unhealthy weight loss during pregnancy | The long and winding road

unhealthy weight loss during pregnancy

We have been travelling. "We" being me, the kids, and the dog. Our trip-- seven hours of driving time-- ended up taking just over nine and a half hours, including five stops. Thankfully I was able to feed the one-year olds in the car as we drove, keeping an eye on them with strategically placed baby mirrors. Our stops mostly consisted of diaper changes, stretching legs, and having my four-year old use the restroom. Three of those stops were very short, only one toddler needing a diaper change or being able to quickly get in and out of the rest stop with the kids. Still. It was an adventure. This was also the first time that I stopped with the twins to stay at friends houses (two separate overnight trips, one with all three kids, one with just the one-year olds).

Here are some of my road tripping tips with kids:
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1. Thoughtfully pack your snack bag.
I had snacks for our four-year old and me and snacks that were great for one-year olds. My plan was to feed the kids as we drove. My four-year old takes about the same time that I do to eat; we could have eaten in about twenty minutes. My one-year olds take at least double that amount of time, especially when you start factoring in finding high chairs, cleaning up the space and kids... on and on. Feeding toddlers is time consuming and they insist on doing it themselves. Anyways, I knew I needed food they could eat in the car, nothing too messy and nothing that they can easily choke on. I cut the food up and divided everything into snack bags the night before. I put things that my four-year old could help himself to next to his car seat. The snack bag sat next to me, within reach. All I had to do was pull of the interstate, hand out food, pull back on the interstate, and along we went! I also thought ahead, before I went on the trip, where I would be going while gone and what I may want food wise. For instance, with two overnight trips, two legs to drive (actually four, I also drove to my second overnight visit, three hours of road time done in three and a half hours-- oh, yeah!), and at least two meals at my friends houses (dinner and breakfast), I made sure I had full meals for the toddlers at each of those times as well as snacks for my four-year old in case something didnt suit his fancy. (You know how kids can be.) I also knew that, for the rest of our trip, we would need snacks for the diaper bag and possibly meals for the kids while dining out. It is easier to have these things in advance instead of arriving somewhere and asking if they have bananas or yogurt or oatmeal or if they have something my one-year olds can eat... Dinner is taking longer than expected to get on the table? Whip out the snack bag and give the meal you already have on hand. Happy babies mean a happy visit.

2. Plan your trip.
Timing is everything. Leaving during a feeding time will mean an immediate stop and, more than likely, angry kids. Being stuck in traffic for hours because you left during rush hour will mean, more than likely, angry kids. Think about where you are going and how long it will take you to get there. If you have a drive time that will bring you to a major freeway at 3:30 pm, think about how many stops you will have before then or what foreseeable hiccups you may have along the way, such as a particularly restless child or a frequently travel sick animal. Know ahead of time that your trip will be much slower than back when you were taking leave by yourself and driving through the night (ahem, Husband...). My kids nap in the car. I like to leave right after a feeding time; this way they can sleep the longest, verses feeding them breakfast, leaving two hours later, then needing to stop to feed them (i.e. wake them) after only an hour nap. Bonus: if they fall asleep, they may sleep a little longer than usual, allowing you to squeeze in a couple extra miles before the next stop!

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3. Expect the unexpected.
At home I have four baby gates that are always up, two that I can put up when I need to... I have a sunroom full of baby-proof toys... I have a baby monitor, a room for them to nap away from the commotion, a schedule... I have their favorite foods, all their sippy cups and drinks, all the baby gadgets I may need... Plus I know where the hazards are, since, they are our hazards. (For instance, my asthma meds in my bathroom.)  And, I dont mind if they make a mess. Being in someone elses home is just different. Yes, I do feel fine letting them feed themselves at my parents house. But I spend much more time cleaning it up and making sure they arent tracking lunch around their home. If the toddlers refuse a menu item at home, I let them fuss and whine about it ("mom" does not equate "short order cook"). At someone elses home, there is conversation to be had, plans made, and people who arent used to hearing 15-month olds exercise their lungs (or four-year olds, for that matter). Sometimes the best way is the easiest way when away from home. You are refusing carrots? Fine, I have yogurt. (To feel that I am making a "parenting stand," I just try not to make it a big deal to them.) Now, these are toddlers who already sleep through the night and already eat well-balanced meals. If I was still in the training phase with them, there would be much more "sticking to my guns" and less "let them eat cake." I also only exercise this mentality with short visits, short meaning under three days; anything over three days is habit forming. So, if we are off-schedule for two days, the third day will be back on schedule as much as possible while away from home. Think big things: mealtimes and bedtimes. Going with the flow is much different when you have to include children. Expect the unexpected and come prepared: wipes for messes, food for meals, and favorite toys (or, as I call them, distractions) for fussy times.?

4.  On-the-go baby proofing for one-night.
The idea of going somewhere not baby-proofed when your own home resembles a day care can be daunting. I had two one-night visits planned to two different friends houses. The first visit was to a family whos youngest is a freshman in high school (no, freshman do not require wall plug covers) another to a Navy wife who was visiting her parents, meaning I would be staying overnight at her parents house. I wanted to visit these friends. I was just very concerned about how the visit would go with two 15-month olds and a very active four-year old; would we even be "visiting" or just playing zone defense? But guess what! It turned out great! (My friends may be reading this thinking-- "What?! It was crazy!" ha ha!) My oldest had his "listening ears on," as we like to say. And my 15-month olds were not at their craziest, despite all appearances. Visiting with friends who had two teenagers turned out to be wonderful. They took my four-year old swimming (under the supervision of their dad) and then helped man "danger zones" (the stairs and pet water dish). The boys went to bed without issue and I had a great time catching up with friends. It is so wonderful to go out on a limb with all the kids (playing the house guest with three kids?!) and everything turn out way better than expected or anticipated. The visits went so well that I look forward to my next visits with these friends! Following around two 15-month olds as a means of baby proofing is not ideal. But for one-night, it really isnt that bad. Just smile and enjoy the company!

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5. Baby proofing for a week.
And then you are staying somewhere for a week and it is not baby proofed. At all. There is a fascinating media center, laptops, china, and stairs, stairs, stairs. So much to explore! You take them upstairs and there are lamps, good carpet, hair appliances, glowing LED nightlights... Oh, to be one. It is hard with just one person to wrangle two toddlers. As my girlfriend told me today, "Keeping twins in the same room is like herding cats!" Amen. Add electrical hazards and valuable decor... you have the recipe for disaster. It is harder to follow two toddlers around for a week and keep that smile on your face. Best advice: get out of the house at the crazy times. In the mornings when the boys are all over the place, I like to take them somewhere fun, maybe an indoor play area or somewhere to walk. Second best advice: stick to an area of the house. You will become acquainted (quickly) with the hazards in the area (a wobbly floor lamp or hard-to-navigate step) plus you have a better chance of knowing exactly where they are and what they are doing. Third best advice: if all else fails, containment. Drag in a PackNPlay or strap them into high chairs. If the problem is that they are fixated on something, such as the stairs or climbing on a piece of furniture, change their focus ("Look at this toy!") and then change their scene ("Lets play with spoons over here..."). Containment has the added bonus of--possibly--being calming. If they cant go anywhere, they may content themselves with the toys you put in their PackNPlay or on their tray. Who knows? But it is worth a shot.

Happy travels!

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post pregnancy weight loss after 1 year | Tula love

post pregnancy weight loss after 1 year

At the risk of sounding like a crazy Tula lady, I decided to write a blog post on Tulas. A friend of mine was asking me about Tulas the other day and when I started explaining the different kinds {canvas, wrap conversions} and about the stockings and buy/sell/trade pages, I realized there is a lot of information to take in and that I must, indeed, sound like a crazy Tula lady. So here it goes....

{In this blog post, I am only going to discuss the Tula buckle carriers, not the ring slings or woven wraps.}

First of all, you are probably wondering what a Tula is. It is an ergonomical baby carrier, along the same lines as a Boba or an Ergo; all three of these are also in the same price point. I really like this blog post by the Happy Hippie Homemaker that explains the differences between the three, "Ergo vs Boba vs Tula carrier comparison." The blog post is biased towards Tulas, but it still does a good job showing the differences between each carrier. Why did I choose Tula? I needed a carrier that would be easy on my back and that would work well for our long babies. Tula sounded like the best option for those reasons. On top of that, I loved the pattern varieties. If Im going to wear a baby, it might as well be in a fashionable carrier that matches my wardrobe! ;)

Im not going to talk about Bobas or Ergos anymore, just Tulas. There are two different sizes of Tulas, standard and toddler. This is what the Tula website says on the sizing for a standard Tula:

• From 15 - 45 lbs

• Can be used for newborns 8 lbs+ if used with the Tula Infant Insert

 This is what the Tula website says on the sizing for the a toddler Tula:

TULA Toddler Carrier is design to wear children from about 18 months (and/or about 25 pounds) to 4+ year old. We typically recommend not using the Toddler size Tula until your child reaches 32 inches or taller. 

There are, however, many different types of Tulas. These come in the two different sizes, standard and toddler:

1. Canvas
2. Semi wrap conversion
3. Half wrap conversion
4. Full wrap conversion

You are like, whoa, whoa, whoa... What is a wrap conversion? Tula has a blog and they posted this guide, "Whats the difference between canvas, semi, half, and full Tulas?" That guide shows the differences between the types of Tulas much better than I could. {If you looked at that blog post and are now wondering what a woven wrap is, check out this blog post buy Where in the World is Erin? called, "The Weird and Wonderful World of Woven Wraps."}

If you are wondering about price, canvas Tulas are much less expensive than a wrap conversion. Wrap conversions tend to come in far more beautiful colors and designs, though there are still a lot of pretty canvas prints {I have a canvas Tula that I love!}. Why are wrap conversions so much more expensive? Because you are paying for the price of the Tula plus the price of the wrap conversion that adorns your Tula. You are also buying a limited quantity product. There are often only a handful {and maybe only one!} of any given wrap conversion, whether it be semi, half, or full.

But do they work the same? Yes, they do work the same. I have a semi wrap conversion and a canvas Tula. I dont notice much of a difference between the two. There is a lot of debate on Tula boards whether wrap conversions give more support or not. I sometimes think that the semi wrap conversion does give more structure and support, but then I wear my canvas and it is so easy to wear and I think it is just as supportive... I know that isnt a very good answer, so go back to the straight answer: they do work the same. :)

Why would you buy a wrap conversion over a canvas if they work the same? Basically because they are beautiful. There are some gorgeous drool-worthy wrap conversions. I would absolutely love to own the entire collection! I love that Tula makes ergonomical baby wearing beautiful.

So now you are thinking, yes, Im ready. I know which kind of Tula I want to buy, lets go buy it! Well... theres a few tips and tricks to buying a Tula.

The website has several canvas Tulas always in stock. Check out these links for "standard Tula" and "toddler Tula." Tula will often release new prints for canvas, probably about every month or so. If they sell out of a popular print, they will have a restocking for those prints fairly often. On the other hand, they often switch up their inventory, so if there is a canvas print you love, it might be a good idea to snatch it up in case they stop carrying it. The best way to find out about new prints and canvas stockings is on Tulas Facebook page.

Wrap conversions are a different story. If you notice on their webpage when you scroll over the "Shop" tab, the wrap conversion link says, "Wrap conversions-- sold out." If you click on that link, you will see pages and pages of beautiful wrap conversions, none of which are in stock. Wrap conversions are stocked in, basically, a flash sale style. A fairly small selection of wrap conversions {a mix between semi, half, and full wrap conversions in standard and toddler sizes} gets stocked on the Tula webpage every two weeks, mostly on Sundays. On Friday and Saturday, Tula will post previews of the stocking on their Facebook page. The stocking may include only what is on those previews or it may include even more beautiful wrap conversions. Shortly before the stocking goes live, Tula posts the wrap conversions on their webpage. Instead of the tab that says "Wrap conversions-- sold out" under "Shop," there are two new links: "Wrap conversions standard" and "Wrap conversions toddler." My mom and I got online for a stocking one time and watched all the wrap conversions sell out in twenty minutes, standard and toddler. When the link goes live for purchasing, the Tulas go fast.

All right, you are thinking. Im ready for a stocking! But the link went live and you didnt score. Now how do you get a wrap conversion? Or a no longer carried canvas?

My best tip is Facebook. If you look up local baby wearing buy/sell/trade pages to you, you may find a Tula pop up on there. There is also a huge Tula buy/sell/trade page that is very active and has strict page guidelines.

If you go on those pages, youll notice that most of those wrap conversions are being sold well over retail prices, some of them nowhere near retail prices. Why is that? Because a lot of those wrap conversions are very hard to find. As I said before, some of them are the one and only and some are made with beautiful and also hard to find woven wraps. If you are looking to score a wrap conversion near retail on the buy/sell/trade Facebook page, my best tip is turn on all notifications for the group and stalk it. It may take time, but there are good deals and wrap conversions sold near retail. They are snatched up fast so be vigilant {and Pay Pal ready}. Keep stalking the buy/sell/trade pages and you definitely can score a wrap conversion for close to retail.

As for scoring a canvas on a buy/sell/trade page, Id be wary about paying over retail unless it is a print you have to have. You might have your reasons for paying over retail for a canvas Tula, but it probably wont hold its value at over retail. The only exception, obviously, being an out of print canvas, but, even then, I would be hesitant to pay much over retail for even that.

Well, Facebook buy/sell/trade pages arent for me, you might be thinking. Where can I buy these in store? Wrap conversions you will most likely not be able to buy in a store outside of a Tula stocking. There are *few* wrap conversions sold anywhere else and most of those are up for giveaways or drawings or chance to buys... Not just walking in to a store and seeing a lovely half wrap conversion and thinking, "My, Ill buy that one..." There are a lot of stores that carry canvas Tulas, especially local baby boutiques. If you are on the Facebook page Tula Love, there is a whole document in the Files section called, "Tula Retailers." {That link will not work for you unless you are a member of the group Tula Love.}

Note: Tula Love also has several other useful files, like tips for scoring in a stocking and deciphering the acronyms on the buy/sell/trade pages and tips on whether you need a standard or toddler size for your child.

Now that you have found your Tula and bought your Tula, what else do you need? My recommendation is to wait on buying the infant insert. There is a chance you will not need it, even with a newborn. Our baby #4 was a large baby and very long. I was able just to tuck his legs into the Tula and carry him that way. When he was finally too long to wear that way, a friend recommended rolling a blanket under his bottom. This picture of putting a blanket under the newborn is shared on the baby wearing pages:

There is also a world of accessories you can add to your Tula: suck pads, drool pads, hoodies... You can get your Tula customized, such as this site, "Pimp my carrier" or at PaxBaby. My recommendation, again, wait. You may want suck pads; you may not. Wait until you decide if you need them/want them. Another tip: if you are concerned about the resale value of your Tula, a customized Tula will probably not sell for what you paid to customize it. Still want a customized Tula? Consider a cover to pull over yours without affecting the resale value. Want everyone to know how much you love your Tula? Maybe you need a Tula decal.

Why is everyone so crazy about Tula? I dont consider myself a hardcore babywearer. I like baby wearing because it lets me keep up with my older three children without pushing a stroller {even our fabulous Baby Jogger City Select}. It gives me the freedom to do things around the house without having to balance a baby as well. I homeschool, clean house, make dinner, and write while putting our Tula to work. I even went to a painting class with my girlfriends while wearing baby #4 in our Tula. I dont always wear baby #4. I put our baby products to good use-- our swing, bouncey seat, high chair, and stroller-- but there are times when he just wants up, especially since with three older siblings hes already caught two colds. As for the Tula love, I dont know, but I got it too. I always give a shout out to someone I see wearing a Tula. They are pretty carriers. I was over the moon when I scored our semi wrap conversion. I think Tula has magic dust, like Disney, and so it is easy to obsess. :)

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Do you have any Tula tips to share? Or a baby carrier that you love? How has baby wearing made your life easier?

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unintentional weight loss during pregnancy | Marthas and Marys

unintentional weight loss during pregnancy

Picture taken by A McTaggart

I just finished reading this book called When Mothers Pray: Bringing Gods Power and Blessing to Your Childrens Lives by Cheri Fuller. Wow. Inspirational book that I highly recommend to every mother, grandmother, godparent, aunt... anyone who has a child in their life that they pray for.What I loved about the book is how it helped me go from random, all over the board prayers, "Please help my babies to sleep tonight" or "Please help my son grow in your word," to focused prayers with a purpose. She gave specific prayers for young children, school age children, grown children... I just loved this book. It lit a fire in my prayer life and has led to even deeper prayers in other areas of my life. For instance, a friend of mine asked me to pray for her as she makes a big decision. I have been exercising the four steps of prayer for her: praise, confession, thanksgiving, and intercession. As for these Moms In Touch groups Cheri talked about throughout the book, I am so interested in finding other mothers to pray with. The chapter titled "Sending Your Child to School" on page 67 says, "One of the most remarkable things about praying with other moms is that you think you know what your child needs-- until another mother prays for something youve never thought of. Then a third mom prays for you childs needs from a different angle, and you being to sense the Spirit covering your child." As a praying mother, it gives me chills to think about other peoples prayers wrapping around my children and sensing the Spirit covering my child. I have women who pray for my family and friends who I see frequently that I will give our prayer requests, but, with our family schedule and young children (and friends who also have multiple young children), we have not attended a Bible Study since I was pregnant, over a year ago. Ive gone to a couple mom Bible studies in the evening when my hubby is home to watch the kids. I just havent attended a long-term, week to week, really get-to-know-ya study.

And that family schedule (really, family logistics-- to bring the preschooler and two 16-month olds or to find a sitter that we cant afford?) is talked about in this book. Cheri Fuller calls it the "Martha Syndrome." Remember Martha? Luke 10:38-41:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary who sat at the Lords feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, dont you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

With two younger sisters, I always related to Marthas feelings. Why does my sister get to cuddle up with my dad while I carry laundry upstairs? But Jesus isnt talking about comparing what you are doing with what others are doing. Hes talking about making time to spend with the Lord. Psalm 127:1-2:

 Unless the Lord builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat--
for he grants sleep to those he loves.

God wants me to make time for him! Every mother knows, every mother of twins knows, every mother of three children knows, every military wife knows-- heck-- every woman knows that the to-do list is never ending. As soon as you finish laundry, its time for the kids to get ready for bed and suddenly an entire laundry hamper is full again! Or your husband comes home from an underway and you have a seabag worth of laundry to catch up on. Or your husband calls and says, "Hey, this guy from my division needs to stop by and give me some things. Would you mind if he stays for dinner?" as you are standing in the middle of chaos: sink full of dirty dishes, fridge empty, children still in pajamas, yourself in dire need of a shower (okay, dire might be a little dramatic). How on earth can you find time to sit at Jesus feet as Mary did, which Jesus clearly feels is the better option?

Yesterday I was hanging out in the backyard with the boys. Well, the toddlers were hanging off the side of the deck and my preschooler was driving his John Deer Gator around the backyard while I kept hollering, "Watch out for your brothers! Watch out for the dog!" I noticed that my husband had draped our outdoor mat on the side of the deck instead of putting it away, this big tarp-like thing with weights in the corners that we use underneath their splash pool. I was trying to fold that thing up while keeping the toddlers safe (why, oh, why is hurling yourself off the deck a fun game?). I heard D saying something as he drove by and I kept saying, "Yup! Good job, bud!"

Finally he stopped the tractor and hollered, "Momma! Look at me!"

I immediately replied, "Just give me one second, bud. I almost have this thing folded."

He persisted, "Momma, I want you to cheer for me!"

His request touched my heart. While I had been folding this over-sized outdoor mat and chasing two 16-month olds, he had been doing something he found difficult. There is a slope in our backyard. He figured out dropping to a lower gear, he could climb the slide of the slope. He practiced this until he had mastered the slope. To a four-year old, this was a big achievement. Instead of getting praise, he had a mom who was distracted and brothers who werent even watching. He didnt care that the blue outdoor mat was an eye-sore on the side of the deck or understand how dangerous wooden stairs are for adventurous toddlers. He just wanted to know that I was cheering for him.

Picture taken by A McTaggart

Prayer is that cheer squad. Knowing how important this is for my children, how can I not find time for this? And so, with renewed resolve, I am praying for my children. Yes, Im still doing the minute-by-minute "dart prayers" Cheri talks about in the book. But Im going to make sure that Im spending time at Jesus feet, as Mary did.

This isnt easy for me to do. Tonight we have one of Ds friends spending the night (two preschoolers + two toddlers = chaos at playtime, dinnertime, and bedtime). Before dinner, my husband wanted to check his email and I wanted him to wake the toddlers up. Immediately I was irritated, not just the roll-your-eyes-at-his-timing irritated, but irritated. In my head I had the timing worked out perfectly: he goes and gets the toddlers while I dish the meals, macaroni cools, add veggies, husband sets the table while I pour the milk, husband supervises hand washing for preschoolers, all sit at the table while I serve food. As he checked his email (a necessary task for him, I will add in his defense), my blood boiled. Instead of voicing my concerns, I started going to the toddlers bedroom to get them up. I now pictured my husband jumping on Facebook while I brought the toddlers out, dished their meals while they fussed, the macaroni still not cool enough for them, the preschoolers coming to the table with unwashed hands, me pouring milk instead of sitting down to eat with everyone, the veggies still on the cutting board... I didnt even think through the tasks logically. I just wanted his help and didnt want to wait. Why wasnt he helping?

I dealt with my frustration the same way Martha did, "Lord, dont you care that my husband has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell him to help me!" save for one thing: she actually talked to Jesus about it and I just fumed internally. He quickly checked his email and then got up to assist me with the toddlers. He took over on the toddlers and I was able to get the food ready as I had planned. The toddlers were so groggy post-nap that they just sat and stared from their highchairs. The preschoolers cheerfully washed their hands. The macaroni had ample time to cool on the stove and was served at acceptable temperatures for our temperature-picky preschooler. And, since he checked his email then, he didnt need to jump on the computer again this evening.

It is hard for me to not let that running to-do list take over. If I sit and relax for a few minutes, I think about all of the things Im not getting done. As I write this blog, my mind keeps moving to the pot in the sink that needs to be washed and the laundry that needs to be moved. Because my household is so active, the to-do list often takes second place to our schedule, a great source of guilt. I feel like Im constantly dropping the ball. If I get all the kids dressed and sunscreened, our lunches packed, and head over to the park for some outdoor time, Im not putting the piles of laundry away or unpacking from our recent trips (yes, our suitcases are still on the floor). Now, waiting and quieting myself before the Lord can feel impossible. Here is an example of my thoughts while I pray, "Lord, you are the creator of heaven and earth... ew, when is the last time I cleaned this table? Lord, focus my mind on you, let my thoughts be your thoughts.... what is D doing in there? I think hes jumping on the couch... Let me get to know your heart, God, so that my heart patterns itself after you... is that a stain on the carpet? I think Im out of Spot Shot... I really need to run to Target... Are the toddlers still napping?" On and on. I swear, even if I was alone in the house I could find distractions.

But my sons need me to cheer for them. My husband needs me to cheer for our marriage. My friends need me to cheer for their success. If praying for those around me causes my dishwasher to sit with clean dishes an hour longer than it should, why not? Why not move the laundry later to spend some extra time with God? If I were to look back on my life a year from now, will I have a long list of answered prayers or a clean house? (And how long does a clean house stay clean?) Yes, there is much more to being a stay-at-home mom then dishes and laundry. In my schedule, I happen to have a solid amount of time where both of the toddlers are napping and I am able to find something to entertain my preschooler, either his Playmobile pirates or a Netflix. Usually I use this "free time" to get things done around the house.

I felt motivated to write this blog today, of all days, because God blessed the quiet time I had with him today. I put the toddlers down for an early nap and surveyed the disaster zone. I saw my Bible on the kitchen table and the mess that needed to be cleaned up. My heart told me to pray and my mind demanded I get to work. I followed Gods lead and my devotional, coincidentally, covered the above verse in Psalms regarding constantly toiling instead of trusting God. I felt a calling to pray for my one of my sisters, yet couldnt resist glancing at the time. How much longer will the toddlers sleep? Again, I followed God and prayed. I then cleaned up and jumped in the shower, toddlers still asleep. Im not expecting the schedule to go so smoothly everyday. My devotionals are usually here and there or I clean up while the kids are awake so I can do my devotional during naptime. The point is that today I followed Gods lead and he provided the time for me to come before him. When we apply ourselves to his will, he provides.

Its time for us, as mothers, to cheer for our children.

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post pregnancy weight loss after 2 years | Long night

post pregnancy weight loss after 2 years

Having four children does not equate to being up four times as much in the night. Im always telling my first time mom friends who are worried about ever sleeping again, "You will sleep again. The newborn phase is a phase." When your sleep is interrupted it feels like it will last that way forever, which it doesnt. It can feel like children will forever wake you and so I try to reassure my friends that their kids will sleep, it wont last forever, and-- hey, see?-- my kids sleep great.

Last night was not one of those nights.

6:30 pm

Since my hubby has weird hours right now with the Navy, the kids and I went to a friends house for dinner. Before we left, I had put the children in pajamas so I wouldnt have to wrestle them by myself into pajamas when they were tired and excited from doing something different. I felt very proud of my cleverness when we got home around 6:30 pm and let the boys watch The Croods while our asthmatic toddler did his meds and I tidied the house while chatting on the phone with my sister. I then brushed the toddlers teeth and had our oldest read them bedtime stories while I finished up in the kitchen.

7:30 pm

I was feeling pretty good about all that we had accomplished in the short amount of time before bedtime, when I saw our asthmatic toddlers face flushed and he was laying with his head back on the couch. I felt his head and he was burning up. I started working to bring the fever down and tried not to stress. I got the humidifier going and put them to bed, saying extra prayers with each of them.

8:00-9:00 pm

I was pretty stressed about our toddlers fever. He tends to catch colds and they become much bigger problems for him than his brothers. Like every other parent to an asthmatic, Im concerned over the enterovirus. I sat outside his room and listened to him cough and toss and turn before he fell asleep {where he continued to cough and toss and turn}. At the end of an hour-- from the time I had given him Tylenol-- I took his temperature again and it had gone down 2 degrees. I felt myself relax some. I said a prayer over him again and finally went to take a shower.

9:30-10:30 pm

I got the baby ready for my bed and my hubby came home. We chatted about our days and then we went to bed. I told him the kids were going to have a rough night. Three of our four children are congested and have coughs-- our asthmatic having a pretty intense cough with a wheeze yesterday {wheeze alleviated by Albuterol every time yesterday and breathing eased after treatment}. I fed the baby who was a little irritated because of his congestion and then put him down for the night, sitting in his swing where he would be more elevated than his bassinet. Then I said another prayer for all our boys that they would sleep safe and be watched over all night.

3:00 am

The baby woke up at 3:00 am. I did the math real quick-- 4 and a half hours of sleep. I figured it would take an hour to feed him then I would sleep from 4 am to 6 am giving me another 2 hours of sleep. I fed the baby and put him back to bed at 4 am, just as planned. The only concern: I could hear our asthmatic toddler coughing a little on the other side of the house-- not too bad-- but I was worried about how much longer he would sleep.

4:15 am

My husbands alarm went off. Loudly. At 4:15 am. I know he tried to get out of bed to stop it and I know he was tired from his weird hours, but... husband, come on, a loud alarm at 4:15 am that I know you are considering hitting snooze on? No... He got up and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. His razor. The shower. The baby who was barely back in bed started stirring. I gave him his pacifier. I rolled over and tried to sleep through the noise in the bathroom.

4:30 am

My husband is asking me something. What is he saying? "Would you mind taking care of him?" "Who? What?" Our asthmatic toddler was standing next to my husband coughing. "Whats wrong?" "He had an accident." I do the math on that: changing sheets {15 minutes}, bath {10 minutes}, putting toddler back to bed {5 minutes}, starting laundry {5 minutes}... nope, not going to happen. "Ive been up since 3... Can you take him?" "Okay." I pull a pillow over my head and go back to sleep.

5:30 am

"I coughing." I open my eyes to see our asthmatic toddler standing by my bed. "Baby, close my door and get in bed." "Okay, momma." I roll over to make room for him in bed, only to hear the door close and his feet pitter-patter back across the house. Maybe he thought I was saying go back to bed... I feel bad. I get out of bed and turn on the Keurig as I cross through the kitchen. I open up the boys bedroom door to see... 2 boys sleeping in their bunkbed and the twin bed empty. Where is our asthmatic toddler? Why does it smell slightly of pee in their room? I open the playroom door and there he is, sleeping on the nap bed. He looks like he might be falling asleep... I close the door. It clicks. He overflowed his Pull-Up and so my husband just put him to bed on the nap bed in the playroom instead of changing the bedding since he was pressed for time before work. Not wanting to wake up the 2 sleeping boys in there, I make a mental note to change the bedding later. I go to the kitchen and make coffee.

5:45 am

I hear the two boys left in the bedroom yelling their brothers name. Several things run through my head-- why are they awake at this time? Why are they yelling at this time? I dont want them waking the baby... I finish brushing my teeth and hurry to their room, understanding that it is probably confusing to wake up to find your brother missing. I open the bedroom door and the smell of pee hits me in the face. What?! Why so strong?! So I investigate. The other toddler in there is naked, the hamper full of pee soaked pajamas. It all comes rushing back-- my cleverness at putting them in pajamas before we went to my friends house for dinner-- I didnt change them from underwear to Pull-Ups before bed! They arent potty trained through the night! Ugh, mom fail. I pull off all the bedding on all the beds. I help the toddler in there get dressed. I shake my head at my forgetfulness. I get laundry started. I drink my coffee.

6:00 am

"I coughing." Our asthmatic toddler stands in the doorway of the family room. I feel his head and hes not warm. I listen to his chest; hes not wheezing. Hes congested and breathing harder than normal. His cough doesnt sound the best, but he might possibly, maybe sound better than yesterday? I have him sit on the couch. I fold the clothes I put on our drying rack last night. I pull out my computer. Ive started really making an effort to write every morning, at least busting out a page or 2. I open my book and stare at the blinking cursor. All I can think about is the pee soaked bedding, our toddler coughing on the couch behind me. I wonder how long it takes caffeine to metabolize {answer after Google search: about 15 minutes}.

7:00 am

Fast forward an hour. I fed all the kids early; they have all already finished breakfast. I dont normally let them come out of their bedroom before 7:30 am, making breakfast usually around 7:45/8:00 am. Im sitting at our kitchen table with the baby babbling at his Wubbanub, our 6-year old playing some sort of loud handheld game in the family room {does it not have volume control?!}, one of our 3-year olds asking me quite possibly every question he could ever think of ever, and our asthmatic toddler walking around coughing and blowing his nose while dropping a deck of cards around the kitchen, one card at a time. Im on my second load of laundry and second cup of coffee. Ive unloaded the dishwasher. The kids are {mostly} dressed.

And now it is time to feed the baby. A toddler wants to color and is getting out his crayons and paper; the other toddler apparently feels the need to tattle on him for this... The day is officially underway.

How often do you have nights like this?

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weight loss after pregnancy yahoo answers | A day in the life

weight loss after pregnancy yahoo answers

I keep reading all these posts about life with a newborn {note: strong language in that link}, life with twins, life with triplets, life with a toddler... So heres a day in my life: a husband on rotating shiftwork {his shift changes each week}, homeschooling a kindergartner, 3-year old twins, an infant, and a dog and cat.

4:00 am
Baby #4 wakes up for first feeding; feed laying down in bed

5:00 am
Put baby #4 back in bassinet and go back to sleep

6:30 am
Hear toddlers fighting in bathroom. Break up the fight over who gets to use the sink first and send them back to their room. Turn on Keurig. Clean the catbox, sweep the laundry room.

6:45 am
Brush teeth, hair, make first cup of coffee, grab my laptop and start writing at the kitchen table. Send toddlers back to bed multiple times. "Is it 7:30 yet?" No, no, no... back to bed!

7:00 am
Have all three boys sit on their beds until 7:30 {when they can come out of their room} due to wrestling. Give oldest a rag for his bloody nose.

7:15 am
Get baby #4 who has started fussing. Change diaper. Feed. Try to type with one hand while sitting at the kitchen table nursing.

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7:30 am
"It seben firty, Momma. Mom! Mom! It seben firty." The day has begun. Put baby #4 in high chair. Start breakfast for older three boys. Make second cup of coffee.

7:45 am
Finish feeding baby #4. Try to finish my thought before closing my laptop. Wait, where was I? What was I writing about? Stare at cursor... Okay, Ill think on it and finish this later. Make myself a bowl of granola in almond milk. Set it on kitchen counter and promptly forget about it. Start first load of laundry.

8:00 am
Tidy up kitchen, sit at table with boys and discuss what we are doing today, how everybody slept, etc. Let dog out roughly 1 million times.

8:15 am
Get myself ready for the day.

8:45 am
Have boys come back to the table and put their breakfast dishes in the sink. Help toddlers put on their costumes {I dont know how many times a day I fasten up the back of a superhero costume}. Give permission to our oldest to go ride his bike in our driveway. Clean kitchen.

9:00 am
Move laundry. Start homeschooling kindergarten with our oldest. Start crafts with our toddlers.

9:30 am
Have toddlers clean up their crafts. Have oldest put away his homeschooling supplies. Change baby out of his now drool-soaked onsie.

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10:00 am
Leave the house for homeschooling co-op class/piano lesson/speech therapy/park trip/errands... whatever it is we are doing that day.

10:30 am
Prepare to sit and wait with three children. Two three-year olds and an infant for homeschool co-op or piano lessons {crayons and markers, Uno Moo, singing together, feed baby}; six-year old, three-year old, and an infant for speech {reading with our kindergartner, feed baby}. Bring my latest read, if I have free time or children are occupied {ha! ha!}.

11:30 am
Head home for lunch.

12:00 pm
Walk in the door with hungry children. Baby #4 acting hungry, though I just fed him. Have oldest bounce baby while I make lunch.

12:15 pm
Put lunch on the table for boys. Feed baby who eats for two seconds and then falls asleep at the breast. Put him down for nap in swing. Sit at table with boys to eat my lunch.

12:30 pm
Manage to eat three bites and drink a glass of sweet tea before I realize I didnt move the next load of laundry. And there is that bowl of granola from this morning... maybe I should sweep the kitchen while Im up too...

12:45 pm
Decide that I should clean a bathroom or two before we finish up the rest of our homeschooling for the day. Our oldest wants to help. Have him vacuum the carpets. Toddlers want to help. Have one dust and have the other clean the bathtub.

1:00 pm
Does the baby really want to eat again? Okay, well, I did get two bathrooms clean. Man, I really should sweep the rest of the house as well...

1:30 pm
Finish feeding baby who actually ate this time. Start sweeping floors and tell oldest we will do school at 1:45 pm. He goes outside to ride his bike. I tell the toddlers they need to go potty and start getting ready for nap.

1:45 pm
Tuck toddlers in for nap.

1:50 pm
Start the rest of our homeschool lessons for the day with our kindergartner.

2:30 pm
Finish homeschooling our oldest. Have him clean up the schoolroom while I move the laundry and unload the dishwasher. And where did all these dishes come from in the sink?

2:45 pm
Oldest goes outside to play. I eat a snack. Have I eaten anything else today? You know what would go well with this snack... a cup of coffee... maybe iced coffee... Brew a cup and pour it over ice with a splash of milk.

3:00 pm
A toddler comes out of his room from nap. "I have to go potty." Send him back to bed after potty. Sit down and try to write again. Where was I....?

3:30 pm
Really in the groove of writing. Busted out a blog post as well. Feeling the creativity flow... "Mom, I need new underwear..." Toddler up from nap. Wet his bed. Start a new load of laundry.

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3:45 pm
Settle toddler at table with snack. Omigosh! Is that the time? Wake up the baby to feed. Other toddler wakes up while Im feeding {thankfully no bed-wetting accident}. Wants a snack as well. Baby #4 is starving and doesnt want to stop eating. Put him in Tula. Make toddler a snack. Oldest comes inside and wants a snack. All the boys at the table with a snack; baby #4 in Tula nursing. Time to start dinner.

4:15 pm
Put baby #4 in high chair at table. Oldest wants to help with dinner. Toddlers pull out markers and paper, draw at table. Make dinner with our oldest.

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4:45 pm
Dinner in oven. All the boys ask if we are having cookies. They all want to help make cookies. Have them help make cookie dough while dinner bakes. Put made dough in fridge to bake cookies after dinner.

5:30 pm
Move laundry. Pull dinner out of oven. Have kids clean up markers, wash hands, and set table. Make drinks and tidy kitchen a little while they do this. Put baby #4 in bouncy seat by table.

5:45 pm
Sit down at the table for dinner. Of course baby #4 wants to feed as soon as I sit down to eat.

6:30 pm
Clean up kitchen while boys clean up playroom {aka wrestle in their bedroom}.

6:45 pm
Help boys finish cleaning up the playroom and their bedroom. Get everyone started on baths.

7:00 pm
Baths, pajamas, pick out stories, get asthmatic toddler started on nebulizer treatment, brush other toddlers teeth, have oldest brush teeth. Settle on couch with toddler doing nebulizer treatment and read stories.

7:30 pm
Brush last todders teeth. Find all blankets, lovies, pillows, toys, whatevers, the children feel they need to sleep with that night. Make toddlers bed that had the accident.

7:45 pm
Say prayers and give kisses to all the children. Yes, Ill leave the door cracked. Yes, Daddy will give you kisses when he gets home. Yes, Im going to be right out there if you need something. Yes, you can get out of bed if you have to go potty. Give each "one more kiss" and then really leave the room because baby #4 started fussing.

7:50 pm
Feed baby #4 on my bed next to the enormous pile of laundry that I had thrown on there all day long.

8:15 pm
Fold laundry.

8:40 pm
Put away towels, baby things {clothes, diapers, wipes}, and my laundry. Put husbands laundry on the ottoman in his closet. Put the boys laundry in their laundry basket {there is the small chance my husband will put this laundry away when it starts overflowing... I tend just to pull their clothes out of it for the next day}. Put the toddlers outfits for the next day {underwear, pants, shirt} on the floor next to their beds. Close their door if they are all asleep. If someone is still awake, give them a kiss and tell them to go to bed.

9:00 pm
Flip through the mail. Take a shower.

9:30 pm
Get the baby ready for bed. Curl up in bed with a book and feed the baby laying down in bed.

10:00 pm
Put the baby in his bassinet. Attempt to read another chapter... just one more chapter...

10:07 pm
Turn out the light. Remember we never made the cookies. Sigh. Tomorrow well make the cookies...

And then, of course, we have the times with rotating shiftwork that hubby is home in the middle of the day sleeping:

Never a dull moment! I always wonder what people mean when they ask me what I "do" all day as a stay-at-home mom... ;)

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