pregnancy

How I Embrace My Mom Body

September 6, 2017

Let’s talk about the whole “mom body” thing for a bit. It’s such a common thing these days to hear someone say “just embrace your mom bod.” I want to talk about what that really means to embrace my mom body, but first, I want to give you a little back story.

If you know me personally, you know that I have struggled a great deal with body image. I have done the diets, I have swung from one end of the spectrum to the other, and I have hated myself and my appearance no matter what end of the spectrum I was on. My journey towards true health and self love has been a long and sometimes complicated one, and I have had my fair share of “rebound” phases. In the diet world, those phases are the times in which I give up on one fad diet and go drastically searching for another. I did that so many times in the beginning of my journey, and it never brought any satisfaction. What I realized over time is that really becoming healthy takes a lifelong commitment, and it also requires adjusting not only my physical choices and food consumption, but also adjusting my thought processes and shifting my paradigm….

Finding Fitness Post-Pregnancy

February 7, 2017

Can I be honest?

Getting in shape after having a baby is HARD WORK.

I mean, I know there are plenty of women that appear to be totally in shape immediately after having a baby, but really, even those lucky ducks have all the same muscles and tendons and ligaments that have been out of whack for nearly ten months, and it’s likely that they have just as much work to do on the inside as everyone else….

Questions on Parenting

January 18, 2017

*this post was actually written the day before I went into labor, and I neglected to share it. As I read it again, I am even more perplexed by these thoughts and questions, and look forward to your insight and feedback 🙂

You may be wondering where I have been for the last month.

I mean, I did pretty much fall off the face of the planet for a bit.

Or maybe you were not wondering at all….

The Story of Sadie Rae

January 6, 2017

It’s hard to believe that I gave birth to our precious Sadie Rae one month ago yesterday. It fascinates me how the overwhelming feelings of time flying can be juxtaposed to feelings of time passing so slow. On one hand, I feel like it’s impossible that it was four weeks ago, as I feel like it was just yesterday. On the other hand, I feel like we have already had a lifetime of memories and experiences with this sweet child.

I could say so many things about the last four weeks. I could talk about our parenting decisions, exhaustion, our baby’s unique habits, her beautiful head FULL of hair, or a million other things that consume my mind nearly every minute of every day, but what I really want to share is Sadie’s birth story….

New Mom Negativity

September 19, 2016

There are so many things that I absolutely love about being pregnant.

Similarly, there are things that I absolutely hate about being pregnant.

In my last pregnancy update, I talked about all of the changes that have come with the third trimester of my pregnancy. I could add a few more to that list- as a lot can change in two weeks of pregnancy….

Hello Third Trimester, Hello Changes

September 8, 2016

I literally cannot believe I am in the third trimester of my pregnancy.

Well, I can, because I am starting to really feel it… And if I look down I see the growing baby bump that I can no longer suck in and hide.

But seriously, I feel like I just found out I was pregnant yesterday, and now there’s a seriously lively little girl moving around in me that I get to snuggle endlessly….

Traveling With a Bump—The Beginner’s Guide

September 2, 2016

Travel is probably in my top five greatest passions.

No, not probably. Definitely.

There’s just something about it—all of. From long car rides with protein bars and fruit, to running through airports to catch a flight, to the flight itself and the ridiculous little bags of peanuts that are entirely too small—it’s just an amazing experience….

Pregnancy at 27 Weeks

August 30, 2016

Oh my gosh, how is it that I am one week away from the third trimester?

It literally feels like just yesterday that I found out I was pregnant, and obsessively peed on a total of fourteen sticks just to be sure I was still pregnant in the days to follow.

I have learned a lot in twenty-seven weeks, yet, somehow, I still know so little. One thing that I have learned- most definitely- is that pregnancy is one of the most emotionally trying times ever. I think pregnant mamas actually get a super bad reputation for being moody, and it’s sort of unfair. Whether it’s coming from another mom who’s twenty years past this phase of life, or from a friend who has never been pregnant, it’s never one person’s right to tell another person they are “just being emotional.”…

Keeping Fit In Pregnancy: The Real, The Raw

August 16, 2016

If you read my previous pregnancy post, you know that I am not weighing myself throughout my pregnancy.

I know, I know, that’s crazy!

Except it’s not! It has been so great for me!

It has not only freed me from expectations, comparisons, and regard to the opinions of every all knowing person out there, but it has really pushed me to make sure that I am doing my part to stay healthy and stay fit….

The Pregnancy Scale? No weigh!

August 14, 2016

Let me start off by saying that I believe every woman has an incredibly beautiful and unique journey in her own pregnancy, and I am a firm believer that no one mom should force another to believe the same things, practice the same habits, or experience the same things.

Ah, okay, now, if you didn’t know already, I am pregnant! I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my little Sadie Rae Crawford sometime late November or early December.

Being pregnant has been incredibly interesting for both my husband and myself. Having kids is something we talked very openly about from the very beginning of our relationship, long before we were married. We went through many phases, or seasons if you want to call it that, where we were set and determined regarding our timeline and our goals for starting a family….