30 lbs in 3 weeks!

 31.1.09

Just a quick note that I've lost 30 lbs in the 3 weeks since I've given birth! Yah me! If only the next 30 lbs are going to be this easy.

I had a nasty fall yesterday so I'm too sore to exercise today. We did go to the mall and I did more walking there in 2 hrs than I have in the last month and a half. Soon I'll be able to exercise intentionally ;) I can't wait!

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"I've fallen and I can't get up!"

 30.1.09

My confidence is a bit shaken and I'm a wee bit more humbled today. Since coming home from the hospital, I've brazenly left my walker at the front door because I thought I didn't need it. My physiotherapist told me yesterday that I didn't need my walker, nor would I even need a cane!

But today I had a tumble when I was in the washroom. I'll spare you the details, but my legs gave out and I fell on the floor and my full length mirror fell on top of me. I hit my head on the floor [but not too hard] and my legs are sore. As I was lying on the ground for about 10 mins, unable to move, I seriously felt for the first time ever that I needed "Life Alert" like those ads from the early 90s. I finally managed to scoot myself over to the bathtub and use it as leverage to hoist myself up. Thank goodness I've lost 27 lbs in the last few weeks!

This is all to say that I need re-envision how I'm going to be a mum until I'm 100% - if I'm ever 100%. I cannot - and will not - hold the baby when I'm on my own. This makes me a little sad, but I need to protect my little guy from me ;( We spent the afternoon feeding, napping, and cuddling. It was actually quite lovely. This is going to be our new normal from now on.

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My new favourite Blog - a non-mommy Blog!

 29.1.09


So you must be getting sick of me talking about babies and baby stuff for the last 10 months. Sometimes a girl needs a distraction. Fashion is the BEST distraction.

I stumbled upon this blog - www.seaofshoes.com. The blogger is a 16 yr old girl from Texas named Jane. Despite her age, she's witty and has the clothes of a Parisian fashionista. She's all DESIGNER. Her clothes are to die for. And she takes a photo of what she's wearing everyday complete with the details of her outfits.

If you too are looking for a distraction from the mundane, check out Jane's blog.

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My Love Affair with Lulu

 28.1.09

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20 days post-partum

Here I am. Twenty days since giving birth to the cutest, sweetest bundle of joy. Prior to giving birth, I had a preconception of how quickly I'd be able to "get my life back" - aka: GET MY BODY BACK! But because of health problems beyond my control, my weight has taken to the backburner to my good health.

I have some obstacles:

1. I am still not steady on my legs. I am grateful I can now walk, but I need to re-envision my running schedule. Maybe not a marathon this year. Maybe not even a 1/2 marathon. Probably a 10K. I have to start slow.

2. I am a new mum. I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm scared and learning so much every day. I'm tired. As time goes on, I'm sure I'll get into a routine & a rhythm that works for me & EZ.

3.
My pregnancy was tough. I overate and gained a lot of weight. I was nauseated a lot and eating made me feel better. Also because of the nausea, I didn't feel like working out, let alone going for a walk.

I am WILDLY MOTIVATED to CHANGE!!!!
When I was in the hospital, friends brought me magazines - delicious indulgences I don't normally read anymore - VOGUE & In Style. Perusing the magazines and discovering the amazing Spring clothes I LOVE, as well as the beautiful make-up options, really inspired me to get healthy so I can look stunning in the gorgeous clothes. I want to be a YUMMY MUMMY!

My TO-DO LIST for my health for this week:
  • Join Weight Watchers
  • Drink 4L/water daily
  • Wear athletic clothing Check
  • 20 mins of cardio daily
  • Blog re: my successes
  • Find scale Check
  • Set goals - short term & long term
  • Get a manicure


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Smart Kids



I'm loving these cool canvas wall quotes for kids from smART. I'm not into creepy characters & animals etc for kid's room decor, so these inspiring pieces of art are just perfect for a modern & thoughtful kidlet's room.

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Happy to be Home...Again

After another 4 day stint at the hospital, I'm happy to report that I'm home again. And I feel good! I've felt good for the last two days, which seems like a record for me.

I woke up last Friday feeling mucky [feverish, chills, exhausted, wicked pains etc]. I spent the day sleeping, trying to warm up, and finding the will to feed the babe. By the time Adair got home from work, he insisted we go to the doctor. Luckily my doctor was there and quickly diagnosed my problem, prescribed antibiotics and tylenol 3s [yah!]. I felt like there was light at the end of my sick tunnel.

How wrong I was.

A couple of hours later, my symptoms escalated exponentially. My fever skyrocketed up, I had "the shakes", and my eyes kept rolling back. I was FREEZING, but I am told my body was burning up. My family had to put cold compresses on me to try to cool down. My sister called Telehealth and they told us to go to the hospital asap.

Our wait time at Emergency was about 45 mins. and they gave me meds within minutes of arriving. The meds quickly kicked in and I started to feel a bit better. The emerg doctor admitted me and we spent the night in Emergency. Amazingly we were given a private room [with 4 walls!] and they even brought a 2nd stretcher in for Adair to sleep on. He was previously sleeping on a little chair [and didn't complain!]. Ezra stayed with us the whole time and he was a little prince.

I was transferred back to Maternity on Saturday afternoon, which is where I stayed until Tuesday. My room @ the hospital was newly renovated. It was very nice with more modern colour paint and hardwood floors. The only thing is that there was NO TV!!! But when you're sick, the last thing you want to do is watch tv and read. I mostly just slept and waited till Ezra's next feeding. The nursing staff @ the hospital is amazing. I've gotten to know so many of them throughout my 2 week stint in the maternity ward.

I was so THRILLED to be discharged yesterday. We were packed and ready to go within minutes. On the way home, I scheduled a pedi and a wax for later that afternoon. I NEEDED IT! I feel SO much better now. More like Maggie! My toes are the most LUXE violet colour - "Eiffel for You" from OPI.

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A few snapshots of Bebe Ezra

 27.1.09





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A day of firsts!

 22.1.09


I'm trying to regain some independence lost over the last 2 weeks. Since having Ezra, I've not had the opportunity to do anything for him except hold him while I'm lying in bed. Today I feel more confident and adventurous. Today I changed Ezra's diaper. TWICE! Yeah for me!

My physiotherapist came by today too. She taught me some more exercises to strengthen my legs. She also said I am walking much better. I even showed off my swagger WITHOUT the walker! O YA! She's coming back next week. I am stuck w/ the old-lady walker until then. I hope, however, to be walking without it by then.

Ezra is doing so very well. It's so amazing that he recognizes me as his mum. He could be fussy and crying, then I say his name and he calms down straight away. We have fun cuddling, feeding and napping together. He's a great baby. He sleeps through the night [well, for the most part] and likes to just chill when he's awake.

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L & D & a Long Recovery

So as many of you know, my delivery and subsequent recovery wasn't so straightforward. I spent a total of 10 days in the hospital. Here's a [not-so] brief overview of my experience:

Jan 9th, 2009 - DAY 1

Labour: 9-11:30am

  • Relatively easy, was expecting much more pain
  • Watched 1 1/2 episodes of "Mad Men" - LOVE that show!
  • Was very clear w/ OB & nurse that I wanted an epidural as soon as possible to minimize pain
Epidural: 11:30-12:15pm
  • The first epidural didn't go in right [eeek!], so the anesthetist re-did the epidural straight away
YEAH DRUGS! 12:15-4:30pm
  • This part was great. My mom came. We all had naps. Just waiting for the fun to begin
Epidural Wears Off: 4:30-7pm
  • Around 4:30, I started to feel some pain. I thought I could handle it, so I didn't say anything right away - I didn't want to be a wimp
  • By 5pm I was in a "state" - the pain was overwhelming. The anesthetist was paged to come back to "top me up". We were told it would be 15 mins, which I learned is "doctorspeak" for 1hr 20 mins.
  • Once he topped me up it felt better, but the pain didn't subside. We had to recall him to quadruple my dose.
  • I was so weak from the pain that I nearly didn't recover
  • My sister joined us
Beginning to Push: 7-8pm
  • Started to push. Too early. OB says to wait a 1/2 hr. Still in pain...oi
  • My day nurse's shift is over - I have a new nurse who is much tougher than my day nurse
Pushing Again: 8-9:51pm
  • I don't have a distinct recollection of this time period - exhausted, still in pain
  • I remember begging for a c-section, but my family kept telling me I would recover quicker if I deliver naturally
  • Sister gave me ice chips and also gave me a Bam-Bam ponytail to keep me cool - I didn't know this until after - I looked quite stupid ;)
  • Adair, mom & sister are amazingly supportive
  • One final push and feel such sweet relief - babe is whisked away

After the babe is born: 9:51-2am
  • Serious blood loss - talk of blood transfusion - luckily not necessary
  • I hold baby, Adair takes unflattering photos of me with the babe & my Bam-Bam hair; all my lovely makeup faded away at this point
  • Family takes so many pics and visits w/ granddad who is waiting patiently for good news
  • Tried to transfer me to another bed, but cannot walk - we all chalk it up to exhaustion
  • Family leaves, Adair & I are alone with the babe in a room until morning
DAY 2
  • Family & friends visit - beautiful flowers and cute clothes!
  • Still cannot walk - doctors cannot explain - need MRI. MRI @ my hospital broken so need to be transported by ambulance to another hospital
  • Wait for 6 hrs for ambulance. Left @ 11pm in a wicked snow storm - LONG DRIVE!
  • MRI complete
DAY 3-9
  • Need another MRI and an EMG. Doctors finally realize that I probably pinched my femoral nerve while pushing
  • Also have wicked anemia bc of blood loss during delivery - so I'm very weak & tired
  • Finally gain strength to hobble around on my walker - yeah! freedom to go to the bathroom on my own
  • Love physio - determined to walk again FAST!
  • My amazing family takes shifts taking care of me & Ezra. I'm astounded by their patience and thoughtfulness.
DAY 10
  • I had enough. I need to go home. I need to be in my own bed and start to try to care for my babe.
  • I need a walker to be mobile. I also need a seat and a handrail in the shower. Yes, I'm 29 not 92.
DAY 11
  • Mom stays w/ me - we watch history being made - OBAMA!
  • Physio does home visit - says I'll be off the walker soon - then a cane!
  • Mom leaves for her home. Adair's mom arrives.

So that's pretty much the update. It will still be a long recovery yet. But I'm happy it will be weeks as opposed to months. The best part is Little Ezra is a GREAT baby, who loves to sleep & eat. He is truly "Bebe EZ".

Here are some snapshots from the hospital:


My adorable niece & nephew with their new cousin Ezra!


A sample of the delicious food - all beige, all the time ;)


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Introducing Ezra Jasper Thompson

 20.1.09


Ezra Jasper was born on January 9, 2009 @ 9:51 p.m. weighing 7lbs 5oz, 20.5 inches

"Oh the Places You'll Go" - Dr. Seuss

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you'll head straight out of town.

It's opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don't
Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused
that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That's not for you!

Somehow you'll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You'll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don't.
Because, sometimes, they won't.

I'm afraid that some times
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike
and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!

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Tale of Ginger & the Rabbit

 8.1.09


I have the cutest dog with the sweetest disposition. Ginger is an easy-going, calm and happy dog. She likes to nap, eat carrots [see above], cuddle & lick, play with her toys, and dig. She's also very quiet. She doesn't bark too often, only to let you know she wants something, like a treat or a carrot. She's such a good dog and makes friends easily.

Which is why we're surprised with her strange behaviour over the last couple of days. She has become obsessed with going outside. She usually goes outside a few times a day, but it's become a more frequent occurrence. She likes to go out every hour or two to do her business [sorry if it's TMI]. This is strange. She doesn't usually like to go outside, especially in the snow. Sometimes we need to physically carry her outside.

Adair thinks he figured out the reason for her interest in the backyard. He tells me that she made a friend outside the other day, and now she wants to visit her friend as often as possible. Her friend is a bunny rabbit.

Living on a greenspace, we tend to get a lot of bunnies in the neighbourhood. When I run outside in the Spring, I usually can count 8-10 rabbits during my workout. But given the winter season, the cold and the snow, I'm surprised to still see some bunnies.

Ginger hasn't seen the bunny since the other night, but I think it's just precious that she remembers her new friend and wants to play - at ALL hours of the day and night!

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 7.1.09

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I did not have an Epiphany

 6.1.09


So as January 6th draws to a close, it turns out I won't have the Epiphany Baby either. Will this baby ever come?

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Six days overdue... no baby

I'm starting to go a bit crazy. I'm staring at my belly all day long, just waiting for signs that I'm going into labour. "Is that twinge a contraction?" NOPE. I feel kicks and I think the baby WANTS to come out, but doesn't know how. Kicking my ribs isn't helping any, kidlet! He also likes to swish around a lot. Someone told me that I'm making it too comfortable for the little guy. So sometimes I put on my coin hip scarf and start shimmying - may be he'll be so annoyed he'll want to come out!

I don't want to go out because I'm worried my water will break in some very inconvenient place. The rational part of my brain tells me that this scenario is highly unlikely, but the crazy pregnant lady part of my brain doesn't want to risk any possible embarassment. So I'm hanging out at home. I sleep. I tidy. I don't "clean", other than turning the dishwasher on. I go on the elliptical, but then I get tired and nap again. I read. I research labour signs or natural induction methods on the internet. I also read blogs. So you can see that I am mostly just waiting for my new life to start...any time now!

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My Big Day was a big let down

 3.1.09

I was supposed to be induced this morning. This was determined by my dr on Wednesday because of ongoing medical issues. I was told that I would be induced unless there wasn't any room @ the hospital.

So for the past few days, I've prepared in every way for being a mum - TODAY! I repacked my hospital bags, bought a Hooter Hider, spent a lot of time with family and friends, went to parties, went to the movies, watched numerous episodes of Law & Order, waxed my eyebrows, set up recordings for my fav tv shows next week, finished reading the Twilight saga [again!], rented Mad Men dvds for the hospital stay, and even was treated to a "last supper" with my family. I was ready to give birth today.

This morning I woke up @ 4:30am and felt a bit mucky [it was nerves]. I had a shower, shaved my legs and felt much better. Again - so ready to give birth today. I even put on make-up and did my hair. We called the hospital @ 6:30am and they told us to come in for 7:30. We finished getting ready, and took Gingy to dad's house, and made our way to the hospital.

We arrived on time and were escorted to our birthing suite. They had me change into the dreaded open-backed gown and immediately checked the baby's heart rate. All was well. The nurse took my blood pressure, then left us to wait for the doctor.

My dr arrived a short time later and re-took my blood pressure. He said he's never had it so low for me [this is a GOOD thing]. He left again, then returned to tell us that he was sending us home. He'd rather the babe come on his own this week, but out of an abundance of caution, scheduled another induction for next Friday.

I was pretty much devastated. I hadn't even contemplated the possibility that we'd be sent home for any other reason than "no room @ the inn." I understand, but that doesn't mean I'm less bummed out. I kind of moped around the house for the rest of the day, but finally got outside. Adair & I went for a walk at the harbour and I saw my friends from my dance studio. We also went to check out my nephew who was playing goal in his hockey game tonight. That was wonderful and lifted my spirits.

Tonight, we went to my parents house for dinner and to watch the hockey game. I kept thinking that I should be a mum by now, but I know that this bebe will come when he's good and ready. I'm just going to try not to overthink everything and just go with the flow. This labour is completely out of my control. I just have to surrender to it.

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I did not have the New Year's Baby

 1.1.09

Contrary to badges on my blog, my baby is NOT 1 day old. In fact, my baby has not yet been born. I saw my OB yesterday, and because of some medical issues, I'm going to be induced on Saturday. It's a weird feeling, knowing that I'm going to be a mum as of Saturday [or maybe Sunday!].

Since I'm so focused on the safe arrival of the bebe, I haven't made a list of resolutions for 2009. I'm going to give myself a break this year and NOT stress about this. I don't really want to put all my energy into losing weight and missing out on my life. I'd like to focus on concepts of health and wealth in all aspects of my life: family, friends, career, spirituality, and personal health.

However, one major goal I've been mulling over is a return to long distance running. I ran 2 marathons in 2005 & 2006, and while I don't LOVE the marathon distance [I prefer the 1/2 marathon distance], I'd like to run another marathon. I'm thinking NYC or Chicago or maybe something else. That may be an unattainable goal this year, but I'd like to run a few 1/2 marathons.

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