Training

I've started training for a half marathon again.  The numbers on the scale are getting uglier and uglier each day and somthin's gotta give.  And the Brewer's have a half marathon now!  I haven't actually signed up for the race yet.  That would require commitment.  Let's not be silly.

Anywho, my schedule this week is a little hairy so I decided to run over lunch today.  I totally forgot that my office sits in the middle of some misplaced Appalachian foothills or some shit.  Man there are a lot of hills.  Given the topographical area and the humidity, I was a Sweaty McSweatmonster by the time the 3 miles were completed.

I brought deodorant and baby wipes with me so I could somewhat clean up after my run and not sit here being all nasty for the afternoon.  But now I'm sitting here with sore butt muscles and I swear I smell like a diaper.

It's a date!

Alex loves our neighbor Bert so much.  And luckily, Bert thinks Alex is a bit of alright.  Yesterday, out of nowhere, Alex looked at him and asked, "Hey Bert!  You wanna come over for lasagna tomorrow?"  Cute, right?  Except I didn't plan on making lasagna.  I have zero ingredients for said lasagna.  But lasagna is delicious and he likes my kid, so of course Bert said yes.

Anyone hungry for lasagna tonight?

Think Before You Speak

Every morning, I close all of the windows in the house before I leave.  If I don't do this, we will not have a dog upon arriving home.  Screens are nothing but a slight annoyance on her way outside to figure out where her humans have gone.  And even though she is an exhausting mutt, I love her and don't want her roaming the city, dodging cars.  

Anyway, I bring this up because as long as the weather permits, I go through the house opening the windows as soon as we get home.  There is a window over Alex's bed and since I'm such a good mom, his mattress is still on the floor and opening the window requires me to step on his bed.  But, I'm not a total jerk, so I take off my shoes before stepping on his bed.

A couple hours after we were home last night, Alex went in his room and immediately I heard a very accusatory, "Ugh...Mom!"  He came out of his room and one by one, tossed my flip flops into the middle of kitchen while lecturing me about the fact that I left my shoes in his room and don't I know that is not where my shoes go.  

I let him finish, and before he could stomp his sassy little ass back into his room, I informed him that he is by no means and under no circumstances allowed to talk to me like that.  And then I made him stand in the kitchen, look around, and report to me each and every one of his things that were strewn about the house, most definitely not where they belong.  His things that I pick up time and time again, so maybe just maybe he wants to take a good look at who takes care of things around here before he starts in on me about my shoes.

Accurate Measurement

If you ask Alex a question relating to a measurement of something, you will get the same answer every single time:  60-40.

The water in the pool at his uncle's house?  60-40 degrees.
How heavy his work friend is?  60-40 pounds.
The length of time to get to daycare?  60-40 minutes.
How tall his dad is?  60-40 inches.
How many times he has told me something?  60-40 times.

Bells Were Ringing

We were in Minnesota again this past weekend; this time for a wedding.  I bought a new outfit for Alex and he looked super cute.  And then I didn't take a single picture.

I have started a new running/training scheduled in an attempt to make the scale stop and back the hell up, so I went for a run Saturday morning before the wedding.  After I showered, Alex asked me when we were going to the wedding.  And when I told him we were leaving in the early afternoon, he said, "Good.  I need to exercise."  Ummmm...huh?  "I haven't exercised at all today."  And where was he planning on exercising?  The wedding, duh.  I chalked that up to him having zero idea what a wedding was all about.

Turns out, he knew exactly what he was talking about.  That child got more exercise from 7-11:45pm than he has gotten his entire life combined.  He was running or dancing, non-stop, the whole time.  I had to beg/order him to stop and take a drink of water every once in a while.

He did stop running just long enough to get in a fist fight.  I am not kidding.  This was not a typical slap fight between two 4 year olds.  These two boys were straight up throwing punches at each other.  Travis and I saw it happening right away and Trav bolted over to put a stop to it.  When Travis was about half way to the boys, I saw Alex thrust his little arms down to his sides, fists clenched, and tell the other kid NO. FANK. YOU.

My brother-in-law asked what was going on and when I told him who Alex was fighting with, he assured that kid was being a punk to everyone and that he was proud of Alex for standing up to him.  No uncle-bias there.  Nope.

Hopefully next time, his exercise program will include juuuust a squink less hand to hand combat.

New and exciting ways to feel foolish

Trying to push my chair back from my desk.  Sitting with one leg tucked under me and the other bare foot on the floor.  Force required to roll my fat butt backwards on my chair is greater than the strength of my bare foot's grip on the floor.  Kicked my computer CPU while foot was traveling approximately 1,937,257 MPH.

How's your Monday?

Lightly

I'm having a bit of a hard time in the Stable Brains department this week.  I can't seem to get my bearings.  The amount of worry Alex's school and daycare situation is causing me is teetering on overwhelming.  Overwhelming to that good ol' point of me being frozen in place, terrified.  

The pit of anxiety was churning up a good storm in my stomach this morning and then I came across this little gem Mariah posted.  Thanks MFly, I needed this today.

"it’s dark because you are trying too hard.
lightly child, lightly. learn to do everything lightly.
yes, feel lightly even though you’re feeling deeply.
just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them.

I was so preposterously serious in those days, such a humorless little prig.
lightly, lightly – it’s the best advice ever given me.
when it comes to dying even. nothing ponderous, or portentous, or emphatic.
no rhetoric, no tremolos,
no self conscious persona putting on its celebrated imitation of christ or little nell.
and of course, no theology, no metaphysics.
just the fact of dying and the fact of the clear light.

so throw away your baggage and go forward.
there are quicksands all about you, sucking at your feet,
trying to suck you down into fear and self-pity and despair.
that’s why you must walk so lightly.
lightly my darling,
on tiptoes and no luggage,
not even a sponge bag,
completely unencumbered."

-aldous huxley | island

New mantra:  Lightly child, lightly.