8 Months Postpartum + Behind The Scenes of Swim Spot Shoot

 8 Months Postpartum

So I 've been 8 months postpartum for a couple weeks now but I wanted to take this opportunity to share some of my heart with you ladies.  I've really been doing the same thing for the past 6 months that I've been working out since having my sweet angel: cardio & weight training. I do the precore for 45-60 mins 3 days a week and then a 50 minute weight training class 1-2 times a week.  I haven't changed anything about my diet besides eating more because im always hungry while breastfeeding.  I definitely have way more of a sweet tooth while EBF too. Which i've embraced to the fullest. For me I eat healthy because I enjoy putting delicious nutrition packed real food into my body because I care about my health and well being as a wife and mother.  I appreciate that God has thus far given me a heathly body that doesn't have any handicaps or ailments, is pain free, a body that can be strong and idependent and get me to and from where i want and need to go, a body that can birth a child, feed a child, have fun and play! This body is a gift and that is why i take care of it. With that said, I definitely indulge at least once a day in something and its usually dessert after dinner or eating something less nutritious and more processed because lets face it, we gotta live a little and enjoy some delicious and naughty foods like nachos, pizza and bread and butter, YUM! I always say everything in moderation, but sometimes you go a little overboard and just have to let it roll of your back and get back to the grind of eating health  and being active the next day or week as best you can. I hope that answers some of the questions I get asked about "what i eat", "what I do for work outs", and "what my mentality is about healthy eating and living". 

I was asked to model for Swim Spot this past week and took the opportunity to get out there and feel free and confident in my postpartum body. There was a tiny distant voice inside tempting me to believe the lie that I wasn't a "good fit" or "what they're looking for" but they chose me and that reassured me that even though im a mom that doesnt make me less appealing, less beautiful, less free to be myself, less of a women, any less sexy, any less strong, or any less confident.  It actually makes me even more proud of my body, and forces me to look at the evidence of my strength and feel empowered by this body God has blessed me with. So I said yes and I am so happy I did! Swim spot brought the best team of people who were so easygoing, fun, and sweet! I had a blast shooting with them yesterday and will be sure to share with you all the finished product once the article comes out in the Orange County Register at the end of the month.  Check out their bikinis, they are the cutest!! I'll share more on that in a separate Swim Spot post. For now I just want to encourage you mamas to enjoy your healthy bodies, learn to love yourselves, it takes time and a TON of effort and fighting off negative thoughts and lies about yourself, but you CAN do it, you can live with self confidence and accept yourself the way you are. There is no such thing as perfection so if you are seeking it you will always fail and that is no way to live. We can always better ourselves, its a journey, not a destination..so get rid of the idea of wanting to achieve perfection and be accepting of your best self.. whatever that looks like it will be personal to who you are. You are God's creation, so you are exactly the way He wanted you to be, unique and beautiful.. a stunning image of His handy work.

This little guy and I make an effort to get outside everyday and go for a walk or hang at the park or pool.

Him and his daddy are my home and no matter what my day is like the path im on always leads me home.

Here are some behind the scenes snaps from the SwimSpot crew's Iphones. Cant wait to see the real photos and share them with you all! These cute bikinis definitely make a girl feel gorgeous and playful!

Lauren of Swell Beauty touching up my red lip for this retro look

How about this Hurley one piece... SO CUTE!

* all photos were taken with an iphone in this post *

 Black & White Retro Bikini by Guess

TIger One piece by Hurley

White Lacey Two Piece by Reef Girls

All Bikinis c/o Swim spot

Makeup by Me

Hair Styled by Swell Beauty (Dee & Lauren)

What We Wear: Coco Made Me Poor

What We Wear: Coco Made Me Poor

Hey all, heres a little grunge look for you mixed with a little Coco.  I definetly love a relaxed look that you can dress up a bit by putting on some heels and makeup. You can make this look even more casual with some converse and a side braid. Or you can dress it up with a statement necklace, a sexy heel, and a red lip..or even some leather pants. This Shop Mad Glam top is only $14.99!!! What a steal, its comfty and you can wear it with a sports bra, a bandeau or a colored bra underneathe just for fun (black lace would even be cute!). I caught myself wanting to wear it every day this weekend, its that comfortable, yet still chic. Coco, you know the way to a womens heart.

*Photos by Kelsey Steindler Photography

Get the look:

Coco Made Me Poor T c/o Shop Mad Glam

Flanel H&M (similar below)

Wripped Skinnies (similar below)

Marc By Marc Jacobs Purse (Similar below)

Ankle Boots (similar below)

Nasty Gal Longsleeve Tops · Cosabella Bras · Blank Distressed Denim

Marc by Marc Jacobs Shoulder Bags · Marc Jacobs Shoulder Bags

I hope you ladies enjoy!

XO

My Baby Boy Is 8 Months Old

My Baby Boy Is 8 Months Old:

Our sweet little Cash turned 8 months old last week! This little guy is really growing these past couple of months. He is beginning to look like a little boy instead of a baby! Gah! He has started to finally sleep through the night 12 hours, we still plenty of nights when he wakes up once because his gums hurt.  He has the 4 top teeth coming in all at once, poor little guy fights through the pain each day, drooling, hands and everything in the mouth to try to remedy it (once they come in he'll have 6 teeth! Ah BIG BOY!).  We give him infant motrin if it gets bad, its really hard to see him in pain so I give him lots of love and extra attention when he's teething.  We have had so much fun taking him to the park and playing in the grass, on the slides and in the swings! We love playing in the sand at the beach, putting our toes in the water, and going to our pool and spa.  He is obsessed with anything water! So that has been a ton of fun to get out and be in the sun as a family. I am really looking forward to more of this warm weather!  

Some of his latest accomplishments and milestones are, he is bouncing on his bottom while also trying to pull up on things to stand, he tries to wave, he reaches out for me and puts his hands on me when he wants me or is hungry or tired, he chats up a storm, he can stand like a champ holding on to someone or an object, he is army crawling but mostly using his back legs, he still tries to move using the rolling maneuver but less of this is happening this past month, he laughs and giggles all day every day, he is such a smiley flirt, he is still a really calm baby when we take him places but inside the house he can at times be hyper and chatting or squealing talking to us or himself, but he's mostly a chiller and plays great independently, he's not really a needy baby but he does love to cuddle and we play with him constantly because we love to, he loves being outside, he always has his hands in his mouth, he's a thrill seeker, he sleeps on his tummy a ton, he is taking 2-3 naps a day usually all 1 hour sometimes one will be two hours, sleeping 12-13 hours a night, we just started giving him solids again (because of his constipation we were holding out for a couple weeks), he is getting 1 oz of prunes juice mixed with 1 oz water every day and eating the "p's" to help his digestive system so we are waiting to see if this helps, he can hold his own bottle, he drinks from a zippy cup, he can eat puffs and some finger foods but sometimes gags, and he loves making noise (banging things, when we sing, hitting his pacifiers against his crib, hitting his toy against another loud toy), etc.  He is so interactive now, it really is so much fun and probably my favorite stage yet!  Im sure I say that every month, lol.  But really, it just keeps getting better and better!

We love being this little babys parents, we feel so blessed that Jesus chose us. I know we lucked out with this chill guy's personality and easy going temperament, so we are crossing our fingers that our next baby will be just as easy! 

How about you ladies? Do you have calm mellow babies, or wild spirited babies? Did your babies personality change from when they were an infant to when they became a toddler?

^^^One of my favorite pictures ever!^^^

^^^These two together is just heart melting^^^

^^^Dinner with my boys and grandpa for his birthday^^^

^^^"oh, just kickin back mama"^^^

^^^Fresh out of the bath..does it get any better than that?!^^^

^^^He loves this book, its probably his favorite one. And his favorite page is of the kitty, he tries to grab the tail just like he does with our kitty at home. (; ^^^

^^^Little teething pout^^^

^^^hanging with cousin Canes..they are 8 months apart^^^

^^^that little hand right there holding me back, killll me.^^^

And can't forget these adorable T's we've been living in over here c/o Dear Cub

^^^(Shoes c/o Jen Galaxy Designs)^^^

^^^baby feet are my weakness..oh and daddys with their littles^^^

^^^Just helping mama do some laundry^^^

^^^I left the room for one second & this sweety was almost all the way under his crib..this was before he could army crawl..he rolled over there! HA!^^^

^^^working on our crawling game^^^

^^^watching airplanes fly by^^^

^^^HAHA this pic cracks me up! Look at that big daddy trying to play with the little guys^^^

^^^His first flower^^^

^^^He was obssessed with shadows a month ago.. so we always let him play right where the blinds cast a shadow on the floor^^^

^^^So blessed to pray over sweet Sammuel in my friend Jessies belly. Cash had my dearest friends lay hands on him & pray when he was in my belly and it meant so much to me. Its so amazing to have him be right there praying over his soon to be friend.^^^

^^^Those kisses are the sweetest^^^

^^^This little princess is one of Cash's newest friends, shes adorable and we are so happy shes finally here and we can play with her^^^

 ^^^Cuddles with Taylor before she left to go back to San Fran. We miss you auntie TayTay^^^

^^^watching mama and papa play some H.O.R.S.E.^^^

^^^Those little specks of sand on his nose! GAH!!!

^^^Going down the slide with Auntie and Cousin Cannan^^^

^^^Cousin love^^^ (Threads and Arrows Moccs)

All of these pictures make me so so so happy!! I hope you enjoyed that nice overload of this precious angel. 

Xo