Update.

Sorry the updates have been few and far between recently.  Life has been busy and so has work.  Guess I shouldn't really complain about that.

Weekly weigh in went well down to a shade over 187 now, only about 10 lbs to go till my goal weight.

Went for a great run a few days ago.  Covered 5 miles in less than 44 minutes.  Hopefully I can hold this pace or better during the marathon relay.  My goal for my 6.7 mile leg is to finish in under an hour.

I haven't been on the bike much in the last few weeks except for a few short rides on the trainer in the mornings before work when my legs were too tired to run.

Noah is doing great, pretty sure without a doubt he said DA to me the other day.  He is now pulling to stand with minimal or no assistance.  He can do the sign language for "MILK," and he shakes his head back and forth like he is showing "NO" even though I think he is just doing it to get that dizzy feeling.  Because he hasn't really used it to say NO, except once when I was trying to feed him cereal.  Gonna try to discourage him from using NO too much, but it is hilarious to watch him sit and shake his head till he falls over.

Life is good...weight in this week may not be, I have not been a good weight watchers disciple this week.

More soon friends, thanks for reading!

7 Months!

On Saturday Noah coasted on through the 7 month anniversary of his birth day!  He is developing quite the personality these days.  He is just a joyful, happy, and silly little boy.  While he may not be breaking any land speed records on his way to crawling...he loves to hold your hands and stand.  He can sit and play with his toys for literally hours on end.  We are learning how fun a baby can be when they are teething and on limited sleep (sarcasm).  Noah is sampling the culinary masterpieces of his wonderful mother as she makes all sort of delicious vegetable purees for him!  Broccoli, green beans, peas, zucchini, and yellow squash have been on the menu since he turned 6 months.  While he was hesitant at first with the peas, he is really getting the hang of this whole chewing thing now!  As a first time parent it is really enjoyable to experience these things with him for the first time.  I am reading up now on some parenting books and methods to help better understand how I can help Noah develop into a strong, independent, courteous, and responsible individual.  I will post a review after I finish reading.

Without further adieu here are the 7 month and St. Patty's Day pictures!

Thanks for reading!

Flashback 6 months ago...

On Friday Christine, Noah, and I traveled out to a close friends house to visit with them and their new 3 week old.  We took over a meal ready to eat for them...well more like a meal ready for their crockpot for the weekend, and spent some quality time talking and trading "war" stories.

They are so happy to be parents, but they are exhausted and learning to adjust and cope with the ever demanding schedule of first time parenthood.  The constant feedings, the crying, the diapers, and the endless stream of visitors and well wishers through the home.

It got me thinking, you know, no matter what people tell you about having your first child, NOTHING prepares you for that first few weeks or months.  Friends and family can tell you that you won't sleep, you will be emotional wrecks, you will be exhausted but NOTHING prepares you for the reality.  

The amount of strain and stress that a newborn puts on the parents is immense.  That's no joke, you are taking care of a little being that is 100% dependent on you 100% of the time.  The reward though is that first smile.  That first recognition that you are mommy or you are daddy.  The first few weeks feel like a thankless task.  That the baby doesn't love you or care that you care so much about him/her.  The reality is they are lost without you and they need you. 

If your situation is anything like ours was, then as a husband/father you are watching your wife struggle with the reality that she is the primary food source for your child as well.  She is responsible for all the feedings 24/7.  The best possible thing you can do as the father is EVERYTHING else to make it easier.  There is NOTHING you can do about your wife not sleeping through the night, but you can change all the diapers when you are home.  You can handle the baths, you can clean the house, prepare the meals, and tell her everything will be fine when she cries.  

Speaking of crying, there isn't much you can do about that either.  You can do something nice she will cry, you can do something mean, she will cry, you can do nothing at all, she will cry.  Until those hormones get back in check she will be an emotional rollercoaster.  Be patient, be calm, and ride it out she needs you more then ever those first few months.  

The importance of doing everything else for your child while your wife plays the part of feed machine is that you form an inseperable bond between father and child.  That is something that will stick with you and your child forever.  

The first few weeks feel like an eternity, between all night feedings, wet diapers every hour or two, spit-up, and visitors it really feels like baby-hell.  But the amazing thing about time, regardless of how slow it is ticking past is that it keeps moving forward.  One day you put the baby to bed at his/her normal bedtime, and wake up at 6 am and think, OH GOD WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CHILD!  You jump out of bed rubbing the sleep out of your eyes, run down the hallway, spring into their room, stick your head down in the crib only to hear the sweet sigh of your sleeping child.  You pause for a second and then realize that you just got more sleep in one night than you have in the last week, you smile to yourself, and crawl back into bed with your wife, only to hear the cries of your child calling you back for breakfast.  

For all my friends or readers who are first time parents, first time expecting parents, or someday wanna-be parents... The first few weeks/months will be a very trying time, stick with it.  IT GETS BETTER.  MUCH, MUCH, BETTER!

Finding the Rhythm

There is a rhythm to our day to day lives.  When that rhythm goes away or gets disturbed it usually throws most of us into a tailspin or causes undo stress.  The same can be said for our workouts.

Cycling and running have a certain rhythm that once achieved really seems to help the miles melt away.  One of the things that has been missing since Noah has been born was my ability to get outside and run.  90% or more of my miles have been on a treadmill or indoor cycle trainer.  Not that I am complaining, I love my days off with Noah but sometimes a change of scenery can do wonders to get you back in rhythm.

Christine was out shopping with her mother this past Friday, and I had a half day at work so afterwards I headed out to a nice stretch of the montour trail in Bethel Park to log some 55 degree winter weather miles.  I set out at a nice clip...looked down at my watch and realized I was over cooking it at about a 6:45 mile pace.  YIKES!  I haven't held a pace like that since my Cross Country days in high school!  Once I settled into my stride though I was able to consistently maintain about a 8:30 mile pace.  This part of the trail isn't particularly hilly or steep but the first mile is a constant low percentage grade.  I crossed the 1 mile mark at about 7:50 into my run, I wanted to back down a bit to make sure I had the energy to complete my goal of 4 faster miles.

Around the 2 mile mark I really found my rhythm, the beat of the music, the wind, the patter of my shoes on the soft limestone trail and I was cruising along.  There was very little traffic on the trail, and before I knew it I had reached my starting point again.  I finished strong and stretched out.

4.11 Miles, 34:31.

Not too shabby for a guy who was running 10+ minute miles a year ago.

I felt like I could have (and should have) gone another one or two miles at that pace but I really wanted to get home and see my family.