The 7 Month Itch

I knew it! I knew you guys were doing fun things while I take naps.

Just kidding, I'm not mad.

2 sharp little teeth in there

Hey, Mimi. Do what I do.

playing her harmonica

Every blues musician needs sunglasses

Well, we didn't exactly have a relaxing visit with Mimi this week. Raegan's eczema was flared up and she started scratching it. It was beginning to get infected so we were busy trying to get it under control. We took her in on Monday for her flu shot and to have her skin checked. We were given 2 creams for different issues. Her skin responded to one, but not the other, and some of her spots became a little worse. We took her back on Thursday and got a liquid antibiotic and another steroid cream. Our regular ped. was out of town, so we saw the other doctor in the group. She thinks Raegan could have a milk allergy causing the eczema to worsen, so we switched to soy formula. We also have to give her a non-dairy yogurt called Culturelle twice a day to replace the good bacteria that's being killed by the antibiotic and prevent an upset stomach. Man, I'm exhausted just thinking about all of it. She has responded really well to the new treatments. I was worried she wouldn't like the soy formula, but she has been fine. I love how easy going she is! She just goes with the flow and always has.

I was able to get out for some errands and Kohl's has great books in their $5 section right now. At the front of the store near the registers they have a $5 section, usually children's books and stuffed animal characters. Right now they have several Dr. Seuss hardback books and charcters. I bought Raegan The Lorax and Oh the Thinks You Can Think. I've been wanting to get her The Lorax for a while, but I knew it could wait. A hardback copy would be at least $15 at Borders, so I was glad I waited. It's an environmental-themed story about the Once-ler who cuts down trees to make money and the Lorax speaks up for the trees. Kohl's also has The Green Book for $5. It is full of simple ideas on how to be more eco-friendly in all aspects of life: shopping, travel, raising children, school, work, etc.

I completed week one of Level 2 of Insanity. I'm happy to report that I've lost 7 pounds so far! I have 3 more weeks on Level 2 and I'll be done. I worry about what I will do afterwards. I'm good with following a program, especially with a goal in mind, but I'm not so great at maintenance. I'm proud of myself, though. I've never tried to lose weight before, so I wasn't sure how successful I would be. Interval training seems to be very effective for me. I'm not following any strict diet; I'm just trying to be sensible. Several friends have asked me about Insanity so I'll give you the low down. It's made by the same company that made p90x. It's a 9 week program consisting of 4 weeks of Level 1 workouts, a recovery week of yoga and low-impact drills, then 4 weeks of Level 2 workouts. Level 1 workouts are about 40 minutes including the warm up, stretching, and cool down. Level 2 workouts are about 50-55 minutes each. The great part is that you can do it at home and you do not need any equipment. If you will be working out on hardwood floors, a yoga mat would be nice, but not mandatory. Insanity is interval training which means you work really hard for 3-4 minutes, then take a 30 second break and the whole workout consists of this pattern. It's a great way to burn fat and boost your metabolism. Interval training causes your body to continue to burn calories even after your workout is over. It's been great to have a challenging workout at home. I love spin classes at the gym, but I don't want to leave Raegan in the daycare and I know I won't go after Ryan gets home from work. True, that leaves early morning as an option, but that's just not going to happen. I so admire people who do that, but I have to be realistic with myself. I would hit snooze for 30 minutes and not even feel bad for it. All in all, I definitely recommend Insanity if you're looking for something challenging and effective. If you want to see clips of the workouts, go to www.beachbody.com