Baby Lincoln: 6 Months

Age: 6 months!
Weight: 19lbs 3oz (80th percentile)
Length: 27" (68th percentile)
Size: 9 month clothes/size 3 diapers (we use disposables at night)

Sleeping: OH MY GOSH. I never thought this day would come, but he is actually sleeping better! We had a rough couple of weeks- he was waking up at least every 2 hours. At first I thought he was hungry, but he goes 3+ hours between feedings during the day. I'd feed him anyway to get him to go back to sleep, but he'd wake up like an hour later. Both my husband and I were starting to have difficulty functioning during the day, so we decided it was time to sleep train him.

Turns out all his fussing was him trying to tell us he wanted to sleep on his tummy. We took him out of her Merlin sleep suit (now dangerous because he can roll from back to tummy) and within just a few minutes, he flips onto his tummy. By day 4 of sleep training and he only whined for 10 mins before he falling asleep. He wakes up around 1:30am, whines for a couple minutes and goes back to seep until 4:30am when I feed him. Then he'll go back to bed until 6:30am when he wakes for the day. Last night he slept for 7 hours straight and didn't even make a peep when we put him down! YAY! 
It still freaks me out that he sleeps on his tummy and I check on him pretty frequently, but I'm slowly getting used to it.

We also implemented a more strict bedtime routine, which is supposed to help them understand it's time for bed. Story time is part of it.

Eating: We started giving him solids a few days ago. We've just been giving him a tablespoon or so of sweet potatoes and he loves it! He still breastfeeds, roughly every 3 hours during the day and once at night.

Milestones: He can sit up unassisted now! He's not completely stable, so we still have to watch him, but he can sit and play with a toy. :) He also graduated to a bigger car seat. He seems a lot more comfortable and can now see out the window better.

Favorite toys/activities: Loves to ride on daddy's shoulders. Still loves chewing on his Sofie the Giraffe. 

Looking forward to: His first trip to Disneyland! It's not until January, but everything is booked and I'm starting to plan out dining reservations and just read as much as possible about doing Disneyland with a little. :D 

Of course I'm also looking forward to the holidays- seeing him enjoy Thanksgiving dinner (my favorite meal of the year) and all the Christmas events. Halloween is also coming up- gotta start working on our costumes!

Are you dressing up for Halloween this year? :)

Running a Marathon VS Having a Baby

When I got pregnant, I started hearing that childbirth was comparable to running a marathon, both physically and emotionally. I actually read a lot of articles and blog posts about it and it intrigued me. It also frightened me a bit because despite running numerous half marathons, my one and only marathon experience was not all that great. 

And now having done both (marathon in Jan 2015, Baby in Feb 2016), I thought it'd do a little comparison. 

Marathon

vs.

Childbirth

Let's start from the beginning...

Registering for the Big Event

In both cases, I voluntarily signed up. Not entirely sure what allusions of grandeur were going through my mind when I signed up for the marathon, but I was well aware of what I was getting into when I got pregnant. ;) In both cases, I had the foresight to also sign up some support in the form of my husband. He wasn't totally on board for the marathon, but he was all for the baby. 

Training

Training is a crucial part of preparing for both big events. It's the time to learn and prepare as much as you can, so make the most of the time! Coincidentally, I had about 9 months to prepare for both the marathon and the baby. 

Let's talk marathon training. Ideally, you'd prepare a training program that you follow religiously, ramping up in mileage slowly to prepare you for that 26.2 miles. I said, ideally. That totally did not happen for me. Most plans train up to at least 20 miles with long runs in 2 mile increments on the weeks prior. Let's take a look at how my training went: 

8 miles- 20 weeks prior

9 miles- 11 weeks prior

13 miles- 9 weeks prior (Wine & Dine Half Marathon)

13 miles- 8 weeks prior (Avengers Half Marathon)

11 miles- 5 weeks prior

18 miles- 3 weeks prior

Yup, only one run over a half marathon distance. I got in short runs of just a few miles 2-3 times per week in addition to those longer runs, but this is not good marathon training. This kind of bare bones training may get you through the marathon, but it is by no means a path to making the race great.

Along my 18 mile training run

Jumping to childbirth training- I'm not entirely sure there is any kind of training you can really do to simulate childbirth. There is a ton of literature you can read, friends who will share their experiences, exercises you can do to prepare you, but nothing is going to fully prepare you for it. It's all more mental prep than going through the motions.

Staying fit by running the Disneyland 10k @ 16 weeks pregnant

My prep consisted of trying to stay in shape and being mentally prepared. I ran one race during the pregnancy- the Disneyland 10k. I continued to jog until about 26 weeks and then stayed consistent with prenatal yoga and the elliptical. I didn't gain a ton of weight, about 25 pounds, which also helped.

Through out both "training" experiences, I had similar feelings. At the beginning, I had a sense of excitement and I could eat more food (yay!). I did all that I could to stick to a good health/fitness routine. By the end, I was just ready and counting down the days for the big event. I was nervous in both cases and had a "ready or not here I come" mentality.

Phases of the Marathon/Labor

I like to think of gathering in the corrals at the start of the race as the start of labor. There's excitement in the air, the adrenaline is flowing, and all thoughts lead to "let's get this party started!"

Early labor is like miles 1-17 of the marathon. It lasts a long time, but you're keeping a good pace and going with the flow. There's an "I can totally do this" mentality. Things aren't too difficult yet, but it's getting increasingly harder. You may even decide to stop for a few photo ops. ;) Unfortunately (or fortunately) for me, I sort of skipped this phase. Labor started hard and fast, no leisurely intro for me.

All smiles at the halfway point of the marathon. Things were still fun at this point. It helped that we rode a roller coaster. ;)

Hard contractions are like miles 18-24: this is when sh*t hits the fan. You start to question your sanity and wonder why anyone would willingly put themselves through this. The only thing that carries you on is putting one foot (or breath) in front of the other. You'll probably start to snap at your support person. I had been awake for almost 30 hours at this point and lack of sleep really took its toll. (Sorry hubby. I know you had the unfortunate experience of being my support person through both events.)

I may look like I'm resting, but I was definitely questioning if I could make it through labor.

During the marathon, I remember very distinctly running through what felt like the never ending maze of the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex thinking that this was the end of the marathon for me. Just as in labor, my husband encouraged me to continue and we pressed onward.

Almost there!

The push to the end is very similar in both cases. You're in tons of pain, exhausted, you still have thoughts of giving up, but you also have hope! You know the end is SO close, you can see it! You push through those last moments of pain and cross that finish line... 

and the end result is wonderful. There is this overwhelming feeling of joy. Runners high, if you will.

First photo as a family

There's also a sense of relief and all that pain just melts away. At least for the next 15 minutes or so. Then your body realizes what it just went through and the aches and pain begins. ;) 

In both cases, you'll be famished after and want to eat everything. Sadly, there is no celebratory beer after you have the baby. :(

A tasty "recovery" meal at WDW.

Recovery
Do we really need to compare the two? Unless you had some horrid injury, recovery from childbirth is definitely harder. With the marathon, you can sleep it off and be back to normal in a matter of days. After labor, there is no sleep, your body it healing, and you've got this tiny human that needs your attention 24/7. Literally. I'm also holding the baby as I type this. ;)

So which would I rather go through?

At this point, I'm not entirely sure. Yes, having a baby was painful (I opted for minimal IV drugs, so I guess it could have been different), but it wasn't that bad. There were moments that I doubted I could do it, but staying focused on the end goal really helped. As for the marathon, I still remember the 7 hours of running torture. In my opinion, the marathon is more mentally difficult, probably because you always have the option of dropping out of the race. Obviously not an option with having a baby. ;)

No medal, but he's pretty cute.

All in all, I expect to go through both again. I'd love to run another marathon (I promise to train better next time) and I hope we're blessed with another baby. But in a few years. The newborn weeks are proving harder than both child birth and the marathon. ;)

What do you think? Is running a marathon harder than having a baby?

Baby R: 34 Weeks

This weekend was the WDW Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World. I really enjoyed seeing friends run via social media (congrats Patty on running your first marathon!) and just the general excitement from the race weekend.

I completed the marathon last year and I have to say it was the hardest thing I've ever done- both mentally and physically. I went in undertrained and nervous as heck. There were times when I wanted to quit and times when I thought I was going to die, but I made it through- all thanks to my supportive husband. He had no interest in running the marathon (half are enough for him), but I asked him to run with me and be my support. He was there every step of the way, encouraging me when things got hard, never complaining that I dragged him out there for 7 hours. If not for him, I would not have finished.

So as I think about delivering this baby and what will most likely trump the marathon in terms of the hardest things I've ever done, I remember the marathon and I know that with my husband by my side, anything is possible. And while it may seem odd, I'm planning to bring my marathon medal (or mini medal pin) in my hospital bag as a reminder of what I can accomplish with the right support. :)

How far along? 34 Weeks

Total weight gain: 20 lbs! I've been really packing on the weight lately! 

Exercise: Prenatal yoga almost every day to help with back and hip pain. I'm really starting to feel the effects of the added weight. I've almost got that pregnancy waddle swag. ;)

Stretch marks: None that I can tell.

Maternity clothes: Yes! I've also started dipping into my husband's wardrobe. ;)

Belly button in or out? It's poking out now. Not a lot, but you can see it through my t-shirt. Haha. 

Wedding rings on or off? Still fit, but getting very snug.

Sleep: Sleep is still hit or miss. I've started making piles of pillows so I can sleep practically sitting up. 

Food cravings/Aversions: Soda? I didn't want all the sugar, so I've satisfied the craving with sparkling/fizzy water. In general, I've been very very thirsty. Eggs have suddenly started grossing me out. I can make them for my husband, but the thought of eating them... no.

Symptoms: Feeling large and in charge. Also getting some Braxton Hicks contractions.

Movement: Baby is still moving around a lot. He had an "Alien" moment where he pushed his foot like he was trying to escape through the front of my belly. It created a visible bump- both hubby and I were shocked he is so strong!

Best moment this week: This seems kind of ridiculous to say it's my favorite moment, but this week I was able to lay on my stomach! I used a whole bunch of pillows and left a gap for the belly. It was heavenly! :)

Did you participate in the WDW Marathon Weekend? I'd love to hear about your experience!

Baby R: 33 Weeks: Happy New Year!

Um, yes. You can never have enough chocolate croissants!

Sparkling cider for New Years Eve!

2015 best nine on Instagram- Disney, baby, and running- accurately describes my year!

How far along? 33 weeks!

Total weight gain: 18 lbs

Exercise: Keeping up with prenatal yoga and the elliptical. I credit the yoga for my lack of back pain!

Stretch marks: None.

Maternity clothes: Yup! Just bought a couple maternity long sleeve henley tops for our unusually cold weather. 

Belly button in or out? Still in, but trying to poke out.

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Sleep: Sleep is not going well. I caught a cold, so between the stuffy nose, sore throat, heart burn, and being uncomfortable in general, sleep isn't fun anymore. I try to take naps during the day to catch up on my Zzzzs. 

Food cravings: Ice cream! Had some yummy Ben&Jerry's Hazed and Confused. So good!

Symptoms: More of the same- joint pain, moving much more slowly. As my hubby says- I'm "as big as a house". :)

Movement: Baby's movements are much stronger. He is definitely running out of space in there. When he stretches out his foot, you can see a small bump from the outside. He still enjoys putting his feet right up by my ribs.

Best moment this week: Made a huge Target run to get the last of the stuff we need off our registry! I also ordered a crib finally! 

Baby R: 32 Weeks: Merry Christmas

Christmas 2015 started off just like any other Christmas- coffee and breakfast with the husband in front of the tree. It's crazy to think that this is our last Christmas just the two of us and that next year we'll have an almost one year old! :O

Christmas gift from the baby

We spent a few days with the family and then headed to the snow for a few days with friends. I can count on two hands the number of times I've been to the snow (shocking, I know!), so even though there wasn't a lot of snow, it was still fun! Finding clothes to wear in the snow was pretty comical. I wasn't going to buy maternity snow gear that I'd only use for a couple days, so I just put on as many layers and I could and topped it off with one of my hubby's jackets. Movement was limited, but it worked! 

It was so nice to be off the grid with no internet/cell reception and just relax in the quiet; something I know will be of short supply once the baby comes.

How far along? 32 Weeks

Total weight gain: 16 lbs

Exercise: Still keeping up with prenatal yoga and the elliptical, averaging 5 workouts/week

Stretch marks: None yet!

Maternity clothes: All the time. 

Belly button in or out? Still mostly in, but it's trying to poke out.

Wedding rings on or off? On, but getting snug.

Sleep: Sleep isn't the best. I still get up a few times a night to pee.

Food cravings: Ice cream, pie, and all the holiday cookies! I was also seriously craving a glass of wine to go with Christmas dinner. :( 

Symptoms: Just the usual- regular tasks are harder to do; scrubbing the shower is now considered a major workout. Space for my stomach is running out, which was terrible timing for the holidays! 

I've also had this not so awesome pain in my pelvis/hip joint. The pain used to be pretty minor in the morning when I woke up, but it's started to get increasingly worse. It's most likely symphysis pubis dysfunction, caused from the ligaments loosening and the joints becoming more lax. 

Movement: Baby was super wiggly throughout the holiday weekend, no doubt caused by all the sweets I was eating. :) 

Best moment this week: Spending time with family. 

Did you have a good time over the holidays?

Baby R: 31 Weeks

One of my pregnancy apps does a size comparison of baby with French pastries. This is by far my favorite! 

We've been in our new house for a few months now. I even have a big dedicated space for me to sew and do other crafty things, but it wasn't until this week that I finally busted out my sewing machine. I had big plans of making tons of burp cloths, bibs, blankets, and quilts for this baby, but I just never got around to starting. I finally had the urge to sew and busted out a couple burp cloths with this cute shark pattern. Maybe this nesting thing is kicking in! :)

How far along? 31 Weeks

Exercise: Prenatal yoga and the elliptical- Aiming for 5 workouts per week.

Stretch marks: none yet!

Maternity clothes: Most definitely! I can still fit in a couple pre-pregnancy tops, but maternity is much more comfortable. 

Belly button in or out? In, but it's trying to poke out.

Wedding rings on or off? Still on.

Sleep: Sleep has been better this past week. I don't know if it's because I'm more tired, or if I just know what's comfortable and what's not.

Food cravings: Yogurt and strawberry ice cream.

Symptoms: At my last doctors appointment, I found out that I'm slightly anemic. First steps are to try and increase my iron levels through diet (bring on all the red meat and leafy greens!). If that's not enough, I'll go on supplements.

Getting in some red meat with an In-n-Out burger. How cute are their festive wrappers?

Movement: Baby is moving a lot more. The other night I swear he was practicing bicycle kicks off my ribs! 

Best moment this week: We took our birthing class this week! It was very informative and my hubby and I definitely feel more prepared and ready. 

Do you have a favorite French pastry? Mmmm...

Baby R: Baby Shower

This past weekend my gracious aunties threw a baby shower for Baby R! The theme was an ocean/under the sea theme, inspired by our hopefully soon-to-be complete nursery.

We had chicken salad and turkey/cheese croissant sandwiches, pasta and green salad, and Hawaiian meatballs. I'm bummed I forgot to take a picture of the food because it was delicious! 

For dessert we had a layer pretzel dessert in two flavors- orange and strawberry. Have you ever had this before? The bottom layer is crushed pretzels, middle layer is a mix of cream cheese and cool whip, and the top layer is jello and fruit. So good! Just the right combination of flavors to satisfy this pregnant lady's cravings. :)

Favors were blue jelly beans (to mimic water) and gummy fish and sharks.

One of the games was a "guess what's in the diaper" type of game. I've played this before with baby food, but we used melted chocolate bars. I'll spare you the photos, but I'm sure you can imagine what melted Milky Way, Crunch, Snickers, and Twix bars look like in a diaper. ;)

Another one of the games was to guess my baby bump circumference. I think it's pretty crazy how big I've gotten and it was so fun to see the guesses. Most people were over- some were way over like my dear husband. He's lucky I love him! My dad was actually the winner- he was spot on!

Some of my amazing friends and family. Baby R feels so loved and blessed already. 

Now that we've had the shower, it seems so much more real and that the baby will be here soon! Just 2 more months to go!

Have you been to a baby shower? Did you play any fun games?

Baby R: 27-30 Weeks: Entering 3rd Tri!

This year is just flying by! I can't believe we've passed Thanksgiving and Christmas is quickly approaching! I'm feeling oddly calm about the holidays this year. I've gotten 90% of our gift shopping down and our house was decorated earlier than usual. Maybe all my stress is being directed towards the upcoming arrival of the baby.

Thanksgiving!

Getting our Christmas tree. This is me "supervising." ;)

In honor of our new house, we wanted to get a big tree. One where when we put it in the car, we had a moment of "maybe it's TOO big..." Goal achieved! This is the tree with no stand. We had to trim a good chunk off the top to get it to fit. Haha.

How far along? 27-30 Weeks

Total weight gain: 14 lbs

Exercise: Mixing in prenatal yoga and the elliptical. I recently got a FitBit and it's been interesting to see my heart rate. Sometimes when I'm sitting down, my heart rate is 100- and the FitBit thinks I'm in the "fat burn" zone! Huge change from my pre-pregnancy heart rate of the low 60s! 

Stretch marks: None yet, but I expect them any day now.

Maternity clothes: All the time!

Belly button in or out? Still in. 

Wedding rings on or off? They still fit, but are getting more snug.

Sleep: It's going ok, but I still have a hard time getting comfortable. I'm also getting breathless when laying down.

Any baby purchases or preparations? We finally painted the nursery! Still only have a dresser, but at least it's progress!

Food cravings: Thanksgiving dinner! And I've gotten to eat a lot of it!

Symptoms: Starting to get more tired. I think the second trimester energy is fading. 

Movement: Baby must be running out of space. He's doing less kicks and starting to have bigger motions. I can also feel him stretching out in there. 

Best moment this week: We hosted our annual holiday dinner party! We didn't get to have one last year due to a tiny apartment, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity with the new house. 

Even if I couldn't enjoy the wine, at least I got a good laugh out of the napkins!

I spent the day cooking up a storm! We had ham, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, and brussels sprouts. I think I over did the work load because my toes started to swell right before dinner. After that, I put my feet up for the rest of the night!

Rocky road brownies. SO GOOD! Just a boxed brownie mix with added walnuts. Then after baking and the brownies are still hot, top with marshmallows, chocolate chips, and more walnuts.

And of course, the baby bump got lots of love and attention. :)