Working Moms Working Out

Friends, I need to confess something. 

  

I love work. 

I am challenged every day and learn something new. The field I'm in is interesting and the company I work for is on the cutting edge of technology. The people I work with are smart, friendly and hardworking.

It is hard to leave Junie and to not spend every day with her but I think working is truly what is best for our entire family. I'm so satisfied coming home each night to her and Thomas knowing that I made a difference in our financial state and I'm showing June that being a smart woman and mom aren't mutually exclusive. 

My body, however, isn't so keen on this whole being awake and mentally active for 10+ hours plus sitting for 8+ hours. I'm trying to eat well while making this transition and attempting to drink more water. I feel like I need to try to exercise, though. My body is tense and my nerve pain is acting up. But guys, how do I fit in exercise when I'm already out of the house from 730am to 630pm? 

I get an hour for lunch but with how red and hot I get after working out, I hardly feel like that's enough time. 

What do you suggest? When do you fit in exercise? What are your favorite snacks to keep your energy up throughout the day? Any tips or hints?

Proof that my child is a genius. Reading "The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck" by Beatrix Potter, while standing. Also, not ripping said book.

 

Milestones

You can skip this post if you want as it's just some bragging about my smart Buggie Boo. I mean, I recommend you read it because there's some cool stuff about FOOD! All of our favorite subject!

Baby Center is a pretty good resource for all things baby. I have to steer clear of the discussion boards because people love to troll and it infuriates me. So I keep my blood pressure down and try not to peruse those. 

They have this great chart of different milestones that most kids, half of kids and a few kids can do for each month. I was reading over the list and it only pumped up my baby ego. Here's the run down. 

Child's Age	Mastered Skills (most kids can do)	Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)	Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
7 months	Sits without support Drags objects toward herself	Lunges forward or starts crawling Jabbers or combines syllables Starts to experience stranger anxiety	Waves goodbye Stands while holding onto something Bangs objects together Begins to understand object permanence

June can do everything on this list. She hasn't quite started crawling but she's lunging for sure. And she can scoot herself in a circle - just not forward yet. Her stranger anxiety isn't full blown but she definitely prefers me over pretty much anyone else. (Except for maybe my dad - they have this inexplicable, amazing connection.) She LOVES standing at the table and would rather be there than sitting. 

She's also eating a great variety of foods. We only did purees for about a month and went straight to real food. And man, does she love it. She feeds herself and I can really see her dexterity benefiting from that. So far she hasn't turned down a food that we've given her, such a good eater! If you're curious about what we feed her, here's a quick run down:

• Beans - black, kidney or pinto beans. 
• Broccoli - steamed or boiled.
• Banana - usually cut in half and then into quarters.
• Carrots - steamed or boiled.
• Green Beans - boiled.
• Bell Peppers - orange, yellow or red - steamed or boiled.
• Strawberries - cut into manageable pieces.
• Cottage Cheese - just on her tray, she eats the little curds.
• Shredded Cheese - just on her tray.
• Cauliflower - steamed or boiled.
• Papaya - cut into manageable pieces.
• Mango - cut into manageable pieces.

For the slimier foods (ie banana, papaya, mango) I sometimes roll it in some baby cereal. It makes it easier for her to grasp and the taste isn't too strong. Tonight I'm trying pasta with her and I have a feeling my little chunker will love it. What foods do your kids love? I'm trying to mix things up a little bit but I figure her palate is already more diverse than a lot of babies her age so I try not to stress about it. 

Guys, I really want to hear about your babies and your experiences! Please leave a comment and let me know how YOU'RE doing! Pass the blog on to any friends with kids too.

I mustache you a question.
What a hipster baby.