Christmas

Is over! While I have enjoyed everything that comes along with the Holidays, I am glad that it is officially over. Got everything I wanted, I think I gave some good presents to my babyface and Max. This little girl got so much stuff! I have to go buy a new bookcase/piece of furniture to put all of her new stuff on. I know it's going to be a totally different scenario next Christmas. She's going to be running around and it's gonna be super fun!

In other news....Weight Watchers was put on hold these past few "weigh-in's". Of course, I am still weighing myself to make sure I don't go too crazy and gain all that I've lost back. Good so far. I am excited about starting the new year with a new plan for losing weight. Well, I guess it's not really a new plan...just a more motivated and productive plan. I am beyond ready to lose the baby weight.

Thanks to everyone who came to the Christmas party at the house. It was a blast! I will be posting pics in a few days. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and I look forward to 2009 with all of you!

Weigh-In #3

So, I tried to stay on track all week, which I think I pretty much did. I got back to the gym, which was a nice change. Got to go three times this week. Saturday I was pretty good, even though the weekends are usually our pifall. Sunday, we kind of got excited about the Steelers game and snacked. I don't think we totally overdid it, but there was no keeping track of our points yesterday!

This morning, official weigh in: 153, maybe 153.5. 2 pounds, pretty good. I wanted to try to get down to at least 150, but it didn't happen.

This week is going to be difficult! Wednesday (my birthday! whoo!) is my office holiday party. There will be alcohol, bowling and Italian food! I know I will have a few vodka tonics, which isn't too horrible. Red wine will be had at dinner, which is at least 2 points per glass. I don't intend to go over 2 glasses, but pair that with the Italian food I will have, then I will definitely be over my points. At least we are doing something somewhat physical in bowling, so that's a plus. Friday, Max and I are going to Max's Wine Dive for my birthday dinner. Let me just say...looking at the menu is going to push me above my points for the day. I'm still deciding whether or not to have a little brunch/lunch get together on Saturday or Sunday, and if I do, then I'm sure there will be some overage again! I will try my hardest to stay healthy and below the quota on the non-event days. Planning on hitting up the gym today, tomorrow and Thursday. Hopefully I can just maintain, and not gain anything this week. Really not counting on losing anything.

Here's to the Holidays, Cheers!

Weigh-In #2

I forgot to log this on Monday, my official weigh in day. Monday morning I weighed in at 155. Lost another pound. Pretty good considering it was Thanksgiving and I pretty much didn't stay within my points all week, and weekend. I still watched what I was eating, but I know I pretty much went over my allotted points every day. So, I'm proud that I lost that one pound! I have been on track this week, though. I hit the gym last night and did the Step class. It's been a while since I did step, and it felt like the first time all over again. I was all over the place! But, it felt good to work out again and today I feel great. Just the right amount of soreness. I plan on going tonight to do the weight training class. That class is always nice. Makes my arms feel good.

Max bought a medicine ball and a sand bag yesterday. If you've never worked out with a medicine ball before, it is SO hard! I think it's only 15 pounds, but wow. We passed it to each other a few times and those few times really worked. I'm sure Max will enjoy working out with that!

I can't help but weigh myself every morning...and this week is going great so far! I won't disclose my current weigh-in just yet, but I hope it goes lower by next Monday. Whoo-hoo!

Is this normal?

Okay, I need to know if Lola being consistently sick since she's began day care is normal. She started day care on October 15th, and by Halloween she had her first cold. It seems that ever since, she has been sick. She had bronchitis 2 weeks ago, and again, she has a fever and a cold. I know it's a given that once your baby starts day care and is around other babies and other adults that she will contract some illnesses. But, seriously? This often? We can't fucking miss work every time she's sick and the fact that she's getting it from the place we pay almost 1 grand a month for her to attend only 5 hours a day is ridiculous.

I think it is time we begin searching for a part-time nanny...again. I can't stand for her to feel so miserable ALL OF THE TIME. I hate seeing her that way. So, if anyone knows of anyone looking for part-time morning work, who is a non-smoker, DEPENDABLE and able to work from about 9:00 - 1:00 Mon- Fri, tell them to contact me or give me their information. It's an easy job, really. 5 hours a day, of which she will probably sleep 3 of those hours! Seriously, if anyone is interested, let me know.

I'm tired of my baby being a sick-head.

Whoops...

So, I forgot to post my weigh-in #1 on Monday. The trip to Arkansas contributed a bunch of junk food eating, so the WW was blatantly blown off. Did good on Friday on the drive there, but they know my favorite food is cornbread, so I had some cornbread upon our arrival on Friday. Saturday was just an all out pig-fest, with snacking all day on cheeses, crackers, etc. Add in Saturday evening and all of the traditional Thanksgiving eats...Whoa. WW points consumed? Probably about 40. Okay, maybe not that much, but it was a lot. Granted I didn't actually eat tons of food, but I did have two helpings of pie!! hehe...what can I say? Max and my Aunt made two homemade pies! I love pecan pie. Sheesh. Sunday, I was alright.

So, all in all, I didn't do too bad. My official weigh-in on Monday morning was 156! Whoo! Lost one whole pound. Congrats to moi! Wish I could have done better, but at least I didn't gain anything. This week I kind of lost focus, too. But, I think I'm still on track for the most part. We shall see come Monday morning.

Happy Turkey Day!

Arkansas

Our trip was very good. We left on Friday afternoon and arrived in Little Rock at about 11:15. Lola did okay on the way there. She was hating the car seat after about the 7th hour, but luckily car rides put her to sleep, so she had some good sleep on the way there. It was freezing when we arrived, about 28 degrees! Of course, my stepmom made me some cornbread for our arrival, my fave! They held and cooed over Lola for about half an hour and then we had to get to bed, we were exhausted. We brought Lola's little travel bed and placed it on the floor right beside our bed. I guess with the bed being on the floor and the fact that it was cold, made the little one angry! She wasn't having any of it, so (poor me), had to sleep with her! She was so tired. She layed on her side using my arm as a pillow all night. I barely got any sleep, though. Between Max snoring and worrying about her, it was quite difficult. Saturday, we went shopping for a little bit. Got groceries for later that day and had quite a laugh. While we were checking out, the bagger - an older lady who didn't seem to have all the needles in the haystack began talking to me. I was standing at the end, with Max in the middle and Kala, my stepmom at the little check writing area of the checkout. So, this lady asks, "These must be your parents." And at first, I guess I didn't really understand what she said, so I just nodded and smiled. And then she says, "That's so sweet....are you the only one?" At that point, I realized what she had said and I laughed and Max looked at me and asked why I was laughing and she repeated "I asked her if she was your only kid." Then Max put his arm around me because he still didn't hear what she said, and then she was like, "OH MY GOD! OH NO! I'M SORRY!" And she was terribly embarrassed. It was awesome. We had to tell my stepmom when we got out of the store. So, basically this cuckoo bird thought Max and my stepmom were my parents. What tha? I know I don't look that young, and they don't look that old! Geez. It was a good laugh, though. Good times.
So, we spent the rest of the day cooking and playing Wii and talking and stuff. My Aunt and Uncle came over to see Lola and to have dinner. We had a really good time. My step-sister looooves Max. He showed her how to cook some stuff and she really enjoyed that.

I'm really glad I was finally able to get over my animosity towards my father. Thinking about it now, I just don't see that it was ever worth being so angry for so long. Sure, I was hurt and had a hard time growing up because of everything that happened, but it's so much easier not being so angry. I guess it came about when I was pregnant and realizing that being a parent at 28 is hard enough, but being a parent when you're young(er) and really not ready for all of the responsibility has its consequences. We never know the whole story, only bits and pieces. Mistakes were made, but you can't change the past and you can only grow and learn from it. I'm not angry anymore. It feels really good. Life is too short to continually blame others for your pain and there comes a time when one has to come to terms to things past and move on. I'm glad I finally found that place. I guess I just realized that I don't want to be saying this or feeling this when it's too late.

Arkansas was fun. The weather was cold. Lola had a grand time. So did we. Yay!

5 Months

So hard to believe...5 months old!! She's rolling over, laughing, playing with her feetsies, eating food, and really gaining a personality! We love her sooo much. She had a great time in Arkansas with her pawpaw! So did we. More to come on that later. For now, some new pics of the ever-growing Lola bear.

Her and her Pawpaw.

We had to stop in Texarkana to feel the monkey. She was happy.Look at those pretty eyes!

Trying so hard to sit up! Almost there.

She loves her Baby Bjorn!

Flicks

I thought I would compile a list of some good movies that we have seen lately.

Netflix is the best!

Untraceable - It was alright. Held my interest through until the end. But, the ending kind of blew. Overall, pretty good.

The Unsaid - I really liked this one! Andy Garcia...yessir! I had never heard of it before I ran across it on Netflix, but it was a good choice. I think I read that this movie was never even released in theaters. Definitely worth checking out. Especially if you dig Mr. Garcia.

Licensed to Kill - A Documentary, which was actually pretty disturbing. It followed a group of serial killers and/or killers who targeted gay men. Pretty ridiculous that these dudes claim to hate gays so much that they would go as far as to murder them, yet be total closet cases. I guess that's par for the course, though. If Documentaries, with actual crime scene footage are your thing, this is a good watch.

Borderland - Holy Shit. I will never travel to Mexico. I've never been a fan of Mexico anyway, but this movie pretty much cemented that never ever will I travel to Mexico. Check it out. Kind of on the "Hostel" side, but not with so much violence. Still pretty gory...in parts, though.

Disturbia - Liked this one. Not as big of a fan of the Lebouf as some others, but a pretty good re-telling of a Hitchcock tale. Predictable, but entertaining.

Michael Clayton - Dude! I love George Clooney. This movie ruled. Any type of crime/drama/thriller dealing with conspiracies is A-okay in my book!

My queue is running a little light, any recommendations are greatly appreciated!

Day One

Day one wasn't so bad. We survived our new eating plan. Not that difficult, really.
So, here goes...my official stats!
Beginning Weight: 157
Goal Weight: 135
Highest Preggo Weight: 184 (the day I delivered)
Pre-Preggo Weight: teetered between 135 - 140. I think my first official weigh in at 9 weeks was 148. I ate like a crazy woman those first 9 weeks!! Two hot dogs in one sitting...that should have been the dead give-away that I was with child.

So, ultimately, when I get down to 148, I could consider that my pre-pregnancy weight...but I won't. I will go with my comfortable pre-weight at 135; although I will be happy to once again be at 140 for a while. I was usually between 130 & 140 anyways, but of course, always more comfortable and happy when I was closer to the 130's. I would love to get back to the 123-125 weight I was at when Max and I first got together, but that may take a while.

I wasn't able to go to the gym yesterday because we had to take Lola to the doctor after I got off of work. She has freaking Bronchitis, and she got a breathing treatment. She doesn't hate it too much. The doc said it should clear up within 2 to 3 weeks...and he confirmed that she most likely got it at daycare. And I'm pretty positive that it was the sick little girl who looked absolutely miserable when I dropped Lola off last week. "Highly contagious!" said the doc. I just hope Lo feels better soon.

So, there we go, my weight is officially out there for all to see. Eeeek! That's okay though, it won't be there for long. Next update to come on Monday!

It's Official

Max and I will begin Weight Watchers this weekend, starting our new eating habits on Monday. They have a specialized program for men now, so he should do well. I am really excited. We both decided that we were tired of being lazy and eating bad and figured that since I know of success stories with WW, that it would be our best bet. I know it's going to be at a time that is difficult for almost everyone, with the holidays right around the corner, but I think I can have self-control during those days. So, I am super excited and I think it will help my motivation and hopefully I will begin to lose weight the healthy way! So, beginning Monday, my blogs will include my progress and hopefully, my success on my new diet.

In other, totally unrelated news, the Christmas Party is in full effect. The evite has been sent, and I've had a good response. I am really glad that folks will be able to make it. I think it will be fun. Now, I just need to buy new Christmas decorations so the house looks all Christmas-y.

Ooooh, and I made my appointment for my hair. I will be going for a change on Saturday morning. I am thinking a short bob-like 'do. I am still unsure of how short I will actually go, but all I know is that it's going to be cutes! It is most definitely time for a change, and I am hoping it will be cute! Yay for new hair!!

Slow it down, hoss...

...what exactly is the meaning or "hoss" anyway?

Lola is turning over now! What tha? I can't believe it. I left for work on Friday to a baby who was grabbing her feet and merely turning onto her side, and came home to a baby fully turning over onto her tummy! It is super cute, though! She gathers so much velocity and then turns her whole body over and moves her arm at the same time so she isn't laying on it. She then grasps at whatever it is that she is laying on so she can roll back to her back. I guess she still isn't at the stage of actually liking being on her tummy. But pretty soon, she will be sleeping on her tummy! I can't believe my baby is doing baby stuff! I guess that's the whole point, right?

In other news, I am still sick. Yuk! Feeling better than yesterday, but still gross nonetheless.
Regardless, I still got to cook breakfast, clean the kitchen, wash the dishes, sweep & mop the floors and throw out the trash! Fun. And that's my Saturday, folks....

Goodnight.

No me gusta...

Being sick! Ugh. I feel like crapola today. I guess Lola's sickness from the day care has spread to me. I guess it's time for Emergen-C, theraflu & SLEEP! Needless to say, I can't wait for the day to be over. I just want to come home and get in bed.

That is it.


Oh wait, here's a picture of Lola (to make me feel better):

GO STEELERS! This was on Monday night when they kicked the Redskins asses! Is it just me, or does my baby look like a little boy???

Comida! Comida!

Lola is officially pushing herself up on her forearms when she's enjoying tummy time! This is a big step, it's pretty cool to see my lil baby learning new stuff daily. We put her on her tummy and she pretty much turned herself over onto her back also! Max and I were clapping and cheering her on. I can't believe she is already doing some real baby stuff! I know I say that all the time, but she's growing up! Pretty soon she will be rolling around all over the place.

Oh! We also started her on "solid" foods. I'm not sure if they're really considered solids since they're pureed, but real baby food! We tried the rice cereal but she hated it, so we opened the squash and she LOVED it. So far, she's tried squash, peas, sweet potatoes and pears. It's quite messy, but that's okay. Here are some pictures of her first endeavour into the wide world of baby food!

Dias de los Muertos

Happy day of the dead, folks!

While we were unable to fully celebrate Halloween because Lola was still sick, we still went to her Aunt Marissa's house for a little bit before everybody showed up. We got to dress her up at home, but she wasn't about to let us keep that costume on her!

A few days before Halloween, trying to lick the pumpkin.

Here she is checking out her "paws".

She doesn't feel good...

Attacking Daddy! RAWR!

And....she's done!

She seems to be feeling a little better today and she will be returning to daycare tomorrow. I hope she doesn't relapse! I hope everyone had a good Halloween! We're already looking forward to Thanksgiving & Christmas over here.

Sick baby.

Lola has a cold! I don't know if it's due to the vaccines she received on Tuesday or from the daycare, or a nice mixture of both. I personally say it's from daycare. There was a little one with a horrible sounding cough in there the other morning when I dropped her off. Max, being a good daddy will be taking a sick day today and possibly tomorrow so he can stay home with her. He was up with her all night because she was just miserable. It was so sad! Her nose is all stuffy and her eyes are watering, but not a high fever and just a little cough. I just sat in the bathroom with her while I ran the hot water so she could "humidify". We don't have a humidifier, but I know what we're getting next time we go shopping!! It seemed like she immediately felt better after being in there for 10 minutes. She's sleeping right now and I think it's the first sleep she's had all night. I'll have to remind Max to go in there with her throughout the day. I may call the doc today just to see if there is any reason we should bring her in, but I think it's just her first little cold and she will be feeling better in a few days.

Speaking of docs, I don't think I like our pedi. He's really smart and has offered some good, although general advice, but he's not very personable. I think I may look for a new doc here pretty soon. I want my doc to not seemed rushed every time we are in the office.

Time for mommy to get ready for work while the little one is sleeping through her runny nose...

4 Months, folks...

Whew, what a whirlwind of a week! For some reason, I've been super busy which is good. I don't really know why I've been so busy, it just seems like I no longer have time to BLOG! Maybe it's because I don't get to sit around all day in my pajamas and I actually have to work now. But anywhoot...like I said, it's been a busy week with the job, doctor appointments, visiting family, etc., etc.

Max's sister Sheila had her baby on October 24th - Aristeo Santino (or Santos, they have yet to decide) was born at 7:30 am, a healthy 7.5 pounds and my, what a hairball!! That little boy is hairy! We went to see them on Friday afternoon and Max and I got to go to dinner at a restaurant. Unfortunately, it was Chili's, but we still got to have dinner together which was good.

Lola turned 4 months over the weekend! She's such a big girl. Her 4-month check-up was today and here are her specs ---

13 pounds, 7 ounces - 50th percentile

24.75 inches - 75th percentile

16 1/8 inches - head - 50th percentile

My baby is getting so big! I can't believe it! We may start some rice cereal in a few more weeks once she is sitting up a little better. She hasn't rolled over yet, but she sure is trying! She is much better at tummy time now and she will actually hold herself up for a few minutes at a time. Pretty soon she will be rolling over and sitting up on her own. I have some new pictures to post, but am too tired to upload and edit them right now.

Oh - here's a heads up to all in regards to a little holiday/x-mas eve shindig that Max and I will be hosting at our house this year! Kerry and I were reminiscing about the days at her house where mucho drinks and mucho cupcakes were had! So, details on the date to come soon and I hope all can make an appearance for a short while!!

A few things...

• Today was Lola's first day at daycare! All I have to say is she made it so much easier for us to leave her because she went right into the teachers arms and smiled real big! No crying from her; I'm sure she didn't really understand that we weren't there for 5 hours. It was sad, but no real tears from me or Max. Apparently, she did very well...which was expected. She slept from 9:00 (when we dropped her off) until about 11:15. Then they fed her, changed her and she sat in the swing chewing on her hands and talking up a storm until daddy got there to pick her up. Her report said that she had a great day! The teachers commented that she was the calmest baby in the room. Awwwww, our lil' Lola is calm and easygoing, just like her momma & daddy!
• Today was MY first day of returning to the work force. My feet hurt from wearing heels again! I've always loved wearing heels and my feet never really bothered me much since most of my time at work is spent sitting at a desk, but after wearing flip flops for about a whole year, the first day with the heels has kinda got me down. Otherwise, the first day was as good as expected. Not much work to partake in, just getting comfy with the office and all of that good stuff. I'm happy to know that there is a great salad place in the tunnel where I can eat healthy bits! Tomorrow I will actually have some work to do, so of course I am excited about that.
• Just finished watching the Presidential debate - and although my mind was made up a long time ago about who I would vote for, tonight just confirmed that. I am actually pretty terrified of what might happen to our country if McCain/Palin take office. Obama has a lot of repairing to do and I really, really hope that he can turn our country around. Things are getting pretty scary out there.
• I just have to say how happy I am that Casey Anthony has finally been charged with murder. Max & I have been following this case just out of the pure insanity of this girl! I know that nobody knows the whole story or even if the little girl is dead, but all of the lies that she has spun are completely outrageous. I hope that they don't find a dead baby girl, but it's looking highly unlikely that they will find her alive. And if they do find her body, I hope Casey Anthony rots in prison.
• On a lighter note - I can't wait for my first paycheck! Unfortunately I have to wait a whole freakin' MONTH! I know, crazy! But, when I do get that check I am 100% entitled to a huge shopping spree and a trip to the salon. And, I get a whole additional month to lose some weight so when that shopping spree approaches I will be able to fit into the clothes I want! C'mon motivation!

Pre-First Day Jitters

Tomorrow I will begin my new job. Tomorrow will be Lola's first day of daycare. I always get so nervous before my first day of a new job. There's all of these worries...will the people there like me...will I catch on quick enough...will I wear the appropriate clothing??? But more than anything, I am more scared for Lola. I KNOW everything will be fine and she will only be there for a few hours each day, but it's gonna be kinda sad leaving her for the first time. I'm just glad that I have been able to stay home with her for as long as I have. And I know she will get sick, maybe a little cold after her first few days there and that's gonna suck. It looks like Max will have to miss a few days of work if that happens.

Anyways...I will spend the rest of the day playing and goofing around with my Lolabear and spending as much time as I can with her.

On a sad note --- since I've been home during the day for the last several months I have acquired a wonderful daytime television rotation! For at least a few days I will miss my ER, Will & Grace, Frasier, Desperate Housewives, Without A Trace & King of Queens rotation. But, I'm sure that will pass...freakin' tv.

Finally!

Good news! I finally accepted a job offer. I am so freaking excited it's ridiculous. I start next Wednesday. It's actually a part time position for now, which is completely okay with me since it will allow me more time with Lola. I thought the hours would be a bit more flexible to begin with, but I think we've worked something out that will work for both me and Max. I will be working from 10 am till 3-ish every day. It's in a beautiful office downtown and is only 10 minutes from the house.

I'm thinking the position will prove rewarding and at the beginning of the year, they will most likely offer me a full time spot. The salary package is very nice and I think I would love to work for them for a long time to come. It's an Australian based company and the Houston office is the only office in the states. Perhaps the fact that it is an international corporation will one day allow me to visit Australia & Europe! Time will tell, though. It's an executive recruiting firm, which is awesome seeing as how I have always been interested in that line of work. There is also a possibility to grow into more of a research role, which would be tops! I love research and all of that stuff.

We are very, very happy that I will once again be bringing in some money! It looks like we will have a much better Christmas than we did last year. That's always good.

That is it for now...yay me!

Neighborhood Night Out

Yeah...we actually had one of those on our street last night. Figured it would be fun, the weather was decent, so we went and met our neighbors! Now that I'm part of the "mommy" club, I was immediately drawn to the laid out blanket with the two other babies and their mommas. One little boy was a huge 8 month old who was trying to crawl all over the place and had a wonderful time eating his mom's empty paper plate. The other was another 3 month old, only 1 week younger than Lola. Since Lola was being grumpy I was hesitant to lay her down with the others. That, and the fact that she's never really been around another baby her own age! It was really cute, though. The boy was a little bigger than her, but they were cooing in unison and it was super adorable. But, THEN...the 8 month old, as inquisitive as he was, slapped Lola on the head!! WTF. Yeah, I know I may have been a little overly cautious, but she startles easily, and it was right on the top of her head! You know, the part of the skull that hasn't fully formed together yet. Little fucker. I was pretty irritated because I saw him slapping his hands on the blanket and slowly moving towards her, but I figured his mother would pull him back towards her before he actually bopped her. But, no. She didn't. So, Lola screamed and I had to comfort her. My poor baby.

And then she got bit by two "skeeters" on her face...one on her forehead and the other on her little nose.

In conclusion, neighborhood night out wasn't very fun. It's times like these when I remember that I really don't like people. Well, stupid people at least.

3 months - 1 week late.

Lola is now 3 months and 1 week old! She's getting so big, I can hardly believe it. She is now smiling like a pro and beginning to squeal with laughter when she is amused. She loves her little play mat where she can stare up at the lights and music and she bats at the hanging rattles. She will lay there for a good 30 minutes, which is good as it always gives me some time to clean. She still hates tummy time, so we're still working on getting her to push up when she's on her tummy. She is getting pretty good at sitting upright if we're holding her - her head isn't too wobbly and she can sit still for at least 30 seconds! I know it's going to be too soon before she is sitting up all by herself, so I'm in no rush. She's a kicking maniac, which is definitely helping her build her leg muscles. She has her 4-month check-up at the end of the month and we are very excited to see how much she has grown. She's got to be at least 15 pounds already! Here are some new pics of my ever-growing Lolabear.

A little collage I made... Enjoying play time.

Awwww.
What's up with this face?

She may be getting too big for her Boppy.

One good thing.

I think the only good thing to come out of Hurricane Ike is the fact that I lost 7 pounds! Yippeee! That did come from the stress and worry the night of. I think I've developed a new fear - FIRE. I was freaking out during the whole storm worrying that a tree was gonna fall on the house and one of the many candles we had lit would catch fire and our house would burn down. All of these scenarios kept playing themselves out in my mind as I listened to the howl of the wind and the breaking of tree limbs hitting our roof. Thankfully, nothing that bad happened. But, now I find myself thinking about how much it would suck if our house caught fire. It would make me so sad.

Anyways, on to better things. Yay for losing 7 pounds...now I just need to keep it up! I am going to the gym today and I'm going to do the power flex and the step class. Two hour work outs are the way to go. I need to work off the Halloween candy I ate last night and this morning!

A few images of our house courtesy of Ike -

the calm before the storm!

After - same area.

The tree that fell on the house. No damage, thank God.

This tree was completely uprooted!
This is just a quarter of our backyard - the whole thing looked like this!

Max and his chainsaw! Watch out!!

...and we're back in business...

MAN, what a storm! As of Saturday, September 27th, we have power. 15 days after the storm and what seemed like a lifetime our lines were reconnected. It's amazing how much easier electricity makes our lives. Lola and I spent a lot of time with my mom, which she loved. Max manned the house and stayed here every night and day waiting and hoping a centerpoint truck would show up. The dogs and Max were amazing through all of it. Our neighbors let us use their electricity and we were able to at least have an oscillating fan to rotate the hot air around the house.

I will be uploading some new pictures of Lola since she is now 3 months old! I think Max and I want to plan a little bbq/get together some time soon. Our yard is once again nice and manicured and we deserve to have a night of good friends and good food. Through all of this, we realized that while we love our neighborhood, once our lease is up next year we are gonna make the move to a newer suburb. One main reason for that is the absolute assholeness that our landlord exhibited in the aftermath of the storm. I seriously thought Max was going to kick his ass. He was such a little prick concerning HIS house. Like he wants nothing to do with the upkeeo and maintenance of his house. We practically had to beg him to get him to come look at the damage and once he was here, he acted as if it was no big deal. He's a little prissy queen, and we are officially pissed off at him.

But, other than our landlord issues, we are once again back into a normal routine and I am back to searching for a job. I've cancelled a few interviews that I really didn't want to waste my time in going to, and I am waiting on one of the places that had to reschedule to call me back. That is the one I really want to try to get. But, we will see when they can resume the interviews.

That is all for now. Pics of Lola to come soon.

Tiny Update...

13 Days later, still no power. It's damned depressing to be away from home and not having any idea as to when our lights will be back on. We miss Max and we miss the comforts of home. I really just want to move out of our house since learning that our landlord can be a real dickface.
Keeping my fingers crossed that something happens soon, but not being too optimistic so as not to get my hopes up.

Seriously.

I am loving the fact that Lola is already sleeping through the night. Not only is she sleeping through the night without waking up, but she is sleeping for about 9-10 hours a night! I love it. I have finally caught up on my sleep and I feel rested. Some mornings I have to wake her up! I hope that's normal....

I think it may be the night time routine we have worked out. At 9:00-9:30 pm, I give her a bath. She loves bath time, by the way...it's pretty cute. After her bath, we rub her down with the night time soothing lotion and allow her to watch her mobile and listen to her music while we dress her in her jammies for the night. Some nights she plays a little longer and we just watch her and laugh. She's getting to the point to where she is laughing and smiling, but no "coos" or "goos" just yet. She tries her hardest to talk, but she's not there yet. After she's done playing, she is ready for her 6-7 ounces of milk! By 10:30, she is usually full and passed out. She goes into her crib between 10:00 and 10:30; and going by the doctor's advice, if she isn't fully asleep when we put her down to let her fall asleep on her own. Which she does amazingly well. So, most nights I am in bed by 11:00 pm and don't have to wake up till at least 6:30, if not later.

Yay for rested mommies! It makes life so much easier.

Two Months

Lola is now two months old! We went to her doctors appointment on Monday and she is a growing, healthy girl! She now weighs 10 lbs, 14 oz - and is now in the 50th percentile; she's 22 3/4 inches long - in the 75th percentile; and her head is 15.25 inches - 50th percentile again. She had to get 3 shots and swallow a vaccine as well. It was so sad! I swear Max & I were both almost in tears because she was crying so much. So sad. But, she's all better now. Here are some new pictures of her that I took on Monday and today!

They look so much alike! My two babies...

Fresh out of the bath.

This baby is ALL cheeks!!

Clean baby!

So cute.

She loves bath time. Really! No tears.

Ready for bed.

These are a few of my favorite things...

Reaction Cycling - Finally took the spinning class last night and I absolutely loved it. I will be returning for more.

The Steelers - After watching the game on Saturday night, I realized how much I've missed football season. My boys won, and even though it was close, I just know that they will be much better this year. Super Bowl!!

Tuna Sandwiches - yum.

Lola Abigail - She really is the best thing ever. She's two months old, and it feels like just yesterday when we came home with her. It's a lot of work, but worth every minute of it. She has made me feel whole, like a real family, like I finally know my purpose in life and how to love unconditionally.

Max - He is an amazing father and partner. I always knew he would be a good dad, but everything that he has done has proven that is he far better than just a good dad. I know he will always do whatever it takes to ensure his two girls are happy. Every day he amazes me and I am lucky to have such an understanding, supportive and loving fella. I can't wait to grow old with him.

Road Trips/Staycations - We are going to Galveston this weekend with Max's family. One of his sisters rented a beach house for the holiday weekend, and everyone will be there. I'm excited to take Lola on her first road trip and her first trip to the beach. Although it IS Galveston, I think it will be fun! I will be taking lots of pictures.

Are you ready...

...for some football!?! I know what am I looking forward to this weekend! The STEELERS game! Shit yeah. It's only pre-season, but I get a peek at how my boys are gonna do this season. I have a good feeling. They won their first pre-season game and they are playing the Vikings, so I think there's a pretty good chance they will take this game, too. My fantasy football draft is this weekend, also. Hopefully I pick a decent team. We shall see.

I love this time of year, football season, the holidays, cold weather! Although Houston doesn't really have an "autumn", at least it will cool off a bit. I always look forward to the first day of the season where it is windy and cool with clear blue skies. For some reason, it always inspires me to pop in one of my Lawrence Arms c.d.'s and drive with the windows down. Maybe because the cool weather reminds me of Chicago...

I pretty much missed out on enjoying the cold weather last year. I just found out I was pregnant and I was so nauseated each day that I didn't want to move. I was either too cold or too sick to get out of the house. It was quite miserable. I seriously think I stayed inside from December until March. Bring on the cool weather!

Go Steelers! Big Ben is STILL my boyfriend. I heart him.

I'll take an order of motivation, please.

Alright...so I ate horribly this weekend! AND I didn't go to the gym Saturday or Sunday. It was stormy all weekend, and that is just great lazin' it up weather...so that's what I did! I felt like crap today though, knowing that I sat on my ass all weekend. So, today I doubled it up. Got to the gym and did the power flex and step class. It was easy; they were one after the other and the same instructor, so I stayed. The Power Flex class was pretty cool. I will definitely be doing that one again. You use barbells and weights for resistance training. Worked the arms, which is definitely needed at this point. I have always liked my shoulders - and this class should help get those shoulders looking good again. And hopefully get rid of some of the jiggly madness that we ladies hate oh so much. Tomorrow I look forward to finally trying the Reaction Cycling, aka Spinning, class. It looks like it's a 30-minute session, so we will see how I do with that! Never done a spinning class so it should be quite an experience. I am fully prepared to get my ass kicked.

In other news, I went to an interview today. It was at a staffing agency. Staffing agencies have always worked well for me in the past, so I am glad to go register with one or two to try to get my resume out there. Hopefully they will find something quickly. I am totally ready to head back to work. Not so much to actually work, but for money! There is just so much I need and want that a job is imperative at this point. I've seems that I've sent out my resume to thousands of ads, and I've only received ONE response. I really hope the Houston job market is in need of my skills. I'm trying not to get discouraged just yet. In reality, I've only sent out my resume to about 10.

I do have to say that craigslist has totally gone to the spammers, though. It's so fucking annoying to read an ad that sounds like the PERFECT job for you, just to waste your time sending your resume, editing your cover letter, as well as the intro to yourself in the email, just to receive some fucking automated response saying, "Go here to complete an online application, but you must register with this bullshit site that will continuously send you spam emails for stupid insurance sales agents positions." I swear, I've received about 5 of those responses and at about that point, I've decided to ban craigslist for the rest of my job search.

That is all for today.

"And men will not understand us."

Just finished reading "All Quiet On The Western Front". For those who don't know - this book is considered one of the best war novels of all time. I have to agree. It's a fantastic book. Not many people are well-versed on the Great War, most of the time, WWII overshadows all aspects of WWI, for reasons I do not know. I guess we're just further removed from 1914 than we are 1939, and there are many more living WWII vets than those who experienced WWI. The introduction of trench warfare, gas warfare, modern weaponry, massive propaganda and tremendous technological advances in WWI paved the way for the future of all conflicts.

Current events have me worried. The fighting in Georgia, Russian forces attacking after a cease-fire being declared - are pretty scary events. As we all know - Russia is SCARY. They have always been a force to reckoned with, and will continue to be for a long time to come. While Russia didn't single-handedly "start" WWI, they played a BIG role in the events leading up to the declaration of war. They do say that history repeats itself...

I do think it's absolutely hilarious that Bush is condemning the actions of Russia. Hypocrisy, much?

From "All Quiet..."
"I am no longer a shuddering speck of existence, alone in the darkness: - I belong to them and they to me; we all share the same fear and the same life, we are nearer than lovers, in a simpler, a harder way; I could bury my face in them, in these voices, these words that have saved me and will stand by me."

"I am young, I am twenty years old; yet I know nothing of life but despair, death, fear, and fatuous superficiality cast over an abyss of sorrow. I see how peoples are set against one another, and in silence, unknowingly, foolishly, obediently, innocently slay one another. I see that the keenest brains of the world invent weapons and words to make it yet more refined and enduring. And all men of my age, here and over there, throughout the whole world see these things; all my generation is experiencing these things with me."

Heartbreaking. A definite must read....if you're into that sorta thing.

Step One, Two, Three...

So, I ended up taking a 'step' class tonight at the gym. I've always thought step class was kind of ghey, and totally for the old folks. Well, my opinion sticks. It was totally ghey - complete with 50+ year old gay man as the instructor, and yup, still for old folks. There were a few young 'uns in there, but majority were women my mom's age. Don't get me wrong - my mom is in great shape, much better shape than I am, and pretty much in better shape than everyone I know. But, still halfway through the routine I'm huffin' and puffin' like a mofo! And I HATE the fact that my face turns as red as a turnip when I exercise. I seriously hate that! It makes me look so out of shape. I mean, I am out of shape, but c'mon! I'm just super duper pale and that's what I do. Anyways - step class was pretty fun, granted. I feel like I got a real workout, so that's good. I've worked out every day for the past week, minus one day, totaling 6 days. Unfortunately, the scale hasn't made me very happy. I haven't lost any weight! I know it's only been 1 week (tomorrow), but still. I need a little bit of motivation. With the exception of Saturday when Max made an awesome 3-course meal for me, Monique & Brent, I've eaten pretty damn well. Maybe tomorrow I will see at least 1 pound lost! I need at least that to make me feel better about myself.

Speaking of making myself feel better - I tried on my pre-pregnancy clothes today. I know, I know - what am I doing to myself?! The shirts fit - a little snug in the boobage area, but otherwise everything is good up there. I went ahead and attempted to try the 4 pair of pants that I always wore, and all but my jeans fit! A little tight in the booty and a little tighter in the legs than I usually wore, but at least I could button them up! That made me feel better, even if the scale didn't. I would rather weigh more and have my pant size drop about 4 or 5 sizes any day.

My goal - to wear my Seven's by my birthday. It's 4 months...hopefully I can do it!!

The search has begun...

I placed an ad for a part-time nanny. We will see what happens. If I can find a good, dependable and trustworthy person to watch her 2 or 3 days a week for a few hours a day, I will be able to work full-time. But, if no one good comes from the search, I was thinking about just working part-time for a while. I just haven't found any interesting leads for part-time work. I really want to work full-time for the money & benefits, but maybe part-time is the way to go for now? If anyone knows any students/stay-at-home moms/grandmas/nannies or babysitters, send them my way.

One reason I would rather work full-time, though - I've started a list. A list of things we need & want to buy. It's quickly becoming a very long list. And if I work full-time, it will be that much easier to start marking things off of that list. At the top? Our tattoos. Max was supposed to get one before Lola came, but we were short on money every time we were about to go. Dustin drew up an awesome design for him. I know he really wants to get it and soon. Plus, I want to get my tricycle, my owl, my diamond, and after all of that, begin on my right arm.

So - here's to hopefully finding a nanny and to me finding a job!

Holy Quads Batman!

First workout session with personal trainer today. Kinda wish I would have known that he was the 'Boot Camp' instructor beforehand! HO-LEE-CRAP! He kicked my ass!! Part of my membership entitles me to not one, but TWO personal training sessions. I was thinking today he would simply assess my skill level and such and then the second one we would really work it. But, there's no time like the present, right? Within the first 15 minutes my legs were shaking and I could barely continue the rest of the workout. LOTS of leg work - squats are not my friend. Lucky for me the hour passed pretty quickly. At the end of the session, he proceeds to schedule my second workout! For MONDAY! Of course, I said okay. I hope he switches up the exercises a bit because it was no fun today!

I guess the old adage is true, "No pain, No gain."

I ate well today....kind of. Egg beaters, an apple and a piece of wheat toast for b-fast. String cheese & a plum for a snack. A meal replacement shake for lunch. And a burrito for dinner. The burrito wasn't the best choice for dinner, but I only ate half! It's all about portion control, yo!

Lucky

I've never really been into fashion. One could hardly consider me a "fashionista" of any sort. Don't get me wrong, I like fashion, I have just never found myself drooling over a new fall line or the latest trend of hooded capes or whatnot. I like to classify myself as more of a jeans & t-shirt type of gal. I love my expensive jeans and a plain ole t-shirt. But when I peruse my monthly copy of Lucky, I can't help but wonder what if? I have found numerous items that I love love love, but I know that I could never pull off even a quarter of those looks. Maybe it's because I'm only 5'3? Maybe I just don't have the confidence to wear some of the clothes? I think one of my goals for 2008 should be to buy a complete outfit, one based on an idea from Lucky that I think will look good. Granted, I do have 30 pounds to lose before I can even think about buying any new clothes. Which brings me to my next topic.

Monday I decided to join a gym. I researched my choices and decided on Bally's Total Fitness. There's two within 5 miles of my house and I have heard good things about Bally's, so I decided upon them. Well, on my way to sign up, I stopped at Memorial City just to see what the stores had out. Walked into The Gap - my safe place. I love the way Gap slacks fit me (pre-pregnancy, of course), and they have the cutest tops that really go with anything. Great work clothes. So, not knowing or even having an inkling as to what size I am now, I grab a few different sizes of pants, slacks & shorts, starting with a size above my pre-preggo size and increasing from there. Well, I have my limits. I wasn't going to go above a certain size that I can't bring myself to mention here. Needless to say, nothing fit. Let me rephrase...nothing fit RIGHT. I was mildly disappointed and walked out of my "safe place" feeling like poo.

Silver Lining - went straight to Bally's, redeemed my 30-day Free Pass and also signed up for a membership. I have my 6-week post-partum doctors appointment tomorrow, where she will clear me for normal activities, exercise included. Thursday I have my first appointment with my personal trainer, who will assess my overall physical fitness. I am extremely excited about that! I've already met him and told him my goals, and he was very encouraging. Told him I just had a baby and the first thing he said was, "oh, so you have weak abs." So, I'm guessing we will be doing lots of ab-work on Thursday. Probably my least fave part to work out, but also the most needed area I need to work now. I am excited about going to the gym, getting on the elliptical, the bike, the thigh machines, and most of all, the classes. They have the Pilates Allegro classes, which is Pilates with machines. That shit looks TUFF! Also, Boot Camp class. I have always wanted to take a boot camp class and now is my chance.

Maybe as a motivation for myself I will begin posting a weight loss (hopefully!) update here on my bloggie-blog. If announcing my weight in a public forum doesn't motivate me, then I don't know what will!

Cakes, Catering & More...

Have I mentioned that Max is in the process of building up his cake/private party business? Well he is. The company he works for is allowing him the freedom to begin to build up any extra business that he can. It's pretty awesome. He's already had two private parties and a few more on the books. Hopefully he will begin to get more parties soon. We got his business cards printed and I still need to work on the cake menu. I'm also in the process of trying to find more people to book small private parties. Here's the deal...you tell him how many courses you want served, if you want a sit down dinner or more of a passed hors d'oeuvres type deal, how many people and your price range. He then plans the menu, goes to your place and cooks and serves the menu! So far, it been a hit. He did a poker party for a group of about 10 guys he works with. They loved it! He made new orleans style muffalettas, really good potato salad, cole slaw, and some bad ass molasses & pepper caramel corn. Oh my god, he brought me home a bag of that and it was gone that night. It was so good. The most recent party was a 40th Birthday Celebration for a dude he works with. The menu was awesome and it was a huge success. Here's some pics of the menu:

So, if anyone knows of anyone who would like to have a special dinner for a birthday/anniversary/poker party/whatevs...don't hesitate to let me know! Or if anyone needs a cake for any of the above, he also does that!

Birthday Party

Sullivan loved his cupcakes and his balloons. He's such a cutie and he is so big! After the party we went to Max's sisters house. Tyler wanted to feed Lola but he wasn't doing too good of a job. Then he fell asleep and Max decided to put marshmallows on his face. Alan swore revenge on Lola when she was old enough to start staying the night over there. Great.

One Month

Lola is officially one month old! It's crazy that it's already been a month. It feels like it's been forever and also feels like such a short amount of time. She still hasn't smiled yet **tear**, but she is beginning to lift her head! When she is on her tummy, she will lift her head and kind of push up and she has even held it up for a few seconds. I put her on her tummy time mat and she didn't really know what to do, so she tried to fall asleep. No holding her head up on the mat yet. But, she did grab and hold on to the rings attached to the mat. That sure was cute...

Desperately Seeking...

new hair!! Yes, I am in desperate need of a new cut/color & style. It's been waaaay too long since I've nurtured my locks. I am still in search of a new salon, but I'm gonna bug Nicole one last time for the hook-up. Any suggestions for great colorists is greatly appreciated. Although, once I start working again, I do believe I will take Nicole's suggestion and go to Traci at the salon she used to work for. Right now, I just can't afford $200 on my hair. So, I need to get workin' so I can once again splurge on the good things in life. You know...hair, make-up, perfume & clothes.

Here are a few pics of styles I like:

My hair is about at this length right now. I like the color and bangs, but I think I would prefer a bit more lowlights.

I think I really like this color; just the right amount of lowlights. I'm also diggin' the bangs.
Now..I've always been a fan of Sarah Chalke's styles, this one is my fave. Might be a little shorter than I want, but I do need a change. This is definitely the front-runner for the cut.
I like both cut & color on this one. But, I mainly just think this picture is fuckin' HOTT!