Day 2 of 26

"Ohh! There's a car behind us at Dunkin Donuts! Let's pay for their stuff!"

A whopping $3.84. The cashier was pretty amazed.

"Do you know them?"

"Nope!"

"So cool!" I overheard her say "That lady just paid for their coffee...." to her coworkers.

She opened the window and asked if we wanted any donuts or a muffin or anything, which was really sweet of her!

Random Act Number 2 in the books. So simple.

Day 1 of 26 Random Acts of Kindness

I've posted before about how important it is for me to teach Aubrey to be generous and perform random acts of kindness.

26 Days is in honor of the fallen angels at Sandy Hook Elementary. It resonates with me on such a deep, emotional level.

Day One

Bree and I took a tag from the angel tree. A two year old girl who needed shoes or boots. We bought both.

Hormones are a real itchbay

I left Aubrey alone today. Well, not really alone. She was with my husband, her dada.

I had to run to Toys R Us to finish up her Christmas shopping. I was gone for like 2 hours.

I was alone for 2 hours. For the first time since she was three weeks old. She'll be one in less than a month.

I called and hubby said they were fine.

When I got in the door and peeked around the corner she smiled this huge smile, flapped her arms and shrieked "Mamama!" Then "Yeah yeah!"

A-freaking-dorable! Melted my heart!

I'm seriously considering leaving her again, just because that reaction was so awesome.

Wordless Wednesday: Now With Words!

Things to note:

Black blouses have been replaced by a rainbow wrap.

Gold jewelry has been replaced by an orange and pink wrap scrap teething/nursing necklace.

My life is so much brighter since Bree was born, in so many ways.

The year I had a baby...and lost a baby tooth.

I'm pretty awful at math, but fairly certain I'm about to be in the money soon.

You see, I have a loose baby tooth. Imagine my surprise when my dentist told me I had an adult tooth trying to come through, causing the other tooth to become loose.

Where does money come into this?

The tooth fairy, of course!

I figure I have held onto this tooth for an extra 25 years or so, and I am owed a ton of interest!

Especially if I have to walk around with a huge hole in my smile for a few months.

I may have done that.

I may have totally just made myself stay awake way later than I should have just because I wanted to stay up until midnight.

It's my birthday, bitches!

Nothing planned except a run and maybe some trashy tv. I've got a head cold, a breastfeeding baby and no desire to drink, so that's the big plans.

Don't be too jelly!

(Yeah, I'm not about to stop typing like
a teenage girl just because I'm officially thirty one!)

Circle of Life.

Just got the call from my Dad that my Pop Pop passed away this morning.
He had asbestosis and was suffering at the end.

We were super close growing up, we lived in the same house and I spent much of my time with my Nanny and him.

It was kind of like having John Wayne for a grandfather as a kid, he was a race car driver. How bad ass is that?!!

He married my grandmother when he was 18 and she was 16. They met at school and he used to dip her pig tails in the inkwells. How adorable is that?!!

They went on to have 6 children, 4 surviving. The family that I know and love, they created.

He worked hard, building a successful business and a name we could all be proud to share.

He loved us, wanted nothing but the best for us all. He was incredibly special to me.

Pete and I married on his birthday. He told my Nanny I was pregnant before I even knew. He predicted Aubrey would be born on January 17, even though her due date was in February and I was sure I'd go late. He was off by 9 minutes! Aubrey gave him her first wave and her first word, Pop Pop. They have the same eyes, and they'd light up whenever they'd see each other.

When I left last week I knew when he looked in my eyes and said goodbye that it really was.

I'm sad for my Nanny and family, but comforted knowing that he's finally comfortable and that he'll be Aubrey's guardian angel.

I know he'll be looking over us, taking care of us as he always has.

We love you, Pop Pop. May you rest peacefully.

(Hypothetical) Party Planning

Thanks to Pinterest, I've got Aubrey's birthday parties planned for the next three years.

Year One

Winter ONEderland. Yes, every January baby does it. That's because it is cute!

Year Two

Two-tu Party. I already have her tutu and the bows for the female guests. Zebra and hot pink, thankyouverymuch
All the ladies in attendance must wear a tutu. Old, young, doesn't matter.

Year Three

Aubrey Alice in Wonderland, a tea party.

It's a sickness!

Good deeds.

Growing up, my mom would always ask my sister and me about our "good deed of the day." She instilled in us that it was important to do at least one good deed every single day. Most of the time they were small; "I played with the lonely kid at recess" or "I helped the old lady load her groceries" or even "I waited and held the door for all the people." It was more about taking the time to think of others than the actual act itself.

That's absolutely something I want to bring to Bree's life. I think it's important.

Recently another mom said I was generous. I immediately thought my Mom would be proud.

Tomorrow Aubrey will be doing her first volunteering stint. She'll be in the carrier while we collect and sort donations for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. We'll get to hang out with some of the
Holistic Moms Network ladies, help our neighbors and do our good deed of the day.

We packed up our donations tonight. We've got sneakers, blankets, hair ties and bows, diapers, new teethers and rattles, and a ton of clothes. We're gonna look a little crazy getting there though!

Sandy.

I'm just a kid from Ocean County. Toms River, Seaside, Point Pleasant. I spent countless hours of my youth there. My family still lives in Ocean County.

I spent my college years and early 20's in Cape May County.

My heart is heavy today, though I'm incredibly thankful that my family is ok, I have many friends who have lost so much.

Jersey isn't just a state, it's a state of mind. It's an attitude. It's a little conceited and a whole lotta pride. Jersey might look different, but it'll be alright. We'll all be alright.

Yeah, buddy!

I'm from the Jersey Shore, I'm allowed to use that line.

Aubrey learned to REALLY crawl today! She has been army crawling and doing this cute roll/sit-up/roll/sit-up move, so I didn't think she was going to crawl like "normal."

She did it, though! I may have (totally did) cry I was so proud! Woohoo!

Wordless Wednesday

Pure Joy.

When a moment that you've waited for...scratch that....

When that exact moment that you have longed for finally materializes in such a way that you literally feel joy inside your bones, can see it radiating from deep within, and know that somehow it is exceeding every desire and expectation you had for that wanted, longed for, needed moment that you've talked about, and cried about for a year...

It looks just like this.

Wordless Wednesday

Love Bug

How cute was my little miss?! We spent a few days at the campground for Halloween weekend. We had an awesome time!

Cutest lady bug ever!

Hot diggity dog.

Yesterday I saw a man. Tall, hulk like, huge.

He had a dog. Miniature, in a man purse, dyed pink.

He also had a wife.

And no dignity, one would assume.

Fleece blanket. Poncho.

Yup, I made that.

Oh yeah!

Oh hi! That's right, I totally forgot I love running!

After crappy runs in NJ, and bad weather once I was back home in NYC, today was our first day back on the program. I repeated w5d1 since my last go-round with it was pretty terrible.

I really didn't feel like it. I had every excuse in the book. Bree is sleepy. It's the warmest day of the week. (Yeah, I tried to convince myself 78 was too hot!) We'll go tomorrow.

My internal monologue was pretty weak. I decided to follow a tip:

Lace up your sneakers and get outside. If you still don't want to, don't.

For me, the running is easy. The commitment is the hard part.

When we finished I felt really good. Proud of myself.

Proud that I'm being a good role model to the most adorable, smart, curious baby I know.

Really, it doesn't get better than that!

No lie.

Today, I put the lazy in the lazy novice SAHM.

One load of laundry. One phone call. One meal.

It was overcast, miserable and dark. We went to the closest grocery store for lemons (69 cents, holla!) and right home. Baby was a little cranky, mostly sleepy.

We read books, practiced standing (and falling), napped and showered.

That's it.

It's 827 and I'm ready for bed.

Hearts times a million.

Bree has made my whole life better. I love that the relationship with my family is so open and honest now. I love that we can actually talk, and that they're getting to know me as a real person, and me, them.

I love that they adore this baby with every ounce of themselves. That they want to see her as often as possible, that they're just as amazed by her perfection as I am. I love that they want to video chat and watch her do nothing but give kisses for like 20 minutes.

I love that she loves and trusts them, too.

Here she is with Grandpa, this tells the story that I can't find all the right words to say.

Robbing the competition...

Adult Costume Contest at my parents campground. We're cute, right?

I tried to bribe the judges, both with a cute baby and money, but apparently having parents as owners disqualifies one. Whatever.

(Totally kidding, the actual winners were quite deserving!)

There better be a shirt...

Sense of accomplishment be damned, let it be known I'm doing it for the shirt y'all.

(Totally forgot about) Wordless Wednesday

If I die...

I love you all.

I ate Burger King for dinner last night.

My stomach is literally gurgling, loudly.

I feel like I'm going to throw up.

And out.

Both ends. Same time.

I feel like I may die.

I probably deserve it, too.

Week 4 Day 3

Shhh. I cheated, don't tell.

After talking to an awesome running friend (also known as The Internet), I decided I could skip a week of C25k.
I know, I know...follow the program.
But, I also know myself and I knew I needed an actual challenge.

So I skipped forward a week. And it was a challenge!

I'm visiting my family in NJ this week, so I don't have my normal jogging stroller. I have an all terrain jogger here, or "hulking heaving huge heap of oh my gosh so heavy," as I called it yesterday. I took Bree down dirt roads, but she screamed and seemed uncomfortable, so I took her back to my sister so she could keep an eye on her for the rest of my run.

I absolutely got that challenge I was looking for. And then some!

And apparently, I'm halfway to 5k. Still looking for a race, though.

Copy, paste, repeat.

Turns out that the "perfect" 5k actually isn't. It would be, but Husband has to be available since one of his assistants will be away. Boo.

Finding a stroller friendly race takes a lot of work. It involves going to the event website and checking the registration form to see if it says "No strollers" or "Strollers Allowed." It may, or it may not.

I'm in the process of sending the following to every race coordinator for the weeks that will work.

Can you please confirm if the whole course is paved? Also, will you allow strollers in the back start?

Thanks in advance!

Copy, paste, repeat.

Who knew it would be so hard?

I'm not trying to brag...

But I totally will.

Today's run was awesome! We ended up running to a park on the waterfront about 2 miles away. We played in the grass, shared a banana, practiced standing alone and got bit up by biting flies.

We're actually headed back there tomorrow for the green market and a baby wearing meetup.

Now onto the exciting part! On the way back Aubrey started getting fussy in the stroller and I didn't have a carrier on me. I was feeling great so I decided to run some more.

I ended up running the rest of the way home. I ran a mile, nonstop. (Except stop lights, but I did that stupid run in place thing you see runners do and roll your eyes at, so I'm counting it.)

Remember my 3 month goal? Well, I did it like 6 weeks early. If you'd like to shower me with accolades now would be an appropriate time! I'm super proud of myself!

Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow...

I'm moving on to week 3 of the c25k program.

Super duper excited!

I think I found the 5k I want to do, it's pretty perfect and allows strollers which is awesome. It's near our families in NJ, so we can make it a whole weekend trip. I think it'll be really fun! Plus it's ten days before my 31st birthday, so that's pretty cool.

Just waiting on my amazing husband to see if he can get some time off. The man works nonstop. It's sweet that he's willing to work so hard so that I can stay home with Bree. I think it takes a special man to do that, especially when it wasn't his idea, and I'm so lucky to have him.

Wordless Wednesday

/couldn't pick just one!

Runners High

Guess who just ran?!

Meeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

And Aubrey too, I guess.

That felt so good. My ankle is alright, no real pain but I'm going to RICE it just in case. Man. I can't stop saying that and smiling.

I am so happy to be back! I totally understand "runners high" now!!

Pardon the interruption, please.

I'll resume my regular nice persona in just a few minutes. Promise. I've just gotta get this out there before I explode.

Why must people make it so damn hard not to judge them?

Facebook Friend posts pictures of her "home cooked" meals. It's all processed garbage; instant potatoes, packaged gravy, hamburger helper. I haven't ever seen a real vegetable, canned or frozen or otherwise.

I don't really care if that's how you eat. But I'm sick and tired of her getting 10+ comments per nasty pic about how good that looks and her offering the recipe.

Bitch, it's on the box. Stop acting like you're the next food tv star, and make your kids a freaking vegetable.

/end rant

I'm still unable to run, and I'm really angry about that. Like, seriously angry. Why did I have to go walk down the hill I did? I could have walked down the other side, but nope, I didn't. It seems like a cruel joke that I would actually fall in love with a physical activity and then get injured!

I see that jogging stroller sitting in the play room and it just taunts me. So unfair.

But, I'll stop whining now!

My people.

I went to a Holistic Moms Network meeting this past weekend. It was a lot of the same moms as in my baby wearing group.

It felt like home. Is that corny? I know it is, but it's true.

Before Aubrey, my life consisted of drinking too much and the "greenest" thing I did was using reusable bags.
Then I got pregnant, and became almost hyper aware. Literally overnight, I started making my own cleaning products and researching cloth diapers. Buying local and organic. Avoiding processed foods and GMOs when possible. I was babywearing, and breastfeeding, and cosleeping. I felt a bond to all the mothers before me, and a duty to my child to leave her an earth and life that would allow her to have that same experience.

I never thought this is the person I would be. Never saw it coming. I am just doing what feels natural to me, knowing it's not what most others are doing.

But, I'm really excited to have found "my people!" I'm excited to learn more and hopefully become more holistic. I have a lot to learn, but I feel like Aubrey deserves it and I owe it to her.

I don't think I'll ever give up meat or dairy, but if I can make small changes to give her a better life I have to do that!

Girl is as cute as they come, right?!

Running...on empty.

I'm still sidelined. My ankle started doing this weird popping thing now.

I walked our 2.5 mile route today, and felt pretty good***.

Minimal swelling, no
real pain.

I'm at a loss. I don't want to push it, and I certainly don't want to take so long off that it becomes an excuse!

I get to walk the very same 2.5 mile route tomorrow, so we'll see how I feel.

Why will I take the very same route?

That's where the *** come in!

I've been in NJ, so I needed to get our menu plan and food shopping list for the next week. To do this, I hit up 6 grocery stores for the sales flyers and prepare before shopping. (Total perk of being a SAHM and living in a big city!)

So I do that. Meet husband for dinner at this awesome organic restaurant that serves locally grown foods (I'll post more about it tomorrow, it was awesome! Bree even got to eat there!) and head home.

I pull out all the flyers, make the menu and then realize...

...it's Thursday. The last day of the sales week. At 10pm.

Yay, me! So now we get to do it all again tomorrow.

I've gotta be one of the dumbest people whose blog you read. I'm certain of it.

Wordless Wednesday

Today was a good day!

We went to NJ to visit our families, and went with my in-laws to an auction house. We got a major score, snagging a high chair for just $1.

No, I didn't forget any zeros. I really meant 1 dollar. 4 quarters. 10 dimes. 20 nickels. 100 pennies. And any possible combination of the preceding denominations which would total one dollar.

But that's not the most exciting thing to happen today! Little Miss signed "milk" to me, and actually meant it! It was the absolute coolest parenting moment I've experienced thus far, minus the physical birth.

It was amazing! I am so, so happy that I decided to teach her sign language.

Today was such a good freaking awesome day!

Why am I so lucky?

One of the ladies on my birth board has this quote in her signature, and every time I see it I cry. Seriously, every single freaking time.

"No one will ever know the strength of my love for you. After all, you're the only one who knows what my heart sounds like from the inside."

That totally happened.

Went to a renaissance faire. Fell down a hill. Hurt my ankle. Sucks.

Yes, I am wearing sexy lingerie...covered pj pants.

Appreciation.

I completed week 2 of C25K today! It was 2 minute runs, and 2 minute walks. I shoved my sausage feet into my shoes and headed out the door, blisters and all.

I'm super looking forward to running days. It's weird. And awesome.

I had my first group of cheerleaders today!

I ran past three men and they all clapped. "Keep it up!" "Great job!"

I was so excited!

I told my husband who said, "They were just watching your boobs bounce. A group of 3 men? That's all."

Whatever, man. Appreciate, don't hate.

Clever Title Not Found

Yeah. It's been a long day, I've got nothing clever!

We went to a babywearing meeting on the other side of our 'hood this morning. 10am meeting + 2 mile walk= early wake up time!

I woke up extra early so I could try on a million outfits before leaving. Yeah, those green khaki shorts and black tank and shrug were as good as it gets.

I got a huge blister on my foot! I want to cry. I'm still planning on running though.

I have to walk to the other side of our 'hood again tomorrow to pick up tickets to the renaissance faire this weekend! I'm excited. Last year was our first time, and I was pregnant and hot.

I did remember to take pics of lunch and dinner, but not snacks or breakfast. Opps.