Working out, in

I have worked out AT THE GYM, no less, 3 times this year. Impressive, no? I am pretty much over the moon about it. I set a goal to work out 20 times this month. I did it when it was warm and I thought I could take the kids hiking. Now it is raining and 40 degrees and I don't even plan to get out of my jammies. But I am still hoping to work out today. Maybe some yoga, maybe dancing around the house... something. I am starting the year with an I CAN DO IT attitude. I am finding the YES and focusing on that. Go me. Now I am going to clean the kitchen. And maybe set up a play date.

And by the way, I haven't had a chance to agree with my partner that I am a big jerk... we haven't had any disagreements lately. Maybe later I will try being a big jerk so that when she calls me on it I can agree with her.

All Set to Kayak!

Today we got the baby her very own life preserver. I am sorry to say that when wearing it she looks a lot like an electric pink marshmallow with legs. The good news is that the top comes to her chin rather than her cheeks (which was the look with the other child preserver we have hanging around). The bad news is she is almost impossible to hold comfortably. Why can't they make little waterproof hamster wheels that you just put your baby in so they can float next to the boat? There could be a weighted seat that stays upright no matter what the ball does. Ha! Now I have an idea for a product! I can make a million! Money problems solved!

Even better, now we can all go kayaking as a family. I can't wait to get back to nature! The trees, the water, the wind in our faces! The four of us will pile into a two man kayak and paddle down the river. Well, mostly my partner will probably paddle, while I play the ever fun games of "keep the kids in the boat," "keep the ducks from attacking," and "nurse the baby while she is dressed like an electric pink marshmallow," see above.

This is starting to sound less rapturous. I will think of it as training the kids for when we can each get a 1 man kayak and have 1 kid each and we both have a great time paddling down the river, enjoying the trees, the river, the wind in our faces. The kids jumping around, the kids "trying to help" paddle, the kids grumping about wanting their own kayak. Hmmm. Should I return the pink marshmallow suit?

Nahhh.

The Ubermom. I worked out!

Yes, that's right. Only 4 1/2 months after my baby was born, I went and worked out for 20 whole minutes. I am on the cutting edge of the phys ed craze, I tell ya. Sure, I have taken some walks around the neighborhood. At the speed of a 4 year old. As those who have 4 year olds know, this means you stop to look at bugs, cracks in the sidewalk etc and then have to RUN to get to the next house number, tree, etc. I guess if I were tracking, this would be considered an oh so trendy variable speed work out. I'm not really sure how much watching my son run really improves my metabolism though.

I only got the chance to go today because my partner is home from work today and offered to hang out with the kiddos while I went. I don't trust the child care at my gym for a 4 year old, much less for a baby. It looks a lot like The Lord of the Flies in there. I bet if you look close, the "child care providers" really just sit around exchanging bets on which 10% of those kids will make it out in one piece. To say its a zoo is an insult to zoos. Unless there is a zoo out there where there are no cages and its every species for itself.

But back to the gym. I went to the gym, currently about 50 lbs overweight (but my partner generally doesn't let me count the 20 I was carrying before I got pregnant so I guess 30...) with all the nuts who are at the gym in the middle of the afternoon. They all have muscles on their muscles and look like they eat babies to pack on more protein. I walked past all these seriously buff people toward the indoor pool. It was nice to get back to swimming, and I told myself over and over that I would take it slow. I then raced a woman who was doing laps without stopping. She didn't know we were racing though. She would hit the wall and push off immediately, and I would wait a few seconds and then follow. My goal was to do 2 laps faster than her. Even though she was on lap number 402 without stopping and I was taking a break after every 2. I beat her at least twice. Go me. Look for me at the next Olympics I tell ya, I am gonna be there. In spirit.

For now I will keep my focus on the mommy Olympics, where the sports include speed diapering without letting the baby roll over, babywearing while doing freakin' everything, and projectile spit up avoidance. My daughter is my coach. I bet I will sweep the whole thing.