mindfulness

Mindfulness: paying attention to something on purpose, in the present moment and non judgmentally.

Reflecting today on how being a mother to a young child, I often find myself being blissfully mindful.  While I may be on "auto pilot" washing dishes, G is fascinated with the bubbles- how they look, how they feel, the sound they make.  He fully experiences his world- often to my dismay (dirt in mouth, etc.).  As adults we get weathered by daily life and often purposefully avoid situations to the extent of avoiding the experience of things around us.  We become so efficient at doing things, quickly moving here and there that we lose out on the special parts of life that bring wonder.

I enjoy the times I am just playing with Gavin and allow myself the time to notice how each toy car sounds differently or following a dragonfly in our back yard.  Noticing the sounds of passing vehicles that make different loud sounds that otherwise would just be background noise.

My little guy is growing so quickly and I want to be mindful of each and every moment I have with him; enjoying the innocence of childhood.  I found this picture and can't believe he has grown so much in such a short amount of time:

We are fine with child labor in our home :)
He was SOOO upset when I put the vacuum away; a little man after my own heart.



My Starbuck's buddy, loves pumpkin bread just as much as me.

Half-marathon training update:
*need to lengthen long run this Saturday (nooooo!) to 5 miles.  We'll see.
*surprised myself and got out of bed at 6am this morning and ran 2 miles.  It was dark and misting rain and a bit windy--lovely.  I carried my cell phone and a small flashlight (the flash light was going to double as a weapon if needed, haha).  Overall it wasn't too bad.
*some pain in hips and left knee (I had ACL repair 11 years ago in that knee).  Trying to focus on more stretching for the hip thing and um..ice for the knee?  Maybe getting a brace if needed.  Last resort going to see ortho if it really gets bad.

Made THIS recipe last week and it was YUM.  Did it after G was asleep.  It felt good to already have dinner for the next day ready.  Gavin kind of ate some of it---he mainly just liked the crescent roll packaging. But because the chicken was shredded, I'm pretty sure he got some of that in, too.  The husband liked it but said skip the italian breading next time---pshhh..always something to say, haha!

Happy hump day!

growing so fast

I haven't done a post in a long time about G's accomplishments, here they are:

*Learning and trying out new words daily: bus, baby, Barney, rarely a "pees" (for please) will make an appearance.  He has now added the "ee" sound to the end of Daddy; still calls me Mama most times but has on occasion added the "ee" sound for Mommy.  "No" and "mine" make regular-by the minute- appearances. I'm pretty sure he tried to say squirrel this morning- sounds like an altered version of ball but he was pointing in the trees and I saw a squirrel.  He will also sometimes say shoes.

ANY TRUCK is known as "daddeee."  Each time I say something like yes, I see that truck.  Daddy has a truck, too.  Naw---the truck is apparently Daddeee! ;)

*We are working on A,B,C's daily- he can do a good job of picking out some of the letters but does not say them yet.  We've recently also started more emphasis on numbers 1-5 from counting his fingers.  If I ask him to show me the number 1, he will (inconsistently) put up his index finger. 

It is amazing to watch him process information when we are reading a book and I ask him to point out different objects. 

*My sweet boy is very nurturing when he wants to be and I recently bought him a purple (yes I sure did) baby doll (one that does NOT make any creepy noises- no noise at all actually), $3 at walmart- score! I love to watch him give the baby doll and his numerous stuffed toys some sippy cup, hugs, kisses, cuddles and carry on a full conversation with them.  I could watch him do that all day.

*On the flip side- Gavin definitely has the capacity for a temper; as is normal for this age, expressing himself and exploring his world through his hands.  Can't wait until he has more words to use instead of hitting things, throwing things and screaming/whining.  Time out comes in to play for hitting people (me and Daddy) and animals (poor Scout and Molly).  The interesting thing right now is that after his 1 minute time out is up- he is asked to say "sorry" (hug or kiss) for the offense- instead he will say no and decide to sit there.  Ugh...lovely.

At this point we still have not had to leave anywhere in public due to tantrums---I am SURE an epic situation is bound to occur at least once in our future. Currently a parenting struggle is taking place; Daddy is home with Gavin 3 days/week and would sometimes (often) prefer to give the whiney boy what he wants (within reason) instead of saying "no" and possibly having to hear him whine more or put him in time out---this has started the "good cop/bad cop" parenting saga.  We're working on this.  I really do not want any difference between husband and I when it comes to the basic structure of how we parent.  I can see how that is wishful thinking, haha :)

Physical stats: approximately 29.6 pounds; not sure on the height at this moment- probably at least 33-34 inches by now (was at 32.5 inches at his last appt. back in late August).  Hair has definitely lightened up since birth and I think he looks like a perfect mixture of myself and John, whereas- at birth he totally looked like John.  The rate at which his hair grows is alarming, good for him it appears he will not bald prematurely- or ever maybe, haha!

*Overall demeanor- he is clearly a child who likes to slowly warm up to new situations; has been this way for a while now.  Even with people who he has been around several times before, he will take his time before he is his carefree self. 

*He still lets me cuddle in the morning times and at bed time and sometimes in between.  He will often "check in" with me with a wrapping of his arms around my leg or coming over to where I am sitting on the couch or floor.

*Bedtime has now gotten a little later when we don't have to wake up before 7 or 7:30.  He can now stay up until 8pm without a huge meltdown.  He usually only sleeps for about 11 1/4- 11 1/2 hours at night unless he is particularly exhausted and still takes at least a 2 hour nap in the afternoon each day.

*eating: he goes through days when he will eat whatever you put in front of him to other days when he only picks at select items on his plate.  'Tis the nature of toddlerhood, apparently. 

My boy loves to dance..have I mentioned that before?  This kid will dance to ANY kind of music. I need to get video of it.

Pictures to come soon....

30 years--gah!

Tomorrow I will be 30...and life will go on. It's an age milestone for sure and I am only more acutely aware of my age now because motherhood has certainly changed my body (and mind, but that's a different blog post all together).

Thinking about my present "status" at 30 is pretty much where I thought it would be when I was thinking of what I'd want to be "when I grow up."  Am I grown up?? Hard to believe at times, but having a kid definitely makes me assert that I am the grown up.  G sometimes doesn't care--turd. :)

Going to have great friends and family around for this birthday and I am very excited to celebrate! Mama even picked out a new outfit for this shin-dig. Can we say skinny jeans---ahhhh- don't run away; they actually look ok on my "thick" self. If a nice picture is taken during the birthday celebration- I'll post one on here for the sake of those of us with a little more meat on the bones.  I can promise you- I WON'T look like this in my skinny jeans:

Half-marathon training has found me losing weight but if you EVER see me looking like this- you better call Dr. Drew so he can tell you which anorexia/bulimia center to take me to.

Half- marathon training (week 3-ish): Ran a pretty quick and easy 2 miles yesterday at lunch, it greatly helped that the weather is gorgeous and humidity is low.  Sunday ran 4 miles- walked approx. 2 minutes of it and wasn't too terribly exhausted afterwards.  Those are the highlights of the past week- there have been a couple other runs involved, too.

Lastly- I got a haircut! Something with some style; both good and bad- but mostly all good.  I have to take the time to blow dry and style it or it will look hideous for work.  I'll add pics when I get around to it.

Happy hump day!

Waving "fall" this way...

<-------GOOO GATORS! I was so sweaty- poor G and Albert.

<----hot hubby and our cutie pie after the race- notice the non-sweat on these cheaters (read on).

Fall in Florida really just means a much needed break from the 90 degree weather and give us some low 80's and we're busting out the fall leaves, pumpkins and long sleeve shirts with flip flops.

This is my FAVORITE time of the year. While I love the beach, although not as much as I did when I could wear a bikini and actually take my clothes off to get some sun (haha)- I love the comfort that fall seems to exude.

My fall activities this year include:

1. training for a half-marathon (huh?!! yeah i can't believe it either)

2. my 30TH (I mean first anniversary of my 29th) B'DAY

3. lots of other birthdays and parties

4. fall festival(s) and arts festivals

5. GATOR FOOTBALL

6. trying to figure out what to put on my living room wall, it's big and blank right now and i hate it!

Half-marathon training began (somewhat officially) last week for me. I am doing the LifeSouth Five Points of Life Half for the second time in February (did it back in 2008). I'm going by THIS schedule (somewhat loosely in that i change what i do sometimes to work with whatever is going on that week and i have more like 16-17 weeks to train as opposed to 12 like it calls for). Sticking to long runs on Sunday mornings with others who are doing the run- namely my friend KW who managed to (easily) talk me in to doing this torture. :)

Part of my training last week included doing the Heart Walk 3.2 miler (not sure why they made it 3.2 instead of 5k??). The neat part was that the husband did it too with G in the jogger! Well- uh, half of it. Cheaters turned around at the half-way point when they saw me headed back.

Update on that wild idea to become debt free:

Grocery budget is going pretty well- still some slip ups when we realize we didn't plan menus too well OR decide to change our minds.

Saying "no" is sometimes hard to do- can't do EVERYTHING we'd like to do.

Craigslist and consigment shops are my friends both in selling and purchasing. Trying to make sales before considering purchases.

Cash flow is the best flow--if you 'aint got the cash- you 'aint gettin it (whatever "it" may be).

Did I already mention THIS WEBSITE? You can follow me HERE on Pinterest. Love this website- what a neat idea.

Cheers to Monday and a good week---extra cheers to highs in the low 80's here this weekend!!

end of summer (yeah right) fun and masochistic tendencies

Hmm...what a title for a blog post- not sure what you're about to read?

Summer fun (there is almost no end to summer in Florida- or so it seems when I'm pining for variety in our seasons):

We are going scalloping this weekend- YAY! I haven't done this in about 10 years. We're joining up with some family for the weekend and I can't wait. Pictures will follow, not promising anything professional (hoping to go purchase a disposable water camera).

Masochism: I have recently been intrigued by a friend to do a HALF-MARATHON. People- that is 13.1 MILES of your own steam. I've done this once before (before pregnancy and baby and extra weight..etc.) and vowed I would never- ever- need to do it again. Well fast-forward three years and Momma needs some motivation and a personal goal to work towards.

So..I haven't said yes quite yet but am strongly leaning towards it. I have 4.5 months to train, so it might be doable. I'll just be cursing myself the whole time. ;)

Oh- have YOU been to THIS website yet? www.pinterest.com

Definitely easy to get lost and addicted to this site. You have to join it (no cost) to add your own boards, images, etc. I've gotten some great ideas from there so far on LOTS of different things.

Ciao! I'm on the countdown to getting off early today ;)

9/11 Never forgotten

10 years ago, really? American soil under attack- such significance to this. I can imagine it will stick in my memory much like those who were alive when Pearl Harbor (1941) was under attack will remember that tragedy; both resulting in a war.

I was an undergrad student working part-time at the same medical office where my Mom worked. Mom was not at work that day but down the hill at the same medical park at an opthalmologist appointment with her father who was having eye surgery (who fought in WWII in the airforce following Pearl Harbor attack). I worked at the front desk checking people in and could see the footage on the t.v. in our reception area. I remember it all being surreal and- living in Florida- feeling somewhat oddly removed but scared at the same time.

I walked down to the opthalmologist clinic to make sure my Mom knew what was going on. They had seen the coverage on the t.v. in the reception room they were in. I could see the fear on my Mom's face- her thoughts were about what would happen next, because my brother was in the Navy at this point. Now that I have a child- I can only imagine the thoughts that went through my Mom's mind. She NEVER would go see the movie Pearl Harbor because my brother was military (not to mention stationed twice in Honolulu).

This WHOLE memory is part of my BEFORE/AFTER category of memories. This was BEFORE my Mom passed away. While this whole event is a sad one, it actually holds some positive value in my mind because it involves my Mom being alive. I am happy that she was there during such a time of uncertainty.

Fast forward 10 years later to today. LOTS have occurred both on personal and a national levels in 10 years, yet watching the footage from the day of the attacks is still very frightening and sad. One of the most alarming parts of that day that I think I purposefully pushed out of my mind was the fact that some people in the towers chose to jump to their deaths rather than burn to death. Being reminded of this is just as jarring as the day of all the footage.

Those lives lost and all effected by this horrible, senseless tragedy will never be forgotten. I am thankful for those who have provided service both as civilians (firefighters, law enforcement, medical personnel, etc.) and those in the military for our freedom and helping us on a daily basis.