Swim Lessons Day 3

I had a doctors appointment and couldn't take Anne to class today. Mrs. Gladys took her instead and had a good report. Anne cried most of the time but is doing better. She's making progress. Here's a video from today's class.

Swim Lessons Day 2

All day long I dreaded swim lessons.  I didn't want to go and put Anne through another day of it, but I pushed through and took her.  

As we got ready and took off her swim cover up, she was happy, giggling and talking to other kids.  And then we lined up on the side of the pool and she immediately fell apart.  She remembered what happened yesterday and started screaming, latching onto my arm and my all time favorite, pinching my arm.  (I have bruises on my right arm where she's left marks from yesterday and today's lessons.)

She did great though.  Although she cried the entire 10 minutes, I could tell that she was making progress.  She used both of her little legs to kick unlike yesterday when she used just her left leg.  She swam underwater, crawled of the pool and swam on her own.  I'm so proud of her and know that each day will get a little easier.  

After she was wrapped up and getting ready to leave, she was happy again and fell asleep on the way home.  

Here's a little video Mrs. Gladys took of her in class today.  Watch those little legs!

 

Swim Lessons Day 1

Matt and I recently signed Anne up for swim lessons.  I've been terrified by the number of stories on the news lately about drowning victims.  Growing up with a pool in our backyard, I've always been comfortable in the water and want to make sure Anne feels the same way.  I remember swimming while my father watched us and fussed because we weren't using the best freestyle form even though we were playing.  I still hear him say, "Put your face down."

I did some research and read some reviews of a woman named, Ms. Cathy, who's been teaching lessons in Austin for many, many years.  There were great reviews from parents on how their children had learned to swim by the end of the 10 lessons. My main concern at this point is just making sure Anne is safe and can get out of a pool should she fall in when no one is around.  I don't plan on that ever happening, but safety first, people!

Today was Anne's first lesson.  She's signed up for 30 minute group lessons that will conclude on Thursday, July 18th.

Mentally, I thought I had prepared myself for it.  I knew she would cry.  I knew she would scream.  However, there is nothing that could prepare me to throw my 16-month old child into a pool.  Parents line up with their kids and the first few times, Ms. Cathy takes your child and pushes their face underwater as them swim to the steps where parents meet their kids to get back in line.  Anne screamed after the first time in the water.  Next, parents throw their kids in the water where Ms. Cathy directs them to swim to steps, next she pushes them to the bottom and they swim up and to the steps.

Overall, it was emotionally exhausting.  I cried and tried not to let Anne see how hard it was for me.  She went into "koala-pose" and latched onto my side, my arm and my leg, anything to keep me from putting her back in the water.  Other kids were screaming and trying to get away from their parents.  Thankfully, the lesson only last 30 minutes and she assures us that the worst is behind us.

However, the last time I put her in the water, she swam all the way to the steps, underwater and by herself.  I could tell that it was working and I loved watching her little left leg kick as she swam to the steps.  I would cheer for her and she would even stop crying for a moment to clap before crying again.

I'm glad we're doing this; however, it's hard.  I know it will be good for her and by the end of next week, she'll be able to safely swim and get out of a pool.

My goal is to blog about her progress over the next 10 days and hopefully have a video to show at the end.  I can assure you that today's video wouldn't have been fun to watch as I held back the tears and threw my baby girl into a pool.  I'm proud of her and right now, she's forgotten all about it and looking through a stack of magazines.

July 3rd Fireworks Show

A nearby golf club hosts an annual July 3rd fireworks show. Matt had heard about it a while ago and ended up buying tickets for the three of us to attend.  We were excited to hear that our friends, the Potts, would be there as well.

Admittedly, we were a little worried if Anne would make it to 9:30 pm fireworks; however, we thought we would take our chances since it's so close to the house, we'd be able to quickly get home if she had a meltdown.

That evening, we packed up the car with blankets, chairs and bug spray and headed towards the Grey Rock Club.  Once we got there, we had a few lessons learned regarding things that we should have packed.  More snacks, booze, koozies and glow sticks, a must have among the kids and a glow-in-the-dark bracelet was pretty appealing to Anne.

The weather was lovely and played, ate dinner and caught up with our friends.  Right at 9:30 the fireworks started and Anne was a little scared at first, but started pointing at them and enjoyed the show.  We were so proud of her for being so good all night!  As soon as we put her in the car seat, we heard sweet, baby snores from the back.

A lovely way to spend the evening and we look forward to going back next year.  Thanks to the Potts for a fun evening!

Splash Pad

This week we took Anne to her first splash pad and boy, did she love it!  At first, she was a little unsure; however, after a few minutes of help from her Dad, she fell in love with it.

She ran from end to end and then to straight to us where she wanted to jump into the pool.  This little write-up won't fully explain how happy she was, but this picture does capture the pure joy on her face.

We loved watching her and can't wait to take her back soon!

A Lesson from Coco Chanel

Anne and all of her jewelry

Our sweet girl loves jewelry.  She loves it so much that I'm unable to put it on until I leave the house, otherwise, she'll practically choke me or pull my earrings trying to get her hands on whatever I'm wearing.

As I see little touches of her personality developing, it's amazing to watch and think how she's becoming her own little person.  A little girl with likes, dislikes, thoughts and feelings.  Some of these things I love and others, not so much.  However, I'm excited to see the person she becomes one day.

Until then, I could live without the shaking of the head when I try to get her to sit in a high chair or a stroller.

A few weeks ago, Mrs. Gladys gave Anne a set of Mardi Gras beads.  Instead of choosing one or two strands to wear, she, of course, wore them all.  That afternoon I tried to explain to Anne that Coco Chanel said a lady should take off the last accessory she put on.  In the case of Anne's necklace selection that afternoon, she should have taken off the last 10 accessories.

My girl loves jewelry and is starting to love shoes.  I can only think that we named her after the right person.

Pappy and Pearls, what more does a girl need?

Dallas Road Trip

Last weekend, Anne and I drove to Dallas so that we could see my Uncle Sam and Aunt Anne and I could attend a bridal shower for my friend, Katie.

Katie and I lived together while I was in New York.  She's the daughter of one of my aunt's dear friend and was in need of a roommate the summer that I was interning in the City.  Although we didn't meet until the day I moved in, it worked out perfectly and I'm so glad that we've kept in touch all of these years.  Actually, I moved to New York 10-years ago this weekend.  It was a wonderful summer and I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to do something so incredibly special.

When we got to Dallas, baby Anne and Sam quickly became pals.  She sat in his lap and walked up to him asking him to hold her.  It was incredibly sweet to see the two of them together.  She loved Aunt Anne as well and I think the jewelry Anne wore helped them to become fast friends as well.  Aunt Anne also pulled out some of her childhood blocks for Anne to play with.

Sam graciously, our should I say, bravely, agreed to babysit while Anne and I went to the shower.  I had no doubt that Sam would do a great job; however, I was worried that Anne would be fussy and he would have his hands full.  While we were away, they grabbed lunch, went for a stroller ride and played.  When I got home, we all needed another nap after being so busy.

Sunday, I was sad to leave the two of them.  We had such a wonderful time and they mean so much to me.  I'm so grateful for their support and love.  I just wish that I could get to Dallas more often.  I know we'll back soon for the wedding, but hope to squeeze in another trip before then.

Thanks for a wonderful weekend, Sam and Anne.  We love you!

***It should not surprise anyone that I didn't take pictures, but next time, I will capture some of the sweet snuggles between baby Anne, Sam and Anne.

Videos That Just Make Me Smile

Here are a few videos that I love and although some may be sideways, they still just make me happy.  I'll figure out how to record things correctly soon, I promise!

1.  Backwards Crawling

2. Anne in a Basket

3.  Taking Out Her Frustration

She's Walking!!

For a while now, Anne has been so close to walking, but just like crawling, she has a fear of just taking the plunge.  She will walk all over the house pushing her walker or holding our finger; however, she will sit down immediately if you let go.  

Today, Anne and I went to the pool to enjoy a little time in the sun and while we were walking, I let go of her  hand and she didn't stop, she just kept walking.  I had to remind myself that I was in a public place and I couldn't immediately break down or start squealing.  I just stood there and watched her with tears in my eyes.  I'm so proud of our little girl and love watching her grow.

At the pool - pre- first steps.  Love those little curls.

Sorry this is sideways, I'm learning how to record things.  

Water Play

Today, Anne and I set outside before dinner so that she could enjoy the weather.  I put her swimsuit on her so that she could splash in the water while I watered my flowers.

Here are a few pictures of our girl playing with the water faucet.  It became apparent that we needed to step it up a notch with a sprinkler for our next day of water play!

Family Trip to San Antonio

Before the temperatures hit 90+, we planned a trip to the San Antonio Zoo.

On Friday afternoon, Matt, Anne and I hit the road for our overnight trip to SA.  We booked a hotel room off of the Riverwalk and as soon as we got there, Anne AKA "Miss Nosey Pants" had to check out all the things the room had to offer, including the view.

 Unfortunately, it was raining, but that didn't keep us from talking a stroll on the Riverwalk so that we could eat dinner before calling it a night.

The next morning, we met Matt's cousin, Kristin, and her husband, Mike, at a nearby restaurant.  It was great to see them while we were there.

Afterwards, it was time for the zoo.  We all enjoyed it and look forward to taking Anne back when she's older and can hopefully appreciate all of the animals.

This is how Anne sat throughout most of the trip at the Zoo.

Roll Tide!

Overall, it was a successful overnight trip for the Gardiner Family!

Home Sweet Home

Early this year I took on a new project at work - to develop the models and process for which we will expand the LIVESTRONG navigation services program.  Immediately, I realized that this would be a project that would challenge me and that excited me.  I appreciate the opportunity to learn new things and test new strategies and determine if they are successful.  I'm sure somewhere Shea is thinking I am a dork.  Regardless, I love things like this.

With this new project, I've been on the road a lot and after a year of light travel after having Anne, this definitely reminded me of what it's like to work for a national non-profit.  Almost every two weeks, I've been on a plane to Chicago and most recently Los Angeles.  I enjoy traveling and luckily both of these are great places to visit.  However, Chicago in February - April is cold.  Very cold!  Travel has also been good for frequent flyer miles and hopefully will set us up for a trip somewhere or a free trip home to Alabama for the holidays.  

I'm happy to report that I will be home for the rest of the month of May.  As I type, I'm on a plane heading back to Austin from Chicago and looking forward to getting home to Matt, Anne and Murphy.  I admit that traveling is harder on me emotionally now.  I make trips as short as possible, but thankfully, FaceTime has provided me the opportunity to see Anne every day while I am away.  It's nice to see her face when she wakes up and before she goes to bed.  I'm also grateful for a very patient and understanding husband and a mother-in-law who is incredibly helpful and supportive of us.  Without them, I'm sure I'd be miserable, but enjoying the work and having them to support me makes this much easier.  Well, as easy as it can be when leaving my sweet girl at home.  

My first expansion project launches in early June and I look forward to seeing how it goes and how we can ultimately make sure it's successful in providing cancer support services to people in Chicago.  Next up, LA. And I am determined to maximize at least one trip there to see some sights, not just the LA airport.  

Sick

This morning, Anne woke up and I could tell she wasn't feeling well. She was warm and not quite her usual chatty self. I went to work and checked on her throughout the day.

Later this afternoon, Mrs. Gladys mentioned she was not getting better so I left work a little early to check on her. When I got home I took her temperature, it was 103. We immediately pulled in the car and headed north to see the pediatrician.

Anne has a double ear infection and she's on antibiotics and the road to wellness.

Poor bunny.

Masters

The 2013 Masters was this past weekend and it made me think of a sweet photo I took of Matt and Anne during last year's Masters.

Anne was so tiny and now she so big and look at that belly!

I Am Crossfit Results

For eight weeks, I worked really hard to follow a 90% paleo diet and workout at least 4x/week.  Admittedly, the week of the LIVESTRONG Assembly in Chicago was a bit of a mess where I worked out once and stress ate.  Tins of cheese and caramel popcorn in front of me are bad news.  

However, I did it.  I accomplished one of my 2013 goals and feel good about the progress I made, the habits I established and the time I took for myself even it was an hour a day to exercise. 

On March 9th, I completed the I Am Crossfit workout again.

Three Rounds for Time
400 m run
15 pullups
7 hang power cleans

During the benchmark workout in early January, I didn't complete the workout within the 12 minute cutoff.  One of my goals was to do better in the finale workout than I did in the benchmark. 

On Saturday, March 9th, I arrived at the Downtown location and while checking in I noticed three sweet faces..Devon, Melissa and Kelsey.  They came to watch the workout to support me.  It meant so much to have my friends support me throughout the 8 weeks and to have them show up and cheer me on was very thoughtful. 

As I prepared for my heat to begin the workout, I found my Crossfit Coach, Jayci.  Earlier that week, she told me to find her so that she could be my scorekeeper and be with me throughout the workout.  Jayci set up my station and I took off on the 400 m run.  I completed the first round without any problems, but the run ALWAYS gets me. I don't like running, but I did love having my friends there cheering for me.  While I did have to walk a bit to catch my breath, I could hear them screaming.  It was so encouraging and motivating. 

During the third and final round, I finished the run and was told I had 90 seconds to complete the 15 pullups and 7 hang power cleans.  I wanted to finish so bad and quickly started.  I stopped at one point to catch my breath and Jayci said, "You've got 2 more pullups".  I knocked those out and ran to the bar.  7 reps left. 

During the final seconds of the workout, I looked up and saw my friends, Jayci and my former Kettlebell Coach Randal, standing there.  I finished and finished with 12 seconds left.  Those final moments are my proudest moments in Crossfit.  I may not be the strongest or the fastest, but I worked hard and accomplished something that I set out to do. 

Last week I was humbled again during the Crossfit Games qualifying workout. 

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
75 pound Shoulder to overhead, 5 reps
75 pound Deadlift, 10 reps
15 Box jumps, 20" box

I couldn't get the 75 shoulder to overhead.  It was incredibly frustrating and I cried. I cried at Crossfit. The one thing I love about Crossfit is how hard it pushes me, both mentally and physically.  But last week I couldn't get pass the mental hurdle.  

Yesterday, Ingrid, the assistant coach during my class, asked if she could blog about me.  She wrote an incredibly sweet and encouraging post about me.  You can read it here.

If you can't tell, I've drank the kool-aid and am an official member of the Crossfit cult.  

 



 

Baptismal Gown Photo

Back in early February, we took Anne to have her photo taken in her baptismal gown.  We finally got the pictures back last week and here's our baby girl striking a pose. 

So serious. 

Peas. Peas are Good.

She likes peas, people!  Yay!  I tried for a while to give Anne peas, but she did not want them. She would eat them pureed; however, whole peas were not of interest. 

She's turned a corner and suddenly, she loves, loves, loves peas. 

I mistakenly bought a package of frozen peas and carrots and she picks out the peas.  The other night she even went as far as licking the peas off of the spoon.

Silly girl.

1 Year Check-Up

Today, I took Anne in for her one-year well check.  I was pretty excited to see how much she had grown over the past three months and it shouldn't surprise anyone that I had a list of questions.  Specifically, I wanted the doctor's thoughts about:

• Coconut milk - After years of hearing things about dairy and how I tend to avoid it, well, try to avoid it, I've been giving Anne coconut milk.  I read an article when Anne was a newborn that outlined dairy alternatives and coconut and almond milk had the same nutritional value.  I wanted to confirm this with the doctor.  He didn't have any concerns about the use of coconut milk other than it being a bit more expensive.  I was glad to hear that because she loves it.  
• Bottle weening - We have successfully weaned Anne off all bottles except the nighttime bottle.  This baby loves a bottle; however, the doctor wasn't concerned about it and encouraged me to take my time. 

I even got some unsolicited advice.  He recommended that I wean Anne off the pacifier by 18 months.  I laughed and told him no.  That is not even remotely on my mind.  I do have a goal of having her off of it by her second birthday, but right now, she loves it.  She sometimes takes a bath with it and I just don't have the desire to do it now.  Maybe I'll feel differently in a few months, but as of now, no, no and no.

Here are her measurements for 12 months:

Height 29 3/8" (50-75th percentile)
Weight 22 lbs (75-90th percentile)
Head Circumference 47.3 cm (95-98th percentile)

She's right on track and over the past three months, she managed to make up for gaining weight slowly. 

Here's a picture from our sweet girl while we waited to see the doctor

First Birthday Party!

Our baby girl is turning one.  Regardless of how I feel, she's getting bigger and reaching a major milestone...her first birthday.  This alone has caused a wave of emotions.  Most of which are happy and proud of the beautiful girl that Matt and I are raising; however, there's a part of me that is sad how quickly time is flying by.  I hope to have many more years as special as this past one.  But I need to take a moment to say how much this past year has meant to me. Words can't describe the way I feel or how grateful I am to be her mother and raise her along side a wonderful man who is a loving father and husband.

I also realized that I am going to be that mom that calls Anne every year on her birthday to tell her the story of her birth.  I'd like her to know that 23 1/2 hours of labor was tough, but it was worth every moment.  

Now, back to the reason for this post, yesterday was Anne's first birthday.  It should not surprise you that the theme was pink.  A friend said that it looked like a pink pinata exploded in our house.  I took that as a compliment that the theme was apparent.

It was a lovely party with our wonderful friends and family.  We had a pink candy buffet, an area where kids could decorate cookies, pink cupcakes and a beautiful pink smash cake.

Sadly, Anne hadn't napped that afternoon and wasn't the happiest baby.  She also has yet to smash her cake.  She broke down after we sang happy birthday and I immediately put her down for a nap.  We are so appreciative to everyone who took the time to celebrate with us and for those of you who couldn't make it, we missed you.  Anne is definitely loved by so many.

Matt also put together a sweet slide show of pictures of Anne over the year.  It was fun to think back on all of those moments.

Happy birthday, Anne.  Your mom and dad love you to the moon and back.  

Halfway Mark

In early January I wrote about resolutions that I set for the year, one of which is successfully completing "I Am Crossfit".  Well, I've completed 4 weeks of more than a 90% paleo diet and 4 workouts per week.  I'm down 9 pounds and am extremely proud of myself.  Matt and my friends have been incredibly supportive throughout and have to admit the first half went by faster than I expected.  I am hopeful that the remaining time goes by just as quickly; however, I do believe I'm developing habits that I plan to sustain.  I can tell a tremendous difference in how I sleep (when Matt's snoring doesn't wake me) and am in another pair of pre-
Anne jeans. 

Yesterday, I attended the "I Am Crossfit" skills workshop.  We worked in groups with coaches in learning how to improve our run, kettlebell form, pullups, handstand push ups and hang power cleans.  Of all of these skills, I am most confident with the kettlebell and owe that to all of the time I spent in kettlebell class with Devon and Randal, our coach.  Randal was incredibly supportive while I was pregnant and affectionately nicknamed Anne the "quarter pood baby" after she was born.  A pood is a Russian unit of measure weighing around 32 pounds, I think. 

During the handstand push up practice, I pulled something in my shoulder/neck area.  It didn't help when I then continued to practice and I was stiff yesterday.  This morning, I had another team workout and immediately could tell I was hurt.  My coaches were great in modifying the workout; however, I pushed myself and now I can't really move my neck.  I'm a mess and am sure it will all be fine after I get to see Dr. Jill.  I'm just hoping that I can see her before I leave for Chicago. 

Perhaps the cold temps will help to ice it down naturally.

Baptism

After Anne was born, Matt and I began looking for a church where we could provide Anne the opportunity to grow up with a church family.  We tried a lot of churches around Austin and couldn't seem to find something that we loved.  I prefer a traditional church service meaning that I want the choir in robes and I don't want people to play the guitar or drums during the service.  I prefer an organ and piano. 

Last summer, Sarah invited us to join them at Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church and we immediately liked it.  The children's programs are great and the women who work the nursery have come to know and recognize Anne. 

Early this year, we began the process of joining the church by enrolling in the new member classes.  We are required to complete three classes where we learn about the history of the church and opportunities to  get involved.  We completed the class with other couples and were formally welcomed to the church during the 11:00 am service.  In addition, Matt and Anne were baptized together.  It was an incredibly special day for our little family and we're so fortunate to have found a place where Anne can grow to learn more about God and faith.

Here's a family photo from the baptism:

And if you would like to see the video from the baptism, you can watch it online at https://vimeo.com/58898553.

Trying Something New

For those of you who know me and have come to know Anne, you've probably noticed that I like smocked baby clothes.  I think they are the sweetest clothes and make babies, well, look like babies.  Growing up in the South, I'm used to girls AND boys in smocked clothes, day gowns, heirloom clothes and all things bubbles and jon jons.  However, living in Texas, those things don't seem to resonate with the majority.  I've learned that these things aren't Texan.  Strange, because when you ask most people, they seem to think Texas is in the South.  I've never thought that Texas is part of the South and living here for 7+ years, I've decided that Texas is it's own place.  It's not part of the Southwest, it's just Texas.

I digress.

Due to the unbelievably hard time to find any smocked clothes for Anne, I've turned to family, friends and online sites to help fill this shopping void.  Late last year, I decided to take it even further and try something new by hosting a clothing show for Shrimp & Grits Kids (S&G), a kids clothing line based out of South Carolina.  Now, that's the South, people!   

Early this morning, the Austin S&G rep dropped off samples of the clothes for guests to see.  As soon as the clothes came in my house, Matt knew that it was a bad idea.  Everything was precious.  I also think it caused me to pause and think how glad I am that we had a little girl.  If we had a boy, I have no doubt that every day would be a battle as I tried to dress our son in smocked clothes with Matt quickly changing him into some sort of Nike gear.

A great group of my friends and family stopped by to see the clothes and buy things for their children.  I'm so thankful for their support and glad that they were able to find a few things that they loved.  I'll be sure to post photos of Anne this summer as she tots around in her bubbles.

My tiny clothing model

Look at all of the samples!

Catching My Breath

It's official the restfulness of the holiday break is long gone and the real world has picked up where it left off and then some. 

Last week was a pretty emotional week.  It's no surprise that all of the information regarding Lance in the media definitely took a toll on me and my friends/co-workers.  During a team meeting early last week, someone pointed out that no one other than those I work with know what we have gone through over the past few months.  I felt like I was on a emotional roller coaster and I'm ready to move forward.  I'm fortunate that I work with great friends and these girls mean the world to me even though I am still on the fence. 

Matt was out of town last week and my friends were planning to come over on Thursday night to watch the interview.  We felt that it was something that we needed to get through together.  However, life had different plans for me.

I left Thursday morning and Murphy was not feeling well.  When I got home that evening, Mrs. Gladys mentioned that Murphy was extremely lethargic and  had been sick most of the day.  After seeing how sick he looked, I realized that something was very wrong and he need to go to the veterinarian.  After waiting an hour to see the doctor, we were called back and Murphy was examined.  Normally, he weighs around 15-16 pounds.  When they put him on the scale, he was 12 pounds.  The doctor said he was severely dehydrated and regardless of what was wrong with him, he would need to be hospitalized to treat the dehydration.  They wanted to do some tests and take x-rays to see if he had swallowed something.  After looking at the x-ray, it was clear there was a foreign object blocking his intestines.  They put him on an IV while talking with me because the doctor was more concerned about hydration to "save his life."  At that point, I was a complete mess.  I had no idea how he had become so sick in less than 24 hours or what he could have swallowed.

Since our regular doctor doesn't provide overnight care, Murphy and I left for the emergency clinic for treatment.     Once there, the doctor talked with me and said he would most likely need surgery and he wanted to give him a few hours on an IV before redoing his x-rays to see if the object had moved to the colon.  If it made it to the colon, he wouldn't require surgery.  At this point, Matt had made it into Austin and joined me at the clinic.  We signed the paperwork and decided it would be best for Murphy and us if we didn't go back and see him before leaving.  I knew that it would make him upset when we walked away and would only cause me further anxiety. 

We got home around 9:30.  I need to take a moment and say that Anne has the most incredible grandmother.  Mrs. Gladys is so great to us and when I rushed off to take Murphy to the vet, she gladly offered to take care of our sweet girl. 

Around 1:00 AM on Friday, the vet called and said the object had progressed to the colon and thankfully, Murphy wouldn't need surgery.  We went to pick him up at 6:00 AM and had to stay home with him that day to watch him.  When we picked him up, he was clearly feeling much better.  He was wagging his tail, his coat was much shinier and he no longer had sad eyes.  The doctor chose to leave his IV catheter in just in case he needed additional fluids. 

Late that afternoon, he was back to normal and we finally found out what the mystery object was....a pacifier. 

We're relieved to have our little guy back to normal and now watching every move he makes and every pacifier Anne uses.

Slow Down!

Shea says this to Anne every time we talk to her.  Like Shea, I can't get over how quickly Anne has grown and how she is constantly learning new things each day.  Anne got a walker for Christmas and we weren't in a hurry to see if she could walk with it.  One night, Matt called me out to the play area to watch Anne.  When I walked out, I found my baby girl walking towards me.  Naturally, I cried.  We caught it on video so that we could share it with others. 

Excuse me while I go and find a tissue.

Resolutions

For the past few years, a group of friends and I have set personal and group goals each January. To hold ourselves accountable, we meet monthly to review our progress. It's something I've come to enjoy and appreciate the support and reminders of things I need to do.

This year, I am working on a better me. After a year of focusing on family, I want to make sure I take time for myself by spending extra time to cook a healthy meal and also have a regular workout routine. I've also learned a thing or two about myself and realize I do well in sticking to these things when participating in some sort of challenge or group event. Starting this Saturday, I will be a part of "I Am Crossfit" an 8-week challenge that will push me to follow a paleo food plan and participate in regular crossfit workouts.

Tomorrow night, I am attending our goal setting meeting and on Saturday, we have our benchmark workout. 400 meter run, 15 pull-ups and 7 hang power cleans at 65 pounds. Ill complete this workout again at the end of the challenge to see if my time improves.

I hope that in 8-weeks you'll see a stronger and leaner me. Just in time for a girls trip to the Dominican where I am certain to spend a week eating, drinking and lounging.