mom bod (a machine)

lets talk about postpartum body recovery. shall we?

doesn't that sound exciting and glamorous?!?!

i gained 37 pounds with this pregnancy.

i'm down 20. 

this has happened with terrible eating habits (poptarts, cereal, DDP) and no exercise (except being a mother to  young boys). 

so, i feel like, with moderate exercise and healthier food choices i will see some results.

i'm not reaching for a number on the scale. but i would like to fit in my white jeans. 

more importantly, i have humans to  keep up with that require a substantial amount of energy and agility.

side story: last week i thought i'd wear said white jeans.

they are a boyfriend-ish style and were kind of loose pre-pregnancy, so i thought there was a chance that they'd slide on (terrible idea).

so, here i was in the closet doing the trying-to-get-pants-over-my-hips dance.

Judson was in the room observing.

sweetly, he says "mom, i think those are too small"

yeah, i know. hush.

sweet, cherub Judson, "those are like Kristen's size"

if you know my newest sister-in-law, she is adorably petite and might have to get a size 0 altered.
she is also approximately the size of my 2nd grade body.

i love my son.

moving on...

where was i?

oh yeah, the postpartum body....

my hips and back ache

the hips- because a human had to fit through them.

the back- because i carry a human(s) all of the time and i know my posture suffers from it.

also, at times, we have 5 people sleeping in our bed. 

so you have to contort your body to avoid kicks to the ribs, elbows to the face and falling off of the bed. and a nursing newborn.

so, a healthy body that feels good and can perform well. 

these are my goals

not a ripped body and low body fat. although that would be a nice subsequent outcome.

here's what i've been doing since about week 2. 

stretching. 

mostly in the morning and at night after i shower.

my plan is to keep this up.

it feels good and the results (less aches and pains) are felt almost immediately.

as i progress, i plan to add in more strength training...using my body weight. i.e. yoga.

eventually i will start running again.
most likely that will start after the hot-as-blazes summer ends.

the reason i called the mom bod a machine is because i am amazed at what God created the woman's body to do.
grow a human, get that human out of the body, then be the sole provider of sustenance for that human after born.
isn't that amazing???
so i do feel like my body is a machine, sort of.
i've got to keep it well oiled so that it can function.
not for me, but for my children!
mostly the one that is getting EVERYTHING she needs from my body.
and the boys because they don't need a mom who is too unhealthy to play with them.
pretty good incentive, i think.

i'll keep you up dated as i get the machine in top working order

WEE school graduation

We will miss WEE school and the sweet ladies at First West so much!

I asked if they can just keep the boys at least until 8th grade, but no dice.

The boys both started there in Mothers Day Out and we have loved this sweet place for 3 years!

 I am so thankful for the women who have spent hours loving on and teaching our babies. 

our awesomely supportive fam showed up to celebrate our guys!

with sweet 3 day old baby sister!

sometimes waiting is SO HARD

Townes has grown tremendously this year.

he stood on stage and sang every word during their program.

we could not have imagined him doing this 6 months ago...and he walked down the aisle by himself with a smile on his face!

i was so proud of him and how big he acted. He said it's because he's a big brother now!

Judson is more than ready for Kindergarten. I think he will thrive in that environment and we are going to love watching him learn.

He is a natural leader and always eager to see his friends. 

He likes to know the plan and have some structure to his day. 

Watch out big school...these boys are coming for you!

this mama, not so ready. but, luckily we have a whole summer to prepare (emotionally and mentally)

2 weeks with baby girl

our sweet Kirby Jane is 2 weeks old today!

and what a busy 2 weeks she has had.

let's start  at day 3.

when she went straight from the hospital to her brothers preschool graduation

we really haven't been home much since she's been born

i think we've left the house for one reason or another every day, except one.

she has been awesome!

she sleeps and eats and is really easily consolable (so far...fingers crossed this continues)

1st doctors appointment

out to lunch with the girls for Mamaw Lous birthday

she's been to the mall twice

because her mother didn't get everything for her brothers wedding before giving birth

last weekend, the Tyler crew came over!

lots of sitting outside and visiting

she loves being outside!

we went to church for Mothers Day!

such a special day with my littlest sweetheart

and big sweethearts

and cousins!

she "watched" her first oyster shucking

and lobster/crab boil

she gets LOTS of love from her brothers who are always ready to hold her

and not always be calm and safe while she eats

so mom has to find entertainment for them so they stay alive

she went to a graduation party and looked super sassy

and she has "watched" numerous Astros games with the boys

mostly, she is just getting loved on a lot

she had to get a hip ultrasound to check for hip dysplasia due to a hip click found on her exam with their Pediatrician

we head to the orthopedic hospital this week to find out if she will require any treatment or if we'll just watch it

she was perfect during the US, except for pooping all over her clothes, blanket and the hospital linens

she's a lady

she has been to 3 of her brothers tball games and slept through them all!

but i think she's his biggest fan

she has traveled to Texas

so of course a stop at Buc-ees was in order

her maiden voyage

we went to Dallas for my brothers wedding

the first night there, we stayed at Garrett and Cristies, since i only booked our hotel for 2 nights

and I really do love staying at their house!

they are the ultimate hosts 

Cristie welcomed baby girl with gifts, brownies and the most beautiful peonies!

i will post a separate blog of Josh and Kristen's wedding (baby girls 1st wedding!)

on one hand, i can't believe our girl is already 2 weeks old!

on the other hand, it feels like she's been here for months...considering all that we've done with her.

she is so so sweet.

these newborn snuggles are the absolute best and neither of us can seem to get enough.

i know it's super cliche to say this, but i simply can't remember life before her or imagine it without her.

i never imagined just how sweet life could be with our daughter.

i know we're only 2 weeks in, but if these weeks are any indication of our future with her, then we are in for lots of delightful and joy-filled days ahead.

Kirby Jane (baby girl)

our sweet Kirby Jane was born 9 days ago

May 7, 2018 at 3:11 in the afternoon

she is more than I could've dreamed or imagined 

we started our Monday morning out as a family of 4, not really expecting to end the day with an additional member (but certainly hopeful)

the boys were SO SO SO excited

when we ran home to get our stuff in between doctors office and hospital, they were talking and jumping and asking a million questions about "baby girl"

when we walked in the door, Townes said "baby girl is coming out today!"

then asked "is she going to be our new grandma?"

after i answered in the negative, he said, "well, what is she going to be when she grows up?"

i told him that she'll always be his little sister

to which he replied, "we'll have to get her a big bow"

i said, "oh, for her hair?"

he clarified, "no, to shoot deer with!"

naturally

 I was at the doctor at 9:15, the hospital at 11 and ready to push at 3

It all went incredibly smooth and dare i say, uneventful (except for the part of actually having a baby)!

a sincere "thank you" to anyone who has been praying for this. seriously. 

baby girl was diagnosed with mild hydronephrosis in-utero, so we had multiple ultrasounds along the way with my OB and with Maternal Fetal Medicine 

but NOTHING compares to seeing and holding your baby for the first time.

it really is the most overwhelming emotion i have ever felt in my life

absolute relief and incomparable joy 

(brace yourself for the photo overload)

these boys LOVE their sister

i mean, can not get enough of her

from the first second they saw her they have been slightly obsessed

and i'm absolutely certain that there is no way i could have prepared my heart for that

thank you Lord for these good and perfect gifts

best friends really know the way to my heart

we had so many sweet visitors, i wish i had taken pictures with everyone!

we didn't give her a first name until after she was born

i had to meet her first, ya know?

we've just called her baby girl ever since we knew she was a she

her middle name is Jane, after my dads sister

we now share that name

Kirby is my maiden name

one that has always been in my mind as an option for a baby girl

after i saw her, i knew that was perfect for our little sweetness

this guy is officially done for

he even asked if she had a headband to match her outfit (heart eyes)

ready to go home!

i always bring my pack mule

i still can't believe that she's mine ours