Bumpdate >>> 14 weeks!

Today I am officially 14 weeks and in the second trimester. There is a certain ease that comes over you in the second trimester. That's when most women begin to feel human again and the risk of miscarriage reduces. Being pregnant the second time around has been so much harder and easier than the first time.

Harder - when I have no choice but to chase around a very active toddler, fatigue, nausea and migraines are extra challenging. Obviously, Cruze doesn't understand the whole "mommy just isn't feeling well so please chill in your crib for 10 more minutes" thing.

Easier - at the same time it really is easier knowing that pregnancy can come with some scary symptoms but they're almost always normal. My husband still gets super nervous with every pain I get but me? I just know it must be normal. And so far, I've been right. I spent the past almost year and a half saying things like "next time I'm pregnant, I'm going to take it easy when I want to". This has made it easier too. All of the unneccesary pressure I put on myself last time has been cut down significantly. Now I know, it just isn't worth it.

Stats:

Weight: as of my last appointment I had gained one pound. But that was two weeks ago. I weigh myself at home but it never matches what the Doctor's office says. Figures. If I go by my home scale, I have gained around 2 pounds.

Inches: This is very different from my weight as I have come to learn. The only reason why I know my inches this time is because a trainer at the gym measured me a month ago. Last week I remeasured and confirmed my suspicions... My hips had already spread almost 2 inches! In a 3 week span! My belly (obviously) and legs went up too. And that was when I had only gained a pound. Crazy.

Clothing: Pretty much none of my clothes fit me. At this point in my last pregnancy, I had already started wearing maternity clothes but that was more out of excitement. I wanted to look hugely pregnant. Silly me. This time? I don't have a choice. My hips have spread sooo much that simply leaving pants unbuttoned doesn't really do the trick.

I actually love wearing maternity though. I love the stretchy waistbands and the protuding belly look. I embrace it. Gap maternity is my favorite store at the moment.

Symptoms: Since this is my first bumpate I will give you a little recap. I was super duper nauseous up until a few weeks ago. Not the throwing up (sorry for any images) kind of nauseous. Just the kind where you are sick for 90% of the day and wish it would actually make something of itself. Fatigue. HOLY MOLY.

Fatigue like a truck hit me each and every day. The gym helped but it was still challenging. The last 2 or 3 weeks have been sooo much better but this week I saw a major return. And it's been tough.

Migraines kicked in a few weeks ago. I have some experie

Getting fit WHILE pregnant

If you've been following along then you know that I am fighting to have a fitter pregnancy this time around. Before finding out that I was pregnant, the plan was to join the gym after moving to our new area and hitting it hard. Welp... the day after we moved in I peed on a little stick and that stick showed two lines. I was pregnant and I didn't even get into a fitness regimen yet.

 

Many of us have heard from pregnancy websites, doctors and apps that it's okay to work out while pregnant IF you have been working out prior to getting pregnant. So I found myself in a weird place. I wanted so desperately to start working on my body and improve myself in order to have a better birth experience and recovery. I did research, spoke with my midwife and made up my mind. I was going to get fit while pregnant and, as long as my baby was safe, nobody was going to stop me.

 

Something you should know about me is that I stick to my guns. When I make up my mind about something, it's as good as set in stone. I think this is a big reason why I was able to go med-free for my last birth. Also, because I'm a freaking tiger. Don't believe me? Ask anyone who was in that delivery room with me. TIGER.

 

So I joined the gym. I actually walked in, in my gym clothes and ready to drop Cruze off at the daycare. I had hit that point. I wanted to start right away. No excuses. I walked up to the guy I had met with months prior, and said "let's do this". It felt a bit dramatic but it was the turning point I desperately needed to break out of my funk.

 

Now back to the point of this post. I was out of shape. My body needed some sort of definition, my arms were week, my stomach - still loose. You get the idea. I was pretty much starting from scratch. My goals before I was pregnant were to tone and shape up. I also needed to tighten my core. I decided to stick with these goals.

 

My workout

Starting off low and slow - I knew this was important for the baby. I started very slow. For the first week I just walked on the treadmill at a comfortable pace and did very very light weights on my arms and legs. I hired a trainer to teach me how to do things properly. I didn't want to risk injury especially while pregnant. After the first week I felt comfortable picking up the speed on the treadmill and doing more reps. Listening to your body is very important. No one knows how you feel and how your body is reacting the way you do. If I felt too out of breath, I would stop or do something very minor.

Treadmill - It's been a little over a month and a half since I started and I am at the point where I am comfortable running for a few minutes  on and off (enough to get good and sweaty) while walking at a fast pace for the remainder of my 20-30 minutes

Arms - I do very light weights. Like so light you might laugh at me. I do 15 reps and 3 sets for each exercise.

          bicep curls 5 pounds
          simultaneous arm lifts 2.5 pounds 
          lateral arm raises 2.5 pounds
          shoulder press 5 pounds
          triceps push 2.5 pounds ( I do mine standing and leaning forward with a wall for support)

Legs - I try to do all of my workouts slow enough to feel a burn. Especially since I don't do heavy. Again, 15 reps for 3 sets

         hip adductor machine around 25 pounds
         hip abductor machine around 25 pounds
         squats - I started doing about 50 a day but some days I do 100
         leg press machine around 35 pounds
         I do the leg series from my winsor pilates video and it works wonders
         I started ending my workouts this week by hopping on the stairmaster and taking deep steps

Abs - ohhhh these abs. They've seen better days let me tell ya. But I figured, I can try to tone what I can before I have even more to whine about. And it's not thaaat bad.

          Planks - I'm up to three 70 second planks
          Pilates 100
         
These will have to change however because I just confirmed that I have a diastasis recti. Have you ever heard of that? It's when your ab muscles separate usually due to pregnancy. I can fit three fingers side horizontally INTO my stomach. Gross. If you feel like your stomach will never be the same even with exercise, please look into this. You might have it too. The good thing is that there are simple exercises to correct it. The bad thing? Planks and pilates are not one of them. Actually, they make it worse! So yes, these workouts would be great during pregnancy if you do not have that issue. I'll update my ab workout routine later.

Some info on diastasis recti can be found here

Back - Hmmm I don't know the names of the workouts I do for my back but I will find out this week. I do a few machines and one where I stand on this thing that leans me forward and I do kind of like a stomach crunch move. I hope that makes sense.

I drink TONS of water and take breaks to assess how I'm feeling and to make sure I am not cramping or anything like that. Have I noticed a difference? You bet! I can't believe how my legs and butt are transforming every week. They might be a bit larger possibly due to some water retention but they are taking on a much better shape.

 

I feel amazing! I feel stronger every day and my mood also benefits from it. My arms are slowly building muscle and toning up. My arms are my biggest problem area so please don't judge my pictures. Just believe me when I say, there is a difference. I lost 1/4 inch and I'm pretty excited about it!

 

I'm still working on a schedule. Starting out of no where can be a tad overwhelming but every week I'm feeling more and more comfortable. Keep in mind, I am VERY new to this so my schedule might seem weird and might even be "wrong"to those who know what their doing. Last week I did:

Monday - back, biceps, 100 squats
Tuesday - abs, chest, pilates for legs, 50 squats
Wednesday - legs, butt, back, pilates for legs, 50 squats
Thursday - biceps, triceps, pilates for legs, 100 squats
Friday - cried while trying to pack for my weekend with a very fussy toddler and a car that died overnight... some days just don't work out haha. But I did do my squats :/

And for every person who told me I can't get fit while pregnant...

-photo-


 

Watch me.

Hump Day Bump Pics >>> 13 weeks!

Here we are again! If you followed my pregnancy journey last time around then you might remember my Hump Day Bump Pics. I thought the name was clever so I went with it. Since then, I learned that it's a very interesting way to drive people to my blog. I won't even tell you the things they have googled to end up on my site (yikes) - you have your imaginations for that :/

But regardless of that fact, I still like the name so I'm sticking with it! These pics were taken last Friday - when I was officially 13 weeks. I'll be 14 weeks in just 2 days. I can't believe it!

 

You can also follow along on my journey over on instagram

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Pregnancy and Doing things differently this time

When a woman finds out she's expecting, for the most part it's a very exciting and joyous time. If you are anything like me, you may have expectations of what pregnancy will be like. I had plenty of expectations. How I would eat, how I would dress, how I would record every single detail, labor, delivery. All of it. I had my ideas on how it would all play out. However, other than knowing that I somehow planned on "bouncing back" as fast as possible through breastfeeding and clean eating I didn't quite think through my recovery the way I should have. I think I just figured it would all just come together (I guess that's because it has always been easy for me to lose weight).While this may be true for some women, it wasn't for me. I had a hard time. A really hard time. I remember thinking that it was harder than delivery. And I went completely med free - ouch. I didn't even kind of bounce back the way I thought I would. And while I would sometimes throw myself a pity party because "other women have it sooo easy, they have good genes", what I really knew deep down was that I didn't plan that part well enough. I didn't work for it and because of that, I didn't earn anything.

As a little bit of background, I have some health issues that worsened after my son was born. This made nursing extremely difficult and because I was trying to force something that wasn't working, my body held on to my extra weight. And when I say extra weight, I mean I gained 20 pounds more than I should have. It was exactly 20 pounds that stuck around. That is - until I stopped nursing and my body started working again. I actually dropped 6 pounds the first week!

I could blame it all on my health issues but I also know that if I didn't have that extra weight on me, I wouldn't have had the added stress to diet etc. and just maybe, my milk production would have been a little more steady without this added stress. So this time around, I'm doing things differently. I know more than I did before and I'm using my experience to make wiser choices.

Exercise - This time around I am working out at the gym and even purchased a few sessions with a trainer. I do cardio and weights. I also do a little bit of Pilates on days I don't make it to the gym.

Cravings - everyone gets cravings. Pregnant or not. But for some reason we're taught not to deprive ourselves during pregnancy. I have my sweets, don't get me wrong. However, i'm putting my willpower to the test by fighting more of these cravings this time around. Starting... NOW! haha

Pushing- I wrote a birth plan, knew exactly what I wanted and stuck with it. The problem is, I didn't have the strength to push properly (probably because I had no muscle tone) and I just didn't learn enough on the different techniques. And there are different techniques. My cousin told me to look  into a dvd called perfect pushing. I have and the reviews are amazing. Even helps with swelling. I was so swollen after having my son. I was quite a bit larger the few weeks following his birth than I was when I walked into the hospital to have him. Swelling and inflammation. Those were my enemies.

Clothes - girls, I had no clue what to wear out of the hospital and the days following. The day after cruze was born, I wore leggings that had a very restricting waist band. Tight leggings with a sore bottom just did not mix. I cried that entire day while running from hospital to hospital dealing with some complications that my son had.

Belly binding - I'm doing it this time. I wish I gave more thought to this before but I know better this time. I will be using a bellefit girdle after I have this baby. Look at the reviews. Pretty awesome.

Rest - I have a hard time laying down and letting people do things for me. But the thing is, my body was in no position to move around the way I was so soon after birth. I never let my body heal. Part of this was out of my control but part of it was just being dumb and stubborn. Aside from recovery, I also didn't rest during my pregnancy. I "felt bad" not being on top of everything all the time. Silly me. This time? I take naps. I sometimes often let the clean laundry sit without being folded right away, and if I want to take a bath while Phillip picks up the slack? I do it. It feels amazing and I know that it's a great way to bond with this baby inside of me even though I'm busy with a toddler for so much of my day.

Leaving the house - This one is HUGE. My sons pediatrician scared me into staying home for the first three months and it made me go kinda crazy. I left the house here and there with Phillip but I should have done it more. Even if I still don't feel comfortable this time around bringing a newborn around too many people, I will make a greater effort to go to open spaces like restaurants with outdoor seating, outlet malls and maybe even enjoy a girls night with my favorite chicas a bit sooner. It's so important to just get out. The park is good too ;)

Exercise some more - I'm so serious about this. I just know the difference exercise and some muscle would have made. Plus, it just makes me feel better all the time. Emotionally, mentally, physically. All of it. I just feel so much better.

I also feel the need to add that, while I know there are several things I want to do differently, I still recognize the things I did right. I bonded with Cruze the way I wanted to. I stared at him all day every day. I took a million pictures a day. I picked a sleep method that worked well for our family and also made time for my husband. That guy is pretty awesome ;)

What about you? Is there anything you would change or know you plan to do to make things more "ideal"?

Much Love,
Eliza

We Had A Date! >>>> At Last

I know everyone wants to hear about my pregnancy. I will have a detailed post up for you early nexy week but first...

We went on a date! Just the two of us. My sweet sweet friend offered to babysit last minute and I surprised myself by taking her up on her offer. Cruze just loves her and she is someone I truly trust with my son. Since it was last minute, I didn't put much thought into it (or myself). I was out much of the day and came home from one of my doctors appointments just minutes before she arrived so I decided to keep my attire casual.

We went to a newly opened Japanese steakhouse close by and finished up the evening at an outdoor mall with a quaint little coffee shop. It felt so amazing to go out with my husband. I'm so glad she was the first person to really babysit him because my heart felt at ease the entire night.

I look tired because I was. But don't let that fool you - my heart was so happy

It was so nice to have some time to talk about us, what we remembered from the moment we first saw each other, how excited we are for baby #2 and so much more. I can't wait to do this more often. Our souls need it.



That last picture is of me, Cruze and Krystina. He had a blast with her!

My Preggo Dream-List

Pregnancy is such an amazing time in a woman's life. I was always the girl who dreamed of having a family - a loving husband who gave me butterflies and two or three babes. This pregnancy was "supposed" to come a few months later (more on that another time) but we are just so beyond thrilled to be expanding our family.

Since I'm kinda an old pro at this whole preggo thing... right? There are a few things on my wish-list already. Probably because I've been secretly planning for this to happen soon anyway. So here it is:

My Preggo Wish-List by babybound featuring tory burch shoes

 

1//2//3//4//5//6

 

Number one is PJ's from the Gap. Growing up, my mom always had to have us in matching pajamas from the gap. Even our socks and travel pouches had to match. She hasn't changed. I guess I got that from her. And there is just something about the gap... they make the most comfy clothes. I'm all about feeling comfy these days.

 

Two is a bath caddy. How gorgeous is that one from etsy?? I just love it. I have been really enjoying baths this time around (warm not HOT) and I would love something pretty to set my tea and a book on.

 

Three. Uh... HELLO. How cute is that workout tank?! I'm dying over here. I love when people notice I'm pregnant at the gym. I feel like I deserve a medal lol. Only half kidding. But seriously, I am in love with that tank.

 

Four. Ohhhh Isabella Oliver. Am I right? They have the hottest maternity clothes. I lusted over them the first time around and I'm back at it.

Five. These shoes need no introduction. Cute yet comfy. That's all.
 

Six. Last but certainly NOT least. This is actually at the very tippy top of my list. I want a Blanqi so bad. SO SO BAD. But this is a dream list for a reason. I'm not sure if my budget will allow. I even checked ebay but people just don't resell these often. Probably because they're that awesome.

 

So those are my few items... What are yours? I want to hear all about it. Really.

P.s. I'm pregnant

How's that for a clever announcement? ;) Our family is growing and we could not be any happier. We are feeling so truly blessed and I can't wait to share our journey with all of you.

Much love,
E and the fam

And then we spent the evening on the beach

Last night we were on our way to the park when we noticed it was practically all under water. We were craving the outdoors with our babe and didn't want to go back inside. So on our walk home, Phillip looked at me and said, "we're going to the beach". Two minutes later, our cars were packed with blankets, towels sandals and the three of us in bathing suits.

We didn't get a ton of pictures which is the norm for us lately but we did manage to get a few mommy and son pics in. That pretty much made my year. Since I'm normally the one behind the lens, photos of Cruze and I are hard to come by. Even though we couldn't get him to look up because of the lowering sun, these are definitely pictures I will cherish.















Living so close to beautiful beaches is such a gift. There's just something about the ocean, the birds and lack of shoes that makes me feel oh so good. Cruze knocked out on the way home and after a super quick bath, was out for the rest of the night.

The perfect way to end our weekend.

Week 32 >>>> a portrait a week

I have been dying to link up with Jodi for months now. Something always seems to get in the way so today I figured I would just do it. I'm cheating a little since I used this picture in Friday's review post but that's okay right?? Right.

This picture captures how much Cruze loves the outdoors and exploring. He makes me a little more adventurous too ;)

Yochi Yochi Shoe Review!

 

First, I can I just tell you how excited I was to do this review?! When Yochi Shoes first contacted me, I immediately went nuts over their Prince Kairu shoes. Once I picked out the style I wanted, they were in the mail and at my doorstep just days later.

 

We decided to size up so Cruze can use them longer. When I first opened them, I was a little nervous over how big they were. I thought it would be a while before he would be able to walk in them. I was wrong. The soles are soft and flexible which made it super easy for him.

 

Take a look at the adorableness below

 

 

 

 

 

 

" I shall take these shoes and go... this way!"

 It was seriously the hardest thing ever to keep him still for these photos. Especially since I don't have a fancy, super duper fast camera. And he was ALL over the place. Did I mention they squeak when they walk? Whaaaaa?! Cruze LOVES these! I couldn't keep him still and he refused to take them off when we went back inside. So I let him squeak all over the (freshly mopped) house. I'm kinda awesome like that.

Thank you SOOOO much for allowing me to review these shoes. Seriously, we love them!

Bump Style >>>> Olive Jeans and T-Shirt

It's {almost} fall and even though I live in the insanely hot state of Florida, I like to get in the spirit. This outfit originally had a pumpkin colored scarf but you know... pregnancy brain and all. I forgot it for the pictures. My olive colored jeans and brown accents are my way of welcoming fall.

Speaking of pictures. I realize I should really step up my game but right now, Phillip is the only photographer I can afford and those expensive cameras I'm lusting over? I decided to have a baby instead ;)






Jeans - a pea in a pod
T-shirt - gap maternity
Shoes - DSW
Bag - Express

Happy {almost} fall ladies!!! Woop woop!!!

Organic Modernism

Organic modernism is a design term that's new to me. I stumbled upon some photos of this style on ApartmentTherapy.com and it rocked my world. For the longest time, when talking about the style I want for our home I would often say, "I want modern, clean, crisp but... I also want it to be super warm and inviting". I didn't know many other ways to describe it but I knew how I wanted my home to feel.

I want to walk in the door to a clean space. Something refreshing and uncluttered. However, sometimes the idea that comes to mind when thinking of modern décor is a sort of harshness. And I know that's not for me. I want a welcoming space that feels lived in, that makes you want to kick off your shoes and ahhhhhh - relax.

Enter Organic Modernism. It's just what my heart has been longing for. So if you're not familiar with this style. Take a look below and get a little inspired. It's all about the clean lines with life. Plants, and wood tones, and stones oh my. Who wouldn't want to roll around on the floor of these homes? I mean...

Modern Hall by New York Architects & Designers moment design + productions, llc

So what do you think?

p.s. be happy, it's almost Friday!!

p.s.s... so apparently pinterest doesn't want to work for me. I embedded a bunch of pics for you but if you don't see them check me out on pinterest here!

Inspire Me: Links To Visit

In an effort to get this blog back on track, I've been doing more online reading. I started following more bloggers and designers on Instagram in hopes of getting a little inspired myself. Here are a few inspiring links to visit from my time scouring the net ;)

Last month I stumbled on this post from Jen Lula on the fabulous In Honor of Design Blog. She did a guest post on her goals for her family. I have similar goals and have stolen a few of hers to add to my list. Check out that post here.

Another blog I just found through IHOD is this one called Sugar and Cloth. This gal has TONS of inspiring DIY's. I am not so much a DIYer. Unless ofcourse, the project consists of a glue gun and has no more than five steps. But lately, I've been all about doing little projects in our new home. Check out this SUPER easy sequined hello pillow tutorial. I will be trying this soon for sure!

For a sweet blog with adorable pics of a stylish baby girl go here. I tried to comment on Karla's divine little blog a few times but my computer just won't let me. So if you happen to find me Karla, I adore your pictures and style ;)

Check out this amazing kitchen redo by Darby over at Life With The Hawleys. I dream of a white kitchen but Darby? She made it happen. It looks fab!

Those are just a few links that have inspired me lately. I am desperate to find other sources and blogs for inspiration so if you know of any, let me know!

I Will Always Remember >>>> June

A few moments from June that I hope I will remember forever...

 

After moving into our new house and being surrounded by painters and handymen, Cruze and I desperately needed to get out. We have a cute little park super close to our house, so we went there.

 

For some reason, I just loaded these pictures from my camera and I'm so in love with them. I don't have a fancy camera nor do I have cool editing software/skills so when I get photos with just the right lighting, it really makes my day.

 

Goodness, I just love that I get to spend my days running around with this little boy.

 

Soon after we moved into our house, we had something very special to do. Our dear friends who live in Bolivia (the place we were living when I found out I was preggo) came to the states for a visit. So we dropped the unpacking, decorating and organizing to drive up to meet up with them in Central Florida. What a treat!

They were the first people to learn I was pregnant. Even before our family. We met in Bolivia while volunteering and even though two years had passed since we saw them last, it was so easy to be pick up just where we left off.

Okay, so I feel like this photo deserved to be in black and white because it makes me all sorts of emotional. Anna is someone who I shared my desire to start a family with. She was one of the only people who knew about this secret blog of mine. Have I mentioned? It's a secret! And she was a sister to me when I needed one most.

So to see her hold my son  and notice how at ease he was with her.. well there I go with the tears again.

We spent the day with them at the zoo. Cruze's very first visit to the zoo, I might add. It was a bit muggy outside which is why we eventually stripped him down to his onesie and his hair is a hot mess lol.

But look at the picture below. He was in awe. It was on this little trip that he learned how to say "monkey". And let's not forget, Auntie Anna taught him how to say "okie dokie". Cutest thing ever watching his lips move the way they do.

 
Oh yeah... there we are!

It was a good month and a very busy one. The house has taken up so much of our time and I didn't unpack nearly as fast as I thought I would. But the important thing is, I enjoyed every single day with my boy. Lot's of laughter and learning went on this month. Learning to let go of perfection is a struggle for me but I'm getting there. My house is proof ;)

Around Town >>>> window shopping

 

One thing I just love about our new home is how close it is to awesome outdoor shopping malls and about 1 billion other activities.

 

We took advantage of the beautiful weather on Saturday to get some home décor shopping done at West Elm and Home Goods. It was the perfect day to let Cruze run around outside and do a little "window shopping" of his own ;)

 

When Phillip and I were first married and even while we were expecting our first child, I always wondered how family life would suit us. I knew it's what I wanted and I knew I would love it. But still, it's a whole new ball game and I couldn't help but wonder if it would be what I expected.

Days like these... they make me so happy beyond words. I love my little family. I love family life and doing things together. It just feels so right, so natural that I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm married to the most amazing man and father. And my boy? He just lights up my entire life.

Who knew a little outdoor window shopping could be made that much more fun with a toddler in tow? I didn't, but let me tell you, it's pretty amazing.

Life is good my friends.

What I'm Loving

 

DIY play teepees. I've mentioned how obsessed I am with the idea of putting a teepee in Cruze's (one day to-be finished) playroom. I've looked all over but they are just so expensive. With the endless list of things to purchase for this new home of ours, it's just not an option right now. BUT.... I've found some awesome teepee tutorials online and have saved some on pinterest here. Below are just a few. My only problem is that some seem too small and others are too narrow. Any ideas? I'm trying to come up with my own plan but it's giving me a headache!

 

 

 

Switching gears. I have been on the hunt for a good organic/clean shampoo. I have always preferred salon quality shampoos because it really does make a world of difference for your locks but, over the last few years I have shifted towards wanting something that doesn't kill me ( you know what I mean, right?). I've tried a few pure shampoos that don't contain yucky sulfates, parabens etc. but they've all left me and my hair feeling a little flat (or greasy, staticky and so on).

A few weeks ago I was at my health food store and decided to give it another try. I asked one of the employees (who had amazing hair) for her suggestion and she directed me to this...

 

 

 

Ladies, let me tell you... this stuff has rocked my world and changed my life forever. Okay, I may be going a tad bit far but seriously the. best. shampoo. I have ever tried EVER. Even better than the salon stuff. I just ordered a second bottle of the coconut version because it had equally great, or slightly better reviews.

 

update: since writing this post I decided to give the no-sew teepee method a try. I'll update with pictures when I'm done. I can't wait!!!