Luke: 3 Months!

Posted on November 14, 2015 by thefasteryoupedal

Stats: (estimating) 23 inches, 15 pounds (from my bathroom scale)

Favorites: He LOVES baths! He sits there like he is hot tubbing with his buddies. He loves any kind of interaction with him. He smiles so big when he knows you are paying attention to him.

Lifesavers for Mom and Dad: His play mat and his swing. It’s nice to give him activities to do when you have a high maintenance two-year old running around. He really is a good baby….for now. I know what is coming and I am not looking forward to it.

Dislikes: Again, when I take too long to feed him.

Facts: He is super vocal this month, always screeching and cooing. He is super smiley when you hang with him. We call him “roly poly” because he just wants to roll into a ball. We try to get him to stand and he won’t even attempt it. He is starting to get the sitting assisted and is quickly moving towards using the Bumbo. He loves Olivia and loves to coo at her.

Sleep Habits: He has about 3-4 naps a day and has started a night routing about half way through this month. He falls asleep around 8 or 9 and then wakes up at 4 to eat and then goes back to sleep. I will take it!

Doctors Visits: None this month for him. 4 month appointment is next.

Eating Habits: He eats 5 ounces every three hours and then holds off at night until about 3 or 4 in the morning. He has a pretty good schedule going.

Milestones: Talking, rolling to his side, grabbing and chewing toys, looking in the mirror

Looking Forward To: Christmas. He is going to be so dang cute.

Luke: Month 1!

Posted on August 25, 2015 by thefasteryoupedal

Stats: 21 1/2 inches (1 1/2 inches longer than birth) and 10 pounds 2 ounces

Favorites: He is pretty good about sleeping. He is more alert at night, which will be fun when I start sleep training him. He likes it when I put his rock and play by the back window so he can look out. He is loving his swing.

Lifesavers for Mom and Dad: His swing. Right after I feed him at night, he usually will go right back to sleep if I put him in the swing. Also, his rock and play is nice to move around the house when I am doing activities with Olivia and housework.

Dislikes: He absolutely hates baths and screams when I do it. He also screams when I put him in the car seat, but usually settles down after a few minutes and then sleeps the whole time.

Facts: He is making eye contact and opening his eyes a whole lot more. His cry sounds like an angry cat and I am finding he uses his cry as a way to just talk. He will cry for a minute and then stop and look all content. He loves to be held in the evening. The rest of the day he is pretty content just sitting and looking at things or sleeping. He has reddish-brown hair that is slightly curly, but not like Olivia’s. He has the cutest smile..I can’t wait until he REALLY smiles at me!

Sleep Habits: He sleeps on and off all day. I can tell his really heavy sleep is about 9 at night until midnight and then it’s on and off all day until about noon and then he heavy sleeps until about 4 or 5. We will figure it out one of these days.

Doctors Visits: He went in a few days after birth, one week out, and then two weeks out (he had lost a lot of weight), and then for his monthly check up. I feel like I have been at the doctor’s office a lot. It’s cool to see his charts and his growth.

Eating Habits: Since he was losing weight, I had to supplement and let’s just say that it definitely helped. He eats A LOT…about every 2 to three hours and doesn’t take any breaks. He also went from 50th percentile to 75th percentile in weight because he is such a piggy.

Milestones: Pretty much just keeping him alive and giving us eye contact. He is so good at lifting his head and swings it around a lot!

Looking Forward To: Seeing him smile and interact more!

2 Years Old!

Posted on May 19, 2015 by thefasteryoupedal

Stats: 2 feet 11 inches tall (95th percentile) and 26 pounds (50th percentile).

Favorites: She is all about Paw Patrol right now. She has the whole collection (almost) and she sits and plays with them and has them talk to each other and drive around. She lines them up on the coffee table and then switches them around to drive different cars. She loves to watch the cartoon as she plays and then acts out what is going on. She loves her classes a lot now. She is getting better at tumbling at the gym and singing along to songs at story time. She is all about going on a field trip somewhere. Every morning she is asking me when we are going “Bye Bye”. It’s sad that she knows the word “Walmart” and says it a lot.

Lifesavers for Mom and Dad: For her birthday, she got a bunch of toys and stickers that have been awesome forms of entertainment for her, especially at church. Grandma Coleman taught her to play out back while we worked on the yard, so that has helped when I am doing chores. She loves to lay on our bean bag too and chill out with her new blanket that Grandma Barrow made for her.

Dislikes: She will not say the word “please”. I repeat it so much throughout the day and even pair it with “thank you” and she will say thank you but not that. Why does she dislike that word??? It is a constant battle. She is super impatient when a toy is not working and does not want me to help her. She doesn’t like it when I get to her level and say NO when she hits or throws.

Facts: She can count to ten all by herself and can name the numbers out-of-order if we switch them up. She knows about half of her alphabet letters, but will not even try the colors. Mike got her to say “red” the other day and she knew what colors her blocks were , but she doesn’t seem to want to go any further on that. She loves to mimic and mock us now, so I will look over and she will be sitting exactly like I am, she will fold her arms and close her eyes for prayers, she started yelling out “Mike!” when I am yelling for Mike across the house. We need to be careful!

Sleep Habits: She was doing so awesome and then…I feel like she went through a growth spurt or something because she is now not sleeping through the night. She keeps screaming for water, her blanket, for me…anything to try to get me to come in the room. It’s so crazy how it just started up.

Doctors Visits: Just her two-year old check up. She was sick that day so we were able to get some antibiotics and it was gone in three days. We have been laying low so that we can hang around Mike as much as possible. We have a dentist visit coming up too. I’m curious what he/she says about her famous gap.

Eating Habits: Definitely the worst it has ever been. She is so hit or miss. She will eat breakfast and lunch, but then not dinner, but then will want to drink two glasses of milk. But then the next day she won’t want breakfast, but will have a huge dinner. It’s weird and from what I have been reading, totally normal. I started giving her vitamins to make me feel better about her nutrition. The doctor says that her stats look good so not to worry, but I am up at night reading everything about it and stressing!

Milestones: Officially counting to ten, walks up the stairs by herself, starting to learn the idea of a balance bike, waters my plants for me, feeds Barney for me, can identify many letters of the alphabet, sings and plays along to the stories and songs at story time, helps me clean up the blankets and pillows around the house, talking a lot more (unfortunately she is super shy, so it is mainly at home)….she is going to be a great help with the baby!

Looking Forward To: Seeing how she reacts when the little guy comes home from the hospital!

I LOVE Strava!

Posted on January 21, 2014 by thefasteryoupedal

A friend of mine is training for a 5k in February and she texted me the other day to ask me what I used to keep me motivated to run. I know most people like to use Map My Run, which I have nothing against, but I really found an awesome app to use. I immediately told her to download Strava Run (and for you bikers out there, Strava Bike). My husband and I are very competitive people and like to have goals to achieve whether it is going against other people or even ourselves. Mike was the one to show me this app and now I am hooked!

The best thing about Strava Run is that it pretty much is going against yourself (unless you find a course that someone else has run and documented). In my case, my neighborhood has a perfect loop that you can run a perfect 5k. I run this about once or twice a week and it will tell me whether I beat any previous records I set. Mike likes to run a loop at NMSU where other runners have recorded their times, so he can see his records along with others.

I like how it shows how my pace was (I was running with the stroller this day) and how I started off faster and then got slower with my pace. That tells me that I need to pick up the pace at mile 2 and 3.

When you finish a run, it will show your overall pace, calorie burn, elevation gain, and moving time. The moving time is especially good for those times you are standing at the beginning trying to get the music started on your headphones.

Here’s where the competitive part comes in. On this particular bike ride, I noticed I had a Queen of the Mountain when I was done. This means that the people who rode before me had a slower time.

You then click on the trophy and it will tell you the time you did it in and the other times of the other riders. You can add friends (and enemies..hehe) and see an activity feed of their rides. I love looking at what other people did to keep me motivated!

You should try it out! It’s really a great app!

Liz’s Week In Review

Posted on November 16, 2013 by thefasteryoupedal

So when a week gets too busy that you start to jumble everything into one blog post, you just have to call it a “Week In Review”. I really want to try and document as much as I can while I am staying home since this will not be a permanent thing for me, but I have found I have been MORE busy than when I had a job!

First off, how cute is that when I toss a binkie at my daughter and she immediately puts it in her mouth?

I have been a little disappointed in myself for not riding well this week. I really want to get this weight off! We are very lucky to have family in town to watch Olivia on Tuesday nights. Even though it is getting dark early, we still want to make it out to the Dona Ana’s. This week I didn’t do my usual route because I was so tired, so I went and explored Chutes and Ladders, which is a really hilly, technical part of the coarse and had a blast! If you look closely a the map…you can tell when I got lost. (Bottom right hand corner..)

P.S. I just learned how to screen shot (I am so behind the times) and I just had to show you by putting my Strava links on here. 🙂

P.P.S. I love these shoes by the way AND they are on sale at Kohl’s. (I took a picture to send to Mike as a hint for a Christmas present!). I also was able to run this week and actually got my 5k under 30 minutes…woot woot! Only 20 more pounds to go and maybe I can get a faster 5k time! 🙂

Olivia had her six month check up too this week. I was glad to get some answers to questions I had. She didn’t grow too much height-wise this past couple of months, but she made up for it in weight. And let’s just say her head is in the 90 percentile, so I have no worries about her head growth. She still is a long thing at almost 26 inches (25.8 to be exact). She was a champ!

I felt like I was in the kitchen the whole week. I was making soup for an Enrichment activity and then I made Mike some corned beef and cabbage, which is an awesome fall/winter food. (Too bad our house stunk. People kept walking in and asking if Olivia had pooped. Ha!) We had a youth activity this week where we made hygiene kits for charity. It reminded me of when we went to the Ronald McDonald house back in April and they had the kits available for us. It makes me feel good that we can give back. I’m always so appreciative of what they did for us.

Transitioning to crib. That’s all I have to say. And let’s just say that it was been a LONG week when it comes to sleep. This girl sure did like her Rock and Play and this mom misses her not sleeping through the night. She is getting better though. She only woke up twice last night!

When in doubt on where to put a baby, laundry baskets work well.

We started off the week with colds. It made for a very fussy mom and child (poor Mike!). Thankfully, we are both out of the clear now, but it sure is nice to get some cuddling in! Remind me that I will not have these times back!

We ended the week by going out on a quick date to a coworker’s wedding. I don’t even remember the last time Mike and I went out and dressed up. It was fun to hang out and have some time together and talk. He sure was a trooper!

And I got to see my lovely friend Stephanie and as we were leaving, I saw my fellow seventh grade science teacher Britt. I sure do miss them! (But not the job…hehe). Hope you all had a great week and Happy Friday!

Question: Do you think wearing black at weddings is bad luck? I was feeling a little guilty tonight about wearing black (mind you that my wedding was black and white) and I swear I have heard that people frown on it. Is that true?

The Color Run El Paso

Posted on September 27, 2013 by thefasteryoupedal

Last year Mike and I did the Color Run in Albuquerque with his brothers (which ended up being a fiasco of losing our car keys and spending two days trying to get them remade…meanwhile, finding out I was pregnant). This year, we found out it was going to be a little closer to home, so we had to go try it out with my good friend Stephanie and her husband Bill.

We had to have Olivia try out the shenanigans too, so we brought the jogging stroller and put a weather shield over it to protect her.

We had to stand at the start for a while because of the congestion. It was a pretty big crowd. Meanwhile, people were already busting out with the paints in the air!

Pre-Color Run cleanliness.

Olivia was already getting bombarded!

Mike took the stroller for the first half of the race. He looks so cheesy in this picture!

I love this shot of all the “haze” left over from the pink portion.

Mike being Mike….again. Poor Olivia. FYI…she slept the whole race!

I took over mid-way and was trying to find a way to avoid the colors with the stroller. That was not happening!

I was kind of bummed because the end was so congested, you really couldn’t run it! It was more like a walk from the 1.5 mile mark. I wish they had more street space on this one.

And this is what happens when you wake up a sleeping stroller child. (Yes, she got a little warm.)

Overall, it was fun. I would say that if they changed the venue that I would do it again in El Paso. Otherwise, I am willing to go back up to Albuquerque next year. What a fun way to get people out running.

Thanks to the Kellys for joining us!

Busiest Summer Ever!

Posted on August 30, 2013 by thefasteryoupedal

So I thought that by having a baby that my summer was going to be SO boring. My plan was to sit at home and pretty much raise a kid. I actually worried about how I might go insane being stuck inside all day. This summer has been the complete opposite!

As I was going through all of my pictures, I have realized that this summer is a whole bunch of shenanigans all rolled up into one! I am safe to say that this has been one of the busiest summers of my life!

We were busy getting all these road trips together. Mike competed in the Boulder Half Ironman in August up in Colorado! I love this pic of him coming in at the end of the bike ride!

We had many get togethers with the Barrows over the summer! I was able to see all ten Barrow kids this summer at some point in time. We had to have our Si Senor trips!

Mike’s youngest brother Jared was married in the Gila Valley temple at the beginning of August. It was our first trip with the baby and the dog. (We had to give Barney a sedative to be calm on the ride and he got to hang out in the chapel while we hosted a luncheon after the wedding.)

Olivia’s been trying out new toys and getting so big! I can’t keep up with her! It’s been fun trying them out in between our many daily trips running errands around town.

Mike went up to Cloudcroft to do some training rides. It isn’t a summer unless you can go to Cloudcroft!

We’ve made many car trips with the baby or dog or both of them. Olivia traveled to California, Colorado, Arizona, and Nevada!! She is a travelling fool!

We went to San Diego in July to hang out with the family and continue the tradition Mike and I have kept to go there for the last three years!

We took our first flight to Las Vegas at the end of August to see the family before my mom took off to move to Salt Lake City.

Mike and I were able to eat at Wahoo’s in California and Colorado. I love how they are popping up everywhere!

We’ve been riding out on the Dona Ana’s every Tuesday night. Mike and I are obsessed with using Strava. I love to see my improvement when it comes to riding and running!

Stephanie and I had our weekly walks on the Triviz Path. So sad I am not working with her this year, but so glad that I have her to hang out with!

I was called to work with the young women in my ward and have had a blast! In June, I went up to Cloudcroft for the day and spent the time with them at Youth Conference. I was in charge of playing games with them and making sure everyone got up there okay..it was nice to go up to the mountains!

The summer is coming to an end, but Mike and I can look back and think about how awesome it was to stay so busy! We love summer!

The Return of the River Dog

Posted on July 2, 2013 by thefasteryoupedal

The Rio Grande has been dried out for winter and I was worried that they were not going to release any water from the dam. Usually it is in May when you see the river build up, but this year they waited until June because of the drought situations.

Of course, we had to take Barney down the river! He has been a little neglected lately because of all of the craziness of the baby, so we had to pamper him with his two favorite past times….frisbees and water.

river2 ‘

I love this time of year with the beautiful summer sunsets! What a silly jumper!

There were families taking pictures and people on picnics while we were playing. Barney was putting on a show for everyone. A photographer came around and asked if he could take pictures of Barney while he was jumping. You know how we love our pictures!

Silly dog.

36 Weeks!

Posted on March 31, 2013 by thefasteryoupedal

How far along: 36 Weeks, 2 Days

Maternity clothes: I still wear the same old clothes. I’m getting a little worried because most of my maternity clothes are long sleeved and winter-type clothes. It’s getting so hot out though, so I have to be creative on spring clothes! Flip flops are my best friend. I love them!!

Stretch marks: No. My stomach still looks like plastic!

Sleep: It’s hit or miss. I have been in major nesting mode this week so I hardly have slept. I was expecting to take a lot of naps this week because of Spring Break, but I feel like there is so much to do!

Best moment this week: Spring Break!! So many small fun things: listening to her heartbeat again at the doctor’s appointment, my mom coming into town, eating at restaurants I had never been to, making dinners to freeze, SHOPPING, walking A LOT, and much more. I also enjoyed watching Mike hang out with his brothers too. He was having a good time!

Miss anything: Being comfortable when sleeping. I miss running and biking a lot. I wonder how long it will take for me to bounce back.

Morning sickness: None

Movement: She is definitely getting all squished in there, but is moving around a lot. She kicks more than actual moving. She LOVES to stick that butt out!

Food cravings: Sweets. It’s always sweets.

Anything making you queasy or sick: At night I don’t feel too great, so I don’t feel like eating as much. Sometimes I feel queasy when I wake up.

Have you started to show yet: She is one big girl. The midwife was bragging about how she can tell the size of the baby born based on feeling on the stomach and estimating that way, instead of using an ultrasound. She said she has been pretty close on a lot of her patients. She told me that I will have a nine and a half pound girl if I go the full term! So yes, I am showing.

Gender prediction: Still freaking out on the fact that she COULD be a boy.

Labor signs: I’ve had a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions this week. I also have been feeling a little lower back pain too. She is getting ready!!

Belly button in or out: Out. Boo.

Wedding rings on or off: Off.

Happy or Moody most of the time: I am a maniac when it comes to being home. I want things clean and done right away, so we will say moody. Poor husband.

Looking forward to: My WEEKLY doctor appointment this week. No more waiting two weeks! It’s getting real!!!

31 Weeks!

Posted on February 24, 2013 by thefasteryoupedal

How far along: 31 weeks, 2 days

Maternity clothes: Yes
Stretch marks: No

.
Sleep: Sleeping alright. I sleep so much better when Mike is around and in the evenings. For some reason, the middle of the night is my worst sleep!

Best moment this week: I had my two week check up and little girl was being feisty as ever. We were trying to figure out where she was laying because I had been feeling uncomfortable and come to find out she had her feet right on my bladder and I could feel her head with my hands…so cool. The best part of the past couple of weeks was going to Phoenix with Mike to race and having a mini vacation from home. It was much needed and so nice to spend time with the husband. Not to mention it was beautiful out and I got some sun!

Miss anything: Having a waist….and racing.

Morning sickness: None

Movement: She is definitely a mover. She likes to stick her butt out on my left side. I like to pat and spank it and she immediately will move it away from me. So cute.

Symptoms: Leg cramps, a little nausea, being uncomfortable when sitting and laying down, and back / feet aching.

Food cravings: Apples!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Some dinners I have made haven’t seemed too appetizing.

Have you started to show yet: Yes. The guy at Autozone said to me “You look a little bloated there!”. Gotta love the pregnant comments.

Gender prediction: Girl. I think her name is decided and it’s going to be Olivia.

Labor signs: Not yet.
Belly button in or out: Still in between status… looks completely flat. I am starting to be able to see it through my shirts. Weird.

Wedding rings on or off: Not sure because I am afraid to wear them!

Happy or Moody most of the time: Depends. My poor student teacher has to listen to my craziness! And my poor husband has to go through the emotional rollercoaster of my life. I get offended so easily and I want to sleep a lot. He is assured that pregnant people are crazy!

Looking forward to: Hanging up my new “leaf” I bought for the nursery from IKEA, Spring Break, and selling the Lexus….hopefully. Next doctor’s appointment, this week!