August is Busy

I've totally been slacking on exercises (surprise, surprise, right?).  But, M is pulling up on everything and I'm sure will be cruising any day now, she has TWO teeth (came in just a few days apart), and is just getting super mobile and active, which is keeping me on my toes constantly.

C loves loves LOVES swimming and is completely fearless.  We have to make sure he has floaties or a vest on any time we're at a pool because he will just jump into the deep end no problem.  He's doing really well, kicking and can almost swim on his own, but not quite.  He doesn't care if he goes underwater or anything, he just loves the water.  It's gotten to the point where he spends most of the day wearing a floatie (usually just one, lol) because he finds it and brings it to me to put on him.  It's pretty hilarious.

I've added a way to share pictures with my blog more easily.  If you look to the right ---> on the sidebar, I have a slideshow feed of my Instagram pictures.  So I can upload pictures of the kids on my phone, and it shows up here!  How convenient!

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August Ab Challenge

Ok, I'll admit, I'm not doing too well with this ab challenge.  BUT, I am being more active, which is good, right?  We've gone swimming 3 times this week, which has been a ton of fun (not to mention a great way to burn a ton of calories!).  C is fearless, jumping into the water and trying to swim on his own even though he can't yet.  We have to keep floaties on him at all times at the pool because he will go in without us!  Of course we're working very hard on safety and making him wait until an adult is in the water, but he is just so excited!

I plan on swimming at least once these next few days, maybe twice (unfortunately I'm confined to my husband's days off since I'm not willing to brave the pool with 2 littles by myself).  The good news is, I've lost 2 more pounds, and am down 16 pounds total!  It's so encouraging to see the numbers going down, and it really helps me make better choices every day.

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August Ab Challenge; day 16

Ok so yesterday (the 16th) I didn't do the specific ab-targeted exercises I've been working on, but we did go to the pool with the kids for 4 hours, so I'd say I got my exercise in, lol.  And today my shoulder and ribs are sore on one side because M spent the entire 45 min drive home from book club crying because she was overtired and refusing to sleep.  So I was reaching around to the seat directly behind me to try and stroke her face to calm her down, while keeping my eyes on the road and still driving carefully.  Bodies aren't supposed to bend that way, FYI.  Overall it was an ok day; hot sun and lots of swimming, while fun, led to some overtired, exhausted, cranky children, but in the end everyone fell asleep at a decent time and all was well.

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August Ab Challenge

What is today, August 15th?  I've been a huge slacker.  The 11th, I didn't do any exercises.  We were leaving for home the next morning so I spent the night furiously packing and hunting down tiny shoes and lost sippy cups. 

The 12th was a day full of traveling.  3 hours in the car, wrangling 2 kids, 2 car seats, 2 bags, and 2 carry-ons in the airport, a 2 hour flight, then having to get everything back into a car, to drive across town, eat out, and finally go home.  I didn't do ab exercises but I did go on a 30 minute walk in the morning before we left, and I had a good 30-45 minutes of walking around the airport with a 20+ lb baby on my back and various bags I was carrying, so I definitely got a workout in! 
The 13th, I again did nothing.  My sister and her 2 kids are staying at our house, so we haven't been able to get back into our routine yet, and things are just plain hectic. 

Last night, the 14th, I did a few, but not as much as I should have.  25 In n Outs, 25 Bicycles, 25 Reverse Bicycles, and 50 Kayakers. 

Today I did 25 deep squats while I was getting ready in the morning.  I haven't done ab workouts, but it is in my plan.  I usually wait until after the kids are in bed, so late at night.  I have to keep my motivation going!!


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August Ab Challenge; days 9 & 10

I skipped day 9.  Foiled again by a cranky M who wouldn't sleep anywhere but on my chest. She wins again.

But today, day 10, I am doing I think my best workout yet!!  I did 25 In n Outs, 25 Bicycles, 25 Reverse Bicycles, 10 Crunchy Frog, 10 Cross Leg/Wide Leg Sit ups, 25 Scissors, 25 Hip Butt Ups, 25 Heels to the Heavens, 24 Leg Climbers, and 50 Kayakers!!  On a couple I did lower reps, and I skipped only one exercise.  I'm very proud of myself :)  It's so nice to see that 10 days ago, I couldn't even get through 4 of these exercises, and now I've done 10!!  I'm getting stronger and that is so cool.

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August Ab Challenge; day 8

Skipped exercising today, it's my anniversary! Four years, 5 houses, 3 cars, and 2 kids later, and I'm so, so happy. I can't believe how much has changed and how much we've done.

I'm so excited to be spending my life with such a wonderful man, and as an extra bonus he's such a great dad! Couldn't have done better :)

August Ab Challenge, Day 7

Hello!!  Today was another day of a super grumpy M who needed Mommy and ONLY Mommy all day long.  I hope it eases up a bit tomorrow, since it's the hubs' and my 4th wedding anniversary!  We don't want to do anything very special, but we were hoping for a dinner out alone, and babysitters are required, but I feel so guilty leaving if she's going to be upset the entire time.  Poor girl.

Today I finally got her asleep and resting, so I got to do ab exercises until I fatigued (which is still an embarrassingly few number of exercises, but I feel the burn!).  I did 25 each of In N Outs, Bicycles, Reverse Bicycles, Hip Butt Ups, and Heels to the Heavens.

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August Ab Challenge, days 5 & 6

Once again, my children foil my fitness plans.  Yesterday (day 5) I didn't do any ab workouts.  Remember how I was supposed to do 2 to make up for the day before? Nope.

Today, I think I should get a little credit for having 20+ lbs of baby attached to me all day.  And I mean ALL. DAY.  I don't know if M is going through a growth spurt or not adjusting to vacation well or the altitude is messing with her or what, but she has been a huge grumper pants.  She's napped off and on basically all day, but if she's awake, she wants me.  No Daddy, no Gram, no Auntie, even if we're in the same room or sitting right next to each other, Mommy is the only acceptable baby holder and that's that.  Dude, my back hurts.  I love having a healthy, chunky, squishy baby, don't get me wrong, but when my 7 month old is the size of the average one year old it makes the constant carrying difficult.  Most kids this size are walking!  My whole body hurts, but especially my back.  Arg.

Anyway, I did do something today.  I did leg climbers (10 on each side), 25 In n Outs, 50 Kayakers (at this point I had to stop because M woke up- not so easy to keep up with anything when your momentum is killed in the middle of it), 25 Scissors, and 25 of the Hip Butt Ups.

Overall I'm finding myself using my abs more in everyday life.  I'm paying closer attention to my posture, trying to tuck my pelvis back so the front pooch I have isn't as prominent, and trying to keep my core supported as much as I can.  I know I'm not doing great, or nearly as much as I should be, but I'm happy with my baby steps for now :)

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August Ab Challenge: day 4

Today was a fail. I had like 3 hours of sleep, followed by a disastrous morning. Leaving the house to go to the airport for vacation, we see our tire has a nail. Sticking out. And it's making an ominous "ssssssssssssss" noise, so not drivable. We pull the car out to change the tire real quick and it turns out we DON'T HAVE A SPARE. How is that possible? Excellent question, and one we will be asking the dealership when we get home. Ok, let's put it back in the garage and just take my mom's car since she's driving us anyways. Except wait, our car battery died!! So we had to jump the car just to back it into the garage. Oh man. So we get both carseats and all of our luggage somehow Tetrised into my mom's little Camry, and I was squished in the back with the two carseats, off to the airport, thankfully with time to make it to our plane.

Security was a breeze, they let me keep M on my back in the Ergo (did you know as long as you don't set off metal detectors you can do that now? It's awesome. SO much easier) and we got to the gate fine. But then we were on a plane for 2 hours. Both kids were wonderful, but it's a plane. Not the epitome of comfort or ideal napping location.

Off the plane, grabbed some lunch and a quick Target trip for diapers, and it was into the rental car for a 3 hour drive to our destination. I think I managed a 30 minute nap, but still. Not comfy. So my body is angry.

I tried In-N-Outs and felt like my lower abs were tearing in half. Not like "ooh, good workout," more like "ow, impending injury." Along with the pulling in my lower back, I pushed through 15 but felt like I was going to hurt myself.

So. Fail. I'm hoping to get a semi-decent night of sleep, and I will try and work in an extra Ab session tomorrow to make up for today. Blah.

August Ab Challenge, day 3

Still sore.  Is it weird that feeling sore makes me more confident?  It's like I've been reminded that I actually have ab muscles, somewhere, hidden under layers of not-pretty stuff.  Anyway, today I did better.  I didn't almost die, and my ribs stayed in place, so yay!  (Here's the exercises, by the way).

Ok so I did 25 bicycles, 25 reverse bicycles (and even maintained decent form!), 15 of the crunchy frogs, and then I did two 30-second planks.  The second plank was hard, I almost didn't make it, but I was staring down that clock, man.  I'm improving and doing something every day (so far), so that works for me.  All I can do is keep trying.



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August Ab Challenge, days 1&2

Ok, when I stumbled across this pin on Pinterest, I was encouraged. Visible results with no lost weight, just toning up.  Doesn't she look fabulous?  That led me to this blog that has the actual workout routine for you, laid out and presented in pictures.  I thought, "I can do that.  Just me and the floor, no equipment 15 mins a day?  Cake.  Bring it on."

August Ab Challenge (with a nice long back story)

Ok, after 2 kids in less than 2 years, my body has been through the wringer. And my weight has fluctuated like CRAZY. (I can't believe I'm going to actually post numbers, but here it is. Please bear in mind I'm 5'10" and not exactly delicately built). And also... this is going to be long.