Dose of Introspection

Although I will openly say I'm trying to improve and/or maintain a healthy lifestyle. There are certain parts of my body that I doubt will be the same after having Mary Margaret.

"Shhh Penguin, I'm looking at something"

Megan, who is a twice-weekly Mary Margaret Wrangler, opened my eyes to a beautiful photography project that is going on with moms and moms-to-be that are requesting to have their pregnant or post-partum pictures taken and shown.

This has nothing to do with this post

Neither does this one

I think this is so very very important because new moms get a really tough road ahead of them, even after things get easier with their new babe and you lose a majority of the baby weight (most times) but then everything is in a different place than it used to be. For me, there is a cute (not cute) little front-butt that shows up whenever I sit down. Mary Margaret LOVES to use it as a trampoline when I'm holding her, and as much as I suck my stomach in it is being reallll stubborn.

I have been writing for Fit for Expecting for about a month or so. Doing the circuit and elliptical workouts. On Thursday, the day of Megan's post, I did said elliptical workout and while I was changing back into my work clothes I took a good hard look at my body in only panties (do grown women still use that word?) It was under the always-flattering florescent lights. After this sobering look at myself for a good 5 minutes I thought "this isn't so bad. Yes, you can see my ribs a little more, and my thighs and hips are wider than previous. But this isn't the worst, I can handle this".  I know my body is going to be a fluid thing through out my pregnancies, and I think this is one of the most beautiful things about the human body. The way it can change and adapt to life. Don't get me started on breastfeeding, but the fact that my body knows to do that is really freaking awesome.

I did make it out without a TON of stretch marks (I have some from previous weight loss/gain) and they make push up bras for a reason. So I think I'll survive.

Greek Life in retrospect

This past weekend Charlie and I were invited to a super fancy-schmancy black tie wedding. The bride was one of his best students from his years at Broughton. She and her now husband are recent graduates of Wake Forest University and were both very involved in Greek Life on campus.

I should stop here and say that I am also a product of Greek Life at my undergraduate. I joined Kappa Delta Sorority in the fall of my sophomore year. I went through “formal rush” (which, if you know anything about rush, is intense both physically and emotionally) and was active in my chapter until I graduated in 2008.

Keep looking... verrrry back

Nowadays one might not look at me and think, “She was definitely in sorority.” I have morphed into an interesting blend of health educator, semi-hippy mommy, natural childbirth survivor (still so proud), clinical researcher, supposed-to-be active body, and wife, among other things. I don’t have one million monogramed items, nor do I dress Mary Margaret exclusively in smocked dresses, nor did I seek out that bankrolling husband. I knowingly married a high school teacher.

Maybe it’s because the couple was RIGHT out of college, but the wedding party of 22 (not kidding!) consisted of all sorority sisters and the groomsmen were almost all fraternity brothers.

* Side Note: One young female guest came up to us to compliment me on my singing-voice (guess who sings her hymns LOUD and CLEAR?) mentioned that this was her FIRST wedding ever. She did mention this after throwing back a shot, which she convinced the bartender to pour for the crowd.

I had one sorority sister in my wedding, but the rest were friends from before, during and post college. Honestly, I’m not really close with lots of my sisters. I have a few that I stay in touch with directly, and most of my sisters are Facebook friends whom I stalk on occasion and "like" their pictures.

What I got out of Sorority life, other than the ability to take a shot and sing the entire Greek alphabet, was how to be a lady. I learned how to dress from my still-close-friend Liz (who also introduced me to Charlie), the correct way to put on make-up, but, most importantly, how to make conversation and have confidence in speaking to others. As we prepared for Rush each year, we had a “How to make conversation” boot camp. We were told how small talk is done, how to look into people’s eyes, and did lots and lots and lots of practice. I have found that, more than anything, the ability to make conversation is one of the best skills anyone can have. Charlie and I have made close friends with strangers, mainly because we are both great at making conversation. As a couple, this makes life so much easier if neither is a non-small-talk person.

Will I encourage Mary Margaret to join a sorority when she makes it to college? I won’t discourage it; it was a formative time in my life and I owe a lot to it. It was also really helpful in showing me some of the qualities in men I didn’t want for a husband.

But that’s a whole separate conversation.

My many excuses..

My third week back to exercise is up over at 

FIT FOR EXPECTING

Go check it out pretty please!

Mini Weekend Recap: Post-Wine Style

OK, so I'm going to be honest that I'm writing this at 10:51 pm on a Monday night after having split a bottle of wine with my bad influence Sherry. Who I invited over on a whim at about 2 pm this afternoon. I like to plan head apparently

So, lets be honest I'm definition tipsy and this should be a good post and if nothing else very stream of consciousness.

1) Mary Margaret is like, THHHHHIS close to crawling. She can get places, but has really no idea what her knees do. She grips with her finger tips and her sweet little toe-tips but if you put her on her knees she's useless.

2) MM has become a great substitute for a Swiffer. She wallows on her belly for at least an hour and can pick up massive amounts of dog hair when I get lazy and dont can't sweep in time.

3) She got her first taste of ocean water at the beach this weekend. I sat her down in front of me and let the tide come in and get her. She only cried the first three times. She also ate sand by the handful.

4) I actually got to take a nap when MM was awake this weekend. I was asleep for a whole 10 minutes before I heard the sweet jingles of her gentle rattle slamming on the hardwoods downstairs in the beach house. I have two sets of grandparents to thank for this brief nap, and subsequent run, and further margarita s) that followed it.

5) I will admit that today at work I had three cups of coffee, and a diet mountain dew. That's it. No Water. The entire time I was justifying it with this article and the fact that I didn't drink much caffeine over the weekend.

6) I made it through the weekend with a slight burn on my chest from a forgotten-about v-neck I was wearing during the coffee cruise compliments of my father-in-law's boat.

Ok. Now it's 11:09 PM and I'm getting up at 5:15 6:00 AM to make the 45 minute commute to Durham again tomorrow.  Wish me luck.

Running behind again

People, I'm trying here is the first part

Here is the second chapter in my road back to exercise.
Check it out HERE!

Fit for Expecting, Chapter 1

The first of my four part experience with returning to exercise, mothering a young child, working full-time, commuting, and the like is posted (well it was on Monday and I'm just lazy getting it on here).

Enjoy and look for part 2 (like, next Monday maybe)

This is the Link Right Here!!

6 Quick Takes Sunday, I'll never get this right....

I am alive, for the most part.

It has been a crazy couple of weeks here around the McCants house.

I can't really remember where I left off last (I know I could go back and read my last post, but I really don't like to re-read things I write... especially essays... hence the many grammatical and spelling errors)

So... let me see....

1) Charlie had a graduation shindig that I didn't get any pictures at ... Mary Margaret was her typical amazing self and I nursed her to sleep in the middle of the party, and she slept in my ARMS for close to 30 minutes. Can we say heaven? I never get that anymore.

2) Charlie started working on a new project called The Wayfaring with a new and quickly-becoming-close-friend Win Bassett. I'll let you check it out as to get a feel about the content. With confidence I can say they are doing good work and getting some due cred for it.

3) I've started working out again...Booo... YAY.... I can't decide really.

I have been working with Jenn over at Fit for Expecting
*read: this is not one of those "announcements" of any kind. She does post-partem fitness too*

She has been giving me workouts, tips and check-ins in exchange for me writing a few little ditties about my experience and how freaking hard it is to get a workout in while commuting, working full time, nursing, being a kick ass mom, etc.

The first one should be coming out sometime this week or so, keep an eye out and I'll post the link if you care so much as to read it.

4) On a similar and equally as sweaty note, I did my first walk/run jaunt with both children (skin and fur) on Saturday morn. I had done 2 days of 10 minute elliptical workouts this past week, so I was obviously prepared for running long distances with two non-speaking creatures. We did all live and there was only one instance of a leash getting caught on a wheel.

Always the lady with the crossed ankles

5) I successfully made these amazing scones for the second time (first time was Mother's Day and it was a failure) with the love and support of my dear friend Meredith. It was my biggest accomplishment of the week.

6) Charlie had originally told me I was getting tickets to The National for Mother's Day. But after a heart to heart (really?) we decided it was best to go see The Black Keys instead. I'm pumped although the location could be improved, it will still be a good summer concert, I'm sure of it.

7) Mary Margaret's favorite 3 and 4 year old adopted sisters have moved to South Bend for their dad to go to the majestic Notre Dame for his PhD. We had our last day with them two weeks ago and I think MM's expression says it all.

there were a few others were the little one on the left was lovingly choking MM. Good Times

Ok... That was a nice little run down.

Ohh, on a not-even-as-relevant note, our cable is done. We have been "borrowing" it through our internet connection, but I believe they have uncovered our game and we now can only watch the following:

- the WB
- Telemundo
- Scrambled Bravo (which I'm not above struggling through)
- Some non-CMT country music station



It should be understood you'll be seeing more of me around these parts.