My sister and I signed up for our first 5k run this Saturday and I am sooo nervous about it! Probably more than I was for my first 2.2 mile run!
My husband is also running the race with me but I've asked him to race for himself. He's gotten really fast plus I want to see what I can do without anyone there to push me. I know I can finish the race but my competitive side (which I never knew was there till I started running!) wants to run it fast and never have to walk. On a good day that wouldn't be much of a problem. Unfortunately, I haven't run much for the past 2 weeks due to a horrendous head cold and only getting 3 hour stretches of sleep at night since Jack was sick as well. I just don't feel ready. I have one training run left to do today so we'll see how it goes!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Let the communication begin!
Saturday, I got the letter in the mail stating Austin was approved to have an ipad!! We haven't had it 24 hours and I can already tell he's going to do really well with it. He gets very frustrated easily when he gets an answer wrong on the games but with lots of patience I think I'll be able to teach him to make choices! I've started him on the app 'tap to talk' but plan on buying proloquo2go very soon. He's kinda confused with tap to talk but since this week is spring break for him we have plenty of time together to learn it!
For those wondering how in the world I got the ipad: Austin receives SSI and after our finances were evaluated, SSI realized we were owed more money than they thought. It was a large sum so instead of just releasing it to us (oh how I wish they would have!) we had to put it in a special account just for Austin. We are only allowed to use the money for specific purposes such as nursing home care, aides for home, medical care, communication, etc. So I put in an application requesting some funds be released so we could get Austin an ipad for communication and a month and a half later of impatient waiting we were approved!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Rallying for Kameron
I found this link through a blog I follow and being a mom of a child with special needs, I couldn't help but donate a few dollars to help bring Kameron home.
Rallying For Kameron
Rallying For Kameron
Friday, March 18, 2011
Take a break from aftertaste with a FREE sample.
Add nothing but taste to your morning cup of coffee with a FREE pint of Breve Crème coffee creamer, brought to you by your friends at Vocalpoint.
http://gotaf.socialtwist.com/redirect?l=jzmd
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
I *almost* got to use my fire extinguisher!
Okay so I'll try to make the story short!
I had just finished nursing Jack when I sat him up on my leg to burp him and SPLAT! He exploded right out the sides of his diaper and the contents started running down my leg, on the computer chair I was sitting in, and then onto the floor. Yuck.
I put Jack down on a receiving blanket, changed my clothes and turned the oven on that way by the time I was done bathing Jack I could put my lunch in the oven to cook. Once I had put Jack in the bathtub I realized I forgot to grab a diaper for him (our bathtub is upstairs and the diapers are downstairs). After giving Jack a quick bath, I wrapped him in his towel and headed downstairs when I noticed a strong odor of smoke.
My first thought was "oh great, did I turn the stove on instead of the oven and something is melting on the burner?". I ran down the stairs with Jack where the smell was a bit stronger. Getting worried, I laid Jack on the floor at the bottom of the stairs hoping and praying he wouldn't decide to pee all over the place. I got to the kitchen and realized the oven was indeed on like I thought I did. I opened the oven door and out came the smoke! I quickly shut the door and realized there was a fire in the oven! Opening the oven door gave the fire oxygen so it was burning pretty good inside. My mind was racing on what to do so I grabbed the fire extinguisher just in case I needed it. That's when I realized if I kept the oven door closed and the oven off the fire should go out on it's own. I opened the windows and quickly went to check on Jack who was happily rolling around on the floor butt naked. And dry! I put a diaper on him and went back to the kitchen and saw the fire had put itself out. WHEW!
Once I was comfortable opening the oven door back open this is what I found inside:
That's when I realized what happened! I had baked brownies last night and left the oven door open to let the heat out (it's still cold here in NY!). Austin has a tendency to shut the oven door when he sees it open but I wasn't too concerned because by the time Austin saw the door open, the oven had already cooled. My guess is when Austin slammed the oven door shut, he knocked my oven mitt into the oven! When I preheated the oven, I was cooking my oven mitt.
Well now my house smells horrendous but all is well! Here's some cute pictures of Jack I took the other day!
I had just finished nursing Jack when I sat him up on my leg to burp him and SPLAT! He exploded right out the sides of his diaper and the contents started running down my leg, on the computer chair I was sitting in, and then onto the floor. Yuck.
I put Jack down on a receiving blanket, changed my clothes and turned the oven on that way by the time I was done bathing Jack I could put my lunch in the oven to cook. Once I had put Jack in the bathtub I realized I forgot to grab a diaper for him (our bathtub is upstairs and the diapers are downstairs). After giving Jack a quick bath, I wrapped him in his towel and headed downstairs when I noticed a strong odor of smoke.
My first thought was "oh great, did I turn the stove on instead of the oven and something is melting on the burner?". I ran down the stairs with Jack where the smell was a bit stronger. Getting worried, I laid Jack on the floor at the bottom of the stairs hoping and praying he wouldn't decide to pee all over the place. I got to the kitchen and realized the oven was indeed on like I thought I did. I opened the oven door and out came the smoke! I quickly shut the door and realized there was a fire in the oven! Opening the oven door gave the fire oxygen so it was burning pretty good inside. My mind was racing on what to do so I grabbed the fire extinguisher just in case I needed it. That's when I realized if I kept the oven door closed and the oven off the fire should go out on it's own. I opened the windows and quickly went to check on Jack who was happily rolling around on the floor butt naked. And dry! I put a diaper on him and went back to the kitchen and saw the fire had put itself out. WHEW!
Once I was comfortable opening the oven door back open this is what I found inside:
That's when I realized what happened! I had baked brownies last night and left the oven door open to let the heat out (it's still cold here in NY!). Austin has a tendency to shut the oven door when he sees it open but I wasn't too concerned because by the time Austin saw the door open, the oven had already cooled. My guess is when Austin slammed the oven door shut, he knocked my oven mitt into the oven! When I preheated the oven, I was cooking my oven mitt.
Well now my house smells horrendous but all is well! Here's some cute pictures of Jack I took the other day!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
My first run
I've always wanted to be able to say 'I'm a runner'. Today was my day.
Ben and I before the race
Five weeks after Jack was born my sister brought up the idea of starting the Couch 2 5k running program. I thought "sure, why not? It would be good to get the pregnancy weight off and become the runner I've always wanted to be". So my sis and I set out on the program. Just so you are aware, my sister and I are NOT athletic by any means. We've never run before and nor do we play any kind of sport. Yes, we're on the thinner side but definitely out of shape. The first few weeks, running 60 or 90 seconds at a time was a KILLER.
About 6 weeks in to the 9 week program, I had lost all my pregnancy weight and was running 10 minutes at a time!
Today, I ran the 'Shamrock Run' in our city! You could choose the 2.2 mile race or the 5 mile race. Being my first run, I chose the 2.2. And yes, we NYers ran outside in 32 degree weather! I finished the race, happily tagging myself as a runner. 2.2 miles in 21 minutes 56 seconds. And I had a baby 4 months ago. So proud of myself!
the running crowd
My sister and I before the race
Ben and I before the race
Five weeks after Jack was born my sister brought up the idea of starting the Couch 2 5k running program. I thought "sure, why not? It would be good to get the pregnancy weight off and become the runner I've always wanted to be". So my sis and I set out on the program. Just so you are aware, my sister and I are NOT athletic by any means. We've never run before and nor do we play any kind of sport. Yes, we're on the thinner side but definitely out of shape. The first few weeks, running 60 or 90 seconds at a time was a KILLER.
About 6 weeks in to the 9 week program, I had lost all my pregnancy weight and was running 10 minutes at a time!
Today, I ran the 'Shamrock Run' in our city! You could choose the 2.2 mile race or the 5 mile race. Being my first run, I chose the 2.2. And yes, we NYers ran outside in 32 degree weather! I finished the race, happily tagging myself as a runner. 2.2 miles in 21 minutes 56 seconds. And I had a baby 4 months ago. So proud of myself!
the running crowd
My sister and I before the race
stretching before starting our run
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Footed pj's!
If you read my recent comment on facebook about Austin's nighttime escapades, here's my first step to solving my problem!
For those who didn't: Austin likes to get into his pullup during the night and scratch his rear end. Every. Night. And every morning his hands smell like poop and his fingernails are disgusting. No matter how often I bathe him or how short I cut his nails, the problem was still there. And I was sick of it. So I have set out to find one piece pj's for my big boy. I did find two pairs of winter footed pj's at Burlington Coat Factory (though frustrated they weren't on sale!) but not quite sure what to do for summer. A relative of mine has offered to create him something but I haven't heard from her in a week so we'll see if that happens! I checked Target, Walmart, and JCPenney and no one piece jammies.
Austin likes his new jammies but doesn't like having 'feet'. He always takes his socks off for bedtime and now he can't. He keeps asking me to remove the feet of his pj's. Sorry buddy!
**By the way, Austin's scratching is purely a sensory issue nothing medical going on!**
For those who didn't: Austin likes to get into his pullup during the night and scratch his rear end. Every. Night. And every morning his hands smell like poop and his fingernails are disgusting. No matter how often I bathe him or how short I cut his nails, the problem was still there. And I was sick of it. So I have set out to find one piece pj's for my big boy. I did find two pairs of winter footed pj's at Burlington Coat Factory (though frustrated they weren't on sale!) but not quite sure what to do for summer. A relative of mine has offered to create him something but I haven't heard from her in a week so we'll see if that happens! I checked Target, Walmart, and JCPenney and no one piece jammies.
Austin likes his new jammies but doesn't like having 'feet'. He always takes his socks off for bedtime and now he can't. He keeps asking me to remove the feet of his pj's. Sorry buddy!
**By the way, Austin's scratching is purely a sensory issue nothing medical going on!**
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Is it happening?
Here's a facebook posting from Austin's teacher:
that beautiful sly smile and he starts signing "dad" and questioning as if "yeah, and where's dad?"......This has been a very productive "verbal" week in our classroom! and again-we all were touched and sniffling!"
Austin has yet to form any words so this is monumental! I pray it continues! It just goes to show you that prayer works. Sometime in the last 5 days my 5 year old niece prayed that 'Austin would find his words and talk'.
This 'Mom' is very. very. happy.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Happy 3 Months Jack!
Pictures of Jack...one week old, one month old, 2 months
(a few days late!), and 3 months old!
(a few days late!), and 3 months old!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Being serenaded at 2am
I was in Jack's bedroom this morning (2am) quietly nursing him, marveling at the peaceful, calm, quietness of the house. It was quite dark in Jack's room with the exception of his baby monitor casting an eerie yellow glow. I had just settled myself on the end of the full size bed in his room when out of nowhere comes Andrew's little voice...
"Dat Dah Da Da, Dat Dah Da Da! Start spreading the news....I'm leaving today! I want a great big part of it! Come on Marty, you know the words...two little words! New York! New York!"
Um, yeah. 2am people. Not only did Andrew sing that whole line from Madagascar once, he sang the song three times. At the top of his lungs!
By the time I finished nursing Jack, Andrew's performance was over and all was quiet again. Guess Andrew felt I needed a little pick me up!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Austin progresses slower than a lot other children with RTS (or maybe it just seems that way?) so when I get a small glimpse of a new achievement, my hope is renewed. Austin's teacher called me into the classroom to show me something new. (Andrew's Pre-K class is directly across the hall from Austin's classroom so when I pick Andrew up from school, I often see Austin). An aide called Austin over and asked him to say 'mama' and he signed 'Mom', then asked him to say 'dada' and he signed 'Dad' (with some help). Then she asked him to say 'bicycle' and he signed 'bicycle'!! He'd never signed it before! I guess he LOVES the plasma cars in the gym so they make him sign 'bike' before getting on one and the work has paid off!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
A few pics just because...
This past Sunday, Ben and I dedicated Jack to the Lord.
If you are wondering why Ben is miked, it's because he's the worship leader at our church!
Jack (taken today!) @ 10 weeks oldMonday, January 3, 2011
I finally got it on camera!
Jack (9 weeks)
Jack had his 2 month check up on the 30th and it was confirmed that he is my biggest boy yet!
Head: 15 1/2 (50th percentile)
Weight: 10 pounds 14 ounces (50th %)
Length: 23 1/4 inches (75 %)
This may seem like nothing to some of you but to us it's huge! Both Austin and Andrew have always been below the 25th percentile!
The 31st and 1st brought us very warm temperatures (and melted all our snow) so before it melted away Ben took Andrew outside to make a snowman. Poor Frosty looks so awful because every time Ben made a ball of snow, Andrew would kick it! He's all boy!
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