J the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, V Bad Day

Happy spring!  Isn't it amazing what coming out of "hibernation" can do for the body and soul?  And relationships?  It felt like we hadn't seen our neighbors in months, and now, we see them nearly every day!

Coming to you today to expand on what I originally intended to be a short Instagram post.  Not the first time I've had more words to share than I thought we appropriate for a caption.  

If you're familiar with the book the title of this post references, I'll tell you that Jacob's day on Monday may not have went down exactly like Alexander's, but I'm fairly certain he'd use the same adjectives to describe it.  It was truly the worst day of his life...in my memory, at least.  To be fair, there may have been worse days very early on that I've either forgotten due to the he-can-do-no-wrong newborn phase or due to mom-brain.  

Either way, Monday was a day like no other, for him (and therefore, me).  For at least 50% of his awake, non-eating time, he was whining/crying/lamenting and inconsolable.  Usually, if I ask him what's wrong (Are you hurt?  Are you sad we left the park?  Did you want that toy instead of this one?), he'll stop crying at least long enough to say "Yes," if not longer, to hear me out and make a plan to make it better.  On this terrible day, though, everything was wrong and nothing was fixable.  We even ran and errand and went to the park, and while these outings provided a bit of reprieve, it was short-lived.  (For example, while we were are the park, he simultaneously wanted to stay there and go home...)

This unexplained behavior/emotional roller coaster of a day left me feeling baffled and exhausted.  I didn't say as much to anyone while it was happening (mostly because I was trying to appease the unappeasable kiddo and/or trying to get anything else done), but I'd filled Bryant in a bit.  When he came home and saw things hadn't gotten better after naptime, he promptly sent me out of the house.  I had planned to run some errands after he got home that evening, but he told me to be sure to get supper while I was out doing those, and generally, take some time to myself.

I enjoyed a lovely meal - outside!
SPIN Pizza had sent a triple-points promotion I didn't think I'd be able to take advantage of, but I did!  You know how I love to take advantage of a deal. 
It was delicious and wonderful.

While I didn't think my time away was necessarily necessary, Bryant (once again) knew me better than I knew myself.  I needed quiet and peace and stillness.  I needed be able to relax and know someone else was in charge of J for a bit.  I needed to receive their videos where both said they loved me (J's was unprompted and included a blown kiss).  I needed to come home to find a tiny garbage truck, which I knew was requested (because they're currently J's favorite vehicle), drawn complete with details I would've never thought to include.

Driving down the road to pick up those two trash bags, of course.

As usual, I do not intend to brag, though my amazing hubby deserves to be bragged about. Rather, I just want to be transparent share this "low" among so many "highs" that come across our feeds.  Jacob really has been a pretty easy kiddo thus far, and people often comment on how happy and easy-going he is, and he IS.  He has his not-so-happy moments, though, and apparently, days, as well.

(While we're on the subject of transparency: Jacob has also developed a grabbing/pinching habit...both at home and at library storytime.  At home, I can react and correct, as needed, but it's so hard to know how to break him of this habit in public.  He doesn't do it hard enough to hurt anyone at the library, so those kiddos just look at him like, "Hey, man - what are you doing?!"  By the time I notice and get to him to tell him "No," the moment has passed, and he doesn't necessarily have any visible remorse.  We practice gentle touches both in and out of context (immediately after an incident, as well as unrelated to one), and we talk through how we should treat people (even by name) SO often.  I'm having a hard time not being self-conscious about it, and I struggle to remember this behavior is not a reflection on me or our parenting.  Of course, we're not telling him to grab people and/or pull hair - quite the opposite, in fact.  It's just his way of acting out/testing boundaries, at the moment, and I feel bad it is sometimes at the expense/discomfort of others.)

Anyway, the next day, he was almost completely back to his normal, mostly-agreeable, happy self (which I quickly realized I often take for granted).  We went to CFA for some free breakfast, and even saw a (green!) garbage truck in action while we were there.  The day was not without some tears and whines, but it was definitely more normal for us both, and for that, I was very grateful.

My CFA date. ♥
He was up for taking a picture, but apparently, was going for the "16-yr.-old after mom's already taken 473 pictures" look.
I showed him the picture and asked where his smile was... 

...and he voluntarily went back and tried again.
☺

I just couldn't pass up this jacket for $3 at a consignment sale last season.
Also, he chose to wear his church shoes, rather than his every-day tennies. ♥

Thanks for letting me safely share all of this.  I realize this kind of day may be the norm for some kiddos (with or without behavioral diagnoses) and probably seems trivial for those who are dealing with children's health issues, etc.  Some of you may be thinking "He's almost two - this is just the beginning of the "Terrible Two's," of course."  For us, though, this was an uncharacteristically bad day, and again, I wanted to share about it out of appreciation for my husband AND in an effort to keep it real up in here.  😉

With greater distance from the end of my rope than two days ago,
Kensy
😉

Favorites of the day:

open windows

new friends

...especially ones who bring you little tiny cinnamon rolls...

...and sweet primrose plants...because she knows you love little things.

This face.
(Brought to you by a fun egg decorating contraption Bryant's family brought on their recent (super fun) visit).

The month I gave up chocolate...and cheese...and bread...and all the things, actually...

I had plans for how I was going to start this post, but then I realized I haven't posted anything since SEPTEMBER!  Seriously?!  I do have a few drafts started, so maybe that's why I was under the impression I'd been more on top of this...but...guess not.

So, before I go on, I feel the need to reintroduce myself:

Name: Kensy
Age: 30 (yep - meant to post about that one...kinda crazy)
Relationship status: married (to the most wonderful man)
Kids: one 7-month-old son (also, a boy cat and a girl dog)
Degree: B.M.E. Instrumental Music Education
Job: primary job title is "Mom" (so thankful for this), private music instructor, Pampered Chef consultant
Hobbies: keyboardist on church praise team, member of the Parkville Symphonic Band trumpet section, stamping/making cards, crafting/DIY home improvement projects, catching up on shows online (PTL for this...no cable or DVR in this house), bargain shopping

Ok, I think that's good, for now.  If you've been a longtime reader, you know waaaay more than that about me, but for those of you who may be new to the "scoop," nice to meet ya.  ☺

So, about that title: it's true.  I actually did that, and I still can't really believe it.

My husband and I made the decision several months ago to do the Whole30 elimination diet in the month of January.  For those of you unfamiliar with the plan, you can read all you want by clicking here, but in short, it's 30 days of no sugar (or sweeteners), grains, dairy, legumes, or additives - no exceptions and no cheat days - followed by a 12-day reintroduction period.  The program also discourages snacking, mimicking "treats" with compliant ingredients, or treating yourself, even with compliant items (i.e. having some fruit instead of a candy bar just because you had a bad day and "need" something sweet).

This wasn't something we formally signed up for, we didn't pay for a plan, or anything, and it wasn't prescribed.  We'd heard and read about it in various spaces, and for several reasons, decided to give it a go.  This program is not meant to be a "diet" in the traditional sense - you're not limited as to how much you eat, but rather, what you eat.  It's meant to make you more aware of how you're fueling your body, to reset your body to use the right things for fuel, and to make you aware of any allergies/negative reactions you may have to certain food groups.

If you know me/us at all, you know this was not easy.  We both definitely have a sweet tooth (or five...).  I LOVE to bake!  We're foodies and love to try new restaurants (KC restaurant week happened in January!).  Food is one of my love languages.  As much as I like to cook, shopping for and preparing every single (compliant) meal in our own kitchen for 30+ days was challenging.  Saying "no" to treats, convenience foods, and a couple social engagements centered around food was not fun.

For me, personally, however, the "cold turkey" and "no exceptions" rules were helpful.  I have enough goody-two-shoes in me that I won't try to color outside the lines if I'm told I can't and enough persistence (or maybe it's stubbornness...or OCD) to see things through to the end - esp. when there's a clear end in sight.  Telling myself that everything is ok in "moderation" has not served me super well, lately, esp. coming out of pregnancy as well as finding that breastfeeding doesn't burn as many extra calories (for me, at least) as I'd hoped.

What was even more helpful was doing all this alongside my husband.  We were accountable to each other, could empathize with each other, and obviously, ate the same things all month.  He was so helpful and supportive, and we're better for it.

Now that we're fresh out of the reintroduction phase and completely done with the program, I'd like to do a little self-reflecting.  Thought I'd do it here just in case any of you are interested. ☺

In no particular order:

• We couldn't have done this without a plan.  I started a Whole30 Pinterest board months ago (I'm curious as to whether or not that link works if you don't have Pinterest - let me know!), and in the weeks leading up to the new year, we planned out the entire month's worth of menus.  This involved a hand-written calendar, an Excel spreadsheet, and a notebook of printed-out recipes; all of which may have been a little more excessive than necessary, but we knew we wanted/needed variety and meals we'd be excited about, and if we didn't plan for it, we'd end up eating the same 3 meals a day all month...or falling off the wagon altogether.

• Though it wasn't the intended result, we did lose a fairly significant amount of weight, considering this was not paired with an exercise regimen (unless you count lifting/carrying an increasingly-heavier baby boy).  Though I've not been vocal/public about it, at all, I've struggled with my weight pretty much my whole life.  Losing/maintaining/feeling good in my own skin/etc./etc. - it's all just been a constant for many years.  People have asked if I liked being pregnant, and honestly, one of the reasons I did was because it was so acceptable and commendable to be "big."  This Whole30 month was a healthy (in all senses of the word) reminder that my body will self-regulate if only I give it what it truly needs.  Yes, there is something to be said for exercise/regular activity, as well as treating oneself, and we'll be working to rediscover that balance as we move forward.

• Sugar is everywhere.  This was the hardest ingredient to avoid...and where it wasn't there was honey or maple syrup or some other substitute.  The most surprising label I found sugar on: chicken broth!  Seriously.  I stood in that isle for many minutes reading labels and trying to find something compliant to put in my cart.  I'd made some of our own, but wanted to have something on stand-by, just in case, and I couldn't believe I almost had to go away empty-handed.

• Speaking of grocery shopping - this became an unexpectedly different experience for me.  You know I love to grocery shop.  And I knew it would be somewhat different, but didn't foresee some of the ways it was.  I made an ingredient list for each week's meals and stuck to that shopping list.  Whereas previously, I may have shopped the sales and cooked accordingly, I bought only what we needed for the week and sometimes (gasp) paid full price for items.  My "impulse buys" became fruit and Larabars that were unexpectedly on sale.  Haha.  Also had to pass up samples...who AM I?!

• We chose to do this plan in January not because it was a "resolution," but because we didn't have any celebrations/gatherings/travel plans for the month, so it was the easiest time to bunker down at home, if you will, and not be super tempted or inconvenienced when trying to eat compliantly.  An unexpected bonus to doing it at this time: Jacob started eating baby food, so I just made any extra fruits and veggies we had into food for him!  (He's doing great with it all, by the way - haven't found anything he doesn't like, yet!)  A downside to doing it when we did, though - the end of the reintroduction phase is dumping us straight into Valentine's Day and Bryant's birthday week.  Fingers crossed that we can maintain our newly-formed habits, despite all the treats.

I'm not going to get on a soap box about eating raw/organic/plant-based/etc., but this really was enlightening for us.  You don't have to eat "rabbit food" to eat healthfully.  Eating what's good for you doesn't mean you're doomed to "eat, drink, and be sad" forever and ever.  All it takes is a little awareness, a dose of discipline and self-control, and probably some extra time in the kitchen.  (Also, more money in the "groceries" line and less in the "eating out" line on the budget.)

A couple "funnies" from our month:

• On the "non-gluten grains" reintroduction day, when we could have rice and corn, we planned to have Chipotle.  We looked forward to this day basically the whole month and were even more excited when two things happened: 1. We discovered that we could have chips (!!!), and 2. We received a BOGO coupon in the mail!  This day also fell on Super Bowl Sunday, so it was nice to pretend we were having special treats while watching the game.  Haha.  ☺

• We took communion twice before realizing the grape juice and piece of pie crust were not compliant.  Woops...  Figured if that was the worst we were doing as far as "slipping up" goes, we were probably ok and took it, anyway, the rest of the month.

Here are a few of the yummy things we made/ate!

Thanks for sticking with me and for reading!  Happy to answer any questions you have, as always.

If you've done Whole30 or a similar plan, we'd love it if you shared any tried-and-true recipes!

Healthfully,
Kensy

Favorites of the day:

"The Greatest Showman" soundtrack

having CFA on gluten reintroduction day!!

baby-initiated peek-a-boo

28

Hey all, and Happy Fall!!!

As you may know, I turned 28 at the beginning of this week.  (Fun fact: this also meant, as my mom reminded me, my birthday fell on the same day of the week that I was actually born.)

I don't think I've admitted this super-publicly, but recently, I've been forgetting how old I am.  For real.  I felt so silly when I had to do the math a couple times over one night when I was explaining to Bryant about forgetting my age earlier in the day.  I don't know what the deal is...and while trying to figure it out, it has occurred to me that the ages between 25 and 30 (or maybe 29) seem to get smushed together.  They're just kind-of there...as placeholders after the 25 milestone...while you wait to turn 29 so you can prepare to enter into your 30's.  Can anyone relate?  Maybe this is just a way for me to justify the fact that I legitimately thought I was 28 for a time during my 27th year.  Ha.

Anyway, I thought I'd share a bit about how I rang in Year 28:

As you also may know, I've signed up for approx. 52,873 birthday/rewards clubs...which means I receive approx. 52,873 e-mails with special birthday offers in the weeks surrounding my birthday.  You'd better believe I capitalize on as many of those as possible...esp. the "no purchase required" ones!  (And you should, too!)  So, birthday festivities began well in advance of the actual day with this gem:

The night before my birthday, my sweet husband organized a surprise birthday dinner!  I was under the impression just he and I would be enjoying supper "out," but when we got to the restaurant, I was greeted by these sweet people!

There was even a complimentary birthday dessert!
They used cocoa for the stencil...we were wondering, too.  ;-)

My hubby got to spend nearly the whole day with me the next day!

We got an early start on the birthday festivities with Scooter's and a new donut shop.

The donuts were enjoyed at a new-to-us park and were followed by some exploring.

Those are locks on the bridge!

We didn't come prepared to leave our own...but maybe someday.  ☺

Also found some railroad tracks...

...and there was a train coming!
(Don't worry...it wasn't actually coming right then.)

Our next stop was the beautiful Overland Park Arboretum.

I think idyllic is the word.  ☺

(Not pictured: a bench by a babbling brook where we stopped to read for a bit, as well as a bird-watching cottage.)

These were little tiny wooden houses placed in an old tree's trunk!

Lunch: self-explanatory. ☺

There just happened to be a cupcake shop next to Chick-fil-a, so we decided we'd better try it.
As luck would have it, they give free birthday cupcakes!
Pumpkin Spice Latte and Choc. Chip Cookie Dough were our flavors of choice.

Bryant had a dentist appt. in the afternoon, then came home with flowers and made me a delicious steak dinner...

...and cake!
This is an aerial view of it with candles (2 and 8 for 28) - it's called Earthquake Cake...and it was so yummy!

I felt so celebrated by so many people!  Calls, cards, gifts, and wishes came rolling in all day!  I'll admit that a good percentage of the cards I received had cats on them...

Pretty sure if there was a literal key to my heart, it would be a cat-shaped Target gift card...or a tiny red vase...or a childhood-favorite snack mix with mini Doritos in it...

Received this pretty package in the mail...complete with a baby whisk!

This is what was inside!  Can't wait to put it to good use!  ☺

Not pictured: the gift of in-tune music in the form of piano tuning!  Hooray!!

Also not pictured: a sweet, thoughtful, precious gift from my husband.  Maybe I'll tell you more about it, someday.  ☺

I really can't put into words how thankful I am for yesterday and all it brought.  I never expect much (if anything) for my birthday, but I always receive beyond my wildest dreams...and not just in the form of tangible gifts.  The friendship, thoughtfulness, and love shown to me are more than I could ever ask for...and it all means so very much.

A great big "THANK YOU!" to all who helped make the day so special.  And an even bigger thank you to my husband.  He made me feel so celebrated and cherished all day.  I'm so very thankful for him and all he does!  I won't gush anymore, right now, but gosh, I love him!

Thanks for letting me share with you all!  I hope you are well and enjoying the last few days of September - can you believe it's almost over?!

28-ly,
Kensy

Favorites of the day:

surprises

Post-it notes

the opportunity to attend a great piano teachers' workshop and win this door prize:

Pretty fitting, huh?