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!

Fussy and Funny

Today was a weird day.  Olivia had fussy moments and funny moments.  When I got home from work we ate lunch and then played which was mixed with some fussing off and on.  Then we ran to the bank really quick and had a snack when we got home and then she took her nap.  She was not a happy camper when she woke up.  It took her a REALLY long time to eat dinner- 45 minutes.  But she was eating...slowly.  After dinner we went outside for a bit.  She is so funny.  I tried to show her how to squirt her watering canteen and she wanted nothing to do with it even though she had been carrying it around the house for 10 minutes.  Then we did some bubbles and walked up and down the driveway a few times.  We then came in to play in her room.  She is loving Peek-a-boo! So much so that she finds a blanket and holds it up... it is hilarious.  She tried to play it with Jake but he did not like it.  Then she carried the blanket around like Pigpen for a bit and then grabbed one of my science books and started reading it! I guess it is not too early to get her interested in science.

One other picture from yesterday

Science book!

close up!

Reading the science book

Pigpen!

Happy Mother's Day

Well it was pretty rainy today but that didn't dampen our moods today! What a great 2nd Mother's Day! Can't believe it is my 2nd one and it was so different than last year.  Olivia slept a lot last year...this year... different story! We played and had so much fun today.  We got up early and went to church.  Olivia was pretty good and entertained with books and had some snacks while we were there.  After church Brendon made me a delicious breakfast and gave me presents! Olivia made me a card that looked like a flower pot! Brendon got me a beautiful card also. Then he gave me a really cute coffee cup with pictures of Olivia on it! It is so cute!! I love it! I have another present on the way though... Then Olivia napped.  Then Brendon fired up the grill and started smoking some chicken! We had a great dinner with our family- not related by blood family but they are as close to family as you can get- our neighbors and Olivia's Godparents- Rick and Karyn and their children Kristy and Shawn.  Kristy and Shawn loved playing with Olivia.  Since it was raining we used the new Man Cave garage for a bit.  We had a great family dinner and some fabulous Key Lime Pie! After dinner we Skyped with Grandma and Grandpa and they were so happy to see Olivia walking ALL over.  Then more playing and daddy gave Olivia her bath tonight. 

Overall it was a great day despite the rain! I couldn't ask for a better Mother's Day.  I loved spending it with all of my favorite people- my family and our friends!

This was last year's Mother's Day!

This year- Happy Mother's Day mommy!!

Having fun in the man cave!

Godfather Rick enjoying the man cave!