your favorite snacks.

NuGo Dark bars, Chobani Greek yogurt, almonds, Think Thin PB bars, cheese/crackers

8 ) Do you have a pet? If so, what kind?

Yes!  3: Naava – a German Shepard / Chinese Sharpei mix and Myko and Neci – domestic short haired cats

9) Which three material possessions would you struggle to live without?

iPhone, engagement ring, tv

10) What’s your favorite drink?

Nonfat vanilla latte in the AM, red wine in the PM

11) Do you enjoy cooking?

Yes!  Preferably with a glass of vino.  I prefer baking even more.

12) Do you have children?

Sure do My lil soybean (Sawyer) is 3.5 weeks old

13) What are your favorite hobbies?

Reading, getting pedis, shopping, working out, blogging

14) Would you consider yourself to be shy or outgoing?

More outgoing than shy.  I like smaller groups though – big groups can be intimidating

15) If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?

I’d improve my patience.  I suck at it and in turn it makes me anxious and irritable.

16) Who is your favorite actor/actress?

Can’t say I have a favorite.  Julia Roberts has always ranked pretty high though.

17) What’s the coolest thing you’ve done this week?

Visited with my Dad and his gf

18) Do you live near your family or far from them?

Far.  Too far!  Our family is in WI, VA, and FL.  We live in Cali.

19) List three of your talents.

Err, I lack talent.  I guess public speaking, shoe shopping (?), memorizing details and recalling them

20) What is your greatest attribute?

My independence (also could be a fault though)

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?

Why do you blog?

Guess who is visiting today?  My Dad and his gf – yay!  They are here to meet the lil soybean and I think we’re all pretty excited.

Since Monday I’ve had a fabulous friend date with Miss Shayla (amazing time as always!!!)  and also went to a mommy/baby meet up with some other ladies – all our babies are under 3.5 months.  It was too cute.  Sadly no photos, but I’ll remember to take some next time.

And in case you didn’t know the lovely Kjirsten had her baby girl yesterday   Congrats!

As for reining in the eats and getting moving, I’m doing a good job so far!  I’m not strictly counting calories, but am doing mental tallies throughout the day to ensure I’m on track.  So far, so good!  I’ll do a weigh in next Wednesday (4 weeks postpartum).

And since sometimes photos are more interesting than words, here ya go:

Naava has a close up encounter

Neci strikes a stoic pose

Shayla is a natural with the Bjorn and soybean

Life is better with froyo  (choc milkshake, yo frappe, and cookies and cream with oodles of toppings)

Outings with our new addition are the best

I love my mornings with my baby boy

Oh and our newborn photo session photos are up.  If you’re interested in seeing them, let me know in the comments and I will send you a link with the password.  They’re pretty darn adorable

If you’re week was summed up in a photo, what would it be of or look like?

The days are blending together for me, but the weekends are still nice because it means people are around to play with me (and the lil man!). 

We spent Saturday cheering for the 49ers and their incredible last minute win.  Such a good game.  And thanks to our friends Dan and Kate who came over equipped with groceries to cook us a meal.  Awesome!

I mentioned last Friday that it’s time to kick my bootie into gear after having Sawyer.  I’ve been semi-cleared by the doctor to be somewhat active and with that means reining in the horrendous eating.  Yes I can still indulge, but no more binge eating.

Though I realize I’m only 19 days postpartum, I’m feeling a little down about my body.  Again, this is my feeling.  And the reason for it is because I have assumed that I could eat whatever I want and breastfeeding would just melt the pounds off.  So not true.  I should know better than to assume there is an easy fix.  It takes discipline and hard work. 

My good friend Laury just wrote a fabulous post about Body Image After Baby and I really resonate with what she wrote.  Check it out!

So, now what? 

Now I resume my healthier lifestyle and get moving more.  This will mean long(er) walks using the Bjorn or the stroller and reduced snacking with more balanced meals.  I’ve already noticed that eating is tough with the soybean since he tends to want to eat when I do, so I just wolf down my food.  I think I can eat a few bites, feed him, and then nuke my meal when he’s done so I’m not scarfing it down and reaching for a snack immediately after.

I also mentioned last week that I’ll be tracking calories.  For me, this helps me account for all my eats.  Because breastfeeding is estimated to burn approximately 500 additional calories per day, I am going to target 2100 calories for my daily intake.  If I find myself starving or low on energy, I will increase the calorie take accordingly.  And per usual, I will have more calories on the weekend cuz that’s how I roll

Alrighty, so here are the stats as of January 16, 2012, 19 days postpartum:

• Weight: +13 pounds
• Ribcage: 30”
• Waist (bellybutton): 32”
• Hips: 35.5”
• Right Bicep: 11”
• Left Bicep: 10”
• Right Thigh: 21”
• Left Thigh: 22”
  (all measurements at widest part)

And wow, I feel very vulnerable right now.  Ugh.  But by putting out the honest numbers, I know I will work that much harder to see them come down – in a healthy, maintainable way.

Here are two photos I took on Friday, 16 days postpartum (casual clothes for sitting at home with Sawyer all day):

If you have any good at-home (mild) workouts, please send me a link or offer suggestions.

I’ve had an interesting last few days filled with a few new-to-me experiences/things.

First of all, we are officially without family.  My SIL left on Wednesday (Sawyer misses his aunt CC ).

Here is a photo of the first time Sawyer tried on glasses (he looks so smart, no?):

Monday was the first time I drove in weeks.  It was also the first time I used our stroller – trying to fit the infant carrier in was a bit of a feat, but I managed it.

After dropping off Carly at SFO on Wednesday I drove home – just me and the lil man – and all was well until I got out of the car.  For those that follow me on twitter, you may have got a hint of what happened, and it was not good.

Warning: TMI coming your way…

As I got out of my car, I felt a bit of a gush.  Now if you’ve had a baby. you know that you still bleed weeks after birth.  Completely normal.  What is not normal is what happened to me.  I bled so much that it went through my clothes and dripped in the parking space (yeah I told ya, TMI, but I’m writing because I think it’s helpful to share these experiences…).  Immediately I grabbed Sawyer and waddled up to my townhouse.  With Sawyer safe inside, I ran upstairs to the bathroom only to discover I passed a larger-than-golf-ball sized blood clot.  Ewww / yikes / meep!  Oddly enough the doctors at the hospital did mention this could happen and I filed that way back in my brain as “impossible.”   But sure enough, first blood clot.

To make a long story short, I had to see my doctor asap and subsequently had to have an internal exam (yes 2 weeks after birth ) to determine whether there was still placenta or membranes inside.  Verdict was that things looked good, but I was put on anti-hemorrhage meds for a couple days to be sure.  Oye.  What an adventure.

Moving on to other more pleasant firsts.

Like Sawyer sleeping a whole 8 hours on Wednesday night for the first time.  Pure bliss!  However, we know it won’t last.  And since we had his first pediatrician’s appointment yesterday, she confirmed that it’s okay every once in awhile if he sleeps that long, but until he is two months, we need to wake him up every 4 hours to feed. Sigh. 

Yesterday I also went for a walk with both Sawyer and Naava on my own for the first time.  Wahooo!  The Baby Bjorn works great for walks. Yippeee!

Also yesterday, Sawyer has his first play date!  Here is with Preston  

Adorable right?  Preston was born just 2 weeks before Sawyer.  He had a lot to say in this picture, but Sawyer wasn’t havin’ it

So yeah, as for as ‘next things,’ it’s high time I get my @ss in gear.  And by that I mean, stop using postpartum recovery and holidays as an excuse not to get back into shape.  My doctor’s appointment on Wednesday confirmed my stitches are healed and I can start walking longer and being a bit more active.  With that, I need to stop the bad eating habits and start resuming a healthy eating life style.  For me, that will mean tracking calories so I can be accountable for what I eat. 

I’ll do a weekly weigh in with you guys so you can help me stay on track, starting on Monday.

But please know that should anything come up with my baby boy, he will always take precedence over my desire to lose weight or get an extra walk in. 

What are your tips for breaking bad eating habits and resuming a healthy lifestyle?

My baby is 2 weeks old today.  And yup, there is going to be a lot of baby talk on my blog.  Why?  Because I love him more than life itself and I can’t imagine not blogging about him.  Hope that’s okay with you

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a good ol’ What I Ate Wednesday so I thought I’d just jump right back in!

It may be the new year and all but I have been eating like it’s the holidays.  Partly because I’m still in celebration mode from my lil arrival, but also because I feel like I can’t really get back into the health groove until I heal better.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely eating balanced nutritious meals, but also dipping into the sweets a little lot. 

Here is a hodge podge of eats:

Indian food at home: Paneer cheese, steamed frozen veggies, tikka masala curry sauce and a side of naan and rice.  Beyond delicious!

Scrumptious banana bread that I’ve made before.  Try it with TJ’s cookie butter and you’ll have heaven in your mouth.

Not pictured: Kung Pao Cabbage from Jing Jing, homemade pizza, lots of Starbucks lattes…

Oh and some of these guys:

Sprinkles cupcakes – German Chocolate (Carly’s), Smores (Zach’s), Lemon Coconut (mine).

And just for fun, here is some daily cuteness

Do you make Indian food at home?  Ever cooked Paneer?

Favorite cupcake flavor?

How was your weekend?

With 6 weeks off of work and a newborn, I have no sense of time anymore.  I really need to detail a ‘typical’ day for you because it is so not what used to be the norm.

This past weekend, my Mom left {read: sad } and my SIL arrived!  Despite being limited in what we can do, we did make it to froyo on Saturday along with a walk in Palo Alto, and a glass of vino at the Half Moon Bay Ritz-Carlton on Sunday.  Not too shabby eh?

Otherwise, most of our time is pretty much spent like this:

Yeah he really is that cute   Oh, so is the hubby

Okay moving on to the title of the post: commitments.

At my company, each year we typically have to set ‘objectives’ for which we are then measured against at the end of the year.  This is how we eventually get raises, promotions, etc.

This year, our company is changing to ‘commitments.’  What’s the difference you say?  Well apparently there is a sense that there is more personal devotion by committing to something than to simply have an objective to do it.  I’m still wrapping my head around it a bit. 

While I am not sure what my 2012 work commitments will be, I do have an idea what I’d like my 2012 personal commitments to be.

This year I am committed to:

• Love and care for my son with every ounce of my being.
• Make one-on-one time for the hubby via date nights, getaways, small gestures of love.
• Reinvigorate my fitness – once I get the all-clear from the doctor, I plan to return to Bikram, bring Sawyer to PlaYo (mommy/baby yoga), etc.
• Volunteer more.  I don’t know what this looks like yet. but I do miss the feeling of giving back.
• Practice flexibility and patience.  I’m pretty sure this will be forced upon me by nature of having a baby, but I really want to put in the effort to be more relaxed in these two regards.
• Travel!  2011 was spent touring the US for various weddings.  This year, I’d like to take some dedicated trips: NYC (haven’t been since I was 10!) and perhaps Spain or Argentina in the Fall.
• Continue to take care of myself.  I’ve heard too often of ‘Mom’ falling off the priority list, but I know that I will be a better momma and wife if I make time for me.  This will include girls nights out, pedis, retail therapy (as required ), exercising, reading, etc.

What are you committed to this year?

How do you take care of yourself?

Okay so let’s talk 1 week out stats:

Here is what I looked like on day 7:

Based on other pregnancy blogs I had read, I assumed I would walk out of the hospital 15-20 lbs thinner.  Especially considering having a nearly 9 pound baby!  AND all the blood I lost. 

Well nope, that sure as heck didn’t happen. 

As of my 38 week doctor’s appointment, I had gained 25.8 pounds, but by the time I gave birth, I’m pretty sure I was about 27 pounds total weight gain. 

As of Wednesday (1 week postpartum), I lost 14 pounds and about 4+ inches from my waist (was at 38” and, now am at 31-34” depending on where I’m measured.  My ribcage is at 30”).

So yeah I was a lot of belly but certainly have weight elsewhere!  My thighs feel slimmer, but my face still is carrying some weight and I’m having some swelling.  Btw, I had a great deal of swelling in my ankles and feet the first few days after birth – perhaps due to all the fluids???

I have done nothing in terms of working out.  Nothing.  And I’m eating whatever I want so I figure once I start working out and eating better, the pounds should come off. 

Oddly enough, I’ve never felt more beautiful – and that’s tough for me to say since I’m not one to think I’m all that and a bag of chips

Alright, let’s get on to Mr Sawyer’s stats:

• Birth weight: 8 pounds, 10 ounces
• 5 days post birth: 7 pounds, 11 ounces (nearly 10% weight loss)
• 8 days post birth: 7 pounds, 14 ounces (woohoo )

So there ya go!  Again if you have specific questions, feel free to ask!

Tonight my SIL in coming in – yay!  And tomorrow my Mom leaves – big boo on this one.  I am not ready for her to leave in the slightest.  Things are going to get real around here

As for weekend plans, I’m hoping for some walks, maybe froyo, and perhaps even venturing out to dinner! 

What’s on your weekend agenda?

Anything else you’re curious to know?