Sunday, March 18, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
It's all about me
After waiting 42 weeks, gaining 30 pounds and embarking on 98 runs into the wilderness, my second baby was born — a girl, weighing 7 pounds, 9 ounces.
She was healthy, beautiful and pink as soon as she entered the world. Her cries quieted as she lay on my chest and in that moment all the waiting and work were more than worth it.
Three months later, I’m back working and trying to find time between motherhood, babyhood and a career to squeeze in moments for me.
“I just don’t know how you do it,” people often say.
It’s certainly no walk in the park and often nothing is perfect. But, it’s doable and frankly, it’s necessary.
Because — and this may sound cliché — a parent is made better not by devoting every minute to their children and family, but by finding balance between the pulls of parenthood and their personal passions.
During the snowy month of November, I was itching to stave off the weight of dark days and too much time at home. I resolved to run, no matter the weather, whenever the opportunity presented itself. A day later there I was, out in a near whiteout snow storm, running into a headwind that bit and pushed. My baby was in tow, bundled into our jogger happily snoozing away. Our border collie mix trotted next to me, ears pinned back, squinting and smiling into the storm.
The run that day wasn’t perfect. I ran my normal route 15 minutes slower than usual and lost my positive attitude somewhere along the way. But as I cruised along, head bent into the stiff wind, I found a rhythm that worked. After arriving home after 45 minutes in the weather, I found myself refreshed and relaxed.
But those fleeting moments of relative kid-freeness are just that — fleeting.
Most often, I think moms are asking themselves the following:
How do I fit in a run between that doctor appointment and a trip to the grocery store? Could I escape for an hour run without total infant meltdown? What if she won’t take a bottle? How could I possibly exercise while being so sleep deprived?
The list goes on. And I assume, all mothers who hope to regain some shade of their former bodies through exercise ask themselves these same (or similar) questions.
The key, I’ve found, is to just let go.
Outings in the beginning will not be perfect; one hour runs may have to be cut in half. Dinner may have to be a little late. Perhaps, that trip to the grocery store will just have to wait. And that’s OK. Even if it’s just a trip around the block, those moments of alone time will refresh even the most deflated and exhausted parent.
I managed to tally 12 runs in December. That’s nothing compared to where I was back in July, while still pregnant — a fact that is a bit disheartening. But those dozen runs lifted my spirits and put me closer to getting back into pre-baby shape.
There’s another side to this coin: fathers need time, too. My husband has a standing request to head up into the mountains whenever more than six inches of snow falls overnight. Just like me, he needs time to recharge. He always comes home cherub-cheeked and smiling.
Of course, it’s never easy to see him go. I try hard to wave and smile as he rushes out the door (as if he’s afraid I might change my mind) while the kids cling to me. Yet, with both parents carving out “me” time, I find our family is not only happier, but it is also stronger. Parenting stems from individuals who find a way to manage stress, instead of letting it manage them.
So get out there parents! And leave the kids at home — supervised, of course. Even if it’s just a walk around the block, a stroll on the beach or to take out the garbage, some alone time is better than none.
She was healthy, beautiful and pink as soon as she entered the world. Her cries quieted as she lay on my chest and in that moment all the waiting and work were more than worth it.
Three months later, I’m back working and trying to find time between motherhood, babyhood and a career to squeeze in moments for me.
“I just don’t know how you do it,” people often say.
It’s certainly no walk in the park and often nothing is perfect. But, it’s doable and frankly, it’s necessary.
Because — and this may sound cliché — a parent is made better not by devoting every minute to their children and family, but by finding balance between the pulls of parenthood and their personal passions.
During the snowy month of November, I was itching to stave off the weight of dark days and too much time at home. I resolved to run, no matter the weather, whenever the opportunity presented itself. A day later there I was, out in a near whiteout snow storm, running into a headwind that bit and pushed. My baby was in tow, bundled into our jogger happily snoozing away. Our border collie mix trotted next to me, ears pinned back, squinting and smiling into the storm.
The run that day wasn’t perfect. I ran my normal route 15 minutes slower than usual and lost my positive attitude somewhere along the way. But as I cruised along, head bent into the stiff wind, I found a rhythm that worked. After arriving home after 45 minutes in the weather, I found myself refreshed and relaxed.
But those fleeting moments of relative kid-freeness are just that — fleeting.
Most often, I think moms are asking themselves the following:
How do I fit in a run between that doctor appointment and a trip to the grocery store? Could I escape for an hour run without total infant meltdown? What if she won’t take a bottle? How could I possibly exercise while being so sleep deprived?
The list goes on. And I assume, all mothers who hope to regain some shade of their former bodies through exercise ask themselves these same (or similar) questions.
The key, I’ve found, is to just let go.
Outings in the beginning will not be perfect; one hour runs may have to be cut in half. Dinner may have to be a little late. Perhaps, that trip to the grocery store will just have to wait. And that’s OK. Even if it’s just a trip around the block, those moments of alone time will refresh even the most deflated and exhausted parent.
I managed to tally 12 runs in December. That’s nothing compared to where I was back in July, while still pregnant — a fact that is a bit disheartening. But those dozen runs lifted my spirits and put me closer to getting back into pre-baby shape.
There’s another side to this coin: fathers need time, too. My husband has a standing request to head up into the mountains whenever more than six inches of snow falls overnight. Just like me, he needs time to recharge. He always comes home cherub-cheeked and smiling.
Of course, it’s never easy to see him go. I try hard to wave and smile as he rushes out the door (as if he’s afraid I might change my mind) while the kids cling to me. Yet, with both parents carving out “me” time, I find our family is not only happier, but it is also stronger. Parenting stems from individuals who find a way to manage stress, instead of letting it manage them.
So get out there parents! And leave the kids at home — supervised, of course. Even if it’s just a walk around the block, a stroll on the beach or to take out the garbage, some alone time is better than none.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Snowblown
One Saturday, two kiddos, a dog and 12 inches of new snow ...
... and this one's for mom. Yes, that's the perma-berm on top of the Suby.
Oh, and one last parting shot:
... and this one's for mom. Yes, that's the perma-berm on top of the Suby.
Oh, and one last parting shot:
Monday, December 26, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
And another makes four in the family
This post is long overdue, and for that I apologize.
But without further delay, we are very proud to introduce baby girl Marin Hunter Lowell born on Oct. 3. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces and was 20 inches long.
She is a beauty and a blessing in all ways.
I don't have time at the moment to share the birth story, but it will be forthcoming. I promise it is just as exciting and surprising as Elias' birth, and it's fair to say, it was certainly nothing like we expected.
In the meantime, here are some photos of the last few weeks. I apologize for the quality; I've had only my iPhone handy.
My walk on the False Outer Point Trail the afternoon of Oct. 1. It was beautiful. That night at 2 a.m., I went into labor.
Fresh Marin, barely 24 hours old.
Elias is such a proud big brother.
Sleeping at two weeks old.
... and my personal favorite ...
But without further delay, we are very proud to introduce baby girl Marin Hunter Lowell born on Oct. 3. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces and was 20 inches long.
She is a beauty and a blessing in all ways.
I don't have time at the moment to share the birth story, but it will be forthcoming. I promise it is just as exciting and surprising as Elias' birth, and it's fair to say, it was certainly nothing like we expected.
In the meantime, here are some photos of the last few weeks. I apologize for the quality; I've had only my iPhone handy.
My walk on the False Outer Point Trail the afternoon of Oct. 1. It was beautiful. That night at 2 a.m., I went into labor.
Fresh Marin, barely 24 hours old.
Elias is such a proud big brother.
Sleeping at two weeks old.
... and my personal favorite ...
Sunday, September 25, 2011
The waiting game
D-day.
It's a recipe for failure. The big due date, that is. A date etched in gold and studded with precious gems, revered so highly that it hovers above a pregnant woman's head for 10 months like the freaking carrot of the gods on the end of a stick. It's scribbled all over medical charts, circled in bright colors on your calendar and set as an all-day event on your iPhone (maybe even with a reminder, as if you'd ever forget).
At the same time, it's easy to dismiss the statistic which states that only 5 percent of women deliver on their due date - especially when I delivered my first born virtually on time.
It's also simple to mentally wave aside the stories from women describing how excruciating it is to wait ... and wait ... and wait. And to hear how many different things they tried to induce labor as the days ticked, ever so slowly, past.
But not anymore. I am one of those women.
Now, five days past my due date and still pregnant, I'm fighting hard to mentally "stay in the game." And it's not an easy game to play.
Rule number one: Stay busy. Folks, after the house is immaculate and the "nesting" urge has worn off due to sheer exhaustion, it's time to get creative. Literally. So, I took up knitting; it's scary. I'm about as adept at knitting as our obese cat Simon is licking his backside.
Rule number two: Do not answer your cell phone or respond to texts. It only invites more correspondence.
Rule number three: Get after it. That's right, it's time to get hiking, walking, jumping or anything else that reminds the body that you are still (for some reason) hauling around at least thirty pounds of extra-ness. Other things that induce labor are highly recommended - though not that castor oil crap. One word: explosive.
Rule number four: Prepare for the worst. Now that the due date is in the past, it's safe and a preservation of sanity to brace for what could mean another two weeks of pregnancy. In reality, what's two more weeks, right? Right.
So, you may ask, how have I been doing with following through with these "rules?"
Oh we've hiked and walked - me often while carrying Elias on my back. I've knitted three and a half hats and a pair of mittens. We cut down some trees in our back yard and somehow convinced the heater to crap out by merely starting up.
But, we've stayed busy. We toured the local fish hatchery with Elias' preschool class. We've taken the dog around the neighborhood and played at the local park. There've been dinners out, homemade dinners in and lots, and lots of playing games and doing crafts.
Today, with the sun blaring in what is likely a fleeting day of sunshine, we headed out for some vitamin D and endorphins (which, I've been told, help induce labor).
Elias, my mom and me hiked the Nugget Falls Trail by the Mendenhall Glacier. Fall was certainly in full bloom as Mount McGinnis rose high into a crystaline sky. It was tipped with fresh snow that faded into the muskeg which blared brigh in crimson and marigold. Alders, now in full yellow, danced along the Mendenhall Lake shoreline and moss glowed bright green after days of rain.
Even with a belly full of baby, I had a smile on my face. What a day to be alive!
Some arts and crafts with baking in the background.
Watching the seal hunt fish at DIPAC fish hatchery.
It's a recipe for failure. The big due date, that is. A date etched in gold and studded with precious gems, revered so highly that it hovers above a pregnant woman's head for 10 months like the freaking carrot of the gods on the end of a stick. It's scribbled all over medical charts, circled in bright colors on your calendar and set as an all-day event on your iPhone (maybe even with a reminder, as if you'd ever forget).
At the same time, it's easy to dismiss the statistic which states that only 5 percent of women deliver on their due date - especially when I delivered my first born virtually on time.
It's also simple to mentally wave aside the stories from women describing how excruciating it is to wait ... and wait ... and wait. And to hear how many different things they tried to induce labor as the days ticked, ever so slowly, past.
But not anymore. I am one of those women.
Now, five days past my due date and still pregnant, I'm fighting hard to mentally "stay in the game." And it's not an easy game to play.
Rule number one: Stay busy. Folks, after the house is immaculate and the "nesting" urge has worn off due to sheer exhaustion, it's time to get creative. Literally. So, I took up knitting; it's scary. I'm about as adept at knitting as our obese cat Simon is licking his backside.
Rule number two: Do not answer your cell phone or respond to texts. It only invites more correspondence.
Rule number three: Get after it. That's right, it's time to get hiking, walking, jumping or anything else that reminds the body that you are still (for some reason) hauling around at least thirty pounds of extra-ness. Other things that induce labor are highly recommended - though not that castor oil crap. One word: explosive.
Rule number four: Prepare for the worst. Now that the due date is in the past, it's safe and a preservation of sanity to brace for what could mean another two weeks of pregnancy. In reality, what's two more weeks, right? Right.
So, you may ask, how have I been doing with following through with these "rules?"
Oh we've hiked and walked - me often while carrying Elias on my back. I've knitted three and a half hats and a pair of mittens. We cut down some trees in our back yard and somehow convinced the heater to crap out by merely starting up.
But, we've stayed busy. We toured the local fish hatchery with Elias' preschool class. We've taken the dog around the neighborhood and played at the local park. There've been dinners out, homemade dinners in and lots, and lots of playing games and doing crafts.
Today, with the sun blaring in what is likely a fleeting day of sunshine, we headed out for some vitamin D and endorphins (which, I've been told, help induce labor).
Elias, my mom and me hiked the Nugget Falls Trail by the Mendenhall Glacier. Fall was certainly in full bloom as Mount McGinnis rose high into a crystaline sky. It was tipped with fresh snow that faded into the muskeg which blared brigh in crimson and marigold. Alders, now in full yellow, danced along the Mendenhall Lake shoreline and moss glowed bright green after days of rain.
Even with a belly full of baby, I had a smile on my face. What a day to be alive!
Some arts and crafts with baking in the background.
Watching the seal hunt fish at DIPAC fish hatchery.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)