Saturday, April 27, 2013

Pump it Up

I am sick of being fat, carrying around 20lbs of baby weight + another 20 that I added on before I got preggo the first time.

That being said, I keep having to be reminded that being pregnant x3 in one year can mess up ones hormones and emotions a bit and to be a tad lenient on myself - and to pat myself on the back for loosing 35lbs in 11 months and doing nothing to lose it other than BFing, so I guess there is something to be said for that too.

But whatever, I hate how I look, the size of my pants and all the bits that jiggle and bounce so I am back on the eating well and work out wagon hard and I am loving it.

Eating is back in check and I think it being so nice outside more often than not is making it easier to make healthy choices. Plus we signed up for weekly CSA boxes from Fresh City Farms so there is zero excuse to see anything other than local, organic deliciousness on our plates each day. And there is something about the sunshine makes me want to eat salad and veggies more than french fries and chips.

Also bit the bullet and joined the gym. Reality, I was and will never be able to workout at home. I don't have the motivation or the desire to sweat in my living room. I need other people around me to inspire me to work hard and get my sweat on. I need the gym - end of

So on that note I have been at the gym x5 a week for a few weeks now and its been fantastic. E and I get up, eat brekkie and walk over to the gym every morning. They have child care so E can hang out and play while Momma gets her groove on. He benefits from that experience as much as I do in getting a hr to myself each day. The routine is brilliant for him, as he is a massive creature of habit and each day he konks out for a nice long nap once we get home. Score - more Mommy and steaming hot shower time!

And never was I a class gal before, but I have started taking BodyPump x3 a week and can't believe how much am digging it. Its brilliant. HR gets revving and the muscles and calories are burning. Just typing this now I am feeling it in my upper back, arms and shoulders. The top half got a good workout today, the legs as well. I also invested in a heart rate monitor so I can actually see my efforts and that is also a huge motivator. Seeing how much I can burn off in a few hours makes me crave it each day. I am actually at the point now where I feel icky when I don't get out and work out. Funny how fast that can happen.

Hoping that if I can keep this up, I will be back in fighting shape sooner than later, but I am more amped to take note of how great in general it is making me feel to hit the gym each day, to see little E enjoying his time with new friends and to know that I am doing something really great for him and me; showing him that a healthy lifestyle is easy and fun.


Thursday, April 25, 2013

Gone too soon

Over the course of my pregnancy and now E's life, I have been actively participating in an online/FB based Mommy group. We all met on Babycentre.ca back when they had good forums and decided that when they were changing formats to continue the chatter over on FB.


Some people think its weird, that I spend so much time talking to loads of people that I have never laid eyes on, or that because so many moms are bitchy towards each other and forever in competition/judgement mode it can't be legit.

Well it is - and I will be the first to admit that never would I have expected it to become so very close and personal with these women. In BC I was lucky to have a few playdates with a group of  the Ladies when the kiddos were all but brand new. When we moved back to TO I was able to hook up with even more and now I honestly consider some of them good, real friends.


We talk about everything; from anything and everything baby related, to personal topics like sex, marriage, love, cooking, weight loss, jobs, money and every bodily function one can think of. We are an oddly open and very non judgemental group of very close strangers.

In each city where there is a group of May Mommas we have met up, we have become not just FB friends but sisters in arms, going through the daily challenges of making, having and now raising our beautiful May 2012 babies.

But sadness has become us recently. A sadness and loss that thought we knew was near, none of us were prepared for. This week we lost one of our beautiful babies. He was just shy of 11 months old. He had fought tooth and nail for his short life from the moment he came into the world, but he was no longer able to battle all that came his way. He was born with some very rare and unusual issues, that stemmed into other more serious complications along the way. He was such a sick little man, but such a strong, strong little soul. He gave it everything he had. And so did his young, new parents. They spend almost every day and night travelling to and from the hospital, sitting at his bedside, talking and reading to him, playing and just being in love with their son.  And in the short times he was able to join them at home they were there taking care of him with love, tenderness and sheet joy.

My heart is aching for them, it is heavy with a sadness that I never have known. My eyes are not able to stop welling up, tears spilling over. We all knew the end was on the horizon, we had been told it was close. I am sure most of us thought we would be coping much better than  we are. We are all mourning the loss of a baby that was one of ours, we have all lost a son this week.

I hope that Bas' parents can find their way through this time of grief and pain. This is a path non of us ever want to find ourselves on. I cannot begin to understand their feelings at this time.

It is unfair. It is heartbreaking. It is tragic.

But in all of that Sebastian will never be forgotten, he will always be loved, forever and always

Forever there will be a light in my heart for you Sebastian - 05/26/12 - 4/23/13



Sunday, April 21, 2013

Sunday Yumday!

Even though I am on mat leave and I don't go into an office Monday - Friday, I still love me the weekends. DH and I have come to an agreement on sleeping (He take a lie in on Saturday, I get Sunday), we get to hang out as a family of 3 in PJs as long as we want, we can take long walks and spend way too much time on the swings and best of all I get to cook big yumtastic brunches!

Today was my fave go to - Scrambled Tofu, but with a slight twist. Usually there is a mild salsa in my tofu for spice and flavour, but had none on hand today. So I winged it and man - what that a delish little adventure. And I felt a bit wacky after that so I turned them into wraps, but it is just a yum to  with a side of hash browns, yam fries or toast.


Breakfast Tofu Scramble Wraps
  • 1 tbsp olive oil 
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 block drained firm tofu (not pressed)
  • 1 tsp Oregano
  • 1 tsp Basil
  • S&P to taste
  • 1/4 cup water (or vegetable stock and omit veg paste)
  • 1 tsp Better than Bullion Vegetable Paste
  • 1/2 avocado, mashed
  • Greens (I had spinach and sunflower sprouts on hand)
  • Whole Wheat Tortillas
  1. Over medium heat, saute onions in oil for 2 min - add in tomatoes and cook until onions start to brown
  2. Crumble in tofu, using the natural liquid from it to deglaze the pan of all the delish stuck bits of onion & tomato. 
  3. Add in spices & water/stock and simmer over low heat for 8-10 minutes or until liquid is gone
  4. You can add in water as needed to re-incorporate bits stuck to pan - a tbsp at a time
  5. Warm tortillas in oven or over flame, spreading avo over centre, layer greens and tofu, wrap and devour!




Sunday, April 14, 2013

I'm Back?

Well I think I am. I hope I am.

Life is just really fast and full and exhausting now that my 10 month old monkey is standing up, is cruising all around, and generally getting into everything and anything he can. I love the bones of him, but shit, he's a handful. I feel like he may start to think his name is NO!

I can't seem to carve out the time to write, along with crocheting (my new small business aventure), keep the kid fed and clean, go to the gym (I am desperate to lose these lingering baby lbs ... well ok fine, just lbs, they were with me well before baby was), laundry, appointments, playdates ... etc. The basics.

I am busy. But hey, what Momma ain't?

But I am going to try to write more, if for no one else but for me. It's therapeutic.

Cheers to therapy.