Happy, Happy, Birthday Baby

Happy, happy, birthday baby/No, I can't call you my baby/Seems like years ago we met/On a day I can't forget.

My Gabriel will be 4 on Sunday. I can't believe it's here already. I know we've been planning this party for months. The theme is bowling, so not only is it at the bowling alley, all the party favors and decorations related to bowling. Even the cakes, which he helped my MIL make today.

It's just hard to believe that he's growing up so quickly. I mean, next year, he'll be 5, and ::shudder:: starting school. Trust me when I say that I will be bawling like a baby on his first day of school, and he will, no doubt, skip happily along to explore his classroom.

His big present this year is a twin bed. He's been in a toddler bed since about 18-months, when he figured out how to fall out of his crib, but now he will be in a big bed. We bought it a couple months ago from IKEA, and it's great, because it sits nice and low to the floor and doesn't require a box spring if you use those wooden slats. We let him pick out two sets of sheets for it - Handy Manny and Cars. Oscar is going to put it together Sunday morning while I take him out to breakfast.

I'll post an update, hopefully Sunday evening, about his party, but here's a look at my baby over the years:

Wild and Crazy Hormones

Nobody every fully explains just how many changes your body goes through during pregnancy and after. It isn’t just growing a baby for 9 months, and then maybe feeding them, possibly for another year. It’s not just about your stomach being softer or your boobs sagging. It really is more than that.

I’m sure it’s different for every woman, but for me, 16 months after having my second baby, my body seems to have reset itself. My body is acting like a teenager who just started getting her period. It’s irregular, and the cramping, OMG, the cramping. I never had cramping as a teenager, but apparently my body has decided to make up for that.

When my body suddenly started freaking out, and doing things it didn’t normal do, especially while on the pill, I went to the doctor. They did blood work and an ultrasound and declared me perfectly fine. I really was hoping there was a medical explanation beyond wild and crazy hormones.

It’s especially bad at night. After a day of working and taking care of my boys, I’m physically exhausted and more prone to high amounts of pain. Not much seems to help either – warm baths, heating pads, Tylenol, Advil, Midol…. It really sucks. I’m also a little emotionally unstable, the result, of course, of those wild and crazy hormones. They are partying hard core.

Unfortunately, the only advice the doctor can give is to go through a couple more cycles and schedule an appointment to discuss possibly change the pill that I’m on. Not really the diagnosis I was hoping for. However, I’m sure that the teenagers suffering through bad cramps hope for more too.

My Second Born

So, my goal of working out every day this week had to be nixed due to a medical issue, which hopefully will be resolved soon. However, I can still fulfill my goal of daily posting this week. So for today's entry I will same questions as yesterday for Nick.

My Second Born:

WAS YOUR SECOND PREGNANCY PLANNED?

Yes, we were ready and trying to have a second child.


WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?

I was surprised that it happened so quickly. We had only been trying for a couple months.

HOW OLD WERE YOU?

26


HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?

I was still feeling nauseated after I should have recovered from a stomach flu, so I took a test while Oscar was at work to confirm my suspicions.

WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?

Oscar - I called him at work.


DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?

Definitely. I wanted to know as much about my baby as I could.


DUE DATE?

April 1st, 2008


DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?

Not really. There were a few smells I couldn't tolerate, but that was it.

WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?

Pumpkin flavored things, Costco's Chocolate Muffins, Fruity Pebbles


WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?

No one really, although it was difficult dealing with a toddler while pregnant.


WHAT WAS YOUR SECOND CHILD'S SEX?

Boy


DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?

A little bit, I had hoped for one of each, but I wouldn't change him for the world.


HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?

50 (ouch...)


DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?

Yes. My office planned one for me, which was so sweet.


WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?

It was supposed to be a surprise, but they sent a calendar invite to our boss, and since I was managing his calendar, I received the invite.


DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?

None until delivery. I chose to schedule an induction, and Nick started losing oxygen during contractions. Turns out the cord had a know on it that was compressed every time I contracted. I ended up having an emergency c-section.


WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?

Reston Hospital


HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?

About 6 from the time they started the pitocin to the time they did my c-section.


WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?

Oscar :)


WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH

Oscar was there with me. My mom was waiting outside the operating room.


WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?

Emergency c-section.

DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?

Yes - it was a requirement for the c-section.


HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?

7 lbs


WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ?

March 24th, 2008


WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?

Nicholas Alexander


HOW OLD IS YOUR SECOND BORN TODAY?

16 months

Tummy time = sleep

My First Born

In addition to working out every day this week, I also would like to have a post every day this week. So far, I’m two for two

Of course I’ve decided to do a cheater’s entry and answer a bunch of questions about my first pregnancy. I know I’ve told the birth story of Gabe already, but here is some consolidated information. Tomorrow I shall submit one for Nick. I realize I still owe his complete birth story.

My First Born:

WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?

Sort of.


WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?

Yup, for a grand total of two weeks, a month when we found out.


WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?

I was surprised that it happened so quickly.

HOW OLD WERE YOU?

23


HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?

Went home at lunch and took a test.

WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?

Oscar, I had him come home at lunch too.


DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?

Definitely. I wanted to know as much about my baby as I could.


DUE DATE?

August 6th, 2005


DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?

Not really. There were a few smells I couldn't tolerate, but that was it.

WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?

Cadbury Cream Eggs (lots), Taco Time, and Pancakes


WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?

No one really, except my poor husband.


WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX?
Boy

DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?

A little bit, but I wouldn't change him for the world.


HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?

30


DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?

Yes 2, Oscar planned one for me and then my office planned one (which was scheduled the day I gave birth, so I had after Gabe was born)


WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?

They were both a surprise.


DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?

None until delivery - Gabe that it would be fun to wrap the umbilical cord around his neck.


WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?

Bethesda Naval Hospital


HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?

About 14 hours from the time my first contractions started the day prior at work.


WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?

Oscar :) It was great - we lived about 45 minutes away from the hospital, as long as there was no traffic. Luckily this was super early in the morning.


WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH

Lots of people - Gabe went into distress right at shift change...


WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?

Do forceps count as natural?

DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?

Duh!

HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?

6 lbs, 13.9 oz


WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ?

August 2nd, 2005


WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?

Gabriel Michael


HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY?

4 (on Sunday)

Sleeping Angel

Bowling and Other Exercise

I really miss my house. So many of the weekends this summer have been spent at locations other than home. This weekend we went out to dinner on Friday, to the country house Saturday through Sunday morning, and then bowling Sunday afternoon. The important part is that the boys had a good time, which is really why we do all this stuff.

Gabe went up with my MIL to the country house Friday afternoon. I had to at a different location, so I wasn't close to home, otherwise we probably would have gone up Friday afternoon. Oscar entertained Nick until I got home and then we went out to dinner at the Blue Ridge Grill, which was were we ate the previous Friday when we went on our date. The food is excellent. Nick had a great time. We ordered him a grilled cheese sandwich, which came with french fries, and all he was asking anybody who happened along to dip his fries in ketchup so he could suck it off.

:::

On Saturday morning, Oscar made breakfast - blueberry pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs. Very good. Although Nick was more interested in the blueberries. After that we got in the car and drove up to the country house, stopping to grab caffeine - Diet Dr. Pepper for him and a Venti White Mocha for me. Oscar's primary reason for going up there was to continue work on his mother's shed.

I spent most of the day inside entertaining Nick. Between the rain and all the bugs, plus the power tools, it wasn't exactly safe for him to be outside. We did go out a little bit for lunch, and to blow bubbles, which he enjoyed. Gabe ran back and forth between the shed and the house depending on his mood. My MIL had set up an old electric typewriter for him to play with, which amused them both. Gabe had fun helping Nick "type". Nick also spent a lot of time coloring and having me read stories.

Unfortunately, even with his dad's help, Oscar only got the foundation finished for the shed. We'll be going up again in two weeks to [hopefully] finish it. We'd go up next weekend, but it's Gabe's birthday. We went out for dinner at the Golden Corral (or as Gabe likes to call it the Golden Gorilla). Since there is such a large variety of food, it is easy to find plenty of things for Gabe, he of the extremely picky eaters, to eat. Nick, of course, is easy. It's hard not to eat too much, even if you try to eat healthy, at a buffet.

:::

As soon as we were all up Sunday morning we packed and got ready to head home. We stopped in Front Royal to grocery shop, since we wouldn't have time later due to bowling. Oscar and I always get two carts, so that we can strap both boys in. Gabe, even at [almost] 4, is difficult to manage if he is not secured in a cart.

The boys were happy to get home and run around. Our house is much safer than the country house, not as many dangerous or breakable items sitting around. We put Nick down for a nap shortly after we got home, since he refused to nap on the way, and needed it before we went bowling.

We met up with our friend K. and her two boys, [almost] 5 and 9. They all had a great time. Oscar and I tried out our new bowling balls and I sucked. I didn't break 100 either game, and in fact did worse the second game than I did the first. It was very frustrating, especially since I was trying to bowl and pay attention to both boys and succeeding at nothing.

:::

Bowling made me very self-conscious, and not just because I was doing so poorly. I've put a little weight back on, so my stomach is definitely more noticeable, plus I was wearing baggy jeans and an ill-fitting t-shirt. K., on the other hand, looked great in a short skirt and fitted t-shirt. People were definitely noticing. I've been meaning to get back to working out, and that was definitely motivation.

This morning, as a result, I got up early and restarted Slim in 6 (again), so my work out was about 25 minutes. I plan to work out again this evening, this time doing 30 Day Shred. I also have to be much more careful with what I eat. As I've shown, I quickly put weight back on when I eat poorly and don't exercise.

I know Oscar thinks I look fine, and I love that he does. The problem is, I don't think that I look fine. I also know I've put on a lot more pounds than I should have, because my skirts and pants are feeling tight. It's very frustrating. I had been doing well, and now, not so much. Hopefully I can stick to my exercise program this time.

Bedtime Routine and Other Things

Most nights we follow the same bedtime routine with the boys, which usually works well for getting them to sleep without any problems. Then there are nights, like last night, when we mess with their routine, and they are a little more difficult to go to sleep than usual.

Usually I get home between 3:30 and 4:00 with the boys. They play a little bit and we have dinner around 5:00. After dinner they play until bath time, which is usually at 6:00. Bath time consists of using the potty for Gabe, as well as flossing and brushing, in addition to a bath or shower. After they are both in their pajamas, I read stories, two for Gabe unless it’s a really long story, and one for Nick. Then at 6:45 Oscar, the taxi, takes Gabe into bed and I take Nick. Nick gets a bottle of milk, and then calls Oscar in to brush his teeth. After that he gets a drink of water and goes to bed. They’re both usually out within 10-15 minutes.

Last night we decided to skip their bath and go for a car ride instead. They both seem to be coming down with colds, and Nick was a little cranky. Unfortunately, they seemed to energize each other and neither of them fell asleep in the car. Nick really wanted to play and Gabe wanted to ask questions about everything. Nick didn’t seem to want to relax until we were back home and I was rocking him in his room. He finished his milk bottle and had some water and then was asleep. Gabe was out shortly after getting into bed.

I guess that just goes to show that small children really are creatures of habit. We rarely mess with their routines, but when we do, it usually ends up taking them much longer to go to sleep than it normally would. We try to limit when we make changes, although we are going to the country house this weekend, so they will probably be a little challenged in going to sleep. Especially Gabe. He loves being up their so much that he has trouble winding down.

:::

Speaking of stories. We have some new favorites. Right now Gabe is very into both Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein, even if he doesn’t understand all the humor in the stories. I’ve mentioned before, I think, that he loves The Giving Tree, but we read Giraffe and a Half on Tuesday, and he like that very much. As for Dr. Seuss, he is very into both Green Eggs and Ham and The Lorax. Nick still loves his touch feely stories, with Little Feet Like... being his favorite of those. But, he’s also become attached to the class Goodnight Moon, which he likes to be read over and over and over again.

I’m glad they both really like books. I have such a love for them, that I would have been deeply disappointed if they were not interested in them. Unfortunately many of my favorite childhood series are probably ones they will never be interested in, to include Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie, and the Betsy books. Oh well, I still enjoy them myself. Not to mention Little Women, The Little Princes, and The Secret Garden. Some they will like, including the Wizard of Oz series, and of course, the more recent Harry Potter series.

:::

Nick is really getting to be a toddler. I mean, he’s been walking and talking for a while, but he’s starting to get such a personality about it. His very words are mine and that. He will do something naughty just for the attention, and likes it even better sometimes, if you are telling him no while he’s doing it. Not to mention the tantrums if he doesn’t get his way. He also is even more curious about everything, but less likely to put it in his mouth.

I can’t believe how quickly they are both growing up. Gabe will be four in a week and a half. Four! I still can clearly recall the day he was born and he will be four. He’s looking forward to his party, which for once, will be held on his actual birthday. He and my MIL have already done a trial cake, and we have all the party supplies, as well as most of the replies for his guests. We’re going bowling Sunday afternoon, so he can practice before his party.

I love watching my boys grow up, I just can’t believe how quickly it’s happening. They were both babies, just yesterday, I swear! And yet, they’re not anymore. They are people, with their own minds, and likes, and desires. I love watching them grow and develop a stronger sense of self, even while I am nostalgic for the time when all they needed was a full belly and a clean diaper.

Small Town Life

Oscar and I currently live in a rented townhouse in a large planned community, which has 2 grocery stores, a McDonald's, a Ruby Tuesdays, a Starbucks, 4 pools, 3 elementary schools, and a planned middle school. We have short commutes to work. But we're not really happy here. Life moves too quickly. People are very materialistic. It's not really how we want to raise our children.

We've talked a lot about moving farther out, to a much smaller town. We still want to find a community to live in, but one that just has houses and 1 community center. Houses that are farther apart, with a little land. A much slower pace of life where you get your ice cream from a little stand rather than a franchise.

Oscar works with a number of people who live up there, as well as an old friend from high school, and they all love it. The commute, which would be about an hour, doesn't bother them. Many of whom have been doing it for 10+ years. The schools are pretty close to the level of where we live now, the home prices are much less, and the quality of life is higher. It sounds wonderful.

It's just a hard to make that decision. We're still a couple years off from buying a house, so we have time to decide. However, this decision isn't something we can undo once we make it. If we buy a house out there, we're committed. What if the commute wears on us? What if we don't like small town life after all? I don't think that will be the case, but there are a lot of what ifs.

We'd be trading convenience for a simpler lifestyle. I think that will make us happier. I think that will make our boys happier. I see all these teenagers that are as materialistic as their parents, and I don't want that for my children. I want them to enjoy simple pleasures, like a small-town barbecue, and a walk in the woods. I don't want them to be concerned with having the latest gadget or the most popular label on their clothes.

It really does sound like the best decision for us, but until we actually make it and move up there, we have no way of knowing for sure. I've suggested finding a place to rent up there, just to see if we like it, but Oscar doesn't want to go to the effort of moving unless we're doing it for good. That's a huge leap of faith. We really need to take the time to get to know the area, the people, the schools, and the neighborhoods.

I think we'd all be happier with a small town life.

Kid Movies

I'll admit. I like kid movies. Especially the animated ones. Plus most of them are in 3D now, which is really cool. I also love Harry Potter. So after those confessions it shouldn't surprise you that I saw both Harry Potter and Ice Age (in 3D!) this weekend.

Friday I took an early day from work and Oscar and I went out to lunch and then saw Harry Potter, which I really enjoyed. Yes, it doesn't follow the book exactly, but then movies based on books rarely do. It was still a very good movie. However, I have started rereading the book just to remind myself what was different and what was left out.

On Sunday we met up with a friend of Gabe's and her dad to see Ice Age. Nick should have fallen asleep on the way to the theater or even strolling to the theater from the garage, but he didn't. He also found the movie a little scary, so Oscar and I took turns pushing him around the theater. The parts of the movie I did see were cute. I would like to know where I can get a baby woolly mammoth for a pet, because she was really cute.

Gabe is getting so much better about sitting through movies, he still gets a little restless, but usually he's enjoying the movie too much to get restless. Also, it helps having a friend there, since he tends to imitate their behavior. After the movie his friend wanted us to come over - her mom just had a baby a month ago - but it was too late in the day, plus her mom was sleeping, so we didn't want to intrude.

:::

I'm very frustrated with my exercise routine. I was doing good and then got side-lined with being sick, and really not the kind that you can work through with exercise. And of course, I tend to be one of those all or nothing kind of people. If I fall off the exercise wagon, I also tend to fall off the diet wagon.

Plus there are some nights where I'm so exhausted I don't have the energy to exercise and do my homework. Since my homework is not optional if I want to pass my classes, the exercise often gets skipped so that I can put together a semi-coherent sentence. Some times I wish I could just quit school, but I've made it this far, and then once I'm done I'll be so proud of what I've accomplished. And I know it will get harder as the boys get older. It's just really hard now.

I'm not getting much sleep, and in addition to working full time, I'm raising two small children and going to school. It's a lot. Some days it feels like too much. And on top of it I try to add exercise and eating healthy. I have tons of exercise videos, and a very nice treadmill. There's no reason I can't work out. I just often lack the motivation to do it. Sometimes I just want to relax. Curl up with a good book or a tabloid (personal fave: US Weekly) and relax.

Unfortunately those moments are few and far between. Plus, I still need to work in time to exercise.

Minor Setbacks

I had been doing good with my working out and eating healthy until Wednesday. Then I got bad cramps, and was more interested in curling up on the couch with a pint of Ben and Jerry's (mmmm....Phish Food) instead of doing my Slim in 6 work out.

Last night I still wasn't feeling good, plus we needed to run some errands when I got home from work, so we ate dinner at Chipotle. Then Gabe threw a major tantrum in the store, and by the time I got home I was not in any mood to work. Plus I needed to work on home work.

I could say that I'm going to definately work out today. I'd like to think so, but who knows. I still don't feel 100%, plus Oscar and I are going on a date today (to see the new Harry Potter!), so probably not.

It would be better if I could get up in the morning and get my work out done before the day filled me with excuses, but it is so hard to get up an earlier than 5:30. Especially after getting up at least twice, usually more, with Nick. I really wanted to be consistent this time, yet there is always a reason for an excuse.

Go Ask Grandma

Reasons I am glad my boys are watched by their Grandma:

• They are cared for by someone who loves them as much as Oscar and I do.
• They get plenty of chances to run outside and play.
• She takes them to the library.
• And to the fire station.
• And to feed the ducks.
• They get one-on-one attention.
• She does lots of craft projects with them.
• She makes them home cooked meals.
  
• They also get to spend time with their Grandpa and Aunt Re.
• They get to cook (today Gabe helped make pancakes, raspberry jelly, and a vanilla milkshake, which he referred to as a muscle milkshake).
• She is able to take Gabe to his weekly gym class and to summer camp.
• She can watch the boys earlier or later, if we need it.
• She has a sandbox and a water table for them to play with.
• She has lots of toys for them to play with.
• She reads to them regularly.
• She doesn't let them watch much TV (Gabe watches maybe an hour at the most, and only if the weather is bad).
• They regularly play with her neighbor's grandchildren who are around the same age.
  

There are probably a lot of other reasons that I'm just not thinking about now. I complain a lot about my MIL watching the boys to Oscar. And yes, there are a lot of things that bother me. But I don't want to forget that they are lucky to be watched by their Grandma. It's the next best thing to Oscar or I being able to watch them.

Of course, I wish circumstances were different, and I could be the one to stay home with them. And yet, I'm not sure that would be what was best for them. I need to work, I think. I need to have that adult interaction. That separate part of my existence. I don't know that I would make a good stay at home mom. I love my children very much, and I know I would do my best, but would my best be as good as Grandma? I don't know.

Look Who's Talking

On Thursday Nick had his 15-month check up (not on Tuesday like we originally thought). It was a good appointment, and the main focus was on the fact that he's not sleeping. We got a recommendation for a new methodology to try out - The No Cry Sleep Solution. Oscar ordered it from Amazon yesterday, so it should be here next week. I hope it works, since I really miss sleep. Last night Nick was up EVERY hour starting at 9:30. Without caffeine I'd be a goner.

He also got measured and weighed. He is 30 inches long, which puts him in the 95th percentile for height and 23 lbs 8oz, which puts him in the 40th percentile for weight. We also got approval to switch his car seat around, so he will finally face forward. It was nice to not have the eating discussions like we have always had at Gabe's appointments. Nick eats a wide variety of food and in a good amount. Gabe still is a very picky eater.

Nick also showed off his tricks. He showed her his forward roll and his wide vocabulary, which impressed our pediatrician. She said his language skills surpassed that of an 18-month-old and were closer to that of a 2-year-old. It felt good to hear that. We constantly talk to him, and teach him words, and use the correct terms and he's listening. Absorbing it all like a sponge. He can even say a couple of two word phrases, such as "me snack", "thank you", "buh bye", "nigh night", "ba please". Of course it doesn't come out quite that clearly, but we understand him.

:::

I've been alone this weekend with Nick. Gabe went to the country house with my MIL yesterday afternoon, and Oscar drove up last night after I got home from work. My MIL was having a shed delivered up there, and Oscar was going to help here put it together. Oscar and Gabe are supposed to be home sometime before dinner.

It's been very quiet. Nick and I get along well. He's easy to entertain. Easy to feed. And generally easy to put down for a nap. I've had plenty of play time with him as well as time to do chores around the house and use the computer. The TV hasn't been on at all. We've read Good Night Moon 10 billion times. It's been very peaceful, but I miss Oscar and Gabe. Nick does too. He keeps looking and calling for both of them. Luckily they're on their way home now.

As a treat I opened up one of the last two toys from Nick's birthday. It's a Yo Gabba Gabba Dancing Brobee. I think it's a little odd, but Nick likes it. When he wants it to dance he'll run up to me and point to Brobee and go "dass, dass", and then giggle delighedly when it does.

He's also been fascinated with my computer. My computer is sitting on a tray table in the living room, so that I can do homework without being distracted by Oscar watching TV. The couch out there is low, so it's easy for Nick to climb up on. I've come out of the kitchen numerous times today to discover him doing this:

Luckily he's really cute. Love the scrunch face.

:::

This past week I've been really consistent with my diet and exercise, which I'm proud of. I know a week isn't much, but it's better than I have been doing. Last night I moved on from Slim in 6 Phase 1: Start it Up to Slim in 6 Phase 2: Ramp it Up, which is twice the length and adds resistance band work.

I still have a quite a few pounds to lose before I get to where I want to be, but I'm confident that as long as I'm consistent with my diet and exercise most of the time that I will be successful. It's not always easy. There are nights when I'm so tired that the last thing I want to do is work out. Or Oscar might suggest going out to eat, which of course sounds way better than the healthy meal I planned out.

I'm not always going to be successful. Some nights I may work out any way. Some nights I won't. Some nights I'll choose eating out over my diet. Nobody is perfect. The key is choosing my diet and exercise most of the time.

Reviews and Recommendations

About a month ago I mentioned that I had bought Palmer's Cocoa Butter lotion for my c-section scar and stretch marks and how it smells wonderful. I've been using it consistently since I bought it and it is already making a difference. My scar is much less noticeable than it used to be. I have the pump bottle and use it all over, not just on my scar. My elbows and knees are softer and the dry patches I usually get on my shoulder blades are gone. Also, I love the smell.

:::

I just finished reading The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde and really enjoyed it. The concept is quirky. It's set in England in an alternate reality where the Crimea war is still raging on, people clone Dodos for pets, and literature is taken very seriously. Thursday next is a detectives in the SpecOps, SO-27, which is the Literatec division. The crime she is pursuing in this story is the theft of the original Charlotte Bronte manuscript of Jane Eyre, and the subsequent kidnapping of Jane Eyre from the story by the evil Acheron Hades.

It's a very entertaining read, although the plot sometimes spends too long on aspects of the story that don't need it and not long enough on parts that are really interesting. Luckily Jasper Fforde has written many sequels with the second book in his series being Lost in a Good Book. I have not read it yet, but it is on my reading list.

:::

I restarted my exercise program this week after avoiding it for about a month. Lately I've been all about Jillian Michaels. I did the 30-Day Shred and I've done her No More Trouble Zones. Plus, I have her iFit cards for my treadmill. However, I decided to start with a program I did when I lost the weight with Gabe, before going back to Jillian.

I am doing Slim in 6, which is a Beachbody workout series. There are three levels, plus an additional ab routine and a stretching routine. The goal is to do the workout six days a week for six weeks. The first level is Start it Up, which I'm doing this week, and let me tell you, my thighs are sore. The amount of squats that you do... ouch! It is a good workout, and doesn't require any equipment except a mat, which you could probably do without if you have a soft carpet. It's also only 25 minutes from start to finish, which makes it a doable introduction to the program.

My scale this morning claimed that I've lost a three pounds since Monday, which I'm not sure is true, but it gives me a nice warm fuzzy to see the numbers on my scale going down again. Especially since my lack of exercise and poor eating over the past up had caused the scale to go up. I need to post of picture to the Flickr Accountability Pool.

I really want to lose the weight for good. I know my current weight isn't bad, but it's not at a number that I'm satisfied with. My middle is still too squishy, and my muscles have no tone. Especially my thighs and upper arms. I also want my pants to stop feeling a little tight. I'm really hoping I can stick with an exercise routine this time.

:::

P.S. Nick is still getting in the same three teeth, and is still waking up often at night. I'm exhausted and desperately need more sleep. His 15-month check up is today and I'm hoping his pediatrician has some suggestions. Because Tylenol? Not working. Baby Orajel? Not working. Letting him cry it out? NOT FREAKING WORKING!

Happy 4th

We spent this past weekend at my in-laws country house, which is always a mixture of stress and relaxation. I'm currently in class, so I had to do all my homework ahead of time so I wouldn't have to worry about it this weekend when I didn't have access to the Internet.

My MIL took Gabe up Thursday night. Oscar, Nick, and I stayed home so that I could finish my homework and then pack in the morning. I left work a little early to have more time with them, but when I got home they were both asleep on the bed, which was very cute and I'm sorry I didn't take a picture. Being tired myself, I laid down with them for a good hour and a half of nap.

After our nap we went out to Chili's for dinner. Their bottomless chips are fantastic, and we always get a big thing of ranch to dip them in. If you've never tried tortilla chips dipped in ranch, you should. It's so good. Nick was enjoying our undivided attention, and was in a great mood. Also, he had a long nap, so I'm sure that helped.


The next morning after Nick woke us up, we packed and headed to the country house, stopping for breakfast on the way. Nick napped on the way up and was ready to play when we got there. Gabe had already been up for hours, and he and my MIL had already gone to their garden to pick raspberries. After a quick lunch we headed to Front Royal to look at Lowe's for a storage shed for my MIL and to pick up some things Oscar and I forgot to pack at the Super Wal-Mart.

We had barbecued hot dogs for dinner, which were good. Later that evening we drove into Winchester to see their fireworks display. It was supposed to be occurring in a local park, but we parked in the movie theater parking lot to watch them. It wasn't as good as if we had been up close, but it was good enough. Nick slept through most of it, although he briefly woke up and had to be consoled and put back to sleep. Gabe loved it.

We spent most of Saturday relaxing at the house before driving out to dinner and more fireworks in the evening. Our goal was to eat at the Golden Corral, because Oscar had been craving a buffet. However, my GPS in my Quest is stupid, so we ended up at not one, but two different Pizza Huts, one of which was no longer in business. Neither of which ever looked like they had been Golden Corrals. We finally found the one in Winchester, which made Oscar happy. Both my boys loved all the choices and ate a lot.

The big fireworks display for the area was at Sherando Park. In addition to fireworks, they also had a Dave Matthews cover band, carnival booths, moon bounces, and food. We ran into Gabe's cousin R. while we were there, which please him to no end. She's 7 and he adores her. Nick was determined to not fall asleep so he also stayed up to watch the fireworks. They were really great. Both the boys loved them. I'm glad they weren't scared. Nick did get upset about not being able to run around, but he was in his PJs.

We didn't leave the parking lot until almost 11 P.M. due to the huge back up in traffic. It didn't take long for the boys to fall asleep, but we the rest of us were exhausted. Of course, the boys didn't sleep in despite being up late. Oscar and I packed and left with Nick shortly after we got up on Sunday. We needed to go grocery shopping, and get ready for the work week.

It was a really nice weekend, but I'm exhausted after spending three weekends in a row out of town. I'm looking forward to a nice weekend at home, even if it won't be relaxing.

While You Were Sleeping

So Nick hasn't been sleeping well lately. He's been getting about three teeth in for the past three weeks, and the one in the front has only recently broken through the skin. He's constantly walking around with something stuffed in his mouth - usually his hand. He's also mastered the sport of extreme screaming.

Usually it starts between 12:30 a.m and 1:00 a.m. Sometimes he will go right back to sleep after he's comforted, other times he'll be up for an hour with the constant screaming. Sometimes he wakes up every hour for a couple of minutes. Sometimes he also wakes up at 10:00 p.m., about a half hour after I've turned out the lights and finally fallen asleep. This morning he was up for about an hour starting at 1:00 a.m, and then got up again at 4:17 a.m., and didn't go back to sleep.

It doesn't help for Oscar to go in there. Even if Nick switches from screaming mamamamamamamamamama to dadadadadadadadadadadadadadadada. He goes in there and Nick will calm down for maybe 1.2 seconds before he starts screaming some more. If I don't respond instantly he might pause for 0.5 seconds before he starts screaming even louder and holding the wailing.

It's like he's thinking "okay, I'm screaming, Mama will be here any minute. Okay, she's not coming. ::pause:: Maybe if I scream LOUDER. ::pause:: Maybe if I hold it LONGER. Okay, any second now, she'll be here. MAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA!!!!!" Finally I give in and go get him from Oscar. Usually it's just not worth his trouble to get out of bed. He's probably just going to get yelled at.

I am beyond exhausted. I think I was exhausted after a week of this. At this point I'm barely more than a zombie, existing not on human flesh, but on caffeine. I really hope those teeth make their appearance soon. I don't know how much more of this I can take.