A month later…

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” ~ Leo Tolstoy

Yesterday Chance turned one month old. One month. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long since he was born. It does seem like just yesterday, yet at the same time the last month has seemed to last an eternity at times. We’ve amazingly made it about a week and a half without being in the hospital and have gradually begun to resume our lives at home adjusting to all the changes having a new baby at home. Of course I’ve spent a little time each day making sure I tried to capture moments with our little man before he grows too fast. Though I’ve feared he’d grow too fast, thankfully he’s still rather tiny. He’s not quite as curly but he is still a sleepy little guy who has cooperated long enough every day we’ve been home to take some memorable photos with him. I thought I’d take a moment to share a few more of my favorite photos from the last few days.

Here’s Chance when he was 26 days old. Yes, he’s a smiley little guy.

Chance 26 days old

Chance 26 days old

Here he is at 27 days old. We tried to get him as curly as he’d get. He loves and prefers to sleep on his belly still.

Chance

Chance

Chance

Chance

Yesterday Chance turned one month old and we decided to celebrate by taking Chance and the kids out to the park for photos. I’ve attempted to convince parents of newborns how awesome newborn photos could be outdoors but of the 70+ babies most preferred indoor photos. I don’t blame them when going outdoors adds the stress of worrying about weather, bugs, and outside onlookers. I knew I’d definitely take some newborn photos outdoors of Chance but I have to admit I dealt with the same worries beforehand. Thankfully I had Jason and the kids with to lend a helping hand. Newborn photography can really be unpredictable when you don’t really know what type of mood the baby will be in and I have to admit that Chance has definitely had his moments where somedays he’s been super cooperative and I’d get to take some of the most dreamy shots in a matter of minutes and other days I’ve had to fight and work with him for so much longer just to get a few shots. So going out I wasn’t sure how much I was going to have to work with him or just what I’d be able to pull off but it so worth taking the trip out. We went to Dickson Azalea park near downtown. The park is fairly secluded but is known to have people walking or running through the trails a couple of which got to see us working with Chance for his newborn photos. It was definitely a memorable experience because as soon as we got set up and I posed Chance things just all fell right into place. Jason managed to snap a quick shot of me in the moment or two I spent getting Chance comfy in this bowl.

posing Chance for photos

Yes, these one month photos of Chance are among the many photos I’ve been conspiring to take for a long time now and it’s sort of need how sometimes the best things in life sort of fall together as they’re meant to be. I have to admit I hunted for a bowl similar to this since nearly as long as I’ve been doing newborn photography and I didn’t find it until about 2 weeks before Chance was born. And really, it was pure luck that I bumped into it. Finding this bowl was like that sign that I was meant to find that bowl just for Chance’s photos. Yes, it’s kind of amazing how sometimes things just “happen” when you least expect them to. It’s a bowl so special that I only plan to use it for Chance and you’ll likely see him photographed in it again as he grows. I had a “nest” like material custom made by an etsy user just for this photo a week or two before Chance was born. So though I had hoped to take photos of him in this bowl when he was much younger, it all sort of fell into place to take some perfect photos of my little man.

Chance

Chance

Yes, Chance seems to be like virtually every other newborn I’ve photographed…he loves to have his picture taken in a bowl. He loved it so much he smiled numerous times through this series of photos. I wish I could tell you all the trick, really he’s just a smiley little guy. Sometimes just talking to him provokes a smile. Other times, like in this shot, Jason stroked the side of his cheek with his finger and every time he did he smiled. But really, we catch him smiling often so I have to say that it’s a sign that he’s one happy little soul.

Chance

I’ve been waiting for people to scold me for not taking photos of all the kids together. It’s been really tough. I’m lucky if I get time to take pictures with just one or two of the kids together, but all three seems to be nearly impossible. One of the three seems to just not be interested and I just haven’t had the energy to really plan to take the really awesome photos I wanted. But knowing we were going out to the park I hoped to take at least one of all the kids together. We had to deal with a bit of whining and we only managed to get them to sit together by bribing them that they could play at the park afterwards. It was literally a moment or two of photos to get this one memorable shot of the three of them.

My 3 awesome kiddos

As the kids played at the park Hope stopped to take a quick photo of Chance & I. I’ve definitely been hiding from my nikon since I’ve gotten out of the hospital and know many of you have been wondering about how I’ve been doing. It’s been an incredibly tough month physically & emotionally and showing my face has been the furthest thing from my mind. It’s been tough for me dealing more challenges than I had hoped to encounter this past month but things are gradually getting easier now that we’ve been home for over a week. Over the last week I’ve definitely grown a lot more clingy with our little man.

Me & Chance

Today I photographed Chance at 29 days old. It’s the first time since we’ve been home that he’s truly had his eyes open when I’ve tried to do his newborn photos. He was a little fiesty this evening but we still managed to capture more memorable photos worth sharing.

Chance

Chance

Now as you all have seen his photos I’ve been sharing and you continue to say “awe—-”…let me introduce you to the real Chance. Okay, he doesn’t cry constantly but for half the photos I take he is fiesty like this. He’s a really great baby but if he’s hungry he is just as fiesty as this too.

Chance

I imagine it’s only a matter of time before we get to see more of his personality. Here he is looking uber cute for a brief moment during photos today. As much as I love sleepy babies, I adore that he was willing to show off his adorable eyes with you all today….something tells me you all have been eager to see him awake for a change. He still sleeps most of the day so we only get to see his alert side for maybe an hour or two a day right now.

Chance

Chance

A FEW MORE UPDATES
I had quite a few of you contacting me for more updates and asking how Chance has been doing. It’s been tough to contact you all individually so here I am again sharing the updates on my blog in hopes it helps you all feel better informed.

  • Chance’s back continues to heal. We went to his neurosurgeon today for a follow up appointment and his wounds from his back closure surgery and shunt all appear to be healing well. I have to say his back still looks icky but in comparison to last week it has improved considerably. We’re hoping in the next week or two that his stitches will be removed from his back once his back has healed a bit more. Until then we’ll continue his antibiotics for a bit longer and continue to clean and bandage his back twice a day.
  • Yesterday we brought Chance in for a Renal ultrasound. Tomorrow we will meet with the doctor that will help us assess Chance’s urological & renal health. In the NICU the tests left doctors with the suspicion that he might have a neurogenic bladder. I’m not well versed in all the terminology but they suspect that though Chance is peeing and pooping on his own well he may not be completely relieving himself because with each ultrasound he has had a full bladder. A big concern with spina bifida patients is that the inability to completely relieve themselves can lead to bladder & kidney infections. Bladder and bowel problems are very common with spina bifida and we really don’t quite know how Chance might be challenged, if at all, but we’ll meet with the doctor tomorrow and I’m sure we’ll continue to monitor his health in this area.
  • Chance and I have duked it out a few nights at home and I’m quite thrilled to claim a victory with breastfeeding. With Chance being in the NICU for nearly three weeks on feedings tubes and bottles majority of the time it did make the experience very challenging once we arrived home. At the NICU I only got about 4 or 5 opportunities to nurse him, all of which he did fine with in the NICU, but once we arrived home the first several days and nights were absolute torture for us both. I was torn between trying to nurse him myself and/or keeping up with a pumping routine where I’m easily producing more that twice as much as he typically eats during the day. He’s a fiesty little guy who definitely seemed to have taken to the lazy habits of being able to bottle feed so easily. He’s never had a problem latching at all he just would scream on and on like someone was hurting him. After a couple nights of working with him through lots of fussing he finally seems to have taken to nursing well. I’d hate to jinx myself but the last few nights have went very smoothly so my fingers are crossed that he continues to do well because we definitely know it’s what is best for him and as easy as bottles and pumping can be I think we all realize it just isn’t the same as me being able to feed my little one myself.
  • We all know Chance is a strong little guy. He’s proven it with as much as he’s gone through. If he wasn’t strong enough he’s doing amazing at lifting his head for his age and in the last few days he’s decided to begin rolling over from his belly to his back. He began a few days ago and I thought at first that perhaps it was just a fluke but in the last few days he’s continued to do so a couple times each day. He usually does it when he’s fussing. The other kids didn’t rollover until they were about four months old so to see this little guy doing it at 3 1/2 weeks old is pretty amazing.
  • Chance continues to move his legs and feet. The doctors are very impressed with his movement. It’s still too early to determine how much spina bifida has affected his mobility but the fact that he moves his legs and feet on his own is a great sign.

MANY THANKS…
It’s been more than a month now and I can’t help but pause to thank you all for your support since Chance was born. It’s definitely not been an easy month but so many of you have offered support, reassurance, and so much more to help our family. Some of you brought us meals. Others brought gifts. Some of you have helped us with the kids. Others are holding fundraisers. And so many of you are out there praying for our family. Thank you seems so small in comparison to how much so many of you have done for our family. You all have been amazing and our family certainly appreciates all the support and prayers that have been sent our way.

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March 20, 2025 - 5:53 pm

short term effects of steroids - It’s also simple to progressively overload, so it’s an outstanding exercise for gaining
muscle and energy. With the again extension machine, your hips are
resting on the seat, so the entire focus is in your lower again. However, when you don’t have access to a glute ham increase machine, don’t worry!

Finally, what you need to perform this movement is something to anchor your feet and pad your knees.
The Romanian deadlift is a hamstring motion because it causes a major stretch as you decrease the barbell.

The worth might be better than Rogue, however it’s not worthwhile when you assume
about the lifetime of this product and how often you must be using it.
Clearly, if that is in your home fitness center, you don’t
really need to adjust the GHD as quickly as you’ve gotten the proper
size for your hip crease. The Rogue model carries weight as a reliably
above-average producer of health tools. The name carries weight because of the
quality it tends to suggest and the service that you
could anticipate from this well-liked health model. There are a quantity of basic aspects of any
product that you want to look out for when purchasing long-term tools for your home fitness center.

But if you have a glute-ham bench, this tutorial will allow you to grasp the motion in brief
order (and if you don’t, learn on, and we’ll present you tips on how
to get the identical advantages with other equipment).

The kettlebell swing by no means goes astray in any workout – particularly not in a single
in which the purpose of the sport is to get your hamstrings and glutes
firing. Glute ham developers are obtainable
in a variety of shapes and sizes so it is important to
know what obtainable space in your home or garage fitness center you
may have earlier than shelling out a few hundred dollars on one.
The sturdier and stronger the GHD machine is, the extra likely it will have a wider base
and shall be heavier, generally up to 200 kilos.
Though you’ll find a way to work your glutes by walking, working, and other on a daily
basis useful movements, there are some workouts that may really increase
booty features. Here are 9 upper glute exercises which might be positive to make your buns burn. According to Schemper, the key to constructing upper glutes is to give consideration to hip abduction (moving away from the center
of the body). In other words, the band increases resistance on your hamstrings as you lower your self, making it even harder to complete the exercise.
So should you’re looking for an actual check of your hamstring
strength, give the resistance band glute-ham increase a attempt.
You may find it’s probably the most challenging variation of the glute-ham elevate you’ve got ever tried.

What’s unique in regards to the glute-ham raise is that it will prepare the hamstrings by performing two actions; extension of the hips AND flexion of the
knees. Combine that with the precise fact you
are lifting the complete weight of your physique.
At the identical time, the glutes may also be involved in hip extension, however most of the activation will come from isometric contraction. Kneel facing away from the
machine with the backs of your calves towards the pad.
Hold the double-cable rope hooked up in both arms just behind your head,
together with your elbows pointing up.
The primary train carried out on a glute ham developer is the glute ham elevate but beneath are a few extra
options that you can check out. If you don’t know tips on how to perform them simply do a fast search on Google or Youtube for demonstrations.

Fringe includes this glute ham developer with
comfort in thoughts with their 20″ horizontal knee pad just under the hips pads making your workout routine more pleasant without the added pain. The TDS Glute Ham Machine is a solid machine at an affordable worth level that has a smaller footprint compared with other GHDs with related specs. Like the opposite machines on this listing, you possibly can goal the glutes, abs, hamstrings, and lower back. Nevertheless, this glute ham developer machine offers an additional broad deck plate and rounded seat pads to provide ultimate comfort. Despite its name, when you do not set the machine up correctly, you’ll really target the decrease again.
Additionally, should you’re too far forward, the move will extra carefully resemble a nordic hamstring curl. Slowly prolong your knees, sliding your feet out in front of you as you decrease your hips. When your legs are prolonged, reverse the movement, curling your legs as you bridge your hips once more. Glute-ham raises were first applied by weightlifters in the U.S.S.R. sometime in the twentieth century. Soviet athletes dominated the world stage in many different sports activities for many years.
Regardless of what methodology you choose, you can be positive your hamstrings will never feel the identical once more. The Nordic curl may simply be the only finest glute-ham increase alternative. If this piqued your interest in glute ham builders then you definitely should not miss our submit overlaying the Finest GHD Machines available on the market right now. Go heavy with 4-6 sets of 4-6 reps, resting two to 3 minutes after each set. Use moderate weight for 3-4 sets of reps, resting between one and two minutes between sets. Your foot placement determines which muscle tissue are working the toughest. If they’re too far, your hamstrings dominate, decreasing glute action.
The glutes and hamstrings are main force producers for locomotion in the human body. In truth, the glutes are one of many distinguishing options of human beings and set us apart from apes by permitting us to stroll bipedally. If you get on a bench and might knock out 10 to 15 reps the first time you do it, then the machine is not constructed appropriately. The pad should have an angle on it to keep your physique in the right position so you don’t fall off on the high. If you want to achieve one of the best results potential while avoiding injuries, it is necessary that you simply carry out every repetition of the glute ham raise workout slowly with good form.
Our latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapezius additionally activate to some degree, aiding the erectors in keeping the back straight. One pitfall of using band assistance is that strength isn’t developed in the bottom position, the place it’s most difficult. To fight this shortcoming, perform quick isometric holds together with your physique prolonged in a straight line parallel to the ground.
Rubber flooring could cause an excessive quantity of friction and make the move overly difficult and even unimaginable. Be A Part Of our list to hear about new products, promotions and different exiting events. Below we put the machines aspect by aspect to focus on their similarities and differences. What’s more, is the single bolt motion adjustment that makes it a seamless course of to change the GHD body with 8 totally different hip choices and 5 foot pad options. Premium parts ensure dependability and reliability in any gym or facility. Vertical and horizontal adjustments ensure correct match for any consumer…
Strengthening the hamstrings can enhance their ability to handle this extra stress when you’re lifting heavy weights. The again extension is a useful train for lifters as a outcome of it strengthens the stabilizer muscle tissue used in the squat and deadlift and might enhance your capacity to brace your core. It additionally targets the muscles which would possibly be used to aid within the deadlift lockout, making it a beneficial exercise for powerlifters who battle with this.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. – The glute-ham increase movement can be approximated with the Nordic hamstring curl, and other variations that don’t require a glute-ham bench. The greatest results will come from overload with sufficient time to recover. Divide your 10+ units over 2-4 coaching periods per week, based mostly in your schedule and the way much you can realistically handle. If you’ve ever used these, then you understand the actual work of the glutes and hamstrings.
Hip thrusts reinforce highly effective hip extension, which is essential for athletes on and off the sphere. Right Here, I will clarify why the hip thrust is an awesome glute builder, how to do it right, common errors and how to repair them, and programming suggestions for strength, muscle, and power. “This is a pleasant
exercise in your complete decrease physique, and it actually
works on balance, too,” says Dr. Bond. While calf raises might appear to be just a lower-leg exercise, they have interaction your glutes as properly by rotating your legs slightly at your hips.
Go down as far as you probably can (so your higher body is parallel with the floor), and then pull your self back up using your hamstrings. The Glute Ham Increase is a superb exercise for any athlete trying to enhance their performance. By targeting the glutes and hamstrings, the GHR helps develop explosive energy and energy. This is essential for sprinting, leaping, and other types of athletic exercise. Moreover, the GHR can help enhance flexibility and range of motion within the lower body. The positioning of the barbell during hip thrusts forces your glutes and hamstrings to work onerous all through the complete range of movement, which is a singular good thing about this exercise.
Glute ham raises are a more wise choice for improving hamstring energy and energy as a end result of they isolate the hamstrings and pressure them to work via a larger vary of motion. These are some of our favorite exercises to incorporate into your training using a GHD – they cowl a selection of joints, muscle tissue, and movements. This is unquestionably not an exhaustive record, but they’re the exercises that we think about to be most essential and noteworthy in terms of better coaching and efficiency.
It can be easily confused with a back extension or a nordic hamstring curl since they’ve an analogous setup and look. Another frequent mistake is decreasing your physique until your torso is completely parallel to the floor. This shortens the vary of movement slightly bit, however it’s additionally the toughest place within the range, and it places you at the greatest leverage disadvantage. When you’re simply beginning out on glute-ham raises, it pays to lower your body somewhat deeper so your hips flex; then you ought to use a little bit of stretch reflex to return out of the bottom place. From this tall kneeling place, slowly lengthen your knees to lower your body. When your torso is parallel to the floor, bend your hips barely in order that it dips a number of inches below parallel. You wish to use as huge a range of motion as you’ll be able to, however with out taking pressure off your hamstrings.
That’s why we’re also including the dumbbell break up stance Romanian deadlift on this list of glute-ham elevate alternate options. You will still place your shoulders beneath the shoulder pads so that you’re looking straight on the pad. You will wish to push your hips backward to cause vital hip flexion to initiate the movement. This movement looks fairly much like a Romanian deadlift except exaggerated and with more squat.
On his weblog, Steven supplies helpful exercises, vitamin tips, and motivational advice to help his readers stay energetic and obtain their fitness goals. With 10 years of expertise within the business, he has trained clients of all ages and skills. These are the key factors which may be going to make for an effective glute-ham increase or again extension, so if it doesn’t have the vary or adjustability for you, it merely won’t work. Unlike the floor GHD, this does provide full-range actions, however with a caveat. At a 45-degree angle, it’s not loading you in the identical ranges or in the same means as a GHD. For example, you should use considerably more weight on the Roman chair than on a GHD as a end result of the loading and angles are so totally different.
It’s also far too small for taller individuals – in case your top is 6ft or greater, you’re going to experience vital issues as the pad is not going to sit in your hip crease optimally. This shifts too much stress down to the thigh and defeats the point of the GHD. We can totally see that the Abram may be a step too far with the fee and size, however this product will get it all carried out with a smaller footprint. The price continues to be high compared to some other products on this list – particularly for the size and the decreased stability.

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