Getting My Workout Groove Back - 16 Weeks

16 Weeks

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too.

Hit the Four Month mark today! Yay! I’m totally feeling more like myself. Have I mentioned the super nice weather helps? After six solid days of rain and gross weather, the sun is starting to come out and play. Thank God!

Back to the gym I go!!! LOVING IT!

I bit the bullet and added extra clubs to my gym membership. Best thing I have done. I’m so excited to get to the gym and fit my workouts in wherever I might be location wise. I feel like a new person. It’s GREAT!

I’ve been doing a quick workout over my lunch break twice a week and have noticed how my work performance has change. I have such a better attitude and am pounding out the work. I feel more creative.

My company also added an online wellness program where employees can accrue points every time we workout or do healthy things. TOTALLY AWESOME.  I blogged about it here. http://jhfoster.com/jhf-invests-in-employees-well-being-through-online-wellness-program/

My Weekly Workouts

Sunday

30 Minute Swimming Pool Time with Jackson. I might not have been swimming laps, but chasing a toddler around a pool is TOUGH WORK. Holy smokes.  I was exhausted. Pretty sure I had to take a nap after that. 

Wednesday

25 minute stair stepper cardio level 10

Thursday

30 minute weight training: lunges, arm curls, pushups, weighted stair steps, squats, crunches

Friday

Walk and park time with Jackson

Saturday

Walk and park time with Jackson

Symptoms and How I’m Feeling

• Feeling really good now that those endorphins are up and running again
• I will crave a beer or margarita or gin and tonic or glass of wine...or... The summer is going to be a tough one, but I know I can hold off and everything will be just fine. I’m just saying…some days are tougher than others.I mean, a frosty beer with a lime or lemon or orange. Oh dear. Drooling.
• I still get exhausted from time to time. Last night I couldn't keep my eyes open for one more second. I quickly kissed Karl and I was out.
• Still am FREEZING COLD
• Big rash on my face yet
• Peeing a TON during the night
• Weight: 154 now. GULP.

Our next appointment is Thursday! Can’t WAIT to hear baby’s heartbeat again!!!!

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Feeling SOME Movement - 15 Weeks

Week 15

So it’s been raining SOLID for four days now. We are tied for the second wettest April in Minnesota. Gross.

This prompted me to move forward with adding additional clubs to my gym membership. Currently I can only work out at the club closest to our house. That makes getting there tricky because it’s still about a 10 minute drive. Since we’re moving in June, I would have to add another club, which actually adds ALL clubs across the nation to my membership. Meaning the gym 10 minutes from work has been added. Can I get a “Wha? Wha?”

15 weeks!

Yes, my gym bag is already in my car and I’m ready for a lunch break workout!!!! I’m going to test today out and see how fast I can do this. If I can get to the gym twice a week and then get some outdoor activity in, I will be one HAPPY MOMMA and I KNOW this will benefit the baby too!

With all the eating I’ve been doing lately, I NEED SOMETHING! With Jackson I was at least going to the gym once or twice a week.

I’ve realized my schedule isn’t allowing me to get to the gym before bedtime or even before the birds come up. It’s hard making it to the gym being pregnant and with a toddler and with a hubby who works late and with me being in charge of dinners and getting the house ready for a move.  It’s a lot. But I know I have to put ME first somewhere in there so I can live the healthiest lifestyle possible. I don’t want to be a slug on the couch anymore.  And I definitely have been!

I’m beyond happy that there is SOME kind of system down for fitting in a work out now. YAY! And if I can get those 12 workouts in a month, it won’t be like I added the cost of those additional clubs! I’d be getting my “healthy living” insurance discount.

I can do this!

Also, I’m all about eating healthy again. I totally fell off the bandwagon there for several weeks. Jackson’s pediatrician knew it too. I think her eyes popped when I told her Jackson had been consuming jelly beans and fruit snacks. THE WORST SNACKS for kids’ teeth. So yes, we got lectured. His choices right now are OUR choices. We have to be smart about this stuff. I’m changing up the way he’s been snacking. Right now he’s content with frozen peas and baby organic carrots when I’m cooking dinner. This is good. Real good. Yes, I know. A phase. Always is!

Truthfully, Jackson’s pediatrician was getting tired of setting 3-year-olds up on meal plans because they are ALREADY obese. Oh dear. And she made sure we knew it’s VERY VERY common today. I know it is. I see it everywhere.  The thing is, it is SO easy to eat bad. We live in SUCH a FAST BUSY world - we WANT easy. I get it. But my head is back on straight (for now) and I’ve been meal planning and buying fresh produce and sticking to the easiest, healthiest meals I can make right now.  And if the meal doesn’t SEEM that healthy, I ADD healthy to it – as in more veggies, a side of fruit, etc.

I will say Jackson is in the 30 percentile for weight. He is skinny. There is no problem there. But she was just giving us a heads up that if he continues on this slippery slope of sugary foods, the next appointment might not be so great, or will that first dentist appointment. I hear ya!

Some Recent Activity For Mom:

Sunday – 2.5 run/walk – 30 minutes

Wednesday – 2.7 mile walk during lunch break – 35 minutes

Saturday – 4.5 run/walk with jogging stroller – we stopped at the park so it was a 3 hour deal

How I’m Feeling? Symptoms

·         I’m still FREEZING cold ALL the time

·         CRAVING V8 (Karl bought me a 48 pack from Costco. Limiting my intake though due to the high sodium)

·         HUNGRY all the time. Sigh.

·         Definitely feeling better though!

·         Exhausted by the time Friday comes. Still needing naps here and there during the weekend.

·         Yep, still have the rash on my face.

·         Have busted out some maternity clothes. But rocking the red hot TIGHT pants today!

·         FELT BABY FLUTTER and MOVE (not from outside but totally feel baby moving around from the inside)

Next appointment is May 8. Coming soon!

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Hello Second Trimester - 14 Weeks

14 Weeks

Welcome to the second trimester! This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb. Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him -- a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb. In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches -- about the size of a lemon -- and weighs 1 1/2 ounces.

WooHoo! We made it to Second Trimester. My energy is definitely back, but that nauseousness still likes to linger from time to time. I could do without that.

Here comes the bump!

So Sunday (Easter) was 78 degrees out or something crazy AMAZING like that. Instead of my normal “nap” I went for a run/walk instead (in a T-shirt!) - 2.7 miles in under 30 minutes. SCORE! I was pumped. Yesterday I went on a 2.5 mile walk during my lunch break. PERFECT. I’m baaaaaack! I have a lot of toning up to do though. Yikes! Things sure do sag a lot quicker the older you get. Woof.

I spent Monday talking to a nurse through our insurance provider. They are offering a Healthy Pregnancy Program. SUPER cool. She asked all the right questions. I realized all this time people mainly ask how I’m feeling. She really asked the in-depth questions: Will I have support when the baby comes? Who? Do I feel safe?  Will I nurse? How was I emotionally after Jackson? How am I feeling about a second child?

It was really GREAT to talk to someone. Life seems so rushed sometimes, doesn’t it? We don’t always get to talk about ourselves.

The best part? I get a free Medela Breast Pump!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am SO excited about this. Yes, I already have one, but what a PAIN to haul it to and from work all the time. This will help so much. It’s just nice to feel like SOMEONE other than family is in my corner about making life easier when it comes to nursing.

I’m back to eating and cooking pretty healthy again. LOTS of veggies! I just know I have to stick to a workout routine AND get some weights involved. The nurse I talked to kept telling me…”Keep moving! Whatever you do, keep moving!” 

She is right. So right. I’m shooting for every other day right now. That seems to be working.

I was pretty sure with Jackson I was having a boy. This time around I keep going back and forth. Boy? Girl? Will we find out? Karl is leaning towards finding out. I’m indifferent. I liked the surprise but even after Jackson was born, neither of us cared. The doctor was like, “OK, dad. Are you going to share if it’s a girl or a boy?”

We were like…”Oh Yeah! Duh!” We were both covered in tears.

I can’t believe we’re going through this again. This whole process is such a miracle. So precious.

Ever feel like God is closer than ever? That’s how I feel right now. I’ve been having a lot of conversations with him. The more I invite him into our life, the more I feel planted. If that makes sense? God provides. He knows us best. I have to trust that. The more I trust, the more GOOD (God) follows. The more I feel rooted  deep within in his love and my own.

My thoughts for the day!

Symptoms & Cravings

·         More energy (FINALLY!)

·         Love to eat – glad it’s not sweets but more like fish and oranges or apples. Chipotle/Qdoba.

·         Peeing a lot during the night

·         Usually cold. Freezing cold.

·         Little nauseous here and there

·         Still big ol’ rash on my face.

·         I think I might be up to 152 lbs. Yikes. 

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Month in Review - HAPPY EASTER - 24 Months

Hope you all had a WONDERFUL Easter!

I had one of the BEST Easters in a long time. Why? We stayed HOME and CELEBRATED just our little family. It was just what we needed.

We've been running around like crazy people and spending a TON of time with family. LOTS OF FAMILY. It was so nice to be home. The weather was perfect! We went to church. I was able to do laundry. We grilled lunch outside. I went on a RUN/WALK in under 30 minutes! I sat out on our deck and read TWO magazines and got a tan!!! I whipped up a ham dinner. We hit up a park. It was so perfect. We NEED more weekends like these.

Below is what we've been up to!

A family photo of us at church! Beautiful worship! God is GREAT.

My twins. I tell ya... I'm in trouble!

So Saturday we headed to the farm in Gaylord to spend it with Karl's mom's family. Jackson was able to go on an Easter Egg Hunt. So that was cool. Never mind the door-ding in my brand new car. Grumble. Grumble. 

Uh-oh! Easter basket throw up!

Helping Jackson search for eggs around the farm. Yeah, that's a microwave just hanging out... 

So cute watching Jackson collect eggs

Just a few blades at the farm. No big deal. 

My sweet sweets silly boy

Grandma Judy cutting Jackson's hair for the 15th + time!

Someone got his 2-year-old toddler photos. Adorbs!

Keep on smiling and living it up! Until next time!

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Getting Some Energy Back - 13 weeks

13 Weeks

Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head -- which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (about the size of a pea pod) and weighs nearly an ounce. As you start your second trimester, most of your baby's critical development will be completed and your odds of miscarriage drop considerably.

My Energy is Back!!!

Well, at least some of it. And I didn’t need all my naps last weekend. Jackson took a nice long nap on Sunday before his birthday party (he was sick) so that gave me and my mom time to whip together two dishes of lasagna and salad and Karl threw together fresh bread in the bread maker.

Feeling pretty good!! I’m eating healthy again and don’t necessarily need to stuff my face all the time. Whew.

Cravings:

• ·         SEAFOOD. I keep begging Karl to take me out to a seafood restaurant. My parents took us to Manny’s and my mom and I shared the best crab leg of our life. SO GOOD. I want more!!!!
• ·         Qdoba and Chipotle sound good a lot. Even Panera.
• ·         Seafood. Mmmm. I took Jackson to Culver’s on Friday so we could pick up his birthday cake, but also so I could get a Cod fish sandwich. SO good.
• ·         Kind of weird but sweet stuff doesn’t do it for me right now. Could go without dessert.

Symptoms:

• ·         I have a rash on my cheek that looks like a bunch of zits. Cute.
• ·         I still get those gas bubbles or some kind of annoying heartburn in my chest.
• ·         Hungry in the mornings a lot.
• ·         Peeing quite often throughout the night.
• ·         Crabby here and there.
• ·         150 lbs 

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Happy 2nd Birthday, Jackson!!!!

We have a TWO year old!!!!!!!!

My sweet, sweet Jackson is TWO!!! I can't even believe it. I feel SO lucky to be his mom. What a WONDERFUL little guy. What a BLESSING. What a JOY!

We celebrated his birthday on Sunday with a VERY VERY small party (JUST family) and I'm SO glad we did this. Why? For one, Jackson came down with a 104 temp Friday through Sunday morning. [Rough weekend.]

All day Sunday he wasn't himself - VERY clingy and crabby. It breaks my heart to see him like this. He wanted NOBODY but mom. So I can't say he was the happiest during his birthday party, but it was still fun. It was just very hard for me to do anything so I'm glad my mom was around to help with the food because I would have been in trouble.

I also don't have it in me right now to throw a massive party with moving and being pregnant. We don't quite have the space. And not all of my family could be here - it's tough being far from everyone. But we're celebrating individually and that's fine by us. We are just THRILLED to be Jackson's parents.

Jackson James Koester - 2 years old

Loves looking out the windows regardless of the temp. Such a nature boy!

Riding all by himself! Look, mom! No HANDS! BIG BOY!

Seriously. Another photo???

A visit with the Easter Bunny!!!!

One of Jackson's favorite things. Run away from mom while I chase him up and down the hills. We laugh and laugh and laugh!

Had our Celebration of Life Dinner for my dad since he survived open heart surgery. SUPER FUN night!!! GREAT GREAT FOOD!!!! BEST CRAB LEGS OF MY LIFE!!!!!! My dad had his valve replaced and a hole larger than a quarter closed in his heart. My mom said his heart was so enlarged that once they put it back in his chest after fixing it up, it shrunk back to size. Isn't the body amazing??? TREAT YOURS RIGHT!

Opening Aunt Kelly's and Uncle Ben's gifts. And watching the Masters:) 

Jackson LOVES ice cream (hates frosting on cakes. Will gag.) so we opted for a Culver's Cake. He liked blowing out the candle! VERY GOOD CAKE!!!!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JACKSON!!!!!!!! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

Opening Gpa Jim and Gma Judy's gift. A super cool Thomas the Train that moves!!!

WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gpa Gary and Gma Cindy's gift! Waiting to set this up until we move into the new house!

Train conductor!!!!! CHOO-CHOO!!!!!! Grandma Cindy loves to dress Jackson!

Grandma Cindy gets the best gifts!!!

Jackson melted when he saw this from his Uncle Mark and Aunt Tot and his beloved Kacey. He clapped and kept saying "Kacey!!!" And then "AWWWWWWWW!"

Some cool facts about Jackson and April 15, 2014:

Temperature: 17 degrees right now on April 15, 2014 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Weather: SUNNY!
Moon: BLOOD MOON. Thankfully I'm getting up to pee so much, so I was able to see it. SOOO COOL! I saw it at 2:06 a.m. out our bedroom window. So cool.

Weight, Height - We go in next week for his 2-year appointment. Will know more! I know he's over 27 lbs though.
Clothes - Able to wear 18 month, 24 month and 2 T. 18 month pants fit great in his waist since he has a six-pack but they are too short!
Diapers - POTTY TRAINED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wears size 4 diapers at night. I need to move him into a big boy bed... Waiting until we move into the new house.
Shoes - Size 6.5
Favorite Songs - Old MacDonald, ABCs, Johnny Appleseed, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Wheels on the Bus
Favorite Foods - Pretty good eater! Just had TWO of his dad's healthy, famous pancakes!
Words he says a lot - "Love you daddy." "Love you mommy." "Sit down, mommy!" "Old MacDonald had a pig." "More please." "Thank you, momma." "All done!" "Kelly beans? Kelly beans? Mooooore Kelly Beans?" "Eye, yey, yey!" "Mama Mia!" "Grandpa Jim's knee. Owie." "Papa's owie." "Jenna's again!" "Chuck, nose. Cry." "Griffin hit Julia." "Hitting Angelo." "Open door."
Faves - Loves looking for Motorcycles (which he calls Mocos), and trains and police cars with lights. He loves to blow kisses. He loves being outside. He loves going to the park and going down the biggest, fastest slides. He loves reading books, especially ones with trains, dump trucks, garbage trucks and heavy equipment.
History - One year ago someone (sick) bombed the Boston Marathon. Two years ago the Titanic remembered 100 years since it sank. This year... they are STILL searching for the Malaysia airlines that went down. I'm obsessed.

WE LOVE YOU FOREVER, JACKSON!!!!!!!!! You are THE BEST!!!!!! OUR BEST.

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Crabby at 12 weeks

Week 12

I’m grumpy today. And it’s almost 70 out. What is my deal? I even went running over my lunch break hoping my endorphins would come out and play.  

It all started last night. It was a great night to start. I was able to get my rings cleaned and my car washed. BONUS. AND I fixed up a super healthy dinner. I was feeling rather chipper. BUT Jackson walked in crying and my husband was in a foul mood and it carried over to me. Ever happen to you???

12 weeks!

Drives me nuts when that happens. Negativity is SO toxic. I tried to stay positive, but the negativity won and carried over into MY day at work. Then everything fell apart. I only noticed the bad in everything. It was terrible.

I know I need to stop this domino effect. My mom reminded me that I can’t change anyone but myself. It’s true. I’ve always been determined and driven and high-energy and take initiative like nobody’s business and I think everyone should be like this.

Maybe my expectations are too high? I’ve been told that a few times.  

My mom said that I can’t will someone to change. For example, someone who is drinking too much or does drugs or someone who should stop biting their nails. (Meaning me. My nails are STUBS!) THANKS MOM. True. True I have to be the one who WANTS to change, nobody can force me to. So I have to let it all go and focus on other things. SO HARD, especially when I am the type who wants to FIX everything.

Baahahaha.

Moving on to other things…

So I have gone running twice this week! Outside!!!! So lovely. That must mean SOME energy is coming back. Tomorrow we go in for our 12-week appointment and I’m thinking we’ll hear the heartbeat.  YAY! Wonder what Jackson will think?

Otherwise, I’m still pretty tired. Once the weekends come, I have to take naps. I can barely keep my eyes open. And this is hard for me. I feel like I’m wasting time taking these naps, but I have accepted this is just how things have to be right now or else NOTHING would get done.

I also had breakfast with the pastor who married us on Monday morning. We hadn’t seen each other since before Jackson was born. WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had the usual – banana pancakes and eggs Maxwell – and picked up exactly where we left off. He is so wonderful. HE simply CARES and LISTENS. I love this. He automatically asked how I was doing without my big brother around. HE GETS IT. He GETS ME. I miss him. I miss his sermons. I miss how he gets me thinking about the greater things in life.

Stomach is growing for sure. I THINK I might have gained like 8 pounds. I hit 150 already. WHOA. SLOW DOWN. It’ll be more tomorrow too because I will be weighing myself in the afternoon. Oh well.

That’s about it. Jackson’s 2^nd Bday Party is this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t even believe it. Also, to make you moms all feel better, I have not one single balloon, cake, plate or present bought. It’s pretty much going to be my parents, Karl’s parents/family. SMALL. Unlike last year’s 75+ peopleJ We’re still trying to come down from that INSANE party. Basically, he’s TWO. Do you remember your 2^nd Birthday party? (Again, more from my mother’s wisdom.)  And Jackson’s going to love whatever I do. He’s just the best. 

THE BEST!

More updates after tomorrow’s appointment! :) :) :) 

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