A Healthy Journey

Good morning, all! It's just before 5:30 as I start to write this....yes, I know that's crazy early for me, but I slept a solid seven hours, so it's pointless to go back to sleep. I'm so gonna need a nap later.

We're finally starting to get into the swing of things around here. Which means we're starting to have a little more fun. We haven't been to the park lately, but that's partly because the heat index has been ridiculously high (hello, triple digits). So Andrew and I finally decided to blow up the Minnie Mouse ball pit thing a family member bought Rin for Christmas.

Whoever bought that: while this thing is fun, we had to blow it up manually! In other words, we spent thirty minutes both blowing into the different sections of this thing. Why don't these things come with a pump?!

Seriously, though. If she manages to pull one of the plugs out, Andrew and I have both declared we are NOT blowing it back up.

Rin's hair was immediately pure static upon entry of her new toy.

  As you can see, she was having a blast. She was giggling as I threw balls in at her. She was asking us to crawl in with her.

Andrew took it upon himself to see if he could crawl in it. Then discovered he could do so AND stick his head out the top and limbs out the side. Rin was laughing like crazy (let's face it...I was too).

 And then, as any two year old would do, she tried to do what daddy did. She succeeded in getting her head to poke out the top, but then about collapsed the thing trying to pick it up.

 Amelia, of course, has been content to sleep through all the fun. She's been doing well, as far as we can tell. She's starting to get a little more social. There have definitely been some coos and smiles. So far, she's actually a little more pleasant than Rin was at this age....or maybe we're just more experienced at getting babies to calm down now. Either way, I'm glad.

She doesn't sleep as long as Rin did at that age, but she's still getting some decent hours in on most nights. Which means I get some decent hours in at night. I don't wake up paranoid every thirty minutes like I did at first with Rin either.

A well-rested momma = a happier momma.

I'm also getting some decent hours in because I've been (say whaaaaaat) starting a health journey.

Now, I know I could just say I'm starting to get back into shape and eat better.

But that doesn't quite encompass what's happening.

Yes, getting back into shape and eating better are goals of mine. But I feel that calling it a health journey takes some of the perfectionist pressure off. It allows for the days that exercise just ain't gonna happen. Or the days that I slip and drink more caffeine than I should. Or the days that, dang it, I just need to eat some ice cream!

Because I've discovered that I'm one of those people that gets frustrated the moment I slip up. And then I want to give up because I can't stick with a regimen.

With a journey, there comes a sense of acknowledgement that there will be hick-ups and hard times as well as accomplishments and good times.

Take yesterday for example. Tuesday and Wednesday, I did well by doing the 30 day yoga challenge I started. Tuesday, I went for a walk. Yesterday, I did almost nothing. Instead, I spent my yoga time spending time with my husband. And I spent my walking time nursing a baby who was fighting sleep, taking a bath, and passing out myself.

AND THAT'S OKAY.

It's a process. One day, I'll be able to get my exercising in every day. Without injuring myself.

I must keep in mind that my body is still healing from being stretched beyond recognition for months.

That's why I'm starting with just yoga and walking. Walking because I get out of breath doing that at a brisk pace for a long period of time. And yoga to both ease into some strength training again and because it is a practice that allows graciousness to where I am with my body.

Also because it reminds me to breathe through discomfort (and who doesn't need THAT reminder).

I've also started taking it upon myself to learn more about food and how to eat healthily. I'm starting with a book a friend of mine has recommended often, as I've seen how much healthier she is from following the advice from said book.

There's a fair chance I may make some blog posts about what I learn in this book. It's partly for my own memory, but also because I just want you guys to be able to see my health journey as I go.

My health journey is also going to incorporate some spiritual health into it as well, as I'm reading my Bible, thinking about churches to visit, and starting a book my dad recommended called Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud.

My goal in doing all this is essentially a healthier, happier, stronger version of myself.

Let the fun begin!