How to put a 9 month old to bed

How to put a 9 month old wiggly boy to bed:

1. Get baby cleaned up from dinner.  (Baby will probably not like being cleaned with a rag.  Baby will probably squeal.  You will have to end up holding his head in order to get a proper wiping of the mouth since the baby will move his head back and forth very quickly in order to avoid the wiping.)

2.  Give baby a nice quiet bubble bath.  (This will require endless effort to try to keep baby from standing up, slipping, and hitting his head.)

3. Dry baby off.  (He won't like this either.  He thinks the towel is evil.  Especially the part that goes on his head.  He'll squeal some more.)

4. Massage baby soothingly with lotion. (This is also known as a "quick lube".  Try to put on the lotion as quick as you can, before he twists over and starts to crawl away.)

5. Put baby's diaper on.  (Every put a diaper on a baby who is standing up?  Or a baby who is on his tummy trying to crawl away?  This is where you get to use your skills that you acquired when you were a professional arm wrestler.  Wait.  You weren't a professional arm wrestler?  Well, you better get practicing!)

6. Get baby dressed in his pajamas. (If his pajamas have anything more than 1 piece, you're screwed.  There will be lots of twisting, lots of screaming, lots of screeching, and lots of 'just lay still, please's.)

7. Comb baby's hair fuzz.  (He will try to eat said comb. Over and over again.)

8. Brush baby's teeth tooth. (Of course, he won't want to put THIS in his mouth.  He already had the hair brush in there.)

9. Read baby a book. (He will try to eat this book, or he will turn the pages too soon, or won't want you to turn the pages at all, or he'll just turn around and try to get down again.)

10. Feed the baby. (He'll finally start to settle down.  Look at the way he looks at you when he's nursing.  *swoon*)

11.  Put the baby in his bed. (You'll really want to hold him a bit longer, so do, even though he's falling asleep in your arms.  He's so snugly.)

12. Quietly walk away and blow kisses in the dark. (And pray that time some how stops and he doesn't grow up anymore overnight.)

I swore I'd never be that person

"what person?" you ask.

You know, the one who said  "I want to run so bad!" or "I love running." 

I can tell you that I am keeping my promise to myself.  Sort of. 

While I won't go as far to say that I love running, I will say that I'm hating it less and less.  If I'm being completely honest, I'll even go as far in saying that I've enjoyed it a time or two. 

Everyone I ever talked to that enjoyed running has said to me "Oh, I used to hate it to.  But, now I love it."  I also thought those people were crazy.  Like running hippies or something.  I just couldn't imagine ever liking something that made me look so absurd, and made me feel like I was dying.

A few months ago (maybe 4 or so) I started adding some running to my work out routine (mainly because I have a 10 year high school reunion coming up and I wasn't getting the results I wanted from just the weights.)  I'd run 1/2 a mile, do my weights, sit ups, etc. then run another 1/2 mile.  Even after 2 months of that, I still hated running.  I watched the treadmill stats like it was going out of style, and as soon as that little odometer reached .5 I flung the red emergency magnet off.

I would come home and tell E how I loathed running.  How I hated the way it made me feel.  He suggested, gently, that I may be pushing myself too hard.  I was, after all, a new runner.  Maybe I was running too fast and too much at once.  I've never been good at pacing myself, so this made sense.

I knew that a lot of my friends have had wonderful success with the Couch to 5K program.  I decided to give it a try. 

I didn't start on week one, since I had been running some and I wasn't really starting from the "couch".  I started on week two.  At first, I started on the treadmill.  As summer has transitioned into fall, I have started running outside (but, still in the early a.m. or later in the evening since its still quite warm during the day here.)  We started doing some of the running as a family.  Putting some kids in the jogger, some riding bikes.  Those, honestly, are my favorite times.  They keep me entertained. :)

On Wednesday, I hit a major milestone.  (If you're my friend on Facebook or Twitter, I'm sure you've heard all about it.)  I ran 2 full miles, with out stopping.  This is the longest I have ever run straight.  (Except in my days on the track team in high school.  They were short lived. That's a whole different story that I'll have to tell someday.  Its pretty funny.) 

Guess what!  I didn't hate it!  I actually didn't loathe it.  Maybe it was because I knew I could do it that made it not so bad.  Or that I actually did it in a pretty decent time (which, I think I was going a little too fast, though...) Whatever it was, I enjoyed it.

I know, I know.  Enjoying is bordering on liking.  Once you get to liking, its all down hill to love. 

*sigh* I do love to run downhill.

The weather

This is our 7 day forecast.  I wish I could show you the LAST 7 days as well.  You would see that its been HOT.  Really hot. 

People are complaining.  Lots of people.  But, I'm trying not to.

Now, if this was the forecast for early May, I'd be a bit more fussy over seeing this forecast.  Because, it would mean that we have months and months of this weather. 

 But, its not May.  Its the middle of September. 

 Do you see the last two days up there?  With the forecast in the 80s?  That's MY kind of weather.

Seeing how it is September, I can get through yesterday (with a high of 98) and today just looking forward to the slightly cooler temperatures to come.

After all, its all temporary.  I can see the light cooler weather at the end of the tunnel.

Just don't catch me in January.  I might be complaining then.

un solicited advice

Hey y'all (Trying to dip into my culture around here a bit more. I think that is how you write it.  Since its short for "you all" you would put the apostrophe after the "y", right?  Although, I think I've seen it written like "ya'll" but that would be short for "ya all".)  I'm in need of some ideas.  For several things.

1. A gentle approach to getting the baby to sleep better at night.  When he was 6 months old, he was sleeping from 7am to 5am.  Then, we went on a vacation, and we've been screwed ever since.  Last night, he got up 3 times between 9:00 and 6:00.  We've tried a bit of crying, but it is just NOT working for this little fellow (or his mommy, if I'm honest.)  I have read several sleep books, especially since my big kids had sleep regressions around the same age, but I either can't remember the ideas or they are not for us. 

The most recent book I read was the one where you stay in the room then gradually move out every night.  But, the way you get started is to disassociate nursing with sleeping.  Which we did.  He goes to sleep fine on his own now for naps and bedtime.  However, he is still waking in the middle of the night.  I have tried to not nurse him in the middle of the night, and it ends in tears for us all.  I'm fairly positive that he does not NEED to eat, but I'm also certain that he THINKS he needs to eat. 

Really, I haven't been super motivated to do anything in the middle of the night until last week.  If I didn't have two other children running around, I probably would just wait it out.  However, I am starting to feel like I'm cheating the big kids out of some things (mainly patience) because I'm so tired.  Especially A, since he's with me during the day. 

2.  I need help with some running issues.  I started running a few months back.  I was just running on the treadmill as part of my workout.  However, I started a few weeks ago doing the Couch to 5K program (though, we skipped a few weeks because I wasn't starting from the couch.)  My goal is to be ready to run a 5K by Halloween.  There really aren't any races around then, but I am going to register for a local Turkey Trot 5k on Thanksgiving day. 

Anyway, my issue is that my right leg often hurts when I run (as does my knee, but that's an older issue from other sports.)  I definitely think it started because of my shoes.  They were old, and not very "good" running shoes.  So, I did a bunch of research.  I tried to figure out what running style/gait I have.  It turns out I underpronate and I have high arches.  So, I researched shoes for those issues. 

I took my list of "good" shoes and hit the stores.  I found one pair off my list.  One.  I tried them on, they seemed comfy.  I went for a run in them yesterday and my leg hurt worse than when I was wearing my other shoes.  So, my question is, do I try to run in my shoes again?  Could it just be because they are new?  Or, do I take them back and search for another pair?  Thoughts?  Advice?

3.What does one wear to a 10 year high school reunion?  I'm not a fashionista.  I mean, its not like I ever wear sweat pants to the store (or that I even own a "true" pair of sweatpants with the tight cuffs at the bottom...) but I am more into comfort and durability than I am fashion.  I always like to look good, and I think it would be fun to buy lots of new things.  However, we have 3 kids.  3 Kids= every.extra.penny.into.college funds.  Its just a reality.

So, I first need just a general idea of how fancy pancy to go.  Church garb?  Wedding attire? (for a guest.  obviously not in the wedding party.) I have a few ideas for possible outfits, but I need a direction first.

Also, any spanx users?  Worth it? 

I guess three things is enough for today.  I need to go get I, (who is now getting into everything, including crawling up the stairs super duper fast), from getting into the bathroom.  Because, that just leads to playing in the toilet water. I'm pretty sure I don't need advice on whether or not he should do that. :)

milestone

He has reached a milestone today.

He has now spent more time in this world

as his own little person

than he did residing in my womb.

Happy 9 months Little Mister.

Thank you, Lord, for your precious gift to us.  

My favorite place: The sequel

You may remember this post.  Its still my favorite spot to rub under my chin. 

Gosh, I love baby fuzz.

I thought that since I has dark eyes, he might have darker hair.  That theory is proving to be incorrect.  He, too, is turning into a blondie.  I love it, but it makes it hard to see his new sprouts.

and a full head shot for good measure:

Another first day

A's first day of preschool was yesterday.

He doesn't really like going to school.

He doesn't really like to go anywhere.

But, once he's there,

he realizes he has a fresh new crowd to laugh at his jokes.

A crowd who he can charm with a few funny faces,

and maybe a few sweet ones as well.