Slowly Growing Old Together

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2012-02-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

Tuesday's lunch: spinach salad with roasted cauliflower, bell peppers, green beans and mushrooms.

4 MONTHS

2012-02-21T23:05:00.000-05:00

C -

It's hard to believe you are four months old already. Time is moving way too fast.

You continue to be such a delightful baby. You smile and giggle all day long. You have definitely found your voice. And you know how to use it... if we aren't giving you the attention that you want (read: face-to-face interaction), you squeal loudly. It's adorable! You spend most of your time these days sucking on things - fingers, thumbs, toys, you name it. The amount of drool you produce amazes me. I am constantly checking to see if your teeth are coming in, but there is no evidence of them yet.

You are still a big boy - in the 95th percentile for both height and weight. One of our neighbors has offered to serve as your agent when you enter the NFL draft! This morning at your doctor's appointment you weighed in at 17.1 pounds and measured 26.5 inches. Unfortunately, you have another yeast infection in the little folds of skin near your backside. We've got some medicated cream and will get that problem under control in no time.

You have yet to roll over, but are trying hard.

You have a killer grip. Most of the time we find you holding onto your toy rings or our fingers.

Your sister loves to give you hugs and often hugs you by putting her head on your tummy. You love the hugs! You also like pulling her hair. On several occasions we've had to rescue K, who couldn't free herself from your grip.

You love to take a bath.

Your sleep schedule is a little unpredictable. On night's when I teach, I wake you up around 11pm to feed you. Afterward you typically sleep until 5-6am. On nights when I don't teach, I usually skip the 11pm feeding - I just want to go to bed. Some nights you wake up in the wee hours of the morning to eat; other nights you do not. Although I prefer when you sleep until 5-6am, I do not mind the middle of the night feedings. You tend to eat fast and fall right back to sleep. Recently, do to my crazy busy schedule and lack of sleep (I blame your sister), I have been falling asleep while nursing you in the middle of the night. Two nights ago I woke up nearly an hour after I started feeding you. You were sound asleep in my arms and I was sleeping up-right in bed.

Needless to say, being a full-time mom, professor, and wife as well as having a training schedule, household chores, and a (limited) social schedule have left me a little tired.

I love you.

~Mama

WHAT WE REMEMBER

2012-02-16T22:44:00.001-05:00

If you:

a) watch/follow the swimming grand prix series;
b) are Facebook friends with someone who follows the series;
c) watch Good Morning America;
d) watch NBC Nightly News; or
e) read the Huffington Post

then you've probably seen the video of Olympic swimmer Matt Grevers proposing to his girlfriend, Annie Chandler (also a member of the US National Team), on the medal stand at last weekend's swim meet in Missouri. The YouTube clip of the proposal has over 1 million hits.

On USA Swimming's web site there is a lengthy article talking all about the new power couple of the swimming world. Being a sucker for a good engagement story, I took the time to read the article from beginning to end. And I am SO glad that I did.

At the end of the article, author Mike Gustafson talks about how this moment will be remembered forever by everyone at the meet. He goes on further to say:

Long after the records are broken and times bettered, long after the last event has swum, I don’t remember the races. No one really does. We won’t remember the heats, titles, or championships. We only remember the people we met. The people we trained with. The friendships we made. The people we loved. That’s swimming. That’s why our world is so unique.

I couldn't have said it better myself. What a beautiful statement about the sport I love(d) and completed in for more than 13 years.

I met and became friends with some amazing swimmers throughout my swimming career. I'm still in touch with teammates from my age group team. The same is true for many of my high school teammates as well as one of my high school coaches. As for my college teammates, well, they are near and dear to my heart. They are all some amazing people; I'm honored to call them friends.

What is also so true for me is that...

I cannot remember what my high school record time in the 100 butterfly was. Nor can I tell you what place my 400 freestyle relay got at the NCAA meet in 1998. What I do remember are all the hugs and congratulations I received from teammates and friends on other teams after I swam my last 100 butterfly at the state championship meet. I also remember my teammate, Jamie, jumping off of the awards podium - fully clothed - after we received our award for the 400 freestyle relay at the 1998 NCAA meet (it was her way of celebrating the end of her swimming career).

I have memories to last a lifetime.

Mike Gustafson was so right in what he wrote. It has been 12 years since I completed as a swimmer (exactly 12 years as this weekend is the NCAC Swimming & Diving Championships) and, truth be told, I only remember the people - my teammates and friends. Those that I trained with (who doesn't remember completing Coach E's b*stard set?!?). The friendships we made. The people I loved and still do.

That's swimming.

And for all my swimming buddies reading this post, I love you. It has been an honor to be both your teammate and your friend.

**Go Gators!!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2012-02-16T21:47:00.000-05:00

Belated post due to illness and sleep deprivation.

Free morning entertainment provided by the trash & recycling trucks + a bowl of steel cut oats with PB and brown sugar make for some wonderful morning memories.

SILENT

2012-02-14T22:30:00.002-05:00

I lost my voice.

I am sick.

My throat hurts; my head aches; I am exhausted.

Everyone told me that when K went to school this year I should be prepared for her to get sick more often. Sure little girl was really sick before Thanksgiving, but other than a stuffy nose here and there she has been so healthy. I, on the other hand, have been sick too often this winter. First there was the sinus and ear infections at Christmas. Now I have some viral throat and upper respiratory thing going on.

My throat hurts so bad.

I feel like I am breathing through a straw - my lungs feel inflamed and constricted.

Yesterday I made the terrible mistake of teaching a three hour class. Most of the class period was spent working on an exercise, but I also lectured for nearly an hour. By the time I was finished, I was SO tired and my voice was SO weak. I have spent all day trying to recover from last night and getting myself to a better place healthwise.

With two kids, a job, preschool pick-up and drop-off, household chores, dirty diapers, and a training schedule I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at the present moment. I simply do not have time to be sick. I'm not sure how my body is going to recover or if there is enough time for it to do so. I skipped my spinning class on Monday and today I only did 2.5 miles. I may skip my spinning class again tomorrow depending on how I sleep tonight and feel tomorrow.

Part of me wishes I had the ability to stay in bed all day and just heal. But that isn't my reality. I can though choose to listen to my body. I can get to bed at a decent hour, I can skip workouts and rest, I can shorten my class or decide not to lecture at all.

I need to get well.

I need my voice back.

I need to rest and then get back to normal day-to-day activities.

FOR SHERRY

2012-02-12T15:09:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I, along with thousands of other runners around the world, participated in a virtual run in honor of Sherry Arnold, who was killed while out for a morning run a little over five weeks ago.

Participating in the run was SO important to me. I think of Sherry as a kindred spirit (of sorts)... we both had two kids - one girl and one boy, we both loved to run, we both were teachers, we both taught math (I teach statistics - its in the same family), we both enjoyed a mug of coffee each morning before heading out for the day. I can imagine that if we had known one another we could have been friends. So I ran to honor and remember her. I also ran because my heart breaks for her family, friends, and community. Running yesterday was a way for me to support them; to be strong for them. I ran knowing that their hearts were breaking and have been broken for weeks now.

I started my run with a moment of silence and a prayer.


View with my head bowed.

And then I took off. As I entered into Rock Creek Park, I picked a daffodil (don't tell the U.S. Park Service as I am sure it is illegal to pick flowers in the park). I ran with the daffodil for another 5.5 miles - a symbolic gesture to remind me that I was running in honor and for someone.

At the 6.57 mile mark, I arrived at the Memorial Bridge - the bridge across the Potomac River that links Washington DC to Virginia. My plan was to drop the flower off the bridge and into the water; however high winds prevented me from doing so. Instead I released the flower into the water, in honor of Sherry and in celebration of her life, while looking at the bridge.

And then I ran home.

It was one of the best runs I've had in ages. I'm proud to dedicate the run to Sherry.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2012-02-08T23:56:00.001-05:00

Future Olympic hopeful...

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2012-02-01T23:24:00.001-05:00

Captured: a tender moment between brother & sister. Emphasis on a moment.

ELEVEN

2012-01-30T18:24:00.001-05:00

So, I am sure a bunch of you have seen the 11 things post going around. I have been reading them and have found it kind of fun to learn about those of you that have participated. I was surprised tonight when I saw that I got tagged to do it to. Thank you, Nicole. She is a fellow Touch Chik! (More on Team Tough Chik in a future post.)

Here are the rules:

1. Post these rules.
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the questions set for you in their post.
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
5. Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them.
6. No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people.

11 random things about me:
1. I'm afraid of horses - I have several childhood memories involving horses and someone getting hurt. Haven't gotten over my fear yet. One of my first days of work in DC, I came to the top of the escalator from the metro only to find the square in front of my office full of mounted police officers. I walked several blocks out of my way to avoid a horse encounter.

2. Having an office with a window is one of the best perks of my job.

3. Next Saturday is my 6th wedding anniversary. We were married on 2/4/6 - although according to the District of Columbia that marriage wasn't exactly legal.

4. D proposed while we were out on a long run (five weeks before we ran the Marine Corps Marathon together). He proposed with a ring that was purchased for $0.50 in a gumball machine.

5. The Marine Corps Marathon in 2005 was my first marathon. Prior to running it I had never run a race longer than 10 miles.

6. I've run four marathons to date. Three of the four I've run with D. I've beat him each time by 0.01 seconds. (READ: he has let me win each time).

7. Had I not gotten my current job after finishing my PhD, I would have gotten my spinning instructor's certification and taught spinning. Not the best use of a PhD in epidemiology, but it would have been fun and my legs would have looked great.

8. My knees and elbows hyper-extend; so do my brothers.

9. My brother-in-law gave D and me a case of wine as a wedding gift. We're supposed to drink a bottle on our 1st, 3rd, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th anniversaries. Last year (our 5th anniversary) I was pregnant so we saved our bottle for this year. Looking forward to opening it next week.

10. K is named after my mom; C is named after my brother-in-law.

11. I take a shower every.single.day. No exceptions.

Questions from Nicole:

1. What is your favorite band? U2 - saw them in concert in 1997. It was awesome.

2. Who is your biggest inspiration? Tough question --- I'm inspired to be the best that I can be to set an example for my kids; I'm inspired to do the hard things in life with a smile on my face by my good friend who is a quadriplegic and the strongest person I know; I'm inspired by all the other mother runners out there who are shooting for the stars, making time for training, staying healthy, and crossing the finish lines with smiles on their faces.

3. Can you remember your last dream? Was it good? Yes. It wasn't good or bad. It just was. I was surprised that many of my high school friends and teammates were in it.

4. What is your favorite book? Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

5. What is your best childhood memory? Going to swim meets as a family. Pizza dinners afterwards with teammates and their families is a close second.

6. Do you have any regrets? No.

7. What is your most prized possession? Toss up --- either my camera or iPhone

8. What were you doing the last time you really had a good laugh? Texting with D while I waited in the longest line EVER at the DMV.

9. What movie can you watch over and over again? Top Gun and The Sound of Music

10. Do you go to church? Yes - and our church is quasi-famous (it was profiled in Time Magazine in 2008)

11. How is your day so far? Today has been a mixed bag -- had a great run, but also spent too much time at the DVM. K had a great night of sleep (big surprise); C not so much. I was up from 1:15-3am - when the alarm went off at 6:15 I nearly chucked my phone across the room.

SO STINKING PROUD

2012-01-28T15:25:00.000-05:00

Last year one of the few books I read from cover-to-cover was Run Like a Mother. It is one of the best books I've ever read. I pretty much related to everything that was covered in the book - from finding time to get out and run when you have kids to needing to get out and run when you have kids to where to purchase cute running clothes to how to discover new music to listen to while running. I love the book, and the authors, Sarah Bowen Shea and Dimity McDowell, are two of my favorite people (sure we've never met, but through running and kids and wicked senses of humor we are all kindred spirits).

Sarah and Dimity are getting ready to release their second book Train Like a Mother, which I'm already looking forward to reading. They also have a fabulous Facebook page and a Twitter feed. Additionally they have a wonderful blog. Each Wednesday they host a give-away on said blog. The rules for entering the give-away are simple... they pose a question, you answer it, and then you are entered. The winner(s) are chosen at random. I enter the give-away each week and, sadly, I've never won (and they give away some AWESOME stuff!).

This week was no different... I wasn't chosen to win the cool medals display rack.

However, my answer to their question this week (what part of your body are you most proud of) was profiled in their blog post this morning.

I AM SO STINKING PROUD.

To think that out of the hundreds of relies, my response was chosen. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. I feel like I had tea with the queen(s) this morning. My quote was not credited, but it was quoted. And that is all that matters. The women from Run Like a Mother thought my response was worth repeating.

Yeah me!!!

Feel free to check out the post here.

And for those of you who want to know what body part I am most proud of or my witty quote that caught the eye of two wonderful women, here it is:

My calves. 13 years of competitive swimming plus a post-grad life as a marathoner has left me with some bada** calf muscle definition.

I'm thinking a calve photoshoot may be forthcoming.

For now, I am soaking it all in. I'm one proud mother runner!

THREE MONTHS

2012-01-24T22:56:00.002-05:00

C -

During the past month, you've traveled, met your great-grandmother, celebrated your first Christmas, and been doted on by many, many, many new friends. And through it all, you've had a smile on your face. You continue to be such a delightful, go-with-the-flow child.

Over the holidays we drove to United States Grandma & Grandpa's house twice. We were a quiet traveler - so much so that I often asked your sister what you were doing because you were so quiet for so long. While at their house, we introduced you to your Great Grandmother. She's 94 years old now. She lives on her own and still drives a car. She keeps a busy schedule - including a roundtrip to Texas for Christmas. You met her before she look off on her trip. I'm so happy to have some fantastic pictures of you with her and your sister. It is beautiful sight to see her with you guys. I was so happy and proud to introduce you to her. And I'm so glad that you've experienced her hugs and kisses and love. She is one special lady!

You spent most of Christmas day on your father's lap sucking his pinky finger. Grandma got you a couple of squeaky toys as gifts. You also got clothes, a winter hat and gloves, and a snow-suit from other friends and family. Your camouflage little brother onesie is my favorite.

After the new year, I headed back to work.

Your nanny is quite smitten with you and you bring her a lot of joy just by smiling at her. Unfortunately, you are not very cooperative when it comes to eating from a bottle. Most days you don't eat from 9ish (when I nurse you) until 4:30 or so in the afternoon. And then you chug - 5-6 oz at a time. Now that I'm teaching two nights a week you I'm not drinking from the bottle stubbornness is stressing me out a little. Please drink up little guy, drink up!

In terms of developmental milestones, this past month has been full of smiles, cooing, and other fun noises. You have also started putting things in your mouth - mostly toys and adult fingers. And when your sister lays down next to you you have been known to grab her hair and hold it tight. She is not a big fan of this. You've shown no interest in rolling over. Instead you are quite content on your back.

The first week of January, we finally got you a crib and you moved in with your big sister. We were a little nervous about this at first - we didn't want her bad sleeping habits/patterns to rub off on you. However, much to our surprise the room sharing situation has gone really well. K really enjoys having you nearby.

You continue to be a rockstar sleeper. Thank you. You occasionally wake up between 3-5am to eat, but it's rare that this happens. And when you do, you go right back to sleep. Most mornings I have to wake you up. And when I do, you just lay there in your crib and smile up at me.

What a wonderful way to start the morning.

I am so enjoying getting to know you and loving you.

Love,
Mama

OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM

2012-01-23T23:29:00.002-05:00

On Friday night we went to Night School at K's school. This was her opportunity to walk us through her works at school (Montessori kids work). We had a wonderful time (wish he had gotten their earlier). She showed D and me how to build the temple in Israel (sort of like a 3-D puzzle), some of her meditations (Bible stories with a coloring activity) and the pink tower. She has been telling me about the pink tower for weeks and it was so wonderful to watch her put it together and then take it apart and put it back where it came from.

Watching her in her school environment all I could think about was how happy I am that she's in a supportive learning environment. One where she is thriving. She is learning life skills - pouring water, polishing metals, polishing shoes, cleaning (furniture, clothes, dishes), phonics, numbers, and spacial reasoning. She is learning good behaviors - putting away works, waiting her turn for snack, cleaning up after snack. She is provided with artistic outlets - painting, drawing.

She is building a foundation for learning. One that she will carry with her for the rest of her life.

At home we are trying to reinforce many of the things she is learning at school - good behaviors, life skills, phonics. I spend my days spelling words for her, allowing her to pour her own water when I know I could pour her a glass in half the time it takes her to do it on her own, making up games (like the one where I say I spy something with my little eye that starts with a w-w (w sound) and she has to find an object that starts with w, like the wall, and take a picture of it to show me. We also practice cutting out objects with scissors (this activity was recently interrupted by K cutting a hole in the hood of her rain jacket - oops!) and playing lots of make believe (did you know that couch in our basement is a boat?).

We read books that rhyme and tell silly stories. We read about princesses and big red dogs; care bears and talking trains.

This is life with a three year old. It's all about the basics. From a family point of view, we are just beginning the journey of schooling and education.

Professionally, however, I am at the opposite end of the spectrum. I'm now teaching graduate level classes. I'm now considered an expert; the one who is at the top of her game and ready to impart knowledge to others.

Tonight I left my office at 6:45pm to teach my first ever graduate-level class. As I walked along the sidewalk, busy with students shuffling to class and the library, I couldn't help but smile. After 26 years of schooling (including preschool, K-12, undergrad, MPH, and doctorate), I'm now the teacher. I'm instructing students who are pursuing their graduate degrees. Students who are nearing the top of their game.

It is strange living/working in both of these worlds. At school, I spend my time talking about toxicology, epidemiologic study methods, risk assessment, biostatistics, and environmental science. At home, I am cutting out paper fish for our pretend boat, reading Fox in Socks, and praying that K doesn't ask me to spell something difficult. I'm actually grateful for my commute to/from school. It allows me time to shift gears. On the way there I take my mommy hat off (although sometimes my role as mommy can be seen on my sleeve - literally - as I often have some spit up on me) and put on my professor/grown up one. On the way home, I remind myself that regression, SAS code, toxicokinetics and the like cannot be discussed. It is all about games, phonics, make-believe, using the bathroom correctly, and enjoying time with my babies.

Although I do live/work in these opposite ends of the spectrum and sometimes it is hard to go from one to the other in a commute/span of less than an hour, I wouldn't change a thing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

C bottle drinking update: the boy doesn't like the bottle, but managed to get 8 oz in between 10am and 9pm. I'm guessing he'll be up in the middle of the night to eat.

Streaking: even though I slept through my alarm this morning, I still managed to get a short run in this morning. Streak day 23 continues...

NYC Marathon: I have entered the lottery. I will only run the race if both D and I get entry this year. If not, we'll both have automatic entry in 2013. We'll run the Richmond, VA marathon together this year.

STREAKING

2012-01-20T23:26:00.000-05:00

This is what 20 days of running looks like

Thank you, DailyMile, for such great graphs. Seeing this makes me what to continue my streak indefinitely. Love, love, love seeing the consecutive days of running in my profile. And I am realizing that a mile here and two miles there quickly increase my weekly and monthly mileage.

Feeling like I am getting back into shape and that I'll be ready to run a half marathon in less than two month.

SNIPPETS

2012-01-20T23:18:00.000-05:00

This week has been crazy busy - full of events both big and small; some of importance and others not so much. Here are some snippets from this past week...

Monday D stayed home with the kids and I headed off to work. Classes start this Monday and there was a lot of work to be done. D took the kids shopping - K earned a new pair of pajamas (she got two!) as a reward for a hygiene-related accomplishment. She also got a new dress and running shoes. D texted me several times while they were out saying the day was going well. I arrived home around 5 to find that my baby had refused to take a bottle all.day.long. The kid nursed at 8am and didn't eat until 5pm when I got home. He is one stubborn little buddy. But he is also so stinking cute. Love him.

We are working on getting him to take a bottle. It's hard work.

Wednesday I had jury duty. It was my fourth time being summoned in the ten year (yes, 10 years) I've lived in the city. Thankfully I was not even called for a panel. We were sent home before 3pm. Hallelujah!

Yesterday I completed my first run of more than 1 mile at a pace under 9:00/mile. I ran a hilly 2.51 miles averaging 8:44/mile. Yeah me! I also posted my syllabus and lecture slides for my first class on Monday. I cannot believe I start teaching on MONDAY.

I got home from work yesterday to learn that my baby refused the bottle all day (again). Thankfully around 4pm he decided he was hungry enough to eat from the bottle. He gobbled down 6 oz in one sitting. Way to go!

Today... not sure where to begin... I completed my 20th day of straight running at 10:27pm.

I painted K's fingernails purple this afternoon. And then she dressed up like this and danced in front of the mirror for a considerable amount of time.

After painting her fingernails, she disappeared into the office. After some silence I called her name. No response. I tried to enter the office, but the door was locked. I finally got her attention. About five minutes later (five minutes of complete silence) she tried to unlock the door. It took her another five minutes to get the door unlocked. And then she couldn't turn the knob to let herself out. I knew something bad was going on behind that locked door. When I finally got the door open I walked into one bad smelling room. K had found a vile of frankincense and myrrh oil and she anointed herself. The smell was almost more than I could handle. My nose is still burning from the exposure. She was covered in oil (hence her inability to open the door after it was unlocked). I scrubbed her down, wiped off our desk and made her change her clothes to help get rid of the smell, but honestly it is going to be days before our house smells normal again. And we have moved the oil to a HIGH shelf where she can no longer access it.

We made some homemade granola bars. They taste great, but are a crumbly mess. I made K eat her's with a spoon. It was a healthy snack recipe fail.

And now, at 11:11pm, the snow is falling outside. Freezing rain is supposed to start falling around midnight. We are bracing ourselves for an inside day tomorrow.

MOTIVATION

2012-01-15T22:23:00.001-05:00

Seeing this...

My DailyMile Profile for the week of January 9-15

is keeping me motivated.

Since I started streaking, I have had more energy, been sleeping better, and been making healthier choices when it comes to food and drinks.

I feel great.

I feel like I am regaining my body and endurance post-pregnancy.

And I am full of pride when I look at my weekly workout log.

Here's to another great week of running, cross training, and core work...

GOALS FOR 2012

2012-01-14T15:18:00.000-05:00

Source

In 15 minutes I'm planning to head down our basement and watch NBC's coverage of the Olympic Trials for the marathon. I'm so excited. This morning I was explaining to K what the Olympics are and the importance/big deal of the Trials. As I was talking about the sports, competition, opening ceremony, and tradition of the Olympic torch, I found myself tearing up. There is so much excitement and emotion involved in sports. I'm so excited it is an Olympic year.

2012 is going to be great.

I'm excited about the Olympics (heck, I'm excited to watch the marathon trials today and the swimming trials in June).

I'm also excited for my year ahead.

There is much I want to accomplish. Details are below. My plan to to do monthly (or possibly bimonthly) check-ins to track how I am doing. I want to keep track of the new foods I'm introducing/trying, recipes that work, outings I plan or attend to make sure I am on track to achieve all of my goals by the end of the year.

Like last year, I have organized my goals by my roles and responsibilities.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WIFE
-- Encourage and support D while he is on sabbatical
-- Read Seven Habits of a Highly Effective Family together and write a family mission statement
-- Train for an run two races together
-- Plan one date (out of the house) per quarter

MOM
-- Read to K & C every day
-- Introduce K to a new food every two weeks
-- Introduce C to a new healthy food every week (once he starts solids)
-- Take monthly photos of C on his birthday
-- Take one photo every day using Photo365 app
-- (During summer) plan one outing per week -- pool, museum, spray park, Rock Creek Park, Arboritum

ATHLETE
-- Run (at least) 1,000 miles
-- Streak (run every day) in January
-- Set PRs in half and full marathon (read: run a sub-1:57 half and sub-4:14 full)
-- Run the hill on 13th Street every time - NEVER, NEVER, NEVER walk up the hill
-- Cross-train once per week

HEALTH
-- Lose remaining pregnancy weight (~15 pounds)
-- Get K & C moving at least three times a week - gymnastics, swimming, bike riding, playing at the park
-- make/try a new healthy snack once per month

FAMILY
-- Organize/plan a professional photo shoot in October (with grandparents and other family members)
-- Plan family vacation to California

FRIEND
-- Participate and engage in the young moms group at church
-- Plan at least sic coffee dates with friends
-- Build relationships with new colleagues

CAREER
-- Write articles based on dissertation and get them published
-- Submit final written dissertation

FINANCE
-- Track our spending
-- Stick to our budget
-- Set savings goals - for big purchases we want/need to make

HOME
-- Paint our bedroom
-- Plant a vegetable garden with K
-- Create a workable home office for D and me

PERSONAL GROWTH
-- Read: Born to Run and The Seven Habits
-- Run a race for a cause - to raise money for a worthy organization

ME
-- Complete a yearlong photo challenge (in addition to the 365Photo)
-- Save money for a bike and kid's bikeseat
-- Get involved in social activities at work

CHANGE

2012-01-13T16:03:00.000-05:00

Of plans and perspective.

Today I had big plans to reveal my goals for 2012. I've been working on these for weeks - reflecting on what I did last year, what I wanted to do last year, where I'm at now, and what I want to accomplish this year. I was so excited to post them and talk about how I plan to measure/evaluate my progress toward achieving goals. I have big plans for this year!

But my plans for today and sharing my goals have changed.

And they changed because of this. Earlier this week the mama runners blog world was abuzz with news that a mom of two, teacher, and runner went out for a run last Saturday morning and didn't come home. This morning we heard that she isn't coming home. The FBI said she is dead.

Crazy horrible.

Although I don't know this woman - she lived half-way across the country - but her story, her life situation hits a little too close to home for me. My heart is breaking for this woman's husband, kids, students, friends, and community.

This reminds me of this.

It reminds me that every day, every run, every breath is a blessing and a gift.

My perspective is changing - today I am more grateful for my kids, husband, friends, house, ability to run, and breath in my lungs.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2012-01-11T22:49:00.002-05:00

Introducing... the guys.

If you thought keeping up with a three year old was hard work, imagine a three year old with an endless number of friends - both stuffed and imaginary. The fun never stops!

STREAKING

2012-01-10T22:44:00.000-05:00

Last month several women I know through blogging and Daily Mile successful completed the challenge set by Tall Mom to run every day of the month. At the beginning of December the run everyday challenge sounded like a great idea to me, but as the days wore on I became lazy and intimidated.

What was I intimated by/about?

Making time to run every single day. I'm really good at scheduling four runs or so a week and I walk pretty much everywhere (to K's school, to the store, and to the f-a-r away parking lot at work). But to run every day - that was more than I thought I could handle. Fitting in a run everyday seemed impossible - between getting dressed and out the door and then running at my then comfortable 10 min/mile pace that amounted to runs lasting 45 minutes to an hour. That is a big daily time commitment for a getting back to work mom of two small kids (whose husband is now in the throws of training for an ultra-marathon). Needless to say I did not run every day of December. I was totally intimated by the time commitment because to me running every day meant getting in a 3-5 mile run everyday.

But then I read this blog post by the Sweaty Betties on New Years Eve Day... Running everyday - just one mile - amounts to 10 minutes of running. Do this on the treadmill and it is 5 minutes to get dressed, 30 seconds to descend to the basement and 10 minutes to run. FIFTEEN-FREAKING-MINUTES a day.

I can do that.

And do that I have. Beginning on January 1, I have run, walked, or run/walked every single day.

My Daily Mile weekly report last week was inspiring.

There is no reason for me not being to run, walk or run/walk every single day (some days have to be walk days because of a sore nerve in my right leg). I can take 15 minutes to run - even if I do it at 10pm (which I've done many an evening).

And I feel great about all the exercise. My mind is clear, my legs are gaining strength, and my confidence is increasing.

I will run/walk every day in January. And I will probably do the same in February.

Streaking sure feels good. And it is great to know that so many others are streaking during the month of January as well. Kerrie is aiming to do it for all of 2012. How inspiring is that?!?!

I'm going to take my streaking one month at a time.

I have big plans to run several half and at least one full marathon this year. I may need a true rest day in the midst of all that training. But for now, this mama, who still has 10 pounds of pregnancy weight to lose and a running partner (Becca) to keep up with, will be streaking for the entire month of Janaury.

Woo hoo!

------------------------------------------------------------------

In other news:

-- Classes begin in less than two weeks. I have a lot of work to do.

-- It snowed yesterday and was in the 50s today. Keeping up with the weather is hard work.

-- We hired a cleaning lady. Best.decision.ever.

-- I signed up to participate in a Resolution Fitness Challenge at work - not sure about all the details, but looking forward to making some fitness friends on campus.

-- My two babies are officially sharing a room (yes, we finally got a crib for C).

-- I fell asleep at 9:30 last night with K. And then slept through my alarm this morning. We were a little rushed on our way out this morning, but the massive amount of sleep (interrupted only once by K) felt so good.

-- C continues to be a rockstar in the sleep department. For this I am eternally grateful.

-- Sad that the NFL season ended (for me) on Sunday with the Steelers loss.

MERRY, MERRY

2012-01-05T22:51:00.000-05:00

We had the most wonderful holiday season (ignoring the fact that I had sinus and ear infections the week prior to Christmas). Due to D's work schedule, we traveled the week before Christmas. We arrived in time to go into the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania to cut down a tree with United States Grandma and Grandpa (read: my parents).

The day after our perfect blue spruce was chopped down, K spent considerable time decorating the tree. She had so much fun. She definitely has her own style. Not wanting to upset K or discourage her creative/artistic flare, my mother did not touch a single ornament or piece of ribbon that she hung. She's such a kind grandma!

We, as well as my parents, stuck to our three gift rule (three gifts because there were three wise men) this year. There was much excitement of Christmas day. My mom's craftiness took center stage; as did Maria from The Sound of Music. Below is K in her Christmas dress and her long tutu (made by my mom), which she calls her Liesl dress. She was captivated by the movie (also a Christmas gift). In the bottom two pictures she is wearing her princessa outfit. Her short pink tutu (again made by my mom) with matching wand and tiara.

C slept through most of the Christmas Day activities. He did get a hand-made stocking from my mom (again, best.grandma.ever).

D and I enjoyed out time away. We got out for several runs together withOUT kids (I believe we ran 20 miles together over the course of eight days). We also went shopping together a few times. It was delightful.

2011: GOALS REVIEW

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

At the beginning of last year, I wasn't pregnant, I was just coming off a big time marathon PR, D and I were running together again, my then two year old was sleeping somewhat predictably (meaning I knew I'd be up once a night, but only briefly), I had a predictable student schedule, and my gym membership was free. I set out to achieve some mighty goals. Soon after my goals post in January last year, I found out I was pregnant. I had all-day sickness and I was exhausted. There were nights K was tucking me into bed - I was so tired her bedtime was too late for me. My goals had to be altered.

Below is my revised list of goals from last year and an honest assessment of my achievement (or lack thereof) of them.

MOM:

Get everything in place for K to attend preschool in the fall - completed. K started at her new school in early September. She walked through the doors on the first day with such confidence and has not looked back. She's a rock-star preschooler. I'm also extremely grateful to have her in a great school that goes through 6th grade; also grateful that C will one day join her there.
Plan one outing with K each week

library - done. We're on a first name basis with the children's librarian and her intern.
museum - done. We went to the Air & Space Museum, American History, and Botanical Gardens this year.
pool - done. We spent considerable time at the pool this past summer.
spray park - done and done. We were regulars at the spray park; sometimes hitting it twice in one day.

Read to K every day - done. My baby loves to read.
Introduce one new food/recipe every two weeks - I did a bad job tracking my progress on this goal, but I feel confident that K tried and liked a lot of new foods this year. The girl loves broccoli, peas, tofu, and seitan.
Prepare K for the arrival of the new baby - she was as ready as she could be and had a sparkly pink "big sister" t-shirt to prove it.
Get things read for Baby #2

buy new crib - we didn't buy one, but arranged to get one on loan from friends
rearrange house - done
plan maternity leave - done

WIFE:

Plan one date night per month - fail. We had some great nights out - D's birthday dinner at a local wine bar, great Thai food at a local hole in the wall restaurant, but I definitely did little planning and we did not get out once a month.
Plan five year wedding anniversary celebration - fail. We even had a great bottle of wedding wine to open on our anniversary, but I opted for sleep most of February. Leaving little room for celebration.
Encourage, support, and help D plan for his sabbatical - D's sabbatical will take place this year. Support forthcoming.
Read book with D and take action accordingly - started, but not completed. Love the book. Just need to find the time to finish and discuss it.

FRIEND:

Plan 12 coffee dates (one per month with a friend) - I had several coffee/pizza/cupcake dates with friends and former colleagues, but I do not believe I had 12.
Organize an event for K's friends and their moms quarterly

cookie decorating - done. Valentine's Day.
backyard sprinkler party - done. Although we rarely hosted because our neighbors had a super cool sprinkler and we went over there a lot.
picnic in RCP - fail, but we did picnic in the backyard, at the park near K's school and at the swimming pool.

Make and start getting out with a running buddy - fail. I didn't even try.

COMMUNITY / FAMILY:

Volunteer

at a local running / triathlon event - fail
in one of the many neighborhood groups - half-fail. I didn't join a group per-se, but I did attend several neighborhood meetings and participated in numerous email discussions.

ATHLETE:

Do strength training at least twice per week - fail
Cross train at least once per week - partial fail. I walked a lot throughout my pregnancy and took spinning classes until my pregnant belly made me too unsteady on the spinning bike.

yoga
spinning
swimming

HEALTH:

Gain a healthy amount of weight while pregnant (do not exceed first pregnancy weight) - I gained more weight during this past pregnancy, but also had a baby who was three pounds heavier. My weight gain was definitely in the normal/healthy range.
Introduce K to health behaviors --- get her outside and moving at least three times per week - we did this! Especially during the spring and summer months.

yoga
swimming
bike riding
walking

Make / try a new healthy snack each week - fail. And, again, I did a bad job of tracking my progress to achieve this goal.
East at least 4 fruits / veggies each day - likely achieved, but, again, I did a bad job of tracking my progress.

STUDENT:

Defend dissertation by July 2011 - done in September.
Complete at least three papers for publication by September 2011 - ongoing :(

CAREER: I got my dream job and could not be more excited. I am currently working on outlining my research program, dreams, and aspirations and how I can fulfill them in my new role. My "career" category is one of the highlights of this past year.

Practice patience
Apply only for jobs I am excited about
Make a list of what I really want to do and necessary steps to get there by June 2011
Write out 3-, 5-, and 10- year goals
Explore some non-traditional part-time opportunities

FINANCE:

Set aside enough money to pay for K's preschool - done. Paid in full in July.
Brainstorm ideas to make extra money - not necessary as I got an actual job.
Make plans to pay for delivery of Baby #2 and insurance of Baby #2 - done

HOME:

Paint, furnish, and decorate K's big girl room - done
Make space / room for Baby #2 - done
Paint living room - done
Choose color and paint our bedroom - work in progress
Plant garden with K in the spring - garden is ready for spring 2012 planting

PERSONAL GROWTH:

Read books on my to be read list:

Born To Run
Breaking Dawn - done
Celebration of Discipline
Anatomy of the Soul
Me, Myself, and Bob - started; most likely will not finish
Run Like a Mother - done
Chi Running
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families - started; will finish
The Help

Read Bible (all of it before end of year) - fail
Learn how to use my camera - room for improvement

ME:

Plan a me outing each month - fail

spring shopping with ACE
afternoon at the library reading
walk around The Mall

Pay for and get one massage -fail
Complete a year long photo challenge (commence in February) - fail
Save money for: - fail except for the stroller. I scored the stroller of my dreams on craigslist!

Lightroom
Keen boots
~~bike and seat for K~~
double stroller

Have a natural childbirth - yeah... this did not happen, but not for a lack of trying.

DESIGN

2012-01-04T22:15:00.001-05:00

The pictures below were recently shared with me by one of my Tough Chik teammates (more on Team Tough Chik and why I joined in a future post).

I have not been able to get these two images and the message they send out of my mind. The question which life are you designing? has been on my mind pretty much all day (and sometimes at night, too).

What life am I designing?

How are my actions, activities, plans, goals, priorities, dreams impacting my life's design?

What do I need in place - physically, emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, socially - to ensure that I design a life that leaves me strong, fulfilled, inspired, healthy?

These thoughts are impacting the way I think about my goals for the new year. I look at the pictures above and think to myself what can I do this year that will help me to become the woman on the right?

SECRET SANTA

2012-01-02T15:07:00.000-05:00

This Christmas I participated in a gift exchange with other runner organized by Jill of "Run with Jill". My secret santa gift arrived just as we were walking out the door for our holiday travels. I didn't have a chance to check it out until last night. My secret santa, Julie, sent me two towels from Cool Gym Towels.

The first one reads: Test your limits. The second one (and my favorite) can be read above. It is a challenge and an honor to be a mom. The towel reminds me that every step I take and race I run is setting an example for my daughter. I need to healthy and happy so that she can be too. I love that she asks me about running and every time I have on a race t-shirt she asks about a marathon. It also cracks me up that she believes everyone riding the MegaBus in DC is going to the marathon because that is how D and I traveled to Philadelphia last year.

Thank you Julie for a wonderful Christmas gift and the reminder of how important my running is to both me and my family.

2011: LOOKING BACK (through the eyes of K)

2011-12-31T21:17:00.000-05:00

This morning as I made a video of K singing happy birthday to her god father, I realized that we made a similar movie last year. It was so much fun looking back on the exact same activity one year ago. K has grown so much. Not only is she taller, but she her vocabulary and enunciation has expanded by leaps and bounds. I am so looking forward to making the happy birthday video again next year and looking back on this year's and last's videos. Having this little time capsule got me thinking... And I decided that I want to track a list of K's (and some year C's) favorites on an annual basis. I look forward to seeing how she changes, grows, and learns throughout the years.

At the end of 2011, here is a list of K's favorite things (in her own words):

Book: Share and Be Kind

Game: cards (specifically the CareBear card game at my mom's house)

Song: Hark the Herald Angel Sing (video performance forthcoming - love hearing a three year old sing "God and sinners reconciled")

Animal: Elephant

Food: "pasta. Actually pizza."

Color: green and orange

Outdoor activity: "go park"

Indoor activity: decorate trees and playing

iPhone app: doodle buddy

Favorite Christmas gift: crown (from my mom bought at the dollar store - pictures forthcoming)

2011: Looking Back

2011-12-30T23:51:00.002-05:00

I just spent more than an hour trying to get my three year old to sleep. And by getting her to sleep, I am not including time spent brushing teeth, going to the bathroom, or reading books. I'm talking about her lying in bed and me begging her to be still/stay in bed/fall asleep. After what seemed like an endless motherly task, I am craving some me time. And so I am sitting here with my computer - in the room I am sharing with my infant son - reflecting on the past year. My friend, Jill, assembled/created the following list of questions to reflect on the past year.

What was one goal you accomplished in 2011?
I completed my PhD. And got a job where I get to put my degree to good use.

What is your favorite memory of 2011?
Hearing C cry and holding him for the first time.

What is your least favorite memory of 2011?
Saying good-bye to the family we shared a nanny with for two and a half years. Our nanny-share began in January 2009, when K was just three months old. Her buddy, A, was only five months old. Our families met through a web site for parents and we quickly became good friends. I came to love spending time with A's mom in the evenings. It was nice to have someone to talk with about parenting, work, and family. Our share ended when both the kids started preschool in the fall and our families' needs changed. I have so missed having the other family in our lives on a near-daily basis. I also know that K misses her buddy. And that makes me sad, too. I cried when the share ended in August.

What was the best trip you took in 2011?
Our long weekend trip to Colorado. We had a wonderful time there with friends - enjoying good food, good wine (I only had a sip), and warm weather. D was able to snowboard and I enjoyed a truly restful weekend.

What was your favorite purchase in 2011?
My iPhone. Hands.down.

What was the best book you read in 2011?
The best book I completed was Run Like a Mother. However, The Seven Habits of a Highly Effective Family is the best book I'm reading during 2011. I will not finish it before the year is over. So technically the running book wins for best book *read* during the year.

What was the best movie you saw in 2011?
I did not watch a single movie this year. I did, however, watch all of Mad Men and enjoyed every single minute. Looking forward to the new season...

What changed about you in 2011?
From a practical stand-point, my title changed. I'm still getting used to introducing myself as Dr. Physically, my hair got greyer and my stomach muscles got weaker. Nearly three months after having C, I'm just about back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but nothing is as it was. My core is shot and my incision is still sore and puffy (they say I'm healing well). Socially, I made some new friends and reconnected with some old ones. Emotionally, I was all over the place - I blame the hormones - but I realize that I tend to react (read: OVER-react) to most situations where there is tension or big decisions to be made. This behavior is not helpful or productive. (Recognizing this behavior is the change - I've done it all of my life :)

What made you cry in 2011?
*What didn't make me cry?*
-28 hours of labor.
-D and I had a huge fight before he left for a guys weekend over Labor Day. I cried most of the weekend.
-K's behavior and unwillingness to listen (especially at naptime) caused me to cry on more than one occasion.

What made you scream in 2011?
My dissertation. My adviser, my committee, the graduate school rules, requirements, and regulations - they nearly caused me to have a mental breakdown (or two).

What made you proud in 2011?
I was inducted into my high school athletic hall of fame.

What new skills did you learn in 2011?
Although I didn't learn it this year, I do believe I mastered the use of SAS (a statistical software package). While completing my dissertation, I put all my classroom knowledge to work and really SAS-ed the heck out of my data. I'm extremely proud of the pages and pages of code I wrote between January and September of this year.

Best meal of 2011?
For me, this is really about the best mealS of 2011... we have a family tradition of making pizza every Friday night. These were the best meals of the year. I love that we make dinner together as a family and eat together as a family (nearly) every Friday night. The food is fantastic (especially D's mushroom lovers pizza), but the time we spend together is precious. I love that K looks forward to and talks with anticipation about pizza night throughout the week.

Best drink of 2011?
This is a toss-up between the 4 oz of apple juice my night nurse slipped me in the middle of the night 10 hours before C was born and a burnt sugar old fashioned. I received the juice when I was starving, feverish, and desperate for anything to eat or drink hours before C was born. The little bit of fruit juice could not have tasted better. My old fashioned was actually D's... the burnt sugar old fashioned is actually his favorite drink at our favorite local wine bar; it is quickly becoming my favorite drink, too. I had sips of his on two occasions - once at his birthday dinner in January (didn't know I was pregnant) and again after C's birth when we went out on a date.

Favorite photo of 2011? (post it)

What was your source of comfort in 2011?
Talking to my mom on my drives home from Baltimore. She never failed to pick up the phone at 4:35pm Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

What was your verse of 2011 and why?
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." ~ I Thessalonians 5:16-18. Why? I needed the constant reminder (and still do) to rejoice, pray, and give thanks no matter what.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2011-12-24T17:10:00.001-05:00


Future interior designer.

HIGHS and LOWS

2011-12-21T07:31:00.000-05:00

Highs:

-- Two great days of running (a 5 miler with D on Monday and another solo yesterday evening).

-- Jokes... on our Monday run, I said to D, "Look deer" (as there were a family of deer just a few miles off our running path). His response, "I'm looking at you, dear." Sounds stupid, but it was SO funny at the time.

-- K made a necklace out of pipe-cleaners with my mom. She walked into the living room wearing said necklace and proclaimed, "Look! I'm a fancy girl." Where does she get this stuff?

-- Two full nights of uninterrupted sleep (10-6ish).

Lows:

-- K wetting the bed last night and no clean sheets available. Nor were there clean pajamas. She ended up sleeping in a shirt on a stack of blankets in her bed (after much crying and protesting that sleeping without pants was wrong). Laundry is currently being washed.

-- A sore throat. I have been denying for days I may be sick, but I don't think I can blame my sore throat on dry air any longer. It hurts to swallow coffee. I'm going to tough it out one more day. Then I am going to hit up an urgent care clinic (since I don't have a PCP).

-- Our car. Many of your know I have owned my car since college graduation. She is nearly 12 years old and has 106,000 miles on her. Unfortunately, her remaining time here on earth is limited. In order to get her to pass inspection, we had to replace the rear right break and some major engine piece ($700). We are praying she will live through the winter and into the spring/early summer time. D and I are planning to begin new car shopping this morning. Any suggestions for a fuel-efficient family car?

-----------------------------------------------

Holiday week plans:

Today: car shopping. We're looking to test drive several cars we've been thinking about and learn more about prices, options, and financing. Also hoping to get another run in - three consecutive days - and a trip to Target and the Post Office.

Friday: family friends are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. We are all going to share in the celebration!

Saturday and Sunday: observing our family Christmas Eve and Christmas traditions (more on this to come as I want to create a list of things we do from year to year to preserve and document our family traditions - old and new).

------------------------------------------------

Also of note: today is my birthday or Candy-cane Celebration as Jill likes to call it. My 33rd year of life was likely the most noteworthy, busy, exciting, and truly GREAT years of my life. I'm working on a highlights post. More to come...

2 MONTHS

2011-12-15T21:30:00.000-05:00

Baby C --

This month has been full of smiles - literally. You started smiling about two weeks ago and you haven't stopped. I love it! You are also making lots of noises - often quite loudly, which I attribute to the fact that your sister is constantly talking and you just want in on the action or some attention for yourself.

You remain a calm go-with-the-flow baby. You continue to eat like a champ and your sleep schedule (about 9pm to 5 or 6am) is truly a blessing from God. Most nights you sleep better than your sister - you go down easier and stay asleep longer. I cannot thank you enough for this. Between K's school schedule and my needing to be back to work, I need some sleep and you are giving me the greatest gift (a full night of sleep) imaginable. I know that your super-power of sleeping so well will probably cause some problems when you are a teenager and you don't want to get out of bed for school in the morning, but I don't care. I love, love, love that you are sleeping so soundly at such a young age (shoot... your sister didn't sleep through the night until she was two YEARS old).

Aside from sleeping you are enjoying your evening baths and your little playmat. You also seem to enjoy time outdoors - both in the stroller and Bjorn.

Today you had your two month well check. Your stats:

Weight: 13 lbs 15 oz (95th percentile)

Height: 22 7/8 inches (50th percentile).

You are healthy and growing. And just cute as a button.

I'm still adjusting to having a boy baby. You pee on my quite often - usually I am showered. And I have been pooped on several times in the past 48 hours. But I don't mind. I am grateful that you are eating and that all your systems are functioning. It just means I have more laundry to do.

You are still sleeping in your bassinet in our room, but are quickly outgrowing it. After the holidays, I promise we will get you your crib and give you some space for sleeping. Your father and I are still trying to decide if we should move you into your shared room with K right away. Our other option is to set up your crib in the office. We don't want you and K to wake each other up during the night and I don't want her bad sleeping habits/powers to rub off on you. But we do want you to share a room and K is so looking forward to your company. Decisions will be made, and I promise you will have a crib in early 2012.

This month I returned to work for several events. You stayed home with our nanny during most of these times and with your dad during the others. I head back to work in January, which makes me a sad. I have and continue to enjoy spending time with you. But I love my job and I'm a better mama if I can get out of the house for a little bit and have some adult conversations. Not to mention, I just spent 4+ years of my life working on my PhD and I'd like to put it to good use. The upcoming spring semester is 15 weeks long (plus one week of spring break). After that I have the summer "off" and I promise we'll spend plenty of time together at the pool, spray park, and outside. I cannot wait...

It has been a wonderful two months with you in our lives. Thanks for being so chill and for bringing us such joy. I look forward to celebrating your first Christmas together in the coming weeks.

Love,
Mama

FEELING MY RUN

2011-12-13T10:13:00.000-05:00

Throughout my swimming career - which was 13 years long - I had several really great coaches. Each was great in his/her own way... my age group coach created some of the most unique and challenging workouts I have ever completed. He also knew a lot about stroke technique and really helped me improve my strokes, turns and starts. My two high school coaches were a complementary pair --- one was the greatest motivator and the other really challenged me with difficult sets each and every day. My college coach pushed me further than I thought possible and made me a stronger and faster swimmer.

Although each of my coaches were vastly different in terms of strengths, weaknesses, personality, and character, one commonality they shared was the belief that you cannot reach a goal time unless you know what it feels like to swim that fast. For instance, when I was trying to break the 1 minute mark in the 100 butterfly, I knew that I needed to swim the second 50 yards of the race in 30 seconds (give or take a tenth or two). So my coach would have me do 50 butterfly repeats (with tons of rest) where I had to hit 30 seconds on each one. Or he'd have me do 25s where I had to reach my goal time of 15 seconds on each.

I had to feel it.

I had to know what my goal pace felt like.

I had to be confident while swimming at that pace.

And, therefore, I had to swim at that pace again and again and again and AGAIN.

This belief/training technique is one of the many lessons from swimming I have applied to running. Although I do not need to run every long training run right at my goal pace, I do need to run intervals or shorter distances right at race pace to learn what it feels like and to be confident running at that speed.

My long-term, reach goal for the coming years is to qualify for the Boston Marathon. The qualifying time for my sex and age group is 3:40.

A 3:40 marathon basically boils down to running my qualifying race at an 8:23 per mile pace.

That is really stinking fast.

I don't know if my body can sustain that type of pace, but I want to give it a try. I want to give it my all. I want to run a marathon aiming for the stars and see how close I can come to grabbing one.


Photo taken while running at an 8:34 min/mile pace at 6:40am.

With that in mind, I have felt the need to feel my goal race pace. Therefore, I have been doing some interval training on Marta (my new treadmill). I have been running quarter and half miles at an 8:34 min/mile pace (yes, a little slower than an 8:23, but I'm just getting back into the swing of things). My plan is to build up to running a mile at this pace and then two and three, four, five, ... And then I can start doing multiple intervals at this pace and mid-distance runs at this pace. All the while building up to a full marathon at a hard-to-believe (for me) 8:23 pace.

I believe that training my body to feel, know, and be confident at this pace will take a lot of time and effort. But I do believe that I am capable of running at this speed and qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

Here's to many more morning runs with Marta where my pace per mile is under 8:30 per mile...

I'M EXCITED!

2011-12-12T21:39:00.001-05:00

Source

I love this time of year - Advent, celebrations, cookie making, time with friends and family, a new year. The past month has also been full of exciting times and events unrelated to the coming holiday. Here's a list of things (in no particular order) that have me excited...

1. Baby C's sleep schedule. I believe that God knew I could not handle another bad sleeper. Baby C is one heck of a sleeper. I put him down at night between 8:30-9 and don't hear from him until 4am. There have even been a few nights where he has slept until 5 or 6am. I am a fully functioning adult right now thanks to his sleeping powers (which he got from his father, whose super power is the ability to sleep any time any where as long as he is horizontal).

2. K's enjoyment of the holiday season. This evening my father asked her what she wanted for Christmas and she said, "a tree and twinkle lights." Done and done. She has so enjoyed coloring on the back of everyone's Christmas card and making and giving away cookies. She also enjoys sampling the goods! I am looking forward to seeing her face during the Christmas Eve candlelight service and on Christmas morning.

3. Going back to work. As hard as it is to balance mom duties and a full-time job, I am so grateful to have a job. Not to mention one that I love. I have been back to work for four days now. All is going well and I am quickly learning the ropes. I really like the people I work with and the university as a whole. I am really looking forward to the start of the spring semester.

4. A clean bill of health. I went for my post-partum check-up last week and was given a clean bill of health. Although I had started running prior to my doctor's visit, I can now go ahead with all activities.

5. Time with friends and family over the holidays.

6. Marta - my new-to-me treadmill. I made the decision months ago to not invest in a double jogging stroller (more on this to come). Instead I started researching gym memberships and/or buying a treadmill on Craigslist. Lucky for me my parents were willing to part with their old treadmill. So now I have my own little running machine in the basement. She's named after the second to youngest Von Trapp child (do you know what movie/soundtrack has been running non-stop in our house?). I'm still trying to determine if I'm a morning runner or nighttime runner, but I am enjoying having a treadmill in the house that I can use at any time.

7. Baby C's first smiles. The kid just melts my heart. I love seeing his double-chinned smiling face!

8. My iPhone. I can scarcely remember a time when I didn't have text messaging, face-time, a camera phone, email access, GPS, and access to the real-time temperature at my finger tips. Oh, iPhone, I you.

9. The Seven Habits of a Highly Effective Family. D has been encouraging me to read this book for years now. I finally started it and now I cannot put it down. I'm shocked by how much I am enjoying and learning from this book. It is revolutionizing my thinking and actions. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

10. What is to come in 2012... we have plans to run several half and one full marathon. We are also planning some fun family vacations - one very special one may include a day or two at the Magic Kingdom on the west coast! D has a two month work sabbatical beginning in March/April and I will be off during the months of July and August. I'm also looking forward to watching C learn to sit up, crawl and eventually walk (though if he is anything like K he may not be walking by the end of next year).

What are you all excited about at this time of year? What has you ready to fist pump?

TIS THE SEASON

2011-11-28T14:36:00.001-05:00

This morning - cyber Monday - on the way to preschool we passed this. A house littered with Santa Clauses. It was/is obnoxious.

The scene brought a smile to K's face.

The whole situation - the obnoxious number of Santas and K's amusement - really got me thinking. With the craziness of Christmastime - Black Friday, Cyber Monday, sales, shopping, gifts, and the constant questioning "what do you want Santa to bring you?" - how do I keep the true spirit of the season? And more importantly how do I teach my three year old to embrace the true spirit of the season? Especially with scenes like this along our daily drive to school?

I don't know that I have the answer to this question, but I do have some ideas...

First, I am spending some time studying the true meaning of Christmas. I've signed up to do a 25 day Advent devotional. I figure keeping my focus on the true meaning of the season is a good place to start. Hopefully I can impart some of my learning on K - sharing stories and insights with her.

We also plan to act out the Christmas story with our Little People Nativity Set over and over and over again!

Second, I am trying to take the focus off of getting gifts by giving them... K and I made a list of people we'd like to get gifts for and people we'd like to take Christmas cookies to. We are going to spend our time during the coming weeks thinking about others, making cookies for them, and making homemade gifts.

We are also going to have a cookie decorating party at our house. This will be a time celebrate the gift of friendship.

Finally, we plan to stay as far away from Target and other department stores - avoiding temptation.

Any other suggestions to help keep Christ the focus of Christmas?

CONQUERED

2011-11-26T21:06:00.000-05:00

According to the online dictionary, conquered is defined as:

1. Overcome and take control of (a place or people) by use of military force
2. Successfully overcome (a problem or weakness).

Today I conquered the BIG hill on my regular running route. This is a huge success for me. This hill is a killer - always has been - and making it to the top without walking on my fifth run since having a baby is a big deal for me. Making to the top of the hill means I am back. Sure, I am not back in marathon running form; or half marathon form for that matter. But I am back - I am back to running; I am back to being physically fit; I am back in the game.

That hill is mine; as is a couple of sub-2 hour half marathons this spring, a sub-4 hour full in the fall, and a lot of great runs, workouts, and exercising.

When I reached the top of the hill, this is what my Garmin showed

I was so excited!

That is nearly three miles of non-stop running (no walking!!) -- including running the hill -- at a 9:44/mile pace. Yes, I have a l-o-n-g way to go before my first race in March and my attempt to BQ in the fall of 2013. But these are some great first, second, third, and so on steps.

THANKSGIVING IN DC

2011-11-26T14:11:00.001-05:00

We spent our Thanksgiving holiday enjoying some quality time with my parents here in DC. Our day of thanks began with some yummy pumpkin cinnamon rolls. We decided to make them festive with ORANGE icing (leftovers yesterday morning had green icing). K enjoyed mixing the icing and drizzling it onto the rolls.

After we indulged in our tasty breakfast, we loaded up into two cars and went down to the Mall to enjoy the day. Thanksgiving Day was unseasonably warm. We parked in East Potomac Park and walked all around the Mall. Our first stop was at the new MLK Jr. Memorial. It has been open for months, but we haven't had the time to visit it. It was much bigger than I expected it to be. It was a lot to take in - more than 12 quotes are engraved on the monument - and I am glad we were able to see it. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures while we were there.

Next we moved on to see the WWII Memorial. With the weather so warm, all of the fountains were on at the memorial. We had a wonderful time there - enjoying the water, people-watching, and taking in the other sights of DC -- Mr. Lincoln, Washington, and Jefferson can all be seen from the WWII spot.

We then walked back to our car passing the FDR Memorial and some of East Potomac Park along the way. Baby C slept during the entire outing and K fell asleep in the Ergo on the walk back to the car.

After our little outing, we came home. The kids napped while the rest of us worked in the kitchen. We had a traditional non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner of gingered shrimp with eggplant, cornmeal stuffing, green beans with almonds, roasted eggplant, roast sweet potatoes with red onions, arugula salad with pumpkin dressing, and turkey (for the meat eaters among us). For dessert we enjoyed apple crisp with ice-cream.

It was a wonderful day. We have much to be thankful for...

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS CARD PICTURE

2011-11-21T14:25:00.000-05:00

One would think taking a Christmas card picture would be easy and fun -- the whole family together, enjoying some special place in the city/neighborhood, and a wonderful selection of snacks (read: bribes) prepared by mom. We even had my mom on hand to provide entertainment and encouragement during this year's photo shoot. I assumed we'd get a great picture the first time around and would be done with it. Instead it took us two trips over two weekends to two different locations to get a half decent shot of us.

Oh.for.goodness.sake.

Our first attempt at getting a picture started out wonderfully with our three year old angel being ever so cooperative and adorable.

But then she got an attitude.

And then she made her way into the bushes only to get covered in little hitchhikers.

We took about 100 pictures after this. None of which are worth sharing.

After we were all tired and grumpy. And one of us (a stubborn not-to-be-named three year old) had to use the bathroom, but refused. We ended our first attempt at getting a Christmas card picture with some fun daddy-daughter time.

And, sadly, made plans to go out the following weekend to get a family picture - this time at a different location at a different time of day.

Thankfully we were successful in getting a decent family shot the second time around. Specifically, we were able to get a shot where C's eyes are open, K is not crying, and D and I look half-way normal and not completely sleep deprived.

I bet you cannot wait to get our card this year...

SECOND STEPS

2011-11-19T15:23:00.000-05:00

Today I went out for my second run since having a baby. It ended up being a run/walk, and it was not pretty. The proof is in the picture.

It wasn't pretty and I know I looked terrible out there - bad form, old pants that did not fit properly, a shirt that wouldn't stay in place, and one U-G-L-Y camouflage hat. But it felt so good. I was so excited to be out there RUNNING. After 1.5 miles I knew I needed a walk break and again I walked when I came to the big hill on my route. If I've learned anything from marathon training it is that seconds at the beginning can cost you minutes at the end (or trying to get back into shape too fast too soon could result in an injury or complication that could result in not being able to run). I want to get back into shape - and the quicker the better - but pushing myself too much now could result in an injury or some sort of complication (ripping my insides open). So I am taking it slow and being responsible. And that means 11 minute miles at this point in time.

As I was finishing my run (and completely enjoying my new running mix!!), I started to think about my goals and why I run. I started to think about races I want to run and places I would like to visit. What I concluded is this... I really enjoy running and I really like feeling physically fit and fitting into my pre-pregnancy clothes. I also need some reach goals to get me off of my butt and back into shape (and then into better shape than I have ever been in). As I said yesterday, D and I are planning to run two half marathons this spring. I would like to complete both of them in under two hours. And in the fall, I want to run a marathon in under 4 hours.

There... I said it. I want to reach for the stars.

More than likely, D and I will not both get a spot in the 2012 NYC Marathon through the lottery. This means we will have to wait until 2013 to run the race together (which we SO want to do). My long term reach goal will be to qualify for the Boston Marathon in NYC in November 2013 (qualifying time for my age group is 3:40).

To do so would be EPIC.

With all of this in mind, I need to train well and remain injury-free. I also need to lose my remaining pregnancy weight and strengthen my core. None of this is going to happen over night, but I am confident that with time I can accomplish all of my goals.

Here's to a BQ in November 2013...

And in the meanwhile, here's to getting back into shape, loosing some weight, and enjoying every minute of if...!!!

FIRST STEPS

2011-11-18T11:07:00.000-05:00

Last night I went for my first run since forever. Seriously, I haven't run since March. And then it was not with much consistency. I was too tired, sick, and busy during my pregnancy with C to exercise much. I have missed my run. I didn't realize how much until I laced up my shoes last night.

I have been planning my running comeback for months now --- planning to run the DC Rock 'N Roll 1/2 Marathon and the Pittsburgh 1/2 Marathon in the spring and then a full in the fall (either NYC or Richmond). Getting back into shape is going to be no small task. My core is shot, my legs are weak, and I have little endurance. I am going to take my comeback one step at a time -- literally.

Last night's run was broken into two sessions. I ran to K's school for a meeting and then home again. Both runs were slow - even the second run, which was all down hill, was s-l-o-w (proof below). But I have my first run under my belt. My comeback has begun... I have run 2.51 miles.

ONE MONTH

2011-11-16T14:03:00.000-05:00

Baby Colin ---

It is hard to believe that you are one month old. You have seamlessly fit into our lives and family. It is hard to remember life without you. You are content to just go with the flow --- we interrupt your sleep and meals to pick your big sister up at school or to make a trip to the park before the sun sets. You are constantly loved on by your big sister, who loves to give you hugs and kisses.

In the past month, you have grown 0.5 inches and gained 2.4 pounds (from your birth weight). At your one month doctor's appointment you weighed 11.9 pounds and were 22.0 inches long. This put you in the 95th percentile for both height and weight. You are still wearing your 0-3 month clothes, but I do not anticipate them fitting in the coming weeks. You started wearing your reusable diapers this past week and they fit well (and your blue and green diapers arrived just yesterday - so we can reserve K's old pink ones for emergency situations only). Unfortunately, you were diagnosed with a yeast infection on your legs (in the creases where your diaper rubs) yesterday. We now have to put medicated cream on you four times a day and this means you really shouldn't be wearing the reusables. Hopefully you'll be healthy and back in your diapers in the coming weeks...

You are a wonderful eater and sleeper. We do not have any sort of routine yet - you pretty much just eat, sleep, and lay around making funny noises. Your squeals and squeaks are a constant source of joy in our house. You are such a delight!

I am finally healed after your long delivery (at least I feel like I am). And am proud to be back wearing most of my pre-pregnancy clothes. This Saturday I am going to start running again. I'm hoping that exercise will make me feel better and get me back to my pregnancy weight. Your father and I are planning to run a couple of half marathons this spring a a full in the fall. Running and exercise are a way of life in our family --- get used to it. Even your big sister has taken to lots of running and is known for her sprints from the alley at the far end of our street to our house. I am looking forward to the day when the two of you race down the sidewalk together.

It has truly been a great month with you. I look forward to the days, weeks, and months ahead.

Love, Mama-bear

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2011-11-02T10:54:00.000-04:00

My boys... love that there is a little bit of K in the picture (note: the yellow barrette in D's hair).

ENTERTAINING A TODDLER

2011-11-01T20:22:00.000-04:00

With a new baby in our house, I spend a lot of time feeding, changing, and rocking. This has forced K to change her every day routines. We've had to come up with quiet activities for K to keep the noise level to a minimum and her entertained while Baby C is getting my attention.

This is what a typical post-toddler nap afternoon looks like...

The iPhone Doodle Buddy app is a god-send.

PREVIEW: HALLOWEEN 2011

2011-10-25T14:41:00.000-04:00

D has been hard at work on his and K's costume. K is really excited. They are going to be too cute together!

WELCOME TO OUR WORLD

2011-10-24T10:18:00.000-04:00

This is the story of Baby C's birth.

As many of you know, I was scheduled to have be induced on Wednesday, October 12th. Deciding to be induced after my induction with K that ended in a c-section was a difficult one. It was Sarah who convinced me that I needed to at least try to VBAC. It wasn't until I talked with her that I realized how lucky I was to have a doctor who was willing and encouraging to let me try to be induced after delivering a baby via c-section.

The Monday before my induction, I met with my doctor and mid-wife to discuss my plans for labor. We agreed that I'd let the pitocin do it's magic for four hours. If after that amount of time nothing was happening, we'd opt for a repeat c-section. With a plan in place, I stopped eating and drinking at midnight on the 11th. At 5:40am, D and I were standing on the corner of our street by the metro station trying to hail a cab to get to the hospital by 6am. We arrived on time only to be told we were too early... it wasn't until I talked with the charge nurse about my plans to attempt a VBAC that were escorted into our labor and delivery room. It was the same room I had when I was induced with K. (This is just the first of many similarities between my two labor stories.)

I met with my doctor and several residents during my first hour in the hospital and was quickly hooked up to the IVs and monitors. They bumped my pitocin up slowly - didn't want to make my contractions too strong and rip my uterus. As soon as I started feeling some discomfort, I opted for an epidural. Managing my pain this go around was at the top of my priority list. If the epidural failed to take, I wanted to make the decision to have a repeat c-section with a clear mind; not in the throws of transition without my pain under control.

The anestheiologist was fantastic. Aside from the initial pain of the needle, the insertion of the epidural was painless - a pleasant surprise from my experience three years ago. About half an hour after its insertion, I started to feel some pain relief and the epidural continued to work until it fell out in my recovery room. Four hours into the induction came and went quickly. When we assessed the situation around lunchtime, I was making good progress and we decided to continue on. I was having contractions every 2.5 to 3 minutes and was around 5cm. Nice!

My doctor went off duty at dinner time. When we last talked she felt I was on track to have the baby before midnight. I was introduced to my night nurse and new attending on-call and sadly said good-bye to my favorite resident who would not be back until 7am. As evening wore on and nighttime set in, it was obvious to me that my baby would not be born on the 12th. Around midnight they examined me and I was about 7 cm. Not bad, but still a long way to go...

As the early morning hours set in, things got a little complicated... my legs went completely numb from the epidural and I constantly felt like I was falling out of bed, my blood pressure started to increase, the swelling in my hands and feet was getting a little out of control, and I started to run a fever. By 3am my fever was hovering at 103*. They started me on IV antibiotics - the assumption was that I had a uterine infection - and I completed my hat-trick of insertions --- I was lucky enough to have 1) a urinary catheter; 2) an internal uterine contraction monitor; and 3) rectal insertion of tylenol.

Thankfully the tylenol brought my fever down quickly and I felt much better. At 7am, my new nurse arrived and it was the same nurse that was with me through K's delivery (yeah!). Also, my favorite resident was back on duty and I was SO excited! We determined in the early morning hours that my baby was posterior. Since my pain was under control, I allowed one of the doctors to try to flip him internally. It was slightly uncomfortable (ok... it hurt) and the baby did flip over. But only to flip right back into the posterior position moments later. We decided (read: I was advised) to try to start pushing to see if I could get the baby to flip on its own.

And push I did... we pushed in this position and in that position - sitting up, lying down, on my right side. Unfortunately even at 10 cm dilation I still had a stubborn sliver of cervix that wasn't going away. During all my pushing my favor resident had to hold this little sliver of cervical tissue back - hoping the baby could slide around it. At 9am, we decided that I would try pushing for two hours. If during that time, the baby descended and flipped I was going to VBAC. About 45 minutes into pushing, my favorite resident told me to take a break. She left to consult with the attending OB. I was forced to sit up and pray for the baby to magically drop.

At 10am, my favorite resident and the attending came into the room to talk. Things were starting to get complicated... every time I pushed my baby's heart rate dropped, there was evidence of meconium in my amniotic fluid, my fever was increasing, and it had been 22 hours since my water was broken. While holding my hand, my favorite resident advised me to opt for a c-section. It didn't take much convincing. I knew the likelihood of a VBAC was slim to none. Plus I was tired, hungry, and feverish. After 28 hours of labor, it was time to return to the OR.

Since the baby would need to be immediately seen by the pediatric team due to the meconium, I called my mom and asked her to join us at the hospital. This would allow D to go with the baby and me to have my own care-giver in the recovery room.

At 10:30am on Thursday the 13th, exactly 24 hours AFTER my scheduled c-section from the day before, I was wheeled into the OR for my repeat c-section. Thankfully, due to a working epidural, I did not need a spinal block. All my medications were administered through the epidural. I was numb in 15 minutes and ready to go. My favorite resident was on my right side giving me encouragement and updates throughout the operation.

At 10:52am, we received word that it was a BOY!

I don't remember much - fighting back the urge to puke, trying to keep my shivering under control, and worrying about my little guy - but I do remember tears of joy and the sound of a baby crying. I also remember hearing someone say that he was a BIG little fellow.

D went to be with him as the pediatric team did there thing. I got word that he was healthy and weighed in at 9 lbs 4 oz; nearly three pounds heavier than K.

How on earth did that happen?!?!

D left the OR to go with the baby. I was left in the OR while the doctors finished putting my insides back together. At one point I remember telling the doctors I was going to sleep and that is exactly what I did. My favorite resident woke me up some time later to tell me that they were going to move me onto a different bed and back to my recovery room. When I arrived my mom was there along with D. We were joined soon thereafter by baby C.

He was perfect.

I spent four more days in the hospital recovering and fighting a UTI and uterine infection. My daily doses of three different IV antibiotics wiped out each of the infections and by Saturday my fever was gone for good. We received word on Saturday that I would be discharged on Sunday.

So at noon on Sunday, October 16th we left GW Hospital as a family of four.

And now we begin the next chapter of our lives...

SIMILARITIES

2011-10-18T20:51:00.000-04:00

The jury is still out on whether K and C look alike. There are some similarities, but also many differences. What do you think?

TWO

2011-10-17T09:30:00.000-04:00

My two. I am the proud mother of TWO children.

On Thursday, October 13th we became a family of four. We had a L-O-N-G stay at the hospital, but in the end we returned home. All four of us - my wonderful husband and my two children.

Yes, K is an amazing big sister. And, yes, baby boy CR is supplementing with formula. My little chub-ster (9 lbs 4 oz) cannot wait for my milk to come in.

We are feeling blessed beyond belief...

EVICTION NOTICE

2011-10-10T22:27:00.000-04:00

Baby Joel ---

The time has come. Your welcome, medically speaking, is over. You have about 38 hours to leave your current home or you will be removed (forcefully).

You have made my belly your home for 41 weeks and several days. According to my doctor, my placenta is growing weaker, my blood pressure is increasing, and the risks of delivering are also increasing. You need to come out. My mid-wife thinks you weigh about seven pounds and based on your kicking skills I'm sure you are ready for a little more room. Last night while sitting around willing you to come out and reading The Atlantic I was able to confirm you have five toes on your left foot. You kicked so hard I actually saw your footprint in my belly.

If you would like to please your mother on your first day of life, please start kicking in a downward direction. In order to attempt a VBAC on Wednesday, I need three things to occur: 1) I need my cervix to soften; 2) I need my cervix to dialate; and 3) I need you to drop. Currently your little head is about three-fingers length below my belly button - a little too far up. As much as it will hurt me now, start pushing downward (on whatever you can get your feet on) NOW. If one of these three things fail to happen before 6am on Wednesday, I'll be forced to undergo a repeat c-section, which means we'll miss Thai take-out on Friday evening for dinner and I will be forced to live on the second floor of our house for a week or so (no stairs post-c-section). I will also have to refrain from driving for a couple of weeks, which just complicates things.

So push downward, Joel. Push hard.

Love,
Mama-Bear

All things considered, I am doing fairly well for being nearly 2 weeks overdue. I'm tired and not sleeping well, but that is to be expected. My BP is a little high, but nothing to worry about 36 hours before eviction day. We have an OR reserved for 10:30am on Wednesday, but I'm hoping to go on further than the L&D room.

Here's hoping...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FYI... based on my tummy shape, most strangers believe I am having a boy. My mother and K's nanny, who will also be taking care of Joel, both feel strongly that I am having a boy. My father and grandmother both believe I am having a girl. The Y in my left eye suggests that I am having a girl.

Only (a short) time will tell...

I believe we have agreed on both a boy and girl name. Final agreements will be reached in the moments prior to birth.

THREE

2011-10-07T15:06:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe, but my baby is three years old today.

DANCE PARTY

2011-10-01T14:25:00.001-04:00

D was delighted to learn that DJ Shadow's new album is being featured on the NPR web site. We listened to it this morning. This is a glimpse of K enjoying the music while eating lunch at the kitchen counter and helping to make applesauce. My baby easily found the beat.

Untitled from becky d on Vimeo.

I especially love D's closing comment: It's hip hop with a great sense of humor and a great sense of history.

Obviously.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

2011-10-01T11:07:00.000-04:00

We caught our third mouse last night.

Snap trap. No bait. Little sucker got into the pantry and did not get out.

The trap snapped so hard it flipped over and I couldn't see it this morning. I thought I smelled something funky, but when I didn't see the trap I assumed D had removed it last night. He found it about an hour later all tucked away in the corner of the pantry. Mouse dead.

Score: Us: 3 Mice: 0.

Well, maybe not zero... they ate a lot of our food.

I believe the war might might be over.

DEFCON 1

2011-09-30T09:53:00.000-04:00

We are at WAR in our house.

WAR.

DEFCON 1.

Our enemy: a little legion of mice. This little legion is comprised of three mice - that we know of... Two of these little buggers have been caught. The first we caught last week using a humane trap stuffed with blue cheese (yes, we went with the really good stuff to catch this little bugger). Last night we caught one of the remaining two mice using a snap trap; no bait. This little sucker was messing around in our pantry (where he and his little buddy ate through several wrapped granola bars) and David went all postal on him.

He set up a second snap trap in our pantry and loaded it with granola bar as bait.

We are at war.

These little buggers have made their home in our home long enough. They have eaten enough of our granola bars and eaten into more than their fair share of chocolate chips and sprinkles. Their eating habits have forced us to buy more plastic storage containers that I'd like to admit. Everything - flour, sugar, crackers, granola bars, nuts, sprinkles, pasta, all wheat products, oatmeal - is now in plastic storage containers. And yet the remaining little bugger was in our pantry last night.

We are at war.

Defcon 1.

Updates forthcoming.

----------------------------------------------------------------

To my father: we promise to end the war (having won it) before you visit.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2011-09-28T08:10:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe she is almost three and that in the coming days she'll be a big sister...

THE BEGINNING & THE END

2011-09-27T15:48:00.000-04:00

During the past two weeks, we've seen the beginning and the end in our house...

In mid-September, K started her first year of preschool. It was her beginning. She's enrolled in a wonderful little Montessori school about a mile from our house. She is loving it. It cracks me up to see her leave the house each morning with her little backpack.

A few days after K started school, I finished. After four L-O-N-G years of a PhD program, I finally finished YESTERDAY. At 39 weeks and 2 days pregnant, I defended my dissertation. I did not look as cute as K. In fact, I ripped two pairs of tights before leaving the house - because I was sweating so hard (nerves and high humidity; not to mention being 22 pounds heavier). I left the house sweating like a pig in a pair of pants and a nice shirt. I planned to change into my dress and buy new tights while in Baltimore, but I never did. I defended in my pants, which actually made me really happy because I was able to hide my swollen legs, ankles and feet. No pictures were taken.

In fact, I am so big pictures of me today are few and far between. This is one of the few taken in the last week. This is my view these days...

My tummy is as large as she is cute.

THE BIG EVENTS

2011-08-31T22:23:00.000-04:00

Over the past few weeks, we've lived through/experienced several BIG events.

First, on July 5th, my trusty little car - a gift from my parents after college graduation - crossed the 100,000 mile threshold. It was a big moment in my life - watching her odometer go from 5 digits to 6. Thankfully, I was in the passenger seat during the big event and was able to capture it on film (I'll spare you the video).

In early August, I discovered that I do in fact have a Y in my left eye. For those of you who don't remember, my aunt in Texas has a client who claims to have a no-fail way of determining the sex of an unborn child. In short if the blood vessels of the mother's left eye form a Y, then the baby will be girl. Back in September 2008, I had a distinct Y in my left eye. As you can see from the picture below, I do AT THIS VERY MOMENT have a Y in my eye. What do others think?!?! Is "Joel" in fact a girl?

August was also full of natural disasters. On the 23rd, DC was rocked by a 5.8 magnitude earthquake. I was at home with K at the time - trying to get her to sleep. We felt two distinct movements during the quake. First, it really did feel like the house was shaking. It also felt like the floors were rolling - like we were standing on top of water. The noise from the earthquake was loud. K was laying on her bed with her hands over her ears S-C-R-E-A-M-I-N-G.

After the shaking stopped, K and I went outside to talk to our neighbors and did a walk through of our house to see if there was any damage. Pictures fell off of the wall in our bathroom and our shoe cubby in our sunroom moved away from the wall. In our front bedroom, the wall/ceiling cracked. You can see from the picture below that it does look like there were waves/rolls. The crack moves/rolls from wall to ceiling back to wall again. It is pretty magnificent to see the strength of plate tectonics in our bedroom.

Also during the earthquake, we heard a terrible crashing noise on our roof. Turns out our neighbor's chimney crumbled and crashed onto our roof. As you can see the quake did a number on the 100 year old chimney.

Prior to the hurricane, Irene, that rocked DC five days after the earthquake, D went up on the roof, took some pictures and removed/stacked all the loose bricks. We didn't want the hurricane strength winds to cause damage to our roof or our neighbors. Thankfully there was no damage.

SIX WEEK REWIND

2011-08-31T15:58:00.000-04:00

Ferris Bueller once said:

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around

once in a while, you could miss it.

The past six weeks of my life have flown by -- quite possibly the busiest weeks of my life. And it is not just business. They have been full of changes - physical, mental, emotional, hormonal, and behavioral. I have been trying to take time to enjoy all the special, never-going-to-be-the-same-again moments that have come my way.

In short, since we traveled to Pennsylvania for the Fourth of July, I/we have:

1. hosted our friends from France for two weeks;

2. painted K's bedroom (well, technically my dad gets credit for this) and made room for a new crib and dresser;

3. spent a week at the beach with friends;

4. completed my duties as a graduate research assistant;

5. submitted a complete draft of my written dissertation;

6. received approval to defend my dissertation;

7. began my full-time, grown-up job as an Assistant Professor;

8. gained approximately 15 pounds;

9. become the mother to a preschooler;

10. planned my come-back races for 2012 (National RnR and Pittsburgh 1/2 marathons); and

11. spent more time trying to stay on top of things than ever before in my life.

As of today, we are officially ready for baby #2. I am currently 35 weeks and 5 days along. I'm feeling fine - minus the persistent heartburn and swelling in my hands, feet, and ankles. Our new carseat was delivered today. This is the ONE thing we needed to have before the baby arrives. It is here. Part of me wants this baby to be born today; another part of me knows I have several BIG events scheduled for the next four weeks that I really want to happen --- including my dissertation defense.

As long as I do not go into labor before my due date, I plan to defend my dissertation at 39 weeks and 3 days pregnant. I believe this will elevate me to ROCK STAR status among all PhD students and mothers-to-be! I also am planning to be inducted into my high school athletic hall of fame at 37 weeks/1 day pregnant. Again, I think attending this event, rocking a great black dress, and announcing my plans to be in 1/2 marathon running shape by March will also elevate me to some sort of ROCK STAR status!

Regardless of when this new baby comes, my current baby will be starting preschool in two weeks. I can hardly believe it. She's enrolled in a wonderful Montessori School about 1 mile from our house. Her teacher is a gem and the school is beautiful - while playing at the school playground today, we noticed you can see the National Cathedral in the background. What a wonderful spot to attend school!

Just shy of three years old, K has become her own little lady. She talks constantly - often narrating the events of the day, making up stories, and asking WHY. She has her own sense of style and is very opinionated with it comes to clothing, shoes, and hair. She loves to read, paint and play with play-dough. She also loves music, dancing, jumping, gymnastics, riding her bike, and being outside. She also loves to help out in the kitchen and is becoming quite the little baker.

The hour between 6:30 and 7:30 each evening is our most challenging time - she's tired, wants constant attention, and can often be found yelling, "NO!" without ceasing. She continues to be a great napper, but cannot sleep through the night for anything. We're currently trying to bride her to stay in bed all night long - until the sun comes up - with frozen yogurt. It has yet to work.

Our vacation to the beach a few weeks ago, was definitely a highlight of the summer for all of us. We had a wonderful and restful week away with friends. K completely enjoyed herself.

My goal for the next five weeks of this pregnancy is to enjoy each moment. In spite of heartburn and the awkwardness of my big belly, I want to enjoy being pregnant (as much as I can), I want to enjoy having just one child, I want to cherish all my firsts at my new job, I want to prepare for my dissertation defense, and I really want get as much sleep as humanly possible.

Here's to you baby #2, Joel... please make plans to remain where you are for at least four more weeks. Love, Mommy

4th OF JULY

2011-07-06T20:23:00.001-04:00

We spent this past weekend in Pittsburgh visiting my parents and enjoying the simple things in life. Such things included sleeping past 6am, enjoying an evening out without a toddler, playing in the water, making cookies, making new friends, and spending time with family.

Our weekend began with a few days at my parents house where K baked with United States Grandma.

And then she ran through the sprinkler with Grandpa.

We went for a walk/bike ride on Sunday morning. Our time ended with more water play (thank you, Hyatt Regency Hotel for your wonderful waterfall).

We spent more time in the water on Monday. This time taking in the waterslides at the pool by Grandma and Grandpa's house.

We ended our day on Monday at a petting zoo where K fell in love with some little piggies and goats.

It was a wonderful and restful weekend for all of us.

We left with our hearts full and smiles on our faces.

FATHER'S DAY

2011-06-21T11:47:00.000-04:00

THEN AND NOW

2011-06-16T11:55:00.000-04:00

I'm nearly 25 weeks pregnant. I haven't taken a single picture of my pregnant belly.

Until today.

Here is a look back at what I was like at 20 weeks in 2008 and at (nearly) 25 weeks in 2011. I don't think I'm much bigger today than I was three years ago. I have gained exactly 8 pounds (about the same as in 2008) since my first doctor's appointment. Thanks to some cooler temperatures and lower humidity, I am not as puffy as I was two weeks ago (picture below).

I think my current picture (right) makes it look like I am carrying higher this time around. However, I believe this is due to the timing of the pictures. I was only 20 weeks along in the picture to the left. Ultimately, I carried K really high (so high she never dropped; thus resulting in a c-section in 2008); much like the picture on the right.

Prior to looking at these pictures side-by-side, I thought I was really huge for 25 weeks along. But in reality I look about the same.

And, just for the record, I have no swelling in my ankles.

We'll compare this picture to one of my ankles when I'm 35 weeks along. My guess is there will be a considerable/puffy difference.

138/90

2011-06-06T12:15:00.000-04:00

This morning I had a normal check-up with my OB. I got to the office 10 minutes early and ended up waiting 30 minutes before being seen. Typical.

I was weighed (gained 5 pounds in the past month); peed in a cup; and went to get my blood pressure checked.

They put the cuff on my arm, and BAM...

138/90.

That is super high.

According to the NIH, prehypertension of systolic blood pressure is 120-139; higher is greater than 140. Diastolic hypertension (stage 1) is anything greater than 90.

Nuts.

I spent considerable time talking with my doctor about my diet, stress level, and activities. Then I was left to hang out on my left side for awhile.

After a short while, my blood pressure was back to normal.

And they let me go home.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

My last blood pressure reading was 97/68. I'm on the lookout for a host of symptoms indicating my BP is too high. If I have any of the said symptoms, I will head to the ER immediately. Other than the BP-issue, I'm healthy and so is Joel.

HOT, HOT, HOT

2011-05-31T21:01:00.001-04:00

It is not even June and temperatures in DC reached 95* today.

It was bloody hot.

Highlights of our day included visits to the library and grocery store, which were icebox cold. It was so refreshing. When we weren't soaking in the AC, we were playing in water. Nothing beats a sprinkler, kiddie pool, or a bucket of water on a hazy, hot, and humid day in MAY.

*Note: if the weather does not cool off in the coming weeks - at least for a little while - this pregnant mama is going to be one swollen mess. I'm placing bets that my wedding ring will not fit by July; my watch won't fit by the end of August and my ankles will disappear sometime in the middle of it all.

INTRODUCING...

2011-05-30T09:48:00.000-04:00

Baby "Joel".

On Friday, at 21 weeks 6 days pregnant, we got our first view of Baby #2. K has proudly named this little one "Joel". We're not sure where the name came from (possibly a shortening of her friend Nigel's name), but the baby has been Joel since before Easter.

There is a bit of pressure to name the baby Joel, if the baby is a boy. We'll have to wait and see... Joel is healthy and is weighing in at approximately 1 pound. He/she looks much the same as K did when she was born. His/her resemblance to D is remarkable!

In response to the most common questions we've been getting...

1. We do not know if it is a boy or girl and we do not plan to find out. Note: I believe we're having a girl; my dad feels the same way.

2. I am due October 2.

3. Yes, that is basically K's birthday. I am already praying against a shared birthday for our kids and a hospital stay that overlaps K's birthday.

4. I want to VBAC; Carla is my inspiration!

5. We have not chosen names yet, and we do not plan to share our name(s) until the baby is here and officially named.

6. Like last time, I plan to take the metro to the hospital to deliver.

7. We still need: an infant car seat (our first was destroyed in a fit of cat envy/anger after K's birth), a crib, a double stroller, and a new pump.

8. We are looking to sell a double jogging stroller, a single jogging stroller, a changing table, and some other odds and ends we don't need this time around.

9. We need to paint K's room and make the room ready for two kids. Yes, our kids are going to share a room. It is a giant space and we like the idea of our kids sharing it for a couple of years. We're planning to make our office a little more kid-friendly --- maybe with a new bookshelf for kids books and some seats/lighting for family reading time.

MOTHER'S DAY

2011-05-10T19:18:00.000-04:00

We spent most of Sunday afternoon doing this...

We were looking up at these...

Our Mother's Day afternoon picnic took place at Gravelly Point. It has been years since I've spent an extended amount of time there. In fact, during the past two years the only time I've been at Gravelly Point was during a 20+ mile run. It is amazing how much more I enjoyed the park this time around compared to last October when I ran through twice (during a 22 mile out and back from our house). I had forgotten how much fun it is to watch airplanes fly over head and land. The noise of the engines and the subsequent echo is magnificent.

The park was extremely crowded. In addition to watching airplanes land, we played many games of where is K? She seamlessly slipped into the crowd and was comfortable among the bikers, runners, and walkers.

We tossed a ball around and snacked on cheese crackers and apples. D even grabbed a 15 minute nap under the sun. We left minutes before the rain started to fall. It was such a delightful afternoon. The perfect way to spend Mother's Day together as a little family.

MY BABY GIRL

2011-05-09T10:26:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was wonderful - complete with tulips, a framed picture, and an afternoon out with my two favorite people. Looking at this picture, I see that my baby really isn't a baby anymore. *sniff, sniff*

SEVENTH ANNUAL

2011-04-30T08:07:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday we celebrated Easter with our seventh annual seafood Easter dinner.

Our Easter began a little later than normal (read: K was up at 6:40ish; not her usual 6:05am). We got ready and rushed off to church for brunch. I stress the rushed part of the morning. We did get out of bed later than usual on Sunday. Top that off with me not having any clothes that fit - maternity clothes are too big; regular clothes too small. I hate the awkward stage of pregnancy. I ended up wearing a too small black skirt that nearly bruised my expanding belly. K, on the other hand, had a beautiful and perfectly fitting little Easter dress to wear. Unfortunately, the sleeves hurt her armpits. She cried from the moment we put the dress on until we took it off and dressed her in another dress. The real bummer is D took the tags off the dress before we realized K wouldn't wear it. Maybe our second baby will also be a girl and she'll like the dress...

We arrived at church half an hour late for the brunch. On the flip-side, we were 45 minutes early for church. All in all it was a successful morning.

After church K napped and D and I scrambled to get ready for our dinner.

K woke up and opened her Easter basket from United States Grandma and Grandpa. The sunglasses and stickers inside were a big hit; as were the cashews.

Our guests - all NINE of them (not including the three of us) - arrived around 4:30. We snacked on deviled eggs and more cashews. Around 5:30 we sat down to a feast that included:

1. baked salmon wrapped in puffed pastry and spinach;
2. baked shrimp encrusted with cornmeal - this was by far K's favorite dish of the night;
3. sauteed brussel sprouts with carmalized onions;
4. spinach salad with black beans and blue cheese;
5. homemade bread; and
6. ice-cream cones and bunny cookies for dessert.

I took very few pictures during the day. My major fail was not getting a picture of K in either one of her Easter dresses. I did successful take pictures of our appetizer, the cookies and K's casual afternoon outfit.

A BEAUTIFUL DAY

2011-04-29T20:48:00.002-04:00

Spring has arrived and I am feeling healthy again. Early this morning I received an email saying that the azaleas at the National Arboretum are in full bloom. The sun was shining, a cool breeze was blowing, and I was ready to get out and enjoy the day. So off we went...

We spent some time admiring the azaleas. Then we hiked across the meadow to check out the original columns of the U.S. Capitol.

Afterward we spent some time running through the meadows, checking out the fountain, and sitting on every bench at the park.

We ended up trip at the choi ponds. No pictures were taken because I spent the majority of my time trying to keep my two year old out of the water (and away from the fish).

2011 GOALS: REVISED

2011-04-24T12:00:00.000-04:00

*** written Saturday, January 29, 2011

When I wrote my goals for this year, I wasn't pregnant. And now that I am pregnant several of my goals need to change. For instance, I am not going to be able to run 1250 miles this year. More than likely I won't be running much between June and November of this year. Getting more than 100 miles per month in isn't going to happen. And so, I have revised my goals for the year; making room and planning for Baby #2.

Here's what my revised 2011 goals look like. Additions and modifications are in a GENDER NEUTRAL GREEN.

MOM:

Get everything in place for K to attend preschool in the fall
Plan one outing with K each week

library
museum
pool
spray park

Read to K every day
Introduce one new food/recipe every two weeks
Prepare K for the arrival of the new baby
Get things read for Baby #2

buy new crib
rearrange house
plan maternity leave

WIFE:

Plan one date night per month
Plan five year wedding anniversary celebration
Encourage, support, and help D plan for his sabbatical
~~Train for and run at least one race together~~
Read book with D and take action accordingly

FRIEND:

Plan 12 coffee dates (one per month with a freind)
Organize an event for K's friends and their moms quarterly

cookie decorating
backyard sprinkler party
picnic in RCP

Make and start getting out with a running buddy

COMMUNITY / FAMILY:

Volunteer

at a local running / triathlon event
in one of the many neighborhood groups

~~Plan a family trip to California for Christmas 2011~~

ATHLETE:

~~Run 1250 miles (that is 2011 km)~~
~~Achieve half fanatic status by June 2011~~
~~Set personal records (PRs) in half and full marathon~~
~~Race a 5K and a 10K~~
~~Run one race in my Vibrams~~
Do strength training at least twice per week
Cross train at least once per week

yoga
spinning
swimming

HEALTH:

~~Lose 10 pounds~~
Gain a healthy amount of weight while pregnant (do not exceed first pregnancy weight)
Introduce K to health behaviors --- get her outside and moving at least three times per week

yoga
swimming
bike riding
walking

Make / try a new healthy snack each week
East at least 4 fruits / veggies each day

STUDENT:

Defend dissertation by July 2011
Complete at least three papers for publication by September 2011

CAREER:

Practice patience
Apply only for jobs I am excited about
Make a list of what I really want to do and necessary steps to get there by June 2011
Write out 3-, 5-, and 10- year goals
Explore some non-traditional part-time opportunities

FINANCE:

Set aside enough money to pay for K's preschool
Brainstorm ideas to make extra money
Make plans to pay for delivery of Baby #2 and insurance of Baby #2

HOME:

Paint, furnish, and decorate K's big girl room
Make space / room for Baby #2
Paint living room
Choose color and paint our bedroom
Plant garden with K in the spring

PERSONAL GROWTH:

Read books on my to be read list:

Born To Run
Breaking Dawn
Celebration of Discipline
Anatomy of the Soul
Me, Myself, and Bob
Run Like a Mother
Chi Running
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families
The Help

Read Bible (all of it before end of year)
Learn how to use my camera

ME:

Plan a me outing each month

spring shopping with ACE
afternoon at the library reading
walk around The Mall

Pay for and get one massage
Complete a year long photo challenge (commence in February)
Save money for:

Lightroom
Keen boots
~~bike and seat for K~~
double stroller

~~Get spinning instructors certification~~
Have a natural childbirth

MORNING SICKNESS

2011-04-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

*** Written February 10, 2011

When I was pregnant with K, I had a little bit of morning sickness. I can remember feeling hot, dizzy, and slightly nauseous during the morning for several weeks. Once I came close to throwing up while on the train to Baltimore. But, all in all, it wasn't that bad.

This time around, things seem to be amplified. The nauseousness is worse and my ability to hold-back (or hold down) the vomit isn't going to last much longer (especially if things get worse in the coming weeks).

This morning, I got up and did 30 minutes with Jillian (30 Minute Shred), showered, ate breakfast, and got ready to leave. I left the house with a travel mug full of chai tea - as in a teabag of chai tea (not a latte or anything fancy; just straight up tea). As I was driving to Baltimore, I started to feel a little queezy. I opened a window to cool the car down and get a little fresh air into my lungs. I started to feel better. Once in B-more, I parked and started by trek to school. As I'm walking down one of the main roads of Baltimore, I was hit was a HUGE urge to barf.

LOVELY.

I actually stopped at a trash can along the sidewalk and stood there. Throwing up probably would have made me feel better, but I just couldn't do it. Instead I puked a little bit in my mouth and kept on walking.

Since then, I was thrown up twice in my mouth - a nasty, bile-fill, chai-flavored barf.

Um... I think I have morning sickness!

I would love to drink some ginger ale, but having a bottle of ginger ale on my desk at 8:57am screams, "I AM PREGNANT." So I'm going to pass for now. If I still feel sick and have the desire for a ginger ale in half an hour - when my advisor will be in a staff meeting and most students are in class and I can shut my office door - I will get one then.

Here's to not throwing up today...

IRONIC

2011-04-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

***written Thursday, January 27, 2011

Webster's Dictionary defines IRONIC as: coincidental; unexpected

The events of the past week have been in more ways than one IRONIC. Last week over the MLK Jr holiday, we moved K into her big girl bed. I was sad to see the crib disassembled, but I was eager to get the crib out of our house. I remember saying to D (and others), "even if I were pregnant right now, we wouldn't need a crib for another year. Let's just sell this one on craigslist and buy a new one if and when we need it."

D was thrilled not to have to find a spot to store a crib. We took a set of pictures of the crib together and then took it apart. Before posting an ad on craigslist, I mentioned to a pregnant friend that we were getting rid of K's old crib and she offered to buy it. Sweet. She and her husband made arrangements to pick it up from us on Monday evening.

On Monday afternoon, I met a friend for coffee. We had a delightful time. After sucking down a warm chai tea, I walked with my friend to Target to get a couple of groceries and some soap. While walking through the pharmacy section of the Target, it occurred to me that I was late.

Hmmmmm....

Do I buy a pregnancy test? Or wait it out a week?

Obviously I bought a test and ran right into the bathroom at Target to pee on a stick.

And wouldn't you know it? POSITIVE. No need to wait the three minutes. I got an immediate positive result.

HOLY CRAP. Pregnant with baby #2.

I went home and after the nanny and the other family in our nanny-share left I took another test (you cannot be too sure). Positive. Again.

I stuck both positive tests in my pocket and spent some time with my baby until D got home. As I was reading K Fox in Socks for the 10,000th time, I was thinking about how I was going to tell D. I had a plan. Then moments after D arrived home, I got out of bed where K and I were reading an the test fell out of my pocket. K asked what it was; I said a pen. D noticed it was not a pen. I handed off both tests when we were in the kitchen getting ready for dinner. Not the most dramatic way of telling him, but the message was relayed.

Moments later, our friends knocked on the door and loaded up our crib. So with Baby 2 on the way, we don't have a crib. Isn't that ironic?

As of right now, I'm about four weeks along. So my insides are looking something like this:

I'm feeling ok. At nights I'm experiencing sea-sickness, and during the day I've had some mild headaches. My anxiety related to being pregnant is significantly less than the first time around. I'm actually excited and looking forward to hearing the baby's heartbeat at my first OB appointment (still to be scheduled).

According to the online calculator, my due date is between September 30 and October 3.

SPRING

2011-04-04T06:33:00.000-04:00

It looks as if SPRING has arrived - for keeps this time (*fingers crossed*). Warmer weather, thunderstorms, and flowers will be filling the days to come. The past few months have been trying for me, but with spring upon us I feel excited about new opportunities, growth, and many flower-filled days at the park (or our backyard).

Note: details about the past few weeks will be forthcoming.

ZOO

2011-02-18T19:02:00.000-05:00

With temperatures near 80* today, we set out for the zoo early. We arrived well before the official opening, but found many of the animals out and enjoying the day.

K picked out her own outfit today and D dressed her in it. Love it.

We had a fantastic morning together and then spent the latter part of the afternoon hanging out at the park.

If only this weather would last...

PHOTO CHALLENGE: BODY PARTS

2011-02-18T13:47:00.000-05:00

A trip to the zoo on a beautiful day was the perfect opportunity to capture some body parts.

BEFORE AND AFTER

2011-02-07T21:15:00.000-05:00

Yesterday started out wonderfully... we had a wonderful spread of food prepared, a big screen TV, friends, family, and a lot of black and gold (decorations and clothing).

Yesterday ended on a sad note for all the Steelers fans out there.

These pictures capture the before and after better than words ever could.

PHOTO CHALLENGE: SLEEP

2011-02-07T21:10:00.000-05:00

Best nap in the car EVER.

GOALS FOR THE WEEK - January 31

2011-01-31T16:17:00.000-05:00

This week centers around FOOTBALL. It is Superbowl weekend.

It is also our anniversary weekend. Five years ago, D and I were married AND the Steelers won the Superbowl. How great would it be if we were able to celebrate our anniversary and watch the Steelers win their SEVENTH Superbowl?!?!

Also this week, I have another job interview and am patiently waiting to hear back from the people I interviewed with last week.

With all that is going on, it is going to be an emotional week. Knowing that, I have set these goals:

WIFE: celebrate our fifth anniversary --- plans are currently up in the air due to the big snowstorm that may be coming our way. I'm planning to have an A, B, and C plan in place. Be prepared!

MOM: introduce K to a new food this week.

ATHLETE: three runs, yoga at least twice, two sessions of strength training, and spinning on Wednesday (assuming I can get to the class and we are not snowed in.

HEALTH: try two new breakfast cereals; get new glasses (broke mine on Saturday night and are currently sporting a broken and old pair of glasses); and cut back on my caffeine* (I'm limited to two cups of coffee and two coke zeroes).

STUDENT: complete rough drafts of two papers for my dissertation.

CAREER: rock my interview on Thursday and wait patiently to hear back from the two organizations I interviewed with last week.

PERSONAL GROWTH: finish Breaking Dawn (yes, it is true I am still not finished, but only 75 pages to go).

HOME: vacuum stairs and basement; and get the mountain on laundry done.

ME: begin year-long photo challenge

* caffeine --- this past week I had coffee with my old boss. She has since left her old job and started her own consulting company, which is doing REALLY well. So proud of her. Anyways, we got to talking about being healthy and having balance in live. She has completely cut out caffeine (minus chocolate) from her diet and is feeling great. She was a serious tea drinker back in the day and loved a good mocha. But now she is caffeine-free and doing so well. It was inspiring to talk wit her about it. So I am determined to cut back on my caffeine intake. I'm starting small this week as I do not want to be plagued with withdrawl headaches week.

FAVORITE THINGS: K edition

2011-01-29T14:33:00.001-05:00

We've spent much of this week being with friends (K's buddy and his family were here for a couple of days because they were without power), playing in the snow, cleaning, and doing A LOT of singing. Our Pandora Sound of Music station has been getting a lot of air time. It appears that K's "Do Re Mi" phase has been replaced by a "Favorite Things" phases.

On Tuesday morning, I caught her singing My Favorite Things while cleaning / dusting. Thankfully she indulged me and started over again so I could capture the moment on video.

on Vimeo.

We've also been singing the ABC song a lot. This video from Sesame Street featuring Tilly and the Wall has become a household favorite. D has also been spending a lot of bath time teaching K her letters. Each night they take a picture of all of the letters and numbers she is able to name. When they started this ritual a couple of weeks ago, there were five letters in the picture. Last night I captured this:

Yes, my baby knows nearly the whole alphabet. I'm so proud.

In non-singing related news, we've been able to get outside some this week and enjoy the snow / ice. K went sledding for the first time on Thursday. She was the first of her three friends to take a ride down the hill. I was so proud.

I love the look on her face in these photos. Yes, the top one is a little blurry, but we were sliding quickly along the icy hill. And I didn't have time to make a lot of camera adjustments before passing my camera off to a friend before our ride.

Much fun was had and that is what is captured in the photos.

GOALS FOR THE WEEK

2011-01-26T10:26:00.000-05:00

This week is all about job interviews and snowstorms.

We woke up to snow this morning and are expecting several more inches this afternoon. Today I'm working from home and meeting a former boss / friend to catch up. In terms of goals for this week, I'm focusing on preparing for my interviews and trying to squeeze in some cross-training.

FRIEND: Meet two friends for coffee (Monday and Wednesday).

COMMUNITY: be sure our sidewalk and steps are shoveled and salted.

ATHLETE: three runs, yoga at least twice, and two sessions of strength training.

HEALTH: make healthy breakfast muffins

STUDENT: Figure out how to calculate exposure-years for each farmer.

CAREER: rock two interviews and get ready for another one next week.

PERSONAL GROWTH: finish Breaking Dawn and organize schedule for reading through Seven Healthy Habits with D. I also want to watch an instruction video that goes with me camera.

NO TELEVISION

2011-01-22T14:49:00.000-05:00

Technically, we do not own a TV. We do have a 13 inch TV set in our basement. This TV was brought to our house by my father when he was here for a week when K was born.

We don't use this TV.

It is not our TV.

We are a TV-free house.

And proud of it.

There are times, however, when I would really enjoy having a TV at home. Such as when the Steelers are playing (in the AFC Championship game!!), during the summer Olympics, and when I need either 15 minutes to get something done or K needs 15 minutes to unwind/cool down.

We do allow K to watch youtube clips and short videos from Sesame Street; however, we cannot leave her alone in front of the computer in order to get something else done. The computer is just too tempting to touch with all of its buttons (the most appealing of which is the on-off one at the top right of the keyboard). So when K is watching a clip on the computer, one of us is right there with her protecting our computer from harm.

QUESTION: what do we do when K needs to calm down? Or when we need 10 minutes of time to get something done without interruption?

ANSWER: we pull a chair up to the sink and give our little girl a sponge, some soap, and a handful of items to clean.

What can I say? Our little girl loves to play in water; she loves to wash; she loves her bubbles.

She would spend the entire day on her tip-toes washing dishes, cleaning the sink and playing in a small steady stream of water from the facet if we'd let her.

We have to cut her off from this activity. The timer on our oven is my best friend. I set the number of minutes she can play at the sink and when the timer goes off, she reaches up and turns the water off. This week we've had to really limit her time at the sink (resulting in having to come up with alternate activities, which is hard) because all the water play has led to severely chapped cheeks and chin.

Yes, in addition to washing the dishes and sink, she also washes her face and arms. Hence the snowpants with no shirt on. This allows for proper arm washing space without getting a clean shirt drenched.

And, yes, she stands on her tip-toes the entire time she is at the sink even though she is tall enough to reach the water and soap on flat feet. The tip-toes are needed, however, to reach the bottom of the sink when it needs to be washed.

Our water bill is slightly higher these days as a result of K's water play; however, the extra dollar or so to that bill does not compare to paying $75-100 per month for cable or direct TV.

I'll take the water play, clean sink, and sanitized toddler any day!

A FRIENDLY FOOTBALL REMINDER

2011-01-20T16:20:00.000-05:00

Just a friendly reminder that the Steelers are playing in the AFC Championship game this weekend.

I expect you to be praying.

I expect you to watch.

I'm blessed with a friend (and Eagle's fan) who wants to watch the game with me.

HERE WE GO...

QUALITY vs QUANTITY

2011-01-20T16:10:00.000-05:00

It is an age-old dilemma...

QUANTITY or QUALITY...

Do I run a sloppy six miles because it's the mileage on my training schedule or do I do run four quality miles because I am sore and tired?
Do I eat a single piece of dark chocolate in the afternoon (quality) or munch on a baggie full of carrots sticks?
Do try to write / publish five papers based on my dissertation or focus on getting two really good papers out the door before the end of the semester?

The list of quality vs quantity questions in my life could go on and on...

The quality vs quantity question that I've been wrestling with the past couple weeks is this... in order to get a job post-completion of my PhD, do I just apply to every job that is remotely in my field of interest? Or do I hold out for only those jobs that meet my L-O-N-G list of criteria I am looking for in my first job in four years?

My friend, Becky, has been processing all of my job-related anxiety, questions, worries, fears, expectations with me. She has listened to me without complaint and offered some excellent (and at times) hard to listen to advice. Yesterday I called her as I was leaving school to ask her yet another question about a set of applications I was working on. After talking with her for a few minutes, I knew the answer to my about quality vs quantity question related to my job search.

Quality is definitely the answer.

I had been putting pressure on myself to submit X number of applications each week, but what I realized yesterday is that it was a HUGE waste of time (and I don't have time to waste). I have been slaving over a set of fellowship applications for positions that I would have killed for four years ago when I started my program.

But I am four years older now. Four years ago, I wasn't a mom; I wasn't faced with balancing work, parenting, and everything else. I'm not ready to transition into a full-time 40 hours a week in an office job. And until August, we only have child care a couple of days a week (and I'm not messing with our child care --- it is perfect!!).

In the past few years, I've come more interested in possibly teaching after graduation.

In the past few years, I've come to value my roles as mom, wife, friend, and homemaker more.

And with that, I am not going to apply to jobs just to apply to jobs. Quality is more important than quantity. If an "I would LOVE to have the job" advertisement comes across my desk, I will apply. But I am not going to set goals related to the quantity of applications I submit. I am going to start talking with individuals in my field about possible options post-graduation.

I am going to focus on further developing my list of what I'd like to do and then work on making that a reality. Maybe I'll even put together a multi-step program to get there.

This past week I have learned that it is a waste of my time pouring over the jobs section of the paper and applying for prestigious positions I do not want.

Good uses of my time are: hanging out with my little girl, spending time with D, getting out for a run, planning meals, getting out with friends, enjoying the free museums in the city, reading a good book, and, oh..., finishing my dissertation.

Quality vs quantity.... in this case, it is definitely quality.

GOALS FOR THE WEEK

2011-01-17T16:19:00.000-05:00

Today we're celebrating D's 41st birthday. He is currently out talking with a life coach about his plans for his sabbatical. Tonight we're getting a babysitter and going out to dinner with friends. I might be looking forward to a night out more than D. Due to D's work schedule and a couple of others events we had planned, I was a single-parent for much of the weekend. And our little angel is entering (maybe fully entered into) a strong-willed, disobedient little girl. I'm exhausted from being a parent. A night out is exactly what I need.

Because of the holiday, this week officially begins tomorrow. And here are my goals:

MOM: get K's big-girl room organized/planned (we purchased her big-girl bed yesterday). I also need to get her crib listed on craigslist (yes, we're going to sell it; if we have another child, we'll buy another one of craigslist; we don't want to store a crib in our house - no room for that). We also need to select paint colors and some wall decorations.

WIFE: celebrate D's birthday in style and listen/talk with him about his sabbatical plans.

FRIEND: two coffee dates to confirm.

COMMUNITY: attend neighborhood meeting on Wednesday evening.

ATHLETE: four runs, at least two sessions of strength training, and spinning on Wednesday.

HEALTH: try to make granola bars (again - last week's attempt was a fail)

STUDENT: finalize my code for dissertation analysis. Specifically, figure out how to calculate exposure-years for each farmer.

CAREER: get read for interviewS (yes, that is plural) I have in the coming weeks. Apply for at least another three jobs.

PERSONAL GROWTH: finish Breaking Dawn and organize schedule for reading through Seven Healthy Habits with D. I also want to watch an instruction video that goes with me camera.

READING PLANS

2011-01-16T14:34:00.000-05:00

I've set a lot of goals for the year, but the ones that scare me the most are my reading goals. As mentioned previously, I did not read a single book during 2010. I read A LOT for my dissertation and when I came at night the idea of cracking open a book made me want to throw up a little in my mouth. So I didn't read - ANYTHING.

But the list of books I wanted to read kept growing.

So I decided that not only did I need to set a serious reading goal for the new year, I needed to have a serious plan in place.

Here is the plan...

First I decided which books I wanted to read (explanation for each book below). Then I bought them (note: I borrowed The Help, Breaking Dawn and Born To Run from friends).

Here they are in all their glory.

Now that I have all of the books, I am looking for a place (in everyday eye sight) to put all of them. This is to remind me of my goal of reading all of them. I've also set aside time at least four times each week for reading. These times do vary week-to-week depending on our activities, but I am going to sit down at least four times each week and read.

I also am aiming to read the entire Bible in a year. I'll be honest...I've tried to do this before and have failed miserably. My failure has been due to at least two things... 1) accessibility - not having the Bible and my reading plan at my fingertips when I have the time to read; and 2) timing --- waiting until minutes before I need to be asleep to read.

To deal with these failures, I've decided to go with an online reading plan. I'm using the YouVersion chronological plan. As a college history minor, I'm enjoying reading the Bible in the order in which events occurred. And as a Biblical dummy, I don't know what to expect next. Who knew that after several chapters of Genesis the chronological order of the Bible goes to Job? Seriously? The mystery and surprise of the chronological plan keeps me coming back each day.

I'm proud to write the I am up-to-date on my Bible reading. And it has been easy to keep up --- mostly because I have a computer at my fingertips at all times during the day.

I'm hoping that having a plan in place and the books I want to read decided upon and in our house will help me achieve my reading goals for the year. Other suggestions/motivations for keeping up / on top of your reading plans? Please let me know.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why these books?

Celebration of Discipline --- this is one of D and my mom's favorites. I've read bits and pieces of it, but never the entire thing. It is one of the books D and I planned to read together a couple of years ago, but that didn't materialize. This is one of those books I feel like I need to read. NOW.

Me, Myself, and Bob --- this is the story of the bankruptcy of Veggie Tales. It chronicles the creator's spiritual journey from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows of his career. It was the subtitle alone that made me want to read this book: a true story about God, dreams, and talking vegetables.

Anatomy of the Soul --- quite simply, I want to read this book because the author goes to our church. He attended our wedding and has been a huge support to us. I cannot wait to read all he has written!

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families --- this is the book D and I will be reading together (our reading plan begins March 1). D is a big fan of Steven Covey; I appreciate what he has to say. I think the book will provide a good framework for us to use as we start planning long-term for our family.

Run Like a Mother --- this book is all the rage among the online group of women I run/blog with. I've read bits and pieces of the book and really want to read the whole thing. I've been told to be prepared to laugh and cry.

Born To Run --- again, another recommendation from a friend. I'm about 50 pages into it and it is a great story. I've heard that it is both inspirational and motivational. I can't wait.

The Help --- this book was recommended by a good friend, my college advisor and my mother. How could I not read it? Plus it is being made into a movie - sounds like a perfect mother / daughter date in the future!

Chi Running --- D got me this book for Christmas. He's a thoughtful and well researched gift buyer. I know I need to read this one.

Breaking Dawn --- yes, this is the fourth book of the Twilight series. And, yes, I have read the other three books. I read this article in The Atlantic magazine a few years ago and decided I needed to read the first book of the series. After about 100 pages I was hooked. I must finish the series. And although I do not (highly) recommend the books, I do recommend reading the Atlantic article.

GOALS FOR 2011

2011-01-14T16:03:00.000-05:00

I had a draft of my goals for the year finished last week. Then came Sunday. Daryl, who married D and me, preached a sermon on humility.

It was convicting. It changed the way I think. It forced me to rethink my goals.

So I've spent the past five days thinking about my goals; reworking them.

And here they are... reworked, re-thought out, refocused.

MOM:

Get everything in place for K to attend preschool in the fall
Plan one outing with K each week

library
museum
pool
spray park

Read to K every day
Introduce one new food/recipe every two weeks

WIFE:

Plan one date night per month
Plan five year wedding anniversary celebration
Encourage, support, and help D plan for his sabbatical
Train for and run at least one race together
Read book with D and take action accordingly

FRIEND:

Plan 12 coffee dates (one per month with a freind)
Organize an event for K's friends and their moms quarterly

cookie decorating
backyard sprinkler party
picnic in RCP

Make and start getting out with a running buddy

COMMUNITY / FAMILY:

Volunteer

at a local running / triathlon event
in one of the many neighborhood groups

Plan a family trip to California for Christmas 2011

ATHLETE:

Run 1250 miles (that is 2011 km)
Achieve half fanatic status by June 2011
Set personal records (PRs) in half and full marathon
Race a 5K and a 10K
Run one race in my Vibrams
Do strength training at least twice per week
Cross train at least once per week

yoga
spinning
swimming

HEALTH:

Lose 10 pounds
Introduce K to health behaviors --- get her outside and moving at least three times per week

yoga
swimming
bike riding
walking

Make / try a new healthy snack each week
East at least 4 fruits / veggies each day

STUDENT:

Defend dissertation by July 2011
Complete at least three papers for publication by September 2011

CAREER:

Practice patience
Apply only for jobs I am excited about
Make a list of what I really want to do and necessary steps to get there by June 2011
Write out 3-, 5-, and 10- year goals
Explore some non-traditional part-time opportunities

FINANCE:

Set aside enough money to pay for K's preschool
Brainstorm ideas to make extra money

HOME:

Paint, furnish, and decorate K's big girl room
Paint living room
Choose color and paint our bedroom
Plant garden with K in the spring

PERSONAL GROWTH:

Read books on my to be read list:

Born To Run
Breaking Dawn
Celebration of Discipline
Anatomy of the Soul
Me, Myself, and Bob
Run Like a Mother
Chi Running
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families
The Help

Read Bible (all of it before end of year)
Learn how to use my camera

ME:

Plan a me outing each month

spring shopping with ACE
afternoon at the library reading
walk around The Mall

Pay for and get one massage
Complete a year long photo challenge (commence in February)
Save money for:

Lightroom
Keen boots
bike and seat for K

Get spinning instructors certification

FOOTBALL

2011-01-13T21:05:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't heard or noticed, it is football playoff time. And being from Pittsburgh, I'm a Steelers fan. I proudly wear black and gold. I've also been known from time to time to have black and gold plates, napkins, cups, and even M&Ms on hand.

I've also been known to proudly wear my Steelers shirt in Baltimore after important games have been won.

This Saturday, the Steelers are playing the Baltimore Ravens (boo). It is likely to be one of the best NFL games of the year. It's going to be hard fought and cold game in Pittsburgh. I am thankful that it is a local game and I will be able to watch it on my 13 inch TV with rabbit ears.

Like all good fans in Pittsburgh and around the globe, this is the prayer I'll be saying before bed tonight:

Our Father, Who Art in Pittsburgh,
Football be Thy Game,
Let Mendenhall Run,
6 Superbowls Won,
On Earth as it is in Heinz Field.
Give Us this Day a Playoff Victory,
and Forgive Us Our Penalties,
as We Defeat Those Ravens Who Play Against Us.
But Lead Us into a Victory,
and Deliver Us to Texas.
For Thine is the D-Line, the Polamalu, and the Harrison.....A-Ben.

REVIEW OF 2010 GOALS

2011-01-10T12:39:00.000-05:00

At the beginning of 2010, I set the follow goals for myself, and I am happy to report that I reached/achieved many of them. 2010 had a rough start - drama with my (now ex-) dissertation advisor and FEET of snow that limited my ability to run. But as the winter snows began to melt, things started to fall into place. My accomplishments in 2010 provide me with a solid foundation to take on 2011!

HEALTH:

1. run 1000+ miles - accomplished 10/31 during my last long training run before the Philadelphia Marathon. In total, I ran 1105 miles last year.

2. run four races of differing lengths - 10k, 10 miler, 1/2 marathon, and marathon - completed. I ran the Cherry Blossom 10 miler, Pittsburgh 1/2 Marathon, Philadelphia Marathon, and MCM Mama's 40th birthday celebration 8.25 miler.

3. do strength training twice each week (includes abs) - complete and utter FAIL.
4. run a sub-4 hour marathon; sub-2 hour 1/2; and a 10k under 50 minutes - successfully ran a sub-2 hour 1/2 marathon, but didn't run either a sub-4 hour marathon or sub-50 minute 10k (note: I didn't race a 10k in 2010).

5. lose 10 pounds - maintained my weight, but didn't lose or gain a pound in 2010.

6. lose the tummy/pooch above my c-section line (am I the only woman who had a c-section that cannot get rid of the fat?) - this will NEVER be a goal again. I believe that the pooch is a permanent fixture; a sign that my body couldn't handle natural childbirth and that they cut me open to get her out to ensure her health and mine. I'd rather have the pooch than not have her.

SCHOOL: -- All of my goals related to school were achieved. I am on schedule to finish my PhD before the end of the summer!
1. develop dissertation topic by end of February
2. have dissertation committee assembled by end of March
3. submit general research plan for May meeting
4. pass dissertation proposal defense by September 1st
5. schedule dissertation defense by June 2011
6. finish PhD program by September 1, 2011
7. complete my course-work by August 2010
8. secure an external research grant for dissertation research by August 2010

PERSONAL WELL-BEING:
1. read a book for fun each month - complete FAIL. As noted previously, I didn't read a single book last year. In addition to not making the time to read and being a busy, working, studenting, running mama, I planned poorly for this goal. I have a new plan for this year...

2. read two books with D - also complete fail.

3. go out for coffee with a friend or alone at least once a month - this didn't happen once a month, but I did enjoy some great cups of coffee out as well as a milkshake reward post-proposal defense and a couple of nice dinners out with girlfriends.

4. pay for at least one massage - fail. Shame on me.

5. go to bed before 11pm on school nights - completed (most of the time). There were a few times when I just had to stay up to finish school work, discuss something with D, or watch the end of LOST.

FINANCIAL:
1. pay myself for mommy-share days (I'm watching a friend's child one day a week and she in turn is watching K one day; this cuts down seriously on our nanny expenses) - our mommy share ended in mid-July, but I did use the money we saved. See below...

2. with saved $, buy the new camera I've been eyeing for months and put at least $2000 into my IRA - I did buy a new camera and have $ to put into my IRA (just need to make the electronic transfer).

GOALS FOR THE WEEK - January 10

2011-01-10T10:11:00.000-05:00

My goals for the week beginning TODAY:

Mom: develop and deploy a potty training schedule and rewards program for K (little girl is doing really well, but we need a little extra structure and rewards to certify her as potty trained).

Wife: plan/celebrate D's birthday.

Athlete: attend a FREE community yoga class on Sunday afternoon (included here is a trip to the store to by a yoga mat); and get a least four runs in this week (including two in my vibrams).

Health: drink at least four bottles of water on the days I'm at home (this week: T, W, F, S, S)

Friend: confirm time and location of coffee date with friend

Career: finish three more job applications and submit them to employers; follow up with individuals writing me letters of recommendation for a fellowship position.

Student: get ready for the class I'm TAing this semester (classes begin January 24); and complete reading list, which includes: 1. chapter on toxic effects of pesticides and 2. recall bias literature.

Personal Growth: finalize and post goals for 2011; post book list for 2011.

Me: stop at Starbuck and use my coupon for a free cup of coffee.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Blog posts to come: Favorite Things parts IV and V as well as Goals for 2011.

2010: Looking Back

2011-01-04T16:28:00.000-05:00

2010: Looking Back

My friend, Jill, assembled/created the following list of questions to reflect on the past year. I so enjoyed reading her responses and was excited when she encouraged her friends to answer the same questions. I've spent the last 24 hours thinking about the past year and here is what I've come up with...

What was one goal you accomplished in 2010?

I accomplished two major goals this year. First was running more than 1,000 miles. I finished the year having logged 1105 miles. I'm grateful that I remained healthy and uninjured during the year. Second, I successfully defended my dissertation proposal and am on track to finish my PhD in 2011.

What is your favorite memory of 2010?

Staying in a swanky hotel in Taipei. D, K, and I spent our last day in Taiwan traveling from the southern part of the island to Taipei. We spent nearly 18 hours in a wonderful hotel. We swam in the hotel pool, took a dip in the hot tub, steamed in the sauna, played/read in the kids' play room, ordered room service, played with the magic glass in the bathroom, and enjoyed a wonderful night together as a family. It was a perfect and relaxing way to end our stay in Taiwan. I boarded the plane home after a wonderfully sound night of sleep.

What is your least favorite memory of 2010?

Breaking up with my advisor last February and facing the fact that I didn't have funding or a dissertation project. My stress level last January was at an all time high. I was angry, frustrated, and fearful that I would never finish my PhD.

What was the best trip you took in 2010?

The weekend D and I went to Philadelphia for the marathon. K stayed with my parents. D and I enjoyed a quiet night at the hotel, long hot UNINTERRUPTED showers after the marathon and two peaceful nights post-marathon together. We shopped, ate wonderful meals, celebrated with a bottle of wine and enjoyed Philadelphia.

What was your favorite purchase in 2010?

I have three: 1) my garmin, who has since been named Gary; 2) my camera - I purchased it "new to me" and then it was stolen when our house was broken into and through our insurance I got a brand new one; and 3) my new purse and wallet (who would have guessed that a red purse - big enough to serve as both a diaper bag and purse - would make me so very happy).

What was the best book you read in 2010?

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I did not read a single book in 2010. NOT ONE. I barely read an article in TIME. I read so very little that we canceled my TIME subscription for this year. In my defense, I did read more than 300 articles related to my dissertation.

What changed about you in 2010?

I think (you'd have to check with D to be sure) I became a better listener. I also surrendered some of my pride - I am no longer embarrassed to sing or discipline my child in public - and I've actively engaged in our church's bi-monthly community celebrations and concerns times.

What made you cry in 2010?

What didn't make me cry is probably an easier question to answer. I cried out of exhaustion, exasperation, loneliness, and feelings of inadequacy.

What is one home project you accomplished in 2010?

We (and by we I mean by dad painted) painted our kitchen, dining room, entry-way, and hallway up the steps. We also agreed on a color for our living room which we plan to paint in January. We also had repairs made to our sunroom and office following the blizzard last February. Both of these rooms were repainted, too.

Best meal of 2010?

We had the most fabulous meal at Mi Lah in Philadelphia the night before the marathon. It was hands-down the best vegetarian restaurant I have ever eaten at. During our meal we got to chat with the owner/executive chef.

At home, D cooked so many wonderful meals that I don't have the time or space to recount them all here. Of particular note were the fish tacos he made for my birthday dinner. This meal was complete with two dessert courses: 1) a chocolate tart with toffee filling; and 2) four cheese served with nuts, jam and crackers.

What made you want to scream in 2010?

My original dissertation committee chair. She made my life miserable. Also the individuals that broke into our house -- you both suck.

What was your verse of 2010?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1).

GOALS FOR THE WEEK

2011-01-03T22:23:00.000-05:00

During the past six months, I've followed (read: stalked) Anne Marie at Goals for the Week. She's a mom, runner, triathlete, and goal setter. Each week (usually Sunday) she writes out her goals for the week on her blog. Her weekly goals are the stepping stones needed to meet her one-, three-, five- and ten-year goals. And her goals are categorized by the different roles she plays and priorities she has (i.e., mom, friend, wife, athlete, health, etc). What can I say... she's organized, driven, and capable of dreaming/aiming for big things.

I aspire to be so organized, driven, and capable of dreaming big.

So I did something I normally don't do... I wrote Anne Marie an email and talked with her a little bit about her goal setting. I read nearly two years worth of blog posts by her. And I did a lot of thinking and organizing myself.

And I've decided to make it one of my goals for 2011 to not only set goals for this year, but to also to set goals for each week.

Later this week I will post my goals for 2011 (but not until I have reviewed by goals from 2010 and reflected a la Jill). My goals for this year will focus on 12 categories/roles: mom, wife, athlete, health, friend, career, finance, home, community, student, personal growth, and me. I'll address the specifics of each category when I outline my yearly goals. But tonight I am aiming to complete the first of 52 posts outlining my weekly goals. Now, some of these goals may look like items on a to-do list and that is just fine with me. These little goals or to-dos are the necessary steps I believe will help me to achieve my year-long goals for 2011.

And with that, my goals for the week of January 3, 2011:

Mom: take K out to story hour or some other structured activity during the week; and sort through her toys and put old ones in storage bins.

Wife: encourage D to make plans for his upcoming birthday and work sabbatical.

Athlete: commence training for National 1/2 Marathon; attend spinning class on Wednesday at lunchtime.

Health: cut out coffee creamer and sugar in coffee/tea from diet.

Career: finish three job applications and send them to potential employers.

Student: finish writing data analysis plan for specific aims 1 & 3 of my dissertation.

Personal Growth: finalize the list of books I plan to read this year and order/reserve them at library.

Me: Go to bed before 9:30 one night this week.

FAVORITE THINGS: part III

2011-01-03T19:24:00.000-05:00

We are definitely a less is more type of family.

We truly enjoyed the Christmas season and take great pleasure in giving gifts, making gifts and receiving them. For K, we wanted to make Christmas special, but also wanted to keep the focus on the birth of Christ. We tried to do three gifts - just like the gifts from the three wise men. In that spirit, she received some foam letters/numbers and a storage submarine for the bathtub; new crocs, underwear and legwarmers (key items to promote potty training); and a bike.

The bike was definitely a favorite.

She also received EleFun from her friends, E & R. As you can see, it is a lot of fun!

FAVORITE THINGS: part II

2011-01-03T16:00:00.000-05:00

This post isn't so much about a favorite thing, but a favorite person...

On Monday, December 20th I successfully passed my dissertation proposal defense. With my presentation and the Q&A behind me, I can honestly say it was a very positive experience. On the day of my defense, I was a mess, to say the least. Three hours before my presentation, I had a dress rehearsal in front of one of my classmates. During said rehearsal, I discovered that one section of my proposal (dealing with analysis of gene-environment interactions and a possible three-way interaction) was extremely confusing. I panicked, but my good friend helped me to simplify my thoughts and reword my slides. With less than an hour to go until my presentation I was fairly calm - I ate lunch and goofed off on my computer. I began my final preparations about 20 minutes before my presentation was scheduled to begin and I freaked out. I forgot to make copies of my slides for my committee and I started to sweat.

I watched as my committee members, faculty, and students entered the room.

I started sweating even more.

I was so glad I went with the black and white dress with a pattern on it instead of the solid black dress. I'm sure I would have had visible salty-sweat rings around the colar and under my arms had I worn the black dress.

I was visibly nervous.

That is when one of my committee members came up to me and spoke these magical words:

"You are ready for this. We wouldn't have let you come this far if we were not sure you could pass. Remember to talk slowly. Take a moment to think before answering any question. And remember to smile. You know more about your topic than anyone in the room. Be proud."

She completely put me at ease.

She smiled as I began my presentation. And she smiled throughout.

She asked me tough, but fair questions. And she always prefaced her questions with a complement. For example, she'd say something along the lines of, "you did a wonderful job explaining X, could you provide the same level of detail about Y."

Her tone and encouragement were life-giving.

She saved me from possibly losing my mind before and during my defense.

On top of that, she volunteered to be one of my official readers for my final defense. This means she will have to read, edit, and provide constructive input for my entire written dissertation within two weeks of my final defense. This is a huge and time-consuming responsibility. And she volunteered with a smile on her face.

She is definitely my favorite teacher of 2010.

She is also on her way to being my favorite teacher of 2011...

This morning I bumped into her and instead of greeting me with a customary "Happy New Year", she greeted me with, "at the end of this year, we'll be calling you doctor."
Talk about making my day.

I'm going to finish my PhD in 2011.

Three cheers for my favorite teacher and all of her words of encouragement both this year and last ---

hip-hip-hooray! hip-hip-hooray! hip-hip-hooray!

FAVORITE THINGS: part I

2011-01-01T15:09:00.000-05:00

This December ended with quite a bang. In the final 10 days of the year, I successfully passed my dissertation proposal defense, celebrated my 33rd birthday (or Candy Cane Celebration as Jill likes to call it), celebrated the birth of Christ, enjoyed friends and family, had my last supper at More's, and rang in the new year. Many stories need to be told and pictures need to be shared. To do so, I'm going to write a five-part (possibly more) series highlighting some of my favorite things that happened or I received during the last ten days of 2010.

Part I: my new favorite running gear

I ran a lot in 2010; 1105.24 miles to be exact. And I have plans to run more in 2011 (more to come on goals for the new year in the days to come). For my birthday, D got me a pair of Vibram Five Fingers running shoes. The whole barefoot running movement has really caught my attention and the five fingers look so cool. I was thrilled when I received a pair as a gift. I spent time at my parents house just walking around in them and then experimented with them on the treadmill. It took a little while, but I started to like the way they felt on my feet. Yesterday I went out for my first real run in them. And I LOVED them. I liked feeling my feet hit the pavement; feeling the cold ground beneath me; and the soreness on my bottom and in my lower calves. I'm looking forward to running in them more - including a race sometime this year!

D also got me Chi Running (the book) as a Christmas gift.

I'm hoping to improve my running, strength, and enjoyment of running in 2011.

I've also wanted a Garmin running watch for the longest time. And over Christmas I scored on on craigslist for half price. The guy I purchased my Forerunner 305 from had only used it three times. It was still in the box and in perfect condition. HUGE SCORE!

Yesterday I went out for a run with a new playlist, new Garmin, and new Five Fingers (for the last mile of a 4.5 mile run). It was awesome.

I love my new gear!

My new shoes, new garmin, and new book are high on my list of FAVORITE THINGS from the last ten days of 2010.

K loves my new shoes, too. Here's my little future marathoner trying on her first pair of Five Fingers.

AN ABD PhD STUDENT'S PRAYER

2010-12-18T20:50:00.001-05:00

Dear God,

My proposal defense is schedule for Monday at 1pm. That is approximately 30 hours from now. Between then and now, I need to make revisions to my slides, add references to said slides and get all of my slides reviewed/approved AGAIN by my adviser. Additionally, I need to buy new panty-hose and decide which necklace to wear - pearls or black beads. I also need to sit through my final class of the semester, host a dinner party at home and deliver 12 plates of cookies to neighbors.

God, I am busy.

I am stressed out.

I'm thinking maybe I should just quit now and go shopping (just kidding, sort of).

God, I have many requests related to my proposal defense. For efficiency's sake (mine, not yours, of course), I'm going to go with list, complete with bullet points.

Lord, please...

- help me to think clearly;
- help me to speak clearly;
- help me to not talk too fast;
- help me to answer questions with an ounce of intelligence;
- give my committee mercy and compassion towards me;
- do not let it snow or there be a snow delay on Monday;
- do not allow the lights to go off or the computer to freeze up during my presentation;
- have Professors MT, MB, and CA not show up - give them busy afternoons so they do not attend my proposal defense;
-help me to remember all the paperwork that needs to be signed by my committee;
- prevent me from spilling my coffee or lunch on my dress-up outfit;
- make sure I pronounce "POLYMORPHISMS" correctly every time I say it;
- ensure that my committee enjoys and appreciates all the homemade goodies I am bringing for them;

and, finally,

- be sure that I pass with flying colors and get approval to conduct my final defense in six month.

Thank you, God.

And it isn't too much to ask, please help me to sleep well the next two nights, not contract the nasty eye infection K had yesterday, keep my voice, and not get a huge zit on my nose or forehead.

Amen.