What Every Parent Dreads

When you have a baby, it's all fun and games until ... well, until the moment that every parent dreads. We fear for it. It's not the moment your kid becomes mobile. It's not the moment they get teeth. It's....

the moment they start to get excited about toys in a store.

Image source

For us, this moment was yesterday. We were looking for a Chanukkah gift for my 5-year-old niece and we passed by a rather large purple monkey. Yoav's eyes looked a little like this:

Crazy, right?

He locked eyes on that thing and became REALLY upset when I put it back. Just walking down the toy aisles in Target was proof that Yoav discovered toys. Heaven help us.

Gratitude Challenge - the Lost Days

First, Happy America Day (as some of my Israeli friends call it) - I hope you're having a fantastic 4th of July and I REALLY hope you're grateful to the men and women who risk their lives to protect your freedom every day. I know I am!

Source: inspirationsofold.blogspot.com via Gin on Pinterest

I kind of missed out on day 3 and almost day 4 of the Gratitude Challenge. Why? Well, I got tired and the lazy side of me took over. Still, I DO want to tell you what I'm grateful for. A little back story first...

Yesterday, Yoav had two doctor's visits that I deemed completely unnecessary. One was a follow up with his orthopedist to make sure his bowed feet straightened out (they did) and the second was a follow up to a follow up with his neurologist. Well, the first appointment (with the foot doctor) was almost missed. I decided to out-smart traffic and I accidentally turned into an area that took me straight to the highway. Yes, I felt like an idiot. Yes, I called my husband for help. He rescheduled the appointment for later that afternoon.

Peekaboo - I see you!!

The appointment with the neurologist was missed but only because I hit major traffic. It takes a half an hour (often less) to get from my house to his office - yet, yesterday it would have taken me 90 minutes. Craig called the office to ask if it was OK for me to be late and they told him 'no', so he canceled it!

Look what I can do!

So, why the back story? First, I felt like an idiot but in my idiocy, I actually got to spend more time with Yoav, which is something I've been CRAVING lately! Second, it gave me more down time - I was actually able to just chill for a bit. So, I am eternally grateful for yesterday!

And what about today... Well, every year, on the 4th of July, my office celebrates the holiday. My bosses are aware that most of us miss being home this time of year, so they always bring in lunch for us. The food wasn't so tasty but the sentiment was really appreciated.

Hi. Why won't you just let me sleep!

I'm grateful for a few other things, too...

• We have great friends - we really do!
• My friends at work because they just get me. It's a rare thing to find.
• My son - but not in the cheesy way - he's taught me humility and patience.
• Hot dogs! I'm really grateful for them because they're very versatile for me when cooking here.
• My freedom...I'm really grateful to have citizenship to two countries in which I'm free. I don't take my freedom for granted - it's truly a gift!

Why do we keep going to the doctor??

So, tell me, this 4th of July, what are YOU grateful for! Keep those positive thoughts comin'!!

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The Race Begins

When I got pregnant, I wasn't the slimmest person in the world. In fact, I felt really horrible about myself. I started a diet program around my 30th birthday that led me to some weight loss ... and then I got pregnant! For the most part, I ate really really well during my pregnancy. I'll admit that I indulged a bit but I wasn't completely sedentary.

Yoav is officially 3 weeks old today and I'm finally feeling well enough to start working out a bit. The downside? The weather here kind of sucks. By the end of my pregnancy, I felt like a whale and I probably looked like it, too. Three weeks later, I've lost 27 lbs. I'm not joking... that's how much fluid was in me. If 7lbs was baby, then another 20lbs was water! I'm still shedding water like you wouldn't believe but I think the worst is over. Another downside? I still have 8lbs left to go before I'm back to my "original" pre-baby weight. Sinking even lower into my hole... 8lbs is just the tip of the iceberg. I want to be back to the weight I was in 2007 - 125lbs. I have a LONG way to go!

I don't want to be skinny. I want to be healthy! I want to be muscular and fit, not thin and flabby. It's time to dust off my old workout clothes and start hitting the pavement with Yoav! I have 11 weeks left of maternity leave which means I have 11 weeks left to lose some weight. We move back around August which means I have about 22 weeks left to lose A LOT of weight. If I lose 2lbs per week from now until I move back to the Motor City, I will have lost 44lbs. Think I can do it?

Let the race against the clock begin!

Taking Care of Mom - Post-Baby

Last week, I wrote a post about baby gifts - what to get and what not to get expectant moms. In truth, I've been really lucky - I LOVE everything that's been given to us but the post made me think about what we need and what I need in a larger capacity. I'm constantly being told by my friends that right now is the time to indulge and be selfish ... to spend a little money on myself. In one day, I was told to get a manicure and pedicure plus a new haircut and hair color ... by four different people. First of all, I like my hair cut and my color. Second, I can do my nails myself. Doing my toes is a bit harder but, c'mon people, it's winter! I have a hard enough time shaving my legs this time of year - don't expect me to get a pedicure!

Anyway, as I eagerly await the arrival of the little monster currently destroying my insides, I'm pinning away on Pinterest. My friend, Sarah, wrote a great post about how loving your kids and loving motherhood are not the same thing. This got me thinking that I really need to find things that are just for me so I don't wind up resenting motherhood or my child. So, I created three new boards on Pinterest: Healthy Foods, Post-Baby Workout, and Post-Maternity Style. I know I'm supposed to be worried about the baby's well being, and I will be, but who is going to worry about my well being. So many of my friends have had children and then stopped taking care of themselves. While I won't call them out publicly on it, I really don't want to go that route. Craig and I agreed a loooooonnnnnng time ago that taking care of me is just as important as taking care of Baby Glaser.

During parts of my pregnancy, I went a little crazy with foods that weren't necessarily healthy for me. While 90% of what I eat is good for me, 10% of it hasn't been and I want to change that... hence my health board. I have no intention of eating fat-free this or reduced-calorie that (you should know me better) but I want to put more fruit and veggies into my belly. This pregnancy was rough... I couldn't eat so many complex carbohydrates like brown rice, multigrain bread, or even wheat bread! It totally messed with my system. I love smoothies but, lately, fruit has been really expensive here. I've started freezing fruit that's about to go off and even started buying things like pineapple and apricot in their canned variety. Thankfully, we have a little blender so making smoothies isn't so rough but those are about to get healthier as well!

Once the baby is out, I'm going back to eating healthier!

I'm also heading back to the gym as soon as I can!! So many of my friends tell me that just getting out for a walk helps clear the mind but the gym is "me" time. It'll be a chance for Craig to bond with the baby and a chance for me to get away from the baby ... and Craig ... and the dogs. Don't worry, I won't go overboard but I want to lose the baby weight, get healthy, and be on a path that could have me looking like this:

Source: glamour.com via Hillary on Pinterest

Ok, maybe I won't look like that ... but I'd like to look healthy. And be a size 4. Again. One of my bloggy friends said this wasn't a lofty goal since the baby will need fresh air (and I will need to get out of the apartment), daily walks will help me lose the baby weight. I do have a goal - look better by the time my maternity leave is over. "Better" means not double-chinned and bloated.

The last part of taking care of me comes in the form of clothing. I have clothes that can last me a few weeks after the baby is born but once the initial bloat is gone and I'm deflated, I can't really wear some of this stuff ... and I don't want to invest in a new wardrobe just yet. Remember, I want to lose weight so investing in a brand new wardrobe is just dumb ... but I did make a deal with my Dad. When he and Jo-mama visit, they'll babysit so I can go interim-clothes shopping. Here are a few of my basic style ideas:

Source: polyvore.com via Hillary on Pinterest

Source: polyvore.com via Hillary on Pinterest

Source: polyvore.com via Hillary on Pinterest

Source: polyvore.com via Hillary on Pinterest

If you couldn't tell, I like jeans... a lot. The problem: I don't have any!!! These outfits are my cool-Mommy casual-chic outfits that can (and will) be mixed and matched.

So, what do you do to take care of you post-baby? Is there anything special you do for "me" time? 

Kvetching and Baby Gift Ideas

We're gearing up for the baby around here. It's insane! I've had several conversations with my sister this week (she's also pregnant!!) and she's given me insight into things I need vs. things I can do without. She told me that unless I want to do laundry every day (which I'm likely to do anyway), get something called a sheet saver. I googled it and it turns out, I can make one on my own. DIY is way more my style anyway. It's essentially a bathroom hand-towel or smaller bath towel that you place over the sheet to keep spit up  and accidents from spreading to the sheet. Oddly enough, about a month ago, my Mom told me about something similar she made when we were babies.

After talking with her, I spoke to my Dad about what we need vs. what we want. If you didn't already know this, things in Israel are EXPENSIVE! Holy cow! We have six bottles and two pacifiers. My Dad says that's not enough... we can always re-stock later, right?

Last night, I decided I needed to get out of the house. I'm kinda on bed rest... I say kinda because I'm allowed to do things and go places but I need to take it easy. I spend most of my day in bed playing with the iPad... so I let myself go to the grocery store. I noticed two things:

1. I have no patience for the grocery store. Too crowded. Too hot. Very annoying!!
2. 5 shopping bags should not come out to 250nis ($66) - sh*t's expensive here!!!

We noticed a "sale" - 2 "large" packages of diapers for 84NIS ($22)... that is hardly what I call a sale. Craig was ready to take advantage of the sale and stock up but you can't buy size 4 diapers for a baby that hasn't even come out yet!

Photo Courtesy of GiftBasketsPlus.com

Upon venting to a friend, she asked me a very interesting question "so, what do you recommend as a gift for a bris?" Here was my answer:

1. Gift cards - in America, you can get them to Toys R Us, Target, Walmart... anywhere that sells baby stuff. You can add it on as a "little something extra" or just get a bunch of people together and make it a large gift. In Israel, get a gift card from SuperPharm or NewPharm... or better yet, look into IsraCard, a WishUCard from CAL, or a LeumiCard from Bank Leumi. I think you can also pick up gift cards from Shufersal. I did a simple Google search and found quite a few sites that offer gift cards. I do not recommend gift cards to Golf, Shilav, or individual stores where you are limited on what you can buy.
2. DIY Baby Bath Kit - I'll tell you right now, this works VERY well in Israel and the US. It consists of baby shampoo, baby body wash, lotion, baby oil, some washcloths, a baby towel or two, and diaper creams. You can put a gift basket together for less than 200NIS ($50). If you're shopping in the US, use coupons. If you're shopping in Israel, find some gift kits that contain the shampoos, lotions, and washes - and break them up. 
3. DIY Mommy Relaxation Kit - giving birth is hard work (so I've been told), so don't forget about the Mom... she will often forget to take care of herself. A pampering kit containing lotions, a gift certificate for a manicure, and maybe even a Groupon deal for a night out with the hubby really helps her keep her sanity. Also keep in mind that we've been in maternity clothes for a long time... a gift card to H&M or another favorite store REALLY helps as we're transitioning back into fashionable post-maternity clothes. We're also less likely to spend money on ourselves right now, we'd rather spend it on baby-stuff.
4. Baby clothes - Sure, onesies are cute but babies also need socks, leggings, sleepers, and hats. We have 3 pairs of baby socks that will fit the baby for now... and many others that will fit him later. If you're going to buy baby clothes, remember that we get a lot of newborn clothes - so think in advance. Clothing for 3-6 months, 6-9 months, and 1 year are often overlooked. If you buy clothing for the baby that's intended for later months, make sure it's seasonally appropriate. If a baby is born in Winter, getting him a sweatshirt for 6 months-time is probably not the best idea.

Other ideas: baby formula (if the Mom isn't breastfeeding), pacifiers, baby carriers, bottles, bottle cleaners, play mats for the baby, baby bouncy-seats, and alcohol (for the parents). 

If you're buying for a friend who lives overseas, Etsy is AMAZING! You can buy one-of-a-kind baby clothes, blankets, carriers, and baby bath kits for reasonable prices... and they'll ship it to your friend!!

In truth, we'll take whatever you give us! I got so many amazing things at our baby shower and all of it will go to good use. As I packed my hospital bag last night, I had a hard time picking out an outfit for the baby to come home in because everything is TOO CUTE!! Decisions, decisions...

As we speak, I'm being reminded to make food for Craig so he doesn't starve for the 2.5 days I'm in the hospital and for the week after the baby is born. We're not having a public bris (sorry!) but we are encouraging our friends to come by and visit whenever they want! We'll likely need the company...