Channeling Reese Witherspoon! Or at least her hair!

Hubby and I went to the big fancy fundraiser for Landon's preschool. It was a very fun night. I have decided that for big events like this I need to have my hair done. I never used to do this but bestie from High School Nicole is queen of the fabulous "Blow Out". She always looks just great and put together.

Now the day of the fundraiser was gloomy to say the least, I started thinking my blow out might be a waste. I was really wanting some Dallas Cowboy cheerleader hair (DCC hair), and what if it rained and ruined it? Instead I went for a flat iron look. I thought of Reese Witherspoon's walk on the red carpet after she split with Ryan Phillippe. She was in that canary yellow dress with her hair straightened and she had lost a few pounds and looked fabulous.

I didn't want to buy a new dress for the event, I am saving up to buy one for my fortieth! I had thought about a Lilly dress but in the end it was too day timey. Ended up wearing this sassy red dress by Jones New York. Wore my Stuart Weitzman black peep toe heals with jewels on them. All stuff in the closet but with my new flat tummy I felt like a millions dollars. Outfit=$0, Blow out= $45, feeling good with new flat tummy= PRICELESS!!!!

Tummy Tuck Diaries- Day 56!

I am just blown away. I am so inspired my new tummy, that I am eating right and the pounds are coming off! I have learned a lot about my eating and how to lose weight.


My new findings:
To lose weight you have to eat a little bit all through the day.
Never skip a meal.
Protein shakes are the best cheater breakfast ever.
And half a pound weight loss counts!
Eat until you are satisfied but not stuffed!

I used to skip breakfast, be starving by lunch, overeat, make bad choices and gain weight. NO MORE OF THAT.

Most mornings I am having a protein shake. Then late morning a yogurt. Maybe an hour later a string cheese. (will post protein shake recipe next week)

Lunch is a salad and protein.

Then a snack string cheese, fruit, nuts etc

Dinner is a protein and veggie. We do a lot of salmon and asparagus, broccoli and chicken, etc.

I don't eat until I am full, just enough to feel good. I try not to finish a meal. How about that?

I also have a tanita scale that measures pounds down to the smallest amount. It really helps when you see the scale moving even a little!!!! I am now at a weight I haven't been at in years and fitting in a new size.

I did not know how much the permanently pregnant tummy was depressing me. I feel like sleeping beauty, like I woke up to the world! It has been life changing, confidence boosting, and enlightening to say the least!

I was thinking about the tummy day and night, it was taking up a lot of my head space. What am I doing with that space now? Writing, having ideas, creating, and planning fun things! If your struggling with a tummy like my before pics or weight loss I understand! Just know you can do it!!! You can get yourself back!

Lilly Pulitzer- I'm back.

With the PPS (permanently pregnant stomach) plaguing me for 5 years I had relegated myself to Target for clothes. Now, don't get me wrong, I have found some fabulous things at Target. I am NOT knocking the TAR-JAY, But in my heart of hearts I am a J Crew and Lilly Pulitzer girl. I had to give up on both until my tummy was fixed.

So it was with great anticipation, excitement and joy that I greeted my new bestie Anna, at the Cabana store in Santa Monica, a Lilly Pulitzer store (THE ONLY ONE IN LA!)

I was there not to buy jewelry, shoes or something for Coco. I was there to try on clothes. I was going to buy something. FOR ME.

So I did. Bought this fabulous "Joy Knit Tunic" in "Limeade, Coral Me Crazy!".

What I also wanted was this fabulous dress below as well, but alas I am on a budget (waaah waaaahhhh!). It's the Harper dress in dirty Shirley!



Karma is fabulous though, because today, at Marshalls I found a fabulous Lilly P tie for hubby! Pink King of hearts!

Tummy Tuck Diaries- Day 27 What a difference a month makes!

My tummy is flat. Yes I am still swollen and it will come down more. Yes I have to have my stitches out, but my tummy is worlds away from where it was. I will show you bare tummy after pictures when I get my stitches out at the end of January. For now, here is the before and after with the sweater on.

I am wearing a brace to help with swelling and bruising ( I have no bruising at all!)

Helps that my hair has been blonded and styled too. You can see by the picture I am pretty damn proud of myself. And I am!!!

I am so glad I did the surgery. The pain was minimal compared to the mental pain of having been asked every day WHEN ARE YOU DUE!? I am so happy those days are over.

I cannot thank enough the people who helped and made this possible. Hubby, my Mom, step Dad, Dad, step Mom, Mom in Law, Dad in Law and most of all:

DR. ANDREW ORDON!!!



He is the handsome devil from the Doctors show. He and his partner Dr. Chopra in Beverly Hills, did such a fantastic job and are sweet as can be. So nice to be in such capable hands!!

I feel like I can finally get on with living my life. And what a sweet life it is!

The Bright Side- Bonding While Bead Ridden!a

One sweet and unexpected thing to come out of this whole Tummy Tuck thing, is Landon and I are bonding. He will come and visit me in my bed and we will watch Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders Making The Team. Oh yes, I have him hooked.

The other night we were in hysterics, the two of us, as I pretended to smell his foot and then pass out. Oh yes, I know three year old humor. He literally threw his head back, laughing so hard, he almost fell over. I am loving his sense of humor. Well, I should. It's the same as mine!

I have been getting around a bit, even made it to my beloved Marshalls over the weekend. I must not be losing my touch because I happened to spot two Lilly Pulitzer items at 20 paces. One, was such a find, but alas I cannot post about it until I give it to the person! They may be reading this! Trust me when I say it is a pink and green find of the year!!

Heading to the doctor today with neighbor Sheila, hopefully I will be getting the second drain out. Over the weekend I attended our other neighbors Latke party with Sheila and we had a ball. Actually the real fun happened while I was at home getting ready. It was there, in my closet, that I dug out some outfits I have previously shunned due to the PPS (Permanently Pregnant Tummy). Low and behold, I tried some things on and they looked (as JJ used to say) DY-NO-MITE! I was fabulous! Hope everyone is feeling good and ready for your families to descend upon you!!

Don't miss tomorrow's post on keeping the peace with your parents over the holidays!

Christmas! Wrappers Delight!

I am obsessed with wrapping Christmas gifts. The perfect paper, bow, and little piece of holly or ornamentation...I like to wrap every gift differently with a different bow. I come from a long line of wrap obsessed people.

Grandmommie (Coco's namesake), would send a huge box to our house for Christmas with every gift wrapped more fabulously than the next. There would be purple gifts with celedon green bows, and blue gifts with beaded orange bows. I couldn't wait to get her box to add her gifts under the tree. It made everything look so magical!

You can bet my mom's gifts this year will be wrapped fab-u-lously!

Cut to me, wrapping all this week before surgery to fulfill my wrappers delight. Here are some of my favorites:

The pink and red is foil paper I found at Marshalls, love the idea of a pink bow! Foil paper is really the best to work with. It's very thick and malleable.

The green paper gift is velvet in the damask. Too fabulous. Would make great wall paper!

The red stripe is from target and so is the red velvet, snowflake ribbon! Not easy to work with but too good to pass up!!

Tummy Tuck UPdate:
One Drain out and one to go. Saw the fabulous Dr. Ordon from the Doctors, and he says my result is perfect and amazing considering where we started! Miracle worker! Next drain out Friday!

Tummy Tuck Diaries- Day 7- It's a head game

I am realizing this tummy tuck business is a huge mental challenge. They ask you on the questionnaire before you go in, if you are of sound mind. Now that I have been in this all too tight girdle, with two drainage tubes coming out either side of my waist (TMI), laying around unable to even sit up, for one whole week, I have come to one conclusion.

I AM GOING INSANE.

Oh yes. I am going KOOKOO. I have watched a millions movies, done two hundred Christmas cards, and blogged away. I am being productive, but I am a bad patient. The Mrs is not one to let ANYONE do ANYTHING for her. In fact it is I, who like doing for others and being a helper. Now I have people waiting on me (sometimes begrudgingly!), cooking for me, and popping me up.

I have not left this house but once in a week. I smell. My hair is yucky and I am hating sweatpants. If I never see another pair of sweatpants I will be happy. After this is over I am dressing like I am on the set of the Sex and The City Movie part two (CANNOT WAIT).

I am mean to hubby because he couldn't possibly do everything as well as I can (hahha), my back hurts from hunching and I want to hold Coco! I miss her! I feel like every day is ground hog day. My light at the end of the tunnel is my doctors appointment tomorrow. I think he will take one or both drains out but I hear it's gonna hurt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to keep the faith. I can't go insane! I'm One Fabulous Mom DAMNIT!!!!

Hello Ambien My Old Friend...TT Diaries, Day 5

One of the hardest things about recovering from the TT has been the nights. At the Pearl I had the kraft-matic (ha!) adjustable bed to wiggle myself into various positions. Now that I am home it's so hard to get comfortable. I feel like Carol Burnett whipping all around throwing pillows. I prop up a million pillows but keep sliding down, shove them between my legs, trying to sleep! I keep waking up from the pain!

I tried to take extra Darvaset to off set the pain the other night, BIG MISTAKE. I started freaking out, thinking things were attacking me and feeling claustrophobic about my stomach brace.

I have a stomach brace on that is so tight it makes my yummie tummie seem like a hula hoop. I am sucked and tucked with tubes coming out for drainage. GORGEOUS. Too bad. I have a flat tummy! Hooray!

Anyway, nights have been awful and torturous.

The answer? Ambien. Ambien kisses you on the cheek and says "night night darling". I slept well last night. Hubby even said "you didn't move all night!". I know he was thrilled to not be woken up every two minutes.

I now know only one Darvaset every 4-6 hours. Poor hubby having to adjust me around and put up with my tantrums. I feel bad for him. He will be glad though when he's got a hot wife in a bikini!!! (Right, probably a cute one piece)

Overall doing well. Going to the doctors today for a little check up so I'll let you know what they say also.

On board for this weekend?
Christmas lights up
Finishing wrapping gifts
Finishing up Christmas Cards

You?

Tummy Tuck Diaries- Day 3 Homeward Bound

Yes, I am leaving my fancy hotel digs today. I am leaving my adjustable bed with remote, flat screen TV with remote (That no one is asking me to put Barney on), my view of the Hollywood Hills, my monogrammed feather down comforter and 1000 thread count sheets.

Yes, I am leaving today and I couldn't be happier. I MISS HUBBY and THE CHILDREN! I miss Landon asking me" Mama? What doing?". I miss Coco smiling at me and hugging me, I miss hubby and my witty reparte...I am looking forward to being in my own bed. In my bed there is a blonde labbish (rescue so who knows) dog who sleeps at my feet, and cats who love to snuggle.

Since I am already out the door I will tell you I have been staying at the SLS hotel. They have a hospital floor called "The pearl", where you can recover in private and in style. It's so fabulous.

Off to nap, Darvaset kicking in...zzzzz...zzzzz...more later.

Tummy Tuck Diaries-Day 1

Hello from the Top-Secret Luxury Recovery Hotel room of the Mrs. (This is the Mr. BTW) The procedure was a great success, and the Mrs. is feeling like a new bride whilst recovering in the lap of luxury. The moment she felt where her PPS (permanently pregnant stomach) used to be she was overcome with tears of joy. "So excited to have a flat stomach...no more agonizing over what to wear to hide it, or how to deflect the question 'When are you due?'" She is relaxing under a soft, warm blanket of Demoral.

Thank you for all your prayers, well-wishes and good ju-ju.

-The Mr.

Prayers! It's TT day!

The day is here. I am nervous. I am scared. But I am going.

Here's the words my preacher passed on to me:

"You are perfectly safe. There is no place you can go, no activity you can undertake, that is out of the reach of God. If you can imagine a loving God who is always working for our good- then God will be working for that good outcome before, during and after your surgery.

Jesus is in the room ahead of you. Jesus is in the room with you. Jesus is in the room after you're gone.

Amen to that.

Pray for smooth surgery, little pain, and me being as comfortable as possible. Love you guys. I'll be taking you with me, every step of the way.

Tummy Tuck Countdown- The REAL before pics!

I am going to show you what my tummy looks like bare for two reasons:

1) I want to help anyone going through this to know they are not alone and I know the pain. I blamed myself. It was not my fault. My body never came back. There was nothing I could do. Hang in there, get it fixed.
and..
2) When I tell people I am having this, my skinny sweet Mom friends say they need it too! Hello? No you don't! If I could wedge this thing in a spanx and get a flat tummy I wouldn't care! This is beyond abnormal and I look crazy freaky. I know my Mom did not want me to show bare belly but I am not ashamed. I am being real.






Taking these pics I cannot believe I even considered not doing this!!! Monday can't come soon enough. I am ready to move on with my life and embrace the freedom of not having to wear black all the time. Of not wearing a yummie tummie tank top every day. Of putting on clothes because I like them, not because they are helping me hide my stomach. I will chronicle the journey and take you with me if you're brave enough to come.

Tummy Tuck-Give Me Something To Work With!

Tummy tuck is scheduled. Mothers are flying in. Monday, December 7th is my day!! You wanted to see the tummy before? You asked for it! Okay. I know it's gonna be horrifying so I'll do it in stages. First, a picture of me, with my Yummie Tummy Tank on. Not great, but at least people think I am only 5 months pregnant instead of 7. Stay tuned to the end of this post to see the REAL before. I will be showing you the real, scary OMG BARE stomach FRIDAY. GET READY!

The PPS (permanently pregnant stomach) has really been hard. People asking when I'm due for four years straight, no clothes I buy look anything but MATERNITY, and I can't exercise because my back has no stomach muscles to support it.

I'm ready to start over, not with a perfect body (cause if that was the case I get the boobs done too, but it's a slippery slope), just a body I can work with. I want to work out, be in shape, lift my kids, run around and play like a loon, you know, all that good stuff.

I know the recovery will be tough, but you guys will be with me right? I'll just blog the pain away. If I can't blog I'll get the hubby to tell you I'm okay. I will prevail. I'll just be in a lot of pain first!

Okay here's me in clothes with my Yummy tummie tank top.



and here's me without it.



More of a difference in person than in the pics. Now you can see, I'm not just going in for fun, this is a PROBLEM. Doc says the worst case he's ever seen. How bad? Bare tummy pics tomorrow unless I chicken out!!!

Tummy Tuck Countdown

Right before I had Landon we had a joke that hubby was trying to steal my thunder. he had to have his appendix out. We lovingly called his little baby Mike. Mike arrived and then Landon came. Heehee.

Well, tummy tuck is in less than 2 weeks and let me tell you, everyone and their mother is asking me when I'm due. It's now become comical. I can always feel it coming, and try to run away before the person puts their foot in their mouth but no. "When are you due?!"

I'm due Dec. 7th, is my new answer. Tummy tuck day! Maybe I'll name the baby too. I mean I have a due date and I'll no longer look pregnant! (unlike real pregnancy when the baby comes out and you still look preggers!). I think I'll call this baby Michaela. Like hubby's baby Mike but the female version.

So Michaela is due Dec. 7th.

Hey, I gotta laugh about it right?

Give me all the tummy tuck advice you've got!