Potty training success (well sort of)

Patrick has been a potty going champ.  It seems to just have clicked for him and he is all about it now.  He earned his 5 sticker stars and we went to the store to buy him a prize.  He picked a this water gun thing that blows bubbles. 

Connor didn't seem to care much (even when Patrick was picking his gift) until we got home and Patrick was playing with his "bubble machine".  Call me crazy but I'm not calling it a gun.  So I am hoping that this prize jealousy will spur Connor to want to try the potty too.

I have to say though, the one thing I have really learned is that you can't force the issue.  It only stressed everyone out and sure enough when they are ready, they will do it.

So the potty is going sort of well and we are surviving this rainy week.  Don't ask me about naps though.

Month 3 and 25 lbs lighter

This the before pic in February

2nd phase of kitchen

Boots

The signs of Spring

Little boys and worms

Brendan's first haircut

I think this picture speaks for itself. 

2 months and 20 lbs lighter!

This time of month is when I take the picture.  Let's see the results of 2 months of diet and lots of exercise.

Before 2/15

Down 20 4/17

Down 20 4/17

the kitchen

So our goal in the kitchen is an update of the old stuff and to take down a wall to an office that we never use.  We sanded and painted the cabinets so they are no longer what I call "90's acid washed"  and the are now white.  The next phase is to take down the wall and new counter tops and nice big island we can all sit at and eat.  Here are some of the before and after so far.

 The red wall become a half wall

This is the wall that coming down

 

After...

Couch to 5K

I made it to week 2!  I am so thrilled with myself.  I mean really, really thrilled.  I actually almost cried.  I really didn't think I could do it and I DID IT!  It was hard, I will admit, however by the last run today I actually thought there was one more.  Did I mention I was super proud of myself. 

In the world of kids, this is a conversation I overheard today:
C: Come on, let's run.
P: No, my booboo hurts.

I think I am raising a wuss.  He has a scrap on his knee.  Geesh.

so you can eat too little!

I am exercising way more than the program I was using to track my calories was recommending so I adjusted it so it matches and voila, it upped my calories.  So I think I was just not eating enough for all the cardio I was doing.  I was down under 185 this morning and almost screamed I was so thrilled. 185 was bit of mini-goal in the back of my mind so passing it felt awesome. 
Next mini-goal...I have a baby shower at the end of April and I would like to be down another 10 by then and buy a cute new outfit to reward myself.  That will be a total of 25 lbs lost. 

frustrated...

I feel like the first few weeks the scale went down pretty quickly and now things have almost stopped.  I have read all kind of things about a weight loss plateau but I'm not sure what else I can do.  I have am going to up the exercise...today I took the boys to stroller aerobics and mommy cycle and they were both a great workout.  The boys did great at both and at the cycle class did a great job and sat in the strollers and had a snack and juice while I pedaled my butt off (hopefully, literally).
I have also started the couch to 5k program and did my first run yesterday. I thought it would be so easy but even 60 seconds of running feels like 45 minutes.  I found a great website. Carli has great podcasts that tell you when to run and when to walk and it so great not to have to use a stop watch.
http://runningintoshape.com/5k-training-downloads/
Now, if the problem is eating I am in trouble.  I am eating 1600 to 1700 calories a day and I think any less and I would be hungry.  I am eating great food, no junk and very little pre-packaged food.
On a good note, my clothes are getting baggier and my underwear are even a little saggy!  So I am hoping I am on the right track and this is just a minor setback.  At least I am not gaining!

cute

Stroller Aerobics

The boys and I went to this today at the Y and it was great.  Great workout and they had a blast.  They were a little clingy when we first got there but in 10 minutes they were running around playing.  Poor Brendan walked behind me and I knocked him down with by butt and hit his face on the gym floor and got a fat lip. 
So I think we are going to try it every Monday, Wed, Friday and see how it goes.  It's great way for me to get a workout in during the day without paying for babysitting and great for the kids to get to socialize a little.  I hate going to workout after they are in bed because I am just spent by then.

On another note, husband has decided he is repainting out kitchen cabinets.  They are ugly.  90's acid washed look.  We will see how it goes.  Since I like the before and after pictures I will do some of the kitchen too.  Soon to follow...

bad day

Today was my first bad day of eating and not exercising but I think that one bad day in 5 weeks is ok.  We had friends over and I ate badly and a lot more than I usually do and I didn't have time to go workout.  I'm trying not beat myself up about it but I am feeling really crappy about it. 
Double workout tomorrow?
I would also like to start doing some weight lifting with my cardio at the gym...I'm just so intimidated by that side of the gym right now.  I don't know why?  Maybe because I feel self conscious about my weight.
On top of all of that the boys have not been sleeping well so I am tired.  Early night.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Patrick thinks it is his day...Happy Me Day, he's been saying all day.

Connor wants to know when his day is

And Brendan is fine as long as he has food

conversation with a 2 1/2 year old...

Me: What would like to drink?  Milk or water?
Connor: 1-2-3
Me: Great counting.  What would like to drink?
Connor: 1-2-3-4
Me: Yes, I love the counting but what would like to drink?
Connor: Pizza
Me: You can't drink pizza.  What would like to drink?
Connor: 1-2-3
Me: Forget it...
Connor: (whining) Where is my milk?????

One month, 12 lbs

It has been one month since I started what I am not even calling a diet.  What is the new catch phrase?  Life style change?  Very healthy eating and lots of exercise.  So in one month, I have lost 12 pounds.  I'm pretty proud of myself.  And I think you can actually start to see it!

good grief...

Tomorrow is definitely TGIF (and I don't even work!).  What a week.  Between the emotion of putting our dog down and 2 out 3 kids being sick, I can't wait for this week to be over.   I had such good intentions of getting the boys out and about this week but Connor and Brendan had pretty high fever and to say they were miserable is an understatement. 
So I can't wait until tomorrow...maybe.

some great websites

I found 2 really great websites tonight.  The first is Calorie Count.  It has really great tools for entering in your calories and even exercise and gives you charts and everything (yes, I am a big nerd).  The other is something I really want to try.  Couch to 5K.  I really want to be a runner.  Runners as skinny. Seriously, have you ever seen a fat runner?  I can do 40 minutes on the elliptical now but when I try to run I want to die.  So wish me luck!  I'm becoming a runner.

Our doggy

I think we have to say farewell to my dog I have had since I graduated from college.  She is sweetest thing around, so good with kids and has been through a lot with me.  She was pretty sick all last week and we took her to vet.  He told us she was basically in liver failure.  He gave us some meds to try and some days she has seemed okay but the last night and today is bad again.  I can't even get her to eat so she can take her meds.  I love her to death and can't imagine life without her but I also don't want her suffering.

It broke my heart the other day because Patrick but his head down on her head and said, "best friend".   What am I going to tell the kids when she's gone?

Tattletale

We were planning a morning outing so I was upstairs getting dressed while the boys were downstairs watching a show.  I was brushing my teeth and I hear Connor at the bottom of the stairs:
"Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy...come quick, it's bad".  I came running down, thinking someone was hurt and Patrick had pulled a chair up the sink and was pouring water all over.
I guess it was good that he came and got me but man, who likes a tattletale???

On the diet front, I am down almost 10 pounds and a pants size in 3 weeks.  Yay for me!!! 

The babysitting room...

The YMCA has a great service were you can drop your kids off for only $2/hour per kid.  So for $6 I can workout for an hour!
Today was our first day.  The twins were a little anxious at first but loved it.  There were so many new toys and the girls that work there are great. They didn't even want to leave when I went to pick them up.  Brendan on the other hand, cried for most of the time.  And of course as soon as he saw me he started crying again.  I hope it is better next time!
Finally bought a digital scale today.  I'm really excited.  Is that sad?  Now I can see my progress in ounces!!

the little brother...

Some days I really feel bad for the littlest one.  Patrick and Connor can be so mean to the kid sometimes. He can't play with a toy for more than 15 seconds without it getting taken from him.  He never gets anything first.  He is always getting left out.
He's lucky he's so darn cute.

who would have thought...

dieting is easier than potty training. That says a lot for how hard potty training is. We had one success story all week and the rest was them just holding it until I cave and put a diaper on them. Very frustrating.

But the dieting is going pretty well. It's not easy but I keep reminding myself something I once read that a super skinny super model said..."nothing tastes as good as skinny feels". I actually have disagreed with this in the past but now I'm on board.

I've cut out sugar and simple carbs and have started going to the gym again. It's really hard to find time to go the gym with 3 little kids but I have really been making it a priority.

The only real problem is the dreams I am having about donuts. Really, how cruel is my subconscious.

Did it!

Cut it all off. And I love it. Well we will see tomorrow when I was it and have to style it myself but I think it's pretty easy.

Also took Connor to the store with me today. He did the shopping.

YIKES!

Going to cut off all my hair! Wish me luck!!!

Patrick went on the potty! I never thought someone else pooping on the potty would give me such joy. He was so nonchalant about it too. I am such a proud Mommy. Connor on the other-hand spent the day whining, "change me, change me, diaper, diaper". We will see what tomorrow brings.

As for the diet...I am doing really, really, really well. Now is my weak time and I'm sitting here drinking tea and trying not to eat anything. Why is this so hard? Why is the pull for a cookie so strong??

Before (and I mean it)

Did I say tomorrow? Well I meant a few days later. Anyway, I weighed in this morning at an even 200. Pounds that is. I've been doing really, really well. There is so much junk in this house and I have managed to avoid it all. And here are some before pictures. These will really motivate me. Notice the twin skin. Once I am down 50 lbs, I want a free tummy tuck.


On another note, we attempted potty training for the first time today. To say it did not go well was an understatement. Connor spent the morning whining "me no like it". I left them bottomless from 8:30 until after lunch and we sat on the potty every 20 minutes. No action. Not a drop. Of course they went in the diapers when I put them on for naps.
But I will not give up! Tomorrow we fight again.

Here I go again...

Ugh, a year has gone by. I have written nothing and I am still FAT. Maybe even fatter. Well this time I mean it. I am losing 50 lbs or bust (well hopefully not in my bust that might be the only good thing about being fat).
I started today and did pretty good. No sugar, low fat, no processed foods. I need more exercise. I really, really can do this. I even turned down cupcakes at a party today.
Tomorrow I post pics and stats. Promising myself. I don't want to be the fat mom.