Minneapolis-Star-Tribune-runningkellometers

How far along? 16 weeks
Baby’s size/development this week: approx 4 ounces and about the size of an avocado
Maternity clothes: wearing them? yes. I’ve just started to get a few pieces here and there… work pants have been my main gripe! Thankfully I have a few pieces to get me through the next month or so.
Miss anything? Craft beer
Food cravings? Bacon egg and cheese biscuits. I still haven’t gotten the one I was craving last week. I forgot to make one over the weekend.
Anything making you queasy or sick? Cigarette smoke, but that was a thing before I was pregnant
Sleep: I’m no longer able to sleep comfortably on my back. I can feel the weight of the babe pressing down and it is very uncomfortable. I am not a side sleeper so I haven’t been sleeping well lately. I want to get one of those “pregnancy pillows” or just a body pillow to make this whole sleeping thing a bit easier.
Best moment of the week: Finishing my 7th Shamrock Shuffle, complete with mini baby bump!
Nursery: I’m still working on the closet project but I made some headway this weekend. Of of the clothes that were hanging in the guest closet are now in my normal closet. Next up, I have to tackle the shoes project.
Wedding rings on or off? on
Movement? I have been feeling gas bubbles that may or may not be the baby. Lol. I’m excited to start feeling movement in the next few weeks!
Weird pregnancy thing of the week: My skin is soooo dry! Although, we’re starting to get some rain this week so hopefully that will help with the dryness.
Daddy is feeling: Excited in general about being a dad.
Mommy is feeling: Nervous all the time. I haven’t had a doctor’s visit since 13 weeks. I haven’t felt any movement or seen an ultrasound so there is just some anxiety over everything being okay. I have an appointment on Thursday that will put me more at ease… (I hope)
Workouts this week: More than I would have thought. Walked a ton and got in some running, including two group runs and a race!
Looking forward to: Our ultrasound next week!

The other day I was talking to my cousin and she gave me a scone recipe. She said her husband has become a scone junkie since she started making these so I just had to give them a try. The recipe is simple enough with only a few ingredients.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour (I'll probably try whole wheat flour next time)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder (note: baking powder is different than baking soda)
1/2 tsp salt
1 pt (16 oz) whipping cream
toppings or whatever you'd like to mix in

I made mine with pb2 (but I didn't add enough and the flavor didn't come through), bananas (I probably could have used 2 bananas instead of 1) and chocolate chips (I used half the bag and this is the most dominant flavor)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all dry ingredients. Next, add in toppings until evenly distributed. Lastly, add in all of that whipping cream. Mix until there are no dry pockets. The batter will be very sticky.

Plop dollups of batter onto a greased baking sheet (I just spread a little olive oil around a baking sheet with a paper towel and that worked out well). Feel free to place dollups close together as the scones do not rise or expand while cooking. They pretty much keep their shape. Toss into the oven for 20-24 minutes.

The smaller ones were ready by about 20-22 minutes where I let the bigger guys cook for a little longer. I used an oven timer as it was hard to tell by looking at them if they were done.
Lay on a cooling rack for quicker post-cooking consumption.

This recipe was SUPER EASY and delicious. The only thing I didn't already have on-hand was whipping cream. I had one for breakfast this morning and will probably have one every day this week!  I think next time I'm going to try mixing in some frozen blueberries. I will let you know how they turn out! If you make this recipe, please let me know what ingredients you try and what works best for you!

Miles Walked: 10+ miles
Commuting miles: 7.2 miles
Expo weekend miles: ~3 miles
I did a lot of walking this weekend at the expo as well as during the race on Sunday. It was a busy week for sure!

This was the first week I had planned to run 3x in one week. I wanted to get back into a regular schedule and making running part of the routine (as long as I still feel comfortable doing it). The run was a lot of fun and special thanks to Maggie and Amanda for sticking with my "pregnancy pace." (Recap of the RRS event)


In retrospect, I probably should have only done 2 miles in preparation for the race on Sunday, but I didn't really think things through. But... I felt great and had a great time seeing my FNRC friends for the first time in (literally) months. Hopefully I'll be able to make more runs throughout the spring. And special thanks to Diane, Jill and Melanie who stuck with me at my comfortable pace! Much appreciated!


My original plan was to run with Anne and keep the pace nice and easy. But the more I thought about it, I didn't want to run the entire race. I didn't want to run more than 3 miles because I hadn't gone that far before. I wanted to take it easy and be on the conservative side. My friend Kate is getting over a bad cold so she agreed to run/walk with me at my pace. I'll have a full recap of the race later this week so I won't get into too many details. But, I will let you know that I crossed the finish line of my first race this year and it felt fantastic! :)

This upcoming week I'm going to take it very easy. My body is sore from the shuffle so I may focus more on lower impact workouts this week including the rowing machine, the stationary bike, and prenatal pilates. I also go in for a doctor checkup this week. Looking forward to hearing the heartbeat again! Also, I have another ultrasound due in the next few weeks and I'm sure I won't be able to help myself from posting a photo or 2. :)

Alright folks. As a fair warning, things are about to get real. I'm going to talk about some of my issues with food.

I've eluded a few times on my Facebook page that I have had my previous battles with food. I was in college and I didn't "technically" have an "eating disorder" but I definitely had an unhealthy relationship with food. I was going through some things in my personal life so food became something that I obsessed over. It was a major control thing. I had to have total control over my body and what I was eating. It was something that was starting to spiral completely out of control. There is one photo that I saw, of me at my thinnest, that really scared me and helped me realize that I had a problem. I also had some friends at the time that helped open my eyes to my issues (they actually talked to me frankly about it). I was able to retake control of myself and my eating and figure out the balance that I like to talk about from time to time. I added cheese and butter back into my diet and allowed myself to indulge in french fries occasionally. (I also found out how easy it is to gain weight. I ate a hot dog before bed every night for a week and that helped out a lot.) I also re-discovered running around that to help with that balance as well. I no longer worried about the number on the scale, but it was more about how I felt. It was about how I felt in my clothes and how they fit as opposed to how I looked when I didn't have any clothes on. I had a few points here and there over the next few years where I would catch myself starting to do some of the same things or obsess over something. But I was able to recognize the symptoms and make adjustments accordingly. I felt like I finally had everything under control, consistently, for years. I got married, ran a marathon, and did lots of other stressful things without falling into the same old habits.

And then I got pregnant. 

All over the baby books, websites, and everything else is all about eating. What foods you need to eat, how much of this vitamin you need, how much of this vitamin you need to avoid, eat this, don't eat that, listen to your cravings... all the while you have to only gain this much weight, stay within this range, this many weeks along you should only gain this many pounds... IT IS EXHAUSTING!! I am constantly thinking about food. Am I eating the right things? Am I eating too much? Am I eating enough? I ate some unhealthy things the other day(s), am I outside the normal weight gain range? I have little to no self control anymore; I am almost always clearing my plate. And I'm not even halfway through the pregnancy yet. I know all the stress I put on myself isn't good, so I try not to stress myself out. But then I'll weigh myself and see a number 1 pound outside the "normal" weight gain range for my pre-pregnancy weight, and that sends me into an emotional state that I'm not doing this right, etc. etc... I have a calorie counter app that I try to only half-heartedly use (to not become too obsessed) but then I still end up obsessing over it when I'm not using it.

The whole "balance" thing while pregnant is much more difficult than I ever imagined.

I keep reminding myself that I just have to try my best--that's all I can do! Many women go outside the normal pregnancy weight gain range and still have perfectly healthy babies (and also lose the weight post-pregnancy). I just need to not stress about the small stuff (1 pound, really?) and just try to have some fun. It isn't just about me anymore! I have to put my own issues aside and think about what is best for Baby Wilson! I want nothing but the best for this little bundle of joy, and I just have to try my best in doing so. :)

I guess this post is really just me venting about something that I've been thinking about and struggling with A LOT lately. As women (and human beings), I'm sure we all struggle or have our own relationship with food and every person's experience is different. I guess, I never thought I would be running into these feelings all over again. I'm lucky to have a supportive husband who never ever makes comments about what I'm eating or how something fits (in a negative way). This pregnancy stuff is hard work! But I hear it is all worth it in the end!

I feel a little better having just shared my thoughts with all of you. Thanks for reading/listening. :)

And in case you were wondering, here is what the bump looks like these days. I can barely notice a difference from week to week in these photos, but from my view, looking down... things have definitely gotten bigger. Also, all my dress pants fit terribly and I'm starting to venture into a few maternity things here and there. I'm open to suggestions on where to shop if you have some. I'll be putting a post together about my maternity clothes experience in the weeks to come!

A few weeks ago, Maggie (who organizes Chicago Running Bloggers) coordinated with Road Runner Sports who put together an event at a local Chicago store (1435 N Kingsbury St.) inviting all of the Chicago Running Bloggers. We met up for a fun run to test out some new Mizunos. Apparently we all (with the exception of Lauren) need a stability shoe and are wearing the jazzy blue Inspire 9s. (I have a pair of Inspire 8s that I really like.)

Thanks for the pic Amanda!

As I am moving slower than the rest of the group these days, Amanda and Maggie volunteered to run with me at my current "pregnancy pace." As I haven't been to the area in a long time, I was thankful to have some buddies with me! Little nugget felt great on the run and I did a total of 2 miles (although the rest of the group went out for 3 miles). We took a group photo upon returning, while waiting for more bloggers to arrive. There was water, beer, and pizza waiting for us to enjoy.

L to R: Lauren, Erin, me, Amanda, Maggie, Sierra Photo courtesy of Amanda

The local store manager went through the ShoeDog process that Road Runner Sports offers, including gait analysis, custom orthotics, along with shoes and socks to match your foot. It sounded quite interesting and I would have loved to try it... However, I'm sure my gait will change as I grow in the next few months and it might change completely after giving birth. Either way, I think I would like to come back after Baby Wilson for the total set up.

They also had a local chiropractic company offering up free massages. The masseuse I had was certified in prenatal so he did some simple "shake out" moves on my legs. After our long drive home from New Orleans over the weekend, the massage felt amazing! They do offer prenatal massages so I may be back, we'll see. :)

They also had a few raffle prizes including free entry to a local 5k as well as a free massage. I won free entry to the 5k but it is the same day as Ragnar. However, there may be a giveaway for said 5k in the future for all of you!... I'll keep you posted, of course. There were talks of a bigger raffle but it never ended up taking place. I'm not sure what happened there, but since I won free entry to the 5k, I was unable to win anything else anyways.

A nice perk was that VIP members were given 20% off any purchase made in the store (instead of the usual 10%) and I believe that included shoes too. I ended up purchasing a Honey Stinger Waffle (I've never had one before) and a new Nuun flavor I've been eyeing (cherry limeade).

All in all, I had a fun time hanging out and chatting with some other local bloggers. I got to meet some new faces (and pass out handy dandy fancy blogger business cards). I think Road Runner Sports is a nice store in the city and a better alternative than the big box all-sports retailers with a friendly staff and better customer service. I've always favored my local running store but I like the idea of the extensive ShoeDog gait analysis.  Have you ever been to Road Runner Sports before? I know they have locations all over the US. What was your experience? Did you like the ShoeDog program?

Miles walked: unknown... We walked around the French Quarter A LOT! Some days we barely did any walking and then other days, I wouldn't be surprised if we walked 3-5 miles throughout the day. We went to the zoo, walked around the quarter, walked along the tracks while waiting for the streetcar... Lots and lots of walking to help burn off some of those po boy calories. ;)

Wednesday: 2 mile sneaky run in the morning
I got up early one of the days on vacation, but instead of going back to sleep or watching TV, I decided to go out for a run.

Saturday: 2.75 mile run with Maggie
Met up on the trail for a few miles after a long, long drive home.

This week, working out was a lot of fun. It got me much more motivated for getting back in the habit for the weeks to come. I'd like to keep working out and running as long as my doctor says its okay and as long as it doesn't hurt! :)

Hi y'all! I'm back in town from New Orleans after having a fabulous and relaxing vacation. On our super-duper long ride home on Friday, I texted Maggie to see if she was up for hitting a few miles with me on Saturday. I felt great on my run down in NOLA so I wanted to keep things going. I didn't have a particular distance goal in mind, I just wanted to go as far as I felt like going. We met up at the local hilly trail (but the non-hilly end). Maggie was gracious enough to keep with my pace and let me lead.

Shoe twinsies

Maggie has also decided to bring back the runner photo challenge! This week's theme is Signs of Spring. I've been enjoying some slightly warmer temps down in Louisiana, so I was happy to come home to temps about 40 degrees warmer than when I left. I haven't been able to wear capris for a run in a long time, and I was really excited about it!


We went for just under 3 miles. I kept it at a conversations pace and it felt good. No pain, no cramps, nothing. I had to stop mid-way for water, but that is just because I'm thirsty most of the time these days. And before she left, Maggie gave me a present.
She made me a half, half marathon medal for the F^3 Half Marathon. It made me chuckle and smile all at the same time. :) Once I finally hang up my medal hanger, it will most definitely be added to the collection!

Overall, I felt really happy after the run and I'm looking forward to keeping it as part of my regular routine now that the weather is getting nicer! There will be more runs to come this week including the Shamrock Shuffle this weekend!