Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Truth Hurts

We are the cookie bakers of the night. she sang.

Laurie Berkner band DVD, my choice babysitter giving me twenty five minutes of peace and relative quiet every morning. The girls be bop around dancing and singing while I let the hot water overtake me.

Solace.

Stepping out of the shower, I hear the familiar voices echoing through the second floor, and know I have two songs left until their attention will break. Grabbing the towel, I dry off and wrap my heir atop my head. Putting on my underwear and bra, I apply lotion to my face, SPF 8 infused everyday.

As I begin combing out my hair, Maeve jumps through the open door.

"Hi Mom, Hi Mom, Hi MOM!!" she screams.
Her voice reaching a crescendo, in anticipation of my response.

"Hello baby" I offer, kissing the top of her head.

"Bye mom!" she waves, returning to Laurie.

I continue combing my hair when Mo enters.

"What's up?" I ask, as her eyes focus on my scantily clad body.

Pointing to my abdomen, she laughs, "Ha, you got a chubby belly mommy!"

No.
She. 
Didn't!

My three and half year old just called me chubby!

I laugh her off as I shoo her out of the bathroom. Taking in the observation my child disclosed first hand. I look at myself, really look at my nearly naked self and I admit it.

She's right.

I am flabby in the middle.
and parts of the upper and lower too!

While I am quick to blame it on two c-sections in less then two years, the real reason for my "chubby belly" is too much ice cream and not enough vegetables, too much sloth and not enough exercise.

All together, I'd say, it's been nearly four years of too much of the bad stuff and not enough of the good.

And that needs to change.

I'm not really happy with the way my clothes fit me right now and I have no one to blame but myself. While Mo's comment hit a nerve, she is right. I HAVE a chubby belly and now I'm starting to do something about it.

On Sunday we joined the local YMCA and today, I intend to get back on the elliptical, chubby belly and all.

I have motivation now, something that has been missing.

Besides my sister's wedding in August, Mo is offering support. We have developed a game of sorts.

She keeps asking, "Mommy when we go to the Y so you can exercise?"

I ask, "Why do I need to go to the Y, Mo?"

Her response: ""Cause your chubby mommy!"

Yes, Mo, I am, and hopefully over the next few months, I'll be less chubby thanks to your motivation

Linking up this week the fun at Lovelinks &  Things I Can't Say.

22 comments:

  1. Kids can be brutally honest in an innocent way. I've had a similar experience. WIsh it would've motivated me a little.

    good post :)

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  2. Good Luck! I'm so excited for you! I need. need. need - to fix my "chubby everything." Kids can be brutally honest sometimes. Kristen

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  3. That truth has a way of lighting a spark, yes?

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  4. Take heart, last year Ella said: You and jellyfish have a lot in common, Mommy - you're both blubbery and sometimes mean.

    "Kids say the darndest things!" Yikes!

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  5. Kids have no filters!
    Good for you for joining the Y.

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  6. God bless the Y. When my kids were little I managed to go faithfully because their free babysitting bought me extra shower time. Now that they're in school full time, I'm not so motivated. Good luck!

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  7. Emory said the SAME EXACT THING to me right around the holidays! I got back on my horse recently & randomly said at dinner the other night "You are skinny, Mommy!" They are are worst enemies & biggest fans!

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  8. I call it my "gentle quilted padding" and there is a LOT more of it than there used to be, dang it. I have lots of excuses and reasons and "it's not my faults, really..." but you know? Too much of the bad stuff and not enough of the good, as you said. My kids are crazy active, so I've promised myself (note: am not making any kind of damn RESOLUTION here) that I too will be more active this year, but not in a reaching-for-the-cookies-sort-of-way. Sigh. It's gonna feel good, really it is. So I'm at the Y with you in spirit, lady. Let's go!!

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  9. From the mouths of kids, huh?

    Our youngest sticks his belly out and says he wants a big belly like daddy. That has motivated my husband, for sure.

    Good luck!!!

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  10. Sometimes I care, sometimes I don't. Like when it's king cake season in New Orleans. Or when my husband wants ribeyes. Sigh.

    Great post!

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  11. Haha...my kiddo told me I had spider webs on my tummy while I was pregnant. Thanks for pointing that out kid!

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  12. Kids are so honest.
    And they don't realize what they are saying can sometimes be too honest.
    My daughter points to my belly and says "baby."
    She doesn't necessarily mean that I'm fat, she just thinks everyone has a baby in there because her daycare teacher did.

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  13. Right out of the mouth of BABES! Got to love their nonchalant words. I to need to lose weight. I have started to work out 2 days a week. Mo seems to be a great motivator:-)
    Good Luck!
    Shirley

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  14. I had a moment like that except it wasn't a kid but my dad that pointed out that i had "gotten a belly". The truth hurts but sometimes it's necessary to make change.

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  15. Ouchie! That can hurt. But good for you for joining the gym. I'm right behind you (well, maybe not right behind...)

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  16. Kids call 'em like they see 'em. But it's good for you to set an example for them of keeping in shape. Good for you!

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  17. Kids don't sugarcoat things, that's for sure. Good luck!

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  18. We all know that moment in our hearts and bless our children who tell it like it is and motivate us to do something that we have "thought" of doing so many times. I am right there with you right now....so go get 'em. Can I rent Mo too?:) less icecream more veggies!

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  19. I blame Laurie Berkner and her "Victor Vito" song. Isn't that the one about burritos? Even though my girls stopped listening to that years ago, I'm still eating burritos. My next stop? The Y.
    Congratulations on your new motivation. Thanks for sharing about it here!

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  20. Ah, kids - you have to love their honesty. It keep us honest too. Good luck with your exercise goals!

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  21. Kids tell it how it is, don't they? My little one once told me that I had spiderwebs in my nose! Good for you getting back to the gym.

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  22. I often get patted on my (post-twin) belly by the oldest as they something to the tune of Mommy's having another baby. Somedays I laugh, somedays I cry. Damn kids and the mirror they hold up to us!

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Let me know what you think.