Trying to get back in shape after having a baby isn’t near as fun as it sounds; especially when you have to go through the whole rigmarole of packing everything your kids may possibly need or want for the hour you will be at the gym. You also get the pleasure of discussing every grunt and/or nuance your kids might have and interpret these communications to a nursery worker who can’t quit texting her boyfriend long enough to pay attention anyway.

The first time I went to the gym here in Mt Pleasant I took Emma, then around 18 months, to the nursery. I hopped on the treadmill and started to run…ok, jog. I was 5 miles into my run…(FINE) 1 mile, and the nursery worker came out to tell me that Emma had a dirty diaper.

“Her diaper bag has her name on it,” I said as I gasped for the extra oxygen I needed to keep my pace and talk.

“Oh, we don’t change diapers.”

I was almost flung across the cardio room, I stopped so abruptly on the treadmill.

“I’m sorry. What?”

“We’re not supposed to change diapers.”

I had to get off the treadmill to change my child’s diaper. My child, who had just stopped crying from the first time I had left the room. She clung to my leg and screamed as I tried unsuccessfully to extricate myself to finish my run.

What exactly are these people getting paid for, I wondered. Shouldn’t they change the sign from “Childcare” to “We’re Just Going to Make Sure No One Dies While You are Exercising?”

For this and many other reasons, I have purchased hand weights and an exercise ball to exercise at home when it’s too much trouble to leave the house. I prefer to go to the gym, I need someone yelling at me to work harder. Left to my own devices, I would stop at the first beads of sweat, pat myself on the back, say “good workout,” and head to the juice bar.

This morning I got the weights out and started to workout, Aubrey(4) and Emma(2) jumped right in with me. As we started doing sit-ups, Aubrey said, “Look Momma, it’s easier if you do this,” and propped her elbows up on the floor under her. I laughed and said, “Yes, but that’s cheating. You can’t use your hands.” Aubrey glanced at me then put her hands under her head just like I was doing. After about 2 more crunches Aubrey said, “Momma, this hurts my tummy. Can we stop now?” She is DEFINITELY my child.

Emma stopped doing crunches long enough to grab her waffle, stuff it in her mouth and resume crunching on the floor while chewing. A multi-tasker, Mommy is SO proud.