Three little goals and how they turned out

I didn’t get up to watch the Royal Wedding this morning. And then I forgot to turn on the TV until just after the kissing. I hadn’t planned to get up early enough to watch a couple of strangers get married, but I was a little disappointed to learn that I’d been sweeping up cat food rather than watching England’s most romantic moment.

Anyway. This wasn’t supposed to be about the glamorous young people! (But really: How lovely was she? Beautiful girl, gorgeous dress. I hope they have a long and wonderful marriage.)

OK. No more royalty. Really. Let’s talk about me instead. Specifically, the April “3 in 30” challenge. Here’s how it went:

3 in 30

&#x2718 Lose 5 pounds

I sort of lost 6 pounds. Except that I also gained 5, which leaves me with a net loss of 1 measly pound. Which I guess is better than nothing, but I’m still disappointed. I can’t blame the Easter candy exclusively, but the candy binge certainly didn’t help matters.

&#10003 Exercise

My goal was to do some sort of exercise on at least 15 days this month. I’m at 13 days now. So if I can make myself do something today and tomorrow, I’ll have accomplished this goal! And I have to do something tomorrow, because I’m meeting with my trainer again.

&#10003 Counting blessings

I certainly wasn’t consistent with this, but I did record a few things. They’re on the 1,000 Gifts page.

I’ll take two out of three, but I’m hoping to do better in May. My overall goal in May is going to lose those 5 pounds that eluded me this month. Here are my “3 in 30” goals for next month:

Consistent exercise

I’m aiming for doing something at least four days a week.

Follow Weight Watchers

I’ve been paying for Weight Watchers for months and months, but I haven’t been consistently staying within the prescribed parameters. So in May, I’m going to try to do that.

Be patient

This might not seem like it’s in line with the “lose 5 pounds” goal, but trust me. It is. I’m most definitely a stress eater, and my snack-seeking sensors are always on high alert as soon as the kids go upstairs for their daily “quiet time.” It seems like the kids have been whinier and less cooperative lately, but it might just be that I’m not weathering things as well. Either way, I need to find a way to be more loving when they’re having attitude issues. I haven’t decided how to go about that yet, and I’m not sure that it’s going to be something that’s easily measured. But it needs to be dealt with, for them and for me.

Common side effects include sleepiness, dry mouth and questionable parenting

It starts with 2 teaspoons of generic Compare-to-Benadryl children’s formula diphenhydramine.

No.

It starts with the itchy, burning eyes. And an entire travel package of Kleenex. Then 2 teaspoons of generic Compare-to-Benadryl children’s formula diphenhydramine.

And then you make your way to bed. You do not toss, you do not turn, you do not dream. You do not open your eyes when the blaaat-blaaat-blaaat of your alarm finally breaks through your diphenhydramine coma-lite. You move toward the sound, and you make it stop.

And then you make your way to bed. Your children come in, and they curl up close to you. They are warm, solid, quiet. You do not open your eyes. Your children are hungry. You ask them to wait until the clock says 8 o’clock. You do not open your eyes.

The clock says 8 o’clock. You send your children off to brush their teeth. They do. It is a miracle. You open your eyes. You ask your daughter to start her breakfast. To help her brother with his. She is 5. They each eat a cup of yogurt every morning. She can do this.

You take a shower. You get dressed. The diphenhydramine haze is lifting. Your eyes are open. You go downstairs.

Your eyes are open, and your children are sitting together in the kitchen floor. It is peaceful. They are cheerful. They are separating the newly opened frosted oats from the magically delicious marshmallows. Without a bowl.

In the kitchen floor.

On the kitchen floor.

Your 5-year-old is helping your 3-year-old eat his breakfast. It is magically delicious, and it is on the floor, and they are peaceful and cheerful, and your eyes are open.

Things could be worse.

'Lucky Charms' by Michael Verhoef, via Flickr.
365.141 - Lucky Charms