Walking Lunges + Resistance Band Workout

Out of all the workouts that I developed, this is my favorite! Not because it is easy, but because I felt like I got the best whole body workout when doing this exercise.

I hope you enjoy!

Michelyn Cynthia

Bump Watch: Week 36

How Far Along:: 36 and looking oh so H-U-G-E!
 
Size of Baby:: Little Miss Kemp is the size of a honeydew. At our US, they estimated that Little Miss Kemp weighs over 6lbs! The US tech did not tell us the specifics, but just noted that her femur was "long!" Then the doctor proceeded to estimate that she will weight between 7.5-8lbs! I have consulted with some other mommies who reminded me of the +/- 1lb estimate for the growth scan! I was just a little surprised with the possibility of an 8lb baby. But, by the looks of me, maybe that is accurate, lol!

Gender:: Baby Girl!

Stretch Marks:: Nada!
 
Sleep:: Been having a little more energy and desire in the mornings. But, I am also sticking to my 10pm bed time!

Fit Pregnancy:: Just walking daily. I am somewhat over the resistance bands.

Cravings:: Pop, soda, anything with a fizz and sweet flavor. 

Miss Anything::Any adult beverage sounds delicious at this point! Even beer commercials have me salivating.

Symptoms:: Decreased appetite. I find myself not hungry during most of the day, except breakfast for which I am absolutely ravenous!

Belly Button In or Out:: No change here; in with a small portion sticking out!

Movement:: We may have a gymnast on our hands!

Looking Forward To::My mom is coming June 18th! I know that is in 2 weeks, but I am excited to see her (xoxo).

Best Moment This Week:: We had three week! First, we had our last ultra-sound, mentioned above, and it was so surreal. At this point, we have agreed that Little Miss Kemp has my lips and nose! She takes after daddy in the big cheeks department. We too think she is going to be a little DIVA, like her momma (and grandmothers!). 

Then, we had a visit from one of my cousins and good friends! It was so nice seeing them both, even if only for a few days! The next time I see them, I will have a little girl for them to meet!

Lastly, yesterday was Prince's 2nd birthday! We made him a special breakfast and dinner of brown rice, boiled chicken, carrots, and celery. Once Coach got off of work, we went on a long walk around campus, and then finished off the night with a birthday song and gourmet dog cookie! Prince is pooped from his birthday festivities as he is currently sprawled out by my feet!

Michelyn Cynthia

BBBC: Where'd You Go Bernadette

It's June!!!!!!!! June means Little Miss Kemp shall be arriving shortly. Everyone in our family is beyond enthused for her upcoming arrival! My mother plans to arrive on June 18th, and she has firmly explained that no baby can arrive before then! We will surely try our best, lol! How fitting that last month's book included a mother-daughter relationship.

Ok, let's see what this book is all about.

Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to design mavens, she's a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.

Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle—and people in general—has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic.

To find her mother, Bee compiles email messages, official documents, secret correspondence—creating a compulsively readable and touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter's role in an absurd world.

Such a witty and entertaining read! How Maria Semple weaves various formats ( e-mails, letters, F.B.I. documents, correspondence with a psychiatrist and even an emergency-room bill) for the background to a riveting story is beyond me!

Now, I must admit that the various formats at first made me so confused and perplexed, especially in the first chapter. My mother also read this book, in like 2 days, and she assured me that it all comes together in a marvelous way, and she was so right!

I must give this book high praise for Ms. Semple's writing, but also the message that I took away at the end. You learn about the suffering that Bernadette has faced for nearly 20 years, and I truly sympathized for her character. It made me step back and realize that everyone has a history with multiple dimensions impacting their present. An individual's present way of being has been molded from their life experiences, and we must keep this in my mind when judging others' actions, in my humble opinion :)

I too loved the mother-daughter relationship that is so present throughout the book!

For the month of June, Heather from Love To Be Busy has chosen "The Year We Left Home" by Jean Thompson.

Now, head on over the the other Members' blogs to see what they thought about the book! 

Ashley - If You Give A Girl A Ring

Heather - Love To Be Busy

Lisa - Uncommon Wife Life

Lisa P - Blush and Back Roads

We have yet another NEW Beauty Blogger Book Club member! Please help me welcome Stephanie from The Wonky Brow! Stephanie blogs about beauty products and sharing her #365DaysofEmpties with the world!

I honestly could not be more thrilled for our new members! I hope you check out their blogs!

The Beauty Blogger Book Club began in January of 2015! We currently have 6 Members with various blog content. Each month, one of the Beauty Blogger Book Club (BBBC) members chooses a book for the Club to read. At the beginning of the following month, we each write a book report/summary for our readers to enjoy and share the book for the following month! The "Club" provides all of us bloggers an opportunity to network and read books outside of our comfort zones!

Michelyn Cynthia

Question of the Day:  What book have you recently read that you think the BBBC should read & review?

Bump Watch: Week 35

(Sorry for the horrible picture with little to no light.)

How Far Along:: 35
 
Size of Baby:: Little Miss Kemp is the size of a coconut. (I think she is longer than that, lol!)

Gender:: Baby Girl!

Stretch Marks:: In the clear.

Sleep:: 8-9 hours/night with multiple trips to the bathroom! I also have been waking up every day at 4:00am for about 30mins-1hr. I peruse IG and Facebook, and then am able to fall back to sleep. It is kind of weird, but happens every single day!

Fit Pregnancy:: Got to be a little honest. I am getting terribly antsy with only my resistance band exercises! It too has been challenging to find the desire to do them daily. I love the treadmill but my resistance band exercises have been slacking. I am ready to throw around some real weight!

Cravings:: Coach made pineapple sorbet, and its pretty delicious. Can't believe it is only fresh pineapple & sugar. Have you ever looked at the ingredient list on your supermarket's sorbets? Crazy!

Symptoms:: Little Miss Kemp is steadily moving south! I now can tell because my stomach "rests" on my legs when sitting. Previously I did not "feel" my stomach because it was higher. Not sure if that is a symptom, just something that I have noticed.

Belly Button In or Out:: Same - in with a small portion sticking out!

Movement::All-of-the-time!

Looking Forward To:: We have an ultra-sound tomorrow! They will "predict" her weight & length! Can't wait to "see" her on the big screen!

Michelyn Cynthia

Quick & Dirty: 5 Minute Blaster

Well, it is officially summer! Summer means short short, skirts & our beloved swim suits! Did you workout intensely over the winter months in preparation? If not, not to worry. 

Today I share with you a quick and easy resistance band exercise that you can do pretty much anywhere! All you need is some resistance bands and your stop watch/cell phone clock!

And if you want extra credit, complete this set multiple times!

Michelyn Cynthia

Bump Watch: Week 34

Yikes! This post is coming 2 days late! Today, I am 35 weeks! But, lets review week #34...

How Far Along:: 34
 
Size of Baby:: Little Miss Kemp is the size of a butternut squash.

Gender:: Girl!

Stretch Marks:: Nope

Sleep:: No major changes!

Fit Pregnancy:: Sticking to modified workouts, walking and eating healthy foods (minus my nightly fruit bar/ice cream indulgence). I have been eating the fruit bars during the week and saving the more indulgent, frozen desserts for the weekend (Friday, Saturday & Sunday, lol)!

Cravings::Last weekend we bought an ice cream maker! Totally Coach's idea, not mine! I am always a fan of cold treats, and now we have easy access. This past weekend Coach made a traditional vanilla ice cream with cookie crumbles. We will transition to healthier options - coconut & almond milk ice cream - here shortly, but it's always healthier when you know the specific ingredients of your food! I too should add that Coach made the ice cream with no additional sugar and only 4 ingredients (including the crushed organic cookies)! I am glad this purchase was made later in my pregnancy verse right away though :) 

How I will manage these creamy desserts postpartum is another problem that I will tackle later!

Symptoms::Does frequent urination count as a "symptom?" By golly it should because the amount of times I frequent the bathroom is beyond absurd.I too am having sharp pains in my bladder after I relieve myself. At my appointment yesterday, the doctor determined that Little Miss Kemp is very low and pressing against all my organs. After I relieve my bladder, organs are re-adjusting themselves and this is the cause for my pain.

Belly Button In or Out::Still mostly flat with a small, top portion out.

Movement:: This girl does NOT stay still!

Best Moment of the Week:: Saturday the basketball wives hosted a baby shower for myself and Annika, the MBB Athletic Trainer. It was a great time at the OU Inn!  

Looking Forward To::We start weekly visits now! Yes, a little earlier since I turn over on Fridays and my appointments are scheduled on Thursdays. We will have our 36 week US next week when I am still technically one day shy of being 36 weeks pregnant! This too means that this baby is coming very shortly! Where's my to-do list!?!

Michelyn Cynthia

Round Robin

Monday Blues has arrived! I know, it is not my favorite day of the week either, but let's try to make it better by starting out with a workout!

Now this workout is good for when you want to get in a workout and do something else like read a book, watch a tv show, or talk on the phone!

I am the queen of multitasking. Last week I did this workout while reading "Where'd You Go Bernadette" for the Beauty Blogger Book Club! I did each exercise while reading two pages of the book. After one whole round, my break was an additional two pages. I repeated this 4 times!

If you so desired you could place a time limit for each exercise if you wanted to get technical. I would consider myself a moderate-quick reader, so two pages was maybe 1-2 minute(s)/exercise.If you are an avid tv watcher, this would be a good exercise to complete during commercials. You could complete one exercise per commercial (10-30 seconds).

Michelyn Cynthia

Questions of the Day: What strategies are effective for you at getting lots done during the day? Do you multitask? What tips can you share?