what sprints have taught me

My friend Leann is a runner.  Like a true runner.  A hard-core train for marathons kind of runner.  The kind that runs 10 miles on a Saturday "just for fun" even when she's not training for anything.  Me?  I like to run, but I'm what I like to call a lazy runner.  I enjoy it and like it, but on my own, I run 3-5 miles 2-3 times a week when the weather is nice.  Just enough to stay in decent running shape and be competitive should I happen to sign up for a 5k.

Leann is also my neighbor.  Like 6 houses away neighbor.  So we run together sometimes.  And naturally, when Leann decided to start training for a marathon, I started doing training runs with her (or I should say part of the long runs).  Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.  Those are run days.  And Tuesday was sprint day.  Sprints are an important part of training to build up strength and speed, but not necessarily something that a runner looks forward to, or is "fun and easy."

So every Monday night Leann would text me and ask if I'm up for sprints the next day, and even though I kind of dreaded sprint day and hoped it would end up raining so we could cancel, I would always say yes.  And each time Leann told me the sprints we had to run I would think "No, I can't do that!  That sounds terrible!"  And every time we got out there and ran sprints and it was hard, I asked myself "why did I say yes to this?!"  Then it was over and sprints were done and I felt great, and strong and so glad I did it.  And that's why I said yes week after week, even though it wasn't fun and it was hard.  I knew I could do it.  I knew I would be glad I did it and the challenge was good for me.  I could see myself getting stronger, the sprints getting easier.  Even though I wanted to say no, I'm so glad I said yes.

That's the benefit of saying yes to hard things.  In this case, sprints, but there are so many other lessons I learn from running that can be applied to life and doing hard things.  Lessons about endurance.  Mindset.  Pushing yourself harder than you think you can.  Doing something you think you can't do.  Getting out of your comfort zone.  Being stronger and more confident because of what you've accomplished and knowing you can do it again.

And now that our training is over and the marathon is ran, I kind of miss sprint day and long runs and know that I'll do it again, if I can, because I will crave the challenge and want to push myself again.  I did end up running the Monumental mini marathon, since I had been training, and was able to run it even faster than I thought I could.  A 1:31 - my best time ever and it was fun.  I felt great and that's because I put in the time to do the hard work, even when I didn't want to (and thankfully I had a friend to push me the whole time!).  So here's a reminder to myself: the next time I want to say no to something hard, do it anyway.  You'll be glad you did.

summer break

Summer break.  Oh summer break.  You had so much potential.  So many opportunities to be fun.  And now you're almost over and I'm not sure what happened.  I wasn't ready for you; I didn't know how much I needed a good plan.

Creighton was supposed to learn to write his name and tie his shoes.
We were supposed to go to the park and library and children's museum and do fun lunch dates.
We were supposed to get into a good summer routine with chores and allowance.
We were going to bake cookies and play in the kitchen.
Beckham was going to get better at basketball and being active everyday.
I was going to have nice morning devotions with the boys and memorize bible verses.
Beckham was going to regularly read to himself.
We were going to eat healthy snacks.

BUT...
We did do Boston and Wisconsin and grandma's house.  Golf lessons and VBS.
Creigh did get a little better at writing his name.
The boys got better at emptying the dishwasher and folding the towels.
We hit up the neighborhood pool and had water balloon fights.
We went to the library a couple times and once to the zoo.
Creighton learned to ride his bike.
We ate popsicles and ice-cream cones from McDonalds.
I read to the boys.
We sometimes did a morning devotion, but had lots of teaching moments to discuss.
There were summer evenings of walks and bike rides and golfing in the yard.

Summer, I wasn't ready for you; you took me by surprise.  You started with me being gone in Hawaii and coming home to house full of boys.  B & C's bickering, stubbornness, and competitive spirits; where did these come from?  It wasn't like this before.  The lack of school schedule, the wide-open and boring days, the complaining about doing a chore.  The asking for snacks, and shows, and friends to come over and play.  Why oh why is it so hard to just have a nice, normal day?  Summer, I wasn't ready for you, and granted, there were moments of fun.  But next year, oh next year, when school gets out, I'm going to be ready with a schedule and goals and activities to do in the sun.

So bring on the lunch boxes, homework and early morning routine.  School schedule is sounding quite nice.  Quiet days with just Ollie will suit me quite well; farewell to you, summer break.

milk supply

One of my goals with Oliver was to work harder at breast feeding and keeping up my milk supply.  I had ok supply with Beckham (nursed until 7 mo but had to supplement some formula and no frozen milk saved up), but things didn't go so well with Creighton.  I resorted to only pumping/bottles with Creighton around two months because I was frustrated with how breastfeeding was going... it seemed like I didn't have enough milk to satisfy him.  Once I started doing that, what little supply I had kind of dwindled off and by four months I had pretty much no milk left.

So this time around I was much more intentional about my milk and I nursed Ollie through 9 months, not because of supply, but just because I was ready to be done and had enough frozen milk to last at least another couple months (which was a big deal for me!).

I know there are many sources for increasing your milk supply on the internet, just thought I would add my input too :)  here's what I did this time around:

+ taking a lactation supplement.  this one from Honest is the one I used and liked it.  I think it was the biggest key to keeping up my supply.
+ drinking lots of water/fluids.  this is a no-brainer, but it really is something you have to consciously think about.  It can get annoying, but I took water with me wherever I went and always had a water bottle with me at home (yes, I had to pee like every hour!).  If I ever actually felt thirsty, I would chug a bunch of water.
+ keeping up my calories.  even if I didn't feel that hungry, I usually ate a small snack in the morning and afternoon.  I also tried to eat plenty of good fats - avocado, nut butters, avocado mayo, coconut milk.
+ not going crazy with exercise.  I don't remember how quickly I started working out after Creighton or what I did, but I'm sure it was more intense than what I did with Ollie.  I started with running about once/week and added a couple other light workouts during the week, but the more I work out, the more I have to work on drinking extra water and it seems to negatively affect my supply.
+ when Ollie ate once at night, he would feed on one side and I would pump the other side... and for a couple months after he slept through the night, I would get up around 3-4a and pump
+ eating lactation bites and overnight oats (and adding flax + brewers yeast to baked goods and homemade pizza crust).  I made this recipe of lactation bites and sometimes added chia or coconut.  They have a slightly bitter taste from the brewer's yeast, but the honey and nut butter hide the brewer's yeast really well.  I like NOW brand of brewer's yeast, which is debittered, so that probably helps.  this is the overnight oat recipe I liked:

1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. coconut or almond milk
1/2 c. frozen berries
1 T. chia seeds
drizzle of maple syrup (or a tsp of lemon curd, which was really yummy)
sprinkle of cinnamon
splash of vanilla (if I felt like it)
put all ingredients in a jar or bowl and refrigerate overnight.  I usually added a little extra milk in the morning to thin out.  these are good for several days in the fridge if you want to make 2 or 3 at a time.

Nursing can be stressful, especially if you are feeling low on milk supply, so I hope this is helpful info!  what have you done to help with your milk supply?

[product highlight] umami paste

If you're like me, there are some products you stumble upon at the grocery store that you want to tell people about because they're so good.  I've decided I need to do more of that, hence this post.

When I found this umami paste at TJ's, it was calling my name and I had to try it!  I have a highly umami palate and love finding fun sauces/pastes that add quick and easy flavor to dishes.  And this stuff did not disappoint.  I love it.  I'll squirt it in tomato sauces, curries, stir-fry's... things like that.  It adds a nice saltiness and richness.  

[side note: if you don't live by TJ's... first, I'm sorry, second, if you really want to try this let me know and I might just mail you one 😁]

Here's a soup I made this week that used the umami paste.  It's almost soup season, but sometimes the things that need used up in my fridge just scream for me to make soup out of them... and I think I'm one of those people that can really eat soup anytime.  This one was super flavorful and delicious.  I'm not much of a recipe repeater, but I think I'll definitely make this again.  Hope you love it if you try it!

How to make the soup:

2 T. bacon grease *

one onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. pepper & paprika

Saute onion and garlic in bacon grease for a few minutes, then add spices and cook a few more minutes until the onions start to get tender.  I wanted to add red wine but didn't have any open... if you do I would recommend adding a big splash at this point.

4-5 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped

squeeze of umami paste, about 1 T.

Add in these ingredients and saute a few more minutes until the tomatoes start to break down.

1c. green lentils

~ 4c. chicken broth

Add lentils and broth.  Cover and simmer until lentils are almost tender.  You could start with 3 c. of broth and add more as needed.  My lentils needed about 4 c. of broth, but I also made my soup pretty thick.

2 c. chopped cooked chicken (optional)

big handful chopped fresh basil

Add in the chicken and basil and cook just until the lentils are tender.  

* or any type of fat if you're not wise enough to save your bacon grease... my husband was delighted when I started doing that and I felt like my mom 😜

** between the umami paste, sun-dried tomatoes, and chicken broth, I didn't have to add any extra salt, but add to your taste if needed

the second month

I feel like I'm getting the hang of this baby thing a little more now that Oliver is two months.  He's more predictable and eats better... some of the hard/annoying things in the beginning work themselves out.  One of my goals, or hopes with Oliver was to really just enjoy each stage.  Partly because I didn't do very good at that with Creighton and his first two years are kind of a blur, and partly because Oliver is likely our last kid.  I'm thankful to say that I really have been enjoying him as a baby.  Yes, there are moments I get frustrated at his crying or feel like I'm not parenting the older boys well when Oliver demands my attention, but I'm trying to be more intentional about soaking in the sweetness of having a baby.

+ will give smiles and coo's, mostly in the morning after he's eaten
+ starting to only wake up at 4/4:30 at night to eat, after eating somewhere between 8-9p for his last feeding of the day
+ still doesn't want to just sit in a swing or bouncy seat while he's awake.  he might give me a happy 5 minutes in his seat, then he's crying for some attention.  needless to say, I hold him a lot while he's awake.
+ starting to like his bath a little, or at least not always cry during it :)
+ still not a fan of his carseat, but he is starting to cry a little less
+ sometimes gets called "boob" by Creighton, who I believe randomly made up the nickname, not realizing how appropriate it is!  😂

getting some of our first smiles!

love how babies tuck their legs when they sleep.  also loving the blue color that we painted the crib.

Ollie gets all the attention. 💕

That side profile... those cheeks and chin :). It's one of the things about him that reminds me most of the other boys... or maybe just Beckham

Creighton loves on Oliver while Beckham is in school... he's constantly kissing him and telling him how cute he is and how much he loves him!

the first month

Alright... how can I not be working and still not find time to do a blog post that isn't over a month late??  Oh well... these posts are more for my information since I don't have a baby book.  I know what my baby is doing isn't really that interesting to anyone else. :)

The first month with Oliver was sweet... both grandmas kept the boys and Chad was home a decent amount and could entertain the older boys, leaving me with quite a bit of one-on-one time with Oliver.  Which was a good thing, because I felt like it took a bit for me to "figure him out," why he was crying, was he hungry or tired, etc.  It all felt a little new and not like "oh, it's my third kid, I got this," since it had been four years since I had a baby.  But of course you figure it out pretty quick, since, well, you've had a baby before. :)  So a little about Ollie...

- he's not quite the "laid back third child" that so many people told me about... at least for now.  he's not a bad baby, just doesn't really sit and chill on his own while he's awake... always wants held.
- is already pretty routine, which I love.  starting at about 3 weeks he eats at 8-9p, goes to bed and gets up around 1a/4a/7a at night, then eats every 3-3 1/2 hrs during the day.
- he is not a fan of his car seat and riding in the car.  even the times I've just fed him and we go somewhere and I think surely he'll be happy... usually he's not.  he's not great at self-soothing and just cries and cries... once in a while he doesn't or he finally stops after crying most of the way.  the other boys don't seem to mind, so that's a plus.  I thought they would get bugged by his crying but don't.
- he can roll over!  I think he did it the first time around 3 weeks and I wasn't sure I believed he did it!  he sleeps on his tummy and a few times when he's gotten mad while crying, he's rolled over to his back.  I haven't seen him do it, but he did it for the pediatrician during his one month appointment while I was taking C to the bathroom, so I have an official eye witness.
- he's quickly gaining weight, as did my other boys.  he was 9 lbs. 5 oz. at his one month appointment, gaining a little more than 2 lbs. in the first month.
- the boys are really sweet and patient with him.  they want to hold and kiss him frequently and love to hover around me while I'm feeding him... much to my dismay. ;)  Beckham also informed that it was weird when I was pumping 😆

the arrival of Oliver Douglas

And just like that.. our much deliberated, much anticipated third child has arrived.  How does 9 months go so slow and so fast at the same time?!  I will say, despite my days being consumed with feedings and little sleep and figuring out what a 1 week old baby could possibly be mad about, being on this side of pregnancy is much better than being pregnant!  To meet the little baby you've been carrying and get to snuggle them and watch them grow is so sweet.

I had previously joked in this post that the baby would probably be overdue and I wondered if his delivery would be like the other boys.  Well, Oliver was almost overdue and came just one day before my due date and his delivery was Nothing like Beckham or Creighton's.  It was so much better, faster and smoother... such a blessing.

For starters, my water didn't break first like it did both times before, which I've heard makes the contractions more bearable and I think I agree.  Of course it was still painful, but maybe just a smidgen less.  Second, everything progressed very fast!  A little timeline:

around 2p: started to feel some mild contractions but didn't want to get my hopes up b/c I had them on the Saturday before and they had stopped.
2:30-4p: hung out with a friend and chatted since the boys were at Sheli's house and I had the day to myself (yea for friends that are neighbors and live around the corner!)... still having the same contractions, maybe getting slightly more painful
4-4:30p: went home and showered, contractions getting a little more painful.  We were supposed to go to Sheli's house for dinner and I let her know I was having contractions but I thought we could still come to dinner.
4:30-5: got ready, finished packing my hospital bag, as I was pretty sure this was the real deal.
5p: called Chad (who was on way home from work) and let him know that we wouldn't be going to Sheli's for dinner b/c my contractions were too painful.  Called the doctor.  By this time I was breathing through contractions.
5:15p: Chad gets home from work and we leave for the hospital.  It felt like every contraction got more painful on the way there.  I was hoping I would be at least 5 cm dilated by the time we got to the hospital.. Chad told me not to hope for more than a 3 and was expecting another 10 hours of labor.
5:45p: Arrive at hospital and check in.  I'm dilated to a 7!!  I was hoping to not get an epidural this time (mostly b/c I thought it would help me push better/faster than with the other boys) and once I realized how far along I was, I knew I wouldn't have to get one.
6:30p: Little Oliver is born!  Such a different experience without an epidural.  It's hard and painful but better in the sense that you feel everything your body is telling you to do and there's such a sense of satisfaction when it's all over!

6 lbs 15 oz. 20" long

such long little toes!

the boys didn't know what to think of Oliver in the hospital... Beck has tentative and sweet with him and Creigh kind of acted like he didn't exist and tried to be the center of attention as much as possible... not too different than what we expected :) 

Oliver had some jaundice and had to be under the lights at the hospital...  I was loving that cute little mask he had to wear until I realized how much he didn't like it, or being under the lights!

amazing how those teeny tiny newborn clothes can be baggy on a baby!

we're thinking Oliver looks a lot like Creighton!  I even find myself calling him Creighton... 

a newborn pic of Beckham

and one of Creighton