Another week 1 - Great # !!

Back on IP - and after one week of pretty much staying on track (there was a few cheats) I am back down to 181.8, a loss of -8.4lbs!! It truly is amazing, if you are ever in the need to shed a quick 5lbs IP is definitely the way to go! However.... I had a very had time over the weekend trying to stay on track, and even though I did, I did a lot of thinking about my lifestyle. I always kind of knew that I was not a salad every day type girl and I knew that IP wasn't a lifestyle change I wanted but it did help me loose the weight. So tonight when I go see my coach I think I am going to tell her that I am taking the summer off of IP. I need to figure out a healthy eating lifestyle I can do everyday. I'm thinking more along the lines of a low GI diet, with healthy carbs. My plan is not to loose (although that would be OK) over the summer but to maintain. A friend of mine was telling me about a book called "This is why your fat" by Jackie Warner, it seems like a great book and I'm considering getting it just for a few meal plan ideas.

I haven't chatted about Jacob for a while so I thought I would update you on a few things .... last night I went shopping for a few things for him that we need in our trailer. And as I walked through the "baby" department I realized there is nothing there for him anymore... I had to go to the "boys" department! It was a happy/ sad moment, my baby is no longer in that category. We are currently working very hard on potty training, he does really good IF you remember to ask him every hour or force him to go every hour. But he is not at the stage of telling me yet, which makes it hard when we have to have sitters. I feel like I have tried everything, last night he was very insistent about wearing his 'big boy' undies (which he had to wear backwards so that Lightning McQueen was on the front) and I kept trying to remind him to make sure to tell Dad when he had to go. But I guess ten minutes after I left to go shopping he peed his pants. :( Potty training has got to be the hardest thing I have gone through with him ... so far. However he is excelling in vocabulary, he speaks full sentences and is at the "why" stage. Some days I pray for 2 min of quietness, even though I know it's totally healthy to ask tons of questions at this age. He has opened up a lot and before he used to hide behind me when new kids approached him, now he goes right up to them and says "hi", I love seeing him make new friends and being able to play with complete strangers.

Jacob is 22 months!

Only 2 more short months till Jacob is 2!!! :o I can't believe it, I look back at his baby pictures and can hardly believe it is the same kid? He has changed so much and as much as I miss the baby he once was I am so happy we are past some of the harder stages. I LOVE that he can talk now and tell me what he wants and although his vocabulary isn't as good as it will be, it is enough that I can usually tell what he wants. He can now jump (finally) and he loves jumping! He can also go up and down stairs without holding on to the wall or someones hand, although he and I still prefer if he did! ;) I am sometimes amazed at the things he does, like chin ups on the bars and he will hang from them. I don't know why this surprises me, but every time I see him pull himself up and so chin ups I feel like doing a little cheer! :) He is now wearing size 3 (sometimes even a 4 - depending on the cut)! We measured him for fun yesterday and he is 34" so, assuming he grows at least another inch by his birthday (he would be 35") and you times that by two ... he should be just over 5'8" when he is an adult, slightly taller then me! He does the funniest things now and I notice he does a lot more imaginary play, where he talks to himself as he plays cars or babbles while in the bath. I took video of him yesterday, he took on a 4 foot bunny rabbit I had for Easter and got stuck between the bunnies legs, he ended up dragging the bunny across the room until he got loose then decided to hide his train in the bunnies sock!?! LOL

As for the diet .... it is going OK, I need to get more strict with myself. I haven't had a big cheat, like gone out for dinner or anything like that but I have had a few bits of Jacobs snack at night or and extra coffee during the day. I think I need to cut out my supper starch and maybe even my breakfast one? I weighed in today just to see if I was on the right track and there has been no change?? I suppose it is good that I haven't gained but the whole point of this diet was to loose!! If I want to maintain I could be eating real food? So, more strict I will be!! :)

21 Months ...

WOW - 21 Months old already!! Only 3 more months till my 'baby' turns 2!!! And lately Jacob has been miserable!!! It's so frustrating for me when he is cranky or whinny and I have absolutely no idea why!? I'm sure it's probably from teething or lack of sleep but how do you explain to a 21 month old that it's OK ... things will be OK ... if you just go to sleep!!! :(

So things that are different this month:

-- Jacobs vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds!! Even the ladies at the gym daycare have commented to me that he is more chatty.

-- Most of the things Jacob says are just one word, not too many sentences or word combos except for "I do it" or "I get it". Everything else is still just one word like: up, down, no, more, mine, mommy, daddy, house, help, puppy, woof woof, meow, uh oh, blue, ball, bus, choo choo.

-- He tries to pull his pants up now and he can zip his jacket up (with a little help).

-- He knows most of his body parts and can count to 3.

-- He seems to really like trains, puppies and books right now.

-- His eating is sometimes great and sometimes nothing at all.

-- His sleeping is getting better, there are more nights he sleeps through then before so hopefully soon he wont wake up at all?

-- PJ's with feet seem to be a issue right now ... I think his feet get too hot?

-- He still has the bottle, more then I'd like to admit! But at supper time now he gets milk in a cup and is doing very well with it.

-- He is definitely testing his limits with us (especially me) and will have a fit when I try to help him or make him do something.

This past week was very draining on me, it was like he hated me! Just everything seemed to be a challenge, lots of whining ... lots of crying! This morning he grabbed a banana and we asked if he wanted one, he acted like he did cause when we tried to put it back he had a fit so we sit down open the banana and hand it to him. He in turn runs away screaming! We figure it's cause he wants me to help him so hubby hands me the banana and I try to give it to Jacob he says "no ... mommy" and points to me. So guess what I had for breakfast!? He just wanted me to have the banana, he never wanted one. This is a small example of what my days have been like. I just can't wait till I can ask him and have him tell me that he wants me to have a banana and I can tell him no thank-you ... I really don't want a banana for breakfast!!! :(

It's almost Friday and I'm sad to say that I'm not really looking forward to it! Weekends are hard enough never mind when he is cranky and fussy! I am usually so happy when Monday roles around that I get to go to work. I think it might be a little different if I didn't feel like I had to take Jacob with me everywhere on weekends. Maybe if my hubby would take Jacob with him too where ever he has to go and I could stay home to get stuff done instead of running around visiting family and hauling Jacob in and out of the car, then I would look forward to weekends!? Maybe soon, Jacob will be able to express how he wants to spend the day with Daddy in the garage or if he wants to come with Mommy visiting, then it will be his choice and hopefully he will be happy with his choice? As much as I hate to see him grow up and as much as I miss the baby blob days I can't wait for the day he can calmly tell us what he wants!!

MARCH!! WTH??

So my question is .... WTH happened to February ?? I know it's a short month and all but wow - it seemed to fly by!! Finally I got some new pics to post (yea!!) - above is Jacob listening to my Ipod, he really likes it, we may have to get him his own soon!?

In other news, my weekend was good, busy as usual but not too bad. Friday Jacob had a sleep over at his Grandparents so we got to sleep in on Saturday - it was GREAT!! :D They offered to keep Jacob Saturday while hubby and I went out to my Dads to fix his leaky toilet and have a visit with him but I decided to pick Jacob up and bring him with us, Dad would probably rather see Jacob then us! And I thought I would go visit my girlfriend in St.Albert while out there and my Mom on the way home. But plans didn't quite work out that way, by the time we finished at my Dads he decided he wanted to take us out for lunch it was already after 1pm and Jacob hadn't napped yet. So I knew he would crash after dropping my Dad off, we drove around for a bit and unfortunately my girlfriend also had some running around to do and my Mom didn't answer her phone so we headed home, well actually we headed to Wal Mart to buy some sheets for Jacobs big boy bed!

My Dad had a spare mattress at his house that my nephew used when he had sleepovers at Papa's, he gave it to us which is great cause that saved us from buying a mattress for the upper bunk on Jacobs new bunk bed. Then his mattress that the other Grandparents bought for him was suppose to be delivered on Sunday. I still need to buy one of those safety net things and sheets so off we went shopping! :) We ended up not using the safety net thing and so far Jacob has stayed put and not fallen out of bed! It seemed like more of a hassle then anything so now I have to return it. Sunday his new mattress showed up and so now his room is pretty much done! I figure when he is about 3 we will re-do the room as a theme that he can pick. For now he is pretty excited about his new bed and loves going up the stairs to the upper bunk! I will post pics of it tomorrow.

In regards to weight loss ... what can I say .... not much is going on!? Honestly I'm just not too interested but I'm still trying to not gain. I was so confused when last week I weighed myself and saw a 3lb gain!! I hadn't even cheated... that bad? I honestly didn't understand, so on the weekend I had a bagel for breakfast and lunch with my Dad then on Monday I weighed myself again expecting to see a huge # but instead I had lost those 3lbs!!?? So.... either my scale is messed up or it was just cause TOM is here? So, technically I am back to where I was - no gain ... no loss!? I'm actually really looking forward to the challenge me and a guy at work are having, starting April 1st. I'm hoping that will motivate me and keep me on track, I really would like to kick his butt!! :)

Below are some flowers that were sent to me after my Grandpa passed away. They were all so pretty I had to take a picture and I dried some petals and stems I plan on putting in a vase so I can always remember. I still don't feel like I had closure, since there was no memorial and since he is usually always gone in the winter I still keep thinking that he is down south and will return after Easter!? I'm sure soon reality will set in and it will hurt, getting old sucks! And to think that when I was younger all I wanted to do was be an adult and have my own house and a job!? What was I thinking!?!? :P

Another month almost gone

Well, another month is almost past which means we are that much closer to spring and summer which also means we are that much closer to shorts and tank top weather. Which I'm not too excited about, I really don't want to buy new shorts and summer wear. One of the guys at work and I are going to have a competition, starting April 1st, it is like the Moms Biggest Loser challenge I was in before. We will each pitch in $25 and whoever looses the most weight based on % will win the pot!! So far there are about 5 of us that are going to put money in so the winning pot will be $125!! :) The guy I work with wants to do our first and final weigh in at work where we are both witnesses but I'm not sure about the other friends that are going to get in on it, I think it will be hard to get everyone together, we might just have to trust them!? I think it will be good for me to be in this challenge, it will give me a goal and I really want to kick his butt!! I am also hoping though that by April 1st I can start my new diet plan and that will help me stay focused on the new plan and drop weight quickly!? And we are going to be doing it for 3 months, which will be right before the summer heat wave and I've heard that it takes 3 months to change a habit so hopefully that will be enough time for me to loose at least 25lbs (which is about half way to goal) and I will have lost my cravings for carbs! ;)

In other news .... Jacobs big boy bed FINALLY arrived from where ever it had to come from, so yesterday hubby went to pick up the boxes and last night he assembled it. Jacob was soooo excited to see his new bunk bed in his room, I thought we would have a tough time getting him to go to sleep just cause he was so excited but he actually slept really good!! We are still waiting for his mattress to arrive (suppose to be Sunday) so in the meantime we just slide the twin mattress under and took the planks off the frame which actually worked out good cause then the bed frame acted as one of those safety boards (which I still have to buy) so they don't roll out of bed in the middle of the night. I can't wait till his room is complete and set up for good! I will have to go shopping this weekend to buy sheets and a safety thing for his bed and then by Monday it will be all done!! :)

Tonight I plan on going to the gym for their Sprint Class, I LOVE the trainer that teaches this class. It is so much fun, she has different levels so you don't kill yourself and not want to go back and the music she plays isn't irritating like some of the other ones. I have been pretty disappointed lately with my weigh ins and feel like I'm going to the gym, sweating a lot and not seeing any results but I know it's only because I'm not following the plan 100%. I feel like there are some days were all I can think about is having a treat or snack on something I shouldn't. It's all I can think about, I imagine it is what an addict would feel like, which I suppose I am (addicted to food). I'm hoping that a new plan will let me see the results I long to see which will encourage me to stick to the plan and therefore always seeing results!? At least we can hope!! :)

Been Busy -- 20 month update

I'm running out of pictures to post so here is a oldie, I can hardly even remember when Jacob was that small!? Funny how you forget ... time passes so fast that even when you feel like you are taking in the moment, years from now you will probably forget. It is also hard to believe that Jacob will soon be 2 and that this picture was taken a year and a half ago! Wow - has he changed!! I remember a time when I thought I had a nice quiet kid, then he became very vocal and made me very frustrated but now we are back to the kinda quiet kid that is usually a "good" boy and makes me laugh at least once a day! The things he does now are so comical and I'm sure they will get even funnier when he can really express himself. So ... now that Jacob is 20 months!!! These a few things that are different ....

1-His vocabulary is coming along so fast I can't even keep track of all the words he says. He repeats a lot of what we say now so we have to be more aware of the words we use. If he points to something and I say what it is he usually tries to repeat what I said and most times it sounds very close.

2-He still has his bottle (aka "baba") but usually only 2 times a day. I think a lot of times when he asks for his baba he is hungry and it is his way of saying "I'm hungry". But there are times when he asks for baba and we give him a snack but he still asks for baba, I think it is still something that relaxes him and sometimes you just need that glass of milk. We are slowly trying to get him off the baba but it is very hard, especially when he is often stubborn and will refuse anything but his baba. I need to remind myself of who the parent is.

3-He is now in a "big boy bed" and it has been surprisingly easy. There was about a week of him testing to see how many times he could escape but now that we shut his door he has given up on that and wont even bother trying. Although sometimes he wakes at 3am and we can hear him coming down the hallway looking for us.

4-He seems much more independent and will even let me sit for 20min to watch the news and have my morning coffee while he sits in the corner playing with his "choo choo". I never thought the day would come that I could sit and enjoy a cup of coffee while he played on his own! :) He also wants to do more things on his own, like zip up his jacket, try and put his boots on, and figure toys out.

5-I find it funny that he usually uses sounds instead of words when he talks. Like if I say we are going home to see Roxie (our dog) he will reply with "woof woof" and if he is looking for his stuffed puppy (which is one of his favorite things) he will look at me and ask "woof woof". If he sees a picture of a train he says "choo choo", if he sees a cat he says "meow meow" and if he sees a car he says "beep beep". Even though every time I show him pictures of these things I give the name of the animal and then tell him the sound it makes?!

I can't wait till he is just a little bit older and we can enjoy some of the cities activities like the Scarecrow festival and the Children's festival. We are currently taking swimming lessons, again! I was thinking of going into a Gymboree class instead of swimming but then a spot opened up and we signed up. Friends of ours are also in the class so it's nice that Jacob gets to see his friends. We also are still getting together with the Moms group every couple of months which is nice to see how the kids are growing up and interacting with each other. His new day home seems to be very good, we are quite happy with her. He seems like such a happier boy and seems to be advancing which makes me believe that she is actually helping my son learn and develop. Hopefully I can get some new photos off my camera and post some newer pics even though it is nice to see the older pictures and reflect on how things used to be.

19 Months!!

Tomorrow my "baby" will be 19 months!! That seems so close to 2yrs old that it makes me wonder ... where did the time go!? I think I forgot to do a 18 month update so I will make up for that now:

Things that are different:<br>

-Jacobs vocabulary seems to be growing in leaps and although not all his words are proper we can at least communicate and I understand what he is asking for. Some of his words are ...

** "woof, woof" = dog ** "baa baa" = bottle **"naa naa" = thank you ** "mee mee" = I want that

things he says pretty clearly --- outside, up, mommie, dadda, down, papa, juice and of course no

he is working on saying--- off, on, (they sound so similar that a lot of the time I'm not sure what he wants), and yes

I'm sure I'm forgetting some words he says and of course he can understand way more then what he can say. He really wants to jump and has now incorporated using his hands when he dances so he really rocks out!! He looks like a drummer playing air drums. He gibbers all the time and sometimes I'm certain that he believes he saying words that I should understand but have no idea ... the other night he looked me in the face and said something that sounded like juice so I asked him if he wanted some juice and he shook his head, said no and I could see he was thinking about it really hard and said the same word again. I had no idea so I told him ... I'm sorry ... I don't know what you want. It was kinda frustrating that I couldn't help him out but at the same time I was amazed that he would say the same gibber word and answer my question, it was almost like having a conversation! :) He is like a sponge, he knows how to fix his toys when they need batteries and we have to let him try to do it, he is becoming so independent and wants to do everything himself! He still has his cranky fussy moments where I have no idea what his problem is and he whines about what ever it is driving me nuts but those are slowly getting few and farther apart. He loves his blankie and puppy that seem to have magical powers to comfort him in a way that nothing else will? He gives great hugs and kisses now and will hand them out whenever he feels, usually to books and teddy bears first.

We are trying to break or cut back on his bottle intake which is very hard! We were doing pretty good until one night hubby put him to bed and just gave him his bottle so now he is back to going to bed with a bottle. He seems to be doing very well at his new day home and I feel like the lady is treating he good, he seems happy and sleep is going a little better. He can now reach the tops of the counters so we have to be more aware of what is in arms reach! His potty training has been going well, he understands when he should use it and he has pooped in the potty a hand full of times. Now we just need to push the issue a little more and I have to stay home more instead of always taking him out and about. It would be easier to train him at home and put him in waffle underwear for a few days then to take him out visiting with a diaper on.

My weight loss battle has been going fairly well, I am working really hard on the exercise. I joined a gym that has a day care and Jacob seems to be OK with going there, he doesn't like it as much as going to the day home but I can see him in the window when I do my work out and he plays with the other kids so I know he is OK but he is upset when I go get him so I know it's not his favorite place. But it's usually for only an hour so I think it's OK. On the scale I have really only lost a little over a pound but I feel better mentally and I know it will take a very long time to get the weight off so I just have to be consistent and not give up! I am still eating NS during the week but on weekends I usually have whatever hubby is having (or at least a smaller version of it). I must say I am impressed with NS now that they have changed the program back to letting Canadians order from the American site. They have added some new foods that so far are really good!! I now have a hard time picking menu every month cause I have so many favorites, it's not just ravioli and lasagna! ;) I have also been using the Wii a lot more too, when ever I can't get to the gym I go on it after Jacob is in bed and I love the new Wii Fit Plus, I tell it what parts I want to focus on and can even program a warm up and cool down then it gives me a work out, usually with different games so I like the variety and surprisingly after 30 min I am really sweating!

This weekend is a huge scrapbook retreat thing that I told my hubby I was going to, which is a first for me, but I'm really hoping to get lots done on Jacobs book. I haven't scrapped in it since his baby shower! It should be lots of fun and as long as I don't chat too much with my girlfriends I should get lots done!! I think it will also be a first that I'm will be away from Jacob for that long. Sometimes I feel guilty for taking all this time for me lately but I suppose in the long run everyone will be happier?

17 months !

Jacob is now 17 months old or almost 1 year and a half for those of you that think it's silly to count months. I know I used to be like that, I always wondered why when you asked how old a Moms child was they would respond with "21 months" - it felt like a test, to see if I could do the math! ? Either Jacob isn't doing as much "new" things every month or I'm just not seeing it cause it feels like he really isn't too much different from last month? He is still working on jumping and has actually got a little air under his feet a few times! His sleeping has improved a lot! And I think it is because of his bed, he must like a soft bed cause as soon as we put more fluffy blankets in his crib he has slept better!? His speech seems to be taking off, he is quite the little chatter bug. It was so cool that when I came home from work the other day he came to the door so I said "hi" and he replied "hi" clear as day - I can't wait to hear him talk. I chuckle to myself when he has conversations with his toys, it's so cute! Some days he seems like a picky eater and other days I can't fill his plate fast enough. He still likes yogurt, fruit (mostly strawberries right now), corn is probably his veggie of choice, hot dogs and corn dogs are usually a hit, he likes to "dip" his food now and will usually eat more if there is a "dip" (eg. gravy or ketchup) and pasta is still a food he will eat. We are slowly trying to get rid of the bottle and make him drink out of a straw cup or sippy cup but he wont drink milk out of anything but a bottle. I'm not too concerned about it right now and think that after Christmas I will concentrate on getting rid of the bottle.

I feel awful today, I think I need to go see a chiropractor!?? My hip, leg and back on the right side is hurting! And today I have a headache, not sure if it's all related but I sure don't feel good! I volunteered to do the shopping for a baby shower gift for one of the Moms in our group, I don't mind - it gives me and Jacob something to do in the evening. So this week is busy with running around collecting money from the Moms and going shopping to buy the gift. This weekend is busy (just like last weekend), Friday we have dinner with my brother for my nieces birthday, Saturday we have our last class at the zoo (mammals this week) and I'm taking the night off to go to a Christmas card workshop, then Sunday is our final swim class and maybe we will stay home Sunday afternoon so I can get some cleaning done or baking? Unless my Dad doesn't show up on Friday then I think we will have to go visit him!?

Hopefully I feel better in a couple hours, or I might have to ask to go home early!? :o

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!! LOVE YOU ((HUGS))

Things feel like they are getting better, Jacob is going back to his "normal" self and is sleeping through the night - there fore giving us some needed sleep. There is a saying that says ... "Happy Mommy = Happy baby (family)" I think it's the other way around ... Happy baby = happy Mommy = happy family! Cause when Jacob is cranky EVERYONE is cranky and now that he is happy everything seems better! :) I forgot to post for his 16 month update so here are some new things:

--- Jacob likes to talk now and there are definitely some real words coming out. We can ask him a question and he will usually answer with a "yes" or "no" (mostly yes, surprisingly). For example I'll say "do you want to go outside?" he'll say "yes"
--- Jacob says about 15-20 words like, Momma, Dadda, dog, baba, yes, no, downstairs, outside, juice, there are others but I don't remember.
--- He HAS to have bubbles in his bath now and will grab the bottle for you, try to squirt the liquid in the tub and put the bottle back.
--- He is trying to jump and will stand there lifting his heels off the ground but his toes never leave the ground.
--- He is wearing the same clothes he wore last Christmas!! They are size 12month onesies but his pj's are size 24 month!

Not much is new, I haven't talked to Dad for a while and feel kinda guilty about that but I plan on going to see him on Saturday. We also have a banquet for the race track on Sat night so Jacob will be having a sleepover at the in laws! :) Halloween is next weekend and I think Jacob will just wear the same costume as last year. The Mom's group wants to have a party for the kids in the afternoon so Jacob and I will go for a little while then after supper I think I will take Jacob to a couple neighbors. Usually my hubby does the garage up like a haunted house and the kids have fun going through it, he has fun scaring them but last year the garage was full of cars so he did it on the lawn. It wasn't as much fun, I'm not sure what he has planned this year, hopefully he does the garage again, it was so much fun!

Oh-Yeah and on the diet front .... it is a challenge, things are much harder this time with having Jacob. I am finding it hard to get my exercise in, usually Hubby works in the garage in the evening so I have Jacob and if it is cold out I'm not sure I want to take him out for a long walk!? Plus I'm not sure he will sit in the stroller for longer then a half hour!? I need to find a routine that works for us, maybe I will have to go after Jacob is in bed at 9pm?! Or get up early and go before he's awake!? Either way I'm not really excited about going at those times ... I'm usually pretty sleepy around those times!? But if I want to loose the weight I have to do my part! One of my friends was trying to sell me on this multi-vitamin called the Double X, she gave me a speal on it and it actually sounds really good and she made it make sense BUT it was pretty expensive and I wasn't' sure if it was worth it to make it work into the budget (even though there is a money back guarantee if you don't think it made a difference). So she was nice enough to give me a FREE 10 day sample, I tried it yesterday for the first time, you take 3 vitamins twice a day with a meal and it is suppose to make you feel a little more energized and not as sluggish. Well - I'm not sure if it was because Jacob finally had a decent sleep but I did feel different, more energized and not as sleepy. I felt more motivated and didn't feel like I needed an afternoon nap. The only thing I noticed that was weird was my pee was a different color!? And I think it made me drink more water but that is a positive! I will finish the 10 days and see how I feel, if it does seem to make a big difference then I can make it work in the budget.

14 months!

WOW - 14 Months already!! So, some things that are new and exciting in Jacobs world:

**He is climbing on EVERYTHING! He is our little dare devil with no fear, he has fallen A LOT, which makes me feel bad but I know it's part of life and growing.

**He likes to be naked now, diaper changing is quite the challenge! We are still using the change table but I think soon we will be doing diaper changes on the floor!

**He still wakes once during the night, usually around 4am, we change him, give him a bottle and he goes right back to sleep usually until 7:30am.

**He still really likes his fruit and veggies, tomatoes are his fave right now. Some of his other faves are - cucumbers, peaches, cauliflower, and broccoli. I have recently given him the yogurt drinks which he likes and popcorn twists are probably his favorite snack.

**He tells us more now (in his own little way), he tells us when he wants to go to bed, when he wants a snack and when he wants supper.

**He gives hugs and kisses when asked and is starting to point to things when asked where they are. eg. "where is the dog?"

**He wears size 18month - 24month/ 2yr now and has size 5 shoes!

We had a fairly busy weekend - Friday races were cancelled but MIL still took Jacob for a sleepover so I had a night off (didn't do much but it was nice). Saturday Jacob and I went to St.Albert for a car show, visited some friends and had a BBQ with my Dad. Did a little bit of gardening at my Dads and hopefully next weekend we will do more (I want to steal some of his plants and plant them at my house). Sunday Jacob and I went visiting to hubbies Grandparents and hubby was suppose to finish the floor in the basement and trim the hedge. But when I got home all that was done was half the hedge and it looked pretty sad so we chopped the whole thing down to the ground!! Yesterday my MIL got into a car accident, she seems OK? Never went to the hospital but the crash sounded bad? Another driver ran a yield sign and hit the passenger side of her car making her car flip. She was upside down when the ambulance got there? I think she will be sore today and hopefully she will go to the doctors just to make sure everything is alright!? I hate car accidents - so scary!!

I'm still doing the SlimQuick thing, it seems to be working? I don't think I am snacking as much as before or having the cravings. I went for a walk last night to the mall (which is a pretty long walk) and felt good, Jacob also fell asleep easy so he must have liked the fresh air! Hopefully I will see results, I really miss my thin self and NEED to get back into my skinny jeans!! :( I will weigh myself on Friday.

Getting ready for Aug long weekend!

Well, not much is new ... we hired a sitter, it seems to be working out pretty good. It is hubbies cousin's girlfriends son ... did you follow that!? Anyway he is in grade 11 and on summer holidays so it's only temporary, he needs a summer job and hubby really needed to get caught up in the garage!! So he comes over Mon, Tues and Wed from 7:30am till 5:30pm (long day if you ask me but he gets dropped off by his Mom on her way to work) and we agreed to pay him $50 a week. Monday was kinda rough, when I got home from work at 5pm Jacob was still sleeping from his 3pm nap!!! Which was fine, I figured he was just tucked out from a day of playing with the new sitter but when he woke he was so upset!! He wouldn't settle down, he was crying so hard I thought he might get sick!?!? I'm not sure what his problem was, part of me felt that he was telling me he was unhappy with the new situation with no Mom, no Dad or no Grandma!? I went to change his butt when he woke and was seriously pissed off that his butt was filthy from not being wiped properly after having a poo!! So his butt was a little red that night, maybe that is why he was so upset? So when the sitter came over on Tues I made sure to tell him that he didn't clean his butt very well and that I don't care if it takes 20 wipes to clean him but he must make sure that his butt is clean!! Tues was a better day, Jacob wasn't upset when I got home and everything seems to be going well! Hubby is getting caught up on his work and even getting some paperwork done! Everyone seems happier, so far so good!? I'm not sure if we will have to find someone else in Sept when school starts but if that is the case we do have one other person we could try. I guess we will see how much work hubby has by then?

This weekend we are headed to Edson for our annual Slo-Pitch tournament. I'm trying to convince my Dad to come even though it worries me a bit if he comes, the drive is long and I'm worried that too many people will ask too many questions. But it would be nice for him to get out of the house, he probably wouldn't be able to come watch any of the games cause the games might be too long for him but he could hang out with us after. If he doesn't come out then he said he would watch our dog for us (she is old and doesn't do much anymore, she is pretty easy to take care of). Either way we have to go out to St.Albert before heading to Edson, which will make for a very long drive, hopefully Jacob sleeps the whole way!? I have so much to pack for Jacob too, last year we went and Jacob was a month and a half old, I didn't pack enough warm clothes and of course it was very cold!? This year I think I will over pack but I suppose that is better then not having enough warm clothes?

Since I forgot to do a post on Jacob's 13th month I will tell you now of some new things:

-- Jacob now has 8 teeth!!

-- He is trying to run more now instead of walking and loves when you chase him!

-- He also enjoys climbing and will try to climb just about anything

-- He seems to have a no fear attitude which might bite me in the butt when he is older (I can see trips to the ER in our future)

-- His favorite foods are: carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, honeydew, strawberries, bananas, popcorn twists, cheesy's, pasta, corn dogs, and water is his drink of choice.

-- His favorite activities are: knocking over blocks and trying to put them back together, putting lids on things, putting cups together, and he loves the sandbox and wagon/cozy car rides.

-- He now wears size 18-24 month outfits and even some toddler 2 t-shirts, shoes are size 4-5 and diapers are size 4-5.

A quicky

Well, things have been going fairly good, I've been trying to go for a walk everyday and think I've only missed a day or two!? Our computer has gotten a virus and isn't working so I am using the laptop now but there are no pics of Jacob on here and I don't want to put the new pics from my camera on the laptop so hopefully hubby will fix it soon and I can post some new pics! I also am working on a digital scrapbook and have a code for a free book but it expires soon so I need to get on the main computer to finish that or I'll loose my coupon!

I'm debating to get professional pictures of Jacob for his 1yr birthday? Hubby doesn't think it's necessary but I think it is a milestone that should be acknowledged ? I think I'll get them done regardless!? He's just no fun lately, we had the birthday party with the Moms group for all of the babies (Jacob's friends) and hubby didn't even want Jacob to eat watermelon cause it was too messy?! I think he is just stressed lately, he has a lot on his plate - basement still needs to be finished (I gave him till Jacobs party on the 20th), he has lots of cars to finish (customers are waiting), fix the bathroom, the list seems to go on forever!

So the birthday party was fun, Jacob got a bath toy - a boat with some toys to go with it, its cute and he seems to like it. I am currently trying to buy and plan for his family party, today I will be sending out invites and I bought some decorations. It is going to be a big party, hubby has a big family and so far I have 40 invites so if everyone brings a guest/spouse there will be 80!!! :o

I only have 12 days before I go back to work and I'm pretty excited, hubby will be staying home with Jacob and Grandma will be helping to watch him. I'm still not sure on how hubby will be - he's not very good at changing diapers (poo ones) and I have visions of him taking Jacob outside to hose him down after his morning poo or running over to the inlaws to do it for him!

I think I'm going to make an appointment today for Jacob's first haircut!! It is getting long and I think it should be cut before his big party! Jacob is also walking now, like more then just a few steps! He walks down the hall and around the living room before reaching out for something to balance him. We went to the mall the other day and he wanted to walk so I let him, thinking he would hold my hand.... but no, he doesn't want to even do that! He just wants to walk but then he ends up taking things off the shelf and creating havoc in the store! And he still isn't 100% good and sometimes falls, of course on his face and will usually bite his lip with his sharp teeth. I feel awful when I see his blood but I'm sure that will happen lots as he grows up!

Well that's about all, he is napping now and will probably wake soon which is good cause we have Mom group today and it would be nice to feed him lunch before we go!

Weigh in challenge - 11 month update

Well, if you haven't already noticed my ticker changed .... and not the way it should be! I weighed in for my new challenge with one of the swim moms, and officially started our challenge at 202!! Grrrr, I'm so mad at myself - why do I have to be the fat kid? It always amazes me that there are women out there that can not worry about what they eat and still look amazing, what planet are they from!? I so want to be back in my skinny clothes and preferably before summer is over so I can enjoy wearing tank tops and shorts! I broke down and bought new "fat" jeans but only because the button fell off my old ones! And let me say that when that happened it didn't make me feel much better about myself! So, I am back on the wagon and not doing too terrible (I think?), except for the fact that I baked cookies today and sampled one OK three BUT I went shopping and bought all the things I need to make Beef Minestrone soup that is low calorie!! It's in the slow cooker as we speak!! :) I think things will be much easier when I go back to work, then I won't be checking out the snack cupboard every half hour.

O - I almost forgot .... Jacob is now 11 months!! Yah! The time is going faster and faster, it feels like just last week he was 10 months!? So, things that are new for him .... he now weighs 24lbs 1oz and is 29" long! His most favorite things to do during the day is learn how to walk and I'm his personal walker! He pulls himself up on things and walks around furniture and walls. He now says a few words like "Mom", "Dad", "dog", "foot" and other babble that sometimes sounds like words but these things I'm certain he knows what they are. He shakes his head no now and sometimes like to hit his head on the wall (which is apparently common). His naps are once again far and few between, lately I'm lucky if he naps for half an hour a day but then at least he goes to bed early (7ish) and doesn't wake till 6:30am the next day. Only sometimes he wakes in the middle of the night and wants a snack. Jacob will definitely be walking on his own by his birthday, which I'm very excited for!!

Speaking of birthdays, the Mom group is planning a group party and it is on the 31st! We drew names for gifts and I'm very excited for the party! I'm sure it will be tons of fun! It's neat to look at all the babies and remember them as "baby blobs" and now they are a going concern and always on the go! This weekend I have it all to myself .... no baby .... for the entire weekend!! :o I'm excited and yet worried, not worried about who is looking after him and what they will be doing but more worried about being away that long and worried that his routine might get messed up? Not that his naps are all that great right now but I'm so hoping that he sleeps good during the night for them! I'm also thinking about if I should stop in for a visit Saturday after supper (before bed) or would that make matters worse, for me and Jacob? I'm worried about how I will feel if I don't go see him and worried that if I do go see him that I will want to take him home?! I'm sure I will figure it out when the time comes.

I finished the Twilight series and LOVED them!! I think I will read them again, as soon as the person I lent the book to is finished with it! I'm a little sad with how it ended, I want more! I hope she writes more novels to continue the story, I have so many unanswered questions! ;) Anyway, that is about all that is new here, now I must go on other sites I visit while I have a chance! Have a good weekend!

week 11/12 weigh in - Jacob is 10 months!

I'm not even going to say it this time - just know that I have been thinking about all my readers and feeling bad that they have nothing new to read!

Nothing new for week 11/12 weigh in besides the fact that the "New Mom Biggest Loser" challenge is over and I feel the need to have a "cheat week", I know usually it's a "cheat day" but I think I just need to get all the snacky stuff out of my system and next week I will be back on the band wagon! It's not like I have been totally bad, me and Jacob have been going for lots of long walks now that it is nice out and we are trying to finish our basement so I am busy painting. And when I do "cheat" it's usually on something kinda healthy like popcorn or more veggies then usual, maybe a cookie. So I haven't lost a single pound in two weeks!!!! And I'm almost certain I didn't win the challenge, the moms are going for a celebration supper tomorrow night and will announce the winner. I cancelled my NS today and I must say that I'm sick of the food! There is another place that I will order some lunch/ snack bars from but I will be on my own for suppers - hopefully I can continue to loose weight, I have about 25 more pounds to loose before I fit in my pre-pregnancy clothes!!! :( It is so easy to put the weight on but takes forever to loose it!!

Jacob is now 10 months!! I know .... it went by so fast! Things that are new with him - he can now sit up on his own and pull himself up to stand. He likes to walk and of course I have to hold his hands so my days of sitting are gone forever! He still has 4 teeth but one is really close to cutting through, I haven't noticed him grinding them in a while so hopefully that is over with! I got him weighed and he is still 23lbs 10oz and 28 3/4" tall - so he only grew 1/4 of an inch but that might just be because of the way I had his head against the board. He is now refusing jarred baby food and wants to eat more on his own now. Some of his favorite foods are yogurt, strawberries, bananas, cauliflower, carrots, pasta, grilled cheese, graham crackers, and rice crackers. He doesn't really like meat and he isn't too fond of short noodles like Kraft Dinner or Lipton noodle soup. It's hard to think of new foods to give him that he can feed himself, I bought a few kids cook books hoping to get ideas but they weren't too helpful.

That's really about all that is new .... we are trying to finish the basement and busy working down there, we still see the Mom group at least once a week, I try to go for a walk at least once a day and we have lots planned for the summer months. I really want to organize a garage sale before I go back to work, I need to stain our deck, finish baby proofing and just get some spring cleaning done before I get too busy! Do you like the pic of Jacob and the Easter Bunny? I didn't even know they did pics with the Bunny!? I thought it was cute and Jacob LOVED the bunny, he kept waving to him and didn't want to go - it was cute! :)

week 8/ 9 weigh in .... Jacob is 9 months!

I feel like it has been forever since I wrote here last but I"m sure you are getting sick of me saying that!? It just seems like the older Jacob is getting the harder it is to get on the computer. He has decided that he only needs one nap a day which is kinda nice cause it is usually about an hour and half long but that means that I only have a short amount of time to clean house, do laundry and sometimes he naps when I'm out and a bout so it feels like I don't even get a break! Since we are on the topic of Jacob I may as well tell you what is new with him .... he now has 4 teeth!! Which he likes to grind! yes, grind - it is like hearing nails on a chalk board! But I suppose it is better then the squealing stage ? We only have two more classes of swimming left and then we are done till the fall, all the pool offers now is evening and weekend classes but we may drop in once and a while for something to do. O - I almost forgot .... we went for his 9 month doctor appointment to the new doctor that I was excited to meet, she was nice. We kinda got a lecture about getting him off his midnight feeding (which happens to be a new thing he likes doing so I really wasn't too concerned about it-and I'm still not really concerned about). He now weighs 23lbs 10oz!!! :o and is 28 1/2" long. I got to ask all the questions I had concerns about and she reassured me that everything is OK and he seems really healthy. We go back in 6 months for his 15 month check up. He still is not crawling but trying really hard and almost is doing the army crawl. He likes to stand and if we move his legs like he is walking he usually laughs his head off, not too sure why it's funny but he seems to think it is!? I think that is all for Jacob news!?

So I never posted my weigh in last week cause honestly there wasn't much to post ... I only lost -0.4lbs, a trend that I am seeing more of now!? My motivation was going quickly down hill and I am please to say that this week my weight loss has picked up my spirits a bit, with a -2.2lb loss!! Yeah! I think there is only 3 weeks left in the "New Mom Biggest Loser" contest and these are my stats so far:

Week 1 = -4.2lbs

week 2 = -2.4lbs

week 3 = +0.4lbs

week 4 = -1.2lbs

week 5 = -3.4lbs

week 6 = -0.4lbs

week 7 = -1.6lbs

week 8 = -0.4lbs

week 9 = -2.2lbs

I still don't think I have done enough to win but I'm pleased with how much I have lost! I am now officially back in Onederland! Where I was after having Jacob and before getting my gallbladder out! I sometimes get mad at myself for binging after my surgery cause I would be that much closer to my pre-pregnancy weight but it sure was fun! I have three more months before I go back to work and I would like to loose about 25 more pounds, which I think is totally do able!? That is really only 2lbs a week and with spring coming I'm hoping to get out more and walk more so I think that will help!?

Well - I should go now, this post is getting long and I have other things to check now that I am on the computer! ;) Hopefully I can post again soon!!

week 6 weigh in

It's almost week 7 weigh in and I am just posting my week 6 weigh in!! gesh ... I gotta get on this blog more often!! Well, I probably haven't posted the weigh in yet cause it really wasn't that exciting and I don't expect good things tomorrow either! For my week 6 weigh in I only lost -0.4lbs !! Not good - and yesterday we had went to a friends house for supper (Mexican themed, so that means tacos, chips and salsa!) and of course I over indulged and even had cheesecake for dessert! I REALLY need to exercise more and wish it was nice out so I could take Jacob for walks but instead I drive to "the mall" and make laps! But the mall is so far away and the roads are crap but at least I can walk 3.5km in about a half hour and get a good walk in (plus do a little shopping). Today I HAVE to go and hopefully get at least two laps in maybe even three if Jacob doesn't get cranky! Right now he is napping so I'm just waiting for him to wake then off we go! I really want to win the New Moms Biggest Loser challenge but I don't think I will, the competition is tougher then I thought and this weight isn't coming off as fast as I thought it would (with the help of NS).

Speaking of NS .... I think I will place one more order of NS and that will be it for me, I'm not really happy with their new Canadian selections and half the time I don't get what I want anyway! I noticed that in the US they can order the "new NS" that offers frozen items that look so yummy, I wish they were available to Canadians too!

Some things that are new with Jacob ..... his top teeth have poked through and his new thing is grinding his teeth! Drives me batty ... it's like nails on a chalk board, apparently it's common though for babies to do it? He LOVES to stand now and will even lock his knees so you can't sit him down. He has eaten just about everything under the rainbow and has yet to reject any of it or get a reaction from it! Although he is less interested in his bottle now, which is good I guess - eventually he will have to loose the bottle all together!? In two weeks we go see his new doctor (an actually pediatrician) I'm really looking forward to meeting this doctor and asking some questions! That's about all I think? Hopefully spring will be here soon and we can spend more time outside, and I'm sure before I know it I will be planning Jacob's 1st birthday!! :o

Weigh in day

It feels like forever since my last post! I may have to go back and read it just so I don't tell you stuff I already wrote about! ;) But I don't have time for that so hopefully I don't repeat myself too much!

Week 2 weigh in = -2.4lbs (1.14%)<P>

Now you might think that this is great and I kinda do too but the other Moms are a lot more competitive then I thought and lost much more % then I did! So I'm thinking I need to step up my game a little and I think I need to work out more or at least go for more walks! Maybe I will be lucky and they will loose their drive and in 2 months they will be at a stand still? I really want to win the pot, I think I can do it, I have more weight to loose then most of them which kinda gives me an advantage cause the less you have to loose the harder it is!

We are still swimming, I think we have 2 more weeks left? I really enjoy it and this time around I am dunking Jacob more and getting him more used to having water in his face. It still bugs him but he is getting better. We had Mom group today and I must say I really enjoy meeting with them but sometimes I feel disconnected. I missed out on a wine party they had and it seems like lots happened at it and now they talk about things I have no idea about? Some Moms seem to be making friends with each other and doing more things besides the weekly visits (like talk on the phone and go for walks) but no one calls me? I wonder if I need to be a little more assertive?

Well - I can't think of much more, I started on Jacob's scrapbook a few months ago then stopped and now I need to get back on it so I can have my kitchen table back! We will be needing it soon with Jacob eating solid foods now! I posted a pic of him having toast, he seems to really like toast. I am trying to give him more finger foods that he can feed himself like cut up banana, cooked veggies and toast.

O - and one new milestone, Jacob is starting to wave "hi" and "bye" - it's so cute! He still only has two teeth, he is still trying to work on rolling from back to tummy but I think the jumper has improved his leg strength and now he stands for a little while. Some of the Moms think it is a big deal that he is feeding himself toast but I don't really consider that a milestone, everything goes in his mouth!? He babbles instead of cooing now and sometimes I almost think he is saying real words like "mom", "dada", and "hi" but I don't know if they are real words or just babble that sounds like those words!?

7 months old!

Well Jacob is 7 months old today and it feels like he is a completely different kid from the day he was born. He is so entertaining already and usually makes me chuckle at least once a day. He now has both his bottom teeth (although you can see the one way more then the other, it is still coming through). He is rolling over very well from tummy to back but he still hasn't mastered from back to tummy (although he can twist to the point where he should roll but just doesn't give that extra push). I got him weighed and measured today and he is 22lbs and 27" long, his weight gain has slowed quite a bit - before he was gaining about 2lbs every month but this month he gained less then one pound (15oz). His naps are still not the greatest and for a while there he started waking in the middle of the night but for the most part he sleeps very well at night time and usually has 3 naps a day (half hour each time). Speaking of which .... he has just woke from his afternoon nap. So I should go, the only other thing I wanted to post about was that I got my NS order yesterday so starting Monday I am weighing in and getting serious. The New Mom group wants to do a "Biggest Mom Loser" type competition, basically everyone puts in $20 and in 3 months the one that lost the most body % will win the pot. I'll try to talk more about it next time ... gotta go - the birthday boy is calling!! he he ;)

a quick post

Just a quick post today, not that I have much to say but I am going to do it in point form.

**Below are a few pics of the bumps/ rash Jacob had that I went to the ER about, the ones on his tummy were taken a few days after I noticed them so it is a little hard to see them but they were as red as the one on his foot. I probably wouldn't have thought much of it but they were so sporadic and it wasn't like a rash but more like little bug bites. Anyway I guess they are harmless and I haven't seen anymore show up so I guess it's no big deal? And now that I look at the pictures they don't seem so bad, maybe I over reacted?

**Jacob has one tooth that has poked through (happened over Christmas) and I can honestly say that I did not enjoy the experience and I am not really looking forward to the other 19 that still need to come out! It was horrible - the runs, more spit up/ throw up, cranky, more emotional then normal and cheeks as red as a sunburn (both cheeks, face and bum - hehe)

**Jacob is now rolling over very well from tummy to back and is very close to going the other way too. It's cute, after he rolls over he gets all excited and kicks his legs. I will have to post the video clip I recorded next time I blog.

**I ordered my first NS shipment today! It's official, my diet has begone! Hopefully it won't take me too long to shed the weight and hopefully I can still stomach NS!? I really want to get healthy and my "fat" jeans are really uncomfortable which makes me realize that I need to do something now! I'm just not happy with myself, I'm hoping that when I get my shipment it will give me the motivation to get thin!

**I got a new stove for Christmas, kind of a gift from my hubby - I love it and now all my appliances are stainless steel! I also love my new camera, the pictures are so much clearer now and I can do more fun things to the pictures. I can't wait to get my first set of pics developed so I can see how much clearer they really are.

**Jacob has been waking up in the middle of the night again and I'm not too sure why!? Usually around 3am and he won't go back to sleep until we feed him so I'm thinking that he isn't eating enough during the day now that we are partially on real food now? I am trying to give him a breakfast and supper (slowly introducing new foods) and I find that the supper meal is the hardest one for me to give him. We just seem so rushed at night time with having to cook supper for hubby and giving Jacob a bath the time just flys by!?

6 month shots

Jacob had his 6 month shots on Friday! I can't believe he is already (almost) 6 months old!! That means I am half way through my mat leave and will soon be going back to work! It has flown by and I wish I could slow the clock down a bit cause it seems to be going by so fast that I won't remember all the little things.

Some new things .... Jacob is sitting pretty good by himself, he will sometimes fall backwards still so I have to watch or put pillows around him but he is doing pretty good! He rolled over for the first time last week (from tummy to back) but hasn't done it since so I think he is still working on that one! We are going to have to start him on cereal soon, even though he seems to be thriving off milk he needs to know that there is more to life then milk! We got him weighed when he had his shots and he was just over 21lbs and he is now 26 and a half inches long!! He has consistently been gaining 2lbs every month and he grew a lot in length this month! Still no teeth but he is drooling like crazy so we go through about 3-4 bibs a day! Not too much else is new - we have been pretty busy lately with my different mom groups (going for coffee and having people over), we signed up for swimming that starts in the new year and I will also probably be signing up for Strollersize in the new year. Christmas is almost here and you would think that I would be pretty excited about it but I'm actually feeling a little sad about the whole event. I feel like we are broke or at least on a tight budget, we probably won't be buying gifts for each other or for anyone else. We have only bought gifts for the kids this year so when everyone gives us gifts and we have nothing in return I feel like a bum. I wish we would just stop giving gifts to the adults in the family and only concentrate on the kids - not only are we getting too old for a commercialized holiday but it's really hard to buy things for someone that has everything or no hobbies. I usually say the same thing every year and every year turns out great but I guess I just wish that Christmas was more about celebrating with family and being thankful for what you have then being with family and celebrating what you want!?

O- and the pic above is a pic of the three of us around the same age, hubby is on the far left, Jacob in the middle and I'm on the right. The more I look at the pic the more I think Jacob looks like me but has hubbies round face? What do you think ?