Three Weeks Already?

I thought I would do weekly updates and then....my two week update kept getting later and later and whoops...now it has been three weeks since JuJu Bean was born. The first week seems to have been the halcyon days...with my productivity severely diminished since then. Last week I didn't even get through one day's list of 3 to do's. Sigh. I think my severe sleep deprivation basically sapped my will to multi-task...which was the only way I got anything done. And, I gave in. To the monotony of nursing. To the simpleness of this time. All I really have to do is feed my baby girl, eat, and sleep (and run, right???).

Nursing
Baby Girl is still an amazing eater. I rented a baby scale from our lactation consultant and seems she is getting 3-4 ounces per feeding. Plus, she is up to 8 lbs 1 oz (with clothing and diaper on). She's generally feeding every 3 hours during the day and every 3-4 hours during the night. My nipples KILLED the first week....there was toe-curling pain each time she latched on...but that has dissipated. I am pumping 3 times a day (typically around 2-3 am, 11 am, 6-8 pm) and am getting 4-5 ounces each time, for a total of 12-15 ounces extra. One whole drawer in my freezer is full of breast milk! I feel irrationally proud of myself whenever I pump a bunch of milk. Even though I could leave the storage of the milk for later, there is something reassuring about the measuring and labeling of the milk. My body is doing SOMETHING right...and maybe it would make me feel a little less guilty about stopping breastfeeding earlier to start the IVF process again if I knew that I have 1-2 months of breast milk stored. I have found that the amount of milk I store is in direct proportion to the amount of water I consume. If I drink a lot of water, than I make more milk. So, I'm trying to drink 1 16 ounce bottle of water every time I nurse.

Sleeping
I've finally transitioned from co-sleeping to putting Baby Girl in the bouncy chair and putting that in the bassinet right next to my bed. This was a HUGE step for me as I am totally paranoid about SIDS and am constantly checking her to make sure that she is breathing. I'm having a hard time falling back to sleep after her feedings, so I'm usually getting only 1.5-2.5 hours of sleep between feedings. I try to take a nap every day, but it really only happens once every two to three days in actuality. On days when I am REALLY sleep deprived, I end up being really mean to my husband because I am bitter that he's not getting up to help with the feedings (he can't though...we aren't introducing her to the bottle until she's 4 weeks old!) or because he hasn't taken ONE day off of work to help out (his excuse: I run my own company! If I take off work...I don't get paid.) I guess I could probably write a whole other post about the lack of equality in childcare...but meh. I'm too tired. (ha)


Sibling Love
Nugget is still AWESOME with Baby Girl. No proclamations of jealousy or dislike. I've enjoyed so much having more time to spend with him. He's just so funny right now. Earlier today he put on the radio to some station that was playing songs from the 1950's and he was jamming away. It was hysterical. There are times when I think I could really enjoy being a stay at home mom...and think that I might be more relaxed if I didn't have to juggle a career too. But, then I start thinking too much...about economic viability, the economy, values I want to impart on my children, my fears about something happening to my husband, etc.

My Post Partum Body

These pictures are 9, 16, and 22 days post partum. I still have the "mummy tummy" where your stomach goes out farther than your ribcage. I actually was really pleased with how I looked until I got on the scale last week and saw that I still have 3 pounds to lose to get to my pre-pregnancy weight and 7-9 pounds to lose to get to my pre-IVF weight. I also put on my "fat" jeans and they were TIGHT. My husband reminds me that at I only gave birth three weeks ago and that I might have somewhat unrealistic expectations. To be honest, this is EXACTLY where I was at this point after my son (2-3 lbs to pre-pregnancy, 7-9 lbs to pre-IVF). It actually took about 4 months to get to my pre-pregnancy weight and somewhere around 6-9 months to get to pre-IVF. But, I was running A LOT then. And, I cared. Now that I have renewed my commitment to not wear anything but sweatpants until March and not get on the scale until my fat jeans are loose....meh. What do I care? (Of course, this plan only works as long as I don't have any social engagements that require I wear something other than sweat pants.)

I went for my first run 10 days post-partum. It sucked. But, we knew that was going to happen. I ran 4 miles at a 13 minute pace. It didn't hurt in my lady parts (and I would have stopped if it did). Oddly, the only thing that REALLY hurt was my inner thigh muscles. I remember with Nugget that my ABS hurt, but I didn't have that this time. Since this first run, I estimate that I have run 7-8 more times and have been running 6 miles at about a 10 minute pace. I plan to keep running 6 miles until I can get down to an 8 minute pace and I no longer feel like the last mile is going to kill me. I've also done the elliptical for 60 minutes a couple of times and a 30-minute yoga video 5-6 times. Clearly, I haven't been keeping track of all this. I just fit it in when I can. I imagine that working out is going to get harder in the coming weeks as I don't have any family coming to town. I'm trying to find a daytime babysitter, but that's proving harder than expected!

My Mental State
I still have the "trying for a third" debate with myself about ten times a day. But, I'm too stupid tired to think about the bigger picture issues. My plan is just to make it through until Baby Girl starts sleeping more. Hopefully, that will be in another couple of months...rather than years...

I'm sorry I've been so terrible about commenting on other people's blogs. I've been too tired when nursing to multi-task and have taken my television viewing to new levels (have you seen Terms of Endearment--how did I make it through 30 years without seeing this???).

P.S. I thought I should add a caveat to this post letting you all know that I realize how petty and small some of these things are...and I totally appreciate being able to focus on such minor things. Don't think for a second that I take for granted that I have my beautiful, precious girl here. Even if I can't get ONE picture for the camera where she doesn't look like she is having a bowel movement.

Too Do

I'm a goal-oriented person. And, perhaps a little bit of a perfectionist, type-A personality type. If you've been reading this blog for a while, that's pretty clear.

I was a maniac before Baby Girl was born, running around trying to accomplish everything on my two page to-do list that magically kept expanding every time I crossed something off. I would get one thing done (buy new curtains) and suddenly two more activities appeared on the list (take down old blinds and install new curtains). Trying to complete my to-do list feels like a Sisyphean task never to be completed.

I had hoped that once Baby Girl came that the insanity would stop, but it appears to be something that I am going to have to consciously stop my brain from doing. Because I feel myself wasting this precious time being preoccupied with my to-do's. I thought I had been managing my to-do's well, only allowing myself to focus on 3 tasks each day (today for example: have coffee with a girlfriend, wrap and mail package to friend's twins for their first birthday, and order birth announcements), but that's not even half of what I tried to accomplish today. I also: got Nugget ready for school and dropped him off, went on a walk to mail said package and deposit a check to the bank, buy a new sports bra for my ever growing boobs (C-cup people! these are porn star boobs for me!), nurse every 2-3 hours, respond to blogs, clean up the house, do a load of laundry, get in my 2nd post-partum run, take a shower, do a sitz bath, eat dinner, call 2 friends that I haven't talked to since prior to Baby Girl's birth....etc., etc. I feel a lot of mom guilt because I didn't take ONE picture of Baby Girl in the past 3 days. THREE DAYS people. That's over one-third of her life. I didn't sit on the couch and just stare at her. In fact, I didn't have ONE nursing session where I wasn't doing something else.

I'm using my to do list to hide. If I am re-organizing our medicine closet or updating our photo albums for the first time in 5 months, I am not figuring out the difficult questions:

• Do we want to try for a third child? I have two more cycles of IVF covered and think that I have the emotional and physical capacity to handle the cycles given that I already have my two beautiful lovelies. This decision entails SO MUCH. WHEN do we try for a third child? Do I stop breast-feeding Baby Girl at three months to try and get my period so that I can do a cycle? Do I want to have a third child just to PROVE something? To PROVE that we conquered infertility? Could I have a career if we have three kids? Could I emotionally handle the chaos that comes with three kids? Could I give up trying for a third kid if the two cycles that we have 50% coverage with don't work? Are we getting too old (not necessarily ME, but my husband just turned 38) to have more children? Can we afford three children? Will having three children put me over the edge? Will I not be able to do the things I love if we have three children? If we don't at least TRY for three children, will I regret it? If we have to start trying immediately after Baby Girl is born, will I miss out on the joy of her early life? If I am lucky enough to get pregnant, will she not get the attention and stimulation that she needs? Will I be able to manage three children? Would I be a happier person and better mother to only two children?
• What do I want to DO with my life? Sometimes I just want to give up my career and focus on my two little lovelies and bask myself in full-time motherhood. Other times, I think I would be a better mother if I had a career that I loved or at least some intellectual outlet outside of being a mother. If my current job doesn't provide me with the fulfillment that I desire, what career would? What career or job is important enough to keep me away from my lovelies? But, then again, isn't the sheer importance of HAVING a job and bringing in an income important? Isn't it important to show my children that Mommy has a job and economic viability, too? Can I handle being a full-time mom to two children? Am I crazy to think about leaving my awesome work-life friendly job to pursue some pipe dream of what a career should provide me?
• This is it. This is my life. My one life. Possibly my last time of having a beautiful baby.I may never again get to fall asleep with a little baby nestled in my arms.

My to-do's allow me respite from these thoughts and questions for which I have no answers. I'm not even really sure how to go about figuring out the answers. I wonder: do I need to work with a counselor to talk through these issues or are they questions that I may never determine the answer to and just end up answering by default.

Sigh.

Ju Ju Bean's First Week

Baby Girl is nearly 1 week and 3 days now and I figure that I should write down some of my memories of the first week before the weeks start running into each other. I know the first week is the "honeymoon" period with the baby where they sleep all the time. Crankiness and sleeping issues will rear their heads later on...but for now, JuJuBean is an ANGEL.

Nursing

She is a wonderful nurser...I just can't get over the difference between her and my little Nugget. With Nugget, I felt like such a FAILURE at nursing. I couldn't get him to latch on. I was prepared for a similar experience with JuJuBean. I stockpiled nipple covers to help with the latch because I thought my "flat nipples" were the reason I couldn't get Nugget to latch. Turns out, Nugget just was a lazy latcher and didn't suck hard enough. I think JuJuBean could get milk out of my elbow if she wanted! This being said, my nipples hurt A LOT and lanolin and lansinoh soothie gel pads have been my best friends. I am making enough milk for her to gain 2 ounces every day AND put 5 ounces in the freezer, which is also amazing because Nugget had problems gaining weight and didn't reach his birth weight until nearly two weeks post partum. JuJuBean was at her birth weight by 6 days post partum! It's wonderful to feel like "a natural" at something after years of feeling like such a failure as a woman because I couldn't conceive the old-fashioned way (or heck, even the "high technology" way).

Sleeping

JuJuBean is sleeping in 3-4 hour stretches. I've been getting in the habit of going to bed around 8 or 8:30 after we put Nugget down and then getting up to feed her around 12 am, 3 am, and 7 am. I've been having problems falling back asleep, though, due to my overactive mind or hunger or my aching hamstrings (I need to stretch more!). But, generally, I think I eek out 4-6 hours of sleep and that appears to be enough to get by. Baby Girl is co-sleeping with us for now. Once she starts sleeping for longer increments, I'll move her over to her bassinet. There is nothing better than waking up with her snuggled in my arm.

Sibling Love

I wasn't sure what to expect from Nugget. I'd heard that there would be some behavioral issues and possibly some regression in speech and potty training. Nugget has been so wonderfully sweet with Baby Girl. He will bring her toys and binkies when she cries and seems to be so proud of her. At the park on Sunday, he took the hand of one of his playmates and dragged her over to the stroller, saying "come see my baby sister." And, he's actually had a bit of a break-through with the potty training: he's VOLUNTARILY been indicating that he needs to go "poo-poo" and been going in the toilet!

My Post Partum Body

Recovery has been much better this time, too. I had problems sitting on any surface other than one of those sexy hemorrhoid pillows the first few weeks with Nugget, but that hasn't been an issue this time. I stopped pain meds when I left the hospital and haven't needed them since. I don't go back to the OB until 6 weeks, so I guess we'll see how my level two tear is recovering (only one long running stitch). My belly is still pretty mushy, but I'm surprised how much my uterus has shrunk already. I'll have to take a picture tomorrow and post it. I haven't attempted exercise of any sort, but my muscles feel pretty tight and I'm craving some yoga and easy walking. I was chomping at the bit with Nugget to get out there and get active and lose the pregnancy weight, but I just don't have that drive this time. It's a little concerning to me that I just don't care about getting back in training shape or really any shape. Maybe this will change as I become less sleep deprived, but it just seems like it would be a huge EFFORT to get out there and I'd rather just take it easy. Plus, standing for extended periods of time isn't exactly comfortable. Every day, I vow: I will walk today or I will do a yoga video today and it hasn't happened yet. Maybe by 2 weeks post partum I will have to force myself out there. Plus, I miss my pregnant belly. I miss feeling Baby Girl move around in me...sometimes I will lay her on my belly just to feel her jerky little movements again.

My belly four days post partum:

My Mental State

In reading the literature that they gave me from the hospital, I noticed a section on post partum depression listing "crying jags for extended periods of time" as a symptom. I definitely had that with Nugget. I would lie in my bed and cry for an hour to two hours and not know why. I don't have that this time. I'm just so stinking happy. I can't count the number of times each day where I just want to BURST I am so happy. Looking at my two little people, I feel so blessed that they are here and we were able to have them. I wonder if part of my post partum depression last time was just the huge adjustment to having REAL responsibility and the burden of breastfeeding was just WAY more than I thought it would be. Since I've already made the adjustment to total lack of control of my schedule, maybe the transition wasn't as difficult this time? I was also very sleep deprived with Nugget as I would feed him every 2-3 hours and the pumping/nursing/feeding process would take 1.5 hours, so at most I would have an hour or less between feedings.

I hope I'm not painting an overly rosy picture, but everything has been so much easier than I thought it would. I love my little angel.

A Birth Story

My son's birth and subsequent weeks were difficult (you can read about the birth here and our breastfeeding journey here). Going into his pregnancy, I had hoped to go "au natural" with the help of hypnobirthing. I read several books on labor, I attending 6 weeks of birth classes, I hired a doula, I changed practices mid-way through my pregnancy to ensure that I was working with a "minimal medical intervention" midwife. I wrote a birthplan. I spent HOURS developing "the perfect" playlist for the birth experience (it was FOUR hours long!). I was READY when I went into labor. But, such as life, THINGS didn't turn out as planned and I had a miserable 32 hour labor with a midwife who kept insisting that I was going to end up with a c-section. My first memories after Nugget's birth are hazy... I never had that hallmark moment of joyous mother holding baby in her arms. Instead, I was screaming and kicking the OB that was trying to sew me up while I could feel everything she was doing. When they finally did put Nugget in my arms, I asked what was wrong with his head and made them take him away because I was in too much pain to focus on him and was afraid that I would drop him. Then, he wouldn't latch on...but honestly...after 2.5 hours in the birth canal, who could blame him if he was too tired to do anything. My conclusion based on this birth experience was that my goal for labor should be: just get the d@mn baby out of me. I didn't research labor. I didn't insist on having a certain doctor at the birth. I didn't use a doula, a midwife, or develop a birth plan. I figured I might end up with a c-section, but I just didn't care. I wanted Baby Girl to be here safe and sound and I didn't care how it happened. We called it the "un-plan plan."

So, when my water broke Monday morning while snuggling in bed with my husband, I panicked. I knew I had to deliver in a certain period of time after my water broke, but I didn't know what that timeframe was and I wasn't going to risk anything with our precious gift. Water breaking felt just as eons of women before me had described it: as if a water balloon had burst in my underwear. It was odd. I hadn't been having contractions and was busy thinking big thoughts about what I want to do with my life...what I hope to accomplish...and, of course, running through all the lists of things that I hoped to accomplish that day. As soon as it happened, I screamed "my water broke" and my husband and I both jumped out of bed and started running around trying to figure out what exactly we should be doing. I took a shower and started to blow dry my hair. My husband packed his clothes and some miscellaneous things for the hospital. In the interim, I was dripping water everywhere...running around half-naked because I didn't want to get my clothes all wet. Thankfully, my mother-in-law was in town visiting us for Christmas and she came upstairs to tell us to chill out...don't worry about the bag...and GET TO THE HOSPITAL.

We finally got to the hospital around 8:30 (it's only 10 minutes away). We checked in...got set up in our room...and finally realized that THIS WAS IT. We are at the hospital to deliver a baby. And, I proceeded to freak out about my lack of planning this time around. I felt to unprepared and at the will of medical professionals with no research to counter their suggestions. I cursed us for not taking labor more seriously...for not planning better...for not researching more. But, in the end, I was at the hospital...and it was too late. We were going to have that baby some way or another by 7 am December 27th.

At 10 am, the on-call doctor came to check my cervix. All of the doctors from my practice were out, so I was going to be delivered by a doctor I had never met before. The un-plan plan in full effect. She seemed nice enough and patiently answered any questions we had. She checked my cervix and I was surprised to learn that I was 3 cm dilated! My contractions had barely been stronger than my braxton hicks contractions that barely hurt. By contrast, it took me nearly 12 hours of HARD, terrible contractions to get to 3 cm with Nugget. They told me that they wanted me to progress to 5 cm by 1:30 pm (or 6 hours after my water broke) and, if I didn't, we'd have to talk about Pitocin.

At this point, my mother-in-law brought my son to visit me at the hospital. We walked around with him for a bit. He made sure to kill all the pirates and monsters in my room. They left and the doctor checked me again at 1:30. I was still only 3/4 cm and my contractions were just starting to be a little intense (i.e., intense enough for me to say "ouch, that hurt" while continuing to text or talk to my friends. I had another freak out about pitocin and having a c-section...and talked to one of my friends who had used pitocin for her first birth and she said that pitocin doesn't necessarily mean a c-section or a miserable birth (as that didn't happen to her). She also told me to soak in the last few hours of my pregnancy, of feeling my beautiful Baby Girl moving around in my belly, and I cried as I knew that these might be the last moments where I get to feel that amazing slow twist of my loved one in my womb. For the rest of the labor, I was very present.....feeling each contraction, tasting my anticipation, savoring what was most likely my last pregnant moments. There were many moments where I would silently cry from the emotion of it all...and the juxtaposition of December 2011 from December 2010. I couldn't believe my beautiful girl's moment was here.

As the pitocin began to kick in my contractions got stronger, moving from pain at 2-3 on a scale of 1-10 (least-->most painful) to a 6-7. The nurse kept asking if I wanted an epidural, but I wanted to feel the contractions for a while...again because I don't know that I'll ever be able to feel them again. I learned to stay ahead of the pain, to stay in control, to remind myself that the pain would last for 10-30 seconds, but not forever. I tried to rest between contractions and slow danced with my husband or swayed to the music. Around 5 pm, my fear began to take over and I couldn't manage myself through the contractions. I asked the nurse to get the anesthesiologist for the epidural. 45 minutes later the anesthesiologist finally came. At that point, the pain was very intense (an 8 on a scale of 1-10), and I was ready for relief. I also knew that I would have to fear the pain of the contractions more than the pain of the epidural to be a compliant patient and by 5 pm I had reached that point. While the epidural was being administered, I kept repeating that I was scared about having a contraction during the procedure and causing the anesthesiologist to mess up. The 3 minutes it took to put in the epidural were the scariest of my labor; the position for the epidural was extremely uncomfortable and only heightened the pain of my contractions. But, I made it through, and 15 minutes later I had sweet release. I had a self administered epidural, so they only gave me a small amount and I could increase my dose as I saw necessary during labor. Shortly after, the doctor checked my progress and said that I was 7 cm dilated. At 7 pm, the nurse said that she thought I might be ready to push, but that the doctor was busy delivering another baby so I should "hold on." The epidural was strong enough to take the edge off my contractions, but they still hurt (about a 4 on a scale of 1-10). The pain was more pressure than acute aching. So, for the next hour I focused on listening to the music and breathing down the baby while I had contractions. At 8 pm, the doctor arrived and said that it was time to push. "NO SH*T" I responded several times....I couldn't believe it...I wasn't in pain...it had only been about 12 hours...and it was TIME? Four pushes and 15 minutes later, my wonderful baby girl was born. I reached down and placed her on my chest and spent the next two hours delighting over her tiny features. It was one of the best moments in my life. She latched on IMMEDIATELY after birth...her desire to suck and survive was so strong. She's the little fighter I was meant to have.

A Christmas Surprise

Our miracle girl was born Monday, December 26, 2011 at 8:30 pm at 37 weeks and 4 days measuring 5 lbs 15 oz and 18 inches.

She is our beautiful, healthy JuJuBean and we couldn't be happier. Thank you for sharing in the journey! I will post more about the amazing birth experience soon.

Love to you all!

A Fun Little Trip to L&D

On Wednesday, I was trying to be superwoman...get in 9 hours of sleep...go to the gym...get to work at relatively decent hour...try not to lose temper on son who poops and pees in his pants the moment we decide to leave for preschool...be a functional employee...prepare for the holidays and arrival of new baby...all while not feeling quite so well.

Upon finally arriving at the office....I promptly felt the immediate need to lay down on my office floor....because I felt SO sick. As I lay there, I thought....man...you need to RELAX. And, then I puked in my trash can. I had a meeting 2 hours from then that I really felt I needed to attend (I didn't)...so I sucked it up and tried to work. Went to the meeting. Almost passed out. Got back to my office and decided there was NO WAY I was going to make it through 5 more hours. Told my co-workers I was outta there and left. Made a quick stop at the mall to buy my mom a present because they were stopping by that evening on their way to pick up my grandfather to celebrate a mini-Christmas with us. Almost passed out. Store clerks were offering me chairs and glasses water and saying "you don't look so great." Got home. Had contractions every 8-10 minutes lasting 30-60 seconds. Couldn't eat anything.

Not wanting to be a "melodramatic" pregnant woman, I figured I'd just get checked out at my 37-week doctor appointment the next day. By Thursday morning, I was feeling better. The contractions were less frequent. I could eat without feeling nauseous. But, while meeting with my OB, I started feeling really sick and could barely carry on a conversation. So, she hooked up me to a heart rate monitor to check out the baby. The baby's heartbeat was pretty irratic and had a couple of low dips. She sent me over to labor and delivery to be monitored for a longer period of time.

It was thrilling to go to labor and delivery. I hadn't been there since my son was born and despite feeling in my gut that today was NOT the day...I had a small amount of hope that I might get to meet my daughter soon. They set me up in a birthing room (wheee!) and hooked me up to a monitor. Four hours later the final diagnosis: you are having REAL contractions (i.e., stronger than just Braxton Hicks), but you are only 1 cm dilated. Baby Girl's heartbeat looks good, no crazy dips. They think I was dehydrated from being sick and gave me an I.V. and then discharged me. They said the contractions could build and I could go into labor OR it could be another week or two before real labor starts. I would like to say that I spent the remainder of the day at home in bed relaxing as clearly demanded by my body...but I'm crazy and obsessive compulsive. So, I went to the mall to get my hair cut and buy a nursing outfit to wear home from the hospital (all while still having contractions).

By Friday I was feeling better. The contractions diminished. But, I was still been running around like a mad woman trying to get everything perfect for the baby (sorting through the un-wanted and un-necessary purchases that my MIL just gave me for the baby...another post on excess to come if I have time), cleaning up the house, running to the grocery store, getting the car cleaned, even managing a gym workout, etc. I was exhausted by 8 and went to bed (now up at 4 am unable to sleep). I don't think this baby will come for another week or two, but I wanted to be ready. I feel a lot of guilt for not working Wed-Fri...but I have no idea how I thought I was going to get everything on my to-do list done before Christmas AND work full-time. So, now I'll probably have to put in a few hours of work this weekend. Sigh.

Another Lame Post....Or Welcome To My Last Month of Pregnancy

I wish I had time to sit down and collect my thoughts on pregnancy...life...etc...but between trying to cram everything in before maternity leave, the holidays, a busy social calendar, etc....I can't find the space in my life. So, here's the running stats...which I decided...I am not going to make myself run if I don't feel like it after 35 weeks. I had a growth scan for Baby Girl last week and she's measuring in the 25th percentile at 5 lbs 10 oz, which is nearly what Nugget weighed at birth (6lbs 2 oz)...which would explain why I feel HUGE (even though I know I'll get bigger!). Any way, Baby Girl seems to be doing well...despite her mother's attempts at self-inflicted insanity.

Week 34 Running Stats
Thursday, December 1, 2011: 8.5 miles
Friday, December 2, 2011: 6 miles
Saturday, December 3, 2011: 9 miles run/walk at 15K
Sunday, December 4, 2011: 75 min elliptical
Monday, December 5, 2011: 7 miles
Tuesday, December 6, 2011: 9 miles, Body Pump
Wednesday, December 7, 2011: 75 minutes elliptical
Total Mileage: 40 miles + crosstraining
Comparison to Pregnancy #1: 41 miles


Week 35 Running Stats
Thursday, December 8, 2011: 8 miles run, 1.5 mile walk, Body Flow
Friday, December 9, 2011: 7 miles, 1 mile walk
Saturday, December 10, 2011: 8 miles run, 1.5 mile walk
Sunday, December 11, 2011: 7 miles run
Monday, December 12, 2011: 8 miles run, 1 mile walk
Tuesday, December 13, 2011: 8 miles run, 1 mile walk
Wednesday, December 14, 2011: 8 miles run, 1 mile walk
Total Mileage: 54 miles
Comparison to Pregnancy #1: 54 miles

I did get some fun maternity pictures taken by a very talented and wonderful friend...and GASP even some where I am wearing just a small amount of clothing...eek! I just wanted to be sure to have a photo memory of this moment in my life...and I felt comfortable enough with my friend to BARE some stuff....despite my modest predelections!