Happy end of April my cake friends! I’ll be honest, this is definitely not at all how I imagined the end of April would be coming to a close.
With everything that’s been going on with Corona Virus, our lives have looked pretty different.
Burken’s been working from home since the third week Kennedy was born. While maternity leave has been taking place during all the shelter and place, it’s honestly not how I pictured myself spending this maternity leave.
So here’s a little update on what’s been happening in our household this month {since we’re obviously not going anywhere right now 😂}.
Maternity leave and social distancing
Little Kennedy is just over eight weeks old now {you can read about her birth story here}, and basically all of my maternity leave has consisted of social distancing.
The only reason we leave the house is to go to the pediatrician and for walks around the neighborhood.
It’s like a three ring circus trying to maneuver the stroller and Winston all at the same time, but it’s the one thing that I think is keeping us all sane at this point.
It’s honestly been so hard knowing that my parents and in-laws are missing out on in-person time with Kennedy and watching her grow.
We’re obviously so thankful for all the technology that’s available to us, but it’s just not quite the same.
Hopefully by the end of May we’ll all be able to hug and see each other in person. But until then, here are some cute pictures of Kennedy to tide everyone over.
Postpartum journey
After over eight weeks of being home with our little nugget, I have to say that I’ve had a really great postpartum journey.
Sure, there have been moments where I’ve felt really frustrated and started crying. Like when I struggled to breastfeed in the beginning. Or times when she just won’t latch and I know she’s starving.
But I’ve been so thankful that she’s been such a great baby. She sleeps well and is generally a happy baby.
Burken keeps me grounded during the times when she just won’t settle down. I am so incredibly thankful for his calm demeanor, and being such an amazing father during all of this.
The one thing that has really been helping is getting back into working out. I worked out all throughout my pregnancy, and you better believe that as soon as six weeks hit, and I felt like my stitches {read the birth story} were healed, that I was back to working out.
It was tough the first week or so after taking six weeks off. But working out is my form of self-care, and how I really feel like myself.
Postpartum weight loss
The bounce back.
What every woman talks about and wants almost immediately after baby is born. There’s stress about not fitting into the clothes you once were able to wear pre-baby, and working so hard to get back into them just a few months after baby is born.
I feel like my bounce back has been pretty quick due to working out during pregnancy and sticking with mindful eating throughout the entire process: pre and post baby.
There’s a lot that goes into mindful eating, and has changed for me slightly right now as I’m breastfeeding, but many of the principles hold true no matter where you’re at in your health journey.
It’s why I’m so passionate about Piece of Mind Squad. The membership experience that takes you from yo-yo dieting and struggling with lasting weight loss to feeling confident in your food choices and fearlessly loving yourself all without dieting ever again.
The Squad was created after watching so many women struggle {both mentally and physically} with their diets. And because I was in that same place.
When I finally switched to intuitive eating I started to see consistent and lasting weight loss without stressing or feeling guilty over the foods I ate.
It was seriously the most freeing feeling in the world to never worry about food ever again.
I’d seriously love for you to experience the same thing. Which is why Piece of Mind Squad is available for you now here.
What I’ve Been Loving
This Mary Kay under eye concealer. While I haven’t been wearing much makeup at all during social distancing, this is the one thing I love to put on to hide any tired eyes.
My mommy juice. I’ll be honest, I never really understood all the mommies in my fitness group raving about this, but it has seriously been a game changer for my energy level. And it got the okay from my doctor to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Morning Meltdown 100. It’s 100 days of workouts, and I did them all throughout pregnancy. I followed the modifier during pregnancy, but now I’m working on doing all the moves full out. It’s such an incredible program and I can already tell a difference in just one week of getting back at it.
What You’ve Been Loving
This 3-ingredient banana ice cream is back at the top of the list. I think everyone is just so ready for summer and looking for healthier options during their quarantine time.
Cinnamon sugar pretzel bites. With a yeast shortage, these no-yeast pretzel bites are so amazing. Not only that, but they’re gluten free and pair with the best sweet dip.
This one hasn’t been on the list for a hot minute: Coffee Cake. This version is healthy and oh so moist. I created this recipe based on my grandma’s famous coffee cake recipe.
And that’s it for April! I’m hoping that by the end of May I’ll have a slightly different monthly update to share!
