Postpartum body update and a gluten-free cookie recipe! :)

So, here I am at about 2 months postpartum. For about a week, I have been slowly easing back into exercise. Woody, Ava, the doggies and I have been going on little family walks almost every day which is super sweet and a very mellow way to get a little exercise. I've also been doing some workout videos at home. My favorite: Physique 57 :) I don't really have an official plan to get back in shape. I'm just exercising when I can and doing what I feel. I'm trying to be very patient and loving with myself and accepting of my body's process and whatever shape it takes. I absolutely adored being pregnant and watching my belly grow. And I'm so proud of everything my body went through and what it is capable of. While I have lost a lot of the weight I gained, I'm still about 13 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight. A lot of my clothes fit again but, my body is a TOTALLY different shape than it used to be. I'm very soft and squishy ;) Even though I worked out and stayed active during pregnancy, I didn't work out super hard. It felt better to me to keep it pretty mellow. So, now I have very little muscle tone and strength. I have a long way to go!

Here I am right after I found out I was pregnant, when I was at my fittest.

I was actually about 8 weeks pregnant there! But, still the thinnest and fittest I've ever been...after a long journey of healthy eating and lots of working out!

Here I am at 38 weeks pregnant, about a week and a half before I had Ava.

Here's the last photo that was taken of me pregnant, just a few days before I went into labor.

And here's where I'm at today!

I'm going to try to take pictures every couple of weeks or maybe every month to keep track of my progress. I'm just going to keep on nursing, eating healthy and exercising when I can. I'm just going to be patient and kind and not judge myself. I need to be loving and accepting of my body no matter what shape or size it is! I'm not going to have any expectations or stress myself out. I have no intention of dieting or limiting myself in any way. And I am still going to eat cookies ;)

These are my new favorite cookies! The first time I made them was with my awesome cousin, Eileen.

 She was visiting for the day with some of my other family, and we wanted to bake together. So, she found this recipe for Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies. They were amazing!! I've made them three times already! We just made a couple little changes to the original recipe and made them gluten-free.

Gluten-Free Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
From Words and Cake

2 cups Pamela's Gluten-Free Pancake and Baking Mix
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup melted coconut oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, beat together the coconut oil and sugars. Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat together.

Add your dry ingredients to the wet and stir until well combined. Add your chocolate chips.

Scoop cookie dough out by the tablespoon and place them about 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 11-14 minutes.

These cookies are perfectly sweet and chewy with a wonderful hint of coconut flavor. A friend described them as "magical." ;)

If you are reading this, then I hope you give these cookies a try! :) You will be happy that you did.

I am feeling pretty amazing today because for the last two nights Ava slept for about 8 hours straight! Woohoo! Getting good rest makes all the difference in the world.

I hope you all are having a beautiful day and finding lots to be grateful for. If all else fails, make the cookies ;)

Love and blessings <3