Family Page Q & A- Part 2
Hey guys!
After answering some Family Q & As last week, here’s part 2 🙂 I’ll be answering all of the fitness-y/nutrition/body questions in my 2 month post-delivery body update (will be up tomorrow or Thursday).
Hope you’re having a great day!
<3
Hey Mary,
It was definitely more challenging to come up with fitness content, especially since this is a fitness blog and that wasn’t a part of my life at all for 5 weeks. The good news is that I had some amazing guest posts lined up, pre-written posts, including most of the Winter Shape Up, and took some days off when I really had nothing to say except “Hey guys! What have you been up to? I’ve been staring at my beautiful baby for 2 hours and on the couch for 4 days with my boobs out, trying to figure out breastfeeding. Did you get in your cardio today?” Haha. I didn’t take an official break from the blog so I could evaluate how and if it would still fit into my life with Livi here, and while it took a dramatic jump down the priority totem pole, I’m very happy to still be blogging and hanging out with all of you guys 🙂 I can workout again, which has helped me get back into the fitness mindset (even though I still have hardcore baby brain), and teaching fitness always helps me come up with new content.
Now I’m trying to assess how much I want her to be a part of the actual blog and family page. I don’t talk much about her on the main page (even though she’s the only thing I think about) because I want to be respectful to those who aren’t interested in hearing about babies, and over here on the family page, I just don’t feel comfortable having blog posts loaded with pictures of her- just a few here and there.
Hi Laura,
I’m so excited for you and the little one on the way! <3
Harder than I expected: the first four weeks. I was excited and expecting the hard work ahead, and it still kicked my ass. Nights and days blurred into one, and with the sleep deprivation, breastfeeding issues and wacko hormones, it made things extremely challenging to the point where the actual childbirth seemed easy in comparison. I cried. A lot. So much of it was out of the most intense happiness I’d ever experienced –just looking over at Tom or Livi was enough to set the waterworks off because I knew how truly blessed I was- and many times it was for no reason at all. Postpartum depression isn’t something to be taken lightly, and I’m thankful I didn’t end up having it, but it’s common to feel unlike yourself as the hormones stabilize. Crying is totally normal, but be sure to talk to your doc if it lasts more than a couple of weeks. It has also been hard having Tom work the schedule that he does –lots of flying during the week, so it’s Liv and myself all day and night- but when he’s home, he’s home. He is such an incredible dad to Liv and partner <3 Support is so important and I’m so thankful to have been surrounded by family, friends and fellow new moms.
It was also very hard for me to stay at home at not be able to workout for the first 4 weeks. I get antsy if I stay home for too long, enjoy being on-the-go, and thrive off of exercise endorphins- it’s always been my stress relief and “me time” for the day. At the same time, staying home and taking it easy gave me the chance to recover from the birth, enjoy every second with my little love, and slooooooow down. Before, I would rarely crawl back into bed to get a late start on the weekday. Now, almost every morning is snuggle time in bed with Liv, and I love it so much.
With as challenging as it is, being a mom is the best thing ever, and it’s the most intense love you’ll ever feel. Hang in there during the first couple of rough weeks and just remember that you’re doing a great job <3
Easier than I expected: the mommy stuff, like comforting her and figuring out her cues. Even though we knew each other for 9ish months, it’s still hard to believe while you’re pregnant that your baby will come out and know you who are, and I wondered if I’d be able to give her everything she needed. We clicked right away, and intuition kicks in. It still amazes me that she’ll wake up from sleep and start crying, I’ll pick her up to snuggle her, and she stops. Getting into a routine has also been easier than I expected. We don’t have a schedule based on times, but we do EASY (per The Baby Whisperer) and she picked up the Eat, Activity, Sleep routine fairly quickly.
Hi Jamie 🙂
I think that’s a great idea! You’ll get to the point where she’s a little bigger and you won’t have to prop her up- Liv fits in the crook of my arm now and latches on from there. I like to use the Aden + Anais blankets as a cover- a little less obvious than the Hooter Hider, but I do have to say, I think this is awesome:
Haha.
She looks exactly like the baby in my dreams. It still blows my mind that the big eyes, dark hair and beautiful face from the dream are the exact same features I get to stare at every day 🙂
![Right [not] on schedule](https://fitnessista.com/wp-content/uploads//2012/06/photo4-150x150.jpg)
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livi sure does have some big, dark, gorgeous eyes!! she’s such a beautiful baby. 🙂
Oh my gosh, I got chills when you wrote that Livi looks exactly like the baby you saw in your dream! That’s so amazing. She is absolutely adorable – look at those long lashes! She just keeps getting prettier every day. Great post! It really sounds like you and Tom are so loving and caring – parenthood really suits you guys 🙂
LOL…LOVE this post! Love how candid you are and the crocheted boob slayed me! 😉
Truly, Olivia is stunningly beautiful!
Is there makeup on Livy in that last picture? I’m not judging or anything — just curious because her lips look sparkly and eyelids look pink.
OMG, really? LOL…not trying to be rude but if you’ve been reading Gina’s blog for any amount of time now you would know that she isn’t about to put makeup on her fresh, pure little angel.
Haha omg no. She’s not wearing makeup for a loooooong time.
The pink on her eyelids are birth marks- the one on her left eye is a little bigger. The doc said they fade over time
You have a lovely baby 🙂
thank you!
Her eyes are so BIG and beautiful. I cannot get over it!
I may be in the minority, what with not having kids and all, but I actually like that you don’t post many pictures of Livi. I love to see them, and I love the family page, but somehow it’s more special when you do show her since every picture isn’t her. She is adorable though and I’ve loved following along with my favorite bloggers who are having/have had babies recently.
Tom better get ready to keep all the boys away from her…she’s gonna be very popular and so pretty. Must get it from her mama 🙂
I thought the same thing. Both you and Tom have to be ready to stop all the boys! She is going to be a beautiful little lady.
Ella has the same PJ”s! I love them they’re one of my favs!!! How sweet is that little face ugh! I wish we could do a play date 🙁
I loved this post. So true there are so many ups and downs and motherhood is the hardest job there is! So worth every struggle though. And snuggle time in the morning are the best moments of my life. Ella ends up in our bed every morning and I don’t care what people say I figure she will only be this small once I’m soaking up all the snuggle time I can!!!!
i wish we could have a play date, too!
and you’re right.. snuggle time is the best, and i’m going to live it up as long as possible
I know the first little bit will be rough and I THANK YOU for being honest about that because I feel like so many people try to put up a front that everything is perfect and easy and blah, blah, blah… so I think it leads to a lot of people feeling like failures. Thank you for keeping it real.
Fingers crossed I have a baby THIS WEEKEND! I sure hope so. I’m ready to meet my little love and to not be pregnant! 😉
Ohhh my goodness that picture of Olivia! She is already beautiful, but I bet she is going to be an absolute stunner in a year or two from now!
LOVE LOVE LOVE the O&A post!
She really is a gorgeous baby girl. Her perfect little nose and as everyone else said, those eyes. They are stunning!!!
thank you! she’s amazing <3
What a cute pic of little Livi! She’s precious.
Thanks for answering my question!
I love getting real life tips and advice from new moms because everything is so fresh for them still and can give some great “real” advice that you can’t get from books!
Omg she is so beautiful and I really love that stitched boob hehehe.
i’m so happy to hear the EASY method is working for livi at this age. i started it with my son around 6 months and wished i had started it way earlier. it is definitely the plan for baby #2 (whenever that happens).
yes, it seems like it’s pretty intuitive for them! i love it 🙂
She is so stinken precious! Thanks for sharing these answers, I feel like I learn so much through your posts!
I can’t get over how big and beautiful Livi’s eyes are. They are brown, right?
I’m SO going to ask my mom to knit me that “boob” hat when I get pregnant- haha. 🙂
P.S. My friend just recently had a baby, and we were talking about breastfeeding and all things “infant,” and she was amazed at my knowlege. I gotta say, I learned a lot as an aunt, but most of it comes from your Family posts 🙂
I really, really appreciate that you take the time to separate family posts from the fitness and food related content. I don’t have children yet and even though I love reading about the baby, it’s great to be able to come to this blog and see all the fitness and nutrition topics being discussed that made me love the blog from the beginning! So thank you 🙂
OMGOSH! That lady part hat is SO FUNNY!! How perfect for someone breast feeding! That’ll teach people to stare!
right?! i love it 🙂
What a beauty!
Love Miss Olivia’s eyelashes. So long and pretty!
Those lashes are stunning. What a sweetie. 🙂
Love the pic of Livi–beautiful eyes!! Thank you for talking about the hard parts of being a mom. I often get concerned watching motherhood being made to look like something in style by teen moms that are glorified. Motherhood is such a sacred thing and something that tries one physically and emotionally. I hope there are young girls out there reading you blog that see how wonderful motherhood is but also that it is tough and not something to take lightly. Thanks Gina!!
Thanks for answering my question! Wow, I am in shock too that she is the baby from your dreams…SO cool 😀