Catch Up

Wow, does time fly or what?!? Lets recap the past few months. Gavin is now almost 10 months, he has 5 teeth and is a crawling machine! His first Christmas was a huge success! At his 9 month check up he weighed in at nearly 25 pounds and 28 inches long. Every time we go to the Dr. they talk about how they can't believe he was a preemie. :) His personality is definitely shining through! I thought maybe Gavin would be our "calm" one but that isn't looking like that's going to be the case. ;) He's also had his first double ear infection. Unfortunately since the double ear infection he wont' sleep through the night, sometimes waking up 3 or 4 times. Needless to say Ri and I are so exhausted life seems to go by in a blur most days.
Lucas is loving preschool. He learns something new everyday and talks about his friends a lot. He was just a little bit spoiled for Christmas. It's so much fun now that he's at an age where he understands Santa and asks lots of questions. This year he kept bugging Riley to put lights up outside until it was finished. Then he had to turn them on every night because they were "his" lights. Awesome, a mini Clark Griswald....ha ha He's still growing like a weed but he's super thin these days because he's gotten so tall. We typically get "oh how old is he, 5?" UMMM no, he's not even 4 yet thanks.
As for Ri and I we're super busy as usual. I've recruited Ri to run with me so we've both been training and when we're able to get out to run together it's a lot of fun. We ran our 2nd 5k together in November and are planning to run a half marathon together in May and Ragnar together in August.
Ri started a new job last week and is enjoying learning new things. As for me, I'm still at the middle school and MAN what a crazy year it's been!
Well, until next time! :)

Oh the changes!

Lets see, where do I begin?? Gavin is 6 months old today! I can't believe it's been 6 months already! We'll be planning his 1st birthday in no time. Scary thought! Last Sunday Lucas became fully potty trained! What a process that was!! Then one day it was like somebody flipped a switch, he just got it! It's SO awesome only having to change one diaper at a time again! Gavin is growing like the proverbial weed. He is now 2o lbs 4 ozs and measures in at just over 26 inches. Needless to say we'll be upgrading carseats in the coming weeks. Lucas started preschool last month and loves it! He can't wait to go to school in the morning (most days). :) Gavin can roll from front to back and is SO close to rolling back to front. He can nearly sit unassisted and he loves to play in his exersaucer and jumperoo. He loves his big brother and stares at Lucas all the time. And half the time Lucas does a far better job getting Gavin to calm down and stop crying than Riley and I do! It's quite amazing to see. Gavin also started daycare a few weeks ago. Thankfully we have an amazing daycare mom and I was able to leave him and go to work the first day without worrying a bit!
As for Riley and I, mowing has started to slow down a bit now that it's getting cooler out. But football has started so we've traded one kind of busy for another! And for me, I survived the Ragnar Relay! AND I fully intend on doing it again next year!! ha ha Next up..... my first half marathon in South Dakota in 2 weeks! Bring it!

Ragnar?? I thought you said Ray's Bar.....

3:20 a.m. race day and my cellphone starts beeping... "We're down a runner, Tara's son is sick." My first thought.... FUCK! *sigh* Fast forward, 6:15 a.m. our first 6 runners are at the levee and ready to go! We have our flags, our gear and are waiting for our "safety" meeting, 7 a.m. Tara Jo takes off! Now this is when it starts to get interesting (well, ok, that started at 3 a.m. when we were down a runner). The other 5 of us head to the van, get organized, make a quick pit stop and head to our first exchange. My heart is pounding my stomach is in knots and I seriously want to puke. 8:30 a.m. i'm waiting in the chute for Tara Jo, 8:35 a.m. I take off on my first leg, 6.2 miles. BRUTAL is the only way I can explain it. I have not had a run go that poorly since my very first run where I barely made it 7/10 of a mile! It was hot and the sun was beating down on me and all the blood I needed to fuel my body was working on digesting the bagel I ate far to close to my run. blah. Continue this leapfrog patter for our next several runners. This is Ragnar.... Run, Eat, Sleep?, REPEAT! Our van ran the first 6 legs then handed off to van 2 of our team to run the 2nd 6. Around 6pm we then started our 2nd 6 legs. My 2nd run went MUCH better, to put it mildly I dominated it! 8.3 miles in the dark with a 2 mile gilmore valley-esque hill with a 3 mile long decent done in an hour and 32 minutes. Overall I'd say Ragnar was a success and I do plan on doing it again next year! All the craziness of running, eating quick snacks with no real meals, not sleeping and being packed like sardines in a van with five other people is so worth it! Imagine doing something you love (ok, if you're a runner, something you love) with thousands of other runners cheering you on,spending 2 days with some of your closest friends, laughing and talking and you have Ragnar! And the title for this post.... one of the many very creative team names. :)

I run for the fallen.

Friday I will run my third race with the hopes of running many more. This past Saturday my long run included a decent size hill and 8 miles. After about mile 4 when I was halfway through my run as well as halfway up the monster hill I started to think "oh lord how am I ever going to complete this run let alone the races I have coming up!" And then I started thinking about all of those people out there who used to run and no longer can or the people that would love to experience the joy of even walking let alone running but have never and will never be able. This propelled me forward. At this point in my run my ipod also died due to the pouring rain which freed my mind to wander and I began to think of all our troops, those still with us and the fallen. Fast forward to this morning. I spent the better part of a half hour talking with a Vietnam Veteran after I donated to a veteran's cause. At this point it occurred to me, why am I running all of these races? Obviously they all benefit charities of some form; my first 5k - skin cancer, my 2nd 5k - youth sports, the Ragnar Relay this weekend - youth mentorship. All of these are wonderful causes but I want to run for something that hits a little closer to home, something I feel very passionate about. Which has led me to start researching what kind of events are out there that benefit our troops and their families. I've found several and plan on scheduling them into my 12 month race calendar and I welcome all fellow runners to join me! This weekend I will be running all three of my Ragnar legs for the fallen, those still fighting for our freedom and those who used to run and no longer can. To our troops, thank you for fighting for us!

Getting a little perspective

Friday is usually one of the best days of the week as you know the weekend is approaching! However on this particular Friday I found myself having "that" morning. You know the one i'm referring to, the one where from the minute you get up things just seem to go wrong.... THAT day. Let's re-cap....went to make coffee and spilled the pot full of water all over the counter then in the process of trying to clean that up spilled half the container of coffee all over the floor, stubbed my toe, went to get in the car (which I had started to get it cooled down for the kiddos) to find i'd not only locked my keys in the running car but i'd also locked myself and the kiddos out of the house....(thank goodness for a hidden spare key!!) Finally get on the road to LaCrosse to meet my mom at Sams Club. Cashier rings up purchases wrong so I have to then wait in line behind 10 other customers for 2 items, then go to Caribou (which doesn't have a drive thru.... :(), unload both kids go in to get my coffe and they give me the wrong one but don't have time to fix it because of 2 screaming kids. Keep in mind it's barely 10:00 at this point..... NOW, I have a decision to make at this juncture; I can either sulk and let these many unfortunate irritating things ruin the rest of my day (and there's a lot of day left!) or I can laugh at this and choose to start over! So that is what I did! Not to say i'm above sulking, i've done that a time or two (and who hasn't!). But on my drive home as Lucas was talking to Gavin in the backseat and Gavin was laughing and cooing at his big brother I realized there just isn't enough time or energy in my life to waste on negative things.
I found myself thinking about a friend who had to say goodbye to her babies after just an hour on this earth and my eyes teared up. If I chose to let these minor things ruin my day how could I face that friend or others who are truly taking on lifes most difficult challenges? My perspective on the day immediately changed. I looked at my babies in the backseat and smiled remembering that I get to go home to an air conditioned house with two healthy children, a wonderful husband, food in our cupboards and clothes in our closets. My life is truly blessed and i'm thankful everyday for everything and everyone I have in my life.
This is life, you roll with the punches and you pick your battles. To those of you that are dealing with genuine struggles, my heart aches for you, be strong and I love you!

Where has the summer gone?!?!

I can't believe we are already into August! We have had such a busy summer and our fall calendar is quickly filling up as well! Ri starts football in a week and a half, I have the Ragnar Relay coming up in two weeks, Lucas starts PRESCHOOL!! in 2 weeks and Gavin will start daycare when I go back to work on the 29th. I can't believe there are only a few short weeks left of our busy summer! A quick update on our "little" family. Gavin is now nearly 5 months old, smiles, coos, rolls over and loves to watch his big brother run around like the energizer bunny! He's a very strong little guy and thankfully has been sleeping through the night since about 3 months! (yes, we realize how fortunate we are for this!!) Lucas is, as always, as active as toddler boys come! We're working diligently on potty training....somedays it goes really well and others I feel like Gavin will be potty trained before him!! ha ha But we'll get there! He has healed wonderfully from his surgery and within a week we could tell a big difference in his speech. The week of the 22nd he moves into the preschool room at daycare....where did my baby go??? I can't believe he is old enough for preschool already! He throws epic tantrums just like any toddler and his favorite saying during these tantrums lately is "don't talk me!!" Oh the drama of toddlerhood. ;) Ri has been really busy with mowing, hasn't had to many slumps this year like we have in the summers past but I really don't know how he works in this heat and humidity! He's been playing in two softball leagues this summer. One wrapped up last night and the other plays for the league championship on Monday night. Cash has been doing great adjusting to both boys and is as usual a great pup and very protective of all of us. As for me, i've been training quite a bit this summer. I have a 200 mile team relay this month, a 10k in September and a half marathon in early October. I'm also considering signing up for another half marathon in May. I've found that running helps keep my anxiety in check and I absolutely LOVE the runners high afterwards! Well, that's about all for the Stejskal's at this point. I'll post again in a few weeks after my race (if I survive!) with pictures! :) Love to all.

Superman!

Lucas is such a trooper! He had surgery yesterday, double surgery actually. His tubes came out in October and since February he has had 4 double ear infections. SO, in talking with his ENT specialist we decided a second set of tubes were needed as well as removing his adnoids. So we checked in to the hospital at 8:00 yesterday morning. He was taken back for surgery at 9:20 and was back in the room with Gavin and I by 10:20. He struggled when he first came out of the anesthesia and was kicking, screaming and trying to pull his IV out. After rubbing his back for about five minutes while trying to keep him from pulling his IV out he fell back to sleep. Once he woke up the second time he ate a popsicle and was ready to go home. We were home by shortly after 1pm and by 3 you'd never have guessed he'd had anything done! We kept him home from daycare for the week not really knowing what to expect with the addition of having his adnoids removed. Today it's as if he didn't have anything done. Poor Cash thought he was going to get a break....no such luck! :) We are so thankful he doesn't seem to be having any pain (other than when we have to put his eardrops in). Hopefully this will be the last time he has to have this type of procedure. His first set of tubes were in for nearly 2 years so if this set stay in that long we are hoping he will be old enough that he will have grown out of this issue. And having his adnoids removed should help with the draining of his ears/sinus as well. Here's hoping!!