newbie

[castle1031]

Hi, everyone! My name is Liz, and I am a 26-year-old, stay-at-home mom from Pennsylvania. I have 4 kids, ages 5, almost 4, 15 months, and 5 months. I have been struggling with weight for a while. After baby #2, I lost a lot of weight, and then babies 3 and 4 came about, and have been having a real hard time sticking to a plan. I do the Firm workouts, Tae-Bo, walking, Yoga Zone, Winsor Pilates. I like to vary the routine quite a bit. Anyway, it's hard, as you all know, and I could really use some support, some good ideas, suggestions for new tapes, a good challenge, and some enouragement.

I have been debating on posting here for a few days, but I've just decided to put it out there. It's hard being a SAHM - not many people to chat with. I love my kids, don't get me wrong, but some days I really long for "girl talk".


Anyway, I look forward to hearing from you soon! Feel free to email me at castle1031@cavtel.net
:)

In good health,
Liz

[applecrisp]

with 4 kids, I would guess they also give you a pretty good workout!! Can't give you any real exercise advice -- I am trying to get more walking in. And, the videos I have bought tend to collect dust.

The one thing that has helped me is to make an appointment with myself on my calendar to walk etc. And, then to write what I did on my calendar.

Good luck!

[Angelina]

Welcome Liz!! We are always here to chat...well, whenever I can sneak in at work that is. ;)

Angelina

[castle1031]

Hi, everyone!
Thanks for the responses.
One would think that with 4 kids, I'd get lots of exercise. And some days that is true. But others, it's a real challenge. My older two are at an age when they don't want to play with me all the time at the playground, and my younger two are so little, they can't do very much.
I like the suggestions of making an appointment to exercise. Makes it stick a little more. :)

[heavy hedonist]

A hard thing about being with small children all the time is, you tend to lose your ability to talk to grownups properly. I'm a nanny for 25 years, so I know where you are. Though right now, I'm stuck at home with an illness; I can't work, and am missing my munchkins too, with a new baby coming to my sweetsweet boss in 3 weeks. I'm starved for girlstuff of all kinds!!! Talk to me!
ps--got a favorite makeup website? :D

[castle1031]

You know, I DO seem to feel out of the loop in the adult world. It seems that I have reversed my personality. Before I had kids, and when I had my first baby, it was really hard for me to get into "play" mode. But after doing it 4 times, it seems that's all I can do. Maybe that's why I am so into reality tv. I dunno.

I went to get my hair cut last week. First time in a year. The salonist was unmarried, with no kids, completely unattached. She had no idea what to say or do when I told her I needed a cut that was simple and easy to take care of, with little or no styling products. She had no clue. She was even more floored when I told her that I don't even own a blow-dryer - I don't have the time. Somehow she managed to do a nice job regardless.

Don't get me wrong...I LOVE my kids, and get so upset at the thought that they are growing (my oldest is going to kindergarten in the fall...sniff sniff), but I still like to feel like I can relate to the rest of the world.

WOW!! I nanny - you must really love kids. Do you have any of your own?

No, I don't know of any good makeup websites. Send 'em my way if you do! I was never really taught how to do makeup from my mom, and with three girls, I should probably start learning!!!
:)

[linsleyd]

Welcome to the boards!
Not much help on the baby and exercise front but I can help with the makeup!
www.sephora.com

Enjoy!

[heavy hedonist]

None of my own children, but many I helped raise are now having their own. At 41, I am sure I won't be making babies. Adoption isn't out of the question (someday! maybe!), but I have no real regrets. The right man at the right time just didn't happen, but my "kids" call me and tell me they love me.
I do love children, working with them and watching their minds grow is amazing. The best job in the world, and at my level of experience I can work for who I want to work for; good people that share my childcare philosophy. It keeps my mind playful-- that's the big upside! But I do say "I have to go potty," in polite company sometimes.
I know about the hair thing-- with stick straight hair, I get by with a super short cut with lots of piecey movement-- good for work, a little gel for nights out, not that I have many of those.
ps-Yes! Sephora!

[castle1031]

thanks for the website, i'll have to check it out.

i do say "potty" as well in grown-up company more than i should. force of habit. :)

sounds like you have surrounded yourself with a lot of love, and that is great!
all that experience - you've played dress-up quite a few times. :)

[heavy hedonist]

I love to play dress-up, and to play. One of my new games with my three-year-old (she has a brother of almost two) is Restaurant-- we take turns working the kitchen & playing customer-- they love it, and i get to teach them manners without htem knowing it. I also have twelve boxes of crayons, totally justified by profession, though of course, I just love crayons, especially that new crayon smell.
If you had time for a hobby besides laundry right now, what would it be?

[castle1031]

lol..i like this question:
if i had a hobby besides laundry right now, it would be fencing. i started fencing when i was 23, a little while after i had baby 2. i signed up, originally, thinking i would just do the 10 weeks, to try something new. 2 years later, i was still fencing, and LOVED it. i had the equipment - mask, foils, gloves, jacket. i felt good. i was never athletic as a kid, so here was a sport i could excel at. it was something to focus me, take my attentions off of everything else. it was me, my opponent, and the strategy. it was great.
then i got pregnant with baby 3, and three months after she was born, right when i was preparing to return to the sport, i found out i was preggo again with 4. so i've been away from it for about 2 years. and i have realized how much i miss it. it was my time. i could be me, not mommy, or the wife, just me, trying to improve on what i did the week before, and learning from my opponent. it was awesome.
i have been looking to start up lessons again, but i am finding conflicts all over with schedules. i am supposed to help coach my oldest daughter's cheerleading team (I was a cheerleader as a kid), and all month in august, we have practices every time there's a fencing session, and i can't take saturday classes bc our football games are saturdays.
so that's my hobby.

what would yours be?

btw...I didn't realize crayola made a "smell" crayon. whats it like? and, for the record, i seem to buy a ton of crayons, but they seem so flimsy compared to what htey were like as a kid. i have them home 5 minutes, and they break. of course, my 15-month old also likes to try to eat them, which doesn't help. how do you keep your crayons together?