Lil' Drummer Boy

Who does he look like?

Well, I'd say he looks like Ian!

Zumba!

It was only a matter of time before I blogged about it... the new exercise craze that has captured quite a crowd of participants at our local Y. In fact, you have to arrive early to stand in line before class to ensure that you get a good spot in the room. Zumba is offered twice a day on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. You can also attend on Wednesday or Saturday. Or you can head over to the other branch of the Y and take advantage of their class offerings for optimal Zumba exposure.

What is Zumba? The best way I know how to describe it is salsa dancing + hip hop + kickboxing. It's basically an hour's worth of high-energy body movement involving simple, repetitive routines that gives you an all-around workout with an emphasis on cardio. And when I say "body movement," yes, there is quite a bit of hip and booty shaking as you might have heard about Zumba. My little Baptist body is adjusting to these new ways of moving. Fortunately, the class is mostly women with only a scattering of male attendees. (I'm not sure what I think about the guys in the class, it's just kinda awkward.)

I love it. So much fun, yet it's still exercise! My heart rate is always up, and I sweat until I'm soaked. (I know, ew, gross!) I probably wouldn't go twice a day... but I've actually thought about it! I don't go every day, but probably about four times a week on average. I've lost seven pounds since I started incorporating Zumba into my regular workouts. (I try to alternate between some muscle toning classses.) I have been exercising consistently for the past two months and eating painstakingly healthy for about a month. Why? Because I don't want my workouts to go to waste by eating high calorie foods!

If you want to learn more about Zumba, visit zumba.com or you can watch videos of our actual class. The instructor in the videos who has since left the Y is Ted Nugent's wife, Shemane. And don't try and look for me in the videos. They were taken before I joined.

Can you believe it? I wrote an entire post and didn't even mention Ian!

Toddlerspeak

Half the time I have no clue what Ian is saying. Other times, he says either words he knows well or words that we prompt him to say. But there's this one "word" that's got me stumped.

It's "ba ba" with variations on the sounding of the "a" depending on the context. The following items are things he has referred to by using this word:

His blanket
His pacifier
His sippy cup
Balloon
Bubbles
A stuffed sheep (that I call Ba Ba Black Sheep)

Alright, kiddo, let's work on adding some more syllables and consonants so mommy can decipher your little language!

Father's Day Reflections

A glimpse of Father's Day 2007, the exact day that we found out we were pregnant with Ian.


And then in 2008 when Ian was four months old.


And the present... Ian is sixteen months old today! He's looking kinda puny because he's had an off day for some reason. Another molar coming in, perhaps. But he got lots of Daddy lovin' today which always makes things better.


Aw, aren't my guys handsome? They just make my heart melt. Happy Father's Day, John! I love you!

Today

Today Caleb came over to play. Both boys were in pretty good moods, so we had fun. They have been playing together more, and it's been fun to watch them interact.

Caleb dials, Ian talks. A second earlier, Ian had the phone up to Caleb's ear. Of course, I wasn't quick enough to get that shot.

Ian's apple smile

Ian shows Caleb how to blow his nose.


Then, Ian wipes Caleb's nose.


Ian wants to share his apple with Caleb.


Caleb likes it!


Hey, where'd you go with that apple?

Two Days, Two Pounds

OK, so two days later I am somehow two pounds lighter. The only difference is that I weighed in the evening as opposed to in the morning. (No, clothing was not a factor.) Maybe my workouts caught up with me this weekend. Maybe my good behavior eating-wise at the retreat I went to this weekend paid off. I dunno, but it makes me feel somewhat encouraged.

Y, Oh Y

First of all, why didn't I join the Y sooner? We coulda had this baby fat off in no time. Oh yeah, I didn't have a car... maybe that was why. And not much motivation. And not much sleep. Anyway, so, this week:

Monday: Zumba (a fun class that will probably get its own post soon)
Tuesday: Body Shaping AND Zumba (phew!)
Wednesday: Break
Thursday: Body Shaping
Friday: Kickboxing

And, WHY did I gain a pound this week?? And I ate painfully healthy, too. Someone please remind me that muscle weighs more than fat. Or that I'm doing this to maintain a healthy lifestyle, not just lose a few pounds. I think maybe my pants are fitting more loosely today. It also seems I've lost some weight/gained definition in my thighs. No complaints there.

OK, I'm going to ignore those scales and keep up the hard work. But, oh man, sometimes it's just hard.

A Hug for Caleb

So, this was the third time in a row I had asked Ian to give his cousin a hug. The first time, I thought, hey, I should take a picture! The second time I took a picture. The third time I took this video. I think Ian was like, "How many times do I have to hug this kid, Mom?" But in all honesty, the boys are interacting well these days, you know, just in time for Lydia to quit her job, thus ending Caleb's weekly visits. Cousin Caleb, we will miss you!

Uh-Oh Spaghettio!

Summer Break, Sort of

We have a month off from Mother's Day Out which means I am not maintaining a regular work schedule these days. Oh yes, I am still working. There is no "time off" for contract workers, really. But my brain has been in summer mode since there has been little structure to my days here lately. Hence the lack of blogging. So, I got tagged again and figured this might help me a little with blogger's block. I think it's supposed to be called "Karenology."

********** FOODOLOGY ***************
What do you like to put on your toast?
butter, cinnamon, and sugar
What is your salad dressing of choice?
Balsamic Vinaigrette
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
Italian: Olive Garden, Carinos
What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it?
Ice Cream
What are your pizza toppings of choice?
Pepperoni

***********TECHNOLOGY***************
What color cell phone do you have?
pink, it was a freebie

***************BIOLOGY******************
Are you right-handed or left-handed?
Right-handed, but I'm a switch hitter in softball
Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
Um, does a baby count? Oh, and wisdom teeth
What is the last heavy item you lifted?
Does my 24 lb. toddler count?
Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
No, but I've passed out a few times.

********BULLCRAPOLOGY**************
If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
Probably not
If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
I'd probably keep it but maybe change the spelling.
Would you drink a whole bottle of Hot sauce for $1000.00?
I once ate a cup of sugar for money. I don't remember how much it was.
How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
Enough to bypass the sale at Old Navy because I already had every color.

*************FAVORITOLOGY****************
Last person you hugged?
The hubby
Favorite Holiday:
Thanksgiving
Day of the week?
Wednesday

*********CURRENTOLOGY*****************
Birth month
March
Missing someone?
College roomie
Mood?
Moody (it's PMS)
What are you listening to?
iPhone ad playing on John's computer
Worrying about?
My teething toddler's temper tantrums

***************RANDOMOLOGY*****************
First place you went this morning?
Grocery store at 8 a.m. with the old people
Last movie you saw?
Hancock
Do you smile often?
Sure

************** QUESTIONS**************

Do you always answer your phone?
If I hear it, usually
It’s five in the morning and you get a text message, who is it?
Jill, who's up with her baby and texting about exercising that day OR an update on a friend's baby... pick a friend, any friend, they're ALL having babies!
If you could change your eye color what would it be?
Blue would be fun
Do you own a digital camera?
Indeed I do
Have you ever had a pet FISH?
Several, the longest living was Walton, the beta I had in college
Favorite Christmas song?
O Come O Come Emmanuel
Can you do push ups?
Girl ones, hate them, though!
Can you do a chin up?
Never tried
Does the future make you more nervous?
Not really
Do you have any saved texts?
I guess so
Ever been in a car wreck?
Yup, twice in one day, in fact
Do you have an accent?
I don't think so.
What is the last song to make you cry?
A Mother’s Prayer
Plans tonight?
Nope
Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
Yup
Name 3 things you bought yesterday.
Yesterday? Hmm... lunch at McAlister's, dinner at Pei Wei, and a Zumba shirt
Have you ever been given roses?
Of course, in fact, hubby gave me some last week!
Current hate right now?
Hmm. Hate is such a strong word.
Met someone who changed your life?
Of course
How did you bring in the New Year?
with friends playing games and watching episodes of The Office
What song represents you?
Don't know
What were you doing at midnight last night?
Sleeping
What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up?
Why is the baby awake at 5:30 a.m.?

Tired

I'm tired. This week I worked out at the Y every day. I've also been eating healthier which has made me a little cranky... ya know, hungry a lot, craving sugar and that sort of thing. I'll weigh in tomorrow morning to see if I've made any progress. Sorry for the lack of blogging. I'm sort of on "summer break" which means I don't have much schedule structure these days.