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| Buttercream is my crack |
I was able to surprise her with the cake:
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| Who needs eyebrows? |
What can be more fun than using puffy paint to decorate matching shirts and then eating birthday cake?
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| I'm glad puffy paint doesn't explode if it gets near fire |
I'm not going to lie, one of the best parts of the birthday cake idea is that I have half a cake leftover, with 2 corner pieces. My husband knows those corner pieces are claimed, but he doesn't mind and that is one of the many reasons our marriage is so successful.
Emily also made us all matching Grinch headbands (or Noodle Huggers as she likes to call them) and we all sat around eating pizza with matching headbands like a bunch of dorks:
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| Ok, I'm lying. I'm the only one still eating pizza at this point and looking like a dork |
Even Peanut got a present!
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| I'm pretty sure Emily loves my dog more than I do |
We had such a great time hanging out and even just watching TLC is hilarious if you're with the right people. On that note, I can't wait for that Virgin Diaries special. I saw the preview and it's...priceless. The memory of that fun night will hopefully block out the memory of doing this for over an hour the next day:
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| Lots of angry people waiting in the cold to run |
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| We're still smiling here because we didn't know the extent of the suckitude |
2. I took Faith to her 18 month doctor visit on Friday afternoon and I came to terms with two facts:
- Just looking at the doctor makes her scream, no matter how many cookies I pack.
- She's behind verbally, even though she's stacking blocks at a 2 year old level (I'm not even being sarcastic here)
Both the doctor and the nurse independently said that she needs to start going to a "Mom's Day Out" program to get more (or any) time with kids her age. The preschools around here have a program for toddlers to come for 2-3 hours once a week. It's not preschool, but it helps them get ready and it will also allow her to be around peers. I've made lots of great mom friends around here, but they all have older kids (or newborns). Even at the park, I never ever see anyone with a kid around Faith's age. Apparently some kids need other kids to develop vocabulary. The only thing I'm really helping her develop a strong reaction to me putting on my running shoes (she runs to her stroller and climbs in and starts clapping).
I've tried to get her in baby swim classes, but there is a waiting list and I've been waiting for months. The reading time at the local library is right in the middle of her nap time. We don't have "baby gyms" or I tried to find a Kinder Music class, but I spoke to the instructor and found out that she would have been the only kid in the class, so I didn't want to spend the money if she didn't get socialization.
Luckily there is a strongly recommended preschool with a "Mom's Day Out" program close by and I'm going to call today and see what the wait list looks like for getting her in. Hopefully it won't be too bad, otherwise I doubt she's getting into Harvard and she'll have to settle for Yale. :)
3. Yesterday I ran my first virtual 5K.
This race is a memorial run for the passing of Courtney's baby, so I thought it would be fitting that I run the 3.1 miles with my baby (and the furry baby too).
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| Mommy, you aren't forgetting my cookies, are you? |
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| I'll smile when you finally give me my cookies |
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| Cookies! Mwah! |
I ran 3.1 miles in 25:55 (8:21 average pace) which was decent considering I "raced" the day before and a week ago I was in the ER getting a chest X-ray. I was really glad that I got to participate in this virtual race. I've seen other virtual runs, but none of them touched me and made me actually want to participate until this one. If you want to run the 5K too, you still have time since it is open until the 6th. I was surprised how it still felt "race-ish" even though I was running solo. I did pause my Garmin once to hand Faith her water and her LeapFrog cell phone, but other than that it went smoothly.
Even though I'm still recovering from being sick and I'm not training for anything, I still ran 42 miles this week. Running, I just can't quit you.
If you had to pick, what's your favorite distance: 5K or 10K? I think I like 10Ks more because I pace myself and in 5K races I tend to run at the the upper edge of my comfort zone (meaning, it hurts) because it's so short.
I got sucked into this post and burned my English muffin. Balls.
ReplyDeleteI was so surprised by the cake! Thanks again! Mom made me one too. I'm going to miss December when it's gone.
I'm sorely disappointed that not once did you refer to cookies as cocks. :)
The chest xray from last week makes the pace impressive, "racing" yesterday really doesn't count. I guess not everyone can have the linguistic skills to cuss out their teacher in writing by age 8, but I'm sure Faith will be chattering nonstop in no time. 10K for sure, since 5K is barely a workout, and the last two I did were about the same crowding level as this weekend's race. Celine Dion came on during my run yesterday and I felt like you were there with me, cursing my existence.
ReplyDeleteKids are weird. One day they are behind in something and the next day they have some kind of a mental explosion and they caught right up and/or exceeded where they should be. Don't rule out Harvard just yet ;)
ReplyDeleteI like running 5k distances but refuse to pay for 5k races because it seems like a ripoff.
I feel like I've already read this post because I was there! You've seriously got to convince Jeff to move you guys to CT. I'm pretty sure he and Mike would be bffs too.
ReplyDeleteI'm mostly about the 8ks. 5 is too short, but I can never buckle down and train for the big races, so I don't do as well as I'd like.
ReplyDeleteI've never run a 10K, but I think I'd enjoy that distance. I really don't like 5Ks because they're too short and all the ones I've done have been too crowded.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't worry too much about the lack of talking. Zain has babbled nonstop practically from birth, but still doesn't say that many words. Every day now though, he's saying more and more. I've noticed this with a lot of kids similar in age. They don't say much until they approach 2 and then suddenly words just start flying out.
Gah, I watched part of the Virgin show last night on TLC and it was.....special. Without going into details. You need to watch it asap if you haven't just so I can feel like I have company with my feelings about this show!
ReplyDeleteMy understanding from a good friend, who is a speech therapist, is that at 18 months there is no need to stress yet. (For whatever that's worth) Faith seems pretty awesome regardless. I hope the waiting list is non-existent!
ReplyDeleteLove the birthday cake! Great job on the virtual 5K, I'm running it on Tuesday. :)
my kid is behind verbally too but his dad didn't talk until he was 3. if they even suggest i do something about it i will tell them a piece. (this coming from someone who just paid 700 freaking dollars out of pocket, b/c our insurance deductible wasnt met yet, for blood tests, sweat test, and a nutritionist visit that i ABSOLUTELY DID NOT THINK WAS NECCESSARY). gah. now i'm all fired up again. my mom basically had me on house arrest from birth to age 5 and i turned out ok. [well i might be a tad socially inadequate, but the same thing went for my sister who turned out AWESOMELY AWESOME! and very popular!!! ;)]
ReplyDeletespeaking of socially inadequate, can't wait to see virgin diaries either; those people make me look normal!! ;)
18 months and Faith isn't enrolled in violin, swimming and SAT prep classes? Slacker.
ReplyDeleteRunning fast just hurts, so I would pick a 10k. Although I've ever actually run a 10 k before, so that's sort of a guess.
Whose idea were the shirts?
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you ran 42 miles this week, crazy.
i chose the marathon! i hate 5Ks and 10Ks! so much so that i can't distinguish which i hate more :)
ReplyDeleteWhy does it look like whatever is on your hat in the race picture is blurred out? Trying not to advertise something? I can't believe you did 42 miles in a week you were sick. I am lame.
ReplyDeleteI am super impressed with your mileage, I don't hit that and I haven't been sick, great job. I prefer 10Ks, but I've only done 2 of each so my opinion isn't all that educated. My stepdaugher, the youngest of our gaggle of 4 girls was behind verbally at 18 months too, but really exploded around 2. I don't think enrolling Faith in a MDO program is a bad idea though, a little socialization with kids her age can't hurt.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Faith is focusing her skills in other areas, I'm sure it will even out. My daughter is 22 mos, and we started a MDO program this year-- I was hesitant to sign her up, but she LOVES it, and I am loving the few extra hours of quiet!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, btw!
I read Kari's review of the race and then yours, and I don't have any constructive words on that one, so I'll comment on this instead :)
ReplyDeleteI've actually never raced a 5k or a 10k, but I have a feeling I'd be pretty bad at both. I prefer long and steady all the way.
5K is definitely my favorite no questions. There's the whole thing that I've actually never run a 10K. And also I don't need to think about pacing or race strategy for 5K. It's 23 minutes of running hard.
ReplyDeleteI like 5k's but haven't really raced a lot of them. I like getting to the point where I wanna puke... that means i'm pushing myself :)
ReplyDelete26.2K is a pretty great distance... but, let's face it, you overlooked the most awesome of all: 55M.
ReplyDeleteif I have to choose between 5k and 10k it would definitely be 10k. 5k is not enough time for me to get going and I'm a notoriously slow starter!
ReplyDeleteI've never actually done 10K. I enjoy 5K, but I think 10K might be more fun since it would give me time to feel warmed up.
ReplyDeleteMy husband didn't really talk until he was 2 - went to a speech therapist etc. Turned out he didn't really have much to say :-)
ReplyDeleteHe's fine and quite a smart cookie ;-) I've heard of this happening PLENTY of times. I wouldn't be surprised if I have the same convo with our doc. Cameron only says a few words (16 mths), but I'm not worried in the least.
Definitely the 10k distance. It's my fav.
ReplyDeleteso that picture really makes me want a cake, I think we have a birthday party this weekend to go too! Yippee!
ReplyDeleteThanks for doing the 5k means so much to me!
Umm.... so where can I buy that shirt??
ReplyDelete