Project Stroller Strides / Back on track

I know, I know - it’s been months since my last Stroller Strides post. When I last posted my progress {here}I was humming along making amazing strides {ha-ha}. I was on my way to a leaner, stronger, sexier me. Then… I hit a little speed bump.

In May the girls and I spent two weeks in Florida. Two weeks off was killer both to my momentum and stamina. Almost all of the progress I had made in the preceding six weeks was gone by the time I returned. I made it to three classes before having to take another two weeks off; due to a babysitting commitment and then Gigi’s VBS. By the time I returned three weeks ago recommitted, to myself and to positive change, I was fairly back to square one. The saving Grace is, this time I am fully aware of what I am capable of. I know how hard I can push myself and I know how good it feels to clear the cobwebs with sweat!

There is a hitch… G and Lu did not start Stroller Strides when they were tiny babies like most of the kiddos we workout with did - Gigi was 2 and Lula was 1. Now at 3 and 20 months, they are not the most patient kids for the hour. They fight …and need …and have their tantrums. So I briefly entertained the idea of leaving Stroller Strides and joining the local gym. If I did that I could drop the kids off at the child care center and workout in peace and quiet. There is something to very, very, very appealing about that. In the end I am sticking with Stroller Strides and probably not for the reason you might think. Sure it is an amazing workout. I have seen results far more quickly with Stroller Strides than with any other workout regimen I have ever had. However, in the end the reason that I am sticking with Stroller Strides is the women! The amazing; strong; beautiful; supportive-of-each-other women. Their energy – Their positive energy is why I am staying.

One of the best parts of my day is sweating with those fabulous women and showing my daughters what it is to be a strong, beautiful, healthy woman. Out of all of the lessons I have been teaching my girls this year - the importance of physical activity and taking the time to take care of, and pride in your body is one of the most important! Thank you Stroller Strides for changing my life, helping me teach this amazing life lesson to my girls and for pushing me. I am a better, wife, mother and me because of the time I spend with y'all!

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Watching the girls run around both at home and after class with the other kids, pushing their strollers, imitating our workouts doesn’t hurt either! Quite possibly the most adorable and funny thing ever!

A Stroller Really Does Make You Sexy!

G's Evolution of {Man}

I am finding more and more my 3 year old has questions that just plain old throw me for a loop! It's not that they are outrageous questions - They are very normal, observant questions - The loop is... How do I answer? Brutal honesty? Half truths? Deflect? What should a 3 year old know? What should wait for a few years down the road? I find most often I err on the side of honesty. Not necessarily "brutal", but honest. I also find that honesty can lead to more "tough" questions or quite frequently embarrassing situations!

In learning body parts, something G learned 2 years ago and in more recently teaching Lu I have always called a spade a spade. Our Bodies Ourselves, right? Nothing to be ashamed of. {am I the only one who's mother gave her that book?} So while eyes are eyes, and knees are knees a vagina is not a "Who-ha" or any other 'code name' you can think of. {no offense if your family uses code words for penis and vagina - I don't judge, we just call them what they are}

So one day when my 3 year old said to me, "I have a vagina and Lula has a vagina and Mommy has a vagina and Daddy has a vagina!" I felt the need to correct her. "No honey, daddy's don't have a vagina, daddy's have a penis." Even though I could tell this was confusing to her, she is 3 so she accepted that 'statement of fact' from me and moved on. I didn't hear another word about it until a few days later when Hubby returned home from the road. The first thing out of her mouth when he walked in the door was "Daddy. You-have-a-penis." This traumatized my poor hubby until I explained why she said that.

This was a few months back - Since then there has been no further discussion about who has a penis and who has a vagina. However, recently G's little neighborhood buddy was potty trained and the few time's he's been here G has wanted to be in the potty with him - Other than trying to explain that we leave people alone when they go potty there were no questions or conversations about anatomical differences... Although I am sure she's noticed.

Then last night G was drawing pictures before supper. Over the last few weeks she has been getting better and better at drawing "people". When her drawings first evolved from scribbles to forms it started with a circular type shape that may or may not have four lines sticking out from somewhere, intended to represent arms and legs. Eyes were two dots or scribbles and the mouth may or may not exist. Her drawings have kept evolving and looking more and more like people. The eyes went from dots, to circles, to circles with dots. The "arms and legs" are most often in the right place. Last night she drew bodies on these heads for the first time! It was very exciting! After Hubby and I both praised her for a job well done and resumed preparing supper G announced "Look! Daddy has a peanut!" {The second time she has confused the two words} Sure enough G had added a little 'anatomical correctness' to her artwork.

I suppose that I should be thankful that this happened at home and not at school !

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Truthfully Hubby and I laughed out loud!

Take a look at G's version of 'Evolution of Man'

{Homo Habilis}

Also known as "Handy Man" used primitive tools.

{Homo Erectus}

According to some studies used fire and lived in caves

{Homo Sapien}

His brain capacity averaged an impressive 1350 cc, surprisingly the same size as humans today

{Neanderthal Man}

Archeology findings shows that the injured and dead were cared for and buried by Neanderthals

{Cro-Magnon Man}

Cro-magnons used paints composed from manganese and iron oxides to paint the walls and ceilings of their caves

{Modern Man}

Well... Modern Man according to G has a 'peanut'.