WE ARE HAVING A...

We are so excited to be welcoming another boy to our family. It will be easy right? I already have clothing thanks to Mace. I already have a ton of boy toys and things that we knew we would use for multiple babies, like the car seat, pack n play, crib, high chair, were all gender neutral so I was good at prepping for that.

Now, to paint Mason's new big boy room and get his new bed and bedding and that room all ready. Also to convert the toddler bed/crib back to a baby crib and put the cute bumper on and all the decorations. If I am feeling ambitious maybe I will paint the baby's room too. ( we still haven't painted anything in the house.) Go through clothing, sort. Go through all the baby gear. Get a swing, and an Ergo Baby carrier. Let the fun begin!

Oh, and a name, Yeah we have that too. His name will be Collin. We are so excited for him to join our family around 17 weeks and 1 day, give or take a few days, from now!

Prepping for Labor- Positions

First off, we find out today if we are having a BOY or a GIRL! Any guesses? I will post tomorrow what the results were or if you check FB it might be on there prior to tomorrows post. But family finds out first! Now on to the post!

The biggest thing about prepping for labor is that all it is, is prepping for what could actually happen during labor. You won't know what happens or what to do until you are going through it. It is best to always be prepared for whatever happens. This blog post today is on different laboring positions (not birthing positions, those are different) you can use to help ease the discomfort of laboring.

What I thought prior to going through labor with Mason. That laboring positions will make labor easier and will take away the pain. HECK NO I TELL YOU! I was actually shocked when going through labor that the positions didn't do a ton to help me get through the contractions itself. The positions are the best possible way to help your baby to engage their head in the right place and eventually come down the birth cannel. But they don't take away the discomfort at all for you. If anything, they keep you busy to get your mind off of what you are going through. I am telling it like it is. If you felt laboring positions helped take the pain away, great for you, please let me know what you did so that I can try it this time around! PLEASE! They didn't for me and I was shocked by it. I felt lied to and misled. Frustrated. But alas I got though it anyhow.

Here are a couple to get you occupied and busy but be sure to practice them before so that you know how to get into those positions when the D day comes!

1. The birthing ball. Great for opening up the hips and rocking on. Need to lean on you partner or the bed or a chair though when a contraction happens because I found I tended to lean forward and double over when I had a contraction. I also almost went flying off the ball at one point in-between contractions trying to get more comfortable. Have someone be your safety on that thing. It is a ball and will roll out from under you. I didn't spend too much time on this see #2.

2. The toilet. Sorry mom if you are reading this. Yes the toilet. It was my fav place until the tub became available. It wasn't as big and round and moveable as the ball was. They had broke my water too so it came in handy for that too. But it was the best place to labor. Surprising, I have found a ton of women that preferred to labor on the toilet because it was just easier. There is even a birthing stool that looks like a toilet a little bit. It is the perfect size and we all know we fit on it.

3. Leaning over in the tub. Once the tub was available I would lay back in-between contractions but when I felt a contraction start I went to the edge of the tub, kneeled down and leaned over the edge. This is where I stayed for most of the labor. Probably 2 hours. Best labor position for me personally. Bad thing though, have a towel under your knees for comfort. Also under your feet. I kept complaining about the top of my feet hurting a ton. And that is because I was kneeling and there was nothing softening the weight of my feet. Lesson learned. This time around towel under knees and another under the feet. And lots of deep breathing.

4. Squatting. Practice this now! Get your legs used to a deep squat. Frog style squat. Have your hubs sit on the couch behind you and you frog squat in front so that they can be your safety and hold you and keep you from falling over. My hips kept cramping in this because it almost opened them too much but it is great for opening the hips us and forcing the baby down because gravity is pulling them that way.

5. In the bed. I put the back of the bed all the way up and leaned over the back and my bare naked butt was exposed to all who entered. I probably blinded them because it is so white. Ah the joys of being a red head. It is the same position I had in the tub but on the bed. My knees and feet were comfy though. Also on all 4 is another one that I have heard is really nice. I didn't do this one, it just didn't work for me. Like I said I liked to double over and breath super deeply. That is what worked for me.

There are a few more and I will get to them another time. I have found that these pregnancy posts have been very popular. Is there anything you want me to talk about? Just leave a comment or shoot me an email!

Super HUGE SHOUT OUT

To all the finishers of the WDW Marathon weekend! Today was the Full marathon and final race to the 4 day race extravaganza! And also CONGRATS to those who completed the Dopey Challenge! 5,000 people participated in the Dopey challenge. Maybe in 2016 I will try the Goofy challenge first (half and whole marathon) then the next challenge would be the Dopey. That is a long time away and a lot of running until that point. I must learn to run faster, comfortably!

January Week 2 Workout Recap

Another week done in January, another week I feel I did pretty well with the exercise front. Monday I did take the day off. I have been getting these head splitting migraines and I had one that happened the morning of Monday. Usually they had been occurring in the middle of the night and I can try and sleep it off, but Monday, I had to teach and take care of the kid. Matt came home early from work to watch Mace so I could sleep. But man these migraines are awful. I have never felt my head hurt so badly. It feels like my right eye is being pushed out of the socket and just argh! it hurts! Wednesday, I was watching a friends kid while she was being monitored in the hospital in the labor and delivery dept. she didn't have the baby but she had to have some other things checked out. Here is how I did this week:

Sunday: rest
Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3.5 miles run/walk (14:51 min/mile)
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: 2 mile run/walk (14:50 min/mile)
Friday: 2 mile walk (15:45 min mile)
Saturday: 7.5 miles run/walk (14:47 min/mile)

Total Mileage: 15 miles

Staying in my goal at staying under 15 min miles on my run walk days even though I am just under it but I'm still under. 22 weeks pregnant this week. I am still having Braxton Hicks contractions when I am exercising. Mostly notice them when I am in a walking stint. I also started to notice that I am getting round ligament stretching pain in my lower abs. It diminishes around 1.5 miles but the first 1.5 miles it is pretty noticeable and I am just taking it easy when it gets too much pulling sensation. I am listening to my body. It is just adjusting to my belly which is getting bigger and bigger every week!

Yesterday I had a Kick in Energy!

I haven't had a kick of energy like I did yesterday in a very long time. I seriously had no downtime whatsoever and it was pretty cool, however I was dog tired by the time we got home last night. But I didn't need a nap during the day I just kept going, going, going. Who knows when I will have another day like that. Here is what I did:

8am-Kid woke me up
9- breakfast with said kid
fed the dog, took out dog, stepped in dog pee on the stairs, ew!
9:45- started 1st load of laundry, vacuumed downstairs, cleaned Mason's room, with his help and vacuumed his room and upstairs hallway.
10:30- cleaned the kitchen, unloaded dish washer, switched out the Christmas plates for the everyday plates.
11- get kid dressed, snacks packed for gym. get me dressed for gym. move laundry from washer to dryer and start load #2.
11:15- out the door to go to gym
11:30- drop kid off at the daycare at the gym and went and did my 2 mile run
12:15-yoga
1:45- pick up kid and run home asap
2:05-arrive home, eat lunch
2:15-try to coupon as fast as possible
2:35- Matt arrive home, I run upstairs to change out of workout clothes and get dressed
2:45- leave house
3:15- Me and Mace arrive at chiropractor office for adjustment
3:30-hour massage- AHHHH! SO NICE!
4:50- arrive at Kroger to shop
5:55- eat dinner at Chic-fil-a
6:30-Arrive at target to get last minute things and cheaper priced items
7:30- arrive home, put all the groceries away
7:50-change kid into jammie and get him into bed
8:05-sort laundry #1 and move laundry #2 from wash to dryer
8:20- I can rest, finally, oops have to make the hubs lunch for tomorrow, then rest!

I felt go, go, go all day long. Yes there were some things for me to relax and unwind but I still felt rushed even in yoga. It just went by too quickly!

Hoping for an eventful day tomorrow to, but I am packed with teaching tomorrow. It is good to be blessed with students!

QOTD: Do you get days where you have no idea where your energy came from and look back at all you accomplished in the day?