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Daily Life

1 Year Ago today…. 39 weeks pregnant with Isabelle

Posted on May 8, 2018

What a difference a year can make! Here I am 39 weeks pregnant with Isabelle! 1 year ago right around this time, I was having my c section. I remember driving there and being so full of worry. Partly about the surgery and recovery, but also about what a new baby would mean to our family. How could I love another baby as much as I love Katie? How would Katie feel about our new family member? Would my relationship with Katie change? Was I selfish for bringing another baby into our family and forcing Katie to split the attention? How on earth would I manage 2 kids?!

How could I love another baby as much as I love Katie? How would Katie feel about our new family member? Would my relationship with Katie change? 

It’s so funny looking back now. Even in the beginning, it felt partly like Isabelle was brand new, but also like she had always been a part of our family. Yes, the girls fight over toys sometimes and there are days where it seems like someone is always crying, but watching them roll around together laughing reminds me that having them was the best thing that has ever happened to me. The days can be long and hectic, but my heart is always full. And just as these worries from last year are gone, I try to remember my present worries are not so big that they won’t be gone this time next year too.

Daily Life ExploreLongBeach

EPIC Series Obstacle Race

Posted on May 6, 2018

The ultimate EPIC Sunday Funday! Almost exactly 1 year after my c-section and I am so proud to have just finished my first EPIC series obstacle race. It was the perfect mixture of challenging but still achievable (even for someone who may have neglected to do weights for almost a month.)

Almost exactly 1 year after my c-section and I am so proud to have just finished my first EPIC series obstacle race

I loved that this race was so obstacle-heavy, and also that each obstacle had the option to do beginner, intermediate, and hard variations. I stuck with beginner and intermediate and am feeling like I’m on top of the world, and also a little bit like I got hit by a truck.(If you look through the photos, you will see the “hit by a truck” look on my face towards the end! But in a good “I’m a badass” kind of way.)

If you look through the photos, you will see the “hit by a truck” look on my face towards the end! But in a good “I’m a badass” kind of way

It felt so good to push myself in different ways for each obstacle. Running and climbing come really easily to me, so I was able to breeze through those obstacles. Climbing the rope and hoisting the keg with a pulley were great intermediate challenges because they were hard and different, but I still did okay. The upper body challenges were the toughest for me.

Does anyone else cry after really intense workouts or am I a total weirdo?

Carrying the keg around the track for that last lap was brutal! I couldn’t even get it onto my shoulders without help! But once it was on there, I made my way around the track and finished. And totally cried at the end out of pride and relief. (Does anyone else cry after really intense workouts or am I a total weirdo?) If you are looking for a fitness challenge, definitely check out the Epic course in your city. You can use promo code PARENTDAZE for 10% off at any of their events in 2018!  Here is their link! https://www.epicseriesocr.com/

Did I mention there was a kids’ course too?  For $20, Katie got to participate in the kids’ EPIC course!  She loved learning new workouts and testing her limits.  And I loved sharing this fitness experience with her.  It was a great opportunity for the whole family to enjoy fitness together.  And watching Katie made me realize I need to improve my planking!  Hers is on point!

Daily Life ExploreLongBeach

Date Night at the Long Beach Aquarium Member’s Prom!

Posted on May 4, 2018

We had an amazing childless night at the Long Beach Aquarium Member’s Prom last night. It was Roaring 20s themed and I could not have asked for a better night. We had so much fun drinking and dancing, and actually got to look at the animals without having to chase our kids. And to top if off, we Postmated happy meals and sundaes from Mcdonalds after we got home and ate them on the couch! It’s nice to have some time alone to remind us why we fell in love. I woke up today feeling so lucky to have someone as wonderful as Jason. (And perhaps a tad like I had one too many beers . But mostly lucky.)

Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific: http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/

 

Daily Life

Threenager Problems. Send help.

Posted on May 3, 2018

Okay friends, looking for all the advice right now because this little threenager has been… what’s a nicer word for horrible? Yeah… she’s been that. Typically things go in 2 week cycles around here. We’ll get a phase where she seems to be listening well, using her words, following directions, and I think to myself, maybe she’s just growing up! And then it’s like a flip switches overnight and I have a demon child. (Oops, I mean, a strong-willed child who struggles with listening…)

And then it’s throwing, hitting, stomping, shouting, being mean to her sister, all without pausing in between one bad thing to the next!

And then it’s throwing, hitting, stomping, shouting, being mean to her sister, all without pausing in between one bad thing to the next! I am exhausted. I have tried talking to her one on one when Isabelle isn’t around asking what’s going on and am only getting answers like “I hit her because I didn’t want her to hit me” or “because I wanted to be near her” or “because I wasn’t behaving.” Basically not getting answers. Isabelle is newly walking so maybe the extra attention she’s getting is making Katie jealous.

We are trying our best when Isabelle is awake, too, to split the attention, but Isabelle also needs attention

We have been trying to give K more one on one time and even been doing games just the three of us every night after Isabelle goes to bed. We are trying our best when Isabelle is awake, too, to split the attention, but Isabelle also needs attention. She’s excited about walking and looks at us all proud and I don’t want to feel like we can’t get excited for her because we’re scared it will set Katie off. That’s not fair either.

I’m seriously at my wit’s end.

I know any day now the cycle will switch again and we’ll be back to better days, but I need help in the mean time. I’m seriously at my wit’s end. I would like to get through this without having everything in our house broken, without Isabelle getting hurt, with my sanity, and preferably without any new wrinkles (is that last too much to ask?)

Daily Life

IB can DEFINITELY walk

Posted on April 27, 2018

Well, well, well! Apparently walking isn’t so hard when your sister is halfway across the Converse store with the goldfish crackers. There I was, trying on a pair of shoes, and all of a sudden I look up and see IB walk like 30 steps all the way across the store to get to Katie! I was seriously shocked. She only walks when we aren’t looking! So of course I tried to stand her up to get her to do it again so I could record it and her legs appeared not to be working. They just fell out from under her (#faker).

So then I came up with an evil plan to have Katie step away with the goldfish again. (Seriously evil, I know. If you have your sound on, you can hear IB whimpering the saddest sounds as I record her. #meanestmom). But lo and behold, the goldfish were worth it. She got up and walked over to Katie again. Not quite as long as her earlier walk, but just as casual, like she does all the time. Any bets on how long she’ll stick with her “I can’t walk” routine?

Daily Life

IB is walking. Sort of.

Posted on April 26, 2018

Okay, I’m calling it. We have a walker. But I’m putting it in the baby book with an asterisk because this adorable little face is the face of a faker. It all started last week when she started taking a few steps here and there. We figured she was still learning and wasn’t ready.

Earlier this week we saw her walk from the coffee table to the door (about 5-6 steps) when she thought no one was looking.

Then earlier this week we saw her walk from the coffee table to the door (about 5-6 steps) when she thought no one was looking. Later the same day, she walked over to me when I put on the carrier because she wanted to be picked up. But if I set her down on her feet and try to get her to walk to me, she sits down and cries. This continued several times throughout the week; she was taking several steps when no one was looking.

Then last night I saw her walk around the coffee table to the couch (about 12 steps)

Jason and I joked that she was waking up and night and walking around the apartment under the cover of darkness. Then last night I saw her walk around the coffee table to the couch (about 12 steps) and when I came in the room and busted her, she sat down!

She also still pretends she can’t hold her fruit pouches 

She also still pretends she can’t hold her fruit pouches and makes us hold them for her, and even though she had been standing unassisted for MONTHS now, she still only does it on her terms. If she has a toy or a sandwich, she will stand for several minutes while she plays or eats. If I try to stand her up on her feet, it’s like her legs are jello! Does anyone else’s kid do this?

Is it possible we are creating this fake helpless damsel in distress? 

Katie is the complete opposite. When she learns a song, she wants to sing it to us again, and again… and again. She wants to show us how she can open her own string cheese and tell us how she went potty on the potty (I mean, still? You’ve been doing this for months now. Do we have to throw a party for every single poop for the rest of your life?) Part of me wonders if this is a second child thing with Isabelle. We are always saying “be careful with the baby” and “she’s too little for that.” Is it possible we are creating this fake helpless damsel in distress? Is your kid(s) more “look what I can do” or “I can’t do it”? And who was firstborn and who is the baby if you have multiples?

Daily Life

April is C Section Awareness Month

Posted on April 24, 2018

Did you know that April is c section awareness month? When I found out Isabelle was going to be born via c section, I was devastated. Katie was born vaginally and I expected Isabelle to be as well. We first discovered that Isabelle was breech at 33 weeks and the doctors kept telling me there was still “plenty of time.”

The doctors kept telling me there was still “plenty of time.”

I started doing yoga moves that anecdotally have gotten babies to flip and spent a lot of time crawling around on all fours. Around 35 weeks I went and tried #acupuncture and #moxibustion (a procedure also known to get babies to flip.) I felt some attempts, but no full flip and Isabelle was running out of room. At 37 weeks the doctors attempted a breech version. It was more painful than both my vaginal birth and my c section, and Isabelle still wouldn’t budge.

At 37 weeks the doctors attempted a breech version.

At this point I was done trying. The doctors wanted to do one more version attempt a week later and I said no. I felt like I had tried everything and was done forcing it. I was also given the option to meet with a doctor who would deliver breech. Jason and I discussed it in length, but after losing my second pregnancy, and spending much of the third pregnancy worrying about losing Isabelle (bleeding, early labor, effacing 30% at 22 weeks… it was a really difficult pregnancy), we decided that a c section was the best option for us.

We decided that a c section was the best option for us.

A breech delivery gave me too much anxiety, but I did appreciate having options. A lot of women are NOT given options when they are told they need a c section and the US has the highest c section rate of all developed countries – at 33%. Whether it’s because your baby is breech, your labor is getting long, or your water broke, doctors are often quick to say a c section is the only option. Remember that you do have other options, and do what you feel is the best decision for you and your family.

The US has the highest c section rate of all developed countries – at 33%.

Be loud, the squeaky wheel gets greased. Do your research, get a second opinion. A c section is a major abdominal surgery and recovery is not easy. Yes, you will get through it if it happens, but remember that in very few cases is a c section the only option. #csectionawareness

Daily Life

A Story About Kindness

Posted on April 22, 2018

This is a story about kindness. There is a homeless man named Michael who we often see near our apartment. We met him about a year and a half ago when Katie climbed up on the bench he was sitting on and started talking to him. We chatted briefly and went on our way. We see him almost every day now. If I have snacks like granola bars I stop and give him one but if not, we still stop to chat for a minute.

There is a homeless man named Michael who we often see near our apartment.

When I was pregnant with Isabelle, I saw him every day when I jogged. He always cheered me on and asked how the pregnancy was going. Over the past year and a half I have seen him start working odd jobs in our area like landscaping and dog-walking. He is in cleaner clothes as of late and seems to be in better spirits.

He told her that three was a very special age and pulled his money out of his pocket.

We saw Michael today on our way back from the beach and the girls and I stopped to say hi. He asked Katie how old she was and she said three, and that it was just her birthday. He told her that three was a very special age and pulled his money out of his pocket. I saw some ones, a twenty, and a five dollar bill. He handed her the five and told her to put it in her piggy bank and save it for something special. I insisted she give it back over and over, but he refused to take it. You can only refuse a gift so many times before you become the rude one, so eventually I said okay and Katie thanked him.

I have a lot more than he does, and I don’t give back nearly as much as I could.

The fact that he gave Katie five dollars when he has so little brought tears to my eyes. It made me think, I can do better, too. I have a lot more than he does, and I don’t give back nearly as much as I could. I think we’ll put together some blessing bags this week and hand them out to some of the homeless population in our area. It’s usually something we do on Thanksgiving but there’s no reason why we can’t do it more often. We always have plenty of food in our house, and we are so fortunate for that. What’s something that happened in your life that made you realize how grateful you are for all the blessings in your life?

Daily Life

It’s About Time I Started Taking Care of My Skin

Posted on April 20, 2018

Can you believe that I’m 32 and have never had a skin care regimen?  I know right… time to get it together!  I always thought that because I don’t wear any makeup that I didn’t need to do anything to my face.  And then all of a sudden I woke up one day with wrinkles?  Maybe it’s all the salt and wind and sun from practically living outside with my girls, maybe it’s from the tanning beds I frequented well into college (Shame!), or maybe it’s from almost any habits I had in college – energy drinks, not enough sleep, too much alcohol (Shame, again!) . Don’t even get me started on the toll that staying home with a baby and a toddler is having on my adrenal glands (YOU, please stop crying.  YOU, listen to Mommy!)

All of a sudden I woke up one day with wrinkles?

But I digress, I suppose it really doesn’t matter exactly when I started looking old… (And at least that 21 year old waitress with the flawless skin told me on my 32nd birthday that “Omg I don’t even look 32!!”)  So, we’ve established that I’m getting older and starting to look older.  Saranghae approached me and asked if I would like to try their 5-step Korean skin care regimen.  Of course I was beyond excited.  I have been using this regimen for 30 days now, and here are my thoughts on the products, as well as the results. (Results are at the bottom if you want to read them first – also before and after pictures.)

Step 1 – Nourishing and Moisturizing Oil and Foam Cleanser:  The first thing I noticed is that this product has truffle extract and gold in it.  Yes, gold!  So I was thinking, this is pretty baller, I feel fancy.  It smells really good and feels gentle on my skin.  I like that it doesn’t make my skin feel dry or tight after.  I have combination skin so I have a hard time finding a cleanser that doesn’t dry out my skin, but also cleans thoroughly.  I really like the cleanser.

Step 2 – Deep Radiance Essence Serum: Okay, confession time.  I have no idea what a serum is supposed to feel like.  I have never used one.  I have no complaints about this one, but in the interest of full disclosure, I am not the best person to evaluate how good a serum is because I have no experience with any others.  This one smells nice and feels good, but that’s about all I can say.

Step 3 – Firm and Lift Regeneration Cream:  The jar may not look that big, but a tiny dab of this cream will cover your whole face.  I love that it feels heavy enough to moisturize but not so heavy that my face feels greasy after.  Even when I got sweaty the following day, I didn’t notice any greasiness at all.  I was initially worried that a cream this thick would make me break out, but I never had any problems with acne.

Step 4 – Focus Renewal Eye Cream: This is my favorite of all the products.  I have noticed a huge difference in the dark circles under my eyes since I began using this cream.  Definitely a few less wrinkles, but what I noticed a bigger difference in was that my eyes looked brighter underneath, and less sunken in.  I actually noticed this difference within minutes of using the cream, and it seemed to get better every day that I used it.  I don’t look as tired, and I think I look younger.

Step 5 – Elemental Essence Mask: This was my second favorite product in the bundle.  They recommend using these masks once a week.  I chose to save mine for nights before special events so I could look extra youthful.  There is a ton of serum on them (botanical extracts and CoQ10 and hyaluronic acid) and they are sheet masks so super easy to use.  You only need to wear them for 15-20 minutes so really easy to squeeze in before bed or before an event.  I noticed a big difference in how my skin looked the day after using the masks.  If I could afford to, I would use one every night!

Additional thoughts:

  1. There was no sunscreen in any of these products so you will still need to use an additional sunscreen to protect your skin
  2. Some of these products bothered my contacts so I used them at night after I took my contacts out and then I had no problems when I put my contacts back in in the morning.

Results, and would I buy again?

In one word, yes.  I noticed a reduction in some of my (HUGE) horizontal forehead wrinkles that I’ve had for probably 15 years now and I’m really happy about that.  I noticed a small reduction in the wrinkles around my eyes as well.  I like that the bags under my eyes are reduced and my eyes look brighter.  I also just feel like my skin looks… well, better.  I can’t quite put my finger on what it is that’s different, and the photos show a little bit, but I notice it more in person.  I think my skin looks brighter and glowy-er and just more youthful, I suppose.

I also like the price of these products.  The entire bundle is $160 which may sound like a lot, but if you purchase your skin care products independently, you can easily spend $200-300 (AND UP) at a department store on products that might not even work this well.  I think $160 is a fair price point for all 5 products, and they have a 30 day money back guarantee if you are dissatisfied (but you won’t be!)

About Saranghae

“Saranghae is an award-winning Korean 5-step anti-aging skin care routine that heals, regenerates, and protects your skin. Saranghae’s focus on natural ingredients, highly effective products, and excellence in customer service has helped them become the fastest growing Korean skin-care brand in the United States.”

For more information, please visit www. lovesaranghae.com

Disclaimer

This review was made in collaboration with Saranghae.  While the products have been gifted to me, the review is my own honest opinion.

Daily Life

Gender Roles in the Home

Posted on April 13, 2018

Do you have traditional gender roles in your house? We are kind of mixed over here. I am the one who builds things and puts air in the tires, and I also cook and do the dishes. Jason cleans more often than I do (because he is way more efficient than I am), he works outside the home, and he handles all the computer/electronics problems (“Babe!! The internet is broke again!”) I shop for groceries and Jason usually shops for toiletries. Monday-Wed Jason wakes up with the girls and does breakfast and gets them dressed while I relax or work out, and then Thurs-Sun I get up with them so he can sleep in.

We don’t call anything “girl jobs” or “boy jobs” in our house

We don’t call anything “girl jobs” or “boy jobs” in our house, and I think the girls are really absorbing that from us. It makes me happy to see Katie play with tools AND help me cook AND play with dinosaurs AND pretend to feed her doll. I want my girls to know they can become doctors or firefighters or chefs or teachers. That they can be moms or not be moms. That they can do math and yoga and learn to weld and also to sew. That they are smart and courageous and worth more than their looks, but that it’s also okay if they love makeup and fashion. I want to raise strong women, and every day I try to show them that they can be anything they want to be.