Not gonna lie, this would be pretty sweet!

So, I posted earlier this week on Facebook about this contest that I entered Ryan and I with the Green Bay Packers. It’s a contest where you can actually have a picture of yourself printed on real Green Bay Packers tickets…Needless to say, I entered that contest in 2.3 seconds! LOL To check it out, follow this link:
http://www.packerseverywhere.com/ticket-takeover

It would be so amazingly awesome to be on a Green Bay Packer ticket and I knew immediately which picture to submit. It was the one that Dave took of Ryan and I when went shopping to get ready for the Packers play-off game at the beginning of the year. Ryan had on his Packer hat that we, I mean Santa, bought him for Christmas. I was holding him, Dave got him to smile by calling his name, and then he snapped the picture, capturing the fun moment that we all had together. Check it out:

Now I know, we probably won’t end up on a Packer ticket. However, it would be super kewl if it actually happened and my baby boy and I were on one! I think we have a decent shot at it due to the fact that both Ryan and I are wearing Packer gear, particularly our hats that had big “G’s” on them. Ryan was even wearing his new Packer onsie that day too and I had on my Packer sweatshirt. My fingers are crossed and hopefully the stars will align so we can make some Lee family history…GO PACK GO! :0)

I hope I’m ready for this...

To save money, we decided to take Ryan out of daycare and that means, I’m going to be a full time Mommy Monday through Friday. At the moment, I’m having some mixed emotions about it.

Don’t get me wrong, I love, love, love to spend time with my little man. The thing is, spending eight straight hours with him seems a bit daunting because I don’t know how I’m going to keep him happy and occupied like they do at daycare. For example at daycare, he has other kids to play with, a whole bunch of toys to toss around, and suck on, that he doesn’t have at home, and different adults to interact with. At home, he has his regular toys, the dog to harass, and me. I really hope it’s enough and I’m trying to figure out different things to do with him during the day in addition to playing. I’ve come up with listening to music, reading, doing laps around the kitchen and living room, practicing walking, and hopefully when it gets nice outside, going for walks and playing in the front yard. Basically, I just don’t want to become frustrated and overwhelmed with him if for some reason I’m not able to keep him happy and occupied. I just want him to be content and having a good time.   

I guess I’m just feeling a tad inadequate at the moment and sad because I can’t keep him in daycare where he likes to go and be with the other kids his age. The reason why I know he likes daycare so much is due to the fact there is a picture of him with another kid who he really likes from daycare on our fridge. Every time he sees the picture of him and her together, he giggles and to take that away from him, makes me sad. I feel that it’s really important for him to be with other people besides me and now that I haven’t been able to find a job since I’ve been laid off, I’m not able to provide that outlet for him anymore. :0( So yes, I’m bumming at the moment.

However, I am trying to look at the positive side of things and how most parents don’t get to spend this kind of time with their kids at a young age. My Facebook Friend, Katie who works for WIXX, had to return to work and leave her little man at daycare for the first time since she had him today. She talked on Facebook about how she was feeling a bit emotional and guilty about it. I totally remember how that felt when we had to take Ryan to daycare for the first time and now that I’m home with him, I need to realize that this time is pretty special, so, I’m going to soak it all up and enjoy it until a do find a job. I guess, maybe this is a blessing in disguise.

Right now my little guy just woke up from a nap and is in his room, standing in his crib, and is giggling away waiting for me to come and get him. It’s so hilarious and is bringing a smile to my face as a write this. With that said, I better go get him before he figures out a way to get out of the crib all on his own! :0) I'm sure that day is on the horizon! 

Oh no, I'm turning into that oversharing mother on Facebook!!!!

When I was pregnant with Ryan, I vowed that I would never become one of those moms that posts pictures online of every little thing there kid does, cute or otherwise. I just found it to be tacky and a sort of bragalicious if you will. (And yes, I just made up a word, it’s a combination of bragging and abnoxious, which equals, bragalicious!) Anyway, the vow I made about a year ago did no good because after looking over my old Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts, I’ve discovered that I’ve turned into that mom anyway! Insert sigh here right here. :(

It's so hard not to post pictures of this little guy all the time,
just look at that smile! I love him soooooo much!

I really don’t know how it happened though since when the little man was first born, I was pretty good about not posting that many photos of him. Once and awhile I would put something on Facebook, yet that was it. Now I’ve found that I’m posting photos of him every day and I think it’s turning into a bit of an addiction. I mean, he’s adorable and all don’t get me wrong :), but I really don’t need to be posting photos of him all of the time doing cute stuff (like stuffing both his fists in his mouth or hammering things with his toy hammer) since I’m pretty sure that not everyone cares about what he’s doing on a daily basis as much as I do!

I think the reason why my posting has gotten a tad out of control is due to the fact that I don’t have a job right now. If I don’t have any freelance writing work to do, then I find myself being really bored during the day, which provides me with a bunch of time to screw around on Facebook and take a bunch of photos of Ryan doing fun baby stuff. Needless to say, I have a large photo library of him growing up over the last few months, something that is cool since when he gets older we’ll be able to look back and smile at everything he’s done. Lately though, I’m sharing those photos with everyone else more than usual and there really is no reason to share everything with the world like I have been.

So, I’m going to recommit to my vow that I made about a year ago now, and I believe it was in front of my then co-worker Kim A., that I’m not going to be one of those moms that posts way too many pictures of their kid online. And no, I’m not going to stop posting all together, just the frequency of how often I post. It’s simply not necessary to let everyone know exactly what he’s doing all the time no matter how cute and fun it might be. Hopefully, I can hold true to my vow this time around, we’ll see though given that sometimes, what he does makes me laugh so much that I want all of you to be able laugh along with me! :)

Until next time, it’s Carla the new mom, and tomboy, signing off!

Umm, this is hard to admit…

Well, it’s official and I must say, it’s hard to admit. I mean, extremely hard to admit. But, I’m going to do it, I’m going to come clean. What’s the big secret you ask? This tomboy, gulp, actually likes to go shopping, however, it’s not the shopping for myself that I’ve fallen in love with. Nope. I’ve fallen in love with shopping for stuff for Ryan!

Okay, I guess it’s not that big of a deal to admit that I like to shop, yet, for me it kind of is since I never really like going shopping before I had Ryan. Now I can’t get enough of it and I think it’s because I like seeing him in all the cute little outfits that I get for him. And yes, this is the proud mommy coming out in me for sure! The cutest outfit to date that the little man has been seen in definitely has to be this one:

His daycare teacher said he looked like he was all ready for the big dance that night!

I mean come on, just look at the little guy! :) A Facebook friend also bought a similar outfit for her little man and what I thought was nice about it, aside from it being completely adorable, was how it was a pretty reasonable buy at Target. When Dave and I bought the tie onsie with the khaki pants to match, we also bought another onsie and another pair of pants and the total was $20 for all four. Sure, not a super steal, yet, it was way cheaper than some of the outfits that I’ve come across and believe me, if you are not careful, you can spend all sorts of money on clothes for newborns and babies only to have them wear them only a few times. That's basically a waste of money and something I try to avoid at pretty much all costs, which is why I've learned to become really, really thrifty when it comes to how I shop.

A brand new onsie I found at Once Upon A Child!

For example, one way that I’m thrifty when it comes to getting Ryan clothes is to go the second hand route and skip buying new all together. In Green Bay, Wisc., I’ve found all sorts of awesome clothes for him at Once Upon A Child. It is a second hand clothing store for children where people can buy and sell their gently used clothes. One day, I walked out of the store with a huge bag of clothes that included onsies, sleepers, sweatshirts, shirts, and pants for like $40. It was really cool, especially since the majority of what I got for him that day was actually brand new and was never worn before. I also found his bath tub there for $8.50, which I would have paid at least $20 for brand new in the store.

Another thrifty shopping habit that I’ve picked up is to get his clothes on EBay. As you've probably noticed, I love putting him in name brand clothes. And yes, the first outfit he wore out of the hospital was made by Nike, but let’s face it, if I paid full price for all of his stuff we would go broke and not be able to eat regularly. Thus, I’ve gotten pretty good at getting things for dirt cheap on EBay for him. You could call me the master of the online auction. I see what I want, I wait to make a bid on it, and at the last minute. I get the deal. Case in point, I bought his first pair of Nike shoes for eight bucks on EBay and that included shipping since I had a coupon. (Side note here, it's easy to find coupons, just do a Google search and all sorts of options will pop up. You just need to make sure they are legit and that they actually work, which takes some time to figure out, but once you do, it's totally worth the effort.)

Ryan's first pair of kicks! Awesome!

Now sure, the Nike shoes I got him for eight bucks were used, yet that’s not that big of a deal since they look brand new and the kicker is, if I would have got them new from Nike.com, I would have paid around $50 for pretty much the same exact shoes and would have paid for shipping on top of that. I have also found great deals on Nike onsies and other outfits too. Yeah, I guess I’m a little obsessed with Nike, but that’s just how I roll. LOL. 

Along with going on EBay, I’ve discovered that I can save money getting his clothes at different online department stores instead of actually shopping at the stores themselves. You think it would be the other way around, yet, that is not the case at all. Like, the other day I went to Kohls.com and bought him a Nike track suit for Christmas. If I would have driven to the store, I would have spent $45 on it. However, online I was able to get it on sale, plus, I had a 20% off coupon. So, it was like $20 and I didn’t even have to pay for shipping. Oh yeah! I also found some decent deals at Target.com too when I bought him some other clothes and some of his baby stuff like his Boppy and his swing.

Needless to say, I think I’m becoming a bit of a shopaholic when it comes to getting stuff for Ryan. At least I’m getting everything at good prices though, so, it all evens out then, right? :) Until next time, this is Carla the tomboy and new, thrifty mom, signing off!

Go away baby weight! - Part 2

So, I said I would talk about my eating game plan when it came to losing my baby weight and guess what; it’s not going all that well. What I’ve discovered is trying to follow any kind of eating plan is quite the challenge, yet, going into it, I knew that it would be. That’s why when I committed to losing my baby weight, I focused first on getting my workout routine in place. Now that I have a routine down, since I workout four or five times a week, I've turned my attention to eating better.

Mmm, breakfast! Try with reduced fat peanut butter!

Basically, what I’ve been trying to is eat lighter and eat more often. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I start with an Eggo whole wheat breakfast waffle in the morning, have some kind of snack mid-morning like grapes or carrots, then for lunch I go with a turkey sandwich on wheat bread (skipping the mayo and substituting mustard) or a Lean Cuisine, have another snack mid-afternoon, and then at dinner time, I try to eat a balanced meal with a protein, a starch, and some kind of vegetable whether it be a salad or something cooked like green beans or peas. Along with trying to eat better, I’m also trying to drink a bunch of water, cut down on the alcohol intake, and skip high sugary drinks like Gatorade and juice. Occasionally, I will have a soda and yes, I still drink coffee in the morning. I know I should stop, yet, sometimes green tea just doesn’t quite cut it and I need that cup of Joe.

For the most part, I’ve been sticking to the meal plan during the day, but what’s really been killing me is trying to follow it at dinner time. At the end of the day, I’m tired and I just want to relax with a beer and fill my belly with food that tastes good. Yes, I guess you would say that I am an emotional eater and if I’ve had a rough or long day, I typically want to eat and drink things I like to feel better. Therefore, it can be hard to eat chicken, rice, and a side salad with water when my head and belly want a grilled cheese and a Miller Lite! What I’ve come to the conclusion with the dinner time meal is to just kind of go with the flow. If I want to indulge a craving, I try not to go overboard and overeat. Like, if I want a grilled cheese and a beer, I try to eat just one grilled cheese and be done with it instead of eating as many as I can. Or, if I want a beer, I just drink one to savor it. I’ve also discovered my love for wine again and will substitute a beer with a glass of Cabernet or Merlot. Both are tasty and in moderation, are actually good for you.

Me giving into a craving, oh well, you live and you learn!

There are times though when limiting myself at dinner doesn’t work either and I end up eating and drinking too much, however, I try not to beat myself up over it and tell myself that tomorrow is a new day. I figure it’s all about taking tiny, positive steps in the right direction and I keep telling myself that it’s a process and that I’m not going to be able to change overnight. A Facebook friend helped me realize that. She said that it took me nine months to put on the baby weight and that it will take some time to lose the weight too. I thank you for the advice and the support because sometimes I forget that I need to be patient and not get discouraged. We all know that when it comes to weight loss, if a person gets discouraged, he or she generally gives up and I’m not prepared to do that, not at all. I want to feel and look good again and I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to make that happen. :)

Well, that’s about all that I got for today when it comes to eating and weight loss. If you’re interested in some low fat meals along with workout tips and routines, check out a few of these sites:

Places to find low fat recipes

• http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/mealplanning/u/easyrecipes.htm 
• http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/healthy-living/low-fat-recipes/main.aspx
• http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/low-fat/index.html 
• http://www.sparkrecipes.com/

Workout routines and tips

• http://www.workoutbox.com/workouts/ 
• http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/10-workout-secrets-expert-exercise-tips 
• http://www.health.com/health/fitness 
• http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles_list.asp?iSel=17

With that, I bid you farewell and until next time, this is Carla the new mom, and tomboy, signing off!

Never thought that would happen…

I mentioned awhile back on Facebook that Ryan’s umbilical cord fell off and we couldn’t find it, well guess what, we still haven’t found the icky thing and it makes me wonder where the hell it went? What I find kind of interesting is how it really, really, really bothers me that we can’t find it and the reason being is that I actually wanted to save it and put it in a memory box that I’m keeping for him. That in itself is pretty darn gross. I mean, who saves something like this. Well, a doting mother does and what I’m discovering is that this tomboy is turning into a one!

It’s just kind of strange since I never thought that I would A., Become a mother and B., Become one that obsessively dotes over her child. He’s so cute and all I want to do is take pictures of him, show him off to people, and track his progress through this weird thing that we call life. Take the two below pictures as an example, the first shows his weird belly button with the umbilical cord attached to it. Then the second shows what his belly button looks like after the umbilical cord has fallen off. I think it turned out well! :) 

 

Ryan's umbilical cord is still attached!

Now it's not!

In the past, I would have found it to odd for any parent to care about what his or her child’s belly button looked like. I mean, who really cares. It’s a belly button, it really doesn’t serve a purpose, and who gives a flip what it looks like! However now that I’m a parent, I get why any parent would care given that, that’s your flesh and blood and you care about whatever your little guy or gal does! So, it seems pretty normal to me to be interested in any subject related to my child as is the case with other things that the little guy does. Like, Ryan can hold his head up pretty well now without face planting, he kicks with the best of them, and sometimes during tummy time he’ll even wiggle himself across the floor. Seeing him grow and get stronger has been such a unique and rewarding experience, all I can say is that I’m truly blessed.

My only fear of being a doting mother is that I’m going to turn into one of those over the top, psycho soccer moms and I definitely don’t want that to happen. I’ve seen too many of them over the years during my high school reporting days and they creep up in other sports too. They scream, complain, and are all over the place! There are dads who act the same way too and it’s not a pretty sight! They not only embarrass themselves, but they embarrass their kids and it’s just not a good thing! So, it’s my ultimate goal not to become one!

Well, the little guy is starting to wake up and that closes my blogging window for today. I hope everyone is enjoying the summer and until we meet again, it’s Carla the new mom and tomboy signing off!

Birthing class scheduled…

I registered to attend a Preparing for Labor Birth and Beyond class today at Aurora Hospital and I must say, doing so is causing me to freak out a bit. Nope, I’m going to be honest, registering for this class is causing me to freak out a whole big bunch because it means that I’m going to be a parent sooner rather than later.

To be responsible for a whole other little life is something that I’m not going to take lightly and the fact that taking on that responsibility is going to be a reality really, really soon is starting to hit me. I’m excited for it and at the same time, a bit unnerved by it given that I have no idea what to expect. Is it going to be hard, is it going to be easy, or is it going to be somewhere in the middle. I just don’t know and because I’m a bit of a control freak, that not knowing part is what really gets me! So at this point, I’m going to heed the advice of someone who posted on my Facebook page a few weeks or months ago now and that advice was to not have any expectations at all. By not having any expectations, there won’t be any disappointment or upheaval, so, that’s what I’m going to try to do. Trying being the key word :0)

As for not having expectations, that’s not something I’m going to be able to do with this Preparing for Labor Birth and Beyond Class. Therefore, I’m going to speculate away. I know that I’ll probably end up becoming completely mortified by all of the information that’s going to be presented to me. Some of the topics that are going to be covered during the class include what’s going to happen in labor, options we’ll have for things, coping with labor, what caesareans are all about, and post-birth recovery. Dave is obviously going to go with me and all I can do is picture a room full of big bellied women with a man at their side who end up falling on the floor when they hear about what’s going to happen. AHHHHHHHHH! And as I scream AHHHHHHHH in my head, little Billy Bubby just kicked me in the diaphragm! Way to let me know you’re there little man! Or, maybe he’s freaked out about the birthing class too, who knows. LOL.

Anyway, I’m sure the class is going to be a treat and I’ll definitely share about how it all goes down afterwards. So until I blog again, it’s Carla the freaked out tomboy saying farewell! 

Some people are sooooo nice….

This post is all about giving mad props to one of Dave’s co-workers at the YMCA in Green Bay, WI, Wendy G. Why? It’s because of what she’s doing for our baby boy to be, she’s knitting him a baby blanket. It’s a gesture of kindness that has really touched my heart, especially since she extended the offer to do it for us.

Now, I don’t quite remember how it all transpired with Wendy making little Billy Bubba a blanket to begin with. I think there was some conversation back and forth about knitting, then I saw a blanket she made on Facebook for a friend who was having a baby, I commented on how cool it looked, and then she was like, “I can make you a blanket, just get me the yarn!” Of course, I was all over that because the one she made for her friend’s baby looked really cute! Then a few days later, I even got to see the one she made first hand for her friend's baby and it looked even better in person, if that was even possible? Not to mention that it was all warm and cuddly too! That day, she said to pick out the yarn, drop it off, and that she would do all the rest. We found the yarn for the blanket at Jo-Ann Fabrics and Dave gave it to her about a week or so ago.

Anyway on Monday to my dismay, I missed a Facebook post from Wendy about the blanket, which showed the progress she was making on it. She came up with a pattern that is super awesome: 

Like I said, super awesome!

I so can’t wait for the blanket to be complete and again, what she’s doing is such an amazing gesture of kindness that I don’t think I’ll be able to thank her enough. I figure writing about it on my blog is a good place start, so Thank You Wendy for everything that you’re doing for Dave, myself and little Billy Bubba! You ROCK!