When I stopped breastfeeding Levi, I started gaining weight. I didn't notice at first, but then I couldn't ignore it when I didn't fit my jeans anymore. At first I tried limiting my calorie intake by eating less and of that, eating more fruits and vegetables. That helped some, but I needed something more. I knew exercise could help, but held back for one reason or another (I hate running, I didn't know any other exercises, I didn't want to buy/borrow an exercise video).
Finally, one of my friends mentioned she watched exercise videos on YouTube, and that doing Tae Bo helped her to lose all of her extra pregnancy weight.
I decided to try it, and it has worked out great so far! I've only done it for not even two weeks now, and I already have more stamina and am slightly slimmer than I was when I started. And I ate Thanksgiving dinner yesterday!
This is the video that I normally work out to. It's a cardio workout, and I still can't keep up with it, but it's good to keep my heart rate up for that long. There are other videos done by the same person (Billy Blanks, who developed Tae Bo) that target different areas of the body.
It surprised me how much coordination and balance I needed to exercise accurately with the video, but I know I'm becoming more graceful and coordinated as I do so.
Friday, November 29, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
List of Thanksgiving dinner foods
Last Thanksgiving and Christmas, I drew a blank when I tried to think of traditional food for those meals. This year, I looked up traditional Thanksgiving foods online, and here's a list of foods I cobbled together from what I found. I'm posting it here so I can remember for years to come:
Dinner:
Turkey
Turkey
Ham
Pies:
Gravy
Mashed potatoes
Dinner rolls
Green beans
Green peas
Cranberry sauce
Sweet potato casserole (or something similar)
Stuffing
Corn on the cob
Deviled eggs
Other sides (stuffed mushrooms, asparagus, etc)
Pies:
Apple
Pumpkin
Pecan
Friday, November 15, 2013
Levi's help
So, Levi is my favorite toddler in the whole wide world. Big surprise, right? Haha, well, I have good reason (besides the fact that he's my child)!
Levi is a very helpful kid. Before I get used to the particular way in which he helps me, sometimes it seems like he's just getting in the way, but in the end he's very helpful. For example, when we come home with groceries, he always wants to carry a bag even if it drags on the ground. "That's nice," you may think, but it gets better! Once we come inside and I set the groceries down, Levi starts taking groceries out of the bag--and puts them away! The cans and things go in a cabinet that he can reach, so he's most excited about those. If the food goes somewhere else, he gives it to me after taking it out of the bag. Then when at least one bag is empty, he balls up the bag and puts it under the sink with the rest of the plastic bags. I encourage him as much as I can and make sure that he knows how much I love that he is so helpful. I want this to last!
Levi is a very helpful kid. Before I get used to the particular way in which he helps me, sometimes it seems like he's just getting in the way, but in the end he's very helpful. For example, when we come home with groceries, he always wants to carry a bag even if it drags on the ground. "That's nice," you may think, but it gets better! Once we come inside and I set the groceries down, Levi starts taking groceries out of the bag--and puts them away! The cans and things go in a cabinet that he can reach, so he's most excited about those. If the food goes somewhere else, he gives it to me after taking it out of the bag. Then when at least one bag is empty, he balls up the bag and puts it under the sink with the rest of the plastic bags. I encourage him as much as I can and make sure that he knows how much I love that he is so helpful. I want this to last!
Monday, November 11, 2013
A year of Levi, according to Facebook posts
I thought it'd be nice to put all of the Facebook updates I've made about Levi in one place, so here they are! Spanning Levi's second year of life from November 10, 2012 to November 10, 2013. I love my boy so much!
Nov 10, 2012
Nov 15, 2012
Tired, tired boy. This is the first time he's fallen asleep in his high chair! He was so hungry that even though I knew he was tired and I'd already fed him, he still couldn't go to sleep. You would be amazed at how much food he'd eaten in the 10 minutes before this picture was taken.
Nov 10, 2012
The birthday boy!
Nov 15, 2012
Tired, tired boy. This is the first time he's fallen asleep in his high chair! He was so hungry that even though I knew he was tired and I'd already fed him, he still couldn't go to sleep. You would be amazed at how much food he'd eaten in the 10 minutes before this picture was taken.
Dec 8, 2012
Gotta stand up to get a good view / Levi loves studying security on the computer with his daddy!
Dec 11, 2012
This is probably the cutest video of Levi I've ever taken. Prepare for the giggles!
Dec 13, 2012
Levi is big on imitation...before today, he HATED when I'd wipe his nose with a tissue. Today, however, I also have a cold and he saw me blowing my nose. He started blowing out of his nose, and it was SO cute! When I realized that he was trying to be like me, I wiped his nose and he seemed to enjoy it. Silly boy!
Jan 9, 2013
This morning I talked to my sister Becky on the phone. Levi wanted to do what I was doing, so I held the phone up to his ear so he could hear her, too. At first he just wanted to take the phone away from me and play with it, but when he realized that someone's VOICE was coming out of it, he got really excited and chuckled to himself. It was really cute!
Jan 20, 2013
Levi took a step yesterday! He has taken steps before, but this was his first premeditated step. He took another premeditated step today. I'm so excited for him!
Jan 24, 2013
Update on Levi walking: He can now walk 5 or 6 steps without falling! He's so cute--he'll take a few steps and then almost start falling into each successive step but takes another step so he doesn't fall--so he's going pretty fast. And he also can only go in a straight line.
Jan 31, 2013
Got some of Levi's walking on camera. He always gets excited when he sees the camera, so it isn't as good as I'd have liked. Still cute, though!
March 6, 2013
Earlier today, Levi gave me one of his socks to signal he wanted to go outside. My little boy is growing up so much!
March 7, 2013
I hear Levi laughing to himself and what do I find? ... this. Hehe!
March 17, 2013
I had no idea slobbery wet baby kisses could make me so happy! Levi kissed me on the cheek each time that I asked him to before he went to sleep tonight. Eeee!
March 21, 2013
Levi is showing off for me by walking around the apartment with one (folded and unused) diaper in each hand, giggling and laughing and looking at me every 10 steps or so. So adorable!
April 8, 2013
Levi still hasn't figured out how to open the childproof stuff on the cabinets. What he HAS figured out is that when the cabinet's open just a crack, he CAN put stuff INTO the cabinet. It's really funny finding random stuff in the cabinets. Today I found a diaper and a bag I'd given to Levi earlier today
May 13, 2013
Levi really likes the cabinets at our new place in Atlanta because he fits in them so well. He also likes shutting himself in the cabinet and giggling where I wonder aloud where my Levi boy could be
May 17, 2013
Levi figured out how to walk backwards today. So. Cute!
May 31, 2013
Love sharing smoothies with this little guy!
Jun 7, 2013
One of the cutest things EVER is to watch your toddler try--and fail--to make a fish face because he thinks yours is too funny and can't help smiling. Happy!
Jun 21, 2013
Today, Levi:
-pulled all the toilet paper off of the roll
-gave me a kiss on my owie (that he gave to me)
-asked me to cut his nails (he usually resists this)!
It's a good day.
Jul 1, 2013
This was Levi an hour before his official nap time. He wasn't asleep, but laying quietly. He might have fallen asleep if I hadn't taken the picture. I put him down for his nap soon after this picture and he just woke up from his nap. That's a 2-hour nap, folks!
Jul 2, 2013
Folding clothes within reach of a toddler is an exercise in futility. It's cute that he's trying to help, though ....
Jul 15, 2013
Ok, I'm now converted to teaching babies to sign. I learned the sign for "finished," taught it to Levi, and now he does NOT throw food on the floor anymore when he's done eating, but signs to me instead that he's done. Now to teach him some more useful words ...
Jul 24, 2013
I see something pink out of the corner of my eye and look up to see this. Haha!
Sep 2, 2013
Happy to be in his fort! He liked it so much that it was hard to get a picture of him looking at the camera!
Sep 7, 2013
Levi fell and cut his chin this morning. He's had a rough day, but I've tried to make it up to him by playing with him more than usual. He's been a real trooper and hasn't complained since his nap except to point at his chin and say, "owww"
Sep 8, 2013
Today during church we sat behind a family with a baby. Partway through the meeting, I started listening to the sounds Levi was making--he was saying "beh-bee" over and over again. He has a new word!
Sep 14, 2013
Levi likes peaches! I have succeeded as a mother and as a Southerner
Sep 18, 2013
GUYS ... Levi is just too cute for words! Here are some of his new words--baby, mama, Elmo, and bubble. Sorry about the sound quality of my voice. Also, look at the socks on his feet! He put them on himself :)
Sep 21, 2013
Levi is so cute! We were just outside, and he'd found a twig with some dry leaves attached. On his own accord, he held it aloft like a flag and started running around in circles! I had to laugh. What a fun kid!
Sep 30, 2013
Levi has been skipping his naps recently. He's been playing nicely in his room for an hour or so after I put him down, then begs to come out, usually with a dirty diaper or pleas of hunger, and I just let him stay awake. However, he's grumpy for the rest of the day when he skips his naps. Well, today I decided that he'd stay in his room until he did take his nap, and I told Austin so in Levi's hearing. I'm pretty sure that Levi understood, because within 20-30 minutes after that, Levi was asleep! Victory!
October 5, 2013
I guess Levi noticed that I usually say, "Thanks," after he gives me something, because he's started saying, "dei," when I give him something. SO CUTE!!!
October 12, 2013
Levi said "knee" today! It's exciting because he hasn't really used the "n" sound much in the words he knows. He also pretended to be a cat ... he'd rear up from being on all fours and say "mow!" as he came back down. Hehe
October 16, 2013
Levi's putting one of his socks in mine and Austin's shoes and repeating, "ha-sigh" (inside) over and over again. Eeeeeee so cute!!
October 23, 2013
Levi likes to "say" prayers. He'll repeat gibberish after me, and then when I say, "in the name" at the end, he also says "name" (sounds like meme, but I'll take what I get!), and then won't even say gibberish for "Amen". So funny!
November 1, 2013
Levi has recently learned to say "Jesus". I wanted to make sure he wasn't saying it for every long-haired bearded man, so I showed him a Smooth McGroove video on YouTube. Levi thought he was Jesus. I ... don't know what to say. It's funny, though!
November 10, 2013
Gotta stand up to get a good view / Levi loves studying security on the computer with his daddy!
Dec 11, 2012
This is probably the cutest video of Levi I've ever taken. Prepare for the giggles!
Dec 13, 2012
Levi is big on imitation...before today, he HATED when I'd wipe his nose with a tissue. Today, however, I also have a cold and he saw me blowing my nose. He started blowing out of his nose, and it was SO cute! When I realized that he was trying to be like me, I wiped his nose and he seemed to enjoy it. Silly boy!
Jan 9, 2013
This morning I talked to my sister Becky on the phone. Levi wanted to do what I was doing, so I held the phone up to his ear so he could hear her, too. At first he just wanted to take the phone away from me and play with it, but when he realized that someone's VOICE was coming out of it, he got really excited and chuckled to himself. It was really cute!
Jan 20, 2013
Levi took a step yesterday! He has taken steps before, but this was his first premeditated step. He took another premeditated step today. I'm so excited for him!
Jan 24, 2013
Update on Levi walking: He can now walk 5 or 6 steps without falling! He's so cute--he'll take a few steps and then almost start falling into each successive step but takes another step so he doesn't fall--so he's going pretty fast. And he also can only go in a straight line.
Jan 31, 2013
Got some of Levi's walking on camera. He always gets excited when he sees the camera, so it isn't as good as I'd have liked. Still cute, though!
March 6, 2013
Earlier today, Levi gave me one of his socks to signal he wanted to go outside. My little boy is growing up so much!
March 7, 2013
I hear Levi laughing to himself and what do I find? ... this. Hehe!
March 17, 2013
I had no idea slobbery wet baby kisses could make me so happy! Levi kissed me on the cheek each time that I asked him to before he went to sleep tonight. Eeee!
March 21, 2013
Levi is showing off for me by walking around the apartment with one (folded and unused) diaper in each hand, giggling and laughing and looking at me every 10 steps or so. So adorable!
April 8, 2013
Levi still hasn't figured out how to open the childproof stuff on the cabinets. What he HAS figured out is that when the cabinet's open just a crack, he CAN put stuff INTO the cabinet. It's really funny finding random stuff in the cabinets. Today I found a diaper and a bag I'd given to Levi earlier today
May 13, 2013
Levi really likes the cabinets at our new place in Atlanta because he fits in them so well. He also likes shutting himself in the cabinet and giggling where I wonder aloud where my Levi boy could be
May 17, 2013
Levi figured out how to walk backwards today. So. Cute!
May 31, 2013
Love sharing smoothies with this little guy!
Jun 7, 2013
One of the cutest things EVER is to watch your toddler try--and fail--to make a fish face because he thinks yours is too funny and can't help smiling. Happy!
Jun 21, 2013
Today, Levi:
-pulled all the toilet paper off of the roll
-gave me a kiss on my owie (that he gave to me)
-asked me to cut his nails (he usually resists this)!
It's a good day.
Jul 1, 2013
This was Levi an hour before his official nap time. He wasn't asleep, but laying quietly. He might have fallen asleep if I hadn't taken the picture. I put him down for his nap soon after this picture and he just woke up from his nap. That's a 2-hour nap, folks!
Jul 2, 2013
Folding clothes within reach of a toddler is an exercise in futility. It's cute that he's trying to help, though ....
Jul 15, 2013
Ok, I'm now converted to teaching babies to sign. I learned the sign for "finished," taught it to Levi, and now he does NOT throw food on the floor anymore when he's done eating, but signs to me instead that he's done. Now to teach him some more useful words ...
Jul 24, 2013
I see something pink out of the corner of my eye and look up to see this. Haha!
Sep 2, 2013
Happy to be in his fort! He liked it so much that it was hard to get a picture of him looking at the camera!
Sep 7, 2013
Levi fell and cut his chin this morning. He's had a rough day, but I've tried to make it up to him by playing with him more than usual. He's been a real trooper and hasn't complained since his nap except to point at his chin and say, "owww"
Sep 8, 2013
Today during church we sat behind a family with a baby. Partway through the meeting, I started listening to the sounds Levi was making--he was saying "beh-bee" over and over again. He has a new word!
Sep 14, 2013
Levi likes peaches! I have succeeded as a mother and as a Southerner
Sep 18, 2013
GUYS ... Levi is just too cute for words! Here are some of his new words--baby, mama, Elmo, and bubble. Sorry about the sound quality of my voice. Also, look at the socks on his feet! He put them on himself :)
Sep 21, 2013
Levi is so cute! We were just outside, and he'd found a twig with some dry leaves attached. On his own accord, he held it aloft like a flag and started running around in circles! I had to laugh. What a fun kid!
Sep 30, 2013
Levi has been skipping his naps recently. He's been playing nicely in his room for an hour or so after I put him down, then begs to come out, usually with a dirty diaper or pleas of hunger, and I just let him stay awake. However, he's grumpy for the rest of the day when he skips his naps. Well, today I decided that he'd stay in his room until he did take his nap, and I told Austin so in Levi's hearing. I'm pretty sure that Levi understood, because within 20-30 minutes after that, Levi was asleep! Victory!
October 5, 2013
I guess Levi noticed that I usually say, "Thanks," after he gives me something, because he's started saying, "dei," when I give him something. SO CUTE!!!
October 12, 2013
Levi said "knee" today! It's exciting because he hasn't really used the "n" sound much in the words he knows. He also pretended to be a cat ... he'd rear up from being on all fours and say "mow!" as he came back down. Hehe
October 16, 2013
Levi's putting one of his socks in mine and Austin's shoes and repeating, "ha-sigh" (inside) over and over again. Eeeeeee so cute!!
October 23, 2013
Levi likes to "say" prayers. He'll repeat gibberish after me, and then when I say, "in the name" at the end, he also says "name" (sounds like meme, but I'll take what I get!), and then won't even say gibberish for "Amen". So funny!
November 1, 2013
Levi has recently learned to say "Jesus". I wanted to make sure he wasn't saying it for every long-haired bearded man, so I showed him a Smooth McGroove video on YouTube. Levi thought he was Jesus. I ... don't know what to say. It's funny, though!
November 10, 2013
Two years ago today at 8:00 in the morning, a little boy was born. Levi is such a sweetie and I love having him as my son. Happy birthday, Levi!
Funny faces for a fun day. Two years old and growing every day!
Funny faces for a fun day. Two years old and growing every day!
Friday, November 8, 2013
Snobby or just shy?
It was the beginning of my sophomore year in college, and I had made my first "D" on a test since starting college. Although most of the students in my class had made either a "D" or an "F", I was very concerned about my grade, especially since one student (helpfully pointed out by our teacher) had made a B on the exam.
There were exactly four women in the class of at least 30 students, and as was usual at my university, seating was not assigned. Three of us women sat together to the side of the middle of the classroom--girls gotta stick together in engineering classes, you know? The overachieving student was the fourth woman in a class full of men, and she sat by herself at the front of the room, on the first row on the opposite side as my group did. She always answered questions perfectly, and seemed to have a snooty air about her when she did so. She didn't seem interested in getting to know the people who sat near her. I assumed that she didn't care to associate with those of us with inferior intellect.
Anyway, back to the "D" on my test. I was very upset by it, as I was used to scoring high grades. The teacher mentioned that there was a copy of the test in the math library with all of the solutions on it. She suggested that we look over it to find our errors. Determined, I made time to go to the math library and find out what was wrong with my test so I could fix it and do better on the next one.
I entered the math library, and asked the attendant about the sample test. He said it was currently checked out, and I'd have to come by a different time. Disappointed, I looked around for a table to do some homework at, since I was already there. As I looked around the library, I saw the overachieving girl from my class. I knew she'd have more answers than I did, and I approached. I asked if we could compare our tests, and she agreed.
As we worked on the test, I started to get to know her. What a wake up call! She was the funniest person I had met in a long time. She was also smart (obviously) and interested in the same kinds of things I was interested in. I found out that she was just shy, just like me! I wanted to hit myself for that one. How many times had I bemoaned the fact that everyone thought I was stuck up just because I didn't know how to talk to people? And then there I was pre-judging her shyness for snobbery. Way to go me, right?
Thankfully, first impressions don't rule everything. Jennifer and I became close friends, and even roomed together for the first semester of my junior year (before my mission). She was so much fun. She even played my favorite game (Boggle) with me almost every night for a whole semester before either one of us got tired of it. We had so much fun together. Just think what I would have missed out on if I hadn't overcome my bias against the supposed "snob"!
There were exactly four women in the class of at least 30 students, and as was usual at my university, seating was not assigned. Three of us women sat together to the side of the middle of the classroom--girls gotta stick together in engineering classes, you know? The overachieving student was the fourth woman in a class full of men, and she sat by herself at the front of the room, on the first row on the opposite side as my group did. She always answered questions perfectly, and seemed to have a snooty air about her when she did so. She didn't seem interested in getting to know the people who sat near her. I assumed that she didn't care to associate with those of us with inferior intellect.
Anyway, back to the "D" on my test. I was very upset by it, as I was used to scoring high grades. The teacher mentioned that there was a copy of the test in the math library with all of the solutions on it. She suggested that we look over it to find our errors. Determined, I made time to go to the math library and find out what was wrong with my test so I could fix it and do better on the next one.
I entered the math library, and asked the attendant about the sample test. He said it was currently checked out, and I'd have to come by a different time. Disappointed, I looked around for a table to do some homework at, since I was already there. As I looked around the library, I saw the overachieving girl from my class. I knew she'd have more answers than I did, and I approached. I asked if we could compare our tests, and she agreed.
As we worked on the test, I started to get to know her. What a wake up call! She was the funniest person I had met in a long time. She was also smart (obviously) and interested in the same kinds of things I was interested in. I found out that she was just shy, just like me! I wanted to hit myself for that one. How many times had I bemoaned the fact that everyone thought I was stuck up just because I didn't know how to talk to people? And then there I was pre-judging her shyness for snobbery. Way to go me, right?
Thankfully, first impressions don't rule everything. Jennifer and I became close friends, and even roomed together for the first semester of my junior year (before my mission). She was so much fun. She even played my favorite game (Boggle) with me almost every night for a whole semester before either one of us got tired of it. We had so much fun together. Just think what I would have missed out on if I hadn't overcome my bias against the supposed "snob"!
Good people here
Levi and I went outside to play this afternoon. When we got outside, we saw there was a group of mothers and toddlers already outside--what a treat! Levi and I approached them. Levi had no fear, but as we neared the group, I had a sudden apprehension that the women in the group secretly didn't want me there and didn't enjoy my company. I've had this fear ever since middle school--or even before that. I'm not sure; it's just that every time I approached people I didn't know very well, I would assume they were innocent of enjoying my company until proven guilty. I've been working on this somewhat illogical fear for years, with only very little progress.
Today when the thought came to me, I immediately told myself, "No, self, these are very nice people, and they like having you around. You know that! Now go talk to them!" So I did. And they enjoyed my company! Although I felt like a very different kind of person than these women were, I did fit in. They did enjoy having me around.
I think all too many of us (but thankfully not all of us) in the human family have an inferiority complex: we feel that we don't fit in, so we reluctant to let others who are different from us befriend us. Let's remember that those who seem more "with it" than us may be more open than we think!
Today when the thought came to me, I immediately told myself, "No, self, these are very nice people, and they like having you around. You know that! Now go talk to them!" So I did. And they enjoyed my company! Although I felt like a very different kind of person than these women were, I did fit in. They did enjoy having me around.
I think all too many of us (but thankfully not all of us) in the human family have an inferiority complex: we feel that we don't fit in, so we reluctant to let others who are different from us befriend us. Let's remember that those who seem more "with it" than us may be more open than we think!
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