32 weeks : Pressure

Here we are at 32 weeks. I would describe this week as pressure - lots of lower pressure! Running this week was basically not comfortable and stop and go. Since I am running on a treadmill, sometimes it seems futile - I am stopping then going back to it after a 30 second break, etc. I might add more swimming to the routine, maybe some biking, but on the stationary bike, or I'll break out my mountain bike? I wonder if that would be comfortable, or not so much.  The lower pressure - sometimes I have twinges - is that Braxton Hicks? I go to the doctor at the end of the upcoming week.

 This is a comparison photo  - 32 weeks w/ Nick:  ha, was I lucky with Nick or what?!

This past week, sleeping was so much better! I have been getting up sometimes one time in the night to go to the bathroom but that is not every night - totally weird, I remember getting up a lot of times w/ Nick and definitely every night.  Heartburn and breathing problems are definitely daily and with the heat (Nick was born in the winter) I am tired out easily and cranky!

Foods I've been eating alot of - hummus +nutritional yeast, bread & butter, ice cream, milk

Friday

Happy Friday!  It's been a nice week, some hot temperatures and we tried out a little pool in our front lawn area yesterday.  Running this week hasn't been easy - I'm feeling alot of pressure and maybe some braxton hicks?  I don't know if I had any contractions w/ Nick because I didn't even know what it felt like but sometimes now I think I am having them. It's weird!  I've just been going with whatever I feel like this week with running nonetheless. Today I felt like swimming so I got up in time to catch the second half of the master's practice and then finished it out on my own. It was nice seeing the people that don't go on Saturdays - I haven't seen them in probably 2 months!

Here's my new outfit w/ shoes from the winnings the other day - fun fun!  I like the socks and shoes - shoes give me a whole new level of support and the socks are comfy! The shorts - love the material and they are great so far! The shirt - Love how it looks, but putting it on and figuring out how it goes is WORK! It has an inner liner of mesh and then the top is a soft material - frustrating to figure out!

All week I've been eating tons of hummus + nutritional yeast and water on bread, veggies, and I sauteed some tempeh because I don't know what else to do with it!!  Any tempeh ideas??

Naps - we're 2 naps some days and 1 nap other days, depending on what time Nick wakes up and if he'll go down or not for his morning nap. Yesterday he slept an hour and a half in the morning and 2.5 hours in the afternoon, the day before he slept 3 hours in one nap. The key so far for one nap - thanks for all the tips btw - is a 5 hour window. I was waiting too long to put him down. He can only be up about 5 hours.

Greens plus / Amazing Grass - I bought the kids powder of Amazing grass and have been making Nick banana softserve + frozen blueberries and some kale as a little sorbet. He likes it, and it's just about the only way I am getting fruits and veggies in right now.  Let's talk about the bars for a minute though. I picked up a few bars of each brand.  I don't know how I ever liked the Amazing Grass bars. They taste like pure cardboard to me right now. The Greens Plus are much more do-able! I love the Amazing Grass powder however!  The Greens Plus powder tastes the same to me also.  Does anyone really like the Amazing Grass bars?  Maybe pregnancy changed my palate.


Other than that, I bought this at whole foods - it was on sale and less than $4 and have been eating it out of the jar. Oops!

Anyone want a free coupon for Horizon DHA Chocolate Milk? I can't find it anywhere, so if you want it, just leave a comment and I'll pick if necessary randomly this afternoon.

Mileage;Groceries

When I was pregnant with Nick, I was also training for Boston, so I kept my mileage up around 30 miles a week, no matter how dreadful or how long it took to complete that. Up until 30 weeks, I have been able to hit 30 miles almost every week until last week when I got sick and that was cut in half. Usually my week starts on Tuesday and I have been doing 5 miles in the morning before Nick gets up and 5 in the later morning or afternoon. This morning it didn't feel the best, and I kind of wasn't digging doing another 5, so I did another 1 while Nick was napping. I started thinking what my mileage should be - whatever I feel like doing each week?  Maybe the 30 miles is forcing me to run, but it is also giving me a goal. I need some kind of goal for each week to strive for - I don't know what my goal should be.  What should I aim for?

Groceries. I was being so good about the food shopping and keeping the costs down as much as possible until I started reading the organic produce articles and started buying more and more organic foods. For the first time this month, our grocery bill went over $450, it had been around $350-400 for a few months. I'm bummed!

Nick has become kind of a pain eater!  One thing I just started giving him is the Greens + powder as a smoothie with frozen bananas and frozen berries - he seems to dig it.  I think it is ok for him to eat.   I also have a box of Amazing Grass pb protein bars around because once I got pregnant I decided they tasted like cardboard. Does anyone else feel that way? I used to think they were delicious! Now it's a struggle to get them down - but Nick likes them!  I have to go get the ones that aren't coated in chocolate as well as some kids powder for the Amazing Grass.  At least he's getting in some nutrients.
He'll eat peanut butter on crackers, he ate oatmeal this morning, bananas most of the time... but he's getting so picky!

Remember I mentioned I won a prize for answering a blog comment - 6 words - what did Broad Street mean to you?  It was a random drawing but my 6 words were: bonding experience with 30,000 other runners.  I went to get my prize today from Philadelphia Runner and it was awesome! I got to pick out a new pair of sneakers and the guy working looked at how I walked and my shoes and told me that I overpronate. The last time I went they told me to get neutral shoes but I think my stride is totally different from being pregnant. This time I picked out stability shoes - Mizuno Wave Nirvana 6. I liked the color over a different pair that was bright green, though I liked them too!

I was trying to find a matching outfit, but that wasn't working out so much for me so I got a PUMA shirt - tank top w/ built in bra - I don't have any of these and it's sparkly at the bottom - big fan! It matches the shoes :)  It was funny trying this stuff on with a big belly - hopefully soon I can look normal wearing it.

and  a pair of socks (Feetures) and Asics "Favorite Short."   Have you heard of Feetures socks? I hadn't so I figured I'd try them. I'll let you know what I think!

I was looking for something to match the shirt but no luck. Regardless, I loved being able to go in and just pick out whatever I wanted, how fun is that? Might be the coolest prize (besides straight up money) that I've ever received!! Thank you Philadelphia Runner and Phillymag.com!

7 months/31 weeks

Here are some pictures from whenever I started taking them.

This past week has been rough.  Besides the sore throat and clogged ears, runny nose, I can't sleep! I've been taking sleep drugs every night this week and I still lay in bed awake for at least 2 hours.  I think that I am both nervous and anxious about having another baby and my mind just keeps going and going! Nick is still a baby :(  and I don't want him to lose his time. I don't want to miss any one on one time with him - and now it is so limited with 2 months left.  I know it will be fine when the baby is actually here but the anxiety leading up to it is hard for me.  I've been trying to nap when Nick naps but I can't fall asleep. It's awful and I can't keep my eyes open.  I haven't been able to do much at all. I've been using a Neti Pot to clear out my sinuses 2x a day - those things are crazy!




Last week or the week before the baby dropped and this week I've had no heartburn at all! :) The baby is kicking like crazy - lots of movement. I've had a feeling in the past few weeks that it is a girl, but I have no basis.    I can't tell if I'm carrying differently than with Nick, but everything else feels the same. We'll see!

The funniest thing is still my obsession with Dove soap.  I have it in every bathroom. I don't want to eat it or anything, ha. I don't really having any food cravings, some here and there but nothing that stands out. The latest one is that I want a couple of chocolate munchkins from dunkin donuts but I'm unmotivated to go and ask for 2 munchkins. A lady at work brought me a bag of 6 one time but I've never gone in and just asked for chocolate munchkins. Other than that, lots of milk!

5 months 3.17


6 months 4.17

7 months 5.19

If you like baby guessing games you can make a vote at http://www.expectnet.com/game.php
the name of the game is Bigbronick.   Nick was 2 weeks early, 6 lbs 12 oz and 20 inches long.

Graham Crackers;Sucanat; Sick

I enjoyed reading the experiences with organic foods. I think we are just going to go all organic from here on out. We do have a fruit and veggie spray but I wonder what is even in it and if it is healthy/safe to use.  It's crazy how much we take for granted thinking things are good or ok for us!

I think I've mentioned I've been having troubles sleeping and it caught up to me a few days ago. I woke up and just felt awful yesterday. Sore throat, totally run down.  I managed to get in my normal running but I think it made it worse.  I was tutoring in the afternoon and if you've ever seen that hotel commercial where the guy has a battery over his head, I felt like my battery was flashing red - critical level. I was picturing it as I tutored, draining, draining, draining.   Last night I attempted to go to bed drug free (the night before I had tylenol PM and felt like I was having contractions and felt really messed up from it and I HATE taking medication) just after 9:30 and I tossed and turned until midnight, when I went to get some benadryl to help me sleep. I slept till about 530, which I think is what time I wake up naturally every morning now that it is light out, but I went back to sleep until 7:30.

I woke up and still felt awful! I tried to sleep during Nick's naps today with no luck. Things have just been running through my mind and I can't just fall asleep. It's awful because I am totally run down. I know that I am not feeling well when I can't motivate to get in a workout  - that always makes me feel better, but I had no energy today.  This morning I downed a couple of berry smoothies with orange juice and greens + to get some nutrients and soothing for my throat and had some soup later in the day.

I managed to make some graham crackers this afternoon from this recipe that Chari shared with me.  They turned out well!  It was the first time I used sucanat and I know nothing about it: I went in blind on this one.   Is it better than brown sugar or sugar?  What are its benefits?

Homemade Graham Crackers

I want to try this peanut butter graham cracker recipe next!

Did you hear about the later registration date of the Boston marathon? I'd love for you to comment on my article!  :)

Organics, Lucky & thanks!

I won a contest today! It was a random drawing thing and I win a running outfit from Philadelphia Runner. How fun is that!?  CRAZY!!!

Thanks to all of the moms who gave me advice on the naps! Today Nick got up super early and we did 2 naps. I had such a better day and he didn't wake up crying and all was calm and good in our household!

Check out this top 10 foods to buy organic list. Where do you buy organic food?  What do you always buy organic? What stinks is that farmer's markets are not always organic, so whole foods seems to be all there is around here for organic produce. Pricey pricey!

Calling for mom help!

NAPS!

Whew! Struggling with the naps here.  For the past 3 days we've attempted one nap with Nick after lunch, around 1pm. The first day he slept 2 hours. The second day he slept an hour and a half and today he slept about an hour and 45. He was taking 2 naps which averaged an hour and a half in the morning and same in the afternoon.  Sometimes his morning nap would be shorter or his afternoon one would be shorter, and usually he didn't fight either nap. Maybe I did not need to try one nap, but I thought maybe he'd sleep in more and get more rest which hasn't seemed to be the case. He's 15 months, and though I've been told at daycare they switch right around 1 year, my pediatrician said the average is 16 months, so he could go either way. I can't decide if I should stick it out and see if it gets better or just switch back to 2 naps. I need my time - it just got cut in HALF! Usually I would work out during the morning nap -especially on my running days! -and tutor during the afternoon nap.  Could you share your transition and why you made the switch?

FOOD

Nick seems to be a real pain lately w/ food. Whatever I make him he will eat a few scoops and not want anymore. It doesn't seem like enough food and then if we are eating later he'll be hounding us for food.  I don't want to be a short order cook, but I also want to make sure he's getting enough of the good stuff.  I mean, I'll give him mac and cheese with some kind of veggie sauce from purees and he doesn't even dig that! I'm not sure what to do with that. Any tips in that arena?



I'm not eating enough fruits and veggies anymore.  If someone cooks them for me, I'll eat them, but I am getting real lazy about wanting to make them.  Maybe I should just get some amazing grass or greens plus and down smoothies to get them in? How many servings of fruits and veggies are in one serving of that stuff anyway?

7 months!


Tomorrow I will be 7 months pregnant! Crazy. 30 weeks just passed and I had Nick at 38 weeks. Does the trend of whether you had your first child late or early or on time follow suit for the rest of the children too? That would mean even less than 2 months to go. The differences with the seasons and being this pregnant: I prefer being able to wear sweatshirts and go incognito, not be sweating and wearing t-shirts and tank tops that reveal the actual size of my belly.  I've had to buy some t-shirts and tank tops and a pair of maternity khaki shorts, as well as a dress for an upcoming wedding. I hate being big and tend to like things that look tiny when they are hanging on the rack, and then when I try them on, and realize that I am huge, I don't like them!  Running still is going well - I was able to run 2 miles w/ the double jogger this morning and it felt good. Just a few weeks ago I was walking more than I was running when I took Nick out w/ the jogger. I used the double because it is so much easier to turn.

Pea Toast and Five + bullet points

I saw this toast recipe in Parents magazine and made it. It was tasty!  I'd prefer to eat cheese, bread and butter all day long so this was a good trade off.

1 cup cooked peas + 3 T. olive oil + salt and pepper + lemon juice (I used lime) - food process and serve on little toasts (italian bread cut up and toasted)


Bullets:

*Running has been almost spectacular this week - I haven't had many issues and have felt good. I'm just running on the treadmill at this point. I'm thankful for it feeling good!

* I bought Nick the little car - ok - where is the legit handle?? It's an opening but I was expecting a real handle. In any case, he enjoyed it. The floorboard is in for now. It was $40 at amazon.

* The baby is in such an uncomfortable position right now. I swear it is a girl that is tormenting me like I torment my mom.  Right above my belly button there is just this sore spot and pushing out. I don't know what it is(hand/foot??), but it is not a comfortable thing. Monday marks 7 months, I cannot believe it.

*I've been making fudgie babies and having them little by little as crumbles instead of forming them into balls. It's totally a dessert type thing but I eat it first thing in the morning since I can't have too much caffeine and especially not later in the day.

*reading food blogs, especially dessert recipes makes me hungry and makes me want to make things. I like the ones where it is mostly healthy stuff and that is what I am going to focus on posting here too!


* I'm totally unmotivated to make dinner most nights. I keep recycling the same recipes and I need something new!

* I'm game for a triathlon next spring. I want to do an Olympic distance one. Where to even start looking?

*I've already started thinking about how I am going to manage working out when I have 2 kids.  I guess nap time is going to be huge.

* I think I am starting to transition Nick to 1 nap. He's 15 months + 1 week. When did you make the switch? I'm torn whether I should do it or not but he's not consistent with the length of his 2 naps anymore and gets up around 630 - I feel like maybe he'd sleep longer in the mornings once he goes to the one nap. Torn?!

winners - book giveaway

Thanks for your help on the toys! I ordered the little car! :)










This one was tricky - some people left 2 comments, one for each question so I had to go back and combine into one and give everyone a #. I did a random.org sequence to find the winners! They were:

Marlene (already won a copy)--- new winner: Run4May

Shelley

Trish


Congrats!  Send me your address at tosha25italia at yahoo and I'll forward to Amy at runners' lounge!

Sketchers Shape Ups; toys

I'm interested in finding out more about Sketchers Shape Ups - they look pretty sweet and I saw them in a store about a month ago and ever since I have been coveting them.  Regardless if they work to shape up your calves, I like how they give you a lift so they would make my legs look longer and thinner, I think!

Does anyone have them? I'm not sure that I believe the toning aspect, but I like the idea of improved posture and less tension on the knees. What do you think? I keep looking for them on sale. I can't justify spending $100 on them, but maybe $70 and I'd take the plunge.

TOYS

Nick has a wagon and I'm thinking about getting him a little car to push around. I can't decide if it is too repetitive. HE loves pushing buttons and I think the car would be a hit since he's totally into trucks, cars, and buses right now. Does anyone have any suggestions on the ride on / push toys out there for toddlers? These are the two I've been looking at:

I feel like running is becoming easier - I'm able to run faster than I was in the past many weeks!
I hope this continues! :)

I'm featured this week on Food Buzz for Family Bites - 9 recipes. Check it out :) 

29 weeks and ready to be done

I feel huge and don't like any of my clothes. With Nick and at this point, it was cold out, so I could hide under sweaters and hoodies and sweats. This time, I have to go out and buy more tank tops, t-shirts and shorts. I get around w/ athletic gear all the time but whenever I have to get changed into something decent I am throwing clothes on the floor and cursing.   I took a picture this week because I had a comparison one. The one on the left is now, baby #2 and the one on the right is Nick at 29 weeks.
Can you tell my hips are bigger and there is just more weight on me?  I'm already at a higher weight than when I delivered Nick due to not losing all the weight from Nick- but I think that in the last 11 weeks it will kind of plateau.  I feel like I kind of dropped within the past 2 weeks. 

*I was just looking at what I wrote with Nick and most things are the same!
*I wanted an early baby and right now I feel that way too. With Nick though, by the time I reached the end, I was not ready and did not want him to come early!
* I was obsessed with Dove soap - haha. And I am again. It's like OCD and I love washing my hands with it and smelling it.
* I'm watching my belly button and I am going to freak out when it comes out. It didn't with Nick but I don't think I have as much luck this time around.
*I try to go to bed early but spend alot of time having breathing problems and having to sit up, trying to get comfortable... I'm not getting enough sleep and am tired most of the time.
* Running is hit or miss but feels better than the last several weeks for the most part. It's slow - 12/13 minute miles
*Swimming - I feel out of shape. I've been going 2x a week but I feel super slow and that it takes alot of effort.
*I don't have to get up in the night to go to the bathroom
*Heartburn - from tomatoes, cheese, anything somewhat spicy
*I have to go pee alot when I'm holding Nick and standing up

I've been craving Trader Joe's vanilla cake mix - and last time I went they didn't have any! I had some vanilla cake mix -betty crocker crap here so at night I have been making oatmeal with a scoop of it, a pat of butter and some milk with instant oats for a little sweet dessert.

For Mother's Day Nick slept in a little bit and hung out in his crib, which enabled me to get in a great run this morning (on the treadmill of course), 5 miles in under an hour!! woohoo.  Speed work??!


Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms!

ultimate runner - book giveaway x 3

Remember I did a review of the Ultimate Runner?  Amy from Runners Lounge has informed me that I won 3 copies to giveaway to my readers!  Yippee!  Do you want a copy of the book?  Answer one of the questions below by leaving a comment and I will pick 3 winners randomly on May 12th.  Thanks Amy!

Pick a question to answer:

1 - What is on your reading list for this summer (doesn't have to be running related)?

2  - Leave me a boy or girl name that might go well with "Nick" :)

For a bonus entry -

subscribe to my running examiner articles!

banana "ice cream"

It's ice cream season again!! I saw this recipe on CC Katie's blog and had to try it out. I improvised a little. First I food processed some cashews and almonds (I didn't measure, just saved the extra).  Then I made some fudgie babies with almonds, cashews, cocoa and agave and didn't clean out the food processor. I added in a frozen banana, some vanilla, and the cashews and almonds ground up.  Food process till smooth! It has a more brown color because of the fudgie babies that were in there. It made a great refreshing dessert!

For the last few weeks, I have been eating whatever I want, including ice cream almost every night since it is in my house - plus baked goods that I've made.  I decided after my appointment Monday night (it's totally hard to see your weight being the highest ever, pregnant or not!) that I need to get back on track - fruit, veggies, fake desserts that do the trick. Hence I made the banana ice cream on Tuesday and last night and it is a great treat.  Grapes and strawberries are in our house, bananas, and a bunch of veggies. I feel back on track now and better about what I'm eating!

pregnancy things:

I had a dr appt on Monday evening - the baby's heart rate was around 148, which is has been consistently. I still feel like I am carrying higher than I was with Nick, I'm definitely having trouble getting to sleep without propping myself up. I feel like my hips got bigger with this pregnancy based on the way my shorts/pants fit.  My weight gain so far has been 18 lbs, I have to go back and see what it was with Nick, but I feel like I am gaining more with #2 now, and I thought you were supposed to gain less. Oh well - I'm excited to have my body back in a few months and work on getting it back into normal shape! 

Swimming - I'm getting less and less motivated to swim, even though it feels good when I do. I can't get up for the 5:30 masters practices anymore so I try to go one day a week on my own and it's hard to motivate. I do one day with them on Saturdays since it is at 6:30.  Last week the PH was high and water was disgusting. Running - some days I can't even call it that, and most days it takes a long time to warm up. It's going ok.  

My DOVE soap obsession returned.  Some of you who have been reading remember I had this thing for Dove soap in my pregnancy with Nick. I had it in the bathroom at school so that I could use it when I washed my hands and loved the smell of it and washing my hands. Well.. that is happening again. Haha, so random!  It seems my hair has started to shed again, right when I hit the 3rd tri - same with the soap!

It's been really nice out the last 3 days here. I told Nick it was hat day so he'd wear his hat out in the sun :) 

CHERIBUNDI Review

I was sent a trial pack of Cheribundi to review - it came with 4 cute little 8-oz bottles of cherry juice (they are adorable!).  Cheribundi is Cherry juice. They offer 3 varieties - Skinny Cherry, Whey Cherry and Tru Cherry:

Tru Cherry is their original juice. There are 50 cherries in 8 ounces of the juice.

Skinny Cherry is the lighter juice diluted with water and sweetened with Stevia. 40 cherries/8oz

Whey Cherry is the protein juice - it is cherry juice with whey protein added in. 45 cherries/8oz.

Why cherries: (from the website)
Cherries have a powerful combination of these nutrients, which provides more benefits than any other fruit or other good-for-you foods like tea, wine and other juices. Includes anthocyanins, melatonin, phenolic acids, flavanoids/flavonols/flavanols


My thoughts:
These babies are tart!! I love cherries and enjoyed the juices. All natural - not from concentrate. My favorite was the skinny - I found it less tart than the other 2 and like the lighter flavor.   The juices reminded me of POM juice but of course with a different fruit flavor.  I enjoyed it just as a juice and didn't get too creative with it.

Interested in trying it? Check out the where to find page.
I wasn't a big juice drinker until I got pregnant with Nick and the nutritionist recommended I drink it for more fruit/veggie servings.  I still just sip it here and there.

What is your favorite juice?

broad street !

Hey, if anyone did Broad Street yesterday or in the past can you take a look at my article and leave a comment at the bottom of it- how did you think they did preparing for the heat, or your thoughts or experience in the past?
I'm trying to get more comments on it, and to get it up there on google search engines :)
I would love to know what you thought about yesterday's race or previous races - the corrals, the crowd, volunteers, runners...

Thanks!

Broad Street, 28 wks & Coconut Milk

Today was my seventh Broad Street Run - it's my favorite of all the races and today I got to experience the race in a different way since I wasn't racing! I hopped in to the second corral as they passed because I knew it was going to take me a LONG time and I didn't want more of a delayed start from the corrals. I tried to stay out of everyone's way to the side of the road.  Anyone who started in a later corral, how did you feel about the corrals? I ran the first 2 miles, I felt really good, I was around 10:30 minute miles which was nice. But it was hot - I was starting to get warm quickly, so I started alternating walking and jogging.

Around mile 3, I got what I call the pregnancy side stitch - either the baby is pushing out saying what the hell is going on? or just in a position that makes it uncomfortable to speed walk or run. I spent alot of time walking slowly and taking videos and pictures. I was trying to master the speed walk that looks like a jog - I felt like it was less pressure and would get me to the finish a little bit quicker than my slow walk. My halfway point (5 miles) was 1:05.  Around City Hall was exciting but I definitely had a cramp and was walking very slowly. I shook Gov. Rendell's hand just after City Hall for the first time!

I basically walked/speed walked most of the miles until mile 8 when I tried to run (meaning jog) it in and finish. I drank plenty of water, went under the sprinklers (so refreshing!) and didn't feel really warm until the very end. It was hot out there, maybe mid 80s? I finished in 2:17, a pace of 13:42. I really enjoyed the race-though I do think they should have a pregnant division. :) Nick was a trooper, as were Bill and my parents. It was a long morning for them, especially since it took an hour longer than what they are used to. I really appreciate their support!

Did you participate? Check out my article on examiner w/ video that I took!

 

 nick was done and wanted down!

28 weeks  

Not much to report - lots of  movement from the baby, still trucking along at a jog/walk pace, swimming and need to incorporate more yoga. I feel like I'm carrying higher, I'm praying my belly button doesn't pop out and thankful for a healthy pregnancy so far.  I have no mother's instinct whether it is a girl or boy, I keep going back and forth. I'm also back and forth on the names, very fickle on them!

Coconut milk - I bought a can of this - they didn't have so delicious in my grocery store and this seems a lot thicker than a milk I can drink. What can I do with it?

And for the month of April  - food shopping was just OK. I'm still working on it...work in progress - STILL