Jonsing for Fall....

Week 18-

 I'm at that point in the Florida summer where I can't get my sights (and my smells) off of fall.  The crisp, cool air (well, what little we get in Florida), time spent at local coffee shops with some of my dear friends, pumpkin spice EVERYTHING (lattes, coffees, candles, cookies, etc.) the feel of the fall layers against your skin, I could seriously go on forever in detailing all that I love about fall.  Which is why it came so easy to both Chris and I to decide on one of our name options, but I'll save that for a later post!  For now I'll just post several photos of that remind me of fall...(I hope to locate my snapshots of Manhappenin' leaves in the fall because they are absolutely incredible!)

~Fall on the beach!~

~Two people I adore from the Little Apple~



~K-State tailgating with two of my faves!  Warming our wine on the grill!~

And some of the biggest news this week? The crib has arrived!!  It literally came overnight after we ordered it doing night after night of research as to what would be the perfect fit for the little one.  This week was busy as we prepped for sending Andy off overseas. The weekend was awesome as we spent time at some of our favorite local hangouts and restaurants, talking, laughing and just making good memories before Chris had to say good-bye to his partner in crime for 5 months.  We know the time will fly but for us it's almost like we sent off a member of our family!  Chris is especially down but I promised him that I would comfort him and that I am pretty sure I know what he is going through.  We're excited to have a housewarming party for Andy when he gets back not to mention have him be here for the birth (if the military wills it!) as he is the godfather.  It was an easy choice for Lauren as the godmother.  We both decided that although we have no plans to baptize Baby Premo at this time, the symbolism of a godmother and godfather was important to us and we knew the two of them would be perfect at acting like second parents to our little one.


How big is baby?
Baby Premo has reached the size of a sweet potato!  Its remarkable to think of him being that size already in what seems like 18 short weeks.  Apparently he has become incredibly mobile as well sucking his thumb, tossing, turning, swallowing, hiccuping, and yawning.  Wow!!  Still I feel no movement but I am hoping that in the coming weeks I'll be feeling little kicks and punches. I know it will help bring the reality of everything even closer to us once we're both able to actually feel him. 

~taken in the evening and I was definitely ready to go to bed! The bump is totally growing though...~

Current feeling: relaxed...

After taking class at Abhaya this week it was fantastic as usual to be a student.  I truthfully cherish each and ever class I get to take rather than teach, especially while being pregnant.  It reaffirms my own practice and deepens my appreciation for all of the aspects of my practice that will bring continued health in my pregnancy, delivery and beyond.  With the added hours at work lately it's been hard to squeeze in my home practice or get to as many classes as I'd like but hopefully next week I can iron out my schedule better.  After all, it's not only just for me but for the baby too!

Running and Pregnancy:

My running actually picked up a bit this week and my pace for my last mile on my last run was a whopping 9:05!  It was a fierce accomplishment for me accomplished only out of adrenaline.  I pretended the guy that was on the last leg of my run was chasing me, weird I know.  I thought to myself though, if I needed to sprint while pregnant out of necessity, could I?  While a 9:05 pace is far from a sprint, it sure felt like it!  Not only was there that, but it was also the first run that I have been on that I have had to make a pit stop mid run.  It felt natural in a way because it's not like I haven't done it before on some of my longer runs pre-pregnancy, thank goodness I have route that allows me to hop in the woods out of site.
Overall,  it was reassuring to know that even though the belly is getting bigger and bigger by the week that I can still run on.  The benefits that it gives my mood I think are almost greater than the physical benefits for me and baby.  I have a long run planned for Sunday, we'll see how it goes!

The Countdown to Week 20 begins....

Week 17-

It has been a constant battle with my intuition on what I think our little bundle of joy will be.  The days of an extremely nauseous first trimester had me guessing for sure a boy, since I have heard that they tend to cause the most sickness early on!  And then, like a breath of fresh air, the second trimester swept me back in normalcy and I can't help but look forward to fall as this summer heat is not my favorite season.  Or perhaps I'm looking forward to 'Autumn' I ask myself? Hmm...I keep getting asked what my true intuition is and I can't help but lean towards the girl side.  Something, and I'm not quite sure what, has my mind going in that direction.  According to the old wives tale, a heartbeat below 140 is boy, above 140 girl.  At our 17 week check-up yesterday his/her heartbeat was a strong 152, just 2 beats off from the 150 when we last heard it.  Right on that cusp I believe of being either one!  Of course, again, just a tale, not perfect truth by any means.  I am currently following a blog where her baby 'boys' heartbeat is a high 160, and even though they have seen clear pictures of his family 'ah-hmm', she isn't quite convinced that it's time to paint the nursery.  And I don't blame her! All the time there are mishaps with the ultrasound reading, which brings me to our overwhelming excitement~ we have our 20 week ultrasound in 4 weeks!  Which seems like an eternity, but I know the time will fly. 

Current feeling: anxious!


This week my anxiousness went into overdrive when A:) we heard the heartbeat again!  B:) We purchased the crib!  With my belly not being absolutely huge by now, no morning sickness and no kicking for the next couple of weeks,  it's easy to sometimes forget the reality that 'hey, I'm pregnant!'

How I'm exercising:

I feel obligated to eventually dedicate an entire post to this but for now, I will just say that exercise has been consistent and good!  It's hard as a personal trainer to not use the words, 'progressing', 'hitting goals' or 'improving' because it is everything but!  It's a matter of maintaining, listening to my body, monitoring my breath and staying in tune with my intuition more than anything.  Walking on runs, hitting a heartbeat of 150 at mile 1 and decreasing mileage every couple of weeks is something I am hardly used to but realize how necessary it is for the health of not only the baby but myself.  My body is much more achy after yoga class and tight after runs and lifting but as long as I remain consistent, stay hydrated and give myself the nutrition my body (and the little one) needs, I know that I will be extremely happy with having a fit pregnancy.  The benefits to staying fit while pregnant are overwhelming: healthier baby, healthier mama during AND after pregnancy, a body prepared to bounce back more quickly, an easier delivery, and in general, a happier YOU!  While I can't wait to return to my old workout regimen, I have taken this as an opportunity to accept a different type of challenge and looking at it that way has made a WORLD of difference!

How's the Little One? 

Baby is the size of an onion! His skeleton is hardening and bone structure is beginning to form more completely.  Fat is beginning to accumulate around the bone (and around my waistline as well!) and his umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger.  The little one officially has a fingerprint of his own and those little hands are beginning to tug away on the umbilical cord looking for something to grab onto and play with!  This week is ultimately when kicking and somersaulting can begin but I haven't felt anything yet, or anything that I thought felt any different than my stomach growling!

 

 ~The Bump:: Week 16!~

~And Chris's 6-pack! ~

New This Week:

• Weight gain: 8 lbs and climbing!
• Alternative baby shower and reveal party in the works~  I'll explain more next week about the awesome idea for a reveal party my sister came up with!
• Baby purchases this week: 2 (boppy cover and CRIB)
• Baby books purchased: 1 ( The Baby Book, from what I've read it is THE bible of all baby books)
• Ounces of Cocoa Butter used: probably a pound!  

Summer Lovin' in The Blueberry Patch.....

Week 15-

I admit it; I've been bitten by the homemaker bug that word on the street is hits all soon-to-be moms who are in the process of 'nesting'.  (and yes, nesting along with 'baby brain' have been scientifically proven phenomenons! True story!)  I have a love for fresh produce.  While our local organic delivery company Off the Vine is amazing, I felt the strong desire to pick fresh. This weeks adventure was to a local blueberry farm, A & N Blueberries, just north of Pensacola nestled back off the beaten path.  The experience was amazing!  While the heat was breaching 100 with humidity, we couldn't help ourselves from feasting off of the sun-kissed berries that had such a different taste than the ones that come cold and packaged at the store.  They were sweeter, plumper and without pesticides!  We picked til our hearts content (well at least until the cracks of thunder and lightening were just above us) and returned home with just over 18 lbs in berries!  Chris fully admits he would have had more except he just couldn't resist the temptation to fill his belly.  My guess is for every handful that was in his bucket, a handful went into his mouth. :-) The beauty of picking though is that it's totally expected!  I have fond memories of gorging myself on apples up in Washington in the fall~it's just part of the reward of U-Pick!

 

~Rows upon rows of blueberries!  And a storm rolling in....~

~What Chris did best! ;-)~

~Dare I say I picked 15 of the 17 pounds of blueberries?!? I was on a mission!~

My plan was to use part of the blueberries for our 4th of July BBQ~ fruit salad, cobbler, and Popsicles, freeze some, and then can the rest and make a divine blueberry jam.  I enlisted the assistance of my mom because after all, she is the professional when it comes to all things domestic!  We made a night out of it and got down to business boiling the fruit in a sugar mixture, sanitizing the jars and then filling them with yummy blueberry jam.  It was so rewarding and such a bonding experience, both picking and canning.  I can't believe of all the domestic creations that I have gotten my hands into that I had yet to can.  No more $4 jars of jam~ we now have our very own 'Premo Jam' for months to come!

 ~Mom helping with the prep~

 ~The finished product ready for the pantry!~

Next week, we have a pretty full plate.  Chris will be in the field, I will be packing for us both to head to North Carolina to finally see Leslee and Rhett make it official!  Its a double duty trip where I get to see Meg and Micah as well and of course get another glimpse at a city that Chris and I potentially have on our radar to move to post military. Keeping the options open of course!

 This Week In Review: 

• I have been eating blueberries with everything~surprised?!
• Post meals I have been feeling extra bloated~to be expected I know but none the less it keeps me from eating more I suppose!
• Sleeping on the belly is getting difficult.  While I start out on my side I somehow always turn face down~pretty soon the bump won't allow it!
• Surprisingly no new cravings or foods I have to have~I'm sure the weeks to follow will hold plenty of those
• The pool has been a wonderful break from lifting weights and running, and thanks to Chris I can still bring my Garmin and Heartrate monitor in the water and keep track of where i'm at! Lap swimming has definately brought back the days of triathlon training, but there won't be any races in this girls future as of now! 
• Weight gain: 7 lbs~just about on target!

Settling into a new reality....

Week 14-

The time has finally come that everything is all sinking in- I'm going to be a MOM! It's been the toughest thing to swallow that it's actually happening but now that the bump is getting a tad bit bigger, I have been accepting the changes in my body with more ease as well as beginning the 'nesting' phase of the pregnancy with plenty of time for planning I hope!

This week was exciting for me because I was finally offered to come on board to SAIC as an official employee and not longer a contracted temp.!  I was seriously jumping for joy.  The timing couldn't be better with a little one on the way.  I am thrilled to begin receiving more tasking and to take on a more distinct role in Environmental Public Outreach.  The benefits of the company are superior, I received a pay raise (yay!) and I will now be increasing my hours to approx 25-30 hrs. a week.  With three jobs on my plate I know I'll be staying super busy but hopefully I'll still be able to keep the balance between work and family life, it's truly of the upmost importance to me.

This weeks revelations:

• I can run one of my routes straight through again WITHOUT feeling like I have to pee every 5minutes.  This truly was a momentous time for me even though I know the reality is that it won't last for long.
• Scents of the week: lavendar, rosemary, eucalyptus, lemon-mint...all of these mild herbal scents whether they're from cleaning products or lotions I've discovered have had a very soothing effect to them.  Although my nausea has disappeared, these certain smells tend to calm my upset tummy 
• My cravings from my nausea days are beginning to disappear and I feel as if I can look at food normally again! Its been a breath of fresh air....

 ~Week 14 Belly!~

I can see clearly now, the nausea is gone....

Week 13-

While last week was technically the beginning of the first week of the second trimester I kind of lumped it with several other weeks since up to last week I had been too nauseous to even think about blogging on a weekly basis. It killed me to even be at the computer screen at work much less be staring at the computer screen to write about my seemingly depressing days of cramming cracker after cracker and bowl of cereal after bowl of cereal down my throat just to feel normal. Ahh, to write about those days after they have already passed seemed far more appropriate.  I think if I would have written week by week after I first found out I was pregnant I would have been writing the following:

• "beware, pregnancy SUCKS!"
• "this will be the LAST and ONLY time I put my body through this!"
• "is this truly how pregnancy is supposed to feel? I hate it!"

So at this point in time, with an honest and true heart, I can say that I have entered what is considered the most blissful and comfortable trimester of being pregnant.  Resuming a normal workout routine has been the highlight of this trimester thus far not to mention driving to work without the sudden urge of stopping for fast food to curb the insane nausea.  Weight training is important to me during pregnancy because i know I will face the day when i can't take the urge to pee every 5 seconds when I run.  Not to mention the load of the belly and the backaches that accompany running while pregnant, so I must have some type of consistency through working out during this pregnancy.  (not to mention the fact that I have always admired the Crossfit women who pump out 25 kipping pull ups all while being 8 months pregnant. Who needs a weight vest when you're pregnant!  Talk about strength building! )I'll be satisfied if I can remain at 10 throughout with the weight gain....

 I can honestly say this week I wasn't craving as many meals per day which is refreshing.  It was getting exhausting actually focusing on eating so much.  I am still trying to eat 5 times a day plus drink 128 oz. of fluids (which is easy given it's been breaching 95 with full on humidity each and every day.  Ahh, summertime in FL...)  Several new revelations:

• I can eat hummus again! Well, at least several tablespoons at a time which is a beautiful thing. 
• I am beginning to be more and more thankful I will be my largest during the fall and wintertime in FL.  I admire those women who are 9 months pregnant on the days that feel like 105-talk about rockstars.
• I am becoming more of a planner! Chris knows my spontaneity gets the best of me.  Sure I always have long term dreams and ambitions, but when it comes to routine, tracking progress for something in life or for forecasting the future I tend to keep my eyes on the 'now'.  But with being a future mom, I know that I am going to have to somewhat set aside my 'just roll with' attitude and start prepping for routine and consistency and I am ok with that.
• my Be Present yoga pants, which have been a staple for teaching and my practice, will now become quite possibly the best prego pant around.  Their soft and stretchy material coupled with their drawstring waist should be able to last me all the way through my pregnancy, fingers crossed of course.
• I will vow to use Cocoa Butter every day!  I have heard from multiple women that they are sans stretch marks because of this magical potion.

 

 I must admit emotions are beginning to kick in and that's a lot for me to admit, I tend to always put a smile on my face and internalize any other feelings.  But the books are correct, things change when you are pregnant but at the same time I have vowed to Chris never to let any surge of hormones get the best of me!  And speaking of Chris, he has been absolutely incredible so far.  I feel that he has not only accepted the role of being a dad more quickly than I a mom, but has been been very supportive in making sure I have as awesome of a pregnancy as possible.  He reminds of what I can and can't eat, what I can take if I have a headache and I've caught him immersed in his 'what to expect as a father' book (and even bumming that he forgot it on his trip to Vegas!)  What a guy...I couldn't be more blessed for the love and support I feel from him-he will be quite possibly the coolest and the BEST Dad!

Part IV- The Light at the End of the First Trimester Tunnel

Part IV-Week 12

There is a light at the end of the first trimester tunnel.  For me it hit on Monday June 13^th, the first week of my second trimester: Week 13.  Pretty amazing timing I must say!  The books are right!  All of the madness/insanity/crazy irritability and stop-me-in-my-tracks nausea of the first trimester, which is like a complete blur, is beginning to take a back seat to the new (er, old) me.  I cleaned, let me rephrase that, SANITIZED the house from top to bottom on Monday and still had the energy to teach a killer hot yoga class that evening.  AND, I still had energy after.  Who is this individual I thought to myself? Oh wait, it’s ME! The old me! The health nut in me can officially begin to stomach some of the things that weren’t on my first trimester menu, the gym and trails are back to being my refuge and I finally feel more in control of myself.  And a beautiful thing happened, reality hit even more for Chris and I (I think Chris more than myself!); we had our first pre-natal appt. and ultrasound on June 14^th.  We heard the heart beating at a very strong 150 BPM, and the nurse confirmed that I was a bit farther than she thought- 12 weeks and 6 days.  Wow!  We couldn’t believe it.  Only 8 weeks away from being half way through when it seems like the (fun) of pregnancy just began.  Although some weeks it felt like the week was never, ever going to be over.  I’m thrilled to begin what is considered one of the best trimesters of pregnancy.  I love that I can still put on my running shoes and hit the trails or even the treadmill in the gym and not feel completely uncomfortable.  It is a blessing to be able to be a pregnant runner thus far because I have heard many women runners stories whose dreams of running with child are crushed when their bodies tell them no.  I hope to be able to continue for as long as possible and perhaps get more friendly with my nemesis, the treadmill, as the summer months get hotter even in the mornings and at night.  Physically, I can’t tolerate super hot temps.  I have already begun to feel  it while teaching hot yoga as I sweat more, quicker, and my heart rate jumps through the roof.  I have been monitoring my heart rate as frequent as I can when I work out and I can just ‘feel it’ when it gets too high.  Although in the next couple of weeks I hope to add a heart rate monitor to my garmin watch and be able to calculate my heart rate with each workout with ease.   Thanks to Chris I have an amazing way to track my mileage by foot and by bike, although it hasn’t seen as many miles as it would if I wasn’t pregnant!

Another revelation for me was accepting the fact that I could no longer squeeze my little bump into my jeans and that I had to use the belly band.  What a beautiful day it was when I realized that it wasn’t all that bad! It felt so much more comfortable to not force the buttoning of my pants and I am loving the soft feeling of elasticity over my belly verses the tight pinch of buttons. The bump is beginning to show more with tight fitting shirts which is practically all that I have in my wardrobe. There are so many options out there for non-pregnancy/pregnancy shirts that I can wear during the baby carrying phase and then after so I’m stoked to not really have to own maternity clothes perhaps.  We’ll see how long that lasts! Regardless, I have come into more of an embracing phase and am gradually able to come into accepting being  a mom and the little bundle of joy that I am carrying inside. 

New Food Loves:

·         Odawalla bars-along with an apple, they have become my new favorite mid-morning snack

·         Triscuits-I can’t seem to get enough of them with boursin cheese-double YUM!

·         Foods with a hint of spice-during the first trimester I was avoiding them but I have always loved spicy food, plus I eat less when things have a hint of spice! 

·         Starbucks shaken green tea/lemonades- I have to figure out their recipe-with the hint of tea and citrus combined with just a touch of caffine ( I’m only supposed to have 150 mg a day) its perfect for a hot summer day or to curb some of the headaches that have been onset by the pregnancy

Physically Speaking:

·         Weight Gain: 3 lbs. –according to the doctor it’s ½ a pound a week up until the middle of the second trimester and then it’s a pound. So, I’m on track and I feel the majority of it is definitely in the mid-section!

·         Energy is UP-way up in comparison and I am digging being able to focus at work, working out, focus on the business and begin the preparations to the house that will be necessary for the little one's arrival!

~Belly Week 12 (6 days)-Definitely beginning to pooch!~

~And finally what we were waiting for, a picture of Baby Premo in all his/her approx. 2 oz. of glory! ~

Part III- Let the Check-ups Begin!

Part III

And so the appointments begin.  The first appointment (which at this point no one even knew we were pregnant, some call it crazy, I call it preparation for how we were going to tell people and who needed to be told first) was May 17^th- the walk in.  The first appointment at Eglin Hospital isn’t really an appointment at all.  You walk in, fill out a booklet of paperwork, pee in a cup and have about 7 viles of blood drawn.  Fun!  It’s there that they confirm your hCG hormone levels are up and that you are in fact pregnant! Yay! Confirmation besides  2 - $12 sticks in a box!  We then scheduled our OB orientation and of course our first prenatal appt- June 14^th and that day, it seemed like FOREVER away.  Almost a month, I couldn’t believe it!  We were anxious and curious as to how far along I was but, we would have to wait.  The OB orientation went well, we got a ton of literature and they answered some basic questions about what to do and not to do when you are pregnant as well as resources available especially in the 2^nd and 3^rd trimesters such as breastfeeding classes and breathing classes.  Had this helped reality sink in for us?  Especially as Chris got a tour of the hospital where he would need to take me for this and for that, and I actually was told ‘Congrats on being a mom’?  Nope.  No reality yet. Still shock and awe.  When would we actually give into our reality and assume the new roles that we were about to have?  When would we be able to accept this new part of our journey that we were about to embark on? Would it be the when we saw pictures of the little one? When we told friends and family?  I know the day will come and until then, I'll continue to take care of myself as best as possible hoping soon those maternal instincts would somehow find me.

Physical Feelings:

·         full/bloated constantly

·         low energy levels

·         slight nausea (but beginning to dissipate!)

·         the feeling of beginning to get a bump-exciting yet terrifying!

·         walking feels amazing/running feels awesome but I feel like I have to pee after a mile!

·         Smells are making me nauseous: coffee, strong air fresheners, wet dog (which is unavoidable when I take 3 of them 3 times a week to the sound!), COFFEE, laundry detergent,

·         Smells I am liking: rosemary, citrus, lavender, Zum Mist Eucalyptus (a spray I use in yoga that I literally can't get enough of!)