First Steps: Where Were You?

Where were you when your baby took his/her first steps? Holding out your arms waiting for him to fall into them in a fit of giggles? Clapping with her as she smiles and holds her head up proud as a peacock?

I was in Manhattan. Five hours from my son.

At least I think I was. I'm not sure. I mean, I know where I was today, but I'm not sure they really were his first steps. So, I have to ask my mom friends: what, exactly, qualifies as first steps? One? Two? Three? Across the room? To an object?

Spunky Baby took his first real step on Thursday, July 10th. One step. Then, boom, down on the diaper. But a major first step! Then this weekend, he stood up on his own - without holding onto anything - for longer than he ever had before - maybe 30 or 45 seconds total.

Yesterday we had a house full of guests, so distractions were all around. He literally had 8 adults and 2 kids cheering him on as he stood there (see videos below) and took not one but TWO steps! Is that considered walking? If so, sweet! I was there and I even got it on camera.

Step one...(click photo or here to launch video)

Step two...(click photo or here to launch video)

Step two and a half...(click photo or here to launch video)

This morning I woke up at 4:00 and was on a 6:30 flight to LaGuardia - NYC. We had meetings all day for work. Spunky Daddy is doing a great job playing Mr. Mom while I am away (I'll be home tomorrow night). It's my first time away from Spunky Baby overnight (aside from the night me and Spunky Daddy left him and went out to dinner...) and the first time that Spunky Daddy is in charge for a full 48 hours.

He called as I was driving out of the city: Spunky Baby took three steps tonight.

Sigh.

My little man is growing up. So, all you parents out there...what did you use as the benchmark for "first steps" in the baby book? I'm curious to see if I was there and didn't pay much attention (one step), there and took video (two steps) or hundreds of miles away (three steps).

As guilty as I feel about being away from him tonight, I know he will be waiting for me with a big smile and open arms for a mommy-hug when I get home tomorrow. I hope traffic cooperates and brings me home before his bedtime...

Goodbye, Mommy Tummy

I still haven't lost the baby weight. Yeah, I know...give it a year...blah blah blah. Well, Summer's coming and I want my body back. I look at photos in my first trimester and I looked so thin and healthy! I miss those days. I feel like a dumpy mommy and I don't want to be that way. Plus, I haven't exactly WORKED at losing the baby weight either and with Spunky Baby about to become REALLY active he needs a mommy who can keep up with him.

I gained (gasp!) 60 lbs from the time I found out I was expecting until I was admitted to the hospital when he was born. I remember coming home from the hospital with my brand-new 7 lb 15 oz baby boy and thinking "I must have lost 25 lbs!" So, two days after he was born, I did it. I stepped on the scale.

Now girls, if you haven't had a baby before and think, like me, this sounds like a good idea - I warn you, DO NOT DO THIS. Almost all the post-baby endorphins and happy thoughts were wiped away in one fell swoop when the scale came back and told me I lost...6 pounds. SIX POUNDS?!?? I just had an eight pound baby and all that other stuff fell out of me too! My stomach looks like a deflated balloon, complete with the stripes and crinkles - how could I possibly only lose six measly little pounds?!?!

It's true. I swear. I have witnesses (a house full of people and a sleeping baby who heard me bellow from the upstairs bathroom while standing on the scale). I guess I was "retaining water." Yeah, right. More like a swimming pool.

The good news is that one week after my son's birth I was down 20 lbs.

The bad news is that six months after my son's birth I am still only down 20 lbs TOTAL.

I have not lost a single pound more in that time. (Actually, this isn't true. I lost about 10 more lbs, gained it back, lost it, gained it...my normal weight fluctuates about 10 lbs so this wasn't abnormal to me. The HIGH number of my weight is the 20 lbs loss...)

Now, Spunky Daddy decided about three or four weeks ago he wants to tone up. So he joined a gym and works out an hour every day at lunch. He's already down 10 lbs.

Then there's me...

So what am I going to do about it?

First, I'm going to find and actually READ the book my doula loaned me. My tummy still has folds. Yuck. So, I'll figure out what I need to do. Then I'm going to pop it in the mail back to her. Six months is too long for me to borrow a book, especially a book I should have read when my son was born.

Second, I am going to go out this weekend and buy a few things: a new pair of sneakers and a nice sweatsuit for me to wear when I walk at lunchtime while at work. It has been really hard for me to find the time at work but I need to. This is important.

Third, I am going to walk at least 3 times a week. I figure realistically I could do more but if I aim low I won't be disappointed. Then when the weather gets better, I'll "up" the number. When it's nicer I can pull out that wonderful jogging stroller that our dear friends gave us and put it to good use. I figure by Summer I'll be jogging 2-3 miles a day again 3-4 times a week (like I was when I got pregnant).

Fourth, starting on Monday, I am going to dedicate myself to eating better. Not a diet. Just eating less food and making better choices. I don't do well on diets. I do do well with guidelines - and gray edges. And I'll start to use my favorite food-tracking website again. HUGE help.

I've done it before and I can do it again. When I was in grad school I put on about 70 lbs over three years. Ugh. I committed myself to losing the weight and had a great doctor who helped me meet my goals - I lost 65 lbs in 6 months and would have kept it off had I not found out ON THE DAY I HIT MY GOAL WEIGHT that I was pregnant. Not that I'm complaining. It's going to make losing the baby weight that much easier.

I'm already 25 lbs closer to my goal than I was when I started losing weight last time.

I want to look at family photos and of photos of me and my baby and smile, not cringe. I'm not happy with how I look and I need to do something about it. I don't want a double chin. It's a me thing.

Also, I'm following a fellow mommy-blogger, Susan, and her husband on their weight loss journey and I am inspired. When she posts bikini photos, I'll be right behind!

I just hope I'm not too disappointed that when I reach my goal weight my skinny jeans still just don't fit because of my mommy hips.

Nah....

My mantra: Nothing tastes as good as being thin and healthy.

Anyone want to join me? Leave comments and we'll connect! Maybe we can start our own community blog and all contribute. Tell me if you are game!