remember this?

According to flickr, Ben's photo of his second time running was from 31 months ago. This year, new coach, new plan, and guess what? He's running!

So, he's always been and will always be faster than me, but his new coach has this "sneak attack" on running in the plan to make sure he doesn't injure himself by going from zero to 30 too fast. This week, it's walking with jog intervals, just to get the body used to it. Whaddya know, that's about what my workouts have disintegrated into as well. Score!

Twice this week, the whole family- Molly, Ben, and I- hit the sidewalk for a leisurely, no-pressure jaunt. I didn't have to push myself just one more block before a walk break, I let Ben and his interval timing do the talking. And the intervals were short enough that I could go just a little faster too, which felt good. And I had someone to talk to.

Things are good.

Hot hot hot.

Someone told me recently that this is the hottest summer Chicago has had in years. Decades. Millenia. Look: I don't need to know. It could be the coolest summer we've had recently and I'd still probably be uncomfortable. It's hot. And worse, it's humid. I stepped outside to run this morning at 7am and it was in the 80's and felt like someone was misting piss into the air-- a heavy, warm, dull, drenching mist. I come home dripping after running just 3 miles at what's probably barely a 12:00/mile shuffle. It's gross.

The whole pregnancy thing is like having a 25 pound weight belt on that I can't take off, then walking through the most miserable kind of warm day you could imagine. I totally underestimated what this would feel like. I'm beginning to fantasize about teleportation devices that would get me just from the air conditioned house to the air conditioned office, a mere 6 blocks away. I'm getting so puffy from the weather that I've taken to wearing the wedding ring around my neck. Ben bought me a nice new chain for it. I feel like I'm wearing his class ring. Whatever, it works.

Only, oh, 8 more weeks of this. Blerg.

too kind.

Saturday, Ben's mom and sister (Chris and Suzie) teamed up with Audrey and Erica and threw me a baby shower. It was so super nice of them. There were so many people there, almost all the ladies from Ben's side of the family plus a handful of my closest friends. Maggie took this photo of me with Prue and Jill. Jill (on the right) is Ben's cousin and she's in her 2nd trimester-- we'll all be getting together in just a few months for her shower too! I'm just completely flattered that folks braved the flooded freeways to come out and celebrate. I can't thank people enough! We had a great time and I managed not to spill anything on my belly, which is a pretty good feat for me. Maggie looked at me from the side and assured me I'm having a boy. That's three votes for boy, none for girl.

And now, just 10 days after we started the work on the back room, we have a fully painted baby room with furniture that has almost all the necessities in it. I'm so thankful to have such wonderful family and friends. And I can't believe how quickly this is all happening.

Sunday we went on our annual pilgrimage to Whiting, IN for Perogie Fest. I ate quite a few of the celebrated foods and got really REALLY sunburned. That's almost a good thing, though, since all these maternity tops are made to do double-duty as nursing clothes so they're disturbing low cut v-necks. Nice to not look so pasty as I'm showing so much skin.

I didn't ride this weekend- trails were closed due to apocalyptic rainfall. That's two weekends I've missed, but I'll be back out there as soon as I can be. This week is filled, though, with baby class, pediatrician interviews, midwife appointment, and doula meeting. Baby ain't even here yet and it's taking up all our free time!