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14 Weeks

| cheriarmour

Hi!  I hope you had a great weekend.  I miss you.  Lots of fun things this week!

Baby is the size of a: Large Lemon

Due date: Sept 3rd, 2016

Total weight gain: I have gained in total, 5ish pounds, but that really fluctuates depending on what I eat/drink.

Sleep: Not as constant.  I can get through the day without a nap.  My night time sleep is usually interrupted by a bathroom break in the early hours of the morning.

Best moment this week:  Definitely more energy.  I got through a pretty good workout on Friday with Jill, and it felt good to actually do something that I can draw some strength and energy from.  I also taught another Pump on Friday morning – so I feel like some of my mom fog is lifting.

Food cravings:  Not a whole lot. I would like some pickle chips.  But they’re too hard to acquire and hard on the stomach.

Food aversions:  Cooking meat.  The smell is so appalling to me.  I feel like I can particularly smell blood in red meat, which is so scary.

Symptoms:   Just tired, and a little lazy 🙂

Looking forward to: More blogging this week.  You guys into it?

13 Weeks

12 Weeks

Returns (I guess a sorta PSA?)

| cheriarmour

There are a few things I’m wildly passionate about – kinda pet peevy things that have bugged me forever.

One is people not putting their effing shopping carts back at Harris Teeter, which I’ve mentioned before.  It’s kind of a trigger for me.  Like I wrote into the local paper about it.

The second is returns.  Or why I can’t stand the abuse of return policies.

And I think I’m sort of sensitive to this having worked pretty extensively in retail.  We have a really really generous return policy, and unfortunately. what that means is that sometimes folks really abuse the policy, and use it as an opportunity to use us a a closet.  Which totally blows for us (the retailer) because we don’t always get credit on things returned to us so we take an L.  Some of that stuff is built into the prices.  Some of it isn’t, and it drives prices up.  Not a fun place to be.

So yesterday, a person in a group I’m a part of on mentioned that they got a notice from Amazon because as a runner, they’d been ordering shoes, and sending them back, due to some issues with some foot pain and whatnot.  Which I get, but also, I understand completely where Amazon is coming from.

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Now, Amazon isn’t super transparent about what the magic number is that will get you one of those fun notices, but it seems like by communicating early and asking if everything is okay with your account, they’re sending the message that they get it, but you can’t treat them like a personal shopper.

Which I totally get. I have, we all have, been in a spot where you have to return something because it’s just not working, defective, or not what you thought it was, but when you’re staring at 4, 5, 10 returns in the span of a month, you really need to question if there’s another way you need to start going about purchases.

So I know places like Amazon, Lululemon, and REI cracking down on their return policies is so annoying, but super necessary.  And if you find yourself starting to become a chronic returner of an item, or a category of item, it may be time to switch up the game plan.

Onto happier things!

What are your favorite places with the BEST customer service?

I continue to be impressed by Amazon – I broke my Kindle, and they really were apologetic, and asked what they could do to help me fix it.  I totally ended up buying another because they were so nice to me.

FitBit – I lost the band on the Flex Twice – ended up spending MORE money because of how awesome they were to work with.

Lululemon – I checked in with one of their educators to find some good maternity stuff, and because they know their products so well, they were able to give me immediate word on what would work throughout the pregnancy.  I will spend some money there for sure!

Getting the hang of it.

| cheriarmour

So, back in November, I went again for my BodyPump certification.  I went for it like the July before I got married, in ’14,  but I let it lapse…in the hustle and bustle of us getting married, I never did my video (I did, but that’s another story), and sort of let it lapse.

[I recorded the video, and we discovered that the camera shut off midway through, and I never refilmed.]

But I went back, did the course again in November, passed, turned in my vid, passed, and started picking up a few classes here and there.

And let me tell you, even though I’ve been teaching for over 6 years at this point, that shit was/is hard. 

When I started teaching, I started with all freestyle classes.  Zumba, then I moved into Toning, and Cycle.  All things I went to trainings for and received credit, but things that really gave you the freedom to play with BPM, music, adding cardio pieces, and generally, screwing up with minimal detection from your class.  Seriously.  I actually restarted a song last night because I blanked.

[Enter Les Mills]

About two weeks ago, I had a mortifying experience with an early morning class.  The class starts at 5:45am, and due to a music disaster, and a late start, I ran into class 3 or 4 minutes late.

First (huge)  mistake.

To my horror, one of the best Pump instructors I’ve ever taken from in my life happened to be in the class.  She had started the warmup, and for that I was grateful, but immediately, I started shaking.  I’d barely had time to shower, I was late and already making a terrible impression, and suddenly, I had the feeling that I was doing to forget everything I knew.

And I did.

I blundered through every. single. track. My music was off.  My counting was off.  I forgot huge chunks.  And I was mortified.

Never, in my entire life, have I struggled so much with a format, and now, never in my life have I wanted to prove myself to myself so badly.  So, I’ve started by attending more classes (something that falls by the wayside sometimes when you’re directing a group fitness program), team teaching more, and subbing more (which exposes you to a new group that you can talk to, and if you’re really good, they’ll ask for you back when your teacher can’t be there. If you suck, you’ll hear it).  But this is hard. And in it being hard, it is 100% infuriating, since I’m strong in other formats.

All that said….how was your Monday?  What did you work out?

13 Weeks

| cheriarmour

13 Weeks

How far along:  13 Weeks

Baby is the size of a: Small Peach.

Due date: Sept 3rd, 2016

Total weight gain: I haven’t weighed myself at all this week.  My boobs are still huge, and I’m definitely getting more of a belly, but I really just look kinda chubby/bloated rather than pregnant.

Sleep: Constantly.  I could sleep any time of the day.  This has not changed at all, except I have to get up early like every morning to go to the bathroom.

Best moment this week:  More energy this week.  I got through all the week, except for Friday without naps.  AND we went to Ikea this week and bought some stuff for the house that we’ve definitely needed to buy since we bought the house.

Food cravings: None really.  I didn’t do any pickle chips this week, which sound awesome right now, but those require going somewhere and I’d rather sit on the couch and do stuff from here.

Food aversions:  Not really!  I’m staying away from fried stuff so my stomach doesn’t kill.

Symptoms:  A little tired, and I’ve had a few headaches this week.  Something about blood volume increasing.  I got them a lot super early on, and they went away for a little while, and they’re back.  You can’t take a whole lot other than Tylenol, so it’s just kinda living through it.

Looking forward to: Getting our Ikea stuff set up this week.

***

12 Weeks

If you want to keep moving, make it happen.

| cheriarmour

Working out this winter has been really hard for me.  I am by no means the poster child for the best worker-outer of all time.

I’ve done it, but it’s been really hard.  It’s a few things I think.  I finished the Chicago Marathon in October, which was amazing.  But once I did that, I felt a little…draggy as it pertained to my workouts.  I got them in, but didn’t really run more than 10 miles following that.

And then, before I found out I was pregnant, but was pregnant, I was really dragging.  I would go to Flywheel for a class, and sort of wonder why I wasn’t really making waves on the leaderboard.  All makes sense now…

But I’m starting to get to the point in my pregnancy where my energy is coming back. My motivation isn’t always there, and that’s annoying, but I do what I can to at least get moving, motivated by the fact that I’m teaching my baby good habits, even in the womb.  (Which is actually a thing, if you’re thinking about having kids/currently in the process of cooking one).

So yesterday, I taught my early morning BodyPump class, and fully intended to hop on the treadmill to get more steps in, but I was really lazy, and ended up picking up some email that I really needed to catch up on, and before I knew it, it was afternoon, and my brother and my husband were asking what we had around the house to eat.  I popped a lasagna in the oven, and while it cooked, I grabbed a step (like a step aerobics step), turned on a 136 bpm mix that I’d just gotten for class, and went for it for like 20ish minutes.  I didn’t run a marathon or solve the issues surrounding world hunger, but it was enough to get my heart rate slightly elevated, and keep me feeling not-crappy for not doing something to get my blood pumping.

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All that is to say…

Austin and I get some ribbing from folks, a lot of times family, when we make time while we’re at home to work out.  It doesn’t hurt our feelings obviously, but it’s one of those things that just makes you go “hm” because it seems like, for a lot of people, fitness is the first thing to go when things get messy.  Long day?  Skip the workout!  Happy hour later?  Skip the workout!  Favorite show’s coming on?  Skip the workout!

Which seems really silly when we think about the things we do not and would not skip.

We shower, brush our teeth, go for mani/pedis, go to triva Tuesdays at the wing place, never miss Keeping Up with the Kardashians.  All things that are required in some of our minds.  But we skip something as simple as marching up and down on a step for 20 minutes.  Why?

What if we bumped working out up on our priority list – made it less of a negotiable, and more of something we hate to miss?

What if we made working out, something that we wanted to happen, instead of something that we dreaded?

Need some ideas?  Check out this dope article I read and Well + Good the other day, How Busy Women Make Their Workouts Happen.

How do you find time to move?  

Do you find yourself bumping your workouts down on the priority list?

12 Weeks

| cheriarmour

This isn’t turning into an annoying blog.  I promise.  But I figured that someone might like the update, and I might regret it if I didn’t update.  PLUS I feel like a lot of moms, especially ones that are further removed, get amnesia and try to act like they’ve never heard of whatever symptom you might be having.

12 Weeks

How far along:  12 Weeks

Baby is the size of a: Clementine.

Due date: Sept 3rd, 2016

Total weight gain: I’ve put on a few – like maybe 5ish the last time I checked?  My boobs are absolutely gargantuan.  I’m still waiting on a belly. So that folks aren’t just assuming that I’m bloated.  Like I care though.  I’m too tired to care.

Sleep: Constantly.  I could sleep any time of the day.

Best moment this week:  Zumba party – I felt great, and really felt a surge of energy.

Food cravings: I like pickle chips from Village Drafthouse.  But since they’re fried, they’re kind of a kiss of death.  One really really fun thing about pregnancy is that your digestion slows way down.  Food that may upset you a smidge in real life, really have an adverse affect on you while pregnant.  Beans and fried things do not feel good whatsoever.

Food aversions:  I’ve been veg for a while.  I have been eating some chicken and turkey, but it’s a little rough for me, because meat tastes pretty meaty.  But the smell of cooking meat is disgusting to me.  Red meat in particular smells bloody, and I think there’s a pretty good chance I won’t be eating that any time soon.

Symptoms: I’m just tired.  But like I said, I think that’s starting to lift.

Looking forward to: Catching up on things.  I always feel like there’s something else to be done.  I don’t think as long as I live, that I will ever feel caught up.  And more running, now that my energy is slowly seeping back in.

Big Life Things!

| cheriarmour

Hi!  I have not been posting here with my usual frequency but I have a really good reason, which I will totally get to later.  I promise.

First off, how was your freakin’ weekend?

Mine was/is good.  These posts are always kind of time warpy, because you pre-post, and you pre-write, and you’re talking about things that are kind of still happening, and you come back to unfinished stuff, and it’s just weird.  But my weekend, which is almost over, has been really really good, and really restful.

It started off like a house on fire.  Friday evening, we hosted another Zumba/Cardio Dance party at the Y, which featured like 5 teachers for two hours.  I ended up working a good bit from home on Friday, so by the time the party started around 6:30, I wasn’t completely worn down.  Here are a few shots from the evening.

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After the party, Austin was still at a Hurricanes game for some hockey sports, so I headed to the Drafthouse for some post-party food which included some pickle chips (ugh, so delicious even though I despise pickles in their true form) and veggie burgers.

Saturday was another full day.  I taught a class, went and helped Austin repair a few things we needed, and snuck a mid afternoon nap in before I hit the couch really really hard and finished the night with cartoons.  I was seriously in bed well before midnight, and slept hard until I had to come into work to help Fleet Feet out on a busy(ish) Sunday.

Big Life Thing

So here’s the deal.  I’ve been really annoying and “vague blogged” a few things here and there.

So out with it!

A day or so after Christmas, I went out drinking with some friends of mine, then we went to the gay club to dance.  I had a great time, but the next day, I was feeling…off.  Not hungover, and not sick, but like I had some vertigo going on.  Which is the best way to describe it, but probably not 100% even capturing it.  I mentioned this to a friend over text, and she responded “knocked up”.  I told her there was no way, but stopped by the Walgreens right across the street, and picked up a really, really cheap pregnancy test that came in like a box of two.

It came out positive.  So I took the next one.

Positive.

I showed Austin, who was in a veritable state of shock, and he sort of paced around the yard for a while before I sent him on a mission to pick up a few more fancy tests, the ones you see the commercials for.

Positive, positive, positive.

Of course, at this time, I’m panicking, and had send photo evidence to Chelsie (“knocked up”) who immediately replied with a “congratulations,” and some really fun emojis, photo evidence to Jill, my trainer, and photo evidence to Kaity, all mom friends of mine who I felt would have more insight on if the tests were indeed reading the way I was seeing.

All that to say, is I am pregnant and have been very pregnant since around Christmastime.  I have really wanted to share with bunches of people, but it’s kind of conventional wisdom that you don’t share before 12 weeks.  Which I really have mixed feelings about, but, I will share more on that later.

Eep!  We are nervous – this was not necessarily the most expected or most planned thing right now, but we’re in a good place for it, and there’s no time like the present, right?  I think I was more nervous before I told people because I was afraid if I told people I would jinx it, and I’m also good friends with some couples who have struggled with fertility issues, and I’ve been afraid that this would be a lot for them.  Which, for the record, has not been the case – everyone has been really rockin’ about it, and I have even had some offers for clothes and books.  Which lord knows I could use, because I really have no idea what I’m doing.

So really quickly, let me answer a few of the biggest questions people have had for me.

Your boobs are getting huge!

Not a question.  But yes, they are beginning to get out of hand.  But what can you do, that’s not something that’s going to change, right?

How are you feeling?  Have you been sick?

I have not been sick.  I have been ridiculously, hopelessly exhausted.  I have never experienced exhaustion like this in my life.  I rely solely on naps and drinking lots of water.  My doc says it will pass in the next few weeks or so, so I am really looking forward to more of a surge in energy.  I have been feeling less deathly the past few days, so I am hoping this means that maybe it’s coming.  But I have been in bed well before midnight every single night except a drag show I was at last week.

What about teaching your classes?  Will you have to cut back?

I don’t know.  As of right now, I am teaching all my regular classes except for my Friday Barre, and I feel great teaching.  In Body Pump, I have gone a lot lighter on my squat and my back weight, but overall, I’ve been doing the same.  I have cut back on my running, due to nothing other than the fact that I am exhausted, but I’m still running.  I’m not sure if that will change, especially toward the end of the pregnancy.  But, as of right now, I just don’t know.

All of that said (I feel like I just dropped a damned bomb on you), how was your weekend?  Do you have any burning questions for the pregnant workout lady?  

Valentine’s Day Plans!

| cheriarmour

First up, I know I’ve talked about this place, Happy & Hale here before on the blog, but I have to sing its praises once again.

Lots of changes going round in the Samples household, and as a result, I’ve had to work really really hard to stay on track with a decent diet and stuff.  More on that later.

But I was really in a rush on Tuesday to get a good lunch in that didn’t involve anything gross, anything friend, and was quick, and the first thought was Happy & Hale.

I did my usual, a quinoa bowl (without the onions) and here was the finished product.

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I’ve seen Katherine, the nutritionist here, a few times, and she is highly encouraging of incorporating lots and lots of color in each meal. This meal TOTALLY has it. I mean, it’s gorgeous to look at.  Unfortunately for me, this was a lot of fiber, so I had to watch the fiber at dinner and do something that was a little less psyllium-y.  TMI.

Valentine’s Day Plans. 

I think this is the first V-Day that we don’t have something special planned, but I really think I’m okay with that.

In years past, we’ve always done dinner around Valentine’s, and given little gifts, but nothing super major.  This year, despite my efforts to get to bed much, much earlier than I have, I still am battling some fatigue as I adjust to earlier start times, and we’re looking forward to dinner in and making our way around Lake Johnson that day.  It’s boring, but it works for us.

One thing I will ask my hubby really really nicely for is a mani/pedi.  That’s still one of my favorite treats in the world.  I’ll happily oblige with his favorite treats (probably a trip to Harbor Freight to buy more things to put in the shed).

What are your plans for Valentine’s Day?

Something to look forward to – Summer Shows!

| cheriarmour

I love live music. It’s like top 4 things I like to spend my money on. The others being food, races, savings/paying off bills, and mani/pedis. Best money spent in life (I feel like).

So when Beyonce happened to mention that she was launching dates for her Formation World Tour at Sunday’s really disappointing Super Bowl. Made less-disappointing by that fact that we had a bunch of friends over. But still. So Bey announced the tour in the most Bey way possible, by inciting a little controversy (which, I’m not here to argue about), and then running this commercial that looked like an ad for her new fragrance.

And this ceremoniously kicked off my personal tour de music for the warmer months. Which makes me hopeful because this cold weather is absolute trash and I really want nothing more to do with it.

Here’s what I’ve got so far!

April 8th – Gavin DeGraw at Red Hat – this will be my second time seeing him at this particular venue, and probably like my 5th time seeing him in real life.  Every time I’ve seen him has been awesome, and I stand by my confidence in the fact that he once called me pretty.  ::tosses hair::

May 3rd – Beyonce at Carter-Finley – this will be like my 4th or 5th time seeing her altogether.  Acquiring tickets may be tricky, so I’m going to go into this process with a really open mind and hope for the best.  But if I don’t get to see her, Bey, there’s always next time.

May 11th – Pentatonix – I have never seen this group live, but I’m so looking forward to this.  Can’t Sleep Love ended up being one of my standout faves from the album, and I desperately adore Mitch and Scott.  Avi is bae.  I would love to have dinner with these guys.  INTERVIEW THEM FOR THE BLOG?  Even though as I say that, I have no idea what the heck I would ask them, and would probably just creepily sit in the corner as they filmed Superfruit, laughing my head off.  Just a guess.

July 2nd – Demi Lovato – I saw her once before in Charlotte, and she was really awesome.  The show was full of tweens, but I think we’ve established that I really am not super affected by the audience.  She was really good.  I think my fave was Nightingale, because she through in a BANANAS key change after the bridge.  YAS!

July 6th – Justin Bieber – This will be my second show with the Biebs.  I actually just went back and listened to the singles off Believe, and I am so stoked for the show.  Love him or hate him, he put out some good stuff with Purpose and I’m here for all of it.

Wish List:  These are artists I’m really needing new music from/would love a tour from sometime this summer.

Allen Stone – he is at Bonnaroo this year.  Something tells me I won’t be making it to any festivals this year, so I’d love a small show.

Katy Perry – I’m ready for a tour AND new music.  I’m very much a Teenage Dream fan, so I’m ready for another album with FIVE hit singles on it.

And this is what I got!

What shows are you excited about seeing this summer?

What’s the most you’ve ever (you would) pay for a concert ticket?