Mid December

Training has been going ok.  Wednesday was a longer running section.  I'd been doing 2 minutes of running, followed by 2 minutes of walking, repeated for 30ish minutes.  Sometimes that was ok, sometimes it was a struggle.  Wednesday was 3 run, 2 walk.  I was dreading it, but it went really well, and I didn't wish I was dead.  I've kept up with workouts with week.  And I ever threw in an extra one after running on Wednesday.  I've been wanting to do more leg/butt strengthening training, but I didn't want to be sore for running.  I figured Wednesday to Saturday would be enough recovery, which it was.  So I may have start including that, when the kids will let me.  I haven't done my 4 mile run yet (it's 2/2).  I didn't sleep great, and was exhausted when the alarm went off.  But I should be able to do it some point this morning.

Everyone is well again, finally.  And, I think we've finally found a solution for Bertram's sleeping issues.  We had to stay in his room til he fell asleep, and then he'd wake up several times in the night and either get in bed with us, or we'd have to sleep with him.  One night, I left the reading light on in his room.  (We call it the Nana light, as it used to only be in the room when my mom visited).  He slept all night.  Now we've done it for the past 4 nights, and he stays in his room all night.  I think he was waking up in the dark and feeling lost or confused.  Now when he wakes up, he sees all is well and goes back to sleep.  Hallelujah!  I got several nights of 6 hours uninterrupted sleep, it was amazing.

Bertram is doing well with school.  He plays with a couple other boys, Kunal and Mayson.  (I don't think I mentioned previously that Bertram bit Mayson.  It was a confusing situation, since the teacher didn't see it happen.  Bertram said Mayson put his finger in Bertie's mouth while he was talking.  Which sounded like a lie, but Mayson later told the teacher the same thing.  So I'm not sure.  But I made Bertram write an apology note, and I apologized to his mom.)  I made his appointment for Kindergarten registration.  :sob:  I can't believe he'll be starting real school in the fall.  The district used to do half day kindergarten, but stopped (I'd guess) because parents had issue with child care.  I'm bummed that he'll be gone all day.  Plus that seems like a long time for a kid to sit still and listen.

Bronwyn has been picking up a lot of new words lately.  She calls our cat meow-meow.  She loves the Christmas trees and lights.  I counted yesterday, and she has almost 30 words (she'll be 17 months in a few days).  I think when Bertram was 18 months he had about 80 words, so she'll be close to that, I think.  She is very dramatic, and will throw herself to the floor when she is unhappy with something.  She is getting molars.  She has been eschewing all naps lately.  She still needs them, she just refuses.  It's irritating, because then she's a grump, which in turn makes me a grump. She was doing a pattern of wake up around 7, back to sleep around 8 until 10:30 or 11.  Then nap again from 1-3ish.  Maybe she only needs one nap now. I guess I'll have to experiment with that.  She is at an age that makes it very hard for me to do things while she's awake.  She is our little octopus, hands into everything.  And she still loves to put everything in her mouth. 

Aaron is currently hating his new job.  It doesn't seem like a very defined position.  For the first couple weeks no one knew what he should be doing with his time.  Then they had him work on a project that got scrapped.  So now he's back to reading manuals and twiddling his thumbs. 

My depression game is still strong.  I think I'm going to have to switch meds again.  What I'm on might be working if I were also taking Adderall, but Bron is still nursing, so I'll have to wait.

Once again, it's been a month

I started training for the half marathon, then stopped.  We (the state of California) had a lots of forest fires, and even though they weren't near us, the air quality was awful.  Apparently, on one of the really bad days San Francisco had the worst air quality in the world, beating Delhi and everywhere in China.  Our normal viability is 10 miles, some of the days it was down to a mile.  I ran on one or two of the days, but then I was coughing, and had a sore throat.  Shortly after that a plague descended on our house.  Everyone had fevers.  Aaron had the flu (the actual, real, flu).  But since he had his flu shot, it only lasted 5 or 6 days.   No one else got the flu, but Bertram and I had bad, wet coughs.  Now everyone is well, except Bronwyn.  I took her to the doctor on Friday.  She does not have the flu (she tested negative).  Some other kind of virus.  She is still snotty, and coughing, and has low fevers off and on.  But she is improving.  Anyway, I start training again on Monday.  I'm looking forward to starting again. 

My depression has been worse recently.  I'm not sure if it has to do with lack of exercise, or just my chemistry.  My depression just makes me blah.

We had a nice Thanksgiving.  We went out on Black Friday just to Barnes and Noble, Target and Bath and Body works. 

I'm pretty close to done with Christmas shopping.  I have to look over what I have to send to Virginia, and make sure I have everyone.  Also, I have money from my stepdad to buy gifts, but I haven't done that yet.  I think I'm going to get Bertram/me a season pass to the local amusement parks (Great America, and Gilroy Gardens).

Today we went to Target.  I had the kids choose gifts for each other.  Bertram chose a Duplo set for Bronwyn (and him, I suspect, since he loves Legos).  Bron chose a Paw Patrol toy for Bertram.  She wanted to choose a stuffed animal (since she loves them), but I had her chose between a few other things.  We got lunch at Five Guys.  Bronwyn said "more burger".  She has been getting a lot more words lately.  Mama, dada, up, no, more, happy, duck, dog, star, book, that, baby, and probably a few others I'm forgetting.  After lunch we went downtown to the Joyce Ellington Library.  They had a petting zoo.  We got there early, so we went in.  Bertram settled in a read, while Bron walked around, and played.  She read some too.  I found some Lego books for Bertram, and a few level 2 readers.  Then we went out to the petting zoo.  There were chickens, ducks, pigs, goats, sheep, and alpaca.  Bertram didn't want to go in.  He said the animals were too stinky.  Bronwyn had a blast.  There was one white duck, which was her favourite.  She kept pointing at it, and saying duck!  After that we came home.  Bronwyn napped, and Bertram built his new lego set (that he bought with his allowance).  In the evening we went to the Christmas dinner/program.  Bertram went up with the kids, but didn't preform.  The cousins went up and preformed (even though they don't go to our church), it was really cute.  Bertram didn't want to see Santa.  Bronwyn sat with Santa for a minute.

That white duck was her favourite.

That brown duck was nippy (she bit me). She bit Bronwyn (not hard) and Bronwyn laughed.

Aaron was the narrator for the program.

Bertram and a buddy.

The other kids were singing.

I'm still feeling meh about church.  I'm still trying.  I keep finding myself being jealous of those who no longer attend, and conversely, jealous of families that are really happy in church.  I just kind of feel like a liar.  

Well, that was a downer.  Let me think of something better to end with.

Oh, I know.  (This is more interesting, I think).  We've been discussing a third kid.  Well, we've been talking about number of kids since before we were married.  I think in terms of thinking logically, having a third is a bad idea.  But really, I'm not sure how much logic has to do with it.  It's like head vs heart.  If that makes sense.  Either way, I'm going to wait til after the half marathon to decide.  Hopefully, I'll have lost some weight by then, which would make pregnancy easier, and healthier is always better.

Oh, also, I think after the new year, I'm going to stop eating meat again.  Aaron's cousin has been vegetarian for about 3 years, so he's a good resource.  I'm looking at recipes with protein, and less pasta.  

Ok, until next month (hahah).  Hopefully sooner.