7.5

Carter with Digby- 7 months

I know, I know. I’m behind. Again. Here we are just a few weeks away from month 8 and I’m just getting around to 7. It’s time to just accept that the blog gets updated when it gets updated. The last month has been busy. I started back to work on August 13^th and have been settling into a new school year and a new schedule. I wonder how other teachers feel about the first day/week of school but I hate it. The transition time involving getting procedures solidified and kids in the right place is my least favorite part of the year. But now that I’m two weeks in things are going smoothly and I’m enjoying being back in the thick of school. Leaving Carter, after getting to spend the whole summer with him, was hard. I so enjoyed mornings watching Sesame Street and Sid the Science Kid. And I've said it before and I’ll say it again, happiness is a sleeping baby on your chest. I loved our morning and afternoon naps on the couch. He is changing so much every day and I hate that I’m going to miss stuff. But again, leaving him with my mom makes my life so much easier. I know he’s taken care of and that Nanny is having a good time with him. He is almost crawling and gets frustrated that he is not able to go where he wants to. But even through his frustration, we usually have a very happy boy. I think we might see the first tooth soon…at least I hope so. Teething is no fun! We added Puffs to his diet (easily dissolved cereal pieces) and he loves to eat them! Carter is getting to the stage where he doesn’t like when we leave then room. He really gets upset when Shelby steps out of the room; he loves his daddy. Shelby has been really busy getting ready for school to start. I went up last weekend and helped him get his room ready. He was very tired after the first week of school but survived with an excellent attitude. We have a lot of adjustments to make figuring out how to spend time together and still get all our papers graded! I’m really looking forward to the weather cooling off and getting to do all the fun Fall things with Carter. His first Halloween and a trip to a pumpkin patch are top on my list. And then Thanksgiving and Christmas are around the corner. My, how time is flying!

happy.

curious.

mischievous.

studious.

giggly.

athletic.

cute.

done.

Six...belated

 I know, I know. I've been remiss in posting Carter’s 6 month update. 7 months will be here before you know it. We've been very busy the last month. A trip to Michigan, three weddings, and the news that Shelby got a teaching job for the 2012-13 school year kept things hectic. So I promise to write more for month 7 but in the meantime here are a few pictures from the last month…

 With Digby at 6 months

Working on sitting on his own.

Blowing raspberries at Mom.

 Saying hi!

Watching Sesame Street. This is his reaction to the Muppet, Murray.

Shelby and I on vacation in Michigan

Watching TV with Daddy. Two peas...

Such a happy boy.

Ready to go for a ride. 

Hi, Mom! I'm ready to crawl...almost.

I love to swing!

Sitting on my own. Not for too long before I topple over, but I'm getting close!

Month 5-Food Frustrations and Middle Names

Month 5-Food Frustrations and Middle Names

5 Months with Digby

We have been staying pretty busy here at Casa Wilson. The last few weeks Carter has been changing so much. We’ve established a really good schedule for us and he is sleeping and napping pretty well. Well, most nights at least. One of the biggest changes was adding food into Carter’s diet. Feeding Carter has always been kind of a touchy subject for me. I wasn’t able to breastfeed as long as I had planned. We had to supplement feedings with formula from the day we brought Carter home from the hospital. I tried everything: prescription drugs, herbal supplements, and every wives tale in the books. It was an incredibly trying time for me and while the decision to strictly use formula was the right one for us, there were still feelings of failure and worries of judgment. But there have been a lot of advantages to having Carter strictly be a formula baby. Shelby can feed him in the middle of the night which allows us to alternate nights on and it has helped Shelby bond with Carter. Going back to work was a lot easier not having to worry about pumping and we quickly settled into nice routine.

Then Carter’s 4 month check-up rolls around and the doctor told us we can start Carter on rice cereal. I was initially excited about getting to feed Carter real food that is until we fed Carter real food. The kid HATED rice cereal. He was completely disinterested and, boy, did he get mad. We tried over and over again, but he never warmed up to it. We tried different consistencies, different temperatures, you name it. He wanted none of it. I quickly got frustrated, reliving the discouragement I felt while trying to nurse. My kid was never going to eat real food! He’d go off to elementary school with a bottle in his lunch box. But then I shook it off and did some research. My mom gave me this great book put out by the American Academy of Pediatrics and it has become my go to source for questions. That book, along with a few other websites, assuaged my concerns and was assured that some kids just aren't ready for food at 4 months and that rice cereal doesn’t have to be the first thing they eat. So just before he turned 5 months we tried green beans. The first try was tough with results similar to the dreaded rice cereal but gradually he started to eat. He mimicked us as we showed him how to chew and swallow. He started to open his mouth wide and slurp green beans off the spoon. I was elated! We’ve had green beans for two weeks and no reactions so now we’ll move on to other green vegetables (peas), then yellow vegetables (squash), and then orange veggies (carrots and sweet potatoes). The doctor told us to save fruits for last because that is all he will want to eat if we start with that. Anyhow, I’m glad to have survived yet another milestone!

First Day of Green Beans

Last Day of Green Beans

After looking back over the blog I realized that we never really addressed how Carter’s middle name, Quinn, came to be. After exhausting the list of family names and not finding the right one to go with Carter, we turned back to our first name list. Quinn was on that list and one I think Shelby and I both liked. I’m not sure the exact moment we decided on it but here are the reasons why we selected it. When I was growing up some of my favorite memories with my dad involve listening to Oldies music. My favorite band growing up was The Monkees and when I went to college my radio was permanently tuned to the Oldies station. One of my favorite songs was “The Mighty Quinn” (I used to want to get a really big dog, like a Mastiff, and name him Mighty Quinn). The version I was most familiar with was the one performed by Manfred Mann. It was only later that I discovered the song was actually written by Bob Dylan. Dylan is one of Shelby’s favorites and so he liked the origin of the name more because of that. I think one of the things that sealed the deal was when I was pregnant and “Like a Rolling Stone” came on the radio and Carter started moving and kicking really hard. When the song was over he calmed down (to this day Carter really likes when Bob Dylan plays in my car). So Quinn seemed like the perfect marriage of my sentimentality and Shelby’s rock and roll sensibilities. Plus, “Q” is a pretty cool and unusual initial and it sounds good with “C”. In case you haven't heard it before (or haven't heard it in a while), here ya go!

Here are some of my other favorite moments from the last month!

Relaxing

Getting used to the bouncer!

We love bath time! He has started turning the pages in the book himself!!

Life at 4 months, Parent/ Teacher Conference, and More!

4 month Check-In- I’m a little late in updating the blog this month. Things have been a whirlwind with school winding down. I finished my last day of work for the year on Friday and we attended my brother-in-law’s high school graduation. We enjoyed a lovely 3 day Memorial weekend and now Carter and I are left to fall into our summer schedule. Carter had his 4 month checkup last Monday, a week after he turned 4 months old. He weighed 14 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 25 ¾ inches long. His weight is average for a 4 month old but his head and length are that of a 6 month old. He’s a big, solid boy. I’m constantly amazed at how he’s changing and what he’s learning. He smiles at us all the time and is watching our lips as we talk to him. Sometimes it seems like he’s even trying to mimic us and the sounds. Carter is rolling over, not often, not because he can’t, but I think, because he’s perfectly content to stay put (Shelby informed me last night that he thinks Carter is like me and doesn’t like change). He is spending less time on his play mat and more time in his swing because he likes to be upright and see what’s happening around him. He smiles a lot at the dogs and they seem to like him too. They both periodically check on him and Charlie is quick to let me know when the baby monitor goes off (as if I didn’t hear it!) and he follows me into the room when I get Carter up from his nap, or when I change him. I like the idea that, to Charlie, we are “his people” and Carter is “his boy”.

 Parent/ Teacher Conference- As school wrapped up, I actually found myself not quite ready for the year to be over. With my maternity leave right smack in the middle of the year, everything felt very disjointed. Everything fell into B.B. (before baby) and A.B. (after baby). But I do know that some very strange things started happening at school. This year marked my 5th year teaching at Ascension and my 7th year teaching over all. I finished the fall semester very tired and very pregnant. I was so ready for maternity leave and I think my teaching had fallen into a rut, things got a little stagnant. But after I had Carter and returned to work, I felt rejuvenated. I was excited to be back amongst the students and my passion for teaching had returned. I did lesson units I had never done before and I was amazed at what my students had produced. And those students whose behavior often had me pulling my hair out just didn’t seem to bother me as much. I think all that came from becoming a mom. I am able to look at students in a different light. They are all some mother’s “Carter”. So, being a mom has made me a better teacher. But I also think being a teacher is making me a better mom. I so want Carter to love learning and school. I want him to love to read and write. I’m doing all I can at this age to stimulate and engage him, but I really look forward to doing all those fun activities that come later. (I know, I know, enjoy this time while it lasts…trust me I am!) Being a teacher has also helped me be a better time manager, which I’m learning is essential in motherhood. I still have a lot to learn about juggling a clean house, work, a baby, and my own sanity! This summer is going to be so much fun!

And More!- One of the highlights of the last few months has been my encaustic art class. Encaustic painting uses hot beeswax as the medium. It has been so much fun, not to mention incredibly therapeutic. It’s my mommy away time. On Saturdays, I watch Carter for a couple of hours while Shelby holes up in the office to write and work on his blog—his daddy away time. I think it’s been really great for both of us to continue to have time to ourselves to be creative. I think it makes us better parents to have time to do what we love to do. Here’s the link to Shelby’s blog: http://thepurgingofthepencontinues.blogspot.com/ and here are a few of the finished pieces.

"On the Road to Chillicothe"- 8x8 Photo Transfer on Encaustic

Photo by Kim Jackson

"1/14/12"- 8x12 Mixed Media Encaustic

"Dust Bowl Dance"-10x10 Mixed Media Encaustic

3 Months and counting

3 Months Old- With Digby

Today, Carter is 3 months old. I am amazed at where the time has gone. Every day is filled with new discoveries and more and more we are falling into a new routine of life with a baby. At Carter’s 2 month check-up he weighed 11.95 pounds (average weight of a 2 month old) and his head and length was the average for a 3 month old. So far our kid is tall for his age, which is a huge relief to me. I always hated being the shortest one in the class. The doctor said he looks great and we were relieved that his first vaccination shots didn’t affect him too adversely that day. In fact, that night Carter slept for 8 solid hours. He repeated that marvelous feat for 4 nights then we had a couple of weeks of up-once-a-night feedings. Then this week we’ve been graced with sleep-full nights, even one of 9 ½ hours! I am super thankful our kid is sleeping through the night.

We’ve started to venture out more taking trips to Pampa to visit great-grandparents and Colorado Springs to visit cousins for the first time. Carter is an excellent traveler. The day trip to Pampa was really great. We left around his noon nap, arrived, visited, played, and came home when it was time for his evening nap. We tried not to mess up his schedule and it worked out really well. Last weekend, for Easter, we went to Colorado Springs to visit my sister-in-law, Shawnda, and my nephews, Ethan and Bryce. On the way up Carter slept from Amarillo to Raton. We stopped to change him, make a bottle, and grab some food. Shelby sat in the back with him and fed him. Eventually he fell back asleep and slept the rest of the way to Colorado Springs. It was so good to be with family and it was even better for us to get out of our comfort zone. We took Carter to Garden of the Gods (he slept the whole time) and he went to his cousin, Ethan’s, 3^rd birthday party. Then we went out to dinner. Taking him out in public still makes me nervous. I’m afraid he’ll have a melt down and people will stare. Everyone keeps assuring me that it bothers me more than it bothers anybody else but still it stresses me out. Maybe that will get better. We celebrated Easter morning with pancakes and Easter gifts. The drive home was wonderfully uneventful.

With Great-Grandma and Great-Grand-dad

With cousins Ethan and Bryce

With the Easter Bunny

The last few weeks we’ve had lots of fun changes and discoveries. A friend of my sister’s shared a Baby Einstein video with her. Carter loved it. Since then we’ve been given several others and Carter is in heaven. He sits and watches them intently. He has favorite parts that he reacts to each time. He especially likes things that spin. He makes a lot of noise when he’s playing now and is very loud! At times it’s hard to tell the talking from fussing. He’s been gumming his lips which cracks me up because he looks like a little old man missing his dentures. He’s come close several times to rolling over and I bet that happens in the next week or two. He grabs everything now and his hands are constantly in his mouth. Time to invest in hand sanitizer!

Happy Boy

Family Picture

Whatever Gets You Through the Night

Carter inconceivably turned 10 weeks old this past weekend. The time has gone very quickly, but at the same time, it is hard to imagine a time when he wasn't a fixture in our family. Carter has changed so much since we first brought him home. He has trained us as to the things he wants and likes and when he tries to communicate with us, we usually get it. He does everything with a lot more purpose now: moving when he is playing with his toys, expressing actual happiness when he smiles, and looking where there is noise.

A very strange thing began to happen last weekend. We had constantly joked that each night would be the night that Carter would finally sleep six solid hours. He surprised us last Saturday night by skipping straight over six and advancing to seven. We believed this to be a fluke and not a pattern; however, he has done it four of the past eight nights. Of course at this point, we now expect it, so we are disappointed when he wakes us up at 4AM or 5AM, but he generally goes back down very quickly, within half an hour or less. I honestly never thought we would see the day, but after reading today's Baby Center update, I was informed that we are a lucky ten percent of parents that get to enjoy this uninterrupted sleep, so I count myself as lucky.

Since this long-term sleep has started occurring, we are starting to get him used to sleeping in his room in his crib. He doesn't sleep as well in his room, so we are just trying to get him to go down for naps in there for the time being, but I think he will continue to get more used to it and eventually, we will get our room back to ourselves and get to take down the bulky pack and play in our room.

Last weekend we took our first road trip to Pampa to visit Liz's grandparents, or Carter's great-grandparents. We planned the car time are Carter's normal nap times and everything went very well. Carter slept all the way there, got up, ate, played, and when he got tired, we packed him up for the ride home. He slept all the way home. This was kind of a trial run for the trip to Colorado Springs we will be taking in a few weeks to visit my sister and my nephews. I know that it won't be quite that smooth, but I am optimistic that he will spend a good amount of time sleeping and a good amount of time able to be placated by one of us.

Life at Two Months

2 Months Old

Carter at one month with Digby

Carter at 2 months with Digby

We can’t believe how quickly time has passed here at the Wilson house. Carter is 2 months old today! We survived! I have loved getting to know him. It seems we've passed the hardest part of infancy (although I’m sure those seasoned parents out there would tell us that’s just wishful thinking). Carter is sleeping an average of 5 hours at a time at night which to us is like heaven. Every night I still look at Shelby and say, “Tonight’s the night for 6!”, and someday that will be true. At the beginning 5 hours was unimaginable and I’m grateful it’s become the norm, especially since going back to work. It was tough leaving Carter the first morning (and is still difficult) but I was relieved to be leaving him with Nanny (my mom) that once I got to school I was amazed how quickly everything fell back into routine. My students have been wonderful and they have made the transition back into the classroom easy. It also helps that I have a conference period backed up against my lunch hour so I’m able to go to my Mom’s house and see Carter every day. This helps break up the day into more manageable pieces. At Nanny’s house he spends the morning watching Sesame Street and Sid the Science Kid. And believe it or not he really watches them. He follows the characters with his eyes and when they sing he pumps his legs and coos at the TV. He seems to get especially excited while watching Elmo’s World. I’m not kidding. It cracks me up! He is tracking noises really well and follows us with his eyes and turns his head when we enter or leave the room. He’s so much fun.

It’s also been really nice to learn his preferences and know what makes him happy. We have him on a pretty good schedule. I’ve tried to follow the “eat, play, sleep” suggestion from Babywise and that’s worked well for us. That’s about all I’ve taken from the book, but take what you like and leave the rest, right?! He’s eating about 4 ounces at time and loves music at bedtime. Bath time is one of our favorite times of the day, for all of us. Carter likes the water and we read to him in the bath from one of those plastic bath books. He really seems to like the colorful pages and he talks to us during the whole bath, I’m sure giving us a critique of the story! After Carter’s bath, Shelby plays songs for him on the guitar. Carter just watches Shelby’s hands on the neck playing the notes. Shelby thinks one day when Carter’s 3 or 4 he’s just going to pick up a guitar and start playing it. Last night, Shelby said something that really hit home with me about us knowing how to take care of Carter better than anyone. I hadn’t thought about it like that but I suppose that’s what the last 2 months have really been about, everyone getting used to other. I like knowing that we get the privilege of being Carter’s parents and get to care for him.

Carter went to his first baseball game last night and was real trooper. He lasted the whole game! I was certain we’d be leaving shortly after we got there but he took in the crowd, ate, napped, and had a diaper change. It was exciting cheering Uncle Shane on to victory! It was a super successful outing and gives us hope that we will be able to get out more. It seems that we have found a new normal as a family and the fun is just beginning.

Life at One Month

Excited about swinging!

Sweet face!

Carter is finally settling in and thankfully so are we. We’ve survived those first initial sleep-deprived nights. How we did it I don’t know! He’s finally sleeping 3-4 hours at a time and it seems to only be getting better. What amazes me most is how much I’ve learned in the last 5 weeks! Here are a few of the most important things I’ve learned so far…

Carter prefers Similac to Enfamil.

This was a hard won piece of information. After a week of a screaming baby who would no longer take a bottle, we switched back. The change was instantaneous. Carter was calmer and you could just tell he felt better. We thought he was just colic-y; turns out he was just hungry.

When changing a boy’s diaper, cover up! Otherwise, it’s like staring down the barrel of a loaded gun.

I learned this one the hard way…many times over. Wardrobe changes on everyone’s part have occurred and it probably won’t be the last time either.

A Boppy pillow is the greatest invention in the world.

I could have never dreamed that a pillow would be indispensable. I carry it around the house, from room to room, all day long. It’s the best to nurse and feed on. It’s great for Carter to nap on. The dogs even like it! (They think it’s theirs, we constantly have to shoo them off of it!)

A baby sleeping on your chest is possibly the BEST thing in the whole world.

I say possibly only because Carter hasn’t really smiled yet, or said, “I love you”, but those are probably the only things that could top a sweet baby’s weight asleep on you. I love it!

Every day just gets more and more fun. As he has started to interact more and play and make eye contact, I can feel myself dreading having to go back to work. I have missed my students and I really love my job, but I will definitely miss being home, taking in every minute of this little boy. I know he’ll be in good hands when I go back next week since he’ll be with Nanny (my mom). I’m really happy and relieved to know I’ll be leaving him with someone who loves him as much as I do!

The Arrival of Carter Quinn Wilson

Sorry we have both been so lacking in updates, but he has been here for about 2 weeks now:

It has been a whirlwind of late night feedings and learning how to make him happy, but we are starting to get the hang of this parenting thing. Carter decided that he would go ahead and come on the weekend, just like I wanted. Liz went into labor on January 13th around 7 PM or so. We had just finished up dinner at McAlister's and grabbed some frozen yogurt at Frazzleberry's when she had a contraction in the car. She decided to go ahead and get in the bath when we got home, as Braxton-Hicks contractions are supposed to subside when you get in the tub, but they didn't subside, they only got closer together. At about 10 PM, the contractions were about 4 minutes apart on a consistent basis. Now, the birthing classes that we took said you should come to the hospital when contractions were 5 minutes apart, but we were surprised to find out that when the contractions actually started coming at a regular frequency, we had bypassed 5 minutes apart altogether. We got to the hospital and they hooked Liz up to monitors to see if she was really in labor. I realized she was in labor when I had to start answering the nurse's questions for her.

I won't go into all the gory details, but I will say labor was very surreal and still doesn't seem like it happened entirely. After Liz got the epidural, she was in good spirits and the epidural helped her to relax and labor progressed more quickly. After a sleepless night, Carter came at 4:18 AM on January 14th. We got to experience the great new rooms and great standard of care at Northwest Texas Hospital (and no, that wasn't sarcasm). Liz's nurses and Carter's nurses were kind, helpful, and quick to respond. We got discharged from the hospital around midday on January 16th.

We were both kind of at a loss when we got home. Our two dachshunds have adapted well to the new member of the family, which has been a relief. We didn't really know what to do with ourselves or with Carter when we got home. Carter put us through some rigorous training and conditioning our first night home: another sleepless night. We've since not had a night that bad, but that first sleepless night meant that we didn't get sleep for 2 nights out of 4 from the night/morning that he was born through Monday night. I did come to a realization that night about how much I already love Carter. I was sitting in his room and rocking him as he screamed his throat raw. I felt a serenity that I still can't quite explain, knowing that everything was going to be alright and that I was glad that I could be there for my son when he needed me.

With the help of some people who know what they are doing, namely my mother-in-law and the lactation nurse at the hospital, we have figured out how to appease Carter for the most part.His cries are always a little different. He still seems to be sleeping for longer periods during the day, which means shorter amounts of time between interruptions at night, but at least he is sleeping at night, for the most part. I took off of work for the first week we were home. The week passed in a strange blur and the passage of time is really obscured and fuzzy for that week. It honestly seemed like I took two days off and then returned to work.

Returning to work was difficult. I miss Carter and Liz and think of them constantly while at work. I still have trouble leaving to come back to work from lunch on days when I get to eat lunch at home. Since returning to work though, life seems a little more normal and the passage of time has become less anomalous. This past weekend actually felt like a weekend, despite remaining at home and taking care of Carter all weekend. We actually watched a couple of movies and got out for a walk and for a quick trip so Liz could get some bloodwork done.

Liz was just commenting last night how it seems as if Carter has been with us and a part of us for much longer than the two weeks that he has been here. I must say that I agree. It is strange how quickly all of this happens. It is also a blessing to know that I am selfless and loving enough to be able to do this. I know there are times when I've had my doubts.

It's the Final Countdown . . .

We have been so busy, that I haven't had much time to blog, but rest assured, things are still going as planned. Carter decided that he didn't want to be the New Year's baby, which we were definitely okay with. Life has been a blur of buying those last few items he needs before he gets here, cleaning the house, making phone calls, preregistration at the hospital, weekly doctor appointments, washing baby clothes, and finishing up the nursery. The nursery is finally ready (minus hanging a few pictures and the like) due in large part to help from my in-laws, for whom I am thankful.

Liz noted in her last post that she is already progressing. It could really be any time. Any time she has a Braxton-Hicks contraction, I find myself looking at my watch as if to start timing contraction or looking at the floor to see if her water has broken, though I know that water breaking as it is usually depicted in movies and on TV is exceedingly rare. Regardless of all of the unknown things that are about to come my way, I am ready and excited for the challenge.

In my recent endeavors, I have come to the realization that child car seats are vastly complicated. There are about a million different ways to install them and most of them are incorrect. I have, however, read all the manuals to our vehicles and the seat itself, so I think I have it figured out. I am nonetheless going to get my installations checked by the Texas Department of Transportation or at the least, by someone at the hospital. I foresee myself being a vastly cautious parent, especially at first.

I must have made a million phone calls for all the stuff that has needed to be taken care of before he gets here, but by far the easiest phone call was one I made last week to the pediatrician that we finally decided on. I expected to have to set up a time to come by and fill out a bunch of paperwork, but no. All we have to do is tell the hospital and the OB who we are using and they will take care of everything. All the information they need, they will get afterwards. Talk about taking some pressure off and making life less stressful. I haven't even met the pediatrician yet, and I already like her for reducing my stress level.

We can't wait for Carter to get here and to share him with everyone. I am sure there will be many sleep-deprived, late-night blogs to follow.

This post was brought to you by GOB Bluth:

Thoughts on Entering 2012- Carter, Weight Loss, and Books

37.5 weeks- Carter will be here soon! At first the doctor thought he’d be here right around his due date. But after our last visit he expected me to be progressing and possibly delivering in the next week and half or so. That’s good news for me because my plan was to go back to school until I had him. It gives me a chance to get to know my new classes and students and to prepare them (and myself) for the substitutes. I am growing more uncomfortable by the day and am eager to meet my little boy. Shelby made fun of me last night for tearing up as we welcomed 2012. You don’t normally know what huge, exciting things life has in store for the upcoming year. But this year, even though I understand that I can in no way be completely prepared for what’s coming my way, I can’t help but already feeling like 2012 is blessed. It’s the year of my son’s birth and getting to witness all of his firsts. I just don’t know what could be better than that!!

I had two big resolutions in 2011. One was to lose weight; the other was to read at least 50 books. I know I had a few others but those were the big ones. And for the first time in my life I actually met my resolutions.

Weight Loss

I already talked a little bit about my weight loss journey in my first blog (http://www.lizshelbywilson.blogspot.com/2011/07/and-baby-makes-three.html) but I was really proud of myself for setting a goal and reaching it. I hadn’t hit my goal weight when I found out I was pregnant and obviously I wasn’t going to reach it in 2011. At my last doctor’s appointment I finally topped 200lbs., which I’m pretty sure I was at this time last year. While the additional weight hasn’t been comfortable, at least it wasn’t another 30 lbs. on top of what I already weighed. The plan now is to rejoin Weight Watchers and breastfeed to lose the baby weight after Carter’s arrival. I’ve missed exercising and look forward to heading back into the gym, but I’m not sure when that will happen. So in the meantime Carter and I will take walks around the block and I will scour Netflix for workout videos I can do at home. I’m so glad I got healthy before I got pregnant. I really think it helped make the pregnancy as uneventful and easy on me as possible. Plus, I still have the drive and desire to get healthy after this is over which is half the battle.

Books

I love to read and upon receiving my Kindle last Christmas, I set the goal to read 50 books in 2011.I downloaded several from Amazon and also found an online book club that allowed me to download lots of books. I also spent time at our public library checking out books during the summer. I asked several friends for recommendations and was pointed in the direction of goodreads.com. This is how I kept track of what I read and what I wanted to read. For time and space sake I won’t tell you every book but I thought I’d include some of my favorites from the year.

Non-fiction and Biography- I really wanted to read more non-fiction and biographies this year and I made some good progress on that front. Here are a few of my favorites.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption- Lauren Hillenbrand- This is the story of Louis Zamperini, a pilot and prisoner of war. It’s one of the most engaging exciting stories I’ve ever read. Could not stop reading it and would recommend it to anyone.

Lucky Man- Michael J. Fox- I have always loved Alex P. Keaton and really enjoyed MJF’s writing style. There are places that get political when discussing his Parkinson’s but I didn’t mind.

Kabul Beauty School- Deborah Rodriguez- Loved this view of the life of women in Afghanistan. Very engaging and interesting.

Blue Like Jazz- Donald Miller- I know, I know. I came to the party late on this one. Miller’s point of view allowed me to examine my own beliefs and really challenged me spiritually.

Other notable mentions- Me- Katherine Hepburn, Unbearable Lightness- Portia deRossi, and Lost Voices from the Titanic- Nick Barrat.

Fiction- Lots of YA on this list but still good reads!

Divergent series- Veronica Roth- Only the first book Divergent is out. Second book comes out in May. Set in dystopian Chicago, the community is divided into 5 factions-Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite- each with different strengths and beliefs. Tris, the main character, breaks from tradition and chooses a different faction than her family, which means she can never see them again. Moves fast and is interesting. Really great read, probably my favorite of the ones I read this summer.

The Mockingbirds- Daisy Whitney- After a student at Themis Academy is date raped, she can't rely on the school to take action. So she goes to the school's secret society that helps when students wrong their peers. This is also a series with the 2nd book out in February. It was good-held my attention, but didn't necessarily capture my imagination. Still planning on reading the second book.

Wither-Lauren DeStefano- Genetic mutations have caused women to begin dying at the age of 25. In order to prevent the extinction of humans, young girls are often kidnapped. After she's kidnapped, Rhine, is taken to a mansion and wed to a man with several other brides. This was a good read, quick and different. I liked the characters and was invested in what happens to them in the next book in the series, Fever (out in February).

Across the Universe- Beth Revis- Amy joins her family on a ship that is set to cross the universe in order to settle a colony 300 years in the future. Amy is prematurely unfrozen and discovers their mission is not as it seems. Really great book-great twist on the dystopian civilization since its set in space. The second book is out January 10, A Million Suns.

Delirium- Lauren Oliver- Love is seen as a disease that people must be inoculated against. Lena looks forward to her inoculation until she falls in love 95 days until her treatment. The consequences of her actions take her in a whole new direction. It's good and worth reading but similar to a lot of other stuff out there. The second book is out in March called Pandemonium.

Paper Town- John Green- This one is not in a series!! I liked the protagonist but ended up not loving the outcome of the plot. Definitely worth reading--has a similar feel in places to 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher.

The Forgotten Garden- Kate Morton- not a YA book but I loved how the story was constructed. It moves back and forth through different time periods but with a common thread running through the times. I loved it!

The Distant Hours- Kate Morton- Another really good read!!

Room- Emma Donoghue- I loved the voice of the narrator in this book. The story is told from the perspective of a 5 year old boy and the plot takes some unexpected twists and turns. I was so invested in the story I had to go online and find a plot synopsis because I had to go to bed but I had to know that the characters were going to be okay. Really great.

Agatha Christie- I really got into Agatha Christie this year and was able to pick up several copies of out of print books at our library book sales. My favorite so far has to be Murder on the Orient Express. It’s also spurred me on to find episodes of Poirot and Miss Marple on Netflix watch instantly. So clever and as good and twisted as anything anyone writes now. I picked up her autobiography at one of the book sales and plan to read it this year.