Sadness on Marathon Monday

Sending prayers out to those affected by this tragedy at the Boston Marathon.

I’m in PURE shock.

Please pray not only for the athletes but also for all of the spectators.

My heart goes out to everyone ❤

Sleeping in the Crib & NEW Workout

Happy Friday!

This week got off to a rough start, so the blog took a back burner. Once we got past Monday & Tuesday things got MUCH better! It’s amazing how much HAPPIER my little lady is once she gets a nap…and how rotten she can be without one. 😉

I have a new workout to share with you that I think you will really like. It’s a workout for the gym, but you could probably convert it to an at home workout as well. I did it on Monday & forgot how much I LOVED it- mix of weights & cardio! It was at the bottom of my workout binder. I’ll post it at the end of this post because it’s kind of long, so if you aren’t interested in any Gabriella stuff, please feel free to skip to the end!

Last Monday Gabriella turned 5 months old. Yes, FIVE whole MONTHS!

This is a REALLY fun age, and her personality is really shining through. Her laugh is the BEST sound in the whole world. I LOVE when we really get her going- she is SO ticklish!!

Another big step in her little life was that she is now in her CRIB! I know, you’re probably thinking…umm ok, aren’t babies supposed to sleep in their crib?! Well, yes, yes they are, but it’s quite a process if you don’t start them out there. (usually)

Until two weeks ago she slept in the Rock n’ Play.

^OH. MY.GOSH. look how teeny tiny she was. She was not even a month old in that picture! That is her sleeping in the rock n’ play.

It was nice & snug, especially this last month. I had NO idea how she was comfortable, but she HATED the crib. She would SCREAM the minute I tried putting her in there. Well, I finally KNEW it was time. She NEEDED to move to the crib, and I knew once she got used to it, she would be SO much happier.

So it happened. We did it. The night I decided to do it, she slept four hours in it before waking to eat! No cries, nothing. I got up, fed her, and put her in the rock n’ play. I wanted to do it gradually, and it worked out well. Finally after three nights, I packed up the rock n’ play & it was the crib. And only the crib. The first night was rough, but that was pretty much it.

One suggestion I have is to get a battery powered mobile. (like the one we have- Fisher Price– and WELL worth the $50)

We had a mobile before, but it was a crank one, the kind that come in most baby nursery sets. I don’t use the mobile much, but when I do it works out perfectly! Typically I will use it when she gets up to eat around 2am and then decides that she would rather party than go back to sleep. So I put her in the crib, turn on the mobile (we don’s use the projector that is part of the mobile- too stimulating), and then she stares at it & goes to bed eventually. (it is in 20 minute time increments & has a remote that you can use to turn it on from outside of the room)

Sometimes the mobile doesn’t work, but thankfully she has learned how to self soothe. She just sucks her two little fingers- her thumb & pointer. BEYOND cute!

(don’t mind the squash everywhere)

She’s still not a huge fan of the bottle, BUT we have had some success with a sippy cup. She’s still trying to figure out exactly how to use it; it’s happening though! I don’t mind skipping the bottle & going straight to the sippy cup at all! Whatever works. (THANK YOU, Kendra!!!!!)

As you can see my day is full of spending time with this little lady & I absolutely LOVE it!

I do get some work done when she naps, at night once she has gone to bed & on the weekends. It works for us, and I’m just thankful my boss has been so great about me working from home.

As for running, it has been great! Gabriella & I go running everyday- she LOVES the BOB!! Usually her morning nap is spent in the BOB- I’ll usually run between 6- 10 miles a day- I just keep going until she wakes up. And then we’ll go for an afternoon walk. I’m just happy she enjoys being outside! I let her play in the grass for the first time yesterday, and it’s so funny to see her discover things! She just sat there for about 15 minutes pulling it & digging her feet in the ground.

I really cannot imagine my life without her. I don’t know what we did before her. She really means the WHOLE world to us, and has brought SO much joy into our lives!!

Now for the workout I promised. I did each round circuit style (one exercise after the other), and sprinted in between rounds.

Warm up: Run 800m (or 1/2 mile)

Round one:
-Squats: 3×10 (heavy)
-Tricep Dips: 3×15
-Calf Raises: 3×15 (heavy)
-Russian twists using medicine ball: 3×12 (each side)
–Suitcase crunches: 3×15

Sprint: 400m (or 1/4 mile) – I did this at 10.0 speed

Round two:
-Upright rows (use barbell or dumbbells): 3×12
-Cable Crossovers: 3×12
-Sit Ups on Incline Bench holding weight (I used 10lbs): 3×15
-Plank hold: 60 sec (just do this once at the end of the circuit)

Sprint: 400m (I did this at 9.0), Jog: 200m (I did this at 6.5)- REPEAT Twice

Round three:
-Step ups holding dumbbells or barbell on back: 3×12 (each leg)
-Cable Bicep Curls: 3×12
-Back Extensions holding plate (I used 25lbs.): 3×12
-Bosu ball crunches (holding weight): 3×15

Sprint: 400m (I did this at 10.0)

Round four:
-Lat Pulldowns: 3×12
-Tricep Pushdowns: 3×12
-Oblique crunches: 3×25 (each side)

Cool down: Run or jog 1/2 mile to a mile (or more- up to you!)

If you try it, let me know what you think!!

Flashback Friday…Kind of

Happy Friday!! 🙂

This is what I’m calling ‘Flashback Friday,’ but it’s not really a true Flashback Friday….only because I’m ‘flashing back’ to our Easter. I never shared what we did for Easter, and of course I have to share a TON of pictures. Wouldn’t be a typical Holly post without one loaded with photos, right?! 😉

Easter this year was spent at our house. Craig’s parents were in town, and my parents came down from Jacksonville so that we could all spend the day together. We all had not been together since Gabriella’s birth- which was November 5th. So it was nice to have all of us together again!

Easter morning started out with church. Craig & his parents attended, while Gabriella & I stayed home. I really wanted to go, but it’s really hard with a baby…especially because it was during her nap time. Soon enough we will all be able to go!

While they were there, the Easter bunny stopped by for a little visit. 😉

Easter baskets (well, bags, haha!) were delivered for everyone. The little bunny basket was from my in-laws for little Miss G! I love the basket, and we are going to save it for future Easter bunny deliveries!

Gabriella got in on making Easter presents this year too…

We made one for each of her Grandparents. Thank you for the idea, Pinterest, don’t know what I’d do without you. 😉 The ears were supposed to be G’s handprints, but let me tell you, it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get a baby’s handprint. She just had to scrunched up the whole time…and she was NOT at all interested in getting her hands in the paint. It was quite funny.

Gabriella enjoyed her fair share of Easter eggs too.

Too bad she didn’t get to have the candy inside. One day little one.

I HAVE to show you the outfit that Grandma N (Craig’s Mom) got for G$.

‘High Maintenance.’ Seriously PERFECT. Describes her exactly. Can’t wait to put her in it.

Breakfast was Monkey Bread.

Standard holiday breakfast around here.

And of course the obligatory Easter photos! 🙂 Love ‘em! & I ADORE G’s dress!! (Thank you Chandale <3)

Mommy, Daddy & G

Grandma W (my Mom) & G…or as she says ‘her little peach pie.’ 🙂

Grandpa, Grandma & G

Grandpa & G enjoying a laugh together 😀

Papanote, Grandma N & G Marie

Grandma N & Gabriella (one of my favorite pictures of them)

Papanote & G

For our Easter dinner I made lazy lasagna, it’s our family’s tradition…instead of ham. I love it! I mean who doesn’t love a big Italian meal?! Along with it we had Caesar salad, French bread & wine. Mmmmm wine, how I missed it so much pregnant.

For dessert I made banana cream pie & cherry pie.

The cherry pie was the first lattice pie I have ever made! Making a lattice is actually easier than I thought, and it makes the pie look so pretty. I’ll definitely be doing it more often when I make pies.

Craig caught me staging the pie too 😉 He always makes fun of me whenever I do my pictures of food, but now he is used to it. I had to find the best lighting!

One of my favorite parts of Easter, and just the past few weeks in general is HOW MUCH Gabriella has become Daddy’s girl.

Without a doubt, she is ALL ABOUT Craig. I mean he just steps in the room & she immediately looks for him. She may hear his voice, but can’t see him yet, and she will just turn her head over and over until she finds him. It is the CUTEST! A girl & her Daddy share a bond like NO OTHER! I’m so happy that I get to watch their bond grow every single day.

Not going to lie though, I CANNOT wait for our girls’ days! Just me & G! 🙂

Oh that little girl just rocks my world! ❤

Everything Happens For a Reason

Good Morning!

Happy Friday eve! Sorry I have been M.I.A from the blogging world. I’ve been enjoying lots of family time!!

Craig’s parents came down just to spend the week with little Miss G. They don’t get to see her often, since they are in Maryland & LOVE spending every second with her. I enjoy having them here, not only because it’s fun to watch Gabriella with them, but also because I can have some stroller free runs. 😉

Her Papanote (Craig’s Dad) can really get her laughing, she loves all of his noises.

And Gabriella just adores her Grandma, she lights up when she sees her. She really enjoyed her nightly meals being fed by Grandma too!

Craig & I were also able to have a date night last Friday. MUCH needed. We ended up going to Sushi Pop and really enjoyed it. We can recommend the Ceviche roll & PMS for dessert. (yes, it’s really called that)

Nothing like a nice date night, and the best part was that I got Gabriella to bed before we left (she went to bed around 6:45pm) and then she didn’t wake up while we were gone. The GOOD thing is that she has actually been taking a bottle (the Medela Calma– it’s the only one that works) every day- typically about an ounce- but it’s getting better every day!!! Soon enough I may be able to leave the house for longer than 4 hour chunks! Yay! We have even talked about possibly doing something for our anniversary, like go away for a night, IF she will take a bottle.

^me & my little G Marie

Craig & I were actually supposed to go to a wedding last Friday (we were going to leave Thursday) in North Carolina, but we had to cancel because Gabriella was not taking a bottle. But since we have been working with her more & more- and THANK GOODNESS we found a bottle that she likes- she is slowly coming around.

You know the saying ‘everything happens for a reason’?’ Well, I can honestly tell you that I don’t think I would have been able to go to the wedding even if she was taking a bottle. Definitely NOT because I thought she wouldn’t be well taken care of (Papanote & Grandma would have completely spoiled her….well, they did that anyways 🙂 ), but only because I personally could not have gone that long without seeing her. It would have KILLED me.

I am VERY much attached to her. Going three nights without seeing her would have been too much on me. I think MANY Moms out there can relate! 🙂 I was talking to Craig’s Mom about it too, and she completely agreed.

For now I just need that little lady in my life every second of the day! Even just spending a few hours away from her makes me miss her SO SO SO much. It’s truly amazing how much love you can have for a child. A mother’s love is like no other. It’s the best kind of love in the world!

I can’t get enough of this little raspberry blowing…

cell phone loving, drooling all over (major teething)…

precious little baby girl. ❤

We Love the Orioles

Happy Opening Day!!!!

GO O’s!!!!