• Fitness With Zip: Review of FitBit Zip

    I’m delighted to be able to try and review a FitBit Zip fitness tracker provided to me by AT&T. To check out pricing and details, head on over to AT&T’s Accessories page Finding the right combination of enjoying food and keeping track of it is WORK, people. It’s said that people who keep a food(…)

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  • Happy Mother’s Day: I See You

    I woke up this morning, on Mother’s Day, to a hug from Boy Child and a fresh cup of coffee from SubHub. I felt visible. I’m reminded of how many times I felt invisible.  I wrote this last fall after I saw a beleaguered mom in Target. Mothering is hard. We can wrap it all up in(…)

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  • Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Life

    Last month was grueling. It was difficult for so many reasons, not the least of which are a few people deciding to blow up a spectator stand at the Boston Marathon. The ensuing political ridiculousness certainly didn’t help. I fell on my stairs holding Boy that same day. (He’s too big now. Lesson learned.) I(…)

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  • Girl Child-isms: I Might Be Raising Spock

    We’ve noticed with Girl Child that she thinks in a very straight line. We attribute this to her always having to focus on WHAT is being said, and less on HOW it’s being said and the possible meanings. Having conversations with her in which the subject matter might have some logic leaps or nuances is interesting(…)

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  • I’m A Runner

    It’s funny, my entire life that isn’t a sentence I ever, in a million years, thought I would write, or even think. I remember doing fitness testing throughout school and would just dread the running part of the test. Even as I got older, I was more of an aerobics person. I would say, “Ugh.(…)

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  • Conversations With Girl: Hair

    A trend in Girl’s grade is dying funky colors in your hair. She’s wanted to do something like that for awhile, and I decided to give my thumbs up. She LOVES it. It’s teal ombré. When I picked her up from school today, she was bummed a little and I could tell. GC: “He said(…)

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  • Sleep Apnea. It’s Not Just For Grown Ups.

    When we last left off, Girl Child had been diagnosed with Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder. The doctor prescribed light therapy and up until the blight commonly referred to as “Daylight Savings” it had been going well. She was backing up her internal clock and had started falling asleep at a more reasonable time for ten year-old(…)

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Fitness With Zip: Review of FitBit Zip

By in Review, Running 2 Comments

FitBit Zip fitness trackerI’m delighted to be able to try and review a FitBit Zip fitness tracker provided to me by AT&T. To check out pricing and details, head on over to AT&T’s Accessories page

Finding the right combination of enjoying food and keeping track of it is WORK, people. It’s said that people who keep a food and exercise diary are more likely to lose weight – or at least not gain it – than people who don’t.

Enter: technology.

According to a recent mHealth story, wireless healthcare, fitness accessories market grows at healthy pace.  Smart devices that wirelessly link to smartphones and tablets will begin to gain traction over the next few years, with health and fitness leading the way.  Increasingly intelligent accessories that focus on training, weight management and healthcare monitoring of chronic disease will dominate the market.

FitBit Zip Fitness Tracker

FitBit Zip is a small electronic pedometer and fitness meter that tracks steps taken, mileage, and approximate calories burned. It syncs with the FitBit website via a small USB dongle that plugs into your USB port.

I began my trial of the FitBit Zip at the beginning of April. Right away I noticed how small and unobtrusive it is. I had previously tried an arm-band style fitness tracker and found it frustrating and unsightly, so this was a welcome change. It was very simple to set up, because it came with a BATTERY KEY. You know those flat batteries that have impossible-to-take-off backs? This came with a little key that made opening the back and installing the battery for setup extremely easy. Win.

Once you set up your account on FitBit.com, the device syncs easily, giving you accessible feedback on your daily progress. You set goals for yourself, and can check in with where you are regularly. There is also a friend feature, so if you have friends using the FitBit, you can connect with them on FitBit.com as well. Self-motivation and help from your friends? Win.

The online fitness and food database is quite extensive, and I had no trouble finding what I needed to add to my daily diary.

My favorite feature: it’s a tough little thing.  I accidentally ran it through my washer AND dryer, but it still works like a charm. Also, I’m still using the original battery that came with the device, so the battery life is great too.

A few cons: there is a FitBit app, and while you can log food and exercise this way, it doesn’t sync with device, syncs with latest update on your main computer. What that means is that the feedback you receive via the app isn’t up to date with the latest data on the FitBit Zip. That’s frustrating. Also, instructions state that you can interface the software with other popular fitness trackers such as LoseIt! but I was unsuccessful in doing so.

I would love to see app have the ability to use bar code scanning technology to easily add foods to the database.

I had a great experience. Check it out!

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Happy Mother’s Day: I See You

By in Deep thoughts, Family, kids, Mommy, Mother's Day No Comments Tags:

I woke up this morning, on Mother’s Day, to a hug from Boy Child and a fresh cup of coffee from SubHub. I felt visible. I’m reminded of how many times I felt invisible. 

I wrote this last fall after I saw a beleaguered mom in Target.

Mothering is hard. We can wrap it all up in a cheesy commercial, but the bare truth is: guiding a human being from point A to point B is the work of a lifetime. So, today, on Mother’s Day, know that you ARE seen.

******************************

I see you, when I’m at Target, or the grocery store. The tired look in your eyes, the kids screaming or carrying on in your cart, and the barely successful effort at smiling. Or at least not bursting into tears, or snapping at the nearest person in your vicinity.

I see you, weighed down by your mind, sometimes your body, and the relentlessness of being a mom. And it IS relentless. It’s day, it’s night, around the clock. You’re wondering where you went. You’re wondering when you disappeared, as you navigate the aisles of the store, fending off your child’s case of “I-want-itis.”

You love them, of course. But sometimes, you just don’t know what to do or how.

I’ve also looked into the chasm between what you thought it would be like and what it is.

I see you, because sometimes, I AM you. Sometimes I’m so physically exhausted I can’t see straight. Sometimes I’m so mentally exhausted I can’t feel straight. And sometimes I’m angry. Sometimes, I’m angry at them for their inability to control themselves: their hands, bodies, voices, emotions. Sometimes I’m angry at myself for thinking, “I just want to be away from them for a little while.” I see that in you, too. I know that question you keep asking yourself over and over again: “Wasn’t I supposed to love this all the time? What’s wrong with me that I don’t?”

There’s nothing wrong with you. You get up everyday, you kiss them and love on them, even when it’s hard on you. Eventually, they do love you back.

But please know: I see you. And if I see you, you’re not alone, and that means neither am I.

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Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Life

By in Deep thoughts, Parenting, Random 2 Comments Tags: , ,

Last month was grueling. It was difficult for so many reasons, not the least of which are a few people deciding to blow up a spectator stand at the Boston Marathon. The ensuing political ridiculousness certainly didn’t help.

I fell on my stairs holding Boy that same day. (He’s too big now. Lesson learned.) I wasn’t able to move off my floor for over an hour. The pain was excruciating. I’d never felt pain quite like it. SubHub had to come home from work to put my shoes on and help me up. My mom had to come and take the kids to school. I was hurt badly. Nothing broken, thankfully, but bruised, damaged and frightened.

It was really hard not to get dragged down with pain, sadness, and anger over all of it. The personal and the national.

I slogged through the rest of the month, the aching in my body and mind slowly healing.

And then Tuesday the sun came out, the people I live for were home, and I was in my kitchen making dinner. I looked out onto my patio and saw this:

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The people I love the most, gathered together sharing thoughts, pictures, their days, and their lives with each other on a glorious sunny day. I am stunned that these people are mine. I’m stunned that this life is mine.

In that moment I felt lifted. It was all going to be ok. I have them.

The next morning we chased lady bugs. My heart is full. They are the best medicine I could have ever hoped for.

ladybug

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Girl Child-isms: I Might Be Raising Spock

By in children, Conversations with GC, Funnies, Girl Child 1 Comment Tags: , , ,

bellpoemWe’ve noticed with Girl Child that she thinks in a very straight line. We attribute this to her always having to focus on WHAT is being said, and less on HOW it’s being said and the possible meanings. Having conversations with her in which the subject matter might have some logic leaps or nuances is interesting to say the least.

Examples:

Yesterday, driving home from her activity, we hear a song on the radio that’s been played to absolute death.

Girl: “Why do they start playing a song you like, then play it to death so you hate it, and then stop playing it, only to have it win awards a few months later, they start playing it again, and then you hate it again?”

***

I took her to see the musical Wicked last year. This one blew her mind.

Girl: “Why do they call the play Wicked? Elphaba isn’t wicked, so why would they name the show Wicked when she’s not really Wicked?”

I mean, how do you answer that?

Another one:

Explaining the difference between margarine and butter, and that margarine is actually WORSE for you:

“Why, if it’s made from weird oils and is worse for you, do people EAT it?”

Excellent question.

***

“Mom, if fruit is supposed to have it’s seeds on the inside, why do strawberries have seeds on the outside?”

Uh…

It should surprise no one that she’s good at logical/deductive reasoning puzzles and likes mystery books.

So, poetry, probably not gonna be her thing. Allow me to illustrate:

“By: Hi. (Notice it’s not a name) <—she wrote that part. Not me.

Bell.

Rings. Again. Forever.

Hi.”

And she turned it in for a grade. Not sure what grade she got on it, but maybe it’s a new kind of spare-style poetry that will become all the rage in hipster coffee houses everywhere. She can call it, “Spock-etry.”

Interestingly, I’ve found a benefit to all of her -isms: when she asks a question, I have to stop and think about a very direct, straight-line answer. There are worse things in the world than my kid teaching me to use my self-edit button once in a while, right?

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I’m A Runner

By in Rants, submommy rants, Word to my peeps No Comments Tags: , , ,

It’s funny, my entire life that isn’t a sentence I ever, in a million years, thought I would write, or even think. I remember doing fitness testing throughout school and would just dread the running part of the test. Even as I got older, I was more of an aerobics person. I would say, “Ugh. I HATE running. I am SO not a runner.”

So what do I go and do? I marry one. I married a cross-country runner.

When Girl Child was about 18 months old, that runner I married decided he was going to train for and run the Portland Marathon. It was also about this time that I decided those last ten pregnancy pounds had out-stayed their welcome. One day after he returned from a training run, I asked him to push the jog stroller and let me join him for a slow run while he cooled down.

He told me, “don’t stop – slow all the way down if you have to, but don’t stop.” I listened.

I went out running again, and eventually worked myself up to two miles. Then three. And then I ran my first 5k.

I’ve been a runner ever since. I’ve gotten hurt, gotten depressed, gotten lazy, lost interest, regained interest, gotten hurt again, but I won’t stop. I may never run a marathon. Hell, I may never run a 15k because of my injuries. But I won’t stop.

So today, in the face of what happened at the Boston Marathon  - I won’t stop. I will teach my children not to stop. I will slow all the way down if I have to, but I won’t stop.

That is why I took Girl Child to her Girls On The Run practice today. It is why I will run with her on her first 5k in June.

Because if we stop, they win. And I won’t let them win.

I’m a runner.

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Conversations With Girl: Hair

By in Conversations with GC, Girl Child, girls, growing up, kids No Comments

A trend in Girl’s grade is dying funky colors in your hair. She’s wanted to do something like that for awhile, and I decided to give my thumbs up. She LOVES it. It’s teal ombré.

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When I picked her up from school today, she was bummed a little and I could tell.

GC: “He said he hates my hair.”

SM: Who?

GC: (insert boy name here)

SM: Rude. What did you say?

GC: Nothing.

SM: Did it bother you?

GC: Yeah

SM: Well, do YOU still like your hair?

GC: It’s starting to fade…

SM: That’s not what I asked. Do YOU still like your hair?

GC: Yes.

SM: As far as I know, you did your hair for you, not for him, right?

GC: Yeah.

SM: Then enjoy your cool hair. His opinion of your hair means squat, honey. SQUAT.

Words like that sting. I remember all too well. I hope my circle of influence is still strong enough to remind her that what matters is what she thinks about herself, not what others think about her hair. I desperately want her stay her own course, and not get blown off her moorings because of what other people think and are rude enough to say out loud.

I realize how reactionary that feeling is, and it’s based entirely on my own experience. I was so heavily influenced by other’s opinions of me and so insecure in myself during those middle years and beyond, that I made myself an easy target for teasing and mean girl stuff. I’m sure I blew those perceived slights way out of proportion to the reality of the situation. As a parent, I’ve spent these formative years trying help her recognize and learn to use the internal compass that eluded me when I was young.

At some point, though, I have to let her go, and find out for herself if that compass works. I hope and pray that she always comes back to her True North.

Because what matters is what she thinks about herself.

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Sleep Apnea. It’s Not Just For Grown Ups.

By in apnea, children, daughters, Girl Child, girls, growing up, Parenting, special needs Tags:

sleep apneaWhen we last left off, Girl Child had been diagnosed with Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder. The doctor prescribed light therapy and up until the blight commonly referred to as “Daylight Savings” it had been going well. She was backing up her internal clock and had started falling asleep at a more reasonable time for ten year-old girls, and generally staying asleep.  The whole Daylight Savings gig has made that more challenging these last few weeks, but we’re working with that. Hopefully by June (note sarcasm) she’ll be back on track.

The bigger issue we discovered in December was that, after a sleep study, she has sleep apnea. This came as a surprise because she doesn’t snore, she doesn’t have any issues with her weight – none of the usual risk factors commonly associated with sleep apnea. But, after her initial sleep study, it was really apparent that only 3.4% of her sleep coming in the form of REM isn’t enough. The average person gets approximately 25% of his or her sleep in REM. So, there’s a problem.

The doctor told us we had two options: A CPAP machine or a tonsilectomy/adenoidectomy. Upon hearing that she could be up for another surgery she said, unequivocally: NO! Which, I can understand. She’s already had five. Enough already.

The CPAP? Total fail. She just couldn’t get a mask that was comfortable or that she could get used to. She finally agreed to at least find out about the surgery. Endless milkshakes are quite enticing. We had an appointment with the recommended ENT, who shoved a scope with a light on the end of it up her nose to take a look around. Tonsils and adenoids? Not the problem. She has a large and unusually shaped epiglottis. Yep. It’s her EPIGLOTTIS. (insert WTF? here)

I come from a long line of snorers. (Finger pointing back at myself here.) When I was discussing this with SubHub, I said, “Sorry about the gene pool, there.” To which he replied, “We make a gene swamp apparently.”

Our option now is a really expensive complicated orthodontic treatment that insurance doesn’t cover. Of course. But, basically what she needs is her jaw moved forward, so that when she relaxes it at night in her sleep, her airway stays open. She has an overbite, which we think is contributing to the problem. She needs something called a “twin block” appliance, and it designed to correct an overbite while a child is still growing. By doing this, we’re hoping to alleviate the sleep apnea. My poor kid.

Sigh. I’m holding out with the knowledge that she will kick ass in a major way when she’s an adult. She recently had a classmate say to her: “You know, I think it’s really cool how you’re not afraid to be yourself.” There is blossoming afoot. Just have to get her through the barbed wire braces, hearing tests, and puberty. Wish us luck.

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You Can Take The Girl Out Of The Suburbs

By in Girl Child, hearing loss, restaurants, SubFam Adventures, Suburbia No Comments Tags:

No, really, you can take me out of the suburbs once in awhile.

For some insane reason, the weather is nice this week in Portland. When I say spring break in Portland is sunny, there must be an apocalypse on the horizon because that NEVER HAPPENS. So, we took advantage of it. Boy Child is off to Grandma’s house for a sleep over (he gets them all to himself. He’s beside himself with joy.) And Girl and I decided to bust out of the neighborhood and explore someone else’s.

We went to Alberta Street in Northeast Portland, which I can’t even believe is the same neighborhood that was falling down when I was younger. It’s caught right in the middle of gentrification right now, so there’s an interesting mix and vibe going on. WAY different than my meandering suburb.

I *love* it. It was a perfect afternoon for exploring with Girl Child, who desperately needs a break from all the medical stuff we’ve been having to do for her. She’s such a rule follower that I thought bringing her to a place with graffiti, local artisans, old homes and funky people would maybe stretch her a little and open her mind and heart to things, people and places that aren’t familiar to her. One of the risks of the suburbs: myopia.

We ate at La Sirenita, where I heard the cooks in the back swearing in Spanish and there’s no cheese on your taco – you have to ask for it. (Authentic!)

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Then we went to Salt and Straw for some ice cream. Oprah’s favorite! (No, seriously – she loves their Olive Oil ice cream. Yes. Olive oil. I find it a little weird, but hey….to each his own.) You can taste any of their ice creams, the employees are really kind about it. So, if you’re a little unsure about a rosewater, saffron and pistachio ice cream you can try before you buy. (I went with a safe choice: sea salt with caramel ribbon)

Then we just wandered, looking in the windows of shops, trying to read graffiti, and talking. She continues to astound me with her strength. I asked her, “do you ever feel bad about being hard of hearing?” Her response? “No, it’s part of who I am.”

My favorite quote of the day from Girl: “Mom, there was a bad word written on that door. (whispers) The ‘f’ word.”

And, I’ve found the best-named bra store in this history of bra stores:

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Break out of the suburbs. It’s worth the trip.

 

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Random Friday: Spring Break, Apps, and Stuff

By in Random Friday Tags:

Random Friday, filled with apps and a cry of WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH THEM ALL NEXT WEEK? Why? Spring Break is looming large and we don’t have sunny weather. Ever. HELP ME. In the meantime:

1) What I Wrote This Week:

Running For My Life, In A Green Tutu. My love of running, explained.

2) What I Wrote Last Week:

The Empty Glass On The Counter Is Me. I’m all out of volunteer juice.

3) Girl Child’s Apps o’ the Week:

Slice It - FRACTIONS. She likes them. Who knew? AND….Flow Free: Bridges. I’m not sure I can explain this one. Highly addictive, though.

4) Boy Child Apps of the Week:

Bad Piggies. Yes, Angry Birds folks strike again. This is a good one, though – it uses the principals of physics to get you involved in building machines for the pigs to navigate around courses and obstacles.  OF COURSE there are in-app purchases available too. All the better to nag you with. AND…..

5) Submommy’s Chrome Apps of The Week:   Do Not Track Me
All the sites you and your kids visit are pooping little files on your computer that the owners can then sell to data mining companies. These companies then help marketers push “targeted” marketing campaigns. This browser add-on effectively stops these little files from getting pooped onto your computer. I’m finding that as the kids, especially Girl Child, are getting more and more technology savvy, I’m interested in keeping these companies from essentially spying on them.

6) Please To Explain Moment Of The Week: 

For serious: not ONE person helped the victim in Steubenville? NOT ONE? Don’t tell me she “asked for it.” NO ONE ASKS FOR THAT. Raise your hand if you never did anything not smart when you were growing up. *crickets*

I said this on Twitter, I’ll say it here: Never leave a girl behind. Ever.

7) Submommy’s Kickass Download of The Week:

Demons by Imagine Dragons.

It’s rare when I buy an entire album. I bought this entire album. SO damn good.

8) Tween Reading:

A two-fer! Powerless and Super by Matthew Cody. Really great fantasy books with a superhero twist.  Powerless is the first in the seriess, and Super is next. They aren’t “girl-centric” so tween boys would likely take to them, too. Girl couldn’t put either of them down. Smart reading with a comic book twist.

9) Pic Of The Week!

Thank you Easter Bunny! Bok! Bok!

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Running For My Life, In A Green Tutu

By in Depression, life, mom health, Post-partum depression, self-esteem 2 Comments

I have been saved by exercise over and over again. Depression knocks at my door, and one of the ways I’ve learned to keep it outside is exercise. Particularly running. I get into my own head with good music and all the awful stays away, at least for a little while.

I’ve had ups and downs with it over the years, injuries, bronchitis-induced asthma, and chronic foot aches and pains.

The foot pain has been hanging on for a few years now, making running difficult sometimes.

I’m doing it anyway.

I am running, icing, stretching, cross-training and resting. Lather, rinse, repeat.

If I can do this, so can you. I will run until I can’t. And when I can’t, I’ll figure out another way to get moving. Being able to play with my kids without getting winded means that much to me. I’m running for my life. I’m running to keep the bad at bay. I’m running to refill my glass.

I’m running for them. They deserve a wife and mother who feels strong and able. That’s what running gives me. I ran in my first 5k in several years yesterday, and it felt fantastic. I can’t wait for the next one.

Most of the time I’m not actually dressed in a green tutu. I break that out for special occasions.

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I run for them.

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