Back to Wisconsin again...

My Aunt Dianne passed away last night.  I feel really depressed and drained by this.  I lived with my Aunt and Uncle my last year of college.  My first kiss with Aaron happened in her home.  It was also where he proposed to me.  I was there the mother's day she learned her son Kurt has commited suicide.  She raised the peacocks -- which is why I have a justifiable dislike of the damn birds.

Aaron and I were just in Wisconsin for Christmas, and we both want to be there for the funeral.  We plan to drive up from Georgia to Wisconsin -- which means lots of restaurants along the way.

Eating out is one of those things that is a challenge when trying to lose weight -- especially when it seems your only choice for the next 40 miles will be a Waffle House.

Get ice water or bottled water if you think it could be sketchy.  Don't blow your calories on drinks!
Don't eat anything that is deep fried.
My favorite choice?  24 hour breakfast! 
An order eggs are full of protein and only 70 calories per egg.
Get some veggies in those eggs and you are really doing great.
Whole Wheat toast for fiber and you got a winner!
Avoid fatty meats, pancakes, waffles, syrup and potatoes/hash browns.

Alexandria prepares for her next Road Trip.

Keep your food journal even when on trips -- expect with the holidays or with a family gatherings you will eat a bit more than normal -- but that's kinda what families do.  Once back home normalcy can resume.

As long as you keep trying to be healthy you will get healthy.

One Year Flies By

Alexandria is a year old now!  She has taken a few baby steps, but has not started walking.  She seem very pragmatic about this. 

Mommy, falling sucks.  I'll stick with crawling for now.

Wearing her new outfit from Great Aunt Diane.

 

She is sitting in the same Rocking Chair her Grandpa Tom used as a child.

 

 

We are all going back to Wisconsin for Christmas this year.  It will be extra special because Aaron's brother, Michael, and his fmaily will be there too.  Mike and Amy had a baby boy in April.  (Alexandria's first Cousin!)   He teaches English abroad and they have been living in the Middle East.   Aaron's yougest brother and his wife are due with grand-baby #3 April 2013!

 

Nearly walking

My baby girl will be a year old on November 4th!    Amazing how fast the year has past.

She is able to stand up and even CLIMB up when she holds on to things.

She sometimes lets go and just stands all by herself (look ma, no hands)

She has not taken those monumental first steps.   She has also started to cut her first tooth!

My Mom and sisters will be down this weekend and I am SO EXCITED to see them.

Getting Close to Crawling

Alexandria is now 9 months old.  She can stand, but cannot balance without holding on to something or someone.   She is also starting to figure out this crawling thing.  She can get into a crawling position, then fails towards the way she wants to go.  I see her taking off by September.

I have started to baby proof the house.   The hearth were you see the basket above is now covered in a thick foam pad.   I also got bumbers for the entertainment center to the right.  I need to get some gates or screens to keep her from getting into all the wires back there.

At work there has been a huge re-organization.  I am lucky enough to still be under the same boss.  Extra bonus - I am moving to my own office with door and window.  Yea!

I am baby stepping my way back to pre-baby weight.  I do walking at lunch when I don't have to worry about Alexandria.   I am cutting drinks with calories out of my diet again. (WATER WATER WATER!!!)

When I lived in Wisconsin, Southern Sweet Tea was a treat I got when ever my work sent me below the Mason-Dixon Line.  Living in Georgia for 2 years where I could have it every day if I wanted...  yea.  That made as much of an impact as getting pregnant!

I have started to introduce baby food to Alexandria, some days she is so good, other days she just wants to play with the spoon and fling the contents.  I want to be a healthy example for her and teach her good habits so she never has to be like me - and weight twice as much as my classmates.

5 months of Cloth Diapers

Alexandria wears cloth diapers.  They are are the cute liners you see snapped over a cotton/hemp diaper on the inside.  The diapers do not need to be pinned.  the cover does it all.  But a cute girly diaper cover is cute.

We keep a stack of cloth diapers inside the covers ready to go --  and they are just as easy to use as disposables.  Never had a nasty leak and never had diaper rash.

Being a mom

This is a picture of my daughter Alexandria from St. Patrick's Day.  I think we calculated her to be 9/16ths Irish.  She get's an 1/8th from Daddy and a smidge more from me.

Getting Fit Post Baby

Alexandria lifting her head during tummy time.

It's been 90 days since the wonderful Miss Alexandria joined us.  90 is also how many pounds I would like to lose now that she's here.  Yep.  I have 90 pounds to lose.

My focus the past year has been my pregnancy and caring for my newborn daughter --  not myself.

My habits have gotten horrible and I really need to start being healthy again!!!


Today I was able to get some exercise by taking a walk outside during work - just like I used to do -- what seems ages ago.

I will have to start eating better too.   Back when I was at my ideal weight, I had a packet of Raisin, Date and Walnut Quaker Instant Oatmeal for breakfast every day.

Lately I have been eating a bacon, egg and cheese croissant with a sweet tea.

Talk about a huge calorie difference!!!


Since I moved to Georgia sweet tea has become my worst vice. Seriously, it is like a drug to me.

I need to follow my old lead!

So.. in a huge change of events -- My weight loss blog will acutally be me losing weigh again!