Running in Circles

This week brought exciting things!

 Brice and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary by spending a few fun days with our friends, Emily and Matt up at Bear Lake, Utah. We loved renting a see-do for the day, reading by the warm lake, and playing games in the evenings! One morning we drove up to the Minnetonka Cave and spent some time climbing 800+ stairs and being guided by a high schooler obviously enjoying her summer job! As soon as we started I turned to Emily and said, "Don't people climb stairs to help labor begin?"... i was a little nervous but we all survived. The cave was around 45 degrees which was basically an answer to a prayer- since being pregnant in the summer can get quite hot. We really enjoyed the cave and the time in the fresh air!

Driving home was quite the adventure too...we love it when the Jetta acts up and stalls every 78, 17, or 8 miles. Brice spent some time under the hood and hopefully we finally got it all figured it out.

Since being back in Utah we've been attending a Lamaze class every Wednesday night. I think we both have found it helpful and somewhat overwhelming, but we are feeling better and excited for a hopefully un-medicated birth. In a hospital. Let me make that clear!

Brice is staying busy with his job back on campus as they prep for New Student Orientation next week. I get to work for a few days for his office. It'll be fun to be "that pregnant lady" to all those freshmen kids about to start their college years.

I'm now 34 weeks pregnant and mostly enjoying it still everyday! Running is becoming harder, but it feels good after and is rewarding both physically and mentally. I really can't complain about too much other than an occasional back ache and feeling big, but I know it could be so much worse.
42 days and counting...

Lastly, Brice has been really into websites advertising all the deals going on and he happened to stumble upon one that he was nervous to tell me about. For about a year I've been researching digital SLR cameras and really trying to find the right one at a price we could afford. Well we found one! We bought the Canon Rebel a few hundred dollars cheaper than the original price and are both already loving the better quality. Better pictures to come in the future!

Brice and I both really loved spending our summer in Iowa. 

It was really nice to be able to spend so much time with his family and embrace the heat and humidity. Brice learned to enjoy his internship, and it was worth it because they basically offered him a future with the company. It was fun for me to see Brice wear "fancy" clothes to work instead of a t-shirt and shorts! Too bad I didn't get many pictures. 

We especially enjoyed the John Deere festivities. We loved spending so much time with Owen and Kent and miss them already! Thank you Doug and Lucinda for opening your home to us. And Doug, Thank you for the funnel cake!

Uncle Brice and Owen

The app on my phone says 72 days until my due date!

 That is making me all sorts of anxious.

 We're getting really excited to meet our baby girl, but on the other hand I'm starting to become overwhelmed. Sometimes it just doesn't seem real. 

I feel really lucky because I can't complain about too much. Sure I'm a hot and sweaty mess most of the time, but I'll blame it mostly on the summer heat wave and humidity of the Midwest. I've started getting some sciatica down my left side which is painful and good ol heartburn when I crawl into bed. Other than that though, I'm running everyday still, usually 6-10 miles and it feels so good. My belly is growing but isn't too uncomfortable and I am completely capable of putting on my own shoes and shaving my legs. 

Brice and I are enjoying our time in Iowa, and grateful to be spending so much time with his family. I think we're both anxious for this internship to be over though and make our way back to Provo. Brice has mixed feelings about his job here but we're both grateful for the opportunity. I'm enjoying a break from school and work but am feeling useless without a schedule to maintain. Oh yeah- and then there's the sleeping 10 hours a night at least thing... blame it on being 30 weeks pregnant I guess.

There really is no place like home. So two more weeks and we'll be back and excitedly putting together our baby's crib! 

Before There was a Bun in the Oven:

Before I got pregnant I was running 55-65 miles a week, for a few months straight. It felt so good and liberating and was definitely the easiest way for me to relax from school responsibilities. Then I got pregnant and ran a half marathon. I beat my personal record and placed for my division. I walked away with a whopping $15 cash prize. It-running that is was  about the numbers: how fast, how many miles, and how often. 

Almost 6 months Pregnant:

I run 5-6 days a week still and am still running 40-45 miles a week, but a whole minute or 1:30 slower. But it turns out- I still LOVE running. I love the endorphin rush, I love feeling accomplished, and I love feeling strong and healthy instead of achy and tired. I also love that I eat whatever I want after a run, and just convince myself that the sweet babe wanted it. Like licorice. RedVines lately are just amazing. The point is, and this is more for me to admit out loud than anything else, is running can be just as wonderful and just as healthy without being consumed with the numbers. I run to be healthy and to feel confident. Not to be competitive, with myself or anyone else.

It turns out I love running, but it's not who I am. I run. I love running.

 Note to self: Remember running is a wonderful part of my life, but it is not my life- it is not the reason I live!

Baby News:

At my last doctors appointment I got to see so many parts of our little girl. All four chambers of the heart. Major blood vessels. Her stomach. Bladder. Kidneys. He cute nose. All ten fingers and all ten toes.

She weighs an entire pound.

Life lately seems a bit off. 

Brice has happily settled into his internship and being at home in Iowa again. As for me, I've been staying really busy with 7 credits of classes, teaching Pilates every other day, several group projects, and missing Brice. I'm so grateful to be running everyday still and teaching Pilates comfortably. It's weird to glance in the mirror though and see a belly sticking out! This week is my halfway point through pregnancy! The last few weeks have been more energetic, more restful, and less sick. Every once and awhile something makes me sick but I'm enjoying eating. I haven't really had many cravings, but anything salty is still on the list. 

That's not true- Cracked Black Pepper and Sea Salt Kettle Chips are hitting the spot, probably too often. 

I'm really looking forward to the next few weeks when the babe's 

little room will get put together and I can start sewing some bedding.

 I miss my husband a lot. It's hard to be apart but we're already at the half-way point. 31 more days babe! 

Here's my bump at 20 weeks!