The Stress Equation

In several weeks our second child, Wyatt James Seal, will arrive...possibly before the end of the year.

PLUS

In several weeks, we will celebrate Christmas and exchange gifts with family friends.

EQUALS

So much joy and thankfulness, coupled with overwhelming anxiety, sprinkled with panic.

RESULTING IN

Family fun, quality time with friends, endless lists, sleepless nights, emotional eating, short tempers, lots of money spent.

Can I get an "Amen"?! This little equation above is part of the reason I called my OBGYN last week with some concern over being in pre-term labor. That and the fact that B made a grand entrance three weeks and two days before his due date. 

My doctor, Crista Thomas, has been great. She was not privy to my first delivery, so I have filled her in on the fun and we have adjusted my appointment and testing schedule accordingly. But last week I had some pinching pains in my lower abdomen and tightening around my belly; I felt short of breath and just "not right." I called the office and they told me to go ahead and come in. I was hooked up to the fetal monitor and told to rest for 20 minutes. Instead of resting, I snapped a pic, texted Dad, and answered emails. I was laying down; that counts as relaxing, right? 

The bottom monitor is for Wyatt's heart and the top is for my "contractions" (there were none).

Then I got to see Dr. Thomas. And my suspicions were shot down (thankfully)...not pre-term labor. Probably some gas pains, coupled with second pregnancy and some anxiety. 

1. The gas pains were a result of a MASSIVE friends-giving meal and being pregnant in general can cause some digestive discomfort. So the pinching question was answered. And the meal was totally worth it. 
2. Second pregnancy means a looser pelvic floor. Dr. Thomas put it this way - for your first pregnancy, the pelvic floor is a like a hard bowl. By the second, it is more like a hammock. This means the baby feels heavier against your pelvis and can lead to the tightened feeling around your belly. #Awesome #pelvicfloor #onlypregnantwomencare 
3. Throw some anxiety over the thought of going in to labor early (and the holiday season) and you get a paranoid pregnant woman panting in your office. There is my shortness of breath. 

Doctor's orders - Miralax twice a day and try to sit on the couch, snack and relax. A week later and I am feeling better. Relaxing has been penciled in for some time around April. 

Healthy Eating Tips

I started to call this post "Diet Tips," but don't want to perpetuate the idea that I am on a constant diet. These are tips I stuck to while trying to lose weight and have continued to use while changing my lifestyle to healthy eating. Some things I have loosened up on for sure.

1. Count your calories. Religiously. Everything. Use an app that already has tons of food in the database. I liked My Plate from livestrong.com but hear great things about other tools. I have read articles from nutritionists recently that don't like calorie counting, but I needed the control and limits while trying to lose weight and learn.

2. Measure your food. The calories on packages are only per serving size, so get the measuring cup out. The one thing I never did was weigh my meat portions.

3. Snack wisely. You will be hungry, your metabolism is cranking, prepare snacks that you like and won't binge on. Nuts are hard for me because you get so few for the calories! But you can eat a good portion of raw baby carrots for next to nothing or a gigantic apple sliced into thin pieces or even pretzels. Trick yourself by eating and chewing more of these foods for less calories.

4. Just stop eating some things for a while. Seriously moderate cheese, bacon, candy, alcohol and other high calorie foods that supply little reward. Hell yeah, cheese is good. It's also incredibly fattening and will suck up your calories. Eat it once a week and make it count, savor it, sip that glass of wine slowly.

5. Hot beverages are your appetite-curbing friend. Few things can cut your appetite like a mug of hot tea or black coffee. Limit the use of sugar, artificial sweeteners and cream. If you use it, put it on your calorie count!

6. Don't starve. You might feel like it at first, but you will get used to a smaller amount of food after a week or so. But don't be miserable all the time. If you are hungry, eat something...just eat something healthy (a piece of fruit, baby carrots, popcorn, etc.). See item #3.

7. Eat food that you like! Grilled chicken doesn't have to be boring; eat pork and red meat and fish! Change it up with all sorts of spices or, literally spice it up with hot sauce! Don't eat the same food every day or you will be dying for a cheat meal by Tuesday.

8. Don't obsess over protein, fat, and carbs. Try to eat everything evenly without going overboard on one or the other. And I know fruit has carbs, but seriously...it's fruit. Just be sure to track it in your calories because it will cost you more than veggies!

9. Eat the rainbow! The color of food is an indicator of it's nutrients, so eat everything. Don't just eat the green veggies, try orange (sweet potatoes and carrots), red (tomatoes, peppers, radishes, red onions), white (onions, cauliflower), purple (eggplant, cabbage).

10. Make it easy on yourself.

• Buy frozen vegetable steamers that are unseasoned or lightly seasoned.
• Bagged salads are super convenient and provide variety.
• Cook a couple pieces of chicken one night to have leftovers.
• Have canned tuna or other easy to grab proteins on hand.
• There are tons of items in individual servings. Buy those if you are crunched for time even if they are a little more expensive. (i.e. nuts, yogurt, hummus, carrots)

11. Watch liquid calories. Alcohol is always what people try to avoid, but be careful with juices, smoothies and soft drinks. Just don't drink soft drinks, they aren't made of anything real!

12. Learn how to order at restaurants. I learned from my sister that you can basically make up a meal at a restaurant. She has some of the most difficult orders there are, but most places are more than willing to accommodate. Try a salad, no cheese, no bacon, no egg (unless you need the calories), dressing on the side (at first, just don't use it), add grilled chicken, steak or fish. OR a grilled lean meat with veggies and a side salad. Just because the menu details the side items doesn't mean you have to stick with those. Double up on veggies.

13. Drink more water than you thought possible. I started at 8 glasses a day. I now drink closer to a gallon of water a day because I am thirsty! Keep a LARGE bottle with you at all times. Go for the liter and try to drink one before lunch, one after lunch and more water with dinner.

There are so many more little things that I could share, but hopefully this is a good start and helpful!

Take Them Food: Restaurants to Try

Here in the South we like to take people food. New neighbors get baked goods, new moms get entire dinners. It's awesome. People come see the baby, hold the baby, and bring you food. Then they leave...and you can stuff your exhausted face in your bathrobe while breastfeeding. I can't wait!

I will say the etiquette is different depending on the family. When some of our BFF's had their first child, we brought them dinner and we stayed to eat with them. But most of the time it's an early evening food drop with limited baby viewing. You rub yourself down with sanitizer and coo away.

Restaurants in Birmingham have gotten wise to the idea that people not only take meals to others, but sometimes just need a good dinner to pick up and serve to the family - no cooking involved. I have done some research recently because of new babies in the family and thought I would share a list of options. I know there are more, but this was what I came up with pretty quickly.

Ready to Eat -

• Urban Cookhouse - Crestline, Summit, Homewood. Pick up meals after 3 pm.
• Maki Fresh - Rice bowls for four, definitely unique. I haven't had the chance to try this one yet.
• Taziki's - Many locations! Pick up after 2 pm.
• Zoe's - Multiple locations, two different serving size options.
• Costa's Mediterranean - Trussville and Hoover. They have all sorts of options for 2 or 4 person meals. You can also get their baked pastas uncooked and ready for the freezer!
• Little Donkey - Homewood. I could only find the info on the "taco packs" under the online take-out ordering. Four options with sides. Another one I haven't tried, but their tacos are damn good. Now if we could just get to-go cocktails...
• Taco Mama - Crestline Village. One option that feeds 4 hungry people!
• Iz Cafe - Hoover (Rocky Ridge) and English Village. They have a monthly menu of take home meals available Tuesday thru Thursday.
• Jim 'N Nicks - Many locations! And you get the option of buns or cheese biscuits...cheese biscuits, every. time. please. thank you.

Cook at Home (or freeze for later)

• Ashley Mac's - Cahaba Heights, Inverness, Riverchase."Gourmet To Go" casseroles and prepared foods (appetizers, desserts, salads, etc). Definitely get dessert and pick up a dozen sour cream biscuits for you and the lucky recipient. They just melt in your mouth!
• Homewood Gourmet - Homewood. Rave reviews from everyone who has received one of these bake-at-home gems. Don't forget the gigantic cookies and/or brownies. Remember...bathrobe eating is better done with dessert in-hand.
• Dishn' It Out - Crestline (next to Saw's Juke Joint). Extensive selection! I often peer through the windows at their freezer collection while waiting to eat at Saw's.
• What's 4 Supper by Edgewood Catering - Homewood. I haven't tried this place yet, but they put out a weekly menu that looks great. They offer frozen and freshly cooked.

*Most of these places do have prepared foods (chicken salad, pimento cheese, etc) but they specifically offer a "Meal for 4" or "Family Dinner" option that is all ready to eat when you walk in the door.

Weight Loss: War vs. Journey

In 2005 I weighed 200 pounds. I have lost 70 pounds. 

Both of those statements seem ridiculous to me. The first because I vividly remember the day I weighed in at Curves in Auburn; I immediately felt all 200 pounds crashing down. The second because I never intended to lose 70 pounds.


So when I started to contemplate this post, I couldn't decide whether war or journey aptly described the past 10 years. 

War: a sustained effort to deal with or end a particular unpleasant or undesirable situation or condition.
Journey: a long and often difficult process of personal change and development.

I am definitely going with war. Journey sounds nice and poetic, but let's be clear, losing weight is a WAR. It is a war with your mind, your body and your relationship with food and sometimes other people. 

Circa 2007-ish. Weighing in at around 180-185. 

Dad and I's engagement party (2007). 

When you decide you have to change your body, it starts with a "diet." Eat less, drink less; workout more, sleep more. For some people it starts with a pill or shot or prepared/packaged foods. Either way is fine; neither way is sustainable. 

In it for the long haul and want to win the war? Get ready..."sustained effort" is part of what defines a war. When it comes to losing weight and getting healthy, a sustained effort is THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. There will be times of peace, when you are happy in your workout routine and in a good rhythm of eating healthy and maintaining portion control. Then there are the battles...when cake seems to be taunting you and french fries are your complex carbohydrate. 

Vegas 2009, slimmed down but still around 150.

I am an emotional eater...so every emotion I feel is better served with food. In my better times I control this well by eating healthy foods and proper portions. In stressful times, I have to refrain from sitting on the couch with a carton of ice cream after scarfing down half a pizza, with a salad on the side. Can I get another glass of wine, please? 

Luckily, I have a supportive husband and a good workout routine that helps keep me motivated. My goal is not to lose anymore weight, but maintain and feel good about what I eat and feed my family. 

Fall 2011, goal weight achieved around 135.

And I have gained tons of tips and tricks over the past 10 years. I think the best tips I can offer are - 

1. Be prepared - plan your meals, including snacks, drinks and desserts.

2. Eat smart - the biggest eye opener to me was calorie counting. Working to lose weight does not mean you have to starve. 

I'd love to share more about the changes I made in the last 10 years to get me where I am today. Feel free to reach out with questions or comments! 

July 2014, steady at around 130 for 3-4 years now...minus pregnancy #1 and #2. 

*Note: I wrote this article months ago, but am just now happy with the content. Since I am currently 23 weeks pregnant my food and workout regimen have been altered accordingly, but have not changed drastically. 

Are you going to eat that?

Since becoming pregnant for the second time, I have noticed a lot of differences from the first go-round. Some of them include: 

1. I am significantly more tired. 
2. I am significantly more hungry. I would like for most of my meals to consist of junk...cinnamon rolls, waffles, pizza, hamburgers, pasta, chicken fingers, french fries, cookies, ice cream, cake. I wouldn't even call them cravings. But I am trying to hold on to my health-eating habits to give the baby the nutrients he needs. 
3. My body hurts. Is it the fact that I am a couple years older, or that the past three years have seen so much change? Like the fact that I don't sit down other than when I am at work or after B has gone to bed. 
4. I tend to forget I am pregnant. Maybe forget is the wrong word, but I don't expect people to treat me differently or notice and comment on my belly. 
5. My belly is bigger and it happened faster. I was in complete denial about this happening to me. I was in better shape before this pregnancy than the first...how is this possible?!? And I have only taken one belly photo. Need to get on that. 

   

   Week 23 while pregnant with B.

6. I forget to mention things about how or what I am feeling, like telling Dad when the baby is kicking so he can enjoy it as well! 
7. My doctor's appointments are much shorter; there is no laundry list of questions. 
8. I haven't bought anything...not, one, thing. Oh, but we did decide on a nursery theme.

   

   Something like these will be featured in the nursery, thanks to my talented cousin, Kate!

9. I actually know EXACTLY what I need to put on a registry. But can I make a registry or is that tacky for baby #2? 
10. I look at B differently. I remember him as a little tiny baby and am astonished at how quickly the time as gone by. I feel so grateful for the infant that he was and the toddler he has become. Sure we had our ups and downs with breastfeeding...and today with real food; he had seemingly senseless crying fits and now has pointless tantrums; he has always been a mommy-leach and is terrible at sharing with other children. These are normal things, nothing crazy, he is such a sweet kid. 

    

    Sweet, tiny B with such a serious face. 

11. I am excited about giving birth to another child. What is that about?! I actually enjoyed the experience of giving birth the first time around. I am interested to see what is in store for us this time! And now I realize, I never blogged my birth story. That will be coming soon...

    

    One of the first pictures after delivery.

12. Seeing the picture above reminds me that I need to pack better PJs and accessories for the hospital. Well, not just pack them, I will have to purchase them first!
13. I have concerns about maternity leave. Last time I was excited and, to be honest, I didn't particularly enjoy maternity leave. I felt trapped (see previous post), useless and bored. Now that I know what to do with myself, I am anxious to see how this one goes. I am determined to take the full time allotted in the U.S. (12 weeks, which is crap) and to make the most of the time with my new son and expanded family. I am also worried because it will be the DEAD of winter! I had beautiful blue skies and warm temps last time.
14. I could just really use some wine, damn it.
15. All food is fair game. No, I don't eat raw sushi on a weekly basis, but I am not going to shy away from it. And that list of fish you aren't supposed to have? Everything in moderation, including a raw oyster or two. 

    

    Steak Tartare from Doris Metropolitan in NOLA. I couldn't pass that up! 

16. It's hard for me to imagine what baby #2 will look like, without picturing B. Now that I have a child that looks a specific (adorable) way, what will the next one look like?

    

    THAT FACE.

17. I haven't read many pregnancy articles...OK, any. I do have the app that gives me weekly updates on the babies growth and development. I look at it every other week...usually. And we won't do a baby class. 
18. I realized last week that we have little time to do activities just the three of us. So this weekend we went to Auburn to take B to his first football game, just the three of us. Because next year, it will be all four of us!

    

    Tailgating in the fall of 2011.

B was not impressed by this week's performance. 

Update...better later than never!

It's been a while since I wrote a blog post. It's sort of embarrassing considering how strong I started, but it's hard to keep the momentum and inspiration. I take that back, the inspiration for content is there, the inspiration to sit down and write is not always close behind. 

So much has happened in our world since my last post. Let's see...

• I went to LA for work for 10 days. It was such a great professional experience and I hope I get to do it again. Dad came to visit for a couple of nights which was really nice considering I didn't get to see him as much as I would have liked! We got to stay in a beautiful hotel, eat good food, and spend a bit of time together.  

Mini monkey bread for dessert after lunch at Salt Air in Venice. Divine! 

View from my room at the Fairmont Santa Monica. 

• We decided to start trying for baby #2. This proved to be a bit more difficult than we had intended, but after a visit to our specialist, Dr. Malizia at Alabama Fertility Specialists, we were able to conceive after only one round of Clomid. On what would have been my mom's 59th birthday, July 14, we found out we were having another little boy! 

B is ready for football season.

I think he gets his sweet tooth from me. Has to eat the icing first!

• We put our house on the market, sold it after about four months, and bought a new one! We lived with the fantastic Nonna and Poppy (my in-laws) for three weeks in between and moved in to the new house on July 2. It is HUGE - comparatively - and we will never move again. We have just the space we need and moving is not fun, especially during your first trimester of pregnancy. Big kudos to super Dad for basically doing it all himself, and my MIL who is an expert packer!

  

  We had a ton of people come thru our house. But we found the right buyer with the help of the Josh Vernon Group! 

  
  

  

  B loves the new kitchen table from Nadeau! He has breakfast on the bench, and dinner on the end left chair. 

• We have been on several lovely vacations, including two beach trips to Orange Beach with family and a parent's getaway/Dad's work convention to New Orleans. We also made it to Gulfport for Memorial Day to celebrate Aunt Lala's birthday, and tell the family that we were pregnant! 

  

  At Fisher's in Orange Beach (April 2015).

  

  In Orange Beach before heading to dinner (July 2015).

  

  Roasted cauliflower and bone marrow at Domenica in NOLA. 

  
  

  

  Muffaletta, salad, pulled pork sandwich and Brussels at Cochon Butcher in NOLA.

  
  

  

  French toast, scotch egg, and boudin and grits for brunch at Angeline in NOLA.

• Barrett turned TWO! Life with B has been entertaining and honestly, fun! Several months ago he hit a point where he was very difficult to wrangle. He wanted to touch, pull, grab, push, and hit everything. He is incredibly inquisitive, which I love, but can be maddening at times. Then one day I realized he wasn't so much like that anymore. He seemed more comfortable with his surroundings and aware of what things were, so he was less compelled to investigate every item and/or place. On a daily basis he learns or says something new. I still don't understand what any of the words mean, but they are coming. Family meals are fun because he enjoys them, encouraging us to "sit, mom!" and "sit, dad!" Next step...lose the pacifier at night time (already gone from naps thanks to school!) and upgrade to a twin bed. We will need that crib for when baby #2 gets here in January!

  

  Blowing out his birthday candles!

On The Move: Lobster for B

Babies require a lot of stuff; more stuff than I ever realized. In the arena of seating we have a total of 8 items that range from a contoured pillow (The Boppy Lounger) to a motorized bouncer (InGenuity Auto Bouncer). B enjoys 5 of those options, with a possible 6th dependent on his mood. At a mere 7.5 months old he has outgrown 3 of these already.

"Real food" quickly changed seating options; an upright position and wipe-able/washable surface is necessary. So Dad and I researched and debated high chairs. We decided on the OXO Seedling and it is fantastic...see last week's post for some details.

But Dad and I like to get out of the house! While the old wooden restaurant high chairs are a great standby, we wanted something of our own that was easily portable. So the research began again and we landed on phil&teds lobster. 

I spent weeks eyeing this chair until my aunt was in town and we stopped by Swaddle to droll over their inventory of everything baby related. Before I could make it to check out B's great aunt swooped in and made the purchase (hugs and kisses to Aunt Andi). We used it twice THAT DAY! It has quickly been added to the home departure list.
  

B hanging at G-pa's.

Not one to be excluded from the fun. Cahaba Brewing has picnic tables perfect for the lobster.

I would say we have successfully used the lobster at 70% of locations attempted, including - Cheesecake Factory, Cahaba Brewing, Red Zone Sports Bar, Beef O'Brady's, Slice, Five, Habaneros, Cocina Superior and Saw's Juke Joint. At all of these locations multiple people have approached us to ask what the chair was and where they could purchase. 

Pros:

• Folds and includes a slim carrying bag (total weight is 4 lbs)
• Easy installation to compatible table
• Weight limit of 37 lbs
• Includes tray that is dishwasher safe and sanitary
• Safety straps/harness 
• EXTREMELY sturdy

Cons:

• Restaurants like funky tables, it won't fit everywhere
• Seat is hand wash only and does have crevices 
• Frame could use cushioning or head rest 

Where's my marg? 

Did you pack the Vaseline?

"When can we take him places?" was the second question we asked Dr. Redmond at Pediatrics East. "Get out," she said, "it's good for mom and baby." 

I once read that every time you leave the house with an infant you feel like you are about to leave for the airport. 

"Do we have everything?" "Did you get the blanket?" "I only have one burp cloth, should I bring another?" "Where is the thing that sucks out his nose?" "Wait, turnaround, I forgot an extra hat!" "Shit, I only have one bottle of hand sanitizer."

Getting out of the car is just as exciting. 

What goes first? You can't leave the baby in the car, but do you put the carrier on the concrete while you get the stroller? How do you push a stroller and a grocery cart? Do you take the stroller in everywhere? Should the baby stay in the carrier while we eat? Will the carrier fit on the table, or maybe in the booth? 

This isn't even close to all the questions and scenarios we went through. People wanting to touch, hold and talk to the baby is an entirely other post. 

But out we went...

At two weeks old, we took B to Slice and a Barons game.

Week 2: View from the outfield.

When B was three weeks old, we went to the Fox and the Hound for a Saints game. 

Week 3: Aunt Lala holding B at Fox and the Hound.

After our weekly breastfeeding support group at St. Vincent's we would visit some fun places in Birmingham. 

Week 4: Visit to Red Cat Coffee and Hop City after breastfeeding class.

As soon as we could muster the courage to travel, we headed to Gulfport to meet Gigi (my G-ma). Needless to say, she thinks her great grandson is pretty spectacular. 

Week 7: B is listening to Gigi tell him he would look better in crimson.

And to celebrate B's eight week birthday, we went to Breakin' Bread at Railroad Park. This is one of our favorite events in Birmingham because it features food from restaurants across the city and lots of WINE. 

Week 8: Dad looking like a pro, sampling some food and wine.

Date Night Dinner, hold the vomit

To save money and spend more time with B, Dad and I like to have dinner at home on the weekends. But it has to be something good...we eat a lot of chicken and vegetables during the week so we need a change of pace. Last Friday I went to Publix with nothing particular in mind. Luckily they had New York Strips on sale. Couple those with some little rose potatoes, asparagus, a quick salad, some wine and we have a Date Night Dinner! 

I use DAK's spices in almost every meal I cook. They make awesome blends that are SALT FREE and the owners live here in Birmingham! The steaks were seasoned up with some DAK's Bourbon Barrel Smoked Pepper and Steakhouse blends. I also added a pinch of kosher salt.

Yummmmm. Sophie was jealous. 

For the potatoes, I added 1-2 tbsp. of Herb Oil (also made in Birmingham). This stuff is good enough to drink and really great with bread or any other starch. I also added some Herbes de Provence because it is Dad's favorite. We wrapped these up in foil and threw them on the Weber with the steaks and asparagus (not shown). 

Mini potatoes are cute and fun to eat!

B joined us for dinner, as he usually does, but wasn't feeling his green beans so I tried some Yo-Baby yogurt. Evidently he was trying to tell me he wasn't hungry because he proceeded to projectile vomit on my house slippers. We learn something new every day. 

Friday's Lesson: all high chairs should have wheels. I missed the second projectile by inches thanks to my quick reaction and our spiffy rolling high chair. 

"MA, NO MORE FOOD!" said B in his OXO Seedling high chair provided by G-pa Steiner.

Needless to say, bath time was quickly followed by ice cream for Mom. Good thing Publix had a Haagen-Dazs BOGO!