Making the time

One thing that I have realized since having a baby 16 months ago is how much harder it is to have a consistent workout schedule. Now you are talking to someone who has always been very good with routine and consistency. The one thing that I always have been good at is keeping a schedule. Call it the type A personality if you want, but whatever it is -- it works for me! However, Isabella has changed that mindset a bit. She has her OWN schedule and she doesn't care if I want to workout, sleep till 9 or have some quiet time. It isn't about *me* anymore. We don't have a gym membership with a daycare (not in the budget) so its an ever evolving process for me to find the time to workout.

However, not exercising is NOT an option for me. As I have said in previous posts, its a part of my lifestyle, and its a stress relief for me. Its only an hour most days of the week. In reality, thats not that much time. You just have to make it. Its not the best time of the day ever, but since the holidays the time I do this to make sure it gets done is 6am. This is before Bella wakes up. I get it done before anyone else is awake and then I have my whole day ahead of me! It is hard to get out of bed most days-- but once I do and get it done , I feel GREAT. There are no excuses in terms of needing to run errands or being too hungry for dinner.

So the moral of the story is ... make the time. Make the time for whatever is important to you. Exercise may not be everyone's priority in life, and thats okay -- but I challenge you to make *some* time for it in your week.

Happy moving!

Where does time go?

Do you remember when we were little kids and we couldn't wait to get older? We would constantly wish to be older, try to be taller, bigger, smarter, and faster. The cooler kids were ALWAYS older. We were jealous of those who could drive before us, see an R rated movie before us, legally have a beer before us... but the one thing I've noticed now that I have a child is that all I want is for time to slow down.

I cannot believe that Isabella will be one year old a month from today. It brings tears to my eyes and a knot in my stomach when I think about it. I want to push the pause button and remember today. I want to remember the barrel of belly laughs and squeal that I got when I kissed her neck this afternoon... I want to remember the way she flapped her whole arm at me when she waved goodbye this morning when I dropped her off at my Mom's house for a couple of hours. I want to always remember the way she snuggles into my shoulder when she's sleepy and the way that she prefers me to hold her over everyone else. And yet, somehow, I know that in a few years from today-- chances are good that I won't remember these little moments quite as well and they will only be filled with other great moments with her.

My own mother, who I look up to more each day, recently told me that as we get older and our experiences get richer and more meaningful that time speeds up. She even said that she should have a discussion with Stephen Hawkings about the scientific findings of this fact :) I think she is right. And while I wish time would slow down each day I wake up to Bella's beautiful smiling face, I am so excited to wake up to see her that every single moment.. .every single smile, tear, poopy diaper and laugh... are more amazing than the last. And THOSE are the things that I wouldn't trade for anything. Not anything-- and that makes aging worth every second. :)

On that note, I end this post with one of my favorite quotes...

"Dance like no on is watching, work like you don't need the money and love like you've never been hurt before."

Motivation Monday

Hello all and Happy Monday! I decided to dedicate my Monday posts to motivation. Mostly because I never feel like I have anything interesting to write about on Mondays, and also because I've discovered that Mondays often decide how the week is going to turn out for most of us. If we can get motivated to do something, anything, on Monday-- then suddenly the whole week is better. I find that this goes for exercise, diet, work, cleaning around the house -- even something as small as drinking enough water. If I get a good start on the week-- Monday-- then the rest of the week has a better chance. However, if I put myself aside on Mondays, don't get a workout in, let the dishes pile up, or drink more diet coke than I should-- the week just isn't as great.

So here's the deal... each Monday, lets start motivating each other. I don't care if it has to do with fitness or not. In fact, all topics are welcome :) Need some motivation to clean your toilets? How about to balance your checkbook? Lets help each other out!

My motivation of the day is going to be the obvious one. Make time to exercise on Mondays. Have you gotten yours in yet? I haven't yet... but thats only because I have been at work since 4:45 this morning.> But it will get done! I always work a very long day on Mondays-- 12 hours. 6am-6pm. However, I know that if I don't get a workout in on Monday, the rest of the week I will feel like crap. So I block out 2 hours from 12-2 to workout. Its usually a short one, since I have to workout, eat and shower all in 2 hours-- but I get it done. And I feel so much better! Whats on your card today? Tell me what your exercise plan is today.

For me... I only worked a half day today because I was down a sitter this afternoon for Bella. So the plan is to go to the gym around 5pm and do 30 minutes on the step mill and a total body workout and be home in time for dinner with Jerry :)

Diaper Changing-- An olympic sport

Ok seriously. Changing Bella has become an Olympic event. I think its getting worse by the day. I now dread changing her diaper. Especially a poopy. It goes something like this. Bella grunts, her face turns bright red and she clenches her little fists. I know that its coming. The poop. So I give her a few minutes to do her business then KNOW I should do my mommy duty and change her diaper so she doesn't sit around in it. So I pick her up and take her to the changing table....now...even before we get into the room, she starts to go "eeeeeee!!!" because she knows whats coming. I try to distract her and talk to her about the dogs, the weather, my hair, anything at all.. haha.... So then we enter the room and I put her down. As soon as I put her on her back, and I mean AS SOON as I put her down, she flips over on her tummy and begins to crawl away from me. Fine. So I pick her up so she doesn't do a face plant onto the ground, go get a fresh diaper and come back to the table. Place Bella down on her back. FLIP. *sigh* Straight baby legs. *Sigh* Turn baby back over, this time, strategically placing my forearm over her entire body to get her to stay put. "EEEEEEEEEE!!" She yells at me. "Sorry, Bella, I have to do this" I say. Straight baby legs, followed by arching of the back, followed by trying to flip back over. I'm now sweating. Fighting with my baby. At this point my entire body is pretty much on top of her, diaper is half on, half off. Poop is now on me, on the changing table and on her chubby thighs. I grab wipes and am trying to wipe the butt, the leg, my arm. Flip baby back over. Quickly attach sticky flaps of the diaper only in time for her to flip over AGAIN. Flip her over once more, to tighten the diaper. Rest. Now I have to put pants back on her. Move her to the floor because the changing table is now covered in poo. Put baby on floor-- flip and crawling away--- there she goes. *sigh* ....

And yes this process repeats about every 2-3 hours during the day. Ah, the life of a mommy!

Rainy Day Blues

Ugh I hate rainy days!! At least ones that I feel like I could be much more productive if it weren't raining. Before I was a Mom, rainy days didn't bother me as much.  I would enjoy the time to sleep in, cuddle with my hubby, or read a book. But now as a Mom, I'm not as much intrigued by these rainy days, haha. Its a PAIN the pa-too-ty to run errands in the pouring down rain with a 7 month old. It just is. I don't want her to get sick, trying to manage a cart, keep her dry (and happy) and not get completely soaked myself just doesn't sound like fun. So Bella and I are staying in today despite the list of errands I want to run. So this rainy day has gotten me to think. What things as part-time or full-time stay at home moms do to keep themselves sane on rainy days? What things do you do with your kids on rainy days? Bella is only 7 months old, so she discovers new play items everyday which is really fun. She is starting to crawl and stand supported, so we do a lot of that. This morning was fun because Megan came over with her tiny one, Anastasia, and I helped Megs start an exercise plan. But now my afternoon plans of errands to Walmart (to get my .24 cents/can diced tomatoes and Kashi granola bars on sale) , Walgreens and library are on hold. I suppose I could do more laundry, or dishes or workout myself. But there is always something about the rain that makes me less motivated in general!

So on this rainy day, I encourage all of you to do something for yourself and if you have kids, good luck today! ;o)