About Kelly

Wife and stay-at-home mom who loves to run, knit, and bake- often using sarcasm to express herself

Pregnancy 2: 34 Week Update

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Kelly

Good morning!

I am officially 35 weeks as of this morning. Wow.

Things have been great here and I feel pretty good for being just a little over a month from giving birth.

Cravings:

Tzaziki sauce!I made it to complement this amazing recipe from Brittany. Paired with spinach, it is a delicious meal.

Sleeping:

Frequently, Lula has been waking up overnight and crying for between five seconds and two minutes. Although she goes right back to sleep, my heart is pounding and it takes me awhile to relax and turn off my brain. Sometimes that means I miss an hour or more of sleep.

My congestion comes and goes and that also keeps me up at night.

All of this is preparing me for what’s to come, right?

Pregnancy Brain:

I couldn’t think of the word for bee hive on Monday, I had to drive home to put thawing chicken back into the refrigerator at the start of errand running the other day…you get the picture.

Exercise:

Thursday: 3 miles walking on the treadmill.

Saturday: I ran for about 3 miles and walked 1.5. I was surprised that I was able to run for that distance but I felt fine.

Sunday: I ran for 2 miles and walked for 2 miles. Other than a few pelvic pains in the last mile, I felt pretty good.

Tuesday: I walked for 2.5 miles on the treadmill and felt great.

Weight Gain:

I haven’t gained much in the last few weeks.

Notes In The Margin:

It is becoming more difficult to be comfortable. I can’t bend down very well anymore. My face has also been dry and flaky.

I am trying my best to be less present on the computer and more present spending time with Lula. I fully recognize that when Pa and I bring Baby 2 home from the hospital, life as we know it will change forever.

Since that time is fast approaching, I really want to take advantage of my last few weeks with Lula and take advantage of her nap time to read, nap, knit, etc. I am trying to do things that will be a challenge to do once the baby arrives.

I will do my best to keep posting but spending time with my daughter is more important to me.

Have a great day!

Past pregnancy updates for Baby 2:

WIAW Pregnancy Eats (Week 23)

A Weekend To Remember: Memorial Day 2013

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Kelly

Good afternoon and happy Wednesday!

We got back from South Dakota yesterday afternoon and have been playing catch-up ever since.

This was the last trip we planned to take before Baby Two’s arrival and we are so glad we made it happen. It was relaxing, stress-free, and fun.

Our previous trips that we have taken with Lula–all road trips–have tended to be tiring and stressful at times. It is simply what happens when we choose to travel with a baby.

9 months

11 months

15 months

This time, that was not the case. From the moment we got in the car, things were fantastic!

We made a point to take an hour break for lunch at a rest stop and Lula had a blast exploring.

She napped in the car twice. The entire trip up to SD took six hours with stops. She also read some of her books to pass the time which was so adorable.

Once we arrived at our destination–we stayed with Pa’s mom–Lula was immediately busy exploring the yard and house.

I was wary about how she would sleep as we have had limited success in the past but our first night there, she only woke up for a little while around 4 AM and otherwise slept extremely well, much to my delight!

I took it pretty easy on myself in terms of exercise. I ran/walked with Pa and Lula on Saturday before we left Kansas and walked a few miles with Pa’s mom and Lula on Sunday before we got in some good park time to let Lula stretch her legs.

After an incredibly relaxing day, we grilled Sunday night, including smores for dessert!

They were delicious.

Lula passed out and we heard nothing from her until Pa woke her up the following morning.

Pa went for a run while his mom and I prepped breakfast. She made french toast and it was truly the best I have ever had.

Stopping at two pieces was challenging.

Post-breakfast, we walked over to the park and let Lula run wild.

She had so much fun sniffing flowers,

exploring concrete tunnels,

attracting mud,

relaxing under a huge willow tree,

and running everywhere.

I feel that I have done my job when she exhausts herself by exploring her world.

The park was holding a memorial service while we were there and it was neat to see all of the flags and hear some of the speakers honoring those who served the United States.

After the park, Lula was extremely overtired. She eventually ended up taking a nap, thank goodness.

Once Lula revived, we headed back out into town to explore a new pedestrian bridge. It was structured in a way that Lula could safely run on it without falling into the lake.

The bridge offered a bottom and top area to stroll upon and we took advantage of both.

From there, we headed home and got ready to go out for dinner.

Dinner was delicious. Pizza for everyone!

That evening before we started Lula’s bedtime routine, she explored the yard one more time which included smelling every single flower that she could find.

We had a relaxing night chatting and watching junk TV before turning in around 10 o’clock. We were up at 7 and on the road back to Kansas at 10.

A rest stop for lunch was the perfect break for all of us.

After that, we made good time getting home. We spotted this fun sight somewhere in Missouri…it’s the big yellow thing in front of the semi. Guesses?

Pa guessed that it was the golden arches and he was right.

Today, I am a little sad to be home. It was a great trip and I was spoiled with all the help I had watching Lula. This morning was somewhat of a rude awakening as we all had to face reality.

Ah well, routine makes vacations all the sweeter. I hope that you had a fantastic weekend and we are just a few days from the next one!

Pregnancy 2: 32 Week Update

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Kelly

Good morning!

I hope that your week has been great so far. A lady told me I was, “all belly” the other day and that I didn’t have much room left to keep growing a baby. Also, so many strangers have been asking me when I am due. This is a risky question, in my opinion. I keep meaning to say, “What do you mean?” just for a second to see the reaction, but I forget every single time.

Cravings:

I finally made my strawberry-goat cheese-almond salad!It was so delicious. I discovered that if I nuke the goat cheese medallion for ten seconds or so, the flavor really stands out.

I saw some no-bake cookies at the store last week and I was tempted. I knew they would taste like crap so I made my own at home over the weekend.

They are so good. I used this recipe and left out about half of the sugar. Sleeping:

I have had pretty good sleep this past week. Lula was up a few nights so Pa and I had to tend to her but otherwise, I can’t complain.

Pregnancy Brain:

I frequently steam a veggie for Pa’s dinners and I like to prepare it while he is doing Lula’s nighttime routine. Sunday night, we were in the kitchen wrapping up our dinner prep. He checked on his carrots–which had been boiling for the last ten minutes–and there was no water in the pan. Awesome. No permanent damage was done to the pot or colander, but the carrots were composted.

Exercise:

Thursday: 2.5 miles walking on the treadmill. I’ve been watching Fried Green Tomatoes while I’m down there and it is such a good movie. TOWANDA!

Saturday: I ran for about 3 miles and walked 1.5. I felt okay and was pleased that I was able to run.

Sunday: I ran for 2 miles and walked for 2 miles. I felt great for most of the run but too many pains in my pelvis caused me to slow down in the last mile or two.

Tuesday: Again, I walked 2.5 miles on the TM. I have pretty much given up trying to run on the treadmill. I am usually so tired when I get down there that all I can muster the energy for is walking.

Weight Gain:

I conquered the scale and weighed myself over the weekend. I did gain weight but at this point, I am feeling much more accepting of it. Letting it ruin my day accomplishes nothing and it isn’t healthy.

Notes In The Margin:

I’m getting more and more excited about having this baby. I know it’s going to be a huge adjustment but I truly can’t wait. I have been looking back at old pictures and videos of Lula as a newborn and I can’t believe that I get to experience that all over again.

Have a great day!

Past pregnancy updates for Baby 2:

WIAW Pregnancy Eats (Week 23)

Weekend In Review: 5.18 & 5.19

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Kelly

Happy, happy Monday!

As always, I hope that you had a great weekend.

Ours was wonderful. We only left the house/yard to run and go to the local grocery store. Sometimes I need that kind of weekend to reboot.

Saturday morning came bright and early. We have approximately 3 million birds in our backyard–that may be an exaggeration–and they are LOUD from about 4 AM on. I don’t mind…most of the time.

After a run/walk and some clean-up, we took Lula out to play in the yard. We also filled her pool.

After naps all around and a light lunch, it was time for a dip in the pool.

Our water is still fairly cold so the majority of pool time was spent dipping cups in the water.

Flashback to last year.

Lately she thinks that if she hides behind my back, she is invisible.

Once we had our fill of outdoor time, we enjoyed a quiet evening. Pa and I started watching The Good Shepard, a movie that has been collecting dust in our entertainment center for years. In a word, it was boring. Matt Damon’s character had little emotion or depth so we didn’t bother finishing it.

No one slept well Saturday night but we made the best of it.

Another run/walk took place once the rain stopped on Sunday morning.

Although I rarely run with the stroller anymore, Pa took a few fun shots of me pushing Lula.

Once in awhile, there are other runners out when we are. Yesterday, one man we see occasionally yelled out, “You sure are getting big!” to me as he ran by. Pa remarked that it takes pretty big balls to say that to a pregnant lady.

Lula had a good nap and Pa and I tag teamed weeding the garden. Sadly, he found a dead baby robin in Lula’s pool so it has been drained and sanitized. I hope that the pool isn’t going to be a hazard for birds this summer.

We had a nice afternoon with more outdoor play. Thunderstorms rolled through in the early evening which helped cool down our house immensely.

Lula had a wonderful night of sleep so that meant that Pa and I did too.

I leave you with a picture of what Lula’s hair does in the humidity.I’m so jealous.

Have a wonderful week!

Pregnancy 2: 31 Week Update

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Kelly

Good morning!

Last week, I totally skipped writing a blog post updating my pregnancy progress. Not much had happened and I was more interested in reading and napping during Lula’s naptime than using the computer.

Cravings:

Let’s see…usually I want something that is not immediately available to me. However, ice cream is always a favorite.

Sleeping:

Being a stay-at-home mom, I frequently sneak in a quick nap during Lula’s naptime. Lately I’ve found that if I can keep myself awake during that two hour window, I sleep really well overnight.

Pregnancy Brain:

Oh wow…I’m not even sure if I can think of an example but they have been frequent, I know that much. Okay, I just remembered a good one.

We give Lula cheddar cheese as part of her dinner every night and I recently got a bunch of blocks for a steal at Price Chopper. We buy 2% cheddar and as Jake was cutting up and sampling Lula’s cheese one evening, he remarked that it tasted much creamier than usual. He asked me if I was sure that I had purchased the reduced fat kind to which I responded, “YES” in a somewhat sure-of-myself/irritated tone. A few minutes later, I heard him open the refrigerator. I couldn’t believe that he didn’t take my word for it…until I saw him holding a block of full fat cheddar cheese in his hands.

Haha. We have had many good laughs over that one!

Exercise:

Thursday: 2.5 miles walking on the treadmill and I think I snuck in about 8 minutes of running somewhere in my 36 minutes in the basement. It’s kind of a blur now.

Saturday: I had a pretty good run, thanks to cool weather and taking it easy on myself on Friday. I ran for about 3.5-4 miles with a walking break in the middle.

Sunday: I ran for a mile, walked a mile and a half or so, and ran for a mile.

Tuesday: I didn’t try to run because I was so tired. I ended up walking 2.5 miles on the TM.

Wednesday: Lula and I strolled to the local DMV to renew our vehicle registration. It was a gorgeous morning.

At this point in my pregnancy, if I can complete one decent run per week, that is pretty cool. The weather is finally heating up so I think that will limit what I am able to do until post-delivery.

Weight Gain:

Yup, it’s still happening. I decided not to weigh myself last week because I didn’t want to see the number go up. It seems kind of silly now- I am pregnant for goodness sake- but I just couldn’t handle it on my weekly weigh-in day.

Notes In The Margin

In the past few weeks, I’ve struggled with how I look. Wah wah… I’ve made a few self-deprecating comments to Pa lately and after reading this post from Monica, I decided that I don’t want to become that person.

I know my husband doesn’t want to hear me say that kind of stuff and Lula is quickly approaching an age where she will understand when I put myself down. I know I just posted one of this series of shots but when Pa and I were looking through them on Sunday night, I was pleased because I like how I look and love that the shot captures me, my beautiful daughter, and my baby.

I’m fighting the urge to feel bad about myself and am trying hard to enjoy the last TWO MONTHS of my pregnancy.

I haven’t had as many contractions lately and I think part of it is a result of taking it easy…mainly regarding intentional exercise. When I have a tough workout in the morning, the rest of the day can be difficult to get through with chasing after Lula……laundry, watering the new grass seed, running errands, etc. When I don’t push myself, I find that I have more energy the rest of the day and I’m pleased about that.

Have a great day!

Past pregnancy updates for Baby 2:

WIAW Pregnancy Eats (Week 23)

Weekend In Review: 5.11 & 5.12

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Kelly

Good morning!

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend and that all the Moms had a great day yesterday.

I have been enjoying a little less computer time lately. It’s been good for me and for Lula.

We had gorgeous weather on both Saturday and Sunday which certainly made it easy to enjoy the weekend!

Runs/walks happened both mornings and on Saturday afternoon we made our way back to the greenhouse to buy our plants…finally.

Our weekends have been cool and rainy so we delayed purchasing our plants until now. Lula had a wonderful time running around while we picked out our goodies.

Pa and I watched Argo on Saturday night and it lived up to the hype. I thought it was a really good movie and it kept us on the edge of our seats. It must have been good if Pa and I made it through the entire two hour film in one evening!

Sunday morning was busy but fun and included waffles for Mother’s day “brunch”.

After Lula’s nap and a quick lunch, we searched deep within ourselves and found the motivation to do some planting.

Pa did most of the work while I chased/pulled Lula around the yard.

From peppers…

…to potatoes…

…the garden is nearly complete. This is late for planting in Kansas but it has been a cool spring. Since our growing season typically extends into October, our seeds and plants have plenty of time to mature.

To top off the day, we planted a pin oak in the front yard.

Eight years ago, the builders of our home planted a dogwood that I unaffectionately refer to as Voldemort. I am 99% sure that since we moved in–eight years ago–it hasn’t grown at all.

Enter this little beauty that we bought for eight dollars at the green house.

We’re leaving Voldemort in the ground for now but I’m hopeful the oak will quickly surpass it and we will–unfortunately–have to get rid of the dogwood.

It was a wonderful weekend and I felt fortunate to spend it with two and 3/4ths of my most favorite people.

Have a wonderful week!

Weekend In Review: 5.4 & 5.5

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Kelly

Good morning!

I hope that you and your loved ones had a fantastic weekend.

Although I didn’t take many pictures, we had a wonderful couple of days.

For most of the weekend it looked like this outside.

I wasn’t thrilled about the chilly, rainy weather until Pa reminded me that every day that we experience cool temperatures right now means one less day in the 90s or 100s. As a very pregnant lady, I had to agree and sucked up my frustration.

I was able to run with a few walking breaks on both Saturday and Sunday–4.5 and 4 miles respectively.

We had family over for dinner on Saturday night which helped brighten the dreary weather.

Pa and I started watching What To Expect on Saturday night and finished it last night. One, the first half was better than the second half (Pa’s observation) and two, the scenes with the daddies walking their kids were by far the best part of the movie. Overall, it was a fun although at times unrealistic look at pregnancy and labor.

My sister totally made my weekend by sending me a Mother’s Day package!

She reads my blog and took note of some of the pregnancy cravings I have written about recently. It was such a nice surprise and she is just the best!

I also rediscovered a series by Jean Auel that I read when I was in my teens. I guess it’s called the Earth’s Children series. I finished The Clan of the Cave Bear in less than a week and started reading The Valley of the Horses on Saturday. I enjoy reading the books because they are historical fiction…with a lot of creative license.

Pa and I spent the late afternoon getting Mother’s Day and birthday packages prepped so Lula and I can take them to the post office this morning.

Finally, Pa wanted me to share what he ate for lunch yesterday.

Have a fantastic week!

Pregnancy 2: 29 Week Update

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Kelly

Good morning!This pregnancy is starting to become a challenge. Honestly, I am a little frustrated that I still have 10 weeks remaining. Based on my experience with Lula, it will likely be closer to 12 more weeks.

Cravings:

Almond butter…the kind from Trader Joe’s with the flax seeds in it. Sadly, when I finally made it to TJ’s last week, it wasn’t available due to the recalls they have recently been plagued with. Maybe I should make my own.

Sleeping:

I have good and bad nights of sleep. Fortunately, the bad nights don’t seem to impact me during the day.

Pregnancy Brain:

Hmmmm…I’ve got nothing.

Exercise:

Thursday: 3.5 miles on the treadmill. My body was tired before I started this run and I was wary that I would be able to complete it. Happily, I felt fine once I started running.

Saturday: I took it easy on myself. I ran for a mile and a half and my stomach was tight and my pelvic area was hurting. I walked for about a mile with the stroller while Pa ran ahead. When he returned, I ran the rest of our loop and stayed off my feet as much as I could for the remainder of the day.

Sunday: This was pretty much a repeat of Saturday’s run.I ran for a mile or so, walked for a mile, ran for a mile and a half. I’m doing the best I can and not beating myself up about it.

Tuesday: It was 71 degrees in our basement and muggy. I decided that I wasn’t even going to try to run. I ended up walking 2.5 miles in 36 minutes.

Weight Gain:

I am still gaining. I think I look okay…check out that blue belly!

Notes In The Margin

I have already reached the point of attending doctor’s appointments every other week. I loved them during my first pregnancy as I needed the reassurance that everything was okay. Now they feel like a colossal waste of time. How things have changed.

At last week’s appointment, my doctor asked if I had felt my stomach get really hard. He went on to say that at this point in the pregnancy, not a lot can go wrong but other than bleeding, getting 5 of those contractions within an hour means I need to call him immediately.

I’ve noticed these…I guess I should call them contractions…more and more, especially on days that I run in the morning. They are frequently accompanied by that burning sensation I mentioned a few weeks ago. Basically, I have to sit down as soon as possible or I become even more uncomfortable. They don’t really come and go–my stomach just stays hard until I get off my feet.

I don’t remember experiencing these much at all in my last pregnancy. And I was teaching full-time and on my feet for most of the day!

Some days, basic things like folding laundry or vacuuming feel difficult.

I did manage to paint my toes yesterday…

…and that’s my stomach blurring the bottom of the shot.

On a positive note, I’m grateful that I am able to stay home and that Lula will let me sit down when I start experiencing these contractions. As long as I read her stories, of course.

Have a great day!

Past pregnancy updates for Baby 2:

WIAW Pregnancy Eats (Week 23)

Weekend In Review: 4.27 & 4.28

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Kelly

Good afternoon and another happy Monday to you.

We are in for a beautiful day here in Kansas so Lula and I are going to take advantage of the weather, especially since the rest of the week doesn’t look so nice.

We had a great weekend, even if I didn’t document all of it. In other words, I was lazy and tired.

Although I didn’t do any intentional exercise on Friday, I was experiencing a lot of stomach tightness throughout the day. With that in mind, I was not expecting much from Saturday’s run.

In total, I walked/ran 5 miles. Anything is better than sitting on my butt, right? Lula and I had fun taking some photos.

While Lula and I strolled, this bird put on quite a performance so we stopped and listened for awhile.

We got home and after cleaning up, I decided oatmeal was the right recovery breakfast. It hit the spot.

Apparently nothing else happened Saturday since this was the last photograph I took.

In actuality, we ate a light lunch after naps for everyone and then headed to a going away party for one of Pa’s coworkers in the early evening.

When we came home, we enjoyed some popcorn while watching Taken 2. We didn’t finish it until last night but it was a great movie…almost as good as the first one. We like action/suspense flicks and this movie fit the bill.

Sunday morning came quickly and our run turned into another run/walk for me. I probably ran/walked close to 4 miles.

It was absolutely gorgeous outside and Pa and Lula and I savored every moment of the sunny, breezy, fifty degree morning.

We let Lula run around for awhile once we returned home.

After clean up and breakfast, I took her into the backyard to tire her out before her nap. Pa sneakily shot this photo while we were both looking somewhat dramatic.

Although Lula’s nap was unsuccessful, we still had a great afternoon. She and I did some cooking and baking while Pa mowed the lawn and cleaned the garage.

Cupcakes!

Before Pa started Lula’s bedtime routine, we took a short walk to pick up a Sunday paper.

On the way home, we couldn’t resist a quick stop at the park.

All in all, a great weekend that went by way too fast.

Have a wonderful day!

On Juggling Two Kids

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Kelly

A few weeks ago, Brittany asked me how I was feeling about becoming a mom of two kiddos. Here are my thoughts at this point.

At the start of this pregnancy I was nervous about the idea of watching Lula and a newborn. The first three months with Lula were wonderful, hard, and hormonal.When I think back to the first trimester of this pregnancy, much of the anxiety I felt about taking care of two kids came from a place of nausea and exhaustion.

Simple things like changing a diaper or taking a quick trip to the grocery store felt like monumental jobs.

As I’ve moved into the third trimester–how is that even possible–I feel really excited about having Lula and a newborn to look after.

One, I think I have to feel that way or I am not going to survive.

Two, I have so much more experience now that I’ve been through it already. I really struggled with feeling isolated in those first three months with Lula. I was home alone with a baby who slept, ate and cried.

My poor husband barely got in the door after work and I was sharing every last detail of my day with him.

I feel comforted knowing that this time around, I have company!Since Lula turned one, she has developed quite the personality and other than my husband and sister, she’s my best buddy. We spend every single day together, I hope we like each other.

Although she will only be 22 months old when Baby 2 is born, I plan on putting her to work by entertaining the baby when I need to rinse out a diaper, prepare a meal, etc. (Feel free to think I am suffering from delusions)

Three, BABYWEARING.Earlier in the year I wrote a post about this topic and received many great suggestions. I am seriously planning on wearing this baby all the time. I wore Lula whenever we ran errands or took walks and that worked extremely well. I plan on wearing Baby 2 at home, as well as out and about. This will be a necessity.

Four, flexibility with working out. I know already that one of the biggest changes to my life will be finding time to exercise. When Lula was born, I had grand visions for how I was going to fit my runs in during the day. We have a treadmill so all I needed was her cooperation. She had the option of taking a nap or sitting in the Babysitter Balance while I ran 3-4 miles.

Oh, Kelly…you were so naive. The handful of times I tried to do this were almost all disastrous. She woke up after I ran for 8 minutes. She wouldn’t stop crying when I put her in the Balance. Every time I tried to make a run happen and it was a failure, I was angry and frustrated. Not at Lula, but at the circumstances I found myself in…all my own choices.

Over time–and after taking many long walks with Lula when running didn’t pan out–I realized that if I wanted to run, I had to do so before Lula woke up in the morning. In the early days, this meant that I was up for the day at 4:30. I nursed Lula–sort of a morning dream feed–ran on the treadmill, and showered.

Was I tired? Yes! Did I feel a sense of accomplishment and have a better frame of mind when I made those runs happen? Absolutely.

This time around, I’m going to try very hard to give myself more of a break about returning to running.Exercise is a very important part of who I am as a person and it always will be. However, I don’t want it to rule my life the way it did when Lula was tiny. My focus is going to be on my children. If that means I get more sleep (HA) skipping runs for awhile and taking long walks with my kiddos later in the day, so be it.

Finally, since becoming pregnant, I have discovered quite a few bloggers who are new mommies of two or who are about to have their second child. Frankly, a lot of their twitter feeds make me nervous.

From older children acting out due to less attention to an exhaustion that I cannot yet comprehend, the experiences other mothers shared have weighed on my mind.

Over time, I have found comfort in the simple fact that women have been doing this for centuries and kids–and moms–survive.

There are so many things about having two kids that I can’t possibly wrap my head around until I experience them for myself. I hope that maintaining a positive attitude and attempting to keep perspective will allow me to make it through the first six weeks without too many tears.

Have a great weekend!

Run Ma Run!

A Mother's Journey Through Runninghood

Author Archives: Kelly

About Kelly

Pregnancy 2: 34 Week Update

A Weekend To Remember: Memorial Day 2013

Pregnancy 2: 32 Week Update

Weekend In Review: 5.18 & 5.19

Pregnancy 2: 31 Week Update

Weekend In Review: 5.11 & 5.12

Weekend In Review: 5.4 & 5.5

Pregnancy 2: 29 Week Update

Weekend In Review: 4.27 & 4.28

On Juggling Two Kids