Sunday, April 25, 2010

Join the Club

Hey all,

Well, I've gotta get something off my chest that's been bugging me.

I feel like I have left one "club" and have joined another. And I want to be a member of both!

What I'm talking about is "being a runner" vs. "being pregnant." Now, I know I can do both, but I am finding it so incredibly difficult to run these days! Whether it's because of my EXTREME exhaustion, making it impossible to get up an hour earlier for a morning run, or to drag myself out after work for an evening run....or because it is like my body feels like a ton of bricks WHILE I'm running..I just feel so out of it.

And out of the loop! Now that Spring is here, I am aware of all these great races around me, including half-marathons, 10-milers, and a slew of 5ks. In another other year, I would be signing up for them all.  Yesterday I went to (easy) yoga, and then to a diner where about twenty runners with medals were hanging out stuffing their faces because they had just done an awesome race! A race I was sad not to have run.

I know, I know - pregnancy is WONDERFUL. The thought of being a mom is awesome. And I am embracing the changes in my body as well as possible. But I cannot stand not running, and racing, the way I used to.

I realize this is not permanent; that once I feel up to it I will begin to run again the way I like. And it's not like I have completely stopped running now. It's just that I feel so incredibly tired and slow right now. And left out.

I make myself feel better by saying that running will always be there, and that it's not going anywhere. But pregnancy, and motherhood, are opportunities for growth and for giving life a greater meaning, and these things have presented themselves NOW. I am really happy about that! And Derek also knows that once I recover from childbirth, if I am not able to run to relieve stress or get a moment to myself, he will be the one hearing about it. :) So I am sure he will be more than willing to watch the little one while I run laps around the block.

In other news...we find out the sex of the baby tomorrow! I am so excited and nervous. I just want to make sure that everything is ok and that he or she is healthy.

Anyway, happy Sunday!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Big News!!

Derek and I are going to be parents!!!!!

YAY!

I know I've been MIA from the blogosphere lately...but there has just been so much going on, plus I have been so tired, PLUS I didn't exactly know how to post when I had this big secret inside that I just wanted to share!

The short story is...I suspected this in January, and sure enough, the home tests did confirm...it was really very amazing to see that on the "stick" - I have never been pregnant before, so I never got the "double line" (or, on the more high-tech tests, the "pregnant" readout). I have to admit, the first test I tried was from the dollar store, so I took that result with a grain of salt...but after two more, and then another three days later...I was like, OK! And of course the doctor confirmed it.

I've had a bunch of appointments so far, and am currently at 16 weeks and one day!! On April 26 we get to find out whether it's a boy or a girl...I can't say that I am definitely hoping for one or the other - all I care about is that he or she is healthy - but I am sorta thinking it's a girl. Just a hunch!

I am so excited to now hear from all you moms out there, especially running moms. Did your running take a hit like mine sorta has when you were expecting? I've been doing a lot of walking, some yoga, and have run some, but no longer than 4 miles (and that's only like once a week or so - usually I've been averaging 2-3 miles). After the horrendous nausea and fatigue of the first trimester, the second trimester feels like a dream. So much better! Plus, the weather is getting nicer, and I just got a new pair of running shoes... :)

In other news, I turned 30 yesterday.  It was very exciting, and not at all depressing (like I have heard), being that I really have everything I can ask for: a wonderful family, a great husband, good friends, my health, and now, a little person who will turn out to be the most important thing to us!!

(Due date is September 24, by the way...)

So happy!