Pilates, interrupted

After a bad night (sleep, interrupted) with Tigerboy, I wasn’t in the mood for morning. Which is a shame, as I’ve discovered that my day runs smoother if I get up early, and get outside soon.

So, after orange juice then coffee I took myself outside with a relaxing playlist to do some pilates. I figure if I can’t run, I can at least tone. I had my rug, I had space, I had a playlist, all set.

Stretching. Rotating shoulders. (Click, ouch.) Breathing. Activating the core. I could feel myself beginning to relax.

I laid down on my back and started to do some bridging. Then Tigerboy came out and plonked himself down on the rug next to me, and was amazingly smelly. Time to pause, it would seem, and do a nappy change instead. (These are my favourite parenting moments. You?)

One incredibly smelly nappy and a quick potty triumph later (You did a wee! Look! Yay!) and I was all set to go again. This time with a pilates partner as he laid down next to me and joined in. We probably got about another 3 or 4 minutes before Smallest came looking for him, and of course she had to join in too, with a constant stream of questions.

I decided I’d distract them both with a snack. Pause the playlist, go inside, find fruit, bring it out.

Five minutes later they’re finished the fruit, and Smallest is trying to cuddle me while I’m doing clam. Not quite how that one is supposed to work. (Lie on your side, lower arm cushioning under the head. Bend at hips and knees. Lift upper knee up (slowly) and lower. Repeat, while maintaining core activation, pushing hips away to lengthen upper body, keeping shoulders tucked back and down, one on top of the other, chin tucked in, mousehole at waist, and breathe. Did I miss anything out? Oh yes. Repeat. And again. No, keep doing it.)

And so it continued. While I was doing cat stretch, Tigerboy (accidentally) hit me in the head with a toy golf club. Smallest talked. And talked. And talked. And then it started to feel like rain.

It ended up taking an hour and a half to do 40 minutes of exercise. And I was almost more stressed at the end than I was at the beginning. This is why I am not toned. And why I forget what I’m doing when I walk in a room. Because I so very rarely get the chance to complete anything without *assistance*. It’s also why I miss running, and why I prefer to go to a pilates class. (Although the guy who talks through the session reappeared this week, so that wasn’t an awful lot more restful either.)

Anyone got any solutions?