Friday, December 28, 2012

Bradley's Birth Story pt 2

OK- time to finish Bradley's birth story pt. 2 before I completely forget everything that happened that day. Note to self- having a baby around the holidays makes for a very busy times!

I left off with part 1 ending the weekend before my scheduled induction date..still no baby. By this point, I was basically just expecting the induction. I had lost all hope of going into labor naturally; I was already 6 days overdue and nothing was happening.

Monday, the day before the induction, I was a nervous wreck. I was cleaning the house like crazy (which was already spotless) and I kept unpacking and re-packing our hospital bags. Another crazy thing I did? I started watching the tv show "Parenthood" on netflix! Hellooo crazy mom-to-be hormones! Night time rolled around and I, of course, could not sleep. I was super tearful and could start crying at any moment. Jordan and I had one of those "last family of 2 conversations" that left me bawling, but so excited to start our lives as a family of 3! The last thing I remember was seeing 4:00am on the clock and knowing that I had to be awake by 5:30am to get ready to head to the hospital.

I got ready that morning and I was very anxious and jittery. I remember I kept shivering when I was getting ready to leave, but I wasn't that cold. The car ride to the hospital was pretty funny. I could tell Jordan was nervous; he was rambling about the most useless information..something about how old school Nintendo controllers were made. I have no idea, but it was cute.

We checked into the hospital ay 7:30am and I was really surprised at how quick they got things going. My nurse was already in the room, waiting on me and within minutes of sitting on the bed, a lady came in to start my IV through my hand. I read somewhere that the hand IV insertion was painful, so I was anxious for that, but it was fine and painless. Next thing I knew my Dr. had arrived and we were getting this baby show on the road!

At 9am my Dr. broke my water and told me I was going to feel a slow leak all day. Talk about uncomfortable! Right after my water was broken, the nurse started me on pitocin. Then I got word that my parents weren't going to be able to come to the delivery..they had come down with the flu. This made me super emotional. Jordan was nervous to tell me the bad news, but I understood their concern with not wanting to get us, and the new baby, sick. Plus, I knew it had to have been pretty bad for my mom to be missing his birth. Anyway, around 11am I started to really feel the contractions. Pain!! I remember telling Jordan that I wouldn't recommend child birth to anyone and I just wanted the pain to stop! I also think I told him I was never going through this {child birth} again :)

I was gritting my teeth pretty bad through the contractions, and sometimes I would forget to breathe..that's when I knew I wasn't going to be able to go without the epidural as I initially thought I would be able to. I wasn't nervous for the epidural at all, actually. The anethesiologist was amazing. She was so supportive in telling me I was doing a great job and to NOT MOVE. When she was doing the epidural she said "Ok now you're going to feel something and it's NOT my finger" I didn't understand what she was talking about, I just wanted relief. I now know that she meant she was about to poke me with a huge needle! The needle actually freaked Jordan out a bit. I am glad I went ahead and got the epidural because I felt immediate relief. I remember saying "Hallelujah!"

Around 12:30pm my bestie arrived. I was happy to see her, but upset because I had to sign a waiver for no videography or photography during labor. She was going to be my photog! But I was glad she was there for support. Around 1:30pm, Jordan's grandma showed up for support as well I was so glad she was there for Jordan {me too} because I knew deep down Jordan was upset that his mother wasn't there. Jordan and his gma headed down to the cafteria for lunch while my bestie hung around with me. I remember having a normal conversation with her, then all of a sudden I was in pain again! Turns out, my nurse had upped my pitocin and I could feel my contractions again. I had to text Jordan to cut his lunch short because I needed him back with me.

The anesthesiologist upped my epidural at this point. I felt better, but the pressure was unbearable. I really felt like I was going to have a bowel movement, which was my greatest fear. The nurses were trying to position me to get me more comfortable. Of course with my epidural, I felt like a huge blimp who couldn't move. I kept apologizing to the nurses for being so heavy :( At one point, they positioned me in a "froggy style" where my feet came together and my back was upright. That was the only time I cried out in pain. I felt like I was going to poop out my baby!

By now, my contractions were every minute, lasting a minute, and the monitor looked like one huge mountain. I kept saying to Jordan, "Why isn't there a break between these?!" I remember being hot and hungry and just plain irritable! My dad also showed up around this time and completely gown up because he had a cough. He wannted to be there for me and Jordan; we appreciated it. At about 3:15pm the resident checked my progress and I was complete and ready to push! Good thing because I actually felt like my body was about to start pushing on its own. My doctor arrived really quickly and we got down to business.

I remember my Dr. asking me if I knew how to push. I gave him a really short "NO" he told me to imagine bearing down and then pushing out towards the wall. I don't know why, but that really stuck with me. Pushing was a breeze..it actually felt GOOD to push as it relieved the pressure. My Dr. told me I'd be pushing for about an hour, but after a few pushes he told me it would only take 30 minutes! I pushed a few more times..I'm not sure, it was a blur. My Dr. asked if I wanted them to put the mirror "down there" I panicked and said no, but now I feel somewhat indifferent about my decision in declining..still not sure how I feel about that. Anyway, next thing I knew..my baby was placed on my chest and Jordan cut the umbilical cord. It really was a big, emotional blur. I was crying so hard. I remember saying, "Hi, Bradley! I've waited so long for you!"

They took him to the other side of the room to get cleaned up. The pediatric pulmonologist was rushed in to suction him out as he had a lot of mucus and his O2 stats were low. While that was going on, I was getting stitched up. I ended up with a 2nd degree tear and over 50 stitches; ouch! Bradley weighed in at 9lbs 1oz and 21 inches long, Jordan guessed it spot on (we had a pool going on). Once Bradley and I were both cleaned up, I immediately got him back and the lactation consultant came in to help him latch. I've been breast feeding ever since. {I will be doing a separate post on breast feeding}

A quick recap of things I learned during child birth:
  • Do NOT set expectations..you'll only be disappointed. I have a problem with this; I always "plan plan plan" and when things down pan out exactly how I envision, I'm a mess.
  • The hand IV is fine.
  • The epidural is fine, too. --and it's OK to change your mind and get one because let's face it..pushing a baby out of you is hard..and painful!
  • You will be hot..even in December (NEVER having a summer baby, btw!)
  • Why even bother with mascara..seriously.
  • The 1st pee after having your baby will HURT.
If you've made it this far, thank you for reading and sharing in with me! This blog has been a great outlet for me and my goal is to continue sharing my journey through everything..motherhood and weight loss both.

So much has changed for me in the past 4 weeks and I can't wait to share it all. 2013 is going to be wonderful..I just know.
 
Finally a family of 3 :)

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Bradley's Birth Story pt 1

Ok, I think I'm finally ready to write my son's birth story...I'm only 2 weeks late :) anyway, I think this will probably be in two parts because I want to make sure I document everything. Bradley was born 8 days after his due date so there was a lot of anxiousness and impatience for his pending arrival.

November 25 was the day before my due date. I woke up around 4:30am with contractions that started in my back and wrapped around my stomach. They really just felt like period cramps, not very painful and I could talk through them, but they were pretty consistent so I decided to time them. I timed them until 5:30am and realized they were about 6-7 minutes apart then they'd become 3-4 minutes apart, but were still not painful. I woke up Jordan and we decided to call my doctor. He told me to time them for another 2 hours and if they stayed consistent then to go get checked out in labor and delivery. I decided to take a shower to help with my back pain. Jordan checked in on me and we realized that the contractions were not letting up, but not getting worse either. Around 7:45am we decided to head over to the hospital to get checked out. I obviously have never been in labor so I didn't know exactly what I should be feeling. I went to labor and delivery and got hooked up to the monitors and a resident checked me. I was 3cm dilated and 80% effaced. The monitors showed contractions, but they would be 7 minutes apart, then 13 minutes apart, then 4 minutes, etc. So, very inconsistent. They told us to walk the halls for an hour and then get checked again for an progress. I was beginning to become less hopeful that this was the "real deal" because I could feel the contractions tapering off. When I was checked for dilation an hour later, I hadn't made any progress and was told that I was in the early stages of labor. They told me to go home and rest because I could go into "real labor" at any time, but there was no way to tell exactly when. I was devastated and embarrassed! So, we headed back home. I sulked the rest of the day because I had gotten my hopes up so high. I just wanted to meet my baby! 

My doctor called me later that evening and told me to come in the office the next day (my due date) and we could do a Membrane Sweep to see if that would help jump start labor.  I was very hopeful it would work..my hair dresser and sister both had it done which put them into labor naturally. I will be honest, the sweep was painful! I started bleeding immediately and my doctor told me he was able to "stretch" me to 4cm. He was hopeful it would work as well, but if it didn't, then I was supposed to call the office on Wednesday (2 days later) and they would schedule an induction for either Thursday or Friday. Afterwards, Jordan and I went to walk around Target to see if that would help things along too, but I was in a lot of discomfort. The next day, I did end up going to work and staying all day which was a mistake! I was achey and just very uncomfortable sitting at my desk..grumpy, too! I decided that day would be my last day before maternity leave. Luckily, I have a very understanding boss who had no problem with that.

The membrane sweep is supposed to work within 48 hours. Well, my 48 hours came and went and no change except consistent back pain. I was upset, again, because I knew an induction was next. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against inductions..but it's not what I envisioned for my son's birth. I had wanted a completely natural labor. My doctor's office called and told me the earliest they could schedule the induction was Tuesday, December 4th. What?! December?! I was devastated again. Turns out, my doctor told me that he picked December 4th because that is the longest he'd let me go overdue. By choosing 12-4-12, I still had that weekend to be given a chance to go into labor naturally like I had wanted. Again, I was hopeful that I would go into labor on my own that weekend. I wasn't even really telling family about the scheduled induction because I just knew for sure my water would break and we'd go to the hospital and have a completely unmedicated birth like I had planned my whole pregnancy.

 Until...the weekend came and went and still no baby...

Part 2 on its way!!

Saturday, December 15, 2012

He's Here!

This is 11 days late, but blogger wouldn't let me post last week for whatever reason..anyway!

Introducing:
Bradley Xavier Marshall
12-4-12 4:14pm (8 days overdue!!)
9lbs 1oz 21 inches
 
Check back for his birth story coming soon :)
 

Thursday, November 1, 2012

November

Novemberrr! The month I've been waiting on! This is the month I will become a MOM and my life will never be the same. Excited is an understatement, but I have many other emotions as well. Nervousness, fear of the unknown, utter joy and love consume me.
36 weeks pregnant <3
I've made a goal for November after checking out my bank account yesterday. We will not be going out to eat this month. Last weekend, we spent $70.00 on dining out alone. No joke. With bringing in a baby and all those added expenses, there's just no way we'll be able to afford that. Plus, it's just not healthy to be eating out that much. I've noticed more swelling in the past few days. Not sure if it's just the final stages of pregnancy, but it definitely could be the amount of sodium and crap I've been eating. I have not been eating well. Simple as that, and Jordan really hasn't either. He's been complaining of feeling "gross" too.
So, no eating out for November. I'm going to be making some freezer meals in preparation for Bradley's arrival (I will be doing a post on that, if you're interested!). Also, I'm going to get really organized with my meal planning. I'm obviously in a very "nesting" mood trying to get everything done and as ready as can be for our sweet boy's arrival. I'm anxious to see how much money we can save from not eating out and if it makes a difference in my comfort level in the last few days :)
See you soon.

Friday, October 26, 2012

When I quit caring..

As you all know, I'm still struggling with my weight gain in my pregnancy. I know, I know..I've heard it all, but it's not just a feeling I can turn "off." My due date is in 30 days!! Excited is an understatement :) All is pretty much ready for my sweet boy's arrival.
So, the point of this entry is that I'm actually glad that I'm still caring about my weight and health.
When I was at my heaviest weight, I was not caring about..pretty much anything. I had no energy, was sleeping more than a newly married 22 year old should, and tipping the scale at 250lbs. Not cool. Then, one day it "clicked" and I started caring. And the rest is history. I'm actually glad that weight gain and my health is still on my mind because the moment I do stop worrying about it is when it's all going to go downhill.
In a way, I am "starting over" in my weight loss journey after Brad is born. I'm all but roughly 15lbs away from my heaviest weight in 2010 :-/ I'm still working on my "plan" for post partum. I'm not going to rush it, but my goal is to be the best and healthiest wife/mom I can be! I know that when I feel better about myself, everything around me is better. 
30 days 'til Due Date!

Friday, October 19, 2012

Circus Baby Shower

At the end of September, my bestie and 2 sisters hosted a baby shower to celebrate my baby boy Bradley with a circus themed shower! It was a great time with family and friends. I love party planning so naturally I helped out too. I loved the vintage circus theme, everything looked great and I was so thankful for everyone who attended.
Best hostess ever!
Details:
Colors: red, turquoise, yellow
Invitations (not pictured): Etsy
Water Bottle Labels: Etsy
Food: Meat and cheese tray, funfetti dip with animal crackers, popcorn, fruit, cupcakes, root beer
Favors: peanuts
Games: Guess how many gumballs in a jar, baby advice mad lib..pretty entertaining :)

The shower was a great time!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Words of wisdom

Alrighty, I never really thought I'd say this, but I'm just going to go ahead and share this: I REGRET not getting to my goal weight before becoming pregnant. NOT that I regret my pregnancy at all but seriously? I feel like my body is breaking down!
I'm 3 days away from turning 35 weeks pregnant and I've gained 37 pounds now. The whole gaining weight part has been the worst part of being pregnant. If you read my last post you'll understand that I feel very blessed that I'm pregnant, so don't get me wrong. I just feel like maybe, just maybe, If I would have started my pregnancy at a lower weight, I wouldn't be so uncomfortable now. Here are some issues I'm facing in the final weeks of my pregnancy:
  • joint stiffness
  • heartburn
  • restless nights
  • lower back pain
  • Constantly out of breath
Of course, I'm sure those are just pains of pregnancy in general, but I know that being overweight has not helped at all. So, words of the wise, lose the weight FIRST then get pregnant.
I'm so anxious to have my sweet baby and get back on the weight loss bandwagon. I will do a post soon on my post pregnancy plans! Happy hump day :)

Monday, October 15, 2012

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness

Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness day. Today (and every other day) I'm remembering my 3 losses before my successful pregnancy and everyone else I've known who have lost a child. What a crazy and emotional journey of infertility it has been; I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. Luckily, I've been really fortunate to have a great support system between my husband, family, friends and of course this blog.


5/3/09
9/11/09
6/12/11

32 weeks pregnancy with Bradley <3


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Bucket List

My friend Brittany over at Deliciously Healthy posted about making a bucket list. I realized I've never really made one. I remember making a "baby bucket list" (a list of things I wanted accomplished before we had a baby) right after I got married and pretty much checked everything off that list..sadly, I have no idea where that is :-/
So I figured I'd make a list of things I'd like to do..and have completed by 2014. Maybe one day I'll put together a bucket list with an indefinite deadline. (Btw, these are fitness and lifestyle related)
  1. Spend Christmas in a cabin in the mountains with Jordan and Bradley.
  2. Have $20k saved by the time Jordan enters Medical School (2014)
  3. Complete the full Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred
  4. Take a cruise
  5. Learn how to use my Canon Powershot..correctly lol.
  6. Take my son to Disney World for his 1st Birthday
  7. Run in 3 races in 2013
  8. Make a month of freezer meals
  9. See my husband get accepted and enter Medical School
  10. Get to my goal weight of 150lbs.
I think 10 goals is acheivable! What's on your bucket list?
Here's a sneak peek from my maternity session, I will post more pictures as I get them:

Monday, October 8, 2012

Pinterest Recipes

Alright, I'm addicted to Pinterest. This is nothing new :) I thought I'd share a few recipes that I've tried in the past week or so. Feel free to follow me: amarshall627 :)

#1.
Very easy to throw everything in the crockpot and then dinner is ready when I get home from work. Easy leftovers too.

#2.
I made these a "skinnier" version. I substituted turkey pepperoni and really just used a pinch of cheese. Unfortunately, these didn't really fill me up for a meal, but more of a snack. I calculated the Weight Watchers points at 9pts+ for two rollups. So, not the healthiest either. But they were super easy and good. I would probably pair two rollups with a Progresso soup or something next time.

#3.
Jordan actually made this one because we haven't had a good pasta dish in awhile, besides spaghetti. This one was just OK for me. Maybe it's because I'm not a huge fan of wheat penne, I don't know. But I don't think we will make this one again!

I'm excited to start making and freezing some healthy, hearty soups in the next week. I will be sure to share those as well :)
 

Monday, October 1, 2012

Nausea

So last week I switched my pre-natals from this:
To this:

Because I had a coupon :) I've been taking the gummy vitamin since I found out I was pregnant in March, but I basically got the capsule kind free so I figured what the heck. I always take my vitamin at the same time, right after my shower and I take it with water and some peanut butter crackers when I get ready in the morning.
Anyway, in the past week as I'm driving to work around 7:30 I start feeling nauseas..the whole dry mouth, upset stomach bit. Sometimes I ended up throwing up, sometimes I didn't. I thought, surely at 32 weeks pregnant I wasn't getting morning sickness still? Who knew, stranger things have happened.
This weekend when I was grocery shopping I decided to just buy a bottle of the gummy vitamins to see if that was my issue. And sure enough, this morning..no nausea whatsoever. Crazy, right? Has anyone ever had a bad experience with changing vitamins?

In other news, I had my baby shower over the weekend and it turned out wonderfuly. I will post about it this week :)

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Quick Catch Up

Here's a bullet point post for today..I'm a scatter brained mess these days! So this is as good as it gets :)
  • My baby shower is Sunday! Super excited to share this day with friends and family and celebrate my sweet boy with a circus themed shower. Should be great fun!
  • I'm super emotional lately and can cry at the drop of a hat. Seriously..I watched the movie What to Expect..cue the water works!
  • I have also been extra lovey dovey and more affectionate lately. May be a pregnancy thing, but I constantly want to be around my husband and telling him how much love and appreciate him. I feel really lucky to have him as my husband and baby daddy :)
  • School this semester has been pretty much put on the back burner. I'm still keeping  up, but it's not my #1 priority right now. I'm still debating if I should take a break next semester....I probably will.
  • I'm slightly obsessed with the song "Wanted" by Hunter Hayes. Such a sweet song. Matter of fact, I get to see him open up for Carrie Underwood on October 27th..yup 36 weeks pregnant and all :)
  • I'm also really digging knit blazers this fall. I bought this from Target:

Here's what it looks like on:
Yes I'm aware that's a big ol belly :)

  • I had a baby Dr's appointment yesterday. Bradley is still head down and approximately 4lbs! My Dr. even said he's just fine with my weight gain. Whew! Sigh of relief.
  • I'm still lacking tons of motivation on his nursery.  I'm waiting on that "nesting" to kick in so I can get some stuff accomplished. Maybe next month :)
All right, that's all I have for now. Have a healthy, happy weekend :)

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

bottomless pit

Ever since I hit the 3rd trimester, I feel like I'm a bottomless pit. Seriously, it is an insane feeling..hunger..true hunger!! It makes me think back to when I thought I was hungry? Um no, nothing compared to this. I feel like I can never become satisfied.
  1. I never exactly know what sounds good to eat. So I want it all. I don't just want Mexican food; I want Italian too. ...at the same time.
  2. I want a snack. So I look at what I brought for lunch..peanut butter crackers or a banana? I pout a little...what I really want is a Snickers candy bar. So I fight myself over whether to stick to the healthier option or just splurge. Splurging usually wins lately.
  3. I'm constantly thirsty. Good thing, I've been drinking a ton of water. Lately, I feel like I have to pee all.the.time. Seriously, I think my bladder is done for.
I've been trying my hardest to keep my hunger/craving under control though. I've been eating more protein in the mornings and more carbs during lunch to keep me fuller, longer. And of course, drinking a lot of water. It's still hard though..I want to eat everything in sight..no joke.

I had a really "off" day yesterday. The number on the scale is reallllly getting to me. I know gaining weight while pregnant is inevitable, but I really didn't think I was already going to be at 30lbs gained by 30 weeks pregnant. I didn't want that. Remember my goal? 1st trimester-5lbs, 2nd-10lbs, 3rd- 10lbs. Um yea, didn't meet that goal. I remember when I was battling infertility I would get so upset when women complained about pregnancy or complained about weight gain, when I'd be sitting there thinking really lady? You have no idea how much I'd LOVE to be in your shoes! and trust me, I feel terrible for complaining. I need to enjoy these last 8-10 weeks because I know I'm going to miss it. This may be the only baby I ever have. but the mental issue I have with the gaining weight is taking over my brain!!
I'll leave with a photo..30weeks2days in all its glory!



Tuesday, September 11, 2012

"Skinny-ing" up recipes

It's no lie that I try to stay out of the kitchen as much as possible. Whether it be because the kitchen holds food and I'm more likely to over eat or because I'm not the greatest cook! Well..Jordan would venture to say I'm a fine cook if I follow a recipe, so I guess it's more that cooking is not my favorite thing to do.
But, cooking and eating at home is the better option all the way around. We save money by staying home to eat and it's typically healthier than a restaurant. What I hate is the cleaning up afterwards :)
So, here's what I've been doing lately: Skinny-ing up any and every recipe. I know Mama Laughlin does this too. Of course, watching portion sizes play a major role in keeping calories low too. I've been having problems with that one.
For instance, I made this tator tot casserole last night {found off pinterest} Here's how I Skinny-ed it up:
  • Used ground turkey
  • Low sodium corn
  • Added can of green beans (drained)
  • used low fat cheese
  • used low fat soup
  • used skim milk
  • used low fat sour cream
It was pretty good. One of those "sticks to you meals" but not in the sense that you just feel over ingorged. Easy enough, too.
How do you "skinny" up your recipes?
-follow me on pinterest: amarshall627

Sunday, September 9, 2012

2 Years of Blogging

I totally missed this earlier, but August 24th marked 2 years of blogging!! Yea! Sure, there have been little "breaks" here and there, but the goal has always been the same: To live a healthier lifestyle. I'm not perfect by any means, but I'm MILES away from the unhealthy person I was before I started my official weight loss journey on January 9, 2010.
In the 2 years I've been blogging about it, you've seen me:
And guess what? There's SO MUCH more to come. I'm totally anxious to deliver my son in roughly 10 short weeks and start my journey into motherhood. I'm READY to get back into the weight loss saddle and lose the 60lbs needed to get to my goal weight. I'm READY to continue to live a healthy lifestyle with my little family and I can't wait to share it all with you. I'm so thankful for all the love and support I've received through this blog and of course all of my family and friends. Thank you!

Former Fat Bride
3 years difference..
 
~Allie

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Recap: 2nd Trimester

Today I am 28 weeks 3 days pregnant and feeling great! Sure, I feel large and in charge, but I'm loving this moment in my life..so many things to get done and to look forward to! We had our 3D ultrasound yesterday and he is just a little doll <3 a frowning doll, but super cute none the less :) So anxious to meet him! Here is a recap of my 2nd trimester:

2nd trimester: Weeks 15-28
Total Weight Gain/Loss for 2nd trimester: 27 pounds! EEK! I'm 7lbs over my goal entering the 3rd trimester was 20lbs. Eh, such is life.

 
Maternity Clothes for 2nd trimester: Pants for sure..I'm too scared to try on pre-pregnancy pants; I'm sure it wouldn't be pretty. I usually wear a pregnancy tank and a cardigan. A few pre-pregnancy tops still fit, but I'm sure not for too much longer.

 
Gender: BOY!! Bradley Xavier

Movement in the 2nd trimester: TONS! Currently he is head down, body on the right side. I feel kicks on my left side. It's been awesome :)
Sleep: Not too, too bad, really. I did tell Jordan the other day that it's getting more uncomfortable to toss and turn, but I've been getting 6-7hours of solid sleep every night, so no huge complaints here.

 
What I miss: I miss feeling like I look halfway decent. I know I'm just being hard on myself though. That's about it though!

 
Cravings: Danishes- Cherry turnovers, chocolate donuts! So weird because I've never been a huge sweets fan. Mexican food, italian food, turkey sandwiches. Dr. pepper :(

Symptoms: heartburn a ton!! Super tired and lazy in the mornings (results in light makeup and hair in a pony tail..everyday). When I'm hungry, I'm hungry!! I want to eat right then. Very emotional..I've had a few freak outs over stress from school..OH, and I basically bawled through the whole Michelle Obama speech the other night. REAL tears..sobbing tears!! Why? No idea. I've been feeling separation anxiety from my husband..I literally want him around me all the time which is super odd for me, lol. Oh, and one more thing..HOT! I feel like I'm burning up all the time!! and I never want to wear a bra!! ha

Best Moment in the 2nd trimester: Sooo many. I've really enjoyed this time in my life. Pregnancy finally feels real and I am just so thankful. Buying nursery furniture, getting nursery together, registering for my baby shower, helping my bestie and sisters plan the shower, watching my stomach move and GROW, getting a 3D ultrasound, SHOPPING and just counting down the days until Bradley bear is here!
At a Dr's appointment
26 weeks pregnant <3 (maternity top from Kohl's)
Proud Daddy after building the crib :)
20 weeks pregnant <3
Mom and Dad to be :)

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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Stressing{s} vs. Blessings

When it comes to food, I categorize myself as an emotional eater. I eat when I'm bored, I eat to celebrate acheivements, I eat when I'm sad..etc etc. But most of all, I eat when I'm stressed! When I'm stressed, I get this overwhelming feeling of over indulging because "I deserve this for what I've been going through!" I can usually get those thoughts in check because I go on a full on binge, but I'm not perfect. I'm also trying to learn to manage my stress better before the baby gets here. It's an ongoing process..I'm continuing to work on keeping a positive attitude and looking for the silver lining in all situations.

Stressings vs. Blessings

  • Stress: I was rear ended a week ago on my way to class, but..Blessing: The baby and I are both okay! My car needs repairs, but the insurance company has {surprisingly} been alright to work with.
  • Stress: The fall semester of school has begun and I already feel slightly overwhelmed, but..Blessing: I know I am competent enough to finish this semester..even with a baby due two weeks before finals :) I'm blessed to have such a supportive and loving husband by my side during the semester.
  • Stress: Our air conditioner went out for two days; it was over 90 degrees in our home, but..Blessing: We have a very diligent landlord that came over and fixed the problem ASAP.
  • Stress: My debit card went missing..no where to be found! But..Blessing: No unauthorized charges were made. I was able to cancel the card and order a new one.
Looking back after I've written this all out, I guess things aren't so bad. Sometimes I tend to overreact. I have a lot of exciting things coming up! We are getting a 3D-4D ultrasound done on Friday at 28 weeks; I can't wait to see what my little man looks like :), I'm about to enter my 3rd trimester the first weekend of September!! (really?! Never thought we'd see the day!), baby shower scheduled for 9/30/12, nursery is coming along nicely, maternity pictures scheduled. So, really, in the grand scheme of things, all it takes is sitting back and not dwelling on the negative, but aiming for positivity.

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-instagram: alliemarshall627
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Thursday, August 16, 2012

The Great Debate: Maternity pictures

For the past 2 months I have been going back and forth..back and forth..with the idea of scheduling maternity pictures. There was a point where I was saying NO..no way. There was no way I was going to take pictures "heavy" again. I can barely stand to look at my wedding pictures and I didn't want that same feeling of maternity pictures. That's really sad.
But then I got to thinking..I'm not "heavy".. I'm pregnant. I've gained an average amount of weight at 26 weeks pregnant. I don't feel like a complete slob..I have tons of energy and have had a really smooth "easy" pregnancy thus far. Sure, there are days where I feel like a blimp and wonder if I'm going to be able to lose the weight after delivery or if people can tell that I'm pregnant or just fat. But, for the most part, I haven't been too, too hard on myself.
At my appointment two weeks ago my doctor gave me the third trimester pamplet. He told me that by my next appointment I'd be in my 3rd trimester! He gave me the homework of choosing a pediatrician, deciding on circumsision, and attending a birth care class at our hospital. In my mind, as well as those homework assignments, I gave myself the additional assignments on working on the nursery and either setting up a maternity photo session or making up my mind....

So, I did it. I will be taking pregnancy photos on September 22 at 31 weeks pregnant. Gahhh..Large and in charge!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

{recipe} Weight Watchers Shepard's Pie

One of the Recipes I tried this week was a Weight Watcher's Shepard's Pie. I, of course, found the recipe on Pinterest (<< link to my personal Pinterest). I was very impressed with this dish as I had no expectations with how well it'd taste. J and I both really liked it and it even made for great leftovers in our lunches the next day. Score.


I know it doesn't look beautiful (and my photography sucks!) but it was very good! Here's the recipe:

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Place potatoes in a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover potatoes. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain potatoes, transfer to a large bowl and add sour cream and margarine; mash until smooth, season to taste with salt and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add flour, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper; stir to coat. Add broth and bring to a simmer; simmer until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.

Transfer turkey mixture to a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate. Spread mashed potatoes over top and using the back of a spoon, make decorative swirls over the top. Bake until potatoes are golden, about 30 minutes. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.

Here is the actual link to the recipe. Enjoy!!