Instagram Widget for Blogger

Yesssssssssssssssssss!

Yes!  More over-sharing on the internet.

It's no secret that Blogger has some less than desirable features.  I am usually jealous of all things Wordpress, but just can't justify switching over (aka paying money to write this little blog).

Last week I came across a helpful Instagram widget tutorial for users of Blogger.  It was a tip posted in a Facebook group I'm in called Secret Blog Tips hosted by The Blog Guidebook.  Check out my sidebar...

Can you see my Instagram feed via slideshow?

For those of you still using Blogger, this tutorial from SnapWidget will help you install your own Instagram gallery to your blog.  It took me less than five minutes to complete.  

Happy blogging!

Ready or not, here we go...again {It's a BABY!}

Surprise!

The words I said to Jeff at 7 am the morning I took a pregnancy test were more like, "Don't kill me for waking you...but I'm pregnant."

After whipping the pregnancy test at his pillow, I am pretty sure I started crying.

He responded with "Seriously?!  This is good, right?!"

My blank stare and tear streaked cheeks made him question everything, rightfully so.  I cannot hide my emotions no matter how hard I try and this was NOT at all what I expected...

Sure, I had been napping during the day, puking, only eating carbs, and not able to cook anything for dinner the past few days.  But being pregnant did not cross my mind.  I couldn't be pregnant!  I just had my "period" and had been drinking all vacation long. 

I expected to start trying to conceive baby #2 as soon as I came home from our summer trip to Chicago.  I expected it to take a while, since I am officially of advanced maternal age now.  I expected to have a baby next summer.  I expected things to go according to my plan.

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans" -John Lennon

So here we are 12 weeks into pregnancy #2, happy (nauseous, tired, and still a little bit in denial) as can be.

My plans were just that...plans.  My real life is way better than anything I could have planned!

It will be March 13th before we know it, right?!  

Leila is convinced she has a baby in her belly too.

I'm losin' it {Weight-loss update}

After committing to finally losing all this "toddler" weight for once and for all, I've been on my best behavior all month. I am excited to announce that I have lost 5 pounds.

Could that be a little muscle tone in my arm or strategic posing? 

My plan worked!

My plan for the first month was to write down everything I ate and continue my current 5 day a week exercise routine.

Each day I kept a running total on how many calories I consumed, aiming for 1200-1500 per day.  (Honestly, some days were easier than others.)  Recording everything I put in my mouth helped me make better food choices throughout the day, cut out my nightly sweet treat, and drink less wine.

Luckily for me, choosing the "right" foods wasn't difficult. This is at least the fourth time I have counted calories to lose weight, which practically makes me a pro!

Aside from the occasional pizza night, I have been making healthy dinners for as long as I can remember. I cook with extra lean ground turkey, make meatless meals, and have a good sense of portion size.  Now that I am not rushed out the door to work in the morning, I have time to sit down and eat a "real" breakfast. Eggs are my top pick! They keep me feeling full until lunch so I'm not tempted to nibble from Leila's snacks.  Also, I do not like having junk food in the house, especially sweets.  I have quite the sweet tooth!  

Here's a few of my favorite healthy snacks:

apple with 1oz cheese or 1T of peanut butter

carrots and hummus

hard boiled egg

sweet baby peppers

greek yogurt

string cheese

popcorn

edamame

My exercise routine consisted of high and low intensity workouts five days a week.  I was already doing these workouts before I started counting calories so it was easy to continue.

To stay motivated I like to change up my workouts often!  I do not belong to a gym, because for me it's an unnecessary expense.

This is what I'm doing these days: 

• I have a couple of the Biggest Loser DVDs and Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred.  I fit those in during nap time on days that I don't run in the morning.  
• I also have an old school Denise Austin Pilates DVD that really works my abs.  It's my go-to workout when I am not motivated to work too hard.  
• Some days I simply I go for a walk or bike ride with Leila.  
• Just recently I started working out with my sister again one evening a week.  We're perfecting a routine we can do outside with Leila.  (I'll share when we get it just right!)

I am very impressed with my results! Although five pounds may not seem like a lot to some people, it is a lot to me. I am only 2 pounds from my goal!

Hahaha! This is my new favorite family photo.  

I know that July will be more challenging than this past month. I'm back home visiting family and friends in Chicago and plan to eat all my favorite foods at least twice. (Giordano's, Rosati's, Portillo's, and Jimmy John's here I come!)

My goal for July:  Don't gain any weight!

My plan:  Enjoy my vacation!  
I will be counting calories when possible and watching my portion sizes.  
I brought home five workout DVDs to do in my parents' basement since it's too hot here to run, even first thing in the morning.


Wish me luck!  


Don't forget to enter this month's Weight-loss Challenge giveaway to win some great pampering products from Basq! 

Wanted! {Guest bloggers}

Even those of us that live in paradise need a vacation.



Leila and I will be leaving Jeff home all by himself for three weeks in July. We'll be heading back to our hometown, the good 'ol suburbs of Chicago, for our annual vacation.

This year I am even more excited to eat delicious pizza, hang with old friends, and have a live-in babysitter (thanks Mom and Dad!), because two of my cousins had babies that I haven't met yet.

Wanted! {Guest bloggers}

I'm looking for guest bloggers for Leilaland during the month of July.

Some topics you to consider: your summer vacation, toddler activities, toddler behavior, easy recipes or DIY ideas, family life, and motherhood. 

Humor, fun, and a photo (or your blog button) required.  

Interested? Send me an email or leave a comment including your email address.

myleilaland (at) gmail (dot) com 

Femullet be gone!

Those of you that have been reading my blog (or even seen one single picture of Leila) know that she has no hair.

People are surprised when they actually see her in just the right light and notice a few blondie blonde strands coming from her head. "She does have hair!" is usually what I hear. Really people?!? Of course she has hair, just not enough to mention so therefore I just say she has none, to be dramatic.

This hair I speak of has started to grow into the dreaded femullet (you know, when a little girl has a mullet). About a month ago I mentioned my concern to some friends and they laughed at me. I guess they couldn't see it. Lighting must have been bad.

Last night during bath time the aforementioned femullet met scissors.

Here's the proof...one inch of hair (about 20 strands in all) snip, snip. Gone.

What does this prove?

Well, it proves her femullet is history.
It also proves that Leila has no hair.

I have more to say!

When I discovered I was pregnant I learned blogging was the best way to share our life with our friends and family living across the country. Some friends of ours (and Leila's future in-laws if I have anything to say about it!) started writing a blog and I thought their idea was genius.

At the time, I had no idea that this whole blogosphere even existed. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Betsy, my real life bff from Betsylife, started blogging around the same time and has really taught me a lot.

Now read a ton of blogs. I love mom blogs, organizing blogs, food blogs, coupon blogs, fitness blogs, lifestyle blogs, crafty blogs, daddy blogs... I do not discriminate. Do you have a blog? I probably read it.

As I blogged about my pregnancy I discovered my love of writing. I found my voice. I realized I was writing a story, one really long story, about our life. Reading old posts makes me so happy. Happy that I can relive my pregnancy and Leila's first year of life!

Then it dawned on me, although it may be Leilaland, I am NOT just along for the ride. I have something more to say! It's my blog and I'll write what I want to, write what I want to, write what I want to...(Are you singing this? You should be. I am.)

I will still be writing about Leila. But I am planning to include more posts about things I do and love.

Everyone has a story. I hope you enjoy mine!




I cannot remember the last time I posted a picture of just me!

Goodbye Baby, Hello Toddler!

I love that Leila is a toddler. It is her personality that I love the most. Her spunk, her fearlessness, her stories (oy,oy oy,oy really means more than you think!), her dramatic tears, and her love for the outdoors.

I know I have said it before, but Leila is FUN to hang out with. Never did I imagine that my tiny blob-like baby would be such a cool little person in just one year.

Look how big I look!


Dr. Seuss said it best...

I hear so many moms talk about how they miss the baby days. Not me. Don't get me wrong, I loved my blob baby.

But now Leila is a toddler and we're smiling about it!

Leila's Arrival

At my routine 40 week appointment(September 21st) I again had high blood pressure. (The previous week I was sent to the hospital to have my blood pressure monitored and was sent home after a couple hours.) This time the good Dr. checked me out and told me I was ready to go to the hospital to be induced, I was READY!

We went directly to the fourth floor of the hospital and raced to check-in after being told that two other women were also just sent there to be induced. When we arrived, the lady told us to go eat (it would be a loooong time until I got to eat again) and come back in an hour when our room was ready. I decided that my last meal should be filling and healthy so we hit up Jamba Juice and a bagel shop. Surprisingly we were not really nervous. We knew it was time to meet our baby girl!

The labor and delivery room seemed cozy and comfortable. Nurses came in and began the routine questions, IV, and blood work. After about two hours I was given a pitocin drip to start contractions. Now I had heard horror stories about this labor inducing drug (close and painful contractions, stress to the baby, and increased risk for a c-section), but was keeping a positive attitude.

Forty five minutes later, and some real contractions, Leila's heart rate took a dive, twice! Doctors were called. They rushed in flipping my body from side to side to see if they could get her heart rate up. I really had no idea what was going on (not sure what Jeff was even doing)...total shock. They broke my water, attached a heart rate monitor to her head, and took me off the drug for the time being. Also during that time the Dr. told me that if Leila's heart rate dipped again they were not taking any risks...she would be delivered by cesarean section. This was not what I wanted, but the goal of the day was a happy and healthy baby and mom. I, of course, would agree to anything that would help make this goal a reality.

I was put back on pitocin two hours later and within the hour (alright so I no longer had a sense of time, just go with it) Leila's heart rate dropped for the third and final time. I was checked again by the Dr. and since I was dilated to 6, they took me off to labor on my own...no c-section!!! Sometime in the next five hours I had more pain than I could imagine, got the epidural, rested, more super painful contractions, used up all my pain pump meds, and asked for more drugs. Well...too late...no more epidural for me...it was time to push. I pushed for an hour and a half before the doctor came in to deliver my baby. To his surprise, Jeff worked his butt off too;)

Finally, Leila was placed on my chest, eyes wide open taking her first look at her new world. The three of us (I forgot the nurses were in the room at the time) sat together for over an hour before it was time to go to our recovery room.

Once we were in our room, we met the nurse on duty and Leila got her first bath. She slept on my chest for the next three hours (there was NOOOOOO way I was putting her in her hospital bassinet). When the sun came up our life as a family began:)

Hello world!


Smiling at Aunt Valerie


We were one of the few lucky couples that did not have to share a recovery room. Jeff had his own bed!

I have a baby!!!!

Leila Renee was born! She entered the world at 12:26 am on Wednesday, September 22nd. She was a tiny 6lbs 8 oz but 20 inches long...tall and skinny;) Leila is the most adorable little girl EVER (I may be a little biased!) Jeff and I are adjusting to doing things on her schedule and are loving it. Leila has met both sets of grandparents, one of her biological aunts, and many more local "aunts", "uncles", and great friends. This baby sure is LOVED:) Pictures to come...we have taken sooo many of her first week here.

It's a BABY!

Less than two months after our sunny San Diego wedding we found out we were pregnant!




Here's how it all went down...

I was studying weeks before, for the final exam for the completion of my MAE, when it dawned on me that something about me was different.

I had slept 17+ hours after the night of a friend's 30th birthday bash, I was late (and I don't mean for work), and I had no desire to drink!

Anyone who has met me knows that the last clue was straaaange.  I figured I was just stressed out about the upcoming exam and decided to brush off my thoughts, knowing there was NO WAY I could study when I could be learning all about a baby growing inside me!

I decided to wait patiently (and silently) until after the exam.

January 16th, the day of my exam, finally arrived.  A very focused me took (and passed) the exam early Saturday morning.

After a long morning it was time to face the facts.  I headed to the local CVS and bought two essentials: a pregnancy test and and a bottle of wine.

Surprised I didn't have to explain myself to the cashier, I nervously went home and kept myself busy until I was ready for my second test of the day.  A million thoughts crossed my mind.

I should wait for Jeff to get home. 
What if I don't "pass"?  What if I do? 
I better do this before I carelessly open and drink this entire bottle of wine!

In less than the three minutes the box told me to wait,  I saw as clear as day... Pregnant.

I do not even remember my reaction.  Let's just say it went something like this: HOOOOORAY!  We did it!

I texted Jeff right away and of course he didn't believe me even with this photo of the positive test. When we were finally able to talk I reminded him of all my symptoms.

I'm pregnant. We're THRILLED. Now what?!