I went shopping today with my little bloke and a lady commented on his outfit. She said "people just don't dress their little boys like that anymore". She meant it as a compliment but it got me wondering if I dress my little boy old fashioned? I always thought he was quite trendy, he certainly gets enough money spent on his clothes, his wardrobe is extensive compared to ours and I take a lot of pride in what he wears.

She said "did his nanna knit his little jumper?" and that was the final nail in the coffin for me. I said "um, no, I did".

I thought he looked extra gorgeous today. Maybe I am just an old fuddy duddy and I don't realise it, eeek!! My poor baby!!

I decided to do a 'Step' class. My friend wasn't at the gym so I didn't want to do the boxing circuit in my own. I thought Step would probably be a bit of a bludge but I would do it and then run on the treadmill for a while to make my trip to the gym worthwhile.

Oh my goodness, it definitely wasn't a bludge. I was bathed in sweat. A girl said to me "you look like you have jumped in the pool" because my hair was stuck to my head. I said "I don't feel like I have jumped in the pool!" ha ha.

It was fast and furious. I didn't have trouble keeping up because the moves were quite simple, so I got a great workout, and the music was awesome.

I could hardly move afterwards, I was totally and utterly spent. I couldn't have even walked over to the treadmill let alone run on it.

I am definitely going back for more of the same torture next week. It's my new favourite.

The exercise program appears to be working so that's good news. I have also adjusted my diet and have been pretty good. Lots of veges and a bit of fruit, healthy salads and no fatty snacks.

I have lost and inch and a half off my chest, half an inch off my waist and an inch off my hips. It has taken two weeks of quite hard work, but its enough to keep me motivated.

I don't know how much actual weight has come off, I need to use the scales at the gym for that, so I will check that next week.

I got a job, yay. Three days a week as a Marketing and Communications Coordinator. I didn't think I would get it but when I went to the interview and they told me all about the role it became clear that it was actually a really good match for me.

I would NOT have got that job without my portfolio and I am absolutely positive of that!

Its a good job and its well paid and I am starting after Easter. I am looking forward to it. It involves a bit of design work, a bit of editing, a bit of writing, a bit of events management - all the stuff I like doing, plus a new challenge involving hunting down government grants to pay for training workshops. It's not asking people for money as such, just finding grants that already exist and applying for them type-thing by the sounds of it. There is quite a bit of brand overhauling that needs to be done for this company which is also something I like doing and they said they definitely need (yep, they do!). So it should be good.

I am off to the gym again tomorrow, I have made friends with a girl there and we have egged each other on to do the boxing circuit, eeek. I watched this class the other day and it looked terrifying.

I feel like the gym and the diet is starting to work. Especially in my flabby arms, I can see little triceps trying to make themselves known. I will measure myself in another week or so and see if there has been any difference.

I am really enjoying the gym now. I love the classes, they have nice instructors and decent music, like disco and the eighties, none of this techno doof doof rubbish. You can get a real groove going, lol. bloody old bag.

Most of the people in the morning classes are mums whose kids are downstairs in the creche. Baden has really settled in there well now, the other day he walked through the gate, turned around and waved bye bye to me and walked off! righto then! He didn't cry when he saw me when I picked him up either, just gave me a big smile but was in no hurry to get off the girl's knee where he was having a cuddle whilst watching The Wiggles.

I am so happy he likes it there now.

Here is a picture that bubby and I made at Playgroup. Isn't he clever? It is hanging in pride of place in our hallway.

In other news, I have found my portfolio!! Yay!! It was lost and I thought we had thrown it out during the move, but I just found it when I went up into my craft cupboard to choose a colour wool to knit my niece a pair of cutie patootie booties. I caught a glimpse of black folder in my scrapbooking bag.

Its a miracle that I found it. I would never have found it if I hadn't stumbled across it because I don't do scrapbooking. I went to one class, made one page, bought a hundred dollars worth of scrapbooking paraphenalia and that was the end of it.

I have another job interview coming up, what a relief to have a portfolio!

I have a new niece, a beautiful healthy baby - as yet unnamed, born in Samoa to my brother David and his wife Teri. Very exciting news! So now that is three little people in the next generation. Hopefully one more to come, from us, and that will be it by the sounds of it.

In other news, I have a couple of goals this month: one is to lose two kilos and I have been going to the gym and have a personal trainer named Natalie and Baden has settled into the creche now. He still cried the other day but he cried as he was going towards the creche lady and he gave her a big hug, so that is a good sign I think. And he soon settled down and when I went to pick him up he was quite happy.

I also went to the doctor and got some diet pills called Reductil. I haven't taken them yet because I have to wean bubby before I can take them and I am feeling quite indecisive about this. I wanted to breastfeed until he was two, but I think I am ready to stop now. He is 19 months which is a good effort in anyone's books, but I feel like I am letting him down somehow. But part of me really wants to take these diet pills and be slim for my wedding. I am going to give it a couple more days or maybe a week and see how I go without them, and if no weight comes off then I am going to wean.

One of my other goals was to finish a jacket I have had sitting in my knitting basket since November. Its a pattern that my crochet teacher gave me. I finished it last night and I am very happy with it, it turned out great and was so easy that I might knit him another one. I haven't done any knitting for ages and I have missed it.

Well, the gym sessions are going well for me. I have been to Body Pump class twice so far and am going to the gym again tomorrow before Playgroup. I have also booked three personal training sessions, starting on Friday.

Baden doesn't seem to be settling into the creche all that well and it's tearing me apart. He cries as soon as we get there, not whingeing, actual sobbing. Today I got sort of kicked out! Bubby and I were clinging to each other and the lady said "as soon as you go he will settle down". Hint taken! She said that some kids take a bit longer than others. I don't know if I can handle it!

The worst part is that he has had to go to a new daycare lady in the past week as well, while I look for a job. I have been to two interviews so far and I am waiting back to hear. I have a second interview for one next week and hear back if I got the other one next week. If I don't get a job soon I will lose the daycare spot and if that happens the whole process starts again. Except it won't. Because I can't be arsed with it. I will just stay home until the next "I feel like getting a job" phase pops up, probably in about six months!

In other news, we have just been slugged with a third interest rate rise since buying the house. It's a shame we don't get more house for our money! we were already using that money thanks, grrr.

Here is picture of Baden, taken this morning, but it could have been taken any morning. He loves the dogs, they are his favourite people around here I think. I let him play with them as long as he is gentle and I also let him feed them so hopefully that raises his status in the pack order. It's very difficult to raise a child's position above a dogs (in the dog's mind) but all I can do is constantly work on it and keep an eye on them when they play together.

He is starting to call them by their names. Jimbo is Boo-boo and Apple is Ba-boo. I can sort of see that he is trying to shape the word. Could be something only a mother can see, but oh well!!