Running

So growing up, I was never a runner and darn proud of it. But when I managed a cross country ski team while working for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, part of the training was running at a track. It inspired me to start running and so I did. Then I wanted to see what a triathlon was all about. So I joined the Tri team to do Wildflower. Yeah so that ended because of my pregnancy. Now 7 years later, I am really starting to run again. And this is a great time of year to do it before it gets hot. Here is hoping that I make this a good habit so that I can continue through the summer with Juno. Probably won't be as long of runs at least outdoors but if I can run a few miles that's good.
Today, I am thankful for my crackberry and my husband. He loaded my phone with music. And I am thankful to the Beastie Boys for making music to run to even though I probably looked like a total dork running and singing 'You gotta fight for your right to Parteeeeee!'. I ran faster than I have before the music carrying me away. It was awesome.

In other news, Max seems to be having serious growing pains. His legs hurt before bed and then he sent Maggie down to us around 3:45. I gave him motrin and covered him back up. I don't know how quickly everyone went back to sleep but Maggie got up right before 6 as did Harry. This morning he was still hurting so we did all the things we could think of that we did when we would cramp. Banana (potassium), Oatmeal (good carbs and fiber), cytomax with grape juice(his mom with the grape juice), bath with salts and some more motrin around 10:30 and then bacon fried rice for lunch. Oh and let's not forget the bengay patches. He didn't want to listen to us and try to work the charlie horses out my moving his feet all around.  I hope the other two don't go through these growing pains. He really hurt.

Post Office and confession

Yesterday was Max's class fieldtrip to the post office. Never having seen the inner workings of a post office, I was quite excited to volunteer to drive and herd. I had one boy in the car with my 3. I strapped Harry into his Beco Butterfly and we went on in. The kids got to send letters they had written at school. The post master gave them a stamp, they got the post office stamp on it and then they got to take it in back to where the outgoing post goes. We got to see how they divide up the mail and meet the people that work in the facility as well as the postal carrier who delivers to their school. He helped with the tour.  One gentleman, at the end of the tour, said a couple of times 'Go to college'. Hmm I take it he is not as big a fan of his job.... Anyways I actually have a few pictures this time, just not from my phone.

 

This was one mom and I trying to get our few to behave before the rest showed up.

 

Okay so I don't know if you can tell but let me set it up. This is on the loading dock in back. Max and Maggie had been standing against a wall. Maggie had gone up to Max and hugged him. He hugged her back and they kept an arm around each other and walked around that way for a bit. I tried to get a good photo of both the hug but it was hard with my shorties.  It was really darn sweet.

 

This was Maggie after she enjoyed eating these awesome skinny bagels with peanut butter and nutella. She thought she was pretty funny.

Okay last but not least. We had to go pick Max up from school. He had a fever of 103+. It was worrisome but no stomach ache thankfully. By the time, he went to bed it was around 100 so I gave him motrin after he had had tylenol earlier in the day. Okay confession time. A sick child like this makes the day easier. There I said it. Krismon had an offsite all day yesterday and I wasn't look forward to my whirlwinds, whirling their way through the day. The worry tired me out but not as much as them full energy would have. Anyways there it is, as I hang my head in shame (well not really).

Playlist

So this is my hijack. Generally I write about the kids or about my feelings and it surrounds the kids or family. This time it is about me. So I am trying to be a runner. I was never a runner until I started to train for a triathlon. Of course, while training the tri, I got pregnant. I was in good shape. After Max, I ran on the treadmill but wasn't that great at running so much as walking. After Maggie, I decided to do the half marathon. I was supposedly training for it. When it came down to the day, my friend and I ended up treating it as a chance to be away from kids and just chat. I feel like now has more purpose. Partly due to the 500 in 2010. Thanks ladies for creating that challenge. Partly due to our Junebug, Juno. He needs the exercise and I need to work my way up to running him once a day in the morning. That's not a commitment that I am ready to make. And I am hoping that summer doesn't derail me. I would like to get out there despite the heat and run in the mornings.

Okay now back to the subject at hand. Wow am I good at getting off the topic. I would love to know what people's playlists are, how do you make them? Do you have different playlists depending on how long you run? How does that work? I know that soon I am going to need added motivation to stay out there. And do any of you listen to podcasts instead of music? So those are my questions and I am hoping that some of you can shed light on it for me.

Max and Maggie's room

So we had monster bunnies move into their room on their curtains a few weeks ago. This made it very difficult for Maggie to sleep because those bunnies were scaring the crap out of her. We made a monster bunny spray but it just didn't last. I made an executive decision that the monster bunny curtains had to go. We went to Target and found some sheer pink curtains with fuzzy pink polka dots. Slowly but surely we adding in some of Maggie's needs into the room. The room up until this point has been blue with some brown and yellow. It was neutral trending towards boy. Well now that Maggie is 3 and all kinds of girly girl, it had to happen.

We have been trying to reorganize and get rid of stuff, luckily we came across the stamps that we had originally used on Max's room in CA. So now she has pink stamps on her wall and I need to stamp purple and then I want to paint some hearts as well. Thank goodness Max is secure in his masculinity. lol. Just kidding the kid has no problem with pink and purple so it should hopefully end up well. Maybe once it is done I will add pictures of the finished product.

Genetics

They determine so much about us but, of  course, not everything. When my mom was diagnosed and treated for ovarian cancer, she was asked by her oncologist to get a genetic test. She had already had breast cancer and so she decided that it would be good to know for future treatment. Then she compared notes with her cousin Mary.  They had different gene markers that pointed towards cancer.  My mom is MEN1 and BRCA 2 while I believe Mary is BRCA1. Her brother got tested. His kids got tested. Mary's kids got tested.

  I haven't gotten tested. My sister hasn't gotten tested. I can't and won't speak to her decision because I respect that it is hers to make. My decision is two parts. And I am sure both parts are understandable to most. One part - fear. Do I want to know that I could end up going through what my mom has gone through? I know that even if I have the genes they may be dormant instead of expressing themselves. (I believe that is the correct terminology. I would have to check with my best friend the cancer scientist to be sure. Yes, she is trying to cure both breast and ovarian cancer. She is a good friend to have.) I digress. Fear of what could happen and fear that somehow if I did get tested and was found to have the gene that suddenly my insurance company could somehow use that knowledge to dump me as if having the gene is a preexisting condition.  I hate the term preexisting condition. It is a cop out for the companies not to provide the help that we pay them for.  I know that I probably need to look up the laws so that I can reassure myself that gene testing won't put me in that preexisting column. Now that I am a Mom, I worry about so many things and, of course, this is one of those that I worry about. I know that I need to test at some point. My Mom is so hoping that she hasn't passed these genes on to us so that our kids don't have to worry about it.

I think I am getting closer to accepting that I will need to do this so that I can put my mind at ease. Regardless, knowledge is power. If I have the genes, that will help my doctors to better watch me and they can do targeted testing. But at the same time, if they are targeted testing could they miss something else?

It is something that I will wrestle with for a little while longer and then hopefully I will make peace with it.

Happy Babies

My babies have always been pretty happy. Yeah they go through cranky periods but who doesn't? Teething, ear infections, shots. I would be pretty cranky too but overall  they are pretty happy go lucky. They explore, they laugh, they smile, they eat.  But at some point, something seems to happen. Max, it was potty training. We got into a war of wills and it seems like we are still in our war of wills. Can I tell you how much I hate it? I feel like it has damaged our relationship to a certain extent because we both get our back up and refuse to budge. I know that it is all about testing the boundaries but oy. And I seem to rise to the bait way too often. I don't want to and I don't want to be an angry mom who is always on edge. And Max is like the poster child for the 1st child. They pave the way and the ones who come after watch and learn what not to do. At least, Maggie does. Time will tell what Harry does.

Maggie has her own quirks like screaming at the top of her lungs and she will try and dig her heels in but at 3 we can still deal with that.  I am sure her time will come.

Harry is still the happy go lucky baby and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Last night's Meet Up

It felt like it wouldn't happen.  I was even asked if I was stood up. I got plenty of looks. Thank goodness I had my smart phone to keep me company. And twitter and facebook and the news.

I should have realized it would be better to just meet downtown. That was my bad. But it was great once Rita, Adam and Desiree got there. It was a fun place to sit, drink a little wine, nosh a bit, listen to some jazz and talk. I didn't realize that they had met once before in San Diego so that was cool to hear. And I know that I am definitely going to make an effort  to meet people if I am in their neighborhood. It is cool to have this 'Motherhood' spanning our nation and even into Canada. How awesome is it that we all have kids born the same month going through similar developments at the same time. We each interpret these events differently and that is so helpful to have the perspective.

For 3 years, Desiree and I have lived here and yet not met. Crazy right? I think seeing the pictures from NY and the excitement of everyone coming here in the fall has pushed me to make real connections beyond the virtual world. Desiree is just like I thought she would be. She is nice, funny and smart. Rita definitely lives up to the descriptions from the New York trip. She is gregarious, warm, fun to talk to and has tons of energy. Her husband was definitely kind to come along since he kind of got the shaft most of the night. lol.

Rita and family are coming back sometime in March and should be located by me. I can't wait. I think there is a bbq somewhere in the future with them.  And then hopefully a few playdates and maybe even another drink out. Oh I am giddy just thinking about it. Yeah I know that was pretty stupid sounding. Oh well.

Really who knew when I joined the birth board on Babycenter that I would meet such warm, caring, cool and funny ladies that I would want to keep up with. I am just glad I did.

PS do you like the photo behind or what? 

Starting to turn the corner

We have had a few days of antibiotics now intertwined with tylenol and motrin. And a few breathing treatments. He slept better last night. He only woke once, thank goodness. I am glad because that means he got more rest. I didn't hear him coughing all night.

Max went to the ENT doctor yesterday. He then said that Max needs to see the allergist but that he wanted to check his adenoids. He said his sinuses are fine ugh. So that means Max is taking antibiotics for no reason but can't stop because that could cause other problems. So now he is taking two other medicines on top of the antibiotics but those medicines will really begin to help in a few weeks time. I really hope they help though. I would like for him to not cough so much or have allergy eyes.

On a side note, Maggie, Juno and I walked to ballet class and Maggie was looking around. She said " I wish the world was clean. It's so dirty. I want to be a dentist when I grow up." "Is that so you can make people's mouths clean?" "Yes" She wants to do her part. lol

Today I went to Max's orchestra practice with my mom. I haven't been to a practice before so it was nice to see what he is up to. I got to be the metronome for one of the songs which was cool, but talk about pressure to make sure that you are doing the rhythm right. I would have hated to have gotten the evil eye from Miss Berns. lol

This evening, I get to meet some other May 2006 Moms for a drink. I will let you know how it goes. I am excited because one lives here and we have just never met and the other is in town for a disc golf tournament. It should be fun and I will take photos to actually add to the blog tomorrow. Stay Tuned....

Infection from hockey sticks (in honor of the olympics)

The nurse at the office warned me over the phone last week that Max would probably need another round of antibiotics but did I listen? I guess I didn't understand the severity of what the xrays showed. What does this mean? Well last friday, Max started to cough more and differently. I just figured it was more cold than anything. Heck maybe it was or maybe the infection just hadn't gone away. So we tried to just get him to rest and do some breathing treatments to help his cough and take some benedryl at night to calm his cough. Well guess who else ended up with a cold and fever? Harry.  Maggie wishes, my little hypochondriac. lol

Yesterday I decided that the boys needed to see the doctor just to make sure it was RSV. Luckily it wasn't. Max got his prescription again and this friday he goes to see the ent. Harry has an ear infection and gets his own antibiotics. This is one time that I really hope the medicine will get rid of infection so we can go back to having a healthy household.

And while we were heading to the doctor's office, we passed my parents coming to our house. They are here to visit until Monday. It's nice break in routine for us to have them here. And I am hoping it means I can catch a nap today and possibly exercise. Someone scared Maggie about her curtains in her room and so now she is difficult. Yesterday, she didn't nap. She missed Krismon because he had a dinner last night. She got out of bed and caused disturbance and mayhem. She wouldn't go to sleep until Krismon came home and even then she opened the door to her room and left it open all night so as soon as my Dad woke up, she was up for the day. Harry was just having a tough night. He was up every few hours. But I know from past experience that my going to him does him no favors. Though tonight I will make some different  choices like use the vicks thing again in his room so he can breathe easier. I just hope that the medicine will help calm some of those troubles so he can get more rest.

When sick is just not sick enough

So my oldest and first creation has way too much energy. At the moment, he is playing with a leapfrog toy that he got when he was a baby that if you push the letter it plays a song. Well he is going through the alphabet and got stuck on 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' and he insists it is a scottish song that he must dance with only his feet while his hands remain in his pockets. He just tires me out looking at him. Yes he amuses Harry and really it is funny so why am I not as amused? I think maybe the fact that he is too old for naps and I haven't had any down time until they go to bed has gotten my goat for lack of a better phrase. "Some scottish people fall down on their knees." Really I can't write this. I should be videotaping it as well but that is too techno for me. lol. Okay actually I am just too lazy.

I love him but he is even higher energy than Maggie and can you imagine what a holy terror they are when they both are in high energy mode? Oh my goodness gracious.

I am really hoping that the doctor doesn't find anything beyond a cold so that he can get back to school.

Organizing is painful

Confession time. So I have been rearranging the house trying to get everything to fit. That really means figuring out how to get all our beds set up and be in use. Well I did manage that. We put the day bed and trundle in the loft with the idea in mind that it would be good for sleepovers. That is if the kids ever get to have them. So many variables seem to keep me from wanting to have one. At this point though it is mainly Harry who is still waking up once a night to eat. Now I know that he probably doesn't need to but I have a hard time ignoring the cries. You are probably wondering where does the confession fit into this. Well here goes.... I have been asking Krismon to go through his hoozits and whatzits and whatnots all of the electrical or computer nature and get rid of what he doesn't use and organize the rest. This is a long uphill battle because he doesn't exactly want to do it. I think he just likes to keep stuff, not only in case but ah heck who knows why... So here goes. I really really need to go through more of my boxes and pair things down as well. I am more than fairly good about getting rid of clothes to charity but things from childhood through college... Not so good.  Yes I need to pull these things out of the closets and be more brutal. Some I want to keep for the kids other stuff I just need to let go. I realized this as  I was in fact going through some boxes and throwing stuff away. And what I don't throw away I need to better organize so if I want to look at it, I can without having to go through ten boxes to find it.  Anyways, shhh don't tell Krismon because then he may ask me if I have done everything I need to do. And really I am working on it.

Vegas restaurants

So last night, we went to the Tillerman which is practically around the corner from us. It is probably at most a 20 minute walk from our house depending on the lights. It is an old school Vegas establishment. Our waiter has worked there for 10 years. I enjoyed the salad bar that they brought to our table on a lazy susan and the sea scallops with mushroom and truffle risotto. The scallops were fantastic and I just enjoyed getting to sit there without saying ' Max, I mean Maggie, no Harry, stop , sit up straight, please eat, no you may not be excused to get more water' We didn't have that, we got to sit in silence and chat as we felt like it.

Afterwards, we went to Alize at the Palms to meet some old family friends of mine. They were sitting down to eat after 8 which my digestion can not take with my kids getting up at the buttcrack of dawn. We did sit down and I had my coffee and dessert while Krismon partook of a beer or two. It was enjoyable to catch up as I have not seen them in years and we all have kids now. Their food looked fantastic and it may just be another place that I need to go for a full dinner sometime. It was very french classy and I do believe I caught the waiter sneering a few times. lol!  But this is Vegas so what can you expect?

If you are coming to Vegas, please let me know a head of time blogosphere peeps. I have plenty of places that I truly enjoy going to in various price ranges as well as enjoying throwing a mean bbq.  The reason this all came to mind is that we spoke about the restaurants here in town and the ones we have enjoyed eating at since we moved here. There are plenty that offer great food at a reasonable price as well as great food at fairly huge prices.

Whose your valentine?

What? Whose your valentine? What? Whose your Valentine? YOU..... What's my valentine?  Mommmmmmm What's my valentine? Mommmmmm I don't know honey. Me neither.

It's a raining sunshine. Just imagine that to Cyndi Lauper's Time after time.  lol

It's a song at the end, it's a regular song. It's a raining sunshine. It's 3:18. Mommm it's 3:18.... Man I could be forever amused just writing down what Maggie says.

Did I tell you that Maggie loves Richard Marks!

Mommmy mommyyy why are you laughing mommy? I have to tell you something. hmm

Story, Spirit, Seed: Well, you know, love...

I don't know if this is where I will be in 34 years of marriage with Krismon but I hope I can write so lovely a post about him, about us.

Story, Spirit, Seed: Well, you know, love...

Mom

'When I get home from school can you read Harry Potter to me?' Yes, we left the book at an exciting moment last night and he had a hard time going to sleep because it was all action and all would be revealed in the next few pages. Heck I was caught up in the excitement and you could hear it in my voice. Did I tell you that I am enjoying reading the book too?

And his class just read Alice in Wonderland and saw the cartoon version. He wants to see the Tim Burton version. I am considering it.

Tonight we are having date night and seeing that movie, you know, 'Avatar'. And we will see if it is suitable for Max to see at the same time. If it is then it will be a father and son trip to the movies.

Who are you reading?

So I lost all my blogs on my rolls when I tried to switch the look of my blog. Just call me blog decorating challenged. I give up so now I figure I should both re-add blogs to my roll and just find out what people are reading anyways. So please add to my time on the internet.

smack to the head

You know when you smack your head with your hand like you have had a revelation. Yeah that was me instead of a hand it was the treadmill telling me that I am stupid for trying to move it anywhere on my own. I need to get something so it won't come undone and hit the kids because kissing that boo boo would take quite a while.

Sometimes I wish that I could just move things all on my own so that I don't have to ask for help especially if that help won't happen in my time frame.

Thank goodness for ibuprofin. It has begun to work.

Dig the grave

the volvo is dead....

It looks like we shall be buying Krismon a new car, somehow this doesn't seem fair. Since moving to Vegas, he has had a truck and the volvo and now he is getting another car while I have had the minivan. lol. I really can't complain given it is what I wanted and still want because it carries all of us so well.

Now is the research time but given the one car family situation, the research will have to happen fast. hybrid, sedan, good gas mileage what?

Who has what give me some opinions....

new movies

Tried to put a new movie on the dvd player... 'Hotel for Dogs' Maggie was having a fit. Nooooooo mama nooooooo life is over if I have to watch a new movie. I fully expected the back of her hand to go to her forehead and fall onto a fainting couch. And still she is freaking out.

I will let you know if she likes it......

Exercise bands

Yes this is a loose tie. But I need to reach today. Saturdays are pretty long, today is no different except you get to throw in rain as well.

This morning started early with Harry waking around 5:15. I could hear Max as I came up the steps (Oh and did I mention that Max is having his teacher call him Thomas at school... Asserting independence much) I got Harry to feed him and hopefully put him back to sleep for another hour but that was not to be. Max flings open the door and goes to the bathroom to do his bizness and then goes back to his room leaving the door open. Do you see where this leads? Of course, Maggie is awake at this point and they are whispering rather loudly. YEAH so much fun. Maggie comes out after some time and empties her pot as well. For this, Max got to stay upstairs til 6:30 but since he woke Maggie she came down at 6am. I just wish that they would actually sleep until 6.

The morning was a blur except that Maggie was half naked until it was time to get ready for ballet. I tried hard to do the 30 day shred but the darn dvd doesn't seem to want me to exercise. I am about to give up on it because it is a pain and just do the other workouts. I digress.

Maggie 9am ballet and tap

Maggie 10am violin

Max 11am orchestra (we can leave him there thankfully for that hour)

Max 1:30 violin

And then we had exercise time.

Yes those are the ties. We needed to use exercise bands to do the work out. Those are ties, loosey goosey ties but ties. lol

Pink Ties

I had a couple of shoe laces. Maggie gave one to the boys and kept one for herself. The boys are friends of ours and they are boys all the way. But not only did they take the pink lace but the oldest who disdained anything girly last time played Daddy to her dolls while she was Mommy and his brother was the Uncle. lol

Anyway this tie is in their craft drawers and it is her overwhelming desire to cut this tie up. I have caught her a few times and am just waiting for the time that I don't catch her.

Ties

Friendships are some good ties. Today I got to see a friend who I haven't visited with in a while. It was so nice to see her it makes me long for the days when a group of us would get together and it meant that our kids wouldn't be getting naps that day but we would all come away feeling connected and centered. We all come from different places and have different life experiences but we just jelled so well that when life got in the way as it is wont to do a little sadness occurred. It continues even now. I don't see my friends in one setting often enough and one of our number moved over a year ago to another country so you can imagine it is sad. It is kind of like when you leave childhood and began to mature. That glint in your eye that you have as a child becomes replaced with knowledge, not always welcome but important none the less. I know that we couldn't maintain the amount of time spent because our kids were growing older and our lives were taking us other places.

Okay maybe I am just sappy but today was a small reminder of those hours of laughter and sometimes serious discussion.

Funny boy

teeth, teeth, teeth

Harry almost has 7 teeth. The funny part is that it's 3 on top and 3 on the bottom and the 7th tooth is on the top.

The funny part is having him sit on the floor and look at me and fart. Well it could be more but I won't know until I check.

You yell a lot

Do I? Is it in anger or just to call to the kids in the other room? Does that even matter? What am I teaching them by yelling? And can tell you that I see me in Max's behavior. Does it break my heart when I see him yell at Maggie, yes. Emphatically yes. I need to change my own behavior so that he can change his. It's all about modeling. I don't want Maggie to end up doing the same thing to Harry.

I just looked at my friend's blog

http://insanityenjoyed.blogspot.com/2010/01/time-for-new-look-and-little.html

I haven't gone and looked at the blog she is suggesting but I will. I am hoping that I can start to find better ways to bring the joy to stay in the house. We do have lots of joyful times but I want our home to just be joyful.

Who knew

I bought the 30 day shred. Not only did I do it but Max did it as well. I am trying to get back on track with exercise. Can we say couch potato? I want the kids to like exercise and I know I need to get out there with them as well.

So my ties today. How about the ties that Maggie cleaned up in their loft. Or the ties on my shoes that Harry kept trying to shove in his mouth while I was trying to exercise. yes can we say annoying to have your baby chasing you while you are exercising.

Ties

Nablopomo, I failed already to write everyday. I started this yesterday and well it just didn't happen. So I thought it would be interesting to try and write about ties everyday for a month.

And heck if I don't remember what exactly I was going to say yesterday. Ah well.

Max's school project this time was to write his family tree. Krismon's cousin had the same assignment except he is in highschool so his was more intricate. Max just needed to write his parents, grand parents and great grandparents. We had a pdf of the other family tree which was from Krismon's mom's side of the family. We printed that out to include and take with him to school.

My mom's cousin did a family tree as well but it is so convoluted that I had to understanding. What did crack me up was that they were able to find out that we were indeed related to kings and queens. I married a king (Ong=King) so we kept the royalty in the family.

This is my first tie