2000 Alex was born. I graduated.
2001 We bought our house. I got a new job.
2002 Kevin and I visit New Orleans.
2003 Kevin and I visit NYC. We take Alex to San Diego.
2004 Ana was born. I graduated again.
2005 Kevin graduated. We both got new jobs. We visited London.
2006 We started a major home addition project. We take Alex and Ana to San Francisco.
2007 We finished the home addition. Kevin got a new job. We take Alex and Ana to San Diego.
2008 Angie was born. We got a dog.
2009 I got Lasik surgery. Kevin and I both went back to school.

Categories: home improvement, kids and parenting, pets, pregnancy, school, travel
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This video of actress Salma Hayek breastfeeding a starving baby in Sierra Leone made me cry (from Celebrity Baby Blog).

I’m still breastfeeding Angie at 9.5 months. My plan is to continue at least until her first birthday.

Right now I’m +1 pound from my pre-Alex weight and +3 pounds from my pre-Ana weight. (Yes, my weight actually dropped between babies. Go figure.) Other than the gawd awful sleep deprivation, the horrible cold(s) of December 2008/January 2009, and the two new gray hairs on my head, I’m doing fine. I fit into my clothes. (Yay!) I just got a hair cut. (Double yay!) Now all I need is some sleep…

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I finally got a haircut. As much as I loved how crazy long and thick my hair had gotten during my pregnancy, I couldn’t keep it. First of all it had started its postpartum fallout. It’s not as bad as other women have described where their hair starts coming out in clumps, but it’s enough to clog drains if I don’t be careful. Also I’m going back to work in a couple of weeks, and I need an easy style for those harried mornings. I like what I ended up with, layers that are short in front and a few inches past my shoulders in the back, with the ends styled using a flat iron. It looks okay straight, but I liked the flippy ends so much that I bought a flat iron so I can replicate it when the occasion demands it.

I stepped on the scale this morning and got some good news: I’m down 3 more pounds. Just 7 more to go before I reach my pre-pregnancy weight. More importantly I can now fit into my weekend jeans without sucking in my gut. Huzzah.

Categories: pregnancy
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I hurt my back carrying Angie. She’s growing faster than I can handle. I was doing sit ups everyday until my back pain made it impossible to continue. Kevin gave me back rubs with Tiger Balm, which help a little but not enough to make the pain completely go away.

This happened with the first two kids too, though not as bad, and Kevin reminded me why: Ana didn’t grow as fast as Angie, and Alex was born 8 years ago, when I was 20-something and in the best shape of my life.

Welcome to my 30s. Sigh.

Another indicator that I’m not a young’un anymore is how stubbornly the postpartum weight has stayed put. In the past month I managed to lose 2 pounds and gain it back. I believe the gain is all muscle because despite still being 10 pounds up, my clothes are starting to fit better. That’s a huge relief because I don’t want to have to buy new work clothes.

While re-reading What to Expect the First Year for reality checks on Angie’s development, I was reminded that I should be eating better because I’m breastfeeding. Here’s what the authors recommend in their “Best-Odds Daily Dozen” diet:

• 3 servings of protein (FAIL: I eat very little protein, usually 1-1.5 servings a day)
• 2 servings of vitamin C (FAIL, except when we have cantaloupe in the house)
• 5 servings of calcium (FAIL: I usually get 2 servings, 2.5 if you count my calcium supplement)
• 3 servings of green leafy vegetables and yellow vegetables/fruits (FAIL: I usually get 1 serving except when we have cantaloupe in the house)
• 2 or more servings other fruits and vegetables (WIN: I eat my weight in watermelon EVERY SINGLE DAY)
• 6 or more servings whole grain/complex carbohydrates (WIN: I think)
• 1 or more iron-rich foods (WIN: I think)

The requirements can be fulfilled with combo foods, e.g. cantaloupe is both vitamin C and yellow fruit, and cottage cheese is both protein and calcium. Ack, I guess I need to eat half a cantaloupe topped with a big scoop of cottage cheese

Categories: pregnancy
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1. Thursday I watched a live webcast of J. K. Rowling at Harvard’s commencement. Her speech was so good that when Kevin got home I made him listen to the archived recording with me. He thought Rowling would make a good motivational speaker. I agree.

2. This week I signed up for the drink pouch recycling program at TerraCycle. I designated Alex’s school as the beneficiary of the 2 cents per pouch that my efforts will net.

3. Prior to Angie’s arrival my only me time consisted of half hour soaks in the jacuzzi tub 2 or 3 times a week – not that I’m complaining, it really was all the me time I needed. But lately I haven’t even had that because Angie refuses to be held by anyone else for more than 5 minutes at a time before she starts crying. I miss my soaks. It’s not something I can outsource.

4. Legally Blonde: The Musical is looking for their next Elle Woods! Can’t wait to watch this show on stage next August at the Pantages.

5. According to this doggy daycare employee, about half of all dogs eat their own poo. Good to know Daisy isn’t such a freak after all. Now, if only she weren’t incontinent.

6. My 6 week postpartum checkup went well. I’m still carrying 10 extra pounds, but at least my clothes are starting to fit again. I’ve started exercising to help speed up the process, mainly sit ups and push ups. Here are some desk friendly exercises that I plan to do when I go back to work in September.

7. These awesome travel tips make it seem like anyone can travel with small children. Even so, I don’t plan on going anywhere until Angie is a year old.

Categories: environment, kids and parenting, movies, music, pets, pregnancy, travel
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