I hope you aren’t giving up on me and The Fit Skool just yet. I’m taking time to adjust to being a mom of two, easing back into work and making time for myself.

I do miss blogging on a regular basis, but I guess my priorities have changed and I have to cut back a bit for now.

So in good old baby number 2 fashion, this 2 month update is coming about a week late. I also apologize for lack of pictures but my iPhone broke and I am currently without my photos I will definitely post some separately once my phone is fixed.

BRADLEY

is officially 9 weeks old and past 2 months. His current weight at his 2 month check up was 15 lbs. He was 24 inches long.

Basically he’s huge. Ava wasn’t 15lbs until she was 5 months old so he’s a big baby to me.

He is such an easy going baby that loves to smile tons and give silly faces. He brightens each morning for sure!! I would have to say he’s like a cup of coffee and to be honest I haven’t been drinking much because he literally increases my energy with his big old grin on a daily basis. So does Ava

EAT 

Eating has been totally different compared to my experience with Ava. This boy has no set schedule and to be honest I’m okay with that. Sometimes he eats every 2 hours sometimes it’s 3 or 3 1/2. I just go with the flow and feed him when he’s hungry.

Speaking of hungry. Bradley knows how to cry when he’s hungry. He screams so loud you could probably hear him down the street, and I basically try to avoid him getting to that point and feeding him before he gets SUPER hungry.

SLEEP 

Just like his eating, daytime sleep is ALL over the place. Partially because our schedules are crazy and he’s in and out of the car a decent amount, plus Ava makes it a little difficult to nap when he’s home.

He naps a few times a day, probably 3-4 naps. Some are 20 minutes, an hour, and his longest one is the afternoon nap which is usually around 2-2 1/2 hours.

At night he’s been sleeping around 8pm until 6:30am with 2 feedings in between. I get one long stretch of 5-6 hours which is pretty good for a 2 month old. Don’t let me fool you though, I can’t wait until this guy gives me an 8 hour stretch

PLAY

Playtime is an all time favorite with Bradley in our house. Marc, Ava and I love putting him on his play mat or on the ground and talking to him, tickling him and making noises with him. He’s such a happy smiley baby and we enjoy all those moments.

He rolled over from his tummy to his back several times already which is super impressive. My boy is STRONG like his sister.

I can’t wait for more playtime fun and all the new things he’s going to learn these next 2 months!

How’s mama?

Fitness & Health….

I am currently at my pre birth weight which is great, I’m not looking to lose more then a couple pounds but things with my body have definitely changed. I still have a mushy belly, my arms aren’t as strong, and I have some fitness goals to lean out a bit.

As for being a mom of two…

Motherhood has taken a whole new turn with 2 kids and although I have had numerous challenging days, I have amazing days that make those bad days disappear. I have 2 happy healthy kids that give life a whole new meaning. They are so much fun to be around, they keep me on my toes, and they make me work 110% to be the best mom possible.

I found myself struggling a bit the first 3 weeks after having Bradley. I had my old mindset of being superwoman and wanted to get everything done between bills, cleaning, feeding kids, entertaining 2 kids, taking care of myself, walking the dog and all the stuff that comes in between that. Realistically I couldn’t do it all, I needed Marc to help, my family and whoever else lent a hand.

Once I let go of the unimportant things in my life everything got so much easier. I was able to enjoy more of the time with my family and worry less about a messy house, a sink full of dishes, 3 large piles of laundry and Cooper only getting 1 walk instead of 2. I knew we would all live and get through the chaos once I was fully recovered.

Now that I’m recovered things are back to normal and I feel like I can be superwoman again. JUST KIDDING… being superwoman is nearly impossible but it’s worth a shot and I will continue to strive to be that woman.

I hope that you will continue to support my blog and I promise I will be getting in more posts

 

 

]]> http://thefitskool.com/?feed=rss2&p=4329 0 http://thefitskool.com/?p=3914 http://thefitskool.com/?p=3914#comments Tue, 07 Oct 2014 13:29:58 +0000 http://thefitskool.com/?p=3914 Continue reading →]]> I’m not so sure that you all enjoy these baby & postpartum updates, but writing them helps me reflect on the past month and all the progress that Ava and I have made together.

She has grown drastically this month, both physically and mentally. This past month has been by far my favorite month with Ava.

Ava is 19 1/2lbs and 29 1/2 inches long! (she is in 98th percentile for length) I am still pulling for a basketball player or a rockette.

New Things for Ava

• Ava is now WALKING… she is getting more brave and stronger each day. It started out with 1 step, then 2, then 8, then 10. Pretty soon she will be running
• She loves pancakes, eggs, apples, pineapple, squash, sweet potatoes, meatballs, chicken, green beans, etc

• Her absolute favorite fruit is a banana, the girl can already eat 1/2 of it in one sitting. Her appetite is just like mine.
• You can give her cheerios any time of day and she will eat them
• She likes her sippy cup. We only give her water right now.
• Ava can clap her hands, usually she claps on her own terms but sometimes she will clap with us when it is appropriate
• Waving bye bye! This one is hit or miss.
• Dancing with her arms up over her head (hands down my favorite!)
• Playing on the playground, in particular the swing and the slide

• She has 4 top teeth and 2 bottom ones, those top teeth caused her a lot of pain and made us sleep a little less these past 2 weeks
• New words.. gaga, nenene which is her version of no.  She looks at Cooper when he steals her toys and says nenene (she primarily says mama, baba and dada) yesterday she said buh-bye for the first time!
• When the gate is up on the stairs, Ava is not happy! She will basically let out a fake cry and she needs someone to move it so she can make her way up the stairs.
• She loves Elmo, I’m not going to lie Elmo’s laugh makes me giggle too. SO if you need to smile click on this Elmo YOUTUBE Video

• Ava loves balloons and when we are in the store she laughs at them.

Ava does NOT like….

• Socks! She pulls at least one of them off within a minute of putting them on.. and if she isn’t fast enough Cooper will. He loves her feet.
• She doesn’t really like when we feed her, she wants to do it herself. Mrs. Independent
• Being left in a room by herself.
• Crazy, scary halloween stuffed animals and decorations at CVS.
• Begin stuck in the car seat for too long, she needs to be on the move.
• She hates diaper changes, and is Houdini on the changing table.
• The word no, she laughs instead… NOT FUNNY.

Well I am sure these 2 lists could go on forever but those were all I could whip together right now.

My update! 

A while ago I said I was going to stop these status updates, but my body and my goals are still changing so I want to share my progress with you.

• My weight is the same.. and probably will stay within a 2-3lb range.
• I have gained upper body strength, I increased my weights with all my exercises!! I am SO proud of that accomplishment!
• I did not reach my pull-up goal, I am not going to lie… I never practiced.
• My Core is a lot tighter, thanks to Paleo-ish clean eating and lifting more weights

MY GOALS for the next 2 months before we hit the 1 year postpartum mark is to keep getting stronger and to work on my pull-ups. It has been difficult to get some extra time to focus on them, but I am going to make a conscious effort too. I might need to invest in a Pull-up Bar!

What are some of your accomplishments this month? 

Did you have a goal that you reached?

What new changes would you like to see with your body, and how will you make it happen?

9 Months seems a whole lot older to me then 8 months. I don’t know why, but it just put everything in perspective for me. Time flies and I need to start living more in the moment because before I know it Ava will be driving a car! (Well not that fast but that’s what everyone keeps telling me)

AVA’S UPDATE

Ava is weighing in at 18lbs 8oz…she is super long but I don’t have an exact update on her length, we head to the doctor this week.

She is saying mama and dada, and rotates between the two. The last couple of days have been primarily dada which is a nice break since she said mama for about a week straight. I’m not too sure she knows what those 2 words mean yet, but she will learn fast.

Ava is super brave and loves the water, she literally will crawl in the water at the beach and pretend swims when she is in the bathtub. I hope she’s a great swimmer one day!

EAT

One thing I learned this month is that a healthy child eats great!

• Ava loves her puff cereal in any flavor, she also loves oatmeal still
• She loves fresh fruit… bananas, peaches, watermelon (in tiny pieces)
• Hates broccoli…
• Spinach and strawberries do not agree with her!
• Loves sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, squash, etc.
• She likes waffles & eggs, and is open to new things
• She’s a good eater and easily opens her mouth for you to feed her
• To let you know she is done, Ava will clench her mouth shut or push the spoon away

(Don’t let her fool you… she cannot hold the bottle on her own yet!)

SLEEP

I have no complaints; as long as Ava sleeps through the night I am a happy camper! Generally she goes to bed at 8pm and wakes up at 630am. She usually takes one morning nap for an hour or and one afternoon nap for usually 1-1 ½ hrs. (Sometimes they are flip-flopped)

The days I really need her to nap she doesn’t and then when I don’t care when she naps she takes her best ones. So now I try not to think about them and now I am just happy when she sleeps J

PLAY!

Ava loves to play & explore! She thinks its fun to climb the stairs, and if the gate is up she does a fake cry for help to move the gate.

She loves pulling on Coopers tail and touching his mouth. She has no fears when it comes to pulling a bone out of his mouth.

Lately her favorite thing to play with is Cooper’s water dish. I guess it is a mini pool to her, and she will splash her hands and empty it on the floor. It was fun the first couple of times and now I wish she either knew how to clean up the mess or she was careful not to sit in water!

The summer is over and we have had our fair share of fun at the beach… it gets me excited for next year when hopefully we can really get in the water together and I can teach her to swim.

I am looking forward to the day Ava walks… yes I said it! Everyone keeps telling me “it’s all be over when she starts walking” but I am up for the challenge and I can’t wait!!

POSTPARTUM UPDATE

There isn’t much to update here, besides some strength gains. I am feeling strong again and I am loving being able to challenge my body. I went for a jog yesterday (I don’t run too often) but I felt strong and I felt that I could run forever.. well that was until I got bored. I enjoy boot camp workouts where there’s more to focus on.

My core is gaining strength and my shoulder is finally feeling close to 100%…. yessssss.

My new goal is to increase my pull-up strength. With my shoulder injury Pull-ups were one of the exercises I avoided because of the impact on the shoulders. I know I can improve and I am looking forward to the challenge of adding them back into my workouts

HAPPY MONDAY!!

Ava is weighing in at roughly 18 lbs and is 29.5 inches long.

WHAT IS NEW?

Ava is now actively crawling ALL over the place. I thought I was fast, but man, she can move!! Sometimes I think to myself as she is crawling “I have plenty of time before I have to chase her” but then she surprises me at how quickly she can get into things… especially when she crawls so fast towards Coopers water bowl where she dumps it all over the place.

She tries to pull herself up on everything…..clearly she will be walking before we know it!

Oh yeah, and Ava also has 2 bottom teeth.

AVA LOVES:

• Crawling towards Cooper’s food & water bowl and thinks its funny to bang his bowl on the ground.
• Pulling herself up on the dishwasher or any cabinet.
• Her eating from her squeeze pouches and she likes little puff cereal
• the mirrors and looking at herself
• Pulling Cooper’s tail and touching his paws or face.
• Peek-a-boo… it never gets old to her
• obstacles.. and will crawl over pillows, Cooper, or whatever is in her way.
• sesame street.. whenever she hears elmo’s voice it excites her
• music
• being outside and being in her pool

EAT, SLEEP, & PLAY:

As long as her teeth are not bothering her she sleeps really well. Generally around 8pm-6:15am. Her naps are usually around the same time each day now. She either takes 2 good naps or 3 small ones. I am fine with either

It seems like she’s getting sick of a lot of the toys she has. She prefers to explore the cabinets (the ones that are childproof), she likes to hold spatulas, drop her toys from her high-chair to hear them bang on the floor, and likes to pull herself up and look out the front door to people watch.

This past week has been fun for me as Ava explores her VOICE. Yesterday she was clearly making mmmmmm sounds all day and I swear I am not making this up you can ask Marc, but she said Mom. She definitely doesn’t associate the “mom”  word with me, but she got me fired up when I heard her say it!! Bababa and dadada had been her lingo for the past few weeks, so clearly I was excited for the MMMMMM break through!!

POSTPARTUM UPDATE

I am pleased with the strength progress I have seen my upper body this month. I have been focusing on my arms, chest, and back a lot lately and I can tell that some exercises are getting easier. I have also been able to increase my weight in Group Power on the triceps, biceps, and back tracks.  My cardio strength is on point. When I did a cardio workout over the weekend, I was surprised at my speed and energy compared to Month 2 postpartum where I was incapable of completing a lot of the exercises.

I look forward to challenging my body in new ways in the next few months and learning new exercises to teach you all!!

This past weekend Ava hit the 7 Month mark. I absolutely love this age. She is progressing so quickly and it excites me for all the fun stuff ahead.

7 month Stats: Ava weighed in at 17lbs 5oz, she is so long and I don’t have an update on her length but she keeps stretching out. She outgrew most of her 6 month clothing so I will say she’s in 9 month gear!

Eat 

We have been slowing down on the eating front. Since Ava has been sick solids are really not as appealing these last couple of weeks. She clenches her mouth shut when I try to feed her oatmeal or bananas but will open her mouth for peas, sweet potatoes, squash etc. Girl knows what she wants! The doctor said when babies are sick not to worry about the solids and just focus on the bottles which works for us right now.

They love eachother

Sleep

We had a few rough nights with Ava when she was sick and coughing. She would wake up thirsty which would mean we were up a little longer then we like but its okay! She’s back on track now and sleeping from about 730 or 8pm until 545 or 6am. This works great with our schedule right now.

She usually gives us 1 good nap and 2 small ones! She’s just not into napping and doesn’t want to miss out. That’s kind of how I am..

Play

This should be titled Play & Exercise because Ava is on the move.

Ava started crawling about a week or so ago. She’s not moving quickly yet, but every day she is picking up the pace! She learned how to sit up and stand up in her crib, she flies around in her little walker, and all she wants to do is stand on our laps or pull herself up. I have a feeling she won’t be crawling long and will skip right into the walking.

I am excited for this but everyone warns me that it just gets harder! Oh well, I am up for the challenge.

MY UPDATE

I said I was going to end these updates about my postpartum progress but I will post one more.  I was sick with a sinus infection and laryngitis over the past 10 days so my workouts have been super limited. I am feeling much better and yesterday I was back to my normal routine. I am so SORE today thanks to all the pushups I did.

My weight has stayed the same this past month and hasn’t fluctuated at all. I am focusing on gaining strength in my arms. My shoulder is still not 100% so I am finding ways to work around it and get back to my normal self. Injuries take time to heal and man does it feel like its been a while but we are almost there!

My goal this month is to increase my strength with body weight exercises like pull-ups, burpees & pushups. Since they all put a lot of pressure on the shoulder it is crucial that I don’t over due it and progress slowly.

I have another push-up challenge coming to you guys this week so get ready!!

This simple workout with help you tone your muscles and have fun with your baby! The added laughter is an extra burn to the core.

Complete 20 repetitions of each exercise, repeat as many times as possible in 20 minutes. (For the plank, hold as long as you can and then move to the next exercise!)

PUSH-UPS

SIT-UPS W/ a Bear Hug

TRICEP PRESS

PLANKS

SQUAT TO SHOULDER PRESS

I’m sure your arms will be exhausted by the end of your session

AVA’S 5 MONTH UPDATE

Ava is now about 15lbs and 26 ¾ inches long!

EAT

About 2 weeks ago we tried solids. Ava had been staring at the food on my plate and reaching for it, so we knew it was time. Plus she has been taking so much formula and waking up starving in the middle of the night.

First we tried Rice cereal and to no surprise Ava was not a fan! I don’t blame her. I’m not into rice at all but I will eat it. We tried the rice cereal for a few days to see if those taste buds would change and if she would accept the texture but that didn’t happen. So on to  Squash we went, and it was a huge hit. Ava was literally grabbing the spoon out of my hand and sticking it into her mouth. WIN! She’s just like me and enjoys her veggies.  We started oatmeal 2 days ago and she seems more accepting of it. This is great because she needs something that will keep her full for a longer period of time.

This morning she tried green beans, and again she liked them! Do you think it is possible to skip the rice and oatmeal??

I can’t wait to try more veggies & soon fruits. We have sweet potatoes next on the list, I hope she likes them as much as I do

SLEEP

Ava is a great sleeper. The other night she slept for 12 straight hours waking up only 1 time to have a bottle. I am SO impressed.  Over the last week or two we have had some sleep disturbances due to Ava coughing. It doesn’t wake her up but Marc and I wake up! We didn’t know what to do so we took her to the Doctor. The Dr said she looks healthy besides the cough but maybe we should see an allergist or a GI doctor to see if she has Reflux or allergies. After analyzing her cough and symptoms, we think it is reflux! I guess we need to schedule an appointment to see what we can do.

Besides us waking up in the middle of the night for an hour straight, she really is easy in the sleep department. Her naps are pretty consistent. She takes 1 long nap (1 ½ – 2hrs) and 2 or 3 mini 30-45 min naps per day.

I do hope we get this cough under control so that Marc and I can sleep better! I don’t know about you but I need my sleep!!

PLAY

Of course play-time is the best. Who doesn’t want to see Ava laughing and giggling all day long. When we are playing everything else on my agenda and to-do list can wait. I get caught up with her fun personality. Ava uses her walker now. She doesn’t walk in it but plays and likes to be upright. She loves to make new noises now. She screams, chirps, oohs, & mmms, and has been testing out her voice a little bit more. Ava loves stuffed animals, especially her live stuffed animal Cooper. She reaches to pet him and when he licks her she smiles and laughs!

She can sit up on her own for short periods of time, and loves to play with her feet. Pretty soon she will be sticking them in her mouth.

She loves her cousin Natalie and Aunt Melanie

MY UPDATE

I am happy to say that I feel no pain or tightness in my shoulder and my strength is gradually improving.  I am keeping my fingers crossed it stays this way but I am sure I will run into some soreness here and there.

This past week I was able to lift a little bit heavier, and I am more comfortable doing pushups thanks to my Physical Therapist Melissa. She is the best! I love how she makes the tiniest tweak in my form to improve my shoulder mobility and strength. I learn a lot from her.

My weight is the same, but I am not trying to lose any more weight I am happy with where I am. I do notice that my arms are getting a little more toned thanks to being able to lift more weights! It is so nice not having to modify movements at this point. I don’t need to think about my injury with daily tasks and I am hoping I can put the injury behind me now! For the next month my goal is core strength and improving flexibility all over!!

This pic is a sneak peak at the Mommy & Me workout I am going to post this week that I did with Ava!

AVA

Ava’s current weight is 13lb 14oz we don’t have a length update because she hasn’t officially had her check up since she’s been sick, but she is very long and is in 6 month clothing!

This last month has been pretty crazy and Ava has officially been sick for a full month! It started off with a cold that turned into a bad cough. This cough lasted for weeks and we made several trips to the Doctor. It seemed like we had tried almost everything. A nebulizer, humidifier, steamed shower, fresh air, benadryl, and then finally…

the Doctor put her on antibiotics and within 48 hours the cough disappeared. As much as putting her on antibiotics was difficult it was the right choice and sometimes medicine is needed! At that point we were ready for anything to help her get better.

2 days after the cough went away, Ava broke out in a fever! The highest was 102.5 so back to the doctor it was. Poor little girl had a sore throat on top of everything. She must’ve caught a virus at daycare. Lots of rest and a little Tylenol were Ava’s plans over the weekend. Now she’s getting better each day but we have some teeth coming in, so I can sense some discomfort. Her hands are constantly in her mouth.

EAT 

Ava has been eating through her sickness, which is great. She might’ve taken a little less at some meals but she’s like her mama and can’t skip a meal.

SLEEP

Sleep has been interrupted this past month (mainly for Marc & I) we woke up to her coughing night after night and were more worried then anything. Ava would mostly sleep through the coughing in the middle of the night but sometimes they woke her up and then she would take a bottle and go back to sleep!

She has been napping more, which is fine because we needed her healthy!

PLAY

On to the fun part… play time! I love it and so does she. Ava learned to roll over at 3 ½ months! She has been reaching for toys and grabbing things left and right including my hair!

My ultimate favorite thing that has happened over the last month is hearing Ava giggle. It is hands down the cutest thing ever and I am pretty sure it will make you smile too.

ME

Now… on to my journey at 4 months postpartum. I have seen a lot of improvement in my shoulder strength since my last update. It was slow and steady for a while, but over the last 3 weeks I am feeling more and more like myself! I am gradually increasing the weights in my classes and each week I surprise myself with something new I can do.

When I started planks at Physical Therapy, I thought 20 seconds felt like an eternity and now 1 minute is a piece of cake! Seeing that type of progress in less then a weeks time keeps me motivated!

Eating..I am very proud of my food choices. I have been making very healthy dinners and choosing healthy snacks throughout the days. Sure I have the occasional ice cream night but for the most part I feel like I have eliminated most of the processed granola bars that I sometimes sneak in to my busy days.

My weight has stayed the same… and I’m still achieving my goal of increasing strength. Some areas I want to improve on this month are once again my shoulder strength, and I want to add in more cardio days!

Stay tuned for some more updates

AVA UPDATE:

Ava weighs 12lb 11oz at 3 months. I don’t have an update on her length, but she is getting looong. She is currently in 3 month clothing but I have a feeling it won’t be much longer until she moves into the 6 months because of her length!

SLEEP

Ava has been sleeping through the night for the past few weeks. Occasionally she will wake up hungry in the middle of the night but for the most part she will sleep a solid 8-9 hours! I thought this day would never come but we were so fortunate that at a little over 2 months she slept through the night.

Her naps are pretty good too. I am starting to see some patterns… in the morning she gives us a big long nap for 1.5-2hrs in the afternoon we get another 1-1.5hrs and then she takes a cat nap in the early evening a little before bed time!

EAT 

I am happy to say her feedings are so easy. She’s a great eater! About every 3-3.5hrs she will be hungry and we feed her 6-7 times a day, not bad! Her last feeding is at 9pm and the first one has been about 5:45/6am. I have no problem with this at all

PLAY

Playtime is my favorite. Her laugh and smile make my day.  It doesn’t matter what mood I am in….. when she smiles, I am always going to smile.

Ava loves the bright colors in her books, on her stuffed animals, or even the clothes I’m wearing. She loves her toys and her play mat. Too much playtime has happened, and I can tell when all the action over stimulates her because she starts to get a bit fussy.  I usually just pick her up, and that easily distracts her.

MY UPDATE:

I have no weight change from my 2-month mark. I wasn’t looking to lose any weight but my goal was to increase lean muscle. With my shoulder injury I am not quite sure I reached my goal on increasing muscle/strength. My body still feels the same for the most part. My legs feel a little stronger but they aren’t nearly as strong as they were before I got pregnant. I would still like to gain strength in my arms and core. This goal will have to continue through this next month and I’m hoping to see some results in the next 4-5 weeks.

I had my 6-week doctor check up on my collarbone and I am cleared to begin normal arm exercises. I have to EASE back into it and that is the hardest part. It would be awesome to just jump right back into the intense workouts I was doing before with burpees and pushups and plank exercises, but that would be too easy right? I guess I am up for the mental challenge and a slow/steady recovery.

I will keep you updated on my road to getting stronger!