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