Monday, April 29, 2013

Mommy and Son Day, In Pictures {and a few words}

Valentino requested a planned long-weekend, so it was time for mommy to deliver one. I told him that today would be all about him -- no housework, no errands. Just whatever he wanted to do. Here's our day, in pictures:

6AM: Spin on the bike before the beast awakens
6:30AM: Bedhead and a happy boy

7:00AM: Epsom salt bath while the boy eats breakfast

8:00AM: Getting started on our painting project

9:00AM: Hard at work on a rainy morning

10:00AM: MASTERPIECES!

11:00AM: Being a boy

12:00PM: Jet's Pizza for lunch
1:00PM: Iced Hazelnut Macchiato w/skim for Momma, Birthday Cake Pop for the boy

2:00PM: Museum of Natural Sciences

3:00PM: Dem Bones

4:00PM: Sun shining, sno-cone in hand {yes, he's spoiled}

We came home, made and ate dinner, then he and daddy played with a paper airplane out in the yard. Later on, he helped me price items for our garage sale this weekend.

Such a wonderful day that I hope he remembers - it was nice to immerse myself in his world and his thinking, and to enjoy him at this age. Visiting a museum is SO much different now that he is so inquisitive and in to learning!










Friday, April 19, 2013

A Friday "Cheer Up" Post


I’ve been in a hard-core slump this week for some reason, and I’ve totally felt like that limp wind-up doll from that Pristiq commercial. I was even sitting at my desk yesterday bent forward, head on my wristrest, looking just like that doll {I was stretching my back, not imitating the doll.}.

From Google Image Search

Basically, I’m just having a hard time getting my heart to catch up with my head. I know I have SO much to be happy and thankful for, but the sadness in my heart is often paralyzing, and then I feel like a schmuck for having a wonderful life but still feeling sad when there are so many others dealing with things that are so much worse. I’m sure it will shake off and pass soon, but for now this is what I live with.

It’s also been such a heavy, sad and confusing newsweek - my heart and thoughts go out to everyone affected in every which way and in every place this week. What a reminder that life is so fragile and precious; nothing is guaranteed – not our safety, not our freedom {scary thought!}.

From Pinterest
 In light of this, and because it’s Friday and the “end is in sight” for this week, I’ve composed a list of things that make me happy:

1.       Hearing my husband and son play together while I cook and/or clean up dinner.

2.       Making dinners that my boys actually like {a rarity in our house – a cook, I am not!}.

3.       Warm, perfect spring days filled with bright green leaves, fresh-cut-grass smell, and endless Carolina-blue skies and sunshine.  It’s hard to be down with such perfection surrounding you!

4.     Admiring my cleaned-out flower beds and the flowers that Valentino and I planted together last weekend.

5.       The intense happiness and excitement Valentino gets from taking packages to the Post Office. I’m currently selling a lot of stuff on ebay, which means we make weekly trips – he loves every second of it {probably because right now, his favorite thing to do is play “delivery man”}.

6.       Iced coffee! I’m going to make Pioneer Woman’s recipe this weekend. I made it last year {or the year before?} and I think I remember it turning out decent… I’m going to give it a whirl again, to save some $ and time in the mornings.

7.       Super sore muscles. I’ve been getting out there more – running, lifting, and doing workouts in our “gym” {aka: garage}. My hamstrings and hips are still worked over from a killer leg workout I did on Wednesday night (thanks Fitnessista! )… I’ve also cut out the nighttime snacking and I’ve been super conscientious about what I eat. A few pounds down, many more to go! By the way, I will be treating myself to a hair chop-off once I reach a certain goal. I’m really over having this super-long hair and I desperately want my hair {okay, and BODY!} to look like this:

Pinterest via johannarogersrff.blogspot.com
 
8.       Valentino’s Rainbow Tea – the preschool is putting on a little “show” for us today {the kids will be singing songs about springtime and the colors of the rainbow, then they are serving rainbow-themed refreshments afterwards}. Valentino has a small speaking part, and he is totally geeked about it. He and I assembled rainbow fruit skewers {strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, green grapes, blueberries, red grapes} to share with the kids and their parents.

"Mom, we're like real chefs putting these together for people to eat!"
{Idea via Pinterest - OF COURSE!}
 
Side note: If you’ve seen “This is 40,” do you have the urge to say “fruits” like the Indian doctor all the time, too? I pretty much can’t say “fruit” without wanting to say it his way… I’m a nut.

9.       Lunchtime walks {minus the silkworms}. Bright, refreshing moments for me during long, seemingly never-ending days.
 
Here's to a restorative, happy, and relaxing weekend! Please take your time, Monday.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Today I am thankful.


Things I’m thankful for lately:

1.       Warmer weather – hallelujah! Although, as mentioned in my previous post, I am not *physically* ready for it yet! It is nice to get out in the mornings for a run, or at lunchtime for a walk. I’ve been trying to be outside as much as possible. I’m pretty sure I was sick so much this past winter from the lack of sun and fresh air {not to mention the stress!}.

2.       An amazing husband who is also a stellar dad – he’s always been great with Valentino, but lately I’ve been very pre-occupied with side projects in the evening, so he’s been keeping the boy occupied with bike rides, bike tricks in the street, and other fun projects. Even when the man is exhausted after his very physically-demanding job, he gets out there with our son. My heart is so full of love when I hear them together J

3.      Being mostly done with vehicle maintenance that has been looming for the past few months… I hated knowing that we needed new tires {so. much. $$!!) and some other normal maintenance things. Car maintenance is an annoying necessity, and I’m glad to have the big $ stuff done and off my mind. Plus, my new tires are snazzy! Big thanks to the aforementioned super-husband for spending one of his days off getting most of this done!

4.       New paint in my kitchen! The transformation is pretty amazing, and I’m so glad it’s {almost} done. The original, builder-white paint was filthy and BLAH. Pictures and details soon!
 
Painting is dangerous business!
{He was headed out with Super Daddy to ride bikes}
 

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

The Swift and Uncomfortable Kick in the {flabby} Buns


Today a co-worker, trying to make small talk in the break room, asked me “So, is your son excited to be a big brother?”

I didn’t hear him clearly, so I asked him to repeat himself. I was at the water cooler, filling my cup and when he said it again, I just looked over at him and stared. Then I said, “Oh, you didn’t hear? That’s… well… I’m not having a baby… I lost the baby at the end of January when I was 15 weeks along.” His jaw almost slammed to the ground and he turned pale. He apologized and I went on to explain that it’s okay, that we’ve all dealt with it and my son has been okay with it so far.  He apologized again, and I smiled and walked out of the room.

As I’m walking down the hall back to my desk, I’m thinking “WTF. So I look chubby/bloated/etc. enough that someone feels that they can bring up me being pregnant?!” Now, I can only imagine what was running through my co-worker’s head – he had just not only brought up a sensitive matter, but he had just second-handedly insulted me. I’m sure he feels terrible, but that doesn’t lessen the sting.

There have been so many nudges – okay SHOVES – lately telling me to get my buns in gear and lose this weight! This interaction with my co-worker.  Pictures of me three years ago, when I first started this job – younger and 20-25lbs lighter {no wonder he thought I was still pregnant!}. The amazing weight loss of two people on my Facebook feed {one of whom used to tell me what an inspiration I was to her!}. I feel horrible that I’ve wasted so much time and let myself slip back into my old skin.

I’m tired of feeling bad and not having anything to wear. I hate catching unflattering glimpses of my reflection and thinking “holy shit, is that really what I look like?” Summer is practically here, and I don’t have shorts, shirts, or a bathing suit that fits and/or looks good.

I’m committing to lose this weight NOW. I’m going to be super picky about what goes in my mouth, and I’m going to be serious about keeping up with my workouts. I want this weight gone ASAP.