Farm Kids and Wagons

I am almost positive that when Santa brought Natalie a wagon for her first Christmas, his intention was that she would like to pull it around to put things in as she played....rocks, sticks, etc.  And to haul around her snacks while she moved around the yard.  And to pull her baby brother in.  And also to ride in, pretending she lived in the old west, and was on a caravan across the field to visit her cousin.

If those were, in fact, his intentions, well then she's fulfilling them just splendidly.

Click here for a video of Nat pulling Ben in the wagon (I have NO idea why it won't let me upload the video directly tonight...)  I know a couple of grandpas who would be so proud of the thorough inspection she gave the wagon before pulling out.

Ben: 7 Months

Our sweet Ben is 7 months old, and officially on the downhill side of almost a year old.  It seems like he's been here forever, and yet I am still shocked that he's already 7 months.  The days just won't slow down...

one week

one month

two months

three months

four months

five months

six months

seven months!!

handsome boy looks pretty good in Cream & Crimson, don't you think?

At seven months, Ben is 27.5 inches long and weighs 19 pounds 5.9 ounces.  He has two teeth, and is proving to be a bit of a picky eater.  Grand.  Also, he continues to refuse to sleep through the night, BUT he is starting to be a better napper during the day!  We take victories where we can around here.  And, lastly, I cannot believe he isn't crawling yet.  He is seriously so close.  Having a crawler is the end of the true "baby era," but man will life be easier once Ben is mobile.  Since our house is already baby-proofed, there's no worry there, and he'll stop screaming at the top of his lungs when Natalie and Jack leave him in the dust, hopefully, if he can tag along behind them.  Besides, 19.5 pounds is a touch on the heavy side to be toting around on my hip all day!

Happy 7 months, Benjamin!

Laugh a Little, Laugh a Lot

There is nothing like the unconditional love of two little siblings.  Nat cannot get enough of Ben, and he just thinks she is the cat's meow.

The Coolest Day

Every once in a great while we are presented with the opportunity to be a part of something really great.  I feel like in my career I do good on a regular basis.  It's kind of the nature of being a social worker.  But it's still a job at the end of the day, and that has left me feeling like I need to do something for the goodness of doing it.  

I have known about the Girls on the Run program for many years, and my schedule hasn't allowed for me to really be involved until now.  I spent my first season coaching it, and from the bottom of my heart have loved every minute of it.  

If you aren't familiar with the program, you should take a few minutes and read about it.  It really isn't that much about running, but instead about fostering self-esteem and self-worth, and empowering and encouraging elementary school-aged girls.  The culmination of the program is that the girls all complete a 5K (running or walking), because it teaches them that they can set a seemingly impossible goal and that they can achieve it.  And if they can do that, then what in life can't they do?

This was a special season for this council, as it was the 10th Anniversary of GOTR here.  There were all sorts of celebratory events throughout the season, and it was capped off by a visit from Molly Barker, the founder of Girls on the Run.  She gave a talk for the coaches last week, had a running/walking evening with a girl from each team in the council, and then attended the 5K (and was on the course cheering alongside all the parents).  I had the opportunity to meet her for a few minutes after the 5K; she is truly an inspiration.

I guarantee that being a spectator at any race will fill your heart with all sorts of goodness.  There is something about watching people cross the finish line having laid it all out there.  The rawness of the emotions after having achieved whatever goal they set out to accomplish.  But those emotions are even more powerful when the runners are 8-10 year olds.  If you ever have the opportunity to attend a GOTR 5K, and watch those amazing girls cross the finish line so proud of themselves, you should.  You'll be forever inspired.

Flying Pig Part 2

As promised, pictures from Natalie's race...

before the race, she relaxed and took care of her babies

downtown and ready to run

Ben came to support his big sis

Jack & Ben

(it surprises me how many times we've been asked if these two are twins)

scoping out the competition

the mascot race

I just love this kid

When Pigs Fly

Nine days into May, and this is the first I'm getting around to a few minutes of peace at my computer.  Honestly, it seems like MORE than nine days into May, but...well, I guess this is the pace I can expect life to continue at (or worse) now that we have kids, and now that we have kids that are starting to have activities.

This past weekend was such great fun.  It was the weekend of the Flying Pig Marathon (and other races) in Cincinnati.  I am a HUGE fan of the Flying Pig.  This was my 3rd year doing one of the races (this year and last the half, and 3 years ago the full marathon).  I cannot say enough about the wonderful job the race staff does about organizing the event, about the crowd support on a challenging course, and about how there really is something for all ages and abilities.  And, the expo rocks!

So, anyhow.  I ran the half marathon on Sunday, and was aiming to beat my previous PR of 1:54:04 by running 1:52:00 or better.  I haven't run a half marathon (race) in exactly 1 year, had a baby, and have been trying to get back to training consistently and improve on previous marks, so I wasn't sure exactly how it would go....but I ran 1:51:19!  I felt great, and actually felt like I could have pushed a little more in the beginning.  That might just be runner mentality though; great, I met a goal, BUUUTTT....that's partly why we (are idiots) keep signing up for more races.

The weekend also marked Natalie's first race!  She, unlike Ben, has spent hours and hours, and many miles in the jogging stroller logging training runs.  She is very enthusiastic about putting on my sweaty running gear after I get back from a run without her, and so she started saying things like, "I want to do a race, too" a few months back and we figured, ehh...why not?  The kids races at the Flying Pig are determined by age under age 9, so for Nat's group (age 2-3 years) the run was 25 yards.  Spitting distance for an adult, but for little legs, just about right.  It was a little bit of a cluster with loads of kids, parents, and the way the whole thing was arranged, but overall...not bad.  Nat gushed for weeks about doing her race.  I even found a tiny running outfit at TJ Maxx a few weeks ago at a great price, and so she was set.  She and I had a girls day, went to lunch, tooled around the expo and she accompanied me for a haircut on the Friday before race day.  She was so excited!

And then race time came.   The course is in a field, and fenced in pretty tightly so no kids can get loose.  Parents and other spectators were heavily lining all sides of the fence.  Then there was the log jam of kids waiting to run their heats behind us, and the kids running in front of us, and in front of them 25 yards down the pike, was the finish line filled with volunteers handing out medals.  To a shy kid with loads of stranger anxiety, it was the stuff worst nightmares are made of.  At gun time, she froze up, literally, locked her legs and screamed.  One parent could accompany kids under 5 onto the course, so I did.  And had to drag her screaming to the finish.  But as soon as she got that medal around her neck, got past the line of volunteers, and had a goody bag of fruit in her hand, she was so proud of herself...

Nat loved the Pig theme, and was really excited about this guy at the Expo (can you hear her little voice: "Look mama, that pig is wearing gym shoes!"):

There was a huge show of support for the victims of the bombing at the Boston Marathon at the Flying Pig.  We saw several people sporting their Boston 2013 tech shirts that were at the Expo with packets, there were various things for sale to support the One Fund, and then there was a giant banner for attendees to sign from "Porkopolis to Beantown"....here's Nat signing her name to the sign:

At the start of the half/full marathon on Sunday, there was a moment of silence for the victims during which a bagpiper played "Amazing Grace."  I was in the start corral with a stream of tears running down both cheeks, and I wasn't alone.  It was so sad, and moving, and empowering all at once.  Many signs on the course were for Boston; my favorite: "Run if you can, walk if you must, but finish for Boston."  The tragedy has really rocked the running community, and I think I feel even more connected to it because of having lived there (and having a cousin who, not only still lives there, but was too close for comfort to the bomb on marathon Monday).

In any case, I was, needless to say, very proud of Natalie!  It has been such a treat having her so interested in something that is such a giant part of my life.  That said, I have made it a point from before Nat was even born to NOT be one of those parents that forces our kids into this activity and that activity, and pushes them to be the superstar athlete that I wasn't (although, I was just informed a week ago by one of my GOTR moms that my picture/high jump record is still intact at the middle school...so, you judge for yourself, superstar or not?!  ha!).  Kids should be kids, I firmly believe that.  So few are the ones that make it to professional status anyway.  So, if Nat wants to do more races, that's great, and if she doesn't, that's great, too.  She loves the gymnastics class that she's been taking, but we decided not to enroll her for another session.  Give her a break, let her enjoy summer doing whatever we can find to get into, and if in the fall she mentions it again, then we can revisit.  Same will go for Ben when he's old enough.  Of course, the kids will have to finish what they sign up for, but otherwise, athletics, clubs, etc will be up to them as much as is reasonable.  

Man, I'm a little soap-boxy today...

There are many more pictures from Pig Weekend on my camera, which I hope to post tonight.  

In Ben news...

He went for his "6-month" well-check today (even though he's 6 days away from being 7 months!  (seriously, whoa!).  His giant-ness has leveled off a bit: 

weight: 19 lbs 5.9 oz (70th percentile)

height: 27.5 inches (72nd percentile)

The doctor said, "he's big, but not the biggest baby we've ever seen."  He is, like, this close to crawling.  I'm betting by next week he figures it out.  And he's working on 4 more teeth!