2010....A new year

So I have been thinking about resolutions and goals since the new year is fastly approaching. And I wanted to have some place where I can write down my goals and be held accountable. I have even been thinking about starting another blog just about my resolutions/goals for 2010, since this blog is supposed to be about my family and our adventures. It is ambitious but maybe if I have to write about my progress, lets say once a week then I will be more likely to stick to my goals.

So lets start here by me writing out my Goals:
1. Be the best mom & wife, I can be.
2. Take better care of myself.
A. Drink more water and much less pop.
B. Eat more veggies.
C. Exercise more.
3. Make more time for my friends.
4. Train to run a 5K. (Couch-to-5K running plan - http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml)
5. Blog more
6. Have more date nights with my husband.

I think this is a enough to tackle in one year. As I write these I really do think I will start another blog to track my progress/set backs for 2010. A blog about me. Please check out my new blog:
Cristy Gets Healthy

MIA - Catch up

Let's see from about the beginning of November until now, 2 days before christmas, time has just slipped away from me. I have been busy at work and when I get home from work I just want to be with Gaven and of course I hve to do some house work. Some nights Gaven takes a nap and then still goings to sleep between 8&9. So that gives me even less time with him in the evening. So I do the house work while he sleeps. To all my friends I am sorry that I have not kept in better touch. I do think about you and want to call but I just want to spend all my free time in the evening with my lil boy.

So to catch everyone up, early November brought me some overtime at work. Then we went to Medina the weekend before Thanksgiving. We celebrated my mom's birthday, Thanksgiving and of course Caleb went hunting with my brother and Dad. December rolled on in and we found our family sick with a cold. So Gaven has officially had his first cold. Gaven is officially a sitter now. Then he had his 6month well baby check up and shots. He is 27inches and weighs 15lbs 4oz. He is growing like a weed. This past Sunday, the Rhodes family went to church for the first time with a baby. Gaven was a hit and we was a very good little boy during the service, he even slept through the sermon. So we will be going back.

We are looking forward to our first christmas as a family of three. It should be alot of fun since Gaven is sitting and he likes to play with paper. I will post some pictures after the holiday.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!! God Bless

October

October has been a busy month so far. It started out with an amazing anniversary trip to the Finger Lakes in New York. First we went to my parents house to visit with them and let Grandma, Grandpa & Uncle Jimmy babysit Gaven for his first ever sleepover. Then it was on to Seneca Lake where we wine tasted for a whole day and then stayed at the Belhurst Castle in Geneva, NY. It was beautiful sunny day with the first of the fall color change happening. The wineries we great, I like them all. My favorite winery was Three Brothers because it was 3 wineries and a brewery all together. It was just fun. But the best place we tasted wine was Wagner winery & brewery. The man serving the wine for tasting was wonderful. He helped us find wines we both really loved. But my favorite wine of all I would have to say was Red Cat from Hazlitt. We will definitely be going back in the future!

Gaven had his 4 month well baby visit and shots. He is now 25.5 inches long and weights 13 lbs 4 oz. The doctor said he is right where he should be developmentally and maybe even ahead in a few things. He is now eating rice cereal, green beans, oatmeal (actually I am beginning to realize that he doesn't like oatmeal so I will put it away for awhile) and we just started peas last night. Onto orange and yellow veggies next. The little boy has discovered his legs and wants to stand alot now. We are in the process of deciding whether to get a walker or a stationary entertainer. Gaven has started to sit on his own, only for a few seconds at a time. We are working on this.

I have been doing well with my weight loss. I am down almost 10 lbs. I have been going to cycling on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Zumba Monday or Wednesday nights. I am feeling a little under the weather with a hacking cough and sinus pressure so I didn't make it to cycling yesterday and deciding whether or not to go to Zumba tonight. But I need to keep up the momentum and keep working out. I really should start some weight training but that is probably going to have to wait until Gaven is 6 months so he can go to babysitting at the gym.

This weekend is our 3rd Annual Pumpkin Carving Party. The weather is not looking all that great but it is only Wednesday and the forecast could change between now and Saturday. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for no rain.

Looking ahead....we are planning on getting family Christmas portrait done along with Gaven's 6 month portraits. The Benben's are excited for us to come up for Thanksgiving, Caleb is excited to go hunting with my brother and dad. I have a busy work weekend in there also. PA buck season starts November 30th, Caleb is taking a few days of for that. So I will keep you updated on our adventures.

Halloween Pics

Happy Halloween Everyone!!!

Losing baby weight

So I had put on some weight before I got pregnant and then of course the pregnancy pounds packed on. About a month ago I started Weight Watchers at work. This is how I lost weight before, so I know that it works. I have lost 6lbs so far. I guess I'm on the right track. Now it is time to fit in some me time and get to the gym. Tomorrow morning I am going to get up at 4:45am to go to a 5:15am cycling class. I need to do this even though I am not looking forward to getting up so early, especially since Gaven still gets up once in a while during the night to eat. I know that eventually it will give me more energy and help me to lose the weight. Here is hoping I get a full nights sleep tonight before class. I'll post my progress as time goes on.

Mom Survey

Here you go moms - a different kind of survey for a change - it's all about your first born! Just copy and paste it in a new note for yourself

1. WAS YOUR PREGNANCY PLANNED?
yes and no, we were planning to start trying in October so I had went of birth control, but we got pregnant in September.

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
no :( but we were at the end of September. I found out 3 days before our wedding that I was pregnant. What a wonderful present from God!

3. WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION? !!
I took 4 pregnancy tests

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU?
Nope.

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU?
I'm 33 now

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
period was late

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
I think it was Lisa then Caleb then my best girls

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?
Absolutely

9. DUE DATE?
June 1, 2009

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
no, I was one of the lucky ones

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
not really any one thing. I went thru phases with stuff.

12.WHAT IRRITATED YOU?
months of insomnia, being stuffed up, and my feet swelling

13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX?
boy

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?
no.

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY
Alot, I stopped figuring it out because of all the water weight gain I had.

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?
yes, 5 of them, I guess I am a lucky girl

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?
I knew about all except one.

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
not really, I was being monitored closely for preeclampsia. I was retaining water, my blood pressure kept getting higher and some elevated protien levels.

WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Meadville Medical Center, Meadville, PA

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
13 by the time I had the c-section

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?
Caleb

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Caleb

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
C-section

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
YES, Nuban and Epidural


25. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
7lbs

28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN
May 31, 2009

30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
Gaven James

31. BIGGEST SURPRISE DURING CHILDBIRTH?
That I couldn't calm myself down and that I had to have a c-section.

32. GREATEST MEMORY ABOUT CHILDBIRTH?
Holding Gaven and seeing Jen & Will when they were wheeling me back to my room and my friends coming to see us.

33. DID YOU BREASTFEED?
I tried but it was just to complicated. And I don't think I was producing milk.

New direction

Now that I am a mom and finally feel as though I have a better grasp on juggling motherhood, being a good wife and work full time; I want to start blogging more about motherhood. It is such an amazing thing and has so many wonderful and challenging times. So let's give it a try.

My son is now 15 weeks old. The first few weeks were pretty overwhelming for me. He did not gain weight at first. Gaven had trouble with reflux therefore, he was projectile vomiting all the time and it also turned out that his little tummy couldn't handle regular formula so we switched to soy. As I talked to old & new friends I found out that all of this was very common. That was comforting. I was very scared and nervous, I cried almost everyday. But as time went on and things got "easier" I felt more comfortable in my new mom skin. I already can't imagine my life with out him.

Caleb is a great dad. He has been very helpful. He would take care of Gaven after dinner and put him to bed so I could get some rest. Those long nights of getting up every couple hours for feedings were exhausting, especially after the months of insomnia while I was pregnant. Caleb is learning to be an amazing dad and bond with Gaven. I am so thankful to God for giving me my family.