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Friday, August 29, 2014

7QT: training, nursing babies, and my new momiform

1. The momiform. Here 'tis, folks. At the tender age of 31, I think I've finally settled on a daily uniform that doesn't involve obvious amounts of spandex and/or sweat-wicking performance fabrics.

Flats, studs, skinnies, flowy top, repeat.

Optional seasonal mix ins to include scarves, riding boots and flip flops.

There. Done. Do I look like a grown up? I feel 100% better when I leave the house like this, and shockingly, I still manage to make it to the gym around 4 pm even when I don't strap on my workout gear first thing in the morning. Don't believe the lie, ladies, don't believe the lie...

2. I'm starting work with a personal trainer at said gym next week, 2x's weekly for one month. Inspired by Heather's fearsome results and hoping to do more to combat the chronic back pain that child bearing and child hauling seem to have sentenced me to, I've been promised big results. I tend to believe the spritely, 114 lb girl who will be training me, because she's really nice and has a blinged out miraculous medal ring on her finger, and because I fell down the stairs the day after our first 30 minute session because my thighs gave out. If you can make me fall down the stairs in muscle spasms, you have my business. I'll let you know how it goes.

3. Breastfeeding: the saga continues. Seriously, I had all but thrown in the burp cloth and had even sent a few SOS texts to Grace and to my bff Eliz (no blog, sadly) fabulous formula feeders both with big, healthy babes, and then I decided to try one last resort and scheduled a session with my friendly neighborhood lactation consultant Mariann (literally she's in my address book. Such dairy. So milk.) and what do you know, she told me that Evie might just be teething, that she's 8 months old and eating 3 squares of solids a day, and that if I wanted to keep nursing her I should go ahead and nurse her when I felt like it, as long as it was comfortable, and with the expectation that babies her age can take a full feeding in under 10 minutes. Also she told me to go ahead and use formula too, if it helped me.

What the what? I think the takeaway was that I'm the mom and can decide what's best for baby and me, both. Earth shattering.

Seriously though she's the most amazing woman, and she helped save breastfeeding for me not once but three times. So now Evie is happily snacking in limited amounts of time as long as she promises not to nibble or pull, and as soon as she starts misbehaving, pop goes the bottle in her mouth. Win/win. Oh, and a nightly Guiness is helping my supply recover from our hell week.

4. Which is not strictly Paleo, mind you. Okay it's not even loosely paleo, but my sister in law brought some for Dave's birthday last weekend and it's just taunting me from the fridge. Just like the Chicfila I served to "the kids" for lunch somehow ended up in my mouth, too. Oops.

5. On that note...starting a brand spanking new Whole 30 tomorrow. Why tomorrow? Why, because it's the beginning of Labor Day weekend! And won't it be fun to not eat any chips or buns or beer or cookies at any of the parties we'll be attending?

I figured it would be a good exercise in mental and physical discipline, you know? Because there's always a reason to cheat. Plus, I'm tired as hell every single day even though I'm not pregnant and I'm sleeping 8+ hours a night. Seriously I feel like death by 4 pm every day. I even tried a month of super expensive vitamins and supplements, to no avail. It's got to be the naughty nighties that have crept into my routine (ahem, Guiness. Chocolate that my boss left for the boys after a dinner party the other night (hi Uncle Ollie!) The insanely aromatic banana bread that our wonderful nanny baked with the kids yesterday afternoon.

But no more. I'm putting my foot down for a solid month. I figured that by synching up with my 4 weeks of training at the gym, I'll be giving my postpartum body the biggest push I can muster. Plus, once Fall begins in earnest, I tend to lose major health motivation in the face of an endless stream of holidays and birthdays. So it's now or never!

6. Haley's running a Whole 30 on the Carrot's Facebook page, but I don't know if I can access the closed group without a personal FB account, so I think I'll just troll along on my own. Anyone in? Solidarity?

7. I got nothing, 2/3rds of the household is now awake because their wildly optimistic mother put Evie down for her "morning" nap at 11 am and oops, there goes the afternoon edition. Oh, wait, there is this:

We met Matt Maher this week at a conference and he was gracious enough to take this very awkward photo with a very excited fan. (I am so stupid when I meet famous people. So stupid.) Anyway, I have loved his music for forever. Seriously he's one of the only Christian artists I like, and not just like, but absolutely adore. Speaking of that, he led worship for Adoration and it was beautiful. Real. Brought me back to Steubenville in a good way, in an honest and refreshing and unpretentious way.

Okay, duty calls. See you at Jen's.

p.s. we're not really doing school this year, per se, but this killed me.

18 comments:

  1. Where does one find cute flowy tops like that in different colors and patterns? Or are you wearing the same color everyday? (I'd be OK with that, I'm just curious.)

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    1. I read a book a few years ago called “It’s so you” (I think?) and basically I can only wear a couple colors near my face: royal or cobalt blue, magenta, emerald green, bright white, black, or dark grey. Everything else looks pretty rough. It’s based on skin tone. So anyway, long story short, I only buy tops in a few key colors that I already know work for me, and then I just rotate through those. This top is from Kohl’s (Lauren Conrad’s collection is actually pretty cute. But I just died inside admitting to shopping at Kohls. Maybe I’ll just “leaf” them up there.) Also try Nordstrom Rack, which is like Stitch Fix in a brick and mortar store.

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    2. Seriously? Kohl's is my favorite store. Really. At least here, it's got excellent stuff.

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  2. teething! That totally makes sense. And you just take her off when she starts chomping and she'll learn quickly.

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  3. So much good stuff here! I love (LOVE!) your "mom" outfit - you look amazing. Way to go on the trainer, thing! And, Whole30, too?? You rock. I think I'm joining up, too. I started it and got to day 16 and then circumstances got crazy. But, I loved it, and I want to do it again. Good luck!

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  4. I am currently doing the Atkins diet. Been doing it a week and a half and I'm down 3 1/2 pounds. Only twenty more to go. Kill me. Kill me now. I guess I should look into this Whole 30 thing and see what all the fuss is about!

    Love the Momiform!

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  5. I need to get me a pair of those black skinnies.

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  6. I love the momiform. I am going to copy it. Now i need to go shop!

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  7. You look so great, Jenny! Love the momiform.
    Also, I saw Matt Maher at some conference thing several years ago and was so glad I was w/ several friends b/c I totally wanted to get a picture w/ him- group photo to the rescue. :)

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  8. I love that top! It's so flattering!

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  9. DIED over that then vs. now back to school article. Is it terrible I relate more to the 70s version and my oldest is 3? yes.

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  10. Didn't see your earlier breastfeeding posts. Just in case you want a 50th opinion . . . . :-) . . . I had a really similar situation w/ my second when she was about 8 mos. She would gnaw on me b/c of teething AND she would keep nibbling and gnawing on me throughout the night. Awful. Switched over to formula. Thank God for formula. . . . I tried to keep nursing her a little but she quickly tired of it b/c the bottle was less work for her. . . . I was nursing about 90% on one side already by that point, b/c of mastitis killed most of my supply on the other side at about two weeks postpartum. One-sided nursing didn't cause any lopsidedness that was obvious under clothing.

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  11. I'm in for the Whole 30 with you! You inspired me to try it about 5 weeks ago and it made a huge difference. I didn't make it all the way through without a few treats but I lost 8 pounds on post partum wobble and am healing my relationship with food (SUGAR DRAGON!!). So, starting tomorrow? Wine tonight then!

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  12. Good call on the momiform! I like the idea of looking food and feeling good while I stay home. I am a big fan of the flowy tops and am in need of more! Also, way to go on committing to a personal trainer! That's awesome! I wonder if you have ever considered consulting with a chiropractor about your back pain, btw? After I had my 2nd, I went to one and found out that my pelvic bone had refused together crooked and on of my lumbar vertebrae was TOTALLY crooked! Horrifying! ... but apparently its a more and more common occurence as we are coached to birth on our backs/butts now. Just a thought, from this random newbie stranger to your blog! :)

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    1. That’s a great question. I’ve been seeing my chiro for years, actually, and one of the selling points the trainer at the gym used was “maybe you could spend less money at the chiropractor/stop going all together. Seems worth a try to me! Though I have no doubt my pelvis and hips are jacked.up. Probably a combo of exercise and chiro are in my long-term future.

      And welcome to the blog!

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  13. Husband and I started Whole30 this morning. My 9-year old ate warm, homemade bread fresh from the oven with peanut butter for lunch. And pringles. It was killing me. But I ate my salad with chopped egg like a big girl.

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