Melting Moments and Moments that Melt You!

Its been non stop visitors since we arrived home from hospital and today bubby, hubby and I are enjoying our first day home together just the 3 of us with no visitors and no appointments.

I have enjoyed sharing our little man with all our family and friends but I have especially enjoyed all the yummy treats theses visitors have brought with them. I am one of those people who finds something she likes and keeps buying it. So when it comes to sweets and cakes and I don't generally stray from my trusty favourites. But thanks to all our visitors I have discovered (or re-discovered) some new scrumptious treats...

Melting Moments - Buttery goodness!
Carrot Cake - Yummo! Move over banana cake.
Slab Cakes - Chocolate, Coffee & Walnut, Caramel ..... I've devoured a few in the last few weeks

So Little A is now 3 weeks old and I don't know what I did to deserve this but our little guy has a good comprehension of day and night. He is an angel at night waking only to be fed and nodding off without much ado. During the day he is much more vocal and awake. We are making the most of this and enjoying the time for interaction and watching him develop. Every day he discovers something new and it is so exciting to see his progress.

Here are some moments that have melted me in the last 3 weeks...

"Who turned off the lights?"

"Ahhhh-choo"

Cute sleep poses

"Privacy Please!!!"

My all time favourite.... sleeps on mummys chest!

Twilight walks with Tata (Check out those legs...he'll be a runner for sure!)

Out and About

Ok, so I never thought getting out and about with a newborn would be easy but our first attempt to get out of the house was a complete disaster...

The day after we got home from hospital we decided to bite the bullet and put the little guy in his little red wagon and brave the real world.

Before I tell you about our adventure out let me tell you the number #1 rule I learned that day about leaving the house:

As soon as baby is fed, drop everything, get in the car and GO!!!

Do NOT put on a load of washing, make the bed or generally fluff around tidying the house because in 2 hours (3 if you are lucky) you will be feeding again and then you will never leave the house!

Anyhow when we finally got out the door (after 3pm!) we headed to the local shopping centre with a list. We needed a few groceries and a few bits and pieces for the little guy from the baby store.

30mins later we proudly strut the little guy (fast asleep) into the shopping centre in his hot little red ride. As we walked through the food court entrance of the shopping centre we realised we hadn't had any lunch and decided to grab a quick bite to eat to tie us over.(Lesson number #2: as soon as baby is clean and fed your first priority is to clean and feed yourself... not housework. An unexpected guest wont necessarily see the unmade bed but they will smell the unshowered mummy).

At 4 O'clock we were FINALLY about to start our shopping and decided to do the groceries first in case we ran out of time to do everything on our list - getting food in to the house was the first priority!!! No sooner had we walked into the supermarket, grabbed a trolley and loaded in a loaf of bread did we hear the first wail from the little red wagon. At this point we decided that we would just grab bread, milk and absolute essentials to get us through and get out of there before the little guy demonstrated his vocal skills. But before we could get to the milk fridge the wails turned to demanding screams. The little guy was wide awake and he wanted to be fed... RIGHT NOW!

In what I thought was a clever move I decided to head to the parents room and let the Big A do the shopping with direction from me over the phone. So I wheeled my screaming child back out of the shop. Thank god the parents room was only 20meters away from the supermarket....

At the entrance of the parents room I was met by a "closed for renovations. Please use other facilites" sign (!?!?) realising that I had to embark on a 5 minute trek accross the shopping centre with a screaming child I called for back up. Big A abandoned trolley and we fled to the "other" parents room.

After a feed, change and cuddle we finally emerged at 5pm to see the roller doors coming down on the shops. So Big A, Little A and I packed up the little red wagon and trundled off home...empty handed! Even though we didn't achieve a thing it certainly was an eventful afternoon out.

It was two days later before we got the courage to venture out again. Luckily this time was much more sucessful!

I'm back...

9 days ago we welcomed our little boy to the world. Now we are settled in at home and finding some kind of a routine... well as much routine as you can have with a newborn. In between spending hours just gazing at out little wonder and the rigourous feeding and changing routine I have started my journey back to runner.

Since our return home I have enjoyed daily walks with hubby and bubby. Even thoush I am dying to pound the pavement these walks are quite the workout after more than a month of only "waddling", not to mention the addition of a pram (which is quite the workout up the hills!!)

As far as strengthening the body I have been doing my kegels religiously and have also started some light core exercises (and I mean light!). Hopefully next week I can step it up another notch if all is going well. All in all I feel great to be on the build back and am not going to risk injury by rushing it.

So there wont be a whole lot of running for the next few weeks but there will be a whole lot of mummy stuff so I will use this space for now to share some of my "new mummy" experiences.

Stay tuned....

I'm Here!

Our gorgeous baby boy was born on Monday 5th March at 6.11pm.

Weighing 3.18kgs and measuring 48cm this amazing little boy has forever changed our lives. We are completely in love and spend hours just gazing at him.

Here is a photo of "Little A" at 4 days old

He is one week old today and we are now home and enjoying getting to know him and adjusting to this whole "parenting" thing.

Baby is stiring.... must go!

Favourites for Friday

I am just passing the final days of pregnancy now and "Passing" is the perfect description. It feels like an event getting from one day to the next and all the time wondering if today will be the day. In a bid to not let the last weeks drag I have kept my social calendar pretty full with lunches, coffees, shopping, movies and pampering. Indeed I would be a lady of leisure if it weren't for the extra 12kg and discomfot instead I am definitely a "lady in waiting" ( I totally get that saying now and geez I don't like to wait!)

Anyhow, on to the good stuff. Its Friday and here I celebrate with sharing some of my favourite things with you:

Cheese - Shredded, Parmeasan, Jarlsberg, Cheedar and all most evey other kind. YUMMO! I have to say I had such a limited amount of cheese in my diet before pregnancy (because it is high in fat) but now I put this yummy stuff in and on everything and I wont be giving it up post pregnancy thats for sure!

My Mini Notebook (I think its called a Netbook??) - This pint sized laptop has been a god send. Its the perfect size for browsing on the couch, emailing, blogging and reading kindle. It follows me everywhere around the house and I wonder how I ever used a full size laptop. This thing is too convenient for words.


Apple Juice - Its always been yummy but I really took to apple juice early in pregnancy and my love affair has returned in the last few weeks. I can now be satisfied with one big glass a day but at the start I could have downed 2litres a day and I nearly did once.

Maternity Clothes - As much as I was happy to still fit in to some of my ordinary clothes, Maternity clothes are way more comfortable! Stretchcy, loose and oh so practical.


Royal Copenhagen - Before my next pregnancy we will definitely have to buy some shares or a branch of this company! Thanks to me and my little tenant I am sure they will be recording a record quarter for this summer. And to the lovely folk at RC - Thank you for bringing back Watermelon Sorbet!!! It was a long summer last year without my trusty favourite but I have well and truely made up for its abscnece this year. I have always tried to keep this to a once per week habit but I have given in to my every craving since pregnancy and even ended up at RC TWICE in one day (and I am NOT a one-scoop girl!)


Online grocery shopping - I have always HATED shopping. Now I have discovered online shopping I get all the big bad bulky stuff delivered and just pop out each week for my fresh fruit,veggies,meat and bread. It is so much less of an ordeal now to do the shopping now that all the big stuff gets delivered. I swear I am spending less too!


My Garmin - yes it still made it to number #1. Because even though I'm only walking (waddling now) its been so instrumental in keeping me focused and motivated.


Well I will post again on the otherside. Wish me luck!!!

The Comeback Plan

The other day I enjoyed some last minute baby shopping & lunch with a gorgeous friend and mother who inspires me very much. After lunch she asked me if I had a plan and timeline for returning to training post baby...

OH DO I HAVE A PLAN!!! I have spent every spare minute reading up on and writing a training plan for my running "comeback" post baby. Actually I am on version #3 and I am sure there are more versions to come. Each time I finish another book I have some new ideas and training principles that I want to try and so this plan is constantly evolving and being revised.

However, no matter how good the plan I know some of the hurdles of my return to running can't all be all be addressed with a good training plan. Here are some of the big challenges I am anticipating I will face and need to overcome:

Bits will wobble
For a sginificant period of time the body I return to running with will be very different to what I am use to. Even though I honestly believe it will all strengthen over time and return to its former glory I know that I will have to be patient with it and work with what I've got while I go from incubator to a performance machine.

Back to absolute basics
I have no balance, I am clumsy and my running muslces have been on an extended vacation. You would think after months of carrying around the extra weight I would come out the other end stronger but honestly I feel completey unstable around the hips and pelvis and can't imagine pumping out speed sessions without some serious basic strength training first. I honestly took for granted how "structurally sound" my body was. Now after the the transformation my body has gone through to grow and birth a baby I will have to really focus on building back strength and balance that can handle the intensity and speed of my desired training.

Contending with boobs
To date I have been very fortunate to be able to throw on a sports bra and not have to worry about anything after that in this department. I dare say feeding will bring about some new challenges for running, namely; support, milk supply, lactic acid in the milk and just the overall comfort of the whole thing. Hopefully there are some fantastic maternity and feeding sports bras out there to help me in this area. Keep an eye out in the review section. Also my training is going to have to have the flexibility to fit around my feeding responsbilities. So as much as I will try for routine its not going to be a given and I am just going to have to make the most of the opportunities I get.

Pelvic Floor Muscles
I don't think I need to elaborate on this one. Suffice to say I could write a whole post on Pregnancy and the Pelvis. Thank goodness the muscles can be trained like any other so there is hope! Kegels here we come!

Emotions
On the odd winter morning when my husband has looked so snug in bed I have struggled to tear myself away but otherwise I generally find it easy to slip my sneakers on and escape for my run. I don't doubt for one second that having a gorgeous little new born at home will tug at the heart strings when I am trying to get out the door. But I honestly believe that taking this little bit of time for me and my health (mental and physical) will make me a better mother and I hope that focusing on that can keep me on track. Not to mention its going to be a great time for baby and daddy to have together!

Well, it will be interesting to return to this list of things in a few months and compare it to the actual challenges I have faced. What challenges did I not anticipate and what things will be easier than I thought?

I think a good plan is always a good starting point but for this particular goal I know it is going to take more than that. I will also need determination, patience and tenacity to overcome many new challenges... simple things that I have just taken for granted in the past.

So here starts the joy of being a running mummy! Wish me luck!

Where's the finish line?!?!

I am a very impatient person! I can't wait to meet this little guy and hold him in my arms. I want to see what he looks like and I am just dying to start our life as a family.

I am also very soft when it comes to pain. I have taken just about as much pelvic pain, and discomfort as I can without loosing my mind. So suffice to say I am finding these final weeks a tad testing.

So much so, that at todays weekly ante-natal check up I struggled to supress the urge to reach over and grab my obstetrician by the collar, shake him violently and threaten him until he agreed to get this thing out of me. I'm sure pregnancy hormones can take a little credit for the irrational thoughts but mostly I'm just impatient and soft.

The hardest thing about all of this is not knowing where the finish line is. The little guy could come tomorrow or he could come in 4 weeks! How do I pace myself to get to the end?

I have always been an advocate for finishing races strong. I (almost) always leave enough in the tank to finish with a little surge and a smile. But I'm afraid this hasn't been the case with pregnancy. Instead I feel like I went out too hard and now that I'm near the end and having powered through the most of it my body and mind is paying for it. I can't even fathom how I am going to make it to the end and I get disheartened thinking about the not set finish line.

So screw the finish line. I can't think about it anymore. I am just going to take one day at a time and keep "putting one foot in front of the other" until I'm done. This is easier said than done for a self-confessed numbers person. Its all about times, splits and countdowns. But not this time, until this little boy is in my arms I am only going to think about the day ahead and enjoying it.

Sherry Arnold

Well its Saturday the 11th February here in Australia. Which makes it Friday 10th Febraury in the US. I am sitting here thinking about the the thousands of runners there who will be getting up tomorrow morning and running for a reason... Sherry Arnold

The recent tragic events that rocked the world have also united the running community like never before. It doesn't take many clicks on the cyber world to see how runners from every corner of the planet are coming together to mourn an unthinkable and tragic loss and honour the life of a mother, teacher and runner.

To read more about Sherry Arnold and the virtual run that is being held around the world click here.

At nearly 37 weeks pregnant I can't manage a run but I will be doing a "waddle: in honour of Sherry. All my thoughts and prayers are with her family in this tragic time.There are no words for their loss but I hope this "world-wide" action speaks louder than any words could. We are all with you!

Count down

Now that I am on the official "home stretch" its all about numbers. So here's a little countdown...

10 weeks until I run again (4weeks + 6 weeks post partum recovery)
9 months since my last run
8 is the number of races I have completed to date
7 days until I am considered "full-term"
6 days I have been pregnancy “pain free” and feeling good again
5 km will be the distance of my first race post baby
4 weeks until baby is due
3 hours I spent reading my R4YL magazine cover to cover today
2 km is the longest walk waddle I have done in the last week
1 Run is all it will take and I’ll be a "runner" again

To Rest Or Not To Rest....

Today I am feeling something I haven't felt since I was running. It is that dreaded internal conflict when you are sick or injured. That conflict between the needs and wants of your body and your mind.

So here's the deal.

I am in the tail end of this pregnancy and getting nasty pains in the pelvis, hips and groin. They last for hours at a time and are responding less and less to panadol. Yesterday I got home from my walk and felt like I had pulled every muscle in my groin region. Despite feeling comfortable and pain-free walking it was clear an hour later that my pace must have stretched all my super relaxed (thanks relaxin) muscles a bit too much. Of course the obvious thing to do is rest and well lets face it I don't have any exciting races or events (besides labour!) on the horizon so whats wrong with a bit of rest????

Well firstly the extra 9kgs I'm carrying is putting a lot of stress on the base of my spine and walking loosens it up and helps everything fall back in to place and structurally I feel "reset" every day from it. Mentally the walking gives me a high that gives my energy levels a boost. Which is very helpful because I can get through about 1/3 of what I use to so its nice to get little hits of energy where I can. When I walk I tend to always sleep better. Not to mention that staying active helps with all the other pregnancy stuff like water rentention and helping to stimulate labour etc.

So even though I ended up in excrutiating pain yesterday I still am not ready to give up on it. So first step today is to take a rest day and then tomorrow I am going to head out at an absolute "dawdle" of a pace and see how I feel after that.

But before I came up with this plan I spent the night in conflict. My Obstetrician told me yesterday that my walking might be contributing to my problems. All I want to do is the right thing by my body and if that is rest than so be it. But time and time again when I am in this situation I am not always convinced that rest is the best.

For example when I start to feel a little bit flu like but not yet overcome by it I find myself in this dilema. Of course if you ARE sick then you need to rest. Your body needs all your energy to repair and recover itself and stressing it physically is just crazy. But sometimes in those early stages before it has taken hold I feel like a good training session will help to "shake it". By raising my core body temperature and by really getting my body switched on it might have a better chance of fighting it. It feels as though as soon as I stop I am going to get sick.

Another example is niggles. Not a full blown-injury because again anything but rest is stupid. At what point are you better resting and what point are you still better off running through and keeping good blood flow to the area and keeping all the surrounding muscles strong?

These are the dilemas that from time to time in my training I have faced and on some weird level am facing now. Do the benefits of continuing or continuing a modified program outweigh the benefits of all out rest. OR does rest now save weeks of half-arsed training and recovery later?????

There is so much information and so many guidelines out there. One that I have always followed when it comes to "colds" is if the symptoms are above your neck keep training but once its below you must rest.

This sounds like some good general advice. Obviously if its below your neck than its hit your respitory system and well training on an already compromised respitory system is not beneficial.

I think the answer to these tricky situations is very individual. Just like a training program. Some people can do 3-4 heavy days per week and some can only do 2. Some people can train through low level of stress and illness and some need to rest.

So this year I am going to try to log in my training diary my health and well-being and see if I can get in tune with my body's well-being. Rather than feel conflicted by general information I am going to tailor make my rules for rest and recovery based on my bodys history to stresses of illness and injury.

Hopefully what I learn will help me to make good training decisions for many years to come.

So with that in mind I am not going to stress about "to rest or not to rest" I am going to do my own gentle trial and error of activity to keep as active as I can all whilst doing the best thing for my number 1 goal - bringing a healthy baby into this world.