>hat I love Zumba. It is good for the soul. Today I spent much of the morning cleaning house (much needed), part of the afternoon in a playgroup, and then the rest of the day balancing a grumpy Wesley with trying to learn kickboxing choreography for Saturday’s class. Fortunately, Wes didn’t stay grumpy for more than an hour or two. All of a sudden the clouds cleared and he was giggling like crazy. I love it when he’s happy like that. Then I was able to practice my choreography and have dinner.

But when all was said and done I was tired and needed a pick-me-up. It may sound strange that an aerobic workout would be said needed pick-me-up, especially when I had just finished kickboxing for an hour, but Zumba did the trick. I went through an entire class routine (55 minutes) and my whole day is better.

Yesterday Wes attended his first-ever birthday party (thanks Nancy and Preston!). There was an abundance of active two-year-olds, and Wes just sat and stared at the commotion, mouth slightly open. They served birthday cake and mint chocolate chip ice cream. Wes would tolerate the birthday cake when I fed it to him, but not without giving me a clear look that said, “OK, lady, I’ll chew and swallow this, but the next spoonful had better be more of that creamy chocolate mint goodness.” He ate the entire scoop, except for a couple teeny bites I snatched.

I am getting addicted to grapefruit. A guy came around our neighborhood last week selling oranges, apples, and grapefruit. He gave me samples and the fruit was delicious, so I bought 30 lbs of it to store in the cool garage with very good intentions to single-mouthedly eat and enjoy every last piece of it. (John and Wes aren’t really into the fruit scene.) I asked for minimal grapefruit in the mix, but I’m starting to regret that now. I’ve eaten one every day and they are so good! I think they decrease my appetite, too. This morning I was eating one and grapefruit juice squirted me in the eye. I had to laugh because I’d only ever seen that in the movies, and here it happened to me in real life!

Also, box elder bugs are threatening to take over our house. I keep finding them crawling around like they own the place. I have no qualms about killing crawling things in my house (Wes excluded), so hopefully I’ll get a handle on their population soon.

I’m teaching parts of aerobics classes three times this week. It’s pretty much taking up all my spare time, but I’m loving it. I’ll be teaching a Zumba class starting in January through the local recreation program, which should be fun, provided people actually come.

Wes loves loves loves to stand up. He likes to stand and play. He’ll try to pull himself to standing using anything he can as a prop:

His car seat…

His toys…

Even things taller than himself, like this desk.

His therapists have been coming and going and all (he has three) are happy to see he’s doing so well. Yesterday the speech therapist brought a toy that has three skills involved with it. The baby has to put the ball in the top of the toy, push it down, and then retrieve it when it comes out the bottom. After watching the therapist a few times, Wes started putting the ball in the top himself, and after a few more times he figured out how to push the ball down. He was really enthralled by the toy and the therapist was very impressed by how quickly he understood how to work it. My baby’s a smart boy.

Wes is crawling like a maniac and has discovered every nook and cranny of the house. Plus every trash can, every tissue box, every book on the shelves…pretty much everything I don’t want him in.

He’s also really great about climbing the stairs. A little too great. The other day I answered the phone in the kitchen (which is around the corner from the stairs). I was away from Wes maybe a minute and a half before I realized I had left him alone in the living room, and when I rounded the corner, there he was on the stair landing, sitting and looking down at me with a big grin. He doesn’t know how to get himself down the stairs yet (we’re working on it), but once he gets that he’ll be safer on the stairs by himself.

I took Wes to the hospital lab for a blood draw to get his thyroid checked. People with Down syndrome frequently have thyroid problems. The test checks two things: free T4’s and TSH. I don’t exactly know what T4’s are, but apparently they’re something to do with the thyroid that attaches to proteins, and free T4’s are ones that don’t attach to anything. TSH stands for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. The results: Wesley’s TSH looks fine, but his free T4’s were a little high. But the pediatric endocrinologist said that this is not uncommon for kids around 12 months of age. Wes will have to get another blood draw in 4-6 months and be tested again.

Last week I took Wes for a walk outside. Because it was a chilly day I put him in a blue bear jacket that was a gift to him when he was born. I remember looking at it, and looking at him (barely four pounds), and thinking, “He’s never gonna fit into this.” Well, it took a year, but it fits him now. I think it’s size 6-12 months.

I enjoyed the walk and the scenery, but Wes was sound asleep by the time we got high enough to see a nice view of the valley and mountains.

It is hard to discipline Wes because he doesn’t seem to get that I’m disciplining him. I always tell him “no” when he gets to pulling at the trash can bags, but what do you do when all he does back is smile at you? And then go for the trash bag again?

Wes and the trash can

Wes loves our cats. They encourage him to move.

Wesley’s idea of recreation

Wes can open drawers. And smash his toes in them, too.

Wes discovers the drawer

Wes had a little trouble on the kitchen floor in his sleeper jammies.

Wes slip and slides on linoleum

In other, non-Wes-related news, I taught part of an aerobics class at BYU yesterday and it was so much fun. The teacher was impressed and got my number for her sub list. It was my first time teaching a class, and the class at BYU is huge. Teaching aerobics is one of those things that even though you think you like doing it, actually doing it is the real test. And I’m glad to discover that for me it is 100% fun. Now I know that I will keep doing it and loving it.

Saturday I did something super fun and exciting: got certified to teach Zumba!

Zumba is a dance fitness class inspired by Latin and international music. I stumbled upon Zumba totally by accident (ended up in a class I don’t usually go to) and was intrigued. I went to a second class on purpose, and was hooked. Zumba is so different from normal aerobics (which I also love). It’s fast, fun, and doesn’t feel like a workout. You get to the end of class and can’t believe the hour is up. Also–and this is significant for me, who truly can’t dance–anyone can do Zumba and love doing it.

When I heard a certification workshop was coming to Utah I jumped onboard and am so glad I did. The workshop was so much fun, and now I’m prepared to teach basic Zumba classes.

I was already planning to start up an aerobics class at our church in the next month or so with hi/lo (floor aerobics) and cardio kickboxing. Now we can Zumba too!

If you live nearby and want to join in, the classes will be FREE and kid friendly. If the classes are in the mid-morning hours the kids can play together in the back of the gym and hopefully no one will kill each other while we’re working out up front. I might do an early morning class (5:30 or 6 a.m.) for people who have to go to work.

I’ve been an aerobics-monger for 8 years and Zumba is the most exciting thing I’ve done in all that time. Check it out. (Obviously in my class there would be much less of the bikini-clad scene you see in the videos and more of the everything-vital-is-covered-up look.)