Monthly Archives: September 2011

Hi there! So, glad I  got a chance to post tonight and can you believe tonight’s post won’t feature a picture of my every expanding belly? I just had to share a  great recipe I tried as well as an AWESOME workout!

Gina at The Fitnessita posts monthly workouts  and I FINALLY got around to trying her September Schweaty Workout. And boy was I Schweaty! I didn’t feel like I was working that hard but I was definitely sweating and the next day felt a little sore from the weight portion of the workout. Plus all the exercises were safe and effective for this pregnant lady! I did two sets of each weight exercise and it took me a little over an hour with stretching. This is probably because every time you use a cardio machine at the Y you have to wipe it down. I really liked this workout and the hour just flew by! I think I’ll do it again on Saturday!

Tonight I tried a delicious fall recipe. I’ll admit, my eating hasn’t been the best since finding out I was pregnant. I was definitely feeding the cravings and not the baby (mac and cheese…. need I say more). But I’m proud to say that I’ve cleaned up my eats over the past couple of weeks. I bought 3 boxes of mac and cheese two weeks ago and haven’t eaten a single one! This recipe came from our CSA newsletter and used several of the veggies we got in our box this week.

Sweet Red Pepper and Lentil Soup

This was SO good! I think the key ingredient was this

Smoked Paprika! I looked for this a few months ago when I made Smoked Paprika Almond Butter but couldn’t find it. I made the almond butter with regular paprika and it just didn’t have the zing I expected. While perusing the bulk spice aisle at the Co-Op I was excited to see that they had this. I new immediately when I sautéed the peppers and leaks in this that it was going to be good. It smelled AMAZING! The soup had a great flavor and was very hearty! Plus it simmered away in the crockpot today while I was busy working on my thesis paper, teaching fitness classes, and heading over to campus to meet with my advisor and pick up some items from the library! Also simmering away were some navy beans which I plan on using in another recipe utilizing my CSA vegetables which I hope to make this weekend! Also in our CSA box was a TON (I mean A TON!) of spinach. I’ve been drinking green smoothies like CRAZY! Baby should be getting lots of  nutrients and vitamins!

Hope you are enjoying some fall recipes and some great workouts!

Hello there! Hope you are having a great Tuesday. It has been pretty rainy and gloomy around here! Just makes you want to curl up with a cup of tea!

Can you believe that I am at the half way point in my pregnancy?? I can’t! Yesterday morning I woke up and got dressed to go workout and I could swear that “the bump” had GROWN over night!

Maybe that’s because baby is now the length of a banana!

My resource says,

“For the first 20 weeks, when a baby’s legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the “crown to rump” measurement. After 20 weeks, he’s measured from head to toe.”  (Source)

Baby Boy Sneaker got his first present this week! My friend Marianne was in town and she brought over a TON of ADORABLE baby boy outfits. This is just one of them!

Anyone who says little boys don’t have cute clothes is seriously wrong! I just love them!

Sorry for the weird lighting in these pictures. We took our regular pictures a little late today and tried turning on all the lights, didn’t work so well. We are still working on the nursery so we didn’t take pictures on our “regular wall.” I promise pictures of the nursery once it’s completed!

Not too much new to report. Again I “think” I’ve felt a little movement now and then but nothing consistent. Not too worried since my ultrasound last week said my placenta is in the front. I know I’ll feel him soon! I’m still working out regularly and teaching at least two classes a week. I’ve had to make some modification especially when lifting weights. No lying flat on my back any more and there aren’t too many abdominal exercises I can do. When I take a class I feel comfortable making modifications but when I teach a class I kind of just have to tell them what to do while I watch.  Also last week I taught cycling on Thursday and felt kind of uncomfortable so I raised the handle bars one “notch” and felt much better! I also transitioned most of my “regular” clothes out of my closet and have mostly maternity clothes easy to reach. Other than that no new symptoms or cravings. Like I’ve said I’ve been pretty focused on working on my master’s thesis so that is where a lot of my energy is going. I’m so thankful that Brian has taken full responsibility of preparing the nursery (even if it does mean he gets kind of frustrated and crabby!).

So that’s all for this week. So far I am feeling great and loving the second trimester!

Good early Saturday morning to you! I did not sleep well last night and I finally gave up the fight and I decided to get up. I won’t bore you with the details though! I’ve been thinking about writing this post for a long time and was just waiting for the perfect quiet time to do so.

Ever since finding out that our little baby was a little boy this whole pregnancy thing has become even more real to me. I catch myself several times a day imagining what it will be like to hold and cuddle my little boy and I just know I have goofy grin on my face! I know that my whole world is going to change and I just can’t wait to meet him!

I feel so very lucky to be pregnant and to be having a very healthy and happy pregnancy. There was a time not that long ago where I wondered if I would ever be pregnant. I would look at other pregnant women with a slight envy and sadness. You see, we just didn’t magically get pregnant, we had actually been trying for THREE years! I won’t lay out all the details since as Brain would say, “I don’t think the whole world needs to know “our business” and I want to respect his privacy. I do feel that it is important to mention that yes, we were considered infertile. By medical definition a couple who has been trying to conceive for at least 12 months is considered infertile. Infertility is something that is very common in our world. I’ve read several statistics that say anywhere between 1 and 7 and 1 and 8 couples experience infertility. Yet, I feel it is still considered a taboo subject. I myself didn’t talk about it very much. For every woman I know who seemed to get pregnant with a blink of  an eye I know several others who struggle and who still struggle to conceive a child. Even two of my favorite healthy living bloggers Gina, and Emily who are now pregnant shared their long journey to starting their family. And shortly after I got pregnant I started reading Jen’s blog who has an amazing story about how she over came infertility. So this baby feels even more like a blessing since we waited so long for our dream to come true. Yes, I charted my cycles, we visited the infertility clinic, we had blood work done, medicine was suggested, lifestyles changes were made but at one point the doctors were telling us our options were, finding a donor (ummmmm… no thanks) IVF (invitro fertilization) which I was kind of against because a. it’s expensive and there is only a 60% change it will work, and b. I had personal issues with it. Plus I don’t think Brian was thrilled that he would have to be the one injecting me with drugs with terrible side effects, or adoption which I am totally for (my brother and I are adopted) but I know also costs a lot of money and comes with its own challenges and heart breaks.

Fortunately for us we were able to conceive without any medical intervention and celebrated   something I thought I would never see on June 21. Sometimes I still can’t believe this is all happening. I feel so blessed that we are able to have a child and that so many people are happy for us. Sure I still have some worries and fears but I know there is nothing I can’t handle with God’s help and my wonderful husband and family. It’s so hard to believe that I can love someone so much that I haven’t even met and have only caught a tiny glimpse of!

Can’t wait to meet you baby boy!

Well hello there! So sorry to be so absent from the blog lately. Things at work have been CAH-RAYZ!! I spent all last weekend on a retreat with my college students and the past couple of days I’ve had to catch up on other things. To be honest I am afraid I might not be as active on this blog in the upcoming months. My master’s thesis is due in December and I feel like any spare time I have in front of the computer should be spent working on that! Don’t worry I’ll still be providing you with Baby Sneaker updates but some of the other stuff might be a little lacking!

Okay, with that out of the way, this week Baby Sneaker is the size of a mango!

I’m standing in a different location because all the stuff from the nursery is up against my usual photo wall. Brian is painting the nursery as I type! More on that in another post.

Izzy still isn’t sure about this whole baby thing!

I am definitely noticing “the bump” more.

Part of my role on the retreat this weekend was to prepare/cook the meals so I was standing in a kitchen most of the time. I kept being surprised every time my belly would bump up against the counter. I am loving the bump! I wore my “Sweating for Two” tank top at a Group Strength Class I took on Monday and kept seeing the bump in the mirror and just loving my pregnant body!

I also “think” I might have felt the baby move a couple of times. A few times when I’ve been relaxing at night I’ve felt little ripples in my belly that don’t feel like anything I’ve ever felt before. I met with my midwife today and she said that my placenta was in the front which means I might not feel too much for awhile because the placenta will block the baby from kicking my stomach until he gets a little stronger.

Yes that’s right! I said HE! We had an ultrasound today and plain as day (ok not really, the technician had to point it out) we are having a boy! Here’s one of the the latest images of our little boy!

He’s so beautiful! To be honest I had a feeling it was a boy! I’ve had several dreams where I found it it was a boy and sure enough! Brian said he didn’t care if it was a boy or a girl just as long as it was healthy.  Secretly, even though I would love a little girl to dress up, I was hoping for a little hunting buddy for Brian.

Everything looked good on the ultrasound and I really didn’t have much to talk to the midwife about just a few minor questions to ask.

As far as symptoms go I’ve been feeling pretty good. I am not as exhausted as I was in the first trimester but I do notice that I get tired more easily. My acne has pretty much cleared up which makes me  happy. I still seem to have quite a bit of congestion but other than that I actually feel pretty normal! I sometimes even forget I’m pregnant! (Okay, not really!).

That’s all for this week’s update! Stay tuned for some nursery updates!

Hi! Hope you are having a lovely day! The weather today was gorgeous! Sunny with a high of 70* easing it’s way into fall! Love it!

This week Baby Sneaker is the size of a sweet potato!

I don’t think that the bump has grown that much. What do you think?

I’m glad the weather has cooled off so I can wear more of my maternity clothes. I didn’t think that the bump had grown that much but yesterday I wore non maternity clothes and felt VERY uncomfortable all day!

My view of “the bump”

In other news I finished knitting my first baby item. A cute little sweater that will hopefully work for either a boy or a girl!

Other than that, not much new. No new weird cravings or symptoms. I had my second “yoga for moms” class this morning and found out there are two other women who are pregnant. One with her 3rd due in January and another with her first due in November. I am still really enjoying it, I just love the instructor! I think I’ve decided on a nursery “theme” and some bedding. But you’ll just have to wait to see those! I still don’t think I have felt the baby move which kind of worries me but knowing that I’ll get to see him/her next week keeps my worrying at bay.

Brian would like you all to know about something “new.”

Alaskan Amber has finally made it’s way south to the lower 48 and is now being sold in our town! It’s his favorite beer, can you tell?

That’s it for this weeks update! Next week we have another ultrasound, get to find out the sex of our baby and meet with the midwife! Can’t waits

Hey friends! How’s your Monday going? Mine has been VERY productive! I’m glad I got so much accomplished but now I’m pretty worn out! Good thing there is not much on the agenda for tonight!

A year ago today I did my final long training run for the Maple Leaf Half Marathon. I can remember all the details pretty clearly especially how hard it was and how awesome it felt to finish! Even though I haven’t been running during my pregnancy I have been doing a lot of other things to stay fit. This morning I subbed a Group Strength Class. A few weeks ago I attended this class to get in a good strength workout. The instructor knew I was pregnant and made some cute comment about how we should all feel comfortable to make modifications if we were injured or in the family way. So, most of the people who regularly attend that class knew I was pregnant. One woman who I know pretty well from the Y and Church said she was so impressed had how fit I was staying! I thought that I would really miss running but so far I am enjoying my pregnancy workout plan. I feel fit and healthy and hopefully am preparing myself well for labor and delivery.

Since the class I taught was at 6am  I had most of the day to get stuff done. I did my regular cleaning but also tackled a dreaded job I’ve been avoiding. This spring I cleaned most of the windows in our house (we have 18) but stopped when I got burned out. While doing some nursery preparations I noticed how dirty the windows were in there. Call it nesting if you will but I wiped out the window wells and washed the windows in there plus all the other windows I missed. I did some laundry, practiced some Zumba moves, AND did our weekly produce run to the Co-Op! Whew! Glad to have some of that 2nd trimester energy back!

I also whipped up one of my favorite fall recipes, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili. Awhile back I decided canned beans were a waste of money and bought a ton of dried beans in bulk from the Co-Op but I found it kind of time consuming to cook them. That is until I read Ashley’s method for cooking beans using the crock pot! This was so easy! I let the beans soak overnight in the crock pot. Drained and rinsed them this morning, threw them back in the crockpot, added water and let them simmer all day! So easy! There will be no going back to canned beans! The temperature is suppose to drop this week so I knew I had to make a fall recipe. Doesn’t this just look like fall!

I can’t wait to come home from work at lunch tomorrow to this! I’m sure it’s a lot more healthy than the macaroni and cheese I have been eating !

Well, the only thing on tap for this evening is a hair cut which should be pretty relaxing! See you tomorrow for a weekly Baby Sneaker update!

Hi there! Whew! Another busy weekend! I’m in between work events and putting my feet up before I rush off to the next thing. Despite having lots of work obligations this weekend I’ve still been able to have some fun and family time.

Yesterday I participated in my first ever Steppin’ Out in Pink walk for breast cancer. I have heard about this event that takes place in our town the past few years but have always had something going on during  the day of the event. My sister-in-law called earlier this week and told me that they would be in town this weekend and were doing the walk and wondered if I would like to join them. Since this was something I always wanted to do, I love hanging out with my sister-in-law and nieces, it was for a good cause, AND I would get some good exercise I agreed of course!

It was a beautiful day as we started out our walk!

The best part about this 5 mile walk is along the route they have fun things to stop and do. First up was a writing on a rock in remembrance of someone who was affected by breast cancer and then placing in in a rock garden.

My nieces coloring on their rocks.

Placing the rock in the garden.

Another cool thing about this walk was that everyone was given pink t-shirts and most people wear them. With over 5,000 participants all you can see is a sea of pink!

At each mile you got a string of sparkly beads and a sticker. At mile two the University marching band was playing. Half way through the walk we had muffins and bananas, Natalie was pretty happy about this!

I was pretty proud of my nieces for making it the whole 5 miles! Natalie only had to be carried for a little while!

Our whole group (minus me!) at the end of the walk!

My sister-in-law Caren, her Aunt Bernie, her Aunt Donna, her sister Sue, her mom Carole,  Rosalia and Natalie.

At the end of the walk they also had food, a show choir that preformed and tons of vendors. It was such a fun time. We all agreed we would do this again next year and bring Baby Sneaker!

Well, I have to head back to church pretty soon but not to forget the importance of today I leave you with a prayer that was read at church this morning. These words come from Pope Benedict when he visited Ground Zero in April of 2008.

O God of love, compassion, and healing,

look on us, people of many different faiths and traditions,

who gather today at this site,

the scene of incredible violence and pain.

We ask you in your goodness

to give eternal light and peace

to all who died here–

the heroic first-responders:

our fire fighters, police officers,

emergency service workers, and Port Authority personnel,

along with all the innocent men and women

who were victims of this tragedy

simply because their work or service

brought them here on September 11, 2001.

Hey friends! See I told you yesterday would be busy! So busy I didn’t have time to post. But I’m back now!

Today was my day to work at the YMCA and I taught two classes. I decided to wear one of my maternity splurges!

Sorry for the self, mirror photograph but I didn’t want to have to wait until Brian got home to change and shower to get my picture taken! The shirt says, “Sweating for Two.” I got it online at For Two Fitness. Now, most of the maternity workout clothes on clearance at Wal-Mart but when I saw these online I just had to splurge and get one! Not only do they have cute sayings and cute baby feet on them they are SUPER comfortable and the ruching on the side helps to show off “the bump.”

I’m still able to wear most of my regular workout clothes but I am noticing that the shirts are starting to creep up on the back since the front have more area to cover! This tank is nice and long and stays in place.  The clothes I bought from Wal-Mart are REALLY generous and I think they would look silly on my right now.

As you can tell, Izzy is just enthralled with my fashion show!

I got some nice compliments on my tank top too. Too bad these shirts are a little expensive, I definitely would buy more. If any one wants to get me a gift I’ll take a large……just kidding….sort of!

Other than teaching classes my day has been pretty chill. I practiced some Zumba moves and paid the bills. We have plans to go watch the Packer game later tonight!

Hope you’re having a great day and are looking forward to the weekend!

Hi there! Happy Tuesday to you! After a crazy busy weekend It felt good  to simply go to my office to work and then come home and relax. Tomorrow is another busy day but I think today’s “easy” day will help give me the energy to make it through! It helps that the weather has turned more fall like. Today was BEAUTIFUL! Sunny and about 70* perfect! Okay on to the good stuff I just know you’re waiting for!

This week Baby Sneaker is the size of an onion!

Izzy was wondering what the heck we were up to!

Today I am wearing ALL maternity clothes! Now that the weather has cooled off I can try out some of my maternity purchases. I love these pants, they have a drawstring waist with plenty of room to grow! The shirt is a little big but I love the color and the gathered sides, also lots of room to grow!

Brian didn’t think you could to see “the bump” in this outfit so I changed into “regular” yoga pants and a long sleeved t-shirt.

He still thought the shirt was too baggy! I think he likes “the bump.”

I had two first this week, TODAY in fact. This morning I went to my first “prenatal” yoga class. Well, I guess it’s not really a “prenatal” class it is called “Yoga for moms.”  One of my favorite yoga instructors, Amber, was teaching yoga on Friday mornings which I was a faithful attendee of. I really like how she cued and showed modifications for the poses. She also really got us thinking about our bodies and our core. She told us that once school started she wouldn’t be teaching Friday’s because she needed to get her kids off to school. Once I told her I was pregnant she suggested this special class starting in the fall. I had to pay for it but it was less expensive then other prenatal classes in our area. I’m pretty sure I’m the only pregnant one in the class but that is cool. It will be nice to meet other moms at the Y and learn from them. Plus Amber gives good modifications for me which I can us in the other Yoga classes I take. I just know Yoga will help me feel my best while pregnant and help with labor and delivery.

My other first was my first pregnant lady melt down, caused by hormones I’m sure. Brian and I had a tiny disagreement over something to do with the baby. The next thing you know I burst into tears. He gave me a hug and we talked it out. I felt so silly afterwards. I’m usually such an even keeled person!

How am I feeling? Still pretty good! Loving the second trimester! As far as symptoms go I’m still experiencing the same ones from last week. I also forgot to mention that I have had a few moments of light headedness when I get up too fast. I also have experienced some round ligament pain which is completely normal.

Things I’m craving: besides the creamsicle from yesterday I also had a weird craving for an egg salad sandwich. Fortunately my mom and dad went out of town and told us to take some of their perishable food off their hands which included some hardboiled eggs. I chopped one up, added some mayo and spices and put it on some bread. Yum! What surprises me about these cravings is that these are foods I NEVER really ate before. I wouldn’t say I hated these foods but I just never thought to eat them. So weird!

Things I’m looking forward to:

1.  Having a more pronounced “bump.” I definitely feel like I am looking more pregnant and less like I’ve been eating one too many cookies.

2. My next midwife visit and our ultrasound where we’ll get to find out the sex of the baby! (Two weeks from today).

3. Feeling the baby move. Everything I’ve read says you should be able to start to feel the baby move between 16-22 weeks. So far I think I’ve felt something but nothing that made me think, “Oh yes! That’s the baby!” I just keep thinking it’s just indigestion or something!

4. Getting more done on the nursery. We got rid of the bed today and I am thinking of ordering bedding since it is on sale. Brian thinks the hardwood under the carpet will be in good shape.

More on all that later! Hope you are enjoying these updates as much as I enjoy writing them. I think it will be a could way to capture all the joys and trials of my pregnancy!

Hi there! Whew! Am I tired! It has been a very busy weekend over here, hence the lack of posting. The University students moved in this Saturday and start classes on Tuesday. As part of my work at the church I had several events planned to encourage the students to get involved at our church and meet other students who are active student members.  It was fun but a lot of work! I’m glad I am out of the first trimester because otherwise I have no idea how I would have made it!

Last year after this crazy weekend I remember relaxing with an ice cold beer. This year I had an ice cold treat but it was a little different than a beer.

It was fantastic! Just what I was craving! Some how in the midst of all that busyness I managed to get all my regular house cleaning done plus the grocery shopping! Now, it’s time to put my feet up, and maybe give myself a mani/pedi! I’ll be back tomorrow with a Baby Sneaker Update!