Hot tub in our apartment complex. Top two pictures courtesy of Max.
Everyday morning life looks something like this:
training
breakfast, get kids ready for school
Karl or I bike kids to school
training
rush to pick Max up from pre-school between 12-1
It's our morning routine and I love it. Most days. Usually I have just enough time to take a deep breath and realize how blessed I am and how much fun this journey is. One of my favorite moments is biking home from preschool with my 4-year-old. He is getting so good on his bike! He's been riding it for almost 2 years now but finally he is getting to the point where I can trust him a little more on our commute. Except when we are standing at a light and suddenly, for no apparent reason, he falls over and almost off the sidewalk. Yikes! So I still have approximately 2.5 mini heart attacks every day. But I try to keep my mouth shut and let him do his thing. Unless he goes full speed toward a red traffic light and then brakes hard at the last second. Which he really likes to do. Not cool.
It's still my favorite. Why? Because riding bikes is the best thing in the world! Doesn't matter what bike, what distance, or what terrain. And I love to see my boys have fun on the bike. I want biking to make them happy. Just like it makes me happy. Max is getting stronger every week and we both get super excited when he makes it up the hill just a few more feet than he did the week before. I can tell that he is amazed and realizes that he can do things which he previously thought were impossible. Awesomeness!
About 63% of the time I end up picking up Max while still in my workout clothes. Sometimes I end my ride at school and then we bike home together. Which means I get to walk through the entire elementary school in my cycling kit and shoes. Anything to save same time and school fees! Preschool happens to be in the very back. Poor kid! He has no idea though. He thinks this is totally normal. I just try to avoid running into my 1st grader or any of his friends. A mom in spandex is certainly not very cool! The other day one of Max's little friends asked: Why are you wearing just underwear? Haha. I was laughing so hard. Gotta love kids! Oh, and when I put on some jeans a few weeks ago, Noah exclaimed in all seriousness: Mom! You have jeans!?! Aehm. Yes. I do.
My ideal (and very time intensive) recovery routine after a hard workout goes something like this:
recovery shake
ice bath
hot tub
hot/cold shower
elevating legs
FOOD!
nap
Clearly, this doesn't happen very often. The nap part hardly ever happens! But I try to do at least some of the above every day. I know people have different opinions on ice baths, hot tubs, etc. I just do what works for me. And usually I have a little buddy who wants to join the fun! So we share the recovery drink, read books while I am in the ice bath, and play together in the hot tub. (Don't worry. The water isn't super hot and he is only in it half the time. The rest of the time he is running laps around it, jumping in, or doing tricks.) Early afternoon is also the (only) time during the day when Max gets to watch a little movie which gives me enough time to make food and take a shower.
He is a cutie!
Ideally, by the time Noah gets home from school, everybody is recovered, recharged, and ready for a great late afternoon and evening! Key word is: Ideally. Life is a work in progress and our family certainly doesn't have it all figured out but we are trying to do our best.
Did Noah say that there are only 6 more days of school???
Yikes! There go all my beloved routines...
I mean: I can't wait for summer!
Comments