confession: me and my baby dance to this song every day

And practice the dance skillz I don't have. That's skills with a Z

blarg

So we are quarantined this week due to a (probably unfounded) whooping cough outbreak in Eli's play group. Nothing life-threatening, everyone's fine and on antibiotics. Honey Bear doesn't even have any symptoms whatsoever. But.

I hate antibiotics.

I was just bragging the other day how Honey Bear has never been sick in his life and never run a fever even though I didn't breastfeed for a year. (well...at least he *technically* still isn't sick, and still never a fever? but, yeah yeah God was humbling me)

So, today I am determined to
a) Not clean.
b) Not cook baby food.
c) Update our family blog, Attempt to subscribe to google reader (I've never done it...can you tell by my verbiage?)
d) Make Eli a food chart (to make sure he's getting all the nutrients he needs at his age...SuperBabyFood, anyone? It's a LIFEsaver)
e) Read about toddler discipline (which...I will probably not get to...will probably procrastinate a few more months to be honest and read other people's blogs instead).

Been procrastinating those things and since I WAS on the phone all day figuring out our new health insurance and budget (which, I had been procrastinating those prior to), I get a reward of living in a dirty house today.

So for food charting..it looks like I will be giving Honey Bear snacks today for the first time ever! He is apparently old enough for two snacks a day now. We'll be using his cute new dishes

 (orange and teal of course, because those are his colors)
And he will be eating tofu. Why. Because I can. He doesn't know it tastes awful. I mean look at how happy he is

Next on foods to add for next week are--spinach and broccoli  (Sunday's are my Sprouts Day, I go to sprouts and get all his baby food, and cook it the next morning).
So far we've introduced (and have tons in the freezer): asparagus, pears, peaches, apple, banana, carrots, pumpin, sweet potato, avacado, tofu, acorn squash and yellow squash. I truly, truly love making HoneyBear's baby food. Not only is it more nutritious, but it's so empowering for me. I feel like a grown up woman who knows how to do woman things. 

PS, So...organic baby food not necesarily more nutritious? Is it really worth it? Mayo Clinic article on baby organic food

youtube of the week

love this

How to Run a Half Marathooooon

Okay disclaimer...I am not an expert. Far far from. However, I have had multiple friends asking me how I trained for my last half-marathon (okay, it was my FIRST half marathon, first RACE since....pubesence.)  I decided to run a half-marathon a couple months after the birth of Elijah, because I wanted to lose the baby weight because I was starting to feel like this

And, at a week post-baby, I had a Target clerk ask me when I was due.

That'll do it.

Instant motivation.

Running the marathon was seriously one of the best feelings. Super empowering. I think 2010 was a very empowering year for me, and after having a baby I felt incredibly strong, incredibly empowered...if I can carry this massive baby and have him, and provide food for him and care for him, ...I mean a marathon starts to sound schmeasy-peasy. 

And in comparison to childbirth....it was

                         My only disclaimer--besides the fact that I'm not an expert just writing from my own experience--is that running may not be the quickest, most efficient or effective way to "shed baby weight". I have a friend who found another way to healthfully work out and lose some baby weight(and no she wasn't Heidi Klum, she was a normal human being with hips)...and her work out schedule was totally different from mine. (Hers was intensive in fat-burning exercises alternating with muscle-building)I will add hers to the end of this post in case you're interested

How I Ran a Half Marathon Post-Baby

BabyStepNumber1) Taking baby steps. About three weeks post-baby, I decided to go for a run. I do have a history of running (which helps) but it had been awhile. So, I figured, 'Oh, I'll just go for a mile'....pause...remembering Target clerk... 'maybe a two-mile jog'. Wrong. I ran three steps and was heaved over feeling like I was dying. What the heck. I came home (I made it to the end of my cul-de-sac) ready to turn in my Asics. Nope, running's not my thing.

Which leads to

BabyStepNumber2) Motivation. I know it's sad--but I continued to remember that Target clerk's comment. Cue slow motion voice and close up of Target clerk's mouth: 'wheeeen arrrre youuuu duuuuuuueeee'.  A couple days after my trek to the third house on my block, I decided to try again. And again. This continued to be my motivation. Now that I've lost about 50lbs, my motivation is to be a role model for Elijah. (in general my goal is to set standards HIGH for Elijah's future wife. Unattainably high.;) )

BSN3) A Race. So, I knew I probably wasn't going to stay committed to a work-out "plan". I always fall short of those things. So, I knew if I wanted to be committed to running a long distance, I had to sign up for a race (which are usually non-refundable) and just go for it. So, I ran on my own, in the mornings before Justin went to work, for about three months after baby. I didn't run everyday, I didn't even run every other day, but I tried to run every week. (Again--like I said--this isn't the most effective way to lose weight (at least the way I did it). It did however up my metabolism by the end of the ordeal.) So at three months post-baby, I signed me and my husband up for month 5 post-baby and it was done and done.

BSN4) A Route. We happen to live near one of the best running trails in Austin (Brushy Creek Trail, it's 13 mi long) so route was pretty convenient. I am not one of those people who will ever just pick up and DRIVE somewhere to go work out, I am just not that committed. So marking out a five-mile course in your neighborhood, regardless of trail or not is key. After that--I literally would run as far as I could in one direction, then be forced to run back home the same amount. 

BSN5) A Reward. After I signed up for the race, I knew I had to start running a lot more. I started trying to run every day (knowing I wouldn't make every day) and I made it a routine to go run at night when Justin got home, leave him with the baby, then when I got home Justin would let me have 'me' time during which I would watch the Bachelor (the season with Ally). Every time I would dread going to run, I would remember I don't get to see which faker she ditches this week if I don't go running.

BSN6) The 'Plan'. So two-months before my race, I knew it was crunch time and I had to make it to 13.1 miles. My only goal with this race was to run the entire time. I didn't care about my time, I just wanted to run the whole thing without walking. So I knew I had 8 weeks to learn how to run 13 miles. I called my sister-in-law (who has run a full marathon) and she told me if I can run 7 miles without stopping, I can run the 13.1. I was skeptical, but committed to that plan. So:

Week 1: I ran three miles twice

Week 2: I ran three miles twice

Week 3: I ran four miles once or twice

Week 4: I ran four miles once or twice

Week 5: I ran six miles once and two miles once

Week 6: I ran five miles once and eight miles once 

Week 7: I ran nine miles once and two miles once

Week 8: I ran three miles once.

Race Day.

I showed up Race Day (in Houston, October)and ate two pancakes, streteched for 45 minutes, and ran the entire thing without a glitch! I'm serious, it was God's grace to me. I felt no humps, no hard parts, and no temptations to walk. I give credit (of course to God) but also the the fact that I started slow, and worked up to it. ANd I never even had to run 13 miles before race day. My time was 2hrs 14 min, but I wonder if I could have been faster had I run harder.

*****
So now I'm 'training' for the Austin half in February. I am not training as much, or as consistently. Plus, I have the running stroller I have to train with now (which is...like pain-central the first few times). I will let you know how it goes!

(this is how I feel running with a baby)


Footnote:
Friend's Post-Baby Routine
** Per my friend, she worked out 5 days a week starting at 3 months. No excuses, never missing a day. 
** Her routine was lifting for 25 min straight, then cardio for the last 25 min (running, or stair-stepper set on 15). This is basically every day mind you. 
**Strict diet: Lots of protein for breakfast (big breakfast), vegetables and meat for lunch and dinner, and No carbs past 5pm. (This is the reason why this workout would never work for me.((But again, she has a six-pack and looks like Heidi Klum))
**She did this for a year, and continues to do this to stay in shape. 
Way to go her. 
Not for me. 

 

Ugh.

happy new years

Okay.

So my one. My only. New Year's Resolution is to make my house not feel like this anymore

Because it does. 

I feel under the pile. I can never get our house as clean as I want it, and by the time I've cleaned one area, (and taken care of baby, and run errands, and cleaned diapers and made baby food and cooked ) it's time to go to bed and my house still feels like

I'm not even watching Oprah. Bon bons? Nope I don't have any. And I still feel like my house isn't where I want it. 

So. I think it's time for a review. My own post, and I've already forgotten it.

Keeping Life Simple

I think those tips will help a ton. 

But I still need to do more. Here is what I'm trying in 2011. 

:

1) Putting Everything Back. As in, in it's place. I call it 'our new tradition'. Since the new year, I've been telling Justin to put everything back in their places, such as cereal, shoes, if we use a glass, put it in the sink, put dishes in the dishwasher....it's revolutionary really. I keep telling him it's our new tradition because maybe that way he will think it is fun.

2) A new weekly clean schedule. Here's one from flylady.net

 Monday: Weekly Home Blessing (8:00am-9:00am)

(Um of course the time doesn't apply to me--because with a baby your day starts at 6am! ((and is way busier))

1. Get Up and Dress to Shoes
2. Laundry
3. Weekly Home Blessing Hour
   1. Cull/toss old magazines.
   2. Change sheets.
   3. Empty all the trash.
   4. Vacuum all rooms.
   5. Mop kitchen and bath.
   6. Clean mirrors and doors.
   7. Feather Dust furniture.

Tuesday: Free Day

1. Water and fertilize plants.
2. Spend 15 minutes in the current zone.

Wednesday: Zone Clean and Partial Desk Time

1. Finish Zone Cleaning Chores.
2. Remainder Weekly Cleaning.
3. Make sure refrigerator is clean.
4. Write thank-you notes.
5. Work on menus and grocery list for next week.
6. Balance check book before going shopping.

Thursday: Grocery and Errand Day

1. Make sure menus are planned before you go shopping.
2. Check grocery list one last time before you walk out the door. Take your list with you.
3. Grocery Day.
4. Errand Day:
   1. Library.
   2. Post office.
   3. Buy gifts and cards.
   4. Buy candles.

Friday: Paperwork and Misc.

1. Be romantic today.
2. Get food from the freezer for next week.
3. File papers.
4. Write letters and cards.
5. Clean out purse.
6. Mend clothes and polish shoes.
7. Pet care (Flea and Heart Meds).
8. Clean out car and check fluids.
9. Clean laundry room.
10. Mail film to Mystic Labs.

Yeah! It's the weekend! Time for the weekend dance! LOL! Have some fun! - FlyLady

Friday: is "Date Night"
Saturday: is "Family Fun Day"
Sunday: is "Renew Your Spirit Day"

Here is where this stuff is at

fly lady 

Hm,,,, yeah I'm not sure I'm going to follow this to the T. But it's a start.

 More great resolutions:

Family Resolutions

Green Resolutions

Spiritual Resolutions