2010. Phew. I'm Pooped.

2010. It's been a good one, but I could totally use a nap.

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
Got pregnant.
Went to 5 weddings in 4 weeks.
Watched an Ironman.
Cried at work.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?My goals for 2010 include, but are not limited to:
1. Being a better person. For example: Stop yelling at stupid people. They know they are stupid and they don't need to be reminded constantly. Or do they?
Success Rating: 4. I really worked on this. I will probably NEVER achieve this goal, but as long as I keep in front of my mind, I will hopefully continue to make strides. Fingers crossed. I'm giving myself some E for Effort here.

2. Drop a pants size. (this will never happen and will totally be blamed on my 11 month deadline. If I had only had one more month...)
Success Rating: SUCCESS! After months of tests and waiting on results, I finally got a diagnoses of insulin resistance (and PCOS)...and then the drugs that went along with it. The drugs were evil, but they worked. I miss them terribly. Without them, I wake up salivating from dreams about bread and then I eat bread...vicious cycle. Alas, I DID drop a pants size this summer and it was a magical day. Unfortunately for my pants, I immediately got pregnat and was only able to enjoy them for a few weeks. I look forward to getting back into shape after this baby hatches...I miss everything about being fit so so so soooooo much.

3. Enjoy life more. I feel like I do this to the extreme most of the time, but really, if there is one part of your life where there is always room for improvement, this is it.
Success Rating: 10! I love my life, my friends, my family, etc...gonna keep on keeping on and remembering to show the love to those I love!

4. Start volunteering at the animal shelter again. Ironman derailed my volunteering in 2009 and I miss the puppies! (Sidenote: adopt a dog from a shelter today!)
Success Rating: 1. This just hasn't happened. My new role just isn't as flexible as my old on in terms of getting Fridays off, so volunteering time isn't as feasible as it once was. I am giving me a 1 (instead of a 0) because we have increased our financial contributions this year...which is better than nothing. AND we adopted a mongrel from our local Great Pyrenees Rescue. Dixie had been left on the side of the road, was malnourished and covered in mange...we were able to take her into our home and love her back to health. She is the devil, but she is OUR devil and we love her.

5. Get faster! Specifically, I want to run a 1:50 half marathon in 2010 (the Houston Marathon in Jan will also qualify to meet this goal)
Success Rating: 3. I was on my way to meet this goal before I got knocked up, so I will give myself SOME credit for effort. I don't know that I was on track for acheiving this but regardless, I would have gotten really close had my season gone on as planned. I probably won't acheive this in 2011 either, but this will get back on the goal list as some point.

6. Save more money so Tommy and I can move to the beach sooner rather than later.
Success Rating: 7. We have been really good this year and have been saving like banshees. Let's keep at it! I need me some beach!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes - My pals Jodie and Tiffany and Kristin. All had little girls so our little one with have friends to play dress up with. (Unless she surprises us and ends up being a boy...yes, I am SUPER paranoid about this.)

4. Did anyone close to you die?


Yes, my grandmother - my moms mom - passed away this summer. Between Tommy and I, we are down to one grandparent. Getting old sucks.

5. What countries did you visit?


Mehico! My favorite place in the world. We went to Cancun and Cozumel and even though I was sick as a dog the ENTIRE time, we had an amazing vacation. Viva la Ironman!

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
More puppies! Okay, that's a lie. I would like more grown, well-behaved dogs. Puppies make me freaking insane.
Otherwise, nothing - (also a lie, I mean, let's be honest, I could always use some material crap, but that would negate the Saving and Moving to the Beach Plan) - I am seriously the luckiest girl in the world.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Aug 5...the day I found out I was pregnant via peeing on a stick, my favorite pasttime.
4 weeks later - the day we saw her little heart beating for the first time.
Our staycation in downtown Houston - so perfectly timed and needed and WONDERFUL.
The first time Tommy felt our little one kick.
Watching Ironman (seriously, I was almost as emotional about this as I was about the baby kicking...I'm telling you, Ironman is AMAZING.)
Front row tickets to Swan Lake...omg. I LOVE the ballet.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?


Fitting all our stuff in the car for the trek to Dallas for Christmas. Dear lord.
Just kidding.
Biggest accomplishment was...eh, hell if I know. I PRed my half Ironman time, my 5K time and my sprint and olympic times...AND I got 1st place in the sprint and then 3rd the next day...and 4th a few weeks later...all in all, a great (half) year in athletics for me.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not making the time to volunteer at the animal shelter. It's a cause that is so important to me. I just need to make the time.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Always! I suffered my usual twice yearly allergies/sinus infection/nastiness. Pregnancy is niether an illness nor an injury, but damn, it usually feels like one.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
OMG. We got bedroom furniture. It's GORGEOUS. Absolutely freaking gorgeous. We still need bedside tables, but overall, our bedroom is GORGEOUS. Siiiiiiiiigh. I feel like a princess!!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Tommy's...pretty much always Tommy. I have no idea how he tolerates me, but I thank my lucky stars that he does! And maybe Dixie deserves some credit too - she was potty trained in record time. Nice job pup!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?


Other than Kate and John Gosselin? And Mel Gibson? And Tiger Woods?
I know I have some friends who's behavoir made me a little sad, but let's be honest, I'm sure I hurt my fair share of feelings in there, so we will call it even and blame all the appalling depressing sh1t on the celebrities.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Vacation! As it should. And we bought gorgeous bedroom furniture (have I mentioned that??) and then we have this rugrat on the way that is apparently a money grubbing mongrel because she isn't even here yet and is taking all my cash.

15. What did you get really excited about?
All my races in the spring and how far I had come...and then losing all that fitness because there is a baby on the way. You can't have it all!! :)

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
King of Anything by Sara Bareilles and Sister, Sister by Train...for no other reason than I love it and could listen to it over and and over and over again...despite the fact that these are likely two of the most irritating songs EVER sung. I have terrible taste in music.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

(a) happier or sadder? Happier.
(b) thinner or fatter? Thinner...then fatter, much much fatter. Darn you pregnancy.
(c) richer or poorer? No change? I guess richer because we saved really well this year. Hooray!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?


Sleeping in. I never feel like I do enough sleeping in. Or sleeping in general.
And spending more time with friends...you can never have enough time with friends and family!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?


Eating out. Gossiping. Pining after crap I don't actually care about.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my wonderful family in Dallas...relaxing, drinking, watching tv, playing Angry Birds, sleeping, eating, baking...ah, it was wonderful.

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
Always! Everyday with my wonderful husband and our little monster growing inside me. Fingers crossed she is just like her daddy or we are totally screwed.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Forever and always Friends. But after that, How I Met Your Mother and Modern Family. 30 minutes is about the extent of my attention span.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Hate is a strong word, but I do dislike some people more than I disliked them last year.

24. What was the best book you read?


Other than Pregnancy and Baby books? Ha. I dunno. I love books. Love them all pretty much. But let's be honest, the Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts was a real page turner.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Yeah, I updated my iPod 3 years ago. My greatest musical discovery is whatever comes on the radio and makes me bop my head a little.

26. What did you want and get?


I really wanted bedroom furniture and it happened...have I mentioned the bedroom furniture?? As Mia Michaels would say, "Gorgeoiux". Not sure how you would spell that, but since it's not a real word, I'm not terribly concerned.

27. What did you want and not get?

A 1:50 half marathon...2012, it will happen in 2012.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Burlesque and Black Swan...I love the dancing and the singing. Inception was awesome and all, but the lack of singing and dancing really puts it below the other two.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 29 this year but I have absolutely no recollection of what we did on my birthday...it was a blast though, I'm sure!

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?


To have convinced the WTC to give me my Ironman refund for IMTX next year. Such is life!

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?


This is dumb.

32. What kept you sane?


My puppies! And my cool wo-workers. And my amazing friends. But most of all, Tommy.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Forever and always, Christian Bale.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Not getting into it.

35. Who did you miss?


My friends and family who live far away - I just don't get to see them as much as I would like. XOXOX!

36. Who was the best new person you met?


Dixie the Dog!

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.


Anonymous people on the internet suck. Haha. Not exactly a valuable life lesson, but it's fact!

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Live like you're dying! Ha. Just kidding. That song was lame and so is that guy, but whatever. I don't know music.

Sink or Swim?

I FINALLY made it to the pool yesterday afternoon. My last few attempts have been sabotaged by lost wedding rings, forgotten swimsuits and lazy attitudes...so it's been at least 4 months since I was in a pool, if not 5. I had no idea how my first swim would go. Would the baby make me sink or swim?

Conclusion #1:
I need a bigger swimsuit. Like a WAY bigger swimsuit. What I wore to the pool would be considered pornographic in Maternity Photo Fetish Land. And then it gave me wedgies the whole time.

Conclusion #2:
I loathe aqua-robics people. Why do they need 3 lanes? How is that a workout? Doesn't the instructor on the side of the pool feel like an idiot? ($20 says that by the end of this pregnancy, I take this class at least once...karma is an evil evil b1tch.)

Conclusion #3:
I need to stop being such a pansy and just swim in the outdoor pool. It's heated and everything but it's only heated to like 72 degrees...not to a toasty 78 degrees like the indoor pool. And I am a pansy and I love love love my hot bath water. I don't like that "Oh, it will be fine once you get used to it" thing. I want it to be fine right when I get in. Instant gratification, that's me!

Conclusion #4:
I hate sharing a lane. I really hate sharing a lane when I haven't been swimming in a long time and I don't really feel super comfortable. And then, the guy who jumped in my lane didn't even bother to tell me he was joining me, so we crashed mid-pool. Dumbass. I hate him. How we crashed is beyond me since he was just doing the breaststroke and NOT EVEN WEARING GOGGLES. OMG.

Conclusion #5:
Babies are bouyant. It turns out I can still swim! I tried not to look at the clock so I wouldn't get discouraged, but I let myself time one 100yd set and my times were about where they were over the summer. THANK GOODNESS. I was probably more winded from that effort than I was over the summer, but I was still able to pull the rabbit out of the hat.

Conclusion #6:
I don't have to pee when I swim. Bizarre. For the first time in 5 months I didn't have the uncontrollable urge to pee. It was amazing. And wierd. But amazing.

Conclusion #7:
I will teach my child not to stare at naked ladies in the locker room. Creepy ass kids.

Conclusion #8:
Don't go to a triceps specific body pump class the day before you swim for the first time in forever. Ouchie.

Overall, the swim was a success. I enjoyed my time in the pool (as much as I could ever enjoy my time in the pool) and I didn't feel like a total failure. The girl in the lane next to me was a little faster than me, so I had fun trying to keep up with her. I will be going back. Maybe this time I will man up and go to the outdoor pool where I can have a luxurious freezing cold lane to myself. We will see.

PS - Thanks for the encouragement on my post yesterday. You made my day!

Training Updates

I know that both of my followers are on the edges of their seats to know about how my training is going, so without further adeiu...

My training is going, "meh". I mean, I'm doing some form of a workout at least 4 days a week...usually 5. I've been doing a long run on the weekends - usually 6-10 miles - a spin class mid-week, a couple of runs, a body pump class and at some point, I will throw a swim in there.

I was all set to swim last week, but on my way to the pool I was taking off my jewelry to put in my purse (saves time in the locker room), when I dropped my wedding ring in between the seat and the center console. OMG. I was a wreck. My ring was Tommy's mom's wedding band, so losing it is just not an option. My swim got nixed and we spent the evening taking the driver seat out of my car to find the ring. We found it and all is good with the world again. Phew. I will attempt the pool again today. Wish me luck. I very well may sink.

My runs have been going well for the most part. My legs feel great and I have been really enjoying them (they LOVE the reduced mileage and intensity!)...but I have to pee about every quarter mile. Do you have any idea how long it takes to run a 3 miles loop around the park when you have to pee every quarter mile? OMG. It takes a long ass time. Luckily, I ran 9 miles this past weekend and I only had to pee every mile and a half-ish. Big improvement!! I'm still planning on running (and walking) the half marathon in January...but we shall see.

The biking is a challenge because I can't fit on my tri bike anymore and I hate spin class...so I haven't been doing that nearly as much as I should. I really need to suck it up and just go to the stupid classes. Somebody slap some sense into me.

Body pump is going well, but it's getting more challenging since I can't do half the exercises anymore. I can't lay on my back for too long because I feel puke-y and I can't lay on my stomach because, well, there is a baby there. I think I will have to forfeit this class soon to save the rest of my classmates sanity.

All in all, I am enjoying staying active and am still doing activities that I love...but it's getting harder. I hope I am able to stay active up until the day I deliver...fingers crossed. Christy when she hasn't worked out is not a pretty sight.

My BFF asked me yesterday if my doc is okay with my level of exercise. I said, "Yeah, that's why I go to her". My theory is that there are about 9 million different views on how you should act/be/eat during your pregnancy. You need to figure out where you stand on that spectrum and find a doctor who agrees with you...because I promise you, there is a doctor our there who will support you in whatever you believe. Unless you are just dying to smoke some crack...you might have trouble finding a doc who supports that. But you never know.

Maternity Pics.

I'm kind of anti-maternity pics. Not because I hate them but because A.)I am soooo unphotogenic and B.) I have no idea what I would do with said pictures if I had them in my house. I didn't have bridal protraits done for the same reasons...and this has proven to be a wise money saving investment that I do not regret at all.

Alas, if I WERE to have maternity pictures taken, I can guarantee that they would look something like this.

You MUST visit this blog that was recommended to me by the lovely Matt. MUST.

http://pregnantchicken.squarespace.com/pregnant-chicken-blog/2010/12/10/awkward-pregnancy-photos.html

And then you need to go order your pre-natal pole dancing DVD.

Exercising while Pregnant.

It's a good idea.

When I reach the point that I can no longer run, I plan to take up pre-natal pole dancing.

I don't see how something this joyful could be wrong. The video is worth all 2 minutes and 4 seconds of your time.

Prenatal Pole Dancing DVD from Christina Applegate

Not Prepared for the Pain.

OMG. I experienced my first pregnancy related leg cramp this morning about 30 minutes before I was supposed to wake up.

I woke up to my own blood curdling scream and the most excruciating pain I have EVER experienced. The cramp lasted about 3 minutes before I was even able to move my foot enough to attempt to loosen the muscles. And only then did the pain lessen even a little. I continued to bite the corner of my bed in pain for about 5 minutes following but at least I could move my foot and stretch the muscles a little.

If labor is worse than that, I'll just keep the baby in me, thanks.

****

In other news, I had SUCH a good workout yesterday. I ran a quick 2 miles on the treadmill before busting out a body pump class. I felt amazing. I needed that boost very much. It's been awhile since I haven't felt like death during a working. I felt like my old self (almost). I'm going swimming today for the first time in about 4 months. Wish me luck. I may sink.

We picked up and assembled our crib last night! It looks sooo good! It's also way huge-r than we expected it to be. I mean, we measured and stuff and knew it would fit but actually having it there...man, it's huge. I'm pretty sure that I would fit comfortably in it. Bedding won't be here till January though - darn it!

RaceShots

I got email reminders from one of the race photographers today, reminding me to purchase my race photos from 3 races I did earlier this year. Race photos cost like $15 each, so we RARELY buy the pics, but they are fun to look through and try to pirate for Facebooking purposes.

As I was looking through the pictures, I became acutely aware of how much of my fitness I have lost in the last 5 months. Last fall and spring I made such HUGE gains in my speed and endurance. I had FINALLY found that thing that I never had that could make you push through the pain or quit...I finally figured out what it mean to push through the pain. I finally figured it out. I was finally racing to my potential. I still had some improvements and gains to be made, but I was finally doing what I always dreamed I could be able to do.

In the spring, I won 1st in my age group in a sprint tri (and PR'ed my 5K while I was at it), and then won 3rd in my age group in the olympic the next day...all while I was sick as a dog. I still can't believe it.

Then I PR'ed the 10K, a half Ironman and placed 4th in my age group at another sprint...it was an AWESOME spring. I never thought that any of that was possible. I had always been okay with being slow. But then, one day, I realized that I wasn't actually slow anymore.

Looking at the pictures today made me a little sad.

I am THRILLED (beyond thrilled) to be pregnant. I am so excited to be having a baby with my wonderful husband and best friend. I can't believe that we have been so blessed to find each other and to be able to build the life that we have now.

All that said, I am a little sad that I worked so hard to make such significant gains physically...and they are all gone. I mean, I can still run a 10K...just not fast. I can still run a half marathon...just not fast. I can still bike on my trainer for 3 hours...just not fast. I could probably finish an half Ironman if I wanted to...but it would take the full 8 hours.

The endurance is still there, but the speed - the speed I worked sooo hard for - is totally gone. I know I will get it back, someday, but it's sad to realize it's gone and it could be a long while before I see it again.

I miss my speed and I hate having to pee every quarter mile on a run. Oh the other hand, the wild woman in my belly goes crazy after a run, so it's totally worth it.

I know I will get it back. I know it will take a long time. I know it will be hard. But since I know what that "thing" is that makes me push harder now, getting the speed will be easier than before. I'm still sad.

With my workouts now, it's hit or miss. Somedays I go out there and feel like a million bucks and other days, 1 mile is all I have. Or 5lbs weights are all I can lift. Or 15mph is all I can muster. But the days when I feel like a million bucks are great.

It's been an interesting journey to say the least.

I haven't made a race calendar for next year - we are trying to see how things play out after the little one gets here - but for now, I think my plans are to do a sprint in August-ish and then another spring or possibly olympic in September-ish. I NEED to race. I miss the training, I miss my friends, I miss the schedule, I miss race day jitters...but most of all, I miss having that goal.

I'm excited, so excited...but also a little sad.

Indulgence.

After people find out I am having a little girl, they ask (among other more inappropriate things) how I plan on decorating the room. When I tell them that her room will be lime green they shudder and say, "but what kind of mother will you be if you don't give the baby the pink room she deserves?"

The horror.

Well, to make those women happy, I made my first pink purchase while on vacation. Our little girl is now the proud owner of a Luche Libre mask, a hot pink Mexican wrestling mask.

It looks something like this...only in pink...which was incredibly hard to find on the internet (but I didn't try that hard):

She is ready for her tutu now!

Sidenote: For some unknown reason, I became obsessed with these masks in Mexico. The good news is that once you have children, you can totally justify your riduculous impulses...because it's for the children. WON'T ANYONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?!!?