Thursday Thoughts

**I do not have a coherent thought pattern today - just letting you know up front that this will be random and possibly not make any sense as a whole whatsoever.**

I've been feeling really good lately. Well, that's not completely true. I felt good yesterday and so far so good this morning. The past week has been interesting, both emotionally and physically. I've just been.... off.

I've been taking really good care of myself (although from the looks of my body, you'd think I've eaten nothing but IHOP and Olive Garden the past 5 1/2 months) working out, eating right and drinking plenty of water - so for that I feel... strong. However, my body has also been having a little mind of it's own. More than one night this past week I was up most hours with intense cramping in my stomach and lower back (so much that one night I threw up 4 different times) which was totally unexpected (and unlike any of my other pregnancies). I guess I'm making up for not throwing up at all in the first trimester?

Anyway, that has not been fun. I hate not knowing when it's going to hit (type-A, anyone?) and I do not take feeling well for granted these days.

Baby Boy is doing so well, even if Mommy is hit and miss. He's moving like crazy and I love that (already!) when I'm laying up next to Jeff, he can feel him kicking (and Jeff has taken to laying in bed at night with his hand laying gently on my tummy while his son tosses and turns and reacts to the gentle nudges of his Daddy while my heart melts). Natalie has gotten to feel him kick around in there as well and I love (love, LOVE) the constant (seriously, does he ever sleep!?) movement.

I feel like the theme song to this pregnancy is the same from... what's that kid show again??? You know, the one with the song, "There's a party in my tummy! So yummy! So Yummy!" Oh, yeah, YO GABBA GABBA (I hate that show, by the way) but that song is constantly stuck in my head because every time baby boy moves, I hear, "There's a party in my tummy!" now. I know. Nice. (And I warned you about the randomness, so if you're still reading, you can't blame me for the confusion.)

So, tomorrow night Jeff and I get to have a date night and I'm really looking forward to that. I LOVE being a parent, but sometimes it's nice to go a few hours without being called, "Mom" - ya know? A night to remember that I am indeed someone apart from the lunch packer, the chore chart maker, the band-aid hand-er out-er, the clothes folder ha! who am I kidding, the taxi driver, and the chef double- ha!. So, anyway, there's that.

The weather has been beautiful these days and Jack and I are going to go for a LONG  walk today (I'm trying to cut back on the working out a little bit and see if it helps calm down the cramping, which could be contractions, but I wouldn't know because I've never had one). I'm really looking forward to enjoying some sunshine this afternoon!

Okay, I'll be done for now. Hope you guys have a fantastic weekend and that wherever you are, you get a bit of the sunshine we're enjoying as well!

**Randomness concluded.**

Fit Friday {some stuff I've learned so far}

I'm (obviously) no expert on weight loss although I should be, I've been at it for years but in the past few months I've been learning a few things. I decided to write some of them down on here - partly to share them with you guys in case you need encouragement or tips and partly just because I don't want to forget them lest I find myself pulling into the parking lot of a Taco Bell.

Okay - here they are:

 - It's worth the effort it takes to feel healthy, to look healthy, and to BE healthy. No one is going to hand me a new and improved edition of my body wrapped in ribbon for Christmas - if I want it, I have to work towards creating it.

 - Don't make decisions about how your eating for the day will go before you've had a healthy breakfast. When I'm running around the house trying to get everyone ready for school, (lunches packed, teeth brushed, shoes on, etc.) my brain feels swollen and I feel unbelievably emotional. Because I'm so tired/hungry/stressed by the time everyone is actually out the door all I want to do is immediately excuse myself from my "healthy lifestyle," give myself a million reasons why I deserve to have a "day off" and immediately binge on sugar cereal and a mocha with whip cream (neither of which we have in the house, but you know what I mean). I've found (after much dismay and disappointment when I give in) that all it takes is one rational decision to start my day off right. If I can just get through a healthy breakfast, my head is cleared, my stomach isn't angry at me anymore, and I am able to think more clearly and remember what my goals are and in turn actually care about taking the steps it takes to reach them.

 - Keep a journal. I've never been good about writing in a regular journal (you know the "Dear Diary" kind? - well, unless a blog counts...) but I have been pretty consistent about keeping a food journal. I write everything in it. Every bite I eats goes in that journal. I take it everywhere with me so that I can be reminded of my goals when I'm away from home and in a more vulnerable place (where I'd be more likely to throw caution to the wind when it comes to making healthy choices like, say, Red Robin... mmm, cheeseburgers). Anyway, I've just found this is key in my accountability. 

I took this picture at about noon. {Also? I might be known for putting smiley face stickers on the page at the end of the day if I did a good job... I said I might.}

 - Water. Drink it. I don't love drinking water at all. I've always preferred soda (I know, it's terrible) but lately I've made it a priority to drink more water. I write circles on the bottom of my daily page in my journal and each circle represents one cup of water. This week my goal has been to drink a gallon of water each day. (Can I just say that the bathroom and I are friends? Because we totally are. We're tight these days.) I also bought a new water bottle because the 13 others that we own aren't good enough I wanted one that was MINE. One that I take everywhere (my water bottle is married to my journal) and one that my kids know is just Mommy's. I bought one with a built in straw (Camelbak) that I love because I don't have to unscrew a lid and spill all over myself when I'm driving. Simple and probably just a mental thing? Definitely. Is it working so far and thus totally worth it even though it was frivolous? YES.

 - Even though walking isn't running, it's better than sitting. I've had shin splints lately and running has been p.a.i.n.f.u.l. so I've been "power walking" on my treadmill. Yes, it takes longer to burn the same amount of calories, but I'm surprised at how much I still sweat (especially when I carry weights!) and I find that I feel just as good as after a run because even though I couldn't do what I hoped, I still chose to do something.

Okay guys, that's all for now. When I come up with more, you'll be the first to hear about them. What are some tips you have to share? I'd LOVE to hear em'!

Happy Weekend!