This weekend has been a roller coaster ride for me. Some of this is hard to read - it's hard to know - but, unfortunately, it's my life.
Friday, we found out that my cousin's 7-year-old has a brain tumor - on Saturday, we found out more details and were told it is at the base of her brain (brain stem) and is inoperable. The doctors only gave her 1 year to live.
How can it be that a beautiful, smart, sweet, friendly seven year old can have something so wrong going on inside of her? I just can't wrap my head around it. Saturday, I felt like I was in a fog - the strange thing is, it hit Jim even harder than it hit me. Of course, I dealt with it by jumping right into research mode.
Sunday, we got my oil changed and rear brakes replaced. We walked around Sunset Place Mall and took Brooke to an indoor playground called Cool-de-Sac. We had a lot of fun there.
Yesterday, Jim and I both had the stomach flu. I always wish we were closer to family, but never more than yesterday. Brooke had to be home with two sick-os because neither of us were well enough to drive her to daycare. If we had family nearby, I'm sure someone would have gladly helped us out. I'm finally feeling a little better this morning - can at least drink, although I can't eat much.
I weighed-in this morning (a day late)
Weight loss this week: -5.5
Total weight loss: -13.5!!!!!!!
I am so excited to see that I've lost 13.5 lbs so far...but I'm trying not to get too excited since I know a large part of that large loss was the stomach flu....
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
20 months!
I'm a few days late on this, but Brooke is officially 20 months old. I find it hard to believe she's going to be 2 in just 4 months!
We're making big plans for her birthday. Instead of a party, we're doing a lunch with Elmo and friends at Busch Gardens, Tampa, when we're there in early June - complete with reserved seating, a personalized cake for our girl, and the characters wishing her happy birthday! Then, in July, we'll do cupcakes at school, and a "family" party at home - she'll also be getting baptized around her 2nd birthday.
Her personality develops more and more. She is so sweet most of the time. She is VERY talkative, and a definite blabbermouth! Each day when I pick her up from daycare, she tells me all about her day - usually focusing on which children got in trouble for what (Riley and Averi most often, ha). The day of Lilly's birthday, she told me "Lilly's mama, Cake." She loves to show me around her classroom and show me the decorations, etc. She'll tell me what she wants to eat and drink (usually "cheese" and "apple jus").
She loves to run and loves, loves, loves to be outside! She still loves books. She loves Skype-ing with my parents, and she'll ask for it specifically. She likes puppies, but she's a little scared of them at the same time. She likes to pick her own clothes (she picks the top/dress, and I get out the bottoms that match).
She's still on the Xylitol for the ear infection study and so far, so good - no ear infections since the last one cleared up in early February. Thank God! Hopefully we've dodged the tubes bullet.
She is getting very funny, too. On Sunday, she was on the couch. She was laying her head on a pillow and wanted me to lay mine down, too. She handed me a pillow and started yelling, Mommy, lay your head down! lay head down! Lay head DOWN! while she was hitting the pillow - what can I say? My girl knows what she wants.
On Saturday, she was really tired (we were out past her bedtime). She was asking for us to sing her songs - and she asked us to sing "Itsy Bitsy Spid-ah round and round." Then she looked at me like, wait a minute, what did I just say?
We're making big plans for her birthday. Instead of a party, we're doing a lunch with Elmo and friends at Busch Gardens, Tampa, when we're there in early June - complete with reserved seating, a personalized cake for our girl, and the characters wishing her happy birthday! Then, in July, we'll do cupcakes at school, and a "family" party at home - she'll also be getting baptized around her 2nd birthday.
Her personality develops more and more. She is so sweet most of the time. She is VERY talkative, and a definite blabbermouth! Each day when I pick her up from daycare, she tells me all about her day - usually focusing on which children got in trouble for what (Riley and Averi most often, ha). The day of Lilly's birthday, she told me "Lilly's mama, Cake." She loves to show me around her classroom and show me the decorations, etc. She'll tell me what she wants to eat and drink (usually "cheese" and "apple jus").
She loves to run and loves, loves, loves to be outside! She still loves books. She loves Skype-ing with my parents, and she'll ask for it specifically. She likes puppies, but she's a little scared of them at the same time. She likes to pick her own clothes (she picks the top/dress, and I get out the bottoms that match).
She's still on the Xylitol for the ear infection study and so far, so good - no ear infections since the last one cleared up in early February. Thank God! Hopefully we've dodged the tubes bullet.
She is getting very funny, too. On Sunday, she was on the couch. She was laying her head on a pillow and wanted me to lay mine down, too. She handed me a pillow and started yelling, Mommy, lay your head down! lay head down! Lay head DOWN! while she was hitting the pillow - what can I say? My girl knows what she wants.
On Saturday, she was really tired (we were out past her bedtime). She was asking for us to sing her songs - and she asked us to sing "Itsy Bitsy Spid-ah round and round." Then she looked at me like, wait a minute, what did I just say?
Monday, March 21, 2011
Weight Loss Update #3
This week's loss: -3.0
Total loss: -8.0
I'm feeling great!!! It's been so long since I was actually motivated to stick to a weight-loss plan. I don't say diet, because Weight Watchers truly is not a diet - it's about changing the way we think about food and exercising and re-wiring our brains. Not to rule out junk food - just to limit portions.
Example? Friday, after work, we took Brooke to Misha's Cupcakes to pick out a variety so we can let her start trying them and decide what kind she wants for her birthday. We cut them all in thirds so we could all try (the winner was their chocolate & their Hostess flavor), and I still pulled off a 3 lb loss - and that includes canned corned beef hash for dinner on Wednesday and McDonald's for dinner Friday!
Planning our vacation is coming along. We officially have reservations for lunch with Elmo & friends at Busch Gardens - and we are so excited! I wish the next couple of months would go faster so we can just get to Disney, already!
Total loss: -8.0
I'm feeling great!!! It's been so long since I was actually motivated to stick to a weight-loss plan. I don't say diet, because Weight Watchers truly is not a diet - it's about changing the way we think about food and exercising and re-wiring our brains. Not to rule out junk food - just to limit portions.
Example? Friday, after work, we took Brooke to Misha's Cupcakes to pick out a variety so we can let her start trying them and decide what kind she wants for her birthday. We cut them all in thirds so we could all try (the winner was their chocolate & their Hostess flavor), and I still pulled off a 3 lb loss - and that includes canned corned beef hash for dinner on Wednesday and McDonald's for dinner Friday!
Planning our vacation is coming along. We officially have reservations for lunch with Elmo & friends at Busch Gardens - and we are so excited! I wish the next couple of months would go faster so we can just get to Disney, already!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Vacation Planning
It is only March 16, and I am getting SO EXCITED for our trip in May!
Originally, we were going to just go Disney. Then, we thought, hey, we'll add Sea World....but our minds have changed again. We have settled on this:
We will go to Disney 4 days (2 at Magic Kingdom, 1 at Epcot, and 1 at Hollywood Studios). We're also going to go over to Tampa either at the beginning or end of our trip and take Brooke to Busch Gardens, where they have put the "Sesame Street Safari of Fun." There, we will have breakfast with Elmo and friends complete with...a birthday celebration!
Our girl LOVES Elmo, Abby, and all the other "monsters," and they will do a cake for her. I've been looking for something special for her for her 2nd birthday, and a big party just didn't feel "right." But she will love this, even though it's a little earlier than her birthday.
We're still working out the details of the trip as far as where we'll be each day, but we are very excited!
So excited, in fact, that I already started making my lists of what I need to pack! Yup, I make lists before packing for vacation - just to make sure I don't forget anything important. I made them already because I wanted to narrow down what I need to purchase so I can keep an eye out for deals and don't have to rush around at the last minute (like my procrastinating self has been known to do in the past).
First up, a new camera! My Olympus Stylus was working OK, although it's a few years old and the pictures don't turn out nearly as nice as with the newer cameras. Since I do most of the picture-taking and know a little more about the optics of cameras in general, it was my choice. I picked the Nikon Coolpix S6000, a compact point-and-shoot that seems to be well-liked among owners. Jim is picking it up at Best Buy today - I can't wait to try it!
Other than that, our "to purchase" list includes necessities like sunscreen, hat/sunglasses for Brooke, etc.....and things that have to wait, like new shoes and swimsuit for Brooke.
Originally, we were going to just go Disney. Then, we thought, hey, we'll add Sea World....but our minds have changed again. We have settled on this:
We will go to Disney 4 days (2 at Magic Kingdom, 1 at Epcot, and 1 at Hollywood Studios). We're also going to go over to Tampa either at the beginning or end of our trip and take Brooke to Busch Gardens, where they have put the "Sesame Street Safari of Fun." There, we will have breakfast with Elmo and friends complete with...a birthday celebration!
Our girl LOVES Elmo, Abby, and all the other "monsters," and they will do a cake for her. I've been looking for something special for her for her 2nd birthday, and a big party just didn't feel "right." But she will love this, even though it's a little earlier than her birthday.
We're still working out the details of the trip as far as where we'll be each day, but we are very excited!
So excited, in fact, that I already started making my lists of what I need to pack! Yup, I make lists before packing for vacation - just to make sure I don't forget anything important. I made them already because I wanted to narrow down what I need to purchase so I can keep an eye out for deals and don't have to rush around at the last minute (like my procrastinating self has been known to do in the past).
First up, a new camera! My Olympus Stylus was working OK, although it's a few years old and the pictures don't turn out nearly as nice as with the newer cameras. Since I do most of the picture-taking and know a little more about the optics of cameras in general, it was my choice. I picked the Nikon Coolpix S6000, a compact point-and-shoot that seems to be well-liked among owners. Jim is picking it up at Best Buy today - I can't wait to try it!
Other than that, our "to purchase" list includes necessities like sunscreen, hat/sunglasses for Brooke, etc.....and things that have to wait, like new shoes and swimsuit for Brooke.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Potty training update
Potty training has been going great!
Brooke now tells me she has to poop (and successfully poops on the potty) 75% of the time when she's home! She's a little slower for peeing on the potty, but that's fine.
The biggest hinderance in having her completely potty trained is that the daycare won't work with her until she tells them she needs to go or turns 2, whichever comes first....and she won't tell them yet. She is starting to talk more there, so I'm hoping it happens soon!
Brooke now tells me she has to poop (and successfully poops on the potty) 75% of the time when she's home! She's a little slower for peeing on the potty, but that's fine.
The biggest hinderance in having her completely potty trained is that the daycare won't work with her until she tells them she needs to go or turns 2, whichever comes first....and she won't tell them yet. She is starting to talk more there, so I'm hoping it happens soon!
Weight loss week 2
Weight loss this week: - .5
Total weight loss: - 5
I didn't do as well as I had hoped this week. Mostly due to my willpower for sweets failing me ;-) But, I still managed to reach my first "milestone" and lose 5 lbs total!! I'm pretty stoked about that, and confident that I will be able to do better going into this week.
Total weight loss: - 5
I didn't do as well as I had hoped this week. Mostly due to my willpower for sweets failing me ;-) But, I still managed to reach my first "milestone" and lose 5 lbs total!! I'm pretty stoked about that, and confident that I will be able to do better going into this week.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Exhausted
I am one tired Mama today. We've been doing a lot of nothing, but sometimes that's more tiring than being on the go all the time!
Yesterday was spent picking up pottery, grabbing dinner at Grampa's in Dania Beach, ice cream at Wall's, and playing Wii.
And we've also decided that for Brooke's birthday, we're doing the cupcakes at school and a small party at home with any family that can make it - I'll invite a couple of Brooke's friends probably, or I might take them to play some evening or something. Not sure about that yet, but we decided to hold off on the bigger parties until she can tell us what she wants for her birthday - so probably next year!
Yesterday was spent picking up pottery, grabbing dinner at Grampa's in Dania Beach, ice cream at Wall's, and playing Wii.Today, we've been hanging out at home, I did some grocery shopping (alone- yay!!!!).
We've decided when we go to Disney, we're also hitting Sea World - so excited! We'll be purchasing Disney tickets this week. We think we're going to get the Sea World "annual pass," because we can get it for only $8 more a person than the one-day tickets!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Weight Loss and Fun!
My first real weight loss update!!
Weight loss this week: -4.5 lbs!
Total weight loss: -4.5 lbs
I am so excited that Weight Watchers is working! And this is just counting the points for everything I eat - I haven't started working out yet. I think it's more manageable if you change one thing at a time - so for now, I'll continue trying to work on what I'm eating for another few weeks before I start trying to focus on the exercise.
Yesterday, Jim was off so we took Brooke to Busy Bee Kidz for open play. This is an indoor playground that I've taken her to before. We all had a blast, and we're talking about doing Brooke's birthday there. We're still not sure if we're going to have a party with one of their party packages, or just invite 4-5 of her friends to go play for a couple of hours. If we do the latter, I don't think we're allowed to take a cake or anything. But, we would do a cake for her at home anyway, and I don't think a group of 2 year olds know (yet!) that there is supposed to be a cake!
The only thing we've decided on for sure is that we're bringing Misha's cupcakes to school on her birthday. If you've never had Misha's (they're a Miami thing), you HAVE to try them. They are, by far, the best cupcakes I've ever had. I just had one yesterday, as a matter of fact - red velvet cake with chocolate chips and butter cream icing. OMGeeee...TO DIE FOR!
Weight loss this week: -4.5 lbs!
Total weight loss: -4.5 lbs
I am so excited that Weight Watchers is working! And this is just counting the points for everything I eat - I haven't started working out yet. I think it's more manageable if you change one thing at a time - so for now, I'll continue trying to work on what I'm eating for another few weeks before I start trying to focus on the exercise.
Yesterday, Jim was off so we took Brooke to Busy Bee Kidz for open play. This is an indoor playground that I've taken her to before. We all had a blast, and we're talking about doing Brooke's birthday there. We're still not sure if we're going to have a party with one of their party packages, or just invite 4-5 of her friends to go play for a couple of hours. If we do the latter, I don't think we're allowed to take a cake or anything. But, we would do a cake for her at home anyway, and I don't think a group of 2 year olds know (yet!) that there is supposed to be a cake!
The only thing we've decided on for sure is that we're bringing Misha's cupcakes to school on her birthday. If you've never had Misha's (they're a Miami thing), you HAVE to try them. They are, by far, the best cupcakes I've ever had. I just had one yesterday, as a matter of fact - red velvet cake with chocolate chips and butter cream icing. OMGeeee...TO DIE FOR!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Playground
Brooke and I had an amazing day yesterday.
Jim was working late, so we spent the morning hanging out at home with him.
After nap, we headed out to the playground. I've been searching for a nice playground near our house to spend some time with Brooke on weekends. I found one listed online called Cherry Grove Park and decided to check it out. Brooke absolutely loved it! They had swings, slides, and climbing equipment sitting in sand, which she loved walking in. They also had a very large grassy area for running, playing soccer, whatever. She spent the most time on the swings.
After we had played for a while, we walked next door to the public library, where Brooke made some new friends and looked through books. When it was time to leave, she cried.
After the fun outside, we took a ride to Jim's store for a few things I needed to pick up. Then, I took my girl to IHOP for a mother/daughter dinner, where I enjoyed a delicious chicken salad and Brooke ate french toast.
It was a great day, and we were both worn out when we got home! Today's been filled with just playing at home and Skype-ing with my parents at Brooke's request.
I have a few other activities planned for Brooke this week and am looking forward to them! ;-)
Jim was working late, so we spent the morning hanging out at home with him.
After nap, we headed out to the playground. I've been searching for a nice playground near our house to spend some time with Brooke on weekends. I found one listed online called Cherry Grove Park and decided to check it out. Brooke absolutely loved it! They had swings, slides, and climbing equipment sitting in sand, which she loved walking in. They also had a very large grassy area for running, playing soccer, whatever. She spent the most time on the swings.
After we had played for a while, we walked next door to the public library, where Brooke made some new friends and looked through books. When it was time to leave, she cried.
After the fun outside, we took a ride to Jim's store for a few things I needed to pick up. Then, I took my girl to IHOP for a mother/daughter dinner, where I enjoyed a delicious chicken salad and Brooke ate french toast.
It was a great day, and we were both worn out when we got home! Today's been filled with just playing at home and Skype-ing with my parents at Brooke's request.
I have a few other activities planned for Brooke this week and am looking forward to them! ;-)
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