Dear Friends,
I am hot.
I am sweaty.
My heart is racing.
But not for the reason you might expect.
I did start out with the plan to exercise.
The hurdles came and I leaped them, if not with grace at least with vigor.
The two older children were dressed and prepped on how we were going to do this thing.
My hubby had showed me (again) how to convert the bike trailer into a jogging stroller.
My workout clothes were on, fresh and clean.
The two year old with a runny nose was coaxed and coddled into the stroller.
We were hydrated, bug-sprayed, fresh diapered and dog accompanied.
We were set.
I don't know about you, but this mothering thing really took a toll on my fitness routine (not to mention my youthful figure). There is the fact that I stay home with my children... which is awesome but also means I can't leave them at daycare for an extra half hour while I catch a run.
And there is the single income budget. I spend a good deal of the money on things like: children's sandals (sizes - Toddler 7, Kids 1 and Kids 2), Boy 3T jeans and Girls size 7 summer shirts... There isn't much left for a gym membership and a good, spur-of-the-moment, reliable, WILLING, short-term baby-sitter.
Then there is the time.
The energy.
I am often short on both.
Why, oh, why wasn't I running 100's of stinkin' marathons when I was young and single? I guess because I was too busy reading 100's of stinkin' books instead -- something else I don't do much of anymore.
So this morning I made all the right moves to get moving. I made myself because I wanted that rush of energy, endorphins, accomplishment and sheer joy that comes from running.
I really needed a good run.
I didn't get it.
Here's what I got instead:
- {2 minutes} Just getting my breathing right.
- Stop. T-boy is insisting his bike is out of gas and requires fueling from the nearest tree.
- Broken rhythm.
- Force him to move forward.
- {2 more minutes} Almost back on target.
- STOP. T-boy can't seem to get his peddles going right -- Even though he's been riding without training wheels for over a year without trouble.
- Starting to loose my happy feeling.
- Two children bickering over who gets to be in front.
- {2 desperate minutes} Please, oh, please, oh, please, can I just have my little run?
- "Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom!!!"
- {4 freaking minutes} We're home by the shortest route.
My heart is racing with irritation.
I am sweating disappointment.
"Mommy, I guess I don't have to go after all."
Ohhhh...
Now I am hot.
Love,
One Hot Mama in NE
oh girlfriend. we are in the same boat. i'm getting back in the exercise groove. i took the kids ONE time with me on the road. just ONE time. it went similar to your experience, only add 1 more kid. luckily for me i have equipment downstairs. and the kids have a play room down there. and its COOL downstairs. win-win-win :)
ReplyDeleteOhhhh!! Sorry, I have to laugh, even tho I know it must be frustrating. I KNEW there was a really good reason I never made it into the exercise groove!!!
ReplyDeleteSympathy from the queen Mother of failed exercise.
Dear Heather,
ReplyDeleteSo glad it's working for you.. gives me hope I can get it together... MAYBE!
Dear Auntie,
I wrote this post in my journal the day it happened... enough time has lapsed that I was laughing as I wrote it today. Time does healing things but wish it exercised things too!
If you aren't working out (besides running up and down stairs and scrubbing floors), I bet you read more books than I do and at least that's mental exercise!
Love,
The Prairie Hen in NE
Yes, now making time to read a book...that's something I seem to excel at. Of course it does help that I had so many babies to sit and nurse over the years, and then along with the fact that my husband worked the night shift. Most of my reading these days is done after I SHOULD be asleep!
ReplyDeleteI don't know why you can't lose weight chasing your kids around!! Other people think you should, I think our bodies should just know this and help us out. But it doesn't seem to, and it never worked for me.
ReplyDeleteI have discovered if I would deep clean my house, you know climb up and down things, and work hard fast, that's a really good workout, but I have a hard time wanting to clean the same things everyday. I'm doing better now at the exercising that the kids are bigger and out of the house, but I'm going for fitness not losing weight at the moment. I'm beginning to lose hope of ever losing anything except my cell phone.
You have no idea what a huge hurdle you jumped this day. Keep going. Some days are rotten. Others are good. Granted, I only had two kids IN the jog stroller and no one on a bike, but stick with it. That good run will come and it will be so rewarding. I remember so many times stopping to pick up things they dropped and coaxing them to let me get through the run by feeding them fruit snacks along the way to keep them occupied. Usually, though, when we got home we collapsed into a blubbering, screaming, wiped out heap at the end. The last mile was excruciating in more ways then one. Keep it up. You won't be sorry. I promise.
ReplyDeletedear, I HAVE been there,
ReplyDeleteI can remember some very long, HOT treks with the stroller and THREE kiddos in the desert once upon a Summer....
love,
I was drippy, droopy, and DONE in the desert.
p.s.
you HAVE to go read a recent post by Kelle H. now SHE could totally relate to this too, even tho she only has 2 little ones!