Emma's 1st Bolder Boulder

I was going to write about my balcony garden success, but then it hailed the other night and I am still assessing the damage...so, I thought I would write about the Bolder Boulder that Gregory, Emma and I ran today!

I have another Bolder Boulder under the belt. This one I can classify as a huge success! No, I did not PR or set any course records. I actually ran the whole way with a 5 yr old boy and his mom. So why would I be so happy about this BB?

1. I finished
2. I did not pee in my shorts
3. I did not go into labor

10 km at 7 months pregnant (8 months for moms who really know this process is 10 months!) is no easy task! There are so many things you need to worry about! For me, the most stressful part was how to manage texting my loving husband every friggen km!! I was allowed (by my husband) to run the Bolder Boulder under a certain set of rules. It makes me feel better to think he was concerned for my general well-being and his unborn child. In reality, I think he was worried I was still going to beat him.

The first most important rule was doctor’s clearance. 2 weeks ago, I got that. I could see Gregory’s look of disappointment in the doctor’s office when the doctor said “I don’t see why not, as long as you are comfortable and keep the HR down.” Baby’s happy, healthy and measuring up fine!

Second rule was wearing that darn support belt that makes me need to pee every 2 minutes! Trust me, this is a BIG difference from having to pee every 5 min vs 2 min. BUT, I did it because it made my husband happy and it helps stabilize the “jiggle”.

Third rule was that I had to text Gregory every km to let him know Emma and I were doing fine. Why he wouldn’t run with me I don’t know??...hmmm, perhaps a little afraid of what damage his 7 month pregnant wife could do?? Or he was afraid to run with a “fat lady”?

Fourth rule is the “fat lady” needs to eat during the run. So I HAD to take a gel and cliff shots with me for this “long distance” event.

Seems fairly simple and straight forward….

Well, not really…I had a few dilemmas. First, what to wear? When I was renewed in the Brooks ID program last year and had received my racing uniform (size small!) I did not know I was pregnant. The uniform is still in its plastic wrap. Well, I did what any pregnant woman would do; I wore Gregory’s clothes (except for the shorts, they still fit if I wear them low enough…but the shirt has to be long enough to cover my butt crack).

I had a moment yesterday when I was reviewing pictures from this past week and was shocked to find that my butt was really “THAT BIG”…Gregory tried to be nice and tell me it was the camera angle. When I could not roll over in bed that evening and used every ounce of energy to get up, he confirmed that he was lying by calling me “Shamu” and “ how did you get so fat!!??” while laughing his a$$ off at my struggles….as you can tell, Gregory and I have the most loving, caring relationship. I think he was taking his Bolder Boulder insecurities out on me.

Back to race morning. We arrive “early” because Gregory and Mitch have the “fast waves”…. Ouch! That hurt my ego….moved from the AB to the GD…but, I digress again. Gregory does his warm-up and puts on his game face. Mitch and Gregory have an ongoing battle; this is the second year of them racing Bolder Boulder. Gregory tried to sabotage Mitch the day before by having him climb to Ward. I tried to stay out of the testosterone fest and hang with Renan (Mitch’s awesome, very PATIENT wife). However, it was not like Renan was in the most excited mood either; since she found out the day before her husband had signed her up for a 10 km race, not a 5 km race…..

Fun times…

So, it comes Gregory’s and Mitch’s time to line up for their race and I say goodbye to each; then I turn around to wait with Renan and POOF!! She is gone. Just like that, sucked into the crowds of the BB. I am alone, pregnant and people are looking at me weird. That’s right, I am pregnant…why don’t I just put a sign on my back that says “bad mom”…would that make you feel better? What these people don’t realize is that my little Emma is like a puppy waiting to go for a walk. She kicks and moves and gets so excited when it is “run” time…then we run and she sleeps. I wonder who she gets that from??

Finally I see my wave moving closer to the start and I hop in. Immediately, I have a woman asking me “how far along am I” and I tell her. I was waiting for the “wow, is that safe?” But instead, I was surprised with a “That was me last year! I have a son; this is my first race back”. I instantly start to feel better, more comfortable. Then, looking to the left of me, I see another pregnant runner! OMG, this is “MY WAVE” …made specifically for pregnant runners, I am sure of it! Truth be told, everyone is different and I would never put Emma in jeopardy, but I do know I am the exception. Most pregnant ladies give up the impact sports long before this point. I AM lucky in the way that I carry Emma and that I still have a pretty stable core….for how much longer, I don’t know, but I am thankful for what I have and I am ok carrying around 23 extra pounds for 10 km.

So, to sum it up, the way I felt is similar to the nervous energy you have when you look around at a race (when you are racing) and see all the “fit” people and feel you are different even if you are not and nobody really cares if you are.

Anyhow, back to the race. Feeling a bit more confident in myself I double check to make sure I have everything I need. Gels, check! Cliff block shots , Check! Double knotted shoes, check! Phone, check! Ipod, check! Support belt positioned correctly, check! My butt crack is not showing, check! …

Now all that is left to do is run/walk/crawl to the stadium. It seemed a lot more daunting than it did last year. Yet again, last year, I was 23 lbs lighter and biking over 100 miles the day before was “normal”. Then again, carrying a baby is a unique challenge in itself; dealing with Gregory’s taunts and teasing tops the cake!

Then the gun went off and I started my forward momentum. I had to be careful not to go out too fast, because if I do that, I tend to huff, puff and come to a screaming halt within 50 meters and the day is done. Yes, I can blow my load if I am not careful. I kept telling myself “nice and easy Chewy”……

I must say, there is something a lot more appealing to doing the Bolder Boulder when you don’t go from 0MPH to make your eyes bleed pace within 100 meters. I could get used to it!

Before I knew it I was at 1 km…and I already had to pee. I was supposed to text Gregory at that point, but there was a wee bit of a problem. I can’t text while running and if I stopped, I would most likely pee in my shorts when I started running again. Text update would have to wait until I found a porto-john or a bush. It is kind of hard to be discrete when you are running amongst 40 000 other people and you are a 7 months pregnant…

So, the game was to distract myself from the “need to pee” feeling and keep shuffling along. I LOVE the support on this course. It is so much fun with the live bands and crowd support. So many people were cheering and offering high fives. I actually got into the moment and went to go give a spectator a high five when I realized that I had forgotten for a moment that I was pregnant, but the spectator clearly hadn’t. It was if she was frozen looking at this freak of nature running with a big pregnant belly; for some reason if weird’s people out. She kindly gave me a high five, but with a look of confusion and utter horror that I was running.

Oh well, time to focus on the toilet. 2 km passed and still not toilet; I had to text Gregory or else I would have more to worry about than sore/tired legs at the end of this. I stopped and pulled out my phone and then went to the task of finding G’s contact info and texting. Clearly this was inefficient and making a huge dent into my already slow time. Some people then came to ask if I was ok, because of course, a pregnant lady who stops at 2 km into a 10 km race to pull out her phone must be in labor. I reassured the gathering crowd that I was fine and I was texting my husband because he “would not run with me!”

I then started up again, resolving to myself that no one would notice if I happen to “pee myself” because I am wearing black shorts. Fortunately, I made it to 3 km where I was able to “relieve” the problem without dropping my phone, gels, shots, ipod and any other unnecessary item required for this journey into the toilet. I did not care if my butt crack was showing at this point.

Onward bound!! 7 km to go

Off I went again into the hilly part of the course. I told myself I would be walking the uphill’s should Emma decided to take up residence in my chest and poke my lungs with her feet (a recent favorite activity of hers). Thankfully, she decided to keep napping in my lower belly and only stretch out a few times. Oh, if she knew how hard her mom worked to keep her happy! This subsequently leads to lots of bouncing on the bladder and low and behold at 4 km I had to pee again…oh boy, this is fun!

I was resolved not to pee again for another couple of km..even if it does induce Braxton hicks. This is where I draw the line! There are only so many porto-potty’s I will enter in the time frame of a couple hours.

How to distract oneself?? Well, just keep clicking away at songs on the Ipod; listen to about 30 seconds and move onto a new one. Keep looking around at the people around you, which is when I realized that I was matching stride for stride with a 5 year old boy and his mom. His name was “Ryan” and it was his 1st BB. He was having fun and just cute as a button.

At 5 km there was another toilet and I think I knocked out some other runners making a sprint for one. Didn’t drop anything in the toilet, yet I did leave behind my cliff shots because they were “weighing me down” and it seemed like an outrageous Gregory request at the time. It wasn’t a big deal because I still had a gel and then a bunch of college students were handing out chips!

Emma loves chips! We had to stop and eat a few chips….then…oh wait! Crap, I need to text Gregory!

I stop again and whip out the phone. I repeat the process of texting and reassuring the spectators that I was not popping a baby out; I just had to text my husband who thought I was “too slow for him and he needed to run faster to get his testosterone fix!”

Ok, time to get moving again….Cue in Rocky Music at km 6 where there is a hill. I made it 10 steps and then started walking. Well, better than nothing, right?

Top of the hill and then down we go! Downhill’s are so fun…until you realize you have to pee…again! Now this is getting on my nerves, but when you only have 4 km left to go and the only thing bugging you is your bladder and the intensifying craving for more chips and ice-cream. Solution: finish, pee and eat.

I don’t know where km 7-8 went, but I ran them…then I stopped for the 3rd time…no more details needed here. Obviously I hydrated well!

I was then able to smile for the big pictures taken at 8 km….I am sure there were a few extra shots taken of me, because who could miss “Shamu?”

I decided I would hold off until 9km to text Gregory so that he would know I was in the home stretch and ready waiting for me. I pulled out my phone only to see I had a text message from him.

I was expecting something really encouraging like “good job hon! Almost there” or “I am so proud of you”….

Instead, I got “Hurry up Chewy”….

Yes, I have a very supportive husband who would never relish in the fact that he is beating me for the FIRST and ONLY time in a running race….Mark my word on this!

Add to that the fact that my index toe was going numb….don’t ask me why. Never happened before, and I was ready to be done! There is something very strange knowing you only have 1 km left and everyone is sprinting past and you CAN’T! The rule: keep it conversational….deep down inside, I knew Emma was taunting me “just do it mom! Can’t we just go for it?” But no, I behaved…..that is part of becoming a mom, learning patience.

Up that final hill and into the stadium….looking at the crowds and experiencing it from a totally different perspective. I crossed that line with a huge smile and an enormous feeling of accomplishment that I usually only get after those “big events.” For me, this was HUGE! I set my goal and stuck to it (while putting Emma first of course). I took care of my body and prepared wisely for it. I also went in with a realistic set of expectations knowing that I had already met my goal when I was able to toe that starting line. Finishing is icing on the cake. 7 months pregnant and just finished a 10 km run isn’t too shabby.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the race today, the opportunity to “Take it all in” and take my time. There are many things that I experienced today that I wouldn’t have if I were not pregnant and actually “racing.” It reminds me of why I originally got into the sport and really renews my desire.

All of this being said, it does not take away my slight bitterness when I found out my time and realized it was only 6 minutes slower than Gregory’s!! I think I was sabotaged with all this “texting” BS…..

Once again, this is all Gregory’s fault!!

I Love you Gregory dearest! Congrats on your race and I am so sad you lost your breakfast at 9km…that must have been REALLY tough.

And no, I am not bitter that you took my chips away from me after the race…and told my friends that I could not eat any more because that is why I got so big!

The Naming Game

Alright…so, if having a child is not overwhelming enough, naming that child is even harder! And trust me, Gregory and I spent a LONG time deciding on what to name our girl. Well, not really…for those of you who know us well, you will probably think it came down to a coin toss….

You are almost correct….

I must say, I have some wonderful friends lending me support throughout this pregnancy and transition in my life. One of these friends kindly lent me some of her books, including one with thousands of name options. I spent a long time searching and digging through that book looking for names that would be acceptable in French and English.

Gregory jokingly suggested Latrine as our first option…..I told him to look at the book.

Well, all of my time researching names came to use when Gregory opened the book, read the first page and said “holy crap, no way…too much!” ..and then he got stuck on some mythological name which was not in the book, at which point in time I removed the book from his hands and shared what I liked name-wise

Erin: “How about Madeleine”

Gregory: “That is nice, it French…but hon, are you sure you want to name her that or is it just your craving for cookies?”

Erin: “Shut-up”

…..a few days pass…

I bring up the name subject again. At this point in time, I am more determined to find a name, with a post- it and pencil in hand, I tell Gregory to write.

He comes up with 4 names, which for him is a HUGE accomplishment. I love Gregory to death, but trust me, he has the creativity of somebody in the field of physics (not that organic chemists hate physics…)…well, he is a software programmer, so I guess that explains a lot. Anyhow, I liked one of the names…actually LOVED one of them and so our little girl was named:

EMMA

Yes, 4 letters, simple, beautiful and just what we wanted. And no, we don’t care if your dog is named Emma.

Emma was supposed to be our little secret. The one in which husband-wife cherish and keep everyone guessing!

Until Joelle called. You see, Joelle and Claude are a wee bit excited about this baby and had their own naming game going on in France. Over the phone, about a week after Gregory and I decided on Emma as a name, Joelle proceeds to inform Gregory that if it were her choice, she would name our girl “Emma”

….yes, a bit freaky….

So, what is one to do in this situation? Well, we pondered for a while and decided it best to inform immediate family of our name choice. Thankfully, everyone loved Emma as a name….and so began the “identity” of our girl and trying to keep it secret from everyone except family.

This lead to some interesting conversations. Gregory took great pride in telling everyone our girl would be named “latrine, croissant, bon-bon…” you name it; Gregory was throwing it all out there for s&*ts and giggles just to annoy people. I thought he had reached his “funny name limit” until our good friend Mark (and soon to be God Father of Emma) visited in March. I don’t know how the conversation started…all I know is how it ended….

Our little girl was going to be named “Rherpes” (with a silent R). I think Gregory and Mark almost peed themselves laughing over this one. You have to give them credit, it is unique and nobody else would be named that.

Then we went to France. I was already finding it hard not to spill the beans on our girl’s name. There comes a point where you talk to “Emma” (the little moster in my belly) everyday/night and you catch yourself “slipping” or forgetting that it is secret.

Well, that was taken care of when we arrived in France. I think we arrived just in time for the national French broadcast of “Emma”…yes, a mildy excited MIL and auntie-in-law had informed some friends, friends kids, friends kids dogs, cats, fish, hairdressers, grocery store clerks….you get the picture.. of “Emma.”

Gregory was tempted to tell Joelle and Claude we had changed the name to Rherpes, but then he decided against it as he didn’t want to get the crap beat out of him.

So, we then figured it really wasn’t worth it to keep the name a secret anymore and have slowly started informing people as the topic comes up. This lead to the issue that some people might feel left out, so what better way to reach the public than blogging; I know that I live such an interesting and influential life that everyone wants to know about….LOL

On a very sentimental and serious note; Emma’s middle name will be Lee, after my Nan (grandmother). Words cannot describe was a strong, kind, loving and genuinely amazing person my Nan is. Gregory and I only found it fitting to pass that on to our girl. If she possesses even a fraction of the strength and love my Nan does, she will grow into an amazing woman.

So, for the record, Emma Lee Menvielle (not to be confused with Emily, although we know it sounds like that…but believe me, we don’t care, just like we don’t care if your dog is named Emma) will be arriving in 10 weeks.

Holy Crap!! 10 weeks…..

Change the subject…next blog post is about my new garden on the balcony. The flowers/herbs have been there for 3 days and are not dead yet. This is progress folks.

My Favorite Store

It’s been one week since we returned home from France…and it’s like nothing changed. We are back at where we left off; going a zillion miles a minute getting ready for baby, work and basically life. It is really good to be back home; and just in time! I just entered my 30th week and in my mind, the final countdown has begun. That means lots of preparation.

Now, we all know how much I LOVE babies R us; I mean, I could spend all day in that store! It is like a nursery on steroids; and of course everything is laid out in that store in an easy to find/make a decision manner…..That is the exact reason we tried to order everything we needed for the nursery online while in France so it arrived when we returned and we would not have to step into that crazy-house one more time. I spent days researching and putting together a list; coupon searching/cutting and whittling down the costs for shipping. I even worked out a deal over the phone with a representative to give us a discount. Finally, I placed the order, but apparently the clearing house did not like the fact we were placing an order from France; DENIED. Now, I knew there might be issues with me marrying a French man, but isn’t money, money? I mean are we now against profiting from the French?

No worries, we had a back-up plan: Take the list of items we wanted from the registry and go to the store in person to purchase our supplies. The goal was to get in-and-out of the store as fast as possible on Saturday (the day after we got back). So after 20 hrs of travel, a missed flight in Chicago and some major “Chewy swelling” and baby hates to sit still so she decided to “kick the s*&t out of me” we got a few hours of sleep and headed out to Babies R Us. Maybe it is not a good idea to enter that store jet-lagged; perhaps that is why I have such a bias against a place full of pastels and employees that wear puke-purple shirts? Of all the items on the list, I think they had about 3 of what we had chosen in-stock. No, problem, the can order them and then pick them up in the store the next week? WRONG

Well, apparently the online store is a “separate entity” and they cannot order into the store. They can only place an order online (like we tried to do in France) which then adds on 200% in shipping costs (which they cannot discount when orders are placed in the store and the coupons I used in France were no longer valid because I had used them already) that will arrive 2 weeks later. Good news for those women who leave their baby shopping until last minute. I mean, what should one expect? To enter a store called Babies R Us and find the supplies they need for their baby? God forbid the store actually stock the items they have on display (kid you not, over 8 items we wanted that were on display in the store were not in stock!). Babies R Us is hell for pregnant women…and their husbands. You want to know why all the demo strollers are broken?? It is because angry husbands get mad and decide to break the “clickable” handles that allow for folding of the strollers. I am not pointing any fingers, but a few strollers never made it back to their original states after a certain “husband” decided to try them out.

So, we were left in Babies R Us for over 3 hours picking out what we could from their limited supply because basically, we were fed-up and figured our girl would not even remember the color/brand of what we bought for her. And really, was all that research into the safest and lightest stroller necessary when we were going to pay $100 shipping on it (dude! That is a changing table!)? Well, in the heat of the moment, the answer was NO. Anything stocked at Babies R Us has to be safe and approved, right? Even if it does weigh as much as a dump truck?

Gee, I wonder why I have such intense feelings towards this store…..

To add trauma to this experience, I purchased a breast pump! Do you know how scary it is to get a breast pump? A mechanical thing that will be attached to your boobs? I know many women do it and actually swear by it, but it is like giving-birth; a terrifying experience when you think about it until it actually happens. So I will leave it at that…..at least I did not leave the darn thing on my registry list that would have for sure traumatized my friends!

And, if that is not enough, did you know that if you buy a Medela pump, you need to buy an adapter so you can use other bottles? And the other bottles only fit into a specific sterilizer…and the electric sterilizer we wanted was not in stock so we had to get a microwave one because it would have been $20 shipping on the original $50 electric sterilizer.

But that is ok, because they were fully stocked on nipple pads…

There was only one place to head after our excellent experience at Babies R Us; usually it would have been the liquor store, but for the next couple months, we top off traumatic experiences with chocolate…lots of it..

Good thing my diabeties test came back normal….yes, good news is I don’t have gestational diabetes!

However, I am anemic and struggling with a chest infection that my general practitioner (who is male; I was not allowed into the women’s clinic with my symptoms) refuses to give/recommend any medication for because it is bad for the baby….but, don’t get me started on this stuff…the post might go on forever….I will follow up on this later.

So, as you can see, never a dull moment in the Menvielle household!

Bonjour From Dieppe

Bonjour from Dieppe. Gregory has a work appointment this morning and we are going to do some sight-seeing afterwards. It’s amazing to believe that my own Pop fought here during the war. It really puts things in perspective.

Since I have fallen a bit behind on my posts of late, I figured I would take another moment to share how things are going in general and in France. I am doing this from the car; while Gregory is inside an office talking to some potential clients, I am waiting in the car. It is bad business practice to bring your wife/employee to a meeting full of French people when she does not speak French very well other than in the boulangerie. So, I am left to my own device with a bottle of water, a couple of croissants, a computer and the window cracked open a bit. If Gregory takes too long, he might have to call in some re-enforcements to feed me, LOL.

Yesterday I realized that I may have come across a little “harsh “with the running comments and given the impression that I put my running/exercise above my babies health. If that were the case, I would be drinking wine AND running (both at the same time). To make it clear, I would never, ever do anything that I knew would jeopardize our girls health, hence why I check with my doctor and have my own set of guidelines for “exercise.” Truth be told, I am slowing down, yes, that is right, I am seeing the end in sight of my “running ”days. The funny thing is it has not been gradual; it seems like it happened overnight. One day I was fine running to the park and around the pond, then 2 days later (contrary to what it sounds like, I only run every other day at most) I felt like I was going to keel over; that was a “walking day”. I like to say that I am going out to “run” but realistically, it is usually 70% walk, 30% jog/shuffle. The 100% walking is near, and I AM ok with that. Now that just leaves me with swimming….no comment.

The thing that does not cease to amaze me is how quickly things are happening now. For 25 weeks I waited and waited for my belly to grow, for my little “pot belly” to resemble the “bump” rather than “too many turkey buns.” But our little girl took her time, until she got the notice that she is supposed to grow and grow she did. In the past 2.5 weeks, my “frowning” belly button has started to smile and even pop out. My skin is stretching, including my belly tattoo…oh man, that is going to be hilarious at 9 months! I am obviously pregnant now! Going up stairs for me is like a death march; Gregory has to push/pull my “large” self up every subway stop and by the time we get to the top I sound as if I smoked 3 packs of cigarettes and was headed for my death bed. I left Boulder wearing a “B-cup” bra and arrived in Paris needing a “C-cup.” And no folks, it was not the induced swelling from the long flight, because it has not gone away and continues to grow. Not that I am complaining about that! Can I keep them when all of this is said and done?

Speaking of said and done, eventually this baby will have to come out…and let’s just say that that is one scary thought; especially realizing how big our baby is getting! One of my good friends just had a baby a week and a half ago and what a little charm he is! But, let me tell you while sparing details that it was one hell of a delivery that gives me nightmares. I have already have a plan of action for my delivery…one word: epidural; perhaps a few shots of gin before that to calm the nerves (they said no food, but nothing about drink). All kidding aside, I will not try to be a hero through the process and WILL have an epidural (if that is an option) for several reasons, first, why put myself through the pain when I don’t have to? Second, why put my husband through that? I want to continue our amazing marriage with intimacy; how on earth couples manage to get that back after such a process is beyond me. I am sure we will learn (people have been doing it for centuries) and figure that part out, but I have already given Gregory the option to leave the room should he choose.

Also, I am not one of those “zen” people who even consider the natural birth with bathtubs, incense, chirping birds music, bouncy balls and all that other “feel-good” stuff. I am a scientist at heart and scientists are process related; A + B = C; we don’ t do “calm”. Perhaps it is my type A personality? I know the process won’t be fun, but I am taking the approach of grin and bear it and hope for it to be over sooner than later, kind of like Ironman. I will walk this kid out till I can’t bear it anymore, then ask for drugs, watch a few Ironman Hawaii re-runs and then pop the kid out. If they go C-section, that might be even better because it only takes an hour! May sound kind of cold and un-emotional, but I don’t really want to “embrace” such an experience, I would rather save that energy for our girl after the fact.

I am also learning that naivety is bliss; when you are given too many options/information, things become awfully confusing and complicated fast! I made it through 2 pregnancy books before I decided to throw in the towel and only glimpse at them time to time if I have questions. Turns out that if you read those books, your baby will have every disease and problem known to mankind and the birthing process will take 24 hours and it might get nasty and….you get the picture. So, for that reason I am not doing any “classes” or reading anymore books unless I have a specific need to do so. Let’s face it, we all experience some sort of discomfort in our lives and reading a book about it doesn’t always help nor does it always apply. I would rather spend my time worrying about what sort of sushi and martini I am going to order after delivery rather than taking a class/reading on “breathing/delivery” techniques when I may need a c-section. Like I said folks, naivety is bliss…at least for me. Plus I don’t think Gregory could tolerate me obsessing about such things….I am already as crazy and pregnant as he can handle!

Oh yeah, and since I am still in this car and going crazy, well, I am crazy…ok…let’s talk about crazy. Pregnancy MAKES YOU CRAZY!! Talk about out of control! I cried yesterday because I did not get my croissant, I cry when I can’t take a crap..heck, I cry about almost anything these days. And the fun part is it is totally unpredictable. One minute I could be laughing and joking with Gregory and then he says something totally neutral and I burst out in tears. There are also situations where you know it might be difficult and you prepare yourself, but there is no stopping it. We knew our first flight to Paris would most likely be cancelled and I was ready for that. But, when it actually was do you think I could act rationally like I had told myself I would? No, of course not! It was like being on a highway and totally knowing which exit you need to take but then you keep driving past it. Yes, the tears were flowing that day too. Thankfully I have a very patient husband who tries to understand. Heck, even I understood; between sobs and tears were bursts of laughter of the absurdity of it all. Yes folks, I was crazy to begin with, but even crazier now. I think I might have to lock myself up somewhere until this kid is delivered.

And now…I just had a lapse of thought….see this happens when you are pregnant. One minute you have something great to write/say and poof! The next minute it is gone. I am sure it was a good one…maybe it will revisit me in the future. But, for the time being I think I am done and am ready to eat again…

I know most of you are waiting for pictures which I am needing to put in a photo album and hope to get around to it soon or when we get home.

Alright, over and out from a car parked in Dieppe!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother’s Day! Wow…it’s kind of hard to believe that today marks my first mother’s day. And for all of those nay-Sayers who think you can’t celebrate until you have the baby, then you have either never had a baby, or if you have, you are one of those “I loved being pregnant” people (ugghhh….I cannot relate). I fully deserve this mother’s day! Because, believe me, the restless nights and no sleep has already started for me. Pile on top of that hormones, being in a foreign country trying to learn a new language, dealing with the culture, work, the in-laws…..well, you get the picture. I am taking this day all for myself!


Now, before I go any further, I must put some disclaimers in this blog. First and foremost; I may not like being pregnant, but I would not give it up for the world! Something changes when you are mom-to-be and nothing will ever, ever, EVER take the place of feeling your little one move around in your belly at 2-3-4-5-6-7 am…..it is so reassuring and the most amazing feeling. This week I had a treat; I got to feel our girls hands and feet at the same time; she must have been vertical in my belly because there was a push by my ribs and one down by my pelvis. We must have a long baby…not sure where that is coming from!


Second disclaimer, I love Paris, France and my family! I am so lucky to have support and love from both sides of the family during this exciting time in our lives. I am also SO fortunate to have the opportunity to stay in Paris for 3 weeks; many people only dream of having this type of experience.


But, you caught me in and off-mood this morning because I was going to kick off my mother’s day with a fresh almond croissant and coffee from the bakery. Well, it was closed, yes, CLOSED…as in FERME!! Now, I don’t mind when the pool is closed, but when the patisserie is closed and I want some croissant, you are dealing with fire. I said a few choice words in French…then came back to the apartment and sulked for a bit. I am almost over it….almost…


We have been in Europe for over two weeks now and having a blast. Amazing how the time flies. This Friday we are returning to Boulder for what I like to call the “home stretch.” That is right; I am now in my 3rd trimester, the 28th week to be exact. Now marks the time where I go in for a whole slew of tests including diabetes, more thyroid monitoring and getting my Rh factor fixed so my blood does not hurt the baby. It also marks the “panic period” for me in terms of the nursery and being ready. The truth is, you never know what may happen after 30 weeks and I would rather be stuck on bed-rest/hospital etc… with a prepared nursery (oh Lord help us if Gregory has to decorate it, no offense LOL). Knowing most likely that I will be the lady whose child just won’t want to come out and they will induce at 42 weeks and I will still be running and swimming at that time.


However, I have learned an interesting fact during my stay in Paris that may alleviate the dreaded over-due child. Did you know that if you run while pregnant, your baby will fall out of your vagina and have brain damage? I kid you not, it is true! Many people have informed me of this phenomenon while I have been in France. So what is one to do if they cannot run, nor do any sort of “exertion”? Well, the solution seems to be lots and lots of rest along with some red wine. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I wouldn’t want to drink some wine at the moment, but I would prefer to run (plus, I have been brainwashed by the American culture that a glass of wine will give your baby FAS). We went for dinner the other night with friends and it seemed perfectly acceptable for the waiter to attempt to pour a clearly pregnant woman a glass of wine. My eyes wide with fear, I almost shouted “no”; I mean, that is FORBIDDEN in the United States. I settled for a small sip. Amazing what cultural differences lie across a sea.


There are so many differences I note every time I visit France, some of which I adore, some of which I prefer to disregard. That is one of the beauties of having a multi-cultural marriage; the amount of patience and open-mindedness you must embrace in order to make it work. I am sure my amazing husband feels the same about the Canadians, eh?? While I may not be able to iron a shirt very well, and when I do try it turns out disastrous, I can use an electric drill and fix almost anything, get my hands dirty, cook in a chemical lab or kitchen, bake a great cake/cookie and most important, demonstrate my love for him every day just as he does for me.


There was a cute little Mother’s day card awaiting me when I woke up this morning from Gregory. These little gestures make my heart melt; the other day while running, our wedding song came on my shuffle which was “Little Wonders” by Rob Thomas. The song pretty much sums up that whether it be a relationship, difficult situation or just life in general, it will be all these little “wonders/things” and the feelings they evoke that you will remember. I cannot tell you the little details about our wedding such as how many flowers on the cake or how we prepared or even how many flower arrangements we had; I can only convey what a wonderful day it was and the overwhelming feeling of love I had and still have for my husband. And this love grows every day….he has given me one of the most amazing gifts of all; a child. In less than 3 months we will be looking at our beautiful baby girl and entering an exciting new phase of our lives together, experiences totally new and intense feelings that we will never forget….and for that I thank my husband, for giving me this mother’s day….

Swimming, Grandma's and Frivolous Husband

I know you are all dying to know how my swim went….since it is such an exciting achievement in my life. Yes, I know, a little overdramatic, right? Well no, if you actually knew how much I hated swimming, you would understand. So, swimming is a test of my resolve.

I endured…. 3 times last week! No, I am not crazy, and no, it is not the hormones. It basically comes down to the “guilt” I feel. Wolfgang keeps asking me when I am coming swimming…and well, I am out of excuses. I also need to owe up to myself that if I ever want to do another triathlon, I just can’t get back into the pool and start off where I left….oh hell no…every day out of the pool sinks me deeper into that pile of mud I feel when trying to swim.

Monday last week I went swimming for the first time with Gregory in 6 months. He said I did “ok” but he has to say that and be nice because I am pregnant and it is his fault. I know it was not ok because I spent 45 minutes in the water and I know how far (aka not far) I went. It was so bad; I am not telling you any more..and yeah, I want to punch every person who invites me to masters, tells me their splits, times and distances because to be honest, I am pregnant so I don’t give a rats a$$ about it anymore. I am getting “big” (not allowed to use the “fat” word) and I will not even allow myself to go to the “I used to, could have, should have” realm of things. I am learning many things while being pregnant, including how to “let it go”...that’s for another post.

However, for some reason, I could not “let it go” when it came to the swimming. I saw it as an “opportunity”. How many women, in their 25th week of pregnancy have the opportunity to “improve” at swimming? You see, I planned this…I knew it would be bad, but at least it can’t get any worse!! Trust me; I will swim faster than I did on Monday at 9 months, even carrying 80 extra lbs around let alone 18!

So, I returned to the pool on Wednesday and then Friday….and, it did not get worse! I am still not saying how far I got in 45 minutes, but It is improving. I also attribute my “slowness” to my “not so streamlined” suit. I am wearing a sports bra and an old stretched out suit that sags like you would not believe. When I get out of the pool I have to make sure the butt does not drop down to give anyone a show and the “granny butt” wrinkles does not drip so much it looks like I am peeing myself. That must be why I am slow!

Speaking of Granny’s…(and I probably should not use this terminology because both Joelle and my mom read this blog, but I will anyways because I am pregnant and hormonal and I can…so no offense soon to be grandma’s mom and Joelle) but, what is with the staring! I don’t stare at these ladies when they are straddling their noodles in the kiddy pool doing their exercises (well, maybe a little, but just because I thought it might be cooler than swimming) but they seem to have all eyes on me in the change room. Just imagine, taking a shower that is invaded by about 20 grandmas with all eyes on you and your naked swollen belly. Nobody says anything! They just stare and some of them are brave enough to smile. I mean “what the heck! Yes, I am pregnant! I also have not taken a crap in 2 days, I have gas and I will cry at the drop of a button! These ladies have been through it! They should know…but, why are they staring!!??” Just as I am about to “lose it” exiting the shower and drying up…one of the grandmas says something that breaks the ice/distracts me from the meltdown I felt coming on: “I like your towel”….ummm yeah…ok, thanks…remind me never to go swim at 9 am anymore.

So, as you can tell, I am on a roll now….perhaps due to the fact that I am tired, only sleeping in 2-4 hr increments. Now I know that this happens when our little girl arrives, but I had no idea that it would get this bad during the pregnancy. Our little muchkin LOVES to boogy in my belly. The only time she is quiet is when I am running or moving; the rest of the time it is like a little drummer. Over the past 3 weeks she has grown quite a bit and so has her kicks. Gregory barely had his hand on my belly the other day and our girl gave it a good whack and he was a bit surprised!

She takes after me from the fact that I don’t like to sit still, yet, she still has not gotten the concept that I sleep at night..and so should she. At the moment, I am sleeping in the living room because it got so bad with me waking up at night and keeping Gregory awake (he wakes up every time I pee, eat, walk around etc..). At night, when I crawl into bed, as if it were a cue, she starts kicking and punching, throwing a fit and that continues for a good 30-40 minutes; then I fall asleep, then I get woken up 2-4 hrs later with the same commotion. I have learned that if I get up, walk around a bit, eat a bit and then go back to bed, she settles down. This continues until 6 am, when I am usually up for good….then she sleeps.

The funny thing is I don’t get tired of it; call it a mother’s love, insanity, I don’t care. Each one of those kicks is a reassurance that my baby girl is ok and active. I could not ask for more!

Last Tuesday we had a bit of a scare when she decided to stop moving for an entire night! When I did not wake up to the regular “thump, thump, and thump” nor did she stir in the morning, I got panicked. The doctors were great (again!) and pushed ahead my appointment from Thursday to Tuesday to check up on everything. Turns out she was snuggled up against my placenta (which is in the “front” and means at times I will not feel our girl) and was “resting”. As if on cue and hour after leaving the doctors, she was back to break-dancing in my belly. Kids are unpredictable; this one is going to give me an ulcer before she is born! Good news is that I measure perfectly and had all paperwork/clearance to fly to France…….

Yeah, we were supposed to leave yesterday. But, due to the volcano and ash we were delayed until Friday to fly to Paris. I am hoping everything clears up and we can go…otherwise, there might be a pregnant lady breakdown if she does not get her almond croissant (again!). This post is getting long and I am sure I can write another one describing our “adventures” with the airline companies over the past weekend and how I am irrational and quite hilarious to watch meltdown according to Gregory.

Speaking of Gregory; my wonderful husband with whom I had a discussion last night about how expensive a baby is, our plans not to spend too much on the unnecessary things, that a cheap crib is not such a bad thing since our girl will never remember it, and how we were going to stay “grounded” through this financially even though it is our first kid. Well, today we went to a schwanky/holistic/natural birth/make me want to puke maternity store (don’t get me started on all this natural birth stuff, and nothing against those who do it/want it; it’s just not for me…I want drugs, I don’t care how the baby gets out, as long as it gets out and I get drugs….yet again another post to elaborate on) to get me a “support belt” for my running. We left with a maternity “belt” and a “music belt” which Gregory found.

You see, Gregory has had this obsession of playing ACDC “Highway to Hell” to our girl since the first day we found out I was pregnant; I can see how this got him very excited. The bill was $90…$25 of which was for my “support belt;” you do the math. We have a “music belt” but no crib….but at least our girl listened to ACDC this afternoon. And for once, she was still. If the darn belt did not have an hour time limit, I would strap it on and let it play all night long….

Gregory does not think that the “music belt” was an unnecessary purchase. He thinks our girl “won’t remember her crib, but she will remember the lyrics to ACDC Highway to Hell”

Chewy is going swimming!

Yes folks, that's right, I am going to the pool tomorrow morning. I decided it was time to cave when running two days in a row lead to bad thigh chaffing.... I blame it on the shorts.

First item of business...a swim suit. Ummmm, I have not been in the pool for 6 months and I sure as heck will not fit into what I was wearing before. So I dug deep into our "pool supply" box to find 2 old bathing suits; I knew I kept them for a reason. I think I decided to stop wearing them when they stretched so much that I almost fell out of them. Sure enough, they fit now! (who needs to buy a $100 maternity suit!??)

And for those of you who are wondering what happened to me, it is called pregnancy and that is a "baby bump" at 24 weeks. I am NOT getting fat! (I am still recovering from the Babies R Us baby shower...)

Nipple Pads & Pacifiers

What a week! Between getting our floors installed and settled back in, herding cats at work, a baby who wakes you up kicking at 3, 4, 5 and 6 am, and multiple trips to Babies R Us (Target, Crate and Barrel, Walmart) Gregory and I are absolutely pooped! And we are proud to announce we still have not purchased a crib; between the selection, price and ordering we hit a wall. I absolutely refuse to buy a crib and nursery set that will cost more than a bike frame. Which, by the way, I think I am entitled to after this pregnancy ordeal; if I have to wear maxi pads for 6 weeks and have milk-firing boobs (which, need their own pads) after “getting” this child out, then I deserve a bike frame.

Good news is that our new floors look great! We are so pleased with them (pictures to come soon). I even got a new and improved “business corner” of the apartment where I will work from. The fun part here is that we had found a perfect desk/shelving system at Crate and Barrel last week, but were really struggling with the price. We were on our way to cave in and order the darn thing when a trip to target saved us! It saved us a lot of $$$! Gregory and I had decided to check out good old Target after a trip to Babies R Us had us thinking that purchasing a nursery set was like taking out a second mortgage. We were on our way to research more cribs when we were sidetracked by our desk/storage system for ½ the price. In to the cart it went! We did not make it to the baby section….

Fast forward to today. Enticed by the “Baby Shower Day” at Babies R Us that was promising good advice on your registry/necessities and giveaways, Gregory and I decided to return to start our registry and look at cribs (again!). I envisioned lots of happy pregnant women with cupcakes and juice mingling in an informal lecture setting with lots of people who knew what was going on. Not to mention I was excited to use a “gun” to scan all the things I wanted to put into the registry. So, I put on my nice “elastic fat pants” and a new top from target that looked summery and nice (it beats the usual sweat pants and ball cap look); I was ready to experience my first “baby shower.”

What I envisioned was a far cry from what I got. Babies R Us on a Saturday is hell; add a false advertisement to a tired, hormonal pregnant woman and you get a really, really, really pissed Chewy (and entertainment from Gregory’s perspective). First sign that this was not at all what I expected included the small table at the front of the store with a few samples on “display” and no one manning the table. I was thinking “where are the pastel balloons, cupcakes and smiling pregnant women”….instead there were endless screaming children, yelling parents and overtired staff walking around in purple shirts that were nauseating to look at. Hmmmmm..I was not sure what to do, where is all this helpful information to help us out on our registry? Perhaps at the registry desk; yes, that must be it, there are goodie bags behind the desk and helpful people there. So Gregory and I go to the registry desk to get started.

A nice lady with a smile asked if she could help us. I told her I was here for the baby shower and she told me it was on the other side of the store, but if I needed to start a registry, she could do that for me. Oh great, yes please! Finally someone helpful….and then she said one of the worst things to an almost 5/1/2 month pregnant women who has been constantly explaining to people that she is not fat, she is pregnant! This staffer told me next time to bring my child in because they have a “kid friendly” room in the back…yes, that is right folks, I was mistaken for a person who had already given birth! As to why the hell I would be starting a registry after giving birth, I have no idea, but for some reason, this “helpful” person in puke purple thought I had just popped a kid out. Gregory was practically swallowing his laughter; you could see it written all over his face. That was the tipping point. I told the lady to “give me the gun” and “thanks for the advice”…off I went scanning, with no list of what I needed…and I started in the worst possible section of that store; I can’t even tell you what the section name is because I was stunned by the all the nipple pads, nipple cream and pacifiers available…

Then Joelle called and Gregory was busy and I was left to my own device. A gun and nipple pads, item #1 check! Actually, make it 2 of those, and what bottles, we need some of those…oh and yes, they need to be sterilized, check…oh, what a cute bib, check…the bath tub, I like the green one with frogs, check, nipple cream, check, a boppie…don’t know what the hell that does, but check..how about a monitor? Yes, we need that, check…wow, that one was expensive, lets put another less-expensive one on, check, nipple pads, check, check, check…diapers…check…this stroller looks cool, check, sanitizing wipes, you can never have enough of those, check….oh and baby oil…PAUSE…

Joelle uses Johnson & Johnson baby oil to massage her clients. “Hey Gregory!!” …he gets off the phone for a moment “What’s up hon.” Me: “does Joelle need more massage oIl?”….everyone around me looking at me funny as to why I am referring to baby oil as massage oil; really folks, I don’t make this stuff up.

I continue checking….swaddling blankets, why not? Check, more blankets, check, cool bags to carry diapers in, check, bassinet, let’s take 2 of those, check, another stuffed toy, ok, check, oh cool, look, it’s big bird and cookie monster, check, check….

At this point in time, I have made it half way around the store to realize I have been deceived! There is no “baby shower”. Just screaming kids, overcrowded isles and no damn cupcakes! The baby shower was that little desk at the front of the store. I have already made it ½ way through and figure, why give up now, so I keep adding to the registry….pacifier pouch, check, burp blankets, check, more cream, check, more pads, check, formula, check…and then I had to stop….we were at the breast pump section..NO, that is not going on my registry, NOPE, NO, NOPE…that I will get in private without broadcasting the brand, cost or contour to anyone else. Move on…..rockers…um ok, check….then Gregory get’s off the phone and I am pissed because I have done all the work with no cupcakes feeling like a lard arss because no one thinks I am pregnant. You know the kid who sticks out at school? That is how I feel at babies R Us! I try to show off my nice “bump” but it just does not compare to some of the basketballs other ladies are carrying around…I am just not “fitting in” literally.

Gregory starts laughing at me. I tell him he is a jerk and not helping. He laughs more. We are almost done and I need to eat. We browse through cribs again…and no check. I go to hand in my gun. Thank God it is not the same staff that I started with. She prints out my registry which is 16 pages long and hands me a goody bag. I ask where the baby shower is. She points to the table at the front that I initially suspected. A lady approaches me from the table with another goody bag and a piece of paper to fill out for a “draw prize”. Which, happens to include nipple pads…oh joy.

I feel like telling her next time Babies R Us wants to false advertise, they could at least supply some sort of cupcake, chocolate or sugar for those cranky women like me. But, then I kept my mouth shut because she probably thought my “bump” was fat from eating too much…

We leave the store…without a crib, and then I look in the goodie bag. There are coupons; like when you spend $200 you get 25 cents off. There are also diapers; the diapers are for 3 year olds! This is a FRIGGING BABY SHOWER FOR EXPECTING MOMS!! We are not popping out 3 year olds! Next time try newborn diapers!!….I proceeded to put them on our little girl’s stuffed toys as practice when we got home. I also got a chocolate bar….

Happy Easter! Where has the month gone???

Happy Easter!!

Where in the world has this month gone??!! I tell you, things have been crazy (in a good way)…in the past 5 weeks the Menvielle household has heard/seen/experienced many changes.

Most important though, we are having a baby girl in 4 months! We had the ultrasound a few weeks ago and were delighted to find out that the estrogen level of the family unit will increase. Poor Gregory, he is doomed…when this girl asks for anything, she will get it. Why do I feel like I will be the “enforcer” in this relationship??

This led to quite the dilemma though….(other than what brand of chastity belt to purchase and convent to enroll her in) what the heck do we paint the room?? You see, I don’t do pink; and for the time being, while I can still make choices for this child without her talking back, I have decided the nursery will not look like “princess pink” was thrown up in it. Don’t get me wrong, I can do some pink, subtle pink, accent pink, but there is a line I must draw. The walls will not be fuscia! And I will not allow any Barbie dolls in the apartment because I believe they give young women a complex about how their bodies must look like…and let’s be honest, this girl is not inheriting a cup size D from me!

So, we made a compromise, a minty green accent wall against off-white walls/ceiling and the bedding/shades/theme is going to have pink and red accent ladybugs with some green….I just couldn’t bring myself to go with Gregory’s suggestion “why don’t we still go with blue, she won’t know the difference?”…so I caved…a little…a little pink never hurt anyone. And don’t worry; links to a comprehensive photo album will follow at the end of this post, so read on…

Other changes occurring in the Menvielle apartment include a new and improved pantry. We bought an electric drill at one of our Home Depot outings; just in case we would need it. Just in case turned into me taking down the laundry room door, putting up a new one, installing new pantry shelves and pot hangers, tearing apart our hall closet and assembling a new closet assembly and putting up coat hangers. Yes, folks, I do have experience with power tools. Not only do they teach you to curl in high school in Canada, they teach you how to do important stuff like home renovations and change the oil in your car; these were considered our “home-ec” classes. The cooking talent came from lots of time in the chemistry lab mixing things up and don’t ask me to sew anything. I also does not hurt that I grew up in a house that included a stocked garage with tools for Carpentry (one of my dad’s trades) so I learned a lot from that.

What prompted me to do all of these changes? Reason #1: I am a hormonal, crazy organizational freak; #2 Gregory would not let me help paint the nursery so I had to “show him up” #3 I did not know how we were going to fit all the bottles and funky plastic stuff I don’t know what they are used for yet into our kitchen. Plus I have a beef to pick with the person who designed the layout of this place and did not consider proper use of space…..but that’s fine, me and my new drill fixed it.

But, just because I am good with a drill does not mean that I am ready for some “major” home renovations, so we hired someone to come in a replace our carpet with cork. It has been a long time coming and a lot of research/negotiations with our HOA (for good reasons). Because we live in a second floor condo, we need to pay attention to acoustic insulation so not to drive our downstairs neighbors crazy. We knew we were going to get rid of the carpet (heck, it could probably walk itself out of here with all the filth that was in it) and replace it with either new carpet or a solid surface. Out of pure selfishness, Gregory and I decided a solid surface would be easier to clean baby spit up/puke/spills off of than carpet and increase the retail value of our place. Since hardwood is out of the question, we moved on to the next best (if not better!) thing; cork! We are going with a “coffee bamboo” color/feel and are totally stoked about it.

Last week marked the beginning of the “floor installation” process, which included more packing (I didn’t think there was much more to pack after moving Gregory into his new office!), moving, storing and then the workers arrived. As of now, we are working in an apartment with the “main area” floor finished and it looks awesome! By Wednesday this week, the process should be finished with more pics to be posted (right now, there are some of the partially finished floor).

Other than all of the home renovations, Gregory and I have been working our tails off this month with new clients, new projects and lots of fun events! We have 2 weeks until we leave for France, which will be a well deserved/needed treat! Bring on the farmers markets! Hopefully, things will settle down a bit more so that I can post more frequent updates. However, I feel like that will come in the 3rd trimester when I am waddling around, occupying the couch a lot and complaining about how “fat” I am .

I am in my 23rd week now (see pics below). I know, what a cute bump! what an awesome, small, harmless bump. What the picture does not tell you is how active this little girl/bump is, especially at 3, 4, 5 and 6 in the morning. I swear she already has a pair of running shoes on and is doing workouts at those times. Unfortunately, when my darling girl is awake, I am awake, so there have been a few “zombie-like, throw cranky tantrums and OD on the chocolate because I am a hormonal mess” days. Let’s hope she is just getting this “nocturnal theme” out of her system before she pops out in a few monthsJ

Link to home renovation album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/gmenvielle/HomeWork#

I hope to get a more thorough update posted within a week or so with pics of our new floor/place!

Cheers!

Thank God For Pamela's!!

As mentioned in my previous post, Pamela's continues to demonstrate its amazing support towards my endeavors (whether it be Ironman or growing a baby)! The message that I try to convey through my lifestyle and daily challenges is that there is always time for "health." Proper nutrition involving a gluten-free diet is just as important while pregnant as it is training for an Ironman.

Over the past few weeks, now that I am out of the 1st trimester "sickies" I have been eating like a champ and craving a lot of carbs! Pamela's has a great baking mix that can be used to bake almost anything!! Here are two of my favorites:

Bannana Bread: http://www.pamelasproducts.com/recipe_frames.html

Muffins (I use blueberrys): http://www.pamelasproducts.com/recipe_frames.html

You are lucky I got a picture because they did not last long!

Another great use for the baking mix I have found is dumplings!! Just mix the Pamela's baking mix with milk until it is thick and you can roll a ball with it in the palm of your hand. Then drop it into any soup/stew you like!! Yum!

I have been doing a lot of reading with regards to athletes who are gluten-free. It seems as if many athletes are becoming more aware of the "gluten allergy/intolerance" and a lot are discovering through elimination diets that they improve performance and general feeling/energy with a gluten free lifestyle. Check out this link:

http://team.firstendurance.com/group/GlutnFreeLiving

Although I am not in training nor really prepping for race season, I like to keep myself "active" and follow a healthy diet. Now, that is not to say I am perfect; I am far from it! There are days when I fall off the wagon, both health-wise and gluten-free wise. There, I said it, somedays I fail! and that is ok! I know it is hard for people starting off with a gluten-free diet and there will be mistakes and hiccups along the way. I like to think of it as a learning process. Just one thing to keep in mind though; it takes 2-3 weeks to fully eliminate the gluten from your diet, so if you "cheat" you are not 100% better until that gluten and the inflammation in the gut has subsided.

The best piece of advice I can give you if you chose to go gluten free is to read and educate yourself. Also, consult a nutritionist; if you are in the Boulder area, I recommend Megan, my nutritionist: http://www.forbesnutritionalconsulting.com/index.htm

Finally, I do have a "bump" post! This is taken at 15 weeks and the little "gluten-free bun in the oven" is finally showing. I am finally using the elastics on my pants and feeling the my tummy start to grow "out" which is good, because I think it has taken up all space inside of me! My bladder and tummy are squished!!

Right now I am in my 17th week, so I should begin to feel the little guy/gal move soon! We had an ultrasound on Friday and it was too soon to tell the sex; well, there was a little "itty bitty" but, that can turn into a boy or girl, so for now we wait one more month.

On the health front, I am feeling much better and we did get more of an explanation for the "spotting" that gave us such a scare a few weeks ago. Turns out that in addition to the infection, I do have a low placenta (nothing to worry about), which, will move up as the pregnancy progresses. So, I have been given the clearance to go ahead with my activities (yeah!), continue running....which, has become an adventure in itself; I only run on a treadmill close to a bathroom because every 5 minutes I have to sprint to the bathroom to "relieve" myself. I swear, what feels like it is going to be niagra falls always turns out to be a teaspoon. Always an adventure!

I was also told to swim.....I knew it was inevitable......

The hard parts...

Planning…I am learning that planning while carrying a child is difficult! I used to take pride on knowing what I was making for dinner throughout the week, now I don’t know what I want to eat for breakfast let alone lunch and dinner. I am actually enjoying the craving part of the process as I am trying new foods that would never appeal to me before….but, I digress….

Last weekend Gregory and I had big plans. Saturday was supposed to be “get the extra storage day” and move all the boxes out of our apartment, followed by a night out with friends and then head up to the mountains on Sunday. It was supposed to be a late “Celebration” for my birthday since we really couldn’t do anything a few weeks before with the morning sickness etc… needless to say NONE of this happened.

Turns out my pregnant body had different plans. On Saturday morning, Gregory heads out to run with his training group and I get to head out with my itunes and do my own sort of “run” thing around a little loop by our house (will plenty of opportunities for pit stops!). I have been keeping active throughout the pregnancy, alternating no impact activity with jogging (I have a hard time referring to my running as “actual” running) and have had no problems. Of course this is something everyone needs to check with their doctors (mine cleared running at 7 weeks). When I returned home after a really good run I was in total shock to find that I was spotting…

I don’t think I have ever been so panicked or worried in my entire life. First thing I did was call my doctor who was on call; I had to wait 10 minutes for her to call me back, it seemed like an eternity. During those 10 minutes I cried and realized how important this baby was to me. Everyone hears of the “mother’s love” and how it is a magic thing you somehow acquire when you have your own baby. It’s true….

Gregory returned home from his run to find me a shaking, mumbling mess and I got out enough to let him know what had happened when the doctor called. To make a long story short, because it was the weekend, I would have to go to the ER for any sort of “medical” treatment. But, she told me that whatever it was could probably wait (unless the symptoms got worse) as it is extremely rare for a miscarriage to happen this far along and that anything that was causing the bleeding could wait till Monday because there is nothing they really could do in the mean time. Um ok….I feel so much better….So there I was, panicked, and told not to move for the rest of the weekend until Monday. Monday could not be further away….

Next step was to cancel any plans we had. I only ended up telling a handful of people what happened as I didn’t want to cause a big stir; and did my best to put myself into the doctors shoes when describing “it probably is nothing” when every bad scenario was going through my head. And, poor Gregory being the “rock” through this process, checking in on me and making sure I had enough “movies , food, water..pretty much anything!” too keep me going.

Four hours later my phone rings and it was my doctor calling to check-in and tell me she had a bunch of deliveries so why don’t I come in so they could hear the baby’s heart beat. I swear, this was one of the kindest acts anyone has done for me. Here was this doctor, on call, between 3 deliveries (turned out she had been up all night the previous night) thinking to call me to come in ON THE WEEKEND to calm my nerves and make sure the baby was ok.

Of course Gregory and I sped to the hospital and within 10 minutes we heard the “thu-thump, thu-thump” loud and clear. I have never, ever felt such a large rush of relief!

For the record, Boulder Women’s Care is awesome! Gregory and I feel so comfortable with the kind, knowledgeable and patient staff and doctors.

This did not mean we were out of the woods. I was still on “bed-rest” till Monday when they could check out what was going on (as it Is not normal) but I was definitely put at ease hearing the baby’s heartbeat.

Cut to the chase, Monday rolls around and Boulder Women’s Care gets me in for a morning appointment (once again, great service when they are a busy clinic) with one of the doctors I have seen already. I am ready for the news “it was the running”…or “you overdid it”…because trust me, I had heard enough of that already (gotta love unsolicited advice from those who believe it is their God given right to tell you what to do but have no medical knowledge to back their opinions). But, instead I got:”You are healthy and the baby is fine, however, you have an infection.” Yes folks, I have spent hours on end on a bike with sweaty bike shorts soaked in chamois cream and I have never had a yeast infection. Until I got knocked up! As humorous as it may sound, we are very lucky we caught it early as these can turn into more serious bacterial infections. Apparently yeast infections are very common once you are pregnant and can re-occur easily..sigh…and I thought the second trimester was the “honeymoon period.”

Now, here comes the brutal honest part of things. Gregory spent the rest of the day picking up the pieces of “Erin”. You would think that I would be ecstatic that everything was ok , the baby was fine and that it was just a “yeast infection.” But to me it was so much more. After spending 3 months sick as a dog, emotionally and physically drained, on a hormonal rollercoaster, realizing that some people will never be there for you like you want, only to enter the 2nd trimester with a yeast infection was a bit too much. The weekend traumatized me….but, heck that is what friends are for, right?

Trust me, I have some GREAT friends. I had emails and calls from those who knew what was going on to just see “how I was doing”. My awesome friend Laura came over Sunday afternoon while I was pondering away time just to “visit.” You have no idea how important such an act of kindness is. When you become pregnant, you world changes and you have a bunch of insecurities such as how your friends will “react to you” when you get hormonal and huge. Also, if they will accept your life changes; with few exception, my friends have been outstanding! A few even surprise me!

I think one of the most touching moments this week though was after Gregory talked to my Mother-in-law Joelle and Auntie-in-law Claude to let them know the news and there was nothing to worry about. Well, my email box filled with French messages from both Claude and Joelle to hear the news straight from me and then a message on my phone Wednesday afternoon from Joelle “wanting to see how I was.” When your MIL stays up late to leave you a message in English (when she speaks French) because she is concerned, you know you are extremely fortunate! These kind gestures warm my heart and when everything feels so overwhelming and out of control, I am reminded that I have an amazing support system.

It has been a week since these events transpired and I am almost as good as new! As for the baby, well “it” is fine/great./super/awesome/perfect….Ok, so I have to say it; Gregory and I are a little confused about the “how’s the baby” question. Of course the baby is fine and healthy, but sometimes it is like “well, I don’t know, it’s not like we have had a conversation today or I have met the little dude face-to-face”. I think Gregory sums it up best in his blog:

http://www.pyramedium.com/gm/details.aspx?uid=246

Which is much shorter, more concise and a lot funnier!

All I can tell you about our baby now, is that scientifically it Is larger than a baseball, it makes me hungry, I am growing a little pot-belly, it makes me hungry, it has not started kicking yet but in 2-3 weeks I should feel it, and oh…did I say it makes me hungry??

Tuesday I have the clear to get back to aerobic activity; including swimming, elliptical, weights, and running…YES, that’s right, running. There is no scientific evidence to support running has a direct correlation to yeast infections (that is unless you wear the same pair of unwashed sweaty spandex to run in for a week straight!). Does that mean I will go back to running? Honestly, I don’t know, I am still pretty shaken up about the whole thing, BUT if I DO;I swear I will go postal on the next person who tells me to “stop running” as if this whole series of events was MY fault! There you have it, I am putting my foot down…this is the one piece of unsolicited advice that I will not just “shut-up and take.” And for the record, I have my doctor’s support on this decision.

On a more positive note, and a little hint for my next post, Pamela’s Products has demonstrated their amazing support once again and allowed me to stay on the Pamela’s team through my pregnancy! I have a gluten-free bun in the oven. More great news about Pamela’s and great gluten free recipes for the pregnant lady in my next post!

Cheers!

The First Trimester

So, as I said in the last blog entry, the last 14 weeks have been pretty interesting. At week 4 I ran 20 miles (not knowing I was preggers); at week 5, I could barely get out of bed. I will be honest and admit I totally underestimated what pregnancy would do to me. I was one of those people who would hear other people’s horror stories and tales of fatigue/naseau, and never give it a second thought because I figured I was “fit, healthy and ready for pregnancy.” No problem, right??

That statement could not be any further from the truth!!

At 4.5 weeks, I felt like I had been hit by a truck, and then backed over by the same truck and then a 16 wheeler…..you get the hint. My “late” 10 pm bed times and “early” 6 am wakeups quickly became 8 pm to bed, 8 am to wake up. My hour runs became 30 minutes, 20 minutes…walking….

By week six, I was nauseous and would swing from one food craving to the next within 10 minutes. We spent the month of December NOT stocking the Fridge, but rather taking 2-3 trips to the grocery per day, just to make sure we were not wasting food as my normal eating habits were long gone!! The sight of any raw vegetable made me want to gag! BUT, I figured, I was “ok” because if I felt bad, that means the baby’s ok…plus, I wasn’t puking…….yet….

Then the fun started in Canada. The kid got the upper hand of me, and anything I put into my stomach he/she didn’t like came right back up. We learned a lot! No oatmeal, no salad, pretty much nothing healthy. However, I could take back a pint of Dairy Queen Ice Cream with no problem. And…I learned cheese makes everything better!...I have not had my cholesterol checked.

In addition to all these lovely “pregnancy” side-effects is the notorious constipation. There is no way to sugar coat this topic; I was/am constipated and had to pee every 20 minutes. They say it is due to increased progesterone, whatever. One word: Metamucil ! (and apples if it’s a really bad day)

The funny thing about “morning sickness” is that it is not just in the morning; it can be ALL FRIGGIN DAY! From weeks 7-11 I only gained ½ pound (living off of ice cream). Now, I know that none of this seems very fun (well at least the ice cream is)but, the tradeoff of knowing in a few months I will have a beautiful bundle of joy to look at and know it was worth it (at least that is what many mothers tell me)

For now, my instant gratification for the 1st trimester suffering is the boobs. Last summer in France I bought some bras, but I got the wrong size and they were too big. Not anymore!! I am filling those cups up like a champ! And nobody better rain on my parade and tell me and A cup is still small!! I am almost B now!

Throughout the first trimester, albeit tired and sick, I was encouraged to keep active from my physician. When you are extremely active and become pregnant, going from a lot of physical activity to nothing can be worse for the baby than exercising in moderation. Now, that does not mean it was easy on the days I felt cemented to the bed. Some days it was hard to just get moving, but once I did, I felt SOOO much better. I have no idea why, some attribute it to diverted blood flow from the stomach, but the only time I did not feel like hurling was when I was running or on the elliptical.

Don’t ask me how fast I was running…..I am not sure if I resembled any form of running. Enough said.

The funny thing is just as sudden as the symptoms appear and in the exact reverse order, they begin to resolve, right around 12 weeks (except for the constipation; that’s the 9 month bonus plan!). At 12 weeks, right after my birthday I started JUST feeling nauseous; you can imagine Gregory’s and my surprise when I kept breakfast down. Then the next day, breakfast and lunch….and at the end of the week, I was eating 3 meals with snacks and enjoying it!

Then, I knew I was fine when I got hungry and thought I could hold out 10 minutes to finish up a piece of work. Well, I think I almost passed out due to low blood sugar and ripped Gregory’s head off when he would not give me a bite of his lunch (he was joking, but I failed to notice it and instead went into a hysterical fit). Note to self: when hungry, EAT…there is no time to waste… if not, I will self destruct and take down everything around/with me. Hence, I keep snacks by me all the time, even on the bed stand. I am a great wife and like to wake Gregory up to share with him at 2 am (I am a notorious sleepwalker/talker as well).

So, I think that sums up my first trimester. Not the easiest, but definitely interesting…

I still have a lot to write about, like how the 2nd trimester is off to just as an exciting start as the first, how much I am showing, all the crazy things people have said, the unsolicited advice (I know everyone likes to read about that), and the sex of the baby(that will come in a few more weeks). Stay tuned…

Your What? Pregnant!!

Yes the Menvielle household is growing….although it’s just my belly at the moment.

So how did I get myself into this predicament other than the obvious? Well, Gregory and I have been talking about “starting a family” for over a year now, but never felt “right time” was upon us. Perhaps it was the lack of oxygen and brain cells from all my training in the French Alpes, but I started to have a change of heart while in France last year. Maybe it was seeing the European family values and watching new mothers with their children; the love, discipline, and amazing relationships the French have with their children. I don’t know what did it, but I was finally “ok” with the idea of having a child.

I was also starting to have a change in heart towards “science.” I have been shying away from anything chemistry, anything science and everything related to the big corporate world since my bad experience down in Houston. This has been an amazing experience in itself as I have created another unique niche for myself in the world of website development. I believe that you can never have enough knowledge or skill sets…and you are a fool if you think you will be doing the same thing for the rest of your life! But, you can only suppress your desires for so long….I was beginning to feel the science itch again. Not exactly for chemistry; I am leaning more towards medicine. There are a number of reasons behind this, but that is for another post. People seem to forget that I am only 28…wait, I just turned 29…oh well, still in the 20’s! Plenty of time for another degree…and just because I am cheap and don’t want to go into debt, I plan on doing the 8 year MD/PhD program…heck, what’s another PhD?? All kidding aside about money, this is the route I would love to pursue because I love the research aspect of the doctorate program; it supplies an opportunity to satisfy you scientific curiosity to the maximum level, which is exactly why I want to do it…

Oh wait…I am pregnant…how did I get to going back to school for 8 years?? Well, that is why Gregory and I decided to “start” trying for a baby. In 8 years, I will be pushing the age limits for a healthy pregnancy, and Gregory will be over 40. We DEFINITELY did not want to do that or wait that long. I also did not want to have a child during med-school; and I also wanted to give myself the opportunity to see how motherhood shapes me before committing myself and my husband to 8 more years of school! This is not just my decision, this is a family decision. Perhaps this will all change; I know that what you plan is not always what happens and I am realistic to acknowledge that. All I do know is that Gregory and I have a gift, an amazing gift arriving in 6 months!

So, there you have it; after I completed Ironman Wisconsin we decided to give it a try. We honestly thought it might take a while. Getting pregnant is actually a complex thing (other than the how). If you do the reading you find that many things need to go “right” at the “right” time in order for a baby to be made. But, low and behold, at the end of October, I had a wonky period and headed to the doctor. Sometimes you don’t test positive on the home-tests and honestly, at the rate at which I was going through those pee-on-stick tests because I am so impatient I was going to put Gregory and I into bankruptcy. So, I decided doctor co-pay would be a better alternative. What did I find out? That I was NOT pregnant, but I was also infertile for the time being!!

Yes, in my doctor’s words, I was not ovulating. Turns out that when you have thyroid disease (I have Hashimoto’s) any changes in lifestyle such as going from Ironman training to “normal” activity will throw you for a loop. I was overmedicated at the time and was referred to an endocrinologist for monitoring and “family planning”. It usually takes 4-6 weeks for a new dosage of thyroid medicine to take effect and that could take many cycles and new dosages. So, basically, I was told not to hold my breath and it might take months to start ovulating again.

So, what does a girl do in these circumstances? Well, personally, I thought it was a great idea to sign up for the Vegas marathon and book a vacation trip and party it up in Vegas. Anyways, might be one of the last times I will have the freedom to do so, right?... I started running more, 16 miles, 18 miles and then 20 miles…all of which were miserable!! I would bloat out like you would not believe, have to pee like there is no tomorrow and the sugar highs and lows were nothing I had ever experienced! I told myself it was all due to my retarded thyroid. The only thing that tipped me off that it might be something more is my jiggly boobs.

You see, this Is unique. For those of you who know me, you know I have NO boobs whatsoever. In the off season, the weight goes to my belly, butt and thighs, but NEVER to my boobs. I have NEVER EVER jiggled when I run. So you can imagine my amazement and concern when the girls started bobbing around. Maybe it was a mother’s instinct or the fact that I was ravenous for chocolate and the chocolate isle in Walgreens happened to be strategically placed beside the “womens needs/pregnancy” section of the store. Anyhow, I secretly bought another pregnancy test…and hid it from Gregory; he would literally strangle me if he knew I paid for more pee-on-sticks.

The next morning, bright and early I peed, half asleep. I told myself it would be “negative” and then I would crawl back into bed and Gregory would never know. You can imagine my surprise when that little blue line darkened to show a “positive.” Let’s just say that Gregory’s “good morning” was not the usual, snuggle and/or cup of tea ready….No, I was not romantic, nor did I plan a sentimental way to “break the news”. I went stomping into the bedroom at 6:30 am and it went something like this:

Erin (standing across room yelling with stick in hand):”Guess What?”

Gregory:”Grunt, moan, rollover…it’s too early, come back to bed”

Erin:”GUESS WHAT”

Gregory (starting to get cranky): “what…”

Erin:”I am pregnant”

Gregory: silence….

Erin:”Did you hear me??”

Gregory: “Are you sure?”

Erin (run’s across room and shoves stick in Gregory’s groggy face to see) “yes!”

Gregory:”You should take another one”

Erin (thinking, well duhh, that’s why I bought the two pack!!...run’s back to bathroom and returns with another positive) “Seeee, told you so!”

Gregory: “You need to go to the doctor to make sure”

So, that morning I was off to the doctor’s office to see a PA and confirm. It is a surreal experience when you wait in the doctor’s office and they walk in. You are expecting a “sorry, false alarm” or some sort of other explanation, but when they walk into the room and say “congratulations” it sinks in. That is when it hit me for the first time (and it keeps hitting you!) that this was real. Turns out I was 4.5 weeks along…and I WAS ovulating, contrary to what my blood results showed…..funny how things turn out. But, given that my body had everything going against it at the time of conception I had better watch out when this kid is born because I am a fertile turtle!

Needless to say, Vegas never happened and my so called “party days” are long over. Diet sprite is my cocktail of choice and a “late” night is 9:30 pm.

The proverbial first trimester “dump truck” hit me at 6 weeks….and let’s just say that I have been reminded DAILY, that I AM pregnant. More on that in a further post; for this one, we are savoring the beauty of creating a baby! Not what the baby does to the mother for the first 3 months…if I knew what awaited me, I would have savored that last 20 mile run a lot more!

Finally, An Interesting Post!

So, I promised you all some more interesting posts…heck, even updating once and a while might be better than the couple month break that I took from writing. I would like to attribute it to the “off-season”, or “better things to do”, but honestly, I had a secret. If you know me well, I do not do secrets very well. The past few months have been full of excitement, changes and beginnings for me, all of which I had to keep to myself. Until today….

Yup, I am spilling the beans…but, before I do that, I need to give a little background information and reflection on 2009. It is the New Year! 2009 was an awesome year for me!! Not full of earth-shattering success, but full of changes and learning experiences. I experienced setbacks in my racing/training/job which I learned from and developed a new sense of confidence and maturity. I guess you would call it the proverbial “growing-up” (although I think we are always “growing-up and maturing through our experiences). I also grew in my career, learning new techniques and applications as a website developer (not too shabby coming from a doctor of chemistry).

But, and there are always a lot of buts! I found myself feeling very run-down and empty by the time I finished Ironman Wisconsin. I had given it my all throughout the year in training, work and my marriage. Truthfully, I could not see myself taking the “usual” 2 weeks off and hopping back to it. I wanted to grow independent in my job as well as explore further options in the sciences. I wanted to spend more time with my husband and support him through his endeavors as he has always supported me 200%. I wanted to get back to the root of what I enjoy in sport, do it for fun without counting numbers and hours (and trust me, those can add up during Ironman training). Most important, I wanted to start growing the family….

So, now you can probably guess what my big secret is; I am pregnant. This upcoming Friday I will be at the 1st trimester mark. The latest due date is somewhere between July 30th and August 6th. Gregory and I have a very exciting 2010 ahead of us and we are already working towards the transition. Our “in-home” office will now become a nursery and our white rug that looks like something out of “swamp thing” (and our vacuum cleaner just did a number on it as it snagged and chewed up a portion!) will be torn up and replaced. Alongside many more changes and renovations!....the only thing I am dreaming about is the baby-jogger though!

I will keep my “all about pregnancy” post to the next one (and these I promise will be more frequent as now I have something to talk about!). But for now, digest the information and then sit back, relax and enjoy the ride!

New York!!

Alright, so after Canada we returned to Boulder for a few days and then it was off to New York to meet Gregory's mom Joelle!! We had a blast!! I could not believe we accomplished what we did in the time allotted. Starting Friday-Sunday we walked a LOT, saw the Empire State, went to Staton Island to see the Statue of Liberty, saw to the "Phantom of the Opera", Radio City Hall, the Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Ground Zero, the Frick Exibit walked in Central Park and on 5th street (and yes, visited the LARGEST Tiffany's store ever!!)...let me catch my breath. We also ATE a lot! Ranging from Steakhouse, Italian, Mediterranian, Seafood and my personal favorite the "River Cafe" (It's underneath the Brooklyn Bridge and you have a view of New York...beautiful!..and the food is amazing!)

So, here are a few pictures of the trip:

Joelle arriving and within 5 minutes emptying her suitcase filled with goodies!! Yes, we are spoiled! 3 boxes of French Chocolate!
Gregory and I posing at the Statue of Liberty

Freezing in Central Park

I couldn't resist this picture; a dessert at the "River Cafe" . Gregory ordered mousse and ice cream which came constructed like this! Wow

The end of a great meal and a great trip!!

Merci Beaucoup Joelle et Joyous Anniversarie Cocole!