Moved

If you're wondering what the heck the title of my post means, today I was struck by something I encountered.  I was moved to share another one of the challenges we've been facing with our little man, Nicolas. Nicolas was diagnosed with deformational plagiocephaly at 4 months of age although I started to notice that something was not quite right at 2 months of age. He had limited range of motion of his head and preferred resting his head on one particular side. The neurosurgeon determined that it was caused by a restricted intrauterine environment, and we began treatment using a Hanger helmet on January 19th after careful thought and consideration and upon the neurosurgeon's recommendation.

I was moved to share our situation because we went in for one of our progress appointments today where they measure Nicolas' head to be sure we are seeing improvement (which we are, by the way at 4 weeks post.) When I walked into the waiting room, I stumbled upon a support meeting of older people who all had lost a limb and had been fitted by a Hanger prosthesis. Most of them were male and war veterans and every single one of them looked like they needed a hug. I know for a fact that my sweet smiling baby helped brighten up their day, even if just for that moment of his sweet little giggle in his Aggie-fied helmet. The purpose of the meeting was to help find volunteers to meet with other Hanger clients who had recently lost a limb and needed support from others who had undergone a similar situation. What touched me was when a gentlemen spoke up and honestly said, "look, I haven't even come to grips with this myself and I'm not sure I could be of any help, but I'll try to find it within myself to help, even if just to go and let a person know that I know what they're going through." He was one of two people that spoke and the other 4 just sat and had a look of hurt or pain that I couldn't quite grasp.

So, I sat and looked at my precious and healthy boy and decided that if there is at least one person out there who is going through the same thing we are, I want him/her to know that I know exactly what you're going through. What I can say is that there is no need to apologize for my baby being in a helmet. I continue to hear, "I'm sorry," but there's nothing to be sorry about. I'm not. We chose to put our baby in a helmet to fix something that is merely cosmetic in nature and which only requires a relatively short time (8 to 12 weeks) to modify.  He is otherwise healthy and beautiful, and I chose to rock out his helmet by making it look like a Texas A&M football helmet. I purchased the decals from Bling Your Band and I was most impressed that such a company exists to make a potentially dreary situation bright. I was really sad and emotional on the days leading up to him getting the helmet on, but the second I saw it on him, I knew we made the right choice and felt better knowing that we are doing everything to fix his flat. :)

So, here are some pictures of the helmet and my beautiful little man rocking the helmet. :)

Another post, so soon?!?! Why, yes. :)

I can't believe I'm actually posting again. I'm sure my readers haven't even visited recently so hopefully there will be more to read when you return. :)

Mommyhood continues to be wonderful. I think I've pretty much adjusted to having 2 children now (almost 8 months later) although I still find it challenging to take them both out to run errands that require a lot of time (grocery shopping or clothes shopping.) We wait for daddy to join us on those adventures or I go by myself in the evenings as a mental break from the chaos. I must say that the grocery store however is just as chaotic if not more than my house.

My weight loss plan is still going at full speed. So far, 12 lbs lost since Christmas and 7 lbs since starting weight watchers 4 weeks ago. The funniest thing I keep hearing from people is: "you don't need weight watchers" which to me implies that only overweight people "need" weight watchers. I used to believe that until I really didn't know where else to go to lose weight besides a nutritionist. The last thing I have time for is another appointment on a weekday. I was still 8-10 lbs over my "usual" weight, and I had been working my rear end off trying to exercise my way back to my old jeans when I just decided to try and give Weight Watchers a chance. I'm using their online only program which has been awesome and absolutely functional for my needs.  Losing the weight is a great feeling but, most importantly, the biggest thing I've gotten from this journey is my energy back, which is essential with a little madman like Alex (or as Dr. Karp calls him, my little "caveman.") :) I feel like my old self again which is a wonderful feeling.

What I've learned since starting Weight Watchers is that I knew absolutely nothing about eating to lose weight. I could go on for days on my biggest problems with my pre Weight Watchers diet versus the weight loss plan I'm on right now. Here is what I've learned so far:

1. A portion of protein is 3 oz (about the size of the palm of your hand). Eat only that much meat
2. Full fat dairy is the devil.
3. Eat as many fruits and veggies as you'd like (certain fruits/veggies are worse than others i.e. corn, peas are a bit higher than others so limit intake of those)
4. Mexican food is probably the healthiest option for dining out and I have found a way to make all of my favorite dishes into VERY healthy options with low point counts
5. Carbs are not the devil but to be eaten in moderation (portion control)
6. Sugar drinks, alcohol, and cheese are a horrible waste of points--you end up feeling hungry and bloated
7. 10 bean and cheese nachos are almost a day's full of points--STAY AWAY!
8. Eating out is almost always a guaranteed points nightmare but there is always one or two dishes at every restaurant or there are ways to modify your order to help make it healthier (i.e. ordering the bun at Whataburger without the oil and then only eating one half of a regular bun) and my favorite dining out establishment has become Luby's. :)

I'll start posting some recipes soon but I guarantee that you won't notice the difference from healthy vs unhealthy Mexican food eating. :)

Bad mommy, bad! :)

So I realized that it has been forever since I've blogged and my last posting happens to coincide with the death of our laptop. It's a lot harder to get to the desktop with both boys being so active. Life has been crazy (as I'm sure it has been for everybody.) It's amazing how busy we keep even when it seems that we don't have much planned. It's a full-time, under-appreciated, no time off kind of job raising these two boys, but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Life has been awesome but certainly not without its challenges. One of those challenges has been a personal one and involves my post-pregnancy weight loss journey. While I nursed Nicolas, my metabolism got shot and instead of losing (as many nursing moms boast it does) I gained and/or stayed steady while watching what I ate.  I have heard from a few friends that the same happened for them. Definitely not a fun thing! I blogged about it several times but with Nicolas, I only gained 27 lbs, and I only recently started losing.

Here's how the numbers break down. I'm 5'5" so a normal BMI allows me to be anywhere from 120-150. Before having children, I held steady at 132 for the longest time and didn't stray very far from that number. In undergrad, I did a lot of heavy weight lifting and went up to 136 but that's as high as I had ever been. In high school, I'm not sure how much I weighed but that number was probably closer to 125 or so.

With my first pregnancy, I gained 33 lbs and lost all of it 6 weeks after giving birth. I had to workout to stay at 132 and eat decently but it wasn't hard at all. A short time before getting pregnant with Nicolas, I started gaining weight again (went up to 136) so a few minor changes in my diet (no more soda, no eating after 8pm) and I was down in the 128/130 range again in a few short weeks. That was awesome! After having Nicolas, the weight started coming off slowly at the 6 week mark but it crept right back on as my milk supply increased. At my highest, I was at 145 (still not considered overweight for my height) and felt HORRIBLE! I was tired all the time, cranky, sleepy, a mess! Mind you, I was working out 5 times a week (hard workouts.) I was also in a lot of pain from a messed up neck and lower back.

So, in December, I finally decided to go to a chiropractor and have my neck and back adjusted and that worked WONDERS! I wanted to be able to workout without the pain and that helped tremendously. YAYAYAY! :) If you have chronic pain and have never been, I highly recommend it. Especially, if you workout and feel that a little pain is okay...it's not okay. You shouldn't have bone pain (muscle soreness is totally different.) I cannot sing enough praises of chiropractors and their place in pain management.

I have a lot more to type but mommy duty calls. To end it though, I'm finally down to 133 and working on getting to 126. I'm wearing my pre-pregnancy pants again (size 6) and my energy levels are through the roof. I'll post soon and explain in more detail about my weight loss journey. :)

4 months already

I can't believe that it's already been 4 months (and a week to be exact) since we were blessed with our baby, Nicolas. :-) He continues to be such a sweet little addition to our family. He has the most adorable one tooth smile I have ever seen but the poor little guy has been cranky and in pain from teething lately.  He's still a sweet little man and just needs a bit more TLC. :-)

We have started venturing out and about more lately as I get more comfortable managing both boys in public, and he takes everything in everywhere we go. He loves watching his big brother play, listening to mommy read stories, and taking cat naps. HA! I don't remember Alex sleeping this frequently at this age but I certainly remember Alex sleeping through the night just shy of 3 months and taking 2 2-hour naps so that's a big difference between the two. Nicolas still enjoys waking up once a night at about 4 or 5 am but he's such an easy going guy and falls right back to sleep that it's not a problem at all. We are enjoying all the "baby" moments as they pass way too quickly!

We are working on getting Nicolas baptized, and I am still at home full time with both boys. I definitely miss working outside the home because of the mental breaks but we don't miss having Alex sick all of the time. When I do return to work, we plan to hire a nanny so that we never have to deal with all of the bronchitis and reactive airway episodes that Alex had this year. He has thankfully been healthy since I've been at home with him so we continue to pray for good health for the little man.

On that note, Alex is certainly growing out of those terrible two's and entering what I call his "fierce" three's. He still manages to act up, which I think is a result of being bored at home and not being socialized enough, but he has certainly stepped up his good behavior and is doing a lot better with discipline. YAYAYAY! We are still being asked to keep him out of school until Dr. Dilley (the most awesome allergy/asthma specialist ever) can make his case for/against asthma and figures out what triggers Alex's episodes. Until then, I will continue to be driven crazy by  my loco moco. :-)


I am constantly in awe of the amount of junk (toys) we have managed to accumulate in Alex's 3 years of life. I am learning to appreciate the wonder that is craiglist and I am trying to rid our house of as much junk as possible. :-)

Birthday Time!!

I can't believe it's that time again: September!!! It's my favorite month of the year. Why, you ask? Not only is it the start of football season, cooler weather (well, not really in Texas, but you get my point), holiday decorations up in stores, but it brings with it my birthday as well as Alex's. :-) On Sept 9th, I celebrated my 30th birthday. It was pretty uneventful which made me happier than ever! My first birthday as a mother was spent in the ER with Alex and a stomach virus. My second birthday as a mother was spent at the doctor's office with Alex and RSV which ultimately led to a year full of respiratory issues and a diagnosis of reactive airway disease. I think it was God's way of reminding me of the selflessness that is parenthood. So, this year instead of celebrating me, I thanked God for and celebrated having 2 healthy children, a healthy husband and family, and my own health.

I can't believe that my baby is going to be 3 on September 19th. He amazes me every day!! This past year I worked full time to complete my clinical fellowship year. I enjoyed it very much but I absolutely hated leaving a crying 2 year old at preschool all day which made him constantly sick. As soon as the school year was finished in early June, it was back to being a stay at home parent and I almost lost my sanity. Alex pushed me to my limits and all I can remember thinking was that I couldn't wait for the allergist to clear him to go back to school. Now that I've been at home for a few months, I am happier than ever! I have many moments of insanity and sometimes wish I could have more breaks from my babies than I get, but at the end of the day, I LOVE LOVE LOVE my life and would be absolutely happy if I never got another break from my babies again (absolutely crazy and nuts, yes but happy!) :-)

Alex has accomplished so much this past year and he is turning in to such a good little rambunctious boy. Nicolas continues to be my sweet dream baby. He smiles and laughs at everything and I cherish his "old soul." I am convinced that he has my Grandma Toribia's spirit: quiet but fierce. He definitely has her chin and looking at him makes me smile because it is the piece of my mom and grandma of which I am constantly reminded.  I am looking forward to all the fun milestones. :-)

Weight challenges

I didn't realize how annoying it was going to be the 2nd time around waiting for my weight to just melt off like it did with Alex, esp since I only gained 27 lbs with Nico and 33 with Alex. (Now don't be mistaken, I had to work out to get back in shape but I was able to wear my pre-pregnancy pants by 6 weeks postpartum.) This time around, these last pesky 10 lbs just seem to have made themselves at home and don't want to leave. I still can't wear my pre-pregnancy pants, and nothing I seem to be doing is making the numbers on the scale go down. There are a few factors that I think are contributing:

1. The obvious: this is my 2nd child, and it might take a bit more work to shed the weight!
2. The c-section doesn't allow me to work out until the doctor has cleared me (8 wks in this case). 
3. I am nursing Nico and need to consume 500 calories so I can't exactly eat like a "skinny girl"
4. I am on a dairy restriction due to a sensitivity Nico has and thus I feel hungry quicker without my easy dairy filled and healthy snacks. *This is getting very annoying considering my already restricted diet due to food allergies
5. I have to drink 2 types of juice in limited quantities

I'm doing some things right.
1. I'm walking almost every day and trying to get some fun exercise in by playing with Alex like throwing the ball and chasing him outside when the heat allows.
2. I only have half of a soda a day and sweeten my coffee with agave nectar instead of sugar.
3. I am also eating lots of protein and drinking water with every meal
4. I've started simple and gentle exercises: pilates mostly

My endurance is very limited :( but I'm hopeful that it'll get better soon as long as I keep trying. I think I'll start posting side profile pictures of myself so that I can keep track of my progress by my appearance instead of the numbers on the scale. ADM!

First Smile :-)

I am trying to post as often as possible and I finally got a chance now that everybody is bed. The time is just flying by!!! It seems that once our day starts in the morning that we are off and I don't get much down time in between to do much but take care of my little men. The weekends are great but those fly by even quicker.

The days have been bringing a lot of adjustment for all of us, especially Alex. I am adjusting to being at home again, which was very difficult at first. It was very easy to be at home with just one kid but now that I have 2, one of which is almost 3 years old, it is really exhausting. I think the hardest part is the discipline that Alex requires. I'm still really tired (probably due to my anemia) so it is hard to keep up with my pumping schedule (every 2-3 hours,) keeping Alex entertained, Nico duty, keeping everyone fed and happy, and household chores. Alex's energy is so high that when he is not exercised well enough, he starts acting up and it doesn't make for a very happy environment (sleepy and cranky mama = not a lot of patience.)

Nico is an amazing baby so that really helps although lately he has been very fussy. We've been experimenting with different formulas (for supplementation at night) and I am hopeful that formula #4 might be the winner (Enfamil Gentlease.) He has reflux and has been crying in pain due to the reflux and gassiness. It's basically been a trial and error experiment with trying to get the right formula so as of day #2 on the new formula, we are a lot less fussy and the gas does not appear to be causing any pain. Praying that this is the one! This will certainly help reduce a lot of mama's crankiness.

Tonight, we believe that Nico might have had his first real smile. While I was holding him, Eddy was standing right next to me tickling Alex and while Alex let out a big giggle, Nico smiled twice and let out of a small giggle. It was really perfect and all 4 of us were involved so not one person can take credit for causing and observing Nico's first smile. :-)  Heehee.

Alex is really a great big brother. He's never been one to really like candy or sweets, but the man loves him some cupcakes. Yesterday, he asked for one so I made him a batch of strawberry cupcakes. Before he ate one, he asked that we sing happy birthday to him and later asked for some presents. I seriously have the coolest 2 year old out there.

Loving my 2 boys!