The Bod August 28, 2008

Ugh.

Scales lie.

They must.

Why do I weigh less than I have since even before we got married yet have more lovehandles and rolls than I can ever remember having?

I’m sick to death of trying to lose weight.  It doesn’t help that my husband Jordan said he’d rather me eat nachos and ice cream with him every night than have me be thinner than I am now. And so he makes nachos and buys me ice cream and really? Who could resist a gift, especially when it’s sitting right in front of you?

So, I’ve mentioned before that I want to lose 10 more lbs. but really have no interest in dieting.  I like to eat, I like to eat what I want, I like to eat whatever quantity I want and yes, I even like to eat when I’m not hungry. You don’t need to be hungry to enjoy a chocolate bar or potato skins.  You just don’t.

That leaves me with the option of exercising.  And so I have been! Yay me.

Oh, I guess I should preface by saying I quit running.  My knees hated it.  My girls hated it. The end of that tiny little chapter in my life. 

I just finished an 8 week yoga class that I really enjoyed, I’ve been walking with the girls a lot over the summer, I’ve been trying to be more active in general- less sitting on the couch, more playing with the girls- that kind of thing.

Since my yoga class ended I’ve decided to put to use the recumbent exercise bike my grandma gave me a few week ago.  It’s practically new, it’s so quiet and has a lot of features that I’m enjoying.  For example, it’s so quiet that yesterday I watched a rerun of Desperate Housewives while I bike 10 km in 28 minutes burning 150 calories.  I’m a stat person and those numbers keep me going. I plan on doing it 3-4x a week and hope that things like that will help me drop the last of these unwanted desperately clingy pounds.

I am also hoping to sign up for another more challenging yoga class starting in September. It’s Hot Yoga and I think I’m going to love it.  The class I just finished taking helped me grow leaps and bounds in terms of flexiblity. Wow! I’m looking forward to this next class to hopefully improve on that and also gain some strength, something I am sorely missing.

So there’s an update.  Not an exciting one but I thought I’d better post something on this poor neglected blog.

Anyone done Hot Yoga before? Thoughts?

The Place Where You Live August 20, 2008

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately so naturally, I brought my thoughts here to share with you all.

 

Jordan and I sometimes toss around the idea of moving.  Although Summerland is our ideal dream (because although a fairly wealthy town, I think it does fall under the catergory of what I’m describing below), these moves I’m going to refer to are local ones. While we like our house and some of our neighbours, this isn’t the area I’d like to raise my kids in.  I don’t know why.  It’s just a typical middle class neighbourhood. And I definitely HATE living on street that we do.  Too busy.

We always keep our eye on the market and houses that pop up for sale in a certain subdivision here called ‘Cathedral’.  It’s an old, old, area.  With Elm trees that reach over the streets, meeting the middle.  The houses are all character homes from the early nineteen hundreds. But the neighbourhood is bursting with character.  You’ll find more people wearing flowy skirts and dread locks than brand name clothing.   More people sitting on corner cafes talking to each other instead of on cell phones.  Many people in the neighbourhood don’t even own a vehicle but rely on their feet and public transportation and do this by choice.  The neighbourhood has a butcher, a bakery, cute little shops selling clothing, specialty teas and a few doctors and dentists.  Children are outside running! and playing! instead of sitting around texting each other.  On one corner you’ll see a wealthy family in their home and on the other, someone picking through a dumpster for leftover.  An artsy community, often throwing street fairs to sell their creations. Completely my cup of tea.  I’m a bit of a hippe at heart.  It’s diverse, for sure.  But I want my kids to see that. There are a variety of people with a variety of incomes but everyone there seems to have the same ideals. All like minded. O.k. not everyone. Just everyone I know who lives there. I’d love to live in a neighbourhood like that.

Some thinks it’s odd that I wouldn’t be dying to send my kids to one of the schools in a wealthy neighbourhood.  I really want them to go to school with kids who don’t get everything they want, who don’t all have cell phones by grade 6 and who have a little appreciation and respect for the people, the things, the nature around them.

I’m dreaming … I know.  I don’t think there are many of those kids that exist anymore and definitely not a whole school full of them.

And then sometimes Jordan and I dream of buying a place out of town.  Some place close enough to commute to work but just far enough away that it feels like we are out in the country.  A big garden that will hopefully help turn my black thumb green, a clothesline, a big yellow school bus trekking down gravel roads to pick up the girls and take them to their little school with small class rooms.

After typing this I just realized the common trend.  The key to what I’m looking for. Simplicity. A simple life. Something a little more ‘back to basics’.

Anyone know where or how I can find that without joining a religious colony?

I’ve Lost Him August 12, 2008

Jordan has been so supportive and in favor of all the changes we’ve been making.  From our diets, to new ideas about what the girls should and shouldn’t be exposed to, to trying to leave a smaller footprint on the earth.  He never makes fun.  Always asks good questions.  He’s usually happy to be along for the ride.

Until now.

He thinks I’ve lost it.  He’s making fun of me.  He calls me names like “crazy” and “psycho” and has mastered a not-so-nice impression of me.

You see, for a few months now I feel like I’ve been affected by things that I see.  They make me feel bad.  Like violent movies and t.v. shows, for example.  I really noticed when we were watching the last season of 24.  I had my eyes closed most of the time, my heart felt funny and my stomach sick.  I had to ask myself why I thought it was o.k. to watch people being torchered and killed.  And for those of you who are anything like Jordan, YES! I know it’s not real.  But I really feel like I’ve become calloused to a lot of these things.  And, here’s where I get “crazy” apparently, I feel like all these things you see become a part of who you are.  (It’s o.k. You can snicker.  My husband does right to my face.)  I think it hardens our hearts, introduces negative energies, feelings, thoughts.  I learned so much about how our bodies, minds, hormones even, react to seeing stuff like that and well, it’s not that good.  Do I really want to release stress hormones into my body just so I can watch the Joker kill someone? Not really.  But more than physical, what’s bothering me more is the mental and emotional. 

The last straw for me was when Jordan and I went to go see the Dark Knight a few weeks back.  I had my eyes closed a lot, looking like a 6 year old wussy girl, I’m sure.  But I just don’t like seeing stuff like that. I’ve always been like that.  I could never watch a fight in highschool because it made me sick to my stomach.  Even though I used to like scary movies, truthfully, my hands covered my face half the time.

I guess for me it’s like this.  You wouldn’t want to surround yourself with negative, downer people, right?  I feel the same way about being around violence, whether it be in real life or on t.v.  Real or fake.  Just gives me the same types of feelings. Brings me down the same way.

So I told Jordan I’m done.  Maybe for a long while or maybe I just need a break.  I don’t know.

He asked me if I was implying that he should stop too. And no, I wasn’t.  I think it’s a personal choice.  If it doesn’t bother and affect him the way it does me, I see no reason why he can’t go on watching whatever he chooses.  He’s been watching movies alone more often lately.

As for me, I see enough of that junk on t.v. in the evening news, read about it in the papers and get a glimpse of all the horror I can handle when I watch documentaries & read stories about the women and children in Africa.  I don’t need more of it and I certainly don’t need it to “entertain me”.

So there you have it.  I’ve gone mad.

Milk It August 4, 2008

We are right in the middle of Breastfeeding Awareness Week. So, to show my support and to help bring awareness, I’ve decided to post this entry on both this and my A Little Bit of Us blog.

Not breastfeeding wasn’t ever even an option for me. I never had to make the decision because it’s just what everyone does, right?

I went into nursing Abby misinformed and underinformed. Nursing started off really well but by about 2 1/2 months I was having trouble with supply. So by three months, I quit and started her on formula. Never thought much of it until I got pregnant again and decided that this around I was going to be much more educated on pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.

I’m certain now that I could have continued nursing Abby if I would have been more knowledgeable. I am currently studying for both my doula and breastfeeding counsellor certificates, as many of you know. I am so convinced now that about 99.9% of women out there CAN breastfeed, even if they’ve been told they can’t, think they have supply issues or something physical holding them from nursing their babes. I’m reading a book for my course called Breastfeeding Made Simple and it’s absolutely fantastic. My mind is bursting with new information, pounding with tidbits I can’t wait to share with others and I am learning that so much of what I thought was true is actually a myth. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who is nursing and/or planning to nurse. It’s one of those books that I think should be required reading for expectant moms. Read it. I love what I’m learning and wish I would have known a bit more when I had Abby so I could have continued on with this healthy habit for both her and I. I thought I was pretty informed about breastfeeding but I can now say I’m stunned at what I DIDN’T know.

Among the things I’m learning is just how vitally important breastfeeding is for babies’ health, how formula will never come close to the perfection that is breastmilk and how so many women are misinformed, even by their well-meaning doctors. I really don’t like to shove information at people or throw my opinions down people’s throats but there is just so much wonderful information in this book that I just want everyone to know.

I expected nursing Josie to be simple. I enjoyed nursing and I had been there, done that. um… no. Unlike with Abby, we got off to a rocky start. Things were going so rough for the first two weeks that I would dread the moment when Josie started showing signs of hunger. I experienced much discomfort that led to nipple distortion, bleeding, bruising and engorgement. Thankfully!! I have a friend, Amy, who is a La Leche League leader and I called her to come over to save my weary, tired, post partum soul. She saved me. I am so grateful for how she helped me. She came over, watched me painfully nurse Josie and within 5 minutes, had Josie nursing PAIN FREE. Pain free! I suffered for two or three weeks and all it took was a phone call and five minutes and it was over. Turned out Josie just had a shallow latch. Amy sat and visited with me while Josie nursed and nursed and nursed. She drank all she could, rolled over and zonked out so hard, milk drunk. I never had trouble again. Oh wait, maybe I shouldn’t say that. Josie has two bottom teeth and this week has taken to trying them out on me. Awesome.

Anyway, to sum up I just wanted to say that if you need help or are experiencing any pain- GET HELP. It shouldn’t hurt and it should be peaceful and wonderful for you and your baby. If you don’t think you can breastfeed, think again. You most likely can. Call a La Leche League leader or a lactation consultant in you area. From what I understand, La Leche League leaders work voluntarily so this is a great option if you don’t have the money to pay someone to come out and help you. And before you start nursing, get informed, learn how to prevent problems and ask any and all questions you might have. That would have saved me the first time around.

Here are some website and contact info:

One of the best websites on breastfeeding, solving problems, etc.: http://www.kellymom.com/

La Leche League website, monthly meeting info, help, contact info, etc.: http://www.llli.org/

Dr. Jack Newman, the superman of breastfeeding, including videos: http://www.drjacknewman.com/

Others:

http://www.breastfeeding.com/

http://www.breastfeedingmadesimple.com/

Breast really is best.