Maxwell is TWO MONTHS

It's been an amazing two months and our little nugget is growing perfectly!!  He weighed 9 lbs 6 ozs  and was 22.44 inches long at his two month checkup!  He gained 2 ounces shy of 2 lbs in a month which is amazing and surpassed my goal of 20 ounces!  I am so very proud of us for being successful at breastfeeding!  Some days are better than others, but all in all, we are doing wonderfully!  We've even fed in public a couple of times without any issues!  He definitely doesn't like the cover, but I require the cover.  Hopefully it will just continue to get easier and easier for us!  

Things to Remember:

He's waking up once between the hours of 10pm and 5am and then he's generally up around 7 for the day, takes a nap from 9:30-11 and then again around 2.  We aren't on a strict schedule, but he has kind of created a schedule for himself and is fairly consistent with it regardless of whether or not we are home or out and about.  

He has found his hand and loves to suck on it.  He hasn't found his thumb yet, but we predict it won't be long before he is a thumb sucker.

Maxwell smiles and coos a ton!  He loves it when we talk to him, mimic him, and sing to him.  Ryan sings inappropriate songs as if they were lullabies and I sing "Jesus Loves You" and some Irish lullabies. 

He loves to kick his piano on floor mat and he is starting to grab for things.

Bathtime is super calming for him and he looks so insanely cute snuggled against his daddy's chest in his giraffe towel!  Oh be still my beating heart!

Nighttime feedings and smiles are some of my favorite times with him.  He is so calm and happy during the wee hours of the morning when the house is quiet and the white Christmas lights are lit in his room.  It's our special time together.

He is very alert!  He even found himself in the mirror and laughed a couple of times!  That was priceless.  

I haven't taken his two month pictures because he has been quite upset unless he is being held.  He didn't enjoy getting 3 shots and I think he is going through a growth spurt because he is easily irritated and extra gassy.  We did have our two month Mommy & Me pictures taken though and his personality definitely showed!  He's a skeptical little guy and doesn't hide his emotions very well...definitely got that one from me!

He's going for that hand!

Telling me how much he loves me!

Absolutely LOVE this picture! He loves looking around!

Operation Pregnancy Fat Be Gone {2nd Edition}

Well, it's been 2 weeks or so and not a ton of progress has been made in the weight department, but the inches are definitely falling off a bit and I am feeling better!  Over the past few weeks, I have changed my diet because I had an extremely gassy baby boy that wasn't liking something that I was eating.  I have narrowed it down to dairy, tomatoes (in all varieties), and citrus.  These three categories have been reduced/eliminated in my diet.  Other changes I have made are that I added healthy fats through coconut oil (2-3 tsp per day), avocado (avg 2-3 per week), and almonds (daily snack).  These healthy fats are to help my skin, milk production, and digestive system.  These changes have significantly reduced painful gas in my little guy, my skin feels so much better, and I we are both regular. 

This weightless journey is definitely a marathon, not a sprint for me.  First because I don't have a ton of extra time to workout daily between feedings, keeping the house in order, visiting family and friends, walking the dog, changing diapers, photo sessions, a photography course I am taking, etc. Second because my body isn't ready for a sprint.  I've always listened to and trusted my body and it's telling me to go slow and steady.  Mentally, emotionally, and spiritually I feel wonderful which is absolutely huge!  My body is doing great producing enough milk to support a growing baby boy which is a huge ego boost, but it also takes a lot out of you, well me (any nursing mothers out there can relate with me on this one).  I have to eat every couple hours and I have to drink a ton of water.  Without doing those two things, I suffer and in turn my baby boy suffers.  

Here are my current stats:

6 Wks PP Weight: 156 lbs 

9 Wks PP Weight: 152 lbs

Goal Weight: 125 lbs

Accomplishments:

I can wear normal pants!! Not my side 2 skinny jeans, but my size 5's fit me and so do some of my stretchy colorful pants!

All maternity clothing has been packed up and stored for pregnancy #2 down the road!

I organized my closet and got rid of clothing I won't wear!

Maxwell gained almost 2 lbs in one month!!! 

My goals this week:

100 squats per day

50 25lb kettle bell swings per day

15 minute postpartum video 4 times per week

Twice daily walks

Note to all future breastfeeding mamas...invest in a really good sports bra to save the ladies!