electrolytes abound

It seems like there are ads for electrolytes everywhere you look, and the more you look, the more ads find their way to your eyeballs. The interest and availability of electrolyte packets has exploded into a $40B industry. The market is projected to double by 2034. However, there are risks associated with overconsumption. A balanced diet often provides enough electrolytes. Looking at my most successful diet of all time (the IVF diet by Zita West), I was regularly getting 1000mg Na from the food, and on some days as much as 3500mg Na. The contributors to high sodium were soy sauce, capers, olives, canned green beans, and shrimp or fish fillets.

Supplements I have or still take (or haven't tried yet)

The items in bold are the things I used during the marathon.

SaltStick Chewables: 100mg Na, 30mg K, 6mg Mg, 10mg Ca, 1g carb

LMNT: 1000mg Na, 200mg K, 60mg Mg, 0g carb

Prime: 600mg Na, 400mg K, 75mg Mg, 10mg Ca, 2g carb

Electrolit: 330mg Na, 370mg K, 20mg Mg, 40mg Ca, 10g carb

Venture Pal: 500mg Na, 280mg K, 20mg Mg, 104mg Ca, 8g carb

Tailwind: 620 mg Na, 180mg K, 24mg Mg, 54mg Ca, 50g carb

Liquid I.V.: 510mg Na, 390mg K, 12g carb

Skratch: 400mg Na, 49mg K, 48mg Mg, 54mg Ca, 19g carb

Gatorade Zero: 380mg Na, 110mg K, 2g carb

Gatorade: 270mg Na, 80mg K, 35g carb

Powerade Zero: 240mg Na, 80mg K, 0g carb

Powerade: 250mg Na, 60mg K, 35g carb

Nuun: 300mg Na, 150mg K, 13mg Mg, 13mg Ca, 4g carb

Solgar liquid: 300mg Mg, 600mg Ca, 2g carb

NOW Ca&Mg softgels:  333mg Mg, 667mg Ca, 25mg Zn, per 2 softgels

365 Ca&Mg capsules: 500mg Mg, 1000mg Ca per 3 capsules

NOW Ca&Mg tablets: 500mg Mg, 1000mg Ca per 2 tablets

TUMS: 1000mg calcium carbonate

Coconut water: 50mg Na, 646mg K, 24mg Mg, 53mg Ca, 15g carb

"Astronaut Juice": 145mg Na, 12.5g carb per 8 oz serving

Coca-Cola: 40mg Na, 42g carb

Pickle Juice shot: 470mg Na, 20mg K, 2mg Zn, 0g carb

Nerds gummy clusters: 15mg sodium, 71g carb

Gu: 55mg Na, 30mg K, 20mg Ca, 23g carb

Clif bloks (3): 50mg Na, 18mg K, 24g carb

Biscoff (4 cookies): 115mg Na, 23g carb

Stroopwafel: 75mg Na, 18g carb

Clif bar: 230mg Na, 225mg K, 40mg Ca, 42g carb

McDonald's salt packet: 280mg Na

Heinz mustard packet: 65mg Na

For me, learning about electrolytes has been a trial-and-error process. When you train with a friend or a group, someone will see you suffering and lean over to whisper about their favorite bonk-breaker. I was told about Gu from a running friend when the mileage climbed above 9 miles for a long run. We would stop to take a gel at mile 7. I remember refilling a water bottle during a 60-mile bike ride in 2010, and someone quietly slipping a Nuun tablet into my bottle. At the time, I was primarily concerned with drinking water, and I thought it was enough to quench my thirst. 

Marty's Tom's Farms ride

When I was hiking in the Verdugos, I got food poisoning in 2012 from my own self. I had probably put a Nuun tablet into a hydration bladder and then let it fester. The next time I tried to use it, it was full of pests, which infested my GI tract. I vowed then and there to NEVER contaminate my hydration bladder again. I've heard people put flat Coca-Cola into their water bottles, so I've added Coke for comparison. But I'm too scared of not being able to fully wash it out to put anything other than water in my hydration vest/belt bottles. I remember examining Nuun's ingredients, and in terms of macronutrients and micronutrients, it was similar to the growth medium used to culture fungi.

The kicker for me came when I cramped during the 2024 Santa Monica Classic. I called my sister to complain, and she asked me what type of electrolytes I was taking. When I told her none, she said it was incredible that I lived in such a hot climate and that nobody had taught me about the importance of replenishing electrolytes. To be honest, every time I think about this race, it still burns me that I skipped the 10k and only finished a 5k. The course was shortened due to the heat.

I've been wanting to write a blog about salt for a long time, but it seems like I'm always staying so busy. I had to take a break from grading student work because hackers disrupted our access to the LMS, Canvas. It's been unavailable for just over 24 hours, which is pretty much the timeline I predicted. But it still sucks that I lost about 8 hours of productivity. Although it did give me the opportunity to write and read a little about salt.

What I can say is that during the 2025 LA Marathon, I took two SaltStick chews every 30 minutes and ended up feeling gross at mile 17. I adjusted that to one SaltStick chew every 30 minutes in 2026, and it was perfect. I felt amazing up until mile 25.

MyFitnessPal all time data

LA Road Runners Chat #9 Dietition Serena Marie - Part 2 (10-30-2025)

https://youtu.be/f5gXdJ4i4yQ?si=KmMON9FYyumPI4ux 

LA Road Runners Thursday Night Coach's Zoom

You can calculate your sweat rate, and a dietitian who spoke to my running club explained that you should track all of this, including the weather. To convert sweat rate to sodium loss, multiply your sweat volume (in liters) by your sweat sodium concentration (typically 200–2,300 mg/L, with an average of ~950 mg/L). A typical, moderate sweat rate is 1.2 L/h, which, at an average concentration, results in ~1,000 mg (1 gram) of sodium lost per hour. I've never done it, but maybe I can make this a summer project.

Sodium to Salt Conversion: 1 gram of sodium equals ~2.5 grams of salt (NaCl).
Range: Most people lose 200–2,300 mg of sodium per liter of sweat.
Factors: Sweat concentration is mostly genetic, but sweat volume depends on intensity, temperature, and acclimation. You can use this worksheet to calculate your sweat rate, then use that to determine how much sodium you need. I don't feel like I'm a heavy sweater, but at the Naughty Girl Fitness workout, I was dripping sweat, so maybe I just don't notice it when I'm running.
https://koreystringer-institute.media.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3814/2024/08/Sweat-Rate-Calculator.pdf 

I am mindful that we need more magnesium as we age. I wonder how much magnesium from supplements is bioavailable. I still take a lot of supplements, pushing calcium and magnesium as I have since pregnancy and postpartum. But because of the cost, I sometimes wonder if I should stop. Also, I wonder if I'm putting myself at increased risk of kidney stones by overdoing it on electrolytes. In all, the body is pretty great at maintaining homeostasis. But I have heard of people overdosing on TUMS and ending up with stones.

I have heard of people taking salt packets from McDonald's, as well as mustard packets. Some people love Nerds gummy clusters. I guess I spent a lot on food/fuel when I was first getting started running, but now that I'm more settled on what I like (what works for me), I don't spend as much. I included fuel and all the food from the race weekend in this calculation. Someone in my running group suggested signing up for ALL the races. Like YOLO. They justified it by saying, "What is your health worth?" And that got me thinking about how much I spent on running in the past few years.

For sure, running has been crucial to my mental health, now and at various previous times in my life. The American Heart Association recommends a sodium intake of less than 1,500 milligrams per day. The form matters. Salt tabs called "buffered" seem to contain sodium citrate, not just sodium chloride. The buffer helps balance lactic acid and possibly other amino acids produced in anaerobic pathways. In fact, some athletes take sodium or potassium bicarbonate prior to intense efforts, such as sprinting.

A future post could explore branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), another fitness craze, as well as ketones such as beta-hydroxybutyrate. I feel like I'm not interested in doing fasted exercise. I'm trying to fuel while training to avoid dipping into ketosis. What I can say is that I took BCAA Complex in my smoothies this past training cycle. Not by choice. My son wanted to put them in there because he loved making a rainbow smoothie with many different ingredients. But I did feel a difference in my energy throughout the day. It felt similar to taking a high dose of B vitamins. He also put in Nature's Superfruits powder (which does have insane amounts of B-vitamins).

Looking at the literature, it seems that a lot has been discovered about metabolism since I left grad school. I remember discovering that ketones and branched-chain amino acids are produced by plants under low-oxygen stress. I'm not saying I'm responsible for these discoveries, but I remember finding these findings and reporting them, and the people in the plant hypoxia world saying it just wasn't possible. Records are being broken every day by athletes who are figuring out better fueling strategies, and I'm sure some of that has to do with electrolytes, too.

I haven't been taking my collagen powder, creatine powder, or my MCT powder supplements in my coffee. For some time now, I've been drinking it black. But I do take a creatine capsule at bedtime with all my other supplements. Not that you should take my advice. We're all out here doing the best we can. My race results: https://www.athlinks.com/athletes/85696593/results I'm not trying to win my age group. I am trying to run sustainably so I can continue doing this. It helps balance my mood, and I feel like it's helping me ease the menopause transition.

One strange thing I did notice was: I kind of feel like my belly fat is decreasing now that the marathon is over. It's been two full months now. I feel like longer walks, lower stress, and more cross-training are actually making a big difference. I started running to get rid of the belly fat and lose weight. But running long distances hasn't really lowered the number on the scale much. I'm trying to revisit the idea of cortisol. Doing workouts that raise cortisol will increase belly fat. Doing workouts that lower stress may actually have a larger impact in the direction I would like to go. 

I've been enjoying the off-season, following the Fit4Mom 5k plan A, which is really chill. I've been doing Royal Core 4.0 from RunFitMama and some workouts here and there from Naughty Girl Fitness. I am thinking that the long walks and some weight lifting are revving up my metabolic engine. I think I might need to keep lifting heavy shit. I'm in pain every day anyway, from my joints aching. Why not add some muscle soreness? Dietarily, I've tried to reduce my intake of fried foods and increase my intake of dietary fiber from fruits and vegetables.

My previous posts about salt:

• CalorieCount https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2011/01/carbs-calcium-cortisol-oh-my.html 
• Salt Bath https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2011/05/bathing-beauty.html
• Race Day https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2025/04/race-report-rose-bowl-half.html
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2025/03/la-marathon-race-report.html
• Immune System https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2011/10/airborne.html
• Fertility https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2019/03/fertility-part-3.html
• Supplements https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2020/07/turning-40.html
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2025/07/supplement.html
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2022/12/november-2022-thoughts.html 
• During Training https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2024/12/women-are-not-small-men.html
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2025/01/powerful-hermana.html
• Century Rides https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2014/07/independence-day-ride-report.html
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2014/10/ride-report-r2r-california-challenge.html
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-ride-report.html
• Kaiser Wellness Posts https://kaiserwellnesscenter.blogspot.com/2013/05/coconut-water.html
• https://kaiserwellnesscenter.blogspot.com/2019/06/fda-should-finalize-sodium-targets.html
• Astronaut Juice https://kaiserwellnesscenter.tumblr.com/post/50695781267/astronaut-juice

Other References:

The use of buffered salts as anticoagulants for the maintenance of true cell volume and for the determination of plasma proteins. Chorine, V. Revue d'Immunologie (1940), 6, 193-208.

Magnesium: Exploring Gender Differences in Its Health Impact and Dietary Intake
By: Mazza, Elisa ; Maurotti, Samantha ; Ferro, Yvelise ; Castagna, Alberto ; Pujia, Carmelo; Sciacqua, Angela ; Pujia, Arturo; Montalcini, Tiziana. Nutrients (2025), 17(13), 2226.

Magnesium in Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Type 2 Diabetes. Gabriele Piuri, Monica Zocchi, Matteo Della Porta, Gian Vincenzo Zuccotti, Luciano Pinotti, Valentina Ficara, Michele Manoni, Jeanette A. Maier and Roberta Cazzola. Nutrients (2021), 13, 320.

Perspective: Ketone Supplementation in Sports—Does It Work? Pedro L Valenzuela, Adrián Castillo-García, Javier S Morales, Alejandro Lucia. Adv. Nutr. (2020) Oct 22;12(2):305–315.

Effects of a commercially available branched-chain amino acid-alanine-carbohydrate-based sports supplement on perceived exertion and performance in high intensity endurance cycling tests
Marco Gervasi, Davide Sisti, Stefano Amatori, Sabrina Donati Zeppa, Giosuè Annibalini, Giovanni Piccoli, Luciana Vallorani, Piero Benelli, Marco B L Rocchi, Elena Barbieri, Anna R Calavalle, Deborah Agostini, Carmela Fimognari, Vilberto Stocchi, Piero Sestili. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. (2020) Jan 20;17:6.

gingerbread in July

Well, here it is. End of April. Last year, at this time, I was either running or still training for the Rose Bowl Half, which had been rescheduled due to the wildfires in Pasadena, and I remember thinking I did not like this. I do not like training for half a month after a marathon. This year, I got to rest my legs and my immune system.

I've been following the Fit4Mom 5k training plan A, which is just to finish a 5k. It's very accessible. Following a training plan was a great way to set goals without too much pressure. And coming up here is the Miyagithon by Jed and Ted's excellent races. I think I'm going to do the Cobra Kai 5Kai, which is the distance that is listed on the training plan that I've been following. I haven't registered yet.

I wanted to wait to register until I could see how the training cycle went. Just to see if I felt more like a 5k, 10k, or half. But honestly, with the amount of miles I've been putting in, I'm only following the 5k plan. So it's okay to just do the 5k and call it good. I was reading somewhere that underestimating the 5k is a common thing runners do. Some people feel that a 5k is a distance you can do with no training, and that's a myth.

https://riseandrunpodcast.com/ep-238

https://www.instagram.com/rundisneydpt?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

One factor in this training cycle has been the sickness that I got after the marathon. We've been having kind of a lot of stomach blues. I had stomach flu in February. Right before the marathon. We've had another round of it now in April. And of course, that complicates training a little bit, because it's hard to stay hydrated. It's hard to stay on top of electrolytes. It's hard to eat. And your body is spending a lot of energy trying to fight the virus.

Another thing that's kind of been happening is my period has been either late or early the last 2 cycles. Additionally, I've been having just a ton of pain in my feet. And I started thinking, well, if I'm having pain in my feet, maybe I just need to run less or whatever, maybe it's just something that I'm doing, that's making this painful. But now I'm also having the pain in other joints, like my shoulders, my neck, my back, my wrists, my hips, my knees. So it's like just systemic inflammation and joint pain, and I definitely. I think it's related to perimenopause. And it's so frustrating because I want to exercise in order to feel good in my body. And I do feel good in my body. I can't say that I don't.

I've been doing a little bit more cross-training than usual. I've been doing Naughty Girl fitness. I've been doing a little bit of Run Fit Mama, Royal Core 4.0. And it's helped me notice some imbalances, asymmetries, and areas of weakness.

It is easy to overlook imbalances, asymmetries, and areas of weakness if all you're doing is running while neglecting your strength training. But I have to say it is very discouraging to have such a large degree of joint pain. Like from the moment I wake up, and my feet hit the floor. I almost can't walk to the bathroom. Today I had trouble hooking my bra because my wrists and my shoulder were hurting. Do I need to go back to my doctor for my annual physical? Yes. But I'm just kind of emotionally bracing myself for her to just say, "No, there's nothing we can do." And that's all!

I'll be honest, not every run feels like flying. I rely on music to keep me moving. But today I listened to a podcast. It feels like running with a friend. Episodes 84 and 85 helped me feel gratitude for a body that moves, however cranky and slow. How different seasons of life have different motivations. How important it is to be flexible regarding your training plan. There is no such thing as a perfect training cycle, especially when you're a mom.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-84-running-a-marathon-in-residency-finding/id1765429588?i=1000762383534

I titled this blog post "gingerbread in July" because that's how crunchy and stale my joints feel.

spa time

At what point are you an enabler because you can't stand conflict? Do you allow your partner to want for nothing at your expense? Do you cancel your own free time to pick up the slack around the house? How would your life be different if you weren't running on constant burnout? What if your body battery was charged to 80% or 100% instead of hovering around 5%? What would it feel like to put your own rest and recovery as the family's #1 priority? Welcome to spa time!

I've had a great time showing my boy what spa time means to me. We do a nice, relaxing foot bath, followed by compression boots, and then a moisturizing leg and foot massage. Sometimes we take a relaxing bath, which involves bubble bath, aromatherapy, epsom salt, soothing music, or ocean sounds, and low light.

• Epsom Salt (3 lbs) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BXTS6L35 $3
• Glo Pals Bath Cube Lights https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BG793KCV $27
• Colorful Bath Bombs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08149KZ68 $7
• Compression Boots https://www.costco.com/p/-/sharper-image-air-compression-boots-flex-leg-recovery-system/4000392515 $159
• Sea Dreams Soother https://www.target.com/p/baby-einstein-sea-dreams-soother-musical-crib-toy-and-sound-machine/-/A-94691831 $36
• Aroma Diffuser https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FRSYBY56 $30
• Flameless Candles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B8NBFZTY $10
• Princess Tumbler Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BZCPD9W $18
• Star Projector / Sound Machine https://www.kids2.com/products/6940-000-swaddleme-slumber-buddies-elephant $30
• See more about our aromatherapy oils https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2024/01/mom-rage.html 

These I gave away because I didn't like the musk smell

• Polynesian: sun-lit palms, calypso citrus, wild hibiscus, teakwood, island fruit, warm musk, and white sands
• Sea Salt + H2O: sea salt, water, lotus, wild rose, sea moss, warm musk, teakwood
• Orleans Resort: jasmine, violet, gardenia, lemon zest, dry down of vanilla

I've been incorporating more Naughty Girl fitness into my training program. I did yoga twice in the last week, and it's been nice. I feel like my body has been crying out for escape, spending money, travel, and distraction. So in response, I've been doing things to calm my nerves. Sometimes it's not about running away from your problems; it's about doing something right here at home to take care of yourself so that your problems don't seem so bad. On Mar 30, I wrote, "Running is just one part of a balanced diet. Other types of movement are good too."

I planned three dance-related events:

• Thursday, Apr 30, Party Like a Mother, Woodland Hills
• Saturday, May 2, Naughty Girl IRL, Burbank
• Saturday, May 9, Dance your way to health, Tarzana

I guess I didn't post much in late March or early April. It shows how underwater I have been feeling. I was kind of drowning. I got sick right after the marathon, and I haven't been 100% well since. Yes, my wounds have healed, but I've had a runny nose that hasn't stopped. Like when I run, I'm blowing my nose all the time. Snot rockets! Maybe that's why I am craving spa time and self-care activities now. And we're heading into Month of Mama 2026.

Finally, I can share that I've been planning and hosting a series of events for professors on using AI productively in ways that positively impact students. So far, I have completed 6 out of 8. It is taking up all of my free time and then some. On Mar 31, I wrote, "I have not worked this hard in 10 years. I haven't felt this stressed about money in 10 years. AND I haven't felt this happy and satisfied with my family life and household members in 10 years." So it's been a weird school year. To feel like I am working my fingers to the bone, yet have so little spending power, and feel so happy being a mom.

• Feb 9 - Study Skills - 0 attendees
• Feb 23 - Letters of Recommendation - 2 attendees
• Mar 9 - Active Learning - 5 attendees
• Mar 23 - Accessibility - 3 attendees
• Mar 30 - Anonymous Feedback - 3 attendees
• Apr 6 - Transparent Assignments - 2 attendees
• Apr 20 - Early Alerts
• May 4 - Student AI Panel

It's been wild planning this workshop series for the College of Science and Math. It's an interdisciplinary audience, to a certain extent, within a narrow window. I'm not sure whether the topics have resonated with the departments I'm trying to serve. I'm not sure these slides will be reusable learning objects. I know I have two participants with three-peat attendance. The content was worthwhile enough to bring them back again. I've been working nights and weekends to create it. And there hasn't been one female attendee yet.

Lessons from being a dancer

I had the privilege of being a trained dancer. Which is to say YEARS of intense training. Almost every day. Sometimes twice a day. Lots of technique and few performances. Literally years of just learning how to point my foot, which muscles to use, and what "doing it correctly" feels like. Years of staring in the mirror, years of getting corrections from master teachers.

There are things I learned along the way. Like, it takes years to get okay at doing something. Some of us will train for a decade and never become a prima ballerina. I think this helps me in my running. Like I will never qualify for Boston, I am not on a masters track team. It doesn't mean I don't enjoy running for the sheer feeling of being in this body and doing the damn thing.

I learned, through dance, that you must listen to your body. There will be days when you feel strong, some days you feel extra flexible, some days you're in your feelings and you can dance with more emotion. Some days you need to sit down and rest. You can't be in top form all the time. You sometimes have to perform at less than 100%. The show must go on.

I learned that stretching is life. You must stretch. For hours. Per day. Small movements can add up to a stronger body. Especially if you do them regularly, like every day. Multiple times throughout the day.

From dance, I learned about breathing through a movement. I learned how to sit with discomfort. I learned how to find the calm even while your body is doing amazing things. I learned how to remain centered. I learned how to remain grounded. I learned about how a lot of your power comes from your foot. Yes, the thighs are amazing, and so is the booty. 

Dance taught me to cultivate a strong core. The basic dance warm up emphasizes fluidity of the spine. You're going to stretch your back, you're going to stretch and warm up your hips. Dance taught me to never skip your warm up exercises.

There is a dark side to dance. Constant pressure to shrink your body. I know it exists in sports like gymnastics and cycling, too. I don't miss that part of it. I appreciate that running allows me to fuel my body with less shame and judgement. I wonder how the GLP-1 craze has impacted the dance world. I imagine it's rampant.

I'm tapping back into my dance roots this session of RunClub+. I decided to post a video after each run instead of a static photo. It's going well and I am starting to remember how dance brings me a lot of joy. It's not important to me how it looks to anyone else, just like my running. I'm not trying to be the poster child for dance or running. But I do enjoy both.

priorities

Yep it's cycle day 20. Luteal misery. I fell on my run this morning and cut my knee and the palms of my hands. It got me thinking about my priorities. Should I have cut back the volume of today's run considering I'm a bit sick and on a difficult part of my cycle? Should I have done a shorter workout since my husband and I overslept? Was I rushing to get home and therefore not watching my footing? Was I pushing my pace too hard? Is it too soon after the marathon to be doing speed work again?

Mom

Wife

Teacher

Athlete / Coach

Dog Mom

Friend / Sister

Human Being

Woman

Artist / Gardener

The identities listed above define my priorities. Scheduling my time and doing the most important thing first is a struggle. Minute-by-minute, day-by-day, week-by-week, etc. I do count down the weeks of the semester. I count my parenthood duties as foremost in my mind. I cannot skip these. If my child is sick with a fever, I must drop everything else and take care of him until he is well again.

I guess my wife's duties are to my household and my husband. We took vows to care for each other in sickness and in health. As we strive to reach a more optimized state of health, these duties look like creating shopping lists and meal plans, cleaning kitchens and bathrooms, vacuuming and wiping down common areas, cooking and transporting food, restocking important household supplies, organizing items at the house so they can be inventoried and located, purging items that are no longer used. This is a long list. I also spend many hours per week just putting stuff away, sorting trash from treasures, and resetting areas to be useable again.

Next set of duties that I cannot skip, but also are not my top priority, are the things that I get paid for. Teaching duties, lesson planning, grading, sending emails, posting announcements, following up with absent students, etc. Writing quizzes, making copies, drawing on the board, communicating with colleagues in person and online, reading emails, and scheduling things. I put these things lower on the priority list when I need to, and then higher again when things at home are settled. I work ahead when I feel healthy and balanced, but I fall behind when other higher priorities become urgent.

My duties as an athlete/coach are sometimes higher and sometimes lower, but lately, they have been pretty high. I've let my health take a back seat to parenting and work for half a decade, and now I want to put it higher so that I don't skip workouts and backslide into more significant obesity than I currently am. I spend time creating content for YouTube to educate myself and my runClub. I program and track my workouts using spreadsheets and mileage trackers on Canva. I compare the data on my Samsung Health app to Strava Athlete Intelligence to keep myself motivated and moving forward. As Coach Bennett of the Nike Running app says, You're your best coach. Talk to yourself kindly as you would want your coach to talk to you.

I have a new identity as a dog mom again, which means that I have to fit dog walks into my life. I need to do some dog training and grooming, and remember to add her food to the shopping list, refill her water dish, talk nicely to her, and watch for her under my feet when I'm carrying something large so I don't step on her. 

As a friend, this may look like hour-long phone calls to check in on the women in my life. Or it may look like sharing something funny or motivational on Instagram messages. It doesn't have to take up a lot of time when I'm busy, but it is a steady stream of back-and-forth to let those women know they are important, significant, loved, and cared for. It's similar to sisterhood. It's curating the village. This may be a separate post, but I'm leaning into paying for my village. I paid to join the run club. I paid to join the Sparkle Squad. But I get a lot out of it too.

How the "human being" tasks ended up so far down, I don't know. This is stuff like eating, sleeping and pooping. Stuff all humans do. Getting sick, getting well, breathing, digesting, the things we take for granted when it is going well. Maybe we should also put hydration in this category. Also shopping for stuff like supplements, vitamins, and tracking macros. I mean, this could also be a separate post. I've reconsidered the supplements I'm taking. After some bloodwork before my marathon, which I begrudgingly agreed to do, I briefly stopped taking all my supplements. But since then, I've started retaking most of the supplements I had paused. 

I guess I would put "woman" in here in a general way to say self-care. Beyond friendships. Stuff like pampering. Spa time. Being alone. Thinking your own thoughts. Blogging like I'm doing now. Doing something I enjoy. The other day I heard a podcast about Disney stuff and they mentioned that Bath and Body Works was doing a line of Disney Princess fragrances. I had to go to the mall and smell it for myself. I'm not sure why this resonates with me in the category of women, but I guess princesses are women and women are taught to be conscious of smelling good, not sweaty, and having soft skin, not rough. So this type of self-care is associated with femininity. It also falls under the Wife category since it involves keeping the lotions and soaps stocked. It is Woman, though, because this dry skin due to perimenopause is something else. And I'm hoping the lotions help with that.

Artist is the last, lowest, and least of my identities. But it's still there! This may be visual with crafting, or it may be kinesthetic with roller disco and dance. I had vowed that when I finished the marathon season, I would do something else in the off-season and get back into dance or rollerskating. And then I went ahead and signed up for another marathon! Yes, I'm doing the LA Marathon 2026. But I still have a lot of semester left to finish, and most of the summer will pass by before training starts again in earnest. Naughty Girl Fitness is $14.44 a month, and it's app-based. 

I'm still paying for my Fit4Mom instructor membership, which is $9.99 per month, not even covered by the amount I get paid for coaching the RunClub. After talking with my husband over the long weekend, we may have concluded that I might not continue coaching the RunClub. I might get more out of the season if I commit fully to LARR. The good discount with Fit4Mom is that you do not have to pay for the monthly membership as an instructor and you can still attend classes. I think I was paying $69 per month for Fit4Mom, and at one time, I was paying hundreds of dollars for a monthly membership and Body Well. 

People say good things about Orange Theory Fitness, and 24 Hour Fitness, but for now I've got my Planet Fitness Membership. It's $25 per month for the Black Card membership, which includes massage chairs, hydromassage, tanning and Total Body Enhancement, which I have yet to try but I might do it soon. It's vibration combined with red light therapy. Again, this could be a topic of a future blog post. What I'm looking forward to most is the end of the semester and our trip to Nebraska. What I'm not looking forward to is the Rose Bowl Half because it seems so out of place in the season, finishing up all the work of grading and submitting grades, and the weather going hotter and hotter as we approach summer. 

Maybe I could add to Artist also Gardener. And this is the lowest priority. At the moment completely dead. But it is generally in spring where I revive our garden. Albert has shown some interest in planting stuff for spring. It will be difficult to justify since we're traveling to Nebraska early in June, but maybe if I'm clear with my husband about care instructions, the garden won't be completely dead when we get back. And I really need to work on getting stuff OUT of our house. It's so overstuffed right now it's stressing me out.

self-love

What is the greatest love of all? Learning to love yourself. Whitney Houston became a mom in 1993, but recorded this song in 1984.

Katy Perry became a mom in 2020, but recorded this song in 2010 when I was doing my internship in Germany. I remember hearing it on the radio and feeling so homesick for SoCal.

Miley Cyrus recorded Party in the USA in 2009. I loved hearing this song when I was in Germany. It made me homesick for Los Angeles and I wanted to hop a flight back right away. I didn't appreciate Miley as an artist too much at the time, but now she's one of my favorite icons. Being proud of the USA doesn't ring as true for me anymore, hopefully this country will check itself before it wrecks itself.

I listen to my Disney Hits playlist and one of the songs that hypes me up the most is this one by Hannah Montana. Miley says she's not ready for motherhood, but there's still time, she's only 31. Her memoir Miles to Go was published in 2009. I really enjoyed the memoir of Jessica Simpson called Open Book. She talks about going to the Disney auditions and how messed up the whole process was.

Niki Minaj became a mother in 2020, but recorded Super Bass in 2010. Honestly, I was having a tough week and I put on this song and immediately felt better. The years I spent working on my PhD were some of the darkest times in my life but I have such a strong connection to the music from that era. 

Meghan Trainor (has two children born 2021, 2023 both via C-section). She wrote "Dear Future Mama" published in 2023 after PTSD from her first delivery. The song came out in 2023 and the video stars the ultimate momager Mrs. Kris Jenner herself. I'm wondering why Kris hasn't run for president yet. WE NEED MORE WOMEN IN POWER. And moms especially because they understand the sacrifices made to create life.

Meghan wrote "Made You Look" after her therapist asked her to stare at herself in the mirror for 5 minutes. She's always touched on themes of body positivity, but this song is truly all about it. I remember seeing this on Disney's Magical Holiday Celebration in 2022. While all the other artists were singing Christmas songs, she went ahead and dropped this song while wearing hot pink. It felt out of place for the program, but I loved it. This would have been filmed while she was pregnant with her second baby.

Britney Spears (has two children born in 2005, 2006) recorded Gimme More in 2007 and Work Bitch in 2013. Sometimes I wonder if this sexualized version of Britney was her idea or some idiot man's idea. 2007 was the year she shaved all her hair off, which I also did in 2010. I didn't do it because she did it, but it's kind of cool that I also got to experience hair-less-ness. I did it for basically for the same mental health reasons, and also I didn't need the hair at the time. I was running half marathons every weekend for fun and it was just easier not to have to wash and style my hair.

It's so hard to believe that Gimme More was recorded one year after she had two children. She would have been 24-26 years old then. She recorded Work Bitch when she was 32, the same age I was when I finished my PhD, got sober, and started working at CSUN. The Woman in Me is her memoir published on October 24, 2023. I still haven't read it yet, but I want to.

Lizzo is such an icon I would need an entire post devoted to her. I don't think I heard this song before today. She wrote it in 2015.

Tempo is the Lizzo song I have on my running playlist. Honestly, my playlist is one of the big motivators in my arsenal. The last long run, my headphones died at mile 17, and I couldn't run without my music. I had to walk the last mile.

Love this song because it was the time when people were emerging from the pandemic quarantine. Everyone was so traumatized by the isolation and uncertainty. Lizzo welcomed us back, and this video was filmed at CSUN. I remember getting hyped up watching Watch Out for the Big Grrrls in 2022.

It was so significant to me that I actually acknowledged the following artists in my PhD dissertation. I could not have survived that program without my playlist. I blocked out all the haters and did my experiments in sync.

Beyonce became a mom in 2012 and had a set of twins in 2017. Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé came out in 2019 and Beyonce did a halftime show on Christmas Day in 2024 that was epic. Run the World came out in 2011, which was during some dark times in my life. Rather than doing less after becoming a mom, it is arguable that Beyonce's best work has been done after she had children.

Lady Gaga released The Fame in 2008 and Born This Way in 2011. Her music spoke to me in a way that is not easily communicated. I would listen to the album from start to finish on my little mp3 player. It was a Sansa, and it saved my life. I don't know if I still have it or if it eventually went to e-waste. The Edge was like the climax of my PhD. I felt like I could do anything because I came through the fire. Sometimes I still wish I had the tracklist from that music player.

Rhianna has two children born in 2022 and 2023. The song I remember most is Shut Up And Drive but mostly because of RuPaul's Drag Race. The song was recorded in 2006 and released in 2007. Drag Race All Stars Season 2 Episode 5 aired in 2016, ten years later. Finally, Miss Justin aka Alyssa Edwards was crowned in 2024 the first place winner of Global All Stars, nearly another ten years later. "She's not old, she's established." I've always been obsessed with drag queens because who would willingly want to dress as a woman when you're a white man? Women have some power but we just need to learn how to flex it like men do.

Shakira released She Wolf in 2009 and then went on to have two children in 2013 and 2015. I'm so proud of the women who stepped up to the mic at the 2025 Grammy Awards and let us have it. I don't know but you might still be able to watch it on Paramount+. I really felt like these women have staying power. They have been around for a long time and are finally getting the recognition they deserve AND using their power to speak truth on behalf of more vulnerable people.

What about you? What would be on your playlist entitled: Anthems for the Resistance?

And also: Why don't we celebrate matrescence? I mean yes, we throw a baby shower, but it's somewhat of a celebration for the baby. The gifts are all for the baby. What about the mom? Where are her gifts? We as moms give up so much of ourselves, it's hard to put that in perspective. Where would our society be without moms? There would be a population crash for sure.

I feel like we really need the 4B movement and we need to speak up and act up. I feel like women are taught to sit down, be quiet, follow the rules, and basically give up our power. I think to some extent men hate us because we have the power to create life and they don't. They want to enslave us basically. And we end up hating ourselves because they hate us. That's the patriarchy. 

I've been so stuck at work, I've been thinking about all this and not able to sit down and do one bit of work. I'm sick of feeling like a raw nerve, so vulnerable. But that's the power of women also. We can be strong AND vulnerable. We can share our feelings and not be thought less of. Men keep making these rules and women keep following them. We need to step up and be leaders. The power given to women with Title IX needs to be magnified, strengthened, and flexed now. 

I know women can't do it all, it is very all-consuming to create life and raise children. But also, we need to demand the flexibility we need to parent AND work. We need to allow women to have babies AND feed them AND show up for work. Because if you're not sitting in the boardroom, your concerns and your needs and your perspective and your ideas (which have immense value) won't be taken into consideration. 

Yes I understand some of my anthems might not be your cup of tea. But maybe you want to take a moment to create your own power playlist. Listen to it, do some weightlifting. Then get out there and show up. Show up for the people in your life. Speak your truth. Be brutally honest. Be authentically yourself. We have to keep moving forward, we're not going back.

10 things I have learned from being a Disney mom

It is rare for me to have an original thought these days. Even less likely is that I actually write it down. And further, following up on that thought is the rarest event—like seeing a unicorn. Speaking of magical, I wanted to formalize some things Disney has taught me. These lessons translate into other areas of my mom life, so I wanted to share them in a list format.

1. On time is late. Early is on time. Way early is best. 

For Disneyland, I love doing rope drop. The first hour of the day is the most efficient. You want to be there as early as possible. If there's a virtual queue, join it. This extends to registering for after school programs, summer camps, marathons, whatever. Find out when the registration opens and know exactly what you want to purchase beforehand. Have your credit card ready and check out quick!

2. Having a magical day is your responsibility. Make a plan. Do your research.

Coming to the park with your top three already decided is really helpful, like what attractions and experiences are on your bucket list. This applies generally to prioritizing your life. You can be happier if you know what your goals are and celebrate when you achieve them. I'm not saying obsess over every single thing, but you don't want to be feeling FOMO when that holiday parade you saw last year just happened yesterday because you forgot to plan this year.

3. Bundle and save, but don't sweat the spending. If you are on a budget, use gift cards to limit your spending.

Buying in bulk at Disney isn't a thing, but you can save money with an annual pass (magic key). You can also save by purchasing a promotional 3-day ticket with flexible dates. Waiting until promotions are available will save you money in the long run. I'm not into unlimited spending, but I'm more of a 50-50 strategy. Bring 50% of the calories you plan to consume and plan to buy the other 50% while in the park. Same with toys. We try to stick to a $100 budget for each park day. We've used gift cards to restrict kiddo's spending too. I'm doing reverse budgets for our runcations to see how much we spend; that way, we can make a plan for 2025.

4. Bring enough hats and sunglasses for everyone. Make a packing list and stick to it.

Prepared is armed. If you forget a hat, you'll be paying extra $$ for a hat in the park that is more expensive than it has any business being. Likewise, with sunglasses, even if the day starts out grey, it will probably get sunny by the afternoon. Being outside all day leads to eye strain and fatigue. The best idea is a one-to-one ratio of sun hats and sunglasses to people in your party. This goes for any function like a beach day or a hike.

 
5. Stay ready so you don't have to stress while getting ready.

We have a corner where we keep our suitcases, park bags, toiletry bags, and diaper bags all packed. We copy and paste from previous packing lists and check off items as they are loaded into bags, which are loaded into the car. We keep track of when we leave the house, get to the parking structure, and get to the park. That way, we will know next time if it's worth leaving sooner or if we can try leaving later, and we don't stress about it. We even load up the car the night before so that in the morning we can just make coffee, get dressed, and walk out the door.

6. Comfortable over cute every time.

If you have two pairs of shoes, choose the more comfortable one. Don't even think of wearing something new that you haven't worn before for an extended period of time. Consider bringing a poncho if it's raining. It's not cute, but you'll enjoy the day more if you're not stuck in wet clothes. Make sure you have a pocket for your phone that is easily accessible because you'll need it often and quickly to capture those magical moments.

7. Cast members will move your stroller. It will not remain in the exact location where you parked it. Do not panic. Personalize it.

One of the best things we did was to get a stroller sign with our name on it. When you get enough different strollers in one place, the odds of someone else having the exact same model as you are finite. You need to be able to find your stroller when it's not where you left it, and you don't want anyone walking off with yours accidentally. This could be extended to any piece of luggage for travel. Also this can be extended to life in general, it won't always go to plan. Remain calm. 

8. Any moment is perfect for a sing-along, parade or dance party.

Leave your inhibitions at home. This is the time to make memories with your kiddo. Sing out loud if you know the words. March along with Mickey and friends. Dance in the street. Seize the day. Nobody cares if you look ridiculous. Just have fun and be in the moment. The biggest thing kiddo says is Mommy stop looking at your phone. So if you can, just be immersed in what's happening right now.

9. Calories don't count when you're walking all day.

We typically walk 7 miles or so in the parks. That's about 400 extra calories. Yes, I know Disney treats can be very caloric but as long as you stick to your budget, there shouldn't be too many extra calories involved. Enjoy what you do eat. Don't worry about it. Choose something fun and memorable that you can't get elsewhere.

10. A kiss goodnight is sweet.

I don't know how people stay all day until the nighttime events. I think I've only seen one night parade. But I think this is one of the nicest things about the parks, in concept. To say goodnight with music and fireworks. Or a dancing fountain. Or projections set to music that tells a story. I think this can be generally extended to parenting. Kind of like the saying, "don't go to bed angry." Kiss and make up. Go ahead and apologize for losing your temper at 2pm when you were dehydrated, sunburned, and exhausted. Tell a bedtime story. 

Everything we program into our little ones is stored in their amazing brains. I find it fascinating to see what pours out of my kiddo. I can see that those long days and nights of investment are already starting to pay dividends. Albert is an impressive storyteller. He remembers Disneyland and wants to go back.

Bike Month and Month of Mama

I’ve been adding and deleting songs from my DANCE DANCE DANCE Amazon music playlist. If the song doesn’t keep me hyped while running, I delete it. If the tempo doesn’t seem right, I move it to earlier or later in the playlist. I keep increasing the playlist's duration as I progress into longer runs. I’m almost up to 6 hours now, but I will need more bangers for the LA Marathon training.

I've been keeping a list of running items that I love so it's easier to re-buy them or to recommend them to friends. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2QFV2N9VEFW0Q?ref_=wl_share

I do plan to bike to work on Thursday, May 16th, but it's not really necessary.

What I plan to do to celebrate Month of Mama is just to keep up with my running program. I got a book called "Master the Marathon," and it was super-readable. The author Ali Nolan talks about how she got a job as the features editor at Runner's World magazine. She has a BA in English literature and an MFA in creative writing. It shows! I loved how reading it felt like talking with a good friend. She was very candid about her first marathon experience and what a disaster it was. Because her goal was to *prove* that she belonged at Runner's World magazine by getting a Boston-Qualifying (very fast) time. She also admitted right away that she won't be the world's foremost expert in marathoning because she has only completed two, but that she was surrounded by much more experienced runners and coaches while writing the book.

I am inspired to speak to the question: Why enter a race?

I think entering a race is a great motivation to train. On the race-day, the race course is supported so you can run without carrying water. There are clear roadways and port-a-potties. More than these logistics, it's fun to run with a big group of people. When everyone is running together, something magical happens. You can vibe with the other runners and that just makes it fun. I never came from a family of runners and I kind of found it by accident. But after my first organized race, I was hooked. I realize that it might not motivate everyone, but maybe they just don't know how magical it is.

Runcation Debrief

We had our second runcation or racecation this past weekend, if you consider our runDisney weekend the first. This trip was so relaxing. We arrived at the OC Marathon expo around the time it opened. We parked and walked through the expo about 3 times. Then our nephew (who was actually running the marathon) arrived and we walked him through bib and t-shirt pick-up. Our son actually loved the expo and had a really fun time at the fairgrounds.

$12 for parking x 2 days (expo admission free)
$97 for pre-race food (grocery store and fast food)

$60 for post-race food (food truck and in-n-out)

$5 for race-day finish-line parking

$299 for hotel 

$37 for overnight parking

$522 total (45% of the cost of the runDisney weekend)

Then we went to a couple of stores while waiting for our hotel's check in time. We picked up a few groceries but could have bought a few more. We had brought a lot of food from home, but we didn't even know if the hotel would have a fridge available. Arriving at the hotel was great, the lobby was welcoming and fancy. Parking was easy. There were luggage carts available to take our stuff to the room. The room itself was great. There was a big sliding glass door to the balcony, which overlooked a lake with a waterfall and a fountain. 

3350 Avenue of the Arts

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

2 Queen Lake View Balcony

It was super peaceful in the room. We started binging a show on Netflix. When we got bored / hungry we went out with the car and got some fast food. Using our room key, we were able to leave and come back with no issues. We watched maybe one more episode of the show while eating and then went to bed. I laid out all my running clothes before falling asleep so I could get dressed quietly in the morning. I woke up around 4am and went out to run on the marathon course while the roads were closed. 

The room had a Keurig coffee maker and we had brought our own pods. The only thing I wished we would have had were:

• half and half
• my "Tron" running vest

Other than that, I felt our packing list was complete. We used everything we brought and we didn't bring anything extra. After my early morning run, I came back to the room at 5:30am and Albert wasn't even awake yet. It was great to go and check out the prices of room service and the restaurant in the hotel and then just eat what we brought because it saved us so much money.

The expo gave us some vitamin lemonade, some sports drinks, and some energy drinks, not to mention stickers and candy. Albert wanted to go back after the race but it wasn't there anymore. I also got some awesome compression sleeves personalized with fit4mom and a running woman.

Thank you @Kia @OCMarathon @FIT4MOMhq #runclub pic.twitter.com/TeV2E42aYL

— Dr. Kayla A. Kaiser (@hamerk02) May 7, 2024

Packing List

Overnight Duffel Bag
⭐Underwear (2), clean socks (2), PJs, Regular everyday bra (2), regular clothes outfit
⭐Running outfit (shorts / top), Running belt, Running shoes, Sports bra, running socks, running undies

⭐Toiletry bags, Night bag w/ earplugs and eye mask
⭐Pull-ups (2) + wipes
⭐Stickers, bedtime books, bag of cars
⭐Three hats, Three sunglasses
⭐Park bag/purse
⭐Snacklebox: Electrolyte tablets, Salt tablets, Gu, Bloks, fruit strips, Sesame crackers

(non-insulated) Snack Bag
⭐milk, juice
⭐banana
⭐goldfish
⭐Keurig pods
⭐Honey, Starbursts candy

Insulated Cooler
⭐watermelon, grapes, blueberries, strawberries
⭐Bagels, Cream cheese
⭐Pasta (with sauce)
⭐plastic fork, knife, reusable straws

BOB stroller

Race-day Timeline

5:30am Marathon begins
6:50am elite runners pass hotel
8:50am Jack arrived @ hotel
10:45am Jack finished marathon

I'm looking forward to the second half of May. I have some big things coming up. A last trip to Disneyland. A visit from my sister and my aunt and my niece. So some major girl power.

happiness chemicals

I don't have much to say except I'm sick right now. I got caught up grading my CHEM 101L, but I'm still far behind on CHEM 422L. I have 3.5 weeks until my sister arrives, so I'm praying I feel better soon to get back on the ball and rock out the rest of the grades.

I saw this cute graphic on #chemtwitter, and it made me think of my run club.

• Serotonin
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2010/10/selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors.html
• Dopamine
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2016/09/a-bargain-is-not-always-bargain.html
• Endorphin (endogenous morphine)
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2017/01/opioids.html
• Oxytocin
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-best-drugs.html

Fit4Mom encourages all these things: sun exposure, exercise, meditation, self-care, celebrating small-wins, eating well-balanced meals, giving compliements, volunteering and giving back and laughing out loud. No wonder it's so addictive. 

In an updated graphic from this blog post I can see that run club has brought my weight down a bit, but hopefully it will keep trending that way.

• Mashup Mom Meal Plans (Nov 2020 - Jul 2021) + Body Well
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2020/12/mashup-mom-to-rescue.html
• Commit to be Fit (HIIT) + MyFitnessPal (macros) + Eat to be Fit
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2019/04/fertility-part-8.html
• The Obesity Paradox
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-obesity-paradox.html
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2014/06/what-does-200-calories-look-like.html
• The opposite of happiness chemicals: Cortisol
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2014/03/cortisol.html
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2011/01/carbs-calcium-cortisol-oh-my.html
• Vitamin D
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2019/03/fertility-part-3.html
• Vitamin E
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2011/05/bathing-beauty.html

Coaching Run Club has got me thinking about diet and what meal plans have been effective for us in the past. Also, one of my students analyzed the vitamins I've been taking and it was weird to see it broken down into its constituents and made me re-think whether I need to be taking that or not.

• Women's Hormones
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2019/03/fertility-part-5.html
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2013/09/impatient-scientist.html
• Trouble sleeping?
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2018/01/insomnia-part-ii.html

It would be interesting to write about relaxin. I feel like there must be so few studies of lactating women who engage in extended breastfeeding and what effects there may be on hormone levels, and how that impacts weight gain or loss. It would be interesting to write about zyrtec and benadryl. One thing I noticed this past week is that going for a run the Sunday after taking benadryl on Saturday night as a sleep aid, I had an easier time breathing. It's possible that I have some seasonal allergies that are really aggrevated right now after all this rain, we're definitely having LOTS of spring flowers.

I don't even know what the point of this post was. 1) I feel sick. 2) I have no sick days. 3) I can't tell if my symptoms are from PMS or if I have a cold. 4) this cold medicine only works for 2 hours but my lab is 3 hours long. The theme of RunClub this week is nutrition so I've been rethinking my past successes and what made them successful. 

I just love this picture. Circa July 2011.

Awesome Sauce

It's hard to put into words the magical mama's visit I had with my sister and aunt recently. It was just so wonderful that it's hard to describe. It was the first significant get-together that we've had since the pandemic, and it was like an ointment or salve to heal my loneliness and isolation that had overshadowed most of my son's life.

We didn't have an agenda for the parks, but we did way more than either of us thought we might. Baby Evelyn's favorite ride was definitely the Little Mermaid, and we rode it twice without having to get off. It was amazing how the little ones were able to sneak in their naps between strolling and babywearing. We explored some things that were familiar to me and did some new things that I'd never done before, and everything was frosted with nostalgia.

We got Genie+ for our second park day and used it for Haunted Mansion and Small World, and it might seem insignificant, but it helped us skip many lines, especially in the afternoon. The parade was so great we both wept for its beauty. I don't want to minimize the whole experience by listing how much everything costs, but I am curious because I want to budget for the rest of the month and next month, and the month after that, haha. Summer is here, and I am trying to plan what we will do to stay busy, keep learning, and incorporate arts and crafts into our daily routines.

• 5/12 - airport pick-up, lunch, last lab ($5 for parking, $103 groceries)
• 5/13 - waffles, campus walk ($13 stroller hooks, $13 Mickey's ears)
• 5/14 - french toast, train, bus, hotel, downtown Disney ($12 pretzels, $27 sweets, $4 fruit)
• 5/15 - DCA, Disneyland, magic key terrace ($24 milk stand, $72 dinner, $65 Genie+)
• 5/16 - Disneyland, Tom Sawyer Island, train, van ($328 hotel, $6 milk, $12 fruit, $38 grey stuff)
• 5/17 - end of year celebration, groceries, meal prep ($24 toys, $32 toys, $151 groceries)
• 5/18 - tie-dye, dance medicine ($95 groceries, $72 gas)
• 5/19 - beach day, tie-dye ($6 parking, $98 for flowers)
• 5/20 - tie-dye breakfast, painting day, IKEA, thrift store ($72 clothes, $42 food)
• 5/21 - yoga in the park, pickup Fitlicious, painting day ($20 yoga, $135 food)
• 5/22 - packing, garden play, downtown Disney day 2 ($24 McDonald's, $22 corndogs, $15 parking, $13 sweets, $19 sweet potato fries & milk)
• 5/23 - airport dropoff ($69 gas, $3 parking)

I really do think we balanced low or no-cost stuff with pricey experiences. We also balanced gogo days with nogo days. For example, we kept everything simple the first two days (Friday and Saturday) and stayed home. It was our Mother's Day to spend with our kiddos at home. Then the next three days (Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday), we got caught up in go-go-go and nearly outdid ourselves. After returning home, we had a couple of chill days (Wednesday and Thursday), where we stayed home and did some cooking, cleaning, and domestic stuff.

The tie-dye was fun, relaxing, and also exhausting but memorable. We were chatting and tying in my garden, which I loved because I love spending time out there. I put in some flowers just to make the space colorful and inviting. It was like a Mother's Day gift to myself to make that space exactly what I wanted it to be for us to enjoy it. Everyone agreed the beach day was a fantastic idea (Friday). Good thing my ladies are all big fans of sunscreen, and I don't think anyone got burned the whole trip! We had a brunch on Saturday to send our aunt off with a full belly.

We really enjoyed all the flowers, trees, bushes, grass, and everything around us as inspiration for the painting with a twist at home. Over the weekend, my husband was helpful in watching the kiddo so that we could do a girls' trip to IKEA and a thrift store (Saturday and Sunday) and finish up our wishing well princess paintings. It was very fun to do yoga in the park, although my sister did the entire flow with a baby napping strapped to her body. We didn't make it out to any Fit4Mom workouts, but that's how it goes sometimes. I'll get back to it tomorrow...FriYay!

Finally, we packed on Monday and did another Disney trip to pick up some souvenirs. It was fun to try to fit in everything we didn't get to do, like corndogs, churros, Mickey cupcakes, popcorn, dole whips, and beignets. We didn't get to everything, but what we tasted was 100% worth the extra trip. We enjoyed different areas of downtown Disney, the Disneyland Hotel, the Grand Californian, and the Pixar Pier Hotel. Again, we did some things I had only heard about but didn't know how to do, so it's always good to do reconnaissance. 

I'm already looking forward to our Nebraska trip to visit with Albert's cousins and grandparents, which will be coming up here in about a month.

February 2022 thoughts

How will your lifestyle change once your Marchling has been fully vaccinated?

Right now we are unable to attend concerts indoors, due to the rules of the venue. I would like to try taking kiddo to orchestra, ballet or opera. I know it sounds ridiculous. But the campus performance space reserves 5 performances per year for children and right now they are restricted to age 5 or older. I saw a ballet with LO when he was in the womb in Feb 2020. So yeah I guess that's what I have to look forward to.

2/2 - The transition back to campus is underway. I cleaned my office and unboxed a new computer. Forgot a VGA cable so I didn't turn it on yet.

The computer on my desk had stopped communicating with Office 365 so I couldn't open any Word, ppt or xls files. And it was an instrument computer that I commandeered because my other one died mid-semester in Fall 2019 (when we were all pregnant). OMG so long ago, feels like a decade in pandemic years.

It's surreal to be back there after WFH for so long. All printers are out of toner. I had to throw out all food that expired 2020 or 2021. There is no ground coffee and no coffee filters. I put some student work in the "shred" bin which is completely full. I've been afraid to have them come and empty it because I was scared of having a stranger in my office during the pandemic. But I guess I had better put in the work order because I'm about to be seeing ~200 students per week, face-to-face in rooms where 6ft social distancing will be impossible.

We go from virtual to in-person during week 4 of the semester. So that's gonna be rough. Campus daycare offered us a spot, which I had wanted for so long. But now LO is kinda settled off-campus so I don't know what to do. We have to decide by Friday, 2/4.

I don't know whose brilliant idea it was to come back on Valentine's day, like "they're gonna love this." Thanks for listening to my stress ramble.

2/4 - Kiddo hasn't taken his shoes off for 4 days straight. I mean yes to change pants and socks but he wants them right back on. All night. All naps. Wierdo.

My dude is going through a phase with wooden puzzles. He has a linen bag for them and spent 45 minutes filling / dumping the bag over and over. I think he likes disappearing the pieces, hearing them drop in and clink, then scattering them and repeating the process.

2/5 - Lost sleep last night over our decision to pull LO out of his current daycare and switch to an on-campus daycare since DH and I both work on campus. I feel his baby days slipping away (haha maybe they're already gone. maybe they've been gone and I'm just holding on). I held him so tight while he slept. I laid awake and worried about doing 5 full days (40 hour week). Until now, we've only done 3 half days (12 hours).

It's so difficult because I've been super-stressed and trying to balance everything for 3 semesters of work-from-home with LO at home. I am at my breaking point and very behind on a project that I agreed to do this academic year. I'm only 25% done and I should be over 50% done. There is a tiny shred of my former self that NEEDS to have 40 hours of freedom to get my work done. But there is a huge part of my new identity as a mom that wants to spend all my time with LO and quit my job. He's so little. He shouldn't be going to "work" 40 hours per week. He needs his mom. Or am I just being dramatic?

I could definitely still keep him with me Mondays and Fridays and Wednesdays and only send him Tuesday/Thursday. Financially, we decided to switch him because comparing our old daycare ($390 / week) to this new one ($299/ week) we will save money comparing full-time at both places. We were easing LO into full time. He was just starting to get comfortable and we were planning to let him nap there starting this week. My heart is breaking and my body is saying this is a bad idea, but my rational mind and my work identity is saying we have to do this. Ugh.

By sharing with friends, I was reminded that it's not all-or-nothing. I am guilty of black-and-white thinking and tunnel vision. It's much better to envision our daycare as an adjustable wrench that can be dialed up or down.

2/7 - Dropped off paperwork for new daycare today so now we wait and continue as before until we hear otherwise. New daycare is going to draw up a contract and then I guess we'll get a start date. Change is hard.

I feel like pre-kiddo my life was "2 Fast 2 Furious" and my favorite quote was by Mario Andretti, "If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough." I had a 2-seater car and lived right by a freeway ramp. My commute was 40 miles each way and I would drive 80 mph. I worked from 7am to 10pm. Seriously I was so driven.

I still acknowledge that there are many things that are out of my control, but I feel like the fastest I want to go now is walking. I live 1 mile from work and LO's daycare is on the way. I have directed all my Type A energy into mom stuff and with kiddo potentially starting full-time daycare, it's a big identity shift.

Not to mention going back to work in person. Nobody has seen me except on Zoom (neck and head) for 2 years. So freaky. Mom bod on full display!

2/10 -  I'm obsessed with completing LO's baby book. Got it as a baby shower gift. Why? Kind of a blessing and a curse to feel the pressure to document every. single. milestone. The first year was the most intense. There was a page for every month. Now there's just one per year for birthdays.

We're kinda planning a Mickey Mouse Two-dles theme. Just 3 friends and LO's grandparents. Maybe aunt/uncle/cousins. I guess I should order a cake. It's gonna be outdoors, hopefully we have good weather. I'm kinda planning more gifts for the guests and not buying anything for LO.

I've met more cool moms through Buy Nothing on Facebook. It's fun meeting moms with kids just a bit younger (who we gift to) and just a bit older (who we get gifts from). Highly recommend!

A co-op sounds awesome! I always wonder if COVID has made finding daycare harder or easier. The one my kid attended for the past 3 months was never part-time pre-COVID but they were struggling to fill up so they loosened up their rules. It was the only way we could afford it (3-days/week). We couldn't afford their 5-day + early drop off fee.

I had my last WFH day today and it really feels like the end of an era. I was starting to feel the whole F#$% COVID sentiment leaving my body. Like things are actually returning to normal. I'm sure it's not the end of the pandemic, but we shall see whether a daycare situation pieced together may be more resilient and more functional than a rigid full-time setup?

We had our zoom meeting with LO's new campus daycare. He was on the waitlist since he was an embryo. We don't have a start date or drop-off schedule yet but it's affordable full-time care. And we got a spot! I feel like I won a lottery. I mean we did.

I got all excited that my friend from high school moved to my area. I thought we might be able to do kid swaps, but she lives 1 hour away so now we just do playdates every other week.

I totally get parent's frustration and disappointment with our daycare options. I think more people would be able to have kids if employers provided daycare like they provide health insurance. Or if there were public institutions that would care for littles from the moment our maternity leave ends.

On the flipside, I am torn between my desire to spend all my time with kiddo. That's what my body wants. But financially we need 2 incomes and I have been struggling so hard to WFH with LO here. My mental health is at a breaking point. We hope that we can work enough to keep ourselves engaged in our careers, stay current and make enough money. But also not run ourselves ragged trying to do all. the. things.

It's so hard to be productive with LO around. For example, I wrote a test in 3 hours yesterday while LO was in daycare. When I was trying to do it with kid around it literally took all weekend, like 16 hours because I was exhausted, and getting constantly interrupted.

2/11 - When life gets hard, I make rice Krispy treats. LO has acquired a taste for them. LO normally doesn't go for sweets but DH has a sweet tooth.

LO loves strawberry Jell-O which I started making in December when we were all sick. I am trying to be cool with this junk food.

We filled out an Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) for our move to the new daycare. Scored low on communication. Scored high in gross and fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social.

I'm always grateful for this group because I feel passively well-informed. I knew by hearing where all your Marchlings are at with language that we are behind, so I'm not surprised. It gives the daycare something that they can focus on helping us with.

So thank you all who share the daily stories and milestones. You helped me go into the meeting with LO's new teachers with a calm and open mind. I know my child's strengths and weaknesses and I don't feel like a failure as a parent. I've been doing the best I can for as long as I could and now I'm so grateful to have more help.

To get kiddo in the carseat when he's having a tantrum or just doesn't wanna, I use all my strength and thankfully our kiddo calms down when we turn the car on. I just remember it's temporary and necessary and do whatever it takes to get him strapped in. DH wanted to turn the carseat around but I'm not sure that would solve the problem.

2/12 - I think the most romantic thing my husband has said to me in awhile: I think LO needs more leisure wear. Haha I was considering getting kiddo some new stuff for his birthday but I love it when it's DH's idea. I hate being the only one managing the kid's inventory. I love it when DH gets involved. I try to keep tight purse strings as much as possible so when my husband gives me the green light to spend, it allows me to feel less guilty about shopping. And there is a consignment sale next weekend.

2/13 - My kid is obsessed with the front door now. He tries to go out multiple times per day. Thank goodness we have a deadbolt but I wish we had one of those screen doors to let the air flow on nice days. How does one childproof them though? So glad to hear your LO is okay. I've been taking LO out there in hopes that he will become familiar enough to find his way home if he ever gets out. Haha can you tell I was a dog-mom for two decades before having an actual human child?

2/17 - New daycare is working out well. It's our 2nd day today. Thanks to all those who encouraged us to make the switch. There was nothing wrong with the other one, but this one is affiliated with our employer and the other one was off-site. It just makes more sense to have kiddo closer if possible. And it's $400 per month cheaper.

We just had a stomach bug rip through our house. Puking Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Diarrhea Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. I did so much laundry. By Monday he was eating and drinking lots of water and we sent him back to daycare on Wednesday. They're strict about "no symptoms for 24 hours." I totally get it.

2/27 - Skipped ny workout yesterday to stay home and organize. Shuffling things from home to work and vice versa. Making piles of stuff to give away. Today we will pick up our purchases from an online consignment sale. We gotta make room for the new items.

I had entered my babylist registry in a spreadsheet. It made it easier to share with my younger sister who is having a 2022 Marchling. I calculated the price we paid for things vs if we had bought at full price. We've saved $1500 on babywearing stuff, $1500 on bicycle stuff, $500 on toys and books, $300 on water stuff, $3000 on clothes and shoes, $700 on strollers, etc. All together, we've spent $8000 but we've saved $10,000. I love buying stuff used. Or getting it through Buy Nothing.

I'm not a big spender and I feel like we've bought so many things for LO to get through this pandemic. Since this kid is our "one and done," I want to try everything since I won't get another chance. So as a data nerd, it was fun to look at the numbers and see how much we have saved.

I filed this under self care because seeing how we have managed makes me feel proud of myself. It makes me feel like I am winning at adulting. It liberates me to buy more things that I want, like a silk ring sling to use at the beach this summer. And a "momper" which is a romper for mom.