What You Have To, When You Can

I recently found myself running at 3:45 in the afternoon. This is Florida, it is August and there wasn't a cloud in the sky or much shade around. To say it was hot, would be an understatement, but I got my run in. (I checked the temp when I got back and the feels like temp was 116F.)

Before having E, this probably wouldn't have happened. If I couldn't run one day, I would rearrange the whole week's training schedule or just skip the run. I have always been busy, but life with E just doesn't have that kind of flexibility. So I figure out ways to make it work.

Sometimes it is a runch. (I still hate it, but I use the treadmill much more than I did before.) Other times it is squeezing in a quick run between work and dinner. And occasionally, there is a missed run. 

I thought that training would get easier as E got older, but that hasn't happened yet. At least I have figured out how to make training a priority. I am hoping that someday E will sleep through the night on a regular basis and I can get back to running before she wakes up.

Making Mermaid Dreams Come True

E recently turned three and this was the first birthday/holiday that she understood presents and that she would be getting something. As a parent, I try to get E what she wants or things I think she would like. In the past this has been hit or miss, but now she can tell me what she wants. The good thing is that she is little, so the things she asks for are still very doable.

For a couple months leading up to her birthday, she told me she wanted a pink scooter for her birthday. After looking at options, I found the perfect option for E. A pink Minnie Mouse scooter. The scooter was purchased and hidden almost a month before E's birthday. I was feeling on top of the birthday game.

Then just a couple weeks before her birthday, E started asking for a mermaid tail and purple seashells. (Yes, we were on a Little Mermaid kick.) The first time she asked I thought it may just be a brief want because something caught her attention, but she kept asking about it. Cue Mommy panic.

I found a few options on Amazon, but the reviews were not great. I didn't want a tail that lost its scales after one trip to the pool. Target had a mermaid swimsuit option, but it was no longer available. (It kills me that I picked this swimsuit up and put it back earlier in the summer.)  

Then I found the Toddler Tail on Fantasy Fin. It was a high quality mermaid tail designed for toddlers and had an Ariel option. This was exactly what I was looking for, but with only two weeks until her birthday, I still wasn't certain I could make it happen.

I reached out to Fantasy Fin to see if I placed an order would it get here in time for E's birthday. They got back to me very quickly and told me they would help ensure it got here in time. I placed the order and received a shipping notification that same day.

A couple of days before E's birthday, the tail and top showed up. It was super cute and the fabric was even nicer than I thought it could be. I was super excited to make E's dream of being a mermaid come true.

She was excited about both gifts

Opening the tail was pretty funny. E didn't realize what the tail was at first, but once she did, she was super excited. We had to try it out the very next day. She now refers to herself as a mermaid from time to time.

Practicing her mermaid pose.

My little mermaid

 
Now, if I could get her to stop asking for red hair. (That one is a little harder to make a reality.)

Please note that I did not receive anything from Fantasy Fin other than amazing customer service. I wanted to share how they helped me make E's dream a reality.

Olymipic Inspiration

We are now in the midst of the 3-weeks every 4 years when the TV is on in my house pretty much all the time. For people who know how much TV I watch, you will know how strange this is. It is not uncommon for our television not to get turned on for days, or the only time it is on is for a little bit of Sofia or Mickey Mouse or whatever E wants to watch so we can get ready for work in the morning.

Using my second screen wisely

I am a big fan of the Olympics, and especially the summer games. I can get sucked into watching just about anything. One of the things I love are the stories behind the athletes. Sure, it is great to see the gymnasts or swimmers, but those sports get a lot of coverage. The stories about the fencer chasing her dream or athletes from small countries that have dreamed about making the games since they were children that really make the games amazing.

It is interesting that this year, the start of the games lines up with the start of half marathon training. Watching all the athletes inspires me to get out and run, even when it is hard or hot. (It doesn't help me get out early, but that is a whole other story.)

I will never be an Olympic athlete, but that doesn't mean I can't continue to chase my dreams. These athletes are often a reminder that chasing dreams is never easy.

Show Your Belly Mommy

A couple of weeks ago, I was putting on my shirt and getting ready for a run when E comes in and asks, "Mommy, why you not show your belly?" What she was really getting at was why was I putting on a shirt and not running in just a sports bra and capris. I wasn't really sure where the question came from and just told her I felt like wearing a shirt.

After some thought I realized that when I took E to the #OrlandoUnited 5k a couple weeks ago, she noticed that some women run in just a sports bra and bottom. At one point during the race, she asked me why the girl in front of us was running and holding her shirt. I told her that it was because she was hot and didn't have to wear a shirt if she didn't want to.


Since that first question, she has asked me about it a couple more times. In most cases I just deflect or say that I am more comfortable wearing a shirt.  One day she even complemented me on not wearing a shirt. (Really I had come in from a very humid early morning run and my soaking wet shirt hadn't made it much past the front door. I felt a little guilty about that one.)

My body confidence has gone up and down over the years. Sometimes in relation to my actual appearance, but for other reasons as well. Even before I had E, I was never comfortable working out without a shirt, and having a baby didn't really help that. For me wearing a shirt is not just about hiding my belly, but also about preventing a Janet Jackson style wardrobe malfunction.

Setting a good example for E is huge for me. It is part of why I run and why I work to stay strong. I don't see myself working out without a shirt anytime soon, but she did motivate me to buy my first post-baby bikini (and wear it). My body is not perfect, but it is strong and getting stronger.

Having fun at Blizzard Beach

You can tell what hasn't seen the sun in a while.

 Shirt, no shirt, one-piece, tankini, bikini...the most important thing is being comfortable in your own skin and that is the message I want to send her. Raising a girl child is hard.