A new running motivation

I hope our kids love running as much as I do. And if they do, if I'm so blessed, I'm so excited to run with them.

This mom makes me excited...http://powerofmoms.com/2012/11/running-with-joy/

Thoughts on Insanity

I started Insanity last week. Finally. So far, I know why it's called, "Insanity". Also, I miss P90X.

But you know, after every workout, after my frame of mind is back in its usual place and my body isn't so mad at me anymore, I look forward to doing it again and feeling better that I did better.

Isn't that what a successful work out is about?

Nails

My hands are a disaster right now. My skin is so try, it feels like velcro. As do my heels. I think my hands might feel worse than my heels do. We've been quite busy in the past few weeks and so the skin on my hands and feet have not been my first priority...nor high up there on the list.

Anyway, when summer packed up its things and went on vacation, my pretty nails, fingers and toes, packed up and went for some R&R. They have been polishless since, and have been given some time to breathe. Much needed, if you ask me, judging from how they looked after self-mani/pedicure after self-mani/pedicure. (Who has the time and money to keep going to get these things done? Not me!)

And so now, after Thanksgiving weekend and cooking up a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with my family, which also included even more hand washing, I'm staring at my hands, both dry, and now still a bit covered with butternut squash juices (you know how it sticks to your hands like glue, only it doesn't peel off), and wishing that my nails were pretty. But then again, my nail broke last week, pretty low down, and nothing, NOTHING, can make it look pretty. So, I'm waiting for that to grow back and my hands to feel moisture again.

My feet? Well, who knows if I'll ever let those guys see the light of day anymore. Just kidding. I'm working on it.

Being grateful - 20120516

I am grateful for good news from my doctor.

I had my first appointment after delivering today. It was good. First, I'm okay to go for running again. Second, I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Pre-pregnancy body is another story, which also makes the green light to run a good thing.

Being grateful - 20120502

I am grateful for good shopping finds, child-to-child interaction and baby growth spurts.

Don't you love it when you think of something you want and you don't really know if you'll find it because you just thought of it and then you go out and find EXACTLY the thing you thought of? I do! I've been forced to look at my wardrobe and evaluate which pieces I like best, which are most practical, and which work with my current body (my "pouch" has mostly disappeared but left this flabby little thing and I'm not a fan of it), which fit in the space I have to store my clothes, which make sense...etc. In doing so, I've found that I don't have many bright/coloured pieces. So, I decided I'd like to add some colour. And I thought I'd look for a yellow cardigan. I saw a few, but didn't like the fabric, or the cut, or the make and then I found one at Marshall's. It was on clearance and it was a really good brand that makes really good quality clothes and it was perfect. Love that.

Today was also the boys' doctor appointment. It was an adventure. The most interesting things for either boy?

D pretended he didn't know who Toopy was from Toopy and Binoo. Why? Because there was another little girl in the waiting room whose favourite TV show was also Toopy and Binoo. I was watching him interact with her and they both heard the theme song and looked straight at the TV. And then I heard this come out of his mouth, "Who's that one?" WHATEVER, DUDE. You know exactly who that is. Ugh, why's he such a ladies man?

W had clearly gained weight in the eyes of his doctor. She guesstimated his weight and was off by nearly 2 lbs. The boy had a growth spurt and in a span of 2 weeks, he gained almost 3 lbs. You could also say that since birth, he's already gained 50% of his weight. Crazy. And well, I should know -- he's been eating every 1.5 hours!!!

Being grateful - 20120418

I am grateful for Tylenol.

I had some funk going through my body today. It felt like the flu and a migraine met, hooked up and impregnated me with their child. Horrible. And sudden too. What sluts. Anyway, that's how it felt. It settled in yesterday night actually, and then in the middle of the night, I was freeeeezing and covered myself with layers and blankets and then woke up in the middle of the night sweaty but with chills. Don't you hate that feeling? We didn't have any Tylenol other than what the hospital gave me after I delivered so I popped some of those after realizing I couldn't "tough it out". Phew, thank goodness. I don't think I could have survived the day, especially with two little ones. I kept thinking about how I felt like I was living a Tylenol commercial today. Seriously.

I shouldn't be buying those organic bananas

We're currently on a grocery shopping break. Living with my in-laws, we don't shop as much as we used to, and also, that means we're eating less organic food, something my stomach has taken some time to adjust to. As we look forward to going back to doing our own food shopping and making our own food purchases and choices, I've been reading up on how to save money while shopping for organic food. Why does it all have to be so much more expensive?

Anyway, I thought this was a good start.
The Benefits of Eating Organic

Being grateful - 20120301

I am grateful for bed and help from my Mother-In-Law (MIL).

Yesterday's acrobatics in the bathroom left me immobile today. In addition to my waddling, I adopted walking like an old lady to my strut. I must look like a pregnant disaster. There was no way I was going to work today, and if the thought of going entered my mind, my leg would not have it. So, I stayed home today.

Staying home doesn't have the same feeling of relaxation as it used to, since I have an almost-2-year-old (wah!) to look after, but my MIL was, as usual, a total help today. Luckily D was pretty low maintenance today, but she was always there to help whether it was to lift him into his high chair or grab something I couldn't reach. Sometimes I wonder what sorts of good things I did to get a MIL like her. Seriously, the most easy-going woman I know.

I was able to also take a long nap with D in bed this afternoon, which was nice and gave my legs some much-needed rest. By the end of the day, I'm pretty mobile, just sore.

Preggo Push-ups?

So while wandering around Ellen's YouTube channel after watching this for the 3rd time, I found the clip of Ellen and Michelle Obama doing pushups that I meant to watch a few days ago. See here:

One year, Mr.S, Brother and I started a new year's resolution (but it was really more for fun...and like most resolutions, didn't last) to do push-ups and sit-ups before dinner. We did it for a few weeks and then forgot about it. Brother and I enjoyed it, but Mr.S, I'm not sure. He's not crazy like us. Brother and I used to do Gilad's Bodies in Motion with our sisters growing up. He's still super-fit (where did he get those "guns"?!) and me? Well, I'll make the excuse that I'm pregnant and can't work out. Ha! In recent years, Brother and I also used to play Push-up War, which was inspired by Jimmy Fallon's Water War. I can't remember how many push-ups we'd have to do after losing a war, but it got pretty fun. I think I'd like to play this with him after the spring, i.e. 6 weeks after Baby is born.

I love push-ups. I don't do them even half as much as I should, but when I think about doing them, I get pumped up. Watching Ellen and Michelle Obama do push-ups is making me feel like doing push-ups now, only I'm not sure I could do them well/properly with this belly. I think I'm gonna give it a try and see. I'll let you know how it goes. And you know, I'm over 100lbs now so this should be interesting!

Cancer Game Plan

AMAZING!!!

New leukemia treatment exceeds 'wildest expectations'

An apparent perk of being short

I'm not sure about this study.

In health news today...

Leukemia researchers with Toronto connection find ‘needle in a haystack’

1 man's success revives hope of curing AIDS, 30 years after first cases appeared in the US

U.S. mom gives birth to baby weighing more than 14 pounds

How umbilical cord blood saved Jesse's life

I love snow pea shoots.

I'm just saying.

What's cookin'?

I've been cooking nearly every day for the past few weeks. I don't know what happened. I'm not complaining, AT ALL.

I would usually try to cook as often as I could but many times, after a few weeks, I would feel tired of cooking and then we'd get on a take-out/delivery/frozen-food tip. It's horrible. And then, D-nut was born and lack of time and energy put us on that tip for a lllllong time. Just think: I didn't have sinigang for 4 months. And I was okay with that.

And then, finally, all that watching the Food Network got to me. And now, all I want to do is cook. FINALLY. I find myself thinking about what I want to cook several times a day. I know what I'm going to be cooking for all of next week.

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The Lazarus Effect

I took a huge interest in HIV and AIDS in my third year of university. I took a Sociology and AIDS course and learned so much about the disease and the stigma around it, and it seems, I was forever changed. At first, I decided to take the course because I thought it was a good mix for the three fields I was studying -- Sociology, Biology and Zoology. It turned out to be more than that.

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Prenatal fitness

With the snow on the ground now, I've closed my prenatal running for this pregnancy. Although I didn't get to do it as often as I initially intended, it was quite an experience. When I started, it was pretty easy, but over the past month, I found it increasingly challenging. The extra weight on my knees wasn't easily welcomed and so I had to taper it off. I never did run a long distance; the goal was to incorporate cardio into my regime, not to achieve longer and longer distances, as I'm accustomed to. I have to admit though, that it was so tempting to tack on a bit more each time. I know next time I'm pregnant, if it happens to be the right time of year, I'd like to participate in at least a 5k. I know I'm capable.

Now though, I've got more time to do more prenatal yoga. It's a bit different from regular yoga in that there are a lot more easy asanas, more meditation, more stretches and more focus on breathing. Perhaps the biggest difference, though, is the emphasis on getting in touch with the baby. My favourite asana is sukhasana, with one hand over my heart and the other over my belly. I admit, the first time I did it, I cried. It's such a nice pose, and of course, quite easy.

The baby really likes exercise. Nearly every time, when I'm done, there's a LOT of movement. I guess it's entertaining from the inside. Maybe it's like being inside a working machine or something.

Katrina + 6

No no, not 6 kids, 6 POUNDS.

Yes, the weight gain has begun, Friends. The last time I was weighed was in September and I had only gained 1 pound since first being weighed after it was confirmed I was pregnant. This was toward the end of my first trimester.

Yesterday, I went to the doctor and got weighed again and lo and behold, I’ve gained 6 pounds! WOOHOO!!!! I’m ALMOST at three-digit weight, which I’m quite excited about since I’ve never been a three-digit weight, something I’ll probably only achieve with pregnancy.

Now that I’m in my second trimester, I’m enjoying myself. Morning sickness has subsided (can I get an ALLELUIA?!?!), cravings are settling in and I’m feeling good. I’m working towards gaining more weight, but of course, all healthy weight.

Now that I’m spending time in the washroom to pee most of the time rather than toss my cookies, it’s certainly helping. I’ve forgotten what it’s like to “get sick” and it’s a really nice thing. Seriously. I got to a point where I thought I’d never feel normal again and I was drowning so badly in self-pity, God was probably laughing at me while I begged him for mercy because the picture was probably hilarious. But you know, I did ask Him for this and I knew that there must be something really good coming that’d make me forget because women all over the world, for years and years, have been having more than one child, WILLINGLY. I kept that in mind…most of the time.

And now, here I am. I have a lot more energy and so I’ve gone back to cooking (I think I’m starting to develop secret powers in the kitchen or something because I’m learning to break apart dishes and make them from scratch or imagine a taste and turn it into dinner! ALRIIIIIGHT!!! My husband’s very happy about this BTW), back to cleaning (my husband is glad that this can be split again and my house is pleased with me), and well, back to doing stuff! I can go out more, which is nice, because staying in because I wasn’t feeling well wasn’t really fun.

I’m also becoming more active, walking more and beginning to run again. Slowly but surely, that’s the key. It’s quite a challenge to force myself to pace myself because much of my usual running was push, push, push. I’m happy to be back to pounding the pavement though. Scratch that. I’m ECSTATIC to be back. AND, just in time for my favourite time of year to run (provided the rain steps aside). I have to say though, I look pretty ridiculous in my running getup. Thank God for 4-way stretch!! (I’m not big enough yet to fit in my maternity active-wear.)

Now, after all that hard work, Momma’s HUNGRY, and well, even when there is no hard work (haha). Everyone’s been asking what I’ve been craving and really, my cravings can be summed up in one word (repeated): KARE KARE (find out what it is here. Note: I don’t do tripe). I cannot seem to get enough of the stuff. When I fill up on it, I think I’m done, but after around 12 hours, I’m thinking about it again. My intake of bagoong has also increased, and I’ve even been finding myself eating it with rice after all the meat and veggies are gone and all that’s left is sauce. I’m crazy.

I’ve been having other frequent but less intense cravings too. One is Pandesal. I love it anyway, but I’ve been finding that one bag is not enough. I think I either need to make really good friends with the people at the local Filipino bakery or perfect the recipe myself (I tried once and FAILED). Another is Smartfood (OMG I love Wikipedia)...and er, well, snacks with processed powdered cheese in general. There was one day I ate a whole bag of Smartfood by myself in about 10 minutes…and then I ate a bag of Cheetos. I had to ask my husband to eat some Cheetos with me so I wouldn’t feel so horrible about eating so much junk. But really, Smartfood does it for me (I’m eating some right now).

Okay wait, I should also mention that for the most part, I'm eating quite well still. I think I've got a more balanced diet now (only I've also incorporated Smartfood haha!!) than before I was pregnant.

Anyway, Life is good.

The Quest

The aim was to go to a number of locations and load up on scoops.

The Plan
Leave work on time (4:30PM) and make my way to first location, get scoop(s), finish on the way to second location, get scoop(s), finish on the way to third location, get scoop(s), finish on the way home, go about business, go to other locations, etc...

Locations:

1. Church & Wellesley
2. Yonge & Dundas
3. Eaton Centre
4. Bayview & York Mills
   
5. Scarborough Town Centre
6. Sandhurst & Finch

Yes, I was serious about this. I knew I wouldn't get to make all, but it was worth a try. We had a few other things to do after work ("a few" is actually an understatement, but whatever), so this was a very hectic night.

What actually happened:
I didn't leave work on time. In fact, I left way after 5PM so I figured I'd just go to the different locations and see what the lines were like.

Location #1: Lined up, thought about it for 5 minutes and walked out of the line.


Location #3: Walked AROUND the line and went up the escalator (the line stretched all the way around to the food court. Screw that!)


I was quite sad -- this was 0 for 3.

So then we left and headed to do our other business, hung out at my in-laws' for a bit and then decided to try again. It was around 8:30PM by then.

Location #6: Parking lot chaos and a line that went around the corner, full of hormone-rotten, full of teen-angst, hungry kids. Oh boy, not going there. Then we also decided location #5 wouldn't be a good idea either. I later learned from my parents that the line went all the way to the escalator, so it wouldn't have worked anyway.


Location #4: The line wasn't too bad, it was almost quitting time and we stayed in line for this one.

After a few minutes of standing in line, the manager came outside and said that 31c scoop night was coming to an end. I wanted to DIE. I'd been thinking about this for a month and I wasn't going to not get ice cream! WAAAH!! But then he said that everyone already in line would get their ice cream and that he needed us to help them out by letting any additional customers know that they weren't taking anymore people. Hey, fine by me!

SO CLOSE!!!


My two scoops: Butter Almond Crunch (the last time I had a flavour other than JAF, I was probably 7 years old) & of course, Jamoca Almond Fudge


GREAT SUCCESS!

I don't know if I've ever multi-scooped before, so this was even better than a usual visit. Plus, I got a bag of popcorn for $1.

Just a reminder...