I’ve always been one of those people that tries to live in happy denial: stretchmarks? I won’t get them. Smaller saggy breasts? Won’t happen to me! And yet, of course it did. All of it.

The stretchmarks, thankfully, have faded to be silvery and pretty much invisible on my translucent/white skin. But the tummy/breast situation is really disconcerting.

First of all, I’ve never been particularly busty, in fact, quite the opposite. Which means that the time that I was breastfeeding Jasper was the first time in my life that I actually got to experience what it was like to have normal sized breasts. And I LIKED it. Not even in a “these make me look sexy” sort of way, but in an “I’m finally proportional and clothes fit me right” sort of way.

Which makes it even MORE cruel that after finally, for once in my life being happy with that part of my body that not only do they, um, deflate, but that they look worse now than they did before!

Even THAT wouldn’t be so bad if my stomach was flat like it used to be, but pregnancy put SUCH a strain/stretch on my transverse abdominals that if I’m not consciously correcting/flexing those transverse abdominals my stomach will stick out farther than my breasts!

I don’t think I’m talking about the “need to do more situps” abs, this is something that needs to be corrected with specialized exercises, ones that I’ve been putting off researching/doing because frankly, who has the time?

I find myself covertly sizing up other mommy’s tummies at the town pool, wondering how the ones that look like they never carried a baby recovered like they did.. were they just younger? better genetics? carried differently? Or did they WORK at getting those core muscles back in shape?

I still remember exactly what it felt like standing up for the first time after giving birth: like someone in a cartoon had blown a canon through my middle and if I turned to the front you’d see a giant hole! I felt like I had rubber in between my shoulders and my knees, like a giant gumby. No core muscles at all!

Sometimes I wonder if the damage that was done to my body is more than just normal postpartum wear and tear and if I should get the muscle weaknesses evaluated.. but I’m not even sure what type of dr. to go to for that (OB?, Physical therapist?)

So talk to me about how you all feel about your postpartum body and what, if anything, you’ve done to change it?

I'm a big kid now!

When we were shopping for cribs I remember just wanting something clean, modern and inexpensive. Whether or not it could convert to a “big boy” bed wasn’t really at the top of my list of priorities.   Imagining my as of yet unborn child sleeping in a toddler bed seemed like something so far off in the future.. like when hovercraft and teleporting are invented.  In short, something I couldn’t even comprehend.   Of course you don’t need me to tell you that it goes by faster than the blink of an eye and that future is just around the corner!

Jasper has two cribs, one at becoming home and one at my parents’ house. The one at my parents’ house is really high – I can’t imagine him being able to climb out of it anytime soon – but the sides of the one at becoming home are really short in comparison.  When he stands up the side only comes up to like his belly.    So I’ve been thinking about whether or not that means he’s “ready” for a big kid bed?  Or, more importantly, ready or not if there’s a possibility he might try to climb out and fall! Is this something that needs to be anticipated well in advance to avoid potential injury, or do we wait for signs that he is actively trying to climb out (and risk a fall in the meantime)?

He’s sleeping on a cot at daycare for naps, so I know he’s capable of falling asleep without bars.. I’m just not sure I’M ready!  I have visions of him getting just climbing out of bed and pulling on the door crying instead of sleeping. Unpleasant visions.

So here’s my question to you all, if your toddler has already made the transition to big kid bed what made you decide to go ahead and do it? How did the transition go?  If like me you are just thinking about it, is there a specific age you are waiting for or are you waiting for some sign that he or she is ready?

Any great Halloween costume ideas for a 12 month old…who
won’t wear hats, lol!?  Just wondering what everyone is planning on
doing for their LO.

And honestly, it was the first time I’d actually thought about the fact that Jasper doesn’t wear hats. Period. And virtually all baby Halloween costumes have a rather prominent hat component. What to do? Anyone have any great ideas? If not, just share what costume you have picked out with a link so we can all see the cuteness!

The sad realization that Jasper will go hatless this year makes me all the more glad we went OVERBOARD with the headgear for last year’s Scooby Doo costume:

Then again, perhaps his hatred of hats is his secret revenge??