Mini Miss and her imagination

Mini Miss has the most wonderful imagination. Even in times of my utmost despair & depression she can make me laugh. I truly love that about her. This is an example from our shower earlier this evening....

Mini Miss being various characters in the shower & using a different voice for each character....

LPS Monkey:  hi swiper!

Swiper:  hi monkey

Monkey:  nice to meet you

Swiper:  nice to meet u too. I'm going to swipe u now!

Dora (high pitched panic voice):  oh no!! Swiper is going to swipe my monkey! Oh no!! Swiper no swiping!!

Swiper:  your toooo late! U will never find it now!! 

Dora:  Say map! Map! Say again! Map!! And backpack! Backpack! 

*incoherent mumbling and various characters running and jumping all over the shower* followed by: "there's monkey!! We did it!!"

She really does love Dora & Boots and was simply overwhelmed at meeting them this week!!

A couple of weeks ago an older lady had a go at me for letting her play with my phone while I shopped. She told me giving my toddler a screen to keep her amused would stop her growing up with an imagination, blah blah blah...

Normally I play games with Mini Miss. We talk about the food, what we can cook. We count, spot various items, colours and shapes...she has some Devon from the deli & of course a drink. This day however, she was over tired and simply not in the mood. I don't have a problem letting my toddler play educational games on my phone so I can get a few things done. Just like when Miss Teen was the same age, occasionally the TV babysat while I did housework or had a *GASP* shower in peace!

So, after reading the above script, a script that has a variation EVERY night, tell me again how my toddler is growing up without an ACTIVE imagination?

Here comes the Bride....part 2

So the carts came to take us away. Everything was going smoothly, if a little late. (what bride isn't a little late?!) 

THEN.......

I realised I didn't have my vows on me. They were in my bag. 

Being the ever reasonable person I am, I made them stop the carts so I could ask my ever efficient organiser bridesmaid (EEOB) where my bag was (all the while, in my head Im screaming & running around with my hands in the air!). My bag, it turned out, had already made its way to the reception. So, being the ever reasonable bride that I was I refused to go any further. What?! It was reasonable! I was NOT going up there, to our gorgeous rainforest setting, where everyone was waiting, without my vows that I had written from my heart. The exact words I wanted to say at the exact right moment. The vows I wanted to make, to my husband to be, in front of all our friends and family. So, NO, I was NOT going any further without them! 

Thankfully, a staff member or possibly EEOB's hubby (I think, this stage is rather fuzzy thanks to the almost panic attack I was having!), rushed inside and up to our reception room and grabbed my vows, which were hastily stuffed down EEOB's cleavage, and once again the carts were on the move! 

But things still were not going smoothly. Our Mini Miss was chucking the biggest of tantrums! One, even the richest of princesses could be proud of. She was upset that she was not allowed to drive the golf cart herself...and no amount of cuddling, comforting, distracting or reasoning was going to stop her rant! She wanted to drive that damn cart!! But the show had to go on, and so it did, screaming toddler and all!

We arrived at the rainforest. I could see all our friends and family waiting patiently (I hope!) in their chairs, my Dad, pacing waiting for me to arrive, and possibly wondering if I had done a runner, our Pastor, smiling and chatting to the groomsmen, and through the leaves of the trees, my husband to be, carefully being kept in a position that stopped any chance of him catching a glimpse of me!

Cue a flurry of activity as I was helped out of the golf cart, kissed by my emotional Dad, fluffed and straightened and primped by my bridesmaids, given an excited look by Miss Teen and then.....

The music started. 

I felt sick. I felt dizzy. I felt terrified. What the hell was I thinking?!! I couldn't do this!

Suddenly I wasn't worried about Dad tripping down the aisle, but me. Suddenly I was worried I was going to faint.....I couldn't breathe. 

I focused on the timing of the music. "go..." I said to each of my best friends as their turn came to be the centre of attention for a moment. I smiled at them as they went. Then waited....and there was my cue. With a slight stutter in my step, off we went, Dad & I, arm in arm, walking slowly to the music. 

 

I tried to smile at people. I tried to catch eyes & say thank you with a smile. But all I could really muster was a smile, and possibly a giggle or two. I wasn't clearly aware of who I saw...they were all a blurry mess of smiling faces....then finally I locked on to the one face I wanted to see. Needed to see in that moment. Had I not found him right then, I could imagine, in the the style of The Runaway Bride, me hitching up my dress, turning on my very high heels and running out of there, grabbing a golf cart and taking off! Instead I found his face. 

Hubby to be.

And suddenly everything was fine. All the guests disappeared, and for a moment, it was just him and me. All I could see in his eyes was love. For me. True and honest love. He really wanted this as much as I did. THAT, right there was my fear, the cause of all my nerves. I was worried, deep down, that he was marrying me out of some stupid obligation. I had given him a baby, a family, so he thought he'd best "do the right thing".

In that one glance, that one moment, I KNEW he loved me as much as I loved him. Maybe more. He couldn't wait to start this next stage of life. With me. 

The next 1/2 hour is a blur, tinged with laughter and tears of joy. Laughter as EOB retrieved my vows from her cleavage for me to read. Some laughter and tears of joy as my poor speechless almost husband tried to respond to my vows with his own. Joy and special moments as we signed the register, then, finally, we were announced as husband and wife & we kissed. And we stood there, in front of everyone apparently, but all alone, and just soaked it up. We were married. Joined in front of all our friends, promised and committed in front of God, and blessed. So blessed.

We walked up the aisle as husband and wife. So many people congratulating us and covering us in bubbles (I really love bubbles, so much cooler than eye piercing uncooked rice!) and cheers. There was congratulation hugs and kisses from family, then friends, then some quick photos, then we were off in our carts again, to take some professional shots and really, start the celebrations! 

4WFF THE FINALE!!

Well, this post is long overdue! I have been so busy with things lately, that it just didn't happen! 

And then, to add to things, I forgot to take "after" pictures! Now its too late, as I have been on holidays where a kitchen and general healthy eating options were at a minimum! So......I will post my "after" pics at the end of this month instead!! 

Firstly I want to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to Christine Tinslay from Bod Squad Personal Training! 

If you haven't already, you HAVE to check out her Facebook page and her Website! This woman is a genius! She makes everything make sense! She seriously explains WHAT to do and then WHY! She doesn't just give you a menu and exercise plan and say "stick to it for the best results", she teaches life skills! Things like how to make the best choices within your own tastes, how to exercise effectively and to gain the best results, how to live a "normal" life while keeping fit and healthy and making the best possible choices everyday!

So, my results.....

In my 4 weeks...despite a nasty case of the flu and a visit to hospital with Mini Miss, and several other interruptions.....I lost.... 

3.8kg!!! 

AND......

4cm off my waist, 1.5cm off my thighs, 3.5cm off my hips....


So despite not following her program "perfectly" I still lost weight and cm's! I feel better. I recovered from the flu quicker than I normally do. Even with the recent holiday splurge, I have jumped straight back into the menu and exercise planning, the making good choices and the following the general rules of Chriss's program. Not because I feel I have to, but because I want to. Next month I will be signing up once again, and will set myself a whole new lot of goals and aims. Then, hopefully I will be fully equipped with all the tools I need to do this long term life journey.I am under no illusions that the kind of weight loss I need will happen overnight. In fact, I am giving myself 12 months to lose most of the weight. During this time I will be lucky enough to have access to not only Chriss, but a wonderful group of people on the same journey via a Facebook group. This online access to support from other people in various stages of their journey, sharing successes, failures, recipes, tips and hints, seeking support and help from each other is great. It helps to know you are not alone. It helps to talk to others and get advice. It helps to have others cheering you on!

I am so so grateful to my wonderful Melbourne bestie for pointing me in Chriss's direction. It was a life changing action and decision. It has given me the knowledge, motivation and skills I need to do this once and for all! You knew what I needed and pointed me in exactly the right direction!

So my 2nd MASSIVE THANK YOU heads out to you bestie!! 

You know who you are! We have been through so much together, and I cannot and do not want to imagine life without you! A constant source of strength for me despite your own struggles....A person could not find a better friend who ALWAYS has others best interests at heart! 

So yay!! For now the official challenge is over.....but really it has just begun. Can I truly put into action what I have learnt? Once a month I will check in and let you know how I am going. Life is busy. It can be a great excuse. But I refuse to let that happen. 

My family and friends deserve and need the healthiest me I can be, so that is what I am aiming for!!!