Normalcy?

Things are starting to get back to normal...I think.

For pretty much all of 2010, I have been thinking only about babies babies babies. It started in January when we decided to "try" to have a baby. It is so strange to switch from years and years of birth control to then throw it all out the window and "try" make a person. A person whom you will be responsible for, love, care about, and will depend upon you. BIG.

In less than a year I have gone from wishing and hoping to be a mother to actually being in the process of becoming one. Some days I sit back and really think about it and it blows my mind. In a good way, but still mind blowing.

Now that we know the baby is healthy, on-target, and a girl I am becoming more relaxed. I have forgotten when my next appointment is (it is written down), I forget what week I am (I have that written down too), & I have no clue what size fruit the baby is this week (yup. written down). I don't think it is the dreaded preggo forgetfulness. (Although I am losing stuff intermittently) I think I am embracing all that comes with pregnancy, and eventually motherhood. Before, I was embracing, but I think I was so worried things were going well I couldn't enjoy or relax.

A couple "update" things that I just looked up for blogging purposes:

• I just finished my 21st week (half way there!)
• I have gained 9 lbs.
• I am feeling really good
• Baby girl is moving A LOT! (punches, kicks, rolls)
• She is roughly the length of a carrot/banana
  
• I still love Skittles and now have discovered I really like root beer.
• I have a lot of energy. Still swimming, biking (on the trainer), doing yoga, and walking.
• My next doctor's appointment is September 3rd
• I am beginning to enjoy the quite time in the house (heard that doesn't last long ;-))

Some strange/interesting things:

• Everyone said it was weird we were having a girl b/c she has not "stolen" my beauty. Not sure what that means, but I have really clear skin, no strange hair growth, and I am not retaining a lot of water.
• My belly is pink every once in awhile. I have been using coco-butter lotion everyday, so I am not too concerned-just strange. It reminds me of poor Milhouse on the Simpson's. (hehe)
• Baby girl moving around in her home is sometimes really freaky.

We are traveling to IL/WI for Andy's Ironman. While in IL (first stop Peoria) Andy's Aunts (Anita & Teresa) and Cara are putting together a baby shower for us. We are going to meet up with Larry at some point too. We are then heading to Aurora and my family is putting a little party together for us and the baby too! We feel so blessed. I am really excited to see everyone and be able to visit. After the 2.5 days in IL, we are off to Madison for Ironman! Andy has been training a lot and I am really excited for him. I sorta think of Ironman Moo as our New Year's Eve. It marks the end of tri season and the beginning of a new year. We love the city and the Ironman party. We are going to be able to see A LOT of our friends up there. Here is a list of everyone I know who is racing:

• Dan Johnson (my Uncle-first IM) =) #2194
• Dennis Killian #2050
• Rebecca Franks #2637
• Mark Temple #1845
• Damon Dusin #766
• Brad Kitzerow #269
• Andy Sweet #422
• Chris Daniels #1530
• Ryan Case #341
• Flip Hartman #1685
• Drew Hartman #1198
• Mike Donahue #1665
• Margaret Watson #2259
  

Off to finish laundry and do some yoga. :) Hope to see many of you in a few weeks!

O Abs, O Abs, wherefore art thou strong Abs?

I knew when I got pregnant my tummy would get bigger and bigger and bigger. I am cool with that. Actually, I am looking forward to the big round belly and knowing inside is a protected healthy baby. (I know when I go back and read this I am going to slap myself ;-))

But what I was NOT prepared for was the complete and utter lack of ab strength. I didn't really know how much I depended upon my core until I lost it. I guess it is one of those things you don't realize how great you have it until it is gone. Like when you get sick and you wish and hope for the day you can breathe out of at least 1 nostril. Or when you have a kink in your neck and can't remember how awesome it felt to turn your head more than 40 degrees.

Things I am unable to do:

• Roll over in bed (must use a crazy leg whipping movement to swing my arse over)
  
• Sit up from a lying position (forget about it...revert to the leg whipping thing)
  
• Bend over with straight legs and pick something up (almost perfected the perfect squat)
  
• Lean over the back seat of the car and get something out of my bag (not happening in this lifetime-I just get out of the car and open the back door)

It really has nothing to do with my belly getting "in the way" but rather a complete and utter lack of core strength.

The other day we were reupholstering 6 chairs for the HUB (Andy's new location for GAIA Fitness). It was a pretty lengthy process, but well worth it. The chairs look great! But after bending over for 7+ hours, my lower back was on fire. At first, I was like ok manual labor = sore back, I get it. Then, after we got home and finished watching a movie...holy crap! My back had NEVER hurt that bad. Not even when I had to vacuum for 2 hours straight then go up and finish cars for an additional 6 hours at my Uncle's car wash, THAT was the hardest physical job I have ever had.

I couldn't move. I am not exaggerating. I was frozen. I had no strength left in my back (plus it hurt SO bad) and since the abs are not working these days...thank God Andy was there.

I asked my doc about it and she said that if I wanted to do ab work, I could, but it really wouldn't help me the way I wanted it to. When you do ab exercises, or any type of exercise for that matter, you pull and strain your muscles to the point they will need repair themselves. During the "repair" they become stronger. If I were to to ab work now, I would only be speeding up the process of my slowly progressing separating abs. Also known as diastasis recti -- separation of the recti muscles. If you want to read about it in more detail click HERE.

The above is a "before" and "after" depiction...now imagine when the muscles are stretched while there is a baby in there. :o

Not to worry, my doc says as long as I take it easy during my pregnancy and wait for at least 8-10 weeks before even thinking about ab work, I should be ok. But in the mean time, it is a stinker to have lost ALL ab strength. I now realize why the pregnancy posture exists...

Well here is my 20 week picture... (yea that is the Punisher in the background ;-)

Not too much different from 16 weeks, except the little bulge above my belly button...hmmm wonder what organ is trying to poke its way out there.

TTFN,
Heather

Baby Sweet: boy or girl?

When a couple decides to expand their family from 2 to 3, there is so much to talk about: when to start, how to handle difficulties conceiving, cloth vs. disposables, breast feeding, child care, and the list goes on and on. But the one thing they can't "decide" upon is the baby's gender. That is left to biology and chance.


Oh sure, you could go the *designer baby* route; but personally, I find it a little creepy and too expensive to even entertain the thought. So we went the "let's see what the world has to offer us and take it" route. I was worried about all the health risks and concerns that may lie out in the future for us. All I want is a healthy baby. Really. I didn't used to believe women when they said that, but it is true...at least it is for me.

The health worries were non-stop. For instance, up until my most recent sonogram, I would have days/moments I would think the baby disappeared. Regardless of my growing tummy. I would wake up and feel nothing. No twinges, no bloating, no weight gain, nothing...and then I would get worried. I would think the baby was gone or disappeared. Strange, I know, but that is what really went through my head. Then it would hit me, like a ton of bricks. It was almost as if the baby was telling me "Nope, I am here! Big and bad, and I am going to make you remember it!" Within the same day of feeling like the baby had vanished I would feel the worst bloating, nausea, and emotional roller coaster ride of the week. Ahh the joys of parenthood ;-)

Every time I went to see the doctor I would be so worried they wouldn't find a heart beat. I was so elated when we did hear the heart beat, I didn't really care if it was under/over 140 bpm. (Old wives tale #1: over 140 = girl -- under 140 = boy). Ahhh a heart beat, awesome. =)

In the end, our curiosity was getting the better of us. So we tried all the old wives tales: Chinese Gender calendar (boy), ring test (girl), I sleep with my pillow to the north (boy), maternal grandmother has gray hair (boy), didn't have morning sickness (boy), my chest development is rather noticeable (girl), and craving sweets (girl).

One more to add to the list: my Dad has had an uncanny ability to accurately predict the sex of babies in utero for years...shortly after Andy and I got married, but WAY before we had started trying to get pregnant, he mentioned when we have a baby we were going to have a girl. He recently changed his vote to a boy by sending this email to me ;-) "Name him anything but Sue."

So what are we having? I bet you are dying to know... hahaha

The Sweets are having a 'sweet' baby GIRL =) I am not going to embarrass her by showing her 'girl' sonogram. There will be plenty of time for embarrassing pictures later. Trust me, she is a girl.

Below is her sonogram (facing us - head it to our right - the 2 black circles are her eyes and her fists are by her cheeks):

btw, I JUST noticed in the lower right hand corner of the pic above, there is a shadow of a heart. I swear I DID NOT photo shop that in. Also, it is not in there on the file on my computer either...maybe she is telling us she loves us? ...how precious/sweet? right?
*tears*

The second sonogram is her profile (head it to the right) her arm is just under her chin with her fist at the top of the sonogram. Not sure what the other stuff floating around the middle is, could be a leg or something...

So it looks like my Dad is a winner--if we will go with his first instinct :-) Also, the ring test, craving sweets, and the increase in my bra size all said g-i-r-l.

Andy has already mentioned purchasing a shot gun and the fact she is not dating until she is in her late twenties...fun times ahead. LOL

We are overjoyed to be having a healthy baby girl and are so excited for all the adventures that will come our way.