For about 12 years I had a true addiction to sugar free gum.
It all started in Biology class in 9th grade. The guy sitting in front of me told me I had bad breath. After that, I started chewing Extra spearmint gum, secretly in class. I never got caught.
The addiction escalated as the years went on. In the gumming world there are some gums that are mild and some that have a little more kick to them. Extra spearmint is fairly mild. Extra wintergreen gets a little more strong. Eventually, I was chewing Eclipse, which would shock the senses out of a non-gum chewer. It got to the point where if I ran out of gum, I would immediately go to the store to get another pack. That's when I knew I had to stop the addiction.
Two years ago, I quit cold-turkey. I just stopped chewing. I've been able to stay away from gum ever since and turn it down when offered.
This whole pregnancy thing may change me for the worst.
Right now, I am having mild nausea most of the day. It's not bad enough to hit the toilet, but I can taste that nasty bitter taste that usually happens right before you pray to the porcelain god. That taste is in my mouth most of the time.
I remember when I was about 10 or so years old. I was visiting my cousin, who lived quite a ways away, and I caught a stomach flu. I was vomiting at her house and on the car ride back home. Halfway through the car ride, my aunt gave me a piece of bubble gum to chew. After I had that gum in my mouth, the bitter taste was gone and I didn't throw up any more.
I think I will pick up some Extra at the store today and see if it makes me feel better. Hopefully this will be a temporary set-back in my quest to conquer my addiction.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Running and Baby Names
I have decided that the baby likes my running. Last week I ran Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I did not have any spotting on those days. When I stopped running over the weekend due to travel and holiday busyness, that's when I started spotting. Yesterday I did Yasso 800s (which are two lap sprints around the track), and had no spotting. I think the baby likes it when I run.
I'm really not having a lot of morning sickness yet, but every once in awhile, I'll feel like I want to throw up. Luckily I haven't done it yet, but when I run, I feel less nausious. Hopefully the baby will continue to like it throughout the pregnancy and after birth - because s/he will be coming with me in my jogger most days.
Since we don't want to tell anyone what the name will be if it's a boy, Rob and I have come up with names to call the unborn baby. We don't know the gender yet, so for now it's a boy. I want to call the unborn baby Paul - as in Paul Simon, the singer from Simon & Garfunkle. Robby wants to call him Peter - as in the disciple Simon Peter. So for now, the little one is either Peter or Paul, depending on who you talk to. :)
I'm really not having a lot of morning sickness yet, but every once in awhile, I'll feel like I want to throw up. Luckily I haven't done it yet, but when I run, I feel less nausious. Hopefully the baby will continue to like it throughout the pregnancy and after birth - because s/he will be coming with me in my jogger most days.
Since we don't want to tell anyone what the name will be if it's a boy, Rob and I have come up with names to call the unborn baby. We don't know the gender yet, so for now it's a boy. I want to call the unborn baby Paul - as in Paul Simon, the singer from Simon & Garfunkle. Robby wants to call him Peter - as in the disciple Simon Peter. So for now, the little one is either Peter or Paul, depending on who you talk to. :)
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Weekend Scare
This past weekend, we had a bit of a scare.
I understand that the first trimester is the most critical in that the chance of having a miscarriage is much higher than the other two trimesters. That is the main reason for us not telling many people that we are expecting this baby.
The day after we got the positive home pregnancy results, I started spotting. I looked up on the internet about spotting during the first trimester, and the site said there were three reasons for it to happen: a vaginal infection, implantation as the baby is expanding and affecting more of the uterus, and intercourse. Well, we had a celebratory romp in the sack the night before, so after the spotting went away the next day, I didn't think any more of it.
Over this past weekend, I started spotting again. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to require a panty liner. Sunday morning when I went to the bathroom, there were three thick drops of blood in the toilet - two that looked like blood and one that looked like it could be tissue or cells or something. This made me very nervous. Additionally, my breast tenderness seemed to subside some. I didn't have any cramping or back pain, but the decrease in pregnancy signs and the spotting put me on alert. I seriously thought that maybe this pregnancy was over.
I told my sister about the situation. So now my sister and Sweta know about the pregnancy.
When we returned from DC, I went to the doctor. They were able to see me and discussed my symptoms. They decided to do a vaginal ultrasound to confirm that the baby was okay. Aside from the slight uncomfort of a dildo-looking thing being stuck inside me, the ultrasound went very well. The doctor was able to see the baby and determine that it was in the right place. The measurements confirm that it appears to be about 6 weeks old - a due date of around August 22, 2010.
The doctor said that if I had any more spotting, unless it was coupled with cramping or was very heavy, I shouldn't even think twice about it. We haven't had a miscarriage...yet.
I understand that the first trimester is the most critical in that the chance of having a miscarriage is much higher than the other two trimesters. That is the main reason for us not telling many people that we are expecting this baby.
The day after we got the positive home pregnancy results, I started spotting. I looked up on the internet about spotting during the first trimester, and the site said there were three reasons for it to happen: a vaginal infection, implantation as the baby is expanding and affecting more of the uterus, and intercourse. Well, we had a celebratory romp in the sack the night before, so after the spotting went away the next day, I didn't think any more of it.
Over this past weekend, I started spotting again. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to require a panty liner. Sunday morning when I went to the bathroom, there were three thick drops of blood in the toilet - two that looked like blood and one that looked like it could be tissue or cells or something. This made me very nervous. Additionally, my breast tenderness seemed to subside some. I didn't have any cramping or back pain, but the decrease in pregnancy signs and the spotting put me on alert. I seriously thought that maybe this pregnancy was over.
I told my sister about the situation. So now my sister and Sweta know about the pregnancy.
When we returned from DC, I went to the doctor. They were able to see me and discussed my symptoms. They decided to do a vaginal ultrasound to confirm that the baby was okay. Aside from the slight uncomfort of a dildo-looking thing being stuck inside me, the ultrasound went very well. The doctor was able to see the baby and determine that it was in the right place. The measurements confirm that it appears to be about 6 weeks old - a due date of around August 22, 2010.
The doctor said that if I had any more spotting, unless it was coupled with cramping or was very heavy, I shouldn't even think twice about it. We haven't had a miscarriage...yet.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Expecting
I started this blog because, let's be honest, I'm not very good at keeping secrets. Secrets about other people, I can usually keep (except from Rob, to whom I tell everything). But secrets about myself, I'm not as good at.
Last Saturday, I took a pregnancy test. It was positive.
This time last year, Rob and I were actively trying to get pregnant. We gave up after six months of trying and just "didn't prevent" from then on out. After over a year of either trying or not preventing, I asked my OBGYN about it. She ran some tests on me and determined that there was nothing that was keeping me from getting pregnant from my side. Two weeks later, I missed my period.
I was somewhat suspect all last week. Two weeks ago would have been the week before my period. As usual, my breasts started getting tender. I figured it was just PMS as normally happens right before my period. But then I didn't get my period and my breast tenderness didn't stop.
Sweta suspected right away, when I told her that my breasts hurt when we were running. She said "you're pregnant." I wrote it off because my breasts are usually a little tender the week before my period, but she insisted. Alas, she was right.
Now that I know, I can look back on the past two weeks and identify some other signs. I'm not a cryer. I will tell you exactly what I think, but I am not very good at expressing my feelings.
One day last week, Rob and I were getting home from going somewhere. When I walk in the door of the apartment, the first thing I do is turn on the entrance light. Rob hates that light, because I turn it on and never turn it off. When he got in the door, he turned the light off, plunging us into darkness. Normally, this really isn't a big deal. I'm not afraid of dark. I just like lights - lots of lights. Well, I flipped out a little and got mad at him and started crying. Hormones.
Weekend before last, we went over to Rob's parents' house for lunch after church. I honestly don't even remember what we were arguing about, but I got upset and started crying. We had to sit outside or stand out in the cold so I could compose myself before going into their house. Hormones.
Last week I was so sleepy that I took a nap on two different days after I got home from work. I usually take naps on Sundays, but never during the week. Hormones?
So now, it is very hard to keep my excitement down. I don't want to get too excited, in case I have a miscarriage - it's still early. I'm not really sure if I am excited about it or scared or unhappy. I had actually found a little girl that I was wanting to adopt, but now that I'm going to have my own, that won't be happening. We also haven't settled down. Rob doesn't know what he's going to do for work. His car got stolen recently, and he still hasn't decided on a new one. We don't have a residence bigger than a one bedroom apartment. We aren't even sure if we are going to be living in Atlanta or Tampa.
I am a planner, so all of these things frustrate me. Especially now with the baby on the way.
Last Saturday, I took a pregnancy test. It was positive.
This time last year, Rob and I were actively trying to get pregnant. We gave up after six months of trying and just "didn't prevent" from then on out. After over a year of either trying or not preventing, I asked my OBGYN about it. She ran some tests on me and determined that there was nothing that was keeping me from getting pregnant from my side. Two weeks later, I missed my period.
I was somewhat suspect all last week. Two weeks ago would have been the week before my period. As usual, my breasts started getting tender. I figured it was just PMS as normally happens right before my period. But then I didn't get my period and my breast tenderness didn't stop.
Sweta suspected right away, when I told her that my breasts hurt when we were running. She said "you're pregnant." I wrote it off because my breasts are usually a little tender the week before my period, but she insisted. Alas, she was right.
Now that I know, I can look back on the past two weeks and identify some other signs. I'm not a cryer. I will tell you exactly what I think, but I am not very good at expressing my feelings.
One day last week, Rob and I were getting home from going somewhere. When I walk in the door of the apartment, the first thing I do is turn on the entrance light. Rob hates that light, because I turn it on and never turn it off. When he got in the door, he turned the light off, plunging us into darkness. Normally, this really isn't a big deal. I'm not afraid of dark. I just like lights - lots of lights. Well, I flipped out a little and got mad at him and started crying. Hormones.
Weekend before last, we went over to Rob's parents' house for lunch after church. I honestly don't even remember what we were arguing about, but I got upset and started crying. We had to sit outside or stand out in the cold so I could compose myself before going into their house. Hormones.
Last week I was so sleepy that I took a nap on two different days after I got home from work. I usually take naps on Sundays, but never during the week. Hormones?
So now, it is very hard to keep my excitement down. I don't want to get too excited, in case I have a miscarriage - it's still early. I'm not really sure if I am excited about it or scared or unhappy. I had actually found a little girl that I was wanting to adopt, but now that I'm going to have my own, that won't be happening. We also haven't settled down. Rob doesn't know what he's going to do for work. His car got stolen recently, and he still hasn't decided on a new one. We don't have a residence bigger than a one bedroom apartment. We aren't even sure if we are going to be living in Atlanta or Tampa.
I am a planner, so all of these things frustrate me. Especially now with the baby on the way.
Introduction
Hello, and welcome to my blog. Since this is my first post, I'll give a little information about me.
First and foremost, I'm a Christian. I am a member of Norcross First United Methodist church, but am a Baptist at heart. I grew up in a Christian home and accepted Christ when I was very young. Although I strayed some while in college, I'm back and fully devoted to sharing God's love with others.
I am married to a wonderful man and have a little 8 year-old chihuahua running around the apartment. Although we haven't told anyone yet, we just found out that we have a little one on the way. More about that later.
My passion and hobby is running. I am a marathoner with a goal of running a marathon in all 50 states and DC. I've run 5 marathons so far (Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Oregon, and Virginia) and plan to run my 6th in South Carolina on Valentine's Day weekend. While I'm not anything near an elite, I run five to six days a week averaging around 40 miles. My marathon PR is currently 3:57. Someday I'd like to qualify for Boston, but that is probably a few years in the future.
At work, I am the owner of my department's Anti-fraud strategy for our company. I am a CPA and CFE (certified fraud examiner) and have worked in the audit and/or fraud industry for seven years now. I have worked at five different companies since graduating with my Masters of Accountancy from East Carolina University, including two of the Big Four Accounting Firms.
That's about it for the introduction. I'll probably be posting a lot on here for the next two months.
First and foremost, I'm a Christian. I am a member of Norcross First United Methodist church, but am a Baptist at heart. I grew up in a Christian home and accepted Christ when I was very young. Although I strayed some while in college, I'm back and fully devoted to sharing God's love with others.
I am married to a wonderful man and have a little 8 year-old chihuahua running around the apartment. Although we haven't told anyone yet, we just found out that we have a little one on the way. More about that later.
My passion and hobby is running. I am a marathoner with a goal of running a marathon in all 50 states and DC. I've run 5 marathons so far (Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Oregon, and Virginia) and plan to run my 6th in South Carolina on Valentine's Day weekend. While I'm not anything near an elite, I run five to six days a week averaging around 40 miles. My marathon PR is currently 3:57. Someday I'd like to qualify for Boston, but that is probably a few years in the future.
At work, I am the owner of my department's Anti-fraud strategy for our company. I am a CPA and CFE (certified fraud examiner) and have worked in the audit and/or fraud industry for seven years now. I have worked at five different companies since graduating with my Masters of Accountancy from East Carolina University, including two of the Big Four Accounting Firms.
That's about it for the introduction. I'll probably be posting a lot on here for the next two months.
Monday, March 31, 2008
My First Marathon
The race started at 7am on Sunday, March 30th. I didn't expect to be finished before 11:30 (possibly not before noon).
My Bib Number was: 3148
============================
Well, I finished the marathon. My time was 4 hours, 36 minutes, and 11 seconds. I finished 126 out of 212 in my age group (women 18 through 29).
It was so freakin hard! The course was very scenic, but extremely hilly! I didn't train well enough on hills and hit my wall at about mile 17, which is at least 3 miles before you're normally supposed to hit the wall. The weather wasn't ideal, at a cold 47 degrees with gusty winds which made if feel like lower 40s.
Luckily, I met an awesome woman named Roberta Oveson who is from Minnesota and was here running her third marathon. She ran with me the whole way! She was a God-send and really helped to encourage me when I was getting tired.
Robby was wonderful as well! He came out and waited in three different places to cheer me on. We missed each other the first time, but he was there with a fresh pair of shoes at around mile 15, and he was cheering me on like crazy right around mile 24, which really helped get me to the end.
Here is what I learned from this race:
1. If there are going to be hills, train on them much more often. I trained on some hills, but not nearly as many as I should have.
2. Take the day following the marathon off work. Here I am, miserable and sore, sitting at work, barely able to move.
3. Schedule a sports massage for the following day. I was going to do that, and kept forgetting. Now I'm regretting my forgetful mind and hoping that I can get in sometime today or tomorrow.
4. Carry butterscotch hard candies with you for the race. They have both salt and sugar that gives you a boost when you're feeling tired. And they get the saliva going so you don't feel as dehydrated. I had a cut up Snickers marathon energy bar, but you really need to be near a water station to eat it because it coats your mouth. Roberta was nice enough to share her butterscotch candies with me.
5. Have someone at the finish line to help you out afterwards. I ran through the finish line with every ounce of energy I had left, but afterwards I was spent. My sister was wonderful enough to be there and help me out by holding some of the food and being there for me. Robby was there waiting to pick us up and take us home so I didn't have to walk far afterwards.
Overall, I'm glad for the accomplishment. I finished a marathon before the age of 30, as was my goal. I don't know at this point if I'll ever run another, but I have no regrets about this one. It is a day I will not soon forget. =)
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