Still here....

I think fall is officially here--maybe! It was in the upper 70's and I enjoyed every minute of it. Amara is doing well with her running. She ran three days in a row getting in at least 1.5 miles each time! She needs 5 more before the big race this Saturday. She opted to take the day off today ( I don't blame her) and wants to shoot for 2 miles tomorrow!

picture from last fall-oct. 11, 2009!

Miles turned 3 and all of a sudden he is getting into his naughty stage. He is really well behaved, so when he does normal toddler shenanigan's it is sometimes hard to take! The good news is he is still dry and doing his business on the potty like a champ. I have been getting him up at around 11 pm every night to use the bathroom and that seems to be working well ( except for a weird 4 days in a row that he was still soaking wet, sheets and all!).

I want to get some good fall pics of the kids before the leaves all fall off.....maybe tomorrow.

Happy Birthday boys!

Today Matt turns 32 and Miles turns 3.

Lots of junk today! For Miles anyway!

He started his day with oatmeal and grapes and topped off that breakfast with half of a large chocolate chip cookie! He was pretty happy about that!

When we arrived at the gym ( had to work), he was greeted with a bad of rice crispy treats; but handed those over to me when he was presented with a plate of fruit from the front desk staff! They were laughing so hard- who gives up sweets for fruit?!?! Miles does, that's who!

After I taught he was handed 2 super mini cinnamon rolls. I ate one and he got the other one after his lunch of deli turkey and cheese on wheat, grapes, wheat crackers and hummus. He also decided to take a nap today.

For dinner we headed on over to Buffalo Wild Wings where he had fries, 1/4 of a cheese quesadilla, a Dum-Dum sucker and a brownie, and ice cream ( shared w/ Matt). When we got home he had a small piece of birthday cake that i made. Whew. He is pretty much on a sugar -high right now. He is not used to this much crap in his system. I gotta go- he just kicked his Monster Truck!

Just stuff....

We are in the full swing of things with school now. I think we are establishing a routine here any minute. I am getting used to Amara being gone all day now. I am getting used to entertaining Miles all by myself now! Amara was really good at that.

I am trying to teach more classes too. Not that I want to, but it's easy money so why not!?!?

Miles has been without a nap for 5 days in a row now! I am not too happy about that, mainly because he is crabby. If he could go without a nap and still be normal, I would not mind as much. I am wondering and kind of hoping he will crash and burn this weekend and then start napping again. If not, then I can probably get more hours to work at the YMCA. I try to be done working in time for Miles to take a good nap, but this week--no so much! I tried everyday to lay him down and he was up causing trouble. He is lucky he is so dang cute.......

Amara is on mile 13 of her kids marathon! We did not run 1 time this week either. She (we) still have 12 more to get in by the 16th in order to make it. I think we will cut it way to close, but it will get done. She's a tough kid and she wants to earn a medal!

She has been asking to buy hot lunch at school. Yuck. I took a look at the menu and was appalled at most of the choices. I don't even think she would like most of the items. I think I will let her buy hot lunch once a month starting this month. We get the menu for the whole month so we will go over it this weekend and choose a day. It's making me think about Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution that was on TV last summer. Her school serves breakfast pizza too. It's just regular pizza, served in the morning. What a concept. She understands it's only a treat to get lunch once a month. I hope so. Maybe I will make her pay for it...........

Wordless Wednesday

A year ago! A tad blurry, but it was all I could find!

Break.......carpal tunnel and kid updates!

Not much has been going on over here. I am still not typing as much as usual due to my awesome carpal tunnel flare ups. I might try so sleep sans braces tonight..they are awful and get in my way! I have been stretching and self massaging every chance I get. So far, so good!

Miles is doing really well with staying dry. We are now working on staying dry at naps and night time. I really hope this will be the last pack of Pull- Ups I have to buy!! Nap times are obviously easier than night time. I might wake him up and put him on the potty right before I go to bed, which is usually about 2.5-3 hours later. We'll see though.

Amara is doing well too. She is "training" for the kid's marathon, but we have not been getting in her mileage like we should. This darn going to school all day is really getting in the way! We are on mile 10 of 25. The 1.2 mile race is on Oct. 17th.....which means she has to get in 15 more miles before that day. It's possible. I sure hope she does it because she is kind of on the sensitive side and has already cried when I told her she might not get all her miles in! She also told me that when she ran 2 miles ( walk/run) it hurt a little and she did not like it. I told her that pushing yourself is a good thing and it might hurt a little at times! I am not sure she liked that!
Update on myself. I have another blog: Mission Possible that started off as a way to chronicle my fitness/running adventures. I would pick a big goal and then write about the journey to the goal for the most part. My thing is running, but with my vocal cord annoyance I have not been putting in the training that I need/want/should. Well, that and other obstacles ( time, work etc.). I planned on running a half-marathon in less than a month, but have not ran in almost 2 weeks. Not good. So, I most likely will NOT be doing that race. Bum deal! I hope to get back full force training mode in January and am crossing my fingers (and toes) that I am able to run The 2011 Boston Marathon. I qualified last Oct. Sign ups start ( and will most likely SELL OUT ) on Oct. 18th--the day after the 1/2 marathon I am not running!
OK, I better end this post before my hands freeze up!

Operation Potty Train!

We might be on the way to being pull up and consistent accident free. This has been a long ride. I won't call it frustrating either. Just long.

Miles can go to the bathroom all by himself and basically insists. Almost a full week of no #1 accidents!! We are going on 2 weeks or more ( I forget! Yay!) of going #2 at least every other day if not every day-- by his request! Success. The next step is no pull ups during naps and the night. Any tips out there?!???

Wordless Wednesday

Just some images I shot the other day! I am having a lot of fun taking pics of my kids this summer! I think they like it too!

Wordless Wednesday

The kids and I had an impromptu photo shoot on Tuesday. This location was beautiful and the kids had a lot of fun!

Wordless Wednesday (kind of)

Amara getting ready to spalsh in a puddle!

Miles flexin' for the camera while at the beach!

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Mother's Day

Matt took the kids by the river to take some pics! This was the keeper! It's now in a frame.

More veggies please!!!

Miles asked for a second helping of green beans at dinner today. Well a little boy claiming to be my Miles did anyway. He looked just like my son. I have no idea what has gotten into him! He was full of "Thank you Momma's" and " I love bean beans!" ( Miles-speak for green beans).

I forgot the second best part. He had already finished his dinner and was eating a sucker. He put the sucker down and asked for more green beans!

Kids. They like to keep ya on your toes at all times I guess!

Today will be the last day of my time alone with Miles before Matt and Amara return. It was an exhausting 4 days as a single parent of 1, but a fun one indeed. It was really different to be with just Miles for that long. He really is something else!

Wordless Wednesday (kind of)

I had fun practicing my picture taking skills on the kids this past week. What other way to "celebrate" a new outfit for Amara??

Operation Potty Train!

It's been a while. Besides being super busy with stuff; our computer was out of commission for a few days. What a rough few days that was!
Update on Mr. Miles. He stays dry. He hoards his feces. That's about it. haha!
He is making slow progress, but I am being as patient as I can with him. It's hard for me to leave the house knowing he has business to take care of. I feel as if I am setting him up for failure or making him hold it in. Love that. No, I hate it!! He will come around. I know he will!!!!
He has grown bored with the rewards as well. He doesn't ask for M&M's or stickers or anything. He might every once in a while and I give it to him, but he could care less. I wonder if M&M's can go bad....I better go and eat them. I don't want my buddy getting sick!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

I called the doctor on Miles this past Thursday. It was really just to make sure I was handling everything in the correct manner. Happy to know that I have been. He has a condition. It's called Fecal Hoarding! (gross) No explanation is needed. The triage nurse assured me it was normal etc.
She also prescribed him a regimen of milk of magnesia, raisins, prunes (which Miles calls- big raisins) grapes, whole grains, yogurt, water and juice. I told her he eats all this stuff anyway(except juice-which he is LOVING!). So she told me to keep it up and then some and limit milk and bananas. Done.
We have had a bit of success so far. It's not been a week yet but have seen some action in Miles' #2 habits already. He still does not want to "go", but I think the MOM is kind of not giving him a choice. Well, he has not been taking 45 + minutes to give up the goods. It's more like 5-30 minutes. That's success in this house! We are getting somewhere. He has been staying dry for the most part..a few accidents here and there, but no consistent accidents.
Go Miles Go!

Wordless Wednesday- Brother and Sister love!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

Quick update here.
Miles wore under ware for a while yesterday and hopefully all day today ( minus sleeping time). We ventured to the YMCA as usual. I had his diaper bag with changes of clothes for when he had an accident. Well..drum roll please....he not only stayed dry for the 1.5 hours he was there, but he also told someone he had to use the potty--and then used it!! YAY!!!
We celebrated in the car with Altoids all around!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

More progress. No #2 in the potty. Just in the Pull Up...during nap time or night time! I won't complain..I just want him to GO!
We have had almost 2 full days of dryness here! Yay Miles!! He has not gotten in the habit of telling us he has to go, but when we sit him on the potty..8/10 he goes!
That's all I got!

Operation Potty Train! Progress??

Update on the boy and his potty.
He stays dry and clean for the most part! A few slip ups here and there, but that might be parent error ( not asking him or not being home etc.) I figured I would start off with the good news!
Now the not so good news. The #2 stuff. Not doing so hot there. The poor kid is still scared to go. We are not sure what to do! We have offered so many wonderful things too!! Scare tactics don't even work-- the ambulance is going to come and help him go. Nope--he called me on my bluff! The ambulance trick does work to get him to eat his veggies though........
I am still trying to be patient with him. I have had a few frustrated mommy moments, but all in all I am being laid back about it. I have heard way worse stories about potty training, so I still consider myself lucky!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

I lost count on how many days it has been since the good old potty training has started. I am starting to go crazy. Yesterday was a long day. Miles did very, very well though. Lots of #1 and a nice #2 before bed. The #2 took while. Over an hour. Possibly 2, I forget. Lots of screaming and yelling ( him, not me..I swear) he told me he was scared. It broke my heart. So there I was hugging my son as he screamed in my ear the whole time. I ate my dinner on the floor next to him. I read books. All in the name of going #2....and he did it! No help from any meds either. Whew. I did not want him dependent on that. I know he was never constipated ( sorry if TMI, but this is about potty training!), he was just holding it in the whole time. His new reward is dinosaur fruit snacks. It might be a forbidden item in our house..so he is loving it! The M & M's and ice cream just were not enticing enough I guess. We are making progress over here. He kept himself dry for 2.5 hours today too! Go Miles Go!