What two kids in two hours can do to man!

So...I am not going to lie....I was looking forward to Restore the Core not only for it's fab workout which I need desperately since the c-section 11 wks ago but bc it meant I would go and come back to a quiet house, kids washed and in bed without me doing it!
Ok so today I just didn't have "time" to give Eliza a bath. Truth: I had the time but daddy hasn't given her one since birth so guess what....I didn't have time today....could you do me a big favor?
Don't get me wrong...daddy is a good one, gave baths to Ava since day one and does everything under the sun (maybe a little more slowly or backwards but hey...beggars can't be choosers plus the kids like the attention too)
Sooo...great class tonight, sold some restore the core dvd's, moms are into the workout.... Coming home to the quiet house.....walk in....seems quiet....go to the bathroom, hear the footsteps of Steve. Everyone asleep? I ask. No was the reply. What do you mean no? (it's 8:30p, usually asleep by 7:30) What do you mean, what do you mean? he replies. (Seriously, this is how the convo went). I come out of the bathroom....Eliza is washed! Task accomplished. Except she is in her onesie wrapped in a blanket. Oh...Eliza is awake...well, no big deal. Then I hear footsteps...it's Ava still dressed and covered head to toe in stamps. So...now we have two kids neither in their pj's, one washed, and one who needs to be scrubbed with a Brillo pad and paint thinner. So much for peace and quiet!
The funny thing is that it was all really funny.....me, Steve and Ava all had a good laugh together as we were all piled in the bathroom trying to scrub the stamps off Ava and get her dressed while trying to use this as a teaching moment for Eliza (A for effort?). Everyone took it in stride and actually had a good time. So even though I was looking for some peace and quiet....I really enjoyed the craziness that ensued much better. That's what memories are made of.....
I have restore the core tomorrow night...wonder what I will find when I come home? Stay tuned.

Great Partnerships

Well, today was a good day for StrollerFit metrowest. I made a great partner in Magic Beans...a cool store for toys and baby gear. The owners were nice and looks like we'll both make out....I mean businesses do well...you knew what I mean. Anyway, I felt a little weird meeting someone for the first time and I had lost my voice. Not a great first impression but oh well. They offered a $100 gift card for the grand prize drawing for Heart Health Month at StrollerFit! So that will make things a little more exciting!
The babies are sound asleep and the hubby is at karate, at least for a little while....so I am enjoying the peace and quiet if for only a moment!
Cindy

Mall Walking

Well, I don't have StrollerFit today....an off day so I am meeting my friend for a mall walk along with the thousand other moms that don't have anywhere to go in the winter with their little one.
Then off to check out some places for my hubby's 40th birthday this summer.
Busy day....gotta go.

No sick days in the mommy contract

So I have looked it over thoroughly....no sick days allowed in the Mommy contract. If your child is sick, life stops as we know it. If mommy is sick, life just keeps going. Turns out, vacation days are allowed only if your shift is covered. Eliza is starting to sleep through the night....shhh...I didn't say that too loudly....I didn't want her to hear me say it out loud. 10-6 a few nights in a row. Yeehaw! I made it out alive! So....this means people will start watching her for overnights which means mom and dad can have a mini- vacation even if it is just for one night.
Oh the things you appreciate after having children.....Being allowed to lay on the couch in your jammies without having to get up to change diapers or get a "juicy" while watching a show that is not in animation. Sleeping several hours consecutively without checking to make sure someone is breathing (yes, even with #2...neurotic I know). Going away for only one night with just your husband.
Well, there are way too many good things in mom life to count so it's all good.
Being a part of a mom's group is one of them...I might be teaching a restore the core class for my mom's group...just working out the details. Who wouldn't want to lose the lower belly sag? I working on my 10 week old sag right now! Hope there are no more snowstorms keeping me away from Strollerfit and Restore The Core....my belly can't afford a day without it. Plus, I need to be warm! Looking forward to the little warm up this weekend.

Heart Healthy Challenge

It's happening all over the country for Heart Healthy Month....StrollerFit is running a contest to bring awareness to Heart Health. This topic is near and dear....my family history of heart disease is extensive, lots and lots of early heart attacks and strokes. It is so scary to me that I carry the same gene for high cholesterol as my dad (heart attack 48) no matter what steps I take to correct it. I can keep the overall number down with exercise and eating well, but I have high bad cholesterol and low good. When I went to my doc to ask him to put me on a cholesterol medication at the age of 31, he looked at me cross-eyed. I am a young, healthy, of average weight, ate well, exercised but once we reviewed my family history, he applauded my proactiveness. Having high bad cholesterol over a long period of time increases your risk for disease. I am fighting tooth and nail to not have a heart attack or stroke....it's a clear reminder every week when I visit my 60 yr old aunt in a nursing home that I need to take care of myself. She had a stroke at age 60...she hadn't even retired yet. I have plans for my retirement and they don't have anything to do with the inside of a nursing home.
That's why I bought the StrollerFit franchise to begin with...it's a motivation for me and hopefully I will motivate other women in particular to have fun and workout and to be a role model to their children. I wished my mom got me in the habit of working out every morning instead of learning to do it myself. Ava now asks when do we go to exercise. She knows how important it is at the age of 3. This is something that she will keep with her for life.
Well, the challenge is on. Moms and babies are wearing red this month in class and really getting competitive! Love it!
So...StrollerFit in the morning, Restore The Core at night, and I am getting sick to boot! I need some shuteye!

A tie so far for StrollerFit moms!

Moms and babies all came dressed in RED for the Heart Healthy month promo. Fun! So it's a tie to start off the month. It makes it fun to have some healthy competition among the moms.
People came out despite the snow. Class was early enough to beat the worst of it.
Restore The Core on the other hand is in the worst part of it so we decided to cancel to keep everyone safe today. We'll make it up on the end of the class. No problem.

On the Ava front-
Well...it was an ear infection....my child is not a fibber...well, not about that anyway.
The biggest turn of events and something I have to learn to accept about life with a preschooler is that.....Ava is outgrowing naps! AAAAaaagh! What do I do?? I need this time to get things done and stay sane. I am trying to institute "quiet time" where she has to stay on the couch and read books and relax for one hour. So far it has lasted about 20 mins tops....

Well gotta shower off the StrollerFit sweat....today was hard class they told me. I guess I am feeling better! Hope it doesn't deter people from coming bc they are sore!
We'll see!

Ear Infection or just attention?

Ava spent Saturday night at Nana's house....oh...how I was looking forward to my peaceful morning...drinking coffee and watching a news show without interruptions or having to take turns with a three year old. I should've known when Eliza woke at 5:30am not wanting to sleep again it wasn't going to go as planned. Get out of bed and have my cup of coffee (so far so good), check my email and bbrrring...bbrrring....it's Nana on the phone saying Ava is crying complaining her ear hurts. She has been fighting a cold for a while now so not too surprising. I call the nurse and she says to give her Motrin and call the doc in the morning. Give her Motrin....and get her in the car to go home (a 5 min ride), halfway home, miraculously her ear feels better! She is better all day until about 6:30pm and I am on the phone with my sister and her ear hurts again....hmmm....this is a little tricky. Do I give her Motrin (not really something I want to give a child for the heck of it) just in case? I quizzed her on what ear it is ....she picks the right one everytime! So...I give it to her. Motrin must work fast bc once again within 15 mins. it's better! Which I think I am thankful for...just not sure if I am doing the right thing. Good thing for the doc's appointment today! I need some advice.
I hope I can make it to StrollerFit and Restore The Core tomorrow between sick children and another snowstorm, it's questionable. How many days 'til Spring??

A Fun Day For Ava

Ava met her first true friend at StrollerFit by the name of Emma last summer.....you know, not the friend bc mom's are friends, but bc they truly like each other and have fun together....true kindred spirits. When Ava actually remembers her name and hasn't seen her in months, you know Emma has made a difference in her life. Ava has been in preschool twice a week since September with the same kids and still can't tell me their names. So anyway, Jill, Emma's mom, and I finally got it together and took the kids to Noodle, Noggin and Bean....a fun little play place that entertained them for a good part of the morning (pretty inexpensively might I add). It definitely helps that we, the moms, get along too! They played until they were falling over themselves in exhaustion.
Ava, Eliza and I then ran to my sister's to watch Jack, who is Ava's age. So, Ava had a power nap in the car and played for the rest of the day with her cousin. Boy....did she have a a great day!
I was exhausted but another day of great memories were made today....