The Washington Post

We've been in Washington for almost 10 months now.  When people find out we're "recent" transplants, the inevitable question is, "so, how do you like it here?" This question is almost always asked tentatively, as if the questioner is physically preparing themselves for a negative response (they raise their shoulders, squint their eyes, and lean back slightly).  

Western Washington inspires strong feelings - people either love it or hate it.  I know people in both groups and can understand both points of view.   Some people (I call them SunFlowers) wither without ample sun and heat (my mom and most [all?] of my sisters fall in this category).

For me, though, I LOVE Washington.  Capital L, Love!  Even though I didn't grow up in the Pacific Northwest, in a strange way I feel like I've come "home."  The landscape is stunning and the weather suits me wonderfully.  A high of 78 degrees in August?  Yes, please!   

I've had a number of people, after finding out we moved from Florida, comment, "oh, you must really miss the heat!"  No, no I don't.  Not at all, actually.

There are many things I do miss about Florida - mostly my friends and my kids' friends, but also the beach, the smell of orange blossoms, Publix grocery store, and my Stake YW's calling - but the heat (and humidity and hurricanes and bugs and crab grass...) definitely does not make the list!

We moved to Washington right at the beginning of winter and we heard all winter, "oh, this is one of the worst winters we've had in a long time."  I loved hearing that, because the winter didn't seem too bad and if that was a "bad" one, I figure we should be okay moving forward.

I think my kids adapted fairly quickly as well (maybe too quickly).  When Spring rolled around I recall going outside one morning with Bryce.  When we left the shade of the garage he threw his arm over his eyes and cried, "Aaauuugghhh, the sun!  It's too bright!!"  So much for my Florida-born boy.

On another occasion in early Spring, we spent a glorious afternoon at the park with some friends.  After playing happily for a couple hours enjoying the sun, we made our way back to the car to head home.  It was then that I glanced at my phone and noticed the temperature - 54 degrees!  

Of course, I don't think I'll love the weather all the time here, and I'm sure there will be days (weeks? months?) that I'll miss seeing the sun, but I've always loved a good rainy day; they feel like make-hot-chocolate-and-curl-up-with-a-blanket-and-a-good-book days, and what's better than that?  

Plus, did you realize that in Western Washington blackberry bushes grow as weeds?!  Weeds!  Isn't that the definition of paradise?

Now I just need to figure out how to turn SunFlowers into Evergreens and convince my family and friends to move here as well...

Domesticity

            Alternate Title: "I'm Trying to be Like Holly"

Lately I've been wanting/trying to make more of our food from "scratch."  I don't consider myself particularly gifted in the kitchen, but I think there are a lot of things I could make more affordably and healthier. 

One week I went to buy bread at the grocery store and couldn't find an acceptable loaf that cost less than $3.  That must be my threshold because since that day I've been making our own bread.  For Mother's Day I got a gift that can help with bread making and other "from scratch" endeavors:

 I really don't know what I'm doing yet, but the prospects are thrilling.  

I've tried a few other homemade experiments with varying results: wheat crackers were passable, graham crackers were a flop, granola bars were scrumptious.  I aspire to learn homemade yogurt.  The other day I thought, "Since Mark loves to have chocolate milk, I wonder if I can find a recipe for chocolate syrup?"  Sweet success!

So here's my question: What (relatively simple) things do you make from scratch?  Will you share the recipe and or/link?  In addition to helping me in my personal quest, you'll also be helping me plan an upcoming Relief Society Midweek activity on making foods from scratch.  I've got a list of ideas started, but would greatly appreciate any suggestions, especially if they're "tried and true."  Thanks in advance!

It's Nice to be Loved

Yesterday afternoon I got super sick. It came on suddenly, and for an hour or so it was intense, horrible, and miserable. Thankfully, after that hour I slept a couple more hours and have felt fine since.
During the worst of it, as I huddled in the fetal position on the floor of the bathroom, Bryce stood next to me patting and rubbing my back saying, "Okay, Mommy...Okay, Mommy." Though the sick part of me wanted to cry, "please! don't touch me!," it was strangely comforting to have him there and I couldn't help but be amused at the role reversal and touched that he was so concerned and caring.
Mark came home from work and saved the day, allowing me to recuperate in bed. At that point, Aubree took over as my nurse-maid. She made sure I was covered from neck to toes in blankets and kept offering to "help me get up" when it was time for dinner. So sweet.
It reminded me of something else heartwarming that happened a couple weeks ago. I had to go to a church meeting in the evening, so Mark took over sole responsibility for the evening/bedtime routines. When I got home, I was confused to find a couple of my sweatshirts laying out on the couch. I asked Mark about them and he explained that after I left, Bryce really missed me. He came across the sweatshirt I had been wearing that day and carried it around with him. Mark put it on him, and soon he was playing happily. Aubree, of course, also wanted to participate and Mark gave her his sweatshirt. That worked for a while, but then she decided she needed a mommy sweatshirt too. So both kids spent the evening feeling content as could be just to be wrapped up in my sweatshirts.

Resolute

Though I am a fan of setting New Year's resolutions and usually make long lists every Jan. 1st, at the beginning of 2010 I made only two resolutions:
1. Read the Book of Mormon every day.
2. Stay in my 2nd trimester till the end of this pregnancy.

To help me reach my first goal, I enlisted Aubree's help. I explained what I was doing and asked if she wanted to do it with me. She readily agreed and we made up a sticker chart to help keep track of our progress. We decided if we read every day for the whole month of January, we'd go out to lunch to celebrate. Following a brilliant suggestion from a friend, Aubree is reading select passages from the Book of Mormon as outlined in the Jan. '08 Friend magazine. She usually only reads one column (or half a page) per day and we take turns reading (I do my own reading when we're finished). It's been an amazing experience doing this with her; she is full of questions and we spend quite a bit of time talking about each verse. Plus, she's great about reminding me that we need to read.
As for my second resolution, well - that stems from the fact that I LOVE the second trimester. As I considered the prospect of heading into the third trimester, with all it's accompanying uncomfortableness, I decided that I'd rather just stay in the second. No, it doesn't mean the baby can't grow or come out when he's done cooking - he's welcome and encouraged to do both. It just means I want to maintain my energy and avoid the yuckiness. It's just mind over matter, right? I can do this. So, if you ask me how far along I am and I answer, "I'm in my second trimester," I might be telling the truth, or I might be due in a week. (For what it's worth, I'm 25 weeks right now).
PS I'm a big fan of denial. ;)

Three for Me!

Earlier this evening I participated in my third 5K! My finishing time was pretty horrible, but I have a fairly good reason for that. It was a beautiful evening and I really enjoyed running with my friend Kate (without her I think I might have walked after the first - uphill - mile). Here's a short, worth watching, video of me crossing the finishing line:

I know it's dark and grainy, but did you catch the sign? No? Well, here's a close-up:

P.S. Yes, it's Halloween. No, it's not a costume. ;)

Here's a picture of the kids waiting (and waiting) while I "ran."

Here's one more picture from before the run (I swiped it from my friend's blog - thanks, Kate!). Larry ran the race too, but he finished WAY faster than we did.

Ultimate Post-Baby Weight-loss Plan

I should write a book and make a million dollars, but instead I'll share this special secret with friends and family ('cause I'm just so generous like that...). It's amazingly simple. I've dubbed it the "Bryce diet," and here are the details:
Starting when your child is around 6-8 months old and beginning to eat table food, feed him from your own plate. He'll only eat at most a couple bites and, considering you'll be so distracted with an extra mouth to feed, you won't even notice the slight decrease. As your child grows, continue this process without significantly increasing the portions you serve yourself. You know the "plan" is working when, ten minutes after eating breakfast you find yourself starving and only upon reflection do you realize your child ate upwards of 3/4 of your meal.
I suppose to make this especially effective you should make sure to only eat when your child is with you.
I'll have to work on that last part. ;)

Choices

Recently a young man we know made some very, very bad choices. Choices that will have dire consequences for the rest his life and also have a tragic impact on his family and many others. As much as I wish I could just forget about the whole mess, I find myself thinking about it frequently.
The other day I was rocking Bryce and for a moment he calmly kept his head on my shoulder. While enjoying the sweet moment I suddenly had a flash where I could envision the young man I previously mentioned as a small, innocent baby being rocked similarly in his mother's loving arms. I felt a flood of emotions. First, sorrow - truly, wickedness never was happiness. I ache for his family and all who have been hurt in this situation. Second, I felt a sense of relief that Aubree and Bryce are still young and I can keep them (as much as possible) safe and protected. The choices they make at their ages do not have long-term or far-reaching effects. I can control who they're around, what influences they're exposed to, and how they spend their time. I know that will not last long. Finally, I felt an urgent sense of responsibility. The pull of the World is strong and enticing. Certainly there will come a time in the not-to-distant future when Aubree and Bryce will be outside my small circle of protection. What trials will they face? What choices will they make? I can't afford to wait until their "older" to teach them fundamental and essential truths that will hopefully guide their lives and help them to avoid major pitfalls.
So, to my dear children (perhaps you will read this post when you get a little older), first know how much I and your father LOVE YOU! Our love for you, however, pales in comparison to the love your Father in Heaven has for you. Before you came to Earth, you lived with Him. He has a plan for you and his greatest desire is for you to return to live with Him. By following the scriptures and the prophets and keeping the commandments, we can return to Him. Doing those things will also allow us to be happy on Earth and feel the guidance of the Holy Ghost in our lives, which is such a precious gift. I testify to you that the greatest happiness comes from following Christ's example and allowing his Atonement have effect in your life. The scriptures refer to this feeling as "peace of conscience." I know you will make mistakes - we all do. But more than anything, I hope you know who you are (a beloved Child of God) and that there is always Hope through the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Love Always - Your Mom

Welcome 2009!

So much for writing more frequent, shorter posts. To be honest, that goal didn't even make the New Year's Resolution cut, so at least I don't have to feel guilty about it. I have a lot of little updates, so please forgive the lack of a cohesive theme or flow.

* Aubree loves, loves, loves to ride her new bike and has become surprisingly skilled. I think I figured that she'd get her bike and ride in small, slow, safe circles in our driveway or perhaps in the cul-de-sac like she's done with her other ride-on toys. Instead, she's whizzing through the neighborhood at such a speed that I can't keep up with her. It's a bit unnerving to see my barely 3-year old so mobile and independent. Today she went out with Mark and rode over a mile. When she got home she said her legs "were a little tired," but was ready to go back out a short time later.
* After finishing one of her biking excursions, Aubree exclaimed, "I ride so well!" Aside from her biking prowess, I admit I feel quite proud when she uses the word "well" instead of saying "good" (yeah, I'm strange like that). A short time later, however, we were eating lunch and she commented "Mmmm, this tastes well!" You win some, you lose some.
* Aubree wrote her first word this week: MOM.
* Bryce has cut his first tooth! This is right around the same age that Aubree got her bottom teeth. A friend of mine once indicated that there is a correlation between early teething and giftedness. My poor kids. :) It's hard to determine if the teeth poking through are bothering Bryce at all, but I know the sharp little edge does make me nervous - I'm so afraid he's going to bite me now.
* I guess it's been a busy week for Bryce because in addition to his new tooth he's also (finally) started to crawl forward. What finally motivated him to move forward? A balloon. Bryce loves balloons. He's still not proficient and uses an army-crawl style, but I hope now that's he's got the basic idea he'll progress quickly. He'd rather be up holding onto our hands and walking around than crawling on the floor. Can't say that I blame him. (Note to self: keep the floors cleaner).
* Aubree went to her second dance class. It was so BORING. There was another substitute (not sure if there even is a regular teacher at this point) and all the girls did was walk back and forth across the room doing a few different moves - for an HOUR. Aubree danced well, but since they spent a lot of time waiting, she and her friend Cheyenne got very, very silly. The day after the dance class I was talking to Aubree about the things she did in class and telling her what a good job she did with her dancing. Aubree said,"Mom, when we were doing our baby jumps the teacher..." (at this point I'm thinking she's going to tell me that her teacher also told her she was doing a good job, but she continued...) "the teacher's boobs were bouncing up and down!" I didn't know 3-year-olds noticed such things!
* Last Sunday was Aubree's first day as a Sunbeam! It was a bit anti-climatic because I'd talked to her a lot about how she'd get to go to primary and see me and sing songs, etc., but the primary presidency and the Sunbeam teacher decided to have the Sunbeams spend the first few weeks staying in their own class and then slowly introduce them into primary. I think I was more disappointed than Aubree. I'm looking forward to seeing her in sharing time and singing time (she loves to sing the primary songs). As it was, Aubree had a fun time with her class. For part of the lesson with the theme "I am a Child of God," each child made a crown. When I picked Aubree up she lamented, "I said no more crowns." You see, poor Aubree has an over-abundance of crowns, and when we got home she insisted that we throw away the primary crown because she had too many. (In the picture on the right Aubree is posing with her crown and her table-top garden)
* Random fact: when Bryce gets tired, he gets red splotches on his temples.
* Way overdue update: I successfully had my wisdom teeth removed right before Christmas. Being sedated was great. I remember the surgeon saying "you're going to feel a little light-headed and dizzy," and the next thing I knew it was time to go home. Thanks to information provided by the hospital lactation specialist and my friend, Laura who is a pharmacist (a million thanks, Laura!), I only had to miss two feedings with Bryce. He didn't want to take a bottle, but did drink from a sippy cup. It was not a traumatic experience for him. I healed very quickly and didn't have a need for any narcotic pain relief. In fact, I didn't even swell. I kept waiting to take the traditional "chipmunk" pictures, but didn't have the chance - NOT complaining.

Before surgery:

Immediately after
(I was still groggy - I don't even remember this picture being taken):

A Cold Day in Hades

12/13/08 - A day I never thought would happen. I completed a 5K!!! I even have pictures to prove it. Granted, our time isn't the greatest, but that's not the point. In fact, the night before the 5K I noticed I wasn't nervous and when I pondered that, I realized that "race," in my case, is really a misnomer. There was no sense of competition for me, I just wanted to see if I could actually run 3 miles and we did! The fastest person in the "race" finished in just over 15 minutes. Wow! In case you're wondering, no - we weren't last. :)

Juliana, me, & Jenni

Wise No More

In one week I have to get my wisdom teeth removed. Booooooo. I've put it off for a very long time but I can't avoid it any longer. In addition to the fact that I absolutely HATE going to the dentist (okay, technically this is an oral surgeon and I got in trouble at his office for referring to him as a "dentist," but I hate it just the same), getting my wisdom teeth out will be additionally complicated because I am still nursing Bryce.

When I went in for a consultation visit and discussed this with the oral surgeon he indicated that I wouldn't be able to nurse for 3-5 days. When I balked at that amount of time he explained that for sure I couldn't nurse for at least 24 hours because of the IV sedation (there's no way I could make it through getting my wisdom teeth pulled awake and thankfully at this office sedation is standard practice). Then he explained that I'd have to wait 24 additional hours after taking any major painkillers. I asked if any of his patients didn't take the major painkillers after surgery and he gave me such an incredulous/confused look that I wondered if I'd somehow misspoke. After a moments hesitation he stammered, "most patients want the painkillers." Yikes.
What to do? What to do? Bryce has never taken a bottle, so I figured I'd better start getting him used to the idea. Here is a picture of the first (and only) time he has had a bottle. He drank about an ounce before deciding he didn't want to be bothered. I planned on being more consistent with this process; I even called the lactation consultant at the hospital to inquire about renting a pump for a month. The lactation consultant, however, scoffed at the idea that I couldn't nurse for such a long time. She insisted, "my c-section mom's nurse right away." I tracked down the specific drugs that will be in my IV (4 of them!) and so far it seems that I should only have to miss one feeding (we're still making sure on the last drug). That won't be too bad, right? Much, much better than 3-5 days!

PS I'm still not planning on taking the "major" painkillers. I've never taken them before and have managed pretty well. Please tell me I'm not totally crazy and will be all right. Oh, please no horror stories, I'm just barely keeping my anxiety at bay as it is.

Christmas Questionnaire

I saw this questionnaire on the website of one of my extended family members and kept thinking about it. I love all things Christmas, so I figured I'd take a moment to fill it out. I think it's really interesting to read other's responses, so feel free to copy and use in your own blog (and no, I'm not "tagging" anyone).

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, I think Christmas wrapping paper is beautiful! I used to spend a lot of time making each present look extra special with bows and ribbons, but now they just get wrapped.

2. Real tree or Artificial? I prefer real trees, but they just don't make sense economically, so we have a boring fake tree.

3. When do you put up the tree? We got the tree out on Thanksgiving, but it's still sitting in the box in the family room. Maybe we'll get to it this weekend...

4. When do you take the tree down? New Year's Day

5. Do you like eggnog? Um, not sure. It doesn't sound very appealing so I don't think I've had any since I was a kid. I think I liked it then...

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Baby Sitter's Club books

7. Hardest person to buy for? My Dad

8. Easiest person to buy for? Aubree (note to self, "Must Stop Buying Aubree Presents!")

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Several! My favorite is a Willow Tree nativity that Kira gave me a few Christmas's ago. I love the simplicity of the figures.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Usually we mail our Christmas letters, but we're WAY behind this year (haven't even taken our family pictures yet), so the letter may end up being posted on our blog.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Every year on Christmas Eve Santa would come to our family gathering and bring each person one small gift (that Grandma Graff picked out). My cousin, Christie and I had a standing "Ugliest Gift" contest to see who's dollar store trinket was the worst. Usually it was a tie.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? “The Gift.” The church movie about the little boy who gets up early and does all the chores on the farm for his dad.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Mid-Summer, and I wrap the gifts as I go so sometimes I'm just as surprised as the gift recipient come Christmas morning!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I plead the fifth

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? EVERYTHING!

16. Lights on the tree? White lights.

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I would love to travel to be with my siblings, but with all the weddings we've had lately, we've ended up staying with just our little family the last few years (and this year too), which is also fun.

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes. Although I think "Donder" is a very strange name.

19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Umm, Santa.

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning!

21. Favorite thing about Christmas? I don't know if I can narrow it down! If I have to, I'd have to say the focus on the three most important things: Christ, family, and friends. It's such an uplifting time of the year.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? That it goes by so quickly.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Blue, gold, and silver.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Repeat of Thanksgiving (minus the pumpkin pie)

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Skechers mules, advent calendar, cookie cutters,

26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Kira

Loose Ends

Here's a summary of the latest goings-on:

* I have been really good about going out jogging/walking three times a week for the last two weeks. However, on only the second day out the jogging stroller got a flat tire. What appeared to be a setback turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Mark put two new tires on the back wheels and pumped them up to the correct pressure. The next day when I took the kid's out in the stroller I was amazed at how easy it was to push! I could push with only one hand, which I never could have done previously. I felt much better when I realized that my first-day-of-training pathetic-ness was partially because I was really having to push the kids, rather than just roll them along. It's been much better since we got the new wheels (thanks Mark!). In case you're wondering, no - I still don't like to run, but I consider it a victory that I don't dread the morning workouts.

Bryce & Aubree and Ella & Raelyn (our training buddies)

* Sometimes when Aubree is playing with her baby dolls she pretends to nurse them. Monkey see, monkey do. For a while, though, her baby-du jour was a beanie-baby dinosaur. She matter-of-factly told Mark, "you can't nurse a dinosaur - they bite." A few weeks later Aubree's friend Ella came over to play and brought a doll. When Ella left, she forgot the doll. Aubree was distressed when she realized this and claimed, "Mom, Ella's baby is crying because she's hungry!" She quickly wrapped the baby up in a blanket, grabbed a bottle, and sat in her rocking chair feeding the doll the bottle. Then she told me, "I have to give her a bottle because you can't nurse other peoples' babies!" I'm glad Aubree has such a strong grasp of nursing do's and don'ts.
* I've started to try to do a little bit of preschool with Aubree. My original plan was to have a "theme of the week," but I think it will work better to have a theme of the month. This month's theme is Space. My friend found an AMAZING website (learningpage.com - you'll have to set up a free account) that has great lesson ideas, worksheets, cutouts, etc. From that site and pulling ideas from a few others we've been doing a mediocre job learning about the stars, moon, planets, astronauts, etc. We checked out a lot of books from the library on the topic and visited the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Complex when they had their annual free entrance weekend for Brevard county residents. Yeah, Aubree liked the playground best, but she also thought the space shuttle was neat. We saw a 3-D I-Max movie about landing on the moon. Aubree liked it until it looked like dirt was being thrown into her face. Then she cried, "I don't want to watch this movie!" and wouldn't put her glasses back on. I guess it was just a bit too convincing. All in all we've been having a good time. I think Aubree's favorite thing we've done was making a telescope out of a paper towel roll.

Aubree looking through her telescope

* Last Thursday I took both kids to the doctor for their well-child visits (Aubree's 3 yr. and Bryce's 6 month). Aubree weighed in at 28 lbs. even and was 36 3/4" tall. Supposedly that puts her in the 50th percentile for both height and weight. Bryce weighed 16 lbs. 12 oz. (50th percentile) and was 27 1/2" (90-95th percentile). Aubree loves going to the doctor because they give her lollipops. She definitely wasn't disappointed this time; over the course of the visit they gave her FOUR (after the first two I made her put them in the diaper bag for "later"). Aubree also had her first eye exam. She held a cover over one eye at a time and told the nurse what shapes she could see on the poster at the end of the hallway. Granted, she answered the nurse with slightly more than a whisper, but it was just loud enough for the nurse to hear and Aubree did awesome! Phew, what a relief. Mark is basically blind, so it's nice that (at least for now) Aubree's vision seems very good. The rest of the visit was blessedly routine.

Bryce & Aubree @ the doctors' (Aubree in her paper dress)

* The tip of Bryce's tongue is slightly heart-shaped. I noticed this shortly after he was born, but never thought too much about it. I figured it was just one-of-those-unique things (like if one's earlobes are attached or not). For some reason, the night following the doctor's appointment, Mark decided to try to look it up on the Internet. He didn't find much, but it got me wondering so I did some searching. I came to discover that a heart-shaped tongue tip is a sign of a tongue-tie, which means that the frenulum (the skin that attaches your tongue to the bottom of your mouth) is too tight. It's a minor birth defect that might result in difficulties with articulation and a few other problems. Of course we realized this right AFTER the doctor's appointment! Regardless, I made an appointment with an Otolaryngologist (ENT) for next week to find out how to proceed.

Shopping

"In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun.

Find the fun, and *snap,* the job's a game." - Mary Poppins

I've never been a fan of grocery shopping. As a teenager I usually chose to stay in the car if I had to go to the grocery store with my mom. Once I started doing my own shopping it got a bit less distasteful, but it was still a chore I disliked immensely. Recently, though, I've discovered an "element of fun" - bargain hunting. Shopping has now become less a chore, and more a challenge to see how many products I can get for the smallest amount of money. I'm slowly getting better at this new game. For example, below is a picture of what I bought at CVS this morning:

How much did I pay for all this? -$1. Yes, CVS paid me one dollar to take this merchandise off their hands. :)
After we stopped by CVS we went to Publix where I got $117 worth of groceries (including a lot of fruits and veggies) for $55! I don't mind grocery shopping nearly as much any more. In fact, I love going to Publix. They treat us extremely well and Aubree gets so excited when she knows that's where we're going. On our trip today Aubree even got a balloon, to which she announced, "it's my favorite balloon ever!" I had hoped Bryce would sleep in the wrap while I was shopping today, but he had other plans. He really wanted to sit in the super-cool space shuttle cart with his sister, so I let him try. He lasted about 5 minutes and had a great time driving (or at least eating the steering wheel).

Look what I just bought...

Those of you who know me well are probably scratching your heads in confusion at the moment. I can imagine your internal dialogue: "Wait, isn't that a double jogging stroller? This doesn't make any sense. I mean, I understand the 'double' part - Erin does have two kids - and even the 'stroller' part - they need to get around somehow - but 'jogging?!???' Erin hates to run. In fact I even remember her explaining that her own personal version of that oh-so-very-hot-and-undesirable-place would be one never-ending marathon. Not to mention that she is a Graff by birth and don't they have a family motto that goes something like, 'Graff's don't run?' So surely there is an imposter posting on her blog; that's the only reasonable explanation."
Alas, there is not an imposter. I really did buy a jogging stroller and I actually intend to try to run. (And I can't believe I just wrote that last sentence!) I've been feeling the need lately to get active and after a good deal of introspection I've realized that when it comes to exercise I'm not very self-motivated. I'm great at coming up with noble plans, but I'm even better at talking myself out of those plans. I noticed that the times in my life when I've been consistent about exercise it's because there is some sort of deadline or goal, and not arbitrary ones - those don't work. For example, I'm really good about walking when I'm pregnant because I know that I have to be strong for labor and delivery; there's just no way to get out of that deadline. I did great in high school because I was working towards softball season.
Granted, my preferred mode of exercise would involve playing sports: softball, volleyball, tennis, soccer, etc., but at this point in my life that just isn't feasible. So, I tried and tried to think of something I could realistically do that involved a physical deadline. The only option I could come up with was running a 5K. Trust me, I really, really tried to think of something, anything!, else, but there was nothing else I could do with 2 little kids and limited time and money.
I have a good friend, Amy, who is an avid runner. She makes comments like, "Oh, I only ran five miles this morning." Amy is a big part of my decision to start running because she claims that she used to hate to run too! She also only started running about 5 years ago, so I have a small spark of hope that maybe I won't hate to run forever. Someday, maybe I can be like Amy. My good friends, Jenni and Juliana, have also said they will train for a 5K with me.
When I purchased the stroller I committed myself to run at least one 5K. I plan to use a 9-12 week training plan from a site that claims "couch to 5K." I've got the couch part down, so I'm halfway there, right? I previously admitted a lack of self motivation. Part of the reason I'm posting this blog is to create external motivation; now everyone knows my "noble plans" so I can't give them up as easily as I might otherwise. With that external pressure, my personal commitment, and help from my wonderful friends, I hope to post pictures of me crossing the finish line of a 5K race sometime in December. And maybe, just maybe, I won't hate it.
PS I'm starting my "training" tomorrow. Aaaaaauuuuugggggghhhhh

9/22 UPDATE: I did it. I went out this morning with Juliana and made it about 12 minutes into the suggested 20 minute jog/walk routine, then I almost died. Okay, maybe not "died," but was very near to throwing up and it took 35 minutes to retrace the route that only took 15 minutes on our way out. Sorry Juliana! Yes, I know that's a sad commentary on my current physical condition, but I try to console myself with the fact that I was pushing almost 50 lbs in the stroller and I am not used to pushing the stroller yet. I am surprised at how much back and arm strength that requires! I think I'll stretch the suggested first week training into two weeks to give me time to get used to the stroller.

Publix

I try my best to be a bargain shopper. I usually do most of my grocery shopping at Wal-Mart because their prices are generally lower than the other grocery stores around. Today, though, I had some great coupons/deals for Publix, so I loaded up the kids and off we went. I'd never done my actual grocery shopping at this Publix before and I was very surprised at how my trip turned out. We had an AMAZING experience (so great that now I'm blogging about it).
For starters, they had the car carts. Aubree's eyes lit up and she scrambled in and spent the entire time grinning and happily "driving" around (at one point she gestured for me to lean over and commented, "Mom, I'm driving you crazy!"). We learned that they'll soon be getting space shuttle carts - how apropos. As soon as we walked in I noticed that almost every employee would smile at us, or stop to talk to the kids, or comment on how cute/sweet/wonderful they were. Most other patrons also stopped to make a comment or smile at us. It was such a marked difference from my usual shopping trips. By comparison, the workers and customers at Wal-Mart seem downright unhappy and stand-offish. We had such a good time and found some fabulous bargains. I'll definitely have to make a sincere effort to patronize this store.

Cloth Diapers

A little over a year ago I went home to California for a visit and got into a fun discussion with some of my extended family. They were giving me a hard time because I was still nursing Aubree (who was around 15 months old at the time) and we started talking about being a "crunchy" parent. We found a quiz that gives a crunchiness ranking. (Click here for a link to the quiz - I'd love to know your results!) I believe at that time I scored somewhere in the 50's, which meant I was "sprinkled with granola." My aunt, in comparison, was in the "jello" range. Since then I've definitely become more "crunchy". I retook the quiz recently and scored 87 which means I am currently "Pretty Crispy." However, only three points higher and I would be in the "Mmm! Love that whole-grain crunch!" category.
One big change is that I decided to use cloth diapers with Bryce. Before you think I'm a total nutcase, it's important to know that cloth diapers have come a long way; these aren't your grandma's cloth diapers! First, though, let me answer the obvious question - "why?" I had two main reasons initially.
1. Aubree had (has) extremely sensitive skin. The only diapers that didn't give her terrible, itchy rashes were Pampers and she even had breakouts with those on occasion. Since eczema and other skin problems are genetically linked, chances were good that Bryce would have similar problems with disposable diapers. Cloth allows us to avoid the potential problems.
2. Cost. Although the start-up costs for using cloth diapers are a bit high, over time they are WAY less expensive than using disposables. Plus, I plan on having more children and can use the same diapers I've used for Bryce for future kids, which means the savings will be even greater.
Now that I've been using cloth diapers for over two months I have to admit that it's also a little fun. Yes, fun. There are so many different kinds of diapers and some of them are really cute. Here's a quick run-down with my adorable model, Bryce:

This is a picture of Bryce from the very first time I put him in a "prefold" diaper. These are the kinds of diapers that your grandma probably did use. However, the yellow thing you see is called a "snappi" and is used instead of pins to make the process super-easy. A prefold diaper needs a cover to be waterproof and covers come in all kinds of great colors, prints, and fabrics. Covers usually are attached using aplix (a higher quality Velcro). Prefolds are my work-horse diaper. I use them most of the time and am a bit surprised that I like them so much.

This picture shows a "fitted" diaper and it's actually home-made. Fitted diapers fit like a disposable (with Velcro tabs), but still require a cover. I wasn't planning on making my own diapers, but I mentioned cloth diapering to a friend who was also pregnant and she talked me into making diapers (which makes them even less expensive).

In this picture Bryce is modeling an "all-in-one" diaper. These diapers are the most like disposables in that it's just one piece that you strap on and you're ready to go. I didn't make this diaper, but I have made others like it. This particular diaper also has a "pocket" that allows me to put in extra padding to made it more absorbent if needed.

Finally, here is a picture of Bryce wearing my new favorite diaper cover - a wool soaker. Let's just say that wool is amazing and it's what we use every night nowadays.
I do have to wash the diapers every other day or so, and that can be a bit of a pain, but it's certainly not hard. We even bought a outdoor clothes drying umbrella-type thing and just need to put it up so I can start line-drying the diapers. Yes, I know I'm a little crazy and I suppose I'm okay with that.
With the cloth diapers we hardly ever have blow-outs. When Aubree was a newborn she would have blow-outs almost daily. I remember Mark used to spend a good chunk of time every day trying to scrub poo out of Aubree's clothes so they wouldn't be stained (what a great guy!). Bryce has only got poo on his clothes twice. And I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that one of those times was because I forgot to put a cover over his prefold (*blushing*).
Today we went to the beach and I decided to put Bryce in a disposable for the first time in months. I was surprised that the diaper felt so much like paper and plastic and I actually felt bad that Aubree had to have that against her skin 24/7 for almost two years. I like having so many options now.

Musings on Motherhood

When I was a teenager we had an activity where we put gold-leafing over pictures to use as Christmas gifts. I made a print for my mom that read:

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait for tomorrow,
For babies grow up, we've learned to our sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs, dust - go to sleep,
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.
I chose this poem as a compliment to my mom; I felt it epitomized her approach to motherhood. Certainly our home wasn't spotless, perhaps it could even be considered messy, but even as a teenager I knew, without a doubt, that we children were top priority.
Lately I've had that short verse run through my mind rather frequently. Instead of being a compliment though, it rings as a rebuke. I often find myself lamenting that I can't get anything done these days. Sometimes, for example, I'll be nursing Bryce and will look around and see so many things that need to be done and I find myself getting antsy and frustrated. Or, Aubree will ask me to play a game with her and I catch myself responding, "maybe after I do the dishes." Then I hear the words of the poem echo in my mind cautioning that those are just things and they're not nearly as important as my children. I try to take a deep breath and remind myself that if my kitchen floor hasn't been mopped in two weeks, so be it. This time in my life is so fleeting and I don't want to look back with regret and know that I focused my energy on things of naught. I'll admit that it still drives me slightly batty to not have my home as orderly and clean as I'd like, and to have projects piling up and errands left undone, but I'm trying to get over it!
I can't begin to express how much it meant to me to grow up knowing that I was a top priority for my mom. I think that knowledge filled me with tremendous confidence and motivation. I owe much of who I am now and the successes I've had thus far in my life to the love and attention of my wonderful mother. Likewise, I want my kids to know innately that they are one of my very top priorities - more important than a spotless house, or an exciting career, or expensive clothes, or any thing. For them to know that, I must act accordingly. I'm grateful for the poetic reminder from my youth to use my time and energies primarily on those things that matter most.
P.S. Happy Birthday Mom!!!

"Here's lookin' at you!"