Cuteness & Exercise…

I really ought to leave the best picture for last… but I want to make sure you see this adorable picture of Maggie in her “mushroom hat.”

She has such a cute serious little face:

A little size perspective… here she is with big sis, who is Mommy’s big helper:

She sleeps best in somebody’s arms. Here she is sacked out with Papa. I thought her little foot sticking out was so cute! Development note – she started bringing her hands to her mouth a few days ago (at about five weeks). Hopefully she will find her thumb soon? I’m not sure… she likes her pacifier too much maybe. She has also started trading grunts for little baby girl voice noises instead. I love it!

Anna said she was “filing.” She kept rubbing the sticks against each other. For an hour, she played with them! Oh, to have the imagination of a two year old! She is the funniest little thing when she gets started! Lately, she frequently says that she’s going to do this that “after soon.” Like, “I’m going to go to the zoo after soon.”

Tonight I finally broke out the “boot camp” exercise dvd for post-partum! After a five minute workout, a 10 minute exercise session and another five minute cool-down I have wobbly legs. And I did the easy one. Anna was a crack-up though, doing lots of the exercises with me and breathing with exaggeration like the instructor so I know when I’m supposed to exhale. Here we are doing some stretches:

And reach! (See Maggie sleeping in the bouncy chair back there?)

Last year for Christmas, I gave Brian the Christmas present of me getting into shape. I vowed to exercise five days a week for at least 30 minutes a day. I kept it up, only missing one or two days for over a month. And then I got pregnant. Exercise plan went flop, along with my energy. Tonight I recommitted myself to getting in shape for Brian, for our kids and for myself. It’s a little more conservative, but it will still be hard to remain committed. I have committed to at least three days a week of a 20+ minute exercise session on the dvd. I can substitute with a long walk. I made up a chart and put it on the wall so I can be reminded of how many days I have left that week to work out. I am pleased with how I look after having a baby… but I don’t want to stay in my maternity jeans forever, I want to lose some of that baby weight and get some muscles back after several months of low activity. And I’m tired of being a wimp when people go on a walk. Seriously, I am weak. Time to fix that, one wimpy (and sweaty) work-out session at a time!