I'm thankful for ....... #3

I am thankful for Miles.
I hardly even know where to start on this one. Miles is such a joy. He has a personality that is HUGE. He lights up a room and lights up our lives with his very presence. He loves people, loves to be held, LOVES his daddy and brother, loves to be active, LOVES to be outside, loves shoes (yes, you read that right). He almost always has a smile on his face and loves to play.
Miles is able to do all this despite being sick most of his first 13 months of life. He started getting ear infections at 4 months and did so almost constantly until we had tubes put in his ears at 10 months old. He started having reflux at a week old and while mostly controlled, we do have the occasional spit-up still. At 4 weeks old, Miles became constipated and that is also an issue that we continue to have to keep close tabs on. (All his sitters/MDO workers think I am crazy at first, as I ask many, detailed questions about his poop each and every time I pick him up!!!)

Miles will be 17 months old in just a few days (on the 26th). He loves Mason so very much. He follows him everywhere and tries to do everything that Mason does. I have a feeling this is going to get him in some serious trouble soon! He tries to climb on everything that Mason does. In fact, he loves to climb on anything he sees. I have walked into our den to see him standing on the coffee table, jumping on Mason's bed (they were nicely playing trains when I walked out a few moments earlier), standing on the train table (no, it probably isn't that sturdy), standing on our bed........ I could go on for a while, but we'll stop there. Back to Mason -- they are going to be best buds very, very soon and I am so happy that they are close in age, even though the last 17+ months have been so trying and tiring!!!

Miles LOVES shoes. He is always putting on shoes (doesn't matter whose - in fact, the bigger the better as they are able to go on easier) and clomping around the house. He wears Eric's dress shoes, my heels (he does pretty well in them), my flip-flops, Mason's "running shoes", slippers, any and all shoes are fair game. If he doesn't want to put them on that day, he will simply carry them around the house. I find shoes in all the wrong places and looking for shoes to put on before we leave the house is an activity that has to start at least 10 minutes before we actually need to leave!!!

I could go on and on and on. But, I have two precious boys that I really want to spend time with. Have a very THANKFUL week!

I'm thankful for ....... #2

I am thankful for my hubby, Eric.
(And, just so that noone wonders, Eric and I did not have a bad day today like Mason and I did yesterday. No fights, misunderstandings, etc. Just thankful for him!!)
Eric is a hard-worker. He is very concerned that he always do his best - no matter what he is doing.
I love the way he can come in after a long day at the office, take his tie and shoes off at the door, put down the blackberry (surgically remove it, put it down - whatever!), and get in the floor and play with the boys. Mason loves to be chased around the house and Eric will not only chase him around, he will pick up Miles and let him play along. They all three fill the house with laughter.
Eric is an encouragement to me.
He is a motivation to me as well. He has gone with me on several of my long runs and has pushed the boys in the double stroller while running 4-6 miles (very, very) slowly to stay with me. He puts up with my complaining about how much I hate running and encourages me to get on out there and just do my best.
As most know, Eric is a marathon runner (show-off :)!!) and last December, he qualified to run the Boston Marathon. Not everyone can do that and, in fact, few are able to complete that goal. Eric set his mind to it, trained very hard for several years and finally was able to meet this huge goal.
There are so many things I can say about Eric. But, I will stop now. Just know that I love him, appreciate him, and am blessed by the husband, father and friend that he is.
I am thankful for Eric.

I'm thankful for ....... #1

Several of the blogs I read are doing a daily post about the things they are thankful for. I think that is a fabulous idea. For me, it is so easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day things and forget to look at the bigger picture. Not seeing the forest for the trees.
Mason and I had a terrible, awful, horrible, worst day in his almost 4-years of life today. It was not one that I care to repeat or remember. I broke down and cried a few times it was so bad. I felt like I had failed. Failed him. Failed myself. Failed Eric. Just failed. Failed at teaching him how to have good behavior. Failed at teaching him there are consequences for bad behavior (because if I had succeeded at teaching him there are consequences, he surely would not have continued with the bad behavior, right?). Failed to find the right punishment. Failed to remain calm and cool under pressure. Failed Miles. Just failed.
(Yes, there is a point and I am getting back to the thankful part!! Hang with me!)
So, the first thing that I would like to share that I am thankful for is Mason. He challenges me. He makes me laugh (no, really!). He has a gentle spirit and a generous heart. He is so much like his daddy and that means that he will one day be an amazing husband, father and friend. He is a faithful friend and a doting brother. He loves to laugh. He is focused and will not move on to the next task until he is satisfied with the first. He has amazing manners and remembers to use them often.

I would like to share one story to illustrate his generous spirit. Mason's preschool class is doing a Christmas fundraiser - Go Nigeria! They are collecting dimes (one dime will feed a family for a day, I believe) to send to Nigeria. They sent home a pamphlet explaining the need and it had pictures of kids. I decided to use this as a teaching time and showed Mason the pamphlet and explained that the kids are hungry and do not have a pantry or refrigerator full of food like we do. We got down our spare change bucket and looked through it together for all the dimes. I was finished at that point. Mason had bigger ideas and a bigger heart. He insisted that we go get his piggybank and look through it for more dimes. He wanted to give the hungry boys and girls his money. If you know Mason, you know that he loves to get money (coins, he hasn't figured out that dollars are worth more yet!) and he loves to put it in his piggybank. We have never taken money out for any reason. He came up with the idea on his own. My momma-heart was so proud of him.
After the day we had, it did my heart so good to remember all the things I love about my big-boy. (And, if you have not seen him recently, he is HUGE!!) He is a handful and a challenge. But, I love him more than I can express. Thank you, Father, for blessing me with Mason.

Caffeine addiction?

Yep, I got it.
I had a check-up at the doctor's this morning and it called for bloodwork. So, I had to fast from midnight last night until my appointment today (not until 11:15). No food. More importantly, no caffeine. It was almost 1pm before I finished at the drs and found the nearest source of caffeine. By that time, I had a migraine coming on. Seriously??? Am I that addicted? Apparently so because I started feeling it hurting around 10am. This is one of those "it's not going away until I sleep" headaches. Great. How many hours until bedtime? (The boys and mine!)
..........................................................................................
Oh, and apparently Miles did not get the memo. So, I'm going to be clear.
Dearest Miles,
Love of my life. Baby of mine. Sweet boy. I pay someone to keep you 12 hours a week. That is all the time that your poor, hurting mommy gets to be away from you. All week. I love you. But, I would really appreciate it if you would start scheduling your poops for during that 12 hours and not the first two after you get home from said time away from me. Saving two really stinky poops for me this afternoon where I am trying really hard not to toss my cookies is not really nice.
Love always, Mommy

............................................................................................
Me: Mason, please take this diaper to the trash for me, ok?
Mason: That stinks.
Me: I know. Please take it to the trash.
Mason: What is it?
Me: Miles' poopy diaper. Please take it to the trash.
Mason: Oh. Can I look at it?

(Huh? Seriously. Only a boy would want to look at a poopy diaper.)
Me: No. Trash. Now. Please.

Dear friends with boys after having girls (yes, Keely and Irini, that would be you two),
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! I can't wait until they get older! You just wait.....!
Love, Your supportive friend Kendra
.................................................................................
Before my head splits in two,
Saturday's run: 9 miles -> 1:48:48 Slow, SO windy, but I did it. I made it all the way around White Rock Lake. I have wanted to do that for several years. Goal completed.
Shorter run Saturday
Next long run, Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning - 8 miles

runs

Tuesday: 4.5 miles -- 46:50
Thursday: 3 miles -- 33:58
Saturday: planned 9 miles
It is 9.33 miles around White Rock Lake, so I am going to head down there in the morning for my run. It is an asphalt running path, so it is much better on the knees and hips than concrete. After Tueday's run, my IT band (runs from your knee to hip) hurt so badly, I could not walk. It was really, really tight. I stretched it and used this big foam roller -- let me tell you - that hurt just as badly as trying to walk! It is better once it gets warmed up and stretched out, so I am hoping for a successful run tomorrow. (Let me clarify that I define successful as making it through the full run and not dying in the process! :) ) I did read that long runs should not be done for time, only to put in the mileage and get the body used to running farther and longer. With all that said, I am hoping to complete it in 1:45 or less. I know it probably seems like a little thing to most people, but please say a prayer for me to finish it well and strong and without too much pain. I really want to accomplish this goal and be able to show myself and the boys that I can do this and the value of challenging goals.
Oh, Mason's poison ivy rash is looking so much better today. I am hoping it will be totally gone in another week!

Dr's report and words

Mason does not have an infection, just poison ivy. Nothing to do but wait. And, hope that the two sets of pictures scheduled for next Saturday (the 22nd) do not show his battle-scars. :)

Miles has several words, finally. He has been really slow in starting to talk. He has made noises for a while, but now says words that we can understand. He says bye-bye, daddy, doggy (although those sound very, very similar!), Go (as in ready, set, Go -- yes, we do a lot of running and chasing in our house), UP (as in pick me Uhhh-Puhhhh!!!), mommy (I hesitate to put this on the list, because I rarely, rarely hear it), No (this one is more "Nahhhhhhhh" than N-O, but it is crystal clear what he means).

Mason's first soccer season came to a close last night. I am happy to have our Saturday mornings back for a while. I do plan to start him again in the Spring, as long as he is willing and having a good time. At 3-4 years old, that is really what matters to me.

Ok, off to put two handsome boys in the bathtub to kill some time, I mean spend some quality time, before Daddy gets home and the sandman comes to visit! :)

Saturday's run

8 miles - 1:30:50
A little slower than I hoped, but I am still getting used to running outside with hills and terrain changes and not on a treadmill that is nice and flat and forces me to keep a pace :)
And, for the record, my training schedule only had me running 7 miles, but I was able to go 8. I have never run that far in my life, so I am pretty proud of myself. And sore. Very sore calves. Sunday my knee hurt all day, but I rested it and iced it, so it is much, much better today, thanks for asking :)!

Please say a prayer for Mason. He got a scratch on his cheek at school sometime last week. Other than the fact that it looked bad because it is on his face, it was really a non-event. We get lots of bumps and scrapes. Saturday morning, he woke up with a little patch of poison ivy (confirmed by our neighbor - a doctor) on the same cheek, about an inch below the scratch. Again, sorta a non-event because he was not really even aware of it, was not scratching it or anything. Well, today I had to pick him up early from school (around 11) as he was scratching it and it has spread and covers most of his cheek, including all over and around the scratch. It is warm, indicating a possible infection and fever? So, we are going to pick up Miles in a little while and head to the ped's office. They can't see us until 3:30, so I am just letting him rest. He put himself to bed around noon (odd behavior), hardly ate any lunch (again, odd behavior), and has been asleep for over 2 hours (really odd behavior). I am not really sure what the dr. will say, but I am a little worried about our big guy. Please say a prayer and I'll update on him later. Maybe I can get him to let me snap a photo - it's pretty nasty looking though.

My favorite Halloween candy!

I know, I am a slacker. I have not updated the blog in a week. Things have been busy and I just haven't been motivated to post anything. I have thought about it a few times, but just didn't. Sorry!
Maybe this will make up for it.....

The view from the front seat to the back of the Pil0t. Just makes me smile :)

Please say a prayer for my run Saturday. I need to run 8 miles and am just intimidated by it. I know that I can do it physically, but I fight against my mind telling me otherwise. This will be the farthest I have ever run also. So, from here on out, I am in new territory!

Mon - 4.5 miles - 49:10 (done)

Tue - Bike 7 miles (done)

Wed - 4 mi - 40:40 (ran out of time to finish a full 4.5 per my schedule) (done)

Th - rest (happily done!)

Fri - 45 min cardio (bike or elliptical)

Sat -- 8 miles (I'll post my time later)

The time change really affected the littlest M&M. He fell asleep while eating his lunch Tuesday. This was at exactly 12:00 noon. This is the first time I've had a child fall asleep in the highchair, so I had to get a picture!!!

Saturday is also my 10 year SMU reunion. Where did the last 10 years go? Eric and I are going to the game, but the boys are staying home to take a good nap. I might need one too after that run.....

Sunday is Mason's last soccer game. I am glad he did it - he usually enjoyed the games. But, I am glad to have our Saturday mornings back!

I voted.

Did you???

Come on..... I did it this morning while not feeling great and with two little boys with me. If I can do it, anyone can! It is our right, privilege, duty.

Wordless Wednesday - Fall fun at the Arboretum