I guess now would be a good time to share my weight lose story. I realized the other day that I had lost essential the size of a small human, and I figured it was time to celebrate. I am okay with revealing how much I have lost, but I am not quite ready to open up about my exact weight just yet.
Perhaps I should back up a bit and talk about my weight gain story first. Weight has always been a ban for me. I was a small child, but by the time I was five, I had definitely made up for it. Most of my adolescents was spent fending off bullies about my weight. When I was in middle school, I seemed to thin out a bit, and I was a decent size until my senior year of high school when I started getting some more womanly curves. I wasn't by any means skinny, but I wasn't huge either. I maintained this until about the time I was almost 23. About that time, I believe my condition of PCOS really kicked in, and the hormones helped me put weight on. My eating habits and lack of exercise didn't help much either. In about 6 years, I put about 20 pounds. I then put on another 20 due to a knee injury, which ironically caused by my weight gain (go figure!). When we started trying for a baby, we had to take fertility medication at first to try to get me ovulating. I did three rounds of clomid first. Overall, I have a lot of weight gain from the clomid, but I probably had a few pounds stay around after the water weight disappeared. What really killed my weight was the fertility shots. I put on 20 pounds during each procedure, and only 10 would come off and stay off.
After doing some reading, I switched obgyns and mentioned to the doctor my difficulty trying to lose weight. She prescribed an appetite suppressant. Along with being made a head varsity coach, I managed to lose 25 pounds within in about 2 months of using the pills. I was super excited, and I was looking forward to more weight lose. Then we got the huge surprise of being pregnant. I gained about 10 pounds in the first trimester, and then I was almost finished with the second trimester before I started gaining more. The one time in my life where gaining weight is okay, and I couldn't push myself to gain more. I only gained a total of 29 pounds to for the whole pregnancy. I lost 15 of that within the first month, and I got down to all but 2 or 3 pounds above my pre-pregrancy weight. Then the holidays hit, and I add four more pounds back on.
The first week of Janruary I made the decision to finally try Weight Watchers. The first month was horrible. I was a huge grumpy Gus because I was hungry all the time, and I wasn't able to eat all the sweets or wine like I like. After couple of weeks, it started paying off. I hit my first weight goal (7 pounds) in 2 weeks, and I had lost 10 pounds by the end of the first month. I hit my second goal toward the end of March. At this point, I have lost 23 pounds on Weight Watchers. Together with what I lost in baby weight, I have lost a total of almost 49 pounds. April hasn't been a great month because I have gotten of the plan some, and I gained 2 pounds back. I am planning on getting back onto it, but it has been had with all the stress causing me to eat a bit more. The good news is I am back to the same size I was when we got married, and the smallest I have been in 4 1/2 years.
As of right now, I really want to lose about 12 more pounds before we start trying for baby number 2-if we go that route. I would love to lose more, but I am not pushing it. That would put me in a position of having a bit of flexibility with weight if I have to do fertility treatments again. It also means that I won't gain up to my biggest gain if my first pregnancy is an indicator of my weight gain in the second once. I am also hoping to enjoy being smaller for a while so I am not in too big of rush to get pregnant. It has been so nice to be able to fit into clothes I haven't worn in a while. I am hoping this the first of a series about weight lose for me.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Friday, April 19, 2013
Tales of Diapering Cake Baking
I just released it has been almost another month since I have had a
chance to write in the blog. I swear this year if flying by, and I
don't know where it is going. Last time I blogged I just finished up
catching things up to date, and I mentioned that I had made my first two
diaper cakes but couldn't post pictures yet since I hadn't given them
to their respective mommies. So this blog is dedicated to the art of
baking a diaper cake.
My inspiration for doing a diaper cake actually came from one given to me by my best friend. It was an adorable gift, but more importantly, it was one of the most useful I got at my shower. Two of friends at my work were pregnant-one a first baby and another with a second. When I offered to help with the shower, I was trying to think of a decorative things I could give that would also be a useful gift for a first time mom. Light bulb went on, and I decided that the diaper cake would be a perfect gift. I thought that, if it were successful, then it would be a great gift as well for a second baby since diapers are always necessary.
I am a pinaholic, and pinterest is a wealth of diaper cake knowledge. There is a thousand different ways to make them apparently. I ended up using this blog to make mine http://www.susiestampalot.com/2008/05/how-to-make-diaper-cake.html. I did a few things differently, but this was one of the better sites with step by step instructions. Here is the process I went with pictures.
1. You have to buy diapers. Most sites suggested newborns or size 1, and most said they used one size for the whole cake. Both cakes I did used two different sizes. Most babies grow out of newborn stuff really quickly, even faster for bigger babies. So I did two layers of a small size, and the bottom was a bigger size. I tried size 2, but newborns and size 1 work because they are really small and can be rolled very tightly. I used a bag of each size for 1 cake. I got Pamper Swaddlers both times because they were white and personal fondness for the brand. I am assuming any diaper should work the same. I would find out the mommy-to-be's pick for diapers and use that. Just know some diapers like the Pamper Cruisers have images printed on them.
2. You will also need two kinds of rubber bands, really small ones and normal office size. I preferred the clear small ones because they were harder to see later. These can be found in the hair aisle of the story. The ones I got were made by Goodies. I preferred white for the bigger ones since once again they blend in.
3. Other items needed are two bottles of powder, ribbon, double stick tape, pins, base, and decorative items. I did two different sizes of powder (15 oz and travel side) for my second cake. I also used a bulb syringe instead of a travel size powder. I found a big bulk stack of card stock mats from Hobby Lobby. You have to combine several together, but it was a super cheap buy. You will also need several receiving blankets. You will also need to get an item for the topper.
4. The hardest thing about the diaper cake is rolling the diapers, and that is mainly because it is takes time. I found that if you rolled from the top opening of the diaper made it easier to get a tighter roll. I would make sure to grab something it keep all the diapers corralled.
side view
9. Once all the layers are done, it is time for the fun part-decorating. You can use blankets on all three layers, but I only did the top and bottom layer. Use you have a really long blanket, you will most likely need two receiving blankets. I found it was easier to take the layers apart again, and roll the layers on their sides. I used pins to hold the blankets in place, and then I wrapped a ribbon around the center. Of course, the ribbon and blankets will depend on gender of the baby and/or the theme of the shower. The first one I did was a boy with a duckie themed shower, so the cake had blue blankets with duckie touches.
Bottom cake with pinned blanket number 1.
All three layers with blankets and ribbons. The little mustache ribbon was my favorite.
10. You can really give the cake like before, but what fun is that? The first cake I made was for a first time mom so I put some cute things she would need like bibs, shampoo, pacifiers, and cute little shoes. I also made washcloth lollipops. I had to roll the washcloths vertically like a snake. I rolled on like a pinwheel, and then I attached the other with a pin and wrapped it around the first. I used a rubber band to fasten the ends. I stuck a baby spoon in the band and wrapped the whole thing with a plastic party bag.
Snake roll
Attaching the two
I used a duckie for the cake topper since it fit the theme. Below are the pictures of the final outcome.
The
second one I made was gender neutral because the baby was a
surprise-she had a little girl. I used sleeping gowns to make the hearts
on the sides. I did this by doing a snake roll, and then I rolled the
top and bottom in to form the sides. I also used bibs as rosettes by
snake rolling it flat and then wrapping them in an overlapping pinwheel.
Either way, the cakes turned out adorable, and both recipient was thrilled with them.
The next attempt will be here very soon. Super excited about that one.
Anywho, laundry is calling so it is time to wrap this thing up.
My inspiration for doing a diaper cake actually came from one given to me by my best friend. It was an adorable gift, but more importantly, it was one of the most useful I got at my shower. Two of friends at my work were pregnant-one a first baby and another with a second. When I offered to help with the shower, I was trying to think of a decorative things I could give that would also be a useful gift for a first time mom. Light bulb went on, and I decided that the diaper cake would be a perfect gift. I thought that, if it were successful, then it would be a great gift as well for a second baby since diapers are always necessary.
I am a pinaholic, and pinterest is a wealth of diaper cake knowledge. There is a thousand different ways to make them apparently. I ended up using this blog to make mine http://www.susiestampalot.com/2008/05/how-to-make-diaper-cake.html. I did a few things differently, but this was one of the better sites with step by step instructions. Here is the process I went with pictures.
1. You have to buy diapers. Most sites suggested newborns or size 1, and most said they used one size for the whole cake. Both cakes I did used two different sizes. Most babies grow out of newborn stuff really quickly, even faster for bigger babies. So I did two layers of a small size, and the bottom was a bigger size. I tried size 2, but newborns and size 1 work because they are really small and can be rolled very tightly. I used a bag of each size for 1 cake. I got Pamper Swaddlers both times because they were white and personal fondness for the brand. I am assuming any diaper should work the same. I would find out the mommy-to-be's pick for diapers and use that. Just know some diapers like the Pamper Cruisers have images printed on them.
2. You will also need two kinds of rubber bands, really small ones and normal office size. I preferred the clear small ones because they were harder to see later. These can be found in the hair aisle of the story. The ones I got were made by Goodies. I preferred white for the bigger ones since once again they blend in.
3. Other items needed are two bottles of powder, ribbon, double stick tape, pins, base, and decorative items. I did two different sizes of powder (15 oz and travel side) for my second cake. I also used a bulb syringe instead of a travel size powder. I found a big bulk stack of card stock mats from Hobby Lobby. You have to combine several together, but it was a super cheap buy. You will also need several receiving blankets. You will also need to get an item for the topper.
4. The hardest thing about the diaper cake is rolling the diapers, and that is mainly because it is takes time. I found that if you rolled from the top opening of the diaper made it easier to get a tighter roll. I would make sure to grab something it keep all the diapers corralled.
5.
After I rolled all the diapers, I put together several card stock
pieces together to make a base for the cake. You can also use a regular
cake base. Cover the card stock with one of the blankets.
6.
Place the larger bottle of powder in the middle of the base with
double-stick tape. Wrap one of the larger rubber bands loosely around
the bottle, and then slip rolled diapers in the rubber band. I used all
of larger size of the diapers for the bottom cake. Below is what mine
looked like after I finished with the bottom layer. Make it is as tight
is possible.
top view
7.
Rinse and repeat for the second layer accept with the top of the bottle
of powder. Below is the pictures of the finished second layer with the
bulb syringe.
8.
If you are using the bulb syringe, take a loose diaper around the tip
and then rubber band it. Wrap the bigger rubber around the middle diaper
and build the last layer round it.
9. Once all the layers are done, it is time for the fun part-decorating. You can use blankets on all three layers, but I only did the top and bottom layer. Use you have a really long blanket, you will most likely need two receiving blankets. I found it was easier to take the layers apart again, and roll the layers on their sides. I used pins to hold the blankets in place, and then I wrapped a ribbon around the center. Of course, the ribbon and blankets will depend on gender of the baby and/or the theme of the shower. The first one I did was a boy with a duckie themed shower, so the cake had blue blankets with duckie touches.
Middle layer with ribbon
10. You can really give the cake like before, but what fun is that? The first cake I made was for a first time mom so I put some cute things she would need like bibs, shampoo, pacifiers, and cute little shoes. I also made washcloth lollipops. I had to roll the washcloths vertically like a snake. I rolled on like a pinwheel, and then I attached the other with a pin and wrapped it around the first. I used a rubber band to fasten the ends. I stuck a baby spoon in the band and wrapped the whole thing with a plastic party bag.
Pinwheel roll
I used a duckie for the cake topper since it fit the theme. Below are the pictures of the final outcome.
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