I Love Everyone!

I seriously love EVERYONE these days.  Everyone is so ridiculously nice and kind.  Apparently pregnant people just make other people want to do incredibly nice things for them, but I want everyone to know I APPRECIATE THEM!  For real for real for real times 1,000,000.  

1) First off - THANK YOU EVERYONE!  Seriously everyone!  I've had multiple friends give me adorable outfits and baby toys, work colleagues bring me leftover diapers they don't need anymore, etc.  My Grandma made me the most adorable swaddling blanket.  In terms of maternity clothes I'm pretty well set because Rachael loaned me her whole freaking maternity wardrobe while Leandrea mailed me a ton more clothes and a work colleague brought me her hand-me-downs!  It's seriously seriously awesome. 

2) Thank you to bump-twin ALMA for the awesome maternity running skirt. It's Running Skirts brand and is awesome with a full belly panel, cute purple spandex shorts underneath that provide good coverage and don't ride up, and two cute velcro pockets on either side.  I'm a fan. 

I obviously took those pictures FOREVER ago when I first got the skirt (my bumps like... 3 times bigger!) but I was happy to finally take the skirt out in public at the Seahawks 12k.  

3) Thank you to the awesome amazing Nuun Hood to Coast teammate Amanda who not only bestowed on me her awesome (and expensive) Medela breast pump, but was also pretty much just walking around her house offering me all of her possessions.  I felt a little like I was robbing her!  I walked away with baby toys, books, clothes, and a freaking adorable police car that JMan was pretty much BEGGING me to leave behind, but how can you leave behind something so cute??!!  Please tell me how.

 

I have a good collection going for once Rudiger hits 18 months or so!

Ara is an amazingly adorable baby model.

4) Lindsay once again proves her worth.  Oiselle was having a very popular sample sale on a weekend I was unfortunately going to be out of town.  I have been dying to try the rogas that everyone is constantly talking about, and so Lindsay graciously offered to pretty much shop the sale blind for me.  I gave her a budget of $20-$30 and told her I promised to be happy with anything she bought me!  Someone else might have caved under that kind of pressure, but she brought me back two pairs of rogas to try! 

 This also was a while ago, clearly, and these shorts won't be making an appearance for QUITE a long time.  On first try the rogas seems rather short for my taste, but we shall see during a real try-out someday when I can fit into them again!

5)  Rachael deserves a THANK YOU all her own - not only did she loan me her whole collection of maternity clothes but she also constantly answers my numerous questions and bestows on me her huge wealth of knowledge.  She also took me registering, which could not have been that fun for her!  She rocks. 

If all that wasn't enough she even loaned us her awesome swing and bouncer!

6) And of course, thank you to Cooper -  just for being so freaking precious.

7)  Last but not least, Lisa deserves a HUGE shout out for her awesome crafty skills in helping me make an owl mobile for the nursery.  Maybe someday I'll talk more about that.  Don't hold your breath! 

Cute, right??!!

If I somehow forgot you and you are awesome - THANK YOU TOO!  Thanks for being so nice to pregnant ladies like me.  We need those kind of pick-me-ups since we can't run relays or eat deli meat or drink beer.  :-)

Two Trimesters Down, One to Go!

I made it through the second trimester!  Can you believe it?  It is seriously ridiculous and impossible to believe that I'm already in the 3rd trimester.  Only 12-ish weeks until Rudiger arrives?!?!  WHAT!  But I don't have anything or know anything about caring for a newborn!  EEEKK!!

I always meant to do a recap of the 1st trimester and even started it, but at this point it seems unlikely that will ever happen.  So let's recap, shall we?  The 1st trimester SUCKED.  Want to feel nauseous all the time and have no appetite?  It's the best weight-loss tool in the world.  In fact, I lost 3 pounds in the worst month of the 1st trimester (around weeks 7-11).  Your husband knows something is wrong when you're refusing to eat peanut butter and ice cream.  Don't even get me started on the fatigue either. 

But after the *worst* trimester, Trimester 1, was behind me, I definitely started feeling better.  It was such a relief to finally feel hungry again and not sick 99% of my days with the thought of eating food being repulsive.  The fatigue stuck around a bit longer though.  In fact, although I mostly felt energetic during the day during the second half of the 2nd trimester, I still fall asleep on the couch EVERY-SINGLE-NIGHT by 9pm at the latest.  So in that way, the fatigue never left.  

It's a Rudiger!

My workouts were horrific at the beginning of the 2nd trimester (and the end of the 1st trimester), if not non-existent.  I BARELY went running, and rarely dragged myself off the couch.  The combination of incredible cold we had around here during January and February (for Seattle incredible cold means in the 20's, but it is unbearable for this gal!) coupled with the dark going to work and coming home, PLUS of course the intense fatigue I feel after work, left me with little to no motivation to work out.  When I did "work out" I mainly dragged myself downstairs to the treadmill (i.e., I didn't see the inside of the gym for MONTHS even though some elliptical time would definitely do me some good) and I WALK.  That's right folks, WALK.

This blog title should be changed to Ricole Sleeps.  And Walks (Sometimes).

 

BUT!  But, I am happy to report the 2nd trimester DID GET BETTER.  Much much much better, in fact.  I felt much more energetic during the work day and had enough energy to work out after work.  Although I still walk a lot, I also got some runs in, including several 7 milers and enough running that I felt confident enough to sign up for the Seahawks 12k.  I walked a TON while in Europe, probably 4-10 miles every day for a total of 30-40 miles all week.  I DEFINITELY feel like eating (and my weight gain shows it!).  And I'm DEFINITELY hungry all the time, which can be obnoxious at times. 

 27 weeks was a MAJOR pop-out!

Worst things about being pregnant: 2nd trimester version

• Being SO INCREDIBLY HUNGRY and not being able to ever satiate myself.  This has come in spurts but it started in about weeks 17-18.  Coincidentally, this is also when I started to gain weight and started to show.  
• CALF CRAMPS.  Oh my gosh, if I could never get another calf cramp I would be happy forever.  I swear, if labor is ANYTHING like a 24 hour calf cramp, I will DIE.  There is no pain in this world worse than a calf cramp.  I try to drink lots of water (though this is a tight-rope act when you don't want to pee 30 times every night) and eat at least half (if not a whole) banana every day, but I've still gotten a bunch of them.  Most of them have been in my right calf, which I predict is related to the extreme calf tightness I feel when running. 
• SLEEPING (or lack thereof).  I have zero problems falling asleep, ZERO.  But once I wake up to go to the bathroom, and I WILL wake up to go to the bathroom no matter how diligent I've been with drinking water close to bedtime, I just CANNOT go back to sleep.  It's the WORST.  I'll wake up at 3:30am and not be able to ever go back to sleep.  Talk about horrible.  Sometimes I play a fun little game of chicken and chance it by NOT getting up to pee since I can fall back asleep if I don't get up.  Hopefully (for JMan's sake!) I don't wet the bed someday...!
• Not Running.  Obviously not training / racing / running much but that goes without saying.  I may have been known to have had a few depressing melt-downs about some of the fun relays I'm going to miss this summer.  :-)  
• Maternity pants DO NOT stay up!  Maybe I'm supposed to buy better ones... but oh my gosh so annoying.  I've been wearing all my old pants just unbuttoned all this time (thus why sometimes my abdomen is very bumpy in those pictures above!), but it's finally impossible to wear the old ones.  ANNOYING.  It's also obviously annoying to buy new clothes you're only going to wear for a few months, which is why I've pretty much NOT been doing it, and have been relying on hand-me-downs and Goodwill.  But I also don't look that cute most of the time!  But that's really no different than my normal don't-care-about-my-clothes attitude!  :-)

So, that's the 2nd trimester for you!  Onto the 3rd trimester!  I AM starting to freak out a bit about not being ready or knowing what we're supposed to do or how to be parents.  ADVICE IS NEEDED!

Got any advice?  About childbirth / breastfeeding / nursery-making / nesting / 3rd trimester / parenting / ANYTHING??  Please please PLEASE share!!

Rudiger's First "Real" Race: The Seahawks 12k!

Rudiger ran his first "real" race on Sunday: the Seahawks 12k.

Technically speaking, Rudiger has run the Mustache Dache 5k, the Seattle Half Marathon, and the Christmas Rush 10k, but since all of these runs took place early in the first trimester, before he was kicking up a storm and the size of the "head of a cauliflower" (not as cute as a papaya, that's for sure!), we're calling this his first "real" race.  

Although I signed up for and always planned on running the 12k, the 1-2 weeks leading up to the race had me severely doubting my capacity to do so, especially given the time limit of 15 minute miles (I do not walk fast).  All week I had been feeling really huge, my belly was feeling oh so tight, and side stitches and general tightness kept me from running at ALL.  The previous weekend I think I ran 1.5 miles.  

Then I took my 27 week picture, and just for fun, decided to compare it to my 26 week picture.  Yes, apparently I am on a schedule with what I wear - that must be my "Thursday" outfit.

That's ONE WEEK of difference people!   Can you believe that?   I still can't.  HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE???  No wonder I was freaking feeling tight and humongous!  

Anyway, back to the task at hand.  I had decided to totally play it by ear race-wise.  There's a 5k also, although they run different routes so you have to decide right away which race to choose.  The 12k is also mostly an out-and-back, so I knew if worst came to worst I could just discreetly turn around and cross over to the other side of the road.  :-)  Oh look at me, I'm in first place now... hehe.  

Sunday dawned lovely (at first!) and I felt good.  We got to the start with plenty of time to spare and found all our buddies.  Somehow I sadly missed my bump twin Tall Mom Mel though.  And then... it started raining.  Of course it did! 

Lindsay and I right before the race

But I felt pretty good the whole time!  27.5 weeks, in the 3rd trimester, and I'm happy to report I averaged nearly exactly 10 minute miles!  My right calf continues to plague me and this was no different, although it also started to move to my shin.  In the last mile or two my left outside knee (IT Band?) was a little stabby, but other than that, success!  I ran the first 3+ without stopping, walked a little in the 4th mile just to make sure my heart rate stayed low-ish, and then walked the 2 or 3 hills on the return trip of the out-and-back. 

With like a half mile to go I could see Katie waaaaayyyyyy up ahead so I forced myself to try and catch her before the finish and I just barellllyyy made it. 

Race Review:  I love this race and will be back next year again.  My only rather MAJOR complaint was the small number of port-a-potties out on the race course.  They just had two places with them (though you ran past the 1st spot twice so there was access 3 times) but there was only THREE in each location.  And apparently this year they doubled their number of participants and had 4,000-5,000 people.  FOR THREE PORT-A-POTTIES.  I definitely would have used the first group I came to but didn't want to wait in the ginormous line, but had to wait at the 2nd stop, which took 4-5 minutes.  That's a long freaking time when you're just standing there! 

This year they had REAL LIVE SEAHAWKS handing out the water and I thought that was pretty awesome.  Unfortunately I live under a rock and I didn't know who any of them were, so I can't tell you guys.  But I promise you they were actual NFL players. 

Race outfit at 27.5 weeks.  Disregard the messy room.

Total Distance: 7.67 miles
Splits: 10:06, 9:55, 9:46, 10:04, 9:55, 10:50 (hills!), 10:37, 9:41 (.67)
Average Pace: 10:08
Total Time: 1:17:42

Annddd most importantly, I didn't get last place. 

And that's a wrap!  How was your weekend?  What did you do?  
PS - I haven't forgotten that I have about a bajillion other blog posts to finish... they're all started...

Catching You Up

Lots of crazy stuff going on around here!  Let's catch you up!

1.  Yep, I'm still pregnant.  Still cooking that baby - it sure takes a long time!  I had my 24 week appointment the other day and everything looked well - baby's heart beat strong at 146 beats per minute (bpm), my blood pressure was still rocking at 102 / 60, and I was up about 12 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight (15 pounds from my lowest weight during the 1st trimester), which seems like a freaking ton to me but apparently is right on track. 

Bumpy abdomen courtesy of my refusal to wear maternity clothes.  Yes they are more comfortable, but they NEVER STAY UP!  It's so annoying. 

Although I think it's pretty freaking obvious that I'm pregnant, I guess I can understand why it's not so obvious to everyone else that I'm not just getting super chubby.  The lady who cut my hair the other day said, "Oh, I had no idea you were pregnant, I thought you just had a pooch".  When I'm not accenting the baby bump it does seem a little less obvious:

Same outfit, but less obvious. 

The doctor gave me the fun gestational diabetes test to take prior to my next appointment, which will be my last monthly appointment before I start going every 2 weeks!  Eek!  It's getting here soon!  Only a few more weeks left until I'm in the 3rd trimester!

2.  We spent last week on a babymoon vacation in EUROPE and it was freaking fabulous.  AND JMan finally felt the baby while we were there!  We went to London and Paris and I tried to pretend like the Paris Marathon wasn't happening while we were there.  :-)  LOTS to tell you about that so hopefully I get around to it someday and it's not one more post that never gets written! 

 

Also, banana Nutella crepes are the best things in the WORLD.  I really don't want to go back to living in a world where they don't serve them on every street corner. 

3.  I know all you runners already know this, but inner thigh chafe is NO JOKE.  Seriously.  It is NOT to be messed around with.  Speaking of my weight gain - which is at least some in my thighs, annoyingly enough, and speaking of my maternity pants that don't stay up, AND speaking of the 30-40 miles we walked in London and Paris - inner thigh chafe was a HUGE issue during the first half of the trip.  And it's not exactly like I brought my Body Glide! 

4.  Running is still happening!  It's definitely become a run / walk and it causes a CONSTANT need to pee which is highly obnoxious but it's still happening!  I ran 7 miles last Saturday and 7 miles again yesterday.  I only ran one sad mile in between those two days though.  Normally I LOVE to run while on vacation but a) it was freaking freezing cold in London and Paris, b) we were already walking 4-10 miles per day so it's not like I needed extra exercise, and c) the jetlag caused us to sleep weird hours like 2am - 10am so by the time I was awake it seemed necessary to start sightseeing! 

Last weekend's run was GORGEOUS and felt like SPRING.  Yesterday's run was stormy and rainy. 

For some reason my right calf has been really really tight when I've been running though, and I'm not sure why.  Do I need to stretch more?  Foam roll more?  I'll admit I don't think I've foam rolled once since I've been pregnant.  It's hardly seemed necessary with the few miles I've been logging.  Do you think my Brooks Pure Connects can't handle my growing weight?  Maybe I need shoes with more support?  Anyone have any thoughts? 

5.  Running had been happening enough that I even signed up for a race!  The Seahawks 12k will be April 21 and will definitely be stretching my abilities, so hopefully it's not a horrible decision!  Given my constant need to pee I'm also a bit worried about the number of port-a-potties the race will have (and how often on the course!), especially given that this is a smaller race.  But I did it last year (although then it was part of a 15 miler in the good ol' days of marathon training) and it was a blast, so it seems like a fun repeat.  Hopefully I'm also not dead last since I doubt many people will walk the 12k (there's also a 5k). 

Who wants to join?????

6.  I'm apparently the last person in the WORLD to finally WATCH Argo and READ Silver Linings Playbook (still haven't seen that movie) - which I did both yesterday on the 12 hour plane ride from Paris to Iceland to Seattle.  I LOVED both.  I HIGHLY recommend reading Silver Linings Playbook!  I really didn't know what to expect or even what it was really about but for some reason I just LOVED it.  Go read it!

What have I missed with you??  Who's pregnant / engaged / married / got a PR / ran a race / submitted a Nuun Hood to Coast application??