Sunday, October 28, 2012

Abby's 2nd Birthday Party!

10/28/12

So I didn't get to post about Abby's birthday party yet. Here's pictures from her party. The theme was Minnie Mouse. She had fun and I'm glad we had it the weekend before her birthday because the next weekend we were in the hospital with Hannah!


















This is just a glimpse of the fun at Abby's 2nd Birthday party! 

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Postpartum- Week 1

10/27/12

Alright, it's already time to start getting back my pre-preggo body again. Hopefully my journey will encourage and enable other wonderful women to have a healthy body as well after having a baby. I've learned that your body goes through SO MANY changes...during pregnancy and after pregnancy that you just don't know about, or expect, and it can be overwhelming. BUT don't get discouraged because there is hope to feeling like yourself and looking like "yourself" again :)

Weight Pre-baby #2 ... 125


Ending Weight baby #2 (38 weeks and couple days) ... 154




Week 1 Stats

Monday October 22...4 days post-delivery

Arm: 10
Chest: 36 1/2
Waist: 37 1/2
Hips: 37
R thigh: 20 1/2
R calf: 12

BMI: 25.5
Weight: 144

Week 1 Pics...try not to be disgusted...FIRST PAIR OF PANTS TO FIT INTO



Saturday October 27

Arm: 10
Chest: 36
Waist: 35 1/4
Hips: 36 1/2
R thigh: 20 1/2
R Calf: 11 3/4

BMI: 24.5
Weight: 138

Week 1...9 days post-delivery



So in 5 days I have dropped pretty rapidly, losing 2 1/4 inches on my waist and more in other areas. Some things I'm doing are resting a lot, feeding and pumping a lot, eating more vegetables, eating every 2-3 hours, drinking a lot of water, taking pre-natal vitamins still, and doing a couple ab exercises. I'm just trying to recover. Thankfully I'm desiring more of my healthy diet and don't feel like I'm "forcing" myself to make healthier eating choices. I've still been having sweets cause I'm addicted at the moment but it's a process and I'm working on one thing at a time!


Ab Exercises starting a couple days after delivery (safe for vaginal deliveries). I've been doing the Elevator Exercise (part of Tupler Technique). 5-10 reps a day. You have to do it sitting so I've actually done it in the car or nursing. I've also been doing the exercise Contractions (also TT). Just 50-100 reps a day right now. With that exercise you pull your belly button in and release, which is one contraction. You also just sit for that.

More motivation for me is this shirt I got today at Target...it was on clearance, exciting! It's my regular size and doesn't really fit so I'm excited to keep losing (maybe I should take progress pics in this too??)


Be ready for my next update and for when I can exercise for some good info! :)

Monday, October 22, 2012

The Birth of Hannah

10/22/12

Hannah came early! I'm still supposed to be one week away from my due date and here I am sitting at the counter typing this while Abby is playing at the sink and Hannah is sleeping in her bouncy seat! Crazy. I thought I'd tell everyone about my labor/delivery story because I've had many people inquire and it's a lot to tell it over and over. So here it goes!

Last Tuesday I had false labor most of the day and was feeling like it might be coming soon. Wednesday morning I had the urge to clean while Abby was at school. I literally cleaned and scrubbed the WHOLE house. Haha. Later I was on the phone with my friend Tiree and all the sudden I had a little gush of water come down my leg. It wasn't like last time though (where my water broke first like a continuous fountain), it was just a little then nothing more. I called the doctor later anyways to be safe. They had me come in and it was amniotic fluid. They wanted to be safe and told me to go home, pack my bag, and they were going to induce labor.

So we went in Wednesday night at dinner time. They got things going and and started me on pitocin. I labored through the night and got an epidural a little after midnight. But I wasn't having any change in dilation (I went in at 1 1/2 cm). I finally had change at 4 AM but it was only to 3 cm. I slept on and off the whole night and that was good. The doc came in the morning and said that she thought I had a pinhole and it got sealed up after I leaked fluid, so that was why I wasn't progressing. They decided to give me something to soften my cervix and stop pitocin. I was off it for 4 hours and then they re-started it at 12:30 in the afternoon....this is where labor REALLY started (it was like the night before was just a practice run, ha). Just before 2:00 she was able to break my water, at 4:00 I was 4 cm, then just before 5:00 I was 10 cm and her head was ready to come out! I pushed and had Hannah at 6:29 PM.

It wasn't as smooth at first because of the lack of progress and it created a lot of fears in me. My blood pressure kept dropping as well and it was just different than my first labor (which was super smooth). But with my emotions, hormones, and fears, I prayed and trusted God. In the end, once things got going it was really fast and smooth. Pushing went well and in between contractions we all talked, joked, and were betting on what time she would come out (the epidural is just amazing!). Recovery is MUCH better this time and I am feeling pretty good.

Abigail has been great with Hannah and my fears were wrong, she hasn't been very jealous or upset so far. Thank God! The first time she saw her she wanted to hold her and gave her a kiss. We are having fun and it isn't stressful like I thought it would be.

Hannah Grace Johnson


1st Outfit!



In the hospital


4 days old with Abby!


So there it is! I was thinking of posting about my post-pregnancy progress of getting in shape. Would people be interested to see what I'm doing and how my body is responding? PLEASE tell me. My goal would be helping others in their journey back to post-pregnant body. So commenting here or on FB would be great....I will base it on people responding. I don't want to create a blog of me bragging on any progress I make. So let me know :)

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Bittersweet

10/9/12


For the last 4+ years I have poured lots of time and effort into becoming an Elite trainer and nutritionist. I have earned 3 certifications with one of the top certification schools and networked myself around the community, along with publishing a cookbook. Countless hours have been spent studying and prepping to help people achieve their goals. Blood, sweat, and tears have gone into my clients and trying to customize their workouts and nutrition profiles to maximize results. I have researched, dug deep, and even became a counselor for a lot of clients. This is one of my passions. My other passion is being a mom. All the years I played house and dreamt of being a mother and longed to stay home with my babies. I get to live that dream now!

For the last 2 years I have been mostly mommy and a little bit of a trainer. This last winter/spring I trained a lot more than I had since Abigail was born. It was fun and at times stressful. But now I will be a mommy to 2 little girls and it's time to put my career on hold (which is what I want and Kyle wants). This was the plan from the beginning. For me to do something that would pay well and be flexible for our lives. It has been both of those things. It's also been more fulfilling than I planned. I get such joy and satisfaction out of learning about how our body's respond to different types of exercise and nutrition choices. It's so much fun to see people lose weight, lower body fat, and get off medications! I just love helping people.

Today I trained for the last time....for I'm not sure how long. It is bittersweet to me. It's a relief with how soon Hannah will be here but it's also kind of sad because it's a chapter closing in my life. The next time I plan to train actively is not till our girls are older and it doesn't interfere with being a mom and stressing out our lives. But I do plan to homeschool for a time so I am really not sure when this will be. Of course I can never fully put my "work" down. You bet I will be studying and keeping up to date with exercise and nutrition. I just won't be actively training clients.

I have already been missing it. I spent so much time networking myself and Fit For Life. I have spoke quite a few times at MOPS groups, local colleges, businesses, on the radio; developed programs for companies, and held bootcamps. All this work and now I feel like it's an old part of my life. I thoroughly enjoy answering questions and being recognized as a professional who can HELP.

This day is again, bittersweet, and I think I am so EXCITED to just be a mom but don't want to be forgotten as a trainer and nutritionist. I want to keep helping people by answering questions and giving new information to those who need help. That's why it's bittersweet. All the time I've spent pouring myself into this career I don't want to be put on a shelf and it not be recognized or used by others. I know God has more plans for the path He lead me on 4+ years ago. I really am excited for this new chapter in my life.

  

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Creating Hannah's room

10/2/12

Here's my finds for the walls in Hannah's room. Can you believe these frames and shelves are in the room?? I spent $7 on all this at Goodwill. 1/2 off Saturdays are great!


See the picture at the bottom of the pic above? Well I just used the frame and threw away the plastic front and picture in the frame. Amazing what paint and pearls does! 



Old Shelf


....painted brown



Cardboard letters I made. I got the letters from Hobby Lobby on sale.


Look at these "lovely" pictures



I ripped it out and started on wrapping with yarn.



A little time consuming but I covered with yarn and made the rosettes. I used my Crickett machine for the letters




This frame was just painted with the brown paint. Soon there'll be a picture of Hannah in it!



Large rosette I made


Small rosettes I made and cute pink picture frame



What I spent on the room...
$30 NEVER USED bedding and lamp (but my mom did purchase for me..aren't moms great?!)
$22 pink paint
$0 brown paint (leftover from brother/sis in law)
$7 frames and shelves
$4 fabric to make rosettes 
$12 small can paint for cream colored walls
$12 pink curtain
$6 curtain rod
$5 yarn
$3 new picture frame
$0 pearls (already had)
$10 cardboard letters 

=$111 on entire room makeover! (I paid $79 though with my mom's gift)....ummm quite amazing! I did it over the course of about 3 months. So once you get your vision, it's easy to keep your eye open for things you can transform. Just give yourself time and it's possible to change a room with little money.