Race you to the park??

Most of my posts have been about the good mixed with the bad. I am finding it very therapeutic to write about the difficult things of becoming a parent. I very rarely ((if ever)) want to ask for help. And when I feel overwhelmed and write, getting responses from people about how they feel the same way makes this chaos feel a little more normal.

However this post is only about the good. Actually the GREAT!! This morning Vedder and I went to music class where we sang and wiggled wih about 20 other families. Clapping and singing away the case of the Mondays. And now I am sitting in the park writing this blog while Vedder takes a nap in his stroller. The sun is shining and it's 70 degrees out. By the way, it's March 19th. As soon as he decides to wake up he will have a bottle and then we will go play on the slide and swings. This is one of my most favorite parts of being a parent, being able to be a kid again.

Having a child gives you so many great excuses. Don't want to go out? "Oh no. We can't get a babysitter." ((which sometimes back fires when you do want to go out and really cannot get a babysitter)) Want to leave a family party early before all the usual family drama goes into effect? "Gotta get baby home to bed!!" But my favorite excuse that I use so often it is starting to create a problem: "Household chores? Cleaning? Laundry? Dishes? They can wait. Baby wants to go outside and play!!" I am a daycare teacher and more often then not find my energy skyrocketing on the walk home from work due to excitement about being able to roll around and play with Vedder. I get so excited, like a kid, when I see the forecast for the week and know that it is quite possible that the park and zoo could fill up very day in the week.

And while the dirty clothes may start to pile higher than my son when he's standing, it's ok because we'll be outside everyday this week so we won't have to see all the laundry.

Race you to the park??

Happy Spring, Everyone!!

Dinner for Two

In the few month before I was pregnant, I was the skinniest and healthiest I had been in my life, weighing 128lbs . Like always right?? Then this miracle comes along that you couldn't be happier about, but brings with it added hormones, pains, and weight. And extra 43 lbs to be exact. After I had my linebacker of a baby at 9lbs 4oz, I had lost 1/3 of the baby weight just in delivery. I was psyched! By the middle of September I had lost half the baby weight. I was taking zumba classes, going on daily walks with Vedder and on my way back to that fun, fit girl I was before the bun in the oven. Then the winter months rolled in. And like most women, I blamed my plateau-ing of weight loss to the holidays. But now it's March. And I'm gaining weight again!! Yes I've checked a million times, scared to death. And no I'm not pregnant again, thank the universe!! But what is it?? I'm just as active. Back to work part time, still going to daily walks, even using what little arm strength I do have to carry a stroller up and down subway stairs a few times a week.
Then it hit me. Even though I wasn't eating ice cream everyday anymore like I did my entire pregnancy ((Mr Softee chocolate soft serve with a cherry dip)), I was still eating for two. Everyday. And I don't have the excuse that I need more calories because of breastfeeding, since my son takes formula. I try to portion myself. And over all I eat healthy: whole grains, veggies and fruit, chicken, and very little red meat. But five minutes after a normally portioned meal I am starving and feel that I need to eat all over again!!
Many other moms I have talked to have sympathetically said "you only had Vedder seven months ago! Its taken me years to finally get the baby weight off." And while comforting to know that the struggle I'm experiencing is normal, it doesn't change the fact that I have three weddings this summer, two of which I am a bridesmaid in a short, flirty, summer dress.
So come on, Stomach, shrink back to the tiny size you were summer 2010!! ...oh wait, its not that easy.. ok maybe I should try something else then..

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry