Another One Bites the Dust

Before the race

I have the second of the 3 half marathons to qualify for the Triple Crown medal. I think I can honestly say that I don't have much desire to ever do the half marathon that we did yesterday again. Ever. The hills on the course were insane! There was a huge hill to get us up into Torrey Pines, and they never seemed to end. When I went back and looked at the elevation climb on each of the 2 races I've done, it was amazing! The Carlsbad Half Marathon in January had a climb of 871 feet, and the La Jolla Half Marathon yesterday had a climb of 1207 feet! My time yesterday was slower than the Carlsbad Half, but with that kid of difference in our elevation climb, I'm ok with that! I was only slower by 4 minutes, so overall, I think my running was faster than before. My time for this half was 2:18:19 {Carlsbad was 2:14:11}.

 I ended up with a few blisters on my feet and my knees are pretty sore. Lane got a much bigger blister on the arch of his foot - about the size of a quarter! Lane actually broke down and took an ice bath last night to help with his joints. He got lucky that it's his joints - my muscles hurt when I flex my toes. Ok, ok, neither one of us really lucked out! The pain I have is a reminder of the milestone that I met yesterday!

After the race in the beer garden 

Me with Karin. She ran the Carlsbad Half too. We're going to accomplish the Triple Crown together - without ever running together because she's much faster than I am! She ran La Jolla in under 2 hours {which is my goal for the next run!! We'll see about that...}

Motherhood Is...{17}

This week I am blessed to have a child who will transfer while asleep.

When Eden was a baby, she never slept in the car. If she did sleep in the car, she sure as heck wasn't going to let you get her out of the car and take her into the house. I'm not sure if it's because Hunter is the second child and he's always had to sleep wherever was convenient, but he does sleep wherever {for the most part.}

This week he fell asleep after our run and playing on the playground on our way home. He almost made it all the way home without falling asleep, and he was smiling at me with his eyes half opened. He was too cute! When we got home Eden wanted to get out of the car first, so I took her inside and then went back to the garage to get him. When I got him out of the car I was able to transfer him to the couch and cover him up while he slept for a few more minutes. He slept on the couch while I made lunch and turned on a show for Eden.

I'm so glad to be able to finally have a child who will go to sleep at the drop of a hat and stay asleep. It makes it easier to be able to be out and about to get things done! We can go anywhere for the most part. And we can still squeeze in a nap, which makes everyone happier!

A Very...Long...Week!

This is what Eden did during "nap time" on Monday. This was not how I left my bed when I got up for the day! And she wasn't even supposed to be in there! She was doing anything and everything to stay awake at nap time.

I took some pictures of the kids for something that I'm doing to give to Lane for Father's Day and this is one of the "out takes" from Hunter's session.

Eden's mischievous eyes!

He wanted to smile, but he was not quite ready to wake up after the car ride home.

Tuesday - she wasn't tired...can you tell?!

Hunter was signing "more" during dinner. I'm so glad he's starting to communicate in a way other than screaming!

After we got the flat tire and I pumped it back up, Hunter wanted to help. He used a part of the air compressor, but the hose wasn't hooked up to it.

These are some of the lyrics to the song that Lane and I danced to at our wedding reception. I embroidered them on a patch of fabric and I'm going to sew them into his cover for while he's deployed. This was supposed to be an anniversary gift, but I couldn't figure out a way to sneak it in, so I told him about it already and I'll put it in his cover for him to have when he's not able to be with us.

Hunter didn't want to wake up to go on our morning run. He doesn't usually stay asleep after the door to his room was open, but he was out like a light this day! He was too sweet not to take a picture!

Yet another day that Eden was refusing to nap! She was jumping on her bed during nap time, so I turned her mattress up on it's side so she couldn't jump anymore. 

These snails were on the kids' inflatable pool one morning. Hunter noticed them and wanted to play with them. Once he picked one up and I made him put it down they all piled on each other and stayed that way most of the day {until I put them in the yard by the plants}. There were 4 of them! Eden got a kick out of the "tower" of snails.

One of the many lizards that we saw on our run this morning. He had a blue belly, which was why I wanted to take a picture of him. 

Hunter LOVES to go down the slide! He's going to give me a heart attack before I'm 30.

During the practice portion of soccer, the team learned about being the goalie.

We came home and played in the water table and ate a picnic lunch. Eden asked me to take a picture of her and Hunter together.

Yep, there's the climber! 

Getting Ready

As a military family we are always trying to find ways to keep Daddy home and close even when he's not. His schedule is not a 9-5 and many days he could have a night flight, or be gone for a weekend. Sometimes we may not know until a few days before that he'll be gone for a night or more. Because of that - and deployments - we're always looking for ways to keep him involved in our kids' lives. Some of the things that have worked well for us have been:

FaceTime/Skype

 Daddy Dolls

Recordable Books

Lane's "thing" with the kids is that they tell each other "I love you SO much" when they are saying I love you to each other. I thought this book would be perfect for Lane to "read" to the kids. It will be a great way for them to hear his voice while he's gone. We're not sure what the time change will ever be when he's gone to different places, so this will be perfect. I also want to record stories, songs, and different things on the computer for the kids to be able to watch while he's gone on his "long trip."

"Everyday" Pictures

Emails, letters, and care packages will be a must when he deploys, but aren't as much so when he's home, but when he's gone for months, these will be needed.

Our Little Climber

For a few days now, Hunter has made it his goal to learn how to climb on things. He wants to climb up onto the couch, up on the retaining wall in the back yard, Eden's bed, anything! I can't keep him down off of things. Playgrounds aren't as much fun for me these days because they're more fun for him. He's all over the place! Up and down, climbing on everything.

Much Better

Today started off the way yesterday ended - pretty terrible! Last night ended with Eden screaming because Nugget walked past her room as she was trying to go to sleep. She cried like I had chopped off her leg. Because the dog walked by her room! This morning wasn't much better. She was in time out before Hunter even woke up. She was stomping her foot at me and telling me no before she had been awake for an hour. Today wasn't going to run very smoothly.

As the day went on things gradually got better - despite Eden being in timeout for throwing mulch at the playground and then yelling from timeout {as I was talking to another parent} and having a flat tire on my jogging stroller that I discovered as I took it out of the car to go running. Yes, all of that happened before 10am and the day was better than yesterday!

At the playground Eden was only in time out that once and Hunter was sticking close by and I wasn't having to chase him everywhere. He loves the slides and he's starting to grasp the idea of going down, then around and back up the steps to do it again. He's fun to watch explore! I made sure to let Eden know that her getting-better-behavior did not go un-noticed and therefore it got better and better as the day went on {and then she napped!} Eden's attitude wasn't the only one that adjusted for the better. I made sure to pay attention to how I was reacting to her behavior. I didn't lose my cool and I didn't get angry with her.

It helped to have a friend close by at the playground who talked me through Eden's behavior issues. She also provided me with ideas for different situations that Eden presents me with. Not just that, but I got a reassuring message from a friend today. It's just nice to be surrounded {physically and virtually} by people who can see the good in what you do when you've got clouded visions of how life is treating you! They see you for what you're worth, and they remind you that it's sometimes more than you think of yourself.

How Old Are You?!

I remember everything that surrounds the moment that I read that question with regards to disciplining your child. I was sitting in my bed in our house in Florida, reading a parenting magazine. Those were the days - I remember them well. Actually, they're starting to become a bit of a blur, but everything is these days! Remember? You could sit somewhere, anywhere, and it would be quiet and you could read something without falling asleep?! Ah...bliss!

Anyways, I digress. I don't remember the article name, or the magazine itself, but I do remember thinking to myself that I would always remember that question. When your child is acting up, being bad, terrorizing Target, running circles around you - you name it - you should stop and ask him/her, "how old are you? 3?!" Where I insert a 3, you may insert a 4, 1, 9, any number. But think about it...Today, Eden was stomping her foot at me and telling me no when I asked her nicely {to start with} to pick up her toys.

After a perfect morning {which was noted to her and talked about with her} I was so mad that she was going to flip the switch to demon child and start acting like...well...a 3 year old. I was appalled at the idea of the rotten behavior and I wasn't going to put up with it. I was so frustrated. I didn't stop to think my magic question {in the moment} and I was getting more and more mad. Time out wasn't working, soap in the mouth didn't work {yes, I went there!}, taking away toys didn't work, taking away her beloved duck wasn't working, shutting the door to her room didn't work. Nothing worked. I was so angry, and my frustration wasn't subsiding one bit as her behavior got worse and worse.

Had I stopped to ask myself the magic question, I would have realized that she was indeed acting her age and she wasn't really doing anything out of the ordinary. She skipped her nap time - which was the start of the downfall of the evening - and she was exhausted after a full morning playing outside and with friends. She took her clothes off and put on a pair of tights that was in her dresser and because she had tights on, she had an accident while trying to get to the potty in time. Not just that, she tripped on her way because she tried to take them off and couldn't. Then she refused to get dressed, so she couldn't go outside for the afternoon because she didn't have clothes on. And then she wouldn't pick up the toys,  so she had to go upstairs and go right to bed - no stories, no back scratches, nothing. It was just a downward spiral that got out of control very quickly.

Hunter does the same thing though. He was playing with a friends train table and he discovered that the pieces were individual, so he started shaking the buildings and essentially tearing apart the village that they had built. I told him no, he walked away. He walked over, did it again, I said no, he walked away. Repeat about a million times and then add a smile to his face because he was testing me and loving every minute of it. I was getting frustrated at his behavior, but never stopped to ask the magic question. How old are you? ONE?! Yes, he's one.

That's the kind of thing a one year old does. He has to test his limits to learn what he can and cannot do. I have to teach him right from wrong. I have to keep my cool while I do it so that he doesn't act out as much. I know all of this, but put me in the moment and I don't want to lose the battle with a 3 year old, or a 1 year old, so I am just as stubborn as they are - if not more. Needless to say, my house has been a battle-ground most of today and I'm not innocent in any way. I need to remember my magic question in the heat of the moment and I need to remember to keep my cool and be scream free as I'm going through my parenting moments. I should also ask the magic question of myself, because I can act their age instead of my own at ant given moment and that doesn't make for great parenting.

So, how old are you? And how old are you acting? We all need to act our age, remember to expect 3 year old behavior from a 3 year old, 1 year old behavior from a 1 year old. My expectations need to be realistic of each child even if they act older and more mature at times. But I also need to act my age, too!

Motherhood Is...{16}

This week my blessing is that the man in the blue shirt is home right now.

With the deployment coming much faster than I had hoped I'm so glad that he's home right now. I'm trying to remember to live in the here-and-now and not dwell on the fact that he's leaving. But the reality is that he will be leaving. We've got to find the right time to start talking to the kids {mainly Eden since Hunter won't get it really} about his "long trip" and how much is too much information, but still telling her the truth. I'm thinking we're going to go the route that Daddy is on a long trip and he's flying his airplane. We'll be able to {hopefully} video chat with him via facetime and Skype, so the kids will be able to "see" him while he's away. Lucky {or not} for us, we've gone through weeks without Daddy, so it was good practice for us.

For now, he's home. For now, I'm living in the moment. For now, I'm beyond excited that he's here with us!

Fun Week

This week was a lot of fun. We didn't do much out of the ordinary, but we enjoyed our time together. Eden saw some friends, we went to story time, the kids played in the hot tub, and we just hung around. I was happy to have a semi-chill week that didn't place too many demands on us...until the weekend! We had soccer and a birthday party all on Saturday and we were tired by the afternoon!!!

Eden and her friend Charlotte - this was a scary sight!

We got the "boxes" from the bathrooms changed to vanity lighting {finally!} This project was started in SEPTEMBER of last year. We decided in the middle of taking out the boxes to just re-do the master bathroom, which led to re-tiling the upstairs hall bath. Needless to say, we updated things throughout the house, but this project was put on hold.

Eden drew a football. I drew the one on the left and she drew the one right beside her after seeing me draw one.

These geese were walking all in a row down the sidewalk at the lake that the kids and I run during the week.

Hunter loved his taco salad for dinner.

And Eden couldn't be left out!

We had to take Lane something at work on Friday morning and I was watching Coen for a friend. He was excited because his carseat isn't usually in the back of their van, but it was in mine!

After soccer, we went to a birthday party and there were pony rides!

Soccer Mom

Yep, that's right. I'm now living the dream - I have my van, I have my soccer player, we have bag chairs, and every Saturday morning we head out to soccer games! I'm so excited!!!

Eden started playing soccer today. She had fun while it started and then by the end of the hour-long practice she was hot and tired. She had never done any sort of activity that included heat AND following directions at the same time for a full hour.

{and yes, I was THAT mom that took tons of pictures. BUT I was not that mom who didn't let her kid participate with the coach by hovering over her!}

follow the leader with all of the kids

stretching with Cael before everything got started

With her neon yellow team, waiting for her turn to dribble.

We're a soccer family and I love it!

Passing drill

Water and pep talk from Daddy at the end of practice!

You Might Be a Mom If...

I realized today as I was getting ready for bed that in the back of my mind I had a little Jeff Foxyworth's
"You might be a redneck if..." going on. Mine was mom style though. Of course, once I thought of the original I started coming up with more. Here are some of the fun ones I came up with.

You Might Be a Mom if...

You take off yoga pants and fold them, put them back in your drawers - with boogers on them. {Let's be honest, the runny nose isn't going to be gone tomorrow, and it's just going to be more boogers in the forecast...might as well wear them again!}

You need a vacation when you get home from a vacation.

You get excited to need a few las minute dinner items when Daddy gets home. You get to go to the grocery store ALONE!

You long for bed time so you can sit and enjoy silence.

You spend all day picking up messes around the house {that you didn't create}, only to go to bed and the house is still a disaster! {How can such tiny beings make such a huge mess?!}

You get just as excited - and maybe more excited - to go to the playground as your child{ren} because you're meeting friends {yours and theirs} there!

You set up play dates so you can hang out with your friends.

You get excited to have an excuse to eat goldfish, fruit snacks, chicken nuggets, etc.

You can recite the lines of Disney movies and songs when you hear them in the other room.

You're the funniest person in the room {but only to the little person!}

You vacuum or clean something and your 3 year old asks who's coming over.

You put on something other than a t-shirt and jeans or yoga pants and you're told that you look "so beautiful" today.

You say "because I said so" and cringe because you swore you'd never say that...ever! {And in the back of your mind as you're starting to say it - because it's the only valid answer to the thousandth time you've been asked "why?" - you thought through different answers and none of them worked as well as the dreaded "I said so!"}

You smile as you said, "I love you," and, "good night," because no matter how bad the day was, tomorrow's a new day. And no matter how the day went, when you hear the tiny voice that says "I love you," back to you {or the tiny word-less baby snuggles on your shoulder} you know you made it through the day and you're still the best thing that's happened to them.

You're a superhero to at least one person...every. single. day!

You get to blow and catch kisses every day.

You smile ear to ear at seeing the excitement in your kids faces of Daddy coming home from work.

You have laundry to wash even if you've just finished washing everything in the house.

You just finished a meal and you're already thinking about the next one. Not because you're hungry, but because by the time someone gets hungry you need to have a plan set to feed them!

You have someone else's poop and pee schedule in the back of your mind so you can remind them to go to the bathroom/be prepared for diaper blow-outs, but you can't remember the last time you pee'd or pooped.

You answer the same question over and over and over and over and over again.

Neon Run

We did another family fun-run this past weekend. It was a blast! There was music, running, dancing, and glowing. We did the Neon Run and we enjoyed being able to stay out late with the kids to do something special. Not to mention, the next morning our kids graced us with a little bit of sleeping in - Eden slept until 9 and Hunter until 10!

The run was similar to the Color run, where they spray you with a substance {the Color Run used a powder and the Neon Run used a liquid paint} in order to get you to glow. We got there early, so we took the opportunity to use the tailgate seats in the new van and just hang out before heading over to the start of the course.

the start line

After each spray session there were tents with black lights so you could glow as you ran through. It was a lot of fun and our clothes are still splotched with paint to prove it!

all of us looked a little bit like this!

Eden was looking at her painted hands.

After the run, Lane thought he could use a 4th meal to round out the evening. We stopped at In-n-Out on our way home to grab an animal style burger. Who wouldn't want a burger after a run. And come one, we looked good enough to go out with our painted faces!

It was lots of fun and we had the glow to prove it!