Happy Memorial Day!

I hope your day was filled with wrinkly fingers and toes from swimming too much, BBQ’s, and spending time with your family and friends.

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And a very special thank you to all the service men and women who give up time with your own families to protect our country.  And, also, thank you to the wives and husbands of those who serve.  I’ve seen first hand how hard it is to be without your spouse for months and months at a time!  Thinking about both of my Grandpa’s today who were in WWII, my good friend Liza’s little brother Andy who is currently serving, my friend Julie’s husband who served in Iraq and is now heading to Korea, and Erin Dietrich’s husband, Scott, who missed her entire pregnancy and birth of their daughter while he was in Iraq last year.  Thank you for ALL of your sacrifices!

Fat Girl

As moms I think we can all appreciate the drastic changes our bodies went through when we were pregnant.  I have a love hate relationship with the after effects of that pregnancy.  I think the stretch marks and the way my body changed are like battle scars.  I love them because without them I wouldn’t have had Brayden.  But, I could also do without them at times.  Like during summer.  When I want to wear a bikini!

I gained over 60 pounds.  I stopped looking when I hit 60.  For my mental health it was better that I stepped on the scale backwards and just ask the nurse  to not tell me.  When I was pregnant, I was hungry ALL THE TIME.  Not like hungry.  Like, if I didn’t get food right that very second I was going to tear someones eye balls out.  Most likely that person was Chuck.  I would call him crying because I was SO hungry, but I didn’t want to eat.  Eating became such a chore.

I lost about half of the baby weight by the time I left the hospital.  With the preeclampsia that I ended up having a lot of the weight was water weight.  The rest of the weight came off in about 6 months.  Now, with running and losing a little more weight it seems like my pooch in my belly is just getting worse.  It’s just saggy skin.  It grosses me out.  And all of the running and sit-ups aren’t going to get rid of it.  I need a tummy tuck!  I asked for one for Mother’s Day.  But, obviously it’s out of the question.

I read about the scalpel free tummy tuck from Mamamio in Shape magazine and I really, really wanted to try that, but no spas around here offer it.  And the do it yourself kit is sold out.  I was in Sephora last night stocking up on moisturizer and mascara and I saw these:

Okay, I don’t really like the name of the product, but for $45 I thought maybe I should try it out.  It’s supposed to exfoliate and tighten.  I’m not sure it’s going to work, but desperate times call for desperate measures, right?  Even if it works a little bit that would be great.  I’m not holding my breath, but I figured it can’t hurt!

And I’m super excited because these came in the mail yesterday!

Aren’t they beautiful?  I’m pretty sure hot pink running shoes will make me run faster!  I had to get new running shoes after my running coach saw some issues with the way I run.  Apparently I run on the inside of my feet so I need some support that will correct that.  I get to try these babies out tomorrow morning on my 50 minute run.  My longest run yet!  I’m scared!

The May Mom*tog Nike + challenge is done and of course my friend Jamie won.  She’s training for a half marathon!  I will do the challenge again next month if enough people are interested and enough people actually run!  A lot of you seemed to give up there in the middle  Leave a comment in this post with the email address that you use for your Nike + account (I can see your email address in the comment section!  You don’t have to actually leave it in the comment!).

Happy Memorial Day weekend to everyone!

Come on, Mama

I’ve noticed over the past couple of years that when I get busy capturing memories for other families, I forget to capture memories of my own family.

I get busy.

I get tired.

I get lazy.

Sometimes picking up my camera to take a picture of B is like work.

And I hate it when taking pictures seems like work.

At that point I would rather just be in the moment and enjoy life rather than taking pictures because I feel like I should.

As my busy season is really coming into full swing I am just saying all of this out loud because I want to be held accountable for capturing memories of my boy.

Like this one.

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Brayden’s Auntie Michelle made him this Thomas the Train blanket for his second birthday.  All of a sudden he takes it with him.  Everywhere.  It’s a big, heavy blanket.  He has smaller Thomas blankets.  But he wants the one that Auntie Michelle made for him.

He runs into my office and says, “Come on, Mama.  Come on!”.  And pulls me up out of my chair.  It makes getting any work done during the day very difficult.  But, how can I say no to that face?

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I just love that little guy!

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