For mother's day my darling husband got me a USB mouse from the girls, and a $100 prepaid Visa card from him. I was thrilled! As you know after a baby, clothes don't quite fit the same (in less of course you're a certain friend of mine who mentioned that she weighs less now than she did before her first baby. You know what? Shut it! LOL) Demi also needed some summer outfits so off we went to Walmart.
Demi is easy to shop for, everything looks cute on her. I could shop for hours for her... or rather, I could take 5 seconds, pick pretty much anything, and she would look great in it. Is it bad to be jealous of your daughter? Ha ha.
Me on the other hand. Shopping is hell! As a teen I spent hours out shopping with friends. I have never been the bean pole, but I think your mind set as a teenager is such that you think you look pretty darn good in anything you wear. That makes shopping easy and fun. But now. Now I see all the rolls, and fat that shouldn't be there. The bra line, the panty line, even my belly button!! Eeek
I used to wear a size 7. So I started with a size 12. I pick up the shorts, lift them up in front of my face and hold them out. "Oh ya! Size twelve will definitely fit. These are definitely big enough!" In fact, size 12 looked so big that I grabbed a size 10 too. Then K and I pick out some shirts that look baggyish in the belly so that I can't see my belly button through them, and try to pick things that I can wear a tank top under so I can still breast feed. Before the fitting room, it's the dreaded bra section.
I have been looking for a bra that fit for years now! Every time I go to Walmart, Zellers, La Senza or La Vie en Rose I try to find one that doesn't make my boobs look like butts split down the middle, and aren't so tight that they give me back boobs, 2 are enough for me! I used to be a size 34B, but I've heard so often lately that my boobs are huge, that I picked up a 36D (you see your ribs spread when you pregnant...so do you hips...and it takes 7 years for them to go back to 'normal'... no I'm not making this up, it's a fact!)
"This is huge" I say to K. "My boobs aren't this big." I say thrusting the cup of the bra in his face.
"Ummm, have you seen the girls lately? They're huge! Err, full of milk" He says.
Ok, so I take the size D just to amuse him. In to the change room I go... 6 items at a time *eyeroll* I try on the size 10 shorts. Ha! They hardly go up my thigh. Ok, well the 12s will surely fit. No such luck. I can get them on. I can even do them up... but then I look like an oversized muffin, like the ones you buy in stores. I ask K to get me the next size up. When I try those on, they fit ok. but I still have the muffin top, more like the ones you make at home this time. Now I'm so embarrassed that I text K to get me size 16!! When the heck did I get to be a size 16?! I'm convinced that sizes are shrinking. Surely I am not growing. The 16s fit well, no muffin top, and I can sit down without fear that the button will shoot off and blind somebody.
Next I try the bra on. Can you believe it? It fits!! The straps feel comfy, the underwire stays where it's supposed to go, I don't have any spill over. It's great!! Next up are the shirts. I had one with those big arm holes on the side. I looked like a flying squirrel! That one went back.
So in the end I did get 2 pairs of shorts, 4 shirts, and 2 bras. What's important is that I they look good on me. I don't think anybody's going to be reaching down my pants to check the number on my tag.
That being said, I'm starting Weight Watcher's PointsPlus next week. lol
Really me,
size 16
Nik
Monday, May 23, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Lawn work is not house work
After all this rain we got, our grass was crazy long, not to mention the dandelions were about as tall as I am. I got lucky on Friday, Jordyn fell asleep in the morning and Demi was quite happy chilling on the couch with a little bit of a runny nose. So I had a chance to mow the lawn.
First of all, starting the lawn mower is no fun. You have to pull that damn string until your arm falls off before the motor finally catches. Then the mower blows nasty smoke in your face, and shoots out old dry grass clippings that impale themselves into your newly shaven legs.
Mower going, I attack the front lawn. When I say attack, I really mean attack. After watching some other people cut the grass this weekend, I realize that I do it all wrong. I cut the grass like I vacuum. Instead of trying to explain myself I drew you a diagram.
You see, this is how my husband (and most others) cut the grass.
See nice straight lines, up then down.
This however, is how I cut the grass.
Back and forth,and back and forth, aiming for the pieces I missed on the last pass.
This is probably the reason that my lawn now has a mohawk running through the middle. At least it's the coolest lawn on the block!
I think I'll stick to my vacuuming and leave the mowing to K.
Really me,
Lawndresser
Nik
First of all, starting the lawn mower is no fun. You have to pull that damn string until your arm falls off before the motor finally catches. Then the mower blows nasty smoke in your face, and shoots out old dry grass clippings that impale themselves into your newly shaven legs.
Mower going, I attack the front lawn. When I say attack, I really mean attack. After watching some other people cut the grass this weekend, I realize that I do it all wrong. I cut the grass like I vacuum. Instead of trying to explain myself I drew you a diagram.
You see, this is how my husband (and most others) cut the grass.
See nice straight lines, up then down.
This however, is how I cut the grass.
Back and forth,and back and forth, aiming for the pieces I missed on the last pass.
This is probably the reason that my lawn now has a mohawk running through the middle. At least it's the coolest lawn on the block!
I think I'll stick to my vacuuming and leave the mowing to K.
Really me,
Lawndresser
Nik
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Meal Plan May 9-15
As promised I'll be posting some meal plans. Hopefully this will not only help to give you some dinner ideas, but keep me on track for cooking at home.
Monday- Fish and Rice
Thanks to my lovely FB friends, I made a bread crumb coated talapia with a spray of lemon to finish it off. The other suggestion was to top with sauteed onions and sour cream. I served the fish with a black rice medley. I found this tasty rice while browsing the aisles of the bulk barn. It has black rice, white rice, lentils, split peas and what looked to be chia seed, and possibly some quinoa. I cooked it with a splash of soya sauce and chicken stock. Serve with your favorite veggie.
Tuesday- Dinner at Dad's. Yes, we're lucky to have family close by who like to feed us.
Wednesday- Butter Chicken
On Wednesday we go to spend the day at grandma's house, which means dinner has to be ready when we get home, cue the slow cooker! I will post the recipe for butter chicken, but for this purpose, I use the PC brand Butter Chicken sauce. Served over basmati rice and a side of naan.
Thursday- Chicken fingers and fries
I've posted my chicken finger recipe before. They're quick, easy, tasty, the kids like them and you can opt for sweet potato fries to add to the nutritional value. Serve with coleslaw and your meal is complete.
Friday- Free day.
We call Friday our "Dirty Dinner" night. That usually means, chinese food, pizza or some other fast food, clog your arteries, don't eat this every day type of meal.
Saturday- Mexican meat loaf
Meatloaf is meatloaf is meatloaf... or is it? Spice up your meatloaf with some taco seasoning, cheese, nachos and sour cream. Serve with a side of rice and beans, and a veggie of your choice.
Sunday- Roast
Sunday is usually family day. We usually get an invite to my dad's for a roast of some sort. This is your traditional meat and potatoes kind of day.
Really me,
The meal planner,
Nik
Monday- Fish and Rice
Thanks to my lovely FB friends, I made a bread crumb coated talapia with a spray of lemon to finish it off. The other suggestion was to top with sauteed onions and sour cream. I served the fish with a black rice medley. I found this tasty rice while browsing the aisles of the bulk barn. It has black rice, white rice, lentils, split peas and what looked to be chia seed, and possibly some quinoa. I cooked it with a splash of soya sauce and chicken stock. Serve with your favorite veggie.
Tuesday- Dinner at Dad's. Yes, we're lucky to have family close by who like to feed us.
Wednesday- Butter Chicken
On Wednesday we go to spend the day at grandma's house, which means dinner has to be ready when we get home, cue the slow cooker! I will post the recipe for butter chicken, but for this purpose, I use the PC brand Butter Chicken sauce. Served over basmati rice and a side of naan.
Thursday- Chicken fingers and fries
I've posted my chicken finger recipe before. They're quick, easy, tasty, the kids like them and you can opt for sweet potato fries to add to the nutritional value. Serve with coleslaw and your meal is complete.
Friday- Free day.
We call Friday our "Dirty Dinner" night. That usually means, chinese food, pizza or some other fast food, clog your arteries, don't eat this every day type of meal.
Saturday- Mexican meat loaf
Meatloaf is meatloaf is meatloaf... or is it? Spice up your meatloaf with some taco seasoning, cheese, nachos and sour cream. Serve with a side of rice and beans, and a veggie of your choice.
Sunday- Roast
Sunday is usually family day. We usually get an invite to my dad's for a roast of some sort. This is your traditional meat and potatoes kind of day.
Really me,
The meal planner,
Nik
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Nik is Back!!
It's been a long time. Pregnancy is not kind to me. The morning sickness that lasts all day for several months. Aches and pains. And that doesn't even include the labor. 24+ hours of labor, then my Midwife tells me I can't count that. It was prodromal labor. Well guess what lady, I don't care what your medical book says, that was labor in my book! Finally they decided to break my water, not two hours later, and my precious baby girl comes flying out... I kid you not.
We were attempting for a home birth. It wasn't my first choice. My first choice would have been a birth center, but they aren't available in Canada as of yet. I didn't want to be in a hospital. hospitals are for sick people. But hospitals also have the drugs!! I like drugs. I especially like the gas. The gas is my friend! I attempted to smuggle the gas out of the hospital so I could enjoy at my leisure... oh say during sleep training. I'm just saying.
So the birth wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, but the end result was a beautiful baby girl. Apparently once they gave me the little push, my body was ready to get the baby out! I went from 5cms to 10cms in 1 contraction. "Don't push" yelled the midwife. Are you kidding me?! That's like telling yourself not to throw up! Next to impossible. I was able to hold off just long enough for them to get gloves and whatnot ready. "Baby Jordyn" (think Third and Bird) arrived after only one push, drug free!
So now this is life with two girls a husband, a dog and carnivore fish. K is back to work, so it's me, the two girls and the dog. With the help of my mommy friends I'm figuring this all out. I'll be coming back with more shopping tips, meal plans, quick recipes, kid crafts, crazy mommy thoughts and lots lots more.
Without further ado... Baby Jordyn
Really me,
Mom of Two
Nik
We were attempting for a home birth. It wasn't my first choice. My first choice would have been a birth center, but they aren't available in Canada as of yet. I didn't want to be in a hospital. hospitals are for sick people. But hospitals also have the drugs!! I like drugs. I especially like the gas. The gas is my friend! I attempted to smuggle the gas out of the hospital so I could enjoy at my leisure... oh say during sleep training. I'm just saying.
So the birth wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, but the end result was a beautiful baby girl. Apparently once they gave me the little push, my body was ready to get the baby out! I went from 5cms to 10cms in 1 contraction. "Don't push" yelled the midwife. Are you kidding me?! That's like telling yourself not to throw up! Next to impossible. I was able to hold off just long enough for them to get gloves and whatnot ready. "Baby Jordyn" (think Third and Bird) arrived after only one push, drug free!
So now this is life with two girls a husband, a dog and carnivore fish. K is back to work, so it's me, the two girls and the dog. With the help of my mommy friends I'm figuring this all out. I'll be coming back with more shopping tips, meal plans, quick recipes, kid crafts, crazy mommy thoughts and lots lots more.
Without further ado... Baby Jordyn
Really me,
Mom of Two
Nik
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Reflection
You know when you have one of those 'AH HA!' momments. After many years you figure something out and you wonder why the heck it took you so long. I've had one of those momments recently, and now I am seeing my lesson pop up in the lives of my friends. So I'm taking it as an opportunity to share.
A very wise lady once told me that the traits and attributes you want your children to have as adults, are not the traits that you want them to have as kids. With a now 2 year old at home I understand all too clearly what she meant. Demi has a strong character, but it is often difficult to foster her independence (which of course we want her to have as an adult) while she's telling us that she wants to clean up the spilled milk or she doesn't want to nap. So here we are on a very slippery slope.
The lesson that I learned recently came, in large part, due to my mother, although she didn't teach it to me per say. We, as parents, usually see the lessons going one way, but really these lessons are happening all the time. Let's say you're at work. You and your co-worker are working on a project together. Something goes wrong and your co-worker blows up and takes it out on you. Let's say you just let the issue go. You go home vent to your spouse, come to work the next morning and even though you're still ticked off you don't say anything. What do you think is going to happen the next time that co-worker gets angry about something? They're not going to think twice about yelling at you.
Now let's say you come in the next morning and you talk to that co-worker and say something like "I know you were pissed off, but there was no reason to yell AT me." The next time that co-worker gets pissed about something, I'm going to guess that they'd think twice before they started yelling at you. (This of course is excluding the possibility that your co-worker is a jerk with an anger issue. lol)
In effect what you have done is taught this person what behavior is acceptable to you. Either, ya sure, go ahead and yell at me. Or, no, it is not acceptable for you to take your anger out at me. I think this lesson is a particularly difficult one to learn when it comes to your parents. For years these have been the authoratative people in your life. "This is just the way they are". But at some point in time if the behavior truly is detrimental to your life, or sanity, then you need to take a step up and say "THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE". I can only assume how difficult it is for the parent to then have to change their ways after being able to do what they please for so long.
Now that I've had this "Ah Ha!" momment, I've been looking at how I come across to Demi. Am I teaching her that I am an attentive parent? Am I loving? Am I caring? Can I admit when I'm wrong (oh, and this one is HARD! Apologizing to a 2 year old!) But these are the important traits that I want her to have when she grows up. It's ok to admit when you were wrong, it's ok to get angry, it's ok to be a little selfish sometimes, because if these things happen it's ok to say sorry.
All of this has translated over to my relationship with K too. Demi is going to learn what behavior is ok in a relationship. It's both a great thing and a horrible thing that we let the people we love get away with a lot more than somebody we don't know. I have much too often taken K for granted, or yelled at him because I knew that he loves me, and he will forgive me. I'm now looking much more closely at how we interact, how I treat him, and how I allow him to treat me. These are very subtle things at times.
Here's my challenge to you for the rest of the week. How do you allow people to treat you and how do you treat others? Look at the important ones and choose your battles wisely. Put the shoe on the other foot, how would you feel if somebody mirrored your behavior to them?
Really me,
Self help guru
Nik
A very wise lady once told me that the traits and attributes you want your children to have as adults, are not the traits that you want them to have as kids. With a now 2 year old at home I understand all too clearly what she meant. Demi has a strong character, but it is often difficult to foster her independence (which of course we want her to have as an adult) while she's telling us that she wants to clean up the spilled milk or she doesn't want to nap. So here we are on a very slippery slope.
The lesson that I learned recently came, in large part, due to my mother, although she didn't teach it to me per say. We, as parents, usually see the lessons going one way, but really these lessons are happening all the time. Let's say you're at work. You and your co-worker are working on a project together. Something goes wrong and your co-worker blows up and takes it out on you. Let's say you just let the issue go. You go home vent to your spouse, come to work the next morning and even though you're still ticked off you don't say anything. What do you think is going to happen the next time that co-worker gets angry about something? They're not going to think twice about yelling at you.
Now let's say you come in the next morning and you talk to that co-worker and say something like "I know you were pissed off, but there was no reason to yell AT me." The next time that co-worker gets pissed about something, I'm going to guess that they'd think twice before they started yelling at you. (This of course is excluding the possibility that your co-worker is a jerk with an anger issue. lol)
In effect what you have done is taught this person what behavior is acceptable to you. Either, ya sure, go ahead and yell at me. Or, no, it is not acceptable for you to take your anger out at me. I think this lesson is a particularly difficult one to learn when it comes to your parents. For years these have been the authoratative people in your life. "This is just the way they are". But at some point in time if the behavior truly is detrimental to your life, or sanity, then you need to take a step up and say "THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE". I can only assume how difficult it is for the parent to then have to change their ways after being able to do what they please for so long.
Now that I've had this "Ah Ha!" momment, I've been looking at how I come across to Demi. Am I teaching her that I am an attentive parent? Am I loving? Am I caring? Can I admit when I'm wrong (oh, and this one is HARD! Apologizing to a 2 year old!) But these are the important traits that I want her to have when she grows up. It's ok to admit when you were wrong, it's ok to get angry, it's ok to be a little selfish sometimes, because if these things happen it's ok to say sorry.
All of this has translated over to my relationship with K too. Demi is going to learn what behavior is ok in a relationship. It's both a great thing and a horrible thing that we let the people we love get away with a lot more than somebody we don't know. I have much too often taken K for granted, or yelled at him because I knew that he loves me, and he will forgive me. I'm now looking much more closely at how we interact, how I treat him, and how I allow him to treat me. These are very subtle things at times.
Here's my challenge to you for the rest of the week. How do you allow people to treat you and how do you treat others? Look at the important ones and choose your battles wisely. Put the shoe on the other foot, how would you feel if somebody mirrored your behavior to them?
Really me,
Self help guru
Nik
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Who needs them!
Have you ever watched "How I met your mother"? If not, I strongly suggest it! I like Barney (Neil Patrick Harris). He has got to be the funniest character of the bunch. And the attribute I like the most??? He never takes a bad picture! No matter what the situation he looks like this…
I wish I could do that! But, alas, nope. My super power works in the opposite way. I can get dressed up, look in the mirror, look fantastic. Men will honk their horns (ya, who am I kidding, that hasn't happened in at least 10 years!). I get in front of a camera and I look like this…
Or this…
The only exception is maybe my wedding pictures. But that was at least an hour of makeup. And really who looks bad in a wedding dress!
Ok, maybe some people.
Which brings me to pregnancy. I have a big mommy group and most people do these amazing maternity photos and they look awesome and glowing and all the other fantastic things that I could only wish to look like after a day at the salon! I look at their photos and wish I could capture the moment like they have.
So instead I did my belly cast. I love it! I did three when I was pregnant with Demi. Pregnancy casts don't show the double chin, swollen ankles, extra cushin on my rear! So this is how I celebrate my pregnancy.
The one on the left is the new one, not yet painted and complete. The one on the right is the completed one I did when pregnant with Demi.
Really me,
Procreating mama
Nik
I wish I could do that! But, alas, nope. My super power works in the opposite way. I can get dressed up, look in the mirror, look fantastic. Men will honk their horns (ya, who am I kidding, that hasn't happened in at least 10 years!). I get in front of a camera and I look like this…
Or this…
The only exception is maybe my wedding pictures. But that was at least an hour of makeup. And really who looks bad in a wedding dress!
Ok, maybe some people.
Which brings me to pregnancy. I have a big mommy group and most people do these amazing maternity photos and they look awesome and glowing and all the other fantastic things that I could only wish to look like after a day at the salon! I look at their photos and wish I could capture the moment like they have.
So instead I did my belly cast. I love it! I did three when I was pregnant with Demi. Pregnancy casts don't show the double chin, swollen ankles, extra cushin on my rear! So this is how I celebrate my pregnancy.
The one on the left is the new one, not yet painted and complete. The one on the right is the completed one I did when pregnant with Demi.
Really me,
Procreating mama
Nik
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Nanna Says...
Happy New Years!! Is it all over yet? I thought it never would be. There was so much partying, so many gifts, and so much turkey that the days started to meld into one another in a tryptophan haze.
And after all of the partying, many people seem to be feeling under the weather with some crazy cold/flu that seems to be going around. I thought this might be the perfect time to introduce an idea I had called Nanna Says... you see, my Nanna is a very wise lady with all the old tricks that sound crazy, but really do work.
Here's the first installment.
Nanna says for a sore throat....
Rinse with salt and water and pin a sock around your neck with the heal in the spot that hurts.
Really me,
Cause Nanna says so
Nik
And after all of the partying, many people seem to be feeling under the weather with some crazy cold/flu that seems to be going around. I thought this might be the perfect time to introduce an idea I had called Nanna Says... you see, my Nanna is a very wise lady with all the old tricks that sound crazy, but really do work.
Here's the first installment.
Nanna says for a sore throat....
Rinse with salt and water and pin a sock around your neck with the heal in the spot that hurts.
Really me,
Cause Nanna says so
Nik
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