Has it been a year already?

As I sit here to type while Roscoe eats/throws scrambled eggs it is crazy to think how much has changed in a year. A year ago we were in a completely packed up apartment just days from moving into our first house. A year ago I was 38 weeks pregnant and preparing to become a mom of two. A year ago Hazel had just barely turned one and was just starting to really understand the world around her. A year ago I felt HUGE, immobile, hormonal, etc and wondered if I'd ever feel like "myself" again. There was a lot that was in the air back then and now just a short year later it really does feel so good to have *almost* (in two and a half weeks) made it through this wonderful yet crazy and draining first year of life with a child. Our house finally feels like our home, the kids are having so much fun during the days (so much so that they want to continue their fun into the night!) and I can't believe how much the kids have grown up and I'm also starting to see their relationship blossom, which honestly as a mom is probably the most beautiful thing I've ever witnessed.

As for the whole feeling like I "lost myself somewhere in there" thing, so much has changed. At the beginning of the year, I was 30 pounds overweight and basically just felt resigned to it since being a mom is so exhausting. I wanted to sign up for this bootcamp program by our house and it didn't work out and I remember being so upset because if I didn't have someone pushing me I didn't think I would be able to do it. Finally around March something clicked when we went to Disneyland and I had to run out to buy some clothes that would at least fit for the trip, as up until then I was basically living in maternity stretch pants still. I distinctly remember catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror that day at Kohl's and thinking "Is that really me??" From that day on I just started pushing myself, going to the gym with the kids (there is a great daycare there) and also including them by taking them on LONG walks & bike rides as well as just playing with them more. I also just tweaked my eating style and before I knew it I was feeling better and the weight just started coming off. So far I have lost 30 pounds since the beginning of the year (40 from my highest post baby weight) and now that it's behind me I can't believe it. It's particularly hard to believe when I pick up Hazel and realize I used to carry around that much extra weight. I really don't think I'm a vain person but it is unbelievable how much getting healthier and doing something for myself has really helped my mental state this year. I had convinced myself for so long that I wouldn't be able to do or that I didn't know how to do it so it was quite empowering to have accomplished this goal all by myself. I really do think a key element to attaining this goal was waiting until I was ready and motivated since that first month or so took a lot of dedication. I'm slowly coming out of a period of three straight years where I've either been pregnant or breastfeeding and I'm almost in disbelief that I get a little piece of myself back after giving so much :)

As for our almost one year old his party is in the works and he is on his way to being mobile. In the last few days he has started taking about 5-6 steps at a time and I know how quickly it goes from here. He also just got his 8th tooth, so he has four on top and four on the bottom. I took him and Hazel to get their pics taken on Monday at JC Penney and was so happy with how they turned out. I just wanted those "classic" studio portraits and that is what we got so I'm happy. We also just booked a family trip to a resort in Cabo San Lucas in May so now we have a vacation on the horizon to look forward to. Life is good!

Here is a photo comparison of myself after six months. I've lost about 5 more pounds since the June picture was taken.