-The stability ball has become a permanent fixture in here- thank you to those of you who recommended using it as a rocking chair. Of course, Livi is a huge fan. I think it’s because I spent most of the last 3 weeks of pregnancy on the stability ball, gently bouncing and encouraging her to flip. Word to the wise: not the best idea after the little one has had a full meal. I had a back full, and hair full, of spit-up in the middle of the night. All I could do was laugh.

-This book is awesome:

Not only can you skim it page at a time, but it gives you reasonable things to do with your child each day according to how old they are. By reasonable, I mean they’re things you can actually do with a full baby schedule and getting out of jammies is a task. Some examples: take the baby with you to a coffee shop and read a book or write thank-you notes while they snooze, practice babywearing (already love this one!), and have a PG makeout sesh with your significant other, since mattress mambo is on hold.

-The best thing you can say to a new mom: you’re doing a great job. During those first two insanely crazy and taxing weeks, you’re recovering, emotional, and trying to do the best you can based on experience, what you’ve read and intuition. I’ll never forget when Meg’s mom and sis were over here, I hadn’t showered in who knows how long, was having a really horrible time breastfeeding and emotional, and they told me I was doing a great job. It warmed my heart, and the encouragement meant a lot to me.

-When you’re breastfeeding around the clock, how do you go to the dentist, especially when they’re notoriously running late with appointments?

-Sleeping in 1-2 hour increments makes for some CRAZY dreams.

-Is it possible to have nursing cravings similar to pregnancy ones? I feel like I’m back in my first trimester as far as vegetables go- they’ve been slightly MIA from my life, mostly because of the prep time and also because they don’t sound that great to me- and calorie needs are even higher than they were in my third trimester.

-I’m convinced that my pump talks to me. After every feeding session, I turn the pump on and cringe a little (excuse the pun, but pumping sucks). Even though I’m not stoked about it, the pump seems to be saying “’Wahoo! Wahoo! Wahoo!” At least someone is excited

It’s Friday!! Thank goodness

I’m so glad you liked the February list! I’ll also be posting the Schweaty February Workout on Monday as part of the last week of Winter Shape Up workouts.

You guys inspired me with your comments, so I decided to go through the intimidating mail pile.

I got distracted midway through:

New Zumba music! Yes, please.

So remember when I cooked dinner and made oaties in the same day this week?

Well there hasn’t been much kitchen productivity since then. Meals are still all over the place, and I figured that if I can make 2 legit dinners next week and build on from there, that will be bueno.

We ordered takeout last night, and before bed I enjoyed my first egg and jelly combo:

(Thanks to Julie for planting the seed in my brain)

2 eggs atop a Van’s waffle with a small salad for some veggies

I’ve also been lacking in the veggies this week, so one of my goals will be to chop and steam some on Sunday, so they’ll be ready to grab and eat throughout next week.

Avocados,  greens and fruit and have been pretty easy, since they’re low maintenance, and this has been a frequent combo over here:

toast, greens with Goddess dressing, chicken, 2 eggs

and 1/2 an avocado

So good

Anything fun going on this weekend? We have Liv’s newborn photos tomorrow and brunch at my nana’s on Sunday. I can taste the egg casserole already…

Monday, I’ll find out if I’m cleared to resume normal physical activity. I’m hoping everything looks good to go and am excited to get back into doing the things I love so much. Of course, I’ll have to take it slowly since I’m still recovering, but a Monday night gentle yoga class sounds incredible right now.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

xoxo

Gina

Something to think:

"If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap.
If you want happiness for a day, go fishing.
If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune.
If you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else."
Chinese Proverb

One of the things we love to do with Livi is read to her. It’s one of our morning activities, and we’ll always read her a book before we tuck her into bed.

Sometimes they’re children’s books, or Tom and I will just read aloud whatever we’re reading:

Last night she learned about 357th Fighter Squadron heritage via “Two Days of Rolling Thunder.” She listened intently and looked at the pictures.. until she crashed out.

Some of the books we’ve read so far include lots of Eric Carle and Dr. Suess, “My Daddy Loves Me,” and “Look, Look!” (a gift from a very good friend).

She especially loves the pictures in this one because they’re black and white:

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So much in fact that I may just ordered three similar books:

I really enjoy reading to Liv because even though I have no idea if she understands or not, she looks at each page and watches my mouth move as I read the words to her. I love pointing out the different animals and the sounds they make (and sound like a total goober), and teaching her the names of colors.

Some of the benefits of reading to babies:

(from this website)

Reading aloud:

• teaches a baby about communication
• introduces concepts such as stories, numbers, letters, colors, and shapes in a fun way
• builds listening, memory, and vocabulary skills
• gives babies information about the world around them

Believe it or not, by the time babies reach their first birthday they will have learned all the sounds needed to speak their native language. The more stories you read aloud, the more words your child will be exposed to and the better he or she will be able to talk. Hearing words helps to build a rich network of words in a baby’s brain. Kids whose parents frequently talk/read to them know more words by age 2 than children who have not been read to. And kids who are read to during their early years are more likely to learn to read at the right time.

When reading, your child hears you using many different emotions and expressive sounds, which fosters social and emotional development. Reading also invites your baby to look, point, touch, and answer questions — all of which promote social development and thinking skills. And your baby improves language skills by imitating sounds, recognizing pictures, and learning words.

But perhaps the most important reason to read aloud is that it makes a connection between the things your baby loves the most — your voice and closeness to you — and books. Spending time reading to your baby shows that reading is a skill worth learning.

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Everyone in my family read to me from when I was very small, which is definitely one of the reasons why I love to read as much as I do.

It’s funny because our first week back from the hospital, I felt like I might not have the chance to read again. Showering is a luxury. Reading? There was no way.

Finally, I’ve mastered the art of one-handed reading (and typing) so that I’ve been able to read almost an entire book this past week:

Thank you so much to those of you who recommended this one!

While I am still mystified by Livi on a daily basis, it’s given fantastic insight into her personality.

This is the type of book that is more helpful once the baby is here, because it describes 5 different baby personality types and the best ways to nurture and care for each type. According to the book, Livi is a combo textbook and spirited baby. She is very clear about what she likes and doesn’t like -her dirty diaper cry is INTENSE. She lets you know instantly when she needs to be cleaned up- and also very predictable about her schedule. When she wakes up, it’s eating time.

I’ve been reading the book in snippets during pumping time and it has been extremely helpful and fascinating.

Next on the list:

(I should have downloaded these on the Kindle, but wasn’t sure if they’d be the type of books I’d want to reference later- it’s more challenging to do that electronically)

Sleep is still a little helter-skelter over here, but once we get into more of a routine, I think this book will be very useful. “Happiest Baby on the Block” has also been good to us- lots of “shh-ing,” swaddling and swaying over here.

Please let me know if you have any more book recommendations- I’m always looking for late-night feeding and pumping reading material!

What was your favorite book as a child?

I was obsessed with the Angelina Ballerina books and also adored The Giving Tree

Oh, February, month of love, chocolate and football. Something for everyone, right?

I’ve always kind of liked the fact that February is a little bit shorter. Back in elementary school days, I was always excited about Valentine’s Day (and reading the valentine from whomever I had a crush on. I’d analyze whether the cartoon one he had chosen had a secret meaning), rodeo vacation –we always get vacation for rodeo here in Tucson, but it was always a gloomy, cold month. Now, I still look forward to Valentine’s Day, but think of February as a jumping off point for spring.

Here are some ways to make it a little more fantastic:

1. Buy something red. Red is definitely a February-esque color, and a fun way to add a little brightness in the gloomy weather. Whether it’s nail polish, a cute top, dress, or purse, red tends to be a color that many people shy away from, but can be extremely fun and flattering.

Since the only bag I’ve been toting lately is full of diapers, extra teeny clothes and wipes, I have my eye on this fun cherry wallet to go inside:

source

2. Make a new Superbowl recipe.

There are a ton of these floating around the blog world right now, so even if you’re not necessarily watching the game, you can enjoy a tasty snack. My list is here, and some friends’ recipes that have caught my eye:

Emily’s Cheesy Bean Dip

Angela’s Black Bean Chili Dip

Sarah’s Nacho Bites

everything on Jessica’s list

3. See a mushy, lovey flick

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I CAN’T WAIT to see The Vow. That is all.

4. Do something that you’ve been putting off.

For me, this = the legendary pile of mail and paperwork that’s been sitting on the breakfast table since we got home from the hospital. I pulled out all of the bills, but everything else has just been sitting there, staring me in the face and intimidating me. Time to get out the shredder and open everything.

5. Profess your love or gratitude to someone unexpected- just a simple email or card to tell someone you appreciate someone can go a long way.

Randomly, I emailed a professor a few years after I graduated to thank him for everything he taught me and for the opportunity to take his class. I was in his investments class, which was technically a Masters course- a few undergrads could enroll with grade evaluation and permission from the instructor. It ended up being the most valuable class I took, and the professor, an extremely witty, kind, older gentleman with incredible experience in the field, taught us all so much about investing wisely. I definitely need to do that again, and already know the emails that I need to send.

6. Take someone special out on a date.

Your BFF, husband, boyfriend, group of girlfriends, cat, grandma, whatever- plan a night to enjoy their company.

I’m hoping that the Pilot and I can make it out for fondue sometime this month. We’re definitely ready for a date night, even if we have an extra special little someone joining us

7. Try out a new cardio workout

This is the month to try out that cardio workout you’ve been thinking about! Zumba, kickboxing, spinning, Winter Shape Up (!), anything you’ve been wanting to try. Of course, pace yourself and let the instructor know it’s your first time.

8. Buy some Valentine’s candy. Eat it.

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9. Master a heart-opening yoga pose. My favorite? Camel.

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10. Find a new blog to add to your rotation. I read a LOT of healthy living blogs, a couple of mom blogs, and a few design/fashion blogs, but am always looking to bring some new ones into my life. Any faves you’d like to share??

What’s something you’re looking forward to this month?

Here’s to a happy and healthy February!

xoxo

Gina

Of course we’re savoring the moments over here -because as I was crying to Tom the other night, before we know it she’ll be going to prom- but a large majority of the time has been focused on necessities: eating, sleeping, growing, bathing, diapering. Livi and I get to play in short bursts in between- I’ll have her follow a rattle with her eyes, we’ll sing songs, read books and do tummy time, but Tom and I are so excited for when we’ll get to take her to the zoo, Disneyland, the park, children’s museum, and do fun activities that she’ll love.

Yesterday, I read this article on Huff Post parents, which includes bucket list ideas to do with your child before they leave for college.

Some of the ideas on the list:

-Visit the Grand Canyon

-Find a book that makes them love reading

-Research our family tree

It also included a link to the Bloggess’ Pinterest board on “Stuff I should do with my kid before she’s old”

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I used Pinterest for nursery inspiration, but can’t believe how many fun activities, baking projects and arts and crafts are on there… very exciting.

Some of the things I can’t wait to share with Livi:

-Blowing bubbles for the first time

-Making a headband out of flowers- mom used to do this with me at my nana’s house on Sundays

-Licking the beaters after making cupcakes

-Cascarones

-Mud pies – Kyle and I used to make them ALL the time, and bake them on the wall. So gross, and so fun

-Slip n’ slide in the backyard

-Camping in the living room- tent, sleeping bags, s’mores

-Disneyland, the beach, road trips

-Math

What’s one of your vivid memories from when you were little?

I remember busting out of the crib for the first time on my own. I was in there playing with the toys that were attached to the rails of the crib, and thought to myself “maybe I’ll try to get out.” I climbed over, and plopped out, then walked into the kitchen. My mom was on the phone, cooking oatmeal, and “I Love Lucy” was on the TV- needless to say, she was a little shocked to see me.

The weather here has been outta control gorgeous lately, so yesterday morning, Livi and I met up with Meara and her kiddos at La Encantada.

Since we’re in between seasons –Tucson can’t decide if it wants to stay spring until spring, or randomly turn into winter- no major purchases, but lots of walking and window shopping.

When we got home, Liv snacked then napped, and during her nap, I grabbed something to eat

(apple and turkey, avocado, mustard, mayo and lettuce sandwich)

and did a little kitchen blitz.

I had demolished the oaties that Heaby sent me, so I made a double batch to have in the freezer. They’re absolutely perfect for snacks- especially in the middle of the night and I go downstairs to refill my water.

The only changes I made were using 1 stick of butter and the rest goat’s milk yogurt –the only butter I had was salted, bought by mistake, so I nixed the salt and prayed to the cooking gods it would work out. It did!

And half coconut nectar, a gift from Lizzie, since I only had about 1/4 C maple syrup:

The texture is more similar to brown rice syrup –super sticky!- and it has a warm flavor, similar to maple syrup. It will be amazing on protein pancakes.

Some of the finished oaties:

(two were sacrificed for taste testing purposes)

and I also got some dinner in the slow cooker.

Turkey meatballs!

Super easy:

-Chopped an onion and red bell pepper, added them to the slow cooker

-In a bowl, mixed 1 lb ground organic turkey, 1/8 C oats, 1/2 C almond flour, 1 egg, 1 t oregano, 3 cloves of minced garlic, sea salt and pepper

-Rolled the mixture into to balls and poured a jar of marinara sauce on top

-Set it and forget it- high for 4 hours, low for 2

Not too shabby for an on-the-fly meal:

With brown rice pasta and salad.

This morning we’re off to the doc and then to my brother’s bday brunch!

Happy Birthday, Kyle

Hope everyone enjoys their humpday!

xoxo

Gina

Something to read:

10 healthy kale recipes

Superfast beauty routines

6 carbs to keep in your diet

Something to do: Winter Shape Up! Hope you’re enjoying this week’s workout so far Keep up the amazing work <3

Laying on your stomach will feel just as great as you remember

smoked salmon will taste as good

as wine will be just as wonderful.. even though you’ll wait 3 weeks to drink a glass when the girls come over.

You think you’re crazy about your husband now

but you’ll fall in love –big time- all over again, in a different way, magnified exponentially.

Giving birth will be the hardest, scariest, most painful thing you’ll ever do

the first two week will be the most challenging you’ll experience

but seeing that little face.. the same face you dreamed about… and finding out her personality is so much like you thought it would be, from the kicks to the hiccups

make it more than worthwhile.

People weren’t lying when they said to sleep as much as you can

they also weren’t lying when they said every day gets better, and easier

and that the time seems to go by so quickly, so savor every single moment.

And as much as you love being pregnant, you’ll love being a mom 1000x more <3

Remember our mystery tree?

Mystery solved: they’re oranges!

My mom brought one in the other day, cut it open and we shared it. Super sweet and delicious

Maybe we should start watering said mystery tree?

Another fabulous baby meal:

Chicken tortilla soup from my friend Meara,

topped with a couple of corn tortillas, sliced up, 1/2 avocado and cilantro

+ salad and fruit

It was the last of the baby meals, and we are so grateful to have had our friends cooking for us for the past 3 weeks. Tonight, I’m back in the kitchen, but I’m going to take it sloooooow….

Whenever I go a little while without cooking, I always get nervous and wonder if I still remember how to. It’s silly, really. The same thing goes for fitness or teaching after taking a long break or hiatus (I hurt myself dancing in college and injured my knee a couple of years ago). I would go back to dance after winter break and wonder if I would totally forget what I was doing, and yesterday we were listening to Zumba music in the car –I pretty much always have salsa or reggaeton playing- and I was thinking about how nervous and excited I’ll be to teach again. In the meantime, I’m definitely enjoying the daily walks/chat seshes with my friends <3

Today we’re off to the mall- see ya later with a Family post!

Have a wonderful day.

xoxo

Gina

Something to read:

Can you make exercise a habit?

Not so extreme school lunch makeover

Burn more calories in your yoga class

5 health reasons to cuddle

For fun:

It’s funny because you never know what you’ll really need (and what you don’t) until the baby is here, and going to the store is a little more of a challenge.

Even though we can comfortably venture into public now,

I was very thankful for my Amazon Prime membership in the first couple of weeks We did a pretty good job stocking up before Livi made her arrival, and also found out that we weren’t huge fans of some things, and other things (like burp cloths) ended up being totally forgotten… until we needed them.

Here are some of our favorite things from the past 3 weeks:

Aden + Anais swaddles

We even took a couple of these with us to the hospital:

Liv quickly decided that she doesn’t like being swaddled at her arms –she likes to have her hands by her face- so we’ll swaddle her legs like a little burrito using these blankets. I love how lightweight the fabric is –especially since it isn’t very chilly here- and use these all the time.

Vitamin D drops

Breast milk is naturally lacking in vitamin D, so our pediatrician recommends adding drops to the baby’s diet (formula has plenty vitamin D, but we haven’t needed to supplement for the past 4 days- fenugreek and blessed thistle, pumping, emphasis on healthy fat, and staying well-hydrated has worked wonders). These are the ones I picked up- I really like the fact that one drop is all you need (vs an entire CC from the other brands) and it doesn’t contain sugar or artificial flavorings.

Pump + hands-free pumping bra

While it’s kind of a pain to sterilize everything each time I pump (these bags make it much easier, though), it was a godsend in helping bring my supply up, and for pumping the right side when Livi was avoiding it like the plague. I’ll be especially thankful for this pump when I go back to work and can have lots of pumped milk in the freezer ready to go.

My Brest Friend

I wrote more about it *here*, but this pillow helped with our positioning and latching woes. I’m also using the Boppy again now at night since Livi is bigger doesn’t fall into the middle as easily.

Bamboobies

My friend Kelly introduced me to these and they are AWESOME… like a hug for the girls when they’re sore. I also like the fact that they’re heart-shaped, which is super cute when you feel a little less-than-cute. They come with a pair of overnight pads, too, which are also extremely soft, but I don’t like them as much since they have a tendency to get stuck on things (ouch).

Snacks!

While breastfeeding, you need more calories and nutrients, and I can definitely tell from my increased appetite- I’m snacking more often than when I was pregnant. After each feeding session, I chug a glass of water and grab something to eat. Leftovers from baby meals in the fridge, grab-and-go snacks on hand, or meals I can make very quickly to enjoy during the day have been amazing during this exhausted trying-to-figure-things-out time. Some of my favorite staples: yogurt with 3-4 tablespoons of hempseeds and fruit, omelets with goat cheese and veggies, oatmeal with Brewer’s yeast and almond butter, a mug of cereal or soup, wraps or sandwiches with mustard, mayo and organic deli meat, Vega and Larabars, oaties (they’re almost gone, and I can’t wait to make some), and lots of chocolate

California Baby products

Giving Livi her pre-bedtime bath is one of my favorite things ever. She LOVES the water and her Puj tub, and we use the California Baby products. After her bath, I’ll give her a massage with the lotion, and she just lays there staring up at me… so sweet. The ingredients in these products are amazing, they sell them at Target, and don’t irritate her baby skin.

Sleepy Sheep

It has a clip and is attached to the outside of her basinet. There are 4 different sounds to choose from, and it’s a perfect portable white noise machine. She can actually tell when it stops playing –it has a timer- and starts to stir, so I’ll quickly reach over to turn it back on.

Moby Wrap

I absolutely love carrying her around in the Moby wrap. The amount of fabric is a little intimidating, but after watching a couple of YouTube videos, it was very easy to figure out. When we went to the birthday party on Saturday, I wore her in the Moby for the first half of it while she snoozed, until she woke up, needed a snack and a fresh diaper, and was awake and ready to be social. During the day at home, I’ll wear her in the Moby and tell her about different things and rooms in the house, make a snack or dance with her, and she’ll eventually fall asleep.

We also have an Ergo with an infant insert, and while I haven’t used it, Tom is a big fan. Livi has so much fun walking around with her Daddy <3

Bouncy seat

We have this bouncer seat and the matching swing- she adores both of them. They play music and nature sounds, and gently bounce to mimic natural movement. I don’t really like putting her in the swing or bouncy because I’d rather hold her, but it’s a good option for when I need to place her somewhere for a second (like to brush my teeth or go to the bathroom) and know she’ll be safely strapped in.

Zip-ups and nighties

We have quite a few of the sleepers from Baby Soy- nighties are so much easier to deal with for middle-of-the-night diaper changes. Same goes for zip-up footed PJs (Carters has some cute ones), because lots of buttons in the dark makes for a difficult diaper change.

Speaking of diaper changes, this thing gets a lot of use:

This baby change mat stashes easily in the diaper bag and works perfectly to cover public changing tables, or for backseat changes.

Total Baby App

I’m so glad you guys told me about this one, since we were originally tracking everything with pen and paper. It makes it so much easier to keep track of her doctor visits, bath times, naps, diapers and feeding.

So those are some of our favorite things from the first few weeks! This week I’m looking forward to bringing out her activity center to see how she likes it.

I also might bite the bullet and get a Hooter Hider….

What are some of your new mom must-haves?

After lots of takeout and incredible baby meals (we have one left tonight),

someone is back in grilling action….

(definitely not me- the Pilot)

Last night Kyle, Meg and Ash came over and the Pilot grilled up an enormous filet of salmon, seasoned with orange juice and zest, sea salt, pepper, maple syrup and bourbon.

Split 4 ways

We snacked on chips and salsa while he was cooking away, and enjoyed a delicious feast of salmon, salad with Goddess dressing and walnuts, and sweet potato rounds.

Now we’re back to the Monday grind, and I’m actually pretty excited about this week. I was kind of bummed last week because the Pilot went back to work, but I think I’ve got life figured out a little bit and have lots of exciting things to look forward to.

I’m also stoked about this week’s Winter Shape Up workout, because I have a little challenge for you guys.

First, here’s what’s going on this week:

This week’s workout focuses on supersets, quickly moving back and forth between exercises working opposing muscle groups (no rest in between exercises). For example, for superset 1, you’ll do 12-15 bicep curls, 12-15 tricep dips, 12-15 bicep curls, 12-15 tricep dips, 12-15 bicep curls, and 12-15 tricep dips before moving to the cardio blast (lunges and jumping lunges).

This exercise can be done on non-consecutive days, with steady state cardio, flexibility training or rest in between. As always, check with a doc before making any fitness changes and honor your body and injuries.

In the spirit of Show Me Your Fit, I thought it would be fun to post some pics of you guys rocking out the Winter Shape Up. Pick your favorite exercise from this week, snap a pic, and send it my way (fitnessista at gmail dot com, subject: Show Me Your Shape Up). I’ll be posting the pics on Friday- can’t wait to see them!

Thank you to all of you for your amazing feedback so far on the workouts. Keep up the amazing work, and as always, please let me know what you think!

Happy training <3

Be back later with a Family post.

xoxo

Gina

What’s one workout you’re looking forward to this week?