Tag: walking | Baby Doodah!

Herniated Disc and Ways I’m Healing Naturally

Posted on March 20 by Jillian416 • 4 Comments

**I am in no way a medical practitioner and any advice or tips listed herein, are suggestions that have worked for me. Please contact your medical provider before beginning any new exercises or routines.**

[photo credit]

Coping with a Herniated Disc

I mentioned in my menu plan on Sunday, that I have been dealing with a herniated disc. As I mentioned in that post, the pain from a herniated disc is the worst pain you can ever imagine. Nerve pain is the worst kind of pain because there’s no getting use to it, and it doesn’t dull. It stays as strong and intense from the moment it starts until it is healed. The only saving grace is that as it heals, it may occur less frequently.

Back in September of 2009, I had a microdiscectomy on a disc that was hitting my sciatic nerve on the left side of my body. The goal was to take away the numbness that I was dealing with, and to alleviate the pain that was constant. Sadly, the surgery didn’t do either. I left in more pain that I started in, and the numbness remained. I was out of work for at least 10 weeks trying to heal, because sitting behind a desk would have been impossible. After about 10 weeks, I still had pain but it was tolerable and something that I could work with. Now, 6 years later, I don’t have pain on that side, but the numbness remains. Now I have pain on the right side of my body from a herniated disc that is hitting my right sciatic nerve. However, this time around I’m handling things much differently, I’m going to work on healing myself naturally.

So, what am I doing?

First and foremost, I’ve cut gluten out of my diet. Gluten can cause inflammation, and has been shown to exacerbate herniated discs, I almost immediately cut it out. There is just no need for it, if it is even remotely causing any of my pain. I never ever want to be where I was on Thursday night again.

I was rolling around in bed trying to figure out how to get up to use the bathroom at 3 am and I just couldn’t do it without help. I had to wake poor Seamus up to assist me. At that moment, I hit rock bottom. I knew that my weight was negatively affecting my back and that I couldn’t keep beating my body up. So far, four days in, and I’m doing just fine. I absolutely have cravings but with the right amount of pressure on myself, I’m able to say no to gluten filled foods. It feels good to take control!

Next, I started my stretching regimen. Three to four times a day, I stop what I am doing and find a place to stretch out my back, which has been doing wonders. Even if my back completely heals, I will be continuing this stretches. A healthy back needs to be stretched and strengthened, as much as an injured one. I will be sharing my stretch “routine” in a future post.

I also began walking more. There have been days when hours would pass and I wouldn’t get up from my desk. If I don’t have to use the bathroom, and I’m focused on what I am doing, then I wouldn’t get up. I have changed that now, I try to get up at least once an hour to stretch my spine, and get a few extra steps in a day. The standing position is much less painful than sitting anyway.

I stopped lifting items that are too heavy for me. I have pretty much always been a strong person, able to lift things far heavier than I probably should have. In addition to my weight, this is probably one of the biggest qualifying reasons that my back is so temperamental. Even with our move, I am not lifting a thing. I bring the empty box to the room I’m in, fill it and then have Seamus move it. I’m not taking any risks. I haven’t even picked up Emmett in almost a week. If Seamus picks him up for me, I am okay to hug him and kiss him, but picking him up from the floor is bad bad BAD (just another reason I need to heal myself).

And finally, I’ve started doing some yoga. Yoga has always seemed so interesting to me, an intense workout for your muscles, but also so peaceful and centering. I have done yoga workouts off and on for years, but never really took it seriously. However, I did some serious reading about healing herniated discs, and one of the most common suggestions was practicing yoga regularly. I’m taking their advice and starting my practice. I’d love to have one of those strong, svelte bodies of all the yoga fanatics on Instagram.

This will likely be a lengthy journey, but I will heal and feel healthier because of it. I will have changed my life for the better in so many ways, versus jumping to surgery and not changing my life. I can do this! I believe in myself!

Your turn!

Have you ever suffered from a herniated disc? Do you have any advice for me? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Filed Under: All About Me

Dear Emmett – 15 Months

Posted on November 9 by Jillian416 • 0 Comments

Happy 15 months, Emmett!

I love you! Did you know that? I really truly am madly and deeply in love with you. I am so grateful that you are my little boy. I think our biggest news this month is that you completely self-weaned from breastfeeding on Sunday, 9/29/13. You woke up one morning and really resisted latching but eventually you did it, that night you refused, so you got a bottle of Whole milk. The next morning (Sunday) when I tried to put you on your side to nurse, you pushed back and started crying and got VERY upset. I stopped pushing and determined that you had decided you were done and you haven’t had breast milk since.

I had originally set a goal of 18 months in regards to nursing you, with the caveat that if you decided to wean on your own, sooner, I’d go with that. I’m glad you felt safe and secure enough to wean yourself, but I won’t lie, I had a difficult time with it. I had no idea that when you nursed for the last time, that it would BE your last time. I hadn’t relished the moment we had nor did I try and capture any of the memories, because I assumed there would be a next time. I’m definitely not mad or upset with you, it just taught me to begin treating each moment like it could be the last and to enjoy those moments fully. I’m so happy that we had a full 14 months of breastfeeding! You’ve spoken your first word…. “Hi!” I’m sure it’s because your dad and I constantly say it to you, whether we walk into a room or find you looking at us, we’ll say “hi.” It is really adorable to hear! Your second word was your favorite fruit, banana! The first time I heard you say it was amazing! It was amazing that my little boy was learning to speak and associate words with objects. When you say the word, you typically say “nana” and have said the full word 1 time. Your dad or I will repeat what you said, only with the full word, to hammer home what you’re learning. We are SO proud of you! Over the past month you’ve said what seem like other words, like “buh-bye” or sometimes you’ll say “momma” but they are not with any regularity (yet) so I’m not sure if you know what they actually mean yet. Either way, you’re growing so fast! Over the last month you have become so much more aware. When we talk to you, you actually seem to know what we’re saying, if we speak in simple direct sentences. You know what “no” means and will typically stop what you’re doing, even if you go right back into it a second later. 😉 We can also ask you to “come here” or ask if you want “up,” and you understand very well. It’s just amazing watching you progress from little baby to toddler boy. You love making the monkey sound! Anytime we’re watching something on TV and there’s either a picture of a monkey or someone says the word monkey, you start going “oo-oo-oo-ee-ee,” it is so so cute and I just stare at you with a huge smile on my face because you blow me away. You’re also really good at making the cow and doggy sound when prompted, but of course you won’t make any sounds when we see someone new or visit family. Then you get really shy and either hide your face in your dad’s or my shoulder. I don’t mind, I’ll take the snuggle! Oh my goodness! I love this! When you’re getting ready for bed, after you’ve finished your nighttime milk, we have a ritual. I take your bottle and give you your binkie. Then I turn on your sound machine, put your blanket on my shoulder and flip you around to cuddle and rock. Previously, that’s where it would end but now you point towards your stuffed monkey (your “lovey”), once I give him to you, you pull him in close and tuck him under your little chin and then tuck your hand down under your belly. My heart melts every single time this happens and it happens nightly. I LOVE you! You’ve also become really really aware this week. When we talk to you, it seems as though you are starting to understand and sometimes I know you understand because when I ask you a question you’ll respond by shaking your head (no) or you’ll reach for what it is I’m offering you. It’s really neat to see this recognition occur, you’re becoming such a little boy. I can’t exactly put into words what it feels like when talking to you and seeing your recognition but it is such an incredible thing to see.

Fair warning **TMI**

To round out the month we had what your father and I called “poop-pocalypse 2013.” What a mess! It was early in the morning on a weekday, so I was putting my makeup on and your dad was making our breakfast and you were bopping around the kitchen, like you usually do. Your dad finished what he was doing and grabbed you and took you into your bedroom to get your diaper changed, he pulls down your pants and your diaper overflowed out of the leg hole of your diaper and down your leg. I finished what I was doing and came to help your dad clean you up, you’re at the age where you don’t like to have your diaper changed so we almost always have to hand you something to play with, so I handed you your shoe. When I looked closer at the shoe, there was poop ALL OVER IT! And now, since I’d given it to you to play with, it was all over your hands. AHHHHHH! I took the shoe away, cleaned your hands up and then tossed that shoe and it’s pair right in the trash, I just couldn’t bring myself to clean it. We got you all cleaned up and sanitized and then we walk into the kitchen… There were little baby poop-prints all over the kitchen floor. OMG! It was literally everywhere! It was late, we all need to get to work and school, so I quickly sprayed Lysol everywhere and cleaned it up that way. I just couldn’t leave poop-prints on the floor throughout the day. When your dad got home from work that night, he mopped the whole floor, but my goodness that was the biggest mess you’ve ever made. Hopefully that never happens again! Alright baby boy, that’s your 15 month update. I am excited to see what else is in store for us!

Your turn!

What were some of the fun things your child did at 15 months?

Want to read the other Dear Emmett’s I’ve written? Check them out here.

Filed Under: Emmett

Dear Emmett (12 months),

Posted on July 27 by Jillian416 • 0 Comments

12 months! You have been alive for 12 months, this amazes and thrills me to no end.

This has been a busy month for you, but truthfully you’re busy every month, you just accomplish something knew. Emmett, I cannot believe that you have turned a year, that 365 days have passed since the very moment that I gave birth to you. We have had our ups and downs, but I’ve learned so much and grown even more, I wouldn’t change a moment of the past 12 months.

They made him a birthday crown at day care.

Last month, you were pulling yourself up, cruising along the edges of things, this month you’ve begun to take your first steps. We were actually doing FaceTime with your paternal grandparents when you decided there was something across the room that you wanted to check out. You pulled yourself up on your crib, wobbled a bit and then decided to take 4 stiff-legged steps to the toy you were looking for. I squealed (as I almost always do for your accomplishments), I was just so excited! Your grandparents thought you had fallen or gotten hurt because at the moment, your daddy had the camera facing him. Whoops! We were able to get you to do it again but only for 2 steps, you just know that crawling is so much faster.

As the month has progressed you’ve taken more and more unassisted steps, but crawling remains your main mode of transportation. I don’t blame you, you move so SO fast when crawling. You’ll get there before we know it and then the real trouble begins! 🙂

Another major physical development has been that you can now stand up from sitting without any assistance. You more frequently use the couch, but you are able to sit, then move into a squatting position and finally stand up, sometimes you’ll take a step or two but most of the time you’ll plop back down to play.

You also, sadly, had your first real fever this month, it happened so quick too. The day after the fourth of July your dad and I had taken off and were going to have a ‘date day,’ so we got up early and took you to day care. When I dropped you off, you were fine, happy and sweet but by the time I had gotten nearly home, your day care had called me to let me know you had a fever of 102.1. I turned around and went back and got you. Your fever got pretty high (104.1), so we went to the doctors but other than that, we spent the next 3 days just cuddling you and making you comfortable. Poor guy, just wanted to be held.

You’re a pro mimicker! It started with kissy noises. I had been nursing you and sat you up and blew you a kiss, you stared at me for a few seconds and then kind of puckered up your lips and made the kiss sound. It was adorable! I kept kissing your sweet little cheeks and you kept making the sound in response, but it has since developed into more. Now any time your father or I do anything, you try and do the exact same thing. The other morning, we were all in bed cuddling and your dad touched my nose, he knows I hate having my nosed touched but he did it so you would see and repeat it. Guess what? You did. Your dad was thrilled. Me? Not so much! Either way, it’s really cute having you try and repeat the things we do whether it be a sound or an action, you will try anything.

Most babies around your age start waving hello when someone walks into a room and waves at them. You are no exception, only thing is that you do it a bit differently and it’s THE cutest thing. You throw your arm and hand in the air, like you’re about to present someone and just hold it there. There’s no, flapping or waving of the hand, just a straight, stiff arm. So cute! Toward the end of the month you’ve changed how you hold your hand and now, sometimes you will actually wave. It’s amazing how just (less than) 30 days can change you.

You continue to be fearless when it comes to food, you will try just about anything we give to you. Some days you might not eat much or may not like the way something tastes but if we give it to you again, you’ll love the way it tastes the second time. Case in point, blueberries… you hated them the first time I gave them to you. However, I kept sending them for lunch and putting them on your tray for dinner. After about a week of doing that, you started devouring them, now we are forced (not that we mind) to buy the 2 pound container of blueberries so that there’s enough for the week. You almost always eat what we do, things like salmon couscous, grilled chicken, asparagus, ravioli, Naan, etc. etc. The only time we have to come up with an alternate meal for you, is when we’re eating something spicy and that’s mainly because we figure something hot (in spice) like that may hurt you and you wouldn’t understand why.

For Christmas, you received these Fisher Price Snap Lock Beads and you love them. You get so excited when we connect them all together and then you’re able to break them apart and look in the hole that is on one end. You also love putting them on your fingers, you’ll put one on your index finger and one on your pinky finger and shake your hand around, it pretty adorable and very silly. But anything that has a hole or indentation you love.

Your dad and I haven’t really baby-proofed anything up until the last week of the month. You were mobile, but we were able to wrangle, you in one way or another, so we avoided getting rid of or moving things that weren’t safe for you to play with. However, during the last week, you started pulling down daddy’s DVDs almost daily and getting into things that were completely unsafe, so we immediately started reorganizing and getting the house ready for a baby that is very active.

Has it truly been 12 months? Have I really written 11 different “Dear Emmett’s”? Holy cow! I find that so hard to believe but it’s very obviously true. You’ve come so SO far from that bitty baby that was born and would only eat, sleep and pee/poop. Now you play, hug, cuddle and love. You’re amazing and I have no doubt that you will continue to be this way for the rest of your life.

Happy 1 year birthday, sweet sweet Emmett! Mommy loves you to the moon and back!

Filed Under: Emmett, Emmett's Birthday, Family

Dear Emmett

Posted on May 27 by Jillian416 • 0 Comments

10 months!? 10 whole months old! Insane!

This month’s post is a little late because your baby cousin and her family were in town to celebrate her first birthday, so we were busy visiting.

Don’t worry, Emmett doesn’t normally ride in the front seat. He was only here because he had just finished nursing.

In last month’s post, I shared that you were still army crawling, it was literally the day after you turned 9 months that you started really crawling. I was in the other room and your dad yelled for me because (as he said it), “Your boy is crawling!” I ran in but you were already back on your belly but within no time, I got to witness you crawling. What a big boy! Here’s a funny story, I was picking you up from day care one day and I asked your teachers whether they had seen you do your big boy crawl yet, both girls said no. As if on cue, you stopped playing with your toy, got on your hands and knees and crawled over to me. It was adorable! Both teachers were very excited for you, and I can’t say I blame them. I am endlessly proud of you!

We celebrated my first Mother’s Day. You and daddy got me such nice and thoughtful gifts, a beautiful new charm bead for my Pandora bracelet and a gift certificate to my favorite salon, to be used for a massage or in another pampering way. Daddy also took us out for breakfast, it was a buffet and the food was really good. You weren’t really into anything, except for the french toast and a small piece of bacon. Then we went down to your Grammy’s house to spend the afternoon with her. It was a perfect first Mother’s Day!! I can’t wait for every year to come. 🙂

Remember last month when I said you were getting better at standing up and were slowly starting to coast? Well, you are now a pro at pulling yourself up and moving along, whether it be your crib, the pack and play or our couches. You grab, pull up and MOVE! Your dad and I have had to be much more careful about what we put places since you’re able to reach things now. Pretty soon, the coffee table will be completely empty because you’ll be able to reach all the way across.

Last month I also mentioned how we had started placing you at your motorcycle and how you’d take a couple steps and then fall down. Not any more, now you stand up behind the motorcycle and take it clear across the house. Your dad or I will follow behind you because when you bump into something you don’t yet understand how to back up or turn, so we help you readjust but you’re doing so well. I wonder if by next month’s Dear Emmett, you’ll be walking independently??? I think the reason you’ve excelled so quickly with walking with support is because of day care. They have a bunch of different toys for the babies to stand and walk with, so you get loads of practice.

You continue to be breastfed but we’ve reduced the amount that we send you to day care with. Instead of 3-six ounce bottles, we’ve been sending you with 3-five ounce bottles and it seems to be working out well. You are still a pretty good eater! Some days you don’t feel like eating a lot but for the most part, you are willing to try anything. You love grilled cheese sandwiches and also peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, when we can’t get you to try anything else, you will usually eat either of those two.

We also experienced your first ear infection. But we never would have known you had an ear infection if we hadn’t had your 9 month appointment. You were never cranky and your mood never changed, so it was very surprising when the doctor looked in your ear and said you had one. You were on amoxicillian for 10 days and loved the taste of it. I’m glad the ear infection didn’t cause you any pain, but I am also glad that your doctor caught it when he did.

Speaking of your 9 month doctor’s appointment, you weighed in at 23 lbs 2 ounces and 27 inches long! Big boy! You fell into the 95th percentile for both height and weight for a 9 month old. You’re even beginning to wear 12 month clothes because 9 month stuff is getting too small. Your dad and I are in for it!!

I think you’re teething again because you’ve been drooling like crazy, shoving even more stuff into your mouth and you’ve had a pretty bad diaper rash (which I’ve heard is an indication of teething). I wonder which are growing in?

We think you are learning the sign for ‘more,’ but it’s hard to tell if it is that or you clapping because they are so similar. We just keep doing the ‘more’ sign hoping that you will catch on. You also say a lot of mamamamam’s and dadadadada’s but we’re not sure if they actually mean momma and dada yet, but each time you say one or the other we repeat it and point to the correct person.

You unfortunately also got your first black eye this month. 🙁 I got a call from the director of your day care while I was at work, letting me know that you had fallen and bumped your eye and it had bruised pretty badly but that you were perfectly fine and seemed very happy. When I got to you at the end of the day, I couldn’t believe how dark and big the bruise was, poor guy! I guess what happened, was that you were pulling yourself up on one of the bookshelves and you went to grab a toy and let go at the same time and fell and slammed your head. It took nearly a month for those bruises to heal but you are finally back to normal.

As each month passes and we get closer and closer to a year, I am amazed at what you are able to do. You seem so inquisitive and curious, I can’t wait to teach you everything and more.

Filed Under: Emmett, Family

9 Month Pics

Posted on May 6 by Jillian416 • 0 Comments

Here are Emmett’s 9 month pics… Finally!!

9 Months

4 Months

The End!

Filed Under: Family

Dear Emmett,

Posted on April 24 by Jillian416 • 1 Comment

Do you realize that there is only 3 more months until you are a year old? This blows my mind! At this time last year, your father and I were anxiously awaiting your birth and here we are a year later, having the time our lives.

We celebrated your first Easter this month. Your dad and I didn’t decorate, dye eggs or get you an Easter basket because we knew you’d probably be getting one from your Grammy, we weren’t wrong. You got the cutest basket from her, it is a monkey’s head and inside of it was a stuffed peep (since you can’t eat the marshmallow ones yet), a VERY cute barn with 4 different farm animals in it that make noise and a chicky bird sippy bottle. I think there might have been one more thing in there but I’m drawing a complete blank. It was really cute stuff and I really love the barn, I can’t wait until your a little bit older and can play with the animals with me.

You are so SO mobile! I remember when we used to be able to put you down on the floor to play and you would stay there, now, no way! The second you hit the floor you move, move, move. You continue to do your army crawl, where your right arm is straight out, pulling, your left is bent underneath your chest pushing you forward and your legs every once in awhile will give a good push but mainly it is your arms doing the work. You still get up on your hands and knees and rock back and forth but you haven’t yet done any “formal” crawling, who cares, though!? You are able to get around perfectly well the way you do it now. You’ve become really really good at doing planks and downward dog, obviously you have no idea they’re called that but you have inspired me to start planking or doing downward dog when you are doing them. So thanks for the motivation! 🙂

Going along with your crawling, you’ve also become really good at standing. Your dad or I can stand you up, holding onto your crib or pack ‘n play and you stand there all on your own for long stretches of time. You actually love it quite a bit because now you can watch your daddy cook. At the start of the month, you were just standing there for a little bit and then falling down, now you like coasting along the side. So if I am in my bedroom and you want to see what I’m doing you’ll slowly inch your way around to the other side so you can see me. You’ve also pretty much mastered sitting down from standing. Initially you’d just let go and fall, sometimes you’d land on your back other times on your butt but at this point, most of the time you land your on your bottom in a sitting up position.

We’ve even experimented with your toy motorcycle that you can use as a walking prop. When we set it up so that you can hold on and walk behind it, you’re pretty good at taking 3 or 4 steps before you stop and sit down. You seem to get tired or bored of doing this because you’ll only do it once or twice but you’re getting better and better. Sooner or later, you will be walking and then, everybody better watch out!

In your classroom at school they have short plie bar attached to a mirror and then attached to the wall. You love that thing! The second your teacher puts you up on it and you start looking at yourself in the mirror you start talking. You yell and smile, babble and grunt, you just adore it. Your teacher also tells us that you are very talkative, that all day you are making some sort of noises. I have a feeling your dad and I are in for it. But I’m pretty sure I was a talkative toddler, so it only makes sense.

Midway through the month, your dad and I started to get a little nervous that maybe you weren’t getting enough solid foods down. You were definitely getting enough breast milk but at around 9 months you start needing the nutrients from whole foods. We considered starting to give you more pureed food and we even pureed some sweet potatoes for you, but in the end our worries were for nothing. You are a champion eater! You are now eating and swallowing pretty much everything without any trouble, this includes meats like chicken, pork or steak. Vegetables and fruit are no match for you, you grab them tight and chomp away. It has been quite the experience watching your eating abilities grow with each passing week.

You love to play with everything but mostly with items you shouldn’t be playing with. Your favorites tend to be the outlet that is strangely in the floor, that we’ve put an outlet cover over but you still want to crawl on over and take it out. You also love grabbing for the cable box and Blu-ray player, which gives your dad a heart attack nearly every time (understandably). I’m personally, not looking forward to when you can reach the TV because that is one expensive piece of equipment and it would be very sad if it got damaged. We’ll just need to be extra vigilant when we get to that point.

We continue to teach you the signs for different words so that it makes it easier for us all to communicate before you are able to speak. Last month you conquered milk and continue to do a great job with that, this month, we’re pretty sure that you’ve mastered “more.” We use it mostly to ask if you want more food, or for you to ask us for more food. We’re still working on “diaper” and “all done.” I have no doubt you will get both of those very soon.

You and I are doing swimming lessons and you are having a blast! When the other babies are bothered by the chilly water or even just being in the water, there you are, happy as a clam, splashing and smiling. I’m so happy we can experience this together. Since before you were born I knew I wanted to do a mommy and me class but couldn’t find one that was the right fit for us, swimming is perfect and something I’m good at. My hope is to continue doing these classes together until you’re 24 months, when you’ll have to start doing the classes on your own with a swim teacher.

Speaking of water, bath time is a blast! Getting you squeaky clean isn’t the easiest because you like to move and squirm but once that part is done, playing with your toys is the best. I’m not sure how it got started, but one day I started calling your toes vinegar toes, now every time I wash them I say that, it’s pretty funny. You have started moving around in the tub to reach your toys or the hose and sometimes you’ll turn your little self around and moon your daddy and I, thank goodness it is such a cute dupa. You like when I lay you back and let you float with my hand underneath your back, it seems like you find it so relaxing. I think if your dad and I let you, you’d stay in the tub forever.

Your 9 month doctor’s appointment is on May first, so I don’t have any of your weight or height information to share this month, but I’ll make sure I include them next month. I am anxious to see what you weigh and how tall you are because you just seem so ginormous.

Well Emmett, my happy beautiful boy, I love every precious moment I get to spend with you and can’t wait to see what is on the horizon this go round.

Filed Under: Emmett, Family

Friday Fitness

Posted on December 8 by Jillian416 • 0 Comments

Hi everyone! Sorry I’ve been MIA the past few days, it’s been a rough week (I’ll explain in another post) but I’m back and feeling better!

Amount Lost:

Maintained

Maintaining is better than gaining but man, if I’d just get my ass in gear, then I’d consistently lose.

Amount Remaining to Lose:

123.2

Goals for 11/30/12 – 12/6/12:

Food Goals:

Continued consistent tracking

This I can actually say I’ve done. Even on the worst of days, I tracked. I’m hoping to just make this automatic and a constant habit.

EAT MORE VEGETABLES!

I didn’t necessarily eat MORE vegetables but I ate a decent amount. I had my usual carrots with lunch, my tomato (yes technically it’s a fruit) with my cottage cheese and usually some form of a veggie with dinner.

Bring lunch from home and cook dinner at night

I always give myself Friday to eat out and I stuck to that plan. Thursday, I really really wanted to eat out but I sucked it up and ate my planned out lunch.

Fitness Goals: