What Clicked Today

Today, Megan and I volunteered at the concession stand for Caleb's swim meet. His swim practices are clearly paying off, as he shaved time from his first meet. It is always fun to see hard work show up on the stopwatch. This was my third time working concessions, and I’m beginning to recognize swimmers, their siblings, and the parade of parents who follow them from the pool to the gym where people hang out between heats.

Meanwhile, Grandpa Joe was on babysitting duty with Oliver. I warned Megan that by the time we got home, Grandpa would have taught him algebra. She laughed, knowing full well it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility. When we finally got home around 2:45, Oliver was ready for a nap and Grandpa looked perfectly content.

The big story of the day: the stairs. According to Joe, Oliver climbed them over and over and over. We’ve all been working on teaching him how to come down backwards, and Joe said Oliver made real progress today. He only attempted to go headfirst once. Joe solved that by placing a steady hand on the top of Oliver’s head so he couldn’t inch forward, then turning him around and gently pulling him down by the feet. Apparently that’s when something clicked. Oliver began turning sideways, reaching for the stair rail, placing one foot down, then the other, slow, careful, and very pleased with himself. After weeks of Megan, Charlotte, me (and probably a few other helpers) demonstrating how to come down safely, Oliver decided to show Grandpa exactly what he’s learned.

Once we got home for good, I wrapped up all my physical activity: Chair Stretches, Chair Yoga, and fifty minutes on the NuStep, finishing around 4:50 p.m. I’ve been ready for bed since 5:00. Staying awake, even as I write this, feels like a losing battle. I’m hoping to make it to 10:00 p.m. so I don’t completely throw off my sleep schedule for the rest of the week.

What I’m learning on this healthier-me journey is how important sleep and stress management are to my overall health. When my schedule gets too full, my weight bounces all over the place. And if I get less than 7½ hours of sleep, the scale will go up a pound or more the next morning. As much as I resisted the idea of weighing myself every day, I’m grateful for it now. Patterns are beginning to emerge, and being aware of how my body reacts helps me find better coping mechanisms. Long term, I think it will help me set firmer boundaries for myself, Starting with a big, bold rule: DO NOT OVERSCHEDULE.

Now I’m off to relax and watch Season 2 of A Man on the Inside on Netflix. Only another hour and a half until I can finally crawl into bed. I hope you have a quiet and peaceful evening.