A good friend of mine had her third and fourth children yesterday and I caught myself thinking, well, she's definitely a Mom now, and nothing but a Mom.
And then I immediately felt guilty.
Does the number of children you have become inversely proportionate to the amount of time you have for yourself? Does it have to? Is there a way to maintain yourself and your relationship with your partner, while still successfully wrangling a herd of children?
When our second little person joins us in a few months, I'll be able to better answer that question from the perspective of a Mother of two.
The truth is, when vitamin A joined us, she was such an easy kid and just fit into OUR lives so well that we didn't need to adjust to her as much as we'd anticipated. I have a real fear that double the children will be doubly difficult, but I am an extremely determined gal and although I want to be the best Mom I can be, I also know that taking time for me will enable me to do just that.
I have decided to register for a half marathon 6-7 months after this baby comes. I would like to do either the Las Vegas half or the Disneyworld half and I'm hoping that physically registering for a race will help me to persevere in maintaining my former self as a runner.
As we expand our family, (possibly to add a third child? We shall see what the future holds...) I will be attempting to not become 'nothing but a Mom' and I will share my strategies here! So stay tuned!!
Wednesday 22 February 2012
Sunday 12 February 2012
Boot camp! Take THAT 25 weeks prego belly!!
In the past four weeks I've been challenged greatly at BMS bootcamp twice a week in Leduc. I've been to bootcamps before and expected this one to be a little bit "sissy", to put it politely.
It was anything but "sissy".
My VERY first class we moved our bodies non stop for 45 minutes. We were up skipping, down into burpees, up into squat jumps, down into push up pumps and that skipping I mentioned? That was the break!!!
It is a workout that is for everyone because you do what you are able to. Being pregnant, I have made loads of modifications, but my trainers think I'm still challenging myself adequately and since I am my own best competitor, I think I'm working plenty hard too!
Since I've started this bootcamp, I've found that I'm not gaining weight at an obscene rate, like I would expect from my experience last time! I've also noticed that I can climb stairs without getting breathless, SOOOOOOOOOO I went for a run tonight...
I've mentioned before that runners will run through ANYTHING. And I gave my 6 months pregnant belly a hella good workout tonight and felt fantastic! Maybe it was the few new songs I rewarded myself with on my ipod, or maybe it was the +6 weather (which is extraordinary for Alberta at this time of year!), but I really truly felt fantastic! In fact, the only reason I remembered I was pregnant was because my new pepto pink running jacket would not zip up comfortably!
With my newfound pregnancy fitness, I've decided to continue with bootcamp beyond the 6 weeks I signed up for AND I'm quite determined to do the Las Vegas half marathon in December!
Wish me luck!
This is a pic of my cousin Courtenay and I heading out for a run at Candle Lake when Vit A was around 5 months old. One of my fave places and people to run with! I WILL be running when this babe is 5 months old - hopefully sooner!
www.bmsbootcamps.com
It was anything but "sissy".
My VERY first class we moved our bodies non stop for 45 minutes. We were up skipping, down into burpees, up into squat jumps, down into push up pumps and that skipping I mentioned? That was the break!!!
It is a workout that is for everyone because you do what you are able to. Being pregnant, I have made loads of modifications, but my trainers think I'm still challenging myself adequately and since I am my own best competitor, I think I'm working plenty hard too!
Since I've started this bootcamp, I've found that I'm not gaining weight at an obscene rate, like I would expect from my experience last time! I've also noticed that I can climb stairs without getting breathless, SOOOOOOOOOO I went for a run tonight...
I've mentioned before that runners will run through ANYTHING. And I gave my 6 months pregnant belly a hella good workout tonight and felt fantastic! Maybe it was the few new songs I rewarded myself with on my ipod, or maybe it was the +6 weather (which is extraordinary for Alberta at this time of year!), but I really truly felt fantastic! In fact, the only reason I remembered I was pregnant was because my new pepto pink running jacket would not zip up comfortably!
With my newfound pregnancy fitness, I've decided to continue with bootcamp beyond the 6 weeks I signed up for AND I'm quite determined to do the Las Vegas half marathon in December!
This is a pic of my cousin Courtenay and I heading out for a run at Candle Lake when Vit A was around 5 months old. One of my fave places and people to run with! I WILL be running when this babe is 5 months old - hopefully sooner!
www.bmsbootcamps.com
Friday 13 January 2012
Non-runners
So, I had my first group appointment at my midwives office yesterday and when the four other women began to trickle in, I thought, ok, you are all going to be crunchy granola types who eat only organic and do yoga daily and meditate and want to do hypnobirthing and plan to breastfeed your children until they are ten OR you will all be normal.
They are the former.
So, for much of our appointment, of which the topic was nutrition and fitness (wondering how I already knew so much about them, right?!), we talked about how yoga is so good for pregnant women and running is not.
Screw you all.
Obviously they are not runners because runners will attempt to run through everything. I really do mean everything because we will run with pink tape up and down our legs to try and keep detached muscles in place, we will run with urine/feces/vomit on our clothes/legs/socks left in the woods, we will run IN SPITE of ourselves, and really, no one else! And runners, although sometimes on hiatus due to sickness or other ailments like, say pregnancy, will always attempt to get back to running.
Here's where my extreme frustration comes from today.
I am a fairly understanding person. I always try to see other views. Seek to Understand as my dad would say, and this guy LIVES by the book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff! So, there I am in a group of women who are all pregnant and hoping to have drug-free water births at a birthing centre. It seems I am the odd one out. BUT I am also not judging them for living their lives as non-runners. I was not privy to the same treatment. Yoga, it seems, truly is the secret of life. Or so I was told. Running puts alot of stress on your body. Running is high impact. Running will stretch out ligaments and joints that are already super duper flexible.
OK. I get it. Yoga > Running. Whatever. Still hate yoga.
And so, in conclusion: Non-runners do not. Will not. Cannot understand runners.
They are the former.
So, for much of our appointment, of which the topic was nutrition and fitness (wondering how I already knew so much about them, right?!), we talked about how yoga is so good for pregnant women and running is not.
Screw you all.
Obviously they are not runners because runners will attempt to run through everything. I really do mean everything because we will run with pink tape up and down our legs to try and keep detached muscles in place, we will run with urine/feces/vomit on our clothes/legs/socks left in the woods, we will run IN SPITE of ourselves, and really, no one else! And runners, although sometimes on hiatus due to sickness or other ailments like, say pregnancy, will always attempt to get back to running.
Here's where my extreme frustration comes from today.
I am a fairly understanding person. I always try to see other views. Seek to Understand as my dad would say, and this guy LIVES by the book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff! So, there I am in a group of women who are all pregnant and hoping to have drug-free water births at a birthing centre. It seems I am the odd one out. BUT I am also not judging them for living their lives as non-runners. I was not privy to the same treatment. Yoga, it seems, truly is the secret of life. Or so I was told. Running puts alot of stress on your body. Running is high impact. Running will stretch out ligaments and joints that are already super duper flexible.
OK. I get it. Yoga > Running. Whatever. Still hate yoga.
And so, in conclusion: Non-runners do not. Will not. Cannot understand runners.
Monday 2 January 2012
After the wrapping, food and company...
So, we had a really great Christmas with lots of company, eating and celebrations - but I think one of my favorite things is being able to enjoy the holidays with my hubby and little girl. The magic of the season is captured by the children and the older Vitamin A gets, the more special Christmas becomes.
We decided to have our ultrasound done on Dec 23 so that we could surprise our family on Christmas eve with the reveal of the gender. We got to see the little gaffer swimming about and showing us HER moves, and a few great poses that made excellent pictures!
Now that our house is mostly free of Christmas decorations, I need to get creative so that A doesn't get bored! She was busy every day over the holidays with visitors and toys and now we are settling into out regular routine!
We decided to have our ultrasound done on Dec 23 so that we could surprise our family on Christmas eve with the reveal of the gender. We got to see the little gaffer swimming about and showing us HER moves, and a few great poses that made excellent pictures!
Wednesday 14 December 2011
Christmas: t-11 days!
Vitamin A's birthday is on December 10th and although this is only the second year we have celebrated her birthday, it seems to put us behind the 8 ball!
Luckily, I don't like shopping and so my dislike of crowds around Christmastime outweighs my dislike of shopping and I tend to get most of my shopping done in October and November. Unfortunately, my Christmas baking has taken a big back seat and our treat trays are going to rather sad this year - read, good for the waistline!
I have decided to put running aside until this baby has made its debut, but that doesn't mean I won't be scouting for races to train for following aforementioned birth. On my running bucket list are several races in Disneyland and Disneyworld, so I will definitely be checking dates, entry fees and flights for races in California and Florida starting in November and December 2012. (Hmmmm, maybe I should consider the Vegas half in December...)
Vitamin A is having a sleep right now so that I have a moment to rest (and by rest I mean wash, dry and fold four loads of laundry). Here is a picture of her snoozing with her best buddy, 'MA', or Maverick as we originally named him.
Luckily, I don't like shopping and so my dislike of crowds around Christmastime outweighs my dislike of shopping and I tend to get most of my shopping done in October and November. Unfortunately, my Christmas baking has taken a big back seat and our treat trays are going to rather sad this year - read, good for the waistline!
I have decided to put running aside until this baby has made its debut, but that doesn't mean I won't be scouting for races to train for following aforementioned birth. On my running bucket list are several races in Disneyland and Disneyworld, so I will definitely be checking dates, entry fees and flights for races in California and Florida starting in November and December 2012. (Hmmmm, maybe I should consider the Vegas half in December...)
Sunday 11 December 2011
...tales from a first time blogger...
I have not been a "writer" since University (nearly a decade ago - yikes!), so the thought of writing a blog was scary for a now very scientific brain!
I decided to start writing because I need an outlet. I need an outlet for my (relatively) new life as a wife and Mom melding with my old life as a passionate runner.
Why would someone like me need an outlet, you ask? Well, everyday stresses like potty training and dinner planning as well as a new little one set to join our family in May, and my unplanned hiatus from running this past year.
My hope for this blog is that I will be able to share my adventures as a rural Mom and my challenges as I continue to train for and complete races with my children as stroller buddies!
First on the agenda, deciding if I will simply walk for the rest of my pregnancy and get back to running in May/June or if I will attempt to run slowly and for short distances when I can. Life is certainly full of difficult decisions! ;)
I decided to start writing because I need an outlet. I need an outlet for my (relatively) new life as a wife and Mom melding with my old life as a passionate runner.
Why would someone like me need an outlet, you ask? Well, everyday stresses like potty training and dinner planning as well as a new little one set to join our family in May, and my unplanned hiatus from running this past year.
My hope for this blog is that I will be able to share my adventures as a rural Mom and my challenges as I continue to train for and complete races with my children as stroller buddies!
First on the agenda, deciding if I will simply walk for the rest of my pregnancy and get back to running in May/June or if I will attempt to run slowly and for short distances when I can. Life is certainly full of difficult decisions! ;)
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