Apologizing to my son

For some reason, this past weekend going into Monday, my son was "not himself".  I know he's 9 months old and every day is different with him, but something was noticeably off.  He is sleeping well, although waking up with goop in his eyes (been clear since Tuesday so cross fingers there) and napping fine too.  But eating...oh the eating.  He will take solids ok (we're still into purees) but the bottle was a nightmare.  He usually eats 5 bottles (6 oz) a piece a day.  By 3 pm, he usually is eating his 3 bottle or napping and will stock up with 2 bottles in a 3 hours before bed. 

I don't know if it was his stopped up nose bothering him or slight cold, but he would act hungry (open mouth, be cranky), insert bottle, then immediately turn away disgusted.  This would go on for about an hour until that bottle was finished or we could at least 4 oz in him.  Same bottles, same formula, same temp.  Tried new of all of those and no difference.  Obviously, something was bothering him.  So, obviously, it all started to bother me.  I like to think of myself as the one who can keep it all together, although I rarely do.  Nathan was quickly losing patience and rightfully so, but I would continually offer to try to feed him b/c after all, I'm the mom and should be able to handle it with ease.  At one point Saturday night, he just started randomly screaming and was inconsolable.  And wouldn't eat.  Nathan kept trying to give him his last bottle and he just wouldn't have it, but we knew he was hungry.  Plus for us, we don't want any middle of the night feedings.  So there I was, holding Liam as he writhed with anger, taking two sips than spitting it out.  I finally got him to drink it after holding him up in the middle of the air, higher than my lap and saying "shssh, shssh, shssh," over and over again for 25 min.  I felt accomplished, but exhausted.

Cue Sunday.  Same story with bottle feeding.  I went to feed him at lunch and got angry.  Very angry.  I even said to him, "Liam, I'm not doing this again."  I even started crying in one of those mommy moments.  Thinking, I can't do this.  I was so angry with my son.  I stopped and prayed for patience, thinking it wouldn't come.  Liam finally took the bottle and fell asleep in my arms.  Finally, the calm.  As I laid him down to nap, with his head rested on my shoulder, I told him I was sorry.  I was so sorry I turned quickly to frustration and anger with the just the slightest hiccup.  I asked my sleeping 9 month old for forgiveness and had a foreshadowing moment of the times when he does understand the things I do wrong and mess up.  It won't be the last time I ask for forgiveness from him, although I wish I was better at being a parent, I am still learning.  I will always be learning and I will always sin.  I pray as he grows, he learns what it means to mess up and how to ask Jesus into his heart to cover that sin.  I pray he always forgives and offers grace where he can. 

Friends, don't ever be too proud to ask your kids for forgiveness, no matter their age.  And always hug them and read them a book =)

10 Free Ways to work out

10 Free Ways to Workout

When I came up with this title, I didn’t have “10 free ways”.  I just thought it sounded good.  But then, slowly and surely, things started coming to me.  So here is my list of ways to stay fit, without costing you a dime (well, for the most part)…

#1 – Get a free app and use it! – I have several apps I rotate through when I hit a workout roadblock or I don’t have time to think, just 15 min to get a move on.  I’m sure there are thousands, but a few I’ve used and really like are:

Map My Run – GPS routes you as you run or bike or walk and gives you updates on mileage, pace, etc.  Fairly accurate and good with routing trails as well.  FREE (ok, you have to buy an iPhone or Android, but most people have those these days)

Sworkit – In this app, you choose between a strength workout or yoga, cardio and more workout.  You then pick a particular area like lower body or cardio – full intensity or full body stretching.  Next, you put in a time from 5 – 60 minutes.  I’ve done mostly 15-20 minute ones and they build in breaks every 30 seconds.  The moves last 30 seconds each which is fairly effective, if you’re pushing it.  You can also customize your workout with your favorite upper, lower body, abs or cardio stuff.  They don’t “every single cardio move” possible but they have a lot.  I did the strength upper body for 15 minutes one day and it was basically the most killer push up varieties.  My arms were shaking afterwards…all for free.

Pocket WOD – Ok, so I haven’t actually used this app yet but it is basically Cross Fit workouts of the day.  I’m in sort of a love/hate with Cross Fit mostly b/c I need a spot for some of the lifts they tell you to do and I workout alone so I must modify almost everything.  But I do get their workouts online from time to time.  But there’s this app also.  Free.

#2 – Workout while watching TV – This is one I’m sure you think is stupid or “doesn’t count” or do much, but any little bit helps if you are serious about making a change.  Try this: every time there is a commercial break, alternate between pushups, jumping jacks, squats and crunches until the commercial ends.  You’re covering upper body, cardio, lower body, and abs in 2-3 minutes.  Free (ok, buy a TV)

#3 – Deck of Cards Fitness – this is one I do with our high school kids.  They don’t care for it, but then again, they don’t care for much exercise.  Get a deck of cards.  Assign a move to black or red cards and/or suites.  Shuffle the deck and when you pull a certain number, perform that exercise that number of times.  Face cards are 10 and Aces are 11 (or 20, heck, push yourself).  Example: clubs are burpees, diamonds are pushups, spades are squat jacks, and hearts are bicycle crunches.  If you pull a 5 club, do 5 burpees; Jack of hearts, 10 crunches and so forth.  Finish the entire deck.  First, go to Vegas and get a free deck from a Casino.  There, no you’ve taken a trip and gotten a fitness activity for free.

#4 – Workout with the kids – There’s a website for Cross Fit kids (of which I want to become certified and that’s $1k…not free people).  But they offer WOD’s for kids and they are awesome and perfect way to get the whole family involved in fitness.  And they are fun!  I just got on and this was their workout for various age groups:
Warm-Up/Skill – Varsity, Junior Varsity and Novice:
3x or 5:00
Handstand walk or bear crawl => 3 cartwheels => 10 squats => 10 lunge steps => speed ladder => basic dot drill x 10
Elementary:
3x or 5:00
Bear crawl => 2 cartwheels => 5 squats => 5 lunge steps => speed ladder => hopscotch board pass
Preschool:
3x or 5:00
Bear crawl => 3 logrolls => 5 squats => 5 lunge steps => speed ladder => 5-meter bunny hop

**Of course, if you don’t have a gymnasium in your house, you will have to modify a bunch.  But get the kids involved.  Come up with a funny song to sing while you do it.  If you have no kids, do this!  You may enjoy fitness!  Or if you have an infant, do pushups as they lie on the ground and give them kisses as you go to 90 degrees.  I used to squat and do lunges with Liam around the house when he was 3 months old.  I should probably do that more often now that he’s 20lbs!

#5 – Shoot, I’m only on 5….okay, get on Pinterest people!  There are sooooo many workouts on there.  Type in whatever you’re looking for and it will surely pop up.  Pick one where you are familiar with the moves, but nothing is worse than performing a move incorrectly and go for it.  They have great 15-20 minute workouts when you’re in a time crunch. 

#6 – Check out DVDS for free at the local library – Okay, this one is assuming you have a library card wherever you are and have a legit library.  Our library is pretty good and they have an online system where I can request in workout dvds.  They don’t have everything, but I was able to check out a Jillian Michaels DVD and try it at home before purchasing it and figured out it wasn’t for me so you may actually save on this one haha.

#7 – Hit up those free offers – most gyms (even in small towns) will offer you a trial period to try them out.  I’ve done it in my area at a few gyms and even at a personal trainer’s office. He offered a bootcamp and I went for free a few times b/c he wanted the business and then I became an instructor!  Maybe you just need a few weeks to use a treadmill during a dreadful winter blast, find a gym and use them.  For free though….don’t get roped in! 

#8 – You Tube – Okay, so I don’t actually use this that much.  But they have trainer tips, dance videos, etc.  And it’s free so if 1-7 don’t work for you, try it!

#9 – Find a park/playground – I know it’s winter, but this is free so it counts!  Parks and playgrounds have perfect facilities to create your own gym studio.  Walk the trails, do sprints, pushups on benches, do the monkey bars!  Do tuck-ins with the swing, lunges off the slide, jumps onto a bench, pull-ups on the monkey bars.  The possibilities are endless!

#10 – This one does cost money…I lied, but I got you to 10 if you’re reading this….Put on your shoes and go outside!  Enjoy a fresh snow, the leaves changing, the summer heat, the spring flowers.  Experience what God gave us to enjoy and get that heart pumping.  Do a 10 second sprint if you’re a beginner or 2-3 min for advanced.  Pay attention to the sounds you hear, the colors you see, or the sound of your feet crunching the pavement.  Listen to yourself breath in and out.  God gave us nature to enjoy it and our body is a temple.  Treat it right and let it enjoy the world!  So go buy tennis shoes if you don’t have any (there’s the cost here) and enjoy nature.  I’ve run in below freezing temps, along a curvy road in Hawaii, on the edge of Manhattan looking onto New Jersey, in pouring rain, in sweltering heat, and in snow.  Just go outside and enjoy!

Happy Fitness all!

 

**Disclaimer** - I wrote this in December and never posted it.  Today is perfect (cough, cough) day to go outside and shovel snow or build a snowman right?!  Ha ha, but it is free!