Bloggedy blog blog

I just spent the last hour going through my blog posts from last summer.

I laughed, I cried, I got a little jealous of myself.

I really think that's the best part of blogging -- being able to look back at different times and see what we were up to. Since we have both been such ridiculously inconsistent and boring bloggers as of late, I'm sure Chris and I are our only readers at this point... but, my hope is that next summer I'll be able to look back with fondness at our pregnancy and post-ankle-accident induced laziness (and Chris's standard of being "lazy" would have my crying with exhaustion, but to each his own...).

As for my current state -- I am 33 1/2 weeks preggo, still expanding rapidly, eating constantly, and staying "active" by walking up the stairs to the bathroom every ten minutes to pee, walking the dog when it's not over 90 degrees, belaying Chris at the climbing gym*, and once-weekly prenatal yoga. I hope to ride my bike or trainer a few more times before JJ makes his appearance, but it's so darn hot that I seriously lack the motivation to even try. I can't complain though, it has been really fun to have a summer "off" from the pressures of constantly doing something and I am loving almost every second of growing this little guy.

There are only a few more precious weeks of vacation before school starts back up again. I really have enjoyed having the summer off. I can't complain about not working during my third trimester! I will be working a few weeks before having twelve weeks off with the kiddo, so while that few weeks will be really brutal and HOT HOT HOT (darn ghetto schools with no a/c), I'll make it.

Well, that's about it for now!

*belaying Chris at the gym is always super entertaining. Only in Boulder can someone 8 months pregnant get asked if she's climbing that 5.11 next -- haha, my response is always "uhh, no, but thanks for believing in me!". I also got stalked by an acupuncturist lady wanting to feel my "tired pulses" and make the uncanny observation that I "must be tired" because she can tell from my eye vibes, pulses (we have more than one pulse?), and some other crap. Really? Someone 8 months pregnant in the heat of July being tired? Wow! She's insightful :) Haha. She was nice, but... ummmm... yeah. There's Boulder for ya!

When in Rome...

Or should I say...

When 32 weeks pregnant...

Do as the tourists do!

That's exactly what we just spent the day doing, and it was fabulous.

As I mentioned in my last blog, I've had a bit of a rough time adjusting to my more sedentary lifestyle. Afterall, summers are usually the time that Chris and I rack up some good 14er hiking in our attempt to finish all 54 as a couple, but since I have a physical and moral obligation to my unborn baby to not deprive him of oxygen, that can't happen. It is 100% worth it, but it's still an adjustment.

Last night we found ourselves just outside of Aspen in the wonderful town of Carbondale, for a Ride the Divide showing, featuring Chris as the Q&A speaker at the end. The movie is great and it's fun watching people ooh and aah over Chris doing the route on a single speed just a few days short of the overall record time. Before the show, we had some great Thai food with the filmmakers and we got to stay the night for free in a super cute little cabin owned by the lady who brought the movie to Carbondale. It was really nice of her to give up her house to Chris, Turbo, and I for the night!

This morning we went back to Dos Gringos (where the movie was shown) for some awesome breakfast burritos. If you ever find yourself in Carbondale, find Dos Gringos, it is soooooooooooo delicious (if you've ever been to the coffee shop adjacent to Absolute Bikes in Salida, it's very similar).

Since we were already in the area, we headed up to Aspen to go see the Maroon Bells. Chris had a plan to climb the Bells the night before, but instead he played his role as super-baby-daddy and stayed the night with me instead (have I mentioned that he is an awesome husband?? :) ). Because we were headed up to Maroon Lake after 9 am, we had to take the tourist shuttle up the road. Chris and I were both literally and figuratively, well, very out of our element. As the driver drove five miles an hour up the road, stopping to talk about avalanche chutes and aspen trees, Chris and I worked to entertain ourselves. We did listen just long enough for the bus driver to tell the bus of tourists that "there are 54 14,000 foot mountains in Colorado, called 14ers, which is why Colorado is called the 'Rocky Mountain State'". Ummm, what? He also proceeded to tell everyone that the Bells are nicknamed The Deadly Bells because "every year, at least one person goes up and falls off the mountain". Ummm, okay, not really, but okay.

It was also nearly noon and in Colorado, you don't go up to the high mountains to walk around at noon. Daily rain and thunder storms make this idea stupid, and not even once did the driver warn the poor tourists not to head *up* any of the trails. Luckily it was raining as we exited the bus, so hopefully not many of them decided to walk to the higher lake as they had planned. We walked the short path to Maroon Lake and got a good little peak at the Bells before standing under the shelter of the bathrooms analyzing various couloirs and climbing routes in the area. It was really nice to be in the mountains instead of on the couch like I have spent most of this summer. The Bells were fantastically beautiful and I can't wait to go back to climb them. If you are from out of town and find yourself in the Aspen area, it is worth taking this bus up to the lake to look around. The views are spectacular!

32 week picture!

It was rainnnnnnnnny.

After a short time spent admiring the Bells, we walked around the Aspen ski area a little bit and discovered a store devoted completely to brownies. Marni-heaven! Then, Chris decided to take us home via Independence Pass -- a highway that connects Aspen and Leadville through some amazing country.

We even pulled off at the top of the pass to walk to the overlook and admire the clearing weather and spectacular views. We even got to gawk at La Plata, a 14er that we hiked in the snow in November 2008. I love looking at a big peak, knowing that I have been on the top, and remembering the beautiful views we saw along the way and the horrible knee pain I had coming back down.

The big flat-topped looking mountain behind us is La Plata and Ellingwood Ridge. Yes, I'm wearing three coats...

Chris will always be Chris and got excited when he found a place to boulder along the trail. Haha.

This person seemed scared that they'd fall off the side of the pass, so instead of driving in their lane, they nearly creemed several oncoming cars by driving pretty far over the center line. Hmmmm....

Coming back into Leadville, we got to see more of the mountains we climbed the last few years, and it was fun trying to pick out and name each of them. We constantly had our 14ers book out, comparing pictures to views, and telling stories of previous trips. When we got into town, we stopped at the best pizza place in the area (which is tiny and was packed because of the rain), and we took the pizza back into the car to eat. It was soooooooo tasty. Go there too.

This is a bit of a gross picture of me, but it shows how excited Turbo was for us to come eat our lunch in the car.

We finally headed back on I70 and got home not too long ago.

The day was rainy, but getting to be in the mountains with Chris at all, even at a tourist level, was fantastic. It was an important reminder to slow down once in a while, forget about doing everything the hard way, and just enjoy this beautiful state that we're lucky enough to live in.

Kudos to the Daddy

Pregnancy is a really bizarre time.

The things that you take for granted everyday, like rolling over in bed, sleeping soundly on your back, or shaving your own legs become impossible.

I have had a remarkably easy pregnancy -- no daily puking being high on the list of things I'm incredibly grateful for -- but even so, this hasn't been the easiest of adventures. But I'm lucky. I get to feel the little wiggle-worm squirm inside me and change positions and get morning hiccups. I get the compliments of friends and total strangers of being "beautiful" even when I feel far from it.

I think Chris deserves some serious kudos for his role in this adventure though, because without him, I would be a huge mess. In reading various baby board threads, so many women rag on their husbands for being insensitive, rude, and downright awful during their pregnancies. I always take these posts with a grain of salt, afterall a hormone-enraged pregnant woman is writing about it on an internet forum. But they also make me appreciate my "baby daddy" even more.

Sure, Chris has developed a nickname for me this pregnancy that some might take as, well, insensitive... but "Giant Whale Wifey" is only said out of love and when I'm actually feeling like a giant whale, he is full of sweet things to say.

Now that my ab muscles have essentially disintegrated beneath this kid, who is the one who pushes me up off the couch, pulls me out of a chair, or rolls me out of bed? Hubby.

Who has rearranged his own sleeping position to accommodate my mote-o-blankets that surrounds me at night? Who makes sure he sleeps a little closer so if I start to tip over, I at least tip onto him? Hubby.

When I whine and complain and get hormonal and sad about all of the things that I *can't* do this summer, like hiking 14ers, racing the Winter Park mtb series, and eating at our favorite summer deli, guess who is there to talk me down, remind me that this great time will only come once or twice in our lifetimes? Hubby.

Who goes with me to birthing classes that are taught by a really annoying lady, answers questions for me so I don't have to be the one talking in front of the group, and passes me funny notes about the ridiculous guy across the room who just stepped out of a time machine from 1986? My wonderful hubby.

Who goes on a walk with me, and when I get hot, offers to let me wear his shorts while he wears his shirt as a skirt? That's my man! (and no, I did not take him up on this generous offer!)

I could probably go on forever about how great and supportive and wonderful he's been throughout the last 31 weeks, almost six years of marriage, and 9 years of knowing each other, but we have a birthing class and Cold Stone ice cream date coming up awfully quickly.

Thank you hubby for all you have done for me! Hopefully this post doesn't embarrass you too much, but I think the blog world should know that you're not only an awesome biker, climber, mountaineer, and friend, but you are one kickass baby-daddy as well.

(disclaimer: I really hate the term "baby daddy" too, but since everyone complains about theirs, I might as well brag about mine :) )

JJ's blog

Here is a link to baby JJ's new blog!

Another update on my blog to come soon since I really have nothing better to do than sit in the coolish basement on the couch and avoid the heat of the day! I have exhausted any slightly interesting internet links, am seriously caught up on reading blogs, and simply cannot stand 99% of TV that's on.

Time to start blogging again!