The Campbell Crazies

31 {of 365}

I was recently told by my girlfriends Brooke & Desta about a running group that meets at the Forsyth County Greenway on Saturday mornings at 8am.

I planned on joining them yesterday, but on Friday night the forecast for Saturday morning was freezing rain and bitter cold temperatures so the run was post-poned until this morning.  It was still bitter cold, but at least the sun was out .

On Friday I mailed our registration for Run the Reagan on February 13th, Brian will be running the 10K at 8:30am and I will be running the 5K and 10am.  Now my goal is to get my 5K time down to a 10-11 minute mile {3.1 miles – 30/33 minutes}

My plan for this morning was to run 4-miles {because I know I can run the 3.1 miles so I have been adding some longer runs in on the weekends}

Instead I ran 6-miles {in 1hr 6min}, thanks to the wonderful motivation of my fantastic girlfriends as well as the other runners I had the pleasure of meeting this morning.

Brian went out for a run after I got home – his goal for this morning was 6-miles, instead he ran 8 – great job honey!!

30 {of 365}

I know, I know….he was actually 11-months old, two days ago – better late than never

Kaiden @ 11-months

is ALL BOY!

he grunts * he growls * he bangs on things * he yells * he throws things * he babbles * he “sings”

*he can climb all the way up the stairs

* he can climb on his sisters Pottery Barn Kids chair, throw himself over the top of it, and on to the couch into the playroom {giggling the entire time}

*he can wave “hello” and “good-bye”

*he understand the word “no” – he laughs when you say it to him – and he goes on to cause more trouble

*he wakes up just about every morning saying “Momma, Momma”

*he saws Momma, Dadda very clearly and we are pretty sure he also says “more, dog, and no”

*he crawls like a mad man

*he can walk with his push toy

* he can walk while holding your hands

*he LOVES his sister – and no one can make him laugh quite like she can

*he sleeps 11 hours at night

*he eats just about everything you put in front of him

*he has already eaten doughnuts, cake, ice cream, french fries {NEVER would have given these things to his sister already}

*he drinks water from a sippy cup

*I am transitioning him from one morning nap and one afternoon nap to just one afternoon nap per day - so far it’s going well and he naps for around 2 hours

*he has nursed exclusively for the last 11-months {thankfully he will take a bottle of pumped milk as well} – although lately he would much rather be playing than nursing {especially in the afternoons}, so I am pretty sure as soon as we can switch him to cows milk {we will start introducing milk in the next couple of weeks} I will be completely done nursing much sooner than I thought I would {I figured he would at least nurse right before bed for the next couple of months}

*the last time we set him on the scale here at the house we weighed 21 lbs {by comparison, Kamryn weighed 24lbs at her 2 year check-up}

*he gives kisses and hugs when you ask him for one

*he is still a Momma’s Boy, but getting better

*he is not afraid of new people and loves you, especially if you are going to get down on the floor and play with him

*he makes the funniest faces – most of the time they involve wrinkling up his face & nose

*we have baby proofed more than we ever did with Kamryn, and he still finds things {that he shouldn’t} to get into

We will be celebrating his 1st Birthday in 29 days – it just doesn’t seem possible – but it is so very exciting!!

We LOVE YOU Little Man!!

29 {of 365}

sometimes you just have to spend the day in your jammies, because it’s fun

we gave Mr. Potato Head some new looks

we practice our tripod grip {one of Kamryn’s OT goals}

we colored of course!!

we lounged…..

we LOVE jammie days!!

28 {of 365}

In the spring/summer of 2001 I had the pleasure of meeting Peri Sanders, the director & owner of the Rhythm n’ Shoes dance program

Our relationship grew quickly from Program Coordinator/Instructor into a friendship

In the fall of 2001 I had the pleasure of meeting Nancy Wessel and Dena Kennedy when they were at the Community Center tap dancing on Thursday nights {that was the one night each week I worked late}, under the direction of Peri.

In the fall of 2002 I joined these ladies {along with several others} and also learned how to tap dance under Peri’s direction.

{including the 2001/2002 dance year} their were 4 adult tap numbers performed at the Rhythm n’ Shoes annual spring recital {I danced in 3 of them and have the video to prove it}

It’s been a few years since we all danced together, but Peri, Dena, and Nancy have always remained a constant in my life and I am so proud to call these 3 women my friends because they truly are AMAZING!

27 {of 365}

Kamryn had her first series of Botox injections today – she got 3 shots around the lower portion of her left leg – it was a miserable experience for both of us…..

Kaiden stayed home with Brian – I had a feeling Kamryn would get pretty upset and knew if he saw her like that, he would most certainly cry {he is quite protective of his big sister}

Before heading to Dr. Goldsteins office we went to lunch – McDonald’s – her choice – I was hoping a special lunch would help get us through the rest of the afternoon

Kamryn knew where we were going, and that she was going to be getting 3 shots – she also knew they were going to hurt

She laid down on the exam table – I stood up by her head and held her arms across her chest - the nurse sprayed her leg with a cold numbing solution – Dr. Goldstein hit her with the first shot – she SCREAMED – repeat, two more times

When it comes to medical situations, especially with Kamryn, not much rattles me anymore.  This time I had to hold back my own tears in an effort to be the strong one and not scare her anymore than she already was.

After she stopped screaming, and caught her breath a little, the first words out of her mouth her “I want Daddy” – which was repeated quite a few times before I really got her settled all the way down.

We had to wait for 20-minutes before we were allowed to go home – they wanted to ice her leg – and of course watch for any allergic reactions

She very happily picked out her Princess sticker – and then we were off towards home – she fell asleep in the van on the drive home – once in the driveway she woke up, telling me “you carry me Mommy” {ok sweet girl}, “you take me upstairs to see Daddy right now”

We talked about it yesterday and I told her she was going to have to get more shots in her legs {in 3-months to be exact}….”ok Mommy, but Daddy going to take me the next time”

LOVE HER!

26 of {365}

we now have all the episodes of “The Muppet Show” on DVD and we learned today that on Disc 1 Episode 1, the very first skit was

Mahna Mahna  * click to enjoy since I can not for the life of me figure out how to insert a video into the blog

Do doo be-do-do…….

Guess what a certain 3½ year old walks around the house singing on a pretty continuous basis these days?

25 {of 365}

this Thursday – in 3 more days – Kaiden Kraig will be 11 months old

I can hardly believe it….

today I created and mailed {well, emailed, I used Evite to save some $$} the invitation for his 1st birthday party

REALLY?!?!

wasn’t this just yesterday – or at least just a couple of months ago?

24 {of 365}

recently, Brian & I have decided that every other Sunday morning {until 11/11:30am} needs to be designated as either ‘Brian’s morning ‘ or ‘Stephanie’s morning’.  We can do whatever we want with our morning – sleep in, go to the movies, go get coffee at Starbuck’s {that would be me}, play computer games {that would be Brian}…..

two weeks ago Brian went to the movies and saw “Avatar”

last Sunday Kamryn and I went to see “Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel”

yesterday Brian wanted to sleep – so I put coats over the kids jammies and let Kamryn wear her new rain boots {it was pouring cats & dogs} – piled everyone in the minivan – and we headed to Dutch Monkey – seriously people, there were blueberry cake with cream cheese icing, coffee buttercream bismarks, and peanut butter chocolate bars calling my name…..it HAD to be done.

I DID meet my girlfriend Laura at BodyPlex at 12pm and ran 4-miles – so I felt a little less guilty about my insane doughnut consumption after that

this coming Sunday is my day – I think I might see another movie – or I may take my current read {Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs} to Starbuck’s or Barnes & Noble and enjoy a few hours of peace & quiet with a nice cup of coffee or tea

23 {of 365}

I work in a gourmet doughnut shop and it’s no secret, I eat the doughnuts, and they are GOOD!!

Apparently, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution {aka: the AJC} thought so as well….

Oh yawn. We’re already into the new year again. New starts. Resolutions. That perky sense of renewed affirmation to do things that are good for us. What I wouldn’t give for a cheeseburger drenched in chili or a doughnut with the daily caloric count of an Olympic swimmer’s diet. Wait a tic: I can have those, plus more, any time. C’mon, cheat on that diet you started last week. It’s so much more fun to be bad.

Dutch Monkey Doughnuts (not rated)

3075 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Cumming, 404-432-5130, www.dutchmonkey? doughnuts.com

Martin Burge and Arpana Satyu have the culinary pedigrees to launch whatever restaurant they might try their oven mitts at (she’s a French Culinary Institute grad; he’s a graduate of CIA — both have experience at some of New York’s most prestigious joints — Gotham Bar & Grill, Craft, Mesa Grill. And they both worked for Tom Catherall in Atlanta.). So what did this couple decide to mix up? A doughnut shop — the kind that serves fat, yeasty doughnuts in flavors such as buttered maple bacon and buttermilk cake, all served in a sweet shop that’s as cute as a cupcake, um, doughnut.

Worth-blowing-your-diet rating: 10+

this article made for an INSANELY busy Saturday morning at Dutch Monkey – we opened the doors for business at 7am, our first customer came in around 7:15am, and we hit the ground running!!

22 {of 365}

we had great plans for today:

we were going to join other Forsyth Mommies and attend a playgroup for kids 2 & younger

we were going to drop off a box full of used books to Humpus Bumpus

we were going to deliver all of Kamryn’s 18-24 month * spring/summer clothes to my friend Ali

BUT we didn’t……INSTEAD

we played Hi-Ho Cherry-O and Candy Land {her two favorites these days}

we danced to silly music in the living room

we tried on our new rain boots when they arrived in the mail

someone sat on top of pillows on the couch in order to read a book, and when asked why she responded with “so Baby Kaiden can’t get me”

Hmmmmm…..I don’t think I blame her

we enjoyed our Friday, and it was FUN!!