February 20, 2011

Sideline Spectating

Well, as soon as we got a second car, the weather warmed up in Austin.   It's been really pretty out, especially today.   Consequently, there has been a lot of outdoor time this weekend -- walks, marathon spectating and shopping at the Domain (mainly to purchase Bill some new clothes in replacement of the ones I ruined last week). 

Watching part of the Austin marathon this morning was an adventure.  Amelia seemed to enjoy looking at all of the runners, dogs, people, etc.  The only issue was keeping her from running out into the street to join the marathon itself.  She really wanted to go!   We ended up hanging out and watching for over an hour.

This will be the 3rd Austin marathon in a row that I've been on the sidelines -- that's after running nine straight.  Three years ago, we were trying to conceive Amelia (with many months of no success), and running long distances was on the list of things I wasn't supposed to be doing.  Last year, I was only about 5 weeks post C-Section and so in no condition for marathon running.  This year, I'm almost 26 weeks pregnant with Billy.  So chalk up one more from the sidelines -- at least for me.

I've recently been reading about some other women who have run marathons at post 20 weeks pregnant.  It just seems a little crazy though.  In justification, these ladies rightly point out that there are no real studies showing that long distance running (i.e., marathons, etc.) are bad for the baby.  My thinking is that it MIGHT not be bad for the baby, but there is absolutely no evidence that it is good for the kiddo.  (We were standing at mile 25 today, and very few who passed--even the slower runners--looked like they weren't digging deep and pushing their bodies to the extreme limits.)  Also, I've never heard any medical recommendation that you should run marathons while pregnant.  So why do it?  To prove something?  Maybe, but I'm not sure to who.  I only bring it up now because I admit that I felt more than a little bummed to be watching all of the marathoners finish their last mile from the sidelines for yet ANOTHER year.  It made me struggle a little with my decision -- thinking about those women who just decide to keep up their normal distance training routine, racing hard and running the marathons anyway -- but only briefly.  I've always been the type of person who enjoys a challenge, and I've done all kinds of things simply to prove to myself that I could, but I just can't get past the logic of what I have written above.  Being a little bummed is one thing, but like giving up the regular glass of wine with dinner and my waistline, I can also make it 9 months without distance running.  There is something vastly more important riding on this type of decision than simply proving to myself that I could.  If Baby Billy gets here safe, healthy and I don't have to spend the first two weeks of his life visiting him in a little box in the NICU, it will be totally worth missing a few races and starting to run again from square one post-partum.  There are lots of years ahead for running.  I just need to keep telling these things to myself.

Perhaps a little wishful thinking, but I'm hoping that my return to running will be more of a family affair.  I do want run at least one more marathon, but I envision my future running life to involve a lot more leisurely 5- and 10-Ks with the whole family and the double jogging stroller (which we ordered today), followed by big pancake breakfasts -- Kalahurka style.  Again, maybe a little wishful thinking given the demands of two kiddos, but imagining it is fun and Bill seems to be on board with the idea (he encouraged me to buy the double stroller, after all).

Okay, enough of me feeling sorry for my pregnant self (or as Bill says, "Steph, Stop being a Droopy Dog).

Amelia's report this week is all good.  She's obviously understanding more and more of what we say (which is really fun).  Below is a video that sort of demonstrates how much she is understanding (even if she still can't communicate too well in return).  She has a new tooth on the top, which has significantly improved her willingness and ability to eat "table food."  She also has been working on her animal sounds.  She can now correctly respond when asked what sounds the cow and the duck make.  She loves it when we make the cat sound "MEOOWW," but she can't make that one herself.  Most of her words still come out as "BA!" but I think we are making progress. 

Video:  Amelia shows how much she understands
(Patience.  This video may take a few minutes to load)

In not so great news, I think we had our first honest-to-goodness temper tantrum earlier this week, when I took an electrical cord away from her.  Seems that Amelia is pretty talented at tantrums.  It definitely hurt my ears, but it was also somewhat humorous how she just sat down on the floor and screamed.  It was hard not to laugh.  She didn't get the electrical cord back, so maybe the score is +1 in the Mommy column.

Some photos from this week below.  Enjoy!

(Click on the thumbnails below to view a larger version).

Mom distracted me long enough to get a hair bow in!			I'm great at extracting pots and pans from cabinets
I like to say "Hat!" I also like to wear them (even at lunch time).		A cute new outfit from Ann Orcutt