I’d Love To Hear What You Think

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It’s been awhile since I have reached out and asked your thoughts.  Things have really changed around here from making the transition from CVL to RWT, to leaving my office job to be a full time stay-at-home-mom/health coach/blogger/freelance writer and oh yeah I had a baby.

Now that I am home I am spending more time focusing on the blog as well as our family blog so I am really looking for your feed back on what your likes and dislikes are on the blog, what you think about the look/layout and what you would like to see more or less of.

So for those of you reading this in your reader here is what RWT looks like right now:

I think that over the years I have really made some improvements to the blog and have evolved from a recipe centric blog to a healthy living, lifestyle focused blog (hence the transition form CVL to RWT).  So now I’m asking you to take a few minutes to provide some constructive feedback. If you can’t answer the survey in your reader head on over to the RWT mainsite and fill it out (pretty please).

Thank you your feedback is appreciated so much!

Life As A Mom With A 5 Week Old

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For my own entertainment I decided to take a record of all the things I did as a work-at-home/stay-at-home mom in a 24 hour period.  I also used this as an opportunity to write a post for Naturally Family from Edie’s perspective. I had no idea until I got started how many things I try and cram into one day now.  Long gone are the lazy days I am constantly trying to fit in time for housework, preparing meals, blogging and freelance work while first and foremost taking care of Edie’s needs.

So here is a day starting at 7pm on Sunday and going until 7pm on Monday.

  • 7:00p Nurse Edie and then let Neil take over with burping and putting her to bed.
  • 7:30-9:15p Neil and I watched an episode of Suits while I pumped and enjoyed a second piece of chocolate before heading off  to bed. I was exhausted so when I went to bed I left myself really fall asleep while Neil listened in on the monitor since he had to be up late for work.

  • 11:28p Since I passed out cold and Neil woke me up to nurse Edie and then Neil graciously took over and burped and bounced her so that I could get a little more sleep since he was already up anyways. 
  • 3:25a Edie woke me up ready for another nursing session and so we nursed.
  • 4:00a After a big burp and a fart Edie fell back asleep and so did I.
  • 6:30a Edie and I got up, well Edie woke me up, and we headed to the nursery for a diaper change and hen I put Edie in her crib to hang out while I made and photographed Neil’s lunch.

  • 7:15a Edie was getting a little bored in her crib so I moved her to the living room and placed her in the swing.
  • 7:35a I made myself a bowl of cheezy polenta and then moved Edie to the bouncy chair to hang out while I ate breakfast.
  • 8:00a After finishing my breakfast Edie and I had another nursing session and I checked in on blogs while I nursed.
  • 8:25a I put Edie on our bed while Neil and I got ready for the day.
  • 8:30a I changed Edie’s diaper and got her in her car seat and we headed out to stop at the bank and then drop Neil off at work.
  • 9:10a Finally drop Neil off at work and head to the market (for my first shopping adventure alone withe E) but *of course* as soon as we pull out of his work parking lot the “feed me siren” goes off and stays on until we arrive at the market.
  • 9:25a I nurse E in the front seat of the car while checking my e-mail on my phone.
  • 9:45a E is full so I put her back in her car seat, get out the stroller and we finally get into the market to pick up a few items.
  • 10:15a We head home and E falls asleep in the car
  • 10:40a Arrive home and I change E’s  diaper and then put her down for a nap while I put grocery away, eat, write blog post, start working on recipe
  • 12:15p E is up and ready to eat and then have her diaper change which is what Neil and I like to call a “poopsplosion” which results in an outfit change for E.
  • 12:55p E and I snuggle on the couch and she eventually falls asleep on me.  I take a little time to enjoy her on me but then move her to the Boppy so I can get some work done and pump again.

  • 1:50p E is up and in need of a diaper change (or two) and a nursing session.  I nurse her while checking and following up on e-mails.
  • 2:30p I strap E into her swing and I get in a quick workout from my FitPregnancy magazine.

  • 3:00p E and I hang out on her  quilt and “read” her Look, Look book for awhile.

  • 3:15p It’s time for E to have a diaper change and for her to nurse once again.  I nurse her and then start to think about what I need to do for my recipe for dinner.
  • 3:50p I strap E into the swing once again so I can work on my new (2nd time around) recipe for dinner. E naps while I cook.
  • 5:05p E wakes up and it’s time for a diaper change and a nursing session; I follow up on some e-mails while nursing.
  • 5:40p E starts fussing right on cue (around 6pm is when she starts fussing most every night) and I bounce her and calm her down enough so that I can put her in her swing while Neil and I eat dinner.

  • 5:50p Neil cuddles with E and then bounces her and tries to get her to go to bed while I answer e-mails
  • 6:40p I attempt to nurse but E isn’t having it so we swaddle her and Neil goes back to bouncing and I go back to my e-mails.
  • 7:00p Neil attempts to get Edie down but no luck so we take turns bouncing and soothing her and she eventually goes down around 10ish. Then I wake up and repeat.

Head over to Naturally Family and read A Day In The Life of a 5 Month Old

Fourth Annual Care Package Swap

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It’s that time of year again I am rolling out the Fourth Annual Care Package Swap. This swap gives participants a chance to connect with other bloggers by the exchange of goods. The care package that you create can be filled with homemade or store bought items and can include any items you like such as food, clothes, health living items, ect.  If you are a blogger and are interested please comment here and send me a note to please fill out the form below or email me (lindsay@runningwithtongs.com) and include the following:

Some of the items from Neil’s 2009 Care Package


Or you can e-mail me the following information

– Name
– Location
– Blog URL
– Twitter Handle (optional)
– Where you are willing to ship (USA, USA & Canada or International)
– Type of items you would like receive only vegan, vegetarian or do you have no preference (including non-veg items)

Please do not send me your address. I will match people together, give each other your e-mail addresses and then you can go on to exchange mailing addresses.

Please expect to spend around $20-25 on goods, if you would like to spend more if you would like, you can discuss this more with your partner. FYI you do not have to be vegan to participate in this swap however you do need to have a blog. People will be paired based on the shipping and dietary preferences.

Please enter to participate by August 27, 2012 at 1:30PM EST. I will match people up and let them know their pairs by September 1, 2012. You will have one month to gather your items and mail them out- so all packages should be mailed by September 28, 2012. Once you receive your package please photograph the contents and make a post to your blog detailing what is in your package, link to your partners blog and a link to this posting.

*Disclaimer: Please remember that this swap is based on trust and only for those who are serious about participating and will follow through.
My Past Care Package:

Cleanse Fails & Wins

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I know that I said I would do the Crazy Sexy 21-Day Cleanse but after the first 5 days I failed it. I am finding that life with a new baby doesn’t always allow you to do everything that you plan and that at times you just have to go with the flow. Now this may all sound like I am blaming it on the baby (which I am a little) but honestly it was hard to stick with reading the various affirmations, daily goals and ect.  As for the food part I only have had a few minor fails and plan to continue to follow the 60/40 plan.

Okay so things really aren’t as dramatic as they might seem, overall Neil and I both have stuck with the Crazy Sexy Diet/Cleanse with a few minor fails which include:

  • I had Thai takeout that my parents got for dinner after a crazy day out.
  • I have had coffee which honestly I’m not sorry about. I have had no more than one cup per day and most days I don’t have a cup and I’m okay with that. Neil has also had coffee.
  • We gave into our hunger and desire for our favorite dumplings from the dumpling cart Saturday (which we now regret- too much gluten!).
  • I had a gluten free beer. Neil had beer this week too at home and at a work dinner.
  • We stopped following the cleanse in the book. Tending to a fussy baby, nursing, sleeping and focusing on eating as well as possible took priority.

What I like to call the Crazy Sexy Diet Wins:

  • We have successfully reduced the amount of gluten that we have been eating. With the exception of beer, dumplings and today Neil had Field Roast deli slices for lunch we have not eaten any other glutenous foods in 8 days.  We are both feeling a lot better and our digestion has improved.  We will not be eliminating gluten completely from our diet (we both enjoy beer too much and Neil is a homebrewer) because a little gluten doesn’t bother us but we will be limiting our intake because we both feel better.
  • We have increased raw foods. We have been enjoying lots of green juices, green smoothies and extra large salads. We feel great since increasing all of these and I am so glad to get back to juicing! Also to be honest one of our favorite meals now are extra large salads with tons of veggies, a little cooked protein and sometimes a little whole grain added in <– so good.
  • We have maintained our caffeine reduction. Back when I got pregnant I pretty much stopped drinking coffee in my first trimester with the exception of a few small decaf coffees and in my second and third trimesters I had decaf 3-4 times per week and once in awhile a half caf. During this time Neil decided to reduce his coffee intake from 2-4 cups per day to one cup per day (sometimes two on the weekends).
  • We have reduced our sweets. When I was pregnant I developed this crazy sweet tooth and was always wanting coconut ice cream and chocolate chip cookies.  Well the craving for chocolate chip cookies didn’t go away once Edie was born and the first week home Neil must have made at least three small batches.  I’m happy to say that as much as I want a chocolate chip cookie right now we won’t be heading to the kitchen to bake any for awhile and that both of our sweet tooth’s have been satisfied lately with a small piece of dark chocolate.
  • We increased our workouts. I went for a walk 5 out of 7 days last week and Neil got back on track with his training schedule, biked to work and also ran a 5k. I am happy to say it feels amazing to be back on a more regular workout out schedule and I plan to keep it up!

Okay so it wasn’t a total failure. We didn’t stay on track like we had wanted to but we are keeping up the principles of the 60/40 plan of the Crazy Sexy Diet and will be maintaining our workouts.  One day I hope to really be able to commit the necessary time and focus to do the Crazy Sexy Cleanse.

 

Crazy Sexy Cleanse: Days 2-4

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I was hoping to do an update sooner than this but this mama has been super busy and dealing with a fussy, gassy baby which takes priority. I have to be honest as well I cheated on the cleanse today with a mug of coffee and a few spoonfuls of coconut iced cream.  The coffee was due to a sleepless night, which I know is a poor excuse but I decided I “needed” it.

So lets check in on Days 2-4:

AM/Breakfast: Tea, Water, Millet Toast with Avocado, Apple Sprout Smoothie

Lunch: Rice Bowl with black beans, salsa, lettuce, jalapenos, guacamole and hot sauce

Snack: Cocomojoe Bar

Dinner: Extra Large Salad with leftover tofu and lots of veggies with Lemon Goddess Dressing

Activity: Quick 20 minute walk with Edie the BOB

AM/Breakfast: Tea, Water, Millet Toast with Avocado

Lunch: Tortilla with ketchup, mustard and sauteed summer squash and a large green salad with hemp seeds, tomatoes, cucumber and Lemon Goddess Dressing

Snack: Cocomojoe Bar

Dinner: (hellish evening with a screaming baby) Bowl of brown rice with hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, Braggs and sriracha

Activity: 40 minute walk with Edie the BOB

AM/Breakfast: Water, coffee, green juice (romaine, cucumber, golden beet), gluten free toast with almond butter and banana

Lunch: Thai Stir Fry Veggies & Tofu with Rice

Dinner: Thai Stir Fry Veggies & Tofu with Rice and fresh roll

Dessert: Chocolate PB Coconut Milk Iced Cream

Activity: 40 minute walk

Tomorrow I vow to get back on track with this cleanse! One off day doesn’t mean I’m a failure and it doesn’t mean that the cleanse is over!

Oh and just because even after a crazy roller coaster of a night with her I can’t help but smile at this silly little face and I am reminded how amazing it is to be her mama.

Boba Baby Wrap & Giveaway!

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When we first found out we were pregnant I knew immediately that we would be the type of parents who would take on the practice of babywearing.  As we learned in our Natural Baby Care Class there are a number of benefits to babywearing which just made us more excited to try it out.

Did you know?*

  • Babies that are held/carried often cry less.
  • Babies that are held/carried are calmer.
  • Babies that are held/carried are better sleepers.
  • Babies that are held/carried nurse more frequently.
  • Babies that are held/carried have better digestion, especially those who experience gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  • Babies that are held/carried develop better.

Once we decided to babywear we had to then figure out which carrier would be the best for us to use.  There are so many different types of carriers (you can read about them here) it can get really confusing and honestly expensive because I really want to try them all but alas I have to reign myself in and only try a few.

Since Edie is so tiny our options have been more limited on which carriers are safest due to the weight minimum of many carriers, many are 8lbs which I am happy to say Edie should be up to now or at least soon. So to start out with we have been using the Boba Baby Wrap which I am happy to say Neil and I have both really been enjoying.

The Boba Baby Wrap is the perfect wrap style carrier – with its unique fabric blend and the no-guesswork tying, the Boba Wrap is a great choice for beginners and advanced babywearers alike. The simple design of this baby wrap, free of buckles, straps or buttons makes it perfectly comfortable for both you and your baby. By evenly distributing the weight of your child, there is no time limit to how long your baby can stay in the wrap, so you may calm and sooth your baby with your warmth, your voice, your movement and your heart beat as long as you are both content! (Source)

It took Neil and I a few tries to get the fit right but after watching a few videos and following the instructional photos we finally figured out how to do it correctly.

What I love about the Boba Baby Wrap:

  • The fabric is light which is great with how hot our summer has been.
  • Edie feels secure in it.
  • Edie sleeps in the wrap leaving my hands free to do other things.
  • I can wear it anywhere.  I love to wear it out because Edie sleeps in it and I can walk around without having to push a stroller and it leaves my hands free to eat, drink or shop.

What I don’t love about the Boba Baby Wrap:

  • It takes some thinking ahead when I am planning to wear it out.  I have found that the best way for me to prepare is to put it on before we head out so when we arrive at our destination I can just take Edie out of her car seat and place her in the wrap.  Prior to doing this I would end up dragging the long fabric on the ground as I tried to wrap it around myself.  It’s not a huge deal but I just wish it was a little more convenient to put on quickly.

Overall we love our Boba Baby Wrap and one day when Edie is bigger we hope to try out the other styles of carriers that Boba have to offer.

Giveaway:

Enter for your chance to win a Boba Baby Carrier, and one of two Boba Wraps! All products can be seen at www.bobafamily.com. With Boba products it is easier than ever to enjoy Freedom Together as a family and Boba wants YOU to get a chance to use their products. To enter to win, “Like” them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/boba), follow them on Twitter (www.twitter.com/boba) and follow them on Pinterest! (http://pinterest.com/bobafamily/).

a Rafflecopter giveaway


*Source: From Babywearing: The Benefits and Beauty of This Ancient Tradition by Maria Blois, MD (Pharmasoft Publishing, 2005) found in excerpt from Mothering magazine.

Disclaimer: Boba provided me with their product at no cost. I was under no obligation to review them if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway.

Postpartum Update: 1 Month

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We made it one whole month with lots of ups and very few downs as new parents.  It is amazing to me how fast this past month went and I love watching Edie grow and become more interactive but part of me wants time to slow down just a little bit. Today on Naturally Family you can read Edie’s one month update.

How I Am Healing: I would say I am about 90% there! So excited! I have my 6 week appointment in 2 weeks and hope that I am cleared to get back to regular activity. Once I am I hope to get back to yoga classes and running!

Activity: I have been getting out for a walk every morning with Edie and it feels great.  I love pushing her in the stroller because it really adds so resistance to my walk-it’s so much more challenging! You can follow my workouts on DailyMile.

Weight: Still no change but I am feeling good.  I have a few new pieces of clothing (although the bottoms are maternity) and I hope that in the next few weeks I can find a few more items that I feel comfortable in because I am so over t-shirts and workout pants.

Breastfeeding: Things have been going really well with breastfeeding.  We have had a few fussy moments with Edie when she has wanted to cluster feed and I haven’t had enough for her so she gets frustrated but otherwise things are going well. What’s new is that I decided about a week ago (and also per recommendation of the lactation consultant at our pediatricians office) that I would start pumping at least once per day to help my supply.  I have been pumping most days but I’m still not getting a ton which may be because Edie is nursing so frequently.  Yesterday I had a good window of time (she took a 3.5 hour nap) and was able to pump one ounce which the most I have been able to since I started.  I am hoping that I will be able to pump more over time because I would really like to pump enough to have Neil give Edie a bottle a few nights a week so I can have a little me time and he can have some bonding time with her after he gets out of work.