Currently // December 2016

12.07.2016


First of all, I want to go back a few posts and thank you all for your sweet and kind responses to my confession about being a working mom. It’s been a difficult adjustment for me this year, to say the least, and lonely at times, but there are so many things to be thankful for, and one of those things is how lovely all of you are.

On that note, thank you for your excitement about Baby Bum #2! We really are just so thrilled and thankful. I have more thoughts to share about pregnancy this time, but for now I will just say that I do not take the privilege of being pregnant for a second time lightly, and Jordan and I are continuing to pray for a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby while treasuring any and all time we get to have this little one in our lives. He or she is already so very loved. 

Now for a quick currently update! Linking up with Anne.

Doing 
I had been doing pretty well with my running 2-3 times a week until the middle of September, and then my whole house was sick for a while, and then I got pregnant and felt nauseous and so tired. I can’t describe the extreme exhaustion, but let’s just say it was epic. Anyway, needless to say I didn’t do much for a while. But I really want to try to stay as active as possible, and having a desk job doesn’t do me any favors, so it’s up to me to put in the effort at home. 

About a month ago, I started going once a week to the gym with Jordan’s brother. He can take a guest for free, so we’ve been meeting every Tuesday at 8:00 after R is in bed, and you guys, I never thought I would be a night gym person, but I love it. Of course, every night around 7:45 I start questioning my own sanity, but knowing that someone is meeting me there gives me the motivation to get off the couch and in the car. 

Once I’m on the treadmill, I just want to stay forever. I’ve been running 2 miles, then speed walking on a high incline for another half-mile or so. Then I either do the stairs or the bike for 10ish minutes. Then I do some weights (just arms and legs, nothing that directly involves abs/stomach and nothing too strenuous). The whole thing takes about an hour, and then I go home, stretch, and do my 10-minute yoga video. I’ve been trying to make sure I do the video every night, and it feels amazing. 

I know that once a week really isn’t very much, but at this point in my life I’m all about setting realistic goals and celebrating small victories, and a consistent once-a-week gym routine is something I’m excited about!

Jordan and I were also able to do a date night last week for maybe only the second or third time since our anniversary IN MAY. And this isn't because we have a baby. It's because we are terrible at dating. Forget once a week. We can't even handle once a month. I had a buy one entree, get one free at one of our favorite places, so we went out for dinner and had such a great night. We talked about real adult things, not just R (although we did pause and watch a few videos of her on my phone, no shame), and we made each other laugh and it was all fun and games until I ate too much and laid on the couch groaning for an hour with my feet up after we got home due to a gas bubble in my stomach that wouldn't move. Pregnancy problems.

Enjoying
I am really enjoying watching R experience the Christmas season. Last year at this time she was 4 months old and let’s be honest: not very much fun. I mean, sure she was fun, but this year she’s FUN. There’s a giant light display through the park in a nearby town, and we took her through it one night before bedtime. We rode in Jordan’s truck so she could see out the windows better, and she absolutely loved it. 

We taught her to say “woah,” so she just kept shouting WOAH WOAH the whole time. Cutest ever. Speaking of cutest ever, she has also started doing this hilarious dance move that had Jordan and I rolling last night. Seriously I was crying I was laughing so hard, and I had my hands over my mouth with glee and R put her hands over her mouth too and it was the funniest thing. I need to try and get it on video.

Cooking
Chili! A few years ago my brother gave me the recipe for the best chili ever that he created himself. Part of the recipe includes pouring an entire bottle of Shiner Bock into the crockpot, and the strong beer taste cooks out of course, so it just gives the whole thing this amazing flavor. Yum. Crockpots were made for working moms, I think.

Oh, and before anyone makes the most obvious joke, yes I'm cooking a baby too ;)

Wrapping
Presents! I’ve sent a few Christmas presents in the mail to friends already, and I have all of our presents piling up in the spare room closet. I’m excited because I actually thought of something perfect to get my father-in-law! I always end up getting him socks. Borrrring. 

We bought R three things this year. The girl plays with empty shoe boxes and bubble wrap, so Jordan and I don’t feel like we need to go broke buying her things. I think she will love what we picked out!

1) A Little Tikes shopping cart that we bought at a consignment store for $12 and I just need to clean it up a bit 
2) This hopping rabbit that she can pull behind her when she walks and it hops! So cute. 3) 3) Finally, I found this book, which she’s a little too young for right now but I think it will be hilarious when she’s a tiny bit older. For now I think she will love turning the pages.

For anyone interested, Christina recently posted her toddler Christmas wish list that has some great ideas.

Playing 
The event on our advent calendar a few days ago was play Skipbo, so Jordan and I turned on  Christmas movie after R went to bed and played a few rounds of Skipbo. For some reason even though this is basically a game of chance, I always beat Jordan pretty handily.

In the second game, I beat him only to find out that he had been holding a Skipbo in his hand for the last few rounds and let me win intentionally! Which offends me on many levels, but he said he was trying to spare himself from my inevitable rage when I lost, so I guess that’s acceptable.

So those are a few things going on currently! 

I have a super busy next couple of days with rehearsals and performances for our church’s big Christmas program that I’m playing violin in, so I probably won’t be able to post until next week, but maybe over the weekend I will get a post written on all things pregnancy related that have led up to this point. 

Let me know if you have any specific questions or things you’d like me to write about in that one!
Audrey Louise said...

Way to go with the gym once a week! And yoga every night! That's impressive. I'm still so happy for your guys with baby #2!! Glad that you're soaking up the time with R and Jordan while it's just the three of you!

Rach said...

Good for you for making it to the gym every week even while pregnant! Well done! And hooray for a fun date night! :)

Ooh, what did you get for your father-in-law? I always love hearing gift ideas for men!

That hopping bunny toy looks adorable!

Kristen @ See You In A Porridge said...

oh the gym sounds awesome! you go girl. i am not a night gym go-er at ALL but i have met a friend once or twice and if i didn't have someone waiting for me, it wouldn't happen. i kind of want the hopping rabbit for myself.

Michelle said...

Once a week at the gym is amazing while pregnant. When I was pregnant I went zero times my entire pregnancy.

That shopping cart is perfect! My parents are getting G a play kitchen. I think I'm going to be more excited than she is.

Torrie said...

I'm impressed with you doing the gym thing while pregnant---when I get pregnant, I want to stay a little more active than I did the first time around, which, let's be honest, won't be hard at all since I didn't exercise basically at all after about the 7-week mark. Yikes.

Go you!

Anne said...

Congrats on the new baby! And doesn't Christmas just get more and more fun as the little ones get older? Love the idea of the little shopping cart for a gift - so fun. And yay for you on the gym - that is an awesome routine to get into, having someone to go along with you and get you motivated to get out the door. I found it helped my pregnancy go so much better... if I could just fight the exhaustion and move a little, I weirdly ended up with way more energy.

Angi said...

You are my inspiration...when I'm pregnant, my main goal is to stay in as good of shape as possible (selfishly, to make it easier to get back in shape afterward, but also to hopefully have an easier labor/delivery). And I'm SO looking forward to Christmas with a baby/toddler someday. It's already my favorite holiday, having kids must make it that much better.

Laura Darling said...

I read this post today and thought of your working mom post:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/making-oprah-made-my-freaking-day-rachel-hollis?trk=prof-post

That's awesome about getting to the gym! I was SO good about walking a few miles every night, and then we changed the clocks, and now I put my pajamas on at about 5:15! When it's dark, it's like my mind can't comprehend exercise!

Sarah said...

Congrats to you! I agree on the night gym, I've been going in the evenings after my husband goes and it's been nice to be there when it isn't as busy and to get out the house for a little bit.

Katie @ Live Half Full said...

I would love to hear your favorite slow cooker meals! I'm obviously always looking for more.

Beka @ Sunshine to the Square Inch said...

I love the currently posts! I need to join in on them again.

Once a week at the gym is great! For working full time and being a Mom I think that is really good. I used to be a night only gym person. Like I'd hop on the treadmill at 9:30pm and run for an hour. So weird but I felt so good the next day.

That's super fun that R loves Christmas.

Lastly, I'm glad you and Jordan got a date night in. I think that's good to do! And Dave gets so mad when we play Skipbo because I always win. He always says, "you're so lucky!" and then we bicker back and forth. We actually just don't play that game together anymore but me and my best friend do and we bet coffee and it's great.

The Girl who Loved to Write said...

The fact that you are doing any physical activity at all while being pregnant AND being a mom is incredible. That exhaustion is unreal!

Jenny Evans said...

There's no exhaustion like first trimester exhaustion. It makes you feel like you don't have a soul.

And I love when they still perform all the cute tricks you've taught them on command. When they get older they sometimes just give you a look like, "I'm not your trained monkey, Mom."

Danielle said...

LOL to woah, woah! You should post a video (:

Sarah @ Sweet Miles said...

Um ok HELLO just now catching up on your big news!!!!! Congratulations friend!!!!!!! What a great Christmas present indeed!! So thankful you were able to conceive on your own, what a miracle! I'm so excited for you!!

Julie @ Just the Joy's said...

Kudos to you for making the commitment to the gym! Once a week is better than nothing so I give you a big high five! Amen to the exhaustion with pregnancy! I felt it was way worse the second pregnancy... maybe because you have a toddler to care after?! Hmm. I hope it gets better soon! I know the feeling of lacking the date night departments! Glad you had a nice dinner out (minus the gas bubble) and definitely try to get more of those date nights in before baby #2! Lastly, Christmas! Yesssss! So fun with the littles! I have to agree, this year is much more fun! Even with the snow we just got, R woke up and looked out the window and said "Wooooooow!" So cute! I'll be waiting for a video of R's epic dance move... ;)

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