Baby Weight: Update #1

So here it goes: I weighed last week and I weigh 183 lbs. Wow that took courage but I feel much better.

I worked out 4 days last week by running on the treadmill that is out in our garage in this ridiculous heat. I ran 1.2 miles each day. I think that is a good start considering I felt like I could pass out the whole time. On Sunday I weighed again and I weighted 180 lbs. 3 lbs  down, 50 more to go.

My workout videos (INSANITY) came in the mail a couple of days ago and it looks insane (haha). After watching the videos I believe that saying, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. Chris and I decided to start the 2 month transformation (as the video calls it) on Monday.

I will keep you posted on how things are going. I can’t believe I put my weight on here.  Man!!

Baby Weight!!!

If you know me at all, you know that I am obsessed with my weight. Since my second year of college I have been on some sort of diet and work out program.

Before I had Maddox I was a size 6. I did a lot of running and ate nothing but protein and veggies, most of the time. Post Maddox I am a size 12. Yeah I said it 12. I have never been this big. Not only am I bigger, cloths don’t fit the same. Pregnancy does some weird things to your body.

So I have come up with a solution to my problem. GET UP OFF MY BUTT AND LOSE THE WEIGHT. Sounds simple enough but if it was simple more people would jump on the wagon but I have a plan and here it is;

1. Blog about my progress and set backs. If I blog, I will feel obligated to work out, eat healthy which will in turn mean losing weight.

2. Work out at least 5 days a week. For a new mother this will be the most complicated part so I have decided running on the treadmill and a at home video will have to due. I have been doing a lot of research online about workout videos and this is what I came up with.

Now, my friends all know I took and taught karate for years. I loved it and I was in the best shape of my life. Karate has interval training which is great and so does Insanity. I love doing workouts like this so I think I will stick with it.

3. Eat healthier. Sounds easy again right. I going back to protein, veggies and fruits. Low carbs.

4. Partner. When you have a partner they hold you accountable. My partner will be my partner in life, my husband, Chris.

So here is my plan. I am going to make a blog post at least once a week to inform you of my progress. I am starting on 6/13/11 but I just ordered the insanity dvds so I will be running for now….

Wish me luck!

Mother’s Day and Grandma (Gran) (Post 2 of 2)

So if you missed my first post, click here: Bad Blogger.

After the crazy week, it was time to celebrate Mother’s Day. I was so excited it being my first and all. I woke up to this smiling face which really made me understand the meaning of Mother’s Day.

 

Being a mother is great. The most rewarding gift ever. When I look at this smiling face the world stands still and my heart just melts.

I did not get a gift because of all the stress and things that were going on during the week but who cares (look at that smiling face). My in-laws had plan a small get together/barbeque  to commence the occasion. Before we left I did manage to get a Mother’s Day picture with my baby.

The day was fun but we were so tired from the previous week that by the end of the day we crashed.

That following Monday was a little better when I sent Maddox to daycare. I really didn’t cry at all. But my world would come crashing down at around 2:00 am Tuesday morning when I received a call from my mother stating my Gran had passed away. I was blind sided, shocked and heartbroken.

I have to say that I was blessed to have the best grandparents in the world.  I lived just down the road from them until I moved off to college.

My Gran and Pop help raise me and I credit them a lot on my success as an adult. They instilled in me the love for family, friends and my hometown. They never missed a basketball game, banquet or event that I was involved in. They encouraged me to do my best and to never give up.

They are also active citizens in my hometown  (Lepanto). Gran ran the elderly housing center for years. She was also a member of Citizens for Progress, Alumni Association and Red Hatters.

And have you ever heard of the book “The Painted House” by John Grisham.

If so I’m sure you know the movie was filmed in Lepanto. After the filming my grandmother had a big part in making sure the house that was really the star of the movie, stayed in Lepanto.

Picture of the Painted House in Lepanto.

I am so proud to call them my grandparents. It gives me a sense of pride that I carry with me today.

I never thought that I would lose her so I have been struggling the last 2 weeks. Songs, places and certain items just set me off.

Here are a couple of pictures of her.

4 Generations at my wedding. Gran, Mom, Me and Brittany.

Gran and Pop with Maddox right after he was born.

Another picture from my wedding. Wasn’t she beautiful.

I will miss her everyday of my life. Looking at Maddox makes it worse because I know she loved him so much . I wanted her to be able to spend more time with him but I guess God had a different plan. Maybe that is why he gave me Maddox, to help me through this.

So, as you can see my life has changed. Thanks for listening . It has actually made me feel better writing this down.

Bad Blogger!

Well, hello there strangers. Long time no talk. Sorry I haven’t made a blog post in a while but I have been super busy. Lets get started (this will be 1 of 2 post).

First, I went back to work 3 weeks ago. I was so afraid that being away for 12 weeks I might not know how to be a nurse anymore. After 2 days on the job a famous ole saying was running through my head, “Just like riding a bike!”. I was glad and relieved to have it come back so easily. I love being a nurse. I have to say it is one of the most rewarding professions that anyone could go in to.  I love my patients dearly and I am so thankful that they let me be apart of their lives in some of their darkest moments. To comfort, embrace and encourage someone to push on, not to give up is what I do best. I am so thankful that God has blessed me with the title nurse.

Second, I had to send Maddox to daycare (crying!). Trusting someone to take care of your precious newborn is one of the most scariest things you will ever do. I researched daycare after daycare and finally agreed to send him to a church daycare close by. His first week I cried everyday. Chris would start to put him in his car seat to take him and I would just break down. I have to say I might have over reacted. The girls there love and take great care of him.

I know they look young but they are awesome.

I worked Monday thru Thursday that week and when Friday rolled around I couldn’t wait to spend the whole day with Maddox but I got an upsetting call from my mother. My grandmother (Gran) had been in the hospital since Easter recovering from surgery. Her condition made a turn for the worse and she had to have another major surgery (thoracotomy). We headed out that morning to St. Bernard’s Hospital in Jonesboro, AR. When we arrived at the hospital I notice that Maddox was real fussy and warm. I told Chris to take him to my parents house while I stayed at the hospital. Around 4:30 pm we received a phone call stating that Gran made it through surgery and was in ICU. While I was waiting to go back to see her, Chris called me because Maddox had a fever. In that second we decided to go back to Little Rock that night so that we could be close to our pediatrician. So, after I went and saw Gran and made sure she was stable, we got back on the road.

The next day we took Maddox to the doctor. After some test, he was found to have a viral infection. He felt so bad the rest of that morning but his fever released later that night and he started perking up.

Please stay tuned……Will post part 2 tomorrow.

Maddox: Month 1 and 2!!!!!!!!

So, I know I haven’t blogged in a while but I have a newborn. Give me a break (ha ha).

Well two months have past since Maddox was born and I feel like he is growing too fast. Last time we weighed him he was 11 lbs. and that was three weeks ago. I wish I had a time machine so I could go back to the day he was born when ever I wanted, but I don’t so I am taking a lot of pictures and home videos.

His first month of life was action packed. When he came home from the hospital I really couldn’t move so Chris did everything except the feedings. He was great. I couldn’t ask for a better husband. Then we had newborn pictures. Here are a couple of my favorites.

These pictures were done by my neighbor. She is awesome. We also had some more pictures taken by the Click Chick in Cabot. They are so cute. Once I get them hung on the wall I will post pictures.

Well like I said earlier, he is growing too fast. He is smiling, giggling and trying to roll over. It is so fun to watch him learn new things. Oh and did I tell you his first real holiday is coming up, Easter (I don’t count Valentines). I am so excited and my sister-in-law and I found him a cute outfit this weekend. I promise I will post pictures.

Well until next time.

Maddox

So, I know I told you a couple of weeks ago that I would post more pictures of Maddox, but taking care of a newborn can be time consuming. I have enjoyed every minute of motherhood, except for the lack of sleep but as they say, “This to shall pass”.

So, here are some pictures from his first 2 weeks of life.

Maddox right after he was born.

Happy Parents! I look so tired.

The Leonard boys (3 generations)

Us going home from the hospital

After his first bath              

Maddox is now 6 weeks old and has changed so much. I love watching him learn new things and grow but I feel that it is going by to fast.

Well I better get off here before Maddox wakes up. Will post updated pictures soon.

Our new addition to the Family; Presenting our baby boy Maddox.

So I know I haven’t blogged in a long time but I have a good excuse. On February 10, 2011 at 10:44 am, Chris and I welcomed our baby boy to the world, Maddox Ryan Leonard. He weighed 8lbs, 8oz and was 20 3/4 inches long.

A week before his delivery we found out that a C-section was the safest way to deliver him because his estimated weight was already 9lbs. When we decided on the date, 2.10.11 we never thought that we would have this to deal with this.

That’s right, we got 8 inches of snow the night before Maddox was born. As everyone knows, in Arkansas we don’t get a lot of snow, so knowing Maddox was going to come into this world on such an amazing day was exciting.

Here are a couple of pictures of our neighborhood.

All of these pictures were taken the night before Maddox’s delivery.

On the morning of the big day it was beautiful outside. The sun was out and the snow was dazzling. I was so nervous because I did not know what to expect. In all the morning chaos I did manage to get a couple of pictures before we left to go to the hospital.

Chris and I had no trouble getting to the hospital in the snow.

When we arrived at the hospital they took me straight back because the doctor had arrived early and waiting on us. After I got prep for surgery it only took the doctor 4 minutes and Maddox was here.

Our first family picture.

I can not explain to you how much I love this little guy.

Next blog there will be more pictures but I have to go feed Maddox now, lol.