I've run an average of 0.114583 per day this year!

I just looked at my daily mile stats, and so far I've run a total of ... wait for it ... 11 miles in 2011!! Haha! That is hysterical. It feels like more than that. Oh well. At least I've run 6 of those 11 miles during this week alone!

Ok, so less than a week until the 5K. Two things that are bugging me:

1. I think I might be starting to get a little bit sick. The plus? I don't feel too much worse today than I did yesterday, and in fact I think I feel better this morning than I did last night. Good sign. So far, I've just got a teeny scratchy throat, dry cough, and feeling fatigued. No other cold symptoms yet. Derek has been dealing with an awful cough, though, for what seems like weeks now. Actually, it's been a little over a week. Ugh, I hope I don't get what he had. And I also hope that Lorelei doesn't get it.
2. It's supposed to rain next weekend. While I've not only run in the rain (sorta fun), but also raced in the rain (really fun, but really hard), it's not the best opportunity for my family to stand outside to cheer me on. That kinda sucks, because mom and Jack are coming in on Thursday and part of Saturday was going to be them coming to the race. Well, I guess I'll look online at the course, and see if there's a nearby store they can wait in until I pass by, or until I finish.

Other than that, it's just another day here in the Cleve! Oh, except that I recently made a decision: we've started to supplement Lorelei's diet with a little bit of formula. As I agonized about in great length in another post or two, it's really kind of ... sucking the life out of me (no pun intended, lol). So I am still breastfeeding, but also giving her up to 2 ounces or so of formula per day if she is still hungry soon after nursing. This gives me a physical and mental break, and it also takes the pressure off to pump if I have to be away from her for a few hours at night -- something that I seriously need to do once in a while or I'm gonna lose it! So since we started this (last week), I have been feeling a lot happier in general. We're using Gerber Good Start Gentle Plus, and it's worked out great. No weird reactions, no refusing a bottle, etc. Great relief.

Oh, another thing: I'm going to start reviewing the ABC Family show Make It Or Break It on Mondays/early Tuesdays from now on! If any of you watch the show (or even if you don't, haha) feel free to check it out at CliqueClack TV's website.

How is everyone's Monday going?

"Five months? That's like, almost half a year!"

That's what my sister-in-law Alida said when she heard that Lorelei was going to turn five months on March 3 (which is, in fact, today). I truly can't believe this. Five months is still sort of like four months. But six months! That's definitely old.

I must say, I haven't really missed going to work during this time. I do consider myself very lucky that I have had the opportunity to take time off during Lei's first year with us. But I have been itching to do something more (which is why I have started writing more regularly for CliqueClack TV). Well, teaching is probably out of the question for now, unfortunately. Not only because the craziness in Wisconsin is heading over here, but also because I just don't think I'm ready. Actually, maybe that's just an excuse because I think I won't be able to find a job. Hmm. I don't know. I'd say, right now I don't feel ready, but if an excellent opportunity presented itself, I would probably go for it.

I also recently joined Barefoot Books as an Ambassador, where I can sell children's books, artwork, and music independently and make commission. Honestly, this sort of thing is a bit overwhelming to me, but I'm going to give it a try. When we were at Ryan and Casey's wedding in February, Derek's friend Maureen, who works at Barefoot in the Boston area, suggested this when I said I wanted to try working from home. Given my background in education, and my English degree, I think this is a great thing for me to be doing. It was started by a couple of moms who wanted to be home with their kids.

Anyway, if any of you who are reading want more info on Barefoot Books, or would like to buy something for your kids, please comment below or send me an email and I'll be happy to help you. And if you know any teachers, educators, parents, etc. who you think would be interested, please let them know too!! Thanks! :)

Here's a recent Lorelei pic from this past weekend:

Running on Fumes

I used to use this expression to describe the tail end of my training for marathons, where there would just be nothing left in me but I would still persist with the long runs, the tempos, the speed work. Now, it's describing being an overtired mom! But seriously, it's funny that no matter how many times I get up at night, I always pull it together at least somewhat the next day.

I know, I know, "Sleep when the baby sleeps." Right. Not happening, at least not now. I like to get a handle on my day, get coffee down my gullet, eat something, clean a bit, catch up on emails, blog a little...you know, all the stuff they tell you isn't at all important. Well, when does it become important? In six months? A year? When she goes to school? I mean, I've got to stop living in PJs at some point. (For the record: I only live in PJs roughly 60% of the time.)

Speaking of being up late, last night the reason was not Lorelei for once! It's because I was completing an episode review for last night's episode of Gossip Girl. Yep, I am officially on the team of writers for CliqueClack, a website that covers all things TV (and food, but I'm doing the TV part). How exciting to get my name on something. I'll be doing an episode review each week, plus other posts as they come. Stay tuned! And check out the site, it's pretty great, especially if you are a television junkie like I am.

In other news...it's snowing. Again. This is getting pretty lame already!!

Shameless self-promotion

Yay! I got an article  published online the other day!

I found this site, CliqueClack awhile ago, while looking around for an episode recap for a show I'd missed. Turns out these site does TV and food "Clacking," which is basically reviewing and writing about these things in whatever way you want.

There are regular writers, who do weekly columns, but when I emailed one of the creators, he suggested I do a "Guest Clack." So I did. And I'm getting ready to submit another!

Writing about TV? Heck yeah!!!