So we meet again, Stan...

Alright blog friends - I don't know how many of you follow along anymore since I've been a slacker, but I'm turning to you for motivation! It's one of those things, if I know I have an audience, I will be more determined!

Last summer I told JC that one of my goals is I want to ride up a mountain on our bikes.  You know those crazy cyclist you see slowly creeping up the hill as you zoom by in the car?  As you think to yourself, "They are crazy!!"  Or I always point out how ridiculously muscular their calfs and quads look.  Yeah, I want to do that.  I'm determined to make it by the end of the summer!

JC got me a stationary bike while I was pregnant.  We were still doing outside rides together all the way up until I was about 6/7 months pregnant.  Slowly and surely I started losing motivation.  I couldn't wake up early to beat the high temps and my little pregnant body didn't want to peddel anymore.  Lila my outdoor bike (Recently named her since I discovered JC refuses to name our next daughter that... I adore the name...) started collecting dust in the garage.  Stan, my stationary bike, enjoyed a few good rides before I found comfort in my bed more then anything.

        

       Lila  &  Stan

Stan and I have reacquainted this week.  Each day I love him a little more.  Each day 10 miles gets a little easier as I build up my endurance.

So it begins.  If I start now, hopefully by the time I can ride outside again I will be back to do 20+ miles a day.  So far, it's hard.  More mentally, then physically.  Outdoor riding is way more exciting and challenging.  I know if I ride 15 miles one way, I have another 15 to get home.  With Stan, I go maybe 3 miles and check to see if I'm done yet.  There is no thrill at watching the wall- although the paint design is beautiful, it just doesn't motivate me as much!  Knowing I can simply jump off my bike and quit doesn't help either.  Having clip-in shoes now, thats a slight bonus.  I at least feel like I'm stuck to the bike... so that keeps me on there.

Needless to say, I'm excited for warm weather.  I definitely feel more determined to ride hard when I'm outdoors. There is no way I'm that determined to go when the morning temps are around 8 degrees though!  Not even 20 degrees makes me want to bundle up for a ride!! And Rach... you can guarantee I'll be riding to your house again.  Maybe I wont be as gross and sweaty this time! 

Another reason to start riding is to get back in shape.  Go figure - like the rest of America, New Years goal is to lose weight/get in shape.  Before I got pregnant I was loving the physical appearance of my body - a lot of hard work was definitely paying off!  When I came home from Alaska I was about 180lbs.  After a few months of eating right, cycling, and hanging out with Jillian Michaels every day I made it down to 134lbs. I felt good, I looked good, I was confident. I hadn't felt that way in a long time.  It was exactly what I needed to begin a new life!

Staying fit with JC by my side, keeping me motivated each day has been amazing.  I love that we started riding together.  Not only is it great exercise  but it was fun to spend endless hours together and motivating each other every step of the way.  Last year we did a 60 mile ride to Farmington - it was beautiful and such a fun day!

When I had knee surgery, I swear I gained 10lbs being down for a few weeks.  Following knee surgery I had these strange cravings for burgers, tacos, steak, anything with meat!  Turns out, I was pregnant.  Needless to say - I gained weight and gained it fast!  I was almost back to 180 by the end of the pregnancy.

I'm not too worried about what the scale says.  More importantly I miss the way I felt before the surgery.  I found a new confidence, I loved getting dressed each day, and I loved who I was.  Maybe it was more because it was all so new after where I had come from.  Either way, I'm ready to get back to that point!  

I love cycling.  It's a hobby (can I call it that?) I picked up a couple years ago and each day I ride I love it that much more!

I'm not sure how I want to record my progress yet... I just know I need to keep a daily log to keep me moving.  I love watching the results.  Just this week alone I've already started to feel better and noticed a big difference as I worked out.  You probably don't care what Stan and I do - but again, if my results are public I know I'll try to impress the internet world!

This isn't a full week since I started in January. I started off with a goal of 10 miles each day.

1/1: Who actually starts Jan 1 working out?  I enjoyed this day with my Honey Hub & Little One!

1/2: 10 miles - 39 long, sweaty, horrible minutes -  15.4 AVS (average speed)

1/3: I was really motivated today!

      AM: 10 miles - 36:59 minutes - 16.5 AVS 

      PM: 10 miles - 34:43 minutes - 17.4 AVS 

1/4: 10 miles - 39:33 minutes - 15.5 AVS.... I was texting Rach this ride.  Telling her how my thunder thighs kept hitting part of the bike!  I ended this ride with a nice cut on my inner thigh and feeling pathetic.  That right there is proof I need to get toned again!  Or that I shouldn't wear my shorts just yet...

1/5: 10 miles - 31:50 minutes - 18.7 AVS

Smile, Lilly!

Oh I love this little girl! I love watching her sleep and all the funny faces she pulls.  Love her little smile! Here are a few of her newborn pictures.  Done by the amazing Amber Lintz Photography.

Lilly May's Arrival

She is finally here!

At my 37 week appointment I was already dilated to a 4 and my doctor was certain she would come sooner than her due date of October 4th.  He also let me know we would be out of town the following week and back October 2nd!  That made me a little nervous!!  Each day after that appointment I told Lilly she had to come early or right on time.  She decided to come early!

Friday, September 21 in the afternoon I started to get steady contractions.  They were about 15 minutes apart and not too horrible.  I kept thinking, if this is what labor contractions are.. this is nothing! However I knew it was only a matter of time until the big ones would start.  About 2AM, September 22 I started getting pretty bad contractions.  They were about 15 minutes apart and started to get closer.  About every 3o minutes or so JC would ask if we could go to the hospital yet, I would tell him they had to be at least 3-5 minutes apart before we could go.    Good thing we only live about 5 minutes from the hospital!

Finally when they were about six minutes apart I gave in and we headed over to the hospital at 5:30AM.  They put us in the observation room for a hour to see if they could admit me yet.  After a hour, I was still at a 4 and my contractions were still the same.  The doctor on call said he wanted to keep me, but the hospital will not induce new moms until they are at least 38 weeks... I was a few days from being 38 weeks.  So off we went back home to make breakfast and attempt to sleep.

As the day went on the contractions kept getting closer.  JC was at work and I was laying on the couch taking naps between each contraction and trying to survive as they started getting harder.  Thanks to my  contractions app on my phone, it made it so easy to keep track of where things were at and how they were progressing!  

Finally about 5:30PM- my parents took me to the hospital.  Again I was put in the observation room, still at a four and much harder contractions.  Patiently I waited for the hour to pass as my contractions began to be in my back... those hurt!  I was keeping JC updated through text and I told him I was probably going to be sent home again so not to worry about leaving work.  When the nurse came to check me I was at a 4+ and they decided to officially admit me into Labor & Delivery!

6:40PM My mom called JC to tell him to come to the hospital, I had a mini melt down and off to the Labor room we went.   By then my contractions were so painful and all in my back.  Luckily I only dealt with the bad ones for about a hour and forty-five minutes before I got the epideral.  Oh that was fantastic!  Once that was in, I was loving the experience.  JC got me a magical Strawberry Kiwi slushy and that made things even better.      

We watched a couple episodes of Scrubs as we waited and I even got in a couple hours of a nap.  Around 11:00pm the nurse came in and said it was time to push!

It was a crazy experience not being able to really feel the contractions but being told you were having one and needed to push.  Funny moment- my family and friends always comment on how smiley JC always is... so when I was pushing I had to watch the nurse because JC would make me giggle because he was watching and of course, had a big smile on his face!  At one moment I looked at him and he was smiling so big as the head started to crown and I started to giggle as I thought about how smiley he really is all the time and couldn't push through that contraction anymore.  I love him!

My contractions were about 3/4 minutes apart so I had pretty good breaks between each push.  Finally at 11:48PM she came out and had a full set of lungs right away!  What a neat experience!  I'm so grateful everything went so smooth and that JC was there with me the entire time.  He is such an amazing husband.  I love how caring, compassionate, and supportive he always is.  I know it wouldn't of been as great of an experience if I didn't have him right there helping me get through it.

Lilly is beautiful.  Hearing her scream and holding her so close was such an amazing moment.  She weighed 6 pounds 1 ounce and 18 inches.  She looks more like her dad and came with a head of hair... or should I say a mullet!

LOVE this picture!  It's my favorite!!

Maternity Pictures

This is for you, Rach!

Week 37

How far along?  37 Weeks
Total Weight gain/loss: I gained a pound from last week!
Maternity Clothes?  I discovered a pair of lightweight maternity capris this week. They are super cozy and I've had them from the beginning!  I should wear them every day to make up loss time!
Sleep:  Last night was FANTASTIC!  I get good 3 hour naps in now.
Best moment this week:  JC's reaction at the doctors office when Dr. England said Lilly is head down.  After a pause JC exclaims... "YOU JUST TOUCHED HER HEAD?!"  He was so amazed!
Miss Anything?  JC... at this very moment I miss him more than anything.  
Movement:  She's starting to slow down, but still more active at night time.
Food cravings:   Honey Buzzers!
Anything making you queasy or sick?  Nope!  
Symptoms:  Swollen feet the last few days and exhaustion.  Must be working a lot harder at making Lilly now a days.  I'm super drained! 
Gender:  Doctor checked last week... she's still a girl!
Labor Signs: Dilated to a 3.  No contractions yet.
Belly Button in or out? In - JC is disappointed that it hasn't poked out yet.
Weddings rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time:   In the middle... I'm starting to get more emotional as the days go on.  Still more happy, but I think the exhausted makes me want to cry!
Looking forward to:  Meeting our little girl!

Week 36

How far along?  36 Weeks
Total Weight gain/loss: I stopped looking down.
Maternity Clothes?  I'm to a limited amount of tops now.  Officially in mostly maternity tops.  One pair of normal jeans still fit buttoned and I love wearing my dresses!
Sleep:  I don't know what will be harder... waking up to Lilly or how much I wake up to go pee!  Oh I miss sleeping through the night.
Best moment this week:  Well, it definitely wasn't MY best moment- but I'm sure it was JC's... so I dedicate this to him.  Monday night he couldn't sleep so he was watching Scrubs in bed for a few hours.  I woke up around 3am to go to the bathroom.  At this point I thought he was asleep.  So I come out of the bathroom all sleepy and all of a sudden JC jumps out at me with his arms up and goes "GAH!"  I screamed, my heart was racing, and I'm sure my water could of broke with how alarming it was!  He started laughing hysterically!!  I crawled back in bed so grumpy and wanted to cry I was so tired.  He laughed forever about it.  This morning I asked why he'd do such a thing and he said, "I was restless, it seemed like a good idea!"  Mmmhmm....
Miss Anything?  Not being hot all the time!  And really miss bike riding... I know I always say that but I do!  Especially now that it will be getting cooler that is the best time to ride!
Movement:  When I'm waiting for JC to get home I just watch her wiggle around in there.  She's still most active when daddy comes home!
Food cravings:   Spicey-spicey-spicey!  Grateful I've never had heartburn.
Anything making you queasy or sick?  Nope!  
Symptoms:  It's been a pretty good week.  Tired is about it. 
Gender:  Little Lady Lilly
Labor Signs: Negative.  I have my appointment Friday and he's going up in there to check things out... can't believe it's to that point!
Belly Button in or out? In
Weddings rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time:   It's been an exciting week with all the baby showers and seeing my friends and family! Pretty great week up until I almost had a heart attack from JC! haha!
Looking forward to:  Not having to pee all the time.... :o)

Week 35

How far along?  35 Weeks
Total Weight gain/loss: I stopped looking down.
Maternity Clothes?  Yep!  ALTHOUGH- I wore my Hydraulics Jeans twice this week and I was able to button them up - with NO elastic!  Kind of exciting!  Guess its exciting they fit when they were getting too big a few months before I found out I was pregnant!  Good thing I kept them around!
Sleep:  Not so great.  Always tired, but have a hard time sleeping.  Lilly is too rambunctious at night.  I lay on my side and then she kicks the bed or puts pressure so its super uncozy.  Not to mention she's dancing on my bladder so I'm getting up every 5 minutes!
Best moment this week:  We finished Lilly's dresser... only took a week or so!
Miss Anything?  Feeling cozy, bike rides, tuna, moving in normal speed, not feeling like I have to pee my pants every second, sleep... 
Movement:  Yes! Every time I want to sit still- she goes crazy.  She likes to hang out on the right side, right under my ribs.
Food cravings:   SPICEY!  I put Tabasco on EVERYTHING!  I think we've gone through an entire bottle in the last month!
Anything making you queasy or sick?  Nope!  
Symptoms:  Sleepless in Riverton.  Pressure in the ribs. Round Ligament Pain... BIG TIME!
Gender:  G-I-R-L
Labor Signs: Negative.  At the doctor this week he said, "I'll see you in two weeks... unless your water breaks then it will be earlier!"  That kind of freaked us out.  Can't believe it's THAT close!
Belly Button in or out? In
Weddings rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time:   Happy Happy Happy!
Looking forward to:  Getting my hair cut and two baby showers this week!