Fun Piper Pics

Here are a couple videos and pictures of our sweet daughter!

She absolutely loves the window and she is the perfect height for it:


One of her favorite things to do is to stand at our "changing" area and pull all the clothes, diapers, bibs, etc off the table:


She thinks the Octopus is hysterical and has taken to doing headstands with it:



And as I said earlier, she has learned how to climb. Here she is mastering the laundry basket:



Lastly, she really likes the jumperoo thing we borrowed from our neighbor (and it plays an awesome song that reminds us of our Arkansas days!)

The First Race Back

Yesterday I finally ran in my first race in a couple years. I am now 8 months post Piper, and I actually feel like I am finally starting to feel good again running. I haven't been as dedicated to working out as I once was. I committed to 4 days a week of training and that is all. It is really about all I can squeeze in with Piper and work and keeping my sanity and some relaxing and family time. And to be honest, I am perfectly fine with that. I enjoy spending what time outside of work I have playing with Piper or taking her to the park, or being lazy on the couch, or reading a good book. I don't need to consume that part of my life once again with all things athletic for awhile.

So slowly I have begun to feel fitter and fitter with my 4x per week running. I actually have done really no running for speed or distance. Everything has been just running "easy" or however I felt and running mainly on time. I think I run about xx pace so I I want to run 10 miles, just multiply my pace by 10 and go for that long. I kind of liked that approach for these past months. It leaves me with no pressure whatsoever to just go out and run.

I really didn't know what to expect come race day. I figured all this time running that I have been running probably about 9 min pace. So I set a secret goal to myself to see if I could break 1:55. I should say that my PR for a 1/2 is 1:52, granted I really think I could run faster that that, but have only done 2 half marathons before.

I started the race pretty controlled and felt good just ticking off miles around 8:40 pace give or take. I even had it in my to really push the last couple miles. My knee held in there too and really I only had a little pain the last mile which is quite an improvement on that side. I finished in 1:53:49 and am thrilled by that time. I love the tobacco trail and love running on it, so the course was great. On the logistical side of things, the race was a bit of a disaster. I already sent an email to the race director of my complaining of many things. I would have said that this is a great race for anyone looking for a 1/2 or full marathon, but unless they make some major changes to the organization, I would pick another course.


The current plan is to run another half in 3 months up in Michigan and my goal there is to break 1:50. We'll see how training goes these next few months. What I do know is that there will be a lot more pushing Piper in the jogger since once school ends it will just be me and her. Hopefully that will be to my advantage. I have also started to think about switching to running in more minimalist shoes (perhaps the Nike free's) but am not sure, still thinking.

It felt good to be racing again.

BF No More

I have had some ups and downs with breastfeeding PZ over these eight months, but alas I am finally done. I was planning on still nursing once a day in the mornings like I have been doing but a combination of blocked ducts and bleeding issues and then Piper biting me was all I could handle. I am still pumping 2x a day but that's it. Just trying to now get myself healed up. I plan to continue to pump 2x a day for awhile but we are supplementing maybe 6-8 oz a day now with formula. I still don't think that is too bad and as she eats more she will drink less so that formula amount will drop a bit.

I must say I still can't wait until I am done with the pumping too. The whole breastfeeding thing just isn't for me but I am happy I went as long as I did and am still giving her mostly breast milk as I know it is technically healthier for her. I think the breast milk is part of the reason why she hasn't been really sick yet (that and the fact that she is at an in home daycare so not around a lot of other kids).

In the meantime, here are a few photos of our happy girl...


We have mastered climbing (in fact she climbed 1/2 way up the stairs last night)



My Aunt, Cousins and Gigi came for a visit, she thought Thayer's hat was fun to have on

Visit

While I was off in Cali visiting my grandparents, EZ's parents came down for a few days to see Piper. Of course the timing was probably good since I wasn't home they could help out a bit with Piper. It was my first trip away from her and it was sad being gone for so long.

I had a wonderful visit with my grandparents. I helped out as much as I could and did as much as possible for Papa in the facility he is in now. My last morning there he got moved to a bed by the window so at least he has some sun and light to brighten his day just a bit. I consider them like second parents to me as most of my life they lived with us for probably 6 months each year or we stayed with them in the summer. I only wish there was more I could do for each of them. We all (EZ, Piper and I) plan on heading back out there in May once I am done with school to visit again.

Piper has mastered standing and sitting. She can pretty much pull herself up on anything. And she is still just as happy as can be. Here are a few pictures from the last week:


Hanging out with Grandpa Z



All Smiles




Grandma Z taught me how to play the piano




Can we go outside

Running

I have been running...maybe jogging but none the less I am getting outside and working towards a race. This half marathon is creeping up on my very quickly, only 2 more weeks until race day. My knee pain was coming and going and when I did a 9 mile run about a month ago, it hurt pretty bad. I talked to EZ about some of the issues and we changed one thing...just to add a few stability exercises before I run and a little more stretching and so far it has worked. I made it through 11 miles last weekend and things seem to be getting better.

As I was out running the 11 last weekend, I was thinking about my running form in general, and how horrible it is. I am a quad runner. I don't use my hamstrings or my calves. I knew this before I got pregnant, but EZ and I were trying to work on it a little. Well now I feel like I am just all quads. I basically run/jog as this slow pace and can't seem to change it. That is probably because I don't have the muscle strength and technique to use my hammys and calves. I don't want to change too much before race day in a couple weeks. But after this first 1/2 marathon of the year, I think I will try to change up some different things and try to get my running more together.

Yesterday I ran 8 miles and thought a little more about how I was running and tried to work on my technique a little. Usually I go out and just run and space out or think about other things, but I made it a point to think about using my legs and "pushing off" to run. I actually ran pretty fast for me lately, but at a cost of my legs and body being super tired and a bit sore today. Although, it could have been that I ran with the baby jogger too and I haven't done that in quite a while.