My Perfect Shoe!

I've mentioned previously that my goal for this year is to run a 5k and so a few weeks ago I decided that it was time to not just use the elliptical but to start using the treadmill again but this time it was to run not walk.  So I started with the Couch to 5k program which should be fairly simple even for me!  But I was never able to make it through the full amount of time.  Yes, I was exhausted after several minutes but I'm pretty good about pushing through exhaustion it was the pain that I just couldn't bare.  And so I'd give it up for the day and move on to the elliptical or weights with the goal to come back and try it another day.  I figured that it was just a matter of getting used to it, I could not have been more wrong.  The pain didn't go away, in fact it started to get worse and I was just about ready to throw in the towel on running completely when I started doing some research.  The conclusion I reached after the research...shin splints!

I found out that there could be several causes of the shin splints but the easiest to fix was new shoes.  Now B told me back before Christmas that I needed new shoes because the ones I had didn't really have any tread left.  But he may as well have been speaking french to me because I grew up 1) in the south and since we don't get a lot of snow or ice we didn't need a lot of traction and 2) my family didn't have a lot of money so we wore shoes until we wore a hole into the shoe and there were no holes in my shoes (even though they're a good 4-5 years old).  So I ignored him and decided I didn't really need shoes.

But in an effort to get rid of the pains in my shin I caved and went into a local running store.  They analyzed my feet on a machine which did a scan of my feet.  It showed them my arch as well as showing them where on my foot I place the most pressure and balance most of my weight.  Then they watched me walk.  Based on everything they observed they concluded that I have a neutral foot therefore I require a shoe with a neutral ride and that I don't over- or underpronate and the best type of shoe for me was a cushioned running shoe.  Then they pulled out a few brands and had me try them on.

I had been told that the shoes at this shop were a bit on the high priced end and that I could find them cheaper elsewhere, but for the type of shoe I require I found that they were pretty much the same price as everywhere else.  Everywhere else except the Nike Factory Store that is!  So that's where we headed and I walked out of there with a pair of shoes that I loved, in a color that I loved - which ultimately was the downfall of the running store.  To me, color matters!!!

Today I was finally able to go to the gym and give them a try and I cannot tell you how amazing it felt to run in those shoes!  They're light weight, they're very well cushioned and I kind of felt like I was bouncing on clouds the entire time.  And yes, I ran today.  And yes, I was exhausted.  But no, I was not in pain!!!  Now just to settle on a date for that 5k...

My Shoes!!

2012 Auto Show

Every year B and myself go to the North American International Auto Show.  Looking at cars for hours on end isn't really my thing but it's B's thing and therefore I go without complaining (most of the time).  This year was slightly different though, normally I don't pay much attention to the cars with the exception of the Mini Cooper - I love them, they're cute!  This year, however, I was a bit more attentive to some of the other cars because before this year is out we will be in the market for a new (to us) car.  We have a list of possibilities and so when we saw the cars on that list I payed extra special attention.  I sat in the driver's seat, played around with the seat adjustment buttons to make sure I could get it at a place I liked and found comfy.  I sat in the passenger seat, climbed into the very back to see just how much leg room each had in case we ever needed to sit an adult back there.  I folded seats down and brought them back up again to see how easy it was to do as well as seeing how much trunk space it allows.  I opened doors, slammed doors, lifted the back hatch, tested just how much I could see out of the back window at different angles and positions.  I gave them a pretty thorough inspection and I enjoyed doing it!  Then we went on to see other vehicles that were way out of our price range but there are always people staring at them drooling over them.  But, if you ask me, this was the prettiest thing I saw all night!

And if you're wondering where Y was, she had a blast at home with her Grandpa P and Nana B!

Making the Bed

Dressed up as Belle and playing with Chip

Yesterday, I made my bed.  May not seem like a big deal but I almost never make our bed.  I told myself that I would make more of an effort to make our bed because I wanted Y to start making her bed, I figured it could be her first "real" chore.  So I made our bed while she was playing in the living room but I never mentioned it to her, I wanted to see her reaction without pointing it out to her.  So a bit later when she walked into our room she said, "Hey, you made your bed mommy" and then she promptly ran out of our room and into her own. 

Because of the location of the baby monitor I could hear that she was rustling her sheets and after what seemed like quite a long time she came to get me so she could show me her handy work.  She took me to her room and she beamed with pride.  I gave her big hugs and big high fives and told her how proud I was of her.

Fast forward 24 hours.

This morning when I went in to change Q's diaper Y began to make her bed and I watched her do it.  It wasn't perfect but it doesn't need to be.  What's important is that she's learning responsibility and she's learning to do it on her own.  I will give her a few tips here and there but for the most part I'll let her continue to figure it out on her own because I love that huge, shy smile that comes across her face when she realizes that she's done something and she didn't need anyone else's help to do it.

I'll also add that this morning I had not made my bed, but Y fixed that!  After she finished with her own she marched right past me and said, "OK mommy, now it's time to make your bed."  And with that I laid Q down on a blanket on the floor and we made my bed together!

Girly Stuff

I am not nor have I ever been a girly-girl.  I always hated frills and ruffles and most of all, PINK!  Not hot pink, love that, but that pale pink that people always connect with baby girls.  And for those reasons I always wanted boys first.  But alas, I have two girls and my worst fear is becoming reality...they are turning me into a girly-girl (but I'm still not a fan of pale pink)!

So when I was given a $10 gift card to Plum District (think Groupon but geared towards moms) I had to find something to use it on.  Then lo and behold one day they have a deal to a website called 500babies.  I went and checked it out and at first all I saw were bows and headbands (which I have plenty of) but then I noticed they had baby leg warmers which I've been wanting to make for some time now but hadn't gotten around to it.  Long story short, I bought the deal and then I bought the leg warmers.  I am in love with them, they look absolutely adorable on Q and a couple of them even fit Y!  The best part is that now I can just put Q on a onesie and a pair of leg warmers and she's set.  She loves to grab (and eat) her feet these days but when she's wearing a bulky pair of pants it's pretty impossible for her to do but it's easy with the leg warmers. And did I mention that it makes changing diapers SOOOOO much easier?  So much so that I am now considering making a few pair on my own to add to the 4 I purchased because I think my baby girl needs some argyle in her life!

You know I'm a sucker for polka-dots!

I know what you're thinking...but they're a rose color, not pink! haha ;)  We have also have these in white and hot pink.

If you think you'd want to make some of your own there are tons of tutorials on the internet, you just buy knee socks (target always has cute prints for like $2.50).  But I will admit that I'm clueless as to how they would have made the ruffly ones above.  I've stared at them and tried to figure it out but I'm dumbfounded.

Clarification

After discussing my previous post with my mom I felt the need to write another post in hopes of clarifying something that I wrote in that post.  I said, "I want a bigger house...We have a beautiful home that provides us with shelter from the elements and offers us sufficient space." 

My mother was pretty surprised by that statement, she could not believe that I want a bigger home and after thinking about it myself it does seem a bit odd that I'm saying I want a different house after just buying this one less than 2 years ago.  So I want to set the record straight. 

Here goes:

I love my home, it's beautiful, it's cozy, it's HOME!  It's just under 1600 square feet which I'll add is bigger than any place I've EVER lived in and I was raised in a house with 5 people.  However, the downfall of our breathtaking, 1600 square foot condo is that it only has 2 bedrooms.  We want 3 or 4 children.  Do you see where I'm going with this?  If Y and Q were to be our only children then our current home would suffice but I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that we are not done.  I know with every fiber of my being that there is at least one more spirit waiting for us to usher him/her into this world.

So, with that said, I'll add that we are NOT in the market for a new home currently and we have no plans of putting this place on the market or looking for a new home anytime soon.  We are comfortable here, we love it here, and if it had just one more bedroom (and a bit more storage space) we'd probably live here forever.  When the time comes to move I'll be very sad, but to my knowledge that's still a couple years down the road.

Heartbreaking

Pretty much my entire day today was filled with thoughts about gratitude.  Mostly about how I tend to focus more on what I could have without expressing gratitude for what I do have.  Some examples:

• I want B to finally get that better job he's been searching for...B has a job that provides us with all that we need (plus a little extra).
• I want a second car...We have a car that, besides a dead battery once, has NEVER given us a single issue.
• I want a bigger house...We have a beautiful home that provides us with shelter from the elements and offers us sufficient space.

I could go on with more examples but I'll spare you the boredom of reading them all and I'll spare myself the embarrassment of sounding even more whiny.  The truth of the matter is I'm richly blessed, probably much more so than I deserve. 

And so while already contemplating this and feeling heavy hearted at my lack of appreciation for all of the wonderful blessings that I do have, I came across this article while reading news headlines on Yahoo.  It's about a mother and her son, the son who was not quite 3 years old had been diagnosed with a disease known as EB at birth.  He did in his mother's arms.  She has a blog and so I clicked the link in the article to visit her blog.  I read the following words, her words, and I cried:

My precious angel received his wings today.  I have had many nightmares about having to write this post.  He was exactly 2 years and 8 months old.  It happened within minutes of me picking him up out of bed and rocking him.  He took his last peaceful breaths in my arms, in his most favorite spot.  My heart literally hurts more than I ever thought was possible.  I'm completely lost without him and don't know where to go or what to do when my feet hit the floor.  I miss him so much it physically hurts.

 I cried because she is suffering an unimaginable loss.  I cried because, while I've never myself experienced a loss such as hers, I could place myself in her shoes and understand just how deeply it must hurt.  I cried because I cradle my own babies next to me everyday and the thought of waking up one day and doing that for the last time breaks my heart.  And I cried because I have two beautiful, happy, healthy little girls and I don't express my gratitude for that nearly enough.

And so, with that I've added a goal for 2012!  And it'd undoubtedly the most important goal I could ever set.  In 2012 I want to take less for granted, to express gratitude for the blessings I have and stop focusing so much time and attention on the blessings I don't yet have and may never have.  Because in the end how many cars we have or how much space we have are completely unimportant.  We are alive, we are healthy, we are happy and we have all that we need - that's plenty cause for us to celebrate!

Toe Discovery

Guess who's discovered her toes?!?!  So this isn't a huge milestone but I just find something extremely adorable about baby playing with their feet!  I love it and aside from that it gave me an excuse to post more pictures.  She is too stinkin' cute!

What She Wants to Be...at 3!

Today I took the girls out for a walk since we've been having some unseasonably warm weather here in Michigan (reality returns tomorrow).  While we were walking Q feel asleep in the stroller and so I could focus all my attention on Y.  I asked her the famous question, "what do you wanna be when you grow up?"  I anticipated an answer that she would see on one of her favorite cartoons, Caillou.  He always imagines himself as a pilot, police officer, fire fighter, etc.  So I figured with Y only being 3 that it wasn't something she would put much thought into yet and so she'd just go with one from the cartoon.

Well I apparently greatly underestimate the thought processes of my child because what she said completely surprised me.  Her response to my question was, "I want to be a a nurse when I get big so I can take care of babies, I want to be a baby nurse."  After I recovered from my initial surprise I asked her why she wanted to be a baby nurse and she broke out into this long narrative of  me and B being at the hospital and how she came with her Nana B and Grandpa P and seeing Q for the first time and the nurses taking care of Q.  I was truly mesmerized by it all.

I know she's only 3 and by the time she's at an age to choose what she'll be she may likely have changed her mind completely but I have no doubt that despite what she chooses to become, she'll be awesome at it.  And watching her with Q at times I can definitely see her growing up to be a "baby nurse," as long as she sometime between now and then she stops squeezing Q's nose and screaming, "HONK!"

Finally, A Sunbeam

Y is a Sunbeam!!!  For those unfamiliar with the term, at our church once a child turns 18 months they begin to attend nursery for the 2 hours following Sacrament meeting.  They continue to attend nursery until the January following their 3rd birthday.  The class that they attend after nursery is called The Sunbeam's it's pretty different from attending nursery where they typically just play with toys, eat snacks, have a very short lesson and color. 

I was fairly concerned with how well Y would do having to sit through a lesson and such but she apparently handled it really well, her teacher said she did great.  When I picked Y up from class I asked her how she liked her new class and her response was, "I hate Sunbeams, I wanna go back to nursery!"  The reaction didn't surprise me at all because her new favorite comment is, "I hate ______, I want _______."  You can pretty much insert anything you can imagine coming from a 3 year old's mouth into those blank spaces, because I'm pretty sure that I've heard it by now.

Here, There, Everywhere

Here, there, and everywhere!  That's where Y has started to notice letters.  Truth is I probably should have written this post a few months back but now we've reached a point where her love of letters is really quite amazing to me.  To the point where I will be truly surprised if she's not reading well before kindergarten.  Heck, at this rate I'd be surprised if she's not reading in a year from now!

She's been singing the ABC Song since she was probably 15-18 months but I always chalked it up to 1) she could speak (clearly) at a pretty young age and 2) her love of music.  She began to actually recognize letters around a year or so ago but it was only a few letters here and there.  But in the last few months I've been truly amazed at what she has picked up and we honestly can't take any credit for it because it's not something I really feel like we've played much of a part in.  Sure we bought her the magnetic alphabet to put on the fridge (and subsequently took them away because she preferred to throw them under the fridge) and we've provided her with tons of books which she loves to have read to her, but we've only ever occasionally sat down with her and actively reviewed the alphabet.  She's pretty much taken all of the initiative herself.

It really started over the summer after I had finished painting Q's name to hang on their wall.  Y's name has always been up on the wall in a similar fashion but it wasn't until I hung Q's name that she begin to take an interest in the letters.  She recognized some of the letters and didn't recognize others but the ones she didn't know, she asked about.  Many times while I was nursing Q she would look up at the letters hanging on the wall and call them out and then one day she really realized that she was spelling her own and Q's name.  And after that it was like a light bulb came on!  Since then she has really taken to letters and realizing that letters form words. 

She has learned how to open up a Word document just so she can type.  It's gotten to the point that she recognizes the icon for a Word document and will just click on any icon she sees that represents a Word document and thus I've had to stop storing any Word document on my desktop in fear that she will open and alter it with a bunch of random letters.  Whenever we are out we have started to play the game, Eye Spy using letters and she absolutely loves it.  If we're watching television and she sees a B, U, Q, or I she will get all excited and say "mommy, that's your letter" if she's seeing a U because she knows my name begins with a U.  She will do this with any of the first letters of our name.  Yes, that does mean that she is learning to spell all of our names!  She has spelling Q's name down, she pretty much has my name and her own down and she's just now starting to take a crack at B's name.

For Christmas Santa brought her a Fisher-Price iXL and she has discovered that she can use it to trace her alphabet both big and little, needless to say she loves it!  And I've noticed her trying to write them on pieces of paper laying around.  She is a long way from perfecting any of those letters, but with her determination I guarantee you it's only a matter of time!

5 Months Old

Yep, I'm behind on this one too!

Q turned 5 months old on New Year's Day and I had every intention of taking pictures of her that day.  But likely because we were out of town and otherwise busy, it completely slipped my mind until Wednesday and even though that's the day I remembered it, it still took me until Friday to take the pictures.  Needless to say the past week was a bit of a whirlwind after being out of town for the previous 2 weekends.

At 5 months Q is still an angel of a baby, she rarely cries and we seem to get lots of comments from people who acknowledge just how little she cries.  If she's crying it likely means she's sleepy and someone didn't get her down for her nap on time!  She's been doing great with her reflux and when she finishes this last bottle of Zantac (in the next week or so) I plan to do an experiment and see how she does without the medication.  I am fairly certain that while she still spits up, she will do okay without any medication.  And in the event that I'm wrong, I'll just call the doctor and ask for a new prescription!

As for physically, she still loves to spend lots of time on the floor but she's still not completely rolling over yet.  She gets close many times but so far, no cigar.  She just needs to learn to tuck her arm in and she'd be rolling all over the place in no time.  I do find myself hoping that once she figures out how to roll onto her belly that she will simultaneously figure out how to roll herself back onto her back.  Because, honestly, it'd drive me nuts having to constantly roll her back over (unless of course I was playing on the floor with her).

She really enjoys watching Y while she plays and she always has a smile waiting whenever B walks into the room. I feel like she's beginning to enter the phase where she wants mommy much of the time. Sometimes I'll come home from the gym and she'll just cry out until I go over and hold her for a bit. She has really caught on quickly to eating solids and this week I'll start to add bananas to her cereal and after that we'll start her on sweet potatoes. I've already made sweet potatoes and carrots which are waiting in the freezer for her to start in the coming weeks.

She's already gaining quite the personality and is becoming a bit of a flirt!  She loves to look at herself in the mirror, as did her big sister and most other babies.  But whenever someone comments on how beautiful she is, which happens a lot, she gets the biggest grin on her face as if she knows exactly what they're saying and she's in complete agreement.  We always received lots of similar comments with Y but I don't remember her receiving the comment with such a huge grin on her face, haha.

P.S. Yes, her eyes are still quite stunning though I'm not sure what color I'd say they are now.  Pictures still don't quite to them justice!

2012 - Happy New Year

First things first, I fully realize that I am a full week behind in writing this post.  I typically write my New Year's post ahead of time and just schedule it to post to my blog as the clock strikes midnight.  I guess by now you've realized that didn't happen.  And since the first step is admitting there is a problem...I acknowledge that I am behind in updating my blog.  I will at least attempt to correct that now.

Here we go...

I am SUPER excited about 2012!!  I feel we, as a family, have a lot of positive things heading our way.  Ever had a feeling, good or bad, that you just couldn't shake?  Well that's the feeling that I have concerning 2012 so I have a lot of anticipation for what's to come. 

Each year I aim above making resolutions and instead set goals for myself.  I have been going to the gym for the last several months but I've set a goal to push myself every time I enter that gym.  I want to get out of that comfort zone, try things I haven't tried before or things that I've been hesitant to try.  I really want to attempt to push my body to it's limits in a hope to expand my endurance levels on certain activities.  I hate running on the treadmill, it makes me paranoid but I've started to do it because I know that without doing it I'll never reach the goal of running a 5k. Sure, I could always go running outside but let's be realistic I HATE cold weather and if I told myself that I was going to go outside and go running in the cold...I'd be LYING!!  And so, I'll learn to like running on a treadmill, at least until spring.  I'll let you in on a secret...I love the feeling of coming home after having a really good workout, it makes me feel as if I've accomplished a lot that day.

My other goal, is to eat better.  As it is we don't eat bad but we could definitely stand to make a few changes.  My biggest challenge is portion control and so I've made it a goal to master my portions.  To increase the amount of fruits and veggies I eat while decreasing some of the junk that I eat.

So those are my personal, health oriented goals.  My final goal is to just work towards becoming a better wife and mother, but that's really an ongoing goal.  Maybe it's being the mother to a 3 year old or maybe it's having more than one kid begging for my attention at once (or maybe it's a bit of both) but I really felt like my mothering skills have faltered in the past several months.  I desperately need to get back on track though, and hopefully feel as if I am on top of it again.