post-partum body issues

Ever since giving birth to Baby Z two months ago, I've felt tremendous pressure to slim down to my pre-pregnancy weight.  I'm not sure why because I've never "watched" my weight before.  To me, it's the strangest feeling!  For some reason I feel like I should already fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans!!  I know - call me crazy.

After I had Lil J, I didn't feel any pressure to slim down to my pre-pregnancy weight.  Before I knew it, I could fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans {I'm thinking this was 5 or 6 months post-partum} and I was dropping weight faster than I actually wanted to {the joys of breastfeeding!}.  I also didn't step onto a scale until months after he was born.  That could have been my mistake this time around - I've already weighed myself twice in two weeks  at my mom's house and the scale didn't falter.  That was depressing to me.

In all fairness, I haven't been able to exercise yet in fear of rupturing my incision from my c-section surgery.  I know that the odds of anything like that happening exactly 10 weeks after my surgery, or anytime at all, is very low.  Maybe I'm just making excuses not to get my butt on the treadmill!

So basically I'm feeling extremely self-conscious about my body post-baby and I'm crossing my fingers that I can get into pre-baby shape pronto!

When were you able to fit into your pre-pregnancy jeans?  Did you feel pressure to lose weight fast?  Was the pressure different after your second or third child?

Energizer's "Free Their Imagination" Contest

I'm so excited to share this amazing contest with you because it's everything that I support in my kids' everyday lives - encouraging the importance of creative play.  I hope you will join me and support Energizer's Free Their Imagination Contest!

In our household we try to limit the amount of time spent in front of screens but in a world that is controlled by technology, it can be difficult to do so.  That's exactly why I make an effort to turn off all of the tv's and take away the iPad so that my son can play with his toys and use his imagination.

I bought Lil J a Crayloa Dry Erase Activity Centre a couple months ago to help his creative writing skills.  He loves using it and I truly believe it has helped him boost his confidence to learn how to write.

{Join The Fun!}

Hop on over to Energizer's Facebook page for more information on the Free Their Imagination contest!  There are over 2,000 Crayola products to be won with hourly draws happening from July 25 - Oct. 1, 2012.  All you need do do is register here for an entry into the contest.  We also have a special bonus PIN for you to enter just for reading this post:

Bonus PIN

OnTheGo

The bonus PIN can be used once every hour for more chances to win some fabulous Crayola prizes, as well as multiple PINs for additional bonuses!  You can also follow the excitement via the Twitter hashtag #FreeTheirImagination.

Disclosure – I am participating in the Energizer program by Mom Central Canada.  I received compensation for my participation in this campaign.  The opinions on this blog are my own

about me

So you want to know a little more about me?

I'm a twenty-something mama of two with one more on the way.  That means I have a tween, toddler and soon-to-be baby in our growing household!  Talk about crazy.  I'm also a self-confessed shopaholic in denial.  My husband can attest to this.

Our family - Miss S, Me, Daddy G & Lil J

Miss S is my darling step-daughter and lives with us full-time.  She's a typical tween - 12 going on 20 - and it should be very interesting to see what these next few years bring.  Especially since me, being a tomboy in a past life, cannot relate to anything too girly and Miss S is just that - you quintessential girly girl.

Miss S

Lil J is my baby.  He's my first born and at 2 1/2 {almost 3}, he is the light of my life.  He is also a terror.  Okay, he's not that bad but he definitely has his moments - usually at home, thank goodness.  He is also potty training and currently seems ready for the next step {cross your fingers!}.  My blog is centered on his achievements, accomplishments, stages, and growing pains.  My "Dear Lil J" segment are my personal love letters to him, which I hope he will one day read when he grows up.

Lil J

The little one in my tummy is a mystery.  Due to make his/her appearance in early June, my hubby and I are not finding out the sex and are awaiting a delivery surprise.  Miss S is adamant that it's a girl.  Lil J just copies what Miss S says.  My brother wants another nephew, as does my 16 year-old brother-in-law.  My hubby and I have no reservations.  We just want a healthy baby.  Currently, baby has been measuring small at my ultrasounds so my doctor will continue to monitor the little bean.  You can follow our journey here.

Me at 33 weeks & 4 days!

My hubby - we call him Daddy G around here.  We've been together for almost 8 years and married for almost 3 {on May 18th!}, although I usually forget our anniversary every year.  We usually celebrate our "other" anniversary in November, which is what we've been doing for..well...almost 8 years!  Daddy G is a constant supporter of me and my crazy ways, and even though I may rant about his minor short-comings {procrastination, etc. - what guy doesn't?}, he means the world to me.  He is an amazing dad and husband and I honestly couldn't ask for anything more.  Sounds cliche right?  But it's so true.

Me & the hubs

Although I initially just wanted this blog to be a journal of my journey with Lil J and our family, I've recently opened up my blog and made it PR friendly.  I'm a huge supporter of local Vancouver and Canadian companies but am not limiting my options and have worked with many well-known US companies.  For more information, you can visit my media kit here.

In my world of constant chaos, I'm just trying to find my place in motherhood without sacrificing my style!  Speak to me about this when baby #2 comes along........

balance....and surviving everyday life

Balance.  One word that I am trying to make sense of, trying to incorporate it into our daily lives.  Do I get lost in the chaos and completely forget how to balance my day?  Yup, every single bleep*ng day!

By the time I've fed baby for the 1,000th time, I realize it's already getting dark out and I haven't even fed Lil J dinner or given him a bath.  Seeing that it's currently summertime, that's bad.  What do I do?  Instruct the hubby to get his a** into gear and do it himself since I'm still either {a} trying to put baby to sleep again, or {b} baby is busy sucking away....again.  Or wait....{c} I'm writing this blog post.  Guilty!

How do we do it all?  I'm not even back to work yet and I'm still having trouble keeping the house in order.  Everything is a complete disaster all the time.  Laundry, toys, meals {breakfast, lunch and dinner}, toys, potty time, gymnastics, toys, potty time, bath time, nap time {non-existent}, bedtime {always a struggle}, toys............sound familiar?  My walls are still white and covered in random pictures that my husband likes to hang up.  Our kitchen table is constantly covered in a mound of crap {newspapers, junk mail and just plain crap}.  Our living room currently looks like a toy factory and our bedrooms......well let's not go there.

So someone please tell me how you balance your life.  I'm drowning in complete and utter helplessness here {and maybe part denial?}.  What helps you stay sane in your daily life and how do you keep everything in order?

{swank} review: Gigis Apparel

The minute I had my baby girl, I was so excited to start shopping for her.  Imagine - a world of tutus, dresses, headbands & style!  I couldn't get enough of those cute headbands that I had seen on little girls and in photo props.

Gigis Apparel makes stylish hair accessories for girls of all ages - adults included!  I love how most of Gigis headbands have an interchangeable flower clip for mix-and-match styles.  One day you can have a pink flower on a white headband, the next a pink flower on a pink headband - the possibilities are endless!  As your little girl grows, you can also use the flower clip on a bigger headband.

Dolce Headband
Photo courtesy of Gigis Apparel

Dimple Headband
Photo courtesy of Gigis Apparel

I have to say that the pictures on Gigis' website do not do justice!  When we received our headbands from Gigis, I was extremely impressed with the quality and exquisite detailing on each headband, as well as the packaging.  Each headband was individually packaged in its own box complete with {fake} rose petals.  Sometimes it's the little things that count!

Buckingham Headband
Photo courtesy of Gigis Apparel

When trying the headbands on Baby Z, I noticed that the sizes can vary.  I'm not sure if it depends on what material the headband is made of {velvet or cotton} or if it is just the luck of the draw, but it may be best to contact Gigis before placing your order.

Fire Velvet Headband {perfect for Christmas!}
Photo courtesy of Gigis Apparel

In addition to their fabulous headbands, Gigis also carries hats, tights and an option to design your own headband or hat!

{Buy It}

Use coupon code BLOG for 15% off your next purchase at Gigis!  Offer expires July 31, 2012.

{swank} review & giveaway: snap mylife creations {photo book}

For Father's Day this year I finally put together a present for my husband that I have been meaning to do for the past few years - a photo book!  Every time I had remembered about this idea, it would always be a couple days before the big day which didn't give me enough time to compile years of pictures into 20 or more pages.

A few months ago, Inkubook changed it's name to Snap MyLife Creations.  Not a whole lot has changed besides the re-branding and name change.  At first the software was a bit difficult to navigate - maybe because I had never created a photo book before.  The thing I like about Snap MyLife is that you don't actually have to install their software to your computer like other photo book companies - you simply sign into your account and create your photo book from that account.

As you upload pictures, backgrounds and fonts, your changes will automatically save which is good in a sense that you don't lose the most recent changes you make.  I did find it frustrating when I made a change that I didn't necessarily like because if I wanted to change it back to it's original form, I would have to do it manually {I couldn't find an "undo" feature}.  This took extra time but I'm a perfectionist so it could just be personal preference.

With Snap MyLife, you are able to upload as many photo sets to your project as you like.  You can also define the photo sets with a unique name so that you can remember which photos belong in which set.  Your uploaded photos will show up at the top of your project so you can select them with ease.  I love how you can choose your own templates, fonts, borders and backgrounds to personalize your photo book.  Once you have completed your photo book, I would definitely recommend previewing your project to make sure everything is in place as you imagined.

Once I placed my photo book order, Snap MyLife contacted me to let me know that a number of the pictures I chose had a low resolution.  This usually happens if you had taken the photo with an old phone camera or if you had simply copied and pasted a Facebook picture.  When you upload low resolution pictures to your photo book, a triangular error sign will show up on the picture letting you know of the low resolution quality.  I would recommend selecting a different photo, otherwise, the quality will be grainy. 

Front cover

My photo book came within a few days of placing my order.  I ordered the 11" x 8.5" Classic Landscape Hardcover book and the quality of the photo book pages and photos turned out great!  My husband loved the idea and thought it was an amazing present - I would definitely recommend it!  I am also very impressed with the customer service I received from Snap MyLife and would definitely work with them in the future.

If you need inspiration in starting your next photo book, Snap MyLife has a number of ideas to kick-start your project.  Creating a Snap MyLife photo book will help you create and instill your memories for years to come!

{Win It!}

Snap MyLife Creations is generously offering two lucky winners a chance to win gift certificates towards their next photo book purchase.  The first prize is $75 worth of photo books and the second prize is $50 worth of photo books!  To enter, please use the Rafflecopter entry form below.  The giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only and ends at 9pm PST on Tuesday, July 31, 2012.

The views expressed in this review are my own and do not represent the opinions or views of Snap MyLife Creations. Note that {swank}mama does not accept responsibility for sponsors that do not fulfill their giveaway duties.  Winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to  respond, otherwise, a new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

reactions

All throughout my recent journey, I couldn't help but wonder how Lil J would react with a baby in his life.  At 2 1/2 {at the time}, I also wasn't sure if he completely understood the concept of what having a baby brother or sister meant to him.  I showed him my growing belly every chance I got, told him he was going to be a big brother soon and that he would have a baby brother or sister.  I also told him that he would be the best big brother ever!

Little did I know Lil J understood every word I was saying.  It also helped that he already had an older sister whom was also getting him excited for the arrival of his baby sister {Miss S would insist it was a girl even though Baby Z was a delivery surprise - good thing she was right!}.

And even though Lil J already had a sibling in Miss S, he had also enjoyed almost 3 years of being the complete center of attention.  How would he react when a new little person steals his thunder?  I had already been a witness to his "possessive" - and completely natural - behavior towards his cousins when it came to myself and Grandma.  It was cute and sometimes just an act to lap up all the attention he could get.  I also felt kind of guilty while I was pregnant.  I didn't want to take all of the attention away from Lil J.  What if he started to resent me?

The one good thing is that Lil J and Daddy G's relationship has strengthened.  He may just be a Daddy's boy now.  That was inevitable, right?!  I love that they have been able to bond while I look after baby.  I had had Lil J to myself for almost 3 years after all.

Daddy's juggling act

Now I know that I never really had to worry about Lil J being jealous about baby.  He had an amazing reaction towards his baby sister and has hardly showed an ounce of jealousy.  And he did understand the concept of having a baby in the family.  He's so proud to show off his baby sister - my baby sister, as he declares.  One time I as I was dropping him off at daycare, a few kids became curious about the baby in the car seat and Lil J made a fist and said sternly with a menacing look, "Don't touch my baby sister!!"  That was a proud mommy moment right there!

Lil J & Baby Z
Photo credit:  Bopomo Pictures

The sibling bond is undeniable between Lil J and Baby Z.  A few days ago, for instance, as I was getting ready, Baby Z was screaming her head off and refused the bottle from Daddy and apparently Lil J was the only one that was able to calm her down.  With his soft, soothing voice {apparently only reserved for Baby Z}, he reassured her that everything would be okay and she literally turned her body towards him and kept trying to lean closer while reaching her tiny arms out to touch him.  Hubby and I were amazed, first, that she was strong enough to be able to turn her body and, second, at the sibling bond so precious it completely melted our hearts.

Lil J & Baby Z

So you see, I had absolutely nothing to worry about!  All my husband and I can do as we raise our kids together is encourage a positive bond between the three kids and remind them that as long as they have each other, they will be able to sail through life's ups and downs smoothly with each other's support.

Sibling Love
Photo credit:  Bopomo Pictures