Henry: One Month

Yea, we did it! Henry is one month old! This is a bit late (Really he is 5.5 weeks old), but we were in CT all last week and (new) mommy forgot his one month sticker!!! Here are a few highlights for this little baby we love and adore:

• Henry went from 5lbs 12oz when we left the hospital to 8lbs 4oz! (Tonight we get an updated weight!)
• He just moved from newborn size to his vast collection of 0-3 months clothes!
• Mommy and daddy are TRYING to cope with the ever changing sleep patterns; 2 hours between feeds, then 3 1/2 hours between feeds....then back to 2 hours?! We'll even out eventually (*I HOPE)!
• Henry has been to Queens, Manhattan and Brooklyn...all in one day! 
• He met ALL 13 of his cousins last week!
• Puppy brother Lambeau is slowly accepting him as part of the family...no licking yet, but he certainly checks on him and naps nearby.
• He is finally getting used to baths....he was NOT a fan at first.
• We read to him a lot...he often looks at the books with interest...unless he is falling asleep. Current favorites are Goodnight Moon, Little Lion (From the Central Park Zoo), and a pattern book with no words. 
• I have finally been cleared to walk with him, and Henry has become more and more comfortable in his BOB stroller. 
• He loves his Rock and Play. Plain and simple, that thing is a Godsend (Yes mom and Kate, you told me so). 
• Henry is a great baby; he doesn't often cry unless something is wrong that we can fix.

We love this little guy so much. Despite all the tough stuff (recovery, sleep deprivation, etc), he is 100% worth it! 

Happy One Month Little Lion Man!

He was really excited about being a month old!

Embracing Seasons of Rest

We all go through different seasons in fitness life. Sometimes, we're in marathon training season. At other times, we are in maintenance season. Right now? I'm in the *REST* season. This was an easy season to be in at first, when I was extremely sore and could not think of doing anything beyond feeding my newborn and drinking water. But now? Now I'm under the delusion that I'm ten times better! Yea! Let's get crazy and walk all the miles! No. That's the next season. This season?  I like to call it the "Rest, Relax and Enjoy" season. Here is what has been helping me embrace this season of (forced) rest:

 How I feel

Reality

Take things slowly. I am finally able to leave my castle. Castle, you ask? That would be my nickname for my third floor walk up apartment. Once my doctor gave me the okay to "casually take the stairs" and to carry Henry up and down the stairs, we broke out the BOB stroller. I love this thing and can't wait to log some serious miles in it, but for now we will be taking short walks to enjoy our neighborhood.

We taught Lambeau Puppy to go into the "basket", he LOVES it!

Do something special that you enjoy. Brian's mom was visiting, so we took the opportunity to go on a quick date to one of our favorite restaurants. It was such a mood booster to break out of the monotony of three weeks of feeding, burping and napping! I also left Mr. Miller with the boys for some guy time while I met a girlfriend for a pedicure. Having pretty toes is like drinking ice cold water on a hot and humid day! All these little outings made me feel a bit more like myself again. 

Pictured: the most delicious salad and drinks!

Said delicious drink, I went with cucumber!

I got Borrowed and Blue on my toes! Love it!

Relax, this season won't last forever. I have to be reminded of this daily. Passing by mirrors, seeing runners enjoying the PRISTINE NYC weather, all make me anxious to get back at it. I have to choose to relax. I have to choose to focus on recovering, even when I'm feeling great, because there are good days and bad days still. The body is funny like that; it can trick you into a false sense of complete wellness. So for now, I'm enjoying this little guy and our easy walks, snuggles, and sitting on the balcony on cool summer nights.

Henry has a hard time relaxing after bath time...his straight jacket, AKA sleep sack, is a great resource!

How about you? What are your survival tips while in a period of forced rest? Have you been sidelined recently? Any fun summer plans? Tell me about it!