So I was just sitting here playing with Logan and noticed within the last day or so that I think he has grown again (the pants I recently bought him I no longer have to roll up), so I decided to measure him. Now I can't be sure it was 6 weeks ago, but i'm confident that was when I last measured him - it was definetly less than 8 weeks ago.. anyways, he has grown an inch and a quarter! That's a lot for a little guy in such a short time!
Now for my epiphany. Logan has always been tall for his age, he has been growing very very steadily at a fairly fast pace. (side note, he's no longer gaining weight, for the first time in his life the past month he has actually started to lose). Logan has also been a very bad sleeper. It is proven that we do alot of our growing at night. Anyone catching onto my epiphany?
Well I think there might be a cooralation between the two for him. I am not tall, but I have spoken with teenagers who have had major growth spurts and they have told me it's uncomfortable and painful. So I have a feeling alot of Logan's night problems may just be growing pains!
Now, it's not completely that as he has a lot of bad habits that I have been working on (with success) but I think a big reason he has always wanted to nurse all night, or drink bottles all night is that nursing and bottles were and continue to be (not the nursing anymore) his way of soothing the pain!
Anyways, it's just a thought and theory but frankly, it makes a whole lot of sense to me. I don't know many people who have had boys this tall this fast so I can't really look to friends/family for help on this one. THOUGH, at my play group I met a girl who has a 19 month old boy who is also very tall (not Logan tall but still tall) and he does not sleep through the night either! he's up more often than Logan at this point - and as we compared notes they were very similar in alot of things - very different in others of course, but made me feel SO much better about my situation!
Well, for those who might be wondering, Logan is 34 1/4" and 30lbs (down from 33 at his peak).
Monday, November 29, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Updates
1. Logan slept 10 hours last night! That was a definite first. It was his first night as an official 18 month old - maybe that had something to do with it? lol.. Either way, I was excited! I only woke up at 2:30 briefly, then again at 6:00. At 6:15 Michael went upstairs to check on our little man to be sure he was actually alive. He still is! He woke up at 7, crawled into bed with me, and we got up at 7:30 officially.
2. Crossfit. Firstly - the meal plan. I did amazing the first week, had a bit of a downhill weekend, and now I've got all the 'bugs' fixed and I'm happy with the plan. During that first week I had decided to eat eggs as my breakfast protein, and all week I was EXHAUSTED (like, falling asleep in the middle of the day exhausted, and very very cranky), and a few other ill-symptoms - well I took out the eggs all together and now I'm okay. Not sure the reasoning there, but they didn't work with my body. I also have decided to keep 2-3 servings of fruit as that just makes me happy and cutting back to 1-2 was not fullfiling for me. (I used to eat 4-5 servings a day, so 2-3 is a good compromise). And, I am trying hard to eat protein for my snack foods - I actually plan to cut out the day time snack all together and keep the evening snack.
Secondly - the fitness side. I really enjoy the class. It's much more intense then any class or bootcamp I have ever taken. I enjoy the classs that are more activity based then the 'body building' style classes that run. I am not looking to body build, I am looking for toning and cardio - so I may not be able to stick out crossfit long term as they seem to lean more towards the body building. I will see though at the end of the 4 weeks. It is AWESOME getting a workout that's truly a workout twice a week.
3. Michael read my blogs last night and he made a point of mentioning his new-to-him truck doesn't have 150,000kms, it has 92,000kms. (happy Michael?)
4. We pick up our 'new' van on Saturday in Okotoks. (Which means I get to do some South Calgary shopping on Saturday lol). The car must be scared to be sold because this past week it has never ran better! All the 'problems' have disappeared. I said to Michael that 'our car has a dirty little secret' that it's going to hide from the buyers at the auction. At certain moments I feel dishonest about selling it this way BUT at the same time, people buying in auctions know there are hidden problems in alot of the vehicles and it's the risk of purchasing that way. My first car that I bought in the auction actually had an engine problem also. Them's the breaks! I actually just pray that we get the $2500 to pay the van, plus $500 to pay to instal a car-starter lol - so I want $3000 total out of it!
2. Crossfit. Firstly - the meal plan. I did amazing the first week, had a bit of a downhill weekend, and now I've got all the 'bugs' fixed and I'm happy with the plan. During that first week I had decided to eat eggs as my breakfast protein, and all week I was EXHAUSTED (like, falling asleep in the middle of the day exhausted, and very very cranky), and a few other ill-symptoms - well I took out the eggs all together and now I'm okay. Not sure the reasoning there, but they didn't work with my body. I also have decided to keep 2-3 servings of fruit as that just makes me happy and cutting back to 1-2 was not fullfiling for me. (I used to eat 4-5 servings a day, so 2-3 is a good compromise). And, I am trying hard to eat protein for my snack foods - I actually plan to cut out the day time snack all together and keep the evening snack.
Secondly - the fitness side. I really enjoy the class. It's much more intense then any class or bootcamp I have ever taken. I enjoy the classs that are more activity based then the 'body building' style classes that run. I am not looking to body build, I am looking for toning and cardio - so I may not be able to stick out crossfit long term as they seem to lean more towards the body building. I will see though at the end of the 4 weeks. It is AWESOME getting a workout that's truly a workout twice a week.
3. Michael read my blogs last night and he made a point of mentioning his new-to-him truck doesn't have 150,000kms, it has 92,000kms. (happy Michael?)
4. We pick up our 'new' van on Saturday in Okotoks. (Which means I get to do some South Calgary shopping on Saturday lol). The car must be scared to be sold because this past week it has never ran better! All the 'problems' have disappeared. I said to Michael that 'our car has a dirty little secret' that it's going to hide from the buyers at the auction. At certain moments I feel dishonest about selling it this way BUT at the same time, people buying in auctions know there are hidden problems in alot of the vehicles and it's the risk of purchasing that way. My first car that I bought in the auction actually had an engine problem also. Them's the breaks! I actually just pray that we get the $2500 to pay the van, plus $500 to pay to instal a car-starter lol - so I want $3000 total out of it!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Negative
Well today's blog I am going to write because I actually took a pregnancy test yesterday. It was negative. The reason I tell you that is because frankly, I was so disappointed! Michael and I are not trying, in fact I have been on the pill again since my surgery in August, but I have been experiencing some 'signs' that are not specific to pregnancy, but can be signs of pregnancy so I thought I would check for a few reasons. 1. because I was curious, 2. I am currently at the beginning of a new fitness regime which would need to stop if I were pregnant, and 3. I am supposed to immediately go to the doctor upon being pregnant again to get an ultrasound done - precautionary of course.
Anyways, as I said, I was defiently not trying but it surely stirred some emotions in me (sadness that it wasn't positive for one) and I am so ready for another baby. Michael and I are currently in the process of adoption, and that is all I will say on that because it is not something I feel needs to be 'advertised' but it's something we are definetly pursuing presently. I have this internal debate about when I should start 'trying' again for our own again. I have been given the okay by my doctor a long time ago, so healing wise I'm 'technically' okay. Adoption is a process. It has taken 5 months to get almost nothing done (lol), and it's at least another 4-5 months of the process before you're even approved to go on the adoption lists for the birthmothers to see! After that it is in "God's hands", and it could be weeks, months or years. So Michael and I will likely in the early new year start trying for our own. I don't know what kind of successes I will have there with my history to date, but I can't live in the unknown forever. I feel like my family is incomplete. I love Logan more than anything, and I think he needs some siblings.
I am excited, nervous, scared to be pursing 'trying' and adoption at the same time but I also feel completely comfortable, confident, and happy about the combination. I just know deep down that my family is supposed to grow, and if I'm not supposed to have a baby naturally, then I won't yet until the adoption goes through - that is how I feel. I should say too that Michael and I don't 'try' any more. There is too much emotional stress attached in that word: "trying". We just come to a point where we stop preventing and see what happens. :) It feels so much better emotionally!
Well that's all for now :) I already feel better about that ugly little 'negative' line just by blogging!
Anyways, as I said, I was defiently not trying but it surely stirred some emotions in me (sadness that it wasn't positive for one) and I am so ready for another baby. Michael and I are currently in the process of adoption, and that is all I will say on that because it is not something I feel needs to be 'advertised' but it's something we are definetly pursuing presently. I have this internal debate about when I should start 'trying' again for our own again. I have been given the okay by my doctor a long time ago, so healing wise I'm 'technically' okay. Adoption is a process. It has taken 5 months to get almost nothing done (lol), and it's at least another 4-5 months of the process before you're even approved to go on the adoption lists for the birthmothers to see! After that it is in "God's hands", and it could be weeks, months or years. So Michael and I will likely in the early new year start trying for our own. I don't know what kind of successes I will have there with my history to date, but I can't live in the unknown forever. I feel like my family is incomplete. I love Logan more than anything, and I think he needs some siblings.
I am excited, nervous, scared to be pursing 'trying' and adoption at the same time but I also feel completely comfortable, confident, and happy about the combination. I just know deep down that my family is supposed to grow, and if I'm not supposed to have a baby naturally, then I won't yet until the adoption goes through - that is how I feel. I should say too that Michael and I don't 'try' any more. There is too much emotional stress attached in that word: "trying". We just come to a point where we stop preventing and see what happens. :) It feels so much better emotionally!
Well that's all for now :) I already feel better about that ugly little 'negative' line just by blogging!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Bad things that happen aren't always necessarily bad - depends how you look at it!
So folks, our car is ka-put. We have had mostly problems with it since we bought it. As a back-track, when we bought the car we loved the Matrix as a car, but this particular one has/had to many extra options that deterred from it being a good family car. Logan was a month or two old when we bought it so Michael is the one who test drove it and he of course being a guy loved it - not seeing what a girl may/may not see as being a problem (especially with a baby). Anyways, Michael and I have this problem of spur of the moment, or impulse if you will, purchases. And it's usually the -big- stuff that we do it! So it was a joint partnership mistake on Michael and my part purchasing this car without doing more checks into it mechanically, and having us both a part of the test-drive, etc. (I say this because I have harbored alot of negative feelings towards my husband over this car, but I have recently decided that frankly, a relationship is a two-way street and if i'm going to play the blame game, our relationship will not only worsen, but other issues will come of that. It's hard but i'm working very hard on accepting this as a joint effort mistake).
Anyways, we've had the car for 18 months, and we bought it for $12,000. (side note, it hasn't been -awful- the whole time, just ever so often issues creep up, or reminders of certain things pop up too). I took it into the mechanics this week and they did a compression test, and long story short, two of the four cylanders are almost completely shot. We've been trying to sell the car because we have come to the decision of purchasing a van. Last weekend we were into the Dodge dealership and they actually offered us $5000 for the car, and $8500 for our truck as trade in towards a used 2010 but the problem is we would have had to still get a loan for $10,000 and Michael and I have decided we do not want to go into debt for another vehicle at this time. We had thought if the difference was less than $5000 we would consider it, but it wasn't and we walked away (as pointed out earlier, this is a big step for us).
Three days ago, Michael's dad called and said that his brother (michael's uncle) is selling their van (the van we want - the dodge grande caravan - 2004) for $2500 because he bought a new one. It's so 'cheap' as it has 230,000kms on it. I was humming and hawing over it because of the high kms. But I was also thinking that it would be a good (and affordable) way to see if we truly -like- the gr.caravans (as that is the hardest part of a vehicle purchase, a test drive really doesn't do it justice).
Okay, so per my title, how is my car cratering a positive? Well, we have decided to put our car in the Michener Allen auction, and hope for the best. As far as appearance goes our car is one good looking car. It has a lot of extras, and frankly if someone bought it for 2-4000 bucks, went to the wreckers and stuck a new engine in it for 1500-2000, for a good price they have a really good car in the end. But we'll take our chances at the auction as they are 'as is', the end goal getting a take home of at least 2500 to pay for the van.
More positive: Michael has recently purchased a new-to-him truck for $500 bucks. Yup, it's a 1987 with like 150,000 kms on it lol, and we know where it's coming from, so we know the original owner. It's in pretty good condition. Michael wants it primarily to do some off-roading in, and it will be his 5 minutes commute truck. Thus, we'll have the van in place of the car, and his new-to-him truck, so we'll actually sell our 2004 Dodge Dakota. If all goes well we'll be able to sell it for about $10,000 and voila! We have our house down payment nearly saved! (of course it doesn't hurt to save more than the minimum, but you have to have the minimum before you can do much else lol). The deal is Michael will keep out about $1000 to put some 'extras' into his new truck and the rest will be popped into our ING savings accout.
Anyways, I am very sad about the loss on our car, but frankly, that's life and if I were to dwell on it I wouldn't be any further ahead in life. But I am excited that these 'deals' have come up as far as replacement vehicles goes, and when the time comes that we buy a newer van, or a newer vehicle a few years down the road, if we have to finance one at that point, i'd much rather finance a car-loan and have a house downpayment, then have no house dp and a new vehicle.
So here's to hoping things work out for the best! :)
Anyways, we've had the car for 18 months, and we bought it for $12,000. (side note, it hasn't been -awful- the whole time, just ever so often issues creep up, or reminders of certain things pop up too). I took it into the mechanics this week and they did a compression test, and long story short, two of the four cylanders are almost completely shot. We've been trying to sell the car because we have come to the decision of purchasing a van. Last weekend we were into the Dodge dealership and they actually offered us $5000 for the car, and $8500 for our truck as trade in towards a used 2010 but the problem is we would have had to still get a loan for $10,000 and Michael and I have decided we do not want to go into debt for another vehicle at this time. We had thought if the difference was less than $5000 we would consider it, but it wasn't and we walked away (as pointed out earlier, this is a big step for us).
Three days ago, Michael's dad called and said that his brother (michael's uncle) is selling their van (the van we want - the dodge grande caravan - 2004) for $2500 because he bought a new one. It's so 'cheap' as it has 230,000kms on it. I was humming and hawing over it because of the high kms. But I was also thinking that it would be a good (and affordable) way to see if we truly -like- the gr.caravans (as that is the hardest part of a vehicle purchase, a test drive really doesn't do it justice).
Okay, so per my title, how is my car cratering a positive? Well, we have decided to put our car in the Michener Allen auction, and hope for the best. As far as appearance goes our car is one good looking car. It has a lot of extras, and frankly if someone bought it for 2-4000 bucks, went to the wreckers and stuck a new engine in it for 1500-2000, for a good price they have a really good car in the end. But we'll take our chances at the auction as they are 'as is', the end goal getting a take home of at least 2500 to pay for the van.
More positive: Michael has recently purchased a new-to-him truck for $500 bucks. Yup, it's a 1987 with like 150,000 kms on it lol, and we know where it's coming from, so we know the original owner. It's in pretty good condition. Michael wants it primarily to do some off-roading in, and it will be his 5 minutes commute truck. Thus, we'll have the van in place of the car, and his new-to-him truck, so we'll actually sell our 2004 Dodge Dakota. If all goes well we'll be able to sell it for about $10,000 and voila! We have our house down payment nearly saved! (of course it doesn't hurt to save more than the minimum, but you have to have the minimum before you can do much else lol). The deal is Michael will keep out about $1000 to put some 'extras' into his new truck and the rest will be popped into our ING savings accout.
Anyways, I am very sad about the loss on our car, but frankly, that's life and if I were to dwell on it I wouldn't be any further ahead in life. But I am excited that these 'deals' have come up as far as replacement vehicles goes, and when the time comes that we buy a newer van, or a newer vehicle a few years down the road, if we have to finance one at that point, i'd much rather finance a car-loan and have a house downpayment, then have no house dp and a new vehicle.
So here's to hoping things work out for the best! :)
Thursday, November 11, 2010
New Fitness Plan/Workout
There is a place in town called Crossfit Cochrane that I have found. It is a gym I suppose but it is kind of different then your usual gym set up. I met with Mike (the owner) in his facilitiy and this is what I found:
-He is a personal trainer and he either personal trains or runs classes sort of similar to a bootcamp but instead of being outdoors or using your own body for resistance he's set up with all the gym equipment for everyone. I chose to do the classes because it brings the cost down.
-You can pay month by month, there are no obigations to sign up for a year or three year memberships.
-You can bring your children (free of charge) and there's a play corner with toys for them to play while you take your class.
-He sits down with you 3 times individually to do testing, assessment and program set up
So I have met with him three times now. He created a workout program for me. I am to come into his gym for 2 classes a week, and I paid for 4 weeks. The nice thing is that you are required to come for those 2 per week classes, cuz if you miss you lose them and cannot use them later. I like that because then you're motivated to do it! And then he set me up with a 3 day home program.
One of the sit-down assessments was food/nutrition based and he looked at what the past week, and had me track my food for a couple of days to see what I should/shouldn't be doing. So in the end he gave me a food plan that's pretty darn close to what I already do, with a few tweaks. I am VERY excited to give it a try. My goal is kind of wishy-washy because I want to lose 8-10lbs, but pounds I know are hard to judge by because of building muscle and getting fit can actually push the scale number up at first. Anyways, I have measurements done, and he said he might even do a fat-analysis body composition test on me, and my goal is to lose lots of inches in the thigh/butt area.
Wish me luck! My first class will be Tuesday, and I will try and get the ol' jogging stroller out for a few days before the weather turns too cold.
-He is a personal trainer and he either personal trains or runs classes sort of similar to a bootcamp but instead of being outdoors or using your own body for resistance he's set up with all the gym equipment for everyone. I chose to do the classes because it brings the cost down.
-You can pay month by month, there are no obigations to sign up for a year or three year memberships.
-You can bring your children (free of charge) and there's a play corner with toys for them to play while you take your class.
-He sits down with you 3 times individually to do testing, assessment and program set up
So I have met with him three times now. He created a workout program for me. I am to come into his gym for 2 classes a week, and I paid for 4 weeks. The nice thing is that you are required to come for those 2 per week classes, cuz if you miss you lose them and cannot use them later. I like that because then you're motivated to do it! And then he set me up with a 3 day home program.
One of the sit-down assessments was food/nutrition based and he looked at what the past week, and had me track my food for a couple of days to see what I should/shouldn't be doing. So in the end he gave me a food plan that's pretty darn close to what I already do, with a few tweaks. I am VERY excited to give it a try. My goal is kind of wishy-washy because I want to lose 8-10lbs, but pounds I know are hard to judge by because of building muscle and getting fit can actually push the scale number up at first. Anyways, I have measurements done, and he said he might even do a fat-analysis body composition test on me, and my goal is to lose lots of inches in the thigh/butt area.
Wish me luck! My first class will be Tuesday, and I will try and get the ol' jogging stroller out for a few days before the weather turns too cold.
My 'single-mom' week
Monday of this week I got a call from Michael saying he was being sent up to Edmonton for 4 days. He came home that afternoon, packed his bags and off he went. Today is Thursday and he's supposed to come home either late tonight, or tomorrow morning. I hope that's the truth!
So this week the challenges that I have faced have been different then I would have anticipated them to be:
1. I truly TRULY miss that evening adult contact. To be able to have a conversation with someone close to me, and just to even have the body of another adult present really brings me serious completeness. The phone and email do not do enough justice to fill that gap.
2. I have actually experienced "boredom" this week. Being in a new town, new house, etc, I have no schedule yet. I have small things to do some days of the week or errands to run, but nothing that lasts more than an hour or two. Being alone means I have Logan, and must entertain Logan from morning till bedtime. I usually have the extra set of hands come supper time.
3. This is kind of linked my #2, but I feel bad for Logan because I cannot sit on the floor and play for hours and hours - it's just not my thing. I can do bits and pieces. With the weather turning colder we cannot go outside, so I'm constantly trying to think of new and free or low-cost things to do. I am starting to feel like i'm a lazy mother, which when I step back and look at things, I am most definetly not - but those feelings of inadaquacy are sinking in more often the longer I am alone!
Anyways, should Michael get called away for more than 2 nights again, I will definetly go to my mom's or have her come here and stay with me because it's not my thing. I'm sure over time I will get used to it, and I will start to meet more friends - or any friends for that matter! I have made acquaintances, but I am far from feeling comfortable calling them up to get together yet, or just 'dropping in' like I used to do with my 'old life'.
Bonus: when Michael goes away he makes KILLER overtime which will be so nice for our pocketbook. I have implemented savings plans for the following: a) downpayment on a home b) vacation/"stuff" c) emergency fund. For now that is all I will worry about, the majority of our savings going into (a).
So this week the challenges that I have faced have been different then I would have anticipated them to be:
1. I truly TRULY miss that evening adult contact. To be able to have a conversation with someone close to me, and just to even have the body of another adult present really brings me serious completeness. The phone and email do not do enough justice to fill that gap.
2. I have actually experienced "boredom" this week. Being in a new town, new house, etc, I have no schedule yet. I have small things to do some days of the week or errands to run, but nothing that lasts more than an hour or two. Being alone means I have Logan, and must entertain Logan from morning till bedtime. I usually have the extra set of hands come supper time.
3. This is kind of linked my #2, but I feel bad for Logan because I cannot sit on the floor and play for hours and hours - it's just not my thing. I can do bits and pieces. With the weather turning colder we cannot go outside, so I'm constantly trying to think of new and free or low-cost things to do. I am starting to feel like i'm a lazy mother, which when I step back and look at things, I am most definetly not - but those feelings of inadaquacy are sinking in more often the longer I am alone!
Anyways, should Michael get called away for more than 2 nights again, I will definetly go to my mom's or have her come here and stay with me because it's not my thing. I'm sure over time I will get used to it, and I will start to meet more friends - or any friends for that matter! I have made acquaintances, but I am far from feeling comfortable calling them up to get together yet, or just 'dropping in' like I used to do with my 'old life'.
Bonus: when Michael goes away he makes KILLER overtime which will be so nice for our pocketbook. I have implemented savings plans for the following: a) downpayment on a home b) vacation/"stuff" c) emergency fund. For now that is all I will worry about, the majority of our savings going into (a).
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