Micah is 15 Months & I ran a marathon!

Micah is a little over 15 months, and has it been fun! He is running around and getting into everything. How does the time go by so quickly, can you answer me that?

In December, I RAN A MARATHON! It was such a huge accomplishment for me, and I am so very glad I did it. Getting there was an emotional journey, one that I can say I did, but won't be doing again anytime soon. I don't know if I will ever do it again, unless I have someone to train with me. It was so trying to get through training alone. It was also incredibly difficult running the race. My goal was to finish in under four hours, and I did so! However, I had to go to the restroom at the start of the race, and couldn't because the lines to the restrooms were too long. I had to stop at mile three and run into a Porta Potty, leaving behind my pacing crew. I did catch up with them pretty quickly though, meaning I was running faster than I should have been. I started hurting at mile 20, and the last couple of miles were torture. I had to walk (a little) towards the end, but didn't allow myself to walk too much fearing I would see Conrad and he would make fun of me :). When I crossed the finish line I was determined not to look up at the cameras because I was hurting too much and too mad at my body and mind for falling apart at the end! But you know what!? I can say that I ran a marathon. I didn't give up, and I did it! I think my pace was a little over 9 min/mi, and I wanted to be a little under that, but WHO CARES!? I wouldn't have gotten a prize or anything. The prize was in the finish. And I did it.

Then afterwards I quit exercising for a couple of months because my back was giving me problems, and I went to a chiropractor to try to get it right. I am still having a little discomfort, but I think it is getting better. I don't know if it will ever be completely better because I have a crazy little toddler to run after, and to pick up.

The crazy little toddler is such a joy. He does everything with me, and mostly without complaint. He's always so happy, and he teaches me more than I ever knew he could. I want to be a better person for him.

He still uses a pacifier when he sleeps, and I haven't really wanted to break him of it because it makes life so easy. He loves his pacifier. He has even started trying to get them out of his crib when he is in his room, so I have to remember to keep them out of his reach.

He still loves balls of all shapes and sizes, and when he sees a basketball hoop he goes crazy! He loves basketball, and I don't know if it is because he gets such praise from his daddy when he makes a shot (in his room) or if he just loves it all on his own! When we went to watch Conrad play, he was entertained for an hour! That would be nice if he really liked it, and was actually good at it! If not, oh well! He will be what he will be.

Conrad and I went on a trip to New Orleans, and left Micah with my parents. He did so well, even though he was sick. My mom and dad loved spending time with him, but were ready for us to get back from our short weekend away! I think what really helped was Micah being able to stay at his own home.

I am so excited for our future, but I want life to slow down a little bit so I have a chance to take it all in. We are going to try for baby number two this summer, and I will be griping and complaining all over again. I am so afraid to have another child and not give Micah all the attention he deserves, but I think that is the only child in me talking. I know he will probably be better for it!

Micah and I have been going on short runs together, in order to get ready for half marathon number five! I think the half is my distance! I love it. I hope everyone is doing well. Sorry it has been so long.

Half Marathon & traveling with baby

Two weeks ago, I completed my first half marathon post-baby, and it felt so good. I ran 8:31 min/mi, and beat my last half marathon time from a year and a half ago. It was a huge accomplishment, and I am very proud. The last two weeks on the other hand, have been very inconsistent when it comes to Micah's schedule and exercise. We went to Maui, back home, Las Cruces, and to a wedding…and the motivation to exercise has left me. I think I may need a little break though because the half marathon took a lot out of me, as did boot camp.

I was maintaining an 8:15 min/mi pace until the last three miles. I hit a wall. When they tell you to do the same exact thing that you do for your long runs during race time, they aren't just talking to talk! I forgot to bring carbs along with me, and I hit an effing wall at the end. I didn't run slower than nine minutes the whole race, until the end. Oh well. My goal was less than two hours, and I did it!

First of all, Maui was gorgeous and I am so thankful we were able to go with my parents (thank you). It was the trip of a lifetime! However, traveling with Micah was very intimidating. I had a nervous stomach a week prior to takeoff. I read several articles and they all said different things (of course). Our pediatrician told me to nurse him on takeoff and landing, so I did and we didn't have any issues.

Oh my goodness gracious did we have to pack a lot for our little son. What I think made a difference was his sheets from home (unwashed), and his swaddler (unwashed). The smell I think comforted him, and made him relax. Who the heck knows if this is true or not, but this is what I like to think. There was a four hour time difference in Maui, and you couldn't even tell with Micah. He slept 8 hours each night we were there! I think we kept him busier than ever, so he wanted to crash out at night. I guess there was a lot for him to take in.
Would I recommend traveling with a four month old? Well, it all depends. Would you worry about your child when you were away…the entire time? Would you miss him/her and be miserable on the trip? Four months is a little young, so I didn't want to leave him. He is still nursing, and I didn't want to deal with pumping that much prior to the trip. To be honest, leaving him wasn't even an option in my mind. However, when he is a little older, and if a trip like this comes up I definitely would probably leave him behind. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't have done it without him…but as a mother, you can't really enjoy it ALL. You are constantly trying to make your child happy on the trip. If he's fussy, you figure out ways to calm him. It isn't relaxing, is what I mean to say…but what part of parenting is?
I was informed by my mom that the next eighteen years are going to be stressful, and that I won't ever get to totally relax…haha. Micah was a trooper though! He did so well that passengers complimented him on both flights! I'm telling you, we are lucky! I just think the traveling part is a little hard!
Anyway, I have a friend who will be traveling in June, and her daughter will be five months by then (right!?) and she has total confidence in her in-laws because they are with her daughter all of the time. Her mother-in-law also ran a daycare! She is debating about whether to bring her along, and my opinion is if she has people who do great with her, then maybe she can leave her daughter behind and feel good about it. No one was really around Micah too much, so I worried that both Micah and whoever watched him would have a rough five days. Five days is a lot though even if you have someone to watch your child at home.

A thing that really helped us in Maui was baby rental places! They deliver what ever you need wherever you need it. I thought this was a clever idea. It helped us a lot! Just google baby rentals, maybe they have this in a city you are going to!

Anyway, hope all is well!!!

Life with a 3 month old, building a supply, and such...

Just as I am becoming confident in the way things are…things change!  

I like to go to a boot camp that one of the trainers at our gym puts together…it is separate from the gym itself, and a really great way to get into shape, or stay in shape. It is three days a week, and I am gone roughly an hour and a half. I also like to run a few times a week (with and without Micah)…being that I am training for a half marathon and all. Conrad said that when I am gone now that Micah gets really fussy. Last night he was crying the entire time that I was gone. Conrad asked if I fed him (THE NERVE!), well he knows that I did, but he was frustrated that he was behaving that way with him. I think it was because he is starting to get attached to me. At first though, I started worrying that my supply was diminishing because he wasn't content, and usually he only cries if he is hungry or tired. Next time Conrad will feed him if he needs to, this is why I pump once in a while…he just didn't want to mess up the schedule that he is on. 

Are you a stay-at-home-mom and want to build a supply, but are nervous about getting an oversupply? That is definitely something I was nervous about the first month! As I have said in previous posts, I am doing what they call "block feeding." I just feed on one breast each feeding because I produce a lot of milk. So now that Micah is sleeping 7-8 hours at night (YAY!), one breast is full, while the other is not. That's when my friend, Ashley, suggested that I pump the other breast while I nurse him. This has really helped me get a supply. I do not get a great deal of milk by any means, but I keep the milk I do get in the refrigerator, and I put two-three nights' worth of milk in one storage bag. Just today I have decided to start pumping at 7 a.m., with Micah's first morning feed. I produced double the amount of milk than I do at night! I think if I do this, I won't risk getting an oversupply because it is so spaced out. 

You see, my situation is different than most people's. Try not to read too many articles online that tell you, "Most people do this…" When it came to my situation, I wasn't like most people, and then it worried me because I thought there was something wrong. 

During #strollermomsABQ (Our own Stroller Mom's club, by invite only ;) ) Ashley and I were talking about how we try to get on such a strict schedule and if it goes off a little bit, we worry that it will mess everything up. Then we came to the realization that we are stay-at-home-moms…we are here for our kids, we should feed them when they are hungry, and who cares if things get thrown a bit off. 

Anyway, that is just my two cents for the day. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Let me know if you have any questions or comments!

2 months & things are good

I think I am starting to get used to this whole mom thing. I know just as I get used to things, and become more confident, something will occur to change all of that. 

Micah had his two month checkup yesterday, and along with that his first round of vaccinations. I know there is a big debate, especially right now with measles going around, but I think we have a responsibility to our children and to other people's children to vaccinate. What the heck is wrong with these people who are deciding not to vaccinate? 

Anyway, my poor little baby was in so much pain last night and silly me forgot to buy Tylenol, so there I was driving to Walmart at midnight to buy some because he was running a fever. It was a long night for my little partner and I. 

Then Conrad is sick, so I made sure to ask the doctor what to do if Micah got sick. I learned that there is nothing I can do, really. Great!

Micah has hit the two month mark, everybody!! It is absolutely amazing to watch how quickly he is growing! 

I eliminated dairy for two weeks, to no avail. Micah still has gas pains, but I am not so uptight about them anymore. The doctor said he may just be a gassy baby, and he will grow out of it.

I do block feeding where I nurse only on one breast a feeding. I have been managing my supply this way. I decided to start building a supply by pumping my other breast when Micah goes five hours without eating, this is the first feeding of the night, from 8 p.m.-1 a.m. I haven't been producing much yet, but I hope that will change soon! 

On Saturday, Conrad introduced the bottle and Micah took it without a problem!

I need to start working harder on my relationship with God. I have been Catholic for almost two years, and I have not been the best Christian. How do I expect my son to be faith-filled if I am not living this way? I want Conrad and I to be Godly role models for our children. I know it is a work in progress, but I need to try harder! Hopefully we will be better! A baby is no excuse to be distracted this much from the reason we are able to be here in the first place! Thank God for baby Micah Avery! 

#abqstrollermoms has been going well! We have been meeting pretty consistently. We even got our first picture of the Osuna twins and Micah!

Half marathon training has also been going well. I ran four miles last weekend, which is my longest distance so far. I am not as fast as I hope to be one day, but I am so proud of my progress! Stroller running isn't easy, and neither is running with this new body of mine, but I am happy!