Tag Archives: going mom

You Can’t Spell Catastrophe Without ‘Cat’

Yes, our cat played a small part in the weekend, but that wasn’t all. Just made for a fun title, don’t you think?

We actually had a pretty good weekend overall. On Friday, my squat day, I got to test out my new Soft Star Shoes doing one of the most intensive and best bang for your muscular buck exercises! I already train in minimal shoes, in fact, they’re called “Minimus”, as in New Balance Minimus. I’ve run marathons, sprinted, and lifted in them and have loved them, but the Soft Star Shoes give a true minimal feel.

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The less cushioning between your foot and the ground the better when it comes to leg-intensive lifting like dead lifts and squats since you need that ground feel for stability. All of the cushioning on most “athletic” shoes make it as if you’re trying to squat while standing on a pillow; not fun, or easy……….or safe!

The verdict? Soft Star delivers and excellent shoe for lifting! I loved how I felt secure and connected to the ground, and unlike my Minimus with a 4mm heel-to-toe drop, these have zero. I could feel how different the dynamics change the lift, but it was in a good way. Anyway, looking forward to my next squat day, and I’ll have a full Soft Star review soon.

Saturday started with a giant bowl of blueberry NuttZo chia oatmeal made for Kelley and Avery. In return, Kelley makes the coffee; my typical breakfast.

NuttZo Oatmeal

 

Kelley made an appointment for our her fat black cat (seriously, 17+ pounds), Lou, to get his annual shots. The cat and I have a mutual feeling of resentment, and I am no help when it comes to rounding him up in the cat carrier since he flees at the sight of me.

But, he hates the carrier and Kelley was having a difficult time chasing him around the house. For such a fatty, he can really move and squirm! Finally, I joined in at Kelley’s request (which she regretted soon after), and tried to litter-ally (ha ha) pounce on the svelte feline. I ended up with wads of cat hair on the couch, in the air, and all over me with several deep claw scratches on both arms. Fail.

Avery was following us around and watching in pure confusion at the whole ordeal, and started getting upset. Toddlers make so many things 10,000 times harder! What’s up with that?!

After getting Lou in the carrier once and having him jump right back out, Kelley and I were finally successful after pinning him in the closet and dropping him inside as I held the carrier upright.  The guy was panting hard; tongue out and loud as a dog. He was worn out, pissed, and probably hungry…….being fat and all.

Unfortunately, Kelley didn’t give him to some cat-loving person at the vet, but she did snap this pic of what looks like a cat in distress.

Lou at Vet

 

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate any animal, but for some reason, I just don’t have a great relationship with our cat and dog. I can’t pinpoint the exact reasoning, but I lack the bond. Since Avery, I’m even more anti-pet than before. That said, I still feed the animals and make sure Abby, our Golden Retriever, goes on a walk with us almost every day.

The rest of Saturday was spent doing random things inside and out, while our crazy toddler took over the house. At night, after Going Mom nursed Avery to sleep  and put her in her crib since she wouldn’t go to sleep, we finally watched The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay. Only a week after we originally planned, but we watched it nonetheless!

Stupid ending, or whatever you call it……we can’t wait until November for part 2, we want it NOW! Just like Veruca from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory wants that golden egg…

willy wonka

On Sunday, Kelley needed to run to Home Depot for a few bags of sand and tools to work on our back yard garden. I stopped at a car parts store to get oil to change in both of our cars (we both have Subaru Outbacks) while we were out.

As Kelley tended to the yard, Avery and I changed the oil. Although, she wasn’t too sure what was going on, she made it clear she did not like being next to a running car as it pulled inside the garage. I’m just glad she gave me smiles most of the time!

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So that was our weekend. No frills (besides the damn cat), and pretty pleasant. Oh, and I’ll share with you a recent pun I posted on Facebook….

Kelley and I are having a date night at a BYOB Paint Class tonight and G-Ma is coming over to spend time with Avery. We did this a while back where we painted a jellyfish and had a great time.

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Kelley’s was way better (on the right). I blame the scotch. Okay, I also suck at painting. This time it’s a Monet painting of a pretty sunset on the water. I’m bringing scotch again, so if I suck, at least I have something to blame besides my lack of artistry! We’ll see if it’s still pretty after I’m done with it. Tonight, Monet might be rolling in his grave for a while!

Happy Monday!

Dear Wife, I Caught You

Dear Wife (aka Going Mom, Kelley, Best Friend, and Mommy), I caught you doing something basically every night. It’s nothing bad, but actually very sweet.

At night, after a lonnngggg day at work, after coming home only to be bombarded by the need to breastfeed Avery as I am asking you several questions before you have time to think, after you spend the little time left before bedtime playing with Avery, after you nurse her to sleep (or try your damnedest since she’s a crazy), after you finally lay down to relax, you do something that warms my heart.

You look up pictures and videos of Avery, as if just to make sure she’s really ours since it seems so surreal at times.

When you join me in the living room where I’m usually writing on this blog, I’ll glance over and see you watching an old video of Avery from your phone on on Instagram. Videos both from your account and from mine, like this…

Most times you have your phone on silent, but I can hear Avery’s giggles just like I know you have in your head while watching this.

And the pictures, we have pictures from months ago as well as current day that you will make your way through. Again, from your phone, on Facebook, or on Instagram, you scroll through and look at the wonder that is our beautiful daughter.

Even on those nights when you’re so tired you go straight to bed, I know you make sure to look through pictures and watch videos of our growing girl. Sometimes I hear the videos playing, but other times it’s just instinct.

I can see it in your eyes and from your actions, you absolutely adore Avery, and not even the world itself is good enough for her. There are times when you doubt yourself as a good mother, but I want you to know that doubt is complete nonsense! You’re the best mother and wife there is, and you make both Avery and me so very happy.

Please, never, ever, think of yourself as anything less than the best. There are times when we don’t hug as much as we should, and when we finally do, it feels wonderful and I don’t want to stop. Unless I have tea tree oil on my face and you have carrot seed on yours. 🙂

Basically, dear, I just want you to know that seeing you simply look at old pics of our daughter says a lot about how kind, loving, and caring of mother you are. Avery is the luckiest girl and Wes (Updated to include our 2nd child) is the luckiest boy to have you as a mom, and I, the same as my wife.

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You’ll probably be paranoid every time you get on your phone at night, but don’t worry, I don’t sit and stare or anything, just happen to see our daughter on your phone. It’s precious, you’re precious, our family is precious, and I hope that never changes.

Kelley, I love you, thank you for everything you do!!

The Dad Network

15 Memories From My 15th Month Since Going Dad

Another month and numerous memories has come and gone with our growing toddler. Here are 15 to celebrate the number of months she’s been making us smile.

Avery, you give us more than we could ever count, but here are 15 memories that stand out….

1. You finding out just how fun it is when you wave a string around a cat. Even fat ones like ours will chase a string around, and you were cracking up at fatty Lou.

2. For most of the month, during nap time and nighttime, you fought sleep with a burning passion. Instead of calming succumbing to your tired state, you’d kick your legs wildly and talk to yourself for up to 45 minutes before giving in. Or it was because you pooped, and then we of course came in to clean you. Remember that when we’re old!!

3. I entered you in a local baby photo contest put on by Metroplex Baby and Kids and you won! Thanks to all of our friends, family, and followers for supporting you and your infinite cuteness!

Avery-Photo-Contest-Metroplex-Baby

4. This past month I announced that am a proud Nuttzo Ambassador for 2015, and couldn’t of made it without you. As a result, there’s been plenty of NuttZo powered meals around here with many more to come. I think it’s safe to say you don’t mind one bit though.

5. I mentioned just last month that your jumper days were numbered. Shortly thereafter, we said goodbye to your jumper and I made a nice space for you to roam around in the garage. Now I can work out and so can you! And you still enjoy my weight belt just like when you were in your jumper.

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6. Speaking of working out, we got you your own kettlebell and you’ve been a rockstar at doing swings, squats, and even dancing! You get the biggest smile on your face when you pick it up, and it makes me beam with happiness!

toddler, kids, parenting, funny, humor

7. Apparently, your confidence level has sky-rocketed since you’ve been swinging your kettlebell because now you act as a personal trainer for Mommy and Me. We’ve worked out inside several times and you make sure to push us by climbing all over as we grind out HIIT-style workouts.

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8. The February weather has been brutal to the North, but here in Texas, we’ve been graced with a lot of beautiful, sunny weather. We made full use of the outdoors and took you to the playground and right in our back yard many times. We’ve confirmed you love the outside, and we’ve also confirmed you HATE going inside.

playing, parenting, toddler

9. Papa had his 60th birthday celebration at a nice restaurant and many friends and family were there. You wore everyone out just running around the entire restaurant and received a lot of praise on your cuteness. You have your Mommy to thank for that! I think you can also thank her for your crude hand gestures at the restaurant too!

Steve's 60th

10. Speaking of Mommy, you also take after her love of goat cheese. You can outright reject a plain carrot, but top it with goat cheese and you can’t eat it fast enough!

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One night we even made mini goat cheese sandwiches with my homemade bread that you easily devoured.

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11. On the topic of eating, you surprised me when I offered my raw fermented veggies and you loved them. So much so, you cried after I stopped giving more. Between Mommy with her goat cheese and Daddy with my fermented foods, you make your parents super proud!

12. You have become quite the chatterbox all day, and even when you should be sleeping! No full on real words yet, but every day now, you point up, usually at lights, and make a slushy noise with your mouth as if saying something. Mommy and me just nod and say yes, those are lights. Sorry if that’s not what you’re really saying, but at least we acknowledge you.

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13. Mommy started asking “where is Avery” when you were rubbing your face one day, and now you do it to play hide and seek. Every time we say a key word like “boo”, “where are you”, “hide”, and others, you cover your eyes as if you’re tired to play along. Sometimes you keep them on there really long and it’s hard to tell if you actually are tired or still playing. Either way, you’re cute!

14. Yes, cute even when you do something like throw up. Your first real food puke happened in the middle of the night when G-Ma was staying over after watching you for Mommy and Daddy’s date night.  You ate really good for G-Ma, a little too good,  and it all came back up. We could hear the noise the first time you did it in your crib, and after cleaning everything up, I heard it the second time when you did it all over Mommy while nursing. Despite the sickness, you gave us plenty of cute, flashy smiles right after expelling your food. We could resist but to smile back at you.

15. And for the final memory this month, it’s another bodily function first. The night I became ill and was lying on the playroom floor, you decided to squeeze out a stinker as Mommy was giving you a bath. She said it scared you and definitely surprised her, but she handled it smoothly and cleaned things up quickly.

Avery, you’re growing up fast, too fast, and we enjoy watching your see and do so much every day. You’re constantly learning and hopefully that trend continues for a very long time! We love you, happy 15 months, dear!

I’d say, if there were a major theme for the month, resisting sleep and confusing Going Mom and I would be it. Seriously, the “terrible twos” really do start at 1!  But of course, we wouldn’t change it for the world!

Do you have any favorite memories from your kids for the month? Please share as I’d love to hear!

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