Work It

I just came home from my first visit to our new gym, and it feels awesome. Graham was the only child accompanying me on this trip, and he didn't do great at his first time in childcare. Luckily I was prudent enough to throw in an extra change of clothes because he had an epic blowout, and then I could hear him crying from outside the daycare when I went to retrieve him. I was hoping for a better experience in that department. All Gavin ever did was cause me stress when I'd drop him off at the nursery at our old gym, which really took away from the experience. G2 certainly left an impression on his first visit to Mountainside, but that doesn't mean I won't be back, and we'll hope it goes better next time! I took a group fitness class that kicked the living crap out of me, and it felt so good.

A gym membership had been off the table for a while since I hadn't collected a paycheck in quite some time. But, the other day while I was scrambling to get everyone out of the house, I had the baby hooked to my boob, and with one not-so-free hand, I was trying to put our breakfast stuff back in the fridge. I dropped a carton of blueberries that spilled everywhere and then shouted an expletive that I reserve for only very serious situations. After that, I was so angry that I resorted to violence and kicked the inside of the fridge. I was even more pissed when nothing broke. Hindsight being 20/20, I'm actually really glad I didn't have to clean up a broken jar of pickles. After that moment had passed, I realized that I needed more than just a 30-minute jog twice a week. I needed to get the heck out of here on a regular basis. Because there is SO much, yet SO little happening here all the time. It is making me bonkers. I can't get anything done because naps longer than 10 minutes happen so infrequently (not for lack of trying...and shushing...and swaddling...and rocking...) and then the baby stays up until I do at night, and I have a toddler with the world's most volatile emotions constantly keeping me on edge. I am so bored (and UNINTERESTING), yet so busy that I am running around like a crazy chicken all the time. So I made the executive decision to find a place to go with some childcare and we would figure out the rest, especially leading up to one of Dylan's trips.

Gavin exploring non-conventional methods for riding a teeter-totter

He stayed asleep for a few minutes after laying down with him, and just looked so cute in this bed.

Passed out in Dad's arms while watching March Madness. 

Morning time

Lunch at Costco. Does that hot dog not totally gross you out?

Going for a ride with Quinn.

Playing with our pals at the Probstfelds' house. Big buddy Zach at the controls and a sweet girl serenading them with a trumpet in back. What could be better?

Maybe jumping the gun by putting him on this bike. He didn't really love it.

And you know what? From what I can tell, it's a total score. It's (much) less than half the price of the old gym, you don't pay any extra for childcare, they have plenty of classes and equipment, it's small and not crowded and really nice, and most importantly, the clientele is much more my speed. Plus, at select times throughout the week you can leave your kid(s) in the daycare for a nominal fee and go off site for up to three hours. That's incredible.

It's pretty sad that I am finding such joy in such a seemingly small thing. But this is coming just after news that I'll be returning to the dentist's office to get a crown and on the horizon of being husbandless for the week. I needed the pick-me-up. Life is so great and so dull all at the same time, and I don't think hitting the gym a few times a week will make me, or my life, any more interesting, but it will probably do a lot to put that pep back in my step. Some day, I hope, I'll have time to engage my mind in something and have more exciting things to talk about than baby poop, toddler tantrums and milk. Fingers crossed.