I was away from home for almost a month and I must say it's great to be back. No matter how much fun I'm having on a trip I always miss my dwelling. It's just nice to have a home base.
The first part of our trip was just with me and lil man since daddy had to work. We first visited my grandparents and other relatives in Orlando, FL. That was a lot of fun and they thoroughly enjoyed IEK because the last time they saw him was Christmas 2012. Actually that's not true we flew down for my grandma's birthday party but we stayed less than 48 hours so that didn't count. It's cool to think that December of last year he wasn't walking or talking really BUT now he's doing EVERYTHING! IEK is very clingy to me so it took him some time to warm up to everyone. I also don't think that it helped that my family is sooo loud and mainly "chat patois." He's not used to the chaos because our home is so quiet. He enjoyed it overall and it was nice to see him submerged in some aspects of my culture (food, language, music, etc).
After hanging with my family we flew to north Florida and visited my husband's parents. We got to see my husband's sisters (and their families) and some other relatives too. My husband's mom is soooo in love with IEK. And he's pretty enamored with her too, but it's easy to see why because she's so awesome. This week was the most relaxing part of the entire trip. The house was quiet (although still noisier than ours). I had a lot of down time because Nonna was all about doing everything for her grandson. She had the coolest toys (some of which my husband used as a toddler). Isn't that neat? We got to hang out with IEK's twin boy cousins who are a year older than him. It was so much fun seeing them play together. IEK was always too young to truly enjoy the play. He also seems to have developed a very close relationship with one of the twins (Dee). They were so sweet to watch. Dee would even protect IEK from his own twin brother.
The next part of our trip was spent in a cabin in the Smoky Mountains in NC. My husband joined us with his entire family (except his brother). The log cabin accommodated 22 people for sleep and there was a huge table that seated 26 people. The cabin was beautiful although older. We only had about 15 people including the kiddos but it was tons of fun (and loudness, lol). We enjoyed the hot tub, roasting marshmallows and eating smores. The bigger kids (7 and 9 year olds) brought handheld video games but one night I convinced them to play board games. They surprisingly had a blast. By far, there favorite was Taboo. They had so much fun that for the duration of the trip they mainly wanted to play board games at night instead doing other activities. One of our nephew was so cute...he told his mom that my husband and I are so much fun, he wishes we could move back to FL and live close by them. It was so sweet to hear that and it made us feel bad for living so far away. I must brag a little and say that one of the the highlight of my cabin trip was racing my 2 nephews. I WON!!! OK, I shouldn't gloat this much because they are only 9 but they are pretty athletic boys (they play just about every sport on the planet). It's just so cute because they are pretty competitive and they really thought they were going to win. I told them that I would give them each $15 if either of them won. They were bragging and thought that it would be a piece of cake...lol.
Anyway, it was so sad to leave each place and everyone but after being away from home for so long I was ready to get back to home base. It was a great trip or trips. IEK had a good time and my husband did too for the parts he spent with us. He missed us dearly for the portions of the trip that he was home alone for. I was very thankful that I had the opportunity to hang out with family. But noticed I called it a trip and not a vacation.
Anyway, since then I've lost one of my diaper bags with my wallet in it and had to go through all the trouble of getting that resolved. I've been applying for jobs because I'm getting kind of bored and besides with my career and my only kiddo in daycare it makes sense to work. I was going to wait until we move to find a job in our new city but the move will be in 4-6 months.
Hope ya'll had a good weekend!
Mrs. K
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Monday, September 16, 2013
I officially ran a 5K...and more!
My running buddy and I ran the 5K that I talked about in a previous post this past weekend. The name of the race is the Get Heeled 5K (website: http://www.getheeled5k.com/). Funds made from the race will benefit families with children suffering from childhood cancer. My running buddy is a pediatric heme/onc doctor and signed us up. He's pretty passionate about the topic so this wasn't a surprise. But, I get to choose the next race. Anyway, this was an awesome race. There were lots of fun events for kiddos, food, music, etc. The best part about the race events was the emphasis on remembering past patients who unfortunately have died from childhood cancer and also honoring current patients.
So about the actual race/run. I ran the entire thing in 28 minutes. Not the best time but I did it! My initial pace was more of an 8 minute mile for the first 1.5 miles but then there were the unanticipated hills. They almost killed me. There were 3 large hills that seemed like they were never ending at the time. I was taken by surprise by all 3 of them. My running buddy and I ran the "route" twice but it was the wrong route so we were both surprised. I think my time would have been better if I didn't have those hills. Grrr! I felt very old when little school-aged kids were passing me by sprinting up the hills. LOL. I was like "what in the world." My competitive self got the best of me and my pace was faster than what I usually run. It was hard seeing all those people passing me. Hehe! My running buddy actually gave me the ok to go ahead of him...so I did. He wasn't mad, thankfully. My favorite part of the race was sprinting across the finish line! Oh yeah and seeing my husband and son waiting at the finish line for me :)
In other fitness news. I've been working out 5 days per week for the past 2 months I think. On the days that I run I usually don't do cardio at the gym--just weight lifting. I've been eating better (sometimes). I just freaking love food but I've been doing a better job not eating what I want everyday. I'm 31...not 21 anymore. LOL. Anyway, I've lost 2-3 lbs over the past month--still not at my pre-pregnancy weight but I'm ok with my progress.
Mrs. K
So about the actual race/run. I ran the entire thing in 28 minutes. Not the best time but I did it! My initial pace was more of an 8 minute mile for the first 1.5 miles but then there were the unanticipated hills. They almost killed me. There were 3 large hills that seemed like they were never ending at the time. I was taken by surprise by all 3 of them. My running buddy and I ran the "route" twice but it was the wrong route so we were both surprised. I think my time would have been better if I didn't have those hills. Grrr! I felt very old when little school-aged kids were passing me by sprinting up the hills. LOL. I was like "what in the world." My competitive self got the best of me and my pace was faster than what I usually run. It was hard seeing all those people passing me. Hehe! My running buddy actually gave me the ok to go ahead of him...so I did. He wasn't mad, thankfully. My favorite part of the race was sprinting across the finish line! Oh yeah and seeing my husband and son waiting at the finish line for me :)
In other fitness news. I've been working out 5 days per week for the past 2 months I think. On the days that I run I usually don't do cardio at the gym--just weight lifting. I've been eating better (sometimes). I just freaking love food but I've been doing a better job not eating what I want everyday. I'm 31...not 21 anymore. LOL. Anyway, I've lost 2-3 lbs over the past month--still not at my pre-pregnancy weight but I'm ok with my progress.
Mrs. K
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Lessons in parenting--Part 1
I'm a mom of one 19 month old boy. I'm no expert on motherhood but these are a few lessons I've learned. Maybe they'll be helpful to someone else but mostly I hope I can refer back to them in the future for Baby K #2 or #3 or #4 or #10 (kidding).
1) Distraction can work like a charm. It can stop tantrums and get a toddler to do what you want. For example--major melt down because he wants the scissors or some other dangerous object. After freaking out (which you try your hardest not to do because the object then becomes more enticing to the toddler) you distract by attracting his attention to something more appealing (like daddy, the dog, a toy).
2) Singing is good for the soul and good for getting a toddler's attention. It's also great for getting toddler to sit still for diaper changes and getting dressed. Since I've had our little guy I've been doing a lot of singing--singing in the mornings when I go in his room, singing at bedtime, singing his favorite toddler tunes. I've also been singing songs to help me get him dressed...you put left arm in, you put left arm out....you do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around, and that's what it's all about...He loves it and now he's at the point where he also tries to sing the songs with me.
3) It's ok to drop everything and enjoy the moment with your kiddo. Don't be afraid to stop everything, get down on the kitchen floor at his eye level and be silly with him. My little boy loves when I get to his eye level and make silly faces. His favorite is my fish face. It's even better when he tries to make the face. The work or whatever it is will almost always be there. It's ok to take a break and enjoy the moment. Good for the kiddo and good for you too.
4) On the same note, it's not only ok for kiddos to get the silly's out. Mommies can do it and it's even more fun when you do it with the kiddos. Dancing, singing, being silly is great. Do whatever works for you.
5) Getting frustrated is normal. I love my little guy to death but he frustrates me sometimes. I no longer feel bad about this. I mean, we are human, right. Some things that usually help to reduce my frustration is to give him a hug and kiss. This works when he gets angry and it works for me too. Taking a break and walking away helps too. The most effective intervention for me is to send him to daddy so that he can frustrate him a little :).
6) Toddlers appreciate it when you talk to them. They may not understand everything or respond but they like it. Whenever I ask our little guy about his day, he rambles on about something. He also repeats what I say to him. I think he feels validated when we converse.
7) Embarrassment is a part of raising children. I just figure he'll be paid back one day when I'm "old." LOL. And thankfully I'm dark-skinned so people can't see when I turn red. Ha! My toddler's new thing is yelling bug. I taught him how to say the word a few weeks ago and he yells it out even at a piece of lint. He yells it out everywhere...church, library, at the dinner table. For example we'll be in church and he'll see a piece of lint (NOT a bug) and start yelling loudly...bug, bug, bug, bug. He continues to yell this until I distract him. There's no warning so he has scared me before with his loud "bug" yell.
8) Toddler tunes on Pandora radio is awesome. It makes car rides more enjoyable. He sings-a-long instead of whining to get out of his car seat. It's also great at home.
9) Carry extra clothes for all. And just in case you forget, being a mess for a few hours is ok. There are worse things in life. Actually helping to create some of the mess can be fun at times, although it's not fun cleaning it up.
10) The house does not have to be spic and span. Coming to this realization was awesome. I still like things organized but I'm less obsessive about it. And you know what, I'm fussing at my husband less for his mess too.
11) Kids change everything--mostly for the better! We had our son when we were ready. He was planned. Hubby and I had been married for a few years. We did some traveling. We even had the dogs to practice. We were very ready but still nothing could have prepared us for the change of life. But you know what we love every moment of being parents and would not change it for the world. Although I always knew I wanted children it was something I feared for so many reason. I'm a "want everything to be almost perfect kind of gal" and I don't like rocking the boat too much especially when I'm comfortable. But looking back my fears were kind of ridiculous and I'm glad that I didn't let them make me delay expanding our family.
12) I am more unselfish than I thought I was. It's amazing how easy it is for me to sacrifice sleep, time, energy for my little guy. It doesn't even feel like a sacrifice because it comes so natural to me. I used to be someone who hated getting up early, now I wake up earlier than my son and wait eagerly for him to wake up so I can run in his room.
13) Kids make you a better person. Honestly! My son brings me so much joy. He makes me want to be a better person. I behave better because I want to be a good example for him. I am more "mindful" about what I say and do because I know there are little ears and little eyes around. I'm so used to cheerfully giving to him that giving to others also come easier.
14) Being consistent is important. AND I still need to work on this. That's all I'm going to say about that ;).
15) Discipline with love. Discipline and manners are important. My Jamaican grandpa always says "bend di tree when it young." You get the point. This is tough but I think it's best to start early and to lead by example.
15) Think of most things as a phase (both the bad and sometimes the good). I remember when I thought my son would never stop spitting up...then lo and behold he stopped. I remember when I thought he would never sleep more than 2 hours then more than 6 hours then sleep through the night. I was proven wrong. I remember when I thought he would never crawl, or walk, or run or talk or....you name it. I was proven wrong so many times. I remember when I thought he would never gain weight because he's such a picky eater...er...well, this is still ongoing and I haven't been proven wrong yet but I know I will be. It's helpful for me to think of things in phases to especially help me get through the challenging moments. Thinking this way also helps me to savor the sweet moments too.
16) There's no such thing as a perfect parent. We have all these goals about the type of parent we should be or want to be. Try your best but know that things will go wrong. Flexibility is important. For example if your kiddo is 18 months and is just finally off the pacifier--IT's OK! You should laugh at yourself for thinking that the paci will be gone by 9 months.
17) Let the past have a positive influence on how you parent. Some people have had horrible pasts and others have had rosy pasts--wherever you lie on the spectrum, make the conscious choice to try to do a good job. Although challenging, even people with difficult pasts can be great parents!
What other parenting lessons have you learned (even if you are not a parent)? I'll include them in my Part 2 of this topic.
And don't forget to laugh out loud once in a while :)
Mrs. K
1) Distraction can work like a charm. It can stop tantrums and get a toddler to do what you want. For example--major melt down because he wants the scissors or some other dangerous object. After freaking out (which you try your hardest not to do because the object then becomes more enticing to the toddler) you distract by attracting his attention to something more appealing (like daddy, the dog, a toy).
2) Singing is good for the soul and good for getting a toddler's attention. It's also great for getting toddler to sit still for diaper changes and getting dressed. Since I've had our little guy I've been doing a lot of singing--singing in the mornings when I go in his room, singing at bedtime, singing his favorite toddler tunes. I've also been singing songs to help me get him dressed...you put left arm in, you put left arm out....you do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around, and that's what it's all about...He loves it and now he's at the point where he also tries to sing the songs with me.
3) It's ok to drop everything and enjoy the moment with your kiddo. Don't be afraid to stop everything, get down on the kitchen floor at his eye level and be silly with him. My little boy loves when I get to his eye level and make silly faces. His favorite is my fish face. It's even better when he tries to make the face. The work or whatever it is will almost always be there. It's ok to take a break and enjoy the moment. Good for the kiddo and good for you too.
4) On the same note, it's not only ok for kiddos to get the silly's out. Mommies can do it and it's even more fun when you do it with the kiddos. Dancing, singing, being silly is great. Do whatever works for you.
5) Getting frustrated is normal. I love my little guy to death but he frustrates me sometimes. I no longer feel bad about this. I mean, we are human, right. Some things that usually help to reduce my frustration is to give him a hug and kiss. This works when he gets angry and it works for me too. Taking a break and walking away helps too. The most effective intervention for me is to send him to daddy so that he can frustrate him a little :).
6) Toddlers appreciate it when you talk to them. They may not understand everything or respond but they like it. Whenever I ask our little guy about his day, he rambles on about something. He also repeats what I say to him. I think he feels validated when we converse.
7) Embarrassment is a part of raising children. I just figure he'll be paid back one day when I'm "old." LOL. And thankfully I'm dark-skinned so people can't see when I turn red. Ha! My toddler's new thing is yelling bug. I taught him how to say the word a few weeks ago and he yells it out even at a piece of lint. He yells it out everywhere...church, library, at the dinner table. For example we'll be in church and he'll see a piece of lint (NOT a bug) and start yelling loudly...bug, bug, bug, bug. He continues to yell this until I distract him. There's no warning so he has scared me before with his loud "bug" yell.
8) Toddler tunes on Pandora radio is awesome. It makes car rides more enjoyable. He sings-a-long instead of whining to get out of his car seat. It's also great at home.
9) Carry extra clothes for all. And just in case you forget, being a mess for a few hours is ok. There are worse things in life. Actually helping to create some of the mess can be fun at times, although it's not fun cleaning it up.
10) The house does not have to be spic and span. Coming to this realization was awesome. I still like things organized but I'm less obsessive about it. And you know what, I'm fussing at my husband less for his mess too.
11) Kids change everything--mostly for the better! We had our son when we were ready. He was planned. Hubby and I had been married for a few years. We did some traveling. We even had the dogs to practice. We were very ready but still nothing could have prepared us for the change of life. But you know what we love every moment of being parents and would not change it for the world. Although I always knew I wanted children it was something I feared for so many reason. I'm a "want everything to be almost perfect kind of gal" and I don't like rocking the boat too much especially when I'm comfortable. But looking back my fears were kind of ridiculous and I'm glad that I didn't let them make me delay expanding our family.
12) I am more unselfish than I thought I was. It's amazing how easy it is for me to sacrifice sleep, time, energy for my little guy. It doesn't even feel like a sacrifice because it comes so natural to me. I used to be someone who hated getting up early, now I wake up earlier than my son and wait eagerly for him to wake up so I can run in his room.
13) Kids make you a better person. Honestly! My son brings me so much joy. He makes me want to be a better person. I behave better because I want to be a good example for him. I am more "mindful" about what I say and do because I know there are little ears and little eyes around. I'm so used to cheerfully giving to him that giving to others also come easier.
14) Being consistent is important. AND I still need to work on this. That's all I'm going to say about that ;).
15) Discipline with love. Discipline and manners are important. My Jamaican grandpa always says "bend di tree when it young." You get the point. This is tough but I think it's best to start early and to lead by example.
15) Think of most things as a phase (both the bad and sometimes the good). I remember when I thought my son would never stop spitting up...then lo and behold he stopped. I remember when I thought he would never sleep more than 2 hours then more than 6 hours then sleep through the night. I was proven wrong. I remember when I thought he would never crawl, or walk, or run or talk or....you name it. I was proven wrong so many times. I remember when I thought he would never gain weight because he's such a picky eater...er...well, this is still ongoing and I haven't been proven wrong yet but I know I will be. It's helpful for me to think of things in phases to especially help me get through the challenging moments. Thinking this way also helps me to savor the sweet moments too.
16) There's no such thing as a perfect parent. We have all these goals about the type of parent we should be or want to be. Try your best but know that things will go wrong. Flexibility is important. For example if your kiddo is 18 months and is just finally off the pacifier--IT's OK! You should laugh at yourself for thinking that the paci will be gone by 9 months.
17) Let the past have a positive influence on how you parent. Some people have had horrible pasts and others have had rosy pasts--wherever you lie on the spectrum, make the conscious choice to try to do a good job. Although challenging, even people with difficult pasts can be great parents!
What other parenting lessons have you learned (even if you are not a parent)? I'll include them in my Part 2 of this topic.
And don't forget to laugh out loud once in a while :)
Mrs. K
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Accidentally ran 9 miles today...who does that?
My running buddy and I accidentally ran 9 miles today. I know it sounds silly but we ran the Tobacco Trail which is a common running area in NC (no tobacco is on the trail, btw). It's an amazingly beautiful trail and the other runners/ walkers/bikers are so nice. We were planning to do 6 miles today but my running buddy who usually keeps track of the distance messed up. (I'm "directionally-challenged" so it's not my job). I was wondering why my feet were hurting towards the end. LOL. So, we ran 9 miles and it felt great! The majority of my life I've been a sprinter but I was never a good distance runner. But "practice makes perfect," I guess :) I just feel good and I just wanted to encourage you all that you can achieve your goals and more too.
Good luck!
Mrs. K
Good luck!
Mrs. K
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
What's on my mind?
Lots, but to name a few:
--I'm excited about running a 5K in two weeks with my running bud. We've ran a few times over the past weeks in preparation for it and I think we'll do fine. It's on September 14 but what I'm looking forward to most is running the 10K in the future. It'll be fun to have hubby and my little boy waiting at the finish line for us.
--I love my husband and our son so much. My husband is hilarious and he keeps it light and airy in our household. He's the comical one and I'm definitely the more "serious one." Although I'm not THAT serious. But our son even realizes that he's the cool one. He still prefers me but he goes to his dad when he wants to have fun. Ha! Our son is such a great mixture of my husband and I (personality wise). He is so much fun! I could just eat him up. That little booger told me a few days ago "no no go away" while I was kissing his face and fixing his hair. He's only 18 months! I could not believe it.
--Studying for my Boards right now sucks. It's a necessary evil. I just got done with my training and I have an 8 hour computerized test to take (about all the knowledge I've accumulated in training for the past 5 years). The test is in less than a month. Yikes! I'd much rather be doing something else but since I paid $3000 to take the test, I figure I'd better study so I don't fail. It would really suck to have to pay another $3000. Actually, what really sucks is that I have to take a second part of this test next year for a similar cost. Yeah!
--So yeah, I'm done with training. I've been in school my whole life and now I'm finally done for good. It's an awesome feeling.
--I'm not working right now (for the first time in a long time). For close to a month I've been somewhat like a stay at home mom. Well actually not really. But I haven't been working. I drop my son off at his home daycare in the mornings around 9am then run and/or exercise at the gym, go home, shower, pack lunch then go study, come home, make dinner, then pick up my son around 330pm after he wakes up from his nap. It's been pretty nice because for the first time I feel very balanced.
--My goal is to get a part time job by January 2014 but for now I'll be enjoying some of the free time I have. After Boards, I'll start picking up my son earlier so that we can go the library, park or just hang out. I'm looking forward to this
--Before 18 months ago I always thought I'd be working full time in my career but now I'm so content and excited about working part time. I hate doing a crappy job at...anything. Whenever I do something I like to do a good job or at least feel good about giving it my all. I want to be a good wife, a good mom, and a good career woman. I think that working part time will allow me the opportunity to do that. I also love that I'll still have some time for myself too.
--We will likely be moving some time in the next few months. It's a little frustrating not knowing when or where. No we're not a military family--we're just at a crossroads in our lives and we want to do something different. I know I need to be patient as we wait to hear back from possible job opportunities but it's hard. I keep reminding myself that God has immensely blessed hubby and I individually and as a couple so I should just wait on him and be PATIENT! :)
--I check my weight in a few weeks (since I only do it once per month). I think I'm looking fitter but who knows. The scale may say something different but we'll see. I do feel good though and I think that means a lot. I've been eating better and exercising.
--Although I complained some I'm more than thankful to God.
Mrs. K
--I'm excited about running a 5K in two weeks with my running bud. We've ran a few times over the past weeks in preparation for it and I think we'll do fine. It's on September 14 but what I'm looking forward to most is running the 10K in the future. It'll be fun to have hubby and my little boy waiting at the finish line for us.
--I love my husband and our son so much. My husband is hilarious and he keeps it light and airy in our household. He's the comical one and I'm definitely the more "serious one." Although I'm not THAT serious. But our son even realizes that he's the cool one. He still prefers me but he goes to his dad when he wants to have fun. Ha! Our son is such a great mixture of my husband and I (personality wise). He is so much fun! I could just eat him up. That little booger told me a few days ago "no no go away" while I was kissing his face and fixing his hair. He's only 18 months! I could not believe it.
--Studying for my Boards right now sucks. It's a necessary evil. I just got done with my training and I have an 8 hour computerized test to take (about all the knowledge I've accumulated in training for the past 5 years). The test is in less than a month. Yikes! I'd much rather be doing something else but since I paid $3000 to take the test, I figure I'd better study so I don't fail. It would really suck to have to pay another $3000. Actually, what really sucks is that I have to take a second part of this test next year for a similar cost. Yeah!
--So yeah, I'm done with training. I've been in school my whole life and now I'm finally done for good. It's an awesome feeling.
--I'm not working right now (for the first time in a long time). For close to a month I've been somewhat like a stay at home mom. Well actually not really. But I haven't been working. I drop my son off at his home daycare in the mornings around 9am then run and/or exercise at the gym, go home, shower, pack lunch then go study, come home, make dinner, then pick up my son around 330pm after he wakes up from his nap. It's been pretty nice because for the first time I feel very balanced.
--My goal is to get a part time job by January 2014 but for now I'll be enjoying some of the free time I have. After Boards, I'll start picking up my son earlier so that we can go the library, park or just hang out. I'm looking forward to this
--Before 18 months ago I always thought I'd be working full time in my career but now I'm so content and excited about working part time. I hate doing a crappy job at...anything. Whenever I do something I like to do a good job or at least feel good about giving it my all. I want to be a good wife, a good mom, and a good career woman. I think that working part time will allow me the opportunity to do that. I also love that I'll still have some time for myself too.
--We will likely be moving some time in the next few months. It's a little frustrating not knowing when or where. No we're not a military family--we're just at a crossroads in our lives and we want to do something different. I know I need to be patient as we wait to hear back from possible job opportunities but it's hard. I keep reminding myself that God has immensely blessed hubby and I individually and as a couple so I should just wait on him and be PATIENT! :)
--I check my weight in a few weeks (since I only do it once per month). I think I'm looking fitter but who knows. The scale may say something different but we'll see. I do feel good though and I think that means a lot. I've been eating better and exercising.
--Although I complained some I'm more than thankful to God.
Mrs. K
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Post pregnancy body
So my baby is no longer a baby. He's my baby but he's a toddler. He's 18 months old. I have no excuse. I breastfed for 9 months and pumped for another 2 months. While breastfeeding I lost a lot weight pretty quickly. At 8 weeks I was feeling pretty good about my postpartum body. It wasn't perfect but it was heading in the right direction. I started walking pretty quickly after I delivered but that ended as soon as I went back to work. I went back to work after 12 weeks and since then I've been inconsistent with my nutrition and exercise. For exercise I've done some Insanity here and there but nothing consistent (which is very much unlike me). I've gone to the gym and running a few times but nothing consistent. Our gym is actually great. There are personal trainers, free classes, a pool, hot tub, sauna, and CHILD CARE. I've never used the child care because I feel terrible dropping him off so I can workout, especially when I work full time and he's in the care of someone else.
For nutrition, there was a time period where I ate whatever the heck I wanted. About 1 month ago I weighed myself at the gym (and was not happy) and needless to say I've been working out consistently since then. For the past 2 weeks my nutrition has been so much better. I've been using MyFitness Pal app to track my calories. It helps me to think twice before stuffing my face. I've been eating so much better. Well, I weighed myself today and was disappointed. My weight is the exact same. I'm one of those people who doesn't usually gain or lose weight quickly. This infuriates me because I've been working hard (exercising) for the past month. I'm also one of those people who start feeling better about my body when I eat healthy and exercise. I thought I looked better (even if it's in my mind) and I still think I do although the scale isn't reflecting that. I guess I have to just keep trying.
I'm surprised that I've lost my tummy, although it's not toned. I thought it would be hardest to lose but it's actually my back and thigh fat. LOL. I'm still going to keep trying. I still plan to work out most days of the week (at least 4 days) at the gym. This includes elliptical machine, light weight lifting, abs. I also plan to sprinkle some occasional Insanity workouts in there. I plan to be more consistent with my running. I have a running buddy and we plan to run on one weekend day and one weekday at least. We have a 5K that we will be running on 9/14/13. I can run it without problems but I want to make a good time.
Anyway, my overall goal is to obtain a "good" healthy body before my next pregnancy. I'll keep you updated. I may never look like this again:
but I'll try to come close. I think I can do it. I'll post pictures some time. What did you do to get fit?
Mrs. K
For nutrition, there was a time period where I ate whatever the heck I wanted. About 1 month ago I weighed myself at the gym (and was not happy) and needless to say I've been working out consistently since then. For the past 2 weeks my nutrition has been so much better. I've been using MyFitness Pal app to track my calories. It helps me to think twice before stuffing my face. I've been eating so much better. Well, I weighed myself today and was disappointed. My weight is the exact same. I'm one of those people who doesn't usually gain or lose weight quickly. This infuriates me because I've been working hard (exercising) for the past month. I'm also one of those people who start feeling better about my body when I eat healthy and exercise. I thought I looked better (even if it's in my mind) and I still think I do although the scale isn't reflecting that. I guess I have to just keep trying.
I'm surprised that I've lost my tummy, although it's not toned. I thought it would be hardest to lose but it's actually my back and thigh fat. LOL. I'm still going to keep trying. I still plan to work out most days of the week (at least 4 days) at the gym. This includes elliptical machine, light weight lifting, abs. I also plan to sprinkle some occasional Insanity workouts in there. I plan to be more consistent with my running. I have a running buddy and we plan to run on one weekend day and one weekday at least. We have a 5K that we will be running on 9/14/13. I can run it without problems but I want to make a good time.
Anyway, my overall goal is to obtain a "good" healthy body before my next pregnancy. I'll keep you updated. I may never look like this again:
but I'll try to come close. I think I can do it. I'll post pictures some time. What did you do to get fit?
Mrs. K
Sunday, August 11, 2013
IEK is a year and a half (18 months OMG)
Oh my goodness! I cannot believe my little man is 18 months old. I feel like I was pregnant not too long ago. Time truly flies when you're having fun. Life has been even more exciting over the past few months. My husband and I enjoy him so much and we feel blessed to be his parents.
He loves to walk, run, climb, sky dive off the couch without a parachute. LOL. He loves to throw a ball and attempt to play basketball. He loves splashing around in the pool and bath tub and any body of water, really. We use the Puddle Jumpers as a life vest and he seems to like it. Sometimes he just wants to walk around the house with it on. He likes to climb up and down the stairs independently. In fact, he pushes me away when I try to help. It initially hurt my feelings but now I'm excited about his bravery. He is strong as an ox and when he wants me to go somewhere, he gets behind me, pushes my legs and says "go, go, go." So...we have a tent in our living room. Yeah, I know it's silly but I bought it for my husband a few years ago and we never used it. I thought it would be fun to put it up temporarily so that our little booger could crawl around in it. Well it's been a few months and it's still up. And he loves to play in it. He loves rolling around with his dad in it and dragging his toys in it. Gone are my interior decorating days. It's all about fun and convenience. Well, my house is still organized and clean but just more appealing to kiddos. He can jump (although not very high, hehe). He likes piggy back rides. He prefers playing outside over playing with electronics. He almost never watches TV and he's not that interested into the i-pad.
He's still going to a small licensed home daycare. His caretaker is lovely. She looooves him and he looooves her. He still whines a bit when I drop him off in the mornings but whenever I pick him up in the evenings he doesn't want to leave. He gives her like a million hugs before we go. It's so sweet. He also gets along so well with the two little girls that are also there. I think this was the best environment for him. However, now that he's getting older, we're thinking about putting him into a more formal preschool. We read to him at home and of course we talk to him a lot. She also teaches him a lot too but we feel he needs a little more structure. Whenever we move, which will likely be around when he turns 2, we'll make the transition.
He's a social butterfly when he wants to be. When he's well rested and mommy or daddy are close by he's very social. Always waving hi and bye, flashing a smile and twisting his head to get someone's attention, flashing his 8 pearly whites. These are some of the ways he flirts (lol) or just try to connect. So, he does this thing that we find soooo hilarious. Whenever I take him out and he sees a white guy he points and says "daddy." If we are in the supermarket he'll point to a dozen guys before we check out and say the same thing. It's hilarious but it's kinda embarrassing because he says it really loud and they look at us like we are crazy or they just laugh. My husband says he does the same thing whenever he sees a young black woman. Too funny.
And yes, he's talking a lot. He says at least 20 words. Some of his favorites are dada, daddy, mommy, mama, nonna (grandma), book, baby, cup, dog, doggie, up, keys, kiss, cow, nana (banana), goat, clock, shoes, socks, Eliza, juice, cheese, ice, swing, night-night, bye, hi, hello, more, wa-wa (water), glasses, nose, eyes, mouth, ears, moo, ruff ruff, baa (sheep sound). He can say a few phrases too like night-night dada, love you, bye bye ma. He can point out many body parts including eyes, nose, hair, mouth, head, belly, arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes, teeth, booty (yes, we taught him booty). He understands way more than what he can say.
He's a big help. He loves to help sweep. Whenever I grab a broom, he has to get one too to help. He doesn't go anywhere near the vacuum though. He's a bit of a neat, organized freak. If there's a crumb on something on the floor he picks it up and gives it to me. He closes drawers that I leave open. He'll make a mess with food while feeding himself but when he's done he'll out to me to clean it. Whenever I give him tissue he tries to blow his nose and wipe it. He also tries to clean the table although he makes more of a mess. He helps me with laundry too. Whenever I takes clothes out of the washer I give them to him and he puts them in the dryer. If I'm busy and he's not helping sometimes he'll tantrum but if I engage him in helping he loves it. I know this will not last. One day when he's a teenager I'll be begging him to clean his room. Ha! Oh, he also likes to help me get him dressed and undressed. I still have to chase him down to change his diaper most of the time.
He's still a great sleeper. Bath time routine starts at 645pm or 7pm and he's in bed by 730pm. He wakes up at 630am. We rock him while singing to him before bed but he's usually completely awake when we put him in his crib. He just lays down then goes to bed. Whenever we travel (which has been very often over the last 6 months) it usually takes a day or so to get him back into his routine. He's flown on an airplane 6 times round trip so far. One of those trips was from North Carolina to California and he did fairly well.
He's a momma's boy but he loves his papa too. He's such a sweet boy. He loves to cuddle before bed. He loves to hug and gives kisses. He's always smiling and laughing. He loves being goofy and goofiness (just like his momma and papa, but more like his papa). He loves to read books while sitting in his mama's lap.
He still has long brown hair. He hasn't gotten his first haircut yet. I've been convincing his dad to delay it. The front of his hair is pretty straight although it's been curling a little in the summer (more like big waves). The back has verrrry soft, loose spiral curls. I wash his hair about twice per week (one wash is only with conditioner and the other wash is with shampoo and conditioner). We use the California Baby conditioner. I don't put any other product in his hair. I think he's looking more like me the older he gets. He has big brown eyes and the longest eyelashes known to mankind. He's such a cute little stinker. I just love him! I am so thankful for the life I'm blessed with.
Mrs. K
He loves to walk, run, climb, sky dive off the couch without a parachute. LOL. He loves to throw a ball and attempt to play basketball. He loves splashing around in the pool and bath tub and any body of water, really. We use the Puddle Jumpers as a life vest and he seems to like it. Sometimes he just wants to walk around the house with it on. He likes to climb up and down the stairs independently. In fact, he pushes me away when I try to help. It initially hurt my feelings but now I'm excited about his bravery. He is strong as an ox and when he wants me to go somewhere, he gets behind me, pushes my legs and says "go, go, go." So...we have a tent in our living room. Yeah, I know it's silly but I bought it for my husband a few years ago and we never used it. I thought it would be fun to put it up temporarily so that our little booger could crawl around in it. Well it's been a few months and it's still up. And he loves to play in it. He loves rolling around with his dad in it and dragging his toys in it. Gone are my interior decorating days. It's all about fun and convenience. Well, my house is still organized and clean but just more appealing to kiddos. He can jump (although not very high, hehe). He likes piggy back rides. He prefers playing outside over playing with electronics. He almost never watches TV and he's not that interested into the i-pad.
He's still going to a small licensed home daycare. His caretaker is lovely. She looooves him and he looooves her. He still whines a bit when I drop him off in the mornings but whenever I pick him up in the evenings he doesn't want to leave. He gives her like a million hugs before we go. It's so sweet. He also gets along so well with the two little girls that are also there. I think this was the best environment for him. However, now that he's getting older, we're thinking about putting him into a more formal preschool. We read to him at home and of course we talk to him a lot. She also teaches him a lot too but we feel he needs a little more structure. Whenever we move, which will likely be around when he turns 2, we'll make the transition.
He's a social butterfly when he wants to be. When he's well rested and mommy or daddy are close by he's very social. Always waving hi and bye, flashing a smile and twisting his head to get someone's attention, flashing his 8 pearly whites. These are some of the ways he flirts (lol) or just try to connect. So, he does this thing that we find soooo hilarious. Whenever I take him out and he sees a white guy he points and says "daddy." If we are in the supermarket he'll point to a dozen guys before we check out and say the same thing. It's hilarious but it's kinda embarrassing because he says it really loud and they look at us like we are crazy or they just laugh. My husband says he does the same thing whenever he sees a young black woman. Too funny.
And yes, he's talking a lot. He says at least 20 words. Some of his favorites are dada, daddy, mommy, mama, nonna (grandma), book, baby, cup, dog, doggie, up, keys, kiss, cow, nana (banana), goat, clock, shoes, socks, Eliza, juice, cheese, ice, swing, night-night, bye, hi, hello, more, wa-wa (water), glasses, nose, eyes, mouth, ears, moo, ruff ruff, baa (sheep sound). He can say a few phrases too like night-night dada, love you, bye bye ma. He can point out many body parts including eyes, nose, hair, mouth, head, belly, arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes, teeth, booty (yes, we taught him booty). He understands way more than what he can say.
He's a big help. He loves to help sweep. Whenever I grab a broom, he has to get one too to help. He doesn't go anywhere near the vacuum though. He's a bit of a neat, organized freak. If there's a crumb on something on the floor he picks it up and gives it to me. He closes drawers that I leave open. He'll make a mess with food while feeding himself but when he's done he'll out to me to clean it. Whenever I give him tissue he tries to blow his nose and wipe it. He also tries to clean the table although he makes more of a mess. He helps me with laundry too. Whenever I takes clothes out of the washer I give them to him and he puts them in the dryer. If I'm busy and he's not helping sometimes he'll tantrum but if I engage him in helping he loves it. I know this will not last. One day when he's a teenager I'll be begging him to clean his room. Ha! Oh, he also likes to help me get him dressed and undressed. I still have to chase him down to change his diaper most of the time.
He's still a great sleeper. Bath time routine starts at 645pm or 7pm and he's in bed by 730pm. He wakes up at 630am. We rock him while singing to him before bed but he's usually completely awake when we put him in his crib. He just lays down then goes to bed. Whenever we travel (which has been very often over the last 6 months) it usually takes a day or so to get him back into his routine. He's flown on an airplane 6 times round trip so far. One of those trips was from North Carolina to California and he did fairly well.
He's a momma's boy but he loves his papa too. He's such a sweet boy. He loves to cuddle before bed. He loves to hug and gives kisses. He's always smiling and laughing. He loves being goofy and goofiness (just like his momma and papa, but more like his papa). He loves to read books while sitting in his mama's lap.
He still has long brown hair. He hasn't gotten his first haircut yet. I've been convincing his dad to delay it. The front of his hair is pretty straight although it's been curling a little in the summer (more like big waves). The back has verrrry soft, loose spiral curls. I wash his hair about twice per week (one wash is only with conditioner and the other wash is with shampoo and conditioner). We use the California Baby conditioner. I don't put any other product in his hair. I think he's looking more like me the older he gets. He has big brown eyes and the longest eyelashes known to mankind. He's such a cute little stinker. I just love him! I am so thankful for the life I'm blessed with.
Mrs. K
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