Lots of Stuff

My First Mothers Day
I had a great 1st Mothers Day this year. Grant was so good to me. He gave me a dozen red roses, and a fishing pole, complete with gummi worms and swedish fish (get it?) I know that you might be thinking: a fishing pole? Sure... every mother's dream gift! But it was just what I wanted. Ya see, Grant was telling me how much he was looking forward to taking Wes fishing someday, and I said that I would want to go, too, seeing as I have never caught a fish. You can't grow up with an outdoorsy dad and five brothers without going fishing at some point, but I had never actually caught a fish. I forgot all about that conversation until Mother's Day. Grant gave me the fishing pole and said that he had a dream that is what he got me for Mother's Day, so he decided to give it to me in real life. I love it and I really can't wait to use it!

I have to say that having a child has given Grant and me a new, HUGE appreciation for our own mothers. I have no idea how my own mother had seven (SEVEN!!) children and not go crazy. Not only that, but to do such a great job! I just have to say that I love my mom very much!

Smiles and Five Hours

Wes has started sleeping five hours at night! Hot diggity dog! The American Academy of Pediatrics defines sleeping through the night as a stretch of five hours. That isn't my definition, but whatever. I'll take it! Grant usually takes his late evening feeding, so I am getting a lot more sleep these days and loving it.

Wesley has also started smiling more. We have been trying to capture the allusive smile on camera, with no real success... until we got this picture--

Workout Motivation

Since I have been getting a little more sleep, I decided it would be nice to start exercising a bit. Grant and I decided to run a 5k this fall so we would be motivated to train for it. It is really hard to get started with a work out program, so we both thought having a goal would help. As it turns out, I found something that motivates me even more...

Let me just say that Wes has a hard time napping during the day. He usually takes two shorter morning naps, and a longer afternoon nap. I discovered that if he doesn't get that first morning nap, he won't sleep (and is extremely cranky) the rest of the day. That first nap is the key to his day. You can usually find me holding him, rocking him, carrying him around in my baby front carrier thing, or anything else that will get him to sleep for that first nap. Yet there still are days where he will refuse to go to sleep.

Anyway, I decided to run on the treadmill the other day while Wes took that first nap... but he decided not to take that nap, so I gave up and just put him on a blanket with some toys near the treadmill so I could run. Well, within a few minutes he was fast asleep! Something about the sound of the treadmill put him to sleep. So, when it was time for his nap the next day, I tried it again to see if it would work... and it did! Within about three minutes when I am on the treadmill, he is fast asleep. I also don't want to leave him alone on his tummy (what with the SIDS risk and all) so it also forces me to work out for a long time! You better believe that I need no more motivation to work out than that!!