2 month Check Up

Today Emmy Lu had her 2 month check up and shots.  She was very smiley at the doctor and nurse and is a sweet little girl all around.  She is getting bigger and bigger each day and we are really starting to see her personality.  Here are her 2 month stats:

Height: 22 inches 34th %

Weight: 11 lbs 3 oz 59th %

Head Circumference: 15.5 Inches 67%

I am happy to report that breast feeding is going extremely well and it is a great fit for us this time around.  She is happy, healthy, continues to grow and bring our family immeasurable joy.

It’s totally a mom thing and maybe a grandma thing (but I wouldn’t know that yet) but the other day I was singing to her and rocking her-she gave me the biggest cutest smile that filled my heart with so much love that it made me get teary eyed.  Lame but I love it!!!

Time Flies….

I have been a mom of 2 for 2 months already.  Wow!  Look at this cute girl.  Sure to bring a smile to your face.

Back here again

Anyone who knows me, knows that I go up and down with my weight.  I was up, lost 45 lbs, stayed that way for quite a while and have been slowly creeping back up.  Actually I shouldn’t say creeping, I shot back up and have stayed there since before having Tanner.  I can’t even blame it on the kids either because I only gained 10-15lbs with each and lost it all right away.  It is the rest of this darn weight that seems to be my problem.  I am not blessed with a petite physique.  I have these German hips and thighs that are great for doing tough girl jobs like rearranging furniture and carting around kids but as of late are a bit extreme for my taste.

So…I’m back here again.

Ready for a change.

Ready to get healthier.

Ready for more energy.

Ready to take some time for myself in order to have a happier, healthier family.

I don’t have grand (unrealistic) visions that I feel plague women.

I still love myself and love how I look MOST days.

I know I would still have all that love at a smaller size.  

I know what I have to do.

I’ve done it all before….UGH!!

Time to write down what I put in my body, to treat food like fuel and make good choices.

Most importantly it’s time for me to GET MOVING!!!  I stay busy with Tanner (which is probably why I haven’t ended up on Biggest Loser Yet), but I need to REALLY MOVE.

Sweat.

Get sore muscles.

Today I prepared to get shredded.  I started Jillian Michael’s 30 day Shred Video.  It is perfect for a busy lady like me.  The INTENSE 20 minute workout can be easily snuck in during naptime (right between cleaning and blogging of course)

I’m kicking my own butt into gear (with Jillian’s help…she’s a little scary).

I am holding myself accountable and ready to go. 

I don’t want to come back here again.

 

So, from time to time I will be posting my progress of my Operation: Get Healthy.  It is more for myself and accountability than anything else but support and encouragement are never a bad thing.  I also have taken a rather real (aka unflattering) BEFORE pic and plan and having noticeably different AFTER image.  Depending on how brave I feel, I might..just might share these with my loyal blog buddies.

What a ZOO!!!

It’s true that some days I feel more like a zoo keeper than a mom.  However yesterday I took the kids to the REAL zoo.  My nieces are up staying with us for a week and my mom and I have been tag teaming keeping up with their crazy kid antics all week.  Yesterday, I (me, solo, singular) took the crew on this zoo trip.  We had a blast and with plenty of snacks, water, and stop for a nice cool Capri Sun the kids stayed happy and excited to see all the Zoo had to offer.  The Lake Superior Zoo is nothing fancy but is surely a great and inexpensive way to spend the day.  Here are some pictures I took…between chasing, feeding, explaining, and just trying to keep up with the kiddos.

Wild and Crazy Anniversary

Yesterday Paul and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary.  We started talking about how busy busy busy we have been in these first three years of marriage.  We have moved 3 times, bought, re-modeled and sold a house, had 2 beautiful children and the adventure continues!!!  I am so lucky to be married to a man that I can laugh with and enjoy all these adventures together.  Since we are anticipating buying another home soon we are on a pretty strict savings budget here in the Nyquist household.  So, we really went ALL out on gifts.  Paul surprised me with a beautiful (but reasonably priced and sized) flower arrangement.  I bought him some of his favorite snacks that he rarely buys for himself: a giant bag of beef jerky and peanuts.  Like I said…FANCY!!    Happy anniversary to US. I am excited to see what our next 3 years and beyond bring us.

 

2nd time around…

They say that you get more relaxed with every kid you have.  If that is the case I might just be mistaken for a burned out “Dead Head” by the time I have our 3rd child.

With Tanner I pre washed EVERYTHING in Dreft- bedding, blankets, onsies, booties, hats, etc.

I sterilized the bottles TWICE before using.

I would touch his lips while he took a long nap to make sure he was breathing.

I cried and lamented for days when I couldn’t breastfeed any longer.

I was so careful, nervous about changing his diaper, clothes, etc.

I fretted each and every time he made a peep.

I religiously bathed him every other day and did not miss a beat.

 

Oh how things have changed….

 

With Emmy Lu I washed a few things (in NORMAL detergent) that were in storage but new outfits..I toss right on her.

If she is sleeping I take advantage of the time to play with Tanner, clean, make my lists etc…No lip checking here.

I had a whatever happens, happens mentality about breastfeeding and things are going AWESOME.

I fly through diaper and clothing changes like a well trained pit crew worker.

If she starts to squirm I wait that extra second to make sure if she really means it or is just getting out some kinks.

I bath her when I remember or have time…Don’t get me wrong..It is frequently enough but for sure NOT the strict schedule I had with Tanner.

 

I am amused at all my friends who are becoming first time moms and am a tad envious of that first time mom OCD. But mostly am thankful that the second time around seems so much easier and WAY less stressful.  In a few more weeks I am pretty sure I could do my daily routine with Tanner and Emmy Lu with one hand tied behind my back.

 

One thing that has NOT changed is how much I love and adore her.  I try not to compare Emmy Lu and Tanner but they are just so darn similar it is hard not to.  So far Emmy Lu is happy, relaxed and seems VERY content.  She hardly cries, gives us lots of smiles and is such an easy baby.  Just like her brother….

 

People said that I really lucked out with Tanner and that there would be NO WAY I could luck out with two chillaxed little ones.  I am happy that Emmy Lu is so far proving all those people wrong…

I might be pressing my luck in expecting more relaxed children in the future but so far my track record is giving me no reason to stop creating and raising these adorable, loving, sweet little creatures.

North Shore Family Vacation

Last weekend we took our first annual camping trip to Temperance River State Park up Minnesota’s BEAUTIFUL North Shore.  We reserved 5 campsites and filled them with family and friends for a weekend of fun and adventure.  It was Tanner and Emmy Lu’s first camping experience and I have to say they did AWESOME!!  Tanner slept thru the night (with the help of my battery operated I pod radio and some Rock-a-bye Lullabies)  and Emmy Lu woke up only a couple times a night to eat then went right back to bed.  It was definitely LOTS of work keeping up with the kids and chasing Tanner around all weekend while also taking care of Emmy.  However, I think the experiences are so great and worth the work for the benefits their little brains got.  There were tons of new sights, sounds, faces, experiences that they unfortunately won’t remember but will help shape them into little outdoor, adventure loving people.  The MN State Park system lets you book campsites 1 year out so this morning we already booked our campsites for next year Aug 9-12, 2012.  We also had so much fun that we reserved 2 more sites.  Here are some pictures of our adventures.