7 month belly shot

I was getting dressed the other day and decided to take a belly shot. Aiden walked in the room and I asked him, "Aiden, does this shirt make my belly look big?". Aiden stares for a few seconds, thinks, and replies "No, it doesn't look that big."
Little liar.
He is going to make some woman very happy one day.

I'm not the only one gaining weight around here

Cullen, who's ten, has been off his ADD medicine for almost three weeks now and is steady gaining weight. I am so happy! He has also calmed down from that first week of getting off of the them. Although he still has problems processing stuff like directions, he is not all over the place like he was that first week. Here is a side by side of the past three weeks. The first picture is from the end of May and the second one is today, mid June. His cheeks are chubbier and his shoulders are a little broader. It amazes me. I want to take him back to the doctor to weigh him again on their scale and see what the difference is.

May 2010

June 2010

And there's the weight!

Pregnancy #4:
The first 18 weeks, 5 pounds. Doing good!
The last 7 weeks, add 17 pounds. Not so good! (FYI-That's about 2.5 lbs a week.)
Total: 25 weeks, 22 pounds on so far.
14 weeks left...you do the math.
Looks like this fourth pregnancy will be no different than the rest. I have always gained between 50-60 pounds for each boy, losing pretty much all of it after Cullen and Aiden with the exception of this last little rug rat, Roman. I am miserable and cannot afford to put on that much more weight!! I thought it wouldn't happen this time:(

Did I ever tell you how much I HATE being pregnant?! Oh, I said it. HATE!! I do! I just like having the newborn in my arms on it's birthday. I am not a fan of alllllll the other stuff that goes along with it. I'd give you a list, but it would probably gross a lot of people out. To all the women who say they just LOVE being pregnant, screw that. That's just crazy talk! I thought this time would be different, but it's not. I'm going to cry now...

I've been healed!

As I type this, I am smiling. I did the cleanser last week and today is my last day on it. Yay! It is really nasty going down in the morning. It smells like pepper, tastes like it, but immediately my breath tastes (and smells, I'm sure) like GARLIC. Grosssss! I have been eating well under my 1200 calorie mark and still doing the gym. I have lost...ready...eight point nine pounds. Can we round that up to nine? hehe YAY ME! I am fitting back into some of my clothes, but NOT all of them. Now I have thirty four pounds to go and at this rate, I KNOW I can do it. I just can't eat. That's all. This week did help me figure out what I SHOULD be eating because a little menu comes with the kit. I downloaded an app on my iphone and have been tracking my meals. The app is "Lose It!" and it is really cool. Oh, I like the app "Weightbot", too. Looking forward to next week!
FYI-I started this "Weigh in Wednesday" on July 22, almost two months ago, needing to lose thirty five pounds because I was gaining weight at a scary rate. After gaining more weight (not losing), going to the doctor for tests, getting off some medication, and doing the gym all this time, I have lost one pound total. I'll take that. I finally feel like I am on the right track and can lose it. I am healed! Can I get an Amen?!

09-09-09

Today is Weigh in Wednesday, and guess what? I am back up on the weight chart and now need to lose a total of 43 pounds (again). WTF?! I went to GNC today and purchased a seven day "Complete Body Cleansing Program" for thirty bucks.

I plan on completing this by next week and getting back on my prescription diet pills, Adipex, WITH diet and exercise. I think my metabolism just said "You know what? You're 31 now. Screw you. We're outta here." I have no idea what is going on but I am going to do everything I can possibly do to lose this extra weight.

Weigh in Wednesday

Nothing. I have been doing the gym (or some sort of strenuous exercise) five out of seven days, but not eating so great this week. I promise to try harder. Still thirty seven pounds to go. At least I haven't gained this week.
There is always a bright side to everything:-)

Weigh in Wednesday

Finally moving in the right direction. After dieting and working out daily this past week, I have lost three pounds. Only thirty seven pounds to go. Woohoo!

Busy being fabulous

HA! Okay, not really. That song was just on by the Eagles. I have been busy though. With school starting this Monday for my big boy, I have been doing a new routine (and loving it). The little ones haven't been playing as much and are having a built up energy crisis. I am so looking forward to Aiden starting school next week. It will be his first time ever in a school (structured environment, daycare, etc). He has ALWAYS been by my side. I cherish all the time we have had together and I know when he grows up, he will appreciate it. I do look forward to one on one time with the Ro-man next week.
Cullen says he likes his new school and looks so handsome in his new uniform. I know he misses his friends and it breaks my heart, but I hope he will make new ones soon. He starts football on Monday and I hope some of his classmates are on the neighborhood team so he can get to know some people better. The studies seem to be on the same page as private school so that does make it a little easier. He likes his teacher. He hates public school lunches. My first baby isn't a baby anymore.
As for the new routine, the little bittys wake up at seven something every morning and wake me up. I get up around 7:45 with Cullen and fix breakfast, dress two monkeys and myself, grab a cup of coffee and leave the house for 8:45. I drop Cullen off at school a few blocks away and go to the gym. I work out with my besty for some time and go home to clean, run errands, fit some form of entertainment in for the kids, do lunch, nap time, and in the car pool line at 3:30 to get Cullen. There is no bus service for him because, quote, we "are within walking distance to the school." Sheesh! Have they felt how hot it is outside? Pushing a double stroller? No thank you! lol I don't mind the four and a half block trip in the car, anyway. Maybe we'll walk/wagon it in the fall.
Grandma is doing swell and has had cousin Mary Jane staying with her from Texas. That has been a huge relief and I will have to buy her something nice.
My desktop computer malfunctioned this past weekend (thanks to mwah) and I have been spending hours of free time reprogramming it with all of my software, settings, downloads, etc. I always seem to f something up every year or two on every computer I own. I hope to have my photo software for editing back on it soon (if I can find it) or otherwise I am going to have to LEARN Photoshop, which I have been putting off since Christmas, when I received it. Wish me luck.
Okay, so that is the past few days in a nutshell and will have more jibber jabber tomorrow. I just needed to blog. Goodnight.
Ooops, I almost forgot weigh in Wednesday. Nothing. Zero. Nadda. Next week I hope to have better news for myself. I am officially doing the gym now.

A Spanish speaking monkey

Weigh in Wednesday:
I gained five pounds in the past week. That's the problem! I now have to lose forty! Thanks.

School for monkeys:
Today, Jude and I registered the boys in a new school. Cullen will be going into fourth in public school and Aiden will be attending the same school, entering Pre-K4. While registering Aiden, we decided to enter him into a Spanish Immersion program. It is a magnet school and I am very excited about the program. I think he is going to really like it. Cullen wasn't able to do this and he is pretty upset about it. I don't know how to fix this except to promise to learn Spanish with Cullen as the year goes on. I would like to learn it too! The public school has great reviews and I look forward to comparing it to Cullen's previous Catholic school education.

Doctor! Doctor! Give me the news:
The nurse called today and all my blood work came back within the normal range. So the doctor is thinking it is my current meds (for my crazy ass) so I will be weaning off of them this entire month. I hope all goes well. I am ready to be off of the medicine anyway. I hope I don't go all crazy like a mom of three boys can. lol Okay, I am not really certifiably crazy, just a little off since the Brandi depression I had awhile back. I had tried to get off this medicine before, on my own, and it didn't work out to well. I am hoping I am successful this time. And speaking of Brandi, there was news today.
http://www.sunherald.com/local/story/1505506.html
Every time I read something about Brandi in the news, I get all nervous and shaken, still. When does that feeling go away?

Are you pregnant?

At my doctor's appointment today, that was one of the first things my doctor asked. My mom and grandma had just asked me this last week when I wore a very unflattering dress, which I picked up over my head to expose my figure to them. However, I didn't do this to the doctor, I just said "no chance". Then there was that lady at the family reunion. This is a common question these days! Anyway, two pregnancy test down (negative), my doctor did some blood work and said it could possibly be some medication I am on now causing this. We shall wait and see.

Earlier in the day, we went to play with our MF's and the boys had a ball. We went to one of our new fave parks and they got down and dirty. It was Amy and I in the car with seven children. Don't be envious! LOL You have to LOVE the big dick (the name of my truck, watch those dirty minds!!)! We survived, and they did too. It was a fun morning of play.





I played on my Wii Fit this afternoon. I love it! It was my first time actually playing it and I had a blast all by myself. The kids weren't there, of course. Aiden stayed by Julia's earlier, Roman was napping, and Cullen was out running the neighborhood.

Brain sucker

I woke up this morning and was going to take my fat pregnant looking ass to the gym. I called Aiden into the bathroom so I could fix his hair and saw a spot on his scalp I thought was blood. Upon further inspection, I noticed it had legs and was the size a tad smaller than my pinky nail. OH MY GROSS, IT IS A TICK!! I freaked the F' out, called Julia (my mom was at work), realized she didn't have an immediate answer but to call the doctor, hung up with her, called the doctors office from my home phone and my grandma from my cell. Granny couldn't think of an immediate solution either so we hung up. The doctor's office said to bring him in (yes, we are city folk) so I dropped the other two monkeys off at Paw Paw's. Me, Julia, Aiden, and the creepy crawly blood sucking tick went to the doctor's office. The wonderful old doc pulled it out with tweezers and I finally had a normal heartbeat again. That's what happens when you fool around in the sticks, you get bugs! Damn family reunion. Never again. The rest of the day was lazy. I did purchase the Wii Fit this evening. I made a doctors appointment for myself for the following day to address this weight gain issue. I have gained nearly twenty pounds in about six weeks and I just want to make sure everything is okay internally.

Barns, churches, and cemeteries, oh my!

You have to eat, sleep, go to church, and die. That is what the small community of Glenwood, Alabama, must live by.

That is all that is in this itty bitty town and the surrounding towns! We left for the dreaded family reunion at 8 a.m. from Niceville and it took us two and a half hours to get there. Jude got pulled over not even five minutes into the trip for speeding. If you know how slow my husband drives, that should give you a good laugh. He has been pulled over for driving too slow before, but never speeding. Seriously. The nice officer understood we were following fast driving Uncle Dan and let us go with a warning. Jude really putted the rest of the trip to Alabama. He was going fifty eight in a forty five. Once we arrived (we were the first), I realized just how long the day was going to be. It was an old school house, and when I say old, I mean OLD.

It was in the middle of BFE and it was freaking hot outside. Once others started arriving, the kids found a few others to play with, but not share with. A place with NO toys, and your child has toys,

those toys become a hot commodity. At one point, I realized I was a total reunion crasher. I was asked (a few times) how I was related to the L family. As I tried to explain why I was there, I started to wonder just why I was there. Jude's mom

kinda wanted Jude to go because his grandma was going to be there from Kentucky

and so would his Aunt Faye

and Uncle Charles,

which in turn, means I had to go. *I did want to see them all, too:)* This is how I am related to this L family...I am married to Jude, who is Julia's son. Julia is the daughter of Hazel. Hazel is the daughter of a L person. Wow! I was totally a reunion crasher! Jake (Jude's dad) told me that at the reunions, everyone arrives, brings a dish,

they sit next to the same people they do EVERY year, they eat lunch, and then they go home. That is exactly how it went down, too. Once everyone was getting in their vehicles to leave, I was getting a tad excited,

and then I heard we were bringing the party to another person's house. Great. We went on to the house and visited there. As I was walking by a lady, I was asked the ever so wonderful question "Are you *motions rubbing the belly*?" "No, sorry." Are you serious?! I was totally ready to start the car at this point. I know I have gained weight but, DAMN! She continued on barely acknowledging the fact that she just insulted me. We left shortly thereafter. How come it is always the larger folks that feel they have the right to ask that. Once we left, we had to drive BACK to FL to pick up the dog, and then drive home to Louisiana. I put my headphones on, blared me some Blackcolmadina, Big Tymers, Pink, among others, and danced while I drove the entire five hour drive. Thanks, Uncle Dan and Aunt Becky,

for accommodating our big clan and providing us with wonderful hospitality. We had a great mini vacay and look forward to next years visit. Sorry I wasn't too fond of the family reunion, but I knew going into this thing that it was part of the deal. The people were nice and it was great to see our distant family.

I played with my cameras the entire trip and took 750 plus photos. I am really enjoying this photo snapping thing!

What Wednesday?

Weigh in Wednesday! Yes, this is the first day I will report I need to lose...drum roll, please...35 pounds. That will put me in a size 4 to 6 pants at 5'9 and I would be very happy with that. I do not think that my hips will ever go back to being smaller than a size 4 after having three BIG babies. I went to the gym today and plan to get back on track this coming Monday. The family and I will be out of town till Sunday night. Vacations always throw me off of my routines.

Aiden met a little girl at the play date yesterday that wasn't part of our group and I think he has developed his first little crush. It started when he couldn't stop talking about her once we got home yesterday. We were just sitting around and out of the blue he says, "That gail had long pretty hair". We continued in conversation about her and as soon as his daddy got home from work, he was talking to him about her. Today, he mentioned her again. He wanted to know when we were going back so he could play with that gail, who he forgot her name. He says girl so freaking cute! He better stop thinking about girls and start thinking about potty training and school!