Sweet, Sweet Successes

*Warning: if you do not have some serious time on your hands, you may want to pencil this in and come back to it later. LOTS of pictures and LOTS of unnecessary details, I'm sure. But hey, it's my blog, right?! :) *

Sweet Success #1: Chelanman Triathlon

It went wonderfully! If you would have asked me how I thought things were going to go about two hours before the triathlon, however, you would have gotten a MUCH different story! We camped out the night before the big event. Max went to sleep perfectly, but then woke up about 1:45 a.m. ready to play and hang out with Mom and Dad in the tent. Ugh! We couldn't just let him cry it out because we were camping around other triathletes and I didn't want to keep them up all night. It was especially annoying because he was being so cute and it was hard to be very stern with him. We finally just laughed. We tried everything, but he finally fell asleep when he was good and ready at about 3:45 or 4:00 a.m.! Not only was it at that late hour, but he fell asleep right next to me and so I couldn't move for the next three hours of sleep that I did get. I woke up feeling so stiff and like I had slept for about 20-30 minutes. No way to feel before a triathlon. I just wanted to cry.

We got suited up, though, and headed over to Done Morse Park to start the race. I was really nervous since this was my first time doing any of these events without Ty. We did the last one together and we always exercised together. I was so amazed, though, at my own strength and willpower. It went really, really well! I couldn't help but get excited with all of the other participants. The triathlon environment is super fun and positive. I ended up beating my last triathlon time by about 5-10 minutes! (That's what we estimate since on this course the bike was 2 miles less than in Issaquah) Hooray for me! Ty did REALLY well. It's hard to compare his two events since on the last one he stuck by my (slow) side the whole time. I LOVE TRIATHLONS!!! We are thinking of doing another in September, as long as my doctor will clear it. We found one that is pretty short and shouldn't be too hard at that stage of pregnancy. We'll see. Here are some pictures from Chelan...

Not real hot...but real hard-core! :)

Finishing the bike portion

Transitioning from bike to run
Almost to the finish line...

and finished! (It doesn't look like I'm running my heart out, but I really was!)

The Fosters after the Finish Line!

I love my wonderful family!

Our bodacious babysitters, Christy and Amberlie Seader

Sweet Success #2: Girls Camp

On Monday I left my babe and my hubby for a week to go with the young women to Girl's Camp. All Sunday evening I was teary and when I was reading Max his story before bed, I cried through the whole thing. :) Tyler gave me a beautiful blessing that night and I felt immediate peace. That blessing sustained me throughout the week. I had a few pangs for my little dude (and Ty, too, of course!), but for most of the week I was able to focus on the girls and have a great time. It was also an awesome time for me to recharge and to strengthen my testimony and help the girls to strengthen theirs. I am SO glad that I went! The theme of the week was "Daughter of a King". I am so grateful to know that I am a Daughter of God who loves me. I love Him and I love taking the time to really reflect on that and to improve my relationship with Him. Another bonus was that I hardly felt any pregnancy nausea the entire week! I was hopeful that it was totally gone, but alas...on Friday evening it was back. My wonderful, amazing mother-in-law, Margaret flew in and spent the week with Max. They had a great time together and Max was so good for her! I loved to see how much he loves her and I love that they had this time together. Priceless.

Some of my girls...

Our cabin - Jana, Erika, Jordan, Jessica, Kelly, Karen (my co-cabin mom), ME and Lindsay
*I called Ty this particular night to check in and told him I had a cup in my hair and lipstick all over my face...I got silence, then "what?", then, with a chuckle, "It must be a Girls Camp thing"*

It was super fun to come home and see my boys! Max was so excited to see me and I was so glad about that. It was nice to be home and back with my family. I love seeing my mother-in-law! That night we went to see the Whaling Days fireworks show over the water of Dyes Inlet. Quite the production! The whole time, Max kept saying, "Wow, wow, wow, wow!" It was adorable.

Sweet Success #3: Whaling Days 4-mile Run

The next morning I met two of my friends, Karen and Tristalene, to run in the 4-mile Whaling Days race. I thought we would start and finish together, but I pulled ahead on the hill :) and then found out that they had seperated a bit as well. It was really fun to only do a run and I did pretty well as far as my time went. Not the greatest athlete in the world, but it felt good!

Three of the girls from our cabin showed up to cheer us on - We love you Jessie, Kelly and Jordan!

Afterward we stayed for part of the Whaling Days parade. Max liked it, but was already pretty tired and so we didn't last very long.

Yesterday after Church we took Margaret to a pretty beach on Bainbridge Island and spent some time there. Max loved it. He loves the water and the sand and the sticks and the rocks. Fun memories!

I took Margaret to the airport this morning and she should be back in Denver by now. I am SO, SO grateful to have the world's greatest mother-in-law and I love that she is also my friend. She always makes me feel like I am doing a great job as a mom and like I have the cutest house. I feel like I have life "together" when she is around. She is so complimentary. I am so glad that she and Max had this time to bond! I love you, Margaret! Thanks a million times!!!

Now it's back to life, back to reality. I am glad to have some down time. Next Friday, though, Max and I take off for Vegas for 6 days. We'll get to see the two new babies and attend my Granny's 80th birthday celebration. So many great things! I love life!

The Pregnant Triathlete

Once again, a look at Lake Chelan where we'll be doing our triathlon this weekend. I'm sure we'll be having as much fun as those people frolicking on the beach.... :)

I don't have a picture of myself running across the finish line, but I found one of a lady who most resembles me. Minus the tan, six pack, long brown hair...haha! I think I'm so funny.

So...I waffled.

After our first triathlon in June, Tyler and I were both pretty pumped and anxious to do another. We were trying for a babe at the time, but didn't know when that was going to happen so we signed up to do a second tri. Now I am nearly 8 weeks pregnant, not feeling so well, and the prospect of running a triathlon this weekend really doesn't sound so appealing. So much so that last week I was not going to do it. I had totally signed off mentally and decided it was a no-go for me. I wasn't feeling well, we didn't have a babysitter for Max and we haven't done much (okay, hardly any!) training this time. I felt totally justified in my decision, which was backed up by my supportive husband.

But then yesterday I got on-line to see about getting refunded. I saw in big, bold letters the words "NO REFUNDS". Hmmph. Then I started looking around the site and looking at the course maps and the pictures of all of the smiling triathletes. I went back in my mind to last month when I crossed the finish line and hadn't died. I felt SO good about myself. So hard-core! So now I am thinking, "How much more hard-core will I feel if I complete a tri while I am pregnant and feeling not-so-hot?!" I am sure there are many, many women out there who are much more hard-core than me and they probably compete in marathons and triathlons much further into their pregnancies. I may not be as cool as them, but at least now I can claim to be in the same group. Even if it's the bottom of that group. Like, the very bottom.

I got off the computer, picked up the phone and called our favorite babysitter, Amberlie. I made the trip to Chelan (about 3 hours away) sound really fun and exciting! I told her she could bring a friend and we would take them to dinner and go swimming in the beautiful lake and then pay them for watching Max while we do our thing. I must be a great saleswoman because she said, "That sounds really fun!" She talked to her parents, decided to bring her sister and called me back to say yes. So then I left a message for Ty at work that I had a surprise for him. He was pretty excited too! I'm mentally back in the game. I am really excited to compete. I have go-aheads from 3 doctors (my bro-in-law Mark included). My OB told me that he just wants me to slow down to a brisk walk for part of the run. Everything else should be fine.

On Monday I leave for Girl's Camp (my wonderful mother-in-law is coming to watch Max while I'm away. This will be my first time being away from him for more than a date with Tyler - any words of emotional support to that end would be appreciated!) Then that Saturday, a week after the triathlon, I will be running a 4-mile race for our local Whaling Days with a few friends. Luckily they say that they are slow runners since I'll be needing to do some "brisk walking".

Bring it on! And I know fully that I am saying that to the pain and discomfort as well as the feelings of accomplishment and euphoria that come from doing something hard. Wish me luck!

...and another!

Many of you know already, but for those who don't....

Babe Foster #2 is on its way, with a pretty cool due date: 2/29/08! Hopefully that won't be the real date, since that would mean a birthday every 4 years or so. :)

We are so, so excited!

We got to see the tiny heart beating today and everything seems real now. I feel like I can finally be excited. I was a bit worried since our last pregnancy wasn't viable and I miscarried...but my doc says that I can breathe much easier now. Everything looks great! I have been reading back on my posts about my feelings before Max came and then just after. I cannot believe that I am really going to be blessed enough to do this again! I am so excited for everything that lies ahead - the first time I get to wear a maternity shirt and look pregnant (you know, the cute stage of pregnancy), feeling him or her move for the first time, Ty and Max being able to feel the movements...meeting another new life for whom I am responsible and who I love more than I ever thought I could....

Here's hoping this labor is like 1/4 of the time of my last labor! People usually think it's comforting to say that the second baby is a little less time and possibly even half the time of my first labor. Then I tell them just how long it was and all I get is silence or an "oh". But I am more than willing to go that distance everytime since I know how very, very worth it it is! I can endure anything for a few days. I have been pretty nauseated, all day, every day (whoever coined the phrase "morning sickness" is annoying to me! It's just pregnancy sickness. Maybe we should come up with a better name... I wish that it ended at 11:59 a.m. everyday :)) but I know that there are thousands of women who have a much harder go of it. I actually don't mind it so much since it lets me know that things are going well with the babe. As long as the baby is okay, I will go through whatever I need to to get him/her here!

We're going to have another baby!!!

I hope I can do this and do it well...

Summer Lovin'!

It's been a fabulous summer. We just spent the last two weeks with our families in some really HOT places and had the best time! Here are a few highlights...

Waiting for the plane to land in Seattle so that we can board and get our vacation started!

*We spent one night in Vegas, then we drove to Iron Springs, AZ, for our reunion with the Foster Fam! It's the coolest place - so much fun for the kids and for the adults to act like kids! *

Conquering Flat Rock with the little ones!

Fun at the Iron Springs Playground

Hike to Humpty Dumpty Rock

The adult climb on the rock pile, sans kids. We conquered Flat Rock, Top Rock, Penny in the Slot, Fill the Tooth, Sunset Ledge and I'm sure some that I am forgetting. So adventurous!

Cousins!

*Then it was back to Vegas for time with the Mann Clan! Cousin fun, lots of swimming, visiting new places, baby showers, the twins blessings...so much going on.*

A stop at Hoover Dam


First night in Vegas - all ready for bed!

YMCA pool with all the boy cousins (well, except Wilson who is just 6 weeks old)

Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay with some cousins and aunts and uncles. Everyone loved it!

Max loved playing the piano - I'm sure the kid is a prodigy :)

Lots of swimming

First time bowling - we went with Ethan and Kate. They have these cool ramp things for little kids to bowl. Max beat us on the second game - a 102!

I know, kind of a weird picture of all of us...

The proud papa - Nate with Gentry and Wilson

Max loved playing with his cousin Jack

The ladies at Adri's baby shower (Adri is dilated to a 5 and in the hospital right now! Lily Renae will be coming to join the Mann Clan today!!! Good luck, Bugs. We love you!)

A great trip! We are always sad to leave. We feel so lucky to have family that we love to be around. We weren't sad, however, to come home to much cooler weather! It's in the 80's this week with the perfect amount of humidity. We live in SUCH a gorgeous place! It's nice to be home...