Losing the baby weight: Day 19 update

Day19:

I work out 6 times a week. First week, I did three days of ab ripper x, two days of aerobic exercise (jogging, walking, hiking etc) and with one day off, then I get to choose what I want to do during the weekend. 

Meals: breakfast- honey nut Cheerios with peanut butter powder and a banana on top. Lunch - eat out and had fish tacos. Snacks of yellow peppers and a protein bar between meals. Dinner - yellow and orange peppers and chicken breast.

Realization: I can spin my ring finger finally. I can walk up hills faster and without needing to stop. 

Don't say hello just yet to pregnancy leggings

I learned this trick post-pregnancy: wear your leggings backwards. when you look like you are no more than 20-25 weeks along (and the same when you are post-prenancy). Save your money that much longer, instead buy items for you baby's new room! 

Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug: a great walker

I feel in love with the Prince Lionheart WheelyBug the moment I spotted the ladybug. I call my daughter my little ladybug, or bug for short, so of course it was perfect.

I put a camelcamelcamel.com price watch on it for a while, but it is manufacturing recommended age rating of 18 months to 3 years old, so I had time to watch the price drop to the lowest price. I did and I found it cheapest at $39 ($70 list price, current price as of today $48) then with Amazon Mom, I was able to get an additional 20% discount for an after tax price of $34.16!

One day last week, I decided to take the wheely out for her, so I could sit her on it and hold her while I wheeled around. But, it was a bust because her hands are too short to both grab the handles at the same time. We will have to wait on that. However, I left the toy out and don't you know she found a different use for it! She is using it as a walker. She is so speedy with that ladybug that she chases the cats on a level playing field. She uses the ladybug wheely as a walker more than she does her actual walker.

Daycare Teacher Appreciation: A Gift

Our daycare is fabulous in every way. My daughter's teacher is loving, encouraging and respects Alexandria as an individual. This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. My daycare sent an announcement on it, letting us know and had suggestive items like, a card every day and a special something like flowers on Friday. I opted for one card and candle set, to be given on Friday.

Being a card maker and all-around crafty person, I made our teacher a card and decorated the gift bag. I think those two things really can make any present look like it cost more and that care was put into it.

Here is the card, present and gift bag:

Reusable snack pouches

Reusable food pouches: need I say more? Okay, they come in cute designs like a panda bear and a walrus. After paying between $1.09 and $1.89, at the grocery store and just a little more at Starbucks, for one pouch of, smoothie-like organic fruits and vegetables, I decided to make my own instead. After I recently saw this Squooshi.com brand reusable food pouches, I instantly knew I could do it. For example, it is easy to clean with a bottle brush that I already own. And, the pouch is way cuter than the ones at the grocery store!

My first recipe is smashed/pureed Cauliflower seasoned with coconut water and nutritional yeast. It called for:
*half a cauliflower
*one tablespoon nutritional (or commonly called brewer's) yeast
*one cup of coconut water
It was tasty!

With the my daughter in daycare, I am sending her to daycare with a Squooshi that says "Do not throw away."

I use food pouches as a snack between meals, while in the stroller, as a side to a meal or when we are dining out. I tend to get vegetable flavored pouches instead of fruity ones because I heard that if you feed them vegetables first they won't reject them later on, over the children that ate fruits first.

Walking away the baby pounds

Day 2: 

1. Peanut butter on spouted wheat English muffins for breakfast, vegetables for lunch, and mac&cheese with kielbasa (enough leftovers for lunch tomorrow) for dinner

2. Activity: Walk Away the Pounds - 3 miles DVD in the basement of my house, for free since the food budget has blown-up with three people living in the house (oh wait, why am I on this diet? :) [my sarcasm]). 

3. Realization of the day: I am no longer carrying a 40 pound baby on this tiny frame, I can stand tall. 

Review of Walk Away the Pounds - 3 miles:

 

I think we all have that one dvd or even VHS (I am showing my age) that we hold onto for those days that we hope will never come. And then it comes. This DVD is it for me. In college, I started walking to this in my very cramped dorm-like apartment. Then, was back down to my weight from high school - sweet! Then I moved and away went the DVD for many years. Great DVD to walk you back into the swing of things post baby. I went from walking at their pace to my own, an even started dancing instead during some parts. Fun! I broke a sweat without needing to drink two times my water weight in water. I have to say the DVD ages well. God is mentioned twice. I am learning stacking the bones, type of posture, which is good because the walking will promote proper posture (yay - I love alliteration). This movie is on my top shelf of aerobic exercises to do twice a week.   

Losing the baby weight: day 1 of many

Are you as frustrated too, or is it just me? I stopped getting the "when are you expecting?" about a month ago, now I hear "but, you just had a baby..." and my response is, yeah like many months ago. I'm enlisting myself into a do-it-yourself to lose 20 pounds diet. With no time frame. Why? The clothes collecting dust in  my closet motivate me.

I could preface this with, I was that or I made sure not to do this or that, but I won't as I think regardless of where I was at, this is where I want to be: 20 pounds lighter. 

Starting every day, I will "eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper." Then eat whenever I get hungry. I will move my hips when I walk and bend at the hips to pick things up. I will shrink my thighs so they no longer rub together, as I dance with and make funny gestures at my baby. With a mix of abs and aerobics, the pouch of a belly will go away. Please, please boobs stay! Don't leave me at the end of this process. And sex drive, absolutely come back!!!

Day 1: 

1. Peanut butter on spouted wheat English muffins, sushi for lunch, and oyster salad for dinner. (recipes on request)

2. Ab ripper X (Yes I want those abs - just not part of this goal)

3. Realization of the day: I stopped eating sushi when I was full. I felt full. That has not happened in a while. Feels good to be eating regularly and no longer the extra calories for a baby.  

Keeping the snots at bay

When our daughter gets a cold, along comes the buggers. To spare ourselves of washing the toys after the cold passes, all the cloth toys are put away until the cold goes away. It looks like they are in "toy jail." Then the non-cloth toys can be washed nightly or at whatever cadence chosen.