Pools Gross me OUT

I may have said it once or twice, but I really, really detest public swimming pools. Everything about them makes my skin crawl. The tepid water on the pool's edge, the hundreds of who-knows-how-clean bodies bumping into each other with their tangles of hair and scabby errant band-aids...shudder. I HATE it.

So every time we go to the local gym (a very nice facility I might add) we have to pass by the giant indoor swimming area. And every time, the boys beg and plead "can we go??" "When can we go??" "Why don't we ever go?!!" And every time I tell them it is because I don't have my swim suit, it is too late/early/cold/hot/crowded/wet etc. Ken is traveling for work so today when I had to take Liam to his swim lesson I had to take Sawyer too and I figured since we were there, I might as well let him play in the giant kiddie zone while Liam took lessons. At the last moment I begrudgingly put on my suit in the off chance that I would have to go in and grab him. It was all part of my master plan to tire them OUT.

We got there in time for Liam to jump in the play pool before his class and just as I was ready to release Sawyer to join him the lifeguard blew his whistle and said "Everybody out!" I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Oh no, no, NO! I went up to the lifeguard and asked him why, even though I already suspected. "There was an "incident" in the pool. A little kid had a potty accident. This pool is closed for an hour". And I knew that "potty accident" was code name for "poop in the pool".

ACK! I screamed at Liam with the fervor of a pending shark attack "GET OUT!!! NOW!!!"

Of course Sawyer didn't understand and became fixated on getting in the toilet pool. It was all I could do to steer him away from the area. So while Liam went with his swim instructor I was forced to get into the adult pool with Sawyer along with the other 5,000 parents and children. The whole thing made me literally want to gag.

On the positive side, Liam is really coming along with his swimming. He is making major improvements in only three classes. In that small time he can now put his head in the water, float on his back solo and kick and attempt strokes. He actually has the makings for a good swimmer. Despite my aversion to the pool it is definitely worth it. If Sawyer's eagerness to jump in and kick around with his big brother is any indication it appears the pool is definitely in our future. And just as long as I don't have to get in, I'm fine with that.

It's too Darn Hot

Is it this hot everywhere??? I am fairly certain it is. We had two blessed day of upper 80's weather and we are once again pushing triple digits. Hooray. It is almost too hot to be outside. Late today Sawyer was out on the back deck playing in a shaded sand box and when he came in he was red-faced and dripping with sweat (now that he is finally growing hair we noticed it curls when it is wet!). The boy runs hot on a normal day, so I can only imagine how hot he gets on a 99 degree day. I started to worry that had I not called him in, he might have stayed out there long enough to have given himself heat stroke--he just doesn't seem to care if he is hot or cold. Liam on the other hand seems to be more like me...easily affected by changes in temperatures. When we're cold we are FREEZING and when we are hot, we melt. 

NOT that I am complaining. I will take summer heat and sun over snow and frigid temps any day.

Get Ready Learning Academy...

We enrolled Sawyer in preschool yesterday. Or rather, we hope he will be in preschool. In order to be fully admitted he needs to be potty trained and right now we are so very, very far away from that happening. If he is not trained he will be in the Toddler two room where they will help him in that area until he is fully trained. But I really, REALLY hope we can get him there before school starts. I would prefer he only have to transition once into a new environment.

I took him to tour the school yesterday and he seemed pretty unimpressed until he saw the gym. And the climbing equipment. And the playground. When I asked him this morning if he thought he would like his new school he answered, (rather quickly and alarmingly) "Yeah I'm the MEAN GUY!" When I asked him what that meant exactly he looked at me and repeated "I'm the mean guy!" This doesn't exactly put aside my fears that he will be a biting bulldozer in school. He tends to pick on kids BIGGER then him. He's like a little Terrier growling at a Mastiff.

Back in the Saddle Again...sorta.

I have been back to running consecutive miles the past few weeks. I was mostly good about following the Physical Therapist's instruction and didn't amp up the mileage too quickly. And the good news is...my body doesn't hurt. My legs don't ache and my back doesn't throb and keep me awake at night. These are all very good things.

The bad news is...I am plumb tuckered OUT. My energy is nil and my times are dreadfully slower then normal. I have to work twice as hard to go half as fast. It is disturbing. In the month I had off I cross-trained like crazy--possibly more then I ever have and yet here I am a month back into running and I feel as if I have been gone a year. I had decided last month that the prudent thing would be to take the time off from training this summer for a fall marathon and concentrate on rebuilding and getting stronger and healthier. I have my eyes set on racing a half marathon in the fall since I have never actually "raced" a half before--they've always been training runs. My initial plan was to rebuild a base in July and then in August I would focus on adding speed and a bit more distance. But now based on how I am feeling I am having doubts.

I really hate not having energy. Coming from someone who has a difficult time sitting or standing still, this kind of fatigue is beyond annoying. If things don't start to improve over the course of the next few weeks I will entertain the notion of getting my iron checked. The last time I felt this way I was anemic but I've been told it is hard to be anemic living at altitude (lack of oxygen means those red blood cells have to work, son!). Still, I am ever so tired of being tired...

Hey-yo Mit-ter 'Pider

My baby is growing. Just the other day he willing chose to attempt to pee in the potty. He didn't pee, but he tried and he beamed as we showered him with much praise. (This willingness to try has not been repeated since but still, take your victories where you can).

Most of the time (when not terrorizing other kids by stealing their toys or chasing them down for a hug) Beanie is a happy-go lucky boy. He has such an innocent sweet joy about him that makes me smile and forget all of his two-induced tantrums. He will happily walk around the yard singing then stop to greet a flower. "Hey-yo Mit-ter Fwower!" Or a bug. Or any thing that he sees. "Hey-yo Mit-ter (s)Tun-tine!" It always makes me stop and smile and want to bottle up his delicious sweetness and save it for another time and place. For example a time when he will be nearly six years-old and about to enter into first grade and question why I "must constantly tell him what to do??!" Yes. I will save it for THOSE times.

While we were on vacation we were sitting out on the dock as the day was closing and Beanie looked up into the sky and said "Mommy! (s)Tomebuddy forgot to turn off dat yight!" When I asked him which light he pointed to the sun and said "DAT one. I am going to jump up and turn it off!" Like I said, pretty gosh-durned adorable.

Hot as Blazes

Hot.

Hot.

So very...HOT.

I just looked at the thermometer inside our house and it says 86 (with the ac blaring). Outside, it says it is 103. I don't really think it is 103, but is certainly near 100 and at this altitude...that is baking.

I met a friend and her two boys at a shaded park today at 9 am and the temp was already 85. Everyone was lethargic and the boys actually begged me to take them home. Like I said...hot. The forecast appears to be staying in the upper 90's again this next week, just like last. I like the sun and the heat, so I am mostly not complaining but 85 sure sounds lovely...

Too Pooped to Party

We returned from our trip this past Saturday and have been trying to play catch up ever since. For some reason I am completely and dramatically wiped out to the point of fantasizing about going to sleep at 4 in the afternoon. So that being said, I should probably go and get some sleep. I just wanted to resurface, albeit briefly, until I have my wits about me to post a real post.

Until tomorrow. Or the day after...