I'm in a New Relationship...

...with FOOD! Two pregnancies over the course of three years has definitely taken it's toll on my body. It was time to make a change. And not just for the purpose of losing weight, but even more importantly for my health's sake. I know most Mom's would agree having small children can be physically draining. And it's hard to maintain lasting stamina when you're grabbing a bag of chips here and a coke there. I had gotten into the terrible habit of snacking throughout the day instead of eating healthy meals. And my body was paying the consequences. No matter how much coffee I pumped into my body, I still felt tired and weak all the time. 

Now don't get me wrong, the fact that I have some cute pants in my closet that I can't button is also part of the motivation to make a change. It's no secret that I have more than a couple of pounds to shed to get back into those.

Can I just mention here that I hate the word diet? It's like anytime someone mentions the "D" word I wanna run to the nearest bag of chips and devour the whole thing. Maybe it's my personality or maybe it's just human nature, but if you tell me I can't, that's what I want. Lord, have mercy!

So a few of my friends have been on the Weight Watchers diet, and I've seen some great results. And what I kept hearing was, "You can eat whatever you want, you just have to watch your portions." Ok. Nothing is off-limits. Sounds doable, right? So last Thursday Kevin agreed to keep the boys so that I could try out a local Weight Watchers meeting. And can I tell ya'? I absolutely loved it. The speaker was so motivational and encouraging. I left the meeting all pumped up and ready to start. Do I realize this excitement may not last forever? Yes, I do. But week 1 has been great! Haha! 

I'm blogging about this in part to possibly inspire others, but for the most part to keep myself accountable. It's my goal to write about my progress in the weeks to come, but no promises about how often those posts will be. Did I mention I have 2 small children?

Anyway, so far so good. This week has mostly been a learning week. I spent way too much time at the grocery store yesterday with my calculator figuring out points, but it was (and will be) well-worth it. (Thanks, Mom, for watching the babes!) 

And just to show you that eating healthy doesn't have to be boring, here are some of our dinners this past week:

1. Delish Turkey Burgers

2. Yummy Asian style meal:

 

One thing that I'm really lovin' about Weight Watchers is that I can do everything from my phone (track points, calculate points, find recipes, etc.). It makes it so easy for me. Instead of having to write everything down or keep track of numerous calculators and guides and books, I just have to pull out my phone and everything is there. I would definitely say that it's "Mom-friendly."

 

So, anyway, food and I are in a new relationship, and I'm already reaping the benefits! Hoping the relationship lasts!

Dear Liam

Dear Liam, you are 4.5 months old already! Mama hasn't been as good at sharing updates on your growth, but that's mainly due to the fact that you and your brother keep me very busy during the day. Nonetheless, you are definitely growing! At a recent doctor's visit we found out that you're over 16 lbs! I'm totally in love with your chubbiness. Your cheeks are the most kissable cheeks I've ever laid my lips on and your little thighs are perfect for pinching.  (I know you'll blush reading this one day, but I can't help myself.) About a month ago you started flipping and you haven't stopped since. You enjoy playing on your mat and pulling at toys. You are especially into putting things into your mouth. I call you my little puppy dog because of your current passion for chewing. I figured out why today when you popped your first tooth!

The other day I caught you with your knees tucked under your tummy and you were scooting toward your toys. Take all the time you need to practice. Mama knows she will have her hands full when you really take flight. 

As far as eating, you're a pro, but when it comes to sleeping, we've had our issues. You did however sleep through the night for the first time last night, which was just heavenly for your Mama! I'm thinking that tooth was keeping you awake. Hopefully we can both get a little more rest now.

You LOVE your big brother and always have a huge smile for him. I just know you two will be inseparable in a few years. You love your Mama and Papa to. And we love you, precious baby. It is our joy to love on you and care for you. You have brought indescribable joy to our family, and we look forward to watching you grow.

Mimi's Birthday

How do you know you have the best Mimi in the world? Of all the things she could be doing, she chooses to spend the day with you on her birthday!

Happy Birthday, Mimi!

We enjoyed having my Mom and Aunt Faith over today. It was my Mom's weekly Tuesday visit, and it also happened to be her birthday! Silas and I picked out some roses for her last night and made her a lemon drop cake (Pinterest scores again! :) Silas also picked out a balloon for his Mimi, but as she was leaving he decided that he would watch the balloon at his house instead of Mimi taking it to her house. We would have loved to get Liam in the birthday pictures, but he was napping at the time. Maybe next year.

We hope you enjoyed your day, Mimi! We love you!

An Earnest Commitment

Today was a special day for our family. My Dad preformed Liam's baby dedication at our church this morning. We were a part of a small ceremony in which Kevin and I publicly expressed our desire to dedicate ourselves to bringing Liam up in the Lord. We made an earnest commitment to provide Liam with a Christian home and to raise him in the truth of the Lord Jesus' instruction, with the hopes that one day he will trust in the Lord Jesus himself. All grandparents were present, as well as other extended family members.

 As I reflect on the ceremony, I am reminded that apart from Christ I will fail miserably as a Mom. It is impossible to uphold such a commitment in my own strength. I have tried many days and fallen flat on my face. The ceremony this morning was a call to raise the bar in my own life. To let Christ be first. To put aside the weights that entangle me and to run with endurance the race that is set before me (Hebrews 12:1).  

Endurance. Such a fitting word for a believer, as well as a mother. We endure hardships. But we continue despite fatigue, stress, and other unfavorable conditions. But I don't think it's necessarily the continuing that's the hard part. I think the hard part is continuing with joy. Continuing with peace. Continuing with patience. Continuing with kindness. Continuing with goodness. Continuing with faithfulness. Continuing with gentleness. Continuing with self-control. 

That's why I need Jesus. Most days those words aren't the words that I use to describe my days. I want them to be, but I can't attain that in my own strength. I am desperate for Jesus. And today was a wonderful reminder that the days of early motherhood were never meant to be lived in a mother's own strength. They were meant to be the days in which young mothers fall into the arms of Jesus and learn to rely on Him with the exact same dependance that precious babies have for their mothers. Liam depends on me for his life. And I depend on Jesus for mine. 

An Interview with Silas (Video Included!)

I think I mentioned it a couple of posts ago, but in case you missed it, Silas turned 2.5 on August 20th. Three is right around the corner, and I'm trying to soak up all the "two" that I can. I wanted to do a little update just to have record of what Silas was up to at 2.5.

First of all, I've noticed a remarkable difference in the way he plays. His favorite toys are his little plastic figures. It doesn't matter if they're McDonald's toys or little people or animals, he loves making his figures talk back and forth to each other. It's so fun to listen to him play. His attention span is getting longer, and he is able to play independently for long periods of time.

Silas loves going places with me. Even if Kevin is home, Silas prefers running errands with me. He especially loves going grocery shopping with me and helping me put things in the buggy.

My favorite time with Silas is our before-bedtime routine. Silas and I lay in my bed until he falls asleep and then when Kevin is ready for bed he transfers Silas to his own bed. This is really the only time Silas allows me to snuggle with him. He gets so close to me and we whisper and giggle together to wind down. It's such a sweet time. Not many nights ago I found myself wiping tears away after Silas fell asleep in my arms. He's growing so fast, and I know these precious moments won't last forever.

Every morning Silas wakes up and runs in the living room to love on his brother. He loves Liam so much. It's fun to see them interacting more now. Liam always gives Silas a big morning smile. I can already see a beautiful friendship forming.

Silas loves music and singing. He loves helping me in the kitchen, but he's quite the picky eater. He loves being with his friends. I'm pretty sure I have an extrovert on my hands because he's just so energized when he's around people. He also loves washing his hands in the sink, something he can do on his own now that he has a stool in the bathroom. He loves being independent and doing EVERYTHING himself (or at least trying to do everything himself!)

I did a little impromptu interview with the little guy this afternoon. Watch and you'll discover some more of his favorite things...

Post-Vacation Fog

The day after we got home from vacation I mentioned on Facebook that I felt like I was in a post-vacation fog. Well it's our third day home, and I'm still a bit foggy. I keep having to remind myself what day of the week it is and what exactly I should be doing. All I've really managed to do is unpack some bags, keep everyone clean and fed, and clean the kitchen. I did start a load of laundry a few minutes ago- one that was long overdue.

In some ways it feels like the postpartum fog- on a smaller scale, of course. So much goes into preparing for a vacation with little ones. And then the time comes to actually take the trip, and you work so hard to make it successful. And it may, like ours did, turn out wonderfully! But then you get home and it hits you like a ton of bricks. You realize just how hard you worked, just how exhausted you are. Don't get me wrong, I loved our vacation. I'm just saying it feels sort of like I was on this high until the last bag was removed from the car. All then all I could think was "It's over. We did it. Now what? How do I transition back into real life?"

Transitions have always been difficult for me, on both the large scale and the small scale. I guess it's just my personality. It doesn't take much to throw a wrench in my spokes and throw me off course. I admire those women who seem to be able to "jump back in feet first," but that's just not me. I read a quote by Tim Allen recently that said, "I hate getting into the shower but I hate getting out." That's me. Not a fan of change. That's why routines are so important in our family. Although it takes me/us a little while to get back on track, having routines already in place at least gives us a starting point. It's like I'm able to put my mind on auto-pilot until I feel revived enough to actually put it back to work again!

Along those same lines, other things that I've found helpful in times of transition, both big and small include:

• Letting my husband know exactly how I feel. It helps to acknowledge my feelings to Kevin, not only to prepare him for a few "slower" days ahead, but also to get some encouragement from him in return. He is always faithful to remind me that nothing NEEDS to be done right now (except basic care for myself and the boys, of course). He reminds me to slow down and rest. He knows me well, and he reminds me to take the undue pressure off of myself. Have I mentioned that I love my husband? Thanks, Babe.
• Take extra down time for a few days to revive myself spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically before getting into the real swing of things. For me this means sitting on the couch with my Bible and devotional book and catching up on the quiet times I missed while on vacation. It means reading books, blogs, magazines that inspire me as a homemaker and get me motivated to start up again. It means taking extra time to snuggle with the boys instead of trying to get all the clothes washed and surfaces dusted and toys in their places. It means lingering in a hot bath and sleeping in a little later than usual. It means rest and recuperation. 
• Allow a few exceptions until "normal life" resumes. Every family has certain "rules" that they try to enforce (eating together as a family, no food in the living room, bedtime at 9pm, etc.). Sometimes in times of transition it helps to make exceptions to the rules- nothing life-threatening, of course. I realize that not everyone would agree with this, but for us it makes things easier until we have the energy to enforce the rules again. Please don't think I'm talking about things like obedience, discipline, respecting one another, etc. I'm basically talking about those things that are not right or wrong- family preferences. I don't think little "breaks" from the norm will destroy well-established family rules. It's sort of like having icecream for dinner every now and then.. hehe.

In case you haven't picked up on it, writing is one of the things that helps me to gain some mental function back. It's one of the reasons why I keep a blog and why I'm writing this post right now instead of vacuuming the living room rug. Writing is like a little medicine for my mind so I'm allowing a little extra time for it today.

What about you? What helps you through transitions? Is your personality different than mine? Do you thrive in times of transition? I'd be interested to know.

August At Our House

Is August really over?  It sure did fly! As I'm sitting here trying to think of a theme for the month, all that comes to mind is HOT.. haha. We spent most of our time indoors, unfortunately.

Silas did enjoy being outside with his Papa on grass cuttin' days. I love the picture below. It looks like they're flying on the lawn mower. Also, Silas has his hands over his ears. He keeps his ears covered the whole time. Silly boy.

Meanwhile, back in the AC, I spent most of this month tackling PAPER. Of all the organizational tasks I've had to face since moving, I think this one was the most time consuming! I had TONS of filing, shredding, sorting, etc. to catch up on. 

Little by little I went through all of my magazines and pulled out the stuff that inspired me (recipes, pictures, articles, etc.).

Then I divided all the paper in our house into categories to make filing easier. By the way, anyone else hate paper? I'm trying to figure out a filing system that works for me, but I've yet to discover it. One of my upcoming projects is to create some sort of "inbox" to sort all of the paper that enters our home. The receipts alone are overwhelming! Any advice?

Aside from drowning in piles of paper, I also looked after these precious boys. They're a full time job, but an absolute joy to love on everyday. And just for the record, Liam turned 4 months on the 29th! It's so hard to believe how fast he's growing! And Silas made 2 1/2 on the 20th! The saying is so true, "The days are long, but the years are short."

One of this month's highlights was our return to story time at the library. A couple of Tuesdays ago I was desperate to get out of the house, so I decided to brave the great unknown and take both boys to story time during Liam's normal nap time. Thankfully, it went really well. Liam slept through most of it, and Silas really enjoyed singing all of his favorite songs with Mrs. Ranada. We'll definitely try to make this a part of our weekly schedule again.

But the real highlight of the month was our family vacation to Destin, FL. It was our first trip as a family of four. Kevin and I both needed/wanted to go on a little getaway, so when some sweet friends invited us to share a condo with them for a few days, we jumped on the offer. The best part about the trip was being with a couple of families that had kids around the same ages as our kids. It was nice to be able to relate to one another as parents. And, of course, Silas loved being with his friends--except he doesn't call them his friends, he calls them his "kids." Haha! Click on the picture below to see the whole family vacation picture album.

So aside from the intense heat, August turned out to be a great month. And although September is being ushered in by loads of rain, we're glad to see her arrive. We're hoping that the rain brings some relief from the heat and the opportunity to enjoy more of our backyard!

Until next time,