Things are slowing down greatly for me. I'm still "working out" but that's mostly taken the form of walking 17:00-20:00 minute miles. Every once in a while I might be able to manage a couple minutes of a jog here and there, but the belly has gotten heavy and I'd rather just walk. Plus, I'm a little worked up over getting varicose veins since the baby is sitting so low and causing pressure throughout my legs and nether regions. :) I did quite a bit of swimming during January, although I'd love to do more. The open swim hours at the Y are not that convenient right now because of a couple different swim teams, but hopefully in the next month that will be changing. Of course, by then I may just be too big to do anything and ice cream will be my only answer. That might be a workout I'll enjoy greatly.
Swim - 8000 yards
Run/Walk - 46 miles
Visits to the YMCA - 10
Cost per visit - $7.47
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Racing vs. Participating
Boy, this blog is schizophrenic isn't it? Running...baby....baby...running.
Whatever.
Elizabeth and Jennifer have been doing a monthlyish podcast that I've recently started listening to. Their most recent podcast was a Q&A from questions that people had sent in beforehand. (I sent in a question, but mine was not answered. :( I'm hoping maybe they'll answer it in their part 2 of Q&A.) I don't remember the exact question but they addressed the question regarding racing vs. participating - a very interesting question for two coaches who coach a lot of people who are wanting to do an ironman or run a marathon. It begs the question, is it more comfortable to go longer than to actually "race"?
And a very interesting question that has followed me for most of my running career.
My friend Andrea and I used to have some serious spoken and unspoken disagreements regarding racing. Although we trained together, our racing schedule was very different. I would do two marathons a year, while she would do more than that. I would actual train for races, while her intent was just to run the races. The frustrating thing for me is that she kept getting faster and my times seemed to stay steady. A couple years ago she moved to Colorado and changed her running habits. I changed over to triathlon. She has now begun to RACE and has gotten incredibly fast. So fast, I can't even be jealous anymore because I'm not even in the same time zone as her race times. I have had some success in racing again, but obviously took a step back since getting pregnant. She has struggled with injury and mental blocks recently, so I suggested to her that maybe she should just "participate" for a while. I can't believe I actually said that. (Of course, she went out and busted a 1:29 PR in a half marathon so it's a good thing she didn't listen to me.)
Myself, having gotten pregnant in the middle of my racing season last year, I was forced to participate. And you know what? I kinda enjoyed it. There were no expectations, there was no training, there was no nervousness, the people in the back of the pack were nicer, etc. I never finished DFL but came in with most "average" runners.
With only a few weeks left of my pregnancy, I've thought a lot about what will life be like afterwards. I have not signed up for any races. I have not outlined a race schedule. I don't even know if I will be able to or will want to continue to run. But, I have thought a lot about short versus long races. I do like to go long. I enjoy getting lost in the monotony of mile after mile after mile. Training for long distance races takes a toll on the body and for me, at least mentally, I struggle with putting all my eggs in one basket for a single race. Personally, I've done the marathon. I've done well in the marathon. I really have nothing to prove in the marathon. Would I like to go 3:20, 3:15, or better in the marathon? Absolutely. Does this define me as a runner? I'm not sure.
And then there's the damn ironman. Yes, I will continue to call it the damn ironman until I finish the damn thing. I sometimes feel a little haunted having not finished the race. Although as time has passed, I'm okay with not being an ironman. However, I still want to finish the race.
As I tip over the edge of early 30s into my late 30s this spring, I think about how much time I actually have left to get faster. Let's be honest, time is ticking. I would love to do another marathon. I would love to do the ironman. Heck, I'd even like to try a 50K. But, why would I do all that stuff now when I only have a limited time left to get faster at the shorter distances. Is doing the marathon, ironman, ultras really all about participating? Can one actually race those distances?
What are your thoughts on this topic? Do you think being called a runner is dependent on finishing a marathon? Or triathlete finishing an ironman? Which distance of race do you prefer? Are you comfortable with the uncomfortable? What are your thoughts on speed and age and how to pick races?
Whatever.
Elizabeth and Jennifer have been doing a monthlyish podcast that I've recently started listening to. Their most recent podcast was a Q&A from questions that people had sent in beforehand. (I sent in a question, but mine was not answered. :( I'm hoping maybe they'll answer it in their part 2 of Q&A.) I don't remember the exact question but they addressed the question regarding racing vs. participating - a very interesting question for two coaches who coach a lot of people who are wanting to do an ironman or run a marathon. It begs the question, is it more comfortable to go longer than to actually "race"?
And a very interesting question that has followed me for most of my running career.
My friend Andrea and I used to have some serious spoken and unspoken disagreements regarding racing. Although we trained together, our racing schedule was very different. I would do two marathons a year, while she would do more than that. I would actual train for races, while her intent was just to run the races. The frustrating thing for me is that she kept getting faster and my times seemed to stay steady. A couple years ago she moved to Colorado and changed her running habits. I changed over to triathlon. She has now begun to RACE and has gotten incredibly fast. So fast, I can't even be jealous anymore because I'm not even in the same time zone as her race times. I have had some success in racing again, but obviously took a step back since getting pregnant. She has struggled with injury and mental blocks recently, so I suggested to her that maybe she should just "participate" for a while. I can't believe I actually said that. (Of course, she went out and busted a 1:29 PR in a half marathon so it's a good thing she didn't listen to me.)
Myself, having gotten pregnant in the middle of my racing season last year, I was forced to participate. And you know what? I kinda enjoyed it. There were no expectations, there was no training, there was no nervousness, the people in the back of the pack were nicer, etc. I never finished DFL but came in with most "average" runners.
With only a few weeks left of my pregnancy, I've thought a lot about what will life be like afterwards. I have not signed up for any races. I have not outlined a race schedule. I don't even know if I will be able to or will want to continue to run. But, I have thought a lot about short versus long races. I do like to go long. I enjoy getting lost in the monotony of mile after mile after mile. Training for long distance races takes a toll on the body and for me, at least mentally, I struggle with putting all my eggs in one basket for a single race. Personally, I've done the marathon. I've done well in the marathon. I really have nothing to prove in the marathon. Would I like to go 3:20, 3:15, or better in the marathon? Absolutely. Does this define me as a runner? I'm not sure.
And then there's the damn ironman. Yes, I will continue to call it the damn ironman until I finish the damn thing. I sometimes feel a little haunted having not finished the race. Although as time has passed, I'm okay with not being an ironman. However, I still want to finish the race.
As I tip over the edge of early 30s into my late 30s this spring, I think about how much time I actually have left to get faster. Let's be honest, time is ticking. I would love to do another marathon. I would love to do the ironman. Heck, I'd even like to try a 50K. But, why would I do all that stuff now when I only have a limited time left to get faster at the shorter distances. Is doing the marathon, ironman, ultras really all about participating? Can one actually race those distances?
What are your thoughts on this topic? Do you think being called a runner is dependent on finishing a marathon? Or triathlete finishing an ironman? Which distance of race do you prefer? Are you comfortable with the uncomfortable? What are your thoughts on speed and age and how to pick races?
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Baby in 3D
We had yet another doctor's appointment today. I'm as tired of writing about them as I'm sure you're tired of reading about them. But, today's appointment was with our high risk doctor which meant another ultrasound. This was supposed to be our last ultrasound....more on that later.
We started the ultrasound with some good news: the baby's head is down. Sweet! I was nervous because last time the baby was breech and I wanted at least a possibility of having this child the way that nature intended. Then the sonographer measured the head. She said, "ooh, that's a big head." Yikes! The ultrasound continued and she kept measuring things. "Yeah, you've got a big baby."
What's big? Well, based on the size of the baby, my due date has been moved up a whole week. While most babies at 31 weeks are about 3.3 pounds, our baby is about 4.5 pounds. The baby is in the 75th percentile and the head, the giant head, is measuring in the 99th percentile. Yes, I have to birth that giant head. Even though I have worked out my entire pregnancy and studies have shown that people who run during their pregnancy tend to have lower weight babies, Dave and I knew there was a possibility that we would have a big baby. See, I was almost 9 pounds when I was born and Dave was almost 10 pounds. So think how big our baby could be if I had not been running, swimming, walking?
Anyway, at the end of our ultrasound, the sonographer said she was going to try to get one of those 3D pictures of the baby. We were surprised by this. We thought those were a special ultrasound that you got and had to pay for separately. She began this scan and of course, the baby got shy. It's already so much like Dave and me. Every time the sonographer would move the wand over the baby's face, it would put its hands over its face. She would move the wand away and it would drop its hands. She would try again and again its hands went up.
Finally, she caught the baby off guard and was able to get two pictures of the face. I know I'm biased, but seriously that is a cute face. I love that the baby has a chin dimple just like Dave and me. It makes it all seem a little more real - we're going to meeting that face in a few weeks.
After our ultrasound we met with the doctor and his intern. We just adore him. He's awesome. He mentioned how big the baby was and they have decided to do another ultrasound in the 36th week to make sure the baby isn't getting too big or to decide to induce my labor early.
Also in good news, the doctor asked me about my mental health and depression. Knowing how severe my depression has been and my high likelihood of having post-partem depression, the doctor has decided to put me on the Prozac I was supposed to start taking a year ago. He asked why I hadn't been taking it this whole time. Good question! My regular doctor prescribed it to me a year ago when I was a mess and put me on Prozac specifically knowing that it was safe to take during pregnancy. Talking with two different OBGYNs about it, even letting them know I was suicidal at the time, both of them said no. My high risk doctor and his intern both said it was okay today. I KNOW!!! So, I'm going back on it during my 37th week until who knows when to help with my anxiety and possible depression. This is a move I should have done long ago.
Overall, a good visit. A long visit, but a good visit.
We started the ultrasound with some good news: the baby's head is down. Sweet! I was nervous because last time the baby was breech and I wanted at least a possibility of having this child the way that nature intended. Then the sonographer measured the head. She said, "ooh, that's a big head." Yikes! The ultrasound continued and she kept measuring things. "Yeah, you've got a big baby."
What's big? Well, based on the size of the baby, my due date has been moved up a whole week. While most babies at 31 weeks are about 3.3 pounds, our baby is about 4.5 pounds. The baby is in the 75th percentile and the head, the giant head, is measuring in the 99th percentile. Yes, I have to birth that giant head. Even though I have worked out my entire pregnancy and studies have shown that people who run during their pregnancy tend to have lower weight babies, Dave and I knew there was a possibility that we would have a big baby. See, I was almost 9 pounds when I was born and Dave was almost 10 pounds. So think how big our baby could be if I had not been running, swimming, walking?
Anyway, at the end of our ultrasound, the sonographer said she was going to try to get one of those 3D pictures of the baby. We were surprised by this. We thought those were a special ultrasound that you got and had to pay for separately. She began this scan and of course, the baby got shy. It's already so much like Dave and me. Every time the sonographer would move the wand over the baby's face, it would put its hands over its face. She would move the wand away and it would drop its hands. She would try again and again its hands went up.
Finally, she caught the baby off guard and was able to get two pictures of the face. I know I'm biased, but seriously that is a cute face. I love that the baby has a chin dimple just like Dave and me. It makes it all seem a little more real - we're going to meeting that face in a few weeks.
After our ultrasound we met with the doctor and his intern. We just adore him. He's awesome. He mentioned how big the baby was and they have decided to do another ultrasound in the 36th week to make sure the baby isn't getting too big or to decide to induce my labor early.
Also in good news, the doctor asked me about my mental health and depression. Knowing how severe my depression has been and my high likelihood of having post-partem depression, the doctor has decided to put me on the Prozac I was supposed to start taking a year ago. He asked why I hadn't been taking it this whole time. Good question! My regular doctor prescribed it to me a year ago when I was a mess and put me on Prozac specifically knowing that it was safe to take during pregnancy. Talking with two different OBGYNs about it, even letting them know I was suicidal at the time, both of them said no. My high risk doctor and his intern both said it was okay today. I KNOW!!! So, I'm going back on it during my 37th week until who knows when to help with my anxiety and possible depression. This is a move I should have done long ago.
Overall, a good visit. A long visit, but a good visit.
Monday, January 28, 2013
The Million Dollar Question
Anne alluded to it with her comment on Friday, so let's dig in and talk about it.
Maternity Leave
I recently started filling out my paperwork for my maternity leave, so I've got a pretty good idea of how it all works, sort of. I get up to 12 weeks of leave: 6 weeks paid (the first week has to be taken as vacation days) or 8 weeks paid if you have a Cesarean, and 6 week unpaid. I am a part time hourly employee, which for me means a minimum of 20 hours and up to 40 hours. I currently work about 25 hours a week. So, this leave of absence kind of sucks for me because I will only be paid for 20 hours per week instead of the 25 I actually work.
We have nine weeks until the baby is born and we have yet to make a decision regarding if I'm returning to work. And I'm not sure we are going to be making that decision before the baby is born.
It's complicated.
First, our health insurance is through my job. I work for a big retailer that has a very young workforce and therefore, the insurance is amazing. When I got the job here and we switched our insurance from Dave's company to mine, we were saving over $300 a month. That's no small chunk of change! So, I need to stay on payroll here at least through my delivery so that the medical bills are paid with the really good insurance.
Secondly, the company I work for is not exactly the easiest to get into, but once you're in you can move around and move up. I have one of the lowest jobs on the totem pole, however, I work great hours, I can set my own schedule, I can work from home, etc. I have a great relationship with my director who knows my background in logistics and engineering and if I wanted to move up, I'm sure I could.
But....
I currently do not make a lot of money. My salary, although it does contribute, is more like bonus money for Dave and me. Dave, on the other hand, does well enough that I don't have to work. And in addition, we have the photo booth business which doesn't make a lot of money, but does provide something. If I were to continue with work at the hours I am currently working, I will be spending my entire salary on child care. That is not worth it. Plus the thought of other people raising my child makes me sad. If we felt that it was imperative that I continue working than I would have/should have found a full time job that actually paid a real salary.
Luckily, I don't have to decide right now (although I know I can't wait forever). After talking to our leave coordinator at work, if I decide not to come back after my maternity leave it is just treated like a resignation and I would not have to pay anything back. So for right now, we're just going to go with the flow after the baby is born and decide when we have to decide.
Maternity Leave
I recently started filling out my paperwork for my maternity leave, so I've got a pretty good idea of how it all works, sort of. I get up to 12 weeks of leave: 6 weeks paid (the first week has to be taken as vacation days) or 8 weeks paid if you have a Cesarean, and 6 week unpaid. I am a part time hourly employee, which for me means a minimum of 20 hours and up to 40 hours. I currently work about 25 hours a week. So, this leave of absence kind of sucks for me because I will only be paid for 20 hours per week instead of the 25 I actually work.
We have nine weeks until the baby is born and we have yet to make a decision regarding if I'm returning to work. And I'm not sure we are going to be making that decision before the baby is born.
It's complicated.
First, our health insurance is through my job. I work for a big retailer that has a very young workforce and therefore, the insurance is amazing. When I got the job here and we switched our insurance from Dave's company to mine, we were saving over $300 a month. That's no small chunk of change! So, I need to stay on payroll here at least through my delivery so that the medical bills are paid with the really good insurance.
Secondly, the company I work for is not exactly the easiest to get into, but once you're in you can move around and move up. I have one of the lowest jobs on the totem pole, however, I work great hours, I can set my own schedule, I can work from home, etc. I have a great relationship with my director who knows my background in logistics and engineering and if I wanted to move up, I'm sure I could.
But....
I currently do not make a lot of money. My salary, although it does contribute, is more like bonus money for Dave and me. Dave, on the other hand, does well enough that I don't have to work. And in addition, we have the photo booth business which doesn't make a lot of money, but does provide something. If I were to continue with work at the hours I am currently working, I will be spending my entire salary on child care. That is not worth it. Plus the thought of other people raising my child makes me sad. If we felt that it was imperative that I continue working than I would have/should have found a full time job that actually paid a real salary.
Luckily, I don't have to decide right now (although I know I can't wait forever). After talking to our leave coordinator at work, if I decide not to come back after my maternity leave it is just treated like a resignation and I would not have to pay anything back. So for right now, we're just going to go with the flow after the baby is born and decide when we have to decide.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Week in Review
Monday - 2000 yard swim, continuous pull
You can read about the swim here.
Tuesday -3.25 mile walk, treadmill
3 miles as 1/4 mile 0% incline, 1/4 mile 1% incline, 1/4 mile 2% incline, 1/4 mile 3% incline, all with descending pace.
Last 1/4 mile was slow walk at 0%.
Wednesday - Off
Thursday - 3.0 mile run/walk treadmill
Mile 1 - 5 minute walk, 2-1/2 minute run
Mile 2 - 5 minute easy walk, 2-1/2 minute tempo walk
Mile 3 - descending quarter miles
This workout felt extra hard today and it felt like the treadmill was going uphill even though it said 0% incline. After the workout I grabbed a small level and lo and behold, so not 0%.
Friday - Off
Saturday - 3 mile walk, Highbank Metro Park
You can read about the workout here.
Sunday - Off
Totals:
Swim - 2000 yards
Run/Walk - 9.25 miles
You can read about the swim here.
Tuesday -3.25 mile walk, treadmill
3 miles as 1/4 mile 0% incline, 1/4 mile 1% incline, 1/4 mile 2% incline, 1/4 mile 3% incline, all with descending pace.
Last 1/4 mile was slow walk at 0%.
Wednesday - Off
Thursday - 3.0 mile run/walk treadmill
Mile 1 - 5 minute walk, 2-1/2 minute run
Mile 2 - 5 minute easy walk, 2-1/2 minute tempo walk
Mile 3 - descending quarter miles
This workout felt extra hard today and it felt like the treadmill was going uphill even though it said 0% incline. After the workout I grabbed a small level and lo and behold, so not 0%.
Friday - Off
Saturday - 3 mile walk, Highbank Metro Park
You can read about the workout here.
Sunday - Off
Totals:
Swim - 2000 yards
Run/Walk - 9.25 miles
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Dress for Success
Because I'm not training for anything, to have control over my workouts, and to be close to a bathroom, I have basically done all of my workouts on the treadmill this winter. Every Saturday, though, our running group meets for a run. I, obviously, can't meet up with them, but usually go with Dave and I do my own little workout. We switch off locations every other week. One of the places we run is a metro park where we run on trails and it's quite hilly (for Central Ohio). Because of the terrain, I've been forced to only walk there during almost all of this pregnancy. For the second time this season, it snowed a significant amount on Friday so the trails were very snowy and the temperature at the start of the workout on Saturday (today) was 27, with a wind chill of 16.
How the heck are you supposed to dress for this workout with those temperatures when you're just walking?
Here's what a wore:
Two pairs of socks
Leg warmers
Tights
Swishy pants
Long-sleeved base layer
T-Shirt
Long-sleeved shirt
Sweatshirt
Fleece
Hat
Gloves
Was I at the South Pole? Was I scaling Everest? How tomatoes! That's a lot of clothes. (Funny enough, Dave was wearing close to the same amount of clothes while running and he said he was dressed just right.)
Well, I was burning up! And I couldn't figure out what layer to take off to make myself more comfortable. Everything was thick and cotton and really couldn't be taken off. I did take my hood (sweatshirt) off my head and unzipped my fleece halfway. Two socks was too much. My feet were sweating. If I were running, I would have known exactly what to wear, but walking? Yeah, I just haven't figured that out yet.
How the heck are you supposed to dress for this workout with those temperatures when you're just walking?
Here's what a wore:
Two pairs of socks
Leg warmers
Tights
Swishy pants
Long-sleeved base layer
T-Shirt
Long-sleeved shirt
Sweatshirt
Fleece
Hat
Gloves
Was I at the South Pole? Was I scaling Everest? How tomatoes! That's a lot of clothes. (Funny enough, Dave was wearing close to the same amount of clothes while running and he said he was dressed just right.)
Well, I was burning up! And I couldn't figure out what layer to take off to make myself more comfortable. Everything was thick and cotton and really couldn't be taken off. I did take my hood (sweatshirt) off my head and unzipped my fleece halfway. Two socks was too much. My feet were sweating. If I were running, I would have known exactly what to wear, but walking? Yeah, I just haven't figured that out yet.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Foto Friday
Since our little health scare last week and knowing that baby is coming quickly, we decided it was time to get some things that were probably somewhat necessary as soon as the baby was born. In the last week we've been on a shopping spree armed with coupons and gift cards and sob stories to get discounts (which worked, by the way). Here's a few things we've brought home.
First we bought a car seat. I guess they won't let you leave the hospital with your baby without one. :) Now we've got to figure out how to get it into the Prius.
Then we bought some bottles. This was a hoot. I had read some stuff online and asked a very trustworthy friend regarding what bottles to buy. All sources pointed to Avent. So, that is what we registered for. But instead of buying the bottles where we registered for them, we just went to Meijer and decided to wing it. We stood staring at the bottles for, like, a half hour. Even if the Avent ones there were a gazillion different choices. Dave was researching all over the internet. One random woman who saw us looking lost suggested something else entirely. (She then had an awkward conversation with me regarding preparing my nipples now for breast feeding. Um, thanks, random stranger!) Finally, we decided to buy two bottles. Yes two. For right now. I bought the Avent ones - a 4 ounce one, and a 9 ounce one. One has a newborn nipple; the other one a one month nipple. This way we didn't spend too much in case baby doesn't like it and we need to find something else entirely.
And now another awkward moment at Meijer. We had gotten a few duplicate items at our baby shower, one of which was from my sister. She said I could return it, so I did and got store credit. Great! I wanted to buy some baby socks anyway. As I was checking out, the woman ringing me up asked me if I was due any day. Wow! I didn't know I looked that big.
Finally, a big purchase. A purchase that scares me. Something I have no idea how to use, am scared to use, and kinda don't want to use. Yes you guessed it - a breast pump.
So what am I missing? What did you feel was necessary or made your life easier?
First we bought a car seat. I guess they won't let you leave the hospital with your baby without one. :) Now we've got to figure out how to get it into the Prius.
Then we bought some bottles. This was a hoot. I had read some stuff online and asked a very trustworthy friend regarding what bottles to buy. All sources pointed to Avent. So, that is what we registered for. But instead of buying the bottles where we registered for them, we just went to Meijer and decided to wing it. We stood staring at the bottles for, like, a half hour. Even if the Avent ones there were a gazillion different choices. Dave was researching all over the internet. One random woman who saw us looking lost suggested something else entirely. (She then had an awkward conversation with me regarding preparing my nipples now for breast feeding. Um, thanks, random stranger!) Finally, we decided to buy two bottles. Yes two. For right now. I bought the Avent ones - a 4 ounce one, and a 9 ounce one. One has a newborn nipple; the other one a one month nipple. This way we didn't spend too much in case baby doesn't like it and we need to find something else entirely.
And now another awkward moment at Meijer. We had gotten a few duplicate items at our baby shower, one of which was from my sister. She said I could return it, so I did and got store credit. Great! I wanted to buy some baby socks anyway. As I was checking out, the woman ringing me up asked me if I was due any day. Wow! I didn't know I looked that big.
Seriously, is there anything cuter than baby socks? These look like tiny running socks.
We had a bunch of coupons for the two baby stores in town and at least where we are registered, you could use competitor coupons. So, we've been making small trips down to the store and buying things as we felt they were "necessary." I don't really know how to define what may or may not be necessary since this is our first time around, but the internet has helped us a little to define this. Our next purchase...a swing.
Finally, a big purchase. A purchase that scares me. Something I have no idea how to use, am scared to use, and kinda don't want to use. Yes you guessed it - a breast pump.
So what am I missing? What did you feel was necessary or made your life easier?
Thursday, January 24, 2013
30 Weeks - 75% done!!!
I had my gazillionth doctor's appointment today. I really think these appointments are a waste of time. They're always the same and the same questions are asked every time. This week I didn't bring in my pee beforehand because I didn't have a specimen cup. Did it matter? Nope, just did it at the office. So, why do I need to bring it in every time. Then they weigh me. Now, I don't understand how my YMCA and the doctor's office has such a big discrepancy. They're the same scales! Yet, I was 4-5 pounds heavier today than I was on Monday. Really? Whatever. The doctor comes in and asks the same questions. How are you feeling? Any signs of labor? When I told her about the trip to the hospital, she actually asked me why I thought I was having contractions. What? I've never been pregnant. You're the doctor; you tell me! Every week she asked me if I'm having heartburn and every week I tell her it's reflux. Gah! And this time when I was talking to her about my rib pain she gave me zero hope that I was going to feel any better from here until the end. Her excuse, well, because I'm super short-waisted (and I am) that the only way I can expand is into my ribs and that's why they hurt all the way around the back. Awesome.
This pregnancy stuff is getting old. I'm ready to be done. 10ish weeks and counting...
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Wednesday Rants
I've got a few things to rant about today. I was going to do it on Twitter but I think I have too much to say for 140 characters.
First, let's talk about the Beyonce lip-synching thing. Y'all know she lip-synched the National Anthem at the Inauguration on Monday, right? I find it interesting how quickly everyone was to knock Ashlee Simpson on her buns when she lip-synched on SNL and basically ruined her career but because Beyonce is BEYONCE!!! she gets away with it and people are actually forgiving her? WTF? Um, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor both sang at the Inauguration too and neither one of them lip-synched.
Moving on. I've mentioned it before and I'll mention it again, I am a huge tennis fan. HUGE!!! I've been trying my best to follow the Australian Open which is really hard since it is on in the middle of the night. I was a little shocked the other day when Dave texted me and asked me if I heard Sloane Stephens had beaten Serena Williams. Supposedly, Serena Williams hurt her back and then had a hitch in her serve, blah, blah, blah. Yet, she didn't seem to be too hurt when she was pounding her racket on the ground until it broke. Sloan Stephens has said that she idolized Serena Williams growing up and even had a poster of her on her bedroom wall. Nice example you're setting there, Serena. You're really a great role model.
Finally, I just finished reading "The Perks of Being a Wallflower". Um, I didn't get it. I didn't get it at all.
What are you ranting about today?
First, let's talk about the Beyonce lip-synching thing. Y'all know she lip-synched the National Anthem at the Inauguration on Monday, right? I find it interesting how quickly everyone was to knock Ashlee Simpson on her buns when she lip-synched on SNL and basically ruined her career but because Beyonce is BEYONCE!!! she gets away with it and people are actually forgiving her? WTF? Um, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor both sang at the Inauguration too and neither one of them lip-synched.
Moving on. I've mentioned it before and I'll mention it again, I am a huge tennis fan. HUGE!!! I've been trying my best to follow the Australian Open which is really hard since it is on in the middle of the night. I was a little shocked the other day when Dave texted me and asked me if I heard Sloane Stephens had beaten Serena Williams. Supposedly, Serena Williams hurt her back and then had a hitch in her serve, blah, blah, blah. Yet, she didn't seem to be too hurt when she was pounding her racket on the ground until it broke. Sloan Stephens has said that she idolized Serena Williams growing up and even had a poster of her on her bedroom wall. Nice example you're setting there, Serena. You're really a great role model.
Finally, I just finished reading "The Perks of Being a Wallflower". Um, I didn't get it. I didn't get it at all.
What are you ranting about today?
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Just Keep Swimming
Dave and I both had Monday off from work. Because we had the daytime available to workout, Dave wanted to go to the pool. I was still not feeling 100% from whatever happened last week, but I agreed to go and just use the pull buoy until he was done with his workout. Dave is now sorta training for his half ironman and he kept adding numbers. I lost count but I knew it was going to be a long time in the pool.
Mostly, I did the swim continuously. I would stop every once in a while if I needed a small break or to check up on Dave and see where he was in the workout. When I was around 1500 yards Dave said he had 400 left. Good grief! This workout was never going to end. Finally, I did 2000 yards and was only 50 yards behind Dave when he finished his 2000.
It may not seem like much, but doing a longer swim like this makes me feel like I am accomplishing something. It's the small victories this late in pregnancy that really help.
Mostly, I did the swim continuously. I would stop every once in a while if I needed a small break or to check up on Dave and see where he was in the workout. When I was around 1500 yards Dave said he had 400 left. Good grief! This workout was never going to end. Finally, I did 2000 yards and was only 50 yards behind Dave when he finished his 2000.
It may not seem like much, but doing a longer swim like this makes me feel like I am accomplishing something. It's the small victories this late in pregnancy that really help.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Monday's Menu
Last week Jeff provided me with a recipe for chicken and dumplings. Y'all, I love me some dumplings. I would go to Cracker Barrel every day of the week if I could. Thank goodness the closest one is more than 30 miles away. I will admit, however, I'm kinda a chicken and dumpling snob. For example, Swanson used to make a really good canned version of them, but then they were bought by Campbells and they ruined it by putting vegetables in it. People, chicken and dumplings with vegetables equals a pot pie!!!
Although Jeff's recipe called for a few vegetables, I decided not to put them in and instead just went with chicken and dumplings. Dave did the chicken part. I did the dumplings. Here's the recipe. We halved the recipe because it was PLENTY!
Although Jeff's recipe called for a few vegetables, I decided not to put them in and instead just went with chicken and dumplings. Dave did the chicken part. I did the dumplings. Here's the recipe. We halved the recipe because it was PLENTY!
Chicken and Dumplings –
serves 14
8 chicken breasts or thighs, remove
skin
salt and pepper to taste
8 T. unsalted butter
3 c. chopped onions
2/3 c. flour
4 c. hot water
3 ½ c. chicken stock (broth)
6 medium carrots
4 lg. celery stalks
1 t. thyme
2 t. salt
4 bay leaves
1 t. pepper
Dumplings:
4 c. flour
2 T. baking powder
1 ½ t. salt
6 T. butter (salted)
2 c. milk
Cut chicken breasts in half diagonally.
Wash and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt unsalted
butter and add chicken. While browning one side, salt and pepper the
side facing up. After browning one side, turn over and brown other
side.
Remove chicken pieces to a plate. Add
onions to drippings and butter in pan and sauté until tender.
Stir in the flour and cook, stirring
constantly for 1 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and slowly whisk
the water and the chicken stock into onion/flour mixture. Whisking
constantly, bring to a boil over high heat.
Add vegetables and seasonings through
the pepper. Return the chicken pieces and all the juices and bring
to a simmer. Reduce heat so it barely bubbles. Cover tightly until
chicken is almost done. About 20-30 minutes.
Dumplings:
Mix together flour, baking powder and
salt. Set aside.
Put the milk and butter in a saucepan
and bring to a simmer. Do not scorch.
Add milk mixture to dry ingredients.
Stir with a fork or knead by hand 2 or
3 times until the mixture just comes together.
Push chicken pieces down so they are
submerged in broth. Gently drop spoonfuls of dough over the hot
broth. Cover the pan tightly and simmer for 20 minutes. Don’t
remove lid. Serve immediately.
I, of course, did not take any pictures. Overall, not bad. We put WAY too much pepper in which, of course, caused me major acid reflux. Course, there's not much these days that doesn't cause me reflux. The base of this meal was more soupy than creamy. I prefer a creamy base, but I have yet to find a recipe that actually is creamy. Also, I think I made the dumpling balls a little too big as they were a little doughy on the inside. Would we do this recipe again? Probably, although I'm still looking for the perfect chicken and dumpling recipe just like Cracker Barrel.
Do you have a great recipe we should try? Leave me a comment or send me an email (it's in the contact information).
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Week in Review
Monday - 4 mile run/walk, treadmill and 1200 yard swim
Treadmill workout as follows: 1st mile as 2-1/2 minute walk, 2-1/2 minute run; miles 2-4 as 5 minute walk, 2-1/2 minute run. I reminisced how it used to take me 30 minutes to do 4 miles and today it took me an hour and two minutes.
Dave wanted to hit the pool later in the evening and as tired as I was (I was already in my pajamas when he asked me to go), I went anyway. He was doing a workout and I was just going to splash around, but I grabbed a pull buoy and did 12 X 100 yards pull while he was doing whatever he was doing.
Tuesday - 3 mile walk, treadmill
Something happened over the weekend and my belly got BIG. This morning when I went to work, I couldn't button my coat, at all. I know that's not going to change for the next 11 weeks, but I still wanted to feel good about myself, so I walked 3 miles slowly on the treadmill.
Wednesday - 2.25 mile run/walk, treadmill
I wasn't really in the mood to work out today, but Dave was heading to the basement to ride his trainer, so I joined him on the treadmill. Since I just walked yesterday, I thought I would do a little running today. Each day I try to come up with a pseudo workout in my head. Today's would be 1/4 mile walk, 1/4 run. The most I've been running has been 2-1/2 minutes and a quarter mile would take longer than that (good gosh). It was a bit much but I was only doing the workout for only a few miles. The last quarter mile was a slow cool down walk.
Thursday - Off
We decided to visit our friends who just had a baby and bring them some dinner instead of working out.
Friday - Off
We had planned on going swimming this morning, but we didn't know we would be spending all night in the hospital either. I was still feeling really crappy for almost all of the day, so I didn't do any working out today either.
Saturday - 2.25 mile walk, treadmill
I felt so much better when I woke up Saturday. I had overslept the group run, but Dave was planning on a long workout in the basement so I joined him on the treadmill. Walking was enough today. I started quicker and ended slowly and I was okay with that.
Sunday - Off
I overdid it yesterday and not just on the workouts. I slept the whole day with my family attending both my niece and nephew's basketball games. Sitting all day long was just too much and I woke up pretty sore today. I think all of this happening this week was definitely a sign to slow down. Although, I'm hoping it does not mean bed rest. I am a bit nervous to be heading to the doctor this week.
Totals
Swim - 1200 yards
Walk/Run - 11.5 miles
Treadmill workout as follows: 1st mile as 2-1/2 minute walk, 2-1/2 minute run; miles 2-4 as 5 minute walk, 2-1/2 minute run. I reminisced how it used to take me 30 minutes to do 4 miles and today it took me an hour and two minutes.
Dave wanted to hit the pool later in the evening and as tired as I was (I was already in my pajamas when he asked me to go), I went anyway. He was doing a workout and I was just going to splash around, but I grabbed a pull buoy and did 12 X 100 yards pull while he was doing whatever he was doing.
Tuesday - 3 mile walk, treadmill
Something happened over the weekend and my belly got BIG. This morning when I went to work, I couldn't button my coat, at all. I know that's not going to change for the next 11 weeks, but I still wanted to feel good about myself, so I walked 3 miles slowly on the treadmill.
Wednesday - 2.25 mile run/walk, treadmill
I wasn't really in the mood to work out today, but Dave was heading to the basement to ride his trainer, so I joined him on the treadmill. Since I just walked yesterday, I thought I would do a little running today. Each day I try to come up with a pseudo workout in my head. Today's would be 1/4 mile walk, 1/4 run. The most I've been running has been 2-1/2 minutes and a quarter mile would take longer than that (good gosh). It was a bit much but I was only doing the workout for only a few miles. The last quarter mile was a slow cool down walk.
Thursday - Off
We decided to visit our friends who just had a baby and bring them some dinner instead of working out.
Friday - Off
We had planned on going swimming this morning, but we didn't know we would be spending all night in the hospital either. I was still feeling really crappy for almost all of the day, so I didn't do any working out today either.
Saturday - 2.25 mile walk, treadmill
I felt so much better when I woke up Saturday. I had overslept the group run, but Dave was planning on a long workout in the basement so I joined him on the treadmill. Walking was enough today. I started quicker and ended slowly and I was okay with that.
Sunday - Off
I overdid it yesterday and not just on the workouts. I slept the whole day with my family attending both my niece and nephew's basketball games. Sitting all day long was just too much and I woke up pretty sore today. I think all of this happening this week was definitely a sign to slow down. Although, I'm hoping it does not mean bed rest. I am a bit nervous to be heading to the doctor this week.
Totals
Swim - 1200 yards
Walk/Run - 11.5 miles
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Peer Pressure
The people I run with are sure good at peer pressure. They and their peer pressure are the reasons I have signed up for many races, did my first half ironman, and every single one of the overnight relay races I've done. Recently, they've been talking about doing another half ironman as a group this summer/fall. They're talk quickly turned into action and many of them signed up including Dave. Honestly, they've gotten into my head too. There's a large part of me that wants to do it. But then there's reality and it almost makes me a little sad.
I promised myself that I would not sign up for any post baby races while I was pregnant. I have no idea how quickly I'll bounce back or if I'll even have time to train or want to train, so I'm not spending money that I may not get back. And then there's the obvious stuff. Like, why do I want to do another triathlon? I don't even like triathlon. I made so many strides in my running last year, why would I not want to continue to pursue my running further? Plus, I haven't been on a bike on almost a year and a half. And right now I not even sure I can physically get on my bike, which leaves me about 4 months to go from zero to racing on the bike. Yeah, I don't know. Finally, there's that whole, I'll have a baby, thing. If I sign up for the same race as Dave then someone has to watch the kiddo. My parents are already going to be watching the baby a lot in early summer because of our photo booth schedule. While I appreciate it and I know that they don't mind and would love time with the baby, I promised myself when I got pregnant that I would be the parent and not someone else.
The good news is, I'm not falling into peer pressure. I'm not signing up at this time. I can entertain the thought all I want, but I can't and won't be making any decisions now.
I promised myself that I would not sign up for any post baby races while I was pregnant. I have no idea how quickly I'll bounce back or if I'll even have time to train or want to train, so I'm not spending money that I may not get back. And then there's the obvious stuff. Like, why do I want to do another triathlon? I don't even like triathlon. I made so many strides in my running last year, why would I not want to continue to pursue my running further? Plus, I haven't been on a bike on almost a year and a half. And right now I not even sure I can physically get on my bike, which leaves me about 4 months to go from zero to racing on the bike. Yeah, I don't know. Finally, there's that whole, I'll have a baby, thing. If I sign up for the same race as Dave then someone has to watch the kiddo. My parents are already going to be watching the baby a lot in early summer because of our photo booth schedule. While I appreciate it and I know that they don't mind and would love time with the baby, I promised myself when I got pregnant that I would be the parent and not someone else.
The good news is, I'm not falling into peer pressure. I'm not signing up at this time. I can entertain the thought all I want, but I can't and won't be making any decisions now.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Oh, What a Night
As I've gotten further along in my pregnancy, things haven't been so easy breezy as it was earlier. Nothing major, but I've had lots of aches and pains as my body has continued to grow and grow. The weirdest thing recently is that I've had numbness in my lower belly/pelvic area. My doctor said this is quite normal and all it means is that I'm growing and that my nerves are being stretched. Fun, huh?
Well, last Thursday I woke up to severe pain in my ribs. I had had rib pain earlier in my pregnancy that I attributed to growing pains, but this was not in my rib cage above the belly; this was pain in my side, almost under my arm. Again, I chocked this up to growing pains because yes, I am still getting bigger. As the days went on, this pain continued to be severe and felt like it was getting worse. I wondered if the growth had broken a rib. I could not recall for the life of me, what I could have done. Did I fall? Did I run into something? It was so weird.
On Thursday we decided to bring over some dinner to our friends who had just had a baby. (Remember that picture I posted on Sunday of my super-pregnant friend and me? Yeah, she had her baby earlier Tuesday morning.) While Dave was finishing up work, I went to the grocery store to pick up the few things I still needed for dinner. I literally had a package of chicken breasts, some sour cream, two avocado, and a bottle of laundry detergent. I carried the bags in one hand and the detergent in the other. While walking out of the grocery store, I felt everything rip and pull underneath my arm, in my ribs. I barely made it out to my car without dropping everything.
I got home and put a heating pad on it. I probably should have used ice, but I had been using ice all week long and it hadn't done anything. I was in excruciating pain. I couldn't even breathe. I was kinda freakin' out. I didn't want to disappoint our friends and I definitely wanted to meet the new baby, so I popped a Tylenol and went about my evening.
Side note, I have tried to not take ANYTHING during my pregnancy. I know Tylenol is perfectly safe, I have just preferred not to take anything. This was only my second Tylenol I've taken the entire 7-1/2 months.
The Tylenol only lessened the pain and it was only for about two hours. By the time I went to bed, the pain was almost unbearable. I was in so much pain I couldn't even cry. Maybe because I couldn't breathe? I was able to get about an hour of sleep before my bladder woke me up and that was that. I couldn't get out of bed because of the pain, so when I did finally sit up it was like all my muscles on my left side had been ripped open. I sat on the couch and tried to find comfort. Any comfort. Unfortunately, it wasn't happening. My high risk doctor had told me that if anything seemed "off" after my 28th week, to go to the hospital and get monitored. It was time.
At 2:00am, I woke Dave up and told him I couldn't handle the pain and that I wanted to go to the hospital and have the baby monitored. Dave is a complete zombie when he sleeps. I couldn't tell if he was just tired or if he was pushing back, but he didn't seem very happy to be going to the hospital at this hour.
We were in the ER by 2:30am and they immediately wheeled us up to Labor and Delivery. I really didn't want to be in L&D. I wasn't in labor. I wanted something to be done about the pain I was in for my ribs. Up in L&D, I felt like a big fat failure. The first question they asked me was, "did I have a pediatrician." No. Not yet. That's on the to-do list this month. Second question, "have I pre-registered at the hospital." Again, no. We start our maternity classes at the end of the month which includes getting pre-registered. I wasn't having a baby, but boy were they making me nervous. They wheeled me into a room and made me strip down to absolutely nothing. I knew exactly what this meant - there would be an internal exam. Gah! They hooked me up to two monitors: one to measure the baby's heart beat, and one to measure if I was having any contractions. Not even five minutes after being all hooked up, I had to go to the bath room. Of course.
They monitored me for about an hour before anyone came back in. To everyone's surprise, I was having contractions. Not Braxton Hicks contractions, but real contractions every few minutes. They weren't strong and they didn't hurt but I could feel them only in the sense that my belly was tightening. The doctor said I was only feeling those because I was tiny/thin.
They did do an internal exam and my cervix was closed and hard. Thank goodness. Then he checked out my ribs. Oh my stars! He hurt me so badly that I grabbed his arm and almost ripped out of the hair on it. The resident on-call decided to call the doctor on-call at the OBGYN office I go to and come up with a plan. I guess my doctor was the one on-call because he spoke directly to her. They decided it was safe to give me a single dose of Norco and they would do a blood work-up and check my urine. The nurse hooked me up with the full tubing in case I needed an IV later just to take my blood. Yeah, that didn't feel good. They gave me my dose of Norco and it made me feel very loopy and tired.
After four hours in L&D, they decided to send me home. They gave me instructions to continue with Tylenol and using a heating pad. They marked me down as having pre-term labor and just told me to keep my next appointment with my doctor. They told me I could keep up with my activity level as long as I was feeling okay.
We got home at 7:00am and slept for the next several hours. Tell you what, this has put quite a scare in us that the baby is coming early (of course, I'm now going to be two weeks late). Now we've got to get our sh!t together really quickly.
Well, last Thursday I woke up to severe pain in my ribs. I had had rib pain earlier in my pregnancy that I attributed to growing pains, but this was not in my rib cage above the belly; this was pain in my side, almost under my arm. Again, I chocked this up to growing pains because yes, I am still getting bigger. As the days went on, this pain continued to be severe and felt like it was getting worse. I wondered if the growth had broken a rib. I could not recall for the life of me, what I could have done. Did I fall? Did I run into something? It was so weird.
On Thursday we decided to bring over some dinner to our friends who had just had a baby. (Remember that picture I posted on Sunday of my super-pregnant friend and me? Yeah, she had her baby earlier Tuesday morning.) While Dave was finishing up work, I went to the grocery store to pick up the few things I still needed for dinner. I literally had a package of chicken breasts, some sour cream, two avocado, and a bottle of laundry detergent. I carried the bags in one hand and the detergent in the other. While walking out of the grocery store, I felt everything rip and pull underneath my arm, in my ribs. I barely made it out to my car without dropping everything.
I got home and put a heating pad on it. I probably should have used ice, but I had been using ice all week long and it hadn't done anything. I was in excruciating pain. I couldn't even breathe. I was kinda freakin' out. I didn't want to disappoint our friends and I definitely wanted to meet the new baby, so I popped a Tylenol and went about my evening.
Side note, I have tried to not take ANYTHING during my pregnancy. I know Tylenol is perfectly safe, I have just preferred not to take anything. This was only my second Tylenol I've taken the entire 7-1/2 months.
The Tylenol only lessened the pain and it was only for about two hours. By the time I went to bed, the pain was almost unbearable. I was in so much pain I couldn't even cry. Maybe because I couldn't breathe? I was able to get about an hour of sleep before my bladder woke me up and that was that. I couldn't get out of bed because of the pain, so when I did finally sit up it was like all my muscles on my left side had been ripped open. I sat on the couch and tried to find comfort. Any comfort. Unfortunately, it wasn't happening. My high risk doctor had told me that if anything seemed "off" after my 28th week, to go to the hospital and get monitored. It was time.
At 2:00am, I woke Dave up and told him I couldn't handle the pain and that I wanted to go to the hospital and have the baby monitored. Dave is a complete zombie when he sleeps. I couldn't tell if he was just tired or if he was pushing back, but he didn't seem very happy to be going to the hospital at this hour.
We were in the ER by 2:30am and they immediately wheeled us up to Labor and Delivery. I really didn't want to be in L&D. I wasn't in labor. I wanted something to be done about the pain I was in for my ribs. Up in L&D, I felt like a big fat failure. The first question they asked me was, "did I have a pediatrician." No. Not yet. That's on the to-do list this month. Second question, "have I pre-registered at the hospital." Again, no. We start our maternity classes at the end of the month which includes getting pre-registered. I wasn't having a baby, but boy were they making me nervous. They wheeled me into a room and made me strip down to absolutely nothing. I knew exactly what this meant - there would be an internal exam. Gah! They hooked me up to two monitors: one to measure the baby's heart beat, and one to measure if I was having any contractions. Not even five minutes after being all hooked up, I had to go to the bath room. Of course.
They monitored me for about an hour before anyone came back in. To everyone's surprise, I was having contractions. Not Braxton Hicks contractions, but real contractions every few minutes. They weren't strong and they didn't hurt but I could feel them only in the sense that my belly was tightening. The doctor said I was only feeling those because I was tiny/thin.
They did do an internal exam and my cervix was closed and hard. Thank goodness. Then he checked out my ribs. Oh my stars! He hurt me so badly that I grabbed his arm and almost ripped out of the hair on it. The resident on-call decided to call the doctor on-call at the OBGYN office I go to and come up with a plan. I guess my doctor was the one on-call because he spoke directly to her. They decided it was safe to give me a single dose of Norco and they would do a blood work-up and check my urine. The nurse hooked me up with the full tubing in case I needed an IV later just to take my blood. Yeah, that didn't feel good. They gave me my dose of Norco and it made me feel very loopy and tired.
After four hours in L&D, they decided to send me home. They gave me instructions to continue with Tylenol and using a heating pad. They marked me down as having pre-term labor and just told me to keep my next appointment with my doctor. They told me I could keep up with my activity level as long as I was feeling okay.
We got home at 7:00am and slept for the next several hours. Tell you what, this has put quite a scare in us that the baby is coming early (of course, I'm now going to be two weeks late). Now we've got to get our sh!t together really quickly.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Thursday Thoughts
People, we need help. We are just a few short weeks from Baby Gordon being born and we still don't have a name. I'm starting to feel fairly certain that this kiddo is coming home from the hospital still being called "Baby". We have gone through lists and lists of hundreds of names and are still greatly struggling. I have narrowed my names down to three. I'm not sure Dave is on board with any of them. So at this point, I'm open to taking suggestions.
Here's the rules...
Here's the rules...
- We're still not telling if it's a boy or a girl so we will take suggestions for both genders.
- If it's a girl, the middle name will be Lucille. If it's a boy, the middle name will be Reed.
- Our last name is Gordon (if you didn't know that...obviously, it's got to sound good with the last name).
- If it's a girl, we want the name to be eclectic, free-spirited, artistic, but nothing too out of the ordinary either. If it's a boy, we want the name to be more formal, CEO-like, but not really necessarily traditional either.
- We will not be shortening any names into nicknames. So if it's an Anthony, the name is Anthony not Tony; if it's a Lauren we will not be calling her Lori.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Moments of Sheer Panic
I'm starting to freak out as our due date gets nearer. Not so much, "we're not ready" as, "what the HELL have I done?"
I've done a lot of crying in the last week. I may have even said out loud, "I never wanted this!" While that is mostly true, I am excited about having a baby and glad this happened know. However, I am still scared out of my mind. I don't know the first thing about babies. I don't know about feeding a baby. I don't know much about holding a baby. I don't know what to look for with a baby that may be sick. I have never washed a baby. I'm seriously screwed.
I am sure this is absolutely normal thoughts and behavior for someone approaching their due date. Right? RIGHT?
I've done a lot of crying in the last week. I may have even said out loud, "I never wanted this!" While that is mostly true, I am excited about having a baby and glad this happened know. However, I am still scared out of my mind. I don't know the first thing about babies. I don't know about feeding a baby. I don't know much about holding a baby. I don't know what to look for with a baby that may be sick. I have never washed a baby. I'm seriously screwed.
I am sure this is absolutely normal thoughts and behavior for someone approaching their due date. Right? RIGHT?
Monday, January 14, 2013
Baby's Cadillac
Here it is. Baby's new Cadillac. This is the BOB CE running stroller. Why we chose this one? I don't know. The SE was built more for trail running and we're road runners so we chose this one? They're virtual the same and this is the one we went with. We're so excited to have this. We've put our dog in it and strolled it around the house. It rides so smoothly. Baby and I are going to put so many miles on this thing. I can't wait!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Baby Shower Mania
Yesterday and today can only be described as "Baby Shower Mania." Dave and I (and my mom) decided to do all our baby showers at once. Dave and I hosted our non-traditional baby shower last night and my mom and sister hosted a more traditional baby shower earlier today. Now, I'm just exhausted...to the point that I almost got in an accident driving home from my mom's house and came home and cried just because I was tired.
Here's how the weekend went.
I took Friday off from work and cleaned the house like a maniac. Saturday, Dave joined in on the cleaning fun. We finished up about 0.5 seconds before our guests started arriving. You know how on HGTV people are always asking for a house where they can entertain people? They love to entertain? Yeah, that's not us. It's not that we don't want our friends over; we're both just kind of social awkward and don't really know how to be hosts. Thankfully there were two distinct groups at this party, our college friends and our running friends, and they were able to keep each other entertained. We had set up the house to keep people busy: XBox, photo booth, board/card games, and yet, I think people just stood around drinking, eating, and talking. I worried all night long that people were not having a good time, but it sounds like it went okay.
After everyone left, my parents and Dave's parents stuck around and we opened our gifts for them. We got a lot of great stuff, including all our running friends chipping in and getting us our running stroller (picture on Friday). We also absolutely loved the elemental blocks my parents got us. This kid's going to be so smart! We took the stuff up and threw it in the crib so Sloopy (the dog) wouldn't ruin the stuffed animals already.
Sunday I woke up feeling hung over. Too many people, too much activity, not enough sleep. I had over done it. But, I had to put on a good front and head to my parents' house for round two of baby showers. My mom and sister were throwing a more traditional baby shower which was almost all family and a few family friends. There was good food, great cake, and silly games (which I requested NO games!!). The whole situation seemed really weird. As I said, I'm kinda social awkward and felt like everyone was staring at me. It's not like I'm 22 and people are like, "oh it's so cute you're pregnant", it's that weird, "Huh, we never thought this would happen to Meredith." It wasn't until the party was over that small talk was made and I felt more comfortable.
My family was more than generous and got us amazing gifts.
We got a lot of great supplies like thermometers, bath supplies, diapers, a changing pad, our diaper bag (that's the backpack - we're such athletes), and a few clothes (including clothes for the gender we are NOT having). I have so many thank you notes to write!!!
We still have so much we need for baby. It kind of scares me. We're hoping to make a list this week of things we still need and prioritize them as to what is actually needed and what we just want. Then we're going to scour the internet and stores to find the best deals. I'm starting to feel a little panicked, like I'm running out of time, and will never be prepared. I suppose this is typical. This was only a minor crying breakdown with my dog.
More info coming this week of more baby shower awesomeness.
Here's how the weekend went.
I took Friday off from work and cleaned the house like a maniac. Saturday, Dave joined in on the cleaning fun. We finished up about 0.5 seconds before our guests started arriving. You know how on HGTV people are always asking for a house where they can entertain people? They love to entertain? Yeah, that's not us. It's not that we don't want our friends over; we're both just kind of social awkward and don't really know how to be hosts. Thankfully there were two distinct groups at this party, our college friends and our running friends, and they were able to keep each other entertained. We had set up the house to keep people busy: XBox, photo booth, board/card games, and yet, I think people just stood around drinking, eating, and talking. I worried all night long that people were not having a good time, but it sounds like it went okay.
P is two weeks away from her due date. I'm 12ish. My kiddo kicked her during this picture and she felt it.
After everyone left, my parents and Dave's parents stuck around and we opened our gifts for them. We got a lot of great stuff, including all our running friends chipping in and getting us our running stroller (picture on Friday). We also absolutely loved the elemental blocks my parents got us. This kid's going to be so smart! We took the stuff up and threw it in the crib so Sloopy (the dog) wouldn't ruin the stuffed animals already.
Sunday I woke up feeling hung over. Too many people, too much activity, not enough sleep. I had over done it. But, I had to put on a good front and head to my parents' house for round two of baby showers. My mom and sister were throwing a more traditional baby shower which was almost all family and a few family friends. There was good food, great cake, and silly games (which I requested NO games!!). The whole situation seemed really weird. As I said, I'm kinda social awkward and felt like everyone was staring at me. It's not like I'm 22 and people are like, "oh it's so cute you're pregnant", it's that weird, "Huh, we never thought this would happen to Meredith." It wasn't until the party was over that small talk was made and I felt more comfortable.
My family was more than generous and got us amazing gifts.
We got a lot of great supplies like thermometers, bath supplies, diapers, a changing pad, our diaper bag (that's the backpack - we're such athletes), and a few clothes (including clothes for the gender we are NOT having). I have so many thank you notes to write!!!
We still have so much we need for baby. It kind of scares me. We're hoping to make a list this week of things we still need and prioritize them as to what is actually needed and what we just want. Then we're going to scour the internet and stores to find the best deals. I'm starting to feel a little panicked, like I'm running out of time, and will never be prepared. I suppose this is typical. This was only a minor crying breakdown with my dog.
More info coming this week of more baby shower awesomeness.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Week in Review
I know I'm not going to have time to do any workout on Sunday, so I can go ahead and post this on Saturday.
Monday - Off
I was planning a treadmill run today with my new treadmill, but we all know what happened there.
Tuesday - 2.55 mile treadmill run/walk
Dave and I went to the Y tonight and somehow got lucky in the Resolution crowd and found treadmills beside each other. I had no idea how far or long Dave was planning to run. He was using his new Zombie Run app and just kept playing games, so I just kept going too. I did 2-1/2 minutes of walking, 2-1/2 minutes of running and got in a total of 2.55 miles in the time he did 5 miles. I can't wait to be fast again.
Wednesday - 3 mile treadmill run/walk
Finally, the new treadmill! I was feeling pretty tired today. Maybe it was the workout from yesterday or the ultra-long nap I took or the appointments I had this afternoon, but this workout was taxing. My first mile I did as 2-1/2 minutes walk, 2-1/2 minutes run. The second mile was 5 minutes walk, 2-1/2 minutes run. And the last mile I just walked. Any workout is a good workout, right?
Thursday - 2 mile treadmill walk
1/4 mile 0% incline, 1/4 1% incline, repeat. This seemed hard. It seemed like the treadmill was heading uphill even when it was at 0%. It was only after Dave ran on it later that we found that you could calibrate the incline. Whoops! Hopefully, it will not be so uphill next time.
Friday - 1800 yard swim
6 X 300 as 2 X 300 swim, 2 X 300 swim with fins, 2 X 300 pull. I got to the gym this morning (I had the day off from work) and the pool was full and it looked like there was a swim team there. I was confused because the swim teams practice in the afternoon and evenings. I asked the front desk and they said it was the Navy Seals. What the Navy Seals were doing in Columbus, Ohio, I'll never know but I guess they swim there Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning. There was one other lane open so I thought I'd wait on that one. But when I got to the pool deck, the Navy swim coach let me swim with one of his guys. Thanks for being so nice, guys!
Saturday - 3 mile walk, Highbanks Metro Park
I'm definitely slowing down as the group did the full 6 mile loop and I did the top 3 and the fast dudes beat me this week. Although the temperatures have been warm all week, the trails were really icy and muddy. I spent most of the time walking along the edge of the trail to avoid the ice and was super, super careful going down the hills and across the bridges.
Sunday - Off
Too much going on this weekend.
Totals:
Swim - 1800 yards
Run/Walk - 10.55 miles
Monday - Off
I was planning a treadmill run today with my new treadmill, but we all know what happened there.
Tuesday - 2.55 mile treadmill run/walk
Dave and I went to the Y tonight and somehow got lucky in the Resolution crowd and found treadmills beside each other. I had no idea how far or long Dave was planning to run. He was using his new Zombie Run app and just kept playing games, so I just kept going too. I did 2-1/2 minutes of walking, 2-1/2 minutes of running and got in a total of 2.55 miles in the time he did 5 miles. I can't wait to be fast again.
Wednesday - 3 mile treadmill run/walk
Finally, the new treadmill! I was feeling pretty tired today. Maybe it was the workout from yesterday or the ultra-long nap I took or the appointments I had this afternoon, but this workout was taxing. My first mile I did as 2-1/2 minutes walk, 2-1/2 minutes run. The second mile was 5 minutes walk, 2-1/2 minutes run. And the last mile I just walked. Any workout is a good workout, right?
Thursday - 2 mile treadmill walk
1/4 mile 0% incline, 1/4 1% incline, repeat. This seemed hard. It seemed like the treadmill was heading uphill even when it was at 0%. It was only after Dave ran on it later that we found that you could calibrate the incline. Whoops! Hopefully, it will not be so uphill next time.
Friday - 1800 yard swim
6 X 300 as 2 X 300 swim, 2 X 300 swim with fins, 2 X 300 pull. I got to the gym this morning (I had the day off from work) and the pool was full and it looked like there was a swim team there. I was confused because the swim teams practice in the afternoon and evenings. I asked the front desk and they said it was the Navy Seals. What the Navy Seals were doing in Columbus, Ohio, I'll never know but I guess they swim there Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning. There was one other lane open so I thought I'd wait on that one. But when I got to the pool deck, the Navy swim coach let me swim with one of his guys. Thanks for being so nice, guys!
Saturday - 3 mile walk, Highbanks Metro Park
I'm definitely slowing down as the group did the full 6 mile loop and I did the top 3 and the fast dudes beat me this week. Although the temperatures have been warm all week, the trails were really icy and muddy. I spent most of the time walking along the edge of the trail to avoid the ice and was super, super careful going down the hills and across the bridges.
Sunday - Off
Too much going on this weekend.
Totals:
Swim - 1800 yards
Run/Walk - 10.55 miles
Friday, January 11, 2013
Product Review: Kiefer Silicone Training Fins
Kiefer contacted me several weeks ago asking me if I'd like to try out one of their products. Well, don't threaten me with a good time! After some discussion with them, making sure they'd want me to review an item for them when I'm crazy pregnant and not really swim "training", I was sent the Kiefer Silicone Training Fins.
I already had a pair of Speedo fins, but they were long and more scuba-like than swim training-like. These fins from Kiefer are comparable to zoomers. From their website:
Would I recommend these fins. Absolutely! Am I going to continue to use them. You betcha! Will I go back to my old fins? Only if I'm scuba diving (which I'll never do because of my ears).
Do you have any Kiefer products? What are your thoughts on using fins during swim training?
I already had a pair of Speedo fins, but they were long and more scuba-like than swim training-like. These fins from Kiefer are comparable to zoomers. From their website:
Kiefer Silicone Swim Training Fins are extremely durable in the pool and offer a very comfortable fit, the perfect swim training tool for kicking drills and swimming sets. Short blade fin design improves kick strength and ankle flexibility, causing development of proper flutter kick technique.I have worn them on two different swims now and they are REALLY different than my previous swim fins. The first time I wore them, I have to admit, I didn't like them a whole lot. I was swimming with Dave and he was using his long Speedo fins. He was kicking my buns in the pool and it was pissing me off. With my old, long fins I could just move my feet a little and I got incredible speed. The second time I wore them, I swam alone, and I understood why these are such a great training tool. I understood that moving my feet and ankles properly, along with rolling my legs and hips, I could gain some speed out of the fins. Therefore, I was improving my kick by learning to kick properly. I can't wait to really use the fins once the baby is born and I can really swim train again.
Would I recommend these fins. Absolutely! Am I going to continue to use them. You betcha! Will I go back to my old fins? Only if I'm scuba diving (which I'll never do because of my ears).
Do you have any Kiefer products? What are your thoughts on using fins during swim training?
Thursday, January 10, 2013
28 Weeks
Third trimester, y'all!!!
Maternity clothes? I'm wearing almost all maternity clothes with a few pieces mixed in to be acceptable at work. I work for a clothing retailer that "requires" us to wear the clothing to work.
Stretch marks? Nope. I'm keeping everything well lubed (that's what she said).
Sleep: I am only sleeping 1-2 hours between bathroom breaks at night. Due to the really bad reflux I'm experience, I have also been woken up many nights with a little bit of vomit in the throat (gross, sorry). When I do get a lucky 3-5 hours of continuous sleep, I actually feel more tired the next day. Even before getting pregnant I was getting up 2-3 times per night to go to the bathroom. Interrupted sleep doesn't really bother me.
Best moment this week: I had my biweekly doctor's appointment yesterday. It was a good appointment. She said everything seemed normal, my weight gain was good, she was happy I was still running, she said my ab muscles still looked good, and she thinks all of this will be beneficial for my labor and deliver. Let's hope.
Miss Anything? A good glass of wine or margarita, running fast, pants with buttons.
Movement: All the time and everywhere inside the belly. The little munchkin is a mover! The movement has gotten so big that you can see it. Dave got to witness this for the first time last night.
Food cravings: French fries!!! Have your the commercials for the new Rally's burger that has the French fries ON the burger? Seriously, I want to try that.
Anything making you queasy or sick: It seems like everything gives me really bad reflux and therefore I always feel a little vomit-y. Starting today I'm going to try eating smaller portions and earlier in the day.
Gender: Not telling.
Labor Signs: Not yet. That's a good thing.
Symptoms: Gosh, all of them. It doesn't take much standing or walking to cause my feet and my back to hurt. My ribs hurt. I developed some numbness/tingling in my lower belly, which my doctor said is perfectly normal as I grow.
Belly Button in or out? It's just kind of there. It's on the verge of popping out but not quite yet.
Wedding rings on or off? On. The only swelling I've experienced is when I sit for too long. Then my legs swell a little.
Happy or Moody most of the time: I'm pretty moody anymore. I'm either full-on rage or crying about something. I know I still have 12 weeks left, but honestly, I'm about over being pregnant.
Looking forward to: This week is our baby showers. Right now we have very little baby stuff in the house. After this weekend it might seem to be a little more real.
How far along? 28 weeks, 7 months
Total weight gain: I've been fluctuating between 20-25 pounds for the last couple of weeks. At this point I'm thinking the 25-35 pound weight gain is doable.Maternity clothes? I'm wearing almost all maternity clothes with a few pieces mixed in to be acceptable at work. I work for a clothing retailer that "requires" us to wear the clothing to work.
Stretch marks? Nope. I'm keeping everything well lubed (that's what she said).
Sleep: I am only sleeping 1-2 hours between bathroom breaks at night. Due to the really bad reflux I'm experience, I have also been woken up many nights with a little bit of vomit in the throat (gross, sorry). When I do get a lucky 3-5 hours of continuous sleep, I actually feel more tired the next day. Even before getting pregnant I was getting up 2-3 times per night to go to the bathroom. Interrupted sleep doesn't really bother me.
Best moment this week: I had my biweekly doctor's appointment yesterday. It was a good appointment. She said everything seemed normal, my weight gain was good, she was happy I was still running, she said my ab muscles still looked good, and she thinks all of this will be beneficial for my labor and deliver. Let's hope.
Miss Anything? A good glass of wine or margarita, running fast, pants with buttons.
Movement: All the time and everywhere inside the belly. The little munchkin is a mover! The movement has gotten so big that you can see it. Dave got to witness this for the first time last night.
Food cravings: French fries!!! Have your the commercials for the new Rally's burger that has the French fries ON the burger? Seriously, I want to try that.
Anything making you queasy or sick: It seems like everything gives me really bad reflux and therefore I always feel a little vomit-y. Starting today I'm going to try eating smaller portions and earlier in the day.
Gender: Not telling.
Labor Signs: Not yet. That's a good thing.
Symptoms: Gosh, all of them. It doesn't take much standing or walking to cause my feet and my back to hurt. My ribs hurt. I developed some numbness/tingling in my lower belly, which my doctor said is perfectly normal as I grow.
Belly Button in or out? It's just kind of there. It's on the verge of popping out but not quite yet.
Wedding rings on or off? On. The only swelling I've experienced is when I sit for too long. Then my legs swell a little.
Happy or Moody most of the time: I'm pretty moody anymore. I'm either full-on rage or crying about something. I know I still have 12 weeks left, but honestly, I'm about over being pregnant.
Looking forward to: This week is our baby showers. Right now we have very little baby stuff in the house. After this weekend it might seem to be a little more real.
Wednesday, January 09, 2013
Hello Lover!
I popped my new treadmill's cherry with a three mile run!
Yes, we FINALLY got the treadmill delivered and installed. It went a lot smoother the second time around. The delivery people came at 8:00 and thank goodness, it was a different set of guys. Dave already had a plan formulated in his head about how he wanted them to try it and was prepared as soon as they rang the doorbell. The guys came in, looked at the staircase and said, "Oh yeah, we can do this." Dave explained to them the last guys said they couldn't because of the pallet, height of the treadmill, etc. These delivery guys were a little taken back that they were not the first ones to do this delivery and then said, "You've got the right guys."
Lo and behold, they took it down the stairs exactly how Dave told the other guys to take it down the stairs. They had it in the house and set up in 20 minutes. The guys on Monday spent 20 minutes bitching about it. Dave tipped them well and we will be following up with customer service to let them know they did a good job.
Now on to the treadmill. It's freakin' amazing! It's got all the bells and whistles (except for a water bottle holder - SEND IT BACK!!!). I love that I finally have a treadmill that inclines. And I love having one touch buttons to do the speed and incline. Dave utilized the awesome display and did a run up Haleakala (and huffed and puffed his way through it). I can't wait to set up my iFit account and see what awesome runs I can create (like running the Boston course again and again and again). The best part about the treadmill, seriously, is how quiet it is. I didn't have to have the TV at max volume to hear it. This all means that I will be able to wake up early and hit the treadmill at an ungodly hour to do a run while Dave is still in bed and not wake him.
Do you run on a treadmill regularly? Do you have a favorite treadmill workout? Do you find treadmill running beneficial or not to add to your regular set of workouts?
Lo and behold, they took it down the stairs exactly how Dave told the other guys to take it down the stairs. They had it in the house and set up in 20 minutes. The guys on Monday spent 20 minutes bitching about it. Dave tipped them well and we will be following up with customer service to let them know they did a good job.
Now on to the treadmill. It's freakin' amazing! It's got all the bells and whistles (except for a water bottle holder - SEND IT BACK!!!). I love that I finally have a treadmill that inclines. And I love having one touch buttons to do the speed and incline. Dave utilized the awesome display and did a run up Haleakala (and huffed and puffed his way through it). I can't wait to set up my iFit account and see what awesome runs I can create (like running the Boston course again and again and again). The best part about the treadmill, seriously, is how quiet it is. I didn't have to have the TV at max volume to hear it. This all means that I will be able to wake up early and hit the treadmill at an ungodly hour to do a run while Dave is still in bed and not wake him.
Do you run on a treadmill regularly? Do you have a favorite treadmill workout? Do you find treadmill running beneficial or not to add to your regular set of workouts?
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
What a Disaster
Yesterday we were supposed to have our new treadmill delivered. Notice I said supposed to. Let's just say, nothing about the delivery went smoothly.
Dave bought a big monster treadmill - the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 (bought from Sears). It's big; it's strong; tt's got all the bells and whistles. It's meant to RUN on and used extensively. And why wouldn't we buy something this big and powerful? We're runners. Real runners. We'll use the hell out of that thing. This big monster treadmill is exactly that - big and monstrous. It's 3 feet wide, it's 81 inches (just under 7 feet) long, and it ways a whopping 350 pounds. Store all that information in the back of your mind....
The whole delivery started off badly. The delivery window given to us on Sunday was between 1:30 and 3:30. This suited us well - Dave works from home and I get off work at noon. At 12:30, though, Dave called me (I was at the grocery store) and said I needed to hurry home because the delivery guys said they'd be there at 1:00 and he had his daily meeting at 1:00. I would need to handle the delivery. Um, what? You bought this thing; you deal with the delivery. Who complains about a delivery coming early? We do. It was interrupting our scheduled. Sure enough, the delivery showed up exactly at 1:00. Dave's computer was ringing off the hook for his meeting, the doorbell was ringing, and the dog was barking. We let the delivery guys in who looked at the space and started doing measurements (the treadmill was going to the basement). Dave went up to his meeting, gave his updated in about 3 minutes, and then he was back down to help the delivery guys.
We have a newer house which means, of course, none of our staircases goes straight up or straight down. To go to the basement, you go down three steps to a landing, left turn, three steps to a landing, right turn, and down the remainder of steps to the basement. While this is a pain in the ass, everything is up to code. We have 36 inch doorways and hallways, along with ceilings that are at least 8 feet tall. The delivery guys took one look at our staircase and said, nope, it wasn't going to work. He started doing measurements and said there was no way. Well, don't eff with two engineers! We took our measurements and heck yeah it would work. We asked them to take it out of the box to move it to the basement and they said that the box was exactly the same size as the treadmill (there's no way in hell this is true). The one dude wanted to try it, but the other guy was defiant. He said he had only successfully delivered these treadmills to houses that had double doors or if it was being moved into a garage. Come on! Sears would not sell a treadmill that could only be sold to a hand-full of people. He wanted us to sign a waiver that he would not be held responsible for damage to the basement or the treadmill. And he quantified that with saying "something will get damaged." Because we thought the guy was an asshat and would deliberately do something to cause damage, we decided not to sign the waiver. The other dude got mad and just said, "come on we're wasting time." They packed up and left. Not only did they not even try to move the treadmill to the basement, they didn't even bring it in the house, didn't even get it off the truck!
I have reached the point of my pregnancy where I'm either full-on rage or crying about something trivial (like those silly Iams commercials with the giant dog and the female soldier). By the end of this, I was a little bit of both. Dave, who NEVER gets mad or upset, was also fuming. I immediately took to Twitter (because, duh!) and called out Sears and their incompetency. Funny enough, they got back to me instantly and said they were assigning a case manager. I went to bed and took a nap. Dave went back to work. I woke up a couple hours later and asked Dave if they (Sears) called. He said no. I asked him if he had called Sears. He said no. Again...pregnancy...rage....I had to leave the house to cool off. When I returned a few hours later, I really hadn't cooled off and let it all out. I swear, I was going to go into labor I was in such a rage. Dave, the calmer of the two of us, finally called Sears and talked to two different people. First they assumed that we wanted to file a complaint against the driver. Yes, but, where the hell is our treadmill? Dave got transferred to a supervisor and explained everything again. It was decided to do the delivery again (tomorrow) and there is a note left with the drivers that they have to at least TRY to move it to the basement. If they could not move it, they are being told they have to leave it and the shipping fee would be waived. Frankly, I think the shipping fee should be waived anyway because THEY ALREADY DELIVERED IT!!!
Then Dave called NordicTrack. Although we didn't order through them, their customer service was really helpful. They told us when they deliver this same model, it actually comes disassembled and then is put together in the location the client wants it. I guess the one from Sears comes fully assembled (as we asked them to remove the arms from it yesterday to help the move). The NordicTrack people told us that if Sears cannot deliver it, that we can call them and they will give us instructions for how to disassemble it and put it back together. At least somebody's helping us out!
This weekend is our baby shower. Let's hope we don't need to ask our friends to help us move pieces and parts to the basement.
The whole delivery started off badly. The delivery window given to us on Sunday was between 1:30 and 3:30. This suited us well - Dave works from home and I get off work at noon. At 12:30, though, Dave called me (I was at the grocery store) and said I needed to hurry home because the delivery guys said they'd be there at 1:00 and he had his daily meeting at 1:00. I would need to handle the delivery. Um, what? You bought this thing; you deal with the delivery. Who complains about a delivery coming early? We do. It was interrupting our scheduled. Sure enough, the delivery showed up exactly at 1:00. Dave's computer was ringing off the hook for his meeting, the doorbell was ringing, and the dog was barking. We let the delivery guys in who looked at the space and started doing measurements (the treadmill was going to the basement). Dave went up to his meeting, gave his updated in about 3 minutes, and then he was back down to help the delivery guys.
We have a newer house which means, of course, none of our staircases goes straight up or straight down. To go to the basement, you go down three steps to a landing, left turn, three steps to a landing, right turn, and down the remainder of steps to the basement. While this is a pain in the ass, everything is up to code. We have 36 inch doorways and hallways, along with ceilings that are at least 8 feet tall. The delivery guys took one look at our staircase and said, nope, it wasn't going to work. He started doing measurements and said there was no way. Well, don't eff with two engineers! We took our measurements and heck yeah it would work. We asked them to take it out of the box to move it to the basement and they said that the box was exactly the same size as the treadmill (there's no way in hell this is true). The one dude wanted to try it, but the other guy was defiant. He said he had only successfully delivered these treadmills to houses that had double doors or if it was being moved into a garage. Come on! Sears would not sell a treadmill that could only be sold to a hand-full of people. He wanted us to sign a waiver that he would not be held responsible for damage to the basement or the treadmill. And he quantified that with saying "something will get damaged." Because we thought the guy was an asshat and would deliberately do something to cause damage, we decided not to sign the waiver. The other dude got mad and just said, "come on we're wasting time." They packed up and left. Not only did they not even try to move the treadmill to the basement, they didn't even bring it in the house, didn't even get it off the truck!
I have reached the point of my pregnancy where I'm either full-on rage or crying about something trivial (like those silly Iams commercials with the giant dog and the female soldier). By the end of this, I was a little bit of both. Dave, who NEVER gets mad or upset, was also fuming. I immediately took to Twitter (because, duh!) and called out Sears and their incompetency. Funny enough, they got back to me instantly and said they were assigning a case manager. I went to bed and took a nap. Dave went back to work. I woke up a couple hours later and asked Dave if they (Sears) called. He said no. I asked him if he had called Sears. He said no. Again...pregnancy...rage....I had to leave the house to cool off. When I returned a few hours later, I really hadn't cooled off and let it all out. I swear, I was going to go into labor I was in such a rage. Dave, the calmer of the two of us, finally called Sears and talked to two different people. First they assumed that we wanted to file a complaint against the driver. Yes, but, where the hell is our treadmill? Dave got transferred to a supervisor and explained everything again. It was decided to do the delivery again (tomorrow) and there is a note left with the drivers that they have to at least TRY to move it to the basement. If they could not move it, they are being told they have to leave it and the shipping fee would be waived. Frankly, I think the shipping fee should be waived anyway because THEY ALREADY DELIVERED IT!!!
Then Dave called NordicTrack. Although we didn't order through them, their customer service was really helpful. They told us when they deliver this same model, it actually comes disassembled and then is put together in the location the client wants it. I guess the one from Sears comes fully assembled (as we asked them to remove the arms from it yesterday to help the move). The NordicTrack people told us that if Sears cannot deliver it, that we can call them and they will give us instructions for how to disassemble it and put it back together. At least somebody's helping us out!
This weekend is our baby shower. Let's hope we don't need to ask our friends to help us move pieces and parts to the basement.
Monday, January 07, 2013
Monday's Menu
Like the rest of the world, I am addicted to Pinterest. Although I don't pin too much, I do enjoy looking through it on a daily basis and if something really sparks me, I'll go ahead and pin it.
I have a board on Pinterest titled "Yummy". I have basically only used this board to pin desserts because, well, that's the kind of food I like. Every once in a while I will pin a different type of food or recipe, but mostly just desserts. With my interest in becoming a better cook, trying new recipes, etc. in 2013, I might have to start another board with real food (not just desserts).
One thing I have really missed since becoming pregnant is an occasional alcoholic drink. I miss a glass of wine to unwind the day. I miss my margaritas with tacos. I missed not being able to celebrate New Year's with a tasty treat. However, I have found some interesting alternatives that while they may not be direct substitutes, they have certain been an good non-alcoholic interpretation. I found one on Pinterest (see below) that Dave and I made for New Year's dinner with the family.
Here's how we made it:
Mostly ginger ale (we wish we had bought the diet stuff)
A scoop of frozen limeade
A dash of grenadine
Overall, it was pretty good. I wish we had mixed it a little more because as you got to the bottom the limeade was so strong it would pucker your face. Most of the family drank it and enjoyed it, so I guess it was a hit. I will definitely make it again before the end of this pregnancy.
I have a board on Pinterest titled "Yummy". I have basically only used this board to pin desserts because, well, that's the kind of food I like. Every once in a while I will pin a different type of food or recipe, but mostly just desserts. With my interest in becoming a better cook, trying new recipes, etc. in 2013, I might have to start another board with real food (not just desserts).
One thing I have really missed since becoming pregnant is an occasional alcoholic drink. I miss a glass of wine to unwind the day. I miss my margaritas with tacos. I missed not being able to celebrate New Year's with a tasty treat. However, I have found some interesting alternatives that while they may not be direct substitutes, they have certain been an good non-alcoholic interpretation. I found one on Pinterest (see below) that Dave and I made for New Year's dinner with the family.
Here's how we made it:
Mostly ginger ale (we wish we had bought the diet stuff)
A scoop of frozen limeade
A dash of grenadine
Overall, it was pretty good. I wish we had mixed it a little more because as you got to the bottom the limeade was so strong it would pucker your face. Most of the family drank it and enjoyed it, so I guess it was a hit. I will definitely make it again before the end of this pregnancy.
Sunday, January 06, 2013
Week in Review
Monday - Off
Tuesday - 2000 yard swim, 20 X 100.
You can read about this swim here.
Wednesday -3.5 mile run/walk treadmill
First time in over 4 weeks that I've been able to include some running into my workouts!!
Thursday - 1000 yard swim
I didn't have much time on Thursday (and can't remember why), but I grabbed a pull buoy and just did 1000 yards straight.
Friday - Off
Saturday - 4.2 mile run/walk
Two great run/walks in one week? A pregnancy miracle!
Sunday - Off
Totals
Walk/Run - 7.7 miles
Swim - 3000 yards (This is almost as much swimming as I did all of last year!)
Tuesday - 2000 yard swim, 20 X 100.
You can read about this swim here.
Wednesday -3.5 mile run/walk treadmill
First time in over 4 weeks that I've been able to include some running into my workouts!!
Thursday - 1000 yard swim
I didn't have much time on Thursday (and can't remember why), but I grabbed a pull buoy and just did 1000 yards straight.
Friday - Off
Saturday - 4.2 mile run/walk
Two great run/walks in one week? A pregnancy miracle!
Sunday - Off
Totals
Walk/Run - 7.7 miles
Swim - 3000 yards (This is almost as much swimming as I did all of last year!)
Saturday, January 05, 2013
I'm Back, Y'all
Dave has made a goal for 2013 to work out 6 days a week (during January) and to include at least two workouts of each discipline (swim, bike, run) for the week. Wednesday he wanted to do a bike workout so I joined him in the basement on the treadmill. The plan was to walk for whatever amount of time he was on his bike. Recently my workouts have all been crap. Even walking has felt labored and difficult. But as soon as I started on Wednesday it was completely different. I had energy and the walk felt okay. So I decided to press my luck and try a little jogging too. I did 5 minutes of walking and then 2-1/2 minutes of jogging. And it felt okay. So I kept up that sequence the whole workout. When I hit three miles, my usual distance to stop, I still felt good and Dave wasn't done with his workout, so I kept going. In the end I did 3-1/2 miles of run/walk. I was really proud of myself for that effort (and Dave kept saying it too).
Then today we met the group for our usual Saturday workout. Dang it was cold this morning...20 degrees. I layered up like I was going sledding because I knew it would just be a walk. (Side note, I think Dave was wearing more layers than I was and he was running.) The trail had been plowed, however, there was still quite a bit of ice on it which made it very treacherous. Being that I'm a little off balance anyway, I took it nice and slow in the icy spots. Once onto the other side of the freeway, the path was good and it was flat and I was able to do a little bit of running. I was listening to my iPod so it was one song walk, one song jog. I continued this pattern as long as the trail was good. When I returned to the starting point after three miles, I still felt good so I continued around the snow covered trail around the lake for another 1.2 miles. In all I did 4.2 miles run/walk which is the longest distance I've done since finding out I was pregnant.
For 27 weeks into this pregnant, I'm excited I'm still able to do a little bit of running.
Then today we met the group for our usual Saturday workout. Dang it was cold this morning...20 degrees. I layered up like I was going sledding because I knew it would just be a walk. (Side note, I think Dave was wearing more layers than I was and he was running.) The trail had been plowed, however, there was still quite a bit of ice on it which made it very treacherous. Being that I'm a little off balance anyway, I took it nice and slow in the icy spots. Once onto the other side of the freeway, the path was good and it was flat and I was able to do a little bit of running. I was listening to my iPod so it was one song walk, one song jog. I continued this pattern as long as the trail was good. When I returned to the starting point after three miles, I still felt good so I continued around the snow covered trail around the lake for another 1.2 miles. In all I did 4.2 miles run/walk which is the longest distance I've done since finding out I was pregnant.
For 27 weeks into this pregnant, I'm excited I'm still able to do a little bit of running.
Friday, January 04, 2013
20 X 100 (New Year's Swim)
Most of my triathlete/swimming friends like to do a 100 X 100 swim on New Year's Day. Honestly, I've never really entertained the thought of doing that many 100 or that far of distance, but since swimming is the only form of exercise I can do right now without feeling like a cow, I thought I would do my own brand of New Year's Swim. Dave and I decided to do 20 or 25 X 100 with a variety of 100s. The thought was to do 5 X 100 swim, 5 X 100 swim with fins, 5 X 100 kick, 5 X 100 pull, 5 X 100 repeat. But when we started this, I just wasn't feeling it. So we mixed it up a little. Instead we did 3 X 100 swim, 100 swim with fins, 100 kick, 100 pull, 100 swim. The kicks felt absolutely awful on this pregnant body. AWFUL!!! I could not get comfortable on the kickboard. I did two with the kickboard and then the third I did on my back, but still felt like crap. I even walked half the pool with my flippers on.
After 1500 I was just beat. I really didn't want to do anymore. But, Dave was feeling it and he said, "Last 500 choice." I grabbed my pull buoy, my toy of choice, and started my last set of 5 X 100. When I got to the wall, Dave was still going. I asked him if he lost count and he said no, he was just going to keep going. Well, sure, I can do that. So I did the next 400 straight swim with a pull buoy.
20 X 100ish. 2000 yards. BOOM!!!
After 1500 I was just beat. I really didn't want to do anymore. But, Dave was feeling it and he said, "Last 500 choice." I grabbed my pull buoy, my toy of choice, and started my last set of 5 X 100. When I got to the wall, Dave was still going. I asked him if he lost count and he said no, he was just going to keep going. Well, sure, I can do that. So I did the next 400 straight swim with a pull buoy.
20 X 100ish. 2000 yards. BOOM!!!
Thursday, January 03, 2013
13 in '13
Last year I sent 12 goals for myself and called in "12 for 2012". I didn't accomplish all the goal as I didn't really foresee getting pregnant in the middle of the year either. I did accomplish quite a few, though. I was excited to set new PRs, race in new state, and complete 12 races despite finding out I was pregnant in late July.
2013 is a big question mark. January 1st came really fast and I realized I didn't have any resolutions or goals set yet. It's hard for me to set these goals both personally and athletically as I have no idea what's going to happen after the baby is born. But, I think it's important to set goals. And Dave and I have already talked about equal time training despite having a baby. Running/triathlon is important to us and having a baby isn't going to change that. Maybe that sounds selfish - I think it's the right kind of selfish. I don't want to be one of those chicks who becomes all about her kid and loses herself. Anyway....onto the goals.
(I will be posting these as a page link at the top of the blog soon.)
1. Original size and weight
Yes, I know, I know. It's going to take some time to get back to where I was pre-pregnancy. But, if I don't set it as a goal, I'm not sure I have the willpower to do it on my own. I love junk food. I love being lazy. But, I also love my skinny jeans. I have a beach vacation planned in September so that's where I am targeting to hopefully get as close as I can to where I was before baby.
2. Unspoken Running Goal #1
This year I've decided to keep some of my running goals to myself. This will help me deal with the anxiety of publicly having to live up to a big goal. This one is a BIG one and one I totally think I can do.
3. New PR
I've probably only got a few years left of trying to achieve a new PR. I'm not really sure what new PR I'm going to go after as I have no idea what races or distances I am going to do in 2013, but I'm hoping there is a new PR in the new year.
4. Run a Trail Race
It's hard to believe in my 11+ years of running that I have not done a trail race. Personally, I love pounding the pavement, but my running style lends itself well to trail running (or at least that's what I think because I'm also a good snow runner). Trail racing has been growing in size in Columbus during the last year with many more races and series. I hope to get in on the action this year.
5. Read 12+ Books
This goal is on my list every year. Unfortunately, it's been many years since I've actually accomplished it. Now that I know how to download books straight from the library to my iPad, I think I'll be doing a lot more reading, especially since there will be many, many night feedings.
6. Run 1000 miles
I was totally on track this amount of miles and beyond in 2012, but obviously the training came to a screeching halt after I found out I was pregnant. This is a goal that's going to be difficult to accomplish as the first 4+ months of the year will involve very little running/walking.
7. Run 12 Races
Again, another difficult task given that I probably won't be doing any races until May at the earliest. But, I would like to race more, shorter races, which require much less recovery and can be done more often.
8. Eat in every meal, every day, for a month
There is a lot behind this goal. First of all, Dave and I eat out a lot. It's so easy to do where we live as we are within a mile or two of basically every restaurant in America. But, that food is bad for us and we spend a lot of money eating out. We got good about it for a few months last year when we gave ourselves a cash allowance for eating out, but then we got lazy again and just started pulling out the credit card. We still plan on doing the cash allowance for eating out, but planning on eating in more so we can put that money in our pockets. The other thought behind this goal is post-baby. First of all, we just won't be able to eat out. It will be a heck of a lot more difficult. But, the verdict is still out regarding my return to work. Right now we're leaning towards me staying home, but we want to reevaluate our budget and make sure we can do it. Part of that involves, for myself, providing that we can eat in and save money. Plus it will help us get better about meal planning and grocery shopping. Something we completely suck at. We have already started this goal in January. So far, so good.
9. Learn to cook; try new food/recipes
This goal definitely goes with the one above. Confession....Dave does the majority of the cooking in the house. I'm just not good at it and he is. But, I want to learn to cook better. I want to learn to like new food instead of my pizza and burgers diet. I don't know exactly how to measure this goal (a goal has to be measurable, after all) but maybe I'll bring back my "Monday's Menu" segment of the blog to show we're trying new things. Maybe some pictures to prove that I'm the one doing the cooking?
10. Unspoken Running Goal #2
Yep, another goal I want to keep to myself. This one's a big one and will take a lot of work.
11. Take More Pictures
I love to take pictures. I love to appear in pictures more, though. :) I always have at least one camera with me, pretty much all the time. And yet, I rarely take pictures anymore. I think this will be an easier goal once the kiddo comes along. Yeah, I'm gonna be one of those moms who posts pictures of her kids all the damn time. Get ready internet!
12. Blog Everyday
Obviously, I already started this one in October. I plan on going every day for a year whether that means calling it quits mid-October when I hit one year or going all the way until December 31st. I'm wondering how difficult this will be post-baby. I'm also wondering how difficult this will be once I start training again, as I'd kinda like to keep my training and racing details a little more private in 2013.
13. Learn How to Flip Turn
Frankly, I'm too good of a swimmer to not be flip turning. I do know how to flip turn, I just can't really use it in practice. My stroke tends to be a little erratic and gets a little off for using the flip turn every time. I also finds that it zaps my energy to flip turn. But, I really want to learn to use it all the time and put it into practice.
What do you think of the list? Are any of these goals on your list? What goals are you striving for in 2013?
2013 is a big question mark. January 1st came really fast and I realized I didn't have any resolutions or goals set yet. It's hard for me to set these goals both personally and athletically as I have no idea what's going to happen after the baby is born. But, I think it's important to set goals. And Dave and I have already talked about equal time training despite having a baby. Running/triathlon is important to us and having a baby isn't going to change that. Maybe that sounds selfish - I think it's the right kind of selfish. I don't want to be one of those chicks who becomes all about her kid and loses herself. Anyway....onto the goals.
(I will be posting these as a page link at the top of the blog soon.)
1. Original size and weight
Yes, I know, I know. It's going to take some time to get back to where I was pre-pregnancy. But, if I don't set it as a goal, I'm not sure I have the willpower to do it on my own. I love junk food. I love being lazy. But, I also love my skinny jeans. I have a beach vacation planned in September so that's where I am targeting to hopefully get as close as I can to where I was before baby.
2. Unspoken Running Goal #1
This year I've decided to keep some of my running goals to myself. This will help me deal with the anxiety of publicly having to live up to a big goal. This one is a BIG one and one I totally think I can do.
3. New PR
I've probably only got a few years left of trying to achieve a new PR. I'm not really sure what new PR I'm going to go after as I have no idea what races or distances I am going to do in 2013, but I'm hoping there is a new PR in the new year.
4. Run a Trail Race
It's hard to believe in my 11+ years of running that I have not done a trail race. Personally, I love pounding the pavement, but my running style lends itself well to trail running (or at least that's what I think because I'm also a good snow runner). Trail racing has been growing in size in Columbus during the last year with many more races and series. I hope to get in on the action this year.
5. Read 12+ Books
This goal is on my list every year. Unfortunately, it's been many years since I've actually accomplished it. Now that I know how to download books straight from the library to my iPad, I think I'll be doing a lot more reading, especially since there will be many, many night feedings.
6. Run 1000 miles
I was totally on track this amount of miles and beyond in 2012, but obviously the training came to a screeching halt after I found out I was pregnant. This is a goal that's going to be difficult to accomplish as the first 4+ months of the year will involve very little running/walking.
7. Run 12 Races
Again, another difficult task given that I probably won't be doing any races until May at the earliest. But, I would like to race more, shorter races, which require much less recovery and can be done more often.
8. Eat in every meal, every day, for a month
There is a lot behind this goal. First of all, Dave and I eat out a lot. It's so easy to do where we live as we are within a mile or two of basically every restaurant in America. But, that food is bad for us and we spend a lot of money eating out. We got good about it for a few months last year when we gave ourselves a cash allowance for eating out, but then we got lazy again and just started pulling out the credit card. We still plan on doing the cash allowance for eating out, but planning on eating in more so we can put that money in our pockets. The other thought behind this goal is post-baby. First of all, we just won't be able to eat out. It will be a heck of a lot more difficult. But, the verdict is still out regarding my return to work. Right now we're leaning towards me staying home, but we want to reevaluate our budget and make sure we can do it. Part of that involves, for myself, providing that we can eat in and save money. Plus it will help us get better about meal planning and grocery shopping. Something we completely suck at. We have already started this goal in January. So far, so good.
9. Learn to cook; try new food/recipes
This goal definitely goes with the one above. Confession....Dave does the majority of the cooking in the house. I'm just not good at it and he is. But, I want to learn to cook better. I want to learn to like new food instead of my pizza and burgers diet. I don't know exactly how to measure this goal (a goal has to be measurable, after all) but maybe I'll bring back my "Monday's Menu" segment of the blog to show we're trying new things. Maybe some pictures to prove that I'm the one doing the cooking?
10. Unspoken Running Goal #2
Yep, another goal I want to keep to myself. This one's a big one and will take a lot of work.
11. Take More Pictures
I love to take pictures. I love to appear in pictures more, though. :) I always have at least one camera with me, pretty much all the time. And yet, I rarely take pictures anymore. I think this will be an easier goal once the kiddo comes along. Yeah, I'm gonna be one of those moms who posts pictures of her kids all the damn time. Get ready internet!
12. Blog Everyday
Obviously, I already started this one in October. I plan on going every day for a year whether that means calling it quits mid-October when I hit one year or going all the way until December 31st. I'm wondering how difficult this will be post-baby. I'm also wondering how difficult this will be once I start training again, as I'd kinda like to keep my training and racing details a little more private in 2013.
13. Learn How to Flip Turn
Frankly, I'm too good of a swimmer to not be flip turning. I do know how to flip turn, I just can't really use it in practice. My stroke tends to be a little erratic and gets a little off for using the flip turn every time. I also finds that it zaps my energy to flip turn. But, I really want to learn to use it all the time and put it into practice.
What do you think of the list? Are any of these goals on your list? What goals are you striving for in 2013?
Wednesday, January 02, 2013
December and 2012 Totals
December is the month I started slowing down. After Thanksgiving, I think I switched to all walking. Running and using the elliptical just got to be too much and I left most workouts crying. That's just not worth it. So I put on my big girl panties and said, "You know what? I'll just walk then." And I did. And I started to add some swimming back in. And I experimented with yoga. Overall I think it was a successful month.
December
Swim - 1500 yards
Run/Walk - 43.25 miles
Other - 1.5 hours (snow shovel, yoga)
YMCA Visits - 13
YMCA Cost per Visit - $5.75
Wow! What a year it has been. I started the year battling the deepest depression I've ever had, which I conclude was more of a mental breakdown than anything. I fought through it with the help of a couple of different doctors, a very patient husband, and running therapy. And then I started to have fun, which yielded great results. I finally was starting to get my head back in the game. I started to use my bike as a form of transportation and enjoyed biking without the pressure of triathlon. Then the shocker - I was pregnant, which obviously, changed my running plans. I kept running, though, and even did some races while I was pregnant. We joined the YMCA and started to get back to swimming. I think 2012 was a great year. I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store.
2012
Swim - 5300 yards
Bike - 96.15 miles
Run/Walk - 880.7 miles
Other - 12.25 hours
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
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