Rants, Recipes, and Running

 I did this after the 1st Trimester - and am doing it again.  Again, I expect no one to read this. This is sort of my "diary" to look back on next pregnancy.  What was different about 2nd Trimester from 1st trimester? I actually ran so much better in my 2nd trimester because I wasn't so dang sick. It was glorious.  Weekly avg mileage & pace? I ran 20-25 miles/week. I had a few weeks where I hit 30 miles, but once I got a barre membership - I dropped down to 20 miles/week.  Pre-Pregnancy "avg" Road Pace:  7:45/mile Pre-Pregnancy Road half marathon pace:  7:00/mile Pre-Pregnancy Tempo Pace:  6:45/mile "Avg" Road Pace 1st Tri:  8:40/mile (but it is also averaging 85 degrees + 60% humidity every morning)  Tempo Pace 1st Tri:  7:30/mile (but I can hold it for very long because it's so hot) Avg Road Pace 2nd Tri: 8:20/mile (notice it was faster...attributed to not vomiting + not being 90 degrees at 5 am) Tempo Pace 2nd Tri: 7:45/mil...

I pause to bring you a brief intermission from happy posts to invite you to my pregnant pity party.  Remember that whole pandemic thing that's going on? Well, it wins again!  Tomorrow is my 20-week ultrasound. I have been holding on for this moment for weeks for a variety of reasons: 1. I am anxious to see our baby. I haven't had an ultra sound since 10 weeks. 2. I am anxious to make sure that she is developing well, and everything is okay.  3. I was told on August 1, when the appointment was made, that I would get to bring my spouse with me!  When that appointment was made, I also had to make an appointment to see a genetic counselor due to a clotting disorder I have. I already had that appointment and was able to bring Ryan. No one batted an eye when he accompanied me.  These 2 appointments are occurring at a hospital I am not delivering at (because they have better sonography equipment) The hospital I'm having these tests at I've been an employee at for a cum...

 As a post to someday looks back on...here is an update.  I am 19 weeks and some change, and I can finally say that the nausea is mostly gone! Sometimes if I change positions too fast in the middle of the night, it sends me into a violent spin of nausea where I have to rush into the other bathroom. But that is manageable...a 2 am Saltine cracker helps.  ( Have I mentioned how sick of saltine crackers I am? Very. )  But I only had 1 or 2 bad nights last week...compared to before where I was sick 24/7. I call this is massive progress!!  Let's talk baby-bump.  I feel like I'm sort of letting people down, because people will ask about my bump or say " I can't wait to see your baby bump!" And then I see them, and they respond with "Oh...you don't even look pregnant!" Honestly, I'd rather just look pregnant at this point! (I know I'll eat these words when I'm 36 weeks haha! Kind of like when I said at 7 weeks "I wish I'd feel a little ...

When people ask me about my pregnancy, once of the questions I often receive is "What are you craving?"  Unfortunately, despite how much of a foodie I am, my answer is "a day where I don't vomit?".   I am very grateful that last week, mid-week 16, nausea seemed to lift. I still have my ugly moments (like this morning) - but they are few and far between. Thank you, Baby Namaste!!  During my 1st trimester, I ate probably the most unhealthy I've ever eaten in my life. I lived on bread, crackers, tortilla chips, french fries, potatoes, and more toast. I could hardly stomach a salad or roasted vegetables, and that worried me that 1) Baby Namaste was not getting the right nutrients and 2) This is the moment I return to my old childhood nickname of "Flabby Abby".  But I was assured on more than 1 occasion that prenatal vitamins are good coverage. And you just need to eat what you can. Carbs are good for a growing fetus!  Finally...as I am starting to feel...

Dearest Baby Namaste,  One of the interesting topics of the first months of carrying you was "the reveal". Who are you going to tell? How are you going to tell them? When are you going to tell people? What if people find out?  This is a big topic I had minimal understanding of until I saw those 2 lines on the pregnancy test. For the instant I realized I was pregnant, I literally wanted to climb onto the rooftop and tell the entire world. I was bursting with excitement.   Nowadays revealing this exciting news carries great pressure. You cannot simply tell people, "Hey guess what? We're finally going to have a baby." There seems to be this need to make it a production, a parade, an entourage, maybe a video montage? Definitely tshirts.   In case you didn't know this....the reveal is your 1st test of " What kind of parent will you be? "  Will you be the Mom that sends your child to school with a non-GMO organic lunch where the sandwich is in shapes of ...

I thought I'd do a little blog post to recap my accounts on running and fitness through my 1st trimester. One, so I can look back on this someday and realized "Oh, I did get fast again" and also as a comparison for the next time I'm pregnant.  **Disclaimer - I do NOT expect anyone to read this, as it is probably boring with statistics. I just would love to document each trimester, so I can look back at this!** Running has also been a really pivotal and important part of my sanity throughout this journey. As I've expressed in too much detail, I've been sort of consumed by nausea. People may be saying "Well, why are you running then?" And that is a conversation for me, my husband, and my OB :). Running and exercise actually makes me feel better - because it gets my blood flowing, digestive system working, oxygen, and provides me with some social time. My OB told me directly "You keep running until you don't feel like you can run anymore."...

 Dear Baby Namaste, **Warning, moderately graphic and mildly offensive story ahead** But this is how I cope with discomfort...finding humor in it. I return to letters to you, after my pause to discuss all things career-related and school. Your mama has had quite a day, but as long as I stay super distracted, nausea seems to stay away. So I am writing to you to continue my distraction.  I write this letter to you as a lesson, and maybe someday you'll wake up on the wrong side of the bed and want to throw up your hands and say "forget this day!". And I can tell you, don't. Don't let those first few minutes dictate your attitude for the whole day.  I have a pretty solid example for you. And I think it also is proof of how much I already love you. Of all the things in this world your mom avoids and hates, it is vomiting. She would rather sit in fetal position feeling nauseated for days before she chooses to just throw up.  Yesterday was a tough day. I was nauseated an...

Dearest...er....Sebastian, First of all, I would like to apologize for my absence in letters recently. You have been on my mind 24/7, but your mom was in the final week of a grad school class, interviewing for new jobs, and feeling a little under the weather.  A few things going on.  Before we continue down the path of "why are you changing jobs, again, lady?" Let's talk about your name. You see, we already explained why I chose "Sebastian". But let's get to why I was picking a boy's name. Most of your cousins are boys. Therefore, I always kind of figured I'd have a boy.  However, strange story that perhaps is on the edge of being an "old wives tale". Your dad worked on F16 jets before he became a pilot, and every single man in the shop he worked with birthed a family of girls. Unit BBQ's were a parade of sugar, spice, and everything nice. We often wondered if there was some effect from the radiation exposure of the jet that messed with...

Dearest Sebastian,  This will be a more sobering letter, but I don't think I can write about my pregnancy without addressing the big elephant in the room.  I write this letter to you in grave hopes that by the time you're old enough to read these letters, COVID-19 is something you read about in your history books. However, by the time you're taking history classes, I am sure you won't have textbooks. I'm sure some robot will tell you about it.  I hope that you go to a busy, bustling school with activities, contact sports, and choir. (all things that currently don't exist). I hope you had a childhood where you could play tag. (currently banned). I hope you have school pictures where you are making faces at the camera that is not hidden behind a mask. But given the current state, your mama is not so sure what kind of world she is bringing you into. At this point, all I can tell you is that I promise your Dad and I will travel with you and make life as special as w...

Dear B.S., This may be one of my more crude letters to you. But realize your mama has sort of a blunt/dry sense of humor. I was also an ER nurse in a different life - and we can be a tainted breed. But I promise this is all in good fun.  I call you "B.S." in this letter because I cannot count how many times in the past 6 weeks I have muttered "this is bullshit!", as I lay on our couch curled up in a ball with the room spinning, while your dad enjoys a plate of tacos and a crisp, cold IPA.  One of the most prominent "joys" of pregnancy I have been blessed with is 24/7 nausea. I call 8pm my "witching hour" lately. Around that time I find myself laying down with my mouth filling with saliva, trying all sorts of strange positions to lay in that may help relieve my nausea. And then I run to the toilet and hover over it taking audible, dramatic deep breaths for a long period of time.  Some day I will show you a movie about a little lady name "Emil...

Dear Baby Sebastian,  First of all, I realize that in a few weeks when our NIPT testing results come back, I may have to change the name I have provided you with. You're probably wondering "Why Sebastian?" As much as I do appreciate "the Little Mermaid", that is not the cause of your namesake. I have been dreaming about baby names long before you became an embryo and eventually a fetus. I also have an intuition I have XY chromosomes floating around in there, but I could be wrong.  When your Mama was approximately 14, I really thought I would someday marry a boy named Sebastian. Sebastian was going to be cool, smart, musical, and probably wear glasses. He was going to be calm and collected with no criminal record. He was going to be well-dressed, and different from all the other boys with brown eyes. I did not end up marrying a boy named Sebastian. I married your father, Ryan. Your dad was an exceptional candidate for the qualifications of marriage, even though h...