our favorite baby carriers

I have two favorite baby carriers, and I am completely obsessed with both of them!  Maddy is a huge fan of them also.  A lot of moms warned me that their babies didn't like certain swings, carriers, pacifiers, etc.  I feel fortunate that my little girl has loved every product that we have tested out!  Knock on wood....Maddy has been an easy breezy baby so far.  

We own two different baby carriers because they are both great for different reasons.  The first carrier that I would highly recommend is the Ergobaby 360 Carrier.  I am actually wearing Maddy in the Ergo as I type this post.  I just finished mowing the lawn while wearing my baby and she has been asleep for 2 1/2 hours....one of the many reasons I love baby wearing.  The Ergo is great if you are looking for something that is easy to use and has lots of support.  I typically use this carrier if we are going on a long walk, hike, or doing anything active.  The best part about this carrier is that Maddy can be worn in 4 different positions: front-inward, front-outward, hip, and back. 

The second carrier that we LOVE is the Solly Baby Wrap.  Initially, I was very intimidated by the concept of wrapping my baby.  However, the Solly Baby website has a ton of helpful tutorials on the proper way to wrap your baby at every different stage.  I love how soft the fabric is and how easy it is to store in our diaper bag.  One of the main reasons I am obsessed with this wrap is because it is stylish, they have tons of beautiful fabrics available on their website.  

We love baby wearing! 

Hospital Hill Half Marathon Training Update

I am 6 weeks out from the Hospital Hill Half Marathon in Kansas City, and I am finally starting to feel like I might actually survive!  I have been trying to follow my training program as closely as possible, while still getting in all of my daily Tone it Up workouts for the #bikiniseries.  

Most of my runs have been with my baby girl, and let me tell you...running with a stroller is NO joke.  It's been a struggle for me to get back into the running game, and pushing a 25 pound stroller with a 10 pound baby and a car seat just takes it to a whole new level!  My mom was in town visiting last week, so I was able to get quite a few runs in without the girl.  Our morning routine consisted of my mom taking the baby on an hour long walk while I set off running....slowly but surely.  

My longest run was this past Sunday, I completed 6.2 miles and felt so proud of myself when I finished.  I didn't want to run from the second I stepped out the door, but I am so glad I pushed myself to stick to the plan.  The neighborhood I live in has a lot of hills, which is great because apparently the race course is very hilly.  Training with the stroller will probably make the race course seem like a breeze since I have been pushing 50 pounds up the hills in my neighborhood.  Also, I ran the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco 2 years in a row...if I survived 26.2 miles in the hills of SF, I should be alright.  

Stay tuned for my next update!   

Home Tour: Man Cave

This is the one space in our house that I really didn't have much of a say in.  My husband is a SERIOUS sports fanatic, and he has dreamed of having a man cave his whole life.  This room is dedicated to sports watching, beer drinking, ping pong, and partying ;).

 

Fitness Goals

I am 6 weeks postpartum and I have officially been cleared to exercise!  I have been feeling super motivated lately and I am excited to get in the best shape of my life!  

Last week I became an official Tone it Up member.  Not familiar with Tone it Up?  Check it out here.  I have been thinking about joining this community for about a year now, and I am so excited I finally took the plunge!  Even though I am a personal trainer and I know what I am doing, having that extra accountability from the Tone it Up community is going to be huge in helping me get my post baby body back :).  

In 5 days, Tone it Up will be starting their 5th annual Bikini Series Challenge.  I wanted to share with you some of my goals for the next 8 weeks :).

-Drink at least 55 oz of water daily

-Stick with my half marathon training program

-Get my booty back ;) 

-Follow the TIU nutrition program

-Do more yoga

-Follow the bikini series workout schedule daily 

Home Tour: Maddy's Nursery

I know I said our dining room was my favorite room in our house, but I lied.  Maddy's nursery is definitely my favorite!  I love spending time in her room, hanging out with my baby girl.  There are so many details about her room that I am obsessed with!  I have to thank my mom for helping me put the room together.  She planned a trip late in my pregnancy to help me get organized, she is the best! 

Here is a peek at my favorite room in our house!

8 week half marathon training plan

At the end of my pregnancy I signed up for a half marathon hoping it would help motivate me to get back into shape!  I have my 6 week postpartum doctors appointment on Monday, which is when I should finally be cleared to start exercising.  Monday marks 8 weeks until the Hospital Hill Marathon in Kansas City, the race I signed up for a couple months ago.  

With no idea where to begin, I turned to Pinterest to find an 8 week training program.  I think I found the perfect program for me from laurenliveshealthy.com.  Check out the link to her actual training program HERE.  I like the program she designed because it still incorporates weight training and HIIT workouts.  I have not ran a single mile in a good 10 months, so this should be interesting.  I am sure I will have to make some modifications and start with a walk/run/walk format in the beginning.  

Wish me luck, I will keep you updated weekly with my progress!