I have my bikini body back. FINALLY. That said, I didn't exactly have the greatest bikini body before I got pregnant, and that hasn't changed, but I think I can say that I look almost as good in a bikini NOW as I did THEN ("then" being before Ironman gave me a set of six-pack abs...I doubt we will ever see those puppies again).
So, I guess that's really the best I can hope for.
Before Ironman training (in 2009), I weighed about 143 pounds. That's a size 10 and on the high end of the BMI scale. My dearm goal was to get down to a size 8...I've NEVER been a size 8. Not even in high school when I was a skinny minny.
Alas, Ironman training began and while I got VERY toned, I did not lose a single pound, nor drop a single inch. I had rock hard abs, could do 100 push ups, and about a million V-ups before collapsing, but I didn't lose a single pound or a single inch. I was still a size 10.
After Ironman, I started seeing some doctors because that's just not normal. I was diagnosed with PCOS. In short, there is a fat girl version and a skinny girl version. I had the fat girl version and the only reason I didn't weigh 400lbs is because I was training for an Ironman and making healthy food choices. I began getting treated for insulin resistance with a medication called Metformin which initially made me want to hurl, but once I got regulated on it, I felt amazing and the weight started dropping off. In the summer of 2010, I was the skinniest I have been since mid-high school - 136 pounds - but still a solid size 10.
Those effing pants!! Makes me crazy. Luckily, my husband likes a girl with some hips. But really I think he just says that because he doesn't want to buy me all new pants.
Then I got pregnant. My pre-pregnancy weight was 136 pounds (but I consider my REAL pre-pregnancy weight to be about 143). By the end of those 40 weeks, I had grown to a solid 177 pounds. I weighed more than Tommy (but he was training for Ironman and therefore at his optimal race weight, soooo, I tried not to dwell on it).
I was told that breastfeeding would make the weight melt off.
HAHAHAHAHAAHAHA.
Breastfeeding made me want to become a cannibal because then there would ALWAYS be food available to me. Breastfeeding made me the hungriest person in the world. I would have beaten some starving Ethiopians for their dinner. Seriously. I would wake up 2-3 times a night, RAVENOUS, and eat a few slices of pizza or a few bowls of cereal or whatever (a couple of timese a night). I kept snacks next to my boppie because while I was feeding Anna I would sometimes get so hungry I would cry. Not to be rude, but you can't lose weight if you are eating 124 large pizzas a day. I'm just saying. And I'm telling you that I was NEVER full. Ever.
Then I stopped breastfeeding. And while I had developed some terrible habits (McDonald's Chicken Biscuit anyone??), I was no longer starving and was able to at least ATTEMPT to make good choices. But bad habits are hard to break and it's been tough going. I was finally able to control my hunger. THANK GOODNESS.
Getting into the routine of work, baby, working out, preparing meals made a huge difference for me and I started seeing some results.
By Christmas, I was down to 146 pounds.I made a new years resolution that in 10 weeks, I would lose 10 pounds. 10 weeks just also happens to be my birthday and the start of summer (here in Texas). That's 1 pound a week for 10 weeks. I'm 4 weeks in and have lost 4 pounds, but I know these last 6 pounds are going to be the hardest...since I was never able to lose them before.
But I'm gonna try!!
And finally, today, when I looked in the mirror, I wasn't repulsed by what I saw. 142 pounds of me wasn't gross. My boobs were a little saggier (but they are so microscopically small, that it don't really matter), and my belly is flabbier, but overall, I'm about back to where I was before the Ironman. I wore a bikini then, so I can wear a bikini now. Can't say that I will rock it, but you probably won't vomit.
At 6:30AM this morning, in 50 degree weather, I put on my bikini just to be sure. Lo and behold, it wasn't too bad.
6 more pounds to lose. 6 more packs of abs to find. I can do it.
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thursday, September 15, 2011
No Apologies.
I SHOULD be apologetic, and I DO feel a little guilty, but alas, life has once again gotten in the way of me spreading the word. And by "the word", I mean "verbal diarrhea" and by "spreading", I mean "like herpes".
Nonetheless, thanks for everyone's concern at my absence. I've just been busy, pre-occupied, and just generally playing about. We have implemented Margarita Fridays at our house (we make margaritas and sit in the driveway like the classy folks we were raised to be), and therefore I spend most of my week dreaming about 5PM on Friday...which leaves little time for blogging. Tommy mixes up a batch of sugary goodness, we take the exersaucer to the field and everyone relaxes and enjoys life.
What's that you say? You live in Texas and it's about 237 degrees outside right now? Yeah, this does not stop us from field sitting. Anna is only happy when she is about catch on fire, so out to the field we go...with margaritas. For us. Not her.
To recap the exersizing in the last month-ish:
I re-injured myself running. Shocking. I was doing really well running 3-4 miles and then when my running club started up for the season running 6/8/10 miles, I was all, "Hey yeah, I can totally run 39 miles with you guys tomorrow. No prob." And lo and behold, I hurt myself. I should know better, but I got caught up in all. Oops. Soooo, now I'm back to 3-4 miles with walk breaks....it's going eh. I'm having fun though, so I am trying not to care too much.
Due to my injury, my race at Bridgeland Sprint Tri went sub-optimally. That said, I would have won the Athena division had I remembered to sign up for it (idiot)...instead I got like 9 millionth place in my normal division. Which, by the way, doesn't feel as good as first. In case you were curious.
I swam okay (as expected...can't expect great things when you swim twice a year), biked okay (it took me 5 miles to warm up...and in a 13 mile ride, that's too long!), and ran pretty crappily (mostly because I walked most of it). So, eh.
I took about 2 weeks off (you know, kind of...) of working out and it was pretty glorious. It was probably the first time off I've taken in a few years and I really enjoyed it. I didn't feel guilty and it was good. I don't have any races until the spring, so there's no real reason to push the envelope now. I felt like I needed a break and I took it. GLORIOUS. And during that time, Tommy and I were able to run together for the first time in about a year - it was great to be able to do that again. Now that the weather is cooling off (it's only 168 today instead of 237), I'm hoping we can take Anna out for runs together.
Point of the story is that I:
A.) Am alive
B.) Am well
C.) Have about 37 blogs started but not finished from over the last month
D.) Am wishing that each day had about 3 more hours in it
E. ) All of the above
No one likes all of the above.
And, of course, gratuitous photos of my adorable nugget, whom we have nicknamed NuNu (it's short for Nugget. Duh.)
Nonetheless, thanks for everyone's concern at my absence. I've just been busy, pre-occupied, and just generally playing about. We have implemented Margarita Fridays at our house (we make margaritas and sit in the driveway like the classy folks we were raised to be), and therefore I spend most of my week dreaming about 5PM on Friday...which leaves little time for blogging. Tommy mixes up a batch of sugary goodness, we take the exersaucer to the field and everyone relaxes and enjoys life.
What's that you say? You live in Texas and it's about 237 degrees outside right now? Yeah, this does not stop us from field sitting. Anna is only happy when she is about catch on fire, so out to the field we go...with margaritas. For us. Not her.
To recap the exersizing in the last month-ish:
I re-injured myself running. Shocking. I was doing really well running 3-4 miles and then when my running club started up for the season running 6/8/10 miles, I was all, "Hey yeah, I can totally run 39 miles with you guys tomorrow. No prob." And lo and behold, I hurt myself. I should know better, but I got caught up in all. Oops. Soooo, now I'm back to 3-4 miles with walk breaks....it's going eh. I'm having fun though, so I am trying not to care too much.
Due to my injury, my race at Bridgeland Sprint Tri went sub-optimally. That said, I would have won the Athena division had I remembered to sign up for it (idiot)...instead I got like 9 millionth place in my normal division. Which, by the way, doesn't feel as good as first. In case you were curious.
I swam okay (as expected...can't expect great things when you swim twice a year), biked okay (it took me 5 miles to warm up...and in a 13 mile ride, that's too long!), and ran pretty crappily (mostly because I walked most of it). So, eh.
I took about 2 weeks off (you know, kind of...) of working out and it was pretty glorious. It was probably the first time off I've taken in a few years and I really enjoyed it. I didn't feel guilty and it was good. I don't have any races until the spring, so there's no real reason to push the envelope now. I felt like I needed a break and I took it. GLORIOUS. And during that time, Tommy and I were able to run together for the first time in about a year - it was great to be able to do that again. Now that the weather is cooling off (it's only 168 today instead of 237), I'm hoping we can take Anna out for runs together.
Point of the story is that I:
A.) Am alive
B.) Am well
C.) Have about 37 blogs started but not finished from over the last month
D.) Am wishing that each day had about 3 more hours in it
E. ) All of the above
No one likes all of the above.
And, of course, gratuitous photos of my adorable nugget, whom we have nicknamed NuNu (it's short for Nugget. Duh.)
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| First Trip to the Beach. Lovin' Life. |
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| Best. Party. Ever. |
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| A Daddy and His Girl! |
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| Baptism Day! |
Friday, August 05, 2011
Post About Nothing.
So, unfortunately, I don't spend as much time surfin' the net like I used to...not because I don't have the time but because I choose to go to bed at 8PM on a regular basis. This is the bedtime I have always dreamed about but never indulged in. I am a morning person, but due to social norms, for years I have been forcing myself to stay awake at least until the sun goes down. But having a baby gives you the perfect excuse to do just about anything you want.
Want to talk about vaginas all day? Sure. You just had a baby. Want to cry for no reason? Yeah, that's normal. You just had a baby. Want to talk about poop and vomit while others are eating? Why not? You just had a baby. Sweating profusely? It's the hormones. You just had a baby. Want to go to bed at 8PM everynight for the rest of your life? No prob. You just had a baby.
As a kid, my mom would tell me that I couldn't get out of bed until the numbers on the clock matched this piece of paper she taped on the wall that 7:00. Unfortunately for me, at my tender age, I didn't know that 6:59 came before 7:00 and that 7:01 came after...so I remember sitting in my bed, staring intently at the clock, just BEGGING the numbers to match and knowing that if I looked away for even a second I could miss 7:00.
It's the little things that really eff up your kids man. It's the little things. She also gave me a phone book and a pair of scissors so I could entertain myself. I spent most of my childhood cutting up phonebooks. That's a life skill I have yet to need.
Back to my point. My original intent was to tell you why I haven't been blogging...which, if you follow the logic, can ultimately be blamed on my mother. So thanks mom for screwing up my blog. I'm sure that when you gave birth to me, you were planning on savings lots of money for some serious therapy sessions down the road (for you or me or both) and you had no comprehension of this newfangled virtual world where I would type up my diahrea of the mouth for everyone to read. I think we can ultimately blame dad for that one though. I'm sure he had something to do with it. And if not, feel free to take your angry out on him anyway. You just had a baby after all (I realize I am 30 years old so the excuse is getting a little tired, but until he capable of pushing a baby out of him, I say just go with it).
Sidenote since my mother has now started reading my blog: I love you mom. But all those times you told me I looked terrible in lavender really messed me up. I don't own a stitch of purple clothing for fear of upsetting the color wheel. But really, I love you mom.
I wish I had something exciting to write about, but the point is that I don't.
So in lieu of actually writing a post, I started a special savings account for Anna's future therapy, which frankly, I feel that her future self should pay for...but since I am the one who styles her hair that way (because OMG, it cracks me up!), I will do what I can to offset the financial strain of years and years of therapy. Here's a quarter sweetheart.
Want to talk about vaginas all day? Sure. You just had a baby. Want to cry for no reason? Yeah, that's normal. You just had a baby. Want to talk about poop and vomit while others are eating? Why not? You just had a baby. Sweating profusely? It's the hormones. You just had a baby. Want to go to bed at 8PM everynight for the rest of your life? No prob. You just had a baby.
As a kid, my mom would tell me that I couldn't get out of bed until the numbers on the clock matched this piece of paper she taped on the wall that 7:00. Unfortunately for me, at my tender age, I didn't know that 6:59 came before 7:00 and that 7:01 came after...so I remember sitting in my bed, staring intently at the clock, just BEGGING the numbers to match and knowing that if I looked away for even a second I could miss 7:00.
It's the little things that really eff up your kids man. It's the little things. She also gave me a phone book and a pair of scissors so I could entertain myself. I spent most of my childhood cutting up phonebooks. That's a life skill I have yet to need.
Back to my point. My original intent was to tell you why I haven't been blogging...which, if you follow the logic, can ultimately be blamed on my mother. So thanks mom for screwing up my blog. I'm sure that when you gave birth to me, you were planning on savings lots of money for some serious therapy sessions down the road (for you or me or both) and you had no comprehension of this newfangled virtual world where I would type up my diahrea of the mouth for everyone to read. I think we can ultimately blame dad for that one though. I'm sure he had something to do with it. And if not, feel free to take your angry out on him anyway. You just had a baby after all (I realize I am 30 years old so the excuse is getting a little tired, but until he capable of pushing a baby out of him, I say just go with it).
Sidenote since my mother has now started reading my blog: I love you mom. But all those times you told me I looked terrible in lavender really messed me up. I don't own a stitch of purple clothing for fear of upsetting the color wheel. But really, I love you mom.
I wish I had something exciting to write about, but the point is that I don't.
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| Mmmmm...Nachos is good for me. |
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| Cooking up a nugget for dinner! |
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Only Babies Can Get Away with That.
Me and my pal Roggs took our beasts to dinner on Monday night. She had just gotten back from vacation and I had just eaten most of the food in the world, so we went to Ziggy's Healthy Grill. It's a health conscious place (most everything is cooked healthy oils or no oils if possible...the fries are sweet potatoes and the salads are DIVINE)...but they don't really offer up nutrition information (which I find bizarre - and probably means the stuff isn't as healthy as they like to promote).
Nonetheless, we took the beasts to dinner...but there was no one else at the restaurant...which was good because screaming babies didn't bother anyone but us, but bad because there was no one else to drown out my screaming baby. Ha. (Roggs' baby didn't scream so much as squeal...she is just a loud one!)
When the waittress came over to take our order she lurked for a minute too long before addressing our table. It was just a little wierd. But hey, we were in Montrose. Weird lurking people are pretty par for the course 'round those parts. But when she did finally decide to talk to us, she apparently told us about the specials...but I could barely hear her because the giant booger in her nose was talking louder than her.
I'm telling you, it was the biggest booger I have ever seen in my life. Ever. On anyone. It was so big that I wasn't sure if it was a booger or if it was a nose ring. It was THAT big. Huge.
I didn't hear a single word that she said about the specials.
I asked Roggs if she knew what the specials were and she said, "No, I couldn't hear over the booger."
Yeah. I'm telling you. Biggest. Booger. Ever. Only babies can get away with boogers like that. The good news is that, unlike my adorable booger filled child, this chick is capable of picking her own. When she came back, it was gone. Apparently booger shaped nose rings aren't as fashionable as I had once thought.
I ordered the salad.
*********************************
In exercise related news, my race in 3 weeks away - ahhh!! I have been picking up the running mileage - I am now at a respectable 4 miles and a pitiful 5 miles, but I'm getting there! I'm gonna shoot for running 6 again this weekend at a normal pace (I went way slow last weekend just to make sure I got it done).
I am feeling good, but my legs are pretty wasted. I ran 6.5 on Saturday, took Sunday off (because my BFF was in town and we went Owling - ha), did 5 and weights on Monday, biked 20 and ran 1 on Tuesday, 5 and weights on Wednesday, and now, after 2 hours of sleep, I am trying to get motivated to bike at lunch today...but truthfully, I'm not sure if my legs will hold out.
I will probably take it easy the week of my race - not because I really need to taper before a sprint tri, but because I've increased my volume so much in the last few weeks that my body will probably just need a break.
For now, I'm hoping to swim in about 12 minutes (500 meters), bike in about 40 minutes (13.5 miles = 20-21mph), and run in about 32-33 minutes (3.65 miles = 9 min/miles).
The swim will be a crapshoot. You have to actually train on something to have a vague idea of how it will go...and I have been in the water once since before Anna was born (we are going on about 5 months now). And that was at my last race. Ha. Oh well! We are going to swim this weekend (swimming is the sport that is REALLY hard to do with a baby, FYI - it just takes too much time!) and then I will have a better grasp of what I can do on race day I think.
I'm relatively confident in my biking ability - I've been KILLING it on the trainer. I haven't been biking outside, so I don't actually know how fast I've been going, but I've been feeling good and sweating a lot. That's got to be a good sign, eh? Or I could just be really out of shape. We will find out! (It's definitely hard to find time to bike outside, but finding time on the trainer is pretty easy)
On the run, it will just be about willpower. I know I CAN do it....it will just be a matter of MAKING myself do it. I'm gonna wear The Green Silence (my racing flats), so that should motivate me to run faster. You can't wear racing flats and dillydally. It's just wrong.
I am so excited! I love racing! I wish I was gonna look better in my spandex, but alas, this is the squishy body that I was given. Avert your eyes!
Nonetheless, we took the beasts to dinner...but there was no one else at the restaurant...which was good because screaming babies didn't bother anyone but us, but bad because there was no one else to drown out my screaming baby. Ha. (Roggs' baby didn't scream so much as squeal...she is just a loud one!)
When the waittress came over to take our order she lurked for a minute too long before addressing our table. It was just a little wierd. But hey, we were in Montrose. Weird lurking people are pretty par for the course 'round those parts. But when she did finally decide to talk to us, she apparently told us about the specials...but I could barely hear her because the giant booger in her nose was talking louder than her.
I'm telling you, it was the biggest booger I have ever seen in my life. Ever. On anyone. It was so big that I wasn't sure if it was a booger or if it was a nose ring. It was THAT big. Huge.
I didn't hear a single word that she said about the specials.
I asked Roggs if she knew what the specials were and she said, "No, I couldn't hear over the booger."
Yeah. I'm telling you. Biggest. Booger. Ever. Only babies can get away with boogers like that. The good news is that, unlike my adorable booger filled child, this chick is capable of picking her own. When she came back, it was gone. Apparently booger shaped nose rings aren't as fashionable as I had once thought.
I ordered the salad.
*********************************
In exercise related news, my race in 3 weeks away - ahhh!! I have been picking up the running mileage - I am now at a respectable 4 miles and a pitiful 5 miles, but I'm getting there! I'm gonna shoot for running 6 again this weekend at a normal pace (I went way slow last weekend just to make sure I got it done).
I am feeling good, but my legs are pretty wasted. I ran 6.5 on Saturday, took Sunday off (because my BFF was in town and we went Owling - ha), did 5 and weights on Monday, biked 20 and ran 1 on Tuesday, 5 and weights on Wednesday, and now, after 2 hours of sleep, I am trying to get motivated to bike at lunch today...but truthfully, I'm not sure if my legs will hold out.
I will probably take it easy the week of my race - not because I really need to taper before a sprint tri, but because I've increased my volume so much in the last few weeks that my body will probably just need a break.
For now, I'm hoping to swim in about 12 minutes (500 meters), bike in about 40 minutes (13.5 miles = 20-21mph), and run in about 32-33 minutes (3.65 miles = 9 min/miles).
The swim will be a crapshoot. You have to actually train on something to have a vague idea of how it will go...and I have been in the water once since before Anna was born (we are going on about 5 months now). And that was at my last race. Ha. Oh well! We are going to swim this weekend (swimming is the sport that is REALLY hard to do with a baby, FYI - it just takes too much time!) and then I will have a better grasp of what I can do on race day I think.
I'm relatively confident in my biking ability - I've been KILLING it on the trainer. I haven't been biking outside, so I don't actually know how fast I've been going, but I've been feeling good and sweating a lot. That's got to be a good sign, eh? Or I could just be really out of shape. We will find out! (It's definitely hard to find time to bike outside, but finding time on the trainer is pretty easy)
On the run, it will just be about willpower. I know I CAN do it....it will just be a matter of MAKING myself do it. I'm gonna wear The Green Silence (my racing flats), so that should motivate me to run faster. You can't wear racing flats and dillydally. It's just wrong.
I am so excited! I love racing! I wish I was gonna look better in my spandex, but alas, this is the squishy body that I was given. Avert your eyes!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Lover by Day...
...Screaming banshee by night. If she were a teenager, all the other kids would be calling her two-faced.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, hey say sleep when the baby sleeps. But, unfortunately, I did not automatically become nocturnal just because I gave birth. Soooo, that's a bunch of whooey. That said, I'm probably getting about 4 hours of sleep a day, which is about what I got pre-baby, so I am doing pretty good.
@Erin - Yeah, I CANNOT believe how much hair she has, but really, it shouldn't be a surprise. My mom says I got my first haircut at 6 weeks...haha. The good news is that I have a use for those little baby combs they put in all the safety/grooming kits. Totally thought that was a joke. Ha.
@Pam - The dogs have been, well, interesting. Donny, the older, more docile and less attention seeking one, spends most of his day trying to lick her head and air hump her. It's really touching to watch. Dixie, the puppy, the wild but super sweet attention grubbing one, has been totally okay with her...he gets very interested and upset when she cries, which is interesting. They are both tall enough to see her in her pack-n-play, so they spend a lot of their day just looking at her...just like us. Ha. I had a little bit of a breakdown on Sunday when I felt guilty that they weren't getting the attention they need and deserve, but I think once we get back into the swing of things (and I am all healed up), they will get more snuggling again. Fingers crossed because they deserve it.
@Mary - Her skin isn't too teribly yellow yet, but the whites of her eyes are bright yellow...kind of creepy. It seems to be getting better though...tough to chase sun around in a townhouse though. Our sunlight is pretty fleeting.
Tommy made the trek to Central Market last night, we stocked up on fish, and I had a delicious dinner of sushi and champagne last night. There is nothing better than some salmon nigiri and a cold glass of bubbly (although, when it's just the two of us, we put our booze in plastic solo cups, but that's not the point...) Oh, how I missed the cold deliciousness of sushi.
I've watched more bad tv than I even knew existed. But I set the DVR to record Family Feud, so I will never miss my beloved Steve Harvey again. Phew.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, hey say sleep when the baby sleeps. But, unfortunately, I did not automatically become nocturnal just because I gave birth. Soooo, that's a bunch of whooey. That said, I'm probably getting about 4 hours of sleep a day, which is about what I got pre-baby, so I am doing pretty good.
@Erin - Yeah, I CANNOT believe how much hair she has, but really, it shouldn't be a surprise. My mom says I got my first haircut at 6 weeks...haha. The good news is that I have a use for those little baby combs they put in all the safety/grooming kits. Totally thought that was a joke. Ha.
@Pam - The dogs have been, well, interesting. Donny, the older, more docile and less attention seeking one, spends most of his day trying to lick her head and air hump her. It's really touching to watch. Dixie, the puppy, the wild but super sweet attention grubbing one, has been totally okay with her...he gets very interested and upset when she cries, which is interesting. They are both tall enough to see her in her pack-n-play, so they spend a lot of their day just looking at her...just like us. Ha. I had a little bit of a breakdown on Sunday when I felt guilty that they weren't getting the attention they need and deserve, but I think once we get back into the swing of things (and I am all healed up), they will get more snuggling again. Fingers crossed because they deserve it.
@Mary - Her skin isn't too teribly yellow yet, but the whites of her eyes are bright yellow...kind of creepy. It seems to be getting better though...tough to chase sun around in a townhouse though. Our sunlight is pretty fleeting.
Tommy made the trek to Central Market last night, we stocked up on fish, and I had a delicious dinner of sushi and champagne last night. There is nothing better than some salmon nigiri and a cold glass of bubbly (although, when it's just the two of us, we put our booze in plastic solo cups, but that's not the point...) Oh, how I missed the cold deliciousness of sushi.
I've watched more bad tv than I even knew existed. But I set the DVR to record Family Feud, so I will never miss my beloved Steve Harvey again. Phew.
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| Sunbathing! |
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Before I Was a Mom
I will likely have a baby in less than two days (holy crap!). The fact that someone has deemed me mature enough to take on the role of caregiver to another human being is terrifying. I haven't really been emotional or hormonal throughout this pregnancy but in the last few weeks, I have kind of been a basketcase...I mean, holy crap.
And the hormones mean that my Lent promise of not cursing lasted about 20 minutes.
One of the blogs I read does a segment called Before I Was a Mom. I think most of the things people say they would never do are ridiculous, so I can only assume they are jokes - I mean, of course kids are going to eat pizza. Unless you plan on avoiding all birthday parties from now until the end of eternity, your kids will eat pizza. Or until they come up with an equally delicious and cheap alternative...which will never happen. Because pizza is awesome. Nonetheless, I tried to put together a little list of the things Tommy and I say we will never do...before we are parents.
Before I was a mom, I swore I:
Yesterday was my due date...and it came and went without any indication that Anna wants to join the real world. Apparently my womb is VERY cozy. I keep trying to tell her that her crib will be cozy too and that we have all sorts of fancy blankets, but she is stubborn. Like her dad (he rolls his eyes when I say this...I dunno why).
At 40 weeks pregnant, my belly button finally popped. That said, it's much squishier and softer than I expected it to be. It can be tamed with the panel on my pants. Thus far, I haven't gotten cankles or stretch marks, my acne has gone down to a respectable level, but I am the size of a house, I only have one outfit that fits, and I can only sit upright for about an hour at a time...I am soooo ready for this to end and to meet my little baby! I cannot believe I am still pregnant. I seriously cannot believe how much the human skin can stretch. I cannot believe how gigantic I have gotten.
We have tried all the things to induce labor naturally (short of acupuncture and castor oil) and I can say, with complete authority that none of that crap works. I've walked no less than 4 miles a day for the last 3 weeks. I've eaten about 7 pineapples. We made the eggplant parmesan and I ate about 1.5 eggplants worth. We've had the s.e.x. I'm taking evening primrose oil. I'm eating spicy-er food (I hate spicy food, so this is a challenge). It's all a bunch of crap. BUT it has kept me thoroughly entertained, so I guess there is something to be said about that. Me and the pitocin will be BFF on Thursday. That sh1t better not be a joke too.
We have determined that I will not go into labor until this balloon is deflated. I'm about to take a machete to the darn thing. I've never seen a helium balloon last this long.
Today is my last day of work, tomorrow is my last doctors appointment and then I will spend the day running errands, napping, and puttering around the house. Then we head to the hospital on Wednesday night...AHHHH! I've requested a Last Supper Dinner Date with Tommy, but we quickly determined that we can't go anywhere nice because the only outfit I have is cargo pants and flip flops. Ha.
I will update as soon as I can from the hospital...I'd update Facebook, but social networking sites are blocked at my hospital. WTH are we supposed to DO on the internet!?!?! I may go into withdrawl. I can get Facebook on my cell phone via the network, not internet, but STILL. It's small and I'm snobby.
Come on Little Anna! Your dad and I are soooo ready to meet you! And I am ready for your dad to hold you for once. :) We love you so much already...let's get the party started!!
And the hormones mean that my Lent promise of not cursing lasted about 20 minutes.
One of the blogs I read does a segment called Before I Was a Mom. I think most of the things people say they would never do are ridiculous, so I can only assume they are jokes - I mean, of course kids are going to eat pizza. Unless you plan on avoiding all birthday parties from now until the end of eternity, your kids will eat pizza. Or until they come up with an equally delicious and cheap alternative...which will never happen. Because pizza is awesome. Nonetheless, I tried to put together a little list of the things Tommy and I say we will never do...before we are parents.
- Would never give my kid some outrageous amount of money for losing a tooth.
- Would never let my kid have a TV in her room.
- Would not make fast food eating a regular habit.
- Would continue to stay active and teach my kid to love the great outdoors.
- Will do everything within my power to remain flexible
Yesterday was my due date...and it came and went without any indication that Anna wants to join the real world. Apparently my womb is VERY cozy. I keep trying to tell her that her crib will be cozy too and that we have all sorts of fancy blankets, but she is stubborn. Like her dad (he rolls his eyes when I say this...I dunno why).
At 40 weeks pregnant, my belly button finally popped. That said, it's much squishier and softer than I expected it to be. It can be tamed with the panel on my pants. Thus far, I haven't gotten cankles or stretch marks, my acne has gone down to a respectable level, but I am the size of a house, I only have one outfit that fits, and I can only sit upright for about an hour at a time...I am soooo ready for this to end and to meet my little baby! I cannot believe I am still pregnant. I seriously cannot believe how much the human skin can stretch. I cannot believe how gigantic I have gotten.
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| 40 Weeks Pregnant. Let's play MASH. Mansion, Apartment, Shack or House? |
At my work baby shower, in addition to a bunch of wonderful gifts, we got an "It's a Girl" helium balloon. The shower was on March 18 and afterwards, we came home and tied it to our stairway railing. It is now April 12 and that balloon is still inflated.
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| The Birth Prediction Balloon. |
Today is my last day of work, tomorrow is my last doctors appointment and then I will spend the day running errands, napping, and puttering around the house. Then we head to the hospital on Wednesday night...AHHHH! I've requested a Last Supper Dinner Date with Tommy, but we quickly determined that we can't go anywhere nice because the only outfit I have is cargo pants and flip flops. Ha.
I will update as soon as I can from the hospital...I'd update Facebook, but social networking sites are blocked at my hospital. WTH are we supposed to DO on the internet!?!?! I may go into withdrawl. I can get Facebook on my cell phone via the network, not internet, but STILL. It's small and I'm snobby.
Come on Little Anna! Your dad and I are soooo ready to meet you! And I am ready for your dad to hold you for once. :) We love you so much already...let's get the party started!!
Friday, April 01, 2011
Subway. Legend...
...wait for it...I hope you're not lactose intolerant...dary!
I heart cheese. I heart bread. I HATE cheese on bread. So, sandwiches with cheese on them are pretty much out of the question. Grilled cheese sandwiches? [shudder] I may have thrown up a little bit in my mouth.
But when you go to Subway, they really want to put cheese on your sandwich. If you say, no thanks...they are like, really? So, I got to where I would say that "yes, I do want some cheese, but if you could just give it to me that would be great". Because, you know, cheese should be no where near a slice of bread. I never really thought much of it. I just got my two triangles of pepper jack and my sandwich and I ate them separately. It was the perfect solution.
I've been ordering my Subway sandwiches this way for years.
Tommy and I eat Subway semi-regularly. It's our go-to fast food joint. But since we don't eat fast food much (excluding the first 7 months of pregnancy), we don't eat there more than maybe once or twice a month...maybe. So this is to say that we haven't been to our neighborhood Subway often enough for the employees there to recognize us.
Unless you order your cheese on the side. Apparently.
Last week, we popped by Subway to grab some dinner becuase we were too lazy to go to the grocery store and therefore too lazy to cook. But since I am the approximate size of Jabba the Hut and don't exactly have a plethora of clothes to wear, I stayed in the car while Tommy went in to order me a delicious Turkey and Ham on white, spinach, MAS cucumbers and salt and pepper. And cheese on the side.
He came back out to the car, handed me my two delicious triangles of pepper jack, and said, "Yeah, so when I ordered your sandwich, the lady was like, "oh yeah, I know her"". Hahaha.
I'm a legend. Jared and I are already talking about our new marketing campaign.
I heart cheese. I heart bread. I HATE cheese on bread. So, sandwiches with cheese on them are pretty much out of the question. Grilled cheese sandwiches? [shudder] I may have thrown up a little bit in my mouth.
But when you go to Subway, they really want to put cheese on your sandwich. If you say, no thanks...they are like, really? So, I got to where I would say that "yes, I do want some cheese, but if you could just give it to me that would be great". Because, you know, cheese should be no where near a slice of bread. I never really thought much of it. I just got my two triangles of pepper jack and my sandwich and I ate them separately. It was the perfect solution.
I've been ordering my Subway sandwiches this way for years.
Tommy and I eat Subway semi-regularly. It's our go-to fast food joint. But since we don't eat fast food much (excluding the first 7 months of pregnancy), we don't eat there more than maybe once or twice a month...maybe. So this is to say that we haven't been to our neighborhood Subway often enough for the employees there to recognize us.
Unless you order your cheese on the side. Apparently.
Last week, we popped by Subway to grab some dinner becuase we were too lazy to go to the grocery store and therefore too lazy to cook. But since I am the approximate size of Jabba the Hut and don't exactly have a plethora of clothes to wear, I stayed in the car while Tommy went in to order me a delicious Turkey and Ham on white, spinach, MAS cucumbers and salt and pepper. And cheese on the side.
He came back out to the car, handed me my two delicious triangles of pepper jack, and said, "Yeah, so when I ordered your sandwich, the lady was like, "oh yeah, I know her"". Hahaha.
I'm a legend. Jared and I are already talking about our new marketing campaign.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Let's Get the Party Started.
It was an interesting week to say the least. And one that I am not sad to say is over. My only regret is that Anna is still not here...
Nonetheless, I had a giant pity party post that I was planning posting, but then my friend Allison wrote this incredibly sweet post on her blog and I am all of the sudden reminded of how lucky I am. Not that I had forgotten, sometimes you just need it put in perspective. And in the big scheme of things, my pity party is just pitiful. (This will not deter me from actually HAVING a pity party...it just means that I won't be writing about it at this exact moment...because, dude, 38 weeks pregnant is hard.) Let's all wish Allison good luck at her first 70.3 attempt in New Orleans in a few weeks - I will cheering you on from afar my dear! You will be AMAZING!
So, to sum up my pity party (not to whine, but to inform...the post I HAD written was VERY whiny, this is only moderately whiny):
I have been in a lot of pain since about Week 36. I spent Thursday and Friday of last week in the hospital. I was having a lot of trouble breathing (at rest) and was feeling really lightheaded. They ran a bunch of tests, but were unable to find the source of the infection (I had high white blood cell count). By Friday, the count had come down (still high, but lower than before) and they released me on bedrest. The good news is that bedrest alleviates most of my pain (yayy!). The bad news is that I don't tolerate bedrest well. I'm kind of a lazy sort, but I like to earn my laziness...I don't allow myself to just sit around. I have to run 10 miles to earn a few hours of trash tv. That's just how I roll. Sooo, this uninterrupted laziness is getting very, very, very old. Very. very, very quickly. And not having a schedule makes it hard to remember to brush your teeth. And that's just gross.
Nonetheless, I had a giant pity party post that I was planning posting, but then my friend Allison wrote this incredibly sweet post on her blog and I am all of the sudden reminded of how lucky I am. Not that I had forgotten, sometimes you just need it put in perspective. And in the big scheme of things, my pity party is just pitiful. (This will not deter me from actually HAVING a pity party...it just means that I won't be writing about it at this exact moment...because, dude, 38 weeks pregnant is hard.) Let's all wish Allison good luck at her first 70.3 attempt in New Orleans in a few weeks - I will cheering you on from afar my dear! You will be AMAZING!
So, to sum up my pity party (not to whine, but to inform...the post I HAD written was VERY whiny, this is only moderately whiny):
I have been in a lot of pain since about Week 36. I spent Thursday and Friday of last week in the hospital. I was having a lot of trouble breathing (at rest) and was feeling really lightheaded. They ran a bunch of tests, but were unable to find the source of the infection (I had high white blood cell count). By Friday, the count had come down (still high, but lower than before) and they released me on bedrest. The good news is that bedrest alleviates most of my pain (yayy!). The bad news is that I don't tolerate bedrest well. I'm kind of a lazy sort, but I like to earn my laziness...I don't allow myself to just sit around. I have to run 10 miles to earn a few hours of trash tv. That's just how I roll. Sooo, this uninterrupted laziness is getting very, very, very old. Very. very, very quickly. And not having a schedule makes it hard to remember to brush your teeth. And that's just gross.
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| Me, hanging out with my oxygen mask. |
At work, they started a pool to guess when Anna will arrive...$5 per entry, closest to the date/time wins...winner takes all. I selected April 1 and April 21...I really think she will come on Friday (only because Tommy will be about 5 hours away...) or April 21 because she hates me and wants me to suffer for as long as possible. :) Acting like a terd already. She gets it from Tommy.
But enough with the pity partying. I'm on bedrest, which is enough to make even the most inactive people go insane. But I am working from home, so at least I am occupied during the day...and then I make Tommy perform a song and dance when he gets home.My mom is the cutest thing ever. She teaches 1st grade, and on Friday, they were working on letter writing...so she wrote me a letter. Love that woman.
All my whining about my lack of king cake worked! :) My father-in-law heard my plea and sent one over and OMG, most delicious thing ever. If you have never experienced a real New Orleans king cake (preferrably from Randazzo's), you haven't lived (and no, that crap they sell at Kroger is NOT the real deal). It was even 5 days old due to some issues with the UPS and STILL the most delicious thing ever. And the best thing about king cake is that you can eat it for breakfast. Thank ya Bill!
At some point last week, I became a full fledged pregnant woman with hormones and cravings and all those wonderful things you read about. Until then, I had just been in pain. Now, I get upset about it too. And I may or may not have cried when the washing machine took too long. Yeah. Hormones. Awesome. And I had my first craving...Sprite. MUST. HAVE. SPRITE. NOOOOOOOOOW. I don't like Sprite. But man, I gotta have me a Sprite and I gotta have me a Sprite at this moment. So, now, thanks to my wonderful husband, we have a refrigerator that is fully stocked with delicious and nutritious Sprite.
My dog licked my last two Tagalongs (or Peanut Butter Patties or WHATEVER). But dude, I'm still eatin' 'em. Those are the last two. I can't miss out on the peanut buttery goodness until next year. Stupid dog. Hope she brushed her teeth after she ate poop the other day.
All in all, I am one lucky gal...thanks for the reminder Allison. :) And man, that Ironman finisher video gets me everytime. If having Anna is even half as good as finishing that race was, she will be worth all the pain I am dealing with right now. Can't wait to meet our stubborn little girl...the fat lady is singing, so let's get this over with!
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| All the important parts of the letter are circled. |
At some point last week, I became a full fledged pregnant woman with hormones and cravings and all those wonderful things you read about. Until then, I had just been in pain. Now, I get upset about it too. And I may or may not have cried when the washing machine took too long. Yeah. Hormones. Awesome. And I had my first craving...Sprite. MUST. HAVE. SPRITE. NOOOOOOOOOW. I don't like Sprite. But man, I gotta have me a Sprite and I gotta have me a Sprite at this moment. So, now, thanks to my wonderful husband, we have a refrigerator that is fully stocked with delicious and nutritious Sprite.
My dog licked my last two Tagalongs (or Peanut Butter Patties or WHATEVER). But dude, I'm still eatin' 'em. Those are the last two. I can't miss out on the peanut buttery goodness until next year. Stupid dog. Hope she brushed her teeth after she ate poop the other day.
All in all, I am one lucky gal...thanks for the reminder Allison. :) And man, that Ironman finisher video gets me everytime. If having Anna is even half as good as finishing that race was, she will be worth all the pain I am dealing with right now. Can't wait to meet our stubborn little girl...the fat lady is singing, so let's get this over with!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
She's Baaaaack!
Okay, Debbie Downer is gone. She has been replaced with her more rested sister I Finally Feel Like a Human Again Christy. Thank the lord. Now, to reach this rested state, I had to drug myself, go to bed at 8PM and lay in bed until 7AM, but I feel human. Maybe, just MAYBE, I will eat lunch with my co-workers instead of napping in the backseat of my car. [gasp!]
Tidbits:
I have given up cursing for Lent. I give up cursing every year for Lent, but since I REALLY REALLY REALLY LOVE cursing, it's never stuck. I'm moderately hoping it sticks this time since we have a little monster on the way, but I can't teach her what NOT to say unless she learns the words, eh? Let's be honest, there is no better way to express your frustration than the F word. Oh, how I love it and it's many different meanings.
I definitely weigh more than Tommy. This makes me want to curse.
My biggest pet peeve in the world is when people sing or hum in public places. I.e. in gym locker rooms, elevators, grocery stores, etc...DUDE, I don't care if you are Celine F-word Dion, shut the hell up. Sidenote: Hell is not a bad word. My child will not be allowed to say it, but that's the beauty of me being the parent and her being the child. I get full authority on language restriction.
I did not get a single slice of king cake this year. I still can't believe it.
I am counting the down the days (2) until I get to run/walk in the great outdoors. Tommy and I have plans, weather pending, to spend most of my birthday afternoon walking the park. I CANNOT wait. I think it will do wonders for my morale. (I'm tearing up just thinking about it...) And then we will come home and eat the delicious Kroger Cupcake Cake he is supposed to buy me. I don't care what you say, Kroger has the best cupcakes EVER. Had I known of their deliciousness earlier in my life, I would have had a grocery store made wedding cake. Seriously. Crave and Sprinkles and whatever don't have nothin' on Kroger.
And without further ado and because my life is boring, the ABC's of me:
(A) Age: 29...until Sunday when I hit the Dirty Thirty!
(B) Bed Size: KING. We slept on my full sized bed when we were dating (not that we slept in the same bed while we were dating mom, promise) and I have no idea how we fit. Especially now. I can only assume that all other pregnant women who sleep in smaller beds must have their husbands sleep on the couch.
(C) Chore You Hate: Taking the trash to the street. HATE IT. But I also hate folding laundry (I will go wrinkly before I will fold) and I hate washing dishes (that's what dish washers are for!)
(D) Dogs?: LOVE THEM! If Anna is allergic, we may have to send her to live with someone else. Donny the Newfie (8ish years old) and Dixie the Great Pyrenees Monster (1 year-ish)
(E) Essential Start Your Day Item: Nothing really. I'm a morning person. Once you get me out of bed, I'm usually good to go. (I also haven't stayed awake until midnight since like 4th grade when I was afraid they would freeze my underwear if I feel asleep first. I quickly realized that frozen underwear will eventually de-thaw and be just fine...and I haven't stayed awake that late ever again.)
(F) Favorite Color: It depends on my mood, but in general, fushia (I think there is a C somewhere in the spelling of fushia), all shades of green and brown.
(G) Gold or Silver? GOLD. Always gold.
(H) Height: 5'6" or 5'7" - ish. But I rarely leave the house in less than 3" heels, so most people think I am a little taller than that. Ha. So sneaky!
(I) Instruments You Play: I can rock it out on the Rock Band Drums, but beyond that, my musical talent is pretty much zilch.
(J) Job Title: Supply Chain Planner (sounds exciting, eh?)
(K) Kids: They are a necessity for the continuation of this specie. Ha. I am 8 months pregnant so I am supposed to say I love kids and babies and yayyy! But in reality, I LOVE my friends kids and my friends babies, but I do not love random babies at the mall and I do not love strange kids who want to make faces at me over my booth at a restaurant. I will love Anna with all my heart and I CANNOT wait for her to get here...but I do not think random babies are cute.
(L) Live: Texas, ya'll. My only complaint is that when ordering something online, when I go to put in my state and press "T" to get to the T states, I have to scroll down one (stupid Tennessee and its superior spelling). I'm probably never leaving.
(M) Mom's Name: Candy. And no, she isn't a stripper. At least I don't think she is.
(N) Nicknames: CBenne, Bennett, Ben, BenBen...and of course, Christy.
(O) Overnight Hospital Stays? None...yet. I'm really shooting for one in my very near future though!
(P) Pet Peeve: People who sing in public places. But since I already mentioned that, my second pet peeve is people in the locker room who want to be my naked friends. You can be naked or we can chat...we cannot do both at the same time. AND FOR GODSAKE, THE AUTOMATIC HANDDRYER IS NOT INTENDED TO DRY YOUR BUTTHOLE.
(Q) Quote from a Movie: "You lock it up. No you lock it up. Lock it up. Lock it up." Wedding Crashers. Tommy and I probably say this at least once a day. It relates to everything.
(R) Right or Left Handed? Right, but I got pretty good with my left in high school when I used to fear breaking my right hand and being stuck with only my left (my dad's favorite quote is "paranoid is a good way to be when everyone is out to get ya"...I don't know where I get it). I'm not ambidextrous by any means, but I can get the job done.
(S) Siblings: 1 Sister - Cathy and 1 Sisdog - Belle.
(T) Time You Wake Up? Pre-pregnancy - 4:30AM on the dot, 6 days a week, no ifs, ands or buts. During pregnancy - 4:30AM, with a little snoozy snooze, or sometimes 7AM. Depending on my mood. Today, it was a solid 6:39...plus a little snoozing.
(U) Underwear: It believe in its existence.
(V) Vegetable You Dislike: Cooked carrots. [gagging]
(W) What Makes You Run Late: Not much. I'm rarely late. But if I am, it's because I overscheduled myself...ooops.
(X) X-Rays You've Had Done: I'm a paranoid athlete, so most everything...teeth, ears, knees, feet, ankles, hips, shoulders...
(Y) Yummy Food You Make: Homemade mac and cheese. Let's be honest, I have a lot of skills, but cooking is sooo not one of them.
(Z) Zoo, Favorite Animal: Bears! I just want to cuddle them!
Tidbits:
I have given up cursing for Lent. I give up cursing every year for Lent, but since I REALLY REALLY REALLY LOVE cursing, it's never stuck. I'm moderately hoping it sticks this time since we have a little monster on the way, but I can't teach her what NOT to say unless she learns the words, eh? Let's be honest, there is no better way to express your frustration than the F word. Oh, how I love it and it's many different meanings.
I definitely weigh more than Tommy. This makes me want to curse.
My biggest pet peeve in the world is when people sing or hum in public places. I.e. in gym locker rooms, elevators, grocery stores, etc...DUDE, I don't care if you are Celine F-word Dion, shut the hell up. Sidenote: Hell is not a bad word. My child will not be allowed to say it, but that's the beauty of me being the parent and her being the child. I get full authority on language restriction.
I did not get a single slice of king cake this year. I still can't believe it.
I am counting the down the days (2) until I get to run/walk in the great outdoors. Tommy and I have plans, weather pending, to spend most of my birthday afternoon walking the park. I CANNOT wait. I think it will do wonders for my morale. (I'm tearing up just thinking about it...) And then we will come home and eat the delicious Kroger Cupcake Cake he is supposed to buy me. I don't care what you say, Kroger has the best cupcakes EVER. Had I known of their deliciousness earlier in my life, I would have had a grocery store made wedding cake. Seriously. Crave and Sprinkles and whatever don't have nothin' on Kroger.
And without further ado and because my life is boring, the ABC's of me:
(A) Age: 29...until Sunday when I hit the Dirty Thirty!
(B) Bed Size: KING. We slept on my full sized bed when we were dating (not that we slept in the same bed while we were dating mom, promise) and I have no idea how we fit. Especially now. I can only assume that all other pregnant women who sleep in smaller beds must have their husbands sleep on the couch.
(C) Chore You Hate: Taking the trash to the street. HATE IT. But I also hate folding laundry (I will go wrinkly before I will fold) and I hate washing dishes (that's what dish washers are for!)
(D) Dogs?: LOVE THEM! If Anna is allergic, we may have to send her to live with someone else. Donny the Newfie (8ish years old) and Dixie the Great Pyrenees Monster (1 year-ish)
(E) Essential Start Your Day Item: Nothing really. I'm a morning person. Once you get me out of bed, I'm usually good to go. (I also haven't stayed awake until midnight since like 4th grade when I was afraid they would freeze my underwear if I feel asleep first. I quickly realized that frozen underwear will eventually de-thaw and be just fine...and I haven't stayed awake that late ever again.)
(F) Favorite Color: It depends on my mood, but in general, fushia (I think there is a C somewhere in the spelling of fushia), all shades of green and brown.
(G) Gold or Silver? GOLD. Always gold.
(H) Height: 5'6" or 5'7" - ish. But I rarely leave the house in less than 3" heels, so most people think I am a little taller than that. Ha. So sneaky!
(I) Instruments You Play: I can rock it out on the Rock Band Drums, but beyond that, my musical talent is pretty much zilch.
(J) Job Title: Supply Chain Planner (sounds exciting, eh?)
(K) Kids: They are a necessity for the continuation of this specie. Ha. I am 8 months pregnant so I am supposed to say I love kids and babies and yayyy! But in reality, I LOVE my friends kids and my friends babies, but I do not love random babies at the mall and I do not love strange kids who want to make faces at me over my booth at a restaurant. I will love Anna with all my heart and I CANNOT wait for her to get here...but I do not think random babies are cute.
(L) Live: Texas, ya'll. My only complaint is that when ordering something online, when I go to put in my state and press "T" to get to the T states, I have to scroll down one (stupid Tennessee and its superior spelling). I'm probably never leaving.
(M) Mom's Name: Candy. And no, she isn't a stripper. At least I don't think she is.
(N) Nicknames: CBenne, Bennett, Ben, BenBen...and of course, Christy.
(O) Overnight Hospital Stays? None...yet. I'm really shooting for one in my very near future though!
(P) Pet Peeve: People who sing in public places. But since I already mentioned that, my second pet peeve is people in the locker room who want to be my naked friends. You can be naked or we can chat...we cannot do both at the same time. AND FOR GODSAKE, THE AUTOMATIC HANDDRYER IS NOT INTENDED TO DRY YOUR BUTTHOLE.
(Q) Quote from a Movie: "You lock it up. No you lock it up. Lock it up. Lock it up." Wedding Crashers. Tommy and I probably say this at least once a day. It relates to everything.
(R) Right or Left Handed? Right, but I got pretty good with my left in high school when I used to fear breaking my right hand and being stuck with only my left (my dad's favorite quote is "paranoid is a good way to be when everyone is out to get ya"...I don't know where I get it). I'm not ambidextrous by any means, but I can get the job done.
(S) Siblings: 1 Sister - Cathy and 1 Sisdog - Belle.
(T) Time You Wake Up? Pre-pregnancy - 4:30AM on the dot, 6 days a week, no ifs, ands or buts. During pregnancy - 4:30AM, with a little snoozy snooze, or sometimes 7AM. Depending on my mood. Today, it was a solid 6:39...plus a little snoozing.
(U) Underwear: It believe in its existence.
(V) Vegetable You Dislike: Cooked carrots. [gagging]
(W) What Makes You Run Late: Not much. I'm rarely late. But if I am, it's because I overscheduled myself...ooops.
(X) X-Rays You've Had Done: I'm a paranoid athlete, so most everything...teeth, ears, knees, feet, ankles, hips, shoulders...
(Y) Yummy Food You Make: Homemade mac and cheese. Let's be honest, I have a lot of skills, but cooking is sooo not one of them.
(Z) Zoo, Favorite Animal: Bears! I just want to cuddle them!
Friday, February 04, 2011
Snow Day!
It's a Snow Day in Houston, Texas which means absolutely nothing except that most of the city got off from work for no reason. Darn! There isn't a snowflake in sight...but the steps to our "yard" are iced over which means it is quite a challenge for the dogs to get out there to pee. Tommy has to help Donny up and down, but Dixie just slides down and crashes into the fence. There is a high of 60 degrees predicted for tomorrow, so this will all be very shortlived and tomorrow we can get back to our normal life of shorts in the winter. (Sidenote: 60 degress is still VERY cold to Houstonians. We will still be bundled in most of our winter gear tomorrow, but we will be able to eat dinner outside, which is what it's all about.)
Nonetheless, I am enjoying my day on my couch. I still have to work, but it's a half-assed affair where I sit in my pj's with the tv on and get some work done. I still find it hard to believe that there are episodes of Say Yes to the Dress that I haven't seen yet. Oh how I love bridal shows!
Knowing I would have the day off today and that it would be balls cold (call me a weenie, but it's Houston...we don't live here for the winters...) so I went to the grocery store yesterday to stock up on wintery Hunker Down supplies. The city of Houston is excellent at hunkering down...and the rest of the city was at Kroger as well. I read an entire magazine while waiting in line to checkout. But hey, saved myself $4! I bought supplies to make red beans and rice for my cajun husband and the fixin's for potato soup for me. I don't do beans. [shudder] It was my first time making both and they were deeeeelicious...even if they took all day.
My only complaint about today is that we have breastfeeding class tonight (yippee!) and that means I will actually have to shower at some point. Tragedy strikes again.
In other news, the pics from the half marathon are up...
This is what "running" a half marathon looks like at 30 weeks pregnant.
And this is what running a half marathon (without the quotes) looks like. Tommy is giving the Shocker in honor of the baby!
Nonetheless, I am enjoying my day on my couch. I still have to work, but it's a half-assed affair where I sit in my pj's with the tv on and get some work done. I still find it hard to believe that there are episodes of Say Yes to the Dress that I haven't seen yet. Oh how I love bridal shows!
Knowing I would have the day off today and that it would be balls cold (call me a weenie, but it's Houston...we don't live here for the winters...) so I went to the grocery store yesterday to stock up on wintery Hunker Down supplies. The city of Houston is excellent at hunkering down...and the rest of the city was at Kroger as well. I read an entire magazine while waiting in line to checkout. But hey, saved myself $4! I bought supplies to make red beans and rice for my cajun husband and the fixin's for potato soup for me. I don't do beans. [shudder] It was my first time making both and they were deeeeelicious...even if they took all day.
My only complaint about today is that we have breastfeeding class tonight (yippee!) and that means I will actually have to shower at some point. Tragedy strikes again.
In other news, the pics from the half marathon are up...
This is what "running" a half marathon looks like at 30 weeks pregnant.
And this is what running a half marathon (without the quotes) looks like. Tommy is giving the Shocker in honor of the baby!
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Ironman VS. Pregnancy
Last night Tommy was talking about his Ironman training (I try to coach him, but he never listens...terrible student) and he brought up the fact that pregnancy and birth are like Ironman because in both events, you train for about 9 months in preparation for the big event that will likely take anywhere from 8 to 17 hours.
Ironman Time: 12:55
Labor and Delivery Time: TBD (but let's shoot for something less than 12:55, shall we?)
The only difference is that doping is totally legal in labor and delivery.
************
Have I ever mentioned my obsession with Diet DrPepper with a splash of rootbeer? OMG. You get the flavor of rootbeer without all the sweetness and calories. Deeeeeelicious.
Diet DP and Rootbeer. Perfection.
Ironman Time: 12:55
Labor and Delivery Time: TBD (but let's shoot for something less than 12:55, shall we?)
The only difference is that doping is totally legal in labor and delivery.
************
Have I ever mentioned my obsession with Diet DrPepper with a splash of rootbeer? OMG. You get the flavor of rootbeer without all the sweetness and calories. Deeeeeelicious.
Diet DP and Rootbeer. Perfection.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Lessons Learned.
I learned a lot today.
I learned why so many women fail their 1 hour gestational diabetes test. Now, I'm not a doctor, nor do I specialize in endocrinology, but I've got to think that a test that measures blood sugar levels would be much more effective if they took a baseline reading. I dunno. But yayy for the yummy orange drink in my belly!!
I learned that I should have married a fat man. My doctor informed me that in all likelyhood I will weigh more than my husband at the end of this pregnancy. This will only be exaggerrated by his desire to reach race weight by the time IM rolls around and my new found love of Golden Oreos. Once Tommy heard this news, he began to gloat...until he realized that gloating could end in his castration. Gloating quickly turned to fear.
I learned that Golden Oreos are easily the most delicious cookie in all of the land. I am petitioning to Oreo that they be removed from the shelf once I deliver. They can be sold again should I ever become impregnated again. These cookies cannot exist in my post-partem world if I ever want to weigh less than my husband again.
I learned why so many women fail their 1 hour gestational diabetes test. Now, I'm not a doctor, nor do I specialize in endocrinology, but I've got to think that a test that measures blood sugar levels would be much more effective if they took a baseline reading. I dunno. But yayy for the yummy orange drink in my belly!!
I learned that I should have married a fat man. My doctor informed me that in all likelyhood I will weigh more than my husband at the end of this pregnancy. This will only be exaggerrated by his desire to reach race weight by the time IM rolls around and my new found love of Golden Oreos. Once Tommy heard this news, he began to gloat...until he realized that gloating could end in his castration. Gloating quickly turned to fear.
I learned that Golden Oreos are easily the most delicious cookie in all of the land. I am petitioning to Oreo that they be removed from the shelf once I deliver. They can be sold again should I ever become impregnated again. These cookies cannot exist in my post-partem world if I ever want to weigh less than my husband again.
Friday, January 14, 2011
The Horror.
Blogger has been blocked at my office all week.
It has been a very dramatic week, to say the least. A week without Blogger is like a week without, well, happiness. I mean, I can still read everyone's blogs, but A.)I can't see the pictures, B.)I can't comment C.) I can't update my own blog and D.) I just don't like reading them on the RSS feed. It hurts my eyes.
And normally I would play catch up in the evenings, but this week was crazy busy after work. We normally limit our weekly after work activities to one night out (you know, dinner or drinks with friends, whathave you), but this week, we had plans every.single.night. I am pooped. It was all fun, but dude, I wasn't made to be a party animal. And I especially wasn't made to be a sober party animal. This much I know.
Alas. Blogger is open again for my enjoyment and tonight I plan on putting on PJ's and catching up on all the quality TV that I missed during the week. Don't worry Brad Womack, I won't make you wait this long next week.
Updates. I know you are dying to know what is going on with me. Don't hurt yourself, I'll just tell you.
I am officially on the downhill slope of this pregnancy gig. Today is January 14 and I am due on April 14 which gives me 3 months left. Hooray!! I also FINALLY started feeling good, for the first time the whole pregnancy...I'm hoping this means I paid my dues and I will feel awesome during the third trimester because I felt like general death during the 1st and 2nd, but I doubt this is how it will go down. I will revel in my 2 weeks of Feel Good and hope for a 3rd! Keep your fingers crossed!
I quit one of my gyms. I joined there to swim, but the indoor pool is always crowded and the outdoor pool isn't really heated and there are no lifeguards. This ultimately means that last week, I was swimming in 50 degree air temps, 65 degree water, in the dark, all by myself...at 6 months pregnant. If this doesn't sound like a recipe for disaster, I don't know what does. So I quit. Oh well. Looks like I will just have to schlep to the YMCA in the mornings again. Ugh.
I am done running. It's official. I'm not saying I won't be running 2 miles here and there, but my days of 6-10 milers are over for the time being. I am going to attempt to walk 10 miles this weekend in training for the half in weeks, but I don't have high hopes of completion. Walking is just about the most boring time consuming activity I can think of and I just hate it. I've got my iPod ready to go though and I'm hoping I can stick it out. All that said, there is no way I can walk the race fast enough to finish within the alloted time (13:45 pace)...so I'm not sure of my plan of attack on that yet.
We have decided on a name for our little one! I won't tell you it here because, well, you are a bunch of stalkers, but for those curious, it's very traditional, it's a family name, and it's very Catholic...and we aren't Catholic. But should we decide to become Catholic, she is ready to go!
A woman got kicked out of a bar because she was pregnant. Discrimination or good/safe call?
Da Baby's crib bedding arrived this week and it looks SOOO good! I will eventually take pictures and post them for you to critique. Her colors are lime green and aqua...I bought a lime green rug and I think it might be too much...I may be on the hunt for an aqua rug. Keep your eyes peeled. Oh, and if you see any cute owl wall paraphenalia (ie birdcages (yes, I know owls don't live in cages, but WHATEVER), cool art or crafty ideas), please send them!
I haven't been hating on the elliptical as much as I used to...maybe because it's so freaking hard when you are 20 pounds heavier than you are used to being. I've also been walking on the treadmill at lunch while reading How Not To Kill Your Newborn books. Such entertaining reading.
I am still baffled by the number of people who voluntarily choose not to vaccinate their children.
Maternity tights are the greatest invention of all time. I will only purchase maternity tights from now on.
I am kind of over my fantasies about sleeping on my belly. Now I daydream about appletinis and salmon sushi. When this girl hatches, my recovery meal besta be a giant slab of raw salmon and a giant vat of appletini (preferably from Mafreless, but I doubt they deliver).
Tommy's IM training is fully underway and I am fully jealous. His goal is to get most of the big training days in before the baby comes and then anything that happens after she gets here will be a bonus. It's kind of nice though - because Ironman is kind of like pregnancy, we are both exhausted and sore all the time, always hungry, have too much laundry and too many dishes, and no one wants to walk the dog. The bad news is that I have 12 blueberry muffins to eat all by myself on Saturdays because he is gone riding his bike all day. Danger danger.
Okay, that's about it. Here's hoping Blogger works next week. I don't think I can survive another week without it.
It has been a very dramatic week, to say the least. A week without Blogger is like a week without, well, happiness. I mean, I can still read everyone's blogs, but A.)I can't see the pictures, B.)I can't comment C.) I can't update my own blog and D.) I just don't like reading them on the RSS feed. It hurts my eyes.
And normally I would play catch up in the evenings, but this week was crazy busy after work. We normally limit our weekly after work activities to one night out (you know, dinner or drinks with friends, whathave you), but this week, we had plans every.single.night. I am pooped. It was all fun, but dude, I wasn't made to be a party animal. And I especially wasn't made to be a sober party animal. This much I know.
Alas. Blogger is open again for my enjoyment and tonight I plan on putting on PJ's and catching up on all the quality TV that I missed during the week. Don't worry Brad Womack, I won't make you wait this long next week.
Updates. I know you are dying to know what is going on with me. Don't hurt yourself, I'll just tell you.
I am officially on the downhill slope of this pregnancy gig. Today is January 14 and I am due on April 14 which gives me 3 months left. Hooray!! I also FINALLY started feeling good, for the first time the whole pregnancy...I'm hoping this means I paid my dues and I will feel awesome during the third trimester because I felt like general death during the 1st and 2nd, but I doubt this is how it will go down. I will revel in my 2 weeks of Feel Good and hope for a 3rd! Keep your fingers crossed!
I quit one of my gyms. I joined there to swim, but the indoor pool is always crowded and the outdoor pool isn't really heated and there are no lifeguards. This ultimately means that last week, I was swimming in 50 degree air temps, 65 degree water, in the dark, all by myself...at 6 months pregnant. If this doesn't sound like a recipe for disaster, I don't know what does. So I quit. Oh well. Looks like I will just have to schlep to the YMCA in the mornings again. Ugh.
I am done running. It's official. I'm not saying I won't be running 2 miles here and there, but my days of 6-10 milers are over for the time being. I am going to attempt to walk 10 miles this weekend in training for the half in weeks, but I don't have high hopes of completion. Walking is just about the most boring time consuming activity I can think of and I just hate it. I've got my iPod ready to go though and I'm hoping I can stick it out. All that said, there is no way I can walk the race fast enough to finish within the alloted time (13:45 pace)...so I'm not sure of my plan of attack on that yet.
We have decided on a name for our little one! I won't tell you it here because, well, you are a bunch of stalkers, but for those curious, it's very traditional, it's a family name, and it's very Catholic...and we aren't Catholic. But should we decide to become Catholic, she is ready to go!
A woman got kicked out of a bar because she was pregnant. Discrimination or good/safe call?
Da Baby's crib bedding arrived this week and it looks SOOO good! I will eventually take pictures and post them for you to critique. Her colors are lime green and aqua...I bought a lime green rug and I think it might be too much...I may be on the hunt for an aqua rug. Keep your eyes peeled. Oh, and if you see any cute owl wall paraphenalia (ie birdcages (yes, I know owls don't live in cages, but WHATEVER), cool art or crafty ideas), please send them!
I haven't been hating on the elliptical as much as I used to...maybe because it's so freaking hard when you are 20 pounds heavier than you are used to being. I've also been walking on the treadmill at lunch while reading How Not To Kill Your Newborn books. Such entertaining reading.
I am still baffled by the number of people who voluntarily choose not to vaccinate their children.
Maternity tights are the greatest invention of all time. I will only purchase maternity tights from now on.
I am kind of over my fantasies about sleeping on my belly. Now I daydream about appletinis and salmon sushi. When this girl hatches, my recovery meal besta be a giant slab of raw salmon and a giant vat of appletini (preferably from Mafreless, but I doubt they deliver).
Tommy's IM training is fully underway and I am fully jealous. His goal is to get most of the big training days in before the baby comes and then anything that happens after she gets here will be a bonus. It's kind of nice though - because Ironman is kind of like pregnancy, we are both exhausted and sore all the time, always hungry, have too much laundry and too many dishes, and no one wants to walk the dog. The bad news is that I have 12 blueberry muffins to eat all by myself on Saturdays because he is gone riding his bike all day. Danger danger.
Okay, that's about it. Here's hoping Blogger works next week. I don't think I can survive another week without it.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
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.
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.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
What My Mama Taught Me.
My mama taught me some manners. I can't say that I always USE them, but I at least KNOW them.
She taught me that if I go to someones house for dinner I have to eat a little bit of everything. So for example, I went to my BFF Paige's house for dinner the other night and she told me we were having Potato Soup Salad. I ate a little snack beforehand because dude, potato soup salad sounds gross. But I knew I would have to eat a little of it, because that's polite. I just didn't want to starve too.
Turns out that Paige just doesn't like to use punctuation in her texts and we were actually having Potato Soup COMMA Salad...which was quite tasty. It's a shame I wasn't hungry enough to eat all of it.
Fast forward to yesterday at work when we were all sitting around discussing what everyone else was bringing for the potluck today. I said I was bringing mac and cheese and someone said, "It better be homemade, Kraft is gross". I said, "Nah, I'm gonna bring Kraft because the only thing we have to heat it up with is a microwave and microwaved homemade mac is nasty". She said, "That's gross. People will be disappointed."
I almost punched her.
My response to that was, "Well, then you don't have to eat it and you are welcome to bring your own homemade mac".
Let us bear in mind that the person making these comments is my boss.
I may be unemployed tomorrow.
The conversation went on and on about how Kraft is gross (which let's be honest, it's not as good as homemade in any way, shape or form, but it is not gross) and how I am a terrible person and am ruining Thanksgiving, etc...
DUDE. It's the work potluck. It's not even in close proximity to Thanksgiving. I have got to hope that you have more important things to worry about.
Are you allowed to critsize the food that others bring to a potluck? My mama would say no.
She taught me that if I go to someones house for dinner I have to eat a little bit of everything. So for example, I went to my BFF Paige's house for dinner the other night and she told me we were having Potato Soup Salad. I ate a little snack beforehand because dude, potato soup salad sounds gross. But I knew I would have to eat a little of it, because that's polite. I just didn't want to starve too.
Turns out that Paige just doesn't like to use punctuation in her texts and we were actually having Potato Soup COMMA Salad...which was quite tasty. It's a shame I wasn't hungry enough to eat all of it.
Fast forward to yesterday at work when we were all sitting around discussing what everyone else was bringing for the potluck today. I said I was bringing mac and cheese and someone said, "It better be homemade, Kraft is gross". I said, "Nah, I'm gonna bring Kraft because the only thing we have to heat it up with is a microwave and microwaved homemade mac is nasty". She said, "That's gross. People will be disappointed."
I almost punched her.
My response to that was, "Well, then you don't have to eat it and you are welcome to bring your own homemade mac".
Let us bear in mind that the person making these comments is my boss.
I may be unemployed tomorrow.
The conversation went on and on about how Kraft is gross (which let's be honest, it's not as good as homemade in any way, shape or form, but it is not gross) and how I am a terrible person and am ruining Thanksgiving, etc...
DUDE. It's the work potluck. It's not even in close proximity to Thanksgiving. I have got to hope that you have more important things to worry about.
Are you allowed to critsize the food that others bring to a potluck? My mama would say no.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Pee, Pee and More Pee
Truthfully, other than my totally irrational (yet common) fears that something tragic will happen to my unborn child, the thing I think about most is when I will get to pee again. I am constantly in need of a place to pee.
I can tell you the exact distance (in either feet or minutes) it will take you to reach a bathroom at any given location in the great Houston metroplex. I can probably give you most of the stops on the way to Dallas and the DFW area as well, but don't test me.
I don't know how something so small has the ability to shrink my bladder so significantly but then I start thinking about what will happen when Cletus actually starts to reach full term...I'm totally screwed. I'm gonna buy stock in She-Wee. Maybe I can be their spokesperson!
I ran the Houston Half Marathon yesterday...although my name is not in the results . It's probably better this way...that way there is no proof of my slow time. Ha.
The weather was perfect racing weather for me - kind of warmish (about 80 for you northerners) and humid as hell. Everyone else seemed to be in a tizzy about it, but I heart the humidity. I'm pretty sure Cletus is gonna have gills. Part man, part fish! Almost like a mermaid, but not.
Nonetheless, I had a great race...not because I raced well, because, let's be honest, racing well when you are pregnant isn't all that smart of an idea...but I had a great race because it was great day. And frankly, all in all, I had a good run. I enjoyed my day thoroughly.
HOWEVER.
There's always a "however".
Before the race started - after the prayer, but before the Star Spangled Banner - I had to pee. Again. But I didn't want to wander too far from the start...so I just found a post and went behind that. I told the other guy standing there just to avoid eye contact and we would never talk about this again. Nevermind the 3,000 runners who just got up close and personal with my pasty rear, but as long as you avoid eye contact, they can't tag you on Facebook. GENIUS!
I was feeling pretty good, running with my pal Laura. We were both taking it easy - she is running New York in 2 weeks and I am pregnant (no way!?!) so we were just enjoying the day. I found a bush to pee behind around mile 2...and again around mile 3.5...and thus a trend was born. Laura bailed on me around mile 5 (she wasn't feeling so hot) and I was on my own...peeing on the side of the road of a race is way better when you have a buddy, btw.
I peed 7 times during the half marathon. 7 times. That's more than every 2 miles. No wonder my time was 2 hours and 20 minutes even though I felt like I was running a decent pace. Ha. And I had to refill the water bottle I was carrying at every other water station...
Over the course the race, I peed 7 times (7 times!), drank 3-16 ounce bottles of water, a FULL cup of Gatorade every 2 miles and 4 Clif-Blocs. I'm pretty sure this sets a world record of consumption at the half marathon level. I should have gotten an award.
All in all, I had a great race. Going slow wasn't easy, especially at the end when I felt like a rockstar and could have run 8 minute miles on the last few miles, but I know it was the right thing to do. And ultimately, I acheived my goal of finishing in time to get a shirt in my size (this race is notorious of running out of appropriate sizes). I got my shirt (even though it's ugly as sin), enjoyed my morning and felt like I challenged myself a little...and celebrated with crepes. There is little else more enjoyable than eating a delicious reward after a good race.
I love racing. And I love Cletus. Finding the balance is hard. Especially when I have to pee every 15 minutes.
I can tell you the exact distance (in either feet or minutes) it will take you to reach a bathroom at any given location in the great Houston metroplex. I can probably give you most of the stops on the way to Dallas and the DFW area as well, but don't test me.
I don't know how something so small has the ability to shrink my bladder so significantly but then I start thinking about what will happen when Cletus actually starts to reach full term...I'm totally screwed. I'm gonna buy stock in She-Wee. Maybe I can be their spokesperson!
I ran the Houston Half Marathon yesterday...although my name is not in the results . It's probably better this way...that way there is no proof of my slow time. Ha.
The weather was perfect racing weather for me - kind of warmish (about 80 for you northerners) and humid as hell. Everyone else seemed to be in a tizzy about it, but I heart the humidity. I'm pretty sure Cletus is gonna have gills. Part man, part fish! Almost like a mermaid, but not.
Nonetheless, I had a great race...not because I raced well, because, let's be honest, racing well when you are pregnant isn't all that smart of an idea...but I had a great race because it was great day. And frankly, all in all, I had a good run. I enjoyed my day thoroughly.
HOWEVER.
There's always a "however".
Before the race started - after the prayer, but before the Star Spangled Banner - I had to pee. Again. But I didn't want to wander too far from the start...so I just found a post and went behind that. I told the other guy standing there just to avoid eye contact and we would never talk about this again. Nevermind the 3,000 runners who just got up close and personal with my pasty rear, but as long as you avoid eye contact, they can't tag you on Facebook. GENIUS!
I was feeling pretty good, running with my pal Laura. We were both taking it easy - she is running New York in 2 weeks and I am pregnant (no way!?!) so we were just enjoying the day. I found a bush to pee behind around mile 2...and again around mile 3.5...and thus a trend was born. Laura bailed on me around mile 5 (she wasn't feeling so hot) and I was on my own...peeing on the side of the road of a race is way better when you have a buddy, btw.
I peed 7 times during the half marathon. 7 times. That's more than every 2 miles. No wonder my time was 2 hours and 20 minutes even though I felt like I was running a decent pace. Ha. And I had to refill the water bottle I was carrying at every other water station...
Over the course the race, I peed 7 times (7 times!), drank 3-16 ounce bottles of water, a FULL cup of Gatorade every 2 miles and 4 Clif-Blocs. I'm pretty sure this sets a world record of consumption at the half marathon level. I should have gotten an award.
All in all, I had a great race. Going slow wasn't easy, especially at the end when I felt like a rockstar and could have run 8 minute miles on the last few miles, but I know it was the right thing to do. And ultimately, I acheived my goal of finishing in time to get a shirt in my size (this race is notorious of running out of appropriate sizes). I got my shirt (even though it's ugly as sin), enjoyed my morning and felt like I challenged myself a little...and celebrated with crepes. There is little else more enjoyable than eating a delicious reward after a good race.
I love racing. And I love Cletus. Finding the balance is hard. Especially when I have to pee every 15 minutes.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Family Circus
A couple of family classics from the Bennett Family Story Book:
One time, my parents dog diarrhea'd in the living room while my parents were at work. They have a robotic vacuum that vacuums while they are away. Normally, this is a nice feature. On this particular day, however, with diarrhea in the middle of the room, vacuuming was not optimal. Roomba drug poop all over the house. Mom came home, saw the poop and promptly left with emergency plans for happy hour. She just giggled to herself when dad came home to the mess. Evil. Pure evil.
I love Kevin Smith. Heart him. Have loved all his movies and spent a lot of time in high school watching Mallrats and Clerks. When I heard about Chasing Amy, I just had to rent it. My dad had also heard how good it was, so we rented it together one night, made our popcorn and sat down to view. And then the opening scene was two women doing things to each other no father daughter combo should ever witness together. Dad promptly decided it was time to clean the kitchen.
At Thanksgiving one year, my mom decided to make homemade gravy. Now, while my mom can cook up a great many dishes, she is not the culinary wizard that I am (hahahaha)and the gravy turned out to look a lot more like diarrhea than gravy. It was lumpy, yet runny and a disturbing shade of brown. I, of course, found this to be absolutely hysterical and could not stop laughing. I was laughing so hard I was crying. I eventually had to remove myself from the Thanksgiving meal and eat alone in the other room. I was at least 23 when this happened. I shall never grow up.
When the blogging gets old, the old get older by blogging old ridiculous stories.
There is also the time my parents drank too much Franzia and locked me and my sister out of the house. Hahaha. Now THAT's a story that never gets old. My mom has lived in fear her whole life that I would tell everyone that story...muuuuhahahahaha. And I still turned out okay. Who knew?
One time, my parents dog diarrhea'd in the living room while my parents were at work. They have a robotic vacuum that vacuums while they are away. Normally, this is a nice feature. On this particular day, however, with diarrhea in the middle of the room, vacuuming was not optimal. Roomba drug poop all over the house. Mom came home, saw the poop and promptly left with emergency plans for happy hour. She just giggled to herself when dad came home to the mess. Evil. Pure evil.
I love Kevin Smith. Heart him. Have loved all his movies and spent a lot of time in high school watching Mallrats and Clerks. When I heard about Chasing Amy, I just had to rent it. My dad had also heard how good it was, so we rented it together one night, made our popcorn and sat down to view. And then the opening scene was two women doing things to each other no father daughter combo should ever witness together. Dad promptly decided it was time to clean the kitchen.
At Thanksgiving one year, my mom decided to make homemade gravy. Now, while my mom can cook up a great many dishes, she is not the culinary wizard that I am (hahahaha)and the gravy turned out to look a lot more like diarrhea than gravy. It was lumpy, yet runny and a disturbing shade of brown. I, of course, found this to be absolutely hysterical and could not stop laughing. I was laughing so hard I was crying. I eventually had to remove myself from the Thanksgiving meal and eat alone in the other room. I was at least 23 when this happened. I shall never grow up.
When the blogging gets old, the old get older by blogging old ridiculous stories.
There is also the time my parents drank too much Franzia and locked me and my sister out of the house. Hahaha. Now THAT's a story that never gets old. My mom has lived in fear her whole life that I would tell everyone that story...muuuuhahahahaha. And I still turned out okay. Who knew?
Friday, June 11, 2010
Is it Kroger? Or Krogers?
This is the endless debate. The good news is that Kroger(s) is single handedly making people more dumb just for having walked through their automatic sliding glass doors.
I called Kroger(s) today to order a cupcake cake for Tommy's birthday. (I don't care what people say, cupcake cakes ROCK. They are easy to cut, no clean up, and you can never have too much icing. So suck it.)
I spoke to a man we will call Ben Dover. Our conversation went something like this:
Ben Dover: Hi. (There were no pleasantries, of "Hi, this is Ben, thanks for calling Kroger(s).", just "Hi".)
Me: Hi, yeah, is this Kroger(s) bakery?
Ben Dover: Um, yeah, this is the bakery.
Me: I'd like to order a cupcake cake please.
Ben Dover: You want to place an order? (as though this is the first time this has been done. Ever.)
Me: Yes please. I'd like like a cupcake cake with 16 cupcakes in a square. (this is for an adult, really, we don't need anything fancy)
Ben: What kind?
Me: I'd like white cake with white icing.
Ben Dover: Wait, I thought you wanted a cupcake cake?
Me: I do - 16 in a square.
Ben Dover: But you just said you wanted white cake?
Me: Yes, I would like a cupcake cake made with white cake and white icing.
Ben Dover: But...?
Me: You DO know that cupcake are made out of cake, right?
Ben: Oh.
...I placed my order and finished this phone call quickly. I will pick it up tomorrow. Only the good lord knows what this cake will actually look like.
Kroger(s): Making people dummer since 1934.
I called Kroger(s) today to order a cupcake cake for Tommy's birthday. (I don't care what people say, cupcake cakes ROCK. They are easy to cut, no clean up, and you can never have too much icing. So suck it.)
I spoke to a man we will call Ben Dover. Our conversation went something like this:
Ben Dover: Hi. (There were no pleasantries, of "Hi, this is Ben, thanks for calling Kroger(s).", just "Hi".)
Me: Hi, yeah, is this Kroger(s) bakery?
Ben Dover: Um, yeah, this is the bakery.
Me: I'd like to order a cupcake cake please.
Ben Dover: You want to place an order? (as though this is the first time this has been done. Ever.)
Me: Yes please. I'd like like a cupcake cake with 16 cupcakes in a square. (this is for an adult, really, we don't need anything fancy)
Ben: What kind?
Me: I'd like white cake with white icing.
Ben Dover: Wait, I thought you wanted a cupcake cake?
Me: I do - 16 in a square.
Ben Dover: But you just said you wanted white cake?
Me: Yes, I would like a cupcake cake made with white cake and white icing.
Ben Dover: But...?
Me: You DO know that cupcake are made out of cake, right?
Ben: Oh.
...I placed my order and finished this phone call quickly. I will pick it up tomorrow. Only the good lord knows what this cake will actually look like.
Kroger(s): Making people dummer since 1934.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
I Apologize to my Adoring Fans.
Ha. But seriously. I hate not blogging for such a long time. But sadly for me, they have blocked blogger at my office (OMG!!). This is good for my company because I will no longer waste time scouring the blogs of my internet friends, but bad for my company because in reality, I will find something else to look at or consume more than my fair share of Flavia. And that sh1t ain't cheap.
Nonetheless, I haven't blogged in almost a month. Holy crap.
To recap my uneventful life, this month I have:
Started all the medications associated with PCOS and insulin resistance. Thus far, this has not gone well. Metformin is an evil drug.
Raced the first half ironman event of the year - missed my goal my 26 minutes (I blame the Metformin), but PRed by 30 minutes...so not all was lost. I hate Mickey Mouse.
Hung out on the beach and acheived a sunburn. Quite impressive if you are me.
Swam with stingrays, got pinched by a crab (and then ate his siblings), watched a pod of dolphins.
Ate crawfish bread, boiled crabs, hung out with the in-laws and just generally relaxed. I have yet to bathe today. And I ran 5 miles this morning.
Driven (and by drive, I mean, be a passenger) almost 2000 miles in less than a week. My butt hurts.
I will update with anecdotes and race reports soon. Until then, can you all please just start emailing me your blogs? Stupid work firewall.
Nonetheless, I haven't blogged in almost a month. Holy crap.
To recap my uneventful life, this month I have:
Started all the medications associated with PCOS and insulin resistance. Thus far, this has not gone well. Metformin is an evil drug.
Raced the first half ironman event of the year - missed my goal my 26 minutes (I blame the Metformin), but PRed by 30 minutes...so not all was lost. I hate Mickey Mouse.
Hung out on the beach and acheived a sunburn. Quite impressive if you are me.
Swam with stingrays, got pinched by a crab (and then ate his siblings), watched a pod of dolphins.
Ate crawfish bread, boiled crabs, hung out with the in-laws and just generally relaxed. I have yet to bathe today. And I ran 5 miles this morning.
Driven (and by drive, I mean, be a passenger) almost 2000 miles in less than a week. My butt hurts.
I will update with anecdotes and race reports soon. Until then, can you all please just start emailing me your blogs? Stupid work firewall.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Cookies Under the Bed.
I struggle with my weight. You've read blog after blog after blog after blog about me whining about my weight. My biggest issue is not necessarily how much I weigh or how I look...it's more about how hard I have to work to look this way.
Looking the way I do shouldn't take much effort - an easy jog a couple of times a week and eating what I do should be more than enough to maintain my current figure, but it's not. I have seen nutritionists and complained to my friends but as a general rule, they shake their heads and look at me with a look that says "I know you have a box of Girl Scout cookies under your bed so stop your whining. Eat less, workout more."
I have been saying for awhile now that there is something else going on and after a trip to an endocrinologist, a lot of lab work, and a week of waiting, the results are in. I was right...there IS something wrong with me!
It's kind of bittersweet because having something wrong with me obviously isn't ideal, but it's nice to have the answers that I have been looking for for so long and to finally hear that it wasn't all in my head. There is no way I could lose weight...my body WAS rejecting me. Despite my diagnoses, I feel satisfied knowing that it wasn't all in my head...that I WAS doing the best I could possibly do...that I WAS doing the right and healthy thing...and that without some sort of intervention, nothing was going to change.
So, the verdict: I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). In short, I have too much testosterone and I have numerous small cysts located along the outer edge of each ovary.
There are several symptoms of PCOS - excessive hair growth, acne, irregular periods (sorry guys)...and obesity. Generally (but not always) women with PCOS are excessively overweight. I have what they deem to be "Compensatory PCOS"...which basically means that the only reason I don't weigh 300lbs is because I work my butt off every single day...and if I were to stop working out and eating right, I would likely get to the point of seeing 300lbs on the scale.
There are 3 parts to PCOS:
1. Cosmetic - Acne
2. Reproductive - women with PCOS often have a hard time getting pregnant
3. Metabolic - Insulin resistance
We are treating these issues with a number of medications - one of which I am supposed to take "when I know I will be at home for a few days because I will likely have BODACIOUS diarrhea". And yes, the doctor used the word "bodacious" to describe my shit. Looks like we will definitely need to invest in the Turd Tape.
I am supposed to start a low carbohydrate diet (such as South Beach) to combat the insulin resistance. This will be especially hard, because those with insulin resistance tend to crave carbs (of course! Why would it be easy?!?). My biggest challenge will be balancing the low-carb requirements with my exercise - athletes can't easily go low-carb without doing serious damage, so I will be meeting with my nutritionist to discuss the possibilities there.
I also have a low thyroid and high red blood cells...my medicine cabinet now looks like an old lady lives there.
I am a little scared about the diagnoses and what it might mean for Tommy and I and potential little Blains, but my doctor feels confident that it won't create any issues (not that anyone can predict the future, so my best case scenerio is that I'm just not gonna worry about it now), so I am putting my trust in him for the time being.
I finally got the answers I have been searching for. And for that, I am thankful. I have a path forward and an action plan...and it's not all in my head.
All in all, I feel happy that I found someone to listen to me without the condescending look of knowing that I hide cookies under my bed.
Looking the way I do shouldn't take much effort - an easy jog a couple of times a week and eating what I do should be more than enough to maintain my current figure, but it's not. I have seen nutritionists and complained to my friends but as a general rule, they shake their heads and look at me with a look that says "I know you have a box of Girl Scout cookies under your bed so stop your whining. Eat less, workout more."
I have been saying for awhile now that there is something else going on and after a trip to an endocrinologist, a lot of lab work, and a week of waiting, the results are in. I was right...there IS something wrong with me!
It's kind of bittersweet because having something wrong with me obviously isn't ideal, but it's nice to have the answers that I have been looking for for so long and to finally hear that it wasn't all in my head. There is no way I could lose weight...my body WAS rejecting me. Despite my diagnoses, I feel satisfied knowing that it wasn't all in my head...that I WAS doing the best I could possibly do...that I WAS doing the right and healthy thing...and that without some sort of intervention, nothing was going to change.
So, the verdict: I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). In short, I have too much testosterone and I have numerous small cysts located along the outer edge of each ovary.
There are several symptoms of PCOS - excessive hair growth, acne, irregular periods (sorry guys)...and obesity. Generally (but not always) women with PCOS are excessively overweight. I have what they deem to be "Compensatory PCOS"...which basically means that the only reason I don't weigh 300lbs is because I work my butt off every single day...and if I were to stop working out and eating right, I would likely get to the point of seeing 300lbs on the scale.
There are 3 parts to PCOS:
1. Cosmetic - Acne
2. Reproductive - women with PCOS often have a hard time getting pregnant
3. Metabolic - Insulin resistance
We are treating these issues with a number of medications - one of which I am supposed to take "when I know I will be at home for a few days because I will likely have BODACIOUS diarrhea". And yes, the doctor used the word "bodacious" to describe my shit. Looks like we will definitely need to invest in the Turd Tape.
I am supposed to start a low carbohydrate diet (such as South Beach) to combat the insulin resistance. This will be especially hard, because those with insulin resistance tend to crave carbs (of course! Why would it be easy?!?). My biggest challenge will be balancing the low-carb requirements with my exercise - athletes can't easily go low-carb without doing serious damage, so I will be meeting with my nutritionist to discuss the possibilities there.
I also have a low thyroid and high red blood cells...my medicine cabinet now looks like an old lady lives there.
I am a little scared about the diagnoses and what it might mean for Tommy and I and potential little Blains, but my doctor feels confident that it won't create any issues (not that anyone can predict the future, so my best case scenerio is that I'm just not gonna worry about it now), so I am putting my trust in him for the time being.
I finally got the answers I have been searching for. And for that, I am thankful. I have a path forward and an action plan...and it's not all in my head.
All in all, I feel happy that I found someone to listen to me without the condescending look of knowing that I hide cookies under my bed.
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