With the exciting news of Tasanee's pregnancy and several others expecting babies in the near future, I've been thinking a lot about the things that have actually been useful since Zaiden came home from the hospital and things that we've recently discovered that have been lifesavers. Granted, all kids are different and have different preferences, but I remember looking for lists of things that would helpful to have at home for me or for the baby and not finding anything particularly useful. So, for all the new moms out there and new moms-to-be, here is my current list of essentials for the first four months:
Month 1:
For Mom
1. pads (Always Infinity were my favorite)
2. Tucks Pads - buy the actual pads and not the witch hazel separately, you really won't have time to make your own
3. Motrin - I had a super easy recovery, but I still needed to take Motrin once a day. Buy 200 mg capsules and take 3 at a time - it's the same prescription they'll give you when they discharge you from the hospital and you can skip the line at the pharmacy
4. Protein bars/granola bars - I lived off of these when Eric went back to work and I was home by myself
5. Yoga pants/cute track suits and tanks/shirts - anything that is comfy but that also allows you to feel like you look halfway decent
6.Good nursing bras and nursing tanks- Bravado are my favorite. The ones from Target suck (everyone said they were good, but they provide ZERO support and just made me feel frumpy). Get fitted toward the end of your pregnancy. Just buy a few then figure out what works and buy more - you'll do laundry every other day anyway, so you'll always have bras to wear
7. The usual breastfeeding supplies - nursing pads, lanolin, etc
8. If you're breastfeeding, learn how to nurse lying down. It will make your life MUCH easier and it means you will get sleep (I can honestly say I've only had 2 nights so far that I didn't wake up rested - 1 was his 2nd day alive in the hospital and 1 was a night 3 weeks ago where he just wanted to play)
9. Sign up for Amazon Mom - it's awesome to always have what you need when you need it without leaving the house.
For Baby:
1. A place to sleep - could be a pack n play, a bassinet, or your bed. I was sure we wouldn't co-sleep until the 2nd day when I realized it was waaay easier for all of us
2. Diapers - buy at least one small pack of preemie diapers. Zaiden was 7lbs when he was born and he peed through newborn diapers for 2 - 3 weeks before they fit him properly
3. Newborn clothes - make sure you have some on hand. Get enough for one full week of 2 changes a day, then get more if you need them after a couple weeks.
4. Some sort of bathtub for after the umbilical cord falls off - they'll give you a plastic bathtub at the hospital, but Zaiden felt much more secure in the sling thing of his bathtub and actually enjoyed bath time after that. The hospital will also give you a disposable washcloths and soap so you don't even need that!
5. Carseat - DUH
6. Stroller - if it's going to be nice outside when your baby is born, this is great to have so you can actually get out of the house!
7. Wrap/Carrier - it's a godsend when you need to go to the bathroom (I promise you that at some point, you will pee holding your baby), do something around the house, etc.
8. A blanket/towel/mat for tummy time - doesn't have to be fancy. They really don't start playing with toys until closer to 3 months
9. Receiving blankets - the special swaddling stuff was more pain that it was worth for us, especially since we both got the hang of swaddling very quickly. Get at least 5 good quality ones - you can use them for lots of things. I liked Carters ones - the Gerber ones were really small (and in general, Gerber clothes run small - 0-3 fits a newborn!) I would advise buying maybe 1 specialty swaddler (like a Halo or Miracle Blanket) and seeing if you like it. If you do, order some from Amazon Mom or using all those Babies R Us gift cards you're sure to get. It's easier to order more, than to return stuff.
10. First Aid/Grooming kit - nail clippers, scissors, thermometer, etc. The American Red Cross and Johnson and Johnson make an infant one that is good and has all the basics. Make sure you get a nasal saline solution of some sort - it really helps when you need to get boogies out of their nose and if/when they get congested
Month 2:
For Mom:
1. Clothes - yes, you are in between sizes and yes you will likely feel like you did first tri about your body (as in you will just feel fat regardless of what anyone tells you). It's OK to feel that way, but don't exacerbate the problem by torturing yourself with your pre-baby clothes. I still can't fit into most of my pre-baby tops b/c my chest is just too big. Not sure if it'll ever go down again, but I wish I had bought more cute tops sooner. You're worth it, you'll be happier, and so will everyone else.
2. Extra pump parts - if you're going back to work, I promise these are worth the investment. I bought 3 extra membranes/connectors and the Medela wipes to wipe down my flanges after each use. Sooo much easier and faster than washing everything by hand at work. You can also put your used pump parts in the fridge between sessions if you don't want to wash them each time.
For Baby:
1. Swing/Bouncer - you'll know by now if you baby will like one or both of these things, so if you didn't get it from your registry, now would be the time to buy it, if your baby likes these things!
2. Bumbo - I wish we had bought one. They love to sit up at this age and this is a great way for them to do that. Plus, it lets you do things while they watch you (e.g. get ready, cook, etc). If you don't have a bumbo or don't want one, I would highly recommend a highchair as an alternate. We got ours out around this time and it has been fantastic (we have the Graco Blossom and it comes with an infant insert) - Z loves sitting there and watching/playing while we eat/cook/etc.
3. Bottles - if you are returning to work and breastfeeding, definitely make sure you have a couple bottles to try out. We bought 1 each of a couple different kinds to see what worked best, and then bought a ton of the bottles Z preferred as well as a ton of bottles that work with my pump. We still run the dishwasher every night, but I don't have to wash any pump parts during the day which is a huge time saver.
4 . Fisher Price SeaHorse - it is amazing! Baby loves the ambient light and we loved that the music that came out didn't sound so computerized like it did on the swing/bouncer and the pack n play.
Month 3:
For Mom:
1. 20-30 minutes each day for yourself - I know it's really really really hard, but try to find a little time each day for yourself. This might mean a walk or a long shower or time at the gym or locking yourself in a room alone. Whatever it is, try and find the time for you. You are giving so much of yourself and you really need a little bit of time to feel human again. I promise it is worth it and again it will help you feel like yourself again:)
For Baby:
1. Playmat - If you haven't already, get one! Now is the time that they actually start getting into it more (when I say month three, this is really when they are 2 months old, so month one is 0-1 month, month 2 is 1-2 months, etc).
2. Toys - get a few if you want. It's not essential, but it is amazing how fast they go from not playing with toys to playing with them. We have a fun ball with with lots of holes for him to grab on to.
Month 4:
For Baby:
1. Exersaucer or Jumperoo - Our baby loved to stand up from an early age, so if your baby is like ours, this will be so much fun for him/her. We got the Jumperoo and our little guy loved it! He was getting bored of his mat, so this was a fun new thing to add into the mix
2. Sock Monkey - it's great because they can grab the various limbs to play
3. Cloth books and board books - again, these are nice because they can grab them. Z liked to help me turn pages when I read these books to him at this age
Month 5:
For Mom and Dad:
1. Babyproofing stuff: Z is at the point where he's definitely close to crawling. We probably still have some time, but he's rolling over a bunch and I figure it's best to just do it while he's still not completely mobile (because if it happens like everything else, it will literally be something that happens overnight). This is actually on our list of things to do.
For Baby:
1. Teething toys - Z started teething a little before he was 4 months old (month 4), and we were able to keep his mouth happy with cloth books and froze washcloths for awhile. However, shortly after he turned 4 months, that was definitely not enough and he got really frustrated with traditional teethers because he couldn't get them in his mouth fully (i'm talking about the circular rings and such that can go into the fridge/freezer). My recommendations for teethers are things that are long or rectangularish. Sophie the Giraffe was the best thing we have bought - no lie and it is totally worth the $17 we spent on it. We also got an orange ball the has rectangular looking things coming off of it that he likes to chew on. (it was maybe $3 or $4 on amazon).
2. Bigger activity mat - Z is definitely bigger/taller than the average kid, so this might be a baby specific thing, but we're definitely at the point where we need a bigger activity mat to give him the space he needs to roll around
So that's my list to date. It's not necessarily comprehensive and it's really a list of what worked best for us. Each family and each kid is different, so what works for us might not work for you. However, I know that when I was expecting, looking at what other people found useful was helpful for me, so I'm hoping this will be helpful for someone else:)
Moms that follow this blog, share your favorite must-haves for each month in the comments below (and if you have favorite must haves as the kids get older, I would LOVE to hear them)
Friday, September 9, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
Such a great week!
This week has been absolutely fantastic! I could not have imagined the transition from Eric being at home to Eric being at work and Zaiden being with Nanima/Khati Masi going any smoother. It has been phenomenal for all of us and it feels like we're settling into a great routine. I have absolutely LOVED having Tuesdays and Thursdays with Zaiden - it seems like those days just fly and we have such a good time together. As busy as I am, I feel like I have so much more patience with him and with everything in general. We had a great time during our days together this week - did lots of reading, explored Costco and the supermarket, went on walks, and sang some songs. Eric and I recently bought a collection of kiddie music and started putting in on and singing along with it to Zaiden. So far his favorite tunes have been Skip to My Lou (because I held him and skipped - talk about a good workout!) and Michael Finnigan. It brings back some great memories singing with him...it reminds me a lot of playing with Waheed when he was a baby. Zaiden is also becoming quite the snugglebug, especially at night! It used to be that I would have to slyly slip my nipple away from his mouth once he fell asleep, but now I have to slyly slip away myself! He's much less interested in eating when he wakes up at night and is much more interested in cuddling/making sure I'm around. I am having some luck with getting him back to sleep without a boob, but it only lasts about 10 minutes an then I nurse him quickly and he's out like a light. I think a lot of that has to do with teething though, but we better get used to it since he'll be cutting teeth for the next couple of years!
In other news, it's been a great week for me and Eric as a couple as well. Even though we've both been tired, I feel like we've had time each night to connect and that makes SUCH a difference. Plus, Eric is sooo much more relaxed/not stressed/not cranky about going back to school this year and I think a lot of that has to do with Zaiden. I think I'm also getting a case of baby fever, which is crazy since Zaiden is only 4 months old, but I can't help it! He's such a good baby and I had such an amazing pregnancy experience and I have SO much energy right now. Don't worry though - we're not planning on adding any new Skrzypeks to the family just yet:) We are, though, getting very excited about another baby in the family...Baby Walsh is due to make his/her debut in March and we couldn't be happier! Tasanee is like a big sister to me and we are both so excited for her and Adam to become parents. Plus, we are so excited that Baby Walsh and Zaiden will be so close in age - there is bound to be a lifelong friendship there:)
As awesome as this week has been, the long weekend promises to be even better. Mama Skrzypek is coming to town this afternoon and we have lots of fun planned! We're making a special dinner tonight, a special breakfast tomorrow, visiting my parents' for lunch, celebrating at a housewarming party, shopping at the outlets, and relaxing on the water all in one weekend! We're also looking forward to seeing friends and family on Monday and I'm hoping with all the extra hands that will be around this weekend, I'll get a chance to do some uninterrupted studying as well:)
In other news, it's been a great week for me and Eric as a couple as well. Even though we've both been tired, I feel like we've had time each night to connect and that makes SUCH a difference. Plus, Eric is sooo much more relaxed/not stressed/not cranky about going back to school this year and I think a lot of that has to do with Zaiden. I think I'm also getting a case of baby fever, which is crazy since Zaiden is only 4 months old, but I can't help it! He's such a good baby and I had such an amazing pregnancy experience and I have SO much energy right now. Don't worry though - we're not planning on adding any new Skrzypeks to the family just yet:) We are, though, getting very excited about another baby in the family...Baby Walsh is due to make his/her debut in March and we couldn't be happier! Tasanee is like a big sister to me and we are both so excited for her and Adam to become parents. Plus, we are so excited that Baby Walsh and Zaiden will be so close in age - there is bound to be a lifelong friendship there:)
As awesome as this week has been, the long weekend promises to be even better. Mama Skrzypek is coming to town this afternoon and we have lots of fun planned! We're making a special dinner tonight, a special breakfast tomorrow, visiting my parents' for lunch, celebrating at a housewarming party, shopping at the outlets, and relaxing on the water all in one weekend! We're also looking forward to seeing friends and family on Monday and I'm hoping with all the extra hands that will be around this weekend, I'll get a chance to do some uninterrupted studying as well:)
Monday, August 29, 2011
Hello life for the next 3 years!
So now it's the end of August and I haven't written a post in the last three weeks! So much has happened that I'll try and fill ya'll in as efficiently as I can.
First, Zaiden turned 4 months old on August 18! I can't believe how big he's gotten and how much stuff he can do now. He can sit up almost on his own (he'll prop himself up if we sit him up and he's trying to sit up straight with no hands), he puts EVERYTHING in his mouth, he tries to talk and read and tell stories, he's starting to show signs of going longer than 2 hours between feedings during the day, he's soooo close to rolling over from his back to his tummy (he can already do the other way) and he's definitely teething (confirmed by the doctor at his 4 month appointment). As for his 4 month stats, here they are: Weight - 16 lbs 8 oz (75th percentile), Height - 26.5 inches (95th percentile). The doctor was super impressed that was able to balance so well sitting up and thought he was developing quite nicely. I was looking back at his first appointment and it is crazy to me how much he has grown - at 1 month he was only in the 25th percentile for height and weight and now he's such a big boy!
Zaiden has been especially cuddly the past couple of nights and he's been nursing a TON at night the past 2 nights, but not for long periods. Last night, he would nurse for about 5 minutes, fall asleep, cuddle next to me and would wake up about an hour later and repeat the whole process. It seemed like when he woke up he was scared and didn't know where he was or where I was. I'm wondering if he's starting to miss us when we're not there or if he's just more aware now of when we're not there. I'm thinking it might be a combination of those things as well as the whole teething thing. We'll see though. I think as long as we keep following his cues and giving him space he'll work it out. That's the nice thing about babies - they have lots of phases, but none of them seem to last too long. In any case, I'm trying to enjoy the extra cuddles as much as I can (although it was really hard last night since I was trying to do homework)...I know that it won't last long and soon he's not going to need his mama to go to bed.
In other news, I started business school for real! We had our opening residency at Airlie in Warrenton starting on August 18, so Zaiden, Eric and I headed down to my parents' house while they enjoyed themselves in Vegas. The 18th and 19th were VERY difficult days for all of us. I left home around 8 a.m. and I didn't get back until 12 a.m. on the 18th and 9:30 p.m. on the 19th. Eric was fabulous with Zaiden and he got a little relief on the 20th and 21st once my parents were back (they were MORE than happy and eager to provide some back up support). I, on the other hand just had more work to do. I ended up getting home at 3 a.m. on the 20th and left at 7 on the 21st so that I could practice with my group for our final case presentation. It was definitely a hectic time, but it got me so energized and motivated to be in school. It was so nice to be able to think in a different way for a change.
My first day of classes was on the 22nd and boy was it a busy one! I was lucky enough to work from home last week so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Since I was home, I at least got to see Zaiden on a regular basis even though I couldn't really play with him. Classes went really well and I really had a great feeling afterwards - I totally felt like this was something I could do and we would definitely get through the next 3 years. I was so productive last week it was crazy, I even did my homework for Stats well in advance (like the day after it was assigned) and I did my homework for my management class last night (don't have that class until Wednesday), so I am pretty impressed with myself.
Today, however, will be the real test of how well we'll be able to get through the next three years. This morning, I dropped Zaiden off for his first day of "daycare." Luckily for us, "daycare" means Nanima and Khati Masi:) We'd been taking Zaiden to their house every Thursday all summer long so he'd get used to bein there and get familiar with both of them (plus, Eric and I got to have Nanima's food for lunch each week and nothing beats your grandmother's cooking:). I'm sooo glad we did that because this morning, he was happy as a lark when I dropped him off. It was fabulous and I didn't even cry! There may be tears later today though because tonight I have to go to class and I won't get home until close to 10 p.m. That means, I won't see my little lovebug for 14 hours! Thank goodness I have tomorrow off though, so we can make up for all that lost time:)
Today was also a bi day because it was Eric's first day back at work! After working only 3 weeks in the past 4 months, it was definitely hard for him to get back into the swing of things. We had a pretty good morning and he was able to get out the door on time (he went to bed on time so maybe that helped:)...hopefully he got to work on time and his day was better than he expected. I'll have to check up on him tonight on my drive to class and see how it all worked out.
As I sit here typing this, I can't help but feel a bit anxious. I guess I just want to know how the day will go for all of us and I want to make sure it goes smoothly and that Zaiden isn't upset because he misses us too much and Eric is stressed because he's got to do bedtime with Zaiden by himself, and that I don't come home feeling absolutely guilty about everything. We'll see though...I'll try and report back Wednesday on how things went!
First, Zaiden turned 4 months old on August 18! I can't believe how big he's gotten and how much stuff he can do now. He can sit up almost on his own (he'll prop himself up if we sit him up and he's trying to sit up straight with no hands), he puts EVERYTHING in his mouth, he tries to talk and read and tell stories, he's starting to show signs of going longer than 2 hours between feedings during the day, he's soooo close to rolling over from his back to his tummy (he can already do the other way) and he's definitely teething (confirmed by the doctor at his 4 month appointment). As for his 4 month stats, here they are: Weight - 16 lbs 8 oz (75th percentile), Height - 26.5 inches (95th percentile). The doctor was super impressed that was able to balance so well sitting up and thought he was developing quite nicely. I was looking back at his first appointment and it is crazy to me how much he has grown - at 1 month he was only in the 25th percentile for height and weight and now he's such a big boy!
Zaiden has been especially cuddly the past couple of nights and he's been nursing a TON at night the past 2 nights, but not for long periods. Last night, he would nurse for about 5 minutes, fall asleep, cuddle next to me and would wake up about an hour later and repeat the whole process. It seemed like when he woke up he was scared and didn't know where he was or where I was. I'm wondering if he's starting to miss us when we're not there or if he's just more aware now of when we're not there. I'm thinking it might be a combination of those things as well as the whole teething thing. We'll see though. I think as long as we keep following his cues and giving him space he'll work it out. That's the nice thing about babies - they have lots of phases, but none of them seem to last too long. In any case, I'm trying to enjoy the extra cuddles as much as I can (although it was really hard last night since I was trying to do homework)...I know that it won't last long and soon he's not going to need his mama to go to bed.
In other news, I started business school for real! We had our opening residency at Airlie in Warrenton starting on August 18, so Zaiden, Eric and I headed down to my parents' house while they enjoyed themselves in Vegas. The 18th and 19th were VERY difficult days for all of us. I left home around 8 a.m. and I didn't get back until 12 a.m. on the 18th and 9:30 p.m. on the 19th. Eric was fabulous with Zaiden and he got a little relief on the 20th and 21st once my parents were back (they were MORE than happy and eager to provide some back up support). I, on the other hand just had more work to do. I ended up getting home at 3 a.m. on the 20th and left at 7 on the 21st so that I could practice with my group for our final case presentation. It was definitely a hectic time, but it got me so energized and motivated to be in school. It was so nice to be able to think in a different way for a change.
My first day of classes was on the 22nd and boy was it a busy one! I was lucky enough to work from home last week so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Since I was home, I at least got to see Zaiden on a regular basis even though I couldn't really play with him. Classes went really well and I really had a great feeling afterwards - I totally felt like this was something I could do and we would definitely get through the next 3 years. I was so productive last week it was crazy, I even did my homework for Stats well in advance (like the day after it was assigned) and I did my homework for my management class last night (don't have that class until Wednesday), so I am pretty impressed with myself.
Today, however, will be the real test of how well we'll be able to get through the next three years. This morning, I dropped Zaiden off for his first day of "daycare." Luckily for us, "daycare" means Nanima and Khati Masi:) We'd been taking Zaiden to their house every Thursday all summer long so he'd get used to bein there and get familiar with both of them (plus, Eric and I got to have Nanima's food for lunch each week and nothing beats your grandmother's cooking:). I'm sooo glad we did that because this morning, he was happy as a lark when I dropped him off. It was fabulous and I didn't even cry! There may be tears later today though because tonight I have to go to class and I won't get home until close to 10 p.m. That means, I won't see my little lovebug for 14 hours! Thank goodness I have tomorrow off though, so we can make up for all that lost time:)
Today was also a bi day because it was Eric's first day back at work! After working only 3 weeks in the past 4 months, it was definitely hard for him to get back into the swing of things. We had a pretty good morning and he was able to get out the door on time (he went to bed on time so maybe that helped:)...hopefully he got to work on time and his day was better than he expected. I'll have to check up on him tonight on my drive to class and see how it all worked out.
As I sit here typing this, I can't help but feel a bit anxious. I guess I just want to know how the day will go for all of us and I want to make sure it goes smoothly and that Zaiden isn't upset because he misses us too much and Eric is stressed because he's got to do bedtime with Zaiden by himself, and that I don't come home feeling absolutely guilty about everything. We'll see though...I'll try and report back Wednesday on how things went!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Yay for Personal Trainers
After being in our new place for just over a month now, I can say it definitely feels like home. We've had some time to figure out where things are, how to get places, and meet our neighbors. Zaiden is also now about 3.5 months old and into a much more regular routine. He eats about every two hours from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. then takes a nice long nap, is up for an hour, then heads to bed around 8/8:30 p.m.
Taking all this into consideration, it felt like it was time to finally get back into the gym. This past week I did a bit of research and comparing and finally decided to join Fitness First. I got a great corporate rate and it's less than 1 mile from our apartment with great hours and childcare. As part of the deal for joining, I got a free personal training session that I took advantage of today. As you all know, I love working out, and some might say I'm kinda obsessed with having a very healthy lifestyle. For me, getting a personal training session was like a gift from above. After having Zaiden things just don't look/feel like they did before and I really feel like I've lost a lot of muscle. The other issue for me is that I'm really lost as to where to start back up with my routines. I was pretty hardcore before I got pregnant and I had to slow down a lot towards the end of my pregnancy. I still walked a ton, but it definitely wasn't the intensity that I was used to. Anyways, my issue is that I don't know what to do in the gym - I can't go full out like I used to, but at the same time I'm not really good at finding "middle ground." My personal trainer today was awesome and really helped me realize that I was already on the right track. Right now, my body fat % is at 29% - that was super disappointing for me, but my trainer did remind me that it is still in the healthy range for women and is really really awesome for only having a baby 3 months ago (he though I should be able to get to 18-19% body fat once I got back into my schedule). He also was very impressed with my diet and I really blew him away in our session with how much I could push myself. He gave me some awesome ideas for some new weight exercises and ways to build up my ab wall and muscles again. It was great to get a professional outside perspective on where I am with my fitness and the importance of easing back into my routine. I guess I didn't realize that I could do a lot of damage if I just rushed back to my old routine and it was great to get affirmation that I have been doing the right things in terms of diet.
It would definitely be awesome to continue personal training sessions, but they are just so expensive and I really can't justify it with all the added expenses we currently have and the reduced income from me working part-time. Plus, since I basically got confirmation that I know what I'm doing, I don't feel like I need a trainer each time I go to the gym. I might try to do it once every 3 months just to get new ideas/routines, but we'll see. Right now my goal is to get to the gym for 1 hour 3-4 days a week and I'd like to get back to feeling like myself in about 3 months. I'd like to get back to my pre-pregnancy body by the end of January, which would be 9 months after I had Zaiden (going by the 9 months to put it on, 9 months to take it off philosophy). We'll see though - I know sometimes you hold onto a bit more fat while breastfeeding and if that's the case I probably won't get my pre-pregnancy body back for a while (I definitely want to breastfeed for at least a year and would really like to make it to 2 years like WHO recommends). But, I'm OK with that and as long as I can keep working out and taking care of myself, I'll be happy.
In any case, I'm super excited to be back in the gym and really really excited for more workouts that make me feel strong, confident and energized. I feel like I'm such a better person to be around when I've had a good workout - I'm a better wife and a better mother and I'm definitely a more confident person with waay more energy. I'm definitely going to need all of that in the very near future as I embark up Business School. Orientation starts tomorrow and it will be the longest I've been away from Zaiden (nearly 13 hours!). It will be a trial run of Mondays and Wednesdays to come once classes start and will definitely give Eric and I a taste of what's in store. Looks for updates this weekend about how it went (for me, and for Eric and Zaiden:)
Taking all this into consideration, it felt like it was time to finally get back into the gym. This past week I did a bit of research and comparing and finally decided to join Fitness First. I got a great corporate rate and it's less than 1 mile from our apartment with great hours and childcare. As part of the deal for joining, I got a free personal training session that I took advantage of today. As you all know, I love working out, and some might say I'm kinda obsessed with having a very healthy lifestyle. For me, getting a personal training session was like a gift from above. After having Zaiden things just don't look/feel like they did before and I really feel like I've lost a lot of muscle. The other issue for me is that I'm really lost as to where to start back up with my routines. I was pretty hardcore before I got pregnant and I had to slow down a lot towards the end of my pregnancy. I still walked a ton, but it definitely wasn't the intensity that I was used to. Anyways, my issue is that I don't know what to do in the gym - I can't go full out like I used to, but at the same time I'm not really good at finding "middle ground." My personal trainer today was awesome and really helped me realize that I was already on the right track. Right now, my body fat % is at 29% - that was super disappointing for me, but my trainer did remind me that it is still in the healthy range for women and is really really awesome for only having a baby 3 months ago (he though I should be able to get to 18-19% body fat once I got back into my schedule). He also was very impressed with my diet and I really blew him away in our session with how much I could push myself. He gave me some awesome ideas for some new weight exercises and ways to build up my ab wall and muscles again. It was great to get a professional outside perspective on where I am with my fitness and the importance of easing back into my routine. I guess I didn't realize that I could do a lot of damage if I just rushed back to my old routine and it was great to get affirmation that I have been doing the right things in terms of diet.
It would definitely be awesome to continue personal training sessions, but they are just so expensive and I really can't justify it with all the added expenses we currently have and the reduced income from me working part-time. Plus, since I basically got confirmation that I know what I'm doing, I don't feel like I need a trainer each time I go to the gym. I might try to do it once every 3 months just to get new ideas/routines, but we'll see. Right now my goal is to get to the gym for 1 hour 3-4 days a week and I'd like to get back to feeling like myself in about 3 months. I'd like to get back to my pre-pregnancy body by the end of January, which would be 9 months after I had Zaiden (going by the 9 months to put it on, 9 months to take it off philosophy). We'll see though - I know sometimes you hold onto a bit more fat while breastfeeding and if that's the case I probably won't get my pre-pregnancy body back for a while (I definitely want to breastfeed for at least a year and would really like to make it to 2 years like WHO recommends). But, I'm OK with that and as long as I can keep working out and taking care of myself, I'll be happy.
In any case, I'm super excited to be back in the gym and really really excited for more workouts that make me feel strong, confident and energized. I feel like I'm such a better person to be around when I've had a good workout - I'm a better wife and a better mother and I'm definitely a more confident person with waay more energy. I'm definitely going to need all of that in the very near future as I embark up Business School. Orientation starts tomorrow and it will be the longest I've been away from Zaiden (nearly 13 hours!). It will be a trial run of Mondays and Wednesdays to come once classes start and will definitely give Eric and I a taste of what's in store. Looks for updates this weekend about how it went (for me, and for Eric and Zaiden:)
Monday, July 18, 2011
Zaiden's 3 Month Birthday
It seems hard to believe that 3 months have flown by so quickly! Zaiden is doing so well and doing so many new things - he talks up a storm now and he's mastered the art of grabbing things. If the past few weeks are any indication, I think Zaiden definitely has his mommy's temperment. He knows what he wants, when he wants and he gets very upset if he doesn't get it right away (granted, right now these "wants" are really needs, like getting fed, sleeping and getting his diaper changed). I forsee problems in the future when his "wants" actually become wants rather than needs. This month, Zaiden has also mastered the art of sucking his thumb, eating his hand, and rolling over (on 6/28)! Here are some videos from the past three months - it's amazing to see how much he's changed:) Enjoy!
Zaiden's First Bath: http://sharing.theflip.com/session/733748348c5fa3d2c2caeb071ae2d6a9/video/101791091
Story Time:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/733748348c5fa3d2c2caeb071ae2d6a9/video/101788951
Tummy Time I:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/733748348c5fa3d2c2caeb071ae2d6a9/video/101788391
Zaiden v. Pacifier:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/733748348c5fa3d2c2caeb071ae2d6a9/video/101787631
Tummy Time II:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/733748348c5fa3d2c2caeb071ae2d6a9/video/101787041
Tummy Time III - The Roll Over:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/733748348c5fa3d2c2caeb071ae2d6a9/video/101785441
Zaiden's First Bath: http://sharing.theflip.com/session/733748348c5fa3d2c2caeb071ae2d6a9/video/101791091
Story Time:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/733748348c5fa3d2c2caeb071ae2d6a9/video/101788951
Tummy Time I:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/733748348c5fa3d2c2caeb071ae2d6a9/video/101788391
Zaiden v. Pacifier:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/733748348c5fa3d2c2caeb071ae2d6a9/video/101787631
Tummy Time II:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/733748348c5fa3d2c2caeb071ae2d6a9/video/101787041
Tummy Time III - The Roll Over:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/733748348c5fa3d2c2caeb071ae2d6a9/video/101785441
Our Anniversary
This weekend Eric and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary! It is amazing to think that one year has already flown by and it is insane how many changes have occurred in so short a time. Last year we were worrying about placecards and seating arrangements and now we worry about where we'll put the highchair in the dining room. Last year we had an amazing reception and danced the night away to our favorite classics and the newest hits. Last night we had a dance party for three courtesy of the baby einstien playmat. It hasn't been a perfect year - it was actually quite challenging reconciling all the changes that happened so quickly. Even though we had lived together for nearly 2 years before we got married, it seemed like a lot of things changed very quickly once we came back from our honeymoon. We found out I was pregnant and shortly after I was off on a plane to Rwanda for a month. I got back and then had to start the process of research business schools and decided that it might be better to stay in the area and go part-time rather than move away and go full time like we had planned. Then came the GMATs and the holidays and we were off to Sri Lanka for an awesome adventure. When we returned my business school application awaited me as I scrambled to finish my essays by the deadline. Once those were turned in we celebrated Eric's birthday, then a romantic Valentine's Day celebration. Before we knew it, it was time for my baby shower and then one short month later we celebrated my birthday in the hospital with our newest family member. The last three months have gone by in the blink of an eye and somehow in that time we managed to make a trip to PA, a trip to Charlottesville, many many trips to Warrenton and Tyson's to visit family, move and have Zaiden's bay'ah.
Now that I'm back to work and things are settling into more of a routine at home with Zaiden, I feel like I've finally had time to process all that has happened in the past year and it's really overwhelming. I loved going out with my friends for happy hour, having date nights, going into the city every once in a while, even going out every once in a while. I loved lazy weekend mornings - getting up at 8, cuddling over coffee and enjoying a leisurely breakfast. I loved going to the gym everyday and the feeling you get when you know you've had a really good workout. All those things that I loved so much have gone away to some degree, if not completely and I really really miss them. I miss date nights and romance, I miss lazy weekend mornings, I miss being able to do things on my own schedule, I miss hanging out with my friends and I miss having a group of people that could always relate to exactly where I was in my life. I think that there's an expectation, especially for women, that when you have a child you are supposed to be so happy and so consumed by that happiness that nothing bothers you - that the happiness you derive from your child replaces the happiness you derived from other aspects of your life before you had a child. For me, this really isn't the case. I love Zaiden with every ounce of my being and he makes me immensely happy, but the happiness I get from playing with him, interacting with him, and just being his mom does not replace the joys and happiness I derived from the other aspects of my life described above. While I know I am a better mom when I am able to take care of my emotional and physical needs, it's really hard to do - there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to take care of Zaiden and do the little things around the house that need to get done everyday and prep for school and deal with work.
Anyway, after that slightly serious tangent, the exciting thing this weekend was celebrating our anniversary and getting our first real date in 3 months! On Saturday, my parents came over and watch Zaiden while Eric and I went our for dinner in DC to CityZen. It was spectacular and we had an amazing time. I was super excited that I could actually fit into a dress I wore when we were honeymooning in Belize and for the first time in a while, I felt beautiful. The food was incredibe, the atmosphere was incredible and it felt incredible to get all dolled up for an evening that was just about the two of us. Annnd we only talked about Zaiden for about 5 minutes in the car - that was it. The entire night was about us and it was just what we needed. It was fablous to focus on our relationship for a change and it was so romantic to just get to eat together and share 3 whole hours alone. We were feeling so good and romantic and lovey-dovey and were quicly broken out of our spell by a hungry baby literally 5 minutes after we walked in the door. While it was good to cuddle and hold our little guy after being away from him for so long, there were definitely other ways I would have preferred to end our evening. On our actual anniversary Sunday, I was feeling kind of down. I had thought our anniversary would feel special and it didn't start out that way so that got me thinking about how different things were now than before and I was kind of down. We had a fun day with Zaiden though and he actually was asleep by 8:30. Once he was down, Eric and I finally got to spend some time together and it was fantastic. We had a fabulous Italian feast for dinner, got to watch our wedding video, enjoyed champagne from our toasting flutes and stuffed ourselves with delicious wedding cake as we cuddled on the couch and watched the baby monitor. I can't believe how lucky I am to be loved so much by such an incredible man. There were no flowers or expensive gifts, just a thoughtful card from each of us to the other and it was perfect.
Now that I'm back to work and things are settling into more of a routine at home with Zaiden, I feel like I've finally had time to process all that has happened in the past year and it's really overwhelming. I loved going out with my friends for happy hour, having date nights, going into the city every once in a while, even going out every once in a while. I loved lazy weekend mornings - getting up at 8, cuddling over coffee and enjoying a leisurely breakfast. I loved going to the gym everyday and the feeling you get when you know you've had a really good workout. All those things that I loved so much have gone away to some degree, if not completely and I really really miss them. I miss date nights and romance, I miss lazy weekend mornings, I miss being able to do things on my own schedule, I miss hanging out with my friends and I miss having a group of people that could always relate to exactly where I was in my life. I think that there's an expectation, especially for women, that when you have a child you are supposed to be so happy and so consumed by that happiness that nothing bothers you - that the happiness you derive from your child replaces the happiness you derived from other aspects of your life before you had a child. For me, this really isn't the case. I love Zaiden with every ounce of my being and he makes me immensely happy, but the happiness I get from playing with him, interacting with him, and just being his mom does not replace the joys and happiness I derived from the other aspects of my life described above. While I know I am a better mom when I am able to take care of my emotional and physical needs, it's really hard to do - there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to take care of Zaiden and do the little things around the house that need to get done everyday and prep for school and deal with work.
Anyway, after that slightly serious tangent, the exciting thing this weekend was celebrating our anniversary and getting our first real date in 3 months! On Saturday, my parents came over and watch Zaiden while Eric and I went our for dinner in DC to CityZen. It was spectacular and we had an amazing time. I was super excited that I could actually fit into a dress I wore when we were honeymooning in Belize and for the first time in a while, I felt beautiful. The food was incredibe, the atmosphere was incredible and it felt incredible to get all dolled up for an evening that was just about the two of us. Annnd we only talked about Zaiden for about 5 minutes in the car - that was it. The entire night was about us and it was just what we needed. It was fablous to focus on our relationship for a change and it was so romantic to just get to eat together and share 3 whole hours alone. We were feeling so good and romantic and lovey-dovey and were quicly broken out of our spell by a hungry baby literally 5 minutes after we walked in the door. While it was good to cuddle and hold our little guy after being away from him for so long, there were definitely other ways I would have preferred to end our evening. On our actual anniversary Sunday, I was feeling kind of down. I had thought our anniversary would feel special and it didn't start out that way so that got me thinking about how different things were now than before and I was kind of down. We had a fun day with Zaiden though and he actually was asleep by 8:30. Once he was down, Eric and I finally got to spend some time together and it was fantastic. We had a fabulous Italian feast for dinner, got to watch our wedding video, enjoyed champagne from our toasting flutes and stuffed ourselves with delicious wedding cake as we cuddled on the couch and watched the baby monitor. I can't believe how lucky I am to be loved so much by such an incredible man. There were no flowers or expensive gifts, just a thoughtful card from each of us to the other and it was perfect.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
First Day of Work
After 12 weeks and 2 days of maternity leave, I have officially returned to the work force! Today was my first day back at work and boy has it been interesting. I have been dreading this day since I started my leave and getting out of the house this morning was so difficult. Little Z definitely loves his mommy and for the past 12 weeks I've been there to feed him whenever he was hungry, comfort him whenever he was upset and hold and cuddle him as much as he needed. I've watched as his eyes search for me when I move just out of sight and I've heard how he cries inconsolibly when I leave the room and he needs me (even if it's just for me to hold him). Given all of this, I'm sure you can imagine that today was a difficult day for us.
Everything this morning when exactly as planned - I fed Little Z at 5:30, got up at 6, took the dog for a couple mile walk/jog, showered, got ready then fed Little Z again around 7:30 before I left. Our feeding this morning was so special. I tried to memorize his face as I gazed into his eyes while he eat. I tried to burn the image of his eyes staring so lovingly back at me, and as I held his tiny hand I tried to imprint the feeling of him gripping me so tightly. Leaving him this morning was one of the hardest things I've done and I had tears in my eyes as I walked out the door. I was so concerned about him - what would he do when he realized mommy wasn't home? Would he have enough milk? Would Eric be able to calm him when he was fussy?
At the office, everything went smoothly. I spent most of the day catching on admin and HR things with a couple meetings interspersed throughout the day. Pumping hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be and it's been kind of nice to have those 15 minute breaks throughout the day to look forward to. I only called home twice - once after my mid morning pumping session and once after my lunch pumping session. It sounded like Zaiden was doing pretty well - no inconsolible crying or fussiness and there definitely was enough milk. Plus it seems like what I've been expressing is totally in line with what he's been eating all day. So now, with just 1 more hour left in my work day, I have to say I think it was a success.
I am so happy that I am only working part-time now. I think it's going to be the perfect balance of work and family. I think it will help me focus on work while I'm at work and our family when I'm at home and it will help me appreciate and enjoy both more. I think I'm going to value my time with Eric and Zaiden even more than I already did, and I already am gaining an appreciation for being at work and reading things other than Are You My Mother?, That's Not My Puppy, and the Ocean Alphabet Book (all of which I can recite from memory now:P). I'm also very excited about being able to eat on a regular schedule, send emails from my computer and use 2 hands for most of my activities. It's pretty exciting stuff after not being able to do any of that for 12 weeks. On the other hand, I do miss the huge smiles my little man gives me all day and how just hearing my voice makes him beam. I am just so thankful that Eric is able to be home with him all summer. He is such an amazing father and I feel so much better knowing that Little Z is still getting the love and attention he needs. I'm also glad Eric is staying at home with him because I think it will give him a new perspective on the things I've done since Little Z was born. Eric definitely appreciates all the work that I've done taking care of our little guy, but I don't think he fully got how frustrating and exhausting it can be to be the sole person that can feed and effectively comfort your child. Little Z definitely knows and loves his daddy, but he is dependent upon me in a very different way. It's an amazing responsibility, but it can also get to be very draining and I'm not sure it's something that he or anyone else can fully understand unless they are exclusively breastfeeding on demand. I totally believe that it is the best thing for our son and I'm happy to do it, but it is very confining and limiting and since not many people do this any more, there are a very few people that can relate to the feelings that you have in that particular situation.
OK - enoiugh babbling for now! Time to finish up the work day and head home to see my very awesome family:) I promise I'll be posting more often now, so check back for more updates. We're hoping to get some videos uploaded on here soon as well so y'all can see some of our adventures from the past 12 weeks!
Everything this morning when exactly as planned - I fed Little Z at 5:30, got up at 6, took the dog for a couple mile walk/jog, showered, got ready then fed Little Z again around 7:30 before I left. Our feeding this morning was so special. I tried to memorize his face as I gazed into his eyes while he eat. I tried to burn the image of his eyes staring so lovingly back at me, and as I held his tiny hand I tried to imprint the feeling of him gripping me so tightly. Leaving him this morning was one of the hardest things I've done and I had tears in my eyes as I walked out the door. I was so concerned about him - what would he do when he realized mommy wasn't home? Would he have enough milk? Would Eric be able to calm him when he was fussy?
At the office, everything went smoothly. I spent most of the day catching on admin and HR things with a couple meetings interspersed throughout the day. Pumping hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be and it's been kind of nice to have those 15 minute breaks throughout the day to look forward to. I only called home twice - once after my mid morning pumping session and once after my lunch pumping session. It sounded like Zaiden was doing pretty well - no inconsolible crying or fussiness and there definitely was enough milk. Plus it seems like what I've been expressing is totally in line with what he's been eating all day. So now, with just 1 more hour left in my work day, I have to say I think it was a success.
I am so happy that I am only working part-time now. I think it's going to be the perfect balance of work and family. I think it will help me focus on work while I'm at work and our family when I'm at home and it will help me appreciate and enjoy both more. I think I'm going to value my time with Eric and Zaiden even more than I already did, and I already am gaining an appreciation for being at work and reading things other than Are You My Mother?, That's Not My Puppy, and the Ocean Alphabet Book (all of which I can recite from memory now:P). I'm also very excited about being able to eat on a regular schedule, send emails from my computer and use 2 hands for most of my activities. It's pretty exciting stuff after not being able to do any of that for 12 weeks. On the other hand, I do miss the huge smiles my little man gives me all day and how just hearing my voice makes him beam. I am just so thankful that Eric is able to be home with him all summer. He is such an amazing father and I feel so much better knowing that Little Z is still getting the love and attention he needs. I'm also glad Eric is staying at home with him because I think it will give him a new perspective on the things I've done since Little Z was born. Eric definitely appreciates all the work that I've done taking care of our little guy, but I don't think he fully got how frustrating and exhausting it can be to be the sole person that can feed and effectively comfort your child. Little Z definitely knows and loves his daddy, but he is dependent upon me in a very different way. It's an amazing responsibility, but it can also get to be very draining and I'm not sure it's something that he or anyone else can fully understand unless they are exclusively breastfeeding on demand. I totally believe that it is the best thing for our son and I'm happy to do it, but it is very confining and limiting and since not many people do this any more, there are a very few people that can relate to the feelings that you have in that particular situation.
OK - enoiugh babbling for now! Time to finish up the work day and head home to see my very awesome family:) I promise I'll be posting more often now, so check back for more updates. We're hoping to get some videos uploaded on here soon as well so y'all can see some of our adventures from the past 12 weeks!
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