6 months and 55 pounds!

Happy 6 Months, Eli!

It's hard to believe, but Friday, Eli will be 6 months old! Where has time gone? Just this morning, he mastered a "complete dismount" from his Floor Nanny (a 3'x3' padded square with a lowered center that is supposed to be ideal for him to SIT IN!). As I write this, he's rolling around the living room chasing down whatever happens to catch his fancy for the moment and chuckling at his amazing accomplishments. He's trying to sit up alone, and I'll honestly be shocked if he hasn't converted his scooting/rolling into crawling within the next month or so. We visit the pediatrician Monday for his 6-month check up (and more shots!), so I am anxious to see how much he weighs and how long he is. He also starts full-time care outside our home next week. While I am thrilled about the arrangement, it's still hard to think about how quickly he's learning new things and that we'll be missing some of his "firsts," I'm sure.

I am thankful each day that God has blessed us with two healthy, happy boys - they are truly my pride and joy!

-55 Pounds (and counting!)

I am happy to share that I am now 55 pounds lighter than when I arrived at the hospital to deliver Eli and within 5 pounds of my pre-Riley weight! I still have about 10 more I'd like to lose; as I kick up the training for the St. Jude's 1/2 Marathon in December, I'm sure they'll come off!

I have struggled with my weight since college so two pregnancies in three years didn't exactly help. What I have found to work (for me!) is simply old-fashion math - calories in vs. calories out. A friend recommended a fabulous (and FREE!) app for my iPhone, Lose it!, that allows me to enter calories consumed and calories burned...I really don't even have to DO the math. I also use my Nike+ to track mileage and calories burned.

In the past, I sought the "quick fix" to weight loss - diet pills, drinks, even "fasting" before a big event where I thought I needed to look thin. What I think has made this effort more successful is the lifestyle change. I viewed exercise and eating healthy as "punishment." Now, I want to eat healthy and exercise - not to be thin, but to be "HEALTHY." My work at the SSRC over the last year has increased my awareness of the sad state of the health in MS - especially among children. I really want to be a good example for my boys, not by how thin I am, but by my own healthy lifestyle and making it possible for them to live one, too. Eat This! Not That! has also opened my eyes to a lot of things in my diet that I thought were healthy or "not that bad." Just simple changes to what's in the cabinets and the refrigerator can make a significant difference - not just for me, but for all my boys! So while I'm thrilled with the number on the scale, I'm more thrilled about how I feel! I no longer dread working out and even roasted a red pepper this week to put on a very healthy pizza. Tackled two amazing feats in one - cooking AND eating healthy!

Running with Riley

Saturday morning, I decided to try out my new jogging stroller (compliments of my fabulous sister-in-law, Stephanie!) and take Riley on my run. I had run 6.2 miles Friday and it was 9:30 a.m. when we left (for those of you not in the South, it's already pretty hot by then!); there were no expectations that this would be a long or a fast run.

The time with Riley, however, was priceless!

As we left the neighborhood and I began to run, he immediately shouted, "Whoa, Mom! I need to put my seatbelt on! We're going fast!" A pretty good boost to the confidence, I'll admit. The county roads in Winston County need some attention and it wasn't long before he began "aaaawww"-ing to make his voice vibrate. "Mom, it's bumpy!"

*Note: Here I have to interject and point out that I have recently become "Mom" rather than "Mama." With this change, he also feels he needs to add it to the beginning or end of every sentence.

About 1/2 mile from the neighborhood, he'd already had enough. "Mom, I'm ready to go to the house." When I explained we were going a little further before we turned around, he settled in and began his (almost constant!) chatter.

Some excerpts:

"Mom, are we going to Gran and Granny's?" (That's about 30 miles - I think not!)

"Look! It's a digger....Catch it, Mom! I wanna ride it!" (A truck passed us pulling a backhoe)

"Mom, there's trash on the ground."

With this comment, I knew I had been given the opportunity to teach Riley about litter. I explained that we should NEVER throw things out the window onto the ground because it was God's world and when we did this, it made Him very sad. Throwing trash on the ground made it hard for all of His creatures to eat and breath, so we need to help take care of the beautiful world He gave us by not littering. The solution I provided was that we just keep our trash until we get home and then throw it in the garbage can. Later that evening, Riley began to tell his Daddy about the conversation and got the details a little confused...

"We don't throw God in the garbage can, 'cause that will make Him sad."

Oh, my funny boy!

So, I only made it about 1 1/2 miles running with Riley, but we got in another 1 1/2 miles talking and enjoying the beautiful (although warm!) day! I hope the lesson on litter will stick with him for years to come...it's one of the saddest things I see on my runs.

Summer's coming to an end!

I cannot believe how quickly this summer has passed! It makes me sad that school will be starting in just a few weeks. Lots going on with the boys!

Riley: The potty training progress has reversed. He is no longer pooping on the potty. That's all I'm going to say about that (because anything further will result in tears!). On a positive note, Riley's recognition of letters and their sounds is really progressing. We've found a few shows on MPB, and I've downloaded several apps on my iPhone that he enjoys. I am certain these are a big part of his progress. He's become quite a fan of the hidden objects games, and we found him a great book last weekend that is a must in the bedtime reading rotation. Despite the miserable heat, he still loves being outside!

Eli: It's hard to believe my baby will be 6 months old next week! He's outgrown all of his clothes, and we had to do some shopping for 24-month clothing to get though the rest of the summer. He is rolling all over the place and trying to sit up. He just recently started "fake coughing" and shaking his head "no!" - both of which he thinks are very funny! I think he has some teeth coming in on the bottom, too! He'll start his new daycare August 2; we feel really good about the situation. The lady that will keep him has a daughter Riley's age so Eli should feel right at home. He'll start where Riley is in January (or possibly December!).

Weight loss/Running progress: I'm excited to share that I am down 53 pounds from when I arrived at the hospital to deliver Eli. I am still running - about 15 to 18 miles per week. My goal is to lose 10 more pounds by Labor Day and then maintain. I started "counting calories" a few weeks ago and while I don't know how long I'll continue that (it's a bit of a pain!), it has certainly been an eye-opening experience. I was WAY underestimating the number of calories things had and thus, my daily intake. Whether I continue it or not, it's had a positive impact on the choices I make and has led me to explore healthier options.

The Waltons are all doing well!

We pray the same is true for you and yours!

Happy Fourth of July!

The weather was nearly perfect last weekend for the Fourth of July, so I took advantage of the cooler temps and lower humidity to take a few snapshots of the boys in their red, white and blue! After about 10 minutes, I realized why I pay someone else to do it - WOW! Talk about frustrating! Getting them both to look at the camera was a feat - forget getting them BOTH to smile while looking at the camera.

Regardless, there's some sweet ones. Enjoy!

Riley @ 3 years, 3 months

Eli @ 5 months

Officially a BIG BOY!

It has finally happened! We've been waiting for months (ok, almost a year!) and Riley has finally taken the last step from baby to big boy!

He has POOPED ON THE POTTY (June 28, 2010)!!

We have promised him everything under the sun, so we are slowly fulfilling those promises (to do them all at once would probably break the bank!). The night of the big event, he finally got to play with the talking Mack truck that's been on top of the TV for months AND he selected his Lightning McQueen coloring/sticker book from the other stash of things we have collected as incentives. Tuesday night, we took him to see Toy Story 3; he loved it! He's talked about it all week. We are planning the zoo trip when Jeff returns from the youth trip (and praying for some cooler weather!).

Everyone told us, "Just be patient!" For anyone who knows either of us, you know being patient is not something that we excel at. Needless to say, his daddy and I couldn't be happier!