Breastpads and Earl Grey Tea

If you had of asked me if I wanted anything from London a few years ago I doubt my response would have been for breastpads and Earl Grey tea! Think about all the wonderful things I could get from London…oh how the times have changed. As friends and family come to visit us here in Lanzarote they inevitably ask if we would like them to bring us any treats and it turns out these two items are the only two I am desperate for.

The breast pads because they are insanely, stupidly expensive here and the tea because we haven’t been able to track it down and if we ever did, I’m sure it too would be a ludicrous price.  All that to say that I think it’s quite funny how priorities change in the different seasons of life.

So as I have noted my change in requests from London it makes me think that I have to be careful to not become a person that loses touch with the things that I loved before this new (amazing!) season began. Just because I have a baby now doesn’t mean I forget my own wardrobe while I’m funnelling all my attention on making him look cute. No, mum’s and dad’s there is no need to forget our own hopes and desires. Actually I think it’s really important FOR my son that I don’t neglect these things because more than anything I am one of the most important role models he has in life. I want him to see me enjoying things and people, feeling good about myself and finding joy in discovering new things. And yes, he should know that his mother loves the spa and deserves to be pampered there…OFTEN.

Lots of days I have big bags under my eyes from lack of sleep the night before and here on the island makeup melts off your face so there’s no quick cover up option but I am slowly getting myself back into shape post baby and the sunshine days have given me a tone I couldn’t paint on.  And so to further aid my commitment to being “young”, free and in love (with my two guys now),  I have made an executive decision to chop my hair short! I’ll post a pic of the result whether it’s good or bad…it’s only hair – it will grow back. And next time someone asks me what I want from London I will consider something a little more exciting than breastpads and tea. 

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If the jeans fit…

And yes, the jeans fit! There were celebrations in our house recently when my weekly attempt to squeeze into my pre-pregnancy jeans surprisingly didn’t end in its usual whimper. They are a little snug but more than comfortable and the biggest surprise was that they fit in a week that I had actually gained weight. Not sure how that is possible but I am pleased to say I’ve since lost that little extra and an incey bit more leaving me with 7.5 of the 10kg to go.  A self-congratulatory pat on the back for me. Here's a reminder of what we're coming back from.

 

Following my last post on shedding the kilos, a friend introduced me to the seven minute workout. Let’s just call it the six and a half minute workout because on what planet someone expects me to be able to do a side plank I do not know. It’s only 30 seconds per exercise (supposed to be done at high energy) and you would be surprised just how long 30 seconds can actually last. So I’ve only done it twice because the effort to get into my gym clothes takes at least another seven minutes. This is the challenge of the breastfeeding mother – how to do exercise when you are weighed down and puffed up with all that milk? I nearly suffocated myself trying to squeeze into my gym top. Not actually kidding.

I am the kind of person that needs to constantly invent little games or tricks to keep myself motivated so I will now embark on the monthly challenge. It’s currently fizz-free February meaning no soft drinks or even alcohol free beer – anything with the fizz is out. It will be a Munchie-Free March which will be my hardest challenge given my penchant for all things sweet and choclately and all this will lead up to Active April. Anyone wanting to join me in this madness, please do!

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Half a kilo – BOOM!

I’m not sure yet if it’s a fluke or if the somewhat limited restraint I showed in the past week has actually paid off but in my first official weekly weigh in I have scored a loss of half a kilo. Keep in mind I’m feeding another person so I’m not actually allowed to lose more than one kilo a week if I want to keep producing that prize winning milk that has Orión already wearing a jacket for a six month old!

I have to admit to a couple of little fails during the week; one being the pack of salt and vinegar chips brought into the house by my visiting little brother. He is also to be held responsible for the half a pack of cookies I consumed last night. Well, he’s now gone back to Australia so I can’t blame him in the weeks to come but I’m sure these little mishaps will continue as I just plain love food.  

The plan to lose 10kgs is essentially this - follow the eating regime of breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper and try to avoid any of the naughty foods as much as possible, especially when it comes to snacking. Then, to take a walk each day, toting my latest fashion accessory, the stroller, of course. My downfall here is that while I have been going for a walk more or less every day, I find myself stopping in the various café’s along the water to sit back and relax with a book or stare at the ocean instead. Nonetheless, the walk to the café is a tick on my list. Then there is the five mile run I do each day…well not literally but it’s supposedly estimated that a woman can burn as much as 500 calories a day breastfeeding, so an easy win for me there.

My husband Alvaro and I are thinking of taking up the sport of paddle once a week…I’ll let you know once/if we achieve this. We have been known to be all talk when it comes to fitness. In the meantime I’ve scheduled for us to do one kind of extra activity aside from the walking each week. A run, a swim or a bike ride for example. Alvaro has run twice this week and I have, well I haven’t done anything extra but let’s see what next week brings on that front. If all else fails we are taking a friend on a wine tour and that’s bound to involve a lot of walking right?

The first goal is to fit into the dress in the photo. It's on our wedding day at 12 weeks pregnant and the goal is to wear this to dinner when we celebrate our first anniversary this April. To be honest I'm not sure if I'll meet this goal so I was hesitant to post it which means I'll need all of your support to get there. The weigh in is every Thursday. I have to create a sort of reality TV experience for myself or I just won’t stick to any of this. What happened to the days of being able to eat whatever you liked, do literally no exercise at all and just stay the same? I actually used to start each day with a Mars bar and coke before I swiftly moved on to a hot dog and caramel slice for lunch. Memories.

For those wondering if any more of my wardrobe fits yet, the answer is still a resounding no. I tried three pairs of pre-pregnancy jeans on this week to no avail and even wore one around without the button done-up just to cheer myself up. I will say this about maternity jeans though, they are heaven to wear and thank God for ASOS and Top Shop for bringing out ranges that actually resemble wardrobe normality rather than the awful outfits of the pregnant lady past.

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A new chapter

I am painstakingly typing this post with one hand because my other arm is otherwise occupied with nursing my 6-week-old son, Orión. Hence the title of this post. Although it’s not just that I’m a first time mum which marks the new season; I’ve also just moved from London to Lanzarote to spend my maternity leave with my husband and our little guy in the sunshine. His parents and sister live here and it’s my moment in life to finally learn Spanish. Its sort of a necessity given my husband is Spanish and Orión will be learning both languages and of course I don’t want to miss any conversations in my own house! 

So for the next six or seven months we are here, in our cute little apartment which is just ten minutes walk to the beach (in case I ever whinge too much that you feel tempted to feel sorry for me) and I have three challenges in this time. The first is obvious – figuring out day by day how to raise my boy – what his cries mean, how to get him to sleep in his crib and not the big bed, remembering to treasure all those moments that will never again reappear. Secondly, to leave this island with a good level of Spanish. I have my first lesson tomorrow with my father-in-law. More to come on that following the success or failure of that lesson. And lastly, to shed those kilos I unwittingly collected during pregnancy this year (approximately 10 of them)…my very valid excuse doesn’t take away the fact that my wardrobe currently consists of three pairs of maternity trousers and a couple of loose fitting tops. Let’s not talk yet about how breastfeeding limits your wardrobe or about the block of chocolate that is sat next to me on the couch right now! The rest of my wardrobe is staring at me begging to be worn but unable to squeeze itself around my more than a little enlarged thighs.

The adventure of maternity leave in Lanzarote is just one week into existence and I’m sure it’s going to throw up an array of hilarity, challenge and pure ‘oh my god, is this my amazing life’ moments. The very fact that this Kiwi/Aussie girl now lives close to the beach again is one of those moments in itself. Alright the little one needs a bath…

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