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November 30, 2011
WiW: Week 87
Weight: 145.8
Waist: 30
Hips: 37
Thigh: 23
Thank goodness, the first week of holiday gluttony seems to be over.
I took all of last week off, sort of unintentionally. In fact, I had had big plans, but the food and the laziness and the sickness got to me.
Monday, I decided to pick up where I left off and pulled out a 35 minute run. Tuesday was the first time in quite a while that I've woken up sore from running and stayed that way most of the day.
Unfortunately, Tuesday was also the day I swore I was going to start Shredding again. I have a ski trip to prepare for, after all. I tried not to push too hard, since I still have to keep pushing on the running, but I was sore within minutes of finishing. I'm truly concerned that I won't be able to walk by Thursday.
Posted by me at 1:24 PM | Comments (0)
6.30: I made it!
Another NaBloPoMo down!
I'm not sure how many more years I can keep this up. I think the posts get more placeholderish every year, although this year I managed to remember at a decent time each evening to put something up (mostly because I finally have a smart phone. Not because I was more motivated or anything.) Even now, all I feel is relief that there's one less thing I have to do tomorrow.
NaBloPoMo used to be motivation to come up with something meaningful to write about every day, in the hopes that it could jumpstart my creativity the rest of the year. This year, it just trying to hold on to a tradition that even it's creator is letting go.
Ah, well. I'll see how I feel next year.
Posted by me at 10:07 AM | Comments (0)
November 29, 2011
6.29: Almost there
This has been one of those days that I wish there were stringent guidelines on when to take your kid to the doctor.
After a miserable night, I thought for sure I would be taking Owen in today. But once his morning dose of ibuprofen kicked in, he perked up and was just a normal amount of sick. I had high hopes that we were on the upswing.
He ate something (good sign, right?) and then I put a movie in. After about an hour, he said he was tired. Not a bad thing, it was almost his normal naptime anyway.
He woke up an hour in, moaning and crying and coughing again, absolutely miserable. While I was on the phone seeing if we could get an appointment ASAP, he coughed and coughed until he barfed. After a few more minutes of the movie, he said he wanted to lay down in his bed.
His heartbeat feels so fast. So is his breathing. I know he's getting enough oxygen, because he's a lovely shade of pink, but I'm wishing we were at the doctor right now, and wondering if it's negligent to wait until I've dropped the girls off at gymnastics to take him to after care.
My common sense and my intuition are at war.
Posted by me at 1:00 PM | Comments (0)
November 28, 2011
6.28: It's not funny anymore
No. Freaking. Way.
Owen woke up with a nasty cough. The general consensus of my mom friends on facebook is no fever, no green goo, no problem. His cough had improved somewhat by the time we were ready to go, and he was otherwise well, so I sent him.
I didn't get called, but when I picked him up, I was told that his cough had gotten worse after he played outside, and there was a faint crust around his nose. He agreed a little too readily to a nap, and was out in minutes.
Unfortunately, an hour later he was coughing and whining. And snotty.
And feverish.
After some ibuprofen, he dozed a little more, on and off. Basically ignored dinner, but spent some time running around with his sisters. Which started the coughing up again. I had Rex try to give him some honey (a natural remedy that he doesn't like, but he's too young for cold meds) and he didn't refuse it, he just puked it up. Along with his lunch.
And almost 2 hours before his ibuprofen wore off, his temp was higher than it was before the drugs. Luckily, I unearthed some free sample of Infant Vick's left from the arrival of one of the girls seems to have taken the edge off the cough, and he went out like a light.
I've traced the beginning of all this illness to when I started cleaning the house for company. I'm guessing the only way to put an end to it is to go back to wallowing in our own filth.
Posted by me at 9:58 PM | Comments (0)
November 27, 2011
6.27: Nap Sunday
My mom left this morning, the kids go back to school tomorrow, and no one has barfed so far today. We shall call this "Normal."
The kids slept in the trailer last night, and what with the week of on-again, off-again illness, I figured this was a good time to enforce a nap day. As usual, the girls swore they wouldn't be sleeping. As usual, they took nice long naps. As did I. Owen was down at the same time, and I'm sure The Man appreciated his hours of interruption-free football watching.
I feel sort of bad that we didn't do more fun things this week (due to sickness, not laziness, for once!) At the same time, it was nice to sit around and just. do. nothing. Books were read, Wii was played, copious amounts of tv were watched. There was very little rushing off to the gym, no early mornings getting ready for school and few chores.
And I'll trade it all for no more barf.
Posted by me at 5:46 PM | Comments (0)
November 26, 2011
6.26: Date night
We made it less than 24 hours without puke. Maybe this is the key to losing that 10 pounds.
In happier news, my mom is still in town, and the kids desperately wanted to spend a night in her trailer, so Rex and I got to go out to dinner and a movie, and then come home and have the house to ourselves.
And that's why I'm typing this, licking McDonald's hot fudge out of the corners of my mouth, and watching Pretty Woman.
Posted by me at 10:36 PM | Comments (0)
November 25, 2011
6.25: The day no one puked
We've always been a pretty healthy family. Well, I guess maybe everyone but me. I don't guess I can keep pretending I'm a pretty healthy person anymore.
But Rex. And the kids. They've always been super healthy, with just the occasional cold or bug here and there.
After the last month, I'm not sure we get to say that anymore. I jump every time Katie coughs, afraid it's my five second pre-puke warning. If one of the kids is still for two minutes, I check for fever.
So now we'll take it day by day, grateful again for each day without illness. And hopefully it will be so long before the next bout that I'll have stopped watching for germs around every corner.
Posted by me at 8:25 PM | Comments (0)
November 24, 2011
6.24: Eat, eat and be merry
Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted by me at 11:47 AM | Comments (0)
November 23, 2011
6.23: Ill
I knew something was up when Katie asked to go lay down this afternoon. She may willingly lay down with one of us if we ask her, but I can't think of a time she's requested a nap in recent history. She was a little warm and lethargic after her nap, but perked up and was acting completely normal before dinner.
She ate almost nothing. At a pizza buffet.
I haven't stuck her with a thermometer yet, but she has a fever. I'm desperately hoping not to be awakened by the puke patrol in the middle of the night, and a little relieved that my grandmother isn't here to catch this illness after all, although she has her own germs to master.
I'm starting to wonder if there will be anyone left at the table tomorrow for dinner.
Posted by me at 9:43 PM | Comments (0)
WiW: Week 86
Weight: 146.6
Waist: 30
Hips: 37
Thigh: 23
Monday it rained, Tuesday we a had a (big) late dinner, and tonight we were just lazy.
I'm never going to get a half this way.
Posted by me at 9:41 PM | Comments (0)
November 22, 2011
6.22: Fewer
Thanksgiving just got a little less stressful, but for all the wrong reasons.
My aunt and uncle usually bring my grandmother up from San Antonio for the holiday, my mom comes in from Maryland, and we have a relatively quiet few days eating and doing puzzles. It's a small group, but it's family I don't get to see often, and I love having them here.
My uncle called today and told me my grandmother has a nasty sounding cough, and it looks like they won't be able to make it.
I have less to clean, less to cook, and I don't have to give up my own bed to guests.
I'd rather have my grandma, and my aunt and uncle.
Posted by me at 10:15 PM | Comments (0)
November 21, 2011
6.21: Make up your mind
It's not Wednesday, but I'm going to talk about running anyway.
I have a well-known dislike of running, as well as a compulsion to do it to avoid feelings of sloth and jiggle.
I run three days a week, typically Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I try not to stray from those days because it messes up Rex's schedule and my motivation. Recently, I've skipped more than rescheduled, for everything from weather to illness to prior engagements.
I'm trying to not do that anymore.
It's Monday, and so I should be running. But then it started to rain, and it's cold, so that's a no. Then it stopped. Then it started. Then it stopped. Then there was lightning. Then there wasn't.
It's like riding a rollercoaster. I don't want to go, but I have to. I have an excuse not to go, but I need to. Maybe it will stop. Maybe it will start again. Ahh!
The weather eventually made the decision for me.
But I'll still feel guilty about it.
Posted by me at 8:12 PM | Comments (0)
November 20, 2011
6.20: Full bore
It's hard to find something to write about when I spent a good part of my day reading and cleaning. I can't think of anything more boring to try to recreate in words.
The good news is that today was normal: no puking, no abnormal tantrums, no science fair projects. Also not word-worthy.
Take all this free time I've gifted you with, and go read a book :)
Posted by me at 6:53 PM | Comments (0)
November 19, 2011
6.19: Sick day
Owen woke up screaming last night. I had already sent Rex up before the real shrieks started, so I didn't know what was going on until Rex called for me.
Owen is the tidiest of all my pukers.
Rex stayed with him overnight, and apparently he puked every hour, on the :45 until I got him this morning. I knew they had been up a bunch of times, I just didn't know how consistent he was.
He slowed down a bit over the rest of the morning, finally ending his run by puking up the two spoonfuls of applesauce that were all he had eaten for the day. From the time he rinsed his mouth out from that last run, he's been bouncing off the walls. Complaining that I wouldn't let him go outside and ride his bike. Bored with his favorite tv shows and unwilling to watch another movie. There aren't very many perks to sick children, and I didn't get so much as a cozy snuggle.
The upside is that he finished the applesauce, and later ate yogurt and crackers, none of which I've had to see again. If we're lucky, we've seen the end this.
Posted by me at 8:05 PM | Comments (0)
November 18, 2011
6.18: Last day
Today was the last day of school before Thanksgiving. The teachers were practically giddy, while us parents tended to look a little nervous at the thought of having our own children without interruption for the next 9 days.
Not only am I going to have to parent for the next week, but I haven't planned our Thanksgiving feast yet. Which means I haven't shopped. Which means I have the pleasure of shopping with my precious offspring.
I also have to clean the house before my family gets here. While three kids follow behind me, spewing crumbs and sticky handprints.
Hopefully somewhere in there we'll fit some fun days. I know they'll enjoy having extra family around to impress, and they love Thanksgiving day with the unlimited snacks and extra desserts.
As do I.
Posted by me at 9:44 PM | Comments (0)
November 17, 2011
6.17: "Zippered back hatch"
Posted by me at 8:21 PM | Comments (0)
November 16, 2011
WiW: Week 85
Weight: 146.6
Waist: 30
Hips: 37
Thigh: 23
I guess I finally got my mojo back. In spite of only running once per week for a couple weeks in a row, I upped my time to 35 minutes this week. The first time was pretty slow, I just barely managed a 5k. It was warm and humid, and I was running with friends. Tonight was cold and windy, I had a stitch the whole time the wind was behind me, and I still managed to run the 5k in under 32 minutes.
I finally feel like I'm getting somewhere!
Posted by me at 11:01 PM | Comments (0)
6.16: More about the weather
A cold front swept in this afternoon. I left to pick up Owen, and it was in the upper 60's, cloudy but not too cool.
An hour and a half later, it was 10 degrees colder and the wind was bitter and strong.
By the time I got home from my run, it was in the upper 40's.
I'm as bitter as the wind. It's been chilly less than 12 hours and I'm already hating it. Some people get depressed when the days get shorter and the dark sets in. I get sad when I get goosebumps when I run out to get the mail.
The upside of Texas is the random beautiful warm, sunny days in the winter. The downside of Dallas is how many fewer golden days there are.
Still, I'll be grateful for what I get, and I'll keep looking for the next break in the weather.
Posted by me at 10:39 PM | Comments (0)
November 15, 2011
6.15: GNO
Tonight was girls night out. A few points:
There were 6 of us at the restaurant. Three of us were named Becky.
Two of the Becky's have birthdays within a week of each other.
One girl announced a pregnancy.
There was a lot to celebrate.
In spite of the drink and a free appetizer of fries, I was pretty good about what I ate. Until the cheesecake came out.
It was good to get out. I had fun, food and conversation. But now it's time to kiss the kids goodnight and curl up in bed.
Posted by me at 9:47 PM | Comments (0)
November 14, 2011
6.14: When there's nothing else to talk about, talk about the weather
Less than a week ago, I went out running and the temperature was under 50 degrees.
Tonight it was over 20 degrees warmer.
I'm not one of those people that will complain about the weather not being "Fall" enough. You wanna five me 80 degrees? I'll take that 7 days a week, 365 days a year. I'll take it Christmas day and the 4th of July.
Sure, it would be easier to run if it weren't so humid today, and maybe if it were 10 degrees cooler.
But I'm not giving up a beautiful day like today for anything.
Posted by me at 10:05 PM | Comments (0)
November 13, 2011
6.13: Unexpected
Seriously? Not even halfway done?
The Man and I spent the ENTIRE day tag teaming Jamie to finish her science fair project. That doesn't even count the time she spent on it yesterday, or the last few weeks. I She better get an A on this thing.
I just, for the first time I can remember, deleted a whole section of this post because, while everything I was saying was true, it wasn't an appropriate thing for my daughter to find and read someday on the internet. It's important information for me to know and recognize, but not for her to hear from her computer, or for her friends to read.
It's hard to find things about my kids these days that are my story to tell. For the most part babies all experience the same embarrassments, and what a baby is or does doesn't really define or even necessarily indicate what they will be as children or adults.
As a SAHM, I don't have all that many stories that don't revolve around my kids. I should, I know, have a life of my own, but at this point I really don't. My social life is wrapped up in the girls' gym and school. Owen is with me all but 9 hours a week, hours I spend catching up on the mundanities of daily life.
I'm not sure where I'm going with this. It certainly wasn't what I meant to write, but it's the truth, so I'll let it stand.
Posted by me at 9:25 PM | Comments (0)
November 12, 2011
6.12: Angry
I'm not really obsessive about most things. Aside from food and internet access, anyway.
I've played Angry Birds for a long time, off and on. A lot in the beginning, and then in bursts here and there when I was waiting for something and bored. I wasn't particularly upset when I switched to my iPhone and lost all my levels, because, unlike my husband, I never really thought I would "conquer" the game.
Besides, I suck at it.
And when I suck at something, and spend hours repeating a level, even when it's spread out over days or weeks, I get a bit testy. Not chuck the phone across the room angry, but enough that I start talking to my phone. My friends find it amusing.
ANd here I thought the point of the game was that the birds were angry.
Posted by me at 2:16 PM | Comments (0)
November 11, 2011
6.11: It's a good place to be
I'm in my happy place. Sitting on the couch, cat beside me, tv on, laptop in the lap, kids upstairs in bed, husband in his recliner.
Posted by me at 10:05 PM | Comments (0)
November 10, 2011
6.10: Feed the hoes
Posted by me at 9:15 PM | Comments (0)
November 9, 2011
6.9: One down
Today was another busy day, but at least it was busy getting one of those to-do list items that's been sitting on my list for nearly 6 months taken care of. It involved some fast walking and a lot of waiting, and while those things aren't exciting in themselves, it was nice to do them without having to manage the whims of a 3 year old.
Of course, the day sort of fell apart from there.
It felt good, though, crossing that one big thing off my list.
Posted by me at 10:36 PM | Comments (0)
WiW: Week 84
Weight: 145.8
Waist: 30
Hips: 37
Thigh: 23
I finally stopped making excuses last week and got back up to 25 minutes running. This is particularly amazing, since it was the only day we ran all week. I didn't feel like I was going to die at the end, so I decided that this week we needed to keep stepping it up.
Monday there was weather.
Tonight we upped it to 30 minutes. And I still didn't feel like I was going to die! The school carnival is Friday, so I'm not sure when I'm going to have a chance to reinforce that success, but I'm actually excited that we're upping our distances.
And I'm wondering why I would ever want to run any longer. How boring!
Posted by me at 10:30 PM | Comments (0)
November 8, 2011
6.8: Empty
Now I know why I stopped posting every day. It's because I just didn't have that much to say!
It doesn't help any that I've been busy all day (nothing interesting, baking, school lunches, gymnastics, the usual) and now my brain is fried and I have no desire to write.
In any case, my calendar is packed, my to-do list is long and I barely have time to look at it, and I feel like I'm treading water and going nowhere.
So tonight I'm going to do what has to be done for tomorrow, take a deep breath and go to bed.
Maybe tomorrow I'll have some words.
Posted by me at 9:40 PM | Comments (0)
November 7, 2011
6.7: Unfair
The Science Fair is going to kill me.
I'm the child of a scientist, so when I did science fairs as a kid, they were done right. There was never more than a single variable. Any and ever detail that could be recorded was. Statistics (that I STILL don't understand, in spite of several college courses) were employed. The sample size was adequate for an accurate result.
I was in junior high when these affairs happened, so I had a decent understanding of the scientific process that was only enhanced by the guidance of my father.
Now it's my turn to be the teacher, and I'm not doing so well. Because I was so well-schooled in the exacting details of research, it pains to me allow a project to be less than legitimate. The scientific process is the same, but it's being applied to a much younger age. I'm assuming it's ok to lose some of the details, but which ones? And to what degree? If I explain the proper way to set up the experiment and then insist we do it that way, am I injecting myself too much in the project?
I'm walking a fine line, and even I don't know which side I'm falling on.
Posted by me at 9:15 PM | Comments (0)
November 6, 2011
6.6: And then I spent too much on clothes
Since it's only 8:30 and I'm already slightly hung over, I'd say I had a good day.
I hosted a clothing party, sort of like a Pampered Chef thing, except with less presentation and more expensive items. I sent a facebook message to 25 people, and the first 9 responses were no.
No one ever wants to come to my parties. This pulls heavily at my social confidence.
I sent out an email message a few days ago, and got a more no's, a couple maybe's, and after talking to a good friend, ONE yes.
ONE.
Out of 25 people.
I'm ever so popular.
In the end, two people came for real, and one stopped by for a few minutes. Not exactly what I was going for, but it was fun anyway.
Posted by me at 8:37 PM | Comments (1)
November 5, 2011
6.5: Bursting
We just got home from Jamie's last meet of the season, and while her awesomeness deserves more than a quick update, we're all pooped.
She had her best meet ever, she rocked the beam (and got 2nd!), had a good bars routine, and missed 3rd in the AA by .05 points. Second place only beat her by .15 points! It was ridiculously close, and I couldn't be more proud.
Posted by me at 10:50 PM | Comments (0)
November 4, 2011
6.4: Closed
It's only Day 4, and I almost blew it!
Since I'm on my way to bed, and I still have this ridiculous cold, and I'm freezing because I went out and ran and then stood around in the cold for half an hour talking to my friend, I'm going to make this short and sweet.
There was an error on the refi paperwork. It was a big enough amount of cash that if they hadn't agreed to change it, we would have backed out of the deal. They did agree, they got all the paperwork together in record time, and we closed this afternoon.
One less thing to think about.
Posted by me at 10:27 PM | Comments (0)
November 3, 2011
6.3: Paperwork
We're refinancing our house.
This is the third house we've owed, and the second time we've refinanced, and I still don't understand half the paperwork. I mean, I get the variable rate/balloon payment/foreclosure-avoidance stuff. What I don't get is how all those numbers on the HUD match up. Which numbers are silly and cancel each other out, why there are things that are called credits but I'm not getting any cash out of them, and why I always seem to be paying more than what was agreed upon when we contacted the lender.
And why, on the day before closing, there is always an error in the paperwork.
In this case, what appears to be a $1,700 error.
Not exactly chump change.
Now I get to spend my evening finding all the original emails and paperwork and trying to figure out where the numbers went wrong.
Posted by me at 8:13 PM | Comments (0)
November 2, 2011
6.2: Sick and tired. Or tired and sick?
I've been sick pretty much all of October. One cold after another. In fact, I'm incubating another one right now.
I've also been tired for most of October. Not always sleepy, although I find myself nodding off on the couch more often that in the past. That kind of tired that feels like a physical weight, like I'm not just too lazy to get off the couch and wipe Owen's ass, I feel like I physically can't.
Now, I have a well documented thyroid problem.
I've also been sure a number of times that the cause of my exhaustion is thyroid related, only to be firmly put in my place by a lab test.
I'm no longer confident in my ability to diagnose the state of my hormones.
This bout of extended crud is making me wonder if something else is going on. Is there something wrong with my immune system? Am I missing a critical vitamin? Do I have some horrible undiagnosed disease?
Am I tired because I'm sick, or sick because I'm tired?
Posted by me at 9:16 PM | Comments (0)
WiW: Week 83
Weight: 145.0
Waist: 30
Hips: 37
Thigh: 23
I actually ran! All last week! Not so much this week, but it was Halloween, and I have no desire to be out on freak night.
Turns out I run a lot faster when I'm alone.
It also turns out that this having a group to be accountable thing is taking me down. When I was on my own, there were no excuses. Now I have two friends, and when they don't run, it feels like I have a pass to skip, too. And they don't run a lot. They're sucking my motivation.
On the other hand, I love getting some actual social interaction.
Priorities.
Posted by me at 2:22 PM | Comments (0)
November 1, 2011
NaBloPoMo 6.1: Oh, god. Not again!
Ah, hell.
I'm not sure why I do this anymore. Aside from my weekly workout updates (which are supposed to shame me into losing weight, but obviously aren't working) I can't remember the last time I posted regularly here. I think it may have been last November.
I hate to end a tradition, though, and in spite of the fact that I'm not totally on board with this becoming a BlogHer entity, I can't let Year 6 pass by unwritten.
So consider this post 1 of 30 days of minutia. Good luck!
Posted by me at 2:06 PM | Comments (0)