10 lbs!

Pregnancy makes you fat. That's the truth of the matter, and all the stick-like actresses with pillows in their shirts for their pregnant roles cannot undo this reality (though they can wreak havoc on the self-image of thousands of real, actual, pregnant women). And when you're done with pregnancy, you think you're going to be able to wear those size 6 red pleather jeans within a few months (think again!) and can't bring yourself to buy clothing in sizes constantly pushing the boundary between The Gap and Lane Bryant. Anyway, unlike so many twenty-something moms who claim that breastfeeding "just melts those pounds right off!"(I want to flick those girls' tiny butts through their skinny jeans), my pounds have been hanging on for dear life for some time now. Since Seville has had verious food, weight, and nutrition issues, and my breastmilk supply has been inconsistent at best (too much information for some of you, I know. Sorry.), I was always advised not to diet and to "listen to my body" (which is generally saying, "chocolate... I need more chocolate").

But there comes a time in a woman's life when your own health is at least as important as the health of your child. For me this moment was when Seville turned one. So for the past couple months, I've been attempting to get closer to my formerly hot self. Though I can't see much difference yet when I look in the mirror, I did finally accomplish the 10 lb mark last week (Thank you! Thank you very much!). Here is my Weight Watcher's weight chart for all to see so that I can, a) brag; and b) make sure I feel accountable and keep going. It's bound to be a long road, but if there are skinny jeans at the end of it, I'm stickin' it out.

(Can I just say as a post script, that I realize more than ever that everyone's body is different, and just because I am having success losing weight doesn't mean I think everyone can or should at this point in childbearing. I have so much sympathy for moms who gain and don't lose later. It's incredibly hard, and we should all give our sisters a break.)