Work It Wednesday

Happy Wednesday!! Did you happen to set any new year resolutions? I didn't. I don't like them. 

The truth is, a new year doesn't motivate me to change habits. A goal does. And now I have a goal. 

I want to lose 15 pounds by March 10 by eating healthy and working out daily using BBG. 

Why? Because we are going on a beach vacation to the Bahamas. 

Does 15 pounds in 5 weeks sound like a lot? Yes. It's a big goal. 3 pounds a week is intense, but for me, that's how it has to be or I won't stick to it. 

I'm a true believer in "go big or go home." 

I don't choose to be, it's just how I am. 

I think it would be nice to set a more realistic goal of losing a pound a week and staying on track; slow and steady. But I get bored easily and when I'm bored I get lazy. 

"Oh, I only need to lose one pound a week so I'll go ahead and have these tacos and margaritas now and just focus on losing 2 pounds next week." 

☝That's me. 

I'm that girl. 

I'm that friend. 

And I know this... after 34 years of being me, I know this. It's not my greatest trait. But I work with it.

So, 15 pounds to lose in 5 weeks... by eating healthy and working out daily. 

Did you notice I wrote not only my goal, but how I was going to achieve it? I think that's a big deal in goal setting. 

Setting the PLAN. 

Setting the HOW. 

It's not hard to say what you want, but it takes some thought to decide how to achieve it. I try to answer the HOW for every goal I set. 

And I wrote... using BBG. That's the "Bikini Body Guide" by Kayla Itsines. If you're on the gram, you probably have seen her posts or seen a success story shout out. Well, I'm diving in. I start today and am fully committed. (plus I just shared it on the internet so I feel more pressure now... 😂😳 #truth) 

So feel free to jump on a goal of yours with me! Let me know what it is and how we can help each other below! 

-xo

Mom Life

So, let's be real; as parents we are ALL just learning as we go. 

Even when you're on your third newborn there is a learning curve-- because no two babies act exactly the same. It's amazing to see the personalities and character traits so early in life-- but sure enough, there they are. 

For example, my daughter was the easiest baby. Her sleep schedule was manageable, she cooed and babbled with me, she was always happy, and I woke up every morning feeling well rested... I really thought this whole parenting thing was EASY! She was simply a dream! 

So when she was about 5 months old, my husband and I very confidently thought "let's have another!" And sure enough... we did. And sure enough...our son was completely different. I mean 180' difference. He came into the world a little "grumpy" from GI issues. He required a lot of attention, special formula and medication, and overall was in a lot of pain for the first few months of his life. The crying was constant, the stress was high and I was beyond exhausted. Even my 16-month old daughter would cover her ears and walk away from him! Not only was it not EASY, it was down right HARD. 

Thankfully, we got my son the right formula (that cost an arm and a leg and of course wasn't covered by insurance. Thankfully, we could manage the expense, but God bless those who need it and can't afford it.) and he began growing into a healthy baby. 

Fast forward 2 years and here comes baby #3! Probably the easiest of them all... no colic, no health issues... quiet. 😳 He looked like a Gerber baby and just sat and watched his siblings. Literally. He didn't walk until he was 14 months old! My daughter walked right at 12 months and my first son started walking at 9 months! (And hasn't stopped!Needless to say mama is tired ☕) 

But now... oh my. He is bossy. He is 18 months old and throws himself on the floor and kicks his feet when he doesn't get his way. He'll lay on his stomach, and bury his head in his arms crying. Then he'll roll to his back and kick his feet while covering his face with one arm. I mean- all the dramatics! Neither of my other children have ever had a temper tantrum, but #3, oh, it's in his blood. He's gooood at it. And he knows it. 

So, back to the point. Every child is a new adventure, and all of us are learning as we go. But I'd like to start discussing my experience with you. I'm not claiming to have the answers to all your questions, but I am willing to share my #momlife and help in any way I can. Parenting is tricky. I didn't have a tribe to turn to or other mom friends to bounce situations off of. I learned on my own as I went along... and still am. I turn to other blogs and books and ultimately my gut in how to parent and want to be a source to others who are starting out on this journey-- or taking it for the 2nd, or 3rd (or more!) go round. 

So, I'm implementing my weekly dose of #momlifeMondays on the blog and Insta! Each week I'll share a bit of mom life... whether it's thoughts on prepping for baby's arrival, learning resources, discipline tactics, or just what crazy cahoots my kids have stirred up recently. I hope you enjoy it and I'd love to hear about your mom life! Drop any questions you have or topics you'd love to discuss below and check back Monday for the first feature of #momlifeMondays! 

-xo