Photographic Evidence

This weekend I finally got some proof that baby in all those pictures is actually mine...


Everyone at the party where the photo was taken thought it was really strange he managed to get to 2 1/2 months old without a picture with his mommy, but I suspect all the moms out there will know it's a perfectly reasonable situation. Cause see, the pictures that do get taken are all deleted immediately because you look at them and think things like "so that's what it looks like when I haven't showered in a week."

New Perspective on Goal Setting

Not surprisingly, I've had to scale back my normal first of the year goal setting extravaganza to make room for the Little Geek in my schedule. And by "make room in my schedule" I mean give up any semblance of my former routine and hope someday when he's, ya know, old enough to drive my ass to the gym I'll have time to get in 5 workouts a week again.

So, instead of laying out the next 8 months or so in an excruciatingly detailed training plan as is my wont, I started small.

Two weeks ago, I set a goal of not eating fudge for breakfast any more. And I'm happy to say I met that goal.... once all the fudge was gone. And I'm not admitting anything about the Tollhouse cookies.

So, this week, after noticing I've gained about 2 pounds during my post-partum food orgy (and that even though I still weigh a few pounds less than my pre-pregnancy weight I'm in a size larger jeans) I decided it was time to actually do something about it.

So, I set two goals for this week:
- report in with The Calorie Nazi at least two days (and that's not to say I'm keeping my calorie tally under the recommendations, just that I'm keeping a tally)
- exercise at least twice (and yoga can only count for one)

Now that I've emerged freshly showered from my first real cardio session since last summer I'm proud to report that, unless I get snowed in and can't do yoga tomorrow, I will have actually achieved this week's goals.

I'm already getting calls to quote on some website projects to start in a few weeks (because apparently people do not understand what "maternity leave" means and started pestering me when the baby was barely 4 weeks old). So, I'm happy that I'm starting to make real progress towards getting back into training so I can have that part figured out before I have to start figuring out how to fit actual work into the picture.

And I've gotta say... OMFG I feel fantastic. It was only 30 minutes on the elliptical, but after months and months of short walks, easy swims and modified yoga I really have missed burning muscles and dripping sweat. I heart endorphins.

We Interrupt Your Plans for a Run

... to bring you the weather report.


Sunny

0°F
Feels Like
-20°F

I reaaally need to get that money saved up for my treadmill!

Can Also Be Used as a Tarp

Thanks to all my girls who recommended Bravado Designs. It was the solution to my (I eventually learned) 40H problem.

And even the 40H just barely fits.

But seriously, if anyone out there is looking for a super supportive nursing bra in super-sized proportions, give this brand a try. They're not pretty and I'm pretty sure there's less fabric in our camping tent, but they get the job done.

My Cheering Section

Baby Steps to Back On Track

I'm finally getting sick of being a lazy binge-eating slob. Hey, it only took 7 weeks!

I had my little vacation from reality and thankfully my own cravings turned back to exercise and good nutrition, so I didn't (as I was worried I might) have to do a major attitude overhaul to get things heading in the right direction.

I'm not sayin' I'm back to full-on mid-race season training perfection, I'm just sayin' things are turning around.

For instance, today I...

- managed NOT to eat fudge for breakfast
- reported in with The Calorie Nazi for the first time in a month
- arranged with Wonderful Husband to take care of the baby later this week so I can attend my first yoga class in nearly 2 months
-finally did the research and picked out the treadmill I'm going to get to solve one of my gym-less problems (I should say, that I'm going to get after WH finds a new job and we get our tax refund)
- thought really, really hard about getting the stroller out and taking the baby for his first walk (it's unseasonably warm here - nearly 60). Might actually do it if I can catch up on all the laundry and dishes first.

I'm even eyeballing that half-marathon training plan that got left in the dust last season...

First Leg

One of my biggest concerns about being a mom is passing bad habits down to my children. In particular, I am acutely aware that my mother and grandmother passed their irrational fear of water to me and it's still such a struggle for me to swim in open water that I'm terrified I'll inadvertently teach my Little Geek the same fear.

Because of this, I approached his first real bath with reluctance. He already hated being naked and screamed like a banshee whenever we changed his clothes or diaper... how much worse was it going to be when we introduced something as new and potentially frightening as water?

I am incredibly happy and relieved to report find that he absolutely loved it! I know it's a big leap to go from 'he's ok with a bath' to 'he won't be afraid of swimming' but it's a start. I can't wait to get him into his first swim lessons!

Oskee Wow Wow

Woke up from the baby sleep deprivation/I've got a cold coma and got settled in front of the tv just in time to catch the coverage of the Illinois float and the Marching Illini in the Rose Parade!!!

Talk about making my day. Seeing live coverage of the band brought tears to my eyes. Daily life - especially now - makes it easy to forget about college glories more than a decade past. But it only takes a few bars of Oskee Wow Wow or a distant 'I-L-L, I-N-I' floating in the background audio to bring it all back, and make me feel like I'm supposed to be grabbing my clarinet and lining up for the pregame show.

Life's pretty great now and I'm not one to live in the past. But the years I spent in the Marching Illini were hands down some of the best of my life. I've never worked so hard for something before and since, and it made me a stronger person. It brings me untold joy to see my beloved MI highlighted in one of the premiere events in sports.