Random Addictions/Obsessions and a New Year

So in my Christmas post I posted this pic of this baby from the gdiapers website:

Baby in a gjoy diaper.  Too cute.  Should have bought one before they sold out!!!

Well....a girl I know from my childhood recently posted this pic of her baby, and I must say....HE WINS!!!

Thatcher in his gjoy.  Totally stole this from Facebook, because I love it!!

Anyways....that is not what my post is about.  Not fully, anyway.

So for those of you who read my blog (which apparently is several, though I technically only have 3 followers. I bet that's because the website asks for your info and threatens to email you stuff.  BOO.  But then again....this is a free blog site.  So as long as people are READING, who cares if they're following?), you know that I use cloth diapers.

SURPRISE!!!

Just kidding.  See, I know that some of you ENJOY reading about my cloth diaper experiences, while others would rather stab their eye repeatedly with a fork.  But that's exactly why I pre-warn you readers about cloth diaper info coming up.....so you can skip it.  FYI, if you hate getting your learn on about cloth diapers, SKIP this next section.  Don't exit out of my blog completely, I still have other stuff to say, though it will still likely be baby-related because that's how I roll.....just skip this next section and move on to the next bold print.  It's that simple.  The cloth diaper info is for the moms (or just friends) out there who are interested in reading about it!

FOR THOSE WHO FOLLOW MY CLOTH DIAPER SAGA:
I haven't checked my backlog of the cloth diaper saga, but where I THINK I left off, I was having some trouble with leaking issues, usually while Delano was breastfeeding and therefore lying on his side.  At first I thought it was because he was outgrowing his small gdiapers (leaking is a potential sign of the need to upsize), but when it was happening in almost ALL his diapers, I figured I was doing something wrong.

As a refresher, Delano owns several brands of diapers for different reasons and/or times of the day.  His gdiapers have been designated for daytime use only.  We have been using double cloth inserts in his gdiapers from pretty much the start (the "hemp sandwich" method) because he is a heavy wetter, and therefore we quickly discovered that he needed more than a gdiaper at night.  (FYI - if your child isn't an obscene wetter like mine, gdiapers may be all you need.....a single cloth insert for daytime and an extra or even two extras at night.  I tried this with our chitlin....no bueno.  He pees too much both during the day and definitely in his sleep for using strictly gdiapers and nothing else.)  So I bought some one-size Happy Heineys pocket diapers for nighttime use, and even with those we have to use two inserts because Delano pees like a racehorse (granted he also eats ALL THE TIME to fill his bladder with pee).  I also own some GroVias, both the hybrids and all-in-ones (both which are great for daytime but Delano will out-pee at night), some all-in-one Swaddlebees (same as the GroVias) and a few other random brands of diapers, covers and inserts.  And I just bought two new all-in-ones via Ebay that were handmade by some lady that I can't wait to try out because they are adorable yet also seem pretty absorbent.  I love ALL my diapers, and they all have their pros and cons.

The one on the left is an old-school Swaddlebees diaper that was included.  The two printed ones are the homemade ones I bought. 

So back to my leaking issues.....it was out of control.  Delano would pee on me at LEAST once a day while he was eating, sometimes multiple times, and I was at a loss for what to do.  So I hit up Google (as always).  Well, several suggestions in blogs and what not, besides the "he may be too big for his britches" comments, were that it may be time to strip the diapers.  I had no idea what it meant to strip cloth diapers, so of course I Googled THAT.

Turns out (who knew?), cloth diapers and inserts need to occasionally be "stripped" of detergent build-up. I knew that standard commercial detergents could decrease the absorbancy of cloth diapers due to their chemicals (as well as irritate your baby's booty), and I knew that diaper rash creams could do the same.  But I've always used a "green" detergent and I've never used a diaper rash cream with my cloth diapers, so I never thought this would be an issue.  Well.....if you're having leaking issues, try stripping your diapers!  Stripping literally involves just running your diapers (and inserts) through the hottest wash your washer will allow, water only, until the point where when you open the lid of the washer mid-churn, your water is clear and no soap bubbles are present (not to be mistaken for agitation bubbles).  Some people even said that if your washer water doesn't get super hot to either add boiling water to it or turn up the temp on your hot water heater.  These people are serious about stripping.  For gdiapers, this doesn't include the cute covers, just the cloth inserts.  Just whatever your baby is pooping/peeing on.

I broke out the disposable inserts (used usually only for when we travel) and stuck every cloth diaper and insert that I had into the washer to be stripped.  Most advice said 3-4 rinses would do the trick.....8 washes in and mine STILL had a little residue on top of the water mid-wash!!  But by that point I was over it and ready to see if there was any improvement. 

Three words:  NIGHT AND DAY.  I am SO glad that I took the advice (though not technically for me) to strip my diapers!!  Turns out Delano hadn't outgrown the smalls like I thought (and still hasn't)...they just needed a good stripping!  We are back to normal on the diaper front.  As long as I change him every two hours or so (the normal capacity for a cloth diaper), we typically have ZERO leaks.  And his Happy Heineys are working GREAT for his current 8-11 hour nights.  They are definitely FULL when he wakes up (aka no feeding him on his side until I change his diaper first) but I don't even remember the last time he woke up with wet PJs.  SUCCESS!!!

FOR THOSE SKIPPING THE CLOTH DIAPER SAGA/UPDATE:
Welcome back!! 

So the REAL topic of my blog tonight (before I got off on the cloth diaper update) is/was addictions/obsessions.  I currently have a few addictions and/or obsessions that I either need to address or just have fun talking about!

#1:  Baby leg warmers
I think this one qualifies as an obsession.  I am OBSESSED with baby leg warmers!  I never even knew they existed (or just never thought about it) until I saw them on the gdiapers website.  Well I bought a pair from there, saw how ADORABLE Delano was in them plus how EASY they made diaper changes that I decided I needed more.  That's when I made the mistake of typing in "baby leg warmers" into Ebay.

Baby D in his leg warmers about 6 weeks ago (6 WEEKS AGO!!! OMG!!!)

Go ahead and type "baby leg warmers" into Ebay's search engine.  On the "50 results per page" option, you'll come up with about 60 PAGES.  It's insane.  Needless to say, I went on a shopping spree and Delano has nine pairs of leggings on the way....NINE.  They were all so cheap, plus I was able to combine most of the shipping.......and he won't need pants for a LONG time.  That's my excuse, anyway.

#2:  Cloth diapers
I haven't decided if this one qualifies as an obsession or an addiction.  Am I obsessed with buying them or addicted to buying them?  I don't know.  Regardless, I have a LOT of cloth diapers.  As in, I am not a poster child for saving money on cloth diapers (which is the NORM) because I have WAY more than I need, because I can't turn down a bargain or an absolutely adorable diaper.  I sound like a hoarder.  When it comes to gdiapers, they're ALL cute, but the limited edition patterns are SUPER cute and I just can't resist.  And when it comes to other brands I like (such as GroVia), when I see some cute like-new AIOs floating around on Ebay for pennies, I can't help but buy them.  Because I know what an AWESOME deal they are.  Even if to resell them for closer to their worth.  Which I (cough cough) haven't done yet.  So like I've said in the past.....the normal cloth diapering mom needs NOWHERE NEAR my stash.  I'm just addicted.  Or obsessed.

Imagine that this is my laundry room every 3 days.

When I found that photo above, it was attached to this Motherhood Naked blog, which I read (it's pretty short).  She can't stop buying cloth diapers, either!  She says, "It’s true that they are more economical- if you don’t continue buying them at the same rate you would buy disposables."  Partner in crime right there.  She also says that she started using cloth diapers when she accidentally washed a disposable diaper and it BURNED HER HANDS while she was cleaning up the diaper mess in the washing machine.  Kinda scary.

#3  Ebay
I am obsessed with Ebay.  No, I take that back....I am obsessed with the Ebay app on my phone!!  This has made my life SO EASY TO SPEND MONEY!!  And I kind of have a love/hate relationship with this app.  On the plus side, I can search for what I want super easy, the app alerts me when an item I'm watching has 15 minutes left, and I can bid easy-peasy from my phone.  On the con side....ALL OF THE ABOVE!!  Because due to the ease of it all, all I do is spend money!  But I AM obsessed.  Ebay even knows my likes....it knows to search gdiapers, swaddlebees, grovias, happy heineys and baby leg warmers before I even fully type them out.  Ebay loves me.  I don't EVER want to add up what I've spent over the last 6-8 months or so.  As the guy from The Princess Bride would say...PREPOSTEROUS!!  I'd much rather stay NOT in the know.  It's easier that way, for all of us.

In the back is Ebay....I'm the piles of money in the front.

#4  My weight
I guess you could say I'm obsessed with my weight.  I'm definitely not addicted to it.  That would insinuate something totally different and maybe even a little weird.

Before I started running two years ago, my weight was at the highest it had ever been.  Which for me was 146 pounds.  And I'm a pretty small person and NOT tall.  So while 146 pounds may sound like heaven to some of you, it was chunky on me.  My heaven is somewhere between 115 and 120 pounds, which I believe has been lost forever within the sea of my college days.

After I started running and eating a little better I started dropping weight.  By September of last year, 10 months after I had started running, I reached my lowest weight of the last who-knows-how-many years: 123 pounds.  I maintained this for a while, though I was back up to 129 pounds by the end of the year, which I consider to be my pre-baby weight.

While pregnant I gained right at 25 pounds.  After having the baby I eventually settled back down to about 133 pounds.  Well......over the past month or two I've started adding weight back on.  This is totally my fault...I haven't been exercising or eating like I should.  I've been a total slacker.  Which means that this total slacker is now at 137 pounds.  Only nine pounds shy of my highest weight ever!!

So I'm obsessed with getting my weight back down!  My first goal is my post-baby weight (133).  My next goal will be my pre-baby weight (129).  Then my final goal will be my in-shape weight (123), which will be a tough one to get to since my body is different and squishier in the belly area than it was back then!  But if I can get into the 120s, I'll be happy.  For a girl who started college at 104 pounds, I'm ok with being 25 pounds heavier in my 30s.

Because this is real....way to go, editing department, for a stellar job.  I'm sure that lady looks like EITHER of those.

#5  Running

Another obsession, addiction or a little of both?  Probably more an addiction.  Addicted to running farther than I did the last time.  Addicted to signing up for races.  Addicted to half marathon race medals.  Addicted to setting a new PR.  Addicted to being engulfed in a sea of people all there to run.  Addicted to running clothes and gear.  Addicted to getting into shape without working out.  Addicted to BEING ABLE TO DO IT.

Granted, I haven't been nearly as dedicated to running lately as I envision myself in my head.  But I DO have a half marathon coming up and I DO have some weight loss goals to pursue, so I need to get back on the wagon and back to training.

Ugh......as I sit here on the couch wrapping this up, I realize that I should probably practice what I preach and go run this afternoon!  I think I'll do just that.  That way I can say:

2013, Here We Come!

It's the first day of 2013!

2012 has been an awesome year, with the ultimate highlight being a little addition known as Delano, who is now 4 1/2 months old.

But there were a lot of other good things that happened in 2012.  By January I had run a total of six half marathons in four different states.  Lucas got a TON of work done on our house.  One brother got engaged while the other got married in a wedding that I officiated (at nine months pregnant).  My BFF from high school found out she was also expecting a baby, who is due to arrive this February.

2012 also involved a major shocker, which was the loss of my parents' house during the March tornadoes that hit the Harrison area.

They were some of the lucky ones, though.  All five of their cats survived.  Due to having AWESOME home owner's insurance (USAA kicks some major ass, for those of you who are able to get it), they received their settlement funds before the dust had even settled and were able to start looking for a new home immediately.  They bought a house in record time, closed on it in record time and were moved in before the tornado even actually happened, I think.  It's all such a blur.  ;)

As for 2013, I can't wait!  I'm signed up for my first half marathon post-baby in February (in state #5!) and I'm hoping to get a few more under my belt as time and commitment capabilities allow.  I get to continue to be a stay-at-home mom to Delano and watch him grow up during his first year.  I get to be there while Amanda has all of her first-baby experiences, and while my second little brother ties the knot.

And who knows?  Maybe a little brother or sister for Delano is in the cards......  ;)

Disclaimer:  This is NOT an announcement that we're pregnant.  We are indeed not pregnant.  We're not trying to get pregnant, we're just not NOT trying, either! 

Merry Christmas and Stuff, Ya'll

Merry Christmas, everyone!  Or Happy Hanukkah, or whatever it is that you participate in this time of year!

Our holiday has been a great one, and of course it was the first one with the baby.  He didn't need much (or anything for that matter) given that he's only 4 months old, but of course he received some great gifts anyway!

With his new Lollacup from Nicki and Brian.

Over the next week, it will be time to decide what my New Years resolutions are.  I think this year, besides a few typical resolutions, I'm going to make some new ones that revolve around completing a few planned projects.  Some of these projects have been on my To-Do list for way too long - others for just a short while.  Here are a few of the projects on my list:

1.  Print and frame photos.  I have had plans in my mind FOREVER to print out some of my favorite photos and frame them around the house.  I visit other peoples' homes and see photos everywhere and it reminds me that I need to take the time to do the same! 

Cool photo canvas collage idea.

2.  Create photo books and box frames.  I have photos and memorabilia from trips Lucas and I have taken over the years, and I have had plans to create a photo book for each trip and collage the memorabilia into shadow boxes.  I originally planned to scrapbook each trip, but I think the task would be WAY more likely to get itself done if I just let Walgreen's create photo books for me.  So I just need to organize my photos into files and buy some shadow boxes for the rest.

Except mine will have trip memorabilia in them.

3.  Update my address book.  I've got addresses located everywhere...in an old address book, in notebooks, on pieces of paper, on saved letter envelopes, on Facebook....and I need to get them all into one place.

I want an address book with this cover!

4.  Re-velcro diapers.  Some of the used diaper covers I've purchased off Ebay (before I knew to ask) have extremely weak velcro on them, which needs to be replaced.  I've already bought the velcro, I just need to replace the old stuff.  It just takes time that I haven't allotted for myself yet!  And I'll actually be able to resell some of them for a decent chunk of change once I fix them (since I have an overstock)!

I just wanted to add in a pic of this year's holiday gdiaper!  I didn't buy Delano one, but it sure is cute!

5.  Magazine day.  This is a new project of mine.....to sit around one day and read magazines!  I have a fat stack of magazines that I haven't even touched since having had the baby, and there are others I've been saving for certain articles and/or recipes that I need to tear out.  I haven't gone through them because it seems so unproductive.  But yet they need to be gone through!

Pretty much.....

So besides the typical resolutions of eating better, running more and getting the scale back down to my pre-baby weight (THEN back down to my PRE-pre-baby weight), those five things are what I want to accomplish this year.  I'm actually hoping that I get them all done sooner than later, because then I can work on new projects!

Nom nom nom presents!!

Sweet Christmas baby!

Upside-Down Heart-Shaped Pudges

Lucas is an ass man.

Sure, he likes boobs, as does any straight man and boy out there.  But some men are boob men, some are leg men, some like a juicy pair of lips, and others are all about the eyes.  And then there are those with a serious foot fetish.  Lucas's "body part" of choice is the booty.  Which I greatly lack.  Sorry, Lucas.

If I had Nicki Minaj's booty, Lucas would seriously be in heaven.

Yesterday, Lucas took me shopping for new jeans.  I have two pairs of jeans right now that fit (though my had-a-baby-muffin-top still floweth over) and I wear them DAILY.  They say some moms live in sweat pants and sweatshirts.  Others in yoga gear.  I live in blue jeans and tshirts.  And maybe a sweater if it's cold outside and I need to leave the house.  But if you happen to run into me one day, it's a given that jeans and a tshirt are what's on my body.  I have no need to dress up, as most stay-at-home moms don't.  And it's not like I'm throwing on the heels on the weekends anymore like I used to.

I don't feel like I dress frumpy.  Just plain and boring in my array of old Chili's tshirts.

So in the store, I grab a couple of styles of jeans in a couple of different sizes to take into the dressing room.  My standard go-to is the boot cut, which I instantly grabbed.  But I grabbed some skinny jeans as well because Lucas wanted to see them.  And I grabbed a different style/brand from the shelf that looked like it was in the boot cut family.

The difference between me and Lucas is, while I'm putting on jeans, I'm looking at my muffin top while Lucas is looking at my butt.  He wasn't even remotely glancing at my waist (until I pointed it out, of course).  The last pair of jeans I grabbed were the first I put on.  I knew I was in trouble the second they hit my calves.....they were a lot more form-fitting and stretchier than I first thought.  As I'm hiking them over my butt and buttoning them around my waist, Lucas is already nodding "yes" while I'm thinking, "ewww".  Sure, from the back, I admit I looked pretty good.  But the jeans buttoned precisely into the little upside-down heart-shaped pudge that is my muffin top, therefore causing it to be OVER the top of my jeans.  So the conversation goes something like this:

Lucas:  Yep.  I like'em.
Me:  You like them?
Lucas:  Uh-huh.  They make you look like you actually have an ass.
Me:  Have you not SEEN my waist?
Lucas:  What about it?
Me:  What about it?!  Look at it!  My belly is pouring over them like a busted can of biscuits!
Lucas:  (rolls his eyes) Nobody's looking at that!  Everybody's going to be looking at your butt.
Me:  Haha no they're not.  Just you, sir.  These are too small.
Lucas:  I think you should try on a size smaller.
Me:  A size smaller??!!  Now you've really lost your mind.  If anything I need a size bigger.
Lucas:  No way.  These are perfect.

What Lucas saw.

What I saw. (Not actually a pic of my belly, though it could be!)

Granted, I found it to be a really sweet sentiment that I was all concerned about my waistline while Lucas thought it was a silly concern and that "nobody's looking at that".  At least I know that HE'S not disappointed with my waistline.  I mean, I did just birth his child 4 months ago, so he'd better not be!  Only kidding.  But a girl does get paranoid when she has a baby (or just simply goes through some weight gain) and her body doesn't look like it did before.  You worry that your other half isn't pleased with the "after", especially when you're not even pleased with it yet.  Turns out Lucas is still just trying to make my butt look bigger/rounder/firmer/like it exists.

I guess it's just the difference between men and women.  I feel like everybody will be looking at my waist.  And maybe that's because a lot of women out there WILL be.  Women can't help but compare themselves to other women, especially the parts of their own bodies that they consider flawed.  But the men are just out there checking out their favorite part(s).

Yep.

We both dismissed the skinny jeans (neither one of us liked them) and Lucas nixed the basic boot cut jeans before I even had the chance to button them, so I left with the first pair.

Lucas was pleased, but now I've been given even more of an incentive to lose this final gaggle of baby weight.  I'll never have a washboard stomach no matter how hard I try, and now that I've had a baby I'll probably always be sporting the upside-down heart-shaped pudge in the front, but I can at least work towards feeling a little better about it all!

For this, though, it was all worth it:

Happy 4 months, Delano!!

Fa-La-La-La-La......Where's The Egg Nog??

There are two weeks until Christmas!  Are YOU ready?

This guy is READY.

I'm decently ready for Christmas. 

Lucas and I don't do gifts, so that's one thing I don't have to worry about.  Though I guess in the future we'll have to start so that our children don't think Santa doesn't like us.  One year we decided to start a tradition that involved a letter, a color, the East Ridge antique mall, a $50 budget and a one-hour time limit.  It was super fun the year we did it, but we failed at making it happen again.  We really should, though.  It was fun.  Lucas ended up with a pineapple lamp and a glass panther planter.  :)

The only gift my parents have wanted from their kids for the past several years is an updated photo, so that's easy every year.  Sometimes we do a sibling picture all together, and sometimes we do separate pictures.  But we always try to be creative.  One year we recreated a picture of the three of us from when we were little....even knocked on the door of the house we grew up in to ask if we could borrow their tree.  We didn't fit in it quite as easily, but it worked!

My brothers and I do stockings each year with a $50 limit per stocking.  These are fun, and tend to get creative.  Budgets always make things creative.  As well as the fact that everything is SUPPOSED to fit into the stocking!

I've gotten a couple of little things for Delano, but he's still too little to want anything, and he NEEDS nothing.  But I still want to have some presents to wrap!  I can't NOT buy my child presents!  And actually, I just realized I bought him some underwear.  Hahaha!  Go figure.  But they're so cute....

Come on....he's going to look adorable in these!!!

Speaking of Delano's underwear, we are now at an "in between" stage with his gdiapers.  The transition between the newborns and the smalls was smooth.  But there's a bigger size difference between the smalls and mediums, and I guess Delano hasn't chunked up in the thighs fast enough to make the jump.  The mediums are still too big and we're pushing it on the smalls.  He's had some pee leaks in both sizes.  He's also been leaking through his other diapers, too.  The only one he hasn't leaked through so far has been his Otter Blotters one, and I only own ONE of those!  Granted, he's only leaked through his Swaddlebees ONCE.  And I currently have five of those.

This is my actual Otter Blotters.  It's kind of a complicated diaper (both velcro AND snaps to deal with) and I only have one insert for it, but it's worked great for me.

I own this Swaddlebees diaper, though the one in this pic is not mine.  Mine are all All-In-Ones, so they're a one-use diaper each time, but EASY PEASY to use and wash!

Sidenote:  I made a comment in the past that I don't like diapers with snaps.  I've decided that I don't hate diapers with the side snaps like the one above.  Though velcro is still the easiest, these aren't bad at all.  But I still don't like the ones that front-snap, like this:

What the front looks like open.

Snaps are very popular, because they outlast velcro.  And most companies will convert your velcro diapers to snap diapers for a small fee if you want.  Just fyi.  :)

So anyway....I've been experimenting with diaper combinations and Googling info trying to find a "cure" for the leaking diapers, because cloth diapers shouldn't leak if you're doing everything right.  To sum it up, Delano is currently wearing the Swaddlebees, the Otter Blotters and the small-sized gdiapers with a disposable liner during the day.....I'm making sure the interior fleece liner of his Happy Heinys is tucked completely within the waistband of his diaper at night.....I'm making sure his pee-pee is pointing DOWN when I diaper him.....and it's time to strip all of my cloth diapers and liners (which I will do tomorrow).  So hopefully by the end of the day tomorrow we'll be in good shape!

Go figure that I went from talking about Christmas to talking about my diapers.  I talk about them a lot, don't I?  Ah well.  They're a big part of my life nowadays! 

But now it's time to let the dogs out to pee and get ready for bed....aka, be up feeding Delano the next hour or so.  Instead of asking me if I'm ready for bed, Lucas asks me if I'm ready to go watch him sleep.  :)

With a face like this, how can you be upset about it?  :)

Friendships Are a Funny Thing.

I have a couple of best friends, a handful close friends, a gaggle of friends and loads of acquaintances. I think that's how most of us roll, right?

I had best friends in elementary school that I really wish had made it the long haul to adulthood.  Some lasted longer than others (and I lived with a couple of my childhood besties my first year of college), but we ultimately grew up and grew apart.  Some of my childhood friendships faded due to attending different middle and/or high schools, some faded due to the following of different high school cliques, and some faded due to fights, fibs and other dumb reasons (we grew apart due to our immaturities at the time).  Therefore, I think ALL of my childhood friendships ended up in the "acquaintance" category.  And it's really too bad, because I had some awesome friends back then.

Another group of friends that have ended up in the "acquaintance" category over the years is work friends.  It is so disheartening to feel like you have all these awesome, close friends.....only to change jobs and suddenly they disappear (or maybe they felt YOU disappeared).  Nothing ever HAPPENED...there were no fights or ill feelings or anything at all.....but the mere fact that you don't work together anymore changed the ENTIRE dynamic of the friendship.  This has been true everywhere I've worked, whether it's been an office job or a serving job or another job.  Now I HAVE noticed (via Facebook) that some of these work relationships have actually worked out between old coworkers (turning them into close friends or even besties), even though the friends don't work together anymore.  And that's awesome.  There are a couple of old work friends I would consider close friends today, but only a few.

I found this image while Googling "work friends".  They're right.....I was never coming back!

The other biggest "acquaintance" category, thanks to social media, has been people I went to high school with.  These friends come out of the woodwork.  Some of these friends I really like a lot and wonder why we never made more of a friend effort back in the day (or I know why we didn't and think it's a darn shame).  Some of these friends have changed over the years...some in a GOOD way (no longer the jerk they used to be) and some in a BAD way (being a grownup hasn't "taken" so well).  Some haven't changed at all (they do realize they're not in high school anymore, right? Right??).  And some I'm still trying to figure out who the hell they are. 

Other friends become acquaintances when my relationship status changed.  And not necessarily because they were HIS friend first (any of the "hises" from my past).  Just because some friends were my friend because I was in THAT relationship and it conveniently worked into their lifestyle as well as mine.

Then there are my friends, which is a MUCH smaller group than my acquaintances.  "Friend" is a vague category that can teeter either more towards the end of "acquaintance" or more towards the end of "close friend."  These are the people I don't see very often, but when I do on the rare occasion, it's a great time.  For me, I feel like a friend isn't somebody you just know and like, it's somebody you want to keep in your life.  You like them at least that much.  :)

Love this.

Next are the "close friends", which is an even smaller group than "friends".  Some of them I see regularly, and some I see only here and there.  But I would never not include any of them for milestones in my life, and they are ALWAYS welcome to blow up my phone or invade my day anytime ever.  They have remained my friends through thick and thin, no matter my job, my relationship or my bad/stupid actions/decisions over the years.  Close friends WIN.

Ahh.....and now my best friends.  Some people have one....I have three.  There's my fantastic boyfriend (and father of my child), my best friend from high school and my best friend from college.  There isn't any need to describe a best friend.  We all know what it means to be a true best friend. 

**The dog picture above is a SWEET story.  You can read about those two here.

The funny thing about friendship is, why can't we have it the other way around?  Why have only one (or three) best friends, which is the BESTEST kind of friend, and yet loads of acquaintances who may or may not matter?  Why not have more really close buds than just basic friends in general?

Seems backwards when you think about it.  I think the world would be a happier place if things happened the other way around!

MacGyver Indiana Simington

Last night Lucas and I were watching Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom on TV and it brought up a memory......when I was little, I had decided that the name of my first son would be MacGyver Indiana.  Delano really dodged a bullet on that one.  He only has to correct the pronunciation of his name (first AND last) and explain to people why his middle name is "Durante" his entire life instead.

Now that I think about it, he may have lucked out better with MacGyver Indiana.......

Hurry!!!  Hand me a nail file and a pack of sugar!!!  I need to diffuse this bomb!!!

They call me Indy, I am a sexy beast and I WILL CUT YOU.

So I decided at the last minute to run the Turkey Trot 8k on Thanksgiving Day with Delano in the jogger.  My shoulder was feeling better (though still very sore) and I just felt like I would regret it if I didn't do it, no matter what kind of a run it would end up to be.  It was only my second time EVER running with the jogger, and the only other time had been for a one-mile stretch along the river walk.  I also hadn't ran over a 5k since having had the baby.  Those points combined with my sore shoulder really put some strikes against me for the 8k, so I really didn't expect much of a performance.

Let's just say I surprised the crap out of myself!!  I wasn't fast by any means, but I only speed-walked briefly up the last portion of two or three hills (plus a few little mini-walks to replace a spat-out pacifier) and managed to finish in under an hour!  My friend Angie was at my side the entire time with her jogger as motivation, which was awesome.  Delano slept almost the whole time.  Of course when I got back to the car I realized the root of his brief fussiness may have been the fact that his diaper was loaded up and his hands and toes were icicles despite the fleece onesie and blankets I had tucked him into!  I didn't think it was cold enough for his winter blanket-parka thingy, but apparently it was.  Now I know!

Delano has one of these things for winter runs that I should have put him in.

Hooray!  Only 8 more miles and I'm back to half marathon status!

So now I've got......(looking at my computer calendar).....12 1/2 weeks left to train for my comeback half marathon.  Plenty of time.  I just need to start racking up the mileage.  Luckily for me I can do that in my mom's neighborhood pretty much any day of the week while she watches Delano.  Her neighborhood has steady hills, traffic is low, I can run varying combinations of streets to rack up the miles and I don't have to push the jogger (unless I just want to).  My neighborhood has hills, but it looks more like this:

That makes my stomach turn just looking at it.  What if that little boy really went for it??  Or slipped??  My heart would stop.

Plus I'd have no choice to run with the jogger unless Lucas was home or somebody came over.  I'd end up strong, that's for sure!  Strong and crying.

The only downside to running right now is that it's wintertime.  Running in 50 degrees is magical.  Running in 30 degrees - not so much.  I'm usually good after I get going, as long as the extremities warm up.  Which reminds me that I need some new running gloves that actually keep my fingers warm.  The ones I currently have do not.

Maybe work gloves are the way to go, like this guy chose.  And can you imagine what kind of a ride that baby is getting in that stroller?

It's also weight loss time.  Well, it's BEEN weight loss time since Delano popped out, but now I really need to get serious about it or I'm going to be back where I was two years ago before I started running.  My first goal is to lose 5 lbs.  Running will help, but I also really need to adjust my diet to be healthier.  I'm out of the habit of eating healthy PLUS it's a crummy time of year to try to eat healthy.  But it needs to happen. 

I am that monster.

Duh.

Weeks ago I left off talking about Delano's likely tongue tie and the fact that I was going to have to make an appointment up at Vanderbilt for a final answer.  Well, I never did that.  Why?  Because it all of the sudden got better!!  I have no idea what happened.  I don't know if he stretched it out or if his mouth just grew out of it or if it corrected itself or what....but ever since "whatever" happened, I have been having a completely NORMAL breastfeeding experience.  Hooray to that!!

That's a happy baby.

Love love love love love love LOVE THIS BABY!!!