Goodbye 2011

What a year it has been. There has been so much that has happened. Some good. Some bad. Mostly good. It was a good year for us. It was definitely the most I've seen Dom grow up, almost overnight.


There is no limit on the amount of joy that he brings to my life. Every single day I'm amazed at his ability to grow and learn. It does feel like he's growing up too fast, but I'm such a proud Mom to see how smart and witty he is. What other kid do you know can sing the chorus and verse of "Moves like Jagger?" Dom closes this year saying goodbye to daycare and hello to preschool. Hopefully along with that will come using the potty and getting out of diapers. Please. At this point, I feel like I'm going to have an 8 year old wearing the things.

He has such a good grasp on things. He just gets it. He says the funniest things all the time. The other day I stubbed my toe and made a wincing face, like I was crying. Dom came over to me, gave me his bunny and said "Mommy, I'll protect you, I got you" and then rubbed my arm and gave me a hug. I mean, come on. Sometimes we'll be watching tv and a character he doesn't recognize will come on the screen. He'll turn to me and say "hey Mom, that's kinda weird!" Ha ha, where does he learn this stuff? When it's dark outside, he'll say "Mommy, the sun has gone nuh night, it's dark outside now." One of the funniest things he does now is call Rob and I by are names when we don't answer him right away. "Gina! Robert!"

His favorite tv shows right now are Team Umi Zoomi, Bubble Guppies, Yo Gabba (a classic!) Super Why, Fireman Sam, The Mighty Jungle and Peppa Pig. His favorite movies are The Incredibles, Toy Story 3, Up, Madagascar, Bolt and he's starting to show an interest in Cars. He's still really into his beavers documentary also. His favorite song, hands down, is "Moves like Jagger" by Maroon 5. He knows all the words to that, verse and chorus, and also does the cutest dance. He simply amazes me. He really is just such a happy kid.

I learned a lot about myself over the last twelve months. I gained a lot of weight and fell into a comfortable zone of not being aware of what I was eating, and that left me feeling the most uncomfortable i have ever felt. But I turned it all around by going back to Weight Watchers and not only dieting, but changing my lifestyle completely. I work out with a trainer twice a week, I walk/run on the treadmill at least 4 times a week. Most of the time, breakfast is a tasty spinach shake. WHO IS THIS PERSON? I don't know, but I kinda love her.
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I haven't eaten any fast food in over a 5 weeks and as of last nights weigh in, I'm down 12lbs. It feels so good to lose every week, I can't even tell you. I don't want to lose this feeling. I don't want to get bored in 8 months of tracking my food and working out, only to slide back into fattyville. If that happens, I will make myself read this entry.
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HEY! Lazy and burnt out Gina! Listen to me right now! I know it feels like you can do this on your own, not go to the WW meetings, not track your food, not work out at least twice a week....but you CAN'T. You've tried before and failed. I know it feels like if you have to track one more piece of food, you'll stick the pen in your eye...but don't give up. You got this. Put an end to the vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting and lose this weight once and for all. Look how good you look in the above photo. You worked hard! Don't throw it all away!
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This time next year, don't let yourself be back in the position of having to get back on the weight loss train. Again. Instead, be close to your ultimate goal, whatever that may be. Hopefully I will be able to run one mile straight without stopping. Hopefully I will weight somewhere around 145lbs. Hopefully I would have loved myself enough to keep going. Failure is not an option.




Rob has been so supportive in this journey with me. He has been there for me, cheering me on, getting me a trainer, buying a treadmill for the house, getting me gym clothes. I really am so lucky to have a man like him. He works so hard and always treats Dom and I to something special.
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I think our relationship has really grown over the past year. We have found our rhythm and things are really good with us. We celebrated our three year anniversary in style (thank you Jason Mraz) and I'm really excited about our future together. I love him with all my heart, and even though we are not always on the same page, I still give my heart to him completely.



All in all, 2011 was a fantastic year. It went by waaaaay too fast, but it was fantastic none the less. I hope that 2012 surpasses it even more, and that life keeps on blessing all of us the way it has. As always, I feel very lucky to live the life that I do. I have the best family and friends in the whole world. And my little, beautiful, amazing family...Rob, Cubbers and I....are the best thing that ever happened to me.

Adios Daycare

Today is Dom’s last day of daycare! I can hardly believe it. On his first day, he was only 8 months old. Now he’s 2 ½ and all grown up. I wasn’t prepared for this moment until he was at least three years old, but everyone says that he is ready. He knows the stuff you need to know, like how to count to ten, his ABC’s etc. And so it’s time to leave his first place of learning, and move on to the next.

As you can tell by the above photo, Dom is less than impressed. I was of course being sentimental and trying to capture his last day..but he was more like “sheesh Mom, you’re totally embarrassing me!”

I am so thankful that we had a wonderful and positive experience with Nonnie’s Daycare. Dom truly loves her and has really thrived there. We’ll miss her, but I know we’ll be back to visit.

Next stop? Pre-school!

Dom Update

There isn’t a day that goes by when I’m not blown away by how amazing Dominic is. I can’t help but marvel at how much his grown up in one short year. How much he’s changed, both physically and mentally. He no longer looks like a chubby faced baby, there’s no more trying to figure out what he wants or needs. Now he’s 2 ½ and a real toddler. He speaks in full sentences, he’s able to express how he’s feeling, if he’s hurt, hungry or cold. He can tell me what he wants to watch on tv or wants to have for dinner. He can take his hoodie off, pull his pants on and kick off his shoes. It seems that every day it’s something new.

He’s still very much into movies. Toy Story and Shrek are still popular in our house, but have been overtaken by The Incredible’s and Madagascar. The Incredible’s is one of his favorites because it has superheroes. He loves when they fight off the bad guys and reenacts everything he sees, with bunny by his side.

His favorite thing in life is still his bunny. He loves that thing so much, it’s scary to think of it ever getting lost. He sleeps with it of course, but now bunny goes on all of Dom’s adventures. They fight bad guys, go for a cruise on his helicopter, slide down the slide on his jungle gym, eat dinner together. I think it’s pretty adorable, especially when he tells me “Mommy, bunny is my best friend!” Even better? When he then says "I love you too Mommy." Please, I can't take it, I can't take his cuteness!

I got Dom a Toy Story tent from Ross several months back, and he loves it. He plays in that thing every day and always finds new and creative ways to use it. Sometimes he opens it up and hides inside. Sometimes he folds it in half and uses it as a shield from the pirates. Other times you can see it moving across the living room floor with Dom inside yelling “Get away bad guys, I fight you! Don’t worry bunny, I save you!”

This age is pretty amazing. To see him get so creative, and start to really use his imagination makes it hard to not want to kiss him and squeeze him whenever I get the chance. Lucky for me, he’s still a mama’s boy and loves to snuggle.

The potty training thing is taking longer than I had thought. He just gets lazy about telling us he needs to go, even when we ask him every 5 minutes. I’m hoping that starting preschool will help him get motivated, seeing the other kids using the potty instead of wearing diapers.
His sleep schedule is pretty solid these days. Bed at 7pm and no fuss from him. We take a bath, read a story and then lights out. He sleeps through the night and usually wakes up around 5:45am. We have tried putting him to bed later, in hopes of getting him to sleep later but it never works.

His eating habits haven’t changed much. He will eat pretty much anything at daycare, but at home it has to be either mac n cheese, turkey dogs or chicken nuggets. But along with that he still eats a ton of fruits and veggies. He’s always been really good about that, thank goodness.

It's probably about time to take him out of his crib and into a big boy bed, but I'm just nervous about it. He's in such a good bedtime routine now, no fuss no muss, and I'm terrified of going back to the drawing board with crying and staying up half the night. I know I just need to bite the bullet and do it already, but I'm having a hard time with this one. Maybe in the new year?

Beating My Record

I am kind of impressed with myself right about now. On Saturday at the gym, I beat my own mile time again. This time I came in at 14 mins, 45 seconds. Whaaa? Who is this girl? I bumped up my running speed from 4.7 to 5.0 and then ran the last 4 minutes and I did it! Rob was on the treadmill next to me and congratulated me. I couldn't help but throw my hands up in the air and cheer! I can hardly believe that I am doing any kind of running and actually really enjoying it. I hope and pray that this motivation stays with me!

Go Me

I did it! Last night I was doing my walk/runs on the treadmill, I looked down and I did my mile in 15.28! I got under 16 mins! Hot damn! I was in total shock and am SO STOKED!!! For most people, that’s probably still a snails pace, but for me it’s a huge accomplishment!

Letter of Gratitude

Dom only has 2 more weeks at daycare, and then he’s moving on to preschool. I can hardly believe it. It seems like we were just dropping him off there for his first day. We will miss Nonnie and I will forever be thankful for what she’s done for us. She asked me for a referral letter and I was happy to oblige.

To: Connie Vales, Nonnie’s Daycare
From: Gina Cretikos

Dear Connie,
When it came time to put Dominic, 10 months old, into daycare, I was terrified. As a first time mother, I had no idea what it entailed, what to expect, what questions to ask. How would I know if I found the right place? How could I be sure to trust the most important person in my life with strangers? When I first spoke to you, you were very helpful and knowledgeable, putting me at ease immediately. When we met, I knew right away we had found our place. You were patient with my 101 questions and answered them all. Your home was clean, safe and filled with lots of toys for the kids. You were experienced, loving and your passion for what you do shone through.

On Dom’s first day, I was a nervous wreck. He cried and cried and cried when I dropped him off, I cried and cried and cried. I couldn’t help but call you several times throughout the day to check on him. You assured me that he was ok and to call back whenever I needed to calm my nerves.
Dom is now 2 ½ and is enjoying his last couple of weeks with you, Denise and of course Nicky. He absolutely loves each and every one of you guys and when I tell him in the morning that we’re going to Nonnie’s house, he cheers. He has definitely thrived while there, already reciting his ABC’s and counting to 10. I know that you have prepared him well for the next chapter of his life, and I am forever grateful for that.

There is no bigger comfort than knowing that your child is safe and looked after when you can’t be with them. I trust you completely Connie and know that you care for Dominic as one of your own. It will be so difficult to say goodbye, but I know that we will be back often to visit. You have played such a vital role on my son’s life, I feel truly lucky that we got to have you as his daycare provider and “Nonnie,”

With much love and gratitude,
Robert McCool & Gina Cretikos

Success on the Scale!

It’s been four weeks since I’ve been back at weight watchers and I can hardly believe how well my weight loss journey is going. After last night’s weigh in, my total is 9lbs down. 9LBS! What?! How did that happen? Oh yea, I’ve been tracking every day, eating a TON of salad (usually with lunch and dinner) and working my ass off at the gym. I’m so proud of myself!

The gym has taken on a whole new experience for me. Now that I’m seeing results in my weight, it is an even bigger motivator to get my ass in gear. Something new that I have become very fond of is running. I’m sorry, what? No, that wasn’t a typo. It’s true. I started to do interval training on the treadmill at the suggestion of my trainer, Kelly. He said it helps keep the metabolism going which in turn burns more calories. That’s all I needed to hear. I’d walk for 2 minutes and then run (jog) for 2 mins.

Unfortunately for me, I’m not a runner. Not even close. I can barely walk. But, I wanted to give it a shot. The first few times that I did the intervals, I thought I was going to die. About 45 seconds into running I wanted to jump ship. But as time went on, it got a little bit easier. I was making an 18 min mile, which for me isn’t too shabby. But of course my motivation was to beat that time. I wanted under 16 mins.

We go to the gym on Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings, and each time I’d jump on the treadmill and give it my all. I got my mile down to 16.42, not bad but not under 16. And that’s ok. I need to give myself time. I find myself really looking forward to doing my walk/run, and that is something I never thought would happen. I can see changes in my body, no so bloated looking. My clothes are starting to fit better and that just keeps me motivated. They are so right when they say “nothing tastes as good as thin feels!”