VLOG: baby bootcamp! exercises for babies beginning to sit up

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eekd7f8Zs3g&w=560&h=315]

• cop your own Therapy Disk!

• do this with your LO for just 10 consecutive minutes per day. they tire easily, so stopping / starting again later is expected

• this improves their balance, core strength, posture, stability, and endurance, and upper body strength and prepares them for crawling, standing, walking, etc.

• make sure there are plenty of soft pillows or cushions around baby in case he/she topples over. never leave them unsupervised, especially while using the Therapy Disk

• every baby develops differently at their own pace!

le

happy birthday, Odego

WELL!  a lot has happened since Fathers' Day.

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i know a good handful of current mommies-to-be and the real life story you're about to read is just one of bajillions. moms, i just want to encourage you to learn from my journey, but don't let it make you even the slightest bit apprehensive about your own.  your L & D story will have its own twists and turns too...or not!  even with the longest, most detailed birth plan ever, we just never know how these things will play out...

*****

at 2 cms dilated, we finally got our hospital tour done on thursday, June 12th, my expected due date.

we asked questions, made jokes, reminisced about Chiso's birth, talked and walked around, met a few L & D nurses (who are all awesome and heaven-sent), and made a family date out of it with big brother Chiso.

i was convinced Odego would make his way into this world on Fathers' Day (wishful thinking on Sonny's behalf ), so i finished packing our bags (for the last time) that night and started prepping to celebrate the weekend in the hospital.

happy Fathers' Day, Papa!!! sunday morning came and there were still no surefire signs of labor to be found whatsoever though. before we headed to church, Chiso, Dego, and i presented Sonny with a few gifts at home, unlike i planned.  then, we dined at Fish City Grill, per Sonny's request, and met up with my parents before heading home to finally relax.

9pm sunday night, i began spotting.

i won't say the spotting and excess fluid was surprising at all as we had been trying a few natural remedies to get this thing going, but the unexpected sight of blood always makes me do a double-take.

could this be it? would Sonny really get the best Fathers' Day gift ever? we still had 3 hours left according to him. i was having super light contractions and some spotting, but i was still smiling.  and taking pics. lol. the on-call Dr. told us not to play with amniotic fluid, so we were told to head to the hospital to be checked. i know the front desk nurses had to be like 'ummm, clearly she is not in labor.' LOL.

soooo we did the walk of shame right on home 3 hours later.

definitely not in labor yet.

papsmears are nightmares for me, so just being checked for dilation was enough to rev up my light contractions to the next level  from that point forward. monday morning, Dr. A told me to come straight to her office after the previous night's fiasco, so we did. i finally began to keep record and contracted 3 random times during the 15 minute drive to her office.  i was still at 2 cms according to her, and she wrapped up my appointment by presenting us with an option to mull over for the next couple of hours.  i could come in to be induced at 530am the following day, tuesday the 17th, or, we could just keep waiting...  she then explained that she would be out of the office on thursday and friday. THAT little nugget of info helped me make my decision right then and there. Dr. A. was out having her twins at the time Chiso was born and i was not missing her  again this round, nope. Sonny was ready to meet Odego on Fathers' Day so he was all for option 1. we prayed about it and agreed to go for it.  that same night, the contractions were even stronger, but bearable enough for me to take a walk to the park with Chiso. during 1 hour, i counted about 6 or 7 contractions.

once home, i loaded up most of our things in the car and because i was required to fast from food and liquid after midnight, i cooked and ate my last meal around 10pm. i also baked every fillet of tilapia in the freezer per Sonny's request as he is prepping for a Musclemiania competition at the end of this month.  couldn't leave him out in the cold!  afterwards, i did my best to lay down and get some rest with Chiso, but that didn't really happen. i got in the bed around 1, but each contraction woke me up. Sonny started his timer and laid his phone down right next to me. every time a contraction hit, i'd press the 'lap' button to record the time between each of them.  by 4am, i was up pacing and breathing through each contraction.  of course to me they FELT like they were coming 2-3 minutes apart, but it was more like every 5-10.  this boy was definitely on his way.

  so we headed out to the hospital,

(now that looks more like a labor-face)

valated the car, signed in, and waited a few moments for our room.

Sonny knew i would want these pics later... so he snapped away while i contracted away and did his best to keep Chiso busy.

  however, Chiso was generally concerned for his mama and every time i got up, he got up and paced with me. it wasn't funny at the time but he kept asking, 'mama happy? mama happy now?'

last #usies as a family of 3.

the staff directed us to our room and i immediately changed into my gown, used the restroom, stood up to my feet, look down, and 'watched' my water break!  no induction needed. and it wasn't a ginormous tidal wave like the movies either :D

i waddled out of the restroom and immediately called out to alert Sonny when i should have been telling my nurse, nurse Judy. i mean we were in the hospital and all.  force of habit!  thank God for L& D nurses. He provided us with a fabulous one. she encouraged me, told me i was strong, kept me informed, and did her job like she was born to do it.  i laid down on the bed to be checked: 4-5 cms! i was ELATED to be halfway there and also to know i'd be kissing Odego's sweet face sooner than later.

so about those contractions!  well, they got stronger as expected after my water broke and i labored to about 6-7 cms or so before calling for an epidural around 9am.  in less than 15 minutes the anesthesiologist was literally behind me and ready to go.

finally... peace, ice chips,

and electronics for the boys as we waited.

around 12:15pm, i randomly started to feel moderate cramping again.  i was told if i needed more meds to push a Jeopardy like button connected to my IV and placed on the bed right next to me.  i was reeeeally hoping i wouldn't have to even use that thing, but because the pain kept getting stronger, everybody in the room could tell when each contraction hit cause the button made an electronic dinging noise when pressed. unfortunately, no matter how many times i hit that button the pain didn't let up and only increased. a 2nd anesthesiologist came in and 'added' more meds... but i felt no difference.  eventually, the nurse checked me again- 9cms! it was music to my ears but the thought of laboring through those contractions until i hit the big 10 discouraged me.  how much longer?!?! my dad held my hand and prayed over me through each painful wave.. something i will never, ever forget.  watching your child suffer is no easy task. i understand now.

alright, 10cms, FINALLY!  Dr. A appears out of nowhere again, instantly calms the room, puts on her cape & gloves, and nurse Judy prepares me for delivery. my dad takes Chiso and heads to the waiting area, and my mom and Sonny take their places on either side of me.  let's GO. with each contraction came a strong urge to push... and i must admit that since my lower body was no longer numb from the epidural, i had total control of my pelvic muscles, floor, and core.  because the epi was in full swing during my 1st delivery, i pushed with everything i had and it felt like absolutely nothing was happening. less than 8 minutes and 5 or 6 pushes later, my mom was crying and overjoyed with emotion, Sonny was cutting the umbilical cord, and Dego's warm body was laying on my chest.

in an instant...all the pain was gone and completely forgotten.  by me anyway. my dad? not so much!  Odego was worth it all. i couldn't help but think of the women who birthed babies with no medication whatsoever. past, present, whether it was their choice, and those who had no choice at all. amazing.

Chiso could barely contain his excitement!  it was finally time to meet his little brother after all this waiting!  heck, he talked to Dego more than i did while he was in my tummy.  i can't wait to show both boys this picture when they are older.

 i'd also like to note that Odego weighed in at 7 lbs & 9 oz, but i carried smaller vs my first pregnancy (Chiso was 6 lbs 11 oz).  i was also in better shape and made way better food choices this round. take note, moms! that's just another reason comparing bumps is really silly and never a fair baby weight predictor.

 FOOD. after fasting since midnight, nurse Judy read my mind and put the menu and the room phone right next to me. i LOVE her.  that was my post-delivery lunch: grilled chicken burger with sweet potato fries, a side salad, and vegetable soup. yall know when i get hungry i get scatterbrained and just want everything. i read the 3 page menu 50 bajillion times before Sonny was like, 'Leah we will be here til thursday, PICK SOMETHING.'

i don't go there often, but i hear hospital food has changed!  i ordered eggs, oatmeal, and fruit for every breakfast, and either grilled chicken or tilapia for lunch and/or dinner.  i made sure to have veggies and a salad with every meal, but i wanted fries so i ordered those sometimes too.

Dr. A approved me to get up and move around, so i threw on my Nikes and did just that wednesday morning after breakfast. just a few slow laps around the postpartum wing, that's it.  later that night, Sonny pushed Odego in his nursey cart and walked with me.

heading home the next day!  but not before ordering lunch one last time, haha.

i missed that fresh new baby smell, skin, and newborn cry... to finally hold and kiss the face of someone you already love so deeply after months of waiting is... indescribable! a blessing. a miracle.

 but with that comes the smell and sting of Dermoplast spray, recovering down there, sitting down super slowly,  swollen, engorged breasts & nipples so sore the brush of a t-shirt or bra feels like hell's fire, nocturnal newborn schedules and feedings, i.e.,  good ol'  MOTHERHOOD!

hello, round two!        thank you, Father, for expanding our home by two more feet, and thank you for reading.

le

fit eggplant parm

same concept when you apply it to your body, aka, your temple. put great stuff in, get great results right on out!

yesterday i had vanilla oat bran with banana slices, Walden Farms syrup, and Trader Joes cinnamon sugar,

and this morning it was rolled oats cooked in unsweetened vanilla almond milk, pure vanilla extract, and some cinnamon and granulated stevia stirred in.  some days i flip a coin! they are both great starts to the day.  this bowl was sooooo creamy.  i topped it with one strawberry cause that's all i needed since they are so dang GIANT this season.  and a small tsp of Justin's chocolate hazelnut butter. so, so good.

today's eggs weren't pretty at ALL so i didn't take a pic.  these were from yesterday and were topped with some alfalfa sprouts and pineapple salsa from Sprouts.  i love getting a little bit of charr mixed in with my eggs from the skillet- gives them extra flavor.

who's got some core exercises for you? I DO!  did'em this morning after teaching my total conditioning class!

i'm sure you're familiar with the basic high plank on your palms and toes. right? yeah you can do that one in your sleep.

but when you mount up on a medicine ball (any solid ball will work really) then you really put that core to work.  this is one of those exercises that looks uuuuber easy until you do it yourself.  so, grab yoself a medicine ball and do these semi-advanced core exercises that promote core strength and stability!

 ★1st things 1st- engage your core by sucking your belly button to your spine, but DON'T hold your breath!★

• high plank (top pic) - start on your knees. grip the ball on either side and press your palms into it as you elevate your body up into a straight high plank balancing on your toes.  maintain a neutral spine while keeping your head and chest lifted.  even if you don't add the variations, you are still working to balance yourself without even moving! you'll see!  hold for 30-60 secs or for as long as you can take it. ***you can also go down a level and perform this on your knees keeping your body flat and pushing your hips and glutes towards the floor***

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• high plank + leg lift (bottom pic) - keep your hips square, squeeze the heck outta your glute, and lift that leg up off the ground and hold it for 30-60 secs. repeat on the opp side.

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• high plank + pendulum leg lifts - while that one leg is in the air, take it out to the side from right to left in a controlled swinging motion going no wider than shoulder width. repeat on either side for 30-60 seconds or until burnout.

what a :shock: BURN :shock: !

 this exercise works glutes, core, and your shoulders & back definitely feel the wrath of supporting your bodyweight the entire time. try'em at the gym or at home during commercial breaks.

well hello there, fit eggplant parm.  i whipped up a crazy good fit chicken parm that will be going into the you-know-what!  for now, enjoy this healthier classic, fit foodie le style.

fit egg plant parm

the stuff:

• 1 large raw eggplant, sliced into 1/2 in rounds (you can peel them if you'd like- i kept the skin on)
• 2 egg whites
• 3 tbsp Bragg liquid aminos
• 2 tbsp  unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
• 1 cup Lissanati almond cheese, shredded
• 3/4 - 1 cup homemade breadcrumbs*
• 28 oz Sprouts all natural low sodium crushed tomatoes with basil & garlic
• 1 tsp basil, dried
• 1 tsp oregano, dried
• 1 tsp thyme, dried
• 1/2 tsp parsely
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• olive oil cooking spray
• 5 baby portabella mushrooms (optional!)
• fresh basil leaves for garnish

*homemade breadcrumbs: toast 4 slices of Sara Lee 45 Calories & Delightful Whole Wheat with Honey bread until crispy, and toss them in your food processor.  pulse until breadcrumb-like consistency.*

do this: * important S/N* this can totally be dairy-free if you use only almond cheese, (or rice cheese, or your fave vegan cheese) throughout the recipe. but then you'd have to call it fit eggplant almond.  or whatever. you know me- i needed some nutty, creamy parmesan in my dish cause cheese is my thing, so i added it.  just a little.  and you can too. if you want. also if you don't have the same brands i'm using and naming, no big deal!

1. lay the eggplant slices flat in a shallow baking dish and pour the liquid aminos all over them. let it soak in real good, about 10-15 minutes or so.

2.  in a shallow dish, combine the egg whites and unsweetened almond milk; mix.

3.  grab another shallow dish and pour in your breadcrumbs.  add: the finely grated parmesan cheese, pepper, basil, thyme, oregano, and parsley;  mix.

4. dip each eggplant slice into your egg mixture with one hand, then immediately drop it into your breadcrumb mixture. i only coated one side with breadcrumbs cause i was lazy and didn't want to have to flip them halfway through. lol. spray a flat baking pan with the olive oil spray and bake your slices for about 15-20 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

5. when the eggplant is almost done, go ahead and start the first layer of the dish by spooning some of the crushed tomatoes in the bottom of your olive oil coated baking pan. eyeball it.

6. when the eggplant is ready and cool enough to handle (surprise, i didn't wait), create the second layer. i know mushrooms are untraditional in this recipe, but so am i!  and come on- melted cheese and mushrooms just go together. so i added a few sliced baby bellas for the 3rd layer,

7.  top with 1/4 of the almond cheese. or more. way more.  

8. and finally, top that with more sauce and repeat until you run outta ingredients.  the last layer should be CHEESE! and lots of it.  now don't put those fresh basil leaves on there yet cause you will torch them in the oven. i put them there cause it looked pretty.

9.  back into the oven on 400 degrees for about 20 more minutes, or until the cheese is nice and melty and brown and stuff.

this made about 6 servings; stats are for 1:

we killed the pan but there are certainly a couple things i'll be doing differently from here on: take note!

• NOT burning the breadcrumbs in the toaster smh - it made the eggplant darker and harder on the eyes. i didn't want to waste it and used it anyway
• using the small side of the grater for the parmesan cheese cause the large shreds don't stick to the eggplant as easily
• pan frying the egg plant instead of baking (however i'm not sure the cheese in the breadcrumb mixture would hold up in the hot skillet...i'll just have to see)
• OR, roast the eggplant solo first,  assemble the dish, and save the breadcrumb mixture for the topping only. <------i really like that idea!!!!! if you try it this way, upload a pic to the Fan Page or tag me on IG (#fitfoodiele #fitclean2013).  i'd LOVE to see your creations.

cooking is ALL about having fun and trial & error for me. get in there and make your own masterpiece!

i'd like to give a big THANK YOU to Bragg for sending me a few samples of their seasonings recently!  i'll be testing the nutritional yeast, the sea kelp delight seasoning, and the 24 herbs and spices seasoning this week. 

ooooh the joys, blessings, and lessons of good ol' parenthood :lol: it was just one of those days.

thank God for electronic devices!!!!!

le

p.s., if you haven't entered to win some FREE FOOD, then click there and go see what's up! contest ends this saturday.

get lifted

so you're getting your cardio in.  you're slimming down overall.  awesome.  now, you want more definition, a little muscle, and a firmer, flatter tummy.  cardio won't sculpt and reshape your body like pumping iron will.  time to incorporate some weight lifting.  you can totally get your own dumbbells from walmart, academy, sports authority etc., but you can also take a class at your gym:)  i'm a little biased being an instructor and all, but i have to say again how classes are so EXCELLENT for motivation, challenging yourself, accountability, and camaraderie. try one. please.

why you should hit the weights:

 skyrockets your metabolism.  higher metabolism = more calories burned = happy camper.  it's also important to remember that the heavier you lift, the more muscle you gain which equals, yes, more calories burned!  common sense, but if you never add any weight to your bar (especially if you've been taking the same class or doing the same moves for a while) well, what are you doing? what are you really working towards?  you'll risk plateauing and not seeing any changes at all.

reduces your risk of injury, back pain, and arthritis.  muscle is not the only thing weights help build- they help strengthen the ligaments and tendons that support your muscles too.  this means you won't be injured/thrown around as easily when you're playing contact sports, doing every day activities, or fighting.  kidding.  stronger bones reduces, slows, and manages those aches, pains, and diseases.

muscle burns more cals than fat.  the more muscle you have, the more cals you burn all day long even while sitting around doing nothing important.  weights produce 40% more fat loss than cardio alone!  you read that right!  this explains why i feel so much leaner, longer (a couple days) vs. after a cardio session.  you'll start to see some ab action peeking out soon, watch.

produces stronger, longer, leaner muscles while defining, toning, and tightening overall. that nice line running down your thigh is all yours if you want it!  if you want to see change, change your weight.  lifting 2 lb dumbbells is for the birds.  go for the 5's, work your way up to 8's, 10's, 12's, etc. when you start to work harder, THAT'S when you walk by the mirror and give yourself that well deserved double-take!

increases muscular strength and endurance. you'll be physically stronger and better equipped to handle everyday stuff like walking up some stairs without getting winded or your legs feeling like hot jello.  not getting debo'ed by a heavy door.  lifting a 24 pack of water without throwing your back out. finishing your 5k strong and without stopping this time. progress feels GREAT.

your clothes will fit better.  when you no longer need to flex or 'suck it in' in order for a certain body part to be altered or lifted lol, that builds tons of confidence!  not only will your current clothes look better on you, a boost of confidence and self-esteem will make you boldly branch out and try on something you normally wouldn't;)

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**ladies- embrace the weights.  NO, you won't bulk up.  is that excuse still being used anymore anyway?  in order to look like a bodybuilder, you've got to train and eat like one.  i've been teaching my weights class for over 3 years now and hello, i'm no China or Xena.  my class focuses on building lean muscular strength AND endurance, which means we do a high number of reps with med-heavy, challenging weight.  my barbel/dumbbells aren't so heavy that i can only do 8, but i can't do 88 either. the end result? definition city.

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being a Lifetime Fitness instructor has its perks!  i had the pleasure of subbing a barbel strength class for another instructor sunday, and that was cool cause because lululemon was hosting their r&d (research & development) party that afternoon for the lifetime city-centre instructors!!

i went there immediately after class, family in tow.

as i signed up,  the lovely lady in the front excitedly explained that we would be getting a free gift.  the first thought that came to mind was 'it's a headband.' so you know i was THRILLED to hear her say 'free yoga pants!' what!? SHUT CHO MOUTH!!!

 'why can't you just get the free pants and that be it?' because, Sonny... *blank stare + side eye combo*

they had snacks- fruits, mixed nuts, and coconut water.

i appreciate a supportive top.  i have yet to meet a built-in-bra that didn't totally wimp out on me after a few machine washes.  i sometimes double up on sports bras so i can wear the cuter tops and not risk exposing myself mid-jumping jack.  Casi, the lulu rep above in the pink yoga pants, (check out her fit blog too- the recipes look healthy and tasty!) assured me that this one would do the trick.  stylish and supportive. i believed her!

 i tried it out in my class this week and it worked fabulously.  the thick straps really do the trick and most important, it's not UGLY!!

 but back to sunday. enough shopping, time to eat.

so we kept hearing all this commotion and engines revving- apparently there was a car show going on just outside.  i'm not really into that sorta thing, but they were cool to look at.

fun, fun. anyway, let's eat. forreal this time. soooooooo nice to see you again, Ruggles Green!

all natural buffalo burger and house-cut fries for hubs,

and spicy grilled fish tacos on corn tortillas with a side salad and honey mustard dressing for moi.

they put dried blueberries  and jicama in their side salads. it's different and it works.

i ordered the 'famous butternut squash' for my little man.  ooooooh, whatever is in that sweet, crunchy topping i MUST find out.  i shamelessly ate more of it than he did.because a meal isn't complete without dessert.  gotta end on a sweet note.

and plus i had another birthday gift card to empty;)

le