Friday, September 30, 2011

itasca's oktoberfast 2011 5k

as i'm sure you know, dave & i became triathletes this summer.  we've been training since february and did a race in july and another in august.  at the end of august we went to see my family in georgia.  we have been back for 3 weeks now and things at the gym haven't been going well.  we haven't been in the pool since we were at my grandparent's house, and we have only been to the gym together maybe twice in those 3 weeks.  luckily, dave rides his bike 2 nights a week from home, and i have been taking ian and going to the gym during the day.  we really hoped to squeeze in one more triathlon before the season ended, but the weather in illinois has not been above 70 since we've been home...  and this is the last weekend of triathlon season... so.... guess we'll start again next year!  

so.... i think it was me who had the brilliant idea... let's do a 5k!!!  it'll be SO fun!  i have ran 2 5ks in my entire life-  1.  sophomore year cheerleading camp.  2.  schaumburg triathlon.  both of these had similar results.  i'm not a runner.  i don't love it.  i don't get a "runner's high."  i don't like it.  but what will i be doing at 9 am saturday morning you ask?  running a 5k.  why?  why?  maybe it was the promise of free beer & brats after the race (wait, i don't even like beer!)  maybe it was the free goodies (those are always nice).  whatever it is, i'm crazy... and i'll be running a 5k saturday morning.  not sure if dave & i are running  together or not.  it is fun to have someone to run with, but i definitely would just be holding him back...  we'll see.  so please send luck, prayers, and well wishes this way.  i certainly need them!!!

results on monday?  yes!
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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

mommy reads: between a rock and a hard place bka: 127 hours

i am not an outdoorsy person.  sure, i love sports, staying active, and being outside.  however, i do not really seem to care for outdoor activities.  i've never skied or snowboarded.  i don't go rock climbing (unless it's a wall), i don't hike or camp.  it's just not something that i enjoy.  lots of people love all these things- they thrive off of that kind of stuff.  this book is for you.  now, i'm not saying that i didn't love this book because i'm not the outdoor type- but it definitely pushed me toward enjoying it less.  

most people have seen 127 hours by now- if you  haven't, then you probably at least know the outcome- if you don't, well, it was national news once, so don't consider this a spoiler.  in the movie, aron ralston is canyoneering when he jars a rock loose, which tumbles down with him, pinning his arm to the wall and trapping him.  by a miracle of God, he manages to survive for 6 days with no sleep & hardly any food or water in a remote part of utah, before making the gut wrenching decision to cut his arm off, or die.  i loved this movie.  the movie is so realistic & really gets you.  highly recommended.  

the book on the other hand....  i'm not one to say this...  but the book is a case of aron ralston finally getting what was coming to him.  the book alternated between ralston's time stuck in the canyon & the experiences he had before the accident, and what led him to where he was.  he was an idiot.  although ralston was very good at and very experienced in what he did- he was egotistical - and it nearly cost him his life.  i just kept reading through chapter after chapter shaking my head saying "what an idiot!"  seriously, this guy is lucky to be alive, and unfortunately learned his lesson the hard way.  the book definitely takes away the sympathy you have after watching the movie.  it took me 2 attempts and over a month to read this book- a struggle.  i'll be going for any easy read next to cleanse my mind...

book: 1.5/5 stars.  movie 4/5 stars
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Monday, September 26, 2011

20 months

ian turned 20 months on tuesday!  scary!  in just 4 short months he will be 2- 2!!!!  so crazy.

this past month was huge for ian as far as development.  he went from saying just a few words and phrases to saying probably close to 50 words- maybe more!  he's also stringing short sentences together (up please, bye-bye; see you, i love you mama).  he's also really started to sing a lot.  he can now sing parts of twinkle, twinkle, abc's, jesus loves me, go cubs go, and a few songs from the shows he likes (yo gabba, fresh beats).  my favorite is when we watch ygg & he says "i like to dance!!"  he's also started climbing up & down on things (yikes).  luckily, it's just the couch & bed so far!  he now wants to sit on the couch next to you & watch tv or read.  it's really cute.

ian's also (even more) obsessed with books now.  he has always gravitated to books more than his toys.  whenever i go to get him up in the morning, i don't get a good morning.... no, he immediately starts pointing to his bookshelf & signing "more."  so, i have to get him up, let him pick his book out, and then i can get him changed.  he likes to carry the book downstairs and read while i'm making his breakfast.  this repeats all day long.  he normally always has a book within his reach.  for a while, he was obsessed with this one.  He's actually let a few others in now though.  He even knows the words to many of them.  On the way to my mom & dad's house he started reading his book and shouting "how bout them dawgs."  it was pretty cute.

ian's gotten pickier as far as food goes.  most of it for no reason.  he used to be all about blueberries & bananas, but right now it's grapes & applesauce.  he's still iffy with most vegetables, but will eat any veggie in a baby food pouch.  he also really likes the smoothies i make- which are full of veggies.  joke's on you, baby.  we usually make dinner at least 3 nights a week- and if it's something that i feel like ian can have, we'll share it with him... BUT... he never eats it.  of course, he's just a stinker- all you have to do is serve him leftovers for lunch the next day and he gobbles them up. 

ian's i-teeth are coming in.  all 4 at once.  which is super cool.  the top 2 have broken through the surface and he has cute little fangs.  the bottom ones are taking a little longer.

he's still alternating naps.  although lately it's been just one.  that's mostly because he doesn't wake up until 9 am most days (that's my boy).

i can't believe how big he's getting.  he just seems so big.  when i hold him, it seems like his limbs go on forever.  he's not a baby anymore.  :(

 ian & jack getting reacquainted
just lounging

the shirt says it all!

i didn't get so lucky this month- he kept tossing the paper back at me...  i had to ply him with the binks.  at least he's not crying!  :)
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Monday, September 19, 2011

labor day weekend in atlanta

we decided to go to atlanta to see family & friends for ldw since we had free time off of work, and it had been 4+ months since our last trip.  we were miraculously packed & ready to go when dave got home, so we hit the road.  our road trip was crazy as usual- ian did not do very well.  luckily, we made a stop halfway down in murfreesboro, tn to see dave's cousin who had just moved down there to start school at middle tennessee state university.  

we ended up getting to my mom & dad's house pretty late, and finally we were able to get everyone settled into bed.  since  thursday (our anniversary) was spent in misery on a road trip, we were looking forward to a date night on friday.  we planned a movie & dinner, but the movie ended up having to be pushed back.  we went back & forth over where to eat dinner, but ended up picking an old favorite with six feet under.  I had delicious calamari tacos!  we decided to follow up dinner with dessert- and for that we went somewhere new.  we ended up heading to flip burger and having the milkshakes!  dave had a nutella & burnt marshmallow milkshake, and i went with the krispy kreme.  YUM! 

saturday i had lunch with a dear friend.  we spent 4 hours telling stories, catching up and giggling over yummy mexican food.  it was the only friend i saw the entire trip.  i had a blast with her, and it was tons of fun, but at the same time it was really sad.  i've always had this fear that i would eventually become irrelevant to my friends at home and people would forget about me because we've been away for so long.   that evening we watched the georgia game.  not good. 

sunday we traveled to see my grandparents, aunt, uncle & cousin.  ian had a really good time running around- and swimming in the pool!  he loves the pool!  dave & i may have had more fun in the pool- it was like being a kid again going down the slide and doing crazy diving board jumps! 

we came back monday evening and dave & i took our movie night.  we went to see the help.  loved it.  i'm pretty excited to read the book now.  if i can finish what i'm reading now....

tuesday we took our little guy to the aquarium.  he did pretty well.  he didn't seem to impressed with many of the animals, but he did love the penguins!  when we got up in the tube, it was so cute to suddenly hear him say "hi birdy!!"  so cute. 

and with that, our whirlwind trip was over.  it was back to chicago- a trip that went much smoother than our trip down, tg.  can't wait to plan our next trip- probably around the holiday!  woo!

be prepared for photo overload...  

 telephone!

 wild man!

 this photo is so funny b\c ian was pumped about this giant blow up bulldog, until he got within 10 feet of it.

 enjoying the aquarium

 creepy eyes in the penguin tube!

 ian and dave with bernie & billie

 ooh.  more fish!

 exhausted!

 sweet shark hats!

 varsity!

 reading with granddaddy

 and grandma

family!
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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

guest post: sign language tips for the mobile baby

as you all know, ian is an active little booger these days, so i'm totally grateful to Baby Sign Language for sharing their tips on how to communicate with a baby that won't stay still for more than two and a half seconds!!  i know these are some really awesome signs- some that i wouldn't have thought of, but will be most helpful! 

enjoy!


Baby Sign Language tips for your mobile baby

Aaaand, he’s off... somehow our kids leap from rolling over to crawling to cruising to running the halls of our home, and we feel like we barely had a chance to childproof. For parents who have graduated from the stationary stage, there are a few signs you’ll want to add to your baby’s vocabulary. And for parent who are not yet hovering under their little ones like a safety net, these are signs your should go ahead and start working on now.

For a while you will hover over your little tike trying to catch the next tumble, but inevitably there will be falls. Teaching the sign for hurt allows you to offer warnings of situations and risks that can cause injury. It also let’s your toddler tell you of hurts if the situation occurs.



Because once he masters walking, he will quickly escalate to running and you’ll need to be able to tell him when it is more appropriate to walk. Likewise, there may be times when you’ll encourage running... though, you’ll probably find yourself exerting more energy and time telling your little mobile machine to slow down.



This can be taught while teaching all the parts of the wardrobe, but for your increasingly independent toddler shoes is one article that he may have been able to skip for outings prior to tottering on two as opposed to all fours.


Shoes are also something that tend to go on and come off throughout the day. With these signs, you can more specifically instruct to “put your shoes on,” or “it is OK to take your shoes off, now.”



Up & Down
Handy little signs, particularly if your kiddo is a climber!


Good & Thank You
Once your child has slowed to a walk from a run, or brought you a pair of shoes for help tying, be sure to let them know that the behavior is good and that you are thankful for their cooperation.




Your baby is growing increasingly independent and sign language for babies can help strike a balance between encouragement, caution and reining in your runner and climber. Now... on your mark, get ready... GO!

Free learning resources for baby sign language inclusive of baby sign language flashcards are available to everyone at babysignlanguage.com

images courtesy of baby sign language dot com!


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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

19 months

Ian turned 19 months old 3 weeks ago... I am a little behind.  Is this thing on?  Is anyone still even reading?  sorry for my very delayed absence.  we took a short trip to atlanta over labor day and it has pretty much taken my life as i know it and thrown it into a whirlwind.  i'm 2 weeks behind on workouts, i haven't tracked my calories since the day i left, i half blogged one post last week- plus ian & i have a cold.  it's disastrous.  so, i'm back, and i'm sorry.  and i missed you.

anyway.  ian turned 19 months on august 20th!  so much has happened since then that i almost thought about combining this past month with the current month, but i'm just going to try and remember what happened last month, and you'll have to come back after next tuesday for the good stuff (this month has been HUGE). 

ian is a wild man.  this child moves non-stop.  it's exhausting. i spend my entire day chasing him and saying "no, don't touch that.  i said no, i said no, what did i just say" on repeat.  if i didn't already know he could hear, i'd swear he needs his ears checked. 

we had some rough days.  lots of crying for no reason and just plain stressin' mommy out.  i'm sure the teeth are coming- i just wish they'd come faster!!!

we're still going back & forth between 2 naps a day & 1.  i guess it's tough being that exhausting.  it works though.  i usually can time it by what we have going on that day or when he wakes up to determine if he's going to take 1 or 2.  he's still doing pretty well with the bear & binky only at nap/bed time too.  although sometimes we will bring both with us if we know we're going to be out later than usual or driving somewhere (like to atlanta).

we finally caved & turned the car seat around.  i was really planning on waiting until he was 2 because of his size- but he is over 22 lbs now, plus we had friends in town who were going to be riding places with us, and it was a better fit to have the seat turned around so everyone could sit comfortably.  i know he likes it better, except now he can see us and he wants everything we have!! 

 water hockey?

 life's not fair!!  

 oh, hi!

 crazy poof hair
 shower time!

 oh, i'm not supposed to be in here?

 no, you're not supposed to be in here

 new friends!

 a miracle.  got this photo on the 1st shot!!!!

the face he's making is classic.  dave was singing some ridiculous song...
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Thursday, September 8, 2011

happy anniversary


it keeps getting better.  

sorry i'm a week late... you know, we were out of town.

i love you.
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Sunday, September 4, 2011

smashion

i'm the featured seller on smashion this week- please, go buy my stuff so i can get rid of it.  i want it out of my house.  i beg you.  beg.

ps.  we're in atlanta right now.  lots of family stuff going on.  that's the reason for the absence!  Pin It!