Law Students

Jumping Back In

By Anonymous

My 6-week check-up was last Thursday and I am now cleared to swim, take baths, exercise, and have sex. This is good since I was already doing all of the above (except the exercise- unless shoe shopping and house cleaning counts). I am also back to the land of mindless, effortless Mirena birth control, which is good, since we kind of suck at taking care of that on our own. I may be undecided on the possibility of a baby #3, but I am 1000% certain that I do not want baby #3 any time soon. The mere idea is terrifying.

(Although, Claire learned how to smile a few days ago. She forgets she knows how most of the time, but then out of nowhere she'll remember and smile in response to your smile, and then she'll get so excited that you're so excited that she'll smile more and smile bigger and get caught in this vortex of delight and smileyness. And in that moment I completely get why some people are so obsessed with babies, because I find myself wanting at least a dozen. But still, not right now.)

I can't believe we've only known Claire for 6 1/2 weeks. She seems like such a natural, forever part of our family. I also can't believe I was pregnant and had surgery only 6 weeks ago. It seems like I've felt great forever. The only two reminders are my scar and the 15 lbs. of flabbiness that is hanging out in my midsection. I admit that I have made almost no effort to get rid of it, but I was kind off hoping it would all just disappear on its own anyway. I need to start making some gains (or really, losses) in that direction because I have a lot of money invested in a work wardrobe that I really want to fit again by September.

It took me a while to lose the weight after Landon- I was still wearing my maternity pants at 8 weeks, but no one remembers that because I suddenly got so skinny when he was about 5 months old. Life got very stressful right around then and my body's response to stress is to lose all appetite for food- the thought of eating would turn my stomach (this from the girl who ranks restaurants by their french fries and loves cookies more than almost anything in the world). I don't want my life to be that stressful ever again and I like my happy, heartily appetited self, so I wonder if it will even be possible for me to fit into some of my clothes again... It's probably good if I don't, but that doesn't mean a little part of me doesn't hope it will happen anyway. I really like some of those pieces.

Anyway, since Claire has exhibited all the signs of being an easy, non-stressful baby, I'm turning to exercise. I've never been good at working out on my own- the most fit I've ever been was when I swam as part of a team and when I did exercise classes in college, but I'm going to try. Joining a gym is definitely not in the budget right now, and while working out with JP would be just like having a coach, I'm not sure our marriage could survive it. He watched me swim once and I did not take well to his well-intentioned critiques of my stroke. The same thing also happened when we lifted weights together once- a barbell was very nearly dropped on his foot. Accidentally of course.

So I've planned a swimming work out for myself tomorrow. It's approximately 135 degrees here, so running or walking or doing anything outdoors and not in water is out of the question. I'm really hoping I can make myself swim more than a few hundred yards and that I'll keep it up a few times a week. That would be unlike me. Maybe a sticker chart would help? If only I had some sort of public forum to write about my progress with a way for people to comment and bug me if I don't stick with me plan. That might work...

Full post as published by Lag Liv on July 20, 2010 (boomark / email).