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?

TGIF & Tabata Workout

Guys, it's been a hell of a week and I am thanking the heavens that it is Friday. Twenty more working days stand between me and summer vacation; I have never been more excited to be done with my 8-5.

I too am even more excited because this summer also marks a monumental occasion for Team Kemp - we become parents!Ok, that will include a lot less sleep for awhile, but still a time of celebration.

I speak often of my fondness for fitness. I not only enjoy the results that I have seen with putting in hours at the gym and eating clean, but working-out is also a social opportunity for me as well as a stress reliever! These are my two main reasons for being so bummed when the doctors recommended that I stop CrossFit. I know I will be back in the box, but it is days weeks like this one which make me yearn to be back with my fellow gym-rats!

In the meantime, I am sticking with my home resistance band workouts. Here is a little workout that I did yesterday after a very strenuous day! I hope you enjoy.

 

I believe traditional Tabata style workouts call for one to complete 20 seconds of work, with 10 seconds rest for 8 rounds. Well I knocked it up a few notches by making this a 30 secs work/10 secs rest type of workout, but only comprising of 5 sets instead of 8! 

You will still feel a burn in the shoulders & lower-body. You can thank me later!

I use the free Online Stopwatch app on my desktop computer, but you can use your phone clock setting just as well. 

Question of the Day: What do you do to decompress from a stressful day and/or week? (Please do not mention alcohol, lol.)

Bump Update: Week 33

How Far Along:: 33
 
Size of Baby:: Little Miss Kemp is the size of a durian! (Yes, I put a link because who in the world has ever heard of a durian fruit!)

Gender:: Girl!

Stretch Marks:: Nope

Sleep::Sleep is going wonderfully! The other morning Coach joyfully announced that I have started snoring. He's joyful because I am constantly complaining about his snoring. He now figures we both snore, so there should not be any problems. Oh, he is so wrong! I do acknowledge that I occasionally snore, in a very light & feminine fashion, when I am extremely tired or in a very deep sleep! My assessment concludes that I am getting a good night sleep at 8 months pregnant - winning!

Fit Pregnancy:: Did you check out my resistance band post from Monday, Squat it Out! That is just one of many home exercise programs that I have developed. I too hit the treadmill for my walks or take Prince out. Prince needs a major summer cut as he has been terribly hot! I have scheduled a grooming appointment for Saturday so hoping that helps. I too have been doing a better job with meal planning for lunch & dinner; now more energy needs to be focused on breakfast. There have been a few morning that I am so ravenous that the thought of scrambling eggs seems daunting, and I just go for a bowl of cereal with almond milk. No, this is not horrible, but I prefer to have eggs, fruit & Ezekiel bread because it's more balanced/nutritious.

Cravings:: I would not consider myself an avid coffee drinker, but I had been longing for a decaf iced coffee from Donkey Coffee, here in Athens! Coach brought me a 'cup of joe' for lunch yesterday and it hit the spot!

Symptoms:: Feeling great!

Belly Button In or Out:: Flat with a little of the top portion sticking out. Haven't decided if that is cute or odd!

Movement:: Every night I treat myself to a frozen fruit bar; its fair to say that Little Miss Kemp loves her sweets because she goes extra bananas after this treat!

Looking Forward To:: On Saturday, the basketball wives are throwing myself and our athletic trainer, Annika, a baby shower! We are both having girls, a few weeks apart! It should be fun to get together with all the wives.

Michelyn Cynthia

Squat it Out!

I hope all you moms and moms-to-be had a fabulous Mother's Day. Over here we celebrated on Saturday and Sunday! Saturday was spent in Columbus where we did some shopping, visited Evan Joseph Salon, and then we went to dinner! We stayed home on Sunday but Coach made splendid spreads for brunch and dinner!The man really enjoys cooking... No pressure for Father's Day, sigh!

We started another week which can be an upper or downer depending on your mood. Well, I like to make sure that I start out my week with a workout. I very rarely miss a Monday workout as I truly believe that it sets the tone for the rest of the week!

Around here, we are all about sharing. A few weeks ago I had promised some of my low-intensity resistance band exercies, and today is the debut of one of them!

Michelyn Cynthia

Question of the Day: Do you do anything to start your week in a good fashion?

Sportsy-Casual & Mommy-Approved

Just last week I purged my closet of so many clothes and shoes that it was a little absurd. In all, we sent two large trash bags and a medium-sized suitcase to Goodwill!

You must assume that I haven't cleaned my closet in a few years?!?

Wrong!

We have moved two times in the last three years, and with every move I have cleaned house! When we moved from Fargo, I rid my closet of about 20 pairs of shoes and lots of heavy winter wear. When we moved from Toledo to  Athens, I did away with many under-used purses and clothes. And prior to that, I had moved from Madison to Fargo, which was probably the biggest purge yet!

How I accumulate an abundance of clothes/shoes/purses is truly besides me because I do not shop, for clothes, every day! Isn't that the only way one could collect so much stuff?

Ok, I must admit that I am a bit of a shopping spree fanatic. I can go months without buying any clothes, and then hit it hard for a month straight, in an almost outrageous fashion.

Problems of a shopaholic, who is not admitting them-self into rehab!

It is my plan to wear many of my pregnancy clothes post-partum and then transition back into my previous wardrobe - starting with those "big girl" clothes first! You know that portion of your wardrobe that you lean towards during the holidays or when your activity level is a little below stellar.

Since I have no plans of buying a lot of new clothes right away, I figure I might as well re-stock my shoe game in the meantime. I too figure that many of these shoes can transition well into my A-Game attire once we get into the basketball season. I am envisioning that my style will be a little more sportsy than it has been in the past. I will adhere to my Coach's Wife: Tips for Dressing philosophy, but we may see a few less 3-inch knee high boots!

 A. New Balance '420' Sneaker

B. Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star Sneaker

C. Sperry Top-Sider

D. Tom's Canvas Originals

E. Superga 2750 COTU Classic

Prior to making my wish list, I consulted with the 'professionals' (aka my mommy friends). One of my friends, who also just happens to be a former beauty queen, recommended that I stick with neutral colors for shoes (brown/tan, gray/black, etc.). Now I have the Superga's shown in white but they also come in an assortment of colors.

I currently have two pair of Sperry's (gold, like above, & animal print) so do not plan to buy any others, but all the others are sitting in my shopping cart ready for me to pull the trigger!

Michelyn Cynthia

Questions of the Day: Have I missed any of your favorite sportsy-casual spring/summer shoes? 

What sportsy-casual shoes do you recommend for the fall/winter?

Bump Update: Week 32

How Far Along:: 32 weeks - we are 8 months pregnant!
 
Size of Baby:: Little Miss Kemp is the size of a squash!

Gender:: Girl!

Stretch Marks:: What are stretch marks, lol?

Sleep:: 9 hours is my new magic number! Sleeping deeply, with many potty breaks in between.

Fit Pregnancy::  Drinking my gallon of H20 daily, but should probably start journaling my daily eats. Maybe starting next week!

Cravings:: On Sunday I craved an orange pop so I got an individual Diet Sunkist, and it satisfied my sweet & orange craving.

Symptoms:: Remember I kept mentioning Braxton Hicks? Well, they have decreased substantially. Sure, I get them occasionally, but they are not as strong as a few weeks ago. A tidbit to share with the OB at my next appointment. Hoping that truly means that my fears of pre-term labor are a thing of the past.

Belly Button In or Out:: Neither - it is staying flat!

Movement:: She's doing well in there, moving away. Again, her movements have not been as painful as last week. Maybe there is more room!

Best Moment This Week:: Not sure if it is the "best" but Coach and I went to the hospital's prenatal class/hospital tour. Now, we had no true need to attend since we previously attended a Lamaze class and have been to the Labor & Delivery floor on two occasions. I am so glad that we previously took the Lamaze class because it was more thorough than the 4-hour hospital class, though it too was beneficial. After the class, Coach and I took Prince for a walk along the university trail and he proclaimed that he is ready for delivery, lol.

Looking Forward To:: Next OB appointment (Thursday), hair appointment on Saturday (which means we are going to Columbus), and packages arriving daily (my mother & BFF shared that a few boxes are on the way)!

Michelyn Cynthia

Fit Pregnancy-Related Blogs

Back in February a friend of mine asked me about fit pregnancy-related blogs and resources through Facebook! Now, there are few topicss that will get me giddy, talking for days. One of those topics just so happens to be fit pregnancy & fit mommy bloggers!

I quickly sent her a reply with a few of my favorite fit pregnancy & mommy bloggers; however, I too told her that the quick list was not exhaustive. Granted, this list that I am providing is not an exhaustive list of all fit pregnancy and mommy bloggers, it is my staple for these topics. And since I put the list together, I figure I should share my resources with you as well!

Now, the following list of bloggers are women that I have followed for an extensive period of time. You know, I like to be prepared for these life changes, so I have been following some of these women on blogland for a number of years!

I should also note that there are a few other bloggers who have shared about their pregnancies all while staying fit, however, these bloggers have focused their content on fit pregnancies!

Here are the six fit pregnancy & fit mommy bloggers that I adore! (Listed in alphabetical order)

Carrots 'N' Cake:: Are you a runner or CrossFit enthusiast? Then Tina's blog is the one you should follow. A little under a year ago she gave birth to her first son, Quinn, who is so stinking cute. And, she is a pug & food enthusiast! I loved following her CrossFit pregnancy journey, and she most recently ran the Boston Marathon! I referred to her recommendations for CrossFit accommodations while pregnant. Now I follow her as an example of staying fit while raising a small one! Visit her "Fit Pregnancy" page if you are interested in her previous posts that she wrote while pregnant! She too has many stroller exercises that I am anxious to try out in a few months!

Diary of a Fit Mommy:: I recently stumbled across Sia's blog, and am happy that I did! Sia not only provides a wealth of home exercise programs but also specific posts about clean eating! She has a few posts about IIFYM (It It Fits Your Macros) dieting, which is something I want to revisit post-baby. She has a ROCKING body, and perky personality. She is the mommy to Greyson, 15 months, but openly shares that she longs for baby #2 sometime soon! I look forward to following her fit pregnancy, though I will not be pregnant when she shares her journey.

Fit Foodie Le:: Now if I had to pick only one of these bloggers to be BFFs with, it would most certainly be Le. I would LOVE to live in Houston, so we could be besties! Le and her husband, Sonny, have two boys and are the owners of 6 Pack USA! In another life, I desire to compete in a fitness competition! Well, Le and her husband train people nationwide to do just that, and much more. Le specializes in prenatal and postnatal fitness. She shares some of the BEST recipes around, including macro-nutrient information, and just random life happenings of a mommy to two boys!

The Fitnesssista::I believe I have been following Gina the longest! AND, she is currently pregnant with Baby #2, which she recently announced. If you are desiring to follow a pregnant momma, then I would highly recommend Gina. I also recommend Gina if you enjoy yoga, Zumba, HIIT fitness, and/or Body Pump style workouts as she is a group fitness instructor for all these styles and much more! I sometimes wonder how she teachers so many different styles! She too is a military wife so her family has moved a few times, which I can relate to.

Fit To Be Pregnant:: Of course I could not forget Deanna over at Fit To Be Pregnant! She has a wealth of information and updates that one could peruse, providing specific workouts for each trimester and post-partum! She too shares all kinds of articles to help/support expecting moms! What I love most about her blog? The Fit Pregnancy Profiles features, especially since I was featured a few weeks ago. You can also read her personal posts about getting back into shape that were written after her most recent pregnancy!

Workout Mama:: Tamara's posts have become a little sporadic, however, she has not given word that she is closing down the blog. Tamara is mommy to two and wife to a firefighter! I followed her most recent pregnancy, and she more recently has shared about her experiences with post-partum depression which have been very interesting to me. If you are looking for a fitness-inspired blogger who also loves Christ, then Tamara is a good blogger to follow.

Michelyn Cynthia

Questions of the day: What topic(s) can you talk endlessly about?

What fit pregnancy and mommy bloggers do you follow?

BBBC: The Book Thief

Happy May to you, and welcome Team Kemp to the 8th month of pregnancy! However, we are not here today to discuss my pregnancy, we are, instead, here to discuss the Beauty Blogger Book Club's April book of the month - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier.

Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall.

 

Are you wondering who in the world would pick such a dreary book to read? Well, I am the culprit, but let me explain! I found this book listed on Business Insider's 100 books everyone should read list! It is actually ranked as #16, so I figured that it had to be good! Indeed, it was a good book, but not a mood lifter by any means.

Did I like the novel? Yes, though it was a little long, and very emotional in many areas. I mean it is the story of a foster girl living in Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. Though she is not Jewish, her foster parents do decide to give refuge to a young Jewish man hiding from the Nazi regime.  And then there is the story of her learning to read and then stealing books from the mayor's house! The novel is narrated by death which was a unique perspective in my opinion. Throughout the novel, the characters grow and change in horrible and beautiful ways; making this a fabulous read when you desire a riveting piece.

If you are searching for a light-hearted read, this is not the book for you!

For the month of May, Ashley from If You Give A Girl A Ring has chosen "Where'd You Go Bernadette" by Maria Semple. Have you read this book? I am really excited to delve into this novel because it is about a daughter searching for her mother. I know I have some time until Little Miss Kemp is an adolescent, but it will still be fun to read!

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

 

Before I go, I must also share that we have a new Member! Remember, Lisa Compton from my A-Game Attire series? Well, she has jumped on the Beauty Blogger Book Club wagon and I could not be more thrilled!  Make sure you check out her blog too, Uncommon Wife Life! She will provide her first book review in June.

If you are a blogger, and are interested in joining our book club, please Contact Me to learn more. If you do not write a blog that is ok, because you can still join in on the fun!

Each month, one of the Beauty Blogger Book Club (BBBC) members will choose 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!

Michelyn Cynthia

Questions of the day: What were your impressions of "The Book Thief?" 

If you did not read the book, have you seen the movie?