Very Much Alive And Kickin'

Jumping in for a minute to update and explain my absence, since, *gasp*, April!

While having loved my stint as a Stay at Home Mom, I've known all along that sooner than later, I'd go back to work. I've also known that I'd have to work hard to figure out doing what. Having been a latch key kid myself, I'd like to create a flexible enough schedule to spend afternoons with my kids. Tizzy's already exhibiting difficulties with focus in school. Having struggled with focus myself, I'd ideally like to be here to help with homework and structure. Now that Zip's 4 1/2 with one remaining year before Kindergarten, it seemed like the time to get the ball rolling...

The exercise ball that is!

I am currently in the process of getting my Personal Training Certification.

I enrolled in a program in April, and have two weeks left before my test. Once certified I will spend some time finding my voice, practicing on friends and family, and then set about finding clients and jobs.

I have found so much gratification getting back in shape after gaining 60 lbs. during pregnancy with each child. Exercise has helped me regain my body, but more importantly, it has given me the stamina and mental clarity to keep up with my kids. I'm hoping to help others find that balance in their own lives as well. My goal is to gain experience this year, get additional certifications in restorative exercise and nutrition over the next two, and be working steadily by the time Zip's in first grade.

I've missed you guys and I promise to update occasionally as well as stop in and read what you're up to. I'm not sure yet whether I'll be blogging on fitness in the future, but if I do, I'll certainly let you know where to find me. For the time being, know that I'm studying like mad and enjoying the summer, still busy in my full time job as SAHM.

Happy 4th of July Everyone!

A Mouth Full of Change

Having been the kid whose loose teeth would dangle by a thread for weeks on end, I am very delighted to say that Tizzy has pulled out his second tooth in less than a week. He makes no bones about it. They're loose – he wiggles and plucks. This morning, at 4:30 a.m., Brad and I were woken from a deep sleep.

"Mom! Dad!"

"Agh! What is it?" (Us up, bolt right in bed shaking the sleep off...)

He dances into our room,"THE TOOTH FAIRY LEFT ME A WHOLE DOLLAR!"

My Big Boy!

Almost 2 years ago exactly, I wrote down this conversation:

Sitting at the kitchen table:

Tizzy: If I'm really going to be a kid, these baby teeth have got to go.

Me: Be patient, they'll fall out in time.

Tizzy: I need them gone, now. (rubbing finger back and forth in front of

mouth...) I think I'll saw them out.

Me: Mmm, not sure that's such a good idea.

Tizzy: Well, it's not working.

It was followed by a lot of conversations about exactly how old Tizzy would be before he lost his teeth. He needed them out to feellike a big kid. I told him he'd probably have to wait until he was six.

A week and a half ago, he ran into my room at seven in the morning to announce his tooth was loose. After I shook the sleep out of my eyes, I inspected his mouth and sure enough, there it was, his first loose tooth. I felt immensely excited for him and my stomach dropped all at the same time, as this really did signify to me that he was growing up. He's been biting into apples, telling me it's time to tie his tooth to a door knob, and wiggling wildly all week. Finally this afternoon he came up to me and asked if it was hanging from a thread. I looked into his

mouth where his tooth was bent over sideways and I tried to stick my fingers in and yank it, but I go too squeamish. Instead I pulled my hand out, looked at him sheepishly and said, "Why don't you try pulling it out?"

"O.K." He said. And he did.

I'm so proud!

***

All afternoon he's been sticking his tongue through the space and demonstrating how he can spit milk through the gap.

Zips been following him around saying, "Tizzy, you want to see my tooth fall out when I'm six? I want my tooth to fall out right now!"

And so it all starts again once more.

First Camp Of The Season - And The Woods Are Still Green

While Driving Down The Freeway...

Tizzy: Mom? Did you have an imaginary friend when you were a kid?

Me: I wanted one, but one never showed up.

Tizzy: I had one once but then he got called home for dinner and he never came back...

Oh look! There he is! He's running down the freeway but that's dangerous, so I'm just going to go brlrlrlrlr-up, and zip him back up into my head.

Phew! Sometimes my imaginary friend makes me very uncomfortable.

He Said What!?

O'Shaughnessy's Gold

About a week and a half ago Tizzy and I were talking and he asked me if I believed in Leprechauns. I was caught off guard and I replied that I did not, but that they were fun to imagine. There was a long pause in which he thought about this and I knew that I'd given him the wrong answer.

"Do you believe in Leprechauns?" I asked him.

"Well, I'm not sure." He replied doubtfully.

I quickly came back that I personally had never seen one, but as they primarily live in Ireland I couldn't say for sure that they don't exist, just that I'd never seen one.

The next day as we were driving to school he piped up from the back seat that they'd been making shamrocks at school and were asked to outline them with gold glitter if they believed in Leprechauns and silver glitter if they did not. I asked him which color he'd used, and he told me he hadn't done his yet.

That evening we all went to his school for the Ice-cream Social and Book Fair. Part of the Book Fair took place in his classroom so Brad and I had a chance to look at his work on the wall. There on the wall were the shamrocks and Tizzy's was lined with gold.

"Tizzy!" I exclaimed. "What a beautiful shamrock. Looks to me like you do believe in Leprechauns!"

His eyes welled up with tears and his lips began to tremble. "I didn't use gold glitter! Someone else must have put that there!"

Two days later, all of the children were holding green pieces of paper in the pick-up line and there was lot's of excited chattering. As I approached Tizzy, he ran toward me and thrust the paper into my hands shouting, "There's a Leprechaun named O'Malley and it lives in the Kindergarten playground. It sent everybody letters in their mailboxes and said that Rm. 5 has it's favorite Kindergartners!"

There has been no more doubt as to the existence of Leprechauns, but there has been lot's of discussion as to how to catch them. Yesterday, Tizzy set out a trap made with black construction paper, lots of tape and a cookie. When he went back to check on it, the trap was on the floor the tape had been unwrapped and the cookie was gone!

Last night as the boys lay in bed getting ready to sleep I overheard this discussion –

Tizzy: I think the Leprechaun ate the cookie in one little bit. Poor man can't eat a cookie in one bite, just a bit – Poor little fella. Hey Zip, I saw that the Leprechaun ate the cookie!

Zip: Maybe he was hungry.

Tizzy: No you silly! The cookie was too big for his belly - Poor little fella!

Zip: Did you see him?

Tizzy: No. Did you?

Zip: I didn't see him, but I heard him. I heard little steps just come in the door and tiptoe across the floor.

Tizzy runs out to me and says: Hey Mom! Zip heard the Leprechaun sneak into our house! By the way – What's a poor little fella?

They finally fell asleep after much discussion about how a Leprechaun could be best caught and what they would do with the gold if they caught it.

This morning Tizzy climbed into bed with me, peered into my eye and said, "There are a couple of chocolate frogs on the table."

"What?" I exclaimed.

"I said, there are a couple of green chocolate frogs on the table."

"Where did they come from?" I asked.

"I don't know. They're by the traps."

"Maybe a Leprechaun brought them." I said.

"Let's go see!"

We walked into the living room and sure enough on the table were two green foil covered chocolate frogs. Underneath them was a letter from a Leprechaun named O'Shaughnessy who's apparently friends with O'Malley from the Kindergarten playground. He said that he's not easily trapped, but enjoys cookies very much and thought that Zip and Tizzy might enjoy a treat of their own for all of their hard work.

Tizzy could not wait to tell his friends.

Apparently, when he tried, nobody would pay any attention.

That, however, did not stop him from setting more traps when he got home.