After her 1st bath by daddy, 5/9/2013

5/9/2013

She’s not quite there yet, but Liv’s holding her head up on her own pretty well.  She’s wobbly, but doesn’t like when we try to offer support — she’s so independent!

5/9/2013

We (still) spend all day just staring at her bright eyes, her heart-melting smile, and her silly, curly, little tongue.

And our wiggle worm’s up to 13 lbs. 6 oz.

5/5/2013

Caught her smiling in her sleep, 5/5/2013

What I’m up to?:  On Friday, I turned 30, which I thought would feel like a big deal, but it just felt like any other perfectly perfect day.  I mean, what do you wish for on your birthday when you have everything you could possibly want…

5/6/2013

We went on a number of different “adventures” this week, which in my former life would’ve been quick, mindless errands: a trip to the library, grocery shopping, lunch at Lotus Cafe.  With a baby, all of these little outings take approximately three times as long and require at least four times the luggage.

I spent the week wiping drool and cleaning up poop, singing the ABC’s and On Top of Spaghetti, and bouncing in front of the mirror, while Liv laughed at her reflection.  I stared at her as she slept, cried when she cried, and kissed her cheeks at least a million times.

5/10/2013

I know Mother’s Day is supposed to be a celebration and day of thanks for moms, but I’ve spent the day thinking about how grateful and thankful I feel to have this privilege.  I honestly don’t mind all the poop and laundry!

5/7/2013

Running Mama:  I left Liv at home with hubby, while I took my first two Body Back classes this week.  It’s an eight-week program, including two high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts per week, with before and after fitness assessments, and nutrition coaching.  Basically, it’s a lot more than the twice-a-week bootcamp-type classes I was expecting, but if you’ve been reading for awhile, you know I love a challenge.

“My mom’s faster than your dad.” -Boston t-shirt

Fitness-wise, I have A LOT of room to improve on my core and upper body strength.  At Monday’s fitness assessment, I was mortified to find I have ZERO ab strength post-baby (doh!), so I’m adding core work and push-ups to my running days.

And nutritionally, I’m working on eating more whole foods.  I’m sticking to the food log, keeping sugar out of the house, and hubby and I are eating dinners at the kitchen table.

So there are my goals, now here’s how my week of workouts went:

• Saturday:  4.2 mile stroller run
• Sunday:  5 mile stroller run
• Monday:  Body Back (fitness assessment, including 1 mile run)
• Tuesday:  5 mile stroller run
• Wednesday:  Body Back (1 hour of HIIT + at least 1 mile running)
• Thursday:  OFF
• Friday:  10 mile run!

Week 12 Thoughts from the Zen Dad:  *Hubby’s entry is very short, but sweet, because he’s busy playing Bejeweled and Candy Crush on his new smartphone (the guy loves games).  He’s also been busy making sure I’ve had the absolute best 30th birthday and 1st mother’s day!

5/8/2013

In.  Love.  With.  Her.  Smile.

Breathing in, I visualize.
Breathing out, I’m filled with joy.

5/11/2013

Week 12 in Review:

• Liv loves:  bouncing, dancing, laying on my knees and watching me eat, staring at my birthday balloon from Unkey, when daddy reads to her, wiggling out of her socks as soon as I get them on her
• Liv hates:  getting too hot/having the sun in her eyes, having to wait too long for her food
• This week’s firsts:  nursed in a fitting room at Kohl’s, got a diaper change in the trunk of my car, and daddy gave her a bath for the first time!
• Workouts:  3 stroller runs, 2 Body Back workouts, 1 solo long run = 26.2 miles ← love that number!
• 1st post-baby race:  14 days!
• Highlight of the week:  Hubby didn’t have class on Tuesday night, so we both got to sing, “Happy 12 week birthday,” to Liv at 7:03 PM.  She was dozing off in her swing, but opened her eyes and smiled back at us as we sang.

5/9/2013

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mommies out there — especially to our moms, Liv’s Mamaw and Nonny!  Without you two, none of this would be possible!

5/2/2013

Another constant, is her nonstop bubbles and drool soaking her clothes, fists, blankets, my shoulders, etc.

Little drool monster, 5/3/2013

That’s just drool. Seriously. 5/3/2013

Drool baby, 5/3/2013

Liv’s had some exceptionally fussy evenings this week, but we’ve learned the sound of the exhaust fan in the bathroom calms her.  So I’m publicly admitting Liv’s taken a handful of naps in the bathroom this week.

Loves napping with a blankie by her face, 5/2/2013

Best of all, Liv’s started laughing out loud, which is the highlight of my whole life.  We spend 90% of her awake time trying to make her laugh.  Have I mentioned how much I love being Liv’s mom?

4/27/2013

What I’m up to?:  It’s been quite a week!  Hubby ran the La Jolla Half Marathon on Sunday (his 20th half marathon!).  This was only my second time spectating and although it was a lot more difficult with an 11-week old baby (who still nurses every two hours), it was a blast.  Liv wore her Chicago Bears sleeper and let me show her off as all the runners zoomed by.  Jared even paused for a kiss at Mile 9 and a quick picture with his daughter.  I think she carried him through all 13.1 of those miles.

Mile 9 of the La Jolla Half Marathon, 4/28/2013

Post-race celebration beers, 4/28/2013

On Monday, I was still so fired up from the race, that Liv and I went for an 8 mile stroller run!  And on Tuesday, I finally got my wisdom teeth out after they decided to show up right when I got pregnant last May.  So basically, I haven’t eaten this much ice cream since I was pregnant!

Recovering from oral surgery, 5/2/2013

Also new this week, I finally conquered my fear of the breast pump!  It took a couple hours to go through the cleaning, sterilizing, and assembly before I pumped Liv’s first bottle, which Jared promptly gave to her.  And she ate like a champ!  She’s had several more bottles through the week as I’ve been recovering from oral surgery and (knock on wood) it’s going really well.  Our girl just loves to eat any way she can get it!

First bottle with daddy, 4/28/2013

Running Mama:  Another awesome highlight of the week was reuniting with my favorite run bud, Suzie, which inspired me to set some running/fitness goals for the month.

That, and I bought myself some new runners (happy early birthday to me)!

5/4/2013

• Saturday:  OFF
• Sunday:  2 mile walk
• Monday:  8 mile stroller run
• Tuesday:  OFF – wisdom tooth surgery
• Wednesday:  1.6 mile walk
• Thursday:  1.6 mile stroller run
• Friday:  3.3 mile stroller run

Take 1: Scowly-faced Liv, 5/4/2013

Take 6: Finally, a smile! 5/4/2013

Week 11 Thoughts from the Zen Dad:

So much has happened in one, short week.  Liv is most certainly a time warp.  Sometimes, time seems to stand still.  Others, it flies by.

Last Sunday, I ran my 20th half marathon.  The La Jolla Half Marathon is one of my favorites and I’ve run it for four consecutive years.  Truthfully, I was incredibly nervous this go round.  I haven’t been training at all (maybe five runs since January), and this is a VERY hilly course (with over a mile running up Torrey Pines mountain).  The week prior to the race, I seriously debated dropping out.  The night before the race and even the morning OF the race, I was still considering it.  After a lot of hemming and hawing, I realized that I’ve been looking forward to this race since before Liv was born.  I kept reminding myself this would be memorable as my 20th half marathon and my first one as a Dad.  So there I was, the morning of the race, looking at my sleeping baby, realizing what better motivation is there to complete this run than to show my daughter you can do ANYTHING you put your mind to.  The race was incredible, but nothing will ever measure up to seeing Meg holding Liv at mile 9.  I was so overwhelmed with excitement, I stopped racing and grabbed Liv for a mini photo shoot.  Not only was it the highlight of my week, it was one of the highlights of my life.

Half marathon daddy, 4/28/2013

Just when I thought this week couldn’t get any better, Meg worked up the courage to tackle the pump.  Know what that means?  DADDY GETS TO FEED THE BABY!!!  Holding her in my arms as she took her bottle and looked me square in the eyes was unlike anything I can begin to describe.  It was as if she was talking to me, deep in my soul.  Since then, I’ve fed her a handful of times and each time is equally as amazing.

I feel so grateful to have such an amazing daughter and amazing wife.  Week 11 rocked my world.

Breathing in, I connect deeply.
Breathing out, I inspire.

Week 11 in Review:

• Liv loves:  Music, nursing herself to sleep, staring at herself in the mirror
• Liv hates:  Getting too hot, having her nails clipped
• This week’s firsts:  First time spectating at a race, first bottle
• This week’s almost first:  Liv hates tummy time so much, she’s almost rolled herself over a few times!
• Workouts:  2 walks, 3 stroller runs = 16.5 miles
• 1st post-baby race:  22 days
• 1st post-baby half-marathon:  29 days
• Highlight of the week:  Watching Jared give Liv her first bottle.  And watching Liv stare up at her daddy with big, bright eyes, as if to say: “Thank you, daddy.”

4/28/2013

Anyhow, once upon a time, “Chick named chuck” started out as a running blog.

And then I got pregnant.

Baby-on-board, due in 3 days, 2/9/2013

And then I had a baby.

1 day old, 2/13/2013

And now I can’t stop writing about my newest love.

9 weeks + 5 days old, 4/21/2013

She’s pretty much the bees knees, and admittedly, far more interesting than my running obsession.

But I still love running.  It keeps me happy and balanced and makes me a better mommy.  Somehow, I feel like Liv has fewer crying spells and is smiley-er, happier, and more playful on the days that I run.  (Obviously, she loves running too.)

“Mommy’s Future Running Buddy,” 4/26/2013

So with all of the big happenings of this month, here are a few running goals:

1. Run/jog/walk at least 1 mile/day.  (I’m currently recovering from wisdom tooth surgery, so I have to take it easy for a few days).
2. Run 100 miles/month.
3. Body Back workouts 2x/week.
4. Stroller Strides workouts 1x/week.
5. Run my first postpartum race on 5/26!

4/26/2013

Here we go, May!

10 weeks old, 4/26/2013

Not to brag — Who am I kidding?  I’m straight up bragging! — Liv had a couple seven hour stretches of sleep this week!  And with that said, I’m sure she’ll wake up every two hours tonight.  She’s an unpredictable little stinker.

Nap time at the pool, 4/21/2013

So sleep’s going well.  She’s still eating like a champ.  And despite a few marathon fussy spells, she’s mostly a bright-eyed, happy little camper.

Fussy one minute, 4/20/2013

Blowing bubbles the next, 4/20/2013

She’s so much more playful and active this week, wiggling and squirming around all the time.  But she still hates tummy time.

Sully observing playtime, 4/23/2013

Still hates tummy time, 4/23/2013

Our little Liv’s perfectly content riding around on my hip, sprawled out on daddy’s chest, or peanutted up in our laps.  She loves her cuddle-time!  And music.  We sing to her all day long.

“There’s a dinosaur knocking at my door…” 4/23/2013

I’ve been saying Liv “found her tongue” this week because she’s turned into a bubble-blowing drool machine.  Our 90 pound bloodhound is also a slobber monster, so we have our fair share of drool up in here!  The collars of her shirts are perpetually soaked…

Hanging with the big kids at a BBQ, 4/20/2013

Buddies: CJ, Liv, and Imahn, 4/20/2013

As heart-melting as her smile is, our Liv’s often sporting a furrowed brow and curious look, as if she’s trying to “figure it all out.”  She seems so adorably serious for a 10-week-old baby!

So serious!  4/20/2013

The Liv glare, 4/26/2013

What I’m up to?:  We’ve had a week full of outings, where Liv was unpredictable and Jared and I got to practice rolling with the punches.  She was an absolute angel during Jared’s work BBQ, then fussed her face off at our friends’ house as the Bulls got crushed (She’s not a basketball fan, I presume.  Prefers marathoning).

Family shot at the BBQ, 4/20/2013

She was a grump-face at the pool, while visiting with friends from Phoenix, but was wide-eyed and inquisitive during brunch at Hash House.

Meeting Charlie and Kate for the first time, 4/21/2013

Our brunch feast at Hash House, 4/22/2013

I had a dentist appointment on Monday (no cavities, yay!), where I got a crash course on taking care of Liv’s teeth, which could show up anywhere between 3-12 months.  The hygienist said to start brushing as soon as she has one tooth, and start flossing as soon as she has two!  She even sent me home with an adorable little kiddie toothbrush and flossers for Liv.  Plus a referral to an oral surgeon, so I can finally have my wisdom teeth extracted.  Doh.

4/26/2013

Marathon Mommy in-the-making:  I was optimistic (delusional?) that by now I would’ve picked up where I left off when I got pregnant last May.  It turns out I’ve got the same big ambitions, but a totally different (slower) body.  For now, I’m conservatively building up my mileage due to some hip and back pain (Because stroller running really is a different beast?  Or maybe because I’m lifting and carrying Liv so much?).

• Saturday:  6 mile run
• Sunday:  OFF
• Monday:  1 mile walk
• Tuesday:  4.2 mile stroller run
• Wednesday:  4.2 mile stroller run
• Thursday:  Stroller Strides + 4 mile walk
• Friday:  5.2 mile stroller run

Eventually, I’m looking forward to focusing on speedwork for some fall/winter races.  Like every other runner in the country right now, I want to get to Boston someday.  It’s going to take A LOT of work.  But I’ve got some big motivation.

“Mommy’s Future Running Buddy,” 4/26/2013

I want Liv to grow up feeling motivated and inspired by Jared’s and my commitment and passion for running.  I want her to spend Sunday mornings cheering on the sidelines with excitement and pride.  And I hope it pushes her to set her own big goals to work toward (whatever those might be).  I hope she grows up believing that if you work hard, you can make your dreams come true.

4/21/2013

Week 10 Thoughts from the Zen Dad:

I feel like I say this every week, but Liv is SO much more active now.  She smiles and giggles at all the silly, little things we do, and she screams from the depths of her soul during tummy time.  In addition to tummy time, we’re having her lie face up in the play gym more often (thanks Auntie Dactyl and Uncle Dubs!).  Today, she was amazingly calm lying there, as if she was happy to interact with the little animals, gazing at the monkey’s rattle and the stripes of the zebra.  She seems to be recognizing so much more.

The highlight of this week was Liv’s and my impromptu “Daddy Daughter Day” at the zoo.  We took Meg to her dentist appointment, then decided to swing by the zoo instead of paying hourly for parking at the dentist’s office.  Best.  Decision.  Ever.

Liv slept through the majority of our jaunt through the zoo, but it was awesome to take her around and tell her about all of the different animals.  Her favorites were the orangutans, gorillas, hippos, and pandas.  More than anything, it made me realize how much I want to take her on lots of sporadic adventures and continue these Daddy Daughter Days throughout the rest of her life.

Breathing in, I let go of the crying.
Breathing out, I look forward to the smiles.

At the Zoo with daddy, 4/22/2013

Week 10 in Review:

• Liv loves:  When daddy plays the guitar, raspberries, belly rubs
• Liv hates:  Tummy time still tops the list
• This week’s firsts:  Pooped in the bath, pooped in her carseat, endless drool, slept for 7 hours!
• Workouts:  3 stroller runs, 1 solo run, 2 walks, 1 Stroller Strides class
• Comeback half marathon countdown:  5 weeks!
• Highlight:  Hearing her laugh as Jared and I did the “Ooh, baby, baby” dance.  And when she wakes up mid-stroller run, sees me huffing and puffing, but watching her, and smiles.  She may be “serious,” and she may have her fair share of the fussies, but I know she’s happy.

4/26/2013

9 weeks old, 4/17/2013

Liv’s nursing every 2-3 hours during the day and every 4-6 hours at night.  We’re working on tummy time, which she still hates.  And she’s still blowing out her diapers like it’s her job.

Getting a ride with the clean laundry, 4/17/2013

“What are you guys doing to me?” 4/17/2013

What I’m up to?:  This has been a week of snuggles and baths.  Of longer stretches of sleep and longer stretches of play time.  Of putting off laundry to hold our baby tight.  Of counting our blessings a million times a day.

At the park on Mission Bay, 4/18/2013

4/18/2013

4/18/2013

Marathon Mommy in-the-making:  All of my miles have been with the stroller this week.  I know I’d be faster, stronger, and more efficient if I got out on my own, but it’s been a sad week in the world, and I’ve wanted to keep my baby close.

• Friday:  OFF
• Saturday:  1 mile stroller walk
• Sunday:  4 mile stroller walk
• Monday:  5.3 mile stroller run
• Tuesday:  Stroller Strides (60 minutes) + 2.5 mile stroller run
• Wednesday:  OFF
• Thursday:  Stroller Strides (60 minutes) + 1 mile stroller walk

I only have six weeks left until my “comeback half marathon.”  I know I won’t be running any personal records by then, but I should probably get serious about training…

4/16/2013

Week 9 Thoughts from the Zen Dad:

NINE WEEKS OLD!!!  I’m not sure if I’m thinking, “Wow… only nine weeks!” or “Wow… already nine weeks!”  Each hour seems a little bit different.  The best part about this week is Liv has been much more interactive.  I can make funny faces and silly noises and she actually responds, sometimes with an “I’m perturbed” face.  Her cute little smiles and laughs never cease to amaze me.

4/19/2013

A notable highlight from the week is the “Richter Scale” Meg and I’ve established to rate the magnitude of poop in Liv’s diaper.  Here’s how the scale goes:

#1 — Just a little squirt; a “shart”
#2 — A tiny poop
#3 — An average poop; a manageable amount
#4 — LOTS of poop; grateful it stayed inside the diaper
#5 — RED ALERT!!!!  Poop everywhere!  NOT contained in the diaper!  It’s often up her back, even up to her neck and shoulders.

Needless to say, we have a #5 almost everyday.  Hilariously messy.  So with that…

Breathing in, I smile about the small things.
Breathing out, I embrace it all.

Daddy’s little Bears fan, 4/17/2013

Still growing into the hat… 4/17/2013

Week 9 in Review:

• Liv loves:  Snuggling, sticking out her tongue, funny faces, mommy’s made-up songs, sucking on her fists and shirt collars
• Liv hates:  Tummy time
• Liv’s newest nicknames:  Little Lemon Foot, McPoopy, Sugar Bear
• Workouts:  2 stroller runs, 3 stroller walks, 2 Stroller Strides classes
• Comeback Half Marathon:  6 weeks, 2 days (can’t wait!)
  
• Highlight:  Visiting our old “stomping grounds” in PB for lunch at Cantina and a walk along the beach
• Looking forward to:  Bringing Liv back to this playground in a year or so!

4/18/2013

My mom, dad, and brother, day before the race, 4/14/2013

He finished in 3:38:30, requalifying for Boston at 2:03 PM.

It was 50 minutes before the explosions.

The finish line is supposed to be a joyful place.  It’s certainly been one of my favorite places on earth…

It’s such a sad and senseless thing that happened.  And it’s been on my mind constantly.  I’ve laid awake at night thinking about the eight year old little boy who was killed…  My heart’s heavy for every single person who’s been impacted by Monday’s tragedy…

I’ll never have the right words, but so many writers have responded more eloquently than I ever could anyhow, so here are a few beautifully written pieces:

If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon.

The People Who Watch Marathons.

Overwhelming kindness follows Boston Marathon blast.

There are so many inspiring stories of courage and selflessness in the aftermath of the bombings.  I’m so proud to be a part of the running community.  I’m proud of my dad and look forward to the day we run Boston together.  I’m infinitely grateful for the safety of my family and friends.  And I’m uplifted by the outpouring of support coming from other communities and cities worldwide.

8 weeks old at Menchie’s, 4/9/2013

Okay, not really, but we celebrated for her.  And she tolerated the first dairy I’ve eaten in over six weeks!

4/7/2013

She’s definitely developing her own personality and preferences as she’s grown adorably curious, sensitive, silly, and moody.  She’s fascinated by everything around her and wants to see it all.  She wants to be held all the time and wants to be facing outward so she doesn’t miss a thing, of course.  At the drop of a hat, she goes from sound asleep to screaming at the top of her lungs.  And the tiniest things make her light up… or fall back asleep!

Liv’s new favorite hold, 4/7/2013

8 weeks old, wants to see it all, 4/9/2013

We’re working on getting her on a sleep schedule (although we have no idea what we’re doing).  And we’re trying to get her used to the baby carriers – we have the Ergo and the Moby wrap (although she doesn’t want anything to do with either of these, so far…).  We’re also working on more “tummy time” (although she really, really hates it).

Play time in her play gym, 4/7/2013

4/7/2013

4/7/2013

Liv had her two month check-up with the pediatrician yesterday, where she showed off her smile for the doctor, who said she’s “very social” for two months!  I was excited to find out her stats, which were:

• Weight:  11 lbs. 14 oz. = 67th percentile
• Height:  23 inches = 77%
• Head circumference:  15.5 inches = 84%

Doc said she’s got a big brain in there, ha!  He also confirmed the red spot on her forehead is a hemangioma (which we’ve nicknamed “Gio”) and it’s nothing to worry about.  It’s just a birthmark that darkened during her first month and it’ll disappear naturally over the next few years.

Liv and “Gio,” 2 months old, 4/12/2013

He also confirmed her knack for projectile pooping is normal and very common (To all my soon-to-be-mommy readers, enjoy that one!).

Relaxing on her giraffe mat from Logi Bear, 4/11/2013

What I’m up to?:  Right now, Liv’s chillin’ in my lap as I’m blogging.  She’s facing outward, of course, and she’s probably reading everything I type so she can go and do the opposite of what I write — that seems to be her M.O. from week-to-week.

Lounging on mommy, 4/7/2013

Marathon Mom in-the-making:  I started jogging with Liv in the BOB stroller — very conservatively, because we don’t want her jostling around too much, but also because stroller running is so so so HARD!!!!  Every little incline feels like a mountain and I was pretty discouraged after our first “run” (which was so slow I really wouldn’t even call it jogging).  But we got back out there the next day and had an awesome run in the rain!  Liv was happy, cozy, and dry in her carseat cocoon.  And I actually got into a good running groove.

We love our BOB, 4/10/2013

Last week, I did some complaining about how hard postpartum running is, but I have a confession… it’s insanely gorgeous here and I really shouldn’t complain.  I might be sucking wind, but it’s like running through the Emerald City of Oz.  So many wild flowers!

Family adventure!  4/10/2013

This path is 0.4 miles from our house!  4/10/2013

Not happy about the (brief) sun in her eyes, 4/10/2013

On Tuesday, Liv and I went to our first Stroller Strides class at a Grand Opening event.  “Stroller Strides” sounds deceptively nice and mild, like a bunch of mommies meandering along with their babies, but really, it’s Mommy Bootcamp.  It’s a 60-75 minute workout that combines intervals of running with strength training.  And it’s TOUGH!  Naturally, I signed up for the unlimited monthly membership.  Also, I won a raffle for 8 weeks of Body Back classes, which sounds like it’ll be even more intense, but more on that later!

• Friday:  5 mile run
• Saturday:  OFF
• Sunday:  3.5 mile stroller run/walk
• Monday:  4.2 mile stroller run/walk
• Tuesday:  Stroller Strides (60 minutes)
• Wednesday:  4.1 mile stroller run
• Thursday:  Stroller Strides (60 minutes) + 5 mile stroller run/walk

Week 8 Thoughts from the Zen Dad:  Zen Dad’s busy doing our taxes, among other dad-ly things, like putting together new furniture and bringing home the bacon, but he’ll be back next week!

Such a daddy’s girl, 4/11/2013

4/11/2013

Week 8 in Review:

• Liv loves:  Sitting on mommy’s lap, daddy’s funny faces and noises, riding in the BOB stroller, trying to drink her bath water
• Liv hates:  Tummy time, when the sun gets in her eyes
• Liv’s eyes:  Still dark bluish/grayish/brownish
• Liv’s voice:  Mostly grunts and growls, but she’s letting out sweet “ahh” and “oh” sounds, like she’s trying to talk to us more!
• Liv’s wearing:  Size 1 diapers and she’s starting to bust out of all of her 0-3 month clothes!
• Workouts:  1 solo run, 4 stroller run/walks, and 2 Stroller Strides classes
• Highlight:  Our trip to Maggiano’s celebrating 8 years with the 8-week-old love of our lives…

4/7/2013

4/7/2013

I wrote a couple mushy-gushy posts last year to celebrate our second wedding anniversary (our “Valentine-iversary“) and our seventh dating anniversary, so this year, I’m keeping it simple.  Jared and I went through our online photo albums and picked out one picture per year, which took A LOT longer than I anticipated, but was a fun trip down memory lane…

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Every year I think, “It can’t get better than this,” and yet, somehow it does.

At the Zoo, 7 weeks old, 4/3/2013

This has been a week of nightly diaper blowouts, projectile poop (seriously), and inconsolable crying.  On Monday, she cried for 10 HOURS!!!!  She’d calm down to eat or nap for no more than 10 minutes before picking up right where she left off.  That was a long day.

We can tell Liv’s growing and learning so much right now.  She has more quiet, alert time, as she soaks up her surroundings.  We’ve noticed she’s gotten really good at tracking objects with her eyes and she definitely recognizes Jared and me, lighting up and cooing when she sees us — best feeling in the world!  She’s fascinated by her reflection in the mirror, makes new — and hilarious! — facial expressions every day, and has started grasping things: her blankie, my shirt, the giraffe WubbaNub.

Burping with daddy, 4/3/2013

Look at that face!!!!  4/3/2013

What I’m up to?:  The highlights: more smiling and playtime, a fun day at the zoo, seeing our friends’ new house, and getting comfy in ours.  I wish I could say we’re completely unpacked, but at least we’ve made a significant dent.  We’re feeling more settled and several times a day, Jared tells me: “I love our house.”  We still have a long list of projects to tackle — finish painting, replace closet doors, and light fixtures, put in new flooring, etc. — but they’ll come with time.

Bunny towel bath time! 4/2/2013

Playtime on Aunt Allison’s special blanket! 4/2/2013

First trip to the Zoo, 4/3/2013

How I’m feeling?:  In the midst of Liv’s marathon crying sessions, I feel like a failure as I scramble to do anything and everything I can think of to comfort her.  And in an instant, she’ll crack a squinty-eyed smile and I’m instantly filled to the brim with pure joy.  It boggles my mind that in the same day, even in the same hour, I can go from feeling such despair to such perfect happiness.  This little squirt sure has some power over me.

Smiling at mommy, 4/3/2013

That smile… 4/3/2013

Marathon Mom in-the-making:  I worked out for my entire pregnancy and assumed getting back “in shape” would be a piece of cake.  With over two weeks of postpartum running under my belt, I have to be real.  It’s SO hard — so much harder than I expected.

I got a kick out of this post about “The Good the Bad and the Ugly of Working Out After Baby.”  A few highlights:

#1.  Don’t look in the mirror.  Thankfully, my first run post-baby happened where there were no mirrors.  I ran two miles.  It took me 30 minutes.  I wanted to die.  I felt as if I’d run four marathons, in the middle of the Sahara Desert, uphill, with no water.  And then was bitch-slapped.

#2.  Wear black.  I will repeat myself: wear black.  And I don’t mean for its slimming benefits.  Wear it because it won’t show when your boobs leak or when you pee yourself.

#4.  Wear a good bra… or three.  Strap those triple G jugs down like you were in a straight jacket.  Use duct tape if needed.  I didn’t the first time, and can only assume that’s what it feels like to get kicked in the nuts.

I can’t hear my footsteps over my heavy breathing.  My lungs burn.  My hips pop.  I wear two bras and everything else jiggles.  I’ve never sweated so much in my life.  And I’m still hoofing it through 3-to-5-milers, promising myself I will get back there.  One mile at a time.

Some big birds, at the Zoo, 4/3/2013

Gorillas and a baby giraffe, 4/3/2013

Week 7 Thoughts from the Zen Dad:

From Projectile Poo to Our First Day at the Zoo…

What a week this has been.  We sure have seen some highs and lows.  Liv has had a few lengthy crying spells which are exhausting.  We make sure she’s clean and dry, warm, fed, and burped.  We take turns holding her in every position under the sun and putting her in different carriers.  We talk to her, sing to her, and plead with her, but often, it seems like she just needs to cry… for a few hours.  On the flip side, her smiles and awareness of us can make any hour-long stretch of crying disappear in an instant.  So for this week’s entry, I figured I’d focus on two “highlights” that stand out in my mind.

Napping with daddy, 4/2/2013

Liv’s been doing this thing where she doesn’t poop all day, and then, in the middle of the night, she bombs her diaper, exploding poo up to her shoulders.  You heard me right, I’ve had to baby-wipe her shoulders off.  At 3:00 AM a few nights ago, Meg was changing her diaper.  I was still half asleep when I heard an atomic explosion and Meg say, “OH NO!”  I shot out of bed and found Meg, Liv, the diaper, and changing pad, all covered with poo.  And a second later, as Meg was sliding a new diaper under Liv, a poop laser shot at me.  I got out of the way just in time, but her projectile poo flew past the changing table, onto the floor, and hitting her Rock ‘n’ Play bassinet five feet away.  HOW DID THAT HAPPEN???  I never knew parenthood would involve dealing with the aftermath of 3:00 AM poop explosions!

At the Zoo, 4/3/2013

The next day, we headed to the zoo!  We’re fortunate to live very close to the San Diego Wild Animal Park in Escondido, where the month-long “Butterfly Jungle” exhibit is taking place.  It’s an amazing and beautiful experience to have hundreds of butterflies fluttering around you.  Last year, we saw the exhibit with our Aunt Sheila and this year, we took Liv.  It was a perfect day, leisurely walking around the Zoo with Meg and Liv.  We saw a cheetah, gorillas, ducks, and then the butterflies.  Liv was comfy hanging out in her stroller, but we had to take her out to walk through the Butterfly Jungle and she spent most of the time crying.  We captured a few photos, then found a secluded corner behind a pond, where Meg nursed Liv, and we had a funny face photo-shoot.  It was an amazing day, getting out and enjoying another beautiful day here in sunny San Diego.  And I’m glad we got to take pictures of Liv in her giraffe hat (Thanks, Aunt Laur)!

I’m looking forward to what next week has in store; although, I may have to invest in a hazmat suit for these late night diaper changes…

Breathing in, I observe the experiences.
Breathing out, I smile through it all.

Week 7 in Review:

• Liv loves:  Snuggling her face into her blankie, riding in shopping carts, the sound of the vacuum, when we “Oooh” and stick out our tongues at her (she thinks this is hilarious!)
• Liv hates:  Having her nose wiped, Mondays
• Workouts:  3 runs between 3.5 and 5.0 miles!
• Looking forward to:  Our first Stroller Strides workout session
• Highlight:  Going to the Zoo and spending the whole visit taking pictures of our happy little giraffe.

7 weeks old, 4/3/2013

Liv at 6 weeks old, 3/25/2013

Our little peanut’s still growing by leaps and bounds and this week’s exciting development: so many smiles!  When I walk away from her for a minute and come back into view, she gets an adorable lopsided smirk on her face that blooms into a full-blown, open-mouthed smile, showing off her toothless gums, and twinkly, squinty eyes.  She really does have her daddy’s eyes…

Smiling in her giraffe jammies!  3/26/2013

We still have our challenges with sleep, but on Sunday night, she slept from 11:00 PM – 4:52 AM.  I remember the time because when she started stirring and I grabbed my phone, I freaked out.  4:52 AM!!!!  That’s nearly SIX HOURS!!!!  And I slept for at least five of those hours!

I shook Jared awake, gasping: “She slept through the night!  She slept through the night!”  That’s the longest stretch of sleep I’ve gotten in months!  Just to show us who’s boss, Liv promptly went back to waking up every two hours the following night, but still!

After a 3:00 AM diaper blowout, 3/24/2013

What I’m up to?:  Unpacking is coming along ever-so-slowly.  My dad and Jared have been busy tackling the various house projects that continue to pop up one after another — welcome to home ownership, right?

Enjoying a car ride to Home Depot!  3/26/2013

We were sad to say goodbye to my parents and brother, who headed back to Ohio this morning, meaning this is the first time in six weeks that we don’t have company… nor extra hands to help with the crying, diapers, laundry, dinners, etc.  We’re definitely a little nervous to be on our own, but we’re also more than ready to settle into our “new normal” as we continue to settle into our new home.

Liv and Sully, 3/23/2013

How I’m feeling?:  As parents, Jared and I are feeling more and more comfortable and confident.  As homeowners, I think we’re feeling a bit overwhelmed.  But ultimately, we’re just feeling really blessed every single day.

Play time in the bouncy seat, 3/24/2013

Marathon Mommy in-the-making:  I’ve run three more times since my first postpartum run on Liv’s 5 week birthday and gosh, it feels good!  I’m out of shape, but there are so many great, hilly trails near our house that I’m excited to explore.

I’m also excited to take Liv running with me, so I did a little research and was shocked to find source after source stating babies should be six months old before going on stroller runs.  Six months is way longer than I imagined!  Of course, these are general recommendations and I’m going to talk with our pediatrician, but in the meantime, Liv and I are still loving our long walks with the BOB stroller.

Post-run snuggle, 3/27/2013

Week 6 Thoughts from the Zen Dad:

Week 6 has been the week of settling in.  We’re settling into parenthood at the same time we’re settling into home ownership.  Truthfully, parenthood has seemed easier than being a homeowner.  Maybe this is due to having such incredible support from our family over the last 6 weeks as we’ve been learning our roles as parents.  I really took the time to savor our last week with Meg’s parents and brother.  I must send a shout out to Meg’s mom, who would take Liv and hold her for hours as she was screaming, giving Meg and I time to breathe.  It’s taught me to be patient with Liv, while figuring out what comforts her.  Now, I use the football hold while patting her tush almost every single day.

Home ownership has been tough as we’re doing project after project — and by “we,” I mean Meg’s Dad has done 10 projects for every 1 I’ve done.  So far, my favorite accomplishment is that I drained the filthy, murky fountain in our atrium, cleaned the entire concrete interior and exterior, and added new water.  Now we have a fountain with clean, clear water and a working pump.  It’s so relaxing to hear the water in the concrete bowl.  (My next goal is to redesign the atrium space so it’s a peaceful and aesthetic haven that Meg will enjoy too… though this might be harder than it sounds).

The highlight of this week has definitely been all of Liv’s smiles.  She seems to smile in slow motion, one corner of her mouth curling up before the other corner joins, exploding into a full-blown grin.  In her sleep one night, Meg and I witnessed the most adorable giggles.  We couldn’t believe it, looking at each other in awe, waiting for another.  Speaking of waiting, I really hope we get a video capturing one of Liv’s farts.  They are absolutely hilarious — a sound you’d never expect from such a tiny person.  It’s impossible NOT to laugh every time she lets one rip.

Liv, I will always remember your baby farts!

Always loves napping on daddy, 3/23/2013

3/23/2013

Week 6 in Review:

• Liv loves:  Head rubs, noisy restaurants, Uncle Ryan, napping with her tushy up in the air
• Liv hates:  Daddy’s cough, getting her nails clipped
• Liv’s superhero name:  “Lint Girl” (our little lady always has fuzzies and lint between her tiny fingers and toes!)
• Longest stretch of sleep:  5 hours!
• Workouts:  3 runs between 3.5-4.2 miles & 3 walks between 2.6-3.4 miles
• Countdown to my comeback Half Marathon:  9 weeks, 2 days
  
• Highlight:  Hearing Liv laugh out loud for the first time!

Smiling up at daddy, 3/23/2013