summer preview
I took a walk down to main beach yesterday. It was the first time I’d done “cardiac hill” since I was eight months pregnant. Guess what? I’m completely out of shape. I was huffing and puffing like a couch potato. I had to stop half way up and “take in the view” which is code for “catch my stinkin’ breath”. This is silly since I pretty much take a walk every day.
My usual walk is about an hour long and has a stop along the way at Starbucks. My “cardiac hill” walk is only about 30 minutes and does not include Starbucks. Guess which day I lost a pound doing which walk? Cardiac Hill of course. So is it because I huffed and puffed or is it because a decaf grande latte with three packages of sugar in the raw has a zillion calories?
Don’t worry, I’m not really “dieting”. I know I need some of this blubber to be able to keep nursing properly. But I’m just a little anxious to get rid of the last fifteen pounds. I lost the first fifteen pretty quickly, I think that spoiled me. It was super fun to get on the scale every day and watch them just fall off. It was like I was on a magic diet. Look I can eat oreos and still lose weight! Rock on!
I’m just worried the last fifteen won’t come off and I’ll be like my mom, blaming my weight troubles on having kids for the rest of my life. My poor mom. I’m always trying so hard not to be her when actually she is the most beautiful mother you could ever want. If I end up being half as good of a mom as she is I should be happy. Of course I want to be healthy and being overweight is not healthy but I have to stay grounded and realize that I just live in Orange County where image is everything. It can turn your brain to mush after a while. Moderation is everything.
Anyway, my walk was beautiful. It was a gloriously sunny day with just enough of a crisp breeze to keep you from sweating. I love it when it’s like that. There were all kinds of people out sun bathing and kids playing in the surf. There was even a really old lady in a bikini with skin that looked like brown leather. She looked like she was about ninety-two! I guess she wasn’t that worried about skin cancer.
Baby Bug and I stopped half way and plopped ourselves down in the sand for a few minutes. Since I only had her in the baby carrier and not in the stroller (that is stocked with the diaper bag that contains all), I completely forgot any kind of beach wear–like a big floppy hat and a towel. I tried to shade her with a receiving blanket but that was a sandy mess. I think some sand even got on her pacifier. I was waiting for her to make a funny face when she tasted the gritty salt, but she didn’t. I don’t even think she knew we were at the beach. She was too busy nuzzling around for the boob. Maybe in a few months she’ll get excited about the beach.
I just got a birthday beach party invitation for a little girl who’s turning five. Guess what the theme is? Mermaids. I’m already dreaming up the perfect mermaid costume for Baby Bug. An aquamarine quilted lame (“la-may”) tail sack with elastic at the top to keep it on and a onsie with felt sea shells sewed on for the bikini top… what do you think? Won’t that be fun? If only I had my own personal seamstress living with me.
15 Comments
Amanda Brown
Sounds like the perfect day! As far as the weight loss journey goes, you are doing wonderfully. Really. You are beautiful and don’t look like you’ve got much to lose at all. I am 6 months pregnant right now and have already gained over 20 pounds (egads!) and also fear that I might end up like my overweight mother. Weight sucks. I really don’t think you have anything to worry about, though. :)
Ninotchka
That costume sounds DELIGHTFUL. Everyone would go nuts for sure. Maybe some of that “Stichery Witchery” tape stuff would be in order?
ash pdx
hi Jo-
Everyone I know has lost their baby weight, I’m sure you will be fine. 9 months on, 9 months off…
It really seems to take much less time, but if you tell yourself that it doesn’t seem so bad. If you keep doing those walks you will absolutely get back in shape.
I will try not to be jealous of your weather in rainy Oregon.
By the way, maybe that old woman was really only 50, it was just her skin making her look 92. (-:
Amy
ash pdx
oops, meant to say that I’m in rainy Oregon. Wishing I was in sunny California.
Jessie
Am so jealous of the beautiful day at the beach! I really need to get out of dreary cold Michigan for a few days (read: at least a week or two).
The mermaid costume sounds adorable!
margaret - curious
Hey that was a great post. i admire that 90 some years old woman & the custume sounds great. Well i guess i should give an introduction i have been reading your blog for 4 or 5 months now & i love it, it seems to be a drug. Big Congratulations on the birth of baby bug, she is beautiful!!!!
Anna
I was dreaming of your beach just a few minutes ago!! If only I could bring the ocean closer to me, life would really be perfect! The costume sounds perfect, in fact I think “Martha Stewart Kids.” had a pattern for something very similar a few years ago, I would have to check my library. I do sew if you were serious about needing someone to sew for you (although I think you sew very well yourself!)
lainey
Mermaid outfit? You are the #1 coolest mom ever!
beck
Oh boy do I know JUST the kind of day you’re talking about. AND what it’s like at your beach on those kinds of days. That kind of day would be the day that I would leave school to go have lunch at the top of the cliffs and then decide not to go back to school for the rest of the day. Because who wants to battle people for a parking spot and sit in a stuffy lecture hall when you could have the wind in your hair while taking pictures and/or writing poetry? Or walking barefoot along the beach or calling your mother to gloat? I did that a lot. =)
Too bad I didn’t know about your blog back then.
josephine
I call my mom to gloat all the time!
Lin
Perfect day…just remember that you weren’t just carrying yourself up Cardiac Hill, but also little Buggy and she’s gaining by the second!
Beck's Mom
I am indeed envious! (…having spent many afternoons both at the top of the cliff and on the sand…)
Amy
The weight will come off, not to worry. Looks like a beautiful day!
wookie
Both my kids deliberately ate sand. I wouldn’t worry about a little on the pacifier. It’s when it gets in their eyes that it’s a problem… or their sibling’s eyes as an entire bucket of sand is dumped on your youngest in the name of “sharing”
Sarcastic Journalist
I know where you are because I’m right there with you. Have 7 more from this pregnancy and then uh, the 10 pounds from my previous one. That’s what I get from spacing them so close together.