Healthier

Esposo has been on a health kick since the beginning of this year. You'd think I would have joined him while I was pregnant, but then you'd be overestimating my tolerance for pregnancy, because no way was I going to not eat ice cream AND be pregnant. But, since I have to lose weight, and I do want my kids to eat healthier than I do, I've joined him on the eat healthy plan.

Earlier this week we had apples, bananas, grapes, strawberries, and oranges in the house. For vegetables we had celery, carrots, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, corn, and whatever category potatoes and onions fall into. This was an ABSURD amount of fresh produce to me, but I think we're down to half a tomato, an orange, and some grapes and strawberries. Meaning we all ate fresh food.

So far, it's paying off with Luke. It's not like I was handing him chocolate cake three times a day, but he ate more animal crackers and granola bars than any 29 pound person should have. Our entire method to get him to eat new food is to eat it in front of him and offer it at intervals, never pushing. Today he had half an apple slice, two bites of banana, and about 6 grapes (which he always ate).

We're also starving him before dinner, pushing his snack back and making it smaller, so when dinner rolls around he sits and eats meat. Of course, to get him to eat more and sit at the table, we employ the bribe system. Want a chocolate chip? Eat two bites of meat. I figure the good outweighs the bad in that equation...

Toddler Police

Luke watching children climbing a tree at the park: "That's not for kids, that's for birds!" Later, Jake, who's about the same age as Luke, went over to the tree and sternly commanded "Down!"

Luke, driving home from the park: "No Mommy one hand, TWO hands!" ... commenting on the fact that I did not have both hands on the wheel. I can't wait to hear "12 AND 3, 12 AND 3!!" from the back seat.

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Valerie Bertinelli is Jenny Craig's new spokesperson. She wants to lose 30 pounds and is a size 14. The average woman in America is a size 12. Kirstie Alley looks to be about a size 14 in those commericials, and she's wearing slinky skin tight clothing - and she's looking good, I think, however freakin' annoying she is. But Valerie is wearing a muumuu shirt! WTH! There is no need for that other than to emphasize her weight (says the woman who is wearing a prgnancy shirt today so there's a LOT of extra room in the belly)

Motivation

I have begun the process of losing the baby weight and so far it's going pretty dang well. In the first week, I lost and unprecedented five pounds. I have NEVER lost five pounds in a week before, so I'm going to solidly give all the credit to the fact that I am nursing. The motivation to lose pregnancy weight is easy to come by - I still only fit in stretchy pregnancy clothes but I have three pairs of pants that I can GET ON but would not ever wear in public. Very motivating to have clothes taunting you. I also have ZERO shorts to wear, but a pair of taunting shorts. Summer be acomin' and I don't want to wear pants through it.

By far the most motivating thing to me is this, though, and I can't even believe I'm admitting to it.

Esposo weighs less than I do.

The idea of weighing more than my husband is INCREDIBLY bothersome to me. He's a BOY. BOYS WEIGH MORE. I'm not sure how this fits in my world, especially since of the four actualy 'boyfriends' I had prior to my husband (relationships consisting of three months or longer), two were smaller than me. Of course, one of them was freakishly skinny, and the other the very same height as me. Esposo has two inches on me, and has very broad shoulders (topping my male attractive features requirement). What I'm saying is: I ain't got no excuse, he should weigh more than me.

I plan to right this topsy turvy world this year.

Days Go By

Every weekend I have a hopeful list of what we will accomplish and do. I have revised my 'To Do' lists to reflect the fact that I want to spend less time on weekends working on my house and more time as a family with my children and husband. So our list for this weekend was short (7 items) and small - hanging blinds or patching a hole, not replacing entire bathroom vanities. We managed to cross three items off and only add two.

My mother called, as she does every day, and let me know that she didn't expect me to go shopping with her. Which is great, especially considering that I hadn't planned on going shopping with her. I don't really get shopping. Here I am, with estrogen and boobs, and the idea of spending a day shopping sounds like a pain in the ass. I think the Consumer Police will come and get me soon... I only go shopping when --required-- because I need certain items, and then I mostly stick to that list. Perhaps I will find something else that inspires me, but in general, it's unlikely.

Instead of shopping, we went to the Botanic Gardens to enjoy the (nicer) weather, where Luke spent the entire time refusing to walk and wanting to be carried. I hadn't brought our double stroller because half (or more) of the intent of going to the gardens was to have Luke run about, tire himself out, and fall asleep in the car on the way home. Fortunately, he acquiesed and slept in the car anyway.

We worked on our list, Luke woke up, Esposo took him out to play, I made dinner, and suddenly it is seven oclock and the weekend is over all over again.

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We just returned from California, where we spent the weekend celebrating my brother's wedding. My mother travelled with Esposo and I and the two children on the plane, and while it wasn't a --rousing-- success, we did make it there without incurring fellow passenger anger. The return trip was a rousing success as Luke fell asleep within minutes of take off and stayed asleep for three hours of the trip.

We slept in double beds for the trip, Courtney and I in one, and Luke and Esposo in another. Yes, Courtney slept every night IN THE BED with me, and I got a lot of sleep. She likes to sleep on her side, and sleeps well that way, so screw you, AAP! We also ignored the AAP recommendation of never spanking this weekend, as Luke got a swat on the behind from Esposo when he darted out into the street. This prompted a small discussion between us as to when we thought spanking was appropriate, and personally, I'll slap my child silly to keep him from running into a street.

Since we were with many people, Courtney was constantly held over the weekend. Which she is expecting at home now and her neediness has made me to decide that it's about time that this second child learn to hang out in her crib on her own. Sheesh, second children are supposed to know about neglect! Next week she is six weeks old and that's the point we moved Luke from a bassinet next to our bed to his crib. Contradictorily, I am not at all ready to move Courtney down the hall, I'd prefer to keep her near me.

As for the wedding, my brother has joined a distinctly difficult family, and I wish him luck on all levels while thanking all the gods out there for my own odd but friendly and non judgmental in-laws. Because we celebrated a Hindu wedding, there was traditional Indian food, and some of it was a bit spicy. Courtney was extremely displeased by the Indian breastmilk, screaming and fussing while eating the next day, which made feeding rather difficult!

Uh...

I swear, I write a million posts in my head, but when I get five free minutes to type something, there's nothing left in there to write about. And then I am interrupted by a little boy who WANTS me to drop him on the floor and say 'Klunk!', because somehow that's funny... and when I stop, he lays on the floor and bumps his head on the floor and laaaughs.