All For My Babies!

One of the biggest reasons I have taken on this running challenge is something that I don't talk about much. While my health and fitness do play a role in my goals, mostly I do this for my kids. I want my babies to see that being active is an important part of life, and how can I teach that to them by sitting on the couch. I always hope for a better healthier life for my kids. I am starting to see the best way to instill this is through example. 
While I do my workouts I daydream that someday Mason and Kylie will enjoy many sports throughout their life, and be as active as they can be. Maybe even go for a run with their Mom time and again. I can already see the affect my new running has on Kylie. She runs around the house pretending to be in races, and always wants me to see how fast she can run. Right now she is at an age where she LOVES everything active! Every sport or activity we sign her up for she is always willing and ready. And I never want her to lose that love for sports and exercise. So I will keep trying to be active in my life and hope my children will learn that fitness and sports are a fun important part of life!!

The Play Gym Saved My Sanity!

This winter has been the wost winter for me, I think ever! I am not sure if it is the small apartment? All the snow? Or shorter days? All I do know is I am in one major funk.

Kylie has had so many snow days, and we have been trapped in the house a lot with all the storms. And the bigger Mason gets the smaller our apartment gets. We don't have a lot of windows as it is but this time of year I have to keep the curtains shut to keep warm inside. For the last couple weeks all I really wanted to do all day was stay in bed and sleep until it was spring. And the poor kids have been crawling up the walls with no outlet for all their energy, thus driving me bananas. I haven't wanted to go out and see people, or cook dinner which normally is fun for me. Our regular schedule hasn't been around since Christmas. 

Well finally I couldn't handle it anymore, and made it my mission to get the kids and myself out of the house to do something active. Even if it meant going to the mall indoor playground. So I dressed the kids (lately we haven't been getting out of our jammies), loaded everyone in the car and we went off to a local gymnastics gym with open gym hours in the mornings. This little outing saved my life!! The kids did nothing but run and bounce and play for an hour straight. And I got to run around after Mason and even talk to a couple adults. It was cold out but the sun was out and I loves having it shine down on us while driving! It was wonderful to get out with people and enjoy the kids, instead of being annoyed by them. We are definitely going to make a weekly trip to this gym while there is still snow on the ground! Hopefully it's enough to keep me out of my funk.

Wordless Wednesday

Mommy and Her Babies!

Not much going on right now, very busy with Christmas! So here are some pictures of me with the two most important people in my life!!! I LOVE THEM!!!

Have you met Ted?

Okay so his name is Fred not Ted, I just really wanted to make a How I Met Your Mother reference. Random. Anyway Fred is our Elf on the Shelf. If you have young children i recommend getting your family one as well! He is this creepy little Elf that you place around your house at Christmas time. According to his story, at night while the kiddos are sleeping he flies to see Santa and tells him if the children of the house have been naughty or nice. Then he flies back and lands in a new spot every morning. I thought it was a great idea, and was very excited to receive our little guy as a gift this year. The very night we got him, after the kiddies were in bed, I put out are little elf in a obvious spot that would be easy for The Princess to find, along with his story book that explains who he is and what he does. First thing the book says is to name your elf, giving a few examples including Fred. Since Kylie is not very good about coming up with names on her own she went with Fred. Every morning the first thing Kylie does is look for Fred and what silly place he landed in. He also works great with correcting behavior! One little threat that the Elf is watching she snaps right into a good little girl. For a short while anyway. 

 I have to admit I find Fred very creepy and I always feel like he is staring at me. It's all a bit sketchy! But the kids love it, and I am all for new traditions that the kids will hopefully remember fondly!   

A Princess Update

So our big girl had her 4 year check up. The Dr had nothing but wonderful things as Kylie bounced around the room. She is very tall for her age, and at a very healthy weight. Developmentally she is right where she should be. The poor girl had 5 shots, and was very brave! Only very little crying, and I think that was mostly because she felt she was supposed to cry. She didn't pull away or struggle. Just took the shots like a pro. She was so excited to get a special sparkle band aid and a Dora sticker! I mean who could ask for anything more!

Sick Monsters

My babies are sick! I HATE when my babies are sick!! But I am usually pretty good at being the good mama bear who spoils and cares for her sick cubs. The whining, the crying, the boogers and the puking....all a pain in the butt, but I can handle it. And it's not all bad there is lots of snuggling, cuddling and hugging involved that I love!!

 However there is one part of sick kids I cannot stand. Coughing! All the coughing! Day coughing and night coughing. Coughing til they gag. I HATE it all. It just gets under my skin. Makes me yell, cry and be an all around bad Mama. The absolute worst is the night coughing. They can't sleep, you can't sleep and with kiddos under 4 there isn't much you can do about it. I elevate, I use saline spray, I pour honey down their throat. I try it all. By morning I am exhausted and defeated, and they are usually grumpy and difficult. 

 This week Kylie has gotten her first bad cold since turning 4. We have no cold meds in the house for kids. Mostly she doesn't need them, and I am not one to give medicine unless absolutely necessary. For the past couple night her cough was not so bad, just showing itself when she first lay down and when she first woke up. Typical cough. Well last night she went to bed and coughed.....and coughed....and coughed. Poor kid couldn't fall asleep for more then an hour or so with out having to wake up with a coughing fit for 20 minutes. So around 4am I couldn't stand it any more and headed out to the store for some cough meds. Well nothing is 24 hours anymore!! NOTHING! Unless I want coffee and donuts, or an egg mcmuffin. I drove around forever in the cold to find somewhere open. Returning empty handed to a coughless little girl who was wide awake and ready for her day. At 5am! At least her cough was gone for now. 

I now have children cough medicine in my cabinet, And an extra pot of coffee brewing for my day!

Meet the Monsters!

Some of you may know them well, Some of you may only see them for special occasions, Some of you may have never met them before.

These are my babies, Kylie "The Princess", and Mason "The Monkey".

Kylie loves all things Princess and dresses that twirl. Mason is my little man who is still trying to figure out the world. Kylie LOVES to dance. Mason LOVES to watch his sister dance. Kylie is my good listener and well behaved little girl. Mason is my, pull this down while climbing on that, rough and tumble little boy. Kylie is Mommy's little independent girl. Mason is my Mama's boy who needs a hug with every trip and tumble. Kylie came into this world with drama and flare. Mason made his first appearance relaxed and wonderfully uneventful. Mason loves his sister and Kylie loves her brother, and Mommy loves them more then anything in the whole wide world!