Nostalgia + Something else = A Twofer

What specifically about the past gives you nostalgia? Is there a period of your life that, when you reminisce about it, you get all warm and fuzzy inside? Tomorrow will definitely be one of those days for me: Last year on January 21, Scott and I learned that I was pregnant with Kennedy. (Of course, we didn’t know she was Kennedy, per se; we only knew that I was “with child.”) I can tell you the dates when both of my children were conceived – and the days I produced positive pregnancy tests with them. Those dates are tucked away in the corner of my brain that also stores their birthdays; those dates can never be forgotten.

And while I don’t necessarily miss being pregnant, I am nostalgic for the time that I was pregnant with them – Scotty and Kennedy. I don’t think I will ever forget how Scott and I found out I was pregnant with Scotty on New Year’s Eve, and I can still remember the giddiness I felt as I took down our Christmas tree as OneRepublic sang “Good Life” on Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve. But, again, to be clear, I don’t miss pregnancy. I do not miss sleeping in my La-Z-Boy for the last trimester of both pregnancies because my big butt, big abdomen, and big everything else couldn’t get comfortable in our bed; I do not miss how the first time you use the bathroom after the delivery, it looks like a crime scene took place in there. Nope. I don’t miss that. Both of my deliveries were uncomplicated and surprisingly easy, but, no, I wouldn’t want to relive them again.

That’s the thing about nostalgia. It’s tricky; it does a little number on you because, sometimes, what we now look back at and call the good ‘ol days, really weren’t when we were living it at the time.

But, still, I know I will never ever experience Scotty and Kennedy growing inside me again, and so, for that reason I am nostalgic. I also have a sweet spot for the Filet-O-Fish sandwiches I devoured while pregnant with Kennedy; the nights I used to curl up on the couch and watch Mistresses; how I looked forward to receiving each and every ultrasound photo of both children (that’s Kennedy’s 3-D ultrasound photo above); and how Scotty would snuggle with me and place his hand on my stomach while I wrote on my laptop (really, he did this multiple times a day, and that photo was not staged.)

I miss all of this. What do you miss? Please share your nuggets of nostalgia in the comments section at the very end of this post…but before you do, look below…yes! It’s another post! I posted two today, so you know the second one has to be important.

The 30-Day Plank Challenge

It’s been a common refrain of mine for the last four months: I have got to do something.

I’m talking about my body. The snap-back with this pregnancy simply wasn’t what it was with Scotty two years ago. Yes, I ate more (and worse) during this last pregnancy; yes, it was difficult to muster the time and energy to pamper myself when I had a toddler underfoot; yes, I was two years older this time around. All of the above have conspired to make losing my baby weight a bey-otch. Yes, I’m making progress – I can see it. But I know that I am lacking in the exercise department. I know that taking care of an extremely active 28-month-old as well as a four-month-old day in and day out burns calories, but I miss being able to unroll my yoga mat at the same time every day, like I used to do when Scotty napped. Now, when Scotty naps, Kennedy is up and vice versa.

But, again, I have got to do something. Anything. So I’m starting with this 30-Day Plank Challenge. I found out about this on Friday night from fellow lifestyle blogger, Adrienne Shubin, who writes The Rich Life (on a budget). Saturday was my first day, and so far so good; but I’ve only had to hold the plank for 20 seconds, which is cake; today I up it to 30 seconds. I’ll post an update about halfway through the challenge, at which point, I’m sure I’ll be stifling curse words while holding the pose as the seconds tick by in slow motion.