Tag Archives: avery

Our Bearaffe Takes on the Snow

02/28/2015 R.C. Liley 6 Comments

There’s a blizzard in Texas! Well, not really, but we got a lot of snow on Friday. And by “a lot” I mean a few inches.

I’m sure anyone in the Boston area would like to punch me in the face for making a big deal about a few inches, huh? I wouldn’t blame you if you did. Plus, I’d at least have enough snow to make a fresh ice pack to put on my face to reduce the swelling. 🙂

This week, we’ve had 2 other mornings that started with snow but quickly melted into mush. Nothing I wanted to let Avery roam around in. But Friday’s snow was an all day event and covered the ground in a beautiful white sea of fluffy snow.

Going Mom was adamant that I take good pictures of Avery in her first snow since you never know how long it will be until it happens again around here. Technically, this wasn’t her first snow, but it was the first time she got to walk around in it and really get the feel of what it’s like.

After she had her breakfast and I had a couple cups of my cold brew coffee, it was time to “bear” the snow. You’ll get the quotes soon.

Our best cold weather outfit for Avery is a pink full-body suit that resembles a bear cub with a hood that has little ears attached. I’ve posted about it several times, and she even had a dark purple one that she outgrew last year.

Wow, time sure does fly! Wouldn’t squeeze her in that suit if we tried now!

Her new suit is a little big on her, but she seems content with wearing it.

Well, sometimes. But since she would be out in the cold walking around in snow, she needed more than the hood that just falls off of her. She need an upgrade to a beanie, a giraffe beanie!

Ummm, look up for the camera, Avery. Please?

Much better. Now the title of the post should make more sense. Bear + Giraffe = Bearaffe and she (it?) is ready to take on the snow!

She started off with confidence despite the snow having her surrounded. After analyzing the situation, she felt it would be best to move around to better assess the situation.

Okay, gaining more confidence. Can’t stop moving, must keep the snow guessing!

Yep, feeling really good at this point. I’m just “walking all over” the snow; literally and figuratively.

Oh, hi there, dad, I thought you told me to be careful. What’s there to be careful about? I’m already a snow pro!

See? Just smilin’ in the snow. I can do anything and go anywhere!

Like all the way in our neighbors’ yard. Look at me just rompin’ and stompin’ like a real bear…

OOoomph! Ummm, just wanted to see what this stuff tastes like, I meant to do that.

I’m good, the snow isn’t, so I won’t do that again. Time for more exploring! So pretty and fun to walk all ov….

Gahhhh, this is annoying…..and cold! Kinda starting to not like this stupid snow.

Okay, I’m up by my face still feels cold. What gives?

Get it off, get it off!

Thanks, Dad. How about next time you NOT take pictures and just help me right away?!

I’m feeling lost. Where am I? Is that silver thing another person?

That’s it, I’m done. I’m going to get up and walk my bear-self back inside. Go ahead, just keep taking pictures and laugh.

My face is so cold, but also burns. What does that mean?

Please, just stop with the pics and take me inside!!

Why did you take me inside? I was just “warming up” out there! Take me ba…

What the crap are you giving me my kettlebell for? This isn’t what I wanted! Just listen to …..oh? Music? I should dance?

Snow, what snow? I love kettlebell dancing!

And that’s pretty much how our snow experience went down on Friday. Avery loves being outdoors, so anytime I take her in, she starts crying, but it didn’t take her long to turn happy and playful again. I’m sure being warm and dry helped!

Do you remember your kids’ first snow or have they not experienced it yet?

If they have, how do they like it? You? I’m not a fan of the cold at all, but if it snows, I enjoy it while it lasts.

Life, Parenting

Getting “Down With the Sickness”, Literally

02/13/2015 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Something doesn't feel right..... — Something doesn’t feel right…..

You know that crappy feeling when you get sick? Yeah, I wrote about my experience here. And then the awesome feeling once you recover? Of course I wrote about that, and you can read it here. Well, that crappy feeling is back, but not because I am “Down With the Sickness” (old song by Disturbed), it’s because now my family is.

Probably no thanks to me. Before I turned ill, all was honky dory in the house, and then Blam-o (or some other weird word for a noise), my body hurt and I was decommissioned. Several days and excellent spousal support later, I was feeling better and ready for a pint night date night with Kelley.

Not so fast, the sick bug or whatever it is/was must’ve grown tired of my old carcass and wanted to move on to something better. Like, for instance, my wife and Avery. Damn you, bug/virus/whatever you are!!!

After returning home from our date night, we had just enough time to read a book to Avery before she went to sleep. A few hours later, in the early morning, we woke to the sound of our daughter crying. Nothing new there, but it was worse and lasted longer than normal.

Kelley and I were both in her room and it was confirmed; poop. She had just let a hefty poo out for G-Ma while we were out, so we figured we’d be safe for the night. Ha ha, rookie parents, you’re never safe from poo!

This has happened before, so we cleaned her and Kelley nursed her to sleep. Done, problem solved. Ooooorrrr, problem just starting, rather.

Not long after getting her back in her crib, no baby monitor was needed to hear a hacking cat sound throughout the house. At first I thought is was our cat, hacking, but instead is was Avery, throwing up. Oh yeah, another first! She’s spit up plenty of times, but this was a first for real food to appear.

Poor girl, it was all over her sheet, blanket, and pajamas. Off with everything dirty, and replaced with clean items, Going Mom, looking a little weary (besides the fact is was 2am), nursed Avery to sleep yet again. Or so we hoped. Instead, she had round two, all over her new pajamas and Mommy.

More cleaning ensued while Avery seemed unusually happy as she flashed us smiles while we scurried around in clean-up mode. Kelley needed to take a shower and was only looking worse, so after we finished cleaning, I took a shot at just holding and rocking Avery to sleep. Milk seemed to not be what was needed anyway.

Upon finishing her shower, Kelley needed to get some sleep and went to bed after checking on Avery and me. Luckily, after tossing and spinning around my lap, Avery found a suitable position to fall asleep and we stayed like that for around 3 hours. I was in and out of sleep, and after G-Ma (she stayed the night since we’re close to her work) got ready and left, I laid Avery in her crib and made it back to our own bed.

Our freakin’ nursery chair doesn’t recline, so laying in our bed was like having giant pillow hands gently lifting me off my feet and soothing me into a nice sleep. I woke up to find Kelley still in bed and found out she turned even worse and was staying home for the day. Time for me to pay her back for helping me so much!

I cooked pumpkin teff for her and Avery in hopes they would keep it down, which they did, and tried to help them relax. Avery had several “runny” messes through the day on Thursday, but seemed to get over her symptoms by night came around. Kelley was weak all day and not up to much, but thankfully she’s kept everything down, unlike yours truly.

At the time I’m writing this, both of my lovely girls seem to be on the mend. Mommy has an extended weekend with us, so I gave her strict orders to get better so we don’t have another weekend of sickness!

How do you feel after giving your illness to others in the house?

What can we do differently to limit this happening, or is it just something that must “run its course”?

Life

What Happens When a Baby Meets a Villian?

07/23/2014 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

After sharing our long journey to having Avery on yesterday’s post, I figured today’s post would help lighten things up a little. I’ll aim for less talk and more pictures; mainly of Avery meeting “Bane”/Daddy with an elevation training mask.

I’ve been really into podcasts lately, and one of my favorites is Ben Greenfield Fitness. The host, Ben Greenfield (duh), always speaks on interesting topics surrounding performance, nutrition, fat loss, recovery, sleep, digestion, hormones, the brain, and more. I usually have one playing while I walk with Avery every day.

On the show, I’ve heard him talk about this training mask several times and how he uses it to get in a great workout while spending time with his twin boys. He mentioned how they’d go on hikes together and wear the mask along with a 50lb vest to give himself plenty of work as he keeps pace with the boys. That was all I needed; I was sold!

As soon as the mask arrived, I took it out for a test “spin” and had Going Mom take a picture of her husband as Bane from Batman.

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Promise, I was smiling behind the mask! The real Bane, on the other hand…..probably not.

See? I don’t look so bad when compared to the real guy!

My loving wife, as I later found out, posted an apology to our neighborhood Facebook page to alert them of her husband. Geez, great support!!

Since I plan on wearing the mask while I’m with Avery, Kelley and I tested her reaction. I’d say she could care less….

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She must have good “Daddy Sense”. If you’re a Spider-man fan, you know what I’m talking about.

This past weekend I was able to test it out in the Texas heat for an exhausting 5 mile run with 31 burpees, push-ups, and squats at the end. It was brutal and it sucked…..I loved it! One drawback is the sweat dripping inside and trying to clear my throat. You take a break from your breathing rhythm and it takes a while to “catch-up” when you’re running at 18,000 ft in simulated altitude!

Having confirmed I wouldn’t scar our daughter or make her poop her diaper, I figured we’d go for our first walk with the mask. But first I had a little selfie-baby photo session in the mirror.

Sunglasses don't work too well. — Sunglasses don’t work too well.

I promise, I'll take another nap ummmm....now. — I promise, I’ll take another nap ummmm….now.

The sunglasses just weren’t going to work, so I took those off and started the walk. I immediately found that the mask gets too close to her head and easily bumps it, so I need to wear her on my back when I have it on. Doesn’t she just look thrilled to be so close?

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Yeah, I didn’t think so either. She’ll warm up to it, I’m sure. Kinda….maybe….right?

Well, I hope to bring this mask along on family hikes one day when Avery is walking, and maybe we can race up a hill while I am wearing a weighted vest and my training mask.

Have you ever heard of the training mask?

Would you wear one around?