Down Seven

I've been watching my food intake now for 4 weeks (tomorrow).  I've been a bit more loosey-goosey with my points-counting in the last week, especially during the weekends when I have no idea the points values when we eat out or how to account for my activity. 

To give you a view into how my body works, I give you my weekly (approximately...I've been a bit more lax on weigh-ins, too) weights.  These are all first thing in the morning, pre-shower, no clothes:

4/26: 228.4
5/3: 224.4
5/10: 225
5/17: 225
5/23: 221.4

So I'm down seven pounds overall and I think just under 2 pounds per week is a good pace over the course of four weeks.  I am very glad I stuck with the healthy eating through the mini-plateau.  I knew from past experience that my body tends to not lose for a couple of weeks, then lose a larger number, so that was helpful.  The other thing that kept me going is my outlook on this--I just want to be healthy.  I want to be able to keep up with my daughter.  I want to be able to fit through smaller openings.  I want to wear smaller clothes.  I want to be safe whenever we get pregnant again.  I want to feel good in my body.

I'm determined that eating better is going to make a difference, as will getting more exercise.  Even if the number on the scale doesn't go down, I'm doing something good for my body.  I will see and feel a difference, even if I still weigh 220 pounds.

Yesterday we did Couch to 5K week 3, day 2.  It had been awhile since we did week 3 day 1, so it was sort of rough, but it felt awesome end the end.  Baby Girl was okay in the stroller (it had been a LONG day and I wasn't sure how that was going to go), thank goodness.  I love the way my body feels after I exercise and need to find a way and some time to get more--I know I feel better when I do it.  It's just so damned hard to prioritize the exercise when I get so little time to relax each evening and need my sleep to make it through the day.  If Baby Girl is going to continue to cooperate in the stroller, maybe we can squeeze in some more jogging just before or after dinner.  I need to find a way to make it work, somehow.

Why I Love Shutterfly

I love Shutterfly.  Serious love.  They are my go-to site for photo books as well as gifts for our family. 

When Baby Girl is ready to graduate (you know, from preschool....  Isn't it weird that they make a big deal out of those now?  The only time I wore a cap and gown was high school and college graduation.  But I digress...lol) I'll probably use Shutterfly to make graduation announcements because I love their quality and layouts that they offer.

I almost always make Mother's Day cards with Shutterfly to send to our mothers (and sometimes grandmothers and other mothers that I know).  I love that they can do it all at Shutterfly and I don't even have to stamp my envelopes!  I can just have Shutterfly send the cards for me and they arrive on time and are a great surprise for Baby Girl's grandmas.  It's even better now that I've got a child--no one needed pictures of me for these type of occasions :)

We also used Shutterfly to make wedding albums for both sets of parents using the photo book feature.  Because Shutterfly stores old projects, I'm still thinking of ordering one for myself (since we STILL, five years later, haven't gotten our album from our photographer....which is completely our own fault).  But for now, pictures of Baby Girl are far more important than our wedding album.  :) 

I use Shutterfly for printing pictures, making photo gifts, making photo books, and making photo cards.  I trust them to deliver a quality product and have found their site to be incredibly user-friendly.  I'm techy, but would feel comfortable even having someone like my dad working on Shutterfly site, which is the highest compliment I can pay to a website!

If you're also a blogger, you can sign up for a chance at 50 free cards from Shutterfly (if we get them, I'm hoping to use them for Baby Girl's birthday party in July!).

Break my little heart

We're sitting around, watching some goofy Elmo video, when Baby Girl says, "milk?"  We said, "you want some milk?" and when she nodded The Hubby went and got her a sippy of milk.  While he was in the kitchen, she pointed at me and said, "This milk?" 

This is the first time in three weeks she's asked to nurse.  I'm okay.  A little sad, but better than I thought I would be at this point. 

We told her that that milk was all gone and she was okay with it.  She drank her sippy of milk (something she never does at home--we were so unprepared that she's drinking our 1% milk) and pointed to my boobies and said "milk all gone".

Yep, kiddo, mommy's milk is all gone.

Meal Plan: 5/15-5/21

Only one carryover meal this week and that's because I just wasn't in the mood for it on Saturday.  We ended up going out to eat both Saturday and Sunday and my body is definitely feeling it.  Ick.  Time to get back to some healthier foods!

We went to the North Market on Saturday and I used a coupon from a daily deal site to get $20 of free-range poultry for free.  I picked up a whole chicken as well as three chicken breasts.  A little sad that I could get over 10 pounds of chicken breast from the grocery for that price (or over 20 pounds of whole chickens), but I suppose it's healthier :) 

Sunday: Out for DH's & FIL's birthdays


Monday: Minestrone Casserole

Tuesday: Whole chicken with mashed potatoes & veggies

Wednesday: Chicken Parm Burgers (based off an idea I found on another blog...just grilled chicken with some pasta sauce & provolone cheese) with veggie foil packets

Thursday: Shredded Pork with Cilantro Lime Rice

Friday: Swiss Casserole Chicken

Saturday: Pulled pork quesadillas

Weaned: Two Weeks Later

(With all the silly Blogger issues last week, this didn't publish when it was scheduled.  At least I didn't lose it, though!)

I mentioned in Baby Girl's 21 month post that we were done with nursing.  I'm ready to talk about it, to explore the feelings I had and have had in the 2 1/2 weeks since.

But first, the story. 

Easter Sunday (April 24th) we came back from the in-laws' and had a completely normal night.  I nursed Baby Girl for what would be the last time.  It was a normal session for us, from what I remember (had I known it would be the last time, I would have etched every single moment into my mind).  She was a little distracted, as usual.  She popped off to look at Daddy to talk to me, to watch TV.  Nothing abnormal at this point.  I handed her off to her daddy and they went upstairs and did their bedtime routine and she went to sleep for the night.

Monday evening we were gearing up to start our bedtime routine.  I asked Baby Girl if she was ready and she said, "Stairs?"  This means she is ready to go upstairs, so I asked, "don't you want some milk first?" and got the reply, "No milk".  I asked her a couple more times, The Hubby asked, and she said no each time.  So no milk that night.

I honestly don't remember if her daddy did bedtime that night or I did.  I know I went to the grocery in tears.  I cried most of the drive there and probably looked like a crazy woman while walking the aisles.  I collected myself before I entered the store, but I'm sure I looked a wreck.  I couldn't believe my baby was done. 

I got teary during the next day at work from time to time, but honestly thought she'd want to nurse that evening again.  I just hoped that I'd be able to produce something for her.  I hadn't felt any fullness and had already known that my supply was pretty low at that point. 

I was wrong.  She never asked for it again.  I got up the nerve to ask her this past weekend if she remembered what mommy's boobies were for (she's obsessed with talking about boobies right now) and she said something random.  I told her that she used to drink milk from mommy's boobies.  She seemed wholly unimpressed and went along with her playtime. 

Honestly, the biggest problem with the weaning is that she's still having a really rough time with bedtime.  She doesn't seem to be winding down like we'd like and we've tried different things so I don't have to spend an hour upstairs with her every night (because she's now refusing to let The Hubby do bedtime) and nothing is working.  She won't sit quietly and drink a sippy cup of milk and read, a bath isn't winding her down, sitting and reading books isn't working.  She's incredibly wound up and wants to play upstairs once we get there.  I give her a limit on the number of books and warn her after each book how many she has left.  I try to set limits on the number of toys and blankies and demands she places on the way I rock her.  Last night I finally put her in the crib and just rubbed her back for a minute, which worked well and might be what we try again tonight.

But back to the weaning.  Once I realized that Baby Girl is actually weaned, I've been trying to celebrate it.

I've been wearing a real bra since 4/27 (one with UNDERWIRE!).
I've taken allergy medication
I've started back on Weight Watchers (and have lost at least 5 pounds)
We went out to dinner and didn't worry about being back in time for bedtime (although we were and were happy to see our girl before she went to sleep)
I could (although I haven't yet) start drinking caffeine again if I want
I have been able to drink wine without really worrying about any implications


I know there are positive aspects to weaning, but I still miss that requisite time with my girl each night.  As much as I resented nursing sometimes, I do really miss that quiet time with her.  She's now an active toddler who doesn't have time for cuddling with Mommy.  She's moved on.  And I'm trying to do the same.

Hello....

Hello, blog.  I've missed you.  Have you missed me?

You see, real life has gotten in the way again and I've neglected you. 

Wait!  Don't walk away yet.  I'm sorry.

See?  I'm down on my knees.  Can't you see how sorry I am?

I'll make love to you
Like you wa--

What?  You don't like my singing?

Well, then how about a little interpretive dance?

No?  Then what can I do to make it up to you, to make you realize how sorry I am?





What's that you say?  Blog more?

Oh.  I can do that. 

I'm sorry, blog.  I get intimidated.  I have lots of posts in my head that I want to put out there.  I have so much to say and am struggling with how to say it and how much judgment I'm going to encounter once I do.  So I stay silent.  But now I know that that's not how to treat you.  So I'm back. 

I promise.