Born To Run

I think I mentioned in a previous post that I will be running the Gasparilla 5k on March 3rd. I'm super excited, as this is my first 5k since having the baby. So I have been running about every other day. Today I ran two miles! This might not sound like much, but I haven't done it in over a year. Obviously I need to do 3.1 for the race, but I'm better under pressure. So I think I'll be sticking to two miles for a few weeks. My cousin has taken up running recently, and she's already up to four miles! I'm not sure I'll ever get past three. In an effort to continue my weight loss, I'm trying to cut down on sweets. The other day I realized that I'm addicted to chocolate. Not quite as bad as I was with cigarettes, but I'm pretty sure I replaced cigarettes with chocolate. When we don't have chocolate in the house I kind of panic. Which is what used to happen when I ran out of cigarettes. It's not quite as bad, since I don't immediately go buy chocolate, but it could be a problem. Tonight I had strawberries for dessert. They would have been better dipped in chocolate. Yay for me.

That'll Be The Day

There is something to be said for "the good old days".  Recently I've been thinking about how much I wish I could be home with Cole.  Don't get me wrong, I like having a purpose and somewhere to go every day. It's just that I feel like my purpose has changed. Before Cole I was molding the youth, changing the world one bratty pre teen at a time. Now, I have a son to raise! THAT should be my purpose, and yet here I sit, while my son grows up at Grandma's. (Side note: I am fully aware that going to Grandma's every day is the BEST situation ever! We are SO lucky!) I recognize that being a teacher is an ideal career for child rearing. I get weekends, holidays and summers with him. Plus I'm home by four every day. Really I'm getting more time with him than many other working Moms.  So why do I still feel guilty?  I think this feeling is natural and it makes me wonder.  Do I feel guilty because I am meant to stay home? As a female am I just wired for it? Did our grandparents have it right? Are we really better off now?  Let's not get crazy, of course women deserve equal rights, equal pay, etc. I firmly believe a women should be able to support herself through gaining an education and establishing a career. However, what if after that, you just want to be a Mom for a while? Is that so bad? Isn't it worth cutting out the excess expense to make it happen? So what if I have to watch True Blood on DVD instead of paying for HBO? I would be willing to make the sacrifices, if it were that simple. I just don't want to end up hurting someone because I am annoyed when it comes to this topic. Like when someone uses the acronym SAHM (stay at home mom) when talking about themselves. I want to punch the SAHM in the face! Also, please don't complain about how you have to go back to work after staying home with your kid for a year! No one feels sorry for you. At the end of the day, we all do the best we can. (well, most of us) My point is, maybe this liberated woman stuff isn't all it's cracked up to be. ;)

Electric Avenue

I'm in love... with a computer. At my previous school I was given a MacBook Pro laptop. Then I changed schools and had to give my laptop back. It was a very sad day. I mean I actually considered the fact that I would have to give up this laptop when deciding whether or not to change schools. That's how much I loved it. So imagine my excitement when I was told that my current school would be receiving MacBook Pros this year. Just when I thought this job couldn't get any better! Fast forward to today, when I received my new laptop fresh out of the box. Actually, I got the box too. Anyway, it also has the new Lion operating system, which is SO fun. Needless to say I am a very happy girl. :)

The Kids Aren't Alright

As a teacher I am exposed to all types of children. After ten years in this profession, I still find myself wondering why. Why do these kids have such horrible parents? Why do I even bother coming to work? More than anything now that I have a child of my own I think, what can I do to NOT have my kid turn out this way. What did these parents do that I can avoid? I have to remind myself daily that these children are not responsible for their horrible parents and I shouldn't take it out on them. It is not their fault that no one disciplines them. It is not their fault that their parents ignore them, or spoil them, or do everything for them. So where do these parents go wrong? Let's be clear that when I say parents, I am referring to about 75% of parents. Not all of them. There are still well adjusted, well behaved kids out there. They are just the minority. So, do we blame society? Do we blame the media? Or do we as parents start taking responsibility for raising our children? I can tell you for sure that your child's teacher is sick of doing it for you! Obviously there have always been bad parents with bad children. I just feel like it is getting worse and worse. Every day I spend with these kids makes me more committed to raising a well behaved, RESPECTFUL, young man.

She's Got Legs

My newest pet peeve is leggings. Or more specifically, females wearing them incorrectly. Working in a middle school, I see all kinds of fashion mistakes.  This is understandable since these little girls are just getting their bearings when it comes to choosing their own ensembles. Sometimes, they get it right. More often, they are oh so wrong. But that's OK. They're young and have time to learn and change. We all remember the ridiculous things we wore in middle school. What really bothers me are the grown women out there making the same mistakes as a twelve year old. Ladies, leggings and tights are meant to be worn UNDER your clothing. Think of them like you would a pair of pantyhose. I mean, how hard is it to cover your butt? Now I understand there are exceptions. Maybe you are wearing some very thick leggings to work out in. The gym would be an acceptable place for these. Possibly you have a pair of thick and shiny leggings that you would wear to a club with a longer shirt. OK, I'll let that slide. But if these two situations do not apply to you, then you need to go home and put some clothes on. I do not want to see every detail of your lower anatomy. I feel embarrassed for you that you left the house with no pants on. I found a very simple Do's & Don'ts guide from Ladies Home Journal, that may be helpful.

Dos and Don'ts

When wearing leggings, there are some dos and don'ts that can mean the difference between fashion plate and fashion victim.
Do layer leggings under pieces that are long enough to cover your behind.
Don't wear leggings with short tops. Think of them as tights, not stretchy pants.
Do keep it simple: Black leggings are the most elegant, and they match everything.
Don't choose leggings in bright colors or wild patterns unless you're a teenager. Neutral shades are much more sophisticated and flattering.
Do choose a length that flatters. "Be sure to pick a pair that stops at the thinnest part of your calf," advises Misty Elliot, spokesperson for Spanx. "For most women, leggings look best in longer lengths."
Don't wear leggings that stop above the middle of the calf: This faux pas makes legs look shorter.

I Think I Love You

My mom is OCD. She LOVES cleaning. Especially vacuuming. Now anyone who lives in a super clean house their whole life is bound to pick up some of these traits. I do like a clean house, but I am not even close to her level of crazy. Until now. This Christmas my mom asked for, wait for it, a vacuum. My dad, being a genius, bought me one too. This vacuum is no joke. It has all kinds of attachments, it comes apart in multiple ways, it does tile, wood, carpet AND you can control the amount of suction! It's amazing! Oh, I almost forgot, it swivels! The list goes on. If I could marry this vacuum, I probably would. I am in love with it. John may get booted. Anyway, here it is, the most glorious vacuum ever. The Shark Navigator Lift Away Professional. Get one.

Lets Get Physical

My body is gross. Like I look at myself and think, "I would not be attracted to this". Now that the baby is 6 months old it's time to get serious about losing weight. I gained 20 pounds with him and that was gone within the first 6 weeks. Obviously, being pleasantly plump to begin with, I didn't need to gain too much while pregnant. That's all great and everything, but I've only lost about 3 extra pounds after the initial 20. At least I'm not gaining any. Unfortunately, that's probably from the breastfeeding, which will not last forever. So, I've signed up to run the 5k at Gasparilla. I really miss running and this will be my first race since I got pregnant. Some of the girls at work who have never done it before will be running it as well, which makes it more fun. So, it's time to get my butt in gear. I only ran twice last week. I'm currently sitting on the couch trying to motivate myself to go run in the cold. I'm super pissed that I washed (yeah, like in the washing machine) my cell phone today and now I don't have my cardio trainer app! However, I can't use that as an excuse to be a lazy slob. So I guess I'll get off my butt and go. But I'm rewarding myself with some vodka later. ;)

Cry Me a River

I have lots of experience with kids. My brother is almost nine years younger than me. I spent a ton of time babysitting him and my cousins. As the oldest grandchild, it was pretty much my job. Our family has always produced independent, unspoiled children. So when my mother told me the other day that my kid is spoiled, I was shocked. How could my perfect little boy already be spoiled? The problem is, Cole has not been left to cry himself to sleep. He usually falls asleep while nursing, or I rock him. I know this is horrible and I should just let him cry. I never had any trouble walking away and shutting the door when it was my brother or cousins crying. How hard can it be right? Yeah, well, they weren't my kids. I had tried a few times to just let him cry and every time I caved. Until last night. I put him in the crib and turned down the monitor. Then I proceeded to start crying myself. Yep, I cried because I felt horrible. What if he thinks I abandoned him? It's ridiculous, I know, but it physically hurts me when he cries. However, I did it. Two nights in a row now! Luckily he only cries for about ten minutes. I know I will thank myself later. I guess I just wasn't ready for my little baby to be old enough to manipulate me.

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Warning: Males may want to stop reading this immediately. :)

I am sad to report that after one year and four months (other than the first few weeks after delivery) my period is back with a vengeance. As I was totally unprepared for this occurrence, due to my complete denial of it ever happening again, my poor (amazing) husband had to go out and buy the proper supplies. I've heard that having a baby may help with the symptoms of Endometriosis. So far it seems to be true. So that's a perk!
Cole is finally sleeping through the night. Well, as much as a breastfed baby does anyway. He usually gets up around 3 to have a quick snack and then goes right back to sleep. He gets a little squirmy sometimes because of his teeth, but other than that he is doing great. Being on vacation has been amazing. I am catching up on months of lost sleep. Being home with him is so wonderful. Going back to work on Monday is going to be tough. I can't believe he is almost 6 months old!