I was feeling all womany and weird when we were all going to go for a long run, so I ended up biking along instead. I so regretted it, because it was such a beautiful course. You wouldn’t believe how tired you get of doing the same 3 or 4 paths/routes in the city. Unless you feel like stopping at the end of every block for a light, you have to stick to bridges, paths and parks. Which are all beautiful, but you do get sick of them. I have riverside and central park memorized. I could seriously be all “hey when did that bush get planted?” at this point.

Below is when we were about to leave for our run. The car on the right is ours. We love it but our lease is almost over. I’m sad because I have really loved having a car that kind of looks like it has hair.

I decided to try one of the stretched arm pictures to document the outting and It worked perfectly. I have monkey arms, so naturally the arm stretch picture taking is a great talent of mine.

The only other time we left the house (besides seeing piper) was to go to lunch here. It was pretty. I like good ole Connecty. It’s a nice place.

Also, I ordered a “wedge” style sandwich because I had never heard of that. Our friend explained that it was like a hogie, so I got pumped. It ended up being huge! I could not believe it, sorry it’s cut out of the picture, but just trust me on this one. I could only eat half of it, and me not finishing my meal is a very rare thing.

Today’s lesson (not pictured) was trying to get Pipsey to kiss me on the cheek. She thought it was supposed to be a snot on the cheek. According to her, she was going for an A, but in my opinion she totally didn’t even get close. We’ll work on kisses again soon.

Piper Jane was in her Jammie jams for our visit on Saturday and Sunday, I loved it. Sorry I don’t have pictures from Saturday, but I don’t do a post for every visit, in fact, I probably only post half of the visits. Sometimes, we like to just play with her and hog her to ourselves, but don’t be mad because we make up for it with pictures like the amazing ones in this entire post. Anyway, Saturday, she was wearing some monkey pajamas, and she was hold a monkey finger puppet that wears pajamas. It was perfect. I’m pretty sure someone should write a children’s book about it and send it to me for free.

Back to the pictures…I can’t remember what Piper Jane was doing in this below picture, but to me it looks like she is showing me her hand. I don’t blame her, it’s a really nice looking hand..

I like to tickle Piper Jane’s face with my hair. She is so so ticklish. But she is very selective with it and will crack up and pee one day, and stare completely blankly at you when you tickle the same spot the next day. So, Sunday her face was ticklish. Maybe it never will be again. (I like how her hand is prepared to block my hair strand, she is mad smart that Pip)

Piper loves to wear mama’s rings lately. It’s probably because I have been singing “single ladies put a ring on it” for a full year without coming up for air. I just like the thought of Piper’s head being like “I do like it, so I should probably put my mama’s ring on it”. And by “it” we all know she means her own hand/thumb. She loves that thing..

(click pic to see Pippy put a ring on it)

(no explaining needed) Actually there is. Piper Jane is straight up kneeing me in the throat. And laughing about it.

Jake’s favorite thing to do lately, is take something of Piper’s (the more she loves it, the better) and cuddle it and pretend it’s his. So in the below sequence, Jake is saying “ohhhh, my favorite pink blanky, I love it so much. My soft, pink blanky. Oh blanky, I love you soooo.” and then picture Jake’s manliness nuzzling right up to that pink blanky which of course nearly sends Piper Jane into a total giggle explosion. She then grabs the blanket and buries her face into it and SCREEEEAAAAMMS her hardest. The cutest part about the scream is that it’s muffled inside of the blanky…..Then she comes up for air and does it a few more times. There has never been anything funnier, anywhere. Ever.

Nuzzle nuzzle nuzzle, grab, giggle, burry, scream. It’s a nice little combo.

All weekend I squoze Piper Jane hard core. And for once she did it to me too. (refer to first Pipture)

Thanks for reading. Love you so much!

PS I MET A LITTLE GIRL NAMED PIPER TODAY! her name was Piper Ivy. I loved her.

This next one is kind of old. But it is appropriate because it showcases how wild and crazy Piper Jane is. Notice how many times she tugs on her trach. This was when we were getting weekly phone calls that went something like this “Hi Mrs. Breinholt, this is Piper’s teacher. She pulled out her trach again and she is going to be in time out for 9 years or until she learns her lesson (so basically 9 years for sure)”. Thankfully, she has cooled it on the tracheal-tuggage. So I have been able to cool it on the Pippeal-naggage. Also, what I love so much about this video isn’t Pip’s naughty nature, it’s her tippy toes and kitchen play and giggles, those never ending giggles. She’s washing an Elmo cell phone. Getting it all nice and pipsqueakily clean! Enjoy.

PS let’s all pretend Piper Jane had 50 super awesomely evil ideas before this first video was filmed. That explains her hair.

I’m feeling too lazy to write anything fancy (running and a busy salon are taking over me), but I want to look at some pictures with munchkins in them. And I thought maybe you’d like to, too.

If you don’t have a dunkin’ donuts near you, then you probably don’t know that donut holes are called “munchkins” there. If Piper Jane is a munchkin, then I’m toasted coconut donut and Jake is probably an everything bagel. Don’t you think?

The end.

(see? lazy.)

I read (and Piper kicked) a Bargain for Frances. Which is probably my top 5 favorite children’s books. Frances is pretty scrappy and she is always singing songs. You have to sing the songs while you read or it’s just not the full effect. Don’t piper’s feet look huge next to her scrawny legs?

Sunday:

We skipped church again to party with that pippy. It was worth it. I made some new headbands for her because she has been coming up with so many evil plans that her brain/head got too big for for her old ones.

I joke that we were on our way out to the pants store. I usually just put her in diaper covers when she isn’t wearing a dress, because shorts/pants fall off that skinny butt. Plus she’s got gams to die for. We’ve got our very own Edie Sedgwick on our hands.

I really think Piper’s eyes are getting used to the natural sunshine. It was really bright outside, and she adjusted so quickly. Of course we were still in the shade, but she did great. I just love her. I squeezed her times a million.

I am so glad Piper had a chance to think about life during our visit. I can tell she had a lot on her mind. I read somewhere that the farther you tilt your head, the deeper the thought. (note: I never read that)

I love more than anything when those teeth stick out just enough. People ask if her eyes really sparkle or if it’s just in piptures. They totally sparkle. I asked her what her secret is and she gave me a look like “you wish, lady”.

Good weekend. So good. And tomorrow is Tuesday, so Booyah.

I just finished a veggie delight from subway and now I’m blobbing and listening to The Doors nice and loud-loud for a married lady who goes to bed at 10. I love The Doors.

I love my parents for placing me in my playpen and then proceeding to play any of the following music:
Bob Dylan
Pink Floyd
The Doors
The Beatles
Neil Young
Van Morrison
Jimi Hendrix
Bob Marley
and the eagles, whom I can actually only take in small doses. Neil Young too.

But thanks mom and dad for giving me a rockin’ playpen. I swear I remember it.

I don’t feel guilty, and here is why…

I was given a very healthy and strong body. I am ever grateful for that healthy and strong body. And I show my gratitude by taking great care of it and using it in ways some people aren’t physically able to. Piper Jane wasn’t given a healthy or perfectly functioning body, and that is crappy. And for the life of me, I won’t ever be able to figure out why my little girl was chosen for such a big and hard job. All I can guess is that it’s because she is more special than the rest of us, and more awesome too. Don’t be jeal. So, baby girl Piper Jane? I run for you my little P-nut snack. I run twice the distance, for both of us. Mama loves you.

On the contrary, I would feel very, very, very (a million verys) guilty to waste such a healthy and strong body by couch potatoing it up. I was given a healthy body (remember?), running far and jumping high and loving all the places it takes me is how I show my gratitude for my unbelievably great fortune.

Next, I know multiple women who run marathons with kids at home. I dont think having kids means you don’t have time to work out. You can always find time to work out. You really can. And anyone who says otherwise is just making excuses, and I think most of them would even admit that. It’s good for us and also really important for a happy, healthy, long life. So there.

As for “getaways”. I don’t feel guilty, because I don’t think we do it too often. And the way I’m able to clear my head and relax and refresh for my hectic life is priceless. Because of our “getaways”, I am able to leave any stress in Blythedale’s parking lot, and have a perfect, fun, happy, lovable, cheesy, awesome visit with Piper Jane. I believe children have stress radar. Taking time for yourself and your marriage is important to be a good mom. And also Piper Jane is in very good hands with nurses who love her very very much.

When it comes to being “put together”, I don’t really spend that much time on my appearance actually. I put product in my hair after I shower and my make-up takes me literally 3 minutes to apply. Then I get dressed, because if I didn’t wear clothes I would get arrested, and that I actually don’t have time for. Having Piper Jane at home wouldn’t mean I’m moving to frump-city. I really seriously doubt I’d look any different.

In conclusion, I couldn’t disagree more with this question. And the “Obviously not” that was squeezed in made me feel like it was written with a very judging tone. There is a lot of guilt involved with having a child with special needs, but it’s more the kind of…why am I healthy, and she’s not? Why can’t I make her all better? I don’t think I should give up on things I love and curl into a ball of depressing sadness. I’m sorry if that’s what some people think I should be doing.

PS I don’t mean to be on a soap box, and I don’t mean to get defensive, I guess I just have never really been asked something like this before, and I was a little caught off guard. The questions that were semi judgmental about the way I dress or write and all that didn’t bother me at all, I guess because maybe I think they have a small point. But I’m very proud of myself (and not to mention, proud of my Jake) for how upbeat, positive and happy we have been considering our unique situation. And I just never really thought I should feel guilty about that. So, yeah, I’m going to defend that.

I’m not trying to attack the person who asked this question, I’m just trying to clear up how I feel just in case other people are thinking the same things.

Well, bye.

PS part two. Maybe I was asking for it by making formspring. and maybe I’m done with formspring.

Where are you from? Jake? What are your backgrounds?
I say I’m from East Tennessee (near Knoxville), because that was where I was born, and also where I lived most of my life, but I have also lived in Arlington Virginia, Pocatello Idaho, Southern Utah, Atlanta Georgia and New York.

Jake grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. He lived in Hawaii for a little while, and Sao Paulo, Brazil for a few years as well.

I’m English (my maiden name is Baker), and Jake is Danish. Don’t let his exotic skin and dark hair fool you.

What does Jake do?
Jake is an attorney! Funny right? He works in corporate/finance law at a firm in the Wall St area. Photography is a hobby that he has had for a long time, but only recently started getting paid jobs and shooting events. He works for a few blogs, Sojones, Highsnobiety and all the titelmedia blogs that send him to everything. You can find a lot of his photos at shotbyjake.com or his Shotbyjake fanpage on facebook.

You both look so tall, how tall are you and Jake?
We are tall! I’m 5’8” and Jake is 6’4” of goodness.

When did you become vegetarian and how did you make that decision?
I had grown up never really considering being vegetarian, but I didn’t really eat very much meat. The kids I used to nanny always asked me if I was a “vegenarian” (I don’t know what that is but it sounds gross)! One night Jake and I were at dinner with some friends and I was talking with one of them (who is Jewish) about being Kosher. It sounded so glamorous! I joked that I was going to start eating Kosher, and he pointed out that if I didn’t really eat much meat, then I should just become vegetarian instead since I was looking for a new fun project. I did that night! It was glamorous! I loved telling people “oh sorry, I don’t eat meat”, I felt so cool and unique until someone would ask me how long I had been vegetarian for and I would have to say “oh, ummmm, 2 weeks?”. Eventually I grew to realize that there are thousands of vegetarians in NY and I wasn’t that cool.

I actually didn’t miss meat at all. The only thing I miss even now is having a large variety of sandwiches to eat, since sandwiches are my favorite food. The switch was so easy, and it was one of those things where I eventually did believe in being vegetarian further than just to make Jake and his friends laugh hearing me tell someone at a party “no thanks” on the sliders. I actually feel like I’m helping do my part to lessen the consumption of meat. I don’t think meat is bad for you, but I DO believe people eat way too much of it, and the way animals are shot up with hormones is not appealing to me in any way. It’s been 5 years! If you are considering it, try it out for a month and I think you’ll be amazed at how easy it is.

Why did you move to NYC? Do you think you’ll stay?
I moved to NYC in January of 2005 because that was what I did before Piper Jane came around. I would get an idea in my head, and I’d do it. I had a huge fascination with New York for as long as I can remember. One day I thought about how awesome it would be to live here, so I did it. I moved here a month and a half after that idea, all by myself and without knowing a single person here. It was such an adventure. I miss my spontaneous early 20s. In the beginning I was a nanny just so that I could have a free place to live.

Jake moved here for law school in 2002.

I think we’ll stay for a while. We love it here! We love it a lot, in fact. But, if a great opportunity came up to move somewhere really rad, we’d definitely consider it. But I’d say we’re here for at least another 10ish yrs. I’m pretty sure I’d be happy here forever.

How did you and Jake meet?
Jake and I met only about a month after I moved here. I had become friends with a girl who knew him, but wasn’t really interested in meeting him because I had heard how many of her girl-friends had crushes on him. I never dated a player in my life, and that was exactly what he sounded like to me. It was funny because I later found out that the whole group of those girl-friends made a pact to not let me and Jake meet. Hahaha! Isn’t that the best? I guess they were right to be worried, because we ended up marrying each other’s a’s.

(above pic when we were just kids)

Back to the story. I guess Jake had heard a lot about me too, and wasn’t interested based on the rest of this group of girls. So when we did meet, we didn’t really talk very much. I was really surprised when he called me to hang out a few days later, but since I was new and didn’t really have any friends, I agreed! It was weird to get to know each other in real life and realize how wrong we both were about the other. We hung out every day and he was in love with me in like 5 minutes. Then we made out.

I went to Barbados a few weeks after we started hanging out. I was gone for a week and a half with no phone/email and we missed each other a lot. I came back and turned on my phone to find a few random texts he had sent to me throughout my vacation, I felt so mushy that he had been thinking about me while I was away. Then Jake asked me to be his girlfriend in maybe not those words.

(above, more of when we were just kids)

What do you mean you “got married by Elvis”?
Jake and I got married in Vegas. We had been dating for 2 years and had attempted to plan a wedding. Without too many boring details, the engagement and wedding planning just wasn’t working out. After a while, We told our families that we were getting married in one week in Las Vegas and that they were welcome to come. I was half expecting my family to be all “uh uh sister, you’re on your own, and we are really pissed off at you by the way.”, but they were all there (even if my mom was mildly horrified). We opted to save ourselves a few hundred bucks and not have Elvis marry us, but a bleached blond woman with silver teeth and black re-growth DID do the marrying. It was the same place where Nikki Hilton got married, swanky, eh? It was very cheesy, and I mean sickeningly cheesy, but it was also a lot of fun. Walking through the casino to our hotel room in our wedding clothes was amazing. Cheering, whistling, clapping, fist pumping…..it was the best. THE BEST!

The downside? The pictures are the grossest pictures I have ever seen in my life. I’ll post some and you will all pee.

(photo removed because jake wasn’t very happy about it being available on the interwebs. which I can definitely understand)

How do you have time for everything you do?
Oh man, I don’t have time. I get up really early to do my long training runs before work, then I work really long hours at the salon, then most days I work on private clients/shoots when I leave the salon and on weekends and I’m also wifing (somewhat) and mothering (somewhat). On fridays I have to be at the laundromat when the doors open at 7 or else my entire day is completely messed up. Between booking it up to see Piper Jane, doing the grocery shopping (which I do up in westchester), coming back to the city and rushing straight to my Friday client’s apartment for a blow dry, I really don’t even sit until usually 5 or 6. I mean, I sit with Piper, but how relaxing is wrestling a mini aligator? I always try to cut something out to make my life a little less busy, but there isn’t anything that I want/can get rid of, so I just try to make the best of it! Sometimes I scream and cry and take a day off, and then I’m refreshed to pick it all back up again. I really don’t know how my life could be any busier.

How did you get into running? How do you: work out? Train for a marathon?
Running was my first love. Well, it ties with Elvis as my first love. I have always loved it, even when it is so hard and I am completely forcing myself to get through that run, I still love it. It hurts, but to push past so much pain is the best feeling ever.

So I have been running my whole life. My parents were runners and used to bring me with them. It started out with them picking me up near the end of their run, and me just running the last mile or two with them. My dad signed me up for a 5k when I was just 7, and I felt so important running a race with him. I then started running in a women’s 5k called “run for the rose” every year, and I did cross country in high school. I wouldn’t have ever had the idea to run a marathon if I hadn’t gone to see my dad run 5 of them as a child.

I have used Hal Higdon’s training program twice, but this time I’m using my Nike plus profile. So far, I like it a lot.

(below, Jake with me at my first marathon when I was 22. Jake just came to watch and wasn’t a runner at all. After I finished he said “I think I’ll run a marathon”..and I laughed because I never thought he’d do it. Now he’s done 5.)

I lift weights every other day. I only use 5 lbs and work up repetitions, but I never go up on the weights. I really only do upper body because I don’t want to be sore for my runs, but I always feel like I should add squats or lunges. It’s important to build muscle with weight training, because it will continue to burn calories even when you are resting. And running doesn’t build muscle. Oh yeah, I also hold a blow dryer above my head for several hours a day.

Jake and I learned a lot after he had a knee injury and went to Physical Therapy several times a week. I’ve been pretty lucky to avoid injuries, but I have had tendinitis and shin splints.

Where did you get your sense of style?
I don’t know, my brain? I’m flattered to have been asked this question, seriously. I love clothes, I love getting dressed and I love being myself. Maybe that is where it comes from…

The fashion in NYC is so amazing. Every day I’m in awe by at least one person’s way of putting together an outfit….good and bad! But the people here, they are just so creative and unique. It just helps you be fearless with your own style. I am fearless and wear exactly what I want, no matter if I think someone else will like it or not. I am only out to please myself. Same with Jake. That is why he wears his hat sideways and doesn’t care that the rest of us are laughing at him, hehe.

I know this might sound silly, but it is so important for me to raise my children as individuals. Maybe the most important, I just don’t want them ever living their life pining for approval from others. It’s too unfullilling. If my sons want to wear black nail polish to express themselves, I will buy it and apply it. Maybe that sounds crazy, so what?

What is your favorite movie?
Oh man, I could never choose one. I love Amelie, Harold and Maude, The Royal Tennembaums, Raising Arizona, Dirty Dancing, Muriel’s Wedding, About a Boy, Sixteen Candles, Pulp Fiction (but don’t tell my grandma)..I guess I have a lot of favorite movies because I could go on for an hour.

How do you handle negative comments?
I rarely get them. People for the most part are very loving and sweet to our family. Almost so much that I might get a big ego because of how encouraging and complimentary people are. I really appreciate it. I’d say instead of negative comments, I get insensitive comments or questions. I handle it by complaining to Jake and letting him reassure me that it wasn’t intentionally insensitive. Then I feel better. I just need an occasional pep talk, and Jake’s full name is Jacob Thomas Peptalk breinholt.

What is your favorite band?
Well, we all know that Weezer is my favorite band. I also really love the Cardigans, Vampire Weekend, Bob Dylan, Bebel Gilberto, Lady Gaga, Feist, Elvis, Stereolab and I guess my music is like my movies. All I know is that I could listen to Weezeer and the Cardigans every day for the rest of my life and never tire of them.

What’s an average non-pip day?
I wake up super early. I get it from my dad. I have an alarm set, but it rarely goes off when I’m still asleep. I usually wake up at 6am in the summer, go for a run and eat Cinnamon Life cereal. Or I make an egg, cheese and morning star faux sausage patty on a piece of toast. I watch whatever I have dvr’d from the week and lift weights until it’s time to get ready for work. I love Big Brother, 30 Rock, Mad Men, Breaking Bad and Gossip Girl. I know that I’m too old to like Gossip Girl.

I take the subway to work, and when I’m not busy with a client I go and get a tea and wander around. I sit on a bench, read a book or New York Magazine and catch up on emails. August is a pretty slow time of year for the salon, so this is all stuff I’ve been doing lately. Half the days I have private clients after work who have made deals with me. I have cut back on accepting new private clients, because it takes up so much of my time, but a few of them really make it especially worth it for me. And I really do enjoy it. We’ve become very close.

Sometimes Jake will meet me after work and we’ll go out. We have a few little favorite places near my salon. We are comfort food eaters, and tend to do a lot of pubs, southern diners and BBQ joints when we go out. There are also three movie theaters within walking distance from my salon, so occasionally we’ll go to a movie. PS a movie costs $12.50 in NYC.

It’s pretty rare that we are both at home for dinner, but when we are, I usually cook. We eat a ton of burritos because we always have loads of fresh veggies in our fridge, and an abundance of cheese just in case I want to cook something weird. Plus, Jake is not vegetarian, and burritos (as well as tacos, quesadillas and enchiladas) are very easy to make both veg and non veg. If we order in, we usually go with Sushi, Thai or Indian. This has got to be boring.

I think that sums it up, basically everything you ever wanted to know about me and Jake. Oh yeah, I am very loyal to Revlon lipsticks. It is comparable to M.A.C. lipsticks. Fire and Ice and Strawberry Suede are my favorite colors. They also have a pale pink that I love, but forgot the name of.

*next questions post is going to be answering more serious questions about Piper and how we have dealt with her situation. it should be a good one!

Bummer though, because I have a job tomorrow and I don’t think I’ll be able to see pip. Maybe in the afternoon, I’m hoping. Anyway, it’s going to be a really fun shoot with kids and bright colors. Can’t wait.

It’s been a bit of a Pipsey drought around here. I have some cute piptures to post from my Tuesday visit, and lots of formspring questions too. I think I’ll probably only do two or three more posts of it. I only ever intended to post the most FAQs, so I’m sorry that a lot of things aren’t going to be answered. I might squeeze in a few awesome/unique ones “does Jake have an accent like Jude Law?”. And 4 people, 4!!!, (I wish there was a way to capitalize numbers) have told me I look like Rebecca Romijn and have I ever been told that. No, not ever, not even close to ever. You know, that kind of stuff has to go up on the blob.

Back to stuff, here are some random piptures from my phone that have never shown their faces until today.

Btw sometimes I love to post pips of pip looking kind of ragged. Note the one with her with no pants and her big fat belly hanging out and her mad scientist hair. Chewing on Jazmine.

She can do it, I know she can. Can you help her? You see, it will also be helping me, because Leslie and I run once or twice a week together and she is a huge motivator for me when it comes to my training.

Click here to donate

Please? Even 5 or 10 bucks will add up so fast. I’ll love you forever. Spread the word if you don’t mind. Let me know if you donate and I’ll write you a poem

THANKS SO MUCH for whoever does it, I really really really appreciate you supporting my friend and running partner and her charity.

***also read more about her cause by clicking on the link.

Anyway, we’ve had a nice, cool, rainy week(end) here in NYC. We did a long run on Saturday, Jake ran 20 and I ran 16. It was breezey and perfect. It was the last day of Summer Streets, and it I loved changing up my route for my long run. Summer Streets means that every Saturday in August they close off Park Avenue from 72nd to the Brooklyn Bridge, so bikers and runners can be free and happy. This is the third year they’ve done it, and we’ve gone every year.

I’m getting anxious for fall with this beautiful weather, it’s my favorite and we have a great line-up for fall activities.

And here they are. Eh hemmm…
~Philadelphia half marathon next month
~Fashion week in NYC is a big, awesome deal
~Hartford half marathon (jake is running the full) in October
~Tennessee for a mini Baker family reunion
~Halloween! Wait til you see Pip. It’s a surprise.
~NYC marathon. I’m actually getting excited.
~Everything above is awesome and fun.

Back to our dog, here are a few pictures of the adorable Bear, and our Sunday evening walk with him.

And here is a really good one that Jake took of Bear when he was feeling model-y.