Sunday, January 31, 2010

whoohoo!

I lost 4.4 lbs this week on Weight Watchers!

Seeing success definitely makes me want to keep up doing a good job!

And I think I got Brian curious in how many points things are...

Here is a breakfast I made for us this morning... 3 points per serving, but Brian and I both had 2 servings.... It was super easy and fast too! Took about 10 minutes total.

My new goal is to make a big breakfast for us every Sunday! There are tons of yummy breakfast recipes out there that I want to try! Next week will be some sort of pancakes... maybe apple cinnamon ones?!

Anyways... here is the recipe.... (this is mostly for my brother!)

Bacon, Egg, and Hash Brown Stack - 4 servings, 3 pts per serving

1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp green onion
3 Large egg whites
2 Large eggs
4 frozen hash brown potato patties
3 slices of cooked turkey bacon

1. In a large pan, cook hash browns, 7-8 minutes per side.
2. In a mixing bowl combine pepper, salt, green onion, egg whites, eggs, and crumbled bacon.
3. Pour egg mix in a second pan, and scramble.
4. On plate, stack egg mix on top of hash brown.

Onto Leah news...

I definitely enjoy my weekends a little more since going back to work! We really didnt do too much at all, but it was a great weekend! Brian worked Saturday morning, so Leah and I went to my parents for lunch. We were back home by 1:00 and just spent the rest of the day at home... Today, Sunday, we just stayed in... Leah was pretty fussy all day... she did not sleep more than 45 minutes at a time, but she was SOOO tired!... tired enough that I put her in her crib to enjoy her mobile for a little while and 10 minutes later she is asleep... Its not even 7 oclock yet, and I think she might be done for the night....

Tomorrow she starts Daycare! Everything is ready... I hope she does ok... I hope she naps while she is there! I think today she didnt nap too well because I was trying to get her used to napping in her crib without being swaddled or using her boppy pillow to lay on... and no napping in a swing... At Daycare she will just be napping in a crib with a blanket... ugg that sounds so horrible compared to what she is used to here at home! .... Im sad now....

Well.. since Leah is down... I need to get some study done... yes... I am taking my exam again... May 12th... Boo!

Who's that baby in the mirror?

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

Tonight I tried my first weight watchers dinner for Brian and I! 6 points total and very filling!!

I usually dont try too many recipes that I havent received from someone else because I dont always know if something will turn out to be good or not.... but this meal turned out pretty good!

I have to admit.... I think I am addicted to sweet potatoes as well! My mouth is watering as I think about them!!

Chicken Breast with Honey-Balsamic Glaze - 4 points for 4 oz of chicken

1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast (makes 4 servings)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp honey

1. combine first 2 ingredients, sprinkle over chicken
2. heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add chicken. cook 7-8 minutes on each side or until done.
3. transfer chicken to a platter, keep warm. Reduce heat to Medium-low, add vinegar and honey to pan (let the pan cool a bit first!) Simmer 1 minute or until glaze thickens, pour glaze over chicken.

Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges - 2 points for 1/2 a large potato

2 large sweet potatoes, washed and patted dry
1 tsp olive
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

1.Preheat oven to 425
2. Cut each potatoe into 8 lengthwise wedges and place on a nonstick baking sheet. Drizzle with oil (I brushed them with a BBQ brush) sprinkle with salt and rosemary. Roast for 15 minutes, turn and roast until tender, about 15-20 more minutes.

Friday, January 29, 2010

tgif!

Yeah for Friday!!! I am almost done with my first week back to work!

Its been a pretty good one! Leaving Leah was hard, but its nice to come home to her! Being gone for 10 weeks leaves me alot of work to sort of catch up on, so my days are pretty busy and they seem to go by in a blink of an eye! Lets hope this keeps up!

We have also been pretty spoiled though having Brian's parents over to watch Leah. We will have a hard dose of reality next week I think!

I am up right now to prepare for it! ...

Leah had been waking up all week at 545, the same time MY alarm was going off. Its definitely not easy to feed her at the same time as trying to get in the shower and get dressed. We tried to have Brian feed her while I showered... but Leah thinks Daddy=playtime, so he can never get her to eat! She just smiles at him the whole time! Its adorable, but not too helpful! Luckily Brian's parents have been coming over around 615, so we could pass her off and we could get ready for work. Today however, they are letting us try to have a more typical morning and not coming over until after 7, after I leave for work!

Ideally, I plan to get up at 5, get Leah up, change her, feed her, get her back to sleep... and then I will get in the shower and get dressed and leave for work a little before 7. Brian will get up and get dressed, and just have to get Leah up, maybe get her dressed if I didnt already, remember all her stuff and take her to daycare.

This morning is going almost as planned ..... except Leah got up on her own this morning... at 420! So, we are 40 minutes ahead of schedule.... could be good... except I will be EXHAUSTED later! She was back to sleep by 5 till 5, but after being up for almost 40 minutes, I couldnt really fall back to sleep... so here I am... enjoying some me time before work I guess.

Well I am off to make me a cup of coffee (I LOVE MY KEURIG COFFEE MAKER!)

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

She's in good hands

I just have to share this picture of Leah and her Grandma, who is watching her this week.


Isnt it a GREAT picture of them?


I have to say, I do have the cutest baby girl in the whole wide world!

Monday, January 25, 2010

I survived

... but of course not without a few tears....



... all signs seemed to try to tell me that I should NOT be returning...



Saturday... I lost my phone.... I told Brian "I canNOT go to work Monday without my phone!"... but it was found... turns out I put it on the trunk of my car!... my wonderful father n law (aka Mr Fix-it aka Mr Find-it aka Mr Clean) found it for me before I got the chance to drive off and lose it forever.



Sunday... I lost my keys....again I thought it was a sign... I shouldnt be needing to drive to work....I actually didnt even find them before work this morning... again, they were found today by my father n law! He has a magic ability to find my missing things! They were in the couch which I PROMISE I looked thru....



Then today... Monday... the dreaded first day back.... I get to work, after tears when I got out of the shower, when I pulled Leah out of her crib and gave her a bottle, while I got dressed, when I left, when I drove to work, when I parked my car, and then a few while at work.... I tried to turn on my computer and nothing... it was dead. What more of a sign could there have been that I should not be at work?.. I called the help desk... and 2 hrs later had a new computer.

Turns out the day wasnt too horrible. The first 2 hrs of just sitting and talking with friends with nice. I thought about Leah alot during the morning, but by the afternoon, after going thru 2600 emails, I was doing alot better. It is kind of nice to have adult conversation again, but by 4 oclock I was eager to get home and see my baby girl!

Thanks alot to my great in-laws, I came home to a clean house and dinner already made. I am going to be spoiled after this week! All night I just played with Leah, and she is now sleeping soundly in bed.... which is now calling my name!

After the first day... I think I can do this... I just need to make sure I get some sleep!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

ww online

Not that I already have enough to think about lately... I decided to join weight watchers online.

I stepped on the Wii Fit tonight and realized that I pretty much have not lost any more weight in last month! Leah is over 2 months old now.... I cant be one of those people that say "oh I still have the baby weight to lose" when she is a year old... so instead of letting it sit... I am doing something about it now.

I lost most of my weight before getting married with Weight Watchers... but I attended the meetings at work... This time around I am doing weight watchers online. I kind of hated the meetings, but I think the online will be nice. I can even keep track of everything on my phone to keep up with it all day plus their website is pretty cool! I just signed up for a 3 month thing... so heres to losing 10.... 20 lbs?! :)

Plus maybe making some healthier dinners will be good for Brian! ha!

So.... here I go...

Saturday, January 23, 2010

entering a depression

I seriously am feeling depressed.

Monday is coming way too quickly and I cant stand it!

Its not the returning to work aspect of Monday... yes I wish I was returning to a better situation, but hopefully everything will be cleared up in the next few weeks... more on that another day... its the leaving Leah aspect and the fact that life as a working mom terrifies me.

Its the fact that I will probably NEVER again have this much time off to spend, just Leah and I. I honestly dont see being a stay at home mom in my future.. although this is SO HARD, Brian and I have too many goals for our family and I hope to one day make more money than Brian! (I think its the competitiveness in me and that I want to be the breadwinner and tell Brian what he can and cant spend money on!). The next time I am off for this long will be the result of another baby, and that means even less Leah and Mommy time... things will just never be the same.. everything has been so perfect its hard to want to move on with life!

And then there is the challenge that real life is about to bring... I am about to be a working mom... Just the thought of everything on my to-do list starting Monday scares me. I respect my mom so much for being a working mom and always doing such a wonderful job at it, but I remember seeing how exhausted she would be after working all day, making dinner, cleaning the house, and doing everything that me or my siblings asked of her. I just hope I can do it all too!

I know I am hardest on myself and I often put a ridiculous amount of unneeded pressure on myself, but I want to succeed and I want to be good at this! Its not something I can ease into either... I am about to dive head first into it all, try to discover a routine, and just hope things work out...

Thursday, January 21, 2010

:(

I am so so so so so sad tomorrow is Friday and my maternity leave is over!

I am already a crying mess.... off to take a hot shower and to cry my eyes out! 

WHOOHOOO Again!

She slept thru the night AGAIN!

10:15pm-7:45am

Yes, she did not go to bed until 10:15... She definitely likes to be up in the evenings.. I like to think its because her daddy is home!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

WHOOHOOO!!!

Leah slept from 8:30 pm -6:00 am!!!! She was up for an hour to have a bottle and smile at her daddy for a while before he went to work, and back to sleep at 7:00... and now at 9:00 still asleep. I expect her to awake any minute though.

This could very well be a result of her shots... but I am going to hope for more nights like this!

Although she slept continually, I did not really.... I was up almost ever hour after 1:00 am to try to listen for her expecting her to be waking up!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

2 months!

Look at this big 2 month old!! I cant believe how grown she is getting!!!



Today Leah had her 2 month check up. This is a picture of her waiting for the doctor... enjoying playing with herself in the mirror.
She is doing great! Developmentally she is around a 2-3 month old... right on schedule, and a little ahead. I think she is ahead mostly in the area of her amazing strength. Holding up her head, putting weight on her feet, and tracking objects are her expertise! Her stats are:

12 lb 10 oz (90th percentile)

24.5 inches long (over 95th percentile)

Head is 50th percentile


Leah also got 3 shots today! She of course screamed bloody murder after the first one, but quickly calmed down after a few minutes and a few sips from her bottle. Right now we are at home and she is sleeping off the shots... poor thing! I hate seeing my baby hurt!

Sunday, January 17, 2010

yummy

FYI...

The new 55 calorie Bud Select.... Not half bad taste-wise.

Money-wise... expensive!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Guess came in the mail!

The hospital bill!

What does it cost to have a c-section at St. John's and stay for 4 nights?

Cardiology - 185.00
Diagnostic/Therapeutic Misc Services - 860.00
Labor/Delivery Services - 1,591.00
Medical Supplies/Durable Equipment - 689.86
Pharmacy/IV Therapy (That wonderfuly epidural and pain killers!) - 2,875.75
Room Charges - 3,416.00
Surgery/Anesthesia/Recovery Room Services - 148.00

Grand Total = 9,765.61
Our Share = 1,234.41

Did you notice the room charge!? That's over 800 a night!!!

Luckily... Leah is worth every penny!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Little Learners Academy

Today Leah and I stopped by the daycare she will be attending in 2 weeks (so sad) so we could meet the teachers and just get a little more comfortable.

Although it makes me completely sad, I enjoyed sitting there and letting the teachers know all of Leah's quirks so that they are prepared to watch her and keep her happy.

Leah seemed to enjoy the place as well. I laid her on the play mat on her belly and let her watch the other babies (5 other babies all about 5-7 months old, Leah will be the youngest by far... more attention for her then!) and then she rolled over from belly to back ...twice! She tried for a third time, but got stuck, and then mad.

I am doing Ok with the idea of her going to daycare... at the moment... but we will see how I feel when Feb 1st rolls around!

Maybe worth it?








I just thought I would post a few pictures of Leah enjoying Sophie the Giraffe! She definitely likes chewing on her!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

back to the place where we first met

Brian's cousin Jeff just welcomed a new baby girl, Selene! Of course Leah was eager to meet her new little friend, so we headed to the hospital!

Walking into the hospital, all of the wonderful memories of having Leah came flowing back to me. I dont think I ever really wrote about my whole labor experience (maybe soon so I dont forget it!) but it was WONDERFUL! So wonderful that I am eager to do it all again! Giving birth, seeing your baby for the first time, and spending those first few days together is efinitelysome of the happiest times in your life. I honestly cannot imagine ever being happier!

Seeing baby Selene brought on all new realizations as well! She was so little and perfect looking! I think there is just something so magical about new borns! They are juts so perfect! I like to think of Leah as my little new born still, but today I realized she no longer is...

She has grown leaps and bounds and is far from little! Selene is only a pound less than Leah was when she was born... just look at the pictures so see how far Leah has come! ...

This is Leah in their new born bassinets.... she just barely fit!!!



Look how different their heads are!!!!!
The Daddys and their girls!... so sweet!






Wednesday, January 13, 2010

8 weeks!

Today is Leah's 8 week birthday!

I CANNOT believe its already been 8 weeks with Leah! She's 2 months on Monday!

On the 19th she goes to the doctor! I cant wait to see how big she has gotten and to see what the doctor has to say!

Any guesses on her weight and length? My prediction is 12 lbs 2 oz, 24.5 inches long. I dont feel like she has put on too much more weight, nor gotten too much longer in the past month, so part of me feels like I am over guessing here.

In development she is definitely getting smarter by the day! She is currently in LOVE with her mobile. She would happily lay under it all day long as long as she could be fed. She just loves watching the little fishies move by. Her hands are starting to open up too. Babies hands remain in tight fists until about 2 months when the start to loosen up so that the can begin to grab and explore their toys. Leah's right hand has relaxed, but her Left is still in a tight fist. Yesterday she was enjoying her Sophie some. I laid her on her chest, and Leah immediately found her ears to chew on, and would grab it with her right hand and move it around a bit, but she would always move her out of her mouth so she would get frustrated. She even got the toy to squeak once, but I think it scared her more than anything!

Brian has a new game to play with Leah too... when he comes home from work with cold hands, he likes to touch her cheeks and she her gasp. It seems cruel, but its really ADORABLE! Leah definitely loves her daddy!

Even though I am so excited to see Leah grow and get older, I am truly beginning to get sad about the 25th drawing near... I am dreading going to work.... mostly because I know I will never get to spend this much uninterrupted time with my baby girl ever again! :( From the 25th on it will just be little moments in the morning, evenings of feeding, bathing, and putting to bed, and weekends trying to have as much family time as possible. Its definitely depressing to think about! ... But... work = money which ultimately = a better house, a better school, and a better life for Leah.

Now its time to enjoy the next week and a half as much as we possibly can!!!!!

Monday, January 11, 2010

failure

I failed my test... BOO!

I received a 3 out of 10, when I needed a 6 to pass.

I am not too ashamed of my score.. I am ok with it actually... I am accepting the fact/excuse that I was 38 weeks and 1 day pregnant with my first child when I took this exam.

I will pass it in May!

I think I am going to take an online class to study for it this time... www.theinfiniteactuary.com

It is expensive, but I think it will help me stay on schedule with Leah, as well as I like to watch the videos.. it may help me learn how to do some differential equations... which I have never even seen before this exam!


Even failing this exam.. I hope to get my designation by the end of 2013... but that means no more failing..... Blah 4 more years! eeks!

Friday, January 8, 2010

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Sophie con't

I just have to share...

I of course didnt tell Brian I was ordering a 20 dollar baby toy online.... I knew he would think I was crazy!

When Brian came home, he noticed the front door was unlocked..

Brian - "Who visited you today?"
Kim - "The UPS man"
Brian - "What did you buy now?!"
Kim - I hold up sophie...
Brian - "YOU GOT A GIRAFFE IN THE MAIL!?"

I almost started crying I was laughing so hard! I am trying not to laugh out loud right now... no one probably finds this as funny as I do.... oh well! ha! I wanted to share!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Sophie

This is sophie.

She is THE baby toy....according to a lot of online sites.

Yes she looks like a dog toy... and even has a squeeker in her....

She even cost 20 dollars and comes from baby gap. (I had a gift card)

At first glance you wonder what it's special powers are...why on earth would this giraffe cost so much... this 5 inches tall, rubber thing...

But Leah already responds to her.

I am interested to see what happens in a few months when Leah can grasp her and chew on her.... I will keep you posted!

Big girl

Hanging out like a big girl!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

3-6

Leah is officially sporting size 3-6 now.... look how big she is at just 6 weeks!






























Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy 2010

I didnt make it to see the clock turn twelve...

Leah hasn't slept too great all week, and was fighting sleep all day yesterday (I guess she was trying to stay up as well) so when I FINALLY got her to sleep at 9:45, I was ready for sleep as well! I was hoping she would sleep great since she seriously did not have a good nap all day... she did Ok I guess... better than the previous nights where it seemed she was getting up hourly just to be rocked for 5 minutes. She went down at 9:45, up at 1:30 and 5:00 and finally up for the day at 7:45. Is it sad that I think this is kind of good!? Ugg...

Brian did wake me at midnight and gave me a kiss.

Now we are just lounging around while we wait to go over to my Aunt Diana's and Uncle Keith's house. Brian thinks this is cruel and unusual punishment...family time on the national hangover day... but I guess my family just likes to start off the year together with food and movie watching.

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