My week

Last Sunday started with me begin ill early in the morning. There's a stomach thing going around work and I think I got it. I thought I would be well enough to go to work the next day or at least half a day so that I could do update the reports. Monday morning I sent an email to my boss stating I wouldn't come in. I must have needed the rest because I slept most of the day. I got out of bed in just enough time for Michael to come home and pick me up for Ben's 15-month checkup.

Ben's checkup went well. The doctor's only concern was that because Ben was delayed in crawling and walking we should still keep tabs on his physical development.I was concerned about his weight, I thought he was too little; but, because he jumped from the 25th to the 35th percentile for weight I'm going to guess he's not missing any meals. He got 3 shots -- 2 immunizations and a flu shot. Although he cried with the shots he wasn't as grumpy as I would expect him to be. I gave him Tylenol twice (before the shot and when I picked him up from daycare).

I finally did the yearly performance appraisal with my boss. It went as well as they go.

Today wasn't my typical Saturday. Michael didn't want to weigh-in today and because Ben was still sleeping I went by myself. I'm down 1.2 lbs (27.8 lbs. in all) and only 1 lb away from goal. I think I can make it next week even with Thanksgiving. We are going to my parents and many of the dishes we won't be able to eat because they have meat in them. On the way home, I stopped for a cappucino. When I got home, Michael and Ben were just waking. I fed Ben while Michael took a shower. We went out for breakfast.

What was different about today is usually, because Saturday is Micheal's day with Ben, I spend more time by myself -- running errands, going to the gym, and walking around the mall. Today we spent all day together. I need more clothes because my old clothes don't fit; I wore a pair of pants Wednesday where the crotch was almost to my knees. Right after breakfast we went to the mall. We walked around for a couple of hours. I went to the Apple store to look at the iPod video (suh-weet) and the Powerbook. Benetton is having a sale on suits so I bought a black tweed pants suit. We went to the Lego store and bought Ben his first set of Lego's. Then we came home and took a nap (the whole family). We woke up and went out to dinner then to Target to get some bins for Ben's blocks. Michael took a look at the XBox 360, which I would like to get him but 1) they're already sold out and 2) he doesn't have time to play with it. Then we came home and played with Ben, fed him, gave him a bath, and put him to bed. It was a nice family day.

Tomorrow we're going over to his parents to watch the game then go to dinner afterwards.

Benjamin is a flirt

This morning we had breakfast at our local bagel place. Michael scooped out the inside of a bagel for Ben to eat. Ben offered a piece to the woman sitting next to us. She accepted it. He then made cute eyes at her, tilted his head to the side and batted his eyes (he's 15 months). He started tapping Michael on the arm as if to say, "Hey Dad, check out my technique."

We went to the grocery store after that. I got my Saturday morning cappucino while Michael got baby stuff and microwave meals. About an hour after we got home Michael had an follow-up visit to the optometrist where they tried to sell him an extended service plan (what?!). By the time Michael got home Ben was down for his afternoon nap.

Another exciting Ben moment, he took 3 quick consecutive steps.

I went to the gym and ran an hour on the treadmill while Michael took Ben over to his parents. I came home took a shower and got ready for dinner. Michael got home around 5:30 and we left for dinner.

Ben was very good at the restaurant outside of the moment when he tried to touch a waitresses' rear-end.

I had seared Ahi tuna, a warm goat cheese salad, a cosmopolitan -- which I couldn't finish -- and ate 1/3 to 1/2 of a dessert. I know I used some flex points but I still feel like I'm on track to lose some weight for next weeks weigh-in.

Amendment
As I was typing this Ben began walking. (8:20 PM EST)

Time to Get Hardcore...

Today was the last day of diet slacking. I went to a happy hour after work with my boss and 2 other co-workers. The problem with drinking with your boss is, you cannot get drunk. This is the first place I've worked where I don't feel comfortable around my direct supervisor. He's a nice person and has a great sense of humor but at the same time he's reserved. It was nice, I had a drink, ate a couple of mozzarella sticks (the only thing on the appetizer sampler I could eat) made small talk for an hour then came home.

As an act of defiance, I wore my Ugg clogs to work. My pants were long enough that no one could tell my shoes were backless. Yes, my company has a dress code policy, which is strictly enforced, that states women cannot wear open backed or toed shoes. Plus, we have to wear hose everyday. During the summer I felt jealousy whenever I would go to the gym and other women who worked out on their lunch break were wearing sandals (nice sandals, nothing trashy) and foregoing the hose.

Ben has been oscillating between happy and grumpy. It's getting close to his bed time. He was finishing up his dinner when I got home. Because it was basically "all meat" day at the daycare he didn't have much to eat. They had to feed him a jar of baby food which he hasn't eaten in a month. I played with him upstairs for a bit. We witnessed him taking a little step. He probably didn't even realize he did it. Afterwards, Michael gave him a bath; it was my turn but I am so tired I was afraid to do it.

I know Michael and I are going out to dinner tomorrow but I plan on staying on track. The seared Ahi tuna and salad should be sensible. I'm not going to weigh myself until Monday morning. I've been bad all week and know its not going to be good.

Jeudi Gras

Since I'm not going to weigh-in this Saturday I decided to take care of some business at the food court. I had Boardwalk Fries (32oz. of fries which I shared with Michael), shrimp tempura complete with veggie fried rice and mixed vegetables (the mixed vegetables make it healthy, right?) and finished with Ben and Jerry's sweet cream and cookies ice cream. I don't feel guilty, I lost 26 pounds so far. This will hold me until I reach my final goal in 2 months.

life sucks...

My life sucks.

However, i have discovered the warmth of Ugg clogs.

Both Michael and I have not been following our diets strictly. We have decided to not weigh-in this Saturday. Pass the chocolate.

Once again, something changes at a restaurant I like. This time it was the local pho restaurant. About a month ago it was sold and is now under new management. Not that the new owners aren't nice, they just don't make a good vegetarian pho. So I've eaten but still want something satisfying.

Ben was hungry by the time we got home. I couldn't even take a minute to heat up a veggie burger. I immediately gave him a handful of Cheerios and a bottle of soy milk. After eating we had a good time playing upstairs. He likes big reactions. When he would touch my big toe I would laugh hysterically and shake my foot. That kept him busy for 5 minutes. Later, Michael took him to another room to read the latest issue of "Animal Baby" to him. Then he got a bath. Now, Michael is feeding him the knock-out bottle. I think he may go to bed easy tonight, he seemed tired when I picked him up from daycare.

Wow, so much excitement...

I was able to leave work early because I got in earlier than usual. I decided to go home and grab dinner before getting Ben.

I took the wrong set of keys. I had my car key but didn't have my house key and (joy of joys) I forgot my cell. I get to the daycare and tried to call Michael from the daycare phone but he didn't answer. My friend Jen arrives, but she has to hurry because she needs to drop a friend off at a car dealer. Jen's car won't start. She asks me for a jump. I found out something interesting about the BMW, the battery is in, of all places, the trunk. Long story short, in the future if someone asks me for a jump, to put it in Jen's words, "The answer is 'No'." Luckily she tried her car again and it started. Just as her husband, Andrew, was pulling up to the daycare. Meanwhile, I borrowed her friend's phone to try Michael again, no luck. They invite me to go to Costco with them, they need to get food and snacks for Jen's birthday party. I arrive before them and decide, what the heck, I'll get a Costco membership, you never know, I might need a vat of peanut butter at some point in my life. Well, I didn't have my credit card on me and I forgot my PIN number. So, no membership.

There was a cute baby moment. Gwen (Jen and Andrew's toddler) gave Ben a kiss.