Be Kind and Rewind: Pregnancy, CrossFitting, & Boobs edition. Read at your own risk. ;)

The number 1 deadliest sin committed at Block Buster (remember those): not rewinding VHS tapes. Raise your hand right now if you ever returned a tape that you did not rewind. Or better yet, one that you messed up slightly and had to put you hand in and try and manually fix. (hand raised) Thank you for being honest. Anyhow, this is not about broke down VHS's or movie stores, but the fact that I stated at least a dozenteen times that I should start a blog. I would go on and on to my husband about how the blog would consist of, my pregnancy, Jozi Noel's monthly pics, what she had learned each month, and so on. I also stated during the same convos how it would be a cool thing to look back on for myself and JN (Jozi Noel) later on. This last time talking to my BFF, Dana V., (www.apinchofgrace.blogspot.com) on the subject we decided we both were committing to starting it up together separtly. Separate blogs that is. LOL. So rewinding my life's VHS via bloggering. I think I like to say bloggering it's funnier that just plan blogging.

Where to start?... oh yes. Belly Pics. Whoop whoop. LOL. I didn't actually have one until about the last 2 months of my pregnancy. LOL. But, I was so proud when I did finally "look pregnant" that I didn't care if people rubbed my belly. Just kidding on that one. I didn't care only if the BR's (belly rubbers) were people I knew. Okay, really just close family and close friends. Belly rubbing is whole other topic in itself.

38 weeks!

Exactly one week later I had JN! This picture (mirror selfie pic) is my favorite. I don't really know why other than I actually look pregnant! As far as my pregnancy went I was very lucky and very blessed! No majorly huge problems until the very end and that turned out perfectly fine too.

I was able to exercise 4 or 5 days a week on average. I read as much as humanly possibly on CrossFit and pregnancy. Many thanks to big time CrossFitters: Lisa Bender Thiel and Heather Bergeron for blogging about their pregnancies and CF. These amazing superstar athletes, who I want to be when I grow up, both had babies around the same time I did. I crept hard on their blogs to see what wods (workouts of the day) they both did throughout their pregnancies as well as what they ate, etc.

And yes, don't worry; I also made sure to talk to my doctor about it at Every visit. I probably worried the hound out of them wanting to know a set amount of weight I could put on the bar or what exact exercises I could or could not do.

The doctors I had were great, vague on the matter, but still listened to my concerns. However, no doctor in my office at the time had even heard of CrossFit. This was a challenge. Imagine explaining why you would want to do pull-ups, etc. to a doctor whose majority of patients have to be encourage to take a walk around the block. So needless to say, I researched my little heart out. I also asked my sweet friend Tonya Wilson tons of questions as she had just had sweet Jolie the year before. ;)

I followed the crossfitmom.com programming which was mainly a scaled version of the main site (Crossfit.com). It also gave details on what to avoid during each trimester. It worked for me. Plus, at the time the fellas I workout with at school were following the main site too. I was doing scaled versions of the same stuff they were just not as heavy or near as fast, which is the case even when I am not pregnant lol. I also used a heart rate monitor, drank lots of water during wods, and took breaks when I felt like I needed or just plain wanted to. I possibly could have done heavier weight or went a tad faster. But, I didn't beat myself up over anything. I read so many good articles on the benifits of exercise during pregnancy for babies and mommas. One benefit being that it leads to more active babies, then toddlers, and kids. AND BOY DOES IT EVER. If you sit behind us at church and are reading this you know what I'm talking about. hehe! Joz has to be one of the most active babies on the planet. She doesn't stop until nighttime. But, I love it. I would not change it for the world. As mom says, "you were the exact same way...", and my mother-in-law "Jared was the same way." So she gets it honest. Probably would have if I had sat on my butt all 9 months, but what fun would that have been. :)

I exercised up until my 37 week appointment when my doctors discovered I had developed high BP. After that I had to be very careful. By high I mean HIGH. I cried at school having to leave work that day after talking to my doctor because, "my plan was to work up until the day I had her to have more time after with her." I think I was a lot hormonal and nervous that I may be getting induced THAT day. I was put in the hospital twice before they induced me on my third visit. Safety first. I learned everything doesn't go as You plan it out in your head. But, goes exactly how God has planned. Strange how that works. ;)

Hope this helps anyone that is wondering about CFitting while pregnant. Much Love xoxo to you Mommas out there doing the best for your babies in regards to exercising of any kind or anything for that matter. Because for some reason with pregnancy comes lots and lots of opinions on what you should or shouldn't do, eat or not eat, etc. And yes, peoples main question, comments, concerns, and opinions are usually on breastfeeding and what their momma did and their mommas momma did. (Louise wants to know about these ;)) The way I see it, they're your boobs. Lay off people. Again, another post for another day. I learned you have to do what’s best for you and for your baby. They talk either way. Let um. Enough words, words, words. If you have stuck with me until now here are a few more baby bumpty bumps.

Painting JN's nursery at 20 weeks, halfway point!

First, just clarifying- That's my watch. Not my belly button in this pic. One of the few I took with my actualy belly showing. Kinda bummed about that. I guess I was really afraid of being on a Pinterest collage of "awkward maternity photos" I mean seriously though. Have you seen them? Some of them are extreme...ly weird.

32 weeks. (another mirror selfie, where's the embarassed emjoi face?) Luckily, with my job I was able to I wear Lululemon all the way through.... including the day I checked into the hospital. I would highly recommend Lululemon: mommy's, daddy's, grandmas, to anyone listening for that matter.

20 weeks again. I know. I just look full. But, I was so excited that's one of the few maternity dresses I did buy. I was fortunate enough to not Have to buy much. Things may be a whole different ball game the second go round.. whenever that may be. I think the first maternitized (as Leigh and I like to say) item I even put on and Andera Garland had just finished painting the tree and birds in the nursery. Hence the reason why this pic was crucial. ;)