New baby!

I left you and made another blog that was more private.  It  was a flop.  Not only did people not want to sign up with their emails to read it but I stopped posting.  It was a lose/lose situation.  So here I am again.  I am making a new effort to write and I am giving you another opportunity to stalk me in the privacy of your own homes!

What have I been up to?  Well, at least one thing.  Having a baby!  I am now the mother of two.  One boy and one girl.  Dean is a serious little boy that has been demanding things of me all day for the past three months.  Julia has been a great help to me.  She is such a little mommy and loves giving her little brother kisses.  It's so wonderful to see the two of them together.  It makes me feel like I've done something right in my life.

The above picture was taken the morning Dean was born.  That is why Julia's hair looks like something out of the 80's.  That crazy girl stayed up almost until three in the morning waiting for her little brother to arrive before she finally passed out.  Of course, he decided to come at 3:47 a.m.  She just missed it!  I gave birth at a birth center in Alexandria, VA, which I will fill you in on those details in another post.  In short, my pregnancy was pretty uneventful, for the most part the delivery was also, and in the end, I had a handsome little boy to take home.

I have attempted to get back into being active since he was born but it's been a struggle.  Shocking, I know.  At three weeks postpartum, I ran my first 5k.  I have also been going for walks with Dean, occasional runs by myself and have recently started doing Lindsay Brin's Post-Natal Boot Camp.

I am following the twelve week program and so far, I hurt!  I know it's been a long time since I have done a crunch but oh my!  I can't move at all without feeling my ab muscles scream.  I'll be posting later some beginning stats and pictures so I can keep track of whether the program worked for me or not.

That's it!  Just a quick check-in and teaser of blog posts to come!  Here's a couple pics of my little guy to truly make it worth your while:

Sweaty Date Nights

It was a very unwelcome surprise this morning when I got in my car and couldn't see out of the windshield.  So far this year, I have been able to get away with using the windshield wipers to clear it off but this morning I needed my scraper.  I love spring, summer and fall but please, go away winter! 

I seriously need to get more winter running gear if I am planning on doing any outdoor runs for the next four months.  I have also been contemplating whether or not it's time to get some new running shoes.  For some reason, I thought I bought my current shoes a lot longer ago than I have.  It has only been three months.  Apparently, I should be buying new shoes every  300-400 miles but let's be real, I'm not keeping track (nor do I think I have run that much in these shoes).  I'll sit tight for now...

I have not been for an outdoor run since the race last Saturday.  Call me busy, lazy, or whatever.  It just hasn't been happening.  I would be more likely to run if I had someone to run with.  It was so great when I lived at home and could head out for a run with my dad.  I love having someone to talk to because it makes the time pass quickly.  I have often tried to convince Alex to try running with me....

He doesn't seem to understand how running a distance more than the 90 feet between home plate and first base would be worth his time.  I guess I can't complain too much though since he is more than willing to hold down the fort while I go for a run.  He's not opposed to other forms of exercise though.  For the first time last night, we did the P90 video together.  The couple that works out together stays together, right?



How about the couple that one works out
while the other documents the occasion?

Despite Alex's recommendation, I decided to exercise without any shoes on.  I have been intrigued about barefoot running and there was a small amount jogging in place during the P90 DVD so I consider that a small sampling of what it could be like.  Overall, P90 was good bonding time with Alex and any elevation in heart rate is a step in the right direction, however I will not rely on this to be my sole means of physical fitness.  Today I had some stiffness in my calves but that's about it.  Maybe the barefoot exercising worked in strengthening different muscles than I usually use when running?

Do you exercise with others or do you prefer solitude?

Would you try barefoot running?