Back on it maybe?

So I've just worked out i've been back on weight watchers 6 wks now and I've lost a total of 4.5lbs. To be fair to me until the week before last I was only really playing at it so I was very excited last week to have lost 4.5lbs in one week. But this week has all gone to pot, I think I'll be lucky if I don't gain.

 I was good on Saturday then Sunday it went downhill mainly because I had to bake a cake for my cousins birthday I was very proud of how it turned out.

As am no longer preggers I found my self licking the spoon of raw mix ( I know but this has been one of my fav things to do since I was little) I also was finding my self eating the yummy Betty Crocker icing too.

Monday we had a family BBQ though the food choose wasn't terrible until the pudding which of course consisted of my chocolate cake and of course I had to have some of it.

The rest of the week was ok until Thursday when after a nice long walk I went for cake. Friday was just as bad as hubby wanted to pop down the pub so cider it was for me.

Longshot is I've used all my weeklys all my activity points and then some.

Why oh why is it so much harder the 2nd time around? Will I ever fit back into he Levi's ?

Books I’ve read

I think if I actually wrote a list of all the books I've ever read I would be here for years.

Even though I have mild dyslexia thanks to my mum I have always been a big book reader. As a kid I remember have the whole collection of the Roald Dahl books my favorite stories were Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda. I do wish I'd kept hold of these bit no doubt I will be reading them to my son at some point in my life

As a young adult mum got me into Harry Potter and once I had read one I had to read the rest, lucky for me I had a few to keep my occupied so waiting for the 4th one wasn't that bad but as some o you know waiting for the last 3 was hell. These are one of the full sets of books I own. Of course me and mum were like children mega excited when we heard they were making them all into films and made sure we always saw them within a day of release. I differently think these will be one set of books that I will pass down to my son and read them to him when he's a bit older.

My 2nd favourite set of books I own are the Shopaholic series, maybe as the remind me of me somewhat though I'm not as bad as Becky I don't have an emergancy credit card in a block of ice in the freezer! 

My 3rd and last set of book I own are the I heart series. These are written in a similar way as the Shopaholic set and just crack me up. Like the others I like sets that have one main charter that you can follow on their ups and downs. Maybe what I liked 1st about this book was it was about a young girl who discovered her boyfriend was cheating on her so she packed her bags and moved to NewYork.

Since 2011 I have owed a Kindle one of the best things I have brought, mainly because when I used to travel to work and back everyday on the bus I used to use that time to loose myself in a good book. I find less and less time now to read books for myself, of course I am reading to my son though I don't do it as often as I should but as he gets older I differently want to make a book part of his bed time routine.

So what books have you read do you have a favourite?

Places you have been & Places you want to go

Well this may be quite a list. I have been very lucky in my life to have been to many lovely places. 

So as a kid some of the places I can remember going are:

Florida at least twice
Spain many a time
Luxembourg
Paris
France
Caribbean - various islands

When I 1st meet my husband I decided to start a holiday Journal, so that I could keep a track of where we went:

Brussels  This was mine and Hubby's 1st holiday together, loved the city

Paris - Was nice going to what is said to be the most romantic place with a boyfriend rather than a school trip

Spain - Hubby and I have doen various trips to spain over the years, I was fortunate enough to have parents who had an apartment in the costa del sol.

Fuerteventura This was our 1st proper holiday away somewhere that wasn't spain, I really liked it though a tad windy and slightly wet thought we did go in January

Dublin I went on a hen do, have to say I would never return.

Oz  If you read my recent post you will know that I got married in Oz and honeymooned there too. After our wedding we flew back to Brisbane hired a camper van and drove to Sydney. I loved Sydney so much so we seriously talked about moving there permitantly 

New York  we were lucky as the same year we got married we also went to New York for New Year. One thing I can say was it was Bloody cold! I don't think i've been so cold in all my life! But I am so glad i went and experienced new Years eve in New York! I have to say this should be on everyones bucket list! We now planning to go back next year and take the little man.

Caribbean Cruise  Must have been a thing after OZ and New york that we needed something amazing to look forward to and to top new year in New York so how else to top it but spend 2 weeks sailing around the Caribbean on a cruise ship. My fav islands had to have been Antigue, Bonaire & Barbados. I would deco recommend a cruise to anyone, their not just for old people!

Mexico  I think Mexico was one of my most fav holidays, not only was it super relaxing we  did nothing for 2 weeks but also for me it was my 1st proper holiday aboard with hubby after I lost all my weight. We decided while we were there to have some professional photo's taken.

Brugges I loved here such a lovely romantic place, I would so go back again

Parga Greece Is a lovely little village on mainland Greece. Not sure I would go there again but would go to Greece again

Tenerife  This was our final holiday before becoming parents, at the time I was 25 weeks pregnant with J. Lovely holiday though as normal due to timings we did slightly choose the wrong time of the year, wasn't quite hot enough to go swimming.

Well after that list you might ask well there can't be anywhere left I want to go, well plant earth is a very large place and there are plenty of places I want to go but top of that list has to be:

• Rome
• Maldives
• Los Vegas
• Miami
• Hawaii

How about you where would you love to go?

The biggest thing I am grateful for

The biggest person I am grateful to is  Robert G. Edwards  and his development of IVF 

Without this pioneering science I wouldn't have my son.

Chris and I actually ended up having ICSI which entails slightly more at the fertilisation process than IVF but the majority is the same.

I would never wish IVF on anyone, It was one of the worse experiences of my life but ended up with the best possible result.

I so feel of anyone who has been through it or is going through it, it truly is a roller coaster of emotions! And god know how anyone goes through it more than once, those ladies and partners I highly commend!

People who have influenced or inspired you

Well this is a tricky one really I suppose I am quite easy to be influenced when I want to be, always happy for an easy life, but I suppose over the years people have influenced me to do things

So number 1 would be an ex influenced me to stay in the UK and not go an work aboard

My mum influenced me to to join her company some of the best and worse years of my life

A lovely lady called Hannah inspired me to want to get on and loss weight. I can honestly say without her I wouldn't have lost all the weight I did

40 Lists to Write to Lift Your Spirits

I love reading other peoples blogs and getting ideas for things I can put on my own blog, another favorite blog of mine is http://redheadbabyled.com I follow her on twitter, she recently borrowed a part post the following from http://demandingjoy.com/?p=1027

So I decided to do the same though I have taken 10 of the list, plan now is to write the list.

1. People who have influenced or inspired you
2. Things you are grateful for
3. Places you have been & Places you want to go
4. Books you’ve read
5. Your favorite things – what brings you joy?
6. The best things that happened in the last year
7. The best days of your life.
8. The songs for the soundtrack of your life
9. Acts of kindness you’ve committed
10. Things you want your children to know about you
11. Reasons why you love your significant other
12. The high points for your autobiography
13. People who love you
14. The cutest things your kids ever said
15. Everything you would do if money were no object
16. Favorite gifts you’ve ever received 
17. Favorite gifts you’ve ever given
18. Occupations that you have ever wanted to have (including when you were a child)
19. The best advice you’ve gotten & The worst advice you’ve gotten.
20. Ways you calm yourself down when you’re angry.
21. The best ideas you’ve ever had
22. The best projects or organizations you’ve ever been involved with
23. The ways you have grown since your early 20’s
24. The most beautiful things you’ve ever seen
25. The greatest lessons you have learned
26. Life’s lessons that you learned the hard way
27. Things that have made you laugh until you cried
28. Foods that you have eaten that are so good that others could hear you enjoying them
29. Things that inspire and energize you
30. The places where you feel completely comfortable to be yourself
31. The most important turning points in your life
32. Times when you looked and felt your absolute best
33. The things you’re good at
34. What you would do with the power of invisibility
35. Things you want to teach your children
36. Things you still want to do in life
37. Bits of trivia that most people don’t know about you
38. Accomplishments you are most proud of
39. The things you love about your home
40. Who (living or dead) you would invite to your dream dinner party

Little one 2 months old already!

Wow can't believe j is 2 months old already! Really where has that time gone? He's already changed so much in that time he's such a little character already complete pickle but I love him with all my heart.

We are very blessed that he's such a brilliant little boy. He has moments when he cries and cries but we know then there must be something up. He's had jordas, colic and reflux all quite mildly but has taken it all in his stride.

Somehow things have just fallen into place it's like I was always meant to be a mum. That might be a strange thing to say but one of my biggest fears was not being able to cope when he came or that I wouldn't love him. 

Feeding has got into a 4 hour routine and has been since about week 3. The sleep pattern has been getting better over the last week or so. Now the majority of time J has been going through the night he has his last feed about 7pm before he then goes to sleep this can be anytime up to 8:30 pm we have been trying to put him up to bed to settle him self which does work if he has his dummy. I've never been one to wake a sleeping baby though I do kidda of during the day if gone past his normal fed time though I don't wake him for a dream fed at 10pm. He then has been sleeping through to about 6-7am. How long this will last i don't know

It's such an amazing feeling being a mum I never quite understood it until now. I've waited 1/2 my life for him and it feels like he's always been here.

It's weird to think in 4 days a year ago we started down the whole IVF process. I was never quite sure of what to expect from it I just took each step as it came and now I have this. I do feel so so lucky to have had the ivf work 1st time as I know that's not the norm but I am so thankful it did as I'm not sure what I would have done if it hadn't worked. Not only am I not sure I could have gone through the whole process again but I'm not sure I could have coped at work you see not only has one of my colleagues had a baby 14wks before I had James but my boss is due in October. But now what an amazing thing that is, we have a nursery at work and are all due to go back about the same time, so it might mean the 3 children we attending nursery together.

Happy Anniversary to my gorgeous husband

Wow can't believe today I have ben married 5 whole years! where has that time gone and how my life has changed so much in that time. I started 2 new jobs (at same company) moved 3 times and of course had a baby!

To mark this day I thought I tell you about our wedding day. As you may have read before we got married in Oz on a little island called Hamilton up in the Whitsundays.

Un-covenantally I woke up on my wedding day next to the man I was going to marry. We had breakfast together before pottering around for the morning which was lovely. We then went our separate ways, I went and had my hair done while Chris went and got ready with his family

Chris cousin Val came and met me at the hairdressers and then we went back to the hotel to get ready. She was my surrogate mum for the day. Though I do really wish now my mum had been there with me.

Once dressed Val and I had some pictures taken before then being taken down to the beech. We got married on a private beech at Qualia which meant that there was only the wedding party there which was me & Chris, his mum, his Aunt Rosemary & uncle Derek and cousin Val. I walked down the sand aisle to Jack Johnson better together http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhB_nvYOK4k

We had been allowed to choose most of our wedding vows and poems. I do remember parts of it but most was a bit like a dream. When choosing our wedding rings Chris wanted to make sure we had matching rings, originally I thought this might be impossible as I just wanted a plan very simple band to sit with my gorgeous engagement ring of a pink sapphire and 2 diamonds. After lots of searching we just happened to end up in Tiffany's was more to find me a new necklace for the wedding but Chris happened to find the rings he'd been looking for! 

After the ceremony we had lots of lovely photos taken. It's weird looking back on these now as i've lost so much weight. Have a peak at: http://www.progalleries.com.au/en/Album/Cover.asp?A=1258933
Below is just a couple of my fav's

After the photo's  we rejoining the family for a cocktail or 2 before dinner at the amazing Beach House dinner in a restaurant, this has now become Coca Chu. On arrival we were greeted by an amazing looking cake from Chris Mum, which tasted fantastic too and a couple of bottle of champaign from my parents.

After the amazing meal we returned to our hotel to discover that they had decorated our bathroom. 

It was such a perfect day and made special by everyone who was there and those who weren't!

So to my amazing Husband thank you for making the the happiest women 5 years ago and saying I do! You are not only my best friend, lover but also the most amazing father and husband. 

With you my life is complete! 

I love you to the moon and back and then soon. 

All my love always and forever x

Wow where has the last 7 weeks gone

Can't believe Little J is now 7 weeks old! seriously where has that time gone?

Finally I'm back driving which is great, though to be honest I was driving at just before 5 weeks mainly because I had too but I only did it twice. The next week I drove a few times.

I feel now almost fully recovered from my c section, it no longer hurts and has healed well. I was very lucky having the support I had for the 1st 6 weeks. Hubby was at home the 1st 2 weeks and then my mum came over nearly every other day during the week for the final 4 weeks, which was lovely! She'll probably agree with this (though sorry mum if your reading this and don't) we've not always got on and used to really clash. When I was about 18 I went to worked for her in the family business, thats a whole other story I won't bore you with that, but during that time I never really felt that close to her, yes she was my mum and we both loved each other but I felt we never had that full mother daughter bond. I think that came probably over the last 5 years and even more so in the last year or so with me going through IVF and then the pregnancy and of course now motherhood! I really love spending time with her and seeing her interaction with little J. I love my relationship I now have with my mum.

For me I think taking it easy has really helped my recovery, though my definition of taking it easy it probably not what it should be as I'm not one for sitting on my arse all day doing nothing. Though I've not carried anything more heavy than J. I've been trying to do some walking most days even if it was only a little bit, over the last couple of weeks this has been coming easier and easier and I'm slowly beginning to feel like my old self again though my fitness level is no where near where it used to be. Although I'm very eager to get fit again, which I know will also help with my weight loss, I am suffering with post pregnancy back problems and still seeing the NHS physio. I am taking her advice and taking things slowly. I need to get my muscles in my lower back and round my bump stronger and able to keep my pelvis in place then I can then up my exercise.

Little J is changing every day and I can differently see more a personality now. He's also really starting to focus on me more and smile which just melts my heart. Make him waking me up at 4am bearable. I differently a person who loves my sleep and can get very grumpy but what i've found is he's very much like his father can make my sadness and gumminess disappear.

For me I much prefer taking him out and going to organised groups than staying at home. Although I work within early years at the local council I don't spend anytime really with children and I can't say I'm a natural and entertaining them maybe because I can easily get bored but also I find at home there is always something else to do. I am keeping a post about the groups I go to and I do need to get into a routine. So far Tuesdays we go to Rhyme time at the local library for 30 minutes, Wednesdays we go and meet with our NCT gang. Come September on a friday we will be going to water babies then seeing my mum.

Week 2

Here's my dinner menu for the week
Saturday - burgers & wedges
Sunday - beef stroganoff (10pt)
Monday - tuna new pot & veg (8pt)
Tuesday - butternut squash & sausage salad
Wednesday - chicken paella (13pt)
Thursday - spag bowl (11pt)
Friday - pizza

Week starting kidda ok weekend wasn't too bad bar the wine. Sunday in Portsmouth I choose a healthy salad with at Prezzo's though I am aware that salads can end up being worse but it was from their lighter range.

Tuesday turned out to be a badish day I lost track of time in town and soon it was past my lunch time ended up having a low fat smoothie from a juice bar and a porridge bar.

I planned well for Wednesday for my NCT catch up as I took a salad with me as we normally meet in the park but to be frank the weather looked dreadful and we ended up on carloccuos I choose eggs florentine not sure if it was wise choice

Thursday was another weird day as I had hygienist appointment at 10:30 then physio at 12 then dentist at 1:45 so I ended up in asda trying to be sensible I decided to revisit a lunch choice from about 10 years ago and go down the slim fast option. I know I know not the best option especially coming from an ex weight watcher leader but I seriously can't think of any other way.  Half the time I don't know if I'm coming or going and end up just grabbing something quick, I know I can make a salad the night before but don't always know what I'll end up doing and don't want to waste money buying food that I end up throwing away.

Next week also is going to be another mad week.

So how did I get on? well I stayed the same can't really moan I know I need to track so will get that sorted tomorrow/monday