Lawrence is doing track through the Boys and Girls Club. We stopped doing karate back in January and it was time to get Lawrence up and moving again. He is actually enjoying it, which is an added bonus since I think he only picked the sport "track" because we had never heard of a team for elementary school kids. Mom found one though, so operation sit-on-my-butt-playing-video-games was foiled.
He has been running the 400 and 200. He has a meet every weekend and has steadily gotten better, which has been exciting for him. He ran the 200 in 40 seconds this week and for the first time wasn't last in his heat. Unfortunately, track ends in 6 days. Hopefully he can continue training with Mike a couple days a week because I'm not quite in running shape right now. Maybe I could use a scooter on the track....
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
'century' mark
Today marks 100 days until the predicted arrival of our little boy. If the doctors have their way he'll arrive a bit sooner through surgical methods, but I am celebrating my hundred days of expectation anyway.
I am currently in the awkward waiting phase. We aren't starting to move for 6 weeks, but I am so ready to DO something, and packing would definitely be something! I've already packed up 12 boxes, that was all the cases of paper my office has ordered this month :) Next stage is whining until Mike builds me a couple of wooden crates to pack all my china and fragile nick-nacks in to prepare for three years of storage. I know it makes me a weirdo, but I long to see our house empty save a pile of boxes in the living room.
Even more I am ready to see the bassinet out of plastic and set up in the new apartment! After all, the nursery is never quite so beautiful or perfect AFTER there is a baby in it.
I am currently in the awkward waiting phase. We aren't starting to move for 6 weeks, but I am so ready to DO something, and packing would definitely be something! I've already packed up 12 boxes, that was all the cases of paper my office has ordered this month :) Next stage is whining until Mike builds me a couple of wooden crates to pack all my china and fragile nick-nacks in to prepare for three years of storage. I know it makes me a weirdo, but I long to see our house empty save a pile of boxes in the living room.
Even more I am ready to see the bassinet out of plastic and set up in the new apartment! After all, the nursery is never quite so beautiful or perfect AFTER there is a baby in it.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Sunshine and laundry
Today is beautiful out! Hallelujah, summer may actually be on its way. Or at least spring. Amazingly, I also had energy today - - double miracle!
My favorite thing about spring/summer is hanging laundry on the line. Seriously. Nothing gives me such a content feeling as a clothesline full of clothes blowing in the breeze. Plus, I get my badly needed sunshine vitamins.
I spent the morning at a track meet for Lawrence and even though he isn't winning any ribbons, he did improve his 400m time and seems to genuinely enjoying it. It is nice to see him outdoors and exercising, totally out of his preferred indoor plugged in environment. In true Lawrence fashion, he refuses to do the field events because of the dirt factor (jump into SAND, throw a ball that just landed in the DIRT, or jump onto the high jump pad which is very DUSTY). At least his track uniforms are way easier to clean, and they look great hanging on my clothesline.
My favorite thing about spring/summer is hanging laundry on the line. Seriously. Nothing gives me such a content feeling as a clothesline full of clothes blowing in the breeze. Plus, I get my badly needed sunshine vitamins.
I spent the morning at a track meet for Lawrence and even though he isn't winning any ribbons, he did improve his 400m time and seems to genuinely enjoying it. It is nice to see him outdoors and exercising, totally out of his preferred indoor plugged in environment. In true Lawrence fashion, he refuses to do the field events because of the dirt factor (jump into SAND, throw a ball that just landed in the DIRT, or jump onto the high jump pad which is very DUSTY). At least his track uniforms are way easier to clean, and they look great hanging on my clothesline.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Overload vs. overwhelm
Went to a great training yesterday on recognizing and intervening with overload and overwhelm.
In a nutshell:
overwhlem - aware of many tasks, assign high priority to all of them, wonder where to begin, rush, rush, rush, lower work quality. Overwhelm is a situation where organization and focus are lacking.
overload - aware of many tasks but no idea how to even start, move toward apathy and burnout. Overload is a situation where motivation and interest are lacking.
Obviously neither is good for the workplace or for home. My big takeaway was how the brain processes time - in overwhelm time feel like it flies, in overload it can drag. The speaker suggested that we can re-program the way our brain approaches time and focus by starting each day with a sustained attention activity (5-20 minutes) , 20 minutes of movement or exercise, and 5 minutes quiet reflection. My immediate thought was "I don't have time for that!" which is exactly the problem - if I can't make 30-40 minutes for myself each morning, I'm not taking care of "me".
Now time to think about if/what to do with my big thoughts :)
speakers blog is at: tararobinson.com
In a nutshell:
overwhlem - aware of many tasks, assign high priority to all of them, wonder where to begin, rush, rush, rush, lower work quality. Overwhelm is a situation where organization and focus are lacking.
overload - aware of many tasks but no idea how to even start, move toward apathy and burnout. Overload is a situation where motivation and interest are lacking.
Obviously neither is good for the workplace or for home. My big takeaway was how the brain processes time - in overwhelm time feel like it flies, in overload it can drag. The speaker suggested that we can re-program the way our brain approaches time and focus by starting each day with a sustained attention activity (5-20 minutes) , 20 minutes of movement or exercise, and 5 minutes quiet reflection. My immediate thought was "I don't have time for that!" which is exactly the problem - if I can't make 30-40 minutes for myself each morning, I'm not taking care of "me".
Now time to think about if/what to do with my big thoughts :)
speakers blog is at: tararobinson.com
Sunday, April 15, 2012
The joys of pregnancy
Small annoyances on the road to bringing home baby:
1. No one wants to talk to me about anything except the pregnancy/baby (or worse, THEIR pregnancy/baby).
2. Shaving has become difficult.
3. Suddenly needing 12 pillows to get to sleep.
4. Worrying that I am standing too much, or sitting too much, or sleeping too much. Seriously can't win.
5. Having my weight and wardrobe fit now considered appropriate topics of conversation for my co-workers.
Seriously, I do not care if you think my shirt is getting too short. At least I can blame my chubbiness on a baby.
Which brings me to #6 - I find myself much less tolerant / quicker to flip out than usual. Just as there are happy drunks and mean drunks, pregnancy affects moods I think. Safe to assume I am not the happy whale, I might just use hormones as an excuse to punch the next person who tells me "how big" I am getting.
1. No one wants to talk to me about anything except the pregnancy/baby (or worse, THEIR pregnancy/baby).
2. Shaving has become difficult.
3. Suddenly needing 12 pillows to get to sleep.
4. Worrying that I am standing too much, or sitting too much, or sleeping too much. Seriously can't win.
5. Having my weight and wardrobe fit now considered appropriate topics of conversation for my co-workers.
Seriously, I do not care if you think my shirt is getting too short. At least I can blame my chubbiness on a baby.
Which brings me to #6 - I find myself much less tolerant / quicker to flip out than usual. Just as there are happy drunks and mean drunks, pregnancy affects moods I think. Safe to assume I am not the happy whale, I might just use hormones as an excuse to punch the next person who tells me "how big" I am getting.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
into each life a little rain must fall
had to borrow from Longfellow :(
Called Mike to let him know that we got the townhouse he wanted close to his school for next year and he had his own news- his dad had just called to say his grandmother died. It was totally unexpected and his dad was just there visiting a few days ago. Everyone is taking it really hard.
I didn't get to know her well enough to be grieving myself, but I worry for Mike and his dad getting through this and how his grandfather, who is already in a nursing home, will take it.
Called Mike to let him know that we got the townhouse he wanted close to his school for next year and he had his own news- his dad had just called to say his grandmother died. It was totally unexpected and his dad was just there visiting a few days ago. Everyone is taking it really hard.
I didn't get to know her well enough to be grieving myself, but I worry for Mike and his dad getting through this and how his grandfather, who is already in a nursing home, will take it.
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