13.1 x 2

Nope, that's not an algebra equation!  I ran my second half-marathon on Sunday, and Patrick ran his first!  We signed up for the Dallas Rock N Rock half as a motivation for Cohen and for me getting back into running.  I really am a better person when I can get my feet on the pavement a few times a week.

 Since I am competitive with myself, I knew I was going to be a LOT slower than the last half I did (pre-preggo) and didn't train as hard. ( I finished 30 minutes SLOWER than the last time (White Rock 2011))  So...I was going to make it a super fun race - and I made myself a tutu at the last minute!  I wanted to see if the wind would make it blow up in my face before the race, so I 'practiced' running in it...

Except my husband vetoed it and said he wouldn't stand near me if I really ran with it... (check out that face)

The weather was forecasted to be cold and windy - really windy - and I knew it was going to further slow me down.   But actually, the race was quite enjoyable and the wind only caught us a few times before dying back down around the downtown Dallas buildings!

Here I am at the start line.  My coral didn't actually start until 22 minutes after the start of the race because I was so far back pace-wise.

 Overall this race was a MUCH better half than the only other 13 miles I've ever completed. I can honestly say I ENJOYED the run instead of dreading it like I did last time.  I finished in 3:07, 7 minutes after my goal of 3 hours.  But I did run great until mile 11, so I'll take it. ;-)

Here we are with the baby after the finish.  So fun to have a great prize at the end! 

We got to run the first part of the race with my friend and co-worker Amy Gearhart.  This was her first major race and she did amazing!

Susan and I ;-) She has run with me for both my races and is an inspiration (she runs them in like 2 hours or something gross!).  She's basically Cohen's other mother, too, so we had to get a pic after our lunch at Two Rows.

All runners here: John and Susan Connelly and Patrick and I ;-)  We are so blessed to have amazing friends!!!!!

Cohen got a little souvenir...

Oh, and if you like my headband, I figured our how to make them ;-) The ones they sell to runners are $10-15 a PIECE, so I was excited to use my new sewing machine and make one that matches my outfits....because lets face it, if I'm going to run slow, I'm going to look good doing it!

**Special thanks to my in-laws for coming down and watching Cohen while we raced.  We LOVED having them here this weekend!!!**

Blessings,

Half a year has flown by...

And our precious baby is 6 months old!!

Cohen,

You are still in the 50% on everything; height, weight and head circumference.  Today at the pediatrican's office you weighed 17 lbs 11 oz and are 26.5 inches long.  You are still mostly in 3-6 month clothes but wear 9 month pjs (your legs are just too dang long for the 6 month ones!) We love your little thigh rolls, and how you look like a healthy baby boy! (Your prevacid is really helping the puking, too, little boy.  Lets grow out of that asap!)

You are sitting up on your own better and better.  Sometimes gravity gets the better of you, but you're learning...

You are blabbering more and have started making the high-pitched screaming sound.  We lovingly refer to it as your pterodactyl dino sound.

We raised the belts in your car seat up one level for your shoulder highth - you are getting so tall!

You use your paci when you are tired or cranky, but its not an all the time thing any more.  You do love to have a blanket or burp cloth by your face for comfort, however.

You reach and grab things for tummy time.  No movement or anxiety to crawl forward, however, you do like to roll across the room.  I am definitely ok with you waiting to become mobile ;-)

 You love your dogs.  Seriously. Love. Them.  You follow their every move and have started to reach out for them.  Olivia likes to lick your little hands, but Bella has figured out that you'll be the source of some table scraps soon.  She follows you around just in case you have something sticky to share :-)

We tried to start some solids this month (like a week ago).  Since you are still 100% breastfed, this is really more for learning how to eat than for nutrition.  Lots of people told us this would help you sleep- ha! - you have definitely disproven that theory! Oatmeal did not work on your tummy.  You like sweet potatoes...and thats about it right now.  Fruits are not your cup of tea, prunes, pears and bananas seem to be on your not yet list.  When you are home, we give you big chunks of 'food' to play with as hopefully we will be doing baby-led weaning with you in the coming months!

You are our happy happy boy. Despite the lack of sleep and scheduling you are just one of THE happiest kids we know!

Except when it comes to sleeping....

 Here's where we are this month on sleeping ;-)  Our pediatrician validated my suspicion that you were waiting to eat until mommy arrived at home....apparently you prefer me over those plastic bottles- lol.  That's fine if I stayed home and could nurse you whenever you wanted, but since I have to work, you've got to learn to eat during the day.  Right now you eat about 12 ounces total during the day and then nurse all. night. long.  Many nights you nurse for over 10 minutes every hour or two....needless to say, I'm exhausted.

The name for this is reverse cycling and we have to help reverse this: both for my sanity and your health.  Our doctor said you are healthy enough to be sleeping 6 or more hours in a row without eating, so we are going to start training you this week.  Its going to be miserable, and your daddy will have to take care of you during the night so you don't want me and my milk....the good thing is you won't remember it...and you'll hopefully eat more calories during the day!!! (Fingers crossed I start to get more sleep after this drama!!!)

First St. Patty's Day!!

Blessings,

Baby Weight?

Hiya,

See, as promised, I do have some blog posts up my sleeve.  This was a good one to refresh on today as today I woke up on the 'fat' side of the bed :-/

Here is my progress about 5 months in.  I have to remind myself that I didn't diet or exercise until 8 weeks post-partum.  Since I am a goal oriented person, it just looks like I have SO much more to go.  And I'll whine again like yesterday, 'whomever said breastfeeding helps with weight-loss sure did lie..."

I'll be honest.  I have a good 15-20 pounds to go before I get to my pre-preggo weight...see...

4 weeks preggo

38 weeks preggo

Geez, I was huge.  That maternity picture was taken the day before we were induced. 

Last Friday I was feeling pretty good about my jiggly-post-Cohen body. (excuse the middle school bathroom background - its the only place with a longer mirror!)  I was dressed for a pep rally and in 'normal' jeans, and I thought I looked pretty good.

Well, I am hopeful that with some sleep and good running habits that I'll look like me again before the summer.  My wonderful mother reminds me that it took nine months to get all that weight on, it will probably take just as long to get back into my skin.  Too bad I am known for being impatient....

And just for fun.  Here is me after a 5 mile run. In 28 degree weather.  In Oklahoma wind. ;-)  I'm scared about running this half marathon coming up....

Flowers from my hubbie this week.  I think he's tired of hearing my negative self-image talks ;-)  But I love him and I love these roses!

Blessings,

Still Swimming...

I know, I know.  I've been a bad blogger lately.  I used to get so frustrated at my favorite bloggers for taking so very long to post again.  I just looked back at our own blog roll and realized I have been a very. bad. blogger. lately.  Sorry :-(

I promise things haven't been all quite on the western front.  In fact, I have several blog posts just sitting in draft form waiting to be finished....Cohen's baptism, my weight updates, random days of fun, and our recent trip to Oklahoma.  Life recent just seems to be moving to fast.  The daylight slips through my fingers and when I look up its almost 9pm. 

Cohen has been keeping me up for the past several weeks eating less than every two hours at night.  My little app tells me its an average of one hour and 38 minutes....all night long.  Last night I finally got a 4 and 3 hour chunk of uninterrupted sleep, and gosh, I feel more like a normal person today than I have in a week!  I know the lack of sleep is affecting everything.  So there's my excuse for not blogging.

In other randoms, I'm failing miserably at keeping my head above water on dieting and running.  I'm lucky to fit in two runs a week.  My belly is still huge and I feel like a cow.  Whomever said breastfeeding makes you thinner faster totally lied.  I am down to my 'fat' weight pre-preggo.  Those 15-20 more pounds are going to take some determination to get rid of...but oh, how much I'd rather sleep....

Spring Break is next week.  I promise to be a better blogger ;-)

I'm still swimming with my nose barely above water....