"If you run, you are a runner."

Yep.

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The Truth About Being a New Dad

Let's lay it all on the table. And let's start with what's on everyone's mind.....

Henry is 19 weeks old. That's about 4.5 months. Pharmie and I have had sex three times since he was born. Yep, there it is. Pharmie got a little... umm... shall we say "roughed up" during Henry's birth. I didn't want to jump the gun and go too quick - I was totally fine taking our time to get "back at it." The doctor said 6 weeks. We waited 8 to play it safe. But for the last 11 weeks, we've been too pooped to do "anything." Henry has just started sleeping through the night, and that has helped. It's hard to feel "frisky" when you're being woke up every few hours.

(Henry used to sleep in a "pack-n-play" at the foot of our bed, but about a week ago we moved him to his crib in his room. It worked well for him to be in the pack-n-play because if he woke up mad and got TOO hungry too quickly, he could easily get too pissed to eat if Pharmie wasn't ready soon enough. But the pack-n-play also "wiggles" a lot, and Henry's a "twitchy" baby, and we think he sometimes would wake himself up and then be pissed. He slept through the night for the first 5 nights he slept in his crib! [And the last 2 nights he's just woken up once.] I think simply a more sturdy bed kept him from waking himself up. Even in the few days leading up to starting to sleep in the crib, he would wake up 2-5 times a night.)

All babies are a lot of work. Henry fit the definition of colic perfectly (he wasn't just "cranky") for about the first 15-17 weeks. He couldn't be left alone. Not only that, but he NEEDED to be held. And even then, it wasn't uncommon for him to be screaming. He's just recently gotten better. Pharmie and I think that the major change in her diet (cutting out wheat, soy, and dairy) along with him just getting older has helped. He now has a personality. He likes to flirt. He's a lot of fun.

It hasn't all been "bad" to have a baby....

My "time management" skills have SKYROCKETED! Pharmie and I have both mentioned this. Now, if one of us doesn't have Henry, we can get SOOO much done in 20 free minutes! And for me, that includes grading student work. (I recently graded a lot of student work and left more comments than usual and finished all of them sooner than I ever have.)

I fall more and more in love with Pharmie based on watching her and Henry. I can't tell you how much I love to see them talk to each other. I've found my eyes welling up a little as I watch them from across the room sometimes. Or maybe that's just because I'm jealous of how much time he gets to spend with her boobs.

The biggest "up side" to having a baby? This face:

Early in the morning before Pharmie's race last weekend


"Hat Time" with Daddy

It sounds stupid, but I've heard everyone say it: "Having a kid is so much work, but they're totally worth it." I was skeptical. I've wanted to say "Really? REALLY? Are you sure you're not just saying that because that's what you're SUPPOSED to say? Come on... tell me the truth." But you know what? It IS true. Those moments he cracks a smile, or mimics your noises, or giggles when you play with him are priceless.

We wouldn't trade our little guy for the world.

Well, we'd maybe trade him for the chance to take a 3 hour nap on a Saturday afternoon....


UPDATE:
This is part of a comment from blogger buddy Carolina John. I needed to add this in as part of the regular post. This is gold:

...babies will ruin your life. When we say that everyone says "you mean change right?" No, I mean ruin. The life you had before is completely destroyed. That doesn't mean that what you are left with is bad, just that it's so completely different nobody can understand it until you actually join the club and have a baby. When you're pregnant, you get sick of people telling you how much it will change your life, then you see the change and wonder why nobody was able to warn you.

Back with more on my "training" with Henry lately, and what I'm hoping to do over the winter.

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The Winner of the Lazer Aero Helmet is...

Yesterday, I printed off all of the 271 entries in the Lazer Helmet Giveaway. After giving an extra entry to those who earned it (by tweeting), there were 368 names in the hat!

So I added my variables into random.org:

And I picked a winner with one click:

Who was #252? That corresponded with Fierceheadwind (which is a pretty funny name of someone who just won an areo helmet - that "fierce headwind" won't be nearly as bad in your new Tardiz!).

Congrats FierceHeadWind!!

Back with more shortly...

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Pharmie's 5 Mile Race at "Run For the Apples"

Yesterday was a fun day. Pharmie and I woke up Henry, the 3 of us all got ready to go, I headed out to teach a Photoshop workshop at CVA, Henry got dropped off at his Aunt Steph's and Uncle Jon's house, and Pharmie met some old college friends to do the "Run for the Apples 5 Miler!"

Maddy, Pharmie, and Jess

Maddy and Pharmie were just going to chat and hang out near the back of the pack. This was TOTALLY going to be a "fun run" for them. And (I think this is correct) this was Pharmie's first race where she ran with a camera. She snapped these photos along the way:

Lining up for the start


Running through the changing trees


Self-portrait with Maddy


Maddy having a good time next to some tractors


Another (slightly better) self-portrait with Maddy


Runners looping through the prairie

Pharmie told me a funny story that happened near the end of the race that proved she was just there to have fun. Someone asked "How much farther?" Pharmie said "Well, we went past the mile 3 marker a while ago, so I'd guess it's under an 800 from here." Maddy had to stop her: "Uhh, Pharmie, this is a FIVE mile race, not a FOUR mile race, so there's about 1.5 miles left..." Pharmie was THRILLED to hear that, because she wanted more time to chat with Maddy! Ha! I love my wife! :)

Nearly done with the finish line arch in the middle


Luke, Maddy, Pharmie, Jess, and Al post-race

Pharmie and Maddy did a good job of sticking to their "let's just have fun and chat" game-plan. They finished 514th and 515th out of around 700 runners, and Pharmie couldn't stop talking about the fun she had with her friends!

I hope you guys ALL had fun! Wish I could have been there!

I'll be announcing the Lazer Helmet winner sometime on Monday or Tuesday, and then I'll have more on my athletic goals for the winter. (And a bit about the truth about being a new dad.)

Have a great week!

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Friday Funny 235: 10 Signs You May Not Finish Your Marathon

Funny list from Elite Feet that gives you the 10 Signs You May Not Finish Your Marathon:

These signs are giving me the feeling it's going to be a tough run:

10. Breakfast...McDonalds. Lunch....McDonalds. Dinner.....McDonalds.

9. While waiting in the start corral you are wondering if wearing a brand new pair of shoes is a good idea.

8. Training program: 1 mile a day, 2 mile long run on the second Tuesday of next week.

7. You realize the night before that a marathon is 26.2 miles NOT 2.62.

6. At every aid station you take a gatorade, a water, and a nap.

5. Your training book is "You can finish a Marathon" by Richard Simmons.

4. You start to taper your training 6 months ahead of the race.

3. At mile 10 you realize the pain in your chest is the sad clown face of blood on your shirt from rubbing your nipples bare.

2. The strategy that you will be using for the race is to keep up with the Kenyans for 5 miles, bag the time, and take it easy from there.

1. Your race attire prominently says "Beer".

Im trying #6 sometime....

Reminder: if you haven't entered the Lazer Helmet giveaway, scroll down a few posts or click here to enter. You have just over a day to throw your name in the hat for a sweet $175 aero helmet!

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Friday Funny 234: Sexy Pin-Up Photos

These images have been making their way around the photo world lately. They make a hilarious statement on sexuality. These photos from photographer Rion Sabean show men in stereotypical female pin-up poses:

Go to Rion Sabean's website to see them all AND to order a calendar. Sexy fun time.

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TC 10 Mile and Marathon Photos

Here are some photos from Brightroom Photography of "my clan" at work during the TC 10 Mile and TC Marathon.

First, here are a few of me in the 10 Mile:

Around mile 4, looking a little awkward.


Oh, there's that "vein of approval" in my forehead
that pops out when I'm working hard!
(And there's my damn "dainty pinky" that sticks out! WTF!)


I like my Sugoi Tuke Hat because it's small enough to carry if I get too warm.
I think I took it off around mile 4 or 5.


"What?.... a 5:27 final mile?!?...."


YES! The coveted "stopping my watch as a 1-legged pirate" photo!


Finishing...


... and awkwardly slowing down.

Pharmie's Uncle John has run the 10 Mile with us the last 3 years, but her family can never manage to see him run by to get a photo! So I have to make sure to show off Uncle John here:

At mile 4.


Great looking final kick!

Next was my brother-in-law Matt (whom you may know as the other half of the Duathlon Relay "Team Happy Pants"). Here are 2 photos of Matt hitting the line:

Matt's the one with the sexy exposed chest hitting the first mat.


Hitting his watch just after finishing.

Finally, it was Mike's first road race EVER (Matt's younger brother), and he started by finishing a 10 miler! Here's Mike hitting the line in blue:

Congrats Mikey!!

As we were all finishing the 10 Mile, Pharmie was out there making a new friend in the Marathon. She wasn't going for a PR; she was just out there to get through her 12th straight TC Marathon 16 weeks after giving birth to our son. She ran with someone named Shelley the entire way, and it was Shelley's FIRST marathon! Here they are around the half-way point:

Pharmie in pink, Shelley in green, and Bob in white
(another new friend who ran with them for a few miles).


With Shelley at mile 26!


Just feet from the finish!


Shelley and Pharmie hitting the finish!

Pharmie ran the whole race with Shelley, and then they shared a hug after finishing. As we watched her finishing video, we saw their embrace just after crossing the line:

Screenshot of the video.

And to wrap-up the TC 10 Mile and Marathon, check out these links if you've missed them:

- My race report
- Everyone else's race and "farm animal fun"
- Pharmie's 12th TC Marathon race report on her blog
- This years crazy (and SEXY) "farm animal" VIDEO

One final link: if you haven't entered the Lazer Helmet giveaway, scroll down 2 posts or click here to enter. You've got a few more days to throw your name in the hat for a sweet $175 aero helmet!

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Post TC 10 Mile Gross Feet

My new Nike Zoom Structure Triax have been treating my feet MUCH BETTER than my Brooks Adrenalines. I'd been wearing Brooks for a while, but my toes kept getting beat up. Going back to Nikes was a good decision.

However, I noted the following in my TC 10 Mile race report from around the 5 mile mark:

My legs felt OK, my breathing wasn't too bad, and what hurt the most was the bottom of my feet. They were starting to scream!

Well, just a few days ago (2 weeks after the race), I finally got some photos of my feet. They don't really look that bad, but you have to keep in mind that the abuse they underwent was 2 weeks ago.

Soft blister and hairy, hairy, hairy toes


Callous on big toe, and a blood blister with a callous over it lower down my foot


Odd, tiny blood blister on the tip of my toe


Peeling and trimming the blister

Really, my feet aren't doing bad at all. This slight mess came from the 10 mile race - most runs treat my feet just fine now! Thanks Nike!

Back with race photos from the TC 10 Mile tomorrow! And if you haven't entered the Lazer Helmet giveaway, scroll down 1 post or click here to enter.

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