Ten reasons clothes shopping (for me) with the boys turned out much better than I expected:
10. In and out of the Jeep X 6, in and out of the stroller X 6, no tears!
9. Two words: store toys! I had stuff for both boys to keep them happy, but everyone knows that other people's stuff is way more fun than yours. And Owen was persuaded to put everything back and leave when it was time to go with the vague promise that "the toys will be here when we come again".
8. Store was almost empty, in spite of it being half-past lunchtime on a Friday. (Yeah, I had planned to be there when the store opened. Boys did NOT have a good morning.) I could take over three changerooms, and no one was inconvenienced. (1 for the stroller, 1 for the boys to play in, and 1 to actually change in.)
7. Charming, charmimg boys, a.m. antics to the contrary! Manners and conversation from Owen, invitations to the sales girls "Would you like to play cars with me?". "Hi!" with a smile and a wave for everyone from Jake, and adorable brother-interaction to boot. Jake crawling after Owen, Owen deciding Jake needed a different toy and getting it for him. Those two flirted their way through that store on teeth and charm.
6. Stand-alone stores (I went to Tall Girl, more about that in a minute) are a lot more kid-friendly than stores in the mall, or giant -Mart stores. Small stores meaning never losing sight of exploring boys when they are encouraged by staff to drive their cars out of the changeroom.
5. I actually found a great outfit to wear to Grace's baptism (they made me an offer I couldn't refuse - I'm her Godmother). I would post pics from the online catalogue, but I really hate it in the catalogue. And the one I thought I liked online looked terrible in person. Which just goes to show, I should browse and try on different things in stores more often, rather than my usual MO of running into the GAP, cornering a salesperson and saying "I need jeans, size 10, 36 inseam. With a fit I can wear to the office. Meet me in the changeroom." It's a summer suit, with short sleeves on the jacket, in light grey with a white pinstripe. And I got a turquoise sleeveless shirt to wear with. Snazzy, and office friendly! I am over the guilt of paying specialty store prices - even Stacy and Clinton would rave about the fit.
4. Tall Girl finally has a rewards program! Once you make $500 worth of purchases (um, not difficult, I'm halway there on the one outfit, ouch!) you get 25% off one item. As reward programs go, it's not yje most exciting, but considering how pricey their stuff is, any money saved is good news.
3. I discovered that I am back to my pre-pregnancy size, the aforementioned 10. Maybe if I got serious about eating well and ran not just because I have an event coming up, I could get down to an 8. But at 6 feet 1 inches and a mom of two, I am quite pleased with being a 10.
2. Mall tailor took pity on me and did my hems while I waited, when others were being told they could pick up their pants tomorrow afternoon. Score one for "it never hurts to ask...really politely!" And they didn't charge me any extra. I took Owen to the potty, picked up a few more odds n ends, and voila, pants! Pants that actually got taken up (even with heels, TG pants are tres longue) rather than let out and a false hem put on, something I have been known to do to spare myself those TG prices.
1. Both boys fell asleep in the Jeep on the way home, and stayed asleep for the house-transfer. Which means that after a very pleasant afternoon out, I still got to enjoy some quiet time to get stuff done around the house. I thought for sure I was looking down the barrel of missed naps and cranky p.m. boys as well, but fate smiled on this well-dressed mama.
Showing posts with label in my world. Show all posts
Showing posts with label in my world. Show all posts
Friday, May 29, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Stop, Drop and Roll
Today we finally purchased a fire pit for the backyard. Technically, I guess it's more of a "fire table", since it sits up on the deck, but to-MAY-to, to-MAH-to. It's round and has about a 6 inch ledge all the way around - wide enough to sit a drink on, if you really wanted your beer nice and toasty warm. It's less than 3 feet across, so not too large, but perfect for roasting hotdogs and marshmallows, which is what we did. (Aside: two years ago, for Owen's second Christmas, we bought a small, potted evergreen, thinking we wouldn't have to worry about him pulling it over on himself, and then we could plant it in the yard to keep. It never made it into the ground, and it never even made it out of the backyard - it died a slow death, over in the composting corner. Fast forward two years and we have most excellent, well seasoned firewood for our first ever fire! Waste not, want not!)
It was all we could do to keep Jake from crawling over and pulling himself up using the ledge, since Mr. I-Love-To-Cruise-The-Furniture couldn't understand why this particularly interesting piece of backyard decor was off limits. But Owen was really, really good. Always gave it a wide berth when he was walking by, and never once tried to reach over and touch, etc.
I'm putting this all down to preparation. My parents have a similar wood burning apparatus in their backyard, and he's used to fires at Grandma and Grandpa's house from last summer. And I can't remember how the dicussion first came up, but one of his favourite "stories" is about fire safety. While Owen loves him a good story about Cars or Thomas, sometimes he's into non-fiction. I laughed really hard when Erica once told me that she explained potholes to Nathan one day, and from then on, he'd request "The Story of Potholes". That was before I had my own two-year-old, who requests the story of "Mommy and Owen go to the Grocery Store", "Owen and Jakey Eat Their Lunch", or "What We Do If There's A Fire".
Owen knows if your clothes catch on fire, you are supposed to Stop, Drop, and Roll. This is a favourite game at Casa del Howard. It sometimes gets a little out of hand, like when Owen shoves Jake down and rolls the poor baby over and over. "But Mommy!" he yells indignantly, as I carry him off to his room for timeout, "Jake was on FIRE!!" He knows the phone number you call to get the firefighters to come to our house is nine-one-one. And he knows that the firefighters will come spray water on the house, and that we'll have to go stand outside. He even knows that we'll all go over to Anthony's house (Owen's favourite neighbour) to wait safely until the firefighters say it's okay. Technically, he also knows that if he hears the smoke detector go off, that means that there's a fire and Mommy or Daddy will come get him to leave the house, but since our detector (right outside the boys rooms) HAS gone off in the middle of the night, and NEITHER boy woke up (it was the "low battery" warning, so it wasn't continuous, but it still went off with a long, loud, shrill BEEEEP every 5 minutes starting at 2 am one night until we managed to pry a 9 volt out of one of Owen's toys....) it's just academic.
So, we're looking forward to many more fun evenings around the fire. And if you happen to come by and see us rolling around in the family room, don't worry. We're justpracticing for the inevitable playing.
It was all we could do to keep Jake from crawling over and pulling himself up using the ledge, since Mr. I-Love-To-Cruise-The-Furniture couldn't understand why this particularly interesting piece of backyard decor was off limits. But Owen was really, really good. Always gave it a wide berth when he was walking by, and never once tried to reach over and touch, etc.
I'm putting this all down to preparation. My parents have a similar wood burning apparatus in their backyard, and he's used to fires at Grandma and Grandpa's house from last summer. And I can't remember how the dicussion first came up, but one of his favourite "stories" is about fire safety. While Owen loves him a good story about Cars or Thomas, sometimes he's into non-fiction. I laughed really hard when Erica once told me that she explained potholes to Nathan one day, and from then on, he'd request "The Story of Potholes". That was before I had my own two-year-old, who requests the story of "Mommy and Owen go to the Grocery Store", "Owen and Jakey Eat Their Lunch", or "What We Do If There's A Fire".
Owen knows if your clothes catch on fire, you are supposed to Stop, Drop, and Roll. This is a favourite game at Casa del Howard. It sometimes gets a little out of hand, like when Owen shoves Jake down and rolls the poor baby over and over. "But Mommy!" he yells indignantly, as I carry him off to his room for timeout, "Jake was on FIRE!!" He knows the phone number you call to get the firefighters to come to our house is nine-one-one. And he knows that the firefighters will come spray water on the house, and that we'll have to go stand outside. He even knows that we'll all go over to Anthony's house (Owen's favourite neighbour) to wait safely until the firefighters say it's okay. Technically, he also knows that if he hears the smoke detector go off, that means that there's a fire and Mommy or Daddy will come get him to leave the house, but since our detector (right outside the boys rooms) HAS gone off in the middle of the night, and NEITHER boy woke up (it was the "low battery" warning, so it wasn't continuous, but it still went off with a long, loud, shrill BEEEEP every 5 minutes starting at 2 am one night until we managed to pry a 9 volt out of one of Owen's toys....) it's just academic.
So, we're looking forward to many more fun evenings around the fire. And if you happen to come by and see us rolling around in the family room, don't worry. We're just
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Happy Birthday to the King of Howieland!
Today the King of Howieland turns 34. My life is so much better for having him in it. He has given me almost 12 years of unconditional love and devotion, 7 years of married bliss, 2 beautiful boys, and 1 wonderful life.
I'm not sure if I've shared this story before or not, but it's worth sharing again. Steve and I call each other "Big Brick" and "Baby Brick". It goes back years - we like to sleep cuddled up in bed, back to back. Neither of us likes our arms tangled up, but we like to be close when we sleep, so we're often that way instead of spooning. Steve says that we're like bricks, which are better than spoons. Spoons get taken out of their drawers and separated, but bricks are cemented together for always. And sometimes we'll even jokingly refer to Owen (now both boys) as our "Mortar".
Happy Birthday Big Brick! I love you today and always.
I'm not sure if I've shared this story before or not, but it's worth sharing again. Steve and I call each other "Big Brick" and "Baby Brick". It goes back years - we like to sleep cuddled up in bed, back to back. Neither of us likes our arms tangled up, but we like to be close when we sleep, so we're often that way instead of spooning. Steve says that we're like bricks, which are better than spoons. Spoons get taken out of their drawers and separated, but bricks are cemented together for always. And sometimes we'll even jokingly refer to Owen (now both boys) as our "Mortar".
Happy Birthday Big Brick! I love you today and always.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
The Big Five-Oh!
With this one little post, my 2009 blog output is now equal to the sum of all previous years. That's right, this English major can do the math!
On a completely unrelated note, I updated my Facebook status (I know, but seriously, I go back to work in two months. I need Twitter like I need another Y chromosome in my house) to read "Cari has too much surplus". Not only my favourite line from Disney's Cars movie, but an accurate reflection of how I feel whenever I look in our spare room closet, or the basement. We have too much! Period. But thankfully, some baby clothes and other assorted baby-oriented items will be distributed among some pregnant friends, and various other odds and ends will be Kijiji'd. Either that or we'll be having a garage sale sometime this summer.
(Also, I know not everyone has seen Cars, but I'm pretty sure the line stands on its own, decontextualized. But a few people are asking me what I have too much of....is the definition of "surplus" not common knowledge? Personally, I laugh every time I hear that line; but then again, I also laughed at "I have a big head, and little arms".)
On a completely unrelated note, I updated my Facebook status (I know, but seriously, I go back to work in two months. I need Twitter like I need another Y chromosome in my house) to read "Cari has too much surplus". Not only my favourite line from Disney's Cars movie, but an accurate reflection of how I feel whenever I look in our spare room closet, or the basement. We have too much! Period. But thankfully, some baby clothes and other assorted baby-oriented items will be distributed among some pregnant friends, and various other odds and ends will be Kijiji'd. Either that or we'll be having a garage sale sometime this summer.
(Also, I know not everyone has seen Cars, but I'm pretty sure the line stands on its own, decontextualized. But a few people are asking me what I have too much of....is the definition of "surplus" not common knowledge? Personally, I laugh every time I hear that line; but then again, I also laughed at "I have a big head, and little arms".)
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Clearly Speaking
Busy, busy, busy. Of course, whose life isn't these days? I did my EndurRace, with a personal best in both distances! I was hoping to do the 5K in under 30 minutes, and I did it in 30 minutes, 26 seconds, so I was quite pleased (my previous time had been about 34 minutes). My previous 8K time (two years ago, the last time I ran it) was just under 55 minutes - I was just hoping to beat that time. I blew it away, finishing in 49 minutes, 51 seconds! I'm so proud of myself!! And so, so happy to finally have completed both races that make up this event. Yay me! The best was having Steve and the boys cheering for me - nothing motivates you for those last hundred metres like hearing your little guy yelling "Go Mommy go! Go Mommy go!"
Lots of other stuff has been going on, some good, some not so good. The really sad news is that we lost Steve's Grandma last weekend. She had been ill for some time, with growing tumours in her lungs. At her age (94) there really wasn't anything they could do for her - her body wouldn't have withstood radiation or an operation, so the doctors just did the best they could to make her comfortable. We will be getting together with family to celebrate her life next weekend.
The boys are growing like crazy. Jake has two teeth, and is the fastest thing around here on all fours. He's literally crawling the knees out of his pants! And speaking of pants, Owen keeps getting taller. I bought new pants for him, but since we're nearly done with pants-wearing-weather, I bought them big enough to (hopefully!) fit him this fall. Which means we're currently rolling the cuffs, and he finds that annoying. Thank goodness most places are putting the adjustable waists into pants, because he's still a skinny minny. Also, those pants are staying completely dry during the day, and Owen is finally telling us when it's time to go on the potty, instead of the other way 'round. Life is good!
I will be trying to post more regularly, evenings have been kind of full of late, and while I've been wanting to post, my brain hasn't been able to handle it. But I do have to quickly post this conversation we had with Owen in the car yesterday before I forget it. (If I don't put these stories down somewhere, I'll never remember them!)
(Owen was playing with a pair of sunglasses.)
Owen (putting on sunglasses): Wow! These sunglasses are really queer!
Mommy: (Sharing a "did we just hear that?" glance with Steve) Pardon me?
O: These sunglasses are really, really, queer Mommy! I like them.
M: Um, where did you hear the word "queer", Owen? (Wondering how I'm even going to start a conversation about the heady semantics of that word with my two-year-old...)
O: On Sid the Science Kid.
M: What???!!! (Mentally reviewing recent Sid episodes... love that show, but pretty sure there hasn't been one about sexual orientation recently... wait, there was one about glasses... making your vision....) OHHH! The glasses are really CLEAR!
O: That's what I said, Mommy. These glasses are cwear.
Owen pronounces his L's like W's. It's something I don't even notice anymore, we're so used to it. Steve and I laughed the rest of the way home.
Lots of other stuff has been going on, some good, some not so good. The really sad news is that we lost Steve's Grandma last weekend. She had been ill for some time, with growing tumours in her lungs. At her age (94) there really wasn't anything they could do for her - her body wouldn't have withstood radiation or an operation, so the doctors just did the best they could to make her comfortable. We will be getting together with family to celebrate her life next weekend.
The boys are growing like crazy. Jake has two teeth, and is the fastest thing around here on all fours. He's literally crawling the knees out of his pants! And speaking of pants, Owen keeps getting taller. I bought new pants for him, but since we're nearly done with pants-wearing-weather, I bought them big enough to (hopefully!) fit him this fall. Which means we're currently rolling the cuffs, and he finds that annoying. Thank goodness most places are putting the adjustable waists into pants, because he's still a skinny minny. Also, those pants are staying completely dry during the day, and Owen is finally telling us when it's time to go on the potty, instead of the other way 'round. Life is good!
I will be trying to post more regularly, evenings have been kind of full of late, and while I've been wanting to post, my brain hasn't been able to handle it. But I do have to quickly post this conversation we had with Owen in the car yesterday before I forget it. (If I don't put these stories down somewhere, I'll never remember them!)
(Owen was playing with a pair of sunglasses.)
Owen (putting on sunglasses): Wow! These sunglasses are really queer!
Mommy: (Sharing a "did we just hear that?" glance with Steve) Pardon me?
O: These sunglasses are really, really, queer Mommy! I like them.
M: Um, where did you hear the word "queer", Owen? (Wondering how I'm even going to start a conversation about the heady semantics of that word with my two-year-old...)
O: On Sid the Science Kid.
M: What???!!! (Mentally reviewing recent Sid episodes... love that show, but pretty sure there hasn't been one about sexual orientation recently... wait, there was one about glasses... making your vision....) OHHH! The glasses are really CLEAR!
O: That's what I said, Mommy. These glasses are cwear.
Owen pronounces his L's like W's. It's something I don't even notice anymore, we're so used to it. Steve and I laughed the rest of the way home.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Long Story Short
March Break. Trip to Ottawa. Baby Gracie! Good news from great friends. Museum of Science and Tech. Juggling and train engines. Doggy fun. First joint-birthday celebration in years! Boys awesome on the road. Running. 5K in 34 minutes with the stroller in the wind. Jake says Ma-ma. Actual birthday. Sleeping in. Fabulous dinner out with Steve. New patio furniture (front and back). CAKE! Steve re-discovers online poker, seriously cutting into my computer time. A good friend gets engaged! Owen spends one day dry, going on the potty. Jake is cutting tooth number one. Oh, and Abby home and healthy!
We'll return to regular scheduled programming soon. :)
We'll return to regular scheduled programming soon. :)
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Go ahead, make my day!
Okay, remember this lady? Well, I meant to blog about a discussion with another stranger at the track that totally makes up for that one, but I'd forgotten about it, until seeing the same gentleman there again this past Thursday. He totally made my day last week!
I was there with my StrollerFit class (which I also really love, it's offered through Belly Buttons, and the instructor, Trish, is awesome. She's going to do the EndurRACE 8K with me in April.*) Trish works us in intervals: we do a lap of the track, and then some weight work with resistance bands, or lunges, or crazy-butt-working-kick-things. The point is, we run a lot. (Well, not everyone runs - you go at your own level.)
ANYWAY! I had just finished a lap, and an elderly gentleman came up and said to me that he just had to ask: had I ever raced track seriously? He said that I had a fantastic running stride. He told me that he used to be a track coach, and that I had great form - good leg turnover, a long stride, keeping my head level, and making it look effortless. After joking that I'm glad he thought it looked effortless, I told him I'd actually been really working on my form, so he had just made my day. He told me he was at the track training to do a 10K run with his daughter this summer, so I'm sure we'll see him again. Jake liked him too - he had a big smile for him again when we saw him there again this week.
I've actually been working really hard to lengthen my stride, (it's easy to shuffle your feet when you get tired, and then I lose all the benefit of having long legs!) and keep my head up, and steady (legs doing all the work of moving me horizontally, instead of wasting effort in bobbing up and down. Think of the marathoners you see in the Olympics - the girls' ponytails don't even swish!) By concentrating on form, I'm doing the same distance with less effort - running upright with a longer stride, I cover more ground in fewer steps. (Um, this is the theory, anyway. It still FEELS like a lot of effort, but the math works.) But it's hard to evaluate myself, so it was super great to be complimented like that. (And honestly, this man had to be in his seventies. He was not hitting on me. Or maybe he was, I guess you never know, but I'm still taking the running compliment at face value.) Am superwoman running goddess. Go me. :)
* Yep, I'm all signed up for the EndurRACE: 5K on April 18, and then 8K on April 25. Both races at 6 p.m. - come cheer for me, locals! ;)
I was there with my StrollerFit class (which I also really love, it's offered through Belly Buttons, and the instructor, Trish, is awesome. She's going to do the EndurRACE 8K with me in April.*) Trish works us in intervals: we do a lap of the track, and then some weight work with resistance bands, or lunges, or crazy-butt-working-kick-things. The point is, we run a lot. (Well, not everyone runs - you go at your own level.)
ANYWAY! I had just finished a lap, and an elderly gentleman came up and said to me that he just had to ask: had I ever raced track seriously? He said that I had a fantastic running stride. He told me that he used to be a track coach, and that I had great form - good leg turnover, a long stride, keeping my head level, and making it look effortless. After joking that I'm glad he thought it looked effortless, I told him I'd actually been really working on my form, so he had just made my day. He told me he was at the track training to do a 10K run with his daughter this summer, so I'm sure we'll see him again. Jake liked him too - he had a big smile for him again when we saw him there again this week.
I've actually been working really hard to lengthen my stride, (it's easy to shuffle your feet when you get tired, and then I lose all the benefit of having long legs!) and keep my head up, and steady (legs doing all the work of moving me horizontally, instead of wasting effort in bobbing up and down. Think of the marathoners you see in the Olympics - the girls' ponytails don't even swish!) By concentrating on form, I'm doing the same distance with less effort - running upright with a longer stride, I cover more ground in fewer steps. (Um, this is the theory, anyway. It still FEELS like a lot of effort, but the math works.) But it's hard to evaluate myself, so it was super great to be complimented like that. (And honestly, this man had to be in his seventies. He was not hitting on me. Or maybe he was, I guess you never know, but I'm still taking the running compliment at face value.) Am superwoman running goddess. Go me. :)
* Yep, I'm all signed up for the EndurRACE: 5K on April 18, and then 8K on April 25. Both races at 6 p.m. - come cheer for me, locals! ;)
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Great News!
In the Good Things Do Happen To Good People file, we just found out yesterday that friends of ours who have been trying for a baby for a very long time are pregnant! Three months pregnant, actually, and due in early September. (M&M for those of you who know them). Hooray! It is spectacularly wonderful news. Especially in light of the fact that they had an appointment to see a fertility specialist this month to start looking into treatment options. (She had been on Clomid for 6 months, with no results, so this would have been...more than that.)
(I remember just after having had Owen, commenting to this friend that maybe she'd have her first when I had my second, and we could be pregnant together! She laughed and said that while they were waiting, they weren't planning on waiting that long. They're going to be such great parents; it's extra exciting when you know how lucky a little baby is to be joining such a wonderful, loving couple!)
They're also the first of our close friends to also be going with a midwife option, which is great. Her sister was with the same practice we were (I believe her midwife was Amanda) and they've requested the same midwife. Steve was singing the praises of the midwives to our daddy-to-be friend all evening - I'm so glad that our experiences were not only so positive for me, and our boys, but for him as well. Who would have thought that Steve would become a midwifery advocate?
There is good baby news all over the place in our friends' lives. Another couple we know, who were unable to have kids, decided over the summer to begin looking into adoption. They now have three beautiful little ones (two boys and a girl, all siblings) that have been with them for nearly a month now. There were 41 couples interested in adopting these lucky little ones, and our friends are now a proud mama and papa to three under 3! (Good lord how crazy would that be! But I guess if you don't know any different.... Again, we're just so, so happy for them!)
And another girlfriend of mine, who is a wonderful mommy and always wanted a lot of kids but thought her family expansion might have to be put on hold for a while, is expecting a little surprise JuneBug! She just found out he is a boy, and I'm excited to pass on lots of our boy stuff to her, since it's the right season for it all. (She has a daughter who is Owen's age.) Babies, babies, and more babies, blessings everywhere. Life is wonderful.
(I remember just after having had Owen, commenting to this friend that maybe she'd have her first when I had my second, and we could be pregnant together! She laughed and said that while they were waiting, they weren't planning on waiting that long. They're going to be such great parents; it's extra exciting when you know how lucky a little baby is to be joining such a wonderful, loving couple!)
They're also the first of our close friends to also be going with a midwife option, which is great. Her sister was with the same practice we were (I believe her midwife was Amanda) and they've requested the same midwife. Steve was singing the praises of the midwives to our daddy-to-be friend all evening - I'm so glad that our experiences were not only so positive for me, and our boys, but for him as well. Who would have thought that Steve would become a midwifery advocate?
There is good baby news all over the place in our friends' lives. Another couple we know, who were unable to have kids, decided over the summer to begin looking into adoption. They now have three beautiful little ones (two boys and a girl, all siblings) that have been with them for nearly a month now. There were 41 couples interested in adopting these lucky little ones, and our friends are now a proud mama and papa to three under 3! (Good lord how crazy would that be! But I guess if you don't know any different.... Again, we're just so, so happy for them!)
And another girlfriend of mine, who is a wonderful mommy and always wanted a lot of kids but thought her family expansion might have to be put on hold for a while, is expecting a little surprise JuneBug! She just found out he is a boy, and I'm excited to pass on lots of our boy stuff to her, since it's the right season for it all. (She has a daughter who is Owen's age.) Babies, babies, and more babies, blessings everywhere. Life is wonderful.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Here I Am
I know you all were wondering where I was. (And that none of you could sleep at night, wondering what you possibly missed on the latest List of 10.) We've been very busy the last little bit. Last Thursday evening we took the boys to see Bob the Builder at Centre in the Square. (Christmas gift from Grandpa Jim and Grandma Sue). Owen LOVED it. (Jake was happy watching all the other kids.) Owen was mesmerized by the entire show, a little scared by the "trash monster", and talked NON-STOP about it for days afterwards. Still this morning, on the way to daycare, he asked me in the Jeep, "Mommy, please tell the story of Lofty's not the trash monster?"
Then Friday I took the boys to Barrie for my mom and grandma's birthdays over the weekend. We had lots of fun, visiting with Grandma and Grandpa, Great-Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Tina and Uncle Doug, and Uncle Geoff and Auntie Tania. Owen loved having so many people to play with, and he especially loved Grandma's chocolate ice-cream cake. It was Winterfest in Barrie, so we took the boys down to the lakeshore for some fun. Owen went in the ice maze, went down the snow slide, and had his first ever pony ride. Mommy forgot the camera of course, but Grandma brought hers, so I will add pics when I receive them. (And I promise to get the software loaded for my new camera this week, so I can add the birthday dinner pics I took, and send those around.)
Speaking of photos, I finally have some to share. I finally got some professional shots done of Jake. He's adorable, and they turned our really well. Here are some sample proofs, they're from Zelia Bester Photography Studios:
Then Friday I took the boys to Barrie for my mom and grandma's birthdays over the weekend. We had lots of fun, visiting with Grandma and Grandpa, Great-Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Tina and Uncle Doug, and Uncle Geoff and Auntie Tania. Owen loved having so many people to play with, and he especially loved Grandma's chocolate ice-cream cake. It was Winterfest in Barrie, so we took the boys down to the lakeshore for some fun. Owen went in the ice maze, went down the snow slide, and had his first ever pony ride. Mommy forgot the camera of course, but Grandma brought hers, so I will add pics when I receive them. (And I promise to get the software loaded for my new camera this week, so I can add the birthday dinner pics I took, and send those around.)
Speaking of photos, I finally have some to share. I finally got some professional shots done of Jake. He's adorable, and they turned our really well. Here are some sample proofs, they're from Zelia Bester Photography Studios:
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Ow, ow, OW!
It's the good kind of sore, but owie! Getting back in shape is never fun. I totally thought I'd be up for the Refridge-Eighter in February, but I'm just not getting back up to 8K in time. I'm sitting solidly at 4, and you know what? I'm okay with that.
I'm really only getting in one good run a week. Tuesdays Jake and I are doing Mommy and Me aerobics, Wednesdays is StrollerFit (where we run, but not exclusively) and Thursdays is when I'm at the track. Saturdays I'm trying to get in an outdoor run, but with both boys having colds, a mommy who gets up a million times a night is a mommy who opts for the nap instead of the run. (Even though I KNOW I'll feel groggy after the nap, and awesome after the run. But I'm all about living in the present. And the here-and-now is that a nap will feel better than getting on my shoes.)
And in the evenings, if there hasn't been a run or a fitness class in my day, I'm getting my 90's on with Billy Blanks and Tae-Bo. (Did you know that TAE-BO also stands for Total Awareness and Excellent Body Obedience? Just one of the many inspiring things I've learned from Billy while paying attention to his patter. I have to say, out of all the workout videos I've ever had, I love Billy the best. He makes mistakes, which I LOVE, since it makes him human. And I've never felt so cheered on in something. And I love his relationship with daughter Shellie. They have so much fun. Seriously, Tae-Bo - for a workout that DOESN'T make you feel inadequate!)
So, that's the fitness schedule for the next little bit. As weather picks up, so will running. And I'm VERY excited to be able to get my bike out this year, since by then, Jake will be big enough for the trailer. Can't wait to see how Owen and Jake do together in the bike trailer for rides. (Mental note: must get helmet for Jake.) Valerie and I are talking about training for a Triathlon again. (Did I post that here or on Facebook? We did a Try-a-Tri when Owen and Sadie were 14 months old: 375m swim, 10K bike, 2.5K run. It was awesome! I was top 20 for my age group.) I am determined to get back into my nice work clothes again, so even though it hurts, right now, I'm am relishing the reminder from muscles that have gotten little use over the past few months.
I'm really only getting in one good run a week. Tuesdays Jake and I are doing Mommy and Me aerobics, Wednesdays is StrollerFit (where we run, but not exclusively) and Thursdays is when I'm at the track. Saturdays I'm trying to get in an outdoor run, but with both boys having colds, a mommy who gets up a million times a night is a mommy who opts for the nap instead of the run. (Even though I KNOW I'll feel groggy after the nap, and awesome after the run. But I'm all about living in the present. And the here-and-now is that a nap will feel better than getting on my shoes.)
And in the evenings, if there hasn't been a run or a fitness class in my day, I'm getting my 90's on with Billy Blanks and Tae-Bo. (Did you know that TAE-BO also stands for Total Awareness and Excellent Body Obedience? Just one of the many inspiring things I've learned from Billy while paying attention to his patter. I have to say, out of all the workout videos I've ever had, I love Billy the best. He makes mistakes, which I LOVE, since it makes him human. And I've never felt so cheered on in something. And I love his relationship with daughter Shellie. They have so much fun. Seriously, Tae-Bo - for a workout that DOESN'T make you feel inadequate!)
So, that's the fitness schedule for the next little bit. As weather picks up, so will running. And I'm VERY excited to be able to get my bike out this year, since by then, Jake will be big enough for the trailer. Can't wait to see how Owen and Jake do together in the bike trailer for rides. (Mental note: must get helmet for Jake.) Valerie and I are talking about training for a Triathlon again. (Did I post that here or on Facebook? We did a Try-a-Tri when Owen and Sadie were 14 months old: 375m swim, 10K bike, 2.5K run. It was awesome! I was top 20 for my age group.) I am determined to get back into my nice work clothes again, so even though it hurts, right now, I'm am relishing the reminder from muscles that have gotten little use over the past few months.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Wait a minute...
Of course with the new year comes New Year's Resolutions. I resolved to be more regular with my running - to that end, Jake and I now have a regular date at the indoor track on Thursdays (we run outdoors on Tuesdays, but indoors I have a chance to do sprints without worrying about falling, and stairs as well). We brought the Jeep in for some maintenance, and while they worked on it, Jake and I took the bus downtown.
(Quick aside: well done to Grand River Transit! Buses are so much nicer than they were back when I was a regular rider! They're all wheelchair accessible, so I just wheeled Jake right on in the stroller, and then parked him in one of the wheelchair sections where the seats fold away. I wasn't sure which stop I wanted, since I was just headed downtown and walking the rest of the way (that way I could get the iExpress immediately, without having to wait for a more direct bus). The driver was very helpful, and I would actually consider taking the bus again. I think Owen would like it too!)
Anyway, we went to the track and did our thing. Jake was his usual adorable self, and was much admired by everyone he aimed his gummy grin at. When we were headed out, a lady stopped to chat with Jake. (It happens all the time - he's such a flirt!) She told me it was so great that I took the time to involve my baby in my workout, and that he obviously loved it. Then she mentioned seeing a program the other day, all about celebrity moms. She went on to say what a shame it is how they make it look so easy to get back into shape right away after having a baby, and to not let all that pressure get to me. I smiled, and then we were on our way.
As I was walking back to the bus stop, I started to think, and I was like, wait a minute! I know she probably meant it kindly, but come on! Obviously, if I shouldn't let the pressure to look like a celebrity mom get to me, I am failing miserably in my goal to look like a celebu-mom! I mean, I know I don't look like a celebrity mom, even 6 months after having Jake. But other people should not be commenting on this, no matter how round about a manner they use to do so. So then I was laughing to myself as I pushed Jake along, causing other people to look at me and no doubt think that it was also good that I was not letting the pressure to appear sane in public get to me.
Also, on a completely unrelated note, something I just noticed while folding laundry this evening: my ratio of t-shirts-I-have-paid-for to t-shirts-I-have-gotten-for-free is way out of whack! Um, I'm not a klepto. But I do have a couple of Mother/Daughter Walk for Heart and Stroke shirts, four shirts from races I've run in, at least three from the Children's Groundwater Festival (I used to be on the board), plus odd shirts from work (Waste Management! The Toilet Replacement Program!) and various gyms (GoodLife, and 360 Fitness - which reminds me, I have to still get in touch with my friend about the pass I won in his charity auction.) Obviously, I need to go shopping. I need to stock up on shirts that allow me to express myself in the uniquly individual manner possible only when wearing a shirt with a clever slogan that one hundred other people are also sporting. Hee.
(Quick aside: well done to Grand River Transit! Buses are so much nicer than they were back when I was a regular rider! They're all wheelchair accessible, so I just wheeled Jake right on in the stroller, and then parked him in one of the wheelchair sections where the seats fold away. I wasn't sure which stop I wanted, since I was just headed downtown and walking the rest of the way (that way I could get the iExpress immediately, without having to wait for a more direct bus). The driver was very helpful, and I would actually consider taking the bus again. I think Owen would like it too!)
Anyway, we went to the track and did our thing. Jake was his usual adorable self, and was much admired by everyone he aimed his gummy grin at. When we were headed out, a lady stopped to chat with Jake. (It happens all the time - he's such a flirt!) She told me it was so great that I took the time to involve my baby in my workout, and that he obviously loved it. Then she mentioned seeing a program the other day, all about celebrity moms. She went on to say what a shame it is how they make it look so easy to get back into shape right away after having a baby, and to not let all that pressure get to me. I smiled, and then we were on our way.
As I was walking back to the bus stop, I started to think, and I was like, wait a minute! I know she probably meant it kindly, but come on! Obviously, if I shouldn't let the pressure to look like a celebrity mom get to me, I am failing miserably in my goal to look like a celebu-mom! I mean, I know I don't look like a celebrity mom, even 6 months after having Jake. But other people should not be commenting on this, no matter how round about a manner they use to do so. So then I was laughing to myself as I pushed Jake along, causing other people to look at me and no doubt think that it was also good that I was not letting the pressure to appear sane in public get to me.
Also, on a completely unrelated note, something I just noticed while folding laundry this evening: my ratio of t-shirts-I-have-paid-for to t-shirts-I-have-gotten-for-free is way out of whack! Um, I'm not a klepto. But I do have a couple of Mother/Daughter Walk for Heart and Stroke shirts, four shirts from races I've run in, at least three from the Children's Groundwater Festival (I used to be on the board), plus odd shirts from work (Waste Management! The Toilet Replacement Program!) and various gyms (GoodLife, and 360 Fitness - which reminds me, I have to still get in touch with my friend about the pass I won in his charity auction.) Obviously, I need to go shopping. I need to stock up on shirts that allow me to express myself in the uniquly individual manner possible only when wearing a shirt with a clever slogan that one hundred other people are also sporting. Hee.
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