Super Saturday

Yummmm

This morning, Steve took Gus to his first Gymboree Play and Learn class. They're doing it together, just the two of them and I think it's great. It's the first time EVER that I've been at home by myself and Steve and Gus were off doing something. The house was incredibly quiet... too quiet.

Steve said that Gus had a great time, but he was ready to go before the class was over. He said there were other dads there, so I'm glad he wasn't the only one (not that it would matter).

Right after they returned, it was time for me to leave for my nail appointment. After I was done, I stopped at Staples and got some stuff to organize my MOMS Club stuff into one binder. It's a much bigger binder, but I'm pleased.

I stopped and grabbed lunch for us and brought it home for us to enjoy while we watched some television. Not too long after, Gus went down for his nap.

When Steve went up to get Gus, the worst fear I had about our crib tent had come true. The reason it was recalled was because if it's inverted, it can kill a child. Well-- Gus must have been trying to hang from the top, because when Steve went in to get him, the tent was inverted and Gus was laying on top of it (picture a dome tent... pull the middle and it becomes like a bowl). Steve was changing Gus while I was atttempting to pull the tent back into position and IT WAS SUPER HARD.

So, had Gus been under it when it collapsed, he could have been seriously injured. We pulled the tent out and he's now just in the crib with nothing keeping him contained. The time we have with him in there without climbing out is limited... when he does climb out, he'll be moving to his new room whether he wants to go or not.

Steve worked on my computer all day (THANK YOU BABY). A few weeks ago I got a new hard drive and he's been slowly adding my stuff back on. Today he set up my printer and scanner and hopefully tomorrow we'll have iTunes ready. :D

After Gus was up from his nap, we headed to Bobby G's for dinner. You might remember a few weeks ago when Gus and I went there with my MOMS Club for a tour, and they gave me a $10 gift card. Well, we decided to head out and use it tonight. IT WAS DELICIOUS.

We both agree that it's totally worth the drive. I think we'll go there next Tuesday for Family Night with my mom and dad. I think they'd like the atmosphere and I'm certain they'd love the pizza. I figure my mom will probably get a hotdog... just my guess.  ;-)

I weighed in this morning and I didn't gain or lose. I'm a little disappointed. I feel like I'm watching what I eat (I allow myself one "cheat" day where I don't count calories) and working out... so I thought I'd be dropping weight like crazy. However, it's just coming off slower than I had expected. I guess it's normal-- my dad said that the body tends to hold on to fat cells because it goes into starvation mode.

While my point of exercising was to just get moving (and I am), I also wanted and need to lose weight. I know it's not a race, and I am going slow and steady, but it's frustrating. I'm not giving up-- I'm staying firm to my routine and I am proud of myself for sticking with it this long. I know it's not an option to stop... this is a lifestyle change.

Anyway, I had just hoped to lose more than nine pounds in the two months that I've been at it. That's all. If I lose 5 pounds a month... I guess it isn't too bad. Just puts me at taking longer to achieve my goal... maybe once I start running for longer increments, I'll lose more??? Who knows.

I'm going to bed.

6-22-12 Buford Dam Park

 

Completely exhausted

We went to Buford Dam Park today with some friends and had a GREAT time! We left here around 9:30 and got there right at 10am. It was $4 for the car. Kirsten and Sam arrived just behind us, so we walked to the beach together from the parking lot.

Going to the beach, Kirsten had her stroller and offered to put my umbrella, bag with towels and his Puddle Jumper, two chairs, and bag on her stroller so all I had to do was carry the cooler. It was great!!

We arrived on the scene and Kathryn and Aubree were already there. The kids hit the water while we set up umbrellas and chairs. I'm SO glad that Gus's Puddle Jumper arrived yesterday-- it paid for itself today. He has zero fear when it comes to the water-- which is scary and exciting at the same time.

 

My friend Sheri arrived shortly after we did, with her two boys Hunter and Michael

 

He barely had lunch-- he was too excited and wanted to head back into the water!

 

He went past the orange buoy SEVERAL times and ended up getting TWO time outs because of his choices!!! It didn't bother him one bit to be in water OVER HIS HEAD and floating

 

Enjoying a snack

 

 

Lake Lanier

We had a 2:00 mobile groomer appointment for Ned and I wanted to be home by 1:30. I thought that we'd need to leave no later than 1:00 to get home on time. At like 12:30, Kathryn started packing up and when she said she was leaving, I decided to start getting Gus ready too.

By the time I had everything packed up... I realized that I was going to have to carry everything myself, because Kirsten wasn't leaving yet. She offered to let me use her stroller, but I had Gus and the cooler and it wasn't possible to carry everything.

It was so hot as I was trekking over the beach. I had to stop numerous times to catch my breath because I was exhausted. I didn't want to have heat stroke or a heart attack... so I took my time, but it resulted in me taking more than 20 minutes to reach the car.

When I got near the car, I told Gus (who had refused shoes and was barefoot) to wait so I could pick him up (the asphalt was black and VERY hot)... he didn't listen and ran across to the car. He started screaming because his feet were burning and I had to drop everything to get to him. It was a mess.

THEN... when I did get to him, I noticed that he had poop running all down his legs (not all the way to the ground yet). I put him in the back and as I was trying to get a diaper and a wipe, he decided to close the lift gate on me... totally cracked me in the head. 

I got his swim diaper off (BTW-- they don't absorb anything so everything oozed out of the diaper) and it was a gigantic heap of explosive diarrhea. I presume it was from swallowing lake water. It was so gross and he was so upset.

It was a traumatic ending for both of us.

I got him cleaned up, and got him in the car and while it cooled off, I got him some cold water from the cooler and a snack and he was happy to have Mickey on the DVD player and sip on some cold water. I cleaned up the poo-tastrophy and then finally got loaded into the car. It was 1:15.  I had left the beach at 12:40.

It's a good thing that we left when we did. I got home right at 1:45 and had just enough time to change and cool off before the groomer arrived.

Overall it was a fantastic day. I think for the future... I might go with a smaller cooler. I don't know. It was a lot to carry and I was exhausted just from making the trek back to the car from the beach. Now I'm really tired and ready for bed.

Tomorrow, Steve is taking Gus to his first Gymboree class. It's just the two of them and I'm excited for Gus and Steve to have an activity just for them. It'll be SOOOOO weird to be home alone without either of them here.

Currently (6-21-12)

Currently I am...

Making plans to run my first 5k. Since The Color Run (Charlotte) is happening while we'll be in Disney, I am looking for something else. I'm still waking up at 5:30 twice a week and running and I'm getting to where I miss running after a few days off. My endurance is building and I am so proud of myself for staying motivated and keeping up my running. I've come too far to stop now.

Listening to "Today's Pop Hits" on Songza. I absolutely love this website/app. I have it on my iPhone, iPad and computer. Basically it's a free website (and app) that lets you find music based on the day of the week, time of day, and mood. Here's how the website describes what it is: Songza is a music startup based in New York City. Our team is composed of music experts, software engineers, and absurdly talented dancers. Our goal in life is to play you the right music at the right time.

Craving Longhorn Steakhouse's Flo's Filet, loaded baked potato and strawberry pecan signature starter salad. YUMMMMM and it's been so long. So. Delicious.

Writing four blogs. I have started blogging daily again, but on Gus's Blog. I've been posting a picture from that day from 2010, 2011 and 2012. It's amazing to see how he's grown from being a month old, 13 months old, and now 25 months. I also blog at least twice a week on my running blog "I'm Not A Runner (Yet)!" Then there's our adoption blog, and I haven't posted on there much, but when I think about baby #2, I usually go on and write something. Lastly, I'm trying to write more on my Cat's Litterbox (the one you're reading). I was doing a post a day and then I fell behind while on vacation. Now I am trying to get back on more often.

Laughing at episodes of My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding on TLC. This show is unreal to me.These girls are like 14 and 15 and 16 and looking to get married. They drop out of high school so they can stay home to cook and clean their mobile homes and become housewives. It's insanity and like watching a train wreck... it's horrible but you can't take your eyes off it. Steve and I laugh and laugh when we watch because the dresses, the people, and the way they talk... hilarious.

Just an update

I feel like now that I'm not doing my gratitude posts (I got too far behind on vacation and then my computer was out of whack for a few weekends, it left me too far back to try and catch up), I haven't been blogging as much. In some ways it's nice to not "have" to blog, but then I feel like things happen and I don't write about them.

Today I was driving to the post office and I saw a mobile groomer's van. I quickly made a memo for myself to check into it when I got home and I'm so glad I saw that truck. I called this afternoon and they're coming on Friday to groom Ned. It's LONG overdue. It's been like eight months since he was last groomed and we have clumps of white hair all over the house (it's gross). I know he's hot with his winter coat and he needs a bath (he's quite scratchy). They'll be coming to us on Friday at 2pm. It'll be awesome. The best thing is that they do not require a complete vet record in order to see him. He's in need of a vet visit but we're in the process of finding the right vet, and honestly, we don't have the money right now to throw away on a vet visit.

Ned NEEDS to be groomed. So it's nice that it's working out where not only will they see him without having a record check, but they'll come to us-- BONUS!! The price is the same as it was in NC at PetSmart, and I like that he won't be sitting in a crate for who knows how long, waiting to be groomed. They have him and only him to worry about. It's perfect.

In other news... my dad has said that he's pretty sure he'll come down to Charlotte in October for The Color Run. My cousin Jessica is coming down from MI and might bring her daughter B with her to run. My cousin Mary (Jessica's sister) is driving over from Washington D.C. and she's going to run it with us too. I'm so excited!!! To make it even better, Steve said that he might start training so he can do it too. He and I have shared the view of not running, but he said he might do it and he and I can take turns pushing Gus in the jogging stroller. :-)

My parents are coming to visit in just over a week! They'll either be coming Friday, Saturday or Monday. It just depends on my dad's work and an obligation that he has on Sunday and if he can get out of it or not. If he can, they'll be here Friday or Saturday and if he can't, they'll be here Monday. Either way, I'm so excited to see them and have them here for a week!!

I was elected President of my MOMS Club chapter. :-)  I start on July 1st and I'm excited. I love the moms in my chapter and I have gotten really involved. I am looking forward to what this year will bring and I pray that it's a good year for me (and Gus). Being the leader of a group isn't always the easiest thing, but I pray that there's a reason I was put into this role and I have a bunch of people who believe in me. 

I'm down nine pounds. My clothes are starting to feel looser, and I feel better. I'm doing a Tuesday and Friday running schedule. I *should* do more, but for now, twice a week at 5:30am is enough. I have found that having two days between workouts has been perfect for me not feeling sore and sluggish. I just need to figure out a better path for my runs. Right now what I'm running is too short (just over a mile) and I need at least 1.5 miles.

Okay... that's enough for an update. I've started blogging on Gus's blog again, so be sure to check it out!! I'm just doing pictures right now (a picture from each day from 2010, 2011 and 2012). It's incredible to see how much he's grown!!!

Not Meant To Be??

So the other day, Gus and I went strawberry picking with Kathryn and Aubree. We had talked about expanding our families and we talked about adoption. I'm not getting any younger and I would like another baby. In fact, I'd like two more kids. I grew up as one of three kids and I love having two brothers and six nieces and nephews. I want Gus to have multiple siblings and someday, hopefully he will know the joys of being an uncle.

Well... timing is a funny thing. When I got home from our day on the farm, I put Gus down for a nap and then hopped on my computer. There was a message waiting for me on Facebook. It was from a girl named Kelly that I went to high school with.

She said that a friend of hers has a mother-in-law that's an attorney and she has a girl who is pregnant and looking for someone to adopt. She said she immediately thought of us and wanted to see if we were interested, and if we were, she'd pass on our info to her friend to give to her MIL to share with the pregnant girl.

The kicker is that the girl is pregnant with TRIPLETS. Holy friggin cow. So I said I'd have to talk to Steve about it, but she could definitely pass on our info. I asked for more info and was told that the girl was kicked out of her house by her parents and was living with her OB-GYN while waiting for delivery. Kelly said she was in MI but that's all the info that she had. She said she'd be glad to share our adoption blog with her friend's mom though.

That was last week. We've heard nothing about it since.

It's probably for the best. I mean, three babies at once. It'd be one thing if I was pregnant and having triplets, but to just go out and adopt three at once... I don't know. When I talked to Steve about it, he was very honest and said he didn't think he could do three. I have to respect that. I honestly don't even know if I could do three.

It made me think about Gus and how much I will miss just the time with me and him. Am I selfish for not wanting to bring a baby into our family yet? I adore him. I can't even imagine loving another child like I love him. He is so incredibly special to me and means more to me than I can even express. I can't imagine having to share my love with another child (much less THREE more babies).

I think everything happens for a reason and there's a time and place for everything. If we're meant to bring a baby into our family anytime soon, it'll happen. We still have a house to sell (PLEASE SEND SOME PRAYERS THAT WE GET AN OFFER AND SELL IT SOON!!!!!) before we can do anything. Maybe I'll feel differently about this when Gus is a little older.

The worst thing is that I don't want more than a three-four year difference between him and a sibling. Oh well, not much I can do about this right now. Just wanted to share my thoughts. As always, thanks for reading!