Friday, July 18, 2008
More Workouts...
I woke up early to get in a run. The Fit schedule called for 25 minutes. To be honest, I really didn't feel like running. The temps weren't too bad at 6:30 am, but the humidity was just plain nasty. It wasn't pretty, but with the help of the ipod and amphipod, I managed to finish. Afterwards, the kiddo and I had a movie date with my sister-in-law and nephew.
Workout #1 - 25 minutes running, 5/1 intervals, outdoors (6:30 am)
Later in the day, while the kiddo was entertaining herself with her toys and the munchkin was in the bouncy seat, the hubby and I decided to do our P90X workout. Yoga day! I was excited to have something low impact to do for a change. Ummm yeah. I did learn something new....
I HATE YOGA!
First of all, I was surprised to find that the workout was 1 1/2 hours long. I mean seriously, who has time for a 1 1/2 hour workout? Tony Horton obviously doesn't have kids. Especially not two under the age of 4. Second, holding poses for 30 seconds at a time and then doing them over and over again is just not for me. Can we say boring? My poor hubby, I think I grumbled the entire time. Plus, we had to stop the DVD about 40 times to tend to the kiddos. :-) Oh and the knee? It's still sore as heck!
Workout #2 - 1 1/2 hours of Yoga
THURSDAY
Okay, I should have woken up early to run! But, I wanted to "sleep in"....you know, until 6:10 am when the kiddo comes tiptoeing into the room and demands breakfast. Jeeze, I should have just gone running. If I had only known sleeping in would not be a realistic goal. I should know better. I had some errands to run - Dr's appointment for the munchkin, followed by a visit to the office so everyone there could see him. The kiddo came with me, so the hubby had a chance to do his P90X workout without interruption. When I made it home, I didn't have enough time to do the entire workout before the kiddo's swim class (and the hubby's hapkido class), but the hubby entertained the kiddos so I could at least get some of it done. After swim class, I did managed to finish the last 1/2, plus the ab ripper. The kiddo exercised with me - sort of...she did her own variation of a workout which consisted of jumping around on exercise mats, hopping on one foot and running to the front door and back. :-)
This time it was legs and back. Now I love lunges and squats, but once again P90X manages to take it up about 50 notches and makes these some killer exercises! I am surprised I can walk this morning. And then there was the ab ripper. Again. For some reason, it seemed harder today. Perhaps because I am still sore from the other 2 times I've done it this week???
Today I will get in a 20 minute run...even if it's on the dreadmill. Then, it's something called "Kenpro X", described as a "high intensity cardio workout". Sounds fun! Tomorrow is a "rest" day, which is good since it's my school day. However, if I really want to I can try the "X Stretch"....we'll see!
Workout - 1 hour, legs and back and 16 minutes of ab ripper
By the way, we're closing on the house in just a few hours! Wooohooo!!!!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Where to start?
SUNDAY
The parents had the kiddo over for a sleepover, so I slept in and then did my run...man did it feel awesome to sleep until 8:30 am! Anything later than 6:15 is late these days. It's bad when your 2-month old sleeps better than your 3 year old.
Workout #1 - "long" run - 2 miles, outdoors (9 am), 5/1's - don't know what's going on with my knees, but they were both sore afterwards. That, and my right calf was cramping up.
The hubby and I are working out together for the 1st time ever. We've decided to try something new - P90X. Day 1 was chest and back, plus something appropriately titled "Ab Ripper". Now, I've done upper body workouts and ab workouts, but this is not just your average, run of the mill push ups and crunches.
This is push ups and crunches on CRACK.
True story.
Honestly, the upper body workout didn't seem horrible when I was doing it, but by the evening it hurt to pick up my 13 lbs munchkin.
Workout #2 - 56 minutes of chest and back, plus 16 minutes of 349 grueling ab exercises
MONDAY
I actually went into work for a 1/2 day for meetings (which I will be doing 2x per week until August). Since I also had to go to school for a group project meeting, I woke up at 5:00 am to feed the baby and do what else? Workout! Yes, I was a grumpy biotch, but I did it anyway. I was sore as hell from day 1 of P90X.
Workout - 1 hour of plyometrics
Plyometrics is basically an intense bunch of jumping exercises designed to improve endurance. It was pretty brutal. There was one exercise where you simply hop on one foot for a minute and then switch legs...I couldn't do it because it hurt the hell out of my knees.
TUESDAY
Back to work today for a training class. But, I had a 5 am P90X workout on the schedule - 1 hour of shoulders and arms, plus the good ol' ab ripper. Fun, fun!
I actually ran out of time and couldn't do the ab ripper until the evening after the kiddos were in bed. The goal was to also get in my 25 minute run around the neighborhood, but by the time I finished the ab ripper, I was pooped. I will have to get in my 3 runs on consecutive days - Wed, Thurs & Fri. School is Sat, so my "long" run will be on Sunday again. Lucky for me, the gate on the pool is fixed, so I am going to get in an early morning swim sometime soon!
Workout - 1 hour shoulders and arms, 16 minutes of ab ripper
Speaking of the pool, I did get to take the kiddo to her swim class this afternoon...she did awesome! Pretty soon she's going to be giving me pointers. LOL!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Family Time
This week we've done the neighborhood playground, the mall playground, storytime at the library, movie with the kiddo and Daddy, movie with the kiddo and me, playing in the backyard, making cookies, etc. We've gotten past the newborn parent paranoia and have been taking the munchkin out on these excursions. Working out has taken a backseat...no 2-a-days right now. I did manage to get in the scheduled 20-minute run on the Fit schedule yesterday. It was a treadmill run while the kiddo and the hubby were at the movies, and while the munchkin watched from the comfort of his bouncy seat. :-) I also got in a neighborhood mom's night out on Tuesday. Talk about fun...the moms here are crazy fun!
Depending on what time I get home from school on Sat, I may end up doing the Saturday "long" run on Sunday before my swim and my 3rd weekday run tomorrow.
Next week, I have to go into work for a couple of meetings. Ick. Monday was supposed to simply be a 1 hour meeting, but has turned into 5 1/2 hours of meetings. Fun.
Workout
Treadmill Run - 1.68 miles - 20 minutes
Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Ummm, there goes my idea about getting a pool! LOL!
Next, I headed to Sbux for a couple of hours to work on my portion of the Marketing project. That was followed with some watercoloring with the kiddo and then on to the workout. I decided to walk with the chicas from the hood for 40 minutes, then get in my 20 minute run that was on the Fit schedule.
Dumb idea.
By the time I started my run I was hot and tired. It was the longest 20 minute run I've ever done. I couldn't even make it through my 1st 5 minute interval. That's how bad it was. Damn. So, I ran for about three minutes at a time, then walked for about 30 seconds...lather, rinse, repeat. I has to get better, right?
Workout Stats
Walk with the peeps in the hood - 41 minutes
Run per the Woodlands Fit schedule - 20 minutes easy
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Whew!
Wow! As of this afternoon, the Houston Marathon and 1/2 Marathon are both SOLD OUT! So glad I registered yesterday.
--------------------------------------------------------
I registered for the half marathon a few minutes ago. Good thing, since it's now 96% full! The Fit coaches warned us yesterday that waiting beyond this weekend to register would be risky.
I actually got out of the house for the bike ride a little later than I meant to, so I only had time for a 7 1/2 mile ride...that's 4 times around the neighborhood loop. At first, it felt downright cool outside. By the 2nd lap, I was noticing the humidity...ick! I tried to push myself a bit, since my latest rides have been the more leisurely, lets look at the neighborhood rides. It felt fast, but really wasn't :-) After the ride, I decided to go ahead and work in the yard since I was already sweaty. I followed that by taking the kiddo to the pool and pulled her in her floatie from one end of the pool to the other, over and over and over and over. By the time we finally sat down with our frosty evening beverages on the patio with the munchkin, so we could watch the kiddo play in the backyard, my legs were feeling the effect of all that activity. (Okay, that was a run-on sentence if I've ever seen one! LOL!)
Workout Stats
Bike
31 minutes
7.5 miles
14.01 mph
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Week 1 - Starting Over
Part of me just wants to workout how I want, when I want.
Part of me wants to seriously start training for a sprint tri.
Part of me misses the running.
Part of me doesn't give a rats ass about PRing.
Part of me enjoys competing against myself to do better and better.
Part of me needs that goal - the half marathon - to get my ass in gear each week and the support of the group to hold me accountable.
All of me wants to lose the rest of the baby weight (and then some)- that is my ultimate goal.
So, training for the 1/2 seems like a nice compromise - it's a good goal to shoot for (especially since I am really starting over) and the training is not so grueling that I can't find time to fit in some biking and swimming. While I'll miss the peeps in Houston Fit, it will be a good change of pace to run someplace new.
So how'd today go? You've seen my workout stats from the past two weeks. I've "run" 1/1 intervals, 2/1 intervals for 2 weeks now, but never for more than 20 minutes and always inside on the treadmill. I knew that today was going to be tough.
I wasn't sure how long it would take me to get to the Y, so I left ridiculously early. On the way over I just prayed that it wouldn't suck as badly as I thought it might. When I arrived, I immediately met some great people and I was instantly glad that pulled myself out of bed. I saw Coach Bill, who introduced me to running Goddess Kim Hagar. I also met someone who was starting over and doing 5/1 intervals...we stuck together all morning. I was thrilled to find out that the 1/2 marathoners were only doing 2 miles today - looks like someone was listening to those prayers this morning afterall. :-) I knew I could finish 2 miles.
We headed out and to my suprise, the 5/1's weren't too bad. It was great to have some new scenery to look at and my new found friend gave me the lowdown on the area schools, which is great when you have a kid starting school in another year. When we first started, I looked behind me and thought that yours truly was bringing up the rear. But, as we kept on we passed people here and there. Before I knew it, we were at the water stop that the coaches told us about - 1 mile down! Woohoo!
The 5's seemed a little longer on the 2nd mile, but before I knew it we were back at the Y. It has been a long time since I've run in warmer weather, so my head felt like it was going to explode and I was dripping with sweat...but I survived! Never in a million years would I have thought finishing 2 miles would be such a big accomplishment for me. :-)
This starting over thing sucks, but for now it's okay. Tomorrow, I am riding 10 miles on the bike...another thing I'm starting over. (Since I still can't get early morning access to the pool for my Sunday swim...thanks RealManage!) But, every day is a step in the right direction I suppose.
I wasn't going to post today's time, because to be honest, it's a bit embarrassing. But, I figure I'm not the only person in the world to start over. It's not easy, but it can be done.
Workout Stats
Woodland's Fit group run
2 miles
24:44:47
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Pre-July 4th
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
?
Anywho, the munchkin is up to 13.65 lbs and 25 1/4 inches! That's the 99th and 95th percentiles. If you're not a baby person, that means that he is pretty darn big for a 2-month old. The doctor was suprised to see that he was wearing a 0-3 month outfit. She was impressed with his tummy-time skills, his ability to follow her pen with his eyes and his cooing. :-) He's right on track. He did have 5 shots though, it was painful to watch his wailing!
Saturday is the 1st weekend of Woodland's Fit. I am super nervous, because for the 1st time I am not even sure I am capable of finishing 3 miles even at a super slow pace. I predict that I will manage, but it will not be pretty.
Monday, June 30, 2008
The workout that wasn't...
Sunday, I woke up at 6:10 am in order to have time to feed the baby before heading over to the pool. I got my swimming gear and made it to the pool by 7 am. It was dreary and cloudy, but at least there was no thunder or threat of rain. I had decided that this week, I would only allow a 30 second rest between laps so that I could get a better workout.
I swiped my access card on the pool gate and heard the "beep!". I pulled the handle of the gate and nothing. I tried the access card again and again - the door wouldn't give. I tried one more time to make sure I wasn't losing it. Ugh! So, I made the trek back home and told the hubby that I would get in a run/walk instead. However, the kiddo really, really didn't want me to leave the house again. I tried to bargain with her, but it didn't work. So, I ended up walking for about 25 minutes while she rode her bike. Ummm, she's 3, so I wouldn't exactly call it a workout. We might have gone a mile, but definitely no more. I tried to "race" her, just to get her to go fast enough for a brisk walk. Toward the end she was pooped and I had to push her bike the rest of the way. Hahaha...I guess I made her go a bit too far and too fast, but hey, she slept really well last night!
So that was it. I only have a short window of time to use to workout and that was it. I did get in a Slim in Six workout while the hubby took the kiddo to the pool and the baby was in the bouncy seat. I really, really wanted to take a nap though. :-)
Workouts
Swim - didn't happen
Walk - 25 minutes slow
Si6 - 24 minutes
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Blah
Workout Stats
AM - "Running", 1 1/2/1 intervals
PM - Si6, 24 minutes
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Misc Shiznit, part II
In other news, the baby is growing so fast! Can you believe it's almost been 8 weeks? He's outgrown any newborn clothes and some of his 0-3 months onesies are even getting tight. He has a check-up next week, so we'll see how much he's grown. He is now smiling a lot! I love it when the hubby and I talk to him and his face lights up with a big 'ol grin!!! Here's a picture taken a few weeks ago.
The kiddo will be out of school for the summer beginning on Monday...if anyone out there has any ideas for activities to keep her busy during the day, please let me know. I figured we'd be heading to the pool, the playground, movies, play board games, do puzzles, etc. I just want to keep her busy and make it fun, since I will probably not have this much time off with her ever again!
No workouts yesterday...my Capstone group had to meet up to work on our project. Joy. It's my last semester, it's my last semester...if I repeat that enough, it makes the semester a little better, lol.
Workouts
Wednesday
AM - Neighborhood bike ride - 30 minutes
PM - Si6 - 24 minutes
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Workout Update
AM - Treadmill, 1/1 intervals - 20 minutes
AM - Slim-in-Six workout - 24 minutes
Friday, 6/20
AM - Treadmill, 1/1 intervals - 20 minutes
PM - Si6 - 24 minutes
Saturday, 6/21
No workout - school day!
Sunday, 6/22
AM - Swim - 350 meters (getting better!)
PM - Si6 - 24 minutes
Monday, 6/23
AM - Si6 - 24 minutes
PM - Brisk walk w/neighborhood chicas - 70 minutes
Tuesday, 6/24
TBD - had to spend AM workout time cleaning out back flower beds!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Save the ta-tas!! (TMI warning)

Thursday, June 19, 2008
Misc Shiznit
Monday
50 minute super brisk walk with some neighborhood gals.
As much as I need to get back to the running, I really enjoyed walking with the chicas from the 'hood. Maybe I can convince them that they need to start running. LOL!
Tuesday
40 minute bike ride
I added 10 extra minutes and increased my pace...by how much I don't know...I need to either get a computer thingy for my bike or dig my Garmin out of the boxes we have yet to unpack.
Wednesday
No workout, unless you count my homework as a workout...maybe a workout of the mind? :-)
Speaking of school, I'm taking 2 classes this semester...have I mentioned that this is my FINAL SEMESTER??? One is a Marketing Capstone class that combines all the stuff from the previous marketing classes. We have to come up with a detailed marketing plan for a fictional product.
Piece.of.cake. (for reals)
The other class is our Management Capstone that combines EVERYTHING we've learned in our illustrious MBA careers and combines it into a big 'ol project. The class is split into 6 groups that make up 6 different companies that all sell the same product. We have to strategize on everything from our R&D, production, marketing, HR, TQM, etc. without knowing what the other teams are doing.
Kicking.my.ass. (true story)
I didn't think this was going to be difficult, afterall our group includes two of the most financially savvy minds in the entire MBA cohort. Plus, we've had this professor before and even though he's the toughest one I've had, he's an excellent teacher. No sweat, right?
WRONG!
Our group placed last in the 1st two practice rounds! Out of 5 stars we could obtain, we obtained none in the 1st round and 1 in the 2nd round. But, thank God that was just practice. The problem, you ask??? Our financial geniuses over analyzed everything and overestimated the program we're using. Fortunately, we've dumb-downed our strategies and viola, we're now in 2nd place. Last year, our stock price rose by $25!!! LOL! We start the real rounds on Saturday, so hopefully we've learned from our mistakes and will kick butt. Oh, and on Saturdays, we're at school from 8 am - 8 pm getting this shiznit done...plus we're meeting during the week. Someone keep reminding me that this is my LAST SEMESTER please.
That's enough blabbering for now...I'll fill you in on the baby stuff and work tomorrow.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Weekend
Friday, June 13, 2008
Pics, pics and more pics (this for you Pony!)
After my appt, I had one errand to run before heading home. I had the baby with me...you could day this was our 2nd real outing together. I was pleasantly surprised to run into Tiggs! Cassie, was great talking to you!!!
The entryway...


Master Bed & Bath...(yes, we need a king-sized bed!)


Upstairs gameroom...aka Hubby's future media room (right now it houses an old couch, the treadmill and our computer desk)

The kiddo's room:

The munchkin's room:

The kid's bathroom theme:

The backyard:

My favorite things...the trails, playgrounds and lake!



Monday, June 09, 2008
Time Management
What I learned in my 1st day of getting on a schedule is that life with a 5 week old does not fit into a perfect schedule! My hour of reading work e-mails, was more like 10 minutes before the munchkin wanted to be held...he's still not sure about the bouncy seat yet. :-) My hour of homework while the baby napped, ended up being tummy time with the baby and bathing the baby after some nasty spit-up.
The hubby and I did manage to take turns working out. We both chose to ride our bikes today. He went first - an hour ride on the trails. Then me - a 1/2 hour on the streets of the 'hood. This ride was much better than last week's..! Less headwind, less humidity and not quite as hot. I originally wanted to do the 2-mile loop around the neighborhood 3x, but opted to explore more sections of the neighborhood instead. Once I have the go ahead to really workout from the doc on Thursday, I want to increase the mileage a bit more. Then maybe I will start posting my real workout stats, lol.
Tomorrow, I'll head out for a walk and see if I want to start some slow intervals. Wednesday will be my swim day.
Now, if I could just get better with my WW points. The hubby being home during the day is not helping...today he insisted on getting us both a milkshake from Sonic! Ugh! Somewhere along the way, I lost my will power!
Workout Stats
30 minute bike ride
Sunday, June 08, 2008
The Good. The Bad. The Ugly
I did it. For the 1st time in over a year I made it to the pool for a swim. In fact, I managed to get in a 1/4 mile swim! I've been to the pool in the new 'hood several times with the kiddo, but that only consisted of splashing around and playing with the kiddo.
My neighbor, Kathy, met me there at 7 am as planned. She's also an avid runner, but sticks to trails due to some past stress fractures. She also bikes and like me, is a novice swimmer. However, she has been in the pool a lot lately and is much better than me.
THE BAD
Due to all the rain last summer, a majority of my swim lessons were cancelled. However, I did feel like I had made a lot of progress by the time my 3 weeks of lessons were over. Unfortunately, when I started my attempt in the pool this morning, I felt like I had forgotten a lot...well okay, I felt like I had forgotten pretty much everything.
I still have the issue of not being able to breathe correctly. Several laps consisted of me stopping midway to cough up the water I had either snorted or swallowed. Around my 3 lap, I caught myself just swimming with my head up. Then I had to give myself a stern talking to..."Christy, this is not how you're supposed to swim, this is stupid!"..."If you don't at least try to get the breathing down, you're never going to get it!"... or a simple, "get your freaking head in the water!"
So yes, I did get in a quarter mile...but I stopped after a length and rested. Kathy rested for 15 seconds between length...my rests were more like 30 seconds, sometimes longer. 30 seconds of panting and trying to catch my breath. So, I won't tell you how long it took me to do that 1/4 mile. ;-) It was bad.
THE UGLY
By the end of my swim, I was pooped. In the last two laps, my calves were cramping and I was done. That part was ugly. Well, that and my hair. LOL! I need to get a new swim cap, because I haven't been able to find mine since the move.
The not so ugly part was that I had fun. Hell, I had a blast. Kind of like riding my bike...I really, deeply enjoy it and it doesn't feel so much like work. Now, if I could just suck less at it....
I think I am going to try to work in 2 swims per week, 2 runs per week and a bike ride per week (and maybe a few brick workouts mixed in) until the maternity leave is over. After that, I'll have to rethink the strategy.
Workout Stats
1/4 mile swim
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Update
LOL, Barbara I STILL haven't seen SATC!! Trying to get my group of girlfriends together is almost impossible...hopefully this weekend. Either that or I'm going to go by myself during the week.
Jamoosh, I had the long awaited margarita last night and it was de-lish!!!!
I finally tested the waters...I had a real workout today. My 1st post partum one and the first one since about 6-7 weeks ago, since I didn't really count my walks to the pool or playground with the kiddo as a workout.
I headed out on the bike today around 2:30 pm. Well I tried to head out at 1:30, but the bike gods were not cooperating. 1st, I had a flat....I haven't been on the bike since October of last year and I had a friggin' flat! To top it off, the spare I was sold was not the right one for the bike. Thankfully, the hubby had a spare tube! Then, something was up with my gears and I kept hearing a clicking noise. Again, the hubby helped me out. I was finally on my way, but I realized now why I REALLY needed to take the bike maintenance workshop at Bike Barn that I had signed up for 2x, but had to cancel both times thanks to school.
The ride was only 30 minutes...just enough time to see if I was truly ready to get back into the swing of things. For some reason, I can tolerate the heat better on the bike than I can running...that hasn't changed since last year! Since I still have the slicks on my bike from the Tour de Pink, I stayed on the road (rather than the trails, although the trails would have been more fun). I've been wanting to check out some parts of the neighborhood that I'd never seen before and that's exactly what I did. I'll admit, between the headwind and the heat, 30 minutes was all I could take. My heart rate was up and my legs felt like jello afterwards, but I enjoyed the hell out of it!
Sooooo, I am officially back. I need to come up with a game plan for working on my mileage both with running and on the bike. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Fortunately, I have already met someone in the neighborhood who has offered to show me the trails (for biking and running) and who swims laps at the pool before anyone else gets there. I *think* I meeting up with her at the pool early Sunday morning to see what I've retained from the lessons I took last summer. I imagine it will NOT be pretty. :-)
Friday, May 30, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Offer
Keep your fingers crossed!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Playing catch up
I spent all day Wednesday going through 6, count'em 6, 30-gallon Rubbermaid containers of the kiddo's old clothes. Yes, my child has 2 grandparents that buy an obscene amount of clothes for the one and only Granddaughter...it's sickening how many things that were only worn once or (gulp) still had tags on it. I sorted them into the following categories:
- Things that were gender neutral that the munchkin could also wear
- Things that were in good condition, name brand, etc. that could go to consignment
- Things that had sentimental value that I wanted to keep (i.e. the kiddo's coming home from the hospital outfit, 1st Christmas dress, Christening gown, etc.)
- Things that didn't fit into the above categories that would be sold at an upcoming garage sale or be given to Purple Heart, Goodwill, NAM, or other charity
Then, I washed the stuff going to consignment and even ironed it. It was totally worth it, because about 3/4 of the stuff in the 2 Rubbermaid bins did get taken by the consignment shop. Woohoo! There's also a small amount of stuff that is going on E-bay...mostly the classic pooh bedding and room decor from the kiddo's nursery. I am also going to be selling our china on Ebay...we only had 4 place settings and the set has been discontinued. Oh well! Let's just say that I am on quest to get rid of anything and everything that we don't need that is cluttering up the new house. I wanted to do all this before we moved, but between work, school and just being pregnant and tired, I didn't have time.
We also worked with the Realtor to finally get the old house in the hood on the market. Keep your fingers crossed that it gets sold in a reasonable amount of time! :-) I wanna buy some new furniture for the house, but refuse to purchase with anything other than cash (thank you Dave Ramsey!).
I am happy to say that I did get to spend time hanging out too. I've been taking the kiddo to the neighborhood pool for some mommy/daughter time this weekend and we've hung out in the backyard, made cookies, etc.
Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Graduation

I don't officially finish my last 2 classes until August, but since my school doesn't have an August graduation ceremony the folks in my cohort will be participating in the graduation ceremony this weekend. It's a bit anti-climatic, walking now and finishing later...I don't feel like I can "celebrate" this weekend. I might jinx something. :-) But, it is proof that I am one step closer to meeting my goal, so that's a good thing. I have to admit, it is a little exciting to be participating with the 20+ other people that I began this endeavor with 19 months ago. Despite the stress, mommy guilt, missed runs and sleep deprivation, it's been a great experience!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Maternity Leave
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Blessed.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
He's Here!
We arrived and were greeted by our nurse Angela, who had just started her shift and would be with us for the "long haul". She was awesome. She started the pictocin drip around 11:45 and said I was about 2 cm dialated. My doctor came in to see me around 12:45, said I was at 4 cm and broke my water. My parents arrived next and about an hour later I could really start to feel the contractions. Enough was enough, so I asked for my epidural before they got any worse. About 5 minutes later, the epidural man (aka "my saviour") arrived and administered the drugs. Around 3 pm, my parents left to pic up the kiddo from school. DH & I decided to dim the lights and take a nap. Next thing I know, I am waking up to see Oprah on the tv. The epidural was working really well, because I couldn't feel the contractions at all...but, I could feel pressure...major pressure. The nurse had already gotten all the necessary tools out and came over to check on me. She looked a little suprised and said, "the baby is ready! I'll call the doc!" In came the doc and 2 sets of pushes later....
Baby Joseph Christopher was here at 4:45 pm! 8 lbs, 9 oz and 21 cm long.
Here's the proud Big Sister:
The 1st night in the hospital is the worst...you don't feel so great and you constantly have people coming in and out of your room all night. Naturally, they all tell you to "try to get some rest". Yeah right.
Here's the proud Daddy...
The 2nd night, we let the baby stay in the nursery so we could try to get some "real" rest. Of course, nothing is as nice as being at home in your own bed.
Here we are leaving the hospital.
So now we're at home. Trying to get some rest and just enjoying finally having the baby here. He's a sweet little guy...and he has some great lungs! :-) He does have his days and nights confused, but we'll work on that. Big Sis is so excited to have him here and wants to show him all her toys.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Babywatch cont'd
Soooo....it's almost 9 am now. Keep your fingers crossed that the nurse says to come right in. :-)
Until then, I think I am going to catch a quick nap...it might be a lllloooonnnngggg day!
And, thanks to everyone for their kind words, thoughts and prayers!
Thursday, May 01, 2008
BABY UPDATE!
I am 2 cm dialated & the baby has dropped (as if I couldn't tell my the increasing pain and pressure in the crotch area that has been especially bad this week!).
The doc is going to try to get me into Women's Hosp tomorrow to be induced! When she asked me about this at my appointment today, I decided to take her up on the offer (rather than play the ol' "wait & see" game until next week). She made the same offer with Riley and I panicked and said "No!"...which resulted in me having to wait another week and two days beyond my due date to finally be induced (and resulted in an 8 lb 13 oz baby!).
There's still the chance that because this is an "elective" inducement (meaning I'm not overdue or have any health risks), that the hospital will be too busy to admit me. If I can't get in, I will have to wait until Monday (unless little Joseph decides to come earlier). Soooo...if you think about it, please send me some prayers and "easy labor vibes" tomorrow! :-) Hopefully, we'll have a healthy baby boy by the end of the day!
Thank God I took my MIS final yesterday!!! Now, I just have a few things to finish up at work....
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
F.Y.I.
Join Nike and Luke's for Ladies' Fitness 101
Come to Luke's for a panel discussion with a personal trainer and a nutritionist, enjoy great camaraderie and a special Nike shopping night with discounts galore!
If you are interested in fitness and fun, this is the night for you!
Found your running shoes in the closet and want to run/walk a few miles? Then meet at Luke's Locker each Saturday, May 3 - May 24, at 6:45 am. The workouts should be finished by 8:00 AM. The Saturday morning runs are intended to help runners and walkers to prepare themselves for the May 31st kick-off "6 miler" for the Fall Marathon Program but all are welcome. These runs are unsupported so bring your hydration of choice.
The Monday Morning Bagel Run is back!! Meet at 6:00 AM and get in an easy run to start your week right, followed by a hot bagel!!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
My how time flies!
It's hard to believe that time has just flown by! When I started this blog, I was training for Chicago '06, studying for my PHR and the GMAT.
Since then, I have started and almost finished grad school, run several 1/2 marathons (as I vowed no more full ones until grad school is done), I got a new job, got knocked up, bought a house and met a bunch of awesome people through blogging (many of whom I now consider friends!).
Hopefully, my next year of blogging will bring more running, more races, less school nd more friends. :-)
Hopefully, before the next blogiversary I will have finally changed my header back to the regular one. LOL!
Oh, and to Margo and Tiggs...yes, we will have to do a blogger-girls margarita night out!!!!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Babywatch 2008
Yeah, good for her.
So I am at work, tonight I have Ethics class, tomorrow is my MIS final...oh joy!
That's about it...I'll keep ya'll posted.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Still here...


Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Barbara, I didn't even realize that Champions Fit was that close! But, I have to admit, it may be even closer to go with Woodlands Fit...you know I value that 5 extra minutes of sleep.
;-)
Looks like I have more options than I thought! Cool beans!
Here I am..
Naturally, I am excited to finally meet the little guy I've been carrying around all these months. But, the other thing I am really excited about is working out again!
Not the pansy ass little neighborhood walks...I'm talking REAL WORKOUTS.
The legs and arms like jello, achey muscles the next day, kick my ass kind of workouts. :-)
I am undecided on the running though. My 1st goal will be to lose the baby weight. Sure, running will help me burn calories and all that, but I also want to focus on strength training and getting my core stronger. Before I found out I was preggo, I was having a lot of issues with my lower back...the PT hottie said it was all about building a stronger core. I really want to vary my workouts though - some bike, some swimming, some running. To be honest, I miss my bike more than I miss running. Probably because it was still new to me when I had to stop...kind of that "honeymoon" phase. The running had gotten old...partially because I was burned out from the same old routine and not having enough time to really dedicate to it. The good news is that as of August 16, I will be done with school (not that I'm counting the days or anything)!!!!!!!! Yes, I will have an additional child, but I will have a bit more time to dedicate to working out again. Wooohooo!!!
So, I am up in the air - join a gym? get a trainer? try a new home routine (maybe the P90X? TurboJam looks fun too.)? With the recent move (and the increase in gas prices), I am tinkering with the idea of joining Woodlands Fit....although, I'll admit that the entire time I've been in school I've been wanting to try Kenyan Nights (the morning program doesn't work with the hubby working nights) or a Bootcamp at Memorial Park in addition to Houston Fit. I dunno, I guess I'll wait and see. I may have to eventually change the name of this blog though. :-)
ETA: Just for Jamoosh, I changed the comments so that you no longer have to worry about the word verification...which, as he pointed out, it pretty pointless when your blog is password protected. So now, my 1.8 readers have it easier! :-p
Monday, April 21, 2008
Boston 2008!

Friday, April 18, 2008
Whew!
The good news is, I am almost finished with that lovely 20-page paper. Mine is actually more like 17 pages, but I'm not too worried. Any more pages and I would be including too much BS. And, the topic for my Ethics paper is going well too. Thanks to Viv for the link to a very helpful PBS special! I want have some library time on Saturday morning, so I can knock out both papers. That way, I can avoid looking at them for a couple of days and then go back and read again with fresh eyes. Then, I can just concentrate on my MIS final and those daunting 18 essay questions. Ugh! Fortunately, several of us in the class have gotten together and divided up the essay questions, so that none of us has to do all 18 questions on our own. Divide and conquer seems to be a reoccurring theme in grad school. :-)
In baby news, the bedding set for the crib has finally arrived! Now I can start with the real decorating. I was beginning to worry that the baby would arrive before the room decor. I'll post a pic as soon as it's done...well that and after I dig through more boxes to find the cable to hook up my camera to the computer. :-) Oh and the hubby's Hapkido instructor wants him to take his 2nd Don (i.e. 2nd degree blackbelt) test on May 3rd....ummm, that's 2 days before my due date, so it all depends on when the baby decides to make his grand entrance. If we're still waiting for the big arrival, I intend to go watch the tests. We'll see!
Workout Stats
Wednesday, 4/16 - 25 minute neighborhood waddle
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Dammit
I simply do not have time to get sick dammit. Nope, it can't happen.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
It hit me

I just received the official review questions for the MIS final and our topics for our final paper in Ethics. The MIS questions are going to be a total PITA, but the Ethics paper doesn't sound too bad. I think I can easily use what I learned this semester to do a moral analysis on Wal-mart and determine whether Wal-mart is a morally good company, how I can make it morally better, etc. It's either that or examine my own employer and I'm not going there. Sounds like a stimulating topic, don't you think?
Speaking of Ethics...last night we discussed moral marketing. This led to us watching about a 1/2 hour of Super Size Me. After seeing that, I don't know if I ever want to eat fast food again. True story.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Showers, Hockey and KFC

Thursday, April 10, 2008
Update
Honestly, I sort of wished she would have said, "OMG, this baby is ready to come out...you start your maternity leave tomorrow!". LOL. Seriously, I get tired out early every night which makes doing homework after the kiddo is in bed very difficult, I am having trouble concentrating while at school and work, I get sleepy in every meeting and class I have (and even sometimes when driving home)...I just feel so out of it and soooo inefficient. Not to mention the crotchy pain, round ligament pain, crappy sleeping due to the hip pain, the fact that my feet barely fit into my shoes, and all that stuff. Sigh.
Sorry, the intent of this post was not to have a big pity party. I'll stop now.
In other news, my preggo hormones are making me one mean, ol' biotch on the roads. Probably due in part to my new triple the distance, double the time commute. Seriously, people on the roads have been pissing me off lately, so here's a little vent:
- Look lady, the speed limit is 65 on the toll road. Why are you in the left lane doing 50 when there's no one in front of you? Move your ass over to the far right lane! Better yet, take your ass to the feeder road.
- Dude who insisted on tailgaiting me yesterday...traffic was bumper to bumper and moving at about 50 in all the lanes. I'm sorry, but I simply cannot go 80 if there are cars in front of me and on both sides all going 50, now can I??? So why, why, why do you insist on riding on my ass? Yes, that's right...you keep doing it and I will slow down to 50 and maybe even 45 mph.
- Okay mo-fo's, there are signs MILES back telling you which lanes go to which highways in which direction. So why in the hell do you insist on waiting until the very last minute to try to merge in front of me? People like YOU are the reason the traffic is backed up for miles in the 1st place. Oh, and when I am nice and I do let you in, you don't even have the courtesy to wave a thank you! What happened to common courtesy anyway? That's it, I'm not letting anyone else in. Screw you.
- Lady on the cell phone - I have nothing against people talking on the cell phone and driving...IF and ONLY IF they can stay in their lane at the same time. Apparently you can't, so you need to get off the road or get off the phone.
Well, that about sums it up. I feel better already. :-)
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Workouts
Ever since I was having those lovely BH contrax a week or so ago, I've been a little scared to do too much. So, here are my lame workouts over the past week:
Wednesday, 4/2
25-ish minute walk with a 1/2 hour stop at the playground in the middle
Friday, 4/4
25 minute fast walk around the mall getting very last minute shower/bachelorette party gifts for that night
Sunday, 4/6
Another not real workout - walked around the block while the kiddo rode her bike..approximately a 1/2 mile, but I was uncomfortably bent over her making sure she didn't ride off of the sidewalk...that has to count for something. LOL!
Monday, 4/7
Trying to stay awake in Ethics class...does that count? It takes quite an effort!
Tuesday, 4/8
Walked up and down stairs what felt like 100 times taking the baby gifts from the living room to the nursery. :-) Hey, I was exhausted afterwards!
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
March Showers...
My awesome co-workers hosted a shower in honor of the munchkin yesterday. Talk about some great co-workers...check out all the food and loot. Oh, and check out my big buddah belly. :-) This is the 1st time I've seen myself in a picture since Christmas...let's just say I will be purchasing a more flattering outfit for the shower that my family is throwing this weekend, lol!
Here's me...hey, don't mess with my food!

The cute cake that goes with the baby's safari-themed nursery...
A basket made of diapers, with all kinds of cute baby stuff...
Woohooo, diapers and butt paste...the 1st time around, I wasn't sure how to use this. Now, I'm an "old pro"!
Saturday, April 05, 2008
The Countdown Begins!
Of course, if this little guy would like to make an appearance a teeny, tiny bit early I would have no problem with that. :-)
I have about 10 more pages to write for my MIS paper, a term paper for Ethics (only 5 pages) and my MIS final. Plus, we need to finish getting everything ready in the nursery...looks like the month ahead will be a busy one!
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Hello Cankles...
My feet and ankles have been swelling a little here and there for the past couple of months, but nothing too severe. Usually it occurs at the end of the day, so it's no big deal. I've still been able to wear my regular shoes, although I've switched to pretty much wearing only flats or really low heels.
Unfortunately, in the past couple of days the swelling has started a little earlier in the day and has gotten worse. So now, heaven forbid I wear a skirt or dress to work...the lovely cankles are out there in front of God and everybody. And, it seems like the more water I drink, the worse it gets! I thought it was supposed to be the other way around!?! Yesterday, I was going to take the kiddo for a walk, but it started raining...probably a good thing, because I wasn't really sure if I would be able to squeeze my feet into my Saucony's!! Hopefully, I will not have to resort to wearing sandals to work everyday...although that would give a good excuse to get a weekly pedicure! :-)
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Weekend
I felt much better when I woke up on Saturday and headed to school. The thought of skipping class did cross my mind, but I had a presentation to do and would not think of putting that off. After class, I basically just hung out with the hubby and kiddo. We went to the grocery store and the kiddo was acting so much like herself, that we decided to walk to the "big" playground in the neighborhood. The weather was great and it felt good to get out, but I didn't realize that the playground was right at a mile away the way we went to the playground...we took a different route the way back, which was over a mile. Ummm, can I just say that that little walk was the longest I've had in several weeks and being in the sun didn't help either. My back was killing me when we were done! To top it off, I had to pee. I felt like a complete wuss!
I'm not sure if the walk had anything to do with this or not, but I had a few of what I *think* were Braxton Hicks contractions about an hour later. Then, I had them again this morning for about an hour. Scary! I say I *think* they were BH, because with the kiddo I had to be induced. She was nowhere near ready to come out...she hadn't dropped, there was no effacement, almost no dilation, no water breaking with me saying "Honey, it's time!" in the middle of the night. By the time I had *real* contractions, I had an epidural!
After I was sure I wasn't in real labor, we took the kiddo to Chuck E Cheese (we missed her playgroup earlier), where she ate pizza and played games until she was worn out. And after that, we pretty much called it a day.
Now, I'm off to get as much homework done as possible...just in case!
Workout
Neighborhood walk - 40 minutes (it felt like I was walking faster than that!!!)
Friday, March 28, 2008
Crap!
To make matters worse, the kiddo woke up at 1:30 am with a 104.5 temp! I've never seen her temp go beyond 102-something, so that freaked me out. And, even with the Motrin/Tylenol regime, the temp would not drop below 103-something. She kept waking up asking for cold water. Finally, this morning it went down to 100. We went to the doc and it turns out she has a nasty double ear infection. Poor kiddo! I had to head into work in the afternoon, but the hubby said she just layed on the couch and slept off and on the entire afternoon....that's very unlike her, but hopefully it will help! When I got home from work, we both slept on the couch for a couple of hours.
Good luck to my peeps doing the tri this weekend...I can't wait to hear all about it!!!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Thanks!
Honestly, I think I am destined to have big babies no matter how active I am. I am sure everything will be fine!
Now, if I could just stop feeling so sleepy all the time! Honestly, I have felt drowsy and groggy for the past few days. It's making it very hard to concentrate at work...thank God I don't deal with any life-threatening situations or drive heavy machinery. LOL! Shhh....I actually broke down and bought a Mocha at Starbucks this morning - the 1st one since I found out I was preggers.
Let's keep that between us. Okay?
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Oh Baby!
I am!
He currently weighs 5 lbs...I have 5 more weeks. Ack! They tend to gain about 1 lb per week at the end! And, to top it off the doc said, "He's in the 63rd percentile, so he's not that big. (pause)Well, his head is big". Um yeah, not exactly what I wanna hear. Seriously, I could have done without that info. I'd rather go into labor & delivery blindly on that one. LOL! I'm like, "How big? Abnormally big? Huge-mongous big? Yep, I am concerned...my va-jay-jay is too.
Workout Stats
25 minute neighborhood walk w/the kiddo in the stroller. Good times!
Ps...Pony, I will post some pics of the house and neighborhood just as soon as I get some new batteries for our camera. I can't find the rechargeable ones...well, that and the cord that lets me download pics. Doh!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Back to Reality
Having 4 consecutive days off was awesome! Although, I did get two work e-mails on the Blackberry on Easter Sunday....WTH? Some folks seriously have no life.
Yesterday was much more relaxing than the previous 3 days. The kiddo and I hung out in our PJs as late as possible yesterday morning - which wasn't late enough, but I had an ultrasound at 10:45 am on the other side of town. The baby looks great, but is still measuring 2 weeks ahead. I dunno if I was wrong with my dates -or- if I am just going to have one huge baby....that last thought scares the heck outta me! Later, the kiddo and I headed to the only playground in the neighborhood that we hadn't already checked out and played in the backyard after that.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. I had class last night and actually got to campus a couple of hours early to work on a project. I have been a serious slacker this entire semester, but by the time the kiddo goes to bed (around 9:30), I am beat and haven't had the motivation to stay up late working on my projects. But, with the semester coming to an end and with this baby on the way, I am going to have to make myself work on this stuff!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Busy, Busy
I have a problem - it's called crowding waaayyy too much in one day! I think it's some kind of freakish disorder, because I do it and then wonder why I'm so freaking tired! Friday, the day consisted of taking the kiddo to play in the mall play area, getting the kiddo a haircut, a ride on the carosel, waiting over an hour for a pic with the Easter Bunny, seeing "Horton Hears a Who!" (cute movie, but maybe a little over a 3 year old's head), straightening up the house, going to the grocery store, a walk to the playground and finally dinner. The hubby and I did watch the new Halloween movie, which was actually not bad!
Saturday was just as crazy. After picking up a package from Fed Ex , we headed to the old house for the last of our stuff (well, except for what's in the shed), stopped at Target for the kiddo's Light Sketcher:
She announced 2 days before Christmas that she wanted it, but we had already done our shopping. So, when she actually slept all night in her "big girl bed", I decided it was time to break out a year-old gift card that I had tucked away and take her to get it. Anywho, next was an Easter egg hunt at my parent's neighborhood, dyeing eggs, making cupcakes, taking another walk to the playground and finally ending the day with dinner and "No Country for Old Men" (excellent movie, which I had already seen...the hubby hated the ending.)
Sunday, we headed to my parents for early lunch and an egg hunt, then to the sister-in-laws for another egg hunt and dinner. The kiddo was worn out after all the egg hunting with her cousins and chasing each other around the yard with confetti eggs.
Tomorrow, I'm hoping to have a day that's a bit more calm. I'm taking my last vacation day before going on maternity leave. I have an ultrasound in the morning and school at night...in between, I hope that the kiddo and I can just hang out and do a lot of nothing.
Workouts
Thursday - 30 minute neighborhood walk
Friday - 25 minute neighborhood walk
Saturday - 30 minutes neighborhood walk
Thursday, March 20, 2008
"Workouts"
Can I just say - I love, love, love the nature trails in the new neighborhood?!?! Yesterday, as the kiddo and I got to the playground, the sun was sparkling on the little man-made lake and it was just absolutely gorgeous!
Saturday
30 minute walk
Took the kiddo for a stroll on the nature trails around the neighborhood. 15 minutes, then a 30 minute stop at the playgroup, followed by another 15 minutes.
Sunday
30 minute walk
Same as Saturday, just a different route and different playground
Tuesday
Treadmill - 25 minute walk
Started out slow, but felt great midway through and increased the speed a little.
Wednesday
30 minute walk
Same as Sat & Sun, but this time the kiddo was in the jog stroller which meant I could go a little faster.
Monday, March 17, 2008
We've Moved!

Oh and Sarah, you're right - every pregnancy is different, that's for sure! My only concern is that the kiddo was (according to our Dr) only going to be around 7 lbs....she ended up being 8 lbs, 13 oz! I really hope this one isn't any bigger!!!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Step away from the thin mints...

At the beginning of your pregnancy, you might set a goal of how much weight you want to gain (and not a ounce more)...DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT gain it ALL with 7 weeks of your pregnancy to go!
Seriously people, I need to put down the thin mints and grab some celery. I am almost at the point where I was at FULL TERM with Riley. And I have 7 WEEKS to go! I swore that I wouldn't let myself gain any more than last time and ack!
I am a stress eater, I know that. Between moving, school, work, family, pregnancy, etc. you might say I've been a tad bit stressed these days. And, because of juggling all this, my workouts have been shorter and less frequent. I haven't done a good job of planning meals which results in either making quick meals (that are not healthy) or stopping on the way home and picking something up (again - not healthy).
My life is not going to get any less crazy anytime soon, that's for sure. Guess I just need to get myself organized again, so I can start planning my meals. Now that we'll be in a neighborhood where I feel safe walking and now that it gets dark later, I am planning on taking lots of evening walks with the kiddo. Hope that will help!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Still Movin'
Who would have thought that our little house could hold so much crap?!?!?! It seems like I keep packing box after box after box and I still have a ton more to pack. Not to mention all the crap that's boxed in our attic and shed. We could just move it all to the new house, but I imagine that I can throw away a lot of it and would prefer to only move the stuff I really want to move. Luckily, we're not in a rush to get out of our house. But, I would like for it to be presentable for selling purposes very soon.
Sorry there's nothing more exciting to report. Oh wait, I do have something exciting - I am going to buy my cap and gown tomorrow! I don't officially finish my MBA until August, but we are walking in the graduation ceremony in May (there's no August graduation ceremony). It's a bit anti-climatic, but it's at least another sign that I am almost done. Wooohooo!
Come August, furnished house or not, I am having a Margarita-Fest at the new casa! Anyone want to join me???
Monday, March 10, 2008
@$#&*?@!!!
As if the condensed version of a semester isn't bad enough! This is going to be fun...not!
Thursday, March 06, 2008
S.O.S.
Workout Stats
Treadmill, 30 minutes @ a 17 minute pace.
I am getting slower and slower! I swear I couldn't go any faster no matter how hard I tried.
Bigger belly = Slower pace.
I also wanted to work out my arms again, but I sat down on the couch to watch a couple minutes of the news and the next thing I know I am waking up to the last 5 minutes of Nightline! LOL! Maybe tonight?
Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Okay Texans....don't forget to vote today! And, in case you didn't know, you can vote in the primary today and then caucus tonight.
I actually considered voting during early voting, but there's something exciting about voting on election day. Okay, so maybe it's just me and I'm a dork that way. :-) I seem to have a knack for being preggo during the election year. Riley was due in late November 2004 and I was so worried that she would decide to come early, that I actually did vote in early voting...just in case! Little did I know she would be over a week late and would have to be induced.
Anyway, whoever you're supporting - just get out there and vote!
Workout Stats - Sunday
Treadmill walk - 30 minutes (side stitch paid me another visit, but luckily it went away quickly!)
Arms - 15-ish minutes of free weights
Sunday, March 02, 2008
It's official









