Reflection and Renewal

This year has forever changed me and not just because I had a baby! But, he's obviously the highlight! Everything that came along with growing him, delivering him and raising him gave me lessons and perspective that nothing else in life could have possibly taught me. I'm a stronger person because of what I learned and endured this year and it has forever changed my outlook on life!

What 2013 Gave Me:

-The confidence that a pregnant woman is still a capable and strong woman.
-The humbling lesson of planning for the best and experiencing the worst
-A Masters Degree at 7.5 months pregnant
-A successful water polo season while pregnant and a incredibly difficult pre-season with a newborn.
-The conclusion of my work in corporate wellness (for now)
-The realization that I can't do it all anymore. At least not now. Raising my baby is my most important job.
-That pregnancy is beautiful, awkward, inconvenient and a true miracle.
-The purest and deepest form of love is in the eyes of my baby
-The most incredible sounds of baby smiles, giggles and squeals.
-The experience of truly falling in love with my husband.
-Watching my husband become a father and seeing him step up to take care of me when I was at my lowest solidified the depth of our marriage.
-Selflessness and humility...it's no longer about what I want...it's about what my baby needs.
-That finding the time to be healthy...to workout and eat well is harder than ever before.
-Taking ownership in accepting the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference.
-That no matter how strong and organized you are prior to becoming a parent, a baby will challenge every aspect of your being.
-PATIENCE.. Nothing teaches you patience like a screaming baby.
-The ability to allow myself vulnerability by asking for help
-The strength to say "no" for the betterment of my health, sanity and family's needs.

 -A heartbreaking understanding of which friendships could not withstand the changes of this year.

-An endlessly grateful heart for those friends that made the effort to embrace me and grow with me.
-My family members who would drive over an hour to be with me, hold me up, let me cry, folded my clothes, made me dinner and changed the damn diaper so I could try and relax.
-People I had not spoken with in years offering words of encouragement and a network of women who get it and were brave enough to reach out.
-The satisfaction of being able to breastfeed my baby. I never knew how important it was to me until it almost wasn't possible. Breastfeeding= perseverance and commitment...6 months strong!
-My 20 water polo players who have supported me through pregnancy and now in babysitting adventures...may Cade be their best form of birth control.
-The clients that helped shape me as a professional in the wellness world. My experiences with them taught me more than any text book or degree.
-The healing power of time.

-The ability to truly understand that it is possible to love your body, appreciate what it is capable of, and change it at the same time.
-That slow progress is still progress; from learning how to be a mom, to redefining my relationships, to making peace with my body and mindset.
-That other "mommies" will either drive you crazy, or seriously save you.
-How to rejoice and reflect on little victories.
-And lastly, 2013 gave me an abundance of love and more support than I ever could have imagined experiencing.

To all of you that have shared in my experiences, even if it's just through this blog, I want to thank you. The content of this blog has changed dramatically through the years and it really has reflected my growth as a young woman, a professional and now a mom.  I hope my honesty through everything I shared this past year as a crazy pregnant lady and an insecure new mom has made you laugh or resonated with you in some way.  Although we are all different, our lives are connected and similar experiences tie us together, whether in the past, present or in the future.

I'm in the process of slowly starting up my own business of training clients locally out of my garage and also doing online wellness consultations so I can continue working in the field that I'm passionate about.  I'm not sure of all the details, but hopefully this blog will help shape these goals and coincide with the efforts.

I wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year!
To view a short clip of our year in pictures, check this out! http://flipagram.com/f/  xoxoxo