Health Smealth

Do you know how many foods have partially hydrogenated oils? Most of them! Ack! Frank just found out that his triglycerides are too high and his doc wanted to put him on meds. He wasn’t really into that, so he has completely abandoned the following:

soda, candy, fried foods, saturated fat, foods and drinks high in sugar, foods with partially hydrogenated oils, foods with enriched white flour and red meats

So we don’t eat anything but baked chicken, pork and fish along with fresh fruits and vegetables. Steamed vegetables - no butter or salt. Since I am the worlds pickiest eater and only like carrots, corn and green beans (salted and buttered of course), I’m having a really hard time with this. I guess just by cooking for him, I’ll be healthier.

He is also running. He is running every night or morning, whichever he can. I’m not. Why? I hate to run. I hate to exercise in general. I’m using Lucy as a crutch - I work all day, so I can’t leave her to workout. How long can I get away with that? Mostly, I just hate working out.

So why the post? Well it is a confession of sorts. I’m still getting a 42 oz sweet tea from McDonalds most everyday. I’m still drinking soda. I’m still eating red meat. Why? I don’t know really. I like that stuff? Well, yes. But mostly I’m just weak. I can start the day with fantastic intentions, but I still drive to McDonalds for that sugar with a little tea. Sometimes I even get breakfast there. I’m terrible. I’m going to gain the weight back I lost earlier this year. I want to lose another twenty pounds or so, but I just can’t find that oomph in me that I had before.

So I’m making a commitment to myself and whoever chooses to read this (thanks!). I’m going to be healthy. I’m going to drink all sorts of water and very little or no soda or sweet tea. I’m going to try and expand my vegetable horizons - any suggestions? I’m doing it for me. I’m doing it for my family. Tomorrow. Or maybe next week.

Ups and Downs of turning two...

Well Lucy's birthday party was spectacular. She had a fabulous time and got lots of great gifts from her grandparents and aunts and uncles. I made the much stressed over Cookie Monster cake.

The party really couldn't have gone better. Good food, good company, happy Birthday girl. We even watched a DVD full of short videos I've taken of her. It was great. The next day was a shower for Rachel, my brother's fiance. It went very well and Lucy enjoyed herself thoroughly (are you sensing a theme?).


Then Monday was the big day. The big 2. We were so excited to go to Grant's Farm. Our day started at about 6:45 a.m. like this:

We got her all ready to go and presentable and headed off to Grant's Farm, a very happy little family of 3. We were talking about how we would see lots of animals, and feed the baby goats, and see horses. She was super stoked. Frank and I would take turns looking back at her and saying "Happy Birthday". Each time produced a face just like this:

When we pulled onto Gravois Road, I was so excited. I know it was for her, but I swear I was much more excited! Then we pulled onto the side road to enter the farm. Lucy was chanting "farm" in the backseat and we were so excited. Then we got to the parking lot. EMPTY. Oh no. My pulse quickened - I swear. Closed!!!!!! Apparently, every good St. Louisan knows that Grant's Farm is closed each and every Monday. Yikes. Now I have to tell this estatic two year old in the backseat that the farm is closed. I feel a lump forming. So I turn around in my seat and gently break the news. "I'm sorry baby, the farm is closed today, we can't go in." It only took about 30 seconds to go from that happy go lucky little girl above to this one:

I really thought I was going to cry right along with her. The above face and several similar variations continued for about 20 minutes. We talked about what to do now. We had promised animals and wanted to follow through. So, we decided that it would be good enough (not really, but we were in a pinch) to go to Petsmart and looking at fish and ferrets and hamsters. The plan worked pretty well. We even got one good picture of her looking at "Dorothy" before a manager informed us they don't allow photography in the store. Huh?

We still felt awful about the farm experience gone wrong so quick trip through Toys r Us was in order. I think she was finally happy!

Two

Monday is the day. My baby will be two. I'm lucky enough to be able to be with her on her birthday and so will Frank. We are planning a day at Grant's Farm. She'll see some neat animals and feed the baby goats. It should be great.



So in honor of her turning two, I'm going nuts. We had pics done on Sunday. I posted my fave pic here. Pictures didn't go very well. It was pure chaos in there and Lucy and her cousin Gavin weren't having a good time, but we got what we went for and I was happy in the end.

I'm taking a little vacation from work. I'll have Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday with my girl. I'm really happy about this. Of course, it won't be relaxing though. I'm watching Gavin at my house on Thursday and he is a boy, he is all boy. Hopefully he won't pull any tricks on his favorite person ;) We have dinner plans Thursday night, lunch plans Friday, birthday party on Saturday and a bridal shower on Sunday. Busy is my middle name these days.

I'm very excited about her birthday party. I'm ordering salad, pasta, garlic bread and pizza for dinner and I'm making a Cookie Monster cake and chocolate chip cookies. We are also going to watch a DVD of videos I've taken of her with my digital camera (thanks Pop!). It should be a good time and of course bittersweet. The theme is Sesame Street of course. I'll be sure to take many many pictures.

Having an almost two year old is exhilirating and exhausting. She is talking up a storm these days and just all around cute. In addition to her Sesame Street obsession, she has discovered Shrek. Just the original so far. She loves it. She loves dong (donkey), Shre (Shrek), Pree (Princess) and Dra (dragon). She has many scenes that have to be rewatched so we can dance and dance and dance. She is always wanting me or Gammie to read to her in her big girl bed. I have memorized "Love you Forever" and it is her current must read. I must admit I find it a bit creepy, but hey, she loves it.

So as I look back on the last two years I've learned:

• You can't make a baby sleep.
• You can't make a toddler eat.
• "Just a minute" is not in her vocabulary.
• She is my world.
• I would give my life for her.
• I'm the center of someone's universe.

I know I'm not the first person to be a parent, but I'm the first person to have Lucy and I must say it is pretty heady to know that she is mine.

In her own time...

From day one, nearly two years ago, Lucy made it clear that you couldn't force anything on her. Sleeping through the night, ha! Sleeping in her crib, double ha! So a long time ago, I surrendered to her. She knows her own mind. She always has. Of course there are non-negotiables, like eating, sitting in a carseat etc. But, for the mostpart, she gets to make her decisions. Daddy has a harder time with letting her pave her own way, but he is coming around. Slowly.

So last weekend, we joined Aunt Jenny, Uncle Aaron and Cousin Gavin at their community pool for a nice afternoon. I knew going in that Lucy might not be into the whole pool scene. She is becoming fearful in her old age. She has become a shy toddler in place of the super outgoing infant we all knew. So she is looking absolutely adorable in her little tankini and is all suncreened up, ready to go. Then she sees the pool. Nope. Not.getting.in. Daddy thinks he can carry her in the pool and "she'll be fine". Nope, wrong again. So we take the ignore her approach. After about 25 minutes of looking at the pool (which is a baby pool, ranging from 1 inch of water to 2 feet) she decides it is o.k. Here she comes! Running in! Look of pure joy on her face. She joins us in the pool and happily plays in water up to her waist.

I suppose she showed us, again. Is it important that it took her 25 minutes to brave the water? Does it matter that she fell in and it took another 15 minutes for her to try again? Does it matter that she slipped and went under, causing tears and sneezes? Does it matter that she wouldn't allow me to hold her in the deeper water? No, it doesn't. All that truly matters is that she did it, all by herself, when she was ready. I pray that she holds on tight to those values. That she always has the self awareness and willpower to stick to her guns. To do what is right for her, to not give in, even to mommy and daddy.