Pregnancy Weeks 12 and 13

Week 12  Everything is going well and all my blood work from last week looks good--not lacking iron or vitamin D or anything else for that matter so I am doing a great job.   So excited to have finally told my parents.  We told them on Saturday with the special Valentine's I made them.  They both had tears in their eyes and were very excited for us.  Come to find out Jen is also expecting but is "hush, hush" since she is due 3 weeks after us and not ready to tell her news.  September 21st.    My mom kept rubbing my belly and was happy about that.  We went over and told my Grandpa Zip and he cried and was so happy for us and told us we would be great parents.  He gave us both really long hugs and then a group hug.  He said we made his day and it was the best Valentines' day gift ever.  He (and my parents) also both told me I have to be careful out running and not fall (duh!).  I am so prepared for cold and icy conditions and never run when I feel it isn't safe so why that would change now I am not sure.  My sister is excited Michael will be getting a cousin and is also bummed that I am "not fat yet."  She had me pull up my shirt so she could see my belly and wasn't thrilled at my lack of bump happening.  Mom told her she didn't show much with me until about 5 months and lived on waffles and I came out the smart one so I was fine and would pop when it was time.  Anyways, my grandpa wanted to know who we had told and we told him just him and my parents.  I could tell he was excited so I asked if he wanted to call the family and tell them since I didn't have Aunt Susan's phone number anyways.  He wasted no time in calling people.  Kendra stopped over to pay my mom for some tickets (lacrosse or comedy club thing coming up) and we told her--she cried and was so happy for us--giant hug.  I went to the nighthawks game with my parents in CT and Jimmy called them on their way over to get me and congratulated them (all within 40 minutes of me leaving Grandpas).  I got an e-mail from Jodi.  

I was over visiting my parents and my dad had to leave for week.  He said goodbye to my mom and I, then patted my belly and said bye grandbaby.  Luke has said goodnight/goodbye to my belly a few times and told critter I love you.

No crazy dreams that I can remember this week.  I do recall some dream about boxes and cardboard but none of the details.  this week has been pretty good since I was off from school for Presidents week, so sleeping in till about 7:30 and the getting up to pee in the middle of the night has gone from about 4-6 times a night down to only 2 or 3 and I am falling back asleep much faster too.  Thank goodness.  Another bonus is that the need to pee all the time has gone down.  Still hydrated but I guess it is better now because critter is starting to migrate away from my bladder just enough to make me more comfy.  I put away some of my work pants, even though I can still button them.  I still have quite a few pairs of pants that aren't as tight that I will use until I can't button them anymore.   Oh, and Luke took me to the store so we could pick out a stroller.  We've narrowed it down to 4 and I did some research at home.  Another trip to the store so I can play with them and I will know what I want.  

Week 13

Not much going on this week.  Up about 3 times a night to go pee.  Running and ellipticaling regularly.  We went and told Luke's parents and they reacted how we figured they would.  We took them out to lunch at Ponderosa (yuck in my opinion but they wanted to eat there).  We went out to my parents on Sunday and my sister took a few "announcement" photos.  I ended up just sending an e-mail to my mom's side of the family for those that I had e-mail for.  Other than the exhaustion that is getting a little better I am excited we are on to our second trimester.  I am now able to stay up until about 8:30 before I want to crash--huge improvement from the 7:30/8:00 from before.  My mom and sister were so excited that I was getting a little belly.  My mom likes to touch my belly when I go over to her house, which prompted my sister to have to touch my belly too.  Jen was a little too excited I was getting some "pudge."  I told my co-workers and they were like, "um, for almost 3 1/3 months pregnant we couldn't even tell."

crazy dreams:  We went out to a "fancy" restaurant and all the waitstaff were Disney cast members but their uniforms were from all the different attractions and such.  Although it was supposed to be "fancy" we were served on paper products.  We didn't like any of the menu choices and I wanted French Toast but the only way we could order it was if the whole table wanted it.  We were also not dressed right for the dinner because all these grown ups came in dressed in princess gowns or as prince's.  Bizzaro  

We were helping with painting some place (either cottage addition or Jen's house) and I went back inside to get something only to find a squirrel dead in the middle of the floor so I called my Papa Bear to take care of it.  He stuck the paint stir stick in the paint and then slapped it on the squirrel so it's fur would stick to the paint.  He then twirled the squirrel in the paint so it was a paint covered squirrel on a stick.

Pregnancy Weeks 10 and 11

Week 10 and Critter is the size of a prune.  Not the cutest thing that you want to picture in your mind so add some goggly eyes and a few pipe cleaner whiskers and that's better.  Yesterday we had a snow day from school and our snow blower decided it needed a new spark plug so I ended up shoveling somewhere between 3-4 hours total throughout the day to keep the driveway clear.  My dad came over and changed the spark plug for us today but my shoulders and chest/back are killing me today from all that work.  I miss sleeping mostly through the night.  I say mostly because even before I had a critter in me I was up about once a night to pee.  Now I am up like 3 times and it takes me forever to fall back asleep--for no good reason.  

 The weekly photo is nothing but a bunch of food in my belly this week.  Full moon today and I could tell by the behaviors at school today.  Oy, hopefully the rest of this week goes well.  I did get a mug in the mail from a fellow Disney lover.  It is from my first marathon back in 2002.  Totally helped to make my day.  That and my dad making our driveway wider after he fixed the snowblower so we have a little more room for more snow and my mom more than graciously offering up a sparkle skirt to a very dear high school friend of mine to borrow for a race she has coming up.  Good news is that even after all the outside time I had yesterday and the shoveling/exercise I wasn't beyond exhausted.  I am tired today (thanks peeing 3 times and cat waking me up for food at 4:30 am) but not as awful as in weeks past.  So far I am quite lucky that it's been pretty easy going and I hope it stays that way.  No real cravings other than I love bread and butter or toast with homemade strawberry jam.  If I am feeling hungry I snack on that while I finish making dinner.

Week 10 dream:

Riding an elephant through a historic village from the early 1900's.   Why a group of us were riding elephants around is beyond me but I remember thinking the roofs of the houses were tiled really pretty.  

Monday, February 9 (10 weeks, 6 days)

I had my doctors appointment for an ultrasound and consultation where they basically go over a whole bunch of stuff with you and give you a folder of papers to take home and read.  Manfriend came with me and although my appointment was at 1 and I had to drink 16 oz of water in 30 minutes and then not pee for the next hour leading up to my appointment.  I was a good girl and did that but then they didn't call me until almost 1:30 so I felt like my eyes were going to explode pee everywhere I had to go so bad.  Well, there was another Amanda in the waiting room and since I jumped up right away the nurse didn't think anything of it.  She asked if I could produce a urine sample and I was like, um, yeah.  Well I get out of the bathroom and they weigh me and she starts saying I'm losing weight.  I am quite sure if I had it wasn't significant enough for her to be concerned.  At this time she asked to confirm my date of birth.  Yup, mix up of the Amanda's.  Well, even though I had just peed they did my ultra sound and the tech said my bladder was full--apparently I really had drank enough prior to their "suggested" drinking that their suggestion basically just sat and waited for the bladder to empty and then filled it right back up.  

Anyways, after the mix up Manfriend and I got to see the Critter on the monitor all jumping around in there like crazy, having quite the party.  I joked that critter wanted to go for a run.  After a few minutes critter put their hand one their face to "rest"  or wave us away.  We also got to hear the heartbeat--169.  

Our consultation was right after where I was pretty much told I probably should really cut back on my running, these people aren't dealing with someone who just decided to "take up running."  I've been doing this for years and unless there is a medical reason or it is uncomfortable for me there is no reason to stop--just slow down.  I had some blood work done and it felt like a little kid pinching me with their finger nails.  The tech said it might help if I am really hydrated next time, I told her how much I had already drank that day alone and she said, whelp, I guess you just have tiny veins so not much can help that.  Thanks, I always knew there was a reason I avoided giving blood and such.

Manfriend and I are excited to have it actually feel real now that we have had an ultrasound and the sonogram photos that let us know there really is a critter in there.  

Week 11

Thing are going well.  Still in bed and ready to fall asleep by about 8 each night and waking up to pee about 2-4 times a night with it taking a while for me to fall back asleep.  Furbaby has attached herself to me each night and sleeps next to me all night.  If I move away from her she shimmies over or gets up and moves over.  Manfriend had a job interview this week and left super early in the morning.  He kissed me goodbye and said love you and then kissed his hand and put it on my tummy and said love you too.  So sweet.  He is really excited and I know it because he is bursting at the seams to tell people now that we've had an ultrasound and the sonogram photo to prove it.  We are telling my parents and sister on Valentine's day.  I spent last Saturday making them each a special valentine.  Pretty sure my Papa Bear is going to be excited and my sister too.  Not sure how my mom will react.  She loves watching me run and doing some of my crazy running adventures with me so I think part of her might be really sad that that is going to "slow down" quite a bit for a few years anyways.  I think she will be shocked but happy.   

Crazy Dreams for week 11:  my best friend Dani was a NYPD officer and I was helping her with some undercover operation that involved getting kids to tell me information.  But I had to walk around with a robot lampshade on my head. When they'd start telling me stuff she'd go get the bad guys and bust out her hidden badge.  

Pregnancy Week 8 and 9

8 weeks and apparently this critter is the size of a raspberry.  I like raspberries so we will take it!    Still a somewhat sore/scratchy throat at night, all night and in the morning with a little cough from the airport germs but other than that not doing too bad.  I went for an easy 3 miles today (4 yesterday and 3 day before).  I've got to start gradually building my miles back up so I am ready for a Seneca 7 race I am doing with my local MRTT running group at the end of April (priorities is what I am sure you are thinking but it is perfectly ok for me to keep up the running as long as I can carry on a conversation and drink plenty of fluids).  Getting excited to tell my folks and have to figure out how we want to do that.   Hoping that I don't start to show too soon because you just never know.  

Crazy dreams from week 8

Oh, they have begun.  First off they aren't that crazy but they are strange.  I had to wear a polkadot vest with a bike helmet and was put in charge of being the pacer on a wooden track for a race.  I was to ride a bike and not run for my pacing job.  The track was blue and the size of an indoor track but it was outdoors next to the Erie Canal and had a small building next to it that was selling ice-cream instead of boat tour tickets.  

The other dream was my mom and I going to see a show and it was a huge movie screen with a digital circus (like Donkey Kong).  All of the sudden the screen dropped and a guy was sitting on the trapeze coughing and asked if anyone had a cough drop.  My mom walks up the bleachers and offers him a variety of items from her bag to help him feel better.  Why am I dreaming about a circus?

Week 9 and critter is the size of an olive.  So far so good.  Haven't really been nauseous or sick feeling at all other than while at Disney/cruising so I chalk that up to not eating at regular intervals.  Manfriend tells me I still look just as skinny as before even though I can tell there is a little bump in my belly.  I used to be flat across my hips but now there is a little bump there so I suppose we are cooking a critter.  We go at 11 weeks for the ultrasound and my first doctors appointment.  Sure seems awful late for the first appointment but I guess I am not high risk or anything so they pushed it kind of late.  Goody for me cause I am not a fan of doctors, needles or anything related to doctors/hospitals. 

Yeah, that is some pudge in my belly thank you very much Critter and hormones for the bloating and lack of pooping these past few weeks.  

Crazy Dreams from week 9

I had about 5 kittens that I dressed up in doll type clothes and dangled treats in front of them to get them to "stand up" and made a music video of them.  They were wearing things like animal print leg warmers and headbands (a-la- 80's style).  Somehow Marsha Brady was involved in helping me with this music video.

Other dream--I collected reusable Wegman's bags and punched holes in them to save in binders.  I sat around for hours punching holes and admiring my reusable bag collection.  

Pregnancy through end of week 7

So we decided that New Years Day would be a good time for me to take a pregnancy test.  I just figured my body was being Goofy since it can do that with all my training that I do.  Um, that line appeared before I was done peeing.  I told manfriend to come and look.  He said, "but you're still peeing."  He saw it and was still confused.  I was like, "yup, baby on the way."  He really thought he'd have to wait for 2-10 minutes for the stinkin' line.  I was in denial over the test and ate breakfast and went for a run.   I figured we wouldn't be pregnant and I'd sign up for a bunch of races I'd been hearing about for 2015.  I tried calling the doctor the next day to schedule an appointment but they must have had the day off.  

Basically 6 Weeks and a few days:

Wed. Jan. 7

This just got super real.  I called the doctors on Monday and they did a pee test on me this afternoon.  They asked if we were trying/wanting kids and I said kind of but with my running we figured it might not happen.  We wouldn't be crushed if it didn't happen.  I got a big congratulations from the nurse when I told her that part and the word husband (I don't wear my rings) and then she did some calculations and estimated my delivery date for August 31.  She figured I was 6 weeks and 2 days at this point.  She must have noticed the fear/panic in my face because she asked if I had ever been pregnant before (um, no) and if I wanted any information.  Info would be good but not too much cause I can't deal with this right now.  I am getting on a plane to run a marathon and a half this weekend (didn't tell her that but shhh).  Checking out the lady looked at my paper work and said a big congratulations to me as well. 

  I think it would also help my nerves immensely if Manfriend wasn't away on a business trip that he left for on Sunday.  He will be back at like midnight and then has to work in the morning before he leaves in the evening to meet up with me at Disney.  We just found out a week ago and then he left for a work trip.  I really just need him around to talk to.  We haven't had time to let this "sink in" and won't have time since my mom will be at Disney with us as my running support crew.   So hard to keep this a secret from them at this point (especially my mom who I tell everything to).  

So far the only symptom of this pregnancy is some mild exhaustion but no one thinks anything of me going to bed at 9 or 9:30 anyways since that is the norm for me (when I am cranking out 40 mile weeks---and I am down to a 20 mile taper week so I should be full of energy). 

Thursday, January 8

We leave for Disney today and it is a whooping -15 with the windchill and about 4 without the windchill.  Brrr.  Manfriend came home super late last night (which I knew it would be late when his plane touches down at about 11:45pm.  I'm doing some laundry and loading my ipod for the trip.  So excited and nervous as well.  I slept something awful last night--I was doing well until he crawled in bed and stunk up the joint.  He smelled like garlic and onions from something he had ate and I had to move from my comfy position to a new one.  Wow, sense of smell up.  

DREAMS: (apparently the crazy has started!)  Also had some crazy dream about a bunch of Star Wars characters needing help and taking over my house because of flight delays.  Let's chalk that up to the fact I am a member of a costuming group and Star Wars 1/2 marathon is the weekend after WDW.  They have all been posting their costumes on the web.  Crazy part is that I thought nothing of the fact that I knew all the characters by name--C3PO, Darth, Slave and regular Leia, and then Sheldon Cooper was in there in amazement and yelling at the characters for not doing what they were *supposed* to do and running around the neighborhood instead (you know, test that costume out).  Bizzarre.  While the laundry was running I decided to also check out what I should (key word there) expect.  Well, at least this baby is a sweet pea in size this week.  I guess that's cute--keep picturing the Toy Story peas in a pod.  Oh, and expect it now that I am sure all of this will somehow always tie into Disney.  I am just that crazy.  

January 12 (Monday)

So  I ran the WDW half and then the full (sat/sun).  Crazy!  I felt pretty good and definitely could have pushed the pace a little if I wanted but I continually reminded myself to take it easy and I made a very conscious effort to drink a boatload of water (so much that I had to pee 2x during the half and stopped for 3 breaks during the full (would be 4 but I waited till the finish)).  Hardest part was not telling my mom after the finish so that I could explain my lack of awesome time as well as my continually declining advil and soda.  That might have easily explained my exhaustion to her as well since I really am a "go, go, go" when it comes to Disney.  After the full I took a nap and my whole body just ached.  I mean really ached.  My whole belly/back was sore from having 3 layers from my costume all over lapping there.  I experienced the craziest calf cramps ever and even had some pickle juice for breakfast.  I finished the jar of pickle juice after the race.  Yup, drank a whole jar of pickle juice.  I had a weird sensation in my left foot about mile 21/22.  I felt this splitting feeling between my big toe and then down a little on the ball of my foot.  It felt like my skin just popped open like a hotdog.  I could have stopped at the medical tent but figured if it was gross or bad I might not get my shoe back on and finish so I just went with it.  I was afraid of taking my shoe off but it was just a blister that I didn't feel between my toes that had popped.  I did end up with blisters on both feet (small, tips of the toes or next to the big toe) but nothing major fortunately.  I felt kind of "hot"  most of the race and in reality it was ideal running conditions so I shouldn't have been that hot, except for the cotton "vest"of my costume.  

Manfriend has been really great about the whole running thing and making sure that I get snacks/food in me regularly to keeps some of the nausea at bay.  Most of it is from not having food I am used to and a routine with sleep while traveling.  t's not bad at all but just makes me feel off.  He also gave my mom and I our space to have our "mommy and me" trip time.  My mom is such a trooper and I can only hope that I come close to how amazing she is with our own kiddo.  She found a way to see me at 3 places on the course and then the finish (good thing I was slow or that couldn't happen).  Now Hubby and I are headed out for a 4 day Disney cruise and I hope that I don't get sick on the ship.

Disney Cruise 2015

After Goofy Manfriend and I boarded the Disney Dream for the Inaugural Castaway Cay 5k Challenge.  I've enjoyed cruises in the past and was really looking forward to our Disney cruise.  We had an interior cabin that was quite spacious.  

 We were excited that it had a bathtub instead of a shower.  This meant not water wasn't going to be on the bathroom floor (those "lips" on the showers aren't very tall) or me struggling to shave my legs.  Fortunately we liked our room and I spend a lot of time sleeping in that bed.

 Of course it rained as we were getting ready to leave port for our voyage so the send off party was moved inside instead of on the pool deck.

 We did end up taking a trip on the Aquaduck later in the cruise.  It was a fun little water tube slide.  That first night I was looking forward to the stage show and we went to the theater.  I had to get up and leave before the show started.  I felt so sick and nauseous.  The ship was rocking and I don't do moving well.  I went to bed, missed dinner and slept until the next morning when we arrived in Nassau, Bahamas.  I had breakfast and wanted to go back to bed since I still felt sick.  Fortunately Manfriend dragged my behind out of bed to just walk around the main area near the cruise ship and I felt much better.

 We decided it would be a good idea to start taking weekly photos of the growing bump.  I remember feeling kind of "pudgy" on the cruise but it's probably cause I had to go #2 and it just wasn't happening.

 Leaving Nassau we had some misty rain and were treated to a small rainbow.

The next day we would wake up to Castaway Cay where I would run the 5k.  I was very much looking forward to Disney's private island.  As much as we like cruising we are hoping that any future cruises we take are to the Eastern Caribbean since they seem to be less "rocky" for me and smoother sailing--plus Nassau has been our least favorite port of all.

Perfectly Goofy Runs in the Family

We are expecting a Perfectly Goofy Baby in late August 2015!

 Running the Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge to become Perfectly Goofy was a bit more of a challenge this year than in past years.  I knew why but wasn't telling, plus the fact that only my mom was with me and I wanted *both* mom and dad with me.  Fast forward to Valentine's Day when I made my parents very special Valentines.

 My mom has been part of my support crew for ALL of my Goofy races and my Papa Bear comes when he can (work kind of gets in the way and summers are much nicer at the cottage for those precious vacation days).  They were over the moon excited and so are Manfriend and I to announce that we will have a Perfectly Goofy Baby in late August.  My new little running buddy that has already run a marathon and a half just shy of 7 weeks and continues to go running with me most days.