I am BACK!!!!

I have missed blogging!!! The main reason I didn't blog during my pregnancy, is cause I really didn't have anything to blog about that you couldn't read on pretty much any other pregnancy blog....and that isn't what I started this blog for.....so.....how was my weight gain/loss during and after pregnancy.....I gained a BEAUTIFUL baby girl named Lydia Abigail....I would post a picture, but can't seem to figure out how to get one posted :(  What else did I gain.....THIRTY POUNDS!!!! The most I have ever gained with ANY, no ALL my pregnancies put together.....well, don't get too worked up over it, cause I lost every ounce of it in 9 days.....nope that is not a typo.....NINE DAYS.....Please don't hate me....8lbs and 7 oz of it was Lydia, the rest must have been water.....so now I am almost 3 months past being pregnant, and I am 3 lbs heavier than I was a month ago....so, the myth about losing weight while nursing seems to be just that....A MYTH....ha ha....Well, I bought this book, "The Plan".....Dr. Oz endorses it, and it is all about reactive foods and inflammation in the body.....so, it sounded like EXACTLY the problems I have been having.....so, I have started another cleanse, the last one was hardcore and really worked well for me.  This one is quite a bit easier and so far seems to be also working well.....this drinking enough water thing is KILLING me.....as you know, I really am bad about drinking enough, but on the up side, ever since I started drinking my gallon plus of water, I have also been producing more milk (also a constant struggle for me)....so I am on day 2 of my detox, and so far have lost 4 lbs :) Pretty good start :) I have been eating things like Kale, and Beet/Carrot salad.....not something I would have picked, but it really has tasted much better than I expected, I am actually enjoying it :) It is hard to blog while nursing, and that seems to be the only time I sit down, but I am going to try to write daily, but I am not making any promises :) I don't want to put too many details about "The Plan" diet in my blog, because a lot of research and time was taken to write the book and I want the author to get the credit she deserves, but I will encourage you to get a copy, it is only 20 days of your life, and if it works like it has for me, it will be well worth the $16 investment :) Well, I am off to feed my sweet baby, but I will try to blog some more tomorrow :)

Alright, I am now officially the worst procrastinator EVER!!!! I know I should be keeping up with my blog, but in my defense, I have been super busy, and SUPER tired......so, if I recall the last time we chatted, I had the goals of drinking more water, and getting more sleep.....well, the drinking more water has some real downsides when your 11 weeks pregnant....I was up going to the bathroom every 2 hours last night :( But, I only have 2 more weeks in the first trimester, and hopefully the baby will move up off my bladder and I won't be up so much at night :) I found this great app, it is called....Drinking Water....it is an android app, but it is great, you select how much water you want to drink each day, and it reminds you throughout the day to drink water :) And when you drink your last one for the day, it cheers for you ;) I looked on Josh's phone (he has an iphone and it looks like one that would be similar is called...Drink-O-Matic....they are both free apps, all I did was type drinking water in the app search, so you can find one that works best for you :) So, I have drinking more water goal at least started :) Now, about the sleeping....I will say, due to preganancy hormones, I have been getting to bed before midnight, and some days before 11!!!! I think that is a pretty big accomplishment :) I know it has been a little while since I posted anything, so I don't remember if I was on insulin injections last time I posted, but that is what is going on....my blood sugar has not been as low as they would like it, so on top of following the diabetic diet, I am now on insulin, I am not far enough along to be able to take oral meds to control my "sweetness", so I am poking myself 3 times a day right now :( When I first had to start insulin when preg with Caroline I was so devastated, but I am able to look at the big picture and realize that this is one of the many things I must be willing to do for my kids :) So,I have been eating pretty healthy, but I have been dealing with nausea, too....so, sometimes what is best for me doesn't sound good, or sit right on my tummy, so I have been making a few concessions :) First of all, I don't know if any of you have tried the Nestle Crunch Wafers that are Girl Scout Cookie flavors, but they are UNBELIEVABLE!!! There are 2 bars in the package, and each one comes to around 80-90 calories, and only 12g of carbs :) They are a great little snack, and the Thin Mint flavor sits very well on my sometimes iffy stomach :) I will warn you, it does take some will power to only eat ONE of the bars, but I found them at Walmart in a box, and they were individually wrapped :)  So, I am not going to make any promises, but I really am going to try to get back in the habit of blogging :) Also, we have had one Dr visit, they did an ultrasound, and they said everything measured exactly on for the due date of Feb 7, and the heart rate was 180 bpm, which is a great speed :) Kyndall's was in the 120's for her first reading, and by the time she was born it had dropped to the low 100's, so faster is definitely better :) I have another appointment a week from tomorrow (I will be 12 weeks, exactly) so, I will keep all of you posted on our bundle (even though that is not what this blog is suppose to be about) Have a great day everyone!!!

I know it has been a few days since I posted, I have been struggling with my Blood Sugar :( I can't seem to get my fasting sugar down, no matter what I do, so starting tomorrow night I will be doing Insulin Injections :( Not looking forward to already being on insulin, but I will be glad to know that my baby is being kept safe from too much sugar :) So, now in addition to making healthy choices I have to start checking my blood sugars 4 times a day, and giving myself a morning and evening injection....I feel good about the insulin, cause it will help make this struggle a little easier :) I still have almost 3 weeks until my FIRST Dr appointment :( I am guessing that their not gonna make me do the glucose test with this preg....that is certainly something to be excited about! When I was pregnant with Caroline, I had to start checking my blood sugar when I was only about 14 weeks pregnant....I WAS DEVASTATED!!!! I sat in the Dr. office and cried while they taught me how to use the meter, then again when I had to start on meds, and once more when I had to start insulin....then after she was born, she wasn't gaining weight, I wasn't producing enough milk, and when I had to start giving her formula.....AGAIN I cried.....why all these tears??? Throughout my life, I have had this set plan for how things are suppose to be, and when life changes my plans, I feel like somehow I have FAILED....yes, I know.....it is not failure, but let me tell you, it has been 5 years since Caroline was born, and 4 pregnancies later, I didn't crumble into a puddle of tears over the news of insulin....do I still feel like I have somehow failed, YES, but I have to accept that I DON'T HAVE CONTROL!!! It has taken a lot of struggles and challenges, and heartbreaking events to get me to this point, but I have finally gotten to the point where I have learned to look at the big picture, and not sweating all the details that I can't control.....now to turn that information into something I can use everyday, not just when I am pregnant......I need to not get so set on losing a certain number by a certain deadline.....I need to not allow whatever number that is on the scale bring me down or discourage me.....the truth is life happens, and things change, sometimes those changes really throw us and we don't know what to do, but I intend to keep myself focused on the goal, the prize, the outcome, and realize that sometimes there are a lot of different ways to get to the same end goal, my focus for my health needs to be exactly that.....a focus on my health, we all know what things need to be done daily (eating right, exercise) in order to get healthier.....we also know what things should be avoided (putting toxins in your body, eating poorly, sitting around all day), so the daily challenge is to still do what is right, and avoid what is wrong even on days when you feel like sitting down with a big piece of chocolate cake :) With the attitude that no matter what, I WILL NOT FAIL, anyone can succeed, just take each little thing that might seem like failure and turn it into a lesson learned and move on :) I really want my health to be better at the end of the pregnancy than it was in the beginning.....so glad I did that cleanse, cause staying away from pop and sugar will be easier than it ever has been :) Now, just gotta keep focused on the goal for another 8 months :)

I know, I know.....I have become a real slacker with these posts.....I just don't want to post about nothing, so I try to think of something everyday to talk about, but then mostly I have been thinking about being pregnant, and that really doesn't apply to very many of you.....so, I worked on laundry today, and would you believe that if you fold clothes standing up and walk to the dresser for each piece of clothing that you can accomplish your goals for calorie burn and physical activity??? It is true.....I recommend wearing tennis shoes, cause my feet were hurting, but yeah....for years I have honed my skills to be as efficient with my energy as possible, I have always joked that it is not being lazy, it is being efficient...ha ha...but the truth is, if your making 20 trips when one would have worked, your certainly burning calories, so I say down with getting things down as quick as possible, and more time/energy consuming ways should be adopted...ha ha....Same with unloading the dishwasher, if you do it one item at a time, you get a better workout....and what about the stuff that goes in the lower cabinet, maybe instead up just bending to drop it where it goes, you could do a lunge of a squat.....I admit, you will probably get comments from your spouse if your doing a lunge to put away the cookie sheet, but it would be an easy way to add more exercise to your day :)   Oh, yeah, I almost forgot to tell you that I bought Nori (seaweed) yesterday and crumbled some into my salad today.....it wasn't bad....it added a unique flavor to my salad, kinda fishy, but not in a fish tank sort of way....I think I am going to try it added to tuna salad, or salmon patties :) I have been choking down the Wheat grass for 3 days now, and I have to tell you, it is not getting any easier....but I am really stubborn about not wasting what I have spent money on, so I am gonna keep trying something new everyday until I find the best way to drink it.....I don't intend to give up.....I know my goals have changed slightly, I am not on a mission to lose 3 lbs a week anymore, but I am still devoted to having a healthier life, and making healthy changes....I will probably lose weight any way, cause I am eating right, but it will not be from me trying :) I have never really gained anything during my pregs, and have had 3 babies within a normal healthy weight range :) Also, I have heard stories from plenty of friends about how they had gained well over 50 lbs during their pregs....that is just not healthy.....Many people find pregnancy some sort of license to eat anything and everything your heart desires, but the truth is, your not doing yourself any favors, even when preg a little bit of self denial goes a long way.....I am feeling great, no morning sickness, and I haven't been overeating to keep it at bay....in fact, I really didn't feel much like eating today at all, but that may be because I started taking Metformin at night to help lower my fasting blood sugars, they are not super high, just higher than they would like....I have only been checking my fasting and some of my after meal sugars, but I think starting tomorrow I will check them all, so that I have a realistic view of how they are doing :) Anyway, drinking lots of water, and eating right....that is my daily goal for the next 9 months :) Have a good evening :)

Since I just started this blog recently, you have not heard from me while I have been pregnant before....so this is how my first trimester goes....I have NEVER had morning sickness, I joke and say that I eat my way through the first trimester...ha ha....usually I gain 10 lbs before my first dr visit, and then once I am out of the first trimester I am on a restricted diet, and I either slowly lose that extra that I put on....well, this time I am NOT going to eat my way through the first 12 weeks, I am going to stick to a strict diet right from the start, so far I have been eating very healthy and I haven't had any extra sugars, or bad carbs, and I am feeling great!!! It really helps that I have already made healthy changes to my diet :) I have actually started losing again....gotta love those pregnancy hormones :) So, I went to GNC and got some "Amazing Grass" Wheat Grass.....it was VILE, FOUL, and DISGUSTING!!!! I only mixed it with water, so I am going to keep trying some new ways to drink it.....I will either get use to it or find a way to stand it.....I am going to try mixing it with my V8 tomorrow....we will see how that goes :) So, my new diet regimen has consisted of high protien and healthy carbs, and I am trying to make sure I get morning, afternoon, and evening snacks in....snacks are hard for me to remember.....I just get really busy, and forget......also, I have stopped most of the tea drinking, cause I can't really find any info that says it is beneficial to drink a lot of tea, it all says moderation, so I am keeping the cinnamon tea, and that will be my caffeine for the day, too......I think it might have a little caffeine, but far less than the coffee I usually drink :) I don't intend to give up my coffee, I just will severely limit it while I am in my first trimester :)
I am really excited about meeting the newest member of my family, and I am also excited to see how eating right, and staying active will make a difference in how I feel and how quickly I recover from delivery :)
I hope you all have a great day :) I am going to get back to fixing dinner (portabella Mushroom caps with ground beef, asparagus and cheese inside :) YUMMY.....and then I am gonna get some laundry folded....really big excitement over here :)

I certainly didn't know when I started this blog, and when I named it, I didn't expect to be gaining another baby, or losing my fears and hesitations....I really didn't put together that the title of my blog, "My Loss Is My Gain", I was only thinking about my journey to better health, but truthfully every loss in my life has helped me gain something else.....I think probably everyone has figured out my vague post last night.....YES!!! I am expecting a baby!!!! I am due February 7th, and I am truly excited and blessed by the overwhelming news :) I really wasn't "trying" to get pregnant....we decided after Kyndall died that we would leave the timing up to God, it has worked for the other 3 so far, so it only made sense.....even though I still miss Kyndall very much I can't help but think that this child most likely wouldn't exist right now if Kyndall were still here, I am really looking forward to meeting this little person, who God felt was important enough that I had to meet them :) I am so blessed by God, even through loss, He continues to help me gain, I have gained a very real respect for God's will and His ways.....I don't mind confiding in you that the idea of waiting for several more months to find out how are baby is doing, is a little scary, and makes me feel anxious, but I have to remind myself the same thing I have been saying for the last several months....."God knows what is BEST.....He will see me through, no matter what may come" I am very hopeful, that God has chosen to bless us with a healthy baby.....I want to continue to be excited about this new life, and not allow the pain of losing Kyndall to taint this BEAUTIFUL moment, and the wonderful joy of increasing my family :) As I said yesterday, I am going to continue on my journey to better health, I am going to keep going to my water aerobics class and doing exercises on my Kinect :) I went to the store tonight, and got some Flax milk and also some Whey Protein (not to lose weight) but to make sure I am getting enough healthy protein and not lots of carbs....I found this great Whey Protein at HyVee that is made with Stevia as the sweetener, and it only has 1g of carbs :) I got the peanut butter chocolate one, and then added more peanut butter and chia seeds to it.....it was really delish, low carbs BIG taste :) Also, bought some Boca Burgers (on the suggestion of my sister) I got the mushroom ones, and I am going to put them on a bed of shredded cauliflower (tastes kinda like rice) and then top it with some cheese and mushrooms :) I will not be counting calories (because I never do when I am preg, and end up not gaining anything) but I am going to be eating very low carb, the only carbs I will eat, will be from fruits or veggies, and a small amount from nuts and seeds :) I am going to check with a health care professional about the different teas I have been drinking and if I should stop any of them, also if any of you have any knowledge about tea drinking while preg (not the caffeine info, cause I know I how much is acceptable on that) I will call my OB tomorrow and find out how soon they want to see me, I know I have many months of taking care of this little one, and I covet all your prayers for his/her safety, health and well-being...also, need prayers for me, too....I would really love to NOT have Gestational Diabetes with this one, so I am going to try my hardest to keep the Blood Sugar under control :) Anyway, my blog has certainly taken an unexpected turn, but I still want to use it to encourage a healthier life, and that is what I will still write about, but I will probably be throwing some baby stuff in, too :)
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Well, I will go ahead and give you all the information I have, after some tests and research I have figured out that it is gonna probably take around 9 months before I begin so see any significant weight loss :) So, for the mean time, I am going to focus on eating whole foods, exercising, and avoiding processed and sugary foods :) Have a great weekend everyone :)