I wanna be MADE: Day 1

Confession: I totally think I can do this!!

Day 1 of my MADE project in which I attempt to become a runner, was a success!! The plan I used starts you off for the first week of running 1 min and walking 2 mins and repeating this 10x’s. Not bad. I found I had a bit more energy and “drive” then I anticipated and some life events were fueling the push to run, so all in all it wasn’t terrible! I am not even sore today! Although I am sure a lot of people will attribute that to the fact that I didn’t push myself BUT I think I should start out slower than usually and work up to really pushing myself when I have gotten into the habit and successfully held down the running fort for a few weeks. Anywho, amidst the playful jeers and joking about my MADE goals I forced myself to stick to my guns! Day 1 TAKE THAT! Day 2: Here I come!! Now if I could just tackle my eating…num num num! I will admit I have gotten better since the garbage bag I had become when pregnant. I would literally eat ANYTHING (exception was the first trimester but let’s not go back there) and as proof gained 50, yes that’s FIVE ZERO pounds. Gross. I attribute 30lbs to water weight and Colton and the other 20 is pure “I just couldn’t say no” consequence. Lesson Learned! Baby number 2 will NEVER be allowed to have that affect on me ( but that’s light years away, so…) Day 2’s running plan, is actually to walk for 30 mins, most definitely an attempt to ease you into it. That I can do!

Side note: Poor little Coltons adorably blue nursery (yes, the one we didn’t have to paint and even had blue carpet) is FREEZING! For some reason the heat is not flowing as powerful through the vent and to make things even worse, his windows are old, so there are some crazy drafts! On top of the fact that it is the farthest room from the furnace AND has two outside walls and only one heat vent. Poor baby has woken up each morning with chilled fingers. I think a move to another room is in store for his nursery this weekend. Boo hiss. It woulda just worked out perfectly to keep as his nursery! Oh well.

Bathtime gone wrong....

Confession: Colton loves bathtime, until yesterday!

Bathtime for babies is one of those events where the end just barely justifies the means. It takes a good 10 mins to gather everything you need: diapers, desitin, jammies, towel, check the water temp, fill the baby tub, check the temp again, grab the soap, grab the lotion, have the cell phone on hand or near and finally grab the baby. All that work for maybe 10 mins in the water to wash his body and hair and let him sit before the water gets cold. We give Colton a bath every 2 days and last night, after abuelita complained he smelled like spitup (which I don’t mind because it smells like baby) I decided I needed to give him a bath. He was all happy and had eaten before we left ‘Litas (short for abuelita) so would have fallen right asleep shortly after a bath! Perfect, just what mama needed: an easy night! Anyways, I grabbed our gear and started filling up his little whale tub. Checked the temp and all was good! Next step get Colton in! Now C, LOVES to be nakey. Any time you go to change his diaper he instantly gets happy when you take him out of his jammies and then another big happy when his diapy comes off! 2 big frown faces when it comes time to wrangle him back into a diaper and pjs. So I laid Colts down on the bath mat and he was smiling up and me as I took off his diaper and lifted him up and into the tub. AHHH he looked nice and content. He was starting to relax as I soaped him up and chatted about washing his underarms, his neck and arms, his lil belly, legs and leg folds (aka leg rolls), lil boy parts and finally his toesies. With a nice and soapy baby all ready to be rinsed off, I turned on the water and checked the temp. Then I grabbed the hand held shower head and pulled the knob to turn it on. WRONG! It turned on the shower head at the top, NOT the one in my hand (it had never done that before!) So poor C, is getting rained on. His face, and head and lil body. He was NOT expecting it and FREAKED OUT! It scared him and him screaming as he was, scared me!! I felt awful! I scooped him up, soaking, and held him trying to get him to calm down, and grabbed his towel and took him out of the bathroom. Still screaming. Finally he calmed down and I laid him on the bed and dried him off and YACK, he spits up his bottle, all over his nice and clean body :) I guess the excitement was too much for him! Needless to say, it didn’t take long once he was in jammies to fall asleep! Mama was able to relax for the nite!

I wanna be MADE

Confession: I want to be a runner.

I feel like the teens on MADE. LOL I wanna be MADE: a Runner

Im now 28. I am married. I have an awesome little baby. I own a home. I have a wonderful job. God is good. Now I need to do a bit of house cleaning. As in body = house and cleaning = taking care of. I desperately envy those people who can say “man I could go for a run right now” as if their body needs that time, that release. I want to be that person running, lost in thought letting my legs and body take over. Too ambitious? I don’t think so! I found online an 8 week beginners guide to training yourself to run 2 miles, easily . mmmhmm right. Well here goes nothing…. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!! So for the next 8 weeks, I will blog about my adventures in running. Day 1 will be Monday – Valentines Day! Which means I have the weekend to mentally prepare. Oye! Here we go, I can do this, I can do this. World of running here I come!!

Out with the Old, in with the New...

Confession: Did i tell you I am moving??

Not far, only two roads over but more space, better space, and 100% ours :) Our current house is a packed state of unpacked chaios! 80% completely packed and 20% a hodge podge of things that can't be packed until last minute and things that are unique in size that packing would be tough! In short, its CRAZY at our house! The organizer in me has lists, a clipboard (yes a clipboard) full of different checklists... what to pack, what to clean, where things will go, who is helping etc etc etc! With that much organization, one would think this would be a cinch! Now lets add in Alfie. Hmmm, love him, but he is a tad bit "fly in the ointment" Example: 2 weeks ago, i packed up the entire bathroom and left the labled boxes in the hallway. Alf needed the toenail clippers, so frusteratedly (is that a word?) he asked where they were (i totally get that it sucks not being able to find things). I showed him the box and he gets them out, clips his toes and puts them back in the box. BUZZZZZ incorrect answer! he put them back in the DRAWER! THE DRAWER!! yes, that same drawer that I have had empty and its contents packed for two weeks. small example but you catch my drift? So it seems, that I will get one room packed, only to find that another room which had previously been packed is sliiiightly coming unpacked. Pretty frusterating. Thankfully i only have 2 more days and then its time to mooooove! As i planned for this move, I decided i need to figure out the style of the house. I think 290 was my learning house. I did different colors and had lots going on in terms of style. With Shanlee, id like to mature in my style and go a lot more classic, more simplistic. I love the pottery barn look and williams sonoma style, but i have no where near the income to actually purchase items from there, so I will have to bootleg it. Which is fine for me, if i can do it with clothes (buy cheap, but look expensive) I can do it with home decor. Easy peazy...or atleast in my head it is. I have a ton of blogs that have such great home DIY ideas and my list of things to try and furniture to refinish is nice and long. It makes the arrival of spring and its warm paint friendly weather something to look forward to.

There is something to be said about a house that you feel is your own and that you want to make into your own. 290 didnt feel like ours. We didnt want it to be ours, but for the time being it is where we stayed, knowing that when we found the right home we would leave. Maybe its new home owner optimism, but i love Shanlee. I could see us there for a good long time, forever maybe, if thats what the Lord has for us.

I am one to enjoy dancing and (its never too early to start) Colton and i will slow dance (yes, cheek to cheek) in his nursery or at Litas house if there is music on. I can tell on his face he is thinking "mom, your CRAZY" but whats a good mother if not willing to act a tad bit crazy for her babies, right?? The other day i had DVR'd some workouts on fittv and was trying them out, so i sat Colty in the Bumbo facing me so he could watch. And everytime I would do a move he would smile. SO there i am working out and home boy is smiling bigggg smiles. It then occurred to me that mayyybe he was laughing at me, not with me.LOL nothing like being taunted by your 3 month old, right? Although it did make me do the moves a litttttle bit bigger and a little big more flamboiant in hopes that Id be rewarded with a big droolly smile! Gotta love some baby motivation!

Wow its been 3 months...

Confession: When they say "aww they grow up quickly" they arent joking!

Saturday Colton turned 3 months and MAN where has the time gone. I think back to my last post, and its weird to think that although my due date was weeks away, in 7 short days I ended up giving birth! Crazy! And thank the Lord he is perfect! Sure he has his naughty times when he cries and is fussy, but I don't mind because I love him so much. SOOOO much has happened since then! I have figured out how to quickly change a diaper (anyone with lil boys understands why... a shot of pee in the face is not pleasant!), hold a bottle in one hand and a remote in the other, get dressed in 10 mins, shower in 5, i have learned what a luxury a 15 min shower is and that its ghetto to take a perfume shower (aka just spraying yourself with perfume because you didnt have a chance to shower). I have mastered the art of the momma sway, and my arms are GUNS from holding Colton and carrying his carseat. But i love every minute of it. I dont know if i can pin a favorite part, but i LOVE now that he recognizes momma. I love that when i hold him and he cuddles up to my neck. I love when he looks at me and smiles this HUGE drooly smile. Its the best. It really really is. I know everyone said when i was sick, that it would be so worth it, well they were right. They were beyond right. I would do it all over again for my little Colton. It is amazing the intense love you feel for your baby. One year ago there was no Colton, but boy is life so much better with him. Yes its hard and tiring and super duper busy, but there is certainly something wonderful about being a mommy that only mommys get! So here is a picture of my pumkin!

The home stretch...

Confession: Colton could come anyday now! How cool is that?!

Its weird/fascinating/amazing that within my body is a little baby. A boy who will eventually grow up, and have his own life, his own likes or dislikes, who will at times try my patience, call me mommy and give me hugs. But for now is snuggled within me,with legs in my ribs and little hands punching my overies (or so it feels like) It really makes you think, "how can people NOT believe in God" When you think about how intracate, precise and complex the body is, its hard to believe that someone/something other than a loving God, could knit us together so wonderfully.

Well Colton, all we now need is you to arrive. The bedding is done (thanks to Mamsita's hard work) the crib is set up and the dresser is getting full of tiny little outfits lovingly picked with him in mind. And soon this awful thing called pregnancy will be over! PRAISE THE LORD! Talk about a time when the end more than justifies the means, or atleast in my case it did. I envy those women with easy pregnancy and NO a hard labor does not equate to a hard pregnancy. 9months is not equal to 24,48,64hrs of labor (unless of course you had a c-section, then that trumps it...lol)

I am not sure why but i am oddly fascinated by labor stories. I thrive on being prepared and knowing possible outcomes, part of which is why i had a hard time emotionally with this pregnancy. I didnt know it could be that bad. So with labor, i fully expect it to be awful but knowing in a "few" hours my little Colty with be there makes it all bearable. I can endure HOURS of torture for him right? I will admit though that i have a mild fear of getting an episeotamy, or a giant tear. But i am not nervous about the pushing or the pain and i try my best to practice my breathing and relaxing techniques when i am uncomfortable. And i have a great support system coming into it with me: Alfie, Mom and Susan, and i have already given myself the okay for this limited time to cuss up a storm if it helps! lol (and i warned mom)

The biggest mystery will be what he looks like. Will he have crazy curly hair or will it be straight like alfies? blonde or brunette? blue eyes or black (mine are crazy dark brown so i call them black)? light skinned or mocha? The count down is here (18 days) and i am anxiously awating being able to post the "im in labor" status on FB and sending the "im in labor"text to friends and most importantly the "Im in labor" phone call to our parents and siblings. But beyond being anxious, I am HAPPILY awaiting the new addition to love and cuddle, hug and have as my little mommas boy :) 18 days... thats 432 hrs...thats so close. And i for one can not wait!!!

A lil bleeding is good for the soul....

Confession: I didnt know you can get nosebleeds with pregnancy, i always thought nosebleeds were things certain people only got, like allergies. I had no idea that they can be a normal occurance during pregnancy. But then again in my mind pregnancy was this 9 months of glory and bliss where sure you feel tired and slightly nauseous but you also feel beautiful and relatively comfortable....FALSE.... silly me! (luckily i have noooo such ideas about labor being that way, i know that part will SUCK!) But anyways, back on to the nosebleeds. I think in my entire life i have maybe had 1 or 2, but since being pregnant i have had 6, starting at around 6 months. The odd thing is they come in pairs. So if i get one today, chances are i will get another one within a few days. There are also things that i now know will set them off. If i have been crying (thanks hormones) or if i am stuffy or if its too dry in a room (like cause the AC has been on thanks to this HOT weather), instant nosebleed. Well i got a nosebleed the other day so i should have known that it would be only a matter of time before the second one. Luckily though I have always been at home for them so its pretty easy, roll up some TP and shove it in the nostril and go about business. Only once was it out....and i was at Wegmans....eating a sub....definitely wasnt hungry after!

Well this most recent nosebleed was certainly memorable! And while i was NOT chuckling this morning when it happened i can now look back and see its humor and think "Man! only me!!" LOL

Well as i mentioned, I had one the other day at home, so I should have expected to have another one within a few days. To start the morning off i had already sat in traffic for 20 mins to get from 250 to Hard Rd on 104 because of an accident i didnt know about. And anyone who knows webster knows that i could have gone a BILLON ways to bypass that stretch of highway. So already i was in a yuck mood and running late. But oh well, as I was juuuust getting off of 104 and onto 390 this morning I rubbed my nose and felt like i had something in it. SO i keep rubbing it and then it felt better. But just as suddenly as i felt better, i felt this trickling down my throat (nasty I know) and CRAP knew instanly what was happening. When I wiped again (in hopes that maybe i was wrong) i was met with a bright red suprise and BAM the bloodgates (haha instead of flood gates) opened. Now my nosebleeds have not been trickles of blood, no these have been like someone punched me in the nose and its flowing pretty good. Ofcourse, because my car is not baby proofed yet, I did not have ANY tissues or napkins handy, all I had was an empty Wegmans muffin bag from the half muffin I had for breakfast. So there I am driving with one hand and trying to stop the bleeding with the other by trying to keep it from dripping on me with a wax paper bag! Which by the way was not successful, it got ALL over my right hand and my cheek/chin AND a few drops on my seatbelt. When i finally looked in the mirror it looked like i was in a fight. I was eventually able to get off 390 at the Canal Ponds exit and pull into a parking lot and did some digging around only to find a maxi pad, ironic , that I could use to attempt to mop up the blood (but mind you its still bleeding). Finally, when i was able to clean off some of what was on my face, I sucked it up and went into the building I was in the parking lot of, ironic again, it turned out to be a Unity Health Care place. I walk in the door (with a pad up to my nose) and am waiting to talk to someone from the front desk to ask if i can use their bathroom, when a patient in the lobby comes up to me and points me to the bathroom with a "i can see you need to use the bathroom, its right over there". I thanked her and booked it into the bathroom and grabbed some TP and went to work on the bloodbath that was happening across my face! With a few quick mops wipes of wet toilet paper to my face i was able to grab my go-to nosebleed stopper (a small square of toilet paper folded then rolled and shoved up my nose) and head back to my car. Thankfully by the time i got to work i was able to take out the rolled TP and no one could tell

to use the bathroom and get cleaned up and get toilet paper to shove up my nose until I got to work. It was certainly a memorable morning!!

As a side note to this blog, i was sharing this story with my girls at one of the showers and low and behold, guess what happened? NOSEBLEED! lol my neice Annah definitely thought i looked silly rocking some rolled up toilet paper shoved up my nose :)