As I sit here at 10:20 at night, while my family is asleep, and with a cat on my lap, I am filled with a sense of peace...or is that exhaustion?  On top of my super busy schedule (I'm sure I'll go into that in another post), I have decided to go back to blogging my thoughts out here.  I have been on a wellness journey for the last year.  However, only recently do I think I have found the magic potion to actually get me there.

I always had this notion that I was thin when I was married without every trying.  I mean, I spent most weekends drinking and having fun with friends, eating whatever I wanted.  That means I didn't try to maintain or lose weight, right?!  It wasn't until recently that I realized that I worked out at the gym about 4 days a week for an hour or more.  Funny I would forget that, don't you think?

So, since my son was born, a whopping 4 years ago, I have struggled with getting myself back to where I can fit into those same clothes that I did that year I was married.  (Yes, I still have them...locked in a plastic storage container until I can wear them again.)  I feel like I've tried everything.  I've done various home workout programs, tried running again, and crash dieted to no avail.  So, what was missing?

The balance I had then.  I was young, blinded by love, energetic, and apparently disciplined enough to workout a lot and eat right (most days).  These days, I think there's one thing that will fix it all.  No.  There's no one thing that is going to make this right.  There are many moving parts that all have to be aligned.  So, this is my way of bringing you all along on my journey as I try to re-center myself and learn from my own darn mistakes!

To show that I am keeping myself accountable, I started today!  I ran for about the third time in 2 weeks on my Zero Runner.  However, I beat a goal I've had for myself for a long time!  I ran 3 miles in 30 minutes!  Boo-Yah!

It was supposed to be a 30, but my lack of ability to edit photos makes it a 0-3.  Either way, I did it!

Baby Weight

Women constantly complain about losing weight after having a baby. How much you have to lose, how long it takes, how much harder it is than you think it should be, etc. I heard all this prior to having a baby. Did I believe them? Sure I did. Did I really believe them? No, not at all. How hard could it be? You put it on, you take it off. 'Nuff said.

To all those ladies that told me it was hard, I apologize for not believing you. In fact, I may have laughed at you. At your lack of dedication to the task at hand & at your laziness. Too bad I now have to laugh at myself too.

Here I am, just shy of 3 months later and I still have 16 lbs to lose. Yuck!

I don't have loughty goals of being super model-I-don't-eat-more-than-a-piece-of-celery-a-day-skinny. I just want to fit into my clothes again. I would rather not have 2 wardrobes. Just the one is fine.

I started weight watchers a week and a half ago. I feel bad actually having to say that I am doing that. I should just be able to lose the weight from running. However, due to my lack of physical fitness right now...running is just not doing it.

So, here I am hoping to get this weight off in the next 3 months so I don't have to renew my Weight Watchers membership. Good luck to me...apparently I need it.

Growth Spurt?

Wow. Mr. R is the world's most amazing baby. He has been sleeping through the night since 8 weeks, eats consistently well, smiles all the time...(jealous yet?). Until...

The past few days, he has refused to eat, slept a lot of the day, but woke up multiple times at night, and has been cranky.

This was me:

Tons of fun, I can assure you. Today, he seems to be back to his normal self, which means I can run before it gets too hot. Leaving the house with him before was not an option.

Hopefully my running will get back to what it was soon.

Manic Monday

In the life of a stay at home mom (which I currently am for a few more days), Mondays are pretty much the same as any other day with one excpetion: husbands go back to work. And with them go the extra set of hands.

For all you men out there (which I am sure there are none), an extra set of hands is not all you are. However, for moms, it is a large part of it.

Today, I have a plan to get a lot done. A large portion of which means I have to leave the house. If there is one thing I have learned now that Mr. R. is here, it's that leaving the house is a production. I have to make sure I have bottles, a change of clothes, diapers, pacifier, jacket, all the things I need to actually run my errands, etc. So, to leave the house, it takes me an extra 20 minutes or more. Inevitably, Mr. R. decides he's either hungry or needs to mess his diaper at the exact time it is to leave. For a person that is usually anal-retentively on time or early, I am now perpetually late.

On top of needing to leave the house, which requires me to shower, get dressed, and actually do my hair and make-up (until I lose this extra 20 lbs, the last 2 steps are a necessity to feel normal), I am applying to grad schools. One application is due tomorrow. Working on completing that is important too, especially since I just paid one of the 2 application fees.

The only thing getting me through: I might be able to watch Twilight tonight with the Coastie. Wow, this is what I now look forward to...

So far, I have successfully showered before Mr. R. woke up fully, I had 1 cup of coffee (more to come), ate breakfast, changed a dirty diaper, and actually let the dog out and fed her. I call today a success already!

Hope everyone has a Manic Monday just like me!

Mr. R turns 1 month old

Today is officially Mr. R's 1 month birthday. Yay, Mr.R, you made it this far! Wow, I rhyme. I hate people that rhyme.

Anyway, I am having mixed feelings about this. On one hand, he is growing up. On the other, I don't want him to. I had a wonderful day of cuddling with him. I know he won't stay this small for very long. I just want to enjoy it as long as I can. So far, this month he has lifted his head more and more, slept longer at night, and started making cute little noises. He is a finicky eater and a Mommy-cuddler. Overall, just pretty darn cute!

However, I'd much rather enjoy it while running the local streets. Unfortunately, since that is not possible at the moment, I am enjoying it from my local couch. And walking the local streets.

Also, today was my 2nd time out of the house without Mr. R. I got to go to a bar and have a drink, which is fantastic! Before anyone says anything, I am not breastfeeding, so drinks are allowed. And before I get flogged for this, yes I have a good reason for not breastfeeding.

Things went reasonably well. Mr. R is currently asleep and I am not, which I should be. So, good night all!

Return from a hiatus

I have been MIA, once again. So much for becoming the greatest blog on the web. However, I have an excuse, and a pretty good one at that (I think).

This is my son, Mr. R, on his birth day wearing his party hat. He was 7 lbs 10 oz & 20.5 in long on 1/3/12. He is the reason I have been MIA. Or so I tell myself.

Unfortunately, after a long day of labor & pushing, his journey ended in a c-section. Mr. R just did NOT want to come out. This is proven by him being 8 days late and never descending (hence the c-section). Apparently, my womb really is the greatest place in the world.

So far, however, he has been coping with being in the real world. He's sleeping at night now, which is a big feat. Not so much on sleeping through the night, but that's ok for right now.

So, due to the c-section, I have not yet been cleared for exercise. So, I have this awesome running stroller that I cannot run with yet. I have been walking with it and all I can say about performance so far is that it maneuvers well & has some pretty good shocks.

I plan to write more about my daily adventures with Mr. R, The Coastie, and of course running, when I'm allowed. Hopefully someone out there finds it interesting besides me.

Thursday is Question Day!

I want to start a trend here on Misadventures. Every Thursday I will ask a question to those of you that are my loyal followers. I expect answers...well, not really expect....hope...plead....you get the idea.

Why Thursday, you ask? Because today is Thursday and today is the day I actually had an idea...I would call it an original idea, but I am not sure that it is.

So the question of today is:

If you could be sponsored by 1 company (or whatever/whoever can sponsor people), who would you be sponsored by and why?

My answer would be Nike. If you asked why, I would first have to answer that it's by default. I was organizing my running clothes today and realized that 80% of what I own is Nike. The rest is a hodge-podge of other random companies including what I believe was a Walmart Special...or was it Target? My usual running outfit looks something like this:

Note: Nike hat, shirt & shorts. I am not always so matching...minus the pink hat...that is more like me. I distinctly remember the Disney 2010 half marathon where I actually threw on everything I owned to keep warm. The basis of the outfit was still Nike, coincidentally.

On the more serious side, Nike does support women running. They had the Nike Women's Marathon last year. I couldn't find info about one in 2011, though. So, I'm not sure that there is one...I would assume so, but that cannot be confirmed, nor denied. They have tons of women's running apparel, as I have illustrated and currently own.

But really, when it comes down to it, who can resist the swoosh...either wearing it or saying it. Just say it...go ahead...you know you want too...SWOOSH! HAHA. Makes me laugh every time!

P.S. If you are a Nike rep and would like to sponsor me, please respond...I would be happy to accept any and all free gear you may have. (I would also happily spread the word about women & Nike & running)