June 2, 2015 by Stephanie

We Be Strollin’

So this weekend, I ran (and a fair amount of walking) a 5k pushing George in a stroller.

When I signed up for this race, I thought Tom would be free to be on George duty, but alas the many schedule changes of May stepped in again. And then all of my family babysitters went out of town to a wedding together.

So either I didn’t run to stay home with George, or I just took him along for the ride.

Literally.

Luckily this was a race that did not prohibit me from taking a stroller, which until this race I was not aware that races did that.

So tip #1 if you decide to take your little one with you: Make sure that your race allows strollers.

At first I thought about carrying him because I wasn’t too confident running with the stroller. I hadn’t really done much running with it. Plus we had just transferred him to the front of the stroller where there is less coverage and there was a potential for rain.

But as I stood waiting for the race to start, I was already dripping sweat from the humidity, and I knew that George was not going to be comfortable for another 45 minutes with my boob sweat close to his face.

Last minute, I decided to run to the car and assemble the stroller together. Luckily I had the forethought to have the infant seat in my car just in case I decided to use the stroller so I could look at George throughout the race.

We were the last ones to cross the starting line, but we made it back on the course just in time! Fortunately the parking situation was amazing for this race. The easiest in and out parking I have had experienced!

As we were going along the course, the terrain changed from pavement to start, switching from gravel to wooden bridges through the middle, and back to pavement at the end.

Pushing a stroller through muddy gravel is very different than pushing it on pavement.

Tip #2: Look at the terrain on the course information page.

I may have reconsidered carrying him if I had known most of the course was muddy gravel. The stroller and myself were covered in mud by the end from the wheels spinning.

Also I felt like a beast afterwards because pushing a stroller period can be brutal, let alone through that grit and grime. I am also pretty sure that I had a death grip on the stroller the entire time not to lose control of it on the slippery bridges.

I don’t remember the course info saying anything about the terrain, but then again I wasn’t really looking for it. So look for it! It makes a huge difference in the pushing resistance.

Tip #3: Don’t run through ground changes.

I may have tried to run through a gravel to pavement change, and it may have dipped/caught the stroller harder than I wanted it to. I think it scared me more than it did anything to George. But I should have been a little more cautious on this terrain change.

Tip #4: Take a break to shake out your hands and arms.

Maybe this is just me, but my hands and arms started hurting a lot because I had constant hold (death grip) on the stroller as I was running. So I had to take a few shake breaks so I could release some of that tension from holding on to the stroller. Because you are holding on the whole time it does change your stride a little so just be aware of how your body reacts to that. There were parts that I felt like I was going to trip because my momentum did not match the stroller.

Tip #5: Don’t care about the time.

This was the first time in a long time that I have haven’t had a stop watch on a race or on a run period. And this race did not have clocks along the way, so I really had no clue how fast or slow we were going. It made me appreciate the run/walk a little more. This was a beautiful trail because part of it was the Katy Trail. Some of the bridges we went over made me feel like I was in a scene of Anne of Greene Gables. I could just enjoy the process instead of worrying about a PR or envying those without strollers. (And just to toot my own horn, my official time they sent was faster than my first 5K time when I did run the whole time.)

My only goal was not to be the last person over the finish line, and I smashed that. I even was able to pass some other strollers, so that was enough progress for me.

It was a little surprising to me to watch the reactions to the stroller. Most people were nice and encouraged us pushing through it. But oddly enough there were a handful of haters that would either yell at me when I couldn’t move fast enough through the narrow parts or when I tried to pass them they would scoff at me. I tried to be mindful of groups around me and get out of the way when I could or stopped to let people pass. Weaving a stroller through a group of running people is not easy so I tried to stay to the sides. But there were times when I needed to move past people myself, and it is not always easy to get through those patches by myself let alone with this huge plastic rolling extension of myself. I guess I was even more surprised at these people with gross attitudes because this was an all women’s run (besides George). So you would think that they would feel more empowerment as fellow mothers and women-sisterhood stuff you know. Anyway most participants weren’t nasty about the stroller, but again I was surprised at some of the comments and looks thrown my way.

It was really fun to run with George in the stroller. I am glad that I decided to do the stroller instead of carrying him. We were both more comfortable, even though the stroller is caked in dirt still.

Have you run with a stroller? Are you doing any races this summer?

May 29, 2015 by Stephanie

Book Review-Never Say No

When you become parents, you secretly (or openly) wish that there was some sort of operation manual on your child.

Unfortunately there is no such thing because children are people with needs and feelings that change. Every minute.

But if I were to recommend a parenting manual of sorts, this book would be it!

image via

Mark and Jan Foreman are parents to Jon and Tim of Switchfoot. This book documents their parenting journey and things they learned along the way.

One of the sentiments they learned is to “Never Say No.”

Now if you are like me, when you first read this title, you probably scoffed and thought, “There is no way you can parent without saying no.” If you didn’t take it literally, then you are a better/more evolved person than I am.

The phrase is meant to be a slogan for parenting instead of a hard fast rule. Obviously no will need to be said at some point, because you know safety is important. Otherwise, George would have eaten his poopy diaper this morning…

One thing I have definitely learned in my very short time being a parent, is that no two journeys of raising children are the same. There are different factors that influence decisions-mainly being that each child does their own thing. Even under the same roof, two parents in the same family may not make the same decisions.

It’s because we are human beings. We react to our surroundings and make decisions based on the information we have been provided at that time.

The idea of “never saying no” though encourages us to really embrace each moment for what it is. It pushes us to be present in each moment and help develop creativity in our kids. I think we can all agree in the fast paced world we live in, it is easy to say, “Hold on a sec.” or “We can play tomorrow.”

But you are not guaranteed that the moment will still be there later. You have a wonderful opportunity to be there for your kids and teach them how to be good people, but we often spend a lot of that time complaining or distracted because we are busy with other things.

I enjoyed this book for a few reasons:

1. I liked the focus on enjoying your kids. I think so often kids are seen as a burden, and I don’t want to ever feel that way or show that to my kids. It was a great reminder to do things that are fun and making the most of the time we have together. I want to make that time count as a parent.

2. It’s not judgmental or preachy. Jan and Mark are very open about their own struggles, and show you that you won’t always be the best. They explain over and over again about the importance of love and making the best decision you can. Their transparency and honesty throughout this book shows you a realness to parenting that makes you know that you aren’t alone. They also show that EVERYONE will parent differently, but that the bottom line their should be love. The do emphasize that their way isn’t necessarily the right way, but give you some foundational things to consider. They wouldn’t consider this a manual, but I like it as a guidebook!

3. I felt connected. There were parts that I felt that I could write. I like a book that I can relate to. They talked about triumphs and feelings of inadequacy, so it was just good as a parent to see someone else (who I would presumably see as a parent mentor) has the same feelings.

4. Define success for ourselves and not every other family. (I needed this reminder even this early on as I wonder if he is behind because he is not crawling just yet.)

5. It’s funny. I laughed out loud so much. Like when she explained leaving the hospital for the first time with the baby-“These were tears of joy mixed with holy fear.” Yes…and it made me remember my ridiculous meltdown from the hospital afraid we were going to kill our tiny baby in the carseat.

6. It gave me permission to have a messy house. Sometimes we need those permissions from others not to live a Pinterest worthy life.

7. Each chapter has a question page. I LOVED this piece because it helps you process what you read a little further. They can also be discussion questions to have with your partner. The reality is Tom and I came from two very different backgrounds and parenting styles. Somehow we have to meld our experiences into a family for George. And that can be tricky, especially when you are about as opposite as possible. These “study guides” of sorts really helped us have some conversations and move forward with our family. It’s all about creating a new “map” together.

Coming from a divorced family, I have grown up wondering how I would parent since I was able to witness several different styles. Sometimes it is hard to conceptualize how exactly I want to parent because of my past. I want to take pieces from all of them, but how do I make that work for me? This book talks about embracing your past and understanding that at the root is the relationship that is built. We have a gift to help guide who our children will become but also letting them choose their own paths along the way. We are instruments of God to help build up our kids, and Jan and Mark talk about it in a beautiful manner.

Just as God enjoys us, we should enjoy our children. I loved that this was a Christ centered book. I want George to grow up knowing and having a relationship with God, and I know that starts with us as his parents. We are the example, and we can encourage that fully through the relationship we build with our kids.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is “If you say no too often, they’ll stop asking.”

I think that sums up the book quite nicely.

I highly recommend this for any couple to read as they start deciding how they want to raise a family and creating their own map or even seasoned parents who need to refocus or just a reminder. It was really great timing for us since we are still really new and parenting really consists just of making sure he is clean and fed at this point. That’s how it is until they are 5 and have homework in Kindergarten right? (I am really in need of a kid manual…)

Most of the time, I feel like I am making this parenting thing up. It is nice to see what other parents are doing like in this book. It makes you stop and think of what things you want to emulate. You will probably still make a lot of things up as you go, but maybe you will be a little more fun with it!

You can purchase this book here! I really only have good things to say about it. It’s all about creating a meaningful relationship with your kid instead of just trying to manage them. Oddly enough the premise is that if you have that creative and meaningful relationship, their growth as good human beings will follow instead of demanding it through our society standards. That sounds more fun too doesn’t it?

I did receive this book complimentary from Litfuse Publicity Group for my review. These thoughts are my own.

May 27, 2015 by Stephanie

Fit for Me 21/52

I feel like I am in a really good place with my body. This has definitely kept me more accountable to being more active. And we are at the midpoint of the year!

What I did last week:

Thursday-I did a 2.5 mile walk/run with just the dogs.

Monday-I went to BodyPump for an hour. It was nice to get back into a class. I got through every track except shoulders.

Tuesday-I did a 2 mile walk/run with the dogs.

Impressed by:

I am impressed that even after a month out of BodyPump, I was able to get through almost every track. Shoulder track I always struggle with, so that was no suprise.

Struggled with:

I really failed to keep up with my plank and push-up challenge. I just kept forgetting. I finally printed them off so I can have them on my nightstand. I have done it the last three days consistently.

Did I meet my goal from last week?

I did meet my goal to work out at the gym. I missed BodyPump!

What is my goal for next week?

To do some real full-on push-ups during this challenge. I have never really been able to do them up on my toes. I am hoping to work up my push-up stamina so I don’t have to stay on my knees.

Fitness Thoughts:

We are in the sweet spot temperature wise where it is not too muggy or hot, but still fairly cool. It makes it so much easier to want to go workout when you aren’t feeling like you are walking into a cloud when you step outside. Although it has been raining a lot here, which is why I missed Saturday and Sunday workouts. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it in the house.

19b655d8a7e3aacadeee81f3c5a5635a image via

May 26, 2015 by Stephanie

George-9 Months

9 months of this guy. How is this possible?

Weight: 18 lbs and 3 oz. Not sure of his height or head measurement. I feel like he really grew a lot this past month. I can definitely feel it when I pick him up. (all those carbs…)

Health: Earlier this month, he had a really bad cough. He sounded like a rattle can when he was breathing. I took him to the doctor because I was afraid of stuff settling in his lungs. She said it was a good thing that we did because he had a really bad ear infection. George however was not showing any of the typical signs of being bothered by an ear infection. On the plus side there was no mucus in his lungs. He actually liked the antibiotics this time around.

Diet: We are no longer feeding him purees at home. He still does purees at the babysitter’s purely because we have so many left over from people giving us food. I know it is easier for her to do purees to while we get him a little more used to real food at home. We are down to 5 bottles a day. Most are 4 oz, except the last bottle of the day is 6 oz. He is really good with feeding himself, so we just put something on his tray and let him have at it. He has pretty much mastered putting food into his mouth on his own. Although, he forgets when he has things in his right hand. He predominantly eats with his left hand. This month he has tried a lot of carbs: bagel, pancakes, beef, fish, peppers, watermelon, toast, angelfood cake, icing, corn on the cob, nectarine, ravioli, baked beans, banana bread, and alfredo. He pitches a full out fit after every meal is over. It is the worst when pasta is involved. (Which makes sense because Tom and I are both pasta lovers, so he got that 100%.) If you follow me on Instagram, I post some of the after-meal aftermaths.

Clothes: I just put away all the 3-6 month clothes this weekend. He still is ok in the 6 month stuff, but I did get out the 6-9 month stuff. He is filling those out nicely. He is in size 3 diapers.

Sleeping: I wrote the other day that he is a through the night sleeper! He will start out on his back, but within a half hour of being put down he moves to his stomach. He stays face down most of the night. This is terrifying for me because he likes to smash his face straight down. Fortunately though, he has gotten my sleeping traits for this month, and I can go in and move him so he isn’t breathing in mattress. He does not like to be rocked much anymore. It was a little sad to part with that routine, but we are getting snuggles elsewhere. Also I love to take pictures of him sleeping.

Likes: Food. Phones. Dancing; he loves to watch us dance goofy. He also loves to dance with you. We are already practicing our mother/son dance. He is enamored by straws, which is awesome at restaurants. He would rather play with the tags on toys than the actual toy. If you are wearing a watch, George will be your new best friend. He loves to be tipped upside down. He thinks it is the greatest game. Another great game is Peek-A-Boo. So much fun. Food.

Dislikes: Meal time ending. You eating food in front of him that he is not getting. Sleeping in on weekends. Not having the controller that you are holding. That above is his displeased face.

Milestones: We got a new carseat, and he is sitting in the front of the stroller now. No more infant seat! He started reaching for us to hold him. Best feeling ever to date. He did have a few big milestones this month. He got up on all fours! He just rocks back and forth, and when he tries to move his legs or arms forward he falls down. I still am convinced we may have a walker before we have a crawler. He stood on his own a little bit this weekend, and he does really well standing when he has something to hold on to like a bench or couch. He also officially has teeth! Two sprouted up right after turning 8 months. It looks like he may get ear infections along with the teeth, but honestly he has been super mellow considering all the teething horrors we have heard.

Quirks: He is ticklish! I just love his tickle giggles. He makes all sorts of noises and squeals. I feel like there is a new one each day. We are his jungle gym. He likes to crawl all over and pull up on us. He definitely remembers people now, and you get some pretty good smiles when you come back in a room. But he also gets sad if you are out of his eye-sight for too long. He also loves to twist around and belly up when his diaper is being changed or putting on his pajamas. It’s like a wrestling match trying to get his butt covered.

We parents are: doing pretty good. We have had a lot going on this month so this last weekend was pretty nice to both have some extra time off at the same time. We have been getting more serious about house hunting, so keep good thoughts for us. That whole process is nerve wracking.

The dogs are: still being a pain in the butt. Grace has stopped going potty outside. I will have just let them out or walked them, and then she will come back in and crap under the dining room table. We created a new schedule for them to hopefully help her out. God bless her. Tom also thinks a lot of it is because we have carpet and she has made certain spots “her” spot. George loves them though. He pets them and grabs for them. When he sits with Grace, he uses her ears as a chew toy. It’s adorable. She sits and takes it because she knows that he will eventually have something she can lick up. He also likes playing with Crosby’s paws and his toenails. It looks like they are holding hands all the time.

I just love him. He is such a happy boy, and he is definitely blossoming as he continues learning new things every day.

May 25, 2015 by Stephanie

Going to Kansas City

This past Friday, I was able to go to a Royals game. Jump out of my seat excited!

If you have been here anytime at all, you know how I feel about my beloved hometown team.

I haven’t been to a game in exactly two years. It was the first time in all the years that I can remember that I missed a season and had to watch all from home. I just cannot even begin to describe how awesome it was to be back at Kauffman Stadium.

A place I have spent many summer afternoons and nights.

A place I have consumed hundreds of pretzels and cups of soda.

A place I have hung out with friends from every stage of my life.

A place I have watched the greats and lows of baseball.

A place that will always be home to me. (I did learn how to ride my bike in this parking lot.)

This weekend was the I-70 showdown. For those of you not from the great state of Missouri, this is the game series between the Royals and Cardinals. I now live right in the middle of St. Louis and Kansas City, so I am surrounded by many more Cardinals fans than I have ever been before (unfortunately).

My sister-in-law happens to be one of those fans.

Now since I live here, we are going to try to go to one game in each city as a sister date. And of course we are going to have matching outfits.

This year the Kansas City game also happened to have an alumni event from our Alma Mater. So we were able to support the Mules and our favorite baseball team.

Friday’s game was so much fun to watch. To see the magic of this team in person is just so wonderful.

We both got to enjoy some KC food magic in the form of popcorn. This cheese popcorn is the bomb!

And of course it was much sweeter that we (my Royals) won, and also won the series.

They have done some great things to make the park even more beautiful. I am so happy to be back so I can make it to more games. You really should check out a game here if you ever come to KC.

I can’t wait to take George later this summer!

As Tom stated this weekend, “My family is so into the Royals that all of our eyes are blue.” (True statement.)

Did you watch some baseball this weekend? Have you ever had cheesy popcorn?