Thursday, October 10, 2013

The Joys Of Pregnancy...

Today Erin over at Homemade Happenings is guesting!  If you don't follow Erin yet, you will after you read her post today!  I laughed so hard and kept saying "that is so true" the entire way through!  Enjoy!
 
 
Hi, I’m Erin! I blog over at Homemade Happenings. Usually I’m writing about my day to day life which includes my husband, Andy, of 11 years or our two boys, Aiden age 7 and Brennan age 4. I also blog about yummy recipes I make and show off my crafting goodies which include scrapbooking, card making and holiday/homemade gifts. Lately I’ve been doing a lot of blogging about pregnancy because, well, I’m pregnant! Baby is due February 16th! I have some of the easiest pregnancies known to man, err, WO-man, but today I thought I’d write about some of the ‘fun’ that goes along with being pregnant.
These are the ‘joys’ of pregnancy:
· Mom Farts. Let me explain. You know when you were 20 and you could sit down to go potty and just potty? Yea, well, when you get pregnant you don’t just go potty when you sit down. You also let out a mom fart. All of that pressure on everything from having that baby in there taking up all that space makes that little toot just pop out! The first time I did it, with my first pregnancy, I couldn’t believe it! I mean, I’d heard other women do it while in a public restroom but I just thought they were gassy. Then I sat down and let one rip and I thought ‘Well holy hell! What did I just do? Where did it come from?? I didn’t feel it coming!” Yea, Mom Farts.
· Once you hit about 25 weeks (give or take) getting out of bed or off the couch becomes an exercise all in itself. And if you’re lying flat on your back? Forget it! You lay there like a cockroach dying, legs and arms flailing trying to get enough motion built up that you miraculously roll over and live to scurry about for another day.
· Once you hit the 3rd trimester you might as well say goodbye to shaving your legs and maintaining your …. nether regions. Your belly is so big that you can’t see around it. I have a friend who one time was doing acrobatics trying to shave her legs and ended up nicking her nipple with her razor. Youch! To me it’s not worth it. If your doctor can’t handle getting a little road rash while helping you deliver she/he shouldn’t be in that profession.
· Acne. Of all forms and in all areas. Depending on who you are you can get acne about anywhere during pregnancy. Your hormones are all fired up and you’re like a hormonal teenager all over again (minus the tiny waist and perky boobs). Acne on the face. Acne on the chest. Acne on the back. Acne on the shoulders. Forget about wearing cute, cool, comfortable tank tops! Invest in turtlenecks and face masks.
· Smells. Yes, you get smelly, and by smelly I mean you stink. Not all the time, but when you do work up a sweat trying to get off the bed you should just head straight to the shower and scrub your arm pits! Suave Clinical Strength deodorant does the trick. (Side bar: Trying going through this as a hair stylist. How many times did I lay someone back in my shampoo bowl only to wonder if I was gassing them out by my stench? Talk about embarrassing!)
Now, just because these joys of pregnancy don’t sound so swell doesn’t mean the rest of the pregnancy stuff isn’t super great! I mean, what’s neater than feeling your little one bouncing around in there? And the first time you hold them? Sigh, stenches, pimples and flailing were a small price to pay! 
Thanks to Darci for asking me to guest post! She’s one of my all-time favorite bloggers. No one can compete with her Vlogs and sassy posts! I hope you stop by Homemade Happenings and say hello to me! I love making new friends!

Erin

Seriously, I agree with everything Erin wrote...except one...I totally made The Husband do my WO-man scaping for me!  It was hilarious, but I just couldn't...I kept picturing the women on the Birthing Class videos with their 1980's bush-fro's!  I mean, no!  Just no!  LOL!  Make sure to go say hello to Erin, you won't regret it!
 
xoxo

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Round 2...

Hey Y'all!  I know I've been falling off the blogging wagon here lately, but work is legit killing me!  So being the gorgeous genius I am, I came up with the fabulous idea to have some of my blogging girlfriends guest post for me on Tuesday and Thursday for the next few weeks!  Yay!  I hope you are as excited as I am, don't worry I know you are!

First up is one of my favorite reads (and not just because her newest little man shares a name with my Main Man Jack), Annie over at One Crazy Mama!  Enjoy!

Hey I'm Annie over at One Crazy Mama. I've been blogging for over a year now and this is my very first time guest posting at one of my fave biotches blog! I first started blogging about losing post baby # 1 weight and I lost weight then got knocked up again and now here I am again trying to lose the baby weight. 
Annie, One Crazy Mama
Let me tell ya life after my first bambino, Hunter, was rough. I was crazy. Literally. I had post partum depression and my world was turned upside down. I didn't think it would be like that. I was imagining some perfect fairy tale that breast feeding would be easy and my baby would sleep at night and I would have the magic touch and be able to calm him easily. Wellllll lets just say that wasn't the case. I was stressed. My husband was the only one that could calm him down and bathe him and put him to bed and basically do everything. I gave up breast feeding and basically everything. I cried all the time. Finally after 5 weeks I got help. I went to counseling and got on meds. Things were looking up in all areas but losing weight. I became the mom I wanted to be. It wasn't perfect but nothing ever is, right? All I know is that I could finally calm my baby, bathe him, put him to sleep and was just all around confident as a Mother. I put everything into being a Mom and wife but put nothing into my health. So most of the 50 plus pounds I gained stuck with me. 
Fast forward 18 months and I finally lost the rest of the baby weight. I finally started thinking of myself and it paid off. I wasn't at my ideal weight yet. I still had about 20 lbs I would have liked to lose but nope I got pregnant! A little over 2 months ago I had my 2nd precious baby boy, Jack. I would have loved to tell you I didn't gain as much weight but womp womp womp...I did. I was much healthier throughout the pregnancy though and made better food choices most of the time...My first baby boy was 9 lbs 8 oz and a seriously tough birth. My second was 7 lbs 3 oz and an easy peasy birth. I think the healthier eating really paid off. 
Jack - 2 Months Old
So hows weight loss going now? Pretty good. I've been mainly focusing on eating right because finding time to workout with two is no walk in the park. When I get the baby down to nap my 2 year old wants time with me...when they are both napping (hallelujah) I want to clean and get things around the house done. But since I am breast feeding I'm burning lots of cals and eating 1800 calories a day has been giving me a 2-3 lb a week weight loss. I try to go on walks with them and when the hubs is home I will sneak in a run to clear my mind. If he's not home and I need to clear my mind I drink...haha, but seriously...try it, it works. As for numbers I have lost 32 of the 50 pounds I gained this pregnancy. I'm hoping to start running more next week when I start taking both boys to day care for an hour so I can get that in. 
Another point I want to make in this overly rambling post is that the second (or third, fourth, fifth...etc) time around can be tons different than the first. Luckily this time I did not suffer from post partum depression and have been so confident with little man, Jack. I gave him his first bath not the hubs and I was so happy about that. So new moms - don't give up. Things can be rough with a new baby but they always get better. One bad day will be followed by five great days so just keep on keeping on. Yeah your hair may be as greasy as a McDonald's fryer and you're not sure how long you've worn the clothes you've been wearing, but keep at it...it always gets better. 
Hunter and Jack thinking "somebody get me outta here!"
We all have our struggles and hurdles and we will get over all of them. This time it will not take me 18 months to get to my ideal weight. I can do this! I may not feel like it sometimes but I do not have any excuses I am going to be a hot mama again! Please, if you're on a similar journey let me know. I love hearing other's stories it's so inspirational. I will be posting more about my weight loss on the blog. Thanks for reading!
I just l.o.v.e Annie!  She is so sweet, so real and so determined!  Make sure to go over and tell her hi!


Annie, remember this picture?  Yeah, so I'm gonna need your address come Spring because I know you will be that Hot Mama again and I can't wait to see you rock this bikini!

xoxo 


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

So What! Wednesday...

This week I'm saying So What! if...
 

It's HUMP DAAAAAAAY...I'm pretending it's Casual Friday, Bitches!
 
 
The Husband is currently obsessed with me getting some ink on my ribs/side boob...I guess he thinks it's sexy?  I have always wanted to get like a tree or something that can be drawn to fit my curves so I guess it's time to shit or get off the pot!  Which one(s) do you love? hate?


 
 I was MORE than proud when Norah Jane busted out her first Duck Lips this past weekend!  Can you even handle it?  I can't!


I'm participating in like every challenge known to woman-kind this month!  I started my 8 week training plan for the Route 66 Half Marathon and I guess I just need to kick it into high gear or something... If you haven't checked out Four Fit Sisters you are missing out!  Just sayin...

 
Today is Day One of the Advocare 10 Day Herbal Cleanse, it's only 9:05am and I'm already salivating at the thought of Gorilla Nachos...nom, nom, nom... This is going to be a LONG 10 days!
 
 
At 9 days post Tough Mudder, this beauty is still holding strong!  Legit, no?!  My friend asked me "is that normal?" My first response was, "I didn't know there were un-normal bruises..." but now that I think about it...IS THIS NORMAL?!

 
 What are you saying So What! to this week!?  Go link up with Shannon and let us hear all about it!

 
Life After I Dew

xoxo


Thursday, September 26, 2013

Jamberry Winner...






Brittany Haubner!  Email me at darcispear@yahoo.com and I will get you hooked up with Lacey to get your free sheet of Jamberry Nail Wraps!

Don't forget I'm hosting an online Jamberry party as well, so if you didn't win and you want to try out the wraps go here and place an order!

xoxo


Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Housekeeping & Harper Kenneth...

Hey Y'all!  Not a ton of time today, work is in full swing crazy mode!  Just a few things I wanted to throw up today!

Numero Uno
If you haven't entered the Jamberry Giveaway yet, do it NOW!  Today is the last day to enter!  I will be drawing the winner tonight and it will announce tomorrow AM!  Click HERE to enter - all you have to do is following me via Bloglovin, like Lacey's Jamberry FB page and leave a comment saying you did both!  Good Luck!

Numero Dos
 
Audacious Boutique Instagram Giveaway!  If you haven't entered, go now!  The winner will be announced on Friday!  Go!  Hurry!  You just have to follow @shopaudaciousboutique on IG, Like them on FB and share the photo!  Make sure you use the hashtag #audaciousgiveaway in order to be entered!

Numero Tres
Photo from @mrsloyoung on Instagram.
Harper Kenneth was welcomed into the world Sunday evening at just over 25 weeks gestation, weighing 1 pound 9 ounces! 

Lora blogs over at Raising Steppe Sisters, she is one of the warmest, nicest, funniest women ever!  She has twin girls at home in addition to her newest Tiny Fighter, HK!  Harper will need to be in the hospital until at least December!  Lora only has standard maternity leave, but the blog world is amazing and some great ladies set up a donation site for the family! Please take a moment and visit HERE.  Every dollar will help, however if you aren't able to donate monetarily - please keep Harper, Lora, and her family in your thoughts and prayers! 
xoxo