Cry It Out

Everyone needs a good cry. 

In this case, we decided Marlee needs a good cry. 

I have always thought the crying it out sleep method was terrible. And part of me still does. It is literally like she cries because she has been abandoned and so one is coming to claim her. 

Dramatic I know, but it is so sad!

We were at our wits end though. She would fall asleep in our arms and instantly wake up after we put her in her crib. Even if she would stay asleep, she would wake up 3 or 4 times a night and need rocked back to sleep. And we would start the cycle all over again.

Needless to say, we were exhausted! And we could tell that Marlee was exhausted. She would wake up fussy and be visibly tired. So something had to give. 

So for the last week and a half, Marlee has been crying it out.

And sleeping like a baby. 

It started out to be a little more for me to handle so Nick did it while I was at work. He gave her a bottle, rocked her a little to relax her, and then placed her in bed. She cried for a half hour. 

The next night, she cried for twenty minutes but I was at work for this night also.

The third night, I was home. And I literally had to go outside to avoid the crying. It was the saddest cry. We had committed to this though and we had to wait it out. She only cried for ten minutes. If you have heard the cry of your child though, only ten minutes is such an understatement. 

So what is the positive side of the cry it out method? She does eventually fall asleep. And she sleeps. Soundly. All night long. 

And she wakes up in a great mood, ready to play.

Baking Fun

I hate admitting when my husband is right because he reminds me of it time and time again, but he was right. She actually fell asleep without any crying last night. I covered her with a blanket, kissed her forehead, and closed the door. Not a peep out of her. She did wake up once with a little whimper, but she fell back to sleep on her own within minutes. After doing a little research, this is the premise behind the cry it out method. Teaching babes to put themselves back to sleep. Adults wake up numerous times during the night but are unaware because we naturally fall back to sleep. Marlee needs to learn to fall back asleep without a bottle, rocking, singing, holding etc. If not, we are going to be doing this well into her toddler years. And if we ever plan to add to this family, we need at least one good sleeper. 

So everyone does need a little cry. It is good for the soul. And good for a sleeping Marlee. 

Busy Family Weekend

Somehow I was able to get a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off!

And let me just say, it still did not seem like it was a sufficient amount of time with my family. 

Can I please just win the lottery and spend everyday with Nick, Isaac, and Marlee?

Friday was Burgers at Midnight and it was another great turn out. Nothing better then meat at midnight on a meatless day! And of course, it is nice to have family over and get some good laughs in after a long week. I even made my burger debut and made up some balsamic vinegar, cheese, and celery burgers. Yum! Now I am racking my brain for Good Friday which will be the next Burgers at Midnight that I will be able to attend because of work. I am thinking a pineapple burger? Or maybe jalapeno popper burger? I mean the possibilities are endless.

Saturday was our big day. After searching for what feels like forever, we found a car! Ok so we were only searching for a couple weeks, but we were very specific with what we were looking for. We needed a car to grow with us. Grow with our family. Safety is imperative. Low mileage. And of course the price had to be right. And after seeing and test driving the Chevy Transverse, we both fell in love. After a couple minor repairs and recall issues taken care of, we are very proud owners of a new car. 

Enough room for four more children! Ha just kidding. 

Or am I?

So after our big purchase, we decided we needed some food. We literally sat in the dealership for about 3 hours. Ugh. At dinner, we also decided to get some new piercings. Obviously Nick and I are a bit too old for any piercing and Isaac is another obvious no, so Marlee Jo was the winner. I could sense her excitement when I told her the plan. 

Let me just give you the low down on baby girl ear piercings in case you have not found yourself in this situation before. I will say that God forbid these did not take or were to get infected for whatever reason, I would not take her again. It was just as bad, if not worse, then getting her immunizations done. Mostly because Marlee does not like to be cuddled. She does not like to be snuggled, or held tight, or swaddled, or ANYTHING that has to do with being constricted in anyway. So with that being said, this was the worst part of the piercing. Having nails jabbed through your ear lobes, no big deal. Having someone hold her down while this all happened, big deal. I sat down with Marlee on my lap, took my right arm and held down both her arms. I then took my left hand and held her forehead firmly against my chest. All this while two people were all up in her face trying to line up the holes perfectly. Pure torture for Marlee.

And then it was all done. I stood up and released her arms. She cried two big tears and was fine. Such a brave, strong girl. 

And such a mean, mean mom.

If we weren't in the mall, I would have cried more then her. 

She looks so beautiful though and I am so happy with the results. 

I have been trying to get a better picture of her but she is not one to hold still for very long. 

Sunday, I was able to relax with my sisters which is always so nice. I love to share the madness that is Marlee with them. I am really happy that Marlee will have Aunts to be close with her as she grows up. 

After all, family really is everything. 

Results from 21 Day Fix

21 Day Fix

So I have officially completed my first round of 21 Day Fix.

I hate to sound like I am a selling the program but I am really thrilled with my results and would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting fast and easy results. Honestly, there is no secret to the program. It is basic fitness and nutrition. Apart from drinking Shakeology everyday, it is exactly what anyone trying to loose weight should be doing to get lasting and solid results.

Eat clean. Exercise daily.

Let me just say that as soon as I ordered the 21 Day Fix, I started eating clean. I did not have the portion sizes yet but I knew that I had to cut out sweets, fried foods, and heavy snacking. I lost 5 lbs that first week that I wasn't even on the Fix. If that does not stress the importance of diet, then nothing else will. I always read that diet was 80/20 to exercise and this really proved it. Yes, I am sure a lot of this was water weight, but the weight loss continued after I officially started the Fix.

While on the 21 Day Fix, I lost a total of 6 inches (which includes 2.5 inches from my waist) and 4.8 lbs. So combined with the 5 lbs from the first week I started purging my diet, I am down 9.8 lbs and finally over the 150 pound hump that I have been stuck on for months. And I honestly feel great. More energy, clothes fitting better, and even had a couple girls at work tell me that I looked thin! Is there anything greater then hearing that? I think not.

Don't get me wrong, I had every intention of eating apple pie for breakfast my first day off the Fix but was craving an english muffin with peanut butter and bananas... same thing I would eat on the Fix. Is it possible I am changing my ways!? Not entirely, (I do love my sweets) but I am definitely more aware with how many carbs and sweets I consume. The last thing I want to do is gain back everything that I just lost.

Apart from the number results, I also took before and after pictures. I have to admit that I am not going to post them. Trust me, it is for the best. Don't get me wrong, the results are very visible, but I still have some way to go. And putting my underwear clad picture up for the world to see is just not a top priority at this moment. It is the internet after all. 

I plan on doing another round after Easter and hopefully after that be down to pre-baby weight! 9 months to put it on and 9 months to take it off! Depending on how I feel, I might even do another round after that. Just to make sure I am nice and toned for vacation in July. 

So bottom line, if you are interested in a Beachbody program, I would definitely recommend the 21 Day Fix. I loved Autumn, the workouts, and even the meal plans. It was easy to follow and results are visible! It is hard to ask for more from a program. 

Week 2 of 21 Day Fix Complete!

This is actually a really late post considering Thursday is my last day of the 21 Day Fix but with work and becoming ill for a couple days, I have not exactly given the blog a lot of priority. 

I am feeling so much better though and the sun is even shining! Shining! I was starting to think we moved to Alaska in my sleep. Even my mood has improved at the sight of the sun. It is nice to actually want to be productive and get off the couch. 

Ok but back to the 21 Day Fix. Week 2 was 100% better then week 1. I can tell that I am getting better at the meal planning and it really helps. My meals are more balanced and actually look/taste delicious. For example, on Friday I had salmon, brown rice, and green beans for dinner. All portioned. Topped with lemon and a little hot sauce. 100% 21 Day Fix approved and it was fantastic! I was not hungry afterward and it really made me feel like I was making progress. It also helps that the hot sauce makes me extra thirsty which increases my water supply. Water was definitely key in week 2 also. I was drinking a TON. And it showed.

I lost more weight (and inches!) during week 2 and I honestly felt better. I don't know if it was necessarily thinner but  my clothes were a little more comfortable and I felt I looked more tone. I take my final pictures on Thursday and am really interested to see if I have really changed or its all in my head. 

I have plans to do another round after a short break and I am hoping this will put me at my pre-baby weight. How exciting is that! Probably not so much for you but I am thrilled. 

I did a handwritten meal plan this week but once I get it on Excel, I will post it. 

One more week!

Happy Eight Months Marlee!

Eight months ago Marlee was born!

Can you believe it?

Because I am still in disbelief with how she has grown so fast.

 

We did a mini photo shoot this month because I was in a hurry and honestly, she is getting impossible to get a clear picture of. It is constant head shaking, or arm waving, or trying to escape the camera. Either way, she is so darn cute.

 

 

Still no teeth for my Marlee. She drools like crazy though and gnaws on everything so they are coming - just not today. And apparently once teeth come in, you have to worry about them rotting? What the f is that all about? Brush those teeth little ones!

 

She is standing up on furniture and even takes a couple steps with her walker. She prefers to crawl though and has mastered this maneuver. It is a very dramatic crawl but a crawl none the less. One thing she does not want is to be restricted. God forbid I attempt to keep her from rolling off the step from the kitchen to the living room. I would think after a couple face plants she would listen but nope!

 

It is hard to say no to that face though.

 

 

With all the moving and adventuring she has been doing, she is now discovering different parts of the house which is adorable but extremely destructive.

 

Her new favorite place is the kitchen.

 

Robbing the fridge,

 

 opening up cabinet doors,

 

and generally making messes.

 

Full time job right there folks! My little tornado. She even found some cantaloupe in the fridge to eat. Impressive.

 

Yea and then this happened. I had to keep her contained during my workout and she did not want to be in the playpen. She is pretty smart though and figured out how to climb under her saucer to escape. Nick and I are doomed once she starts walking.

Doomed.

 

But so lucky.

Weight Recheck

As previously mentioned, Marlee had to go back to the doctors to get reweighed after losing a couple ounces. We increased her solid intake and it definitely paid off! She has gained 4 lbs in two months and the doctor was very pleased. She is right back on the 50th percentile for weight and is a perfect 17.9 lbs. The doctor was also impressed that she was standing up on furniture, walls, toys, anything she can get her hands on, considering she is still only 7 months. I told him that she is one determined baby and likes to be independent as much as possible. I am going to have my hands full once she is walking...

It is starting to hit me that my baby girl is not going to be a baby much longer. I have cleaned out her drawers yet again and have another banana box sized load to pack away. We already lowered her mattress and upped her bouncer to the next highest level. She tries to feed herself and is now drinking juice like a big girl does. She takes steps with her walker and crawls all over the house. And she is hilarious! So much personality! Ugh. Someone remind me that having two under two would be crazy! 

Right?

We have been really busy lately which is why there is a lack of posts but here are some pictures to hold you over. 

Sleepy babe

Escape babe

Pasta eating babe

Trying to escape (again) babe

Pretty in pink babe

Playing with her cousin

Vintage dress babe

Diaper butt babe

 Laundry babe

Oh and Marlee is 8 months old tomorrow!

Week One of 21 Day Fix Complete!

I have officially made it to the end of week number one on the 21 Day Fix and would like to share some of my experiences on the program so far.

1. You will not starve to death - I really thought at the beginning of this challenge that it was all about starvation. The less I eat, the less I will weigh. Even putting together my food plan was tough to stomach because I knew that I would be unsatisfied at the end of the day. I will admit that the first couple of days, I was hungry and a little low on energy. My body adjusted though and I realized that I was not drinking enough water which is also a filler. Now I am on day 7 and I honestly feel great. I even had a couple days which I did not eat all of my portioned food. Sticking with it is definitely going to be an accomplishment to be proud of.

2. Coffee is my downfall - At this point in the challenge, I have noticed my biggest downfall is coffee. I am a huge coffee (with cream and sugar) drinker and the cream and sugar is a no-no while on the Fix. I will be honest and say that I have snuck in a couple cups of coffee here and there but no where near the amount I was drinking before. I am a mother and I work midnights - I need a caffeine crutch every now and then.

3. Portion control - I have actually been doing great with the portion sizes and with trying my best to portion everything out in advance. The bottom drawer of the fridge is the 'me only drawer' and everyone in the house knows it. I portion out cucumbers, boiled eggs, cheese, celery, chicken, lettuce etc etc. so it is all there for me to grab and go. I have actually been pretty good with eyeing portion sizes and it is getting easier to know how much lettuce or chicken or oatmeal I can have. This will be important on Saturday when Nick and I go out to eat. I am not cool enough to bring my little containers along for measuring...

4. Working out with Autumn - Amazing. I absolutely love these DVD's. They are short, sweet, and to the point. The added weights make it a little harder and I definitely break a sweat during the half hour. Plus the DVD's are new everyday so I don't get bored throughout the week. I have been 100% with my workouts and plan to stay that way. No cheating here!

5. Weight loss - I will say that I have lost a little weight so far on the 21 Day Fix. Not as much as I had hoped but it could have just been a bad weigh-in. I lost inches too so I am going to stay positive and work extra hard this week. I am sticking with my goal of loosing 5 lbs but deep down I am hoping for more. One day at a time!

I completed my meal plan for week two since Marlee was a peach and took a nice long 2 hour nap.

It is not perfect but I think I am getting the hang of it.

Ok now to breakup all the fitness talk, I will leave you with the cutest darn picture I have seen all week.

Love these two!