Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

 Yeah, i know I stole that.  What's sad is...I've never even seen the movie.  Who's seen it?  Was it any good?
Well, ya know whats always good?  Meatballs.  Turkey, beef, homemade...any kind.  Preferably the nicely simmered homemade meatballs in sauce at Christmas....ahhh, I am an Italian girl at heart.
But it's not Christmas.  It's July.  Unless you count Christmas in July (my mom doesn't.  Therefore, I make due with my own sad attempts at meatballs or Mama Rosa's Turkey meatballs, which are surprisingly good for frozen).
Yeah, I'm babbling.  Sorry.  We've had a sick kiddo at casa Glaser, well, two if you count my other half.  And I'm sleep deprived (even more so).  And shower deprived.  And sanity deprived (oh wait, I never had that).  So, rather than shower, I decided to cook dinner.  And blog about it.  Don't you feel special?  (Nah.  I lied.  I showered while these were cooking - #mommyvictory).
Easy to assemble.  All ingredients in the fridge.  Serves two for dinner, four for appetizers.  And with coupons, comes out to $2.50 a serving for dinner.  I'll drink to that.  If you bring the wine.

Meatball Clouds

Two packages buttermilk biscuits (the small kind that come 10 in a box)
10 meatballs (any kin, I used frozen)
5 pieces string cheese
2 tbsp minced garlic (I used jarred)
1 cup tomato sauce, divided

Preheat oven to 375.  On a baking sheet, press out one container of biscuits until dough is flat, about one inch apart.  Sprinkle garlic on the dough, add a meatball.  Dice string cheese into 4 even pieces, add 2 pieces, one to each side of meatball.  Repeat with 9 additional dough rounds.  On the counter top, open the second package of dough, flatten out, then top each meatball creation with the second pocket of dough, pinching the edges.  Bake for 30 minutes, broil for 2 to get nice browned look.
Serve with 1/2 cup each of tomato sauce for dipping.

The verdict?  A nice compact lil meatball sub-ideal for football parties (coming soon!), little fingers (coming soon!) and tired parents in need of a little comfort food without alot of fuss. (Comin...oh wait, that's us :-))

I'll count that as a success for a Wednesday!  Now, off to snuggle with my men....they need some serious feel better time!

Iron Dreams

 Yesterday, 2500 athletes toed the line at the best race on the planet.  3 years ago, I was one of them.  Ahh, Lake Placid.  Yesterday, Greg and I tracked our friends trekking through 140.6...some had great days (like our Rochester native Jennie Hansen who won the women's race, and our friend Heather, who PR'ed by over 2 hours on the course) some had less than stellar days, but still managed to break the tape through true grit.

Mile 15 of IMLP marathon...3rd best day of my life!

Yesterday...I changed diapers.  Fed my little man a dozen times.  And managed to hit up two stores on a mommy break, which is really a big deal.  No miles on the treadmill or bike, and I have a vague idea of what Canandaigua Lake felt like a month ago when my 9 month pregnant belly and I took a dip.
Life sure changes, doesn't it?  Just like if you would have told me in 2010 where I would be now, I would have laughed at you....the idea of 140.6 right now is hilarious.  I bet I could make the cutoffs....if thy gave me time every two hours to pump or feed.  Wait, that isn't allowed?
Not that I would trade my little man for a million Ironmans.  He IS my little Ironman, and every day he lifts his head or drags on his elbows or smiles at me (yes, it's a real smile they say now) I remember how freaking cool it is to be a mom.  And mom is my game this year.
But what about next year?  As I fed for the fifth time today at 12:30, I *MAY* have perused the Lake Placid site to see if they sold out (and to gasp at the $700 price tag....3 years ago, it was $600!).  It wasn't sold out.
Or at 12:45.
Or 12:52.
And I must admit, I hovered over the *register now* link, thinking....I would have 365 days to prepare.  And next year, I can be up there having all the fun splashed on facebook and twitter!  Best place on earth!  I wanna go!
Split second hesitation.
And I clicked off.
The truth is....my mind is ready for 140.6.  But my body isn't.  And my finances aren't.  And my lifestyle certainly isn't.  And I won't give Ironman any less than my best.  The time needed, the funds, and the real experience of an awesome day demand that.
So I will keep that space between my ears ready.  The fires burning. And work my way back up through sprints, Olympics, and 70.3's.  Some 13.1's.  Maybe a marathon?

Ironman, I will come back for you.  Not this year.  And probably not next.  But 2015?  We have a date.  Just not sure where yet.  :-)

Dipes n Wipes - How to save with baby

Well, I'm sure you all saw this one a mile away, especially if you and I are friends on facebook....after all, what do I obsess about here on TFB? Oh right.  My baby. Running, biking, swimming, food, and...saving pennies. Which is in direct conflict with #1, right?  Well, kinda.  But not really.
I'm no dummy.  I know kids aren't cheap.  And Greg and I had a plan going into this whole thing where we saved our pennies in order to shore up a baby fund for expenses we didn't think about.  It's not alot.  But since I am anal about expenses (blame it on childhood), I knew that I needed some kind of "safety net" in order to make me feel better. So here's what I've learned during pregnancy and the first 3 weeks by reading alot, talking to new mommies, and using my noggin. Some of it is plan common sense, but if it even helps anyone a little bit, I've done my job.

A Novice's Tips for New Moms-Saving Dinero

1.  Plan ahead.  Way ahead.  Before I even got pregnant, Greg and I knew we were in a baby frame of mind, so we spent 2012 getting ready until that little test came back positive.  We bought an SUV...shopped around and got a good deal.  I started taking stock of our expenses and shored up a reserve for emergencies (how much you can save is up to you, but I wanted 3 months living expenses socked away.  Call it paranoia, but I felt better having it and was able to save it slowly over 15 months).  We refinanced the house in order to save some money monthly and get a better interest rate.  Small things that got our finances where we needed them to be. 

2.  Have a Baby Fund - Assess what a baby will cost and make sure you have the money to fund it.  I'm not talking about toys or fancy clothes, but the necessities.  Do you need daycare?  What will it cost?  How much will diapers and wipes run you per month?  How much does your insurance policy cover for delivery, etc.?  (Did you know an uncomplicated delivery costs $4000 WITHOUT hospital stay?  YIKES!).  So we took out a big FSA for 2013 (note-not big enough, but I didn't foresee a newborn hospital trip!) so that when the bill came, we didn't need to shell out 4 figures.  I did research on daycare costs-interviewed some local ones and then worked the monthly cost into our budget.  I looked online for average diaper and wipe prices, along with average newborn use.  (These last few figures put me in sticker shock....I think the average newborn costs roughly what I make in a year, lol).  Then we started re-working our budget to figure out how much we needed per month and if we could save a bit more.  In a coke jar.  With pennies.  Seriously, who needs silly things like groceries? :-)

3.  Talk to friends and family - For a few reasons.  First of all, they will probably want to help in the form of a baby shower or baby gifts (people love buying cute baby things!)  So DON'T stock your nursery until after your shower or you're into the pregnancy.  My sister gave us tons of clothes, a crib, and baby toys.  My dad gave us a glider.  My mom gave us my old dresser and a bookshelf.  The only furniture we ended up buying was a $20 changing table on craigslist.  Score.  You also can get valuable information from new momma friends like.....what's a good deal on diapers?  When you see .25 cents a diaper in the store and know your kiddo goes through at least a dozen a day....the math sucks.  But new mommas can hook you up with deal tips that make life alot cheaper and easier!

4.  Learn the deal sites- See above for some of that, but also, find website and facebook pages that help you out.  Living Rich with Coupons.  Baby Cheapskate.  Krazy Koupon Lady.  All Things Target.  Enroll in Enfamil and Similac's new mom clubs.  Huggies and Pamper reward codes.  All of these sites/pages offer coupons, tips and deals for the new parents.  When you can get a box of diapers that retails for $49.99 for $23.99...you bet it's worth finding out how!!

My diaper stash - 1200, size 1 -3 (and 1500 wipes)

5.  Shop around.  For daycare, diapers, wipes, clothes, etc.  It really helps to start doing this before you have the kiddo, as your limited in shops for the first month!  I found a baby weight chart online that roughly estimated baby growth for the first 2 years, then matched that up with diaper sizes.  Then I looked for deals.  instead of paying 25 cents a diaper, I averaged 10 cents a diaper and had a nice stockpile of diapers size NB to size 3 (about 1500) before Rob was even born.  Was it perfect?  Nope.  But I saved a ton of money and I know he will use them!  Same thing with wipes and clothes.  I found wipes for about a dollar a box (as opposed to 2.99) and bought 30 boxes.  Clothes?  End of season clearance , garage sales and craigslist. Remember....kids grow like weeds...which brings me to....

6.  DO NOT buy new clothes. - What do people like to buy most for new baby?  Clothes!  Between my shower and new baby gifts when the kiddo was born...and of course Grandma's shopping habit! I have a ton of new clothes for the little guy.  The rest?  I bought for 50 cents or a buck apiece at garage sales.  C'mon now-babies grow so damn fast, there is no way I am spending 10 bucks on a onesie.  My latest haul - 50 outfits from 0-9 months at a garage sale = 20 bucks.  College should be saved for-baby clothes, no.

All I need is love! (Kinda)

7. Buy what you need....but with a grain of salt.If you go on the Bump or Baby Center ad print out a list of what you need for a newborn, prepare to max out your credit card.  No, you do not need a swing, a bouncer, a convertible car seat, a jogger a bottle warmer, , a Moby, a Bjorn and a boba.  (unless they call come super cheap or free :-P)  Society tells us to buy, buy, buy, or we are bad parents.  A little kid needs a place to sleep, clothes to wear, diapers, food and LOVE.  The rest is just extra.  Well, okay, maybe a bit more than that, but you know what I mean.


8.  Save those receipts!  Like I said, I bought a ton of diapers and kiddo things on super sale before Rob even came- but I saved all of my receipts.  So if we grow out of size 1's before I run out, I can always exchange them.  Or take back my infant bathtub when I find one for half the cost at a garage sale.  I keep all my baby receipts in a shoebox- just in case.  Store credit also rocks-we registered at Target, so any returns go right to the diaper fund. 

9.  Look for other ways to trim your budget - Do you really need premium cable (No.  You are too busy to watch it).  How about going out to eat every week?  (Not with an infant!)  If you stayed at home for maternity leave, can you cook meals in the crockpot?  Yep.  If you and your other half work together, you can really trim your household budget in the first month (and I am assuming more) in life with baby.  For the first month, we saved $200 on the credit card, simply because I wasn't driving much and only shopped once during the week.  Not that that will last, but that $200 went into the kiddo fund pretty quick!

So there ya go.  I'm no expert, but this is how I've tried to afford having a newborn so far....more posts coming once the kiddo is in daycare.  Then we'll see how well I did.

Any tips to add?

The Mommy Workout

Ahh, how the time flies.  Can't believe my little man is almost 3 weeks old!  And for those of you wondering...no.  There is no routine.  There is sleep loss, milk machining, soothing, shushing and crying (on both sides).  But there is also laughter (on our end).  Smiling (on both-and no, I don't want to hear its gas).  Tickles.  Snuggles.  Playtime.  And ohhh....I just love my little man to bits.  I highly recommend mommy hood.
But I won't lie.  I miss my give em hell training routine, which I haven't seen in over a year.  And with Lake Placid this weekend...I feel a bit envious.  Okay, alot.  But I know there's time for that down the road.  That long course is there next year...or the year after.  That there might be a fall race, child and body willing.  And that's okay.
But even though I'm exhausted by being mommy and my body is still recovering, you better believe I'm still trying to treat it right.  So what does that mean, 3 weeks post partum?  Well, Ill tell ya.

On the food chain, I admit that I am a hungry beast.  But as I was when I was pregnant, I know that everything I eat, the little one eats too.  So, it's all about balance.  I try to eat a ton of produce (but limiting the gassy foods, like broccoli....lil dude needs NO help in the poo dept).  Lean protein- tofu, fish, chicken, sirloin.  Oats.  (YES, I can eat oats, bananas and greek yogurt again!).  Barley, bulgur and brown rice.  Plenty of calcium with yogurt, milk, and cheese.  And of course....the odd treat here and there.  (Hey, BF burns about the equivalent of 5 miles of running per day....hell yes I am going to have my chocolate cake!)

Source

What about body?  Well, as I said before, maternity leave does NOT give you free time, man.  Not that I thought it did, but I've never felt so accomplished by doing the smallest thins around the house or for me before!  With BF'ing about 12 times a day (this kid is GROWING) I don't sleep much or have time for me (although I do read my kindle alot....and watch crap TV.  LOL).  So can a new mommy get a workout in?
Yes and no.  Not a 60 mile ride or a 10 mile run for sure, but I still get in something every day.  It's just about little bits-if I went the all or nothing route, I would walk away defeated.  Every Day.
So I'm flexible.  I start out my day with a half hour goal-cardio and weights.  Then I fit in 5 minutes.  Or 10.  And keep track.  Until I hit 30, or 45 even, if I'm lucky.  Some of my "sets"

* One 10 minute solutions segment (I have pilates, kickboxing, and boot camp).  I can't do all the kickboxing stuff yet, but I improvise
* One mile walk (15 minutes)
* 10 minute circuit - 50 crunches, 25 push ups, 15 each of bicep curls, squats and tricep dips.  Repeat 3 times.
* Dance party with my little man to one song on the radio (5 minutes) - obviously I'm super careful with his head!)
* Leg circuit - 25 leg lifts, inside leg lifts, dolphin kicks, bridges (repeat 3 times - = 10 minutes)
* 10 minute ab circuit - 25 crunches, side crunches, reverse crunches, frog crunches, and 30 second plank x 2.
* Stair flights - 20 flights = 5 minutes.

Those are the mainstays right now, though I do throw in whatever strikes me.  Nothing too intense, nothing too time consuming, but something to help my healing body and make me feel like me again.  Watch out race season 2014....this new mommy will be ready to go!

And no, I'm not trying to lose weight.  I've been blessed to get back into my normal pants already, but I am eating quite enough to keep up my milk supply.

And no, I haven't forced my child to do weights with me.  He does push ups on his own, thankyouverymuch.  And the little turd is better at it than I am :-P

If you have kiddos, what was your post baby philosophy and healthy mom?

My new "Confessions"-Mommy Edition

Ahhh, and another sunny Sunday!  How has your weekend been?  Not too bad around casa Glaser-to say we have this thing figured out would be a big fat lie, but we are honestly stumbling around as best we can, and trying our best-enjoying 99% of the seconds :-)  With week two of maternity leave done, I thought I would round up a few of the "Mommy Life Lessons" I've learned in the last 16 days with my little guy...some were a shocker, some not.  I honestly feel like I've landed in an alternate universe (hello, Fringe fans) with a few base things the same...and the world totally normal for everyone else....but 180 degrees flipped for me!  I'm pretty sure that's normal..... :-)  Here we go....

Confessions of a New Mommy-The REAL Maternity Leave

1.  8 hours of sleep is a fallacy.  Who needs it?  I knew this one going in-and oddly enough, we seem to be managing  Granted, I NEVER expected to get alot of sleep.  Should I repeat that?  No Mommy judging from those that have been there, I'm just stating a fact, guys.  Which makes me wonder...did I ever really need 8 hours of sleep?  Or am I kidding myself that I am functioning on about 3 hours broken sleep each night.  Hmm.  Clearly, don't get me in a room and try to get the truth out of me about anything.  Or, if you've been dying to know what I really think of you, I guess....now is the time.  Just funnin'- I love you guys. 

2.  Co-sleeping is wonderful and sucky at the same time.  So.  We have a wonderful kiddo....who hates his crib.  The doc told us its okay to ease into it, and the swing/rocker is fine for sleeping now.  (I think the crib is just too darn big for our little 7 pounder).  So he sleeps in the swing.  Um.  Sometimes...during the day.  But at night, when he sleeps, he likes to sleep on mommy.  With his head pushed as far up into my throat as he can.  Aww, shuckers.  We are working on transitioning, and are about 50% successful, but my wise sources remind me you can't train a 2 week old, and they are right. So, on one hand, I LOVE sleeping with my little man on me.  There is nothing better in terms of bonding time, and I know I will miss it when he gets too big in like, 5 minutes.  But with that said....sometimes the best part of my day is between 8:30 and 10 when he sleeps in his swing and I can actually SLEEP.  Oh wait...who needs sleep?  Right :-P

3.  I am a damn milk machine.  This kiddo eats every 2 hours....this is not a complaint, again.  Actually, can I just say that this one time and we'll assume it's true for everything?  Not complaining.  Just noticing things.  Since Mr. Ro-bear came early, all the nurses were wondering if he would nurse okay, and had us keep track of his feedings and wet diapers.  Heh.  No issue there.  We change about 13-14 diapers a day, and kiddo nurses about 12 times-roughly every 2 hours.  I feel like a cow.  And I have a perma dent in the couch.  Really, I need to get some better books and DVR something better then Young and The Restless.  Oh, my poor child.  I'm scarring him for life already.  Seriously, though.  Think I can go through the first year with a perma kid attached to my chest without any stares?  Ah, well.  Better than the alternative!!


Wait, no tri training?  WHAT??

4.  I feel pretty unscathed from labor....but not myself yet.  The first week was pretty rough, but it's gotten relatively better.  I feel not pregnant for sure, but not quite back to myself.  I got lucky enough to escape the crappy parts of post partum...my shoes fit and I was spared some of the less than pleasant bathroom experiences for sure....but I still know that something invaded my body for 9 months, and my body knows it too.  I'm pretty sure kiddo isn't the only one who could use diapers.  Heh.  Sexy sexy.  And if one more doctor asks my what my contraception plan is post birth, I'm gonna scream.  HELLO.  Do you really think I feel like sexy time?  Um. No. 

5.  I'm not sure where the hours go-I feel like I'm strapped to a kiddo 24/7.  Oh wait, I am. That's what maternity leave is for, duh.  And we are having a blast.  But it sure puts everything else on the back burner...for a good reason.  Kiddo bonding and caring is the most important thing right now.  But you still wonder where time went at 4pm when you haven't showered yet and lunch was peanut butter crackers.  Oh right, see #3.  I need a better snack system :-P

6.  I have no sense of the hours of the day.  There is no morning, noon and night.  There is fussy time, sleepy time, dark time, pee time and shower time.  If the boss lets me.  Good thing he's a cute boss.  And he can't talk yet.

7.  I'm really not quite sure how to interact with adults anymore. I'm perma baby mode-in terms of language and pitch. I realized this at the grocery store yesterday when the clerk asked me if I wanted my milk in a bag and I responded with a sing songy..."nooo, thats okayyyy!"
What the hell am I going to do when I go back to work?  On the plus side, I am getting REALLY good at baby talk, singing lullabies (BNL counts...right?) and reading aloud.  Hey, it's never too early to start good habits, right?  No, I am NOT reading 50 shades to my baby.  Yes, someone asked me that.  Yeesh, people.  I'm not that twisted. 

8.  5 minutes for a shower, 30 minutes for a solo store run, an hour for a walk or light workout = heaven.    I never thought me time would mean so darn much to me.  It turns me from moo cow mommy to Rae, albeit for a short period of time.  Bless my husband for this. Bless him.

9. My son is the most handsome kiddo in the entire world.   I know this for a fact.  Don't even try to convince me otherwise.  And he is totally worth any sleep loss or moo cow tendencies....he is without a doubt, the most perfect thing Greg and I have ever imagined. We are so lucky that he picked us!

Culinary Adventures on "Vacation"!

Well, let me tell you about this "summer retirement".  Its wild.  I stay up till 2am every night...sometimes 5 or 6am....I pal around with this adorable boy that gives the best smiles, but is crap at cleaning up after himself and shows no diversity in meal selection.  Thankfully, he gives the best snuggles ever and I love him to bits, so life is good. 
But while my partner in crime has maid service and enjoys milk 12 times a day (no, I'm not kidding), Mom requires something a little bit more for sustenance.  The trick?  Even though I'm not working, this kiddo requires just about 24/7, so I need to be quick on my feet for meal selection, and include maximum nutrients and food groups to help my growing boy!
Neither one of these is super inventive or hard to make, but both have served us well over the past week!

Recipe #1: Super Quick Chicken Couscous (serves 2)

10 oz chicken breast, chopped
1 cup dry couscous
3 cups chopped broccoli (I used frozen)
1 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water

Saute the chicken breast, onion and garlic in a stockpot in the butter for 5 minutes, or until brown.  Add in water, broth, and broccoli, raise heat to high until boiling, then lower to medium, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add in couscous and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until couscous and broccoli are cooked through.

Full of flavor and simple-call it idiots risotto.  Much better than cereal.

Recipe #2: Turkey Barley Bowl (serves 2)

10 oz turkey breast, chopped
1 cup pearl barley
2 cups water
1 granny smith apple, chopped
1 cup each: carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, chopped
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tbsp butter

Saute turkey in butter for 5 minutes, or until brown.  Remove and set aside.  Cook barley, seasonings and water in stockpot- boil water, add barley, cook on low for 15 minutes.  Add in turkey and veggies in the last 5 minutes, cover and cook on low for an additional 5 minutes past barley cook time. 

Voila.

As I said, simple dishes.  But they seem to fit our growing family well, and without alot of fuss!

Whats your go-to dish?  Gonna need to up my ante after my "vacation" is over!

Body After Baby-First Week Changes

Yeah, yeah, I know...another freaking baby post.  Sorry guys.  I promise this won't be a mommy blog,but please bear with me as I enjoy my new treasure!!  Next post - food or training.  Promise.  And not baby food.
Today, I want to talk about the taboo.  No, not that-I swear this is still a family blog (sorry for the over share on the birth story!).  Now that it's 10 days post partum (wrote most of this post on Monday!), I thought I would take a pic, step on the scale, whip out the tape measure.  Obviously, as a new and breastfeeding momma, my mind is not on the scale as a priority....but it's cool to know where I stand as a new momma in terms of clothes and the scale.  Here's the skinny:
I gained a total of 25 pounds with my little man-30 pounds over race weight (my happy weight).  I gained 5 pounds while trying for a baby, per docs suggestion, then another 25 during my 37 weeks.  Pretty average, no big deal. 
On the day I went into labor till the day I came home from the hospital, I lost 15 pounds-baby, fluid, placenta.  My waist went from 43" to 34", up from 27" pre pregnancy.
As of July 15th, 10 days post partum, I'm down 17 pounds, and to 32" around the waist-so 13 pounds to go.  And my pants fit, yay!  I wore maternity clothes and yoga pants for a few days, then the hair tie trick (tied around the pants waist for more room) for one day, then on Sunday, was able to zip up my pants.  Woot woot!

Week 37-all sorts of pregnant

10 pays post partum with my lil guy!

Note that I am NOT DIETING.  As a moo-cow machine, I am hungry ALL the time.  I've regained most of my pre pregnancy taste buds-yay for oatmeal and greek yogurt! But with the kiddo's schedule and new mommy deadness, I tend to grab nutritious bites all the time, rather than big meals, which seems to have a positive effect on weight loss.  I've got a few baskets around the house as "stations" during kiddo feeding, stocked with nuts, dried fruit, and fig newtons for a quick bite.  Greg and I have been lucky enough to have people bring us food, and he spelled me for a bit over the weekend so I could shop and get good food in the house.  Hey, it's important.
My Body-I still feel pretty sore, but more like I ran back to back marathons and got kicked in a certain spot a few times.  Nothing major- no feet swelling, or, erm, other side effects in my nether regions if you will.  For exercise, I've gone on walks and done a few light workouts starting 5 days PP, but nothing major yet-I'm playing it smart, and frankly, spending time with my son is way more important to me.  More stretching, low impact stuff-we'll shelve that running for quite some time!  Right now it's more for my sanity and Mommy breaks that I'm walking and doing light stuff-it helps me take a little bit of time for me, which is priceless. 
Bottom line-no complaints.  Clearly, I am no expert at this kiddo and pregnancy thing, but overall, I've had a great experience bringing life into the world.  Chalk it up to luck, decent eating, activity, and a cooperative kiddo in utero (thanks buddy!)
Now being a parent...well that's a whole 'nother story.  One day at a time :-)

One Week.....forever in Love

Well, here we are.  One week ago yesterday, my life changed forever for the better.  I can't believe my little guy is a week old already....it seems like it just happened yesterday and at the same time....like he has been in my life forever!  I'm a momma completely in love with my perfect kiddo, and even though I'm the one that should be doling out life lessons, it's undoubtedly been the other way around.

When I was pregnant, I followed my friend Allee's blog to compare some of our experiences and to get some much needed mam to be wisdom along with her awesome sarcastic wit.   Seriously, check it out.  Girl is hilarious. Anyways,  right before she had her adorable little girl, she posted a letter to her, explaining how she felt and to share with little Caroline some day.  Such an awesome idea!  I wanted to do the same for my Ro man, but he decided he wanted to meet face to face before then, so I didn't get the chance!  So here we go, one week birthday latter to my guy.....

Dear Little Man,

I can't believe it's only been 7 short days since they placed you in my arms, announcing that I had a perfect son.  When they put you on me, you opened your little eyes and just stared at me as if to say....so.  This is Mom...   and my heart melted.  I knew at that moment what it felt like to love something with your whole being, and I knew I would love you forever.  That first day was a complete whirlwind, but you and I got to spend lots of time together snuggling and getting to know each other on the outside!
Since then, the days have blended together, each with their own distinct discoveries.  At one week, you.....
Love, love, LOVE skin to skin tummy time.  It's your favorite way to sleep.
Really get a kick out of people.  You adore everyone you meet, and charm the pants off of them.
You HATE being swaddled.  You need to explore!
You use your hands to express yourself.  You have a cool dud thinking pose, you sleep with your hands flung above your head, and you pull on your ear when your hungry or nursing.
You eat like a pro....all. the. time.
Likewise, you are a pro at dirty diapers.  Mommy and Daddy might need a second job!
You smile all the time.  No fair telling mommy its just gas.
You have Mommy and Daddy wrapped around your little finger.  Literally.  You have a kung fu grip.
You already know how to use your legs to move yourself in your crib, and an roll on your side.  Mommy is in serious trouble.
You can lift your head and move it without crashing.  Pretty sure you're going to Harvard next week!

Even though Mommy and Daddy are new at this parenting thing, you are so patient with us, little man.  You throw a fit from time to time, but when you are done crying, you have this way of looking at us that says "Okay guys, now what?  Whats next?" That is just amazing.  Everyone that meets you loves you....Mommy and Daddy the most.

We can't wait to keep learning more about you every day, my little prince.  You are without a doubt one of the best things that has ever happened to Mommy, and I am so grateful and blessed to have you in my world.  I promise to love you forever, and to show you everything.  I can't wait for our next adventure!
Love,
Your Mommy


 

Fireworks and Tingles-Our Liitle Man is Born!

Woah, has it almost been a week?  Where does the time go?  Well, if you've ever had a newborn, you know, so I'll skip that part :-)  First of all, thank you so much for your kind emails and comments-Greg and I are so unbelievably happy to have our perfect little man in our arms finally!  with that....holy heck was he in a rush to get here!!  It all started the day before Independence day....
I went to work on July 3rd to tie up my loose ends and take 2 weeks off before the kiddo was due.  I planned to garage sale, nest, and rest....one last stretch of non mommyhood indulgence :-)  I finished up my projects and left work for my vacation/maternity leave at 5pm that day.  I came home, did some kickboxing, and settled down into dinner.  Shortly after dinner, I began getting some Braxton Hicks  contractions.  They sucked, but I'd had them before.  No big deal.  Two hous later, they were still coming about every 10 minutes.  I told Greg not to worry, and settled on the couch for the night so I didn't wake him up.  By 3am, I was really feeling it.  I took a few baths and tried to get comfortable.  Finally, at 5am, I called the on call.  They told me I was most likely in false labor, and to call if I couldnt breathe through tohe contractions.  At 8am, I was there.  Throwing up, really hurting, and starting to hate life.  My OB told me to come on in, so Greg and I had a quick "holy crap" moment, grabbed the bags (where were thankfully packed!) and consulted our door list, and rushed out!
When I got the hospital, I was 80% effaced and 1cm.  Ugh.  They made me walk around for an hour to speed things up, which was super touch at that point.  The contractions were coming every 5 minutes and getting stronger.  At noon...no dice.  They sent me home-at least with some percocet to help deal with the contractions.  False Labor?  My butt.
Thursday afternoon was a blur.  I took some meds (which annoyed me, but I had been up for 31 hours at this point and was seriously urting.  I managed to grab a bit of rest between the contractions, which, in hind site, was an awesome idea.  Thursday overnight was more of the same...I htink I took 4 baths and ate about 30 Popsicles.  I started timing the contractions and knew they were getting worse.  At 9am I called my OB-I was concerned I was leaking amniotic fluid and they called me in to get an exam.  At 11am, I saw the doc and she pronounced me 4cm and...ready to have a baby!!  Holy crap!  Greg and I rushed to the hospital-thankfully we had the foresight to grab the bags again!
The next 4 hours were a blur of contractions and some pitocin to help speed up things-after 3 hours I was still 4cm, but the pitocin really helped things along-at 5pm I was 9cm and almost there!  I thankfully was able to not have an epidural, and my labor coach (Greg) just rocked my socks off).  We talked about swimming in the lake, climbing the climb into Placid (a long journey, but so worth it!) and other things to help get me through.  Such an amazing man...and I only yelled at him once! I won't go into details....but I remember the tingles the most-working so hard my body felt all tingly and crazy.  The nurse walked me through how not to hyperventilate....and I still remember yelling "Tingles! Tingles" The crazy things we do in labor! 
Shortly after 5, I was pronounced ready to push, and I geared up. 8 minutes later....my little speedster was here, and my husband looked on in wonder, speechless.  All the docs were yelling at him to tell me what it was....and he finally said..."looks like a boy to me!!"  My son was here :-)
Little man gave us a scare at first, as he was in such a hurry that he forgot to breathe!  30 seconds and a few pats later, he scored a 9 on the apgar and was put in my arms.  And I fell even more in love with a human being than I thought possible.
Robert, I love you kiddo.  Even though you came on your own timetable and are calling the shots from now on, I have no idea what I did without you in my life.  You are my perfect man, and I can't wait to be your Mommy.  I promise to try my best, to protect you, to keep the monsters away, and to love you my whole life.
Except the daddy monster.  Watch out.....he likes toes :-)

3...is a Magic Number

Welcome to our new family......

Friday July 5, 2013

5:38pm

6lbs, 3 oz

19 inches long

And the perfect 3rd member of our little family...

Robert Alan Glaser.

We love you so much Rob!!

Week 37: My Little Jumping Bean

 Watch out!  Full term baby on board!!  We're still 3 weeks away, of course, but there's some reassurance internally now that if lil guy was born today s/he would be full term!  Wahooo!!

So what's up, kiddo?

Week 37

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)
Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (about the size of a bunch of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

 Big fist bump for lil g, my full term bambino!  Stay put for another week or so though, okay, kiddo?  Mommy's maternity leave starts next week and she would like to sleep a bit.  Thanks, bud :-P

Momma

Body: Staying steady at 24 pounds.  I went up a bit, then lost a bit, and now I'm even steven.  No worries, says the doc.  Whew.
Cravings: Anything cold or frozen.  Fruit.  Popsicles.  Ice cream.  Divine.
Aversions:Sleep.  Nah, just kidding.  That should go under cravings...
Sleep: Horrible week.  Multiple bathrooms trips (sometimes 5 a night), inability to get comfy, and some wicked Braxton Hicks.  Yikes.  Can't wait for my summer retirement so I can cash in on hammock naps.
Fears:At my weekly check up (yeah, these internals are kicking my butt), some of the BH contractions were so severe that the baby's heart rate was all over the place, so I got my first fetal non stress test.  The doc hooked up baby g and I with a monitor and gave me some sugary juice to track movement, and I got to play with a jeopardy like clicker to record movement.  We passed with flying colors, but there's nothing like hearing that you need a non stress test to...welll....stress you out.  No more stress till it's D day, okay, kiddo?  I love you too much for that!!
Best Baby Moment: Greg and I were goofing off the other day, and just to show him how strong a preggo mama can be, I started doing pushups over him on the office floor.  I would smooch him on the down position, then do a rep, etc.  On one of my "downs", he startled and said..."Ohhhh babe, need you to get off.  Little guy is pressing on my sternum, and it hurts".  I immediately burst out laughing and offered to discuss what Baby G does to MY sternum 24/7.....and then he burst out laughing, too.  Oh babe...you're gonna be an awesome dad :-)
Items Bought/Received: A few more $4 diapers, and a trip to the Salvation Army where I got 9 outfits for $4.  Sweet.  I also got  a few more gifts....a beautiful silver frame, and handmade afghan from my co-workers wife, and some Target diaper fundage.  You guys spoil the snot outta this little one....thank you so much!

IRON BABY: Week 35

Swimming: 5 miles
Biking: 77
Running Walking:4 miles

Total: 87 miles.No desire to run this week.  I was toying with a 4th of July 5k, but nixed it.  There's nothing wrong with giving running a break :-P  Travels to date....1673.9 miles.  Go Kiddo!  That's the distance between Rochester, NY and the tip of the Mexican border.  Ole!!


We're tickin in here.....hoping for a max of 3 more updates....where did the time go????

Tales from the Crypt

Well, we're here.  It's Monday.  It's July.  And....baby g is officially full term.  Which, if you think about it, basically means squat except that if s/he was born today (or, of course, going forward!) that it's not a preemie situation.  Yay, baby g!!
So, now the golden question has been (all day long) "How are you feeling"??
Well, guys, this is not a simple question.
How do I feel for being almost 9 months pregnant?  Dandy.  Fabulous.  Let's go run a marathon (okay, I'm kidding.  But we could maybe do 5 miles if ya want (slowly).
How do I feel as a human being?
Well.  Let me tell you.
I'm going to the bathroom every hour.  At least.  (Yes, this includes during the night). 
I'm getting punched. every. 5. minutes.  (Aside-I am so glad the baby is healthy, but damn kiddo!  lol)
I'm tired.
My tummy is super uncomfortable.
I just want to laze in a pool so I can get comfortable.

Source

Laying down doesn't work.
I'm hot.
And I can't even get cheese with that w(h)ine because....no wine for me!! 
Cheese would be good, though.  I still like cheese.  Alot.

 So, I also went in for my 37 week check up today-got my first non- stress test.  Apparently, I'm Braxton Hicks-ing with the best of them, which makes a good heartbeat hard to get.  No worries.  Baby G is head down, I'm one cm dilated, and after a nice box o juice, we did some gymnastics in the room while I recorded the one two punches with my jeopardy game stick.  So glad someone got their kickboxing in today.....Mommy was a little sleep deprived :-P

Enough with the complaining.  Seriously, life is good.  But I am quite sure that (a) I do NOT remember life before I was pregnant and (b).....I am so glad I am in the home stretch! 

Now for the next 3 weeks, I promise to use my pregnancy as an excuse for everything and to get out of everything I don't want to do.  Crap.  I wasn't supposed to type that :-P

T- minus one (short!) week till maternity leave, T- minus 21 days till turtle time (give or take) and t-minus 3 days till July 4th...one of my favorites!  So it's a good week.  No more complaints. 

Hope your Monday went swimmingly....and that you have a short work week, too!!