A year ago....

This time, 12 months ago, Derek and I were incredibly frustrated. The adoption agency seemed to be hemming and hawing with our paperwork. Somehow, one of our reference letters was lost and had to be sent again. We were hungry for information and couldn't seem to get it fast enough. We tried to calm ourselves by recognizing that a year from then, none of the annoying details would matter. Guess what - they don't.

Passing Down The Wisdom of the Ages

Ah, young one - when you turn one as I am doing today, you will be allowed your own serving of this ambrosia that I am graciously allowing you to sample.

Veggie Fried Rice

Ethan is SO picky about food textures. We have had a pretty difficult time switching him over to table food. In the past week or so, we have modified our approach - milling up his food before we give it to him instead of offering chunks and then milling it when he refuses to eat the chunks. Overall, this has been successful. He has loved manicotti and the North African chickpeas and couscous. He will now eat pancakes and toast without having them mashed up. He does great with cookies and crackers.

I thought last night's veggie fried rice would be a no brainer. He loves the rice cereal, and although it had peas, which he hates, there weren't too many of them. As you can see, he was not pleased. My guess is that the pieces were still too big because it really was tasty to Derek and me. We'll keep trying!

Baby steps!

I can't say he is walking yet, but Ethan took his first step last night. It was heavily coerced - I led him using a valentine's day mini-bucket that he finds most appealing. Step, step, face plant. I don't think he even noticed that he was walking, he was focused only on getting that bucket. The cats don't have any idea what they're in for.

Another race down!

My second race after my full return to running was a success. The park in which it is run is very hilly. My pace was a full minute per mile faster than last month's race, which was run on the same course, albeit with more side loops. I was that much faster even though the race was nearly twice as long!

As you can see by the photos, some of us were more excited than others to be out there in the cold.

What Have I Done?!?!

This message is generated as confirmation of your recent registration on Active.com. You have been successfully registered for the following:

Registration: 2009 WALT DISNEY WORLD Marathon

Purchase Date: 01/14/08
Category: WALT DISNEY WORLD Marathon
Event Date: 01/11/09

I am suddenly incredibly nervous about being able to run this far. Its all mental, right?

Photo of the Day

I now present my father-in-law.

You can take a day off from running, but

you can't take a day off from being a mom.

Ethan is feeling somewhat better, although he is still feverish, coughing and snotty. He has at least spent some time awake and has had some smiles and giggles for me. Being sick has made him extra clingy.

Last night, after I put him to bed I had planned on running. My own sickness has been getting worse, and I found that I was eagerly awaiting finishing my run so I could take meds that would make me drowsy. I realized that I was being silly - if I was sick enough that I was looking forward to medicine the way that I am usually looking forward to dessert, then I was sick enough to take the night off. I took the meds and went to bed.

It was not destined to be a restful night. He was up every 2 hours, screaming. Most of the time was spent downstairs on the couch with Derek. At 4:30, I gave up on sleeping, and strapped him into the stroller for a 4.5 miler. He fell asleep within 2 minutes and snoozed the whole time.

I am desperately hoping that he remembers how to sleep again tonight.

RIP Todd the iPod.

Todd is nearly 4 years old. He has just about outlived his useful life. His scroll wheel is screwed up. The forward button doesn't work, so I can't skip songs. more importantly, I can't turn him off, which means that unless he is charging, he plays until his battery dies. This works fine here at work, but is utterly useless for running.

Today I am ordering a new Nano. Derek is doing the shopping for me because I hate doing it and he loves it. I have already picked out a new case that functions as a water resistant protector thingie, weather resistant running armband, and a belt clip, although I don't see me needing that particular function. Excluding shoes, this should complete my gadget needs for marathon training.

Welcome Rosabella!!

Ethan met his new cousin Rosabella for the first time over the weekend. She has been home from Guatemala for a couple of weeks now and is adjusting beautifully. She is a happy, gregarious little girl. Aside from being adopted, Ethan and Rosabella share many interests, including chasing cats, licking things and pooping in their pants. It was wonderful to finally see them together!

Officially "Half"way there

I just registered for the Kentucky Derby Mini Marathon. I think I may have signed up for it last year, but Ethan came way before we were expecting him, so I didn't get to actually run it.

Dad ran this one every year, and it was a big deal for him. I remember being a spectator for a number of years and a partial-participant when I was in 7th grade. Most often, he ran it with his buddy Danny, who is longer legged and faster than Dad was. I remember hearing repeatedly about the year that Danny's shorts were not adequately rinsed from the laundry, and as he worked up a sweat, his pants began to drip foam. I remember Mom rolling her eyes as we would have to go and get the car because Dad ran home from dropping the car off at the mechanic, or some other place while he was in training for the race. I think Brian and/or Andrew may still even sleep in old MiniMarathon t-shirts.

This year I finally get to make it MY race!

Races for 2008

Here is my plan so far for races in 2008:

Jan 14 - Snowman Shuffle 4 miler
Feb 16 - Frostbite 5K (and Happy B-day Derek)
March 1 - Anthem 5K
March 15 - Rodes City Run 10K
March 29 - Papa John's 10 miler
April 26th - KY Derby Mini-Marathon
Summer - ??
September ? - Downtown Doubler 30K

2009
January 1 - Hangover Classic 10 miler
January ? Disney Marathon

And speaking of races, this is me at the coldest, slushiest race I have run in a long time. Derek calls it an "action shot" and says the blurriness just shows how fast I was going.

Rub-a-dub-dub, two babies in a tub...

Running Partner

I have a new running partner.

He is an early riser, often waking up earlier than me. His stamina is borderline - I have had to cut two-thirds of our runs a little short because he has run out of steam.

Sometimes he is gross - spitting all over the place, and even soiling his britches during the run. Sometimes he talks the whole time we're running, other times he stares into space or even falls asleep.

Even though I am accustomed to solo running, I wouldn't trade this new partner for anything in the world. After all - look how handsome he looks before our early-morning runs:

Mojo

"You know, what have we learned here today? Perhaps it's that no one can take your mojo. You can look around all you want, but what you're really trying to find is on the inside. Take care of yourself, and each other."

Running a good race has done wonders for my level of inspiration. I have a schedule that I am getting ready to record into Outlook. I know of at least 7 races that I want to run this year, leading up to the Disney Marathon in '09. This is the first time that I have felt inspired to run (as opposed to obligated to run) in a very long time.

Zzzzzzzz...

Golly - I didn't think I was THAT tired... I just fell asleep here at work for a millisecond. I had my head down checking things off on a list, and did that head-jerky thing that I remember doing in class when I fell asleep and started to fall over.

Does that mean I have more Jim Rudd in me than I thought?

One week and one day

Until the Reindeer Romp. It is a teeny little race - just 4K, but it has done a good job of getting me out of the house and onto the streets for this past week. This will be my first race since the Anthem 5K that I ran right before Ethan was born. I'm even getting a little case of the pre-race jitters over it!

I don't know yet what Derek and Ethan will be doing while I am running. Historically, D has been my cheering section and photographer, but with chilly weather and a little man in tow, that may be tough, even for such a short race.

Becky - we are supposed to bring a prezzie for a kid 12-15 as registration for this thing. Since you are the proud owner of one within that age group, can you think of anything cheapo but interesting I can get?

Rebirth?

My very first race as a runner was the Reindeer Romp in November 2005. It was a 4K - 2.8 miles, and I was terrified to run it. What if I didn't know the secret race procedures? What if I was last? What if I couldn't make it the whole way? Well, I survived it and did reasonably well.

The Reindeer Romp is part one of a three part series, the Polar Bear Grand Prix. The purpose of the set of races is to keep people running and racing through the winter months.

Pete says I need a goal in order to get off my ass and onto the street. I know he is right. Tonight, I am going to write out a check for $50 for all three races. Spending the money hits my tightwad self where it hurts, so it is great motivation to keep up with it.

It just seems fitting that I would restart at the same point I originally began.

Cookies

Nom nom nom

Babies are gross.

Ethan has been sick twice in two months. Derek and I, as a result, have gotten sick twice in two months. Before Ethan, being sick was a pretty rare thing in our house. We have had the pleasure, these last two months, of dealing with copious amounts of mucous, barf and pudding poop in addition to all of the regular gross baby things like blowing raspberries with a mouthful of green beans and attempting to poke the cats in their winker holes.

Indeed, babies are gross.

At lunchtime today, I am going to attempt to find a running stroller to take my little grody man out with me to hit the streets. I don't know how well he'll handle it, as he tends to get pretty wiggly in the regular stroller, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Finally, Derek found this really sweet picture from mid-May. I don't remember him being this tiny and helpless-looking, but apparently he was. Please note the milk reservoir underneath his ample bosom...