Fat Tuesday

For the first time in my life, I'm on a diet.  I'm not technically overweight (though the "healthy" range for my height is 118lbs to 159 lbs, a huge spread, if you ask me), but I've been feeling self-conscious about how I look.  After learning about myfitnesspal.com from my sister, I decided I'd try it. 

MFP.com is a free site where you can keep track of the calories you eat and exercise away on a daily basis.  It allows you to enter your current weight, your goal weight, and how much weight you'd like to lose per week, and it tells you how many calories you should aim for each day.  I'm currently on a 1300 calorie diet, which is challenging.  I feel like I eat pretty healthy things, but I wasn't good about portion control.  And I wasn't much of a snacker, but doing MFP has pretty much cut out all snacks (can't have a snack if I also want dinner!). 

I've been really happy with the results so far.  My goal is to lose a pound per week, and after two weeks, I've lost 3 pounds.  I was already losing some weight before I started MFP; I've lost a total of 5 pounds since my California trip.  My goal is to lose around 10 pounds, but once I get there, I may readjust my goal and keep going.

I'm also exercising.  I walk/run on my treadmill at least 5 days per week.  I've committed to exercise AND reading my Bible on a daily basis, so I've decided to combine them.  I have a Bible app on my phone, with my reading plan, so as I walk, I read my 4-5 chapters on my phone.  If I finish my reading and haven't walked at least a mile, I run until I reach a mile, if not further.  Then I also do abdominal exercises, pushups, and lunges.  I'm noticing a difference both in how I feel and in how I look, so I'm really pleased!

8 is great!

8 years old.  I can hardly believe how time has flown.  8 years ago, we were impatiently waiting for labor to get a move-on.  We went in to start the induction at 7 am, and nothing was happening before 3 or 4 in the afternoon.  You took your time, buddy.  As the sun set and it got dark, we started wondering if you might be a Valentine baby.  We hoped not.  I'm sure our families were anxiously waiting to hear our news; I'm sure they had expected to hear the news already!  You finally made your appearance at 11:13 pm.  Cutting it close, don't you think?  We're loving watching you grow up, Ethan Robert Baker.  We pray that you will be a man of integrity, that you'll be a man after God's own heart. 

Happy Birthday, Ethan!

Tooth Fairy

Nope, the tooth fairy still has not visited our home.  However, her inaugural stop on Marla Drive is imminent.  Here's the surprise: it won't be for Ethan.

Ethan has an adult tooth protruding behind his lower front baby teeth.  The dentist said he should keep working on wiggling the baby tooth in front of the adult tooth.  It's starting to get loose, but there's a lot of progress to be made.

Yesterday, Caleb said his tooth was hurting a little, and when I inspected it, I discovered that it is SO loose that it could come out any day.  In fact, he wanted me to pull it, but when I started, he changed his mind.  :)  (Then Ethan said, "you know, my top teeth are hurting a little..." and discovered that his top teeth are quite a bit looser than the bottoms!)

I pulled Ethan aside later, and asked him if he'll be disappointed if Caleb loses a tooth before he does (after all, Caleb's two years younger!).  He thought for a second, then responded with, "I just really want to lose one, so that I can get more money for legos."  (Okay, sibling rivalry not an issue on this one!)  I told him that he wouldn't get very much from the tooth fairy, maybe a quarter.  He looked at me, shocked.  "Most kids get $5!!!"  WHAT?!  Not in this house, buddy.  Our tooth fairy is Dutch.