I mentioned that Josh and I found a training program online for the 5K we're intending to participate in.  The program is called "The Couch to 5K Running Plan" which is great, since neither Josh or I have been doing any cardio, so we really were rather couch-potatoey.  This week, we run 1/4 mile, walk 1/8 mile, run 1/2 mile, walk 1/4 mile, run 1/4 mile, walk 1/8 mile, run 1/2 mile.  As easy as that must sound to those of you who are used to running and other cardio activities, it is a bit of a challenge since we started running only two weeks ago.  We both managed very well with our first day at this level of the program, so we're both very pleased so far with our progress.  Here's hoping the progress continues, and we keep up the good work!  The only irritating part of this is that I keep craving orange juice and bananas.  I've eaten more bananas in the last week than in the six months prior.  I HATE bananas, but I still keep wanting to eat them.  I suppose I need the potassium, but man, I hate bananas.

So last weekend, my husband, my son, and I went to my sister's house for dinner on the 4th.  My sister and her husband's friend Jackie was there, and at one point, he mentioned that he's run some marathons.  Todd, my sister's husband, has run some marathons and triathalons and such.  Josh decided if they can do it, he should be able to do it too.  So Josh decided that he'd start running.  I used to run a bit my freshman year of college, but let's be honest, that was 7 years ago, and I don't tend to run unless I'm, say, being chased by hungry wild dingoes.  Josh, however, returned from his runs seeming to feel wonderful and energized, so I decided I'd try it too.  It turns out, this running this is actually rather fun!

Some people at work and my sister told us about the Monte Sano 5K at the very end of August, and Josh has decided that the two of us should run it.  Now, before you fall out of your chair laughing at the idea of me wheezing my way through 5 kilometers, I am in a lot better shape than I was when last I saw most of you.  I spent the past year going to the gym regularly, and I'm in the best shape of my life to be honest.  (Okay, I was about a month and a half ago, before we moved away from my gym.  Now I'm just in the second best shape of my life.)  I lost a fair amount of weight and even got me some fancy new muscles.  But still, there's a big difference between a veritably lung-exploding spin class and running.  I think running is much harder. 

Josh and I found a training program online to get us ready to run a 5K in 6 weeks, but I'm still pretty sure that it will be a painful experience.  I'll update you on the progress of the training, as soon as I find my lungs.  I'm pretty sure I lost them about a quarter mile from the house last night...

I'm not really sure if anybody will see this, since it's been so long since I last posted.  I imagine that no one really checks my livejournal, but hey, every stay at home mom needs an outlet.  Otherwise, they go crazy and crash their minivan into a local bar or something.  I mean, I don't have a minivan to crash into a local bar, and I don't know where a local bar is, but if I go crazy, I'm sure I'll find both somehow.

For a long while, I really wanted to be a stay at home mom.  It seemed so wonderful - lovingly nurturing the development of my darling, angelic child, keeping a pristine home, and baking cookies every day.  What a marvelous fantasy.

In reality, my darling, angelic child is, I am quite certain, out to end one of our lives, possibly both at the same time by trying yet another death-defying stunt that fails to defy death and results in a life-terminating heart attack for me.  Not that he's not adorable - he is, but the constant need to find dangerous things to play with or the seemingly endless amusement he derives from diving head-first off of pieces of furniture - let's just say they're not so great for Mommy's heart.

So much has happened in the past two years!  Daniel has grown like a weed.  Well, a boy-shaped, incredibly human-like weed.  Josh and I both graduated, and he got a fancy-pants job down in Huntsville, so we picked up and moved down here the end of May.  It's been quite an adjustment!  Huntsville, according to the people that live here, really isn't that big, but when you compare it to Cookeville, I feel rather like a small-town girl quite out of her element.  It's nice though!  There are a lot more choices for shopping and dining, but I still feel a bit lost here!

Daniel had been going to daycare 3 days a week back in Cookeville, but now he's been at home full time.  It's exhausting!  Toddlers are just little balls of energy.  I wish I could steal just a tiny fraction of his energy!  I could totally sell it and become a wealthy drug dealer.  It would be awesome.  And of course, I'd have to sample the merchandise myself.  Daniel energy could totally replace meth as the housewife drug of choice!  Okay, there's a chance that staying home all of the time has made me a tiny bit crazy.

Luckily for what's left of my sanity (I like to tell myself there's still something left to salvage,) I did get a part-time job teaching French at a private school starting in September.  And until then, aforementioned fancy private school I'll be working for thinks it's a good idea for Daniel to come in once a week so that he can get used to the preschool environment so it won't be such a shock come September.  For free.  Oh, and once I start teaching, he gets to attend "as much as we feel comfortable with" for free.  I like it!  Although, I have to be honest, I've gotten really used to having him around the house all of the time.  I took him this morning, and when I got home, the house felt so empty and quiet!  It was strange, but oh so wonderful. :)

Well, I suppose that's a sufficient update on me and my family.  For anyone that happens to stumble across this entry, what's been happening with you?

from the wrath of the teething baby.

Daniel's first tooth has cut through the gum, and he has been screaming bloody murder since yesterday every time he's awake. He's full of Tylenol, and we've slathered about a pound of Baby Oragel on his gum, but nothing shall assuage his anger, so he tells us.

Josh and I have had to realize that our baby isn't a little baby anymore. He's over 16 pounds, he's crawling (although very badly,) he's eating a wide variety of solid foods, and he's getting his first tooth. He's getting so big!

One thing that will definitely have to stop is letting him chew on our fingers. He really loves doing that, but he chewed on mine earlier and that tiny bit of tooth poking through his gum is sharp. OUCH. At least he's not nursing all the time now - that would certainly be a bigger ouch.

*sniff*sniff* My little baby's all grown up!

Yesterday afternoon, I came to the most horrible realization.

I was happily playing in my Exer-Saucer (read: screaming my head off while Mommy and Daddy attempted to clean the kitchen) when Daddy swooped in, snatched me up, Exer-Saucer and all, and plopped me down in front of the window. This was all well and good and gave me a lovely view until suddenly, THE SKY BEGAN FALLING! I attempted to alert Mommy and Daddy to our impending doom, but was ignored. I continued my distress calls until Mommy explained to me that it was water.

Water, you say? Where had I heard of that before? Oh, yes! I bathe in water! Wait - the sky is falling, mother calls it water, and I bathe in water... That means that my parental units are repeatedly showering me with BROKEN SHARDS OF SKY.

I resolve to continue my distress calls until someone comes and rescues me from this horrible abuse.

Day 2 of Operation Scream for Help still going strong.

If baby poop stories aren't your thing, stop here.

So, I was told that once Daniel started eating solid things, his poop would be the color of whatever he ate. Nothing, however, prepared me for the diapers FULL of orange poop. I'll wager that the carrots are making it through, wouldn't you? Terrifying.

Guess who has gone below her pre-pregnancy weight?

That's right, it's me!

YAY!

*stabs self in eye with pencil*

Enough said.

Someone pointed out the sign to the middle school, and it has since been changed to "appreciate". Now what will entertain me when I drive past?

You know, I think it's wonderful when a school truly appreciates its teachers. So I'm driving home from Tech, and I pass the sign for the middle school over on 10th St. There, they do not appreciate their teachers. Instead, as they have put on their sign for the world to know, they "appricate" their teachers. I have to say it bothers me that they cannot spell a relatively simple word on their sign. Yet another point for the "Home Schooling is Better Because Anything is Better Than Public Schools These Days" theory.