The Healthiest Cheap Food in America | Eat This, Not That

The Healthiest Cheap Food in America | Eat This, Not That

Lifestyle Changes

Hello World...

I had a busy weekend but an enjoyable one. Me & Autumn had our time out this weekend. She never fails to amaze me. One moment she is on my nerves and the next I can't get enough of my princess. She is truly is the best of me.

So as we are in a new year and already one month in...I had been thinking a lot of getting me back to ME. Before I had my daughter, I was really in shape. I exercise..ate healthy and really was staying in shape. I believe those habits helped me have a great pregnancy. Post pregnancy, I went through some major changes. I did lose all my baby weight and then some. I was happy but I lost of some of my muscle tone. When I went back to work..the weight came back on as I wasn't nursing as much and eating out more. So as I looked at myself, I notice I am not as healthy as I was before and it was seriously time to invest back into my health.

I read so much about weight loss and healthy living. I realize the best thing is creating a healthy lifestyle which will contribute to eating better, losing weight and feeling really good about yourself.
So I made a conscious decision that I need to get back to healthy habits for me and for my family. I'm not getting any younger per se ( well..I still have my youthful look).

So these are some tips I am going to implement for 2011

1. Drink plenty water...(I admit I was drinking a lot of juice full of sugar..no more..WATER..WATER and MORE WATER)
2. Eat Breakfast (Ugh..growing up this was always an issue for me..My mother blasted me about this over and over so I must force myself to eat something even if it a powerbar)
3. Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day ( Seriously when I was focus on weight loss never understood why should I eat more. I read something that said Eat More Lose More which help boost the metabolism. I do tend to eat just one time a day or two big meals. So I will try this method and see ;0)
4. Exercise. ( my issue is time. Between work and Autumn, and school my time is limited but I will try)
5.  Stay Focus and Be Positive. This is about me and making sure I am healthy to take care of my family.

The first night of a new Bed routine

Well the had come where I had to put my foot down a new routine. After the past few nights of being restless...I could not take it no more. Last night, I laid Autumn for bedtime earlier than I have ever done. I came home for work..gave her warm bath first...prepare dinner ...read stories and played with her and then by 9pm..lights were out. Now honestly, I felt this was not going to happen with me getting her to bed early each night. I don't get home from work until 715pm. So I had her bedtime at around 10 to 1030pm. At first it was working for 10pm but she really started wanting to stay up later and sleep later.

I realize she is not getting enough sleep especially the 10-12 hours of sleep she needs. Myself, definitely is not getting enough rest. So when I laid her down around 9pm..of course she cried and cried. I left the room..took a shower and she was still whinning. So here comes Daddy asking was I tryting to have her to bed by 830pm. I said yes, she needs rest and so do I. Like I knew it, he went in the room to soothe her. I was mad. I don't want my princess to cry but at the same time I know she is tired and needs sleep. I was realizing how dyfuncitional our household was becoming with her basically in control. She is cranky in the morning and I'm moody too. I was gulity to fact that I didn't think I was spending enough time with her afterwork since we both are gone 10 hours a day. However I try to make most of our weekend. I will keep track of how this new bedtime routine goes for the both of us.

However, I want her to be happy. So after last night of her going to bed early..(yes she woke up again at 2am and did not go back to sleep until a little after 3am..I let her cry and of course I couldn't sleep) I notice an improvement of how happy she was this morning ready for school.

Sleepless Nights

When will I ever get a good 8 hours of straight sleep without any interruptions? I really need a peaceful night of sleep. Little Autumn sleeping habits are not consistent. She is back to waking up too early in the morning and going to bed too late at night. I read some of the various methods to helping babies go to bed from the Ferber method to the Brazelton methods. I tried both. I found the Brazelton method to be more effective and was working for a few months and then the old habits came back. She wants to see me, touch me and be next too me. She can't stand the point of not being in the same room with me for a long period of time. Although, I'm a light sleeper myself, I find myself jumping up to every sound I hear coming from her room. Lately, I would wait until it got unbearable for me before I go into her room. There she is standing up in her crib waiting for me to pick her up. Now usually this happen around 4am or 5am in the morning. However, sometimes she won't go to sleep until 11pm or later. So my restless child won't rest her nerves long enough for mommy to rest hers. I usually don't go to sleep until after midnight so for her to wake up at 5am when I have to get up at 630am is not fair. When I put her in the bed with me, she just moves all around the bed, kick me in the face or back and drive her daddy crazy. I wake up with my neck sore and even a headache.

So I have been doing some more reading and going to try some new methods because now that she is 18 months ( 1  1/2 years old), mommy really need some sleep!!!!!

How to Keep Your Sex Drive Alive During Pregnancy

During Pregnancy, you experience so many emotions and your body goes through changes too.
Good Article on keeping it spicy in the bedroom

How to Keep Your Sex Drive Alive During Pregnancy

Mommy I'm Expensive..So SAVE NOW FOR COLLEGE

My little princess Autumn. She was three months then. When I saw this shirt, I had to buy it. Months later she is still living to the meaning of being the Million Dollar Baby. Little Diva requires a lot. Most importantly, she requires that I invest in her future. As mothers' our children are the most important thing we have as a responsibility. They depends on us so much. I pray each day to be a better mother and do my best to give her everything she needs and little of what she wants :)

So I decided it's time to invest in a 529 plan for her. Coming from a background in financial services, I know the benefits of starting one. She will get a good education and without all the expenses and debt with it. ( don't want her to have my experiences). So mothers if you haven't started on college planning..Start today. Your baby is worth it.

Men just don't Understand

Good Morning

I'm extremely exhausted after staying up late working on a paper for class and doing some business work. You would think my other half would notice and offer to stay home last night with our daughter to help me out. NO. Going to the gym was so much more important. Yes, I use to love going to gym at my leisure but things have change now. Autumn come first. I don't have the luxury of getting and going as I wish. Unfortunately, some gym have daycare and the services are very limited. I'm gone 10 hours each day and by the time I would come home after an hour workout, Autumn tired and hungry and so is he. So superwoman to the rescuse to cook dinner, feed her, give her a bath, and get her ready for bed. Guess what its already now past 10 o clock. Yes, welcome to my world during the week. But I do what I have to do because she is my responsibility and I must provide the life she deserve. So do I make sacrifices by not going to the gym as I would want. Could have did the same...YES. but Men really just don't understand.