A love/hate relationship....

With Running.

I know I have posted a ton lately, so don't get used to it! :0) I wanted to record some thoughts about my favorite past-time for journaling purposes.

So I have started back up again with running. I started when Isabel was about 5 weeks old, and have been chipping away at it since then. I wish sometimes that runner's world magazing would do a feature on that first "post-partum" run. Hmmmm.... maybe I should send one in!!! LOL Just kidding!
I remember when i first started running after I had Logan, I ran for 3 minutes, and was beet faced and gasping for air. I mentally prepared myself for a repeat of that performance 5 weeks after my sweet baby girl was born. I told Travis I was heading for the treadmill, and he says to me, "Are you gonna come home crying?" I said "well, I might!" Travis knows me well and knows how much I don't like being out of shape. He reminded me that I should take it easy and to remember to start slowly so I wouldn't injure myself.
I went and did pretty good for me. I remember thinking 3 minutes in to it, jogging at a 12 min per mile pace, "why do I do this again?!" I actually hated it at that point. and did for quite a few runs after that. That is because I knew I was 20 pounds heavier than usual, my knees wouldn't like that one bit, and my feet were going to have to get "broken in" again. I know the pushing and straining it is going to take to get it all back- to be able to run for 30 minutes effortlessly. I am doing a walk/run program so my shins can adjust. My shins hate it when I add to much mileage to soon and usually punish me with shin splints if I don't take it easy at first.
I would say after about 7 weeks of glorified jogging, I am running about 80% and walking 20% of my distance/time. I am not running at a very fast pace, but I am adding some mileage, and that is my goal for now. ENDURANCE. Speed will come later. I come home with endless amounts of energy, and feel like all of my stress stays out on the pavement where I left it. Let's face it, as a mom of 3, my stress sometimes comes in tidal waves! But now that I am in better shape, my runs are more good than bad, and I love it most of the time. I reconnect with God, listen to some new music other than baby einstein or dora, or I just take time for me. It is what keeps me healthy during flu season, and keeps me sane so I can be a good wife and mommy. So when I have a difficult run, or my legs feel like lead weights, I remember all the good things I love about running... and push on.

I did it!!!

I cut Julie's hair. I know, completely crazy. We had a tiny incident with gum, that was in the very ends of her hair, and I thought, no biggie, we will just snip a half inch to an inch and we will be done. I prepped her, got it wet and turned her around. she was looking up while I was cutting and i didn't realize it, so it ended up being shorter than I wanted it to be. After Julie looked in the mirror, she wanted it even shorter. She has been asking me for a long time now to please cut her hair. So... I did.
The rough part? I was kind of hoping with all the weight out of it, the curls would bounce right up and be more curly, but.... they just dissapeared :(

Here is a before picture, we had been braiding her hair after we washed it so it would be really wavy. Notice we are sporting our gator gear! (this was pre Alabama game)
Daddy's Two little Gators

notice the wavy hair on Julie!


Drum roll please........






and here it is! Much shorter for her and much healthier looking in my opinion. Okay lets face it, I really miss her baby curls, but she is a big girl now! *Sniff*

My sweet grown up girl!


I asked her how she felt about it and she said, "mom, I totally love it!"
So there you have it, she is now a pre teen. :0)

It's a hard knock life...

Whomever said that my third would be the best baby ever and be so laid back was totally right! It has been 3 months since this little angel came to us and we can't believe how sweet she is. She is so smiley and loves people. She nurses like a champ (weighing in at 11 pounds!) and sleeps through the night most of the time!!! (don't worry, I am knocking on some wood right now! LOL) She is usually up between 5 or 6 in the morning to eat, and usually i put her in bed with me after that feeding and we doze untill Julie and Logan wake up. It is such a sweet time for her and me, and Travis got a picture of us!




More to come later on her 3month check up stats and what julie and logan have been up to :0)