Pregnancy Update: 24 Weeks

How many weeks are you now?
24 Weeks + 6 Days (Today - Friday - makes 25 weeks, but this post is to cover the past week)

Baby's size? 

Ear of corn - per the What to Expect app

Symptoms:

Round ligament pain....also shortness of breath when walking up stairs or hills or inclines of any kind. Observing distance at Disney over the past week had me in awe of the fact that I ran 26.2 miles throughout Walt Disney World TWICE. I know my level of fitness WILL return, but at this point I feel as if I'll never be able to run like that ever again. Dramatic much? Yes...

Oh yes, and the hormones. Once I start crying it's impossible to stop....and I cry over the dumbest things.

I haven't had any ankle/foot swelling yet, but I've been monitoring just in case! I wore compression socks on the plane both to and from Florida just as an added measure. 

Exercise: 

I completed a 5K with my Florida friend Melissa last weekend. I also have another planned with my sister in law and her friends this weekend.

Here's a few of our Disney stats (rounded down):

Friday Dec 11 - 11,500 steps - 5 miles - Travel Day

Saturday Dec 12 - 15,100 steps - 6.6 miles

Sunday Dec 13 - 13,000 steps - 5.5 miles

Monday Dec 14 - 15,700 steps - 6.68 miles

Tuesday Dec 15 - 20,755 steps - 8.8 miles

Wednesday Dec 16 - 21,900 steps - 9.3 miles

Thursday Dec 17 - 12,800 steps - 5.45 miles - Travel Day

Overall, it was a great week! I definitely don't have the energy level I used to and we had to take the overall trip a lot slower (which included nap in the afternoon) but we definitely enjoyed our trip! A slower paced, naps in the afternoon kinda trip is going to be our "norm" for a while, so why not start now?

Cravings?
Still peppermint goodies! A new one recently has been Hershey's cookies & cream bars. YUM...
Really anything sweet - I'm not much on salty snacks anymore or meat.

Aversions? 

I know this is super strange...but so is pregnancy on your body. Anyway, I wanted to try UK's fish and chips. FISH? Yes, fish. It's not super smelly and looked oh so delicious. So I ordered it...and I enjoyed it immensely. That evening, we had dinner at Garden Grill. A plate of grilled tilapia was placed right under my nose and oh my gosh..it made my stomach turn. I just can't take fish that smells super fishy. SO STRANGE.

Sleep:

Even without my snoogle, it went great in Disney!

Purchases:

Believe it or not, I didn't purchase much for baby in Disney but our Florida friends blessed us with beautiful gifts! One was a Mickey onesie that says "Future Prince Charming" and the other was a pacifier clip. Included in their gift was also an adorable and oh-so-soft puppy dog where the proceeds benefited St. Jude! Her mom also hand-made a gorgeous blue blanket that I know baby Seal will love! His first hand-made gift...opening the package made me tear up a little bit. So special!

What I miss: 

Running without care.

What I’m looking forward to:
This weekend's 5K, then CHRISTMAS WEEK!

Best Moment of the Week:

Visiting Disney World with Baby Seal for his "first" trip! :)

Jason also had the opportunity to feel baby boy move/kick this week which was a super special moment for both of us! :)

(Yes, that's a "1st Visit" button on my bump!) :)

To see a comprehensive list of pregnancy updates, click here!

Pregnancy Update: Week 23

How many weeks are you now?
23 Weeks + 6 Days

Baby's size? 

Papaya - per the What to Expect app

Symptoms:

Over the past two weeks, baby has GROWN. Oh my gosh. I only gained one pound, but I can definitely tell a difference where baby himself is concerned.

Look at the size comparison between two weeks...just TWO weeks!

It's also getting harder and  harder to sit up straight after eating.

So far, I'm ok in the swelling area and have been checking daily just to make sure. I do have compression socks but haven't needed them just yet.

Exercise: 

You can read all about Saturday's long run attempt here. This week, I've continued to keep up the run/walk and it's working out well so far!

Clothes: 

A top I purchased on Black Friday (which fit and was a little loose) is going to have to be brought back for a bigger size because I need it to last and with the growth rate of Baby Seal over the past two weeks, I don't foresee it lasting much longer!

Cravings?

All. The. Peppermint. Things. Did I mention peppermint??

Aversions? 

I can tolerate some fish if it's not super fishy smelling (like tilapia).

Sleep:

Sleeping great now!

Purchases:

Nothing recently. We've been discussing what pieces of furniture to move where, what to get rid of, etc. I've done a little work but nothing that's enough to satisfy me just yet. We probably won't move anything out of the guest bedroom until after the holidays are through. That room looks like Christmas threw up in it, anyway.

What I miss: 

Running a long time/distance without stopping.

What I’m looking forward to:
Visiting with friends this weekend! :)

Best Moment of the Week:

I know it sounds silly, but I was so overwhelmed this weekend with my to-do list (Christmas shopping was a big one there). On Saturday, Jason went shopping with me and we were able to get 90% of the list complete! I felt SO much better (anxiety wise) after that!

To see a comprehensive list of pregnancy updates, click here!

That's all folks! Thanks for sticking around with me throughout this pregnancy process!

Have a great day!

Of Running While Prengant

On Saturday, my BRF and I set out for a long-ish run/walk. I had plans of 10 miles but wasn't sure how far I would be able to go since I experienced back/nerve pain on Wednesday and Thursday and was unable to do practically anything. By Friday, the back felt a LOT better and by Saturday morning, the pain was gone.

I made sure to park my car in the garage on Friday night because a freeze was coming through and I wanted to avoid defrosting my car forever before hitting the road on Saturday morning. As I got ready to leave for the run, my car decided to act silly and wouldn't start properly. The service engine light came on, of course. Thankfully, Jason was off work this weekend and I was able to take his vehicle to meet up with my running buddy. Guess where his vehicle was parked? Outside...and the windshield had ice on it. Yes...this is how my luck goes, people.  (We found out later that there was an engine mis-fire in my car! Yikes!)

Anyway, I finally made it to my running buddy and we set out on our course. We decided to do a 2.5 out and back and another 2.5 out and back for a total of 10. We're still keeping up with the 4:1 run/walk Galloway method and it's been good to me so far!

I felt great the first 5 miles - no discomfort, no pain...all was well! After resting/using the restroom for a few minutes, we set out on the last half of our run. Around mile 6, I began having round ligament discomfort. I attempted to walk longer than a minute and start running again but that didn't help...the discomfort only lasted while I was running and not while walking. My OB said that it was ok to continue running as long as I didn't feel any pain. So, we decided to walk the remainder back and call it a day at 8 miles.

Saturday's run was also a test-run for the Galveston Santa Hustle. I'm planning with run with my sister-in-law and a few of her friends and wanted to measure my body against distance to see how it would hold up. I was on the fence about the half because I knew I would have to walk a majority of it (which I'm fine with, but I don't want to make them wait on me forever). So, I made the executive decision to participate in the 5K which takes place 30 minutes after the half marathon begins. Still lots of Christmas, Santa, and sugar cookies, shorter distance. 

I wasn't sad or disappointed with the shortcomings of my running goal on Saturday - this is all a part of the pregnancy process. I'm enjoying the changes that are taking place in my body right know and I know that all of this is temporary! Taking everything (including my fitness/running levels) one day at a time is all I can do for now and I'm grateful I can make it that far before the round ligament discomfort kicks in!

I felt like the marshmallow man, dressed in so many layers! It was actually 34 degrees at the start but "warmed up" to 47 degrees by the time we finished our run. 

After returning home, I polished off the remainder of our Thanksgiving cinnamon rolls and indulged in a Starubucks hot chocolate with a peppermint truffle for flavoring! YUM! 

At the end of the day, I reached 23,000 steps which I was (and am) super proud of! 23,000 steps for 23 weeks! "Just keep moving" is my motto and if that includes longer intervals of walking with my running, then so be it!

This weekend, I'm participating in a Christmas 5K in Florida with a friend and next weekend, I'll be participating in the Galveston Santa Hustle 5K. Lots of fun times ahead!

How was your weekend? Run any Christmas-themed races?

Pregnancy Update: 22 Weeks

How many weeks are you now?
22 Weeks + 6 Days

 
Baby's size?  

Spaghetti Squash - per the What to Expect app

Symptoms:

Yesterday (mid-afternoon), I had a nerve type pain hit me in my lower back. It was so severe, I could hardly walk without sharp pains shooting down my leg.  I spent the remainder of the afternoon on a heating pad on the couch. Thankfully that seemed to ease it and I'm able to walk again, but I still feel it if I step wrong. I sure hop this goes away soon!

I'm also still having round ligament pain if I make any sudden movements.

Exercise: 

I managed to get mileage in so far once this week - I'm hoping for this afternoon as a second if my back/nerve pain doesn't continue.

Clothes: 

I purchased a few tops to wear to work in the coming weeks/months as my scrub tops won't fit much longer! :)

Cravings?

Back to cereal again...and salty chips!

Aversions? 

Still fish.

Any Movement?
The kicks/pokes seem to be getting stronger and I feel them more often throughout the day.

Sleep:

Loving my snoogle! :)

Purchases:

Black Friday. Need I say more?! :)

What I miss: 

Sleeping on my stomach.

What I’m looking forward to:
Less stress/worry now that yesterday's ultrasound is over. Then again, does the stress or worry ever go away? Somehow I doubt it...I think that's just a part of being a mom! Haha!

Best Moment of the Week: 

Yesterday's ultrasound. After 2 weeks of uncertainty, reminding myself not to be afraid, leaning on faith, and lots of prayer, we have more answers.

For some reason, I felt a strange and odd peace about this ultrasound. Even walking into the building yesterday morning, I was scared but I had a feeling that everything was going to be alright. The song "No Longer Slaves" came on the radio the night before our ultrasound, right when I needed to hear it and that was incredibly reassuring. I kept reminding myself of these words over and over again....."From my mother's womb, You have chosen me..." "You drown my fears in perfect love..." Even the devotional that I read on a daily basis was all about being thankful in every situation and reminders of God's peace. I'm also grateful that the first anatomy scan took place when it did because we had the gender reveal a few days after, then Thanksgiving and decorating the Christmas tree followed by Black Friday, so my mind stayed mostly occupied. On Sunday, I had a rough day...and I mean ROUGH. I basically wanted to cry all day at the uncertainty of the situation. Right at the moment I needed it, Jason's aunt messaged me to ask how I was doing and to let me know that she was continuing to pray about our situation. Her words of reassurance and comfort made a world of difference. Overall, I just knew that God had (and has) His hand on the entire situation.

For this ultrasound, the tech was much more relaxed and comfortable explaining things to me which in turn helped me feel more at ease. She was super tight lipped about the last ultrasound and as a health care provider, I understand this completely - you never want to say "too much" or say something to "get yourself in trouble", especially when you see something that worries or scares you on a test or procedure. She explained that baby Seal's stomach is still a little "long" but it doesn't worry hear near as much as last time and she felt more comfortable with today's procedure than the previous one. She also took the time to show me his spine, heart (complete with four chambers...yay!), his face that's fully formed complete with lips, his kidneys (which are functioning), and his feet which are straight. I haven't said much on here about it, but basically everyone in my direct blood line has had some form of club foot (some more severe than others), but it bypassed me completely. Another family member was also born with a GI abnormality which is one of the main reasons I freaked out about the stomach situation. Anyway, back to the ultrasound - the tech explained that some babies do have longer stomachs than others and that could be the issue here. However, it looked much better today and baby is continuing to grow. I measured at 24 weeks 0 days although I should have been 22 weeks 5 days...so I'm definitely thinking a late March baby vs an April Fools baby. Baby Seal is also weighing in at 1 pound 7 ounces!!

This is my new favorite ultrasound picture! He's giving us a fist bump/thumbs up! :)

We also managed a decent profile picture this time...in the middle of the wiggling, that is! 

So, that's my update. I've appreciated all of the prayers, private messages, and words of comfort more than you'll ever know!!

Did you have any nerve-type pains while pregnant? If so, what did you do for them?

Pregnancy Update: 21 Weeks

Happy Black Friday! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed their celebration (however they chose to celebrate)! This photo was taken before any food was consumed, by the way! :D


How many weeks are you now?
21 weeks + 6 days (actually, today makes 22 weeks but this update is from 21 weeks)

 
Baby's size?  

Banana - per the What to Expect app

Symptoms:

Occasional cramping and round ligament pain when I move too fast....it also wakes me up at night make any sudden movements. Also occasional leg/foot cramping.

Exercise: 

Still run/walking but using a support band now on every run.

Clothes: 

I'm glad I wore bigger clothing non-pregnant because all of my tops still fit! :)

Cravings?

Rice Crispy Treats

Aversions? 

Still fish.

Any Movement?
Poking and jabbing - usually when I'm sitting down after eating! :)

Sleep:

Very good! For some reason I no longer wake up in the middle of the night to potty and that's been going on for a few weeks now...I'll take it though!

Purchases:

I haven't officially purchased any additional baby items yet although I'm sure that will change today...especially now that we know Baby Seal is a boy! If you missed details of our Gender Reveal, you can check it out here!

What I miss: 

Sleeping on my back.

What I’m looking forward to:
Next week's ultrasound (it's on Wednesday). We should have a little more information on Baby Seal's size and if there's a problem or not. I tell you, these two weeks of waiting have been torture. I just want a yes there's problem or no there's no problem at all. Prayer and faith has gotten me through, that's for sure. Please continue praying for us if you think about it! I definitely appreciate it!

Best Moment of the Week: 

Finding out that Baby Seal is a BOY! Now time to let the nursery planning begin!! YAY!

Up next is Baby Seal's first Black Friday shopping experience - we'll see how long I last this year! 

Pregnancy Update: 19 & 20 Weeks

Today, I'm combining week 19 and 20 as we were out of town on a cruise during my 19th week of pregnancy.

Hooray! We've made it halfway!! Honestly, I can say it's really flown by but needs to slow down just a tad because I haven't even started with the first preparations on baby's room yet....

19 Weeks...

20 Weeks...

Y'all. I ate SO much food on the cruise. Seriously. After returning home and getting back to my "normal" way of eating, some of that unnecessary extra baggage has gone away (thank goodness)!

How many weeks are you now?
20 weeks + 6 days, although Baby Seal is still measuring a few days ahead per yesterday's ultrasound.

 
Baby's size?  

What to expect app says Mango. Baby Seal weighed 1 pound 2 oz on ultrasound yesterday!

Symptoms:

Nothing new to report! I've been feeling great!!

The dreams are still crazy and come around at least a few times a week. I really need to start writing them down!


Weight Gain:
In total, I've gained 9 pounds overall!

Exercise: 

I ran/walked on the ship twice and ran/walked a 6 miler this past Saturday. As of this week, I've been very bad because most of my extra time has been spent towards gender reveal party planning and I haven't run or walked not even once!

 

Clothes: 

I am happy to report that when I returned home, my scrubs for work still fit...although I'm not sure how much longer that will last!

Cravings? 

Nothing new!

Aversions? 

Still fish.

Any Movement?
Yes, same type of feeling - it feels as if I'm being poked from the inside.

Sleep:

Very well!

Purchases:

Gender reveal party supplies! Does that count?

What I miss: 

Sleeping on my stomach. 

What I’m looking forward to:
Finally finding out Baby Seal's gender!

Best Moment of the Week: 

Yesterday's ultrasound....amazing to see how much Baby Seal's grown in 10 weeks although he/she wouldn't move much for the scan.

Also, if you would be in prayer over the next two weeks for us...they saw something on the ultrasound that didn't measure quite right and it scared me a bit. Baby's tummy is measuring a few weeks ahead, so I have to return in 2 weeks for a repeat ultra sound. If it's still the same there, I'll have to be referred to a high risk doctor (because of family history). More than likely, baby swallowed amniotic fluid then fell asleep and didn't have a chance to digest it thoroughly (at least that's what I convinced myself because he/she was super inactive on the ultrasound). Anyway, we would appreciate your prayers!

19 Weeks

20 Weeks

Golden ticket in hand, ready for the weekend!! :D

What's your gender prediction? Do you think Baby Seal is a boy or a girl?

Pregnancy Update: 18 Weeks

Here we are at Week 18! Time sure is flying by!!

I feel like my tummy REALLY expanded this past week and I'm 100% that tootsie rolls are the culprit. Seriously, I might turn into a giant tootsie roll if I eat one more! Thanks, Halloween.

I'm definitely starting to show, now. I feel like I say that every week but I finally look pregnant and not just "chubby".

My how much of a difference 5 weeks (and a ton of tootsie rolls) makes! 

By the way, if you're interested in any of my other pregnancy updates, you can check them out here or click the Pregnancy link at the top of the page.

On to this week's update!

How many weeks are you now?
18 weeks + 6 days

 
Baby's size?  

Sweet Potato - 5.5 in, 5 oz

Symptoms:

Still having occasional stretching/uterine pain. The hormonal roller coaster is also crazy. Once I start crying, I can't seem to stop (it happens about once a week)! CRAZY I tell you!

The DREAMS are insane and mostly all on the negative side. If I wake up and fall back asleep, that's when they begin. They've ranged anywhere from a ruined gender reveal party to my dog having serious cancer to Arby's changing their menu and me not being able to get the sandwich I wanted to order (say whaaat...??). Y'all. I can't tell you the last time I even went to Arby's. All of these dreams feel SO real, too. I'm relieved when I wake up to find it was "just a dream". Crazy.

Exercise: 

Run/Walking and PT exercises...all going well!

 

Clothes: 

I officially have all of my outfits together for our Baby Moon - just ready to pack! I'm still able to wear my normal -tshirts for now!  All of my work uniforms fit (thankfully) and I'm mostly in maternity pants except my scrub bottoms.

Cravings? 

The ranch dressing/crunchy lettuce craving hit me again this week! I think I've tried just about every favorite local restaurant's house salads (and found a few new favorite menu items while at it)!

Aversions? 

Same - still fish...nothing new here!

Any Movement?
The movement I talked about last week is pretty consistent and always in the same place, so I'm pretty sure it's not just gastric contents moving around! It doesn't feel like fluttering, though (fluttering makes me think of a butterfly's wings) - it feels like someone is fist bumping or poking me lightly from the inside. I usually feel it in the morning, around lunch, and at night. Fun times!

Sleep:
Sleeping well - I only occasionally wake up at night to potty now. As mentioned above, the dreams freak me out.

I also woke up last night with the worst calf cramp EVER. Sure hope that doesn't happen again!

Purchases:

Nothing pregnancy or baby related this week. Does makeup for our upcoming Baby Moon count? 

What I miss: 

Oooohhhh I finally had a hot sandwich and omg I was in heaven! SO good!!

Um, I can't think of anything I'm missing this week. I honestly sometimes I forget I'm even pregnant until I look down and see my bump or feel the baby move!

What I’m looking forward to:
Same as last week here - our Baby Moon...followed shortly thereafter by the big reveal! YAY!

Best Moment of the Week: 

The weekend! So much fun! 

Have a great rest of your week!

Have you ever had a dream that was so crazy it felt real?

Fitness Friday - 10/30

Saturday – I took Saturday off from a long run to recuperate my IT Band...I think it did the trick!
Sunday – Rest Day
Monday –  3 mile run/walk
Tuesday –  PT Routine - Lunges/Squats/Stretching; also pulling weeds outside
Wednesday – Rest Day
Thursday – PT Routine - Lunges/Squats/Stretching; also pulling weeds outside (going to finish that up today)
Friday – 2 or 3 mile run/walk

Tomorrow, I plan a long run with my running buddy Heather. We've dressed up the past few years for Halloween runs and haven't decided yet what to do this year. Three years ago, we dressed as super heroes and had so much fun! Sooooo....we'll see what Saturday brings! :)

I'm also participating in Gone for a Run's Faster Than Boo Virtual 10K!

This week, I did my first walk/run since the Gulf Coast Half Marathon. My knee held up just fine and I'm no longer worried about it!

During the run, I listed to The Disney Exchange for a little entertainment. I know I've blogged about them before, but they are hilarious and I love listening to them!! :) You can find them on iTunes...go check them out when you have a free moment!

Above, you'll also see my "cautious" run/walk ratio. It's funny how much pregnancy has slowed me down, but I don't mind one bit as long as I can keep on running! I compared the difference of the Louisiana Half Marathon earlier this year (my first sub 2 hour half marathon) with the Gulf Coast Half (a 2:38 half marathon just 8 months later) and how different each circumstance was from the other! That's how I take running in general - each race brings about new experiences and opportunities. You're not going to PR in each event and that's OK...it's simply being out there, having fun, and taking away the learning experiences that matters!

Have a fabulous weekend! Do you have anything planned for Halloween? Any fun themed races?

Pregnancy Update: 17 Weeks

Well, we are smack dab in the middle of week 17 and the bump is continuing to grow! It won't be long now before we find out if our little one is a baby boy or girl!

I can't decide which gender I "think" it is...someday I think girl and some I think boy. The heart rate has ALWAYS been in the "girl" range but all of the "old wives tales" point to boy. I don't mind either way to be honest - I'm just praying for a healthy baby, whatever the gender! Guess we'll find out soon enough!

How many weeks are you now?
17 weeks + 5 days

 
Baby's size?  

Turnip - 5 inches, 5 ounces (estimate from the What to Expect app)

Symptoms:

Lots of stretching with baby growth, a little acne here and there, and clumsiness TO THE MAX - who knew that was a pregnancy thing? I certainly did not...

Hormones...oh my gosh the hormones. The kind that made me sob like a baby while watching a video about Christian the Lion video on YouTube (which, I might add, I'VE SEEN BEFORE). Sobbing, y'all. For real.

Exercise: 

I resumed run/walking this week and all is well!

Clothes:  

I'm almost finished collecting clothing items for our upcoming Disney Cruise/Baby Moon! Can't wait to begin the packing process!

Cravings? 

 Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches...yum! Also tootsie rolls!

Aversions? 

Fish. We had an oncology nursing dinner last night and one of the menu items was fish. Thankfully, I was sitting at a table where no one ordered it! :)

Any Movement?
I think so...every once in a while (and it's not every day), I feel this slight movement like someone is fist bumping me lightly from the inside. It's the strangest thing! 

I keep hearing the word "fluttering" but that's not quite what this feels like. Who knows...it might just be gastric contents moving around! Haha!

Sleep:
No problems here! Still loving my naps, too!

Purchases:

A dress for our cruise from Pink Blush Maternity. I also ordered our gender reveal party invitations from Kendyll Raes etsy shop!

What I miss: 

Still deli meat. I haven't convinced myself that it's ok to eat. I'm sure I'll get there, but it hasn't happened yet. 

What I’m looking forward to:
Our Baby Moon...followed shortly thereafter by the big reveal! YAY!

Best Moment of the Week: 

Finalizing gender reveal party plans....it was stressful there for a while but is officially scheduled for 11/21/15!

This week, I did have one scare - it happened on Saturday night. I moved around a lot that day and don't think I rested enough (although I didn't run on Saturday and hadn't run all week, actually). I also ate this nasty processed crap I shouldn't have eaten for lunch and never will again. To top it off, I didn't drink near enough water throughout the day. That night, I was standing at an event with a friend when I had this really tight pain in my lower pelvis. It wasn't like a cramp, I just knew something wasn't right...it's kind of hard to describe but the pain didn't come and go like a cramp, it lasted a solid five minutes at least. We walked back to my car where I was able to sit down and drink some water and the pain stopped - it was also accompanied by a little brown spotting (sorry if that's TMI). Thankfully, I have access to a doppler and a blood pressure machine and all was well on both ends so I didn't freak out too much (although I was still a little worried). I called my OB on Monday who told me that if it hadn't happened again, I should be fine. I also know what they say about spotting and watching for bright red (this never was), but I was still a little nervous about the whole situation and am glad I made the phone call. She also instructed me to make sure I keep myself hydrated daily. I was doing a good job of it but totally slipped on Friday and Saturday. My goal ever since getting pregnant has been about 90-100 ounces per day but I totally messed up this weekend. Ah well, it won't happen again! :) I'm just thankful all is well! Baby's heart rate remains in the high 150's to low 160's!

That's all for today! I hope you're having a great week! Thanks for following along in our journey! :)

Pregnancy Update: 16 Weeks

Time is slowly ticking away! I've almost reached month five and am loving the second trimester. Our gender scan is scheduled for the middle of November, so we will know if Baby Seal is a boy or girl before long! It's time for my 16 week update, so here we go!

 

 

How many weeks are you now?
16 weeks + 6 days

Baby's size?  

Avocado- 4 to 5 inches, 3-5 ounces (estimate from the What to Expect app)

Symptoms:

Thankfully the sinus mess has mostly cleared up and gone away...and the headaches have gone with it! YAY! I actually didn't "feel" pregnant this week if that makes any sense.

Exercise: 

I ran/walked a half marathon on Saturday. My old right IT Band injury decided to act crazy during my run, so I've been babying that this week. Other than a few walks and some foam rolling, I've been taking it easy. My goal with this pregnancy is to run/walk as long as I'm able. I'm just going to take it day by day and see where that leads! 

 

Clothes:  

In some maternity clothing (jeans/shorts) although most of my regular tops still fit!

Weight:

I gained three pounds over the past month! That's up four in total! I lost 8 pounds during my first trimester (not sure why because I wasn't sick or anything), so I'm making my way back to my pre-pregnancy weight!

Cravings? 

Nothing new this week. The salad and ranch dressing craving has diminished along with the Hershey chocolate craving. I'm still loving cereal and could eat it every meal!

Aversions? 

Nothing new here either...still fish and steamed veggies. I did try a bite of fried catfish last week which was pretty tasty and completely surprised me! I guess with the bread coating, the fish smell wasn't able to permeate through. I think my aversion stems from the fish that smell really fishy (like tilapia)...blech.

Any Movement?
Nope, not yet!

Sleep: 
Still doing well with this although I had a hard time falling asleep last night. I think it's because I ate late then attempted to fall asleep. Not going to do that again!

Purchases:

A cover and travel case for my snoogle. Also a few baby books to read on our upcoming trip! I still feel so lost in the world of cribs, high chairs, strollers, car seats, etc...

What I miss: 

Sandwiches. I do love sandwiches...and I miss my deli meat. I've read that it's ok to eat them every once in a while and only if the meat has been heated, but I'm overall super paranoid and don't want to take that chance....

What I’m looking forward to:
Planning the gender reveal (now that I have an ultrasound date) and our upcoming trip on board the Disney Wonder! :)

Best Moment of the Week: 

Tuesday's doctor appt...although they were running terribly behind, I do understand since my OB has to leave randomly throughout the day to deliver babies. I only hope when I'm in that situation, other patients will understand, too!
Another great moment of the week happened on Sunday with baby's first half marathon! :)

Did you feel lost when it came to large purchases like cribs, strollers, etc? What helped you decide? Any tips or advice?

Gulf Coast Half Marathon 2015

If you read yesterday's recap, you know that my friend Heather and I spent our weekend in Mandeville, Louisiana for the Gulf Coast Half Marathon! We had an amazing time and the weather couldn't have been more prefect!

Today, I'm bringing you the recap of the race itself! By the way, this just so happened to be Baby Seal's first race! :)

My outfit for race day was created several weeks ago in my head - although the arm warmers didn't last! I'm so thankful for the sweatshirts we found at Academy the evening before the race!

I also created the little yellow sign, simply so people would be cautious when running up behind me. I know that my child might not like running and that's a-ok with me...

On race morning, Heather and I both slept WAY later than we intended...by like an hour...seriously. I slept well the night before, I just didn't want to get out of bed! Whoops!

However, we got up anyway and were dressed as fast as possible - hence the reason I still look half asleep in the above picture!

We stayed at the host hotel, the Courtyard Marriott. Since we weren't able to partake in their continental breakfast, they created breakfast bags for the runners! Mine included a granola bar, a giant orange, and a bottle of water. So nice of them!

After a little bit of traffic coming into the park, we made it in plenty of time for the start! The race began at 7 a.m. out of Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville.

Thankfully this year, workers were directing traffic and that made a WORLD of difference! I liked that addition! :) (I haven't run this race in several years, by the way!)

We found a few of our runner friends to say hello, then made our way to the start line. Y'all, it was COLD out there. Seriously. I think my app said it "felt like" 49 degrees! I'm definitely not complaining but I'm just not used to running in that! 

I also bumped into Mindy at the start line! It was so nice to see her before the race - she even PR'd! It was a gorgeous day and the perfect course for doing so! Congrats, Mindy!

Heather and I decided to join the back of the pack runners in the very last section of the corral. It seems that a 4:1 run/walk has been working for me since I've become pregnant, so that's what we decided to stick with. I've never run/walk intervals in a race before, so this was a new experience for me for sure!

Off we go! This course led us through the park, then out to downtown Mandeville.
 

We blinked and before we knew it, mile 3 was upon us! Yay! 

The water stops were hilarious! Various clubs/departments throughout the city work the water stops and really keep the runners pumped up. At the end of the race, runners were able to vote on their favorite water stop and the water stop that won received money towards their club/department. It was awesome!

Running along the waterfront was one of the best parts of this race!

It was nice to run and feel great...unlike the last time we ran this race where the weather was so hot and we tortured ourselves and I almost ended up in the ER. No, this race experience was COMPLETELY different!

The waterfront was also lined with gorgeous homes!

Heather's favorite water stop was the ballet girls! They were preparing for the Nutcracker and several "characters" were there handing out water...even the rat!

This race had two options, a 10 miler or a half marathon, and they split along the waterfront. 

Another gorgeous home...this one was decked out for halloween!

The next section of this race took us through another neighborhood of gorgeous homes!

Over halfway there!  I finally made a potty stop at mile 8 and I'm so glad I did! I didn't see another porta potty for a while after that!

It was also around mile 8 that my IT band started to act up (right side). It still hurt even after the race, so I'm going to take it easy this week/weekend to baby it and see if that helps. 

Last but not least, the final several miles of this race were in the park.

So glad I remembered my sunglasses! This part of the course is gorgeous but can seem rather long. I pointed out the back of a runDisney shirt to Heather (it was from Wine & Dine last year). After catching up to the girl, I asked if she was running Wine & Dine again and she said yes...then she said, "KAREN?" Hahah it was Wendy, a long time social media friend I've never actually met in person! It was so nice to finally meet her!!

Speaking of social media friends, I've been running a BUNCH of the same races as this chick and we never ran into each other until this race!! It was so nice to bump into Ernise and say hello! 

Before long, we were back in the park and I just had to take my traditional mile 12 picture!

As we approached our vehicle, Heather took our sweatshirts and put them on the car so we would have a decent finish line picture! (Always thinking ahead!)

All done! Baby's first 13.1 in the books! I honestly thought we would finish around 2:45, so I was pleased with our results!

The finish line party was fun with lots of food and a fun band! 

We did it! I'm so thankful for this girl who stuck with me the entire race!

Number 23 for me!

I seriously couldn't have asked for a better race! This course is gorgeous and the weather was ideal!! This is one of my favorite Louisiana races! My OB told me to watch out for any signs of pain/cramping, etc and I didn't have any other than my right IT Band which is an old injury that comes back to haunt me sometimes. I also made sure to stay well hydrated as this race had plenty of water stations! Overall, I have no complaints about this experience and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!

Running while pregnant is definitely a different experience but I want to continue as long as it's safe to do so and as long as I'm able! I'm just taking it one day at a time....

Just cause I still think it's hilarious...I gotta share this one again! Heather's going to disown me as her running buddy...

Have a wonderful day everyone!