6 Weeks and Some Change After Surgery

It seems like 6 weeks has come and gone since I was having my breast lift and reduction and honestly, there are some days I totally forget it even happened. I will say that I haven't been so happy with my chest size since middle school, and not only does every shirt I own (all button ups) fit perfectly, I'm discovering I'm a much smaller person than I thought. I love that cute bras fit me now, and that I can actually fit in them without completely spilling over the cup! I love how my shoulders and back feel, relieved of their duty ;)

 Don't get me wrong, it's not like I took a lot off to begin with, I just went down a full cup size, and still rock a full C, but it's just such a nice and comfortable state I'm in now. I would do it again in a heartbeat if I had a do-over.

Now that I'm 6 weeks out and have had a full recovery with positive results, I'm allowed to be active again and workout as if normal. So running and workout videos are in full swing again. I'm starting to make my way back slowly to a gym but it is really difficult with the hubby deployed and Christian screaming the whole time he can see me at a Momma workout room the Air Force provided. Seriously, first time we went, he screamed and cried for a total of 30 minutes all because he could see me but just couldn't get to me…so at home will have to do till I get him completely comfortable at the gym.

Now that my incisions have completely healed it's time to focus on the scarring. I was told my doc at 4 weeks not to put any scar cream or gels on just yet and let the incisions completely heal, so I waited. I ordered this stuff called Derma Gel so hopefully I will be able to see enough of a result in a few weeks for me to tell you if the stuff works or not. I'm just looking forward to a year out to see the results really, because the scars at that point should be almost completely gone. With the gel I'll rubbing it one about 3 times a day and when I do I also make a point to massage the incisions, which can be a little painful, but pressure is supposed to help break down scar tissue and flatten out any lines. We shall see.

I have also noticed that the shape of my breasts are becoming more natural, a perfect teardrop as they should be. Immediately after surgery and for a few weeks, the breasts will lay high and almost a boxy shape, but with time they will go to a natural look. I am truly amazed by how great I feel wearing a bra now and how my confidence has risen. No more two-sportsbras-when-working-out-problem here :)

In all I would say my experience with my surgery has been wonderful and I feel that I was a simple case in comparison to those that have to experience the drains and long recovers due to the their size to begin with. Every person is different in terms of scarring and recovery time.

Anyone had the surgery or considering getting it done? Anyone with suggestions on the best scar gels/creams available?

Have a Happy Weekend Y'all! :)

2 Weeks Without Him

Going on 2 weeks since the hubby left for training for a deployment and I can honestly say that at this point I'm trying to find things to do. Chrispy is a huge help just being difficult so that keeps me really busy but it's the time that he is napping or at night that are usually the hardest for me. I've been taking that time to watch seasons of shows that I've been missing for years now, since we lived overseas for so long, and it really does help to pass the time. As soon as I finish a whole show I move onto the next one, but soon I will run out of shows that I'm interested in so hopefully by than I have found something else to entertain me.

It's really nice somedays that I can decide what we are going to do that morning instead of having set plans. We discovered a new park nearby and managed to even met up with a friend and her kids to have a picnic, which turned into more of a chasing after your kid marathon. Whatever happened to the days of going to the park and actually sitting and enjoying it? Now it's me running in every direction.

Something that has me really looking forward to the next month is my mother coming up to visit us. We are heading up to Indiana for a few days for a wedding. Since our office/guest room is no where near ready for a visitor it has gotten me in the mood to really start on some small projects I've been holding off. A few months ago at a thrift store I came across two antique twin bed frames that I absolutely fell in love with. They remind me so much of the Land of Nod Jenny Lind Toddler Bed but even better, they came at a $10 price tag for each!!! I bought them both  and they have waited patiently in my garage until now. The only other problem I was having was finding bed rails with hook-on ends that were not going to cost me over a $100 for each…yuck! So after a few weeks of searching I managed to come across a set for one frame for only $8!!! Seriously…talk about perfect timing. I will worry about the second frame later but for now this baby will be going into our guest room. I still need to buy the twin mattress and bedding but it is going to be great. The only issue now is if I want to paint these frames to give them some life again. I'm thinking they would look great in a simple white finish like the picture below. Thoughts?

And since most of my rules lately have felt a little mean now that Chrispy doesn't have his Dada here, I'm allowing him to park his car in the house. I know..I'm a push over, but it makes me him feel better…and we are bringing a new way of having a "drive-in movie". As long as he is happy, I'm happy these days.

A huge event took place this week, Chrispy's first visit to the dentist!!! I was so proud :) He actually did really well for the doctor but unfortunately the assistant felt his wrath and I had to lay under him and hold his arms down while she cleaned…it was like holdings down an alligator.  Seriously, a two year old boys strength is not to be messed with!

After the dentist we promptly went to Tim Horton's and picked out donuts to fest. He ate every.single.one.of.those.donuts!!! He didn't even offer me one!!!  Payback for holding him down I'm sure ;)

I managed to get a little perky when a pair of sneakers I've been wanting for awhile came in. I had to hunt them down on EBay to get my size but the finally came in!!! I love a good animal print shoe :)

And lastly, Chrispy's fashion is a little weird these days. I've been trying to make it fun getting dressed for the day so I allow him to help me pick out his clothes in the morning. After he spent the whole day in this adorable sailor romper we had to run up to Home Depot to pick out some paint and these are the shoes he picked out….camouflage boots. Yep, he is a country boy I think but it might still be too early to tell.

 I will admit that I was so strong all week and didn't cry once over the hubby being gone until he put these boots on and said, "likkke Dada" and smiled at me. My heart exploded into confetti and the tears ran down my face. All I could do is say, "Yeah buddy, like Dada"…..my baby missing his Dada is probably the most pain I could feel. And it officially sucks!!

Have a Happy Week Y'all! :)

1 Week Without Him

Happy Friday y'all! So, this week was the first in a long time that the hubby  has been away from us but I guess we will have to trudge on because he is getting ready to deploy. Yep, the man of the house is leaving us to serve a greater good and so far, it has really really sucked!!! It's not that we haven't done this before, we have plenty "away from each other time" under our belts, but this time around, we have a toddler who just turned 2 and believes the sun falls and rises to his Dada's command.

It does really break my heart more now to see Chrispy suffering because of the lifestyle we have chosen but I feel with time, and lots of Skype we will make it through it. And of course lots and lots of wine for Momma…because I feel like crying every 5 seconds or when someone puts there hand on my arm to tell me how sorry they are for me….yep, epically the worst move to make on a girl who is trying to hold it all together.

The first week, of course, our dryer's element burns out so we were faced with ordering the part, no one had in stock locally, and dragging baskets of wet clean laundry to the laundry mat to do some drying. Have you ever been to a laundry mat with a toddler? Not cool….no cool at all! Thank God for the UPS guy that showed up right after I got home from the laundry mat with the part…bless you good Sir!!

I also attached Chrispy's bike seat finally to my bike, only took the whole summer to do it :), and while trying to get a lug nut free I managed to give myself a really good pinch. Don't worry, it only hurt really bad for 2 days :(

At least the one thing that you just don't feel too bad about when the man is away is your diet. Normally I'm very good of everything I eat, down the calorie, but with the first week I'm usually off by a lot and just trying to coop with the feelings of being so alone and so responsible. So this amazing place called Piada, and Italian style street market, has become my best friend. It's really bad when you walk in and they know what your going to order, and every time I'm guilty of the same thing, the Calamari Salad!!! OMG…and Shut the Front Door is it good! Chrispy usually get the spaghetti which is also really good too.

We also have been "touring" many bakery areas for something sweet at night after we polish off whatever I haven't cooked all week…I'll be honest, we went home with that chocolate cake Chrispy has his paws on. Good choice son, good choice ;)

Many, many, and many walks have been taking place to fill our time in the evenings. Though I had Chrispy all day normally, evenings were always the hubby's detail. He would entertain Chrispy while I finished up dinner, go on little walks just them two (both wearing their baseball caps), and usually playing some kind of wrestling game upstairs on the bed, plus he also covered bath and pj's. So lots to fill in on my own now, a real full time job.

I also had Chrispy's 2 year Wellness check up and he is growing perfectly, very smart, but is having a little sore throat and runny nose right now. We also had to have blood drawn for the first time since it wasn't done previously to check for things like lead….could have died when they stuck the needle in my baby's vein..the man apologized like a million times to me but I still wanted to take him out. :( On top of it, sleep is like not a option right now with him being sick and we I am weaning him from his pacifier :(

 We have visited Chick-fil-a so many times this week alone I think the manager knows us by sight and even called little man Chrispy…wow, this girl really needs to start cooking again. We are going for the play area so he can play and make some friends while Momma gets to just sit and breath quietly in my own "special space" as I've started called it.

And of course, this is the saddest, though we still communicate through phone and Skype, it breaks my heart every time to watch them. I feel so awful, knowing how much they miss each other. I just keep telling him everyday that Dada is working and everyday he continues to ask for him. That is really what is so hard about deployments with kids, they miss their parent so much and you are trying your best to fill up as much of that longing as you can, it is a very hard job.

(Do not judge my dirty carpet! Carpet cleaning tonight….it rained and the dogs ran through the living room with mud. Go me!)

Hope everyone else is having a better week than me! How did you get through your long deployments with toddlers? Have a happy weekend y'all! :)

National Lipstick Day

piHappy National Lipstick Day!! And in honor of this amazingly awesome day just for lipstick I figured I would share with you how I do my red lips.

F.Y.I. the video is in two parts because during the first part I heard Chrispy starting to cry so I had to stop to check on him. It really does suck when your hubby is gone :( And the lighting is horrible because it was done in my bathroom which has no light in it so next time I will do it in my bedroom, which has some light. Also, the camera was at a weird angle in my bathroom so I look really up close which of course makes me look I'm about 20 lbs. heavier than I am!!! I will figure it out one day.

Part 1

Part 2

                                                                    Ben Nye Powder

 A picture from 2011 at a Halloween party…also know as the party that got 2 of my friends and I pregnant…yep, I blame that on the shots being taken….all night ;)

An amazing photographer and friend Sarah took this photo of me and I just wanted to show you how to wear this bold red in the day time…everything else on my face is soft and neutral.

Have a Happy Day Y'all! :)

Chrispy Turns 2

The day you were born, I was so scared and nervous for what lied ahead. I wasn't thinking too much about the crazy pain you gave me in my back, or the fact that your Dada was in another country, I was too focused on the amazing gift I was about to receive and how terrified I was of the immense responsibility that was going to be laid in my hands. And then you were born. I heard your cry and knew immediately with every fiber of my being that you were mine. You were here. And you were perfect.

The doctor laid you on my chest and you looked up at me and with just the simple phrase of "Hello" you stopped crying, you stopped being scared, and you knew I was yours. Looking back now, it seems like yesterday you came into my world and have been completely rocking it every since.

After just two years together I know this much about life, there is a God, because how could there not be some great higher being after this miracle grows in your belly, shares your body, and changes your heart completely. I had no idea I had so many more chambers of the heart until you were in my arms. I know that watching you sleep gives me a sense of peace I have never felt before. I know that you were made just for me, you are my perfect. I know that I have never been more confident as a woman until I became a mother. I know that I have never been so scared in my life over the best way to protect you. I know that you have given me more joy in a single afternoon than many have tried to give me over the years. And I know one day you will leave this nest for a bigger world, and that doesn't frighten me one bit, because you were loved and know how to love.

Happy 2 Years Christian!!! The joy you have given me I could never repay, but I can always make up for that with an endless supply of hugs and kisses. :)

And Then There Was Chalk Paint

Chalk paint!!! It's pretty amazing stuff. I literally can't get over how much I love chalk paint and wish I could use it on all my pieces but it is not meant for every piece you own. I feel like chalk paint is best used for pieces that are going to be distressed or pieces that are harder to paint otherwise, like my cane chairs that I reupholstered and painted, they were perfect for chalk paint since they were in the worst condition and sanding them would have been a real challenge with the cane.

Since I've been making chalk paint for awhile now I thought I would also share how to make it…yes I know, yet another chalk paint recipe. But it was requested and I shall deliver people! :)

I made this just for those who wanted to know but a warning….I am not good in front of a camera (hence why there are no tutorials of me), I really needed a ponytail holder the whole time (couldn't keep my hands out of my hair), and I can not make eye contact (but in person I'm all about eye contact), and for some reason I felt the need to put a high pitch voice when I say water in the beginning (WAAATTTTER)….you were warned!!!

Chalk Paint Recipe:
1 part Plaster of Paris + water = 2 teaspoons Plaster of Paris + 1 teaspoon water (give or take)
1 part paint = 2 teaspoons paint or 1/4 cup paint

Notes:
*should be a the same consistency of pancake batter
*make only a little at a time, if you need more than the amount in the recipe, double it
*even strokes with your brush will give you the most even surface
*paint the grooves and small lines first and than the larger flat surfaces
*add as many coats of chalk paint until your reach your desired coverage, allowing all coats to dry in-between, (I usually do three thin coats)
*seal with furniture wax or a water base sealer

Happy Painting Y'all!!! Would love to see other's projects!! :)

Something Green!!!

After long and hard thought, I finally decided to paint my TV stand, which is actually an antique Japanese buffet, but the color choices where endless. I really was having a hard time deciding between a classic white wash with distressing that is so popular now or  taking the wild road and finally getting a grand piece of green furniture in my home. After careful consideration from friends and the go-ahead from the hubby, it was time to get this baby painted!

I knew I wanted a similar color to Kelly Green and after going to Home Depot and taking every sample card of green home with me, I finally found the color I'd been hunting, by Behr, Snip of Parsley!!! Yes!!! And it has a cute name ;)

(My mixer man, he waits on me way too much)

I had to complete this stand in sections since I've got a toddler running around, which makes my crafting a little difficult at times. I started with the fronts of the draws by giving all the draws a quick once over with a sandpaper block, cleaned them, and taped the edges. After just one coat I was in love!!! But knew I wanted a really rich color and the wood to make a really awesome peek-a-boo effect, so I waited for the paint to dry and applied two more coats.

The brass hardware got a vinegar and water "bubble bath" in a tiny crock pot I picked up from a family dollar that is awesome for things like cleaning hardware and cheese queso…oh yeah, super yummy (it is cleaned every time with bleach after using it for hardware ;).

After the paint dried completely, I removed the tape and began sanding to distress with 60 grit paper and after I got the desired look I switched to 120 grit to make it as smooth as possible. Cleaned well with a microfiber cloth and applied a thin layer of furniture wax. After 30 minutes of waiting, went back and buffed. Attached hardware and promptly drank a beer for a job well done :).

The next day, or night I should say, I finally was able to tackle the frame as soon as Chrispy went to bed for the night. I painted in all the small lines and grooves with a paint brush first and then the larger areas. After the paint dries, added a second layer with a brush in the grooves and then switched to a small 4 inch roller to make as many smooth and even areas as possible, plus it gets quicker when you go with a roller.

 (Middle of the night "I HATE YOU" screaming through my head!)

At this point I was hitting 10:30 at night and getting hungry from all the "labor" so it was a perfect time to put in a movie, No Reservations, and heat up some roasted chicken and have a glass of wine….paint was drying and all. After a few, and the paint is dry, did one more coat for full coverage. Let it dry again…half the pain of painting furniture is waiting for paint to dry but thankfully chalk paint goes on smoothly and dries quickly.

I spent the next hour of my life distressing this beast with 60 grit sandpaper and going back over it with 120 grit, by hand people!!! It wasn't one of those pieces that I could really use and electric sander since it would have made weird distress marks. By the time I was finished distressing and putting a layer of furniture wax on, I was half a bottle of wine in and it was 1 am! Job well done!!

This morning when it was dried completely the hubby was so happy with the results as am I. I don't have crazy color pieces in my house, in fact, this is the only painted furniture we have in our house, but everything about this screams fun!! Any chalk paint pieces you have been working on? Would love to see them. Hope you feel inspired to go out and finally do something you want ;)

Thanks y'all!!! :)