Skunked

Every dog owner dreads it. Every dog owner looks at the bottle of de-skunker in the pet store and hopes that they never have to use it. I have looked at those bottles before and thought, “hmmmm…maybe I should buy a litre and have it on hand just in case……”. Of course, I never acted on that thought. Of course, my dog Otis gets skunked. Of course, I’m at home by myself in the middle of feeding Ellie. Not only does Otis get skunked but he comes into the house (the side door is open) and he sprays the slime all over the house – upstairs and downstairs! Poor guy was totally dazed. After I was able to get Ellie safe in her crib and away from all things skunkified, I found Otis downstairs lying in pool of drool. He was traumatized. This was not a day of “a dog’s life” especially after we had already been chased down by a big mean x breed looking for an afternoon snack while we were out running. Both Otis and I had had our adrenalin rushes for the day.

Regardless, I was now faced with the challenge of de-stinkifying my house and my dog. Oh bring it on……..I’ve just managed to calm my teething child after hours of whining and crying……I can handle it! No pet stores that I knew of were open at 8pm and I wasn’t sure how I was going to clean up Otis. Thankfully, my answer was just a few keystrokes away and after a ten second google search, I discovered a de-skunking concoction that was guaranteed to work: 1 litre of hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup baking soda and 1tsp of liquid soap.

Problem. I couldn’t leave Otis at home to potentially skunkify the couches and other furniture that had so far remained untouched. I was also not about to pack up Ellie in the car with a stinky dog covered in drool and skunk juice. Arghhh. What to do!? I called my dog owner neighbour down the street hoping she would have some de-skunker on hand. Not home! Asking for help is really not my specialty but I had to admit to myself that I needed it! With some trepidation, I called a friend to lend a hand – thankfully Bob was willing to pedal his way to the drugstore to fulfil my request for one litre of hydrogen peroxide. Not doing much on a Friday night? Well, trust me to add a little excitement in to the mix! Okay, maybe not but it was My excitement for the evening! Anyway, thank you Bob!

Good news. The peroxide mixture worked and my pup smells squeaky clean. After about four hours of cleaning, laundry, dog washing and candle burning, I was able to get the house clean again. I even got in a little extra exercise by getting down on my hands and knees and scrubbing the floor. Little did I know that my afternoon run was my just my warm up for the evening! The air still has a faint reek in the basement but I think it will just be a matter of time before it clears out.

The next day, I find Otis in the yard chewing up the trellis under the patio where the skunks were. I had to give him heck for it but I could tell he was chewing with such a vengeance as if to say “okay, take that you stinker skunk………if I ever see you again…………you better watch your tail……..woof..woof”. Otis once got hit by a bicycle and now he clears the path instantly for oncoming bikes. I just hope he takes the same approach with any future oncoming skunks!

Pimp My Stroller

The other day I walked into Starbucks and two guys started oggling my stroller. They were impressed with the Bob wheels, with their size and their obvious off road capabilities. They were obviously Dads but they were also gear geeks...they were no longer satisfied with their small wheeled urban type (trendy I'm sure) strollers. It was hilarious to me.... at one time in my life I swapped gear stories with fellow cyclists on bike gear....now I'm in Starbucks talking about what kind of terrain my stroller can handle. Oh how my life has changed!

The Taste of a Two Parent Family

Wow! The parenting thing is almost a breeze (note that I am saying "almost" as I don't want to put my foot in my mouth!) with an extra set of hands around! Dad was home for a visit last weekend and I actually felt like the chaos meter of my life dropped a few notches. Everything seemed that much easier...

• I could have a shower without having to place Ellie in her bouncy chair right beside the bathtub so that I could keep her entertained.
  
• I could have a shower EVERY morning without having to frantically get Ellie fed and Otis out the door for his walk. I never would have thought that becoming a mother meant sacrificing your own personal hygiene on occasion but admittedly there have been days that by the time I have a minute to myself (after the wee one is in bed) I am just too knackered to bother.
  
• My day was not a constant cycle of feeding Ellie, diaper changes, laundry and dog walking. I actually got to do a few things in between!
  
• I could eat my dinner sitting down - as opposed to my usual scarfing at the kitchen counter.
• I could go for a run without having to take Otis and Ellie together!! For once, running was once again a stress release and not stressful!
• I could go grocery shopping without baby attached to chest and get everything done in less than 30 minutes!

In addition to things being easier, having Dad around allowed us to experience life together as one family unit in the same place at the same time albeit for a short time.

I don't know how many times over the last few years that I've said goodbyes at the airport but I can tell you it's that much harder to do when you've got a dog and baby at home. I feel bad for Dad not being able to experience the daily joys that Ellie brings into my life and I feel bad for Otis not having all of us around. I think Otis is probably the most sensitive one of us all and he mopes around the house the week after Dad leaves. It's as if he knows that it's back to running and walking with the stroller in tow and no crazy trail runs until Dad comes back. It must be weird for the little guy not knowing when he will return! At least I know that part and I look forward to when we can be a family again soon.......

Dog Hair

I love my dog. All this dog hair though....it's driving me crazy! I sweep umpteen times a day and it still looks as though I haven't swept for a week. All of my clothes are covered in short black hair and I look as though my full time job is dog walking. This I have almost come to accept as some days, I feel like all I do is feed Ellie and walk Otis. But when I find dog hairs in my child's diaper, on her clothes or a small black hair clinging to her drooly chin............man, I can understand (sort of) why some pet lovers choose poodles.

The Five Tibetans

An Ashtanga yoga practise typically takes about 90 minutes to get through the primary series. Since Ellie arrived into this world, a 90 minute chunk of time to myself is an impossibility. As such, it may be a long while yet before I can return to a full yoga practise. The absence of this practise that once grounded me has left my mind scurrying, my breath shallow and my joints stiff. While it's unrealistic for me to do 90 minutes of yoga every day, it's still possible for me to get on my yoga mat every day. That is my goal. This week, I have started doing the Five Tibetan Rites as part of my yoga practise. They don't take that long and so I figure at minimum, I can fit these in. If I do more, great. If not, I'm not going to fret. I'm curious to discover the benefits that I might experience from a daily practise of these five exercises.

Stampedes along Spanish Banks

A great advantage to being on leave is that I get to enjoy the public parks and pathways during the day when most people are at work. Generally, there is ample space for a runner, dog and stroller. Not so on Sunday morning. It appeared that every runner in Vancouver chose the path along Jericho Beach to Spanish banks as their route to log some miles. It may have been the gorgeous sun that brought everyone out to the beach or it may have been the unfortunate closure of the Pacific Spirit park trails. Stampedes of runners - mostly in groups - made it that much more challenging to maneuver Otis and Ellie. Regardless, I was happy to be running, moving and feeling the wind at my face. Every day, some tragic news article reinforces the fragility of life - I think I have to stop reading the news. Every stride...every breath is truly a gift.

Eagle Inspiration

Running with the stroller is not easy. It's an extra twenty pounds of equipment and 17 pounds of baby to push. Running with the jogger and the dog is also not all that relaxing (Ellie gets to chill but Otis has to watch out for the stroller and I have to watch out for both baby and dog). I need to be on the alert for big bumps that could jostle the stroller or for squirrels that Otis might decide to chase. In past, my solo runs were an opportunity to let my mind run free but now my runs require total concentration.

So despite my sleep deprivation and my compromised mommy memory, I have actually grown more observant and aware on our little excursions. I notice the potholes in the path, the dog poop left behind by a negligent pet owner and the cyclists coming up from behind. I've noticed that people rarely look you in the eye and say hello unless of course you are the first to greet them with a friendly smile and say "hi" first. I've discovered that many people don't even bother to say hello despite me greeting them. Maybe they are just too engrossed in their own thoughts or perhaps they don't like dogs or jogging strollers. It seems that these days I am meeting a lot more friendly dogs than people. It makes me wonder what kind of world I am raising a child in...

Just when I'm starting to dwell on the apparent aloofness of Vancouverites, I look up to the sky and discover a bald eagle flying above. We've had the fortune of spotting a Bald Eagle on almost every one of our runs this week and every time I see one, I get goose bumps. Strangely, the eagle sparks a zest for life inside my weary bones. Witnessing this majestic bird motivates me to run a little faster and keep on pushing the jogger. And as I am joined by other people gazing upward, we the walkers and the runners witness the moment and this great part of nature together and the eagle restores my faith in people and community. In First Nations cultures, the eagle is a symbol of power and intelligence and because the eagle mates for life, it is also a symbol of friendship, loyalty and peace. How cool! How could a run not be great when you have an eagle flying over you...........

On the run again...

Where did the last month go?! The repetition of motherly life has taken me away from the computer and challenged my attempt to blog weekly. Alas, Ellie is napping and so here I am to do a quick post. I can not believe the end of March is approaching and she is nearly 5 months old! It is a blessing to watch this little one (okay, she is not so little now that she is over 16 pounds!) grow!

I still haven't been able to run much but just last week decided to try and run with the jogger again now that Ellie is a bit stronger and Otis understands the concept of heeling beside the stroller. We actually made out pretty good except for a slight distraction when Otis spotted a coyote (he yearns to chase them!). Ellie was solid in the car seat and smiled away as we trotted along. My forearms were sore from pushing the stroller but otherwise felt pretty good. Hmmm....a fall marathon may actually be somewhat realistic if I can make this running thing a little more consistent.

Still going to mom and me classes more for the social aspect than the workout itself. The muffin top remains persistent and so I know I need some intensity to whip this bod into shape again. I am just finding it tough to motivate myself to do burpees and mountain climbers in my basement after Ellie goes to bad. I need someone else to kick my butt! Any takers?

Fitting Fitness In

I remember once giving a presentation on "Fitting in Fitness" several years ago. I don't think I really knew the true challenges of fitting in physical activity until now. If I were to give that presentation today, I think I could do a much better job and probably relate to a larger audience. So, speaking from experience as a single mom (temporary single mom)of baby Ellie and doggy Otis, here are a few ways that I'm trying to fit in fitness. No....these methods are not going to bring me across any epic finish lines but they are going to keep me, Ellie and Otis happy until it's perhaps more realistic to think about say, the next marathon.

1. Walk with the Stroller. Ellie is too young to run so we do lots of walking throughout the day. The walks are primarily for Otis so he can get out and play but at the same time, Ellie gets a much needed nap and I get some fresh air and a bit of exercise.

2. Say yes, when you really want to say..."No, it's okay...I can manage". I am not good at asking for help. I never have been. But, these days...I'm getting better at it. On occasion, I have been fortunate to have friends watch Ellie, while Otis and I head to the beach for a run. Sure, I could go do groceries or clean the house, or a million other things but I choose to run. Even though I'm slow and out of running condition, it feels great. Running reminds me of all the great fortunes in my life. I return feeling grateful for my health, my body (post partum flab and all) my life and everyone in it. Running also keeps me striving to become someone that I am still yet to be.

3. Try out a Yoga DVD. I've tried to resume my own yoga practise but as I've mentioned before, Ellie gets pretty bored watching me do sun salutations. However, she appears to be entertained and somewhat soothed by hearing someone else talk through a series of yoga postures on the beach or in the rain forest. In fact, she has already started doing her own version of happy baby pose.

4. Try the Smart Gym. I recently purchased a Smart Gym from Twist Conditioning. It's really just a couple of tubes with a bar attachment but I like it because you don't need a lot of space and the bar attachment increases the variety of exercises you can do. Purchase of this product gives you a free Smart Gym membership which entitles you to a new workout routine every month. The workout is not super challenging but I can mix it up by using my BOSU or by adding cardio intervals (if I'm feeling so inclined)! With Ellie's sleeping and eating schedule, I may only get to do a few exercises at a time but that leads to my next bullet...

5. Know that some is better than none. Some days 6am turns into 10pm and I realize that I've been going all day and haven't even had a shower (yeah..gross...I know!) and there's no way I'm going to fit in a workout. I do a few push ups, planks and bird dogs just so that all the baby carrying doesn't reek havoc on my posture and voila, at least I've done something!

6. Go to Mom and Me fitness classes. I never saw myself fitting into these mom groupy things but now I find myself doing just that. I found a great class where we do decent exercises with other like moms and where the coach loves babes. She'll pick up Ellie if she's fussing so in effect, I get child care as part of the workout. Not having anyone to trade off with right now, this is a big plus! Another bonus of going to these classes is meeting other new moms (yes, the ones you never thought you'd have anything in common with) and actually having some regular adult interaction!

7. Attach your bike to a trainer. My bike has not seen the pavement for some time but it has had the pleasure of seeing my backside lately. Yesterday, Ellie and I watched our video of Ironman Lake Placid while I got a little sweat going. She was completely fascinated by the swim. I can't believe that I was actually there. Seems like another life ago but it gave me some motivation to keep pedalling my stationary Devinci.

While these methods are not really going to put me in peak physical condition, they are helping me build back my fitness foundation so that when Dad comes home, we can start thinking about that marathon!

If you've got another idea, please feel free to post!

Night Sweats

With Ellie being sick this week, we never made it to our mom and me fitness classes. That meant I had to find time to fit a little sweat in somewhere else. This week, the only window for exercise was after Ellie went to bed for the night (okay, part of the night). That meant exercising at 8:30pm, 9:00pm and 10:00pm. This is coming from someone who could never ever exercise after 7pm. If it didn't happen before then, it just didn't happen. Let's just say that it takes motivation for me to get on the bike trainer at 9pm at night. Thank god for American Idol to help pass the time! (And to think I never used to have cable). One night I started a circuit workout at 10pm.......my dog was looking at like me like I was making too much noise and disrupting his sleep! I got in a little yoga tonight at 8:30.....I remember when I used to raise at 5:00am for my daily practice! Ha ha ha...that seems like another life.

Two Little Sickies

Both Ellie and Otis are sick today. Ellie has been snuffly for the last couple days but she is still feeding well and pretty smiley throughout the day. Otis started puking this morning and vomited five times on our walk. Normally, when we return from our walks, Otis gets a treat.......he never lets me forget this part of our routine and he'll wait patiently at the kitchen steps until he gets his little dog bone. When I went to give it to him today, he didn't accept it. NEVER (other than one time when he was afraid of the vet) has he ever refused food. This makes me worry. I hope my baby and my puppy are okay.

Sunshine and Sweat

When I'm running in the winter sun or under the clear starry skies, I feel like I can conquer anything. I feel so alive and so privileged to be healthy enough to run! I feel blessed to have the life that I do and the people in it. Being on my own with our three month old, I don't get much "me" time these days so I am so grateful to my friends this week for watching miss Ellie so that Otis and I could get out and run! We were fortunate to have some great weather to run in too! I am a much better human being when I can run so thank you!

We get out every day for several walks but other than that, I'm not getting much exercise since Dad is no longer around to cover me off. I set up the bike trainer and while Ellie played and I rode, we watched our first Baby Einstein DVD. Psychedelic! I have attempted to resume my regular yoga practise but Ellie doesn't find my ujayi breathing all that entertaining. She is however mesmerized by Eoin Finn's voice so I've been doing a couple of his DVD's when I get the chance. The post baby muffin top remains but it's really a small price to pay. I feel so blessed to have our beautiful Ellie in my life!

Stroller Strife

Over the last week or so, I have spent many miles walking about the neighborhood with Ellie in the stroller and Otis on his leash and have been amazed by the lack of courtesy shown to us as we try to maneuver our way through the streets and park walkways. I do my my best to stick to the side of the walkway or when necessary step off the sidewalk so that others can cross. This is not always an easy task to do when you've got a dog and baby to steer off to the side.

I think back when I was a lone runner and walker and I'm sure that I would have been the first to give an oncoming stroller the right of away just because it would have been much easier for me to step aside and around. I'm amazed that I have not been granted the same courtesy now that have dog and baby in tow. In fact, I am amazed how strangers don't even look at you in the eye as you frantically try to shuffle off to the side and make way for them. Arghhh! I know there are those of you that believe that strollers are just the hummers of the sidewalk and should be left at home. This is not always practical when a single parent of an infant has got to walk the dog. Sure...I could use the baby carrier but you try to pick up dog poop when you've got a 13 pound infant strapped to your front. It's not like I'm intentionally hogging the sidewalk so give us stroller pushing moms a little slack will ya. And maybe think about smiling once in a while.

Oh and while I'm asking Vancouverites to step it up with their social courtesies, I will also ask from one dog owner to another to please pick up your dog poop! Now that I've got a stroller to push around, I've got three more wheels that get mucked up on the stuff. It's just plain gross. Come on people....how difficult is it?

Please and thanks.

The World of Single Parenthood

Well, we have survived our first week without Dad! I have a great appreciation for moms and dads that have raised their children on their own because it sure isn't easy! Thankfully, I only have to do it for 6 months. Anyway, Ellie, Otis and I made it through the first seven days and are establishing our own little routine. Life has become a cycle of feeding the babe and walking the dog with lots of diaper changes in between. The day is non stop and I'm lucky to get a shower before 10pm but I'm sort of enjoying the simplicity of it all and I truly feel fortunate that I get to witness Ellie as she grows and changes every day.

Ellie doesn't sleep much during the day but she will nap in the stroller so it works out well - Otis gets his walk and Ellie gets her nap. This morning, we even attempted running with the jogging stroller and the car seat attachment. Otis did a good job of not getting in the way of the stroller wheels and Ellie went right to sleep. There is mixed information on when to run with your baby even with a car seat adapter...concerns range from ensuring that your babe has good neck support and the stroller has good shock absorption. We seemed to do well with the car seat adapter on the Bob Revolution and we stuck to to the flat path or paved sidewalks. Ellie loves the movement and it's the only time she will nap during the day and then Otis and I get a little exercise. By the time we got back, I think everyone was a little happier!

A Day of Firsts!

Hallelujah! I went for my first outdoor run yesterday since I started my postpartum walk/run program. I took Otis with me while Ellie watched Dad and I think he was happy to have his 'running' mom back! Last night, I discovered that I need to re-learn how to dress for the weather and for my body in it's extra ten pounds....with an insulator of post baby fat, I could have done without the rain shell and added another layer of support for my boobs!

With snow still on the ground, I tried out my new Yaktrax. They worked pretty well although there were lots of sections where the snow wasn't packed and despite having a decent grip, I kept sinking. I also tried out my new Injinji Tetrasoks that I got from a couple of running friends for Christmas. While the risk of blisters is pretty slim for a 40 minute jaunt, I wore them anyway. They were super comfy and I didn't really feel the fabric around each individual toe! I could see how these would be a must have item for ultra-runners.

It felt good to get a run in especially after my attempt at going to my first "mommy and me" fitness class earlier in the day. We made it there okay but I think I spent about 20 minutes working out and the rest feeding Ellie. I fed her before we left for the class but she was a hungry little munchkin yesterday. I think I spoke too soon......I started to tell people that she was sleeping a little more and the space between feedings was starting to spread out a bit.........that all changed yesterday. Ughh! Another long day and night. Thank god she gave me lots of smiles this morning....just enough to keep doing the same thing all over again today!

Sleep or Exercise...That is the Question

In the windows between feedings when Ellie's dad is home, I must decide between exercise and sleep. In most cases, I opt to escape to the gym for a little sweat. Exercise gets me out of the house, hugely helps me manage stress and even when I'm feeling exhausted, a little sweat perks up my energy and outlook. However, I know that these extended periods of sleep deprivation are playing with my moods and physiology too! When researchers deprive rats of sleep they die....just think what's happening in the human body...yet mom's all over the world seem to cope! According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep deprivation compromises memory, reaction time, motor skills (that's why I'm tripping on the treadmill!), immunity and increases the risk of diabetes and obesity. Alas...this is why the last ten pounds remain! Yes, I'm burning those extra calories by getting to the gym but the the lack of sleep is causing my bod to hang on to the flab. Oh joy!

Regardless, it feels good to by moving! I'm following a run/walk program so that I'll be ready to take Otis with Ellie in the jogger by the Tim leaves for his course. I'm doing an adaptation of the Sport Med BC's Walk Run Program. Jeff Galloway was the original inventor of the walk/run method as an injury-free method of running a marathon and I'm using it as a means to get back to continuous running. It's been a slow process but I'm now up to 5 minutes running (okay, slow jogging) and 1 minute of walking. I ran for a total of 30 minutes this week and that was a big achievement! I'm still feeling quite a bit of discomfort in my pelvic area but there are no lasting effects so I'm taking that as a go to keep gradually increasing my running time.