Happy Birthday, Baby Girl

Our Baby Girl turned eight (8!) yesterday.  That really doesn't seem possible.  It's one of those things that you never forget.  Her labor and delivery was different than all of the others; scarier, for sure.  I will never be able to think about it without my blood running cold and my stomach clenching. 

But she's here. 

She's growing up. 

And she's Ah-maz-ing! 

She got glasses over the Christmas break. 

She managed to grow an inch and a half in just over 6 weeks (in the fall).

She has become a country music fan (thank you, Lord!) although she still loves her some Taylor Swift.  She walks around with her new mp3 player and fancy pink princess headphones and she looks SO grown up when she does it.

She's sharp as a tack and sometimes just as prickly.

She's a great friend and sister.

She's got a very big heart and her heart's biggest desire is for a pet.  I'm working on it.

She makes our family more interesting every day.

She wears her heart on her sleeve but she doesn't want to talk about it when something hurts.  Nope.

She's never lost that drama queen tendency but she HAS taken it to a whole new level.

And she makes me smile.  Every.single.day.

Good Intentions

This is why I hate New Year's Resolutions.  They're really pretty pointless - every morning that you wake up is an opportunity to start over; start something new; make a change. 

I had been doing great getting up at 5AM to get my run in before school until I hurt my stupid ankle of stupidness and ended up on my tush for 6 weeks.  (It wasn't a fracture; just needed some R&R).  I thought surely I could get back to it right after the holidays without any issue.

Wrong.

I don't mind getting up but I can only do it so many times and then have it all thrown into bedlam with a call from the school announcing a 2-hour delay or, worse, a cancellation.  I mean, 5AM is really stinkin' early!  I am getting my runs in, getting it done, but it feels all discombobulated.  (Wow!  Spelled THAT right on the first try!)

I signed up to run the Pittsburgh Half Marathon again (May 3) and I'm following a plan (This one, as a matter of fact) and when I have a plan there's NO WAY I'm skipping a workout.  As a matter of fact, I'm bound and determined to not even skip on the days when it's "allowed".  (Read the plan; it's easy to follow!).

Here's to starting fresh again tomorrow; we're already on a cancellation for today!