Move More, Eat Less

I began training for the Music City Half Marathon around the second week of January of this year. That race was in late April, but I continued to run every Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday after that. I would run about 3 miles on Tuesday and Thursday and anywhere from 3 to 6 miles on Saturday. We began training for the Middle Half around the first week of July. My number of runs didn't change, but the mileage per week began to move up and I added a midweek swim or bike ride. That race was about almost 8 weeks ago, which brings us to today. November 25 and 8 pounds heavier.

I know, 8 pounds, who cares, right? I care. About 6 years ago I was 50 pounds heavier than I am right now. I felt bad all of the time and each time I ate I would feel sick to my stomach. I was miserably overweight and didn't do much about it. During the holidays, 5 years ago, someone said to me, "Wow, you've really gained some weight since you moved to Knoxville." I sort of shrugged it off, thinking "Yeah, I gained a little bit, but it's no big deal." A few months later I stepped on the scale and realized that I weighed 60 pounds more than I did my senior year in high school. On that day I decided to make a change. Over the following 2 months I dropped 40 pounds and I have never looked back.

During training for the half marathon I was eating more, but I was burning a lot of calories. Since the race my training has waned, but my calories have not. The last few weeks have been busy; Allison's been busy at work, I've been busy with Cooper, we were busy with celebrating his birthday, so I sort acted as though I didn't care about getting out to run or going to the gym. I didn't go to the gym as much, but I certainly ate as much. The scale told me this morning that I haven't moved as much recently, but I have continued to eat the same amount.

I am still leaner right now than I have been in years. Probably as lean as I was as sophomore in high school. People that have known me that long, but don't often see me have said asked what I did to lose weight. Most of the time use the phrase my good friend Jeff told me once when I asked him what I needed to do. I tell them "Move more and eat less." I think it's time that I started living that out again.

Party Time!

After two years of having family and friends over at once for Cooper's birthday, this year we decided to have a party with just his friends and to celebrate with our families separately. Over the past 10 days we have had 3 birthday celebrations for Cooper. Last Saturday we celebrated with Allison's dad and Terri, her aunt, her cousin, and her grandparents. This past Saturday we had his birthday party with his friends and yesterday we celebrated with my mom and dad, my brother and sister-in-law, and my aunt Neecie and her girls, Emily and Amy. Cooper has had a blast and now he probably thinks that his birthday lasts for two weeks.

Some of the kids playing with the "Band in a Box"

I think Cooper really liked his cake

This was actually the second time he blew out the candles

Even the little guys seemed to have a good time

Cheese!

Isn't that just the sweetest face?

Cupcakes at Mammy's

Cooper having fun with his Cars set from Uncle Jared and Aunt BeBe

My Conversation with Cooper

Sometimes Cooper and I have the best conversations in the car. Many times when it is over I am just cracking up at the things he says or amazed at the way his little mind works. Yesterday while on the way to school/work I got some more insight into how the mind of a three year old works.

Cooper: Turn it to the color song, please.
Me: The color song?
Cooper: Yeah, the color song.
Me: Okay, (turn it to the next song) this one?
Cooper: No.
Me: (turn it to the next song) this one?
Cooper: No.
Me: (turn it to the next song) this one?
Cooper: (waits to hear the opening music, no words yet) Yes, that's it.
Song: Jesus loves the little children, all the little children of the world. Red & yellow, black & white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.
Me: (in my head) Of course, the color song!

At 9:09 Tonight...

...Cooper will technically be 3 years old. I know everyone says this, but it is amazing how quickly they grow. It seems like it was just the other day when I got the phone call, while sitting at lunch at McDougal's, that I will never forget. The one in which Allison said, "You're going to be a daddy today." Typing those words and thinking back on the feeling that I had when she told me she was pregnant as well as when she said he was going to be born that day gives me a lump in my throat and almost brings tears to my eyes.

Recently I heard someone say, "Being a parent is the hardest thing in the world, but it's also the best thing in the world." I would definitely agree with that, especially over the last few months. As I shared in a previous post, Cooper has really started to try our patience. But, as I also shared in another previous post, it is so much fun to be around him and to watch him grow, learn, and experience new things.

Cooper, the past three years have been great. It has been so fun to see the world through your eyes. You are a sweet little boy and I can't imagine our lives without you. I thank God for each moment that we have to spend with you. I look forward to sharing many more years, experiences, adventures, and birthdays with you. Happy birthday buddy, I love you so much.

Three years old

Two years old

One year old

Day one

Guy Time and the First B'day Celebration

On Saturday morning, Allison had to meet with a witness so it was just me and Cooper for the morning through lunch time. After we got up, ate breakfast and she left, Cooper and I went outside to play. The weather was perfect so we stayed outside for over 2 hours. We did several things. First he rode his tractor around the block, which is about 1/3 of a mile. After that he decided he wanted to play with the remote control car. Until now, he has not showed any interest in that car. Saturday, however, we played with it for about 45 minutes. He would run in the driveway as I would chase him with the car. Then he would want to drive so we spent a good amount of time with him driving the car into the grass and me fetching it (he hasn’t mastered the art of turning the wheel while pulling the trigger). After that he wanted to ride his bike, so we went back around the block on the bicycle. That is always a lot of fun because he loves to go fast on his bike. The hill can be a challenge, but he made it up and back down without a crash. After we got back he wanted to play on his Winnie the Pooh “truck.” He loves that thing and played on it in the driveway while I sat there and took pictures of him. After that we left and met our friend Brad for lunch and then we went to the Publix, before going home to hang out with his mommy for a little while.

This year we decided to celebrate Cooper’s birthday with family and friends separately. So, Saturday night we celebrated Cooper’s birthday with my father-in-law, Allison’s aunt, cousin, and grandparents. We ate dinner at the Catfish House and then came back to our house for cake and ice cream. Cooper loved the cake that Terri made for him, his Spiderman “costune,” as he calls it, from Big Daddy and Terri, as well as the tent that Munna and Ninny gave him. He also got a great CD and book from his Aunt Kathy that we have already listened to several times. As you can see in the pictures, he LOVES his tent and costume. He slept in the tent Saturday night and for his nap on Sunday and he wore the Spiderman outfit Saturday night, to my mom’s on Sunday evening, and to bed again Sunday night. It will definitely have to be washed soon.

It was a busy Saturday, but one that was very fun. I love spending time just me and him, but I really enjoy seeing the love he has for everyone. He really had a great time at dinner and hanging out with the family. One celebration down and 3 more to go. Thankfully only one of the three is going to be at our house.

Getting Back to the Basics

I haven't updated my blog in about a month. Part of the reason is because Allison has had to use the computer for work at night, so I didn't have a chance. At least that's what I've been telling myself. The main reason is that I have felt like I didn't have anything worth saying. I felt that because I didn't have a "great blog post" that it wasn't worth posting anything. Over the weekend I remembered what the name of this blog is as well as the web address--Everday's Adventure/insidemydays.blogspot.com. Not "Everyday's Adventure that tons of people will want to read" or "insidemydays that are filled with great meaning."So, with that said, I am getting back to what this blog was started for, to give anyone who is interested a peak into the adventure that I am on everyday. Sometimes that will be what Cooper and I did outside and sometimes it will be what I read that particular day. Who knows, sometimes it may be about what we ate for supper and what I saw on TV. I don't know exactly what it will look like going forward, because hey I don't know what's going to happen inside my days.