Annie is always talking about coming over to my house to run because she's tired of the route by her house (but I'm equally tired of the route by my house...LOL!), and it got me thinking about where I've been. I've run off and on since college (you know...when I thought jogging around the park in a sports bra and barely there shorts constituted exercising), but I've only been what I consider a "serious runner" since about January 2010 when I started training for my first 5K. But in that short time, I've gotten to run some pretty cool places, so I thought I'd look back on that for fun...
* The bridge by my house...This may not seem like a "cool place" to run, but when I was fighting through my issues and couldn't exercise, I'd always see people running across the bridge and wish I could be them at that moment. Plus the bridge is about 2 miles from my house (3 if you get all the way over it), so that was "a long way to run" to me back then...LOL! I've now been over it more times than I can count.
* My hometown...I pretty much ran the length of my hometown, got chased by a dog, ran into a family friend, and had to take a few laps around the high school track to get to the distance I needed...LOL! I'm pretty sure most of the people who actually ran track in high school there probably couldn't keep up with me now...score one for the NERDS!
Those were more sentimental places, but I actually got to GO some awesome places, too.
I RAN...
* Around the CDC in Atlanta (I didn't see Dustin Hoffman or Rene Russo or any monkeys).
* Inner Harbor in Baltimore
* Along the James River in Richmond
* Along the Galveston Seawall
* On a gorgeous trail in Seattle (and it was raining so I really got the full Seattle treatment)
* Along Lake Michigan in Chicago
* Along Lake Ontario in Toronto
* Through Silicon Valley in San Jose
* All over San Antonio during my half
* Over the Harbor Bridge in Corpus (a bridge we drove over hundreds maybe thousands of times growing up)
Dear friends who live in cool places...find me a race near you and maybe we'll have an extra excuse to come visit ; )
Mother, wife, PhD scientist, runner, autism advocate...just trying to balance it all one day at a time.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Weight a Minute...
A little history...
I totally realize that there are people with WAY more serious weight issues than I have ever had. I've been pretty lucky. I was a little chubby as a pre-teen, but luckily (and partly stupidly...why did pickles sound like an acceptable lunch idea?) I slimmed down and spent the majority of my high school and college years as one of the "skinny ones" (although no matter how skinny I get, my butt never totally disappears...LOL!).
But like everyone else, my weight fluctuates...
* I was in pretty good shape prior to trying to have kids, but the fertility drugs (and the consolation wine when things failed) left me with about 5-10 extra pounds depending on the stage we were at.
* I gained 33 pounds with Larkin, and I was very lucky to have it all off by the time I realized I was pregnant with Kellen!
* I gained 35 pounds with Kk, and again, I found myself very lucky to take it all off plus another 5-7lbs! I was close to what I consider my ideal goal weight at that point, so I focused on training and not dieting.
When I started training for the marathon last summer, I was probably in the best shape of my life. I had been skinnier in my life, but never as strong and fit, but I knew I could work harder. So I did work harder and train harder...but that extra work made me hungry...really, really hungry. This led to me GAINING about 5-7 lbs by the time I got done with the marathon...what a dummy!
So at the beginning of this week I find myself RIGHT at my pre-kids weight, which mind you is still a good thing, but sort of my "upper limit" of comfort. Needless to say, I have not actually tried to get rid of these extra pounds yet, but this week I decided it was time. I'm actually shooting for 10 lbs total, and I actually feel like that would do wonders for my knees when I start training again in the summer! I'm still feeling really fit right now, but I'm having to take the running slow since I've gotten rid of my knee braces.
It also helps that Patrick is very serious about getting in shape right now (he's just started P90X), so both of us working out and watching our food choices makes it much easier. Realistically, he and I are both about 3 months away from our goals...it will be exciting to see how it all turns out!
I totally realize that there are people with WAY more serious weight issues than I have ever had. I've been pretty lucky. I was a little chubby as a pre-teen, but luckily (and partly stupidly...why did pickles sound like an acceptable lunch idea?) I slimmed down and spent the majority of my high school and college years as one of the "skinny ones" (although no matter how skinny I get, my butt never totally disappears...LOL!).
But like everyone else, my weight fluctuates...
* I was in pretty good shape prior to trying to have kids, but the fertility drugs (and the consolation wine when things failed) left me with about 5-10 extra pounds depending on the stage we were at.
* I gained 33 pounds with Larkin, and I was very lucky to have it all off by the time I realized I was pregnant with Kellen!
* I gained 35 pounds with Kk, and again, I found myself very lucky to take it all off plus another 5-7lbs! I was close to what I consider my ideal goal weight at that point, so I focused on training and not dieting.
When I started training for the marathon last summer, I was probably in the best shape of my life. I had been skinnier in my life, but never as strong and fit, but I knew I could work harder. So I did work harder and train harder...but that extra work made me hungry...really, really hungry. This led to me GAINING about 5-7 lbs by the time I got done with the marathon...what a dummy!
So at the beginning of this week I find myself RIGHT at my pre-kids weight, which mind you is still a good thing, but sort of my "upper limit" of comfort. Needless to say, I have not actually tried to get rid of these extra pounds yet, but this week I decided it was time. I'm actually shooting for 10 lbs total, and I actually feel like that would do wonders for my knees when I start training again in the summer! I'm still feeling really fit right now, but I'm having to take the running slow since I've gotten rid of my knee braces.
It also helps that Patrick is very serious about getting in shape right now (he's just started P90X), so both of us working out and watching our food choices makes it much easier. Realistically, he and I are both about 3 months away from our goals...it will be exciting to see how it all turns out!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
"3"
Disclaimer: Birthday + New Camera + 2 People Taking Pictures + Camera-happy Preschooler = no way to choose which pics to post!
She's three. How did that happen? It feels like yesterday that I was sitting in the NICU beside her isolette just longing to hold her. I had waited so long to hold my own child, and it was such a cruel joke that I got to take her home only to have her back in the NICU the next morning.
Three years ago today, I was sitting there diligently watching this...
And that miracle has now grown into this...
She really had an amazing birthday. She went to school and celebrated with her friends. The next morning she opened more presents and then we went to our first kids' birthday party we've ever thrown. She totally owned that place. We quickly learned that our daughter is a ringleader (and that Kellen is a rebel, but really that's not much of a surprise). To hear and see her interact with the girls in her preschool class was so unbelievably cute.
Presents...a new aquarium (which ended up being two aquariums and a rotating crew of fish...don't ask!)
A Mercedes...hmmm, Papa and Nina don't forget my b-day is in June...
A new bike...hopefully she'll have better skills than me and not run into any parked cars...
Party...I highly recommend a place like this. Kids run wild, parents watch, the mess stays there!
Most of the kids lined up...guess who's running around like crazy in front of them...LOL!
Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles...
We may be cute, but we're still tough.
Papa this doesn't look very safe!
Could this cake be more Larkin?
I may have been up past midnight making all those hairbows...
But all the work we put into this first party was completely worth it to see my chicken having the time of her life!
She's three. How did that happen? It feels like yesterday that I was sitting in the NICU beside her isolette just longing to hold her. I had waited so long to hold my own child, and it was such a cruel joke that I got to take her home only to have her back in the NICU the next morning.
Three years ago today, I was sitting there diligently watching this...
And that miracle has now grown into this...
She really had an amazing birthday. She went to school and celebrated with her friends. The next morning she opened more presents and then we went to our first kids' birthday party we've ever thrown. She totally owned that place. We quickly learned that our daughter is a ringleader (and that Kellen is a rebel, but really that's not much of a surprise). To hear and see her interact with the girls in her preschool class was so unbelievably cute.
Presents...a new aquarium (which ended up being two aquariums and a rotating crew of fish...don't ask!)
A Mercedes...hmmm, Papa and Nina don't forget my b-day is in June...
A new bike...hopefully she'll have better skills than me and not run into any parked cars...
Party...I highly recommend a place like this. Kids run wild, parents watch, the mess stays there!
Most of the kids lined up...guess who's running around like crazy in front of them...LOL!
Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles...
We may be cute, but we're still tough.
Papa this doesn't look very safe!
Could this cake be more Larkin?
I may have been up past midnight making all those hairbows...
But all the work we put into this first party was completely worth it to see my chicken having the time of her life!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
"2"
So in fairness to the fact that I've been talking so much about Larkin's b-day (mostly because I've been trying to be better about blogging more regularly), I need to go back to February to recount Kellen's b-day!
My little Kk The Destroyer who was our surprise time and time again is now TWO years old.
First Father's Day- Surprise you're ovulating on your own.
Two weeks later- Surprise you're pregnant.
One trimester later- Surprise you're actually STILL pregnant.
Early ultrasound with the high-risk ob- It's a girl!
Big u/s with the same high-risk ob weeks later- Surprise it's a BOY!
29 weeks gestation- Surprise you're having contractions and going on modified bed rest.
35 weeks gestation- Surprise I'm here early!
Going home two days later with no NICU time or jaundice scare- Surprise I'm not as complicated as my sister was!
To celebrate, we took the kids to the downtown Aquarium for the first time. Patrick and I used to love to go there, and there were many times I(we) drowned my(our) infertility sorrows in a chocolate martini (black and tan) at the cute little bar there. It was awesome to go back as a family. We went through the exhibits, had lunch at the Aquarium restaurant, and rode the shark train. The next morning, we had brunch and La Madeleine and went to the park to play. A very Kk-fun filled weekend. Of course, we all know Kk doesn't think that rules apply to him...and that things are just made for climbing (luckily the aquarium was not very crowded first thing in the morning!). 
He touched a sting ray...and then held his hand waiting for it to be cleaned... 
There's a what behind us?
Kk's cake...LOVE our cake decorator, she is AWESOME!
At the park...it was a little windy...
The Puma twinkies...he made his Daddy run all over the place 
He's 2...and so began my almost 2 months of having two 2 year olds ; )
He touched a sting ray...and then held his hand waiting for it to be cleaned... 
There's a what behind us? 
Kk's cake...LOVE our cake decorator, she is AWESOME! 
At the park...it was a little windy... 
The Puma twinkies...he made his Daddy run all over the place 
He's 2...and so began my almost 2 months of having two 2 year olds ; )Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Larkin goes to a party...
So I've been a bad (non)party-going mother over the past few years pretty much due to my inability to be flexible with the kids' naptime and bedtime rituals. Because of this, my poor kids have missed out on most parties, and even when we've gone, they've usually had to go home before the cake. I know, I know, where's my sense of adventure.
So last weekend, our good friend Ben had his 5th birthday party. It just happened to be at the same place I had selected for Larkin's party that's coming up this weekend. We decided to leave the boys at home (Kk would have enjoyed himself, but never would have made it through presents without screaming for a snack...I need to prep for that this weekend...), and the girls would go and maybe even stay for the whole party. Total success! We stayed the whole time, and she had such a blast.
She ran...
We even stayed for cupcakes (she picked vanilla...really?...her Daddy's genes at work!)... 
Sweet girl, if you only knew all the preparation we've all been doing for you this week (and this lifetime...).
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Spring Retrospective
Edited to add: I find it funny that no one (especially me!) noticed I put "4 years ago" and "3 years ago" effectively making my kids one year older a piece than they actually are...LOL!
And then 2 Years Ago in the Spring… 
Turns out there’s a lot more “good” to celebrate every spring than “bad” to mourn!!! But in the end, I still remember all of the “bad” like it was yesterday. My scars run deep, the physical are fading (I don’t even see them anymore), but the emotional will always be there I think. For those of you that remember, I think I’ll always still consider myself “that girl” when it comes to that journey in my life. I still never hesitate to share my story with anyone I think it might help. And every now and then, I still get that urge to write that book that people have encouraged over the years…one of these days maybe. I still have a lot to get out…but in the end, as I always say, I am one of the lucky ones…and things like making cookies will always take priority over writing a book ; )
So this time of year holds a lot of memories for me. For quite some time, I found blogging to be good therapy. I’ve yet to really allow this blog to serve that purpose for me, but I think it’s time to start! Spring has been an interesting season for us over the past few years…truly heaven and hell.
6 Years Ago in the Spring…
In simple terms: I found out I was pregnant for the first time. I found out what it was like to miscarry for the first time. Neither of those being the last of those occurrences.
In complex terms: My infertility journey really got interesting. I jumped from the “I can’t get pregnant” to the “I can’t stay pregnant” category. Both categories suck. That spring brought me the honor of being a statistical anomaly. I had an ectopic pregnancy, oh but wait, we’re sorry, it was a heterotopic pregnancy (that would be one in the tubes, one in the uterus…at the same time), oh but hell, what does it matter, you lost them both. Then we find out I have a uterine septum (big divider going down the middle of my uterus…not supposed to be there for those of you who never paid attention in health class), get that removed and we’re off and running.
The next few springs….rinse and repeat. More positive pregnancy tests, still no baby, more subsequent surgeries to fix whatever the hell new problem they found (increasing my prowess as a statistical anomaly…everyone knows I’m an overachiever).
But then 3 Years Ago in the Spring…
And then 2 Years Ago in the Spring… 
Turns out there’s a lot more “good” to celebrate every spring than “bad” to mourn!!! But in the end, I still remember all of the “bad” like it was yesterday. My scars run deep, the physical are fading (I don’t even see them anymore), but the emotional will always be there I think. For those of you that remember, I think I’ll always still consider myself “that girl” when it comes to that journey in my life. I still never hesitate to share my story with anyone I think it might help. And every now and then, I still get that urge to write that book that people have encouraged over the years…one of these days maybe. I still have a lot to get out…but in the end, as I always say, I am one of the lucky ones…and things like making cookies will always take priority over writing a book ; )
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Shellac Update Day 5
Here's what the Shellac manicure looks like on day 5 while I have done the following in the meantime...
* washed dishes
* done laundry
* typed ... a lot
* gone dancing
* bathed the kids numerous times
* worked out
* unpacked boxes in my office
* and basically bashed my nails into more things than I can count the past few days!
* washed dishes
* done laundry
* typed ... a lot
* gone dancing
* bathed the kids numerous times
* worked out
* unpacked boxes in my office
* and basically bashed my nails into more things than I can count the past few days!
While I can see the smallest of nicks on my right thumb, I've NEVER had polish last this long my entire life. So far I'm impressed and would consider doing it for conferences, special occasions, etc. Let's see how long it will actually make it though...
I also got it on my toes on Saturday, so we'll see how it holds up against heels, running, etc. It survived unscathed after dancing with Patrick in open toed shoes though ; )
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