Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Hello?

My pants are calling...

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Day 1 of c210k (again)

So way back when I started the C210K program and to date, this has been the most popular post of all time -even with all the adorable photos I post of my munchkin (and me), more people are interested in this running program. So I figure I should update everyone since I'm starting this again. I actually signed up for a half marathon in June and need to start training. I keep forgetting that it's been a long time since I've run and that I'm going to need more than a few weeks to get in shape for this! So I went on my first run two weekends ago past and I started with day 1 of the program, but modified it a bit by jogging during some of the walking intervals so overall I did 3.35 miles -not too shabby for my first run in over a year. Of course I didn't do my second run until this past weekend (4 miles of running/walking) so if I'm planning on really doing this I'm going to have to pick up the pace and run more than once a week!

So the program overall is 13 weeks and I have 15 weeks until the race, but I'm skipping ahead a few weeks to where the walking intervals are shorter and the running ones are longer. I'm going to modify it a bit to make sure I'm getting the distance in and I'm hoping I'll survive my first half marathon!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Dear Callan: You've hit double digits

Dear Callan-
Today you turned 10 months old... you've officially hit double digits and that means that in mere weeks you are turning 1 year old. Phew, at least you'll be back to single digits.. but *sob* 1 year? How did that happen?

Anyway, 10 months is a legit age and it gives you lots of street cred. As do your teeth! You have 8 now, which is mind boggling. I can't even remember what you looked like as a toothless gummy baby. You're putting those teeth to good use and devouring all sorts of food. There isn't much that you won't eat (or at least try) although it appears that you don't like bell pepper or kiwi very much. But everything else is fair game and you've had quite the range of food from typical baby food, to junk food (thanks to your Hawaiian vacation), to sushi and even caviar. I'm thinking you're going to be an adventurous eater and I look forward to sharing many memorable meals with you.

Your love of books continues to grow or more accurately, your love of flipping the pages  and lift the flaps of pop up books continues to grow. I'm not sure if you're actually paying attention to what's going on in the story anymore, but the flipping and lifting keeps you busy. Your favorites still seem to be the Dr. Seuss books, the Sandra Boyton books and the Eric Carle books -especially the slide and find Brown Bear, Brown Bear book. It's fun to watch you "read" on your own and you'll just flip the pages back and forth with your delicate one finger.

Speaking of delicate finger, you've turned into one of those kids who love the iphone/ipad. I think your favorite thing is looking at the pictures of yourself, but you love swiping your finger across the screen and making things move. I laugh because you've shown me things on my phone that I have never seen before and I have had this phone for over a year now.

Although you enjoy your independence and freedom, you also can be a bit of a snuggly baby and the snuggly-ness has really stepped up recently.  It started with the pillow pet you got from Adelia for Christmas and now you'll snuggle next to anything soft. You'll either lie down on it or bring it up to your face like Linus with his blanket (from Peanuts) and it is the most precious thing ever. Actually, that's a lie, the most precious thing ever is how your little arms wrap around people's necks to give them hugs. And you're starting to give kisses, although I'm not sure people other than your mama or daddy are really ready for them as you love to give big wet sloppy kisses on the mouth (and sometimes you laugh after you do it, like you know that it's a little bit gross).... but those are the most precious things and I love that feeling of your arms around me and I tell you all the time how you're such a good hugger. I hope you always will want to hug your mama because I'll always be ready to take one from you.

Being10 months old is insanity, but it's been so much fun. You are a clapping, waving, laughing machine and thinking about you brings a smile to my face. I apologize in advance that your dad and I sometimes treat you like a monkey and make you do your "tricks" over and over (especially for an audience), but you have to believe me when I saw we do it because we're so proud of you and want to share your joy with other people. One thing we love to get you to do is clap when we sing "If you're happy and you know it". It's amazing that you can recognize the tune when I sing it since I have such a terrible voice, but you inevitably break out into a smile and start clapping when you hear it. You've also started "dancing" this month, which really consists of you flapping your arms and shaking your whole body, but don't worry because lots of boys dance like that so you'll fit right in at the frat house.

You really have such personality and even strangers comment on it (in a good way) when they meet you. We took you on vacation in Hawaii and you took the change in scenery and routine in stride. You love meeting and interacting with new people, especially flirting with all the ladies. You are definitely a ladies man and I'm going to have to be extra careful with you when you get older!

Anyway, in honor of your 10 month birthday we filmed you taking (some of) your first steps. You've been pretty reluctant to try walking on your own as you seem to prefer instead to just fling your upper body towards things (hoping someone will catch you), but your buddy Luke has been walking for a week or so now and I think you're starting to get jealous. So tonight your dad and I finally caught a few steps on video and not to critique your form too much, but it would probably be easier to balance if you didn't have your hand in your mouth... but it's a good start!


There's a whole new world that's going to open up for you once you become a walker and I can't wait to explore that world with you. Happy 10 months baby pies. I love you beyond words.

Love,
Mama

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Hawaiian vacation

It seems like ages ago, but we went on a lovely family vacation to Hawaii for a couple weeks. And, it was amazing. Exactly what I needed -some time away to recharge, relax and hang out with family. My father had a milestone birthday this year and turned 70 (crazy! and hopefully he doesn't mind that I just outed him as a senior citizen) so to celebrate, my parents rented a house in Kona for all of us to stay. When I say house, I should say estate, because this place was big. Set on 8 acres, the house had room for everyone and a pool that Callan loved.


Front leading up to the house


Back deck where we ate dinner every night and Callan's favorite place (the pool)
Our days were spent lounging and hanging out, which was all I wanted to do. The guys golfed, we ate, swam and got some sun. It was nice to see my parents, my brother and sister-in-law and uncle especially since we were not home for Christmas. Callan did great on the flights and adjusted to the time zone changes really well too. I don't have much to write, but here are some of my favorite memories and then I'll leave you with some of my favorite pictures from the trip (if you're on Facebook, you might have already seen some of them, but they're worth looking at again). 


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On our flight there, Callan was all about charming the ladies. He would laugh and smile and wave to all the women (especially his favorite flight attendant who could make him giggle like crazy), but for the guys, he was much more reserved and it took a minute before he warmed up to them. It was funny to see the disparity in his behavior and it shows how much of a flirt he is with the ladies.


We took Callan into the Red Carpet lounge with us and I laugh when I think of the look of terror some people had when they saw him in there (as well as on our flights). I secretly gloat and congratulate myself when people seem shocked and tell us how great/well behaved Callan is... it's like my secret mission to get people to change their minds about babies. Not all babies are screaming crying messes. It happens a lot at restaurants when we take Callan and I love when it happens in an especially not super baby friendly place and the servers seem extra surprised at how well behaved he is.


I loved watching Callan's face light up and hearing his laugh whenever he was in the water. It didn't matter that the pool was freezing cold, or the ocean waves were ready to sweep him out to sea, or that it was just water in the enormous bath tub, he was happy to splash and play in the water. He is a total fish.


We went more in the baby led weaning approach to solids so Callan eats a decent amount and variety of table food for a baby. My family knows this and somehow throughout the trip feeding Callan (or letting him taste things) morphed into some kind of game. I almost compare it to feeding a dog as everyone would give Callan a piece of whatever they were eating and he would just oblige by opening his mouth ready to taste whatever was coming his way. I realize that most people's diets relax when they go on vacation and I guess it was no exception for Callan. He got to try a variety of things. I would look over and someone (mostly nana and Ming Nat (my sister-in-law)) would be giving him junk food like french fries, ice cream, potato chips, tortilla chips or some sort of fruity drink. I think everyone kept forgetting that he was only 9 months old. Before someone calls DSS on me, it definitely wasn't a lot and he was getting lots of other nutritious things, but I just laugh at what this kid has eaten already.


I had never noticed (or thought of it), but Callan is a city boy and doesn't have a whole lot of interaction with grass. We don't have a yard and our playground is grass free so it was funny to watch Callan experience grass as he didn't quite know what to make of it. I sat him down on it but he didn't want to crawl around and every time he would put his hand down to crawl he would immediately pull it back up like he was afraid of what he was touching. It's even funnier because he LOVED the sand and could not get enough of the beach. Sometimes my kid is weird.


I experienced first hand how different traveling with a child is. Although this vacation was relaxing, it was a different kind of relaxing and my only complaint about this trip is that I didn't get enough sun because as smart as my kid is, he wasn't big on following directions and wouldn't remain in the shade so I could sunbathe! Haha, no matter what, it was still a fantastic vacation and I can't wait to go on another.


Decked out in Hawaiian gear for dad's birthday dinner
Callan's crazy hair after a bath (you can see how long it is on top and how short it is on the sides. Unfortunately I think he inherited his dad's hair genes.)


Callan got a new stroller for the trip and every time he was in it, he would put his arm out like he was cruising in a convertible... cutest thing ever.

with dad in the pool

Swimming with nana

Looking like a toddler at the beach with his new cup with a straw -he decided sippy cups were for the birds and better things came our of straws (like yummy pina coladas!)


Sorry Callan's just in a diaper. It was late and we were too lazy to put his swim stuff back on! Huge has a better video of Callan swimming so hopefully I'll get to post that later.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Thursday, February 2, 2012

First day!

Looks like someone is loving the pool.