Body After Baby

The past few weeks I have not put any weight updates on this weekly post.

Thru-out the holidays I stayed pretty steady within a 3 lb weight range all month.

I guess this first full week back to a normal routine...

No holidays...

No more left overs...

All made the scale move again.

Saturday morning I saw a number on the scale over 3 lbs less that my lowest over the holidays.

Its a number I honestly never imagined I would see!

It is the reason I was curious to try on those size 8 jeans Saturday.

I have to say, its all a pleasant surprise.

...

Today marks the beginning of my 12 week half marathon training as well.

My first 4 mile run is in the books.

I am really going to try to ignore my times and focus more on just getting the distance in.

I know what I am capable of.

The time & speed will come on their own.

Weekly Roundup: 2 of 52

First full week...

Monday 1/7:

Finished off the most delicious bag of M&Ms ever!  Brian bought them for me for my stocking for Christmas and they may be my new favorite! Go. Find them!

I also tried spaghetti squash for the first time... It is an amazing vegetable, but I didnt LOVE the taste... I think in my head I was thinking "pasta!" and it does not taste like pasta... I just ate it plain so maybe if I find an actual recipe with it, it might be alot better.  I bought another one this week mostly because Leah was shopping with me and picked it out for me. I couldnt say no. 

Tuesday 1/8:

 

New Coach glasses!! Last years style, on sale for $99, with 40% off! Originally $300 something.  Would be alot better deal if I did not have such horrible eyesight and need such expensive lenses. I apologized to Brian for my $400 dollar with insurance visit to the eye doctor, which included contacts. (He has perfect sight eyesight and does not understand why it all costs so much).  He responded that he did not care. If he did, he should have married someone with perfect eyesight... I guess that was a nice/sweet response?  ... and sheesh could my forehead look any bigger!?

Wednesday 1/9:

My 1500 page study manual arrived!  I split it into 5 separate binders so that I can more easily handle it.  And yes.. it did cost $245 dollars for that stack of hole punched paper! People complain about college text books, but atleast that comes in a BOOK! 

It felt so good to get back to real studying!  Oh how I have missed it! It has been over a year since my last exam...

Jax hung out with me on the couch while I worked from home... 

Thursday 1/11:

A random January warmer day allowed for my leopard flats!... and of course my KiKi LaRue scarf again because it is winter. 

January 1/11:

Baby girl is getting better and better with her fine motor skills! 

And Momma relaxed with a glass of wine... I asked Brian to stop off on the way home and grab me a bottle of Montelle Winery Country RED wine... he definitely brought home Country WHITE.  Not nearly as yummy, but still did its job. 

Saturday 1/12:

I somehow managed to escape to Target with only Emily for laundry detergent but of course had to check out the entire store, including the clothes... I had the desire to try on a pair of size 8s.... Yep, they fit!  They were not purchased though... Hoping to get some nicer jeans from somewhere else soon...

The random 60 degree weather made us hit up the park.  Emily had her first swinging experience... not impressed.  She stayed in the exact same position the entire time and did not show any emotion... Maybe come spring she will love it like her sister. 

When did this girl get so big!? ... she also dressed herself.  She originally had a purple necklace on too... She may look ridiculous at times, but I love when she dresses herself. 3 year olds can pull off anything! 

Sunday 1/13:

We had a playdate with Grace, a neighborhood friend.  I stayed with them the entire 2 hours. Then Grace's parents came back to get her and I got caught chatting... The girls continued to play upstairs for about 20 minutes.  After they left I tried to get Leah to head to the store with me.  I kept telling her to get her shoes & socks and come down.  She never came so I had to go up after her... I found her in her closet, jumping into this mess saying "My socks are in here somewhere!"  Her and Grace put every single thing they could find into Leah's closet!  (Girl has a HUGE walk in closet) They even took every article of clothing out of her dresser.... I wasn't sure if I should laugh hysterically as she continued to yell "blast off" and jump into the giant pile, or cry...Later that afternoon instead of napping we cleaned it up, and kept the momentum going with going thru & organizing all of the toys in the playroom and Emily's toys... 

Venting

I apologize if I have been writing about my running probably way more than anyone wants to read about...

But I need to do it again!

I worked from home today strictly for the plan to get a long run in.

Its 60+ degrees today.

In Mid January.

In St. Louis.

My first problem may have been the fact that I headed out around lunch time...

With only having ate a bowl of cereal & handful of almonds before I headed out the door...

Maybe if was the fact that this week was the first week back at boot camp after almost a month off with the holidays and my legs are SORE!

Or maybe it was because I am coming off another cold, which included major congestion the past few days and not taking any meds today...

But todays run was my worst run EVER!

Sure... 7 miles at a 10:14 min pace.

Thats better than the last time I ran 7+ miles. 

But I walked alot! 

Probably about a mile total. 

Its really frustrating me as I officially begin my half marathon training Monday. 

This run actually fits in with my training plan as I am supposed to run most of my runs at a minute slower than my expected half pace... 

Which means around 10 minutes... 

But it does not make me feel better. 

I hate that I walked. 

I hate that I struggled. 

It makes me question all my future runs. 

When I have to go further. 

I have a problem where I cant just do something... 

I have to do it awesomely! 

Perfectly. 

I always set the bar too high. 

In the locker room after boot camp yesterday I was chatting with a girl. 

A girl who has lost tons of weight. 

But it still bigger & less athletic than myself. 

It came up that I am running my first half marathon. 

She responded with "Oh you will love it! I did my first last year! Its alot of fun."

Awesome for her... 

But all I thought was "I am not running it for fun! I am running it because I want an awesome time!" 

It got me thinking...

Yes, I am loving running. 

But I am not running for the "I went 13.1 miles... thats alot, and I am darn proud" feeling.

I am running because "I ran 13.1 miles fast! In the time I set a goal for." 

But after today's run, maybe I need to try to get back to just running it for fun... 

Finding happiness in the run rather than the time. 

Another Month Down

7 months.

Each month I honestly believe Emily becomes an easier & happier baby!

This past month brought on a bigger love of toys.

Rolling EVERYWHERE.

Smiles every time she sees her big sister.

Lots of babbling that pretty much sounds like she is saying "blah blah blah"

Gross motor skills to attempt to feed herself puffs.

Id say she gets about 75% of them actually in her mouth now!

Discovery of her tongue and a need to stick it out constantly.

A few crawls in the forward direction...

but only when going after something she should not have, like a remote.

I am positive that this time next month I will be discussing how she is crawling all over...

Good bye last month of a non-mobile baby.

My New Favorite Shoes

I am linking up with Mel & Laura to talk about running shoes.



I just bought my first official running shoes so of course I want to talk about them.

I also have really strange shaped feet so maybe my "review" will help someone else in the market for new shoes.

So I apologize for the gross foot picture but...

See how my toes do not touch? (And how I also have the worlds smallest toe nails?) 

Yeah, that would be because my feet are really broad at the balls of my feet, but narrow elsewhere. 

Sometimes I have issues getting a good fit on shoes because of it. 

Most shoes just feel tight across the middle of my foot. 

I usually have to stretch shoes out before they feel comfortable. 

Wide width shoes do not really work either because then my foot is sliding around in the back. 

I was fitted for my running shoes just recently by Fleet Feet. 

I do not have any injuries or pain when I run. 

I do not have flat feet or super high arches. 

They said I have very good & normal wear to my older pair of shoes which means I walk/run how I am supposed too. 

No crazy side of foot or tip toe walking here. 

Besides my broad feet, I am pretty normal. 

Except only 1 pair of shoes in the store actually fit me! 

They would be the fabulous Mizuno Wave Riders 16. 

They have a wider "toe box" so they work for me! 

And I think they are pretty. 

No crazy colors here... which I like. 

They kind of remind me of volleyball shoes... 

At $115, I think its a pretty fair price as well. 

Since I have been fitted once now, I doubt I will again in the future. 

Unless I start having some problems or want shoes specifically for strengthening my feet or something. 

I am hoping that in 6 months when these gals are ready to be retired I can catch a deal on another pair at Sports Authority or something. 

And I saved the best part for last... 

Before these shoes I was averaging 9:45 - 10 minute miles... 

Today I averaged 8:55!! 

I have been speedy fast since I bought these shoes. 

I guess the lighter weight. 

Maybe the tread?

I don't know exactly what it is... 

But they definitely make running feel great! 

Body After Baby

After my 100 miles in December I took it a little easier this week.

I ran 17. 72 miles.

:)

Yesterday afternoon I unexpectantly had a pretty good run.

It was the middle of the day.

Leah was refusing to nap.

Brian had been brewing more beer leaving me with the crazy girl, and a baby that also did not feel the need to nap.

I told Brian I wanted to run!

Usually mid day runs, unless I plan for them, are pretty crappy.

I had pizza, a soda, and M&Ms for lunch...

But I got dress and headed out mainly because I wanted some alone time.

I wasn't sure how far I wanted to run, but I took the longer route that takes me thru old Eureka.

The first 2 miles I headed out FAST!

Paces in the 8:30 per minute range!

I would try to slow down since I kept seeing that number 8 on my watch and knew I was never going to make it back home at that rate but it was hard!

Right at about 3.1 miles, I entered "The Legends" subdivison/golf course area...

This is where my flat run turns HILLY!

That first hill kicked my butt!

I could not even run up it!

I had to walk to the top...

With a 14:15 minute pace...

Ok, first I have to admit that during my runs, I sit and calculate my pace in my head...

I calculate how long it should take me to run 0.1 miles, 0.5 miles and so on...

And then I like to watch my watch/clock and see if I am doing the math right.

My walking pace really threw me off so my mind was going crazy trying to figure it all out after that.

There are a few other BIG hills after that first one but I was able to keep running them.

My pace would reach 10:15, and slowly decrease as I headed back down the other sides...

I figured my overall pace once I made it back home would be around 9:30 per mile with my walking spell...

I was very pleasantly surprised to see that 9:15 pace!

And seriously a 10K in well under a minute!?

Im pumped! 

But terrified... 

That is 6.2 miles... 

The half is 13.1! 

Even if I can keep this pace for another 7 miles, I would end up just over my 2 hour goal... 

And I hear the Go St. Louis half is hilly... 

I have work to do. 

Luckily I have 13 weeks to get there! 

Crazy Leah

Yesterday's conversation...

Leah came to the top of the steps as she just woke up for the morning.

Leah: I heard something in my room that scared me! I think it was a storm cloud!

I head to the top of the stairs to hug her and pick her up.

Leah: mommy I smell something!

Me: you do? What do you smell?

Leah: I smell your eyeballs!

...

Everyday she also asks if there will be "more Christmas"...

...

We had her friend Logan over for 2 hours last weekend.

Leah threw a tantrum because Logan beat her to the top of the stairs.

Seriously!?

Everything is a competitive race with this child right now...

...

She came up to me one morning and said...

"Last night I drew my hand print on your wall. Sorry mom."

Someone was feeling guilty...

I have yet to wash it off...

(The house is a disaster....we have yet to recover from the holidays)

Someone on Facebook mentioned putting a frame around it and keeping it forever.

I love the idea!

But I don't want to encourage more drawings on the wall....

Where she drew is in the playroom...

And I have thought about doing chalk board paint on this wall anyways...

Maybe it's a sign.

...

We were all sitting at the table eating dinner happily when Leah turns to Emily and says...

"Baby's stupid!"

I was shocked!

I kind of yelled at Leah and told her that was mean and we do not say that.

I asked her to tell Emily she was sorry.

Leah refused.

She started bawling, ran upstairs, and continued to cry.

Punishing herself!

I know Leah does not understand what stupid means.

I'm sure she heard it at school and thought it was another word...

She was upset that she did something wrong and didn't mean too.

It broke my heart...

Parenting is hard!