the flower girl

A week ago Ryann had the privlidge of being the flower girl in our friend Kyle's wedding.  He married an Ashley, so I liked her from the start, but she is a pretty awesome girl on top of that.  And thank goodness she has a very laid back personality, because I was TERRIFIED that Ryann might create quite the spectacle at the wedding.  Really she did pretty good, walked down the aisle (spiking handfuls of petals as she went), sat quietly next to the other flower girl... that is until the other flower girl (Kyle's niece who is 10?  I think...) got up to do one of the readings.

Ryann had strict instructions to stay by Peyton and do what she said.  She was also told to sit in her chair when Peyton went up to read, but apparently Ry chose to ignore that part.  So she followed Peyton up to the mic.  I wasn't quick enough to jump up and retrieve her, but crossed my fingers that she would just follow Peyton back to their chairs after the reading.  No such luck.  Peyton tried to grab her hand to come back down, but gave up quickly.  And then Ryann tried to climb up to the mic so she could talk.  Oy.  Chris (he was the best man) ran between the happy couple, snagged Ry and passed her my way.  She spent the rest of the ceremony playing with a coloring app on my phone.

It could have been worse?  At least she is cute :o).  Of course she pretty much wouldn't let me take pictures (what is new?), but here she is in all her flower girl glory.

Thank you, Kyle and Ashley, for letting our family be a part of your big day.  We are so happy for you!

stuck in the slow lane

I'm frustrated.  My runs are not getting any easier.  I feel like I'm doing the right amount of training, not too much, not too little, and yet every time I go out feels like a struggle.  My legs ache, I feel slow, my body is tired.  I'm surviving my long runs, but truly it is surviving.  Even three miles can feel difficult.

My diet isn't perfect, but I don't think that is the culprit, unless perhaps it is a lack of carbs.  I doubt it though.  I don't eat fried food, I eat a very minimal amount of processed food.  My biggest downfall is chocolate.  Sleep is also a factor, I'm doing a good job if I manage six hours a night, and rarely are those hours consecutive.  But even this morning after sleeping just about six straight and feeling relatively rested when I set off (in 60 degree temps no less!), after a mile I was begging for it to be over.  So what's a girl to do?  I know I'm not as strong as I used to be, but could it really make that much of a difference?  I have no idea.  It is a wee bit aggravating.

On another note, I never did find out what it was like to run in Colorado.  I opted to fit a six mile run in on Thursday before we left, so that I'd only have 4 on my schedule for the weekend.  And since we opted to fly home Saturday, I did just over 4 in KC on Sunday.  I was only slightly bitter when I check KC's weather Saturday morning and saw 55 degrees.  I was wishing I could take advantage of that.

Even though the runs don't feel good, I am still covering miles.  This week I managed 17.8 total, and halfway through September I've racked up 43 miles (I need a minimum of 65 to meet my yearly goal, my goal for September though is at least 85 miles).  I've got 10 on the schedule for this weekend.  Wish me luck!

 

Oh and sorry this is posting so late.  Between dealing with a sick baby last night and nap time disappearing from Ry's schedule, I feel like I haven't had a minute to myself in a long time.

Link up your health and fitness related posts below!  

i'm not gonna pout.

Currently I'm sitting in a hotel looking out the window at the sunshine and cars driving on I-25 while Elsie takes a nap.  I sort of feel like the sun is mocking me, like "don't be upset, it's a sunny happy day!"  Where the heck were you yesterday Mr. Sunshine?  I'm going to guess the people of Colorado would have appreciated you then.

As of now, well from what I know, we're pretty much trapped in Loveland.  My dad and Christopher flew into Denver today, and despite a valiant effort could not figure out how to get in to Loveland.  Road closures are popping up faster than... well I can't think of a good analogy.  But everywhere they were told to try had recently been closed due to the flooding.  So they headed back to the airport, just going back home.

My mom and I made the trek out here yesterday, and upon arrival learned that our chances of making it up to my friend's wedding in Estes were pretty much nil.  Plus apparently Southwest opted not to put Ry's carseat on the plane (I know, gate check, carry it on, I'm aware), so we got to hang around baggage claim while we sorted that out.  Nothing like nursing a cranky baby on the airport floor.  Oh and the carseat did finally arrive, but they couldn't get it to us.  So it's just hanging out at the Denver airport (they were kind enough to give us a loaner, so not a HUGE deal or anything). 

Right now I really want to cry, because I hate that we are missing out on days with Chris.  That kills me.  And I'm just heart broken for my friend.  I can't imagine all that planning for a wedding and then a situation like this to occur.  But the fact of the matter is that I am safe and dry.  I'm 'stranded' in a hotel, with free wi-fi, an all you can eat breakfast buffet and complimentary full size candy bars.  And part of the reason we made this trip was to see family, which we still get to do.  So I'm not gonna pout.

I am safe.  My family is safe.  For me, this is merely an inconveinence.  Sometimes I want to punch perspective in the face, but it serves its purpose.

So let's look at the upsides, shall we?  For starters, we got to meet this adorable fellow:

My cousin and I were due two days apart.  Elsie ended up coming two weeks early, and Roman two days late, but he makes my 'big' baby (everyone always tells me she looks so big?) like a shrimp.  He is such a cutie and so freaking happy.  I'm so glad we got to meet him.  And see our family of course.  We don't see them enough.

Secondly, what do you do when you don't know what to do?  Go to Target, duh.  There I discovered you can snag yourself some pretty fancy schmancy appliances.  I think the bold crock pot would make for a pretty festive party, would it not?  Also we spent a bit of time trying on sunglasses.  Because why not.

Lastly, etsy shopping.  Nap time is so good for that.  Not so good for the wallet, but hey.  I managed to purchase a groupon for the pumpkin patch, two pairs of floral leggings, two headbands and a hair clip.  Chocolate and online shopping are good for the soul, no?

I've got everything crossed that we can get out of here on Sunday.  Chris is traveling to interviews and medical conferences and I really REALLY want to spend time with him before that, plus Ry has gymnastics and dance and we don't want to miss those!  BUT, it could be worse.  Thinking of all of you in Colorado.  I can't imagine what you are going through.  My heart goes out to you.  

 

fail.

Tuesday morning I remembered that I hadn't received a 'day in the life' post for the week yet.  So I opened my e-mail to check the schedule.  I'll give you one guess whose turn it it.

Yep.  Mine.  Fail.  I suppose I should really put that stuff on the calendar.  Hopefully over the next week I'll get a post written, if for nothing else but memory keeping purposes.  I know you are all devastated that you can't creep on my day right now, but I think you'll live.  Instead, here are some cute pictures of Elsie to tide you over.

elsie - seven months

I am 100% in denial that Elsie is seven months old.  I don't know what it is about that age that is so hard to swallow (it was for me when Ryann turned seven months as well), but I just don't like it.  I'm cool with having a six month old.  A seven month old is practically one.  That's not cool.

Like babies do, Elsie just keeps on growing.  According to our oh so accurate measuring methods at home (HA) she weighs roughly 16 pounds and her length is a crap shoot. Chris was all "maybe 25.5 inches?"  In which case the doctor's office always measures her long, or she shrinks and grows between appointments.  So we will go with some where between 26-27 inches.  Haha.  She has pretty much grown out of her 3-6 month clothing, but since I don't really have any summer clothing in the 9 month or 6-12 month clothing sizes (how that is possible I have no idea), and it is a toasty 99 degrees in freaking September (get it together Mother Nature, I'll take maybe 75?  even 80 would do), I'm just squeezing her into the 3-6 month stuff anyway.  Thankfully the dresses just look like tops, so whatever.    We're still hanging on to the size two diapers, and just barely size two shoes.  I think she could keep some of the three's on, but again, it's hot.  Nobody needs shoes when it's hot.

headband

E nurses five to six times a day and now gets a couple of tablespoons of solids at dinner time.  I think she'd be perfectly content eating more, and more often, but I'm not sure her tummy would agree.  Even with just nursing and eating pears and prunes her digestive system is having a hard time keeping up.  Although it hasn't been quite as bad.  Elsie had her first taste of 'solids' (oatmeal) August 17th, and since then has tried peas, butternut squash, green beans, sweet potato, carrots, prunes and pears.  She hasn't objected to any of it, her mouth always wide open ready for more.  It is truly night and day compared to how solids went with Ryann.  Thank goodness.  Hopefully over the next month will continue to add new foods to the mix, and maybe next month Chris will let me give her some table foods.  Maybe...

I can't decide if sleep has really gotten better, or if I'm just so numb and indifferent to not getting consecutive hours of sleep that I just don't notice.  HA.  Elsie started fighting her third nap the last couple of weeks, so we're trying to make do with a two nap schedule.  The longer stretches of wake time are still pretty tough, but her naps are more consistently an hour+.  Unfortunately the loss of the second nap means bedtime just keeps getting earlier and earlier.  We really didn't want her in bed before 7:30, but she just can't hang.  So Elsie is regularly in bed between 6:45-7:00pm, and that is even pushing it.  Then, for the most part, she'll sleep until somewhere between 3:00-5:00am before wanting to eat.  Again, one wake-up doesn't really bother me, BUT if she wakes up before 5, then I am either up really early, or get an awkward amount of sleep before needing to get up and run so I'm back before she wakes up for the day.  Sometimes she'll wake up between 10:00-11:00pm, half the time she'll put herself back to sleep, the other half I wind up just going in and feeding her.

We introduced her lovey this month, a pink Angel Dear owl (like Ryann's, just a different color.  dumb mom move of course, it is going over really well with Ryann.  NOT AT ALL).  I'm trying to keep it just for bedtime and thus far it isn't an issue.  She definitely seems to love it, and now seeks it out if she wakes up in the middle of the night or something.  I love watching her snuggle it, I'm not sure why that really gets me all warm and fuzzy, but it does.

Over the past month Elsie has become much more mobile.  She doesn't really go anywhere fast, and isn't crawling, but she rolls more, turns around on her tummy, and scoots backwards like a champ.  E has been getting up on her hands and knees and rocking more and more.  She did it for the first time the day after she turned six months old.  Now she is trying to move her legs a little bit, but winds up plopping back down on her belly and flailing like a maniac.  Elsie is also getting stronger in the sitting department everyday, and can stay upright for long periods of time, but if I'm not going to be right behind her I like to leave the boppy there just in case.

Still no mama or dada or any distinct babbling of that nature.  She has truly mastered the high pitched screech, among various other obnoxiously loud noises.  Oh but the cutest things this month have been her little wave (daddy always gets the most enthusiastic ones) and the scrunchy nose smile, see here:

Some of Elsie's favorite things to do are chew on toys, bang toys into stuff, watch her sister run around like a nut, pull my hair, snap my tank top straps (punk), watch anything with a screen and hang out in the jumparoo.  I'm trying to remember to read to her more, it doesn't happen as regularly as it should, but then again as soon as I try and read a book she just attempts to shove it in her mouth or zones out, so there is that.  She also likes trying to drink out of my cup, and her sippy, definitely hasn't figured it out on her own yet.  She doesn't seem to have a favorite toy, but does gravitate toward the cheap plastic stacking cups and a Fisher Price camera.  Oh and books that make the scrunchy sound.

No doubt about it, Elsie is still a mama's girl.  Especially if she is tired or the slightest bit hungry.  Those times she wants nothing to do with anyone but me.  Sometimes daddy is ok, but for the most part, she wants mama.  And the tiredness and general fussiness is happening more and more.  My guess is she is actually starting to teethe.  Ryann got her first tooth between seven and eight months so it's about that time.  She is constantly scratching at her ears, but she doesn't have a fever.  We shall see.  I'm scared for her to get teeth, we've already been through a biting while nursing phase, and I don't really want to know what that feels like with teeth...

Overall though, I would still say E is a pretty darn good baby.  As long as you keep your distance you'll probably get a smile :o).  And she is relatively content to just be out and about before like 4pm.  After that, well, your guess is as good as mine.  If she has had good naps, maybe, otherwise it is just best to stay close to home so she can go to bed.  I love to just snuggle her.  Granted sometimes that results in me getting pinched or what not, but if I have the chance I love to just sit and hold her and kiss her and squeeze her.  I'm pretty much infatuated with her.

Miss Elsie Jo, I love you to pieces.  I'm so thankful you're in my life.

the heebie jeebies

So the biggest negative for me thus far with nursing has been the fact that I need to be readily available to feed the babe (obviously), and fitting in a workout in the morning while taking that into consideration can be a pain in the ass.  Yes I could pump and try and 'schedule' it a little more, but quite frankly I hate pumping (and more than anything washing pump parts, dumb I know), so in theory it is just easier for me to feed her.  Sometimes that means my runs happen before 6am.  Lame sauce for sure, but I like to just get it done.

That was all fine and dandy in the middle of summer when it got light out at 5:45am.  Now it is freaking D-A-R-K until at least 6:20am, later than that really.  I dislike running in the dark for a variety of reasons.  I can barely see my feet and the sidewalks in our neighborhood are crap.  There is probably some creepy man lurking in the bushes.  Cars might not see me.  But one of the reasons I hate running in the dark the most?  All of the critters haven't hid themselves from the day yet.  I don't do critters.  I don't care how big or small the bug or little animal is, no thanks.  They gross me out.  And the freaking cicadas scare the crap out of me, plus you can never tell which ones are dead and which ones are alive until you run by and it goes all buzz crazy on you.

Keeping that in mind, Saturday morning at 5:45am Jenny (who is apparently just as nuts as I am and likes to get her run out of the way early) and I set off on a little nine mile adventure.  It was, as expected, DARK, but for the most part we run on the main road so not too scary, right?  Well less than two miles in we're just trucking along when a freaking SNAKE is in the sidewalk.  #$%&!%&^!  Of all the creepy crawlies that could be out there a snake is what I'd like to run in to the least thank you very much.  I'm pretty sure anyone in the vicinity thought we were being murdered with the shrill blood curdling screams we both let out.  I swear I high stepped it for at least another mile after that.  And that sudden burst of adrenaline really sucks the life out of you quickly.  The rest of that run was hard.

I still had the heebie jeebies when I set out at 6am this morning.  Half sprinting and jumping over every freaking stick on the sidewalk.  I hate it.  I  need the weather to cool down so I can try the jogging stroller with the girls.  And so it isn't a not so lovely 77 degrees when I set out in the pitch black.  That is extra not cool.

I've got six miles on my schedule this weekend, but currently don't have high hopes of getting it done.  We are going to a wedding in Colorado on Friday, which means I'll be busy, tired, and honestly scared of what it feels like to run in Colorado :o).  But hopefully if nothing else I'll convince myself to do a few miles in the hotel fitness center.  We shall see.

What is the scariest thing you've ever encountered on a run?

 

Link up your health and fitness related posts below!

a day in the life - caits

Good news?  I remembered to schedule this to post before going to bed.  Bad news?  I've stayed up too late watching old So You Think You Can Dance performances on youtube.  It makes me want to go take a class, and maybe stretch so I can be flexible again!  I love that show so much.  Anyway... I hope you enjoy a peek at a day in the life of Caits!

***

Hi I'm Caits. I have a 1 year old daughter, called Monster, and another baby on the way, due in January. I work 4 days a week and am home with my kiddo on Wednesdays. Here's a glimpse of a recent Wednesday with my monster. Oh, and my husband, JT, is home too because he's currently a full time student. (you might remember me from last time).

I wake up early 3:30-4ish and can't fall back asleep. This pregnancy insomnia stuff is ridiculous. I lie in bed until JT gets up with monster at 6:45. Then I check my blogs, instagram, and twitter before finally heading downstairs for some coffee at 8. I forgot that JT had some meeting at school this morning, so he was almost out the door before I got up.

While he's gone, monster and I watch some Curious George and Cat in the Hat... she decides to chew on a pen and write on her face, hence the mustache. When he gets back, I go through some laundry piles, keep the cat out of monster's room, pick up around the house and get monster and myself ready to go. I have a doctor appointment and she is going to grandmas.

 

Around 10:30 we head out the door to drop monster off with her grandma so we can go to my ultrasound at the clinic. It's the big fetal anatomy survey and I am super anxious/excited. Once at the clinic, we meet up with a lady and sell our jogging stroller in the parking lot. a little extra cash, how nice. Then we go inside, I pee in a cup and wait in the waiting room forever. Finally we get ushered into the exam room! yay!

After the ultrasound, JT and I decide to have lunch at Olive Garden. whoo hoo for neverending pasta bowls and peach bellini!! Yum!

 

After lunch,  we go to Target before picking up monster to pick out the first purchase for our new little one. Such a fun little secret to have for a little while. After picking up monster, we go home. She sleeps, I sort of sleep, and JT does some homework. Such a boring family we are. 

 

Then JT goes to class, I feed the monster, give her a bath, and put her to bed. While JT is gone and monster is sleeping, I get supper ready for tomorrow and watch My First Place and other shows on HGTV. I can't remember the last time I've watched this much TV in one day. Hooray for JT going to class and me getting to watch my silly TV shows. :-)

And now, Ashley's questions:

-What is the most surprising thing to you about being a mom? 

How I feel like I am not good at it a lot of the time because I get frustrated and overwhelmed... but monster is turning out pretty okay, so I guess I'm doing okay too.

- What advice would you give to new or soon-to-be mamas?

Every baby is different, what works for one will probably not work for another, so don't sweat comparing your kiddos to every other one out there. 

 -What are your top three baby products?

Right now we're loving the Little Einstein activity table, Desitin, and Aveeno baby wash (smells so good!)

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Thanks for sharing your day with us Caits!