Out of the mouth of babes

“So are YOU having a baby?” Adam, my 6 year old primary kiddo asked me this past Sunday.

“Uh, no.” I respond slightly confused.

“You aren’t supposed to ASK that!!!” whispers another of my kiddos.

“But she has a BELLY!!” Adam insists back.

“Well my baby isn’t quite a year yet and sometimes it takes a while to make the entire belly bump go away…” I responded laughing.

“Yeah my mom’s baby is older than hers and she still has a belly.” pipes in yet another little boy.

Ah the joys of teaching sweet, innocent little boys.  However badly I wanted to crawl under a rock or feel frustrated I had to admit these little guys had a point.  My belly-post Andrew hasn’t moved much since baby number four left the womb.  And with that, I found my motivation to get moving.  So how do I exercise with kids?

Child number 1:

I could trade off with my husband so that made things simple.  He would hold our little Katelyn and dip her toes in the water while I swam laps.  Then we traded off.  In the winter, I switched off with a friend that lived in an apartment complex down the road.  She brought her two littles over and we switched off supervising a playdate while the other ran on my treadmill.  This way we could exercise in that magical natural light I am so fond of.  I competed in a sprint triathlon when Katelyn was 5 months old and ran my first half marathon the week before her first birthday.

Child number 2:

I found a really great yoga studio near our apartment in Maryland and took sessions in the evenings while my supportive spouse had daddy/daughters time.  I slowly built my way back to shape by walking my girlies everywhere in our double stroller.  We had a cross-continental move to California and I found a wonderful trail that supported my stroller and it had a free petting zoo to boot.  I enlisted friends with kids to join me on our walks and we had picnics and observed nature together with our kids.  I took my kids on walks to the library that was 6 miles round trip but had sidewalks the entire way.  The library was a fun destination and I detoured to a local park on the way back to push them in the swings.  In the winter I joined a gym and swam laps or ran on the treadmill but I found the time being outside with my kids so much more enjoyable.

Child number 3:

I don’t know if it was just my age, that it was my third baby, if the complications in this pregnancy made it so much harder, or simply a combination of all three but I really had a hard time feeling motivated to get moving.  Perhaps it was yet another move to the Wasatch Front, and living in a house with a yard so I didn’t have to load the kids up to go somewhere; but I was slow getting back in shape.  I found a deep joy in gardening that my previous black thumb was astonished to discover.  Getting outside in nature was a pleasure for me.  I reached out to some neighbors that were in an early morning walking group.  They walked the trails I 6 years previously had run along.  I found such pleasure in their company that I walked with them every day.  A few months in we were running the same trail.  Pretty soon I found myself in the best shape of my life.  I ran with them because I loved their positive and encouraging personalities.  I started running with them and a second group that ran a few hours earlier in the day.  A year later I competed in my second half marathon and completed it 28 minutes sooner than my previous time.

Child number 4:

So here I am starting back with my 9 month, 3 ½ year, 6 year, and 7 ½ year olds sleeping in their beds (daddy is asleep as well).  I have run 11 miles this week that my primary class prompted me to get moving again.  I am awake, refreshed, and have a nice breakfast together with our family starting the day off on the right foot.  Andrew still has a few 3am feedings in him but I am motivated by the energy and happiness I feel to join up with my dear friends early in the mornings.

~Guest Blogger
                Stacey Starley

Helps for those winter BLAH days

I love winter.   I really love those crisp, sunny days with the gleaming white snow reflecting light everywhere.   I feel alive and refreshed and ready to conquer those New Year’s resolutions.  But then out of the blue the inversion sets in.  Mucky gray sets over the valley and I just feel blah.  So how do I conquer the inevitable blah and get down to living?

 First I open my window shades and let in as much natural light as possible.  Then I wait for the beautiful 2 hour stretch in the middle of the day to go out in the sunshine for a brisk walk.  This usually is from 1-3pm.  I bundle my kiddos up and we play I Spy as we go.  If I am alone with my baby I find different textures for his little hands to explore; a leaf, stick, flower, or set him down to crunch a bit in the snow.   Some days I pack them in our double stroller, some in arms, and some in a cuddle backpack.

If the inversion is too thick and being outdoors is ill-advised we may take a warm bath or “sauna day.”  “Sauna day” is my nickname for closing the bathroom door and turning the shower on as hot as it goes with the curtain closed and my kiddos and I sitting on beach towels playing with bubbles from a wand or bath toys.  Being warm and breathing in some humidity does wonders for my mood.  Just make sure your kiddos are far away from the stream of hot water to prevent burns and stay by their side at all times.

Other days we will cook homemade play dough or make cookies or science experiments with simple household items.  We sometimes combine all of the above by making a dinosaur themed diorama in an old shoebox.  We can use leaves from adventure walks for trees, print pictures from the internet or have the kids draw pictures and paste them inside.  I may use a baby food glass jar and surround it with play dough or clay for a volcano and add baking soda and vinegar (plus red food coloring) for a volcano scene.

If I really feel imprisoned in my own home, I trudge to my next door neighbor who is in her 90’s for a nice chat.  Or take a trip to visit the grandparents.  Chances are they will be as excited to see you as you are to see them.

My baby doesn’t need the craft making and he loves to watch the bubbling action with a simple bowl and tray.  Aren’t babies fantastic!!!  We find simple joy in playing singing games like: 5 green and Speckled Frogs, Patty Cake, and I Stuck My Head in a Little Skunk’s Hole.  He loves for me to make animal noises, read him stories, and blow on his belly.  Though my kiddos do start painting in their high chairs (to minimize mess) around 15 months.

It’s amazing how much fun I have playing with my kids and then the inversion days pass me by.

Recipe for  Beary Good Playdough

1 C water (add food coloring to make color other than cream)

1 C Flour

½ C salt

2 TBS oil

2 TBS Cream of Tartar

**Cook on medium heat in pan until thick.  Store in plastic bag.  Do not store in fridge.

~Guest Blogger
                 Stacey Starley