A Step in the Right Direction

I'm not going to get into a full-blown debate about the health care bill that just passed back home in the USA.  All I'm going to do is post a real-life comparison that I feel supports my support for the bill.

R in North Carolina:

-Paid $3000 out of pocket with insurance. That was just for her didn't include the pediatrician that attended the c/s or her newborn daughter's hospital stay.

C-sections normally run $10,000-$15,000 without insurance and without complications.  That doesn't include hospital stays or any care for the baby, let alone any pre-natal or post-natal care.

Me, in Scotland:

-9 months of pre-natal care, including 5 ultrasounds, multiple bloodwork, several prescriptions, physiotherapy, crutches, splints, etc.
-emergency c-section, spinal anesthetics, 3 1/2 days in hospital, infant and mother antibiotics, etc.
-all my prescriptions and dentistry up until my baby's 1st birthday

COST: FREE

"This legislation will not fix everything that ails our healthcare system, but it moves us decisively in the right direction"-President Obama

Where oh where has Blondie gone?

So I've been pretty good at updating what I've been eating, but between playing with my ever-growing boy, sticking to South Beach and trying to get out for at least one walk a day, I've neglected my blog.

To be honest yesterday I was ready to quit. I got a lovely care package of Girl Scout cookies from my Mom and I don't know I just thought this wasn't working. I think it's that one week hump you need to get over.

Before he left for Poland (don't ask, apparently Warsaw is shits and giggles for bachelor parties, who knew) NBH insisted that I shouldn't weigh myself at his Mom's, we don't have a scale, because I might have put on weight since the last time I weighed myself and therefore be discouraged.

Well I ignored NBH's advice and trepidatiously hopped on the scale this morning. I'm not going to tell you what I lost, but let's say I lost more than enough to know it's not just water weight. Add in that I know I'm retaining more water than usual (ladies you know what I mean) and I'm a happy girl.

So now I'm off to walk my boy in the howling winds that are whipping around the lovely seaside town of Troon, because while he has some crazy metabolism (he's eating the amount of food for a 6 month old, but below the 9th percentile for weight), I don't!

Hopefully you'll be seeing a lot more of me here and a lot less of me in real life weight wise!

St Patrick's Day Playlist competition

Want to win a Rock 'n' Roll Weekend in Ireland?


The competition is open to music fans in the UK and anyone who votes or submits a song to add to the playlist is in with a chance to win a rock 'n' roll weekend in Dublin. The competition closes tomorrow (Sunday 14 March) and the top artists will be announced on St Patrick's Day.

Click here to enter! (only open to UK residents)

My friend Caitlin brought this to my attention and I was in no way compensated for this post.

South Beach

If you take a peek on the right side of the blog you'll see my ever so exciting meal plan. It's not so much a meal plan, but a list of what I've eaten. You see I'm starting back on South Beach again. I know I found it really helpful to read what other people ate Phase 1, so I thought I'd do the same.

So it's no fruit, bread, grains, sugar, etc for me for the next two weeks. Phase 1 isn't the most fun and I admit it is restrictive, but it is only two weeks and after that I can add back in fruit and good carbs, so it's not that bad. I do get annoyed at the lack of sugar-free items in the UK (umm hello have you ever seen how much sugar is in yogurt?) and that there are no SB branded products, but what can ya do.

South Beach has worked for me before and really helped me stay motivated and exercise more, too. If you want to join in or have any questions, please leave a comment! I'm not an expert, but I do have a few tips and tricks I've learned along the way.

Delivering Happy Feet

One of the first things I noticed when I went on maternity leave was how daytime commercials are totally different from nighttime commercials (yea I like TV, so what?). One of the commercials I'd never seen before was for a shoe company called Hotter, so when I got the opportunity to review a pair of their shoes, I thought, why not?

Hotter have been making shoes in the UK since 1959. While they originally made slippers, they diversified in the early 1990s, when they identified a niche in the market for stylish shoes with comfort built in. To be honest I wasn't sure if I was their target audience, but as a new Mommy who basically just wants to live in comfertable clothing, I guess I am!

I got a pair of the Harley boots and normally it takes me a few weeks to break in a pair of boots before they stop killing my feet, but these have been great. I also sometimes have problems finding boots that fit comfortably over my calves and the split back design of these mean that's not a problem.

I wore them out to lunch today with some leggings and maybe I'm wrong but I thought I looked pretty cute! They are warm without being too hot and I'm looking forward to trying them out on a long walk with Blondie Boy tomorrow!

To request a catalog click here or browse online. To get 10% off your first order and free P&P use the code FIRST.

Transatlantic Blonde received this product to review.

Two months

Age - two months

Weight - He last got weighed 2 weeks ago and was just under 10lbs.

Height - 23 1/2" (again 2 weeks ago)

Sleeping habit - He is starting to sleep longer at night, but not consistently.

Eating habits - Eating 5oz every 4 hours and now we're trying 6oz before bed.

Favorite activity - Playing in his chair and hitting the whale on it that makes the music play and the fishies light up and wobble. He also *loves* to kick and kick and kick some more which made his photoshoot interesting this month.

Milestones - 2 month vaccines

Firsts - Went for a walk in his pram outside and slept in a big crib (his Daddy's baby crib) while having a week's holiday at his Mimi Arlene's while Daddy was in London.

Wordless Wednesday

Mommy said boys who are good for their immunizations get lollipops.