If you read the last post, you know that I have been blessed with my third pregnancy, one that takes me all the way to my 30th birthday.
I got some even better news this week: the baby will be born on March 29th, the day before my birthday, one day before I'm thirty!
How's that for timing? It's a scheduled c-section due to two emergency c-sections prior to that.
Of course, there's always the chance that the baby could be born before then since my second born came three weeks early. Only time will tell.
In roughly two weeks we'll find out the gender of the baby, something else I've been dying to know. We already have one of each and were going to be surprised, but I don't think I can wait to find out, plus we can sell or donate all of the other gender's stuff we've been storing.
Until then, have a great weekend!
~Marissa
HubPages
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Goal Reached! Can't Believe It!
Well, I think it's safe to say now that I have reached a very special goal of mine....wait for it...
I'M GOING TO HAVE A BABY!
Yep, baby #3 is on the way. And guess when he or she is due! The official due date is April 6th, just days after my 30th birthday. But here's the interesting part: I'll need a c-section (complications with first two births, don't want to take any risks) so the baby will most likely be coming right before my 30th birthday!! How awesome is that timing? Happy early birthday to me!
My husband and the kids are just as excited as I am. It really is an awesome, awesome thing. I'm four months along now, and all is well.
Of course, this totally negates any weight loss goals I had, but so far I have been careful with my diet and I am gaining just the right amount at a slow rate, which is not only healthy for me but is healthy for the baby as well.
As for the other goals...I was going outside with the kids, but once the morning sickness hit late summer, I was pretty much an indoor gal. The heat didn't agree with me. Now that it's cooler and the morning sickness has passed, we've been getting out.
I have written more than 30 hubs on HubPages since I first started this blog--47 in fact in all! I joined the HubPages' Apprenticeship Program which made me write at least 8 hubs every month for six months. By the end of this week, I'll have written about 49-50 new hubs. Pretty cool, eh?
I haven't really been too involved with any other goals. The first trimester wiped me out, and I've been busy with the HP program. Hopefully I can get back on track soon!
Thanks for following along. I'll update again soon, especially when I find out what gender the baby is in a month!
~Marissa
I'M GOING TO HAVE A BABY!
Yep, baby #3 is on the way. And guess when he or she is due! The official due date is April 6th, just days after my 30th birthday. But here's the interesting part: I'll need a c-section (complications with first two births, don't want to take any risks) so the baby will most likely be coming right before my 30th birthday!! How awesome is that timing? Happy early birthday to me!
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| My son's rendition of the baby in my pregnant belly. Source: MMcK |
My husband and the kids are just as excited as I am. It really is an awesome, awesome thing. I'm four months along now, and all is well.
Of course, this totally negates any weight loss goals I had, but so far I have been careful with my diet and I am gaining just the right amount at a slow rate, which is not only healthy for me but is healthy for the baby as well.
As for the other goals...I was going outside with the kids, but once the morning sickness hit late summer, I was pretty much an indoor gal. The heat didn't agree with me. Now that it's cooler and the morning sickness has passed, we've been getting out.
I have written more than 30 hubs on HubPages since I first started this blog--47 in fact in all! I joined the HubPages' Apprenticeship Program which made me write at least 8 hubs every month for six months. By the end of this week, I'll have written about 49-50 new hubs. Pretty cool, eh?
I haven't really been too involved with any other goals. The first trimester wiped me out, and I've been busy with the HP program. Hopefully I can get back on track soon!
Thanks for following along. I'll update again soon, especially when I find out what gender the baby is in a month!
~Marissa
Monday, June 25, 2012
Swimming and Healthy Recipes
June 25th
Status: 278 days left, approx. 10-15 lbs to go
I'm so glad it's summer. Why? Because I can go swimming! In the past week alone I have been in a pool for a total of 15 hours. Not just lounging, either. Have you ever been in a pool with a toddler? I'm constantly swimming alongside him, letting him chase me, or playing games. In one day I burn nearly 1000 calories just doing that!
I also love that fresh fruits and vegetables are more plentiful in the summer. I planted my own little garden this year, and so far I have harvested nearly a whole bushel of radishes. Do you know how healthy they are? They are full of vitamins and minerals that fortify your immune system, help detox your liver, and keep you from getting congested. They do so much more, but I'd be here forever trying to list it all.
Today I was playing around with the radishes and greens and I came up with two fabulous recipes. Both use the radish greens (yes; they're edible!). One is a tasty summer salad, and the other is more of a side dish. Both are very filling and pretty low on calories.
You can find the recipes and nutritional info here: Radish Greens Recipes .
In other news, if you've been following along, you know there were some other goals I have been working on. Still there's no baby #3. I am getting closer to my goal of writing 100 articles on HubPages. I am outside every day with the kids.
I've been trying to think of some other goals, but I've been a little busy. June is such a busy month, isn't it?
Kids are stirring from their naps. Have to go before they wake up!
Thanks for reading!
Marissa
Status: 278 days left, approx. 10-15 lbs to go
I'm so glad it's summer. Why? Because I can go swimming! In the past week alone I have been in a pool for a total of 15 hours. Not just lounging, either. Have you ever been in a pool with a toddler? I'm constantly swimming alongside him, letting him chase me, or playing games. In one day I burn nearly 1000 calories just doing that!
I also love that fresh fruits and vegetables are more plentiful in the summer. I planted my own little garden this year, and so far I have harvested nearly a whole bushel of radishes. Do you know how healthy they are? They are full of vitamins and minerals that fortify your immune system, help detox your liver, and keep you from getting congested. They do so much more, but I'd be here forever trying to list it all.
Today I was playing around with the radishes and greens and I came up with two fabulous recipes. Both use the radish greens (yes; they're edible!). One is a tasty summer salad, and the other is more of a side dish. Both are very filling and pretty low on calories.
You can find the recipes and nutritional info here: Radish Greens Recipes .
In other news, if you've been following along, you know there were some other goals I have been working on. Still there's no baby #3. I am getting closer to my goal of writing 100 articles on HubPages. I am outside every day with the kids.
I've been trying to think of some other goals, but I've been a little busy. June is such a busy month, isn't it?
Kids are stirring from their naps. Have to go before they wake up!
Thanks for reading!
Marissa
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Trying Zumba
June 2
A while ago, I bought Wii Zumba. That was 30lbs ago, and I hated it. The game moved too fast for me to keep up, even in the tutorial mode for beginners. Sad, right?
I brought the game back out today and tried it again. I skipped the tutorial and went right in for a workout. It was okay at first, and then it got crazy and my shins were killing me. Plus, I can't seem to coordinate my feet, arms and hips all at the same time. I lasted 20 minutes.
Sigh. I know a few friends who have tried Zumba and love it. It seems like so much fun and a great exercise, but I just can't get into it (at least not yet. I'm not giving up). Perhaps I need more rhythm?
Next time I try it, I'm going to warm up on my own and then start the game. That should help with the pain in my legs at least.
What is your experience with Zumba? Love it or hate it?
A while ago, I bought Wii Zumba. That was 30lbs ago, and I hated it. The game moved too fast for me to keep up, even in the tutorial mode for beginners. Sad, right?
I brought the game back out today and tried it again. I skipped the tutorial and went right in for a workout. It was okay at first, and then it got crazy and my shins were killing me. Plus, I can't seem to coordinate my feet, arms and hips all at the same time. I lasted 20 minutes.
Sigh. I know a few friends who have tried Zumba and love it. It seems like so much fun and a great exercise, but I just can't get into it (at least not yet. I'm not giving up). Perhaps I need more rhythm?
Next time I try it, I'm going to warm up on my own and then start the game. That should help with the pain in my legs at least.
What is your experience with Zumba? Love it or hate it?
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Getting Back on Track
May 31st
303 Days Left
Wow. Nothing like a few weddings, the in-laws, and a holiday to get me off track! It's been about two weeks since I did an actual workout, which bums me a bit. I've been doing other things to stay active, but I'd like to get back into my routine.
Until I do (I have a few things to complete around the house first), I've decided to do a few things every day:
303 Days Left
Wow. Nothing like a few weddings, the in-laws, and a holiday to get me off track! It's been about two weeks since I did an actual workout, which bums me a bit. I've been doing other things to stay active, but I'd like to get back into my routine.
Until I do (I have a few things to complete around the house first), I've decided to do a few things every day:
- Any time I'm 'bored', I'm going to get up, stretch, and jog in place to get my heart going.
- I'm going to do three 30 second planks.
- I'm going to do my arm exercises any chance I get with my stretch band.
- I'm going to complete lunges and squats when I am cleaning up after the kids.
It's a minimal effort, but it's still effort.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Update in Goals:
- As of today, I have lost 11 lbs! Not too shabby considering all the food I've been eating.
- The weather has been great so I've been outside with the kids a lot. I've started a garden and I've taken over the lawn care duties from my husband.
- Still no baby #3. Sigh...
- I've been writing on HubPages like crazy. I have written 9 articles in the past month, and I'll be writing 8-10 this month. (Find my articles here.)
Well, time to put the kids for a nap and get to work. Have a great day!
~Marissa
ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com
MommyKnowsWhatsBest.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Working Out While Cleaning Up
May 18
Phew. Have you ever made yourself sweat while cleaning? I do it quite often while cleaning every day.
Counts as exercise, doesn't it? Sure does, at least in my book!
Anytime I clean my house, it's with at least moderate effort, from laundry to mopping. According to MyFitnessPal, even twenty minutes of such cleaning burns nearly 70 calories. I'll take it.
When I clean up toys or anything on the floor, I like to do some lunges or squats. If I'm doing laundry, I'll take a few piles of close at a time up and down my steps for an aerobic workout.
A few days ago, I decided to cut my lawn, which is usually my husband's job, but he's been super busy. It took me 2.5 hours to clean up the yard. Those 2.5 hours helped me burn 1300 calories! I think I'll cut the lawn every other day now...
More on this later. Toddler is calling.
Thanks for reading! Hope you have a great weekend!
~Marissa
Phew. Have you ever made yourself sweat while cleaning? I do it quite often while cleaning every day.
Counts as exercise, doesn't it? Sure does, at least in my book!
Anytime I clean my house, it's with at least moderate effort, from laundry to mopping. According to MyFitnessPal, even twenty minutes of such cleaning burns nearly 70 calories. I'll take it.
When I clean up toys or anything on the floor, I like to do some lunges or squats. If I'm doing laundry, I'll take a few piles of close at a time up and down my steps for an aerobic workout.
A few days ago, I decided to cut my lawn, which is usually my husband's job, but he's been super busy. It took me 2.5 hours to clean up the yard. Those 2.5 hours helped me burn 1300 calories! I think I'll cut the lawn every other day now...
More on this later. Toddler is calling.
Thanks for reading! Hope you have a great weekend!
~Marissa
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Best Workout Routine Yet!
May 10, 2012
324 Days left
Best Workout Routine Yet!
Today's workout routine was my best one yet! I think I may have hit the jackpot for me, at least until I get tired of it. I made a new customized workout routine on EA Sports Active 2 that was a mix of everything--arm exercises, aerobics, core exercises, and full-body exercises. I started with a 5 minute warm-up, mixed quite a few of the different exercises in the middle so it was continuously different, and ended with a 5 minute cool-down. It was set for 50 minutes, but it went by so fast because I was really enjoying myself. It was really hard, but it was a blast!
This one really made me sweat, and I definitely felt a burn in my arms and thighs. I think this will be the routine I stick with for a while.
324 Days left
Best Workout Routine Yet!
Today's workout routine was my best one yet! I think I may have hit the jackpot for me, at least until I get tired of it. I made a new customized workout routine on EA Sports Active 2 that was a mix of everything--arm exercises, aerobics, core exercises, and full-body exercises. I started with a 5 minute warm-up, mixed quite a few of the different exercises in the middle so it was continuously different, and ended with a 5 minute cool-down. It was set for 50 minutes, but it went by so fast because I was really enjoying myself. It was really hard, but it was a blast!
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| Today's Workout Routine Source:MMcK |
I did make it a bit more interesting when I had to do the running exercises. Instead of running in place, I ran around my living room. My neighbors must think I'm crazy!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Exercise on a Monday
May 7
Exercise on a Monday is sometimes no fun. But hey, it has to happen, right?
I was not feeling it. Exercise just wasn't on my agenda, but I needed it to be. I've been doing so well that I couldn't give up.
So I did a lil' one.
135 calories seems like nothing, but it was something. At least I got my butt up and moved!
Exercise on a Monday is sometimes no fun. But hey, it has to happen, right?
I was not feeling it. Exercise just wasn't on my agenda, but I needed it to be. I've been doing so well that I couldn't give up.
So I did a lil' one.
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| The lil' workout Source: MMcK |
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
332 Days Left: Exercise and Goals Update
May 2nd
Today's workout was kind of a bust. I had every intention of having another great workout and even modified it so that it was even better, but I just couldn't get through it without feeling dizzy and shaky. Ugh. At least I tried though, right? I made it for 15 minutes and burned nearly 100 calories.
Tomorrow will hopefully be better.
Today's workout was kind of a bust. I had every intention of having another great workout and even modified it so that it was even better, but I just couldn't get through it without feeling dizzy and shaky. Ugh. At least I tried though, right? I made it for 15 minutes and burned nearly 100 calories.
Tomorrow will hopefully be better.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
I Lost Weight! 333 Days Left
May 1, 2012
Yaahhhhoooooo!!! I lost some weight! I'm down six pounds since my last weigh in, for a total of seven pounds lost. I'm so thrilled!
And yet...I feel like I cheated. If you've been following along, I was sick last week with a nasty stomach bug. Nasty. My whole family succumbed to this terrible illness for an entire week. Yuck.
Here I am though, two days after my last round with the bug. Yesterday, I ate more than my allotted calories because, hey, I was hungry. Only today did I start exercising again. So to what should I attribute this weight loss?
Yaahhhhoooooo!!! I lost some weight! I'm down six pounds since my last weigh in, for a total of seven pounds lost. I'm so thrilled!
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| I'm down to 214lbs! Source: MMcK |
And yet...I feel like I cheated. If you've been following along, I was sick last week with a nasty stomach bug. Nasty. My whole family succumbed to this terrible illness for an entire week. Yuck.
Here I am though, two days after my last round with the bug. Yesterday, I ate more than my allotted calories because, hey, I was hungry. Only today did I start exercising again. So to what should I attribute this weight loss?
Eh, the heck with it. I've been working hard. I'll claim the victory!
Monday, April 30, 2012
334 Days Left: When a Sickness Knocks You for a Loop
April 30th
Out Sick
Wow. I didn't realize I haven't posted in this long. I know I've been gone for a few days, but geez.
Last Monday, my youngest and my husband came down with a wicked stomach virus. Guess who was the caretaker? Yup; it was me. Fun times. Even more fun was when I came down with the same wicked stomach virus on Friday. Chills, fever, gross stuff... Saturday I felt great but then Sunday I had a relapse.
I'm praying that today is a healthy day. I'm going to take it easy and do what I can, which most likely means no workout unless I do some yoga.
On a 'good' note, I may have lost some weight. I say 'good' because it wasn't really in a healthy way. I barely ate anything and felt terrible. Why do people with eating disorders continue like that? I wouldn't recommend it for anyone.
But anyway, I now have to be careful. The tendency for me to eat a lot after being sick is pretty good. I have to just continue to make healthy choices and eat my allotted calories as given by MyFitnessPal.
So here's to a good day!
~Marissa
ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com
MommyKnowsWhatsBest.Blogspot.com
Out Sick
Wow. I didn't realize I haven't posted in this long. I know I've been gone for a few days, but geez.
Last Monday, my youngest and my husband came down with a wicked stomach virus. Guess who was the caretaker? Yup; it was me. Fun times. Even more fun was when I came down with the same wicked stomach virus on Friday. Chills, fever, gross stuff... Saturday I felt great but then Sunday I had a relapse.
I'm praying that today is a healthy day. I'm going to take it easy and do what I can, which most likely means no workout unless I do some yoga.
On a 'good' note, I may have lost some weight. I say 'good' because it wasn't really in a healthy way. I barely ate anything and felt terrible. Why do people with eating disorders continue like that? I wouldn't recommend it for anyone.
But anyway, I now have to be careful. The tendency for me to eat a lot after being sick is pretty good. I have to just continue to make healthy choices and eat my allotted calories as given by MyFitnessPal.
So here's to a good day!
~Marissa
ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com
MommyKnowsWhatsBest.Blogspot.com
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Sweating and Burning with EASA 2
Phew! My workout today rocked! I did my Summer Body workout again (see my post here) and it was awesome. I couldn't believe how quickly it went!
Here are the stats:
I feel great! I also lost a pound, which is incredible considering the terrible food consumption I had this weekend. I'm back down to 220lbs after gaining that one miserable pound last week. It's a loss; I'll take it!
I recorded the workout on MyFitnessPal. It gave me some calories back to eat, but you know what? I'm going to try my darnedest not to eat them. There's no reason to eat more when the goal is to eat less! Of course I'm going to make the right choices for the rest of the day and not starve myself.
Hope the rest of the day feels this good! I'm off to do some other writing while the kids are napping.
~Marissa
ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com
MommyKnowsWhatsBest.Blogspot.com
Here are the stats:
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| April 24th Workout Source: MMMcK |
I recorded the workout on MyFitnessPal. It gave me some calories back to eat, but you know what? I'm going to try my darnedest not to eat them. There's no reason to eat more when the goal is to eat less! Of course I'm going to make the right choices for the rest of the day and not starve myself.
Hope the rest of the day feels this good! I'm off to do some other writing while the kids are napping.
~Marissa
ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com
MommyKnowsWhatsBest.Blogspot.com
Deadly Pizza and Trying MyFitnessPal App
It was a tough weekend for me, mostly because of, well, me. I wasn't watching what I ate, even though I started tracking WW style.
Saturday, I did well during the day, but when my husband proposed pizza that night, I said yes without hesitation. It's not like we haven't had pizza in a while; we have it every week!
He brought home Sicilian style red, white, and white with broccoli, all deadly in their own way. I started with two pieces: one red, one white broccoli. Great. Not so bad.
An hour later, the white started calling my name. I went for it, but when I got there, another white broccoli whined that I wasn't eating it too. So there's two more pieces...
An hour later (did I mention it was a late night?) another piece called out to me.
Why do I do that to myself?? Ugh. I felt gross when I realized what I did to my body.
At least I (hopefully) burned off some calories with cleaning and chasing after the kids.
Saturday, I did well during the day, but when my husband proposed pizza that night, I said yes without hesitation. It's not like we haven't had pizza in a while; we have it every week!
He brought home Sicilian style red, white, and white with broccoli, all deadly in their own way. I started with two pieces: one red, one white broccoli. Great. Not so bad.
An hour later, the white started calling my name. I went for it, but when I got there, another white broccoli whined that I wasn't eating it too. So there's two more pieces...
An hour later (did I mention it was a late night?) another piece called out to me.
Why do I do that to myself?? Ugh. I felt gross when I realized what I did to my body.
At least I (hopefully) burned off some calories with cleaning and chasing after the kids.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Days 9-10: WW, Interruptions, Cleaning, and Outdoor Fun
April 20th: Day 9
Today I started tracking my food using old style Weight Watchers points. I still have my books from when I joined back in 2009, and last year when I used this tracking I was able to lose 30lbs.
Right now I am able to use 30 points. I could track extra exercise points, but I'm not going to since I tend to go overboard.
I so wanted to complete my EASA workout today, but it wasn't meant to be. Instead, I had to deal with a belligerent trespasser and her dog who was harassing my dog as they walked on the private property next to my fence. Argh! I'm sick to death of people like her and all the other druggies and drunks who trespass back there...
Anyway, here are the stats from EASA:
At least in the afternoon I was able to run outside and play with the kids. It was a gorgeous evening. My youngest brother came over and we played baseball. It felt great that I could run the bases without getting winded!
April 21st
Today I was up early to attend a semi-annual spring cleaning at our church. My job is to climb up and down a step ladder to clean the stained glass windows and anything else that is up high (I'm one of the tallest in a small group of Italians..tee hee). My thighs were killing me from running around yesterday, but hey, that's good, right?
When I got home the kids wanted to play outside for a while, so we did. It was great to be outside and soak up some sun. I love that my lilacs have bloomed; they add such a wonderful fragrance to the air, one that relaxes me....
And now my cranky Teething Tyrannosaurus Rex is awake from her nap. Mommy time is now over.
Have a great weekend!
~Marissa
Today I started tracking my food using old style Weight Watchers points. I still have my books from when I joined back in 2009, and last year when I used this tracking I was able to lose 30lbs.
Right now I am able to use 30 points. I could track extra exercise points, but I'm not going to since I tend to go overboard.
I so wanted to complete my EASA workout today, but it wasn't meant to be. Instead, I had to deal with a belligerent trespasser and her dog who was harassing my dog as they walked on the private property next to my fence. Argh! I'm sick to death of people like her and all the other druggies and drunks who trespass back there...
Anyway, here are the stats from EASA:
 |
| Source: MMMcK |
At least in the afternoon I was able to run outside and play with the kids. It was a gorgeous evening. My youngest brother came over and we played baseball. It felt great that I could run the bases without getting winded!
April 21st
Today I was up early to attend a semi-annual spring cleaning at our church. My job is to climb up and down a step ladder to clean the stained glass windows and anything else that is up high (I'm one of the tallest in a small group of Italians..tee hee). My thighs were killing me from running around yesterday, but hey, that's good, right?
When I got home the kids wanted to play outside for a while, so we did. It was great to be outside and soak up some sun. I love that my lilacs have bloomed; they add such a wonderful fragrance to the air, one that relaxes me....
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| Lilacs Source: MMMcK |
And now my cranky Teething Tyrannosaurus Rex is awake from her nap. Mommy time is now over.
Have a great weekend!
~Marissa
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Exercise--Yeah, Not So Much
Today's exercise wasn't my best effort: 24min and 162 calories burned. I had to quit midway due to a headache and the feeling like I was going to pass out, which isn't cool when I have two toddlers in the house with me....
Here's to a better tomorrow.
~Marissa
Day 7: The Baby Story--Me vs. Depo Provera
April 18th
Goal: Baby # 3
I want another baby. It's simple as that.
My husband and I already have two beautiful, wonderful kiddos: a 3yo and a 1yo. I thought I'd be happy with just two, but the baby itch has hit me again recently.
But there's a problem: it's been six months and zip, zero, nada.
When we decided to have our first baby, it happened quite easily. We planned, and we had a baby. It was perfect: he was born in June so I was able to finish almost an entire year of teaching.
Our second baby was a 'sort-of' surprise. We tried for a few months, but then I was injured in a car accident. Low and behold a few months after that, we had a baby on the way! She was due in January but arrived three weeks early in December (of course in the week when my OB/Gyn was on vacation...). When she came, I decided to resign from my teaching job to become a full time SAHM.
Now onto the third. It's been six months that we have been trying. So far, it's been a no go. That's concerning to me, knowing that the other two were conceived quite easily.
Here's my number one concern: my one shot of Depo Provera a year ago has forever messed me up.
After my daughter, my husband and I decided that we would wait a while before trying to have another baby. The Pill was out since I experienced massive migraines with the hormone filled ones and I wasn't consistent with taking it anyway. I wanted to get an IUD, but after considering the cost, I decided to get the Depo Provera shots.
Big mistake.
I had one shot. The side effects were terrible to me: they were all like pregnancy symptoms! Headaches, nausea, dizziness...Why would I want that when I had just had a baby? I discontinued the shots, even though I was supposed to have a second one that May. That June, I didn't get a period. I thought I was pregnant.
Turns out I wasn't, which actually saddened me. I was surprised that I had that reaction. I knew then that I did want another baby, and I wanted one before I turned 30. We officially started trying in October....but nothing.
I'm going to address two things: how Depo Provera messed me up and why I want to have the baby before 30.
Depo Provera prevents pregnancy by basically making the body think that it is already pregnant (hence the pregnancy symptoms...). It prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg at ovulation, thickens cervical mucus to block sperm and makes changes in the uterus to deny any chance of implantation. After the last dose, even after only one shot, a woman may not get pregnant for 12-18 months later (note: not true for all women, but for most who have the shot).
That's all great if you don't want a baby for a long time. I want a baby, um, now.
Here are my stats: I had the shot in February 2011, and only one shot. That's more than 12 months ago. Regular periods returned in October, hence the beginning of 'trying' then. I track ovulation, I know the right days, etc. etc. etc.
After doing some research (thanks Google!) I found that I am not the only one experiencing long term effects from the shot. It takes the body a long time to rebuild progesterone, the hormone responsible for helping your body keep a pregnancy (and other things, of course) and the hormone that is decreased when on Depo Provera.
Sigh. I guess I knew all of this before I got the shot (yes, I did read the literature) but it's killing me now.
To combat the (potential) loss of progesterone, I did some more research to see if there was something I could eat or take to supplement progesterone or support the amount of it in the body. There are some things to eat and supplements to take (view my article about Getting Pregnant After Depo Shots).
Okay, now on to the 30 stuff.
I want to have my next baby before I turn 30. Why? For starters, I'd like to keep my kids relatively close in age. My first two are exactly 2.5 years apart. My daughter turns two in December this year, so by the time I turn 30 in March next year she'll be 27 months old.
Next reason: my body is going to start the process of not being able to make babies soon. I know that many women have babies well into their 30s and even 40s (my mom had my youngest brother at 40), but I don't want to risk waiting. I started very early with periods--nine years old!--so I've been losing eggs for a long time. Fewer eggs means fewer chances of babies...
I also want to be a 'young' mom forever. When my potential youngest would be in school, I'd still be in my 30s, able to be in shape and active. When my kids are old enough to have kids, I'll be nearing my 50s, at which time I hope to be in shape and still active for those grandkids.
Am I planning my life too much?
Of course, I'll take whatever God gives me. I'm definitely blessed with what He has given me so far and would be content to accept that I wasn't meant to have a third child.
For those saying "At least you have two kids already", I know, but you don't understand. Wanting to have a baby is still wanting to have a baby, no matter how many a person already has. I love my kids, and I'd love to give them at least one more sibling to grow up with and love.
Also, what about losing 30 lbs? Well, I'd turn that into staying in shape and only gaining the required pregnancy weight and working that off until it's gone.
C'est la vie.
Thanks for reading!
~Marissa
ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com
MommyKnowsWhatsBest.Blogspot.com
Goal: Baby # 3
 |
| I want another one of these! Source: MMcK |
I want another baby. It's simple as that.
My husband and I already have two beautiful, wonderful kiddos: a 3yo and a 1yo. I thought I'd be happy with just two, but the baby itch has hit me again recently.
But there's a problem: it's been six months and zip, zero, nada.
When we decided to have our first baby, it happened quite easily. We planned, and we had a baby. It was perfect: he was born in June so I was able to finish almost an entire year of teaching.
Our second baby was a 'sort-of' surprise. We tried for a few months, but then I was injured in a car accident. Low and behold a few months after that, we had a baby on the way! She was due in January but arrived three weeks early in December (of course in the week when my OB/Gyn was on vacation...). When she came, I decided to resign from my teaching job to become a full time SAHM.
Now onto the third. It's been six months that we have been trying. So far, it's been a no go. That's concerning to me, knowing that the other two were conceived quite easily.
Here's my number one concern: my one shot of Depo Provera a year ago has forever messed me up.
After my daughter, my husband and I decided that we would wait a while before trying to have another baby. The Pill was out since I experienced massive migraines with the hormone filled ones and I wasn't consistent with taking it anyway. I wanted to get an IUD, but after considering the cost, I decided to get the Depo Provera shots.
Big mistake.
I had one shot. The side effects were terrible to me: they were all like pregnancy symptoms! Headaches, nausea, dizziness...Why would I want that when I had just had a baby? I discontinued the shots, even though I was supposed to have a second one that May. That June, I didn't get a period. I thought I was pregnant.
Turns out I wasn't, which actually saddened me. I was surprised that I had that reaction. I knew then that I did want another baby, and I wanted one before I turned 30. We officially started trying in October....but nothing.
I'm going to address two things: how Depo Provera messed me up and why I want to have the baby before 30.
Depo Provera prevents pregnancy by basically making the body think that it is already pregnant (hence the pregnancy symptoms...). It prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg at ovulation, thickens cervical mucus to block sperm and makes changes in the uterus to deny any chance of implantation. After the last dose, even after only one shot, a woman may not get pregnant for 12-18 months later (note: not true for all women, but for most who have the shot).
That's all great if you don't want a baby for a long time. I want a baby, um, now.
Here are my stats: I had the shot in February 2011, and only one shot. That's more than 12 months ago. Regular periods returned in October, hence the beginning of 'trying' then. I track ovulation, I know the right days, etc. etc. etc.
After doing some research (thanks Google!) I found that I am not the only one experiencing long term effects from the shot. It takes the body a long time to rebuild progesterone, the hormone responsible for helping your body keep a pregnancy (and other things, of course) and the hormone that is decreased when on Depo Provera.
Sigh. I guess I knew all of this before I got the shot (yes, I did read the literature) but it's killing me now.
To combat the (potential) loss of progesterone, I did some more research to see if there was something I could eat or take to supplement progesterone or support the amount of it in the body. There are some things to eat and supplements to take (view my article about Getting Pregnant After Depo Shots).
Okay, now on to the 30 stuff.
I want to have my next baby before I turn 30. Why? For starters, I'd like to keep my kids relatively close in age. My first two are exactly 2.5 years apart. My daughter turns two in December this year, so by the time I turn 30 in March next year she'll be 27 months old.
Next reason: my body is going to start the process of not being able to make babies soon. I know that many women have babies well into their 30s and even 40s (my mom had my youngest brother at 40), but I don't want to risk waiting. I started very early with periods--nine years old!--so I've been losing eggs for a long time. Fewer eggs means fewer chances of babies...
I also want to be a 'young' mom forever. When my potential youngest would be in school, I'd still be in my 30s, able to be in shape and active. When my kids are old enough to have kids, I'll be nearing my 50s, at which time I hope to be in shape and still active for those grandkids.
Am I planning my life too much?
Of course, I'll take whatever God gives me. I'm definitely blessed with what He has given me so far and would be content to accept that I wasn't meant to have a third child.
For those saying "At least you have two kids already", I know, but you don't understand. Wanting to have a baby is still wanting to have a baby, no matter how many a person already has. I love my kids, and I'd love to give them at least one more sibling to grow up with and love.
Also, what about losing 30 lbs? Well, I'd turn that into staying in shape and only gaining the required pregnancy weight and working that off until it's gone.
C'est la vie.
Thanks for reading!
~Marissa
ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com
MommyKnowsWhatsBest.Blogspot.com
Monday, April 16, 2012
Day 5: Two in One
April 16th
Goals: Exercise and Outside Fun
It is beautiful today, but HOT! I had the kids outside to play for a while earlier. My son was trying to play t-ball and my daughter was picking all of the dandelions in the yard while I tried to keep up with both of them. We just couldn't take the heat and humidity after an hour so we went inside.
Tip!
On hot and humid days, make sure everyone has plenty of water to drink, including you, kids and even pets! You have more chances of dehydration on days like this than other days, especially when you are active outside.
Goals: Exercise and Outside Fun
It is beautiful today, but HOT! I had the kids outside to play for a while earlier. My son was trying to play t-ball and my daughter was picking all of the dandelions in the yard while I tried to keep up with both of them. We just couldn't take the heat and humidity after an hour so we went inside.
Tip!
On hot and humid days, make sure everyone has plenty of water to drink, including you, kids and even pets! You have more chances of dehydration on days like this than other days, especially when you are active outside.
Day 3: 350 Days Left--Saving Money
April 14
Goal: Saving money
Have I mentioned yet that I'm jobless?
Yep, I'm jobless, but that's by choice. Right after my second child was born, I decided to resign from my teaching job (which I LOVED) to be a stay-at-home mom for my kids. So what does that mean? It means a loss of a second steady income for a family of four, a dog and a turtle. Not that it means I don't have anything to do all day; I feel like I work more now than I ever did at a job!
Luckily my husband still has his full-time job, a second job and a small business to keep us afloat. We've also made sacrifices (okay, let's not call them that...I ain't no saint), I mean cuts to our everyday spending habits. In other words, we watch our money supply very carefully.
I almost resorted to extreme couponing, but what was I going to do with a million tubes of toothpaste?
Don't get me wrong. I do use coupons. I do shop sales. I do use generic brands. I just don't have the time right now to find, cut and sort an entire binder full of coupons... I digress.
Money saving. Right.
We have a separate account from our main account that houses our 'extra money', aka the money we dip into if we need to pay bills. I want to make it my goal to add to keep adding to that account at least every two weeks since we need it, but I'd also like to save money for fun things as well.
So far, I have been collecting change. That's right: collecting change in coins, and it all comes from this house. Just this morning, I gathered the change from my husband's nightstand, which totalled $20.00. Not bad, eh? I also checked the jar I have in the kitchen for collecting change: $11.00 there. Not too shabby.
I'm going to keep collecting the change I find in the house, bags, pockets, etc and place it in a 'secret' jar (one that my son can't find..he loves to 'feed' his piggy banks...). I'd like to collect enough to put towards a beach vacation for the family next year. We need something like that--a place to get away and spend quality time as a family.
That, and mommy misses the beach.
~Marissa
ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com
MmmyKnowsWhatsBest.blogspot.com
Goal: Saving money
Have I mentioned yet that I'm jobless?
Yep, I'm jobless, but that's by choice. Right after my second child was born, I decided to resign from my teaching job (which I LOVED) to be a stay-at-home mom for my kids. So what does that mean? It means a loss of a second steady income for a family of four, a dog and a turtle. Not that it means I don't have anything to do all day; I feel like I work more now than I ever did at a job!
Luckily my husband still has his full-time job, a second job and a small business to keep us afloat. We've also made sacrifices (okay, let's not call them that...I ain't no saint), I mean cuts to our everyday spending habits. In other words, we watch our money supply very carefully.
I almost resorted to extreme couponing, but what was I going to do with a million tubes of toothpaste?
Don't get me wrong. I do use coupons. I do shop sales. I do use generic brands. I just don't have the time right now to find, cut and sort an entire binder full of coupons... I digress.
Money saving. Right.
We have a separate account from our main account that houses our 'extra money', aka the money we dip into if we need to pay bills. I want to make it my goal to add to keep adding to that account at least every two weeks since we need it, but I'd also like to save money for fun things as well.
So far, I have been collecting change. That's right: collecting change in coins, and it all comes from this house. Just this morning, I gathered the change from my husband's nightstand, which totalled $20.00. Not bad, eh? I also checked the jar I have in the kitchen for collecting change: $11.00 there. Not too shabby.
 |
| It all adds up! |
 |
| Change Jar in Kitchen |
I'm going to keep collecting the change I find in the house, bags, pockets, etc and place it in a 'secret' jar (one that my son can't find..he loves to 'feed' his piggy banks...). I'd like to collect enough to put towards a beach vacation for the family next year. We need something like that--a place to get away and spend quality time as a family.
That, and mommy misses the beach.
~Marissa
ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com
MmmyKnowsWhatsBest.blogspot.com
Friday, April 13, 2012
Day 2: 351 Days Left
April 13th
Wow. Yesterday's workout kicked my butt. I was so achy this morning that it was hard to get out of bed (oh, yeah...getting up with the 1yo several times last night didn't help either).
So what did I do? Another workout! I'm determined, people!
Today's workout, while shorter by 10 minutes, was still great. I burned nearly 187 calories and worked up a sweat (ew!).
My trainer was proud of me. Can you tell? Go me!
Here are the exercises for today:
Pretty good workout, eh? My muscles say YES!
I'll probably be taking the next two days off, simply because my body needs to rest. That and if my muscles are too sore, I won't be able to lift and carry my teething tyrannosaurus rex...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wow. Yesterday's workout kicked my butt. I was so achy this morning that it was hard to get out of bed (oh, yeah...getting up with the 1yo several times last night didn't help either).
So what did I do? Another workout! I'm determined, people!
Today's workout, while shorter by 10 minutes, was still great. I burned nearly 187 calories and worked up a sweat (ew!).
My trainer was proud of me. Can you tell? Go me!
Here are the exercises for today:
Pretty good workout, eh? My muscles say YES!
I'll probably be taking the next two days off, simply because my body needs to rest. That and if my muscles are too sore, I won't be able to lift and carry my teething tyrannosaurus rex...
TIP: Remember to breathe when exercising! Sometimes you get so into the exercise that you forget! It's super important to breathe the right way. EASA 2 actually gives you advice about breathing, saying that you should exhale when you are doing something with force.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Exercise, Day 1
April 12th
I'm losing 30lbs. Care to join me?
One of my goals before I turn thirty is to lose 30lbs (check out my first post for details!). I'm determined this time. I will be at the weight I was at my wedding six years ago, which was fine for me. Now if I could lose 40lbs, I'd be at my high school weight, but we'll see...
For my first day back to exercising, I used EA Sports Active 2 for Wii. It's what I used when I lost my first 30lbs after my second baby. (I know. 30lbs before, 30 more lbs? Heffer.) Right now, I'm at 220lbs. (I weighed myself with Wii Fit, which said I was 217, but that was before my workout and they're kind enough to deduct the weight of clothing...).
I'm going to try to exercise 30 minutes a day for at least 3 days a week. If I can do more, I definitely am going to do more. My routines will be my own workouts, ones I create using the exercises in EASA2.workout. I like that because I am able to modify the routine to avoid exercises that will irritate my arm/neck/shoulder/back injury sustained from a car accident (ever feel the impact of two wheels hitting your car? It hurts.).
My workouts will all be at the medium intensity until I feel I can kick it up a notch. All routines will include warm-ups and cool downs. I will also be drinking at least 32oz. of water during the workout and 32oz. after the workout.
I have three problem areas I intend to focus on: arms, thighs and belly. I'd rather see muscle in those areas than what I see now.
Here's my workout from today (Time 36:31):
.jpg)
I'm losing 30lbs. Care to join me?
One of my goals before I turn thirty is to lose 30lbs (check out my first post for details!). I'm determined this time. I will be at the weight I was at my wedding six years ago, which was fine for me. Now if I could lose 40lbs, I'd be at my high school weight, but we'll see...
For my first day back to exercising, I used EA Sports Active 2 for Wii. It's what I used when I lost my first 30lbs after my second baby. (I know. 30lbs before, 30 more lbs? Heffer.) Right now, I'm at 220lbs. (I weighed myself with Wii Fit, which said I was 217, but that was before my workout and they're kind enough to deduct the weight of clothing...).
I'm going to try to exercise 30 minutes a day for at least 3 days a week. If I can do more, I definitely am going to do more. My routines will be my own workouts, ones I create using the exercises in EASA2.workout. I like that because I am able to modify the routine to avoid exercises that will irritate my arm/neck/shoulder/back injury sustained from a car accident (ever feel the impact of two wheels hitting your car? It hurts.).
My workouts will all be at the medium intensity until I feel I can kick it up a notch. All routines will include warm-ups and cool downs. I will also be drinking at least 32oz. of water during the workout and 32oz. after the workout.
I have three problem areas I intend to focus on: arms, thighs and belly. I'd rather see muscle in those areas than what I see now.
Here's my workout from today (Time 36:31):
- Alternating Shoulder Rotations (Warm-up)
- Goodmornings (Warm-up)
- Hip Circles (Warm-up)
- Bent Over Reverse Flys
- Bent Over Rows with Triceps Kickbacks
- Hammer Curls with Narrow Shoulder Presses
- Overhead Triceps Extensions
- Seated Rows
- Alternating Side Lunges
- Sumo Squats with Pivots
- Hip Bridges
- Foot Fires
- Fitness Trail--Follow the Leader (Med)
- Reverse Crunches
- Squats with Overhead Triceps Extension
- Mountain Biking
- Boxing--Combo Station 2
- Boxing--Sparring 2
- Mountainboarding
- Step Aerobics--Dance 1
- Step Aerobics--Mixed
- Soccer--Goalkeeper
- Basketball--Passing
- Basketball--Shooting
- Arm Across and Pulls (Cool down)
- Pretzels (Cool down)
I did more cool downs than what is listed here, but you get the idea.
.jpg)
It was an awesome workout with nearly 280 calories burned. I felt the burn, definitely.
I even made sure to add the housework I do, since every little bit adds up (right, moms?). 180 calories for the physical work I do in the house isn't too bad.
Hopefully this will be the kick start I need! Thanks for reading!
Marissa
ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com
MommyKnowsWhatsBest.blogspot.com
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Day 1: 352 Days Left
This is the start of a new beginning for me. A little over a week and a half ago, I turned 29 years old.
Big whoop, right?
It is kinda a big thing for me. Next year I'll be....gulp....thirty. Gasp! I know. My husband turned 30 last year, as did most of his friends. Now my friends are all starting to turn 30, or at least approach it. Thirty used to be an old age to me, the age my mother was when she had my youngest sister. Thirty is nearly ten years post undergraduate schooling. Thirty is the beginning of the end of my reproductive cycle. Thirty is when my body will refuse to lose weight, refuse to gain muscle. My kids are going to look at me and go "Ew! She's thirty!". Thirty is scary, right?
For me, it actually isn't. For me, it's a goal to reach. It's just a number. It's the beginning of the summer of my life, the time when I am fully into adulthood and I continue in life to mature and grow as a person.
Yep. Lookout 30. Here I come. I'm ready for you. For the next 352 days, I'm going to change me. You're not going to change me; I AM going to change me.
This is what I am going to accomplish in the next 352 days:
1. Lose at least 30lbs. Not so hard, right? Wrong. I had two kids in the past four years, and I'd like to have at least one more. Since my daughter, I lost 30lbs of pregnancy and pre-pregnancy weight. At that point, I sort of hit a plateau and stopped exercising. I have stayed steady, but the rest needs to come off. More on this in my next post.
2. Try to have baby #3. Yeah, just throwing this one out there. We've been trying, but to no avail. More on this at a later time.
3. Get outside 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week. Is it getting corny yet with the reference to 30? Well, my birthday is 3/30...I digress. I want to become an outside person. Right now, I'm very much an indoor person: no bugs, no sunburn, no cold, etc. Now with kids, I have a need to be outside, at least for them. They need to be outside. I'm going to get out there and at least let them play. I also am starting a garden--a full fledged garden--with them this year. Even if I go for a walk, it'll count.
4. Try 30 new recipes. I am not a cook. My husband is the cook in this house. He actually loves it. For me, cooking is torture. Now that I am a full-time SAHM though, the cooking is part of my routine. I am going to find recipes that I find appealing and I am going to incorporate them into the lineup.
5. Write 30 awesome new hubs. I am a writer at ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com and also at my other blog, MommyKnowsWhatsBest.blogspot.com. The HubPages account is what's bringing in some money though. I want to increase the amount of articles I have there by at least 30 and make them awesome. That is all.
6. Enter my 30th year with flair and meet all challenges head-on. Yeah, my list is relatively short now, but as I think of more goals, I'll add them. Basically, I want to make this year rock. I want to meet all challenges and reach or even surpass my goals.
Here's to my 30th year. Cheers!
Marissa
ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com
MommyKnowsWhatsBest.Blogspot.com
Big whoop, right?
It is kinda a big thing for me. Next year I'll be....gulp....thirty. Gasp! I know. My husband turned 30 last year, as did most of his friends. Now my friends are all starting to turn 30, or at least approach it. Thirty used to be an old age to me, the age my mother was when she had my youngest sister. Thirty is nearly ten years post undergraduate schooling. Thirty is the beginning of the end of my reproductive cycle. Thirty is when my body will refuse to lose weight, refuse to gain muscle. My kids are going to look at me and go "Ew! She's thirty!". Thirty is scary, right?
For me, it actually isn't. For me, it's a goal to reach. It's just a number. It's the beginning of the summer of my life, the time when I am fully into adulthood and I continue in life to mature and grow as a person.
Yep. Lookout 30. Here I come. I'm ready for you. For the next 352 days, I'm going to change me. You're not going to change me; I AM going to change me.
This is what I am going to accomplish in the next 352 days:
1. Lose at least 30lbs. Not so hard, right? Wrong. I had two kids in the past four years, and I'd like to have at least one more. Since my daughter, I lost 30lbs of pregnancy and pre-pregnancy weight. At that point, I sort of hit a plateau and stopped exercising. I have stayed steady, but the rest needs to come off. More on this in my next post.
2. Try to have baby #3. Yeah, just throwing this one out there. We've been trying, but to no avail. More on this at a later time.
3. Get outside 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week. Is it getting corny yet with the reference to 30? Well, my birthday is 3/30...I digress. I want to become an outside person. Right now, I'm very much an indoor person: no bugs, no sunburn, no cold, etc. Now with kids, I have a need to be outside, at least for them. They need to be outside. I'm going to get out there and at least let them play. I also am starting a garden--a full fledged garden--with them this year. Even if I go for a walk, it'll count.
4. Try 30 new recipes. I am not a cook. My husband is the cook in this house. He actually loves it. For me, cooking is torture. Now that I am a full-time SAHM though, the cooking is part of my routine. I am going to find recipes that I find appealing and I am going to incorporate them into the lineup.
5. Write 30 awesome new hubs. I am a writer at ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com and also at my other blog, MommyKnowsWhatsBest.blogspot.com. The HubPages account is what's bringing in some money though. I want to increase the amount of articles I have there by at least 30 and make them awesome. That is all.
6. Enter my 30th year with flair and meet all challenges head-on. Yeah, my list is relatively short now, but as I think of more goals, I'll add them. Basically, I want to make this year rock. I want to meet all challenges and reach or even surpass my goals.
Here's to my 30th year. Cheers!
Marissa
ThePracticalMommy.HubPages.com
MommyKnowsWhatsBest.Blogspot.com
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