3 Reasons....

why the baby weight is here to stay...a little longer.

A few weeks ago, I posted about my plan to lose some leftover baby weight.  Well, despite my best efforts, I have not had very much success.  I am continuing to exercise regularly, walking 2-4 miles a day several times a week and taking Zumba classes 3 times a week as well.  I enjoy the exercise and feel good, but have only lost one pound (on a good day).  After much thought and research, I have discovered 3 reasons why I am not seeing results yet.....

1. I like to cook.  A lot.

2. I like to eat what I cook.  A lot.

And finally......

3.  Remember this snow??? - Well, after making snow angels, snowmen and snow cream, sledding, tackling my husband and children to the ground and calling it "football", and smashing snowballs in my children's faces, just what does one do when the husband is home from work and we are snowed in at home for 2 days???  Well, apparently here on the farm, we make a snow baby.....who likes to eat what I cook.  A lot.  :)

The Irony of it All

So, a few weeks ago, I started thinking (it happens sometimes), what did stay at home moms, like my own mom, do 20 years ago before the age of the internet, and more specifically, facebook, amazon and ebay?  I briefly discussed the idea with a friend and we discussed things like sewing, gardening and canning, cross-stitching, reading, daytime televison, not to mention that their houses were probably a lot cleaner than mine.

Then, literally, within just a day or two of that conversation, my computer crashed.  Now, we have (or had, until it crashed) a desktop computer....no laptop, blackberry, droid, ipad or any other fancy techno bells and whistles.  It served our purpose of providing email, news/weather updates, occasional online shopping, and up to date research on topics of intereset, as well as giving me an outlet to stay in touch with friends and family.  I have no need to be in constant wireless contact with the rest of the world while driving, shopping, eating dinner, etc.  However, facing 3 weeks without television, newspaper or internet, I realized I would soon find out  for myself how a stay at home mom can use her time without the distraction of computers.  I only visited my in-laws computer twice during the 3 week "break" from my internet connection and really did not miss it too much. 

Here is what I missed out on....friends' complaints about a new work week every Monday, friends' detailed weekend plans, where people were eating dinner, what movies people saw and their opinion of them, what my family in Louisiana was eating for dinner, pictures of my friends' kids being cute and funny, political debates, funny conversations between my friends and their spouses and/or children, easily looking up new recipes for dinner, finding the great sales/coupons on grocery deals each week and my two oldest competing for computer time. 

Here is what I gained....quality time playing games with my kids, taking long walks outside while my kids rode their bikes, reading to my 3 year old, going to bed earlier than 10pm (sometimes before 8!), and more time in God's word.

I'd say that I gained a lot more than I lost!

While technology is supposed to "save us time" in so many ways these days, I seemed to have more time to put to good use when I did not have access to my "time-saving" device.  I'm not advocating to put away the computer, but I have gained a new perspective on what's important.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Romans 12:2

Ouch!

I feel like an old lady.  Every muscle in my body aches.  I hesitate and grimace every time I have to stand up, sit down or, heaven forbid, make the treck up or down the stairs, especially if carrying a 17 lb baby is part of the process.

Why?  Because I have inflicted cruel and unusual punishment on myself.  You see, there is this thing called "baby weight"  that likes to hang out with me well into the toddler and preschool years.  It's just the pesky 7 pounds of "maternal stores" from carrying a baby around for 9 months that think they need to hang around a little longer....like forever, just in case.  Yet, when you do decide to have another baby, lo and behold, your body decides it needs to go ahead and create 7 more extra pounds for "maternal stores,"  never mind the fact that you still have those maternal stores hanging out (quite literally, sometimes).  Well, when you add up those 7 stubborn pounds from the past 3 babies....it's not a pretty picture.

So, I am now taking action....and lots of it.  I have been taking Zumba classes for the past month that I really enjoy.  It is a good workout and it's a challenge.  However, we only have class 2 or 3 times a week and I needed something more.  So, I also started the 30 Day Shred this week.  Wow!  After Day 1, my legs felt like Jello and I honestly didn't know if I could walk up the stairs to get the baby.  And then, the next morning....could not move.  Every muscle ached.  Quads.  Biceps.  Triceps.  Hamstrings.  Muscles I didn't even know I had and don't know the names of.  Day 2 of the Shred I toned it down a little bit, mostly because my quads refused to participate, but then I still went to Zumba later that night, where we focused on Abs.  So now, my quads and abs are mad at me, and letting me know it.  I'm starting to wonder if I will ever walk again without a chorus of "ouch.  ouch.  ow.  ouch." with every step. 

So, for now, I am continuing to suffer, continuing to work out, and waiting....waiting to see some results and to finally say "good-bye" to some pounds that should have left months (ok, years) ago. 

The newest member of the family....

As many of you know, I am not an animal person.  I can tolerate most animals, certainly dogs, but I do not not want them jumping on me, licking my face, tracking mud into the house, or slobbering on my skirt as I'm walking out the door to church.  We have dogs, cows, horses, and donkeys, but I certainly do not want them in my house.  I know many people who love having their pets romp around their house, even sleep in their beds with them, and that's fine.  Whatever floats their boat.  It's just not me.  I have plenty of other living, breathing creatures who jump on me, lick my face, track mud into the house and slobber on my skirt as I'm walking out the door to church......

But the other day.....I turned into a softie when the sweetest little Saint Bernard came walking into the kitchen.  My heart melted.  I just wanted to sit and cuddle with her.  There was no way I was going to turn such a sweet little dog outside into the cold, wind and rain......



And as long as she doesn't chew up my husband's dress shoes, we'll get along just fine. 

Let the Games Begin

Charlie has learned (and mastered) his first game.  Yep, with him sitting by and closely watching us play Uno, Sorry, or Memory each night before bed, it was bound to happen sooner than later.

You see, living out in the country, cell phone reception is spotty, at best.  I have discovered that if I stand directly in front of this one kitchen window, I have the greatest chance of being able to carry on a phone conversation without repeating "Can you hear me?"  "Can you hear me now?" throughout the call.  Instead of holding the 17 lb sack of potatoes pictured above, I have begun to sit him down on the counter directly in front of me.  However, he now likes to reach forward and grab everything within his reach, so I have to remove all sharp objects, glasses of undrunk milk, etc from the immediate surrounding area.  Well, last week the little snickerdoodle reached over and pulled up on the sink faucet pictured above.  When the water turned on, he just looked at me and grinned.  I quietly turned it off and can you believe he reached over, grinned, and turned it on again???  We repeated this process about 47 times in a period of about 33 seconds. 

Charlie wins!

 

Mommy's Time Out...

Enough said.

9 months old

How is it that this little boy is 9 months old???  And, why is it that his 9 months outside of my womb have passed by so much more quickly than his 9 months in my womb?

Charlie's newest hobby

Nine month facts....

• 16.5 lbs (with clothes on)  27 3/4 in long
• Sporting 2 shiny, new teeth!
• Wearing size 3 diapers
• Still does not like the bath, but puts up with it with only mild grumbling rather than blood-curdling screams...one reason he now gets bathed once a week, rather than once a month (just kidding, I think)
• Nursing morning and night
• Taking 2 bottles of formula and 1 bottle of juice throughout the day
• Eating anything we give him, although green beans are not his favorite, and starting to eat more table food that I prepare for the family, just blended up....Swedish meatballs and Pot roast with veggies were big hits!
• Sitting up independently, but not attempting to move around....thank you, Lord!
• Supposed to be taking two naps a day....Daddy needs to have a little talk with him on that one.

The biggest event for us this month was introducing formula.  I think it was more of an ordeal for Mommy than Charlie.  At his last check-up, we discovered that he had dropped from the 25% in weight to below the 5% (with clothes on).  I could also tell that even though he was still nursing, he just wasn't getting as much milk as he needed.  I tried to supplement with extra food and juice throughout the day, but it just wasn't enough, so I actually brought up the question of formula to the doctor, and he agreed that we needed to supplement.  Now, this is the first baby that I have ever given formula.  With my first child, my goal was to breastfeed for at least 6 months.  He easily continued nursing until he was a year old, when I weaned him because little sister was on the way.  I continued nursing each of my children for a year.  Baby #3 actually would not take a bottle of any kind!  No juice or anything until he was about 13 months old.  I have absolutely loved nursing my babies (as well as the financial savings from not buying formula!).  So, introducing formula was a little bit of a let down for me, but Charlie took it like a champ and now shows visible excitement when he sees me bringing a bottle to him.  I have also noticed that he has packed on some weight in just the past two weeks, so all is good. 

Charlie is often the center of attention around here.  His big brothers and sister often ask to push him through the house in the stroller or ask where he is if they can't find him (we only lose him occasionally).  He is usually a trooper during their attempts to "play house" with him as the baby, but there are times when he needs to be rescued and Mommy becomes Super Mommy! 

Every day is delight with this little man.  Each new days brings smiles and laughs that are just contagious.