Yes...I am a mom who rocks her baby to sleep. I rock her before her naps and before bed time. We both settle in to a cozy little position. My pandora is usually playing the Norah Jones station or the sleepy time mix or sometimes I just sing a few of my own tunes. And we rock, and rock, and rock and she drifts off into her happy place and then I lay her into her crib. This past month.. she has been waking up more frequently through out the night and not wanting to stay in her crib- which has led to more and more rocking (thank goodness we invested in a comfy rocker). Last week the chair started to squeak from all the rocking. I seriously think I am permanently always rocking...even when I'm standing still I feel like I'm on a boat. I think we have a system down now to minimize the rocking and get S to like her crib a bit more. BUT I'm not completely ready to give up the rocking. I know that day will come when she won't want to rock with me or she will be too big for me to rock her. SO right now I'm cherishing it while I still can. My rocking sessions are little breaks in my day to reflect on how fast this year has gone and just hold my sleeping little baby.
RUNNING. I've been doing a lot of rocking and not quite enough running. I completed my long awaited half marathon this past saturday. It was my goal to complete a 5k (February), 10k (May), and half marathon (November)..all before Shipley's 1st birthday. I finished the races, but not for speed. My training was not quite to where it should have been. I've found it hard to make time for long runs and pushing the BOB while running takes extra mental energy/dedication. At the start of each race I thought to myself...how am I going to make it to the finish line? But each time I managed to get my legs across that line. On mile 11 of the half, I literally thought someone would have to drag me to the end. It was raining ice and I was afraid a cougar was going to pounce on me any moment (It was a trail run in central oregon). Needless to say, I'm grateful for some pretty encouraging running buddy-moms. Without their tips, speed, endurance, and coaching...I wouldn't have accomplished my goal. I'm also thankful for my husband's honesty when he tells me I need to pick up the pace...He was very sweet to accompany me on some of my runs and push the BOB for me too. I may not have logged as many miles as I hoped to but I sure did break my running shoes in and I feel like I'm back in the game...the game of running that is. Next goal is set...Birch Bay Half Marathon February 2014. :)
So has exciting or unexciting as my rocking and running may sound...I feel like it marks a stage of my 1st year of motherhood. It is a constant journey...figuring out how to fit everything into life with a baby-to find that perfect balance...how to get your baby to sleep...how to find personal time for things like exercise. I am almost 365 days into this journey, this adventure, this marathon...AND I'm learning new things daily...when I need to hold her hand and when I need to let her explore, when I need to teach and when I need to listen, when I need to laugh or when I need to set boundaries, when I need to pick up the pace, lace up the running shoes, or sit on the side lines for awhile and rock. I'm on mile 1 and this race doesn't end at 13.1. I'm pretty confident that I am running the best, yet most challenging race of my life just by being Shipley's mom! And what a blessing it is!
