Stuff we need to blog about

Not that our lives are that much more interesting than yours, but we probably need to put some information up here to, you know, help us remember in years to come.

1. We have three full grown, laying hens again. We lost two, tragically, just before moving into the new house. We really ought to get pictures of them up here. You simply would not believe the size of Boxy, the barred rock. I'm also happy to say that Veronica, the americauna, did survive chick-hood, and the laying of her first egg: a traumatic affair. Audrey is still pretty and friendly, but her eggs are just awful compared to those of the younger hens. Still better than anything you get at the store, mind you.

2. Bryce has started school at a Montessori program only 3 blocks from our house! This accomplishes several things. First of all, we no longer have to drive all the way to the North Valley of Albuquerque to take him to school and pick him up at the end of the day. He's also in school for a shorter time period every day - 9 to 2 rather than 8 to 5. I think that it's better for his psyche. He has made the transition with ease, and he loves his new school. We're having to figure out how to address his "spiritual education," though, as the school is part of the Lutheran church. Neither of us is Lutheran, so it's an interesting challenge when the kid comes home letting us know that God is a "big man who is magic and made the world with his magic wand."

3. Ty is a writing machine. I don't mean that he's a word processor or a typewriter, but that he is diligent and productive, despite having two kids at home now.

4. I remain employed! ...but for how long? I have funding on a contract through the State department of health through June. After that, who knows? Hopefully one or two grants will come through and I'll be secure until next June (2013) when my contract goes back into full-time status.

Other than that, I knitted a kick-ass stocking for Ty. I'll try to get a picture of that up for posterity. And we survived the holidays again this year, though it was a close call there around hour two of Bryce's present-opening extravaganza. The baby continues to grow and so does the boy. The dogs continue to be a nuisance.

Life is good.

Stuff Bronwyn does at 6 months

She likes to scream loudly when she’s not happy with her current situation. We try to ignore this.

She enjoys grabbing her feet and sucking on her toes during diaper changes.

She likes to grab and pull my hair. It makes her laugh hysterically.

She will eat a little bit of solid food, but she exhales/blows out as soon as the food is in her mouth. I wear a lot of it.

She will watch, and laugh at, Bryce any chance she gets.

She enjoys riding in her stroller on walks with Papa to take Bryce to school.

She likes Sharka. She will grab her fur whenever she gets a chance, and giggles when Sharka snuffles her.

She flirts with strangers at restaurants/coffee shops/etc.

She kicky-kicky-kicks her legs when she’s really happy or excited, and sometimes she buries her face in her papa’s chest when she gets just way too happy.

She has a tooth on the bottom left, and enjoys chewing on anything she can get into her mouth. She would LOVE to get hold of the newspaper but has thus far been thwarted in her every attempt. She did nearly eat a receipt I didn’t catch until it was almost too late.

5-K RUN

I DID IT!

I ran the 5K race at the 2011 Duke City Marathon. I ran the whole time. My time SUCKED!! It took me 40 minutes. But that doesn't matter because my goal was to run the whole race and not walk, and I DID IT... in 40.00 minutes. I could have run faster and walked a bit, but I wanted to run. And I did! FOR 40.00 MINUTES.

I would post my finisher's picture here for you to admire, but it's $39 to download your finisher's picture. Ridiculous. The Duke City Marathon benefits the New Mexico Cancer Center, but the photo purchase benefits only the photo company.

I imagine they make a killing on this sort of thing.

I came in 716th place overall out of 852 runners in the 5K, and 44th out of 56 in my age group for females.

I want to do another one...

This Little PIggy

5-K

I signed up for the Duke City Marathon 5-K race. I don't think that I'll actually be "racing" so much as "hoping that I can run the whole time, and finish."

I started this week with walk/runs for 25 minutes, taking Bryce in the jogging stroller. Downloaded a nifty little app (free!) to use on the iPod. It basically just shouts out when to walk and when to run, and it will gradually up the running time and lower the walking time until I'm running the whole time. It feels so good! The only challenge is, of course, finding time to go do it. There's no way I can get myself out of bed before 6:30 a.m., so running on weekdays gets tricky.

This, and Ty and I finally hooked up the kid-trailer to the bicycle. Bryce enjoyed his ride and Ty felt pretty good afterward too!

Bronwyn chats

Bryce as a horse

Click to see Bryce as a horse! It may be a little early for Halloween...

Is it a little early for Halloween crafts?

Bronwyn in the bouncy-chair

L & D

I had to go to OB triage the other day because I was incredibly ill with whatever horrible virus has been circulating, and I just needed to see a doctor (or, in this case, a nurse midwife - just as good, if not better). All the rooms were full, so I had to wait in the waiting area, which is between OB triage and the Labor & Delivery unit - L&D.

I watched all the people in the waiting room, they were there waiting for new grandchildren or brothers, or sisters, or nieces, nephews, etc. They were patient and happy. One older gentleman and his wife looked a bit concerned. I saw them wheel a woman and her brand new bundle out of L&D to the elevator that takes you down to the Mother/Baby unit. She looked exhausted and happy.

I started to feel sad that I'm not going to ever go into an L&D unit again as a patient. Sad, and at the same time, totally relieved. But still there was a sadness I can't deny. I did like being pregnant for 6 of the 10 months, but I am also really happy to be not pregnant. So much ambivalence!

So the child-bearing part of my life is done, and I'm working for the next 20-odd years on the child-rearing part.