Two Months

Caleb is two months old now, and while I don't know his official measurements (his dr. check up is this Friday), I do know that he's a BIG dude.  I think he's roughly 15 lbs.  And, somewhere around the height of Godzilla himself.  All of which makes carting him around for most of the day quite the strength workout for me!

I think that, at 2 months, his neck strength isn't what it should be, but 9 times out of 10 when I put him on the floor for tummy time, he literally falls asleep.  Like this:

 Or this:

Maybe he just has a giant, heavy head and it's too hard to hold up.  Or, he's a bit on the lazy side.  Either way, I figure eventually he'll have to hold it up!

Early A.M. Run

This morning, both Caleb and Norah were up at 5:45.  Caleb I could feed and put back to bed, but Norah was determined to be awake, so I gave her a choice: Go back to bed and sleep some more or go for a run.  She chose to run.  Me?  I would've have taken the sleep, but run we did.

It was humid, and running with the stroller is always a bit harder, but I got 3 miles done.  And, that little bugger stubbornly stayed awake the whole time.

As much as I would've liked to have gone back to bed for another hour, I have to admit that it feels good to have the run done for the day, and it's 7 A.M. and not only have I already run, but I'm also showered and dressed!  Pretty much a record.

Trike Tuesday

I think I could get into riding bikes if I had a swet ride like this one:

So, one of Norah's grandparents jumped the gun on her b-day and sent the above trike a few weeks early -- there is no more eager gift giver than a grandparent!  It arrived today and Jerry assembled it, and Norah thought it was pretty dang rad.  She hasn't yet grasped how to pedal, but she likes ringing the bell!

Oh, and on her wrist is the remains of a balloon turtle, most of which she had popped on her way home after dinner.  It's not a green growth.

With all the post-dinner trike excitement, bedtime got pushed back a bit, and it was 8:15 before I found a window of opportunity to go run.  I thought about just doing the standard 2 miler in order to be back sooner, but then I figured, "It's already nearly dark, may as well just do the 3 miles and finish up in the dark."  So, that's what I did.  It's not that running at that time is such a bad deal, it's just that by the time I run and shower, it's pretty much time for me to be thinking about bed, so I feel as though I don't have any evening.

Maybe one of these mornings I'll have to suck it up and aim for an o'dark thirty run and get it done before the sun rises.  It's just that since I haven't had a full night's sleep in 2 months, mornings are not my bright and shiny motivated time of day.  Still, it might be worth it.  We'll see if I can work myself up to that sometime.

I Need to get Faster so I can go Farther

I'm trying to remain patient with my return to running and not compare or judge myself for how slow I'm going or how short a distance I'm covering.  But, it sure would be an advantage to be faster so that in the time I have, I could cover more miles!

Tonight, it was 8 pm before I had the chance to get out for a run, and while that's not terrible, darkness falls at about 8:30 here in the summer, and I don't love being out after dark (and yet am not bother by pre-dawn darkness -- weird, right?); plus, a storm was/is rolling in and it was beginning to lightning off in the distance.  With 30 minutes, I really can only go a little more than 2 miles.

So, that's what I got done: 2 miles + a smidgen (which is a highly technical term for measuring distance) and that took me almost 25 minutes.

It's hard to get past my sense that 3 miles should be a minimum distance, but I also know that some running is better than no running.  Right now, I just need to be happy with what I can get done!

Week in Review

My running week begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday.  No reason for that except that the running log I use to track mileage begins and ends this way, so I've always correlated my week to fit the log.  Anyhoo, my mileage for the week totaled 15.  I know, for many that's a single day's run, not 6 days' worth of running (I took Wed as a rest day), but considering that the previous TWO weeks' worth of mileage came to 13 miles, this week has felt like the first true return to some running regularity. 

It was mostly 2 milers for the week, but I had a few 3 milers as well.  And for the most part, my runs were solo, but I did take Norah in the BOB for 2 runs.  Including one, very humid run this morning, where she repeatedly asked to go home.  I told her I was taking her home -- we were just taking the long way there.

Aside from running, Caleb has really turned into a Smiley McSmilerson this week:

Last night, as I was changing his diaper at 2 AM, he was just smiling away at me, as if to say, "Thanks Mom!  I really like having my diaper changed!"  I think the smiles are one of the most rewarding milestones with a baby -- it's so much fun to feel as though there are two sides to the interaction!

As for the other nugget, Norah has been making regular, middle-of-the-night bedside calls to our bedroom this week.  She just can't seem to stay in her bed.  If she loved her own bed half as much as she loves ours, I think she'd live in there.  But, alas, she seems to prefer our bed, and not just for sleeping:

And, yes, Bo-Bo is wearing underwear.  Norah is obsessed with the underwear we bought her.  She has only been allowed to wear them a few times because they are rewards for consistent potty use, but Bo-Bo has been real good with the potty, so I said it was okay for Bo-Bo to wear a pair :)

Dusting off the Garmin

Last fall, shortly after finding out I was preggo with Caleb, I ditched the Garmin while running -- I knew I was slow and I really didn't want it to distract me from simply keeping up with the running.  Today, I plugged it into the charger for the first time in nearly 9 months, and for today's run, I decided to bite the bullet and see what kind of digits I'm working with here.

It'd been so long since I last wore the Garmin (when it first came on, it flashed the last date I'd worn it -- Oct 11th!), it felt a little funny on my wrist, and honestly, it took me a minute to remember some of the buttons.  But, we quickly warmed up to each other, it located the necessary satellites, and we were off! 

The long and short of it is that I ran 3 miles in 35:05, which is a 11:40/mile pace.  That's about what I figured it would be.  After Norah was born, I started back to running at about a 12 min/mile pace, so I figured it'd be similarly slow this time around.  It's a little discouraging to feel like I'm starting over once again, but I know that, with diligence, I'll slowly regain some of my former pace.  Not that I'm a Speedy McSpeedster or anything, but it'd be nice to slowly whittle that 3 miler time to sub 30 minutes.

A Case of the Mondays

I knew that Monday could be a tough day in the workforce, but who knew it could apply to staying at home as well?  Guess it can, and today was one of "those" days with the kiddos and I was all too happy after dinner to leave them -- bathed and jammied -- with Jerry while I got out for a run.

It was hot, humid, and buggy.  But, oh-so-glorious.  It took having two kids for me to appreciate how easy running in 90 degree heat can feel by comparison!

Been Busy

It seems as though life this summer has kept me away from being a diligent blogger -- both in regards to posting and reading.  (Although, something funky is going on that is keeping me from commenting on some of your blogs -- tech nerds, what's up with that?)  But, rather than spend too much time apologizing for my absence, I figure I'll just move on to what has been keeping me busy this past week:

• Norah and the big girl bed.  That little muffin and her newfound freedom are hard to contain, and every night this week, bedtime has taken anywhere from 60-90 minutes.  Every time we think she's in there, about to fall asleep, we turn around and she's cruisin' the hallway with Bo-Bo -- her stuffed bear partner in crime.  It's cute and frustrating at the same time.
• Speaking of Bo-Bo, I should mention a funny aside: Norah has been nursing Bo-Bo lately.  It's pretty cute.  And I guess it explains why Bo-Bo also has so many poopy diapers lately, which Norah declares are "Gross!"
• My SIL was visiting.  Which was awesome!  It was like having an unpaid, good-spirited nanny 24/7.  She made life around here so much easier for the week -- I think I was able to sit and have a HOT cup of cofee every morning.  I'm gonna miss that.  Oh, and her too.
• Speaking of the SIL, she and I also got out for a movie -- in an actual movie theater! -- we saw "Bridesmaids" and I literally laughed so hard, I may have peed a little.  Which maybe doesn't say that much since 7 weeks post-partum means I still have the occasional "sneeze pee," but really, the movie was hil.ar.i.ous!
• I also planned and executed a baby shower for my friend Erin on Saturday.  At the first baby shower I threw for Erin -- 3 and a half years ago now -- people had to be driven home because they'd gotten so drunk.  At this shower, I ran out of non-alcoholic wine and had 3 full bottles of real wine left in the fridge.  I guess times really are a changin'!
• Speaking of the shower, Jerry took the dog and kids to a friend's house during the shower, and when they got home, I picked Caleb up and he promptly pushed out a poop so runny and so explosive that it shot out the back of his shorts and ran down the front of my dress and dripped onto the floor.  That pretty much cleared the house and signaled the end of the party.
• Lastly, I did do some running.  Even completed that 3 miler I'd be working up to.  So, in short?  I'm pretty much a rock star.
• Speaking of running...dangit, I don't have another running related bullet point.  Guess, I'll have to run this evening so I have one for tomorrow!

Toodles!

What's Happenin'

The Running

Since I last posted, I have logged 3 more runs, each 2 milers.  The most recent was last night, and after I finished, I decided that it felt pretty good, so I think for my next run (either tonight or sometime tomorrow), I'll attempt a 3 miler.  I know.  Hold onto your pants! 

The Non-Running

Norah has had a renewed interest in the potty lately.  It's not like she's going all the time, but she's going pee a couple times a day on there.  And last week, during her nap, she kept calling to me, but I ignored her (because sometimes she does this as a delay tactic and if I ignore her, she just goes to sleep).  Mistake.  She'd had to pee, and she'd taken off her diaper and peed on her pillow.

So...we decided that if we're doing the potty thing, perhaps we should make our lives even harder, and go ahead and convert her crib into a toddler bed so she can get out and pee if she needs to.  You know, to avoid more Pee Pillows.

The first day and night, she did great staying in her bed during nap and bedtime, but then I think she fully figured out that she could get in and out, and since then, well...Let's just say that at 5:30 this morning (after I'd just gone back to bed after a 5:00 am Caleb feeding), I heard from the hallway: "Hi Mama!"

So, yeah, she's learning.

As for Caleb, he's doing his part to keep me on my toes by being a fussy-fusserson today.  He has his days like this, and on the whole, I think he's definitely a much fussier baby than Norah was, but then some days he's perfectly content, so I can't discern a pattern.  At least he has good taste in clothes.

Thankfully, my SIL is visiting this week, and it really is invaluable having another pair of hands around.  Amazing how much help one more person is!

Sore

Last night, I went for another 2 miler, and it was just as tough as the first one I did on Tuesday, maybe even more so since I was a bit sore to start.  I hadn't originally intended to run back-to-back days, but Jerry has bowling tonight and I knew I wouldn't get a chance to run today, so it was either the back-to-back days or wait until Friday.  I went with the former.

And today I am sore enough that you'd think I had run two 10 milers instead of two 2 milers!

But, in a strange way, it feels good to be a bit sore, and I know that in a week's time, my legs will adjust and the soreness will pass.  My plan for July is to start off by running about 3-4 days a week and slowly re-build my former fitness before I start to think about going longer or faster.  Starting over after having so long off is tough -- especially since I'm also carting around about 10 extra pounds -- but it also feels good to have the challenge.  (I'm not too worried about losing the weight; I know it will gradually come off, and I know that after Norah was born, I didn't fully lose all my pregnancy weight until after I stopped breastfeeding.  Still, it would be nice for my self-esteem if my pre-pregnancy jeans would fit!)

So, no running today.  Just lots of water.  And some Advil (how glorious is it to be able to take Advil again!).  And I'll probably be just as sore tomorrow, maybe more so, but then I'll be back at it again!

Finally, Some Running to Report!

First of all, Caleb had his 1 month check up this morning, and he checked in as a BEEFCAKE: 11 lbs, 6 oz, and he measured 23 and 1/4 inches in length.  He gained close to 4 lbs and grew 2 and 1/4 inches -- that's a lot of growin' for one month!  But, at this point in his development, that's his main job, so I guess he gets a gold star for that one.

I too had a dr. check up today: My post-partum exam, and everything is healing up just dandy so I got the green light to return to running.  So, tonight after Norah was in bed, I dusted off my running clothes, charged up the iPod, and pulled out my shiny new kicks that I got for my birthday back in April:

I only ran 2 miles, and it was a tough two miler (my last run was about 5 months ago, so it was kinda like starting from scratch), but it was glorious!  Here I am post-run: Sweaty and happy!

4th of July

We had an eventful holiday today.

We started by attending a parade in the morning.  It was a good parade, and Norah loved seeing the fire trucks and police cars, and getting candy and other trinkets.  And Caleb did what he does best: He slept through it.

The only downside to the parade was that it was about a bazillion degrees out, so we were all sweaty messes afterward.  Oh well.  It is July in South Florida, after all. 

Here's Jerry, Norah and Caleb along the parade route:

Then, in the afternoon, we went to a friend's house for a party: Grilling, pool, horse shoes, tons of food, and, of course, firecrackers.  Here's Norah and Miller doing some "day time" fireworks:

A neighbor of our friend's was also having a shindig and they had a bounce house and everything, so Norah went over there for a bit and rode the slide half a dozen times -- so combine that with plenty of pool time, firecrackers, and relentlessly chasing our friend's dog around the house, and she had a VERY full day. 

And, here's another attempt to capture a family photo of us: Norah's sticking her tongue out, Jerry's posing like he's on the red carpet, and part of the inside of my shirt is sticking out.  I think the search continues for a good family pic...

Here's Norah with her sparkler:

At the end of the day, I took the kids home before the "night time" fireworks: It was 8 o'clock, already past Norah's bedtime, and while she was fine, mood-wise, she was starting to stumble around like she'd been in the beer cooler, so I figured it was best to get home and get to bed before any meltdowns and before it was gonna get tough keeping her up late.  Neither she, nor Caleb, made it all the way home before falling asleep:

Jerry stayed to light the big fireworks -- to him, the 4th is like Christmas and his birthday combined, so I had to let him enjoy risking life and limb with his crate full of TNT -- and I'm at home right now with two sleeping kids and a neurotic dog, who is freaking out right now because of the sound of all the fireworks outside.  It kinda stinks that I'm missing all the pretty fireworks, but honestly, I'm beat and am about to turn in myself, and I'm sure there will be plenty of years ahead for us to all stay up late enough to enjoy the fireworks in the future.  For now, I'm hitting the hay!

Happy 4th everyone!

One Month

Hard to believe that Caleb is already a month old. 

In the past month, we've re-accustomed ourselves to 3 am wake-up calls and the explosive nature of baby poop.  We're also learned the differences between changing a boy's diaper versus a girl's -- essentially?  Duck and take cover!  Because he will pee on you, himself, the wall, and any other nearby objects or observers.

On the whole, he's a sweet baby, who's starting to give us a few genuine smiles.  He has his days where he's a demanding fussbucket, but let's face it: Who doesn't have days like that?

And like all kids -- no matter their age -- he's cutest when he's sleeping.