The Diet of a Working Mom
I'm so sick of being chubby. Truth be told, I was a little chubby before I got pregnant. I lost all the baby weight, but the weight has totally redistributed to different areas of my body. My clothes don't fit right. I don't feel all that great. I have poor eating habits that I don't want to pass on to my daughter. A few months ago, I decided that enough is enough! We switched to brown rice and wheat noodles. No junk food in the house. Egg whites and oatmeal in the morning. 72 oz of water a day! All this is great, but doesn't mean much without a workout program. Here lies the problem. Where do I find time in the day?
I could get up at 5 AM and run to the gym before my husband has to leave for work. Yeah...that's not going to happen. I could go at lunchtime. I prefer to EAT at lunchtime. I could do a workout tape at home after the kid goes to sleep. There are way too many good tv shows to watch on the DVR. So, after nixing all the previous ideas, yet realizing something still needed to be done, I agreed to carve out an hour at 5pm most evenings to work out in the gym downstairs at work. I felt really guilty at first. Isn't this time I should be spending with Court? My husband didn't care for the idea too much. His reasoning was if I was able to get off earlier from work, I should come home and help him. Frankly, I think he'll live having to be in charge for a couple of hours every day. Despite my misgivings, I gave it a try and I feel wonderful!
The weight isn't coming off as fast as I'd like but I feel so much better about myself. I go home in a much better mood and with more energy. I'm just a happier person. Now, if only I could actually stick to a diet. I'm not sure it's possible with a two-year old, unless you have perfectly proportioned meals delivered to your doorstep every day. Whenever she doesn't finish her PB&J, or popsicle, mommy eats it. She likes to feed me a little of whatever she is eating sometimes. Sometimes, we're so tired from dealing with her, that neither of us feels like cooking so we heat up a frozen pizza! I've been working out so much that I'm absolutely ravenous all the time and end up snacking every night before bed (a major diet no-no apparently). So, I ask myself this..."how does a working mom stay on a diet?" The answer is....YOU DON'T. And I won't beat myself up over it. I'll just continue to be the best version of myself I can be. After all, don't I deserve that piece of cheesecake?
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
We're baaaaack from "Cation"
We got back a week and a half ago but it took me a while to recover.
It was a great vacation but I wish I had given myself more time before going back to work. It was an exhausting endeavor. The good news is that Courtney was an angel in the car to and from Palm Springs. Thank goodness for portable DVD players. We only had to stop once each way. Thanks Dora, Wiggles, Barney and Blue's Clues!
Now, once we got there my little angel turned into a monster! She screamed at bedtime, would wake up for 2 hours in the middle of the night, wouldn't listen to me AT ALL. In short, she made me look really bad to my in-laws. By the time Casey and I left for Vegas, three days after we got to his dad's house, I was sooooo ready to leave her. I know that sounds terrible, but my nerves were shot. I gave very careful instructions to my mother-in-law on how much Tylenol and how many teething tablets to give her every night. I gave her tips on how to calm her down. I told her to prepare to wake up at 6 AM every morning. The poor woman was probably totally freaked out. So after she took careful notes, (Thanks Nancy by the way for humoring a nervous mother) we were off!
We had a great time. It didn't take me long to let go. I had convinced myself that she was going to have a blast without me and that we both needed this little break. I had know idea how true that statement was! We called the next morning at 9:30 and my little devil was STILL SLEEPING...since 8PM the previous night. The whole time we were gone, she did that. She slept 12 + hours every night without waking up and without any Tylenol and took 3 hour naps every day. Boy, was she making us look bad. Plus, Casey and I were jealous that she was soo easy. So, after a great time in Vegas, we went back to the desert to get her, eager to spend time with our new and improved daughter. FAT CHANCE!
She went right back to her old ways the first night back. Why is it that she is soo much more well behaved for her grandparents than us? Am I so easily manipulated? Well, yes.
Anyways, it's good to be home and back to the routine. She is sleeping and behaving better now that her molars are actually starting to break through. I'm enjoying her again and I am quite grateful for the break.
We've been enjoying the fall. Below are pics from the Pumpkin patch and of her helping daddy rake the leaves in the yard
She wants to be a pirate for halloween, or at least wanted to. After Casey spent $80 on a pirate costume for her AND him, she changed her mind and wants to be a bunny. How do you explain the concept of "nonrefundable" to a 2-year old? You don't!
Latest Courtneyisms:
1) "Pop, you're making my mad"..when my dad teases her
2) "Gamma, my teeth hurt, I have to brush my molars".
3) "I didn't take a very good nap today...my tired."
She tells on herself constantly. I'm glad she's honest, at least for now!
We got back a week and a half ago but it took me a while to recover.
It was a great vacation but I wish I had given myself more time before going back to work. It was an exhausting endeavor. The good news is that Courtney was an angel in the car to and from Palm Springs. Thank goodness for portable DVD players. We only had to stop once each way. Thanks Dora, Wiggles, Barney and Blue's Clues!
Now, once we got there my little angel turned into a monster! She screamed at bedtime, would wake up for 2 hours in the middle of the night, wouldn't listen to me AT ALL. In short, she made me look really bad to my in-laws. By the time Casey and I left for Vegas, three days after we got to his dad's house, I was sooooo ready to leave her. I know that sounds terrible, but my nerves were shot. I gave very careful instructions to my mother-in-law on how much Tylenol and how many teething tablets to give her every night. I gave her tips on how to calm her down. I told her to prepare to wake up at 6 AM every morning. The poor woman was probably totally freaked out. So after she took careful notes, (Thanks Nancy by the way for humoring a nervous mother) we were off!
We had a great time. It didn't take me long to let go. I had convinced myself that she was going to have a blast without me and that we both needed this little break. I had know idea how true that statement was! We called the next morning at 9:30 and my little devil was STILL SLEEPING...since 8PM the previous night. The whole time we were gone, she did that. She slept 12 + hours every night without waking up and without any Tylenol and took 3 hour naps every day. Boy, was she making us look bad. Plus, Casey and I were jealous that she was soo easy. So, after a great time in Vegas, we went back to the desert to get her, eager to spend time with our new and improved daughter. FAT CHANCE!
She went right back to her old ways the first night back. Why is it that she is soo much more well behaved for her grandparents than us? Am I so easily manipulated? Well, yes.
Anyways, it's good to be home and back to the routine. She is sleeping and behaving better now that her molars are actually starting to break through. I'm enjoying her again and I am quite grateful for the break.
We've been enjoying the fall. Below are pics from the Pumpkin patch and of her helping daddy rake the leaves in the yard
She wants to be a pirate for halloween, or at least wanted to. After Casey spent $80 on a pirate costume for her AND him, she changed her mind and wants to be a bunny. How do you explain the concept of "nonrefundable" to a 2-year old? You don't!
Latest Courtneyisms:
1) "Pop, you're making my mad"..when my dad teases her
2) "Gamma, my teeth hurt, I have to brush my molars".
3) "I didn't take a very good nap today...my tired."
She tells on herself constantly. I'm glad she's honest, at least for now!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
We're berry berry tired!
Sorry it's been so long since my last post. It's been the same old grind.
Courtney continues to assert her independence at every turn and I swear she says no to every question before she even hears the whole thing. At least now, she says "no, thank you". and Pweeese, mommy". But she's still pretty whiny. We think her 2-year molars are coming in because her sleep schedule is all jacked up. She had me spoiled the last 6 months or so, sleeping until 7:30. Now, she's getting up with the chickens at 6AM or even 5:30. I tell her "it's still dark", and she says "so what, mommy, I'm all done night-night." Can't argue with that.
We had her 2-year checkup this week. Going to the doctor is getting tricky now because she's old enough to remember that's where she goes to get shots. She wasn't very cooperative, though she impressed the doctor with her vocabulary and cognitive skills when she said, wait a minute, I'm not ready." She has the verbal skills of a 3-year old or above. She asked her what her name was and was stunned when Court replied "Courtney Rose Houtz". She's such a showoff. She weighs 27 pounds, only up 3 pounds since her 18 month checkup. She is only 33 inches which is the 25th percentile for her age. She's short like her mother. But all her baby fat is almost gone. She looks like such a little girl. It breaks my heart.
Speaking of how big she's getting, Casey and I are taking our first little vacation without her next week. We're driving down to Palm Springs on Saturday to spend a few days with his dad and then we're leaving her for 3 days with him while we go to Vegas for Casey's 30th birthday. As much as I am looking forward to this and know that she's going to have such a great time that she'll hardly miss us, I know I'm going to have a hard time. I've never been a way from her for more than 24 hours. She's my best friend, the joy of my life. Even when she's being cranky and we've had a horrible day, I go into her room at night and watch her sleep and feel so proud that we've created such a wonderful creature. But Casey and I need some adult time and I need to remember that though I am a mother first and foremost, I am also a wife, and an individual in my own right. Still...
Latest Courtneyisms:
1) my mom's dog has it's tail docked and ours don't. She told my dad very seriously the other day, "papa, Eddie's tail is broken. Put a bandaid on it".
2)"mommy, look I'm shaking my bootay!" I asked her who taught her that. "daddy". Of course!
3) Her stomach was growling one morning and she said "Oh, mommy, there's a tiger in my tummy, feed it!"
If only they could stay that innocent and naive.
Until next time...
Sorry it's been so long since my last post. It's been the same old grind.
Courtney continues to assert her independence at every turn and I swear she says no to every question before she even hears the whole thing. At least now, she says "no, thank you". and Pweeese, mommy". But she's still pretty whiny. We think her 2-year molars are coming in because her sleep schedule is all jacked up. She had me spoiled the last 6 months or so, sleeping until 7:30. Now, she's getting up with the chickens at 6AM or even 5:30. I tell her "it's still dark", and she says "so what, mommy, I'm all done night-night." Can't argue with that.
We had her 2-year checkup this week. Going to the doctor is getting tricky now because she's old enough to remember that's where she goes to get shots. She wasn't very cooperative, though she impressed the doctor with her vocabulary and cognitive skills when she said, wait a minute, I'm not ready." She has the verbal skills of a 3-year old or above. She asked her what her name was and was stunned when Court replied "Courtney Rose Houtz". She's such a showoff. She weighs 27 pounds, only up 3 pounds since her 18 month checkup. She is only 33 inches which is the 25th percentile for her age. She's short like her mother. But all her baby fat is almost gone. She looks like such a little girl. It breaks my heart.
Speaking of how big she's getting, Casey and I are taking our first little vacation without her next week. We're driving down to Palm Springs on Saturday to spend a few days with his dad and then we're leaving her for 3 days with him while we go to Vegas for Casey's 30th birthday. As much as I am looking forward to this and know that she's going to have such a great time that she'll hardly miss us, I know I'm going to have a hard time. I've never been a way from her for more than 24 hours. She's my best friend, the joy of my life. Even when she's being cranky and we've had a horrible day, I go into her room at night and watch her sleep and feel so proud that we've created such a wonderful creature. But Casey and I need some adult time and I need to remember that though I am a mother first and foremost, I am also a wife, and an individual in my own right. Still...
Latest Courtneyisms:
1) my mom's dog has it's tail docked and ours don't. She told my dad very seriously the other day, "papa, Eddie's tail is broken. Put a bandaid on it".
2)"mommy, look I'm shaking my bootay!" I asked her who taught her that. "daddy". Of course!
3) Her stomach was growling one morning and she said "Oh, mommy, there's a tiger in my tummy, feed it!"
If only they could stay that innocent and naive.
Until next time...
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