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May 7, 2013

One Hot Mama Challenge - Month 1, Week 1

Our first run with Stroller Strides!
So tracking weekly may have been a bit ambitious... but here it (finally) is...

Wow - where to start? So in the book, each week has a theme, but covers a variety of topics. Since this is meant to be read a week at a time, its helpful to keep being reminded of all the balls that are up in the air, and the nuances that emerge as you move through this fourth trimester.

So the themes for Month 1 are
Week 1: Putting yourself first.
Week 2: Money talks
Week 3: No Comparison
Week 4: New Normalcy

Putting yourself first covers a lot of aspects. I have already mentioned that I am also a fan of The Baby Whisperer, and I love her E.A.S.Y. plan that let's me know that I do get some me (You) time in the day. Granted, I tend to use this time to udpate the family blog and get things done around the house (there is always so much laundry - and sorting out the Pregnancy Disability and daycare paperwork! ... and somehow dishes and grocery shopping has slipped into my day, too... who did these things when I was at work before?), but I am also committing now to doing at least something to nourish ME during these breaks. I like working on this blog (and our family blog), so that counts. As does taking a shower, and getting a workout in, or going to a mommy group. I was actually scheduling in these activities and looking forward to them long before my maternity leave - and I am having so much fun with them, I am already sad about having to give them up when I return to work. To be honest, my biggest challenge will be to keep all these elements incorporated into my life when I DO return to work!
trail running with Stroller Strides!

I have started slipping in a milestone I was pretty proud of: daily showers!! Pretty much by my daughter's second week home, I had gotten into a grove of showering and getting dressed, so I didn't look like a schlub when I dropped off my son at daycare. I know they don't really care what I look like - and that they probably expected to see me in pajamas, but it was probably the most public I'd be all day, so it was a good goal. And if I didn't do it then, I wouldn't do it at all. But once I got the go ahead at my six week visit, I started going to a Stroller Strides class MWF. It was at 9:30, so I wasn't going to shower before the class. I put on my workout clothes (luckily they are stretchy - so they still fit) and took M on into school. And since I did shower after class (usually sometime around lunch), I didn't feel like I needed another shower the next morning...
So, here I am at the end of my 10-week Plum District deal for Stroller Strides, so I am free again to shower as I please. And I'd better get to it, since the countdown for my return to work is getting low. I decided I still need a motivator to keep exercising, so I downloaded a free 'Couch to 5k' app (my completed workouts are going out on twitter!!), and started day one (in the afternoon of the hottest day of the year so far!!). Even though I only had to run for 60 seconds at a time, it felt great!! And its so refreshing to have it feel great. So today I got up when my husband did, and showered and dressed and put on makeup (I still can't bring myself to 'do' my hair... it's been 3 months... I hope I haven't forgotten what little I know about it...)
meal planning - sharing with the toddler!

Another way I can take care of myself is eating well. So I took Erin's advice and finally pitched my security stash of Christmas/Halloween/Valentines/Easter candy (really it was M's and we were hiding it from him... but it was easy to break into at a time of weakness.
I have also been trying to keep making healthy meals for the family. Click the 'recipe' keyword on the side of the blog to our weekly recipes. I have been meal planning for years (I really don't remember NOT doing this... how else do I know what to get at the grocery store? And I refuse to do more than one trip per week...)

Also, I've already had to go solo with both kiddos twice this month... which has really reinforced the need to keep up with our routines.



Giveaway! Answer the question below for a chance to win your own copy of Erin Cox's Book One Hot Mama!

***Question: How do make time for yourself? And what do you do with this special time? ***

Find the other One Hot Mama posts here.



j







2 comments:

  1. No chores past 8 p.m.! Though, honestly, I don't always succeed at this. But the kids go to bed at 8, so I try to leave those last couple of hours of the day for myself to relax with a bath, good book, writing, or watching TV shows that make me laugh or inspire me with the talent they showcase.

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  2. I committed time to take the workout classes at work. Since hubby picks up the babe those days I have no excuse!!

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