Coffee

I've been a BIT of a grouch, as of late. Lack of sleep is probably the biggest factor, so I'm trying to deal with that.

Coffee occurred to me today. I have been drinking diet coke by the gallon since last Friday and it's not doing the trick. I realize it's late afternoon, but I poured myself a cup of coffee with a bit of cream and sweet & low. . . the problem is that it's too freaking hot to drink.

Last night I felt like A was up all night long. Today I'm thinking it through and I think he wasn't. I think I fell asleep holding him after the feeding. I think I held him for about two hours. Then went to bed and it seemed like minutes and he woke up again famished. So I think I fed him again and fell asleep holding him. Before I knew it the alarm was going off. Now, he was up for an extra feeding for sure-but it felt like I hadn't slept at all. I hope this two feedings in the night doesn't keep up!

(EDIT: Coffee cooled and not too bad. . . this could help.)

Stolen Meme

Ten Years Ago I Was:
1. 14 years old.
2. Very, very blonde.
3. A freshman in high school.
4. In LOVE with a guy from my church who I only saw once a week.
5. Counting the days until I could drive.

5 Things on Today's To Do List:
1. Wash baby bottles.
2. Start reading a new book.
3. Not picking up the phone.
4. Making a Heathly Choice meal for dinner.
5. Watching tv.

5 Snacks I enjoy:
1. Fiesta Ranch dip with red bell peppers
2. Cheetos Asteroids 100 calorie packs
3. Pickles
4. Cheese
5. Peanut Butter Crackers

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire (or billionaire):
1. Buy a house.
2. Put money away for my son's college
3. Stay at home while he's not in school
4. Go back to school. . . culinary school!
5. Travel

5 places I have lived:
1. Small Town Texas, with my parents
2. Larger Small Town Texas, with my college Roommate
3. Houston Suburb w/my husband
4. Same Suburb different apt, with my husband
5. Different Larger Small Town Texas, with my husband

5 jobs I have had:
1. Church Nursery Worker
2. Whataburger Cashier
3. Sears Asset Protection Associate
4. Revenue Accountant
5. Tax Accountant

Weekend

I know, I know it's almost a new weekend and I'm just now posting about last weekend.

Saturday we finally rearranged furtniture in the apartment and I am so much happier with the result. The bassinette was taken to storage and A moved into his nursery. He is weighing in around 13 pounds now. The bassinette tops out at 15, so I figured it was time. He did so good in his own room. It's a good thing the bassinette was removed from the apartment completely though, because as bedtime closed in I was having second thoughts about moving him. But, he had to go because it was gone. When he woke up Sunday morning smiling and looking around his room I knew it was the right decision.

Video monitors are awesome, by the way.

Sunday was the PERFECT day.

Like I said, A woke up in the best mood. We lazily got up around 9 and he had a bottle while I (finally) got to watch the dvr'd Grey's Anatomy. When we both finished we got up and went into his room. We played with toys. I learned that he is so alert now that playing with his toys is a lot more fun for both of us. He can kind of shake the rattle and LOVES to have me shake it for him. We took pictures and he had such BIG smiles.

My husband got home from church and had a surprise. Three pumpkins. We watched football, ordered pizza and carved the pumpkins. It was so much fun. After the carving I found out how to roast pumpkin seeds. They turned out really good and I'm excited to have found something that can be a tradition for our new little family.

How To Blow Dieting for the Day in Five Steps

1. Weigh in and realize you are up two pounds from the week before.

2. Spend the morning to sleepy you realize after arriving at work that you didn't eat breakfast.

3. Choose low-fat yogurt for breakfast.

4. Eat only the yogurt and realize you are starving.

5. Daydream about a barbecue sandwich from the place down the street. Or buffalo wings. Or candy.

Geez. . . send help.

Unstuck, 30 Day Shred

Good news--I am feeling better about things today than I was yesterday. I don't really feel so "stuck" in my job and marriage. Just sometimes things get so frustrating! I finished the work for that partner so at least next time I'll know what I'm doing without having all the back and forth and feeling dumb.

As for my marriage, I think I'm just letting too many little things get under my skin. We went out to dinner last night, just us, and it was good. Things can get better.

I started birth control again after I finished breast feeding and it is messing with my emotions. I'm not surprised, when I took it before the same thing happened. I was happy one minute, mad the next, then sad. I realized I was pretty miserable to be around and quit taking it. I'm on the lowest dose of hormones, so I don't know if switching to another kind would do the trick. And I don't really want to stop taking it altogether again because another baby is not in the cards for a couple of years. Anyway, if my blogging seems to be happy/sad/happy it's probably because of that. Because honestly there is a lot in my life to be happy about at the moment, if I could just relax and enjoy it!

ALSO: 30 Day Shred. A couple of things here. I went 9 days working out every day. I have been lazy about getting up the past few mornings and had to do it at night. Which is bad, because I was bound to run out of time one day. Last night I ran out of time. My first free minute came at 10:30. . . so I went to bed. And I felt guilty. Then this morning I was dragging through interval one and then A started crying and I had to stop. It got me thinking that I DO enjoy waking up early and working out, but there is no way I will enjoy 20 more days of the same exact workout. I can tell I'm not ready for Level 2 yet, so my only option with the shred is to continue with more days of Level 1.

I'm adjusting my plan. I'm not throwing working out out the window. . . we're tweaking. I'm still going to workout every day, but I am going to do different things. The dvds are a good plan because I can do that at home, so I'll just vary up which dvds I do. I have Winsor Pilates, so I've already planned that for tomorrow morning and I'm going shopping after work to try and find maybe two more.

I'd have loved to see where the Shred would have taken my body in 30 days, but let's be honest. I'm already getting bored on Day 10. . . and I don't want to burn out and end up not exercising at all!

Lobby of Hobbies

Sometimes I go to Hobby Lobby. See, I would like to have the type of hobby that Hobby Lobby would carry.

I wander through the aisles and imagine myself a painter, a scrapbooker, an knitter, an embroiderer. Each time I can't decide and I leave hobby-less. Sometimes I'll decide on a hobby, gather some things and start toward the checkout. The last time it was crocheting, which I can already do a little of. But each time I've bought the yarn I haven't finished my project. . .

Today at break the girls were talking about Hobby Lobby and because I am so prone to suggestion I now want to go find a hobby. I'm thinking scrapbooking, because I just so happen to have a billion pictures of a super-adorable baby just waiting to be displayed.

Talking Points

*30 Day Shred is still going. Today will be #9. Sunday I kicked butt, if I do say so myself. Interval one is still hard for me, but after I got through that one I did Intervals 2 & 3 without stopping once. I was so proud. Yesterday I think my energy was lower. I was moving slower. But I worked out and that's what counts.

*I lost 1 pound on weight watchers last week. I know that's not a lot, but I'm proud of it.

*Chili. I am so ready to make it. Christina sent me a recipe that sounds so good. I am just waiting on the weather to get right for chili. I just checked the ten day forecast though and it's not looking like chili weather.

*A is going to be Batman for Halloween. It's just the cutest thing ever, wait till you see the pictures!

*Saturday I have a haircut scheduled which I am going to cancel. For multiple reasons: 1. last time I had her cut it short and I'm tired of short now, of course 2. I'd end up just getting a trim that I don't NEED that desperately 3. I'd rather save up and be able to get highlights and a cut next time I go in.

*This weekend I was at my parents to visit. I was looking through an old photo album of myself in high school. I want to look like that again, lol. And it's funny because at the time I probably could have named 20 things I'd have wanted to change about myself. . .

Days 5, 6

Yesterday morning I was tired. A kept sleeping until 7, so I didn't get up to work out. I felt crappy about it all day long. BUT I did it as soon as I got home.

I haven't worked out today, YET, but I'm on it at as soon as my lunch settles. Day five wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I still don't have the endurance to do the whole workout without stopping. But my breaks are short.

I wish there was a little more ab work, but that probably has to do with my "just had a baby belly". It's so funny, as I lost weight after having the baby I felt so much skinner. However, the weight loss slowed and the skinny feeling has been replaced with feeling like my belly is gross. I should just do some extra ab work on my own.

In July 2007 I went to Kansas for a work trip. I bought a pair of jeans from Old Navy to wear on the trip. But, they were too snug. I left them in my closet with the tags on them. Yesterday I was getting dressed to go to a football game. I had capris, but I thought it would get to cool for those, so I started looking through jeans. I had a pair that was too big. And multiple pairs that were a few sizes too small. Then I spotted the ones from Old Navy. They fit! Now, unfortunately I don't really like the style of them anymore, but they FIT! I wore them to the game and felt so good about it. I guess even though my stomach as no definition whatsoever, I'm still smaller around than I was this time a year ago, and that feels good.

My husband said he was suprised I was still doing the Shred. He meant it as a compliment, like "good for you", but it kind of hit like "I figured you'd quit by now." I'd be mad, but, well, it is my nature to quit. I'm not an all-around quitter or anything, but working out has never been my strong suit. At any rate, the comment served as motivation-for sure.

I was trying to think of something to reward myself with after I DO finish all 30 days. Do you know what I want? Other workout dvds! Yoga and then there is a 5 dvd set by Jillian Michaels. I could do one dvd each day of the week. And yoga on the weekends.

The major thing I need to work on is diet. I went over my weight watchers points for the week (blame the nachos at the football game). I am going to make myself stick to my points for today and tomorrow. Monday I weigh in, I'd like to see a loss, but I'll be surprised if I do. But it does no good to beat myself up about it-that isn't going to change that I went over my points. All I can do is say it was a step backwards and move forward. Overall this week my eating has improved. I've had more veggies and less crap. In fact, yesterday's nachos kind of wreaked havoc on my stomach.

Okay, I told myself I'd do the Shred at 2 pm, so I need to get ready.

(edited to add - sorry if all this Shred/diet talk is getting boring. But knowing that I am going to blog about it is also motivation!!)

**post workout update: I just finished today's workout and wanted to update that I can really tell a difference from Day One. My muslces aren't as sore, so I can do the strength exercises easier. When I get to the cardio I no longer feel like I'm struggling through it. Instead it's a nice break from the strength exercises!)

Day. . . 4. . .

Day 4 was a struggle. Getting out of bed was tough. I was so, so tired this morning. My eyes were heavy, but the baby was up anyway. As I fed him his bottle I tried to talk myself into going back to sleep when he finished. But I didn't. I got up. Small victory.

I turned on the dvd player and put my hair up (being already dressed helped!) and got to it. I wanted to quit during Interval 1. I didn't. I kept up and finished. Before I knew it I was on Interval 3 and no longer tired. Sweaty, yes. Sore, yes. Tired? Not anymore. Big victory.

26 Days to go. But, tomorrow is Friday!! I love Friday!

Day 3

30 Day Shred: Day 3

Still on Level One (but does that really need to be said? I mean, obviously I'm still on Level One). My legs and arms feel so much stronger, I can't believe there is actually that big of a difference after just three workouts. I feel like today was easier than yesterday, but harder than day one because I'm still sore. At the same time though, I feel like my endurance is improving. Because to be honest I have to stop with the jumping to catch my breath every so often in the cardio--but today I noticed I had to stop less often. I could jump a little higher and a little bit longer. And sometimes with the strength I have to skip a rep or two (although I think that is more because of sore muscles and I won't have that problem in another day or two).

To be totally honest, while I was feeding A at 6 am I was thinking how great it would be to go back to sleep when he finished. But, I didn't. I got up and turned on the dvd. I'm so glad I did. A big helper for me--I slept in workout clothes. Yeah, sleeping in a sports bra kind of sucked, but for these first few days it's helping me get my butt out of bed.

Another motivation, those stretches at the end of the dvd. They just feel so great. Through the whole first interval today (the hardest one, in my opinion) I thought to myself "just keep going so you can get to the stretches." I totally want to get some sort of dvd that is just stretching now. Something short that I could do in the evenings.

Day Two

I woke up at 6:00 this morning to do Day two of the 30 Day Shred. And I actually got up!! I fed the baby, put him in his swing and got down to business.

It was harder this morning because muscles were still tired from last night. And the longer I sit here the more they are hurting. But it's a good hurt. I know that I'm going to benefit from this.

You know what I love? That the interval is only six minutes total and then repeated three times. It helps to know "okay, I only have another minute of this" or "I've made if to the second interval, only one more after this." And the cool down stretches felt SO good this morning.

I'm really hoping working out first thing in the morning will help me make better food choices throughout the whole day. So far so good, I had high fiber oatmeal for breakfast and I'm thinking either Subway or Smoothie King for lunch.

2 days down, 28 to go!!

(Weight Watchers update: after getting off the program for a couple of weeks I'm back to it today. As of this mornings weigh in I am down 6 pounds from when I started Weight Watchers and 36 pounds from when A was born. Um. . . 37 pounds to go.)

Day One

Day one of the 30 Day Shred went pretty well. I got the baby to sleep in his swing and luckily got through the whole thing before he woke up.

The pace is great, it was over before I knew it which was really great. There were certainly some hard parts. . . hopefully I will have more endurance as it goes on. My legs were a little shaky when it was over, but right now I'm good. I imagine tomorrow I'll be sore.

"Oh" & 30 Day Shred

Last night I said "oh" to A. He said "oh" back. It is the cutest thing you have ever seen. You can tell he is watching me to see exactly what I do. Then he makes his mouth into an O and says it. Everything is so precise and he's trying so hard. I think the cuteness could just kill you.

Also, bootcamp is a no go. Over the past week I've realized I am just too tired to get up that early. I think I'd crash by 3 pm. So, I bought the 30 day shred dvd instead. Today is going to be Day One. I plan on doing it sometime this evening. Originally the plan was mornings, but I am getting attacked by allergies, so this morning all I felt like doing was hitting "snooze". I do wish I'd gotten up though because then it would already be done for the day. . .