***Lion Cub Mommies-Back In Action!***

[cleckner04]

I'm not sure if we have any around here. There was a place back in virginia that was full of bounce houses and I always wanted to go but didn't have a kid yet. There is a place called playtown here and it has all sorts of toddler appropriate things and they have a bounce house inside it with a slide but only one. They also have those tube things that you see in chuckie cheese. It's fun to go up there and play. This place is for ages 5 and under and theres even a soft fenced in type of area for non-walkers. . It's really neat. Emma was kind of unsure about the bounce house bit of it though so I don't think she's quite ready for a place full of them. Here's a link to the place we've went a few times. It's a few towns over so I haven't went without DH. If I had the car I would, but all we have now is my 4 cylinder jeep wrangler that has trouble getting up to speed on the highways so I try to stay local with DH gone.

https://www.goplaytown.com/



As for weight loss today, I only lost 1.4 lbs this week but I am very happy with this because I didn't use myfitnesspal and I didn't walk. But I am proud to be back on the exercise bike routine every night. Which half the battle is finding motivation to stay up and do that. So I'm at 198.6 this week.

 

[cleckner04]

Oh yeah, and about the top chef woman. I don't watch it but I have seen her in my People magazine. I think they even did a feature of her for the 'body after baby' page. Those are ALWAYS ridiculous. Like heidi klum type of people. It's seriously so unrealistic.

I think as far as threads on here, it's not so much the fact that these girls are thin again that bothers me. It's the fact that they bitch and moan and say they are SO fat. Those types of girls are just screaming for attention I think. Like they have to know they look good and they just want compliments. I wonder if they realize that by complaining about their perfect bodies, they are really putting down the rest of us. Because you don't see the average types of girls posting in those threads. I know there are plenty of us because theres a good 20 girls in my weightloss group on here. And that's just breastfeeding mothers.

I am determined to keep up with my exercise and watching what I eat even while pregnant next time. I think I would bounce back a lot quicker if I kept up with it all. I was borderline gestational diabetic during my pregnancy. Like just a few points below the line I think. I ate a lot of sweets though. So it was definitely my own fault.

 

[Shiv]

I agree about the girls looking for attention Cleck - however from the otherside of the argument, if I were to tell you that i felt awful and fat after I had Sophia, you might think i was one of those girls (or you might have thought I was fat ) and I wouldn't have been looking for attention. I think it is all relative. If prior tp pregnancy you were a tiny size (say a U.S size 4) then you went up to a US size 10 (which is still small) to that person it would seem like a massive change and might be quite depressing. Do you see what I mean? Absolutely no need for skinny minnies to make threads about how gross they are though as it is only gonna make us normal people feel bad

Well done on the weight loss cleck, any loss is great especially if you haven't worked as hard as you normally would have.

i am off tonight for a friends birthday and Sophia is staying at my parents so I shall be having a lovely lie in tomorrow, and david will no doubt be totally hungover!

 

[jelr]

Spidey: yeah AF would normally be heavier for me in the mornings but the thing that was strange was she had completely gone by Monday and then came back Wednesday morning but only heavy for an hour and then just spotting for the day and then gone again so I dont know what was up with that :shrugg:

Our plans are relaxing tomorrow and going to get all the bed clothes washed and then Natasha has another birthday party on Sunday - It is her 4th in about 5 weeks - she has a much more hectic social life than DH and I

Shiv: Yeah the champix are only available on prescription so it will be €50 for the doctors and then whatever the prescription costs which I checked in the chemist today and it is €135 - I forgot to ask them how long the course was for €135, but I think they give you two weeks to start off, so it is quite expensive. Was it as expensive for your mam? I hope you have a lovely meal out tonight and enjoy that lie in tomorrow

Cleck: Yeah I definitely think the weight thing is relative as I know loads of people tell me I dont look like I have put on weight and that I have a lovely figure but I feel awful at the moment as I'm a stone heavier than I usually am and I'm in a size up in my clothes. (I'm usually a UK size 10 - US size 8 but now I'm a UK size 12 or US 10 and a size up again in some clothes) which is not massive I know but I don't feel good in myself at all (probably because none of my clothes will fit and I refuse to go out and buy more ) But I definitely agree there somebody who is tiny and only 5lbs heavier a month after giving birth should have no need to post a picture and say she is fat, that to me is looking for people to tell her how lovely she and skinny she is - God I wish I had only 5lbs to lose when I had Natasha - I was nearly 4 stone heavier at full term and I only lost the 8lb that she weighed - granted I did lose another 12lbs or so without doing anything in the first couple of months I reckon that was fluid and so on so in terms of just fat I put on 2.5 stone - hell I managed to put on double of their 5lbs in the 10 weeks I was pregnant this time and I'm still not doing a good job of moving it

Not much news here - it was a fairly stressful week in work so I'm shattered and Natasha is still a little unsettled at night since I went back the poor thing. Not as much now but she just cries in her sleep every now and again - so its a lots of broken sleep I'm getting as I'm a light sleeper and since was born, Its worse as I hear her every move, I think I only have go into a sleep in case she does wake up

Well I hope you all have a good weekend

 

[spidey]

Cleck, your weightloss has been amazing! So did you take your scale picture yet? The camera shouldn't make it jump up to 200 anymore

jelr- I understand what you're saying about AF now.. that is weird to get a burst of heavy bleeding once it was all done. I guess your body is still getting things back to normal.

Shiv- enjoy your sleep in tomorrow!

We've been trying a new bedtime routine and I don't know how I feel about it. Kira has been requiring 30-50 minutes of bouncing each night by DH to get to sleep. His back has been hurting and he really can't go more than 20 minutes now, and 20 minutes is my limit too since my arms give out. We've been delaying bedtime to try and shorten her bounce to 20 minutes, but letting her stay up an extra hour doesn't help and by the time she's in bed, it's 11 and I have to be at work at 6am. Last night DH laid with her in bed and she basically cried for 40 minutes until she fell asleep. He was right there the whole time comforting her but I guess she wasn't thrilled with the idea. Now tonight he's trying it again (I hear her crying right now). I would love for this to work but I hate having her cry so long. DH is hopeful that each night it will get better... I hope so! LOL, she stopped crying.. I bet she's trying to pry open DH's eyes right now since he's pretending to be asleep.

edited to say that I love that bouncy/play place Cleck!! I need to find something like that here since I'm not sure how Kira would do with just bouncy castles. Kira would love all those cozy coupes and other play areas though!

 

[jelr]

I hope the night time thing gets easier Spidey, you might be surprised though they do tend to adjust quickly. I was dreading taking Natasha out of her sleeping bag and putting a duvet on and especially as the first night she woke crying so much, but it was much better the second night and she had completely adjusted the 3rd night and loves the duvet now, so hopefully it will only take a couple of nights because I know it is hard to see them upset.

Cleck: I meant to say in my post last night but completely forgot as I was so tired. Dont let those girls make you feel bad about yourself. You look fantastic and should be so proud of your weightloss and being that skinny with a surf board stomach as I call it without stretchies is not the norm postpartum.

I used to strive to have a surf board stomach as two of my friends have them and felt really bad about myself and then I actually took a step back one night and looked around me at every woman I saw and realised it is not the norm and that they were just really really lucky and a minority and that most women are not like this. Also back to these girls looking for attention, the reason you only see these skinny minnies in that section is because most normal woman hate their bodies postpartum and would not attempt to put up pictures on a public forum. I know I would definitely not as I never had a flat stomach to begin with and although i dont have much stretch marks, I have loads of loose skin since having Natasha. It is like my stomach was good at stretching but it didn't know how to go back

Shiv: I hope your dinner went well and you had a lovely rest this morning.

AFM: I think I have thrush (a yeast infection for the US girls) - I guess everything is still unbalanced after the procedure and the pregnancy and then non-pregnancy hormones. it is making me feel rotten and dirty though, so between that and I have been so good this week and stuck so well to the diet and lost nothing. I'm feeling a bit rubbish - Aw well it can only get better eh!!

 

[cleckner04]

You ladies are totally right. I guess it's pure opinion and those girls are entitled to it if they think they are gross looking. And I'm sure they don't realize they are hurting the feelings of the 'bigger' crowd. I think it's just my own sensitivity talking when I complain about it. I'm confident with my own body for the most part but threads like that knock me back a bit. I know I should just not click on them! It's just it took me nearly 2 YEARS to lose the pregnancy weight and they lose it all within a month and are still complaining. Granted, I had a c-section that was infected so I couldn't even walk properly for months. And I was always scared about my milk supply after all my supply problems in the beginning. Next time around, I think I'm going to try to lose it earlier. I may have another c-section but I hear planned ones are much smoother and the healing time is quicker. So that's something to think about.

spidey- That bedtime routine sounds rough. How did she do last night? From what I've read, if you keep doing it like that she'll cry less and less each night. I hope it starts getting better for you guys.

jelr- to you too. I've never had a yeast infection but I hear they are super uncomfortable. Your not dirty. I think every woman gets one at least once in their lifetime. Being a woman with all of these hormones just sucks sometimes. And with the weightloss, I'm already frustrated this week too now. Usually I weigh about 2 lbs. more at night than the morning. So I weigh myself every night after I work out so I'll know if I did good that day. Well last night I was 198.4 weighing in at night. So I was so pleased and ready for a 196.4 weight this morning. I thought I would already be to 'overweight' instead of 'obese' because all I need to do is get down to 196 so I was so excited last night. This morning my weight is exactly the same as last night. So it was a serious disappointment. I've noticed I actually lose slower on the weeks that I ride my exercise bike. So I feel like I'm doing that long workout for nothing. Although the sensible side of me knows it's probably better that I'm not losing as fast. Are you exercising at all? For what it's worth, I think women with six pack abs look kinda gross. I think a woman is meant to be slightly soft in the middle. Much more feminine that way.

 

[spidey]

Last night went much better with Kira's new sleep routine. She cried for only 1-2 minutes and then I didn't hear another peep from her on the monitor. DH fell asleep while laying next to her so he has no idea how long it took her to drift off but he does remember her laying there and wiggling her toes. About an hour after he took her upstairs for bedtime, he came stumbling down the stairs with squinty eyes It's a huge deal because Kira has always needed movement and booby to sleep, so for her to lay down and drift off is amazing! I hope its just as easy tonight!

yeast infections- ugh, I hate them! When I feel extra "yeasty" I'll try to let things air out down there... so no panties and extra baggy pants. I re-wash all my panties and do 2 rinses on them because sometimes I think lingering detergent can make it worse. I've also been known to smear cold plain yogurt down there and then take an hour to lay down bottomless on a towel to let the bacteria in the yogurt kill the yeast. Somewhere I read that apple cider vinegar helps too, but I made the mistake of dabbing it on fully concentrated and it burned so badly , so you might want to look it up first and see if diluted apple cider vinegar is useful. Garlic might help too because I know garlic has natural anti-bacteria and anti-fungal abilities- I stuck garlic cloves up there (they were wrapped in cheese cloth) when I was pregnant to try and kill my Strep B I don't know if it worked because my midwives refused to re-test me. LOL, how embarrassing that my vagina has sampled nearly everything in the kitchen, but if you are really suffering with itchiness and feel like you're going to go crazy, you can freeze yogurt in the shape of a tampon, and then put a frozen yogurt pop in there... ahhhhhh, such relief, LOL!

Cleckner- thats shitty about not dropping weight overnight. I'm the same way- I always drop a couple pounds between night and morning.

No AF yet. I ovulated last Thursday...

 

[cleckner04]

Ooooo No AF!! Any symptoms?? I hope it's pregnancy and not a super long luteal phase!! Although, the long luteal phase would be nice too.

 

[Shiv]

Cleck - you have much more reason to be proud of you rbody than any of those skinny minnies. Just look at your weightloss photos - you rock!

jelr - Thrush sucks, I hope it clears up quick for you, can you get canestan over there?
i also wake up at every tiny noise Sophia makes. When she is teething she tends to yelp in the night, just once and then nothing. I doubt she even wakes up - but i do and my heart is bloody racing! Also stop beating yourself about being at work. Natasha loves being with your mum and I bet she has tons of fun, I also bet the she appreciates you a lot more when you get home. Sophia is bored of me by 11am

Spidey - your post made me laugh, no wonder you always have so much food in your fridge
I hope you are either due your BFP or a nice 12-14 day luteal phase this month. Has Kira been breastfeeding less this month?

Well my meal out last night was lovley, I was so damn full when i got home. My lie in was nice but i woke up every couple of hours in the night either needing to wee or just uncomfortable so I still feel tired today

I forget which thread it was on that we were discussing whether LO was cuddly or not? Anyway Sophia is pretty cuddly, she rarely ever comes over just for a cuddle, but she spends a good coupl eof hours a day cuddled up to me reading books, she is a total bookworm!

We are going to a bootfair in the morning (do you have them in the US - a bit like a garage sale but on a field with lots of other people selling their junk too) to try to get rid of some of our junk. DH bought down some stuff from the loft that made me laugh, a few disco lights from when we used to have lots of parties was a highlight! i am also selling a lot of my ball dresses. I haev loads of floor length dresses from balls at uni and work Christmas parties etc that I am seriously never gonna wear again so it would be nice to get a bit of money for them but we'll see.

Oh and I bought that dress by the way! It arrived yesterday and i do love it. I think it will also look better the bigger I get, but it is flattering and very elegant, and even sexy according to my DH I'll post a piccy when I wear it next weekend!

I am getting quite upset about moving now that it is getting som close. I have put it to the back of my mind for a few weeks but no everyone is talking about it and I just can't. I think I am in complete denial

 

[spidey]

Shiv- Maybe once you start packing you'll get more excited about the move to a new house with a new town to explore. I wouldn't be thrilled if I had to move either, so I can understand your denial. You'll have to plan lots of fun day trips and sleepovers back home.

The closest thing to a bootfair would be a flea market. Usually they're indoors in a large building and people rent tables and try to sell their junk. Good luck Shiv on selling your stuff!

Shiv- take a picture of yourself in your sexy dress so we can see!!

So far no pregnancy symptoms, and no symptoms indicating that AF is on her way. I have a technical question. If I ovulated on a Thursday, and AF came on the next Thursday, would that be a 8 day luteal phase, or 7 day? Up until now I've been calling that 8 days. So right now my luteal phase is atleast 10 days long!! Much better than the 8 day luteal phase last month I know I'm not pregnant, but I can't help getting a little excited that I might be.

Kira nursed like crazy right at the beginning of this cycle since her molars and canines were all moving around, but since then she's been cutting back on her nursing. Over the past 2 weeks she has transformed into a Daddy's girl. Sometimes she seems to prefer DH over me He's loving the extra Kira attention and I love seeing her want to spend so much time with him.. a true Daddy's girl The boobies have been getting less action, which might help push my luteal phase in the right direction.

 

[cleckner04]

They added more updated pictures of that house now. That island makes more sense now.

I still love this house.

https://hansbarger.idxco.com/idx/6824/photoGallery.php?idxID=397&listingID=68271

 

[cleckner04]

Shiv- I know it's so scary moving. Especially if you aren't used to it. I have a feeling it won't be nearly as bad as you think though. It'll be an adventure and you'll have a new area to explore. It's awful when you don't really want to move though. I'm sorry you guys have to do this. I really hope it all works out and you end up loving it at your new area.

Spidey- I'm starting to wonder how to count luteal phase too. According to my monitor, if my AF starts in the afternoon, I set the monitor the next morning. But I'm not sure if I'm supposed to set it as CD1 or CD2 since the period started in the middle of the day. If it's CD1, that would also make my luteal phases a day longer if that makes sense. I really don't know how to count it I guess. No matter what your luteal phase would be longer this month if you aren't pregnant. Which is amazing and I'm totally jealous!

 

[spidey]

Cleckner, you know how to make me happy! I LOVE looking at house pictures

The center island is actually great, LOL, that original picture had such an awkward angle on it. It's a really nice house and you could move right in. I grew up in a house much like that (but with no dining space) and my parents still live there. There's something nice with having everything on one level and to have a nice big finished basement thats cool in the summer time My only bit of concern is it looks like the neighbors yard has standing water- is that really what I'm seeing? If so I hope the house has a good sump pump!

HA! You should be jealous of my long luteal phase Lets see if I wake up tomorrow with a visit from AF.

I also need to report that Kira had no crying tonight.. she snuggled right up with DH and drifted off to sleep within 10 minutes. Such a good girl!! It still seems too good to be true!

I just put a video of Kira doing a puzzle on FB

 

[cleckner04]

I think the neighbors have a trampoline sitting there and it looks like water. I can sorta see legs in the picture. It's not the clearest picture. The only problem DH and I have is that the house is kinda cramped looking along the kitchen/dining/living areas. But it may be bigger in person and just seem small. But honestly, that's a minor problem for me. It's got everything we would want. I want a place that is move in ready without needing work and this is exactly it. And I actually love that the lawn looks kind of crappy because I am already forming in my mind all the pretty flowers and garden I can plant.

Yay for Kira going right to sleep without fuss!! That's amazing!! SHe must just have been ready. Wouldn't it suck if she could've done this months ago and you guys just figured it out.

I hope your AF doesn't hit you. At least one of us has to get pregnant. It'll give me hope that it's possible even with a booby monster. I tried my absolute best to deny Emma the booby today (except morning, nap, and before bed tonight) but she still just yanks down my top and doesn't listen when I tell her no. I'm actually considering starting the actual weaning process though and stopping when she turns 2. Its my top goal but I don't know if I'll want to go much further than 2. Although, if I quit feeding her and still can't get pregnant I'll probably be pissed.

 

[cleckner04]

I just looked through some of your facebook albums spidey, I absolutely cannot get over how big Kira was at birth. It's almost like you completely skipped the newborn phase because she was so big. Was she in newborn clothing at all?

 

[spidey]

Cleckner- the outside of the house is already beautiful, so just imagine it with some flowers! I do see the trampoline now.

We actually tried this new sleep routine in the past but its been a failure. Once I tried laying with her and she just did acrobatics off my boobs and giggled the whole time. I had to give up after an hour because my nips were getting sore. A couple of months ago DH did it by himself and Kira cried hysterically and fought him like her life was in danger. He didn't like the level of upset she was showing so he gave up. It still seems so unreal that she fell asleep so easily last night.

When Corey gets home Emma will probably want less booby once she warms up to him. So having Corey there will make weaning much easier. Kira still uses a pacifier and DH has been saying "big girls don't use pacifiers" and most of the time Kira gives it up like she understands the "big girl" concept. But if she really needs it, she won't let him have it and we don't force the issue. So maybe something like "boobies are for sleepy time" and then offer some other comfort object or hug. Atleast that's my plan for when I need to lessen the amount of booby. I have 3 places where Kira nurses (couch, bed and lounge chair outside) so she knows I don't whip it out in the front yard or in the kitchen If you made a designated booby spot, it might make booby snacks more inconvenient for Emma and she won't ask for it as much. I'm still not certain when I'll start actively weaning Kira. I figure it will be like her sleep routine change and I'll know when its the right time. But when you do start weaning you must keep me updated on what works!

No AF yet!

 

[spidey]

oops, forgot! Kira never wore her newborn clothes or newborn diapers. Thats why I need to grow baby #2 smaller so I can get some use out of those clothes!

 

[Shiv]

Cleck - that house is really lovely. When will you know any more about Corey's job?

Spidey - that is so great about Kira going to sleep, must seem like a big wieght has been lifted now that you don't have to bounce her.

as for luteal phase, I would just be guessing, but as we count in days post ovulation, I guess the day you ovulate is counted as day zero, but I really don't know!

Well David made £220.25 at the car boot fair which I am pretty happy with. We still had to cart some stuff back home, a bread maker and some books which will be donated to a charity shop I think. He is curled up asleep on the sofa now, the 5am start has knocked him out.

 

[Shiv]

oh and Cleck - you inspired me to start working out again! I brought myself a pregnancy workout DVD and did it yesterday - I am walking like John Wayne today