Pee and Pennies

James' facebook post today had me giggling. It was something that Evan said this morning, "I have to wash my hands. They smell like pee and pennies."

I love that kid. He makes me laugh.

Yesterday, I went out with a friend that I have known a long time but hadn't met in real life until last night. ;) She had just finished her bar exam. We had a drink and dinner at a really nice place with good food. Mmmm. Sliders. Delicious.

After I got home, I went to say good night to Evan. He was disassembling his Cars Legos. I guess to see how they go back together. They are meant for 7 year olds, so I put them together, but he is learning now how to take them apart and put them together.

Per usual, I am trying to lose some weight. I am not a fan of WW's PointsPlus. I used WW for years, and PointsPlus is really hard to get used to. So I have been using MyFitnessPal. One thing that MFP has over WW is an Android app (WW has one but it is huge...40 MB) that you can scan bar codes and add food items using just a bar code scanner. Love. I will weigh in tomorrow to see how it went this week. I really would like to lose some weight before I go to Hawaii! I have been working out 3 days a week for a while.

And speaking of Hawaii. Our kids are going to start to think that they don't allow children there. Because we are going kid free. The idea of that red eye flight home with them makes me twitchy. But my wonderful friend Lori is getting married on my birthday. I better be honored in some way ;)

It has been exactly one year since I had my breast reduction. You can barely see my scars. I love my smaller frame.

My report was issued last week, so I am officially on my new job. My new supervisor is my friend and here in Denver. So while he knows that I blog, and read my boards, and facebook, I have to be careful that I am not doing that every time he walks in my cube. But he is HQ this week, so I am blogging!

Last Friday was my 31st birthday. My birthday proper wasn't anything exciting...I was pulling double duty, working and taking care of the kids because James had an appointment. But Saturday, James had planned some special activities.

Before that, we met Evan's BFF and his mom and brother at Day Out with Thomas. Evan and his BFF were super excited to see each other. The boys seemed to have fun. And Delilah enjoyed playing at the Lego train table. It is really sort of a cluster there though. So many people go. I am kind of hoping that next year Evan will be over it (We'll see, I guess).

James had planned a small get together with Emily, Jen, Jose, and Tina (and our assorted children). Madeline surprised me by coming too! Tina brought a blow up castle and the kids (and some adults) really enjoyed that. It was a nice time and we had some good pizza and a lovely chocolate cake.

Monday was our 7 year anniversary. :) We celebrated by going out to dinner at the Melting Pot. We had a really nice time and I am happy that he is my husband.

In other big news, I started a women's fitness boot camp. It started on Monday, so I have gone twice now. It is an ass kicker for sure. It is for a month...and it is my birthday present to myself.

Now, I am not feeling 100% today. I started sneezing earlier and it has only progressed to a runny nose :( Boo. Who wants a cold? not me. Certainly not me when I am trying to work out.

I head to HQ for a couple of days next week. Haven't been able to get a decent hotel yet. So that is not fun.

One Toe in the Water

I have been trying to get back in to blogging again, but gah! I am always so tired. And work has been busy. But I am back on the weight loss wagon again, so I am going to be blogging again about that.

I had my breast reduction almost 4 weeks ago. I am still not cleared for exercising, but I want to get the weight going back in the right direction. Since making weight for my surgery, I have gained 5 lbs. So half of what I lost. It is too easy to gain! Plus, I haven't been feeling fantastic because of the surgery, so I have been comfort eating.

The kids are doing great. Evan is a crack up. Last night, we were watching America's Funniest Home Videos with Emily and Brandon. A little kid in the video ran into another kid and we all laughed and groaned. And Evan laughed and yelled, "Holy $h!t!" LOL. We tried not to laugh, but it was very funny. I think he just gets caught up in wanting to hang out with the "grown ups." I am sure there are language slips, but I don't really notice them.

And little Delilah "shushed" Emily last night. It was the first time she had shushed anyone. Emily asked her, "Are you ready for bed?" And Delilah turned around and said, "Shhhhh..." Finger up to the lips and everything.

Yesterday, I had some downtime where I watched Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. It was really cute and funny. I enjoyed.

GOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL

Today, I weighed myself upon waking up and was at 128 lbs. I took a shower and went up to 129 (hair wet weight, I guess). I thought that I would just do it and see what happens. So I didn't eat breakfast, didn't drink anything. I called at 8:00. And the office was closed until 8:30. So at 8:33, I called and asked if I could come in to get weighed. She said, I could at 9:20. I said, "You are killing me here." LOL. So I went in and weighed 127! So I am ok for surgery. The doctor will likely put the order for surgery in on Friday and then the scheduler will call me in a week or so. And then she will likely put me on a list for July. :)

I am super duper happy. I went to lunch and had a nice sized lunch. And I didn't even eat all my fries :P

I think I will have some yummy food for a couple of days and then start over again. I could stand to lose a couple more pounds. Maybe 3 more. They do not come off easy though!

So close!

I weighed in today. 129! One pound to go. Actually if I get in the 128s I will be in range. The problem now being how much is my scale off from the dr. office. It is a new scale...digital. I wonder if the dr. office will let me get naked to weigh in. LOL. The sad thing is since I am down below 130, they took another point away from me. I only get 18 measly points a day!

So James and I had big plans for today. Since I worked overtime last week in DC, I have some credit hours to use. We were planning on a movie or some general time together with no children. Well, if you have been following along on FB, you know that both kids have been sick.

I was called to come get Delilah on Tuesday morning because of a fever. So I went to get her and she slept most of the afternoon. During her nap, daycare called again to come get Evan; he had a fever. I asked whether I could wait until Delilah woke up to go get him. They agreed since it was nap time anyway. So around 2 we went to go get Evan. He started crying the second he saw me..saying that "it hurt." Then he went by the door and threw up. They took him to the bathroom where he threw up some more and wet his pants. My poor boy. He was really lethargic. So I was trying to get him dressed and clean him up...all the while holding Delilah who wouldn't let me put her down because she thought I would leave her there. We finally got out the door, but not without majorly disturbing naptime. Whenever Evan gets a fever, he acts really sick. Like can't move, won't listen, really pale, throws up. It is weird. So anyway, the kids were both home sick with James on Wednesday (Bless him!). Then Delilah was well enough to go to school on Thursday. So James was with just Evan yesterday. I do think that Delilah has a very mild case of the Hand Foot and Mouth Disease. She had one little blister on her lip and one or two on her hands and feet...but I did catch a glimpse of an ulcer in her throat. Nothing like Evan had that one time.

Wednesday night, James heard Evan cry out in the night and then checked on him to find him choking on his vomit. Poor kid. So we had to do the late night bed stripping.

So this morning, we were prepared to take Evan to the doctor, but his temp was normal. He was PISSED about having to go to school though and we had to do some major bribery. So James and I were back to being able to have a day together.

EXCEPT...that forking presentation I mentioned a couple of weeks ago is rearing its ugly head. We were supposed to get this to the head honcho today...and have been waiting for comments from my boss's boss this whole week. Well, boss's boss is taking his sweet time...and supposedly has comments but no one can get them from him. So I am working at home waiting for these comments to come in so that I can whip up a presentation to get to the head honcho by COB today. Why people have to wait until the last minute, I will never know.

We are still hoping to get to a movie today. Date night. Really frustrating.

Finally a loss!

I lost a pound this week! I don't know if it was moving my weigh in day to before the weekend or if it was due to all the walking I did in DC. But either way! So now only 2.2 lbs to go. I wonder if I could even be 128.X and have them still give me the go ahead. I have to be good this weekend...get some activity in.

I have just a few minutes

while I finish my breakfast (3 pt. breakfast burrito and a large diet coke).

It is going to be a VERY busy week for me. I received the "opportunity" to create a presentation for the guy who is our equivalent of the CEO. He will be giving the presentation to a very well known state IT group. I am working with my director to do this....but it is a total "Better not F--- it up" situation. GAH! I have to have a first draft to him by tomorrow COB. Wednesday, I leave for DC. I have a meeting with the agency on Thursday. Back home on Friday, and I have to work on this presentation in between times.

Still trying to lose weight. This week will probably be a wash since I know I have to travel. Traveling is always really hard on the waist line for me. I will show restraint not get Ben and Jerry's at the airport though.

My kids are doing great. Always entertaining...always trying. Yesterday, I was quite certain my head was going to explode.

Delilah is so sweet (most of the time). In the morning, the past few mornings, when you come to get her out of her crib, she hands you her baby. You have to get the baby out of bed too. This morning, it was the baby, a book, her paci, and a blanket. But then she didn't want them after all, so I threw them all back in. D is within days/weeks of walking. She could totally do it, but she is so cautious. She has taken a few steps to or from me and her daddy.

Evan was cracking me up this morning. First, James was teasing him about leaving him at home (or something! I lose track of all the teasing that goes on at our house!) and James said, "It's ok." Evan said, "No, it is UN-okay!" LOL. Good use of "un." Then I guess watching Delilah get a catheter in last week made a big impression on him because as we were driving to daycare, Evan said, "Delilah doesn't have a penis." I said, "Yes, that's right." He said, "She has a hole. And pee comes out of it." I gave him some medical terms for what he was describing and then we went through several iterations of, "Daddy has a penis. You don't have a penis." Then, "When I was a baby, did I have a penis?" I said, "Yes, you have always had a penis, even when you were little." He said, "Now, I have a BIG penis." Ah, yes, and a healthy sense of self esteem too.

I didn't lose a single thing this week

0 pounds. It is very very discouraging. I have changed my weigh in day to Friday to see if that helps. I will try to increase activity. This week may be a challenge because I am flying to DC Wednesday. But that should definitely help with the activity. 3.2 pounds to go before I can schedule my surgery. but I have to be able to schedule in June at the latest. Why is this taking so long?????

Happy Easter!

Man, losing weight gets a lot tougher as you get older. I used to be able to drop 2 pounds a week no problem. Now it is hit or miss. And I know I am only eating my alloted calories. Gah! Lost .8 lbs. this week. It is still a loss, I guess. But I am still at least 2 weeks away from my goal. I have to make this weight by June at least. To be able to schedule in July/August. I need to recheck my work schedule to make sure of which dates I am looking at.

We have had the Easter activities this weekend. Egg coloring yesterday, Egg/Candy hunt in the neighborhood yesterday...today was the Easter bunny's visit. James came upstairs this morning and said to Evan, "I think the Easter Bunny came last night. There are some Easter baskets filled up on the table." Evan gets really excited and yells, "Oh shit!" I shouldn't laugh...but it is pretty funny. He really got into finding the eggs this time.

Delilah was just along for the ride for the most part. She found some candy yesterday and got to play with some toy eggs today. I think she enjoyed herself. She is sick again. Has a fever that goes between 99* to 101.8* last night. Hovering at 100.8* now. No other symptoms...so I guess we wait until she has something else going on.

Evan played with his easel today. One of his birthday presents. He really got a kick out of it. He really liked using the chalk and the dry erase markers. I asked him to draw me a cat and he said he couldn't. So I drew one for him first ("A circle for a head, triangles for ears, circles for eyes...", etc.) And then he drew one very similar to what I drew. I get a kick out of seeing him make his first letters.

Anyhow, I need to get into the shower. We are meeting Emily and Brandon for Easter Dinner at a restaurant.

Whew!

What a relief! Lost 2 pounds this week. I was a little nervous as I stepped on the scale...saying, "Please, Please, Please." Just four more pounds to go. Officially. But I might have to lose a tiny bit more just so that the scale in the dr.'s office says the same as mine. Don't you know that they alway read a bit higher!

Tired.

Delilah decided to wake up at 4 am this morning. SCREAMING. Poor baby. Don't really know what is bothering her, but it gets better with Motrin. So James stayed home with her today. I have to save up all the sick leave I can! Here's hoping that tonight is better!

Today was free pastry day at Starbucks. Can't pass that up. So I went and got a 2 point skinny caramel latte and then asked what the reduced fat pastry selections are. She had me at "RF Chocolate Chip Banana Bread." She also had Evan at it too. So I shared it with him. Which is a good thing because the whole slice would have been 8 points!! (as a reference, I only get 19 a day!!!) So now I am HONGRY. Only 2 hours til lunch.

Evan had some gems last night. First, while bathing him and Delilah, he put this little stacking cup over his crotch and said, "Mom, I have a chocolate penis!" Not really sure what that meant. But the possibilities are endless. Also, later around bed time, I was standing in the bathroom while he peed and he turned to me with the biggest grin and whispered, "Mom, I need PRIVACY!" Touché.

Today, I am just trying to stay awake. I have lots of little things to do. We are looking at another 6 to 12 inches of snow today and tomorrow. I am soooo ready for spring!

Disappointment

I feel like I was hungry all week because I was saving my points for the birthday party yesterday. And I gained .2 pounds. :( Why? Who knows? Maybe I didn't eat all of my flex points yesterday. I probably didn't. Maybe my period is coming.

Either way, I am still 6 pounds away from my goal and being able to schedule my surgery. And I wanted to be only 4 away.

Goals for this week: to distribute my flex points more evenly through the week and kick up the activity.

I was worried this week

I was worried because I weighed myself yesterday and had like zero loss. Which is why you are only supposed to weigh yourself once a week...otherwise you will get conflicting weights. Anyhow, my hard work (and it is hard to diet during birthday parties!) paid off this week. I lost another 2.2 lbs. Just a little under halfway there!

Today, James and Evan are on their way to James' folks house. Leaving just the girls here. We are going to go to lunch with a girlfriend (and probably her daughter).

Everything else

I wanted Baby D to get her own birthday post...but there is soooo much going on.

I am going to talk about my baby sister...I hope she doesn't mind. She got some news that she has a skin cancer spot. She had most of it removed, but needs to go back to have more removed. I hope this is just a one time thing for her. I love her so and it worries me to think of her going through problems. Not that she isn't capable. Because believe me, she is. She just started her new job out in the middle of nowhere. Living on her own in her own rented house. What a grown up! We will miss seeing more of her.

I am still trying to lose weight. I really hope I can have a loss this week. I shared a brownie a la mode with my coworker yesterday. I tried to be really good the rest of the night. Today, I had a plan to get a coffee on the way in, but McD's sabotaged my efforts by putting whipped cream on top of my mocha. 5 points. That is a meal in itself. :( So Greek for lunch. I think I did ok. I will have to eat only the points I have allotted the rest of the week. I weigh in on Sunday.

This weekend, we took the kids to the mall. On the way there, Evan kept trying to break into our conversation. Finally, he yelled, "Mama! Listen to my words!" LOL. At the mall, we went to this Lego store. He really wanted this Thomas the Train Lego set. I explained that he could not have it because he already got a car from the grocery store. He was very very sad. So I stopped and talked to him, told him that I wished I could buy him everything he wants, but that we don't have all the money in the world to buy everything that we want. He cheered up a little when James put him on his shoulders. We got to the fountain, and I handed him a penny and said, "Ok, make a wish and throw it in!" Evan said, gravely, "I wish I had the Thomas Legos," and tossed his penny in. He is desperately hoping his birthday gets here soon.

James and I are going to take tomorrow off together. We have plans to get some stuff done around the house...but after that possibly a movie or something!

Just a quick celebratory post

I lost 2.2 lbs this week. It is really difficult to lose while traveling...but I must have walked more than I thought this week (you have to walk EVERYWHERE in DC! I probably walk a mile just within my huge building).

I am typing this really fast at our upstairs computer while I try to keep Delilah entertained up here...and keep Evan's demands downstairs at bay. You see, our laptop died yesterday. It wasn't even that old...only 3.5 years. I guess it got a lot of use though. Not sure if we will get another one. It is convenient, but I am not sure our family needs more computing.

Well, I got my motivation

I met with the plastic surgeon today regarding a breast reduction. He took some measurements of my body and asked me some questions. (Yes, I am done with children. No, no history of breast cancer. I get back aches and rashes under my breasts.) Measurement-wise, he told me that if both of my breasts were the size and length, if you will, (LMAO!) of my lefty, they wouldn't have probably covered it. But because of the size of righty, they will. You all are probably imagining me without my top on now. LOL. Anyhow, he determined that they will pay for my surgery. This is a fantastic savings! It should only cost me a surgery copay of about $300. The only catch is that I have to lose 10 lbs. before they will let me schedule the surgery. I was trying to anyhow, but now this just renews my motivation! I am going to start anew at Weight Watchers Online and really do it! The tricky parts are travel and my lunch outings.

Everyone is doing good here. We are preparing for a 4th birthday party and a 1st birthday party. A whole lot of partying. Delilah still has only one tooth (on the bottom) so she looks a little like Animal from the Muppets (thank you Brandon and Emily for making that comparison because it has now stuck!). But another one tooth is on its way on the top. Last weekend we thought maybe Evan had lost his damn mind, but he is doing better today. He is just pushing every button and boundary. And does it all with a smile. GAH! So frustrating.

I am on my way tomorrow to DC for work. Meetings with agencies. First time in a suit in 18 months!!

I am sitting outside with the laptop while the cleaning ladies clean my house. I am working from home today. This is the life! It is nice and cool out here. The only downside is the glare on the computer screen.

I took Delilah to the ENT today. Poor baby has thick fluid behind her eardrum. She is getting little movement of the eardrum...so that means she is probably hearing like she is underwater. Poor kiddo. The doctor did recommend that she get tubes sooner than later. If this were the winter with all her ear infections, the doc would recommend to wait out the summer. But since she got this many in the winter....waiting would only prolong the inevitable. Plus, she just isn't gaining the way she should. Poor Peanut!

I still haven't been able to go back to running. My knees are still bothering me. I think I further pissed them off today when the cleaning ladies showed up while I was peeing upstairs and I tried to run down to the door. Not good.

yay me!

I lost 2 pounds this week. I finally cracked the 130s. I did this without even running this week because my knees have been in so much pain. 138.8 feels good :)

Not a journal

I have been having trouble writing. I think of this as a journal of sorts so that I can remember these times with the kids. I wrote in a journal for years. But clearly, since this is a public forum, not everything can be written about. And lord knows I have trouble only telling part of a story. LOL.

Saturday, Delilah and I made the long trek to Greeley for a baby shower for a college friend, Larissa. It was really nice to see her and I can't wait to meet her little one. Delilah slept the whole way there and the whole way back. And she was super good at the shower.

When I came back, my little sister Madeline, and her boyfriend Brett came over. And then Emily came over too. It was a little while before James and Evan came back from their big day at the children's museum. James grilled up some burgers and we had a nice time with our family.

Sunday, James and I took the kids to the park and the bookstore. Evan had fun tearing around the playground. Delilah had fun being strapped to me in the Moby wrap.

And now it's Wednesday. I ran this weekend, and again on Monday. I am probably going to wait until tomorrow to run again. My knees have been bothering me.

I am working from home today because I think Delilah's ears are bothering her again. So we have a doctor's appointment pretty soon. I will pick her up at daycare and then take her to the doctor. and then hopefully back to daycare again.

Week Has Gone By

I have been busy here at work. Just minor details, but it seems to eat up the whole day.

I ran Monday night and then last night. Last night was brutal because it was so warm. But I did it. Finished Week 1 of the Couch to 5K challenge. So on to Week 2. Last night my hips (not muscles, but the joints) were killing me. I may need to get new running shoes or something. My body is clearly not used to the beating it takes during the run.

Emily came over and made dinner while I was running last night. Really nice to run home and have dinner ready.

The kids are doing well. Delilah is just finishing up her latest antibiotic this weekend and now she has another cold. So I am sure that will mean another ear infection. And I can't seem to get an appointment with the ENT. They will call me when they have one available, they say. :( She is so happy and sweet these days. I feel sad that I miss most of her day while she is at school. By the time I pick her up, she is so tired, she usually goes right to bed. She has been getting up about 3 times a night. But last night was only once! I needed it!

Evan has been doing pretty good. A better week at school this week. We have had some tears. He was telling me that there was a picture of Tyler on the fridge. I said "Where?" He said, "By your boob!" LOL. He has been BIG into puzzles lately. He can put them together pretty quickly. He tried to climb the fridge a couple mornings ago because I put something in time out on top of it. He did pretty good too. Was about half way up when the door opened. He has been having an imaginary Gary (the meowing snail from spongebob) follow him around occasionally. Gary was sitting next to him in the car.

I have a baby shower up in Greeley tomorrow. My first trip up there in quite sometime. Maybe since Christmas 2007? Yowza. Happy showers, Larissa :) I think I am going to bring D. Her longest car trip to date. We will see how that goes. I hope they are serving some alcohol :P