Michelle's path

Not much happening around here. I'm so bored with Guam, so ready to move. In my opinion Guam should be only a 2-3 year tour with family. Im so irritated there is nothing to do here for Kayla besides the beach. We can go to Underwater World or Tarza Water Park only so many times before its not that exciting anymore. The beach is great, but during rainy season (now) its not likely that you will without running into a small storm. And the beach in the tropical wind and rain makes for a big sandy mess with 2 small children. Im ready to move onto the next chapter of our military life. But, we still have 14 months until we get orders and 19 months until we move.

Anyways a few updates:

*Caden's 4 month well baby appt was yesterday. He is huge. He is 27" tall in the 75th%, he is 17 pounds also in the 75th%, and his head had to be remeasured 3 times because it's 45 cm in at the 90th% on charts. I had to remind the doctor that when Kayla was his age she had to remeasure her also...Kayla was at 95th% at Caden's age. Caden is perfectly healthy although has an attachment issue already and the doctor got to actually see what those moments are! She said its rare for a baby his age but it's ok and he will outgrow it. He is just pure Mama's boy.

*She also said Kayla's speech is that of a 3 and half year old on charts with over 500 words in her vocab, talking in FULL sentences, can hold conversations and 75% or more of her speech is understandable by strangers.

*Kayla will be TWO YEARS OLD in 5 weeks. *Sigh* Where did that time go?

*Im still running. I haven't done an accurate weight on myself in about 2 weeks, but last time I was at 145 which is 15 pounds lost. I need new clothes. All my shirts are too big, my jeans dont want to stay up even with a belt because now the belts are too big, and my sweatpants that are my all time favorites are just too big on me, but I wear them anyways. I think another week I will do an accurate weigh in...meaning first thing in the morning before I do anything but go pee.

*Im still running but in the program Im just stuck at week 5. Walk 2 minutes run 5 minutes repeat 4 times and I cant finish all 4 sessions every day. But my speed is going up. I can run at 4.1 and 4.2 now on the treadmill. I dont want to go any faster than that because this is the highest speed for weight loss. Any higher I go up to endurance and performance and I really dont want that right now.

*I am planning on a trip to Hawaii here shortly. To get off this island and go to another one that has an actual society on it. There are only 3 things on my to do list while we are there and this is, 1)beach 2)zoo and 3)Pearl Harbor. We can get a flight for free via space available and stay with some friends. So, this will be exciting. Kayla has been telling me for months she wants to get back on an airplane. And this will be an easy peasy trip...only ONE 8 hour flight and we are there. A piece of cake considering all our other trips average out to be 22-23 hours long with many stops.

So, thats the news around here. Not much....but some news.

I'm still at a loss for blogging. Nothing exciting is happening over here. But I will do updates soon!

Here are 2 pictures of the babies and a picture of the garden I made a couple months ago.

Well, Nick missed his first Father's Day as a Father of two. He will be 2 days late almost to the minute. But better late than never. Kayla and I made this cake for him and had a Sushi lunch.

Life is quite dull around here lately. I will blog once I have something in my brain to talk about.

Sorry blogger. The past 2 days have been rough. And go figure, the day after Nick leaves for TDY, I get sick. I felt it coming on yesterday but I was able to push through it and do my chores, play with the kids and do a run. But today, I could N.O.T. wake up.

Caden fell asleep in the swing a little before 8 am. I sat on the couch just wanting to rest my eyes and Kayla sat with her toys and the disney channel. Next thing I know I wake up 2 hours later and Kayla is still just playing and watching tv and Caden is still asleep. Wow.

My head is stuffy, my nose is either running or stuffy, my throat hurts, my energy is nonexistent.

And I think Kayla may be getting sick. She layed down for a nap at 12:30, woke up at 1 crying and sweating, went back to sleep after gulping her entire cup of OJ, and now its 3 pm and she is still out.


Of course, because now I am on my own and will be for another 6 days.

Oh, and of course because Dada is gone Caden decides to have a few firsts. The day after he left Caden decided to start to laugh out loud AND this morning when I went to get him out of his bed, he was facing the opposite direction from the way he went to sleep and somehow he torn down the baby monitor that was zip tied very tightly to his bed.

On another note, my weight is 145! ONE-FOUR-FIVE!

14 pounds down, started at 159.

My wedding ring is a lot looser on me and the sweatpants I had been wearing to run in I can no longer run in because they are too big.

Oh and today we got some mail.

COURT ORDERED AND ADJUDGED: THE MINOR CHILD CADEN JOHN ALESSI IS DECLARED TO BE THE LEGAL CHILD OF PETITIONERS NICHOLAS AND MICHELLE ALESSI. THE MINOR CHILD SHALL BE THE CHILD AND NATURAL LEGAL HEIR OF PETITIONERS AND IS ENTITLED TO ALL RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES TO ALL OBLIGATIONS OF A CHILD BORN TO PETITIONERS.

Here is a video of the boy's first giggles out loud.

A few weeks ago I looked up on the internet some ideas for toddler crafts and I came across these 2 ideas that I already had the materials for.
Sensory Bottles!

The blue one pictures above is called a "Lava Bottle". The materials needed: plastic soda bottle, hot glue and hot glue gun, water, food coloring, baby oil.
Fill bottle half way with water and drop in a few drops of food coloring. Fill bottle the rest of the way with baby oil, but leave enough room in the bottle for liquids to slosh around. Hot glue lid closed tightly.

The other one is a 'Snow Globe." Fill half with water and half with corn syrup and add glitter. Hot glue lid closed. And viola!

Some other ideas are:
Instead of glitter use sand and sea shells. Along with or instead of glitter add paper clips, small beads, rice, dice...whatever you can think of that you think your child will enjoy looking at.

Here is a video of the boy himself, my porky pie, from yesterday. Such a Mama's boy!

It's a done deal.

Caden John Alessi is ours forever. We are finally, after so much with this adoption, done.

We are forever family of 4.

Wow.

Dear Mr and Mrs Alessi:

Please be advised that the final hearing in connection with your adoption is scheduled for June 9, 2010, at 9:00 a.m., eastern standard pacific time (Florida time) before the Honorable E*** R***, Circuit Court Judge. Please mark your calendars and keep this letter for reference the day of the hearing.

To reach Judge R*** for your hearing, please dial (***)***-***. You will reach Judge R***'s judicial assistant,J*****. Identify yourselves to the judicial assistant, who will put the call through when the Judge is ready to begin the hearing.

Please be further advised that Florida law requires that a notary public be present with you. The notary will need to identify you to the Judge, either through state-issued picture identification or from knowing you personally. Next, the notary will need to swear you in for the hearing. The easiest way to facilitate this is by the notary reading the oath form the enclosed Notary Certificate Re guarding Administering Oath. Finally, the notary must fill out and sign the notary certificate, and you should return the notary document to our office. Please be sure that the notary indicates on the documents the type of identification you presented or that the notary personally knows you.

After you are sworn, you will answer questions regarding several topics, including: when the child was places in your care; whether you have sufficient resources to provide for the child's care; and whether you understand the legal ramifications of the adoption. The Court wants to ensure that you understand that the adoption grants you privileges and imposes obligation and is a permanent and final decision.

On behalf of our office, we look forward to finalizing your adoption.

Dont worry, the big news will hit the blog in about 24 hours.

Here is a picture of my goal. Maybe I should set an easier goal? Im not 18 anymore. I cant picture myself ever looking like this again, ( a juniors size 7!) but I sure am going to try. (I am now in a Juniors size 13. Yuck.)

I'm disappointed in myself today. I couldn't finish my run. My energy was low and my legs really really hurt and I was afraid I would hurt myself if I pushed too hard. I was only able to finish half of my run which was walk 2 minutes and run 5 minutes repeat 2 times instead of the 4 with a 3 minute run at the end before I felt like I had to quit. I really wish I didn't have to quit. Maybe a day off would do some good? I just hate the feeling of taking a day off. But maybe my body needs it? I took Sunday off, today is only Wednesday..so why do I need a day off already? Usually I can make it until Saturday without a break. Maybe I just need a nap and I can hit the treadmill tonight?

I dont know. But the above picture is my goal. Or at least close to that...maybe 10 pounds more than that I would be happy with. I was about 120 pounds there, so that would put me at 130. That picture was taken on our honeymoon the end of August 2002, when I was just 18 years old. I wish I knew then how good I looked! And I wish someone would have warned me that getting older changes your body fast without working to stay thin. And I wish someone would have told all those infertility medications that were in my very near future would be about half of the problem with me gaining weight.

Oh well. You live. You learn. And now Im trying to fix it.

I dont dare take an accurate weight of myself until Monday.

I hate that I couldnt finish my run this morning.

*Updated to note, after some food and a nap I was able to complete my run for the day which had made me feel so much better!*

Stay tuned for REALLY V-E-R-Y good news within the next few days!

For now:
Today I finished Week 4 Day 2 of my running program. I was so nervous to start this week, wondering how the heck am I going to walk for 2 minutes and run 5 minutes and repeat 4 times. Well, today is day 2 of this and I can do it! Its great feeling less jiggle while I run...but the scale still isnt moving much. Of course, I did weigh myself after I ran, ate and drank a lot. I shouldn't have. Im going to try to only weigh myself weekly BEFORE I do anything but wake up and pee.

Here is a tidbit of helpful information from the couch to 5k plan, which runs true for me. Keeping a log helps me, A LOT.

The Couch-to-5K Running Plan Keeping a training log is a key to your success:

Keeping a training log is a key to your success. While most journals track memories or accomplishments, a training log goes a step further by providing a record to look back on, learn from and make corrections or improvements to your future training programs.
A training log can be an asset for avoiding injury or setbacks in your training. It is a tool to improve your performance. It also tracks your training as you progress toward your goals.

What to record

Training logs should include:

Run, bike, swim, strength and other sports data including distance, pace and total training time
Time of day
Weather conditions, temperature, wind conditions, humidity
Heart rate training zones
Weight
Health data including hours of sleep, amount of stress, soreness, fatigue (scale of 1-5, 1=low, 5=high)
Resting heart rate (before getting out of bed in the morning)
Race results
General feelings and comments on training swims, runs or rides
Intensity of workout, perceived rate of exertion (scale of 1-10, 1=easy, 10=extremely hard)
Possible injuries, aches or pains

So this is my treadmill in Caden's room. The bottom folds up flat against the wall so really its not in the way at all considering the small amount of space that is called Caden's room.
Saturday I was able to do 20 minutes. Walk 3 minutes, run 4 minutes, repeat only 3 times. Today, Sunday, I am taking the day off. I have to recover for tomorrow. Tomorrow is Week 4, which means I have to step it up a notch and honestly..Im nervous. I hope I am able to do this. I think now starting this week I will really stick to my workout only once per day because now I think this is going to start getting tough. But Im ready. I cant wait to shed these pounds even more and get into better shape. I still have a bit to lose even though I think I am down 12. My weight changes a bit every day. When I think Im down 12 pounds, weighing 147...the next morning Im back to weighing 150 which is only a 9 pound loss.
Tomorrow starts walk 2 minutes, run 5 minutes, repeat 4 times. And do it 4 days this week. My plan is 5-6 days. But we shall see.

How's this for inspiration? The 2 munchkins playing next to the treadmill.

As of this morning, Im down a whole 12 pounds! Slowly but surely....getting there.

I am really tired today. My eyes burn. My run this morning really hurt. I will try to do a second run this evening and then take Saturday off.

On May 30th, Kayla turned a whopping 22 months old. How in the world can 22 months pass by like this? She brightens my day like no one else can in a way that no one else can. I cant imagine a day without her. I cant imagine going hours with out her. How does Nick do it? How does he walk out that door 5 days a week and not see her all day long? I cant believe she is almost 2 years old. Before I know she will be 22 years old and I will have to learn to live life without her in it every single day. How do parents do this? Please tell me the secret, because within a blink of an eye..it's going to happen.
2 years ago this week, I was headed to Pennsylvania to await the birth of this little girl that I had no idea I would love so much. My mother in law and I would sit out on the deck and dream and imagine and wonder and discuss what we thought she would look like. We were pretty darn close...but I could N-E-V-E-R have dreamed she would be this perfect and this beautiful. I never thought a baby could have been made this perfect JUST for us. Her giggles, her laughs, her squeals, her cries, her tears, her big brown eyes, her eyelashes, her hair, her curls, her nose, her lips, her giant hands and feet, and tan skin, her long legs and arms, her giant heart, her personality, her cleverness, her determination, her ingenuity, her willingness and her ability to learn...just PERFECTION. Made only for us.

Happy 22 month Birthday little munchkin. Stop growing up so fast.



Tomorrow, June 4th, Caden will be 4 months old. How is THIS possible?

Wasn't it just weeks ago we stressed about his adoption? Wasn't it just weeks ago that I had to hold onto hope by a piece of thread and pray that it wouldn't break, that we wouldn't lose him. I had this tremendously painfully gut and heart feeling that he was made for us and I was trying so hard to convey this to the world while I had to plea and fight and beg the universe to make this work out. 2 months before we even found out about birth mother's pregnancy with him, I called my mother in law in tears wondering why on earth I had this overwhelming feeling that I needed more babies. I even blogged about it. I wanted it to go away and I couldn't understand it. Little did I know....our lives were about to change in a massive way. FOREVER. He was born. And that feeling was GONE. I could finally breathe and live with a light heart knowing and feeling for the first time in my entire life that this family was complete.
This little life that birth mother had created was not without reason. Everyone took the news of this pregnancy as a burden, even us before she asked us to adopt him. He was no doubt without reason. Not only did he complete this family in more ways than one, but he gave our birth mother the reality check she needed to get her life on track, get her GED, and go to college.

I couldn't imagine life without this little boy. While his personality is still waiting to erupt, it wont be long. I cannot wait for the day I hear his true real baby giggle. I cant wait to see the person he starts to become.

How lucky can one married couple get? Just how fortunate? It was all written in the stars long before we were even aware. We got pregnant twice and miscarried 2 babies. These 2 babies kept us going. They gave us just enough hope to lead us through the rocky path that ended with our 2 babies, Kayla and Caden.

To all my blog readers, my friends who are still waiting...your happy ending is written in the stars too. Dont give up.

If it's not a happy ending, then it's not the end.

Happy 4 month Birthday Caden. Dont grow up as fast as your sister is.



Today is Week 3 Day 4 in my running program. As of this morning I am down a pound already this week and its only Thursday. This brings me down 9 pounds weighing in at 150 this morning. I dont see a huge difference yet, but it will come. I still cant even believe I let myself gain that much weight. I'd say that the happiest I have been was weighing in at 130, so I guess 20 more pounds to go. I know I can do it. Just wish it didnt take this much time!

According to my running log I have gone a total of 8.9 miles this week so far. Today I did my work out twice, first thing in the morning and then again during the babies nap time with an extra 3 minute fast pace walk. I plan on doing 2 workouts tomorrow if I am able and then taking Saturday off. This training for a 5K thing...is addicting. So, I will TRY to take Saturday off. We are planning a day at the water park so that should be a lot of workout in itself!

Well, I have hit Week 3, Day 3 in my running program today. It went by so fast. Feels like only week 2 at the latest. Time flies.

Week 3 consists of walk 3 minutes, run 4 minutes, repeat 4 times. The first day I did this easily when I thought it would be impossible. I was surprised at how easily I was able to do it. This coming from the person who on the first week could barely finish running 1 minute consecutively, and repeat that 3 times. This coming from the person who couldn't run a day in her life, not even as a child.

The 2nd day of week 3, I was able to do my workout TWICE. Once at 6:30 AM and then again at noon when both kids were napping. Still...easy BOTH times!

This morning, week 3 day 3, I woke up really tired. My body is tired. I got my workout in but it was tougher. I had to make myself finish. After nap time I went for a 2nd workout and was only able to finish half of it. Tomorrow will be week 3 day 4 and I WILL finish TWO workouts tomorrow.

The program I am on only requires 4 workouts a week, each lasting 20-30 minutes. So, its Wednesday and I have already finished 3 and half workouts lasting probably an average of 28 minutes each.

I am on my way to becoming a runner.

My breathing is great. I have learned to inhale deep, exhale deep, through both mouth and nose at the same time for my muscles to receive enough oxygen to keep working. This takes a lot of concentration for me. But I am able to do this with Caden in his bouncy chair next to me and Kayla playing on the rocker or on the floor next to him. I must say, I LOVE having a treadmill in the house.

What slows me down is my legs are so sore. When will that stop so I can continue to run? I cant wait to be able to hop on the treadmill and run a couple miles.

I also started logging my workouts, which is neat to see on chart.

I am on my way to becoming a runner. And losing 20 pounds. Even though the number on the scale is not changing...it eventually will. I MUST have lost weight doing all this.