Life Lately: First Runs and Fresh Berries
Life lately has felt like controlled chaos with a few bright moments mixed in. Gone is the relaxed feeling I had a few weeks ago. I think it is mostly due to the ebb and flow that is life: one week there are few expectations and responsibilities, and the next there are writing deadlines, maintainance lights in the car and a first trip to the grocery store with three children. Mix that with a little sleep deprivation and I was very short on patience and sanity. But even with the ebb and flow of life I feel like I'm trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. The square peg being my expectations of what is "ideal" and the round hole being the reality that is life with three children. The more I try to do, the more I obsess about the cleanliness of the house the more frustrated I become. My expectations just don't jive with life right now, so somethings got to give. I've been repeating the mantra (and recently published book) coined by Carla Birnberg and Roni Noone, "What you can. When you can." It's helping me in the moments when I can't see past the end of my nose. It helps me realize that these little children who are making messes and bickering and waking up at night will grow into adults who will one day wave goodby and leave their father and I with an empty nest. So I'm focusing on doing what I can, when I can. But every once in a while I need a little alone time to shake me out of the insanity of trying to fit that square peg in that round whole. This week I was able to get in a run and hike that did just that, and a few fun things with the kids besides.
First Run: Last Monday I had my first postpartum appointment with my physical therapist, Cristin Zaimes, DPT. Her assessment showed that I'm still a little weak on my right side, which seems funny considering that last year at this time my right side was stronger and my left side was weak and dysfunctional. She prescribed a few strengthening drills which I have been incorporating into my routine. Mostly they are very subtle movements that are meant to coordinate the activation of the pelvic floor, breath and supporting muscles of the core. You think you're strong, then someone with a trained eye picks a part your form and you realize you're not as strong a you think. When I asked about running we settled on starting with uphill repeats. Running uphill is a great way to build fitness quickly, but when you've just had a baby it's advantageous because it is also "low impact" because of the incline and slower paces. So for the next few weeks I'll be running repeats (and walking the downhills) up the 200 ft. elevation climb at the end of my driveway, no more than twice a week. My first run on Tuesday was tough, my lungs burned as I climbed the hill the first time trying to relearn how my legs should work while running. It has been nearly ten weeks since my last run. I felt a bit awkward at first, but quickly fell into a nice rhythm by my third repeat. I did the same run on Saturday and though I'm still breathless, feel a bit stronger.
Mountain Views: On Thursday, at the suggestion of my hubby I took a "mental health" evening. Originally he proposed taking a spa day and reserving a "relaxation room" at a local spa. But somehow the thought of pumping and setting up to leave Liam was MORE stressful. Whenever I feel overwhelmed or stressed being outside helps calm and quiet my soul. In college I used to head to the wooded trails on the outskirts of campus, now I run the rural roads around my home. So instead of sitting in a dimly lit room I headed to the closest ski area to hike up to the top, knowing the short hike afforded a beautiful view. So I strapped Liam on and took him with me on his first little hike. The crunch of my steps on the gravel, the wind through the mountain top trees and the peachy-pink evening sky were exactly what I needed.
Fresh Berries: Since I was a kid I've loved Strawberry picking. It has always heralded the beginning of summer and was a signal to me as a kid that my birthday was not far off. On Friday the kids and I headed out early to pick at our favorite local farm. We walked away with 8 quarts of fresh berries, plus whatever Jack was carrying in his belly. Beach: We have the luxury of living a short drive from the ocean, lakes and mountains and this weekend we took full advantage of that making a trip to the ocean on Saturday and our favorite lakeside beach on Sunday.
Beach: We have the luxury of living a short drive from the ocean, lakes and mountains. And this week we took advantage of all three. We spent Saturday down by the sea and Sunday at our favorite lakeside beach. I love where we live. New Hampshire is my home and even after the brutal winter we had I wouldn't change it.
[Tweet "Tyring to fit a square peg in a round hole. And other life moments. #wycwyc #lifelately #momof3"] What have you been up to lately? What do you do when life feels a bit chaotic?
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