Random tidbits

I signed up for a gym membership in January and I'm pleased to say that I'm actually going! It's way to cold for my taste to go outside and run. That's the main reason I signed up, for the treadmills. Thankfully, it hasn't taken me long to get back up to my 5K pace I ran last June. I know once I get back outside, that pace will be slower just because it's easier to run on a treadmill, but I'm pleased. I think lifting weights has helped to. I haven't seen any change in my weight, but I'm getting more tone to my arms and legs.

We FINALLY replaced our plumbing. Since we bought this house, we've been battling plumbing issues and had several plumbers out to give us estimates on how much it would cost to replace it. We live in an old house - built 1800's old. The plumbing is the old cast iron tile under the house and throughout most of the house, there is some PVC. One of the pipes was corroded and about to burst, and it drained my kitchen sink, washer and dishwasher. The tile under the house that the pipe drained into was cracked and had roots. So to replace this would have cost thousands of dollars, if we tore up the foundation, which we really didn't want to do for many reasons. So we've been saving, putting it off until we realized we couldn't wait anymore. I was sitting at the computer, waiting on laundry when I heard water hitting the basement floor. (Not a finished basement) I go down the stairs, knowing it wouldn't be good. The washer was draining and water was shooting out small holes in the corroded cast iron pipe. I was less than thrilled. So we start looking to see if there was anything we could do until we got a plumber out there. After looking, we realized we did not have to tear into the foundation at all, and that we could probably do it ourselves. We ran new PVC up under the subfloor in the basement and tied it into some existing PVC and completely bypassed the bad tile. Not sure why the plumbers didn't see that option, but oh well. We did it ourselves and we now have brand new plumbing for less than $100, no foundation ripping, and we know can do some plumbing. I'm very happy.

A coworker and I are hoping to be able to go to a conference in New Orleans to see Michelle Murray speak on fetal monitoring and ways to optimize labor and birth. I've never seen her before, but my coworker has seen her several times and said she is wonderful. A bonus is getting to go to New Orleans. I've never really traveled, never been on a plane and never seen the ocean. So this will be awesome for me. I will probably need a sedative to get on the plane, but we'll cross that bridge when it comes. Hopefully Hospital will pay for the conference. We'll have to pay for airfare and the hotel, but it won't be too bad if we book a flight early.

Ah, we are in the midst of the wonderful 2's. There are times I wonder why I even bother. Why do I put food in front of him at lunch, because he never eats it, just throws it on the floor? I wonder why I bother with the gates to keep him out of the kitchen and from going upstairs, because he will scale those suckers with no problems at all. He doesn't like to sleep all night, is up at least 2 times after we put him to bed. He doesn't say too much, although it is getting better, but he sure can say "No, Mommy!" clear as a bell. I'm not a pusher of the potty training, because I feel that when kids are ready, they'll potty train and not before. But Isaiah will say "peepee" and I try to sit him on the toilet, only to realize he just wants to throw toilet paper between his legs or he wants to stand and pee. There are tantrums, tackles, milk spitting and swinging at me when I tell him to stop putting cat food in their water dish. It's probably that selective memory God gave mothers, but I don't think The older two were this difficult, and they were both in this lovely stage together. Yes, he has been more challenging since conception (first bout of morning sickness, preterm labor, being unable to walk more than 2 steps without my uterus contracting, mastitis, etc). But he is one cute little guy and can be awfully sweet when he thinks no one is looking. He gives kisses, likes to play "My Mommy" where he clings to my leg as Daddy or his sibs say "my mommy". I know this stage will pass and before I know it, he'll be off to school, will continue to argue with me, but won't want to get up and will eat me out of house and home!