Reminiscing...

I have been thinking a lot lately about Mason's first Christmas.  Sometimes I forget, or block out, our time in the NICU.  That was a difficult time, but seriously it is hard for me to recall just how difficult it was.  All of the driving (30 minutes each way at least twice a day), the tubes, the monitors, the alarms, the heel pricks, the blood transfusion, the infection scares, etc.  Just being away from MY baby for 2.5 months...sleeping in seperate cities.

Obviously,  that would be hard ANY time of the year, but Mason was born 2 days before Thanksgiving...so we spent the major holidays and family time sitting by his bed-side in the NICU.  We tried to go on with family/work Christmas parties as if we were not completely exhausted and emotionally drained.  We opened gifts and I managed to put a fake smile on my face.  I was getting only a few hours of sleep a night since I woke up every couple of hours...I had to make sure Mason was fed with the good stuff.  Just everything about that first Christmas was so wrong.  We had one decoration that year...Brady got it at his work white Elephant Christmas. It was a Nutcracker with the year "2008" printed on it.  Funny how some silly little Nutcracker that was supposed to be a funny/gag gift is now treasured in our house as we put it out each year.  It is a reminder!!

Anyway, enough feeling sad about our time in NICU or that first Christmas without Mason being home.  Sometimes I think it is important to reflect on that time and realize how blessed we are and how much our little boy has gone through.

God is good!  Amen!

Oh Christmas Tree...and other fun

We finally put up our Christmas tree last night!  The plan was to do it on Mason's birthday, the 25th of November, but we were too sick to care.  I was excited this year because it is the first year that Mason is really in to all the Christmas stuff.  I put up the tree...put on the lights...and made plans to have Mason decorate the bottom half.  He put the first ornament on with much excitement.  The next 4-5 he tried fell to the ground and he gave up at that point.  He was still excited for me to decorate though!!

 Putting on the first ornament

 Lightning the elf sure is a crazy little guy...you just never know what he will be up to when we wake up in the morning.  Last night he decided to make a zip line from the upstairs down to the tree.  How silly!!

 Riding a dinosaur...Mason thought this was HILARIOUS!

 We went to the Gaylord Texan yesterday with my parents and family.  This is becoming a tradition it seems.  We meet for brunch at one of the restraunts and then walk around and enjoy the sites.  We even attend the ICE show.  This year was Shrek themed.  It really is amazing that it is all made of ice.  Mason was not a fan last year, but had a super fun time this year.  He even went down the slide...and got stuck.  I knew it would be a disaster and he'd get upset but no, after scooting down on his bottom he got up and said "I wanna do that AGAIN!"  ha.

 The boy cousins...buds!

 At brunch...these guys came and sang "Rudolph" to Mason.

 Cousins

 Looking at trains...one of his favorite things to do!

 Mason went and stayed the night with Grandma on Friday night.  When he got home Saturday we had a SUPER lazy day and stayed in our PJ's.  Lightning the Elf had written Mason a note saying that had heard he was a good boy at Grandma's house.  We watched movies, did crafts and just snuggled all day!

Lightning the Elf

So, I fell into the Elf on a Shelf trap...I admit it.  Here is the deal for me though, it is a reminder of MY childhood.  I know it is WAY more commercialized now, but when I was growing up my Nanny had elves (that looked JUST like the ones now) that would hide in her house and leave us little gifts of candy and books before Christmas.  She was ahead of her time I guess...she could have made millions if we had only known to patent the idea and create a cute little name to put on a box!!!

Anyway, we have started the tradition this year to have "Lightning The Elf"  in our home every Christmas.  Yes, the idea is to have him report to Santa every night, BUT I think the most fun is just looking for him each morning.  A fun little game for Mason to play when he wakes up. 

We started this on Tuesday night since we were all too sick after Thanksgiving.  After nixing the names "mommy", "T-rex" and "iahobgouabgoueavfgbaoiuvgfai" we settled on Lightning (taking off the Original "McQeen" last name ;) )

Lightning is a silly elf and Mason is not quite sure of him just yet.  We are just having fun with him so far and not emphasizing the threat of bad behavior meaning a dissapointing trip to see Santa.  I think that might be too much for Mason to handle.  And we all know that a fit here and there is perfectly normal AND that Santa will still visit for those that do the whole Santa thing.  So, he'll just be a fun game for us this year.

Here is Lightning on his first couple of hide-outs:

And of course...more important than any elf or Santa or gifts or anything else this holiday season...the TRUE meaning of Christmas.  Baby Jesus.

Tis the season...

To be WAY behind on my blog.  :)

I was last here before I went on my cruise...IN SEPTEMBER.  December starts this week.  My oh my where have the days, weeks and months gone?  It's gone something like this...

September:
Cruise to the Bahama's for our 5 year wedding anniversary

October brought Pumpkin Patches, State Fair of Texas visits, Halloween parties, Trick or treating, family gatherings, etc.

November was our 5th anniversary, my birthday celebrating, mini-vacation, a big 3 year olds birthday and cowboy party, Thanksgiving traditions and more parties, and a ride on the North Pole Express.  And the sickies...I am so over being sick in our household.

So, looks like I have some catching up to do, but I probably won't.  That would be like 15 seperate blogs...so here are a few pictures from some of our events.  Hopefully I can remember to blog more throughout the Christmas holiday.  It is such a magical time of the year!

SEPTEMBER:

Atlantis Resort- Bahamas

Such a beautiful island!

On the cruise ship before dinner one night

Freeport, Bahamas...we did some kayaking and some snorkeling.  The storm coming is was crazy!

OCTOBER:

Field Trip with Mason's school to the pumpkin patch

State Fair of Texas

Little Hands on the Farm at the State Fair

Halloween party at school- my cowboy

Just playing dress-up after trick-or-treating

Graham Family gathering in Grapevine- Mason and the balloon artist

NOVEMBER:

Mini-vacation- Fossil Rim Wildlife Reserve...feeding the deer out of the car

Scenic view in the middle of the drive at Fossil Rim- Glenrose, TX

Dinosaur World- Glenrose...Mason suddenly LOVES dinosaurs

Dinosaur World museum

Thanksgiving party at school

Friends at Mason's cowboy birthday party

My birthday cowboy

Family photo at Mason's birthday party

Mason and Cowboy Pappy...my dad is crazy sometimes!

Gifts from mommy and daddy for a big 3 year old

Making an ornament before riding the North Pole Express

Mason and Frosty

On the train ride...Mason and Santa Clause

Week 11- Update

I missed week ten...I just forgot to update, but there was NOTHING to report anyway.  No weight loss, no weight gain, not much working out and nothing exciting on the food front.  Plus, I have just been too busy to think about it.

So...eleven weeks...eleven and a half pounds lost.  Still averaging right at 1lb. a week so I guess I can't complain.  It is just going slow...verrrrryyyy slow.  I hit a plateau around 9 pounds and it has been so tough to get over the hump.  At lest my goal is now in the single digits...8.5 to go until I reach 20 pound mark...I can do it.  I will just set a new goal date!  ha.

This week I go get blood work done so lots of salad and oatmeal and fish this week.  :)  Plus lots of working out.  I want to be down another pound or so when I go back to the doctor on the 25th.

Week Nine- Blah.

The title says it all.  Sometimes eating what I want wins out.  So, that is about it for this week.  HA.

I did not track ONE BITE this week.  I ate as I wished, not thinking about the consequences.  I had some good eats as well, but not consistently.
Sidenote: I do have to say that my eating as I want is different than it was 9 weeks ago.  I still skip the sweets and chips and such for the most part.  And I do think my portions are smaller even when I do splurge.

I worked my cardio twice this week, I did 2 personal training sessions, and I swam one evening.

I lost zero, but I gained zero.  That is a win for me because I figured I did gain.  :)

Anyway, this week is BUSY BUSY BUSY.  hoping that I don't turn to fast food instead of cooking as a result.  This weekend we will be with many friends that are NOT in to losing weight...there will be LOTS of cookies, desserts, chips, dips etc ALL. WEEKEND.  My goal is to BE STRONG!!  :)

Week Eight- Double Digits

It has been 8 weeks since I started my weight loss and healthy eating journey and I finally lost into the double digits!!  I am at 10.5 pounds lost now...9.5 pounds to go.

Food:
Eating has been fine minus a couple of meals out.  Even then I didnt go too crazy, but I enjoyed myself.  I take that back...the chips and queso at Fuzzy's Taco Shop was a little crazy!  ha.  I made a commitment to cook at home all last week (week days) and I did.  It is nice to know what is actually in my food.

Workout:
I worked out 7 times last week...4 Jazzercise sessions, 2 personal training sessions, and a swim in my parents pool.  I actually feel stronger and less out of breath!!

Goals:
My goal this week is to just keep doing what I am doing...cooking at home, working out, recording my food intake, staying positive.  I have felt a little discouraged at times because I am not losing as fast as I would like to.  BUT, I need to keep reminding myself that at least I AM losing.  That number IS going down on the scale slowly but surely.  I may not be down 20 pounds by the time I go to the doctor in a month, BUT I will get there.  I will!!

Side Note:
I will be taking a short break from all of this for about a week in the near future, but after seeing the doctor.  My husband and I are going on a cruise and I am sorry but I will be eating a dessert here and there AND I will be eating pizza at midnight AND I will indulge on steak and lobster and who knows what else!!!  :)  I did plan some excursions where we will be kayaking, swimming and walking a lot.  I might even use the workout room on the ship, but that is highly unlikely.  ha

Week Seven- Birthday Outings

Week Seven-

This update will be short because I don't have much to report.  I tracked my food this week, but that did not keep me from eating too much.  You see, it was birthday week for my husband and my brother.  This included meals out and no self control apparently.  So, I didn't do awesome on my eating this passed weekend. 

Workout was a bit better. I started a personal training session last week.  Um, wow I was sore.  It was much tougher than I expected.  I am trying to make 4 group cardio classes this week plus my 2 PT sessions.  Gotta kick the workout up a notch!! 

I officially only have 35 days left before I head back to the doctor....that is 5 weeks if I am doing my math correctly.  I was hoping to be down 20 pounds and I really dont think that will happen, so I am just going to see how close I can get.  I lost a big fat ZERO this week.  Still holding at 9 pounds lost.  Maybe I can at least reach 15 lost by then??  I know I can, if I just get back on track.

Hoping to have a good report next week!! 

Fun Family Day

We both took the day off to do something fun with Mason.  We went to the Children's Aquarium and Children's museum at Fair Park.  We had a fabulous time, mostly.  Mason did get scared in the dark part of the aquarium...the deep sea fish.  He also was not a fan of the HUGE mechanical real looking dinosaur at the museum that "ROARED".  It was a little much for me too!  He did have a great time a majority of the time, though.  I want to start doing trips like this more often with him.  It is so fun to see him experience new things.

By the way...I was a little disappointed in the Children's Aquarium.  Maybe from a kids perspective it is really cool, but from mine I thought it was very small, a lot of the aquariums said "Coming Soon" with whatever fish, and there was not as many interactive things I thought there would be.  But we made the best of it and at least Mason was FREE.