Black Daiquiri's KISS

[imjustarogue]

Soooo many changes happened over the weekend - and a big one (husband's 6-month "work trip") will be affecting the family for quite a while, so I wanted to just dive into keeping this as simple a focus as I can.

 

Food: Meal plan (and make) at least one meal per week. I will likely make more (I better because my budget won't like me ordering take out!), but my minimum is 1. This is a big one because husband enjoys cooking and experimenting with food and me... not so much. This will keep me working on it so me, daughter, her boyfriend, and baby get healthier food options.

 

Exercise: Body weight workout or a 20 minute walk on the treadmill. Now that baby's got an activity center he can run around, I'm sure I can be just as effective as he is in not getting anywhere!

 

Yoga: One yoga stretch session per week. With this change, and subsequently, my stepson not coming over for visits quite as often, I will be moving my yoga mat and little exercise TV into the boys' room. Bebe can either hang out in his crib or crawl around under me while I stretch out.

 

 

It's pretty obvious that there's some tension and anxiety that everyone's just trying to hold back and deal with. Everyone knows that this is not long term and that we have technological marvels that enable us to communicate immediately and with video and all sorts of things, so we all know it's ok. But these first few days (weeks? months?) will still be difficult. Ugh.

 

(Now... I should get myself to bed since this is the first time in weeks that a certain 10-month old has fallen asleep before 2am.....)

[Jonesy]

Love the simplicity and of course following along. 

 

Have you thought of ways to help with the anxiety and stress the whole move might cause? 

[imjustarogue]

Nothing set in stone, but husband likes the Skype dinners together isea, so once he's settled in, we'll get that going. I'm also implementing a whiteboard for chores and meal ideas - daughter likes the idea of writing down "I'd like to eat this at some point" meals, so it won't be a firm plan of meals for a week, more like a "library" of meals we like or would like to try.

 

I think it'll be hardest for husband since he's the one off in California, but the only thing I can think of to do aside from just talking to him and sending pictures is to send periodic care packages with stuff...

[karinajean]

the meal plans are the one of the hardest things with kids, I think - we have asked the boys to do that "eat at some point" meals so when I ask them what they want it's not always pizza and taco bell.

 

LOVE the skype dinner plans!

[Jonesy]

9 hours ago, black_daquiri said:

Nothing set in stone, but husband likes the Skype dinners together isea, so once he's settled in, we'll get that going. I'm also implementing a whiteboard for chores and meal ideas - daughter likes the idea of writing down "I'd like to eat this at some point" meals, so it won't be a firm plan of meals for a week, more like a "library" of meals we like or would like to try.

 

I think it'll be hardest for husband since he's the one off in California, but the only thing I can think of to do aside from just talking to him and sending pictures is to send periodic care packages with stuff...

 

These are great ideas! I totally forgot about care packages. 

[imjustarogue]

We're actually sending one out today! (because husband forgot something, but still...) Daughter dabbled in watercolors last night, so she wants to include those - I'm hoping I can do that without ruining them... o.o

[Jonesy]

26 minutes ago, black_daquiri said:

We're actually sending one out today! (because husband forgot something, but still...) Daughter dabbled in watercolors last night, so she wants to include those - I'm hoping I can do that without ruining them... o.o

 

If you are worried about them still being wet, take a hair dryer to the picture.  

[imjustarogue]

22 hours ago, Jonesy said:

If you are worried about them still being wet, take a hair dryer to the picture.  

It was more a size restriction, so we're gonna send them later this week with cookies maybe.

 

Yesterday, after daughter got home from school, we had a pretty good meal plan session. I ran to the store for our white board and some groceries, and then her boyfriend made us some cavatini for dinner. It was a pretty good evening.

 

And then, I woke up to see that tonight, were having baby heads for dinner. o.o

 

 

[Jonesy]

Well that's a new one to me. Lol

[imjustarogue]

Happy birthday to me!

 

 

Man, this week! 

 

I have polyacrylic'd both desks (only 2 coats on the frontish sides or along sides where if a spill may dribble). These two desks are drafting table height with six cubby shelves per table (three on each side), so there's a lot of surfaces that needed coated with the polyacrylic. It also required lots of twists and leans and awkward balances to get to all the sides, so I am totally counting it as my exercise for the week. Especially given how my back and right glute are yelling at me now.

 

We have successfully dinnered this week! Daughter's boyfriend made cavatini on Monday; Tuesday was "baby heads" which turned out to be scrounge night; Wednesday, daughter made creamy broccoli soup; and tonight I made spaghetti - we had some hamburger I needed to make, so waffles is bumped. Since daughter has to cheer at the basketball game tomorrow, I'm not sure if we'll do waffles after that or what. But, regardless, I'm calling this week a win as far as food goes.

 

Both kids have been super helpful with watching the baby or dishes or whatever else is needed (like watching bebe while I polyacrylic'd all over the place).

 

Husband was pretty excited when baby recognized him through video chat, so he is feeling a bit better about being away. I have had a few moments (probably each day) where I feel slammed with so many whelms that overwhelming happens, but daughter and her boyfriend, or my mom, have been there to step in and do whatever thing is just too much. This morning was a bit too much when bebe decided that 3:30am was a good time to wake up after going to sleep about 11 (and I ended up falling asleep closer to 1 because I needed to shower and deal with a plugged milk duct (I am so ready for weaning...)). And then, even though he was tired, he didn't fall asleep until 6:30. He wasn't really super fussy or super active; he was visibly tired looking with glassy eyes, but just didn't go to sleep. I ended up taking him to his rocker chair in the living room and rocking him to sleep there while I was on the couch. We both managed to sleep until around 10, so that was nice.

 

Tomorrow, I get to finally clean up all the stuff related to the polyacrylicing and organize my desks and office in preparation for my new computer that will eventually get here. Oh, and at some point tomorrow or this weekend, I have to make a few trips to Goodwill to do a dropoff - we have bunches of stuff from husband's cleaning, plus daughter went through her room earlier this week and ended up with several bags. Soooo much stuff. o.o  Also, I still have to do the Joining thingy for the mini challenge.

 

Um. I'm tired and it's after midnight, so cross your fingers that bebe doesn't repeat last night and I can get some sleep. <3

[Jonesy]

So I had a mental picture of a baby running around almost getting polyacryliced. Sounds like you had a super productive week.  

 

I'm so happy that you have such an awesome support system to help you. 

 

 

 

 

[imjustarogue]

Hehe Thankfully, I have an activity center that I can set him in so he can run in circles and not get polyacryliced. Unlike that one time my mom was doing the floors when my daughter was three and my daughter just ran right through, slipped, and ended up with her backside covered. (Good job, mom.)

 

Bebe did not sleep well again last night. Around 2am, I brought him back downstairs to his rocker chair (I am seriously considering buying a second one for upstairs...) and I slept on the couch again. I miss my bed. Not sure what's going on with him, but I'm wondering if it's a tooth. With babies, who knows.

 

Today, I am achy, but I'm organizing my office! So excite! And now that my desks are done, we can get the shipping notice for my computer any day now. Any. Day. Now.

[imjustarogue]

Oh, flu. Thank you so much for finding that detour around the vaccine that I'm sure was in the way. Completely makes my day to wake up feeling like my body was in an MMA match while I was sleeping. (Sleep which was interrupted at 4:30 by the baby who is still having issues getting through the night but at least I got him back in his bed...)

 

Seriously, every joint in my body is screaming. Makes me wonder if it was creeping up on me, but I didn't realize because my body's been a bit achy from working on my desks all week.

 

Going to be leaning on people as much as I can convince myself to today. I did ask my mom to come by tonight while daughter is over babysiting stepson, because I really don't want to be alone with the baby with as much asching as I'm dealing with. Can I just clone my non-sick self for says like this, pls?

 

Sigh.

 

PS: it's probably been 3-4 years since I last had the flu - maybe more? And I wish that streak had continued. >.<

[karinajean]

oh Nooooooo. I hope there is some good medicine you can take? bundle up and get out a heating pad, there's nothing worse than feeling cold and pitiful when you have the flu. <3

[imjustarogue]

I managed to get a nap earlier when bebe napped, so that was helpful for a bit. And I'm keeping myself dosed up on DayQuil, though of course doesnt make me feel 100%.

 

Daughter and I sat down and did some meal planning for the next week this afternoon and then my mom came over to watch the baby while I went to the store. I didn't want to put it off until I felt better because we're supposed to be hit with an ice store starting tomorrow evening. Boo.

 

Trying to take it easy, but my normal go-to for this sort of thing is to just curl up in bed for the next three days and I can't really do that with bebe. At least he's a good baby and is pretty low-key.

[Manarelle]

Happy Belated Birthday! That brownie looks amazing. Sorry to hear your sick and having too many whelms. Hopefully that clears up soon and you can get some solid rest. Stay safe in that ice storm, and get better!

[karinajean]

how did you all come through the ice storm?

[imjustarogue]

Basically, there was a little ice and then lots of rain. Like, it's just raining all day. With more rain.

 

Good news is that I think I'm mostly over whatever hit me Saturday. I'm wondering if it wasn't the flu, but another bout of mastitis based off of other symptoms. It seems to be clearing up without another doctor's appointment, so that is also good. But since this is possibly the third such infection in the same area, I am keeping an extra close eye on it.

[imjustarogue]

Quick little update:

 

We have been doing fantastic with the whiteboard for meals and small, daily chore listings. Kids are helping out a bunch - both with chores, babysitting, and cooking a meal. (Daughter is making walking tacos tonight. Yum!)

 

I weighed myself this morning just to gauge things and I am down 5 lbs from when husband left - and I can tell you it's not (entirely) dietary changes because I am eating way too much crap - pastas for dinner, sugary cereal, bagels, goldfish crackers, candy if I can find some or impulse buy it (though I'm doing really well on avoiding that one for the most part). My theory is that while husband was here, he wanted so much to feel like he was helping out that he did everything he could around the house while I focused on the baby. He'd also bring me my dinner or drinks from the kitchen. I moved so little before. Laaaaazy. Now, all of that's on me, and it's doing me good. (I am counting 2 of those lbs as post shark week loss, but still.) Related, I can almost wear my wedding ring. I haven't been able to wear it for 3ish years (well before I was pregnant and could use that as an excuse). It's weird to think that I can almost wear it now when I'm still a good 25lbs heavier than before. So weird. Bodies are weird.

 

A little new mom tmi whatever. I am still, or again, dealing with breast/breastfeeding issues. I don't know if it's another infection or just whatever, but when it hurts for a good hour after feeding bebe, that's bad. Given that he's coming up on his birthday in a couple months, I'm just going to talk to her about weaning him. I love the cuddle time, but I am pretty tired of the pain and, since he's familiar with formula and he's also eating foods, I'm ok with starting this process a little earlier than I had planned. I just need to make sure that weaning him doesn't cause another/more infections. I am super done with those.

 

Haven't exercised, yoga'd, or even done the Joining for the mini yet this week. I need to stop slacking on that.  (I'm just so super happy that we've managed to make meals and not survive on frozen/boxed/fast food crap!) I think next week, I want to make stuff with sweet potatoes. Hmm.

[Manarelle]

Grats on the weight loss, and the whole house chipping in to help! That stinks that the breastfeeding is causing troubles, hope things get sorted to make you both happy moving forward (I'm not a mom, so I can't really contribute to that conversation, other than encouragement to explore options). Keep up the good meals!

[imjustarogue]

Best dinner EVAR. Sweet potatoes, apple chicken sausage, and a bit of teriyaki. So good. Even bebe thought so! (though, the camera's flash freaked him out so he looks all WTFBBQ! in the photo.)

 

 

[Jonesy]

Yum! I need to do better about making healthy meals. Totally adding this to my list because not only does it look tasty, it is easy! 

[imjustarogue]

It was super easy!

 

Here's how I cooked it:

 

Bit of oil in the pan then cook the sweet potatoes on medium. I covered it to help with even cooking, stirring occasionally. When the potatoes are mostly done, add sausage. Heat until warmed, and then add a few drizzles of teriyaki sauce. And if you've never had sweet potatoes with teriyaki sauce, you're in for a treat!

 

Today, my mom's hanging out with me because I have been running a fever since last night and I hurt sooo much everywhere. Stupid infection! At least I already have antibiotics and I have an appointment tomorrow for an ultrasound to see if I have an abscess that's making it so I can't get over these infections. Wee. >.>

 

*builds a blanket fort and hides*

[Manarelle]

Feel better soon! Love the expression on the little one's face.

[imjustarogue]

Thanks @Manarelle - I think the fever's gone, so that's a plus. Nope. That was just the tylenol... >.< 

 

Bebe's very expressive, except whenever we go out. Then it's quiet, seriousface all the time. Everyone who comes up to him wonders if he ever smiles. It's kind of funny, but I think he's just taking everything in and he doesn't know how to react to strangers or in strange places.