15 Things Nobody Tells You About Being Pregnant

1.) How is it that your stomach gets bigger, your chest gets bigger, your butt gets bigger, your appetite gets bigger, your mood swings get bigger.... But your bladder doesn't get even a teeny tiny bit bigger? In fact, I think it shrinks. I mean come on... bathroom trips every 15 minutes?

2.) The "nesting" instinct is no joke. Laugh all you want but the urge to clean the toilet when you're running 10 minutes late is beyond your control. I look around the house after a long 10 hour work day and can't fight the urge to wash the cabinet doors. (Because apparently baby will be licking the cabinets in the near future?) 

3.) The phrase, "You look like you're going to pop" will make you want to pop someone upside the head.  Really?  Thank you for making me feel like a whale when I still have 8 weeks to go.  I wish giving birth were that easy... hours of contractions, pain, pushing, and tearing versus... POP, you just had a baby!  Wouldn't that be nice.  Oh- and if you decide to proceed that phrase with, "Are you sure there's not two in there?"... you will not get pleasant looks. 

4.) There a lot of extra fluids. If you are pregnant or have ever been, you know what I mean. No further explanation needed.

5.) Feeling baby kick is the most beautiful feeling in the entire world. I wish all of you could feel it! With that being said, (and sorry if this is TMI) when baby decides that my ribs or cervix are a punching bag... not as fun!

6.) Registering for baby items is a lot like walking though a foreign market where you can't read the language. Bumbo, wubbanub, boppy, halo sleep sack, tommee tippee, mommaroo... I mean, really? Don't babies just need diapers, clothes, and Mom's chest? 

7.) On that note... then there's the brands and styles to choose from. Chicco vs. Graco carseats, Crib bumpers vs. no crib bumpers, slow flow vs. fast flow bottle nipples, Co-sleeper vs. Pack & Play, Medela vs. Ameda breast pumps, Dr. Brown's vs Aventflo bottles, Huggies vs Pampers. Overwhelmed yet?  Me neither. Oh, and of course everyone says about every item, "Don't trust anything other than ______."  

7.)  You will have your belly touched by complete strangers. 

8.)  Those same strangers will give you completely unsolicited advice and opinions. 
"You're still working? Are you sure the long hours are good for the baby?" 
"Are you going to breast feed? If you don't, your baby will suffer." 
"I had the worst labor ever- 36 hours of horrendous pain and screaming. I thought I was going to die." And my all time favorite, "Boys are so much harder than girls- I'm so sorry." Why thank you, random stranger. I'm glad you think your opinion will change the ridiculous amount of love I already have for my unborn son. 

9.) You will also receive the most amazing compliments that make your day/week/month/year. A girl at the gym said to me the other day, "I just wanted to let you know I think you are the cutest pregnant girl ever." Definitely a boost in the right confidence direction when you feel like an expanding balloon (who apparently, as discussed in #3, is going to pop)!

10.) If you are lucky and have an amazingly supportive husband, he will think you look the better and more attractive than you ever have and tell you he loves you more every day.

11.) Sleeping is all you want to do some days but unfortunately the last thing you can do.

12.) On that note, pillows will become your best friend. Between the legs, under the ribs, behind the back, in front of your stomach.  Just apologize to your significant other now. He will be spooning pillows instead of you for the last two months of your pregnancy.

13.) Cravings aren't as ridiculous as people make them out to be.  Yes, I want to eat pickles. Yes, I like mushrooms dipped in ranch dressing. But I liked both of those things before getting pregnant too. (I know, the mushroom thing is weird.) With that being said, cravings are a serious business.  When "baby says" I need some lemonade, ice cream, or candy, you'd better believe I will get my hands on some lemonade, ice cream, or candy.

14.)  Working out will make you feel like a million bucks.  Except for the days it makes you want to die.  But mostly it will make you feel like a million bucks!  :)  I am so happy I have been able to work out (usually) 6 days/week and run throughout most of the pregnancy so far.  Don't get me wrong, it doesn't feel exactly like it used to when there is a giant watermelon-sized uterus filled with baby and fluid pushing down on your pelvis and pressing up into on your lungs... but I feel so much more empowered and strong after getting my heart rate up!  And as my OB pointed out, recent studies have shown there are immense benefits for not only active mommas but their babies as well.  

15.) Most importantly... Being pregnant is by far the most rewarding and amazing experience of my life thus far. I love it so much more than I ever thought I would!  I am sorry for all of the mommas out there that have horrendous symptoms and vomit all day every day for 9 months.  I think I would have a completely different perspective if I had to live with that day in and day out.  But luckily being pregnant  has been a lot of fun! It is truly a miracle & I thank God every day I am able to experience all of the joys and challenges.  

Now, if you'll excuse me... I must go clean the house and eat some ice cream.

Gym Culture

Oh Mr. Elliptical... how I haven't missed you. Since my running has been (mostly) feeling better the last two months, I've been on an elliptical strike because... well... it's probably the most boring workout ever. It's been a few weeks since I last did the elliptical and I wish I could say that today's workout was super fun, but it turns out its still as boring as I remember!

I decided to take today off from running because I'm going to try a longish run tomorrow to see how my hamstring feels. This little race called the Boston Marathon is in just 9 days and I'm starting to get a little nervous about this lingering pain. We'll see how tomorrow goes!

While on the elliptical, the only thing that kept me going was thinking of Banana Cream Pie. This gym tortures you by playing Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" while attempting to get in a solid workout. The "best cream pie Bobby Flay ever ate" was a pie with 3 decadent layers of banana/creamy custard in a graham cracker crust. Pretty sure I'll be making that in the near future. Paula Deen came on after that and thanks to her I'll be dreaming about butter-soaked everything all day :)

It's hard to hold your hand still on the elliptical and take a picture without looking creepy.
That's supposed to be a delicious cream pie.

After drooling and sweating for an hour on the elliptical, I decided to try something new.  Thanks to Janae at Hungry Runner Girl, I was inspired to give the Rowing Machine a shot.  One word: OW.  Holy burning muscles.  My glutes, traps, biceps, hands, and even my eyeballs were screaming at me.  (The eyeballs mainly because I was dripping sweat into them.)  I am officially hooked on rowing and will be incorporating it as my cross training at least once a week.  If you are an injured runner and want to get a workout "high" like you get from running, you must try rowing.  I promise you'll love it.

Love.

While rowing my heart out, I had the perfect people-watching spot.  And you know what?  The gym is a funny place.

Here are some of my favorite parts of gym culture:

1.) I have decided gyms hold an international conference and must sign an agreement that they will not turn on AC. Ever. Oh it's 80 degrees and there are no fans? You wanted to sweat while standing still, right?

2.) The matchy-matchy outfits. I wish I had that much coordination. My workout clothes are usually picked out in the dark and I end up look like a rainbow threw up on me.

3.) The infamous grunters. Need I say more?

4.) Those that drink coffee or eat snacks while working out. That's one tough stomach.

5.) Those that are wearing so many layers they look like they're about to embark on an Antarctic expedition. Please reference number 1. I'm no doctor... but I don't think you actually burn more calories by wearing your down coat. You will lose weight, but it's all in sweat.

6.) The milk jugs used as a water bottle.  How many hours are you planning on working out?

7.) Mirrors everywhere.  There's nothing like seeing yourself dripping sweat, red-faced, and out-of-breath to increase self-confidence and body-image.

8.) That curly haired girl from Alaska in mismatching clothes that always brings in stacks of paper and notecards to study. Does she not have a life? (No, the answer is no.... but soon she will after the PANCE!)

:) It's a funny place.  But you know what?  Regardless of outfit, workout technique, or surroundings, it was pretty awesome to see everyone working out at the gym bright and early on a Saturday morning! Definitely a great way to start the weekend!

Do any of you have favorite a favorite part of being a gym-goer?

And now back to my entertainment for the rest of the day....

At least I have Ashley to keep me company!

Trujillo, Peru: Combi rides and one sweaty Gringa!

After 10 long days of unforgettable adventures, we ventured to the Northern coast of Peru. It is here, in Trujillo, that my sister lives and volunteers as a physical therapist. We all felt immediate relief to be staying somewhere for more than a couple of days! Traveling is exhausting, and living out of a suitcase can get very smelly :) We are staying at a hotel two blocks away from the beautiful Cathedral and Plaza de Armas, which has been the perpetual host to parades and celebrations since it is Semana Santa, or Holy Week.

Combi in Peru

On our second day in Trujillo, my gringo family and I got on a Combi and took the journey to Amber's house in La Esparanza, a suburb 20 minutes outside of Trujillo. A Combi is a privately-owned "mini-bus" (think old VW van) that transports passengers along specific routes. They are generally filled past capacity and it is not uncommon to see roosters, infants, and bags of produce overflowing from within. They are also more affordable than taxis and buses, generally costing less than 1 sole ($0.33) and a safer alternative to a taxi. Safer in the in sense that robberies are less common... the ride, on the other hand, is a whole other story. The Combis race from one street corner to the next, swerving in and out of "lanes" with passengers holding on for dear life (forget the concept of seatbelts or carseats here!). Sudden stops are to be expected as is speeding off before new passengers have got both feet into the vehicle!

After a safe arrival to La Esparanza, we met Amber's host family, who is absolutely wonderful! They take such good care of my sister. We met many aunts and cousins and enjoyed a huge lunch consisting of roasted chicken, rice, carrot & beet salad, choclo (huge corn = my favorite thing in Peru!), and Chicha Morada, a delcious juice made from Purple corn. It was truly one of my favorite meals I have had here. After hours of visiting, my Spanish skills were officially exhausted and we headed back to our hotel.

Trujillo is close to two major archaeological sites of pre-Columbian monuments: Chan Chan, the Chimu city considered to be the largest adobe city in the ancient world, and the temples of the Sun (the largest adobe pyramid in Peru) and Moon. We took a tour to Chan Chan which turned out to be a great photography experience, but not the best edcuational one. Unfortunately, our guide did not speak English very well and what he did speak, we could not understand. Therefore, I found myself standing close to the nearby children's fieldtrip which was conducted in Spanish and precisely at my Spanish level! :). From my fieldtrip, I learned that the city of Chan Chan covers an area of approximately 12.5 square miles and it is estimated that over 30,000 people lived in the city. The adobe city was built by the Chimor (the kingdom of the Chimú), a civilization which grew out of the earlier Moche civilization. The adobe city was such a drastic contrast from the bustling city of Trujillo, a mere 20 minutes away.

A favorite part to my arrival in Trujillo is being able to run again! You all know how much I love a good run. :) Given the knowledge from my prior blogs about Peruvian drivers, it's safe to say running on the streets is not the wisest idea. I did it my first day here, but after a few too many close encounters with taxis, I decided to look at Amber's gym. They offer spin classes, weights (thinking of you, Riley!) and have treadmills, so I decided to sign up for the remaining month I'm here.

First lesson learned at the gym: Bring a towel. There is a belief here that any sort of cold draft can cause a cold, so all the windows are closed and there is not a fan to be found. So, after 7 miles on the treadmill in 85+ degrees I'm pretty sure I looked like a wet dog, dripping profusely out of every pore. The same belief goes for cold beverages, therefore most bottled water is served at room temperature.

Second lesson learned while at the gym: Do not run on the treadmill during rush hour traffic. The treadmills are lined up against the front of the building with floor to ceiling glass directly in front of the machines. It literally feels like a museum display case with me, the sweaty Gringa, on exhibit for every passerby's pleasure. Three lanes of traffic were stopped for an average of 2 minutes per car directly in front of my treadmill. This meant 2 painfully long minutes of "running-man" imitations, blatant pointing, hysterical laughing, and many baffled stares. Needless to say, that was the longest run of my life. :)

Our week has been filled with more fun and there are many more stories to come... Thinking of you all!!

Things I take for granted in Alaska:

1.) Punctuality. Welcome to the world of waiting "solo diez o viente minutos"... 90 minutes later, we ate our lunch!
2.) A big, tall glass of delicious Alaskan tap water. Bottled Peruvian water just isn't the same!
3.) Toilet seats.
4.) Toilet paper. Never, ever go anywhere in Peru without TP.
5.) Toilets, period. Hole in the ground, anyone?
6.) Using car horns for emergency purposes only. (Here, it can mean: go, stop, watch out, I'm about to run a red light, so either move or get hit, hey gringo, you need a cab?, this traffic is ridiculous, so I'm going to honk and maybe it will move faster... It's more of a constant cacophony versus the occasional obnoxious honk.)
7.) Warm showers... Oh how I dream of a nice, steaming, hot shower!
8.) Clean clothes. Still wearing the same clothes I brought down to Peru. Thank goodness for Febreeze and a nice family who doesn't tell you if you really do smell! :)
9.) Dogs having owners. There are SO many strays here, it breaks my heart. I wish I could take them all home!
10.) This is definitely my number one... Being able to run outside. It's possible here, but it's more of an obstacle course: avoid crazy drivers, don't trip on the cobblestone streets(which we all know I've been known to do!), watch out for stray dogs, avoid the men shouting, "corre, gringa, corre!" (run, white girl, run!), oh such an adventure!!