Triathlon Troubles

I've gone and done it again. I know I should know better after falling victim to it once before, but no - I stupidly signed myself up to do a triathlon.

The first time I did this was two years ago. Prompted by a moment of madness and an over zealous brother I signed up to the Dublin Try-a-tri. Fortunately I survived it, but once I had ticked if off my bucket list there it, and all training, remained.

Until this summer rolled around. Now not only have I signed up to do another one, but this one is (a) longer and (b) in my home town. My over-zealous brother said it would be really handy as I wouldn't have to travel and that I'd be mad not to do it.

And once again I was stupid enough to get swept up in the excitement.

Ten days off the event date and my thinking on this has changed drastically. Believe me when I tell you that being able to walk to the event does not in any way, shape or form balance out the fact that I am going to have to strip off a wetsuit and hop on a bike in front of a crowd made up of 'people I went to school with' combined with 'people I meet every day in Tescos'. This is not good.

Training up to now has been sporadic to say the least. I really should have factored in the school holidays and the fact that three children under 10 can't actually be left on their own before I made such an ill advised decision.

So now not only is there the whole changing-room-in-a-crowd aspect - there's the fear of not making it around the course at all, or (and it may even be worse) finishing last.

In a desperate bid not to let either of those options become a reality I've splashed out on a new bike. I'm putting all my faith in the fact that this will not only help me climb the far too numerous steep hills on the cycling course, but will also help me swim longer and run faster. Not too much to ask is it?

Sexy Bike

Of course now that I've bought it I'm going to have to justify the cost of it by continuing to do more of these fecking things aren't I?

And so it continues. Would someone ever just stop me from making decisions that I am clearly not qualified to make on my own?

Please??

Advice on sleep training

'Start as you mean to go on' - that's my motto.

I always start everything with the best intentions, from child rearing to puppy training. 

We got our gorgeous little Miniature Schnauzer just before Christmas and like responsible dog owners read up on everything that we were supposed to know in order to settle her into her new home. 

The first night we set up a travel cot in the living room, bought her a hot water bottle, a new bed, some toys to keep her company and gently said goodnight to her. 

'On no condition are we to go into her' I told my family. 'She will whine and bark a bit the first night but if we go into her we are just training her to bark for attention. And she is NOT, I repeat NOT allowed upstairs'. 

We all agreed the rules and went to bed. 

At 1am I heard the first sounds of distress from downstairs. At 1.10am I was lying on the sofa with the puppy beside me in her cot. 

On the second night my husband was found under a duvet on the sofa cuddling her.

On the third night we pulled the cot into the downstairs bedroom and I spent the night in there with her.  

After a week with us she had taking to following me everywhere and was now sleeping on the floor beside my bed. My bed upstairs.

This morning I woke up in a double bed with three kids and one dog contentedly nestled in between us all.

I think I may be taking attachment parenting to a whole new level...