Breastfeeding and Weight Loss Myth

Why is it that I can eat what I want when pregnant and only gain 25 pounds each time, yet when I'm nursing I eat twice that amount and start packing it on even faster? I weight 12 pounds more today than I did at 13 weeks pregnant with my latest son.

I'm RAVENOUS when I'm nursing. That's why weight loss is so dang hard this time around. You know how you are buring like 500 calories while nursing? Well, I EAT those extra 500 calories, twice over. And I do it after giving birth because I'm stressed out. Taking care of a baby takes everything you have. It's completely physical. I didn't gain much when I only had 1 kid to take care of because I could pour myself entirely into him.

But with each kid I had starting with Joel, I gained an extra 5 pounds, for a total of 25 (okay, it's actually 30) pounds. That really adds up on a 5'2" frame.

My pal over at Meet Virginia is having the same struggle after the birth of multiple children. It's good to have support, and that's what ya'll are to me. My dad and his wife just lost a lot of weight ... I'm hoping to follow in his healthy footsteps.

New Year's Resolutions 2013

Happy New Year! Yes, I'm gonna try to drop some pounds this year ... only I started last Sunday instead of today. It's getting bad when your back rolls have rolls of their own. I don't have the time or money to join Weight Watchers again, but I do know how the program works, so I'm going with that. Instead of trying to count the points of every freaking food I put in my mouth, which I certainly don't have the time to do these days, I'm going to end this sentence because it's a run-on.

So I had Aron buy me a bunch of WW Smart Ones so I know the amount of points each has. I also have a bunch of yogurts for breakfast that I know the points of. I know the points of apples and veggies and milk. And I plan to hit the site of a WW meeting so I can buy some of their chocolate snacks with the points written on them. That way all I have to do is write points down somewhere each day and keep track and not go over 30 (the points a nursing mom gets to eat in one day, plus she gets an extra 30 for the entire week if she wants to use them ).

I also need to journal about what's going on because I'm practically a food addict. I wish Dr. Drew had a Food Rehab to go with his Drug Rehab and Sex Rehab.

Don't worry, I'll probably keep you annoyingly abreast of my weight loss fun. Hoping to not turn into one of those annoying Food Nazis. Friends and family, please don't bring me sugary stuff!

My biggest challenges: Dr. Pepper, Coke, anything chocolate, Quarter Pounders with Cheese

Homeschool Grid

I finally got the chance to print out some homeschool grids like this one that my writing/mothering/homeschooling idol, Jessica Fisher, made. It has so far worked like a charm for us. We can do everything in one day or put it all off until Friday or do it all at a steady pace. Or do all the math in one day or put it off. It's great for teaching the kids how to pace themselves and get their work done ... great prep for college!

Previously I was using lesson plans that came with our Catholic Heritage Curricula workbooks, but we went at a different pace than they wanted us to. Then I was writing everything in a spiral notebook for each kid and that got to be a mess.

I put a blank homeschool grid on our bulletin board in the dining room each week so the kids can easily see it. That way if I'm busy with one of the other kids they can see what they still need to do for the week. And if they need help with something, they just wait on that box. When we've completed something, we put a cross through the box with a highlighter or marker. I save all the grids in a binder ... a tab for each kid. In Kansas we don't have to keep records, but I like to anyway.

Any homeschooling organization tips that work for you?

Happy New Year's Eve!

Superstitions

Does anyone have any crazy superstitions like I do?

Like when my kids go with anyone in a car, I wave after them, then cross myself (Catholic-style) once for each kid plus the driver.

And when I REALLY need Divine Intervention, I not only pray to God, but also to everyone in Heaven who could maybe, like, PROD God (hey, it rhymes) to make sure my prayer gets to the top of the list. Like when my kid is sporting a really high fever or when Sam was in the NICU.

Who else, besides Tori Spelling, is nuts like me?

How to Make a Chore Chart

One of my best friends, Ellen, has 5 kids and is one of those totally on-top-of-it moms. She has this great (and cheap!) dry erase boards on her kitchen wall. Across the top she puts the days of the week, and down the side she puts the kids' names. Then she fills in their chores. I have a similar version at my house, except (1) I printed it out at home and (2) we completely ignore it.

These days I'm in new-baby mode still and just ask them to do things for me as I see them (bring up the laundry, put away silverware, take out the recycling, pick up their room, etc.). The boys each get $3 every Saturday, and $1 of that goes to church one week and savings the next week.

The boys call themselves my minions :-)