…love Jillian

For some reason blogging has fallen way down on the ole priority list.  And the longer I go without blogging, the harder it is to get back into it.  It’s not that I haven’t had anything blog worthy to write about; I think I’ve just been a little bit overwhelmed with life.  Baby Elizabeth is due to make her debut in a few weeks and it seems like there are a million things that need to be done.  I have a new job and A LOT less time on my hands.

A couple weeks ago, my Mom, Sister, and two besties threw me the most lovely baby shower ever!  I felt incredibly loved and and lucky to have some many people in my life that understand just how important this new addition is to our lives.  I really do have the best family and friends.  My mom has spend the years storing and keeping all the important stuff from my childhood…all the way down the onesie I wore home from the hospital.  I can only hope that I will be organized enough to do as many things for our little girl as my Mom did/does for me…

After the baby shower my mom and sister came over to help me organize all the new baby necessities.  I loved having them here.  (I’m also sort of surprised at how much I LOVE folding baby clothes.  I HATE doing laundry but knowing that those tiny pink clothes belong to our little girl make folding them bearable if not enjoyable.  Perhaps Baby Elizabeth will wake an organized OCD version of myself that has long been repressed whilst throwing my underwear in a drawer and then rifling through them while I look for the perfect pair each day.)  I know everyone was here to help ME but it felt like they were here for Baby Elizabeth and that made my heart all melty.  I can only hope that Miss Elizabeth and my mom are as close as I was to my Grandma.  My Grandma and Grandpa were a HUGE part of my life and I look forward to the day she is old enough to let my Mom paint her toes and follow my Dad around in the yard…maybe not at the same time but you get my point!

Anyway, we have a few weeks to go and I’m so ready to meet our little one…I hate waiting.

No Comments | In: Baby, Baby Bump, Family, Good Buddies | | #

The weekend was full of things I love…Baby Elizabeth, family, and a 3 day weekend!  Although, it was also full of things I hate:  Fireworks and 4^th of July.

On Friday I went in for my 28 week check-up and everything is looking good–nothing exciting to report.  I suppose at this stage of the game no news is definitely good news.  Then, Hubs and I went in for our pre-delivery visit at the hospital.  It was kind of nice to see where we will be when the baby comes.  At least I can envision what it will be like a little better now.  We filled out all our paperwork and put a rough plan in place.  If you can call, “trying not to get an epidural but we will see how things go” a plan.  When we started to talk about how we were planning on feeding the baby, I told the nurse about Hubs’ infamous babies are mammals comment and she totally looked at ME like I was the crazy one.  So, I back tracked, saying we would breastfeed as long as we could.  She totally nodded in approval saying, “3 years of breastfeeding would be perfect!”  WHAT?  YOU’RE A CRAZY LADY!

Saturday morning we got up early and went to see our sweet Baby Elizabeth in 3D.  It was so exciting.  She seriously had her right leg/foot up by her head the entire time and there was no amount of pushing, jumping, and jiggling that could get her to put it down.  At one point she even put her other leg up—giving us a great look at her lady parts—she is definitely a girl!   We really didn’t get a GREAT picture of her but it was so sweet getting to see her.  Grandma and Grandpa came and I think they really enjoyed it too.  As well, as Hubs!  We made it through the entire hour without one tear!  Here are some of my favorites:

No Comments | In: Baby, Family, Holidays | | #

This week has been sooooo much better than last!  I got the results from my 3 hour glucose test and I passed with flying colors!  Our baby furniture is being delivered tomorrow AND I was able to sneeze without crying because my butt hurt—we are on a pregnancy up swing :)

Over the weekend my Mom and I decorated the wooden letters for Baby Carter’s nursery.  We went to Michaels and picked out a million different kinds of sparkles/ribbon.  They turned out so good!  They are super girly and I want to post pics but since we’re keeping the name a secret; posting them is next to impossible.  Baby’s name is rapidly becoming one of the worst kept secrets and I’m starting to think we should just tell.  Also, when someone mentions her by name it makes my heart melt–so maybe we will share her name in the coming weeks. 

The nursery is coming together nicely.  Mom has been coming over during the day to touch up the trim, paint Little Miss’ closet and just touching things up in general.  Sure, I’m going to be a mom but I think that “Mommies Touch” is something that comes over time and my mom definitely has it.  Oh, and my favorite part?  She’s been doing laundry!!!!!  (There is just something about laundry, washed with love by your mom that makes it so much better than when you do it yourself.)   

So, with the painting complete and the furniture being delivered I’m hoping we can get some serious decorating on this weekend!  I can’t wait!  I’m as anxious to see how the nursery turns out as I am to see what our sweet baby looks like….

1 Comment | In: Baby, Baby Bump, Family, Our Home | | #

The weekend flew by! I can’t believe it’s Monday already. Although, right now, I’m sitting at my desk doing very little beside enjoying the Little One move around. I swear she is practicing her back handsprings. The doctor said she would start to slow down a little since she is getting bigger and running out of space but I’m not really looking forward to that…I love feeling her move!

Anyway, back to the wekend, I got tons of sleep (well except for on Saturday night when the neighbors got all crazy with the fireworks and then it thundered most of the night. My house was definitely the place to be if you love hearing an over nervous Sheltie bark incessantly) and I logged lots of good quality family time! Mom and Dad came over on Saturday and we did some more work on the nursery and they brought over their old Precious Moments cabinet…yay! My Dad totally brought over his tool box and hung a shelf in the laundry room for his laundry challenged daughter and found another board on the deck that needed replaced. (Somehow he always finds himself at Lowes doing a project he wasn’t’ anticipating when he comes over—he is always looking out for his little girl :) My parents are a true testament that parenting does not end when the kids are grown. I can count on my dad for anything…all it takes is a phone call. I can count on Mom too but it was FATHERS Day weekend :) Then we went to dinner at the Olive Garden with Juls…it was a nice day.

Sunday we spent the day on the boat. It was super relaxing and I got the perfect amount of sun. The perfect amount being, a little color without getting burnt! Nothing ruins a good night’s sleep like pregnancy AND a sun burn. Then we all headed back to Mom/Dad’s for Dad’s special Father’s Day dinner–meatloaf and cheesecake! It was super yummy! I love that I’ve stayed so close with my family over the years.

I think Hubs had a good time in Vegas too. His flight got delayed so he got home way too late for us to talk about this trip and I’m pretty sure he’s still asleep right now. I’m definitely anxious to hear some of the stories tonight…

No Comments | In: Family, Weekly Update | | #

1. It turns out my dream life and real life are starting to get a little fuzzy.  I’ve been dreaming about the most mundane unimportant stuff.  Conversations with co-workers, weeding the garden, being lazy with Hubs.  When I wake up I feel like I’ve lived an entire day and have to remind myself that the conversation I had with one of my customers was totally not real and the baby is not yet here.
2. When my friend Erin was pregnant last summer she told me that she thought her life was going to change AFTER baby arrived and she surprised at how different her life already was—I thought I understood, but now, at 25 weeks, I’m realizing I had no idea what she was talking about and I can’t believe how different MY life is…it’s unrecognizable.  Sometimes, I feel like my life will feel more normal after Little Miss Carter arrives but something tells me that my life will never be the same and I might as well get used to THIS life.
3. Speaking of 25 weeks, I feel like we (baby and I) are in a nice pregnancy groove.  Not too many dramatics, just an ever expanding belly.  I’m well over halfway, I’ve only gained 13 lbs and on SOME mornings I can still see my ankles (Winning!)  Her movements are getting strong and sometimes it feels like she is grabbing my insides and pulling them to the other side.  Seriously, it feels like she’s saying, “is this button that makes you get up? No?  Ok, what about this one?  No?  Hmmmm.  Weeeell, what about this one?  Yes!  I did it!”
4. Hubs’ big race is this weekend and we are camping in Lawrence so he can just get up and walk over to the start.  My good buddy Laurie, her Hubs, and their little one are coming too.  I am super excited and nervous, you know, since I get up every hour and go to the bathroom.  I’m afraid it’s gonna be a long night but it’s only supposed to be in the low 80′s so hopefully that will make it a little more enjoyable….
5. My parents came over this last weekend and we scratched a lot of chores off our list.  Turns out another set of eyes focusing on our overly soaked backyard and we finally got the mud pit dried out.  Hubs and Dad changed out a bunch of boards on our deck (since it’s suppose to be stained this week), and we got some bushes planted!  It was a very productive day!  I use the term “we” loosely since Mom and I went shopping for curtains, stuffed animals, and some other odds/ends for the nursery while the boys did the manual labor.
6. On Sunday, I got up and went to Blue Springs Lake with the family.   It was sort of strange being at the lake without wakeboarding or skiing or tubing or doing something ‘exciting’ but it was still fun.  I guess I’m still getting acclimated to the lower key nature of life these days.  In fact, I had to practically beg my Dad to even let me get on the boat.  The bouncing motion of the boat made him nervous but hopefully with a successful trip under our belts he will relax just a little….

In case you were wondering how my life is different; every bullet point thus far has circled right back to baby.  Having a baby, growing a baby, or getting prepared for baby–it’s all consuming!  And I suppose it’s only going to get more baby oriented when I have an ACTUAL baby!

I take that back!  I do have one unrelated to baby topic, I had a humbling and unbelievable moment with Maggie.  She was the first one to poop in the house.  I know, right?  I still can’t believe it myself.  After all the evidence (here and here) I would have bet my life Tyson would have been the first one to poop in the new house.  I could just see the satisfaction in his eyes (and if we are being honest, Hubs’ eyes too.) Turns out Miss Mags wasn’t feeling good and actually had a couple more incidences later that day (in the garage.)  So, in her defense—SHE WAS SICK!  But it doesn’t change the fact that Maggie will forever hold the title of, “First to Poop in the House.”   Heartbreaking.

Actual Conversation:

Maggie:  I’m sorry Mom.  I wasn’t feeling good.  Don’t be mad.

Me:  Oh, Maggie!  I’m totally not mad.  Are you sick?  (Cuddles)

Tyson: Tyson 2012!

Tyson: Voooooote Tyson!

Tyson:  Tyson for President!

Maggie to Tyson:  Next time, I’m gonna poop on your face.

2 Comments | In: Baby, Baby Bump, Family, Good Buddies, Home Repair Hubby, Our Home, Puppies | | #

 Coach Ken,

          Hi.  It’s Jillian.  Can we talk about Hubs for a couple minutes?  What?  We have to hurry because you are getting ready to meet Hubs for a workout?  Ok, I will talk fast.  I know you have somehow brainwashed convinced Hubs he needs to do a million miles a week and that training should be his number one priority.  But here’s the thing, with your workouts being his Numero Uno; it is killing our relationship.  He is ALWAYS gone.  We NEVER spend any time together.  I’m not kidding; we’ve only slept in together once since the snow left.  And when he IS home all he wants to do is talk about training, blog about training and watch cycling… so the only time he actually does chores is when I’m on the brink of murdering him and even then he does the abbreviated version.  For example: we moved into our house the end of February and he has yet to mow the grass in its entirety.   Sure, he mows the front.  Or the back.  But not once has he completed the job from start to finish (complete with trimming) and clean up.  In fact, just last night (while Hubs was at your “30 minute” open water swim) our neighbor asked me if Hubs wanted to BORROW a weed whipper for trimming—SERIOUSLY.  I wish I was kidding.

          What that?   Hubs is getting so much better?  Yes, I know running a 9 minute mile is a big accomplishment and I’m proud of him.  But Coach Ken, Hubs has a baby on the way and a list a mile long of things we need to do before Baby Carter arrives.  Wait, did I say before baby arrives?  I meant before his sinus surgery the end of July.  He couldn’t wouldn’t do the surgery any earlier because he didn’t want to miss race season (suuuure, he blamed it on vacation time but we all know the truth.)  Soooo, now I will be 8 months pregnant when he can barely lift 4 lbs.  And while changing out the nails for deck screws, rearranging the downstairs living room, painting/decorating the nursery, repaintng my old baby furniture for the guest bedroom, getting the sprinkler system fixed, scrapping/painting the front stoop,  moving the satellite radio (I got for Christmas last year) to a more convenient location, and a million other things while Hubs is laying around watching the IRONMAN World Championship over and over does sounds like a great time—I would prefer we get it done sooner.  Although, the way things are going, I’m going to be doing all those things by myself anyway so maybe I should just get started.  Or call my Dad, you know, since I’m pregnant and most of those items are not “pregnancy approved” activities. 

         This isn’t your fault?  Yeah, I know Hubs asked for your help.  But last year, after the Branson 70.3 Hubs assured me this season would be better aka lighter.    He said he would focus on the short course and make sure our family didn’t suffer.  But then the winter came, the pain and misery from Branson 70.3 left his memory and he trains for 6+ hours every Saturday/ Sunday (and now that open water swims have commenced I’m guessing every Tuesday and Thursday evening as well.)  I suppose I’m just hurt that disappointing you has turned into a bigger motivator than disappointing his wife. 

        I guess the point of this conversation is this:  I was wondering if you have some sort of “training” plan that would allow you to come over and help him balance his life?  Because, Hubs is dangerously close to needing his bicycle to keep him warm at night.

Let me know. 

Jillian

No Comments | In: Biking, Family, Letters, Running, Swimming, Triathlons/Racing | | #

The weekend was so much fun!  First, Saturday was my Mom’s birthday and while I would have loved to hang out with her all day, I had a bridal shower and they had a lengthy motorcycle ride planned….. 

So, instead, I kicked Saturday off with sleeping in and making waffles.  Oh, how I’ve missed the waffle iron!  Then a good buddy and I headed over to the bridal shower.  I always love celebrating the happiness in people’s lives.  These two kids should have been married a long time ago so it’s nice that she is finally getting the wedding she wants!

A little later another good friend brought her little one to the kite festival on our side of town so I met them.  We basically just walked around, talked, and laughed at her little man running and laughing.  I swear all that kid needs is a man hole, grass, (an audience) and he’s one happy camper!   It seems like yesterday I was holding him after he was born now he’s a two year old—asking for more popcorn.

Saturday night we over to Hubs’ parents house for dinner since we hadn’t seen them in a couple weeks.  Alda made friend chicken and we played a couple games.  It was super low key and I always laugh a ton when we go up there!

And finally, on Sunday we spent the day with my family!  We took mom to the Princess Diana exhibit at Union Station!It was really crowded but we did have a good time. 

Not the best but it's the only one we took w/everyone

 

 I always love getting everybody together to do something fun.  After the tour Juls, Mom, and I went flower shopping for the house.  I’m sure Hubs was really excited that I got all pink flowers but hey, the pink ones are my favorite…maybe that means this little bun in the over is a GIRL too!  And then we had a nice family dinner with a few presents for mom.  It was a super nice day!

No Comments | In: Family, Good Buddies, Weekly Update | | #

Ok, I know it might appear as though I have fallen off the face of the earth but I assure you that is far from true.  Hubs and I have just been super busy.  (Now, I always think exactly the same thing when I hear one of my favorite bloggers say they haven’t posted because they were “super busy,”  because honestly, how “busy” could one person really be?)  Well, let me tell you! 

First, we put on offer on this house:

And, theeeeeeeen, they accepted.  So we had to do a bunch of inspections, loan stuff, organizing, cleaning, and packing.  Well, I did most of the organizing, cleaning, and packing but it’s not like Hubs can write an adequate post for jillianranee.com so blogging had to wait. 

Then, in the midst of all the aforementioned stuff we were delivered this piece of priceless news: 

Queue: sleeping, eating, hormones and emotions.  We are currently 12 weeks and it was the hardest kept secret of my life.  We feel incredibly blessed and now I feel like I can post again without having to keep this monumental news a secret!   Last Monday we heard the sweetest (and fastest) little heartbeat in the world–it was definitely a moment I will not soon forget.  However, Hubs has really needed his suit of armour lately; I’ve cried, yelled, and been all around unpredictable for several weeks and it doesn’t appear there is an end insight, well except for when the baby gets here…sooooo, in like 6 or 7 months.

Right now, all my emotions aside, I feel incredible blessed.  We have a new house, a baby on the way, and an amazing family.  I don’t think a girl could as for much more in this moment.

No Comments | In: Babies, Family, Our Home | | #

I’m starting to feel a little bit better today.  The coughing is down a bit and I’m starting to feel a little bit more like myself.

I slept in this morning and spent most of the day on the couch.  We went over to Mom’s this afternoon for napping and football.  And then we had a little bday celebration for my dad…complete with Meatloaf, Jello, Fruit salad, and of course cheesecake.  My Mom and grandma have always made a less cheese cakey cheese cake and it’s super yummy!

Happy Birthday to Dad again!  We love you very much!

No Comments | In: Family, Sick Sick | | #

Today is Dad’s Birthday!

(Dad and the son-in-laws at Kansas Speedway last Oct)

We got his birthday celebration kicked off with the inspection on the new house.  I think it went pretty well.  We found a few cosmetic issues that need addressing but mechanically the house seems to be in good working order. I always feel better when dad is around in the matter of home repairs/improvements….

Then we took Dad down town to Jack Stack.  Everyone ate tons of food and then tomorrow we are gonna have a little Bday celebration complete with homemade cheesecake and presents!

Happy Birthday Dad!

No Comments | In: Family | | #