My Boy

I tell him everyday that he's my Main Man.  I just love him.

While I was away last week (which is a WHOLE blog entry in itself:  Sister Adventure 2011), Jamison decided he wanted to learn to ride the big boy bike with training wheels that his cousins gave him, rather than his little boy tricycle.  When I got home, we set out on a family bike trip at the park.  Joel & I took turns staying back with pokey puppy and going ahead with the girls.  At the end of the trip, I was riding with the boy.  We were going past a little pond that has a bridge & on the path where we were riding there were photographers taking family pictures on either side of us.  In our effort to avoid hitting the people & also stay on the path, I ended up "tripping" over him with my bike.  Basically, we both tumbled over and got tangled in the bikes.  Immediately there was panic & crying because he was SURE something had to be bleeding, but once he checked himself out & realized there was no blood he calmed down.  His next concern was Momma.  My ankle was stuck all up in my bike pedal & the bike was laying on top of me, but what did my boy first ask me about?

Laying a hand upon my breast he said "Mommy, do you have ouchies here?"

"No honey, no ouchies there.  Just my leg, thank you."

While some may say he is a typical man--yes.  But remember that my breasts have been quite the topic of discussion, concern & attention in his short 3 years of life.

So, yesterday I had a post-op appointment with the nurse at the hospital just to make sure everything is healing.  The nurse was so impressed by his patience & ability to just sit reading his book while we talked.  After the appointment we had a lunch date--his choice.  What else is a 3yr old going to pick but McDonalds!  After we finished our "main course" he asked for a $1 hot fudge sundae for dessert.  I just couldn't resist him.

Could you say no to that face?

So, he had about 4 bites of his ice cream & then we headed home.  What a sweet boy--my Main Man.

Eight Year Old Wisdom

I'm standing in my bathroom getting ready this morning & out of nowhere, my 8 going on 30 year old daughter pops in because she wants to tell me something.

Now, as a side note here, we've just had a new baby cousin arrive in our world that has fascinated Jackie as she got to be around for big-belly-auntie & then to see multiple new baby pictures online & on my phone.  Knowing this child would come into the world with red hair, like Jackie, we have joked around about what a difficult baby she was.  I believe now that the difficult baby period is worth an easier elementary school age period vs my easy-peasy baby Josie who has been difficult & drama filled since she learned to talk.  So, Jackie's heard many stories about her colic and her tantrums in the past few weeks...

Sweet Baby Jackie in one of her easier moments.

Back to this morning as we're standing in the bathroom and my child says, "Mom, I know why I was such a bad baby now."  (By the way, I've never called her BAD)

"Oh yeah?  Why's that?"

"Well, because you didn't know what you were doing.  I was helping you learn.  I had to be bad so you wouldn't get all soft inside and so when you had another baby and then another baby and then stopped having anymore babies you would know how to deal with them.  I was just helping you out!  I was a SMART baby!"

"Really?"

"Yes.  Can I go outside to play now?"

Jackie is teaching us a lesson in the hospital room the day she met her new baby sister.

The wisdom ended as abruptly as it began.  Where this idea came from this morning, I have no idea.  But, she's got a point.  That kid is one smart cookie.

I Ran & I Survived!

Today was the day--my goal race for the Cancer to 5K!

I joined this group after finding out I had gained a significant amount of weight in the last year while undergoing several reconstruction surgeries in 2010.  I have always been "running" around after little ones, very active & even had a personal trainer in between the 2 times I was diagnosed with cancer.  But RUNNING is something I have never done formally & this was a whole new world for me.  The beginning of the training season was rough as I was dealing with allergy & exercise induced asthma during one of the highest pollen seasons in history & working out OUTSIDE 4x's a week.  After I got some medications to control that & Coach Bob gave me some great breathing tips at an early May group workout, things really started to fall into place.  

My first week workouts consisted of 1 min jog/2 min walk for 20 minutes--and that was pushing me!  Before the race today, Coach pulled us all together to go over a few last minute things.  One thing he said was to think back to 12 weeks ago--then he looked, pointed & said "Jennifer, think back to 12 weeks ago & how far you've come."  Today--12 weeks later--I ran the whole race & while not the fastest runner in town, I took one of the volunteer's advice and made this day only about ME and my journey.  I'll admit there were tears from nerves last night.  This morning I was C-R-A-B-B-Y.   I had to get up at 5am AND drag 5 children from age 3-8 up & dressed out the door by 5:30.  Then my husband was so kindly trying to talk encouraging words to me as it started to sprinkle on the beltway, but all I could do was bark back that he needed to stop talking.  I hadn't prepared myself for rain--all I could think about last night was preparing Joel for standing alone with 5 children for the 90 minutes I was SURE it would take me to get done. (that's a joke about the 90 minutes...kind of)  When it started pouring the moment we hit downtown Bethesda I was (I-I) this close to telling Joel to turn around and take me back to my warm bed.  Since I hadn't worked out with the group very many times I didn't know many faces, but pulling into the parking lot I saw NO yellow shirts & I got all icky in my belly.  As we were backing into a spot, Coach Bob appeared (I have a feeling he was watching to make sure I didn't bail).  I knew at that point there was no turning back.

Me, Coach Bob & my personal cheering section!

So, we did it.  We got started in the back with the 12+ min milers & did our thing.  And even though I laughed at Coach in the final mile saying "You're not breathing very hard, I should've pushed you harder," I really just wanted to trip him.  I'll admit--if I'd been alone, I might've walked a couple of times.  That bridge was not my friend.  My legs got really heavy after we made the first crossing of the street on the way back.  When I grabbed that water, I could've walked for 2 minutes to give myself a chance to cherish every last drop.  But....I ran.  And Coach Bob, I thank you for the encouragement & the laughs--some of them were even genuine.   

Survivors

This Wednesday I have hopefully my final reconstructive surgery.  It's gonna throw me out of the training/running routine for a bit.  But I won't lie...I have already been looking at other races to sign up & train for in the fall.........

 Behind the scenes over the last 12 weeks there were many emotional tears shed, but today was worth it.  Jackie told me as she was going to bed tonight, again, how proud she was of me.  My kids have watched me through 2 rounds of cancer, including 9 surgeries so far.  They've also watched me fight through this training this last 12 weeks, doing whatever I had to do to fit in my workouts even when Joel was out of town for the month of April.  What a wonderful gift to give them--the gift of knowing that it's always worth the fight.  

Embracing My Husband's Bromance

Urban Dictionary definition of Bromance: 

A close relationship between two bros to such a point

 where they start to seem like a couple.

Today, Joel was getting the grill ready to start dinner.  Kids were playing at the neighbors & I was still stinky from my nap time run.  Here's what happened...

Me:  I think I'll go shower the stink off of me now.

Joel:  Do that later.  Sit & have a drink with me.  Enjoy the weather. 

Me:  Ok.  

(insert generic conversation about our days & upcoming weekend plans)

--3 minutes into conversation--

 *Ring*  *Ring* (Joel's cell makes some crazy music that I can't describe in text form)

Joel:  (glancing at caller ID, grins sheepishly)

Me:  Who is it?

Joel:  Jeb (another smile)

Me:  Should I go shower now?

Joel:  That's a GREAT idea!  (immediately answers phone) I love you.

While I couldn't actually hear the response to that I love you, I am 99.9% sure it was greeted with "I love you too."  

And so, I went to wash the stink off myself while my husband enjoyed the weather & his adult beverage on the deck while talking to his *close* friend, Jeb.   Wondering if I should be worried?