Running in Circles

- Visiting the doctor every Monday from here on out

- Hazel loves joining em at my appointments because she asks every nurse for a band aid :)

- Blood pressure was 112/72 which is great (but actually high for me)

-Weight- 147  (+24 lbs) whew and feeling everyone of them

- He's head down and the doctor felt his head today

-Belly measured in at 34 cm (which his normal for me to be 3-4 cm behind)

- Lots of movement still, but his booty feels like its going to get stuck under my right ribs

- Tired, tired, tired...  

- I feel big, and while I get a lot of nice comments about me being "so small" I feel BIG!

- Running is feeling good, but getting harder everyday. It really is harder to lower my expectations but I just have to now.

- No swelling, stretch marks, or varicose veins...so grateful!

- Picked out two outfits for baby boy to possibly come home in, now we just really need to narrow down the names. This is the hardest thing for Brice and I to agree on.

- Hoping he comes before his due date (the 15th) but I know better than to get my hopes up. I know pregnancy will be over soon so really I am just trying to enjoy the down time.

- "A TUMS a day keeps the heartburn at bay"...but seriously! 

At 36 weeks pregnant with baby #2 I have surprised myself by still running as much as I am. Honestly, the motivation to go is definitely slipping but during and after my runs I feel so good! I can't believe I'm full-term now. 

During my pregnancy with Hazel I ran until 2 days before my induction and felt great during labor and recovery so I guess that is sort of my plan again... but I think I'm gonna go ahead and start scaling back a bit (even if I feel great!)

 I am so grateful that I've been able to run so well during pregnancy but don't let the numbers fool you- it isn't a breeze and I have had to keep myself motivated more than ever before!

Monday: 8 miles on the treadmill

Tuesday: 7 miles and a few light moves with weights

Wednesday: 6 early miles outside before Christmas morning 

Thursday: 9 "easy paced" miles in 1:17

Friday: 8 miles- 2 mile warm-up and then 6 miles of .25 sprint intervals

Saturday: 8 miles on the treadmill ( between 8:40 and 7:40 minute miles)

Sunday: rest day!

Miles this week: 46

Total miles this year: 2458

Weekly Workouts

34 weeks pregnant with baby #2

Monday: 9 miles + 15 minutes of planks/lunges/squats

Tuesday: 7 easy miles on the treadmill

Wednesday: 7 miles ( 2 mile warm-up and then .25 intervals for the next 5 miles)

Thursday: 10 miles outside ( felt great until I stopped)

Friday: 6 miles on the treadmill ( these were so hard for some reason)

Saturday: 9.6 miles with a friend

Sunday: rest day

Weekly Miles: 49

Miles this year: 2489

In the last few weeks...

1. Brice got in a car accident in our Jetta the last week of October. this happened the night before Doug & Lucinda came to visit ( and we were planning on buying their Edge from them as our second car). After a month of dealing with insurances, pay-outs, and repair estimates we sold the car and deposited a little check in the bank. So there goes our plan of having two cars! 

2. Brice is thinking about buying a motorcycle again- its the cheapest option for us to have two vehicles BUT neither one of us feel like its the best option. We're hoping something works out sooner than later.

3. We drove 13 hours over thanksgiving Break to visit The Johnson's' and Hancock's in Washington, Illinois. The drive was long, but Hazel was so good and Brice and I loved the time to just talk and be stuck in the car. We listened to our fair share of podcasts, and Goo Goo Dolls and took turns entertaining Hazel ( whom i might add only needed 45 minutes of screen time the whole drive). 

In the future I think road trips will be off limits in the third trimester.

We had a great trip and Hazel learned just how fun it is to play with cousins!

3. Some wonderful friends took me out to dinner and threw me a baby shower! I feel so grateful for their wonderful friendships and to be treated to a girls night. It is amazing what getting dressed up, going out, and chatting for hours and hours can do for your soul. I came home and stayed up the latest I have this entire pregnancy. 

4. I've slowly bought thing for this new baby here and there- sales at baby gap, amazon gift cards, new white onesies, etc... but just the other night I bought our first box of newborn diapers again! I'm a fan of paying a little bit more for Pampers at the beginning but by size two we have bought the target brand diapers and have loved them.

5. We decorated our little apartment for Christmas this last weekend. In four years of marriage we've never actualyl been home for the holiday ( due to visiting families for the school break). This year we got a real tree and it has made our apartment smell so good! Hazel is loving the nativity sets and wrapping packages that keep coming to our doorstep!

34 weeks feels pretty darn good!

 We're all getting anxious to have this little baby join our family!

-Still running 45-50 miles a week and feeling great while doing it

- Heartburn comes and goes

-Sleeping so well at night still, but not really needing an afternoon nap anymore

- No cravings really- occasionally have a hankering for a Diet Dr. Pepper but its pretty easy to pass on

- I feel like I'm running out of clothes that fit 

- Feeling a bit more prepared as far as "stuff" goes

- Daydreaming about what this baby is going to look like. I haven't had an ultrasound since 19 weeks

- Hazel is asking more and more about my growing tummy

Here's a little comparison shot: 24 weeks vs. 34 weeks!

what you grateful for? 

This is exactly how Hazel has asked us each night to say something we were grateful for, so she could add a leaf to our grateful tree!

We were able to add a lot of leaves in the last few weeks and realize just how many wonderful blessings we have in our lives.

Hazel really surprised us with the answers she came up with too! Hopefully she learned a little bit about the true meaning of the thanksgiving holiday and how to recognize our many blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

You can get the recipie Here

 - I had my 30 week appointment this morning- from now on they are every two weeks!

Weekly Running Recap at 30 weeks Pregnant

Monday: 7 miles on the treadmill

Tuesday: 10 miles outside in 1:30

Wednesday: 8 miles and 10 minutes of light weights

Thursday: 11 miles outside in 1:36

Friday: 6.5 on the treadmill (this run felt really hard)

Saturday: 11 miles outside, it all felt so good except for the two bathroom breaks ;)

Sunday: rest day

Weekly Miles: 52.5

Miles this Year: 2241

Brice

- Is really excelling at his job and enjoying the little perks like being taken out to lunch often.

- can be found listening to pod-casts during his commute

- Finally got a calling- Stake Technology Assistant. His calling entails a lot but recently he was working hard to make sure Stake and General Conference were broadcasted to the church building well.

- recently built and painted Hazel a stool (to help her sit on the potty easier)

-Is running three times a week at 6:45 in the morning. This last Saturday he ran 5 miles (which is his longest run since leaving Provo)

- loves coming home to Hazel, who runs up to him and gives him hugs and kisses right away and to a home cooked dinner pretty much ready to eat.
- So far doesn't love any boy name suggested.
- Brice and Hazel love working on projects together. Here Brice is making Hazel a sword for her Halloween costume. Shoes are mandatory but clothing is optional.

Breann

-has 86 days until due date
- I called Brice 5 minutes before he was leaving work last night to say- I wanted greasy pizza! I had dinner all prepped and ready to start cooking, but we ate greasy pizza and it was so good!

- so grateful for the good friends I've made here in Dallas.

- looking forward to having visitors (Doug & Lucinda) next week and then finally having a car again :)

- Spoke in Sacrament Meeting this last Sunday and for some reason was terrified!

- Feeling pretty unprepared for another baby in the house

- Grateful for electricity and 72 hour kits.
- We've had a few exciting weekends between losing power, Ebola, General Conference, Hazel's 2nd Birthday, and this weekend we're going camping.

Hazel

-Has started throwing herself on the floor when she's upset (but has quickly learned that she doesn't get the attention that she's hoping for)

- Had one of those huge diaper blowouts in her carseat today. I don't even remember the last time I cleaned up a mess like that.
-Asked me to buy "running shoes" and now refuses to take them off. Last night she tried to put them back on, even after she had her jams on.
- Is going to be a little pirate for Halloween. Maybe not the cutest costume ever, but she put on the eye patch and started saying "Arrgh" so we're sticking with it!
- Has gotten really into Halloween. She loves driving down Spooky Street (a street close by that the houses are well decorated with pumpkins, scarecrows, giant black cats, spiderwebs, and ghosts!)
She even woke up twice this week yelling "GHOST" and crying hysterically.

I'm in my last week before entering the third trimester of pregnancy! 

That means baby boy is practically here right?! I know... I know...

I've been feeling pretty good lately but still struggling with a few things! 

The good things first:

- I feel healthy, fit, and strong! I'm running a big number of miles a week still (50+) which I am super grateful for. The weather has cooled down so morning runs feel so good!
- my mile times range from 7:50- 9:00

- I sleep like a rock at night. I still can't stay awake much longer than 10 pm though.

- I love feeling baby boy move around- kicks are starting to get stronger now, but he is still way less busy than Hazel was.

- I've started nesting already- I want to get rid of things, clean things, and organize almost every day! 

-Finally not breaking out anymore!

- No real cravings- still eating lots of sandwiches because they're simple enough.

The not so great things:

- I am so tired still- 2'oclock comes around and I am barely able to keep my eyes open!

- I had to switch Obgyns (I got a letter a month ago saying she was leaving her practice) 

- Weight: I've gained 17 pounds, which seems like a lot 

- I still have no appetite! Only once or twice an entire week does food sound good and I can find something that actually sounds good!
-We really should start thinking of baby names- we have none were considering
- a little bit or heartburn but its a once a week thing

Happy Birthday Hazel!

  In two years we've watched you grow so much and change from a baby to a little girl! You are so sweet and thoughtful, quick to apologize and even quicker to snuggle with us on the couch. You amaze us daily with the words you know and how big you are! You are so good at following directions and you listen pretty well to your dad and I. You are quick to share with friends and love holding their hands and giving hugs goodbye! You love talking to family members on the computer and you love hanging up on them all by yourself too ;)

You love to shower with mom or dad and be a helper in the kitchen. You love coloring pictures of aunts and uncles, you love reading books (especially Pinkalicious), you love jumping on the bed, the couch, and daddy! You love singing songs and have most of the words down to Book of Mormon Stories, Row Row Row Your Boat, No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, and I am a Child of God.

You definitely love to ask questions and figure things out on your own. You love going outside with daddy on adventures, laying with bigger kids, and swinging at the park. People always comment on how active and brave you are for being such a little girl. 

You like watching Paw Patrol or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse when we need a break, but you would much rather be playing or reading. You love saying the prayer before dinner or bedtime and you love putting yourself to bed in your big girl bed. You love animals and insist on saying hi to every dog we see, no matter how big or small they are! You love being in nursery with your friends and you always tell us what you did on the car ride home from church.  You are so much more aware of my growing belly than I thought you would be. You love talking to your baby brother and telling him to be happy inside my tummy. You love practicing with your baby doll, gathering sticks outside, and spotting bugs. You are so interested in sitting on the potty and using your stool daddy made, but aren't quite ready to be done with diapers. You love stickers and painting and getting dressed on your own. 

I'm trying so hard to type exactly how you are at this point in your life, but I just can't. You are so loved by friends, family, Heavenly Father, and your parents. We love spending our days and nights with you and hope we get to celebrate many more birthdays together!

Happy 2nd Birthday Hazel Rae!

I think it's safe to finally say that my energy has come back. It took a lot longer (I'm almost 25 weeks) but combined with the cooler temperatures this last week- it as made all the difference in my workouts. I feel fast and i feel really good!

I didn't get a "longer" run in on Saturday but I still hit above 50 miles and my fastest mile of the week came in at 7:33! what!?

I know everything can change overnight, but I ended this week of  pregnancy and running feeling really happy!

Monday: 10 miles outside 

Tuesday: 10 miles outside 1:27

Wednesday: 7 miles

Thursday: 10 miles outside

Friday: 6 miles (2 mile warm up at 8:15 pace and then 4 miles of  .25 mile intervals)

Saturday: 8 miles in 1 hour (fastest 8 miles in a long time)

Sunday: rest day

Weekly Miles:51

Miles this year: 1940

We spent a fun filled morning at the Dallas Arboretum with friends and their mamas on Tuesday. 

The weather has definitely changed and we are welcoming fall into town. I was pretty much over getting my pregnant self in a bathing suit all summer, so fall is welcomed with arms wide open in my book :)

The Arboretum is a beautiful and large outdoor garden (think Thanksgiving Point) just a few miles from our apartment. We were excited to go check out the pumpkin patch and look into getting an annual pass. 

Hazel loved exploring the hundreds and hundreds of pumpkins and chasing her little friends around. That lucky girl also got to go right into a petting zoo and got her face painted like a puppy dog! (I tried hard to steer her away from the face painting because nap time was just around the corner but she was too eager and I loved that she was being so brave, so we went for it!)

We really can't wait to go back again and take some pumpkins home! We are so glad for our fun friends and that they like to get out of the house and do new things so often too!

 Here we are 24 weeks pregnant and still going strong! I've even got a bump to prove it now.

Monday: 10 miles in 1:35 on the treadmill

Tuesday: 10 miles outside

Wednesday: 8 miles (5 miles of 1/4 intervals)

Thursday: 8 miles - today was a hard running day- tired legs and feeling heavy!

Friday: 6 easy miles

Saturday: 10 miles outside in 1:30- felt great!

Sunday: rest day

Weekly Miles: 52

Miles this year: 1889

 

Our apartment is only two bedrooms so this little baby boy will be sharing a space in our master room. Basically we have a wall and small corner to decorate as a "nursery." 

We're planning on using Hazel's white crib for the baby and buying her a twin bed sooner than later. I'm following a DIY tutorial for the banner and plan on hanging it above the crib.

I love the idea of a light mint crib sheet and love this print, but I'm not committing to anything quite yet.

Unfortunately our finances and lack of space don't allow for a glider, but if I got to choose one i'm leaning towards this neutral one. Lastly, that sweet swaddle blanket with pom-poms is definitely a purchase I will be making off Etsy!

Pom-Pom blanket
Babyletto Glider
Deer Head
Tassel Garland & Crib Sheet

Monday: 10 miles outside

Tuesday: 10 miles outside

Wednesday: 6 miles (.25 mile speed intervals for 4 miles)

Thursday: 11 miles outside- these miles were slow :/

Friday: 6 easy miles in 46:00 minutes and 30 minutes of Pilates

Saturday: 12 miles with a friend around White Rock Lake

Sunday: rest day!

Miles this week: 55 (20 weeks pregnant)

Miles this year: 1728

It's been a while since I did an update just on Hazel so here's what shes up to just before she turns TWO!

Hazel at 23 months

- She loves singing songs with us. She's got the hand movements down for Book of Mormon Stories, Popcorn Popping,  and Itsy-Bitsy Spider. 

- Loves singing the ABC's, Sunshine on my Shoulders (Brice taught her this and it is hilarious when they sing together), Row, Row, Row your Boat, and more

- Can identify most colors and letters and is really good associating letters to words that begin with the. We need to work on shapes though.

- Hazel is a really good eater right now- loves applesauce, sandwiches, cheese, chicken, pasta, avocado, Quesidillas, carrots and ranch, hummus, ICE WATER, and any snacks from friends houses ;)

- Is sleeping in a toddler bed now! It's been a week and shes never gotten out when she isn't supposed to. She loves her big girl bed and we love how easy the adjustment has been.

- Goes to bed at 8:00 pm and wakes up between 7:00-7:30 am.

- Naps from 12-2, but sometimes she talks in her bed for a whole 45 minutes and then sleeps which makes nap time longer for me :)

- Hazel loves wearing girly accessories- my hats, necklaces, her headbands, shoes! Every morning I come home from a run to a closet where shoes and jewelry are scattered about.

- Loves animals, especially happy when she gets kisses from dogs when were out on walks.

-Loves to feed the ducks and turtles in the lakes in our complex.

- Lays on the floor and does "exercises" with mama.

- Does great in nursery- and does great at making new friends. 

(Sometimes sharing baby dolls is hard but what are ya gonna do?!?)

- She asks me to paint her toes on a weekly basis.

- Loves playing at the park, splash pad, swimming in the pool, doing puzzles, playing with baby dolls, reading books at the library, and rough housing with daddy on the floor.

- Hazel is quite the talker and is really good at remembering words or phrases shes heard once or twice. Yesterday she told Brice "Big Butt!"

- Most of her sentences are 3-5 words now. 

- Has started answering "no" when we ask her to do anything but time-out or a stern talking to works well.

- Loves playing with friends, holding their hands, and giving them hugs & kisses goodbye.

- Loves coloring with crayons, sweeping the floor, and taking her shoes off by herself.

- Hazel is really affectionate and loves to give hugs and kisses to us when we come home or just out of the blue during the day. We love it!

We love you Hazelbug!

Thank you all so much for the texts, calls, and love sent our way! 

We are very excited and honestly kind of overwhelmed with the thought of another baby! I can't help but laugh out loud because Brice and I both want several more kids, but pregnancy is uncomfortable and motherhood is a lot of work!

This pregnancy has had a lot of similarities and a lot of differences than my first. 

Things that are the same:

- I still am relatively small, but its just because I carry so low (but no complaints from me about this)

- I still have gained a surprisingly amount of weight in the early weeks 

- I'm up 11 pounds already but trying to not even worry about it

- Exercise is enjoyable and easy (knock on wood)

- I'm actually running more this time around but I'm not teaching Pilates so maybe that adjusts for the extra mileage (averaging 50-55 miles a week)

- My longest run has been 13 miles and I do it every two weeks

- My chest has grown fast and guess what- I still don't like it! I like being flat-chested ;)

- Foods that I've enjoyed: turkey and Swiss sandwiches, apples, milk duds?!? and CHEESE

- I felt the baby move at week 18 for the first few times and am feeling him regularly now but mostly after I eat a meal.

Things that are different:

- With Hazel, I hit 6 weeks and just felt terrible with nausea and vomiting. This time around week 6 came and went, 7, and 8, and nothing. Around week 9 i started being nauseous in the mornings/afternoons but never threw up more than once a twice.

-The nausea was totally gone by week 14.
- I am so tired still! I cannot for the life of me keep my eyes open past 10:00 am and sneak a nap in every chance I get. I do get up early to run most mornings though 6:20 am...It's week 20 now and I still don't have the flood of energy back.

- I have broken out so much more on my face this time around :/

- We kept our good news to ourselves a lot longer and honestly nobody in Dallas still knows I'm pregnant except for friends I see regularly.

- My favorite treat; plain M&Ms haven't been touched since week 5-- peanut M&M's were enjoyable for a little bit, but sweets are just to sweet. Chocolate doesn't taste right and the thought of ice cream makes me want to gag. I still have sweet tooth but nothing sounds good so it gets passed over almost every craving.

 - I'm still running relatively "fast"- with Hazel my pace slowed down right away and there was nothing I could do about it. Right now I'm running between 7:15 and 8:45 minute miles, the longer the run the faster the miles get. its kinda strange.

 ^15 weeks^

^20 weeks^

We are so excited to finally announce to friends and family that we are expecting another baby in early January! 

I had a hunch I might be pregnant after moving into our new apartment in Dallas and being exhausted for days afterwards! I mean moving is a lot of work, especially going up two flights of stairs- but I was so wiped out for days I just knew something was different. I didn't say anything to Brice because we tend to both get a little overwhelmed with pregnancy announcements so I waited until Brice's birthday to take a pregnancy test. I figured if it was negative no big deal and if it was positive- then it'd be the perfect surprise! 

Well, he loved his "birthday present" and couldn't believe that I had kept my mouth shut about my suspicions. 

*I tend to blab my feelings and concerns fairly quickly since being married :)

So here we are already 20 weeks along and today we found out we're having a BOY!!!