Weighty Wednesday

You would know I would make my first weight loss accountability post for right after my birthday weekend! All last week I stuck to my Weight Watchers points but then the weekend came, and I didn't track my points and I pretty much ate and drank whatever I wanted. And then Monday was my birthday - and how could I turn down the birthday brownie that Neil brought me? And broccoli soup from Panera sounds good... and I'll get the bread bowl, cause it's my birthday!!!

Yeah, I've got excuses out the wazoo. :)

So here is the recap. Wish it was better!

Weight this week: +1 lb

Workouts: Two. One bike ride, one long walk.

Goals:

- Keep track of my points everyday (even the weekends!)

- Workout 3 times this week, at least one strength training

- Pack my lunch and plan dinners

- Eat more fruits and veggies!

I'm hoping to have a weight LOSS to report next Wednesday!

Our Weekend!

It was a fun weekend for the Miller family! Lots of family time, a date night, a baseball game, good food, great music, yummy beer and lots of time with Miss Lila. I cooled it on the Weight Watchers this weekend but I'm back at it today!

Friday night was pretty chill. I went to Once Upon a Child before I picked up Lila from daycare to get her a Reds onesie for the game on Sunday. Luckily they had a cute one that fits her perfectly for $1. Of course I walked out of there with far more than just the Reds shirt!

Neil got home around 7 on Friday night and we had Chick-fil-A and put Lila to bed. She seems to be loving her 7pm bedtime and has slept 12 hours straight a few times lately! I'm so proud of her and honestly can't believe she is sleeping that well. I know as soon as a tooth breaks through that'll be over, but I'm enjoying the sleep for now.

On Saturday morning my parents came to stay and take care of Lila for our date night in celebration of my birthday (which is today). We played a lot with Lila, caught up and went to Skyline for lunch. Lila cracked us up at lunch. The girl loves cheese! She also tried oyster crackers and baked potato. She also figured out how to drink out of my straw and had a little taste of iced tea. It's hilarious to me how eager she is to eat any food that is NOT baby food. She hardly opens her mouth for purees but if it's big people food, she is all about it!!

My Aunt Rhonda who was in town for training came by to visit in the afternoon. It was great to see her! It's been a few months since she's seen Lila, so there was a lot to catch up on.

Later in the afternoon Neil and I headed downtown for our date night. We left Lila in grandma and grand-dad's capable hands for the evening. Every year for my birthday we try to go to Oktoberfest in downtown Cincy. It is a blast and we love seeing the Klaberheads play on Fountain square. I love beer so that's a big plus too!! Neil and I ran into some friends, talked to the guys in the band, and ate brats and metts and apple strudel!

We found Brian...

And Tracey...

The only pic I took of the stage. Love my Klaberheads!

After Oktoberfest we ran over to Sy and Elizabeth's house to see Emmett and wish Sy a happy birthday as well. We usually do Birthday weekend together, so we had to go see them! We had cake and then headed off to the next part of the night...

Marc Broussard!!!

He's been a favorite since Neil and I saw him play in college like 8 years ago. He's an amazing musician with a soulful voice and awesome bluesy rock songs. We've seen him a few times live, and I was so exciting he was in Cincy for my birthday weekend! He did not disappoint. Neil and I got there about 15 minutes before he came on, which was perfect timing. We didn't care about the opening acts, only Marc!

If you don't know him, watch this video for a sample of his awesome soulful voice.


We had a blast singing along and dancing and watching Marc perform. It was an awesome night!! I loved spending time with Neil and it was truly like old times. I am grateful for my parents for watching Lila for the night! We so needed this.

We got home around midnight, I pumped and then we went to bed!

We headed to the Reds game on Sunday afternoon. Lila didn't seem to want to nap that morning (she finally did get an hour long nap) so I was worried about how she'd do. Well, this girl always surprises me. She loved it!!

I was concerned she was too young for a game, but she did so well. She loves people so she enjoyed looking around and smiling at everyone. She was very popular. She was also very accessorized:

We met Rosie Red:

Sy and Elizabeth were at the game too. My mom had never met Emmett so we found them during the game. We cannot get a good pic of these babies together! They don't cooperate very well. :)

Well, the Reds lost but we had a great time. The weather was great and we had fun. Lila fell asleep in the baby Bjorn right after the game ended and continued to sleep in the car! After stopping for ice cream at UDF (and yes, Lila got a taste) we were home!! Lila was pooped and was in bed by 6:45pm.

Grand-dad and Lila at UDF!

I had a wonderful pre-birthday weekend. I'm so lucky to have such great family and friends in my life to celebrate with. It was fun being 27, but I know 28 will be fun too!

A Playful Morning

To make up for lost time in the evening due to Lila's new early bedtime, I've been trying to get some good playtime in with her in the morning!

First we rolled around on the carpet...

Then we practiced our crawling...

She gets up on her knees and rocks and throws herself forward and then reverts back to the army crawl. She hasn't gotten the hang of alternating legs yet.

This is a bad blurry picture of her but I just love this onesie!

We also played with Lila's newest toy the VTech Sit to Stand Walker. She LOVES it! She of course can't walk with it yet, but loves sitting and playing with it, or in this case kneeling. She unfortunately fell straight backwards right after this pic was taken. She was fine, but I felt like a bad mommy. :( No more kneeling.

Her absolute favorite part of the walker toy is the phone! Looks like she's been observing daddy on the phone with DirecTv...

Or maybe it was the insurance company...

In other news... Lila is thrilled it's fall (60 degrees today) so she can wear all of her cute fall jackets and sweaters!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Weight Update Wednesday

I used to be able to walk into a clothing store, buy a size medium without trying it on, and have a cute new top or cardigan that fit and flattered. Long gone are those days! I went to Old Navy the other day and after spending a half hour in the dressing room, I couldn't even find a t-shirt to buy! And don't get me started on pants and jeans.

I don't want to complain, but (sorry) I'm going to anyway. It sucks not having my old body or even one remotely close to what I used to have. I was far from perfect before, but right now I'm about 15 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight and 1 to 2 sizes from my previous size. I was very confident and secure with my weight and shape before. Now, I'm just not happy with where I am! I know in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter (I have a great marriage, wonderful daughter, my health, a great job, yadda yadda) but I'd really love to have my confidence and my personal style back! More of my old clothes fit me now than a few months ago, but I still have a very limited wardrobe. And since I can't really find many options that work in stores (and very little time to shop), I really need to do something about my clothing shortage and body image!

A couple months ago I signed up for Weight Watchers online and in the last month I've barely logged in and I haven't kept up with my points. I haven't gained any weight but I haven't lost any either! After my dressing room revelation I've decided to make a change.

My plan:

I will track my WW points every day for one month (my online subscription ends Oct 11).

I will make the best food choices I can including eating more fruits and veggies and less dessert.

I will workout at least 3 times per week.

I will post an update every Wednesday on my progress and goals for the next week.

I hope to lose 4-5 lbs by Oct 11 and be able to wear more of the clothes in my closet.

Let's see how this goes!!

Bedtime and naps and schedules, oh my!

I've been working on a couple blog posts, but can't seem to find the time to get them done! Maybe if Neil and I didn't watch 3 episodes of Prison Break on Netflix after Lila goes to sleep I'd be able to blog. :)

Speaking of sleep, little girlie has gone to bed at 7:30 for the last 4 nights. I realize I just jinxed myself by putting it in writing... but anyway, last night she only woke up at 11:30 which worked out great since we were still up! Then she woke up at 7:30am for the day. I guess tomorrow could be completely different, but I'm just happy we seem to be on a path to an earlier bedtime and a better more predictable schedule.

After months of worrying about not having Lila on a "schedule" and beating myself up over short naps and late bedtimes it seems like our little peanut is figuring out a schedule on her own. Believe me, I've read the books. I've read (parts of) BabyWise, Baby Whisperer, No-Cry Sleep Solution, and countless baby sleep posts on Babycenter. In the end, we didn't do any form of sleep training or scheduling with Lila. We also pretty much feed on demand (within reason - if more than 4 hours goes by I feed her) and haven't done anything special other than just doing what works for her and us.

Keep in mind I'm not knocking you if you do BW or sleep training or even cry it out, but it just doesn't work for us. Personally, I don't think I could ever do cry it out. I barely let Lila fuss it out! She's not a big crier so when she does cry I know something is wrong! Anyway, after worrying and fretting about Lila's schedule for months, I finally gave up. I figured she would eventually work it out on her own when she was ready. Well she is 6.5 months and at least for now, it seems like she has!

Lila's schedule yesterday (the last 4 days have been similar):

Woke on her own @ 7:30, breastfeed, play and get ready
8am out the door with Neil to daycare
9-11am nap then bottle (5 oz pumped milk) normally would have solids here but I forgot to pack them
1-3pm nap then bottle (5 oz formula or 1/2 BM 1/2 formula I don't remember)
5:15pm pick up from daycare
5:30pm breastfeed and solids (apples and oatmeal: breakfast for dinner, haha)
5:30-7ish PLAY with mommy and daddy!!
7:30pm pjs, bottle, bed (not sure of the routine since Neil did bedtime while I was at the grocery store)
11:30pm woke up briefly for a diaper change and quick feeding then up on her own around 7:30am

I typed this up not to brag about how awesome I am for getting my child on a schedule, but to show other moms what an unscheduled baby's "schedule" might look like!

If you look at Lila's day you'll see it pretty much mimics an "ideal" schedule for 6-month olds according to BabyWise, Baby Whisperer and the like... and I really didn't do anything structured to get us to this point. All I did was follow her sleep and hunger cues, try to roughly do a "sleep, eat, play" pattern and try not to get to hung up on pushing her into a schedule she wasn't ready for. Also, daycare has done a lot to get her to sleep better during the day!

So how did we get here... and where did we start? Here is how Lila's sleep has evolved over the last 6 months or so:

Newborn - 6 weeks: No schedule whatsoever during the day, usually slept from midnight to 6.

6 weeks - 3 months: 4 naps per day including a late evening one (7:30ish), mostly slept thru the night with a bedtime of 10:30pm

3 - 4 months: 3 naps per day (45 mins-1.5 hrs - often in my arms), waking 2-3 times per night, bedtime around 9:30pm

4 - 5 months: 3 crappy short naps per day (30-45 mins), waking once per night between 3-4am, bedtime between 8:30 and 9:30pm

5 - 6 months: one 2-hour morning nap, one 2-hour afternoon nap, usually a 5pm short nap, bedtime 8:30ish with one or two wake ups (not always to eat), wakes up on own at 7:30am

Currently: two 2-hour naps, bedtime at 7:30 (usually waking once) and up for day at 7:30am.

Keep in mind on the weekends or on vacation her schedule is pretty different! Her naps are often on the go and shorter and her bedtime is usually later. I like that she's pretty flexible and can adjust if we are away from home.

So again I'm not trying to be snarky or judgmental about moms who do sleep training or parent-led scheduling. I understand that you do what works for you and all babies and all moms are different.

I just wanted to give some encouragement to the moms out there who have babies that don't seem to want to conform to a schedule or who go to bed too late or who never sleep through the night. Don't be like me and spend your precious time with your newborn fretting about naps and schedules. I wish I would've stopped worrying about Lila's late bedtimes and enjoyed her more during those evening hours. I wish I would've picked her up and held her and snuggled her instead of patting and shushing her to extend her short naps. If sleep training doesn't feel right or natural to you, go with your instincts! At least for me and Lila, a pattern emerged pretty painlessly.

Now I just need to get myself to do something other than watch shows on Netflix during my newly available evening hours.. like clean my house or read a book or actually workout! Baby steps...

Fun Weekend and Discovering Nature!

We had a great but busy weekend! I didn't get a chance to take many photos because it was too crazy. Lila got to see her boyfriend Emmett on Saturday morning and spent the day with Uncle James and Aunt Jessica yesterday. She also went with us to a party on Saturday night (which apparently was a no-kids type of party - oops) but we still had a decent time and I don't think anyone was too upset to have a little baby there. She's pretty chill at this age and was in a good mood for most of the party, but we didn't get home til 11!

Yesterday after my brother and Jessica left, baby girl and I sat outside in the grass while Daddy pulled giant weeds out of our backyard flower bed.

I spread out the beach towel and Lila and I played for a long time outside. She seemed to like it out there since it wasn't incredibly sunny. I on the other hand had to take a Benadryl because I'm allergic to grass and had giant welts on my arms when I got inside! Ah, nature.

Here are some cute pics:

Halfway to One Year!

Lila is 6 months old. She is so much fun. I love this age! And I know I say this every month, but she has changed so much!

Here are her stats from today's appointment:

Weight 16 lb, 15 oz ~ 75th percentile
Length 26.5 inches ~ 75th percentile
Head circumference Don't remember the measurement but nurse said 50th percentile

Sizes: 6-9 months in mostly everything, some 12 month pants and sleepers. Size 3 diapers and she's worn everything from Target brand to Pampers. I like Huggies overnights for nighttime. It's getting harder to change her diaper because she is so wiggly!!

Eating: Lila usually eats around 5 times a day. She nurses in the morning right before Neil takes her to daycare, two feedings of pumped milk at daycare (4-5 oz each around 11am and 2:30pm), nurses around 5:30 when we get home and again around 8:30 or 9. Sometimes she gets a bottle in the evening before bed and does occasionally wake once to eat at night between 3-5am.

I'm still pumping away at work! I've found that pumping twice a day is usually enough for her bottles the next day. I pump anywhere from 3-6 oz a session. If I don't make enough we do supplement with formula. Lila seems to have no problems with the regular Enfamil formula. I'm glad I have no qualms with formula because Lila won't drink frozen then thawed milk. Right now I think I'm going to continue nursing and pumping. I'm so proud to have made it to my goal of 6 months!

We started solids this month. So far she's had sweet potatoes, rice cereal, pears, peaches, rice cracker things (Baby Mum-mums) and banana. She is not very interested in eating purees and really prefers feeding herself. I'm trying to keep it light and fun and never make her eat! The nurse at the pediatrician's office said we can do table foods with her and not worry with purees. I think we'll do a little of both. I may send purees with her to daycare so she can eat some there.

Sleeping: We ditched the swaddle and the bassinet this month and Lila is happily sleeping upstairs in her own room. She was totally ready! She sleeps every which way - on her side, belly and back! She is always in a different position when I peek in at her. She goes to bed between 8:30 and 9:30 and sleeps until 7:30 or 8 with the occasional night waking. She's doing much better at falling asleep on her own. I can tell that she just wants me to put her down sometimes when I'm rocking her or holding her. She loves watching her crib soother (Fisher Price Rainforest) and of course her "friend" the glow seahorse. We are trying to introduce a lovey but she doesn't seem to like to hold on to it for too long.

She is also napping much better at daycare! She was sleeping really poorly in the baby room - like 30-45 minute naps. They moved her upstairs to a darkened quiet room and now she takes two 1-3 hour naps! She is so much more rested now and I think it's helping her nighttime sleep.

Talking: She babbles non stop!! Her favorite thing to say? Da-da-da-da!! All day long! She doesn't say mama at all but says pretty much everything else. I think when she figures out this talking thing she might not stop!

Motion: She's crawling!! She can cover serious ground with her army crawl. We have to baby-proof soon, she is in to everything. The other day I laid her on the ground and then looked back a minute later and she was across the room ripping up a piece of paper. She rolls like crazy too. I'm so not ready for this!

Developmental milestones:

- Crawling (on belly)

- Can sit for as long as she wants but can't get into a seated position on her own yet

- Feeds herself

- Drinks from sippy cup (we have to help a little bit)

- Passes objects from hand to hand

- A lot of other things!

Lila loves:

- Her ball and soft book and piano

- Bath time!

- her own reflection

- peekaboo and "I'm a little teapot"

- banging and throwing things! (toys, food, cups)

- still likes her pacifier for bedtime, but spits it out after she's asleep

Lila doesn't like:

- Doesn't have much patience for books, except for her soft one with teethers!

- Getting her nose wiped! Oh my, that's been a challenge!

- Rice cereal

Firsts:

First time at the beach and lake
First time in sand
First cold!
First solid food.
First night in her crib, first night unswaddled.
Started sitting in high chairs at restaurants and in the front part of shopping carts

It's been a really great month!