Weeks 28 and 29...

Ok the reality of all this is completely sinking in now LOL in 11 short weeks (or LESS), I will have a living, breathing child on the outside of me!! He won’t be on the inside any more HAHAHA This amazing child will be born with everything he needs to sustain his life outside the womb. He will be born with a personality, fingers, toes and his own laugh. I can’t help but smile as I think of the total miracle that is taking place inside me right now. What’s really funny is that I sometimes talk to him like he has a choice whether or not to go with me somewhere. For example, I’ll say “ok Champ, you wanna go kick butt in kickboxing class with mom?” As if he could say no. Or I’ll talk to him during a tough workout and say something like “Come on! We just have to make it through this last set!”

The last few weeks of pregnancy have been…good. I have had a few up and down days as far as my energy is concerned. My husband and I drove to Arizona to go watch our cousin play softball at ASU at the end of week 28. I really enjoyed the trip and the time spent with family but somewhere in those 3 days, my body decided that it was going to get really swollen! I’m not sure if it was the heat of Arizona or the fact that we were eating out more than normal, but my feet looked like you could pop them with a pin LOL This was the first time I had experienced swelling of any kind in my feet or ankles. It continued for the entire trip and for about 3 additional days when we got back home. Every time I looked down, I wanted to either laugh or scream. I talked to a few of my friends and their words gave NO comfort…most of them said that once their ankles and feet were swollen, they stayed swollen for the rest of their pregnancy. All I knew was that I needed this swelling to go away and it needed to go fast. I’m so glad to say that after about 5 days, my feet and ankles were back to normal thanks to a ton of water, low sodium foods and regular exercise.

I’m feeling and seeing more movement from my little guy! It’s still insane to think that every time my stomach juts out, it’s actually an arm or a leg or an elbow! Each turn or kick that I feel is just another reminder that I need to be my absolute best for this baby. It’s those things that keep me on track with my workouts and eating…that AND the fact that I’m going to have to be in tip top shape in order to keep up with my little man when he starts moving around HAHAHA!

26 weeks...

I got a few new products today in the mail from my amazing Team HMB family. There were 2 new protein powders and a few pre-workout supplements in a big box with my name on it. I was so excited as I opened it up and saw what was inside! Although I can’t even use the protein powders at this moment (I have to wait until after the baby is born), seeing these things reminded me of my competitive goals for the future. I quickly went online to the National Physique Committee (NPC) website to look at upcoming dates for shows that I think I could be ready for after my baby is born. There are so many shows and I found one that I think I could be ready for…October 20, 2012!!!! You may be thinking that I am crazy for still being pregnant and thinking about show prep LOL I think it’s perfect timing to be focusing on my goals!!

I have heard 2 different schools of thought when it comes to adding kids in the mix. There’s the “better do it now because once kids come in the picture, all your dreams go out the window” and the “kids add to your life as you continue to live out your purpose, dreams and goals.” I have no doubt that when Champ arrives, life will feel more full, priorities will shift and a new “norm” will be established. However, I refuse to believe that my dreams and goals will suddenly become unreachable. I am so excited to see how our little Champ will fit into and enrich our lives! I seriously have had dreams of me running the Santa Monica stairs with Champ strapped to my chest in a baby carrier LOL I know that as long as I keep my relationship with God and my relationship with my husband my top priorities, I will be able to be the best mother and wife that I can be. This may sound backwards to some, but it makes perfect sense to me! My relationship with God and my relationship with my husband are the 2 most important things in my life. They are my foundation. In order to build something great, the foundation has to remain strong. Champ’s birth will be the first “brick” on the foundation, and definitely won’t be the last! As we begin to build and more pressure is placed on the foundation, I must do my part in taking care of that strong, bottom layer so that it doesn’t crack! I’m so glad that I have couples and families around me that are living examples of how to keep the foundation strong. I know having children will be a challenge and sometimes will feel like a juggling act, but the reward greatly outweighs the challenge. I can’t believe that I only have a few more weeks to go until I'm a mommy…