Reading

One thing I really wanted to bring back into my life this year was reading. Not that I wasn't reading before, but I wanted to read more than just the monthly book club book - read more for pleasure and for myself. It was another way to carve out some ever-important "me time". I love goodreads - it's a site where I can rate the books I read, get recommendations for other books, and also link up with friends to see what they're reading or recommending. On that site I participated in their 2011 reading challenge, where I set the goal to read 36 books throughout the year. Seemed lofty, as I was lucky to get just the one book for book club read each month, but it was something I wanted to do. Today it's official:

 

   

      2011 Reading Challenge
   

         
   
       

   
         
       

   
     

        Nikki has    
     
       
            completed her goal of reading 36 books in 2011!
       
             
     

     

       

hide

     

     

        36 of 36 (100%)
     

   
       

 
          view books
       

   
 
 
 

 

   

I didn't read much the past couple months, but I figured that would be the case with the holidays. I was glad I read a lot over the summer! I'm happy to have completed this goal I set for myself. Now to look forward to the books in 2012... :)

Help! I'm sick and I can't sit down!

I've been battling something the past couple weeks. At first, it was a headache and extreme tiredness. This past week I added cold symptoms -- sore throat, stuffy head, cough, congestion, earache, etc. After five days of these symptoms, I finally went to the doctor and got a very strong antibiotic and nasal spray/antihistamine. The worst of it all is the sheer exhaustion my entire body feels. I seriously feel like I haven't slept in days! After a day of meds, my head feels better & more clear, but it's gonna take a while to get rid of this entirely.

Anyway... Being sick means that I stuck around the house instead of going out with the kiddos. Since I was home, I wanted to be somewhat productive. I think I just don't know how to rest (hence the title of this blog)! I mean, how much can I rest with three kids at home during the day (and sometimes four)?!? So I did dishes, laundry, cleaned my master bedroom, washed linens, and flipped my mattress. I paid for it... At the end of the days I just crashed. It was all I could do to get anything on the table for dinner, let alone clean up afterwards! Thank goodness for meals in the freezer. :) Practice what I preach, right?

So this week it is my goal to just sit. I *need* to rest and take it easy (as much as I can) so I can kick this flu. Hopefully having Matt at home over the weekend gave the kids some playtime so they won't mind hanging around the house a few more days. I've got a birthday party to get things ready for this weekend (double birthday party for Hayden and my nephew Logan, who both turn 2 this month) and I need to rest up to travel. Luckily we're keeping it simple - a bonfire with a big pot of chili, cornbread, and hot dogs. Sounds perfect for a fall evening to me. ;)

Wish me luck, since when I just sit I notice all the things that need done - even more than just the normal pick-up-everyday-clean things! I need to get it in my mind that it can wait... My main concern is that it'll be harder on me with things piling up, so that when I finally do feel up to doing things I'll be so overwhelmed. But... that's just the way it has to be.

Life Changes

I completed my first run in over a year tonight. It was just over a mile (1.06, to be exact), and it wasn't the fastest run. Or even close to my fastest mile. But it was still a mile run, with very little walking (just up one big hill). My legs felt super heavy and I really had to work on my breathing, but it has to get easier from here. The hardest part is getting back out there!

This is all a part of changes I want to make in my life. Having two kids 17.5 months apart was not easy on my body (or nice to it!). I've actually been either pregnant or nursing for almost three years!! Now I need to do something about it. I started doing my power core yoga a couple weeks ago and just need to make it a regular thing. Add in the running, eating healthier, and cutting back on pop and I'll have a good thing going. I need help... and motivation... and encouragement. I can do this!

Hayden and Mommy

Wow, so hard to believe that Hayden is almost 2 months old already! It's a little late, but he had a great 2-week checkup (on 12/8). He was 21 5/8" long (75%) and 9 lbs 8 oz (75%) -- only two ounces shy of birth weight! The doctor was very pleased and didn't need to do the jaundice check.

Hayden adjusted quite well to life outside the womb. He was immediately sleeping 4-5 hour stretches at night and has been breastfeeding wonderfully (although he recently started what I call "fussy nursing", so let's hope we can get that figured out soon). He has now started sleeping anywhere from 5-7.5 hours at night, then waking to eat and sleeping for another 2-3 hours. Just this week I've noticed more of a pattern, with him sleeping a large chunk of the morning and then again late afternoon. Let's hope it continues! He's also started having more breaks in between his nursing. He used to nurse every 30-45 minutes after taking a long nap -- and would nurse a good 4-6 times before sleeping again. Let me tell you... that was not easy on me! I still nurse him on demand, but am going to start getting him on a schedule very soon (and he seems to be helping me!). I'm also working on getting him to go to sleep a little sooner at night (it's currently around 12:30am), and going to sleep on his own more. He has done it a few times, I just want to make it that way permanently!

Hayden has been such a blessing and wonderful addition to our family. He is such a happy little guy, and is already talking, cooing, laughing, and grinning like crazy! The adjustment to three kids hasn't been as tough as I imagined, but that's not to say it isn't hard. Just getting out the door -- or rather getting READY to leave the house -- is the hardest thing. Now that Hayden isn't so newborn, it is easier for me to get things done. One of the toughest things for me is not having everything picked up or having to put things off for a bit. But, I'll take spending time with my new little guy. :)

As for me, I had my six-week postpartum check two weeks ago. Everything is back to normal and I was cleared by the doctor for all activity. He told me I had this having-baby-thing down! :) Now I just need to start back into my yoga and running. I also need to start better watching what I eat. With nursing I get SOOO hungry that it's hard to eat great every single time. We do eat mostly at home (I'm starting to stock up on freezer meals and am meal-planning better) and the kids and I try to snack healthy most the time. But it's tough when 2-3 hours after eating dinner I'm ready for another whole meal! I only gained 25 pounds this pregnancy, and have another 8 to lose for pre-prego weight. Of course, I was in the process of losing weight when I got pregnant, so there's really much more to go! At least I'm wearing a smaller size jeans now than I was last year! Great motivation to keep losing. :)

Hopefully I can keep updating about Hayden. It's not often I get to sit, think, and write! :)

The Writer's Block

I am a guest writer on a blog my friend Mandy started. The Writer's Block is a blog by anyone, for everyone, and about anything. Whether it's on politics, entertainment, pop culture, or the economy, The Writer's Block is a forum for free expression. It just went live today, so check it out!! (Click on either blog name in this post to open.)

Imperfection

I'm not perfect, and I've never claimed to be. My house isn't spotless -- the kids and our schedule keep me too busy; I don't always make the best dinner -- I'm tired at the end of the day; I'm not always the best wife or mother. But one thing I don't need is any of this pointed out to me.

Wow

Most the time I feel I can't get anything done, but on occasion I'm amazed at what I can do. Go me. :D

The New 'Do

It being summer and me being pregnant just makes me hot -- almost all the time. Matt complains in the car when I have the air on too cold (lucky for us, there's dual climate control!) or when I turn it colder in the house. I can't help it! My hair has gotten really long -- past my bra strap! -- so I decided to cut some of it. At first I thought about donating it to Locks of Love, but the 10" would've given me a bob. I just wouldn't look good with a bob... Karla told me that they would take 6", and that would've put it just above my shoulders (you have to cut a little extra above the 6" of ponytail, then cut to style). So I wimped out, since it's been long for so long, and only cut 4.5-5". Yes, even the little bit extra was too much! Here are the before and afters...