Great expectations

My blog-friend Tara posted today about her post-baby body, and it made me reflect on my exercise plans before Lydia and how they have changed (or evaporated) since she's arrived.  As I put on the pounds (I will not share the total number as Tara did, though I console myself with the fact that 10 pounds had to have been pure water weight), I searched Craigslist and ebay for treadmills.  It would be so easy to start running once the baby arrived, I thought.  I imagined myself running for 45-60 minutes on the treadmill while said baby sat contentedly in her/his bouncy seat or snoozed to the sound of my pounding feet.  Not only would I lose all my baby weight, but I'd soon be in the best shape of my life (thanks to all the free exercise time).  I even told myself that I 'd be running the Detroit marathon in October  (why not think big?)  

Fortunately my treadmill search came to naught, and my treadmill money stayed in the bank account.  How much have I exercised since she's arrived?  Well, there have been a few walks with her in the sling, but that's about it.  I definitely have to make a change.  Slowly but surely, I feel a little less exhausted, and as the weather gets cooler, I have definite plans to start running again.  Until then, though, I think I'll make a promise to myself to take even a 10-minute walk each day.  Lydia likes being in her Moby wrap, and it tires her out, so it would be a great thing to add to her bedtime ritual.  Maybe I'll start looking for jogging strollers, and start thinking about running a half-marathon in the spring :)