Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Just a quick update from me to check in and wish everyone a wonderful holiday. Our family has been so blessed this year with the addition of Brody to our family. We are simply in love with our son and are enjoying every minute of being parents. Well, not every minute, of course, but he is completely worth any hard moment we have experienced. It seems like forever since I have updated, so here are some shots of what we have been up to.

The family making silly faces in the mirror.


We all ran/walked the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving. Chad ran, while I walked with Brody. Chad ran back on the course to finish with us. Here is Brody getting ready to race on Auditorium Shores.


We have been forcing Brody to wear goofy hats. Here he is posing as an elephant.


Here we are in Brody's best brown hat...the one I bribed him with to come into the world.


Brody loves time with his Daddy. Here he is hamming it up for the camera on his Daddy's lap.


Other updates - I will be working full time only until the end of January. Beyond then, I will be a stay-at-home mom. I'm really looking forward to being able to be with Brody full time and am so thankful that Chad and I are going to make it work. Brody's head is misshapen from time in the womb and from being on his back, so he will be in a DOC band starting early January. Look forward to seeing cute pics of him in his 'helmet'. Chad is finishing the biggest work project of his career in the next month. I'm so proud of him for working so hard for himself and us. His first year owning his own company and working for himself has been successful, and I know he has worked very hard to make it so.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Gold Star!

Gold Star for me today! Why? Because I took my car to the dealer with Brody in tow for 5 1/2 hours this morning. Why? The check engine light came on over a week ago and it had to be done.

An 11-week-old. Howdy Honda Service Dept. Five and a half hours. You wouldn't wish it on your worst enemy. I forgot my snack. I had only the 2nd favorite pacifier, not the favorite. It was a recipe for disaster. However, if you have been to Howdy Honda lately, you know how awesome it is...coke/water/juice fridge, coffee pod maker, lots of space, lots of hand sanitizer, kids area, Krispy Kremes (that I did not eat).

Two feedings nursing in public, two diaper changes (one a poop blowout requiring a change of clothes), many laps around the dealer lot, many more laps around the gigantic air conditioned showroom, and whaddyaknow...I have an excellent baby. Brody was super good and only cried when he woke up for his feedings. I simply followed the routine we have at home...Eat, Play, Sleep...and Brody knew just what to do. He made loads of friends, though I wouldn't let any of them get too close. Thankfully, Chad was able to escape his job towards the end of my wait and bring me lunch and eat with me, so ultimately I did not starve.

Here are some pics of us waiting...

Poop Face--yes, he was literally pooping when I took this shot, though I wish I had a video of his face instead.

Super Smiley Brody

Silly Brody

Brody and Motherhood

I am not running right now. I thought I was ready, but turns out I'm not. Scheduling runs turned into a head game, actually, and I'm just enjoying life without running right now. So, let's talk about Brody and motherhood.

First, a picture.

This is his most recent picture and shows him trying to nap without a swaddle. Yeah, that only worked twice and has not worked since. I think he looks like Chad in this picture, which is a big deal because I have not seen Chad's features in Brody for most of the month of October. I think Brody looked just like my Dad for a while there.

• Brody is sleeping in his crib, which is the latest development in the Jones house. We moved him from the pack-n-play in the dining room to his nursery over the weekend. For those of you who have been to our house, especially since Brody's birth, you know how far the nursery is from our bedroom and how much of a move this is. Without a monitor, it is extremely difficult to hear him upstairs, and I would for sure not hear him cry in the middle of the night. The monitor can't be in our bedroom because I'm such a light sleeper, so we have found it best to put the speaker in the living room...it is loud enough for me to hear it in the middle of the night, but not too loud to keep me awake.
  
  
• Brody is huge. Officially dubbed a "bruiser" by the pediatrician, he weighed 12lb11.5oz at his 2 month check up on Oct 27. He weighs over 13 pounds as of today. Oddly enough, this is only in th 76% for weight, not in the 90-100%. So, bruiser, he is, but he isn't the biggest kid you've ever seen. He is in the 84% for both length and head circumference, though. :) Oh, and Brody was also declared "perfect" by the pediatrician, as well. I'm sure she has seen thousands of babies, so when she declares him "perfect", that is an expert's opinion, not just ours.
  
  
• We've been having a lot of issues with spit up. Brody spit up so much that it is causing a rash on his face going down his neck to the back of his head and back. Pretty much wherever spitup typically travels on a baby is marked by a pink crusty rash. He also spits up nasty curdled milk chunks (mostly digested milk) quite often, so I think maybe some of the digestive juices are to blame for the irritated skin. He spits up out of his mouth and nose and often chokes at the amount of fluid coming out of him. Really, it happens (-ed) all the time.
  
  What did the ped say? She doesn't think it is true reflux or GERD. She thinks he is being over-fed, meaning he is really efficient at draining my breasts and is taking in way more milk than he can handle. She called him a "piggy pig" this week and has asked me to make some changes in how I feed him. Brody gets 5-6 minutes of nursing, followed by a good burping try and a 15 minute wait before he can nurse again. Basically, we're trying to slow him down and feel full so that he is no longer "eating with his eyes" instead of his belly...you know that phrase we use to describe our overloading of dinner plates at Thanksgiving or at the all-you-can-eat buffet. Needless to say, Brody gets really pissed off after only 5-6 minutes because he is used to sucking away for as long as he likes. So far it is helping.
  
  We were also told to put him on his side or belly to sleep...ack! With the volumes he was spitting up, we were encouraged to put him in a position to better prevent the choking...apparently the risk from complications with his spit up and from SIDS at this point are about the same. Well, we tried the side sleeping (with all of the props and such that goes along with it) and will not continue that recommendation. Brody is a back sleeper and has been making himself (and us) miserable with his attempts to sleep on his side. He definitely does not like sleeping on his belly. Now that we have the spit-up reduced with the altered feeding times, we feel 100% comfortable leaving him on his back...he survived much worse spit-up on his back for two months. His head is slightly higher than his belly, so that also has improved things.
  
  
• What can Brody do now that he is a 10-week-old bruiser? He is supporting his head better and better these days, though he is still not as secure as he should be to start sitting in his Bumbo chair. He does really well over my shoulder at lifting up and looking around. He can push his chest up during tummy time, though he doesn't do it very often. He is awesome at tracking people and slow moving objects when they move across his path of vision. He coos and tries to 'talk' all the time, which we love to listen to. His smiles are also seen way more often than before and I think I caught a little giggle today :). Other than that, he's still a lump of a baby...sweet, but still eat, sleep, poop most of the time.

About motherhood...it is exhausting. I'm lucky to feed myself, get a shower, and take care of the baby all day, so if I can get out to the grocery, the bank, or the pharmacy, it is a great day. Chad is extremely busy at work, so six days out of the week, I'm running the Brody show mostly by myself. I have been battling post-partum depression, though now these days are much better than a few weeks ago. I did ask for help and feel better about myself now that I'm getting it. I needed to re-claim our little family life and routines and learn to set some boundaries with family members that are eager to help out. Now, if I can get through the holidays...:)

I'm also looking forward to taking more of the baby weight off. I'm down from 51 pounds over to only 17 pounds over. I know it will likely take the remaining 7 months of the "9 months on, 9 months off" people say to lose the next 17, and likely not all the way until I'm finished nursing Brody according to what everyone and the books say. Mostly it is exciting to see the number on the scale that I saw on our wedding day inching closer to reality...I will hit that number before I get back all the way down to pre-pregnancy weight. Oh, and to have some of my pajama pants fitting better, that is awesome, too!!

On a less self-absorbed note, I have been very thoughtful about circumstances that have been going on in different friends and family's lives. While I sometimes struggle with the adjustment to this new life with baby, I think of those who have struggles of their own. Friends and family who are grieving, who are dealing with sick family members, who are having financial issues, and who are just simply in difficult situations that they have no control over. We all try to make the best of the situation we're in, and luckily most of us are able to support one another through it all.

Thanks for reading and for caring.

I'm Back!

I know you missed me! I'm back to running officially. Have I technically been cleared to run after the birth of my son? No. My six week post-partum appointment is on Thursday, but the bleeding has stopped completely (meaning any hint of blood at all) and I'm taking the chance. They say to wait six weeks. I waited a 5 full weeks plus 2 days.

Yesterday I did 2.62 on foot, of which I ran at least 2 miles. Today I ran exactly 2 miles without stopping! Does it feel good? In so many ways, yes. In so many other ways, no.

• I need a new sports bra (or three or four) that supports these giant nursing breasts. They feel so heavy, and even the most supportive sports bra I own isn't enough...may have to wear two of my current bras at a time to support these ladies.
  
• I will have to run in my maternity bike shorts or my old running capris for some time until my legs are less flabby. I can fit into one pair of my old running shorts so far, but there is definitely some chafing action going on between the legs.
  
• Running with the baby is not something I can do right now - I have a BOB Ironman with infant car seat adapter, but you are not supposed to run/jog with the car seat because it is so top heavy. I have definitely been walking briskly with the baby in the BOB, but will not risk jogging with with him in the car seat. He won't be big enough to ride in the BOB without a car seat until 5-6 months if I am lucky. He needs good head support and simply needs to be bigger. So, what does that mean for me?? I have to run when someone is here to watch Brody. Chad is working long hours these days on a big project, so there aren't many hours in the day for Chad to be here and me not be here. The past two days I have been lucky and got to go out with Chad here at the house. My mom has volunteered to start watching him some in the morning if I want to run, and I have also gotten the same offer from my dad and Rose.
  
• Timing of the runs is tricky as well. Even if someone is here to stay with Brody, I still have to time the run around breastfeeding or Brody will be stuck without food (likely screaming and upset) until I get back. I do have some pumped milk available, but right now I'm only out for 30-45 minutes at a time, so it seems wasteful to thaw out the frozen milk. Plus, I really don't want Brody to have a bottle every single day this early (he technically only should have had his first bottle a week or so ago). It is still early in our breastfeeding days and I don't want to risk disruption to our really good start. Also, I still have to either feed him or pump immediately before a run, or I will have to run with even heavier breasts full of milk...ouch!
  
• For those of you curious about my post-pregnancy weight so far - When I became pregnant I weighed 145. On the day my water broke, I weighed 196 (51 pounds gained over the pregnancy - what I expected). In 5 weeks 3 days post-partum, I'm currently down 28 pounds, so I have 23 to go. I have not done anything to lose the 28 pounds except nurse and walk 2-3 times a week for 2-3 miles at a time. I can't diet to lose weight because I risk affecting my milk supply and/or quality. I try to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, proteins and other starches, and I'm definitely not eliminating fats at all. It is kind of fun eating sensible choices for foods and not having to worry about counting calories. I'm looking forward to being back in the 150s, then again in the 140s someday. Running at 168 is definitely an effort.

Thanks to those of you out there that followed the pregnancy and supported me along the way. I hope to join you again soon, though it still may be many months before I can run stride in stride with you fasties. In the meantime, don't say anything about my overhanging belly, my new big boobies bouncing, or my super slow gait. I'm putting in whatever effort I can to running, and hoping to reap the rewards!

Oh, and as a reward for reading, here's a picture of the cutest baby around, Brody. :)

Playing with me a week or so ago.

Taking his bath for the first time without screaming!

I'm a winner!

Ever enter a contest, but know that your chances of winning are slim to none? I did that this summer when Whole Foods had an essay contest looking forward to celebrating their 30th anniversary. I thought "What the heck, I'll submit an essay. I love Whole Foods" and went on about my day. When we're talking about essay, we're talking a 1500 character max essay, so it was fairly short. I realized that the birthday weekend was in September, just after our baby is to be born, and that the grand prize for me really wouldn't entail a 'trip to Austin' since I'm already here. I was just hoping that they would like my essay and pick me to get to participate in the VIP events for the weekend. I paid attention to the rules and how they would be choosing the essays and thought mine definitely fit the criteria.

You know what? I am one of the thirty selected winners! Just before I submitted my essay, I re-read what had been written and thought it was decent. I figured I had just as fair a shot of getting picked as anyone else, but I also knew there would be lots of essays for them to choose from. Turns out there were over 5000 entries and apparently mine stood out. Yes, I'm proud of myself. Getting picked from a random draw is cool in itself, but to win something based on a skill rather than pure luck feels even better.

Do I have a copy of what I wrote? NO! It was an online form and I forgot to copy and paste into my word processor to save a copy. Grr! Oh well. I think at some point I'll get to see my essay again. They might even feature it on their WFM blog.

I'm excited to participate in the birthday weekend festivities with Chad (and the baby). There is something each day that I'm looking forward to. Yay me!

Quote from death row

"But every person is more than the worst thing they have ever done, and I am no exception."
- David Lee Powell

Running friend Tony Plohetski has been covering the story of the execution of death row inmate David Lee Powell. No matter your position on the death penalty, this quote rings true. I was completely moved by it. Tony was a media witness at the execution on Tuesday (most recent story is here). Well done Tony.

No more running

I'm to the point in the pregnancy where my body does not want to run. I probably could run if someone made me, but it is beyond the point of comfort. Heck, I get to about 30 minutes of walking and I have to pee so bad it is painful. Beyond the bladder compression issues, the muscles in my lower abdomen start to ache at the end of a walk and I have had two episodes of Braxton Hicks contractions during walks recently. No worries. I don't mind shorter, easier episodes of exercise. I'm thankful that my back does not hurt (knocking on wood) nor do I have any other sciatica or nerve issues in my pelvis or legs (knocking on wood again). Those issues are extremely common during pregnancy.

Yesterday afternoon I went to the gym and walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes while I read my book club book. I tried to then get on a stationary bike (this time a recumbent), but my abdomen really hates the bike and only let me do about 7 minutes on it. I can't do the regular upright bike or the recumbent without significant discomfort. So, I got back on the treadmill and walked another 15 minutes. Not bad.

As much as I love running, I must say that walking at the gym while reading is pretty nice as well. I think getting to use the other side of my brain while exercising is really relaxing. Usually I spend my time running either completely zoning out or using the time to think through and work through any stressors of the day. Reading a book on an air-conditioned treadmill made me actively focus on something else, while at the same time feeling doubly productive - I got my workout in plus 40 pages of my book club book. Awesome!

Oh, and a random detail that I was thinking about just now...when you are pregnant, you need to know if you are Rh+ or Rh-. The + or - at the end of your blood type, right? Well, I'm O+, a pretty common blood type. You know what Chad is? The complete opposite of me, AB-. For some reason I find that fitting. I'm curious to find out what our baby's blood type is.

Random Thoughts

As an attempt at non-baby thinking today, I thought I'd share...

• I really like our neighborhood, especially the fact that Bambi and all of his many friends live here and roam the streets.
• Lost killed me last night. I cried. It was fitting. It made sense. I just didn't want it to happen. Chad said 'It is LOST, so you never know', when discussing what might eventually happen with those two characters by the last episode. (trying not to spoil anything for anyone who hasn't seen it)
• Chad's favorite character on Glee is Brittany. She is so funny. Whoever does the writing for her lines is a genius. I like Kurt because he is quite a bit more complex, but Brittany is a close second.
• I really want to learn how to knit. Holly, I said I would email you about it, but clearly I have procrastinated. I will email you soon. In the meantime, I may need to visit a craft/fabric store.
• We're doing better now with the passing of Beans. Both Miko and Felicia seem to have moved on and are enjoying their new routines. They have been very sweet to us and each other.
• We tried the new restaurant in the Arboretum (Saks/Starbucks side) called Newk's last night. They sent us a postcard for a free Big Crispy treat, so we went and had dinner. Chad liked his pizza (it smelled divine), and I thought my salad was pretty good. They are still learning the ropes over there, so if you go, know that. We got our free rice crispie treat, which was yummy, and were also given a free piece of strawberry cake to try. I tasted the icing and it was delish! Chad seemed to enjoy it. Newk's is an order at the register and take your number to your seat kind of place. They have sandwiches, salads, soups, and thin-crust pizzas. We like places where you don't necessarily have to tip and can eat a full, non-fast food tasting meal for under $20 for the two of us.
• I wonder if I'll be able to run Boston next year. I'm qualified. I would like to complete the distance and get the experience of doing it again, not to worry about my finish time at all. Chad is qualified, too, and it will be the first time we are able to run it at the same time.

That's all I have to say for now. Carry on.

obsessions

Most of you reading can relate to being obsessed with running. You think about your race, your goal time, your workouts, what you wear, what you eat, what pace you are running, how your body feels. These are all common things that we runners like to think about, talk about, and obsess over (some of us more than others). We obsess over our times and force ourselves to run without a watch. We obsess over distance and force ourselves to just run for a certain amount of time. We've all been there.

Some of us obsess about food. We think about how much or little we're eating. We think about if we're eating healthy or junk food. We count calories. We eat with reckless abandon, not worrying about the calories. We seek out restaurants that fit our own particular 'foodie' needs.

I'm obsessed. I'm starting to 'nest'. This whole nesting thing they pin on pregnant women has little to do with actually preparing the physical part of the baby's living space. No, nesting is rather an obsession of the pregnant mind. Ask me what I think about when I'm not consciously trying to focus on work - and believe me when I tell you that work focus takes lots of effort these days. What am I thinking about? Pretty much everything baby-related.

Being pregnant in general - how big I am, what I'm feeling in my belly, is my belly bigger than last week, is this position that I'm sitting in or standing in good for the baby, what am I going to eat next that is good for the baby, when am I going to fit in my exercise today, do these clothes still fit, do I need more maternity clothes, did I take my vitamin, did I do my birthing class homework....
Preparing for baby's arrival - do we have our lists/registries ready, what are we going to have to buy for ourselves, what do we really need, what do we really want, do I know what insurance will cover, we really need to order our glider if we're going to get one, diapering, baby care stuff, breastfeeding stuff, reading books, thinking about our classes, the actual labor and delivery...wow, we're really going to have a baby.
Preparing the house - we need to get rid of stuff, we need to re-do the closet, why is it so darn cold in here, wow we have so much stuff yet to bring in the house, we really need to get rid of stuff...

The thoughts go on and on. The oddest thought that I had recently (don't judge, just laugh) - "We're going to have a baby. It is going to come out of my body and be there and we can't put it back. You can't 'undo' a baby."

I'm obsessed. 95% of what I think about is baby related. It is also completely uncontrollable. My mind just goes there, and from what I'm told is completely normal. It is nesting.

For those of you who talk to me sometime in the next many months - I really will try to think of something other than the baby to talk about with you. I love hearing about what everyone else is doing. If you want to talk to me about something other than baby-related things, I'm all ears and will eagerly break out of my nesting mind-set to try to be a 'normal' person to talk to.

More preggos

My count is at 34 (due Jan-Oct 2010) including the next five ladies...

Ashley G
Kris E's wife
Steph W
Jane W
Katy TJ

I mean business.

Don't mess with me today. I have been wronged multiple times by a local furniture delivery company in the past week and I am on fire! I have filed a complaint with the BBB - with which the company currently has an 'A' rating. Shocking to me.

See, I do not get treated poorly. If a company is going to treat me poorly, I will not associate with them. If they try to make amends, fine, I'll listen to reason and potentially give them a second chance. However, if they try to mislead me more than once, I am done.

In this situation, I will not patronize the store that uses this particular delivery company either, which is a shame because it is the main baby superstore here in Austin and where my mom works. I have also written a letter to the furniture maker, expressing my disappointment in their association with this store (their 'exclusive dealer') due to their unsatisfactory delivery practices...see if I want any additional matching pieces to the two we already have, including the conversion kits that turn the crib into a toddler bed or full size bed, then we have to purchase it at that baby superstore. grr...

Watch out, people. I'm on a roll today.

If there are any of you strong enough to help Chad move the heavy dresser up one flight of stairs, can you please email me? Your assistance might be needed if this doesn't resolve. We can pay you with beer, pizza, or just continue to appreciate you as a helpful friend. :)

High Mileage Mama!

I had a 'high mileage' day yesterday!!! My total for the day was 6.45 miles! I walked 2 in the morning. After work, Tara came over and we did the 1:30 walk/1:00 run workout for 3 miles (she is coming off of a hip stress fracture - yikes!) and then walked easy together for another 1.4-1.5.

I didn't even realize how far it all was until we were walking at the end.

Yes, I had a water bottle with me the whole time and make an effort to drink to stay hydrated. As a result, I had to pee 4 times in the middle of the night.

Woohoo for 'high mileage'!

Emotional Day

First, let me say that I'm not complaining in any way whatsoever about this sweet baby that I'm carrying. We are so lucky to be pregnant and with a child that as far as we can tell is healthy and thriving. This post has nothing to do with the completely blessed life that I'm fully aware that I have.

Today, however, was hard on me emotionally. I almost threw in the towel and crawled back into bed.

1. We received the news that we're having a little boy. I knew it. I was prepared for it. I'm going to have to take a day or so to let it sink in, that's all. I will be honest in saying that I was hoping that all of the boy signs would be wrong and that she would tell us 'It's a girl!' today.
   
2. Not more than 15 minutes later, I was told by my doctor that I'm too fat. She didn't say it in those words, but she definitely had a frank discussion with me that I am too heavy right now compared to my starting weight. I freaked out and cried and was a blubbering mess. It was really hard to hear, even though I'm completely aware of how much I weigh and know that she is only looking after my health. According to the charts, I have gained too much (almost as much as some women gain in their entire pregnancy) and by gaining too fast I'm putting myself at risk for complications later on. If only I could really control it better. I'm eating a variety of foods and exercising 3-5 times a week moderately, so she told me to stick with it. She suggested two things to focus on so that I don't feel like I have to 'diet' - cut back on simple sugars where I can and do my exercise after I eat. I'll try to do better on those two items, but warned her that I really might just gain weight easily and be 50+ pounds heavier at full term.
   
   The weight thing wouldn't be such an issue if I hadn't gotten up extra early to get my workout in before my weigh in. I also was sure to have caffeine in my tea to help me poop to lighten my load. It is absolutely sick that I feel like I need to work out and be as light as possible before going to the doctor simply to avoid being called out about my weight. I am hard enough on myself when I'm not pregnant.
   
3. One of the pieces of nursery furniture was being delivered today (which we specifically paid to have delivered because of how heavy it is) and they only sent one man to lift it. He arrived with the news that their policy was to only bring the item in the door, not bring it upstairs. I told him that we would not have paid for it to be delivered at all if it couldn't be delivered upstairs. He said that he and another person would be back on Monday to take it upstairs, but right now it is sitting in our front hallway.
   
4. Immediately after the delivery mishap, I was driving out of the neighborhood and a squirrel darted out under my car. I was afraid of killing it, but had no idea I could do worse....I only hit a little bit of him, so he wasn't killed instantly. When I looked back in my mirror to see if I had hit him, he was flailing around and stuck in the road in pain. I freaked out, screaming and crying, a total hormonal mess, and had to pull over the car. The squirrel did die, but his horrible painful death was my fault.

It was not a good day for me emotionally.

From that point on, things have resolved. I had an endocrinologist appointment and my thyroid levels are good. She also said that she had the opposite opinion of my doctor in terms of my weight. She likes to know that her patients are gaining weight so that she knows their hormones are in balance. She thought I was doing well and told me not to worry. I love her for saying that. She also confessed to her own initial disappointment in having a boy first, but that it turned out to be the best thing for her family. She said boys end up becoming good big brothers to their little sisters...made me feel good.

My mom and I also went shopping for baby boy clothes and bought all kinds of cute things - all either on sale, from a consignment store, or with a coupon. We got lots of things for little dough!

quote from colleague

...who is doing an IM 70.3 this weekend.

"I feel ready for the swim and bike but I honestly have not done any run training. I know going in that it is going to be a run/walk/amble. I am hoping to finish in one piece with not too much chafing."

Seems like he is being realistic. Hopefully he remembers body glide for his transition bags. Not that I do triathlons, but I have so been there with the 'not too much chafing' goal.

Love it.

mad at wheat

I'm so pissed at myself. The past 16 hours have been really tough for me. See, I have been slowly been giving myself permission to eat bits of wheat again when I feel like 'the baby wants it'. It started with one biscuit many weeks ago, then a slice or two of 'real pizza' from Papa Johns and has escalated to the point where during vacation I thought it would be okay to have things like sandwich bread, pita bread, half of a muffin, carrot cake (shared), and cookies on the plane. See, my logic was that wheat tends to give me the same symptoms that I have been dealing with recently because of the pregnancy, so if I was going to have to suffer with gas, bloating and intestinal discomfort anyhow, I might as well get to eat the good stuff.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Bad decision. Monday - Pita bread - just gas. Tuesday - 1/2 muffin, sandwich bread at lunch, 1/2 carrot cake slice at dinner, biscoff cookies on plane - gas, intestinal discomfort, bloating. Wednesday - 2/3 foccacia bread pizza at dinner - it almost killed me. I was so miserable. I think the increase in wheat over the past three days caused a corresponding increase in symptoms. I could not sleep. I was in pain. I was swollen. I was in pain. I had the worst bloating and gas since before I decided to go wheat-free last year.

I'm so sorry body. I will do better. If the baby wants 'real' bread, I'll try to tell the baby no. I will not eat bread just because it makes restaurant choices easier. I may slip up and have another biscuit, because let's face it, they are damn good. But really, I'll choose better.

Physically, this has been the worst 16 hours since last year. I'm absolutely miserable right now. Ugh.

Jones Family Humor - Masters Edition

Day 1 of the Masters
Chad enters my office and sees our cat Miko resting on the windowsill - trying to lure her into his office says to Miko, "You know, in my office you can watch the Masters Live. It's like getting to watch birdies.....and eagles.......but eagles are scary..............................You like watching birdies."

We bust out laughing, not at the typical play-on-words humor of cats liking golf because they like to see birdies. No, the unexpected comment, "Eagles are scary" had us cracking up. Miko definitely does not like watching eagles.

In case you are wondering, our cats also have their favorite players that they like to root for when we watch golf -

Felicia always takes Tiger Woods.
Miko roots for Mickelson
Beans would always root for Ben Curtis.

Me? This year I plan to pull for Padraig Harrington. He is my newest favorite player. I still love me some Adam Scott, Justin Leonard, love Phil Mickelson as well, but Paddy is my new favorite.

Chad likes lots of players.

the past few years

Man, time sure does fly when you're having fun! Here we are in 2010 and I have taken a moment to look back at the past five years. So much can change in a short period of time.

2010 - Chad and I spent our first Easter together in Austin after traveling for four years in a row. We are expecting our first child. Neither one of us is training for a specific race right now. Chad now owns his own construction business and we both work out of the house.

2009 - We went to the Masters this weekend in April 2008 and Chad got to meet a bunch of my extended family. I was completing my first training season with Team Rogue and had just started tapering for Nashville. We were also now living in our first house together.

2008 - Chad and I had just gotten back from our honeymoon and he moved into my condo in South Austin. We would register for St. George again this April and I would train with Mac over the summer. Chad qualified for and ran Boston 2008, despite our wedding and honeymoon getting in the way of his training.

2007 - Visiting Tara in NYC this time in April. Chad had not yet proposed. He had not yet qualified for Boston, so we opted to not go that year even though I could have technically run it. I was running with Mac's PR for the 5k/10k group at the time, and we were planning to sign up for Ruth's BQ group for the fall marathon training. We registered to go to St. George again. I had quit teaching and started my current job in January of 2007.

2006 - Tapering for Boston. I had one of my best groups of students that year in school. I had been dating Chad for about 8 months.

2005 - just entered the lottery for St. George. I was running in the PR for 5k/10k group that spring and was planning to do the fall marathon training. Note: I was two months away from meeting Chad.

Thank You Easter Bunny!!!

The Easter Bunny visited me for the first time in many, many years! I
love white chocolate!

Exercise!!

Guess what? In the past week, I have exercised five days! This is the most exercise I have done in a long time. You should be very proud of me. What did I do, you ask?

Sat - Prenatal Yoga (1 hr 15 min)
Sun - really long hike (2hr 42 min)
Tues - walk 1:30/run 1:00 (3 miles)
Wed - easy walk (2.4 miles)
Thurs - moderate paced walk on TLT (55 min - probably 3.5-3.7 miles)

It doesn't look like much, but it is something. Distance is distance, and I did at least 14 miles this week in 4 days. That is more than a lot of people in our city do each week for fitness, plus I did yoga. Time doesn't matter. I can assure you that I'm breathing moderately hard within my limits and the pressure of the bump on my bladder is part of the slowness factor.

I'm also excited about the new shorts and capri pants I received in the mail. See, very few of my running shorts fit over my huge ass. I may look somewhat proportioned in my maternity clothes, but when you see me trying to fit into my regular clothes, you can tell how much my body has changed. Running shorts and pants just don't fit the same anymore, even with elastic waistbands. Those that have a waistband that I can still fit into and manipulate hit my belly right in the middle and compress the bump in a not-so-flattering way so that I have to do the 'roll-down'. The roll-down then hits so low on my widened hip area such that I have a huge muffin top from behind. That and the seat of the shorts/pants is stretched to the fullest. Oh, and I forgot to mention that my 'maternal storage' in the thigh area has gotten large enough so that my thighs now permanently rub together and cause riding up of the shorts in the crotch area. It is not pretty, folks.

Anyhoo, I found some awesome maternity workout shorts and capris that do not cut into my bump or back fat, nor do they ride up in the middle. They are a sturdy material and worth the money that I spent for 4 1/2 more months of feeling good about myself. If they make working out that much more bearable, I figured it was worth it to get a couple pairs.

If you see me out and about working out, tell me my body looks good and to keep up the good work. I need all of the encouragement I can get. (oh and Nedra and Dionn...your comments on FB last Saturday were wonderful for my self-esteem and I didn't say Thank You!!)

Additions to the Prego list

more who will deliver sometime between now and Oct 31.

Katie H

Jennifer W

Sarah A

Laura BT

I expect more to be added...I swear there is a boom right now.

My Sweet Angel

Dear Sweet Beans,

I miss you so much tonight. My heart is aching right now, wishing I could pet your sweet face. I hope you are in kitty heaven right now, purring, eating, and cuddling up on a soft blanket. I wish you were right beside me.

I am heartbroken, missing you. You were the only witness to so many moments of my life. You helped me become the adult that I am and saw me change through many of the biggest years of my life. You were there for me on so many nights when I was all by myself, feeling like my life would always be lonely. I never felt lonely with you there. You saw me through the end of my college years. You saw my first years of teaching and were there to join me in the home office when my career took a change. You saw my first apartment and every single other place that we lived together as a pair. You saw me love and get my heart broken, and when I finally found Chad, you loved him too. You offered comfort, taught me patience, made me laugh when I didn't think I could. You were my little man, and I can't believe you are gone.

A huge piece of my life died yesterday and this hole in my heart weighs heavier than I thought was possible. I hope your last moments were of comfort and that you know how beloved you were to all of us.

I love you little man. I miss you every moment.

Love always,

Mama

Beans Jones (May 1998-March 2010)

http://beansisagoodkitty.blogspot.com

So many pregos

There has got to be a serious baby boom going on. If Iwere to try to list all of the women I know who have either given birth since Jan 1 or are due sometime between now and mid October, I would miss a few because there are just so many...sheesh! Some of these folks are out of town and are people that I may not have all that regular contact with if it weren't for FB, but you have to agree that it is a long list of pregos. (sorry if I missed anyone)

Holly S
Anne O
Ami H
Lisa U
Kim MG
Tara H
Elise C
Tiffany B
Tom O's wife
Shana L
Dana B
Trista H
Kristin B
Christie B
Erin D
Jennifer L
Nichole S
Tammy S
me
Kristy from work
Traci B
Valerie N
Wyoming S
Steve G's wife
Erin M

Beans Update - hopeful

Wow, today did not go how I thought it would go. Two Fridays ago, Beans went in for his transfusion and his PCV was 17. Last week at his checkup on Wednesday, his PCV had dropped a little to 15. I prepared myself for this medicine to not take effect. Beans has been hanging in there personality-wise, staying social with the other kitties and coming to get petted from Chad and me. He seemed to enjoy his little routines throughout the day. All of that, until the past 36 hours...he has vomited twice, started hiding this morning, and seemed to be uncomfortable on his hind legs (a new symptom).

I went to the vet worried and expecting horrible news. I was prepared for his PCV to be down to 10-12 and for us to have the discussion about putting Beans down. I expected the worst. What we got instead was different news...

Beans's PCV went up! Well, without getting overly excited, it went back up to 16-17, so it didn't go up all that much, but it is the first time in a month that it has gone up! Even Dr. Faught expected the number to go down. It was such a pleasant surprise!!! So, we wait another week to confirm that he is continuing to respond to the Chlorambucin. In the meantime, instead of going to extreme measures to determine the cause of the discomfort in his legs, we're going to give him some pain meds to see if the pain goes away on its own. If he still has the spine/leg pain after the meds, then we can talk. That will likely involve an MRI or CT scan (more expenses), so we need to know that his blood counts are going up and that he might beat this IMHA before we spend a bunch of extra money. If we were lottery winners or had a ton of money to throw around, I would have him start looking into the leg pain today just in case.

I'm excited about giving Beans his new drugs tonight. He also got a new anti-emetic to help with the vomiting. He seems to do best when he is on one that is working, so that combined with the pain meds should make for one calm and happy cat.

Oh my gosh I'm trying not to get my hopes up!

Out and About

We have had simply fabulous weather for the past week in Austin, and I'm proud to admit that I went outside to enjoy it almost every day, even if it wasn't for exercise. Today, Chad and I put on our trail shoes and went to the greenbelt to hike. I offered to start at any trailhead he wanted to, so we both picked the Hill of Life (off of Scottish Woods Dr, if you are not familiar). The sun was out, 75-80 degrees, light breeze, just perfect! We descended the hill and checked out the water, which was flowing well. Plenty of people were out swimming, walking dogs, and kayaking, but it didn't seem overcrowded.

We hiked the flat creekside trail to the left and made it to Scupture Falls. During the hike we were able to see a group of three kayakers go down the series of small waterfalls on the way. We also saw them navigate Sculpture Falls in front of a large crowd of onlookers who were out sunbathing, drinking, swimming, and tossing balls to their dogs. I don't think I have ever seen kayakers do rapids/falls like that live (not on tv). It was really cool!

I'm proud of myself for making it up the HOL without stopping (except for two seconds to pet a couple of dogs). I didn't run it, of course, but I did have a pretty steady pace the whole way. Woohoo! For those of you who don't know what the HOL is, it is a huge hill (not sure how long it is, but I would guess somewhere between .6 and .8 mile) and is quite steep and rocky. We used it week after week all summer long to do hill repeats when we trained for Pikes Peak. I have much respect for the hill and can proudly say that if I wasn't pregnant and if we were both walking, I could probably beat most of you who are reading this up the hill Anyhow, it brought back at least one positive memory of Pikes Peak training, the most miserable summer of training I have ever experienced.

Beans on Monday (with pic)

I know you want to know how Beans is doing today. So far, he is doing okay. This past weekend was interesting getting to reacqaint ourselves with his regular personality. The new anti-nausea/anti-vomiting drug he is on (Reglan) has been working like a charm. Beans has been consistently interested in food since Friday evening and ate like a champ all weekend.

One issue that we discovered this weekend is the fact that Beans's new appetite means that he now fully exhibits the signs of an anemic cat...he started trying to eat his cat litter. He has been so nauseated and sick so far that he hadn't really been interested in eating anything, but now that his interest in food has come back, the litter was definitely a surprise to us. If you have never heard of this or think it is gross, google 'pica'. It is a symptom found in anemic animals (as well as pregnant women) when they are trying to get certain minerals into their diet. As you can imagine, it is quite dangerous, especially when we use clumping litter. We immediately replaced the clay litter with the 'Feline Pine' litter so that Beans wouldn't become even more sick. Honestly, I'm still watching him for any signs that he may be 'plugged up', but so far it doesn't appear that he got very much litter in his system. Don't worry, I haven't had any tendencies towards pica during this pregnancy either.

Chad and I purchased some very high quality canned food for Beans at Bark n Purr. We also got a supplement to add to his food in order to try to give him plenty of iron in his diet. The goal is to get him the highest quality food with high levels of iron to try to get him producing red blood cells more easily while the new drug takes effect. Ultimately we need the new drug to suppress his lymphocytes, while his own body to continue to produce new red blood cells.

Beans also got a new bed! He has been feeling so weak and after practically two weeks spent hiding in our closet, I figured he would like a new cushion to rest on. Costco had a super soft bed for 15 bucks that I had already spotted last month, so when we passed by it in the store, I grabbed it and immediately knew Beans would love it. Chad and I joked about how folks buy pet beds with the best intentions and the cat/dog wants nothing to do with it. I think he figured that we would put the bed down in the house and it would sit, empty, while our cats continued to lounge on our chairs, the carpet, or on our bed. Nope. Not Beans! I sprinkled some catnip in the bed and he knew exactly what to do...

He loves it! Beans is actually sitting in it right next to me now as I'm typing, punching (milking) the padded sides and purring. I love this kitty!

Beans on Friday

He got his second blood transfusion today, this time from 18.5 pound kitty donor Jasmine. When I picked him up, his nose was so much pinker than it was this morning, I was startled to realize how pale he actually had been. He has been meowing and eating since he got home (a half can of fancy feast in his belly now), and overall is much happier. This will likely only last a few days, but it sure nice to see him comfortable.

Beans is now on Chlorambucil (Leukeran), which had to be specially compounded for him at the pharmacy today. It came in its own special warning bag stating 'chemotherapy drug' that also contained a latex glove to wear when handling it. I bought extra gloves at the pharmacy for both Chad and I to wear if we need it. The pharmacist assured me that even without all of the extra precautions we are taking, I would be fine coming into contact with the intact pills as long as I thoroughly wash my hands. If a pill breaks open for some reason, we would need to be more careful. Either way, Chad is going to learn how to give Beans the pills and we'll both have on gloves as backup protection.

He also got a new antinausea drug that is supposed to work better than the last one he was on. Woohoo! I told the doctor that if these were the last days for Beans, I definitely wanted him to be able to enjoy his single greatest joy in life - eating food!

Yay for Beans! Now we cross our fingers and wait. While we wait, I'm going to try to smother him with kisses and pets.

yup, another Beans update

Beans had his abdominal ultrasound. Part of me did think that maybe he just wanted to experience what 'mom' experienced with the whole ultrasound bit. They didn't find anything, which was honestly a big relief. I had prepared myself to hear that they had found tumors or some other kind of untreatable diagnosis. At least with finding nothing, we can focus solely on his bloodwork without worrying about some other underlying condition.

After receiving the antinausea/appetite stimulant med on Tuesday, he had a very active next 24 hours. He ate very well and had definitely perked up in the personality department. He also started meowing for food and as an 'answer' to many of the things I was asking him. He is pretty cute about talking back and having a conversation, though not as verbal as Chad's cat Felicia. By Wednesday afternoon, however, he was back to being a zombie. He still seemed interested in food, though he could hardly take any food in.

I did some research online (yes, I know, that is not always a good idea), but found some good suggestions for trying to get him interested in eating more. Instead of giving him canned salmon this afternoon, I poured a little bit of the can juice into his dry food. It worked like a charm to get him eating, but he did struggle a bit. He vomited the first part of it back up, but after I cleaned it up, he went to the bowl again and ate some more (probably about a teaspoonful). Some food is better than no food. I plan to have a variety of foods and 'tricks' available over the next few days.

Tomorrow he goes back in to the vet for a blood test and likely another transfusion. We then will talk about the next drug he will start to treat with. I'm a bit scared of the next step because many of the drugs that are left are quite dangerous to him as well as me. I'm not allowed to handle them because they are dangerous to the pregnancy, so Chad will get to learn the fine art of giving pills to Beans. I know he can do it, but I think he is a bit concerned. I'm also concerned because there is at least one drug available for treating him to where I can't even come into contact with Beans's fecal matter or urine (not that I have been doing litter box duty), but I'm also concerned about fecal and urine particles getting into our house and onto his fur. I'm afraid to pet him. I wonder about coming into contact with his saliva. Anyhow, I'm terrified.

I hate this, and am still very sad about the whole situation.

Pic from this weekend - happy Beans

Here we are on the recliner sometime this weekend. Beans is sprawled out on my lap, 'milking' the blanket, and purring (for the first time since he became ill). Miko is chilling in her spot at the top of the recliner. Beans stayed on my lap for a good 30-45 minutes and I loved every second of it. Notice in the background the collection of books - a few for entertainment, most for baby-prep.

Beans Update 3-2-2010

I'm feeling very sad about all of this. Beans has not been doing well. He continues to be lethargic and has had trouble with his appetite. Poor guy isn't responding to the meds he is on. Today at his vet appointment we had the serious talk with the vet. Beans's blood count is back down to 12.5 (from 15 - needs to be at 30), which is close to the level of needing another blood transfusion. The sad and scary thing is that his weight is down to 10.2 pounds (loss of over 2 pounds in last 2 weeks).

The bad news is that ultimately another transfusion may not guarantee Beans all that much extra time because he has not been responding to the two immunosuppressant drugs he is taking. This is our current plan -

• abdominal ultrasound - to try to identify whether there is anything abnormal causing the IMHA (particularly something like cancer or other things that would be more difficult to treat)
• if ultrasound comes back with nothing identified, then we do the blood transfusion and start the third immune suppressant drug
• third immune suppressant drug may take some time to become effective, so we wait to see if he responds. If he doesn't, there is not much else we can do
• if ultrasound comes back identifying something else bad that is difficult to treat in addition to his IMHA, we may be facing a sad decision.
• in the meantime, to help him with his appetite and to hopefully prevent further weight loss, Beans will take an appetite stimulant/anti-nausea medicine in addition to his other pills. He is also allowed to eat anything he wants and was sent home with 2 cans of Fancy Feast (kitty crack - pretty much the fattiest, luscious food that sick cats tend to want to try to eat).

I cried in front of the doctor. I knew I would this time. He was very nice and felt so sad for me, too. I predict more tears to come, but maybe Beans will shock us all.

Snow at our House (by 11:20 am)

More Beans Updates

Last time we spoke was last Wednesday and Beans was doing well the day after his blood transfusion. Jump to Friday morning - we took him back in to get his blood levels rechecked. The goal is always to have the levels go up. The vet was concerned on Friday because his level was at 15 (normal is 30+), so he recommended he come back in on Saturday to check again. If Beans was going to be declining, we didn't want it to go all weekend unchecked. He also called one of the internal medicine specialist vets, who recommended Beans start a second immunosuppressant drug. Total med count = 3.

Saturday - His blood level, thankfully did not go down, but also did not go up either. Beans was sitting at 15 again. The vet mentioned to us that his heart rate was high and listed some side effects and complications that were possible on the new medication. Specifically, we were to be looking out for loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, and panting. Don't know if you know this, but cats really aren't supposed to pant, unlike dogs. We were optimistic about the 15 - at least it didn't go down - and we were prepared to let Beans go into mid-week this week without a trip to the vet.

Sunday - On Sunday night while Chad and I were watching the Olympics, we heard a horrible wretching sound from the other room. Turns out Beans was puking up the biggest load of cat food I have ever seen! Really, the main pile of partially digested food was the size of a kitten. He managed to make two or three piles for us to clean up before he went into the living room to calm down. Chad and I turned to look over at him and he was sitting with his eyes glazed over like a zombie, panting like crazy. My poor buddy was exhibiting all the side effects we had been warned about by the vet on Saturday. I sat with him and put him on his side to relax, while his poor exhausted body continued to heave and pant. Inside I was freaking out and I burst into tears. I really thought he was going to die right there in front of me. Turns out he just needed a breather after puking up such a huge load of food, because after a few seconds of me crying, he popped right up and scurried into the other room. We spend the rest of the evening listening to him try to eat more food and watching him enter and leave the living room, trying to be social.

Monday - Beans seemed to do okay overnight. I wasn't all that worried about him since he hadn't vomited again overnight. It was all okay that is, until about 10:00am when we heard him wretching again. He managed to puke four or five times, sharing the love in our bedroom and upstairs on the landing. Of the newly carpeted areas in our house, he only has the living room, the guest bedroom, and Chad's office left to christen with puke. He has hit four other separate room already. I made an appointment with the vet and just got back. His blood level, thankfully is still holding steady at 15, though we do need for it to start going up soon or we'll have to discuss further treatment options. Our plan is to assume that the vomiting is caused by the new drug that he has started - his body should adjust to the medication and the vomiting should stop in a day or so. Beans got an anti-nausea shot from the vet today that should make it to where he is comfortable for the next 24+ hours, hopefully giving him another day to adjust to the new immunosuppressant medicine.

Oh and for the record - Beans is very skinny. His once 18.6 pound frame was brought down into the 13 pound range with a strict diet and exercise over several years. He has hovered around 13 pounds for a few years. Last week he weighed 12.1 pounds. Today he weighed 11.4. I freaked out when I heard the number. He hasn't weighed that little since he was a kitten.

I'm trying to be realistic. I know full well that this disease might kill him. I'm prepared financially to do one more blood transfusion and a couple of other drug options before talking about him really dying. I have already broken down several times at the thought of losing my little man. He is my main little dude. The other cats in our house do not love me like he does. It will take a long time to develop another relationship with an animal that comes close to the relationship I have with Beans. I have already saved his life when he was a young cat...he better keep fighting while I try to save his life again.

Beans Update and a pic of me

First, Beans. He did receive the blood transfusion yesterday and his red blood cell count rebounded into the lower part of the normal range. The doctor felt like he could come home last night and continue through the week with us monitoring him at home. We are still giving him Prednisone twice a day, now with an additional antibiotic as back up for an infection that they screened for. He came up negative for the infection, but our vet conferred with another vet at the office and they both agreed it would not hurt Beans to take the antibiotic just in case the infection was somehow missed.

He felt so much better last night. How do I know? He ate more. He visited us in the living room. He meowed at us more. He hissed and growled like his normal self when he had had enough petting. He jumped on the couch several times and insisted that I pet him, which he had not done in days, and also which had me beaming and almost on the verge of joyful tears. He continues to do well today...the coloring in his gums is still pink, so hopefully we can make it until Friday before visiting the vet again. We are scheduled to have him go in Friday for a recheck on his blood levels. Hopefully they will still be in the normal range.

And for me...some of you have seen me lately hiding in my big puffy coat. I am definitely rounder than I used to be. Here is my first public preggo shot in my maternity jeans in front of our house.

with the good comes the bad

Amidst all of the excitement of hearing our baby's heartbeat yesterday, our little family had a different kind of drama going on. My sweet kitty Beans had been feeling a bit under the weather and started to refuse food (even canned food) and withdraw. Our big boy never refuses food, so when he hadn't eaten and started to hide in our closet, I knew it was time to take him in to the vet yesterday. Of course, I was hoping it was just a little cold, but deep down I was expecting really bad news.

We got bad news. Beans apparently has IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia) - google IMHA if you are curious - which basically means his body is attacking his red blood cells as a sort of immune response. His red blood cell count was dangerously low and the doctor suggested he might need a blood transfusion. We started him on the recommended course of treatment (Prednisone) yesterday and were able to bring him home last night to observe and monitor him. When we took Beans to the vet again this morning, we were hoping for good news. Beans seemed to be feeling better...he was more alert, ate two small meals overnight, and overal seemed a little more like himself.

We got bad news again today. Apparently Beans's red blood cell count dropped again, so we really needed to give him a blood transfusion today. When the doctor called, they had already done the kitty blood-typing and had sent one of their vet techs home to retrieve her kitty to be the donor kitty. I used to work there, so I am familiar with the concept of donor kitties, but never did I think Beans would be the recipient of donor blood. I know kitty personality doesn't come with the blood, but I really hope the donor kitty is a sweet, mellow kitty instead of a firecracker. Lord knows we don't need any more spunky, feisty blood in Beans!

We'll find out later today how it all goes, and hopefully will get to bring Beans home tonight to rest. It is likely that we'll have to treat him for a long while for this and there is no guarantee that he will survive it. I'm devastated that he is this sick. He has already been hit by a car, recovered, has a misshapen bladder as a result of the car that has had a blockage, has a wax plug covering his left eardrum that has not been able to be successfully removed, and now this. His nine lives are almost up, so I hope he has more fight in him left than we think.

I love my Beans.

More Updates

Now that we have gone public, I thought I would also share the link to the baby blog. I'll likely be posting most of the baby stuff there, though now that my life has been taken over by all of these new baby-related thoughts, it is likely to seep over into this blog a bit.

Baby blog here

We recorded the heartbeat (including some of what the doctor says) and have posted it there. It sounds so cool.

Baby Jones

We have been somewhat lying to a bunch of you out there. I have not been running, but I haven't been nursing my injuries as much as we've letting on. The main reason I haven't been running is because I'M PREGNANT!!! I have been exhausted this first trimester and my body just couldn't take it.

Today we are past the 12 week mark and heard the heartbeat for the first time. I'm so excited to share the news with everyone officially now!! Baby Jones is due August 30 and we are both very excited. I feel very lucky to be sharing this news with everyone.

(Also as an update to my TMI post from Dec - I did not have to have the surgery to remove the polyp because of the pregnancy. We found out we were pregnant just before Christmas.)

Updates to come later!!

My Mullet Man

If you are going to be out running or spectating the Austin Marathon this weekend, look for Chad. He is pacing with Ken for the 3:20 pace group during the race. They'll have their signs, of course, but more importantly they'll be wearing their mullets. The mullet-wearing 3:20 group has been a tradition for years, and I know that Chad wears his mullet with pride during the race. He has already brought it out this year and has modeled it...I must say he looks as cute as ever in it. Pictured above is a shot of the two of us from last year's finish chute.

He looks so handsome in that mullet...I love it!

On the Road Again

No, sillies, I'm not running again. But I am going to be back on the road again (or rather, flying the friendly skies again) for work. I'm leaving for San Diego tomorrow and will be back on Sunday afternoon. I'm looking forward to having a king bed to myself, leisurely mornings before work because of the time change, breakfast buffets, Pinkberry yogurt in walking distance, Starbucks in the hotel if I want it, and views of the water from my room. I'm going to miss cuddling with Chad, working with my sweet kitties, and the luxury of eating out of my own kitchen.

I'll try to post pics while I'm away, but no promises. Hey, and if you are a friend of Chad's, please check in on him. He's working a lot of after hours time on a project and he has one large honey-do item to do while I'm away. I hope he's looking forward to several good nights of sleep without me getting up to pee and waking him up in the middle of the night.

Update - The middle initial

Our HR department did indeed correct my middle initial! I received my new cards in the mail and they are now Sadie B. Hooray!

Happy 2010 - delayed

I can't believe I'm letting my blog suffer like this. I have been somewhat grumpy lately about particular topics that I want to blog about, and until I can say something positive, I'm just keeping quiet. Really, things have been good here at the Jones house, but I'm finding that my new goal of being more honest has made me a bit grumpy...or at least I sound like it.

Running is a no-go, but I did go to the gym twice this weekend. Without a confirmed doctor's diagnosis, I'm pretty confident that I have turf toe. It sucks. No runnning for me right now and walking even seems to be aggravating it. I need to see the doc, but I don't want to go in.

I miss my running friends. On New Years Day, I was able to pick up Chad from the annual RunTex to RunTex run (that I have participated in the past several years in a row), and was so happy to see so many running pals. Hugs were shared and I felt part of the group, even though I didn't complete the run.

Dates I'm looking forward to passing -
Jan 31 - my hard month of work is over
Feb 14 - Valentines Day and the marathon - I love spectating!

Hopefully I can be better about blogging in the meantime. It just may not be about running.