this and that

::  It's fall ya'll!  Or so I keep hearing.  My calendar says September, school has started, and yet if feels nothing like fall to me (which I guess it technically isn't until September 22nd, but hey).  That doesn't mean I'm not starting to collect fallish things on pinterest.  And the fall item that is concerning me the most right now?  Halloween costumes of course.  In past years I've had ZERO ideas.  Nothing that sounded fun or cute.  This year?  I just can't decide.  Do I do just sibling costumes (Doc McStuffins and Lambie, butterfly and catepillar, cat and mouse...) or do we go with a family set-up?  Right now I'm leaning towards the latter, and going as a circus troupe (so many options, ring leader, clown, acrobat, strong man, a variety of animals).  But Ryann isn't sold on that.  She keeps telling me she wants to be a unicorn, or a goat (WTF?).  So I'm not sure what to do.  What do you think?

::  TMI Alert, poop talk!  We started purees with Elsie a few weeks ago, and she has taken to it like a champ.  She rarely spits anything out, hasn't rejected anything we've tried and is super excited about it all.  Unfortunately it doesn't seem like the purees are agreeing with Elsie.  On Sunday it had been a week since she had pooped, so we thought we'd be all smart and feed her prunes for lunch to get something to happen.  She woke herself up from her afternoon nap by throwing up everywhere.  I thought maybe there was just too much in her belly since she had never had lunch before, so I laid her on a towel on the floor and went about cleaning up the mess.  Then she threw up again, and then was screaming in pain trying to poop.  After getting some out she passed out in my arms, only to wake up 10 minutes later throwing up again.  The cycle continued a few times until she just passed out on the floor and slept for over an hour.

It seems like all of the hard stuff has finally passed out of her system, and she is in a much better mood, but now I'm terrified to feed her anything again.  She often goes a long time without pooping (the record is twelve days right now), but they are always soft and fine and it isn't a problem.  This?  This is going to be a problem.  Anyone have any suggestions for how to deal with this?  She loves to eat, and obviously will have to be on solids at some point, so somehow I have to figure out how to make it work with her system.

::  Speaking of Elsie, I regularly get asked if someone has missed her nursery post because they can't find it.  Yeah, um, I still haven't posted everything about it, because I still haven't 'finished' it to my liking.  I need to take the curtains down and wash them to see if I can get them to hang right, I want to get roman shades to go behind the curtains, there needs to be book storage somewhere (more on that below) and the walls feel kind of naked.  I keep telling myself that this will be the weekend that I decide what is going up on the walls, but it never happens.  I'm so indecisive.  Here are a couple peeks at what it looks like right now.  Sorry the quality isn't the best.

::  In terms of book storage, I was thinking I'd really like to do a couple of clear bookshelves (like this) underneath the 'love' print.  But Chris doesn't think it is a good (safe) idea.  I see where he is coming from, but I see tons of rooms with book ledges that are in reach of the kiddos.  So I'm torn.  Thoughts on that one?  Do you like how I always turn to the interwebs when I need to make decisions?  You all are so helpful :o).

::  And speaking of the hubs, he sent me a link to an article this morning that was an interesting read... The Trouble with Bright Girls.

::  Lastly, Ryann napping officially has come to an end.  Well, actually most days she will usually fall asleep, sometimes with zero trouble at all.  But that is because she has been getting up at 5:30 IN THE MORNING.  I mean I get up at 5:30 in the morning, but nobody else has to take care of me.  She also has been telling us she isn't tired, even at 9PM, some nights not falling asleep until almost 10.  So I'm thinking the naps have got to go.  I had planned on putting some quiet bins together a few weeks ago, because that girl is DEFINITELY going to have some quiet time for my sake, but never got around to it because she started napping again.  Now it is time.  Better go get my butt in gear!

letting go

There are things about my personality and nature that I really wish I could change.  I'm a little OCD and have little ability to be spontaneous.  I function best on a strict schedule.  I like things organized and in order, BUT if I can't figure out how to organize whatever it is 'just right', I can't do anything with it (eventually I'll show you my 'office', it is absurdly embarrassing).  But truly the traits that make my life difficult are the fact that I am a pessimist, I always assume the worst in situations, and I have a strong desire to have every inch of my future pre-planned.

Slowly but surely I'm learning to let go.  Trying to live a little more in the moment.  Elsie has taught me a whole lot about that even before she was ever conceived.  With Ryann I was VERY regemented, not that our schedule wasn't baby led at all, but I definitely influenced greatly how our days went.  I read books and forums and websites and tried to comprise the best schedule of sleeping and feeding and activities for her that seemed to nestle into our lives (which is also funny, considering the fact that she has never truly slept on a schedule I would prefer!).  But with Elsie, I really have little choice but to go with the flow and make the best out of each day that I can.  We're at the point where I am starting to try and dictate her schedule a little more, but with all of Ryann's activities and just life in general, I can't cater to her.  We can't follow the same schedule daily.  It is hard for me, but at the end of most days I'm always surprised how everything managed to work out.

So what does all of this have to do with health and fitness?  Well, I've had it in my head that I was going to run a marathon in the spring.  And potentially, it could still happen.  But the fact is that marathon training is incredibly time consuming and would take a lot of planning to manage to fit in all the runs around everyone else's schedules.  Realistically, even though I would love to experience that accomplishment, the ordeal would cause me a lot more anxiety than I need in my life presently.  Of course then my head instantly starts spinning with 'Well if I don't run a marathon in the spring, when will I do it?  I would have to train in the heat for a fall marathon.  What if we decide to have another baby?  I will never have time to run a marathon!'  But I have to shut that voice off.  Let go and trust that it will happen someday.

Some people might think 'sheesh, why is running that important?'  Well, for me, it is the place where I can find personal success and accomplishment right now.  I love being a mom.  It is hard.  It is rewarding.  But there are no promotions.  No raises.  No awards in mothering.  I am 100% confident that my place is in the home and not in the workforce, but as I watch friends and family excel in their chosen fields, setting goals and then reaching them, it is hard not to occasionally feel inferior, like I'm doing 'nothing'.  Now running isn't exactly equal to a career, but it is something that I can always try to be better at.  To keep progressing.  To keep achieving.

So I'll keep on keeping on.  And try to survive long runs one week at a time.  Saturday's run was a doozy.  I toyed with only doing six, maybe seven miles, since last week I didn't do a long run.  But the stubborn (and lazy) part of me didn't want to re-do my whole training plan right now, so I decided eight was what I was sticking with.  When I set out in the dark at 6am it was already 78 degrees.  My ideal temp is about 54, so GROSS.  I only carried eight ounces of water with me, and that was quickly gone.  I wound up walking the majority of the seventh mile, and toyed with giving up because I was fairly close to my house.  But I had actually gotten seven straight hours of sleep and I was already out so what was the point in giving up?  I pushed through and managed 8.3 miles with an average pace of 10:27 per mile.  Slow for me, but still respectable.  I'll take it I guess.

Mental note though, pick up a head lamp of some sort and reflective gear before next week's long run.  It was DARK at 6am!

 

Link up your health and fitness related posts below!

road trip

Last weekend we traveled to Omaha for our annual family golf tournament.  I have zero interest in golf, but I'm down with the family part.  It was Elsie's first longish car trip, and I was terrified.  That girl does NOT sleep well in her carseat.  The way out she made it about 90 minutes, the way back?  30.  30 freaking minutes of our three hour drive.  Thankfully she didn't scream the entire time or anything, but she was definitely getting pissed by the time we got home.

While we were there we visited the Omaha Zoo.  They currently have a dinosaur exhibit with 15 giant animated dinosaurs.  Ryann was in HEAVEN.  Seriously.  The dinos were really cool, they looked like they were breathing and everything.  We also really enjoyed the aquarium, as usual (how cute was Ryann the last time we visited the Omaha Zoo?).  I was very proud of Elsie, we were there for close to four hours, and she was a champ on minimal sleep and a lot of heat.

Unfortunately we didn't get to spend too much time in the evenings hanging out with my family because Elsie has gotten to the point where if she's up past 7:30 she is just done.  Really 7:00-7:15, but we milked another 15 minutes out of her.  Nonetheless we still had fun.  There isn't much else to say, so I'll let the pictures do the talking.  Please note the awkward hug between Ryann and her cousin (second cousin?  I don't know, my cousin's kid).  Ryann was pretty smitten with her, I'm not sure the feeling was completely mutual :o).

the real deal.

Ryann has been attending a mother's day out program for the last two years.  So when I signed her up for the preschool program at the same church, I didn't think much of it.  Yeah, she'd be going twice a week in the 'school' wing and yadda yadda, but I just didn't put much thought into it.  Then all of the sudden there was parent orientation and a calendar of events with class parties and a Christmas program and parent teacher conferences and all of the sudden I'm like 'crap.  this is the real deal.'  Despite my best efforts, when I posed Ry on the driveway for her first day of school picture, my eyes welled up a bit.

first day of preschool, 08.20.13

When the heck did she get so grown up?!?

Ryann can be absolutely infuriating at times.  She knows how to push every last button and grate on every single nerve.  But she is also one of the most amazing little girls that I have ever met.  She is learning to read, sounds out letters and words like a champ, can write almost any letter relatively legibly, talks like a mini adult.  Her love for her sister is beautiful (minus the part where she won't share toys and thinks EVERYTHING is hers, but for reals, she loves her).  Even at the end of the day when I'm exhausted and can't deal with any more dramatic meltdowns over the littlest things, I crawl in bed and smile, thinking of her.

Ry Ry, I love you so much.  I can't believe you're big enough to go to preschool.  I swear you were just my baby.  Keep on walking to the beat of your own drum girlfriend.

a day in the life - ashley

I wish I could say I've been busy (well sort of have) or doing something really awesome but... Chris convinced me to watch the new Star Trek (it was good) plus there was So You Think You Can Dance, so the last two nights I haven't been all that productive.  Whoops.  Better change that up!  All that to say, sorry this is a little late going up, but I hope you enjoy a day in the life of Ashley!

***

Hi! I'm Ashley from AshleyEveryday and I live in Seattle with my husband Shea and 2 year old son, Arlo. I'm a stay-at-home-mom and Shea is an iOS programmer making video games and apps. I just opened a photography business and it's been taking up all my spare time, but I love it. Here's a glimpse into my day!

6:00am I wake up, on my own. I'm naturally a morning person but I still like to check up on my phone and looking around Facebook and Instagram before getting out of bed.

6:20 I'm up and have water boiling for coffee. We use a French Press to make our morning joe, and while that's getting warm I set out the grounds and press to get ready. I start the oven and get bacon in it because Arlo went to bed asking for some last night.

7:15 I've eaten and had a cup of coffee now and am watching the Today show when Arlo comes running out of his room calling, "Maaaaaamaaaaaa!" He wraps his arms around my legs and gives me a squeezer. We change his diaper and get him his bacon and eggs.

8:00 We're dressed and almost out the door to the gym. Arlo keeps chatting about wanting to see the choo choos, but what he really means is the freight trains and shipping containers at the port (which is near out house). I tell him later, and the first thing he says to the gal at the gym daycare is, "Choo choo laaaaater!" Kids. I catch up on the Newsroom and do an hour of HIIT and weights.

9:30 Arlo and I get to Target. We need some cleaning supplies, bananas and laundry soap. I walk out with $110 of stuff. Oh well.

10:40 We're home and I get a second cup of coffee going warming in the microwave while I hop in the shower to rinse off. Arlo is playing with some blocks and repeatedly ramming his cars into them. Boys man.

11:00 I sit on the floor with Arlo and help him count while we put the cars back in his bins. His lunch (leftover burger and sweet potato fries from the night before) is warming up in the oven. He starts freaking out over ketchup and I reassure him, yes, you can have ketchup. This reduces to a full on meltdown and a time out. Over ketchup.

11:15 We're calm now, and Arlo is happily eating his ketchup and fries while ignoring his burger. I eventually get him to eat the burger by offering his gummy vitamin after.

12:00 Arlo is down for a nap. I clean up the living room and hop on the computer to do some more work on my photography site. My to-do list is getting rather big. I head back to my office/craftsroom/bonus room to do some work. I love this space. It just makes me feel creative.

1:00 I remember I need to start bulk cooking for the week. On Monday I usually make a couple lunches for me and Shea to take to work and for me to have something to snack on. This week it's a mac & cheese for Shea, stuffed portabellos for me and an egg bake for our breakfasts. I have been focused on eating more for my weight lifting so having food I can eat right away is helpful! I end up eating a portabello as soon as it comes out of the oven with a big glass of water.

3:20 Arlo is a big napper (THANK HEAVENS). He woke up about 20 minutes ago but was playing happily and I was right on the edge of a breakthrough so I leave him where he is for a while. Finally I shut down, grab some laundry and get him up. He helps me throw laundry in the wash and move things to the dryer. He's big on hitting buttons.  We spend a little time talking about cars and watching some Superwhy while I fold laundry and stuff cloth diapers.

4:15 time to get dinner going! I take out a copperhead salmon that was on sale and add it to a ziplock bag with olive oil, lemon juice, herbs from our garden and some seasoning. I chop potatoes and clean some kale for some sautéed greens.

4:45 we head outside for a few minutes to run some energy off. Arlo plays catch with Rufus and talks to the bees in our lavender bushes. He says he wants to hug them. Really cute!

5:20 We head back inside and I preheat the grill and get the salmon into some foil packets. Arlo plays on the iPad while I watch the news while I sauté some new potatoes my mom grew in some olive oil and spices and get the salmon over the heat. During a down moment I set a timer and go sit with Arlo and snuggle while I look at my phone. He likes to ask who everyone is on Facebook! It can be tiring, but he actually recognizes some kids now which is just awesome.

6:05 Shea is home! He wrangles Arlo while I finish dinner, set the table and throw some dishes in the dishwasher. We try to eat as soon as Shea comes home so we can do something together in the evening.

6:30 Dinner is over and we're headed to the park for the evening. Arlo asks for the park with the slide which is the most terrifying park for my mom self, but we go anyways after making Shea promise to spot him on the slide. I'm not a hover parent at all but this slide is about 12 feet off the ground and has a looped ladder to climb up and I'm terrified he's going to get his leg caught in it, fall back, and dislocate his knee or hip. Falling doesn't scare me, it's the joints! Hahaha

7:30 We're home and again incentivizing  with his second gummy vitamin to go get his PJs on. He picks out his car set, brushes his teeth and hops into bed.

8:00 after settling in a few times, some back rubs, some twinkle twinkle it sounds like the man is finally down for the count. I wash my face and brush my teeth, and get into bed with the hubs to watch some Good Eats. Usually I work a little after he goes down but I'm tired and we're behind on our Alton Brown. 

9:30 A final doorlock check and one last peek at the kiddo and it's lights out for me too! Like I said, I'm a morning person. :)


What is the most surprising thing to you about being a mom?
The flexibility it forces. I rely on routine and scheduling, I'm a list maker by nature. Becoming a mom made me change a lot about how I handle spontaneity and the unknown.

What advice would you give to new or soon-to-be mamas?
Cherish the first days. Take a million photos, and if you do, take a million more. Always accept a hug from your baby, even if you can't handle it right that moment. Always say, "I love you," and say it often.

What are your top three baby products?
The top three baby produces we used were our Ergo (every day for nearly a year), our AC-powered swing (a Graco Snuggabunny) and A&A swaddle blankets. Arlo loved being swaddled and we used it for naps and nighttime sleeping for almost 6 months. I credit it to his sleeping through the night early and often!

Thanks to Ashley for letting me come on here and give you all a look into a day in my life!

***

Thank you Ashley, for sharing your day with us!

where is my motivation?

Last week I was all "I'm going to focus on running and I'm going to rock it."  Except this weekend?  First time I think I've ever missed a long run during a training plan.  Not only did I not get in a long run, but I didn't run at all Friday-Sunday.  We were out of town, staying in a hotel in an area I didn't know, so I have an 'excuse', but still.  I had planned to get up and run one of the mornings, but there was absolutely no way for me to get out of the room without waking someone, and I had zero interest in tackling six miles on the treadmill when I could be hanging out with my family.

I planned to get up a little early this morning to try and fit in at least five miles, if not six, to make up for my weekend, but wouldn't you know when my alarm went off at 5:45am, Elsie was already awake.  Despite the fact that I had just fed her at 3:30am.  I didn't want to risk her completely losing her mind before I got back, so I opted to feed her again, unfortunately cutting in to my running time (Chris leaves for work just after 7am).  Not that it would have mattered much, my run this morning was AWFUL.  I felt tired and sluggish, it was warm and humid, my body just couldn't hang.  I did make it four miles, but there was a good chunk of walking in that last mile, and overall it just wasn't pretty.

The good news is that I still have just under eight weeks before the half, so I have plenty of time.  I just have to decide if I'm going to attempt eight miles like I have on my calendar for Saturday, or if I'm going to do six-seven like I had planned for this past weekend.  It will probably be a game time decision, based on the amount of sleep I get and whether or not Elsie decides to be a peach and sleep when I need her to.

There is no doubt in my mind that a large portion of my sluggish feeling this morning can be attributed to my crappy eating habits as of late.  I've been emotional eating like whoa, and Elsie doesn't seem to be reacting to dairy as much anymore, so ice cream.  Gah.  As much as it pains me to do it, I'm committed to going at least five days straight without chocolate or sweets.  One of these days I'll find a coping mechanism that doesn't involve sneaking handfuls of chocolate chips from the pantry.

 

Link up your health and fitness related posts below!

that's what she said

Ryann:  "Oh, uh, I pottied in my pull up."
Me:  "How come?"
Ryann:  "Because I was curious."
Me:  "Curious?  About what?"
Ryann:  "Pottying in my pull-up."

Me:  "My straightner is on in the bathroom.  Don't touch it, it's hot."
Ryann:  "Why?"
Me:  "Because it would burn you."
Ryann:  "I'd be a cooked kid!"

Ryann:  "Brennan!  Your mom told Avery no because she was trying to pull Elsie's hair bow
and that's bad news!"
Brennan:  "Well, what's the good news then?"
that exchange killed me :o)

Ryann:  "Why is there money in there [a fountain]?"
Me:  "Well, sometimes people throw pennies in a fountain and make a wish."
Ryann:  "Can I do it?!?"
Me:  "Well, sure I suppose."  Grammy gives Ryann a penny, she tosses it in
Grammy:  "Good job!  What'd you wish for?"
Ryann:  "A PONY!"

Me:  "The last time Chris worked until 10 was the night that Ry ended up in our b-e-d."
Grammy:  "Oh."
Ryann:  "What's a b-e-d?  A bed?" sucks when your kid learns to spell

Ryann:  "Whoa.  I almost pooped on the carpet."
Me:  "What?!?  Do you need to go to the bathroom."
Ryann:  "Nah, I'll be ok until we finish our game."
I should not have phrased that as a question.  If you think you almost pooped on the floor you will most certainly be making a trip to the bathroom!