Surprise surprise this was a crazy busy long weekend. Although we didn't find out about it until Sunday (my workweek in the UAE is Sunday through Thursday) we made plans for the extra day. Thursday we headed to the beach. She was bummed that she didn't have any of her friends going but her Aunty joined us and that always makes her happy. Plus she ended up finding a friend!
As the weekend progressed she didn't get to hang out with any of her friends but she did get to do a special date with her Aunty (they go to Starbucks and Mom goes for a run) and with me. I would say I am not only pretty happy to hang out with her but she's a pretty good kid. We spent the weekend running around Abu Dhabi and then Dubai trying to get things done and do the shopping we don't usually do.
And ya know what? My kid has gotten cool.
Serious! She'll be 6 next month but wants to just window shop. She's just as content about playing in the store as she is at home. We can wonder around a mall for a few hours and she's happy. She asks questions like an adult and contemplates the answers. She thinks before she asks the next question. She is just cool to hang out with. And better yet she shows gratitude on the things that are done for her. I no longer have to remind her to say thank you. She does it! She says please when talking to someone. She will ask the questions to the clerk (as long as I'm close by). Overall my kid is cool.
I found out this weekend that when I'm over the shopping and running around it's not because of her. It's because I'm tired and cranky and sick of running around. If she's telling me she's hot - guess what it's because it's hot outside! If she's tripping over her shoes - she's tired. And she's learning how to tell me that! She actually thanked me for the weekend and for running her around all weekend. She didn't even complain she didn't get to see any friends! We had these crazy conversations that made me realize she pays attention to EVERYTHING!
The problem is that this means she's growing up and if she's growing up there are some things we lose. We lose the extra snuggle time. We lose the holding hands in the stores and the mall and when we're just walking. We lose the carrying her around. But I'm finding I'm gaining this person who makes other people's worlds good again. I'm gaining the ability to have a conversation with her and see the world from her eyes. And that's ok. I'm actually totally ok with it.
I think maybe I'm doing something right after all....
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Monday, October 12, 2015
But I don't want to run!!!
The final "F" - fitness. The easiest and hardest part of the 4-F challenge for this school year.
I became a runner about 4 years ago now...give or take. Once my daughter was born I needed to drop the baby weight once I started nursing. I turned to walking and then running and I loved it! I was able to get into a rhythm and even trained and ran a 15k, a half marathon and a 25k. It was an amazing part of my running. And then things changed...I did my rest period after the 25k, I stopped running for a bit. I finished my 2nd Master's and then found a job overseas. I took my 3 year old and flew halfway around the world....and stopped running.
We were living in a hotel for over a month and I had a new job to start and figure out what to do with my 3 year old in this new country. It was definitely not a great time to run or do any physical fitness that didn't involve my daughter. So I did what I could.
After a few months we were able to get settled in and I began to run again. I tried to up my mileage and go back to the fitness level I had been...without the prep time. I got injured - I was in a new country - on new surfaces - and old shoes. Totally not the best combination for running again but you see I have a runner's personality. So I kept running.
The following fall I had trained for a half marathon - my first international race - and although my foot was flaring up in pain I wanted to compete and refused to switch to the 10k. Should have switched to the 10k as my 10k time was like 1:05 - I rocked it. I won't even share what my half time was as I had done a 25k in that time a year and a half before. I couldn't walk - I puked (and now everytime I go for a run she asks if I'm going to get sick). It was a horrible experience so I took some time off of running. I am moving to the 1 year anniversary of that race...my mileage is low and almost non-existent but I'm walking instead. The weather here is still in the 100s over the day so the goal is start running during my daughter's gymnastics once it gets cooler. It's just too hot at this point.
But let's be honest I hate the treadmill and that's why I haven't been running as much - 30 mins is about all I can handle on the treadmill. So I've switched to walking and doing the hills on the treadmill in the morning - adding in circuit training and strength training a couple days a week too. It's not that I need to run - ok I've been running long enough to know that it IS a need but I need to know my limits too.
So this weekend I have an appointment with a podiatrist to try to get my feet fixed. I just want to run without pain again. This is my fitness plan.
I became a runner about 4 years ago now...give or take. Once my daughter was born I needed to drop the baby weight once I started nursing. I turned to walking and then running and I loved it! I was able to get into a rhythm and even trained and ran a 15k, a half marathon and a 25k. It was an amazing part of my running. And then things changed...I did my rest period after the 25k, I stopped running for a bit. I finished my 2nd Master's and then found a job overseas. I took my 3 year old and flew halfway around the world....and stopped running.
We were living in a hotel for over a month and I had a new job to start and figure out what to do with my 3 year old in this new country. It was definitely not a great time to run or do any physical fitness that didn't involve my daughter. So I did what I could.
After a few months we were able to get settled in and I began to run again. I tried to up my mileage and go back to the fitness level I had been...without the prep time. I got injured - I was in a new country - on new surfaces - and old shoes. Totally not the best combination for running again but you see I have a runner's personality. So I kept running.
The following fall I had trained for a half marathon - my first international race - and although my foot was flaring up in pain I wanted to compete and refused to switch to the 10k. Should have switched to the 10k as my 10k time was like 1:05 - I rocked it. I won't even share what my half time was as I had done a 25k in that time a year and a half before. I couldn't walk - I puked (and now everytime I go for a run she asks if I'm going to get sick). It was a horrible experience so I took some time off of running. I am moving to the 1 year anniversary of that race...my mileage is low and almost non-existent but I'm walking instead. The weather here is still in the 100s over the day so the goal is start running during my daughter's gymnastics once it gets cooler. It's just too hot at this point.
But let's be honest I hate the treadmill and that's why I haven't been running as much - 30 mins is about all I can handle on the treadmill. So I've switched to walking and doing the hills on the treadmill in the morning - adding in circuit training and strength training a couple days a week too. It's not that I need to run - ok I've been running long enough to know that it IS a need but I need to know my limits too.
So this weekend I have an appointment with a podiatrist to try to get my feet fixed. I just want to run without pain again. This is my fitness plan.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Family - How to make it through the holiday transition with gratitude.
Kids, kids, kids...they run our lives without us even knowing it. Yet we wouldn't trade it for the world. I know I love my daughter through and through but she has a habit of taking over my life and not quite understanding boundaries, I love her with all my heart. Now that doesn't mean I don't get upset with her or let her know that there are some things mommy needs to do with her. There are lots of things we do together and one of those things is getting ready for the holidays.
We are now in the swing of things for the school year so the next step is the holiday season. Add in a birthday and this becomes a high money time for me and a super exciting time for her. The problem with her is that with this excitement her ability to be gracious and sweet and the child that is thankful for everything is difficult to find. So what to do?
The first thing we do is stop doing the extras - we stop seeing friends for at least one day, we stop decorating, we just stop. And this usually doesn't take long to help sink in but sometimes it takes longer. So we work on reading stories and finding information on people who need help and find ways to help them. My daughter will go through her toys and shoes at this time of year and donate them. This does help and that's a good start.
My goal for my daughter is to help her be a good person. Thankfully I don't have to worry about grades or her happiness level but I do have to worry about her being continually thankful for the world around her. This and the ability to build relationships are the most important parts of family to me.
We are now in the swing of things for the school year so the next step is the holiday season. Add in a birthday and this becomes a high money time for me and a super exciting time for her. The problem with her is that with this excitement her ability to be gracious and sweet and the child that is thankful for everything is difficult to find. So what to do?
The first thing we do is stop doing the extras - we stop seeing friends for at least one day, we stop decorating, we just stop. And this usually doesn't take long to help sink in but sometimes it takes longer. So we work on reading stories and finding information on people who need help and find ways to help them. My daughter will go through her toys and shoes at this time of year and donate them. This does help and that's a good start.
My goal for my daughter is to help her be a good person. Thankfully I don't have to worry about grades or her happiness level but I do have to worry about her being continually thankful for the world around her. This and the ability to build relationships are the most important parts of family to me.
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