Day 12: What Not To ExpectPhotobucket - Video and Image Hosting

When you get that notion, put your backfield in motion

Officially a Mom


Putting that Backfield in Motion since 2003

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Fun with breastfeeding

Last night the family and a friend took the Gavinator to the fair for his birthday (tons of pictures to come very soon) and on our way home we stopped to get ice cream. I got kiddie cones for the kids and my friend got a giant, chocolate-y waffle cone. The Goose finished her kid cone in a nano-second and turned her eyes (and stomach) on her new best friend- the person with giant, chocolate-y waffle cone.

Goose leaned in for a giant bite out of the cone and put her entire face from nose to chin inside the waffle and right as she was was pulling her face out of the cone I was all "dude, her mouth was totally on my boob earlier. You know what's on your ice cream now? My boob."

Good times.



p.s. tons of Firm, preschool, and NYC trip updates to come!!!!


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Wednesday, August 22, 2007

The Firm Challenge- Week one

As I told you all in my last post I have decided to take on the The Firm (not to be confused with the Tom Cruise movie) for the next 12 weeks and see what exactly I can do with my body when I cut back on junk food and fanny lift until I can't fanny lift no more.

This past week I was able to do five Firm workouts and two yoga workouts. I know I won't be able to keep this pace up as it takes away time from the kiddos but I'm hoping for a few more weeks of daily workouts before I take it down a notch to three or four days a week. I can really feel it in my thighs and arms already. Right now I think the changes are only noticable to me but I'm hoping it won't be too long until I'm selling tickets to the gun show.

The Firm, Week one, front view

The Firm- Week One, side view

I posted these pictures on Flickr last night and have received a lot of positive feedback with people telling me I don't need to change a thing or they would gladly give me their boobs for my abs and while appreciated, I'm just not seeing what they're seeing. Don't get me wrong, I'm okay with my shape and my weight and seeing as how I once tipped the scales at almost 180 pounds in college, I definitely feel feel healthy and fit BUT I don't think I'm doing all that I can do. If I can work out hard 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 times a week then I should. The only reason I haven't been working out hard is because I've been fine with the way I look and why just be fine if I can be more than fine, you know?

I'll be posting my progress here with weekly pictures. I really feel like that will hold me accountable (I wanted to eat nacho chips and cheese last night but I didn't because I know that in 6 days, it's picture posting time again) and perhaps I can inspire other people.

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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Nuts

So I was listening to Da’Dip this morning on the way to work and got inspired to write a blog post. True story. I mean, because aren’t wall just squirrels in the world trying to get a nut so wassup? Unless, of course, one has a nut allergy then all bets are off but I'm not allergic AND I have a nut-related goal, to boot!

Anyhoo, I’ve been slacking on the blog BIG TIME and now I’m slacking over on Flickr and I’m sure all of you are getting ancy, nervous, and sweaty waiting for me to update. It’s okay to admit it. That’s exactly how I get when my exes and people I don’t know but think are pretty take months to update their myspace pages. Although sometimes I’m sweaty for no reason but that’s another post all together.

I should add that I can’t take full blame for slacking on Flickr. Some of you may have noticed that the husband is all Flickr crazy and he is hogging the camera and Photoshop to do his own thing. I would be pissed but he really rocks (Dude has already been image of the day at Parent Dish) and it is cool to watch him get sucked into the online world so I can say stuff like “remember when you used to get all mad because I used to sit in front of the computer Flickring all night long? Yeah, well, looks like you can’t get mad at me now, Mr. I’ve been on Flickr for 4 hours. Suck it. How you like them apples!?!”

We have a really healthy relationship. I swear.

I have also been spending my online time over at the debate board. I don’t know what it is- perhaps it is the one poster who we all know is someone else and really doesn’t do much to hide the fact she (he?) is someone else yet still is able to get some of the most rational regulars riled up and it really is fascinating to watch- but I have a renewed interest in the board. I thought about resigning as a host when I was going through a period when I couldn’t post but I’ve put that idea on the back burner. I do miss being a smart ass and saying the things that I want to say but can’t because I’m a host but I think I’m going to work more on finding a balance between professionalism and smartassism.

Besides, I really, really do care about the breast versus bottle debate. It’s such a complex and personal issue for me seeing as how I had such a difficult time nursing Gavinator and an easy, breezy, still nursing at 26 months time with Goose. On one hand, I’m all formula is fine and don’t martyr yourself to breastfeed and on the other, I’m all come on, stick with it, everyone should breastfeed! Sometimes I catch myself being so internally judgmental when I find out someone I know is formula feeding and the board helps to keep me grounded and remind me that I have no idea what is really going on. As much as I don’t like to think about what went down with the Gavinator, I think it gives me the empathy necessary to be a good advocate.

Now, just so you don’t think I spend all my time online, I have decided to document my journey from flab to fit on this blog. I have recommitted myself to The Firm. No, not the Tom Cruise movie (although the fancy piano music in that flick would be something to jump around to) but to this The Firm. I used The Firm to get into incredible shape 5 years ago- so incredible that I went to visit my sister and all her neighbors were convinced to buy the Firm after poking at my incredibly toned buns- and after the birth of Gavinator. I haven’t been much for working out since Goose was born other than nightly walks and the exercise ball. I’m in good cardio shape and my weight is fine but I’m saggy and in desperate need of some tone. I’m not getting in younger so I’m going to do The Firm workouts 4-5 times a week, cut back on salty and sweet snacks (dear Lord be with me), and try to regain the butt I could bounce quarters off of.

If I can ever wrestle the camera and photoshop away from the husband, I’ll post my week one progress here and continue to do so for the next 12 weeks. Already my thighs and arms are feeling firmer (heheheheh, not just a clever name, I see) and at the rate I’m going, I should be able to crack nuts just by pointing my buns in their direction by Christmas. That should definitely come in handy.

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Monday, August 06, 2007

Ta ta Tutu!!

The traveling tutu is going on its merry way today so my days of frolicking around town in a tutu, blue tights, a nude leotard, black ballet slippers, and pink and white striped knee high socks are over.

Sigh. I'm going to miss that tutu. Not only did it bring an excuse to have a ton of fun and act like a moron in public places, it also brought me number one in Explore on August 5th with my final tutu shot:

numberone

A ballerina must practice around the clock

The Traveling Tutu group seriously needs to consider a 12 step program to wean recipients of the tutu off the tutu.


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Sunday, August 05, 2007

Tutu Much

Best. Picture. Ever.


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Friday, August 03, 2007

I'm doing it all for the tutu

So I said I was going to get all into blogging again (although I'm not sure at this point if anyone cares) but then, I got distracted by the Traveling Tutu group over on Flickr and man alive, between trying to win the tutu, making the most of my time with the tutu, and squeezing in a trip to Carowinds, I have been left again with zero time for blogging.

It all started when Grateful Clem used his magic wand and started a competition for who would get the tutu next. Not only am I EXTREMELY competitive and willing to make a total and complete fool out of myself, I also live very close to Clem's alma mater- Clemson University- and knew I could work that to my advantage.

I have the tights, shoes, socks, and the moves....

YAY!!!!!!!

Your Alma Mater wants ME to have the tutu!!!!!

Sooooooo, I won the tutu and it won't be long until I must pass her on (to who I don't know). I am spending all my time working, shopping, and playing sports in the tutu to make the most of my time with it and blogging has once again taken a back seat.

Unless another sparkly, frilly, colorful something or other comes along with a chance for me to win and/or make a fool of myself in, I should be back to blogging next week.

In the meantime, you can find me here.

I really got into the game!

I decided to cool off by taking a little walk

Then I ended the evening like everyone else...

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Friday, July 13, 2007

Summery ramblings

Where to start? Ayi yi yi… it is so hard to come up with a blog post after such a prolonged absence. I haven’t intentionally ignored blogging but with the gorgeous weather and Operation Spend More Time with Real People and Less Time with Cyber People (OSMTRPLTCP) in full effect, I just haven’t exactly made time for it. What I have made more time for are cookouts, parties with friends, trips to the park and the pool, backyard fun, nights on Main Street, and photographing all the aforementioned events.

I had promised myself a few months ago that I would be more social and make more of an effort to do things out and about with the kiddos and our friends on the weekends no matter how tough it was to take the two screaming banshees out of their cages. The husband and I also agreed to have more social events at our house and one fence, playground, gazebo, and kiddie pool later, we have hosted three cookouts at our house and a Fourth of July partay at a friend’s house (and by house, I mean resort)


I definitely think the kiddos have been benefited by being out and about more often- the Gavinator has even learned to swim by himself while wearing his floaty suit- and while the Goose still clings to me like her head will explode if I am not in a 1 foot radius of her, she is at least beginning to acknowledge and speak of people as long as they aren’t looking at her or even worse, directly speaking to her. Oh, and speaking of the Gavinator, he has two new favorite phrases. His first one is to declare “I’m pissed out” every time things are going his way (he totally got that from his father, I never say pissed off and his second one is to ask a question that he wants you to say “yes” to and follow up the question with “say yes or no. Say yes or no” and then when you respond with a “no” he’ll say “say yes! Say yes!” and then he’ll repeat the whole question over again. It can go on for days, I tell you.

It’s definitely been good for me to get out and do things with people. My inner social butterfly has been on hiatus since moving to South Carolina and it is about time she came back. I can’t believe the very same person who ten years ago was accused of being a coke addict because I was so spastic and hyper and always on the go during the one summer I spent at home was the same person who just last summer pretty much did nothing. Nada. Zip. Summer is about moving and shaking I was pretty much sitting and staring. I mean sure, I had two kids two and under but enough is enough.

There is just something about the long, hot days, evening thunderstorms, smell of sunscreen, and everything that comes with summer on the east coast that makes it seem as though all the summers that came before- summers spent at CATO park, getting my first kiss, cruising the hill and KC, sweating to death during dance, majorette, and band practices, working at Cedar Point, partying endlessly in Morgantown, meeting my husband- seem like only yesterday. There is something so timeless about summer. When I’m at the pool or driving with the windows down or watching a gorgeous sunset at 9:00 p.m, I can’t be sure if I am 13 or 31.

Pretty sure I’m closer to 13. Although, the next morning I was closer to 41.

Lending itself to this notion of a timeless summer is the fact that next month I am getting together with three childhood friends to celebrate our 20 year anniversary!!! Ack! It’s been 20 years this August since I stood outside of Lincoln Junior High (now granted, this is a very old pic and we went to school there, there was no fence but it was right in front of those double doors that we met)- a school that has been gone for 18 years- and shyly introduced myself to two super cool people who I hoped would be my friends. Unfortunately, I was wrong about the cool part but I still can’t get rid of them after 20 years. We always joke that no one else will have us. We’re planning on getting together in Charlotte and spending the weekend sunbathing at the hotel in our thongs and harnessing our inner ten year olds by spending a day rocking Carowinds Amusement Park. Three of us went there together the summer of 1995 and I swear, I don’t think I have ever laughed that hard in my entire life.

Then two weeks later, I’ll be heading to NYC to see Nikki G walk down the aisle. Sigh… and to think it has been 16 summers ago that I first met her and 5 summers ago since she did the nicest thing that someone has ever done for me. Funny story about how we first met. The summer of 1991 I became friends with her brother who was a lifeguard at my pool. Her cousin flew in from New Jersey to stay with her brother while she and her parents went to New Jersey so I didn’t meet her BUT I did meet her cousin and we started a little summer fling. Nothing serious as I was still pure but we had a couple of make-out sessions after downing bottles of Boone’s Farm (Strawberry Hill, baby) and girl, I thought I was so wild. Anyhoo, apparently tongue-wrestling wasn’t wild enough of a story to tell his cousin and all his friends so he told them all that we did the DEED!!!!!!! OMG!!!!! Ok, well not exactly OMG because for one, I had no idea YET that he had told people that and two, I liked the idea of having a bad girl rep without actually having to do any bad girl deeds. So fast forward to the start of school and I am so excited to meet Nikki G and become friends with her as we were going to be in dance company together and I figured since I had already met her brother and cousin, we would be fast friends. Little did I know she thought I was the biggest slut bag EVAH and she wanted nothing to do with me. I later caught wind of my new reputation and quickly cleared the air with her that I was not a ho bag and I have been in love with her ever since.

Don’t you love a happy ending?

Wow. What a rambling resurgence into the blogosphere!

Friday, July 06, 2007

I couldn't have said it better

What an awesome post.

Thank you.




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Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Triality

Triality




This picture is inspired by this photo.

The female breast is quite functional and more often than not in the United States, is recognized and appreciated for the function on your left (my right).

Breastfeeding (especially the breastfeeding of a two year old) is often seen as gross, dirty, unnecessary, and something that gets in the way of the aforementioned man-centered function. Those things couldn't be further from the truth.

It boggles my mind to think about the double standards in our society regarding female breasts:

Big, bouncy, and out of control for a man's (or female's) pleasure? Quite all right. More than all right, in fact. Breasts can sell everything from cars to hamburgers.

Milk producing and attached to an infant and a (shock, gasp) toddler? Put those pillowcases away you crazy hippie.

The idea that breasts for sexual pleasure and breasts for breastfeeding are mutually exclusive is totally and completely wrong. Breasts are for both.

Even more than that, MY breasts are for ME.

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Mother Culture

I am so digging her work.

Check it out.




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Friday, June 22, 2007

In the news

YAY!!!!!!!

YAY for new laws but BOO that we even need laws in the first place and double BOO on the decreasing rates.

File this under "tell me something I don't already know".

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Thursday, June 21, 2007

Goose is two

I swear, I'm taking Goose turning two much harder than I ever took me turning thirty... and well, considering it didn't bother me a bit to hit the big 3-0 (I'm like fine wine, baby), one could say that the Goose turning two is hitting me pretty hard.

MY BABY IS TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

MAKE IT ALL SLOW DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whew.... now that I have THAT out of my system.

I just can't believe "my baby" and "two years old" even go together in the same sentence. I look forward to watching her grow and change and mature but for some reason- perhaps because she is the youngest... or perhaps because she it still nursing- I view her as being such a... well... baby.

Two trips around the sun does not a baby make.

Sigh.

We did have a great day today. While I worked a half day, the husband took the kiddos to the park, zoo, and McDonald's where they all had a blast. When I came home from work I meant to use the time getting ready for the Goose's second birthday party on Sunday but instead I napped in bed with the husband and the Gavinator while Goose napped in her room.

We all woke up and enjoyed a dinner at Red Robin where the kids got free ballons and a visit from the Red Robin itself (Goose fell in love with Red Robin! She hugged and kissed him and dude will not stop talking about it. As soon as she got home she picked up her fake phone and began to tell whoever was on the other end "hug, kiss, Robin. Hug, kiss, Robin". I see she's the type to kiss and tell) but no free birthday cake. I was bummed about not getting a birthday freebie so I took another balloon. Take that Red Robin!

We then went downtown and listened to some good music while the kiddos munched on Marble Slab ice cream and chased a bunch of other kids around in the green space- an awesome patch of grass in the middle of our downtown. Unfortunately, the Goose took off running on the sidewalk and crashed and burned and wound up with a giant fat lip but she recovered nicely. Some motrin and time with Boo Boo Bunny (a frozen bunny rabbit used to reduce swelling) once we got home made it all better. I was afraid it would affect her nursing to have a lip three times its usual side with a giant cut to boot but she was able to nurse without problem.

An awesome day for my awesome girl.

I'm too tired to upload pics from our day but here is my photo tribute entitled "Where This Road Takes You, My Dear". (Click to enlarge) This photo says all that I am too tired to say:

Where this road takes you, my dear

Happy Birthday, my sweet, sweet wonderful girl. Thank you, God.

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