I was on the floor doing my morning planks this morning when I suddenly remembered...I have a blog! There has been a lot of life happening since my last post in February. It's a little bit crazy to consider where I was physically and emotionally when I last wrote here, and where I am now, almost five months later.
Well, let's get up to speed, shall we?
I continued to walk at least two miles/day, sometimes venturing onto the trails as my growing belly allowed me. Then I began working in March. I was LOVING my work. It felt so good to finally do my thing. I was bouncing around to multiple outpatient clinics for the company I work for, waiting for my "home clinic" to get things ready for me to join them for good. It was a lot of fun to meet so many different therapists and staff around the valley and to learn something different from each one. I met so many awesome patients and was hitting my stride.
My belly was growing beautifully, and I was also LOVING that! Baby Dunmore was getting more and more active and prepping for his/her arrival quite vigorously. We ventured over to Healdsburg for the Lake Sonoma 50 (Geof was running, not me :)) and stayed with friends, John and Lisa for a long weekend. It was fantastic. Events transpired at this point that led my midwife to believe that Baby Dunmore was likely to make an early appearance. She wasn't 100% confident in that statement, but she wanted us to be ready, just in case. So we set about finalizing things and finishing up the nursery. I had a sneaking suspicion that she was right, but didn't fully believe it either.
I left work one Saturday in April, books strewn about my desk, open to specific pages to remind me to research a new technique for a patient when I was back in the clinic the coming Tuesday.
Sunday, we spent the ENTIRE day nesting...without realizing that was what we were doing. I mean seriously intense nesting...cleaning, organizing, purging, more cleaning, more organizing. It was so awesome. How did we not see it coming?
Monday early afternoon I was standing in line at Target, waiting to purchase some last minute items for myself in prep for baby's arrival. And I felt a trickle. 'Oh my. That's unfortunate. Did I just wet my pants a little?' This happened several more times that afternoon. I never thought twice about it. I just chalked it up to a little bit of late pregnancy incontinence. I was only barely more than 35 weeks along.
I finished up errands for the day, and then we were sitting down to dinner. About 15 minutes into our meal, I started to describe what happened that day when I suddenly felt a gush that stopped me mid-sentence. I ran to the bathroom, unsuccessfully. 'WHOA, what was that?!' I gathered myself and returned to the table to pick up where I left off. And then WUSH! Just like the freaking movies! And of course I couldn't sit still and let it happen, I had to pee-pee dance my way back to the bathroom, spreading the love, as it were, the entire way! Sorry, TMI, but it's true. I shouted to Geof that I think perhaps my water just broke. Uh, ya think?!
So, anyway, here we are a full month before my due date and we are rushing off to the hospital after a call to the midwife where she urged me to get to the hospital in the next three hours.
I guess I wouldn't be heading into work the next day after all :)
Long story short, it was an amazing birth experience. I mean amazing. Sure, it was scary because the little tike was showing up 4 weeks early, but it was obviously time. Baby Dunmore was ready to come and meet us! We were waiting to find out what our little bundle of joy was, and I highly recommend it. Talk about a sweet surprise! We got a girl!! It was even more of a surprise as I was completely convinced we were having a boy, ha!
Everything went without a hitch and I was lucky enough to be able to have the unmedicated birth that I had hoped for. I wouldn't say that anything about it felt good, but it was a challenge I was most definitely up for and I'm really glad I was able to follow through. From check-in to delivery it was about 13 hours total, but thankfully the uncomfortable phase was very short lived, just a few of those hours.
After just a couple of days we all headed home. We felt enormously grateful and very lucky to have had the experience we had.
Presenting Miss Ellery! This was a month or so after she was born, but I just love this photo :)
Life was taking a whole new direction much earlier than expected, but the only option was to roll with it. To be honest, I was sad to miss out on that last month of pregnancy as I had enjoyed it so much; sad to miss out on that last month of prep, nesting, and enjoying our final days of just us two. Strangely, I had trouble adjusting to my rapidly flattening belly. I loved that big pregnant belly! :) But then I got over it and am now back in runner mode :)
Yes, I can run again!! Once the Chariot arrived from Geof's mom and step-dad we were excited to get out for our first spin. Ellery LOVES her new ride! She only fusses when I stop or slow down. I may have to start calling her Coach ;)
Check out those rims! Rolling with my homies...Geof and Ellery :)
Adjusting to life as parents is a trip and definitely not for the faint of heart. We are just two months in and life is completely different, barely resembling any part of what it once was. But it's a pretty darn good trade. Ellery is our tiny little dreamboat :)
It's good to be back running. I feel like I've got a blank slate, which is kind of cool. I'm keeping my runs short and sweet, and including plenty of walk breaks as dictated by our 100 degree weather, in addition to my decreased fitness. I'm thinking I'll sign up for something fun, like a 1/2 marathon, this fall, to keep me honest. Why not?
Paige, out.
2 comments:
Congratulations to you Paige! She sounds like the perfect coach!!! Best of luck as you continue to adjust to this new exhausting but happy phase of your life! Someday she might be your little running companion...
Congratulations Paige!
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