Tender Musings

If there's one thing that changed after I got married, it's definitely my WEIGHT. A lot has actually changed since then, but that's a story for another time. Today, let's just talk about my weight issues. I've always been a chubby kid growing up, so I've kind of gotten used to being on the heavier side of the scale. But when I got married, my nonchalant attitude towards my weight reached its peak. I just did not care anymore. In my mind, I was already hitched so I didn't have to worry about looking good. What a lame excuse, right? I also got pregnant shortly after our wedding, so I had the perfect reason to be lazy and eat to my heart's content. I gained 15 kg (about 33 lb) when I was pregnant with my daughter, and that weight did not come off after I gave birth. I did lose 5 kg (which was technically Rei's weight, placenta, etc.), but the rest of the weight I gained STUCK. Sadly, I did not care much about it either. I had just given birth an

When I was single and traveling on my own, I silently judged parents who traveled with little kids. I just thought it was a crazy undertaking. Kids, especially little ones, are severely temperamental, demanding, hyper-active, and just a bit annoying in long flights. And then I DID IT. Three times. So, I guess I had just successfully categorized myself with parents out there who are tugging little kids along in a busy airport. The truth is, my judgement as a single traveler was right. It IS a crazy undertaking to travel with little ones. But then that little bit of insanity somehow pays off when you see your precious (and overstimulated) child smiles from ear to ear as she discovers her new environment. Travelling with a toddler is a lot of work, and even though I did a lot of research in preparation for our recent trip, nothing I've read online warned me about how exhausting it would be. First is PACKING. When it was just Gian and I, we just had to pack our backpacks a