Another Letter to Baby NHM

Dearest Pequeña,

Since my last letter to you, I thought I was doing a good job. Now, I need to write that I'm sorry for how I ate this week. Though we enjoyed lots of fruit-filled smoothies on this trip, your diet consisted of mainly bread, cheese, and birthday cake.

That last item has been a particular staple since Thursday. And here's all that remains:


Closer . . .


I promise to do my best in the coming weeks to make up for this misstep -- to strive to eat well during my pregnancy with you. But after the perfect active morning we had together on Wednesday, I hope you understand that I'm going to enjoy my last piece of cake this morning.


As I enter the week's workouts into my Daily Mile account. Strange, I know. But I'm sure someday you'll understand.

You probably need a pick-me-up, too, after last night's crazy trip to the boardwalk.


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Perfect Active Morning

The best summer running attire for this 22-week preggo lady?

Shorter-than-short shorts.
A belly-tight tank.
Sunglasses.
Absolutely no shoes.

Another essential: Hydration backpack (here's the one I use). Filled to the brim with a mix of coconut water and tap water (half and half).

Lots of ice to ward off heat.


The workout: 5 barefoot beach miles -- with a quick potty break around mile 3 -- right where the water meets the sand. Sun and breeze in perfect balance.

Pace is of no consequence. But probably somewhere around 10 min miles.


Follow up: A bit of light upper-body work and some yoga-esque stretching/balance at the Atilis Gym. Get lots of strange looks from beefy guys -- their veins bulging out of their necks as they lift too-heavy weights -- who color the Jersey shore with its world-known wild hue.

Breakfast: Finish-It-Up Smoothie. Wheat wrap with over-hard egg, cheese, and salsa.

Yum.


What makes up your perfect active summer morning? Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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22 Weeks. I gave in.

GASP! I took some of Emily's advice and traded my tankini top for a bikini. At 22 weeks, I think my belly is rounding nicely -- and I have no qualms about parading it around the beach . . .

• This morning's workout: Ran/walked 2 miles on sidewalks/streets. Then jogged 2 miles barefoot on the beach.
• Favorite breakfast: SMOOTHIES. (We'll be posting recipes all week on the main site).
• Biggest complaint: The heat. I can't stand it.
• New favorite thing: POOL. I can't get enough of floating around/aqua jogging in our condo's pool. Ahhh . . .
• Days till next appointment: 7.
• Days till my birthday: 2.
• Biggest desire: That I would never have to return to work. Ever again. It's my biggest source of worry and stress right now. And I mean AWFUL.
• Pounds gained: 11, I think.
• What I miss: Champagne. I always drink a bunch on my birthday. But our friend Mike bought me some swanky sparkling apple juice.
• What I'm going to do now: Head to the beach. Enjoy your day!

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Eating Well Through Pregnancy

I must say this slowing down on exercise/running thing isn't all that bad. I had a fantastic 3-mile treadmill run last night and finished feeling great. The trainer at the gym is going to let me HAVE one of her prenatal yoga DVDs AND she's going to look up great upper-body strength workouts for me.

I lifted (light weights) for the first time in 6 months last night. It was pathetic. I miss my push-ups!

After the run, I cleaned myself up a bit and we headed to the store to buy ingredients for tonight's dinner: Pad Thai with veggies and tofu. Of course, I stopped through the bakery department . . .

I.n.d.u.l.g.e.n.c.e -- noun The act or practice of indulging; gratification of desire.

For me, I ensure that the gratification is instant whenever possible. Though, I do try to keep my sugary indulgences in check. But with slowing down on exercise, I've also stepped back a bit on critiquing my eating habits. I've been eating a healthy amount of calories throughout my pregnancy -- I've now gained around the recommended 10 pounds -- but my meals were somewhat regimented. Planned out.

Now, I make sure each day to get a big dose of leafy greens and other veggies -- as well as several colorful pieces of fruit. I mix them into breakfast shakes, stir-fries, or just eat them plain. All the other stuff? I keep it loose. With the heat, "meals" have turned into all-day grazing on small portions. A lot of my diet is liquid (though in the form of oat-filled smoothies).

I recently read a post by one of my fellow November Birth Forum members all about daily food intake. What's too much. What's not enough. And there were surely tons of comments, opinions, and drama related to all sides. My take on the eating-while-pregnant issue?

Eat when you're hungry.
Eat well.
Really. Listen to your body's hunger signals.
What's "right" for one woman isn't necessarily "right" for the next.
Indulge from time to time.
Drink lots of water.
And stop worrying.

What's your take? Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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Slowing Down, Not Stopping

As I mentioned in Monday's post, I'm approaching fitness in a new way for the second half of my pregnancy. There are a lot of factors at play, including the summer heat, possible contractions, my energy level, and my new shape . . .

Uh. My belly seems to have ballooned by several inches in a single week!

What's the new plan?

#1: Aim for time, not miles. I'd like to try to get one hour of exercise in most days of the week. I used to care more about trying to get 20-25 miles of running in. At this point, though, that goal is somewhat unrealistic. Time on my feet (or in the pool, on the bike, etc.) is just as good.

#2: Continue running, but run less and not as fast. I won't be heading out on any 9-milers anytime soon. It's too hot and with my new shape, I'm not feeling like going as far. I figure my max distance these days might be around the 10K mark, which is interesting because in my first 10 weeks, I completed several half marathon-distance (about 20K) runs, in my second 10 weeks, I completed 15Ks, so it seems only natural to dial it down another 5K. Too, I'm finding that -- like Jen (This Runners Trials) -- when I slow my pace, I feel much, much better. I'll get my speed back once the baby comes.

#3: Spend more time sweating indoors. I can't wake up early enough to run before work. I just can't. I've tried, but I seem to need that extra rest. So, I run in the late evenings when the sun is low in the sky. BUT some days, it's too hot even for that modification. (Plus, I've had to split my dinner into two mini-meals to accommodate running at 8PM. It's getting old!) So, I'll be logging more running/walking miles on our treadmill. In the air conditioning.

#4: Incorporate more cross-training. We have a gym membership I haven't been using for months now. This means I have a pool, treadmills, bikes, ellipticals, weight machines, and fitness classes I could be taking advantage of. I'm most excited to get to the pool, but it's been tough fitting it into my schedule. After our vacation next week, where I plan to run/walk barefoot on the beach EVERY morning, I'm aiming to go at least twice a week for either swimming or aqua jogging.

#5: Give up on push-ups. I was keeping up really well with my push-ups -- and even chin-ups for a while. But last night, I noticed that I can't quite stabilize myself anymore with my core muscles. Well, without feeling like I'm doing something wrong. (OK, my upper-abs almost feel like they might rip apart!) Upper-body strength is important to me, so I've asked Stephen to help me create a light weights program to keep my arms strong. I even did some "girl push-ups" last night. They didn't used to challenge me. With my extra weight? They're harder!

#6: Remember that everything counts. I didn't used to consider my lunchtime walks part of my workout routine. But now I'm even adding in my 15-minute walk breaks during work. These activities DO count toward my daily movement. I am trying to sneak in bits of exercise wherever I can.


Stretching has also become very important to me. I was one of those runners who could get away without stretching most days. And after my IT-band injury healed, I got extremely lazy with the whole thing. Now, I can feel tightness in my legs if I don't stretch. So, I've started doing a few yoga moves at home. Some basic leg stretches, too.

With all these changes to my routine, I've felt much better this past week. I haven't been depleting my energy levels on any single workout. Instead, I finish feeling refreshed and relaxed. At nearly 22 weeks along, I'm welcoming the change and rolling with what I can't control. I take rest days whenever I'm feeling particularly taxed.

It's difficult, I'll admit, to go from being a more serious athlete who cares about distances/times to shedding most of that part of myself. Right now, 3 to 4 mile runs feel great at around a 9:45 to 10:00 minute pace. More than a full mile an hour slower than I'm used to. I know I'll get my edge back eventually and that anything I do now will only help with the process. And I feel proud of the things baby girl and I have accomplished so far.


The last new thing I'll mention is my water intake. I've DOUBLED it from recent weeks. I used to get back from a run an guzzle a large glass of water. Now I drink two . . . and continue drinking H2O the rest of the evening (and all day, all night). Pregnant women just need more water. In the summer months, everyone needs more water. I may constantly need to pee, but I feel great otherwise!

Any suggestions on workout plans in the second half of pregnancy are definitely welcomed. I'd love to know how you modified your routine as your body/baby needed you to. Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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21 Weeks and Nursery Progress

It's been a crazy time this past week between the contractions I was having after my 15K run, work, and my dad being in the hospital (he's doing much, much better now -- so thanks for the well wishes!). But perhaps the most crazy part of all is how much bigger I've become.

In a single week.

And for reference, this was last week:


I'm starting to wonder if the Braxton Hicks were really contractions at all. Or perhaps just pangs that go along with a huge growth spurt. One of my least favorite things about being pregnant is the whole normal versus not-normal distinction. I am trying my best to stay calm about things. But if anything feels different, it's hard to know when to be worried and when to roll with it.

Even from the front, I can't fool anyone. I'm more than half-way through my pregnancy with our little girl:


Look! My maternity tank is stretching for dear life! At this rate, who knows what I'll have to wear in a few weeks. I'm still rocking my favorite maternity jeans -- you know, the ones I plan to wear beyond pregnancy . . .


How I'm feeling: Mentally? Freaked out quite frankly. I know there are still many changes in store, but it's exhausting trying to distinguish between what's normal and not. I need to trust my gut, but I tend to worry as part of my nature.

Otherwise, I'm getting bigger -- as evidenced above -- and I'm feeling it, too. My abs are fighting the stretch, making exercise interesting. The heat is getting to me like WOAH. Getting in and out of bed is harder because I have to remember to use my arms to lift myself. Sleeping is OK with my body pillow, but still not my pre-pregnancy zonked-out-totally-on-my-stomach comfortable. However, I can't complain too much. I'm not sick anymore and I know I'll grow much larger in the coming weeks!

Weight gain: According to my home scale, I'm up around 8 or 9 pounds total. So, I'm happy to be closing in on the average 10-15 pound gain by 21 weeks. Most of it is in my abdomen:


But there's definitely a general softening that's been happening for the past several weeks. It's weird . . . but in a strange way, I knew to expect it, so I'm not really having issues with my new shape. It's more just how I FEEL moving around that's bugging me. I used to bound from place to place, run up stairs, squeeze in tight spaces, etc. Now, I'm slower going.

Fitness: I'll write a more in-depth post about it, but I've switched from running being my primary exercise mode to a more relaxed approach. Blame it on my contractions, blame it on the heat, blame it on my bigger body -- but, though I probably still can, I just don't feel like running as far anymore.

For now, I'm aiming to get 1 hour of exercise most days of the week. This could mean running a 10K (max) run. This could mean a walk. I could go aqua jogging. I could do an hour of run-walking. Indoor cycling. Whatever gets my pulse up and feels good on that given day.

As always, the belly has been my main priority:


And now that it's getting bigger, my core muscles aren't holding me up quite as upright. Doing push-ups is harder (I still do a set of 25 per day). Plus, it just feels good to give myself a break. I'd consider myself highly active up until this point, and there's no shame in slowing down a bit.

The baby: She moves . . . constantly. Though, as I write this, she seems to be having a quiet day. She kicks all kinds of places. But more in combinations than simple kicks. I can't believe she's 10-1/2 inches long (the carrot week!) and three-quarters of a pound. Still tiny, but much bigger than I can comprehend for something growing inside of me.

NURSERY NEWS

We've strayed, though only slightly, from our original plan. I mentioned it in last week's nursery update. It's incredible how a rug can really change the look of a room.


So far, we've purchased the following items for the space:

Crib: $299
Bench: $59
Fabric + Supplies: $50
Curtain rod: $20
Paint: $35
Musical Owl: $50
Art: $50

TOTAL: $563

I write this out because we received a couple emails/comments from readers surprised with how much we're spending. How the nursery doesn't need to be fancy because the baby won't care. I definitely agree, but I'd argue that we're being relatively frugal. And though the baby won't care, we still want a fab space because we'll be spending loads of time in there.


Here's what we've used that we already had (thus changing the original plan and compromising to save cash) and approximate savings:

Mirror: $35
Rocking chair: $100
Rug: $100
Pillows: $50
Lamp: $40
Light fixture: $100
Other decorative items: $50
And we're planning to buy a used dresser: $150

SAVINGS: $625

Of course, these numbers are only approximations based on if we bought everything new. Regardless, I'd say we're doing well balancing what we have with what we are purchasing. We have a budget in mind and don't plan to go over it. So, we'll keep you all updated with the room as it evolves. We're loving it so far -- even though it turned out a bit girlier than we had anticipated.

Definitely we're happy with anything that's progress from how it looked a couple months ago!


NEED TO CATCH UP?

20 Down, 20 More/Less To Go
19 Weeks and Babymoon
Week 18 -- It's a GIRL!
17-Week Video Post
17 Weeks and Preggo Brain
16-Week Belly Shots
15-Week Video Post
15 Weeks and Counting . . .
14-Week Video Post
13 Weeks and Cravings . . .
How We Found Out
So long, 1st Trimester!

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Maternity Clothes . . . AFTER Due Date?

After the grand 15K write-up, I had planned to write my second-half-of-pregnancy fitness plan post today. But last night when I got to the gym, I learned the actual pool schedule wasn't jiving with what I had found online. So, I jogged 3 miles on the treadmill and went home. I'm going to try again on Thursday to get the schedule right . . . and write that post for Friday.

Today: Some fun. My favorite maternity dress.

I originally purchased this frock (Maternal America's Belted Paisley Dress) for my high school reunion back in May. I ended up wearing a different one instead. At 13 weeks, I just wasn't popping.

Now? I'm starting to fill in the belly room nicely.


I seriously LOVE this dress. Am I'm going to try and wear it as many times as possible over the summer . . .


This brings me to a question. It may be silly. But are there any pieces of maternity wear you're planning to wear (or you DO wear) AFTER the baby comes? This dress might not work because it -- at least to me -- looks like it's made to accommodate our darling Pequeña.

But I bought this awesome pair of dark-wash maternity jeans at Old Navy last week with a demi-panel.


I am living in them. And I can TOTALLY see wearing them well beyond my due date. Am I crazy? Probably. OR do you have any pieces you plan to/already do wear as a non-pregnant woman? Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

And if you're interested, I posted my pregnant half marathon experience from when I was just 12 weeks today on (never home)maker!

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Pregnant 15K at 20 Weeks

As I wrote in yesterday's post, Stephen and I ran a 15K (run, not race) on Sunday. A sort of last-hoorah long run for me that I had scheduled back when we made our 25 Goals list. We typically run the Boilermaker 15K each year, so accomplishing the distance felt amazing.

Here's me after the run:

And here's our pace:


A bit of a drop from last year's 1:13:45 finish (7:55 miles), but for good reason, I'd say. I'm just happy we maintained a comfortable, steady pace.

Look at how each mile blended into the next . . .


What this shows me is that I wasn't pushing myself. And Stephen's a saint for sticking with me. He could blast this relatively flat course in under 55 minutes if he wanted to.

One more geeky chart for elevation:


As far as fuel goes, we stopped back at our house around the 4.7 mile point.

I sprayed myself with our hose.


I ate some applesauce and drank tons of water.


We both peed (TMI? I think I'm desensitized becasue my whole day is spent rushing to/from the bathroom.). No photo for that one.


HOW DID THE RUN REALLY GO?

First, I'll start with this: I have never had high expectations with my running through pregnancy. So far, I've approached it cautiously, yet with some gusto. I ran a half marathon my first trimester. And every other week since, I have kept up long runs around the 15K distance. This being said, I never take a single run for granted and treat each like it could be my last.

Last week's schedule looked a bit like this:

Monday: 2.5 mile jog by the shore with 2-mile walk at the end.
Tuesday: Rest/Travel day.
Wednesday: 3 mile run at 9:20 pace.
Thursday: 6 mile run at 9:30 pace.
Friday: Rest day.
Saturday: 4 mile run at 9:15 pace.
Sunday: 9.3 mile run at 9:38 pace.

I felt strong, confident, and happy with my activity all week. 20 weeks pregnant and completing 25 miles -- awesome. Now, I've been taking my runs at a slower pace since I started getting more of a baby belly and change in my center of gravity. The heat, too, has been somewhat brutal.

After this particular 15K run, I was feeling good. I did all the right things. Drank water. Took a cold shower. Ate a TON. But when I settled down for a long afternoon's semi-nap (watching TV in bed for hours on end), I started to notice a painless tightening in my lower abdomen. It was something I had felt several times before, so at first I didn't think much of it. But as the afternoon went on, the tightening became more frequent. Not stronger in intensity, but definitely there.

Was I having . . . contractions?! Yikes! For WEEKS I had noticed them, it seems -- times when I'd feel her little body, almost like a knot in my stomach -- but never with this much frequency. So, I did what I hate to do, but knew I absolutely NEEDED to do: I called my midwife. On a sunny Sunday afternoon. Thing is, my midwife is on a trip, so I spoke with the other midwife in the practice, who doesn't know anything about my running history.

She immediately said: "Well, obviously you're doing too much. 9 miles!" Then, in a very frank tone, she continued: "No pain? No bleeding? You're fine. Just take two Tylenol, lay down, and drink water. If they don't hurt, you're fine. If you don't see blood -- you are fine."

Of course, her explanation wasn't that easy for me to accept. I did as she instructed. They calmed down for a bit. But then they returned after dinner. Same frequency. So, after a couple more hours, I called her again. At 10PM. She was still trying to convince me that I'd be OK -- even with as many contractions as I was having. But my mommy instinct is setting in: I refused to believe her. She reluctantly offered for me to come in Monday to be checked out.

I called at 8AM to make my appointment and got in by 10. When I got there, they gave me every test in the book. I wasn't having many "contractions" anymore. The ones I was having were still painless, but I was worried that somehow something was wrong.

Baby girl was moving a TON the night before.


I didn't know I'd have another ultrasound, so getting to see her put my mind at ease . . . First, the tech told me she's still a girl. And she is doing GREAT. Heart rate was 154 BPM. Cervix is just as it should be. Placenta: Good. Everything else checked out clear, too. Ultimately, the midwife thinks it was uterine irritation brought on by dehydration -- perhaps that began as early as our babymoon.

She instructed me to take it easy for a few days and to drink "more water than [I] think [I] need."


Not hard, because it's 95 degrees with high humidity right now. I haven't had any contractions today. But -- regardless -- I know my running has to scale back. I'm totally fine with that. In all honesty -- I'd been planning it, too. This experience showed me, however, that the sooner I shift my schedule, the better.

More on THAT tomorrow . . .

Pregnant/previously pregnant women out there: When was YOUR I'm-not-a-super-woman experience during pregnancy? The midwife said to me before I left the appointment: "Welcome to the second half. You're in for a world of new frights!" She was being nice about it, of course, but it left me feeling odd. Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

Oh, yeah. And Pequeña has my feet! You can tell because the second toe is longer than all others :)


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Nursery Progress

Stephen surprised me Friday afternoon by putting together the crib all on his own. Verdict? It's incredibly nice and sturdy for just $299. If only we could find an equally thrifty and awesome dresser!

There's still time . . .

We don't want to post photos of the to-be nursery just yet. One reason: It's not done. Of course it's not done yet -- we still have a while! But, we ordered the curtain fabric (should be here in a couple days) and continue to play with the exact scheme. You'll notice a floral rug. What's up with that?

Well. We're want the room to be a cool, new space, but also use some much of what we already own.


The pillows on the rocking chair won't be used as-is. But I'm thinking of doing some surgery on them (with my mom's help) and using the front, circle-embroidered panels to make appropriately sized cushions.


We picked up these pieces of art at Home Goods for $6.99 each. Super sentimental, no? I love how they go with our chalkboard wall! I also think they'll per a fantastic, simple compliment to the Wes Anderson movie prints we ordered.


Back to the owl for a moment. This piece was a bit of a splurge at $50. And it doesn't really match. Eh -- it's special. We bought it (her?) in Cape May at a place called Happy Baby. Made by Etsy store Mimishop, the cutie plays the lullaby song!


In other news, yesterday's run -- a 15K -- was HOT. I had planned it for a long while. It was on my list of 25 goals. Now that I'm 20 weeks, I need to start scaling back on the distance. I've read in various places that the second half of pregnancy is when you need to take it easier, and I feel it now, too.

But Stephen joined me, and it wasn't too shabby . . . I felt strong and confident the entire time.


More on that tomorrow. Along with my short-term fitness plan/goals. Let's just say that summer heat is a force to be respected. And respect it, I fully intend to do.

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20 Down, 20 (or more/less) To Go!

Alright. I may actually be 20 weeks today. When we found out we're having a girl, my midwife said she's sticking with Thursday, November 24th. It's the whole last cycle versus the one we dated on the ultrasound at week 7 (that put us at 11/28 -- has this happened to anyone else?). Either way, we're essentially halfway there. And I'm feeling confident about this whole she's-really-coming thing. We've even made some major progress on our 25 Goals list.

How 'bout some belly shots? These ones are my favorite so far! Gotta love all that blue in the background . . .

Oh. NOW we see you, Pequeña!


Enjoying a bit of balance while I've still got it.


We even half-crossed off an item that WASN'T on our written-up to-do list. Some of you already know, but: WE MAY HAVE CHOSEN A NAME! We're not sharing, though. She'll be called Pequeña, or occasionally Le Petit Bébé or Petit, for short, until she's fully cooked. But when we found the name (and middle name, too!) last night -- then said it in a few sentences -- it sounded r.i.g.h.t.

She even kicked a bit when we asked for her approval.

Actually, she kicked just now, too. She moves a lot these days. And not just simple, gentle pokes. They've been getting progressively more intense and complex over the past week. Stephen's been able to feel them since late 17 weeks. I even asked some gals on Twitter how much harder these pokes will get. Unanimously, I've been told much, MUCH harder. Even rib-splitting!


Well. It's good to know what I'm in for. Plus, you gals were right when I was worried about being creeped out by the movement. I actually LOVE it. I LIVE for it. There's nothing better than eating a huge dinner, sitting back on the couch, and waiting for those feet and elbows to start doing their work.

Current craving: PB-chocolate anything. S'mores. Strawberries (stayed the same for a while).
Next step on the nursery: Buy fabric for curtains. Build crib. But our chalkboard wall is up and awesome.
Next sewing project: Sleep sack. More on that soon!
Average weekly mileage: 18-20 (running) 10 (walking)
Push-ups/Chin-ups? Went from 30 to 25 this week. And a big 0 for chin-ups. Done with them.
Total pounds gained: I *think* 5. I saw the scale nudge up a bit. Yay!
Favorite item of maternity clothing: Striped dress/top from the photos. But it's not maternity!
Registry done? Nope. Gotta work on that this weekend.
Next midwife appointment: Tuesday, August 2nd at 8 AM (reminder to myself!)
Days till 3rd trimester: 50. Five. Zero.

I think that's about it for this week. I know I owe y'all a video post (or two). But while we were on our babymoon, I just couldn't bring myself to record. In other news, the UPS birdie has informed me that my shipment of girlie clothes from Gymboree should arrive sometime this evening!

NEED TO CATCH UP?

Week 18 -- It's a GIRL!
17-Week Video Post
17 Weeks and Preggo Brain
16-Week Belly Shots
15-Week Video Post
15 Weeks and Counting . . .
14-Week Video Post
13 Weeks and Cravings . . .
How We Found Out
So long, 1st Trimester!

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19 Weeks and Cape May

Like I said in this morning's post, pre-pregnant Ashley and pregnant Ashley are two different travelers entirely. An easy 6-hour car ride really took it out of me, especially on our way back yesterday afternoon.

But there's more. Let me COUNT the ways:

1. I can't pack at the last minute anymore.
2. I have to pee at every rest stop.
3. I have to eat at every rest stop.
4. I complain until I SEE another rest stop.
5. I'm a nervous driver. And complain about cars going more than 5 over the limit.
6. I get restless sitting for so long.
7. The heat really gets to me. Like immediately.
8. I think you get the idea . . .

I'm super high maintenance. Which isn't like me. At all. But I do love my new, pint-sized travelling partner (who we now call "Pequeña" or "The Pequeña" -- which means "little girl" in Spanish). The games we play -- like How Many Kicks in an Hour?. Or How Hard Can We Squash Mom's Bladder?.

Hours of entertainment.


We really enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere of Cape May. It was incredibly relaxing. Our hotel left much to be desired, but it was right across from the beach -- hard to beat waking up to this view:


Speaking of morning, it's when we both did the majority of our running. I'm still going strong. However, we walked a lot, too. Like 5-miles-a-day a lot . . . so I took my jogs easy. One day I ran 5 miles around town. The next day, 3 miles on the beach walkway. The next: A barefoot 3 on the beach.

At 19 weeks, Pequeña and I felt great! Fantastic after fueling with peanut butter-chocolate chip pancakes.


And ice cream every night:


Oh, yeah: Remember when I said I had a craving for lobster? Well, I got my fill. I ate half a tail and a claw (Stephen enjoyed the rest). The texture was definitely nothing I'm used to, but it wasn't bad. However, I loved the corn and potato on the side the most.


Not sure if seafood will be in the plan for me on our next jaunt to the shore. But I'm glad I at least gave it a try.


Stephen and I commented last night that this trip marks the very first where we didn't have a single spat. We usually have our own ideas of what's fun, but this time -- we let go and relaxed. I put the camera away, we slipped into our swimsuits, and we just lived from minute to minute.

It's the way to be.


But it's sure hard getting used to being connected again. I think I checked my phone maybe twice each day. We didn't bring the computer -- I can't bring myself to go online when I'm away, I get enough of that at home and at work. It was glorious to de-tech for a few days.

More time to actually live. Take in the coastal greens and blues.


I feel much better prepared for our week-long trip to Wildwood Crest at the end of this month. But I'll go into all those details soon. Stuff like what clothes feel the most comfortable. What eating is like . . . because I didn't do a great job of it (too much junk). How I dealt with the heat. Etc.

How was YOUR holiday? I hope fantastic. And I hope you're all doing great back at the grind. It's an adjustment, that's for sure. I could really use a nap. (If you missed this morning's vacation post, go check it out now!)

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