flexibility...

Just when I thought our baby was tucked in so tightly that we may very we'll surpass our due date... BAM! My husband and I were rear ended while we were out for lunch and groceries yesterday.

I was in shock. I grabbed my belly and just started crying hysterically. If you've ever been rear ended when your car was at a complete stop you know time somehow warps and everything is suddenly in slow motion... Until your head and arms go flying forward. 

At almost 39 weeks pregnant, the thought of not knowing how the baby was affected had us incredibly shook up. My neck was tingly and my head was throbbing.  I couldn't get the baby to move. We called my doctor and she sent us straight to the labor delivery unit at the hospital. Wait? Are we going to have our baby right now?!

We got checked in and hooked up to the monitor.. our baby had a strong heartbeat. THANK YOU!! 

::insert deep yoga breath here::

Because I started having contractions, most likely from stress, I needed to be kept 24 hours for monitoring.  We both checked out great and we didn't need to be induced or have an emergency c-section.

Sixteen hours later and maybe five hours of sleep.  No real strong or consistent contractions and no sign of labor. I should be released later this afternoon if things stay the same.

What this has me thinking about is how agile I needed to be, and was, with my birth plan yesterday. I had to drop the disappointment of potentially having to be induced. I had to stop blaming the woman who was riding us too close on the road. And I had to stay calm.  This further reinforced how important it is to be flexible, in your body and mind, a concept I first learned through my yoga practice. 

Things may not always go as planned. I really do believe it is still important to believe in the possibility that it can and will go your way. Have confidence in your goals while being willing to accept when you need to tweak the plans. 

Will I still have my perfect, drug free, natural hospital birth? Maybe! Maybe not! My new plan is to be present and breathe deeply. I know I'm in great hands and I am capable of making the right choices for me and my baby. However it happens, all that matters is that I'm holding my little muppet in my arms at the end of the day.

I'll keep ya posted ;)

Big thanks to everyone who has been checking in and sending love and encouragement to us over the past sixteen hours.... We appreciate you!

mile 24...

A good friend of mine reminded me today that I'm very close to the finish line. That finish line being the birth of our first child.

It's no secret I love running marathons. I've got the jogging stroller ready to go complete with baby aviators for Marley. Yes, Babiators exist and I highly recommend giving them as a gift to any pregnant runner you know!

I am not a competitive runner. I run for fun and I run to beat my own personal best. I thought I would be running up until the day I gave birth but my body had other plans. Very early on in my pregnancy running became uncomfortable. One day, I was running sprints, nailed an 8 minute mile and felt amazing! The next day I was crying because my body couldn't keep up with my mind.

I had to choose to give up feeling sorry for myself and stop comparing myself to all the other women I know who ran effortlessly throughout their pregnancies. A few months later I've realized that being pregnant is a lot like running a marathon. You have ups and down. When you near the end you start doubting that there is an actual finish line. You have to manage your energy and know your limits. You have to stay positive!

I have genuinely loved being pregnant. It has made me so much more self aware. I have a new respect for my body and I've fallen even more in love with my husband. Every movement I feel is the most exciting feeling I've ever had. There is a baby in there!!! I swear I've pinched myself before just to be sure I'm living in reality.

At 38 weeks this week, I wasn't feeling like myself. My feet were very swollen and I felt like they may explode! I had some slightly abnormal labs and my doctor put me on bed rest just to be safe. Uh, what?! I am a very energetic being. When I heard those two words together I started crying. Last week, I was still rocking it out on my feet at work for 6-7 hours a day. Last Thursday, my husband came home to find me hand washing my own car. Bed rest? No, thank you! I got this!

I have learned, however, that this is exactly what I needed. Being off my feet has given me a chance to slow down and appreciate where I am right now. I have just a few short weeks (maybe!) of being alone with myself, my husband, and my dog Google and I want to make the most of it.

This is the point in the marathon where you have to dig deep and quiet the inner chatter that has begun telling you that you will never finish. You have just ran 23 or 24 miles. One or two should be easy... but they are the hardest.

I am doing exactly what I do in my races at this point in my pregnancy. I'm visualizing the finish, filling myself full of positive thoughts, and "walking through the water station" at mile 24 to fuel up for the final 2.2 mi of the race.

I'm close to crossing the best finish line of my life... and the reward is going to be amazing.

you can do anything...really!

The homepage of Google today is celebrating the 216th anniversary of the first parachute jump. Why not? Without that first jump there would be millions of people who may never have gotten the chance to do something outrageous! Those jumps not only satisfied a real scary bucket list item but they inspired people to go off and do even BIGGER things than jumping off of cliffs and out of airplanes!

I have never jumped off a cliff or out of an airplane. Friends who have describe it as if they can now take on anything life throws at them head first.

I get that! I can relate it to running a marathon. When you finish a marathon you honestly feel like you can do ANYTHING. It generates a confidence that can't be beat out of you. You put your mind to something and you did it. Finishing my first, taught me the power of my words. I don't say "I can't" anymore because I know it isn't true. I can... and I will if I so choose.

Accomplishing goals... however big or small gives you a sense that you can accomplish more. So write them down and go out and DO.

how i killed my herb garden... twice

I refer to myself as a hands on learner. I don't read manuals or directions. I'm all for diving head first into the unknown and learning how to navigate the waters. But when is it wise to do a little research before you begin something new?

We bought our house a little over two years ago. We LOVE it. We have a perfect little backyard big enough for our sweet little schnoodle and entertaining a few friends.

I've always wanted a garden that I could pick fresh herbs and veggies from. Our backyard isn't quite big enough for a full on garden so I had the idea to create a hanging one.

Here is how it turned out...

AWESOME, RIGHT?!

It lasted about two months. I blamed the hot Houston weather for their death. I shook it off. I was still proud of my pinteresty efforts.

This past spring, I thought I'd give it another go and replant. New year, new crop! The weather here is very, very hot so I'd rush home from work every day hoping that my garden didn't die in the 6-8 hours I was away. I watered everyday and coordinated with the neighbors when we we're not going to be in town. 

This time they lasted a month and a half. 

Really? OK, I give up. This isn't going to work. What is wrong with me? Why can't I grow basic herbs? 

Then last week my husband sent me an e-mail with a link to a blog about the top ten mistakes new herb gardeners make. It wasn't until this e-mail (two years later) that I recognize that I know nothing about growing herbs or maintaining a garden. #duh #superduh 

(this is my light bulb moment)

What I've learned is that sometimes, if you want to be successful with something, you may want to do your homework. I let my "do it now" mentality get the best of me as I rushed to Home Depot to pick up pots, soil, and herbs. I didn't stop to ask myself important questions like, "what month of the year is the best for planting herbs in Texas?" or "is this an indoor or outdoor plant I am buying?" I just did it... and it didn't work.  

I didn't go out and buy my car without doing research. We didn't buy our baby's crib without reading reviews. So why did I think I could grow a sustainable herb garden? Knowing nothing other than I needed a pot and some seeds.

OK... now I know what needs to happen next year. I need to do some research! I accept that I am not an expert in all areas. I choose to be a student always. I ask questions when I need answers. I slow down when I start a new project.  

If you are interested in herb gardening you and want to avoid rookie mistakes like mine you can check out the article I mentioned earlier here.

For inspiration or ideas on setting up a garden in a small space click here. I also recommend spending countless hours oo'ing and ahh'ing over pins like these on pinterest. 

Now go get up to something new! Google is your BFF for information if you have no idea where to begin! #shouldawouldacoulda

-s