Dancin' Fool

Nearly every day, and sometimes two or three times per day, Nick breaks out into dance. He'll dance to any kind of music, but in this video I believe he's dancing to Ween's "Roses are Free." (Greg is a fan.) He mostly just turns in circles to start with, but his repertoire becomes more interesting as his dance continues.

I am not exaggerating when I say that Nick can dance like this for an hour straight. I've been thinking of getting him one of those systems where the game reads your movements (a Wii or a Kinex, I think they're called). I bet he'd pick up on the moves relatively quickly.

Henry's First Walk

I know it probably sounds overly ambitious, but after bringing Henry home from the hospital Sunday afternoon, we decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. It was a lovely day, and we wanted both boys to get some fresh air.

I'm still recovering from my c-section on Thursday, but I've had a number of surgeries, and one thing I know for sure is that the more you move around and get light exercise, the sooner you recover. I get stiff and very sore if I sit around too much after surgery. Greg is home from work this week, but next week I'll be alone with both boys, so I figure I had better recover pretty quickly. My plan is to go for a walk everyday, and walk a little farther each time, so that I get my energy back.

Nick is really trying to be a good big brother, and he wanted to push the stroller, so we let him. He seems to like Henry and be interested in him, but he quickly becomes frustrated when any situation or conversation is not about him. I think that's pretty typical of two-year-olds; they tend to be self-centered anyway, and Nick thinks the world revolves around him. (You mean it doesn't?)

Nick has so much energy, and he tends to run ahead when we go for walks. Thank goodness he's been trained to stay on the sidewalk, and Greg keeps a very close eye on him. I still think I'm going to use a tether (baby leash) when I go for walks by myself with both kids. Nick is not obedient enough to stay right by me, and I'm not fast enough to chase him down.

We don't have that problem with Henry, at least not yet. He looked around a lot, then settled down for a nap. I think the motion of the stroller soothed him. It's a little to think that in two years, Henry will be running around picking up sticks, just like his big brother does. I'll have to make sure to enjoy his snuggly babyhood as much as possible.

We walked for about a half-hour yesterday, then a little longer today. I'd guess we did at least a half-mile, if not more. It felt good to be out of the house, getting a little bit of fresh air and exercise. I'm in training, you see--in training for chasing a two-year-old while carrying a newborn. Now that is an aerobic workout.   : )

Does toddler chasing count as exercise?

Because if so, I can count hundreds of minutes each week as a workout. Chasing Nick as he runs towards the garbage can. . . Following him to figure out why he's crying. . . Racing him to see who can get to my cell phone first. . . Running to stop him from abusing the cat. Then he'll do something funny and cute, like breaking into dance in the middle of the living room. (see above)

They say that a toddler's brain is twice as active as an adult's, and I believe it! Nicholas is incredibly curious, zips around from one thing to another, and is constantly on the lookout for trouble. Plus, he's fast. I do believe he's skipped straight from barely walking to outright running. He can do squats, fast pushups, near somersaults, and sprints. I read once about a study where they took football players who were in excellent shape and had them mirror the every move of toddlers. I believe by noon every one of those football players was dead tired. Perhaps the toddler plan will be the next big diet and exercise book. "Throw half of your food off the table, but eat whatevery you want. Put rice into your ears, throw toys down the stairs, and make every step a run. Soon you'll be as slim as can be! It's the toddler diet!"

Don't get me wrong, I completely understand the toddler's need to explore. I've even read studies about how kids can be negatively impacted if they aren't allowed to explore their environment and have new experiences.  It's very seldom that I get frustrated with the force of nature that is my son. Usually I just sigh in defeat or laugh at the absurdity of things. Nicholas is like a tornado lately, though. Greg and I try to let him play with anything that isn't dangerous, so long as we're keeping an eye on him.

We try to pick our battles. The plastic straw he's playing with above? Fine. The butter knives he was trying to snitch from the dishwasher while Greg was cleaning up dinner? NOT fine. That's why he's stomping out of the kitchen in the picture below.

I borrowed Grandma Toni's camera today while she was visiting. It was so nice to take pictures of Nick again. My camera is still at the Nikon repair shop. Hopefully I'll eventually get it back in one piece. I keep trying to take pictures with my cell phone, but Nick won't stay still long enough and they all turn blurry. I guess that's the point, though. Nick won't stay still. At least not until bedtime. Then he's out.

Running to nowhere, fast. . .

I love three-day weekends. Nick does, too, as evidenced by the joy in his face from simply roaming the house with a bright orange spoon. The cats, however, were not smiling after Nick decided to "tap" them with his spoon. He's been on the rampage today, whether it's throwing his lunch at us or refusing to nap, or emptying the clean laundry all over the kitchen floor. Cute but destructive.

Pardon the poor picture quality. I got a new cellphone this weekend, since my old one would only hold a charge for about 30 minutes. I chose a Motorola Crush, and it's my first phone that doesn't have a real keypad. It's all touchscreen. It even has this feature when where you turn it horizontally, it turns into a qwerty keypad. Not that I text all that much.

This phone is very fancy, but I'll have to get used to talking on it. My face keeps pushing random buttons on the touchscreen while I'm talking to someone. But it does have a camera, albeit a 2.0 megapixel one with no image stabilization. I do like the blurriness, though. It's kind of realistic, since that's how Nick is in real life. He moves so fast everything is blurry. :)

 Here's Nick hugging our elliptical trainer, which we're getting a lot of use out of so far in 2010. I'm using it every other day for at least 30 minutes, on level 10 in the fat burning mode. I keep my heart rate around 130 or above, and I think this machine was definitely worth the money. It cost about as much as 18 months of our YMCA membership, and we've already used it WAY more than we ever went to the Y. On the off days, I do a pilates bodyband workout. So far, so good, although I still have not lost one single pound.

Greg uses the elliptical nearly every day now, while Nick is in his high chair having breakfast. It's kind of interesting the way Nicholas looks at his daddy while he's on the elliptical. I guess it must seem weird, that Daddy is running to nowhere, fast.

One of my hobbies is reading about evolutionary history and human prehistory; humans used to spend all of their time searching for food and running from predators. Now, our lives are so stable that we pay tons of money for machines that help us run to nowhere. Such is modern life, I suppose. Not that I'd want to be running from a cougar or some such. I would be prey in 5 seconds flat. But I don't do too badly running to nowhere while watching TV shows I missed during the week. Lately I've been watching "Glee," "Modern Family," and "Mercy." I bribe myself into exercising with these shows. It's like a guilty pleasure coupled with a mandatory exercise routine.

My little copycat

Nick has already figured out what to do with a pen and a notebook. He immediately opened up the book and started moving the pen around on the page. It's funny how he copies what we do. He sure sees Greg and I writing enough. For years now, Greg has kept a daily journal, and he never misses a day. I'm always writing lists (that I promptly lose), composing letters to my 2nd graders, drafting lesson plans, and editing papers for people. I write all sorts of boring things, such as my food journal, which Nick hijacked when I took this picture. It seems to help me to write down everything I eat. It's funny that I could look up what I ate on this day last year, or the last, but I can't remember anything else about those days.

Speaking of Nick copying what we do, he did something hilarious yesterday. If I'd had my camera, I certainly would've taken a picture. . . but that's another story. I was doing a Pilates Bodyband workout. Sounds wimpy, right? Well, I dare you to try one. The bodyband is like a long rubberband that you use to stretch and work your muscles. You will barely be able to crawl up the stairs to bed after the first workout. I'm still following the senior citizen in the video. Maybe after five years or so I'll be able to do the motions with the young pilates instructor. Anyhow, Nick was walking around watching me do the exercises. He kept coming and snapping the bodyband and then laughing. He also kept looking at the tv and then back at me, confused. But then, when I was stretching my hands above my head, he decided to copy me.  He put his hands over his head and started laughing. It was pretty funny. I had to pause the workout when I was trying to do pushups and he sat on my legs. What a funny little man.

Resolutions for 2010

Nick looks a little wary about the new year. He isn't sure what it will bring, and he's a little nervous about what is to come. It is tough to be a toddler.

I'm not sure what his resolutions are, but I have a few in mind for myself. Not that resolutions usually matter by January 7th or so, but I figure it's worth a try. Something about writing down goals makes me more likely to at least attempt to stick to them. This year I want to make my resolutions attainable and reasonable. I also want to use the last day of every month to take account of how I'm doing. I'm going to try to make my last post each month an evaluation of my resolutions. So here goes. . .

Melissa's 2010 Resolutions

1. Exercise more. I don't want to set goals that are out of my league, but I think doing a cardio workout for at least 30 minutes, a minimum of 4 times a week is reasonable. That should make about 16+ workouts each month. I didn't buy an elliptical trainer for nothing.  : )

2. Continue reading to Nicholas every day. Right now I'm averaging about two books on a school night, and 4 or more on other nights. Already, he brings his favorite books to me and sits down on my lap. I want to continue reading to him every day. It is our special time.

3. Plan healthy meals each week. I am pretty good at eating healthy right now, but what will get me is if I don't have something planned for dinner. I've been known to munch on tortilla chips and call that dinner. If I have a plan, I tend to eat better. Weight loss is one goal, but not a resolution. No dieting. If I eat healthy, the last 20 lbs. of baby weight will come off once my thyroid is finally regulated.

4. Have more dates with my husband. As I re-discovered during our trip to Chicago, Greg and I have a lot in common, and we need to set aside some time to be a couple. Maybe we can finish using our dance lessons (he got me a gift certificate last year) or even go to a movie. I can't remember the last movie we went to. .

5. Start to organize my clothing better. The giant vortex that is our bedroom is filled with piles, stacks, and laundry baskets of clothing for every size, type, and season. I have so many clothes, and I keep buying more when I'd probably be okay if I could get it all put away each week. I need to spend less time desperately searching for specific clothing items. I've even been known to buy new things when I cannot find something. (I know, that's bad.) I think my first step will be to hang up everything I can find on Sunday, and pack up everything that doesn't fit. (Wishful thinking just wastes closet space.)

6. Be more positive. I am already much, much better about this than I was in my twenties, but I can improve. Cynicism is neither productive nor attractive, and I know of lots of ways to make myself feel better. My life is pretty awesome, and I need to dwell on the many wonderful things rather than the irritating things. I have a fulfilling job that I enjoy, where I can make a difference everyday. I have a husband and a son, both of whom I adore and are healthy and generally pleasant. We own our own home, have a large, loving extended family, and while we're not rich by any means, we can pay the bills despite the recession. I like my life.

7. Budget more. I'm not committing to anything crazy, but I think I can cut down on trips to the store if I plan a little better and know more about where my money is going. If I use a spreadsheet, this shouldn't be too hard. Small steps.

Well, seven resolutions doesn't sound too bad. I think I can swing these. I'm going to give it a shot, anyway. Now I'm off to put away some baby toys and have a nice glass of wine. Happy New Year, everyone!

Coxsackie Virus and a Crazy Cowlick

I love this picture. I surprised Nick with the camera, and he wasn't sure what to think. But the real reason I love the picture is the adorable cowlick on the back of his head. He has this fuzzy blonde little piece of hair that just won't stay down.

Nick had coxsackie virus this week, and this was his first time being really sick. He was extremely crabby on Monday night, and he freaked out on me when I left him at the YMCA. He was inconsolable and just wanted to be held. That was my first day back at work, so I thought the schedule change was upsetting him.

When Greg was getting Nick ready on Tuesday, he noticed that he felt hot, and his temperature was over 102. Our doctor said it was probably a virus. So he stayed home Tuesday, and Nick was having really high fevers by that evening. I was on the phone with the doctor after I got a temperature reading of 104.8, but I guess that can happen with babies. Nick was better the next day, and my stepdad watched him for us. (Thank goodness! He is a lifesaver--Greg and I don't get a lot of time off.)


He is doing better now, except that he's been super crabby the last few days. I've also noticed that Nick has started to mature more. I guess when the doctor checked him on Thursday, he'd lost a pound, but he is moving way more than he was before. He's even driving his little car, with his hands at ten and two!

Anytime he's down on the floor, he is wiggling around, scooting, rolling, and trying to pull up. This morning Greg found him sitting up in his crib, which he's never done before. Then, tonight, I watched him switch from laying down on his back up to sitting and then down onto his tummy up to his hands and knees. That kid is in shape! He can move 5 or 6 feet to get to something he wants, like the ritz cracker below.

As for me, I'm proud to say that I managed to do three pilates band workouts and go to the YMCA twice. Each time I did 35 minutes on the elliptical trainer and kept my heart rate between 125 and 140 the whole time (about 2 miles). It might not sound like a lot, but for me, that's a great week of exercise. Tomorrow I want to go back to the Y and do a longer workout. Hey, at least I'm trying.

Wistfully Remembering Vacation

I am going to talk about the day we took my dad and stepmom to Brookfield Zoo. It was last week, back in the days of blissful summer vacation.

Here we are in front of the fountain. Nick was fascinated by the mechanical dinosaurs. Why do they have mechanical dinosaurs at the zoo? Why, to confuse little children, of course. "I want to see the elephants and the lions and the dinosaurs," one little girl exclaimed at the entrance. I'm not sure what their motivation is, but it sure gets the kids excited.

Here Nick is checking out the alligator and all of the birds in the swamp. I think he really liked seeing the different animals. It is very cool to see him respond to what he's seeing and hearing. As he gets bigger, he responds to things in different, more mature ways.






Here his grandma and grandpa are holding Nick at the butterfly gardens. The one at Brookfield Zoo was gorgeous, but I think there were more butterflies at Reiman Gardens. Nick was happy to see both. He is a first grandchild, so he gets to go lots of places with his four grandmas, three grandpas, and two great-grandmas.

I feel really lucky to have so much family wanting to spend time with Nick and cuddle him. They say that children grow up and reflect all the love that they were given; I believe Nick will have a lot of love to share.

Nick is petting, er, slapping, the goat. I'm not sure what kind of prozac they give these goats, but they sure were mellow. This poor goat even seemed to like Nick's manhandling. (Or would you call it babyhandling?)

One thing that I'm loving about being a mom is noticing how babies learn things. I know Nicholas so well that I pretty much notice as he's learning something new. Take today, for example: Nick is trying to learn how to pull up. I had him sitting in the baby cage while I made him dinner, and I was watching him pull his body up. He hadn't figured out what to do with his legs yet, so he would just hang there. But then he got an idea, and his face lit up. A lightbulb shined above his head and everything. Suddenly, he turned one leg underneath him. He tried to turn the other one, but couldn't. Still, he was able to pull pretty far on one knee and one foot.

Monday was my first day back to work, and school officially started today. I'm excited about the school year, and optimisic as well. I have a classroom with windows this year, and the sunlight coming in just makes me feel happy. I bought all these plants, so our room looks very homey. I also work with the friendliest people, so going to work is enjoyable. But boy, am I tired. I actually think I might go to bed early.

I'm trying really hard to stay on track with my healthy eating, working out, and blog posts. Nick was sick earlier this week and is still pretty crabby, but I'm very proud of how much I've still managed to accomplish. I worked out twice at the YMCA this week, did two Pilates Band workouts, and even turned down the sweets table at work yesterday. (Our PTA had a whole table of homemade goodies, and I never say no. But yesterday, I did.) Tomorrow I will try to do another Pilates workout. It has to stop hurting so bad at some point. I'm pretty sure I'll never look like the toned ladies in the video, though.

No More Excuses!

For several months, I've been putting off getting back into a regular workout schedule. My endocrinologist said my thyroid is all screwed up, and that is why I'm having trouble losing the last 20 (okay, 25+) pounds of baby weight. Part of it is tiredness--taking care of a baby is a workout in itself, though not one that results in cardiovascular health or weight loss.

I also felt guilty about dropping Nick off at the child care center at our YMCA. "He's too young," I thought. "He'll get scared if I leave him with strange people." But today I decided to try it.

Nick was totally fine. Not only did he not cry when I left him, he reached out for the day care teacher and grinned at her. Didn't even look back at me. I was chopped liver. This was new and exciting and colorful. And loud.

The whole time I was on the elliptical trainer and the strength machines, I was listening for my name to be called over the intercom. I never heard it. That's because the child care center has TOYS. NEW TOYS that Nicholas has never seen before. Plus, there are new people and other babies there. In other words, Nick was in baby heaven. I swear, I went to pick him up and he didn't want to come. He just kept chewing on a plastic cookie and blinking, as if maybe I would go away again and he could play some more. Usually he's happy to see me, and when I hold out my arms, he raises his for me to pick him up. Not today. He just looked at me long and hard and then looked away.

So now I have absolutely no excuse not to work out. I'm sure that there's nothing more Nick would rather do than play in this wonderful place for a few hours a week. Fun for him, but not so much for me. I'm the one who has to sweat. No matter how much I try, I hate exercising. I love a brisk walk or some hiking or casual swimming. But true exercise is something I've always hated. When I had take PE, I was always the kid standing around in left field who ducked when someone threw a ball her way. Now when I exercise, I always bring a book to get my mind off of things. Perhaps I can forget I'm even exercising until the torture is finished. The great thing about an elliptical trainer is that it tracks your heart rate and beeps when you need to go faster. Therefore, I can read and zone out. That is my kind of exercise.

Unfortunately, today I brought "I Was Told There'd Be Cake," by Sloane Crosley. Not that it was a bad book. Actually, I thought it was charming, clever, and well-written. It made me laugh out loud more than once. But I realized about halfway through it that I HAD READ IT BEFORE. At first, I thought maybe I'd done that preview thing on amazon and read the first chapter. But I recognized the plot of every single essay. I read it again anyway, though. It was great even the second time.

For some reason, I was very motivated today. I ended up doing some hard core gardening and watering all morning. I researched online and found that the best way to kill the beetles is to drown them in soapy water and leave the bodies for their friends to find. Gruesome, but true.

I trimmed bushes, watered my garden, and cut down the catnip again. (It keeps getting out of control.) I killed at least 4 nasty prickly weeds, each over 2 ft. tall. Even though those darned Japanese beetles (for that is what they are called) ate lots of strawberry leaves, they didn't touch the nasturiums. Don't they look pretty?