I'm anxious... 10 more days until our six-week check up and I am feeling good and really ready to get back to working out!

 

Hard to believe that Michael is already a month old - time flew by this month. He is growing every day and is just so neat to watch as he becomes more aware and more curious about the world around him. It's so hard to believe we all start out this way! March is going to be an exciting month for us - I go back to work, we start a mom and baby workout class, and hopefully the weather will be in our favor and we will be able to get outside a bit.

 

I would love start going for walks with him on a daily basis - maybe it would help me get out of maternity clothes! I am surprised I lost any weight this week with the birthday dinner I had last night. My husband took me to the Living Room where we had Champagne, oysters, tartare, steak, dessert, and red wine... it was so so good! A great night out.

 

On my 25th birthday I was flying down to Columbus to compete at the Arnold! What a contrast in just one year!

 

Next week I will probably be down another 2 lbs - it's a totally reasonable amount of weight to be losing on a weekly basis - but I am continuously unreasonable, so my goal is 6 lbs. After that - I'll be able to work out again. I'm sure I'll have to feel as though I am on the brink of death a few times at Hot Yoga - but I can't wait to get back to it!!!

I just want to start by thanking everyone for all of the wonderful words and gifts we received for Michael and for our family. Last night everyone at he gymnastic club went above and beyond for us at my gymnastic baby shower and it was unbelievable. Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!!! It was wonderful to see everyone and we appreciate everyone's love and generosity so so much. And Michael definitely loved meeting all his new little girlfriends!! He's going to be the best dressed kid in town - without a doubt! So thank-you again everyone!!

 

Now that we are into more of a routine, I can actually plan 'outings' and events. This week I actually have shopping, a couple of lunches, and even one dinner WITHOUT the baby planned! That should be interesting... Grandma and Grandpa REALLY want to babysit though so how could I turn that offer down???

 

And I am looking forward to that six-week mark more than ever now. I am sooo anxious to get the go-ahead to start working out again! I lost 2.5 lbs this week as opposed to my goal of 10 (ha!) But I'm still down, so I am resetting my goal for this week to be down another 5. Eating wise I feel in control, but I am really feeling out-of shape and weak. And I am still in maternity clothes... boo!

I feel like I don't have much to report on a weekly basis. The days go by quickly and Michael is amazing to watch every day, but I myself haven't been up to very much beyond life with baby. And it's wonderful!

 

I am still on track weight-wise, but food in general has been not a point of focus. It's very different being in this situation where I am not completely structuring meal plans and every calorie that I am eating. I am eating much less because I am not thinking about it so much, but I am not eating very well. I need to eat a bit more often and make better choices. But I do like that I don't feel so obsessed with food and dieting, and I am still losing weight. Not that being 210 lbs is anything to be proud of, but it is nice to see the weight dropping.

 

Next week I want to be 200 lbs. that will be 44 lbs less than when I went into labour. This will be a tough week because the weight loss has started to level out and 10 lbs is a tall order. But I think if I actually ate healthy foods 4-5 times a day rather than crap food twice a day my body just might co-operate with me on this.

 

My other goal for next week is to be out of maternity clothes and back into 'fat' clothes. I never thought I would be excited to almost fit my 'fat' clothes again!! Ha ha.

So my baby is wonderful, he is so so good and he had his second doctor's appointment today where they said he is gaining weight at an amazing rate which means he is feeding really well and adjusting. Ha ha - a month ago I wasn't getting complimented  on my 'amazing' weight gain! I am happy to have passed off my genetic skills.

 

I'll be back at work soon which makes me sad, but I will be putting it off a bit longer than I had originally planned. I miss my girls, but I went for two hours to get my nails done yesterday and I missed Michael so much! I want to feel ready enough to be away from him for 5 hours a day.

 

As for the weight loss plan - week one was a great success. I am down 15 pounds from last week and 30 lbs from the day I went into labour. I know that every week won't be this easy, and I have been far from 'hardcore' but it's amazing what can happen when you transition from eating like a maniac to 'normal' eating. And in my world this week normal eating included cookies, ice cream, and butter chicken. So like I said - far from hardcore but way better than when I was pregnant. And I am 5.5 lbs away from next week's goal to stay on track. It feels much better to see the numbers go down than continuously up, up, up. And not being nauseous every day helps as well!

My baby is almost a week old!

 

I'm so in love with him, he's amazing! Michael Christopher Tzavaras was born on Monday January 28 at 1:00pm weighing 8 lbs 8 oz and measuring 20.5 inches. Labour and delivery was about as good as it could have been. He was face up so he had to have a vacuum for the last part, but other than a bit of bruising and a conehead he is happy and healthy.

 

And I am 100% behind getting an epidural with my next baby. What a great medical breakthrough!

 

The whole experience has been a bit surreal. Labour was a bit more painful than I expected (before the drugs!) But the delivery was less painful than I anticipated and went by quite quickly. It's amazing when they are out though, you can't believe that the end result is actually here. And he is a great baby, he sleeps well and feeds well and doesn't cry any more than I would expect a newborn to.

 

Plus I have the greatest husband in the world. He is an amazing dad already and is just so helpful and domestic. I think he is doing more than me... seriously. The baby needs me to feed, but everything else -Taso is doing. 

 

Now I have no excuses to weigh as much as I do! My goal is to lose 70 lbs by May 1. Breaking it down, I need to lose 10 lbs a week for 4 weeks, then 5 lbs a week for another 4 weeks, and 2.5 lbs a week for another 4 weeks. Sounds like a tall order, but I am really good at losing weight! And we've really cleaned up our eating at home and it feels good. It's a welcome break from 9 months of chaotic non-stop eating!

 

Obviously I am not working out quite yet, but I can't wait to! Michael and I start a baby and me workout class next month!! He'll probably be stronger than me by then!

 

So that's my update! Thank-you for all of the congratulations and support from everyone, we really appreciate it and feel very lucky to have such wonderful and loving friends and family. Sorry for my delayed replies as well, I'm just getting my butt organized!!