Traveling with a 1 year old

When I say that ^ statement does it make anyone else feel slightly overwhelmed??

Tonight we fly out for my first solo trip with Gavin!  (Okay that's a lie... not really solo because I'll have my sister with me... but no Jake on this trip!) Gavin has been to California, Florida, Utah, and Nevada already in his 15 months of life, so I guess you can say he's a seasoned traveller!  He was an easy traveler as a baby (thankfully).  Now that we have a toddler on our hands, I'm starting to get a bit nervous for our flight tonight!  We're leaving on the red-eye so hopefully the little guy will be tuckered out and sleep the whole time.  I doubt I'll get much sleep with 24 pounds & 30-some inches of cuteness sprawled on my lap, but if he is happy, quiet, and well-rested, then I'll feel pretty much the same!

How is it something so small need SO much stuff?  I'm packing for a FIVE day trip.  I mean seriously, how much does one need? Pre-Gavin, I would fit all my things into a carry on and pack one hour before leaving for the airport.  Now, I have a list that takes up a full page and it's like planning a logistical nightmare.  Part of that has to do with his food allergies and making sure I have enough snacks/cooking stuff to get by, but the other part is simply that toddlers have a lot of STUFF.  Car seat, stroller, Ergo carrier, clothes, toys, books, swimsuit, diapers, wipes, sippy cup, blankey, and the list goes on...

Me on the other hand:  Running clothes, running shoes, and Garmin watch.  I should be set. :)

Hola One Ones are all I need!

It's been 6 months since my last trip which is far too long! I am beyond excited to see family, friends, and run in a new place.  (Not to mention visiting places like TJ's & Cafe Rio at least once daily). The weather is still looking hot enough to melt this Alaskan... but hopefully I'll survive!  My broken toe is not being super cooperative so it's looking more and more like I'll do the half marathon, but we will see!  Either way, I'm going to have a BLAST!  And this little stud is going to have fun in the sun with family and friends! 

Twilight 12K

I decided at the last minute to run the Twilight 12K last night.  I knew I wouldn't race it hard because of my marathon next Saturday, but I decided it would be a good opportunity for one last training run! 

Photo courtesy of Skinny Raven

It had been raining allllll week in Anchorage and around noon on Friday it was pouring, so when the clouds parted and the sun started to poke out around 6pm... there were 2,500 happy runners!  I met up with a couple of my friends at the start and waited for the 7:05 start time!

The gun went off and I felt surprisingly great!  Runs have been hit or miss lately thanks to my broken pinky toe.... but last night it was hardly noticeable with all of the adrenaline!  If you don't know this about me... I'm slightly competitive, so I made a pact to myself to not run at race pace to save my legs for next weekend. I managed to hold a steady, comfortable pace where I didn't feel winded.  I also jammed to my Pandora station and just had a great time!  The second I thought about beating other runners, I focused on my REO Speedwagon station instead.  P.S. I highly recommend this station.  The best. 

The course is pretty hilly and there were a couple of sections with a nice headwind, but I was happy to finish with a comfortable 54:57 (7:26/mi).  For a training run, I was happy.  Although I'm definitely looking forward to running it hard next year!

Bright and early this morning, Michelle and I did another hilly 8 miles, so my legs currently feel like jello.  It's time to rest, recover and get ready for racing next weekend!  I hope you're having a great weekend!

Gavin's Safari Theme Birthday!

So this is only 3 months late... but Gavin's first birthday was a BLAST. Jake and I love African animals so it was only fitting to make it a Safari theme!

I had huge help from Jake, my parents and my sister... I don't know how I could have done it without them.  Will Gavin remember any of this? No.  But I will.  It was so worth it!  

I made his Happy Birthday banner (which we can use for many birthdays to come!)

And also this photo banner with his monthly photos from birth-12 months!  

As most people know, the main event of any birthday party is the food and cake.  I am lucky enough to have the most amazing friend, Amy, who makes cakes for a living.  I gave her a few different inspiration pictures and she came up with this amazing (and delicious!) cake:

The top layer was Red Velvet with cream cheese, the middle was vanilla with white chocolate filling, and the bottom layer was chocolate with chocolate mousse!

Since Gavin can't eat normal cake because of his food allergies, I made him his own chocolate cake.  

The food table was named the "Grazing Table" (written with a chalk pen on chalkboard paper in a white-painted $1 frame.  My sister has the BEST handwriting in the world.)

All of the food was jungle themed and I found THIS great DIY label on Etsy that helped me make these labels:

Here were some of the food names:

Tiger Tails (Cheetos)

Tree Twigs (Pretzels)

Pirhana Pasta Salad

Tasmanian Deviled Eggs

Zebra Stripes (Striped Chocolate covered strawberries)

Gorilla Grapes 

Jungle Vines (Red Vines)

Hungry Hippo Dip (Hummus)

Rabbit Food (Kale Salad)

Python Potato Salad

Clearly I had way too much time on my hands... :)

I had THIS adorable sign made to display at the party... All about Gavin at age one!  It will be a great keepsake for years to come!

The drink table was appropriately named, as was the punch (Jungle Juice!)

I purchased Cheetah print duct tape and rolled it on water bottles to complete the wild theme!

I made the banner on Gavin's high chair using the same supplies as his birthday banner:

And it would be a birthday party without party favors! I found them on Amazon and it ended up being cheaper than making goody bags. And the kiddos loved them :)

The birthday boy wore this custom shirt (another Etsy find!)

Overall, the party was a hit with over 60 people in attendance!  Gavin is one lucky kiddo to be so loved.  It's scary to think he will be two before we know it!  Has anyone figured out how to slow down time?! 

Grateful.

What should have been a normal trip to Costco this afternoon (filled with delicious samples and buying things I don't need...) quickly turned to a very memorable one, and I wish I could say it was a good memory.  I started my usual peruse through the fruits and Jake went to look at the engine oil. Typical ;)  I saw him start to walk back toward me but he got a very concerned and distracted look on his face.  I walked to the edge of the aisle to see what he was looking at and there was an elderly man that had collapsed on the ground. Multiple people were gathered to try to help and Jake, a paramedic, stepped in to see what he could do.  Another lady, a nurse, started doing chest compressions as 9-1-1 was called.  Another man showed up who said he was an ER doctor so Jake stepped away and told me we should give them some space since they had it handled.

We walked into the Fridge as I started tearing up.  I am not meant for emergency medicine.  All I could think was, "that's someone's father, husband, and friend."  It's someone who means everything to another person.  Jake forged ahead, not even affected in the slightest.  We continued shopping and passed near the scene a few more times.  The paramedics showed up and were working quickly to save the mans' life.  A huge crowd had gathered.  Why is it in our human nature to want to stand and watch such a critical situation?  Human curiosity is a powerful thing. On our way out, we saw the ambulance leaving with it's lights on which Jake told me is a good thing because it means he is still alive.

In the car, I asked Jake how he could just walk forward and move on after witnessing a man who likely had a massive stroke and may/may not live.  He said that it is just what he has to do.  If he spent time thinking about each patient he takes to the hospital on calls like that one, he would never survive such a taxing job.  It was then that I truly realized how brave and amazing my husband is.  I mean, I've always known that but today it was made even more clear.  It is his job to enter calmly into emotional situations, try to save lives, and walk away emotionally strong to be able to help the next person.  I cannot respect him more for doing that day in and day out!

I am probably the exact opposite in handling patients...  I come home thinking about my them; contemplating their diagnoses and what I can do to help.  Not the best way to handle things, but it is who I am & why I think I am a good primary care provider.  I was told as a child that I was too sensitive but I have learned to embrace that quality and let it help me as a PA.  I now know with 100% certainty that I could not be a emergency medicine PA, but I am SO thankful for people like the ones I saw today... the doctors, nurses, and paramedics... who daily enter into a challenging situation and handle it with grace and precision.  I am most grateful for my husband, who after today I admire even more than I thought possible.  (I know you're reading this Jake and hating that I'm writing about you, but YOU. ARE. AMAZING.)

On to lighter and happier things...

In case a broken toe & intermittent injuries weren't enough to test my marathon training... How's this weather forecast for race day?!

89 degrees? I think I might melt!  Oh well, I'm looking forward to the trip nonetheless :)

Gavin has been the happiest baby on the block the last few days!  After his horrible week of ear infections and teething... he must feel pretty good about life!  His favorite thing to do these days is sing the ABC song and play in his Thomas the Train tent.  I highly recommend shelling out the big bucks and spending $2 on such a tent at a Garage sale.  Best purchase ever.

I choo choo choo choose you!  

SUMMER is here!

All of the sudden, it is SUMMER.  Absolutely amazing!

We had a bit of a rough week in our house because of two little things called teething and ear infections. (I had the ear infections first, then Gavin, and now Jake! Sheesh!) For the first time in probably our whole lives, Jake, Gavin & I barely got out of bed almost the entire Memorial Day weekend.  Last Friday when I picked Gavin up from daycare he was feverish and not acting like himself at all.  I peeked in his ear and his tube was once again clogged and infected :(  We had three days of him being feverish, lethargic, sleepy, and EXTRA snuggly.

On Monday, I was changing his diaper and he opened his mouth to say "ahhhhh" (one of his favorite things to do these days :)), I saw a molar peeking through his gums!  No wonder.  Teething is painful. But teething molars is just downright cruel.  It took 5 days and he is finally getting back to his happy self!

This week of running has actually gone pretty well!  I was able to do 14 miles last Saturday and another 12 miler on Tuesday, so that's encouraging.  I had every intention of doing 16 today, but I didn't have enough time this morning before the hubs left for work... so I settled on 10 + a 4 mile walk with a friend in the AMAZING sunshine. 

Best buds.  Gavin was clearly unamused by my 162nd picture of the day.

When I got home, we played in the yard for a while (aka... Pulling grass, touching every rock humanly possible, and attempting to roll in the dirt.) Boys will be boys :)

P.S.  Is there anything cuter than boys in overalls?  I can't get enough.  

Tomorrow is supposed to be even more beautiful so I plan to stay outside as much as possible!  

Summer is here!

Somehow it's almost the end of May!  When did that happen?  This month has been crazzzyyy busy at our house.  With the hubs working extra, beautiful weather, random events, and trying to keep up with an increasingly more active one-year-old... the days fly by!

Jake and I got all done up for a Gala a few weeks ago!

Running in the past month has been humbling for me (to say the least).  After my rough 20-miler, I felt some tight areas that, combined with a new shoe problem, lead to shin splints and a pulled quad. After two weeks of little to no running and I was finally ready to try a long run... but instead, I broke my pinky toe.

I'm sure you wanted to see my super attractive foot.  You're welcome.

I am scheduled to run a marathon in three weeks from today.  Not exactly ideal.  So where does that leave me?  Well, I don't know.  Tickets are purchased, so worst case scenario I will run the half marathon.  Okay, worst case scenario I won't run at all, but I think I could do the half.  And I'm hoping I can do the full. I'm not a person that likes to run half-heartedly in full marathons, but I also need to set realistic expectations coming off a month of injuries. I guess I will just wait and see how my body cooperates,  Lesson to all of you:  NEVER take advantage of pain-free running.  It's a blessing.

On a much more positive note... it is amazing to me how quickly children learn.  They are like little sponges! Here is a quick 14-month update on Gavin!

His favorite new tricks this month:
- Blowing kisses, pointing out ears/eyes/noses, throwing his head back in fake laughter, dancing, stacking toys, bringing books to me and plopping on my lap so I will read to him, playing outside, practicing going up/down stairs, rolling his r's, waving, coloring and chasing Diego.

This laugh.  Goof.

All of the sudden he is 18 drafting architectural plans.
(OR scribbling.  But seriously! Time.... slow DOWN!)

He LOVES running after Diego.  

Words he Says:
- Up, no, yes, all done, 'nana (banana), E-I-E-I-O (Old McDonald song), Mama, Dada, Amba,  (Amber, my sis), ruff ruff, ABC, uh-oh, uh-huh, eat, and lots of others I can't think of!  He is SO talkative and is constantly trying to mimic what we say.  Love it.

Challenges:
- His allergies :(  His skin has been at an all-time LOW.  He has a rash all over his body and we cannot figure out what it's from.  We're leaning toward a pollen allergy but not sure.  Thank goodness most kids outgrow this stuff. And thank goodness he is happy as a clam.
- Daycare germs.  He is currently sick with his 628th ear infection. Okay, a bit of an exaggeration, but it feels like every week he gets a runny nose from daycare which then progresses into a clogged ear tube (he had tubes placed when he was 9 months old) and then it gets infected.  My heart breaks for him every time.

Luckily he's just as fun as ever and really doesn't seem phased by any of it!

When the days get longer and the weather gets more beautiful, Alaskans can't stay inside.  Gavin and I have been spending time outside every day whether it is walking around in the yard, going to the park, hiking, or playing with friends.

Who's having more fun, Gavin or Mom?

Bestest little bud.

"Mother's hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever"

My little hiking buddy.

Does it count as double mileage since I'm carrying him?

I'm getting more and more excited for the next few months because we have a two out-of-state trips planned, tons of camping adventures, my BFF in the whole world will be back for 6 weeks, BBQ season, and trail running! My plan is to slow down on the road running and focus on trails a bit more since the pavement has not been very kind to my body lately.  My super rock-star sister is a hard core trail runner so I'm hoping to tag along on her adventures! There's going to be lots of fun times and I'll try to keep updating as I go!

And in case you didn't get enough cuteness from these pictures, I'll fill that quota.  

Tangent Sunday and My Favorite allergy-free Muffin recipe!

- It's been beautiful all weekend so a piggy back ride was mandatory after church!

-Woke up with super tight left quad... So this is now my BFF. Come on body, get it together.

Gavin is a pro at rolling out his quads.

- Jake and I have a huge date night next Satuday... A Greek Gala! It's a formal affair so I will be getting all dolled up.  The first time I've done this since probably our wedding day.  I decided to rent a dress from this site so I am super excited to see how it looks in person. Quite the risk taker since it arrives the night before! Hopefully it fits!

Has anyone ever used a dress rental site?  Thanks Michelle for the idea :)  It's still a pretty pricy option, but after looking into buying a dress I'll probably never wear again, it seemed like a great idea! After I wear/return the dress I'll let you know what I think! 

- This morning I made Gavin and my favorite paleo, grain-free, dairy-free, nut-free, no sugar added banana muffins (Gavin's muffins don't have the chocolate chips, just mine. Chocolate chips don't count as sugar, right?).  These seriously make me forget a world exists with grains, dairy, and added sugar! YUM.

Brittany's Allergy Free Banana Muffins
(Adapted from Paleo Kitchen's Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread)

Ingredients:
4 bananas, mashed with a fork (the more ripe, the better)
4 eggs
1/2 cup sunflower butter (room temperature or it won't mix well)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 generous cup Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips (optional, but why would you not?!)

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with cups.
- In a stand mixer combine bananas, eggs, sunflower butter, coconut oil, and vanilla.
- Add in the coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips. Blend into the wet mixture, scraping down the sides with a spatula. Distribute the batter evenly into the lined muffin tins, filling each about two-thirds of the way full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. These are very moist so store leftovers in the refrigerator. I hope you enjoy!

OH I ALMOST FORGOT.  These turn green.  Do NOT be alarmed.  The naturally occurring chlorogenic acid that is found in all plant leaves and stems is also present in the seeds of the sunflower seeds. Chlorogenic acid is an antioxidant and is one of the reasons that sunflower butter is good for you (as well as being a great source of vegetable protein, potassium, vitamin E, and other vitamins and minerals).  When chlorogenic acid meets alkaline baking conditions (i.e., if you add baking soda), it turns a dark green (see photo, below).   This completely harmless effect happens after the muffins completely cool down (and increases with additional hours.) This is a great muffin recipe to make with kids when they are learning about plants…or for St. Patrick’s Day!