17 Weeks Baby Rials 2.0

This weekend I turned 18 weeks, so I'll be discussing our 17th week with this babe! 

Baby: about the size of your palm, an onion, or an apple. Weighing in at 5.9 ounces, and 5.1 inches long, this babe has gained almost 2.5 ounces in the past week!  Baby's rubbery cartilage is turning into bone, putting on some fat, and growing a stronger thicker umbilical cord too. 

Baby can hear my heartbeat and the sound of my voice as it resonates throughout my body, kidneys are creating urine, and liver is producing bile. 

Mama: This is the best I've felt my whole pregnancy! My hips are still bugging me, but I started a new program called PiYo and as long as I get a workout in I feel great. 

I'm fitting into my bigger clothes I bought after having Charlotte, but finding maternity clothes most comfortable.

I'm continuing to crave fruit but wanting salads more and more, especially Caesar salads! And I am NOT a salad person. 

Physical Health: Like I mentioned above I started a program called PiYo this week. This was the first workout program I did after having Charlotte and it's just what my body needs right now. 

It's a 60 day program, Pilates and yoga inspired workouts that are high intensity but low impact. I'm getting my much needed stretching in, but still strengthening without needing weights. 

Chalotte and I also met up with a few coaches frim my team and their children at the zoo on Wednesday.  So I pulled three 30+ pound toddlers around in a wagon for 4 hours which was no small task!

Mental/Emotional Health: feeling this little one kick inside me is one of the most amazing feelings on earth. With my introduction of PiYo and prenatal yoga I'm feeling more and more connected to this baby every day. 

I've been orecticing mindful meditation when I wake up each morning. Placing one hand on my heart, the other on my belly and setting my intentions for the day. It has helped me stay present in this pregnancy so much more and I'm loving it. 

Can't wait to tell you all about my trip to SD this past weekend! It was amazing 💕

16 Weeks Baby Rials 2.0

Today I turned 17 weeks, so I'll be discussing our 16th week with this babe!

Baby: Size of a avocado, weighing in at 3.5 ounces, and 4.6 inches long.  Baby can hear my voice, thanks to tiny bones forming in his or her ears.  Baby's growing hair, lashes and eyebrows, and forming taste buds

Mama: Feeling good!  My hips and back were achy this week, but some prenatal yoga helped with that.  I'm "fitting" into my pre-pregnancy clothes still with the help of hair ties to hold buttons together and I've introduced the belly band. Craving cold, juicy fruit especially mangos... and ice cream ;)

Physical Health: I got a few workouts in this week.  Chalotte and I met a few friends at the zoo on Wednesday.  So I pulled two 30+ pound toddlers around in a wagon for 4 hours which was no small task!

I did a Beachbody OnDemand workout (which is like Netflix where you're able to stream from any device, but workout videos instead of movies) from Yoga Booty Ballet: Baby On The Way.  I actually REALLY liked this workout!  It incorporates yoga, ballet, and sculpting moves; fast paced and fun.  I also did this Prenatal Yoga video from YouTube.  I'm going to try out a few different ones and decide which I like best.

My plan for March is to clean up my eating habits with my clean eating challenge starting Feb. 29, and then start 21 Day Fix again with modifications when I return from SD March 7.  I'll be adding 300 additional calories when calculating my bracket for my container count.

Mental/Emotional Health: I have had a really great week emotionally.  I actually told my husband I'm anxious for the baby to get here... in a good way :)  I want to meet this little one, nurse, hold, love on.  I can't wait to see how Charlotte is with the baby.  I know she'll be a little mother hen and pretend like the baby is her own... so we'll have to see how that goes.

I'm in a REALLY GOOD place with this pregnancy right now.  Trying very hard to focus on the here and now and not get too caught up in the future/unknown.  That's where my anxiety likes to hide.

I've been nesting ALREADY!  We bought a few new cube cabinets to surround our TV in our living room.  I'll post pics next week.  They have storage bins for me to put some of the baby toys, diapers, etc.  Bought a few newborn diapers at Target too... they're SO TINY!!

Anyhow, here are a few more pics from the week.  Check out my IG account @tessrials for more detail on these.

13 Weeks: Baby Rials 2.0 - Emotions

We just turned 14 weeks, so today I'll be reviewing our 13th week pregnant with this sweet babe.

13 Week Update:

Baby: Size of a peach, weighing in at .81 ounces, and 2.9 inches long.  Baby's vocal cords and teeth are forming.  Even though baby's still teeny, he/she already has fingerprints.  Finished up the last week of the 1st trimester, which means we've completed one whole third of the pregnancy!

We had a doctor's appointment this week and baby's heart rate was 168. 

Mama: There is definitely NO hiding this belly anymore! Still fitting into my pre-pregnancy clothes.  I've gained nearly 4 pounds already (thanks to some Girl Scout cookies... I won't name any names haha).  Craving cold, juicy fruit especially strawberries... and cookies ;) 

I've been getting sharp shooting pains around my belly button and my OB said my abdominal muscles are being overworked.  I've been unconsciously holding my belly in which is causing them to be over used and spasms.  Round ligament pains have also made an appearance, OUCH!

Physical Health: I got one workout in this week... which was more than last week, so I'll take that.  I did a Hammer and Chisel workout at home where I lifted weights.  I also walked 3 miles pulling Charlotte in the wagon one day this week.

My goal for this coming week is to workout Mon, Wed, and Friday.

Mental/Emotional Health: As I stated earlier I had a doctor's appointment this week.  We talked a lot about my anxiety with labor, delivery, and recovery.  I LOVE my doctor, she really let me lead the conversation, asked all the right questions, and what I came away with was that I'm letting my emotions control me WAY too much... in a negative way.

So today I wanted to discuss my 6 Steps To Controlling Emotions.  Emotions are the most present, pressing and sometimes painful force in our lives. We are driven day by day by our emotions.  In my case, it's the negative emotions that must be handled with extreme care.  It's the negative emotions that tend to spiral out of control for me, especially when triggered.

Here are some tips that I use, often daily, to control my negative emotions:

1.  Don't react right away. Take a deep breath and stabilize the overwhelming impulse to react, you'll most likely regret something later if you do. Continue to breathe deeply for five minutes, feeling as your muscles relax and your heart rate returns to normal. As you become calmer, affirm to yourself that this is only temporary.

2. Ask for divine guidance. When burdened with emotion, close your eyes, envision a positive solution to your problem, and ask the universe to illuminate the best path forward.

3.  Find a healthy outlet. Now that you've managed your emotion, you'll need to release it in a healthy way. Emotions should never be bottled up. Call or go see someone you trust and talk to them about what happened.  Exercise, meditation, or taking a relaxing bath are other ways to release.

4.  See the bigger picture. Wisdom means being able to see past the moment and figure out the greater meaning of any given situation. You may not understand it at the moment, but as time goes by, you'll begin to see the bigger picture falling into place.

5.  Replace your thoughts. Negative emotions bind us to recurring negative thoughts, creating cycles of downright negative patterns. Replace those with a different thought. Imagine the ideal resolution to your problem playing out, think about someone who makes you happy or remember an event that makes you smile.  Concentrating on what I can control is my biggest sense of relief.

6.  Forgive your emotional triggers. Your emotional triggers may be your best friend, your family members, yourself or all of the above.  When you forgive, you detach from the resentment, the jealousy or the fury lingering within you.

I hope these steps can help you, as they've helped me, to take more control of your emotional well being and live more in the present, happy, and healthy.

12 Weeks with Baby Rials 2.0

12 Week Update:

We'll have to thank my professional photographer hubby for missing the bump in this shot ;) ...and with a toddler, another pic was NOT going to happen!

These updates will be a week in review.  I turned 13 weeks pregnant this weekend, so today I'll be discussing how my 12th week went, make sense?!

So far this pregnancy has been relatively easy (I hope I'm not jinxing myself by saying that, but I'm pretty confident things will continue on this path as we're heading into the 2nd trimester!).

Baby: Size of a plum, weighing in at half an ounce, and just over 2 inches long.  Reflexes are developing, most critical systems are formed, and baby can open and close fingers and curl toes too. 

Mama: They say my hormones have started to calm down a bit, but my husband might have a differing opinion on that one.  There is NO hiding this belly anymore!  My body is VERY aware of what is going on, has been down this road before, so out popped the belly.

Physical Health: I'll be honest, I did not get a single workout in this week and I have no good excuse except to say I just didn't make it a priority.  Although, we did go to the zoo one morning where I pulled two toddlers up and down the hills.  We also did our weekly Parent-Tot Gymnastics class which is 45 min of me huffing and puffing, chasing her around, helping her tumble, balance, hold her on the rings and bars, and thankfully rest a bit during the last 5 min of open play.  She ABSOLUTELY LOVES gymnastics and I'm so happy we are able to provide her with this activity.

Mental/Emotional Health: I've been really struggling with this department, to the point where I cry when ever I start to think about the future.  We have an OBGYN appointment on Wednesday where I plan on discussing things more in depth with my provider, as my gut says this isn't exactly a healthy response to being pregnant. 

To put it simply, I'm scared that all the hard/tough/bad stuff is going to happen again, and it will only be more difficult this time around as I'll have a little toddler to look after at the same time.  I'm not really looking for advice or encouragement on the subject at this point.  It's just some really tough emotional things I have to work through to get to a point of peace, acceptance, and gratitude.

I do know that I have come a REALLY long way from the person I was when I was suffering through PPD with Charlotte.  I have an absolutely amazing support system, I'm stronger on so many levels, and have much more resources and tools to help me get through the tough stuff this time around.  I'm able to self evaluate and know that I need extra support right now and that it's imperative I ask for that help and not suffer through this silently thinking I'm going through it alone or that I'm not normal and no one will understand.

My goal with my blog this time around is to not be so superficial with my journey.  But talk about the tough, scary stuff; celebrate my successes proudly; show gratitude for where I am in my journey; and possibly help someone else out there going through the same thing know they aren't along.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story, I appreciate the support and encouragement you bring to me and can't wait to see what unfolds.  Happy weekend!

Our BIG Announcement

Well I guess it's time for the world to know ... Charlotte is going to be a BIG SISTER!!

We found out just before Christmas and couldn't wait to share the exciting news with our close friends and family. 

Mommy has been feeling really good for the most part, even able to keep up with her new workout program 4-5 days out of the week. Still in normal clothes, but loving stretchy yoga pants and pj's. Pregnancy pillow (The Bump Nest) has a so re-entered the picture, and Charlotte is loving it more than momma!

This week, Sweet Baby Rials is the size of a plum, just over 2 inches and weighing in at 1/2 an ounce. Most of baby's critical systems are fully formed. Baby's about to enter the growth and maturation stage, in which organs and tissues will grow and develop rapidly. Baby is now developing reflexes, if you poke Baby, likely will move.

Stay tuned as I'll be doing weekly updates again during this pregnancy, excited to share this experience with all of you!

15 Months: Making Waves at Swim Lessons

Well, to say it's been a while since I last blogged is the understatement of the year.  But my BFF Erin posted last night her birth story of having her twins and I was inspired to set aside some time at least once a month to update the world on our beautiful Charlotte.

This week's adventure: Swim Lessons

Jeremy and I went back and forth for nearly two weeks after coming back from our Hawaiian adventure on what type of swim lessons we should enroll Charlotte in.  We went to the pool with a few friends that weekend and Charlotte was stepping off the edge into the deep end where daddy could catch her.  This little girl has adventure and fearlessness written all over her.  I know this from previously enrolling her in infant swim that having children jump into your arms in the pool gives them a false sense of security and leads them to believe that if and when they fall in a pool someone will always be there to catch them.

She LOVES the water and all last week I was letting her go under water as she stepped off the pool bench to me and immediately turning her to float on her back.  She did so without tears, but a bit of hesitation with floating.

We struggled between the decision to put her in a two week advanced swim class where she goes 4x/wk for 30 minute session, or ISR (which is learning safety techniques) 5x/wk for 10 min.  It came down to budget, and for the next two weeks she'll be enrolled in SwimKids USA Jump Start program.

Yesterday was her first lesson and thankfully the other two children didn't show up because she as soon as I handed her off to her instructor, the tears came.  She held onto his swim shirt with a death grip and anytime he pulled her away to sit on the step, hold onto the wall, change position, her world was coming to an end.

I found myself glancing from left to right, sure I would be getting side glances from all of the other parents as I had "that" child who was going to hate to learn to swim.  But what I found were empathetic eyes as moms and dads shared their children did the same.  HUGE internal sigh of relief!  But I was also a bit in shock about how uncomfortable she was.  She LOVES the water....what's her deal?

Well her morning nap was 20 minutes at best, with nearly 30 minutes of crying to get there; and I had to wake her up from her afternoon nap to get to swim.  She usually eats right after nap, and I didn't get a chance to feed her anything, and on top of all of that, she's got 3 teeth coming in, one of which is a molar (yes, it's been a rough few weeks).

After about half of the session had passed, her instructor slowly made his way toward me and asked, "does she like fishy crackers by any chance?"  Our go-to mute button, OF COURSE SHE DOES! I think I said that a little too enthusiastically.  Well, ONE fish did the trick....ONE!

A whole new toddler emerged and she rocked the second half of her lesson.  She floated on her back, head resting on his shoulder.  She sat on the step like a big girl for over a minute without needing prompting to stay put.  She held onto the edge of the pool wall independently for 30+ seconds, and she even went under water a few times without flinching.

Today she'll head to swim with daddy, so I'm interested to see if that makes any difference.  I also wonder if she'll be the only one again, or if her two partners in crime will show up.  I never quite understood when mother's told me, after expressing my unconditional love for my daughter, that "it only gets better."  But man is that true.  I am LOVING this stage of development, making huge leaps with her vocabulary, learning to swim, being her adorable sassy self.  Yes, it's exhausting being in constant learning mode, but she's taking it all in stride and I couldn't be more proud of the little girl that she is becoming.

Here's a few pics from her first official lesson:

Floating on her back:

Sitting like a big girl on the step:

Holding onto the wall all by herself:

Charlotte Rose: 7 months

I think I've started every one of Charlotte update posts exactly the same way...where the hell have the last 7 months gone?!  I seriously feel like I blinked and my baby is graduating from college haha!  Okay, maybe not that dramatic, but still.

But I don't yearn for the newborn days.  Being a therapist that worked with children, all I wanted to see was growth, milestones met, goals achieved.  I look forward to her crawling and walking, swimming, jumping, talking, saying mama, much more then I like looking back.  I actually had another mom explain the first few months of her daughters life to me, and a light switch went off...."YES, me too!"

What did she say?  She said she felt like she missed out on the first few months of her daughters life because of postpartum depression.

First though, we'll talk about the good (because tears in the first 5 minutes of writing are never a good way to start).

Charlotte was one of the first names I mentioned to Jeremy that I liked.  I wanted to nickname her Charlie...so cute, right?!  When our sweet babe entered the world and we brought her home, Jeremy started calling her Lottie.  I was not so sure about this new nickname, but I didn't feel like Charlie fit her either, she's too girly for it I think.  But the more he used Lottie, the more it grew on me.

So what's our Lottie up to these days?

• She's 15.5 pounds, 25.25 inches long
• Rolling
• Sitting independently
• Army crawling
• Standing with one hand support
• "Dances" when her music toys play
• Trying to walk along the couch
• Starting to sign milk and wave
• Going underwater at swim class (holding her breath and closing her eyes)
• LOVES splashing in the pool and bath water
• Eating mashed: bananas, carrots, avocado, and pears - and a mixture of them as well
• Almost sleeping through the night
• 2+ naps/day

She is such an observer, and is always looking around to see what's going on.  She only sleeps in the car or in her crib/playpen because if we're anywhere else she needs to be a nosy nelly and be all up in everyone's business.  She loves her play dates with her friends Sage, Ryah, and Tatum; and likes going on walks with baby Leo and baby Sarah.  She loves visiting her great grandma every week after swim practice and blowing her raspberries.

Well...after all that good stuff, I don't want to relive the bad.  So for today, I think I'll end it with some adorable 7 month pictures of beautiful babe.