Thankful Thursday - Wraps & Small Changes

It's thankful Thursday time! We all have so much to be thankful for and we love to take this opportunity just to write down each and everything that comes to mind. Please take this time to share with us what you're thankful for as well. If you have a blog expressing your thankfulness, please share the link! Without further ado, here's what we're thankful for:

Mandi's List:

I'm thankful for wraps. No, not like the other form of a sandwich (although I do like those) - I'm talking the big long pieces of fabric used to strap your baby onto your torso. I have been wearing Mckenna the last few days and man is it awesome to have her near, hands free, sound asleep while I get other things done! Can't beat it.

I'm thankful to be running again. I'm starting out really slow (did 2 miles the first day and 2.5 the second), but never-the-less it feels awesome to be running again.

I'm thankful for Starbucks. I have been going to Starbucks in the mornings and man do I look forward to it each night as I sit awake feeding our little love bug. Something about a tasty warm treat in the morning hits the spot and makes the day start out right!

Ronnie's List:

I'm so thankful that our gym is so close to our house. The gym is only about .4 miles away which is always a perfect distance for a quick bike ride or a warm-up run before my workout. There is no doubt that I've been able to be consistent in going to the gym because it is so close. If you're thinking about joining a gym, don't worry about the newest one or the one with the nicest equipment, find the closest one and join today!

I'm so thankful to be witnessing the small changes in Mckenna each and every day. She seems to be more interactive with us and it may just be my imagination, but I think I can get her to smile on command now. I'm really excited for what the future holds and thought of her growing each and every day is not only a little bit scary, but obviously very awesome.

I'm thankful for my ability to get sore. That probably seems like a funny one as I sit here barely being able to get off of my chair because of the pain in my butt, hamstrings and calves, but that means I'm still healthy enough to work them out! I'm just so thankful that the physical capacity to challenge myself in the gym and “hang with” the other meatheads doing crazy workouts right next to me :)

So, what are you thankful for today?

Workout Wednesday: New Exciting Workout!

In case any of you reading this are looking for a new exciting workout, I wanted to share the one I am currently trying. I've been consistently doing the same workout routine for about 6 months now and it was getting a bit mundane. I decided to search around for an "out of the box" workout and this is what I came up with. It was apparently inspired by the movie 300.

All of these exercises are done with no rest between sets:

Pullups - 25 reps

Barbell Deadlift - 50 reps

Pushups - 50 reps

Body Weight Squat Jumps - 50 reps

V-Ups - 50 reps

Single-Arm Clean-and-Press - 50 reps

Pullups - 25 reps

I can tell you from firsthand experience that this is an absolute booty-kicker!! I'm planning on not being able to walk correctly for the next week or so. What I love about it is it's just as much of an anaerobic workout as it is an aerobic one. Best of both worlds!

If you end up trying it out, let me know what you think :)

Extra Running Motivation

Had a pretty cool experience today -running with my daughter!

One of the gifts we received was a jogging stroller as my mom knew that Mandi would want to get back into running as soon as possible. Little did we know, that not only would it be something that I would enjoy, but something that I could use so soon.

As many of you know I have been rehabbing my foot for quite some time now and have not been able to run. It's been months now that I've been backing off any exercise that requires the pounding of my feet and strangely enough, I actually missed running. I would expect somebody who loves to run to feel those emotions, but coming from a guy who absolutely loathes running, I was surprised that I missed it. Fortunately while rehabbing my foot (this consisted of different stretches, ice, heat, rest etc.) I did discover a great way to get my cardio in, as I've also talked about on this blog, and that is spin class! Spin class is 45 min. of pure torture but it gets my heart rate going and keeps my lungs expanded for almost the entire time. I'm so thankful that I discovered that class.

Sorry, I'm getting off track.

Anyway, during the last couple of weeks I have been attempting to slowly get back into running. I'll go for a short run here or a quick sprint there, either on the treadmill or outside, in attempt to slowly work my way back into running shape. I've also been trying to pay attention to my body to make sure I'm not pushing it more than I should be. The last thing I want to do while getting back into this is re-injuring my foot. I was planning on going for a run today and when I mentioned this to Mandi she suggested that we run together with Mckenna in tow. I had first balked at the idea knowing that Mandi generally leaves me in the dust, but just as quick as I balked, she reminded me that she is also getting back into running shape. So off we went!

I insisted on running with the jogging stroller because I really felt like it was something that could come in handy as my legs started to tire. I pictured myself casually “leaning” on the stroller for a little bit of extra support towards the end of my run. Let me tell you, not only did I lean on the stroller a bit towards the end, but I also leaned on it a bit throughout the entire run. It provided some much needed support and I really feel like I ran faster than normal. I'm not sure if this is the case or not but sometimes the feeling of running faster is just as good as actually running faster :)

The last thing that running with the stroller provided was some good old-fashioned motivation. When I set out to run, in my mind, I didn't see us running as far as we did. That was the awesome thing about having Mckenna with us. Every time that I wanted to slow down or stop I just looked down and saw her staring back at me...well, she was asleep, but you know what I mean. Let's be serious, if I can't be motivated by that, I might as well pack it in.

I can tell you this, I won't be packing it in anytime soon!!

First Day Back in the Saddle

As many of you know, you're supposed to take some time to recover after having a baby. Makes total sense, you shoot a cannon ball through the eye of a needle, your body probably wants to take some time to heal. Generally they tell you to wait 6 weeks to really get back into your normal routines. However, 6 weeks seemed a little long to me. My discharge instructions were to not lift anything heavier than my baby...really?! They think someone can't and won't lift something heavier than 6lbs for 6 weeks?! That would mean I couldn't even lift a full gallon of milk on my own - a little silly if you ask me.

Anywhooo, I decided to just go by how my body was feeling, and slowly ease back into my normal exercise routine. Last week I started walking farther distances (2-2.5 miles) to see how my body did with that. I felt great and didn't have any increased bleeding (Sorry if you're eating lunch!! That's just one key thing they say to watch for to know if you're over-exerting yourself). Since I was able to walk farther and do more last week with no issues, I decided to try to run starting today. I'll be honest, I wasn't really looking forward to it when I woke up this morning. I was excited to get back into my normal groove, and this was the first step, but I wasn't exactly giddy about strapping on my running shoes. But today was the day that I had committed to in my mind, so today was the day I was going to do it.

I was nervous. Why? No clue. Maybe because I wanted so badly for it to be easy and comfortable, but I was a afraid I'd feel like Frankenstein, awkwardly making my way down the sidewalk. I decided to suck up the anxious feeling (what else can you do with an unjustified emotion, right?!) and hit the road. The first few steps felt just like I anticipated, awkward but exciting. I felt great. "I'm doing it...I'm doing it and I'm a rockstar!" I thought to myself the first 30 seconds. "People are wimps for waiting 6 weeks." I thought to myself as I hit the one minute mark. "Gosh. I stayed in better shape than I thought." I pat myself on the back as I made it another 30 seconds. "Ouch, what's that?!" I was quickly humbled 2 minutes in. "Yikes, that's a serious side cramp," my growing head began to shrink. "OOO yowzers, that doesn't feel awesome," I thought as my left knee let me know it wasn't excited about running. "OH" "EH" "OWWIE" I thought to myself as I Frankensteined down the sidewalk.

Never-the-less 2 miles and 20 minutes later the torture was over. I was back in my house, forgetting the discomfort of the first time back at it. "Ok, that wasn't so bad." I thought to myself as the discomforts from the run had already faded away....faded away just as quickly as they came; quickly enough to make me think, "Welp, at least tomorrow will be better."

Moral of the story? Running pretty much sucks for everyone who's out of shape! But I can assure you, there's no day as bad as the first day. So if you're out of shape and starting to run again...join me in my new anthem: tomorrow will be better!

You're Capable of More Than You Think

Guest Post by Jaime C.

My name is Jaime, I’m 26 years old, and on Monday, October 24th I ran a mile for the first time in my life. I mean EVER. Then, Tuesday I went and ran two. I know, I’m shocked also!

Those two nights were a triumph for me after five months of working out with a trainer and starting to run. I was a pretty active kid growing up, but after I graduated from high school and started college I just didn’t want to exercise any more--it got in the way of my social schedule and I didn’t want the reminder that my lungs were not cooperating with the plans I had. I was simply being lazy. This decision was quite possibly one of the worst I’ve made in my life.

Five months ago I moved to a new city with friends from college and transfered to a new office with my job. Deciding to move was a long and anxiety-filled process and taking care of myself kind of fell by the way-side. On top of that, the weekend of the actual move I caught a cold, which would. just. not. go. away. Prior to moving I had belonged to a gym but half-heartedly went a couple times a week and walked on the treadmill convinced I couldn’t really handle more than that because it was hard. My parents and new roommates (a couple of close friends from college) encouraged me to keep going to the gym and work with a trainer and really get serious about trying to get my lung function back up. I wasn’t really convinced that it would make much of a difference but decided to give it a try.

About a month into my “new” life I ended up having to do IVs which, as so many of y’all know, just takes it out of you! But one thing I did differently this time--kept working out (with a lot of prodding from my roommates). I took the full three weeks of IVs off of work and during that time got lots of rest, lots of awesome homemade meals (thanks to my church) and lots of time at the gym. After IVs my PFTs were back up to my baseline that I’ve had for the last few years, and fresh off that clean-out I hit the gym hard. The trainer I had been working out with had been doing his CF research and informed me that I was going to become a runner. I laughed in his face. And then he made me go run on the treadmill. And I did it. Very slowly at first and for very short distances, but I did it. It was really hard and I was pretty miserable for a long time. I think that much of the battle was mental for me--believing that what I was doing was, in fact, going to make a difference in my ability to breath, live longer, live better. And believing that I could actually do it.

One thing that my trainer said to me was that he thinks I am capable of more than I think I am. I was totally lame and started crying in the gym. Really cool. But it got me thinking, and I realized that there are a lot of things that I’ve decided I can’t do because of CF. I won’t go into that laundry list but the majority of it is ridiculous because I’ve done things in my life that were hard and out there and impulsive and crazy like moving to a foreign country for 10 months with a weeks notice. So why was taking care of my body and working hard, I mean really hard, to help myself so difficult? Why was I able to do things in other “areas” of my life that required a leap of faith with the absolute possibility of failure but not when it came to putting in the work to help extend my own life? I think it’s because I didn’t want to put in the work, experience the pain, deal with the emotions and the struggles and still get sick or have it make no difference. That feels so defeating and leaves me with a distinct feeling of helplessness that I’ve never experienced elsewhere.

I don’t have a good answer to my own questions or know of the best way to handle the possibility of working really really hard at something and having it go badly or not have miraculous results. But what I do know is that when I went to clinic last Thursday my PFTs were, and I quote my doctor: “the highest they’ve been in 5 years.” WHAT?! All I could do was start laughing. And almost fall off the table. I’m just not graceful. It’s ok, I’ve embraced it. But I digress. The moment after I finished my PFTs I knew they looked good, but having my doc go through my chart and really look at how high and low they’ve been in the last few years confirmed that my hard work was indeed paying off. And all of my miserable moments leading up to being able to run two whole miles were suddenly totally worth it!

Now I know that there will be times when I’ve been working hard and I might not see improvement. We all know the unpredictable nature of CF and that even when doing everything right things can still get worse; and yes that’s frustrating. I can’t in all honesty say that when I experience one of those times in the future, where, despite hard work I still get worse that I’ll have a good attitude about it. However, right now, on this side of that situation, I want to cultivate a lifestyle and disposition that reflect what I’ve learned from these last five months: when it comes to CF I am absolutely capable of more than I ever thought; that working hard through pain and burning lungs and muscles is worth it to take back my life and not feeling like CF has already claimed victory. I CAN and I WILL fight this.

Bio: I'm Jaime C. and I'm 26 years old from NC. I was diagnosed at 3 months old at Duke but have been seen at UNC by an amazing group of doctors since I was four. I work full time at a bank and have been doing that for the last two and a half years. Prior to that, I was a nanny in Italy, and before that a college student! I love my family, nail polish, exploring my city, finding new fun places to eat, cooking, the beach, baseball, fashion, traveling the world, learning about and knowing God more, and having a good beer with friends. I hope this little slice of my life helps others realize that they are stronger and capable of more than they think especially in regards to exercise.

Note from Ronnie: I can't thank Jaime enough for sharing her story. It rings so true to many of us in the CF community doesn't it? I know that when I started running, all I could do was picture failing. That fact the I decided to run was a victory in itself, but when I actually "hit the ground running" it became a battle of believing in myself. I think Jaime shows us that through some hard work, preserving and belief in oneself, anything is possible!! Thank you SO MUCH cyster!!

Mandi's Maternity Photos!!

Seems like just yesterday that we shot these! Props to our friend Karen for some excellent shots :)

Thankful Thursday - Cuteness & Jogging Strollers

It's thankful Thursday time! We all have so much to be thankful for and we love to take this opportunity just to write down each and everything that comes to mind. Please take this time to share with us what you're thankful for as well. If you have a blog expressing your thankfulness, please share the link! Without further ado, here's what we're thankful for:

Mandi's List:

I'm thankful for Starbucks. I have been walking to Starbucks with Mckenna in the mornings and man what a great way to start the day. Nights have been a bit long and stressful for me, but all feels right with the world when the sun comes up and I'm on a walk with Peanut headed for a yummy treat.

I'm thankful for my momma. She is in town right now and currently sewing a ton of pillows for the nursery. Sewing is one skill that was no inherited by me from my mom, so I am very very thankful that she's willing to take the time to create some fun additions for the nursery.

I'm thankful for jogging strollers. Sometimes a get a bit stir-crazy from being inside and tethered to a milk-guzzling machine. But being able to grab Peanut and get out for some fresh air, me walking, her cruising in the stroller.

Ronnie's List:

I'm thankful that it is 57 degrees outside as I write this. One thing I'm not is a "snow bunny", but I do love it when there is a nice chill in the air. Right around this time every year is when we get to start using the blankets on our bed, which is always nice for a change! And I know I wrote about this last week, but it's my Thankful Thursday and I'll dry if I want to...or something like that.

I'm so thankful for a cute daughter. There, I said it. Would I be thankful for her if she wasn't cute? Of course! But I'm just being honest here - I am so thrilled with how pretty she is and I can't get enough of her little face. Mandi and I were just talking about the urge to want to squeeze tight and having to restrain ourselves from doing it too tight. Oh, and on the pretty thing, check back with me in 14 years to see how I feel about it :)

I'm thankful for people willing to give of their time in order to help or assist within the CF community without seeking anything in return. You guys know who you are. THANK YOU!

So, what are you thankful for today?

Workout Wednesday: Just Do It!!

I often get asked for advice about starting a workout plan or tips on how to accomplish one's goals when it comes to getting healthier. My advice is not novel nor is it mind blowing, in fact, I didn't even originally come up with it: Just do it. Sure, you probably need to know what you'll be doing, but I think a lot of us get caught up in analysis paralysis when it comes to working out. We worry so much about the nuances and the sets and the time and the reps and the heart rate etc. that we end up doing nothing. All that is important is that you set a goal and you take steps forward each and every day to achieve that goal. If your goal is to get healthier and you've decided the only way to get healthier is to add exercise to your routine in addition to your treatment schedule, stop thinking about it and just do it! And I'm not talking to you as someone who doesn't struggle with this myself.

When it comes to me and working out I would say that one of my biggest obstacles is analysis paralysis. I often find myself coming up with a variety of reasons of why working out today just won't work out. My stomach hurts. I'm hungry and I have to choose between eating and working out. I have a headache. I'm having trouble breathing today. Do I really have time? Is there something else that I should be doing instead? Does it really matter if I just miss one day? I've already missed one day what's the big deal if I miss two?

What I really want you guys understand is that this is a conversation that goes on in my head almost daily. See, I'm not one of those guys that has a burning desire to go to the gym and more so, I try to find every reason not to do cardio. Let's be clear, I hate running and I'm not particularly fond of getting out of breath. There is something I am good at however, and that is sticking to my word. I try very hard to say what I'm going to do and then do what I said I would do. I was convinced a couple of years ago that the only way I was going to get back to who I wanted to be, was to recommit to treatments and exercise. I made a promise to myself that I will wake up each and every day going forward and try to be the best version of myself. To be the best version of myself I need to be the healthiest I can be. No one can dispute that - without our health, the rest of our life suffers. I know full well that when I am healthier I am more active and when I'm more active, I am happier. And not only did I make a promise to myself but I made a promise to Mandi - that if she was going to be my wife I would do anything and everything to make sure I was in this for the long haul. I made that promise and I intend to keep it.

Now, is it easy? Nope. Not at all. The biggest challenge I face each and every day is actually willing myself to get my butt to the gym. Each and every day I go through a variety of questions and throw out a variety of roadblocks to try to cause myself to stumble. My mind knows that my body would rather sit on the couch and hang out with my wife. So my mind is a really good at convincing my actions that my body knows best. In fact, just today, the last thing in the world I wanted to do was go to the gym. But, as I said, I'm a man of my word and this morning I woke up and promised myself that I would do spin class. That's one thing I've discovered that really helps when it comes to sticking with a workout plan - don't worry about working out for all of next week, just worry about working out today!

Here's what you'll find: once you actually get to the gym you enjoy each and every second of it. You may even enjoy being out of breath! Like I said, the last thing on my mind today was actually getting myself to the gym and doing spin class, but just like each and every time before this, I left the gym with a smile on my face. I even told myself that I was going to “take it easy” at spin class today, but once I got started I really pushed myself. And I'm not kidding, that happens every single time I drag my butt to the gym. It's all about giving yourself an opportunity to succeed. Like MJ said, "We miss 100 percent of the shots we don't take". Stop holding onto the ball afraid you're going to miss the shot. Who cares?!?! Shoot the ball! Chances are, it will go in.

Thinking about working out today? Just do it!

2 Weeks Down: Trick-or-treat?

In keeping with the Halloween spirit I thought I would reflect on some of the tricks and treats that occurred during the past 2 weeks. Wow, first just let me say that I can't believe it's only been 2 weeks! If I woke up tomorrow and someone told me that it had been 2 months I would completely believe them.

With this being our first child, there are some things that I expected and some things that I didn't expect. We both have been around younger children, whether it be family members or neighbors, but it is quite a different experience when you're the one solely responsible for this little life. Just like any first-time parents, or any parents for that matter, we have had our share of both tricks and treats. Without further ado:

Tricks:

I knew that babies pooped and peed a lot, but I never imagined that it would be this much! It is true what they say, newborns are doing one of 3 things - eating, sleeping or pooping. Our little one has eating and sleeping down pretty well but she's still working on that messy little thing called pooping. Don't get me wrong, she poops enough for 56 babies, but her timing could use some help. Is it just Mckenna that insists on going to the bathroom while we're currently changing her diaper? It seems no matter how patient we are, she just waits for us to clean her up and put the new diaper down on the mat before she decides to finish going to the bathroom. Not only that, but this girl has a cannon on her!

Am I the only father out there that's jealous of breast-feeding? No, it's not that I want to breast-feed, but it's that I am just a tad bit jealous of that special time that Mandi and Mckenna get to spend together. It's funny, when I say it I think is sounds stupid, but I'm just being honest here. I managed to call bath time to try to make up for it a bit, but it just isn't the same. Never did I think that I would be jealous of not having boobs.

My back hurts. I think it's a combination of many things i.e. the gym, spin class, etc. but I would not doubt for a second that carrying around this almost 7 pound bowling ball has something to do with it! We then of course have to add in her car seat and the awkward angle that I take each and every time I put her securely in the base station. It's actually gotten to the point that Mandi scheduled a massage for me, but I don't think it helped very much. Pretty sure I need to focus more on stretching as this little baby girl will only get heavier.

Treats:

All of you parents will understand this first treat - a love that's never been felt before. Now, please don't take this the wrong way, as I felt a more intense love the day I fell in love with and consequently married my wife, but this is in fact different. It's a combination of feeling an overwhelming need to protect, provide for and lead someone who would be completely incapable of doing it on their own. Mandi doesn't need me, she wants me. Mckenna on the other hand, needs her daddy. So whatever you call it, or however you want to define it, it's been amazing feeling this kind of love.

Mandi would tell you that I'm a big-time snuggler through in through. I've been able to take my love of snuggling to another level. If Mandi and I sat around snuggling all day we wouldn't get anything done (although that would be awesome). What's great about Mckenna, is I can snuggle her with one hand and I'm free to get work done with the other. Mandi and I have also worked out a routine to maximize Mandi's sleep that involves me taking over the parental duties early in the morning. I admit however that the 1st hour or so of those duties includes me snuggling Mckenna in our bed. Life. Is. Good.

One thing I'm not is a shopper. However, I have the best time buying baby clothes for Mckenna. I'm not so sure that I've come home empty-handed anytime that I left the house. Obviously this cannot continue, but for the meantime, I'm having a blast! We will of course continue to post pictures so you can see all of the little outfits that we've brought home or had gifted to us. Want to know a secret? I can't wait to do her hair. (Has anybody seen my man-card by the way??)

There are more tricks and treats that have presented themselves in these first 2 weeks, but I thought I would just give you guys a little taste for your face. But now I want to hear from you!

When you think back to your 1st child, what would you say the tricks or treats were?

Mckenna Monday: My First Two Weeks

Mom's a little tired and can't think of what to write, so an easy solution was to just make Mandi Monday into Mckenna Monday. So I'll fill you guys in on what's new with me...just two weeks out of the womb.

Life has been good so far. I'm liking being home. My first few nights at home I had a bit of trouble sleeping. I got caught in this eating, pooping cycle, which didn't leave much time for sleep. But mom says I'm doing a really good job with feeding, I'm quick and have a good latch down. So we're cookin' with oil now!

Since coming home, I've been sleeping a ton. Each day I'm awake for longer and longer periods. But I still sleep away most the day. Sometimes I can muster up enough energy to open one eye, but then I'm out cold again. Although the last several days I've been up for 30 minute stretches, a few times a day. When I'm up I just take it all in. I study the face of the person who's holding me, we read books, we sing songs. I get a little over-stimulated sometimes, but for the most part I love when I wake up enough to play!

We have this dog that seems to follow me everywhere. If they leave me in my bassinet, I see her staring at me when I wake up. When it's time to eat, she sits next to mom and I. When I cry or make any sort of sound, she's right there staring at me again. I think we're going to be good playmates, if only I could figure out how to sit up or roll or something - I'm afraid just laying there isn't very fun for her.

I've really started to learn my hands. They did flop and jerk around, and I didn't have any real control of them. But now I totally get it. I can hold someone's finger when I want to, I can sit and run my hands and fingers on the skin of whoever's holding me, I even hold onto people's clothes from time to time. I think I'm going to like these things...now if only I could use these things to feed, bath or clothe myself.

And the last little tid-bit I'll share is that I'm growing by leaps and bounds. Mom and dad called me Peanut for 9 months, and I'm afraid they jinxed me. I was born a whopping 6 lb 2 oz and 17 inches. No biggy though, I was 2 weeks early, so I didn't have that extra two weeks to pack on the pounds. I'm making up for it now though. In the last day or so, I have been eating NON STOP. Mom, dad, Nana and Papi all have commented how much bigger I look. My eyes don't focus enough from a distance to check myself out in the mirror to confirm, but judging by how snug some of my outfits are fitting, I think they just might be right. Later newborn clothes, hello 0-3 month sizes!

Welp, that's it for now. I'll update you all next week. Oh, and one more thing, any advice for a girl with an over-protective daddy? All I hear him say is, "you're not leaving the house til you're 30"...30? Really dad?

Stuff Like This...

Getting this message was like going to the gas station and saying "fill me up!!".

i went to the doctor yesterday and my pfts were the highest they've been in 5 YEARS. the only thing i've been doing differently? EXERCISE. i started working with a trainer and running. Definitely really tough starting out but I ran 1 mile on monday for the first time in my whole life and then went back tuesday and ran 2 without stopping! i was shocked! and so proud of myself! Just wanted to say thanks for your perseverance in exercise and sharing that with the community and inspiring me to take back my life rather than sitting around waiting for things to just get worse but hoping they won't.

Thank you cyster for taking the time to write me that note. It made my week!!!

First (Official) Baby Photo

Yesterday Mckenna had some fun newborn photos taken (let the baby torture begin). She slept like a champ through them and only woke up a few times, to pee and poop on daddy (we now have a new appreciation for diapers). Thanks to our good friend, Karen, for your time and talent.

We only have a sneak peak at this point, but we'll post a ton when we have them all!

Thankful Thursday: Teammate & Talent

It's thankful Thursday time! We all have so much to be thankful for and we love to take this opportunity just to write down each and everything that comes to mind. Please take this time to share with us what you're thankful for as well. If you have a blog expressing your thankfulness, please share the link! Without further ado, here's what we're thankful for:

Mandi's List:

I'm thankful for talented and generous friends. Karen, the same friend that did our maternity photos, did a newborn photoshoot this AM with Peanut. Man, am I thankful for her talent and her generosity to take photos for us free of charge. I cannot wait to see the final product!

I'm thankful for my parents. They have been in town and real troopers. My mom has been doing laundry, cooking meals, cleaning the house, you name it. I can't thank them enough for handling all the chores around here.

I'm thankful for a husband who loves and encourages me. For a type-A gal like myself, it can be hard to take on a new role and feel like I haven't mastered it yet. I think mommyhood in general will teach me that I can't expect to be perfect in this role, but the last 10 days has really taught me that! Luckily, I have a husband who tells me constantly that I'm a great mom and doing a good job. Makes me less nervous about my imperfections in this journey!

Ronnie's List:

I'm thankful for a good teammate. Mandi and I are new at this parenting thing, but so far, so good. It took us about 3 days to figure out a routine that works well for the both of us, but we feel like we are now getting in the groove. I think it's safe to say that both Mandi and I pray that rearing a child will always be this easy :)

I'm so thankful for talented friends. We had friends take our engagement, wedding, maternity and now today, newborn photos. We enjoy working with friends because we're not afraid to tell them what we like (most already know, I mean, they are our friends!) and their friend discounts are pretty sweet! Be on the look-out for some awesome newborn photos around these parts!

I'm thankful for cooler weather. Don't get me wrong, I love warm weather and sun all day every day, but I will admit, it's nice when it's a bit "nippy" out. We've been taking morning walks with Mckenna and they definitely feel better for all of us when there is a little chill in the air. On that note, I can't get over how cute Mckenna looks when she's all bundled up :)

And as a bonus, I'm thankful for the first exhibition game with my beloved Arizona Wildcats tonight. I can't wait to dress Mckenna up in her U of A gear and watch the game together. Bear Down!!

So, what are you thankful for today?

Workout Wednesday: Me Update

Things have been a bit crazy around here for the last week or so with the arrival of Mckenna, but some of you have asked how I was doing, so I thought I would give a quick update on me. I'll do it in bullet format as it seems that would be the best way for my foggy brain to keep it all straight. Here we go:

• Throughout the whole process in the hospital with Mandi and Mckenna, I kept up with my treatments by running home when my girls were sleeping. Mandi and I know that my short-term sacrifices when it comes to treatments have a great chance of bearing long-term rewards, so we do our best to make it happen.
• Since Mckenna has been home, I've been able to keep up with my full treatment and gym schedule. Mckenna seems to enjoy treatment time with her daddy already as the sound of the vest and compressor put her into a nice deep sleep.
• I'm still lifting weights almost everyday and it's been nice to see a slight change in my body since recommitting to weight lifting. My arms, chest and back have seen an increase in mass.
• As far as cardio goes, I've been really good about making it to my spin class and still love it to death. It amazes me how good of a workout I can get in 45 short minutes. If the had an award for who sweat the most, I would definitely win.
• I've also been testing my foot a bit more as of late with some longer walks and even a few short runs on the treadmill. So far, so good. I purchased new shoes which seem to be making a difference and I've been able to avoid pain in the foot for the past week. I hope to work running back in to cardio routine very soon.
• My weight has still been decreasing (on purpose) and I've met my goal weight for round number 1. My goal was to get to 185 pounds from a starting weight of 205. I gave myself 6 months, but here we are 3 months later and I'm at about 180. I've been losing the weight through increased exercise and eating smaller but more frequent meals.
• Overall, I'm feeling great and hope that my next PFTs in mid-November show how I'm feeling. If not, I'll make some adjustments and continue to move forward.

So hopefully that gives you guys a pretty good perspective on how things have been going for me physically. Mentally? Well, you may need to check back with me in a couple of weeks! :)

Mckenna's Birth Story

Welp...I'm back. Sorry I haven't contributed to any posts this last week. I'd love to say it's because I'm so exhausted and resting. But it's actually that I refuse to take Mckenna out of my arms long enough to type a blog :) I think we're getting far enough out that if I don't type our birth story now, I'll forget parts. So here it goes...

On Saturday night (the night leading into my birthday) I woke up to a slight "trickle" feeling at 3:30AM. I laid there for a second analyzing the trickle. "Could it be my water?!" I didn't want to move before checking out what it was so I decided to wake Ronnie. "Uhhh Ronnie," I said, shaking his shoulder. "Ronnie, I think my water maybe broke?!" He woke up, confused, and humored me by getting out of bed and looking at the wet spot I was talking about. "Yeah it's wet" he said with a "glad we confirmed it was fluid of some sort but we really know nothing else" look. I jumped up with excitement and we began waiting. Waiting for more fluid to leak. Waiting for contractions to start. Waiting... When we concluded that it was my water leaking, based on the fact that it wouldn't let up, we called the midwife to let her know that my water broke and get instructions. She told us to hang out around the house until my contractions got unbearable or until 12PM, whatever came first.

That's when the real excitement hit me. Today was the day!! I knew I should go back to bed because it would be a long day, but seriously, who could go to bed?! So we got up and started killing time. We went to Walmart to get last minute baby things. We went to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast. We tidied up the house. We went for a long walk. Josh and Chrissy even came over to help us hurry up and wait. The morning felt like an eternity. We tried to keep busy, but time crawled. All the while, I was just waiting to feel my first contraction. But nothing. I had some cramping, but nothing that doubled me over in pain like I was told I should when having real contractions.

12PM came and we headed to the hospital. When we got there, they checked to confirm that I was, in fact, leaking fluid and they began to monitor my contractions. They were few and far between...we had work to do. That's when the midwife told me to get some lunch downstairs and get moving. We ate and made our first lap around the hospital (the first of what feels like hundreds). The afternoon was filled with bouncing on a birthing ball, walking, and intermittent monitoring of contractions. I'll tell you what it wasn't filled with...contractions. Still I had cramping, but nothing painful.

As of 9:30PM I was having some more painful contractions, but nothing intolerable, and my contractions were still 4-5 minutes a part. They decided to check me for the first time to see what kind of progress we were making. I prayed that I would be super dilated and just one of those lucky ladies that didn't feel contractions, but the midwife checked me and I was only 3 cm dilated, 90% effaced and the baby's head was at a -1 station. The midwife suggested that we apply a gel to my cervix to help speed things along a bit, since they really like to see you have your baby within 24 hours of your water breaking. So they applied the gel, and it was back to work. We went back to walking around the hospital, climbing stairs, doing jumpin' jacks.

This is when my contractions really started to pick up. I was excited. As I said to Ronnie, "Pain is progress." So I knew if it was getting painful, I'd be getting closer to meeting my sweet baby girl. I could manage my contractions best if I was up walking in between them, and then hunched over leaning on something with Ronnie rubbing my back during each contraction. It was not comfortable, and I had to focus on just getting through each contraction, but truthfully, they weren't horrible. Then from 11:30-12:25ish it's a bit of a blur. We were walking some and I was being monitored for 20 minutes of every hour. While in the room Ronnie got our fake candles "lit" and put on music. I must have been in the zone because I don't really remember this span of time much.

And at 12:25AM I was awakened from my daze while in bed being monitored. I had a strong contraction and felt something I had not felt before. This intense urge to bear down. My whole body was throwing itself down into my pelvis. "Ronnie call the nurse, I feel like I have to bear down. I know it's dumb, it's too soon, but I need to bear down." I said through the waves of my body taking over. The midwife came in and checked me. I was 8cm dilated, 100% effaced, and the baby was VERY low she said. "I need to bear down." I told her. "You have to wait, we don't want you bearing down at 8cm, so you'll need to breath through the urge. In the meantime, I'll go get the nursery team to start setting up." The next contraction my whole body was thrusting itself into my pelvis and the "breath through" direction was simply not going to happen. It would be like someone telling you to stop sneezing, mid-sneeze. It was simply impossible. Panicked that I was going to hurt myself or Peanut, I looked at Ronnie mid-contraction with sheer terror on my face and told him they needed to be in there now, I wouldn't be able to breath through. The nurse rushed in while I was still in the midst of the contraction and checked me again. I was 10 cm dilated, 100% and the baby's head was so low that she could practically fall out (or so I thought...HA!)

That's when the midwife rushed in, the nursery team was set up and we were ready to rock (all within 3 minutes). The midwife gave me the green light to go ahead and let my body do what it felt like it wanted to do. So with the next contraction, I tried not to fight it. I let my body do whatever it felt like it needed to do. It sure is incredible how God created us. My body totally took over. I simply had to let my mind not fight my body to stop doing what it was doing. Ronnie was a rockstar during the pushing. He was so supportive and SO excited. I fed off of his enthusiasm. "You're doing great." "That one really changed things." "You're making really great progress when you do that." He would say over and over.

5-6 contractions, 15 minutes, a few pushes and 2 shrieks later (thanks to the head and the shoulders), Mckenna Day Sharpe was born. I cannot tell you what it felt like the first time I heard her cry, saw her face, and felt her skin on my skin. She was perfect. She was here. She was MINE!! Ronnie and I couldn't take our eyes off of her. We were holding each other and her about as tight as we could. Finally, after 9 months, we went from a family of 2 to a family of 3.

So there you have it. That is how our little love made her entrance into this world. It's only been a week, but we are already so in love. I can't imagine life without her in it now. We love you sweet baby girl!!