After a full day at our woman’s hospital, lots of scanning, lots of counselling with geneticists and obstetricians (even a bonus pediatric cardiologist!) they’ve confirmed for us that BabyGirl has a lower than normal positioned left kidney. What does this mean? Not much! Most people with this condition live their whole lives this way and don’t even know it! It’s a fairly common finding. I won’t call it an abnormality because hey… NONE of us are perfectly symetrical. Whether your left boob is bigger, your left foot wider… we are all made differently. This will not affect her ability to be the most amazing little half German/Colombian you’ve ever met! Whether she be an artist, dancer, Olympic snowboarder… whatever… no lower left kidney is going to stop her! Look out world! 3ish more months till Baby Bean arrives! She’s gonna knock ALL our socks off!

What I’m grateful for:
- BabyGirl is growing strong and healthy! She weighs 948g (2.08lbs) already!
- her kidneys are both within normal size ranges! (not sure where the “enlarged” term came from at the other ultrasound place) they’re functioning normally and emptying fluid into bladder. NICE!!! No obstructions!
- ALL other organs, bones, systems showed healthy and normal
- Placenta, umbilical cord, amniotic fluid, all showing great
- kind, compassionate staff at the hospital (this made a world of difference) So great in fact, that I plan to send a card of thanks. I think it’s so important to let people know when they’re doing their job well!

I really truly see all this amazing new technology we have as both a blessing and a curse. Blessing that we can know see these things before birth, to be better prepared with specialists and information, but also a curse. Our moms didn’t have such in depth scans, they were spared alot of worry and stress to their unborn kids.

So that’s it. It’s all about presentation people… and I’m focussing in on the positive! She’s healthy and strong and is already a tough cookie like her mom! We are both doing GREAT and like the perinatologist told me today, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture when you have this one thing… the big picture = TWO THUMBS UP!

Huge love to you all! Can’t say it enough! Thanks for not letting “nervous & negative Nelly” get the best of me!

To my babygirl- I LOVE YOU!! You’re an amazing little bean who’s already overcome lots! Your kidney is where it’s supposed to be for YOU! I read somewhere that each soul/ person chooses their parents. Thank you for choosing me and your dad. You’re already teaching me and helping me grow. I’m eternally grateful for it. Someday when you’re causing me all kinds of teenage sized headaches, I’ll remember this as the “easy” stuff! LOL
xoxoxo

That having been said it was the best icing I’ve ever made! Really rich and great consistency for icing the dark chocolate cake I made. I made it for one of DH’s co-workers’ birthdays (good thing it’s not staying in this house!). I just had to record the recipe somewhere for the next cake I need to make for someone.

Ingredients: (this will make enough icing for a regular 9″ X 11″ pan)
1 cup nutella
1 cup icing sugar
5 tablespoons room temp butter (I used salted)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whipping cream (the kind you need to whip yourself- so essentially heavy cream)

Put is all in a bowl and use an electric mixer to beat to creamy consistency. YUM!!

PS- I set aside some cake mixture for a few cupcakes, iced them with the above and topped with fresh bananas… HEAVENLY!!

I started reading this one last week and I must admit, I didn’t read EVERY SINGLE word in the book, there’s just too much info. His style of writing is a little intense and text booky for me. I have a much easier time reading Michael Pollan’s stuff.

I won’t bother with a recap of what the book is about because you can read that on the website or on Amazon. I will tell you what I liked:

• The scientific evidence he presents is impressive. His studies are complete and don’t seem to have any gaping holes. He asks the questions that my dubious mind were already asking. (ALMOST all of them)
• charts charts and more charts- He does a good job of illustrating the findings with charts which compare with other countries eating/ health habits which made it much clearer. Pretty credible stuff from the looks of it.
• There’s not alot of medical jargon.
• It’s really the first book I’ve read that says “Eat like a vegetarian… it’s good for you… and here’s the proof”. Very convincing!

Here’s what I didn’t like:

• For aaaaaaall the numbers and evidence he presents there’s no description of  WHAT the subjects in rural China (who were the healthiest) were eating! Really?! Why not? This is what interests me the most. Why is there no menus of what these people were eating? What are their staples? What quantities of these staples were they eating?  Chapter 11 outlines “Eight Principles of Food and Health”- which are really things that the educated health nut knows already, and Chapter 12 “How to Eat” has a one page list of foods to eat (whole, unrefined Plant-based Foods) and foods to avoid. Again, something the average health food junky already knows.
• No sample menus
• No sample recipes
• And the most important to me: No description of the quality of meat that the “unhealthy” subjects eat. “Food Inc” already brought to light how terrible the animal proteins we eat can be, but I’d really like to see a comparison or study done on QUALITY meat eaters. My “Primal” friends are some of the healthiest people I know… I wish someone would do a study on them. Compare their incidents of heart disease, bad cholesterol levels etc both to vegetarians and regular “supermarket” meat eaters.

The book was effective in making me again think about the amount of meat-protein I want to consume = Less. But my last point above still has me in doubt about becoming a full fledged vegan.  I think for me personally, the answer lies in between.  More plants, less “meat” more QUALITY (free/ wild/ organic/ hormone free) meats. Which is where I was before I guess. I need good, I mean really GOOD Vegetarian Recipe Book. Can anyone recommend one?

So that’s my take on it. Have any of you read it? What did you think?

Monday- New Body (love this class, it’s low impact and doesn’t stress any of my weirdo hormone raging stretchy joints, PLUS I break a good sweat without worrying if I’m impacting that70sbump at all- NICE!)
Tuesday- swimming or Aquafit (if I get up early enough it’s Aquafit )
Wednesday-Body Flow (super relaxing- makes me want to learn TaiChi!)
Thursday- New Body again
Friday- Off
Saturday- Prenatal yoga (get to workout with other preggos which is kinda nice)
Sunday- Off

Other than that, I try to walk lots and eat at least SOME veggies. Alas, the amounts are not where they should be. I’m reading “The China Study” though which is really making me WANT to go veggie-tarian. But seriously? No cheeseburgers EVER? No bacon EVER? I may have to find my own balance somewhere. I’ll be reviewing the book when I’m done.

And lastly… thatTrekkieMom-to-be reached the culmination of nerdiness and trek-dom!! Yup! I went to my first Star Trek Convention and LOVED it! Though I have to say, the business woman in me could seriously see some holes and room for more growth to make it a more startrekkie experience. DH and I were a little aprehensive about going, not knowing what to expect. It was AWESOME. We learned that Trekkies come in all shapes and sizes from ALL walks of life! Lots of great costumes and lots of just plain dressed people. I got my shirt made up… here I am in all my nerdiness! I got lots of smiles, lots of comments and best yet… it made SPOCK laugh! HELL YAAAAAAA! I cannot say enough about how much I truly enjoyed seeing Leonard Nimoy in person and meeting him for an autograph signing. He’s a gracious, engaging, caring person who just happens to have played one of the greatest fictional characters of our time! Anyway… here I am… sporting my awesome Trekkie Inside Tshirt and my 20week belly!

For all you LOVELY people who have tweeted, emailed, messaged to ask how I’m doing, to say hi or just to chat… I LOVE YOU GUYS!! Really! “ChiaBean” (I’m growing like a Chia Pet- so ChiaBean) and I really appreciate your support and friendship! K, it’s time for dinner… I’m hungry AGAIN!!!

Live Long and Prosper dear Reader!
xoxo

So I thought I’d create a poll to make waiting another 3 weeks a little more fun
Need a visual? Here’s a pic of me taken last week at 17weeks 2days. What do you think?

12 sets of 20sec work/ 40 sec rest (avg about 12 reps/ set)
Got in about 144 reps with the 12kg

I can feel my back muscles sayin “WOAH! Been a while since the 10K swings!” LOL! I’m sweaty and tired but HAPPY! I’ll focus on this type of nice and easy workouts with my walks in between too! Felt good to swing the bell. I think I’ll try some high-pulls and snatches tomorrow if I’m not broken. HAHA! Also want to focus on goblet quats and strengthening my quads/ opening my hips. Might come in handy in about 6 months!

I didn’t wear my HRM today, my normal HR is usually REALLY high and I think focusing on my HR with that70sbump inside will just freak me out. Will work where I feel comfortable.

Yes fellow tweeters and bloggers, I am pregnant! (even writing that here makes me INCREDIBLY nervous!!) LOL! DH and I are THRILLED!

Hence the reason my blog has been neglected, my fitness adventures unposted/ untweeted and my constant fits of tiredness, not to mention the insomnia! I’ve tried to keep up with my fitness challenges but I just have not had the energy! Sigh… I will keep up what I can and some clean eating. No weird or unhealthy cravings yet! (knock on wood)

But I digress… I wanted to share this awesome news with all of you (I know some of you are already parents). I won’t be turning my blog into a pregnancy blog or anything close to it, I plan to stay true to my basics of fitness and nutrition. I will start another blog dedicated to my adventures in amateur mothering If you’re interested, send me a DM on twitter and I’ll share, otherwise, I won’t bore you with all the never ending details. Haha!

While I may not be tweeting or blogging about “normal” fitness stuff, I’m hoping you all bear with me. My twitter and blogging family is very important to me.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1  jar of spaghetti sauce (big one) 700ml
• 1/4 jar of water (swish it around to get leftover spaghetti sauce)
• 1 big bag of spinach 283g
• 2 grated carrots
• chopped white mushrooms (about 20 med size)- 200g
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano

• 500g (2cups) of nonfat cottage cheese
• 1 egg
• black pepper
• 1 cup low-fat cheese (I used mozza)
• 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
• 1 box of oven ready lasagna noodles (I used “PRIMO” GrainWise brand

METHOD:

1. in a large pot fry the onions and garlic in olive oil.
2. add spaghetti sauce, carrots, mushrooms, spinach (slowly) and herbs
3. simmer for 25min on med/ low heat. Here’s a pic of what your simmering sauce should look like:
4. In a medium bowl mix cottage cheese, egg, black pepper and cheese and set aside.
5. In a 9X12″ pyrex start with a thin layer of your tomato sauce mixture.
6. Add a layer of lasagna noodles (leave about 1cm between them) [I broke noodles where needed to fit]
7. Another good layer of your tomato/ veggie sauce
8. Half of your cottage cheese mixture
9. Layer lasagna noodles again
10. Tomato/ veggie sauce
11. the rest of your cottage cheese mixture
12. Top with another cup of your choice in low-fat cheese and some parmesan cheese
13. Cover with foil

Cook in pre-heated oven at 355 for 55min
Remove foil to bake lasagna for another 10 min to brown the cheese.
Let stand for 10min before serving.
YUMMMM!!!

Whoever said “Mind over matter” must know my friend Sarah. This woman has inspired me since I joined Twitter almost a year ago and continues to do so in so many amazing ways! Today’s short post is dedicated to her quick recovery and to her continuing inspiration to me and so many others. Literally dozens of people from all over the US and the UK wore pink today (hence my pic above), tweeted #beatcancer, and sent well wishes and positive energy through blogs, Facebook, twitter and other meaningful ways. I am continually amazed by the amazing power of the fitness community we have grown (mostly originating on Twitter).

Here’s to you Sarah!! You #BEATCANCER today! xoxo

Super Trainer Josh Hillis has a great post on good workout shoes here: http://joshsgarage.typepad.com/articles/2009/10/the-best-shoes-for-training-are.html and also recommends the Asics Onitsuka Tai Chi. These look promising but I still need to source them.

In my quest, I’ve tried on the Nike Free 5.0. Feels SUPER comfy but also WAY too much cushioning! (Nike’s scale where 1= barefoot and 10 = their regular running shoe) Other than minimal cushioning up top and no seems to pinch, the sole felt much the same if not MORE cushy than my own runners. Too bad since I really dig the “sock-like” feel of the shoe.

I also tried on the Puma Saloh. I found the sole to be very narrow, too narrow for my foot. I have a history of rolling ankles and the instability I felt in these shoes, even just trying them on made me a teeny bit nervous. Pass. I like my ankles just fine. I did find a user review here: Check out the miles this person has put on the Saloh’s WOW!! They can’t be bad, but just not for my feet. http://felixwong.com/2008/03/puma-saloh/
Enter my quest to try on the Nike Free 3.0 or even find them online! Seems like these are far and few between, or they’re being phased out completely. Sigh. I will attempt a trip out to the states to find them… if I’m lucky at the Outlet mall. I kinda wonder why they aren’t as popular though. I did find this blog post on them. The user mentions more instability in the 3.0. But then says he loves them… hmmmm….

http://runbikethink.blogspot.com/2007/09/shoe-review-nike-free-30.html

An now I’m back at square one. I’m not ready for Vibrams yet, so my search continues. Then again, maybe I should just get old school Chucks. If they’re good enough for Rocky, they’re good enough for me!   So unfortunately, I’m no closer to barefoot running but continue my quest. Would love to hear your thoughts on sneakers/ runners and workout shoes too!!