Chill Weekend

Leslie and I did our week's LSD in the UP Academic Oval (see photo) - finished a total of 18kms, but was dying at 15 so had to walk-run the remaining and I think I just used the last km. to cool down.  Hence, just brisk walked it.

It was my first time to run there (Leslie's 3rd, I think) and boy did I enjoy it! We got there at around 5:30AM and the place was almost deserted.  People started flocking in at around 7AM, but did not get too crowded to run decently.  I think that I will frequent the oval for my LSDs.  Much nearer than BHS and a better route for me than the Greenhills area.

Yay for my weekend discovery! Speaking of weekend, I loved the past weekend! It was both relaxing and productive! :) Started the weekend with that LSD in UP, then went home and prepared for Liam's check-up.  So glad that he finally grew 3cms taller and gained 400grams! Inspite of the fact that he's no longer breastfed, I cannot thank God enough for allowing Liam to be such a healthy, happy baby boy.  To date, he has never gotten sick, no fever, cough and colds (except for the ones that come when he cries).  I was initially worried/insecure about his weight - I was thinking, why can't I have a cute, chubby baby boy? Am I feeding him wrong? But then, I realized that it has nothing at all to do with being healthy! As a matter of fact, he can do so much more since he's slim - he can now prop himself up and stand by his playpen! The doctor says that other chubbier babies do this only at 10 months.

Anyway, enough about my mommy raves! Went home for lunch after and spent the rest of the afternoon with the baby <3 Since Breaking Dawn 2 was already showing, husband decided to take me out on a date :) Heard mass, went to dinner at his favorite - Arya, and watched the movie.

Sunday was even more relaxing, as I just mostly spent it at home, save for the morning trip to Trinoma where I had to buy Liam pajamas at Mothercare.

Ahh, love lazy/chill/relaxing weekends spent NOT doing school work! Hoping there'll be more to come! :)

What what?

What happened? Has it really been almost 2 months since my last blog entry?! Again, what happened? Well, school/work/Liam/going back to running happened.  And I can't complain.  I know that the busier I am, the more productive I am, too! :-) So this should be a good thing.

Updates on my 3-dimensional life:

On Running...
I am very proud to say that I have gone back to consistently running! I am back to running with A.  Although my progress seems to be quite slow, I am still very happy to say that yes, there is progress! We run every Wednesdays and this week, I was able to finish 7kms! Happy happy.  Next week seems quite daunting, though, as we aim to finish 9kms.  Of course, this is all in preparation for the Adidas KOTR Run which I signed up for:

Note: I registered for 10kms only, as CA thinks (and so do I!) that I'm still not ready for 16.8 :-) 

Photo from Adidas KOTR website.

So apart from this run, I also bravely registered for The Bull Runner's Dream Marathon happening in February 24, 2013! If you know me well, I have always wanted to run a marathon simply because I want that feeling of accomplishment I will get after crossing a 42-km-run's finish line.  Here's my welcome kit: 

Of course, CA will be helping me train for this ;) Two weeks ago, while running, he was talking about how, at the rate I'm going, I should just run with his wife (Lani).  I had to encourage him by saying, "Uyy don't give up on me! I'll get there again!" Parang baliktad, ako yung nag cheer on sa coach ko, hahaha! Anyway, it's all good.  I know it's harder to train this time since I haven't been running for over a year (sayang, I was halfway there with that Goldilocks 2012 half-marathon) plus, I gained so much weight so I'm heavier now, harder to run.  So it takes extra effort now, but I'm up for it.  After all, apart from that marathon dream, there's a lot of weight I still need to shed off!

On Liam & Family Life:
It's been a great almost-5 months with Liam.  He turns 5 months this coming week! How fast! Time really does go unnoticed, pretty soon, I'll be attending his grade school graduation.  HAH, fast forward much? Here's his most recent photo:

Here's the little one, after a 5:00 AM poo session ;) 

It's 6:30 AM now and he's back in his crib, sleeping. 

Ahh, married life is not a bed of roses, that's for sure.  It's a constant, everyday, learning experience.  Each day, I learn about my husband and his likes/dislikes - I've known him for seven years now and there are still so many things I don't know about him! As a mother, I started out with ZERO experience but I survived, thanks to my mom, mommy-friends and of course, Mr. Google (I find myself Googling almost everything like, "how to burp baby" or "how to sleep train" and many more).  I'm sure it will be a life long learning experience and I'm not complaining because as I discover more about parenting and homemaking, I also learn more about myself.

On teaching:
This year, I am very, very grateful to be blessed with wonderful students.  I can honestly say that I enjoy all 7 sections that I'm handling this year.  As I have said before, although teaching + being a first-time parent is never an easy combination (to add to this, training for a marathon), I find these 3 preoccupations of mine, that I strive hard to juggle, teach me so much.  Did that make sense? What I mean to say is that, teaching helps me become a better mom and vice versa.  Then, to get a break from both, I run - and as I run, I learn so much about myself and how much I can do physically, if I set my mind and heart to it - again, self-discovery and self-improvement.

***

Today's a Saturday and as a teacher, I've always looked forward to Saturdays as days when I can sleep in (having to wake up at 5:30 AM from Mondays through Fridays).  Since Liam though, sleeping in has been a foreign concept.  I know I have a nanny around but leaving him to the nanny, when I'm at home anyway, just feels so unsettling to me.  Nevertheless, I'm determined to have a busy and productive weekend:

Saturday:
7-8AM, run in the gym (cancelled or postponed to later time due to heavy rains - it's been raining since 12MN, I think?)
10AM, accompany mom to downtown to do some errands
1PM, leave for husband's basketball game - watching it with the little one!
6PM, go to the mall to get sister-in-law's birthday gift
9PM, watch a movie (last full show ;)

Sunday:
9AM, go to mass
10AM, go to the gym (if no work out today)
12NN, family lunch out
2PM, visit my dear best friend who's scheduled to have her cesarean section done 7AM, Sunday)
4PM, try to go to a friend's child's first birthday party

Edit edit: My best friend's waterbag just broke! So, looks like I'll have to squeeze in the hospital visit today! :) Wheee baby baby! :)

Of course, the nights are reserved for doing school work! :p

***

Ahh, life is good.  Thank You, Lord for a busy and productive life! :)

TGIF

TGIF has never meant as much to me as it does now that I have my Liam. I love that it's Friday tomorrow because it means I can say "Happy weekend" in my classes! It means I can stay up late on a Friday night not worrying whether Liam will keep me up or not, since there's no work the next day.

I do have a seminar to attend the next day but who cares! At least it's only half the day :-) This weekend is pretty special, too! It's Liam's christening on Sunday. FINALLY! :-)

Here's Liam at 3 months :-)