Busy Easter

Easter

We spent a wonderful Easter visiting family because we planned Shay's baby blessing for Easter Sunday. Although we didn't do a lot of the traditions that I am used to, but we did some with Claire. I made sugar cookies and was planning on letting Claire decorate but she wasn't interested just yet. I knew decorating boiled eggs was not something I wanted to do, and this was going to be a better way to do decorating eggs. I filled and hid a bunch of eggs for her to find really easy and she enjoyed finding and then getting to play with the eggs and her basket.

Claire got two presents, magnet toys from us for church and a bubble machine from Nana and Grandpa Cox that we look forward to playing with outside! Earlier in the week, Claire also got a card with stickers wishing her Happy Easter and had fun putting them on the card. We spend a lot of time outside this week and although it is getting warmer, we like to bundle up Shay just in case. We go for walks with our stroller and still like using our side walk chalk, but I can't wait until we can fill our kiddie pool in the back and have water fun! For Shay, she will get to play with things Claire has eventually but for now we just got her a new outfit that she will get to wear.

Family

We saw everyone from Chris's family for the blessing and I had my family that lives close come too, except for my mom who is still recovering from surgery and couldn't spend 6 hours in a car. She was missed but there was enough of a full house that there was plenty of distractions like all the cousins Claire got to play with! She is still learning about sharing and has a hard time sharing toys she was playing with all day when the other kids showed up. Grandpa and Grandma Bell loved having all the kids and grand kids around we got to take a picture together. I was the only who went through the pictures to find one that most people were looking at the camera and it was so hard! I am so grateful for moving pictures that capture several seconds to scan through for the right moment.

Claire

Our little adventurer is good at playing with her new toys alone and not letting us help, but we are hoping if we keep them in the diaper bag and she doesn't see them every day it will keep her focus during church and outings. Her hair is getting so long and I love dressing her up in all the cute springs colors now with a cute hair do. She doesn't sit still very long so the most I can usually go is pig tails or one ponytail but I am determined too and will get to eventually try more. I just need practice!

Shay

What an angel we have! She sleeps so good and loves to cuddle even if she makes some funny faces at you. She is too cute to set down anyway and was the center of attention with all my sisters-in-law on Easter when everyone was together. Shay loves mom but shes great when being held by other people. She even recognizes faces and daddy got her to smile really well while making funny faces. I still can't wait to hear her first giggle!

Sisters

I love that I have these two precious girls that get to be so close in age, mostly because I never got a sister of my own. Claire gets to learn how to give kisses and when Shay gets older they can play together. I look forward to them having more matching outfits and being cute together. I like looking at pictures of Shay in clothes that Claire has worn especially that blessing dress was heart warming. I don't want Shay to grow out of this soft newborn stage yet but I do want them to be able to play together.

Work out

This was my first full week of weight and cardio work outs and I am very proud of my starting weights even though my cardio part isn't great just yet. I am comparing myself to my non pregnant self which is why I think I'm not doing great but I am probably doing better than some 6 week postpartum women. I shouldn't complain but I am ready to have my stamina and speed back when running. I am starting with 3 weight exercises focusing on different body regions and then doing the rest of my time at the gym as cardio getting at least 200 calories. I've done 3 days of stair master work outs and 2 days of running, one speed and one distance. Now that I know starting weights I've made goals for summer 2019 and by the end want to accomplish as many as I can before my birthday.