Rainy days with a toddler are a new level of suffering. Normally I take her to the park every afternoon. It's a critical component to breaking up that long period between her nap and dinner. Although I've considered just finding some sort of baby poncho and going anyway, I don't think she'd enjoy herself. Also, it's been storming, not just raining, and I have this silly urge to protect my offspring from danger.
She'd rather act like a mountain goat in the house:
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| What do you mean, "Get down before you kill yourself?" |
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| Nothing this fun can be dangerous! |
Since even climbing furniture and trying to ride the dog (seriously) gets old after a while, yesterday afternoon I took her to the library. You might think "Isn't the library a place for quiet reading?" and I counter with "I'm on the edge man, I NEED this!" :) They wouldn't stock so many toys if they didn't want people to use the library as a fun outing, right?
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| This puzzle is so elementary Mommy |
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| Which of these books are for eating? |
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| Two puzzles at once, plus drooling. Be jealous. |
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| Baskets full of educational toys are my favorite things to throw! |
Faith also cut another tooth yesterday (a canine this time!) so that added an extra element of fun to our day. She's cutting 2 molars too, so she's just a drooly, cranky, angry baby lately. I can't blame her, I was a whiny mess after just one dental appointment last week. :)
I have 10 miles on tap for today. I took yesterday as a rest day and I'd like to have Sunday off too (so I can make it to church), so I'm going to do my Sunday 10 today and then run 20 miles tomorrow. I think it's important, no matter what distance you're training for, that you adapt the plan to fit your life. I'm already combining two 50 mile plans to find one that works for me: I follow the weekday plan from this one and then the weekend runs from this one. Now I'm shifting things to have Sunday as a rest day from now on instead of Monday. It's nicer to have a rest day when my husband is home and we can actually do things together rather than me just bouncing off the walls alone with the baby. I'm pretty sure it won't actually matter if I do the 10 mile run the day before or the day after my long run, but if I crash and burn at mile 37, I won't do it that way for the next 50 mile race. :)
What are some good inside activities to do with a toddler? I will love you for any and all suggestions.
How did you pick your current training plan? What is the most important thing you look for in a training plan (mileage/days of running/cross training)?
Fun activities to do with a toddler? I have no idea. Teach her how to clean? Fill the tub and pretend it's a pool? Playing in the rain? Personally, I'm a fan of the riding the dog idea. Does Peanut actually "go", like a horse? Because that would be awesome and worthy of a video.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget that you can't go to the park because it's GHETTO.
ReplyDeleteGHETTO
GHETTO
GHETTO
GHETTO
GHETTO
GHETTO
GHETTO
GHETTO
GHETTO
GHETTO
GHETTO
GHETTO
GHETTO
GHETTO
There.
you're on your own with activities...i got nothing for ya!
ReplyDeletei agree that you have to adapt the plan to fit your life, otherwise it's useless.
i make up a lot as i go along, especially weekly mileage. and i never follow the days they suggest you should run. i always do my own thing in that respect.
btw, thank you for your daily voting. i know you have been voting each day and i really appreciate it!!!
Here in the ghetto, libraries are for talking on your cell phone, loudly crunching chips and leaving a huge mess, as well as the empty bag, playing music, and playing "wrestling" with your girlfriend or boyfriend. No joke, I used to tutor in a library and sometimes the kid seriously couldn't even hear me. I wish a baby playing with puzzles was my greatest concern. I like the idea of having Sundays off, but getting up prior to 4am on Fridays isn't as cool. I usually just find the blog of someone who seems to know what their doing and just do whatever races they do and tell them to email me the training plan they are using.
ReplyDeleteUgh, tell me about it... this rain is driving me nuts and I have no toddler to entertain!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on adaptable training plans. I have targeted workouts I want to get done each week and at the beginning of the week I figure out where I can fit them in. It's a lot more life-friendly than the rigidity of most plans!
Is Peanut dead under the coffee table?
ReplyDeleteIt looks like it's going to pour here. I'm scared for the chaffing that will be my 22 miler on Saturday.
I don't really have a training plan. During the week I run whatever I want and then on Saturdays, Chaz the watch, tells me what to run.
I'm so sick of this rain too! Hopefully the weekend is better for your 20 miles.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered whether we'd be shunned by the community if we showed up at the library for play time, but I think lots of parents take their unruly aged toddlers, so it's fair game in the name of sanity!
ReplyDeleteDo you find that it's most important to get your weekly mileage more so back to back longer running days? I suppose since you're so used to running longer distances, your body is probably used to it, but do you find swapping days takes a harder toll on you if you've already run the day before?
I got this from Google but I like these ideas.
ReplyDeleteCreate an obstacle course - climb over cushions, create stepping stones with pieces of paper, make a "balance board", with a sanded down plank of wood or shelf on the floor. Can crawl under tables, climb over a stool and run/walk weaving through chairs placed in a line.
Can have her copy you - jump, touch toes, crouch (apparently 1 year olds find it hard to jump though)
We lived in the PNW when my oldest was a baby, so rain was a daily condition. I hate to admit it, but we went to the mall a LOT. It's indoors, there's lots of people watching to do and stores to piss off salesclerks in (toy stores are the best!) I killed many an afternoon there. Also, I don't know if you have some sort of "Mommy group" to join, but they do help, even if most of the women annoy the crap out of you and the babies are complete terrors. Maybe you can find one that drinks in the afternoon. :)
ReplyDeleteHave you made edible playdough yet? That's always fun.
ReplyDeleteWhat I look for in my training is a lot of time on my feet. It really doesn't matter the speed or distance, just lots and lots of time on my feet. Going up hills while on those feet is also good practice for trail running, just sayin'
I love doing anything that seems vaguely messy with the kiddos I babysit. Cornstarch and water in a couple tupperwares on the kitchen floor (its messy but OMGSOFUN) and neat to poke and mess with. Also, a laundry basket filled with tupperware and cheerios. Messy, weird combination, but can be a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteI see something about story time for toddlers (up to 12mo) on Monday (at the library), and something about preschool story time (3-5yo) every midmorning (at the library). I don't know about 2yo -- er, I mean, I'm leaving that as an exercise for you.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe they don't do 2 year old story time because 2 year olds are too destructive.
ReplyDeleteTake her to the airport museum. What's wrong with playing among big metal objects during storms?
ReplyDeleteI take Lo to the library too! and he always goes for that same puzzle....and the magnet letters - he's alphabet obsessed!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that your dog hides under the table, that's where mine goes too. hmmmmm toddler activities, well I have a boy (nd apparently they're different) and although he is only 20 months (in 2 days) I've been letting him use crayons or washable markers to do art while supervised, you may not want to let Faith do this while shes teething though :P lol hmmmm what else I have a post somewhere on my blog about using corn syrup paint. Super messy but completely edible and safe. Make edible play dough :) Sometimes we build "forts" I don't know how old she is so I don't know......
Logan is just starting to LOVE to bake and cook and ...be CHASED....he just wants me to chase him all around the house :) ps: linked you today....so my 2 followers can come by LOL
I can't think of anything for a baby...when I have students in all day due to smoke/sub-zero temps/downpours I do the ol' movie and a snack bit, followed by marathon games of Heads Up Seven Up. But I imagine Faith would find that "lame".
ReplyDeleteI agree with Pahla about the mall. Our mall even has a "play" area with a train. My niece loved it when she was little.
Hmm, my parents got us a puppet stage when I saw little. Faith is probably still too young for that. I think we mostly watched a lot of videos when I was Faith's age.
ReplyDeleteLove the library pictures! At our mall, they have an indoor playground - great place to take a toddler. My friends have also been known to take advantage of the indoor playgrounds at ice cream shops and fast food restaurants.
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