So August begins...

I have officially run for 10 days in a row. I took one day off, yesterday. I can't tell you how hard a couple of the day shave been. Yet, I've pushed through with a little supernatural help. Yesterday I felt validated taking the day off. I had only gotten 4 hours of sleep as I did homework until 1 am Sunday night and had to get up at 5:30 am to come watch the boys plus, Ben and I got a good work out. 

Since this is my last week with them I've been doing something special with each of them. 

Last Wednesday Alex and I went for a good long swim, just the two of us. We came up with a few new games for him in the pool. He has a GREAT swim float/life vest. I start at his head, swim under his body and try to grab his feet. If he kicks (or wiggles) his legs, then I don't get them. It's his way of "Swimming away". I also get on my back and kick with my legs under his body. The current moves him along with me, and he kicks too. I just make sure my legs are low enough that I'm not kicking him. We do laps up and down the pool that way. Sometimes I take him out of the life vest and put his arms up against the wall on the shallow end. I help him stretch his legs to the bottom of the pool and he jumps up. He had a really good time and I did to. Both of us feel better after a swim. It helps us relax.

Yesterday I did something special with Ben. We went for a Bike ride. It's about 2 miles to a local state park, so we biked all the way there. Then, we biked over a 1/2 mile down to the lake, and walk the incredibly steep trail back up,a gain over a 1/2 mile. And over course, we biked the 2 miles home. So, we are talking about 5 miles of bike riding/hiking. It was crazy. Not to mention we played in the lake for awhile. By the end of the day, on 4 hours of sleep I was soo...tired. I laid down for 30 minutes and planned to get up, run, and do my homework. I slept through my alarm, a phone call, and who knows what else and slept straight till 6:45 am. 15 minutes to spare before I had to go get Alex out of bed. Phewf. (I still spend 2 nights a week at the boys house so I'm not doing the 1 hour commute 3 days a week). 

Today I have all the boys by myself so we will be spending the day in the house reading, and in the back yard in the pool or sprinkler. They are expecting it to be 87 degrees! I promised the kids 1 cartoon after we run some errands this morning so, they are finishing that up.

Any, my runs have been going good. I will go tonight. I have found I much prefer to go in the morning though, just get it done with and over with. Then at the end of my day I can just hang out if I want. Yay.

In other "sort of" good news. My Mom told my sister that she could not keep my brother, Dad and I from seeing my nephew when she has him. She did not feel this was right, and we love him too. My Mom told her if having him meant not being able to let us come over during that time to see him, then she just wouldn't take him. I can't express enough what a HUGE thing this was!!! My mom has the biggest attachment to my nephew, and she too him. She also admitted to having let us see him over the last couple months. Well, my sister was upset however, she told my Mom that she couldn't take my nephew from my Mom as she can see how attached they are to one another. So, I'm officially "allowed" to see my nephew. She did say she doesn't want my Mom to let us take him off on our own. You have to understand that with my sister it is about control and she doesn't function on a normal mental or emotional level. I have mixed emotions about this. I'm glad my Mom "confessed" to my sister. I just couldn't bear not to see him but, I also felt bad about what we were doing. I know if I had a baby and said I didn't want them all around them, I would me extremely upset if I found out they were exposing my child to that person. However, my sister literally has no reason for us to not see him. We have always been good with him and are all good with other children. I admit to having say some hurtful things to her but.... well we won't get into that now. My mom plans on keeping this wish of Shannons, which I respect. Shannon is giving my mom the "permission" to let us see him. That is a blessing. So, while I will miss being able to take him to a friends for a few minutes to show him off, or taking him for a run, at least now I can share his pictures with my Mom. I'm even planning on making a scrapbook of him over the last year for my Mom. Now i can include all the pictures I've taken since my sister moved out. I might even make her a copy and have my Mom give it to her. 

Hope your all having a good beginning of August.

Violet