Upcoming Race Schedule

I am so excited about my fall race schedule, though my wallet might not agree.

September 22  Miracle Miles 15k

This is my first time doing this race, so it will be a new PR for me automatically. What I love about the race is that all proceeds benefit the NICU at Winnie Palmer Hospital. TJ was born at Winnie Palmer and fortunately was healthy and never had to visit the NICU, but one of our newer friends in our playgroup has twins that were born at 27 weeks at Winnie Palmer. They spent many months in the NICU and are now happy and healthy at 1 year.

September 29 Tower of Terror 10 miler

I signed up for this race months ago with two of my friends. Alexis who I used to train with and my friend Jess. Jess has never run this long so its a great motivator for her (and me it was why I bounced back to running). My new friend/training partner Kristen is actually running this race too. I am still trying to figure out my costume though. Two of the girls didn’t seem like they really want too but I think Kristen dresses up so maybe we will theme together. The beneficiary for this race is Autism Speaks, which makes me excited for many different reasons. Both my husband and best friend Shannon work with children with Austim.

October 29 Alzheimers Walk

This isn’t a run or a race but I want to share that we are walking. 4 years ago my Mom was diagnosed at the age of 58 with early onset Alzheimer’s. I could go on and on and give you my fundraising speech, but in short if you are interested in donating or joining my team click here.

December 1 Orlando OUC Half Marathon (formerly OUC)

I wanted to run this 2 years ago but I had to work. The nice part of my new job is no weekend events! Our training group is all running this, and I hear there is beer at the finish.

January 13 Disney Marathon

I finally signed up yesterday! Disney released the medal and offered a flash sale dropping the price back down to $150. At 82% full I decided I better bite the bullet and sign up before I can’t. I always said I never wanted to run a full marathon, but running a Disney one I hope won’t make it as bad especially because its the 20th anniversary. Looking at the training schedule intimidates me, but thankfully I am training with a group.

February 24 Disney Princess Half Marathon

I ran this race in 2010 and missed it last year thanks to TJ’s birth. It is the 5th anniversary and the medal is supposed to be cool. I am waiting to sign up for this one because we are going to celebrate TJ’s first birthday the day before. Yes I am crazy for hosting a party the day before and then going to run at the crack of dawn. But my 30th birthday is the 25th, and this is the way I want to celebrate.

 

So thats my race schedule, there are a few other races I want to run but financially I can’t.

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Healthy Breakfast to go

With preparing to start a new job friday, train for the Disney Marathon and take care of my son I needed to find an option for a healthy breakfast to go. I am not always going to have time in the mornings to sit down and eat after I run, shower, feed TJ, etc. Enter pinterest. A friend of mine who has lost a significant amount of weight pinned these weeks ago and I finally got around to making them last week.

Personalized Sized Baked Oatmeal from Sugar Free Mama (click for the recipe)

I am no food photographer!

I personally don’t have Stevia so I used Honey and we don’t have Flax so I used Chia seeds. The results, delicious! Well I think so, I am not so sure Ed agrees. I doubled the batch and put most in the freezer, that way I can grab one or two out with a piece of fruit, maybe smear some PB or Almond Butter on it and I am good to go in the morning. I am going to need all the energy I can get with the new job and the oatmeal will hopefully help me keep my supply up since I will begin pumping for TJ. I made chocolate chip ones, but only left 2 out and we already ate them.

Oh and to boot they are pretty inexpensive to make if you omit the Flax. We already had everything here to make them so I can’t say exactly how much a batch would be but my guess would be under $5.

Best Body Bootcamp Week 1 Wrapup

I am in pain.

The good kind. Week 1 of Best Body Bootcamp rocked my socks. Here is my wrap-up:

Monday: Workout A + 20 minutes elliptical workout.

Tuesday: 25 minutes run + Workout B

Wednesday: Spin Bike Intervals and Core Workout **

Thursday: 30 minute run + Workout C + Mommy/Baby Yoga

Friday: 45 minute elliptical intervals + Core Workout

Saturday: 5.5 mile run

**Part of my Wednesday interval workout was done jogging up and down our hallway and running in place as I tried to get TJ to go to sleep for his nap.

I was lucky Saturday and I got to run stroller free! I love taking my little man but there are too many things that could go “wrong” as the runs get longer. Its not bad if I am on my own, but much harder when running with a group.

 

After he spent some time with Gram and Papa we headed to Mount Dora to spend time with my Mom and wander around Mount Dora.

My favorite part of visiting her, Chocolate Covered Key Lime Pie on a stick.

How is that related to bootcamp, well its not but it is too delicious not to share!

5 months

I can’t believe that 5 months ago I was wondering when would my labor start and what would his birthday be. Ok really more like 5 months and 3 days ago. Our little man has grown so much and he is gaining so many skills every day.

No Doctors Appointment this month so weight and height are unknown. He is wearing 6-9 month clothes, but they are getting tight.

Two days after his 4 month Birthday he rolled over. He hasn’t quite mastered front to back but he loves rolling to his belly and reaching for his toys.

He now sleeps on his belly. I find this funny since we tried to put him on his belly months ago and he wanted nothing to do with it.

 

This month we have been getting out more. We have been to Yoga where TJ has Happy Baby and Upward Dog down. We tried the Big Boy Swing at My Gym.

 

Diane says it looks like he pounced off the baby.

We have been running with my new training group. All the ladies flock to him.

TJ has been working on sitting up on his own. He does good for a little while but then either dives for a toy or just falls over. Hence the pillows behind.

 

We started Baby Led Weaning as well. It is a month earlier then they recommend, but he would get so mad at dinner, I figured what is the harm in him having something on his tray. So far he has had banana, carrot and broccoli. He had the easiest time with broccoli but not idea if he actually ate any.

 

 

 

And lastly he has started Sleeping all night!! He goes to bed around 7:30/8 and I dream feed him at 10. Most days I get until 7.

 

Adapting

I have always been one to get up early and workout. By the end of the day I lose the motivation, I want to eat dinner and relax. But that all has to change now thanks to schedules and TJ’s unpredictability in the mornings. With Ed working I have to run and be home by 6am. I discovered that our new neighborhood is not well lit, and I don’t like running in the dark here. Plus with breastfeeding I have to pump before running, so it throws a wrench in timing.

So my dear husband made a suggestion, why not workout after the baby is in bed. No need to pump since he just ate. So tonight I tackled my first Best Body Bootcamp workout and holy sweaty! It took me an hour to complete the Arm Workout and 20 minute HIIT. I had planned on running to incorporate my marathon training program which called for 25 easy. During dinner it started raining, hard. Thunder and lighting and strong winds. I don’t mind running in a little rain, but that was a lot. So instead I stuck to my good old friend the elliptical. 20 min HIIT at an incline of 25 and resistance at a 4 for the ON and 3 for the OFF.

Thanks to my wonderful Husband I was able to complete my workout with only one distraction. This guy, who went to bed at 7 and then proceeded to cry, and cry, and cry.

I finally went back up to nurse him again, only for him to wake up 5 minutes later. My sweet husband didn’t disturb me until I was done, and with some baby snuggles on our bed, and the Lullaby station on Pandora he was soon fast asleep. What a Mamas boy!

I’m looking forward to tomorrows workout and this new schedule. Hopefully I won’t miss any workouts!

Post Baby Body- 5 Months

TJ is 5 months old today and I can’t believe it! His update will come soon. But where am I 5 months in? Well, I am not where I want to be physically, but I am getting closer everyday. I was told that breastfeeding  the weight would just melt off. Did it melt off me? Nope, not at all. I started my pregnancy at 170 pounds. When I delivered I weighed 220, yep I gained 50 pounds. Remember I am 5’11” but still it was a lot. At my 6 week appointment I weighed 189, and I stayed there until TJ was 4 months old. I have finally started to drop weight, I am back in the 170’s and starting to fit back into some pants. Can I wear my 8’s yet, close but no. Running and lifting are helping a lot, and I can’t wait to get back to my happy weight, my strong weight and my fit weight. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me but I know that every pound is there because I carried and birthed a healthy, beautiful baby boy.

So how do I plan to keep on moving forward. As I mentioned before I am running with a new group, called USA Fit-Orlando. Workouts are sent to us weekly, and then we train with our groups on Saturdays. They also offer evening group runs, including track workouts. Nights will be hard thanks to little mans 7/7:30pm bedtime, but hopefully Ed will let me have one night a week. We are also playing softball again, although its not the best workout it gives me a chance to get some extra speed in, if I hit the ball of course.

I am also doing an online boot camp! One of my favorite bloggers Tina is doing a second round of Best Body Bootcamp. I missed the first because of TJ’s birth and I wasn’t sure if I could do the workouts. BBB had glowing reviews, and I love when someone else tells me what to lift and when.

 

My plan is to follow a combo of the running schedule and bootcamp schedules. Will it be hard, yep but I am up for the challenge.

 

Oh and lastly I start a new job August 17, change of careers into the school district where I will be working with the PE teachers and pursuing my teaching certification and a job. TJ will head to daycare (commence tears from me). I am so excited because I get to work with children and be active, the reason I became a Recreation professional.

 

I hope to post updates about my workouts and get into this blogging this more regularly. And because he is so cute one last picture of my little love.

Life

Well life has gotten crazy and I haven’t shared in awhile. I promise to post updated house pictures soon Aunt Helen!

Here is what we have been up to.

TJ and I have been running, alone or with a great group of women I found on meet up.com. Soon I start a new running training program and I am hoping to sign up for the Disney Marathon.

 

TJ, Mom and I took a trip to Pennsylvania for my Aunt and Uncles 35th wedding anniversary party.

We have been swimming, a lot.

We made new friends and have been playing lots.

We celebrated Eds birthday and Fathers Day.

And TJ turned 4 months old! He weighs in at 17 pounds 14.5 oz and 27.5 inches long. Yep he is a giant!

And lastly we found Eysa a new home. Her fence jumping antics were getting out of control.

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2 months

It is hard to believe TJ is 2 months old and we have been in our new house for almost a month. I’ll talk about that another day though. I can’t believe he is 2 months old, and I never gave a 1 month update. Whoops.

At TJ’s 3 week appointment he weighed 10pounds 12 ounces and was 23 inches long.

On Monday TJ turned 2 months and he is huge! A few weeks ago we switched to 3-6 month clothes because his 0-3 month jammies were too short. We also started cloth about 2 weeks ago, and so far so good. I wash every other day and we just started using them at night. As for sleeping TJ has a witching hour around 7 every night, I have tried putting him to bed sooner, but no the boy knows his routine and its 9pm like clockwork. The first stretch is 4-5 hours and then its 3 after that. He starts grunting around 4 and usually ends up snuggling with Ed before he leaves for work, so I can go back to bed.

 

I got cleared to workout a few weeks ago and we had been using the running stroller off and on. I use a head support thing with an extra blanket for support and off we go. The first run he fussed but the other times he sleeps. I am building my endurance  back up slowly running with the stroller is no joke, but I am glad to live a half mile from a smooth paved trail. I registered for my first run the Tower to Terror 10 miler at Disney in September with my Friends Jess and Alexis .

He has started to smile and coo a lot more, at the animals on his mobile attached to his carseat, the one we add to his bouncy seat, his crib mobile and the playmat. It melts my heart.He is discovering his fists and grabs for the paci but hasn’t quite mastered it. He still is not a huge fan of the swing but loves the vibrating bouncing seat part.

 

We celebrated Easter, but the Easter bunny must have forgot we moved.

He is being baptized this weekend and has the cutest little suit that I can’t wait to share. He was too big for the Maher family baptism outfit and his cousin Mitchell’s but at least he can wear Alrik’s shoes.

2 Months

Weight: Approximately 14 pounds

Length: 25 inches (I measured)

Will have official measurements Monday when he goes for his shots. I’ve got the tylenol ready and I am hoping they let me nurse during to help with pain management.

 

After delivery and getting one very long stitch (docs words) and Gram and Papa visiting we finally got to our Mother/Baby room at about 2am. TJ was off to the nursery and Ed and I rested in our room. I wanted to shower but they couldn’t take my IV port out yet, so instead I inhaled snacks. 1 Larabar, 1 granola bar and a bunch of nuts later I was happy. TJ was returned to us, the nurse gave us a bunch of directions and finally we got some sleep.

In the morning Ed and I ordered breakfast, relaxed, met the new nurses (shifts change at 7am) and I got to shower! I felt amazing after my shower. The pediatrician stopped by and gave TJ the all clear, no jaundice, hip problems, etc. The only mark he had was a angel kiss on his eye. Our time in the hospital was funny because everyone kept commenting on his hair, and I remarked that his hair is just like mine when I was born, but maybe longer.

I finally got to call my GrandMaher at 7:15 that morning, and she was so excited. We can’t wait for her to meet him. Grandmom and Marv came to visit were our first morning visitors, followed by Aunt Laura. TJ slept through them all. Later in the day we got visits from Rachel & Alrik (with Laura of course), Gram, Papa, Brooke, Gary, Jess and Nikki.

Ed and I decided when we did our hospital tour that we would sign up for the Celebratory dinner package offered by the conceriege service. It was well worth the $75 that it cost us. We celebrated our son’s birth, Valentines day (late) and an early birthday for me. Our nurse took TJ off to the nursery and our dinner was delivered by a white coat chef. We enjoyed the quiet, and when he was returned they had finally gotten the big booger that was making him snore and snort like a piggy. Too bad I didn’t get a video of it first.

Our second night in the hospital I sent Ed home to sleep and spend time with the doggies, run some errands, and pickup a little. On Wednesday he returned after TJ and I were cleared for discharge, fed and happy and we headed home. I am so thankful that the transport guy checked the carseat base and showed us how to put TJ into the carseat. We both realized we had no idea. Then it was just the 3 of us off into the real world.

I have nothing but good things to say about our stay at Winnie Palmer Hospital. All of the  staff that we encountered were pleasant and attentive, and the food wasn’t bad for a hospital. I love that you ordered what you wanted, when you wanted it. If you needed a nurse you simply called their portable phone. It was such an efficient system. The only bad part was how hard it was to sleep with people coming in and out to check on us.