Pregnancy 18 weeks done!

Over the past month, a lot has changed!  Ryan and I (mostly Ry's work) have the kid's room coming along!  It has been painted, and dresser, crib and changing table are all set up.  We have one more crib to put together, but due to a piece that was broken during transit, we have to wait just a little longer!

Im getting bigger by the day!  I have gained a total of 10 lbs.  My stomach is stretching so much I am not sure how I will ever make it another 18-19 weeks!  I am in maternity clothes aside from some longer shirts I've had and sweatpants or running shorts!

During the Dr. Apt today they said things looked good.  My cervix is long enough right now, and my blood pressure was 110 over 60 so that was good to hear. 

My stomach at 14 weeks

To this! 32 inches around the biggest part! 

My stomach at 18 weeks.

We had our gender ultrasound today and they quickly told us the gender of the babies.  Then did a million other measurements to see that they were growing normally.  Both twins had a heart with 4 chambers, 2 kidneys, a bladder, good brain development, and a stomach! So we are in business!  

Baby A is the lower of the two and it is head down, weighing in at 126 grams, about 7 oz. while Baby B is the higher more to the left of the two and it is breech weighing in at 120 grams, also about 7 oz.  Which is right on schedule for their growth! Baby A had a heart rate of 145 and Baby B of 144, so they are pretty similar in size, which means they are both getting a good amount of nutrients! 

Looking good and getting big!

We plan to save sharing the gender of the babies at our baby shower on May 4th.  Ryan doesn't think I can keep the secret.  But he is the one already hankerin' to tell people, so I don't know if I'm the one we should be worried about! haha!  He is right, I don't like to keep secrets, so I do want to tell everyone the names we have chosen for this gender instance. But for now my lips are sealed!  My group of Cleveland Elite Development gals are coming up with rules on what is considered "fair play" in terms of bribing me for the information! haha!  Little to they know, I am well aware I am the cruelest of the CED gals and if they want to steal my dog, and clean up her potty breaks, feed her, play with her and enjoy some puppy walks in sub zero weather, I'm fine with letting them raise her into an even sweeter young pup!  I trust all of them to be more kind and patient than I am!  

So today was an exciting day that helped to elevate a lot of my anxiety about the little ones.  I am feeling more energized than I did 4 weeks ago, and enjoying life a lot more!  My back hurts if I work over about 6 hours just from standing, and occasionally for no reason at all but that is definitely manageable!   Sleeping is hit or miss, some nights I sleep all but a bathroom break or two and others, I am too uncomfortable and I spend the night tossing and turning.  Not a complaint though, it is only going to get worse!  I don't plan on having good sleep again until at least 1 year from now, so I will take what I can get! I am still working out on the elliptical nearly everyday and missing running and the gals a lot.  But 6 months from now I will hopefully be back and getting fit again! 

Now on to week 19! 

Luckiest Gal On Earth

If you have spent anytime around me, you have more than likely heard me say that I am the "luckiest gal on earth".  I mean it when I say it.  My life is perfectly simple, and even the mistakes I have made I am lucky enough to learn from, grow, and change.  I mean even some pretty terrible things in life, have always turned out for the better for me. 

In May I was lucky to marry someone who not only is willing to put up with me, but actually seems to enjoy it.  While I haven't always been the best wife, and I've already made plenty of mistakes along the way, I know that Ryan is the one person I am lucky to spend the rest of my life with.

That's right I got to marry this handsome man!  (Ry is the one being held up)

Ryan isn't prefect either, but I will tell you what, the past few months he has really stepped up to help me get through this pregnancy as smoothly as possible.  You see, this hasn't exactly been my cup of tea.

The first 5-6 weeks were pretty asymptomatic.  Then I was sick, and I mean ready to throw up from the time I woke up to the time I went to bed and anytime I woke to use the bathroom during the night too.  Ryan has busted his butt to work 40+ hours a week and take care of all that I didn't feel up to. He would get me whatever food I felt I could handle eating, and NOT ONCE did he complain.  He lost sleep to my tossing and turning, and woke every night to take the dog out, so that I could try to get some rest.

Ry and Peg outside well under freezing and still smiling!

Umm...Poptarts are not usually part of my diet

He has watched me grow, and grow and grow and still compliments me darn near every day!   He has shoveled the snow from the driveway 10 times this winter, painted the babies' room, put together 2 cribs, one changing table, a 6 drawer dresser and changed 7 door handles in anticipation of our little duo getting here!  All the while I've watched him, picked out the paint color, and gained 10 lbs!  HAHA!   I have complained, cried, and been stubborn in the past 5 months, and again he just hugs me, and reassures me that it is all worth it. 

He has such a sweet smile! 

I really am the luckiest gal on earth, and for everyday that I don't show gratitude, and have done mean or hurtful things, Ryan, I am sorry! You are so fantastic!  I want you, and all of my followers to know how much I appreciate you!  Thank you for being so incredible to me!  Our little family is so lucky to have you!  I love you!

Cheers to you Ry, and our next step of starting a family together! 

Guest blog post: Crystal chasing Boston

One of the athletes I coach wrote a blog post to help my readers get to know her.

Crystal has been one fun athlete to watch over the past 4 months! I can't wait to see what she can do this year!!

                 Meet Crystal!!

"I started running in Junior High with my Aunt as my track and cross country coach.  I enjoyed it, but not many 11, 12, 13 year olds have enough discipline to really LOVE getting up early to run.  I didn't stick with it in High School unfortunately, but that doesn't mean I never ran.  I did, just off and on. 

 

Then came college and soon after the dreaded freshman 15.  Thankfully it was more like the Freshman 8 for me, but it was enough to spur me into action, so I started running.  Four miles felt like such an accomplishment, and then when I hit six, I felt like I could conquer the world.  I really didn't know anyone who did road races, so that thought literally never crossed my mind.  I continued on as a casual (and usually just an occasional) runner throughout college.

 

During my first year of law school I was going through a rough breakup, and recalled my aunt mentioned the marathon (she has run a crap load of long distance races!!!  She is a rock star).  I thought this was be just the thing to get me out of my funk.  So without nary a race under my belt, not a half, not a 10k, not even a 5k, I signed up for the marathon.  Nothing seemed weird about that, in fact, I never even thought about it.  I joined a running group and my life changed.  I forever became the girl who had to get home early on Fridays for her Saturday long run!

 

I clocked in my first race right around4:32.  In fact, I just saw the picture my mom snapped.....cotton sports bra and all.  YIKES!!! I really knew NOTHING.  Since then, I have ran San Fran, Chicago, NYC, New Orleans, Houston multiple times, and a few others.  In 2011 when I went froma 4:19, to 4:11: then to 4:05, I started actually thinking about Boston. Then when I ran Chicago in 2012, at 3:52without any significant changes to my routine, I KNEW it was possible. 

 

I briefly had an in person coach, then found out I was pregnant.  I was able to keep running throughout, sticking with an 8 mile "long" run through the 8th month (I dialed it back to just 3-4 miles at a time the last month) and knew I'd be ready to jump back in after giving birth.  I pulled together a training plan two weeks post-delivery and began training around 5 weeks out (nice and easy of course).  As I got faster, I knew I should get a coach...and in comes Becki.

 

I had just read about her onSaltyrunning.com.  I read how she coached her husband to an amazing first marathon race, and thought, maybe she'd coach me.  I emailed her blindly, and thankfully, she agreeded!

 

After 6 or so weeks of working with Becki, it was marathon day (unfortunately, my first race, Memphis, December 7th, was canceled).  I followed her race-day game plan to a T.....and found myself with a nice new PR: 3:40:31!!!! 

 

While I don't always follow the plan perfectly (whether it be a bad day, the baby, life in general), I try to do exactly what she asks.  I know the next phase of working together will only get better as I have grown to trust what she puts out there for me, and her instincts.  It is amazing having someone to bounce ideas off of, to push you, and give advice about the craziest things.  Not only that, it gives me great confidence knowing she has raced so many distances out there....not to mention having won a marathon.....a BIG marathon!    We are now going to be working on my shorter distances, and getting my leg speed up, and I am pumped to throw down some new PR's.....and hopefully in the not so distant future, nab that Boston Qualifier (3:35)!"

So you can all keep up with her progress in the shorter distances this spring, Crystal has a blog about her adventures juggling being a bad ass runner and a heck of a mom! Check it out at http://www.thefastfitrunner.com 

P.S. Pregnancy update coming very soon!! Sorry my computer had some water damage, (I still love you Ry) but it's tough to do a blog post on a tablet or phone!