6 Weeks Later...

We made it! For some reason 6 weeks was the milestone in my head that things would have all fallen into place! I think for the most part I was right?!

I'm a runner again...Or Not

I had my 6 weeks postpartum check up, and everything is good! I can now officially start running and working out again. Woo hooo!! I've missed it so much! No one told me though that after 6 weeks I still will not be 100% :) I came home from my appointment so pumped to go for a run. I put on my running sneakers, new shorts, and favorite t-shirt. I hopped downstairs and was all ready to do 3 miles on the treadmill. Granted, I told myself not to be too crazy, so if I can't do 3 right away, be patient and at least get 1 mile out of the way. Ha, yeahhh that totally didn't happen. I warmed up for 5 minutes, and then started to run and it literally felt like my insides were going to fall out. Ugh SOO freaking painful :( I hopped off and did 10 minutes on the elliptical and cried the whole time!! I then came upstairs bawling how I'll never run again, and feeling totally sorry for myself. Poor Brybear! He told me to track where I'm at now and he promises within a few months I'll be back where I want to be. That didn't make me feel any better, because how would he know? So thankfully (for me, probably not for her :), but my friend Neena called. She was the lucky one to hear me answer the phone while crying and being a little dramatic I'm sure! She calmed me down and made me feel SO much better. She looks phenomonal and had a baby not too long ago so there is hope for me too!! I hope! :) So now I'm just trying to do what I can...Patience is a virtue and I think I will definitly be learning this now more than ever. So until I'm fully back at it I'm doing what I can here and there whenever Gav naps...which is never. Perfect. BUT the exciting news is we're all signed up for stroller boot camp next week! Ha! Who would've thought?! Last year I was doing body pump, running and spinning, and this year Stroller Bootcamp it is!!  It should be fun though, at least it's something and will give me something to do Tuesday mornings other than sit here and stare at my child. My goal is next year at this time to run the Bayshore Marathon again with Brybear by my side! Or maybe I'll do Chicago in October to make up for missing it this last year due to being a little preggo mama.

Gavin's Life This Week



This was the first week we kicked the baby out of the bed and he's been sleepig between his bouncy seat and bassinet!! :) This is a MAJOR event in our house becuase before Bry and I were sleeping in different rooms. He'd have Gavin for the first half of the night in the guest room and I'd get him for the 2nd night in our room. Now we're all back in one room and I'm so much happier! I hated waking up without my Brybear by my side it was so lonely. Gavin's doing great at night. Usually we feed him around midnight, he sleeps until 4, we feed him again and he sleeps until around 8, and then sleeps again through 9-10...which is when he usually gets up to start our exciting day of songs, feedings, and story books.

And I just have to say we have the best friends and coworkers ever. Seriously the last 2 weeks, we've gotten 6 different packages sent to our house for gifts for Gavin. I'm so amazed by how generous and nice people are. Gavin you are one loved and lucky little boy already!! I will have the best dressed baby with the best toys on the block thanks to everyone!!

Gavin's little cousin Oliver was born this week in Grand Rapids. It was Gav's first trip to GR and we got to meet our newest little family member. He's absolutly adorable, and it's going to be so fun having two little boy cousins so close in age. We're already close to my neice and nephew, and we can't wait to get to know Baby Oliver. He has such long hair and the cutest little nose. He's already a very loved little man, just like his cousin Gavin :) We ate that night at the twisted rooster which was SOO good! Maple and Bacon Bruschetta, with fish tacos totally hit the spot. Thankfully we don't live closer or I'm sure I'd be there everynight and then I'd NEVERRR lose this baby weight! Yikes!

I think that's it...Not a very exciting week but I thought I better write something since we made it to the big 6!! Now off to celebrate Memorial Weekend. We're camping with friends in Indiana starting tomorrow and can I just say I can't even wait?! Bring on the mojitos, shopping, and wine tasting. This is my type of camping.

Becoming "THAT" person

Everyone tells you before you have a baby just how much they change your life. I knew the big things like, I'd fall completely in love with a little guy I've never met before, my life would have more meaning, I'd want to be a better person for my son, and all of the major things like that. However I didn't realize all of the little ways it would change me, and all of the things I would begin to do that I Swore I never would do. Things such as...

• Writing a Blog?! Can I just say I literally had a conversation with friends less than a week earlier about how I thought people who write blogs were a little weird...Obviously do not take offense because here I am blogging away. I guess I just wish this was called something other than a blog. Ugh for some reason that word grosses me out.
• We now ignore our pets. Whenever I'd go to any of our friends houses who have kids, I'd always be so offended when they'd tell me they were happy to see me pet their cats/dogs/whatever because they never get any attention. I would be so mortified and look at them a little differently. Now, we're lucky our cats are still alive because I can't tell you how many times I walk by and just notice that their water and food dish is totally empty, we literally kick them off the beds with our feet, and we no longer pet them bc we're either holding Gavin or cleaning our house. Poor little guys. This make me want to go pet them but I know I won't. Maybe I'll add a little pic.

• I am a hypochondriac concerning my kid. Whenever I'm sick I try to suck it up, whenever Bryan's sick I make him suck it up, but whenever my son has the slightest little sniffle I'm on the phone with the Dr!!! Ahhhh. I'm totally that person and I hate it. So far we've been to the dr for a stuffy nose, called after hours because he had a cough, and the best one of all...Called after hours because he didn't poop for 2 days. Granted while they are on the phone walking us through how to check his temp, we took the diaper off and found quite the explosion. OF COURSE that's what would happen. Ever since that event we chilled out a bit on the Dr. Now we hopefully won't see her again until his 2 month check up where he's going to get shots, and I'm sure I'll be a crying wreck.
• As you can see from the previous point, I can now say the word poop, talk about it, cheer when my baby burps, and I love when he toots bc he makes the cutest little face. If you know me I'm sure you've never heard me say ANY of these words before having him. I'm easily disgusted esp by burps, now I don't think twice about them when they come from my Gaveyman.
• Going out with Bryan or friends and just talking about Gavin! Before Gavin when Bry and I would go out, I'd say promise me we'll never be that couple who is out without their kids and just talks about their kids. I'd like to think we had more of a life than that and tons of other things to talk about. Now we go out, and we're those people!!! We talk about how much we miss him, how happy we are now that we have him, how funny/cute/smart/etc he is, all the plans we have for him, all the plans we don't have for him. ahhhh. We're total saps for Gavin now and I have a feeling it's only going to get worse. Gavi n, I hate to say it but you have two parents who are totally obsessed with you!!
• I am a complete worrier now when it comes to the saftey of Gavin. I used to pray everytime Bryan walked down the stairs with him that he wouldn't trip and fall on him, driving around with him in the backseat during a rain storm can send me into a panic attack, if he doesn't look like he's breathing I poke him, whcih is rediculous because that usually wakes him up, and the thought of him going off to kindergarten and driving a car paralyzes me. He will never be allowed to date, be alone with a girl, look at alcohol, or have friends other than church friends. He's destined to be a little sheltered hermit and I'm ok with that.

I guess that's all I can think of for now. I'm sure there are SO many more!! Even those these are little ways my life has changed, some for the better, some just because I'm crazy, he's changed my life in ways I would never take back. I've never been so happy, felt so fullfilled, been so in love, with anything in my life (Besides of course Brybear...) but my love for Gav is different. He's the best thing in the world, and I can be completely content just staring at him for hours smiling (crreeeeepy I know!) but he's my bff for now, and I really can't (and don't want to ever) picture my life without him. I love you little Gaveypants!!!!

Oh and before I forget...Happy belated one month to my favorite little boy in the world!!! We love you Little Man!! Don't worry your mom is starting to feel the same way about birthdays...

I'm becoming Normal again!

This is the first week where I really finally felt like a normal person! We're getting into a routine which is making my life So So So much easier! I've been going to bed around 10:00 each night, sleeping until 3 or 4, then I feed Gav, and he sleeps until around 9. I think the worst part of the last few weeks has been the sleep deprivation but now that I'm finally not feeling as tired, I can actually function and get up and get things done. I'm sure Bryan is much happier too. When I don't get enough sleep I'm crabby, whiny and I cry so it's good for all of us when I'm not overly tired!! :) I probably should work on that though...

Mothers Day!!

So I had the best Mothers Day ever!! Bryan let me sleep in, and took care of Gavin all day for me and made our house look amazing. We woke up and went to church, which I unfortunatly missed most of it since Gav was a hungry little guy so we had to sit in the entry area.. We then went shopping and out to dinner, the weather was great and it was nice just to hang out with my Brybear! I kept reminding him that you only get one first mothers day so I either wanted a Louie or a Tiffany's bracelet and he did even better. He bought me Rob Lowe's new autobiography (I'm so in love with that man..that applies to both Bry and Rob :), I also got 3 tiffany's bracelets that can be worn together, and the back one is DBG for obviously Dorelle, Bryan and Gavin, and he gave me flowers, even though I'm not a flower person these ones were cute, and the best thing ever was my favorite pepperidge farm chocolate fudge cake with red velvet ice cream. YUMMMM! Not bad for my first mothers day. Now let's see how he out does himself next year?! Ha. JK Bry. Everything was great and I loved it!!!

Play Dates and Crying Passengers

Gavin had his first play date with Madeline in Kalamazoo this week! It was SO great to see Heather, who if she's reading this right now is making fun of me for having a blog bc we always thought they were the dumbest things ever. Now here I am!!!! Ha! What else am I going to do that I said I never would?! Yikes. I don't want to know. Gavin was sooo good the whole time we were there, and then on the ride home he started screaming. I had no where to pull off so I had to let the little guy cry for like 20 minutes straight. I felt horrible. I finally pull over and he stops crying the minute I hop in the back with him to check him out and make sure he's ok. I swear he even gave me  little smirk but that could just be in my head?! So then thinking we're cool and ready to go, I jump back on the highway and he started screaming the rest of the way home....which was another 30 minutes. I'm not so sure I'm ready for a trip to NY all by myself yet?! It was one of the saddest most nerve wracking moments ever because I felt horrible that I kept on driving while he cried but I dind't want to keep pulling over or we'd never get home. Oooh Gavey pants!!

Work

You know what's sad? I actually miss working!! When I talk to my friends Val and Jen I literally want to hear all about work and live vicariously through them!!!! Ha. What?! I think I need a hobby or I'm going insane sitting in my house. I mean I enjoy every minute with my little babe don't get me wrong but I guess I miss feeling overly productive. I will never be able to be a stay at home mom because I think I would drive myself, my son and my husband crazy. I'm not sure why I feel guilty about this, and it's nothing against Gavin, I guess I should feel lucky that I actually have a job that I love doing so much. One of the professors I work with made me feel better bc she said when she had both of her kids she couldn't wait to get back to work bc she wasn't the stay at home type either and I shouldn't feel bad. I'm sure I'll be a crying mess the first time I drop him off at daycare but the way I look at it, it's good for him to be around other kids and not be hanging out with his crazy mom all the time :)

Lots to catch up on...Here we go!!!

I should probably start at the beginning of this whooole crazy new chapter in my life! Gavin is the best thing ever but wow have these last few months been a complete whirlwind. Seriously, people talk about how a baby can change everything, but I never FULLY realized this until after my little bambino waas here!! It's been a definite adjustment, with lots of smiles and tears (from both Gavin and me!!) along the way but we're finally figuring out how this whole mom/son/parenting/sleep deprivation thing works! Seriously the biggest thought I could hold on to after he was first here was, if the mom's on Teen Mom can do this. I can do this! And now I can honestly say everything has pretty much fallen into place and I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life.

...Surprise!! We're having a baby...
First of all Gavin was a surprise little baby. I was in the process of traning for the Chicago Marathon and was actually in Chicago for my Sales Meeting right before I found out the BIG news!! I went with a group of friends from my district to the Kid Rock/Bon Jovi concert the night before finding out. We were literally like 5th row right next to the stage, having the night of our lives, driving around Chicago in a limo, and being out drinking champagne in the bars until 4 am. I personally can't think of a better "last night" out, and it was with some of my favorite people :)

A few of the girls I work with the next day swore I was pregnant because I didn't feel good on the way home. My pants felt tight, we walked into a McDonalds and I felt sick, and I was so exhausted. I thought they were crazy because I really didn't think I was at all, so when I got home I didn't think to take a pregnancy test. I came home to my husband and slept to recover from the meeting, and woke up the next day to get ready for church. I quickly remembered while getting ready the conversation that I had that I might be pregnant. I took a pregnancy test just for the heck of it and walked away not thinking anything of it. I walked back in to see the results, and it was a definite positive!! I took 3 more and sure enough, everyone was positive. We went to church and I was literally in such shock we had to leave church because I was crying and freaking out so bad. I wasn't sure what my problem was, but I'm now coming to conclusion, I'm just not good with suprises! Once I had time to adjust the celebrating began but, it took about a week...or 10!

...Life as a Preggo...

I wish I could say I was one of those girls who loved everything about being pregnant, but I totally didn't. It's not that I hated the fact I was pregnant, I just hated the fact I was getting sooo big, and uncomfortable. With my job I'm on my feet a ton walking around campuses, up and down stairs, and carrying around a big bag and laptop. When you're carrying around all that extra baby weight, it made it a bit more challenging! It made me wish I had a job sitting behind a desk, but then again it's probably better I didn't because I would probably have blew up twice the size that I did. The nice thing was, I've been in my territory as a sales rep for a few years now so it was fun having so many of the people and professors I work with so excited for me. Although those professors and students who did not know me I swear would smile and give me encourarging looks like, "Good job coming back to school to make a better life for you and your baby!!". Which is totally fine for everyone who does that, but I already have my degree, and I was there for my job. Anyways I will def not miss those looks!! Being pregnant did give me such a hugggge appreciation for my husband Bryan. He was SO great to me. He never once got annoyed with my whining about how big I felt, or how much I hated waddling or missed my old clothes. He would always go on Meijer runs for me regardless of the time of day or night to get me Lemonade, everything to make the perfect root beer float, milk with chocolate syrup, and chocolate chip cookie dough...Yum! I miss those days! He also would never compalin about me waking him up in the middle of the night to ask for him to roll me over, or pull me up so I could waddle to the bathroom for the 300th time. He really is the best guy ever and I'm so lucky. I will have to remember to re-read this next time he bothers me so I can remember just how great he really is! Just kidding Brybear. You never bother me :) Ha

...The Most Painful but hands down best day of my life...

 I ended up going to the hospital on April 7th and having him on April 9th. I was induced because I ended up having pre-eclampsia (which is why I was a swollen hot mess). As soon as we arrievd at 6pm on Thursday the Dr's gave me Cytadek (sp?) to help get the contractions going since I wasn't dilated at all. Dr. Schoenmaker came in and kept checking me every hour and although the contractions were strong I wasn't dialating and my labor wasn't progressing. He then began the pitocin which they kept upping, and my contractions started to become unbearable. After 24 hours they checked me again and I was only dialated to a 3, after 24 hours of induction! I was so frustrated and exhausted since my body was being forced in to labor, but nothing was happeneing. I was physically under so much stress from the pitocin and contractions that I began shaking uncontrollably and this lasted on and off through my whole labor. Going in I was determined not to get an epidural, but finally after 24 hours, a nurse came in and told me to stop trying to be a hero and that I should try and get it to keep me and the baby safe. I finally agreed, and I have to say the first 20 minutes after getting it were amazing...I think if I ever have another we will jump right to the epideral because it made life SO much better!! Although they failed to tell me I had to push the button to give myself more meds, so it quickly wore off and when it was time to push around 2 that morningI felt everything. They came back in to give me more but by then it was too late for the drugs to kick in. I ended up starting to push at 2:30 and Gavin was here by 6:09. It was one of the most exhausting and painful experiences in my life but I can honestly say I would do it again in a heartbeat if I needed to in order to have my little Gav. The pain literally was replaced with complete fear when the first words I heard Dr. Barton say was "as you can see the cord is wrapped around his neck. Let's not begin recessetation!!" Waiting to hear Gavin's cry was the longest minute in my life. Once I heard it, I could finally relax and Bryan went over, cut the cord and held him for this first time.

...A few things worth mentioning...then I'm done. promise!...

-He literally has the biggest feet and longest fingers and toes ever. He's like a little sloth with these long jabby fingers! Ha. The Dr said after he was delivered and the pediatrician said at his first appt that he has the biggest feet they've ever seen on a baby. Yikes. Hopefully he doesn't hit that awkward stage with huge feet and a small body really early!!

-He is the most alert little baby ever. He's been "awake" and looking around since 2 weeks old. He loves staring at things, especially his daddy! He literally cannot keep his eyes off of Bry!

-He's a strong little guy. He can scooch on his belly, and roll to his side which he's been able to since 2 weeks. I want him to be a little professional athlete. Bryan says he'll be a dancer! Ha! Not my boy. Not going to happen. What's more disturbing is the fact Bry thought that before athlete...hmm..

-He sleeps through the night pretty well. He only wakes up to eat and then falls back to sleep. Most people are against having your baby in bed, but Gav falls asleep right on our stomachs and it's the sweetest feeling ever. That, and it saves us from getting in and out of bed whenever he's hungry. Maybe it's more of a lazy thing?! but it works for us!!