I'm Still Here!!

It seems ridiculous to even apologize for my absence - its been so long. What can I say? Circumstances have been changing so fast, its been hard to get my head around it. I was informed by my bosses on March 20th that March 31st would be my last day. Thanks for everything, don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out. Since then, I've been floating between the gestational bliss of simply chillin' and nesting and feeling completely useless and without purpose - a dead weight on my family's strained financial situation. Fortunately, the bliss is more frequent than the pity parties.

And my days for chillin' and basking in the sunshine are numbered, friends. My due date is two weeks from today. Yowza. My doctor is reluctant to "let" me go overdue as last weeks ultrasound indicated that our little guy is already well over eight pounds. Sure, those things are historically inaccurate but, as my first was a ten pounder, it seems to follow that this guy would not want to be outdone. So, I'm trying to gently encourage a timely arrival - Crunchy Mama does not want to throw down with the Medical Establishment over induction and other ugly Intervention type words. If May 27 comes and goes with no baby, I'll be getting more aggressive. Castor Oil doesn't appeal but it may just trump Pitocin. Fortunately for Hubby (or not fortunately, I guess you'd have to get his point of view on the subject) sex is an excellent natural induction technique. This late in the game, however, such methods do require a sense of humor. Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated. I've been trying to down as much red raspberry leaf tea as possible. Black and Blue Cohosh scare me as I've read they lead to thinning of the blood and I'm already anemic. Still, fair or not fair, I see Pitocin as my mortal enemy. I couldn't tell you why,exactly, I'm just stubborn, I guess.

With triathlon training season in full bloom, I can often be found gazing wistfully at cyclists in full kit and runners cruising down the sidewalk as I drive past, barely fitting behind the steering wheel. My time will come again. The jogging stroller (a B.O.B.!!) is in the garage at the ready. I plan on getting the car seat adapter for it - does anybody know if you can run with that? Otherwise, he'll have to be six months before I can run with him in the stroller. That seems interminably long. Still, Hubby is supportive and amazing with babies so, I'm sure I'll be running before the summer is over. Maybe just for a block at a time, but I'll be running. Mark. My. Words.

I hope everyone's season is going swimmingly. And bikingly. And runningly. I'll take some time from my nesting, chilling bliss to visit your blogs. Much love - and I'll keep you updated!

Living Vicariously

Well, friends, it seems that two of our fellow bloggers are on the campaign trail and mighty close to making the cut. Help 'em out, the info is below. And, who knows, maybe one of these days it'll be you and they'll return the favor.

Peace.

MAKE IT 2 OUTTA 3 In a coordinated effort with other Tri-Bloggers I am supporting both Commodore and TriBoomer in their combined effort to make the top three vote getters of this month's EvoTri sponsorship. Both of them are equally capable of representing their fellow age groupers and I want them to make it to the final phone call on Saturday where they will each fight for the one position on the team available right now. If you are a reader of this website and have not voted for either one of these men, now vote for both of them and push them to the final round by following these instructions. Send two emails, one for each candidate, to Vote@Evotri.com In one email write in the Subject field: http://www.commonmansyndrome.com In the second email write in the Subject field: http://triboomer.blogspot.com The top three vote gathering candidates will advance to a round of interviews by members of Team EvoTri. Voting ends at 11:59 PM on Friday, March 28, 2008

Nostalgia

I've finally had a moment to peruse some of your bad ass blogs and indulge in some vicarious living through your training - it hasn't had any effect on the enormity of my thighs (why, Why, WHY does the baby need weight on my ass? Can anybody tell me that?? Is it a balance thing, what?) it has definitely helped my morale. I had to stop running three months ago because my back just killed me. I'm tough but I'm not a martyr. I didn't post about it because it was too fresh, too painful. It still pretty much sucks, but there's a bigger, better picture I can appreciate now - and its living a squirming and blessed existence in my enormous belly! I swim every once in awhile but, sadly, my schedule, lack of cash flow and my incessant need for sleep tend to interfere with that being a regular thing. Also, its so much frickin work to get a swim suit on. Seriously, I think I burn more calories getting undressed, suited up and redressed than I do in the water. I've been walking whenever possible though this winter's frequent ice has made that a challenge. So, mostly, I veg out. I sleep. I rest. I read. I watch amazing numbers of Baby reality shows: Baby Story, Bringing Home Baby, The Baby Diaries. My husband thinks I'm nuts. I'm just trying to wrap my mind around the little bundle who's set to arrive in three months or so. And the Ironman worthy ordeal that will need to happen in order to get him here. I'm not afraid. Not even nervous, really. Yet. Its just somewhat incomprehensible at this time of my life. All our kids are older - my baby is eight and gangly, though he still tries to climb on my lap every once in awhile. And my belly has become his wooby. Everytime he sits or stands near me, he's trying to lift up my shirt so he can rub the belly. It reminds me of his nursing years - only with less nudity. I mean, I post my belly on the world wide web. I don't think I'd be up to exposing the "nummies" as they were so dubbed eight years ago. Though for the right amount of money . . . did I mention there was a cash flow problem?

ANYWAY - I've so enjoyed visiting you all and seeing what you are up to. I long for the days when I'll be able to revel in a brick that brings me to my knees - or at least to the nearest ice bath. For those long miles on the local trails. For being able to swim more than a couple hundred yards without stopping to catch my breath. Hell, I'd settle for going up the stairs without stopping to suck air!

So, here's to all of you - training and sweating and racing out there! For what its worth, you're keeping my dream alive, even as I lounge on my couch in my nest of a thousand pillows and watch my millionth episode of Baby Story - I know that I'll be back. And I know that my son will know that a brick isn't just something you build houses out of and that tri-ing is even better than trying. And that racing isn't something that only fast people do.

Yes We Can - Barack Obama Music Video

VOTE!!!

Half Way There

Those of you who know me from "before" may recognize this previous me - during T1 of my First and Only Oly Tri.

Then there was the first inkling of a belly - just a few short weeks after we found out that we were growing something up in 'dere.

Now, I'm at the half-way mark and looking considerably more, well, more.

So, yeah, Speedy is right. I've been doing a lot of griping, bitching and moaning. And I'm not sure that the above shot warrants all that griping, bitching and moaning. But, there it is. Only four months and change to go.

Drum Roll Please . . .

OK, the results are in and its unanimous. You want to know.

So . . . .


Its a boy!

And, yeah, silly me who can't see the forest for the trees needs to add that everything looks perfect. He's not overly big - yet. All his fingers, all his toes, perfect heart, brain, spine . . . the miracle of life is confirmed yet again. How amazing is it that a whole person can form from a moment of passion and two little cells.

As for the name, its been decided - though Candlebox is a very good suggestion.

Next time - a belly shot. You. Will. Be. Amazed.

Times, They Are A'Changin'

I begin training my replacement for work tomorrow. Talk about a reality check. To truly understand that I am replaceable, and being replaced - though this is what I asked for - is a scary thing. My plan is to work from home, initially taking in "overflow" from other smaller law firms. Eventually, I would like to write. I'm not sure the form that writing would take - I've considered copywriting, non-fiction, and fiction. I actually have the bones for at least two novels in my head and on paper. And there is my book idea on Heroes still in the very beginning stages. None of that is going to pay the bills right away, however. Its a year of new beginnings. And I'm asceart. But I've been asceart before and survived. Yet another reason to be thankful for last season and the plethora of lessons and triumphs that I took away from my dance with The Beast. And make no mistake about it, we WILL dance again. And again and again and again. My long term plan is Ironman when the baby in my belly goes into first grade. Until then, I will make the shorter distances my bones to chew on.

Meanwhile, my little bit is kicking away - becoming the reality for the Beast in my Belly metaphor of a thousand years ago. It seems like a thousand years ago, anyway. We had our ultrasound a few days ago. So I know. I know baby's name and parts and all that. So, as an informal poll, tell me - do you want to know? Should I keep it a secret to draw out the "suspense" or do you, like me, believe that suspense is false when somebody knows the answer? Let me know in the comments section as I don't have the def skills like Speed Racer to put one of those fancy poll type links in my blog. In that way, at least, I guess I'm old fashioned.

So, here we go, my sweet, gentle, bad ass readers. Another journey. Another adventure. Yeehaw!