countdown - bebe week 26

Friday, July 13, 2012
when i started this little bloggy i'm not sure why it never dawned on me that it would be like a little memoir of the life my farmer and i will experience together, what we share, what we did, my craziness, his awesomeness, our good-lookingness (stretch?)...you get the picture.

but wouldn't you know it...the deeper i get into this thingy, the more i have realized WE'RE MAKING MEMORIES PEOPLE. and these are just some highlights. i'm loving it.

so why not do some bebe in my belly memories, yes? yes.

bebe belly - 26 weeks

that's my sister kell bell and a mister we found at the bike race.

current bebe stats:

bump watch - i'm rockin' along at week 26. 14 to go and that just seems insane. i think i'd like this whole process to slow down just a tad. i mean...how could anyone trust me to take a bebe under my care? i can barely take care of myself.

however, the other part of me says, "gosh...i really am loving my cartoon-esque tas and all...and it's super fun that none of my tops fit...oh! and the pain i feel post-workout is real REAL fun, but, i just think i'd like the next 14 weeks to speed right up."

how big is bebe? that little mystery in there is probably about two pounds and about 13 - 14 inches long.

beat the heat - never have i felt so dehydrated in all my days. be it the bebe or the 100+ degrees, the constant dry-mouth is the pits. not to mention the 45 bathroom visits each night. luckily my farmer is quite the sleeper so he's never disrupted.

clothing - gee goll. i've been packaging myself in some trusty cut-offs, t-shirts, unbuttoned jeans...you get the idea. my saving grace has been some glorious maxi skirts and some lightweight scarves to downplay the ladies.

but during my little visit to denver i was able to stop into a store called a pea in the pod and they carry some nice denim. i snagged myself a pair citizens with a giant belly panel. i foresee myself wearing those jeans for...a long long time. they'll definitely come in handy during large holiday meals. so gloriously comfy.

weight gain - if there is one thing i've learned...there is no standard. the tiniest thing can gain 50 pounds. the average gal can gain 15. bodies are just so different. so when i tell ya i've gained seven pounds (5 in my bra), what does it even mean? i'm certainly not starving. i have plenty of energy. i'm feelin' real good. at my 24 week appointment the doctor said everything was great. so, everything is great.

stretch marks? i think i spied the beginnings of some on my left hip area. son of a...but when i asked my sister to inspect she said she couldn't be sure. i'll just be sure to lather the dickens out of all susceptible areas. i have the palmer's cocoa lotion. i was told it's good stuff, but the smell kills me.

workouts - i'm oh so proud to report that i'm working out at least three times a week, but usually more like four or five times a week. running, walking, hiking, or a bike ride. i am also considering hand polishing the hardwood, painting the house, and house projects a form of working out.

gender - i NEVER thought i'd be the gal to report that we're not finding out. but we really aren't! not only does it REALLY cut down on the things you can buy, but the element of surprise is the most amazing feeling. i'm SO SO thrilled farmer and i decided this route.

cravings - what i wouldn't do to sip on a delicious IPA...like...right now. other cravings? subway sandwiches i guess. i average about two a week.

craziest moment of the week - about 25 seconds ago i felt a kick and literally saw my stomach move. bring on the movement and kicks. i don't care what time of day or night. the more movement, the more i feel like i know what's going on.

that's probably PLENTY of not-needed information for a friday morning.

i'll be posting all about my glorious little trip to colorado to see the beach boys and visit sister. a teaser for now...

yes, i'm THAT funny. (maybe not.)




have a nice little weekend.

sunday fun day and i'm in denver!

Sunday, July 08, 2012
super-fog on our way to winter park resort
that's right you gorgeous people...i'm with my sister while my farmer is on a seven day rafting trip down the middle fork of the salmon river. (this river is no joke. 100 miles of pristine wilderness, zero traffic/roads,lots of scampering animals...did i mention the rockin' whitewater??? i wish i was with him. ***le sigh***)

pardon the photo memories from our last middle fork trip...





so as i sit here watching a movie with sister belli and eat far too many pretzel M&M's (i'm on vacation!! give the pregnant girl a break!) well...i think now is a great time to set some goals for the coming week.

1. i'm going to do a form of cardio every single day for at least 45 minutes. not only is it a great opportunity to tune out and "catch up" with yourself, but i've been spending way too much time in the house. like whoa. it's so so so easy to forget there is an outside world when you live on a farm in the middle of...i don't know where. where do we live??

2. me thinks it's time to get focused on some hot mom arms. i mean...i've heard that here in about 14.5 weeks I'll be holding a bebe...like...a lot. so it's time to condition these old gals. i bought some kettle bells a few days (months) ago and they are itching to be dominated. in addition to the arm focus i need to get focused on the booty. nobody likes sag-a**. i'm very susceptible to sag-a** because my booty is quite bubbly. without the right attention the bubbliness could go right into sagville. nobody wants that...especially my farmer.

3. the third and final goal for the week will be house related. something i keep looking at and then continue to put off. out of sight out of mind...right? the shower needs the grout scrubbed. when my farmer tiled our shower he was a little overzealous with the grout. it kind of got...everywhere. so i'll give the walls a little scrub-down and the do some touch-up painting. it's been driving me loco for a few months now. it's time to take care of bizz.


bell & bebe - running

Thursday, July 05, 2012

21 weeks
people people people. i have got to put something out there. i need advice. i need some direction. i need a plan.

for those of you who know me...you know i'm slightly over the top when it comes to fitness, weight management, and talking about it.

it's no secret that i gained a few L-B's in college (like...20) and after graduation i worked super-de-duper hard to get it off. i never EVER wanted to go there again.

***enter my obsession with running***

so for the past seven years i would consider myself a runner. to call yourself a "runner" you certainly don't have to be good, you just have to do it. and i do it.

i can rock a 10 minute mile like it's my job. (actually...i started out running 13 minute miles, which closely resembles a quick walk. slowly but surely i worked it down to a low 8 minute/mile pace. i was really proud of myself!!!)

my best running gals showing me bebe support. they are obviously all too skinny to be preg.
***enter a bebe growing in my gut***

slowly but surely as the weeks have ticked on my 8 minute/mile pace has disappeared. i kissed it goodbye. slower and slower as my gut has grown. i'm now back to a 10 minute/mile pace. some people are shocked i'm still running. some people are proud. this person? i'm mostly just in pain.

i've had several issues with the running game:

issue #1

at week 16, about 20 minutes into my workout, both of my legs would fall asleep below the knee to the tip of my toes. we're talking dead. gone. couldn't feel them. obviously i couldn't stop my workout...i couldn't risk dipping below my 10 minute/mile pace. so i would just run on my dead stumps.

finally, using my better judgement, i decided to implement a plan. every 10 minutes i would walk for one minute. this would help the blood "catch up" before my legs actually fell asleep. AND it totally works! no more dead stumps.

issue #2

apparently there are these round ligaments below the belly button that need a good stretching as they prep for the growing gut. well...running really irritates the heck out of them. we're talkin' some serious agony.

i'll be running running running along and feel great. four miles go by. i cool down. 10 minutes later i can barely walk. imagine how it would feel if you had been kicked in the groin area like seventeen times. i think that's what i feel after i run...for about two days. the weird part? if i go running again, the pain goes away, but comes right back about 10 minutes after finishing the run.




or...

if i just take about three days off, i fully recover and there is no more "you've been kicked in the groin" pain.

i've discussed my issues with the doctor and he's given me the go-ahead to keep running. obviously the answer would be easy if he told me to stop...but he said i'm fine. alas...i want to keep running.

so what to do? stop running? it feels so so good! i am genuinely one of those people that just feels like a total rock star after running and no other workout makes me feel the same.

i've tried: yoga, road biking, briskly walking...i would say swimming, but there aren't a lot of swimming options out here on le farm.

my ultimate goal is to be a fit bell with a rockin' gut. so let's figure this out.

i'm open to suggestions, advice, insults. send them my way. help a bell out.


@karlibellmeier