Baby Bump update and Life

Hello, 34 weeks!  Hard to believe that Baby Thunder will be considered full term in less than a month.  I still feel like I have such a long ways to go...  Maybe that is the denial talking?

Still surrounded by boxes

Yup, definitely still in denial...  Since Little Man transitioned to his big boy bed *happy dance!*, that means I now have full access to Baby Thunder's room during nap time.  Assuming I'm not the one napping...  :)  My project this weekend (assuming I'm not in another energy crisis) will be to "finish" Baby Thunder's room and figure out if there is anything else we need.

Proof that Little Man still takes naps!

Speaking of 34 weeks, here is how the baby bump is looking:

Baby Bump update

Total weight gain: According to my "I'm Expecting" app, I've gained 25 pounds total thus far.  Woo-hoo!  With my first pregnancy, I gained a little over 50! 

Gender: Still a boy!  We've started telling the ultrasound techs that yes, we know it's a boy, and we would really not have any more pictures proving that fact!  ;)

Movement: I think the fact that I've been so active this pregnancy has translated to him being just as active!  Though he always likes to play with my internal organs right when I'm exhausted and trying to get to sleep.  Speaking of which...

Sleep: It doesn't seem to matter how much or how well I sleep - I'm always tired! It takes me a while to find a comfortable position (especially when Baby Thunder is trying to play soccer with my kidneys), but I have been able to stay asleep once I get there. 

What I miss:  Running!  Our family went for a walk on Tuesday, and since Little Man was losing it, I asked him to run with me (it usually works).  I ran for several yards, then ran back, and my lower pelvis has hurt so bad since then that I will probably not try that again until after Baby Thunder comes...  I do also miss being able to have a glass of wine in the evenings. 

Cravings:  To go for a nice, long run...

Symptoms: Sciatica!  It's been getting worse this past week.  Fatigue, leg cramps, Braxton Hicks... the usual 3rd trimester fun stuff!

Maternity clothes: Mostly!  However, I can still fit in my Adidas shorts and a few race shirts that were kinda big for my pre-pregnant self.  :)  I love me some technical shirts!  Remember that half marathon I ran in May?  Well, I got a Small race shirt, and I still fit in it!  :)

Best moment this week:  Going to a yoga class for the first time in a very long time!  :)

I'll talk more about the yoga tomorrow...

A Mother's Joy

The heart of a home is the kitchen.

This was certainly true in my life. As one of the oldest children in a family of eight kids, I spent a great deal of time helping Mom prep, bake, and cook meals. By the time I was 14, I could easily make an entire dinner for all ten of us in a timely fashion.  Many of my fondest memories were in the kitchen.

I love all things cooking. The kitchen is easily my favorite room in the whole house. There is a reason my living room is still only half unpacked one week after moving in, whereas my kitchen was fully functional within 24 hours. :)

Food is such a challenging topic in our culture today.  For several people, it is an addiction.  Some see food as fuel; others see it as a form of art.  It can bring families together, be the means of showing hospitality to friends and strangers, and fulfill a basic need.

As such, it is my intention to teach my children - especially my boys - how to cook. I want to teach them how to pick healthy snacks, the importance of cleaning up after yourself, and how cook one or two meals well.  But most importantly, I want to form memories with them.

By the looks of it, I'm well on my way.

Learning to "wash dishes" aka playing in bubbles

Learning colors and numbers with muffin cup liners

 

So grateful to finally have a kitchen where the two of us fit and can learn together!  Little Man played in the kitchen sink for the first time today, learning to "wash dishes" aka play in bubbles.  And he accurately identified the muffin liner colors, and we started learning how to count to 12.  :)  

Food for (yummy) thought

Question of the day: What do you do with leftover rice?? 

Make rice pudding? Eat it with whatever else you cooked it with? Throw it away?

This morning, I opened the fridge to look for something resembling breakfast for Little Man and I, and what do I see? A big container of brown rice, leftover from dinner two nights ago. At that moment, I happen to remember seeing a recipe for Brown Rice Pancakes in my King Arthur Whole Grain Baking cookbook. I was intrigued.

As it just so happened, I had (almost) all the ingredients! :) and per usual, I made lots of substitutions. After all, recipes are more like guidelines than actual rules (Pirates of the Caribbean reference). Here is the actual recipe, with my modest substitutes:

Brown Rice Pancakes by King Arthur Flour

4 eggs

1/4 cup buttermilk (I used homemade yogurt)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I used coconut oil)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated orange or lemon zest (I used a splash of OJ since I didn't have any citrus on hand)

1 cup cooked brown rice

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt and ground nutmeg

Pinch of cinnamon

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl and whisk in the buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla, and zest. Stir in brown rice. 

Combine the four, sugar, salt, and spices.  Stir them into the wet ingredients until just mixed, and let sit for 10 minutes before making the pancakes.

Heat a nonstick griddle if you have one.  When the surface of your pan is hot, spoon the batter into the pan, 1/4 cupful at a time.  These pancakes set up pretty quickly, but don't really bubble as they cook.  As soon as they start to look set, flip them and bake until golden brown.  Be sure to check the first pancake you make for salt content; depending on how you've prepared the rice, you may need to adjust the salt in the batter.  Serve the pancakes immediately (really good with maple syrup!).  

Side 1, set up...

Flipped

My impression of these pancakes: don't call them pancakes, the texture is waaay off.  They are really more like Brown Rice Breakfast Cakes.  However, I thought they were very tasty!  Little Man gobbled them up (once I started feeding him; he is such a pokey little eater sometimes).  Will I make them again?  Probably, when I have more brown rice.  With a little maple syrup, I can see this being a good breakfast 1 1/2 to 2 hours before a run or race.  Enough complex carbs for sustained energy, but the maple syrup adds some simple carbs for fast energy when you need it in the morning.  Plus, they hold up enough to travel well.

My kind of breakfast!

"Listen to your body"

Crazy.

I heard that word described of me more this pregnancy than when I was training for my marathon last year.  Why?  Because I ran a half marathon at 6 months pregnant. 

Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon, May 2014

Then I read these interviews, and feel that I'm pretty normal.  :)
http://ubermotherrunner.com/2014/07/07/stephanie-tang-interview/

 I love to read blogs and posts of women who remain active throughout their pregnancy.  I think this is the best advice any woman can receive while pregnant: "Listen to your body. Also, learn to hydrate and fuel well, as you’ll likely need to pay closer attention during your pregnancy" (http://ubermotherrunner.com/2014/07/07/stephanie-tang-interview/).  I wish I had the energy right now to continue running or lift weights, but I can barely keep track of Little Man these days.  But, I am so grateful that my body allowed me to 1) run at all this pregnancy, and 2) run 13.1 miles at 25 weeks pregnant.  I'm still figuring out how to hydrate and fuel well, even though I'm not running anymore. 

I may never be able to run 26.2 continuous miles while pregnant.  And that's okay.  While I love pushing and testing my physical and mental strength, it is just as important to listen to my body and accept its limitations. So, I will continue to accept my current limitations and not compare myself to other "uber mother runners" who can run ultras while in their third trimester.  :)  

All grown up, in pictures!

So, remember that one where we moved and I promised pictures?  Well, WE HAVE INTERNET AGAIN!!!  :)  Which means I can share those pictures!  :)

Little Man's room

 Little Man finally has his own bedroom!  When I was pregnant with him, everyone kept asking me what his nursery theme was.  I told them Space-Saver... as in try to utilize the little space in his room as much as possible!  His room consisted of his crib and changing table along with my desk and our DVD collection.  It was a small apartment. 
Now, he has his very own little space, with all his toys in one space!  He still isn't a fan of his new toddler bed, but ya can't blame him.  I think the move was pretty traumatic for him, but he is adjusting well.

 This living room is the size of our old living room and dining room combined!  And yes, those are (mostly) all of Hubby's guitars on the wall.  We are still in the process of hanging pictures and figuring out what to do with my sewing and knitting things...

And last of all...

My pride and joy - the kitchen!!!  Let me start off by saying, I love to cook.  I grew up in the kitchen.  So to finally have a kitchen that was not considered an after-thought is just amazing!  I have an oven that comes with a timer!  The two previous apartments we lived in had ovens that were as old, if not older, than me.  And I have never had so many cabinets in my married life!  The very first apartment we lived in had 2 cabinets.  That's it.  When we moved in 2010, we upgraded to 2 full sized cabinets and 2 small ones over the stove.  Now, I have FIVE full sized cabinets!!!  *superhappydance*  I still don't really know what to put in them all. 

That's all I got right now.  Baby Thunder's room has furniture in it - the crib (which Little Man is currently still sleeping in), the changing table (half filled with Little Man's clothes), and my rocking chair.  We still stumble around boxes in our bedroom.  But, the essentials are done, which is all I can ask for right now.  My energy levels have tanked to an all-time low.  I thought this kind of fatigue was only in the first trimester?? 

When the house is more-done, I promise more pictures.  ;)

Not normal

Not normal.

I'm not normally a very emotional person. It's not normal for me to break down in tears. Multiple times in one day. But yesterday was a bad day. I'd like to chalk it up to pregnancy hormones, but I don't know if that is the full story...

For 8 weeks this summer, I took a 5 credit nursing class. Which means on top of the normal readings and Discussion Boards, I had to fit in 16 hours of clinical time that I had to set up, research and write what ended up being a 15 page community assessment, perform and write up a family assessment, and plan/promote a 30 minute health presentation to give in my community (that no one showed up for). It was a somewhat stressful 8 weeks. I was also 6-8 months pregnant, celebrated Little Man's 2nd birthday, ran a half marathon, and worked. One week after my class ended, we moved.

Written down, it does not seem normal. But I had help! :) Hubby was super supportive, friends pitched in to help with the birthday, and my amazing family got us all moved, set up, and mostly cleaned on moving day.

So, what right do I have to complain about not being normal?

Due to a genetic condition, I am considered high risk in pregnancy. Which means I am followed by a high risk OB with ultrasounds every 2 weeks in addition to seeing the regular OB. This usually means 2 hour appointments, with a 2 year old, every 2 weeks.

No big deal. That's my "normal."

Probably also due to the same genetic condition, I develop blood pressure issues in the last trimester of pregnancy - where it drops too low for some unknown reason, then rebounds and releases an adrenaline response to compensate. Last pregnancy, it meant multiple trips to the ER, getting established with a cardiologist and electrophysiologist, and wearing a Holter monitor for 30 days. This time, I see the electrophysiologist, have another heart monitor for 30 days, and schedule an echocardiogram.

It all kinda hit me yesterday. I had absolutely no energy left for anything except crying. Trying to manage my own health to adequately grow Baby Thunder, spend quality time with Little Man outside a doctor's office, and finish unpacking my new house is exhausting!

But, my sweet husband and motherreminded me yesterday that I am not alone. My family is here to support and help me when the need is known (like my dad spending this morning with Little Man so I wouldn't have to make him sit through my echo), and the Lord will continue to give strength to His children.

So no, my life is not normal. But I will continue to try and be grateful for what I do have - a God who loves and provides for His children, friends and family that will help when asked, and the most loving, understanding husband a girl could ask for!

Run the race, fight the good fight, and learn when - and how - to rest.

All grown up

It's official - we moved!! Though we are still living amidst boxes and have some cleaning to do at the old place, we have moved our official residence!

After being married for 5 1/2 years, we finally feel all grown up - our new residence is a house!!! Given the uncertainty of our future - whether or not Hubby continues to pursue PA school, which will mean moving cities - we are continuing to rent.

On moving day, I was 32 weeks pregnant. Given that fact and my most recent blood pressure issues, my ability to remain vertical for any length of time is next to nil. Which makes moving a little more challenging. Fortunately, I have a large family, who were amazing at moving all our furniture, boxes, and helping to unpack or set up the essentials! :)

Little Man is more than happy with his change of abode. He has his own room with his own toys, a big kitchen where he loves to help, and a yard with dirt (as evidenced by the photo)! We are still waiting for the stress of the change to decrease before switching him from the crib to his big boy bed. Hopefully that will happen sometime before Baby Thunder's debut...

Will post pictures of the house soon! :)

Update

So, I saw the electrophysiologist the other day.  I have to admit that I was not initially impressed. I didn't get any answers as to why this happened again. Despite having a natural increase in blood volume from being pregnant, hydrating very well with electrolytes, and taking an iron supplement to boost my red blood cell count, I continue to struggle with maintaining a decent blood pressure.

Initially, I was told to wear compression hose to prevent blood from pooling in my legs (therefore causing a decrease in blood pressure), have an echocardiogram just to make sure nothing has changed since my last one 3 years ago, and carry a heart monitor to record my heart rhythm during the next "episode".

My fashion statement for the remaining 2 months!

An email and phone call later, my doctor decided it would be a good time to get a kidney doctor involved.  See, it is possible I have something known as POTS - Postural Orthostatic Tachycardic Syndrome.  It kinda goes along with the type of connective tissue disorder I have.  It is possible that these episodes are manifestations of POTS, which is being exacerbated due to pregnancy.  With POTS, a person will develop low blood pressure when standing for too long.  In my case, I will just suddenly have a rapid drop in blood pressure (though it gets worse when I stand around).  When that happens, the kidneys do not get as much blood as they need, so they will secrete hormones to start a chain reaction to increase blood pressure.  Hence the high blood pressures that follow my drops.  As such, there will be good days and bad days.  That's where the kidney doc comes in.  Apparently, he is very familiar with POTS, and is comfortable caring for pregnant patients with this issue.  I should be getting a call soon to either talk with this doctor in person or schedule an appointment to see him in clinic.  It's possible he will follow on the periphery, or start me going to their infusion clinic to get saline boluses (which have helped in the past, but they were always associated with an ER visit and a large copay). 

So, how does one prevent another "episode" from occurring?  Well, I've been told to continue what I'm doing with regards to hydration, iron supplements, and now compression socks.  I will do my echo next week, and carry the heart card monitor for the next 30 days.  I will also talk with the kidney doctor, in hopes of coming up with a plan for the next time that does NOT involve a visit to the emergency room, or a 10 hour recovery at home.

To be continued the next time... 

Here we go again...

Let me start off by saying, for the record, I don't do pregnancy very well.

When I was pregnant with Little Man, I had a frequent issues with blood pressure. As in low blood pressure, that would rebound to very high.

Most people tend to freak out when a pregnant lady is clammy, has a high heart rate, low or high blood pressure, and complaining of chest discomfort.  As such, these frequent "attacks" led to more ER visits and IV fluid boluses than I cared for.  It didn't help that at that time I worked 2 floors above the ER.  Well, after many ER visits, becoming established with a cardiologist and an electrophysiologist (special type of cardiologist), and wearing a Holter heart monitor for 1 month, it pretty much went away.  A few months later, Little Man was born as healthy as could be! 

This time around, I have been chugging 2-4 liters of Powerade Zeros, Nuun tablets, and water every day, hoping to hold at bay whatever was causing the low blood pressure "spells".

And then today, it happened.  Woke up feeling weird, but passed it off as low blood sugar since I had just woken up.  Ate breakfast, went to work.  Got through seeing my first patient just fine.  And then, at 9am, it hit.  Between 9am and 10:15, my blood pressure bottomed out and then rebounded, getting up to 140/90 with a heart rate of 115.  Throw in some shaking from the adrenaline, paleness, and being clammy, and my coworkers got to know a whole new side of me!  Honestly though, they were amazing!  :)  I hardly had to do anything.  They took care of monitoring all my vital signs, calling my OB, and notifying Hubby.  I was home by 10:15am with a normal BP, hoping to recover at home versus going to the ER. 

In hindsight, I probably should have gone in.  It took nearly 10 hours, at least 4 liters of fluid, and a lot of lying around to get me back to feeling human again.  But, I am doing well, Baby Thunder thought all the attention was pretty exciting (seeing as he moved the whole time), and I see my cardiologist on Thursday.

Here's to hoping for a "normal" Wednesday, some answers on Thursday, and an easy move this weekend!

July 4th recap

Our July 4th fireworks actually happened on July 5th.  They were originally scheduled for July 3rd, but the threat of rain from Hurricane Arthur postponed the event to Saturday.

Our July 4th weekend started off with packing.  It was the only weekend Hubby and I had left before we move, and since I can't fit, reach, or move things like I used to, we decided to spend as much of the weekend amongst the boxes.

Initially, we had discussed going to Washington DC to watch fireworks.  I had spent my entire childhood traveling to DC every July 4th, and had not been back since getting married 5 1/2 years ago.  But, with me being 8 months pregnant, on "light duty" from the OB due to multiple contractions, and having to pack, we decided to stay local.  It ended up being a great experience!  Richmond was recently ranked #1 to celebrate July 4th, and we have to agree!  :)  Little Man's first real experience with fireworks was precious!  He normally goes to bed between 7:30pm and 8:30pm, so he was all wired at 9:15pm  when we were waiting for the fireworks.  He kept running circles around our chairs, proudly telling us "Running!" and frequently pointing out the firetruck, "lights ambulance!", and police car.

And then, the fireworks went off.  With the first 3, he was mesmerized.  With each one, he looked over at Hubby and said, "Boom!"  When he realized they weren't stopping any time soon, he decided he was "All done!" and needed Mommy and Monkey snuggles.

Despite him looking more freaked out than the previous picture, Little Man was actually enjoying himself at this point.

After a few more minutes of cautiously looking over his shoulder to observe the fireworks, he realized they weren't so bad and flipped around to watch them properly.  By the finale, he had decided they were pretty cool.  Ever since, he has been asking for more fireworks.

How was your July 4th?

The verdict

So, I had my follow up appointment today.  I saw yet another OB, so she wasn't too worried with my contractions.  Recommendations: continue taking it easy on moving day, go ahead with yoga and cycling classes, and if the contractions are held at bay then I can pick up running again.  Given that I am 31 weeks pregnant and live in humid Virginia, I think I will resume running after Baby Thunder arrives.  But, I'll continue to keep up my fitness by going to Gentle Yoga, Cycle, maybe some swimming, and chasing Little Man. 

In moving news, this is the result of our July 4th weekend:

Little Man watching Cars, oblivious to the surrounding boxes

Thanks to my awesome Hubby, we are 75% packed!  Little Man's room and the living room are all in boxes (as you can see), our bedroom and the bathroom are nearly finished, and I'll be working on the kitchen/pantry the rest of this week.  :)  I'm so excited to be moving to a house, but a little daunted at the prospect of packing and then setting up my kitchen...  Here's to hoping I have enough energy to make it through Moving Day!  :)  

Any tips on moving?  Kitchen packing?

Baby Thunder

Allow me to introduce you to the creature that has been inhabiting my body for the last 8 months.  World, meet Baby Thunder:

This acrobatic baby has a foot AND hand up by his head

I'm sure you are more than curious to know how he got his name.  It's quite a cute story:  Little Man came to his first ultrasound with me about 2 months ago.  He quietly observed all the equipment and gadgets, constantly pointing and asking, "Whas dat?"  When the ultrasound tech came in the room, he stopped asking anything and avoided her eye contact.

Until she played the heartbeat. 

As soon as he heard and saw the heartbeat up on the monitor, he looked up at me with this astonished face and said, "Nuner!" (thunder).  From then on, she was his best friend.  Now, every 2 weeks when we go to the doctor, Cole eagerly climbs in his chair, tells me to sit down, and asks the ultrasound tech and high risk OB at least 3 times to hear "Nuner".  While we see a different tech each time, the doctor played it last week before Cole could ask.  :)

So until he makes his debut, he will be known to the world as Baby Thunder. 

What nicknames did your older kids give the younger ones?

My life in boxes

Next weekend, our family becomes a little more grown up.  We will be moving from apartment-living to house-renting!  It's only 10 minutes away from where we are now, but it will be such a welcome change (despite it happening while I'm 8 months pregnant)!  A real kitchen - the oven actually comes with a timer! - full size washer and dryer, fenced in yard, and two bathrooms (which will be a welcome relief for this pregnant lady). 

But until July 12, and probably a little afterwards, this is the state of my home:

The bedroom

Little Man's room

Even Little Man has started packing! 

 

The bad news for this weekend is that I had my 31 week/8 month OB appointment yesterday.  I have a genetic condition that can lead to preterm labor, so I have appointments every 2 weeks.  Yesterday, my OB found out that I've been having contractions for the past 2 weeks.  Nothing painful or regular, but definitely Braxton Hicks every day.  Combine that with the mentality of a distance runner taught to ignore "minor" bodily discomfort, and it's enough to make any doctor a little cautious.  So, after a 2 hour appointment with lots of checks, I have been put on "light duty" for this weekend and will be seen again on Monday.  It helps that I've been too exhausted to do much today; Baby must be going through another growth spurt.  But, it looks like my pregnant running days are over.  Here's to doing yoga, swimming, and maybe some cycling classes for the next 2 months (hoping we make it that long). 

Mommy musings

In the past, my athletic pursuits have always been personal.  I set goals, I make the time to train, and I log the miles.  I run the race (with the support of my awesome hubby)!  Running, while it can be a team sport, is very personal.  For the last 6 years, it has been my sanity, my stress-relief.  Providing moments of epiphany and clarity.  For the most part, I run to be alone.

Until now.

When I was pregnant with Little Man, I was in so much sciatic nerve pain that I could barely walk.  Running was out of the question.  My last run was a Thanksgiving 5k with my little sister - I was 10 weeks pregnant.  This time around, I have been so very fortunate to have been able to continue running.  At 6 months pregnant, I completed a half marathon. 

At the start

 

My hope is that by running, I will show my sons what it means to live a healthy lifestyle.  I want to teach my sons what it means to work hard.  Learn to push themselves past their comfort zone.  Discover patience and perseverance.   Athletic pursuits are the perfect medium to learn these lessons.  I know Little Man is already catching on.  When I move towards my running bag, he looks excitedly at me, points to my neon shoes, and says, "Mommy running shoes!"  He just recently learned how to "Run! Fast!"  He knows that Daddy likes to ride his bike and "uni" (yes, Hubby rides a unicycle), and Mommy runs. 









So, what does that mean right now?  It means I will continue to go on walks with Little Man, attend cycling classes at the gym, and attempt some yoga or weight lifting.  Once Baby Thunder is born, I hope to pick up right where I left off with my running goals.  Here are my 2015 aspirations (not necessarily in order): Run a Boston-qualifying marathon of 3:28 or better.  Run the Boston marathon.  Complete a triathlon.

How did you stay fit while pregnant?

What do you hope to teach your kids?

What are your running goals, either for the rest of this year or 2015?

And it begins

What is a Life of Marathons, you ask?

My life.

I ran my first 26.2 mile race in my city of Richmond, VA on November 16, 2013.  That experience helped me realize that most of life is very similar to either that race.  So, I decided to chronicle this marathon known as Life.  :) 

At the moment, I've got a couple different marathons going on - all at different stages of the race.  I am currently 30 weeks pregnant with our second son.  In race terms, I'm in the last 10k.  I currently am 2 classes away from graduating from Liberty University Online with my BSN - the last, painful 3 miles.  I am a part time RN, full time mom to 2 year old Little Man, and wife to Hubby.  These roles are the lifelong marathons, the most important ones. 

This blog will be a little bit of everything - musings of a mom to two little boys, little interesting facts I'll learn in nursing school, and of course, running.

Hope you enjoy!

What are some topics you would like to read on this blog?