Fabulous and Fit In February

I have not written about postpartum weight loss since having Penelope for 1 very good reason: I haven't lost it all. It has been 5 months and I have about 7 lbs to go. I wanted to wait until I was down to my pre-pregnancy weight before mentioning the 50 lbs I gained with this pregnancy. I failed. So far, the weight has proven harder to drop this time around. Could it have something to do with my looming 30th birthday??? Possibly, but I think I have it narrowed down why I am holding onto these last few pesky lbs:

It could have something to do with butter. And heavy cream. And sour cream. I put it on most everything. I can't help it, I love all 3 and they make everything so much more delicious. Don't even mention margarine to me. Real butter is where it's at. Somehow I started putting heavy cream in my coffee instead of skim milk and I can't go back. Sour cream makes everything yummier, don't even try denying it. And then there's dessert. And portion sizes. I basically have no concept of a normal sized meal. Or that cake is not breakfast. I am out of control and I have the muffin top to prove it. Sigh.


Since my 30th birthday is next month, I am finally getting serious about kicking these 7 lbs to the curb for good. Or until the next pregnancy. Kidding, honey, kidding. I decided to dedicate February to getting fit. I can commit to a month of healthier eating, smaller portions, and regular exercise. Plus, I'm no dummy, I chose the shortest month of the year to commit to something. I can do anything for 29 days. I'm starting with this:

Source: tumblr.com via Aly on Pinterest

I'm pretty sure the bulk of those 7 lbs resides in my belly. I really want to get rid of the pudge in that area so I am going to do these abdominal exercises all month. I'm also going to limit snacking to only fruit or veggies, drink lots of water, and cut down on my portion sizes. I want to say that I'll give up dessert, but that would be a lie. I live for Jesus and sugar.

I took some before photos of my belly today. I will post them at the end of the month. Maybe. Only if there is change. Significant change. Abs of steel change.

Things also changing in February? The blog is getting a makeover. It's time for something new and I can't wait! Also, I am doing Fat Mum Slim's February photo challenge. Basically, you take a photo a day for the category determined and link up with others via Instagram or the blogosphere. Fun stuff, you should play along too! I'll post my pics on the weekly.

Here's to a fabulous, fit new me (and you) in February!

Ground Hog's Day

I'm in a funk. I feel like I am in a perpetual state of sameness and it is driving me bonkers. I am stuck in a mommy rut. Blah.

I hate complaining about being a stay at home mom because I love it and it's what I always wanted, but man it can be monotonous. I think it has a lot to do with having a baby. This age is hard. For us, it's all about the schedule. Every 3 hours Penelope nurses, plays, and takes a nap. Throw in some snuggles, poop, and barf and you have a pretty good picture of what my life looks like. Every. Single. Day.

Since she naps so frequently, I feel tethered to my house. Getting out and about usually entails taking a walk or going to the park. These activities are endlessly fun for Beatrice, but sometimes I want to do other stuff. I need different stimuli! I try to mix it up and throw a trip to Target or Ikea into our routine, but for the most part I feel stuck in my house doing the same thing I did yesterday. And the day before. It makes for one bored mommy.

My other mommy friends have all experienced the same thing. Having little ones on a napping schedule means a lot of time at home. I try to remind myself that it is a short season and once the first year is over, there is more wiggle room in the schedule. It's getting through that first year that is the hard part. One can only look at the same 4 walls for so long! One year, max. 

Don't get me wrong, I love my babies and being at home with them. I just need to spice up our routine a bit. We need more than walks to the park added to our activity repertoire. I have been googling and have some fun ideas planned for the weeks to come. Beverly Hills adventure day, anyone? I'm hoping that just one activity out a week will jazz things up. 7 months is a long time to do the same thing over and over again.

Do you ever feel stuck in a mommy rut? How do you break the monotony of your days?

Weekend Adventure: Beach Bums

We had one of those weekends that was totally exhausting and relaxing at the same time. It was just the right amount of rest and activity-ing that makes me feel all accomplished and refreshed, totally ready for the week to come. Oh, and between the 4 of us, we have been to the beach 3 times in the last 4 days. Beach bums, we are.

The weather has been perfect. Blue skies, highs in the 70s, coastal breezes, sunshine. We were outside 90% of the weekend. Today, we headed to Redondo beach with some friends. There are tons of shops and cafes near the beach, but we went straight for the sand. It was prime sandcastle weather and the kids had some digging to do.

Beatrice wanted to take her shirt off to be like her best buddy, Isaac. That's the cool thing about being 2: you can totally go shirtless at the beach.

It was kind of an idyllic day. So idyllic that I barely took any photos. The toddlers played for nearly 3 hours, the babies slept, the parents relaxed and talked. Dolphins were swimming, birds were fishing, surfers were surfing. I love that this is becoming a normal thing for us. California, where have you been all my life? Hanging on the west coast the whole time. Okay, cool.

We came home and finished up some projects around the house while the girls napped. We had a great weekend. I'm gonna sleep good tonight!

Unfair

Yesterday I went to the beach with some friends and their kids. It was great. Lots of moms, lots of kids, lots of lounging, lots of playing, lots of sun. In the midst of all of the lounging, playing, and sun, I felt kind of guilty about being a stay at home mom. I get to go to the beach while JD is at work. Seems a little unfair, ya know?

But today, he sent me this:

He and his coworkers went to the beach to build office morale. I don't feel so bad about being a stay at home mom anymore.

Afraid

California has a lot of threatening phenomenons going on. Earthquakes, wild fires, landslides, and tsunamis are just a few of the things that can cause harm in this crazy state. And while I am aware that those are all plausible dangers, I don't dwell on the probability of them happening to me. What I do dwell on happening to me is far more likely. I know because I've seen it happen half a dozen times since I have lived in California. What could it be, you ask?

Giant, dead palm branches falling out of the sky, of course.

There are palm trees everywhere in Southern California. Everywhere. They are gorgeous and really make California feel like California. The thing with palm trees though is they are really, really tall so when they shed a dead branch, it has a million miles to fall before it crashes to the ground. And those dead palm branches are heavy, causing the potential for a lot of damage to whatever is beneath when it falls. Because they're shaped like a fan, they never just fall straight down. They fly and swerve, searching for their unsuspecting target. You never know where they might land, hence my fear.

I have dodged them falling/flying while driving down the street and playing at the park. Both times I was totally freaked out thinking about them landing on me or my children. Then we had a really windy rainstorm and I noticed something terrible, an accident waiting to happen if you will. See for yourself:

My car is parked directly under a palm tree. This isn't good. Not only is my car in danger of giant, dead palm branches demolishing it, we are all in danger of demolition every time we get in and out of it. Eek! Every night I say a little prayer that I don't wake to find my car crushed underneath a pile of dead palm branches and so far, it is still in one piece. I think I will start praying for a new parking spot tonight.

The Pillow

For as long as I can remember, I have always woken up with a crick in my neck. I tried fluffy pillows, flat pillows, pillows stuffed with synthetic fibers, pillows stuffed with goose down, double stacked pillows, and no pillows at all, but nothing helped. Apparently my neck is very finicky and a good pillow is hard to find. My brother the chiropractor suggested I invest in an ergonomic pillow. I say invest because those suckers are not cheap. Mine cost $100. My mom and aunt had recently switched to the contoured, foamy pillows and raved about how glorious and un-cricked their necks felt in the morning, so I decided to give it a whirl.

After the first night on that pillow my life was instantly changed for the better. I never had another crick in my neck. Ever. That pillow was worth every dollar because I immediately felt so awesome compared to years of waking up feeling terrible. It took me a few nights to get used to the weird shape and firmness of it, but I adjusted super quickly. I loved my pillow. I traveled with that pillow. I sang the praises of that pillow to anyone who would listen. Me and that pillow? We were tight. For 3 years it cradled my head and neck in such a way that changed me physically for the better. I could have loved that pillow for life. And I would have, if it wasn't stolen from me.

Someone stole my freakin' pillow, y'all!?!? Because I never spent a night without that pillow, I never packed it with our things when we moved to California. I brought it with me for the 2 months that we lived with my brother and sister in law. While Penelope and I were in the hospital, I got a call notifying me that if I wanted my car in California by the time I arrived the following week, it had to be shipped within 12 hours. I was stuck in the hospital so I called my sister in law to toss the last of our bigger items in my backseat and trunk so we wouldn't have to take them on the airplane. My pillow was among those items. As soon as the car arrived in California a few days later, I asked JD to find my pillow. My neck was already hurting without it. He looked and looked, but never found it. He checked the trunk. He checked the floorboards. He checked the backseat. It was gone. Someone stole my pillow. 

I can't even tell you how I feel about this. Firstly, it is hilarious that someone stole a pillow. I joke that someone's neck must be in pretty bad shape to cause them to burgle another person's pillow. Secondly, I feel kind of violated and icky that someone took something from me, out of my car. But mostly, I just want my pillow back! My neck hurts. For 3 months now, I have been in constant neck pain because I can't find a replacement for my perfect ergonomic wonder. There has not been a single day that I haven't thought about that awesome piece of foam. I miss it. I don't think I can live without that pillow! 

If you have chronic neck pain, seriously consider buying one of those awesome pillows. But bolt it to your bed or something because they are a hot commodity and you never know when someone might steal it from you. 

Do Not Covet Your Neighbor's Roses

We live in a really beautiful community. The lawns are impeccable. The trees are perfectly pruned. The shrubs are hearty and trimmed in all sorts of fun shapes. But the flowers? Oh the flowers are unrivaled. They bloom bigger and brighter on the west coast for some reason. Maybe they like the ocean. I am especially in love with the roses. Everyone has them in their yards and I have to restrain myself from snipping off a few blooms when I walk past. I have a serious case of flower envy because everyone's roses look great except for ours. And I don't know what to do about it.

I wouldn't say that I have a black thumb, but I don't know much about rose bushes. I'm not sure how to revive the 2 sorry plants we have. Do they like sunlight? Lots of water? Fertilizer? How do you prune one? It's all so confusing!!!! Something must be done because the state of our plants is a sad one.

These are my neighbors roses.

Beautiful, right? And they keep blooming.


These are my roses.

Pathetic. I have 2 sorry blooms on an almost dead plant. Oh the shame!

I need horticultural help here, people! They must be transplanted, but that's as far as my plan has gotten. What can you tell me about growing enviable roses? I'm embarrassed by my plants and I'm pretty sure stealing your neighbor's rose bush is frowned upon in the state of California. I just want roses that my neighbors want to steal. Is that too much to ask?