Totally worth it: A study in the art of optimism

Things change when one has babies. . .they’re absolutely worth it, but things do change in sundry ways!

Yesterday, my husband came home from work early in time for me to get to the gym! My gym has free childcare, but it puts kind of a damper on that huge benefit when I can hear my 2 year old screaming bloody murder as I walk out of the childcare room and hoarse from all the screaming bloody murder an hour later upon my return to retrieve him. So, basically I try to make the late-in-the-day classes, so my husband can stay home with the children. This means I’ve been pretty much limited to Pilates or stability ball classes which are great, but not particularly aerobic.

So, I was totally psyched yesterday when my husband walked through the front door and sent me away to the gym to catch a step aerobics class that I’ve been wanting to try! It was a really good class, but I don’t recall hopping around that much since before I had children.

Anyway, yesterday, having 3 children afforded me yet another “half full” (as in, the can of diet coke is half full, not half empty) moment towards the end of my first step class. After a good 45 minutes of hopping and jumping, we finally got to lie down on our backs for some ab work. At this point, I’m thinking, “Woo-hoo, no more hopping and jumping!” Then, Pure Evil Aerobics Instructor (who will remain nameless, only to be identified as the mother of my younger goddaughter) decides to lead us in the most painful set of crunches in recent memory. With sweat dripping and my whole body shaking, the “half full-ish” thought comes to me as I lay on my back now looking for an upside. . .any upside. . .surely, there is an upside!!!. . .to doing these crunches. And the thought: “At least I’m lying down, because I’m pretty sure that if I were standing up, I’d be peeing on myself.”

See. . .I am an optimist!