Bye Bye Boobies, Hello Itty Bitties!

It all started 8 years ago when I began this journey and decided to get breast implants. I wanted big boobies and after nursing 2 kids I wanted to turn my deflated water balloons into ripe melons! I wrote a blog about it which you can find here. I went from a 32B cup, having nursed 2 babies, to having a 32DD, quite a difference.

It definitely took some getting used to and for a while I felt I went too big.  I am a bit conservative and don't necessarily like showing them off but over time they became the new normal.  I got used to not being able to find bras that fit and would just wear jog bras all the time. I had to buy large bathing suit tops and extra small bottoms. I got used to being at the beach and getting hidden glances at my chest.

Fast forward 6 years... Last August I noticed my left breast becoming very hard. After a couple visits to the doctor I learned that I had a capsular contracture. This means my body was forming a capsule or covering of scar tissue around the implant. The ultrasound could not detect why my body was doing this but I needed to have surgery to either remove the implant and capsule  or remove the capsule and replace the implant. I was on the fence on what to do but I finally chose to remove and replace the implant. Surgery day arrived and everything went smoothly. The surgeon found out the reason my body formed this capsule is because the implant completely ruptured, spilling silicone into my chest cavity, ewe!!

This past March 2018 I noticed my right slowly hardening and being as this was not my 1st rodeo, I immediately made the appointments for the  MRI, which confirmed there was a slow leak in the implant.  I could not believe that this would happen to me of all people! I'm a pretty natural person, don't shave my legs or wear makeup so the fact that I got implants in the 1st place is pretty wild! And then they both leaked. I know plenty of people that have implants and this has never happened.

 I immediately knew what I would do and that was to remove both implants completely, which thankfully was covered by insurance. I decide to do the elective procedure for a lift as well because having implants in so long was basically like nursing for 7 years straight. I figured if I was going to go through all this I wanted to be happy with the results.

The day before surgery was so strange, I could not imagine how it would be without boobies even though I used to be in the "itty bitty titty club." I tried to be positive but honestly I didn't really know how to feel. I kept reminding myself to not be petty and be thankful for my 2 healthy boobies and how I want to set a good example for my 3 daughters.

Surgery came and went and I was so happy it was over. Recovery was surprisingly fast. The worst part was those nasty pain meds they prescribed.

I am honestly surprised by how happy I am to have them out. I truly thought I would miss them or feel less sexy. On the contrary I absolutely LOVE my itty-bitties! I am truly excited to get all the perks of having small tatas, and believe me there are a ton. I cant wait to go running, go bra-less, buy a bunch of cute bralettes, and wear teeny sporty bathing suit tops.

2 days after surgery, drains and all


After!

Going into surgery






Naughty Willa...

Willa has a knack for breaking the rules without getting in trouble.

When she was 3 she wrote her name in pen  on the back of both of the front seat headrests in the van. She did a great job and that was the 1st time I saw her write her name. Her name is still there today, a bit faded but still there...

She is learning to read and write in 1st grade and exploring phonics on her own. Its amazing how quick she is learning how to read and write. She added a few items to our grocery list and dinner recipe.  I noticed that her spelling is also impeccable for a 1st grader.



Hot Springs, Lakes, Rivers Oh My!!

We recently visited an amazing new place called Mono Hot Springs Resort, located in the south western Sierras.   We teamed up with another super mom Ashley and her 3 daughters.  We booked a  walk-in tent stocked with camp beds. This place also had a spa with baths and hot tubs fed by natural hot spring water.

Picture this, high sierra mountains, river,lakes and hot-springs, oh my!

We wake early for our 1st adventure. At 8:00am the heat is already super intense. Not your average heat but the kind you cant get away from, causing you to move slow mixed with high elevation. We left camp early to hike to the closest lake called Doris Lake. According to the map this lake is super close. We packed a bunch of water, snacks, and floaties, drove to the trail head to start. 

Their website states "Doris Lake is an easy one mile hike from the resort and a popular swimming hole for decades."  We figured it would be a perfect hike for the little ones. NOT!

It was extremely HOT so we had to go slow, especially with two 6 year olds. We were sweating faster than we could drink.  The trail started to get quite  obscure which was worrisome. When we saw the sign to Doris Lake telling us to go left, we went left. About 30 minutes later the kids were over it and us moms were questioning the route. We ran into another couple who informed us we were headed to Tule Lake, the wrong lake!

Taking a break in the shade
We did an about-face  to try to find the correct lake. At this point we were conserving our water, sweating bullets, and poor little Reagan fell down and was crying. We pretty much dragged the kids along until we got back on the correct trail and 15 minutes later made it to Doris Lake, hallelujah!

The lake was amazing, a true hidden Sierra mountain lake surrounded by large granite boulders, a cliff jumpers heaven.

After playing a bit in the water and having lunch, we start to hear thunder. We were warned by another hiker that it may be a good idea to head back before the storm comes in. Sadly, we cut our trip short and started packing up to make it back before the storm came in.

Sierra storms are unlike anything we experience in Santa Cruz, purely amazing. We hiked back in our bathing suites and it  started to dump, I'm talking huge fat raindrops, sheets of rain which was soon followed by hail and a ton of thunder and lightening.  What a change from 100 degree weather to freezing hail! Ashley and I are pulling little Willa and Reagan along while the bigger girls hurried ahead of the group to make it back to the car. 

Upon arriving at the car we see the windows were open and everything was soaked! Instead of heading back to camp we decided to go hang out in the hot tub fed by natural hot springs. That was a day of firsts for many of us, 1st grueling hike, 1st hike in a thunder storm, 1st hike in a hail storm. What an epic adventure, cant wait to go back next year!

Home Sweet Home
Made it to Doris Lake!


Hot Springs on the river
Mud Mask!
Natures Spa
Hot Springs








Lost in the Woods!

Big Rock Hole Trail One sunny day we drove to Henry Cowell State Park to meet up with some friends who were camping there. They told us ...