Motherhood

I came across this video and just had to share it.   

I don't know that this would have meant that much to me before I had kids.  The advice sounds good and all... but until you are facing some of the challenges that motherhood brings, it's all just rhetoric. 
The truth is that there are times when being a mom is terrifying.  There are times when you feel like you are in over your head and there are times when all you can do is worry.  There are times when you doubt yourself and your decisions.  There are times when you blame yourself for things that don't go right and there are times when you make mistakes. 
Let's face it, there is a lot at stake.  We are raising people. As parents, we are trying our best to keep them safe and healthy, but we are also trying to teach them to be kind, thoughtful and responsible people. 
The demands of motherhood are many; sleep deprivation, little time for yourself, endless demands on your patience,  constant re-negotiation of rules and boundaries as children grow.  But I think the greatest challenge comes is influencing the character of your children and in trying to help them learn to be good people.

deeee-licious!

Izzy is so much fun right now. She talks constantly and she sings constantly and bosses everyone around.  She's just hysterical. Most days she changes into a princess costume (or tutu, or cheerleader outfit) by lunchtime and insists on wearing it for the rest of the day. If anyone makes an unusual noise, like a sneeze or a burp or a hiccup, she will ask them if they are OK. Andy when Andy said his knee hurt the other day she tried to put a band-aid on him.  Yesterday we visited our friends new baby and Isabel packed up all of her binki's to give to Baby Katie (yes, we have had some sleep issues since, but we are working on it).  While we were there, Izzy sang to Katie and held her and read her books.  It was so sweet.  Now that her brother's are in school all day, Izzy and I are getting into a routine and she'll say to me, "It's just the girls.  Not the boys."  I know that this time is fleeting; I see how quickly it goes.  I know how long the school day feels when I miss my kids, and I sometimes get jealous of the teachers, for the time that they get to spend with my boys.  But for now I have Isabel all to myself.  I admit, I just love it.

What can I say? Isabel is delicious

VA Beach Half

I did it!!  I mean I freakin' rocked it!!  13.1 glorious miles in 2:04:05 and I felt awesome.  That time puts me five minutes and fourty four seconds faster than my first half marathon last December.  I am thrilled. 

Now back to the final Blake family beach vacation of 2010. 

remnants of hurricane Earl on the beach

boys playing ball



Izzy's favorite pastime - chasing birds

me & my hot husband



All smiles post-race with Mom and Dad

mmm... mmm... icecream

the storm before the hurricane

This week I felt like someone or something was conspiring against me.  See, back in May I was looking for a half-marathon to run this summer that was close to a destination that we could enjoy as a family.  I contemplated running Chicago in August, but we decided to take 1300 trips this summer and that would have interfered with one of the many.  Instead we opted for a beach weekend at the end of the summer (Labor Day) and I signed up for the Virginia Beach half marathon.  We figured it would be the last hurrah before school got serious and we were really into the swing of the school year, and we even convinced my parents to meet us there.  So I trained and trained in our record breaking hot weather and 300% humidity all summer long (and quickly realized why there were no local half marathons during the summer).
Then a few weeks ago Andy found out that he had a business meeting on the west coast this week.  He juggled his travel plans to get back late Wednesday (actually early Thursday) so we could still leave for the beach Thursday after school.  However, that left me to get two kids off to school every day for their first "real" week of school.  I know that sounds like it would be easy, since the boys were gone for seven hours each day, but easy it was not.  I still had some training to squeeze in, and I had Isabel to entertain.  Then there was the two hour eye-doctor appointment for Devin and both boys had their first soccer practice this week.  They practice on separate nights, so after a long day at school we got to spend two nights at the soccer fields instead of one.  With all three kids.  By myself. 
Oh, and I needed to do laundry and pack us all so we could leave for the beach twelve hours after Andy landed in NC.  By the end of each day we were all cranky and tired.  Now there was a category four hurricane headed to the NC and VA coast, and my excitement for this run race and beach weekend had pretty much waned.  I was exhausted, frustrated and really really grumpy. 
But then Andy made it home and I had help getting the kids off to school.  We decided not to rush off into the eye of the hurricane and chose to spend another day at home while the worst of the storm passes.  My parents came to our house to wait it out and we had a nice day together.  We packed, we played, we ate a good meal.  Tomorrow we set off to the beach.  Hopefully the hurricane will go gentle on us and all will be well when we arrive.  Sometimes a change in plans can be a good thing.