In late May I made a deal with myself:  if I could get rid of the extra baby weight I was carrying by September, I could keep the cute clothing in my closet that I had loved so much before I got pregnant with Ms. Z.  Otherwise, I needed to deal with reality and accept that I needed to send it on its way in order to make room for clothes that fit me.  May was the month when Z decided that she was no longer really interested in nursing and, thus, I lost all the excuses I had for not embarking on a project to lose the 15 lbs that had been lingering since Z was born. 

In June I jumped back onto the Weight Watchers bandwagon (the online version, no meetings required) to help me get focused on eating healthier and being more aware of portion sizes.  One of the other elements that the WW plan encourages (if only so you can give yourself an extra treat or two during the day) is adding some exercise into your daily routine.  At first I ignored that part of the plan, but as June turned into July and I wasn't making quite the progress I wanted to (I am impatient in all things) I decided that I would start working something simple into my day.  I updated my podcasts, got them loaded on my iPhone and spent half an hour at lunch to walk laps around my building while listening to NPR Science Friday (which seemed appropriate, given where I work). 

Most knitters would not have taken as long as I did to realize that I could extend this exercise and education event into something that also gave me more knitting time.  But finally it did occur to me that I could combine my walks with a simple knitting project.  Now, not only would I look forward to my walks as a break from the frigid temperatures in my building and a chance to catch up on some interesting science that wasn't a part of my regular reading, but I could also look forward to making progress towards adding more socks into my fall wardrobe.

The socks I chose have, like the Kusha Kusha scarf and the Stained Glass scarf, been lingering in my project basket.  No good reason, really.  I like the yarn (a nice blend of cotton and elastic hand-dyed by Greenwood Fiberworks), the socks are simple.  I guess I just got a little bored and the colors (it's the Rocket Pop colorway) aren't really my ideal colors so when Z was born, I focused on things that really inspired me since my crafting time was sparse.  But for walking and knitting, simple is a must, so these socks became a perfect project.  And, lo and behold, after not too long, I had completed the first member of the pair.

And while I won't be all the way to my final target weight exactly by September, I'm happy with what I've done so far (there's nothing like being able to get into some of my pre-maternity jeans to keep me motivated and it's a thrill to watch some of my tinier tops actually fit again) so I'm pretty sure that I will, ultimately reach my goal.  And between my sock project and my podcasts and the clothing options, I definitely have lots of good things to help me keep motivated and moving in the right direction.

Thank you to everyone who left positive comments about John's Stained Glass Scarf.  In spite of being time consuming, I do think it's lovely, and getting some positive feedback has motivated me to put it in my knitting bag when we head off to SW Michigan tomorrow for a little vacation and to take in the Michigan Fiber Festival. MFF is one of those small festivals that really draws a number of very nice vendors, and, if the weather is nice, is a lovely place to spend the afternoon.  I'll be there on Saturday trying to convince Ms Z that sheep are cool and John that a girl can never have to much hand-dyed wool and looking for the perfect fall sweater idea.