Diastasis Recti, and The Tummy Team - Part 1 of That Tummy Topic

A few months ago I somehow stumbled across the Fit2B website, and while browsing around I found the video about how to check for diastasis.   I'd already checked, and I didn't have a diastasis, or so I thought.    I figured I'd watch the video anyways, since it was nice and short (I loathe long internet videos...just get to the point, or write it in type so I can skim and get what I need and move on!  /rant).

Click here for a link to the page with the video

Well, it turns out, I'd been checking wrong.   I was crunching up too far, which pulls the rectus abdominus in, and gives you sort of a false negative.   I was following instructions I'd seen on a prenatal workout video, which was specifically talking about diastasis, and how to check for it, and how to protect yourself during pregnancy.   I thought I was all good.

I was not all good.   I have/had a rather significant deep diastasis.   I could fit at least 4 fingers in and push right down into my squishy insides.   I could even feel a nice pulse in there with no effort at all.

Oh dear.  

If you do go to the link that I posted above, you'll read a list of complications that you might be experiencing if you have a diastasis recti including    "...you constantly “throw your back out”..."
Well, I have in fact been constantly throwing my back out since Jude was a few months old.   The first really bad one was last year when we went to the cottage.  I spent most of the week not being able to move much.   After the long drive up, I must have hurt something, because I woke up the next morning and couldn't turn my head.    I've done it several times since Olive's birth.   Which is especially difficult since I've got 3 children to care for now, and the second one is very big, but still young, so needs a lot of lifting and carrying.   Jude was not walking yet when Olive was born, (they are just over 12 months apart).     One particularly bad session had me so twisted up that I couldn't stand straight.   My hips were tipped forward and twisted to the side, my back was curved forward and my neck was twisted sideways.   I was a pretzel for days.   And I had to try to carry a nearly 30 lb kid up and down the stairs several times a day and lift him in and out of a crib.  

I've thought that my back problems are in a big part because of my weak abs.   I have, after all, given birth to three children in under 3 years.    That's got to do something to a tummy.   I guess it really, really did.   

I read on the Fit2B website about the Tummy Team.   I wasn't too sure about it honestly.   It looked expensive, and I couldn't see much about what they offered.   I wasn't even totally sure that it was legit, because I'd just found both websites, and wasn't really sure about Fit2B yet either.    I got a trial membership with Fit2B and then there was a black Friday sale at the Tummy Team, so I squeezed the budget and got myself the Core Foundations course.     I'm rather amazed honestly.    I've got a lot to say, so I'll save it for my next tummy post, which is coming soon.   

Part 2 is here 

Part 5

Silence, while my mind goes wild.

So, I'm sitting here working on setting up some new computer backups, and thinking again of all the blog posts I've thought in my head in the last few weeks, but never have sat down at the computer to type them out.   I keep wishing I could hit record in my head, and just think things onto the blog instead of typing.   There are probably some security vulnerabilities to go with that technology though, so I'll stick with typing.

The Happy and Sad of the day.

Happy:   The Diabetes Association came and picked up another load of stuff that is no longer cluttering up out house.  Including the old artificial Christmas tree, maternity clothes and some toys.   Ruby even let the toys go without tears.   It's tough for her but we keep talking about making more space in our home, so we have room to play with the toys we keep.   She's an amazing girl, my Ruby Roo.

Sad:  All three kids seem to be developing a cough... Jude's is not so much developing as fully developed and sounding barky, and perhaps croup-y.  

Shut the Door!

We are clearing things out.    As Olive is finished with baby things, we're either selling them, or more frequently giving them away.   Much of our baby items were given to us, passed through families, loved many times, and we hope they'll move on to another family, and perhaps another, until they're just plain worn out with love.  :D

One of the first things to go is this bassinet.   All three of our kids have slept in this in the beginning.   Poor Olive was in this until last night!  She is 8 months old, and we haven't got Jude into his toddler bed yet, so Olive is still waiting for the crib.   Last night we pulled the playpen into our room, because honestly, I'm afraid one of these days my sweet Olive is just going to decide to crawl right out of this thing.   She doesn't crawl yet, or sit up, or even army crawl...she just rolls and rolls, and rolls :)  but still, it's TIME!

I thought I'd be really, really sad and have a hard time giving this stuff away,  knowing that if I was giving it away that meant we've shut the door on the idea of anymore children.    As it turns out, I'm finding it incredibly freeing.   We have so much clutter in this house. So many toys, so so so many clothes (the clothes are another story.  They are such a blessing, but I actually got so overwhelmed by them that there are boxes of Ruby's clothes that Olive outgrew before I could even sort...insert guilt here).  So much baby equipment.  

So, yes, back to the freeing part!   I've been looking at things in a new way.  I'm not sure when it happened, but I'm thankful for the change.   I'm loving giving this stuff away!    I'm looking forward and I'm excited about the life before us together in our complete little family.     We aren't planning on any more children, and we're happily moving on, clearing out our house and making room for things like train sets, and a new play room, and a PIANO!!!    Our house is becoming our home!  

We've talked and we're both feeling the same way.  We're done!  But we both always think and dream about a 4th child...but NO!  not right now!   and maybe (probably) never.   We've shut the door,...but we've not locked it.

Sock Sadness

Do you see that my friends?

Yes.  It's going to be a hole.  In my handknit socks.   Do you have any idea how long it takes me to knit these things!   This is a sad sock day indeed.   

Knitting!

THE KNITTING

YES!  I've been knitting!   I finished this!

Another bunny...because every baby needs one of these bunnies!

Oh, knitting.  How I've missed you!

How do you find God’s will for your life?

A friend shared this blog post on Facebook.   I really liked it.

I found the whole is this God's will? thing a little crazy making when I became a Christian...just like what she talked about in the first part of this article...  what if I miss it and set off a chain reaction of nothing being in God's will!   Phew!  Glad that whole thing is over.  :)
Love the second half...  changing 10 diapers..etc... love it.  and ...now I kinda want to try cheeseburger soup...minus the kale ;)

No Maternity Clothes in 2014!

There!   I did it.   I made a resolution.     Olive is nearly 8 months old.   I haven't been wearing maternity clothes, but I have been wearing my maternity coat all winter because I didn't fit back into my old one. I have been doing Weight Watchers online again, and I'm 20lbs down.   I didn't even occur to me that I might be able to wear one of my regular winter coats again until New Years Day, when we were headed out the door.   Harold said something about his coat being the warmest one he had...and I complained a bit about still wearing a maternity coat because that's the only one I had that fit me.   Then I thought "hmmmm"    and grabbed my black Sorel.   I can do it up!!!

 I've been wearing it ever since.   It's way too tight and quite clearly a size (or two) too small...but whatever...I'm wearing it!   It rides up my waist because it's tight on my hips and I look a little sausagey...but...who cares!  I'm wearing it.

I proudly declared as we walked out the door  "NO MATERNITY CLOTHES IN 2014!"

Twenty four years ago

That's a long, long time.

Today is the day that my mom drove away.   Tomorrow morning is the day that they showed up on our doorstep to tell us that she was gone.

Many years I'm blessed with ignorance....I remember the day before, maybe the day after, but not on the day (or two days) of.   Not this year.  Hmm, not sure really what that's a sign of...perhaps nothing.

There is still a little looming darkness leading up to Christmas holidays.   It's supposed to be a happy time, and it is...but superimposed over that there is a little bit of dread.    I think it actually starts in November...or whenever the first Christmas music and decorating starts to pop up... the tiny dread comes with it.

Anyways, I'm not woefully blue, or wallowing in depression, but there really is an underlying sadness today.  Perhaps a bit of an oversensitive fuse if you will.   There are a lot of memories.   Good and bad.  A lot of wondering what ifs.

I always thought it would get easier, and it did....but in some ways it's actually harder now that I have kids.  Watching them makes me miss her, and wish I could ask so many questions....it also makes me wonder how engulfing my despair would have to be to make me leave them.   (totally a Princess Bride pit of despair clip running through my head right now).  I can't even leave them for a week!  I can't imagine thinking that they're going to be fine without me.   Then it hit me.  As I was standing in my kitchen making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and pondering the whole thing once again.   She probably didn't think that we'd be fine without her....she probably thought that we'd be better off without her.   That thought just hit me like a brick and my heart broke all over again.    She probably really thought we were better off without her.  Depression is an evil bitch.   (sorry for the swear..but hoping you'll cut me some slack just this once)

She's so cute sometimes it hurts!

Seriously though...who could complain about anything when you've got this sweet little thing snuggling on your shoulder

That post...where I whine instead of making resolutions.

This was supposed to be that post where I list all the things I'm going to make an effort to turn into habit this year.   So many things!  There are so many things that I need to get together and work into a daily/weekly/monthly/yearly plan to run and care for our household and wonderful children.    I really want to keep up.   I want to make our home nice for us.   I want to have a home that's not cluttered up with junk making us feel unsettled and stressed all the time.    I crave order and space.  

          1 Corinthians 14:33  For God is not a God of disorder but of peace....

Ok..so that might not be in context...but it's seriously calming for me to read that when thinking about our home.    

I want to go through this place like wildfire and ruthlessly cull all the non-essential everything that we have laying around, slightly organized, stored, piled, stuffed, etc.      

I could spend hours and days lost in the basement, or the bedrooms, or anywhere really..... but, often I'm just so tired...    and when I'm not too tired I have three little people that need to be supervised...and then there are many, many days where this is what I see all day.

Yes.   That is one adorable baby.   She's perfect and sweet and so, so wonderful.... and I've been holding her half the day.    Most of the rest of the time she looks like that. NOT HAPPY.    So, my clean house will have to wait.   It's kind of a catch 22.   I want the house in order so that it's a better environment for my children,...but I can't get the house in better order because of my children....hahaha.    Perhaps I just need to drink more coffee.   Isn't more coffee always the answer.   

Yes, yes I think it is.   

Poor sweet munchie...  She just won't sleep!!!  

Moving my blog "back home"

Happy New Year! I'm going to start posting here again. I started my other blog when I opened my ETSY shop, which I'm really not working in anymore. My efforts and energy need to narrow in focus. I want to focus on my family. Just my family. Raising my kids, my relationship with my husband, and my relationship with Jesus (yep..that should all be written in the reverse order :) So, I've just merged all my blogs together into this old, first blog I started. It's ALL here now, and it was SO easy! I'm looking forward to blogging again...I'm sure it will be just as sporadic as before :)