Happy Birthday Griffin!

Today we celebrated Griffin's 1st birthday! What a gorgeous day it was today! Griffin had Tammy from Lasting Moments by Tammy there taking pictures.  Olivia was so excited to see her and gave her some smiles! We saw all of our friends.  We had snacks and drinks and played.  Griffin did a good job with his cake and didn't get to messy.  Olivia had fun playing with the bubble machine and bubbles!  We are so glad we got to celebrate Griffin's special day with him.  We are so happy to have met him at Gymboree last summer!

Happy birthday kiss!

The chair that Olivia loved!

playing outside

Bubbles!

The birthday boy!

Violet and Bianca

Time for some cake!

No don't take my cake!

Olivia eating cucumbers and pointing at daddy!

Happy Rebirthday Karyn!

Last night we celebrated something really special! One year ago yesterday (May 18, 2011) our neighbor Karyn received a second chance at life.  Karyn has/had Wilson's Disease which affects the liver.  She has been off an on sick for many years.   But shortly after Olivia was born she got worse.  She got so bad that she was put on the transplant list to receive a new liver.  There was lots of waiting, hoping, and praying for her and her family.  Then the call finally came they had a lover for her.  I still remember finding out and calling Brendon and he couldn't even understand what I was saying! Shortly after the transplant she returned home and had an awesome recovery.  God truly gave her a miracle and a second chance at life.  It was amazing to see how fast she recovered and seeing her laugh and smile.  We had a small gathering last night for her and had some cake and ice cream to celebrate such a special day.  I know that Brendon and I are organ donors, and if you are not you should think about becoming one.  After Karyn's transplant we realized how special life is and to cherish every moment!

Heavy lifter!

Olivia has lately started carrying stuff around.  It started with a blanket, then her lawnmower, and today her 2 dogs- one stuffed and one that is a pull toy.  It is funny.  Also today she carried her ladybug pillow around and then would do a belly flop on it.  Too funny! Brendon got a great shot showing her top teeth too!

Olivia went grocery shopping with daddy too and did a great job.  We all went for a quick family swim today since it was warm.  Olivia cried a little bit at first but then was fine.  She is really chomping on her fingers and lots of other things....so those teeth must be coming but I can't quite see anything yet.  I feel the bumps from brushing but can't get her to open wide enough to see.

Look at my top teeth while doing belly flops on the ladybug!

I like to lift heavy things!

Melted my Heart

Today was Olivia's last day of daycare for awhile.  I picked some dates in June and July for her to go so she doesn't forget who Susan is! I got a big surprise when I picked her up today! I got my Mother's Day present! Susan painted canvases and Olivia's finger prints are the flower stems and ladybugs.  It is sooo cute! I cried...I just love homemade crafts and this just melted my heart. Then when I got home my other Mother's Day present came.  It is a necklace from The Vintage Pearl I tried to take a picture of it but they were all blurry.  So if you click on the link it will take you to what it looks like but mine says Olivia with her birthstone.

Olivia took a long nap and I tackled a long to do list which I am almost finished with.  Olivia also taught herself to sit in her little green chair tonight.  She knows to turn around and then sit.  It was hilarious to watch her figure it out.  She needs a little help because she sticks her leg through the one arm though.  But she was really fussy tonight after dinner and playing outside.  I could say we may have had a little tantrum.  She cried when I took something away from her- oh well.  Then she cried the entire bath which is not like her.  I know she is not the happiest because of all the teeth so hopefully she will sleep ok tonight.

Reading my books

My first painting from Olivia

Another lesson learned

Throughout these almost 14 months I have learned a lot of things.  Well I learned something new today.  After Gymboree today we met up with Michelle and Ethan, and Bianca and Violet to check out the fountain at the mall.  So I put a swim diaper on Olivia and her bathing suit.  Well the water pressure at this fountain was much stronger than the fountains we went to a few weeks ago in Suwanee.  Olivia did not like it at all.  She touched the water once and that was about it.  So she ate some snacks and hung out in her stroller.  So I figured since she didn't get her bathing suit wet she could just wear what she had on home.  Well what do you know when I lifted her out of the car seat when I got home my arm and leg got wet and I thought, "That was weird." Well... the swim diaper doesn't hold a lot of pee when you are not in the water.  Lesson learned...don't wear swim diapers in the car... Her car seat was all wet and it even got the seat of the truck wet.  Fun times...trying to clean up pee when the garage is like 100 degrees.  In fact I need to go check on it again....

Violet in her swimming suit!

Olivia- let me back in the stroller

Ethan and his super cute frog hat!

Olivia has ticklish feet

Holy Molars!

Holy Molars! That is what all the fuss is about- I felt them tonight brushing her teeth and they feel more swollen than yesterday.  This afternoon she was pretty fussy off and on.  She would be happy and then cry.  But she did take a nap after awhile when I put her down.  Brendon had fun with her this morning and took her outside to play a bit.  The funniest thing today was Olivia brought me a diaper.  We still have the Pack and Play downstairs and she walked over and brought me a diaper from the diaper holder.  I put it back and then about 2 minutes later she brought it again to me.  I guess she was telling me that she needed a diaper change and she did! Such a smart girl! We went back outside after dinner and did some bubbles and of course walking up the driveway.

Magnets...they stick together!

Close up

I love Jake!!

What running means to me

I have been thinking about writing about running for awhile but just wasn't sure where to start... People ask me about running all the time- I am not any form of a professional and I admit I am even not that fast! But I just like to run!

In high school I still remember trying to run one mile...couldn't do it.  I don't think I could even make it all the way around the track one time which was 1/4 of a mile.  So I gave up way back then... I didn't understand the mechanics of running or the science behind it. Most people just can't get up and start running...it takes time, patience, and some knowledge.  

A few years back we started having a trainer come to school.  I thought- finally I don't have to drive to a gym- I can just work out at work! So a few of us worked out and did various exercises etc.  One day we had to do the mile for some pre/post tests.  Ugh... I dreaded it.  I defeated myself before I even started.  I think my first time doing the mile was 12 minutes and some change...total disappointment.  It was more of a run/walk deal.  So then I got determined to get better.  Then a coworker sent out an email about a 5K at her church- why not I thought- some motivation.  A group of us from school attended.  It was overwhelming...I had no idea what to expect.  But I did it... my time was 32:47.  I was proud that I finished.  But it was a spark- wow I really could do this... I ran 3.1 miles.

I was hooked.  I started looking for more races...I wanted to get better.  I started running on the treadmill and running all over.  It became a stress relief and therapy for me.  Running offered some control in my life when I couldn't control whether or not I could get pregnant.  It also introduced me to some really nice people.  I became friends with a great bunch of people who also love to run! There is even a little team we have organized to motivate each other and have a good amount of fun and fellowship.  Our little Team has grown over the years and I am so thankful for all the great memories Team Spirit has brought- even if it is running a 10K in business casual. But I enjoy seeing my running friends because people come from all walks of life and it is just fun to run and laugh with them. 

But over the years I have grown to love running.  Now I don't get to run as much as I did before Olivia but when I do get to I go full throttle and enjoy every minute of it.  It is the sound of feet hitting the pavement and hearing your breathing that makes you remember that you are alive.  I just enjoy it...I even sometimes have conversations in my head and think things through while running.  I admit sometimes I pray when I am out there- sometimes I pray for a run to be over if it is a bad run!

I am very proud of my run this past weekend. This weekend I ran Liam's Run in Loganville.  The same church that hosted the run has a run in the fall that I also love.  The course is pretty basic and is an out and back.  My goal was to try to keep up with Malissa.  I wear my GPS while running and have gotten into a habit now not to look at it while running.  But when I did it said 2.61 miles in 21 minutes.  I was like holy crap...I am actually running kind of fast. I kept up with Malissa for the most part until the end.  I just needed 30 seconds to recover. But my overall 5K time was 25:43.  I was so happy.  I have never run that fast EVER! So even though this post baby body still isn't all the way back to normal...it did something great this weekend! Go Team Baby Bump Busters!

I use a great website to track all my races and they are all almost there... a few are missing... but you can click the link below to see my progress.

http://athlinks.com/racer/41311679

My best advice... if you think you can't, you will never know until you try.  Put on your sneakers and just run even if it is 20 steps...that is a start.  Get a good pair of sneakers.  Try running programs like Couch to 5K.  Cross train when you are not running.  It is sometimes more of a mental thing than a physical one- you can beat the mental game though! Last but not least- have fun!! Let me repeat that... HAVE FUN! So put on your sneakers (or as they call them down here tennis shoes) and start somewhere.

But here are some pictures from over the years.  Not sure if they are in sequential order...but I tried!

First race!

running in the winter in Georgia- it is great!

Probably my best physical condition- September 2009

Covington Fuzz Run

October 2009

Pound out Polio- Buford, GA

Joan the running machine!

Sometimes you even win a prize!

Sometimes you need to coach someone in!

Other times you run for cheesecake!

Sometimes you run with Sanjay Gupta (not really him- but in my mind it was him)

First half marathon finish

YAY! We finished!

2009 1st Place in Age group in Run and See Georgia Running Group

March 2010

Cheerios Challenge 5K

Laps for Literacy

Joan and I made the newspaper!

Swat Trot June 2010

Peachtree Road Race 2010

Running in the snow in Georgia!! Gotta love it!

Liam's Run 5K- New PR 25:43 thanks to a great pace setter- Malissa!!

Joan and I! We always have to make a picture together!