Welcome Baby to the Tree of Life Blog!

WOW! My last post on here was from June 14, 2009! The post before that I was talking about training for a 10K. My life has changed so much since then, well in terms of exercise at least. I don't want to take away the health and exercise from my health blog and make this just a "coochy coo baby blog, oh such a sweet little baby post blog". Hell no! This blog is still my health blog, my Tree of Life, which is bringing another little life into this world. And I couldn't do it without exercising my body and my mind, eating healthy, and discussing everything in-between.

I am going to be totally honest with anyone that wants to read about it. Not only will I blog about my ever changing body, my exercise, but also my pregnancy and my thoughts on this whole subject. You will leave this blog either not ever wanting to read about this stuff again, or be so interested that you might have learned something you never knew, or well, you may just want to see the very unflattering pictures that, yes, I will be posting of the ever growing stomach.

I am 20 weeks pregnant today, which I guess you could say I am moving into my fifth month. I've thought about writing a post in the last four months, but with everything going on, I haven't had the strength nor the gathered thoughts and motivation to share. I promised myself a long time ago, when I first became interested in getting pregnant and educating myself on the whole process that I would share my experience on my blog one day. I owe it to any woman that stumbles across this, any woman in my family, any friend of mine that is interested in knowing, because that is how I became so informed about pregnancy.

Did I ever tell you that Dan and I said we never wanted kids? Ok, that was like 8 years ago when we were gallivanting from city to city, country to country, partying, clubbing, enjoying and growing with each other. Then we settled down a bit, got married and our friends and co-workers started having babies. We sat down one day and we just started talking about it and we couldn't stop. We knew then that we wanted to share our lives with a little soul, or two, or three for that matter. A friend of mine got pregnant at work and she opened my eyes to the whole process. She showed me websites, birth stories, books, discussions, everything and I was hooked! That was about three years ago.

Ever since then I've been reading books and these websites and educating myself. I remember standing next to her at work laughing and saying "I'll never have a kid without an epidural! Ha! yah right, better yet, just slice me open and grab him out of there!". OH HOW THE TIDES HAVE TURNED. After reading about several woman's experiences, talking to mothers, researching, etc etc, I'm more on the path now of natural childbirth, no induction, only a C-Section if it is a life or death situation. I've read about what epidurals can do to woman and babies and the labor process, which have lasting effects throughout their lifetimes, inductions causing hemorrhaging, and C-Sections that didn't ever have to happen. Don't get me wrong, I am all about choosing your own path and if those are the paths you chose or you will choose in the future to follow, you know yourself best. To each his own and I am talking about me and my experience on here.

Do I know how my labor and delivery will turn out? No of course not, none of us do. And that is why I am a realist and know anything can happen. This is my path to travel down and it's my preparation over these past months and the months to come that will help me heal in any way possible however this birth turns out. Read with me through this experience, feel free to share yours! Share your thoughts with me as you walk down my path too.

My plan for this blog is to post weekly. My exercise schedule and development of the baby, and of course the pictures! Just a few things to note............

Here is picture of me at 16 weeks, gosh this is going to be hard as these are going to be very unflattering pictures. I mean, just four months ago I was losing weight and now I am gaining weight! Such a different mind set, but in the end it's worth it. I know I can lose the weight again, as I showed myself in just the beginning of this year. Maybe that's why I started a health blog and lost about 25 pounds? Anyway, here's that pic of me at 16 weeks:

Then here is the next picture today at 20 weeks. I can still fit into most of my clothes, but they are getting a little more tight. I think it looks like like I am carrying high, but it could be too soon to tell.

I would like to do a catch up post soon of my first four months, especially to describe the first trimester. My next Dr.'s appointment is October 6th and we get to find out the gender, that's next week.

Exercise for week of 9/27:
Monday - 30 minute walk, 15 minute elliptical, weights, 10 leg lifts each side, 10 squats
Tuesday - 30 minute walk, 60 minutes Baby Ready Yoga
Wednesday - 30 minute walk, 15 minute elliptical, weights, 10 leg lifts each side, 10 squats
Thursday - 30 minute walk, 60 minutes Baby Ready Yoga
Friday - 30 minute walk, 15 minute elliptical, weights, 10 leg lifts each side, 10 squats
Weekend - Friends are visiting so we will spend most of the time chasing after their twins! Oh and cuddling the three month old.....

To all a lovely week!