Operation Get Rid of the baby fat

I am on Day 3 of "loose the baby fat so I can fit into my clothes again challenge"! I am keeping myself accountable by participation in Taylor's Torturous Tuesday (soon to be renamed).
So here are my goals:

1. Use my 30 Day Shred DVD at least 5 days a week (I am going to do 7 days for the first week and then try to incorporate more cardio when my hubs gets back from California)
2. Try to stay away from junk food: i.e. ice cream and crackers and all that jazz. I am not much of a dieter, but I do think it is important to stay away from meaningless calories, so that is my goal.
3.  I weighed myself this morning, and oddly enough I am 3lbs lighter then I was before getting pregnant. My conclusion is that everything has shifted, and my biggest concern is to get rid of the belly flap that is left over from having a ginormous 9lb baby in my stomach
4. I would like to be comfortably wearing my regular clothing by the time we head back to work in September.

So there ya have it. And now an update on the 30 Day Shred:  My legs feel like jelly, and I can hardly walk down the stairs and sit on the toilet.  Which makes me realize how pathetic I am because, even though the dvd is a challenge, it should not have this huge of an effect on me. I am still on level one (there are three levels) and I kinda feel like a wuss. But nevertheless, I am sticking with it and pushing through the pain. Jillian says that on days 5,6,7 you should begin to feel your endurance going up, and I am so looking forward to that point. Cause I'm one sore mother!  And I think I am about to get more sore, because I bought myself some 3 lb weights at Wal Mart yesterday and used those in place of the 1lb soup cans I had used the past 2 days. So tomorrow my shoulders and arms should be burning just as badly as my legs (this is awesome when you are carting around 2 kids!) 

Alrighty, I am off to shower away the slime of sweat that comes from being out of shape... but I will leave you with an exciting highlight of my potty training saga.... Miss Ali pooped on the potty yesterday!!! And she alerted me to the fact that she needed to go! Woot Woot Ali!!!  (this morning, however, she poop-ploded into her pull-up at daycare and had to have a change of clothes)- 1 step forward, 2 steps back...

Jelli's World super exciting updates- not really

Here's a little update on what has been happenin' in Little Jelli's World:

• Potty Training Update:  My stairs smell like urine and Ali is still peeing in the potty- but only when I ask her if she needs to go.  The good news is that, even though she never initiates her bathroom trips, she must be holding it because we have not had many accidents... other than the mysterious urine smell on the stairs...
• besides yesterday.... Ali woke up Saturday night around 2 AM with a high fever and was very restless. I took her to Urgent Care around 10 when her temp got up to 101.9 - turns out she has Tonsillitis... she ran a fever all day yesterday- refused to eat and use the potty. So therefore, she spent the day in a diaper

• Today I am happy to report that today she is feeling much better- no more fever- and is eating again.. oh and is back to using the potty!  We are still trying to encourage pooping in the toilet; which for some reason she does not find necessary to do. She has pooped in her panties 3 times, and outside so many times I can't count. This baffles me.
• KK is out of town for the week: he is in Irvine, CA at Concordia University taking a week-long class for the Master's Degree in Athletic Administration that he is working on.  While I am so proud of him for getting another Master's Degree, the back of my mind worries that we will end up with all this student loan debt (we both are still paying on our previous Master's Degrees in Educational Administration) and there will be no job to compensate.  You see, we live in a relatively small community - and in our immediate area they are only 6 or so high schools- leaving the job pool in a pretty political area of Idaho quite small. KK has lived here his entire life, and has some mixed politics surrounding him because of all his experience in the coaching world. Without going on and on about this random point that I am writing about- I will leave it at : small town politics are ridiculously idiotic and immature. I'm just hoping enough people do like him, since he is a phenomenal coach, awesome teacher and just a great guy, that he would be in the running for a job if said job did open up. I, for one, would not be opposed to moving somewhere for a job, but I think for KK that is out of the question (even though he claims it is not- he's a small town boy at heart).
• Avery Coy is the sweetest baby in the whole world. She is a talker! She loves to smile and coo and hang out- she is pretty content all the time. She's also starting to use those neck muscles a ton to hold her head up- and she tries to pick up her head when I talk to her to get juuust a little closer! She prefers to sleep on her side and her tummy- and will somehow get herself over even if I lay her on her back- so funny! She's only getting up to eat once a night at 3:00 AM- and has been for the past month or so- which is awesome for me cause I gotta have my sleep! I just love her so very much and I think I squeeze her too much cause I can't get enough of my sweet Baby #2!

• I just completed the 1st day of Jillian Micheals' 30 Day Shred DVD and I am proud to say that, even though I am a lard and totally out of shape, I did not die or give up or even cheat. I am going to try super duper hard to keep it up for the full 30 days- I need to get the baby fat belly flab gone before my 10 yr reunion in 3 weeks! Plus, I don't want the red pant line on my tummy anymore from my shorts being too dang tight !  ...But this DVD is a great workout- and it only takes 20 minutes to do, which is totally realistic for me and makes it that much easier to stick to.  I admit, I wanted to punch Jillian in the face throughout the workout, cause she just bugs me anyway, but I am really excited and ready to get into a workout routine that works for a busy momma's life.  Hopefully this will encourage me to eat a little better...cause I do love my food!

So yeah and stuff... we're keeping pretty busy here and enjoying the 90 plus degree weather. Gonna head to my Mom and Dad's house to swim (they live on a river) once Ali Bananas wakes from her slumber!

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Poop on the Ground

 Day 2 of Potty Training ended better then it started.  By the time nap time rolled around, we had not made it to the toilet once to tinkle- had slipped twice (Ali, not me) in our own pee puddle and had pooped on the driveway and front porch, smeared it all over our cute pink sandals, and had to be hosed off by a mean mommie who didn't care if the water was cold or not.
I was about ready to quit at that point, but I buckled down, hosed off my almost-2-year-old, put her in a pull-up and sent her to nap time.  The afternoon was muuuuuch better, with NO accidents and only 1 poop in the backyard before bed time.  I think she is catching on as far as peeing in the potty goes- poop is a whole other issue.  I find it so sad that I don't really care as long as she poops outside. I just want to get pee down at this point- small steps people.

So far today- she has had no accidents! We went to the park to play and she wore a pull-up. She did pee while at the park, both in the potty and the pull-up... so I'm not sure if she is really getting it as this point but I feel like I am committed enough to continue the routine at home (i.e. naked bootie and potty every 15 minutes)and use pull-ups when we are away from the safety of home. I figure that I am home on summer vacation- so why not? If she pees in the pull-up, I'm not going to be a quitter.  She is young, and I really do think she will catch on eventually... and I really hope she catches on! I'm too stubborn to stop now!

My life is all about poop and pee

So I have started the oh-so-fun task of potty training Miss Ali. She has been telling us for the past week that she wants to go potty.. so I decided to take advantage of her interest.  I have confined us to the house, and every 10-12 minutes or so I take her to sit on the potty.  I give her 2 M & Ms each time she sits, and a whole handful of M &Ms when she tinkles IN the potty...

Here's some stats from our first day:

Number of times Ali actually went in the potty: 5

Number of times Ali went pee pee on the floor: 4

Number of times Ali told me she had to pee: 2

Number of times Ali pooped in the backyard: 1

Number of times Ali pooped on the living room floor, then stepped in it and smeared it all over the carpet: 1

So here we are on day 2 of this horrendous, fantastic experience.  We have already peed on the floor once are hopefully going to make it to the toilet next time.  I also find myself in the depths of guilt- because we are staying home and near the potty- this kid has watched more Mickey Mouse, Yo Gabba Gabba, and Jack's Big Music Show then I care to talk about.... here's hoping it's all worth it!

Swagger Wagon

We are NOT a minivan family... but still, this is pretty stinkin hilarious! 

NEW BABY!

Switching Avery's formula worked!!!  You would not believe the change we have seen... she no longer cries when you set her down- she is taking regular naps and is SO HAPPY! And so is her momma... my poor baby must have been in so much pain in order to be crying so very much. That part breaks my heart; but I am so thankful to her doctor for sticking it out with me and helping us find a solution.  

We now have the most cutest, sweetest, happiest baby around. Our home is a happy once again, and our hearts are filled with joy!

2 month check-up and I'm tired

It's been one of those days. My dear husband left at 5:45AM for a recruiting trip in Oregon. But before leaving the house, he decided to go kiss Ali goodbye. And wake her up. And leave her screaming for her daddy. This, after I had just been up at 4:00 to feed Avery and it took me about 30 minutes to fall back asleep.

Ali went to daycare today so I could take Avery to her check-up and get some housework done. Dropping her off was horrible and broke my heart. She cried and shook and screamed no, no, no, no over and over. So I cried on the way to the doctor's office.

Then it was time to weigh Avery. And she peed, boy did she pee, all down the side of me- on my shirt, bra, pants. underwear, and one sandal. Awesome.

The good news- the slight gleam of hope in this horrible day is that the doctor has me trying a new formula: Similac Expert Care Alimentum. She thinks Avery has a sensitive tummy and that this could be causing her to cry all day long. She thinks the reason she stops crying when I hold her is that I am helping to soothe her discomfort. The crappy crappy part is that if this does work, and believe me I am hopeful and praying it does, is that the damn stuff costs $30.00 a friggin can. Holy shitake mushrooms, that is alotta moolah. Especially since we have been paying $20 for 2 cans of Kirkland formula. Awesome. Can my life get any more bittersweet.

My prayer for today is that the formula works and that our insurance will cover the cost of it if it does.

Otherwise, Avery is a beautifully healthy little lady.

Weight: 12.3 lbs- 90th percentile

Height: 23.5 inches- 90th percentile

Where did this big, long, skinny baby come from? She has grown 2 1/2 inches in 1 1/2 months and gained 3 lbs! Crazy madness I tell ya!

Sisters

Here are the girls each at 2 months old...Ali is on bottom and Avery is the photo on top. They do have some similarities...believe me, there are times when Avery totally makes an "Ali face"... but I am happy to say they are each their own person~ and that I've got 2 beautiful girlies!

I am NOT holding a baby right now! :)

Good news: Baby Avery has become a teeny bit better: i.e. less fussy. I am no longer holding her 14 hours out of the day but maybe 12 ( I don't actually count the hours, people... I'm being sarcastic) but it has been sooo nice to actually put her DOWN somewhere while she naps, instead of carry her or tote her around in the front pack. I do love my freedom! We go to the doc tomorrow for her 2 month appointment- which, even though I know she is going to tell me that I just make babies who love to be held all the darn time, it will still be nice to get some feedback.. and reassurance from a diploma'ed expert. Something about that makes me feel so much better! I think my fussy baby is just a "it gets better with age" type of thing- and the older she gets the more she is able to interact and enjoy her world, the less upset she will be if her momma or daddy isn't holding her all the time... at least that's the hope cause carrying a baby all day is tough on a marriage!

Which brings me to my next bitch- my husband is NOT GOOD with tiny babies. He prefers them chubby and sitting up and smiling at him. He definitely does better with Ali than Avery, and I remember him turning on the daddy vibe when Ali was able to actually interact with him and give him some feedback. At least I know there is an end in sight- meaning I don't have to be on Avery duty almost the entire day... cause with Ali I remember being ready to pack up and move away from his non-helpful ass! I am, however, thankful that Ali adores her Daddy, because it is so helpful to have them play together while I take care of miss fussy pants.

Daddy is leaving us for 5 days starting tomorrow to go recruit some kids for the basketball team... and the only thing keeping me going in the thought of being alone with two children is the fact that MY VERY BESTEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD is coming to visit me from Texas!!! And she is bringing Riley, her son, who is 8 months old and has not meant Auntie Jelli yet! I CANNOT WAIT is an understatement. As tiring as this whole adjustment from 1 child to 2 has been, and as frustrated as I get with the hubby- it will all be worth it to see her sweet face and just be with her.

Man, I miss her so much- I am going to soak up this weekend with her and that sweet baby boy.