Two weeks

My baby is two weeks old today.

I had a planned c-section (my 3rd). My OB let my husband announce the gender. It was so funny. He stood up to peek over the drape.

He stood there.

And stood there.

I was anxiously awaiting to hear if we had yet another boy or if we'd get something different.

Finally my OB said to him, "You recognize that, don't you?"

"Aha, another boy," I thought. My eyes welled up with tears because three boys was going to be awesome.

Still, my husband stood there, peering over the drape. "Please tell me you've SEEN one of those before?!?!?!!"

My husband finally stammered, "it's a girl."

Here she is. Grace Annabelle.




My smallest baby yet. My boys were 9 lbs 12oz & 9 lbs 3 oz. Gracie was 7 lbs 2 oz. It was by FAR the easiest pregnancy & delivery. I had none of the complications I'd had in the past plus I was comfortable working right up until the day she was born. Again, I have this surgery to thank for that.

Now that I'm on maternity leave, I've decided to learn how to quilt. I've made a few rag quilts in the last few months but now I'm trying to learn how to make real quilts. Here's the one I started for my baby girl.




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5 more days

A few fellow bloggers have so thoughtfully emailed me recently asking me how I'm doing. Thanks to all y'all. ;)

I'm feeling great and my baby will be here in only 5 days (Monday Sept 17, scheduled c-section). My two boys are getting super excited. We can't wait to see if they'll have a brother or sister.

I've been working much more than I originally planned when we moved from PA to TX. Officially, I'm scheduled for 3 days a week but I've been frequently (meaning almost always!) working 4-5 days a week just to make more money since I plan to stay at home with the new baby for 12 weeks.

Plus, I love my job.

And the more I'm home, the more I fall victim to internet shopping....so really I have worked so much so I can have $ to spend while I'm on maternity leave.

Anywho. Soon, I'll have time to relax and give you all a better update. For now, here's a baby bump pic from 2 weeks ago, almost 37 weeks pregnant.

Patients are always surprised at how far along I am and say things like, "you're so tiny!"

I love it. With my first two pregnancies I got all the way to my delivery date and people were surprised I was pregnant at all. I just went from big to bigger (I guess) and it hurt my feelings something terrible.

Plus, I couldn't work up to my due date with the other pregnancies. My job as a therapist is too physically demanding to do full-time while 110 lbs overweight. I'm currently 80+ lbs lighter than when I delivered the first two. I feel great and have had NONE of all the complications I had with the other two.

This surgery is the most amazing gift.




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glucose tolerance test

During my second pregnancy, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  So for this pregnancy, my OB wanted me to get tested sooner than normal.

Soooo last month when I was 20 weeks pregnant, I had to take the 1 hour glucose tolerance test.  I just had to fast for three hours.  I had breakfast that morning around 6:30 and fasted until 12:30 (call me an overachiever).  First off, I had to drink the 8 oz glucola within 5 minutes.  Since I was 10 months out from my surgery, I was able to do that.  It wasn't comfortable, and I would never choose to drink that fast, but I was able to get it down.  But but but.  Within about 10-20 minutes of guzzling the 8 oz drink, my forehead broke out in a light sweat and I started to feel extremely nauseated.  My mouth watered up several times and I honestly thought I was going to vomit.  But I never did.  My head also felt cloudy, like I couldn't think straight.  Sort of like being drunk.  I sat in my chair wondering if it was possible to go into a coma after drinking only 50g of glucose.  I wondered if that was a lot of sugar.  

When I got home, I looked at a 12 oz coca-cola and it had 39g of sugar.  So there's your comparison.  

Anyway, after an hour they drew my blood and told me I could go.  The lab tech could tell I felt terrible so she brought me a wet rag to put on my face.  It helped.  But I knew I was in no shape to drive so I sat in the lobby for an extra 30 minutes until I felt like my head was clear.  Also, I'd stashed a protein bar in my purse because I knew I'd be starving by the time the test was over.  Ha!  For the record, I wasn't hungry---hard to feel hungry when you feel like puking.  But I ate it anyway, hoping the food would somehow help me feel better.  

I felt sick and disgusting for the rest of the day.  My head hurt.  My stomach hurt.  I got diarrhea within two hours.  Yeah, you needed to know that detail.  I was at Target doing some shopping when all of a sudden......okay, I won't go in too many details.  :)  But the test really made me feel awful!

AND, I just knew I'd failed the test.  I felt like it took forever for my body to clear the sugar so I figured there was no way I'd passed it.

I started freaking out about how I'd have to go and get the THREE HOUR glucose tolerance test which requires you to drink DOUBLE the amount of liquid in the same amount of time.  Technically, the 1 hour test is just a screen.  Most people who fail the screen will go on to pass the 3 hour test (and not get diagnosed with GD like I did).  I wondered if I'd be able to do the 3 hr GTT without puking.  I mean, my tummy is small.  I couldn't dream of how 100g of glucose would make me feel if 50g made me feel so bad.  I honestly thought 100g could put me in a sugar coma.

 But you know what? 

I was wrong.  Hooray!

My OB's office called to tell me I'd passed and I honestly couldn't believe it.  

The bad news?   I have to take the test again around 26 weeks.  

Right now I'm 24 weeks.  Hopefully I'll pass the test again.  But I'm kinda dreading it.  I read somewhere on the internet there's a different test for WLS patients.  Something about eating 18 jelly beans instead of drinking the glucola.  That would be cool.  I'm going to ask my OB about it when I see her this Thursday. 

After having gestational diabetes during my second pregnancy, let me tell you--it was awful having to stick my fingers 5 times a day to check my blood sugar.  At first, I didn't think it hurt at all.  The needles are really tiny.  But after a few months of pricking yourself 5 times a day, your fingers start to get sensitive.  

Have you ever looked at a diabetic's fingertips?  After years of pricking and pricking, they kind of look like raw hamburger meat.  

All that finger pricking was one of the reasons I started seriously considering WLS in the first place.  Women who develop GD have a 50-60% chance of developing type II diabetes within ten years.  The thought of dealing with that for the rest of my life was unsettling. 

Anywho.  Here's a recent pic that I took at the mall bathroom.  I don't have a full length mirror at home and I can never remember to get my husband to take my picture, so this is all I got.  I've gained about 15 pounds from my lowest weight.  So this puts me at 156.  The baby only weighs 1.25 lbs or so right now, so I'm a little freaked out by the math.  And the bump!  Look how big I am!  I look like I could deliver in a month.  But, according to my pregnancy-BMI-calculator app, my BMI is less than 25 at that weight (156 in week 24).  So I'm trying to be okay with it.  My original goal was to get no higher than 163.  Hey!  I hear you laughing.  Yeah, yeah.  I don't think I'm gonna make it either. My first two babies weighed over 9.5 lbs.  So only the baby can gain weight from now ON.  Not me!

I've been walking for an hour a day (or more!) after I get off work every day.  I found a hike/bike trail super close to my boys' daycare, so I go walk and then pick them up.  It's a lovely walk---I should take pics for you guys.  It follows a creek for about a mile, is paved, and has tons of ducks and birds that are so domesticated they will sit their plump-sized-overfed-selves on the concrete and not even move when I walk by.  I love it!  Temps are in the 90's right now at that time of day, so I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to keep up with it, but it feels great to be active.  I've been wearing a pedometer and averaging about 15,000 steps a day---about 5,000 at work.  If you look closely at my legs, you can see a tan line under my knee from my capri walking pants!  I never noticed it til I took this picture.  Then I looked down at my legs, hoping it was just the light of the bathroom.  Nope!  Farmer tan.  I must get a full length mirror so I don't get these kinds of surprises.  Awesome, right?

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Went bra shopping today. Walked in wearing a 36H (which I knew was too big after losing 30 lbs since my last bra purchase); walked out with a 34DDD. Check out the difference.

Old bra:



New bra:




And I just have to brag for a second that I tried on some 8P capris and they fit (at 15 weeks pregnant!)




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this might be exciting

My parents came up last week and spent several days with us, helping us get settled into our new house.  Mostly, they watched the kids while we got stuff done.  It was so nice!

My dad loved playing with my husband's new iPad so he decided to order one for my mom's birthday.  Don't you love getting things for your birthday that your husband wants?  Hehehe.  Before leaving, he said, "You know your mom will probably need you on-call as tech support, right?"

Sure.....(eyeroll).

So the very day after leaving, I got a text from my dad that said, "Call me when you get a chance."

Here we go, I thought, slightly annoyed.  I mean, if my 4 year old can figure out an iPad, why can't my parents?

So I called my dad.

He had questions about surgery.  He is thinking about getting it himself.  I was so surprised!

So I asked, "Do you want this or does Mom?"

He said, "Oh I'm just so impressed with how great you look that I'm thinking about getting it too."

Let me back up for a second and say that my mom had high hopes when I got my surgery last summer that Dad would see my success and want it too.  But so far he had said nothing.

When my parents were in town, my mom caught me alone and asked if Dad had mentioned wanting to get surgery.  I said "no."  She asked me if I could talk to him.  Now, honestly, I'm not one to push anybody into anything, especially something like WLS.  But I agreed, just to make her happy, but I didn't plan on saying much to him.

About an hour before they left town, my dad and I were driving back to my house and about 2 blocks before arriving home, I asked, "Have you thought about having surgery?"  There was a kind of long uncomfortable pause (he always takes a long time to answer ANY question).....so I filled the silence by joking, "Is Mom still thinking about you having surgery?"  His only response was that my mom has not bothered him about it at all.  So then I just told him that it was the best decision I ever made and that it is so much easier to manage my weight now.  It still requires effort and thought, but it doesn't require perfection to be successful.

And I told him how I never feel deprived.  Food tastes richer, flavors taste more bold, sweets taste sweeter, so that makes me satisfied with less.  Have I ever mentioned that to y'all?  Plus, hunger comes on more gradual.  It used to come on quick, strong, and without warning.  Now it comes on gradually so I can start thinking of a healthy snack before getting desperate and grabbing the quickest thing.

Anyway, that's about all I said, at the most, I might have said less, but my dad said nothing.  To tell you the truth, I pretty much instantly regretted saying anything because I was afraid I'd hurt his feelings.

So I was super surprised when I called and that's what he wanted to talk about!

He'd already been on the internet trying to figure out if Medicare would cover the sleeve.  He also has private insurance, so he was trying to figure out which insurance company to go through.  I told him to just ask the surgeon, that they were used to jumping through insurance hoops and that they would know the best way to go about it.  I told him to call the office and schedule himself for one of those information sessions.

My guess is that my dad's BMI is between 35-40 (he didn't say).  But he has hypertension, high cholesterol, and acid relflux.  He said he wakes up a lot at night so I suggested getting a sleep study because sleep apnea almost guarantees qualifying for surgery (or so I've heard).

I'm so excited for him.  And it has nothing to do with "looking better" or anything like that.  I  know how much BETTER I feel---no back pain, less fatigue, etc.  I can just DO MORE than ever.  I can run around the yard with my kids!  And I'm thrilled he could soon experience the same thing.  :)



 

Texas Texas, yee haw.

Ohmygosh.  I've been gone so long I don't even know where to start.

We have moved to Texas from Pittsburgh.  Most boxes are unpacked but we still don't have anything hanging on our walls.....in due time.  Yes?

My four year old asks me (almost daily) if we can go back to "Picks-Bird."  I told him when he turns 6 we'll go back.  :(  He really misses his friends, especially our next-door-neighbor's son.

Next week both of my boys will be going to daycare when I start working.  I don't know who is more excited about that---me or my 4 year old!!

When we first got here, our first priority was finding a suitable daycare.  After looking at 3 places, I was on the verge of tears.  The first place was my "dream" place, because it was next door to a gym.  I had this fantasy of hitting the gym straight after work before picking up my kids.  But after seeing the toddler room, I knew I had to let go of my perfect fantasy.  It was a tiny room---about half the size of my dining room, with NO TOYS.  Can you believe that?  No toys!!  Sure, the kids get shuffled around to different locations throughout the day but NO THANKS.  The next place was basically the same.  Small and cramped with too many kids.  The third place was okay but didn't take infants (important for later this year).

Anyway, FINALLY we found a great place where I feel totally comfortable leaving my boys.  Luckily, they will even have a spot for my third baby.  It's a faith-based program located inside of a church so there is plenty of space and tons of toys.  They read Bible stories every day and pray before meals although it is not affiliated with any one denomination (although the church is Assembly of God).  During the summer months they even have splash & sprinkler play and small wading pools for the kids to play in.  It reminds me of the Presbyterian church we attended in Pittsburgh.  I hope the boys will enjoy it, but, either way, at least my 4 year old is old enough to tell me what's going on if he's not happy.  He did great in Pittsburgh at both preschool and Parents' Morning Out, so if he doesn't like this place I'll know something is up.

Later that day, I had a CPR class to attend, as my license had expired.  It was at this old guy's house and I was the only "pupil."  Kinda weird.  But he was nice and his old buddy was sitting on the couch sipping coffee next to me.  His wife was in another room watching TV.  The man mentioned he does a lot of classes at daycares so I immediately asked him what he thought the best places in town were.  He rattled off three different churches and one was the place we'd chosen.  Hallelujah!

Okay, back to my weight as this *IS* the point of my blog.

After spending about 2 weeks eating fast food and living "on the road," I was so nervous to step on the scale.  I'm now almost 15 weeks pregnant and felt huge by the time I was able to weigh myself.

I held my breath and honestly expected my weight to jump from 144 to 152 because I just "felt" bigger.

In the past it was not out of the question to gain 5+ lbs after two weeks of eating out or eating food that was mostly prepared by the grocery store or at least easy-to-prepare-boxed-foods.

But nope, my weight was actually DOWN.  Not by much, at 142.5, but it has remained there for the last week.

Yay!  That puts me only 1 pound over my lowest weight since surgery!  My pregnant BMI (according to the app I discussed in the last post) is now 24.1.

Now I'm starting to have a fantasy that I'll be down to a BMI of 23 by the time this pregnancy is over!  Which means I can get up to 163 lbs by week 39.  At this rate, I think I can do it.  :)

My belly has started to pop out a little bit.  So I feel bigger.  I can no longer look down and see my princess parts.  Ahhh heck!  What am I talking about??  I could barely see them before due to saggy skin hanging over my c-section scars.  But I could see them.  Now I can't.

Yesterday I had to go for a physical & drug test before starting my job next week.  Standing on the scale feels so different now.  It's kinda like being naked in front of my husband.  I'm not exactly PROUD to be this size, but I'm NOT ASHAMED either.  That is just so awesome.

New App

I love tracking my weight on my iPhone.  The day before my 35th birthday, I finally fell into the "normal" BMI category.....albeit barely.  Since then, I've gained 2 pounds and am currently 12 weeks pregnant.  My weight tracker app now shows me back in the "overweight" category.  BOO.  Hiss.

So I went to the app store and typed in "Pregnancy Weight Tracker."  This is what I found.  I'm putting up the picture because, as you can see, I cannot read the full title of the app!





It was $1.99.  For some reason, I had to have it.  This way, I can see if my pregnancy weight is "normal" or "overweight."  As you can see, I practically straddle the line.  Here I am, at week 12 weighing 143.  Now this app, hallelujah, shows me back in the green zone baby.  Yes!  By the hair of my chinny chin chin.




On other page in the app, you can track your weight as the pregnancy goes on.  So, as you can see below, I started at week 0, weighing 147.  That dot is in the yellow "overweight" zone.  But then, thanks to my sleeve, Strep Throat, and morning sickness, I lost 6 pounds not long after getting pregnant---putting my next two dots in the the "normal" green zone.  Then I gained back 2 over the next month.  It doesn't show as a "gain" on the graph because my BMI stayed even.....get it?  So if you're gaining weight on track, it will actually show a steady line across......

I say "so" a lot, I've noticed.  Please forgive me.

So!

I played around with this app today and if I stay under 175 by week 40, I'll be in the green zone (barely).  Honestly, I doubt I'll be able to gain that much (knock on wood everyone!) NOR, do I want to.  My goal is 165 lbs or less---which is easy to say right now when morning sickness zaps my desire to eat 75% of the time.  BUT, when I do have the desire to eat---I can eat more, which I discussed in the last post.  And unfortunately, I know I'll get my appetite back in the second trimester, which is fast approaching!




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Pregnancy = Less Restriction

So.....what have I noticed so far?

Before I was pregnant, I had great restriction.  I could eat one small slice of pizza (thin or hand-tossed, NOT pan) or half a kiddie hamburger.  And maybe 5 french fries (at the most).  I know, I know, these aren't great food choices, but I'm purposefully choosing those foods to report because everyone knows exactly what kind of serving size I'm referring to.

NOW that I'm pregnant, I can eat more of everything, without getting uncomfortable.  I can eat almost two small slices of pizza or the entire child-sized hamburger (not all of it, but almost).  Still, not huge portions.....but the fact that it's almost double---that concerns me.

When I'm at home, I feel like I'm managing this newly found hunger pretty well.  It means I eat more fruits and veggies---which is a good thing.  But, it takes more effort to make good choices when faced with said hunger.  Especially when I'm out in public, at a friend's house, or at a restaurant.  And that's kinda scary for me.  Again, I'm still at only a 2 pound gain over my lowest weight.  But still.  It's scary for me.

Over the weekend, I went to a child's birthday party and ate 5-6 baby carrots with hummus.  One strawberry.  Several grapes.  Three chunks of pineapple.  A small slice of pizza.  And finally--a slice of birthday cake.  Before getting pregnant, there is NO WAY I would've:

a) been hungry enough to eat that much (especially because pineapple is so filling in a sleevie tummy)

b) had room in my sleeve to consume that much if I'd wanted to

At first I wondered if this "phenomenon" was in my head.  Am I simply guilty of giving myself "permission" to eat for two?  OR---is it simply that I'm getting further and further out from surgery?  After all, my surgeon did say that my sleeve would allow me to eat 1/4C in the beginning but that my sleeve would stretch over the course of a year to accomodate 1C of food in one sitting.  So hmmmm.

After contemplating these possibilities for a while, I googled.  

Last night, I came across this video: here.  This is a woman who had VSG and reached her goal weight before getting pregnant.  She reported this SAME issue (less restriction while pregnant) but happily reports that after she gave birth, she IMMEDIATELY returned to her former level of restriction.  

After finding that video, I felt somewhat relieved.  It feels great to know I'm not the ONLY person out there who feels like my restriction is less.  So maybe it's not my imagination.  AND, like the gal in the video, I'm hoping to get that restriction back after the pregnancy is over. 

Pregnant after VSG

I'm Puhhh-REG-nant!  (That was my Oprah voice).

11 weeks as of Saturday.

So, I got pregnant about 5.5 months after having VSG and a little before hitting my goal weight.  I just looked through my weight logs and I weighed about 149 when I conceived.  I hit 141 on Feb. 13.  Honestly, losing 8 more pounds between conception and then was a combination of my sleeve, morning sickness, and getting Strep Throat.  Nevertheless!  I hit goal.

So yes, baby #3 is very exciting.  Kinda scary too.  I've been through this twice before----but I hadn't had WLS at the time.

There aren't a lot of people who've had VSG out there broadcasting their experiences to the rest of the world.  There is a gal on Vertical Sleeve Talk (.com) that has posted a ton of stuff on the message boards but I don't have the patience to cull through a bazillion topics.

So here I am with my Blogland Megaphone, ready to report anything and everything you want to know.

My due date is Saturday, Sept. 22, but I'll be a repeat c-section, so the birth be about a week earlier than that, I'm guessing.  Probably Monday Sept. 17 because hospitals don't like to schedule things on weekends.  But who knows?  I can't find my magic eight ball.

Oh and why did I say this is this "kinda scary"?  Because I'll gain weight, duh.....  Am I worried about vitamin deficiencies or, uhhhhh, important things, such as---my BABY?  No not really.  My OB isn't.

So, I'm focusing my energy on worrying about weight gain.  

Yes, I know I sound silly and petty, but I gained 50 pounds the last two times.  You might even say I gained 70 with my first child.  The morning sickness with my oldest was so severe I lost 17 pounds in the first trimester (had no idea I was pregnant).  So, after I realized I was pregnant at almost 20 weeks, I gained ALL that back, plus 50 MORE.  I never know what to say when people ask how much I gained.  Sometimes I say "70" and sometimes I say "50."

As for this pregnancy, I'm currently 2 pounds higher than my low of 141 lbs.  So, not too shabby, but I admit it is painful to see the number going up.  I know, I know, I should expect it!  That's what happens when you have a baby.  You gain weight!  But it isn't easy.  I will be so thrilled if I can keep my weight gain to the standard 25 pounds.

Here's my little 11 weeker.  :)

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70 pounds

So yeah, as of at least a month ago, I've lost 70 pounds.  (From 211 to 141 lbs).  I lost about 30 before surgery and 40 after.  

As a matter of fact, I'm now 105 pounds lighter than when I was pregnant with my younger son.  The highest weight I ever saw was 246 lbs and I had a few weeks to go.  I remember feeling SO TERRIBLE and SO EXHAUSTED the last two months of pregnancy.  My body just ached all over.  And it's no wonder, really.  I think anybody would be exhausted hauling around 105 pounds of excess weight.  And you know I'm only 5 ft. 3, right?

This pic is what 70 lbs looks like!  My older son weighed 40 pounds at his 4 year well-child check up.  My  younger son weighs 30 lbs.  A few days ago, I picked up my little guy to carry him down the stairs.  Then my older son grabbed onto my back to hitch a ride.  Wow!  That's a lot of weight.  My knees definitely felt the strain!!





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Big 35

What a birthday I've had today.

First and foremost, I turned 35 and feel better than EVER!

I used to feel like my life was slipping away as a fat girl (especially on birthdays).  Finally, I feel GOOD on my birthday instead of hating how I look and feel.  I feel SO MUCH BETTER.  I think I had no clue how tired and ran down I felt before.

I even met my weight loss goal yesterday.

141 people!  I am officially "normal" on the BMI chart that I still HATE SO MUCH.  Normal!  I love normal.

(but oh, wouldn't the 130's be so nice? ------i know, i know, the skinny voice is hard to shut up.)

But there is more news.

We put an offer in on a house in Texas and it was accepted!  It is a beautiful house with a gorgeous kitchen.  

But that's not all.  There is more news on my 35th Valentine Birthday.

I have a JOB!  The hospital I interviewed at last week while in Texas called me today and made a good offer, so I accepted.  I'll be working in acute care (I'm an occupational therapist) which means I work in rehab.  Most of the patients I'll be working with will have orthopedic injuries like from car wrecks, gunshot wounds, freak accidents, that kind of thing.  OMG, I LOVE IT.  The comedies, the tragedies, the STORIES.  Just when you think you've seen it all, like someone surviving gliding their glider into a cliff wall (can't predict the wind sometimes) something even MORE ABSURD happens.  It's so fun getting to know these people, some are some real characters.  They make you laugh, sometimes they make you cry.  It's NEVER boring.  But, I will get some boring knee and hip replacements from time to time which is good because at least we can predict what will happen---and those people are great too.  Most wish they'd done surgery sooner----kind of like us WLS patients.

Believe it or not, I have even more news coming soon.  But that's gonna have to wait a few more weeks.  I can only announce so many exciting things in one day.

Here's some pics of the kitchen.  The only photos I took.  The top photo is the left side and the bottom photo is the right.  So, you have to use your imagination to piece the two together.  Why didn't I just back my ass up and turn the camera sideways?  I have no idea.  Sorry.  My younger son was sick that day and even puked about three steps into the doorway of this house!  Tile floors, thankfully.  His way of calling dibs?  

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Crazy

One of the best things about being smaller is that shopping is EASY. And painless.

Here is the new top I got, a size medium. Yes, I know I need a cami underneath, thank you. :) I knew I had one at home, in burgundy just like my bra! Forgive my ugly mom jeans that are at least a size too big, these aren't the jeans I'll wear this top with. ;) And at home I have a fabulous necklace and bracelet to go with.





Aaaaand, while I was in TX house hunting a few days ago, the hospital I'd applied to called me on a Monday and wanted to interview me the following day. I had nothing professional in my suitcase. After I agreed to the interview and hung up the phone, I started to panic, knowing I'd have to run out and find something quick.

But that was silly. I went into The mall and bought the first pair of trousers I tried on. In 8P. (sorry no pic of those). In and out in less than ten minutes. Anybody who has EVER had weight issues knows what a miracle that felt like.

And how crazy is THIS?! I can't wait to get home in a couple days so I can weigh myself. Omg. The world just might end.

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big news

I have some big news to share!

But first, let's talk about my weight.  It's steadily going down.  I'm at 146.  :)  My current goal is to be 142 by my birthday in about 3 weeks.  Once I hit 142, my BMI will be "normal," at 25, as opposed to "overweight," which is where I currently am, with a BMI of 25.9.   Even if I don't lose another pound, I'm so happy to be where I am.

This surgery has changed my life.  I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER.  I can run around with  my kids.  I can run up and down the stairs as many times as I need to.  I can crouch down to button my 3 year old's pants.  I can crawl into the back of my SUV to buckle in kids.  I can MOVE so much easier.  I can do anything I want to do.

And all of this, without feeling like I'm starving and that if I eat as much as my tummy is telling me to, I'll gain it all back in five seconds.  It is SO HEAVENLY to go through my day without rabid hunger.

I kind of hate it when I see weight loss articles that say to "pay attention" to your hunger signals, and that if you just do that, you'll lose weight.  It kind of implies that it's impossible for your body to tell you the wrong thing.  When I ate as much as my body told me to, I got huge, despite the fact that 80% of the time, I was eating the "right" foods.  Even a banana has 100 calories!    It's decent advice for me NOW, now that I've had surgery.  

Now all I have to do is:
1.  Eat when I'm hungry.
2.  Make good choices 85% of the time.
3.  Eat protein first, then veggies, then fruits.
4.  Drink water.
5.  Stay away from carby snacks because my sleeve doesn't seem to stop me from eating things like cookies, crackers, etc.  I could easily overdo it on those items if I'm not careful.

Anywho!

Now for the big news.

Drumroll.... (is that one word or two?)

We are MOVING!

My husband got a job in Temple, TX and has a tentative start date of 3/26.

We will miss Pittsburgh TERRIBLY.  We've made good friends here and because of them Pittsburgh will always hold a special place in my heart.  Plus, this is where our boys were born.  We'll treasure all of the memories we made here.

There's a song with a lyric that says, "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."  I can't remember who sings it, but that's the phrase that keeps running through my mind.

Temple is about an hour north of Austin so we have big plans once we move there.  We want to go to at least one Texas football game (Longhorns) per season.  We'll be about 2-3 hours from Houston so we want to take the boys to a few baseball games when the Pittsburgh Pirates are in town.  Right now the Pirates are as sorry as the Astros, so it should be an even match.  AND, My husband loves the Buffalo Bills so he's already planning on going to a game when they play the Dallas Cowboys.  Yep, big plans, I tell you.

The next few weeks will be busy.

We are going to D.C. this weekend because my cousin's baby is turning one.  My aunt, uncle, and other cousin and his family of 5 are coming too and we are ALL staying in a rental house together.  ELEVEN people!  Let's hope it's a mansion.  (I can dream, right?)

The following weekend, we are driving (yes DRIVING, I'm crazy, yes I know) to Texas to look for a house.  For those of you who are familiar with the Temple area we are hoping to find a house in Belton near the lake.  Not ON the lake, but within a few miles.  We've seen several on-line that we like so we're hopeful that we can find something to move into by mid-late March.

Once we get settled in, I'm hoping to go back to work (I'm an occupational therapist).  I'm hoping to find something part-time or PRN. I might even be able to set up an interview when I'm down there.  So much to do though!  I've got to get a license to practice in Texas, which is a bit of a paperwork nightmare.

So. Much. To. Do.