Timo Tuesdays

(Originally published Tuesday 9/24)

Over the weekend Timo got his first little cold. Saturday night he woke up with a super stuffy and congested nose. He was happy as a clam though and his usual smiley self. Even though he had no fever, was eating fine and was generally happy, I took him to the Dr Monday morning. We like Timo's doctor, Dr. Nash, a lot. He's very relaxed and casual and approachable, plus his office is right next door. Literally, we can see his office window from Timo's bedroom window. 

I've always been really skeeved out by boogers and snot. The sound of someone hawking a loogie (sp?) is enough to make me gag. I worried how I would handle wiping my own kids' noses since I tend to gag at the thought of snot. Amazingly, I was all over Timo's nose. I whipped out the aspirator and did my best to suck out that snot. I picked his boogies with my own hands and wiped his nose with my own shirt sleeve when nothing else was around. Basically, I handled that ish. I handled it way better than I thought I could. 

I guess at some point your motherly instincts kick in and you power through. Probably the same way I'm able to get up multiple times a night for feedings and still function the next day. Or continue to breast feed despite super sore nipples. You just power through it all for that little light of your life. 

After our run this morning we went to Cuddle Club at the Walnut Creek library. I was invited by a new friend I met, Erin. She has been so awesome and has invited Timo and I to all kinds of stuff. I'm very grateful to her since Stroller Strides hasn't really turned into the social outlet I was hoping for. I've been plugged into two new groups thanks to her. 

Anyway, Timo slept through Cuddle Club so we didn't get to sing songs and read stories and socialize with the other babies and moms (and one dad- I still breast fed there without the modesty cape. I'm using it less and less- it's just annoying.) After Cuddle Club we picked up sandwiches from this deli called Brass Bear. This was your typical east coast style deli, and by that I mean small and narrow. We made quite a scene when 5 of us with babies and strollers paraded in during the lunch rush. Of course eventually all the babies had a melt down. Luckily we got our sandos to go and went and ate at the park down the street. We spread out blankets, let the babies roll around and ate. Of course, good ol Timo fell asleep in the Ergo (melt down in stroller led to being carried in the Ergo which led to nap time) so I ate while he slept on me. Eventually he woke up and was able to socialize a bit. 

All in all it was a lovely day!

Cooking?

Maybe it's just "Pinspiration" or the fact that Timo is slowly settling into a semi-predictable daytime routine of eat, play, nap- but I've been making dinner more often lately. Last week I cooked twice. First, a sausage pasta dish that was super good. And the  a slow cooker teriyaki chicken dish that was just okay. Tonight I'm making a chicken, potatoe and green bean dinner. All these recipes came from Pinterest, have just a handful of ingredients and are basically one pot meals. I avoid recipes with, what I consider, several ingredients and require multiple dishes. 

Here are some pictures of what I made. (Adding chopped green onion to anything automatically makes it look yummy and fancy. Probably even cereal.)

Hopefully the chicken dish turns out okay tonight! 

PS-

I'm currently holding Timo while he sleeps (a habit we both need to break!) and watching the TLC show called "Quints by Surprise." This show always makes me feel better about the craziness and exhaustion I "think" I endure. Can you imagine 5!?!? I'm thankful for my one sweet boy who is so good and pretty darn easy on the scale of difficult babies. 

Timo Tuesdays

To avoid inundating this blog with all things Timo, I'm creating "Timo Tuesdays" for gushing about my sweet baby boy. Seriously, this guy is adorable and awesome and  I could gab and post pics of him every day. But, I want to keep this blog as my little corner and personal outlet so I can somewhat maintain my "identity" or "personality" or "individuality" or "coolness" (or lack there of) or whatever. (I'm thinking about doing a post about the identity crisis of being a new mom or something along those lines.)

ANYWAY! Lets celebrate Timo Tuesday!

Guys. He's so sweet and smiley. He melts me. I surprise myself at how he can light me up with his smile even when I'm at my most tired. It's rejuvenating. He's just barely starting to giggle a little bit which I try to encourage with ridiculous antics. He will hang out on his play mat and kick vigorously for about 20 minutes while I shower or eat or play stupid Candy Crush (raise your hand ifs you hate quests!)  He also likes his bouncy chair where he can sit and observe the room, look out the window or  look at the tv (I say "look" as opposed to "watch" because he's too little to watch and watching tv "isn't good for babies" so he just looks.) I put on the Disney channel and sing the songs to him. I read books to him until he's ready for a nap. He's my sweet baby boy! 

Muffin Makin'

If you've read any of my previous posts, you know cooking isn't really my thing. However, I came across a muffin recipe on Pinterest that I've managed to make THREE TIMES since having Timo. This should tell you two things: 1) These muffins are super easy to make and 2) these muffins are super delicious. They're banana chocolate chip oatmeal muffins. Another plus is that they're pretty darn healthy too! Ingredients include applesauce, honey, whole wheat flour and oatmeal. 

I like to have these for breakfast or a snack in the afternoon. Mike likes them too! The recipe only makes 12 so I might double it next time. If you try it, let me know how you like them! 

You can find the recipe here:  http://thefithousewife.com/2011/10/banana-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-muffins.html/

The Run

At 8:30 this morning I did my first 20 minute continuous run! I had been doing run/walk intervals before. Running with a stroller is definitely a challenge, but its a good motivator because Timo tends to get fussy when I slow down or stop. Plus it's pretty cool to look at his little face while I run too :)

We took a group photo after our accomplishment this morning and amazingly Timo gave us a congratulatory fist pump! I love this picture. I just know he's saying "Go mommy! I'm proud of you!" 

As I mentioned, I'm "training" for a 5k on October 13. I had wanted to sign up for a 5k this fall even when I was still pregnant as a goal to work towards. I find it easier to run when I have an event to get ready for. We're doing the timed run instead of the non-timed fun run/walk. This way we don't get stuck with our strollers behind walkers. Maneuvering around people with a stroller one handed is a pain. I have two goals for this 5k: 1) to run the whole time, no walking and 2) not be last. ( I couldn't care less about my time even though I'm doing the timed run. That was just to avoid getting stuck behind the lollygaggers doing the fun run/walk :P )

Getting Back in Shape

Before Timo came, I did some research on various mom groups and clubs in the area I could join and I came across Stroller Strides. It's a fitness/ exercise group of moms who bring their babies and toddlers in strollers and get fit doing lunges and other exercises that incorporate the stroller. There are subsidiary meet ups with this group that run and also just get together for coffee and walks. I've met several moms but haven't really connected with any of them yet. Overall the moms are older than me and/or super duper serious about sleep schedules, homemade cleaning products, using earth friendly diapers and organic food. I mostly just listen to everyone talk all about their babies. It can be hard to get a word in sometimes. Especially with Ruth. 

 Ruth is an older British woman who runs the whole thing. She talks a mile a minute, tends to ramble, and is hard to listen to after a while. She has one son, an 8 and a half year old  that she brought and pushed around in a stroller until school recently started. She also shared that she breast fed him until he was 3 years old. The other moms aren't quite so..."Ruth" but I end up talking to Ruth most since she tends to focus her exercise and running coaching on me since I'm the newest member. Let's just say, I'd like for someone else to join so I can get some one on one time with the other moms. 

On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays we run (with strollers). On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays we do stroller fitness. We meet at 9:30 in the morning downtown Danville and do various exercises while singing nursery songs to our babies in the stroller. It's a little dorky and embarrassing when other people walk by. But the little ones seem to like it. Even my Timo, the youngest one (and the cutest :P) was smiling. 

However, sometimes I see other young moms walk by with their strollers and coffee, chatting to each other and staring at us singing and hoping around and I think "I'd rather be hanging out with those guys. This is lame." But oh we'll! It's better than nothing! 

The good news is, at 10 weeks, I'm back to my pre pregnancy weight! But, my pants still don't fit which is a bummer. Apparently this happens to everyone and after having a baby your body changes shape (aka widens). I'll add that to the list of things people don't tell you. I'll probably do a post on that topic eventually. 

I've signed up for a 5k in October that I'll run with the other moms. My first 20 minute continuous run is tomorrow morning. Wish me luck!