Sunday morning was chilly and grey, so the mountains were hiding from us.  But it was still beautiful to run along the water and see the panoramic Seattle skyline across the water.  I was worried about parking so we left really early, and ended up with almost 30 minutes to spare before the race start.  We camped out in a coffee shop to keep the kiddos warm and get some drinks, and we were so busy talking we almost missed the start!

We realized we were the last ones still sitting there and literally ran down the street to make our way into the pack. 

Since we were late to get lined up, we just headed to the very end of the group.  We weren’t really racing for a time, and Katie was pushing a jogging stroller, so we figured there was no point in pushing forward any further.  This meant we had a LOT of people in front of us though, which made our first mile reaaaally slow.

Eventually, we made our way around all of the walkers and spotted Casey and Cullen on the sidelines!

I did my first pregnant race a few weeks ago at 16.5 weeks, and it’s amazing the difference three weeks makes.  I felt (and look!) a lot bigger this time, and I definitely felt it more that first mile.  I never felt any pain or cramping, but I did  feel a lot of pressure in my lower abdomen during the first mile. 

I was shocked when I saw the first mile marker, since I thought we were probably closer to 1.5 miles in at that point (forgot to grab my watch out of the stroller during the last minute rush!).  Once we passed the Mile 1 sign we both picked it up a bit.  Our second mile felt good, and I felt relieved from a lot of the aches and pressure I’d felt early in the race. 

By the third mile, we’d definitely picked up our pace significantly, and I felt really comfortable.  Katie and I were able to chat the whole time, which made the race go by really quickly.  As we came down the final stretch and saw the finish line, I was bummed to see the clock at 33 minutes. 

I didn’t have any “real” goals other than to finish without walk breaks (which we did!), but I had hoped to either meet or beat the time from my last race (31:51).  Due to our back-of-the-pack start, my time ended up actually being 31:57 – still slower than I’d hoped, but still pretty good considering the extra baggage in the belly. 

I’d still like to try again and see if I can finish closer to 30 minutes next time.  I’d also like to finally remember to wear my watch, which I think would make a big difference.  Third time’s the charm?  Let’s hope.

Considering I didn’t run at all during my last pregnancy, I’m just really grateful to be feeling so healthy and active this time around, and I’m hoping to keep running as long as I can.  Nineteen (point five!) weeks and still going!

After the race, we let the boys get down and stretch their legs on the beach.

They had a blast throwing rocks into the water, and eventually cramming them into their mouths (which meant it was time to go). 

So many thanks to Katie for running with a slow, pregnant lady!  She was pushing about 50 pounds of stroller/toddler, so we felt like we did pretty well considering our handicap.  :)  It is always so much more fun to run with a friend.

After the race, we packed up and headed to the West Seattle location of one of our favorite North Seattle spots – Chaco Canyon.  I wish we lived closer to this one because they have a huge play area in the back of the restaurant with a chalk wall, train table, and tons of toys.  Cullen was in heaven. 

I was busy stuffing my face with this delicious lentil burger. 

And a side of kale minestrone soup.  The perfect post-race meal!

After my last 5k I was really sore and felt incredibly drained all day.  I can tell I’m either getting back into better shape (although getting bigger at the same time) or maybe just improving my running fitness, because I felt a lot better this time.  I spent the afternoon packing and cleaning out our garage with Casey, followed by a long family walk in the evening. 

We have a BIG week coming up!  We have our 20-week ultrasound on Thursday, our moving truck arriving on Saturday morning, and a fun (cheesy) gender reveal party planned with friends for Sunday evening.  In the meantime, we have a house to pack up and clean, and a lot of other odds and ends to fit in. 

And here on DG, I have a fun Barre promo to share with you guys (tomorrow), a pregnancy update (Wednesday), and some more moving and house updates planned for Thursday!

Counting down…

It has been ages since I’ve posted any recipes or even indicated that I still cared about food or cooking here.  You guys have been so patient and understanding, and I am so grateful.  I could offer a million excuses – pregnant, no appetite, moving, busy, uninspired – and while all of those are true, the reality is I just haven’t been at all interested in food for months now.  I have fondly nicknamed baby #2 “the baked potato” because that has been his or her main food source for nineteen weeks.

Of course I can’t expect Cullen and Casey to starve and join my potato fest, so I am still throwing together really simple meals each night.  And while this space is most definitely important to me, I feel like I owe it to you guys to offer up things that are worth sharing, not just things to fill space if you know what I mean.

And so I’ve shared family pictures, stories, and odds and ends in between, but not much food.  I’ve been feeling pretty guilty about the lack of green in my diet, and I’m finally just turning the corner where I can imagine eating things like salad.  So last night I threw together a simple raw chard salad – I thank the fresh basil on my windowsill for some much needed inspiration!

As I tossed the leaves in my hands and rubbed in the dressing, I pondered digging my camera out to take pictures for the first time in a month.  This salad is by no means fancy or mind-blowing, but it IS delicious, and it’s really easy to throw together.  I questioned sharing it here as I clicked each photo and said, “I don’t know…it’s pretty basic.”  Casey just kept munching and telling me how good it was though, so you can blame him for seeing it here today.  Here goes!

Even though we were gone for a number of days, it was a major whirlwind of traveling between multiple destinations, and trying to visit with as many people as possible in a short time frame.  Here is a look at our weekend – through my sporadic photography.

We got to Cincinnati early on Thursday morning after a long red eye flight from Seattle.  Cullen crashed hard when we got there and then slept until noon (Eastern time), while Casey and I napped, showered, and relaxed.  Once he was up, I took him shopping at a few of my old favorite spots.  I don’t know what I was thinking when I packed, but I hated everything in my suitcase when I got there.  I’m in a weird in-between maternity and regular clothes stage, which has made getting dressed sort of awkward.  Anyway, I bought some new things that fit and felt much better.

Then Casey and I headed over to visit my two oldest friends!  Liz and Leah both had babies this year, and it was so fun to catch up with them and see their little ones.  Cullen had fun playing in the backyard water table, in case you thought he had peed his pants. 

Thursday night we went out and celebrated our anniversary, which I told you about yesterday.  Cullen slept really badly on Thursday night because he was sharing a room with us, and we ended up letting him sleep in our bed for the first time ever!  I can totally see how parents get hooked on bed-sharing now – he was so sweet and cuddly!  Although once we moved him, he slept great and I slept terribly since I was hyper aware that he was there.  Still worth the snuggles.

We got up Friday and immediately got ready and jumped in the car.  We drove two hours to Indianapolis to Casey’s parents’ house, and were greeted by their new 10-week old puppy, Gus. 

The last time we were in Indy (back in January), their 7-year old German Shepherd, Buggie, passed away.  Now they have a new pup who is wild and crazy – these were the only pics I caught of him the whole weekend because he never stopped moving!

Once we got to the Malone’s, I visited for a bit before leaving Casey and Cullen behind, and then drove 30 minutes over to my sister’s place to help her get moved into her new condo in Indianapolis.  I spent the next few hours helping Sarah arrange and re-arrange furniture along with my mom and older sister, Rebecca.  So fun to all be together for the weekend!

Once she was relatively settled, I headed back to Casey’s parents’ house for his grandma’s 80th birthday dinner – complete with uncles, aunts, and cousins.  Somehow my camera never made it out, but we ate delicious lentil meatballs and had a great time visiting with everyone.

Saturday morning came early, and we headed to Sarah’s graduation at Butler.  We left Cullen with his grandparents for the day so that we could focus on celebrating Sarah, and not have to keep him entertained/quiet through a three-hour graduation ceremony. 

We clapped and cheered and celebrated that the baby of our family is all grown up!

Can’t believe she’s finally done with school and joining the rest of us here in the “real world.”  I’m so proud of her!

We took many different arrangements of family photos afterward.  The graduate with her proud mama…

Four Holcombe girls…

Three sisters – TWO of whom are pregnant…again!  Two years ago Rebecca and I were pregnant at the same time, but she was four months ahead of me.  This time I am just four weeks ahead of her!  It is going to be a very exciting year for our whole family. 

And of course, had to get one with this guy.  I bought my dress the day before at Nordstrom Rack, and I’m so glad I got it!  It’s not maternity, but I’m hoping to be able to wear it to a few fancy dinners and events this summer. 

After graduation, we finished helping Sarah settle into her new place before heading back to grab Cullen in time to head back to Cincinnati.  Many thanks to my in-laws for watching him all day for us!   We packed up the car and drove two hours back to Ohio.  Cullen slept the whole way – woohoooo!  We made it back just in time for our graduation dinner reservations.  Cullen was a trooper and stayed out til 8:30, barely making a peep in the restaurant.  High fives all around.

Sunday was Mother’s Day, and it was a treat to get to spend with with my own mom and family.  I also got to spend a few hours with my best friend, Lindsey!

After breakfast, our crew headed to the Cincinnati Zoo with everyone else in the city.  It was fun, but very crowded, and since we had a big group we got a later start than I’d hoped.  This meant that we were still at the zoo as nap time approached, and before we knew it – this happened. 

I cannot even tell you the last time Cullen just passed out in public like that.  He was totally zonked, and Casey carried him the rest of the way until we got to the car.  Poor guy didn’t even get to see the tigers!  But mama got to see the polar bears (the highlight!) so it was still well worth it.

Cullen napped a bit longer at home, and I snuck out to get a pedicure with my mom.  It was nice and relaxing, and I loved seeing all the other moms and daughters there celebrating.  Once Cullen got up, I headed out to visit with my dearest and oldest friend, Liz, one more time!  We have been friends since we were literally just babies, so it’s crazy to think that we have babies of our own now.  I got to visit with her whole family, which is always a treat. 

Sunday was our last day at home, so I spent the rest of the night just enjoying the company and relaxing at home.  I snuggled a lot with the little guy who made me a mama.  I feel so blessed!

We flew home first thing Monday morning, and now that we’re home I’m jumping into packing and getting ready for our move.  I have a feeling it’s going to creep up on me very quickly!

Hope all the mamas out there had a wonderful Mother’s Day and felt very special and celebrated!

Thursday – May 9th – was my fourth wedding anniversary.  While it definitely feels hard to remember life before Casey, it’s hard to believe we’ve already been married four long years (and together for seven!)

We got married in my childhood church in Cincinnati, so it felt extra special to celebrate our anniversary back there this year. 

In all the craziness that has been moving from state to state to state, having a new baby, surviving our first year of parenting, deciding to have another baby, deciding to move again – it is easy to get caught up in the day to day stresses and details.  Our anniversary was a nice chance to block all of that out and just focus on the reason we decided to take on so many adventures together in the first place – we’re a pretty great team.

We spent our first wedding anniversary in Charlotte, and that’s actually when I finally wrote our wedding recap (a year late!) – parts one and two.  (I also wrote a post a few years ago telling all about how we met!)

On our second wedding anniversary, we were finally reunited (after a week apart) on the front door step of our first home in Seattle!  Since then, our anniversary has felt even more special.  Here we are two years ago, celebrating two years of marriage and our very first day in our new city of Seattle.  I was 17 weeks pregnant – just a week behind where I am in this pregnancy, but looking totally bump-less.  Not so much this time around!

And here we are two years later – celebrating four years of marriage and two years in a city that we absolutely love.  Life is so different for us now, with one wild toddler already, and another new peanut on the way – but we are still the same goofy couple we were back then.

Even though we’d flown the red eye and barely slept the night before, we took advantage of a snoozing toddler and free babysitter (thanks, Mom!) and went out for a celebratory dinner in Cincinnati.  We ate five delicious courses at Honey in Northside, and followed it up with Graeter’s ice cream on Hyde Park Square.  We sat on a bench and ate ice cream at 10pm, and it was perfect. 

It was a fun way to celebrate four years with my favorite partner in crime. 

Here’s to many many more!

At sixteen weeks last time, I was in transition from leaving DC and moving to Seattle, and spent the week in Cincinnati while we waited for our movers to travel across the country.  At sixteen weeks this time, we are getting ready to move again, but luckily this move is just local. 

During week sixteen I ran my first pregnant race, and generally felt pretty good.  I threw up twice, but that has become pretty par for the course.  Even though getting sick is never fun, it feels more manageable this time and has been limited to mornings so far.  Exhaustion has been much more difficult to deal with.  I can barely keep my eyes open in the afternoons!

At seventeen weeks, I felt like I really “popped.”  This picture doesn’t really do justice to the belly that is there now.  While it feels weird to suddenly have such a noticeable belly, I’m happy to show early and bypass the awkward in between stage. 

It’s funny that I know my belly is already much bigger this time than it was at seventeen weeks last time, but I’m still fitting into my regular jeans (for now), while last time I was well into maternity gear.  I think this is further evidence that I’m carrying higher this time – it definitely looks and feels like it.  I’ve gained somewhere around 5-6 pounds.

My appetite is still really…off.  I don’t have any particular food aversions this time and am willing to eat pretty much everything, but nothing actually sounds remotely appetizing.  I keep thinking this should be changing sooner than later, but I’d still be happy to live off of baked potatoes if I could.  Orange juice, fruit, cereal, bagels, eggs, and baked goods all still sound wonderful.  My sweet tooth is more out of control than ever.

And while I’m willing to eat a good variety of things, I’m finding it very hard to actually cook anything (as evidenced on my recipe page!).  Cooking sounds horrible and exhausting most nights, which has meant lots of soup, pasta, and frozen vegetables.  Hoping this passes soon!

As of today, I’m officially 18 weeks along.  Time feels like it’s flying, and I can’t believe we’re almost halfway there.  We have our 20-week ultrasound scheduled for a few weeks from now, and I’m excited to get another peek at this little nugget. 

I’m starting to feel lots of little kicks and thumps in my lower abdomen, and Casey was actually able to feel one last night.  I think I’m still sort of in shock that someone is in there!  It hasn’t totally sunk in, probably because we are so busy focusing on Cullen instead of me this time around.  But all these little thumps and bumps are a nice reminder of the sweet little one that is going to be here before we know it.

Overall this pregnancy is going really well.  Not perfect – still not fun to be throwing up in week eighteen, and I’m having a lot of intense headaches – but I don’t feel like I have much room to complain.  If I point to my belly and ask Cullen “what’s this?" – he says “babeeee” and gives it a kiss.  It makes me melt every time. 

I’m looking forward to getting settled in our new place and getting Cullen settled into his big boy room so we can start thinking about getting set up for this little one too.  And tonight, I’m looking forward to flying home to see our friends and family, and see my little sister graduate!  This will probably be the only time I see most of them during this pregnancy, which is really strange.

Almost halfway there!

For more pregnancy posts, you can visit the pregnancy page.  Here are other posts I’ve written so far about my second pregnancy:

• The Next Chapter
• First Trimester, Second Pregnancy!
• Pregnancy #2: Weeks 14 & 15

For parenting posts, you can also visit the parenting page.  You can also check out the latest over on Babble:

• A Look At Our Insta-Month: April!
• Don’t Get Rid of That Infant Bathtub Just Yet…
• I Can’t Believe He’s Not Ripping These Off
• 10 Ways To Avoid The Dreaded Car Nap

Friday afternoon was nap-less as usual, but Cullen had some down time in the crib while I worked outside for about an hour.  Can’t believe it’s finally nice enough for a patio workstation!

Once Mr. No Nap was finished reading himself books, he joined me in the backyard for an afternoon snack and play date. 

Since summer has arrived a bit early this year, we don’t really have any fun backyard entertainment yet.  So I got creative and rigged up a homemade water table out of his old infant bathtub.  He splashed and played for almost three hours until dad came home and we dragged him inside for dinner.  

It was most definitely a big hit.

We also tested out his new super cool toddler sunglasses.  I figured there was no way he’d keep them on, but it turns out he loves them.  They had me laughing all weekend long.  He is a hoot.   

Saturday brought all sorts of excitement.  We were up early to head into Seattle to meet someone to measure carpet for OUR NEW HOUSE.  That’s right – we’re moving…again.  Yep, we are insane.  We are also ridiculously excited, and sort of in shock that this really long crazy story of home buying/selling actually worked out, and we’ll be in our new space in just a few short weeks!  More details to come eventually.  For now, here’s Cullen enjoying what will be his new (fabulous!) backyard.

We left the new place on cloud nine, finally seeing it all ready to go for it’s new owners (US!!!).  From there we decided to spend some time in what will be our new ‘hood, and headed over to Discovery Park for a family hike. 

Discovery is the biggest park in Seattle, and provides some of the most gorgeous scenery and views you can find in this area.  We stood at the top of the lookout in total awe of how gorgeous the Sound looked sparkling under the sun. 

Pretty excited to have this so close to us this summer (and beyond!).  Feels like a dream come true!

Also, I am looking massively pregnant.  I woke up the day I hit 16 weeks, and my stomach had doubled (tripled?) in size.  I’ll do an update here soon, but someone is most definitely growing in there!  I was feeling it too as we hiked up and down.  I don’t have the stamina that I used to!

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.  I can’t handle it.

We worked up an appetite on our hike, and headed to Homegrown in Queen Anne for lunch afterward.  Cullen was very excited to be getting his very own sandwich. 

Marinated portabella, avocado, arugula, pickled red onion, and homemade pesto on whole grain for mama.  My favorite sandwich there by far.

Kid’s peanut butter and homemade jam for Cullen, served with an organic orange.

A big bowl of vegan Thai curry soup for all three of us to share (Cullen loved it!)…

And a very hungry family to eat it all.  Yum!

We headed home for Cullen’s (theoretical) nap, and some downtime at the house.  I watched the Derby and ended up falling asleep for about an hour.  It was nice and lazy, just as Saturday afternoon should be.  In the evening, we ventured out to Downtown Kirkland in search of an early dinner.  We scored a patio table at a Thai place, which felt like winning the lottery on such a busy night. 

I don’t remember exactly what this was, but it was incredibly delicious.  Crispy egg noodles, tofu, and veggie with some sort of fabulous sauce.  All plates were cleaned. 

Finished off our evening with a few scoops of gelato.  It felt like the first day of summer – people, dogs, and families out everywhere enjoying our beautiful city. 

Sunday morning came painfully early, as Casey left at 5am to head to the airport.  He is in Toronto for a few days for work, leaving me and C to entertain ourselves.  I’m used to him traveling quite a bit, but not usually over weekends.  It felt really strange to be on my own on a Sunday!  I couldn’t get back to sleep after he left, so I went downstairs to enjoy some coffee and make pancakes for me and my little man. 

Just because dad isn’t here, that is not going to stop us from pancake Sunday.  These were some of the best yet!  Definitely bookmarking the recipe for next week. 

Sunday was hot, hot, HOT.  I knew all the beaches and parks would be insanely crowded since this is our first really warm weekend.  So Cullen and I headed to Kelsey Creek Farm – a really cute little petting zoo, farm, and playground area in Bellevue. 

Mr. Cool loved the goats and chickens!

He also loved the big sandbox!

I will certainly never complain about too much sun or heat here, but it was so warm I worried about keeping him out too long.  Despite a full coating of sunscreen, my little fair-skinned boy was looking pretty pink by the time we hit the playground. 

We stayed for a few hours and then headed home to relax, nap, and splash some more in the backyard.

We missed Casey, but having such great weather definitely helped move our day along.  Today was in the 80’s again, and it’s supposed to be really nice all week.  We are actually heading to Ohio and Indiana later in the week to see my baby sister graduate from college!  Hard to believe.

More to come!

But he’s older now, and I’m no longer a “new mom” – at least not new enough to make excuses about still trying to figure out the daily grind.  It’s funny that I write so little about exercise and fitness, although I’m actually doing more regular exercise now than I have in quite a while.

I’ve mentioned it here plenty before, but I thought maybe it was worth a post of it’s own. 

I’ve gotten totally hooked on barre classes. 

I went to my first one back in November – a complimentary offer to go try out a class with one of the Barre3 corporate managers.  At that point we were planning to start trying for a second baby soon, and I knew that if I didn’t figure out how to make fitness a priority now, it would only get harder during pregnancy/new motherhood. 

It was love at first “shake” and it felt wonderful to be back in a group fitness setting.  I didn’t go back right away.  We traveled and had family in for the holidays, but I continued to think about how much I enjoyed the class. 

When January rolled around, a new month and new year were just the motivation I needed to start something regular.  Since then, I’ve been going to classes at two different Barre3 studios, and I try to make it to at least two classes each week.  The closest studio to my house doesn’t have childcare, so I only head there on weekends and in evenings.  During the week, Cullen and I head to a different studio about 20 minutes away, and he plays in the childcare area while mom gets her butt kicked.

So with all of that said, I thought I would talk a little bit about barre in general, since it’s a relatively new-ish fitness trend.

What is Barre?

Contrary to popular belief and an understandable misconception from its name, barre really has nothing to do with dance or ballet.  That’s not to say that dancers wouldn’t enjoy it, but if you’re looking to arabesque or chasse, that’s probably not going to happen here.

Barre is actually a low-impact strength workout that involves lots of posture holds and “micro-movements” in order to get muscles burning to the point that you are shaking uncontrollably.  Imagine doing a wide squat and holding it for several minutes at a time,while pulsing up and down moving only an inch at a time.  It is INTENSE.  I was embarrassed that my whole body was shaking like jell-o during my first class, until I realized that I was in good company.

In my Barre3 classes, we usually start with planks and pushups at the bar (chest and arm work), followed by a ridiculous leg set that leaves me ready to collapse.  Next is arms, where we use either 1, 2, or 3 pound weights (I use 1lb, and it feels like 20 after a few minutes).  After arms is “seat work” which buuuuuurns and burns, followed by abs and stretching at the end.  I like that the sequence is always the same so I know what to expect, but the actual moves and stretches are different each time.

Barre During Pregnancy

The thing that I like most about barre is that it’s really low impact.  While I get a really intense workout that leaves me shaky and sore, I rarely actually leave the studio sweaty.  As a mom, this is nice because it means no double shower necessary (finding time for one is hard enough!). 

Being pregnant again, I’m continuing to enjoy the barre workouts, and it’s nice to have a low impact option since I have to watch my heart rate more closely now.  So far I’ve been able to continue to do most of the classes in their entirety (while taking breaks as usual), but I think I might have trouble with some of the longer abdominal sets (usually done on the back or stomach) as I get bigger.  There are some very pregnant women in my classes though, and the instructors are always offering modifications (which I have started paying attention to!). 

Barre Basics

It is probably worth noting here that I’ve tried three different barre studios so far – Barre3, Pure Barre, and a small local studio.  Like any fitness program, every class and instructor is different, so it’s worth trying a few to find the right fit.  For me personally, I like Barre3 the best of what I’ve tried.  I like the sequence of the workout, and I have found it to be the most challenging.  I tried a Pure Barre class in Cincinnati a few months ago, which I also liked, but the music was deafening and the atmosphere was more intense than what I’m used to.  That said, I would still definitely go back and do it again.

The biggest negative to barre is the price.  I don’t belong to a regular gym right now, so I’m using that money to put toward barre classes instead.  I try to take advantage of promotions like new member packages, Living Social and Groupon deals, and bulk pricing packages.  I’ve also noticed that fitness classes in general just seem to be getting more expensive, unless done as part of a regular gym membership.  Here in Seattle, most drop in classes for barre, yoga, spinning, flywheel, etc. all range from about $18-25 per class.

The advantage to paying a hefty price tag for the classes, is that it really motivates me to work hard for the entire sixty minutes.  Sometimes I’ll realize I’m taking more breaks than I probably need, and I remind myself that it’s only one hour and I paid $18 to be there – I better make it count.

Because it is a strength workout that really works and tests the muscles, it’s also not something I ever do two days in a row.  So even though it’s more expensive, I wouldn’t ever expect to do it more than a few times each week.  Three is my limit, and two is more common.

Overall, it’s fun to have a new fitness program that I’m excited about.  I’m hoping to add some prenatal yoga into my workouts in the next few weeks, and I’ve picked out another 5k coming up later this month.  In the meantime, I’ll keep bellying up to the barre! 

So even though I hadn’t been running all that regularly up to this point, I still felt like my activity and fitness level was good enough to take on the challenge of racing.  After the tragedies in Boston a few weeks ago, I felt really motivated and compelled to jump back into the running community – not to be competitive, but just to participate.  I looked at the local race calendar and signed up for the Top Pot Doughnut Dash 5K – and that is where we headed early Sunday morning! 

The race started at 8:30am, and I had to pick up my packet first, so it was an early morning for the whole family.  It was also cool and drizzling rain, so I was very grateful for my fabulous support crew.  (And yes! We got a new stroller – I’ll be writing about it soon!)

The last 5K I ran was last year on Mother’s Day, and that was a much smaller race.  This race was big compared to many of the 5K’s I’ve done in the past – almost 2,000 runners!  I guess a lot of people are as motivated by finish line doughnuts as I am.  :) 

I had originally been planning to run with a friend and her jogging stroller, but her little guy got sick the morning of the race.  I was so sad for them!  This also changed my race quite a bit.  I had planned to talk with Katie and distract myself with conversation, and now I found myself running alone with nothing but the sound of my breath (wasn’t planning to use headphones, so I didn’t take any!). 

I didn’t really have much of a plan, and it was funny at how unprepared I felt compared to prior races.  I had no music, no Garmin, and no idea what to expect.  I decided early on that my only goal was to try to run the whole thing without walking.  I know myself, and I know that if I allowed myself one walking break, it would turn into ten more.  I kissed my cheerleaders goodbye and took off!

I assumed I’d be running somewhere between a 10:00 and 11:00 minute mile, so I positioned myself pretty far back.

Casey and Cullen found a great spot right at the first curve, and were able to watch all the runners take off. 

I saw them as I went back, and smiled and waved.  So speedy I am nothing but a blur.  :)

This race was at Greenlake, which is one of my favorite running and walking spots, and it’s a loop I’ve done hundreds of times before.  So it was nice to know what to expect, and to have a good sense of the course – particularly since I had no Garmin telling me how much further I had to run.  My strategy was to just pick a comfortable pace and try to hold onto it – I knew it was slow, but I also knew it needed to be if I expected my legs to run three miles without stopping.  I spent pretty much the entire race being passed by other runners – very humbling!

It’s a weird thing to run while pregnant.  My instincts wanted me to try to push it – to give a little more, to pick up the speed a bit, but I also knew that I needed to keep my heart rate down and really pay attention to the cues my body was giving.  I’m not gonna lie – even though it was only three miles, it was tough.  My body hurt, and I had to constantly ask myself if it was normal “running hurt” or if it was pregnancy related (meaning I should stop).  All the aches and pains were in my legs and chest though, so I knew I was fine to keep going.

I spent most of the run just focused on my breath, and listening to the conversations around me (creeper alert!).  I willed myself to keep running even if that meant slowing down.  Once I passed the second mile marker, I knew I could push it for one more.  I came down the finishing chute and saw Casey and Cullen waiting and waving!

My official finish time was 31:51 (10:15 average pace) – my second slowest 5K ever, but my first ever pregnant, and one I will definitely remember.  I think (or at least I hope!) that jumping back into running at 16.5 weeks pregnant was just early enough to get going before I get too big or too tired.  Last time I tried to pick it up again around 22 weeks, and it was way too late.  I felt really proud to be a pregnant, running mama!

The 5K was sponsored by Top Pot Doughnuts – a famous Seattle spot.  But they only had one small doughnut truck in the finishers’ area, and the line was at least 500 people deep by the time I finished.  We decided to jump in the car and head to my personal favorite (vegan!) doughnut spot – Mighty O. 

We all enjoyed some post-race treats.  Cullen wolfed down the mini cake doughnuts I got for him, and I had delicious chocolate top and chocolate cream-filled.  Mmmmmmm.

It was a really fun way to spend the morning, and I spent the rest of the afternoon with a runner’s high.  During what should have been nap time (that turned out not to be – no naps all weekend – grrrrr), I looked online for other upcoming races that work with our schedule.

I absolutely loved running the race, and while I know I’m not in a place to set any big goals or plan too far ahead, I’m hoping to keep running and taking advantage of summer racing season as long as I can.  And I won’t feel quite so bad about being passed so much once I have a bigger, more noticeable belly!  :)

One pregnant race down, and hopefully several more to come!

Every time I think about how big you’ve gotten and how long ago it was that you were a little baby, I picture us sitting in your glider back in the Fremont nursery.  We’d rock and nap for hours sometimes.  It’s hard to believe you are that same tiny person!

This eighteen month milestone has felt like a big one – a year and a half already?  We’ve been so busy having fun that I never found time to sit down and write your seventeen month update.  I figure that’s a few extra hours you got on a playground somewhere, so hopefully you’ll forgive me. 

At eighteen months you are a rambunctious and mischievous little guy. You have recently become very clingy to your mama, and your favorite place to be is in my arms – all 26+ pounds of you.  You are keeping me young (and tired). 

When you were still a little lump that laid in one place, people tried to warn me that it would get so much harder once you started moving.  And while it has certainly presented new challenges, it has also gotten infinitely more fun. 

You still love the swings and, unless it is raining, we go to the playground every day.  Your favorite part is to swing near and get a high five, or to lean in and see if we can kiss you.

It sends you into fits of laughter every.single.time.  You have this new amazing laugh that sounds like a bear growling.  It’s deep and throaty and totally ridiculous.  It makes me and dad laugh, which just makes you growl louder.

You also have this bizarre obsession with possessions.  You have certain things you have deemed as yours, that you like to carry around with you.  At our weekly Gymboree classes, you always find a ball or small shape at the beginning, and carry it around to every single slide, climbing wall, and game for the entire hour.  Yesterday, you fell in love with this purple shovel and insisted on carrying it at all times. 

This month brought your first trip to the beach, which sparked a new love affair with the sand.  Lucky for us, we have beaches very close to our house, so we meet dad there after work on warm, sunny evenings.  We learned the hard way that we need to always be armed with our own shovel and pail, otherwise you go looking to be adopted into other families.

You have a very strong sense of what you want and when you want it, and you are not always happy when we don’t agree.  You think you are much bigger than you are, and you scare mom often by doing things like insisting on going down the big kid’s slide. 

Your favorite word is NO.

And while you can be incredibly strong-willed and determined (already!), you are also very sweet and loving.  You give hugs to Huey and Indy all day long, and you are actually willing to put your head on my chest for a few minutes before bedtime again.  You absolutely love to share kisses.

In fact, you think they are kind of hilarious.

Every day you need my help less and less.  I watch you scale the climbing mats at play class like a little monkey, and I wonder where on earth you learned to do it.  You put puzzles together faster than I do, work an iPad better than your grandparents, and you have this sense of confidence and fearlessness that is equal parts amazing and terrifying for me as a mother.

While you were once the world’s most predictable sleeper, we hit a few bumps this month.  The week with no naps almost broke both of us.  Thankfully, this week you are back to “normal” napping, which means our afternoons are a lot more fun. 

When you don’t take a nap, you are happy to hang out in your crib and just roll around, toss stuffed animals out, or read books.  But it’s hard for mom to relax or work because you also like to put your foot up on the top rail of the crib and practice your climbing skills.  We fear that your days in the crib are numbered, and it’s only a matter of time before you climb completely out!

When you are awake, your feet barely touch the ground.  You are FAST, and you love to chase and be chased.  The dogs who were once so wary of you have become your best friends.

Speaking of dogs, you are really into animal noises.  You point and shout a very loud “OOF OOF” at every dog that passes by, including your own.  This means that mom hears your OOFS no less than 200 times a day, yet somehow it never seems to get old.  Other favorite animal noises include monkey, sheep, dinosaur, cow, owl (this is mom’s favorite), chicken, elephant, and alligator.  We go to the zoo at least once a week, and the gorillas are always the highlight. 

You are incredibly social and love to watch the people around you.  You pick up on little things that mom and dad do, and mimic them in your own funny way.  Every time you take a big drink of water or milk, you swallow and then open your mouth to release a big “aahhhhhh” afterward.  You sound so refreshed!

You also point to your food and say “mmmmm” if it’s something you’re actually willing to eat.  I have a hard time predicting what that will be these days, since your preferences seem to change on an hourly basis.  Who would have ever guessed you’d eat your green beans last night?

It’s still a good ways away, but I’m starting to think about you more and more as a big brother.  It feels simultaneously heart-melting and heart-wrenching to think about how our lives will change.  I tear up with excitement thinking about you holding your new little sib, and how I hope the two of you become fast friends.  And then I tear up with sadness knowing that these last few months of just you and us are going to inevitably fly by.  In the meantime, I am making sure I don’t miss a single moment. 

You are almost impossible to catch on camera these days because you try to grab it and take over the filming, but I did sneak a quick one yesterday!

18 Month Stats:

• Weight: 26lb 8 oz (75th%)
• Height: 33.5 inches tall (75th%)
• Head: Still in the 90th percentile – no surprises there!
• Teeth: 12 with 3 more on the way
• Diapers:  Still cloth, still going well.  Disposables for overnights.
• Likes:  Cups, drinking from things, watering cans, digging, sand, swings, stickers, getting stamps on his hands, reading books
• Dislikes:  Getting dressed, having his nose wiped, waiting more than 30 seconds for food, getting into his car seat

For previous updates, you can visit the parenting page.  You can also check out the recent posts over on Babble!

• Nap Wars: The 18-Month Edition
• 10 Lessons My Child Can Learn From the Running Community
• Here We Go With Impetigo
• When Did My Baby Turn Into One of the “Big Kids?”

In addition to my regular Babble posting this month, I also did one of their special feature pieces.  You can check out Babble Blogger Favorites: Best Baby Carriers to see all my recommendations on the best soft-structured carriers, newborn wraps and slings, and hiking backpacks!

My Earth Day pledge this year is to try to keep this basil plant alive.  I bought him on Wednesday, and I’ve only had to revive him once so far, so we’re off to a good start.

My mom has this amazing green thumb, and I don’t know how it totally passed me by.  She’s the type of person that keeps plants for years – rotating them inside and outside seasonally, and spending hours watering her garden in the summers.  I am lucky to keep something alive for one entire season, but maybe this year will be different!

In celebration of Earth Day, I thought it might be fun to share one of the ways that we are being a bit greener in our house.  There are a lot of ways we try to reduce our environmental impact as a family – cloth diapering, commuting on the bus, using chemical-free household products, making some of our own cleaners, etc.  Of course, there are also areas where we could really stand to improve – we drive way too much, don’t compost at home, and we buy too many things in bulky packaging at Trader Joe’s. 

But there is one big change we’ve made this year that has greatly reduced the amount of waste in our house…

We have eliminated paper towels. 

They are so convenient and easy to grab for quick messes and spills, but I was starting to cringe at the frequency of giant 12-packs I was hauling home from the grocery store.  So last year, we started a new system and tossed our towels for the last time.  I picked up two of these waste sorting bins from Ikea for about $12 a piece.  They are the perfect small size for fitting in the cabinet underneath our kitchen sink.

I also picked up three of these ten-packs of cheap washcloths (for $5 a piece).  So two trashcans + wash rags = a total investment of about $40.  Very affordable when you consider how much it has saved over the course of a year. 

We keep the bins under the kitchen sink – the left one filled with clean rags, and the bin in the right waiting to be filled with them once they are dirty.  I also use the dirty bin for Cullen’s bibs after mealtimes, as well as dirty dish towels – it makes laundry more efficient.

Every few days, I grab the dirty bin and wash it on our sanitize setting – to make sure we get rid of all the gross germs from food and dirt.  Having 30 clean rags has turned out to be a good number – it can definitely last us a whole week if needed. 

When you just use one paper towel at a time, it’s easy to feel like it’s a small thing.  But in our house, especially with dogs and kids, we were using them way more often than we realized.  I often found myself feeling guilty for grabbing a whole paper towel for something as simple as wiping Cullen’s nose.  Now that we have washable, reusable rags, I don’t care how many I use at one time, because I know I can just throw them in the washing machine and start over. 

Here are just some of the many different ways we use them:

• wiping dog paws after a rainy trip to the backyard
• wiping Cullen’s hands and mouth after meals
• wiping runny toddler noses
• wiping down kitchen countertops
• dusting other areas of the house
• drying wet pots and pans
• cleaning windows and glass doors
• wiping up spills/dirt on the floor

It’s a small change that has made a big difference for us as a family, and hopefully a difference in our environmental impact as well!

Happy Earth Day!