Six Months of Smiles!

Elin recently took some time away from her busy schedule of playing with her blocks, dolls and other toys to model her tutu. At just six months of age, this kid LOVES the camera. The minute I take it out, she hams it up hoping to bring a smile to whomever sees her picture!

Some things Elin has mastered at the ripe old age of six months:

Rolling from her tummy to her back and back to her tummy

Can pick up her toys and put them in her mouth

Pulls her binkie out and puts it back in (best trick ever, I no longer have to come to the rescue when it falls out!)

She eats and enjoys pureed vegetables and baby cereal

Turning in circles on her tummy

Loves to study her fingers and toes...and put them in her mouth 

Spends tons of time jumping to the moon in her Jumperoo

"Sings" to the radio during car rides

Smiling. Lots and lots of smiling!

 I think this is my favorite. :)

Post Baby Running

So one of the things Elin and I do to keep busy is run. Running has always been one of my favorite activities and I had no doubts that I'd continue after I had Elin. What I didn't expect was how difficult it would be to get back into it. Despite running until I was 24 weeks, getting back into it was beyond my expectations. I was still 21 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight when I started back up 6 weeks postpartum. I had signed myself up for a Veteran's Day half marathon last spring. I figured it would give me a goal to work towards post baby. I also figured four months was enough time.

Whoops. Rookie mistake.

I could barely run a mile my first time out.

I didn't want to take Elin with me until she was at least 3 months old so I had to sneak runs in whenever Colin was home, which meant for a tough, irregular schedule. By the beginning of November I had worked my way up to 8 miles. It probably wasn't enough but I wasn't going to pull out of the race at that point. So Veteran's Day weekend Colin and I set out for our first 1/2 marathon together. I won't go into detail on how hard it was other than to tell you people in their fifties and sixties were passing me.

Ultimately Colin and I crossed that finish line and it reassured me that while I still had some work to do, I knew I was back to running again and boy did it feel good!

Freedom Half Marathon
November 11, 2012

Blue Moon Wicked 10K
October 29, 2012

Now that Elin is big enough to ride in our BOB stroller she accompanies me on a few runs a week. Sometimes we venture over to Mt Trashmore park. Sometimes we go to the Oceanfront and race the waves of the Atlantic. Most of the time, we just cruise around our neighborhood. Me, clearing my head and organizing my thoughts. Elin, drifting off to dreamland. We were on a five mile run the other day and I marveled at how calm and content she was after the initial excitement of getting into the stroller. She is a pretty good natured baby but she is beyond pleasant during our runs. I have to think my running during pregnancy might have something to do with it. In this post from February I recalled how she would settle in for a nap during runs. It's funny how she does the same exact thing now!

Overall Elin is a joy to run with. Cheddar still accompanies me on a few runs when I'm feeling extra patient. But our squirrel chasing mutt can be a bit tough so I often just take her for her own run when Colin is home to watch Elin. I still have 21 pounds to lose (11 pre-preggo pounds plus an extra 10 I was hoping to lose before pregnancy) and hope our continued running will help me achieve my goal!

Everything we've accomplished in Elin's first five months of life!

Needless to say I've been falling farther and father off the blog train. Getting back to my blog has sort of been like getting back on a diet. When I say to myself "I'm going to blog tomorrow," it sounds a lot like "I'll start my diet tomorrow." We all know the truth...it never happens.  Being a new mommy is no walk in the park but I've loved every single minute of it. In the end cuddling my little Elin Grace always seems to win over chores, the computer, exercise and yes, even blogging. However I do miss being able to update all my family and friends across the world on adventures so in effort to catch up I've compiled a blog called "Everything we've accomplished in Elin's first five months of life." Yep, came up with that all by myself. :O

So here we go!

It all started with the birth of one heck of an awesome baby that rocked her mommy and daddy's world. World, meet Elin!

One month later Elin spiked a fever and earned a three day stay at the Children's Hospital. Thankfully, modern medicine is awesome and we got to take our cute bundle of love home.

Two Months: We packed up Elin and took her on her first plane trip. All the way to California. Elin spent two weeks meeting family and friends in Yosemite & San Diego. I actually did blog about that one. Woo! One point for me!

Three months: Elin felt traveling to California wasn't challenging enough so we all embarked on a trip to Denmark & Sweden for two weeks. It's a regular tradition for my side of the family to travel abroad every 2-3 years. It all started with my parents and their good friends Dave & Julie taking a trip to England in 1997. Later trips included Germany, Austria, France, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey & Italy. This year Sweden and Denmark came calling. Elin applied for her first passport and away we went! She is a fabulous traveler and couldn't get enough of the sights. Mommy and Daddy thoroughly enjoyed having two sets of adoring grandparents along for support. 

Helsignor Castle, Denmark

Malmo, Sweden

Malmo, Sweden

Copenhagen, Denmark

Meeting the relatives in Forlanda, Sweden

Four Months: Elin ran her first race. Well sort of. She rode in the jogging stroller while Colin and I pushed her in the Wicked 10k here in Virginia Beach. Since finding a costume for a four month old is rather difficult I dressed her in a tutu! Big surprise there. :)

Five Months: Another first. Elin and I flew by ourselves to San Diego for Thanksgiving. Colin followed later but I definitely gained a new appreciation for moms traveling alone with their little ones. Nursing next to smelly frat brothers, delayed flights, multiple blowouts (and I'm not talking about tires) and exhaustion make for lots of fun stories to share with the relatives. 

Elin had a blast in San Diego, I don't think she was ever put down for the entire stay. There were just too many family members around to play with all this cuteness!

Elin's Baptism 

Aunt Courtney playing with Elin while Colin plays football.

 Some kids go to Chuck E Cheese. Elin goes wine tasting!

We're quickly approaching six months and I cannot believe how fast that came! I promise more is to come (I only promise because I've already starting writing!) about the recent happenings in the Chance family!