So proud of myself.

Okay, I'm not proud of myself for getting to the coffee shop today to load any much promised pictures. I WILL get it done... eventually. Sorry.

I rode 60 miles today. I only needed to do a 2 hour ride, but I found this tri group.. and they were doing a social ride today. Either 40 miles (which is what I needed) or a 60 mile. We got to the 20 mile mark and I felt pretty good so I decided to keep going. I thought I was going to regret it, but it was FANTASTIC. I stayed strong and don't feel like I'm going to die tonight. I was a little worried b/c the day before yesterday I didn't eat enough (and I've heard it's not the day before the work out that matters so much as the day before that). So I ate a lot of dense foods yesterday and had a great big green smoothie this morning and was great. I ate three Lara Bars on the ride and it worked great. I was out of ripe bananas or I'm sure I would have had some of those too. It felt great to be outside on my bike. We rode out on country/farm roads much like the Wisconsin roads. I had 3.5 hours of almost alone time. It was the best. I got a half day w/ the kids and I totally needed the break. I felt like a much better mom after that.

Last night was another bad bedtime routine night. I've created bad habits. The kids have gotten used to me staying in the room while they fall asleep and it's been lasting longer and longer and longer. I've been so tired that I usually fall asleep during the whole thing. Me on the floor and them in their beds. I used to just let them figure it out and cry some, but now they can get out of their beds so that doesn't work. I lost it last night so I sent my mom up... after I fell asleep and woke up to them STILL awake. Mom ended up separating them last night. Tonight I was sitting in Jason's room while mom was in w/ Lily. Jason was just about asleep I stopped rubbing his back and he looked like he was sleeping so I tried to walk out and he flipped telling me to "sit down". I sat there for a while and he wouldn't go to sleep b/c he had to keep checking to see if I was still there. I decided that this was ridiculous. I am the adult and I shouldn't have to sit in their room for over an hour for them to go to sleep. (it had been almost an hour since we started the books etc). I decided if I was going to be spending so much time w/ their bed time thing I was going to do it right and stop taking the easy way. (which was pissing me off) I told Jason I was going to leave the room and it was time to go to bed. I walked out and he freaked. Jumped out of his bed and followed me. I picked him up put him in his bed and told him it was time for bed. I walked out. The next time he came out I just super nannied him. I picked him up w/o a word or hug and put him back in the bed and walked out. He pulled out all the stops, "mommy hug", "mommy sit", "Mommy rock a bye", "mommy rub back". I just kept doing it over and over again. I most proud of myself for not getting mad at him. (like I usually do) It wasn't a big deal to me this time for some reason. Could be the ride could be the feealing that I was being an active parent and doing the right thing. (FYI: Granny had left Lily's room already and she was asleep through this whole thing)

I'm sure we have a few more nights of this and I"m guessing we'll need to do this again when we get home. Now the question is do we transition them to toddler beds when we get home... since we are / have already done the work. :)

While I was riding the kids went on a bike ride w/ Gpa and met Gma at the park for a picnic. They saw a bunch of turtles and some ducks and had a great time! They also go to go for a bike ride w/ Gpa yesterday while I ran and we will probably do that again tomorrow... though I'm not sure they can hang for a whole hour.

Lily continues to amaze me w/ how much she has changed in the last couple of weeks. Her language has exploded. If you ask her what her name is she will say, "Sissy Mount" So cute how she calls herself Sissy. She will respond to Lily, but always calls herself Sissy. I still struggle w/ carving out moments for just Lily during the day.

Pictures to come soon.