Soaking It In

Okay, let’s just get real with each other. This blogging thing is hard when you’re pregnant. There is a massive decrease in motivation of all daily activities that combines itself with my brain vaulting all intelligent vocabulary for nine months.  All rational thought and behavior is replaced with an insane amount of tear duct juice and it is starting to be a bit ridiculous. The other day I cried while watching the last thirty minutes of Homeward Bound.  For the WHOLE THIRTY MINUTES! Shadow the dog fell in the mud pit by the railroad tracks and couldn’t get out after this crazy adventure through the wild and then his friends, Chance and Sassy, encouraged him to try to get out.  Chance and Sassy find their home and reunite with their owners, but Shadow hadn’t made it back…yet…until little Peter sees Shadow coming over the hill running to him, in slow motion mind you, and they embrace and roll all over the yard in deep emotion. C’mon!!!?  Cue open flood gates.

And while I am on the complain train…

I’m totally down for these hot summer days if it means daily trips to the pool and beach. BUT, this whole thing about being hot and pregnant with no refreshing bodies of water right outside my front door? It makes me want to hibernate in the a/c until I can step outside my door and be greeted by the pleasant autumn breeze.  I am a summer and autumn gal.  I never want to rush either of these seasons and I do a fairly good job of enjoying the moments they both bring me, but – in my pregnant state –  if we could fast forward to the cool crisp mornings and lukewarm afternoons, I swear I would jump off this summer sweat train.  Well, maybe…

There is still the fact that I am typing all of this laying flat on my back because sitting up means an uncomfortable pressure on my bladder and lungs. Whew. Okay, I think I am done. My whining takes on a whole new life form when I am pregnant. I can’t wait until I am back to the more energized me again. 

Here is the positive news. I have a baby in my belly!!! AND I am cherishing my sweet summer moments with my little girl. I am fully aware that our daily one-on-one time is coming to an end and I am holding on as tight as ever, making the most of our time together.  Even if it means I give in to an extra frozen yogurt pop request or watch one more rerun of Doc McStuffins while holding her; I’m soaking it all in.

The past few weeks we have been taking trips to the beach, finding quiet hidden spots and gathering with friends and family.

and just a little pool time for us...

Little Sprout | Jackson

I can't get over how cute this little man is. He is absolutely perfect - from his full head of hair all the way to those itty bitty toes. He was also a dream to work with. Once he fell asleep he was down for the count and I was able to practice a new pose I have always wanted to do. I am so in love with him, and I can totally say that because he is my best friend's baby. I can't wait to watch him grow up, but not yet, I want to soak in all that baby cuteness for as long as possible.

Big-girl-otosis

There has been this infection - this “condition” rather - that has been dwelling in our house the past few days.  The symptoms include crazy urges to help cleanup or cook, bathroom breaks to the big girl potty, changing into outfits “my own self”, and feeding baby doll her dinner. It became clear to me today as she drew the diagnosis of her current patient (a baby doll) in her “Big Book of Boo-Boos”, that Addisyn has been seriously infected.  Her perfectly bright blue eyes looked up at me while she confidently pulled her stethoscope off her ears, simultaneously set down her diagnosis book and said, “Big-girl-otosis momma.”


 Ummm huh? It took me a few minutes to snap back into reality. I thought through this with all logic.  Okay, she watched Doc McStuffins this morning and that is obviously where she is getting “otosis” from. Steve and I have been praising her “big girl” status often because she has been using the “big girl” potty daily, but to put “big girl” and “otosis” together? There is only one explanation...Genius!

Addisyn suffers from Big-girl-otosis. It’s affecting me in the most happy of ways and I can’t stop myself from thinking how perfectly planned this all was. Have you ever looked at the birth order or age-spread of your children and immediately known the reason they were born in that order and that far apart?  These past few weeks I have been thinking about this a bunch. I guess because I always expected to have a boy first and a girl second, and since I had Addisyn first I just expected she would have a sister next. It has been hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that we are having a little boy. How will Addisyn adjust to her new brother? The answer is obvious to me now. I had been focusing on her gender and never thought to look at her character.  Addisyn is wise, nurturing, loveable, and helpful. What better traits to have in a big sister and my eldest child?

Feeling unbelievably blessed and completely infected with Joyful-momma-itis!

With Love,

Stacy

A CrossFit Mom post | Kristin

AWow! This project has been a long time in the making. It’s probably been subconsciously nestled in the back of my brain ever since last fall when I first stepped into CrossFit Dover and was immediately inspired by all the dedicated women who surrounded me. Not only that, it was obvious that all their dedication was paying off.  I specifically remember seeing the back muscles on one girl as she was prepping for pull ups and thinking to myself that I wanted to get there one day. It wasn’t long after I started working out at CrossFit that the women I admired started to share their stories. Some of them had busy full time lives and were changing from business suits to shorts and a sports bra, others had recently reached personal records and were setting goals to reach even higher, one woman had lost over 100 lbs in a year with CrossFit, and some were new moms working hard to see their pre-pregnancy weight again. You could say I fell in love with “the box” (CrossFit lingo for “the gym”) for many reasons, but mainly because I found so much inspiration and motivation from our coach and my fellow CrossFit women.

In March I found out I was pregnant and although I was so elated about our newest little miracle arriving at the end of the year, I was sad that the strides I wanted to make at CrossFit had to be put on pause. That’s where I was wrong. Even while pregnant, I have continued my CrossFit training, but only by the inspiration from the women I have come to know who have already trained before, during, and after pregnancy. This same incredible group of women prompted an idea I had early this spring. What if I brought CrossFit and mommyhood to my photography business? It seems just perfect to me. Right? I adore being a momma, I love CrossFit and I live in photography. So without further delay, please meet my first CrossFit momma, Kristin! I’m hoping she will be the first of many.

Kristin isn’t as new to CrossFit as I am. She started in 2008 and fell in love with it just like me. Kristin says, “It was the people, the teamwork, the feeling you weren’t by yourself. You want to work hard because everyone around you was working hard. You might want to cry and you might want to vomit, but you feel like part of the team.” Kristin is a new(er) momma. Her little girl, Anna, is over a year old, but I couldn’t resist asking her for an interview. I knew she had a little one, I knew she stayed at home with her daughter, and I had seen her work so hard every time I was in the gym. She was one of the women that I aspire to be. Kristin gained 37 lbs with Anna and after delivering her she was frustrated with how slow the pregnancy weight was coming off. She started back at CrossFit five weeks after her delivery and within a few months she returned to her pre-pregnancy weight. For her, CrossFit is a release, her “me”time, and her social time. She wanted to be completely present and not stressed all day with Anna, so with the support of her husband and her family, she made CrossFit a priority.

CrossFit Mom: Kristin

Kids: Daughter, Anna is 20 months and one on the way J

Job: Stay at home mom and loving it

Starting weight after delivery: 155 lbs

Current weight: 140lbs

***CrossFit Mom Package at CrossFit Dover*** If you are expecting OR just had a baby and want to take part in a CrossFit Dover/Stacy Hart Photography package, please contact me or CrossFit Dover.  

And now for some sweet ones with Kristin and Anna. 

With Love,

Stacy