Week 10 - Arlo’s Surgery, Pickle PJs & A New Low

Monday was such a good day.

It was my rostered day off with Arlo, and Nola ended up staying home too because she had a sore tummy. When I’m home, Arlo usually has two naps, but of course on this day he refused the first one and then only gave me 50 minutes for the second one.Classic baby behaviour. Very considerate.

But somehow, I still managed to get quite a lot of work done, and Nola was feeling fine again by about lunchtime.

I also went to the doctor to check in about how I’d been feeling after surgery, and he told me it was all very normal. He said it was likely from all the medication I had during and after surgery, and sometimes it can take people up to two weeks to feel properly better.

Honestly, I felt so reassured after that. He said if I’m not feeling better next week, to come back and he’ll do blood tests, but just hearing that it wasn’t abnormal made me feel so much better.

For lunch I had rice, mince and veggies. I actually ate one of my frozen meal preps and left my fresh ones, because apparently I like to keep myself guessing. Then I had my jelly, yoghurt and fruit.

After finishing the support call and work for the evening, the kids and I started watching Freaky Friday.

Such a classic.

Over the weekend, Nola had watched The Parent Trap, so we were clearly on a bit of a Lindsay Lohan roll.

Tuesday morning when we all got up, we actually started watching Freakier Friday, which I hadn’t seen yet, so I was fully invested. Even Arlo sat still and watched it with us for a bit, which was very cute.

After I dropped the kids to school, it was time to log on for work for a few hours before I had a remedial massage. I’ve had a really sore muscle on the right side of my back, so she worked on that and my neck.

Soccer training was cancelled, so I worked for the rest of the afternoon, went and got Arlo, and then we all had dinner together before putting our little man to bed and continuing the movie.

It is always so hard to stop a movie to go to bed, but 8pm is bedtime for the older kids, and by the time we say goodnight, I’m usually in bed not long after.

There has been a little bit of scrolling happening lately though. Not ideal. We’ll come back to that.

Wednesday was honestly one of the busiest days I think I’ve ever had.

Work was busy on all fronts. Our support call went for an hour and a half, which was awesome. We got some really valuable feedback that we can continue to work with, and we also had a team meeting before the call for an hour.

I always love catching up with the boys. I really do like being there and being the girl on the team.

When I got the kids from school they had their school photos in their bag! SO CUTE!

I went and picked up Arlo and made spaghetti bolognese for the family. I started it early so it could slow cook for as long as possible because bolognese just tastes better when it’s had some time to become its best self.

The kids didn’t want to watch our movie that night, so I actually chilled in bed and worked on my phone.

Very relaxing. Very balanced. Definitely not workaholic behaviour.

Thursday was Arlo’s surgery day.

He had to fast from 2:30am, so I set my alarm and dream-fed him a bottle. Best decision ever because he was completely fine not eating when he woke up.

Jason and I both took him in, and he honestly held up so well. He was super happy in the waiting room looking at the fish and drawing, and they took us through so quickly.

Jason was allocated to the going-to-sleep position, and he handled it really well. Arlo cried a little bit, but he was out cold pretty quickly.

The surgery took about an hour, and when he woke up, he was out of it for another hour. He had absolutely no idea what was going on and was quite upset, but with lots of cuddles and trying to make him laugh, he was okay.

Once he was fine, Jason enjoyed his bed and snacks haha!

We went home for a big nap, and then honestly, it was like nothing had ever happened.

The only thing I will say is, after getting adenoids out and grommets put in, his breath stinks. I assume it’s the adenoids, but apparently it can smell for a good week.

So that’s lovely. Yuck...

We were home in time for school pick-up, which Jason did, and then he took the kids to get a treat before taking Rocky to footy training.

Friday was a mummy and Arlo day.

I did my first support call hosting with Wesley’s support, and I think it went really well.

I’ve only ever done things like this in government, so I was actually really proud of myself.

Arlo woke up halfway through the call, but he’s so chill he just played in his cot. Bless him.

It was such a great call, and the comments afterwards, once I mentioned it was my first time hosting, were honestly so beautiful. So thank you to everyone. The support back to the coaches in this community is just incredible.

After the call, I made us some food because who says you have to eat completely different to your family?

I had one piece of Bakers Delight bread, no butter, light cheese and two eggs. Arlo had the same but with butter and a tasty slice of cheese.

The weather on Friday was glorious. After Arlo and I got the kids from school, they played outside for a while while I sat and watched.

All the neighbours started congregating at our place again, so that was mine and Arlo’s cue to go inside and play. There were balls going everywhere, and knowing my luck, I would absolutely be the one to get hit in the face.

Friday evening we all worked together as a family to tidy up the house and do dinner. I love having kids who are helpful. I know they don’t always enjoy doing it, and sometimes we have to give them a bit of a pep talk, but honestly, they are really great.

Having four people doing the jobs that need to be done makes it so much easier.

I will admit though, there is a very large laundry pile from this week.

We don’t need to talk about that.

Friday night I went to bed early because it had been a very busy day in the community.

I genuinely love all the questions. Everyone is still learning, so please ask, even if you feel like it’s been asked before. I’ll always direct you back to the modules if I can, otherwise I’ll answer everything to the best of my ability.

I’ve been doing this for quite a while now. I started in the gym when I was about 19. I had a personal trainer and would see him four days a week, plus do his boot camp three days a week. From there I did lots of group classes, and then eventually met Wesley in my 20s.

After being coached by him, doing my accreditation and then coaching myself, I do feel like I’ve built up a really solid base of knowledge. Being able to put that to good use now is amazing, and I am always still learning too. I love learning from the people around me.

Saturday I slept in until 6:40am.

I couldn’t believe it after getting up at 4:30am with Arlo on Friday. Jason got up while I laid in bed, and then once I was up, I helped get the kids organised because they had a very exciting day ahead.

Nola had chosen to skip soccer, and instead the kids and Jason were heading off for a motorbike day for their cousin’s birthday.

We got them little motorbikes for Christmas, and they practise riding them around our house because we live next to an open reserve. The neighbours join in too, and it’s so fun. They have an electric motorbike, and our kids’ ones are petrol.

So I packed them lunches, snacks and drinks and sent them on their way, while I stayed home on Arlo duty.

There was no way Arlo could go. It was out in the bush somewhere, and old mate likes to only nap in his cot, doesn’t he?

Yes, he is one of those kids.

But honestly, I don’t mind at all. I think in terms of what he needs, if this is it, then that’s what we’ll provide. I would hate for him to have less sleep just because I’m forcing him to go somewhere, and that’s a decision Jason and I are happy with. It works for us.

While they were on their way to the motorbike day, I rang Jason to tell him Arlo felt a little warm and his temperature was up, so I gave him Panadol.

Then I realised I had already given him Panadol at 7am.

It was 9am.

So I quickly rang Healthdirect and spoke to a registered nurse, who said it was completely fine and that he just needed to skip the next dose. She said it’s very common for tired parents to accidentally do this. She also put me through to the poisons line, and they let me know it was okay and just to monitor him.

Not what I expected to happen on a Saturday morning, but here we are.

Arlo and I still had a really good day on Saturday. I got the groceries delivered, and Jason said he wanted roast chicken for dinner, so that was the plan.

I packed all the kids’ snacks away too. Yes, they are not all healthy snacks, and yes, they only get put in their lunchboxes along with fruit, a sandwich and yoghurt. Balance, people.

The kids are also only liking vanilla yoghurt at the moment and have been fighting over them, so I only bought vanilla this time because I am not here to start yoghurt wars.

Arlo had a really short first nap and then a better second nap, so I sat down and read my book in my pyjamas.

My pickle pyjamas, to be exact.

It was so great.

While I was reading, one of my friends invited me out to see a country singer who was coming to Canberra. Well, Queanbeyan, but close enough.

So I quickly got ready and went and picked up two of my friends so we could head to dinner first. I hadn’t had my planned dinner yet, because I ended up getting chicken and vegetables, had two vodka sodas and enjoyed the night.

We were VIP so got to meet her! It was Amazing, her name is Hayley Jensen!

I got home at 11pm, which, as you will know, is basically the middle of the night for me.

Arlo did wake at 3:30am, and I think he was cold, so I gave him a quick bottle and he went back to bed. I slept in until 7am because Jason got up with all the kids.

When I got up, I was actually really excited to weigh myself and see how I went the day before. I didn’t have my planned dinner, but the switch was pretty close in calories from what ChatGPT told me, even with the two drinks.

I was very happy to see I had dropped 200g since the day before, which gave me a really great weekly average.

Sunday morning, I spent some time working while Jason took Rocky to football.

Rocky got player of the match and had his footy photos, which was so cute. Harry high pants much?

Then we went on a family trip to the toy store so the kids could get squishies.

Is everyone else’s kids obsessed with squishies as well?

Anyway, we found a store in Canberra that does real ones that don’t stink, so that was a win.

Then I used the afternoon to fold some washing, read my book and get ready for the Fundamentals call.

Luckily, on Saturday I had put a roast chicken in the oven with veggies for the family, so there was plenty left over for us to have Sunday night too.

Love when past Casey does future Casey a favour.

Now for check-in.

Week: 10

Phase: STRIP

Nutrition adherence: 7/7

Weekly average steps: 5,000

Training: 0/4 — not allowed medically

Average body weight change: -1kg

The things I’m most proud of this week are:

• Another great average loss, even with low expenditure

• Hitting another new low

• Actually feeling and looking like my old self pre-pregnancy, which feels really good

  
  

The areas I need to improve next week are:

• I’m ready to recommence gym

• I’m ready to hit my walks again, including Mount Taylor

• Chase 10k steps a day minimum

• Get to bed earlier, phone off by 8:45pm and read until 9pm instead of doom scrolling

  
  

This week was busy, messy, full of doctor appointments, Arlo’s surgery, work, support calls, motorbikes, pickle pyjamas, squishies and somehow another kilo down.

I had 7/7 nutrition adherence, hit a new low, and I’m starting to feel more like myself again.

And honestly, after the last couple of weeks, that feels really bloody good.